MindMeister 4.0 New Features! - Focus

MindMeister 4.0 New Features! - Focus Please note: this article was last updated in 2010. For the latest information on MindMeister product updates, please visit our blog homepage at focus.meisterlabs.com Chances are, you’ve probably noticed a few changes to your MindMeister user interface over the past few days. This is because we’ve packed a bunch of new updates into our newest version release: MindMeister  4.0. There have been a number of helpful suggestions from our users, and while we haven’t crossed them all off the ‘To-Do’ map, we’ve incorporated a number in this release, and plan on rolling out additional features over the next few months. Whats New? Map Themes One of the most requested features in our recent User Survey was the ability to color and theme maps. We’ve now added the ability to change not only node and text colors, but backgrounds as well. Users may select one of our 12 predefined maps, or customize their map with any number of color combinations. If you’ve got one you think we should take a look at, please let us know! Stats, Reports, and Backups Team Edition users are now privy to a host of administrative features. Included in the MindMeister 4.0 release are usages statistics and activity reports. Administrators of Team Edition accounts can find these reporting features listed under the ‘My Team’ tab, and now have access to a birds-eye overview of team activity. Currently, we provide user data on: who’s logged in, most active users, and number of maps per user. Back It Up! Another high scorer on our User Survey, MindMeister users indicated that they’d like an option to back-up their mind maps. We’re introducing this service to team edition (Business and Academic) users, who now have the option to backup all mind maps of team members to a configurable external location. Administrators may specify how often and in which format these backups should take place, and can access them via any SSH FTP connection. As mentioned above, we also have more reporting features in the works. If there’s a feature you’d like to see included, please let us know! Configurable Sidebar Let’s face it, not everyone is working on a 30” Cinema Display (sadly, were not either). We discovered that a number of MindMeister users were doing a lot of unnecessary scrolling and clicking just to access and open the Sidebar widgets. We’ve worked a bit of code magic behind the scenes that now allows users to drag and drop Sidebar widgets wherever they choose. Use attachments quite a lot, but not the Navigator? Drag that Navi down to the bottom, and drop the Extras section up top! New User Interface As mentioned above, we’ve introduced a new user interface. Were going for a cleaner, streamlined, more ‘business-like design, and have paved the way for even more user-requested features (did someone say folders?). We’ll be adding these new features piece by piece over the next few months. You might also notice the lack of a certain pink motif. While the pink will still remain as part of our overall logo design, we’ve started to phase it out, and are replacing it with a lighter shade of blue. As with all of our releases, we’ve checked and re-checked the system, but if you happen to find any issues that we should be made aware of, please let us know! Visualize. Plan. Deliver. Try MindMeister

Information Systems Changing Constantly - 633 Words

INFORMATION SYSTEMS: CHANGING CONSTANTLY Information Systems: Changing Constantly BIS/219 October 29, 2009 INFORMATION SYSTEMS: CHANGING CONSTANTLY The last 20 years, traditional business organizations have critically adapted to create new change within their infrastructure. Modernization of company departments in marketing, management and HR have improved workflow efficiency, learning, control, flexibility, production and performance to survive the onslaught of other competitors. Decision making in organizations has rarely been the focus of organized analysis. In the last couple years, this may account for the astounding number of recent poor decisions to invest in and securitize mortgage loans. Companies†¦show more content†¦Application software consists of instructions that direct a computer system to perform specific information processing activities and that provide functionality for users. Because there are so many different uses for computers, there are a correspondingly large number of different application software programs. Examples of different types of software ap plications are Microsoft Office, Adobe, IBM Lotus, Novell, and Netscape. System software are programs that control and support the computer system and its information processing activities. Systems software also facilitates the programming, testing, and debugging of computer programs. System control programs control use of the hardware, software, and data resources of a computer system. The main system control program is the operating system. The operating system (OS) supervises the operation of the computer. One of its key functions is to monitor the computer’s status, scheduling operations, including the input, and output processes. This author took into consideration the various organizational departments within a company, to include marketing, management, and HR. â€Å"Balancing Four Factors in System Development Projects† (2009). Companies need to develop their departments to the following criteria. Acquire knowledge in the use of key technologies, development of technologies, business functionality, control over project costs, and control over projectShow MoreRelatedReflection Paper1242 Words   |  5 Pagesof the relevant information from the bulk of knowledge is vital for many aspect of our lives. As an IMBA student in Florida International University, I have never thought that there was such a strict distinction between the information and the knowledge in today’s technology driven world. However, after taken this course, it is quite clear to me that gathering the beneficial information is not an easy task as it seems before. There are crucial elements to obtain valuable information for t he businessesRead MoreCase Study : Job Redesign For Expanded Him Functions833 Words   |  4 Pagesthat it had in various departments. This article is about HIM functions which is Health Information Services. The Health Information Services system allows for health records to be electronic. You will notice that when you go to the doctor’s office or hospital they now are all, or almost all of them, have switched over to an electronic system. This makes it easier to store information, transport in/out medical documents, you can access your records online, medical tests can now even beRead MoreEssay The Role of Database Administrator1418 Words   |  6 Pagescomputer systems while others use them only for accounting for payrolls and everyday computer tasks. Most organization, even the smallest company have people whose job is to make sure that the computer system is up and running or an emergency contact to call when the computer systems goes down. In the future, I want to take the head of a database administrator of an IT department whether the size of the company is small or enormous. In larger organizations, there will most likely be an information technologyRead MoreThe Problem Of Technological Security Crisis1040 Words   |  5 Pagesconfront over the next 50 years. Many companies are beginning to store extremely valuable information on cloud storage systems to save costs, time, paper, etc. This methodology is risky simply because of the increased risk of hackers trying to capture and misappropriate the stored information. In order for businesses to take appropriate preventative action, they must invest in the adequate amount of internet, system, and storage security. In addition to the technological security crisis, there are twoRead MoreThe Organizational Structure Of Well Care Specialty Hospital1397 Words   |  6 Pageswhose patients have multiple complex diagnoses and require an extended stay, more than 25 days versus the standard five-day stay in regular hospitals. With the recent purchase of a new information technology system, Well Care strives to achieve and sustain latitude in a constantly changing industry. This system will minimize errors with staffing, assist with tracking certifications, licenses and credentialing. It will also track legal issues and generate reports. The organizational structureRead MoreA Strategic Analysis of Ge Healthcare1561 Words   |  7 Pages but each modality often has its own similar departments. The global sourcing department handles all purchasing for the firm. GE Healthcare provides a variety of products services namely Technologies in medical imaging, diagnostics in medicine, systems for monitoring patients, solutions for improving performance, discovering drugs, and technologies to manufacture biopharmaceuticals. It also provides X-Ray products which include; radiography, fluoroscopy, vascular, cardiology, and the Mobile C-ArmRead MoreHealthcare Technology And The Medical Field771 Words   |  4 PagesHealthcare technology is very crucial in the medical field and its constantly changing and updating over the years. The healthcare system went from a large amount of paperwork and files to electronic databases. Today, patients have access to their electronic health records, EOB’s, and etc. The new technology today was developed to make everything more efficient and more accessible to everyone. It was developed to meet everyone’s needs within the medical field. In one article, it states that the healthcareRead MoreThe Quality And Safety Education For Nurses1405 Words   |  6 PagesInformatics competency Nowadays, the healthcare system is rapidly changing, placing a large burden on nurses. The rate at which the changes are taking place is high and nurses are finding it increasingly difficult to accommodate these changes in their learning and practice. Unlike in the past where health institutions were cautious to change, better effective technologies and innovation have caused a shift from this notion. Modern health institutions are more open to change and are ready to tryRead MoreBitcoin Is A Form Of Digital Currency818 Words   |  4 Pagestransactions do not include taxes. Making payments with bitcoins is similar to sending cash digitally, and users can do so through their computers or mobile apps. In that aspect, it is similar to making online purchases with conventional currency systems. It can help both businesses and consumers to save money. The use of bitcoins involves lower costs. Businesses who accept bitcoins are able to avoid credit card fees. This cost saving can be passed on to the customers because lower costs allowRead MoreProcess Of Software Development : The Waterfall Model1328 Words   |  6 PagesIntegration development relies heavily on reusable code, which focused into integrating the components into the system. GCC and CLANG strive to give users the latest and most recent updates of their compilers. Therefore, with both being updated so frequently, the waterfall model is not the best SDLC for either of these systems. However, GCC or CLANG could be either incremental or integration. Both systems rely on patches in order to fix a bug, which means that they both use reusable code from a previous version

The Revolution Of The Modern World - 1441 Words

Revolution has played a critical role in the establishment of the modern world. As a means to an end, it is a methodical approach for creating change in the leadership, culture, and organizational structures within a society. Most interpretations of revolutions consist of the aggressive overthrow of a government or societal conditions in an attempt to bring forth change. Although the term ‘revolution’ is often understood to include a violent disruption of the status quo, it can also include non-violent episodes of change of both positive and negative results. Going Through a Revolution When a country experiences a revolution, it means that the country is experiencing some sort of crisis or situation that generates a high level of dissatisfaction with the people. In other words, something has to occur that generates a desire for change that is strong enough to inspire the people to come together and revolt against those in power or to create a new state of affairs that will improve the situation. The French Revolution provides an example of a social and fiscal crisis in which the ruling elites and aristocracy benefit from and rely on the lower-class who are experiencing poverty, hunger, and desperation. The unfair taxation and disregard for the lower-class, in addition to fiscal mismanagement created a poor economic situation consisting of high unemployment, poverty, and famine. With a great desire for change, the lower-class established their own sovereign entity toShow MoreRelatedSocial Revolutions in the Modern World1100 Words   |  5 PagesA Review of: Soc ial Revolutions in the Modern World, by Theda Skocpol Theda Skocpol grew up in Detroit, Michigan, received her B.A. from Michigan State University and went on to earn a PhD from Harvard in sociology, where she is the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Sociology and Government. She is widely regarded in academic circles for her unique approaches to understanding political and social science issues. In 2007, Skocpol was awarded the John Skytte Prize in political science, one of the world’sRead MoreSocial Revolutions in the Modern World by Theda Skocpol1092 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Revolutions in the Modern World, was widely published in 1994 and presents an extension of her structurally-based, comparative analysis of various social revolutions. In addition to this book, she has also published numerous other works including States and Social Revolutions and the acclaimed, Protecting Soldiers and Mothers: The Political Origins of Social Policy in the United States, applying her social theories to the genesis of the American welf are state. Social Revolutions in theRead MoreFirst Modern Revolution : 3d Printing, Now A Days Is Taking The World By Tempest2135 Words   |  9 PagesThree dimensional (3D) printing, now a days is taking the world by tempest. President Barack Obama as of late said that 3D printing innovation can possibly make a huge change in the way we make practically everything. News and exploratory productions have named it the as second modern revolution. 3D printing is used to be restricted to assembling littler things, for example, mugs, model autos, or firearms. A few, nonetheless, imagine 3D imprinting on a more stupendous scale. Research organizationsRead MoreGutenbergs Printing Press as a Turning Point in Modern Society924 Words   |  4 PagesGutenberg’s Printing Press as a Turning point in Modern Society A turning point entails the landmark moments and forces of change that make up modern history (Liulevicius, 2014). The most important turning point happened way back in 1400. They have helped the human race in their struggle for civilization. These turning points have become a reckoning force in areas that affect people across all parts of the globe. These areas include scientific development, social change, the ever growing waveRead MoreThe Meaning Of Revolution By Hannah Arendt Summary1046 Words   |  5 PagesHannah Arendt’s chapter titled â€Å"The Meaning of Revolution† is used as a means to describe the origins and basis of modern revolution and how the social question impacted its meaning into modern times. She first addresses existing revolutions as ones that attempt to overthrow a tyrannical power such as a king or a Machiavellian prince who refuses to distribute wealth amongst his people. Thus, she finds that people in pre-modern times revolted against author ity because of their lack of wealth. It isRead MorePositive Impacts Of The Modern Revolution1063 Words   |  5 PagesAnthropocene Era, commonly referred to as the Modern Revolution, is a time period of acceleration by which human activity has been the dominant influence in shaping the climate and environment around us. As our world’s most recent threshold, the Modern Revolution contributes to new complexities, such as a globally connected human society. It also allows for an increased in new opportunities and inventions that would benefit humanity as a whole. The Modern Revolution is a positive force because of its favorableRead More The European Expansion and its Effects on the World Essay1260 Words   |  6 Pagesby science.† (p. 403) The European scientific revolution was fueled by the blending of â€Å"liberal† and â€Å"servile† arts, in other words, science and technology. Because of the European expansion taking place throughout the world, new co mmerce and industries were advancing, creating the need for new technology and science. The theories and inventions that Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton provided were the fist major advances during the scientific revolution, and perhaps were the most profound. The EuropeanRead MoreMilitary Historians And Theorists Postulate That Napoleon Invented Modern Warfare916 Words   |  4 PagesNapoleon invented modern warfare. This belief is not true. Although there are aspects of how Napoleon fought that are used by many modern armies today, and his tactics and philosophy of fighting should continue to be studied, Napoleonic warfare is not fundamentally similar to modern warfare. Napoleon implemented ideas that modern armies use today; however the Revolutions in Military Affairs (RMAs) of the Franco-Prussian Wars and American Civil War, and the military revolutions of World War I, and theRead MoreWas the French Revolution Successful? Essay891 Words   |  4 PagesMany historians credit the French Revolution as being the beginning of modern politics. The revolution single-handedly crushed the monarchical way of politics, the aristocratic domination up to that point in France, and the dominance of the church in French politics. The revolution abol ished the feudal system and was one of the biggest steps towards modernity throughout history. The French Revolution was a successful endeavour on the part of the French people because it reformed social traditionRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Enlightenment1471 Words   |  6 Pagesactions of the French Revolution sparked by philosophies of Enlightenment, will impact the future. Historical figures such as Robespierre heading the Great Assembly will drive change in culture through the revolution, in hopes of achieving enlightened societies. The 18th century marks the beginning of modern history. The French revolution playing a role in furthering Enlightenment, will led to a chain of events that will change the course of the future and modernize the world through the intellectual

Last Shot Free Essays

Who knew that from the beginning things would fall downhill fast, the other team would be such more skilled and our team being devastated and that I would crumble In my moment to save what little respect my team had left? I look across the field at the other team warming up. I can’t help but notice how fluid and controlled their movements are. Halfway into the game my team’s spirit is deflated. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Shot or any similar topic only for you Order Now We are playing worse than we really are. We thought we would be okay but the team is playing defeated. We are down five to zero; the possibility of scoring is a thing of the past considering our attackers haven’t seen the goal all game. Coach paces the locker mom speaking his face reddening as he tries to raise the burning sensation to win within the team. The eyes of my teammates light up with a spark, with hope that sparks will ignite into a flaming inferno. The last quarter of the game my mind is filled with guilt. Have I choked or was the other team Just better? Am I good enough to deserve this spot on the team? We are down nine to nothing with Just under a minute left and the other team has the ball. As the attacker comes down the field I get a nod from coach and I know it’s his way of telling me the pride of the team rest on my holders. I have one Job and one Job only do not let this game get into the double digits. Number 21 comes down the ball passing it in his team begins to move the ball around the goal. Seeing the ball moving around to my left side I step up to meet the shot, then a sadden movement catches my eye to the right. In that split second the attacker released the ball, my focus lost for one moment caused my reflexes to falter. I swing my stick around in hope that I can make the save, but the slap of the net lets me know I was too late. Twenty minutes later the buzzer sounds and the game Is over s Is any pride I had left. Not only had I let down myself but equally so my coach, school and my team. I sat there In the locker room the game on my mind all those thoughts running circles In my mind. My emotions running wild Inside me now that I am alone all the anger, sadness, regret disgust but most of all I feel Like a failure. And In that same moment I realized If I had sat there mopping nothing would change With the determination In my heart and mind that dull spark blew up Into a flame you could see through my eyes. I picked up my stick looked at It running to the field dead to practice and prove I’m worth to hold this stick. Last Shot By Commander Due: 2/16/2011 I sit in that smelly sweat stained locker room, all I can think about is whether or not I practice hard enough or pushed myself to the limit. I change alone in my corner with as he slaps my pads when he walks by. Laughing, he asks me if I was set; grabbing much more skilled and our team being devastated and that I would crumble in my other team warming up. I can’t help but notice how fluid and controlled their me know I was too late. Twenty minutes later the buzzer sounds and the game is over s is any pride I had left. Not only had I let down myself but equally so my coach, school and my team. I sat there in the locker room the game on my mind all those thoughts running circles in my mind. My emotions running wild inside me now that I am alone all the anger, sadness, regret disgust but most of all I feel like a failure. And in that same moment I realized if I had sat there mopping nothing would change. With the determination in my heart and mind that dull spark blew up into a flame you could see through my eyes. I picked up my stick looked at it running to the field How to cite Last Shot, Papers

Guide Wavelength Measurements free essay sample

The relationship between the wavelength in free space and the guide wavelength. Furthermore, this experiment will be a way in which to gain experience in using different types of laboratory communications equipment. Introduction What is wavelength? Wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the distance between identical points in the adjacent cycles of a waveform signal. Wavelength is commonly designated by the Greek letter lambda (? )Wavelength is inversely correlated to frequency (figure 1. 1), therefore the higher the frequency of the signal, the shorter the wavelength. vp Is the phase velocity f is the frequency vp Is the phase velocity f is the frequency ?=vpf Figure 1. 1 What is a wave guide? Figure 1. 2 A waveguide is a special form of transmission line consisting of a rectangular (figure 1. 2) or cylindrical metal tube or pipe, through which electromagnetic waves are propagated in microwave and RF communications. It s commonly used in microwave communications, broadcasting, and radar installations. A waveguide must have a certain minimum diameter relative to the wavelength of the signal and therefore are practical only for signals of extremely high frequency. Consequently below such frequencies, waveguides are useless as electrical transmission lines. â€Å"An electromagnetic field can propagate along a waveguide in various ways. Two common modes are known as transverse-magnetic (TM) and transverse-electric (TE). In TM mode, the magnetic lines of flux are perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide. In TE mode, the electric lines of flux are perpendicular to the axis of the waveguide. Either mode can provide low loss and high efficiency as long as the interior of the waveguide is kept clean and dry. † Some disadvantages are: * The high cost, since the material used is special alloy (copper and silver). * It is not possible to pass DC currents along with your RF signal. * The volume and mass particularly are at lower frequencies. Although there is quite a few disadvantages the fact that you can transmit extremely high peak powers and very low loss outweighs it. Furthermore the Silver plating used on the inside walls of the waveguide decreases the resistance loss making the copper and aluminium waveguides even more efficient. Experimental notes The experiment needs to be conducted to obtain the value of the guide wavelength and thereafter calculate the wave dimension and observe whether it matches the initial result that was measured. The initial result measured was the value. Cut-off wavelength for the wave guide mode being propagate ? o = Wavelength in free space g = Guide wavelength, known as delta g The equation to measure ? o is already present as it is given by free-space. Although the cut-off wavelength can be calculated by rearranging the formula in figure 1. 1, the experiment will be used to further confirm this mathematical formula. What we will acquire is a range of guide wavelengths throughout the experiment in order to find the Cut-off wavelength. Where is the cut-off wavelength for the waveguide mode being propagated? The dominant mode is being propagated in the rectangular waveguide (figure 1. 2) which means where (a) is the internal broad dimension of the rectangular waveguide. Block diagram Microwave signal source Isolator Preset attenuator Wave meter Short circuit Calibrated attenuator Tuned SWR amplifier + meter Standing wave detector Microwave signal source Isolator Preset attenuator Wave meter Short circuit Calibrated attenuator Tuned SWR amplifier + meter Standing wave detector Microwave signal source This device is the signal generator where you get 8 to 12 GHz. It is extremely expensive equipment and costs in the region of ? 20,000. This is due to the fact that we are dealing with high frequency signals and not with normal radio waves. Isolator By terminating one port, a circulator becomes an isolator, which contains the property for energy to flow in one direction only. It samples some of the forward wave power and couples it to a calibrated cavity wave meter for measuring the oscillator frequency. Preset attenuator â€Å"Attenuators are essential building blocks when developing test stations for applications† Attenuators are devices used to adjust signal levels which helps to stop the reflected power from reaching the oscillator, control impedance mismatch and to isolate circuit stages. Wave meter Any device for measuring the free-space wavelengths (or frequencies) of microwaves; usually made of a cavity resonator whose dimensions can be varied until resonance with the microwaves is achieved. The determination is often made indirectly, by measuring the frequency of the wave. Calibrated attenuator The calibrator changes the value if it gets too high. Attenuators are manufactured with high-accuracy calibration, and for utmost precision. They available in standard waveguide were each attenuator is calibrated at the frequency specified at the time of order. Standing wave detector Standing wave detector detects radio frequency signals along a transmission line or in a waveguide and changes it into a DC voltage for the reason that the waveguide cannot transmit DC currents along with the RF signal. Tuned SWR amplifier + meter The  standing wave ratio  meter  measures the  SWR (standing-wave-ratio)  which is the ratio of the amplitude of a partial standing wave at a maximum to the amplitude at a minimum in a transmission line. This is an item of  radio  equipment used to check the quality of the match between the  antenna  and the  transmission line. Procedure 1. Set up the microwave bench, as indicated. 2. Read the basic instructions for the microwave bench and then obtain oscillations at 8. 5 GHz from the microwave signal source. 3. If it is possible, maximize the deflection on the SWR-meter by using the method outlined in the basic instructions. 4. Measure the frequency, f, using the wave meter. Calculate the free space wavelength, ? o , by using ? o = c/f where c = 2. 997? 1010 cm s-1. 5. Move the standing wave detector (SWD) probe along the slotted line and watch the SWR-meter.

Analysis of Catcher in the Rye Essays - Point Of View, Style

Holden Caulfield is the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, and the most important function of these early chapters is to establish the basics of his personality. From the beginning of the novel, Holden tells his story in a bitterly cynical voice. He refuses to discuss his early life, he says, because he is bored by ?all that David Copperfield kind of crap.? He gives us a hint that something catastrophic has happened in his life, acknowledging that he writes from a rest home to tell about ?this madman stuff? that happened to him around the previous Christmas, but he doesn?t yet go into specifics. The particularities of his story are in keeping with his cynicism and his boredom. He has failed out of school, and he leaves Spencer?s house abruptly because he does not enjoy being confronted by his actions. Beneath the surface of Holden?s tone and behavior runs a more idealistic, emotional current. He begins the story of his last day at Pencey Prep by telling how he stood at the top of Thomsen Hill, preparing to leave the school and trying to feel ?some kind of a good-by.? He visits Spencer in Chapter 2 even though he failed Spencer?s history class, and he seems to respond to Mrs. Spencer?s kindness. What bothers him the most, in these chapters and throughout the book, is the hypocrisy and ugliness around him, which diminish the innocence and beauty of the external world?the unpleasantness of Spencer?s sickroom, for instance, and his hairless legs sticking out of his pajamas. Salinger thus treats his narrator as more than a mere portrait of a cynical postwar rich kid at an impersonal and pressure-filled boarding school. Even in these early chapters, Holden connects with life on a very idealistic level; he seems to feel its flaws so deeply that he tries to shield himself with a veneer of cynicism. The Catcher in the Rye is in many ways a book about the betrayal of innocence by the modern world; despite his bitter tone, Holden is an innocent searching desperately for a way to connect with the world around him that will not cause him pain. In these early chapters, the reader already begins to sense that Holden is not an entirely reliable narrator and that the reality of his situation is somehow different from the way he describes it. In part this is simply because Holden is a first-person narrator describing his own experiences from his own point of view. Any individual?s point of view, in any novel or story, is necessarily limited. The reader never forgets for a moment who is telling this story, because the tone, grammar, and diction are consistently those of an adolescent?albeit a highly intelligent and expressive one?and every event receives Holden?s distinctive commentary. However, Holden?s narrative contains inconsistencies that make us question what he says. Fo r instance, Holden characterizes Spencer?s behavior throughout as vindictive and mean-spirited, but Spencer?s actions clearly seem to be motivated by concern for Holden?s well-being. Holden seems to be looking for reasons not to listen to Spencer.

Insider epistemology Essays

Insider epistemology Essays Insider epistemology Essay Insider epistemology Essay The view that you have to be one to know one, that to understand a group you must be a member of that group, is known as insider epistemology (Fay, 1996, p. 9). In my work I will try to explain and define this thesis, making it more tangible through the use of examples both of situations for with insider epistemology seems valid and of instances in which group differences have tried to be overcome. I shall then go on to present problems and questions that arise with it; amongst others whether it is at all possible to place people in categories, to what extent we are able to understand anyone but ourselves and, for that matter, whether we can even understand ourselves. Finally, I shall suggest a reconciliation of the thesis with its counterarguments by introducing a more precise definition of the phrase you have to be one to know one. In our society today we tend to take one of two approaches toward people in some way different to ourselves: we either condemn their actions as wrong and try to impose our own viewpoint on them, or we resist judgement by saying that their frame of mind is so substantially different to ours that we couldnt possibly understand and even less criticize their actions. I would like to focus on this second approach. Whether we are speaking about youths from troubled backgrounds with an early criminal record, or about a far-off tribe with seemingly strange customs, or about the way of life of monks in the 13th century; the belief is that unless we were there to experience what they did, or unless we belong to their group, we have no way of understanding them. In other words, to know them we must be them, the claim of insider epistemology. Insider epistemology maintains that to know other insiders one has to be an insider oneself (Fay, 1996, p. 9). It is saying that you cannot understand a Muslim unless you are a Muslim yourself, a Russian peasant unless you are a Russian peasant yourself. James I. Charlton speaks of the innate inability of able-bodied people, regardless of fancy credentials and awards, to understand the disability experience (Bridges, 2001). The reasoning is simple: how could you possibly understand a group if you have not grown up in their surroundings and with their experiences? Various literary works illustrate this: Jung Changs Wild Swans, for example, only became such a moving and inspiring account because written by a person who experienced Chinese history of the 20th century first hand. She was able to tell the story of her family in a political and historical context without having to resort to research and second hand accounts. She might have even felt quite offended had an outsider written her story claiming to know exactly how she felt and exactly what she went through; she would probably consider her experiences to be unique and not likely to be truly understood by anyone but her family and herself and perhaps not even by her family because they did not have the exact same experiences as she did. This position that each person has privileged access to his or her own mental states and processes (Fay, 1996, p. 10) is called individual methodological solipsism (Merton, 1972, p. 5) and is a more radical form of insider epistemology. It argues that only I can know my own mind, so I can never know whether experiences and sensations are the same for other people: does the colour red look the same to others (Fay, 1996, p. 10)? Does pain feel the same if experienced by another? A train of thoughts which can make us feel truly lonely indeed! Throughout time there have been a number of attempts to transgress the b oundaries separating groups from each other and go native (Smith, n. d. ). John Howard Griffin painted his face black and travelled through the south of the USA during the height of racial segregation to be able to experience the treatment of a black man (Fay, 1996, p. 13). Liza Crihfield Dalby wanted to write her PhD on the life and experiences of a Japanese geisha, and thought the only way to do this was to live as a geisha in Kyoto for a year (Dalby, 1983). It would seem that by doing this they would be able to gain an insider perspective on the culture and group they were living with? Yet herein lies the illusion: no matter how long they played their insider role, it would remain a role. Their upbringing had instilled in them a set of values and beliefs, by themselves perhaps unrecognized or unacknowledged, but nevertheless existing and fundamentally different to that of the group they were studying. Furthermore, if ever they were to find themselves in a precarious situation, they would always be able to resort back to their original identity, and not have to bare the consequences as a black man or a geisha might. They are able to wear the mask of an insider, but under the mask the outsider stays the same. This can be further illustrated: if we say that the social and cultural world shape a person or groups identity, regarding the fact that society and culture differs hugely from place to place, and insist on the fact that to understand an insider you must be an insider yourself, then we must conclude that any understanding between groups is impossible. This, in turn, would mean that social science would become radically unlike hard science (Smith, n. d. ), because no research would be possible on a neutral and objective basis. In fact, every group would have to be in charge of its own social research, be its own social scientist (Fay, 1996, p. 12). Still, if we are not able understand another group, we would consequently also not be able to understand the research done by an insider social scientist of the other group. Each group would be its own isolated unit and incapable of sharing any knowledge. However, there are problems to be found in using the word group. By picturing a group as a homogenous set of individuals, we are categorizing its members as all being equal and being members of only that group. We are forgetting that categories as broad as women, South American, adopted children, etc. are no indication of individual identity and experiences. Indeed, by placing all adopted children in the same group, we are neglecting the fact that adoption can be a completely different experience for one child compared to another. The differences between members of one group may actually outweigh their similarities (Bridges, 2001, p. 3; Fay, 1996, p. 53) and insiders of groups may insist on a distinction being made between each other, therefore Argentineans might find it offensive to be put in the same category as Bolivians or vice versa. But if we carry these divisions within categories further, then we must distinguish between Argentineans from Buenos Aires and those from Patagonia, in Buenos Aires between the poor and the wealthy, within the poor between the homeless and people living in small shacks, within the homeless between men and women, within men between old and young, and so on until there is no more than one person left for each category which takes us back to the theory of solipsism, that only I can know myself, and therefore to the impossibility of mutual understanding. In social research difficulties may arise as many of the political and ethical dilemmas ( ) stem from the researchers simultaneous occupation of a status as insider and outsider in relation to those they are researching (Charles, 1997, p. 394), since boundaries between groups are never clear-cut. But this evokes the idea that ultimately, if I am the only person left in my category and nobody from outside my category can truly understand me, I must know my own self best, and this idea we must question. For many instances come to mind where we dont really understand ourselves. When writing an exam, for example, we are not conscious of all the thought processes going on within our head and we would have a hard time explaining how we wrote it. Fay writes that the mind does not have an unmediated knowledge of itself (1996, p. 19), meaning that we cannot necessarily interpret the experiences and feelings we have. Similarly I have no detailed recollection of the day my dog was put to sleep, it went by in a blur. Not only did I not have full knowledge of myself on that day but with time it has changed further: my personal account of that day would probably be very inaccurate because tinted by my emotions and patchy with suppressed memories (Bridges, 2001, p. 2). Furthermore, it is well known that a stressed person is the last to realize or acknowledge it, what is needed is precisely a person on the outside a doctor, a parent, a wife to diagnose the symptoms and look at our taken-for-granted experience through ( ) the eye of a stranger (Bridges, 2001, p. ), so from an outsider perspective. Our insider perspective does not necessarily work to our advantage because, as Fay puts it, knowledge of what we are experiencing always involves an interpretation of these experiences (1996, p. 19). Likewise, being a member of a group does not always give us the best knowledge of it. For example, a sports player is not automatically the best sports commentator (Fay, 1996, p. 20), and being a native speake r of a language often means that you have more difficulties explaining grammar rules than a non-native speaker. Merton is his studies found that the judgements of insiders are best trusted when they assess groups other than their own (1972, p. 18). Distance can create better knowledge because it gives a wider view of things: Fay gives the example of Hitlers biographers who were able to understand him not in the sense of being sympathetic toward him but of giving an accurate account of his character and motivations precisely because their distance enabled them to make a connection between internal emotions and external situations (Fay, 1996, p. 24). But how can we reconcile this argument with the one made earlier that Jung Chang was only able to write such an extraordinary account because she was an insider? Maybe the answer lies in that knowledge does not rely solely on whether one is a member of a certain group or not. Knowing something implies that we understand its meaning and have made sense of it, not that we have an empathetic understanding of it. Fay compares making sense of something with trying to decipher a difficult poem rather than trying to achieve some sort of inner mental union with its author (1996, p. 25). Sensitivity and criticality are the relevant criteria to understanding rather than being an insider or outsider to a group whether we are speaking about women, Muslims or Russian peasants. An insider may however be more aware of the issues at hand; he may not have the automatic ability to truly understand but his status might facilitate it. If we really had to be one to know one, most of our world today would become pointless: media, research, welfare, etc. Why be informed about the war in Iraq if we can neither understand the Iraqis nor the soldiers nor the politicians? Why make any judgement, any protest? Because our insider status as human beings gives us the sensitivity to reject violence and suffering, even if we are outsiders on all other factors.