Saturday, August 31, 2019
Gay Right and Gay Marriage Essay
The Gays Rights Movement has existed for over 89 years in counting since the development of the Society for Human Rights in Chicago. During the early years of the Gay Rights movement (1924-1973) it was very difficult to identify as a member of the same sex loving community because during this time it was illegal in the United States. Society didn’t accept the concept due to it being against traditional customs and norms. â€Å"The period since the late 1960s has been a time of gay liberation, more accurately, the movement of gay men and lesbian woman to overcame discrimination and gain rights in society.†(Collins & Coltrane, 2001) During the early years the LBGT community was a private and out of sight lifestyle. The history of the movement reports homosexuality was previously identified as a mental disorder of American Psychiatric Association until 1973 when it was removed. (â€Å"The American gay,†2000-2013) According to World of Sociology (2001), â€Å"Conf lict theory emphasizes the role of coercion and power in producing social order.†(pg.118) (â€Å"Conflict theory,†2001) â€Å"This perspective is derived from the works of Karl Marx, who saw society as fragmented into groups that compete for social and economic resources. Social order is maintained by domination, with power in the hands of those with the greatest political, economic, and social resources. When consensus exists, it is attributable to people being united around common interests, often in opposition to other groups. According to conflict theory, inequality exists because those in control of a disproportionate share of society’s resources actively defend their advantages. The masses are not bound to society by their shared values, but by coercion at the hands of those in power.†(Crossman, A., 2013) â€Å"There is also an expansion Marx’s idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic. Today, conflict theorists find soci al conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. The conflict theory ultimately attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent interests in preserving society and social order. This perspective emphasizes social control, not consensus and conformity. Groups and individuals advance their own interests, struggling over control of societal resources.†(Crossman, A., 2013) After 1973 it appears that homosexuality became identified as LGBT. Nationwide legal system and religions organization felt the need to challenges and felt these acts was a constitutional violation. Sometime around the 1974, gays and lesbians were becoming present in â€Å"positions of power†like Harvey Milk who was City Commissioner of San Francisco. They were also seeking and granted domestic-partnership benefits by 1984 in California. These obstacles for the LGBT community were met with rejections and oppressions by American governments and its supporters. In 1993, many men and women were discharged from the armed forces due to â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.†By 1996 the issue of homosexuality and lesbianism had reached the Supreme Court with some achieveme nts but mostly â€Å"knock downs†. ABA Journal published an article â€Å"The Stonewall legacy: ABA Commission creates an award commemorating a key moment for LBGT rights â€Å"on February 2013. The article explains how in the late hours of June 27, 1969 in Greenwich Village, New York at the Stonewall Inn a number of patrons fought law enforcement after numerous experiences with polices raids and other forms of harassments by authority. The articles explained how the Stonewall Inn was a â€Å"well-known†gathering spot for gays in the low-profile area of New York. The patrons throw beer cans, bricks and other objects at arresting officers as they interrupted their only opportunity to socialize with other gay individuals. After experiencing countless riots, arrest and beating the patrons developed a protest known as the Stonewall Riots (movement). The individuals involved in the riot were not only gay males but lesbian (same loving females), bisexual (both sex loving) and transgender (opposite sex identifying) individuals. After about one years of the establishment of the movement gay prides were started in Chicago, Los Angles, New York and San Francisco. The progress in the movement encouraged the LBGT (lesbian, bi, gay and transgender) individuals to begin to assert their civil rights. James J.S. Holmes, chair of the Commission of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identify/ABA reports, â€Å"The riots were a very visible and public display where the LGBT community finally made it clear it wasn’t going to accept any more repression and poor treatment.†(Filisko, 2013) As the gay bar was for many whites a refuge from homophobia, so family and church were refuges from racism for lesbians and gays of color, including racism in the white lesbian and gay community. Rather than â€Å"smashing the church†and turning their back on family, lesbians and gays of color needed to find ways to negotiate or confront homophobia in those places while at the same time negotiating racism within the gay community.†Many couples like Jack Baker and Michael McConnell or Phyllis Marshall and Grace Thornton fought so hard to fight the â€Å"coercion and power†and â€Å"the hands of those with the greatest political, economic, and social resources†specifically the church and other opposing LGBT groups who felt that their movement was either too soon or out of mainstream (outside of box). (Chenier, 2013) The current issues being address now by society and LGBT individuals seeking matrimony rights. (â€Å"The American gay,†2000-2013) Most recently on June 26, 2013 the Supreme Court ruled that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. In a 5 to 4 vote, the court rules that DOMA violates the rights of gays and lesbians. The court also rules that the law interferes with the states’ rights to define marriage. It is the first case ever on the issue of gay marriage for the Supreme Court. (Johnson, 2013) Johnson reports that â€Å"the DOMA decision was a huge psychological and legal boost for the gay and lesbian community, but it left same-sex couples in 37 states wit h half a loaf†¦only thirteen states and the District of Columbia allow such marriage.†(Johnson, 2013) In 2000, Vermont becomes the first state in the country to legally recognize civil unions between gay or lesbian couples. It was stated that â€Å"couples would be entitled to the same benefits, privileges, and responsibilities as spouses.†The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide published an essay by author Elise Chenier that reported, â€Å"for the past ten years, same-sex marriage has dominated the American political landscape, but this is not the first time in history this issue has made front-page news. In 1971, The San Francisco Chronicle declared that a â€Å"gay marriage boom†was under way. In the first few years of that decade, The New York Times, Life magazine, Jet, and other periodicals ran feature articles about a handful of couples who launched America’s first battles for legal recognition of same-sex marriage.†Chenier states â₠¬ ¦liberationists’ critique of marriage and family did not make sense for people of color, who relied on family and church for their everyday survival, even as they battled homophobia within them. Gay marriage is a topic that I have had to experience in my personal life when my two childhood friends of twenty years decided to have a marriage ceremony/party in Washington, DC. This party was held about three year ago and they have been dating for two years. After college both of my friends attended Morris Brown College in Georgia. They sent out invites and made announcements for the gathering of friends and love one. My family and I were not aware that they were a same sex couple let alone seeking marriage equality. When we all arrived in Georgia we thought it was a celebration party because they both are successful defense attorneys in Georgia. I was very surprise to see an altar, ceremony minister, flowers and a detailed tuxedo for me. They pulled me and my wife to the side and asked if I was willing to participate in their special day. We were really good friends in high school so against my strict Christian upbringing I participated in the ceremony. Unfortunately, before the grooms could exchange vows and commit themselves to one another the media busted into the location and started taking pictures and causing issues. I felt this was a private and interment ceremony for my friends and it would not end well. A crowd of protestors and media gathered outside. Law enforcement was contacted and some protestors and ceremony members including one of my friends were arrested. My couple plans to get married in the 2014 after ruling of unconstitutional of DOMA and I plan to be front and center. I was enraged at the disrespect these two successful guys had experience at the hands of inequality. After speaking with my friends about the aftermath, experiencing the inequality first-hand and completing this assignment. It is definitely obvious that the progress the Gay Rights Advocates has made toward demanding equal and I feel obligated to promote equality for all people. Reference Chenier, E. (2013). Gay marriage, 1970s style. The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, 20(2), 19+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA321900004&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GRGM&sw=w Cohen, L. (2013). The federal role in the family. Commentary, 136(2), 7+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA341125184&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=30b2787a87635f60db13fe9df042a70a Coltrane, S., & Collins, R. (2001). Sociology of marriage & the family, gender, love, and property. (5th ed). Canada: Wadsworth Pub Co. Crossman, A. (2013). Conflict Theory: Overview. About.com online. Retrieved from http://sociology.about.com/od/Sociological-Theory/a/Conflict-Theory.htm. Filisko, G. M. (2013, February). The Stonewall legacy: ABA Commission creates an award commemorating a key moment for LGBT rights. ABA Journal, 99(2), 57+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA318106223&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GRGM&sw=w Johnson, F. (2013). DOMA Didn’t Go Away–It Just Went Local. National Journal. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA344159967&v=2.1&u=lom_kentdl&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=7d18e04c20680c7230095f8f3e1baab5 Palmisano, J. (Eds.). (2001). World of sociology, (vol. 2). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. The American Gay Rights Movement: A Timeline. (n.d.). Infoplease.com online. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0761909.html.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Business versus Environment Essay
Businesses would always want to make more profit but this should be accomplished while also taking into account its social responsibilities. In the long run, there is an aggregate need for business entities to balance between profit and the adverse effects the business causes to the environment in its natural course of operations. Choosing not to consider the social and environmental costs associated with the business will result in less spending for operations but this in turn may affect the survivability of the business entity.            Many businessmen executives have realized that aggressive environmental programs result in profitability and competitiveness by reducing risks and avoiding additional costs from regulatory compliance programs. Environmental initiatives has its benefits for a business. It acts as morale and productivity boosters for the workers, enhanced brand image, streamline time-to-market and improved relations with regulators and the community. It is now understandable that an understanding of socio-economic, political and cultural processes and structures is necessary to understand environmental problems and in order to establish sustainable development.[1]            It cannot be denied that through the course of its operations, business does affect the environment in many ways such as pollution and introduction of new chemical compounds which may prove harmful to people or the environment, genetic engineering and others. How a business affects the environment may be deliberate or accidental but there are also some businesses that improve the quality of the environment.[2]            To cite, all countries are very much dependent on the oil industry and the industry is essential in any kind of economy. It produces huge amounts of profit for oil producing countries while non-oil producing countries have showed dependence on oil because of the need to run vehicles or to fuel industries. But with the production of oil also stems a need to provide funding to numerous environmental concerns that arise with it.            An oil spill is just one of the risks associated with the oil industries. It is a grave threat to the marine ecosystem and also to the people living near the coastline who depend on the marine resources for their food and income. In an oil spill near the coast of Guimaras Islands in the Philippines, one of the oil tankers of Petron carrying millions of liters of oil sank to the bottom of the sea floor. The incident was the worst oil spill in the country which affected the 40,000 people living on the island who are mostly dependent on the sea. Guimaras Governor Joaquin Nava was frustrated over the absence of commitment from the government sector and Petron to solve the oil spill. Greenpeace on the other hand has much fear that the remaining 1.9 million liters of oil inside the sunken tanker will cause more damage when released into the sea. There was public demand that Petron immediately raise the sunken tanker to prevent more oil spillage or to pump out the remaining oil from its tanks. Relief operations were also needed to compensate for the people of Guimaras Islands because of the loss of livelihood. Greenpeace urged that the local government should hold the oil company liable and that it should be accountable for the long-term rehabilitation of the affected areas including the marine sanctuaries, mangrove areas, reefs and coral ecosystems.[3]            The situation urged Petron to perform its social responsibility for the disaster or it would face charges from environmentalist groups or other consequences such as banning their products or paying fines if proven guilty when the case is brought to the court of law. Taking responsibility for the environmental hazards will even give the company a better image that it cares not only for profit but also gives importance to its social responsibilities. The business should see that environmental concerns could turn into an instant marketing opportunity.[4] Instead of having bad effects, this could make the people patronize their products and instead of adding more cost, it would add more benefit.            Environmental degradation, although the more devastating effect, is not the only concern brought about by oil spills. Fishermen are the ones that are greatly affected by such disasters because the fish are being killed. Oil spills also results in the ban of catching and selling fish and shellfish from the contaminated area to maintain market confidence and to protect fishing gear. Other industries that rely on seawater in their course of operations are mainly affected by oil spills. These may include hotel and restaurants that rely on tourist trade or water treatment plants.[5]            On the other hand, Transneft, an oil transporting joint stock company initiated the Baltic Pipeline System project which would would help in securing the safety of the environment through this pipeline system and also add a new transport route for Russian oil which is greatly needed. The system aims to minimize the negative impact of oil on the environment. The project is believed to be one of the most excellent projects in the history of Russia. In an ecological assessment of the construction of the Baltic Pipeline System, it was found out that the project complies with the environmental norms.[6] This action proves that safety measures can be done to ensure environment safety while also taking into account the needs of the economy.            Companies do affect people the same way that people affect the companies. Almost all countries have been dependent on oil and oil exporting countries have been gaining a lot of income from this. People rely on oil to fuel vehicles, run heavy machinery and others. The escalating prices of oil have urged many countries to find other sources of energy such as biofuels. This somehow reduced the dependence of mankind on oil.            A reduced dependency on foreign oil leads to economic problems for the oil producing countries. Low oil prices are good for oil consumers because it means less spending for petroleum products but this has adverse effects on oil producers such as the countries in the Middle East which is reflected in the performance of the economy.[7]  On the other hand, effects of rising oil prices can be seen when the US experienced oil shortages in 1973 and 1979. During these instances, the US reacted harshly and its citizens even get into fights at gasoline stations until an effort to conserve oil was established by the president.[8]            Oil companies are expected by the the people to take responsibility for any environmental hazards caused by the company. One example is Shell Oil which has initiated and participated in many environment and social campaigns. However, the company still faces a lot of accusations that it still contributing greatly in the destruction of the environment and its refineries, depots and pipelines threaten human civilization.[9]            A report states that Shell has been overstating its social and environmental performance and despite of adhering to its public commitment which is sustainable development, Shell has been putting the environment in much more trouble.[10] The report shows scenarios from different countries wherein Shell allegedly does not address social and environmental problems caused by faulty pipelines and others instead of going by its adherence to environment safety and sustainable development.            In Canada, Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn explains that there should be a balance between the environment and economic growth. He also said that the two are intertwined. He agreed that the solution to address the needs of the environment is balancing the its needs with the needs of the industry. He also emphasized the production of clean energy technology such as tidal energy. Other environment-friendly projects that Canada would pursue are development of clean coal, improvement of biofuel technology and technology that would reduce green house gases emissions and pollution.[11]            Logging is another industry that greatly affects the environment. It is very harmful to the environment especially illegal logging. The loss of many trees result in many adverse effects such as the loss of habitat for many special of mammals, birds and other animals. It also contributes to global warming and other natural disaster such as flash floods and land slides.            In the Philippines, illegal logging was a major factor in the loss of lives due to flash floods and even land slides during the rainy season particularly in the provinces of Quezon, Nueva Ecija and Aurora. Government hydrologist Richard Orendain said that it may be hard to determine whether floods may be attributed to illegal logging or just because of heavy rainfall although it is safe to assume that illegal logging has in a way contributed to the natural disasters while Vice President Noli de Castro directly blamed illegal for floods and other past cases of flash floods and land slides.[12]            In Indonesia, many people rely on the forests for their source of livelihood. According to Edward Pollard from the Galung Palung National Park, illegal logging is the major industry in the region. It is the main source of income for many citizens. However, despite economic gains from timber companies, the entire community does not receive much benefit with the diminishing resource. Illegal loggers constitute to a large decrease in forest resources and no taxes are being paid to fund development projects for the citizens. People who work as loggers usually come from poor families and logging is not a permanent and a stable source of income and with the rate of the depletion of the forest resources, people will have to find other sources of income in the future.[13]            Indonesia has been plagued by illegal logging particularly caused by poverty and corruption. The exploitation of the natural resources was a vital factor in the economic development of the region but the government does not reap all the gains because of illegal loggers that contribute greatly to the depletion of natural resources but do not pay the necessary taxes which could have been used to fund various environmental problems.[14]            Loggers should be responsible enough to aid environment because this is where they get their income. The rapid loss of forest resources which contributes greatly to global warming and loss of biodiversity would also affect the loggers. Instead of clear logging in which all the trees are being cut down in an area, loggers can resort to selective logging which is much less harmful and would give the forest time to recuperate.            In the end, there is a strong need for businesses to balance between their income and social and environmental responsibilities. It may not seem beneficial and actually results in more spending for the company. However, taking to account the social and environmental responsibilities of the business would prove beneficial in the long course of business operations. Just like in the logging business, taking aggregate measures to avoid total destruction of forest resources will ascertain that the business will not run out of available resources. Likewise, oil production, which is associated with many adverse effects to the environment, may still choose to have an environment-friendly image which could boost its marketing drive. These additional costs should not be considered as expenses but rather as investments. Bibliography Al Marashi, Habiba, Business vs. Environment, March 19, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008 from            http://www.dqg.org/qcentral/dqg_events/seminars/mar02/business.asp Petron oil spill affected 40,000 people says Governor, InfoShop News, 2006 Retrieved 23 March 2008,            from http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006082101433380 Economic Impacts, The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited, 2007, Retrieved     March 23, 2006, from http://www.itopf.com/marine%2Dspills/effects/economic%2Dimpacts/ Baltic Pipeline System, Transneft, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from            http://www.transneft.ru/Ecolog/Default.asp?LANG=EN&ID=219 Koepp, Stephen, Oil Prices, April 1986, Time Magazine, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from            http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961087-1,00.html Refinery Reform/Global Community Monitor/Friends of the Earth, Behind the shine – the real impacts of Shell’s work around the world, June 23, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from            http://www.refineryreform.org/PR_062304.html Behind the shine: The other Shell Report 2003, 2003, p.2, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from            http://www.refineryreform.org/downloads/shellreport_behindtheshine.pdf Barlow, John, Tories want balance in environment and economy, June 30, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 44,            Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.westernwheel.com/070606/news-tories%20want    %20balance.htm Terra Daily, Illegal logging a major factor in flood devastation of Philippines, December 1, 2004,            Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.terradaily.com/2004/041201072557.jj82upor.html The Timber Mafia, Consequences of Illegal Logging: Environmental Implications,2002, Retrieved       24 March 2008, from http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2002/timber_mafia/resources/ [1]  Al Marashi, Habiba, Business vs. Environment, March 19, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.dqg.org/qcentral/dqg_events/seminars/mar02/business.asp [2]  Al Marashi [3]   Petron oil spill affected 40,000 people says Governor, InfoShop News, 2006, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006082101433380 [4]  Al Marashi [5]  Economic Impacts, The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited, 2007, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.itopf.com/marine%2Dspills/effects/economic%2Dimpacts/ [6]         Baltic Pipeline System, Transneft, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from            http://www.transneft.ru/Ecolog/Default.asp?LANG=EN&ID=219 [7]  Koepp, Stephen, Oil Prices, April 1986, Time Magazine, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961087-1,00.html [8]  Koepp [9]  Refinery Reform/Global Community Monitor/Friends of the Earth, Behind the shine – the real impacts of Shell’s work around the world, June 23, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.refineryreform.org/PR_062304.html [10] Behind the shine: The other Shell Report 2003, 2003, p.2, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.refineryreform.org/downloads/shellreport_behindtheshine.pdf [11] Barlow, John, Tories want balance in environment and economy, June 30, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 44, Retrieved 23 March 2008 from http://www.westernwheel.com/070606/news-tories%20want%20balance.htm [12] Terra Daily, Illegal logging a major factor in flood devastation of Philippines, December 1, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008 from http://www.terradaily.com/2004/041201072557.jj82upor.html [13] The Timber Mafia, Consequences of Illegal Logging: Environmental Implications,2002, Retrieved 24 March 2008, from http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2002/timber_mafia/resources/     resources_consequences1.htm [14] The Timber Mafia
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Commercialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Commercialization - Essay Example Whereas it might be expected that international expansion is very much the same creature as compared with the mistake and/or regional expansion, the fact of the matter is that an entirely new level of considerations must be taken into account. Accordingly, the first section of this analysis will discuss some of the key implications and considerations that must be taken into account with regards to launch any product internationally (Bewayo 7). Likewise, the second section of this analysis will focus upon identifying and discussing the concept of time to market with respect to the commercialization planet value creation of the given product line or business entity. As a function of analyzing this information, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain more clear and definitive understanding of some of the salient issues and pitfalls involving international product launch and far-reaching impacts that even minute levels of time-to-market issues can have in affecting overal l profitability and levels of competitive edge that may otherwise be experience. The first and most salient issue that must be discussed with regards to launching a new product line within an international scope is with respect to the fact that stakeholders within the international community will most certainly not integrate with the product or service to the stain extent or to the same level that domestic consumers have thus far exhibited (Anyim et al. 59). Business history is littered with examples of highly successful domestic firms that experienced monstrous international failure due to the fact that they did not perform the needed market research within the international target market. Rather, they were complicit and comfortable with merely utilizing the market knowledge and response mechanisms that domestic consumers have illustrated within the past; blending them to experience the pitfall of what an uninformed and ultimately arrogant foreign firm could experience in a global market (Ozer 477). As such, seeking to perform due diligence with regards to the marketing approach and spending the necessary amount of time and money that is required to gain a level of inference with regards to the way in which consumers from different cultures, religions, languages, and other factors might respond. Although this is a time-consuming approach, one that necessarily has an impact upon the second determinate which will be discussed below, it nonetheless is extraordinarily important in order for the business, organization, or entity to achieve a level of international as well as domestic set (Bewayo 493). The second determinate that this brief analysis will consider is with regards to discussing and identifying the concept of time-to-market with respect to the commercialization plan. Depending on the particular business and product/service that is offered, time-to-market is an extraordinarily important factor. If one considers the case of Samsung, even the most ingeni ous designs and levels of technology included within such a design are ultimately obsolete very soon after they are created. As such, time-to-market is something that Samsung, and firms similar to it, must consider at the very tip of their decision-making hierarchy (Ball et al. 3137). However, firms that are less time sensitive have the ability to analyze the market and perform research to a more effective degree prior to jumping into a situation that
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
The American Experiment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
The American Experiment - Essay Example Jurists make their deliberations under the cloak of secrecy hence it is very difficult to make out what happens in their discussion chambers. Legal policymakers have for a long time relied on untested intuitions on juries to make important decisions about both the scope and conduct of jury trials. However, empirical research on the functioning of the jury is gradually replacing this initial reliance on intuition, speculation, and anecdotes. There is a lot of information on the cognitive processing at trial as well as dynamics of jury deliberations. In their research study, Zeisel and Kalven try to explain why and how members of the jury make their decisions (Murphy, Pritchett, Epstein & Knight, 2006). The authors refer to the whole jury system as an experiment but unfortunately with the conduct of serious human affairs. They describe how the Judiciary picks members of the Jury as one of the factors that make it an experiment. The authors state that the random choice of the Jurists and then the abrupt dismissal at the end of a trial makes it all the more experimental. They argue that most of the Jurists are not usually well versed with law terminologies and despite the Judge’s warnings; most of them often make their decision way early in the pre-trial phase. Zeisel and Kalven further state that the confidence in the jury system shows that the emotional and social aspects of the Jurists’ human nature were implicit in the formulation of this democratic ideal (Murphy, Pritchett, Epstein & Knight, 2006). According to their research, Jurists use two main phenomena when making their decisions, that is the punished-enough theory and decisions that have race as their basis. On the punished-enough theory, the authors argue that most Jurists make their decisions basing on their emotions rather than logic and the legal instructions that the Judge reads out to them at the beginning of a trial. They further use actual court records
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6
Marketing Management - Essay Example Exchange relationships are commonly utilised as marketing strategies with the aim of ensuring that a business establishes viable links and contacts with customers, rather than focusing on making on-the-spot sale. The use of this form of relations in marketing commonly results in relationship marketing as a business strategy, whose success is based on the fulfilment of the promises made to customers. A business must maintain commitment to the promises made to customers as a way of satisfying their needs, while still keeping their promises. The role of customer service representatives in this marketing strategy is critical to its successful application. A business must maintain a continuous relationship with the client as a way of retaining the customers by gaining their trust. Organisations commonly focus on delivering value to customers as a way of nurturing the existing relationship between them and the business. This approach of marketing is basically focused on attracting retaining and extending good and services to the desired customers. Marketing metrics refer to elements that can be used to measure the effectiveness of the marketing strategies employed by an organization in achieving desired marketing objectives. A sales manager might consider reporting the following two metrics to ABC Services; This can be defined as the cost incurred in convincing a customer to purchase services and products from a company. The costs considered include the product costs and the various costs involved in research and marketing before reaching the customer. This metric could be relevant to the company as it can be able to determine the markets in which to venture. While the market analysis might be critical, other factors like the value of customers to the company can also be established. This is essential in determining the amount of resources that a business can use to gain customers. This is a metric
Monday, August 26, 2019
The Invention of the Perspective In the Renaissance Essay
The Invention of the Perspective In the Renaissance - Essay Example The first 'book' refers to the 'diminution of plane surfaces' (6), the second explains the trial of ' diminution of square bodies' and those having a number of faces positioned at right angles to the planes'(7) and the third one 'the diminution of bodies' (8), that seems more difficult to realize. Analyzing Francesca's different ways of perspective, Kim Veltman notices 'geometrical proportion using diagonals' (9) a 'surveying type using a rod or a plane' (10) and 'a diagonal' (11) to determine the distance. There are also new 'perspective views' considered by Francesco in his book 'The Geometrical Method' ,these were basically used in the context of pavements, ceilings, facades and buildings and. He also used 'The Window Method' that had more elaborate details and was represented in architecture. Duccio di Buoninsegna was an Italian painter (1278-1319) who demonstrated the use of perspective in architectural forms. His style seems to be different in his tendency of giving his figures more volume. His 'perspective 'infuses elements from Byzantine style with more dramatic scenes and specific figures. In his 45 panels representing scenes from the Bible and saints he inspired from primitive Christian style regarding the outlines of figures, gestures, and clothes. In this way he tried to create a more natural visual impression. His art of 3 D perspective created a special spatiality, a type of 'breathing space' (17) around the persons and objects. The artist used a special technique of registering in his paintings intricate details (for example
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Mobile computing and wireless communications for construction projects Literature review
Mobile computing and wireless communications for construction projects - Literature review Example At present, the majority of construction businesses necessitate flexibility for their staff about place and time. In this scenario, information and communication technology (ICT) and its products (such as mobile and wireless computing) offer the independence of mobility to members in the construction market and business. Additionally, the wireless connectivity and mobile technologies can be implemented in construction sites in an attempt to ensure real-time data transferred all through the business tasks (Garza & Howitt, 1998; Koseoglu & Nielsen, 2005). In addition, it is believed that the acceptance and implementation of modern technologies such as mobile and wireless computing inside the construction sector is not up to scratch, in particular when related to the considerable research endeavor and outlay taking place inside this sector. On the other hand, there are several instances of wireless computing, and yet location aware computing that have been implemented effectively within the construction sector and shown fruitful results. Moreover, these instances have demonstrated how successful implementations of mobile and Wireless Computing have received greater user acceptance and shown an amazing return on investment within one year of implementation (May et al., 2005). Furthermore, the mobile and wireless computing has gained popularity in the past few years. ... This paper presents the preliminary findings from a literature review focusing on the usage of mobile computing and wireless communications for construction projects. This paper will discuss different aspects of mobile and wireless technology, their advantages and disadvantages for the construction projects. Evolution of Mobile Computing Before we proceed towards the discussion on the use of mobile computing for construction projects, we must understand the theories and concepts related to mobile computing. Historically, the developments in the computer networking during mid-1970s have offered a great deal of support for the potential development of mobile computing technology. This technology has offered a reality of distributed computing that provides the capabilities for numerous computers and clients to communicate and share remote data and information resources over a network. It has also given birth to a lot of other related fields such as distributed computing, comprising dist ant collaboration and communication, high accessibility, fault tolerance, communication security, remote information access. In addition, with the emergence of high-tech laptop computers, the wireless networks and the incorporation of cellular technology with the Web, required the researchers to design new network technology based distributed systems for mobile clients. Additionally, the mobile computing that relates a lot of fundamental standards of distributed system design, and that as well expands this hypothesis to convene mobile users’ needs, offers a fundamental arrangement in which clients are able to access the similar point in the
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Self reflection evaluation of standardized patient exams Essay
Self reflection evaluation of standardized patient exams - Essay Example Yes, I am pleased with the way I communicated during the interview. This is because I was able to maintain an eye contact and give the time for the interviewee to answer the questions. This is very critical in retrieving the information. However, if it happens again, I would start with simple questions in order to gain the trust of interviewee. In the video, two things that I did well are active listening and displaying appropriate empathy. These are skills that I learned during training. They were important in enabling me to get in-depth information from the interviewee. After watching video, I realize that if I was given another opportunity, I would train more and ask more questions with the SP. This is through reading more books and watching videos of effective interviews. This would enable me to learn more skills from other professionals. My main goal is to gain experience in the nursing career. I also intend to learn the bigger picture of the FNP role. This would be significant in enabling me to understand ways of serving the patients
Friday, August 23, 2019
Research methods and study skills Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Research methods and study skills - Coursework Example The study relates the area of urbanisation with social relations at community level by focusing on social indicators associated with housing. The analysis dwelt in the pace of historical development in measuring the diversity house age in predicting the measurement of the relations associated with neighbourly social based on multilevel framework. The researcher used neighbourhood built and individual’s socio-demographic data as the controls to validate the finding (king, 2013). The meta-analysis study by Ewing and Cervero (2010) is built on the realisation that built environment and the use of automobiles are associated in many ways. For instance, the problems associated with climate change, dependence on oil, congestion within the cities, and sprawl associates with the urban designs and the planning, which prompts the locations and the states to use the concepts of built environment to bring sanity to the automobile use. The building of roads has not been in tandem with the demand of the travel. To achieve the objective of the study, the researchers determined the elasticity by computing the values for the individual studies selected and later pooled to generate the weighted average. The study found that variables associated to travel were inelastic when assessed from the built environment perspective (Ewing and Cervero, 2010). The method adopted by King to acquire the data for the study was survey. The source of the data was the Chicago community adult-health studies. The data obtained for this study involved respondents characteristics of the neighbourhood in relation to their physical and social status, the psychosocial and socioeconomic status. The most important factor that was put into consideration is the fact that the Chicago community adult health data has a clustered sampling framework. The framework is essential for facilitating the human development project in the entire Chicago neighbourhood. This means that getting the respondents
Final year project (( part 1 )) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words
Final year project (( part 1 )) - Essay Example There is a lot of information that needs to be managed. Handling all this manually (on paper) would further complex it. Since the league allows the smallest clubs to play, therefore, there are over 140 leagues with 480 divisions. This number varies every year. This indicates the amount of information that is to be managed. This is the age of technology. Every department whether it is related to computer or not is being automated. Automation helps in speeding up processes. It also ensures accuracy. That is why most organizations support automation to a very large extent. There are several departments that take care of the league information. The synchronization of information is not an easy task, especially when the information is on paper. That is why a system that could not only store the information but also maintain is required. The aim of this project is therefore to develop a League Table Management System that should be a stand-alone application that could be accessed through out the organization. The system should provide with the facility of editing team details, match points, allocation of matches, location and time of events, etc. The English football league system, otherwise known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in England. The system consists of a hierarchy of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. Clubs that are successful in their league can rise higher in the pyramid, whilst those that finish at the bottom can find themselves sinking further down. In theory it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to rise to the pinnacle of the English game and become champions of the Premier League. The top five levels contain one division each. Below this, the levels have progressively more parallel leagues, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Marriott at Myanmar Essay Example for Free
Marriott at Myanmar Essay This report is prepared to be the first document evaluating Myanmar’s attractiveness for consideration of establishing Marriott Hotels and Resorts in this country. The best location for the hotel is chosen to be the city called Yangon since it offers a wide variety of activities for travelers with different interests. Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts will be attracted to upscale visitors who wish to stay in a luxury, five-star hotel with exceptional service quality, while enjoying the beauty of the country. The target groups of customers are not limited only to local high income Burmese, but also foreign visitors who come on a business or vacation purposes in Myanmar. Myanmar is a resource-rich country with a lot of unseen and attractive destinations. If developed properly, the country has a high potential for growth in the tourism industry in the future. However, due to the high level of risks of its cultural, economical and political systems, this country is considered not attractive enough to operate the luxury brand hospitality business under Marriott name. Strained relationship with the U. S government and the European Union also makes it more difficult for an international brand like Marriott to establish a new business in this country. II. Overview Summary Information A. Key information regarding demographics of the target country The Union of Myanmar, previously called Burma, occupies the largest geographical area in the mainland Southeast Asia. From North to South, three parallel chains of mountain ranges divide the country into three river systems and create various topographic regions. It shares national borders with several countries: China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. The country achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. The population of Myanmar, approximately 54 million people, is highly diverse. There are eight major ethnic groups, which can be subdivided into 135 ethnic minorities. The official language is Burmese; however, several native languages are also spoken. English is usually spoken, particularly by the educated urban elites, and is the secondary language learnt in government schools. Eighty percent of Burmese population is Buddhist, prevalent in Theravada sect. The military government has officially relocated the capital of the country from Yangon to Naypyidaw in March 2006. III. Business History A. History of the company Marriott International, Inc. is a leading worldwide operator and franchisor of a range of value and luxury hotels and related lodging facilities. Nowadays, Marriott International has about 3,150 lodging properties located in the United States and 67 other countries and territories. Its operations are grouped into five business segments, which are full-service lodging, select service lodging, extended-stay lodging, timeshare, and synthetic fuel. Marriott International was formed in 1993 when Marriott Corporation split into two companies: Marriott International and Host Marriott Corporation. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. B. Products/services offered and their unique advantage in the target markets The Marriott has become one of the world’s leading hospitality business operators from its excellent quality, service, and value. Throughout the Asia-Pacific region, its brand name has continuously led the company to the consistent growth in Marriott properties in many countries such as China, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. Each Marriott hotel differentiates itself with exceptional amenities, individualized attention to guests, and careful reflection of local surroundings. As the business expands worldwide, Marriott brand gains a high level of brand loyalty from its guests. This large customer base will help facilitate the business when the brand enters to new-oversea markets. IV. Business Activity A. Industry structure, competition in the country and current economy of the target country Even though the number of travelers visiting Myanmar is very low, tourism is considered the country’s major source for foreign exchange. Burmese government has been trying to promote their tourism industry to outsiders. They launched the campaign of ‘Visit Myanmar Year’ in 1996. After that, according to the Statistics from Ministry of Hotels Tourism, the number of tourist arrivals has been increased. However, this increasing number could not retain on a continuous basis due to the country’s uncertainty and instability in many areas that made people feel uncomfortable visiting Myanmar. Myanmar’s economy is currently mixed and primarily based on agricultural activities, including livestock, fisheries, and forestry. This sector accounts for 50 percent of the country’s overall GDP. The country also possesses several kinds of valuable natural resources, including intensely fertile soil, offshore oil, and gas deposit. It is also the world’s largest exporter of teak and precious stones such as jade, pearls, rubies, and sapphires. Since late 1988, Myanmar moved toward more market-oriented economy. It changed its centrally planned economy to be more liberalized, both in domestic and international trade. The role of private sector was promoted, and foreign direct investment was welcomed. Despite such efforts, Myanmar is still considered the poorest country among the Southeast Asian nations. Although tourist industry has a high potential for growth in the future, it still remains underdeveloped. This is because mismanagement from the military government’s control, ineffective and inefficient policies, poor infrastructures, together with the country’s bad international image have drawn the whole country to the state of underdevelopment. Moreover, since the late 1990s, Myanmar’s economy has worsened due to economic sanctions from many countries such as the European Union, Canada, and the U. S. Foreign investments usually come from China, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. V. Market Research A. Market conditions in target country 1. Existing demand There are several reasons why Myanmar should be a good place in consideration for new investment opportunity. The country has vast and virtually untapped natural resources. To this day, Myanmar remains one of the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world. The country seems appealing to many tourists around the world due to its unseen attractions with regard to cultures, history, and natural beauty. There has been an increasing demand from outside the country, especially from those travelers who wish to discover this resource-rich country. Myanmar is viewed as a good destination for people who want to have an exotic adventure, beach vacation, and mountain experience. In addition, advocates supporting Burmese tourist claim that it is the only method to help Burmese poor citizen to have a better standard of living and avoid isolating the country from the rest of the world. Another important issue needed to be pointed out is the message from the leader of Myanmar’s opposition National League of Democracy. Aung San Suu Kyi has in the past asked foreign tourists not to visit the country, as this helps increase the military junta’s power. This is one of the reasons why some people do not want to visit the country. 2. Competition After the Burmese government opened the country to promote several industries, tourism started to develop in Myanmar. Nowadays, there are approximately 500 hotels and guesthouses throughout the country. In Yangon alone, there are only six luxury hotels and approximately 20 moderate and economy hotels. Among those luxury hotels, none of them is operated under the recognized global hotel-chain companies. Most of the hotels are run by local Burmese people or businessmen from neighboring countries such as China, Singapore and Thailand. Therefore, competition in Myanmar’s tourism industry has not reached the intense level yet. VI. Potential Difficulties or Restriction A. Entry requirement The Government of Myanmar posts some restrictions on foreign investors wishing to do business in the country. In order to establish and operate under contractual agreement or partnership, foreign entity must submit all proposals to the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) and get approved under the Foreign Investment Law (FIL). Foreign investors can set up their business either in the form of a wholly-owned subsidiary or a joint venture with any partners: an individual, private company, a cooperative society or a state-owned enterprise. In all joint ventures, the minimum equity required from the foreign party is 35 percent. Moreover, the minimum amount of capital requirement to be eligible under the Foreign Investment Law is set to be US $500,000 for an industry, but US$300,000 for a service organization. Tourism industry is one of many sectors allowed under the Foreign Investment Law. Rather than the initial investment requirement, Myanmar also has commercial tax of ten percent levied on service of operation of hotels. B. Intellectual property issues Intellectual property is one important issue that prevents many oversea businesses from entering to Myanmar. The country has a negative outlook on its control with regard to this matter. Myanmar is considered having poor, maybe poorest, intellectual property right laws by the outside world. Marriott brand could be jeopardized since Myanmar’s legislation alone may not be able to protect the ownership of the company’s trademark. In the past, there was an evident showing that some local businesses were registered by using the existing international trademarks or trade name, and that prevented the original owners to register their own names and run the business in this country. VII. Cultural Issues A. Religion and its role in the society Since most Burmese people are Buddhist of Theravada stream, Buddhism has greatly influenced the standards of etiquette in the country. Their core religious belief is karma, the concept that good fathers good and bad fathers bad. This core belief has reflected in almost every aspect in everyday life; however, it does not play a significant role in doing business in this country. With basic knowledge of Burmese culture and custom, foreigners would find it easy to live with the local people. B. Special cultural issues For employer and employee relationship, Burmese employees are hardworking and loyal to their bosses. In return, an employer is expected to give help when in times of need. Such help can be the advice given for personal problems or loan granted in a financial crisis. As in all Asian countries, Myanmar respect people older than them. Therefore, in order to avoid friction in workplace, subordinates should be working under an older supervisor. Friendship, trust, and honesty are valued in a business relationship. Favors received, such as introducing a potential client or supplying a reference, must be repaid at a future time. For the first time in a business meeting, details of the project may not be discussed. Instead, the meeting may be spent evaluating each other’s personality and business strengths and weaknesses. In general, Myanmar business people find it easier to deal with Asians than Westerners. C. Business cultural issues In recent years, both China and India have attempted to strengthen ties with the Burmese government for economic benefits. This situation indicates that relationship with the military government could help smooth out the process or get the deals more easily. Personal relationship is considered one of the key components that could determine the success of the business. Foreign business will be more likely to succeed if the foreign entity can tie with a local partner, ultimately the Burmese government. According to Asian Journal of Political Science, â€Å"all post-colonial Myanmar governments and the business community benefited from their clientelistic networks. Without the help of government officials, many business firms would have gone under quickly; at the same time, without the assistance of business people, it would have been hard for most post-colonial Myanmar governments to keep themselves in power. It is very clear that government-business relations cannot simply be reduced to a zero-sum game. Certain interactions between the military government and the business community were mutually empowering†. Corruption is systemic at all levels of the Government and society. From Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, â€Å"It is considered by economists and businesspersons to be one of the most serious barriers to investment and doing business in the country. A Byzantine and capricious regulatory environment fostered corruption. †VIII. Service Operation A. Location of service facilities The best location that Marriott Hotels and Resorts could be is in the city called Yangon. Yangon, previously known as Rangoon, is one of the most popular areas for foreign visitors and is considered the gateway to Myanmar. It is the largest and former capital of the country. Even though the city is no longer the capital, Yangon continues to be the most important commercial center of Myanmar. This relatively simple city is attractive in its own particular way. Yangon has earned the name ‘the Garden City of the East’ since it is green and cool with lush of tropical trees, shady parks, and beautiful lakes. The city offers a wide variety of activities for visitors such as diving, cultures, and ecotourism. Therefore, this city has a potential to attract a lot of travelers with different interests. B. Service modification necessary to adapt to local environment Since one of Marriott’s strength lies in its careful reflection of local surroundings, Marriott Hotels and Resorts built in Yangon should hold the same principle. Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts should combine the city’s natural beauty of its history, culture and scenery while offering the unique luxury standards. Destination hotels and resorts type might be an appropriate alternative for Marriott in Yangon. The destination resort should be located in the Yangon area with noteworthy natural features, plus an urban setting. IX. Personnel Strategies A. Employment restriction Myanmar has active labor force of about 20 million. They are fairly trained manpower and skilled labor with relatively low cost comparing to other neighboring countries. There is only 23 percent of the overall population working in the service industry; however, these Burmese people are considered hospitable due to the fact that they are generally honest and kind. However, due to the country’s poor infrastructure, Burmese people are not provided with good education. Their skills might not be good enough to fit in Marriott’s high standards of hospitality service. Therefore, it seems necessary for Marriott to provide training sessions to improve their hospitality skills. B. Expatriate issues Since Marriott ties the brand image with its superb service quality, it is vital that Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts are equipped with talented management team. Marriott International Inc. might need to import managers from oversea to run the Myanmar operations in order to ensure that Marriott’s core business practice is followed everywhere. This issue brings about big challenge since it will not be easy to find the talented people who will be willing to work in a country with high uncertainty and instability in many aspects on a voluntary basis. Marriott International Inc. might need to provide them with high enough incentives to encourage them to accept this assignment. Nevertheless, under the Foreign Investment Law, Myanmar allows the employment of foreign experts and technicians. Required manpower can be recruited through Township Labor Offices. X. Risks A. Government stability The most important risk exposed in Myanmar deals with its political issue. For the past 40 years, Myanmar has been ruled by the military government or junta, in which the power is centered. The State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC, maintains strict authoritarian rule over the people of Myanmar. The country has a reputation abroad for brutally crushing political dissent, as in the case of house arrests of Aung San Suu Kyi. According to the information from the articles Foreign relations of Burma and Military of Burma, â€Å"Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the countrys election of 1990; however, the military which has controlled Myanmar (Burma) for decades refused to transition the country to civilian democratic rule. For her part, Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the last decade under house arrest for her political efforts. In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while still under house arrest. †This case brings about the global awareness and concern on the country’s political abuse and human right violation. B. Legal risk The country also completely lacks of regulatory and legal transparency. â€Å"All existing regulations, including those covering foreign investments, are subject to change with no advance or written notice at the whim of the regime’s ruling general. Myanmar does not accept International Court of Justice. C. Economic risk Myanmar’s economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalance. The country’s money currency is called Kyat, which is not stable at all. Volatility happens on a weekly basis. The Kyat is not convertible. This severe situation includes rising inflation, fiscal deficits, and multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese Kyat. A major banking crisis in 2003 also contributed a large negative impact on the overall disrupted economy. XI. Potential Benefits A. Market potential As already mentioned, Myanmar is one of resourceful countries that have high potential for future growth in tourism industry. The country offers all traditional delights of Asia in one country. If developed properly, the country’s tourism can become one of the world’s famous tourist destinations. Seeing this opportunity, Marriott brand can expand globally throughout the Asian Pacific region. Now Marriott brand has its hotel chains in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam in this Asia Pacific region. B. Incentive from local government Myanmar’s Foreign Investment Law provides a lot of incentives to foreign investors in the form of tariff and taxes. The business will be granted a tax exemption for three consecutive years beginning the first year of operation. The country also provides the relief from income tax on profit reinvested within one year. Myanmar guarantees that the business permitted under FIL will be protected from being nationalized during the granted period. C. Relationship to the United States However, according to Bureau of Democracy Human Right and Labor, â€Å"the US and Burmese relation has been worsened after the 1988 military coup and violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstration. Subsequent repression, including the brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors in September 2007, further strained the relationship. †â€Å"In addition, since May 1997, the U. S. Government has prohibited new investment by U. S. persons or entities. A number of U. S. companies exited the Burma market even prior to the imposition of sanctions due to a worsening business climate and mounting criticism from human rights groups, consumers, and shareholders. The United States has also imposed countermeasures on Burma due to its inadequate measures to eliminate money laundering. †As a result of the above fact, it seems inappropriate for Marriott to enter Myanmar at this moment. Since Marriott is a U. S. based company, the company could run into a big conflict with the U. S. government, which could have a seriously negative impact on its hotel operations around the world.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Identity In Post Colonial Australian Essay
Identity In Post Colonial Australian Essay In the second half of the 20th century, after two centuries of colonial oppression and assimilation policies in Australian history, political and social break thoughts of aboriginal people in to the dominant European culture was bought to an end, thus enabling Aboriginal Artists to have the freedom to express their traditions, culture and identity. According to Oxford Art Online, the Simultaneous explosions of the Australian art market in the 1990s, gained international recognition for Aboriginal Art that emerged into the contemporary Aboriginal art that appealed to White Australias conflicting a desire for cultural reconciliation. The recognition of artistic production in Aboriginal communities across Australia enabled artists to explore themes of cultural alienation. The first wave of contemporary Aboriginal painters including Clifford Possum, Rover Thomas, Paddy Bedford and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, utilized repertoires of dots, blocks of color, with stimulating negative spaces or gestural brushstrokes to evoke the sense of a sacred, collective knowledge. Collectors and museums began to actively collect contemporary Aboriginal works, whose conceptual paintings reinterpreted Australian colonial history. Today Aboriginal Australians are producing art in the remote regions where artists continue to explore their connections with their ancestral land and traditions of ground designs, body art, painted canvases, and bark paintings using contemporary materials. The practice of art is seen differently by indigenous art-makers than their contemporary artist counterparts; the works themselves often have a lot in common with much contemporary artwork, particularly with conceptual, installation and issues-based art. However, in early times, art had a different function than the modern ideas of self-expression or decoration; created with spiritual and hunting/survival purposes in mind. The identity of the individual artist/maker of cave paintings, masks and other traditional art forms was not as significant as it is today. Still, the traditional art objects perceived today also as a work of art, and valued for its aesthetic qualities. In addition, they are exploring contemporary art forms such as photography, film, multimedia, theatre, sculpture, printmaking, and installation. Artists such as Tracey Moffat, (b.1960), Fiona Foley, (b.1964), and Gordon Bennett (b.1955), whom consider indigenous art as a way to express political and social issues in new forms of contemporary media, reflects unique perspectives of a distinctive experiences. Whilst their art proclaims aboriginal identity, it often acts as a medium for cultural renewal, operating beyond the classical idioms, conforming to the inspiration from aboriginal practices and European, and other visual language and techniques. As, written in Wally Caruanas book, Aboriginal Art, chapter 6, Artists in the Town and City: In the second half of the twentieth century, as the movements for the recognition of aboriginal rights gained momentum, urban and rural artists found compelling reasons to produce art. Aboriginal people required imagery and symbols with which to express their ideals and inspirations. These issues of dispossession, broken families, racism-the secret history of Australia- and an intensifying of the sense of cultural identity provided strong motivation, and these themes are all apart of the repertoire of artists. For instance, works by aboriginal instillation and mixed media artist Fiona Foley, from Harvey Bay, Frazer Island, engages with the history, ideas, family tradition from her cultural heritage from the Wondunna clan of Badtjala tribe from her mothers side, and her work reflects the remembrance of colonial oppression, the colonized vision of Australia and her ancestors. Foleys work deals with the issues of displacement and dispossession of land, the people and some of her work is highly political, committing herself to the history of Aboriginal people and represents racism and violence and identity, and raises issues from a historic and contemporary cultural view. (http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2644/6/part5, (Morphy, Illus 260, 273). Annihilation of the blacks (1986), is a frightening sculptural installation which is a part of the permanent collection of the Australian National Gallery (Caruana, 1993).The work represents the massacre of the disturbing treatment of Aboriginal people by the colonizers; the work consists of a white figure standing in front of 9 hanging black figures. The upright forked posts and cross poles are a powerful symbolic medium in traditionally-oriented Aboriginal communities for shelters and homes (Reser, 1977b). It is also a sacred complex and symbol for the first residence of the Wagilak in Arnhem Land, which represents the Kunapipi ceremony (Berndt, 1951). Also within the young Aboriginal boys waiting to be born again, as young men, are viewed metaphorically as flying foxes, hanging from the beam, it is said that the flying fox ancestral spirits brought circumcision to the central Arnhem Land clans and because the flying fox is a central totemic species to clans in this region. Fiona Foley often draws inspiration from traditional Aboriginal culture and life, while making powerful and contemporary political statements. All of this gives the sculpture a very strong traditional as well as contemporary symbolic quality, with multiple and intertwined meanings and messages. Annihilation of the Blacks 1986 wood, synthetic polymer paint, feathers, string 278 x 300 x 60 cm Collection National Museum of Australia, Canberra Image courtesy National Museum of Australia, Canberra  © the artist Photograph: George Serras, National Museum of Australia http://www.mca.com.au/general/FFoley_resource.pdf In her large sculptural installation work such as Land Deal, 1995, is about the response to the words of the nineteenth colonial official John Batman, when he described how he purchased 600, 000 acres from local aborigines in Port Phillip, in exchange for beads, blankets and knives, scissors. (http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2644/6/part5.pdf). This work consists of a spiral of flour on the floor; representing the loss of lifestyle and health that consequently came about during white settlement, and also by invoking the genocidal colonial practice of poisoning the flour given to aboriginal people, (Evans, Raymond, Fighting Words: Writing about Race, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, 1999. The work also incorporates the objects, which hang from the walls. The real projection is that her expression to suggest the indigenous loss the land, as a dialogue of transaction, reminding the public of the cold absence of indigenous voice, and the lack of understanding that for the ongoing cam paigns for land return in which Foley and her own family have embarked in. Land Deal 1995 installation view, Savode Gallery, Brisbane, 1995 mixed media, flour, found objects, text dimensions variable Collection National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Image courtesy the artist and National Gallery of Australia, Canberra  © the artist http://www.mca.com.au/general/FFoley_resource.pdf Foleys personal searches to discover Badtjala material culture by referring to these objects, examining the history of their collection and interpretation. Foley reclaims their true significance to Aboriginal people. The ambiguous relationship between the descendants of the white settlers and Australias original inhabitants in Fraser Islands recent history as the struggle for recognition of native title for the Badtjala people continues. Avril Quaill Gordon Bennett, also from an aboriginal heritage from his mothers side; he was an orphan from Cherbourg reserve 240km northwest of Brisbane. Known for his paintings, installation and multimedia art forms focuses on a more personal viewpoint of past and present struggle for identity as an Australian of Aboriginal and Anglo-Celtic descent. His works present and examine a broad range of philosophical questions related to the construction of identity, perception, and knowledge. (http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/intro.html) within cultural and historical inequities created by European settlement in Australia, (http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/02.html) For example, he uses his self-portraits as a concept of self-identity and questioning stereotypes and labeling on a larger national scale, immersed within a White European culture. Bennett was unaware of his Aboriginality until his early teens as he described this knowledge as a psychic rupturing, (Ian McLean, Towards an Australian postcolonial art in Ian McLean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 99). (Ian McLean, Towards an Australian postcolonial art in Ian McHis art attempts to depict the complexity of both cultural perspectives. Self portrait (Ancestor figures), 1992 deals with broader issues of cultural identity as well as personal identity. The installation consists of images of his family and drawing. The self- portrait of the artist seems to be present everywhere within the installation but is in fact nowhere. The dresser draw labelled self is closed while the drawers for history and culture that is partly open and partly closed. Bennett in dicates the need to be reconciled within the context of culture and history to develop a full sense of identity. An understanding of self in the context of family does not seem enough as the mirror, acts as a chronic symbol within his work, is not a two- dimensional illusion but an honest construct. The viewer does not confront the artist, but self. Bennett uses this symbol because: In the mirror, everything is possible because nothing is there (Ian McLean, Towards an Australian Postcolonial Art in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p.105) Gordon Bennett born Australia 1955 Self portrait (Ancestor figures) 1992 chest of drawers, watercolour, photocopies, lead, rocks, masking tape (variable) (installation) Collection of the artist, Brisbane  © Courtesy of the artist Photography: Phillip Andrews http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/02.html What emerges for all who take part in this piece is in fact an examination of the self. The I am from Self portrait (But I always wanted to be one of the good guys) is replaced with We all are. In addition, the grid and perspective lines on the floor represent another symbol acting as the groundwork of the installation that appears to confirm this sense. In European tradition, the means to map a particular space, land, etc alludes to ownership and territory. It recalls the way stereotypes, labels, identities, and systems of thought are fixed. On each corner of the grid are the letters A B C D . While these may indicate the way maps are constructed to find different locations, they also represent the first letter of racial slurs. Identity is fixed and self is understood in the context of words such as Abo, Boong, Coon and Darkie . The Other is clearly marked out as not only different but by necessity inferior. These contrasting and complex meanings and ideas are not accidental. Bennett purposefully constructs these layers to blur fixed ideas and raise questions about the way identity is constructed. He uses his self as the vehicle to do so. Lean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 99) You have to understand my position of having no designs or images or stories on which to draw to assert my Aboriginality. In just three generations, that heritage has been lost to me. Gordon Bennett 9 Blood is a potent symbol and has historically been a measure of Aboriginality. In the past Quadroon, was a socially acceptable term used to label Indigenous people as a way of establishing genetic heredity. The purer the bloodlines, the more Aboriginal you were. Mixing of pure blood with European blood was feared by Europeans, authenticity was at risk and identity diluted. As an Australian of both Aboriginal and Anglo Celtic descent, Bennett felt he had no access to his indigenous heritage. He states: The traditionalist studies of Anthropology and Ethnography have thus tended to reinforce popular romantic beliefs of an authentic Aboriginality associated with the Dreaming and images of primitive desert people, thereby supporting the popular judgment that only remote full-bloods are real Aborigines. Gordon Bennett 10 Gordon Bennett explores these ideas in Self portrait: Interior/ Exterior , 1992. Once again, the arena of self- portraiture becomes a vehicle to take over and challenge stereotypes. Here he exposes the truth of colonial occupation it was a bloody conquest. Bennett depicts self as a black empty vessel, coffin- like with lash markings almost disguised by a thick layer of black paint. Literally opening up this black skin of paint are the words cut me. They act as deep welts created when tissue scars. Gouged into the skin like a tattoo, these markings will never heal or fade away. They powerfully describe pain and violence. Bennett only uses two colours, symbolically, red and black. Gordon Bennett born Australia 1955 Self portrait: Interior/Exterior 1992 synthetic polymer paint on canvas on pine frames, leather stock whip, paper tags (1-2) 187.0 x 60.0 x 25.0 cm (each) (1-3) (variable) (installation) Collection of the artist, Brisbane  © Courtesy of the artist Photography: Phillip Andrews http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/02.html There is no physical body. The coffin- like box acts as the body, both inside and outside are scarred with Pollock inspired lashes of paint. These scars are not just physical they are also emotional. This imagery is reinforced by the whip neatly hanging on the wall beside the body. Ultimately, this piece, one of a series of welt paintings, explores identity through pain, exploitation and suffering. Bennett does not wish to romanticise or sanitise this bloody history. The viewer is challenged to face it. The blood splashed and flowing under the layer of black skin does not discern the colour of the skin it contains, only the potency of life. Bennett challenges the viewer with contrasting identities. The oppressors, those who use the whip, and the oppressed, those enslaved by the whip. These opposites are not absolute. Bennett is more interested in exploring what lies between. My work is often seen as about exploring my identity in order to secure it, like Im searching for it, like Ive lost it somewhere, which is the total opposite to what Im doing. Sure, Im exploring identity, but Im trying to make it obvious about how open it is; how its a process of the negotiation of these different sites of memory, human relations. It is all those other things, and it shouldnt be closed off. It shouldnt be a thing that constricts nor should it be an imposed thing, from outside oneself, like a prison. Gordon Bennett 11 Bennetts art practice attempts to remove the obstacles that interfere with a positive development of self. Tracey Moffatt, born into a fostered white family in Brisbane, close to were her Aboriginal ancestors grew up, on a mission outside of Brisbane called Cherbourg, (Moffatt qtd. in Rutherford 52, plays a huge part in representing a multicultural role in society as she examines the ways Australias colonial past enlightens the present. The photographs, mostly still from her film-making, places a narrative images into many of the stories being told, representations past and present times in Aboriginal History, her perspective seems to identify to her Aboriginality and feminist view point. However, she cautiously uses her style of narratives with multiple and specific politics concern of Australian identity, with an inspiration of the lives of her Aboriginal heritage and culture. Her unique visual style of cinematic images challenges the stereotypes of race and gender, with issues symbolic of political references, (http://admin5.lisjc.lism.catholic.edu.au/~mark/Visual%20Arts%20documents/Id entity%20unit/Tracey%20Moffatt%20from%20Australian%20Artists.pdf) Her compelling and very powerful photographic works such as Up in the Sky 1998, is a sequence of twenty five monochromatic narrative photographs set in the vast desert concerning the Australian Stolen Generation. Indigenous Australian children were taken from their families and forcibly relocated under Government policy was enacted and performed on location in Queenslands outback, (http://www.answers.com/topic/tracey-moffatt). In these images Moffatt refers to both the collective memory of her own personal experiences as well as the constructing reality of the influence of culture, alienation, desolation, and the wider concerns of remote living. Tracey Moffatt Up In The Sky # 1, 1997 series of 25 images off set print 61 ÃÆ'- 76cm 72 x 102 paper size Edition of 60 http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/26/Tracey_Moffatt/73/32634/ In her films still Night Cries: A rural Tragedy 1989, she represents the truth and memory about a mother and daughter relationship with a focus on events that took place focusing on Death, childhood, loneliness and memory. The film brings forth the powerful issues related to the black and white relations of Australian history during the attempts to assimilate Australian Indigenous people into the white society, (http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/27504/qld_edu_kit_web.pdf) Tracey Moffatt: Night Cries: A Rural Tragedy, Still, 1989 http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/27504/qld_edu_kit_web.pdf Tracey Moffatt . The interest in Aboriginal art which has flourished since the 1970s has created new opportunities for indigenous artists, as their work leaves the communities to be shown in museums and galleries around the world. Meanwhile, the imperatives to produce art for traditional purposes continue, and the expanded environment in which indigenous art now operates has created further compelling reasons for artists to continue expressing the values of their culture to the wider world. In the public domain, Aboriginal art can be appreciated for its spirituality and aesthetic qualities, and as a reflection of the social and political achievements and aspirations of the peoples who create it. . Avril Quaill: World of Dreamings, Traditional and modern art of Australia, An exhibition held at the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg | 2 February 9 April 2000 H , Robinson: Feminism-art-theory: an anthology, 1968-2000, Wiley-Blackwell, 2001 Bonwick, J., John Batman, the Founder of Victoria, Melbourne: Samuel Mullens, 1867. Caruana, W., et al, The Eye of the Storm: Eight contemporary indigenous Australian artists, Canberra: National Gallery of Australia, 1996. Cooper, C., Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections in Overseas Museums, Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press, 1989. Elder, B., Blood on the Wattle: Massacres and maltreatment of Australian Aborigines since 1788,second edition, Sydney: New Holland Publishers, 1998. Moon, D. & Krause, J., Deutsche Auswanderer Hope and Reality, History of the nineteenth century German settlement of Mount Cotton in south east Queensland, Cleveland, Queensland:Redland Museum Inc., 1999 Gordon bennetts ref: Gordon Bennett, The manifest toe in Ian McLean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 33 Ian McLean, Towards an Australian postcolonial art in Ian McLean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 99 Gordon Bennett, The manifest toe in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p. 22 Rebecca Lancashire, Blurring the lines of history, The Age, Monday 5 May , 1997 Kelly Gellatly, Citizen in the Making: The art of Gordon Bennett in Gordon Bennett (exh. cat.), National Gallery of Victoria, 2007 p. 16 Gordon Bennett, The manifest toe in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p. 34 Gabriella Coslovich, Bennett puts on a brave face, The Age, 28 April, 2004 Ian McLean, Towards an Australian Postcolonial Art in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p.105 Gordon Bennett & Chris McAuliffe, Interview with Gordon Bennett in Rex Butler (e d.) What is Appropriation? An Anthology of Writings on Australian Art in the 1980s and 1990s. IMA Publishing, Brisbane, 2004, p. 27 http://leonildeviljoen.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/fiona-foley/ http://www.quitnow.info.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/C143D432E3817918CA2571F10000CC3A/$File/indall.pdf http://www.newrepublics.com/GordonBennettHomeDecor.pdf http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/33990/cda_5.pdf http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go1931/is_1_27/ai_n29415749/ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go1931/is_1_27/ai_n29415749/pg_2/?tag=content;col1 http://www.artaustralia.com/images/currentbookpdf/Tracey%20MoffattVol41No2.pdf http://www.artlink.com.au/articles.cfm?id=2596 http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/00/10/night.html
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Power of Critical Theory for Adult Learning and Teaching
Power of Critical Theory for Adult Learning and Teaching Unmasking Power Stephen Brookfield in the Power of Critical Theory for Adult Learning and Teaching, OUP Maidenhead 2005 Brookfields chapter on the unmasking of power leads him immediately to consideration of the French theorist, Michel Foucault, by whom he was first introduced to the concept of regimes of truth: the types of discourse which it (society) accepts and makes function as true (Foucault). Regimes of truth operate to lull teachers into believing they are operating in a power free setting. Brookfield uses Foucaults description of power to explore the paradox that apparently emancipatory adult education practices can contain oppressive dimensions. Brookfield rebrands Foucault as a critical theorist on two grounds, firstly that he focuses, in a Marxian fashion, on how existing power relations reproduce themselves and secondly, that he is self-critical about his own theoretical formulations of power. I quote Marx without saying so. (Foucault). However, Foucault did not see power only as being imposed from above by a dominant elite. Using the analogy of the connections made by synapses, power is seen as flowing throughout the social body. We are all implicated in the exercise of power, even we do not believe we possess it. Fundamental to Foucaults analysis of power is the idea of disciplinary power which is malevolently attentive to our every move and which is constantly exercised by means of surveillance exemplified by a panopticon. Brookfield balances this analysis of power with what Foucault sees as its necessary corollary, resistance. Like power, resistance can be found in multiple places and can be integrated in global strategies. One example given of this is how oppositional groups can use the internet to organise effectively. Foucault himself was deeply involved in contravening the status quo because he believed in essence that theory is practice. Looking at the world we now inhabit, it is clear that the all-seeing operation control centres in new prisons are replicated in many other areas of our lives including education, social services and workplaces. Foucaults concept that surveillance is permanent in its effects, even if it is discontinuous in its action, strikes a very sombre chord, particularly as we are voluntarily submitting ourselves, more and more, to such surveillance through the use of social media. Images and comments from decades ago can be retrieved with ease. We may have moved on, but what we did or said is frozen in time, ready to be immediately defrosted at a touch of a search button. Within education, opportunities for asynchronous learning through virtual learning environments can in fact be perfect weapons of surveillance used to assess the apparent engagement of the learner with the materials provided. The idea that we can derive pleasure from disciplining ourselves is disturbing, but it rings true. Brookfield makes an association between this and Gramscis notion of most peoples willingness happily to embrace ideas, value and interests which actually work against our freedom. Brookfield applies Foucaults ideas across a number of staple items in the adult educators toolkit: learning journals, learning contracts and discussion groups, and shows how such techniques, which we adopt unquestioningly, can inadvertently reinforce the discriminatory practices we seek to challenge. The effect of disciplinary power on education resonated with me. Far from the mutuality that pervades the relationship of a voluntary tutor with a 1:1 student or the collaborative learning in small groups, the drive for perpetual assessment and indicative content of courses drives tutors to assign individual projects so that collaborative projects are seen as a plagiaristic diversion of the intellectually weak. Similarly the discrete tests which make up the awards system serve technological rather than educational ends. That simply is not the way learning happens. Brookfields example of changing seating practices made an impression on me. Despite the unquestioning belief on the part of many adult educators that it has an equalising effect, in fact such actions do not magically do away with power, but rather displace it and reconfigure it. Circular seating can be intimidating, too open and too exposed and thus not necessarily less oppressive. Word count: 653
Monday, August 19, 2019
Gullivers Travels :: essays research papers
The Evolution of Gulliver In Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, the main character, Gulliver, embarks on numerous journeys bringing him to strange lands and affecting his views of the world around him. His response to each voyage differ as do his ideas and reactions to the environment in which he is residing. Gulliver begins his expeditions with a very social and open behavior while possessing a general acceptance of any newly encountered beings. But by the end of the fourth voyage, Gulliver leans toward a more anti-social attitude which was derived from the hatred and disgust he has for human beings, the “Yahoos.'; Â Â Â Â Â As for the first voyage to Lilliput, Gulliver acts very sociable with all of the different creatures he comes in contact with. Once he arrives on the unknown island, he begins to explore the land around him. After being brought into the city, Gulliver remains subservient towards the Lilliputians by staying chained up near his hut without acting out and attempting to break free which would have most likely been a successful attempt. This subservience created enough trust of the “Man-Mountain'; by the Lilliputian king that it was declared that his liberty hath been granted when he could have easily crushed and killed these little people. Gulliver is also very eager to be able to interact with the creatures and this is evident when in a few weeks he “made a great progress in learning their language'; (68). He is also quite helpful and there are two definitive cases of Gulliver displaying this helpfulness in the country of Lilliput. The first occurs when he obeys the orders of the king to destroy his opposition’s navy and ends up stringing up the navy of Blefuscu rendering them helpless. Then he saves the fiery palace by relieving himself onto it, extinguishing the flames. As you can see throughout the first voyage, Gulliver was very sociable and friendly to those he came in contact with. Â Â Â Â Â An anti-social behavior is then exhibited near the end of the last voyage, after he leaves the country of the Houyhnhnms, because of his new found disgust and hatred for the rest of the world especially the “Yahoos.'; This is evident almost immediately when Gulliver first encounters natives on the new island. Unlike previous encounters with new people, he “made what haste [he] could to the shore'; to quickly retreat from an impromptu meeting (333). His sole purpose after leaving the Houyhnhnm land was “to discover some small island uninhabited, yet sufficient by [his] labour to furnish [himself] with the necessaries of life, which [he] would have thought a greater happiness than to be first Minister in the politest Court of
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Leaving Corporate America to Buy a Website :: Sell Websites Buy Web Sites
Leaving Corporate America to Buy a Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com As a Group Manager of VotanWeb, I receive a lot of email. One frequently asked question relates to making the transition from the corporate world to the entrepreneurial world of the internet. Many people have always dreamed of owning a web site and finally they decide to move toward that dream. They wonder how much money they need to invest as well as how they can obtain financing to purchase an existing website. Often, they have plenty of experience and determination, but very little money. I must make it very clear that it is rare for anyone to purchase a website without putting some of their own cash into it. Few website acquisitions are 100% financed. There is no free lunch. Any potential lender or investor will want to see that you are putting your own money into the website. There are many sources of money to finance the purchase of a website. Many online entrepreneurs start with a second mortgage on a home, tapping into their existing equity. Others are successful starting with funds from friends or family members. This could be either a loan or an investment in return for a piece of the business. Either way, make certain that it's spelled out in writing and all parties understand what they're getting into. The Small Business Administration is another possibility. Remember, the SBA does NOT lend money for people to buy websites. The SBA guarantees loans made by lenders, up to a certain amount, for small website acquisitions. There are both good and bad points to an SBA loan. The good news is that there is money available; up to $1,300,000. The terms for repayment are favorable. When a website passes the SBA qualifications, you can be fairly confident that it is a solid website. If you do not have at least 25% equity in your home, you may not have to fully collateralize the loan. Typically, they will finance 70-80% of the deal. It might be possible to secure seller financing if you've demonstrated some knowledge of the market and you can convince the website owner that you have a high probability of success. If you have risen up through the corporate ranks, then you have already demonstrated leadership skills. Investors look upon track records of leadership with approval.
Essay example --
The Scarlet Letter starts off by throwing Hester Prynne into drama after being convicted for adultery in a Puritan area. Traveling from Europe to America causes complications in her travel which also then separates her from her husband, Roger Chillingworth for about three years. Due to the separation, Hester has an affair with an unknown lover resulting in having a child. Ironically, her lover, Arthur Dimmesdale, is a Reverend belonging to their church who also is part of the superiors punishing the adulterer. No matter how many punishments are administered to Hester, her reactions are not changed. Through various punishments, Hester Prynne embraces her sin by embroidering a scarlet letter â€Å"A†onto her breast. However, she is also traumatized deep within from everything she’s been through. Nathaniel Hawthorne depicts this story of sin by using rhetorical devices such as allusion, alliteration and symbolism. The first rhetorical device used is allusion. An allusion is used to make a reference to a person, place, or thing that has happened. â€Å"they marked out the first burial-ground, on Isaac Johnson's lot, and round about his grave.†After finding a new colony, they allot a portion of soil to a cemetery in King’s Chapel and another portion of land to a prison. Hawthorne uses this to hint something is going to happen later in the story and by saying the Puritans first built a prison and a cemetery before anything else basically leads the whole story to what we know. As we find out at the end, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale develops a heart disease from stress of the sin he has committed and eventually dies confessing his love for Hester Prynne. In this allusion, a prison, one of the first marks in the town, is built. We le... ...ven symbolize the lesson taught in The Scarlet Letter is beautiful, despite its tragic ending. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses allusion, alliteration and symbolism to tell the perfect story. Anyone can infer from this novel that adultery is obviously wrong. Adultery doesn’t only affect the two people who have committed it, but also affects the townspeople. Keeping quiet causes extreme pain and suffering. The townspeople are always suspicious of each other and no one can trust anyone. Because Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale kept his secret bottled up and Hester admitted to the whole thing, he was left to suffer from guilt. If Dimmesdale came out and told the truth, maybe he would have been spared, lived a free life and survived long enough to spend time with the one he truly loved, Hester Prynne. That means the prison and cemetery wouldn’t mean anything in the future.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Alexander Pope’s poem The Rape of the Lock Essay
There are several aspects to Alexander Pope’s poem, The Rape of the Lock which cement it as a unique and important work. Not only do Pope’s use of imagery and other literary tools create a landscape of the world which is represented here, but Pope also creates the feeling of total emersion into the story for the reader.            There are also many individual issues, within the work itself, which utilize their social standing to create emotion for the reader, such as the consumption of drugs throughout The Rape of the Lock. This creates an emotional bond with between the reader and the character within the poem by forcing the reader to make judgments on the characters. This judgment, then, becomes part of the reader’s vision of the world Pope created within the poem.            While the poem itself was called to be written by Pope’s close friend, to end the feud between two families, what Pope succeeds in creating was an epic of lust, debauchery and social posturing. This tale, spun by Alexander Pope, seems just as much a condemnation of the social stratification of his era, as it is a plea for well-born families to put aside their petty squabbles. The events leading up to the writing of the poem, as explained by Pope were:            The stealing of Miss Belle Fermor’s hair, was taken too seriously, and caused an             estrangement between the two families, though they had lived so long in great friendship      before. A common acquaintance and well    wisher to both desired me to write a poem to              make a jest of it, and laugh them together again. It was with   this view that I wrote the Rape of the Lock. (Pope) This partly explains the use of the term â€Å"Rape†in the title. The use of such a strong word to describe such an inane event illustrates Alexander Pope’s fondness of parody – as well as his ability to illustrate the strange and often humorous idiosyncrasies of the wealthy elite.            As Pope begins his five act poem, his first line both questions and accuses the parties involved in the rivalry by asking what â€Å"trivial things†could have been seen as such a â€Å"dire Offence†. The assault which is spoken of by Pope in this first canto is described as being committed by a â€Å"well-bred Lord†upon a â€Å"gentle Belle†. This assault is also questioned, in that Pope asked how a â€Å"Belle†could refuse the advances of such a well-born man. It is the assumption, from this early exchange, that it was socially expected that these two individuals, most certainly due to their social standing, would have no choice but to form a physical union – completely ignoring any personal choice in the matter.            Throughout the first canto, there are several examples of instances where Pope created a strange sense of reality through his use of word choice and order. Calling to attention the vision of a â€Å"birth-night beau†, a very festive and happy image, Pope juxtaposes the idea of non-consensual relations and enters into a dream-state. The allusions that Pope creates here are a very white and pure scene. The use of imagery such as the slippers, â€Å"silver sound†, and Belinda laying her head against her â€Å"downy pillow†creates a setting of safety and warmth.            In line twenty four of the first canto, the poem begins to take on a decidedly fantastic feel. This is used to create the sense that Belinda is truly a slothful person. As she arises at noon, the reader is told that she returns to sleep – creating a sense of an unpressured and possibly spoiled girl with no responsibilities.            The dreams of Belinda are also illustrated here. Pope mentions several types of fantastic characters in this section which illustrate the unrealistic world Belinda inhabits. The angels and elves which Pope mentions number in the thousands – and through them, illustrate the mental age of Belinda – that of a child. These creatures also set up the meaning of the first canto, the warning of Belinda.            In the clear Mirror of thy ruling Star I saw, alas! some dread Event impend, E’re to the Main this Morning Sun descend. But Heav’n reveals not what, or how, or where: Warn’d by thy Sylph, oh Pious Maid beware! This to disclose is all thy Guardian can. Beware of all, but most beware of Man! (Pope 1.108-114) This warning shows the reader, in Pope’s mock-epic style, that some sort of tragedy is about to unfold for Belinda.            This fantastical illustration continues through the end of the first canto. Pope uses the personification of the items in Belinda’s room to create the creatures which she sees through her dreams. Line 135 is a perfect example of this as Pope writes: â€Å"The Tortoise here and Elephant unite, / Transform’d to Combs†. It is obvious to the reader that Pope is describing a tortoise shell and ivory comb. However, in the dream world of Belinda, this object is represented by its literal components before losing this personification and becoming a tool to create Belinda’s physical beauty.            The second canto is used to by Pope to illustrate the importance of hair to the physical beauty of Belinda. Her majestic persona is described by Pope in order to place a heavy weight on the locks of hair she will eventually lose to the impetuous Lord.            Pope exaggerates Belinda’s physical attractiveness and the attractiveness of her jewelry as well. Though she is surrounded by many well presented youths, all adorned in splendor, â€Å"ev’ry Eye was fix’d on her alone†(Pope 2.6) Her physical beauty, as Pope describes it, is accentuated by the cross around her neck – which was so spectacular that â€Å"Jews might kiss, and Infidels adore†. (2.8) The power of a piece of jewelry to overcome religious conviction is very unlikely, however, for Pope, this is a perfect way to illustrate the perceived power of high social standing of the wealthy elite. For the members of the elite families of England, the importance of visual presentation cannot be over-stated, not even when compared to religion. Though the symbol she wears is a Christian icon, its beauty – both from its construction and the fact that it is being worn by a young girl of such attractiveness as Belinda, it could seemingly convert Jews and heathens from their chosen dogmas.            It is also in canto two that the Baron, who will perpetrate the rape of the lock, is introduced. Lines twenty nine and thirty of the second canto reads: â€Å"Th’ Adventrous Baron the bright Locks admir’d, / He saw, he wish’d, and to the Prize aspir’d†. This introduction of the Lord creates an interesting situation for the reader. Despite the several dozen lines of text which describe the beauty of Belinda’s clothing, jewelry as well as her physical features, it is the locks of hair that hang against her neck which the Baron first sets eyes upon, and subsequently longs for.            The first feelings of the Baron are shown to be violent in nature.            Resolv’d to win, he meditates the way,                By Force to ravish, or by Fraud betray;                For when Success a Lover’s Toil attends,                Few ask, if Fraud or Force attain’d his Ends.                (2.31-34) This illustration of the man’s intent shows the reader that the Baron does not visualize the hair on Belinda as a part of Belinda – if he recognizes Belinda at all. The hair that hangs on her neck, however, is instantly revered as a stately prize.            It is also through this section that the locks of hair are given a sexual persona. At no time does the Baron speak, or think of Belinda as a source of joy, but rather her hair as an all encompassing quest. The immediacy of the Baron’s passion for the locks of Belinda’s hair illustrates a very important aspect of his personality – the trophy is more important than the conquest. It is the intent of the Baron to display the locks of hair, as one would display a commendation. The locks of would signify the physical conquest of the beauty of Belinda – whether or not that conquest ever actually occurred.            The signification given to the locks of hair on Belinda’s head is that of her chastity. By removing them, the Baron, in so much as it was seen in the times, had given Belinda the equivalent of a badge of promiscuity. The path through which the Baron achieves his goal, is illustrated through a card game. though this game is seemingly innocuous, it symbolizes to very distinct and overt actions – the first being war, with the direct imagery within the poem, and the other being sex, by the eventual winning of the locks of chastity by the Baron.            The victory of the card game enables the Baron to cut the locks of hair from Belinda’s head. This action, keeping with the tone of the title of the poem, is illustrated violently – though the reality of the action was certainly far less extraordinary.            The Peer now spreads the glitt’ring Forfex wide,                T’inclose the Lock; now joins it, to divide.                Ev’n then, before the fatal Engine clos’d,                A wretched Sylph too fondly interpos’d;                Fate urg’d the Sheers, and cut the Sylph in twain,                (But Airy Substance soon unites again)                The meeting Points that sacred Hair dissever                From the fair Head, for ever and for ever!                (3.147-154) The words used by Pope in this stanza are undoubtedly violent. Though the Baron is removing the hair with the pressured permission of Belinda, Pope chooses to paint this scene as though the Baron was attacking her, killing her, and/or ravaging her body. Pope also uses strange images to create the picture in the reader’s mind. Line 148 states that the scissors were closed around the hair, cutting it; however, the language chosen by Pope creates the image of both conjunction and disjunction.            This stanza is followed by:            Then flash’d the living Lightnings from her Eyes,                And Screams of Horror rend th’ affrighted Skies.                Not louder Shrieks to pitying Heav’n are cast,                When Husbands or when Lap-dogs breath their last,                Or when rich China Vessels, fal’n from high,                In glittring Dust and painted Fragments lie!                (3.155-160) This violence that is being spoken of here, as intended by Pope, creates the feeling of murder, and military conquest. The emotions that Pope takes advantage of here, are for the express purpose of illustrating the over-exaggerated weight placed in the locks of hair. This scene is intentionally written so violently, as to show the reader that the members of this social stratum have little understanding of the true importance of things – such as locks of hair.            Throughout canto four, Pope makes several allusions to the act of torture. It is the intent of these lines to show the reader that the taking of the locks of hair, for Belinda, however insignificant as they may truly be, was a painful and violating event. Meanwhile, the Baron, himself, calls into question the validity of the social significance of the hair: â€Å"While the Fops envy, and the Ladies stare! / Honour forbid! at whose unrival’d Shrine / Ease, Pleasure, Virtue, All, our Sex resign†. (4.104-107)            The remainder of the poem, for Pope, further illustrates the illogical amount of importance placed on the loss of Belinda’s hair. The insistence that â€Å"Fate and Jove†where in the audience of this event, illustrates for the reader that the society which Pope is lampooning here feels that the Christian God and the pagan gods would be affronted by witnessing such a horrible action. Pope also suggests that the loss of Belinda’s locks would be of such great importance to the surrounding women in her life that their own lives would come to a halt – â€Å"For who cam move when fair Belinda fails?†(5.4)            Pope offers no redemption for the couple, or the society they inhabit. By line ninety-four of the fifth canto, Belinda and the Baron engage in actual combat. Pope uses this fight to further illustrate the complexity of this society’s skewed priorities.             Now meet thy Fate, incens’d Belinda cry’d,                And drew a deadly Bodkin from her Side.                (The same, his ancient Personage to deck,                Her great great Grandsire wore about his Neck                In three Seal-Rings which after, melted down,                Form’d a vast Buckle for his Widow’s Gown:                Her infant Grandame’s Whistle next it grew,                The Bells she gingled, and the Whistle blew;                Then in a Bodkin grac’d her Mother’s Hairs,                Which long she wore, and now Belinda wears.)                (5.86-96) The fact that the petite and beautiful Belinda pulls a blade from her side, and attacks the Baron with it, is against the idea of the age – where men are the fighters and women are weak in and in need of protection.            This attack by the young maiden is followed by the powerful Baron’s begging for his life – â€Å"ah, let me survive†. (5.101) This, again, goes against the expectations of the reader, creating a setting of irrationality. These actions by Pope to create this skewed reality, are effective in forcing the reader to see the entire world of The Rape of the Lock as improbable.            Throughout the poem, Pope utilizes the tools of the ancient epic poems to create a sense of importance and truth to the work. Just as Homer had with his Iliad, Pope creates a tale of heroic and historical importance. However, this is simply a ploy to expose the utter lack of importance of the issue at hand. The entirety of the poem is an exaggeration of the expectations of the reader, and their knowledge of history and poetic license.            The complexity of Pope’s couplet rhyming as well as the loose iambic lines, suggest that the work is meant to be seen just as the historical epics had been. However, the use of exaggerated metaphors and unlikely situations confront that sense of importance – and overpower it. The voice that Pope uses throughout the poem allows the reader to feel at ease with the untrustworthiness of the narrator.            It was the intent of Alexander Pope to illustrate a situation in which a ludicrous amount of importance was placed on a fairly insignificant object – hair. Though the fact is never revealed within the poem, hair regrows naturally. This means that regardless of the taking of the hair by the Baron, given ample time, the hair would be replaced and the event completely forgotten. However, as with the strain between the two families for which Pope was inspired to write about, the event was seen as somewhat of a major catastrophe. WORKS CITED Pope, Alexander. The Rape of the Lock. University of Massachusetts. Date of access: April 27, 2007. URL: http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~sconstan/index.html
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