Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Beowulf13 Essay Example For Students

Beowulf13 Essay The Anglo-Saxon Culture as Illustrated in BeowulfBeowulf is an epic sonnet, which happens in old Denmark and Geatland and portrays the experiences of Beowulf, a Geat legend. Through their saints, epic sonnets as a rule portray the conventions and convictions of a specific culture. An Anglo-Saxon creator composed Beowulf about the Danes and Geats. The Anglo-Saxons had comparable convictions to that of the Dane and Geats, so the sonnet gives us some thought of what the Anglo-Saxon culture resembled. All through Beowulf, it is represented that ladies were believed to be practically valueless; that Anglo-Saxons had faith in agnosticism, and that there was incredible accentuation on resources and weaponry. The Anglo-Saxon culture didn't esteem ladies profoundly. Ladies were not perceived for the deeds they did. The Danish Beowulfs own mom was not perceived as far as it matters for her in his introduction to the world. His dad Ecgtheow was given all the kudos for Beowulfs birth: And he gav e them more than his gloryconceived a child for the Danes, another pioneer. (Beowulf, 1057). Rulers for the most part would part with their little girls turn in union with an absolute outsider for a harmony settlement with another country. The little girl had nothing to do with what was finished with her, as Healfdenes little girl who was offered away to Onela the Swedish lord. In all parts of life, ladies were not viewed as truly important and were treated as articles as opposed to individuals. Hrothgar recollects Beowulf upon his appearance: His dad was called Ecgtheow: Hrethel of the Geats gave him his lone little girl for his home. Presently has his barely posterity come here, looked for a quick friend.(1067). The little girls were normally compelled to wed somebody they didn't know instead of having the option to wed somebody they cherished. A lady was viewed as property, the possession relying on whether she was hitched or not. At the point when hitched, she is her spouses, wh en unmarried, she is her dads property. A man could beat his better half on the off chance that she ignored him, and infidelity by men was seldom rebuffed, though ladies were disrespected and requested a similar offense. Turning, weaving, and cooking were aptitudes controlled by about the entirety of the ladies in the Anglo-Saxon period. Their principle reason for existing was considered to tolerate kids, feed, dress their families, and to be a master for guests. Ladies were not viewed as equivalent to men, particularly in the part of battling. In the wake of Grendels moms assault, the annihilation isn't considered as compelling because of the way that the aggressor was a lady: The assault was less horrendous by just to such an extent similar to the quality of women,(1079). The Anglo-Saxons were agnostics, individuals who are not Christians. This is a characteristic that was appeared all through the sonnet. The warriors had the demeanor that destiny would choose their predetermination. Beowulf surrenders it over to destiny as he plans for the battle with Grendel: Fate consistently goes as it must! (1068). The individuals accepted that Wyrd, the divine force of Fate, chose their future. The warriors demonstrated an exceptionally fatalistic demeanor. Beowulf demonstrates this moment that he advises Hrothgar not to grieve his companion Eshers death:Sorrow not, savvy warrior. It is better for a man to vindicate his companion than much mournLet him who may get brilliance before death: that is best for the warrior after he has gone from life. (1081). Beowulf accepts that what happens is intended to occur and life will go on. The Anglo-Saxons believed that destiny chose the result of their fights. At the point when Beowulf chooses to battle the mythical beast, destiny isn't his ally: His psyche was melancholy, fretful and ready for death: close was the destiny which should go to the elderly person, look for his spirits crowd, isolate life from his body, not long for him was the life of the respectable one injury in his substance. (1094). Beowulf delineates the perspectives on these individuals, and how their battling was influenced by their pre-Christian convictions. Weapons and fortunes were essential to the Anglo-Saxon individuals. These assets represented all the battling a warrior had done so as to get them. The more great deeds a warrior had done, the more weapons and fortunes he had. Unferth presents Beowulf with an extraordinary blade named Hrunting as Beowulf

Saturday, August 22, 2020

American Revolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Revolution - Research Paper Example The fights to these laws were started by a gathering considering itself the children of freedom, who in their offer to show their interests illegal, invaded a boat in the Boston harbor, obliterating 342 chests of tea in the year 1773 (McCullough, 27). In light of these fights, the British Empire forced a progression of correctional laws, alluded to as the heinous demonstrations in 1774. In 1774, the American nationalists smothered all followers, and assumed responsibility for every settlement, building up new government. The British Empire reacted by sending troops for motivations behind setting up regal control in the year 1775 (McCullough, 26).â The war finished in 1783 with the acquiescence of Britain, causing the pilgrims to build up the central administration of United States, with every one of the 13 districts having a senator, and a parliament.â â â â â â â â â â â Â During, and after the war, one of the most significant and eminent figures was Benjamin Franklin . Benjamin Franklin is viewed as one of the originators of America, having assumed an extraordinary job persuading the 13 states of America to remain joined together (Prelinger, 5).â Benjamin Franklin is additionally credited just like the main individual among the authors of America to sign the three archives that liberated the American settlements from the pioneer rule. These reports are the Treaty of Paris, the American Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence (Prelinger, 9). Understand that the job of Benjamin Franklin in helping Thomas Jefferson to concoct a proper archive.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

End of term

End of term While the period known as End of term certainly brings finals anxiety, it also brings many events and traditions celebrating the conclusion of a great semester. Youve probably already heard about many of these, including the last 3.091 lecture (described here by Kevin), all of the festivities that Mitra did, and the MIT celebrity-served midnight breakfast, starring President Susan Hockfield and Dean of Admissions Marilee Jones. For me, I was happy to partake in the Lab for Chocolate Sciences finals hot cocoa (very yummy) and our annual Admissions holiday luncheon. At the Admissions holiday luncheon, we had a traditional New England Yankee swap, a funky gift swap (described here) that sounds more like a 6.001 recursion problem (maybe Scheme is why my entries always have so many parentheses). I brought a nice mug I bought at the cool Korean market just north of campus, and ended up with some great wine glasses at the end. Nice! Another office at MIT morally opposed having a Yankee swap, so they had a Red Sox Swap instead, swapping socks (of all colors) you cant make this stuff up. Now, just as many of you are getting to take a vacation, so will I. My wonderful parents are coming up to visit this weekend, and well get to do a whole bunch of fun Boston things. Then, Ill head home for holidays with the family, and New Years Eve with old MIT friends in DC. Should be quite nice. Ill be blogging a bit less during this period, but hope to check in periodically since there are some questions Id like to address and of course theres lots to say leading up to the regular action deadline on January 1 (hello, regular action and international applicants! Well be talking more soon!). Ill be back in the office for the first week of MITs famed Independent Activities Period (IAP). Happy holidays, everyone! =)

Friday, May 22, 2020

Who Invented the Seismograph

In the history of the innovations surrounding earthquake study, we have to look at two things: the devices that recorded earthquake activity and the measurement systems written to help interpret that data. For example, the Richter Scale is not a physical device, it is a mathematical formula. Definition of Intensity and Magnitude Scales Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake. The magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded on a seismogram at a certain period. Intensity  measures the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a certain location. Intensity is determined by effects on people, human structures, and the natural environment. Intensity does not have a mathematical basis; determining intensity is based on observed effects. The first reported use of any measurement of earthquake intensity has been attributed to the Italian Schiantarelli, who recorded the intensity of the 1783 earthquake that occurred in Calabrian, Italy. Rossi-Forel Scale The credit for the first modern intensity scales goes jointly to Michele de Rossi of Italy (1874) and Francois Forel of Switzerland (1881), who both independently published similar intensity scales. Rossi and Forel later collaborated and produced the Rossi-Forel Scale in 1883. The Rossi-Forel Scale used ten degrees of intensity and became the first scale to be widely used internationally. In 1902, Italian volcanologist Giuseppe Mercalli created a twelve-degree scale of intensity. Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale Although numerous intensity scales have been developed over the last several hundred years to evaluate the effects of earthquakes, the one currently used in the United States is the Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity Scale. It was developed in 1931 by the American seismologists Harry Wood and Frank Neumann. This scale, composed of 12 increasing levels of intensity that range from imperceptible shaking to catastrophic destruction, is designated by Roman numerals. It does not have a mathematical basis; instead, it is an arbitrary ranking based on observed effects. Richter Magnitude Scale The Richter Magnitude Scale was developed in 1935 by Charles F. Richter of the California Institute of Technology. On the Richter Scale, magnitude is expressed in whole numbers and decimal fractions. For example, a magnitude 5.3 might be computed for a moderate earthquake, and a strong earthquake might be rated as magnitude 6.3. Because of the logarithmic basis of the scale, each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude; as an estimate of energy, each whole number step in the magnitude scale corresponds to the release of about 31 times more energy than the amount associated with the preceding whole number value. At first, the Richter Scale could be applied only to the records from instruments of identical manufacture. Now, instruments are carefully calibrated with respect to each other. Thus, magnitude can be computed from the record of any calibrated seismograph. Definition of a Seismograph Seismic waves are the vibrations from earthquakes that travel through the Earth; they are recorded on instruments called seismographs. Seismographs record a zigzag trace that shows the varying amplitude of ground oscillations beneath the instrument. Sensitive seismographs, which greatly magnify these ground motions, can detect strong earthquakes from sources anywhere in the world. The time, location and magnitude of an earthquake can be determined from the data recorded by seismograph stations. The sensor part of a seismograph is referred to as the seismometer, the graphing capability was added as a later invention. Chang Hengs Dragon Jar Around 132 AD, Chinese scientist Chang Heng invented the first seismoscope, an instrument that could register the occurrence of an earthquake. Hengs invention was called the dragon jar. The dragon jar was a cylindrical jar with eight dragonheads arranged around its brim; each dragon had a ball in its mouth. Around the foot of the jar were eight frogs, each directly under a dragonhead. When an earthquake happened a ball dropped from a dragons mouth and was caught by the frogs mouth. Water Mercury Seismometers A few centuries later, devices using water movement and later mercury were developed in Italy. In 1855, Luigi Palmieri of Italy designed a mercury seismometer. Palmieris seismometer had U-shaped tubes filled with mercury and arranged along the compass points. When an earthquake happened, the mercury would move and make electrical contact that stopped a clock and started a recording drum on which the motion of a float on the surface of mercury was recorded. This was the first device that recorded the time of the earthquake and the intensity and duration of any movement. Modern Seismographs John Milne was the English seismologist and geologist who invented the first modern seismograph and promoted the building of seismological stations. In 1880, Sir James Alfred Ewing, Thomas Gray and John Milne, all British scientists working in Japan, began to study earthquakes. They founded the Seismological Society of Japan and the society funded the invention of seismographs. Milne invented the horizontal pendulum seismograph in 1880. The horizontal pendulum seismograph was improved after World War II with the Press-Ewing seismograph, developed in the United States for recording long-period waves. It is widely used throughout the world today. The Press-Ewing seismograph uses a Milne pendulum, but the pivot supporting the pendulum is replaced by an elastic wire to avoid friction.

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Essay about THE BLACK DEATH - 660 Words

The Bubonic Plague, more commonly referred to as the quot;Black Death,quot; ravaged Europe between the years 1347 and 1350. During this short period, 25 million people, one third of Europes population at the time, were killed. Thousands of people died each week and dead bodies littered the streets. Once a family member had contracted the disease, the entire household was doomed to die. Parents abandoned their children, and parent-less children roamed the streets in search for food. Victims, delirious with pain, often lost their sanity. Life was in total chaos. The Plague was a disaster without a parallel, causing dramatic changes in medieval Europe. Coming out of the East, the Black Death reached the shores of Italy in the spring of†¦show more content†¦As their rodent hosts died out, the fleas migrated to the bodies of humans and infected them in the same fashion as they had the rats, and so the plague spread In the text, there were several ideas on how the Black Death actually developed. The first document, written by Ibn Khaldun, described the plague in the best detail. The most common belief was that God had sent the plague and that it was his punishment for the sins humankind had committed. Even innocent people, such as infants, had to suffer for the horrible crimes of others. The church was quick to condemn gambling, excessive drinking, the immodesty of women and the laziness of peasants. Guilt lay upon every mans heart. Therefore it was only natural that the first measures taken against the plague were the confession of all sins and prayer for forgiveness. Learned men and women, who did not believe that the plague was sent by god or superstitions, attempted to come up with a more logical explanation. Some thought that a â€Å"mysterious poisonous cloud† gradually moving across Europe brought the plague. Finally, the most extreme explanation involved the changing of seasons an d the conjunctions of the planets. The weather had been affected by the altered seasons, which was in connection to the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter. The hot and wet planet of Jupiter, when combined with the anger of Mars, created pestilent vapors. The wind on Earth thenShow MoreRelatedThe Black Of Black Death939 Words   |  4 Pageshistory few events seem as cataclysmic as the Black Death. The Black Death was actually one of the most deadly pandemics in human history. This awful pandemics most devastating time in Europe was between 1348 and 1350. According to some estimates it wiped out at least two-thirds of Europe’s population. A Malmesbury monk from Wiltshire wrote that, â€Å"Over England as a whole a fifth og men, women and children were carried to the grave.† (James â€Å"Black Death: The lasting impact†) Many epidemiologists stillRead MoreThe Death Of The Black Death1148 Words   |  5 PagesThe Black Death, one of the greatest natural disaster to hit Europe thus causing the death of many people in the most horrific manner and cause the end of feudalism. This was a disaster that affected one third of the European continent and also one that no one was prepared to face. It killed more people than during a war and it impacted simple lives of people, their culture, religion and the economy as a whole. The origin of The Black Death has several explanations. Some people said The Black DeathRead MoreThe Death Of The Black Death905 Words   |  4 Pagesgrew were dying. On the wake of these seven distressing years of weather and famine was the greatest plague of all times, The Black Death. In 1347 AD, The Black Death began spreading throughout Western Europe. Over the time span of three years, the widespread epidemic killed one third of the population in Europe with pretty near twenty five million people dead. The Black Death killed many more Europeans than any other endemic or war up to that time, vastly impacting the Church, the people, and the economyRead MoreThe Death Of The Black Death1380 Words   |  6 PagesThe Black Death was a very important time in history and, while devastating, it led to many advances in medicine due to the mass spread of a new deadly disease. The 14th Century encompassed the time period of January 1, 1301 to December 31, 1400. When this disease struc k, Ole J. Benedictow calculates that it killed about 50 million people in Europe alone, which was about 60% of Europe’s population at the time. That being said, the Black Death, often referred to as the Bubonic Plague, clocked inRead MoreThe Death Of The Black Death2017 Words   |  9 PagesThe Black Death The pandemic known to history as the Black Death was one of the world’s worst natural disasters in history. It was a critical time for many as the plague hit Europe and â€Å"devastated the Western world from 1347 to 1351, killing 25%-50% of Europe’s population and causing or accelerating marked political, economic, social, and cultural changes.† The plague made an unforgettable impact on the history of the West. It is believed to have originated somewhere in the steppes of central AsiaRead MoreThe Black Death1386 Words   |  6 Pagesatrocious and it made the perfect place for Yersinia Pestis to thrive. Yersinia Pestis is the virus responsible for the Black Death, a deadly disease that rapidly powered through Europe, killing nearly all of the people in its way. The Black Death had a lot of gruesome and terrifying symptoms that made bystanders sick just watching. Certain people were more likely to acquire the Black Death than others. Since peasants had worse l iving conditions than the nobility, they were far more likely to catch theRead MoreThe Black Death1386 Words   |  6 Pagesatrocious and it made the perfect place for Yersinia Pestis to thrive. Yersinia Pestis is the virus responsible for the Black Death, a deadly disease that rapidly powered through Europe, killing nearly all of the people in its way. The Black Death had a lot of gruesome and terrifying symptoms that made bystanders sick just watching. Certain people were more likely to acquire the Black Death than others. Since peasants had worse living conditions than the nobility, they were far more likely to catch theRead MoreThe Black Death1349 Words   |  6 Pagesatrocious and it made the perfect place for Yersinia Pestis to thrive. Yersinia Pestis is the virus responsible for the Black Death, a deadly disease that rapidly powered through Europe, killing nearly all of the people in its way. The Black Death had a lot of gruesome and scary symptoms that made bystanders sick just watching. Certain people were more likely to acquire the Black Death than others. Since peasants had worse living conditions than the nobility, they were far more likely to catch the PlagueRead MoreThe Black Death831 Words   |  4 PagesTHE BLACK DEATH! What Is The Black Death? The Black Death is a disease that went on for over 5 years. It also spread around a wide range of places! It killled and harmed thousands upon thousands of people and had no mercy. If you were to sadly catch the Black Death, you would DEFINITELY die and there was many cures and causes however none of the causes actually worked also all of causes were thought to be a punishment from God. Once you knew you had the Black DeathRead MoreThe Black Death1203 Words   |  5 PagesWhat were the short term and long term impacts of the Black Death on Medieval society? The Black Death is one of the most fatal diseases in human history and took its peak in Europe from 1348 to 1350. Half of Europe’s population was wiped out due to this disease and the short and long term impacts greatly affected the structure of Medieval Society. The Black Death or otherwise known as the plague was thought to have begun in Central Asia, which spread down the Silk Road and eventually to Europe

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Implications of the Internet †moral, social and commercial disadvantages of the Internet Free Essays

string(218) " native speakers of Chinese, Spanish or Hindi, it is English that they use to communicate across cultures, and it is English they teach their children to help them become citizens of an increasingly intertwined world\." Pornography – although pornography itself dates back hundreds of decades, the mass media availability of pornography is rather modern; however, Internet pornography evokes various problems. Online pornography is so popular partly due to the level of anonymity it offers as certain individuals can use this privacy to hide their dubious activities. For example: * A married man could be unsatisfied with his sex life, however rather than tell his wife, he can anonymously achieve sexual gratification without his wife discovering his dissatisfaction through pornography via the Internet. We will write a custom essay sample on Implications of the Internet – moral, social and commercial disadvantages of the Internet or any similar topic only for you Order Now * Alternatively, online pornography can be a teaching tool to the likes of teenagers who do not have the confidence to ask others about sex – nonetheless as the vast majority of pornography is edited in ridiculous ways, e.g. making certain assets bigger, this can be more hindering than helpful * However, the biggest problem with anonymity is PAEDOPHILES! Disgusting individuals can use technology and the Internet to conceal their illegal activities and therefore massive child pornography rings exist – nevertheless it is incredibly hard to prevent such actions as no one really owns the Internet, as it is an international free network, so centralised control cannot be implemented to censor such filth The Internet also offers an astonishing amount of various explicit materials for very cheap costs and psychologists believe that the concept of ‘too much of a good thing’ leads to a serious addiction to online pornography. Potentially, this addiction can cause problems in other aspects of life e.g. careers, family relations, friendships and issues with ones self-esteem. Read also Twitter Case Study Of course, when morally speaking there are the typical issues concerning pornography that it is exploitative in nature. Many argue that pornography teaches people to view others as objects of lust rather than someone with feelings and unique personality traits. Consequently the threat of harming the way in which we view others increases as the Internet has made pornography much easier to consume in large quantities. Alternatively, many view the claim that pornography makes people view others as ‘sex objects’ slander, saying that very few are actually affected in this way and in fact most consumers are well-adjusted individuals. For example, they assert that an increase in high levels of online pornography has not increased any country’s rape or domestic violence levels. Another issue to discuss is that thousands of people below the legal age are able to access pornography on the Internet. Contrast to stores where you can prove your age, online you simple ‘agree’ you are above the legal (18 in most countries) and so many youngsters are viewing explicit material illegally, which in some ways, if rather graphic and serious alter ones outlook. [1] Chat rooms – it is indisputable that chat rooms have revolutionized social communication way before social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. People across the globe can escape the burdening aspects of life’s reality to hang out online typing away to online friends, participating in random theme-based discussions. However, the widespread use of the chat rooms has brought a certain level of threats and dangers to users. Read also Recording General Fund Operating Budget and Operating Transactions * Online Threats / Illegal Activities – Cyber criminals, drug dealers and other unsocial individuals lurk in chat rooms to lure in unsuspecting victims, as well as the willing, to participate in various illegal activities. Once done so, participants are left vulnerable to police enquires and could even be arrested for their crimes. * Example: An advance-fee fraud such as the Nigerian Letter, also known as 419 fraud, is a type of scam where victims are convinced that someone is stranded in a country – Nigeria – and that they cannot get their passport back until certain bills are paid. Therefore, vulnerable people are targeted, in some cases through chat rooms, and are then contacted via email to ask for help. A 2006 BBC article stated that at the time this â€Å"style of incidents alone cost the UK economy à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½150m a year – with the average victim losing à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½31,000†. * Paedophile Predators – The greatest threat of chat rooms in my opinion is the presence of paedophiles, online stalkers and other repulsive predators constantly looking for ways to exploit the vulnerabilities of pre-teens and young teens. * Example: Recently in Australia, (June 2011) an alleged US predator Stephen Vosilla was arrested for â€Å"going into video chat rooms and talking to minors and convincing them to take their clothes off or do sexual acts and he was recording and taking screen captures of what they were doing.† (As said by Morristown Detective Michael O’Keefe) * Harmful Addiction – Addiction to chat rooms can cause users to spend hours on different forum at the cost of other life activities. Human behavioural scientists and clinical psychologists have even considered chat room addiction to be almost as damaging as alcohol or drug addiction on the human psyche and health. * Hacking Threats – Too much time spent on chat rooms can also lead to the possibility of your computer being hacked by the universal threats of semi-automatic spyware, adware and various human-related viruses, or even receiving spam emails via your chat room accounts * Social Disengagement – Spending hours online in chat rooms can ruin your interaction with people in the real world. Becoming too familiar with online-only friends can leave you detached from outside relationships and make you incredibly social awkward. Therefore, not only personal hindering your life, but this can make getting and holding down a job very difficult. Social Dominance of the English Language Some argue that the exponential growth of the Internet has caused considerable damage to language: * Firstly, language usage and written proficiency is gradually deteriorating with online ‘slang’ ruining the need for correct spelling and good grammar. * Secondly, the Internet threatens national borders through the apparent foreign influence and hegemony. * Thirdly, the Internet threatens to oppress the language of linguistic minorities and the linguistic identity of minor communities and nations. Although across the globe there are more native speakers of Chinese, Spanish or Hindi, it is English that they use to communicate across cultures, and it is English they teach their children to help them become citizens of an increasingly intertwined world. You read "Implications of the Internet – moral, social and commercial disadvantages of the Internet" in category "Papers" Ultimately, it could be argued that English is the ‘lingua franca’ on the Internet (and in the world). Although one widely quoted figure stated that 80% of online content is in English, other sources argue showing figures 5 to 15% lower. However, it is evident that well over 50% of the Internet’s information is in the English Language; hence overall English does dominate the Internets data. Historically the English dominance on the Internet is understandable as the Internet was basically developed in America, therefore naturally the Internet predominantly spread in the other English-speaking countries of the world. Nevertheless, many have bitter views of the Internet due to the English language: * The director of a Russia Internet service provider has at one point referred to the Internet as â€Å"the ultimate act of intellectual colonialism.† * Former French President Jacques Chirac was far more apocalyptic stating that the prevalence of English on the Internet is a â€Å"major risk for humanity,† which threatens to impose linguistic and cultural uniformity on the world – and as a result the French government inflicted a mandate that all Web sites in France must provide their content in French. Alternatively, there are some positive aspects of the Internet when concerning language. People in foreign countries can now access online versions of nearly any resource, so if French speakers in non-Francophone regions wish to read the French newspaper they can do so thanks to the Internet. People unable to speak English are provided with search engines in their own language, in 2008 Google owned around 800 domains, here’s just a few: * www.google.com (USA) * www.google.co.uk (UK) * www.google.com.af/ (Afghanistan) * www.google.cn/ (China) * http://www.google.com.ng/ (Nigeria) Whatever country you are in Google will provide the best results in your spoken language; therefore even if you cannot speak English, you can still search the Internet. More importantly, online users can now get remote access to government information, educational materials, scientific journals, and, ultimately, the digitized collections of the major national libraries in an array of languages, enhancing learning capabilities. Of course the Internet cannot prevent the global dominance of the English language but it does provide the opportunities to communicate with other members of geographically dispersed communities. Today more than 100 different languages are used in discussion groups, including not just the major national languages but Catalan, Gaelic, Navaho and Welsh, among so many others. People now have the opportunity to speak in their native tongue with others all other the world who before could only talk in Welsh or Yiddish with older relatives. Therefore, despite the indisputable dominance of the English language the Internet provides so many opportunities for other language speakers. Web Addiction Due to the constant use of the Internet in today’s society, such as using emails relentless at work or video conferencing with business partners or teenagers spending ridiculous amounts of time online for social networking, the possibility of becoming an addict is highly likely. There have been several cases of people being addicted to the Internet features such as chat rooms, or to certain websites, such as eBay. Like any addiction, Internet addiction must be taken very seriously as resulting financial and social problems can sincerely destroy people. Case Study: China In China Internet addiction is treated as a mental illness and sufferers are sent to military-style training camps where severe discipline ensues in order to rehabilitate. It was been estimated that up to 10% of China’s millions of web users could actually be addicts and as a result the Chinese government shut down almost 2,000 Internet cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s in 2001 because of the concerns over the influence of the countries teenagers. As of yet there is no proven way to treat the addiction, however in July 2009 China’s Ministry of Health formally banned the use of electroshock therapy. An incident concerning one of the Internet addiction training camps happened in august 2009 at Qihang Salvation in China. A 15-year-old boy called Deng Senshan was sent by his father to receive ‘treatment’, nonetheless, within less than 24 hours of being their Deng was out in solitary confinement and horrendously beaten. Deng was later found vomiting and was then taken to a clinic however, having received such brutal injuries (marks were found on his body), Deng unfortunately died. Of course this is an extreme case, but the fact that China has taken such extreme measures emphasises how serious the increase of Internet addiction is becoming. Society will not be able to function properly if our people are addicted to the web and therefore, this serious problem of a need to be online must be stopped before other countries start following China’s inhumane methods. Commercial – The concerns with e-Commerce The past decade has shown a revolutionary increase in business transactions online, however despite e-commerce modernizing the world of business, the developments have also brought along an array of problems. * Privacy and Security issues: Privacy of personal information is a highly significant issue for consumers. Each legal jurisdiction has varying laws when concerning consumer privacy, and as a result there are different levels of enforcement. The vast majority of consumers wish to avoid spam and telemarketing that comes with supplying contact information to an online merchant and therefore many merchants promise to not share consumer details for these purposes, or they provide options to ‘pot-out’ of such contacts. Many websites, like Amazon.com, track consumer purchases in order to suggest other items or websites for the customers to view. Although this can be a useful service, however, if this was done across companies this could be viewed as an infringement of privacy. The biggest security risk with shopping online is someone obtaining your credit / debit card details and then running up huge bills, spending your money. Although today secure payment methods are many and varied, there are still risks of hackers and malicious software’s obtaining such information. Online merchants need to have high security as hackers many try to illegal breach the software to obtain all the personal details of consumers to not only use their credit cards but also open up new accounts in their names. The old clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½: ‘If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is’ becomes highly relevant with credit card fraud. Ridiculous bargains and suspicious looking sites should be treated with vast caution, as these could be a front for stealing credit card details. * Products: Misinterpretation and misunderstanding of items bought online is a common problem nowadays, hence a problem with online shopping is that you are unable to physically see and touch the item before purchase: for instance, Items can be of poor quality or items may differ significantly from the description given or clothes cannot be tried on or tested. * Delivery and Returns: Waiting for you items to arrive can be in some cases frustrating. Once your order has been placed, you have to wait for ‘processing’ and finally when it is ‘dispatched’ you have to wait for the courier or postman to delivery it. By the time you actually received your item the ‘thrill’ of shopping is practically gone. Furthermore, there are risks of the item never arriving as it can get lost or stolen, or the couriers could damage your package. Both resulting in a series of extensive phone calls to resolve the problems. Moreover, although some sites may offer free shipping, many only offer free delivery if your spent over a certain amount, meaning buying ‘cheap’ items is pointless as you end up paying more. Buying items that you need immediately is a problem, unless you pay extra costs for ‘next day delivery’, which can be substantially high. Additionally, if you decide to return your item, this requires even more phone calls or emailing and you could also be charged for the shipping back costs. Diminishing physical stores – better deals online Another significant problem when concerning commerce is the Internet has diminished the value of certain ‘brick and mortar’ stores, and combined with the current economic climate, has resulted in numerous chain stores having to shut down, such as Woolworths, Jane Norman and TJ Hughes. In October 2010, over 89% of people had reported that they shopped online and Verdict Research experts estimate that by 2014 online shopping spending will grow by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14 billion (61%) – in 2008 people already spent à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.7bn online. [18] The increase use of online stores like Amazon, which allows individuals to find goods at the lowest price, means people are benefiting from the so-called â€Å"flight to value†. In todays economic climate average people can no longer afford to go out on a massive shopping spree and instead stay at home surfing online for a bargain. However, another factor of the Internet that diminished the value of stores like HMV is the ability to illegal download music, movies and TV shows. People can no longer afford to buy their favourite songs or films and therefore resort to illegal download them from various websites via the likes of torrents. Hence, HMV is now going through tough times, being very close to closure, if it weren’t for a Russian investor. How to cite Implications of the Internet – moral, social and commercial disadvantages of the Internet, Papers

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The Growth of Daoism in During Late Qing Dynasty

A number of factors are attributed to the growth of Daoism in during late Qing dynasty to the early republican era. One of the factors that contributed to the growth of Daoism was institutional renewal, the emergence of writings, and the spread of Chinese culture across the region. As the Chinese culture spread to other parts of the world, Daoist ideas, skills, and influences were spread through books and scriptures.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Growth of Daoism in During Late Qing Dynasty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other people noticed that Daoism was a productive religion that contained valuable teachings to the youth and the family1. A number of cultures developed interest in Daoism. Through the leadership of charismatic leaders, such as Wang Changzhue, Daoism gained a wide acceptance among the locals even beyond China. The religion was adopted by the Qing dynasty as an official state religi on2. In some provinces, such as Gansu and Yunnan under Ming, Daoism controlled political, artistic and spiritual aspects of society. The advocates of Daoism worked closely with local communities to expand its influence. Scholars subscribing to the cultural beliefs of Daoism produced various pieces of writings, which were very influential to the lives of the majority in society. Daoism became popular to an extent that people internalized its teachings and became part of their cultural beliefs. Local scholars could easily express their ideas regarding Daoism in their literal woks, plays, and games3. It is therefore concluded that Daoism was able to develop during the late Qing dynasty to the early republican era through the works of art and writings of various scholars. Local leadership was in support of the religion hence it could not fade out easily. In other parts of the country, it was made a state religion meaning that everybody was supposed to be a member4. Some famous reformers such as Zheng supported Daoism because they questioned the credibility of scientific knowledge, as suggested by the western powers. Modern scientists were simply concerned with mechanical determinism whereby cultural beliefs were not considered. Scientific research results to modernity meaning that life is determine by the mode of production. This alienates the human soul and spirit. Machines and technologies are even valued more than the human soul since they are able to produce wealth. To such reformers, the human soul is the most important because it cannot be accessed scientifically. In this regard, these reformers suggested that scientific knowledge have some limits5.Advertising Looking for book review on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ethical, spiritual insight, astuteness and other forms of what the reformers referred to as metaphysics or life stance are exclusively independent system of knowledge, which is sel f-sufficient. This form of familiarity is pure because it was acquired through instinct and other non-scientific means6. The tragic events of the Great War confirmed that western discoveries are very dangerous. Many people resorted to traditional discoveries that were mostly based on Daoism because they were safe. The emergence of capitalism was attributed to scientific discoveries whereby people engaged in production of goods and services without caring about the welfare of the poor in society. Many people confirmed that science was simply concerned with material accumulation, but not promoting the welfare of the majority on society. Science was highly disputed since it could not serve as the basis for ethical or religious knowledge. The Chinese could not rely on the western culture for civilization since it was inconsistent with the local beliefs. Bibliography Liu, Xun. Daoist Modern: Innovation, Lay Practice, and the Community of Inner Alchemy in Republican Shanghai. Cambridge: H arvard University Asia Centre, 2009. Footnotes 1 Xun Liu, Daoist Modern: Innovation, Lay Practice, and the Community of Inner Alchemy in Republican Shanghai (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Centre, 2009), 35. 2Xun Liu, Daoist Modern: Innovation, Lay Practice, and the Community of Inner Alchemy in Republican Shanghai (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Centre, 2009), 35. 3 Xun Liu, Daoist Modern: Innovation, Lay Practice, and the Community of Inner Alchemy in Republican Shanghai (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Centre, 2009), 35.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Growth of Daoism in During Late Qing Dynasty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More 4Xun Liu, Daoist Modern: Innovation, Lay Practice, and the Community of Inner Alchemy in Republican Shanghai (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Centre, 2009), 35. 5 Xun Liu, Daoist Modern: Innovation, Lay Practice, and the Community of Inner Alchemy in Republican Shanghai (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Centre, 2009), 34. 6Xun Liu, Daoist Modern: Innovation, Lay Practice, and the Community of Inner Alchemy in Republican Shanghai (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Centre, 2009), 34. This book review on The Growth of Daoism in During Late Qing Dynasty was written and submitted by user Cristopher C. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Famous First Lines of Novels

Famous First Lines of Novels The first lines of novels set the tone for the story to come. And when the story becomes a classic, the first line can sometimes become as famous as the novel itself, as the quotes below demonstrate. First-Person Introductions Some of the greatest novelists set the stage by having their protagonists describe themselves in pithy but powerful sentences. Call me Ishmael. - Herman Melville, Moby Dick (1851) I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted  Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. - Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man  (1952) You dont know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of  Tom  Sawyer; but  that aint no matter. -  Mark Twain,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn   (1885) Third-Person Descriptions Some novelists start by describing their protagonists in the third person, but they do it in such a telling way, that the story grips you and makes you want to read further to see what happens to the hero. He was an  old man  who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. -  Ernest Hemingway,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹The Old Man and the Sea  (1952) Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. -  Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude​ Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long ago, one of those who has a lance and ancient shield on a shelf and keeps a skinny nag and a greyhound for racing. -  Miguel de Cervantes,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Don Quixote When  Mr.  Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton. - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955) Starting With It Some novels start out with such original wording, that you feel compelled to read on, though you remember that first line until you finish the book and long thereafter. It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. - George Orwell, ​1984 (1949) It was a dark and stormy night ... . - Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830) It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. - Charles Dickens, ​A Tale of Two Cities (1859) Unusual Settings And, some novelists open their works with brief, but memorable, descriptions of the setting for their stories. The sun shone, having no alternative. -  Samuel Beckett, Murphy (1938), There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. - Alan Paton, ​Cry, the Beloved Country (1948) The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel. - ​William Gibson, Neuromancer (1984)

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Humbug Definition

Humbug Definition Humbug was a word used the 19th century to mean a trick played upon unsuspecting people. The word lives on in the English language today thanks largely to two notable figures, Charles Dickens and Phineas T. Barnum. Dickens famously made â€Å"Bah, humbug!† the trademark phrase of an unforgettable character, Ebenezer Scrooge. And the great showman Barnum took delight in being known as the â€Å"Prince of Humbugs.† Barnum’s fondness for the word indicates an important characteristic of humbug. It isn’t just that a humbug is something false or deceptive, it is also, in its purest form, highly entertaining. The numerous hoaxes and exaggerations which Barnum exhibited during his long career were termed humbugs but calling them that indicated a sense of playfulness. Origin of Humbug as a Word The word humbug seems to have been coined sometime in the 1700s. Its roots are obscure, but it caught on as slang among students. The word began appearing in dictionaries, such as in the 1798 edition of A Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue edited by Francis Grose: To Hum, or Humbug. To deceive, to impose on one by some story or device. A humbug; a jocular imposition, or deception. When Noah Webster published his landmark dictionary in 1828, humbug was again defined as an imposition. Humbug as Used by Barnum The popular use of the word in America was largely due to Phineas T. Barnum. Early in his career, when he exhibited obvious frauds such as Joice Heth, a woman said to be 161 years old, he was denounced for perpetrating humbugs. Barnum essentially adopted the term and defiantly chose to consider it a term of affection. He began to call some of his own attractions humbugs, and the public took it as good-natured kidding. It should be noted that Barnum despised people like con men or snake oil salesmen who actively cheated the public. He eventually wrote a book titled The Humbugs of the World which criticized them. But in his own usage of the term, a humbug was a playful hoax that was highly entertaining. And the public seemed to agree, returning time and again to view whatever humbug Barnum might be exhibiting. Humbug as Used by Dickens In the classic novella, ​A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, the miserly character Ebenezer Scrooge uttered â€Å"Bah, humbug!† when reminded of Christmas. To Scrooge, the word meant a folly, something too silly for him to spend time on. In the course of the story, however, Scrooge receives visits from the ghosts of Christmas, learns the true meaning of the holiday, and ceases to regard celebrations of Christmas as humbug.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Tanglewood Stores case study Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tanglewood Stores case study - Term Paper Example the representation of women and minorities in various job categories of the company in view of the affirmative action plan that the company has undertaken. Staffing in the organisation takes into account both the number and quality of people who are recruited, moved within the firm and finally retained in the firm that are moving in and out (Mc Grow Hill Higher Education, â€Å"Staffing Organisations†). Historical data as presented in the transition probability matrix throws light on the forecast of HR availabilities. It has been found that the immediate labour supply for the company is the labour working within the organisation. It can be achieved with the help of internal labour market. According to the Markov analysis, it is seen that the company has used the method of internal promotions in order to fill up certain posts. Such phenomena are more common in positions like department manager, assistant store managers and also store managers. According to estimates, 16% of the shift leaders in the organisation would be promoted to the post of department manager. 6% of the department managers are expected to be promoted to the po sition of assistant store managers. 8% of the store managers are expected to be promoted to the position of store managers. However, estimates also predict that apart from these, there will be extensive requirement for workforce which can only be supplemented by labours from outside the organisation. Hence, there is plenty of scope for external recruitment and hiring. This is mainly because of the fact that only 52 to 66 percent of the employees remain in the same position for a single year. However, the company is expected to recruit new employees because tremendous unemployment prevails in the labour market, despite the fact that increase in the number of managerial and professional jobs will somewhat reduce the number of jobseekers for managerial position in the company. The work strategies in the organisation are extremely streamlined

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 52

Journal - Essay Example We made rounds, collect data and encouraged non-compliant staff to follow hand hygiene protocols. Met with my infection control personnel. Task-made rounds with engineering staff to install hand sanitizers and hand washing soap dispensers in identified strategic areas. Also made rounds on all inpatient units to collect raw data on staff hand hygiene compliance Attended infection control departmental meeting. Main topic was the upcoming hand hygiene initiative. The manager stated that it will be an organizational wide challenge to raise awareness and hopefully improve and meet the target goal on hand hygiene. Continued to raise awareness and encourage health care providers through consistent patrol to the inpatient units. It is refreshing to know that employee compliance is on the rise due to proper education, accessible soap, water or hand sanitizer, and reinforced messages among staff members, patients and their families. Weeks 4 through week 7 have been very busy at my clinical site. For a start, I attended a mandatory leadership meeting held by the new Assistant Vise-President (AVP) for Patient Care Services. The take home from this meeting was for all leaders to collaborate effectively in building a strong foundation for the organization. In effect, it would encourage the need to improve our patient satisfaction by employing basic nursing care at the bedside. Later that afternoon, the infection Control manager assigned me to work with one of his staff members. Our job was to go to all inpatient units and take data regarding hand hygiene compliance. He informed me on an upcoming initiative to create/raise an organizational wide awareness to improve to improve hand hygiene. Among the tasks, we were to carry out included making rounds, collecting data and encouraging non-compliant staff to follow hand hygiene protocols. Through the last three weeks, this has been the focus

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Iberian Landscape In Jamon Jamon Film Studies Essay

Iberian Landscape In Jamon Jamon Film Studies Essay Explain how Bigas Lunas use of the Iberian landscape in Jamà ³n, jamà ³n contributes to our perception of the films themes. Arguably one of the main concerns of the early 1990s cinematic work of Spanish-Catalan director Bigas Luna is that of place or space (Smith, 2000, 89), and it is within this context that the following discussion of Jamà ³n, jamà ³n (1992), the first film belonging to his Iberian Trilogy, will be placed. If location is key in setting up expectation with regard to theme in Spanish cinema (Jordan Allinson, 2005, 36), the way in which Bigas Luna utilizes the rural locale of Los Monegros is therefore central to the audiences ability to engage with the thematic discourse. In relation to Jamà ³n, jamà ³n, Deleyto (1999, 270) emphasizes the complex use of filmic and real space as the main device with which the principal themes of gender roles and national identity are communicated, themes which form part of what Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez (2005, 189) argues is an overall strategy to scrutinize Spanish stereotypes, or Spanishness (ibid., 189), from the viewpoint of both an outsider and insider. Consequently, by focusing specifically on the two aforementioned themes, the analysis in-hand will examine the Iberian landscape in terms of its allegorical function, whereby it continually negotiates the binary oppositions of femininity and masculinity, nature and manufacture, as well as geography and culture. Ultimately, as the concept of theme corresponds to the focus which unifies the central concerns of a film (Boggs, 1996, 10), I aim to show that it is this dynamic and ubiquitous integration of setting which, by aiding audience perception of the themes of gender and national identity, facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of the filmic work as a whole. Hochbergs (2007, 57) analysis of perception indicates that as film constitutes a communicative process, initiating an early connection with the audience is key to cinematic understanding; a type of engagement which is immediately evident in Jamà ³n, jamà ³n. In the opening sequence, the camera pans down from behind the silhouette of a bull hoarding to reveal a sparse panorama of Los Monegros, however as its bareness gives limited indication as to the location other than that of rural Spain, the setting is instantly set up as a symbolic mar de tierra, donde la aridez hace que todos los elementos destaquen (Alegre, 1991, 10. Consequently, the geographical landscape functions as an allegorical space against which stereotypes can be constructed, in turn alluding to the thematic treatment of characters, rather than as individuals, as symbols of certain kinds of Spanishness (Deleyto, 1999, 270). In highlighting its starkness as the means by which the audience is steered towards acknowledging the representative function of the characters, the geographical setting is performing an active role in the thematic narrative and can be viewed as a protagonist itself. A traditional reading of the earth as a signifier of fertility and motherhood, whilst rendering this seventh character inherently feminine (Deleyto, 1999, 273), is juxtaposed with the historical as well as visually apparent reality of Los Monegros as a terreno [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] de secano (Madoz, 1850, 193). As a result, the landscape evokes an opposition between nurture and destruction which is subsequently mirrored in Carmen and Conchita; the former, an embodiment of mother-earth who uses her sexuality to provide for her daughters whilst the latter is a signifier of the arid land, given her excessive displays of voracious motherhood (Deleyto, 1999, 285). As Hochberg (2007, 26) states that symbolisation makes possible pe rception at a distance, the allegorical use of the natural surroundings can be understood as a way of drawing audience attention to the problematic representations of motherhood and femininity that thread throughout the film. The imagery connected with Silvia further demonstrates how the landscape is used to communicate a thematic narrative on gender roles. In her first joint appearance with Josà © Luis, the visual association between the hills and Silvias curvaceous breasts (Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez, 2005, 193) reinforces the link between the land and femininity, with the backdrop of the naked feminine surroundings figuratively mirroring Silvias nude upper body and thus affirming female spatial dominance in the scene. Equally, Silvia occupies a more central and superior physical position in the frame, as Josà © Luis is seen crouching down in order to taste her breasts. As Monaco (2009, 160) argues that the power of film lies in its capacity to state rather than suggest, the use of the Iberian locale to emphasise femininity can be understood as a direct attempt by Bigas Luna to thematically undermine dominant machismo in Spain, and in doing so is calling for the audience to rethink the overall relevance of Spa nish stereotypes. By describing his Iberia as a space in which [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] locality is lived with uniquely sensual vividness (Smith, 2000, 107), Bigas Luna acknowledges a sexualised interpretation of the filmic setting. Hence, with sex central to the macho ibà ©rico stereotype (Holder, 1998, 35), the landscapes relation to male virility must be examined, specifically the films thematic portrayal of a stereotypical, almost grotesque version of Spanish masculinity (Jordan Allinson, 2005, 168). Given that our analysis considers the question of spectator perception, it can be proposed that it is precisely by Bigas Luna using the landscape to play with audience expectation that our focus is drawn to the thematic relevance of exaggerated displays of male sexuality. The shots of the Osborne bull hoarding, in both the opening sequence and the scene where Josà © Luis forces himself on Silvia, present a unique perspective from which to view Aragons paisaje desolado (Santabria, 2007, 16); expressly, via the rear outline of the bulls genitals. Whereas from the roadside the observer could straightforwardly identify the image and, in the case of a Spanish audience, its meaning as a famous brandy advert (Vilarà ³s, 1998, 235), viewing the bull hoarding from behind renders its significance difficult to decipher. Furthermore, the cameras focus on the bulls paquete, whilst rendering the perspective oversexed, also shows it to be fractured and so, as it sways unsteadily before the inherently feminine landscape, the shot captures a symbolic destabilization of stereotypical Spanish machismo. Consequently the manipulation of point of view in relation to the landscape (Deleyto, 1999, 273) is a way of asking the audience to take similarly critical view of Jamà ³n, jamà ³ns representation of excessive masculinity. Paradoxically, the relationship between men and the rural landscape contributes to the thematic commentary on gender roles and stereotypes, in turn highlighting the binary complexities associated with Bigas Lunas use of setting. In Raà ºls opening sequence, the use of a travelling shot across the dry land followed by an extreme long shot stresses the framing of him in these arid surroundings, with the distance blurring the boundaries between land and men (Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez Martà ­nez-Expà ³sito, 2007, 21). Given that Monacos (2009, 197) treatment of the diachronic shot indicates that unlike close-ups which deprive us of setting, long shots serve to emphasise context over drama and dialectic over personality, Jamà ³n, jamà ³ns thematic concern for stereotypes over individuals is thus resonated in Bigas Lunas negotiation of the geographic space. Furthermore, as the role of cinematography, and in particular camera movement, is key to how we perceive film by revealing the ideas and images that characters represent (Jordan Allinson, 2005, 46), Raà ºls engagement in a mock bullfight, a stereotypically Spanish and male activity (Jordan Morgan, 1994, 59), illustrates how the use of cinematographic conventions that incorporate the dynamics of setting serve, in effect, to define Raà ºl as the quintessential macho incarnate. Nevertheless, it can be argued that any masculine association of the landscape is merely established in order for it to be interrupted by femininity, as the opening sequence then cuts to Conchitas underwear factory where a female employee, Silvia, runs a sewing machine across a pair of mens briefs, then to another eating a ham sandwich. Given that psychologically the cut is the truer approximation of our natural perception (Monaco, 2009, 172), Bigas Lunas use of it here thus encourages the audience to make an instinctive association between both the preceding and subsequent image; the dramatic interruption by these feminine images figuratively implying male castration and the undermining of the machismo image which precedes it and thus reverting back to a reading of the landscape as inextricably feminine. The encounter in the cinematic space of femininity and masculinity reveals a further allegorical use of the rural landscape as a vehicle for thematic communication. The way in which both the huge bull hoardings and the Sansà ³n advertisement image of Raà ºls crotch penetrate the feminine soil as well as Raà ºls use of this poster to demonstrate his worthiness to Silvia, suggest a bold masculine invasion of the feminine panoramic. Yet, no matter how imposing these symbols of masculinity initially seem against the female landscape, they will never match the vast physical scale of Los Monegros given the immenses à ©tendues de terrain quon y trouve (Berthier, 2001, 30). Subsequently, the central position which appears to be given to the male is shown to be no more than an illusion (DLugo, 1995, 71), as it can be suggested that it is the female terrain which in fact enables these emblems of masculinity to be erect in the first place and therefore holds the power to castrate. Rob Stone (2002, 195) proposes that by flailing so dramatically at machismo Jamà ³n, jamà ³n destroys audience identification with the characters, nevertheless it is this exaggeration, maintained via Bigas Lunas allegorical use of the landscape, which contributes to the films thematic treatment of national identity. In the night-time bullfighting scene Rauls genitals are obscured by the darkness of the physical environment, with the sole light emanating from the moonlight of Mother Nature. Yet, instead of her glow framing the naked male body it delicately highlights the bulls horns and so this gentle treatment of the bull, a phallic emblem and symbolic representation of masculinity in Spain (Jordan Morgan, 1994, 59), combined with a refusal to reveal Raà ºls paquete, weakens the Spanish stereotype of potent machismo. Given the existence of a stereotypical notion of national identity in which male virility in particular is central (Morgan-Tamosunas Jordan, 1994, 60), the landscap es role here in challenging the validity of masculine phallic dominance can be understood as a way of highlighting the issue of problematic national identity in post-transition Spain. The juxtaposition of the rural landscape with the manufactured setting, a space of non-Spanish, globalizing [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] capitalism (Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez Martà ­nez-Expà ³sito, 2007, 21), further evokes the ambivalence of national identity; an opposition which is reflected in the male protagonists association with setting. Whilst Raà ºls establishing shot sustains his visual association with the natural surroundings, Josà © Luis is situated within the artificial setting of his family home, a space highly reliant on external symbols of purchasing power (Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez, 2005, 192). Consequently, the initial relationship the males hold with their environment renders them personifications of the tensions between the old (Raul) and the new (Josà © Luis) in postmodern Spain (Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez Martà ­nez-Expà ³sito, 2007, 20). Subsequently, the clash between the manufactured and natural setting in the filmic space reinforces the discord of national identity, including frequent shots of lorries as symbols of consumerism crossing Aragà ³ns barren terrain and the underwear factory drawing Raà ºl away from his traditional ham warehouse, a space which is a showcase of hyper-Spanish and hyper-masculine associations (Jordan Allinson, 2005, 167). In addition, the use of Raà ºl body as a vehicle for commercial consumption via the underwear advertisements which litter the rural panoramic, helps undercut his strength as the physical embodiment of the prototypical macho ibà ©rico (Morgan-Tamosunas Jordan, 1998, 78) and therefore the waning relevance of this image in 1992 Spain. The binary opposition between manufacture and nature can be interpreted as a way of highlighting the national [Spanish] struggle between traditional and contemporary definitions of economic culture and identity (DLugo, 1995, 69). The infiltration of modernity is not simply presented as oppressive, as both Raà ºl and Silvia actively want to occupy the commercial space, with Raà ºl aspiring to own a Mercedes and Silvia desiring a shoe cupboard, both in parallel with Conchita as a representation of consumerism. As such, rural Aragon as an allegory of traditional Spain, is shown to be a place where the only possible escape is via materialistic transactions, reflecting late twentieth century capitalism (Holder, 1998, 33). The characters participation in both the manufactured and natural space thus alludes to a definition of national identity which is no longer based on static traditions, but one that is changing through globalisation, as the postmodernist deconstruction of identity [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] means recognition of the fact that Spanishness is a shifting concept, encompassing plurality and contradiction (Labanyi, 1995, 397). The final perspective from which the Iberian landscape will be examined is revealed by Freixas (1992, 36) interpretation of its resonance not only in geographical but also cultural terms. Consequently, the barren space of Aragon can be seen as a canvas on which cultural references are painted in order to reinforce the themes of gender roles and national identity. The binary conflict of the physical landscape, as both manufactured and natural, nurturing yet destructive, is characteristic of Dalis painting Naturaleza Muerta, Viva. Likewise, the positioning of the factory, cars and coke can as symbolic dashes of globalisation against the natural space brings to mind the paintings primary interpretation of an erasure of boundaries (DLugo, 1995, 72), thus echoing the theme of problematic Spanish national identity in relation to globalised post-modern context. Bigas Lunas omnipresent allegorical use of the bull and the pig, two animals closely related to Spanish gastronomy and culture (Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez, 2005, 193), equally reinforces a cultural reading of the landscape. The Osborne bull itself, by historically transcending its original commercial connotations, became an integral part of Spains cultural landscape (Fouz-Hernà ¡ndez Martà ­nez-Expà ³sito, 2007, 22). Likewise, the geographical setting and the cultural significance of the pig are fused in the final sequence in a reworking of Goyas Duelo a garrotazos; la rà ©fà ©rence au peintre aragonais [Goya] dont le tournage sest prà ©cisà ©ment effectuà © dans la rà ©gion natale de ce dernier [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] signalant une filiation artistique (Berthier, 2001, 60). Consequently, Bigas Lunas parodic choice of a fight with hams instead of cudgels renders el famoso jamà ³n [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] a ser arma no del macho excelente y excesivo, sino de su opuesto (Vilarà ³s, 1998, 235). F urthermore, the aftermath of the duel sees the women return as a central focus to simultaneously bring together the thematic discourse in a parting pieta; the shot panning out to reveal the vastness of Los Monegros, its aridness evoking the power of mother earth which has drained the life from the men which stand before it and thus undercutting the myth of Spanish machismo in a culturally prestigious environment (Deleyto, 1999, 281). Monaco (2009, 172) affirms that we are seldom interested in the intervening filmic space, yet the cinematographic pan draws our attention to just that, therefore its use in the final sequence can be seen as a way of emphasising the resonance of both the geographic setting and its cultural implications. In conclusion, as film corresponds to a one-way system of communication which is composed with the intention of relaying a desired message (Monaco, 2009, 162), the discursive use of setting to reflect the dualities of gender and national identity constitutes a conscious attempt by Bigas Luna to thematically engage with the audience. By rendering femininity dominant and so subverting Spanish machismo, the Iberian landscape acts as the platform on which a critique of Spanish stereotypes is constructed. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of the natural versus the manufactured setting acts as a means of connecting with a Spanish audience through self-referential reflections on the process through which their identity has been reshaped by multinational capitalism (DLugo, 1995, 69). Hochberg (2007, 26) argues that our perception of a films themes comes not only from what we see but from what we do not see, therefore it is both the recurrent visual presence of the geographic landscape alongside its symbolic and cultural associations which renders it an effective device in aiding our understanding of the thematic discourse of a film which contempla irà ³nicamente los ritos de una cultura que [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] està ¡ intentando desojarse de lo negativo del pasado pero tratando de no sustituir lo bueno tradicional por lo malo moderno (Evans, 2004, 41).

Friday, January 17, 2020

Death Penalty in Philippines Essay

During Spanish colonial rule, the most common method of executions were shooting by the firing squad (especially for treason/military crimes, usually reserved for independence fighters) and garrotte (a notable case would be the Gomburza). A prominent example is the country’s national hero, Jose Rizal, who was executed by firing squad on the morning of December 30, 1896. In 1926, the electric chair was introduced, by the United States colonial government. This made the Philippines the only country besides the United States to employ this method. The last colonial-era execution took place under Governor-General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. in February 1932. There were no executions under Manuel L. Quezon, the Commonwealth’s first President.[2] 1946 to 1986 The capital crimes after regaining full independence were murder, rape and treason. Notable cases includes Julio Gullien, executed on for attempting to assassinate President Manuel Roxas, or Marcial â€Å"Baby† Ama, electrocuted at the age of 16 on October 4, 1961. â€Å"Baby† Ama became a subject of a famous 1976 film Bitayin Si baby Ama. Totally, 51 people were electrocuted until 1961. Another famous death penalty case was of former powerful Governor of Negros Occidental Rafael Lacson and 22 of his allies, condemded to die in August 1954 for murder of a political opponent.[6] Ultimately, Lacson was never executed. Executions number climbed under President Ferdinand Marcos. Ironically, Marcos himself was sentenced to death in 1939 for murder of his father’s political opponent, although he was accquited during appeal. A well-publicised triple execution took place in May 1972, when Jaime Josà ©, Basilio Pineda, and Edgardo Aquino were electrocuted for the 1967 ab duction and gang-rape of the young actress Maggie dela Riva. Under the Marcos regime, drug trafficking also became punishable with death by firing squad. A notable execution was that of drug trafficker Lim Seng, whose death in December 1972 was broadcast on national television. Future President and then Chief of the Philippine Constabulary, GeneralFidel V. Ramos, was present at the scene. The electric chair was used until 1976, when execution by firing squad eventually replaced it as the sole method of execution. During the Marcos regime, however, countless more people were summarily executed, tortured, or simply disappeared for opposition to his rule. neutrality is disputed After Marcos was deposed in 1986, the newly-drafted Constitution limited the application of the death penalty to a certain few crimes. This in effect meant that it was totally abolished, making the Philippines the first Asian country to do so. Reinstatement and moratorium President Fidel V. Ramos promised during his campaign that he would support the reintroduction of the death penalty in response to increasing crime rates. The new law, drafted by Ramos, restored capital punishment by defining â€Å"heinous crimes† as everything from murder to stealing a car. This law provided the use of the electric chair until the gas chamber (chosen by the government to replace electrocution) could be installed. The first execution by lethal injection took place under Ramos’ successor, Joseph Estrada, following on a personal appeal by his spiritual advisor, Bishop Teodoro Bacani. Estrada called a moratorium in 2000 to honour the bimillenial anniversary of Jesus’ birth. Executions were resumed a year later. Estrada’s own successor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was a vocal opponent and also approved a moratorium, but later permitted executions and denied pardons. Second abolition On 15 April 2006, the sentences of 1,230 death row inmates were commuted to life imprisonment, in what Amnesty International believes to be the â€Å"largest ever commutation of death sentences† Capital punishment was again abolished via Republic Act No. 9346, which was signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on 24 June 2006. The bill followed a vote held in Congress earlier that month which overwhelmingly supported the abolition of the practice . The penalties of life imprisonmentand reclusion perpetua (indeterminate sentence, 30-year minimum) replaced the death penalty. Critics of Arroyo’s initiative called it a political move meant to placate the Roman Catholic Church, some sectors of which were increasingly vocal in their opposition to her rule. Aftermath President Arroyo controversially pardoned many prisoners during her presidency, including a 2009 pardon for all remaining felons convicted for the 1983 assassination of former Senator and opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr. Methods The Philippines was the only country aside from the United States that used the electric chair. Until its first abolition in 1987, the country reverted to using death by firing squad. After re-introduction of the death penalty in 1993, the country switched to lethal injection as its sole method of execution.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Why Is Marriage Viewed More Negatively Today - 979 Words

After reading chapter five on the topic of Cohabitation, I was left with a variety of thoughts and questions on the topic and was mostly just trying to sift through my own personal beliefs, the information that we have been presented in this chapter, and the variety of different research studies that have been done on the topic. The question I decided to pursue for my thought paper was relatively broad, but yet something that I couldn’t seem to stop asking my self, which was: â€Å"Why is marriage viewed more negatively today?† and often as a second choice following cohabitation?† When thinking about this question many different answers came to mind. Automatically, I referred to the concept of divorce and how prevalent that has become since the creation and implementation of the Divorce Act. When there was a drastic increase in the amount of divorce, I believe people growing up and watching this unfold could have been hesitant that this would have happened to them if they were to proceed with marriage, therefore, decided to avoid the potential heart break, expense, and drama and look to different types of relationships. As we’ve learned, it is in fact true that marriage is on the decline and cohabitation is on the rise. I think that with the divorce rate being so high it makes people—regardless of their age—more hesitant and less secure when making the decision to commit to a relationship that they don’t expect to last forever. I think that it is also a possibility thatShow MoreRelatedThe Model Of The American Family1061 Words    |  5 Pagesfamilies of today have drastically changed, and are more complex in the family role. As time progresses, divorce rates are at an all time high, and single parent homes are even higher. 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In her tale, the story sees the main character change his view on his own marriage from a negative thing to something heRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1546 Words   |  7 PagesJuliet often come to mind. Romeo and Juliet’s marriage was not very much like others of the time period. Shakespeare wrote the play, Romeo and Juliet, based on his own views of marriage and love. Shakespeare’s experience with love and marriage, arranged marriages, the age of marriage and consent suggest Shakespeare’s views on marriage varied from his contemporaries’. Shakespeare’s experience with love and marriage had a vast impact on how he viewed marriage and the relationships in Romeo and JulietRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage Essay1536 Words   |  7 PagesPeople can define marriage in numerous ways. By definition, to marry means to join together. So, a marriage would constitute as a joining together of two individuals into a legal union, which means being joined as one. 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Moreover African cultures on food, clothing, music, language and so forth have negatively changed. Food Fast food or takeaways areRead MoreMarriage, Family, And Religion1687 Words   |  7 Pages Marriage, Family, and Religion Omar De La Garza Texas AM International University Abstract The institutions of marriage and family are fundamental concepts to the functioning of our present day society. In this paper, marriage and family and their changes over time will be discussed. Topics such as religion, which plays an important role is the development and changes of ideas regarding these two topics will be approached as well as the social changes due to tradition and theRead MoreThe Treaty Of Versailles Ended World War I1480 Words   |  6 Pagesdetestation for both the loss of war and the Treaty of Versailles are simply a few of the factors that enabled Adolf Hitler to rise to power. Hitler and the Nazi Party underwent many policies to construct his ideal Germany. This investigation will focus more directly on Hitler’s domestic policies and how they reflected his pro-Aryan beliefs in order to fully answer the research question: Analyze how Hitler’s domestic policies after 1933 impacted women and minorities. Hitler’s domestic policies largelyRead MoreEffects Of Cyberbullying968 Words   |  4 PagesCyberbullying affects everybody today, both children and adults. Due to the development of technology today, cyber-bullying has become one of the most difficult issues to resolve in our society. Cyberbullying affects everybody today, both children and adults. Due to the development of technology today, cyber-bullying has become one of the most difficult issues to resolve in our society. The internet is used today, more than ever. People view the internet can be viewed on just about any new mobile device

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Article Review Reducing Prescription Drug Costs

To: Professor Geckeis From: Kyra Bloom, Adam Kavanagh, Nicholas Ceparski Date: March 16, 2017 Subject: Reducing prescription drug costs Company Name: Horizons Investment/Retirement Planning 250 Employees Marysville, Ohio $135 Million USD Commodities such as food, cars, and even precious metals have steadily increased year after year which is something that is widely accepted as ‘inflation’. The dollar in 2016 isn’t worth what the dollar in say, 2010 was, but salaries are often adjusted to take the rise in commodities into effect. Prescription drugs however do not fit into the typical mold of the commodity, that steadily increases in price year after year. Prescription drugs in†¦show more content†¦Don’t just decide that you are going to go generic instead of prescription without talking to the doctor because it might end up not taking care of the symptoms or problems that the prescription drugs or medications are made for. Although sometimes generic brands may not be as strong, they are cheaper and can still do the job(s) you want it to do, but at a lower price than you would have to pay for prescriptions. Clip Coupons Clip coupons as another way to save money on your prescription drugs or medications. There are some websites such as www.GoodRx.com, where you can print out a coupon for a certain prescription drugs and save a few dollars on your medications. Some coupons you don’t even have to print out. Sometimes you can just find it on your phone and the pharmacy or store can scan it from there. In the article, â€Å"Ways to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs,† it states, â€Å"If the medication is available in only expensive brands, there could be coupons available directly from the drug manufacturer.† This is a nice and easy way you can keep from spending an outrageous amount of money on your medications. Over the Counter Medications Over the counter medications can be bought for fractions of the cost of prescription medications. This is a wonderful but yet effective alternative to paying for theShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Opioid Abuse On A Community Essay1636 Words   |  7 PagesVarious Effects of Opioid Abuse on a Community The relationship between the rising rates of prescription-opioid abuse and heroin use has led to increases in crime, incidences of HCV and HIV, and drastic increases on overdose and death. In fact, between 1999 and 2010 opioid-related mortality increased 415% among women and 265% among men (King et al, 2014). According to King et al (2014), the main causes of this increase in deaths can be attributed to prescriber error, user behavior and characteristicsRead MoreCase Analysis : Generic Company Essay1492 Words   |  6 Pagesconsumer in a $35 billion loss of generic cost saving (Royalty, Oliva, Fix, 2012). 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The Informed Decision Toolbox (IDT) is an integrated set of tools that offer assistanceRead MoreA Wall Street Journal Article Essay1529 Words   |  7 PagesIn a Wall Street Journal article, Jeanne Whalen (2015) notes, â€Å"Drug prices in the U.S. are shrouded in mystery, obscured by confidential rebates, multiple middlemen and the strict guarding of trade secrets.† In ot her words, the exact cost to research, develop and bring a specific new drug to market is not made public by U.S. drug companies, and neither is the profit earned on a particular drug. The fact that there are so many players in the supply chain, and these players often have confidentialRead MoreHealthcare Plan For A Universal Healthcare Program1589 Words   |  7 PagesMedicare has assisted many retirees from a financial disaster by providing benefits during a healthcare crisis. The prescription drug program has ensured seniors have access to the medications they require. Medicare has also provided care to the disabled that are under age 65. This national social healthcare program has also come under fire politically because of the extremely high cost of the program. The baby-boomer generation is aging and adding more beneficiaries’ at an increasing rate than everRead MoreA Brief Note On Heroin And Its Effects On The Body And Their Families Essay1608 Words   |  7 PagesColorado Technical University September 22, 2015 5. Heroin is a highly addicting drug that cause irreparable damage to the body and their families, here is the molecular structure of heroin(Image by Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015) More and more young adults have become victims of heroin overdoses in the past 10 years, why? In recent new accounts, this crisis has been attributed to bad batches of this illegal drug coming from various sources. 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