Essay about Writing About Childhood Memories Through Poetry

Have you ever felt regret about being selfish towards your parents or thankful for everything your parents have done for you? In the poems â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†, by Theodor Roethke and â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, by Hayden White both narrators have felt the same feelings towards their parents. Writing about childhood memories can be a great method of symbolizing emotional experiences of one’s childhood. Both poems are very similar themes. Each of the poems tell a story of a child who reminisce on their lives by telling about certain events that occurred during their childhood. Both poems are sentimental and emotional narratives of the boy’s relationship with their fathers. In â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† the narrator uses specific imagery and words that are†¦show more content†¦However this assumption is proven when it is stated at the end of the first stanza that â€Å"such waltzing is not easy†, which also illustrates th e narrator’s juvenile character. The waltz is illustrated as enjoyable by the narrator’s variety of words in, â€Å"We romped until the pans slid from the kitchen shelf†. Hence, the mother’s frowning is an outcome of the dance being loud and irksome. The reader could agree that the mother’s frown may be referring to anger, or even worse, violence. The belt buckles reference is most likely brought up to stress the child’s size as he dances around with his father. The poem states the dance was not flawless and the boy bumped and ran into his father while waltzing. The mention of the father helping out the son while dancing shows the father’s kind effort to help the child stay on time with the music. After waltzing, the child is worn-out and the father symbolically â€Å"waltzes† him to bed. In the second poem, â€Å"Those Winter Sundays† describes the sacrifices made by a father to provide for his family. The theme of the poem is also memories and emotions, like the poem â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz†. Another theme is guilt. The poem generates a better understanding of the sacrifices the father makes for his family. The poem is told from the child’s point of view and the setting in a cold house during the winter, this emphasizes the emotions of being sad and cold. The first actionShow MoreRelatedThe Elements Of Poetry For Romantics984 Words   |  4 Pageswere quite a few reasons behind the societal purpose of poetry for Romantics. One of the biggest reasons was that they wanted society to pick up on romanticism through the art of poetry. The purpose of art is to teach us something anyway, like public life for example. The best way to pick up on romanticism was through the art of poetry at the time. Romantics wanted nothing more than people feel some emotion and self-awareness, and by writing poetry to do just that, that’s how they attempted to get toRead MoreGwen Harwood1749 Wo rds   |  7 Pagesreligion and language, Gwen had many early influences in her childhood that were clearly going to have an effect on her later life. Gwens family had strong connections with music and it became a very important part of her life, causing her to aspire to become a musician. Gwens grandmother introduced her to poetry and she began to write her own in the 1950s. Soon after, she learnt the German language to establish a wider reading of poetry and involve the language in her own works. Gwen married a linguistRead More How does William Wordsworths poetry fit into the literary tradition1055 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Wordsworths poetry fit into the literary tradition of Romanticism? Q. How does William Wordsworths poetry fit into the literary tradition of Romanticism? A. Romantic poetry was an artistic movement of the late 18th and early 19th century. It dealt with nature, human imagination, childhood and the ability to recall emotional memories of both happiness and sadness. Before Wordsworth began writing his revolutionary new style of poetry, all preceding poetry had a very differentRead MoreGwen Harwood relationships throughout poems903 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Gwen Harwood’s poetry endures to engage readers through its poetic treatment of loss and consolation. Gwen Harwood’s seemingly ironic simultaneous examination of the personal and the universal is regarded as holding sufficient textual integrity that it has come to resonate with a broad audience and a number of critical perspectives. This is clearly evident within her poems ‘At Mornington’ and ‘A Valediction’, these specific texts have a main focus on motif that once innocence is lost it cannot beRead MoreWilliam Wordsworth : Poet, Philosopher, Pioneer1456 Words   |  6 PagesWordsworth was alive over two centuries ago, Wordsworth’s paradigm is reflected within his unique style of writing, one that impacted the world of poetry forever. Over the course of William Wordsworth’s lifetime, many things contributed to shaping his worldview. At the young age of eight, Wordsworth’s mother died, and his father sent him to Hawkshead Grammar school, where his passion for poetry would be ignited. (CITATION) After Hawkshead, Wordsworth studied at St. John’s College in Cambridge, andRead MoreGary Soto1452 Words   |  6 Pagesattended a community college and got inspired to start writing poetry. Mr. Soto felt as if he had a knack for writing, so he transferred to a Fresno State in California. After he finished college he wrote and won awards for a book of poetry at 24 years of age called, â€Å"The Elements of San Joaquin.† Mr. Soto is a very talented writer in adult writing but in the late 1980’s he started to tackle children books and succeeded. He currently writes poetry books for all ages and he manages to have time to beRead MoreEssay on The Poetry of Robert Hayden1657 Words   |   7 Pagesmajority of Robert Haydens writings address racial themes and depicts events in African-American history, he also wrote short poems that capture his own personal experiences. Hayden has an enormous amount of great poems and short stories, but as I read through many of them, I was touched by two specific poems that I felt I could personally relate to. I chose these poems because I am able to put myself into the story-line and understand what the writer is talking about. I believe that a good writerRead MoreHow do the poets convey their disapproval of the strong impact that modernization has on Singapore?900 Words   |  4 Pagesand ‘remembering trees’, their respective poems, Boey Kim Cheng and Joshua Yap, have expressed their disappointment that modernization that have affected countless people. Not everybody wants to perfect their country for the better and let their memories slip away. Both poets reveal their feelings of lost behind the contrasting structure a nd literary devices of their homeland, Singapore. Boey conveys his disapproval by expressing his disgust towards the attitudes of the planners and their self-centerednessRead MoreThemes Evident in Sylvia Plath Poems1194 Words   |  5 PagesThemes evident in Sylvia Plath’s poetry Sylvia Plath displays many themes in her work; however she has the tendency to conceal and dig her themes, metaphors, and symbols deep in her poetic words, which leaves us readers left to decipher them. Plath is a poet that conveys quite compelling emotions through her work and is both prodigious and petrifying while still gloomy and relieving. Though there are many themes to revisit, the more significant ones evident in her writing will be explored. MortalityRead MoreLife, Poetry, And Death1467 Words   |  6 PagesLife, Poetry, and Death Death, madness, and love are the main points of impulse in Sylvia Plath’s life, a habit that can be described as part of the unconscious. According to psychological studies, the effects of trauma and experience on an author can manifest itself in their writing (Caruth). For instance, we learned that the suffering of Sylvia Plath her whole life due to depression, the attempted of suicide, and the death of her father. Those traumatic experiences influenced the writing and interpretation

A Reflection on Service Learning Working at Easter Seals...

Monads Gandhi once said, â€Å"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.† Before this experience, I did not understand this quote; however, now I understand this whole-heartedly. The first time I heard about service learning at Saint Anselm College was when I took a tour in my Junior year in high school. As the tour guide was explaining what service learning was, it immediately sparked my interest. As a student, I learn better in a more hands-on atmosphere, and this experience seemed perfect for me. After arriving at Saint Anselm College and being offered to participate in service, I definitely knew that it was something that I wanted to participate in. I feel very fortunate to have had this experience, and†¦show more content†¦I expected the work to be challenging and I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t know what types of families the children would be coming from. I was also fearful of offendi ng any of the children or parents, and wanted to make sure that I was respectful and understanding of the situation I was being placed in. All of these emotions were occurring the morning that I went for my first day of volunteering; however, as soon as I met the fifteen beautiful children, my fears turned into excitement to get to know each and every one of them. Before beginning my experience at Easter Seals Child Care, I was fearful, nervous and excited. After attending the service learning meeting, and hearing some of the stories that students had experienced at their sites, I was apprehensive and intimidating about the whole experience; however, once I became comfortable in the classroom, all of my fears and nerves disappeared. The first day I entered the classroom, the teacher that I was volunteering for, Miss Kelly, seemed intimidating and did not give me much direction as to what my duties were, so I had to go up to the children and introduce myself on my own which was very nerve-racking. Also, I was fearful that the parents may not like that I was playing with their children; however, the only experience I had with a parent was when they thought I was the teacher. A mother came up to me as I was making clay sculptures with three little girls and questioned,Show MoreRelatedEudora Welty a Worn Path12166 Words   |  49 PagesA Worn Path by Eudora Welty Copyright Notice  ©1998−2002;  ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design ® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.  ©2007 eNotes.com LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution or information storageRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12173 Words   |  49 PagesA Worn Path by Eudora Welty Copyright Notice  ©1998−2002;  ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design ® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.  ©2007 eNotes.com LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution or information storageRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesThis online teaching and learning environment integrates the entire digital textbook with the most effective instructor and student resources With WileyPLUS: Students achieve concept mastery in a rich, structured environment that’s available 24/7 Instructors personalize and manage their course more effectively with assessment, assignments, grade tracking, and more manage time better study smarter save money From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visualRead MoreA Picatrix Miscellany52019 Words   |  209 Pagesmanuscripts of alIstamà ¢tà ®s. The metals from which the incense vessels must be made do not in all cases correspond with the traditional planetary metals, as stated above in Book II, chapter 10 (pp.213-37). Next there is an account of other Sabian rites, child sacrifice, the worship of Mars by ritual slaughter, the initiation of young men, offerings to Saturn and a variant of the story, given in Book II, chapter 12, of the severance of a living head from its body (pp. 237-41). Chapter 8 contains prayersRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesstrategic choices and strategy in action covered later in the book, it will normally be a prerequisite that some type of analysis of the strategic position is undertaken, using the case material. When planning the use of these cases within programmes, care needs to be ta ken to balance the time taken on such strategic analysis so as to allow the time required to analyse the main issues for which the case has been chosen. Where the text and cases are being used as the framework for a strategy programme

Case Study Manners and Behavior

Question: Write about theCase Studyfor Manners and Behavior. Answer: Ethical obligations are actions undertaken by an individual in relation to their manners and behavior. In business studies, ethical obligations are duties performed by workers and staff members with the aim of gaining a profitable aftermath in returns. Giving an example of case study in question, is Annette, a member of the working staff in business organization. As a staff she has the obligation to try and improve the company's business state through provision of new idea that are in relation to the company's main focus and through fulfilling of her work duties effectively. Some of the ethical aspects required by the company against Annette as a staff includes, honesty in her doings, to be truthful in any information she provides and also full effort appliance in her job. However, in some situations a staff member is faced with a tough decision whether he or she should oblige to the company's ethics or go against it. Instances that one is forced to go against it is when he or she is saving her job or her friends job. Talking of Annette's case, she is faced with the same situation where she is forced to choose to go against the ethics. Her company is experiencing some major backlash in their market growth. She is forced to choose between providing the actual information of the company's records or changing the figures to save her friend. Changing the analysis will save her friend from losing his job, but this will not benefit the company, as it will continue experiencing the same problem they used to. This can be an after problem to her as well. Talking of the continuous experience of these challenges, worst case scenario that can happen is the company going out of market, later bankrupt and then it is shut down. Giving correct information to her boss, the company will be able to know what are the cause of the problems and it can improve from them.

Who is to Blame for the Deaths in the Play Essay Example For Students

Who is to Blame for the Deaths in the Play? Essay The names Romeo and Juliet have passed in our language as a symbol for love. For centuries, no story of love has been more influential, prominent and emotional than The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. In the extraordinary track of the play, the unconquerable love, heroic actions, and faithful vows of the two lovers finger our hearts hard like a spiky thorn and soft like the delicate silk. Who is to blame for the deaths in the play? Friar Laurence certainly holds the responsibility. He marries the two lovers, offers Juliet to drink the potion, fails to send the letter to Romeo in time,and runs selfishly away from the vault for fear of trouble.Friar Laurence marries Romeo and Juliet even though he forebodes that this hasty marriage may lead to a catastrophic outcome. When Romeo informs Friar Laurence about his marriage to Juliet, the Friar hesitates because their love emerges too sudden and too unadvised that it may end just as quick: These violent delights have violent endsAnd in their triumph die, like fire and powder,Which, as they kiss, consume (II, VI, l. We will write a custom essay on Who is to Blame for the Deaths in the Play? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now 9-11).The Friar, in particular, questions Romeos temperament towards love. The love of Romeo to Rosaline shows that Romeo is fickle, superficial and immature towards love: Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? Young mens love then liesNot truly in their hearts, but in their eyes (II, III, l. 70-72). Despite these misgivings, Friar Laurence chooses to marry Romeo and Juliet because this may help end the feud:In one respect Ill thy assistant be,For this alliance may so happy proveTo turn your households rancor to pure love (II, III, l. 97-99). Being a religious and holy man, the Friar always believes the good side of things. However, he should have a second thought, for the feud between the two families has been ancient and brutal. Can the alliance of Romeo and Juliet really help to end the feud? If it cant, then is he aggravating the matter by allowing Romeo and Juliet to be together? Should he rule this marriage without the acknowledgement of their parents? Later on, this marriage does provoke a brawl, which takes the lives of Mercutio, Tybalt, and Lady Montague. Had Friar Laurence not made Romeo a relative to the Capulets by marrying him to Juliet: Mercutio would not have been slain by Tybalt; Romeo would not have killed Tybalt for revenge; and Lady Montague would not have died from the grief of Romeos banishment.The Friar offers Juliet the potion, which hypnotizes her for 42 hours in order to avoid the marriage with Paris. When Paris finds Juliet dead on the day of their marriage, he feels being cheated and angry towards Juliet:Beguiled, divorced, wronged, spited, slain!Most detestable death, by thee beguiled,By cruel, cruel thee quite overthrown!O love! O life! Not life, but love in death! (IV, V, l. 62 64)In spite of his anger, his love for Juliet is truthful. On night of that day, Paris lays flower on Juliets tomb and weeps for her death: The obsequies that I for thee will keep nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep (V, III, l. 16-17). When Romeo is present, Paris becomes enraged and blames Romeo on murdering Juliet by slaying her dear cousin Tybalt. Paris draws out his sword and tries to avenge Romeo for Juliets death but in time slain by Romeo: O, I am slain! If thou be merciful, open the tomb; lay me with Juliet (V, III, l. 72-73). Paris devotes his love to Juliet and is willing to die with her, but predetermined fate means that Juliets affinity with Romeo comes before her marriage to Paris. If Friar Laurence didnt plan to let Juliet drink the potion and die, Paris would still be alive. .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff , .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .postImageUrl , .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff , .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff:hover , .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff:visited , .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff:active { border:0!important; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff:active , .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u07cbef28ae73a5635ea505050902f0ff:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: http://slate.msn.com/id/2103263/ EssayFriar Laurence is to blame for the death of Romeo for he fails to send the letter, which informs him about the plan. The Friar depends his entire plan on a letter to Romeo:In the meantime, against thou shalt awake,Shall Romeo by my letters known our drift,And hither shall he come, and he and I Will watch thy waking (IV, I, l.115-118).The Friar makes his plan in such a hustle that he hasnt thought about the possible failures or an alternate plan. When Romeo hears that Juliet is dead, he blames fate for taking Juliets life: Is it een so? Then I defy you, stars! (V, I, l.25). Romeo hurries to Juliets vault where he drinks the drug and dies beside his love: Here is to my love. O true apothecary, thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die (V, III, l.11-12). If Romeo had received the letter from the Friar, his state of mind and actions would have been completely different. Lastly, the Friars selfishness is to blame for the death of Juliet. When Juliet wakes up, the Friar tells her that Romeo is dead and his whole plan is abolished. He directs Juliet to escape with him before the watch comes: Come, Ill dispose of thee Among a sisterhood of holy nuns.Stay not to question, for the watch is coming.Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay. (V, III, l. 161-164) Juliet refuses to leave, and the Friar exits selfishly for fear that he will be in trouble if anyone finds out his involvement in the affair. If the Friar did stay with Juliet and took the dagger out of her hand in time, Juliet would not have irrationally killed herself. The hasty marriage, wrongful use of the potion, failure to send the letter, and selfishness of the Friar are the causes for the deaths that occurred in the play. In spite of the many coincidences and references to heaven and stars, Romeo and Juliet however, is not totally a tragedy of fate. Each character has his/her freewill and is responsible for his/her actions. The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet should be designated as the failure of human responsibility or human error rather than fate. Who should be blamed for this tragedy may remain long controversial, but the story of the two star-crossed lovers will remain timelessly in the world of literature. For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo (V, III, l.320-321).

Why You Should Avoid Checkbook Journalism

Why You Should Avoid Checkbook Journalism Checkbook journalism is when reporters or news organizations pay sources for information, and for a variety of reasons most news outlets frown on such practices or ban them outright. The Society of Professional Journalists, a group that promotes ethical standards in journalism, says checkbook journalism is wrong and shouldnt be used- ever. Andy Schotz, chairman of the SPJs ethics committee, says paying a source for information or an interview immediately puts the credibility of the information they provide in doubt. Exchanging money when youre looking for information from a source changes the nature of the relationship between the reporter and the source, Schotz says. It calls into question whether theyre talking to you because its the right thing to do or because theyre getting money. Schotz says reporters thinking about paying sources for information should ask themselves: Will a paid source tell you the truth, or tell you what you want to hear? Paying sources creates other problems. By paying a source you now have a business relationship with someone youre trying to cover objectively, Schotz says. Youve created a conflict of interest in the process. Schotz says most news organizations have policies against checkbook journalism. But lately there seems to be a trend to try to make a distinction between paying for an interview and paying for something else. This seems to be especially true for TV news divisions, a number of which have paid for exclusive interviews or photographs (see below). Full Disclosure is Important Schotz says if a news outlet does pay a source, they should disclose that to their readers or viewers. If theres a conflict of interest, then what should come next is explaining it in detail, letting viewers know you had a separate relationship other than just that of a journalist and a source, Schotz says. Schotz admits that news organizations not wanting to be scooped on a story might resort to checkbook journalism, but he adds: Competition doesnt give you license to cross ethical boundaries. Schotz advice for aspiring journalists? Dont pay for interviews. Dont give sources gifts of any kind. Dont try to exchange something of value in return for getting a sources comments or information or access to them. Journalists and sources shouldnt have any other relationship other than the one involved in gathering news. Here are some examples of checkbook journalism, according to the SPJ: ABC News paid $200,000 to Casey Anthony, the Florida woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, for exclusive rights to videos and pictures that ran on the network and its website. Earlier ABC had paid for Caylee Anthonys grandparents to stay three nights at a hotel as part of the networks plan to interview them.CBS News reportedly agreed to pay Caylee Anthonys grandparents $20,000 as a licensing fee to participate in the networks news coverage.ABC paid for Pennsylvania resident Anthony Rakoczy to pick up his daughter in Florida after a fake kidnapping attempt and for return plane tickets for Rakoczy and his daughter. ABC covered the trip and disclosed the free air travel.NBC News provided a chartered jet for New Jersey resident David Goldman and his son to fly home from Brazil after a custody battle. NBC got an exclusive interview with Goldman and video footage during that private jet ride.CNN paid $10,000 for the rights to an image taken by Jasper Schuringa, the Dutc h citizen who overpowered an alleged Christmas Day bomber on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. CNN also got an exclusive interview with Schuringa.

John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood

John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood John Lloyd Stephens and his traveling companion Frederick Catherwood are probably the most famous couple of Mayan explorers. Their popularity is linked to their best-selling book Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatn, first published in 1841. Incidents of Travel is a series of anecdotal tales about their travel in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras visiting the ruins of many ancient Maya sites. The combination of vivid descriptions by Stephens and the â€Å"romanticized† drawings of Catherwood made the ancient Maya known to a wide audience. Stephens and Catherwood: First Meetings John Lloyd Stephens was an American writer, diplomat, and explorer. Trained in law, in 1834 he went to Europe and visited Egypt and the Near East. At his return, he wrote a series of books about his travels in the Levant. In 1836 Stephens was in London and here he met his future traveling companion Frederick Catherwood, an English artist and architect. Together they planned to travel in Central America and visit the ancient ruins of this region. Stephens was an expert entrepreneur, not a risky adventurer, and he carefully planned the trip following the then-available reports of ruined cities of Mesoamerica written by Alexander von Humbolt, by the Spanish officer Juan Galindo about the cities of Copan and Palenque, and by Captain Antonio del Rio’s report published in London in 1822 with the illustrations by Frederick Waldeck. In 1839 Stephens was appointed by the U.S. president, Martin Van Buren, as ambassador to Central America. He and Catherwood reached Belize (then British Honduras) in October of the same year and for almost a year they traveled across the country, alternating the diplomatic mission of Stephens with their exploring interest. Stephens and Catherwood at Copn Once landed in British Honduras, they visited Copn and spent there few weeks mapping the site, and making drawings. There is a long-standing myth that the ruins of Copn were purchased by the two travelers for 50 dollars. However, they actually only bought the right to draw and map its buildings and carved stones. Catherwoods illustrations of Copan’s site core and carved stones are impressive, even if â€Å"embellished† by a romantic taste. These drawings were made with the aid of a camera lucida, an instrument that reproduced the image of the object on a sheet of paper so that an outline could then be traced. At Palenque Stephens and Catherwood moved then to Mexico, anxious to reach Palenque. While in Guatemala they visited the site of Quirigu, and before wending their way towards Palenque, they passed by Tonin in the Chiapas highlands. They arrived at Palenque in May of 1840. At Palenque the two explorers stayed for almost a month, choosing the Palace as their camp base. They measured, mapped and drew many buildings of the ancient city; one especially accurate drawing was their recording of the Temple of the Inscriptions and the Cross Group. While there, Catherwood contracted malaria and in June they left for the Yucatan peninsula. See the Walking Tour of Palenque Stephens and Catherwood in Yucatan While in New York, Stephens made the acquaintance of a rich Mexican landowner, Simon Peon, who had extensive holdings in Yucatan. Among these was the Hacienda Uxmal, a huge farm, on whose lands laid the ruins of the Maya city of Uxmal. The first day, Stephens went to visit the ruins by himself, because Catherwood was still sick, but the following days the artist accompanied the explorer and made some wonderful illustrations of the site buildings and of its elegant Puuc architecture, especially the House of the Nuns, (also called the Nunnery Quadrangle), the House of the Dwarf (or Pyramid of the Magician), and the House of the Governor. Last Travels in Yucatan Because of Catherwood’s health problems, the team decided to return from Central America and arrived in New York on July 31st, 1840, almost ten months after their departure. At home, they had been preceded by their popularity, since most of Stephens travel notes and letters had been published in a magazine. Stephens had also tried to purchase the monuments of many Maya sites with the dream of having them dismantled and shipped to New York where he was planning on opening a Museum of Central America. In 1841, they organized a second expedition to Yucatan, which took place between 1841 and 1842. This last expedition led to the publication of a further book in 1843, Incidents of Travel in Yucatan. They are reported to have visited a total of more than 40 Maya ruins. Stephens died of Malaria in 1852, while he was working on the Panama railroad, whereas Catherwood died in 1855 ​when the steamship he was riding in sank. Legacy of Stephens and Catherwood Stephens and Catherwood introduced the ancient Maya to the Western popular imagination, as other explorers and archaeologists had done for the Greeks, Romans and ancient Egypt. Their books and illustrations provide accurate depictions of many Maya sites and a lot of information about the contemporary situation in Central America. They were also among the first to discredit the idea that these ancient cities were built by the Egyptians, the people of Atlantis or the lost Tribe of Israel. However, they didn’t believe that the ancestors of the native Mayans could have built these cities, but that they must have been built by some ancient population now disappeared. Sources Harris, Peter, 2006, Cities of Stone: Stephens and Catherwood in Yucatan, 1839-1842, in Co-Incidents of Travels in Yucatan. Photoarts Journal ( photoarts.com/harris/z.html) accessed online (July-07-2011) Palmquist, Peter E., and Thomas R. Kailbourn, 2000, John Lloyd Stephens (entry), in Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: a Biographical Dictionary, 1840-1865. Stanford University Press, pp. 523-527 Stephens, John Lloyd, and Frederick Catherwood, 1854, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, Arthur Hall, Virtue and Co., London (digitized by Google).

Data preparation and network analysis Literature review

Data preparation and network analysis - Literature review Example Finding meaningful data about people’s access to urban green spaces with regard to the people’s reasons for using such spaces and when and how they use them is considerably weighed down by the fact that survey data from local authorities is rather inconsistent. Various methods have been developed to help in data collection on local green space needs. Methods such as Best Value processes are viable in realising green space needs for populations in areas such as the Madinah region of UAE. The benchmark questions used in the Best Value User Satisfaction Survey are relatively basic meaning that more viable information should be sourced from the literature review of past surveys, as well as the analysis of other similar areas around the world (Cope 2009, 174). Telephone surveys with the public can be used to find out or estimate the number of urban green space users for every green space located in their vicinity. This module of data preparation is perhaps best for the quant ification of urban dwellers’ access to green spaces and the estimation of future green space needs and the capacity of current green spaces to meet these needs. In England, for example, a telephone survey showed that 2.25 million people make a minimum of 184 visits to the nearest urban space annually (Knigge and Cope  2006, 2031). ... This is crucial in network analysis as it allows for the identification of peak times when green spaces are mostly used, as well as the documentation of whether or not the green spaces have the capacity to hold populations during peak visits (Neimeier 1997, 381). Afternoons, weekends and holiday times, are notably the key times for green space use. Other people have seasonal green space use patterns, which are largely influenced by prevailing weather patterns. Notably, men are slightly higher users if green spaces than their female counterparts. However, most local authority surveys do not give an indication on whether ethnic minority groups or disabled persons are equitably represented among green space users. This is perhaps the greatest limitation of using local authority surveys in data collection and network analysis of urban green spaces (Forman 2005, 203). As earlier cited, data preparation can take several formats. Thematic data generation is one such method. This entails the generation of area maps and conduct of an analysis of the region’s remote sensing data. Here, urban green spaces are digitised and categorised using visual interpretation methodology like Cartosat II and LISS-IV merge product in Arc GIS Ver.9.3 (Van Herzele 2003, 119). Under this module, urban green spaces are categorised as among others railway green, playgrounds, open green, water bodies, industrial green, built ups, parks and roadside green (Barbosa, Tratalos, et al, 2007, 189). Using the â€Å"selection by attribute† query within Arc GIS, the different categories of urban green spaces are separated and exported into different categories of either public and green spaces. All types of green spaces are then assigned different

Business goverance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business goverance - Essay Example 491). There are several principles applied in leadership of organization and others that act as supporting platforms for delegation. These include aspects of game theory, agency theory and leadership techniques (Bendor, Glazer & Hammond, 2001 p. 241). The ally principle is among the widely used delegation strategy. There are various delegation principles and processes applicable to delegation in either teams or individual play. The ally principle of delegation is the widely applied practice in the process of delegating in many organizations. The ally principle in delegation entails that the person in authority, when there is an opportunity for delegation, he picks the agent closest to them for the job. This definition to this principle underlies in the belief that, those entities closest to the authority and who hold a similar line of thought, as well as, foster the ideologies of the authority are at the best position to foster the organizational goals. The practice of delegation to a close entity gives the authority space to allow the person or group they give authority to work in freedom. There are several levels of delegation using the ally principle. In delegating via either principle, whether ally or any other, the levels of delegation include the following. There is the delegation in which the authority gives the directions precisely for the person delegated work (Gersen, 2012 p. 2193). Secondly, the authority can tell the junior to look at the situation and report, then the authority decides, or they decide together. Additionally, the delegation can be allowing the junior to look at the situation, make the decision and wait for approval from the authority before proceeding. Moreover, the delegation can allow the agent to make decisions and implement them then report the outcome later. Lastly, the delegation may

Changes in Political Culture Between 2004 and 2008 Essay Example for Free

Changes in Political Culture Between 2004 and 2008 Essay After reading all of the lecture notes and spending quite some time browsing the internet, I found three things that dramatically changed between the 2004 and 2008 Presidential elections. Media influence, technology and the change in demographics played major roles in the 2008 elections. Media influence was the number one change between 2004 and 2008. Although the media played a big part of the 2004 elections, that election does not compare to the media frenzy of 2008. In 2008, television became the primary medium for conveying the campaign to Americans. The television channels devoted hours a day to observing every small item, almost all of it live. Little was said back and forth between the campaigns that were not reported quickly by a media outlet. Across the medium, 67% of the time on cable came from talk format or live standup. Only 23% came from reported pieces in which correspondents have control of the message. (2) What press stories made a difference in 2008? There was more reporting on the background and character of candidates during the primaries, when the process of discovery was new and went on longer. Yet arguably, the two most important stories about Obama came from a church DVD (the sermon by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. ) and a tape made by a blogger doubling as a supporter (Mayhill Fowler) ,working for Huffington Post, who recorded Obama’s statement about bitter small-town voters. The reporting on Sarah Palin’s background in Alaska by various news organizations probably represents the most memorable example of first-hand, pro-active reporting into candidate backgrounds during the general election in 2008. 2) These are just a few of the examples of how the media bandwagon was so influential during 2008. It does not matter the party affiliation or beliefs, we all followed a certain media outlet of choice during that time. The second change between 2004 and 2008 was that Americans decided to get out and vote. Mainly due to the media frenzy, Americans stormed the ballot boxes none the less. Demographics were a very close second to the media during this time of change . The change in numbers is almost unbelievable. The electorate in last years presidential election was the most racially and ethnically diverse in U. S. history, with nearly one-in-four votes cast by non-whites, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center. (3) The unprecedented diversity of the electorate last year was driven by increases both in the number and in the turnout rates of minority eligible voters. Much of the surge in black voter participation in 2008 was driven by increased participation among black women and younger voters. The voter turnout rate among eligible black female voters increased 5. 1 percentage points, from 63. 7% in 2004 to 68. 8% in 2008. Among all racial, ethnic and gender groups, black women had the highest voter turnout rate in Novembers election a first. Overall, whites made up 76. 3% of the record 131 million people who voted in Novembers presidential election, while blacks made up 12. 1%, Hispanics 7. 4% and Asians 2. 5%. The white share is the lowest ever, yet is still higher than the 65. 8% white share of the total U. S. population. (3) The third and final thing that changed between the 2004 and 2008 Presidential elections was technology, especially the internet and social media sites. According to a survey conducted by Complete and released by Cisco about the influence of online video and social media applications on American’s political engagement, the Internet was cited by 62 percent of respondents as a regularly used source for 2008 presidential election information and coverage, which was surpassed only by television (82%). Nearly a quarter of Americans (24%) says that they regularly learned something about the campaign from the Internet; almost double the percentage from a comparable point in the 2004 campaign (13%). (4) The Internet has, and has forever, changed the role of how presidential campaigns are fought, and how Americans attain their political news and information. â€Å"Were it not for the Internet, Barack Obama would not be president. Were it not for the Internet, Barack Obama would not have been the nominee,† said Arianna Huffington, editor in chief of The Huffington Post, at a conference on ‘How Politics and Web 2. Intersect,’ at the Web 2. 0 Summit in San Francisco. (4) â€Å"The tools changed between 2004 and 2008. Barack Obama won every single caucus state that matters, and he did it because of those tools, because he was able to move thousands of people to organize,† Joe Trippi said. (4) In conclusion I can definitely see the major changes in political cultu re between the 2004 and 2008 Presidential elections. I also believe these changes started around the 2006 general elections and continued to progress for the next 2 years. It will be very interesting to watch the 2010 general elections and 2012 Presidential election to see how much influence the media and internet have. I think it will only progress until there is literally a live camera around anytime a candidate is in a public setting. Hopefully the trend of people getting out to vote is here to stay. For as Louis L’Amour said â€Å"To make democracy work, we must be a notion of participants, not simply observers.

Mama Day and Daughters of the Dust :: African American Culture Literature Essays

Mama Day and Daughters of the Dust For emigrants of any country it is difficult to maintain the individual culture of their homeland while assimilating to the ways of the new country they have entered. For slaves of the 19th century, the acculturation process was a necessity. If they did not conform to the Western way of life, they would perish. However for some slaves, their geographic location sequestered them enough from the European worldview that they could continue to practice their own culture and religion. Most of these groups were found off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, the exact location of two important African-American narratives – Daughters of the Dust and Mama Day. Although the islands did not offer complete sanctuary from the harshness of post-colonial American culture, it did afford the Africans living on those islands more latitude to practice their beliefs. Especially for the younger generations, there was a beckoning from the dominant culture to take part in its opportunities and advantages, which created a drawback for Africans still trying to carve their niche in the Western society. Daughters of the Dust and Mama Day are fictional narratives that vividly recount the experiences of the black slave family during the 1800’s. Although they take different narrative forms, the former as a movie and the latter as a book, there are still several important themes concerning the emerging African-American culture – a way of life that incorporates the native African worldview with the newly acquired American lifestyle – that the two stories address. Although there are differences between the two works, they are really struc tural in nature, such as plot and point of view, and are thus not necessary to address currently. Instead, it is important to focus on the values that dominate the African culture and the attitudes that enhance and interfere with their way of life in Western society. The narratives share two main themes of which all other themes can be derived. One is the struggle between the lifestyles and values of the mainland and the islands and the second is a belief in logic and science versus intuition and African folklore. For both stories the island is an integral part of the story, almost becoming a character unto itself. The nature of an island is such that it has its own personality and dynamic, which is appropriate since it is physically dislocated from the mainstream.

The Union Reconstructed

1. Explain how blacks responded to their former masters after the Civil War had ended. After the Civil War had ended, blacks responded to their former masters in two different ways. They would either return to their former masters for work and every time they would leave the plantation they would go farther claiming they didn’t want to stay on the plantation forever. This caused them to continue to have communication with their former masters and never completely became independent. The second response was they would chose to become entirely independent to their masters. They would seek work in the city and began their new free lives. Often times they all struggled but they were now free. 2. Compare the economic conditions of the South with the economic conditions of the North during the period of Reconstruction. The economic conditions of the South compared to the North during the period of Reconstruction varied quite heavily. The South was limited in many ways after the war and had little to expand and prosper where as the North had everything from political power to trade. They made it so the South could not have much political power which in turn affected them economically. These limitations came from the fear of a repeated war due to the fact that there was still much conflict occurring within the country because of matters of freed slaves and other things. 3. Discuss how southern whites reacted to the emancipation of blacks during the period of Reconstruction. After the emancipation of blacks during the period of Reconstruction, southern whites had responses of both fear and anger. They could not imagine their world without slaves in bondage, often they felt it a hassle doing chores they normally didn’t do. This lead to the feelings of anger, due to their dependency on the slave labor they were now confused and society needed to adapt in order to function once again. In some cases though the slaves had become a part of the home and the white people would miss them as a family member, often times distraught. Aside from these things, a majority of whites began to be fearful of legal intermarriage, dreading the fact that the pure white race would be destroyed. 4. Discuss President Johnson’s plan for reconstruction and Congress’s response to that plan. President Johnson’s plan for reconstruction was simply to pardon and restore all the rights of property to any former Confederate who swore allegiance to the Constitution and the Union. With this he believed he had successfully reconstructed the south and did not do much more. With this they looked to ratify the thirteenth amendment to abolish slavery. With this plan all southern states completed the Reconstruction plan and then sent representatives to the Congress that occurred in December 1865. Congress refused to seat these new senators and a large controversy out broke. 5. Describe the general attitude of the Union soldiers stationed in the South during Reconstruction toward blacks. Support your answer by citing specific incidents that occurred during that period. The attitude of the Union soldiers stationed in the South during Reconstruction towards the blacks was quite in different. They just worked to keep them in control and try to transition them from slavery to freedom. In many cases they would treat them as inferior but as well never got as bad as their former masters. They were just making attempts to help the society function. Whether they were successful is a different story. But they tried and eventually had the communities put together like a white community. 6. Discuss Congress’s plan for reconstruction and explain what Congress hoped to achieve as a result of that plan. Congress’s plan for reconstruction mainly revolved around completely freeing the black communities. They created the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to protect the black community and restricted the power of the executive branch. They were making decision that would benefit them in the long run. They would gain the black vote and be capable of gaining more power. So they limited the power of the former Confederates and attempted to have everything in their favor. 7. Discuss the economic conditions of poor blacks and poor whites during the period of Reconstruction. The economic conditions of poor blacks as well as whites differed. They both struggled financially due to crop shortages and other such things. However the blacks also were being aided by the Bureau of Freedom. They northern financed organization was created in order to help newly freed blacks to get on their feet. They helped them financially and helped with education. However they also in a sense forced blacks to accept low paying jobs when they didn’t want to. Even with this though they helped to get the blacks going in society. 8. Was the Republican administration that controlled the southern state governments during the period of Reconstruction a success or failure? The Republican administration that controlled the southern state governments during the period of Reconstruction was more of a success than it was a failure. They were able to stabilize the south in this time. They eliminated undemocratic features from prewar state constitutions as well as provided a universal male suffrage. They even loosened the requirements for holding office. They reconstructed the South financially and physically by overhauling tax systems and approving generous railroad and other capital investment bonds. With these accomplishments as well they set up a public school system in the south and stabilized it quite well. 9. Discuss the methods by which conservative white Democrats regained control of the southern state governments at the end of Reconstruction. The methods by which conservative white Democrats regained control of the southern state governments were very passive. They came in when the Republican Party had already begun to fail and economic problems began to surface. The Democrats began to discuss the new Grant scandals, unemployment and public works projects. To add to that they also discussed the currency and tariffs in order to show important issues. Discussion of these matters showed an interest in the country whether it was there or not and allowed the Democrats to win the popular vote.

Mats Ek Carmen

This essay will analyze and discuss one of Europe's most creative and influential dance-makers, the Swedish dancer and choreographer Mats Ek; acclaimed for the theatricality and immediacy of his work while his contribution and development through the dance field with the main focus on his revision of the classical ballet stories. It will also discuss one of his major works Carmen and relate it with the original one. Mats Ek is a prominent and controversial figure of the contemporary dance.He has his own choreographic style and his work in contemporary dance choreography is contested. He was born in 1945. Eks mother, and his big influence, was the famous dancer and choreographer Birgit Cullberg, the founder of the world wide recognized, Cullberg Ballet Company. As said before, his mother was a huge influence for Ek. Therefore one can see that both, Mats Ek and Birgit Cullberg, choreographic style has a lot of same characteristics such as the attention of psychological characterization , the sensitive portrayal of humans feelings and the humorous episodes. In performance we see a fantasy world so unwaveringly strange and characters so imperiously dysfunctional we're genuinely compelled†¦ Ek may ask his dancers to go to some very odd places but the Cullberg Ballet follows him with ardent alacrity† (Judith Mackrell, the Guardian. ) In 1974–5, Ek was a member of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Dusseldorf, and then made his choreographic debut in 1976 with The Officer’s Servant, for the Cullberg Ballet, the first of many of his works formed on them. In 1980 he became the artistic director of the Ballet Cullberg and a member of the Nederland’s Dance Theatre.He also worked and created pieces with many great dance companies. Mats Ek in well known for his revisionist versions of the classic ballets. He has also created his own work and most of the time his pieces have to do a lot with humor. However in reworking ballet classics, Ek likes to kee p the characters alive so as to always provide an inner emotion to the characters emotions and contrasts. The characters in his pieces,in contrast to the classic ones, have an emotional world of much more intense than usually and the relationship between them has a greater depth.Although he is revising the original pieces, he never forgets to stay true to the original context of the work and as far as the music is concerned he always uses the original one with very slight changes only to suit the new dramatic structure. Mats Eks key word, is clarity, despite the fact that he aims for clarity, this does not imply that he also uses simplicity in his pieces. â€Å"I was never interested in keeping to the classical traditions as such, What I want to explore are the underlying fairy tales that convey fundamental human issues love, deceit, pain, goodness.The classics have become cliches, and we have forgotten how they came to be and what they imply. We know them so well; they cease to ha ve meaning for our time. † (Mats Ek) Mats Ek is very often labeled that he relates his choreographies with the politics of the time that the choreographies are being made. This is not however right because none of Mr. Eks choreographies can be regarded as a political manifesto. In his pieces, the strong images and the dramatic situations will occasionally lead into humorous episodes. Humor, is one of Eks main characteristics throughout his pieces and as mentioned previously in the report so is his mother’s.By using humor in his dances, this does not mean that the pieces lose their tension. Since Mats Ek also studied theatre, most of the time his creations are a lot more dramatic than usual and this can be detected in every one of his pieces (Fifty Contemporary Choreographers, Pages 144-146). â€Å"Ek has a vivid theatricality and gift for genuine surprises†¦ his theatricality is matched by a full-out dance language that merges the sophisticated with the primitive. I became aware of just how much meaning Ek can compress into his pieces† (Nadine Meisner, the Independent).Ek’s style has become distinctive for its imaginative interpretations of storylines, in combination with a lyrical approach which transfers through movement the underlying emotions and feelings rather than just the narrative detail. His choreographic style and vocabulary is mainly from his ballet training, his relationship and dance experience with his mother and his collaboration with the Nederland Dance Theatre. Although Ek has rejected the conventional codes of classic ballet, it is clear in his pieces the he uses a lot of ballet technique.This can be found within the jumps, turns and footwork that he uses within his movement vocabulary. At the same time though, Ek uses a lot of contemporary movements such as drop of the pelvis, a lot of floor work and body weight. He manages to relate both styles with a unique and wonderful way in order for everything to look good and lovely. (Fifty Contemporary Choreographers, Pages 147-148) â€Å" Ek has done a great deal to enlarge how women are portrayed on stage, especially in the ballet classics. His â€Å"Giselle† and â€Å"Carmen† offer intense reimagining’s of  their heroines†. (Keeping dance alive: a Mats Eks portrait.Claudia La Rocco, TV classics) Let’s now move on to one of his most famous and great works, Carmen. Originally, Carmen was first performed in Paris on 3 March, 1875. Written by Georges Bizet. The story is about a temptress, Carmen, and her lover Don Jose who sacrifices his devoted lady, Micaela, to pursue his manly passions for Carmen. Jose, angry by her sexual behavior and blinded by his own rage, kills Carmen, thus bringing upon himself his own devastation resulting in death. The opera is set in Spain and the story line is more complex than the original novel by Prosper Merimee.The character of Carmen was too offensive for family theatre. Alt hough Carmen appeals to popular culture, the opera still attracts academic discourse as the spirit of Spain is personified in the character of Carmen. It is clear that in order for Carmen to be represented as a whore, she had to be black. That suited the beliefs of that time being, that the color of her skin will make her bad and evil. Moreover the color of her skin makes her also more exotic than any European and this will make her more desirable to the male audience and maybe more hated by women.In 1999 Mats Ek revised the Spanish classic Carmen to audiences all over the world. This version of Carmen is currently in the repertoire of the Royal Ballet, Cullberg Ballet, Lyon Opera Ballet, National Theatre, Ballet of Prague and the Polish National Opera Ballet. Ek in his pieces in general manages to show each character’s psychological aspect in depth. In Carmen, one can see that he presents Carmen as this woman who is complicated and has a complex behavior. That is what he usu ally does in his pieces, he presents all the women as very complicated and sexual creatures.In his choreography Ek is trying to keep the original features of the opera; but in order to attract more modern audiences he makes some changes so that the audience, in that time being, will be able to relate with the characters (Fifty Contemporary Choreographers, Pages 144-145). For example, the sexual behavior of Carmen in the piece is very important for the story line. However in the original piece it was not that clear. In Mats Ek version though, the sexuality is clearer and more understanding for the audience. Generally Eks version explores the actual human behavior as it is in real life.He pushes the male-female role reversal between the sexually free gypsy girl and the soldier Don Jose beyond safe boundaries, substituting a cigar for the familiar rose between Carmen's teeth, turning her into one of the boys( Cigar Crossed Lovers, David Bogoslaw, 1999). That cigar shows that she has a masculine soul in a woman’s body. (Carmen, 2010)   Carmen is a symbol of freedom and anarchy and can have as much freedom as she wants. In contrast, Jose is a traditional feminine role, a weak character that wants peace and a marriage, but cannot control his passions for Carmen in spite that he is going to marry Micaela.Eks Carmen begins and ends with a scene of a man, Jose, facing a firing squad and recalling in the last moments before death his tempestuous liaison with the gypsy girl who refused to be tamed. The dance then retells the story of the progressing love affair between Carmen and Jose. Eks choreographing style in this performance is a combination of both, ballet and modern dance. As they first dance together, Carmen and Jose, is like she is slowly explaining to him, throughout the dance, how she is and how she likes to live her life.He also tries to show her that he is a military man with a lot of discipline. At the beginning of the piece their movements are mor e aggressive, but as soon as they fell in love their movements become more soft and gentle. This change of the movement shows how they started to feel comfortable with each other as time passed (Janet Adshead, 1988, Dance Analysis: Theory and practice, Pages: 72-75). Carmen’s movement style initially is aggressive and masculine while it is becoming more beautiful as the story evolves.However, the fact that Jose is carrying the rose and Carmen the cigar, this shows that she is still the â€Å"man† in their relationship (As Willful As Ever And Puffing On a Cigar Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times. 1999). Another example of how the movement shows the emotional world and the relationship between the characters is when there is a trio between Carmen, Jose and Escamillo, who is the reason why Carmen does not love Jose anymore. He is the new love of her heart and that makes Jose angry. In the trio the two men’s jealousy is extremely obvious throughout the dancing move ment.There is imitation and repetition between each ones movement and the fact that they keep a certain distance between one another, shows the jealousy between them. At the end of the trio, when Carmen is going to strike Jose’s face, it becomes clear that she does not love him anymore. More over there is Michaela’s character which is also made clear through her movements. At the beginning she is dancing in a shy way but after she gets really angry with Jose and Carmen, thus her way of movement changes. She begins to be more aggressive and dynamic in terms of movement vocabulary and that is a reflection of her emotional world.The music in Eks choreography, as mentioned above, is faithful to the original one by French composer  Georges Bizet. The only difference is that is being used for different purposes in the story. In the original opera the music is a guide for the progress of the plot. In Mats Ek piece however, the music is not really needed to explain the plot or the relationship between the characters. It is there to create a mood in the piece. One thing that is really different from the original opera, in terms of sounds, is that in Mats Ek piece the dancers are sometimes talking and shouting. This adds a dynamic touch to the whole piece.Shouting is also more realistic than just singing opera. Carmen is wearing the same color of costume in both versions and almost in every version that has been created in the world. Red is the color of passion and sexuality. Thus, when the audience first sees Carmen, immediately understands her character and that she is a temptress. Micaela, in contrast to Carmen, wears blue, a color that symbolizes her innocence and that she is fragile. The street ladies costumes in Eks piece show their character and their Spanish ethnicity in contradiction to the original opera costumes that are showing the class and there social status.Ek uses very colorful, shiny and ruffled dresses that are a throwback to the 80s, in order to show that all women have sexuality. The costumes of the men are very simple and dark, just to show their discipline, as they are military men. The designs and sets in Eks Carmen are cartoonish and with playful colors. In terms of light, he tries to keep it dark. There is a metallic backdrop and panels which are suggestive of Spanish fans, as well as a large exercise ball downstage.In Mats Ek version of Carmen, there is a deeper reflection of all the characters emotional world. Carmen is clearly a symbol of Freedom and anarchy with an even more complex nature than the one of the classic story. That is what Mats Ek does anyway. Except from changing the classics into more modern and humorous editions, the thing that makes him special is how he deals with the inner world of each character. He manages to present each character, throughout the dance, in a very intense way so that the audience can understand for sure the characters personality.However he keeps the original stor y as it is, and he aims to show the same meaning as the original piece while at the same time he tries to explore a bit more the relationship between the characters. All of the above lead to Ek’s success when revising the classic stories. He remains faithful to the original story but however he does it not only with a more modern vocabulary but also with a more modern approach to suit the present. â€Å"Much like Bizet's opera of the same name, Mr. Ek's version proves that a grim tale of love and death can be downright entertaining† (As Willful As Ever And Puffing On a Cigar Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times. 999). It seems that Carmen will continue to appeal the audiences for years to come. Mats Ek Carmen will also continue to be popular to the audience because of the emotional and dramatic state of Mr. Eks pieces. He is a choreographer that distant himself from anybody else in the dance field. He is very original and successful with his choreographies and it is no wonder that he is so famous and he has achieved so much. He is an extremely talented choreographer with a lot of theatrical ideas and that is what makes him so special throughout all these years! Bibliography:Adshead, J. 1988. Dance analysis theory and practice. London: Dance books Bremser M. and Sanders L. Fifty Contemporary Choreographers. Second Edition. 2011. Roudledge Au S. Ballet and Modern dance. 1998. Thames and Hudson world of Art. Articles: As Willful As Ever And Puffing On a Cigar Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times. 1999 Websites: Linda. 2010. Carmen. http://www. theballetbag. com Peter Grahame Woolf. 1996. Mat’s Ek Carmen. http://www. musicweb-international. com Claudia La Rocco. Keeping dance alive: A Mat’s Ek Portrait. http://www. classicaltv. com

Visiting the Johnson Houston Space Center

Visiting the Johnson Houston Space Center Every NASA mission is controlled from the Johnson Space Center (JSC)   in Houston, Texas. Thats why you often hear astronauts on orbit call out Houston. when theyre communicating to Earth.   JSC is more than just mission control; it also houses training facilities for the astronauts and mockups for future missions.   As you can imagine, JSC is a popular place to visit. To help visitors get the most out of their trip to JSC, NASA worked with the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation to create a unique visitor experience called Space Center Houston.  Its open most days of the year and offers a lot in the way of space education, exhibits, and experiences. Here are a few of the highlights, and you can learn more at the centers website.  Heres what to do at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.   Space Center Theater People of all ages are fascinated with what it takes to be an astronaut. This attraction shows the excitement, the commitment and the risks taken by the people who fly in space. Here we can see the evolution of the equipment and the training of the men and women who dreamed to be astronauts. We want guests to experience first hand what it takes to be an astronaut. The film, shown on a 5-story tall screen, takes the viewer by the heart to bring them into the life of an astronaut from the time they receive notification of their acceptance into the training program to their first mission. Blast Off Theater The only place in the world where you can personally experience the thrill of launching into space like a real astronaut. Not just a movie; its the thrill of personally feeling the launch into space - from the rocket boosters to the billowing exhaust. After docking at the International Space Station, guests enter the Blastoff Theater for an update on current shuttle missions, as well as details on the exploration of Mars. NASA Tram Tour With this behind-the-scenes journey through NASAs Johnson Space Center, you may visit the Historic Mission Control Center, the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility or the current Mission Control Center. Before returning to Space Center Houston, you can visit the all new Saturn V Complex at Rocket Park. Occasionally, the tour may visit other facilities, such as the Sonny Carter Training Facility or Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. You may even get to see astronauts training for upcoming missions. Keep in mind that the buildings visited on the tram tour are real working areas of Johnson Space Center and are subject to closure without notice. Astronaut Gallery The Astronaut Gallery is an unparalleled exhibit featuring the worlds best collection of spacesuits. Astronaut John Youngs ejection suit and Judy Resniks T-38 flightsuit are two of the many spacesuits on display. The walls of the Astronaut Gallery also contain portraits and crew photos of every U.S. astronaut who has flown in space. The Feel of Space The Living in Space module simulates what life could be like for astronauts aboard the space station. A Mission Briefing Officer gives a live presentation on how astronauts live in a space environment. It uses humor to show how the smallest tasks like showering and eating are complicated by a microgravity environment. A volunteer from the audience helps to prove the point. Beyond the Living in Space Module are 24 part task trainers that use sophisticated computer technology to provide visitors with the experience of landing the orbiter, retrieving a satellite or exploring the shuttle systems. Starship Gallery The journey into space begins with the film On Human Destiny at the Destiny Theater. Artifacts and hardware on display in the Starship Gallery trace the progression of Americas Manned Space Flight. This incredible collection includes: an original model of the Goddard Rocket; the actual Mercury Atlas 9 Faith 7 capsule flown by Gordon Cooper; the Gemini V Spacecraft piloted by Pete Conrad and Gordon Cooper; a Lunar Roving Vehicle Trainer, the Apollo 17 Command Module, the giant Skylab Trainer, and the Apollo-Soyuz Trainer. Kids Space Place Kids Space Place was created for children of all ages who have always dreamed of experiencing the same things astronauts do in space. Interactive exhibits and themed area make exploring the different aspects of space and the manned space flight program loads of fun. Inside Kids Space Place, guests can explore and experiment commanding the space shuttle or living on the space station. (Age and/or height restrictions may apply on some activities.) Level 9 Tour The Level Nine Tour takes you behind the scenes to see the real world of NASA up close and personal. On this four-hour tour you will see things that only the astronauts see and eat what and where they eat. All your questions will be answered by a very knowledgeable Tour Guide as you discover the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors for years. The Level Nine Tour is Monday-Friday and includes a FREE HOT LUNCH in the astronauts cafeteria which makes it a Big Bang for your buck! The only security clearance is that you must be 14 years of age or older. The Space Center Houston is one of the most worthwhile trips any space fan can make. It combines history and real-time exploration in one fascinating day!   Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Guilt and Innocence in The Last Night of the World

Guilt and Innocence in 'The Last Night of the World' In Ray Bradburys The Last Night of the World, a husband and wife realize that they and all the adults they know have been having identical dreams: that tonight will be the last night of the world. They find themselves surprisingly calm as they discuss why the world is ending, how they feel about it, and what they should do with their remaining time. The story was originally published in Esquire magazine in 1951 and is available for free on Esquires website. Acceptance The story takes place in the early years of the Cold War and in the first months of the Korean War, in a climate of fear over ominous new threats like the hydrogen or atom bomb and germ warfare. So our characters are surprised to find that their end wont be as dramatic or violent as they have always expected. Rather, it will be more like the closing of a book, and things [will] stop here on Earth. Once the characters stop thinking about how the Earth will end, a sense of calm acceptance overtakes them. Though the husband concedes that the end sometimes frightens him, he also notes that sometimes he is more peaceful than frightened. His wife, too, notes that [y]ou dont get too excited when things are logical. Other people seem to be reacting the same way. For instance, the husband reports that when he informed his co-worker, Stan, that they had had the same dream, Stan didnt seem surprised. He relaxed, in fact. The calmness seems to come, in part, from a conviction that the outcome is inevitable. There is no use struggling against something that cant be changed. But it also comes from an awareness that no one will be exempted. Theyve all had the dream, they all know its true, and theyre all in this together. Like Always The story touches briefly on some of humanitys bellicose propensities, like the bombs and germ warfare mentioned above and the bombers on their course both ways across the ocean tonight thatll never see land again. The characters consider these weapons in an effort to answer the question, Do we deserve this? The husband reasons, We havent been too bad, have we? But the wife responds: No, nor enormously good. I suppose thats the trouble. We havent been very much of anything except us, while a big part of the world was busy being lots of quite awful things. Her comments seem particularly trenchant given that the story was written less than six years after the end of World War II. At a time when people were still reeling from the war and wondering if there was more they could have done, her words could be construed, in part, as a comment on concentration camps and other atrocities of the war. But the story makes clear that the end of the world isnt about guilt or innocence, deserving or not deserving. As the husband explains, things just didnt work out. Even when the wife says, Nothing else but this could have happened from the way weve lived, theres no feeling of regret or guilt. Theres no sense that people could have behaved any way other than the way they have. And in fact, the wifes turning off the faucet at the end of the story shows exactly how hard it is to change behavior. If youre someone looking for absolution which it seems reasonable to imagine our characters are the idea that things just didnt work out might be comforting. But if youre someone who believes in free will and personal responsibility, you might be troubled by the message here. The husband and wife take comfort in the fact that they and everyone else will spend their last evening more or less like any other evening. In other words, like always. The wife even says thats something to be proud of, and the husband concludes that behaving like always shows [w]ere not all bad. The things the husband will miss are his family and everyday pleasures like a glass of cool water. That is, his immediate world is whats important to him, and in his immediate world, he hasnt been too bad. To behave like always is to continue to take pleasure in that immediate world, and like everyone else, thats how they choose to spend their final night. There is some beauty in that, but ironically, behaving like always is also exactly what has kept humanity from being enormously good.

Commitment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Commitment - Essay Example Unless one have commitment, a particular vision, strong zeal and a passion to create something in ones life he cannot reach his goals and he remains failure one in the society. The strongly committed sports persons will definitely achieve gold medals in the contests and the students get good results in their exams and in their life also. One more thing is only the commitment itself cannot make us a champion when we don't have a proper vision and correct approach. So we can say the commitment is a weapon which we should use in proper way to get the fruits of success. Even though one failed in achieving the goal, the commitment in his soul awakes him and works like a panacea and pats his shoulder and leads him towards his goal. We can understand that the word commitment is not a group of letters, its magazine of bullets, which we can shoot the target with using the arm. Hence, commitment is the rule that is important in an individual's life as well as in the policy of an organisation. 1

Chick-fil-As Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chick-fil-As - Article Example set political or ethical agenda in varied business processes like the recruitment of employees, the selection of business timings and holidays, the choice of social causes and charities that a business intends to support, etc. However, when it comes to the external environment impacting a business, especially the directly interactive external business environment comprising of customers buying goods and services from a business, going too ahead with political views may harm much. The recent expression of the Chick-Fil-A President, Dan Cathy, regarding gay marriages on a radio show is a classic example of a business going wrong in the area of ethical views (McGregor 2012). Chick-Fil-A is a business that has been known to incorporate traditionally Christian values in the way it operates (McGregor 2012). The Chick-Fil-A outlets remain closed on Sundays; the company has been known to extend substantial donations to Christian groups and organizations, the company is totally debt free, and its President Dan Cathy has been known to express commitment to Christian views on marriage, although in a politically correct and restrained manner (McGregor 2012). However, in a recent radio show, Dan got a little carried away with the expression of one’s commitment to the conventional Christian idea of marriage and blamed a section of the society with specific sexual orientation of being arrogant and audacious (McGregor 2012). There is no denying the fact that while doing so, Dan Cathy showed a total lack of concern for the external environment influencing one’s business, of which the customers do constitute an integral part. It is a known fact that all the outside factors that could influence an organizations business constitute the external environment for a business. Besides, customers represent the most important aspect of the directly interactive external environment. Businesses need to be careful in issuing statements regarding specific groups of persons as such remarks

Robert Rauschenberg's tactics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Robert Rauschenberg's tactics - Essay Example Abstract expressionism refers to the art movement that emerged and gained impetus after the Second World War. It was considered as the first most important US movement towards the achievement of a global influence and power. The movement was aimed at positioning New York at the heart of the western world art; a position that was previously held by Paris. At the time that Abstract expressionism was gaining popularity in the 1950s, art in the form of combined manufactured goods was also on the rise. Artists had started to bring about changes in their art, inculcating household items and items of daily use into artwork. This type of art is seen in the works of Robert Rauschenberg, more specifically in his combines. His combines were the classic precursors of the Pop Art movement that Rauschenberg became interested in after the 1950s. Rauschenberg was an artist who entered art at the time Abstract expressionism was in its heyday after the Second World War. However, he came to reject that form of art. Leo Steinberg refers to Rauschenberg's art as a flatbed image surface since his art came to compromise of ethnic and cultural pictorial representations and related objects. Such a form of imagery and art were in an open conflict with the previous forms of art practiced earlier which fell under the category of modernism and modernism. Rauschenberg was known for making use of found pictures in his work but he juxtaposed these images with real objects. His artwork is regarded as Neo-Dada.... His combines were the classic precursors of the Pop Art movement that Rauschenberg became interested in after the 1950s. Rauschenberg was an artist who entered art at the time Abstract expressionism was in its heyday after the Second World War. However he came to reject that form of art. Leo Steinberg refers to Rauschenberg's art as a flatbed image surface since his art came to compromise of ethnic and cultural pictorial representations and related objects. Such a form of imagery and art were in an open conflict with the previous forms of art practiced earlier which fell under the category of modernism and premodernism. Rauschenberg was known for making use of found pictures in his work but he juxtaposed these images with real objects. His artwork is regarded as Neo-Dada since it incorporates found elements as well as real objects. The found elements were initially used by artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Kurt Schwitters. Rauschenberg was motivated by the works of Schwitters and it was this inspiration that drove him to walk around neighborhoods, looking for objects to incorporate into his paintings. He was of the point of view that his combines should at least be as attention-grabbing as events occurring outside the window are. The reason for such an assertion was that he felt that since he was making use of real objects in his paintings and collages, the artwork would resemble the real world more once it is completed. Rauschenberg worked with collages extensively and he built upon them and diversified the elements that could be incorporated into them by the process of silkscreening photographs.3 This opened a vista of opportunities and choices for him. He used pictures

The Halot, Elizabeth-Jane and Their Gender Roles Essay Example for Free

The Halot, Elizabeth-Jane and Their Gender Roles Essay â€Å"Dont be the girl who fell. Be the girl who got back up.†-Jeanette Stanley. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy introduces the readers to Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta, two girls of both different means personalities. The comparison by Thomas Hardy of Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta reveals two different sides of the gender barriers that faced young women in the 1800’s. This comparison shows that Hardy is an early feminist. This is shown through examining each girl’s respective personality, their friendship, how each handles it, and the gender role side that each are portraying. Elizabeth-Jane is the book’s heroine. She is the daughter of Susan and Henchard. Elizabeth- Jane is quiet and shy. Elizabeth-Jane also cares a large amount about doing what’s proper. She worries about her friend Lucetta’s reputation, and how to fix it. Elizabeth- Jane is an all-out good person. She seeks to better herself by studying, â€Å"Knowledge-the result of great natural incite- she did not lack; learning, accomplishments-those, alas, she had not† (Hardy 82). Elizabeth-Jane has this passion to learn more that the reader does come to admire about her. She is not too concerned about finding a man to marry. Elizabeth- Jane seems content to just learn and be alone. However, when it comes to Elizabeth-Jane and men, the reader see an entirely new side of her. When Lucetta effectively replaces her in Farfrae’s mind, she just lets it go and goes on with her life. Yes she’s miffed for about five seconds but in the end she just leaves and moves on. It is this fact that makes it hard to root for Elizabeth-Jane in the end. On the entirely other side the reader encounters Lucetta. Lucetta is Elizabeth-Jane’s only friend in the world. She is vain and petty. Lucetta is Henchard’s former lover. She was young and naive. She blabbed her mouth everywhere and with the help of Michael Henchard ruined her reputation. This left her in ruin and she wrote a ton of love notes to him. All of this happens because he promises to marry her. The most important thing to know about Lucetta is that she is a manipulator. She will cry in order to get what she wants from men. In this regard she is brilliant and the reader looks upon her with both disgust and admiration. The reader see’s Lucetta for one of her more human qualities as follows, â€Å"‘Bring me a looking glass. How do I appear to people?’ She asks languidly. ‘Well- a little worn’, answered Elizabeth-Jane† (161). Lucetta is well aware that once her beauty is gone, she will never be able to find another man to marry her. She also knows that she has two choices if she wants to remain proper, she can stay single because she has been ruined or she can marry again and hope that her past never comes back to haunt her. This then leads the reader to the realization that she will not only do anything to get a man but s he also will do anything to keep her scandal in the past. This includes stepping on her friend in order to accomplish this. This form of her personality is not surprising, given the time period. Now there’s the friendship between Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta. This unlikely friendship starts out in a grave yard, specifically at Elizabeth-Jane’s mothers grave. Both of these young women are there for very different reasons; Elizabeth-Jane is having a pity party because Henchard was mean to her, and Lucetta is finding out if Susan is really dead because she is still after Henchard at this point in the book. From this meeting Elizabeth-Jane gets both a friend and a new place to live. As this friendship grows, it becomes clear how differently both of these young women approach friendship. Elizabeth-Jane listens to Lucetta vent about her affair, â€Å" ‘This person- a lady- once admired a man much- very much’, she said tentatively. ‘Ah’, said Elizabeth-Jane† (160). Elizabeth-Jane doesn’t judge her; she listens to her and tries to help Lucetta. On the other hand, Lucetta doesn’t act like a good friend, at least not by the readers parameters. She does try however, â€Å"My husband is downstairs. He will live here till a more suitable house is ready for us; and I have told him that I want you to stay with me just as before† (200). Lucetta is so wrapped up in herself, and the fact that she found a way to remain respectable that she doesn’t realize just how terrible that statement really is in regards to Elizabeth-Jane. She figures that all she had to do to remain a good friend to Elizabeth-Jane is make sure she still has somewhere to live. That by the reader’s definition is not a good friend. This leads the readers to the gender role sides each; Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta are on. Elizabeth-Jane is the modern women according to Hardy. She wants to learn and become more intelligent. Elizabeth-Jane also by the end of the book becomes independent and able to take care of herself and Henchard. The readers see this independence when she says, â€Å"Father-I will not leave you alone like this! She cried. May I live with you, and tend upon you as I used to do? I do not mind your being poor. I would have agreed to come this morning, nut you did not ask me† (278). Elizabeth-Jane doesn’t ask her father if she can come with him, she tells him that she’s coming with him. Over the book she has gained enough gumption that she no longer cares what Henchard wants, Elizabeth-Jane only cares about what he needs. It is for this fact that the readers can classify Hardy as an early day Feminist. He portrays Elizabeth-Jane as the only character with any redeemable characteristics. She grows over the course of the books, when the person that she is compared with dies a very stereotypical death for a woman in the 1800’s. Lucetta is a complicated individual. The reader has a love hate relationship with her when it comes to the side she’s on for gender roles. Lucetta does embody the perfect 18th century women. She understands that she has to fix the scandal that rocked her life. Lucetta also understands that she needs to get a man to marry her and keep him with her no matter what. One of the ways she guarantees this is, â€Å"He knew his wife was with child†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (266). Lucetta gets pregnant. The thinking behind this is that Farfrae can’t leave her pregnant and still keep his business and reputation intact. This is a classical move for her, which fits within the gender role that has been set up for her. Lucetta also uses varying forms of manipulation on people throughout the book. The first of such is, â€Å"’you’re probably aware of my arrangement with your daughter, and have doubtless laughed at the-what shall I call it- practical joke†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  (139). with this simple statement Lucetta is doing her best to lure Henchard over to her house. She knows that things are bad between him and Elizabeth-Jane, and saw an opportunity to make a move to right her ruined reputation. Lucetta is quite good at making people do what she wants. This fact is more telling than any of the other things she does in the entire book of how this young girl was raised. The other part of Lucetta proving that she is the perfect 18th century young women is what she does when she thinks her secret is getting out. She does as follows, â€Å"She stood motionless for one second—then fell heavily to the floor† (260). Instead of dealing with the fact that her scandal had come back to haunt her, Lucetta simply falls to the floor. This is a normal reaction to things like this for young women in the=is time period. It was expected of them. The men had decided that women were so fragile that they couldn’t really handle much. In the end Lucetta dies from a severe miscarriage. This could have been helped if Lucetta had just faced her scandal and lived with the consequences. Hardy used Lucetta to show the readers just where lying, manipulation and running away from things get them. Lucetta is a well-used character when it comes to understanding the complex gender roles of the 18000’s. In conclusion the reader can learn a lot about gender barriers from reading Hardy’s novel. It is the comparison of Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta that gives the reader a clear look into exactly what they faced in regards to gender barriers. It is this specific comparison that opens the reader’s eyes to the fact that hardy is an early day feminist. The reader can see this the clearest when reading about Elizabeth-Jane. She is shy and simple in the beginning of the book, by the end however she is strong and independent. Elizabeth-Jane does go through a transformation into the bright young women that Hardy is trying to demonstrate. Then the reader has Lucetta, she is petty and simple minded. Lucetta is also the perfect 18th century young women. She has been raised to use the gender barriers to her advantage. Lucetta faints when things don’t go her way, she manipulates men into doing what she wants till she doesn’t want them anymore, and she keeps secrets and lies no matter what. In the end she gets what she deserves, Lucetta dies having a miscarriage. She faints and panics when it looks like her scandal is going to be revealed to her husband and the entire town. Once she faints, she starts to miscarry and ends up dying because of it. This fact is Hardy telling the readers that if you lie and manipulate people than you will lose in the end. The comparison of these two young women makes it clear how hardy felt toward women. He thought that women were worth a second look; they could learn and be smart. They didn’t have to just be a piece of arm candy for men to parade around whenever they wanted to. To embody this he portrays Elizabeth-Jane as the modern young women and Lucetta as the stereotypical 18th century young women. Throughout the book the readers root for both Lucetta and Elizabeth-Jane. By the end of this book however they are rooting for Elizabeth-Jane to come out on top and are secretly glad that Lucetta has died. The good news is that in the end Elizabeth-Jane is the girl who fell by she is also the girl who got back up and became something better than before.

Don Juan As Byron Introspective Essay example -- essays research paper

The works of George Gordon, Lord Byron have long been controversial, nearly as controversial as his lifestyle. Gordon Byron was born with a clubfoot and his sensitivity to it haunted his life and his works. Despite being a very handsome child, a fragile self-esteem made Byron extremely sensitive to criticism, of himself or of his poetry and he tended to make enemies rather quickly. The young Byron was often unhappy and lonely any many of his works seem to be a sort of introspective therapy. Throughout his writings and life history there is much evidence to suggest that his poetry was greatly influenced by his mental instability. In many ways, Byron seems to use his work as an escape from a difficult reality. The lengthy poem Don Juan offers an especially intimate glimpse of Byron’s psyche.In order to understand the depth of Byron’s psychological troubles and their influence on his poetry, it is important to examine Byron’s heritage and his upbringing. Young George Gordon inherited the title of Lord Byron at the age of six. This him a rank in society and a bit of wealth to go along with it. Byron’s heritage is a colorful one. His paternal line includes the â€Å"Wicked Lord†, "Mad Jack and â€Å"Foul Weather Jack (Grosskurth 6).† The family propensity for eccentric behavior was acerbated by young George Gordon’s upbringing.When Byron was just three his financially irresponsible father died, leaving the family with a heavy burden of debt. Byron’s mother then proudly moved from the meager lodging in Aberdeen, Scotland to England. Young Byron fell in love with the ghostly halls and spacious grounds of Newstead Abbey, which had been presented to the Byron’s by Henry VIII, had received little care since. He and his mother lived in the run down estate for a while. While in England he was sent to a â€Å"public† school in Nottingham where he was doctored by a quack named Lavender who subjected the boy to a torturous and ineffective treatment for his clubfoot (Bloom 45). During this time, young Byron was left in the care of his nurse May Grey. He was subjected to her drunken tantrums, beatings, neglect, and sexual liberties (Grosskurth 28). This abuse was not stopped early enough to protect the boy from psychological injury. Byron confesses to his sister that â€Å"My passions were developed very early- so early that few would believe me (Grosskurth 40).† Byron also suffered... .... Even the naivetà © of young Juan is strikingly similar to the shy young George Gordon.In Don Juan, Byron says â€Å"I want a hero† and he adopts a one from the past. He alters the legend of Don Juan to fit his own needs because he cannot find a modern hero that fits the bill. Don Juan’s character a direct personification of the poet who has grown older and wiser that his young subject. The author is reflected instead in the many details of the epic drawn from the author’s own experiences. Although Don Juan’s narrator is not purely Byron’s voice, it does seem to speak for him. The poet expresses himself through his interpretation of the story and by using the voice of the narrator to speak for him. Byron’s narrator is always present in the poem, commenting and showing off, making quite certain that the he is not being ignored. His voice permeates Don Juan and he appears to be reflecting much of his own life in his creation. Perhaps Byron used this enormous poem as a catharsis for his trouble emotions; perhaps this is the reason that Don Juan was never finished. It was extended throughout the remainder of the poet’s life. The poem, like Byron’s psychological healing was never finished.

Cola Wars Continue: Coke vs. Pepsi in the 1990s Essay

Question 1 The concentration producing industry has one buyer and through its value chain. Instead, costs for advertising, promotion, market research, and bottler relations were significant. On the other hand, bottling industry is the mid-way player in the soft drink industry. There are two suppliers and one buyer involved in its value chain (Exhibit 1). Whether two industries are profitable depends on soft drink consumption, which had increased for more than 20 years and plateaued in the 1990s. The economics of the CP and bottling is very different from each other in terms of number and size of rivals, and the scope of competitive rivalry. There are two giants competing head to head on the CP industry, smaller national producers, such as Seven-Up and Dr Pepper, are relatively trivial. There are a lot of players of same size in the bottling industry. Unlike the furious competition between Pepsi and Coke, no sense of competition can be felt in bottling industry. Reasons are that, first, Pepsi and Coke control the majority of bottlers in 1990s; second, intrabrand competition is restricted by the franchise agreement, which is protected by ‘Soft Drink Interbrand Competition Act’. From the view of capital requirement, it is easier for others to enter the CP industry than to enter the bottling industry, since comparing to $30-$50 million dollars requirement to establish a bottling plant covering only one 80th of ability to serve the entire US market, the requirement for one CP plant with a nation-wide capacity is only $5-$10 million dollars. In addition, brand loyalty is low in the CP industry since consumers are sensitive to price and there is little switching cost. There are many substitutes for soft drinks, such as tea, beer, and milk. There is no substitutes existing in the bottling industry, and no customer loyalty and switching costs for bottlers since they could only use packages authorized by the franchiser, which means no distributors can tell the difference of the same brand provided by two bottlers, and easily switch among different bottlers. Cost and financial structures of a CP and a bottler illustrate that high cost of sales is one of the major reasons behind the relative low profitability of the bottling industry. The ratio of cost of sales over net sales is 40% higher than that of CP. One possible reason is that bottlers heavily depend on CPs, and thus, CPs use bottlers to diversify expenses. Another reason is that bottlers hold much more inventory than CPs do since bottlers receive soft drink concentrates according to its processing capacity, while they sell products based on selling capability. Also, bottlers have plant and equipment that are ten times more than that of CPs, and a good will that is roughly 45 times more, which means that bottlers have to deduct more depreciation from gross profit than CPs do. One of the reasons why bottlers are backward integrated by CPs is that, as the Cola-war heating up, small bottlers were no longer able to handle CPs’ goals and thus they would not be chosen as Pepsi and Coke’s partners. Most of them were merged or driven out of the market by larger ones adopting the DSD method, which is the only delivery category that provides a positive net profit per unit. Other driving forces for Pepsi and Coke to integrate bottlers are that, by doing this, they can narrow down the number of packagers they deal with, lower costs of negotiation with bottlers, and set up barriers to find buyers for other smaller national CPs. Question 2 Bargaining power of buyers is the weakest competitive force for CPs. On the other hand, the strongest competitive force for the bottling industry is bargaining power of suppliers because of the interactional relationship between the two industries in question. Both of the two industries would like to weak each other’s bargaining power, however, CPs take the initiative in the negotiation. First, it is CPs who build franchise networks. CPs understand how the bottling process works, while the bottlers don’t know how to run a soft drink brand. Second, CPs negotiate with bottlers’ other suppliers to secure reliable supply, faster  delivery, and low price. Also, franchise agreement between CPs and bottlers has been becoming more favorable to CPs. So it is safe to say that bottlers have been affiliated to CPs to a deeper degree than CPs to bottlers. Finally, the bottling industry does not have giants who are able to penetrate into the CP industry. On the other hand, the CP industry has Pepsi and Coke to integrate bottlers. Threat of new entrants is the second weakest force for the CP industry. One of the major reasons is that it is difficult to access a bottler since like Pepsi and Coke are taking control of most of the packagers. Another reason is, although capital required to establish a soft drink concentrate plant with the capacity of serving the entire US market is low, costs for advertising, promotion, market research and bottler relations are a heavy burden and specialized know-how, such as brand management, is a natural barrier to penetrators. However, the fact that customers’ loyalty is becoming weaker makes the force not as weak as bargaining power of buyers. The bargaining power of suppliers to CPs also seems weak in the case since, as the advent of diet soft drinks, the expiration of the patent to aspartame, and oversupply of aluminum on the world market, suppliers to CPs are losing bargaining power. However, there is no detail of suppliers industry given to provide us with confidence to say that it is the weakest force. Threat of substitutes, and competitive rivalry among the incumbents are relatively weak for the CP industry. Comparing to its substitutes, such as beer, milk, and bottled water, soft drink is and will continue to be performing outstandingly (Exhibit 2). Type of competition in the CP industry is duopoly, two giants, Pepsi and Coke are competing with each other head to head. Other CPs are confined to a market share that is lower than 30%. The unsystematic competition makes competitive rivalry less intense when consider the industry as a whole. Threat to new entrants for bottling industry is weak since, unlike the CP industry, bottling industry has a high capital requirement, from $30 to $50  million, to build a plant of five lines with one 85th to one 80th of the national volume. There is even no profit margin for small bottlers because they are not big enough to be engaged in the DSD to make a positive profit. Bargaining power of buyers is the third weakest force for the bottling industry. To bottlers, they receive volumes of concentrates at the level of their processing capacity; while at the other end of value chain, number of cases they can sell depends on bottlers’ marketing capability. To retailers, they don’t have switch costs since Pepsi Cola from bottler ‘A’ is the same as that from bottler ‘B’. However, continual brand availability and maintenance is crucial to CPs, they don’t want to see that too much inventory held by packagers erode relationship with each other. So, CPs have to help bottlers work on marketing and how to deal with retailers. Threat of substitutes, and competitive rivalry among the incumbents are the weakest. First, there are no substitutes for packages. Second, there is no competition among bottlers in that not only is intrabrand competition restricted, but also competition among brands are concerned by CPs since the bottlers are heavily controlled by concentrate suppliers nowadays. Question 3 The reason why the Cola-War does not escalate out of control is that both of Pepsi and Coke understand the importance of keeping its rival alive. Strategically, they are vital to each other’s maintenance. There are three possible results of the Cola-war, monopoly, duopoly, and near prefect competition. All players in this industry are dreaming to be the king of monopoly. However, under current situation, it is difficult to defeat each other without harming themselves for both of Pepsi and Coke. Launching plans and actions aiming at eliminating its competitor will probably result in the third result, near prefect competition, in which the industry would only have players bearing the same size as nowadays Seven-Up and Dr Pepper. Obviously, duopoly is the best and easiest choice for the big two. First, as risk avoiders, they can maintain current size and dominant position in the market, keep small national brands at an inferior level. Second, they can keep business environment nearly unchanged. The duopoly situation has been lasting for more than two decades. It is the one they are familiar to. No matter whoever is driven out of business or both of them lose the dominant position, they have to re-evaluate the industry and re-plan their strategic plan. Third, they can lower the possibility of making mistakes by observing what each other are doing. Based on above reasons, Pepsi and Coke choose not to wage a war that is out of control. Methods Coke and Pepsi adopt to keep the war within ‘bounds’ are focusing on key success factors, following each other’s actions selectively, and realizing gap in international market. There are three KSFs in this industry, brand differentiation, relationship with packagers, and developing new beverages. Focusing on KSFs enable both of Pepsi and Coke stay in the right track leading to higher level competition of duopoly. Following each other’s actions selectively prevents them from distracting to dangerous actions. They both followed closely each other’s actions based on KSFs, such as launching marketing plans, vertical integrating bottlers, and develop new products. They also distinguish bad actions from good ones. For instance, Pepsi gave its employees one-day brake when it received the information that Coke decided to change its Coca-Cola’s formula. Pepsi has admitted that Coke is much stronger on international market. It is very important that it uses ‘guerilla warfare’ in selected international market instead a frontal attack with Coke everywhere, which would entrap Pepsi in the quicksands of international market. Question 4 Over the last century, firms specialized in tobacco, food, and restaurant, such as Philip Morris, Hicks & Haas, Triarc, R.J. Reynolds, and Cadbury Schweppes, tried to penetrate into the soft drink industry through purchasing small national CPs like Dr Pepper, Seven-Up, and Royal Crown Cola, however, few of them survived. Reasons for this fact fell with the faulty strategic planning process. Those who entered but do not end up with success failed to recognize three key success factors in this industry in the beginning, building brand recognition, developing packaging networks, and changing distribution channels. First, Pepsi successfully competed with Coke through adopting brand differentiation. In responding to Pepsi’s attack, Coke spent even more money on advertising, which gained two companies world wide fame, heated up the war between them, and shaped their capacity to remain as top players. However, other CPs did not cash in on the brand differentiation strategy, which can be illustrated by a compare of dollar amount spending on advertising by brand in the US. (Exhibit 3) Second, there was no evidence that small national CPs tried to secure packagers to build their bottling network. Instead, they had to resort to bottlers owned by Pepsi and Coke, while small bottlers do not have the capacity to handle national distribution. Costs for new entrants to maintain bottler relations or organize small bottlers are so high that may eat up gross profit. Finally, as discount retailers such as Wal-Mart and K mart prospered during the 1990s, CPs are facing pressures on lowering their wholesale price. Besides, it seems only Pepsi and Coke were involved in Door-Store Delivery method, CPs that sell products to private label and warehouse would be facing less distributors due to negative net profit/unit.