Dalcroze

Jaques-Dalcroze Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (July 6, 1865 – July 1, 1950), was a Swiss composer, musician and music educator who developed eurhythmics, a method of learning and experiencing music through movement. BASIC PRINCIPLES Inherent in his method are these basic principles &endash; truths he believed to be omnipresent. These six principles are: †¢The beginning of music happens when human emotions are translated into musical motion; †¢We experience emotions physically; Through our sensations of various muscular contractions and releases in our bodies, we sense emotion; †¢The body expresses internal emotions by externalizing affect through movements, postures, gestures, and sounds. Some of these are automatic, some spontaneous, and others the results of thought and will; †¢Internal emotions are translated into music through motions such as breathing, singing or playing an instrument; †¢The first instrument that must be trained in music is the human body . THE JAQUES-DALCROZE METHOD Choksy (1986) defines Eurhythmics as follows: â€Å"Eurhythmics . . is . . . based on the premise that rhythm is the primary element of music, and that the source for all rhythm may be found in the natural rhythms of the body. † Eurhythmics integrates three approaches: †¢ Solfege (the study of theory, harmony, and scales); http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=9qK6seVVBQ0 †¢ Improvisation (the development of a unified internal ear and body); †¢ Rhythmics (the exploration of inner and outer effects of rhythm in relation to the above two elements). Further, Jaques-Dalcroze developed a formula for the production of Eurhythmia:Space + Time + Energy + Weight + Balance + Plasticity = Eurhythmia? Gravity The best music happens when all of the above are balanced. The Jaques-Dalcroze method seemingly redefines the basic elements of music to fit within scientific definitions. It is a well established fact that all things are made up of matter. Ma tter is comprised of energy. Matter flows through space; energy flows through space. Matter (energy) flowing through space is called motion. Motion appears in music as beats. Those beats release their energy in various ways.The beat therefore is dependent upon the level of energy applied and the density of the space applied. Beats have a specified duration, or time value. The quality of the time is dependent upon how the beat is struck, sustained and released. Jaques-Dalcroze found that his students associated dynamic (energy) changed with tempo (time) changes, i. e. , softer meant slower also. This however is not the case. One goal of the method is to gain independence of time and energy as related to change so that students could indeed play a musical selection softer without getting slower.Beats have weight. Science defines weight as a body's attraction to the earth (which is related to gravity). When one watches a good conductor in front of an ensemble, one can sense weight in h is every stroke and pattern. Weight can also be perceived in a line of music. A solo line would have less weight than that of an eight part chorus. Likewise, the addition of low-sounding instruments in an orchestration gives a greater sense of weight. Note duration can also de indicative of weight (in appearance). Balance can be achieved only when weight is kept in control.Balance is a vital element of rhythm. (Caldwell,1995) The ultimate goal of the Jaques-Dalcroze method is to achieve a balance between all the elements that comprise the beat; space, energy, plasticity, and weight. It is impossible to separate the elements, therefore the method focuses on individual elements of the beat. Jaques-Dalcroze defines plasticity as the quality of the movement between the pitches. This is what makes the performance alive and vibrant and is largely responsible what the audience sees and hears.I think of plasticity as that gesture, expression or image that the performer conveys along with th e other elements of the beat. As mentioned earlier the ultimate goal of the Jaques-Dalcroze method is improvisation: the creation of original sound. According to Jaques-Dalcroze method, improvisation incorporates the following: †¢ Use of all faculties †¢ Exploration of movement with our bodies; †¢ Imagination and creativity; †¢ Consciousness of space and time around us; †¢ Flexibility and agility; †¢ Motor coordination; †¢ Expression through use of the body and sound; Careful and critical listening; †¢ Concentration and attentiveness; and †¢ Flexibility. The study of the Jaques-Dalcroze method requires the utmost in attention, concentration, memory, and ability to reproduce. It is a disciplined study. The role of the educator thus becomes one who focuses the energy inherent in students and transfers that energy into the production of eurhythmia. THE CLASSROOM SETTING In my experiences it is evident that it would be difficult to train anyo ne effectively in the Jaques-Dalcroze method unless it was begun at an early age.Dalcroze himself recommended â€Å"to bring children to art at an age when they have not yet been intellectualized into analyzing before observing, and expressing before experiencing. † (Dalcroze,1922) In short, the method would have to be taught during the age of innocence. The theory would also have to be constantly reinforced throughout life, even in college. The method has obvious merit in the elementary school, because it involves movement. Children learn best when moving, feeling, touching, sensing, and seeing things close at hand. The Jaques-Dalcroze method achieves just that. http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=n5DdjXZkPfg

My First Morning At School

It was the 17th March 1997. My first day of school. I dragged myself out of bed at 7:30 am. I went to the toilet to wash my face, where I saw a big red spot on my forehead: that was the first sign of bad luck. I heard my mum coming out of her room:, â€Å"Are you ready for your big day?† â€Å"No†, I moaned anxiously, pretending to be sick. â€Å"You are going to school today, so don't even try it!†. My mum could see right through me, and knew I wasn't sick. I was really scared as I stepped through the front gates of what was about to be my new school, counting every step I took. My mum led me to the general office; we were 20 minutes late. I was really scared. I started to shake. My heart started beating twice as fast. I knew all of the children were already inside the classroom. They were going to watch every move I made. We were kept inside the office for about half an hour. Shortly after came a frightening old women with grey hair, who looked remarkably like Cinderella's step mother. She came in and said to my mother, â€Å"Are you Miss Omar?† â€Å"Yes†, my mum said, sounding like a robot boring and repetitive, a blank expression on her face. â€Å"Come follow me. Right this way,† the women said, very happily. My mum and I followed her as she led us to my new classroom. She opened the door really slowly, causing the old and rotten door to make a terrifying noise. This attracted all the students' attention. I was really embarrassed as I stood outside of the classroom. She went in and called the leading classroom teacher outside for a moment, to have a word with my mum. I was told to introduce my mother and myself, and teacher introduced herself; her name was Ms.Willis. I went inside the classroom with my teacher. Even though I was taller than most of them I felt as though I was surrounded by giants. Ms. Willis told everyone to sit on a nasty dirty carpet that had chewing gum all over it, which was at the back of the classroom, and told me to introduce myself to introduce myself to everyone. We were told to sit in alphabetical order: I was told to sit next to three girls. I was really nervous because they kept on looking at my forehead. I got really angry, and said, â€Å"Stop it!† in a really deep and angry voice. They were shocked and had puzzled expressions. My teacher came to me with a blank exercise book and a reading book, â€Å"Can you read?† I nodded my head knowing little of what she meant. â€Å"Read this book for me†, Ms. Willis said. I read the book with an awkward accent. She gave me the exercise book and told me to write my name, maths and 5W, because that was my class's name. It was 12:00 pm. My teacher shouted out, â€Å"Stop what you are doing and line up outside†. I followed everyone as they stopped and lined up outside, and stood at the back of the line. My teacher came out locked the door and led us to this big shiny stairwell. It was so clean and shiny you could see your reflection on the floor. I stepped inside the stairwell: it was reeking of expired food. Every step I took, the smell was getting worse and worse. We finally got inside the dinner hall. It was big: there were 14 long tables inside it. You would have to be quiet to get your lunch but my table was noisy so we didn't get to go first. We eventually got there I felt humiliated by the food the school was offering. It looked like food that was cooked yesterday. That was the final humiliation of the day.

Chinese religions Essay

The Chinese like any other race, had their own conceptual perspective of things that they cannot fathom or explain. Like their contemporaries they tend to â€Å"simplify things† by trying to attribute the unexplainable to the supernatural. They try to look deeper into things, taking into consideration the physicality and spirituality of objects, be they animate or inanimate. This outlook made the ancient Chinese come up with the concept of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang is defined as the concept of balance between two contrastingly different, or opposing elements. The Chinese believe that Yin and Yang maintains the balance of all things and that it is impossible to isolate or exclude one from the other. The continuity of the Yin and Yang cycle is clearly construed as the balance that keeps everything in an orderly manner. The idea of harmony and balance are the main basis of the yin and yang concept. Yin and Yang did not come to existence in order to destroy or overwhelm one another, but rather to complement one another. The principle that each person is governed by both the negative and positive forces is central to almost all schools of Chinese thought. The Chinese believed that everything in the universe, including ourselves are constantly governed by the laws of dualism. The concept of Yin and Yang is echoed in various Chinese religions. It is essentially the basis and core of Taoism, and has a slight influence on Confucianism and Buddhism. The concept of Yin and Yang in Taoism hinges on the importance of maintaining the fragile balance between the Yin or positive force and the Yang or Negative force. This religion bases its teachings on the principle that both Yin (Negative) and Yang (Positive) contains a small part of one another, and that both of these two opposing forces exist not to destroy one another by the usage of an overwhelming force, but simply to emphasize and complement one another. This religion also preaches that although the positive and negative aspect of things go against each other they are essentially things that would emphasize the uniqueness of the same substance and nature like the others despite the appearance of differences between these two things. A good analogy of this would be mans’ concept of beauty. One cannot appreciate beauty if all objects look alike, if all things share the same features, then those things cannot be truly called beautiful, instead these things would be seen as plain or ordinary due to the lack of a viable standard to base this criteria. One can only distinguish beauty and perfection when its opposite, the concept of ugliness and imperfection exists. Confucianism, another religion that originated from China, also shows subtle hint of the Yin and Yang concept. Confucius, its progenitor, theorized an ethical approach to eliminate conflict. His teachings echo a slight hint of the yin and yang concept, in that he believed that the mingling of the positive and negative forces brought about the existence of all that has life, and has persistently applied this principle in all of his teachings. Confucius did not focus his teachings on the principles of dualism (yin and yang) alone, instead, he assimilated it to almost all of his teachings concerning morality. Another point that proves the influence of the Yin and Yang concept to the teachings of Confucius is the fact his teachings are always addressed to two groups of people, who happens to have a contrasting and totally different social status. As manifested further in his teaching, he asserts the proper manner as to how the Affluent should act towards the less privileged, a king to his subjects, a parent to his children, a man to his wife†¦the list goes on. The one thing that is highly noticeable on the previous analogy is that all of it is based on how a superior individual should act towards his inferior counterpart and vice versa. This further boosts the idea that dualism has a significant influence on Confucian teachings. As a whole, Confucius emphasized that the suffering endured by society arose because its constituents failed to act out in accordance to their respective places in society, it is his idea that people should play their role to the utmost to maintain the balance and harmony within the existing society. Another Chinese religion that the Yin and Yang concept has influenced to a certain degree would be Buddhism. This religion founded by Siddharta Gautama Buddha teaches that the main cause of pain and suffering is pleasure and desire, the concept, in itself is a paradox of duality, which is a very good indicator of the presence of the yin and yang concept. The main precept of Buddhism that preaches avoidance of pleasure and desire to avoid pain and suffering is a contradiction that suggests the influence of the Yin and yang concept. The principle of Yin and Yang and Buddhism are similarly congruent in the preaching of the belief in the importance of harmony and the maintenance of constant balance within the world. It is notable that Taoism, the Religion that conceptualized the Yin and yang concept, and Buddhism both allude to the belief that a person’s fate is totally dependent on the deeds committed during his lifetime. Based on these ideologies, the Chinese have developed the attitude of always trying to blend in to their environment in accordance to the concept of the Yin and the Yang forces. This is evidenced on their continued belief and usage of the principles of Feng Shui, the principle of adjusting one’s surrounding to direct the balanced flow of positive and negative energy to benefit man as a whole. The principle of Yin and Yang is also inherent in the practice of Chinese medicine. The main precept that they uphold in practicing Chinese traditional medicine is that, an imbalance of either positive or negative energy would cause sickness or even death to afflicted individuals, Thus, Chinese practitioners advocate that in order to be healthy one must always strive to have a balanced flow of energy circulating within his body. These are but limited examples of how the Chinese see and apply the principles of Yin and Yang to their daily life. This concept has formed a line of tradition or norm for the Chinese people, so much so that It is unheard of for any Chinese individual to disregard the harmony and balance within his environment, without resorting to or practicing any of the practices prescribed by traditional Yin and Yang believers. As of the present it is safe to assume that the Chinese people put great store in mingling smoothly with their surroundings. This is very evident on their attitude, and the way in which they were able to adapt to almost any environment known to man without relinquishing any part of their National Identity and Heritage (a Chinese could live in any part of the world, or be born on different countries, but essentially retains his Chinese posterity and would still be very â€Å" Chinese† with regards to his beliefs). The Chinese, are perhaps one of the most, if not the most adaptable people known on this planet. This is highly evidenced by their willingness to submit and accept their lot in society and at the same time trying to make the best out of it. Works Cited: â€Å"The Yin and Yang Theory† http://www. 168fengshui. com/articles/yin-and-yang-theory/ http://www. taopage. org/yinyang. html Yin and Yang in Acupuncture and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) http://www. holisticonline. com/Acupuncture/acp_yin_yang. htm http://www. religionfacts. com/taoism/beliefs. htm http://fly. cc. fer. hr/~shlede/ying/yang. html http://www. essortment. com/all/yinyangmeaning_rosp. htm

Masters Academic Writing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Masters Academic Writing Skills - Essay Example Ann Morrow Lindbergh in her work affirms, â€Å"Writing is thinking, it is more than living, for it is being conscious of living.† This is a clear indication that for good academic writing, great thinking was vital and it can be a source of living when employed rightfully (Coffin & Curry 2003). It is important to note here that good writing is passion and determination, and on the other hand it is a chastisement for others. It depends from your personality and your proficiency in a particular field of study and one’s field of interest. For quality academic writing, one have to understand that to achieve a conversance in this occupation a person should follow some rules and guidelines for good quality and well-reasoned research work. This paper therefore illustrates these skills vividly outlining their importance of the skill for good academic writing (Casanave 2002). Academic writing considers the outcome of a process involving investigation on some topic together with a diligent deliberation on the topic. This process aims at demonstrating and explaining deeply the purpose of the investigation of the topic in order to draw a viable conclusion. The investigation of a topic enables a reader to understand the standpoint of an argument that is considered credible for sound reasoning. The task of writer is to research the theme which is reinforced by some objective confirmations and logical evidences (Chin, Reid, Wray and Yamasaki, 2013). All facts which a writer uses are to be supported by past scientific researches or other authentic sources (Castle 2010). Firstly, the writer should master reading and researching skills. Any research starts with the literature outlook and scientific work diagnoses. As Chin, Reid, Wray and Yamasaki (2013) mention, a writer gains better understanding of the topic through exploration of then complicated and intricate literature. A good example of academic writing goes through proper comprehension in the

Reference Comparison Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reference Comparison Paper - Essay Example Therefore it needs to integrate the ecological factors into the management principles to ensure minimal impact on the environment and related attributes. (Mangers, 1994) Contrary to other types of supply chains ,the green supply chain is designed to ensure that maximum sustainability of all the inputs and outputs are ensured and that the necessary steps are taken by the companies involved to ensure that minimal energy goes to waste at any level of the process green supply chain also puts into consideration the need for absolute recycling and re use .therefore this approach of supply ensures that there is minimal accumulation of waste and maximum sustainability of the resources used. (Forest, 1993) Cooperates therefore have had dynamic response and measures geared towards sustainable running of their entities. Measures have been implemented specifically for the tackling of issues related to rising material prices, environmental degradation and the increasing challenges related to the global supply chains. The relationships between the green supply chains and the conventional supply chains have proved that the green supply chains provide and give better business gains in relation to the conventional supply chains. The sustainability of the green supply chains across the globe is of better economic significance. The in-cooperation of the green supply chain ideologies and principles has recently ensured that the organizations develop sustainable ideologies that sustain them despite the harsh economic and resource deprivation of the current enterprising economy. (Gravey, 1994) Scientific reports and findings have recently indicated that global warming and environmental degradation is happening at a faster rate than the world expected. The changes as a result of this global phenomenon are quite drastic and happening at a faster rate and a greater magnitude than the world initially thought and anticipated. Therefore with the occurrence of all this resource related hap penings the world need to develop activities and mechanisms to ensure that all these issues are tackled professionally and the development activities therein become sustainable and environmental friendly causing minimal depletion of the non renewable resource bases. (Haynes, 1997) The green companies not only become sustainable to comply with the legislations and regulations of the relevant environmental management authorities or are they attempting to satisfy and meet the demands put upon them by the customers but most of this companies have a self drive to go green and support sustainable and environmental friendly supply chains ensuring that the natural resources are used in sustainable and clean development approaches. (Ake, 1995) The supply chains comprise of the purchase sector and the inbound logistics and this has the role of achieving and acquiring of products to the company for purposes of providing the raw materials for production. The related activities therefore can hav e significant effects on the environment and its related protection and conservation. Some of the activities related to this are issues like outsourcing, selection of the use materials and the choosing of the vendors. This might have significant impacts on the health and

To what extent was Llywelyn ap Gruffydds political misjudgement Essay

To what extent was Llywelyn ap Gruffydds political misjudgement responsible for the downfall of the Welsh Principality in 1277 - Essay Example Llywelyn entered the governance of Wales in 1258 and he started soon to expand his power over the country through the achievement of a series of victories in the battles developed across England – British have been since the appearance of this country – Wales – extremely hostile towards the people that are originated in the specific region. In order to understand the responsibility of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd for the downfall of Wales in 1277 it is necessary to present primarily a series of details regarding the presence of Llywelyn in the throne of Wales and his main strategic decisions in order to protect the country from potential conquerors. Llywelyn ap Gruffydd has been characterized as a powerful monarch who has based his power on his military successes across the country. Despite his achievements in the field of battles had been considerable, his ability to govern the country can be doubted. The research on the particular issue proved that Llywelyn has been a competent leader but with limited diplomacy skills; this fact has probable caused to the increase of hostility against him by the majority of politicians in Wales at that particular period of time (the term ‘politician’ in this case should be related with the political and social power of certain people, i.e. of their ability to influence the polit ical decisions in the country). Llywelyn ap Gruffudd – who is also known as Llewely the Last or as ‘Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf’ was ‘one of the four sons of Gruffydd, the illegitimate son of Llywelyn the Great’ (Wales Online, 2004, online article). He was born in 1228 and he died in 1282 and has been the last prince of Wales. In 1258 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd became the prince of Wales; his high ambitions regarding the conquest of territories and the expansion of his power soon led to the increase of hostility between Llywelyn and the rest Welsh princes. Llywelyn should have tried to

Lord of the Flies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lord of the Flies - Research Paper Example The entire novel is portrayed symbolic in nature excluding the save in the last part where adult life become visible, distinguished and able, however in actuality ensnared in the similar evil as the symbolic life of the boys on the unknown island. Through the use of various symbols like, the image of pig’s head, conch, fire, Piggy’s spectacle, pig hunting, painted face and the plane collide promote allegoric features. Successive use of different symbols shows that how inner evil of the human being is revealed. The symbolic nature of William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies facilitates its major theme as well its allegoric characteristics. Lord of the Flies encloses many symbols used by the author to develop and support the main theme. Symbols in this novel play a vital role and it strengthens the allegorical features of the novel. Eminent figures in literature made significant studies about the role of symbolism in Golding’s novel and those studies prove that Golding’s novel explores excellent use of symbols. Santwana Haldar rightly comments that; â€Å"The symbolic content of Lord of the Flies adds depth and meaning of the novel; otherwise it would be a mere story of adventure based on crude psychological process† (Haldar 138). ... The story is developed through various events that occurred in the life of some boys who came from civilized land. The name of the novel and the objects that provides is the most significant symbol. The image of pig’s head, the slaughtered animal’s head is highly graphic and frightening. Consequently, reader becomes aware of the evil, darkness and fear depicted in the Lord of the Flies. The conch is portrayed as another powerful symbol that reveals the presence of civilized authority, and democratic principles. The online article entitled Lord of the Flies Symbolism, Imagery & Allegory remarks; â€Å"They boys have imposed this â€Å"rule of the conch† on themselves, and thus the conch represents society’s rules, politics, and speech† (Shmoop University). Golding’s novel Reader can come across that the entire novel explores the savagery of human being which underlying each and every human. Eyeglasses of Piggy and Piggy himself make known the insight, wisdom and knowledge. Piggy become identified with a haunted pig, and consequently will be killed too. Here, the habit of pig hunting changes to man hunting. When Piggy dies, the failure or breakdown of society on the island is happened. Piggy’s death is a powerful symbol which discloses boy’s transformation from civilization to savagery. After his death, his companions identify his arms and legs wrenched like a pig’s after it has been killed (Bloom 13). The long hair of the boys and their symbolic mask with clay paint also symbolizes the dreadful transformation from a structured and well educated life to utter savagery. Modern man’s unknown fear about his material existence is revealed through the symbol of beast. Golding underlines the idea that never ending struggle is the curse of modern

Wampum belt of the Native Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Wampum belt of the Native Americans - Essay Example However, even if the objective of efficient and high quality health care is universal for these countries, all have developed different schemes in medical care services (Arah, et al., 2003). Table 1 compares the system of health care in these four countries in terms of the funding, framework, guidelines and assessment performance. This data will be very important in the comparisons to be dealt with in the succeeding pages. In Canada, the adapted system which started in the late 1950’s, has transformed from a public and territorial hospital insurance structure to a comprehensive, compulsory system as we know today (Lemieux, 1989). This system ensures that taxes benefit taxpayers through a universal medical program and that no one is denied of medical care. Since the medical control is run by the government and funded by the taxpayers, it is but necessary that more safeguards be put in place as claims of a rusting system develops (Arnett, 1996; Cihak, 2004; Hsieh, 2007). A Right to Health Care. Goodman discusses that Canadians lose the right to health care in a universal system basically because the number of patients increase tremendously in this kind of scheme. As a result, there are very few people that get treatment and services are delayed because of waitlists and queues. He also further indicated that based on the Frasier Institute, ten times more patients in Canada are waitlisted compared to that in New Zealand. Apparently, the population in Canada is around nine times more than New Zealand’s populace, in addition to several other factors which should have been considered such as number of hospitals and the nature of health care needed and the quality of services received. Leonard Peikoff (2006) expresses the American viewpoint of this myth. In his speech entitled â€Å"Health Care is Not a Right†, he articulates that the right of one man should never impose responsibility to another

Change of Expectations of Men and Women in 1800s Essay

Change of Expectations of Men and Women in 1800s - Essay Example Elders in those days believed that these chores helped the women to keep in good shape because it helped to strengthen their muscles and organs. According to women these days, the emphasis is laid on stimulating their brain through excessive studying and thereby they neglect their physique making it weak and vulnerable to disease. In an aristocracy, where work is dishonored, it is customary for the lower class to work for the benefit and enjoyment of the upper class but this is not so in a democracy where work is honored because everyone works hard for themselves and their own welfare. Such high democratic principles can be seen in Christianity, where the child is taught at a young age to do service to others. Jesus Christ is the best example one can take to see his self-sacrificing attitude towards his race and Christian principles and teachings are based on this. Good Christian parents should see to it that they render the best possible training in virtues to their children so that they would grow up to be benevolent and self- sacrificing to all around them. Speaking on the post Civil War Gwendolyn Wright speaks to us about those people who moved to the suburbs to escape the problems of poor health and political and social unrest. Picturesque landscapes and the use of natural materials for buildings brought them more close to nature. But the decades after the Civil war saw the suburbs take on a different implication. Those families who could afford a house in the suburbs were labeled as â€Å"middle class†. The cult of home and motherhood reached its pinnacle in the last decades of the nineteenth century. People living in the suburbs very often would visit the city to enjoy the restaurants, parks, museums and other exciting things the city had to offer.

The History of the Guidance Movement in the United States Essay

The History of the Guidance Movement in the United States - Essay Example In the United States the history and development of guidance and counseling was influenced by various events and personalities. Before guidance and counseling was formally introduced in the country, the formative years began in the latter half of the 18th century. During this period, there became more humane care for the mentally disturbed and greater awareness in application of treating human behavior. (Myrick, 2003) The formal history of guidance and counseling in the United States dates back to 1908 when Frank Parsons established the Boston Vocational Bureau. The objective of Parsons in establishing such institution was to provide the youth with vocational assistance in school. Because of his contributions, Parsons was named as the father of the guidance movement. According to Blocher, "The Guidance Movement developed from the need to help these early school leavers develop a rational plan with which to begin their careers." (2000) Guidance and counseling in the United States bega n as vocational counseling. The primary objective of counseling during such time was to help students determine their career of choice and future plans. Another influential person in the development of guidance and counseling was Jesse B. Davis.

Compare and contrast the ways Essay Example for Free

Compare and contrast the ways Essay Stanhope and Raleigh are absolutely different characters. Stanhope is experienced and confident and Raleigh is naive and doesn’t have such a long experience in army that Stanhope has. But also you can find something similar in stories of their lives. Their childhood, which they spent together. They went to the same school and their families were friends long time ago. At the beginning of the play Capitan Stanhope is presented as a brilliant commander and at the same way as an alcoholic. This quotation ‘drinking like a fish’, means that Stanhope cannot live without alcohol just, as a fish cannot survive without water. It shows literally that he will die without alcohol. This one â€Å"Without being doped with whiskey I’d go mad with fright† shows that has to be dunk to get through the war without the fear. Also Hardy said that he’s called a ‘drunkard’. That also means that he is ‘in love’ with alcohol. But while Hardy jokes, Osborne defends Stanhope and describes him as ‘the best company commander we’ve ever got’. Moreover, from Osborne we found out that straight after school Stanhope joined the army and became an amazing commander. Also, one of the officers said that he is ‘a splendid chap’. It shows that Stanhope has man’s qualities. We also pick up a few more details about the character of Stanhope from Osborne he has never rested, his nerves ‘have got battered to bits’. This shows us the nature of Stanhope. Second lieutenant Raleigh has a complete opposite character than Stanhope. The difference between them is just in three years, but Raleigh looks much younger than Stanhope. This is because the war ages Stanhope. Raleigh looks like a ‘healthy-looking boy of about eighteen†. He is entering the war for the first time. He has ‘a nervous laugh’ and there are some dashes in his speech that creates broken speech, which highlights how overwhelmed he is  with his emotions, and it is a bad quality for an officer. ‘His uniform is very new’ this quotation shows that he is a new and without any army experience. He imaged the war and trenches very different ‘†I thought there would be an awful row here- all the time. † But Raleigh is very idealistic, viewing the war as a romantic possibility to become a hero. He thinks that the war would make him famous and people will be proud of him as a hero of their country. Raleigh also idolises Stanhope, having looked up to him since he was a child and refers to him as ‘Dennis’. Also ‘their fathers were good friends and  Stanhope used to come and stay with them in the holidays’. He admits that he requested to be sent to Stanhopes company. Osborne hints to him that Stanhope will not be the same person he knew from school as the experiences of war have changed him. But Raleigh does not seem to understand and he is looking forward to see his old ‘friend’ again. So from all my points we can see that Stanhope and Raleigh are completely different characters and do not have any similarities in their lives. But maybe later, in the play Raleigh will have some new war experience and it will be something similar in their characters.

The Summary of Bhopal Disaster Essay Example for Free

The Summary of Bhopal Disaster Essay The Union Carbide plant was established in Bhopal in 1969 and it began to produce the insecticide Carbaryl. methyl isocanyte is an ingredient of carbaryl, and on the morning of December 3, 1984, a holding tank containing 43 tons of methyl isocyanate overheated and released the toxic gas. Because methyl isocyanate is heavier than air, it traveled over the ground through the Bhopal city center. The transportation system collapsed, and many people were trampled to death in a mad rush to flee the visible gases. In total, 15,000 people died and 150,000-600,000 people were injured. The contamination and deaths were a result of numerous factors: * Recent documents obtained through discovery in the course of a lawsuit against Union Carbide for environmental contamination (before a New York Federal District Court) revealed that Carbide had exported untested, unproven technology to the Indian plant. Unlike Union Carbide plants in the USA, its Indian subsidiary plants were not prepared for problems. No action plans had been established to cope with incidents of this magnitude. This included not informing local authorities of the dangers of chemicals used and manufactured at Bhopal. * Reports issued months before the incident by scientists within the Union Carbide corporation warned of the possibility of an accident almost identical to that which occurred in Bhopal. The reports were ignored outright and never made it to senior staff. Due to falling sales, staff had been laid off and safety checks became less and less frequent. * Slip-blind plates that would have prevented water from pipes being cleaned from leaking into the MIC tanks via faulty valves were not installed. Their installation had been omitted from the cleaning checklist. * At the time of the event, the MIC tank refrigeration unit was disabled to save money, and some of its coolant was being used elsewhere. A simple press of a button in the control room would have activated it to at least use the remaining coolant, but this was overlooked by staff. * The gas scrubber was placed on standby, and therefore did not attempt to clean escaping gases with sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), which may have brought the concentration down to a safe level. The water curtain that may have reduced the concentration of the gas was only set to ~13 m and did not reach the gas; it was not designed to contain a leak of such magnitude. Though the audible external alarm was activated to warn the residents of Bhopal, it was quickly silenced to avoid causing panic among the residents. Thus, many continued to sleep, unaware of the unfolding drama, and those that had woken assumed any problem had been sorted out. The flare tower used to burn off gases before they are allowed to escape into the air was inoperational pending repairs. * Doctors and hospitals were not informed of proper treatment methods for MIC gas inhalation. They were told to simply give cough medicine and eyedrops to their patients. Union Carbide agreed to pay $470 million to the residents of Bhopal. That amount is lower than in the lawsuit and substantially lower than similar Asbestos cases Union Carbide was settling concurrently in the United States. By the end of October 2003, according to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, compensation had been awarded to 554,895 people for injuries received and 15,310 survivors of those killed. The average amount to families of the dead was $2,200. Union Carbide also attempted to distance itself from the tragedy by blaming its subsidiary in India and even fabricated stories about a Sikh extremist group and disgruntled former employees bent on sabotaging the plant. Health Effects Summary for MIC Immediate Health Effects   (0-6 months) * Ocular: Chemosis, redness, watering, ulcers, photophobia * Respiratory: Distress, pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, pneumothorax * Gastrointestinal: Persistent diarrhea, anorexia, persistent abdominal pain * Genetic: Increased chromosomal abnormalities * Psychological: Neuroses, anxiety states, adjustment reactions * Neurobehavioral: Impaired audio and visual memory, impaired vigilance attention and response time, Impaired reasoning and spatial ability, impaired psychomotor coordination Long-term Health Effects * Ocular: Persistent watering, corneal opacities, chronic conjunctivitis * Respiratory: Obstructive and restrictive airway disease, decreased lung function * Reproductive: Increased pregnancy loss, increased infant mortality, decreased placental/fetal weight * Genetic: Increased chromosomal abnormalities * Neurobehavioral: Impaired associate learning, motor speed, and precision

Work, Power and Energy Transfer Questions and Answers

Work, Power and Energy Transfer Questions and Answers Amy Harris   Task 1 Packing cases of mass 25kg are to be pushed onto a ramp by use of a  hydraulic ram as shown above. The coefficients of static and dynamic friction  between the box and surface are 0.7 and 0.4 respectively. Assuming uniform  acceleration at all stages. Calculate: a) The maximum force required in the ram to push the crate onto the slope  with an acceleration of 0.25ms b) The velocity of the crate as it leaves the top part of the ramp assuming  this part of the movement takes 1 second. c) The velocity of the crate at the bottom of the ramp d) The distance travelled after leaving the ramp and continuing in a straight  line (assume a smooth curve at the bottom of the slope). e) The total time for the entire movement of the crate. Corrections to Task 1: Task 2 A pile driver hammer of mass 300kg is raised to a height of 3.5m before being released. If there is no rebound after impact with a pile of mass 500kg and the pile is driven 0.1m into the ground, Calculate: a) The initial potential energy of the hammer before release. b) The velocity of the hammer immediately before impact c) The velocity of the hammer and pile immediately after impact d) The deceleration of the pile assuming it is uniform e) The ground resistance Corrections to Task 2: Task 3 Find the velocity of the hammer immediately before impact for the problem given in Q2 above using DAlemberts Principle and write a report comparing it with the conservation of energy method previously used. How do the two methods differ and what were the discrepancies in the results? The DAlemberts Principle can; in some parts, be very similar to the second law motion which Newton introduced. He thought that the law could be rewritten so that we can achieve the appearance of an equilibrium. This principle was made by Jean le Rond dAlembert, he was a French mathematician in the 18th century. It is explained as reducing a problem in dynamics to a problem in statics (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2016). I found that when referring to the time derivatives of the momenta of the system (Wikipedia, June 2016) DAlemberts principle shows this equation F-ma=0 (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). I researched this formula and found that F=ma'(classes R., no date) and newtons second law states that F= mg (Kearsley, no date) This means that when no external force is present we may use the formula mg-ma=0. Dalemberts principle is different to the conservation of energy method as dalemberts uses the equilibrium of forces when referring to a dynamic system and the conservation of energy method states that in a closed dynamic system the energy total equals zero. They may differ sometimes as they are dealing with different values to come out with the answer, also aspects such as human error when rounding comes into play as a small rounding error can sometimes affect the answer. The conservation of energy method is used more than the that of DAlemberts, perhaps because it is not often that a system is balanced completely which is when DAlemberts is used. The answer I got is the same as I do with the other method, this shows that this method can be used to prove the answer found in task 2.          Bibliography The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (20 July 1998) DAlemberts Principle [online] Available: https://www.britannica.com/science/dAlemberts-principle [Accessed 24/11/2016] The Editors of Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica (1998) DAlemberts principle | physics, in Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/dAlemberts-principle [Accessed: 22/02/2017] Classes, R. (no date) Dalemberts Principle [online]Available at: http://kestrel.nmt.edu/~raymond/classes/ph321/notes/dalembert/dalembert.pdf [Accessed: 22/02/2017] References: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (20 July 1998) DAlemberts Principle [online] Available: https://www.britannica.com/science/dAlemberts-principle[Accessed 24/11/2016] The Editors of Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica (1998) DAlemberts principle | physics, in Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/dAlemberts-principle [Accessed: 22 February 2017] Kearsley (no date) Forces [online] Available at: http://www.mrkearsley.com/notes/physics-forces.pdf [Accessed: 2 March 2017]   

An Experiment to Find Out the Effect of Osmosis on Potato Cells :: Papers

An Experiment to Find Out the Effect of Osmosis on Potato Cells Plan ==== Apparatus:  · A borer  · 25 test tubes  · 5 test tube racks  · 2 potatoes  · A ruler  · A sharp knife Variables: Four different sugar solutions at 10%,20%,30%and40% and distilled water Hypothesis: I hypothesis that the higher the sugar the less the potato size will increase. I think this because I think it will be harder for the liquid to get in because it is denser. Using the borer make cuts into the potato and pull out the pieces of potato. Chop the pieces so they are 20mm long repeat process 25 times. This experiment must be statistically viable i.e. the potato pieces must be identical. If you come to a bad piece of potato discard it. Put all the pieces into individual test tubes. Using one of the solutions fill up 5 test tubes to exactly the same height. Repeat process for all the solutions. Put test tubes into racks and leave for 24 hours. This should be done as quickly as possible to ensure each piece of potato is immersed for exactly the same period of time. Research [IMAGE]Fig 1 Osmosis is the transfer of a liquid solvent through a semi permeable membrane that does not allow dissolved solids (solutes) to pass. Osmosis refers only to transfer of solvent; transfer of solute is called dialysis . In either case the direction of transfer is from the area of higher concentration of the material transferred to the area of lower concentration. This spontaneous migration of a material from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration is called diffusion. Osmosis will occur if a vessel is separated into two compartments by a semi permeable membrane, both compartments are filled to the same level with a solvent, and solute is added to one side. The level of the liquid on the side containing the solute will

Pride, Honor and Survival in The Last Samurai and Hidalgo :: Movie Film Movies Films Essays

Pride, Honor and Survival in The Last Samurai and Hidalgo In the 2004 movie, Hidalgo, the story of how a cowboy and cavalry dispatch rider, billed as the â€Å"world’s greatest endurance rider,† is challenged to compete for pride, honor, and his own survival in a 3,000 mile long race known as the Ocean of Fire. Likewise, the story of The Last Samurai depicts how a civil war era captain is charged with the responsibility of training a â€Å"modern† Japanese military force, and is captured by Samurai warriors in a battle to quell the Samurai rebellion. While he is being held by his captors, he learns the ways of the Samurai and must use his new skills to fight for his, as well as Japan’s pride, honor, and cultural survival. This essay will attempt to draw similarities between Hidalgo and The Last Samurai by examining the individual feats accomplished by the movie’s main characters as well as explain how these seemingly dissimilar movie plots are actually quite similar. The movie Hidalgo tells the story of Frank T. Hopkins, cowboy and cavalry dispatch rider. During his career, Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo have competed in many American endurance races, and Hopkins has become honorably billed as the world’s greatest endurance rider. Riding as a dispatch rider for the cavalry, one of the main character conflicts of the movie unfolds. Frank T. Hopkins, born to a Lakota Indian woman is half Lakota Indian, but has a hard time dealing with this aspect of his heritage. The conflict comes when he rides a dispatch for the U.S. Calvary unknowingly delivering the order to disarm the Lakota Indians, and inadvertently causes the Battle of Wounded Knee, where the Lakota are massacred by the cavalry. Knowing that he delivered the order sealing the fate of his people, Hopkins falls into horrible depression, taking to heavy drinking. Because of his reputation as the ‘world’s greatest endurance rider,’ Hopkins joins Buffalo Bills Wild West Show, and is haunted by the nightmare of the massacre. In an example pride, honor and survival, Hopkins is challenged to overcome his depression and self-pity and enter a race, a 3,000 mile survival race across the Arabian Desert, known as the Ocean of Fire. The Ocean of Fire, held annually for more than a 1,000 years, is an endurance race like no other. Beyond being a race for pride and honor, rider’s survival skills are tested in the 3,000 mile Ocean of Fire.

Rugby is Better than Sex :: Personal Narrative Sports Athletics Papers

Rugby is Better than Sex An imitation of â€Å"Surfing is better than sex† I USED TO LOOK AT THE SENIOR BOYS PLAYING ‘THAT ROUGH’ GAME rugby and just wonder at the courage that they possessed. Never in my mind did I see myself as a rugby player. It is true I was bigger than many of the people on the team but that did not mean I had half the courage. That was way back in my first years at Budo high school. Then one day, a rugger by the name of Yustus reached out to me. â€Å"KESA†, he called out my nickname. â€Å"You should try out rugby with us one of these days†, he added. Rugby is a very small club sport at Lafayette and has a lot of challenges. During orientation, I accidentally met up with a team member called Mike who told me about Lafayette rugby. He told me that the team did not have a coach and â€Å"we are trying to get in as many freshmen as possible†. I replied that I had a lot of experience, having played rugby for about 5 years, and I would love to join. When we had our first rugby meet, it was on a small quad in front of one of the nine fraternities. This quad was the antithesis of the real big fields I was used to; one could hardly run a forty-yard dash on it. Well, after a couple of weeks playing on the quad, we were able to head out to Metzgar fields. These are a set of fields for lacrosse, soccer, baseball, and football practice and there is also provision for rugby. In the middle of all other sports grounds, our rugby team found a somewhat full size field. The first engagement we had for the season was a home match against Lehigh University and this was one of best games for the entire season. We went into this game as the underdogs, but that did not inhibit my team from maneuvering well. We were not expected to win, so all we did is have fun giving Lehigh a decent challenge. On many occasions, I would run with the ball and stop just a couple of yards away from the goal line. My teammates were always there to support me whenever I went with the ball. I remember one time when a Lehigh player broke through the scrum and was heading towards our goal.

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 17

September 8, 1864 She is not who she seems. Should I be surprised? Terrified? Hurt? It's as if everything I know, everything I've been taught, everything I've believed in my past seventeen years is wrong. I can still feel where she kissed me, where her fingers grasped my hands. I still yearn for her, and yet the voice of reason is screaming in my ears: You cannot love a vampire! If I had one of her daisies, I could pluck the leaves and let the flower choose for me. I love her †¦ I love her not †¦ I †¦ I love her. I do. No matter the consequences. Is this what following your heart is? I wish there was a map or a compass to help me find my way. But she has my heart, and that above all else is my North Star †¦ and that will have to be enough. After I slipped away from the carriage house back to my own chambers, I somehow managed to sleep for a few hours. When I awoke, I wondered if everything was all a dream. But then I shifted my head on the pillow and saw a neat puddle of dried, crimson blood and touched my fingers to my throat. I felt a wound there, and though it didn't hurt, it brought back the very real incidents of the previous evening. I felt exhausted and confused and exalted all at once. My limbs were enervated, my brain abuzz. It was as if I had a fever, but inside I felt a sort of calm I'd never felt before. I dressed for the day, taking extra care to wash the wound with a damp cloth and bandage it, then buttoned my linen shirt as high as it would go. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I tried to see if there was anything different, if there was some glint in my eye that acknowledged my newfound worldliness. But my face looked just as it had yesterday. I crept down the back stairs toward the study. Father's schedule was like clockwork, and he always spent the mornings surveying and visiting the fields with Robert. Once I closed myself in the cool, dark room, I ran my fingers along the leather-bound spines on each shelf, feeling comforted by their smoothness. I just hoped that somewhere, in the stacks and shelves of books on every subject, there would be a volume that would answer some of my questions. I remembered Katherine reading The Mysteries of Mystic Falls and noticed the volume was no longer in the study, or at least not in plain view. I walked aimlessly from shelf to shelf, for the first time feeling overwhelmed by the number of books in Father's study. Where could I possibly find information on vampires? Father had volumes of plays, fiction, atlases, and two full shelves of Bibles, some in English, some in Italian, and some in Latin. I traced my hands against the gilt- lettered, leather spines of each book, hoping that somehow I'd find something. Finally, my fingertips landed on a thin, tattered volume with Demonios written in flaking silver on the spine. Demonio †¦ demon †¦ This was what I was looking for. I opened the book, but it was written in an ancient Italian dialect that I couldn't make heads nor tails of, despite my extensive tutoring in Latin and Italian. Still, I carried the book with me to the club chair and settled in. Trying to decipher the book was an action I could understand, something easier than trying to eat breakfast while pretending everything was normal. I ran my fingers along the words, reading out loud as if I were a schoolboy, making sure I didn't miss a mention of the word vampiro. Finally, I found it, but the sentences surrounding it were nothing but gibberish to me. I sighed in frustration. Just then, the door to the study creaked open. â€Å"Who's there?† I called loudly. â€Å"Stefan!† My father's ruddy face registered surprise. â€Å"I was looking for you.† â€Å"Oh?† I asked, my hand flying to my neck, as if Father could see the bandage beneath the fabric. But all I felt was the smooth linen of my shirt. My secret was safe. Father looked at me strangely. He walked toward me, taking the book off my lap. â€Å"Y and I ou think alike,† he said, a strange smile curving onto his face. â€Å"We do?† My heart fluttered in my chest like a hummingbird's wings, and I was sure Father could hear my breath catching in short, shallow gasps in my throat. I felt sure he could read my thoughts, sure he knew about Katherine and me. And if he knew about Katherine, he'd kill her and †¦ I couldn't bear to think of the rest. Father smiled again. â€Å"We do. I know you took our conversation about vampires to heart, and I appreciate you taking this scourge seriously. Of course, I know you have your own motivations in avenging the death of your young Rosalyn,† Father said, making the sign of the cross over his chest. I stared at a thin spot on the Oriental rug, where the fabric was so faded, I could see the stained wooden floor below. I couldn't look up at Father and let my face betray my secret, betray Katherine's secret. â€Å"Be assured, son, that Rosalyn did not die in vain. She died for Mystic Falls, and she will be remembered as we rid our town of this curse. And you, of course, will be an integral part of the plan.† Father gestured toward the book I still held. â€Å"Unlike your good-for-nothing brother. What good is all his new military knowledge if he can't put it to use to defend his family, his land?† Father asked rhetorically. â€Å"Just today he went off on a ride with some of his soldier friends. Even after I told him I expected him here this morning to accompany us to our meeting at Jonathan's house.† But I wasn't paying attention anymore. All I cared about was that he didn't know about Katherine. My breathing slowed. â€Å"There wasn't very much information that I could understand in this book. I don't think it's very useful,† I said, as if all I'd been doing this morning was indulging in a scholarly interest in vampires. â€Å"That's just as well,† Father said dismissively, as he carelessly placed the book back on the shelf. â€Å"I feel that together we have a good store of knowledge.† â€Å"Together?† I parroted. Father waved his hand impatiently. â€Å"Y and I ou Father waved his hand impatiently. â€Å"Y and I ou and the Founders. We've set up a council to deal with this. We're heading to a meeting right now. Y ou're coming.† â€Å"I am?† I asked. Father glanced at me in annoyance. I knew I sounded like a simpleton, but there was simply too much information swimming in my mind to even begin to understand it all. â€Å"Y And I'm taking Cordelia as well. She has es. a good knowledge of herbs and demons. The meeting is at Jonathan Gilbert's house.† Father nodded, as if the subject was closed. I nodded as well, even though I was surprised. Jonathan Gilbert was a university teacher and sometimes inventor who Father not so privately called a crackpot. But now Father said his name with reverence. For the thousandth time that day, I realized this truly was a different world. â€Å"Alfred is hitching up the carriage, but I will drive it. Do not tell anyone where we're going. I've already sworn Cordelia to secrecy,† Father said as he strode out of the room. After a second, I followed him, but not before I slipped Demonios into my back pocket. I sat next to Father in the front seat of the carriage, while Cordelia sat in the back, hidden from sight lest she arouse suspicion. It was strange to be out in the morning, especially without a footman to drive us, and I caught the curious stares of Mr. Vickery as we passed by the Blue Ridge Estate next door. I waved, until I felt Father's hand on my arm, a subtle warning not to attract attention to ourselves. Father began talking once we entered the barren stretch of dirt road that separated the plantation road from town. â€Å"I don't understand your brother. Do you? What man doesn't respect his father? If I didn't know better, I'd think he was consorting with one of them,† Father said, spitting on the dirt road. â€Å"Why would you think that?† I asked uncomfortably, a trickle of sweat running down my spine. I ran my finger beneath my collar, recoiling when I felt the gauze bandage of my neck. It was damp, but from sweat or blood I could not tell. My thoughts were a tangle. Was I betraying Katherine by attending this meeting? Was I betraying Father by keeping Katherine's secret? Who was evil or good? Nothing seemed clear. â€Å"I think that because they have that kind of power,† Father said, using the whip on Blaze as if to prove the point. Blaze whinnied before shifting into a fast trot. I looked back at Cordelia, but she was impassively staring straight ahead. â€Å"They can take over a mind before a man realizes anything is amiss. They compel them to submit fully to their charms and whims. Just a glance can make a man do whatever a vampire desires. And by the time a man does know he's being controlled, it's too late.† â€Å"Really?† I asked skeptically. I thought back to last night. Had Katherine done that to me? But no. Even when I was frightened, I'd been myself. And all my feelings had been mine. Maybe vampires could do that, but Katherine certainly hadn't done it to me. Father chuckled. â€Å"Well, not all the time. One hopes that a man is strong enough to withstand that type of influence. And I certainly have raised my sons to be strong. Still, I wonder what could possibly have gotten into Damon's head.† â€Å"I'm sure he's fine,† I said, suddenly very nervous at the idea that Damon might have figured out Katherine's secret. â€Å"I think he's simply not sure what he wants.† â€Å"I don't care what he wants,† Father said. â€Å"What he needs to remember is that he's my son and I will not be disobeyed. These are dangerous times, much more so than Damon realizes. And he needs to understand that if he is not with us, people might construe that his sympathies lie elsewhere.† â€Å"I think he just doesn't believe in vampires,† I said, a sick feeling forming in the pit of my stomach. â€Å"Shhh!† Father whispered, waving his hand toward me to quiet me down. The horses were clip-clopping into town, just past the saloon, where Jeremiah Black was already nearly passed out by the door, a half bottle of whiskey at his feet. Somehow, I didn't think Jeremiah Black was listening or even seeing what was going on, but I nodded, pleased that the silence gave me a chance to sort through my thoughts. I glanced over to my right, where Pearl and her daughter were sitting on the iron bench outside the apothecary, fanning themselves. I waved to them, but, seeing Father's warning glance, thought better about calling out to say hello. I closed my mouth and sat silently until we reached the other end of town, where Jonathan Gilbert lived in an ill-kept mansion that had once belonged to his father. Father often made fun of the fact that the house was falling apart, but today he said nothing as Alfred opened the door of the carriage. â€Å"Cordelia,† Father called tersely, allowing her to walk up the rickety steps of the Gilbert mansion first as we followed suit. Before we could ring the bell, Jonathan himself opened the door. â€Å"Good to see you, Giuseppe, Stefan. And you must be Cordelia. I've heard much about your knowledge of native herbs,† he said, offering his hand to her. Jonathan led us through the labyrinthine hallways and toward a tiny door next to the grand staircase. Jonathan opened it and gestured for us to head inside. We took turns ducking down to enter a tunnel that was about ten feet long, with a flimsy ladder at the other end. Wordlessly we climbed the ladder and emerged into a tiny, windowless space that immediately made me feel claustrophobic. Two candles burned in tarnished candleholders on a water-stained table, and as my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I could make out Honoria Fells sitting gingerly on a rocker in the corner. Mayor Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes shared an old wooden bench. â€Å"Gentlemen,† Honoria said, standing up and welcoming us as if we were just stopping in for tea. â€Å"And I'm afraid I haven't made your acquaintance, Mrs†¦.† Honoria glanced suspiciously at Cordelia. â€Å"Cordelia,† Cordelia murmured, glancing from one face to another, as if this was the last place she wanted to be. My father coughed uncomfortably. â€Å"She treated Stefan during his spells after his †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"After his fiancï ¿ ½e got her throat ripped out?† Mayor Lockwood said gruffly. â€Å"Mayor!† Honoria said, clapping her hand to her mouth. As Jonathan ducked back out into the hall, I settled on a straight-backed chair as far away from the group as possible. I felt out of place, though probably not as out of place as Cordelia, who was now awkwardly sitting on a wooden chair next to Honoria's rocker. â€Å"Now, then!† Jonathan Gilbert said, coming back to the room, his arms laden with tools and papers and objects I couldn't even begin to identify. He sat on a moth-eaten velvet armchair at the head of the table and looked around. â€Å"Let's begin.† â€Å"Fire,† Father said simply. A shiver of fear ran up my spine. Fire was how Katherine's parents had perished. Was that because they were vampires, too? Had Katherine been the only one to escape? â€Å"Fire?† Mayor Lockwood repeated. â€Å"It's been recorded, many times in Italy, that fire kills them, as does beheading or a stake in the heart. And, of course, there are herbs that can protect us.† Father nodded to Cordelia. â€Å"Vervain,† Cordelia confirmed. â€Å"Vervain,† Honoria said dreamily. â€Å"How pretty.† Cordelia snorted. â€Å"It ain't nothing but a herb. But if you wear it, then you have protection from the devil. Some say it can also work a bit to nurse those who've been around them back to health. But it's poison to them devils you call vampires.† â€Å"I want some!† Honoria said greedily, holding out her hand eagerly. â€Å"I don't have any with me,† Cordelia said. â€Å"Y don't?† Father looked at her sharply. ou â€Å"It's all gone from the garden. I used it for Mr. Stefan's remedies; then when I went to pick it this morning, it was all gone. Was probably the children who took it,† Cordelia said indignantly, but she glanced straight at me. I looked away, reassuring myself that if she had known about Katherine's true nature, she would have told my father by now. â€Å"Well, then, where do I get some?† Honoria asked. â€Å"It's probably right under your nose,† Cordelia said. â€Å"What?† asked Honoria sharply, as if she'd been insulted. â€Å"It grows everywhere. Except our garden,† Cordelia said darkly. â€Å"Well,† Father said, glancing at the two women, anxious to diffuse the situation. â€Å"After this meeting, Cordelia may escort Miss Honoria to her garden to find vervain.† â€Å"Now, wait just a damn minute,† Mayor Lockwood said, pounding his beefy fist on the table. â€Å"Y lost me at the woman talk. Y mean to ou ou tell me that if I wear a lilac sprig, then the demons will leave me alone?† He snorted. â€Å"Vervain, not lilac,† Cordelia explained. â€Å"It keeps evil away.† â€Å"Y es,† Father said sagely. â€Å"And everyone in town must wear it. See to it, Mayor Lockwood. That way, not only will our citizens be protected, but anyone who does not wear it will be exposed as a vampire and can then be burned,† Father said, his voice so smooth and matter-of-fact that it took every ounce of self-control for me not to stand up, rush down the shaky ladder, find Katherine, and run away with her. But if I did that, and if Katherine was as dangerous as the Founders thought †¦ I felt like a trapped animal, unable to find any escape. Was I trapped with the enemy right now, or was the enemy back at Veritas? I knew that, beneath my shirt collar, the wound on my neck was beginning to ooze specks of blood, and it would only be a matter of time before they soaked through the fabric and stood out as a visible reminder of my betrayal. Mayor Lockwood shifted uneasily, causing the chair to creak. I jumped. â€Å"Now, if the herb works, that's one thing. But we're in the middle of a war. We've got a lot of Confederate government officials passing through Mystic Falls on their way to Richmond, and if word gets out that instead of aiding the cause we're fighting storybook creatures with flowers †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"We cannot issue an edict that everyone wear vervain.† â€Å"Oh, really? Then how do we know you're not a vampire?† Father demanded. â€Å"Father!† I interjected. Someone had to bring a voice of reason into the discussion. â€Å"Mayor Lockwood is right. We need to think calmly. Rationally.† â€Å"Y son has a good head on his shoulders,† our Mayor Lockwood said grudgingly. â€Å"A better head than yours,† Father mumbled. â€Å"Well †¦ we can discuss vervain later. Honoria, you'll be in charge of making sure that we have a ready supply, and we can strongly encourage those we love to wear it. But for now, I want to discuss other ways we can find the vampires that walk among us,† Jonathan Gilbert said excitedly, unfolding large sheets of paper onto the table. Mayor Lockwood put his bifocals on his nose and peered at the papers, which had complicated mechanical drawings on them. â€Å"This here looks like a compass,† Mayor Lockwood said finally, pointing to a complicated drawing. â€Å"It is! But instead of finding north, it finds vampires,† Jonathan said, barely containing his excitement. â€Å"I'm working on the prototype. It just needs a bit more fine-tuning. It's able to detect blood. The blood of others,† he said meaningfully. â€Å"Can I see that, Mr. Jonathan?† Cordelia asked. Jonathan looked up, surprised, but handed her the papers. She shook her head. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"The prototype.† â€Å"Oh, ah, well, it's very rough,† Jonathan said as he fumbled in his back pocket and pulled out a shiny metal object that looked more like a child's trinket than a tool for finding victims. Cordelia turned the compass slowly in her hands. â€Å"It works?† â€Å"Well †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬â€œJonathan shrugged–â€Å"it will work.† â€Å"Here's what I propose,† Father said, leaning back on his chair. â€Å"We arm ourselves with vervain. We work day and night to get the compass to work. And we make a plan. We set up a siege, and by month's end our town will be clear.† Father crossed his arms in satisfaction. One by one, every member of the group, including Cordelia, nodded their heads. I shifted on the wooden chair, holding my hand against my neck. The attic was hot and sticky, and flies were buzzing in the rafters, as if it were the middle of July rather than the middle of September. I desperately needed a glass of water, and I felt like the room was going to collapse in on me. I needed to see Katherine again, to remind myself that she wasn't a monster. My breathing became shallow, and I felt that if I stayed here, I would say something I didn't mean. â€Å"I think I'm feeling faint,† I heard myself say, even though the words rang false even to my ears. Father looked at me sharply. I could tell he didn't believe me, but Honoria clucked out sympathetic noises. Father cleared his throat. â€Å"I'll see my boy out,† he announced to the room before following me down the rickety ladder. â€Å"Stefan,† Father said, grabbing my shoulder just as I opened the door that would lead back to a world I understood. â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"Remember. Not a word of this to anyone. Even Damon. Not until he comes to his senses. Except I think his senses may be taken with our Katherine,† Father muttered, half to himself as he let go of my arm. I stiffened at the mention of Katherine's name, but when I turned around, Father's back was toward me as he headed into the house. I walked back through town, wishing I'd ridden Mezzanotte instead of coming in the carriage. Now I had no choice but to walk home. I turned to my left, deciding to cut through the forest. I simply couldn't interact with any more humans today.

Ski Jacket

The analysis conducted shows the importance of quantity production variability on the profit maximizing verge. A range of values is presented by four Regional Sales Managers; each region includes the minimum, most likely and maximum sales values of a random variable. The sample data is described as simple, limited, and somewhat scarce; therefore, given the grade of uncertainty, the most appropriate and suitable distribution to use is the Triangular distribution. The Monte Carlo Simulation from Microsoft Excel @Risk, will calculate â€Å"a model output value many times with different input values. The purpose is to get a complete range of all possible scenerios. †1 For the Region 1 the demand is generated from (3000, 4000, 8000) with a mean of 5000. One point of interest in the data is the variability of the values. According to the parameters of this data the coefficient of variability is 22%. The graph is right skewed, as we see the mean (5000) is right to the median (4875), and the median is right to the mode (4000); its peak represents the most likely value (4000). According to the input the total demand average generated for this region is 5000 jackets. For the Region 2 the demand is generated from (2000, 4000, 5000) with a mean of 3667. One point of interest in the data is the variability of the values. According to the parameters of this data the coefficient of variability is 17%. The graph is left skewed, as we see the mean (3667) is relatively close, but left to the median (3717), and the median is also close, and left to the mode (4013); its peak represents the most likely value (4000). According to the input the total demand average generated for this region is 3667 jackets. For the Region 3 the demand is generated from (1500, 2000, 3500) with a mean of 2333. One point of interest in the data is the variability of the values. According to the parameters of this data the coefficient of variability is 18%. The graph is left skewed, as we see the mean (2,333) is left to the median (2269), and the median left to the mode (2242); its peak represents the most likely value (2000). According to the input the total demand average generated for this region is 2333 jackets. For the Region 4 the demand is generated from (500, 1000, 1500) with a mean of 1000. One point of interest in the data is the variability of the values. According to the parameters of this data the coefficient of variability is 20%. The graph perfectly symmetric, the peak represents the most likely value (1000). According to the input the total demand average generated for this region is 1000 jackets. When the four Regional demands are summarize (5000, 3667, 2333, 1000) we totalize an estimate value of 12000 jackets. The four Regions have different means, standard deviation; the tendencies of the values are they decrease from Region 1 to Region 4. Beside the values provided by the four Regional Sales Managers, 12 Egress employees have independently estimated demand for the upcoming season. Using the same program described above, the sample data generated a mean of 11750, standard deviation 3678, and an IQR of 5039. The best distribution fit for the sample appears to be triangular. If compared to the Regional Manager’s demand, the mean generated from the employ ees’ estimate (11750) is very close to the total demand estimated by the triangular distribution (12000) from the manager’s data. The most appealing option, between the two demand estimates, is the Regional Manager’s demand as it leads to the possibility of generating triangular distribution estimates, easy to understand and visualize any effect of any changes, which will result in positive decision making. There are three different quantities of production levels projected for the upcoming season (7800, 12000, 14000). According to the previous demand estimates, the total quantity demanded is 12000. Therefore, the production level of 7800 jackets does not match the demand estimated; there is a demand shortage of 4200 jackets, which will result in disadvantage, explained as follows. When compared this quantity level of production with the 12000 production level, there is an $84,000 profit difference between both levels, which makes us determine that between both the most appealing alternative for profit maximization is the 12000 production level. On the other hand, the 14000 production level generated a total profit estimate of $40,000; his amount can be translated into a loss of $100,000 when compared to the 12000 production level. Meaning that, 2000 extra jackets produced over the estimated demand will be sold at $30 per unit instead of $100. However, if these 2000 extra jackets were to be sold at full price ($100 per unit) profits would increase by $40,000. Finally, when comparing all three production levels, we can conclude that the most suitable alternative, that comprises t he most benefits, in terms of profit maximization, is the 12000 quantity production level.

Anti Imperialism Speech Against the Annexation of the Phillippines

Annexation of the Philippines – Argument Against I reflect on our own Declaration of Independence that states â€Å"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. † We went to the Philippines to protect them from Spain and now here we are doing what we were keeping Spain from doing to these people. I ask you†¦ do we have their consent to annex them? Do they believe it is in their best interest to be annexed to our great country? And what measures are we taking to fund a continued military presence to care for these people? If the Filipinos are not in support of this annexation, they will most assuredly fight us that will result in unnecessary violence and bloodshed of both American soldiers and Filipinos, whether you think them civilized or uncivilized. This is hypocritical to what we ourselves claim in our ideals expressed in our Declaration of Independence†¦ the right to self govern. With this move of annexation are we not acting on the grounds of Imperialism which goes against our belief as a Republic? Are we conquerors, or are we liberators? I believe we should allow Aguinaldo, who we brought there from exile, to set up their own government and create a strong partnership that is agreeable for both the Philippines and the United States with mutual prosperity. Let us be the inspiration and model of their new venture and not force it upon them. This move will be viewed by eyes of other countries; it will impact their perception of our United States and the freedoms our nation values.

Grading vs Marking Essay

Which is better, grades or marks? A chicken and egg question did you say? Not so much related, but definitely as difficult to answer. They say doing away with marks does away with stress, does away with the academic pressure students face. So now, the infamous rat-race has bleak chances of survival. The common complaint ,†He got just one mark more than me and got through to that prestigious college†¦Ã¢â‚¬  will no longer be heard. No more innocent lives lost because of some ridiculous cut-off marks. How wonderful. Awarding grades throughout the year to the student,they further say, takes care of the last-minute-before -exams-stress and eases pressure from the students’ minds. It does sound logical. An illness or an accident or some such unprecedented, unavoidable circumstance will not take away your chances of scoring good grades if you have been studying consistently throughout the year. But, wait a minute†¦. hat if you are one of those not so rare intelligent souls who would like to enjoy throughout the year educating themselves as it were, with lessons not so academic, and just at the last moment hit the well-trodden road with steely determination to finish the race at par with all the Chaturs of the world? My sympathies for you my friend. I am sadly aware of the powers invested to that demi-god called Teacher who wields her Grade Register ominously before your eyes everytime you are about to slip out of the clutches of Academic Righteousness to experience the normal pleasures of life. You must follow the dictum or be accursed with the lowliest grade imaginable. Surely our well-meaning educationists did not bargain for such a year-long stress-factor! The â€Å"Off with Exams† war-cry was hailed as a much-needed decision by many, including some intellectually-challenged individuals like yours truly. Now that the grading system has changed the lives of our children, we suddenly realise that just a landmark decision or a change in a system will not work wonders. It will take a long time to bring about actual change as what finally matters is the teacher-student relationship and how much education has been imparted and absorbed by the pair. Stress will only cease when our children will learn how to handle their emotions in a mature manner and be responsible for their own actions. The teacher, their guide, can only help them to learn how to best handle situations in life, which, irrespective of grades or marks, can wreak havoc or become a lesson in life, whatever they allow it to be.

Acesite Corporation vs. Nlrc

* Gonzales took several leaves (sick leave, emergency leave, and vacation leave), thereby using up all leaves that he was entitled for the year. * Before the expiration of his 12-day vacation leave, Gonzales filed an application for emergency leave for 10 days commencing on April 30 up to May 13, 1998. The application was not, however, approved. * He received a telegram informing him of the disapproval and asking him to report back for work on April 30, 1998. However Gonzales did not report for work on the said date. * On May 5, 1998, Acesite sent him a final telegram in his provincial address containing in order for Gonzales to report back to work. * Gonzales, who claims to have received the May 5, 1998 telegram only in the afternoon of May 7, 1998, immediately repaired back to Manila on May 8, 1998 only to be â€Å"humiliatingly and ignominiously barred by the guard (a subordinate of [Gonzales]) from entering the premises. * It appears that on May 7, 1998, the issued notice of termination was thru an inter-office memo. * Gonzales thus filed on May 27, 1998 a complaint against Acesite for illegal dismissal with prayer for reinstatement and payment of full backwages, etc. * Acesite claims, Gonzales â€Å"showed no respect for the lawful orders for him to report back to work and repeatedly ignored all telegrams sent to him,† and it merely exercised its legal right to dismiss him under the House Code of Discipline. LA – the c omplaint for lack of merit, its holding that Gonzales was dismissed for just cause and was not denied of due process. * NLRC – reversed that of the Labor Arbiter. * CA – finding that Gonzales was illegally dismissed, affirmed with modification the NLRC decision. Issue: * WON Gonzales was legally dismissed for just cause. Held: * No. there appears to have been no just cause to dismiss Gonzales from employment. As correctly ruled by the Court of Appeals, Gonzales cannot be considered to have willfully disobeyed his employer. Willful disobedience entails the concurrence of at least two (2) requisites: the employee’s assailed conduct has been willful or intentional, the willfulness being characterized by a â€Å"wrongful and perverse attitude;† and the order violated must have been reasonable, lawful, made known to the employee and must pertain to the duties which he had been engaged to discharge. In Gonzales’ case, his assailed conduct has not been shown to have been characterized by a perverse attitude, hence, the first requisite is wanting. His receipt of the telegram disapproving his application for emergency leave starting April 30, 1998 has not been shown. And it cannot be said that he disobeyed the May 5, 1998 telegram since he received it only on May 7, 1998. On the contrary, that he immediately hied back to Manila upon receipt thereof negates a perverse attitude.

Human Resource Management Master Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resource Management Master - Assignment Example Another aspect of the selection that may raise expectations is an unintended consequence of its recruitment process. A rigorous recruitment process can have two unintended outcomes. If the recruitment is competitive, it can create a feeling that those who are selected are truly terrific and valued. It can help build a positive self-image if the on-the-job experiences confirm that feeling. It can set the recruits up for disillusionment, however, if their on-the-job experiences do not confirm the self-image created through the recruitment process; it can make them feel that they are not valued. Similarly, by focusing on expectations as a key component in the decision to join a particular organizational workplace, we come to know that when a person chooses between alternative jobs, the choice is affected by the degree to which desired outcomes are likely to be realised. These desired outcomes may be interesting and challenging work, autonomy, responsibility, importance of work, competent boss, and a certain level of salary. The Program creates expectations by advertising training opportunities, rotational assignments, career planning, quick promotions, access to high-level officials, and opportunities for networking as features of the internship. In addition, they are believed to have expectations about the amount of challenge, responsibility, participation, meaningfulness of work, and opportunities to make a difference. Conversely, they are more likely to leave if their expectations are not met. Expectations may be influenced by prior work experiences. Those who have littl e prior work experience may have a more idealized view of what work will be like, and therefore have more unrealistic expectations than those who have at least some work experience. The good point is that expectations may be more implicit than explicit. The interviews reveal vagueness about expectations; it seems not a frame of reference for many of the interviewees. They possess goals, hopes, or desires about what they want from their work experience but it they are not framed in terms of expectations. Expectancy theory may work best for those who clearly thought about what they wanted and weighed their alternatives and the probabilities of having the experiences they desired. The expectancy model also assumes that people behave rationally in situations where their expectations are not met. When confronted with unmet expectations, the rational response, according to the theory, is to seek new employment that will more likely meet their expectations. However, it appears that not all people seek new employment under those circumstances. None of the interviewees who expressed great dissatisfaction with their current jobs are actively seeking other employment. So, at this point the best HR department does is the analysis of expectations and make decisions of recruitment while analyse candidate's intentions and future plans. While critically analysing the do's and don'ts of a human resource in any organisation, assessment is aimed at determining what are working and what is not working and identifying resource gaps and redundancies. (2006a) Finding employees Recruiting today is taken a lot more seriously

Communication and self-concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication and self-concept - Essay Example When I was six years old, I was so much interested in drawing and painting. This is because my elder brother was an artist and I enjoyed what he used to do. I used to see him spend countless hours in his room drawing and painting. Although my paintings did not mean so much to me at the time, I enjoyed drawing. My early interest in drawing and painting was increased by the communication in the family. My parents, relatives, and family friends would always talk of drawings and paintings that my brother used to draw and therefore, my world became centered in drawing. They gave me the direct definition by nicknaming me the baby painter. As I continued to grow, the concept of particular others came into play. I began being influenced by my peers and role models on television shows. This increased my passion for soccer. I saw myself in the eyes of favorite soccer players. I wanted to be one of the best football players and this became part of my life. I played football all through my adolescence until I reached age 17. Some of the life scripts that determined my passion for soccer changed and began working against me. Playing soccer was an acceptable and expected way of life for teenagers in my neighborhood. For example, my parents used to tell me that all work without play makes jack a dull boy. They always taught me to socialize with other people of my age through social activities such as soccer. They believed that socialization makes people to be successful in life. However as I reached age 17, the expectations of the society changed. I was expected to behave in a more mature way by performing well in academics. According to the society, people who have good academic certificates enjoy a higher social status than those without one. The theory of social comparison came into play this time. This happened at the time when I moved to U.S for my studies. I feel that I need to do good academically in order to be successful in the society. After viewing

The United Nations Mission In Sierra Leone Essay

The United Nations Mission In Sierra Leone - Essay Example   At the beginning of 1995, the UN Secretary General appointed Mr. Berhanu Dinka, an Ethiopian national to help broker a peaceful settlement in Sierra Leone.   Dinka worked with the help of the Organization of African Union (OAU) and Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) to resolve this conflict and bring the country back to civilian rule. Mr. Dinka’s effort, together with ECOWAS and OAU, seemed to bear fruit as of February 1996, just a year after the war. Parliamentary and presidential elections were held, and the army ceded power to the winner, Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. However, RUF refused to take part in the elections and declined to recognize Mr. Kabbah’s win. Their refusal to participate or accept the presidential and parliamentary election fuelled the war further.   In November 1996, Mr. Dinka, with the help of OAU and ECOWAS, assisted in the negotiation of the peace agreement between the government and RUF, commonly known as the Abidjan Ac cord.   However, the accord was not implemented immediately as it was derailed by another coup d’à ©tat 6 months later. At this time, the army also joined RUF and formed a ruling junta, forcing the president and his government to seek asylum in Guinea.   A new Special Envoy tried to persuade the military junta to cede power, but he failed. This forced the United Nations Council to impose sanctions on the rulers and allowed ECOWAS to implement the embargo using its military wing. 7 On October 23, 1997, a sub-committee of ECOWAS dealing with Sierra Leone met a delegation of the junta and held talks in Conakry, which led to the signing of a peace deal. This deal called for a ceasefire that was to be monitored by ECOMOG together with the UN military observers. On November 5, 1997, President Kabbah provided a communique accepting the new deal and said his government would work with ECOWAS, ECOMOG, UN, and the UNHCR to implement the new deal. However, although the junta said i t was committed to the agreement, it criticized some provisions of the agreement. This brought many questions than answers and as a result, the agreement was not implemented. 8 Due to continued conflict between the rebels and the government, the UN Security Council gave nod for the establishment UNAMSIL (United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone). The mandate of the mission was to help the government and the rebels to honor the Lome Peace Agreement. On February 7, 2000, the Security Council revised the mandate of UNAMSIL by adding more tasks. The military component was increased

Pop-culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pop-culture - Essay Example The print and the electronic media, entertainment tools like music and television, have done absolute justice to the job of brainwashing the impressionable minds of youth. Traditional culture and ideology have traditionally been the binding forces of the society, but in the contemporary age, spirit of the youth is being systematically destroyed by the onslaught of popular culture. The traditionalists and the modernists are permanently at war over approaches to social issues. While the modernists are positive that their endeavors are directed at development of a new society, the traditionalists lament about the steady demise of the indigenous values. A world of interconnectedness is slowly emerging and no one can precisely estimate how circumstances would shape up in the future. However, a strong view prevails that this interconnectedness is heading toward decay of moral and ethical values rather than leading to the path of cohesion and prosperity. In its attempt to pursue individual happiness, the younger generation has compromised societal values and become distracted and clueless. Ill effects of their activities mostly outweigh their honest dispositions and merits. An offshoot of the popular culture viz. the growth of Jazz provides an example. Jazz music arrived like an avalanche on the American media and became omnipresent in no time. Its growth was not contemplated, like the spread of greenery in the thick jungles of Amazon. The sapling of Jazz grew as it was watered with the agony of the black people. The roots of jazz can be traced back to the times of slavery when slave work songs were made as ‘call-and-response’ to narrate stories for pastime. These songs reflected the blacks’ internal rebellion against the sufferings and cruelties inflicted on them by the white race. Black people brought with them jazz to the big cities as they started to migrate to Chicago and New York with

Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Literature - Essay Example Yu Hua has drawn inspiration for his novel from an American folk song about an elderly slave â€Å"who experienced a life’s worth of hardships, including the passing of his entire family—yet he still looked upon the world with eyes of kindness, offering not the slightest complaint†. (Hua, P.249) At the end of the novel, Xu Fugui is left alone, with his only companion being an ox that he names after himself. He uses the mutual identity between man and beast as a metaphor for the human condition. The novel begins and ends the story through the mechanism of a double narration: one a young student collecting songs and folk stories from the peasants in the countryside and the other, old Fugui and his ox telling their story to the student. Zhang Yimou, a noted Chinese film director, has gained notoriety among his own people due to his recurring acts of exposing a dark side of his country to the outside world. But he persists with his mission in the same manner through the film adaptation of To Live. He attempts to convey several profound messages through this movie, in an attempt to prod the viewers’ conscience to awareness of injustice in the Chinese society. Though in this context, the novel as well as its film adaptation serves the same purpose there are several charact eristics that distinguishes one from the other. The film and the novel are significantly different even though Yu Hua participated in writing the screenplay. Each medium offers different possibilities and at the same time suffers from different limitations too and these are reflected in the differences between the novel and the film. The novel has Fugui telling his story in installments, chronologically, with returns to the narrative present. This aspect is attributed to the novel’s being first published in serial form in a literary journal. The film has no second narrator to whom Fugui will

Rachel Carson and the Enviromental Movement Research Paper

Rachel Carson and the Enviromental Movement - Research Paper Example She continued her personal research and writings about the environment and ecological issues during her federal service and subsequently published two books Under the Sea Wind (1941) and The Sea around Us (1951). Carson was conferred with two doctorate degrees; national book award and a national science writing prize and excerpts from her later book were reprinted in famous magazines like Science Digest, The Yale Review and The New Yorker. Later she left her federal employment and started to focus on third book The Edge of the Sea (1955). In early 1957, a letter from an old friend from Duxbury, Massachusetts described declining rates of bird population in her private sanctuary after the authorities’ sprayed fuel oil and DDT. Immediately, Carson researched DDT and other chemicals toxic effects and this became the basis of her next book Silent Spring (1962) (Mahoney, 2009). Silent Spring was initially published in serialized magazine form, later it was released in the form of a book (Clapp, 2000). The book became an instant bestseller and was widely covered by media. More than 250,000 copies of her book were sold in the first four months of its release making it a bestseller (Lantier, 2009). Back then, forest and crop lands were extensively sprayed with pesticides such as DDT to eradicate insect pests. However, unexpected consequences were witnessed due to spraying against fire ants in South and mosquitoes along the coastal line from New York to Maine. The result was successful eradication of insect pests and disease vectors but at the cost of immense damage to local fauna, wild life and environment. Scientists documented decline in fish, birds and animal population along with water and soil contamination. Also, alarming variations in the reproductive patterns and egg shells of various birds that primarily fed on fish were noticed. These changes not only indicated hormonal and reproductive changes but also a steep decline in avian population that could end anger the existence of certain species (Lear, 2001). Specifically, three unrelated events were extremely vital in providing evidence to Carson for the detrimental effects of pesticides, chemicals and toxic wastes on human health and environment. First one, involved the USDA campaign to eradicate fire ant from Southern states by spraying with dieldrin and heptachlor. These two pesticides accumulated in water ways and soil causing wildlife damage (Lear, 1993). As a consequence of fire ant control program heavy invertebrate immortality, population decline, slow recovery rate and residual traces of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide was witnessed in majority of fauna in treated area (Dunlap, 2008). Carson (2002) labeled the fire ant eradication program as â€Å"ill-conceived, badly executed and thoroughly detrimental experiment in destruction of animal life†. Secondly, the aerial spraying of DDT mixed with fuel oil for mosquito control caused decline in bird population in coastal areas (Lear, 1993). Thirdly, DDT was sprayed on elm trees in Michigan State University campus aiming to eliminate bark beetle that was responsible for spreading the Dutch elm disease. However, along with pest elimination large population of robin died as a result of feeding on earthworms; that fed on DDT infested leaves (Lear, 1993). Other primary events that justified Carson’s claims was banning of cranberry product sale for three years (1957-59) as high levels of toxic chemicals known to cause cancer in rats was discovered