Caffeine Community Essay

As we go about our busy lives, going here, there and everywhere like a colony of ants building up supplies for the winter, we never truly take a moment to look at the world around us, stop to smell the roses, to coin a popular phrase. We never seem to take in the sights, sounds, smells and feelings that we often disconnect ourselves from in our obsession to make the world a perfect place. There is hardly a moment that we stop to notice the other people around us that even though we do not know them from Adam, they could enrich our lives without us even knowing it, if we just took the time for a smile and polite hello. These people can remind us that there is a diverse world of goals and aspirations. It is quite amazing where such an event can happen. Going for a daily coffee at a favorite cafe can bring about this epiphany. As one sits in this modern coffee shop that caters to the needs of young and old alike, one can look around and simply see the decorative art work on the walls, the small scratches in the table that sits in front of you. But let’s look at little deeper and see the true character of the environment around us. What brought about the scratch in the table. Is it just normal every day wear and tear caused by the many people coming and going to take in their hurried morning coffee or could it, perhaps, be caused by say a bored teenager waiting for the long walk to school, using their pen to make back and forth marks in the table. As one sits and contemplates this, they can take a look around and recognize the other sights, sounds and smells of the little cafe. As one looks two tables away, an elderly man helps his wife to the seat at their table with a gentle hand and beaming smile. They look into each other’s eyes lovingly as a couple would do in an old time movie. He tells her,† have a seat dear and I’ll get our coffees. I still love you very much. The distinct voice patterns give away the fact that they are from New York, but they are very much home in their little coffee community. As the manager of the store brings over their order, they engage him in conversation about how he likes working at this particular place. In the meantime, a young man with the burly looks of a high school football player sits at the table next to the older couple and the gentleman begins a lively chat about the sport of football. A sudden, intoxicating smell of fresh brewed coffee and warm toasted bagels brings you out of your daydreams of a long and loving life with the man that you love, caused by the very happy couple. You look around to see a small table at the center of the busy room. There sit a mother and young daughter. The mother seated at the edge of her seat at the table, sipping on her steamy latte, and desperately trying to relate to her young teenage daughter in an attempt to keep the close relationship with her that she shared when the girl was little and thought that her mother was the only person in the world. The young daughter, dressed in what appears to be a dingy soccer uniform, absently sips on her orange juice with a distant look in her eyes thinking that she would much rather anywhere else but here with her boring mother. Thinking perhaps of that grassy field where she could be playing soccer with her friends, or maybe she is in chemistry class, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the cute boy across the room that she has a crush on. The mother gets a mixed expression of pain and lonliness on her face as she realizes that as she tries to hold onto her daughter, that the young girl is slowly drifting away. But that is the way of life, we do all we can to keep the bonds with our children even though deep down we realize that one day soon, we will have to send them from the nest to live their own lives. As the mother and daughter leave to spend their day with separate agendas, you hear the grating of metal against stone and look around to find the cause of the noise that makes your skin crawl and teeth hurt. You look up to see that the table by the window has grown from a six seat table for a cozy conversation for a small group, to a table fit for a King’s Court. Several smaller tables have been added to the larger one, reminding you of someone trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle. The creators of this elaborate set up are the group of regular coffee drinkers that start each day enjoying each other’s company and sharing their lives with each other. They are so diverse in appearance and personality. There is Martha with her perfectly coifed hair, outrageously oversized jewelry and too bright red lipstick, she is outspoken and her laugh sounds eerily like a hyena. She laughs and gathers everyone around her wanting to be the center of attention because maybe she is ignored at home. Sitting next to Martha is Charles. The tall, slender man sits back in his chair with the ease of man who is comfortable with himself and the way his life is. He is wearing a set of earphones with a microphone on them and one wonders why on earth what use he would have for such a contraption. Then the question is answered a few minutes later when he places a hand held amplifier to his neck and welcomes the newcomers to the table with a hardy good morning and a beaming smile, sounding very much like an electronic voice from a computer. He obviously has had some tragedy that has caused him to lose the use of his vocal cords and possibly hearing and the entire set up is a way for him to communicate with others. The use of this machine is an everyday occurrence and is second nature to him now. Like he doesn’t even know it is there. One has to wonder how this all came about. Is this a case of perfect strangers coming to start their lives each day in the same place? Perhaps this group of unique and diverse friends starts out with a simple smile, with an apprehensive good morning, like children on a playground for the first day of school trying to decide if it is okay to play with each other. Is it possible in this modern world where most people are concerned with number one that there are still people out there that are truly content with inviting others into their little world? You catch an additional name here and there, Tom, Grace, John and Mike. The smiles from the friends are genuine and the laughter is contagious. Everyone at this table is completely different in every way, yet very much the same. A diverse group with different backgrounds, goals, dreams, that found a common bond floating in a steamy, rich drink. Perhaps this group of friends started out like the two young men at the table next to mine. It is hard not to eavesdrop on the lighthearted and endearing conversation that these two obviously longtime friends are having. The two men were best friends in school and because of circumstances beyond their control, were separated to live their own lives. After spending four years being completely inseparable, the first young man left the country to protect the freedoms of his friend, while the second young man went on to college to earn a degree to protect the rights of the second young man. Relaxed and happy as if it has not been ten years since they have seen each other, only keeping in touch through emails and the occasional phone call. The young men chatter on about their lives and families as easily as a pair of school girls talking about the upcoming dance and what they are going to wear. They shuffle through a stack of pictures of the lives that they shared together and separately. Pointing and laughing at the precious, shared memories of times past, reliving the past as it was only yesterday. When they first entered the cafe, the small amount of tension was obvious as they barely spoke as they ordered their coffees and bagels and then waited to pay. By the time they sat down across from each other they were talking more freely and growing more comfortable with each other’s company. Watching these two men can make someone almost want to relive the past. Maybe go back and do things differently with a life that is half way gone. Looking at other people’s lives is like looking at a picture through a glass of water. We think we know what the real image is, it may look clear as a bell, but if we slow down for just a moment, remove the obstacle of the water and look closely and listen with earnest, we see that the picture we are envisioning in our minds may not be the reality of the lives we are surrounded by in this world. We tend to be so self-absorbed in our own lives, in our little world that leads us to believe that is revolves around us, which causes us to forget to look at the big picture and realize that we are all here together. There is an abundance of diversity and culture that we can see and listen to and learn from, and if we take the time to open ourselves up to others, to share what we feel and want with them and at the same time accept what they have to teach us about our lives, that we can enhance and enrich our lives in so many ways.

Love Obedience Duty Essay

The themes love, obedience and duty do not only run strongly throughout Romeo and Juliet, they are the main themes of the play and are essential motives for the many of the events that occur in the course of this play. These themes are of highly significant importance to the events that unfold in the play, the development of characters and the general ideas and values Shakespeare presents to the audience. The theme love is undoubtedly one of the most important, possibly most, themes in the play. It is because Romeo and Juliet fall in love with each other that most of the subsequent events occur. In Act II Scene II, the balcony scene, the two lovers express their romantic feelings for each other leading to their engagement (Lines 143-148: â€Å"If that thy bent of love be honourable†¦And follow thee my lord throughout the world†). Through this love the audience is able to see the hardships of love that the two unexperienced lovers go through, separation and ultimately death. The two characters are infatuated with each other and this drives them to become hasty with decisions. The development of both Romeo and Juliet’s characters links to the romantic love that they share. Romeo, at the beginning of the play feels he will never love again as Rosalind does not return his love (Act I Scene I Lines 221-222: â€Å"She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow Do I live dead that live to tell it now†) although this changes when he see Juliet. Juliet appears to be obedient and loyal to her family, promising to give Paris a chance (Act I Scene III Lines 97-99: â€Å"I’ll look to like†¦Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.†), until her love of Romeo tears her loyalties apart. It is not only this type of love (romantic) that this play explores. Loves such as dutiful love is displayed through Paris, who loves Juliet dutifully while Juliet is expected to do so to Paris (Paris shows this in Act V Scene III, bringing flowers to Juliet’s grave). Conditional love is shows through Juliet’s parents, who arrange her marriage, seemingly unjust, but arguably with her best interests at heart (Act III Scene IV Lines 12-17: â€Å"Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender Of my child’s love†¦on Wednesday next†). The  friendship between Mercutio, Benvolio and Romeo is another example of love that leads to events in the play. For instance, the death of Mercutio leads Romeo to seek revenge for his death (Act III Scene I Lines 122-129: â€Å"Alive in triumph, and Mercutio slain†¦Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.†). The fatherly relationship Friar Laurence and Romeo share can be a reason for the friar’s involvement in the play. Love connects the characters of the play to one another as they share some form of love in some way for another person. Love thus plays a significant role in the play. Obedience is a key theme in the play although it is less wide spread across characters. This theme is mostly relevant towards Juliet but it can be applied to Romeo as well. The issue of family honour versus personal gain is brought up by the way Juliet is required to listen to her father and marry Paris although she is in love with Romeo (Act III Scene V Lines 120-123: â€Å"I pray you, tell my lord and father†¦These are news indeed!†). The same can be applied to Romeo and his father. The two lovers are compelled to take their families side in this â€Å"civil brawl† and cannot be together. Thus, this theme provides the play with the complication and can therefore be said to be important. The theme of duty is one of great significance. Most characters belong to either the Montague or Capulet household so the theme is tied in. The idea presented is that one has a duty to follow the beliefs and values of your family even though you do not believe in them. Romeo is one such case. This is an important issue addressed, as Shakespeare could be satirical of society in this manner. Romeo and Juliet are able to break away from this and love one another even though they know it would not be approved of. This is a vital point in the play (Act II Scene II). Another form of duty is similar to obedience. It is the duty of having to obey, for instance Juliet is torn because she has a duty to obey her father and family values but she also has a duty to be loyal to her husband, Romeo (Act III Scene II Lines 73-85: â€Å"O serpent heart†¦In such a gorgeous palace.†). Duty, like the other two themes play just as important a role in the play. The three themes, love, obedience and duty, are obviously linked to one another. Obedience and duty are very much similar. Obedience and duty are connected to love because they prohibit and constrict it in many ways. Romeo and Juliet’s obedience and duty for their family made a barrier for their love. The play is simply about that. Thus, the importance and significance of all three themes together is apparent. Love, obedience and duty are the fundamental themes of the play Romeo and Juliet. The plot and story is based around these three themes and without them there would be no story. These three are also crucial in shaping the characters personalities as their feelings towards these three issues show the audience what they’re like. Love, obedience and duty are also important in the overall meaning of the play, addressing the problems and giving a coda or message. The above stated points draw a conclusion that the themes love, obedience and duty play significantly important roles in the play Romeo and Juliet.

Albert Einstein Essays (1603 words) - Albert Einstein, Free Essays

Albert Einstein Of all the scientists to emerge from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there is one whose name is known by almost all living people. While most of these do not understand this man's work, everyone knows that its impact on the world of science is astonishing. Yes, many have heard of Albert Einstein's General Theory of relativity, but few know about the intriguing life that led this scientist to discover what some have called, "The greatest single achievement of human thought." Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany on March 14, 1874. Before his first birthday, his family had moved to Munich where young Albert's father, Hermann Einstein, and uncle set up a small electro-chemical business. He was fortunate to have an excellent family with which he held a strong relationship. Albert's mother, Pauline Einstein, had an intense passion for music and literature, and it was she that first introduced her son to the violin in which he found much joy and relaxation. Also, he was very close with his younger sister, Maja, and they could often be found in the lakes that were scattered about the countryside near Munich. As a child, Einstein's sense of curiosity had already begun to stir. A favorite toy of his was his father's compass, and he often marvelled at his uncle's explanations of algebra. Although young Albert was intrigued by certain mysteries of science, he was considered a slow learner. His failure to become fluent in German until the age of nine even led some teachers to believe he was disabled. Einstein's post-basic education began at the Luitpold Gymnasium when he was ten. It was here that he first encountered the German spirit through the school's strict disciplinary policy. His disapproval of this method of teaching led to his reputation as a rebel. It was probably these differences that caused Einstein to search for knowledge at home. He began not with science, but with religion. He avidly studied the Bible seeking truth, but this religious fervor soon died down when he discovered the intrigue of science and math. To him, these seemed much more realistic than ancient stories. With this new knowledge he disliked class even more, and was eventually expelled from Luitpold Gymnasium being considered a disruptive influence. Feeling that he could no longer deal with the German mentality, Einstein moved to Switzerland where he continued his education. At sixteen he attempted to enroll at the Federal Institute of Technology but failed the entrance exam. This forced him to study locally for one year until he finally passed the school's evaluation. The Institute allowed Einstein to meet many other students that shared his curiosity, and It was here that his studies turned mainly to Physics. He quickly learned that while physicists had generally agreed on major principals in the past, there were modern scientists who were attempting to disprove outdated theories. Since most of Einstein's teachers ignored these new ideas, he was again forced to explore on his own. In 1900 he graduated from the Institute and then achieved citizenship to Switzerland. Einstein became a clerk at the Swiss Patent Office in 1902. This job had little to do with physics, but he was able to satiate his curiosity by figuring out how new inventions worked. The most important part of Einstein's occupation was that it allowed him enough time to pursue his own line of research. As his ideas began to develop, he published them in specialist journals. Though he was still unknown to the scientific world, he began to attract a large circle of friends and admirers. A group of students that he tutored quickly transformed into a social club that shared a love of nature, music, and of course, science. In 1903 he married Mileva Meric, a mathematician friend. In 1905, Einstein published five separate papers in a journal, the Annals of Physics. The first was immediately acknowledged, and the University of Zurich awarded Einstein an additional degree. The other papers helped to develop modern physics and earned him the reputation of an artist. Many scientists have said that Einstein's work contained an imaginative spirit that was seen in most poetry. His work at this time dealt with molecules, and

Analyzing WordPress Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analyzing WordPress Security - Essay Example In addition, at the present, there have emerged a number of dangerous automated security breaches and threats that take advantage of newly discovered privacy and security issues and vulnerabilities in WordPress. Until now, WordPress has been dealing with the security holes by releasing updates within a few days To date, WordPress has been dealing with the security holes by releasing updates within a few days of latest updates being established, however in the last few days new updates have come into view that nobody seems to have answers for.1 This report discusses different aspects of WordPress security, such as information security, breaches and possible security attacks. This report outlines a number of security aspects and possible kinds of attacks on WordPress websites. This report also discusses the reasons behind security attacks. This report will also present the potential solutions and paramours we can formulate for the effective security management while using the services of WordPress. Moreover, this report also outlines some real world examples of WordPress security and privacy breaches. ... In this scenario, divided security based vulnerability on one of the development web servers allowed a security hacker to initiate usable dirty code in the form of a back door to a number of downloads of WordPress version 2.1.1. However, the WordPress version 2.1.2 was released to deal with this problem. It was a recommended released at that time directed all the clients to improve instantly.2 In 2007, a research study outlined that 98 percent of WordPress blogs being executed were exploitable for the reason that they were operational out-of-date and using an unverified edition of the software. In June 2007, Mr. Stefan Esser, who was the initiator of the PHP Security Response Team has given an interview in which he seriously stated on the WordPress's security track record, stating issues with the system's architecture that made it gratuitously hard to write code that is protected from SQL injection vulnerabilities, and a number of further issues. Since then, WordPress has always been struggling for improving the overall privacy and security. In this scenario, the latest versions of the Wordpress offer additional features to deal with security issues. There were also some issues with the security plug-ins like that WP safety, WP safety Scan and a lot of other features.3 Attacks against WordPress This section presents an analysis of the security and privacy attacks that can be used against the WordPress website. In this scenario, the cross-site scripting is one of the most often seen web application vulnerabilities. Basically, vulnerability allows the security attackers to add dirty and malicious web scripts into the web sites. In this scenario, the malicious

Use of Robot in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Use of Robot in Business - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that robots are performing task allocation and bridge building work which can be compared with the algorithms of ants. For this purpose swarm bot has been implemented in the business industry. Swarm bot is nothing but the collection of simple robots which are using to carry heavy weighted objects and these are also helpful in planetary exploration and search & rescue operations. This essay outlines that robots are used in manufacturing cars. Apart from that it is used in many other types of electronic goods which are used for domestic purposes. For example this is used in vacuum cleaner which is required to clean the rooms. Now the automobile manufacturing companies and the vacuum cleaner manufacturing companies are using these robotic equipments in a wide range so that they can provide improved item to its customers. In the hospital business and in the medicine field robot plays a very important role. For example – Neuro Arm is such kind of robotic equipment which can do both biopsy-stereotaxy and micro surgery. This will bring success to generate more business in a modern hospita. Foxconn, the famous i-phone manufacturing company in Taiwan expanded the automation in its manufacturing plants and is going to implement more than one million robots in next three years for improving the productivity. There are so many benefits for using robot in the busi ness activities. Robot can increase the quality of products and services. It can improve the standard of supplier materials; create more efficient and effective manufacturing units and plants.

A Question of Discrimination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Question of Discrimination - Research Paper Example In other words, the equal rights legislation covers the Federal Government’s prevailing concerns in employment as emancipated by the EEOC. This in return should remind every company to abide by this rule. Based on the equal rights legislation and regulation emancipated by the EEOC, questions that at some point would lead to discrimination are strongly prohibited (National Archives, 2012; US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2012). These questions are not just discriminatory at some sort, but would degrade the civil rights as everyone has the freedom to life. Acquiring a job for instance is a form of meeting this life’s basic concern. Discriminatory questions during job interviews would at some point undermine this elemental human right. What Dan and Alex manifested that would make Ruth cringe was a violation to the basic human rights at work that falls under other relevant employment conditions. At some point, their actuation was a significant manifestation of a discriminatory deed, creating a hostile environment for Ruth at work. In this regard, the management should ensure emancipating core values and policies against acts that would create a hostile environment for employment. Up to this moment, Jennifer and Mel should familiarize EEO-related matters. The reason why they could not implement the right procedure against actions that are becoming hostile to employment is due to lack of actual know-how on the EEO-related matters. Even though they might have knowledge of it, they have no confidence in implementing company policies in line with EEO-related matters. The company core values should be set and this should have its basic foundation on EEO. National Archives. (2012). Teaching With Documents: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved from

Environmental law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Environmental law - Essay Example Along with the passing of an enabling statute, there is also the power to investigate violations of rules and judicial power to adjudicate disputes an agency may have with individuals or businesses (Kubasek & Silverman, 2000). Administrative agencies have three ways of making rules: informal, formal and hybrid ones – all governed by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). In informal rule making, an agency starts the process by publishing the proposed law in the Federal Register, together with a justification of the legal power for issuing the law. It also describes how people can be part of the rule making procedure, and invites those interested in submitting written comments. The agency then evaluates the comments and publishes the adopted law in the Federal Register. It bears a statement of its purpose and the date it becomes effective. Formal rule making occurs when an enabling statute stipulates that all regulations be passed by an agency as part of a formal inquiry process that includes an official transcript. The process starts in the same way as the informal one. However, it also includes a public hearing where witnesses give testimonies on advantages and disadvantages of the proposed law. A transcript of the hearing is maintained. An adopted law based on the received information is then published. Hybrid rule making combines the best features of informal and formal rule making in an attempt to minimize their flaws. It starts with publishing the proposed law in the Federal Register followed by informal public hearings and a restricted cross examination of witnesses. The adopted laws are then published. Administrative agencies have had a positive impact on local living environments. For instance, the EPA sets rules limiting the level of hazardous air pollutants an industry may emit into the atmosphere (Kubasek & Silverman,

Novel of John Cheever The Bullet Park and The Five Forty Eight by John Essay

Novel of John Cheever The Bullet Park and The Five Forty Eight by John Cheever - Essay Example The great thing about John Cheever was his capacity for invention. (Donaldson,1998).He merges compassion and wit while maintaining the absurdity of the surroundings’ and pointlessness of their behaviors and actions, his stories hold out the hope of redemption in love and sense of revenge and unforgiving attitude Such as in the story â€Å"Five-forty-Five† and his novel† The bullet park†. John Cheever was a complex person himself and during the course of his life he was saddled by the habit of alcoholism and infidelities but he presented himself so earnestly as a Man in Brooks’ brother suit, his life was as contradictory as his characters and so his writing is not neat and raises so many questions and answer’s very less.(The guardian,2009).  Cheever rightly described himself near the end of his life, in a heartbreaking sentence: "I am one of those old men; I am like a voyager who cannot remember the streams he has travelled." (Gottlieb,2002). Vengeance and conflict due to spiritual and moral emptiness is evident between contradictory characters. In the novel â€Å" The Bullet Park†, author portrays an array of well kept houses and more than well mannered people of the town the Bullet Park but Cheever’s characters always has a double meaning to them and an unobserving reader might fail to see the crouching beast dangerously hidden behind those well kept houses. The story unfolds as a fateful intersection of two men the innocent Eliot Nailles and his nemesis, Paul Hammer, whose object is to murder his neighbor's son, takes place. The novel has an aura of retribution from the beginning. For example the chosen names for the characters are Hammer and Nailles, which show the exact opposite of each other and every quality of hammer is lacked in a nail. It is the first impression of reckless and conflicting situation between the two characters and the author tried to expose their rivalry for each other by his blunt , quite witty and creative writing.(Shannon,1998) Cheever’s view of rivalry and revenge is also seen in the description of his characters as the two main characters’ were exactly opposite of each other, in short the characters are also in the state of conflict, not just in their names but also in their defining characters as well. In the beginning the complete description of Elliot Nailles is given as person, who is responsible, loving and caring in short a good man but incomplete because he is a simple minded optimist who keeps his expectations to the sky no matter what befalls him. He is a simple man so uncomplicated that the intricacies of life disgust him. According to him anything but action should be taken in demanding situations or emotions should not be valued so much in front of responsibilities. Elliot’s son Tony is another one of his dilemmas, as he refuses to leave his bed just because he feels sad and Nailles is stumped the plight of his son. On the other hand Hammer is everything Nailles is not, a bastard son of a mother and absent father. With his dashing looks Hammer represents instability, restlessness and irregularity of his character. Where Nailles was utterly simple, Hammer is so complex that he is unable to understand himself. His sinful life became a reason for depression and he takes decision to sooth his conscience with sacrifice. Now here what is notable, is lack of logic behind the planned murder. There is no explanation of why and what. In Cheever’

Bruxism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bruxism - Essay Example In one study, it was found that the level of pressure exerted on the teeth, gums and joints is as high as three times the forces experienced during normal chewing (Castaneda, 1992: 46). In the case of those individuals who experience bruxism primarily when they’re asleep, the condition may not be diagnosed until well after complications arise, making it essential that the signs and symptoms of bruxism be recognized by dental practitioners as a means of reducing the level of damage. In learning to recognize the condition from a dental standpoint, it is important to note one of the primary symptoms of extreme bruxers is significantly worn down tooth enamel. â€Å"Instead of a white enamel cover, one often sees the more yellowish and softer dentin. The back teeth of some chronic bruxers often lose their cusps and natural contours, appearing instead flat, as if they had been worked over with a file or sandpaper† (Nissani, 2000a). This wearing down of the enamel has the obvious consequences of leaving teeth more vulnerable to cavity-causing bacteria requiring greater need for bridges, crowns, root canals, implants, partial dentures and sometimes even full dentures. â€Å"In one study, more than 75 percent of observed implant fractures occurred in patients with signs and histories of chronic bruxism. Hence, in cases of untreatable severe bruxism, the use of implants is strongly counterindicated† (Rangert et al, 1995). There are several other visible sy mptoms of bruxism as well. These include changes in appearance over time, as the teeth become shorter, bringing the chin and the nose closer together, and the overdevelopment of facial muscles, especially those most concerned with chewing. The causes of bruxism remain unknown. Stress is one important recognized factor in the development of the disorder, but other considerations may also play a part. In very young children, the disorder has a tendency to work itself out

A midsummers night dream Essay Example for Free

A midsummers night dream Essay Additionally, The nobles are a mirror image to the Mechanicals. The Mechanicals are completely opposite to the nobles. The nobles speak in Shakespeare’s elegant verse and are very rich and are also educated. Unlike, the mechanicals that do not speak in elegant verse but in proses and are lower class and are not well educated. The forest represents magic, instinct, love and dreams. It is symbolised by the fairies use of rhyming verse, and night. The prosaic Mechanicals here in the forest are another mirror image to the supernatural fairies. The Fairies are elegant; and speak in a four beat verse chant. So shall all the couples three. Ever true in loving be However, The Mechanicals are clumsy and earthly and speak in prose. I, One snout by name, present a wall. The mechanicals add understanding to the audience through love. In the mist of a supernatural war, the humble Bottom demonstrates something about the blind nature of love through his combination of dignity and foolishness. Reason and love keep little company together Bottom adds understanding to the audiences understanding by this quote. He explains that reason and love have nothing over love Bottom figures this out because he is ordinary, ands proving Theseus wrong. The Mechanicals main contribution is humour. This has the effect of diffusing tension. It grounds down the elevating romance of the lovers and the fairies, and adds to the audiences enjoyment. Shakespeare creates humour through various language techniques. One way in which he does this is by the comic effects of the names of the characters. Bottom name might prefer to a persons backside or an ass in which his head is turned into the head of an ass(donkey) In the play-within-a-play, flute plays Thisbe. The name Flute refers to a flute instrument, which is to a sour fruit â€Å"citrus†. This reflects his personality as he is bitter, serious and gets annoyed. High, pitched. In the play Flute has to put on a high voice as he plays a woman. Also Quince name refers Also the Mechanicals contribute humour by the misuse of their words. The mechanicals mix up their senses a lot in the play. The flowers of odious savours sweet an oxymoron is used here as Bottom mixes up his senses. The effect on the audience is obviously humour as it is a stupid mistake. As flowers do not smell horrible! The mechanicals also mix up senses I see a voice†¦. And I can hear my Thisbes face L187-188 [Bottom] Bottom un-deliberately mixes things up again by saying he sees a voice and hears Thisbes face. The effect on the audience is humour. The Mechanicals enhance the audiences understanding of the theme of love and it transforming power. Shakespeare uses humour to show the ugly can be made beautiful though love. ? What angel wakes me from my flowery bed†¦I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again† As the audience knows, Bottom cant really sing but the fact that love can change something ugly into something beautiful is what the Mechanicals add to the audiences understanding of the play. The contrast of the lazy Bottom and the beautiful Titania with her high status, her language and power underlines the transforming power of love and shows how people behave foolishly because of love. Although Bottom is ugly and uneducated he speaks wise words. Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful Shows that even though Bottom is ugly and clumsy his wise words about love Bottom shows the audience that love is unreasonable. The effect on the audience is that love is not about status, beauty or law. Which is what the Athenians believe love is about. Humour is used to explore the idea of drama and the conventions of the theatre in the play-within-the-play when Quince begins his prologue he takes away the drama and the tension from the play. He does by adding a speech before the play by reminding the audience a few things before the play starts I am to entreat you, request you are desire you to con them† Quince takes away tension in a humorous by telling the audience before hand that the Mechanicals are a little bit rubbish. Throughout the play-within-the-play Bottom dominates the play but misguides his own talent in many ways. Bottom throughout that play tries to dominate but makes silly while humorous mistakes. â€Å"O grim-looked night†¦O†¦O†¦O† Bottom repetition is entertaining as he is trying to make himself look like a good actor, He is trying to create this impression by using â€Å"o† a lot in his sentences. When Shakespeare uses the actors as the setting. Which are the wall and the moon. It shows the contrast of Shakespeare use of imagery to represent the scene, as there were no props and stage settings in those times. Also Flute says his lines all at once as the actors in the Elizabethan times would only know their own lines not the other actors. Which would be very humorous for the audience as the actors would be all jumbled up. The Mechanicals add enjoyment and understanding through the theme of love and through humour. The Mechanicals also contribute humour. And finally the Mechanicals increase the audiences perceptive of the theme of love and it transforming authority by using Bottom to say something intelligent about love. William Shakespeare uses the Mechanicals in the play for many reasons. Shakespeare uses the mechanicals to add understanding to the audience throughout the play. Also he uses the mechanicals for the audience’s enjoyment. â€Å"A Midsummers Night Dream is still popular for performers and audiences today as it is a play with bizarre and magical dreams and magic happenings thought out the play. Finally, because it is a humorous yet a moral play which anybody can learn from.

Management Control: Purpose and Strategies

Management Control: Purpose and Strategies Controlling is one of the four main functions in management. It is important to managers in order to ensure all planning, organising and leading run as smoothly as desired. If managers are able to ensure that each plan made and every task given to the employees are carried out perfectly, and the results expected is what had been planned, control is not required. Unfortunately, managers are not able to ensure these conditions will run smoothly without the occurrence of any problems since most planning is done by humans and humans are known to be diverse in terms of abilities, motivation and others. In a rapidly changing business environment, not only the expected results must be controlled, planning must also be monitored and controlled. 11.1.1 Definition of Control Management control is a systematic effort to fix or establish the standard of performance through planning objectives, designing information feedback systems, comparing true performance with the fixed standard, determining whether there are any disadvantages or weaknesses and taking suitable actions to ensure all resources within the organisation can be used in the most effective and efficient way in achieving the objective of the organisation. Control is the process of ensuring that organisational activities are running according to plan. This process can be carried out by comparing the true performance with the standard that has been established and taking corrective actions in order to rectify any distortion that does not comply with the standard. The main purpose of control in management is to prepare managers to face future or existing problems before they turn critical. In general, an organisation with a good control mechanism will have the advantage of competing strength compared to organisations without a good control system. The following are several examples of the importance of control for organisations: 11.1.2 Quality Assurance The smooth running of a particular process can be monitored and problems can be avoided by having control. Control is able to stimulate the organisation to monitor and increase the quality of products and services offered. Through the activities related to the control process, members of the organisation will always be driven to act according to the plans that have been established. 11.1.3 Preparation to Face Changes Change cannot be avoided. Change in environmental factors such as markets, competitors, technology and legislation makes the control process important for managers in responding towards opportunities and threats. Control helps the organisation to suit its products to the needs and wants of consumers in the market. 11.1.4 Steps in the Control Process A control process has three basic needs: fixing of standards to be used in measuring the level of growth; monitoring decisions and comparing it to the standards, that is, the comparison of the organisationà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s true performance with the planned performance; and finally, taking corrective actions in rectifying any disadvantages and weaknesses that occurred in achieving the performance that has already been set. Establishing Standards Standard is the base for comparison to measure the level of performance of a company in order to find out whether the company is compliant. Standard is the point of reference in making comparisons to another value. Standard can be defined as what is required out of a particular job or an individual. In management control, standards are usually derived from the objectives. Standards should be easy to be measured and interpreted. A specific objective that can be measured makes it more suitable to be used as a standard. If this standard is not clearly and specifically stated, it may be interpreted in a different way and will then raise various difficulties that can affect the goals of the organisation. In general, there are three types of standards: physical standard such as quantity of products and services, number of customers and quality of products and services; financial standard which is stated in the form of money, and this includes labour cost, sales cost, material cost, sales revenue, profit margin and others; and lastly, time standard which includes the performance rate of a particular task or the time period required to complete a particular task. Measuring Performance and Making Comparisons Performance measurement is a type of control. Actual results need to be monitored to ensure that output produced is according to the specific standard. The main purpose of performance monitoring is to gather data and detect deviation and problem areas. Measurement has no meaning if it is not compared to the standard. The next step is performing the comparison of standards. Comparison of standard is a process where comparison is made between the true performances with the standard set. This step is important because it allows any deviation or distortion to be detected and corrective actions can be taken in order to achieve the goals that have been set. Corrective Actions It is often found that managers establish standards and monitor decisions but do not take suitable actions. The first and second steps in control will be meaningless if corrective actions are not taken. Before taking any steps in correcting, detailed analysis must be carried out in order to find out the factors that caused the particular deviation. This corrective action may involve change in one or more operation activities of the organisation such as modification, repairing of machines, preparation of certain courses and others, or it might also involve a change in the fixed standard. Corrective action is a process of identifying the distorted performance, analysing the distortion and developing and implementing programmes in order to rectify it. 11.2 THE CONTROL PROCESS The running of a control process is a continuous act. This process cannot be done only once in order to gain the achievement expected. This is considered as a dynamic process. This dynamic process begins with looking at the true performance and measuring the achievement level of that particular performance. Managers will then compare the performance achieved with the performance that has been fixed. If there happens to be any difference, it must be analysed in order to identify the cause of the differences and this is followed by the correcting act. This process must be done repeatedly and must be given full attention by the manager in order to achive the performance goals set. 11.2.1 Basic Methods of Control According to Williams (2000), a control process consists of three basic methods which are identified as future control, concurrent control and feedback control. 11.2.2 Future Control This type of control is also known as prevention control. This involves the use of information, including information from the latest results, is to forecast what will happen in the future so that preventive measures can be taken. It is implemented to prevent the occurrence of deviation between what had really happened with what is expected to happen. Prevention is carried out through detailed analysis on the input before it is accepted into the process of organisation transformation. Input is ensured to comply with the quality standards established so that the results obtained are as expected. One example of the use of this control is when a manager ensures that the sample of raw material that is going to be used complies with the standard established by the organisation or based on certain specifications to avoid damage towards the product in the future. 11.2.3 Concurrent Control Concurrent control is carried out during the process of transformation. When this control is carried out, restoration actions, corrective actions or modifications are done after distortion is detected. For a production-oriented organisation, this controlling action is taken while input is being processed while for service-oriented organisations, it is taken while service is being provided. Through this method of control, organisations will monitor their operations and simultaneously take the necessary corrective actions before the transformation process is completed. This will help to reduce mistakes in the outputs being produced. Examples of this method of control are mid-term examinations, control of accounts, control of inventories and others. 11.2.4 Feedback Control Feedback control involves gathering information related to the weaknesses of controlling measures after an incident takes place. This type of control is implemented after the transformation process has been completed with the purpose of finding out whether the whole activity ran properly with results as expected. This control is also able to determine whether the plan that is going to be carried out has the continuity with the previous programme. It is also able to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the involved parties in performing the activities of the organisation. An example of this method of control is the use of low-quality raw materials that resulted in the production of low-quality products. The act of changing the raw materials used is one of the examples of feedback control. 11.2.5 Types of Control According to Williams (2000), there are five forms of control that can be used by managers in implementing the process of control à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ bureaucratic, objective, normative, concertive and self. Figure 9.3 illustrates these five forms of control. Bureaucratic Control This method uses hierarchy authority to influence employees. Rewards are given to employees who obey and punishment is meted out to employees who do not obey the policies, regulations and procedure of the organisation. Objective Control This method uses the measurement of observation towards the behaviour of employees or output produced to evaluate work performance. Managers are more focused on the observation or measurement towards the behaviour of employees or outputs rather than the policies or rules. Objective control consists of two forms of control; behaviour control and output control. Behaviour control Behaviour control is the rule of behaviour and actions that controls the behaviour of employees in their tasks. Output control Output control is the form of control that controls the output of employees by granting rewards and incentives. Important features in the implementation of output control are reliability, fairness and accuracy, convincing employees and managers to achieve the expected results while rewards and incentives depend on the performance standard that has been established. Normative Control Normative control is a method that arranges the behaviour of employees and results through norms and beliefs shared together among all the members within the organisation. There are two main substances in this type of control which are, sensitivity towards selection of employees based on their attitude and norms, and obtaining inspiration based on experience and observation of employees. Concertive Control This is a method that uses the norms and behaviour discussed, formed and agreed by the work group. This form of control plays a role in an autonomous work group. An autonomous work group is a work group that operates without the presence of a manager and is fully responsible for the control of process, task group, output and behaviour. Autonomous work groups gradually grow through two stages of concertive control. First, members work and learn from each other, supervising the work of each member and develop norms and beliefs that guide and control them. Secondly, the appearance and acceptance of objectives as guide and control of behaviour. Self Control It is a system where managers and employees control their own behaviour by establishing their own goals; monitor their own progress and their own achievements of goals, and reward themselves when goals have been achieved. EXERCISE 9.2 11.3 FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE CONTROLLED Determining the matters to be controlled is as important as making decisions on whether to control or in what method should control be done. There are several perspectives that need to be controlled by a manager in order for the organisation to be able to achieve the goals expected. 11.3.1 Financial Perspective One of the important areas that need to be controlled is finance. There are times when the financial performance does not reach the expected standard. If this condition remains undetected and relevant actions are not taken, the existence of the company might be in jeopardy. Financial perspective is generally related to activities such as sales, purchases and others. Financial statements are important sources of financial information for an organisation. A balance sheet shows how strong the financial position, assets, liabilities and the position of the equity holder for a certain financial period. A profit-loss statement or income statement shows the summary of the operational activities and the relationship between expenditure and revenue for a particular financial year. There is a new approach in the financial perspective known as economic value added. Economic value added is the total profit of a company which exceeds the capital cost in a particular year. In this perspective, a manager must impose control so that the total profit of a company always exceeds the capital cost for the company to continuously gain economic value added. 11.3.2 Human Resource Perspective The control towards human resources is vital for organisations. If an organisation is unable to control its human resources properly such as losing expert workforce hence it will jeopardise the performance and achievement of the company. Organisations need to have planning that is able to motivate the employees. For example, organisations need to be concerned regarding the problems faced by the employees by creating harmonious discussions between the management and the employees union. 11.3.3 Quality Perspective Internal operations of organisations are usually measured through quality. Operations control is very important for every organisation especially for manufacturing firms. This is because efficiency and effectiveness of operations control will determine the level of production and organisational performance as fixed by the standard. The quality value of products and services produced based on the standard will be able to strengthen the perception of the customers towards the quality of goods that they had purchased. For example, the control of product quality is able to reduce waste and product defects and this will further save cost. Inventory control is also effective in reducing the costs of investments related to inventory 11.3.4 Consumer Perspective In order to measure the performance of customers, an organisation needs to impose control on customers who leave the organisation and not based on the survey of customer satisfaction. In this perspective, the manager will make evaluation by measuring the percentage rate of customers who left the organisation. By controlling customers from leaving the organisation, a company will be able to increase profits. For example, the cost in obtaining a new customer is five times more compared to the cost of retaining an existing customer. SUMMARY The main purpose of management control is to prepare managers to face existing or future problems before it becomes critical. Management control has three basic needs: establishing standards; monitoring decision and comparing it to the standard; and making corrections on any distortion that occurred between the true decision and the standard. Control is a dynamic process because it is a continuous process. Control process consists of three basic methods: future control which is also known as prevention control; concurrent or present control; and feedback control. There are five forms of control that can be used by managers in implementing the control process: bureaucratic, objective, normative, concertive and self. In order to ensure that the organisation can achieve its goals, several important perspectives must be controlled à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ finance, human resource, quality and customers.

Bill Gates Essay -- Biography Biographies Computers Essays

Bill Gates William Henry Gates, III was born October 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington. He was the middle child of three born to William and Mary Gates. ATrey,@ as he was called because of the III, was sent to a private school by his father, a lawyer, and mother, a former teacher now on several prestigous boards (Moritz, 238). At age 13, Bill had completely taught himself programming after taking a computer studies class. After scoring a perfect 800 on the mathematics half of the SAT, he graduated from Lakeside school and enrolled at Harvard University as a prelaw major. As a student Gates was a wonder. He received an A in an economics class without attending and cramming the night before the final exam. In June 1975, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to pursue a career in computers full time. Later that year after dropping out of Harvard he moved to New Mexico. There he and Allen Kay established Microsoft to produce their Basic for the MITS. Eighteen months later they were a few hundred thousand dollars richer and were hired by Tandy to develop software for its radio shack computers. Gates and Allen then moved their headquarters to Seattle, Washington. In Seattle, Gates re-wrote an operating system and called it MS-DOS, which stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System. Microsoft would eventually sell the rights of MS-DOS to IBM, making it a major computer corporation. Other computer companies wanted Microsoft to produce software for their computers, including Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple computers. With the operating system established, Gates and Microsoft set out to create applications software, for tasks such as financial analysis or word processing. Microsoft has continued being successful through the years and will be in the future as long as ! it keeps innov ating new and exciting computer software. Bill Gates has his eye on the future. He sees the world in a Apowerful, high-speed network-both within companies and across the so called Information Superhighway@ (Brandt, 57). He hopes to be on top of the Transformation from Personal Computers to nets. Gates predicts that an explosion of low-cost, high-capacity, networks will radically alter how we use technology in the upcoming decade. Now before Bill Gates came onto the scene in the early seventies, the main focus in the computer world was hardware. Chips, circuit boards, capacitors... ...hedgehog called Sonic, is the industry=s hottest property.@ In addition to Sega, AMr. Gates has also been talking to Time Warner and TCI about forming a venture, to be known as CableSoft, that should set standards for interactive TV.@(The Economist, 73) Bill Gates and his company Microsoft have been at the head of the rapidly changing computer industry for much of its existence. If profit margins and stock prices continue to grow and Microsoft products continue to be household names, the duo will remain in this position will into the future. Bibliography 1. Manes, Stephen; Andrews, Paul; Gates - How Microsoft=s Mogul Reinvented An Industry - And Made Himself The Richest Man In America. Doubleday 1993 2. AA Trojan hedgehog@, The Economist. January 22, 1994, p.73-74 3. AHigh noon for Billy the Kid?@, The Economist. June 24, 1995, P.59-60 4. Bitter, Gary G. AWillian H. Gates.@ Macmillan Encyclopedia of Computers. Macmillan Publishing: New York, NY, 1992, P.409-410. 5. Brandt, Richard. ABill Gate=s Vision.@ Business Week. June 27, 1994, P.56-62. 6. Moritz, Charles. AWilliam Gates.@ Current Biography. H.W. Wilson Company: New York, NY, 1991, P.237-241.

American Idiot :: essays research papers

The Song â€Å"American Idiot† by Green Day uses techniques to engage the audience to interoperate the issues. Green day through their style of music convey issues such as the medias over powering effect on society, greed and the division of the United States of American over political issues. Green Day’s negative stance on the issues through these techniques conveys the audience to agree with the main issues being focused. The media’s influence on society is a main issue, which is, portrayed though the lyrics. People believe a large quantity of information that is presented from news â€Å"One nation controlled by the media† and entertainment programs. The media is so powerful it can make the audience agree or disagree on whatever is being presented. Techniques are used such as repetition, which therefore positions the audience to lose trust in the media. Political issues such as the war on terrorism is evoked as an issue throughout the song. American was divided â€Å"All across the alien nation† when troops were sent to Iraq to search for weapons of mass destruction. Metaphorical language was used to explore the issue. Audience positioning from techniques indorse concerns with a country divided and positions them to feel the need to cooperate and sort things out other than civil unrest and debate. Paranoia is another issue, which grasps the audience’s attention because it connects with several tragic events. Green Day tries to link the fear of living in American after the terrorist attacks of two thousand and one â€Å"sing along in the age of paranoia† through their style of writing and positioning of words. Techniques used to help the audience interoperate the message convey was descriptive language while using a mocking tone. The audience is positioned from these techniques to understand that people should access the risk of terrorism because of decisions made from the American parliament.

Glasses or No Glasses? :: Personal Narrative Writing

Glasses or No Glasses? â€Å"So, glasses or no glasses?† I’m trolling the hallway, nabbing every student I can find. My senior portrait sitting is tomorrow and I can’t decide: Glasses or no glasses? Maybe other people can give me their opinions. â€Å"Um, I think glasses,† said one of my neighbors, â€Å"but then again, Michael, you should know that I like it more when people wear glasses as a general rule.† â€Å"No glasses would be better,† said another. â€Å"Glasses, definitely. You have small eyes.† â€Å"No, no glasses I think.† So it went on and on. And on. Then finally, an interesting tidbit of advice: â€Å"So I think you should wear whatever you feel most comfortable in; whatever best reflects who you are—I mean, do you often wear glasses or not?† Ah, but there’s the rub. Sometimes I wear them, sometimes I don’t. I wear glasses when I read, because contacts dry out my eyes too fast. I wear glasses when I relax, or when I take a shower. On the other hand, I wear contacts when I play sports or get a haircut. So I guess my problem is simply this: I’m both glasses and no glasses. Now if a friend of mine were here, he would probably roll his eyes and say something along the lines of, â€Å"You know, glasses or no glasses doesn’t really matter. They’re only the superficial part of you. What’s really you is deep inside, and that part of you is the most important part. Glasses or no glasses, that part will shine through.† But see, that’s just the same problem right there, except it’s reworded to sound wiser. Do glasses not matter at all to the â€Å"real† me—to who I am?

Conflict Resolution in Office Romance Essay

Conflict is inevitable. It is a normal way of life. How we as individuals perceive each other depends on our ability to effectively resolve problems and how we cope with managing change. Some of us are unable to adapt to change therefore, it is expected that conflict will occasionally occur. There are different types of conflict that occur in our daily lives as well as in the workplace. However, the topic I choose to discuss as part of this conflict resolution paper is office romance that causes conflict. As we all are aware office romance is very common today in our society. It is no secret that people often find love on the job. There is a level of comfort and closeness that we share with our subordinates that we sometimes tend to fall in love with them. Office romance is dependent on a number of factors. Office romance can have both positive and negative effects on the working environment as well as work performance. It can cause conflict in the workplace, especially if it is a supervisor-subordinate relationship. It can affect the productivity of employees and may lead to sexual harassment and other claims. It can make co-workers uncomfortable and it can be dangerous because it can lead to conflict within the organization. Accusations of favoritism may occur and it may hinder the work performance of the parties involved as well as the co-workers. After analyzing the office romance that took place within the organization and the impact on which it had on employees, the recommended course of action to resolve the actual conflict that will make a difference to the future performance of the organization is to educate the employees on the issue of office romance. Develop a policy that declares what managers expect when it comes to office romance. The parties that are involved give them options such as disclosing the relationship to their boss and deciding who will leave the job if it gets too tough to handle and the parties do not want to terminate the relationship. Explain to them the actions that management will take if they do not solve the issue themselves. Enforce the rules on sexual harassment and office romance. Although, management cannot prohibit office romance, there are steps that they can take to ensure that it does not become a problem in the workplace, thus hiring a consultant that will help solve the issue is a good idea.

The Second Chance

The Second Chance When she came to, there was only the cold. She was on her side, against something hard, and it was draining the heat out of her, from the very marrow of her bones. She tried to raise her head, but had not yet come far enough into consciousness. She relaxed, and only then came to understand that she was lying on concrete. Thoughts flashed randomly, scattered and incomplete. She realized she could not remember her name, and that sudden insight sent her into panic. How did I get here? She fought to gain control over her fatigue and the fog in her mind.She lifted a hand and found she could wiggle her fingers. She tried an eyelid only to let it slam shut again in response to the sharp, blinding light of an overhead fixture. She slowly turned her head on the unforgiving concrete, away from the light, and tried again. One eye opened, then the next, and as her eyes slowly focused she saw a shiny black pair of boots standing next to her. Her eyes drifted up from the boots to the man’s face and realized that it was a police officer shining a flashlight in her face. He calmly said, â€Å"Don’t worry ma’am. The ambulance is on its way. You’re gonna be just fine. †As she began to hear sirens growing closer and closer, her eyes began to close again as she slowly drifted back into unconsciousness. She awoke again to find herself in a hospital bed, still panicked and unsure of whom she was. She looked over to see a nurse staring back at her. When the nurse noticed that the patient’s eyes had opened and was conscious again, she scrambled out of the room yelling for a doctor. The frantic nurse returned seconds later with a tall, middle-aged man dressed in all white who introduced himself as Dr. Wilson. He began by asking the woman if she knew her name, to which she replied with a small shake of the head.He then asked her if she could remember anything that happened prior to the fall, to which he received the same respon se. â€Å"It is common for patients with head trauma like yours to have some memory loss, but your memory will usually return in time,† the doctor reassured her. â€Å"I will say though, from a fall like that, you are very lucky to be alive. † In response to hearing this remark, the woman rolled her eyes and turned over to go back to sleep. After a week in the hospital, the woman still has no knowledge of who she is and no one has filed a missing persons report looking for a woman that matches her.Since she has recovered from most of her injuries, the hospital decides to release her to a women’s shelter in hopes that they can help her further. But after a few days of being in the shelter and with no progress, the woman decides to go for a walk. She begins walking the streets with no intended direction or place in mind. But the more she walks the clearer things become. And she eventually realizes that she has walked this path before. She soon comes to an all too familiar overpass. As she stands there looking down at the highway below her, she smiles and says aloud, â€Å"This time wait on a semi-truck before you jump, Jenny. †

Art on Japanese Art History Essay

How can the artistic medium one chooses to use to express oneself determine whether or not it is truly art? While digital artists’ artistic ability is often questioned and the credit is given to the computer being used, the art itself springs from the mind of the digital artist. I can say this with personal fervor: Digital art is truly in essence a form of art that merely takes advantage of the innovations of modern technology. Digital Art isn’t computer-generated. While it might involve using tools offered by specialized computer programs a computer doesn’t do the thinking for you, and the creative ideas put forth are of the artist’s mind. Digital artist’s only use computer tools to convey their designs, all of the creative credibility should be given to the artist himself. Should the canvas the Mona Lisa was painted on be considered the creator of the masterpiece or rather Leonardo Da Vinci? Painters that stick to canvas are limiting themselves to the paint they use and the cotton woven fibers of their canvas. Why purposely choose to ignore the modern day tools that are given to you and condescendingly look down upon those who choose to utilize them? Over the years, I have spent a lot of my own time experimenting in the depths of digital art. Many times, I have used the computer as a medium for self expression; from creating to pictures on Microsoft paint as a child to experimenting with specialized software such as Adobe Photoshop. I have a deep and passionate love for creating and expressing myself through artwork on the computer. I one day aspire to have a profession in the field of digital art, such as a Graphic Designer. Because of this, I am very offended by the comments I hear from â€Å"traditional artists† that condescend digital art for its use of the computer as the artistic medium. When I hear comments that degrade digital artwork to computer-generated images, as though the computer itself designed the art I feel enraged and cheated. The other day a friend of mine ignorantly explained to me that she could, given the proper software, create her own masterpiece without any prior experience in digital art, as though anyone if given the proper software could instantaneously create masterpieces, when really there is so much more to digital art than computer software or the computer itself. It’s about one’s individual artistic talents. To me that would be the equivalent of saying that if I were given a canvas and a paintbrush I could instantaneously create a masterpiece, which I know is false and ignorant. Art is â€Å"the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others† (Britannica). Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. There are many different employment fields in digital art. A couple of examples are graphic design and web design. Graphic design is the process and art of combining text and graphics and communicating an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication. Famous Graphic Designer, Milton Glaser, says â€Å"to design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control or master. † A graphic designer would meet with his/her clients and discuss the type of visual communication the client is interested in. The client may provide a general idea for the design, but the creative options are left for the designer to decide how to best portray the message of the client. The designer would then either sketch out a design to scan on to the computer for further alterations or go directly to the computer software in order to design the desired product. The designer would then verify with the client for satisfaction of the product. Web Design is the art and process of creating a single Web page or entire Web sites and may involve both the aesthetics and the mechanics of a Web site’s operation although primarily it focuses on the look and feel of the Web site – the design elements. â€Å"To be effective, the interfaces for online information systems must be as rich and flexible as the physical environments they replace. They must not only supply a direct path to reach the users goals, but must be able to accommodate different approaches to the task. This means that the interface design must not only organize the content for easy access, but must incorporate the right combination of technologies and interaction techniques to allow the user to work in their own style† (Quesenbery). A Web Designer would be sought out by a client in need of assistance in designing a website or website layout, usually for advertising and communicative purposes of the client. Like in Graphic design, the client may provide the designer with a general idea or guideline for the product, however, web designers must understand the dynamics of coding and html. Traditional art is understood to include things such as paintings, sculptures, and hand-drawings; basically any art which involves physical activity, usually of the hands. Famous Traditional Artists include: Leonardo DaVinci, Vincent Van Gough, and Andy Warhol. These artists use drawings and paintings as their forms of self expression which led to their innovative masterpieces: the Mona Lisa, Starry Night, and Pop Art, respectively. Traditional artists often look down upon the usage of the computer as the creative medium utilized when expressing oneself in art. Some believe that using a computer negates the creative ability of the artist and is the less credible form of art. Using computers in order to create art is sometimes seen as the easier method involving little artistic ability. â€Å"For artists diving into a new technology, it is a triple short-cut to mastery: you get a free ride on the novelty of the medium; there are no previous masters to surpass; and after a few weeks, you are the master† (Brand). There is a certain type of beauty in a hand-painted piece of art. The same is true for a masterfully drawn illustration. For this there is no substitute. Traditional art is the oldest form of art and could be considered the foundation of art. Many people consider this form of art to require the highest level of skill and creative ability, and that there is no other type of art form that can surpass it. There are a large number of people that believe this form of art is most vital, and that digital art simply shouldn’t be considered art due to the use of technology rather than their hands. Opponents of digital art argue that there is no skill in â€Å"pointing and clicking† on a computer screen. â€Å"I would rather choose the painting of a monkey over anything generated electronically, because I am more fascinated by the direct evidence of a mind at work than I am by the output of machines† (Glenn). Because of this belief, there is a good bit of animosity between the two different sects. Traditional artists feel as if they are protecting art in its truest form, whereas digital artists feel as if they are exposing the world to a newer and more advanced form of art infinitely full of possibilities. While traditional art is the older and more revered art form, that doesn’t mean that digital art is any less of an art. Both art forms require talent, precision, technique, and creativity from the artist. Digital artists are just as legitimate of artists as traditional artists. It is simply ignorant and petty to distinguish digital art as separate from true art in essence. Yes, computers are used as the medium for expression, however, like previously stated, that doesn’t mean that the computer creates the ideas and designs. The designs and creativity come from the artist and the computer is simply another way to release the idea from the artist’s mind, similar to a piece of paper or canvas. Digital art should be just as revered as traditional art because the amount of creativity and artistic ability is equal in both forms.

The Rise of Tablet Computers

THE RISE OF TABLET COMPUTERS In today’s digital world, tablet computers are the leading mobile devices for daily usage. Eagerness for buying a tablet is spreading around the world. In subways, in restaurants more and more people are seen with a tablet in the hand. Some of them play games, some navigate through the Internet. Today, most people prefer to buy a tablet computer instead of a notebook or netbook. The question is why people buy tablets? They are not cheap, relative to their notebook and netbook equivalents. They cannot perform all the functions of a typical computer.Is the key of tablet computers’ success efficiency or marketing strategies and competition? I guess both of these are important factors in the success of tablet computers. The main reason why people buy tablet computers is the efficiency factor of tablets. Tablets are easy to use, they are lightweight and they consume small amount of space. They have touchscreens and they open instantly. People jus t take it out and do what they need to. Many people think that a tablet computer is the ultimate all-around mobile device. Tablets can do whatever users want.Entertainment, business and Internet features in the same device are attracting people towards tablets. It is safe to say that in near future, tablets are going to overthrow the dominant handheld gaming consoles such as Nintendo 3DS and Sony PS Vita. Tablets feature a lot of easy and addictive games and network support for them. These little games are usually free or they cost so low, such as 1 dollar. The worldwide phenomenon Angry Birds costs a dollar for the end user and the sales figures show that this game sold over 160 million on all platforms.This example shows that many people love low-cost and addictive games on tablets. Other than games, tablet computer users can be entertained by watching movies on their tablets. Today’s tablets usually offer high resolution displays, so watching movies on a tablet computer is a pleasurable experience for many users. Another important thing is the business purposes of tablets. Many business people buy a tablet for doing business on the go. These business people can check their e-mail, check business related information on the Internet or have a video conference.Users can even write, edit and read text documents on tablets. The last big feature of tablets that it brings the whole Internet to the user. Portable Internet is the biggest need of daily life in today’s world. People do everything on Internet. Watching YouTube videos, updating your status on Facebook and Twitting becomes simple when you have a tablet. Users can navigate through the Internet as they are at home. Proliferation of public wireless networks makes free Internet access possible from nearly everywhere such as cafes, malls and buses.All these things make a tablet computer the most efficient technologic device in the market. Tablets bring functionality and compactness together. Tha t’s one answer to the initial question: â€Å"How it sells a lot? † Every company can make a revolutionary product. The important thing is for this company is the ability of selling it. Today, there is a tablet market thanks to Apple. Apple is a great company with great products and they have a lot of marketing geniuses in their company. One day, Apple made a product called the Apple iPad. It really was revolutionary. It was the first modern tablet computer.Because of it was a new technology, it had missing essential features like multitasking, Adobe Flash support and a camera. Even though these lack of features, iPad became a hit. Who made it a hit? One of the most experienced marketing experts in the sector and an influential CEO, Steve Jobs was the key to the popularity of iPad. His â€Å"reality distortion field† once again proved itself. What did Apple do after the first iPad? They produced a successor, Apple iPad 2. It had a retina display and some other t hings as new features. But there was no sign of a real evolution in iPad 2 except a camera, multitasking and a couple of things.IPad 2 wasn’t real different from its predecessor. IPad 1 was released at March 28, 2010 and iPad 2 was released at March 25, 2011 but even fresh iPad 1 owners buy iPad 2. It eventually had a bigger success than iPad 1. After iPad 2-mania, Apple recently introduced The New iPad, a. k. a. iPad 3 to the market. It offered even better improvements to its predecessor, but some reviewers are still not satisfied by the improvements that have been done. For example, Apple didn’t introduce a 128 GB version, didn’t make a new design and didn’t integrate Siri which was highly anticipated by the end user.Besides just not meeting the expectancies, The New iPad actually degenerated in some way. It was heavier than its predecessor about an ounce. Knowing that it has a lot of new features that consume more power such as Retina display, better c ameras and a faster processor, it is obvious that it needs a bigger battery to keep the battery life same. An ounce is not a big difference but it is significant because it shows that Apple’s Research & Development department is not really focusing on the â€Å"Development† part especially in hardware. Apple engineers are capable of doing better.From this example, it can be understood that marketing strategies helped the tablet market to grow. Other thing which helped the market to grow was competition. Rival companies of Apple started to produce their own tablet computers instantly after witnessing the success of the first iPad. Those tablets exploited missing features of iPads such as third party software support and deeper customization. A lot of companies produced tablets similar to iPad. The main rivals of Apple are RIM, Samsung and ASUS. With all these options, the market grew exponentially and tablets became available for a wide range of users.It is importan t to deliver a new product to a lot of people. Cheaper tablets made this easier. And in total, tablet computer sales got closer to notebook and netbook sales. In conclusion, some key factors like efficiency, marketing strategy and competition helped the tablet market become what it is today. People are tending to buy a tablet in these days because of the easiness of use in daily life and such things. It is not hard to see that also marketing strategies confuse the users and make them buy tablets. In near future, more and more tablets are going to be sold and tablets will dominate the mobile device market.

Islamic Culture and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Islamic Culture and Politics - Essay Example The similarities of the activities of these two groups is that they both aimed at instilling Sunnah (which are Prophet Muhammad’s living habits and sayings) and the Qur’an as the only points of reference for the ordering of life for all Muslim individuals, families, communities and nations (Mohammed 52). Activities by both groups fight for political reforms are driven by the belief in God (Allah) being their objective and the Qur’an the law. Funded by members’ contributions, who must assign a segment of their earnings to the movement, the Muslim Brotherhood in both the Arab and Western countries engages in political violence as they make Jihad their way of life. They believe that all Islamic countries must fight oppressors and Allah’s enemies as an overture to developing strong status as Islamic nations. For example, the Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt participated in violence, in the country, after the death of their founder al-Banna in 1949 for many years until they were suppressed forcibly and reemerged in 2011. However, the Muslim Brotherhood differs in its activities among the Arab and Western countries. In the Western world, the Brotherhood aims to end Western civilization from inside the countries they are present, and replace it with Islamic concepts. For example, in Belgium, the State Security observed that, from their presence since 1982, the Brotherhood has established an undercover structure with secretive membership that operates in discretion. Their key objective is to spread Islamic ideologies in Belgium and the surrounding regions then embed and expand a conformist Islamic syndicate in Western Europe (Sageman 74). This is in contrast to their activities in the Arab world where they have been fighting to remove the already Islamic authoritarian regimes in place. Therefore, within the Arab world, the activities usually are of a civil war nature. Examples are the recent Egyptian and Tunisian protest movements that to ppled the incumbent rulers. In that sense, it can be seen that the underlying difference is that, in Arab countries, the Muslim Brotherhood fights oppression from their governments while in the Western countries, they attempt to globalize their ideologies. Question Four Jihad is an Islamic term generally used to refer to holy war. The war is termed holy because it is believed to be a struggle for the way and cause of Allah. Both the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam believe that jihad is a religious obligation for all Muslims and have traditionally encouraged its use against non-Muslims. Both sects commonly accept two perceptions associated with jihad: that it entails a greater struggle which is an internal spiritual jihad, and a lesser struggle which is an external physical jihad. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims believe that the notion of jihad must always have an aspect of armed struggles to overcome oppression and persecution of Muslims (Sageman 92). A more contemporary understanding of jihad by the two sects is that the struggle must aim to build a better society by the Islamic community as a collective duty. This must be done by lodging valid protests for solving religious problems, acknowledgement of divine law and forbidding wrong conduct while commanding right conduct. To this end, a striking similarity between the two sects’ understanding of jihad is the way it is linked to martyrdom. They both believe that Muslims who die in the cause of executing jihad ascend into martyrdom, which gave rise to the phenomenon of suicide

China in the World Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

China in the World Economics - Essay Example So what can be the consequences of such a hard-core optimism Can China really beat the rest of the world economic and political superpowers The vast size is alluring. The power it can assimilate is thus threatening too. From being the largest coal producer in the world, along with things like cement and steel, China is one of the major contributor in cost cutting and low cost manufactured things that find their way almost everywhere in the world, like Wal-Mart. It is also the second largest consumer of energy in the world and thus the third largest importer of oil. One of the second largest holders of foreign-exchange reserves in dollars, China seems like the future of 21st century. WTO report on China demonstrated that it would supposedly produce more than half the world's textiles by the end of the decade.1 The CNN report also says that China: "has a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, it is an acknowledged nuclear power and it is one of only three nations capable of independently launching humans into space." China is undoubtedly a US rival and after the consecutive militant and destructive wars it has waged has paved the path for China a little too easily. The inward-looking communist state was opened up to Western economy and capitalist agenda when the 1970 US foreign policy included such an economic rapprochement with Mao Zedong. Thus it helped US in obtaining a pro-alliance support against the Soviet Union, who was their immediate problem then in 1972. Shanghai has now become one of the largest economic hub of China and extreme development is taking place everywhere at a speed rate that is quite not comfortable for other actors in the internatio nal system. The massive reserve for cheap labor is one of the many advantages of countries like China, and especially for China, who can have both labor and high skilled intellectuals at a very large quantity. China's industrialization is thus being driven from home but with the help of international actors like transnational corporations. They are outsourcing to China and exporting from there too, thereby increasing import. Bound up with the growth of mammoth discount retailers in Western markets, that are driving business like crazy particularly in the US, China is getting all the incentives for producing toys, shoes textiles and electric appliances for as less as possible but with durability and other advantages. In 2005 December Airbus made a motion in Beijing. The deal included something similar to what General Motors did in US. Apart from their intention to sell 150 passenger jets to China, which is worth a several euro billions, Airbus is also considering building an assembly line in China, its first ever production base anywhere outside Europe. Similarly General Motors is doing fine in China even after suffering huge loss at other international sites. China's economic growth is good news for U.S. exporters who can flood the market with cheap Chinese export goods and reap huge profits in the US. But this also has a flip side to it that is being faced by US policy makers. Since China is reputedly and uncomfortably almost negligent of WTO guidelines that often cannot be neglected by US businessmen thereby adding cost to their production, the Chinese business and working conditions are sometimes compromised and

Discussion Board 10 - ECO2013 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Board 10 - ECO2013 - Essay Example According to a report published by Prezi, a loaf of bread in the 1950s costs around 12 to 14 cents while in 2012, it costs around $2 to $4 per loaf (Mooney). That’s about a 200 to 350% increase in price from 1950 to 2012! Meanwhile, the US Department of Labor shows that the price of bread has decreased from $2 to $4 to $1.411 in January 2013, but this figure is still more expensive than the 1950 prices. One may be shocked at the increase in the price of bread if one looks at actual prices of the commodity. But what few people realize is that 2013 prices of commodities cannot be compared directly to prices in the 1950s because of the differences in the economic conditions in these two time periods. For one, gross domestic income is different; country population sharing the gross domestic income is also different. Hence, in order to determine whether prices of commodities have actually increased (hence leading to lesser capability to purchase the same bundle of goods previously purchased), there is a need to look at the overall state of the economy. This is best explained by Michael Sivy in his article for Time Magazine. Sivy says, â€Å"Price hikes for a particular item here or there don’t qualify as inflation. If one thing gets more expensive but something else gets cheaper, that’s what economists call a relative price change†. Such condition does not signal th at it has become more difficult for citizens to purchase items they need. Meanwhile, Sivy says that inflation is an increase in prices across the board which can impact consumers as well as businesses. With high inflation, businesses find it more expensive to produce the same amount of goods it used to produce. If a business were to survive, it can choose either to cut down its production, or to increase its costs of production. In both situations, it could affect the overall economy as it translates to over all

Critically evaluate the extent to which budget hotel brandsrequire Essay

Critically evaluate the extent to which budget hotel brandsrequire effective brand management in the current post recession envi - Essay Example It was during this period that a sandal maker based in Syria mentioned his name on the footwear he was selling so as to keep it distinct from others. During initial years branding was often viewed as naming a good or an article. This follows from the different religious views which stress on naming individuals so as to distinguish them from the rest of the others. The aspect of naming goods has over the years modified itself to what is termed as ‘branding’ in today’s globalised market environment (Jackson & Fulberg, p.51). According to Keller a brand is defined as â€Å"a set of mental associations held by the consumer, which ad to the perceived value of a product or service† (Kapferer, p.10). The importance of brands could be analysed from the fact that well known brands like Coca Cola, Kellogg’s and Apple are being valued in billions just because of the power of their names (or brands). The present study would focus on the importance of branding an d brand image in case of budget hotels especially in the light of the recent financial meltdown and the competitive forces prevalent in the market. Importance of Brand Management The present age of business is being widely debated as the age of consumerism. In this age customers are in the driver’s seat as firms are trying to aggressively woo customers by offering them greater value for every purchase. The competitive environment in the consumer markets has forced organizations to distinguish their product and service offering from the rest of its competitors (Budzinski, p.13). Branding has therefore assumed considerable importance for business organizations as it is being largely used by the customers to distinguish the product and service offering among the wide array of choices available in the market. The importance of branding could be analysed from the fact that branding plays a key role in the positioning of a firm’s product or service in the minds of the consum er. This is important considering the fact that positioning plays a key role in the consumer’s buying behaviour process. Branding assumes significant importance as it distinguishes the product or service offering of different organizations and also gives uniqueness to a particular product or service in the consumer markets. In the present age it has often been argued that consumers are more intended towards purchasing a brand instead of a product. Branding also has a role in the aspect of marketing communication as they are essentially used by firms to promote their product in the market. For example Cadbury uses its famous tagline â€Å"I love Cadbury† to make a connection with its target market audience (Elliot & Percy, p.229-230). Brand equity is a broad term and includes four critical aspects namely awareness of a brand, loyalty towards a brand, quality and image. The combined effect of these four aspects plays a critical role in determining the profitability and s ustainability of a brand in the market. For example the success story of the fast service chain of restaurants could be traced to the effectiveness by which the marketer has handled these four underlying aspects of brand equity to build a formidable brand image (Oh & Pizam, p.103-104). Global Recession and Budget Hotels The global recession had large scale impacts on the business prospects of budget hotels. The financial meltdown resulted in rise of unemployment coupled with decrease in the income levels of the individuals. It

Death Marches of the Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Death Marches of the Holocaust - Essay Example fall into enemy hands alive to tell their stories to Allied and Soviet liberators (2) The SS thought they needed prisoners to maintain production of armaments wherever possible (3) Some SS leaders, including Himmler, believed irrationally that they could use Jewish concentration camp prisoners as hostages to bargain for a separate peace in the west that would guarantee the survival of the Nazi regime (Holocaust Encyclopedia). Thus, one is clear that the Germans prevented the prisoners escaping from the concentration camps, and if anybody attempts to escape or protest against this injustice, they would either be severely tortured or killed. Evacuation The evacuation of the soldiers was so brutal that thousands of prisoners were forced to move through a worst climate. According to Yehuda Bauer, on January 18, 1945, about 66,020 â€Å"†¦starving prisoners were marched out of the camp shivering in the bitter winter cold dressed in the now familiar thin, striped clothed and wearing, for the most part, only wooden shoes or sandals where their feet were not covered in rags† (Bauer 1). The words of Bauer exactly portray the picture of the Death marches. He further adds that the prisoners were treated as animals and â€Å"were either forced to march on foot, driven relentlessly and senselessly through the snow-covered countryside, beaten and starved, anyone lagging behind would shot without mercy; or they were herded, 80 to 100 persons or more, onto uncovered railway cars without water or food for days on end† (Bauer 1). Historical analysis reveals that the Death Marches continued for about four months till the defeat of the Germans. After effect of the evacuation As stated earlier, the Death Marches, as the names symbolizes, were really marches of death. Jennifer Rosenberg... This essay discusses that the evacuation of the soldiers was so brutal that thousands of prisoners were forced to move through the worst climate. On January 18, 1945, about 66,020 â€Å"†¦starving prisoners were marched out of the camp shivering in the bitter winter cold dressed in the now familiar thin, striped clothed and wearing, for the most part, only wooden shoes or sandals where their feet were not covered in rags†. The words of Bauer exactly portray the picture of the Death marches. He further adds that the prisoners were treated as animals and â€Å"were either forced to march on foot, driven relentlessly and senselessly through the snow-covered countryside, beaten and starved, anyone lagging behind would shot without mercy; or they were herded, 80 to 100 persons or more, onto uncovered railway cars without water or food for days on end†. Historical analysis reveals that the Death Marches continued for about four months till the defeat of the Germans. Some of the studies have identified that even after the death marches still there remained about 70000 prisoners in the concentration camps. It has also been identified that at least a quarter of a million prisoners were sent on death marches which lasted for weeks and hundreds of kilometers. The death marches continued to the very day of German fall. It was unparallel in history that majority of the survivors are of the opinion that it would be better to be killed in the gas chambers than undergoing all these tortures. Thus it unearths the fate of the prisoners in the Death Marches.

Children if convicted of a capital crime, should be given the death Essay

Children if convicted of a capital crime, should be given the death penalty - Essay Example Historically, only 2 percent of capital punishment was juvenile execution since a large number of capital punishment imposed on children was either reversed or commuted. Often public opinion is considered, but â€Å"it is critical to distinguish between judging what is cruel and unusual punishment and what should become policy for such issues as capital punishment† (Kalbeitzer & Goldstein, 174). This paper focuses on different perspectives regarding this sensitive issue. Unlike many developed countries, United States is still embracing capital punishment for serious offenders. One major objective of juvenile criminal system â€Å"is to hold juvenile offenders accountable for delinquent acts while providing treatment, rehabilitative services, and programs designed to prevent future involvement in law-violating behavior† (Cothern, 1). The juvenile court was established in Chicago in 1889 in order to protect the juvenile offenders from receiving rough treatment in the criminal justice system. The juvenile court accepted that adults and children have different developmental capacities; therefore it advocated rehabilitation as alternative for capital punishment in case of children. However due to the growing number of young people getting involved in criminal activities in the turn of this century, the juvenile justice system has become more prone towards more rigid policies and stricter punishments. It now happens that children below the age of 1 8 who have committed capital crimes are subjected to the ultimate form of punishment like the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole. Supporters of juvenile death penalty see it as a way to deter other young people from committing similar kinds of crimes, and a way to maintain public safety (Cothern, 1-2). As of 2000, more than two-third of all independent states advocate death penalty. In 1999, 30 offenders were executed other than 3,500 others who were on death row. Even