Baroque Architecture

Baroque Architecture Works of famous architects and sculptors What is Baroque Architecture? A Style originating in late 16th Century Italy Consists of complex Architectural plan shapes, often based on the oval. Dynamic opposition and inter penetration of spaces were favored to highlighted the feeling of motion and sensuality. Other characteristic qualities include:- Grandeur – Drama and Contrast – Courageousness – Twisting elements – Gilded statuary He was the son of a stonemason and began his career as a stonemason himself. He soon went dominant study and practice his craft.He moved torment 1619 and started working for Carlo Modern, Bromine's real name was Francesco Castillo. Once he had become established in Rome, he changed his name from Castles' to Bromine, He worked within Lorenz Bernardino the design of the fundamentalist's. Peter Basilica , the two later became bitter rivals. Francesco Borrowings the master of curved-wall architecture. He was influe nced by the architecture of Michelangelo and the ruins of Antiquity. His architecture employs manipulations of Classical architectural forms, geometrical sensational with symbolic meanings behind his buildings. Ђ Classical architectural forms, geometrical rationales in his plans and symbolic meanings in his buildings. Famous works of Bromine Architecture San Cairo alley Squatter Fontanne Sandal's all Seaplane, 1660 Colleges did Propaganda Fide Santiago SE in Agony The Sandal's all Oratory Sapience and Palazzo die Filipino Assonant area dell Fretter Barbering San Carlo alley Equator Fontanne Falconer Spade San Giovanni in Lateran San Cairo alley Squatter Fontanne Bromine's first independent commission This tiny church, along with its Rudyard, is one of the most important monuments of the baroque style in Rome.

Declaration of the Rights of Men and of Citizens Essay

The Declaration of The Rights of Man and of Citizens begins with a clear stipulation of intrinsic freedom and equality in every man. Equality, therefore, seems to be an appropriate place to begin. The Declaration defines our equality in relation to our rights, such that we are all born with the same entitlements and among them the right to perpetuate such rights throughout our lives. Each and every one of us is entitled to the expression of the will of a community (which, according to Rousseau, is the collective will of the constituent individuals). In a similar light, the law is to regard each individual without bias; performing its duty of punishment or protection as justice sees fit. The sixth section of the declaration states that: â€Å"All being equal in its sight, are equally eligible to all honours, places and employments, according to their different abilities, without any other distinction than that created by their virtues and talents.† Effectually, this levels the metaphorical playing field, rightly empowers the skilful and the able while ensuring men are distinguished not by the colour of their skin, nor by their religion and neither by their wealth – but by their merits and abilities. Unfortunately that has never been so. There are a plethora of sordid historical examples that contravene section VI. The apartheid, holocaust and slave trade are amongst the many historical events that have grossly violated the former section. Nepotism, racism, sexism and segregation still ail society and contribute to its atrophic senescence. One audacious claim is that every man is innocent, until proven guilty by the law. The present Catholic Church disagrees, believing than everyone is born  with the burden of original sin. It is not the only body that believes in immediate guilt, many states (including China) adopt a judicial system, which operates on a contrary principle: that every man is guilty until proven innocent by the law. UNRESTRAINED COMMUNICATION Each individual is entitled to his own opinions, their expression and their communication (regardless of content and context). The Declaration explicitly iterates that this is a man’s most â€Å"precious right† and can only be annulled when it threatens the public order. The law establishes the threat. How exactly can you abuse the right of free speech? Who has the right to decide when freedom of speech is abused? A state may act unjustly towards the expression of politically or religiously sensitive opinions, as they may rouse widespread criticism and lead to an imbalance of governing power and authority. However, is it within the law’s rights to place the right to freedom of speech below its own interests? Such controversy is faced in places such as China and Russia. However, the uproar provoked by Julian Assange and Edward Snowden prove that the West cannot lay claims to an unmarred reputation of moral conduct. Individual intrinsic equality is never defined with autonomy, since it is always bordered by the canons of the law. The Declaration seems to state that the power of the law transcends the rights of man, as it may decide what is within and excluded from such rights. It is given the power to distinguish and determine. LAW The Declaration defines the primary duty of the law as an â€Å"expression of the will of the community† and that the law should only â€Å"[prohibit actions that are hurtful to society]†. It decrees, â€Å"what is not prohibited by the law, should not be hindered† and â€Å"the law ought to impose no other penalties but  such as are absolutely and evidently necessary†. The law is detailed as the decision-making faculty in society, it has the power to imprison, accuse, arrest, apprehend and (the two most important powers) to determine the extent at which one man may secure the liberal exercise of his own rights and to establish when public order is breached or threatened. So who deems what is â€Å"absolutely and evidently necessary†? Who holds the reins to the law? Shouldn’t the law be separate from the normal man, should it not occupy a different order of sovereignty? What gives another man the power to wield the scales of the law, is he superior to any other man that he may decide his counterpart’s fate? Who has the prerogative to empower another man with the sword and shield of the law? According to the declaration, â€Å"all citizens have a right†¦either personally, or by their representatives, in its formation†. So the populace, by right, has power over the law, which in turn, by right, has power over the populace. Ideally, this ascertains the equality of power. A cyclic system where the law changes with the people and adjusts itself accordingly as the essence of man itself changes; where any change in the attitudes of the people is reflected in a change in the law. Equilibrium is, therefore, maintained and this allows elasticity and exposes duality in the expression of power. This is by no means a moral system. By this definition, the law is as fickle as man and serves as an inadequate canon, an imitation canon to reassure us that we are a moral and just society. Though the Declaration implores the equal distribution of law, all being equal in its sight, it has managed to allow the atrocities committed in the past. The witch hunts, slave trade, oppression of women, exploitation of children and the inquisition are merely a few events where the latter section of the clause (â€Å"[the law] should be the same to all†) has been unpardonably violated. Is this the fault of the people? No, the fault lies with the educated  lawmakers, the â€Å"representatives†. REPRESENTATIVE The Declaration mentions lawmakers (or â€Å"representatives†) and their sole duty to express the will of the citizen. They are effectively the mouthpiece of the populace and are crucial for succinct communication between power and the people. In modern society, this role is prevalent in the majority of democratic states in the form of: Members of Parliament in the UK, Senators in the US and LegCo members in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the representative role can be held responsible for neglecting its duties and promulgating laws in favour of the upper echelons of society throughout history. The Church is one of the main perpetrators, abusing its influence and power to serve its own needs or requirements. It can be held directly responsible for the frenzied witch-hunts, the inquisition and the violent reformation, which are some of the darkest events in history. Wealthy plantation owners all over the world perpetuated the slave trade, since their operations were extremely labour intensive and extensively profit orientated. Plantations could not profit if workers were to be paid and treated fairly; therefore requiring underpaid and exploitable workers. Since the role of a representative is conventionally a caste specific role, it is nearly impossible for a member of the â€Å"people† to ascend to this position. Therefore the role of a lawmaker is somewhat disconnected from the people and is, perhaps, inadvertently stifling the voice of the people. The representative has, of course, the same (equal) rights of the people and therefore is entitled to ambition. Though their duty is to represent and express the will of the people, it is – rather understandably – second only to their personal desires and demands. Self-satisfaction is ingrained within every single complex organism on this planet, so it is only natural to pursue your own interests and seek your own ends. However, those with power (and above all representatives and lawmakers) have  the means to meet their ends. The mere possession of power is corruptive and addictive. Those in the upper classes of society will, at the very least, strive to remain in the rung they nestle in; fearing a relegation to a lower status. Many will desire to advance and climb further from the people and manipulate the resources available to them in order to do so. Yet, it is the privileged that possess such resources or have access to certain opportunities that allow them to advance and the unprivileged that don’t, thereby consolidating caste preservation and setting the cyclic nature of disparity in place. This is where the voice of the people is lost in transmission. This is evident in the American taxation scheme, where the wealthy benefit from certain policies that permits income to be classified otherwise and thereby avoiding the maximum rate of taxation. The Republican Party immortalizes these policies, as it contributes to their socio-economic preservation. What seems not to be apparent is that there is no need to abuse power. The correct expression of power and fair distribution can only bring about what the Declaration suggests: a level playing field. It would encourage a Darwinian model of progression, where the socio-economic advance and preservation of an individual is reliant on performance, ability, talent, skill and virtue. COMMON CONTRIBUTION It is necessary, according to the declaration, for a common contribution. This is for the â€Å"support of the public force, and for defraying the other expenses of government†. The declaration states that this common contribution ought to be â€Å"divided equally† amongst all â€Å"according to their abilities†. The former of the statements still rings true today and is the only thing reputed to be certain (apart from death). The latter stipulation, regrettably, has not. Internationally most citizens are taxed on their income, on the goods they  purchase and the money they inherit. Yet no system of taxation is truly fair, as the law affords disproportionate contribution and means of evading certain taxation. This is most evident in America, where many high net worth investors pay a smaller percentage of their income than their middle class, working counterparts. This is achieved through exploiting the capital gains tax and the carried interest tax. As a result of such exploitation, Warren Buffet only paid a combined tax rate of 17.4% in 2010, where less affluent Americans contributed up to 45% of their income to the government. The declaration stipulates that â€Å"common contribution† should be divided â€Å"equally among members of the community according to their abilities†. A merit and ability based taxation scheme is fair and just. So how should a population be taxed (if they are to be taxed on ability)? Taxing on the basis of income seems not to work. Perhaps the rate of tax should be varied by age or perhaps determined by occupation (seeing as occupation is decided by ability). A problem that arises is that this would discourage hard work and penalize success. Thus resulting in a population hesitant to use their abilities and work to their full capacity.

Henry Kissinger 1971 secret trip to China Thesis

Henry Kissinger 1971 secret trip to China - Thesis Example 1 As manifested by historical events, Kissinger’s trip to China could be considered as an essential factor that strengthened the U.S-China relations. Fergusson further noted that the substantial matters discussed during his trip in 1971 enabled the United States’ opening to China, and at the same time, China began to open its relations with the United States, which was actually driven by â€Å"Mao Zedong’s fear of encirclement.†2 Under such circumstance, a potential argument could be justified such that if it was not for China’s opening to the United States, China would not emerge to be America’s largest foreign holder and as to how it would utilize its present economic power is a crucial matter that needs to be addressed, wherein Kissinger, who had a long period of diplomatic relations with China, could offer a better insight regarding the issue.3 In addition, Hanhimaki and Westad mentioned that one of the primary objectives for the opening o f relations was to use China as a support against the Soviet Union towards a triangular diplomacy between Washington, Moscow and Beijing.4 Another significant issue is on the implication of foreign policy, wherein Hamilton emphasized that Kissinger recognized the rivalry between China and Russia, which could indicate that the Chinese would possibly welcome improved relations with the Americans that may cause much trouble to the Soviets. 5 Similarly, Xia also pointed out that Nixon, being a foreign policy president, was firm on restoring and enhancing the United States’ status in world affairs, where he gave an extensive value of improving its relations with China.6 Finally, Kissinger’s secret visit stimulated China’s expectation to gain political benefits, where it would have greater chances to enter the U.N., and as expected by Kissinger, China used its influence

Response of Grass to Chemical Fertilizers Research Paper

Response of Grass to Chemical Fertilizers - Research Paper Example Do not put any fertilizer in pot E-1, 2 & 3 (Control). 6. Place all pots in lighted area 7. Water plants daily at noon or arrange automatic drip irrigation system 8. Measure plants at noon at 10 days intervals with ruler and record in notebook in units of millimeters for 50 days 9. Uproot 5 plants randomly from each pot at 5 days interval and record the oven dry weight for 50 days. Observations /Results: The data were analyzed by using statistical method for test of significance at 1% and / or 5% level of significance. In this experiment there are 5 treatments i.e 15-15-15, 46-0-0, 0-16-0, 0-0-60 and no fertilizer (Control) were replicated thrice resulting in 15 experimental units (pots).The design required is Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Table-1: Grass height (mm) at 10 DAS as affected by types of chemical fertilizers. Replications Treatments Replication Total Mean I II III 15-15-15 16 15 17 48 16 46-0-0 11 13 11 35 11.7 0-16-0 10 9 10 29 9.7 0-60-0 10 11 10 31 10.3 Control (No fertilizer) 9 10 8 27 9 Total 56 58 56 170 11.33 NB: DAS- Days after sowing Like wise all data for next dates recording grass height i.e. at 20DAS, 30DAS, 40DAS and finally 50DAS were analyzed by using CRD. Then the F value in ANOVA table is compared with the table value and then the significance is measured at 1% and / or 5% level. Finally the plant heights for all dates of observation are arranged in a single table for result discussion and conclusion. Table-6: Grass height (mm) as affected by fertilizer types at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50DAS DAS Treatments 10 20 30 40 50 15-15-15 16 25 38 48 56 46-0-0 11.7 16.3 19.6 24.5 29.2 0-16-0 9.7 12.9 14.8 15.9 18.6 0-0-60 10.3 13.4 15.3 18.3 19.5 Control (No fertilizer) 9 11.4 13.5 14.6 19.1 CD... The data were analyzed by using statistical method for test of significance at 1% and / or 5% level of significance. In this experiment there are 5 treatments i.e 15-15-15, 46-0-0, 0-16-0, 0-0-60 and no fertilizer (Control) were replicated thrice resulting in 15 experimental units (pots).The design required is Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Like wise all data for next dates recording grass height i.e. at 20DAS, 30DAS, 40DAS and finally 50DAS were analyzed by using CRD. Then the F value in ANOVA table is compared with the table value and then the significance is measured at 1% and / or 5% level. If the mean difference between 5 treatments was more than the CD then the application of chemical fertilizer did not have any significant effect on the grass height and they were at par with each other. If the difference exceeds the CD value then the treatments were different from each other or in other words the application of fertilizer was having significant effect on the grass height and dry matter accumulation. My original hypothesis was that application of chemical fertilizer (15-15-15) to soil would be better over the control. My results showed that application of chemical fertilizer was having significant effect on the grass height and dry matter accumulation over the same period of growth.

The Japanese Traditional Structure of Quick Response Assignment

The Japanese Traditional Structure of Quick Response - Assignment Example Light has been shed on how the supply chain structure leads to the success of such a business. Moreover, an analysis of the future effects of the Japan-Korean fashion collaboration in the setting of globalization in the fashion industry is elaborated. Major apparel firms work at introducing new styles every week. This is to be able to meet the demand of the Japanese young women market that is characterized by a fast-moving trend cycle with a great diversity of choices in styles. Studies show that fast fashion has a real effect on the supply chain for the fashion product, but the consumer demand is the main driving force that determines this fast fashion. This contrasts with the previous theories on the supply chain, which have been solely supplying driven aspects. Fast fashion is a phenomenon that is developed as a direct result of changing anticipations and demand from customers (Lea-Greenwood, 2006, p. 266). In addition, there is a tradition among the Japanese people that makes them prefer many varieties and have an interest in the craft. This calls for their fashion styles to be always changing apart from being unique from those of their counterparts. The organizations do not mainly depend on the seasonal collection, but they e nsure that there is a compressed time interval between the moment a product is designed and the moment that is used. This compression is attained either by lumping together selections that are more regular or through an ongoing redesigning and unchanging new production. In other words, the Just - in - Time (JIT) supply chain management theory is upheld. It entails â€Å"having the items of the right quality and quantity in the right place at the right time† (Cheng et al, 1996, p.2).  

Global Business Environment - the Banking Sector of Pakistan vs Essay

Global Business Environment - the Banking Sector of Pakistan vs. Uk&Greece - Essay Example 1.2 The Crisis Chain The global financial crisis brought about a tremendous and dramatic turn around in the banking sector across the world and there were hardly any economies that remained unaffected by the same. Not just the banking sector, but the sub-prime mortgage crisis brought about a chain of crisis causing a high velocity downfall in real estate, stock exchanges, and insurance companies as well – many big names fell apart, bail out packages were developed in order to reduce the impact, inflation went sky rocketing, and at the end of the chain, consumers lost loads and loads of money. Krugman (2009) states that a situation came where economists describe that there were empty houses in the US, and homeless people outside the same – showing the reduced purchasing power, and high prices of land and mortgage. Economists call the year 2008 as the ‘Global Financial Earthquake’. This era was known as the most depressive economic scenario since after the Gr eat Depression of the early 30s. This assignment aims at discussing and comparing how the environmental and macroeconomic variables in countries like UK, Greece, and Pakistan have affected the banking sector in these respective regions. ... It shows the linkage of financial markets with government, the employment (or unemployment), organizations and corporate, households, and the commodities markets. There is strong co-relation between these entities and any jolt, can lead to a drastic effect on all the others. 2. Analysis of Banking Sector in UK 2.1 PLEST Analysis Paulson (2011) states that the global financial earthquake of 2008 ripped apart the exceptionally high growth of the previous years, closing the huge names of the financial sector close to bankruptcy. In terms of the banking sector in the UK, the banks are rather politically and legally secured – as UK is recognized as the pioneer of financial system globally. The banking sector is also technologically fairly sound. The 2008 decline was primarily witnessed due to the drastic changes in the economic and social habits and norms of the population. Primarily a sub-set of the sub-prime mortgage crisis that initiated the panic, UK’s economy took a dow nturn. The primary cause of this being the over -spending habits that had embedded in the norms of the society, which was in turn, was caused by the easy presence and availability of the credit cards. Lewis (2011) states that most of the consumers had over spent their budgets in expectation of their future cash flows, which did not happen as bankruptcy became a common feature, employees were laid off in one go, salary, were reduced, and big names like JP Morgan, Lehman Brothers, etc. went off the hook. Government ultimately intervened with bail out packages to assist in the survival of the financial backbone of the economy. 2.2 Macroeconomic Indicators There are three primary macroeconomic

Significance of Organizational Behaviour in Managing Human Resources Essay

Significance of Organizational Behaviour in Managing Human Resources - Essay Example Kotter (1999, p. 1) mentioned that having a good leadership skill is important in terms of enabling managers to become more effective in terms of delegating task to each employee. Even though there are some managers who are fully equipped with proper management skills, some of them will remain unable to make a business successful in terms of competing in the global market because of the absence of good leadership skill. For this reason, managers should be aware of the best leadership skill which could effectively motivate each employee towards reaching the organizational goal. According to Dessler (2001, pp. 296 – 297), leaders are individuals who are capable of inspiring other people. In most cases, corporate leaders have important characteristics such as: (1) the drive to achieve their goals; (2) desire to lead; (3) self-confidence; (4) competitive cognitive ability; (5) honesty and integrity; and (6) sufficient knowledge in doing business. On top of these personality traits , corporate leaders are expected to influence the rest of employees without having the need to use violence or coercion. Aside from having the ability to know specific needs and wants of other people, a good leader are those who can make use of his personal power through the application of good communication skills (Huth 2001). Aside from being able to manage human resources, the use of the right type of leadership style enables the manager have the capacity to develop effective business plan. For this reason, managers should know exactly what type of leadership style is more effective when managing a group of diverse employees. Each type of leadership style has its own advantages and disadvantages. In relation to globalization, the use of autocratic leadership style... Significance of Organizational Behaviour in Managing Human Resources Having an effective reward system together with employee involvement has a significant impact when it comes to solving organizational conflicts. In some cases, the moral hazard and/or non-satisfaction with work is possible in case employees are not given any incentives in exchange for the extra work responsibility that is assigned to them. Among the types of extrinsic reward includes the act of offering cash, bonuses and gift items whereas the type of intrinsic reward includes words of praises or public recognition. This report will highlight the benefit of using transformational leadership style when it comes to managing, motivating and maximizing the use of each employee’s talent and acquired skills. The study of organizational behavior has a significant contribution in the effective management of human resources. Through the use of organizational behavior concept and theories, managers can easily understan d strategic ways on how to effectively motivate employees in terms of increasing their production rate and over all work performance. In this report, we have mentioned the significance of organizational structure in the establishment of the organizational culture that is focused on minimizing the risk of organizational failure. Combined with the use of effective rewards system, organizational culture could also affect how each employee would behave and accept internal and external challenges that they may encounter on a daily basis.

How should a person be Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

How should a person be - Essay Example he globe and it is considered by many who believe in god that god is present everywhere which means there is omnipotence with regard to the presence of god. Many religions teach the followers that god is present everywhere that’s what omnipotent means. Among the different religions there are many meanings of the word omnipotent, for some it means that god can do anything for anyone who leads the right life, life which is free from sins. This also means that if god says something will happen it will happen. God will make sure that it happens because ever step taken by god is right and every step has logic behind it. This can be better understood with the help of an example, in Christianity if a person lives a holy life or for that matter in any other religion if a person lives a holy life he/she is entitled to eternal life and god will grant it if the person really deserves it. â€Å"There is nothing that God cannot do except that which goes against His nature. God alone has the power to conquer sin and death. He even created Satan who disobeyed and fell; therefore, He has power over him. He promised to give us the power to overcome him that is in the world.† (God is Omnipotent). If there is god then there has to something n egative because where is positive there has to be a negative to counter the positive. That position is occupied by the Saturn and the Saturn tempts the people to do wrong things in other words the Saturn is the evil which makes sure that people do not follow the path of god. The temptation of the Saturn is very difficult to resist and most people fall to that temptation and ignore the path of god. This leads to chaos in the world. All the undesirable activities like suicide bombings, murders, theft etc are done by people who get tempted by the Saturn. When the evil tempts people it makes sure that people forget everything which is good and they incline towards the evil completely. If God does exist then why are women getting raped in all

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 103

Case Study Example While Genzyme’s focus on orphan drugs can be questioned, on the face of it, this decision was a pragmatic one as is also substantiated by the tangible success of the company. Owing to its production of drugs for rare diseases it was easier for the company to target its markets, although essentially smaller than those for the widely-needed drugs, more systematically and sustainably. Moreover its focus on orphan drugs also made it possible for the company to accrue full benefits of tax breaks and market exclusivity contained in the Orphan Drug Act introduced by FDA in 1983 thus multiplying the chances of Genzyme’s domination of the already-limited orphan drugs’ market. As far as the strategic intent of Genzyme is concerned the company it’s a long term one as is being depicted by the company’s diversification of the drugs it produces. In addition to its focus on orphan drugs it is also producing common drugs so as to secure its share of the bigger markets too which can ensure accruing continued profit by the company and hence further cement its position in the pharmaceutical industry. Although Genzyme is actively pursuing diversification of its market through production of common drugs too the company should retain its focus on orphan drugs as the incidence of rare diseases such as certain kidney disorders and forms of cancer, whose cure is offered by the orphan drugs, is continually on the rise. Moreover, as the company’s exemplary success testifies to the latent practicality of its decision of focusing on orphan drugs it should take steps towards further specialized areas of medicine and medical technology so as to sustain its distinct position in the industry rather than plunging into the arena of common medicine characterized by fierce competition. Moreover if the company works towards integration of modern medical technology with its products it can add to the breadth of its market further. In

Outline and evaluate biological explanations of aggression Essay Example for Free

Outline and evaluate biological explanations of aggression Essay The biological explanation of aggression suggests that aggression is caused by genetics, brain structure or bio-chemical influences hormones such as testosterone and neurotransmitters such as serotonin. It includes only biological factors ignoring environmental, psychological and social factors which are better explained by of the social-psychological explanation. The first theory linking genetics to aggression was Court-Browns research study. Sandberg was the first to identify the 47 XYY karyotype. Normally every human has 46 chromosomes 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. When a male, has an extra Y chromosome the 47th chromosome it makes them XYY and this would be a genetic disorder. Court-Brown conducted a longitudinal study on 314 males with XYY chromosome and suggested that males with this chromosome would be better hospitalised due to an increased likelihood of aggressive behaviour. Many institutions took on this idea without further research and as a result many males where hospitalised. This would support the biological view that genetics can cause a person to become aggressive as Court-Brown provided evidence for this, however after further research he further retracted his comments as much of it was based on assumption. Further research into the XYY karyotype found that the only thing that the extra chromosome affected was physical characteristics such as increased height and it did not affect aggressive behaviour in any way. Theilgaard also did research comparing XYY to XY and XYY males. She used thematic apperception tests (TATs). She compared prison inmates to the general population. She found that although XYY males were more likely to give aggressive interpretations of the images this did not mean that they would perform aggressive acts in real-life situations. So this would go against what Court-Brown found. Court-Brown used a lab experiment to conduct his study. A lab experiment is prone to confounding variables because there may be other factors that may influence the outcome of the result. A lab experiment also lacks ecological validity because it is set in an artificial setting and it would be hard to extrapolate findings to real life settings. This would make the study invalid. Also Court-Brown did not operationalize aggression. Many people view aggression in many different ways from verbal aggression to physical aggression. So what kind of aggression did the males show? As aggression was not clearly defined this could lead to inaccurate results. Therefore Court-Browns research would be hard to rely on as it is hard to measure aggression in a uniform way. Theilgaards research also had some short-comings She used a TAT test to measure aggression within her sample. TAT tests have no empirical validity as they are just images, by describing what is in a picture the participate wont be acting aggressively they are merely stating/interpreting what they see, therefore the use of TAT tests does not show the XXY male is aggressive in real life situations and findings should be treated with caution. Overall the genetic approach is heavily reductionist as it does not include other approaches such as social and cognitive approaches. It just assumes that genetics are the main cause of aggression. However by being reductionist it could lead to further psychological research into the area and this might produce more insights into the theory. The genetic theory also over-emphasises the importance of nature and ignores nurture completely. They may be other factors other that genetics that play a role in aggression for example, a persons up-bringing may cause them to act aggressively or the type of culture they belong to may also play a part so to improve its explanation the genetic theory could input some of these ideas into the theory. Another theory from the biological approach which suffers similar problems like reductionism and determinism is the hormonal/neurotransmitter approach. The approach argues that high levels of the hormone testosterone lead to aggression while low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin lead to aggression. Wagner et al. did research which supported the link between aggression and testosterone. They castrated mice and found that levels of aggression decreased and that there was also a drop in male typical behaviours such as biting. When the mice received testosterone injections levels of aggression started to increase. This would support the view that levels of testosterone can lead to aggression. Another study in this area was by Harrison, he gave male participants aged 20 -56 testosterone injections and then gave them a frustrating game to play. He noted that aggression did increases in all of the men but to differing extents. Furthermore affects were mainly psychological and there were few physical affects.

Product life cycle and its concept

Product life cycle and its concept All products and services have certain life cycles. The life cycle of a product, also known as PLC, is a model that illustrates the six different stages that a product/service will go through. The PLC shows the life of a product from its conception to its final withdrawal and each phase has its own characteristics and varies in length depending on the product/service. When a company introduces a new product in the market is very important to identify the six stages of its products life cycle because it has to take specific marketing actions in each stage in order to have the more profits it can. The understanding of the PLC can help the businesses to find out the right timing to introduce or withdraw a product from the market and realize whether their products are successful or not. THE HISTORY OF THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE AND ITS CONCEPT The product life cycle concept was developed in the 1950s and became very popular during the next decade. Up until now, it represents a core element of marketing theory and it is widely accepted because of its extensive applications. The PLCs concept can be applied to other theories such as new product development, portfolio analysis etc. The concept of PLC involves that: All products and services have a limited life similar to the human life (or the life of any other living organism). The product sales range. They pass through several and unique stages which pose certain challenges, opportunities and problems. The profits of a product/service range also. During different stages the profits are bound to rise or fall accordingly. Finally, at each stage of PLC, the firms must alter their strategies and their marketing in order for their product to be as profitable as it can. The product life cycle and its stages refer to three production levels: As far as it concerns a specific product (brand) of a company (e.g. Samsung captivate Galaxy S cell phone). A specific company that produces similar and parallel products (e.g. Samsung cell phones). And the whole industry. The group of companies that produce competitive products (e.g. the whole cell phone industry). The brands usually have shorter product life cycles. The products on the other hand, follow standard PLC, while the product categories (industries) have the largest PLCs and stay in maturity phase for a long time, sometimes indefinitely. THE PLC STAGES The products life cycle consists of six phases: Development Introduction Growth Maturity Saturation Decline Fig.1 3821925.gif PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PHASE The development phase begins when a company generates and develops a new product idea. Its a process that demands the translation of different kinds of information (market and consumers trends, competitors products, environmental analysis etc.) which will have to be organized, combined and incorporated into the new product. This product must pass several test market and laboratory tests (Beta testing) in order for the company to see if it will be profitable and if the customers will benefit from it. Only those products that survive the tests can be introduced into the real market. Its obvious that during the development stage the company does not have any sales or profit. INTRODUCTION PHASE The introduction phase begins with the launch of the product in the market. The company tries to promote the new product, develop a market for it and spends a great deal of money in order to achieve this. During this phase the sales generally are low and the profits of the company even tend to be sometimes negative (low sales, high unit costs). The companies produce a small amount of products and their employees must be highly educated. Expertise is needed now. There is little or no competition and there may be high skim pricing for the company to recover the development costs. Finally, the distribution is very selective until the consumers start showing acceptance of the product and start buying it. Sadly, most of the times, the new products fail this stage and the company must withdraw them early from the market. GROWTH PHASE The products that managed to pass the first two stages with flying colors can now proceed to the growth stage. Thats the most profitable stage for the firms. The product takes-off in the market place and the sales increase rapidly. Costs decline on a per unit basis and we have scale economies in production. Thats the time that the company wants to increase the market share and find loyal customers (brand loyalty). However, the success of the product draws the competitors attention. The pricing, which would have be maintained with little competition, starts changing. The company must now become the leader, indicate all the products offerings and differentiate the brand from those of competitors. Basically, the companies during this phase try to find sources of competitive advantage and establish position in the market. The promotion continues as well, but not in the same extend that was needed in the second phase and is also aimed at a broader audience. Finally, distribution channels are added since the product is now successful and the demand continues to increase. MATURITY PHASE Its the stage where the sales have reached to their maximum point (peak) and now start decreasing. The strong growth in sales diminishes and the competition becomes harsher. Now there is a plethora of similar products in the market and the first basic product becomes less wanted. However, if the company managed to achieve its market share goal, now is the time to enjoy the most profitable period. The maturity stage is a period that the firms try to extend their products life as we will show further down. During this stage, pricing strategies change and usually the companies lower their prices because of the new competition. Price wars start. Discounts, coupons, BOGOF offers etc. give an advantage to those who are leaders, helping them to withstand the crisis caused by the low prices. Promotion changes and focuses in finding new buyers. Emphasis is given to the product differentiation especially in terms of quality, use, reliability and price. The distribution becomes more intensive and the use of multi distribution channels begins. The phase of the maturity is a period that drives many companies to stop the production and withdraw (shake-out) since they cannot handle the competition. Its a phase that lasts for a long time and includes the majority of products (mature products of mature industries). SATURATION PHASE This phase usually is excluded because it has many characteristics of the maturity phase. However, the saturation stage is even more extreme. During this stage, sales are impossible to increase and the profits decline sharply. The competition becomes more and more austere and relentless and the customers now search for the low cost substitutes. Meanwhile, the quality of the similar products gradually rises and the previously new product straggles to keep up and not fade away. DECLINE PHASE This is the final stage. In the decline phase sales decrease rapidly either because new products are launched in the market or the buyers behavior starts to change. Its the time that the companies start to withdraw their products, minimize the promotion and lessen the distribution channels. Sometimes, the firms continue to sell their products in a lower price to their loyal customers but that cannot continue for a long time since ultimately the costs will exceed the profits. At this phase the firm has several options such as: To maintain the product by adding new features or by finding new uses of it (extension strategies). Sell the product to another company which is willing to continue the production. This is called divestment and basically refers to companies that want to associate the dying product with their production line or sell it to a different market. Harvest the product. With this option, the companies reduce costs and offer the product until they run out of stock. Most of the times the product is sold to the loyal customers who already know the product and the places where they can acquire it. The group of these loyal customers is also called Niche segment. Withdraw the product. (Sometimes this becomes a 7th phase called the abandonment phase). Fig.2productLifeCycle.gif Fig.3product_life_cycle-2-797072.gif Fig.4 (a PLC compared to the companys profits) product_lifecycle.jpg In the table bellow there is a summary of the strategies that the companies must follow in each product life cycle phase. The table has been taken from the book Strategic Industrial Marketing Development Phase Introduction Phase Growth Phase Maturity Phase Decline Phase Strategic Goal Make your product known and establish a test period Acquire a strong market position Maintain your market position and build on Defend market position from competitors and improve your product Milk all remaining profits from product Competition Almost not there Early entry of aggressive competitors into the market Price and distribution channel pressure Establishment of competitive environment Some competitors are already withdrawing from market Product Limited number of variations Introduction of product variations and models Improvement upgrade of product Price decrease Variations and models that are not profitable are withdrawn Price Goal High sale to middle men Aggressive price policy (decrease) for sales increase Re-estimation of price policy Defensive price policy Maintain price level for small profit Promotion Goal Creation of public market product awareness Reinforcement of product awareness and preference Reinforcement of middle men Maintain loyal to middle men Gradual decrease Distribution Goal Exclusive and selective distribution trough certain distribution channels and creation of high profit margins for middle men General and reinforced distribution through all distribution channels available General and reinforced distribution with good supply to the middle men but with low margins of profit for them General and reinforced distribution with good supply to the middle men but with low margins of profit for them Withdrawal from most channels of distribution except those used in development phase Source: Avlonitis G. THE DIVERSITY OF PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES Beside the usual and common product life cycle that we have just analyzed, there are some special categories. They are usually called alternative Product Life Cycles and appear very different PLC patterns. As the majority of products go through the normal six stages of their PLC, there are many that do not or will not follow them. These special categories of PLC are mainly five: the style, the fashion, the fad, the low learning and the high learning. However other PLC patterns are also the instant bust, the aborted introduction, the market specialty, the growth stump -maturity pattern, the cycle recycle pattern, the scalloped pattern etc. STYLE Style is a basic and distinctive model of expression appearing in a field of human endeavor. Once a style is invented it can last for generations Examples of Style appear in clothes, home art etc. FASHION Fashion is a currently accepted and popular style in a given field. It passes through four stages. The stage of distinctiveness, where some buyers approve something new and innovative that will characterize them. The stage of emulation, where other buyers approve this fashion in order to imitate the fashion leaders. The stage of mass fashion, where fashion becomes very popular and companies start producing in large quantities (mass production). The stage of decline, where the customers live behind the particular fashion and begin heading towards a new one. FAD Fads are fashions that rapidly appear to the consumers. They become accepted with great enthusiasm, peak early and decline very fast. Their acceptance cycle is very short and products that we will come across in this category are the tattoos or the body piercings. HIGH LEARNING PRODUCTS High learning products are products which have very long introductory phases. After their appearance in the market, they need time in order to become accepted either because they are complicated (require significant education of the customer) and expensive or simply because they are not compatible with the existing values of the society (e.g. Video phones, microwave ovens etc.). LOW LEARNING PRODUCTS Low learning products are the exact contrary of the high learning ones. Their introduction is very fast and some time it is difficult to separate the introductory and the growth stage. They peak rapidly because of their high relative advantage. The customer already knows how to use them and understands the benefits of having them. ALTERNATIVE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES As we have already mentioned, there are also other product life cycles which do not exhibit a bell shaped PLC. Growth slump maturity pattern Its a pattern that usually comes up in new drugs. At the beginning, the products success leads to a high sale level but later slumps. After that point the sales fall to petrified level (other examples are the kitchen supplies like spoons, mixers, kitchen knives etc.). Cycle recycle pattern Cycle-recycle pattern often suits in the pharmaceutical industry. At start, the firm aggressively promotes the product. As a result sales grow producing the first cycle. After their peak, sales start declining and the firms give another promotion push in order to have other smaller growths which produce a second, third cycle and so on. The Scalloped pattern The scalloped pattern on the other hand, differs from the other two. Here sales go through a series of PLCs. This succession of life cycles is the result of good marketing. The company finds new uses of the product, discovers new future customers and sometimes the launches the product to new foreign markets. A great scalloped pattern example would be again a certain drug which company found new applications of it. Other Other alternative Product Life Cycles would be the Instant Bust, the Aborted Introduction, The Market Specialty and the Extended Life Cycle which is the most common type and we are going to analyze next. EXTENDING PLC EXTENSION STRATEGIES The life cycle of the products varies, as we have already mentioned, but sooner or later all products will eventually reach the maturity stage which will be followed by the decline stage. Since the most profitable period of the PLC is during the stages of growth and maturity, companies pay strong attention on the life cycle of their products and try hard to extend them especially as those life cycles near an end. This kind of extension can be achieved by operating certain strategies which usually are introduced during the maturity phase. The most usual and effective PLC extension strategies are the following: Re-Packaging Re-Branding Pricing Re-Designing Promotion New Markets RE-PACKAGING Re-packaging the product means basically that you alter the image of a mature product. The companies try to give a new image to their products in order to make them look more appealing to their existing customers and/or attract new customers. This slight alteration can be done by changing the materials, the size or the messaging on the package. Take for example a chocolate that a company has been selling for decades. Though the product was popular in the 1970s, the new generations will not buy it because is not as modern as they would like it to be. However, if the company changes it just a bit, then it can reach out to those people who will start buying it. RE-BRANDING Re-branding a product is a difficult extension strategy because the companies must change the packaging, the name and the total appearance of their product. This strategy is usually followed when the company wants to reach out to a different audience, target a different market. Take for instance a shampoo. The firm must consistently offer improved versions of this product to maintain the interest of its customers. Re-branding this product would mean giving it a fresh look and name and can involve developing comparative ads that explain how the product has changed and is now better than ever before. PRICING A widely used extension strategy is the re-designing of the products pricing strategy. This can be done by either reducing the products existing price, discounting, or by offering different pricing options. By using this technique, the companies reach out to target markets that couldnt afford the product, gain customers and sustain market share for the products that they offer. RE-DESIGNING Re-designing a mature product is actually the modification of the products features. This strategy is usually followed when the product must adapt to market changes or changes in buyers preferences (customers behavior). In order to do so, the companies, can change the color, the shape or the decoration of the product depending on what their target groups want. Additionally, the companies can add new features to a product providing alternative uses for it. These modifications must be noticeable to the buyer and satisfy his needs in a better way than before, or satisfy him in more ways. Finally, there are two types of value adding modifications: The retention type modification that increases the attractiveness of a product/service to the loyal customers of the company. The conquesting type modifications that allow a company to attract another companys loyal customers by increasing the appeal of its product/service to them. PROMOTION Promotion is used for every single product no matter the stage they are in. However when a product nears the end of its life cycle, the company tends to increase the advertising in order to increase awareness and remind customers the benefits of purchasing this product. The marketing departments can develop new advertising campaigns or stick to the old ones but increase the frequency of the ads. By using persuasive promotional techniques such as BOGOF (Buy One, Get One Free), companies try to stimulate demand. NEW MARKETS Companies can always expand abroad and launch in new markets. By expanding their products abroad, they can reach out to completely different customers (numerous cultural, social, political or geographical differences) and extend the PLC. This strategy can be very expensive since the market will be new and unknown, however, if its done properly, the product will be very profitable and wont fade away. To sum up, if the above product life extension strategies are done properly and be successful, then they can increase the profitable period of a product, generating additional profit from a mature or declining product. THE PROBLEMS OF PLC MODEL As mentioned above the standard PLC model is not followed by each and every product/service. In spite of the companies efforts, sometimes the poor marketing or the misunderstanding of the environments and the consumers messages can lead a product straight to the decline stage. Usually, the firms cannot predict the time that their product will need to go from one phase to another and sometimes they cannot even realize their products current stage. All these ultimately will lead the firm to take marketing actions too early or too late. Since every product is bound to spend different lengths of time in each stage there is no physical way of showing this on the PLC model. As Day (1981: 65) points out: The identification of the boundaries between phases will be affected by the variety of product life cycles patterns. The more variations of the PLC identified, the more difficult the positioning process becomes. Through the years, several scientists and authors have criticized the PLC model and have questioned its validity. In the table below we present some of those along with the problems that they found in this extraordinary model. Major criticisms and problems Authors The PLC concept has no practical use Levitt (1963: 93) It is still difficult to determine at which phase of the PLC a product or service is Levitt (1963: 93) Dhalla and Yuspeh (1976: 102-110) Grantham (1997: 9) The PLC concept has not yet been tested systematically Polli and Cook (1969: 385-400) The PLC led many companies to make costly mistakes and to neglect opportunities. It is often difficult to accurately determine in which phase of the PLC a product actually is. Shortcomings on the practical application of the PLC concept Dhalla and Yuspeh (1976: 102-110) There is still no evidence of the efficacy of the PLC as a tool to predict marketing strategy Dhalla and Yuspeh (1976: 102-110) Grantham (1997: 9) Most empirical studies testing the product life cycle concept have found that it lacks validity or usefulness for explaining sales growth Weber (1976: 125-132) The problem with the PLC concept is that sales are modeled primarily as a function of time and are expected to produce curves that display growth, leveling and decline Tellis and Crawford (1981: 125-132) In many markets the product or brand life cycle is longer than the actual planning life cycle or organizations Mercer (1993: 269-274) There is still serious doubt about the application of the product life cycle as a marketing tool Grantham (1997: 4) THE INVERTED PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE The inverted product life cycle was first invented by John A. Weber. Its a new framework that provides new aspects for viewing and understanding the possible growth opportunities for the organization. It is nothing more than the classic PLC concept. However, this inverse expands it into a detailed, inquisitive and intuitive tool for planning future growth. According to Weber the inverted product life cycle will help organizations to estimate the sales likely to result from taking advantage of available growth opportunities. The inverted PLC uses the industrys life cycle and not the products itself. It can be used in plenty ways such as to help the top management and the product line managers, assess alternative growth choices and international markets, separate the market segments etc. PRODUCT CANNIBALISM Product cannibalism is a phenomenon that appears when a company launches a new product, similar to other pre-existing ones, regardless of their market position. This is mostly due to the introduction of new technologies in the market, which makes cannibalism common among technologically advanced companies. When a firm decides to follow this strategy, it launches a new product to replace previews ones, which cannibalizes on the market share of its predecessors. The favorable case of cannibalism Product cannibalization has both a negative and a positive side. In a usual case of cannibalism, the improved product is introduced to the market when the older one reaches its peak sales. Prices for the new product are high, in order to sustain profit, as the previous version reaches the end of its life cycle. Sometimes, companies introduce a new product, before the existing one even reaches its maturity phase. It is important, for managers, to know exactly the right moment to introduce the new product, as mistimed actions can be catastrophic. The unfavorable case of cannibalism If cannibalism is implicated without caution, the results might be harmful for the company. These are: Smaller contribution to profit, as the new product sold at a lower price, does not yield as much profit as the previous one and does not expand the companys market share. Switching to a new product causes smaller combined profits from both products, compared to not cannibalizing. Changes in the manufacturing process may be too expensive to handle and cause a decrease in profit. A new product with higher risk may cause an unexpected rise in production cost and a decrease in profit margin. Offensive and Defensive Cannibalism strategies Product cannibalism can be used in order to hit the market leader, or repel competitive companies from stealing market share. Offensive cannibalism is useful when a company wishes to establish itself in a new market or expand its market share. For the market leader it is advisable not to cannibalize, until it is necessary. Companies should wait for the right moment, when they have developed or acquired technology allowing them to develop an innovative product. When competitors arise, they will be ready to quickly launch their new product, not only sustaining their market share, but increasing it as well as gaining larger profit. This is not always the case, as delays give competitors the opportunity to attack market share, before the leader is able to react. Defensive cannibalism strategies include: Cannibalizing before competitors, using proper timing. Early use of this strategy causes profits to drop, while late use causes a loss in market share. Using product cannibalism as a way to maintain a technological advantage over competitors. The market leader adjusts the length of the products life cycle this way. This is the case with Intel corp. cannibalizing its older processors in favor of new ones. Adjusting the cannibalization rate to pricing. The price of a new product determines the mix in sales between new and old. Giving the new product at a lower price causes cannibalization to be slow. In the opposite case, cannibalization becomes fast, as the new product is considered to be superior to the previous one. Minimizing cannibalization with the introduction of a new product to specific market segments. This strategy helps the company to maintain a balance between gain and loss in the market. Cannibalism and e-commerce Cannibalism is also common among companies that operate on the internet. Their strategy is to offer products at a lower price on the internet, compared to retail prices. Since buyers are affected by prices they choose to buy online, causing a reduction in volume for retail sales. Large companies such as Toys R Us (United States of America), have launched online ventures in order to achieve this result. THE PLC AND PRODUCT PORTFOLIO THE BCG MODEL Bruce Henderson of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has developed a matrix called BCG matrix. The BCG matrix is a portfolio planning model which is used to identify products, current and future market position, profitability, capital requirements and development opportunity. The BCG matrix is based on the theory of product life cycle and it is a well-known portfolio management tool. The BCG matrix is often used to know which products in company gets more funding and attention. Each product has its product life cycle and each phase in the product life cycle represents a different profile of risk and return. A company should retain a balanced portfolio of products that includes both high growth and low growth products. The high growth product is a new product that has to get to the market and it takes a lot of effort to get it there. The high growth products are those which are expected to bring the most profit in the future. A low growth product is already established and known by th e market. In other words these products are the milking cows that brings a constant cash flow. It is important for the companies to know what phase their products are in and in order to find this out they can use the BCG matrix. The model has four categories in a portfolio of a company. These four phases are: Star. If a product is placed in the category of stars it has a high growth and a high market share. The products are also those which are the leaders in the business but still they need to retain the market share with a lot of marketing and promotions. If the company manages to keep the market share the stars will grow into cash cows. The most important thing for a star product is to maintain the strong market position to later develop into a cash cow and try to avoid moving to a dog. Cash cow. When a product has reached a high market share in a mature market it becomes a cash cow. It is characterized by a low growth but a high market share. Due to the high market share there is no reason to invest on the product. A cash cow generates a lot of cash flow because of the high profit margins. This phase of the product life cycle is what every business strives for. Question mark. This phase of the products life cycle exists when the product enters the market and is waiting for the buyers to discover it. The strategy is to get the customer use the products. It is about a high growth and a low market share therefore question marks have high demands and low returns due to the low market share. If the managers do not manage to increase their market share these products will become dogs. When a product reaches this phase the company has to decide if they want to invest in it or to sell it. Dog. When a product has reached the low growth limit and when it has a low market share it is time for the company to remove the product from the market because expensive turn around plans do not help. One possibility the company has is to focus on a defensible niche. Generally, dogs should be avoided and minimized. These four steps of the BCG model can be compared to the model of the product life cycle. When the product life cycle is compared to the product portfolio concept, the marketing manager can take strategic decisions with greater certainty. We can compare the question mark phase to the introduction phase. When the product has evolved to become a star it has reached out to the market and also managed to get a strong market position. This can be compared to the phase of growth. After the period as a star the product turns to a cash cow which is also the maturity stage. Finally a declining product can also be called a dog. CONCLUSION The product life cycle model has been a central and crucial element of marketing theory for four decades. It has been helpful to marketers in their attempt to understand, conceive and analyze their products success and profitability and has proved itself to be an important research tool. Despite the criticism that it has received and the g

Inventing a Writing Technology :: Invention Writing Technological Papers

When I first started thinking about this assignment, lots of different ideas ran through my head from sticks and sand to pond muck to baking, but I kept running into the fact that almost everything that I thought of utilized some sort of manufactured tool. Ultimately, since I have a soft spot for anything edible, and since fruit is a ready resource in nature, I went to the produce section of the grocery store for some berries and a surface. My problem then though was the fact that paper and traditional writing surfaces are also a technology. It was actually much more difficult for me to come up with an appropriate surface than to find a way to make letters. Letters are essentially stains or scratches or rubbings, which can be created by a wide array of different natural resources, but finding a surface that has some permanent qualities as well as allowing for the writing to be legible is tough. I ended up with a honeydew melon because the surface was smooth and pale so that the berry juice would show up clearly. Another characteristic of a successful writing surface is that it absorbs or retains the writing, and that was the problem with my melon. The surface wasn’t porous enough to receive the berry ink, and I was compelled to use a knife to make the project successful. I rationalized the knife by thinking that it is one of the simplest tools that humans use, since it is essentially a sharp wedge. Also, it is po ssible to make a knife if one wants to take the time to do so by scraping a stick with a rock or a softer rock on a harder one. With the use of a precise tool like a knife, I was able to create very clear and legible letters that became even more pronounced with the blueberry dye. Ong states that â€Å"writing is a technology, calling for the use of tools and other equipment,† (Tribble 321) and my difficulty in writing with crude rocks and sticks only made this point more resonant for me. I did try to carve the melon with a sharp stick, but it was a frustrating and painstaking process that I quickly abandoned in favor of the tried and true knife. Without this tool, I do not believe that my writing sample would have looked as â€Å"normal† as it did, and it probably would have been very difficult to read. Inventing a Writing Technology :: Invention Writing Technological Papers When I first started thinking about this assignment, lots of different ideas ran through my head from sticks and sand to pond muck to baking, but I kept running into the fact that almost everything that I thought of utilized some sort of manufactured tool. Ultimately, since I have a soft spot for anything edible, and since fruit is a ready resource in nature, I went to the produce section of the grocery store for some berries and a surface. My problem then though was the fact that paper and traditional writing surfaces are also a technology. It was actually much more difficult for me to come up with an appropriate surface than to find a way to make letters. Letters are essentially stains or scratches or rubbings, which can be created by a wide array of different natural resources, but finding a surface that has some permanent qualities as well as allowing for the writing to be legible is tough. I ended up with a honeydew melon because the surface was smooth and pale so that the berry juice would show up clearly. Another characteristic of a successful writing surface is that it absorbs or retains the writing, and that was the problem with my melon. The surface wasn’t porous enough to receive the berry ink, and I was compelled to use a knife to make the project successful. I rationalized the knife by thinking that it is one of the simplest tools that humans use, since it is essentially a sharp wedge. Also, it is po ssible to make a knife if one wants to take the time to do so by scraping a stick with a rock or a softer rock on a harder one. With the use of a precise tool like a knife, I was able to create very clear and legible letters that became even more pronounced with the blueberry dye. Ong states that â€Å"writing is a technology, calling for the use of tools and other equipment,† (Tribble 321) and my difficulty in writing with crude rocks and sticks only made this point more resonant for me. I did try to carve the melon with a sharp stick, but it was a frustrating and painstaking process that I quickly abandoned in favor of the tried and true knife. Without this tool, I do not believe that my writing sample would have looked as â€Å"normal† as it did, and it probably would have been very difficult to read.

One Life Aquatic :: essays research papers

One Life Aquatic Steve Zissou is a world known, and partially renowned oceanographic explorer. He has been depicted through his documentary films as a larger than life character, yet it seems that each unsuccessful film shows more and more of his humanity. The film introduces us to Steve Zissou when he is at an all time low in his career, having just lost his best friend and crewmate Esteban. Steve is now searching for something more amazing than anything he has ever done, just to reaffirm his place in life. In the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2004), parallelism can be found between two very similar scenes. By contrasting the second film premiere to the first, the transformation of Steve Zissou can be seen through his departure down the red carpet. The crew of the Belafonte starts their stroll down the red carpet; red knit caps shaping their heads, clad in their finest suits. Classical music fills the air, ringing the delicate atmosphere. The ragtag team exits their film premiere; their half cocked smiles tell us more than an interview ever could. A heckler from the crowd shouts toward the most somber of them all, Steve Zissou; a middle-aged oceanographer carrying a â€Å"crayon seahorse† he just received from a crewmate’s nephew, named Werner. Steve stands unassuming for a second, and then rushes the man, only to be punched in the face seconds later. He suddenly realizes the bag containing the seahorse has been punctured by the fight. He grabs a passerby’s wine glass and pours the seahorse in. The scene finalizes as Steve Zissou flees the film premiere. He makes his way through the crowd as the only visible part of him is the raised wine glass. While exiting his film premiere, Steve is looking for reassurance of his film’s credibility. The only comfort offered comes in the form of a â€Å"crayon seahorse† from Werner, a crewmate’s pre-pubescent nephew. As Steve leaves he is surrounded by his friends and colleagues; and though their proximity is close, their demeanor shows some distance in their relationships. After the ensuing fight, Steve exits by himself, blending into the crowd except for the raised wine glass containing the seahorse. The raised wine glass represents an obvious conflict of disposition in Steve Zissou. Though the film has shown him to be imperfect in many ways, he attempts to adapt to the persona of a very confident and brash person, much like a person who raises his wine glass to propose a toast. One Life Aquatic :: essays research papers One Life Aquatic Steve Zissou is a world known, and partially renowned oceanographic explorer. He has been depicted through his documentary films as a larger than life character, yet it seems that each unsuccessful film shows more and more of his humanity. The film introduces us to Steve Zissou when he is at an all time low in his career, having just lost his best friend and crewmate Esteban. Steve is now searching for something more amazing than anything he has ever done, just to reaffirm his place in life. In the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2004), parallelism can be found between two very similar scenes. By contrasting the second film premiere to the first, the transformation of Steve Zissou can be seen through his departure down the red carpet. The crew of the Belafonte starts their stroll down the red carpet; red knit caps shaping their heads, clad in their finest suits. Classical music fills the air, ringing the delicate atmosphere. The ragtag team exits their film premiere; their half cocked smiles tell us more than an interview ever could. A heckler from the crowd shouts toward the most somber of them all, Steve Zissou; a middle-aged oceanographer carrying a â€Å"crayon seahorse† he just received from a crewmate’s nephew, named Werner. Steve stands unassuming for a second, and then rushes the man, only to be punched in the face seconds later. He suddenly realizes the bag containing the seahorse has been punctured by the fight. He grabs a passerby’s wine glass and pours the seahorse in. The scene finalizes as Steve Zissou flees the film premiere. He makes his way through the crowd as the only visible part of him is the raised wine glass. While exiting his film premiere, Steve is looking for reassurance of his film’s credibility. The only comfort offered comes in the form of a â€Å"crayon seahorse† from Werner, a crewmate’s pre-pubescent nephew. As Steve leaves he is surrounded by his friends and colleagues; and though their proximity is close, their demeanor shows some distance in their relationships. After the ensuing fight, Steve exits by himself, blending into the crowd except for the raised wine glass containing the seahorse. The raised wine glass represents an obvious conflict of disposition in Steve Zissou. Though the film has shown him to be imperfect in many ways, he attempts to adapt to the persona of a very confident and brash person, much like a person who raises his wine glass to propose a toast.

open house :: essays research papers

Review of Open House I am an avid reader. The type of person who can wipe out a good book in a day or two. For the past several months my only reading has been my textbooks. So I was excited sitting down and reading a book just for pleasure. A girlfriend of mine had given me this book and said she enjoyed it. Plus it was a selection of the Oprah book club. Surely Oprah wouldn't steer me wrong. It's Friday night. I am in my room, settled down with everything I need for a night of reading. I actually managed to finish this book with about six to seven hours. This would lead you to believe this was one of those books that you couldn't put down. Unfortunately this was not true. I was sadly glad to just be through it. The story is about a women named Samantha, and the experiences she has during her seperation and divorce. While there was a minimal amount in the story that I could relate to, feeling she has been living what her husband and son wanted her to be. She has to find herself and her own way now. For the most part the story was totally not what real life is about. While I would have liked to have spent the days after my spouse moving out overcharging at Tiffany's. Then the story switches to problems with money. She wanted to charge him out at Tiffany's then suddenly wants to make it on her own. Yet is real slow at looking for a job. When her husband is described as extremely wealthy, yet they didn't live that way. Ok. So Samantha takes in borders. The first one was an older woman who's daughter works at the grocery store. How many of us when looking for a roommate would actually choose a woman in her 60's. Samantha needed to roll her Mom's advice with the old womans example. Because Grandma had a boyfriend. They dated, she spent the night with him. Samantha actually lies in this woman's bed one night and thinking what their lovemaking must be like. Samantha does make a male friend in the story. His name was King. He was the moving man who delivered the roommates funiture. He stopped by a few days later while he was doing another one of his jobs of dog walking.

Compare the representation of class and status for 3 music videos

The task we have been asked to do for our coursework is to pick three music videos and analyse them for representations of status and class. The three videos I have chosen for my coursework are: Nelly Furtado – Manos al Aire, Wiley ft. Mark Ronson & Daniel Merriweather – Cash in my pocket and Jamiroquoi – Virtual insanity. I have chosen these three videos because they are all good to compare in how they have shown class and status. Jamiroquoi – virtual insanity In this video, JK is wearing a dark blue jacket with the collar up, black trousers, black shoes with white laces and a tacky top hat. It looks quite smart although he isn't wearing any make up and he hasn't shaven which makes him look a bit untidy. This connotes that he is some sort of witch doctor which can be backed up when he says â€Å"magic spells† and makes the chair move towards him. The untidiness of him makes him lower in class but magic is a good way to be high in class and status. It is one long shot to begin with and the camera is angled so it shows the whole room that he is dancing in. During this, Jamiroquoi is all over the place, always on his feet dancing to the music which is very upbeat and hip. He looks like he is a laborer because of his clothes and tacky top hat but the room he is in looks like a mental hospital because there isn't much in the room apart from a few leather chairs and the white drawers on the wall. The backup dancers are wearing white and are in unison. They could be workers in the hospital. All of the white connotes that everything is sanitized and clean which is how a hospital should be. The leather chairs look quite expensive which suggests that Jamiroquoi could be in a rehabilitation center for something. Because these things are expensive, it means that JK must have a lot of money which tells us that he is high in status and class. There isn't much in the hospital but everything looks expensive and brightly lit. It costs quite a bit to go into rehab so Jamiroquoi has a lot of money which shows him as high in class. He is also high in status because everybody would be attending to his needs to get him off whatever it is he is in there for so he runs th e show. The backup dancers are only on for ten seconds but during this time, they are all looking at the floor and are perched over slightly like none of them have any control over what they are doing. When they reach the end of the hallway, it's like they spring back into life and they all spin off out of the shot. This connotes that JK is using his magic to control them and to be able to do such a thing, he must have a lot of power and people with power are usually very high in status and class. Nelly Furtado – Manos al Aire I have chosen this video because I think that Nelly's persona is good at showing her class and status. She is shown as someone working in the army, we know this because she is wearing an army uniform and driving a jeep which is an army color. The camera is angled looking up on her most of the time which shows that she is high in status in the army. She isn't smiling which connotes that she is pretty sad and her cap is casting a shadow over half of her face and her eyes which shows she is low in class. She is with her husband seeing a counselor and then when she is in her jeep, she takes a picture of him, looks at it and puts it down again with a depressed look which suggests that she is unhappy with him. She has a load of stuff in the back of her jeep like boxing gloves which she throws out onto the road and doesn't give a second look to. She is singing about the man and she says â€Å"I surrender† and â€Å"I want to love you† This connotes that she is lower in status than the man otherwise she wouldn't be singing stuff like that to him. The video is set in a village but all of the houses look built up and expensive. We don't know that Nelly lives there but at the end of the video when she turns up at the man's house, it is in that built up area so it shows that he must have a lot of money. He is fully clothed and she is wearing shorts and a vest top which shows he is high in class and status because he can afford to live in such a nice area and can be in casual clothing. I think that the narrative of the video is that Nelly and her husband are having problems so they are seeing a counselor. They break up and Nelly goes to give him all of his stuff back but then on the way she realizes that she still wants to be with him and throws herself upon him which proves that she is lower in class and status than the man. Wiley ft. Mark Ronson & Daniel Merriweather – Cash in my pocket In this video, a character shows his class and status before the music even starts by saying â€Å"I feel sorry for these people, maybe I should throw some of my money at them. That will make them smile† Wiley portrays himself through other people throughout the video. This connotes that he is high enough in class and status to get other people to do his video for him and he doesn't need to be in it. The people in the video are mimicking the words to the song as he sings. They are all dressed smart by wearing suites or smart clothes which helps to show that they are high in class and status. The characters body language and facial expressions suggest that they are all happy and like to have a laugh in their place of work. The camera is looking up at some people and down on others. The lighting on the people is bright which connotes that they are high in status and class because if it was dark, they would look like hobos or something. The camera looks up at the people who are singing to the camera and down at the people who are sitting down in separate rooms. This shows that the people who are dancing to the camera are higher in status and class than the people who are sitting down. The people who are sitting down are probably doing the jobs that nobody wants to do but their facial expressions and body language still connotes that they are happy with what they are doing. At the point in the video where it starts singing about cheese, a man in a mouse suit comes along and starts dancing to what the lyrics are saying. The camera then moves onto four pretty women spinning around in chairs and another woman walks past them pushing a cart with Champaign and gold foil on the bottles. Gold connotes wealth and wealth shows high status and class for the company. Some people were having a meeting in a room with a big expensive flat screen T.V with a Chinese man on it talking to them. The T.V had a webcam on the top and behind the Chinese man; there was some Chinese writing on a board and a Chinese calendar. The man had a glass of water with him and he was sitting at a desk. All of this connotes that he is involved in the meeting and the company has another branch in China which shows that the company has a lot of money and class and status. Towards the end of the video, everybody is parading through the halls because they are going home and they are very happy. The camera is looking up at them the whole time which shows they are all high in class and status. Conclusion These Three videos are all good to compare because the situations are similar in the way that everybody is portrayed to be either high or low in class and status through camera angles, lighting ect. But they all have different story lines. Nelly is trying to get her husband out of her mind, JK is in rehab and the people in the Wiley video are getting through a day in the office. They all compare well in how different status and classes can be used in different situations. Jamiroquoi is high in status while Nelly is high in status but lower than the other people in the video and although Wiley isn't actually in his video, his puppets do a pretty good job of showing that he is high in status.

Abortion & human

The term abortion refers to the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of the fetus or embryo from the uterus resulting in its death. The term is most commonly used to refer to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy.Abortions in humans can occur spontaneously where it is carried out due to complications that occur in the duration of the pregnancy; this is also called a miscarriage or it can be induced.An abortion can either be therapeutic in which case the abortion is induced with the aim of protecting the health of the mother or it can also be termed as an elective abortion in which case the abortion is procured for reasons other than protecting the health of the mother.Abortion has a long history and whereas modern advancements in the medical world have allowed for the use of medications and relatively safe surgical procedures to induce abortion, the traditional methods included the use of sharp tools to inflict physical trauma. A pregnancy can be intentionally t erminated in a number of ways.The manner selected mainly depends on the gestational age of the embryo or fetus the full gestational age of a full pregnancy being approximately twenty two weeks.The procedure may also depend on the legality of the procedure in the particular country, the availability of the procedure in terms of the equipment required as well as the skilled personnel to carry it out. It may also depend on the preference of both the doctor and the patient whereby both parties may settle on one procedure in favor of another.In cases where the decision to undergo elective abortion is based on therapeutic causes, the termination of the pregnancy maybe carried out in an attempt to save the life of the mother.This is done in cases where medical doctors have determined that to allow the pregnancy to develop further would pose a considerable risk to the life of the mother.The abortion can also be carried out where medical doctors have ascertained that an abortion of the pregn ancy would preserve the physical or mental health of the mother.A therapeutic abortion can also be carried out to terminate a pregnancy that would result in a child born with a congenital disorder that would be fatal. It can also be carried out in cases associated with multiple pregnancies to selectively reduce the number of fetuses to lessen the health risks.There are various techniques and procedures that can be used in terminating a pregnancy. One of these methods is medical abortion that uses pharmaceutical drugs to terminate the pregnancy. Medical abortion is a non surgical method.Surgical methods have a variety of options. In the first twelve weeks, vacuum abortion is the most common method consists of removing the fetus or embryo, placenta and membranes by suction, it can be done manually using a manual syringe or by using an electric pump. Another method of abortion is by dilation and curettage which involves cleaning of the walls of the uterus with a curette.Where the pregn ancy is in the second trimester other techniques must be used to induce premature delivery using other drugs. Another method that can be used to terminate a pregnancy in its latter stages is hysterotomy abortion which is a procedure similar to a caesarean section and is performed under general anesthesia.Abortion is at times also attempted by causing trauma to the abdomen; however the degree of force if severe can cause serious internal injuries without succeeding in killing the fetus. This kind of abortion can be subject to criminal liability in many countries.Reported methods of unsafe and self induced abortion by insertion of non surgical implements such as knitting needles and clothes hangers into the uterus have been seen in developing nations but rarely in developed countries where surgical abortion is legal and accessible.Also in countries where abortion is not legal the pregnant women may seek to terminate the pregnancies in illegal setups which could also lead to the women losing their lives in the process of trying to secure an abortion.The practice of abortion also comes with various health risks and complications. The risk of complications can increase depending on how far the pregnancy has progressed. Early term surgical abortion is a simple procedure which is safer than abortions carried out much later in the pregnancy.The risks that come with abortion maybe physical pain or mental anguish for the patient as a result of the emotional attachment that could have been formed with the pregnancy, lack of social support to assist the patient in coping with her decision or even as a result where the woman may have been forced into having an abortion and she would personally have wanted to carry the pregnancy for a full term, presence of pre-existing psychiatric illness whereby the woman may already have been having mental complications that are now compounded by the effects of the abortion.Also in some cases the woman might suffer from mental anguish as a result of the guilt that the woman may be feeling as a result of the abortion, this is usually the case especially where the woman comes from a strong religious background that does not support abortion.Women choose to undergo abortion for various reasons. Some women procure abortions due to a sense of immaturity. This is usually the case especially where young women in their teenage and early twenties are concerned.They feel that they are not yet ready for the responsibilities that accompany motherhood. They may also feel that a child at such a young age will act as a barrier to her chance of advancing in her career or to her chances of pursuing a higher education. Some women may also terminate pregnancies in an attempt to end childbearing.

Islam in Southeast Asia

In the 11th century, a turbulent period occurred in the history of Malay Archipelago, the Chola Navy crossed the ocean and attacked the Srivijaya kingdom of Sangrama Vijayatungavarman, Kadaram (Kedah), an important fortified city in the Malayan peninsula was sacked and the king was taken captive. Soon after that, the king of Kedah Phra Ong Mahawangsa became the first ruler to abandon the traditional Hindu faith, and converted to Islam with the Sultanate of Kedah established in year 1136. Samudera Pasai converted to Islam in the year 1267, and many other rulers follow suit. There are several theories to the Islamization process in Southeast Asia. The first theory is trade. The expansion of trade among West Asia, India and Southeast Asia helped the spread of the religion as Muslim traders brought Islam to the region. The second theory is the role of missionaries or Sufis. The Sufi missionaries played a significant role in spreading the faith by syncretising Islamic ideas with existing local beliefs and religious notions. Finally, the ruling classes embraced Islam which further aided the permeation of the religion throughout the region. The ruler of the region's most important port, Malacca Sultanate, embraced Islam in the 15th century, heralding a period of accelerated conversion of Islam throughout the region as the religion provided a unifying force among the ruling and trading classes. ( Do?n nay e k bi?t co nen d? th? nay khong, vi no la 2 gi? thuy?t nen nghe no c? k tin c?y). Islam in Indonesia. As we know, Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, but not many people know that the amount of Muslims in Indonesia is larger than anywhere else in the world, with approximately 202. 9 million identified as Muslim (88. 2% of the total population) as of 2009. To foreign observers as well as to many Indonesians themselves, Indonesian Islam has always appeared to be very different from Islam at most other places, especially from the way it is practised in the Arabian peninsula. The religious attitudes of the Indonesians, it was often said, were more influenced by the Indian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism) that had long been established in the Archipelago and the even older indigenous religions with their ancestor cults and veneration of earth gods and a plethora of spirits. Many contemporary Indonesian Muslims refuse to recognise them as Islamic because they conflict with modern conceptions of (universal) Islam. In many cases, however, they came to Indonesia as part of Muslim civilisation, even if they did not perhaps belong to the core of Muslim religion. They represent an earlier wave of Islamisation. Islam In Malaysia Malaysia is a multiconfessional country with Islam being the largest practiced religion, comprising approximately 61. 4% Muslim adherents, or around 17 million people. In the 11th century, a turbulent period occurred in the history of Malay Archipelago, the Chola Navy crossed the ocean and attacked the Srivijaya kingdom of Sangrama Vijayatungavarman, Kadaram (Kedah), an important fortified city in the Malayan peninsula was sacked and the king was taken captive. Soon after that, the king of Kedah Phra Ong Mahawangsa became the first ruler to abandon the traditional Hindu faith, and converted to Islam with the Sultanate of Kedah established in year 1136. Samudera Pasai converted to Islam in the year 1267, and many other rulers follow suit. The local population saw that Islam could extricate them from this bondage and provide the means for the extirpation of social evils. The new religion gave the small man a sense of this individual worth – the dignity of man – as a member of an Islamic community. Originally, the draft Constitution of Malaysia did not specify any official religion for the state. This move was supported by the rulers of the nine Malay states, who felt that it was sufficient that Islam was the official religion of each of their individual states. However, Justice Hakim Abdul Hamid of the Reid Commission which drafted the Constitution came out strongly in favour of making Islam the official religion, and as a result the final Constitution named Islam as the official religion of Malaysia. Islam in the Malay Archipelago in general and Malaysia in particular follows the Shafi Madhab (school of thought). However there are many Muslims in Malaysia who do not follow any particular school. In Perlis, the state constitution specifies that Perlis follows the Qur'an and Sunnah and not a particular madhab. Many Muslims in Perlis therefore do not follow any madhab, as is the case with the followers and members of the Muhammadiyah Organisation in Indonesia. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Southeast_Asia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_of_Islam_in_Southeast_Asia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indonesia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Malaysia Global and Local in Indonesian Islam  by Prof. Martin Van Bruinessen,  Southeast Asian Studies (Kyoto)  vol. 37, no. 2 (1999), 46-63. http://www.islamcan.com/islamic-history/islam-in-malaysia.shtml

Ray Percival

I think that Ray Percival's article, â€Å"Malthus and His Ghost: When He Formulated His Theory, Malthus Ignored the Ingenuity of Man† (August. 18), in which he attempts to silence the Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus and his pro-population-control fanatics, the neo-Malthusians is a work of art. Paul Ehrlich and the other nay-sayers portray man as a gluttonous consumer. Yet, by default, every healthy human being is born with two hands every stomach comes with two hands attached. As Ray Percival asserts, by producing more than he consumes man has worked his way up from the near-universal poverty that was his fate two centuries ago. In my opinion, only one argument in Percival's article needs to be revised. In his dismissal of Ehrlich's simple-minded declaration that â€Å"more people = more famine,† he suggests that there have been â€Å"at most 15 million famine deaths† in this century. In fact, there has been nearly twice that in China alone. Most of which occurred from 1959 to 1962, following the Great Leap Forward, a campaign undertaken by the Chinese communists between 1958 and early 1960 to organize its vast population, especially in large-scale rural communes, to address China's industrial and agricultural problems. It was the scheming of men, not the impulses of nature that led to mass starvation after the Great Leap Forward. This, of course, is a familiar story, told in the Ukrainian famine, the Cambodian famine. We live in an age in which governments, more specifically one-party Communalist rà ©gimes, deliberately cause famines. Percival's optimism about the ability of free human populations to feed them could not be more accurate: it takes significant malicious geniuses to create economic systems and policies which render people incapable of providing for their basic needs. The population-control advocates have come to treat their body of belief more like a religious system than a scientific theory. It is impossible to convince anyone operating within neo-Malthusian constraints of its falsity by rational or pragmatic argument otherwise. They are intensely hardened in their narrow-mindedness by the abundance of funds to which they have access, since they have managed to convince many governments and foundations that they hold the key to mankind's success as a species: reducing the numbers of living, breathing and loving human beings.

The Palestine-Israel Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Palestine-Israel Conflict - Essay Example This can be attributed that the Israeli have been on top of the conflict due to huge support from the Americans. This is true and can also be attested by the number of adults killed in the course of the conflict. Palestinians have had the greater loss in this conflict. In terms of the injuries during the war, Palestine has the highest figures of victims. Israel has a lower number since they own the conflict. These comparisons are nothing to be proud of by the Americans. This is because the American involvement has led to more deaths and devastation for the Palestinians. The number of political prisoners is higher to the Palestinians than the Israeli. Even the destruction of homes, Palestinians have had the greater loss. The difference in these figures is surprising. The Christian-Americans continue to support the non-Christian Israelis and not Muslims since they share Christianity (Caplan 27). In a morally right perspective, Americans should support the Palestinians since the Israel has caused utter inhumanity to the Palestinians. Conclusively, Christian values dictate that these kinds of activities should be