How accurate is the film Gladiator Essay

Gladiator is a wonderful story and won Best Picture in 2000. Even though the movie is so well done it does not mean that the story is historically accurate. The movie includes many historically accurate facts ranging from some of the characters to the society of Rome. However, Gladiator is for pure entertainment, and just like the real gladiator battles, it is for the enjoyment of the viewers. The film added to the cinematic categories such romance and intrigue but at the same time took away from many historical aspects. Even though the movie is on the whole historically inaccurate there are a few historically accurate details. In Gladiator, the hugeness of the Coliseum is very well and accurately portrayed. The Coliseum is larger then Shea Stadium, and that greatness and grandeur is shown correctly in the film. Also, the movie correctly portrayed the armory of the times. The breastplates were correct and so too were the facemasks and other such battle suits.( http://www.online-shrine.com) The movie shows these true details in order for the viewer to think that the other more amazing parts of the plot are true. Also, by adding the truths it makes sure that the movie will not seem neither phony nor cartoonish. The reason Gladiator can not be considered historically accurate is because of the glaring errors in the characters and the emotions and actions of the characters. Firstly, Crowe’s General Maximus Decimus Meridus is a total fake. He is not a real person nor is he very similar to any one else in history. Maximus is instead a hodgepodge of many other people. The one true person who is totally shown incorrectly is Commodus. Commodus is shown as a grownup that never outgrows his childhood. However, he in fact was not like that at all. In the film Commodus is shown killed is father because his father believed he wasn’t fit to rule. In truth Commodus did not kill his. Historians generally agree that, Marcus Aurelius died of the plague in Vienna on March 17, 180 CE (www.nmia.com). It is also untrue that Marcus found his son unfit to rule. He had Commodus named Caesar when he was 5 years old, and named Commodus as his successor when he was seventeen. As a Roman father he undoubtedly loved and spoiled his son terribly. Gladiator is not a historically accurate film and is filled with hogwash. The film can not be used to study that time period and can only be used as a great Hollywood film but nothing more. Gladiator deserved all of its accolades because of the film in its own right but not because of the history it used to tell the story. Gladiator 28 Feb. 2004 < http://www.online-shrine.com/reviews/gladiator.php> Is Gladiator true 28 Feb. 2004 < www.nmia.com/~pslock/r_glad.htm>

To Be Human Is To Discuss

There were only 100 years without war in the whole history of human civilization! Iraq and Kuwait had had a long standing, but low level, border dispute over a pair of Persian Gulf islands. No preventative diplomacy was employed during this period of escalation, and Kuwait was invaded in August of 1990. more than 200 people lost their lives. In Vietnam war the total amount of casualties is more than 1,800 million people. In Rwanda after April 6, 1994, 800,000 men, women, and children perished in the Rwandan genocide, perhaps as many as three quarters of the Tutsi population.Although the Rwandans are fully responsible for the organization and execution of the genocide, governments and peoples elsewhere all share in the shame of the crime because they failed to prevent and stop this killing campaign. Not only did international leaders reject what was going on, but they also declined for weeks to use their political and moral authority to challenge the legitimacy of the genocidal govern ment. When international leaders finally voiced disapproval, the genocidal authorities listened well enough to change their tactics although not their ultimate goal.Far from cause for satisfaction, this small success only highlights the tragedy: if weak protests produced this result in late April, imagine what might have been the result if in mid-April the entire world had spoken out. Syria now is bogged down in endless killing. Early in the uprising, Western support might have ousted Mr Assad and preserved Syria’s sectarian harmony. , but the West held back. Now, after more than 110,000 people have died during 30 months of violence, it is too late. Like many civil-war leaders Mr Assad prefers to prolong the fighting rather than risk compromise.The rebels, too, battle on in the knowledge that surrender is likely to mean death. Guys,we live in the 21 century and the humans became so developed that we can tell GOOGle what to GOOgle with our voice but we still fight even more ho rribly than centuries ago. why do wars still occur then? Wars occur when negotiations fail or don’t even take place. The talks fail when one or more of the parties refuse to participate in negotiations. There are 4 most common reasons for such refusals- 1) that the refusing party thinks that it can get a better outcome by some other means-usually through force.2)they fear they will be forced to accept unwanted compromises. If parties think they will have to compromise their values, or give up their chance to obtain their fundamental needs, they will refuse to participate in any negotiation. 3)that parties may refuse to negotiate because they make think that the negotiations are a waste of time and are destined to fail. 4)A final reason why parties may refuse to negotiate is that they are so angry with the other group that they are not even willing to sit down at a table , because they do not want to grant them the legitimacy that such an act would imply.These reasons are not sensible enough to risk thousands of human lives. The main reason why the man got ahead of the mammals is thanks to the intensive development and differentiation of the cerebral cortex. But even the mammals don’t kill each other whereas it’s not uncommon for us to do this. We really differ from mammals and need to understand that the power of the word is immense and the only way for us to remain human beings is to discuss. All these bloodstained wars are not the inability to discuss, but just the unwillingness.While war has created more separation between Arab world and the West, negotiations could have improved the relationships and found long-term solution. the only way to stop the continuous fight in Syria is through negotiations. The Economist suggests that The effort is worth it—about 40% of civil wars end through negotiation. And to pave the way for negotiated solutions, parties should have clear understanding of their interests, acknowledge their interdep endence by considering both short-term and long-term interests, and recognize that their interests are not incompatible.The parties should also reject the attempt to frame negotiations as talk with a madman. Negotiations are about finding common ground with the opponent, but not judging personal qualities of the negotiator. And the thing that the parties should understand best of all- is that they are humans and that as leaders they have to protect their people from war. Nothing in this world is more valuable than a human life. Let’s save it by discussion! It began to snow.. lightly at first, but then in large flakes. The wind started to howl,it was a snowstorm.In an instant the dark sky merged into an ocean of snow. Everything disappeared. The epigraph for Bulgacov’s â€Å"White Guardian† seems like a snowy night on December the 9th in Kiev. the protesters have blockaded streets and occupied municipal buildings, riot police have beaten demonstrators and journal ists, agent provocateurs have tried to discredit the crowd and thus to excuse the repression. The violence can get much worse but the both parties answers to the idea of talks are â€Å"we shall push a little bit more and everything will be OK†. Won’t it be only worse?

The Impact of Native Americans in Today's Society Research Paper

The Impact of Native Americans in Today's Society - Research Paper Example Currently, there are a wide variety of tribes and ethnic groups that come under the descriptor of Native American. Since the arrival of the Europeans, there has been a progressive and steady degradation of the Native American culture, with little evidence or indications in the present day of their culture. Throughout the history of the country there have been numerous examples of the race being mistreated, ignored and treated as the same or less than the Europeans, rather than as a distinct race with its own traditions. This has had widespread consequences for the remaining individuals of Native American origin. Studies have shown an increased rate of suicide, social issues and violence within Native Americans as a consequence of unresolved historical grief. One suggestion has been to incorporate more Native American culture into the lives of these people to help them heal and understand their grief and their own histories. Early Conflicts The culture of Native Americans before the i mmigration of European colonists to the country was that of hunter-gatherer societies, where cultivation of many staple crops was also carried out. History was carried from one generation to the next by stories and oral traditions. Unlike European society, which was patriarchal in nature, and held the concept of individual ownership of property and land, the Native American society focused on land use for all of the community. This difference in approach and culture as well as changes in the alliances that different groups held resulted in high levels of conflict throughout the history of America. There were numerous conflicts between the Native Americans and the British government. Native Americans were not content to sit and watch their own rights be taken away, and they acted to ensure their own interests, both in the diplomatic and in the economic sense1. The introduction of Europeans to the Americas had large effects on the Native Americans, resulting in the deaths of many numb ers of individuals, as well as a long-lasting history of racism, prejudice, and loss of tradition2. The first experience that the fledgling government of the United States had with the Native Americans was during the Revolutionary War. It was important for the government to ensure the support of Native American tribes in the war with Great Britain. Failing this, the next most important factor was ensuring the Native Americans remained neutral, i.e. they did not fight against the United States. This brought the first use of treaties between Native Americans and the United States government into being. Following the revolution, the relationship between the United States and the Native Americans was irrevocably changed.

Taking FYC TO The Next Level Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Taking FYC TO The Next Level - Essay Example Numerous companies usually utilise the intranet however they do not make complete utilisation of the intranet and this is mainly due to the reason that it does not work in sync with the objectives of the company (Kennedy & Dysart, 2007). An extranet has been defined as, ‘An extranet is a private network that uses Internet technology and the public telecommunication system to securely share part of a businesss information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers, or other businesses’ (Search Enterprise, 2009). The company has two types of customers, i.e. retail and wholesale. The company can use the extranet for the wholesale customers. The customers can be provided with complete access to the extranet where they can also make orders and keep the company updated with the requirements online. The extranet can also be used as a reorder system where inventory can be reordered automatically (Kennedy & Dysart, 2007). The company should also allow each store to log into the system and share their details of the existing stocks, the trend of sales, exchange documents and make comments. FYC can use the extranet and intranet for several different purposes which include a wide range like the production processes, sourcing and supply chain departments, operations and admin teams, human resources team and the customer service teams. The customer service team can use these as a faster mode to respond to customer queries and to assist customers in a more effective manner. In terms of the sourcing and the supply departments the company can use the extranet to communicate the needs for the raw materials, and all the procurement processes. In terms of the human resources teams the company can use the system to create a centralised system which will allow the company to ensure a complete balance and also a centralised payroll for all stores which will help the finance teams directly as it will be effective and easier for the invoice creation

Local Lawsuit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Local Lawsuit - Assignment Example This information was relayed to the company’s manager via a short message using a phone. The dealer though did not categorically state the mode in which he expected a response from the company. On receiving the feedback from the dealer, the company manager decided to respond to the offer by a means of e-mail. In his email, he indicated that the stated $550 amount was too high and that since the company needed 10 horses, he would consider paying $500 for each of the horses. This mail was also accompanied by instruction informing the dealer that if the company does not hear from them by Friday, then the company will consider the deal done and will process paying for the 10 horses (Berenson, 2005). When Friday reached, the company processed the payments, but later found out that the dealer had sold the horses to another third party. The company was disappointed on the grounds that the dealer had breached the contract and in that regard filed a suit in a court to reverse the trans action made between the dealer and the other party. The dealer on the other hand insisted that he did not reach any contract since he had not received any communication from the company and considered that the company withdrew from the deal. What the Management Would Have Done To Curb the Lawsuit Scenario from A Rising The management in this situation ought to have been aware of the way a contract should be communicated; this is in the sense that if a communication from an offeror is made in a particular pattern, it is prudent then that any response to the communication is made in the same way unless otherwise stated by the offeror. This is because ordinarily in contracts, when a communication is done using a different way other than that used by the offeror, then the offeror may not be liable for any miscommunication that may arise due to engagement of a different method. The management decided to use an alternative method to communicate back without the knowledge of the offeror. T hey ought to have observed this before communicating using the email. Again, in contracts, silence in not considered as a way of acceptance. It can only serve as a way of acceptance if there has been such earlier communication between the two and it is in their knowledge. This is accentuated by the fact that communication is done via the same means used by the offeror. Given that there was no such history between the two, it was wrong for the company’s management to construe that their communication was heeded to by the offeror. The management ought to have taken the precautionary measures of making communication via the same means. Making replies to communication should be informed by the method that has been used by the other partner, this is to the extent that if the same communication is done using another method, chances are that the intended recipient may not access on specific time bound because of some reasons. This may make the partner misconstrue that the informatio n is accepted as in the case of the company discussed in this paper. Legally, the offeror is required to unequivocally state the mode of communication to avoid any communication that will deviate from the initial means of communication. This is the issue witnessed in this case where the offeror makes an offer and does not dictate the mode of relaying acceptance enabling the offeree to choose mail - this is what led to misconstrued communication and

Financial Analysis of restructuring of Canada's Capital markets in Essay

Financial Analysis of restructuring of Canada's Capital markets in March, 1999 - Essay Example The agreement was implemented at the end f 1999 and in early 2000. As a result, the trading f senior equities was consolidated on the TSE, derivatives trading was transferred to the ME, and the ASE and the VSE, after merging to become the Canadian Venture Exchange (CDNX), specialized in the trading f junior securities. The rationale behind the restructuring was a desire to strengthen the overall competitiveness f the Canadian exchanges by reducing fragmentation. At the time, this was seen as especially critical, given the increasing globalization f markets and the growing competition between traditional stock exchanges and new trading mechanisms. In addition, the restructuring promised to eliminate some duplication and simplify trading rules and regulation, thereby contributing to lower costs for issuers, dealers, and investors. Finally, each exchange hoped to increase its expertise by concentrating its efforts on a specific segment f the financial market. The TSE is by far the largest exchange in Canada. At the end f December 2000, market capitalization on the exchange was $1,434 billion with 1,421 companies listed (the average issue size was almost $850 million). To put this in perspective, in terms f market capitalization f domestic companies, as f December 2000, the TSE was the eighth-largest equity exchange in the world, but it was 15 times smaller than the largest (US$770 billion versus US$11,442 billion in market capitalization at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)). The volume f activity on the TSE, like most other exchanges in the world, has surged in the last few years. In 2000, an average f 131,000 transactions was made each day, representing an average f 162 million shares for a total value f $3.8 billion. From 1998 to 2000, the number f transactions grew by a factor f 2.5, and the dollar value f trading and the number f shares traded almost doubled. The Canadian Venture Exchange (CDNX) officially commenced trading on 29 November 1999. Given its focus on small and emerging companies, the average equity market capitalization f the 2,600 firms listed on the exchange is relatively low at $5.7 million. Thus, total market capitalization was roughly $15 billion in December 2000, only 1 per cent that f the TSE. The structure f the Canadian equity market is continuing to evolve, following an agreement in principle between the CDNX and the TSE, under which the CDNX would become a wholly owned subsidiary f the TSE. Shareholders f both exchanges voted in favor f the merger in May 2001, and regulatory approval was granted in late July. The TSE and CDNX operate under a similar market structure. Both have a modified electronic auction/ order-driven market. The TSE market structure can be characterized as a modified continuous auction market because f the role played by two groups to support the trading process: registered traders and investment dealers. The role f investment dealers in the upstairs market is very important to the TSE, and it has grown over the years. In terms f value f activity, the share f upstairs trades has increased from 37 per cent in 1984 to around 53 per cent in 1996, f which 90 per cent were large or block trades (TSE

English 2 - DB 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English 2 - DB 5 - Essay Example I have learned to pay more attention to pre-writing research in order to have enough valid information for own research. Researching can be time consuming; however, it shows different points of view on the same issue which helps to develop own opinion and express it in writing. There is a great difference between oral communication and written communication. While it is possible to make mistakes and correct them immediately while speaking, there is a need to spend additional time on revising the paper to make sure that there are no ambiguities in writing.. Any research paper needs an outline to follow to cover all necessary points. Inaccurate expressions can confuse the reader; working on my last written assignment I read it to my friend to make sure that it sounded clearly. The process of peer revision is very helpful because it gives an objective feedback about ones work; I cannot say that I can assess my writing totally objectively as I always treat it as my achievement. In this way, help of my peers can be really valuable to see ho I can improve my writing. Overall, I understand that I need to work hard to become a better writer. Currently I lack some experience in research writing and this course is really helpful because it complexly improves my writing skills. Now I see the difference between relevant and irrelevant sources of information and understand why I need to spend more time on selecting the best sources for my research. I am learning to keep my writing clear and concise and any writing assignment greatly contributes to my writing and researching

Answer two questions about European history Essay - 1

Answer two questions about European history - Essay Example NATO was meant to prevent the Soviet Aggression on the European continent, as clearly seen in its adoption of the massive retaliation military doctrine in the 1950s. Therefore, NATO was primarily created to in response to the Cold War crisis that was developing at that time. From a different perspective, the treaty was meant to suppress the Germans, deter the Russian aggression and keep the Americans in. To date, the core function of NATO is to ensure that autonomies and security of member states are protected using political and military measures (Gray, 2008). Politically, the alliance works to ensure promotion of values of democracy as well as encouraging consultation and cooperation on matters of security and defense in order to establish trust hence prevent disputes. In addition, the alliance provides an opportunity for the member states to carry out consultations and make decisions on security matters at all stages and in various fields. In case of failure of diplomatic efforts in conflict resolution, NATO can carry out military operations to manage that particular crisis. The future role of NATO should be focusing on its political approach for peace promotion and conflict resolution rather than the martial approach. In the wake of terrorist movements, there is need for the organization to work hard for promotion of democratic values around the world. Otherwise it may not have a role in security and promotion of democracy in this era of new wars. The European Union (EU) is the political and economic bolc of 28 European states whose members of parliament serve a five years term before seeking re-election (Hix & Hoyland , 2011). Politically, the EU has its citizens who take part in electing members of the union’s parliament every five years whereas on the economic side, the union has developed a single market for all

Operations Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Operations Strategy - Case Study Example In fact, empirical evidence shows us that realized strategy tends to be about 10-30 percent of intended strategy. What really determines strategy is the "patterns of decisions that emerge from individual managers adapting to changing external circumstances and the ways in which the intended strategy was interpreted." What is Apple's mission and strategy today' Apple's mission is to deliver a highly innovative and superior solution to a customer's personal computing needs. Apple's present day competitive strategy is a return to differentiation. Key elements to this strategy are an emphasis on design, service, branding through advertising, and quality. Drivers needed to attain these objectives are through the firm's unique marketing abilities, engineering skills, creativity, and R& D (Apple Computer, 2005). Although the company has excelled in delivery and order processing, it still has yet to prove its operational efficiency. Therein lies Apple's principal weakness. In the past, Apple has failed to reconcile the added cost of differentiation with operational efficiencies in production and distribution. Apple has also shown competencies in building brand reputation and generating buzz for its products. Their marketing campaigns have been successful and remain a value added activity. Financially, the company remains liquid with substantial cash reserves and is not highly leveraged in debt (Apple Financial, 2006). Apple's differentiation strategy is uniquely aligned with the changing dynamics of the industry. Firstly, Apple owns the only viable alternative to a "Wintel" machine. All other major computer manufacturers are only slightly differentiated because they are forced to conform to the "Wintel" standards of an Intel chip and Microsoft operating system. They are limited to differentiating themselves based on accessibility, service, and marketing. Apple has successfully differentiated itself as the only viable alternative to the PC standard. The two major forces that have affected market share loss are the misconception that Apple computers are incompatible with available software for Wintel machines and buying one will result in losses in functionality. This can be overcome with aggressive marketing campaigns in which Apple has demonstrated value added competencies. The second major factor contributing to Apple loss in market share is the unmatched price erosion from the PC market. Apple has failed to narrow the gap because of its operational inefficiencies. If Apple can narrow this price gap and overcome the negative software perception, it will undoubtedly regain market share (Bateman - Snell 2004). Internal Analysis Mission, Long-Range Objectives, Current Strategy, and Performance Between the years of 1980 and 2001, Apple slid along a turbulent slope of declining market share and profit erosion where it lost its leadership position and now lags as a market follower with a mere 3% total market share. Apple's inability to defend its market share and leadership status can be directly attributed to one general, yet prevailing driver. Throughout this fleeting tenure, Apple lacked a clear mission and competitive strategy that drove the value creating activities of the firm (FEI 2006). Apple began with the mission to "change the world through technology." More specifically, the company sought

Middle East History Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Middle East History Questions - Essay Example American had a ‘second war for independence’ with British government. The government rigorously sustained its efforts in integrating the federal states and has sustained its economic expansionism in many of its politically controlled nations in eastern part, in Asia and in Hawaii (Norton & Katzman, 2011). The Great awakening assuaged the removal of slavery and paved toward the recognition of women as partners for economic development. Reconstruction era further bolstered the removal of discrimination and paved the way to naturalization of citizens. The 19th century featured United States as an imperial nation which subjugated Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam in a Treaty of Paris. Industrialization and progressive movements as the west accumulated wealth through import and export policies. The nation upholds the primacy of education to develop skilled and intellectual labor forces. Capitalism became its dominant economic philosophy while government focused on mining, agr iculture, telecommunication development and global marketing. It further gained power as its financial institution gained more control over nations who availed financial supports and loans at the height of economic depression (Norton & Katzman, 2011; Kinzer, 2011). The west gained the image as the first nation, global power and economic authority thru globalization. It wielded military power in World War I and considered communism as a Red Scare, a threat to American idealism, during the World War II. In this war, with allied nations, America supported partners with resources, food, petroleum and technology (Norton & Katzman, 2011; Kinzer, 2011). In 1920s, America suffered Great Depression which resulted to deflation and increase of unemployment rate. They were however able to restore the system by regulating and reforming the banking system, stock market and its economy. The nation vigorously sustained its geographic presence in many nations either by the deployment of its military forces in strategic regions, or by economic relations thru trade and offshore marketing, by gaining over nautical highways, and import-export relations using treaties and agreements (Tuveson, 1980). The mid part of the 19th century was considered as the cold war period where US and Russia gained the reputation of storing weapons of mass destructions. The era also showed partnership of US and Britain in their interest in West Germany, thus the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. Many decades, thereafter, US waged its anti-terrorism campaign against al-Qaeda network through allied nations. War in Iraq and Afghanistan ensued until the arrest and death of Osama Bin Laden, head of terrorist organization, in Pakistan recently. While America is admittedly dependent on oil from Middle East countries, but eastern nations, most of which are member states of OPEC, have difficulty in adapting the intellectual, technological, economic, and

Women in the Workforce Essay Example for Free

Women in the Workforce Essay As a young a woman living in the 21st century I can only believe that women have every reason to be part of the workforce. In today’s world advancement we have all the technology needed to be able to create balances between our family and work life. In the old days women were viewed to be weak compared to men, because jobs required more physical abilities then mental and critical thinking abilities. Therefore, men were given the working part of the family’s establishment and women were given the care giving for the children part. Today, things are different. Jobs have turned from being only physically oriented to rather more problem solving and thinking oriented. And this makes more opportunities for women to join the workforce. Moreover, I think women should join the labor force because it is proven that when a woman in a family is working it is more likely that the family will rise above the poverty line. Studies done in Bangladesh by Mohammad Yunus, the founder of the micro financing Grameen Bank, show that when the woman in a family is given a chance to generate income for her household she always does a better job with helping her family out of poverty. Women are care givers in nature, and when given the chance to improve the living standard of their children’s lives they will do a better job managing the money and finances. My final reason is that I think in the end, woman or man, we as humans should be given equal opportunities to explore our full potential. No matter what kind of job or craft or hobby we might be doing, we should all be given the chance to thrive and prosper in this life with no restrictions. No matter what race gender or ethnicity we should all be able to do what we love.

The History Of The Revisionist Western Film Studies Essay

The History Of The Revisionist Western Film Studies Essay Robert Altman chronicled his own 1971 naturalist motion picture McCabe and Mrs. Miller an anti-western perhaps due to the fact that the film blatantly ignores or subverts a number of Western conventions. Westerns, a term that is used to describe the landmark mid-20th-century American film genre, are nostalgic eulogies to the early days of expansion on the untamed American frontier where fragments of civilization border on typically warm, expansive, open landscapes. McCabe Mrs. Miller, however, ignores this idyllic representation of the American frontier and, instead, Altman sets his story in the cold, murky, mountainous wilderness. Furthermore, the protagonist in McCabe Mrs. Miller deviates strongly from the traditional gun-slinging, confident cowboy that characterizes the genre. With careful attention to hyper-realistic mise-en-scà ¨ne elements (most notably elements of setting) and naturalistic, largely non-obtrusive diagetic sound effects, Robert Altman crafts a successful revi sionist western that, while retaining many of the same themes and elements pertaining to the classic western genre, differs substantially in both tone and style in ways that promulgate Altmans revisionist approach to the established genre. Since the John Ford era of western cinematography, audiences of Western films had been primed to anticipate expansive, open landscapes, red-orange deserts and plains where a sweeping sense of freedom in interrupted only by the isolated smoke signal or Native American scout. Ford often contrasted this expansive terrain with the insulated chaos of his towns, bars, and other interiors which tended to make the lone ranger protagonist claustrophobic. Immediately in the opening scene of McCabe Mrs. Miller, John Fords idyllic frontier, perhaps one of the most adored staples of the Western, is challenged. In Altmans universe, the outdoors are cold, murky, rough, and unwelcoming. Any sense of freedom in this landscape has ceased to exist. Our hero John McCabe is burdened with trekking an uneven, rocky, meandering path through the snow-capped woods a path as restrictive and uncomfortable as the harshest of Fords interiors. The mise-en-scà ¨ne elements Altman employs in this case serve to di stinguish McCabe Mrs. Miller from the classic western formula by providing a stark contrast in setting (and, by extension, tone). It is not a complete contrast, however. As film reviewer and Altman scholar, Gregory Lallone writes, Altmans interiors are just as suffocating, his untamed towns just as dangerous and ruled by greed, brutality, and chaos. It is simply a little warmer inside. Thus we may begin to analyze the lighting elements Altman employs in depicting McCabe Mrs. Millers interior locations as similarly untamed but significantly warmer than the surrounding, harsh outdoors. Altmans interiors are met with a profound use of low-key lighting to reflect this dim, foreboding, and even risquà © nature of the towns bars, businesses, and brothels. Kerosene lamps are usually the only lighting sources that cast a warm orange light onto the cameras subjects a light that strongly contrasts with the drab whites and grays of the cold wilderness. Especially prevalent during scenes at the whorehouse and during Mrs. Millers opium dreams, this orange light gives off a suitably warm, inviting, dream-like quality to the picture. While still dim and claustrophobic, the low-key indoor lighting reflects a similar push for period-authenticity (via the kerosene lamps) in conjunction with the pictures incredibly authentic set, while also serving to categorize interior sequences as warm and safeguarded (e.g. whorehouse scenes and opium dreams) or dangerous and foreboding (e.g. gambling tables and shooting hideouts). In conjunction with period-appropriate setting and lighting, naturalistic sound elements are used throughout the film to convey a sense of uninterrupted continuity unusual to the medium. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert writes in his review of the film, The is the classic Altman style It begins with one fundamental assumption: All of the characters know each other, and the camera will not stare at first one and then another, like an earnest dog, but is at home in their company. Nor do the people line up and talk one after another, like characters in a play. They talk when and as they will, and we understand its not important to hear every word; sometimes all that matters is the tone of the room. (Ebert, 1999) Rather than presenting only the vital bits of information and dialogue to the viewer to forward the films narrative, Altman instead uses ambient sound and background conversation to embroider a profound sense of location that, oftentimes, favors realism over narrative efficiency. When John McCabe first enters a saloon and settles down at a table, everyone in the saloon is under the impression that he once shot a man The air is tense and, all the while, somebody is vaguely heard in the background asking, Laura, whats for dinner? With the exception of the occasional, dreary Leonard Cohen folk tune (which, admittedly, I found distracting and out-of-place), McCabe Mrs. Miller makes no use of non-diagetic sound for dramatic effect. This is another clear departure from the traditional Hollywood string instruments (notably banjos, guitars, and fiddles), harmonicas, and bum-bum-BUMs that embellish dramatic moments in traditional western cinematography. As such, the ambient, diagetic soundtrack plays an especially central role in establishing tone and dramatic tension. During the final shootout, silence dominates so much of the audio track that every rupture of silence becomes vitally important. Each footstep, each crack of a wooden plank, and each breath McCabe takes might very well give away his position and result in his death. Thus we see that the intentional absence of non-diagetic sound can be just as effective as (if not more so than) its inclusion. Just as the frontier landscape is modulated, made somehow more truthful with the insertion of a bit of dirt and realism, the protagonist himself is similarly transformed.  While differing in many respects to the conventional western hero, John McCabe is actually not too far removed. His fight is largely the same defending what is rightfully his against outlaws and big business. He differs in that he lacks the toughness, the braggadocio, and the super-human courage of the Gary Coopers and Henry Fondas. Any shred of idealism and heroism McCabe claims to embody is counteracted by a narrow-sighted quest for profit, instances of clumsiness, and displays of outright cowardice. John McCabe is not a cowboy, a homesteader, a sheriff, or of some honorable profession; he owns a whorehouse. McCabes non-traditional characterization is further evidenced during the final showdown where the shootout is more accurately described as a slow and anxious game of cat-and-mouse. McCabe hops from one hid ing place to another knowing that winning a gunfight out in the open Gary Cooper-style is unrealistic. A true Western hero might denounce McCabes tactics as cheating and cowardly. He shoots two of the three gunmen in the back from a concealed hiding place and he overcomes the third by playing dead. Departing from the larger-than-life nature of classical western heroes, director Robert Altman injects a darker realism into his protagonist that reflects the revisionist nature of the film. McCabe Mrs. Millers final twenty minute sequence, the climactic shootout, serves as an effective microcosm for how the aforementioned mise-en-scà ¨ne and sound elements contribute to the protagonists characterization and the films overall narrative themes. Beginning with setting, the scene displays and features all of the following: The harsh, unforgiving, cold wilderness that serves to contrast with the conventional warm, expansive Western landscape. The authenticity of the towns still-in-progress wooden infrastructure that serves to accurately encapsulate the harshness and resource-conscious realism of the period. Regarding lighting, the sequence displays: The low-key hideout interiors that signify danger and dramatic tension. The warmly-lit opium den, tragically contrasting with the bitter outdoors, which in this case, falsely indicates a safe haven or retreat. And finally, the sequence displays the following effective usages of non-diagetic sound techniques: The unfocused recording of background chatter during the moments surrounding the burning church which serves to further Altmans push for realism over narrative efficiency while simultaneously contrasting with [below] The dramatic silence during McCabes cross-cutting shootout sequence interrupted by the occasional dramatic footstep, creak, breath, or gunshot sounds that increase dramatic tension. The ambient snowfall which eerily serves as a hollow, bitter replacement soundtrack throughout the sequence that increases in amplitude as McCabes body is swallowed by the elements. These mise-en-scà ¨ne and sound elements work seamlessly together to achieve what I believe was Altmans ultimate goal in the making of McCabe Mrs. Miller: to approach the Western genre with a non-traditional sense of realism and authenticity that, while retaining some of the same conventional themes and elements of the genre such as the pursuit of justice and the championing of order on the American frontier, re-envisions the two most fundamental staples of the genre: the setting and the protagonist. By making particular, non-traditional use of various mise-en-scà ¨ne and sound elements in McCabe Mrs. Miller, director Robert Altman, refutes the conventional narrative pioneered by the classic Western that the American frontier was a sort of idyllic paradise. Ford depicted the frontier as the quintessential American arena where battles were fought and won by good men who, because of their very nature, triumph over the bad. Altmans western frontier is simply no more than a showcase of lawless capitalism and greedmen and women mercilessly arguing and fighting over profits like fleas over rotting flesh. However, one must not be too quick to conclude that McCabe Mrs. Miller exists solely as an attempt to challenge or ridicule the established themes and conventions of the western genre. For while Altman does in fact transcend a number of expectations and subverts a number of established norms, the archetypal structure remains the same. The audience remains sympathetic towards the her oic gunslinger, even though the scope of that heroism is somewhat narrowed. John McCabes role as the gunfighting goodie struggling against an oppressive force of injustice and greed stems directly from the Western genre. Rather than conceding to define McCabe Mrs. Miller as an outright anti-western, we can analyze how Altmans stylistic elements both propagate parallels to established conventions while, at other times, delineate clear departures from the genre that serve to effectively categorize the film as none other than a revisionist western narrative and a cinematographic work of art. ________________

Anthrax Vaccine Trials for Pediatrics

Anthrax Vaccine Trials for Pediatrics Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by Bacillus Anthracis, a gram positive bacterium that forms spores. A spore is a cell that is dormant but may come to life with the right conditions and become active. These spores can contaminate people like in 2001 when letters containing Anthrax spores were being mailed in a bioterrorist attack and make them severely ill. (White, 2012) Anthrax generally comes from soil and animals. A person can become infected if they come in contact with and infected animal or animal product. Once they are infected then they can start to show the first symptoms of inhalation. Anthrax starts off with cold or flu symptoms and can include a sore throat, mild fever and muscle aches. As time goes by symptoms include cough, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, tiredness, and muscle aches. It also affects the GI system. Patients may experience nausea, loss of appetite, bloody diarrhea, and fever, followed by bad stomach pain. In the 2001 bioterrorist atta ck, five people were killed and seventeen were infected. (White, 2012) The purpose for this paper is to discuss the ethical dilemma on running test trials of the Anthrax vaccination prior to administering it on pediatric patients. When it comes to the Anthrax vaccine the problem arises because there are no clinical test trials done on pediatric patients. This brings the ethical issue of Protection of patients in research. (ANA, 2008) The reasons being that there are many hurdles on beginning the process of making sure that children are safe during clinical test trials if it further goes into the trial process, as well as many other ethical dilemmas that revolve around the process itself. Parents are skeptical enough about their children receiving certain vaccines like MMR and Varicella to have their children go through clinical test trials for Anthrax and putting them at risk for unknown side effects. Otherwise like Nicola Klein, director of Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center st ated, parents must go through a lot before they can actually approve their child to be involved in any type of clinical trial. They will be informed with a large amount of information regarding risks, benefits and any other type of outcome. (White, 2012) Since children are not responsible for their own clinical decision making the parent would be responsible for making this informed decision regarding their children. A nurses responsibility would be to make sure that the parent of the child involved is presented with the accurate information regarding the trial. The parent would then have the right to refuse participation in any clinical trial they do not feel would be beneficial to them or their child. â€Å"Michael Anderson, Vice president and Chief Medical officer of UH Case Medical Center and representing the American Academy of Pediatrics states, â€Å"It is unethical not to conduct pediatric trials. Failure to examine the vaccine in children would deprive us of valuable data necessary to save children’s lives.† (White, 2012) â€Å"According to Robert â€Å"Skip† Nelson, senior Pediatric Ethicist in the office of Pediatric Therapeutics of the Food and Drug Administration, it has to meet three relevant principles before going into clinical trial runs.† (White, 2012) First the children should not be enrolled in a clinical trial if the scientific or public health objective can be achieved by enrolling adults. Second, absent direct therapeutic benefit to the children enrolled the risks to them must be low-or no more than a minor increase over minimal a risk, which itself is defined as no greater than the risk that they face in ordinary activities. Lastly, children should not be placed at a disadvantage after being enrolled in a clinical trial, either through exposure or to excessive risk for by failing to get necessary health care. (White, 2012) A study done in San Francisco, California named Dark Zephyr that found that if there w ere a release of Anthrax spores on the city 7.6 million people would be affected and a quarter of a million of that population would be children. (White, 2012) If there were to be an Anthrax epidemic there would be a treatment for it. The treatment consists of a sixty day antibiotic regimen and once the regimen is finished the person is in need for vaccination to prevent another outbreak. The antibiotic regimen alone is not sufficient enough. It is only a temporary fix. The problem is children enrolled in a â€Å"prevent† anthrax trial will not receive direct medical benefits and by benefits they mean knowledge about how best to protect children from anthrax. If trials do go into effect the question is would health care officials be able to gain the trust of the parents. It would be the duty of the health care officials to keep parents well informed with all pertinent information regarding the trials including and not limited to potential risks, benefits and other consequence s of the vaccine as predicted from use in adults. The parents must be actively engaged on reporting outcomes and be committed to the goals of the research. Because we are unsure that an Anthrax attack would even happen, it is unclear as to how much of a risk research subjects should be exposed to or whether vaccinations would be better, or more cost effective than an antibiotic regimen. Furthermore the Presidential Commission of study of Bioethical issues concluded that no testing should be considered unless the risk to kids is minimal. They feel that it will put the child at high risk. Also, there is not a chance that a sufficient number of American parents are going to sign up their kids for the safety testing of an Anthrax antidote. They also feel that the exposure the Anthrax is farther down the list then some of the other obstacles a child may face for example, obesity, bullying, and suicide. References American Nurses Association. Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretative Statements. Accesses November, 2008 at: http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthics.aspx Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006). Anthrax: What you need to know. Emergency Preparedness and Response. Retrieved from: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/needtoknow.asp White, Ross. (2012). Anthrax Vaccine Trials for Children: Precautionary or Premature? Bioethics Forum blog. Retrieved from: http://www.thehastingscenter.org/Bioethicsforum/Post.aspx?id=5852&blogid=140terms=anthrax+vaccine+trails+for+children%3a+precautionary+or+premature+and+%23filename+*.html

Conceptualizing Neurological and Cultural Explanations of Synesthesia :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Tangled Wires: Conceptualizing Neurological and Cultural Explanations of Synesthesia Synesthesia - a mixing or combination of senses - is a concept relatively familiar in the Western world. History is littered with descriptions of people tasting words and seeing sounds; the folklore of creative and expressive arts, in particular, filled with stories of famous "synesthetes." Russian author Vladimir Nabokov, German painter Wassily Kandinsky, American artist David Hockney, and Russian composer Alexander Scriabin have all been labeled as such, and books on the topic were published as early as 1890 . Though at that time interest in synesthesia was mainly from those involved in humanities disciplines, it was clear that synesthesia was an unusual form of perception, which opened the door for the phenomenon to be studied by neuroscientists. As these scientists gained the intellectual apparatus (more complex theories of the human nervous system, for example) to approach these issues of perception, synesthesia again became a topic of interest in the 1980's and '90's. Historica l reasons for this are perhaps due to the increased availability and interest in technology during the Cold War and Americans' resulting faith in expertise of science. Also, the discovery of LSD and trend of recreational hallucinogen use in the 1960's and '70's could have influenced this interest, as hallucinogens (particularly LSD) are known to induce synesthesia. Though this historical background may not seem important to a neurobiological paper, I wish to in part use this paper to show links between culture and scientific "objectivity." The controversy surrounding current theories of synesthesia is most certainly culturally informed, and scientists working in this area are as likely to cite philosophers as they are scientific research . This intellectual debate surrounding synesthesia, which is both philosophical and scientific, can also inform our class discussion of the notion that "brain equals behavior." Cytowic, who is one of the foremost writers on the topic of synesthesia posits a complex mÃ… ½lange of scientific and epistemological points to analyze the phenomenon. An explanation of his work is crucial to getting inside the synesthesia debate. Instead of viewing synesthesia as a neurobiological concern, Cytowic explains how multidisciplinary work will provide insight into "consciousness, the nature of reality, and the relationship between reason and emotion" (1). He aims to look not only at experimental data but at a broad overview of the scientific concept of the brain in order to answer the synesthesia question. His work is circumscribed by historical and philosophical frameworks as are mentioned above. Conceptualizing Neurological and Cultural Explanations of Synesthesia :: Biology Essays Research Papers Tangled Wires: Conceptualizing Neurological and Cultural Explanations of Synesthesia Synesthesia - a mixing or combination of senses - is a concept relatively familiar in the Western world. History is littered with descriptions of people tasting words and seeing sounds; the folklore of creative and expressive arts, in particular, filled with stories of famous "synesthetes." Russian author Vladimir Nabokov, German painter Wassily Kandinsky, American artist David Hockney, and Russian composer Alexander Scriabin have all been labeled as such, and books on the topic were published as early as 1890 . Though at that time interest in synesthesia was mainly from those involved in humanities disciplines, it was clear that synesthesia was an unusual form of perception, which opened the door for the phenomenon to be studied by neuroscientists. As these scientists gained the intellectual apparatus (more complex theories of the human nervous system, for example) to approach these issues of perception, synesthesia again became a topic of interest in the 1980's and '90's. Historica l reasons for this are perhaps due to the increased availability and interest in technology during the Cold War and Americans' resulting faith in expertise of science. Also, the discovery of LSD and trend of recreational hallucinogen use in the 1960's and '70's could have influenced this interest, as hallucinogens (particularly LSD) are known to induce synesthesia. Though this historical background may not seem important to a neurobiological paper, I wish to in part use this paper to show links between culture and scientific "objectivity." The controversy surrounding current theories of synesthesia is most certainly culturally informed, and scientists working in this area are as likely to cite philosophers as they are scientific research . This intellectual debate surrounding synesthesia, which is both philosophical and scientific, can also inform our class discussion of the notion that "brain equals behavior." Cytowic, who is one of the foremost writers on the topic of synesthesia posits a complex mÃ… ½lange of scientific and epistemological points to analyze the phenomenon. An explanation of his work is crucial to getting inside the synesthesia debate. Instead of viewing synesthesia as a neurobiological concern, Cytowic explains how multidisciplinary work will provide insight into "consciousness, the nature of reality, and the relationship between reason and emotion" (1). He aims to look not only at experimental data but at a broad overview of the scientific concept of the brain in order to answer the synesthesia question. His work is circumscribed by historical and philosophical frameworks as are mentioned above.

What aspects of Charlotte Brontes Essay -- English Literature:

What aspects of Charlotte Bronte's What aspects of Charlotte Bronte's depiction and use of the character of Bertha Mason are most clearly illuminated by Jean Rhys' depiction and use of her parallel character of Antoinette? In Wide Sargasso Sea, written by Jean Rhys in the 1960’s, is a radical critique of the context of English Imperialism and male dominated society within which Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre. In order to both expose and oppose the parallels inherent in Jane Eyre, Rhys intertwines in her novel the two reading positions of feminist and postcolonialist criticism. Rhys demonstrates how both social and narrative conventions mandate that certain categories of women must be devalued if other categories of women are to assume importance. She does this by exposing to the reader how Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre, in order for her reader to give Jane an assumed importance, devalued by the Creole character Bertha; showing her to be made and giving us Jane’s description of her as â€Å"[she] seemed†¦a woman†¦ [she] reminded me†¦ [of] the foul German Spectre – the vampire† and Rochester’s comment that â€Å"the lunatic is both cunning and malignant.† Rhys, it seems was politically inspired to rewrite Jane Eyre and write back to the empire. Wide Sargasso Sea is a prequel to Jane Eyre which was written British Empire was at its peak. Jane Eyre was a representation of England to the English. Rhys decided to write back, because of being of white West Indian descent herself, she was offended by the representation of the mad Creole in the novel. Although Rhys says that she is not a conscious feminist her novels are always written from a female perspective and in Wide Sargasso Sea, the male character is exposed... ... express and put forward quite assertively. Christophine in particular, is not afraid to tell Antoinette’s husband exactly how she feels towards him/ On page 132 for example, Christophine says ‘I tell her so’†¦always it don’t work for beke. Always it bring trouble†¦so you send me away and you keep all her money. And what you do with her?† and later on further exposes and questions assumptions and values that Antoinette’s husband when she tells him â€Å"Read and write I don’t know. Other things I know.† So we can see the many ways in which Rhys uses the intersections of feminist and postcolonialist reading positions and criticism to expose certain aspects of character. Whether it be through two narrators, leaving one unnamed, showing many different sides to a story and emphasising and exposing the otherness of each are amongst many other narrative strategies.

Communication Style Case Study Essay

â€Å"Communication is an ongoing, complex ever-changing process between two or more individuals to convey a message† (Hansten & Jackson, 2009). Effective communication in the healthcare field is an essential piece to delivering competent client care. Effective communication is not only needed to relay the importance of instructions and tasks to our peers in the treatment team, but to provide respect to our coworkers and create a positive working environment. Communication styles are important and can contribute or hinder the process of maintaining effective communication in the workplace. This paper aims to analyze the communication styles in four different communication scenarios. Scenario One There are two communication style used in scenario one. The Registered Nurse (RN) engaged in aggressive communication whereas the assistive personnel (AP) engaged in passive communication. Aggressive behavior and communication is hostile in intent and is usually communicated through talking at people and not with people. The aggressive communication was used when the RN belittled the AP with an upraised tone, and inappropriate comments such as,† you are only the aide†, and â€Å"we don’t expect you to think, just to do what we tell you to do.† (Hansten & Jackson, 2009). According to Hansten & Jackson (2009), this communication style successfully suppresses ideas and feedback from others and creates a tension filled relationship (p. 281). This communication style inflicts a tone of supremacy, statements which direct blame, and labeling. These negative communications often times can cause the other person to feel humiliated, angry and hurt. The AP was experien cing feelings of anger and resentment and these feelings elicited a response of revenge in this scenario. The AP in this scenario has shown a passive style of communication because he feels it is necessary to keep his job. Passive behavior is often not idyllic due to it being an act of avoidance to the situation that is presented, which the AP showed by quietly sitting and not voicing his  concerns. People who exhibit passive behavior often have feelings of hurt, embarrassment, fright, coyness, and apprehension. Because of the communication of the RN being aggressive it has evoked a passive behavior and communication style on the part of the AP. The passive communicator allows the anger and resentment to build up which ultimately leads to the passive communicator to expose these feelings through outlets of subtle sabotage, manipulation and punishment. This is exactly what the AP in the scenario exhibited when he thought to begin a plan on how he’d make the RN pay for her comments. This is an example of a cycle of authoritarianism and indirect aggression which results in poor work relationships, the compromise of client care in order to revenge communications and breakdowns in communication between the treatment team. Scenario Two The school nurse in this scenario has chosen a passive non-assertive communication style. This is evident through the nurse choosing to avoid the immediate conflict of confronting the volunteer and choosing to take the work load upon her-self. The problem is not going to be faced which will ultimately lead up to the problems multiplying for the nurse because she physically cannot redo every test performed forever, she will become bitter and angry. â€Å"A passive response is based on the fear of rejection and retaliation caused by displeasing others. Conflict is avoided at the price of denying one’s own feelings and needs† (Hansten & Jackson, 2009). This passive and avoidant behavior can lead to nursing fatigue and burnout. This can also lead to her volunteers feeling confused and angry, thinking the nurse doesn’t value or trust their work. This communication style although not outwardly hostile or aggressive due to avoidance of conflict, can cause feeling of hostility which may lead to manipulative behaviors. The school nurse in this scenario has not corrected the problem by educating her volunteers so the incorrect results will keep being brought to her and she will end up becoming bitter and angry with her volunteers leading to a breakdown in communication and possibly a hostile work environment. Scenario Three This scenario also involved two different communication styles. The manager was using assertive communication and the surgical tech was using aggressive  communication. The manager in this this scenario clearly addressed the problem by expressing what she observed, thought, felt and wanted from the situation. She addressed the problem by approaching the surgical tech and stated her wants without belittling the tech. She was very clear even using the surgical techs job description. This communication style promotes a trusting relationship with other coworkers because they know you will address the problem with them and not talk about the situation inappropriately with other staff member. This communication is essential in healthcare because it is a vital core to effective delegation. This communication does not compromise client care because it addresses problems and sets clear expectations to fix the problem which leads to changes. The surgical tech in this scenario used aggressive communication. This was evident by her statement that she’d â€Å"get Rosa’s head on a platter.†(Hansten & Jackson, 2009). The goal of her claim was to dominate and hurt her manager which is a characteristic of aggressive communication. Threatening your coworkers and superiors shows a lack of respect for the workplace and other. This can compromise the working environment which can lead to a breakdown in patient care.

My Favorite Place in the World

The sun shines. The water glistens in the bright light. The wind swirls around me, unsettling the hot sand beneath my feet. I run to the ocean, disturbing the calm water as I dive in. The water surrounds me, engulfing me in its warmth. I am now at peace. For right now, at this moment, I am one with the water and the salt and the sand, and everything is okay. All my problems are washed away with the tide. It’s just me and the ocean. Just me and the beach. Just me and my favorite place in the world. I cannot describe how much the ocean means to me.The waves, the sand, the sun, the water, the world deep beneath the surface that no human truly understands, everything about it just connects with me. I grew up with the ocean; it was on the shores that I took my first steps, learned to swim, and grew familiar with all the small creatures the dwell near the shore. No, I didn’t entirely grow up on the beach, though I wish I had. I’ve lived since birth, in the Chicago land area. However, once a year my family has gathered in a beach house in North Carolina, right on the ocean, for a weeklong reunion.I treasured those precious seven days I had with my family on the beach, for that is all I got; seven days of pure happiness, and then I went back to my normal, beach-less life. Don’t get me wrong; I loved growing up in the city, but something about those weeks at the beach captured my heart and made me yearn for more. So many of my best childhood memories are centered on the shores of North Carolina. Surrounded by all my favorite people and things, there was never a dull moment.Though looking back it seems like we spent every waking moment on the beach and in the water, we also played games inside the beach house, or just hung out and talked while sitting on the porch, looking out at a beautiful beach sunset. When I was younger, no older than maybe six years old, I loved the waves. My cousins would be too scared to go near the big ones, preferring to stay near the shore. But as for me, the daredevil, I looked down upon the wimpy waves, wanting only the big ones that can only be found in deeper water.Once, a big storm hit our beach and all the strong men went out to try to conquer the 10 feet waves. I wanted so much to join them battle the sea. However, my mother would not let me go in. So instead, my cousins and I stayed on the porch watching, amazed at how the calm and peaceful ocean of the daytime could turn into such a monster. But the next morning, the sound of the calm waves crashing on the sandy shore greeted me as I first opened my eyes to the new day in paradise. The peaceful water I knew and loved had returned, waiting for me to go back in.Even the not so great things at the beach will grow on a person. For instance, the fact that sand gets everywhere may bother some people, but not me. And not just the places you would expect it to be, it’s everywhere. Even when you try so hard not to touch the sandy ocean f loor, it gets in your swimsuit, the couch, the bed, and the floor. It just seems to follow you in the house, despite the many rugs feebly attempting the stop the sand at the front door. But while at any beach, you come to expect it.I not only came to live with sleeping with sand, but I also started to like it. I never had to leave the beach, even when I was sleeping. There are other down sides to being at the beach, but none of them bother me anymore. For example, no matter how much sunscreen you rub into your skin, you always seem to get sunburn somewhere. Or how it doesn’t matter if you are dripping with bug spray at night, the mosquitoes attack you anyway. But even sunburn and mosquito bites can’t ruin my trips to the beach. After all, I am at my favorite place in the world.

Issues with Social Development in Adults

In my research on issues of social development in adults, I found change and consistency in social participation plays a key role in early adulthood. I felt the need to choose and touch on this topic because I have the tendency to be a social butterfly and I also lost a dear friend that committed suicide from social isolation. I chose this article because after reading it I felt as if the information was solid and backed up with surveys and facts. I also felt as if the topic was thoroughly examined and the article gave a lot of helpful information about this particular issue with social development in adults. Social interactions and activities play a key role in the physical health and well being in adulthood. It is healthy and fun to be around friends, loved ones, and even relationship partners. Making plans, going out, and being social gives one the since of self worth. Further more, the lack of desire and absence of social contact and participation can cause one, such as in the incident of my friend, to become depressed, self-isolated, and have suicidal thoughts and/or even commit suicide. In the event that I would need to write a research paper on this topic, I would use this article. I would use the article because it has a lot of information about the topic and has many different details and survey information. This would all help my research and provide me with information to include in my paper. The authors, Harry Reis and Yi-Cheng Lin, research was to determine if age-related changes in social relationships and to see if interaction patterns would stay the same from college years to adult- hood. They researched a variety of different things like opposite-sex socializing, intimacy and satisfaction in adulthood, and implications for social development during early adulthood.

Organizational Controls Essay

The case describes one of the most common problems that arise in cross-cultural business expansions without accounting for cultural and social differences across borders. Lincoln is a well established company with a great concurrent control system which enables it to move swiftly through processes and end up with phenomenal figures of efficiency and productivity. The control system at Lincoln is concurrent, although it can be argued that the system has certain similarities with the feed-forward control system. However, one thing is certain: the system is quick and flexible to change quickly which does not consist of the slowness of the feedback system. In particular such a system along with the different types of reward schemes makes Lincoln highly successful in the United States. It would be really difficult to find an organization comparable to Lincoln in terms of the amounts and kinds of rewards given to its employees. The different employee rewarding schemes are all tools and techniques which Lincoln has adapted to over the years because of the realization of the fact that employees in the US are highly motivated through pay-based rewards. (Susan Meredith, 2004) Essentially speaking it is this single factor which has contributed largely to the success of Lincoln in the US and the different kinds of pay-based rewards only seek to satisfy all kinds of people with different ideas and expectations for pay-based rewards. It should be understood by the management of Lincoln when they are transporting the US approach to other cultures that the cultures of different nations maybe and probably are entirely different from the American culture. It is not necessary that the same kinds of objects and pay-based rewards may drive them and motivate them towards high productivity. There are a lot of other intrinsic rewards available at the disposal of managers to use to meet the demands of the workforce. The same types of rewards may not work on different cultures due to the social and political circumstances of those nations. Employees may have different needs, which if met by the management, will motivate them to work harder and achieve levels of high productivity and efficiency. (Daft, 2001) The problem made by the management at Lincoln was to generalize that fact that pay-based and other monetary rewards will definitely motivate employees to achieve high productivity and efficiency. Instead, the operations failed due to the different cultures having different motivational factors, which obviously were not identified by the Lincoln management. The suggestion here to be followed by the management is to identify through research and internal mingling the factors that affect motivation and job satisfaction amongst the different cultures in which they have expanded their operations to and address specifically those issues to reap the same results as in the US. (Robbins, 2004) Employees would maintain their relationship and confidence in Lincoln only if the organization upholds it’s the expectations the employees and their unions hold from them. If Lincoln is unable to pay its US workers the bonus they deserve, Lincoln will be in deep trouble. The overall situation would go from bad to worse. It should be understood that the US employees had no share or tear in Lincoln’s expansions and that the losses arising as a result of the bad policies implemented in the new acquisitions was not transferable onto the US employees. Thus, Lincoln should not dishearten the US employees or risk the deterioration of employee satisfaction, morale and motivation which will affect Lincoln negatively in a significant manner. (Robbins, 2004) Therefore, I believe that Lincoln should borrow money to pay its US workers the bonus they actually deserve to take no risks in losing potential employees to its competitors or risk the loss of employee boost and motivation due to a break in expected promises.

The Roaring 20s

Change is an inevitable part of life. With new ideas, opinions, and morals came a new way of life. No time period in American history felt a more drastic change than the 1920s. The Roaring Twenties embraced a new culture that focused on enjoyment, art and innovations. The style of clothing, especially for women, went completely against that of the previous generation. Many people were offended by and opposed to the new style of the ‘20s which was epitomized by the flapper. 4 Women’s clothing, which was loose fitting, complimented their efforts to make their chests appear flatter. Cloche style hats were very popular and were tight around the head before flipping out at the base of the neck. 6 Year by year, the length of skirts and dresses grew noticeable shorter until it reached halfway up the knee. 7 Short, flowing skirts made dancing to the new forms of music easier. Music and dance became an important aspect in the lives of Americans. The Harlem Renaissance embraced th e new American music, Jazz. Harlem came with a culture all its own. 8 Dances such as the Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Charleston, and Lindy Hop were performed to jazz, blues, and ragtime music. These quick, energetic dances were seen as scandalous to older generations because of the physical contact they involved. From school to church, dance was involved in every part of life. 10 Entertainment fostered a sense of happiness in Americans after World War I. Movies and sports were two of the most popular pastimes during the 1920s. Silent films could be understood by all and brought happiness and laughter to their viewers. In 1923 the first â€Å"talkie† was created which eventually replaced the silent film. 14 Sportswere enjoyed not only by those who played them but also by those who watched. Among the popular sports of football, boxing, tennis, and golf, baseball remained the fan favorite. In 1927 Babe Ruth hit his record 60 home runs. Thanks to him and others like him, such as Lou Gehrig, baseball became America’s sport. 15 Interestin activities created a sense of unity in Americans. Many fads became the obsession of many Americans. Crossword puzzles became very popular. People would work on them whenever they had a free moment, and soon, contests were being held to see who could complete the puzzles the fastest. Mah-Jongg, and ancient Chinese game, became a national obsession. It replaced the game of bridge, and clubs, even, were opened for players. Many Americans participated in stunts. Flagpole sitters literally sat on flag poles to gain money or attention. Barnstormers performed stunts in airplanes while wing-walkers performed their own tricks on the plane’s wings. 16 Thesecrazes swept across the nation during the 1920s. Many innovations came about during the Roaring Twenties. Henry Ford’s affordable automobile redefined Americans’ way of life. 17 Peoplecould travel farther and faster with a car than with a horse. Vacationing became popular which caused motels and service stations to be established along popular routes. 18 In1927 Ford introduced the Model A which quickly became the most popular car in America. The new innovations of the 1920s were accompanied by new ways of thinking. New medical and scientific discoveries were made during this time. In 1920, Frederick Banting created insulin to treat diabetes. It was the first hope patients with diabetes had of living a normal life, and it even help some of those near deathmake miraculous recoveries. In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered the possibilities of penicillin in fighting bacteria. It wouldn’t be until several years later, however, that it would be used to save lives. 19 Theconflict between evolution and creation caused much tension. In 1925, John Scopes taught the theory of evolution to his class and was arrested. Eventually, evolution was taught in most science classes. 20 These new ways of thinking changed life in American. The Roaring Twenties is characterized as a positive and optimistic time,however, it did have its negatives. With the manufacture of alcohol made illegal by Prohibition, many people turned to speakeasies and bootlegging to get their alcohol. 21 Prohibition was supposed to lower the crime rate, but more corruption and organized crime emerged. 22 The murder rate in 118 cities was higher that one in every 100,000 in 1927. 23 Despite this problem, the positives of the Roaring Twenties outweigh the negatives. The Roaring Twenties was characterized by a lifestyle of enjoyment, art, and innovations. The 1920s focused on optimism. After World War I, Americans sought happiness in music, dancing, movies, and sports. New inventions made life easier, and all appeared well. But every up has its down, and the Roaring Twenties was no exception. Notes Feinstein, Stephen. The 1920s. (Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. , 2001), 26 Scott, Robert. â€Å"The Roaring Twenties: A Historical Snapshot of Life in the 1920s†. available from http://www. 1920-1930. com; Internet; accessed 15 April 2009. Feinstein, The_ 1920s, _25. Langley, Susan. Roaring ‘20s Fashion: Jazz. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 2005), 95. Laubner, Fashions of the Roaring ‘20s, 47. Kallen, Stuart A. The Harlem Jazz Era. (Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books. 2004), 24. Scott, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. Scott, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. Feinstein, The_ 1920s_, 7. Scott, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. Scott, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. Feinstein, The_ 1920s. _ 32. Feinstein, The_ 1920s. _21. F einstein, The_ 1920s. _9. Scott, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. Scott, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. Scott, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. Feinstein, The_ 1920s. _11. Frederick Hoffman, â€Å"The Spectator,† The Literary Digest, (2 July 1927). Bibliography Feinstein, Stephen. The 1920s. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc. , 2001. Kallen, Stuart A. The Harlem Jazz Era. Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books. 2004. Langley, Susan. Roaring ‘20s Fashion: Jazz. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 2005. Laubner, Ellie. Fashions of the Roaring ‘20s. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 1996. Scott, Robert. â€Å"The Roaring Twenties: A Historical Snapshot of Life in the 1920s,† Available from http://www. 1920-1930. com. Internet; accessed 15 April 2009.

Why is Bill Gates a successful leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why is Bill Gates a successful leader - Essay Example Through his innovative ideas, constant hard-work and extraordinary leadership skills he has achieved tremendous success and fame. His exceptional example is given in various management courses and his wise quotes are used to motivate and direct individuals around the world. Bill Gates exemplary leadership is dependent upon many steps that he has consciously adopted. 1. A Clear Vision Bill Gates knows that in order to move forward he can leave no man behind, to ensure this he has a clear vision not only in his mind but he also makes certain to pass it on to his employees. He sets a clear standard, an exact measurement of what is expected from them. By saying inspiring expressions like, Every house and business must run on Microsoft software, or a computer on every desktop, he provides an unambiguous picture to his employees of exactly what is expected of them. This helps clear misconceptions and misunderstandings and provides refreshing clarity to employees. He has set a standard for them, they can easily envision it and therefore achieving it becomes easier. (Samson, Danny, and Daft 17) 2. Empowering Employees After giving his employees a clear goal, Bill Gates ensures that his employees have the power to achieve them. He is heard to say on several occasions that leaders are those who have the ability to empower others.By exercising leadership through a participative style he ensures that employees at all levels are involved in decision making. Everyone provides their valuable input and contributes to providing the best solution. He is very positive in his attitude and energizes his employees and pushes them to achieve more than they think they are capable off hence promising success for Microsoft. 3. It’s Okay to Make Mistakes People who work for Bill Gates are fearless and confident. They take risks and have the ability to think out of the box because he never discourages them. Bill Gates is a staunch believer of the philosophy that mistakes and failur es are important contributors to success. He is constantly ensuring his employees that they should not be afraid of making mistakes. He went so far as to say on one occasion that, unhappy customers are the greatest source of learning. Such a positive and open attitude affirms employee beliefs that they will not be punished if they do something wrong therefore being more confident in themselves and their jobs. Such confidence makes the work environment not only positive but also fun where employees go an extra mile to achieve results. The 2007 version of Microsoft Office that has become so popular was a design put forward by an IT technician. Even though this idea is a complete opposite of Bill Gates original design the employee had confidence that she could discuss her idea with Bill Gates without any fear of offending him. This is an excellent example of the confidence that Microsoft employees have and how this confidence gets translated into astounding achievements for the organiz ation. (7 Key Lessons from a Greatest Leader of all times - Bill Gates | Life of Excellence) 4. Appreciating Employees Bill Gates is not that stereotypical boss who sweeps in at the end of the day and takes credit for all the work. He appreciates his employee’s efforts and whenever necessary makes it popular that his employees are his main strength and the greatest factor contributing to Microsoft’s success. He personally interacts with employees to find out who is doing what, offers solutions to problems and gives praise without a second thought. His admiration of employee work and ideas is positive reinforcement that encourages employees to work harder and harder, because they know that their efforts are not wasted. (Manager's Role in Successful Motivation:

THERE ARE TWO TOPICS IN INSTRUCTIONS Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

THERE ARE TWO TOPICS IN INSTRUCTIONS - Case Study Example This is because a lot of tumors arise abruptly. The reason behind Jacobs’s cancer may be due to his surrounding and body immune. One of the surrounding causal impacts for such attributes is radioactivity. The radioactivity from the phone tower affects the environment around; vegetation, water and weather (Aldrich, 64). Jacobs immune might also be slightly weaker than that of an average person residing in the area. Furthermore, Jacob is at a tender age, 15 years, make his health state a bit sensitive in that; he can easily be affected by bacterium and virus from his surroundings sanitary conditions. Also at his age his physical fitness is also weaker. Above reasons may have resulted in Jacobs’s cancer. Though in the past, there have been concerns that exposure to radioactivity affects both body tissues and the brain. There has been no confirmation. The results of such studies do not give clear proof of the relationship between radiation and cancer. Nonetheless, there have been some noteworthy discoveries in particular subgroups of

God of carnage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

God of carnage - Essay Example They would have probably never met each other if not their kids. The thing is on November 3 Ferdinand struck Bruno in the face and knocked out two of his teeth. This was the reason why the families of Vallons and Reilles met later that day at Vallons place to settle the case in a civilized and diplomatic manner. However, step by step the conversation between parents spun out of control and they started pointless argument screaming and swearing at each other by the end of the night. Alain is a well-to-do lawyer and Annette is a housewife who is managing the wealth of their family, as she herself characterizes herself. Michel is a second-rate wholesale dealer and his wife, Veronique is currently endeavors to write a book about Darfur, a war-ridden Sudanese province, and works at a bookshop part-time. The way Michel describes his occupation makes one feel he is a loser, "its never exactly been a bonanza" (Reza 9). Alain anticipates such a characterization by asking Michel arrogantly and without scruple on how successful he is, "Money in that, is there?" (Reza 9). Alain himself is a successful lawyer but, although he behaves quite arrogantly, he is tight-lipped and modest when being asked about his profession. As to his occupation Alains reply is confined to a couple of words, "A lawyer", which only underlines his awareness of being a well-to-do and respected man (Reza 6). However, the only thing Alain seems to care about is his job. Even Michel wife cant help telling him, "I dont understand why you dont seem to care about this", when he doesnt take an active part in bickering about his own son with her (Reza 20). Alains wife, Annette, is a woman who easily loses her temper and the little things of life often make her depressed. When the conversation between the parents went out of control and they failed to find common ground Annettes husband said that he is not

Protien refording Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Protien refording - Essay Example During initial production and isolation of proteins, many factors such as overproduction, solvent interactions, mechanical interference, or others may result in the denaturation of proteins. Understanding protein folding involves understanding both the energy landscape of the protein system, and refolding techniques have been significantly improve as time-resolved techniques, including neutron scattering, have been developed and perfected by researchers around the globe. The techniques involve observation of protein dynamics in order to assess the critical point of refolding, information which can lead to the development of refolding solutions (Bu et al. 2001). Neutron scattering and similar inventive techniques, such as stopped-flow florescence. In order to scale up for commercial use, protein refolding techniques must be scale invariant, compatible for a large range of proteins, simple to automated, and overall economical. Methods that rely on denaturant dilution and column-based methodology generally will meet these criteria (Middelberg 2002). The technology of refolding has grown exponentially in the past decade, and new methods must be carefully designed to facilitate the automated and rapid determination of the conditions that must be met for refolding in order to be commercially viable. It, however, remains to be seen if researchers can translate new technologies—and possibly even the discovery of a new protein state—into technology that will improve efficiency in bimolecular research industries. Before use, proteins are generally solubilised before use in high concentrations of quanidinium chloride (GdmCl) and urea (De Bernardez 1998 and Schwarz et al. 1998). Either of these two solvents may cause certain proteins to denature, and refolding involves diluting to a low concentration zone.

The Accounts Receivable (Sales Ledger) of Cookridge Carpets Essay

The Accounts Receivable (Sales Ledger) of Cookridge Carpets - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is Cookridge Carpets Ltd. It is a large carpet, soft furnishings and bed Dealership Company located in Southampton. The company was established in the year of 2007, works as the main dealer for Memo@memory foam beds and mattresses. The company is owned by two brothers Peter and John Cookridge. The Cookridge Carpets has three major stakeholders: Suppliers, customers, and staff. Memo Beds, in the year of 2010, offered the main dealership to the Company in the area of Southampton as the local dealer for the Memo Beds. The Company provides its services to the local residents of the Southampton and the local residents are the main customers of the Cookridge Carpets. The owners of the business have a considerable experience in direct sale of carpets and beds to the locals. However, recently they have gained accessed to the Internet and have made a significant sale via the Internet. As a result, the business has considerably increased. Currently, the c ompany employs 20 members of staff including nine direct sales staff, two cleaners, three internet sales staff, one accessories salesperson, two car delivery drivers and three part-time staff in the small accounts department. There are three staff members in the accounts office: Sonja Douglas, Stefan Kalinowski and Margaret Peterson. Sonja Douglas is Wages clerk. Stefan Kalinowski is Accounts Clerk and Margaret Peterson is also Accounts Clerk. Accounts payable or purchase ledger is maintained by Peter Cookridge and Margaret Peterson also works in this department.... 1.3 PIC 1.4 There are three staff members in the accounts office: Sonja Douglas, Stefan Kalinowski and Margaret Peterson. Sonja Douglas is Wages clerk. Stefan Kalinowski is Accounts Clerk and Margaret Peterson is also Accounts Clerk. Accounts payable or purchase ledger is maintained by Peter Cookridge and Margaret Peterson also works in this department. All suppliers cheques are signed either John or Peter. And, Accounts receivable or sales ledger is maintained by Stefan Kalinowski. Stefan’s main function is to maintain all the sales related transactions and maintain the receivables records as well. 2- Software (PIC 3.3., 3.4) 2.1 PIC 3.3 There is four computers in the office and is maintained by a standalone basis along with linked to the same printer. Microsoft Office Excel Spreadsheets are availed to record information and data pertaining to the inventory of carpets, beds and soft furnishings. When the company was established two new computers were purchased and currently r unning the Windows Vista operating system; they are also enabled with Microsoft Office 2007 along with a three use licence. In addition, when the computer system was first time introduced in the company, a password ‘Paula C’ was used and is still currently operational throughout the company. 2.2 PIC 3.3The company is using the most basic type of accounting techniques in the shape of Microsoft Office Excel Spreadsheets and may not serving the ultimate objectives of the company. Although the use of Microsoft Office Excel Spreadsheets can be cost effective, yet it cannot be 100 percent reliable as it is so easy that even a lay man can amend, delete or change data present in

Reviews of education papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reviews of education papers - Essay Example The level of competence of children is reviewed and criticized by Buckingham in order to identify the appropriateness of debates used for media regulation in Britain and whether this regulation is justified in accordance with existing research on children and media literacy (Buckingham, 2005, p.2). In order to achieve the targets described above, Buckingham reviews the recent media regulation in Britain – emphasis is given to the Communications Act of 2003. The scope and the rules including in the above Act are criticized by Buckingham making reference to the actual characteristics and needs of education; At the next level, the interaction between media and children is analyzed – using the example of the potential negative effects of advertising on children’s social and eating behaviour. Relevant literature is also employed focusing on the following issues: a) the potential role of the state in the protection of children from the negative effects of advertising, b) how the responsibility of parents and teachers would be fairer distributed in regard to the protection of children from media, c) whether the concept of responsibility is appropriately interpreted today. The above tools used by Buckingham are considered as quite effective taking into considerati on the complexity and the demands of the issue under discussion. Moreover the findings of the research described above effectively support the Buckingham’s view that the term of competence – as used in the context of current media literacy – should be reviewed; children cannot be viewed as adults, an approach often promoted by the media. Rossi (2006) has tried to identify the nature and the elements of Australian identity; his research has led him to the conclusion that Australian identity does not exist – at least as a unique concept; rather the elements of this identity can be identified in various cultural and social events and

Marketing principal Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing principal - Case Study Example The company’s major vision is creating brands that will run the market and achieving maximum profits from the brands (Narayani 1-36). Apple was started in 1976 and has since grown from a small business into one of the most valuable and successful brands in the globe. The brand has managed to plant a perception in its consumers’ minds that it is the very best of the total brands and has, therefore, gained total trust from its consumers (Mirachandani 276-277). The brand has portrayed excellent marketing techniques, and has established an ability to distinguish themselves from other brands. The company has other features such as realizing user friendly and innovative products (Sandoval 98-99). On the market of its products, a certain study revealed that the brand consumers who fall under the categories of high salaries, young ages and techno savvy tend to purchase its products. In the US for instance, about 22 million adults owned an iPod. Several products from apple target consumers who want to listen to music at a go (Mirachandani 276-277). Considering that apple is highly rated, several people desire owning one of its products. This popularity has enhanced sales for the company (Mirachandani 276-277). Apple, however, has some faults in some of its products. The iPod Nano for instance, is said to have a faulty screen that breaks easily. Issues such as poor battery life and software issues also portray weaknesses from the company in its brands (Mirachandani 276-277). The continuous release of music products is continuously generating high revenues for the company, putting it at par with the music industry (Jennings 402). This creates pressure on the company on what decision to take on the music industry. The company also stand gaining many market opportunities. ITunes for instance, is used to download legal songs (Jennings 402). If apple makes all cell phones and MP3 players

Examine and explain the contrasting principles unerpinning the Essay

Examine and explain the contrasting principles unerpinning the organisational structures and practices of the French communist and socialist parties in the 1970's - Essay Example During the 1980s the Socialist Party became the party of the Left in France, electing Francois Mitterrand to two terms during that time. In order to explain these developments one must look to the previous decade for the social, political, and organizational practices and beliefs that facilitated this change in the ideological left in France. An examination of the theoretical and ideological apparatuses that precipitated this political shift along with a presentation of cultural and political events that led to a realignment of political strategies of the two parties will be followed by an inquiry into the organizational and leadership practices and beliefs of the two groups. The subsequent analysis of the ebb and flow of the respective fortunes of the PS and PCF should reveal that the Political Left in France has operated under a "Coalition as Rivalry"2 paradigm to the ultimate benefit of the PS and the seemingly irrecoverable detriment of the PCF. Forming out of the Section Francaise de Ilnternationale Ouvriere (SFIO) in 1905, the Socialist Party was cobbled together with an uneasy mix of Marxists, members of workers parties, revolutionaries and reformists.3 The uneasiness of this arrangement eventually led to a splintering of the "feeble" alliance and at the 1920 Congress of Tour, what was to become the PCF was formed.4 The rather hard ideological line of the PCF illustrated by the slogan, "sovietization à ¡ outrance" is indicative of the affiliation that French Communists had at the time with Soviet Politburo.5 The Socialists and Communists did briefly come together in an unofficial capacity, along with the radicals in a mid-1930s movement known as the Popular Front. That coalition was interrupted by WWII. After WWII, much of the left was united against Gaullism though nevertheless splintered over the issue of Algerian Independence. The start of the Fifth Republic saw perpetuation of the orthodox

Gothic Cathedrals Essay Example for Free

Gothic Cathedrals Essay Gothic architecture flourished during the Medieval times or Middle Ages. It evolves from the Romanesque style of architecture. The best example of Gothic architecture are the Gothic Cathedrals, specifically the La Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral in France and the Salisbury Cathedral in England. This paper will discuss the main and identifiable features of Gothic Cathedrals and explore the changes and evolution in floor plans and sculptural program of the exterior of the church from a stylistic and conceptual point of view. It will also explain how Christian religion’s needs and preoccupations changed overtime by using the buildings of La Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral. II. Identifiable features: pointed arch, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting The three most noticeable characteristic of Gothic Cathedrals are its height (tall), spaciousness and good ventilation (light). This is made possible by the development of new style technology, the pointed arch, flying buttresses and the ribbed vaulting. Prior to the use of pointed arch, the roofs of churches in the olden times were supported with a rounded arch. However, architects discovered that with a pointed arch, they can build taller buildings. With a higher building came a new type of buttress that takes care of the weight of the roof by supporting the walls from the outside by leaning arches called â€Å"flying buttresses† which are usually placed one above the other. As a result walls could be made taller and less massive, enabling a wide expanse of wall space for stained-glass windows. Meanwhile, the idea of ribbed vaulting also becomes popular. Instead of the groin vault of the Romanesque period, the Gothic architects discovered that ribs (diagonal arches) could be built that would support the entire weight of the roof. The space between the ribs could then be filled in with lighter material (Dudley Faricy, 1973, p. 291-295; Perry, 1988, p. 189). With the adoption of these three technological styles, the Gothic cathedrals as compared to the somber, dark churches that preceded it are much higher, lighter and more spacious making it more inviting for the Christians. On the other hand, the concept of allowing more light inside the church is derived from the concept that God is Light. As much as possible partitions in the floor plans were removed so that a dazzling light will emanate from the choir toward the congregation. Moreover, the concept of building tall churches with tall towers and spires conveys the idea of the supremacy and importance of Christian religion in a person’s life especially that it towers above all other buildings surrounding it. Such are the qualities and impression that La Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral projects. Both two cathedrals still uses the cross floor plans, the Salisbury cathedral, however, though it contained two transepts, is much simpler than the La Sainte-Chapelle which was built upon the order of the fashionable French monarch, Louise IX. La Sainte-Chapelle is elaborately decorated, the elaborate ornamentation conveying the idea of the wealth of the church and hence the prosperity of the Kingdom (Scott, 2003, p. 21-23; Vauchez, 2000, p. 1228). II. Reflection of Christian needs and Preoccupation of the Middle Ages The Gothic cathedrals, although took many years (even centuries) to build, first began to be created during the Middle ages, a time characterized by feudal wars ,famine and epidemics. In spite of these unfavorable conditions, the Christians took the effort to make a big church, as an expression of their Christian devotion. One notable feature of Gothic stained glass windows, as seen in the two cathedrals, are the paintings of Biblical characters. The primary purpose why they paint them all over the walls is so that the illiterate could picture out what was written in the Bible (Perry, 1988, 189). Le Sainte-Chapelle, howvere, housed important Christian relics collected by Louise IX signifying the preoccupations of the rich Christian monarchs with anything regarding Christianity. The facade of Gothic cathedrals are also elaborately decorated using sculptured human figures ( saints ,kings and peasant life) as the main features, illustrating their growing interest in humanism ideas ( human life and accomplishments) as it replace the usual carvings of animals, fruits and other figures. The story of Christ, specifically his incarnation, decorate the entrance of the church, urging whoever will pay homage or pilgrimage to the church not to admire its gold or cost but to focus their attention to Christ ( Dudley, 1974, p. 291; Scott, 2003, pp. 47-48) . II. Conclusion Gothic Cathedrals, like the Salisbury Cathedral and La Sainte-Chapelle, are the best representative of Gothic art. The knowledge of new style of architectural technology by using a pointed arch, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting paved the way for a taller , more spacious and well-lighted or ventilated churches. It erased therefore the somber, gloomy aura of the Romanesque churches, and the new concept of God as Light and Supreme was successfully incorporated into the church structure. In spite of the presence of wars, famines and epidemics, this ambitious project was embarked on, signifying the Christian devotion of the people of the Medieval era. Works Cited Dudley, Louise and Austin Faricy. The Humanities, 5th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Company, 1973. Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. New York: Houghton-Mifflin, Inc, 1988. Scott, Robert A. The Gothic Enterprise: A Guide to Understanding the Medieval Cathedral. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003. Vauchez, Andre, and et al. Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. New York: Routledge, 2000.