Surreal (subject is hair and make up) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Surreal (subject is hair and make up) - Essay Example This unorthodox artistic style is applied to a perception of how hair trends may be in the future, but the distortion and exaggeration incorporated into the hair style is an attempt to drive the viewer beyond what is traditional and familiar. The viewer’s sentiment may range anywhere from surprise or delight, to perplexity and even confusion, and in the extreme even a strong dislike or disgust. This type of artistic style is disturbing to many, and not a few will decide that they find it unacceptable and for being vulgar and boorish. Many famous artists are not appreciated during their lifetimes; their creations are mocked and derided, and this is not difficult to imagine in the case of Modigliani and other avant-garde artists. People could not understand the artist’s vision and his concept of reality, at least during his lifetime, because contemporaries are exposed to the same environment, and being exposed to the same context, the normal expectation is to perceive things in the same context. However, a good artist is ahead of his time, and he sees things beyond the context of his contemporaries. In most cases, visionary art is ignored during the artist’s lifetime, but appreciated by succeeding generations, so it is only after the artist’s death and when many of his works have been destroyed, lost or scattered, that the pieces of art become valued, even priceless. It is thus a pity that while the artist lives, his philosophy conveyed through his art and lifestyle are lost to oblivion, only to resurface later on and accorded the value it truly deserves. It is this timeless element of Modigliani’s distortion and exaggeration that I wish to capture and translate to a fashion statement for the future. The distortion and exaggeration works to enhance that element in the artist’s vision that escapes and is lost to the everyday observer, and the emphasis is to draw the ordinary person’s

Terrorism And Mass Media

Terrorism And Mass Media The United States of America law defines terrorism as predominated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents (U.S. Code Title 22, Ch.38, Para 2656f (d). Hoffman has defined a terrorist act as an act of violence vested upon a given people so as to attract the attention of the opponents and the general public which is followed by communication of a message from the terrorists (Hoffman 2003, p. 118). A terrorist Group on the other hand is a group of people which indulges in international terrorism. On the other hand mass media can be defined as any form of communication that is reaching a large and heterogeneous audiences, it may include the use of Television, Radio, the internet, or written literature such as books, flayers, newspapers, periodicals and magazines.  [1]  The terrorist groups have employed the use of mass media as one of their most effective approaches to scaring the citizens to comply with th e terrorist demands; U.S citizens have also not been spared. Among the most renowned terrorist groups of the world is the Al Qaeda  [2]  . The U.S States department considers the Al Qaeda a leading terrorist group that has been very active in the last five years. The group which was started by Osama bin Laden  [3]  has been operational from late 1980s. The group aims a establishing a pan-caliphate in the entire world through working with allies Islamic extremist groups in the endeavor to overthrow the non Islamic regimes in the west as well as eliminating non-Muslims in Islamic states (Hellman 2010, para. 3). The new archetype of terrorism is partly an outcome of a sudden development in information technology, particularly evident in the fact that terrorist groups have recognized the value mass media has on the execution of their aims. It has been noted that between mass media and terrorism there is a very interactive or symbiotic relationship; this is because media industrys patterns and trends for media contents making head towards preference of impression seeking contents, while terrorist organizations can, owing to their actions, make sure that they get the maximum attention of the media. In so doing, terrorist organizations such as the Al Qaeda are constantly trying to maneuver and exploit free media for their own use. Yes we may conclude that its the mass media that provide global reach to terrorist groups since it influences the manner in which the public perceives terrorism and hazards that arise from it, it influences political verdicts used to act in response to terrorism, but a lso the dealings formed through countrywide and international politics. Nevertheless, media does not have to turn out to be an instrument of terrorism as Al Qaeda has been using the media. Through a considerate approach the media can be used as a kind of weapon which can then be used as an imperative device in overpowering terrorists, and the constructive benefits certainly exceed adverse consequences that results from irresponsible actions by a part of media companies and journalists (PereÃ…Â ¡in 2007 p. 1-3). Despite the massive resources that the U.S government has employed in attempt to combat terrorism after the September 11th attack  [4]  , the primary terrorist target; Al Qaeda has mutated becoming more dangerous. Al Qaeda today has ceased to be perceived as an organization or a net work of networks, but by leveraging new technological and information and communication approaches Al Qaeda has been transformed by its stakeholders to a social movement which makes its virulent ideologies accessible to the entire world through the internet (Brachman, 2006 p. 149-151). The Al Qaeda has been very effective in the use of the internet to threaten the citizens of the United States, the employ very high technologies to track the citizens personal information. The group uses this information to siphon money from the subject. Combating of the internal working of the groups becomes even more complex for the victims are threatened not to betray the subject to the authorities otherwise they will be in for trouble (Brachman 2006, 149-151). The Al Qaeda uses the internet in dissemination of propaganda, training materials and educating its members. They also identify information of the opposition groups such as the government and exploit it for their own benefit. Today every terrorism activity is given the first priority over the media coverage. If the Al Qaeda sends a message either by video tape, internet, TV or radios people will not have peace until they get to know what are the demands this time around and where is the terrorists target? (Soriano 2008, p. 1-20). The use of the media by terrorist group has been successful in manipulating the activities of the citizens. No one is willing to place his/her life at stake hoping that the information was just but a threat, the citizens are not willing to jeopardize their lives in the hope that the government will take care of the situation. After the various threats to the U.S government and the fateful hit of 11th September 2001 not many citizens will bet their lives on the governments protection. The news coverage by the media on many events takes just some key events hence people are never fully informed of what takes place but when it comes to a terrorism attack, most Medias will alter the program for the day so that a thorough coverage of the occurrence may be done. The Al Qaeda group uses this understanding to ensure that the citizenly absorbs the power of the groups. The personification role of the media makes such terror groups to be very successful in their endeavor to make their subject to fear them. Personification makes the news watchers and listeners to become more personally involved even in situations where they are buying into a clichà ©. The terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda perceives the media as an important tool of furthering their message hence a friend but also as an enemy if the media fails to do so or distorts the message (Soriano 2008, p. 1-20). The Americans conception of the terror war generally perceives the battle of ideas as a confrontation between the Al Qaeda and the United States. In fact the United States is relatively marginal and seen to be self defeating player in the actual ideological struggle among the Muslims and the Arabs. The struggle by the Americans to overcome those activities of Al Qaeda is seen to enforce the Islamic agenda of portraying the Islamic religion as under siege (Lynch 2006, p. 1). The governments response to the media effort of Al Qaeda has been evolving with the evolution of home grown terrorism. The government has employed coordinated and comprehensive tactical communication and outreach efforts. The government has been alert on all the information delivered through the Aljazeera  [5]  and other Arabic media channels to ensure that the information is contained. Though to some extent those medias have been successful in disseminating their information creating fear, the government has most of the time been successful in convincing the people that the threats are not valid assuring them that the mechanisms of overcoming terrorist attacks are sound. The government has been keen to control the information from Al Qaeda disseminated to the general public to keep people from unnecessary worries (Leslie 2008, p. 1). The government has managed to intercept many internet threats to individuals, groups and the general public through its vast developed technology. The government has not been very effective in its protection role. Robert Gates observed that the Al Qaeda surpasses the US government in the use of communication since the Al Qaeda manages to air all they have to their subject and victims while US government fails in this duty (Leslie 2008, p. 1). Conclusion The information revolution reached its crest in the last centuries 2nd half. It exerted influence in all the spheres of life in the global society hence bringing a vast transformation. This opened the societies access to information form all aver the world. Terrorism found an opportunity to expand its impacts with the information and technology expansion. The mass media has allowed the terrorist activities to gain momentum. Terrorists activities revolve around the use of violent activities to attract attention; after the attention is obtained the mass media provides a very opportune platform for the terrorists to air their views to the target group. The Al Qaeda has used this tool to reach out to the citizenly and hurt the government. The United States of Americas government has been on toes especially from September 11th attack to provide optimum security to the citizens. Threat Information that is aired from Arabic Medias is taken care of before it causes anxiety to the general public. The government has also been keen to uncover all the illegal Medias that are used as tools for the terror groups (PereÃ…Â ¡in 2007, p. 1-7).

Class Consciousness in Country Music :: Music Musical Class Essays

Class Consciousness in Country Music The term class consciousness, like any term which attempts to define group mentality, is somewhat imprecise. This lack of precision, of course, lends itself to the provocation of scholarly dispute. Historians of the labor movement in the United States have written volumes about both the meaning of class consciousness and the question of whether American workers possess it, however defined. While there are some demurs, most historians, including the non-Marxists, have accepted a Marxist interpretation of the term "class consciousness."1 Generally, Marxists insist that class consciousness is composed of two elements, a recognition by a particular group that they occupy a common, usually inferior, position within a society, and a commitment to changing that position through some type of political activity. "Class consciousness," according to an oft-cited definition by the English Marxist historian E.P. Thompson, "happens when some men, as a result of common experiences (inherited or sha red) feel and articulate the identity of their interests as between themselves, and as against other men whose interests are different from (and usually opposed to) theirs. The class experience is largely determined by the productive relations into which men are born or enter voluntarily.2 Regardless of how class consciousness is defined, most historians of the labor movement in the United States, Marxists and non-Marxists alike, agree that American workers never developed it. Their explanations of why this is so, however, vary. Some of the more acceptable explanations for this lack of class consciousness among American laborers are the racial and ethnic minorities within the work force, the greater social mobility of the American worker compared to that of his European counterpart and the generally higher wages received by American workers, which it is claimed, allows them to join the middle class. Recent historians have identified as a cause republican virtues nourished by the American Revolution which established a political democracy in the United States before the coming of the Industrial Revolution.3 The failure of American workers to become class conscious in the Marxist sense does not, however, indicate a willingness to accept the status quo. Rather American workers were acutely aware of their inferior economic and social status. The method they chose to improve their status was trade unionism, not politics. Trade unionism sprang from what Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor termed class awareness, a camaraderie among workers devoid of political consideration. This class awareness of American laborers, historians contend, is evident in the long, arduous and ultimately successful struggle to build a trade union movement.

Venus’ Mirror: An Image of Baroque Art

The Baroque period was one of the most colorful periods in European history. It consisted of many changes in the continent such as the development of Martin Luther’s reformation, which was the birth of Protestantism. It was also a time when Feudalism was diminishing, leading the way to a government based on a single authority. In Spain, the best Baroque artist was Diego Velasquez.He was born in June 6, 1599 in Seville and died in August 6, 1660 because of fever. He was an apprentice of Francisco Pacheco, who was a famous disciple of Flemish and Italian realism which greatly influenced his works.In 1623, he went to Madrid, where he painted a portrait of King Philip IV. Afterwards, he was appointed as the official painter of the royal family for six years. Aside from religious paintings, he also painted works with mythological themes. Velasquez was a true baroque artist. This period of art was used by the Roman Catholic Church as a way to counteract the spreading Protestantism. In Velasquez’s works, he served that purpose with his ‘bodegones’ which focused on subjects that are found in everyday life and combined with religious scenes.He often used the people of Seville as models for his bodegones. The painting â€Å"Venus at her Mirror† is one of the most famous paintings done by Diego Velasquez. Although baroque style originated from the Roman Catholic Church, it also gained attention from the secular side of the society hence, the mythological theme. â€Å"Venus at her Mirror† portrays qualities that are found in baroque paintings depicting power, massiveness, and dramatic intensity. It is an image with high contrasts of light and dark colors.The painting shows Cupid without his bow and arrows and holds a mirror in front of Venus. What is interesting about this painting is that it does not clearly follow principles of optics as Venus’ reflection in the mirror seems blurring. This irregularity is one of the main ch aracteristics of baroque art, where the very word itself means â€Å"irregular†. It is the very same mirror which catches my attention because it does not reflect the exact details of Venus’ face. What the artist is expressing in this painting is that what is seen is not Venus’ face but her image.Its baroque influence tells us that Venus is the goddess of beauty, and the beauty is unsurpassable that Cupid himself surrendered to it, laying down his bow and arrows. It is an exaggeration of beauty portraying dramatic intensity. This painting shows the beautiful body of Venus. However, Velasquez painted it in such as way that the observer’s eyes are led towards the mirror and not on the body. Thus, the painting is a reflection of realism. What we see in the mirror is only an image of a beautiful woman, but not Venus herself.In the human context, we observe that what man sees first is the image of a person and not the person himself. This reminds me of the fir st day of school of every school year, where students start to introduce themselves to one another. As the days pass, students would group themselves according to their image, creating a status quo. This ‘labeling’ of people according to their general image prevents us from expressing our true selves and our values. Let us take note that in the painting, the mirror shows only an image of a beautiful woman.Will never know how beautiful Venus really was in the painting. The fact that her beauty is incomparable perhaps makes us look at it in another way. It may also be an indication that perhaps the real beauty is the one behind the image. References â€Å"Diego Velazquez Biography†, (n. d. ). Retrieved May 6, 2010 from http://www. spanish- fiestas. com/art/spanish-artists-velazquez. htm. Fitzpatrick, A. , (1978). The Baroque Period, Minnesota: Creative Education, p. 7-12. â€Å"Velazquez Venus at Her Mirror†, (2009). Retrieved May 6, 2010 from http://www. pa intingall. com/articles/velazquez-venus-a

Investigating Factors That Affect the Rate of Reaction

Investigating Factors that Affect the Rate of Reaction of the Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide Emilio Lanza Introduction- In this experiment, the rate of reaction, calculated in kPa sec-1, of the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide will be investigated to see how the change in concentration of hydrogen peroxide and the change in temperature affect the rate of reaction. The data will be collected by measuring the gas pressure. The product of Hydrogen Peroxide is oxygen in a gas state thus it is mandatory to use the gas pressure sensor.By calculating the difference of the gas pressure divided by the amount of time from the raw data collection it is able to find the rate of reaction of the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. * Control Variable- 1mL of yeast (catalyst) is being used in every trial. The volume of H2O2 is always 4 mL, even though the concentration changes and the sizes and type of test tube was the same because it can change the pressure. * Independent Variable- Concentra tion of H2O2 (M) and the temperature (Â °C) * Dependent Variable- The rate of reaction of the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide > rate of reaction = ?Pressure (kPa)Time (sec) . * Research Question- it is needed to calculate the rate of reaction (kPa sec-1) of the decomposition of H2O2 to understand how different factors such as the change in concentration and the change in temperature of H2O2 affect the rate of reaction. Materials and Method- Materials: * 0. 5 M Yeast solution (the catalyst) – 15 mL * 45 mL of 3 % H2O2 solution * A thermometer * A computer with LoggerPro Program. * A Vernier computer interface * A Vernier Gas Pressure Sensor * A 1 liter beaker * A match to light up the bunsen burner * A tripod Two 10 mL test tubes * Two 10 mL pipette * Distilled water – 15 mL * A matt/cover that is fire resistant * 700 mL of room temperature water from a sink * A one-hole rubber stopper with stem * Two test tube holders * Two 10 mL graduated cylinders * A bunsen burn er * Two solid rubber stopper * Plastic tubing containing two Luer-lock connectors * A one-hole rubber stopper with stem * A test tube rack Procedure: Part 1 of the experiment: Decomposing 3 % of H2O2 solution with 0. 5 Yeast at about 30Â °C 1. Take the 1-liter beaker and add 700 mL of room temperature water.Take the tripod, place a matt/cover that is fire resistant on top of the tripod and onto the matt/cover place the 1-liter beaker that has been filled up with 700 mL of room temperature water from a sink. 2. First hook the rubber tube from the Bunsen burner to a gas source, then take a match and turn on the gas source. Once the gas is on light the match and then light the bunsen burner. (MAKE SURE TO NOT BURN YOURSELF)!! 3. Place the lit bunsen burner underneath the tripod so it can begin to heat the 1 liter beaker with the 700 mL of room temperature water from the sink. . Insert a thermometer into the 1 liter beaker that is being heated and adjust the flame of the bunsen burner so it will heat the water to a temperature of about 30Â °C. 5. Take the 10 mL pipette and the 10 mL-graduated cylinder use the pipette and transfer 4 mL of H2O2 and using a 10 mL pipette transfer 4 mL of H2O2 from a container into the 10 mL graduated cylinder. 6. Take a 10 mL test tube and add fill 4 mL of H2O2 from the 10 mL graduated cylinder into the 10 mL test tube. Once that is done, take a rubber stopper and seal the 10 mL test tube containing the H2O2.Use the test tube holder to hold the test tube into the 1 liter beaker the is being heated to a temperature of about 30Â °C. Make sure that the majority of the test tube is submerged in water. 7. Using the other 10 mL pipette, transfer 1 mL of 0. 5 M Yeast into the other 10 mL graduated cylinder. From this graduated cylinder, transfer the 0. 5 M Yeast to a new 10 mL test tube; seal the test tube with a new solid rubber stopper. With the other test tube holder, place this test tube containing 1 mL of 0. M Yeast into 1 liter be aker that is currently being heated to a temperature of about 30Â °C. 8. Turn on a computer and start the LoggerPro Program. 9. Connect the Gas Pressure Senor to Channel 1of the Vernier computer interface and with the correct cable attach the Vernier computer interface to the computer. 10. Take the plastic tubing with the Leur-lock connectors at either end of the tubing, connect the tubing to the base on the one-hole rubber stopper and the other end of the plastic tubing, it must be connected to the white stem on the end of the Gas Pressure Sensor called a Luer-lock. MAKE SURE THE PLASTIC TUBING TIGHTLY SECURED OR THE GAS WILL ESCAPE AND IT WILL LEAD IT IN ACCURATE READINGS). 11. Once the LoggerPro Program has been opened make sure that the label on the x-axis is time in seconds and that the units on the y-axis is pressure in kPa before collecting the data. 12. Leave the test tubes in the water bath for at least two minutes so that the solutions in the test tube have a temperature of around 30Â °C. Once the water is about 30Â °C, record this temperature into a data table. When two minutes have passed by, commence the reaction and collect the pressure data.Remove both test tubes from the water by holding onto the test tube holder, place them in a test tube rack and remove each seal from the test tubes. Transfer the yeast solution from its test tube into the test tube containing H2O2 solution and shake lightly to mix the two solutions together. 13. As quick as possible seal the test tube with the one-hole stopper connected to the Gas Pressure Sensor and place the test tube back into the water by holding the test tube with the test tube holder. Next click collect data on the LoggerPro Program to begin collecting data. THE LAST TWO STEPS ARE CRUCIAL AND MUSTBE DONE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID ANY EXTERNAL INFLUENCES). 14. It is needed to collect the data for three minutes once three minutes is up, carefully remove the test tube from the water by holding onto the test tube holder and set it in the test tube rack. Next slowly and carefully begin to tale out the stopper from the test tube allowing the gas pressure to escape. 15. Store the results from the first trial by selecting Store Latest Run from the Experiment menu. After doing this a table of data and the graph will be saved.Then make sure to clean and trash the solution that is in the test tube. Repeat the first part another two more time so you can have three trials in total. Then print the graph and the full data table from each trial. Part 2 of the experiment: Decomposing 1. 5 % of H2O2 solution with 0. 5 Yeast at about 30Â °C 1. Take a 10 mL graduated cylinder and using a 10 mL pipette (make sure you are using the same pipette for the H2O2 as in previous trials and don’t interchange this pipette for the one being used with Yeast) fill 2 mL of H2O2 from the same container like it was done in part 1 into the 10 mL graduated cylinder.Once that is done insert 2 mL of distil led water as well into the graduated cylinder containing H2O2. 2. Now grab the 10 mL test tube (which has been thoroughly washed with water) and insert the 4 mL of H2O2 which has been mixed with the distilled water from the 10 mL graduated cylinder into the 10 mL test tube. Then take the 10 mL test tube and with the H2O2 seal it with a rubber stopper. Use the test tube holder so you can place the test tube in the 1 liter beaker that is being heated to 30Â °C. Be sure that the test tube is deep enough in the 1 liter beaker. . Using the other 10 mL pipette, take the 1 mL of 0. 5 M yeast and our it into the other 10 mL graduated cylinder. Then grab the graduated cylinder and put the 0. 5 M yeast to a new 10 mL test tube; close the test tube so no air comes in with a new rubber stopper. With the other test tube holder, place this test tube containing 1 mL of 0. 5 M KI into 1 liter beaker that is currently being heated to a temperature of about 30Â °C. Repeat steps 13-18 from part I. P art 3 of the experiment: Decomposing 0. 75 % of H2O2 solution with 0. 5 Yeast at about 30Â °C 1.Take a 10 mL graduated cylinder and using a 10 mL pipette (make sure you are using the same pipette for the H2O2 as in previous trials and don’t interchange this pipette for the one being used with KI) transfer 1 mL of H2O2 from the same container like in part I into the 10 mL graduated cylinder. Add 3 mL of distilled water into the graduated cylinder containing H2O2. Mix the solution gently. 2. Take a 10 mL test tube (which has been cleaned after previous trials) and transfer 4 mL of H2O2 mixed with distilled water from the 10 mL graduated cylinder into the 10 mL test tube.Then seal the 10 mL test tube containing the H2O2 with a solid rubber stopper. With one of the test tube holders, place the test tube into the 1 liter beaker that is currently being heated to a temperature of about 30Â °C. Make sure that the majority of the test tube is submerged in water. 3. Using the other 1 0 mL pipette, transfer 1 mL of 0. 5 M yeast into the other 10 mL graduated cylinder. From this graduated cylinder, transfer the 0. 5 M yeast to a new 10 mL test tube; seal the test tube with a new solid rubber stopper.With the other test tube holder, place this test tube containing 1 mL of 0. 5 M yeast into 1 liter beaker that is currently being heated to a temperature of about 30Â °C. Repeat steps 13-15 from part 1. Part 4 of the experiment: Decomposing 3. 0 % of H2O2 solution with 0. 5 Yeast at about 35Â °C 1. For this part repeat the steps 6-7 and 13-15 from part 1. The only thing that is needed to be changed is that the water needs to be about 35Â °C. Part 5 of the experiment: Decomposing 3. 0 % of H2O2 solution with 0. 5 Yeast at about 40Â °C 1. For part 5 redo the steps 6-7 and 13-15 from part 1.The only thing that is needed to be changed is that the water needs to be about 40Â °C. Steps once all the five parts of the experiment are complete 1. Now look at the data table that has been filled in for each trial from each and calculate the average reaction rate (kPa sec-1) of the decomposition of H2O2 that occurred over 3 minutes for each part and put it into the analysis table 2. Insert the concentration of H2O2 and yeast from each part into the analysis table as well. 3. Make sure to find the average temperature (Â °C) and include it in the analysis table. . Then compare and contrast the different effects the rate o reaction caused by the change in concentration of H2O2 and in the change of temperature. (The data table is an example of the data table that will be printed from the computer after each trial and part is done from LoggerPro Progam. The only thing is that it will record the gas pressure until 3 minutes. Again only an example how it should look like). The Gas Pressure from the Decomposition of H2O2 After Every Second| Time (sec)| Gas Pressure (kPa)| 1| | 2| | 3| | 4| | 5| | 6| | 7| | 8| | | | 10| | Data Analysis Table for the Decompositio n of H2O2| Part #| Average Temperature (Â °C)| Average Rate of Reaction (kPa sec-1)| Concentration of H2O2 in %| Concentration of Yeast (M)| Part 1| | | | | Part 2| | | | | Part 3| | | | | Part 4| | | | | Part 5| | | | | The Temperature (Â °C) of the Water During Each Part of the Lab and Each Trial | Parts of Experiments| Trial 1| Trial 2| Trial 3| Part 1 Temperature (Â °C)| | | | Part 2 Temperature (Â °C)| | | | Part 3 Temperature (Â °C)| | | | Part 4 Temperature(Â °C)| | | | Part 5 Temperature (Â °C)| | | |

THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE essays

THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE essays The Bermuda Triangle, located between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda, has had many mysterious events occur over the past five hundred years. There are many facts people can learn from this place. Christopher Columbus was the first known discoverer of the Bermuda Triangle. Many United States planes and ships, as well as the many airlines planes and cruise boats that have been lost, never to be seen again. In the area between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda, there have been many strange disappearances. Many ships and planes have been disappearing in this area of the Atlantic Ocean. The Bermuda Triangle started being noticed in 1904, when many people became missing. Since 1945, more than one hundred planes and ships have vanished, and more than one thousand lives have been lost in the last twenty-six years (Berlitz 11). The amazing part of this is that many searches have been conducted to find survivors or any wreckage from these boats and planes and nothing has ever been found. Some of the many planes have disappeared during normal flying and while still in contact with their base. The base says the radio just faded out. Many of the disappearances have occurred during or near Christmas. Experts have not yet discovered why the Bermuda Triangle is especially anonymous during this time (Kische 7). After plotting these disappearances on a map, you will find that it has been forming a t riangle or a kite shape. This is why they call it, The Bermuda Triangle. They have made the name, "The Port of Missing Ships," to the place that ships go after they have disappeared. Until this day, many strange disappearances have occurred in this area. Christopher Columbus was the first known observer of this area. It is believed that he discovered this area while on route to what is now known as America. In 1492, Columbus recorded that he and his crew observed a large ball of fire falling from the sky into the sea. He also recorded that his co...

Gay Celebrities in Interracial Marriages and Relationships

Gay Celebrities in Interracial Marriages and Relationships Interracial marriages occur more frequently among gay couples than they do among their heterosexual counterparts. Data from the 2010 census reveals that 20.6 percent of same-sex couples are interracial. That’s more than two percentage points higher than the amount of unmarried heterosexual couples (18.3 percent) in interracial relationships, and more than double the amount of married heterosexual couples (9.5 percent) in such relationships. Given the prevalence of cross-cultural relationships in the gay community, it’s no wonder that many of the celebrities who’ve come out as gay in recent years have partners of a different race. Learn more about the gay celebrities in interracial marriages and relationships with this list rundown. Robin Roberts and Amber Laign Robin Roberts came out as gay in a Facebook post in December 2013, making her arguably the most famous black lesbian in the country. The co-host of â€Å"Good Morning America† has fought breast cancer and a rare blood disorder called myelodysplastic syndrome in recent years. One of the reasons she chose to finally come out is to recognize the support she’s received from her longtime girlfriend, Amber Laign, who is white. â€Å"At this moment I am at peace and filled with joy and gratitude,† Roberts wrote. I am grateful to God, my doctors and nurses for my restored good health. I am grateful for my sister, Sally-Ann, for being my donor and giving me the gift of life.I am grateful for my entire family, my long time girlfriend, Amber, and friends as we prepare to celebrate a glorious new year together. I am grateful for the many prayers and well wishes for my recovery. I return every one of them to you 100 fold.† When Robert identified Laign as her girlfriend in a Facebook post, the couple had been involved for a decade, according to reports. Roberts and Laign live in an apartment together in New York, and their relationship was known to the ABC News staff. Roberts may have decided to go public with the relationship because she’s writing a memoir, to be released in April 2014, about the health problems she’s overcome. Mario Cantone and Jerry Dixon After 20 years together, comedian Mario Cantone, an Italian American, and Jerry Dixon, an African American, wed in October 2011. He announced his nuptials to the musical theater director on ABC’s â€Å"The View,† the chat show where he frequently serves as guest co-host. â€Å"We’re older now. We’ve been together 20 years,† said Cantone on   the talk show. â€Å"After 20 years you’re like, ‘Thanks for the anti-climactic honeymoon, government!’† Cantone, of course, was taking aim at the government for preventing same-sex couples from marrying. On a more serious note, Cantone revealed that his family members attended the wedding and that Jay Bakker, the son of late evangelist Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, conducted the ceremony. Wanda and Alex Sykes Comedienne Wanda Sykes, who is African American, wed her white wife, Alex, in 2008. The couple has two children together. Before her marriage to Alex, Sykes was married to a man. Sykes remarked on â€Å"Oprah’s Next Chapter† that she didn’t come out to her mother until she was 40 years old. It took several years for her mother to accept Syke’s sexual orientation, the comedienne told Oprah Winfrey. Sykes also said that as a black woman and a lesbian she faces three different forms of discrimination. In addition, she finds objection to same-sex marriage to be peculiar. â€Å"I don’t understand why people really get upset about something that doesn’t affect them,† she said. â€Å"And I say, do you know how many people got married yesterday? Neither do I and I don’t care.† Alec Mapa and Jamison Hebert Actor Alec Mapa of â€Å"Half Half† and â€Å"Ugly Betty† fame married filmmaker Jamison Hebert in 2008. Mapa is Filipino and Hebert is white. The two have an adopted African-American son named Zion. Mapa has said that he still faces discrimination because of his relationship. He recalled the time he and his family entered the United States after a jaunt to Mexico and a customs agent behaved rudely toward them. â€Å"He was really brusque - he said, ‘You know we don’t recognize this federally, it’s the United States,’† Mapa recounted. After the customs agent spotted the couple’s young son, however, he relented. George and Brad Takei Actor George Takei of â€Å"Star Trek† fame married his husband, Brad, in 2008. Takei is Japanese-American and his husband is white. The couple had been together for 26 years before tying the knot. They married when the state of California finally allowed same-sex couples to wed. Takei’s husband, born Brad Altman, decided to take his last name, legally changing it after the marriage ceremony. â€Å"I argued with him on that,† Takei explained to â€Å"Access Hollywood Live.† â€Å"He wanted to become a Takei.†

Robert E Lees Civil War Battles

Robert E Lee's Civil War Battles Robert E. Lee was the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia from 1862 to the Civil Wars end. In this role, he was arguably the most significant general of the Civil War. His ability to gain the most from his commanders and men allowed the Confederacy to maintain its defiance of the north against increasing odds. Lee was the principal commander in several Civil War battles. Battle of Cheat Mountain, September 12-15, 1861 This was the first battle where General Lee led Confederate troops in the Civil War, serving under Brigadier General Albert Rust. He fought against Brigadier General Joseph Reynolds entrenchments at the top of Cheat Mountain in western Virginia. Federal resistance was fierce, and Lee eventually called off the attack. He was recalled to Richmond on October 30, achieving few results in western Virginia. This was a Union victory. Battles of Seven Days, June 25-July 1, 1862 On June 1, 1862, Lee was given command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Between  June 25th to July 1st, 1862, he led his troops into seven battles, collectively called the Battles of Seven Days.   Oak Grove: The Union army attacked in a swampy area. When darkness descended, the Union army retreated. The results of this battle were inconclusive.Beaver Dam Creek or Mechanicsville: Robert E. Lee pushed against General McClellans right flank. The Union army was able to hold back the attackers with heavy casualties. However, the arrival of Stonewall Jacksons troops meant that the Union position was pushed back. Nonetheless, this was a Union victory.  Gaines  Mill: Lee led his troops against a fortified Union position north of the Chickahominy River. The Confederates were eventually able to push the Union soldiers back across the river, resulting in a Confederate victory.  Garnetts and Goldings Farms: Confederate Major General John B. Magruder under Lees command fought against the Union line that was stationed south of the Chickahominy River while Lee was fighting at Gaines Mill. The results of this fighting were inconclusive.  Savages Station and Allens Farm: Both these bat tles occurred on June 29, 1862, the fourth day of fighting during the Seven Days Battles. The Union was  retreating after deciding not to advance on Richmond. Robert E. Lee sent his forces after the Union troops,  and they met in battle. However, the results of both of these battles were inconclusive. Glendale/White Oak Swamp: These two battles occurred as the Union troops were retreating. Stonewall Jacksons troops were kept tied up in the battle at White Oak Swamp, while the rest of the army tried to stop the retreat at Glendale. In the end, the battle was inconclusive.  Malvern Hill: The Confederates under Lee tried unsuccessfully to attack the Unions fortified position on top of Malvern Hill. Confederate losses were high.  McClellan withdrew to the James River, ending the Peninsula Campaign. This was a Union victory. Second Battle of Bull Run, Manassas, August 25-27, 1862 The most decisive battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign, troops led by Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet were able to score a huge win for the Confederacy.   Battle of  South Mountain, September 14, 1862 This battle occurred as part of the Maryland Campaign. The Union army was able to take over Lees position on South Mountain. However, McClellan failed to pursue Lees devastated army on the 15th, which meant Lee had time to regroup at Sharpsburg.   Battle of Antietam, September 16-18, 1862 McClellan finally met with Lees troops on the 16th. The bloodiest day of battle during the Civil War occurred on September 17th. The Federal troops had a huge advantage in numbers, but  Lee continued to fight with all his forces. He was able to hold off the federal advance while his troops retreated across the Potomac to Virginia. The results were inconclusive, though strategically important for the Union army.   Battle of  Fredericksburg, December 11-15, 1862 Union Major General Ambrose Burnside tried to take Fredericksburg. The Confederates occupied the surrounding heights. They repelled numerous attacks. Burnside decided in the end to retreat. This was a Confederate victory.   Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30-May 6, 1863 Considered by many to be Lees greatest victory, he marched his troops to meet the federal troops who were trying to advance on the Confederate position. The Union force led by Major General Joseph Hooker decided to form a defense at Chancellorsville. Stonewall Jackson led his troops against the exposed Federal left flank, decisively crushing the enemy. In the end, the Union line broke and they retreated. Lee lost one of his most able generals when Jackson was killed by friendly fire. This was a Confederate victory. Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863 In the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee attempted a full assault against the Union forces led by Major General George Meade. Fighting was fierce on both sides. However, the Union army was able to repulse the Confederates. This was a key Union victory. Battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864 The Battle of the Wilderness was the first of  General Ulysses S. Grants offensive into Northern Virginia during the Overland Campaign. Fighting was fierce,  but the results were inconclusive. Grant, however, did not retreat.   Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, May 8-21, 1864 Grant and Meade tried to continue their march to Richmond in the Overland Campaign but were stopped at Spotsylvania Courthouse. Over the next two weeks, a number of battles occurred, resulting in 30,000 total casualties. The results were inconclusive, but Grant was able to continue his march to Richmond. Overland Campaign, May 31-June 12, 1864 The Union Army under Grant continued to make their advance in the Overland Campaign. They made headway to Cold Harbor. However, on June 2, both armies were on the field of battle stretching seven miles. Grant ordered an attack that resulted in a rout for his men. He eventually left the field of battle, choosing to approach Richmond through the less well-defended town of  Petersburg. This was a Confederate victory. Battle of  Deep Bottom, August 13-20, 1864 The Union Army crossed the James River at Deep Bottom to start threatening Richmond. They were unsuccessful, however, as Confederate counterattacks drove them out. They eventually retreated back to the other side of the James River. Battle of Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865 General Robert E. Lee attempted at Appomattox Court House to escape the Union troops and head towards Lynchburg, where supplies were waiting. However, Union reinforcements made this impossible. Lee surrendered to Grant.

Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Support Plan Essay

Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Support Plan - Essay Example 87). The FBA thereby provides comprehensive information required in an educator’s preparation of a Behavior Support Plan (BSP), or a plan of action that clearly stipulates behavioral goals and strategies that minimize the manifestation of problem behavior and maximize the achievement of identified replacement behavior. The importance of FBA is manifested in terms of providing the theoretical framework for the design of strategies that would incorporate accurate assessments and interventions for the identified problem behavior. Likewise, the FBA provides structural guidelines on the techniques of understaning problem behavior; it encourages educators to shift perspectives in viewing problem behaviors as environmental factors and could therefore focus on the variables that were deemed contributory to these behavior; and the process becomes a validating proof towards the provision of behavioral interventions in the educational setting. The components of FBA were enumerated as a t hree step process, to wit: (1) through an assessment of the child where information is gathered through interview, a desired target behavior is identfied; (2) through observation of the child’s behavior, practitioners determines the factors that contribute or trigger the onset of the problem behavior and to identify potential consequences that lead to the child’s continued exhibiting of the behavior; and finally, (3) practitioners identify the function that the behavior serves and the specific variables that trigger and reinforce the exhibited behavior (Weber, Killu, Derby, & & Barretto, 2005). Situation Requiring a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Support Plan (BSP) 1. Description of Problem Behaviors: A 10-year old student, Lucy Chu, perceived that she has not been exhibiting good grades in English. When English class comes, she makes it a point to excuse herself using different reasons such as going to the wash room; needing to go to the clinic; not have slept well the previous night and therefore feels extremely sleepy. As a result, the more that her academic performance falls below par and her frequent excuses makes her miss most of the required modules. 2. Identification of Events, Times, and Situations that Predict the Occurrence and Nonoccurrence of the behavior: During English class, Lucy Chu, would quietly sit on her chair and listen to the lessons and instructions that would be discussed during the subject. When the teacher informs the class that there is a need for students to verbally relay their experiences, read out their written essays, or participate in a class discussion, Lucy would approach the teacher to state that she needs to be excused from the class due to different reasons, identified above. Depending on the remaining time frame for the subject, she would see to it that she maximizes her time out from the classroom and only to return to class just before the next subject. In other class subject that does not require speaking in front of the class in English, the behavior is not manifested. 3. Identification of Antecedents, Consequences, and Reinforcers that Maintain the Behavior: An FBA would determine the factors that lead to Lucy’s behavior. Antecedents would be the influencing factors or events in the environment that spurred the problem behavior. The English teacher, in this situation, could conduct the FBA to determine

Fluid mechanics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Fluid mechanics - Assignment Example A body in fluid during transport may be expected to experience drag or resistance due primarily to its irregular form or geometry, from which originates a  form drag. If a submarine, for instance, is designed with unconventional outer surface, water pressure and velocity must likely be non-uniform at several points on the form as submarine’s movement proceeds through the flowing medium. In effect, the random pressure and motion of the water would enable itself to accelerate or decelerate, thereby creating frictional losses out of the fluid’s resistance to the object’s shape as the path of the water around the submerged vehicle is significantly altered in the process. Form drag mostly occurs with aircrafts or airfoils over which air flows and separates so that turbulence becomes the outcome of combined packets of pressure, both high and low, leaving a wake or drag behind the plane. Studies indicate that form drag may be resolved on streamlining a body in order t hat separation, leading to form drag, may be prevented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another drag type is  skin friction drag  which is brought by a contact between fluid particles and the surface of the body about which it moves. The idea is the same with the typical friction discussed in physics, where the resisting force builds along the plane of contact of the skins or surfaces interacting with each other as solids. Skin friction drag, nevertheless, involves interaction between gas molecules and a solid surface in which the drag magnitude is measured on the basis of the properties that identify the solid and the gas. With reduced skin friction drag, unfavourable turbulences may be minimized to desired levels when aerodynamic bodies are rendered smooth or frictionless by polishing to normalize pressure gradients and speed distribution of air. To achieve this end, plane design to suit

Different modes of interpreting treaties between North American Essay

Different modes of interpreting treaties between North American Aboriginal Peoples and the Crown - Essay Example Hence treaties between the aboriginal people and the crown establish a moral basis and a moral and constitutional basis of alliance between the people of the first nation and the sovereign institutions of Canada. The treaties which they have made are right important to the Canadian natives because they perceive them to be sacred. The binding character and the sacredness of their treaties with the crown is not to be primarily found on the legalistic language or the signature marks which adorned the treaty documents. The sacredness of the aborigines treaties were rooted in what they referred to as the aboriginal languages (Canadian natives), at the time when they were negotiating the treaties with the crown, deliberations were usually accompanied with an exchange of some presents which were symbolically significant or by smoking a sacred pipe. On the side of the crown the basic principles of treating making was initiated by King George III. Most recently these treaties have been interpreted differently by different institutions such as the courts. The discussion in this paper will include the literal approach, focusing on the written version of treaty presented by the Government of Canada; "spirit and intent" approach, focusing on the Indian understanding of the treaty terms and the oral account of the treaty; and the legal interpretation of treaties by Canadian and International courts. The writer will also suggest the mode of interpretation which it’s perceives to be more accurate or correct. The binding character and the sacredness of treaties on the Aboriginal side is not to be found in the legalistic language or in the signature marks which adorns the documents of the treaty, (Bear 1991 p. 8) Instead these treaties forces are rooted in what is shown by the aboriginal languages during negotiations when treaty signing were

Pleasant Airways Preliminary Marketing Plan Research Paper

Pleasant Airways Preliminary Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example The proposed airline’s mission is to revolutionize airline industry. As a new establishment, the airline will come with brilliant strategies to help in making the clients to have pleasant experiences while traveling. For a very long time, airline users have been treated to a straining booking and reservation process that has made many people to move from one service provider to another. With the coming of this new airline, no one will ever complain of the quality of services offered by the airline companies. The clients are treated with all the dignity and priority that they deserve. The company will employ a team of well-trained and experience staff to handle clients and treat them in a friendly manner. At the same time, the company will use modern aircrafts manned by experts to ensure that the clients get the only opportunity ever to enjoy and have a comfortable journey. Their safety will be guaranteed (Pinson, 2004).As anew entrant in the airline industry, the company will have to contend the stiff competition in the market. Potential threats will be expected to come from seasoned American airlines such as American Airline, US Airways, Delta Airline, Air Canada, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Virgin America Airline. These are established companies that now enjoy a larger share of the market. So, they are the ones who will pose a very stiff competition to this new airline.The strengths of the company are that it will use highly qualified professionals to conduct its operations.

The Essentials of Marketing Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Essentials of Marketing Mix - Essay Example Therefore, the marketing mix for each of these product categories also needs to be different. It seems that marketers use different marketing mix strategies even for goods under the same product category. This paper will analyse the marketing mix strategies of two existing brands that market luxury goods. Theoretical Concepts of the Marketing Mix Elements The term ‘marketing mix’ was firstly used by Neil Borden in 1953. The theory of marketing mix contains four main elements called 4 P’s of marketing; product, price, place, and promotion. These four elements constitute the entire promotional campaign; and â€Å"when these are effectively blended, they form a marketing program that provides want-satisfying goods and services to the company’s market (Spiro, Stanton, and Rich, 2003, p.10). The term marketing mix reflects a broader concept that includes several marketing aspects which all work toward a similar objective of creating awareness and customer loyal ty. Every firm considers marketing mix as a vital strategy as the elements of marketing mix play a significant role in each stage of product life cycle. In the modern days, ‘people’ is added as the 5th P to the marketing mix elements in order to represent the target people. The 4 P’s of marketing are briefly described below. 1. ... Product is a crucial element that has the ability to lead the whole business operations to success or failure. Hence, in order to retain product competitiveness in the market, marketers usually employ product differentiation strategy as a tool to differentiate their products from those of its competitors. In short, while marketing a product, the marketer must take specific product decisions regarding ranges of factors like brand name, functionality, packaging, warranty, styling, and quality. 2. Price Simply, price determines the numerical value of the product or it is the amount that a customer pays for the product. A marketer may increase or decrease the price of his product according to its demand in the market. Different pricing strategies are used to price a product in various situations. Premium pricing is a most common pricing strategy by which a higher price is charged for the product; it is practiced if the product possesses a substantial competitive advantage over the compet ing products. In addition, penetration pricing, economy pricing, price skimming, psychological pricing, geographical pricing, and numbers of others pricing strategies are used to price a product. Marketers must take price flexibility and price discrimination into account while formulating pricing decisions. 3. Place Place represents a location where a product is marketed. It may either be a physical store or be a virtual store on the internet. According the theory of marketing mix, the place also refers to channel, distribution, or intermediary. In other words, place is the channel through which goods and services are moved from the marketer to the ultimate consumers. The marketer has to formulate clear decisions on distribution channels; for instance, he has

Radiation Exposure from Chernobyl and Fukushima Case Study

Radiation Exposure from Chernobyl and Fukushima - Case Study Example In the case of Fukushima, an earthquake and tsunami struck the Fukushima Daiichi reactors and led to electricity loss on the site. This resulted in a momentary halt of the cooling of the fuel in the reactor cores. Hydrogen buildup in the three power plants led to an explosion. However, the amount of radiation released in Fukushima was less and could not compare to that of Chernobyl. The Japanese government explained that by reaching a â€Å"cold shutdown condition,† it showed stabilization of coolant temperature and the halt of further release of radiation from the site. Nonetheless, both accidents have health impact on the affected populations; however, the degree of the impact varies with the different radiation exposure levels in the two cases. According to (Elliott 89), the 2011 nuclear accident at Fukushima and the 1986 situation at Chernobyl are both rated 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, even though these happened differently. Chernobyl regis tered the most health effects as 28 reactor staff and emergency workers, who were highly exposed to radiation, succumbed to thermal and radiation burns after four months of the accident. By the end of 2004, 19 more were reported to have lost their lives. It is also widely believed that the incident caused about 4,000 cases of thyroid cancer. On the other hand, in Japan, no deaths have been linked to the radiation exposure. The difference in radiation release in the two cases is responsible for the varying impacts. For instance, Fukushima radiation release was almost10 percent of that from Chernobyl. At Chernobyl, the explosion of the reactor led to a fire that lasted for ten days. The explosion at Fukushima was due to Hydrogen buildup and did not involve the reactors themselves (Bortz 41). In the case of Fukushima, the magnitude of harm caused by radiation exposure is uncertain, since the event is still fresh, unlike Chernobyl, which occurred a quarter century ago. Since Chernobyl i ncidence occurred years back, it has given an opportunity for medical researchers to determine the health impact of the radiation exposure. However, there are also potential health effects, which will be presented by the Fukushima radiation exposure in the future; it is just a matter of time. Most concerns arising from radiation exposure mainly base on the risk posed to the broader public. During such radiation, people outside and close to the plants inhale air that is mixed with the radiation components. The major radioactive chemical elements, which are inhaled or enter the body through food consumption include, Iodine-131 and Cesium-137. Iodine-131 has a half-life of eight days and when inhaled, concentrates in the throat. On the other hand, Cesium-137has a half-life of thirty years and can enter the body through the consumption of food, which was grown in contaminated soil. Studies today show that, the main health effect of Chernobyl, is thyroid cancer in children, who were expo sed. This is because of the ingestion of Iodine-131. Today, close to 6000 cases of thyroid cancer are attributed to Chernobyl reactor accident. Although Iodine’s radioactive decays quickly to untraceable levels, it is expected that cases of thyroid cancer will increase. This radiation exposure affected many children because Iodine is greatly absorbed and settles in the thyroid glands of children, who are still in the developmental stage. The emergency

The Essentials of Marketing Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Essentials of Marketing Mix - Essay Example Therefore, the marketing mix for each of these product categories also needs to be different. It seems that marketers use different marketing mix strategies even for goods under the same product category. This paper will analyse the marketing mix strategies of two existing brands that market luxury goods. Theoretical Concepts of the Marketing Mix Elements The term ‘marketing mix’ was firstly used by Neil Borden in 1953. The theory of marketing mix contains four main elements called 4 P’s of marketing; product, price, place, and promotion. These four elements constitute the entire promotional campaign; and â€Å"when these are effectively blended, they form a marketing program that provides want-satisfying goods and services to the company’s market (Spiro, Stanton, and Rich, 2003, p.10). The term marketing mix reflects a broader concept that includes several marketing aspects which all work toward a similar objective of creating awareness and customer loyal ty. Every firm considers marketing mix as a vital strategy as the elements of marketing mix play a significant role in each stage of product life cycle. In the modern days, ‘people’ is added as the 5th P to the marketing mix elements in order to represent the target people. The 4 P’s of marketing are briefly described below. 1. ... Product is a crucial element that has the ability to lead the whole business operations to success or failure. Hence, in order to retain product competitiveness in the market, marketers usually employ product differentiation strategy as a tool to differentiate their products from those of its competitors. In short, while marketing a product, the marketer must take specific product decisions regarding ranges of factors like brand name, functionality, packaging, warranty, styling, and quality. 2. Price Simply, price determines the numerical value of the product or it is the amount that a customer pays for the product. A marketer may increase or decrease the price of his product according to its demand in the market. Different pricing strategies are used to price a product in various situations. Premium pricing is a most common pricing strategy by which a higher price is charged for the product; it is practiced if the product possesses a substantial competitive advantage over the compet ing products. In addition, penetration pricing, economy pricing, price skimming, psychological pricing, geographical pricing, and numbers of others pricing strategies are used to price a product. Marketers must take price flexibility and price discrimination into account while formulating pricing decisions. 3. Place Place represents a location where a product is marketed. It may either be a physical store or be a virtual store on the internet. According the theory of marketing mix, the place also refers to channel, distribution, or intermediary. In other words, place is the channel through which goods and services are moved from the marketer to the ultimate consumers. The marketer has to formulate clear decisions on distribution channels; for instance, he has

Advantages and Disadvantages of tables computers for traveling Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of tables computers for traveling salespeople - Essay Example The main aim of this paper is to provide a detailed analysis of the growing use of tablet computers by sales people. The paper would also contain a clear view of the various advantages and disadvantages of the tablet computers that can help salespeople to decide whether to choose tablet computers over other portable devices available in the market. The segments of tablet computers are considered to be one of the growing markets amid other electronic gadgets available in the business market. The main reason behind the growing preference of tablet computers over personal computers (PC’s) and laptops is their superiority in terms of convenience and features when compared to other hand held devices. It is worth mentioning that today’s youth also considers tablet as their first choice over mobile phones as they get larger screens and also provides additional advantages like high battery backup, full screen access and also provides the facility of calling over the laptop. The adaption of tablet PC by salesperson can be widely viewed due to their enhanced features and usability. The prime reason behind adapting tablet computers by salesperson it that, it not only provides them the advantage of carrying it anywhere but also helps in securing the data and helps business organization to keep a track of their sales. It also provides them with the facility to connect to any of their colleagues sitting anywhere. The ability to run programs, managing schedules, contacts can also be considered as an additional feature of tablet computers over laptops and other hand held devices. Though there has been continuous debate amid technological critics about the adaption of tablet computers by salespeople. ... The main aim of this paper is to provide a detailed analysis of the growing use of tablet computers by sales people. The paper would also contain a clear view of the various advantages and disadvantages of the tablet computers that can help salespeople to decide whether to choose tablet computers over other portable devices available in the market. Discussion The segments of tablet computers are considered to be one of the growing markets amid other electronic gadgets available in the business market. The main reason behind the growing preference of tablet computers over personal computers (PC’s) and laptops is their superiority in terms of convenience and features when compared to other hand held devices. It is worth mentioning that today’s youth also considers tablet as their first choice over mobile phones as they get larger screens and also provides additional advantages like high battery backup, full screen access and also provides the facility of calling over the laptop. The adaption of tablet PC by salesperson can be widely viewed due to their enhanced features and usability. The prime reason behind adapting tablet computers by salesperson it that, it not only provides them the advantage of carrying it anywhere but also helps in securing the data and helps business organization to keep a track of their sales. It also provides them with the facility to connect to any of their colleagues sitting anywhere. The ability to run programs, managing schedules, contacts can also be considered as an additional feature of tablet computers over laptops and other hand held devices. Though there has been continuous debate amid technological critics about the adaption of tablet computers by salespeople. Furthermore, it has been viewed that business persons

Different Cultures Residing In Close Proximity Cultural Studies Essay

Different Cultures Residing In Close Proximity Cultural Studies Essay This report of cross cultural management on the analysis of different cultures residing in close proximity will discuss the differences and similarities individuals share belonging to different cultures and ethnicity. It also highlights the facts about different cultures and the similarities which caused some troubles or helped during the entire course of PALS. We spent quite a time during this complete course of PALS and experienced a lot of different incidents due to which we concluded lot of information about Pakistani culture as well as the fact that managing diversity in culture while working on any thing is difficult and requires expertise. We had two major ethnicities in our group, Pakistani and Chinese. There were few similarities and little dissimilarity in both the cultures. If discussed with reference to the cross cultural theory of Fons Trompenaars. With the five basic dimensions of the cultural model which depicts the way human beings deal with one another, the differences of Pakistani and Chinese culture we encountered will be discussed. Personal Experience In the entire time during our PALS course, we had different conflicts with each other which we had to sort out but one thing that we all noticed was that all of us were comfortable in working as a team, though in the start the females took time in trusting on Shakoor and myself but once they were comfortable, we made a nice group which actually showed that all of us were used to of being a part of some team, group or a family. We behaved properly and tried to even subjugate our own feelings for the sake of harmony among the group members, especially the girls were peace makers. They most of the time used to communicate in a certain way that it never looked as if they disagree over something it always used to be something like you are absolutely right, we should think about it and later on a better time they used to present their own ideas which maintained the accord of the whole group and it felt like a family of five (5) members. Cross Cultural Theory Individualism vs. Collectivism Individualism refers to the way of living which characterises people with their self as most important; it focuses on I most rather than on We whereas Collectivism refers to the way where the actions are based for the betterment of the whole group, team or community (Arrindell, Hatzichristou, Wensink, Rosenberg, Twillert,, Stedema, Meijer 1997). It was concluded from the above stated example that Chinese and Pakistani, both the cultures are collectivists. One Pakistani though but it was enough to conclude that he was more interested in group work, team and association with a certain group rather than working alone and getting credit for that. Part 2 Focus on Self I being the leader of the group had to intervene and interfere in every matter of the group. The major feelings that I experienced during the whole session of PALS were very nice, it was a very nice experience overall, though with a little up and down. Being a part of majority Chinese based group I did not encounter much difficulty in the communication and interaction in the group yet I felt that when two persons belonging to a culture with high context communication, it becomes a little difficult to judge which way to go. Personal Diary Shakoor, the Pakistani male and I myself were discussing about the Activity related to the implications of differences in cultures in the business management of any organization. During the whole discussion I observed that he never disagreed with me directly, wherever he might have had felt the need of disagreement he fell quiet and said something like it is your opinion and I respect that I observed that his way of communicating was high context based. It had two meanings and a person like me belonging to the same type of culture with high context communication was able to understand his way of avoiding any feud between the members. Therefore he always had an indirect way of interacting. Cross Cultural Theory Applied; High vs. Low Context The famous theory of High vs. Low Context Cultures explains that different cultures have different styles of communication. These can be categorized on the basis of the type of culture, it can be high context and it can be low context. In high context cultures, the real meaning of the statement is hidden and embedded somewhere deep and is not clearly stated or written openly that everyone can understand it. People belonging to low context cultures face difficulty while interacting with the high context cultures (Hall Hall 1990). Low Context cultures are those where interaction and communication style is straight forward and simple. Whatever is said is meant in the same way, no double meanings can be applied to low context culture based communication (Kim, Pan Park 1998). The effects of PALS on My Personality The PALS group was supposed to work in harmony and with coordination, one thing which I lacked before entering in to it. I being a dominant person in nature had to listen to everybody and then decide what to do, this made me realize that working in a team and group is far better than working alone because we used to have lots of ideas at one place and then we used to incorporate them in a unique way of our own with mutual consent of everybody. I learnt to work in a team. Part 3 Focus on Other Individuals PALS was targeted towards learning the differences and the similarities of different cultures and to learn the best ways to deal with these differences and cash them for the benefit of the community and if working in an organization then for organizational goals. Personal Diary Once we all members were sitting and were chatting, nothing related to the studies or the PALS, it was then that Li Ran asked every one of us to join her on dinner. We all accepted it except for Shakoor, the Pakistani male; he apologized and said some other time. In our Chinese culture it is taken as an insult if somebody invites you on dinner and one refuses it. But Li Ran did not take it in the same way taken in our culture; she accepted the decline of Shakoor and continued with the discussion in the same pace as it was before Shakoors refusal. I came to the conclusion that Li Ran understood the fact that in Pakistani culture one is free without any obligations of courtesy to refuse and decline any ones invitation to dine together, just with a mere apology. Effects on Each Other Many different incidents took place during PALS which were noteworthy and due to which all the members of the group came to certain rules and the over all harmony of the group was maintained, like at times there was a conflict about the gender biasness from Shakoor, the Pakistani male; he used to be of the favour during discussions and even in the distribution of tasks which depicted that he belongs to a masculine dominant culture, but regardless of that, after some time he became accustomed to the fact that in Chinese culture, gender discrimination is not encouraged, and men and women are dealt at equality. This difference was balanced by both the cultural representatives with mutual understanding and thus the group was based on equality. Cross Cultural Theory Applied Egalitarianism Egalitarianism refers to the belief that explains that everyone is equal; no discrimination should be done on the basis of gender, cast, creed, or ethnicity. It favours the equal free chance to every one (Putterman. L, John. E. R, and Joaquim. S. 1988). Murray N. R. (1970) says that a free market should have liberty for everyone of a fair chance. It should not pose any restrictions on the basis of gender. It was thus concluded that to work in a group or for any betterment of the community or an organization, it is necessary to neglect the factor of gender, cast and creed. Part 4 Focus on Interactions In the PALS course, it was majorly focussed on the interactions and lessening the communication gaps between the members belonging to the different culture and backgrounds. It was so scheduled in the basic course outline that we had to interact and come close to each other in order to reach to certain decisions about the projects, assignments and simultaneously get to know each other. Personal diary I observed that in the start of PALS, the group members were distant from each other, the females became acquainted with each other, but shakoor and I myself were still strangers to the rest of the group. it was shakoor, the Pakistani male; who broke this ice wall and started a proper introduction in a very friendly way, and because of his initiative we got to know each other. It urged me to get to the depth of the fact and I realized that we Chinese are slow and a little reserve with people we dont know and we take quite a time in socializing with people. On the other hand Pakistani culture definitely must be easy in socializing because Shakoor who belonged to Pakistan was at ease in interacting with us, he asked us personal questions as well which according to our Chinese culture were taken as very informal and something to be asked from people you know for years. Another thing which I noticed was that all of us used to use our body language and facial expressions a lot. It was our non verbal communication that established such a relationship among all the members that we never felt a need for disagreement overtly, our facial and body language was enough for that and thus it never came in between us and formed any basis for conflicts in negotiation. Cross Cultural Theory Applied Cultural Influences on Nonverbal Behaviour; Regulators Regulators are the gestures and behaviours that regulate the communication among people in a continuous flow without any hurdle. It is said that regulators are the control factors in interacts and communications (Ekman Friesen, 1969). Thus it was easy to interact in PALS group because of the non verbal communication which all of us were accustomed and attuned to. It did not cause any trouble while discussing and negotiating over something. Part 5 Focus on Cultural Diversity As four (4) out of five (5) of our members of group belonged to china, it was not difficult for me, even as a leader to adjust and control the group. only one person Shakoor was from Pakistani culture. So if discussed from Pakistani and Chinese cultural differences, it can be easily said that there are similarities more as compared to the differences. We came to certain conclusions together as well like both the cultures are high context based, both are family and group oriented, both are good negotiators etc. Personal Diary Once, all of the members of our group went to market. We had to buy few things for our daily use, girls went their way and both I and Shakoor, the Pakistani male went our own separate ways. During my shopping I liked one shirt when I enquired about the price of the shirt I felt it was expensive, I started negotiating on the price and finally settled on the price which was under by budget and the shop keeper was happy too. When all of us friends met for lunch after the shopping and started showing our buying, Shakoor had bought the same shirt I had bought, when I asked about the price thinking that he must have paid higher price for it then I bought on, I was shocked to learn that he had bought on exactly the same price I bought on. I realized then that even Pakistani people are good at negotiating the prices and price factors are important to them in the same way as it is important for us Chinese. Question 2 PALS Group as an Cross Cultural Team If the members of the PALS group were working as a team in an organization, it will have some benefits and some difficulty. Organizations are different from learning institutions, therefore working in organizations on strategies will be different from working on activities and assignments for educational institutes. Cross cultural teams can be managed and trained according to the needs and targets of an organization. There can be many ways to do that like Improving Common Characteristics for effectiveness Improving common characteristics among diverse cultural representatives means that whatever characteristics are common to all (in this cane both) the cultures should be developed in such a way as to target it for the benefit of the organization. For example both Chinese and Pakistani cultures have people with good negotiating skills; it can be so designed that the cross cultural team comprising Chinese and Pakistani could make a nice strategic negotiating team which can be utilized at the time of strategic alliances and bidding negotiations as well as at price settlements. Intercultural Assessment and training Programs We encountered moments in our PALS course where we had to adapt and adjust to the Pakistani culture as well knowing the fact that it is not common in our Chinese Culture, I would come to the conclusion that if same policy is adopted while working in an organization, that is accepting and adjusting to the norms and values and practices of people belonging to other cultures can create a very strong team which in turn will be good for the Companys target and aim. Training programs can be arranged for the team members creating such situations in which it is bound for them to choose the option of way of other cultures and so become accustomed to it. Common Language One of the most important factors that form a basis of successful team is common language that is medium of interaction and communication. If a team with members especially belonging to different cultures have to work together for a common goal should have one common language as well, which in our case was English (Barbara, 2001). One of our members, would not declare the name here, had week English, due to which that person was unable to participate equally in the discussions as others did. This never created any difficulty for us because we had Chinese too as our common language but yet in any organization it could have created troubles during interactions. Dealings with immigrants As Shakoor, Pakistani male is an immigrant, so dealings with an immigrant are different. We four people had one common language, Chinese but he was not aware of Chinese Language so we in the start used to use Chinese language as our common language and he used to feel like an outsider but then suddenly we realized that he was the one to break the ice among we members and then we started using English as our common medium of interaction. Shakoor then was comfortable among us. So if dealing with an immigrant in an organization one must be careful in the language and the words he uses, should be known to everyone belonging to that team.

Dionysus :: essays research papers

Dionysus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dionysus was the most widely worshipped and popular god in ancient Greece. It's not difficult to see why; he was their god of wine, merriment, ritual dance, warm moisture, and later, civilization. He was often depicted as a handsome young man, dressed in fawnskin, and carrying a goblet and an ivy- covered staff.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some myths hold that Dionysus was the son of Zeus--the king of the god-- and Persephone--queen of the underworld--but most myths state that he is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Semel. This woman Semele was not any mortal, though. She was a princess, and a beautiful one at that. Zeus was notorious for being rather prolific, and when his wife, the goddess Hera heard that he had gone off and mated with a mortal, she became quite upset. Hera, in an attempt to exact her revenge, appeared to Semele and told her to ask Zeus to appear to her in his divine form. When Zeus obliged, Semele was immediately consumed in flames, for no mortal can look upon a god in his natural state. However, Zeus saved the unborn Dionysus by sewing him up in his thigh, thus incubating him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What happened next is different in every story. Some myths say he lived with a king and queen loyal to Zeus until Hera discovered him, and, in a jealous rage, warped their brains. In this version of the story, Dionysus was turned into a goat by his father in an attempt to hide him from Hera; from then on he had small horns on his head.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After he was safe, he went to live with the nymphs, who taught him to make wine. Hera eventually found him again, and this time she also warped his brain. The nymphs rejected him, and he went to live with the satyrs, who were men with goat legs and horns, and their leader Silenus. Dionysus traveled with the satyrs, who disgusted everyone they encountered with their rude, drunken behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Silenus is usually portrayed as a fat drunken man who rides on an ass. He was once captured by King Midas. When Dionysus intervened, Midas freed Silenus in exchange for the power to turn all he touched into gold. Dionysus and his band eventually encountered the maenads. The maenads were a group of wild, warlike creatures. They were horribly vicious, and unfortunately, they were also incredibly stupid. They started quite a few unsuccessful wars against kingdoms in Africa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Zeus finally found Dionysus again, he returned his mind to normal. However, Dionysus refused to give up his unruly traveling companions.

Jackie Robinson: Breaking the Racial Barriers Essay -- Robinson Histor

Jackie Robinson: Breaking the Racial Barriers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On July 23, 1962, in the charming village of Cooperstown, New York, four new members were inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. As they gathered around the wooden platform, the fans reminisced about America’s national pastime. Edd Roush and Bill McKechnie, sixty-eight and seventy-four years old respectively, were two of the inductees that day (Robinson 142). They were old-timers chosen by the veterans’ committee. Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson, both forty-two, were youngsters by comparison. According to the rules of the Hall of Fame, a player must be retired for five years before he can be considered for induction. Both Feller and Robinson were elected in the first year they were eligible (141).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Robinson received his plaque to take his place among the greats in the Hall of Fame, he said, â€Å"I’ve been riding on cloud number nine since the election, and I don’t think I’ll ever come down. Today everything is completeâ€Å" (Robinson 142). After the induction ceremony, an exhibition game between the Milwaukee Braves and the New York Yankees was to take place at Doubleday Field, where the sport had its beginnings. A sudden thunderstorm delayed the game, and after an hours wait it was cancelled. At this same time, picketers in the streets of Harlem were carrying signs saying, â€Å"Jackie, we love you as a ballplayer, but not as a spokesman for the Negro raceâ€Å" (143).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Just two days earlier at a banquet in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, many people had paid $25 a plate to show their admiration for Jackie as both a ballplayer and a representative of the Negro race as well. Some of the most distinguished figures in the nation were present this day and their praise was loud and long (Mann 187). Jackie had accepted without hesitation a challenge to break a prevailing color barrier in the national sport of America with complete knowledge of how much depended on him. Few men had ever faced such competitive odds when becoming a player in organized baseball. Despite criticism and opposition, Jack Roosevelt Robinson had truly come a long way from his poor beginnings as the grandson of slaves in Cairo, Georgia, to breaking the racial barriers in major league baseball by becoming its first black athlete and achieving hall of fame status. Jackie Robinson’s childhood was a struggle in family and financ... ...s and coaches can now be found in the dugout and a few black managers on third base. However, the great Dodger would most likely have kept pushing to see more racial diversity in baseball, particularly among the executive ranks. The Hall of Fame second baseman was never satisfied with second best. Works Cited Bontemps, Arna. Famous Negro Athletes. New York: Dodd, Mead and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Company, 1964 Brown, Avonie. â€Å"Jackie Robinson, Dodgers #42.† The Afro-American   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newspaper Company of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Baltimore, Inc., 1997.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.afroam.org/history/Robinson/intro.html Robinson, Jackie. I Never Had It Made. New Jersey: The Ecco Press, 1995. Smith, Robert. Pioneers of Baseball. Boston: Little, Brown, 1978. â€Å"Soul of the Game.† The Sporting News, 2000.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.sportingnews.com/features/jackie/ TIME. Great People of the 20th Century. New York: Time Inc. Home   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Entertainment, 1996 Walker, Sam. â€Å"How Blacks View Sports in Post-Robinson Era.†(cover story)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christian Science Monitor   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1997: 1 Young, A.S. â€Å"Doc.† Negros Firsts in Sports. Chicago: Johnson Publishing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Company, Inc., 1963

Newspapers -How have newspaper changed overtime? Essay

Newspapers have changed so much overtime. It’s changed in so many different ways. Many of them are obvious such as use of colour, text size etc. The first printed newspaper was published in 1605; the World Association of Newspapers recognizes Johann Carolus’s ‘Relation aller Fi rnemmen und gedenckwi rdigen Historie’, published in 1605, as the world’s first newspaper. ‘ However, when the English started printing their own papers in London, they reverted to the pamphlet format used by contemporary books. The era of these news books lasted until the publication of the Oxford Gazette in 1665. Text size has changed drastically as in the early 1900s the text size was so small you needed a magnifier. This was because in the 1900s ink was expensive, very expensive. The newspapers, newsprint (paper) was also very expensive. So the editor had to cram in as much words as possible in the smallest size available. Nowadays the text size is much bigger and not crammed as its given space; even sometimes they make the font bigger when there is less information. This is because people are becoming lazier; they tend to want to read less but also want to know more. They are not prepared to read longer articles. Many popular tabloids are encouraging a ‘culture of ignorance’. Apparently nowadays ‘less is more’ this is referring to the text sizes. There are many studies that shows, people are more likely to read newspapers with fewer words than a newspaper with more words. Anther reason is that the ink is also much cheaper nowadays and so is the manufacturing of newsprint (newspaper paper). The highlighted areas in yellow show how the text many years ago is different to modern newspapers. In the 1903 newspaper the writing is really tiny you can hardly see it whereas in the 2005 newspaper the writing is really big and can be seen from far, so it will catch a passers bys attention. On the other hand in areas highlighted in red is the headline of the story. As you can see in the 1903 newspaper the headline is barely visual as they want to cram in as much information as possible into a tiny area so that they don’t have to pay a lot of money for paper as it was really expensive in the past. However in the 2005 newspaper the headline is really, really big so it can be seen from far. The headlines as you’ve would have guessed are also much bigger this is because the editor wanted to catch the reader’s attention. It reflects less loyal readership. Using the newspapers above the headlines is highlighted in red see how different they are? The 1903 Daily Mail shows that the headline is really small, if you compare it with the 2005 Daily Mail you will see a 20x bigger difference between the headlines. If you saw the 1903 Daily Mail headline in a 2005 newspaper you would think that it was the date, or a little reminder of what is inside the newspaper. Because you wouldn’t even see that type of small font in a newspaper at this date as the newspapers are becoming more modern. That is the really big difference of newspapers and how they adapted to culture. The order of newspapers are really important as you don’t want to clash too many of the sections together and make it appear all incorrect e. g. Fashion section and sport section together, this will confuse people and make the newspaper look unorganized. In the early stages of newspapers there used to be notices of the births, deaths of people etc on the front page of the newspapers, a few newspapers still do it till this day (The Times, Daily Telegraph) but it is hidden, either in the middle or the end of the newspaper. Because it’s no longer important to insert it into the papers to the wider audience, this is because we find out about deaths and births through a wider range of technology such as mobile phones, telephones, and internet etc. And also, there is no longer a target market for this as people are no longer interested to find out about this in newspapers. Newspapers are clearly split into sections. Society has changed therefore newspapers have changed to adapt to the society, and it reflects societies different priorities. For example, sport is more important than the death and birth notices therefore there is always a huge section on sports at the end of the newspaper so it is easier to find and shows the most important story as a front page but at the back. It is also more socially acceptable for newspapers to have a section for fun and enjoyment. In the middle to end, depending on the newspaper, there is a section which includes; crosswords, Sudoku (easy, medium, and hard), horoscopes, mini cartoon strips etc.

Waiting for Godot Major Themes

Ralph Waldo Emerson, famous literary writer, once inscribed, â€Å"Much of human life is lost in waiting† (Richardson, 24). Individuals cannot escape the waiting in daily life even if they wished so. Waiting is inscribed into society, from waiting for a bus ride, beverages at a favourite coffee house, items to be checked out at a grocery store or simply, arriving to a location too early for an occasion to occur. In Samuel Beckett’s legendary play Waiting for Godot, the main characters Estragon and Vladimir obsess about waiting for the mysterious individual Godot to arrive. From this waiting, scholars have created many literary analysis of the play the most persuasive being political, religious and existentialist in nature. The Cold War took place over decades, beginning in 1947 and concluding in 1991. The word cold is not only used in the title of this war, but also inscribed deeply into it. The war did not feature guns, bullets and soldiers, instead the war was fought aloofly between communist countries in things like sport events, propaganda and technological opposition. The Cold War appears as a metaphor for many scholars in Waiting for Godot. The characters hold a lot of emotion but never seem to really do anything with it, except discuss it at length. More than once the word nothing is used. There is often â€Å"nothing to do† (Beckett, 13) and â€Å"nothing to show† (Beckett, 4) and the character’s world stays the same. Scholars also point to the play as being Marxist in nature. Godot is the Capitalist full of power and who separates himself from the working class, the other characters are the working class, without personal purpose or goals. Pozzo and Lucky serve as an example of the Marxism analysis as well, Pozzo illustrating that to the Capitalist to labour. â€Å"Pozzo is blind to what is happening around him and Lucky is mute to protest his treatment† (Hutching, 68) serves as evidence of this relationship. Political interpretations abound in this play as do religious ones. The character in which the play focuses on yet never makes an actual appearance is Godot. It is imperative for the religious examination of the play to note that the root word of Godot is God. Perhaps this is what spun the belief that Godot is a representation of God. Religious references are apparent in the play right from the beginning. Estragon asks Vladimir what he wishes from Godot and offers as a suggestion in his probing â€Å"A kind of prayer? † to which Vladimir replies â€Å"Precisely† (Beckett, 14). Estragon and Vladimir discuss religion and specific bible passages during their wait. For example, they speak about a biblical reference of two thieves. â€Å"Our Saviour. Two thieves. One is supposed to †¦ have been saved and the other . . . he searches for the contrary of saved) . . . damned† Vladimir states and when Estragon asks what the thief is saved from, Vladimir responds â€Å"Hell† (Beckett, 64). It is interesting to note that in the bible passage, both thieves are saved from hell and like the thieves, Estragon and Vladimir wish to be saved from what Estragon later claims is â€Å"hell† (Beckett, 89). God and Godot also share a physical attribute; both have beards. Lucky states that Godot has a â€Å"white beard† (Beckett, 43) and later, the character of the boy offers that Godot also has a beard. Beckett frequently disappeared â€Å"into a trance† (Knowlson, 401) when writing and many followers of the religious analysis have accepted this as evidence that Beckett was unaware of his attentions, thus influenced by a â€Å"higher power† (Knowlson, 232). Strong appointments to this are those who see the play as Existentialist in nature. Existentialism, as defined by Oxford English Dictionary is, â€Å"The individual's unique position as a self-determining agent responsible for the authenticity of his or her choices. † The central idea of existentialism is that humans are accountable for designing, implementing and adhering to their own destiny. Thus, destiny is not God made, it is person made. Estragon and Vladimir have decided to stay in the dreary physical setting of isolation and containment. Estragon seems to offer readers a deeper thought process then his quiet and reliant friend Vladimir. Vladimir states, â€Å"All I know is that the hours are long, †¦ under these conditions, and constrain us to beguile them with proceedings which – how shall I say – which may at first sight seem reasonable, until they become a habit†¦ you follow my reasoning? † (Beckett, 91). This quote is powerful, suggesting that filling one’s day with actions just to pass time such as removing a boot as Estragon did, is suitable for a short period but unacceptable for a long course of time. Although he states this, Vladimir does not leave the scene. Pozzo and Lucky, two of the three only people Estragon and Vladimir have contact with, have a slave and master relationship, but neither chooses to step outside this, instead the two characters grow deeply dependant on one another. Vladimir and Estragon go as far as to contemplate suicide, but do not proceed to do so. Thus, all the characters in Waiting for Godot, could live an altered life, with enhanced opportunities, but choose to stay frozen in the dark. under these conditions, and constrain us to beguile them with proceedings which – how shall I say – which may at first sight seem reasonable, until they become a habit. You may say it is to prevent our reason from foundering. No doubt. But has it not long been straying in the night without end of the abyssal depths? Academics have long linked Waiting for Godot and Beckett himself, to the existential movement. The greatest argument followers of the theory have is that Beckett never discloses Godot being a symbol of God, instead, he greatly declined the claim stating â€Å"that if by Godot I had meant God I would [have] said God, and not Godot† (Knowlson, 412). â€Å"Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse type of suffering†, Paulo Coelho, celebrated Brazilian author wrote. The internal and external suffering which Estragon and Vladimir seem spellbound in is dreadful yet alluring in the same instant. Dreadful because the characters and audience wait for relief and alluring because they are enticed about what could be but is not. The waiting in Waiting for Godot has long stood as a secrecy requiring solving and the theories of politics, existentialism and religion offer convincing analyses to this literary puzzle. No one but Beckett himself and perhaps not even him, comprehend the genuine significance of this play, thus, like Estragon and Vladimir, scholars and audiences alike are caught waiting for a conclusion that may never arrive.

Analysis of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Bridegroom” Essay

During the First World War, death was a constant threat. Soldiers faced it every day in the trenches, and more succumbed to it. Rudyard Kipling’s Epitaphs of War represents the impact those deaths had across much of the world. â€Å"The Bridegroom† exposes the last thoughts of a dying soldier through an extended metaphor, personification and tone. First of all, the title and first stanza reveal that the speaker, a young soldier, is either dying or already dead. Traditionally, a bridegroom defines a man on his wedding day. In this poem, Kipling personifies the bride as death and therefore the title refers to a man on his last day. The speaker is a soldier fighting in the trenches, writing or at least speaking out to his wife back home. The first stanza initiates the apologetic and sorrowful tone that is used throughout the poem. The soldier asks his wife not to call him â€Å"false† as he rests in other arms. He apologizes to his beloved for abandoning her for a new mistress, death. The arms not only represent death’s embrace, but they also evoke falling to the weapons of the enemy in battle. The stanza also demonstrates that the couple’s marriage is recent as the speaker mentions his wife’s â€Å"scarce-known breast.† The second stanza clearly brings forward the poem’s theme. The soldier mentions his â€Å"more ancient bride,† death. She is qualified as ancient because she has always existed, not only with him but since the beginning of time. He also describes a cold embrace, the word cold working on several levels here. It refers to the deceased and his rigidity, but it also expresses his reluctance to follow death. By calling her â€Å"constant,† Kipling emphasizes the reality of death on the battlefield; she was faithful and always lurked over the soldier. The third stanza describes how the young man escaped from his â€Å"often set marriage† with death through unexplained miracles. We can suppose that he narrowly survived several life-threatening events, thereby cheating death,  which relates back to his â€Å"cheating† on his living marriage. His â€Å"new† marriage is now perceived as â€Å"consummate,† a term which is usually used for unions made complete through the sexual act. This union, however, refers to the soldier’s falling into death’s embrace, finally touching her after a long apprehension and ultimately lying in her bed, his grave. The term â€Å"consummate† can also represent perfection, which, in this marriage refers to the fact that it was meant to be. The last line reinforces the consummation by saying that the union â€Å"cannot be unmade.† Death cannot be unmade; it is a permanent state as the ideal marriage is, but it also returns to the metaphorical bed which will forever remain unmade. In the last stanza, the tone reaches a lull, yet is still filled with sorrow. The speaker urges his wife to â€Å"live,† to move on and allow life to â€Å"cure† her of the painful memory of him. Kipling uses a metaphor to treat memories as a painful disease that can only be cured by time. The soldier expresses fear of being forgotten with the word â€Å"almost.† He wants to be remembered although he mostly desires for his beloved to regain happiness. The final two lines return to a more somber tone as the soldier states he will have to endure the â€Å"immortality† of memories in death. In the end, we can feel the young man has a greater acceptance of his state as he begins using the pronoun â€Å"us† to qualify himself and death. The marriage, having been consummated, as previously stated, they are now one. Immortality is an evocative word, which fits perfectly into the general theme. The soldier is now immortal, fixed in time with his memories and never able to make new ones. The term also refers back to death, which is immortal in its own way. To conclude, Rudyard Kipling’s â€Å"The Bridegroom’ expresses the difficult process associated with death. The various metaphors and personification bring forward the themes in an apologetic, somber tone. The nameless soldier represents all young men who died young unfairly in the trenches, afraid of being disloyal to their countries.