Saturday, August 31, 2019

Early Cold War Essay

The term Cold War was first introduced by Bernard Baruch, an American businessman and political adviser to every President from Woodrow Wilson to John F. Kennedy (â€Å"Bernard Baruch†). It was a time of mutual distrust between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies which begun after World War II. From Democracy in America’s author, Alexis de Tocqueville, â€Å"There are now two great nations in the world, which starting from different points, seem to be advancing toward the same goal: the Russians and the Anglo-Americans. . . . Each seems called by some secret design of Providence one day to hold in its hands the destinies of half the world† (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). The primary concern of the United States during the early years of the Cold War was the political threat of the spread of Communist ideology from the Soviet Union (Zinn, 1980). Further back in its history, Russia exhibited radical tendencies by overthrowing Tsar Nicholas, followed by the Bolshevik Revolution, the unification under Lenin where Communism’s seed began to sprout and continued by Stalin (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). A history of military intervention in Eastern Europe climaxing in 1948 in the overthrow of the democratic government in Czechoslovakia by a communist coup were thrown as examples of Soviet expansionism. This reminded the American public of the atrocities of Hitler (Zinn, 1980). And with him in mind the United States and its western European allies began to see Stalin as a threat (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). The more fearful concern was the Soviet Union’s revitalizing industry after badly scathed by the aftermath of World War II and its increasing military strength (Zinn, 1980). The United States slowly exercised its economic might by refusing to aid any post-war reconstruction in Russia as approved by the U. S. Congress in 1945, a major about face in policy under the Lend-Lease Act of 1941 wherein the U. S. shipped huge amounts of war equipments to Russia (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). Coming from the huge gains of World War II, the United States was also wary of regimes opposed to its capitalist structure. That fear was best exhibited by the emergence of Soviet Union as a global power with an ideology opposed to democratic and industrial capitalist principles of the United States (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). Americans generally fear revolution. They fear â€Å"change — real, fundamental social, economic and political change† (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). Fro all its democratic talk, America has a history of suppressing true liberalism and radicalism. The Soviets also had their share of fears in the early years of the Cold War. After World War II, Stalin feared that democratic principles would be forced upon the Communist tenets of the Soviet Union. He believed the two principles cannot co-exist. As he warned in his speech, capitalism and imperialism made future wars inevitable (â€Å"Episode 2: Iron Curtain 1945-1947†). Stalin also was aware of the United States expanding influence all over the world. He was wary of this move and pressured Turkey, a country located strategically on the southern borders of Soviet Union, for a Soviet military presence in the Darnanelles and the Bosporus. Turkey was then influenced by Great Britain and eventually aided by the United States. The atomic bomb that was dropped in Japan started the concept of the nuclear arms race which the Soviet Union was interested to join. But Stalin received intelligence reports that the Americans â€Å"would not share atomic secrets with the Soviet Union† (Zubok, â€Å"Cold War Chat†). The mutual distrust and fears of both the United States and the Soviet Union resulted in actions that further shaped the history of the Cold War. The United States’s fear of the possible spread of Soviet Communist ideology led to their policy of containment. What is now known as the Truman Doctrine paved the way to the formal declaration of cold war against the Soviet Union. This was the famous speech of President Truman to the U. S. Congress asking for $400 million to aid Greece and Turkey’s fight against communism (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). The containment policy of the United States involves military interventions to countries where Communism was viewed to thrive. The most famous display of the containment policy was the Vietnam War which started in 1950 under President Truman’s administration. Armed with the U. S. Congress resolution named Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, President Johnson further escalated the war by bombing North Vietnam and continuing to send as many as 540,000 troops by the end of 1968. As more Americans left and died in Vietnam, the anti-war sentiments back home put pressure on the government. The Nixon years saw the continuance of the Vietnam War with the expansion of hostilities in Laos and Cambodia. Nixon’s Vietnamization policy of providing military aid but not troops proved to be a temporary success. A 1972 preliminary peace draft in Paris was initially rejected. By 1973, Nixon convinced Hanoi and Saigon’s President Nguyen van Thieu to sign the Paris Peace Agreement which ended the hostilities between the United States and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The containment policy also played a role in the creation on April 4, 1949 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), currently an alliance of 26 countries from North America and Europe. This was the outcome of Europe’s fears of another Soviet aggression in the guise of Stalin when they were just about to rebuild after Hitler’s dictatorship. Western Europe also needed the assurance of the United States’s protection while they started to rebuild from the ruins of World War II. NATO members’ common grounds are said to include the same democratic ideology and capitalist structure of economy (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). In the late 1940s to 1950s both the United States and Soviet Union sought to build their military arsenal. For the United States, this gave way to military integration, the passing by Congress of the National Security Act in 1947 which created the Department of Defence, the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). On the Soviet side, they detonated an atomic bomb of their own in 1949. The first H-bomb was also detonated by the United States in 1952. Not to be outdone, the Soviets detonated a fusion bomb in 1953 (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). NSC-68, a policy the United States adopted in 1950 raised defense spending to staggering amounts, up to $60 billion dollars, â€Å"a symbol of America’s determination to win the cold war regardless of cost (Kreis, â€Å"The Origins of the Cold War†). Although the Cold War has now officially ended, the United States, the only legitimate superpower left, continues to establish a world order that caters to its capitalist structure. Military interventions have been part of its policy if it serves U. S. interests. During the Cold War, the goal was the containment of Communism. At the present, terrorism is the new battle cry. It is said the United States owns a very large percentage of the world’s wealth while it tries to suppress those who oppose to its capitalistic tenets. Currently, we are seeing the emergence of a possible superpower like China. It has been known as the sleeping giant and could be a contender to displace the United States from its current status. Whether there will be another Cold War by any other name, only time will tell. References Bernard Baruch. Answers. com. Retrieved 10 December 2006 from the Web: http://www. answers. com/topic/bernard-baruch Cold War (1998). CNN. com. Retrieved December 10, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. cnn. com/SPECIALS/cold. war/episodes/02/ The Origins of the Cold War (2006). TheHistory Guide Website. Retrieved December 10, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. historyguide. org/europe/lecture14. html Zinn, Howard. (1980). A People’s History of the United States. Retrieved December 10, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. writing. upenn. edu/~afilreis/50s/zinn-chap16. html Zubok, Vladislav Dr. (1998, October 4). [COLD WAR chat moderated by COLD WAR reporter Bruce Kennedy for CNN’s COLD WAR series]. COLD War Chat: Dr. Vladislav Zubok, Historian. Retrieved December 10, 2006 from the Web: http://www. cnn. com/SPECIALS/cold. war/guides/debate/chats/zubok/

Friday, August 30, 2019

Personal Statement: Expo Reading and Writing

I'm not a leader In ASB for the awards or admiration, although I respect those few who do choose to lead for the credibility. I don't lead for the satisfaction, although my never ending smile at the end of a good rally indicates otherwise. I don't lead because I have anything to prove, although I've proven a lot to myself along the way. I lead for the feeling of every student on my campus becoming one, so perfectly matched In school spirit and school pride.I lead to feel the rush of my heart every ime I see a sea of orange and hear the deafening cheer of the crowd. I lead because it Isn't easy to get thousands In a school Involved I lead for the challenge to fill the stands at every rally fill and to fill every seat at any blood drive. I am a leader in ASB to get my message across so know I left a legend when I turn to leave for college. I not only lead for myself, but for my fellow students as well, my family and my equals.Prompt 2 I was working on a school project when I got a call from my dad saying he was coming right away to come pick me up, I remember the sheathing anger I felt arguing hat no he wasnt going to pick me up that I really needed to flnlsh this school project. I still shake my head in dismay knowing the fact I in fact didnt need to finish the project I Just wanted to hang out with my friends. I cant pretend that I didnt sulk my way to my dad's waiting vehicle that I looked at him with a scowl across my face.Nor can I wipe away from my memory the words he said next mfour sister is in the hospital, she's lost her baby and she's asking for you. † This complete wash of emotion that came over me the shame the concern I was mortified with myself. How could I ave been so mad about my Importance when my sister had Just faced a devastating event? Looking up and saying â€Å"Take me to her. † The drive to the hospital was long I sat in a seat of despair. What would I say to my sister? How would I face her? ye never been one to be comfortabl e around sadness; my childhood had been stripped of innocence as I had faced several of my mother's divorces and countless deaths. I had taught myself to be unemotional towards sickness and sorrow for they brought never ending hurt and unmasked truths to lies. Should I cry when I knew my eyes would be dry? Going into my sisters hospital room I looked from her so fragile and upset to my mother's face streaked with tears. My meek voice barely audible above the beeping of many machines â€Å"Hey there. Was it wrong that I felt uncomfortable around all the sickness and gloom that came hand in hand with hospitals, like I could feel the reaper in every corner? All I could do was make Jokes when it wasnt time to laugn, my attempt to Drlng napplness wnere none could De Touna. loucn my sister's hand while asking myself â€Å"Am I doing this right? † My dad wouldn't stop looking at me after we left constantly asking are you alright? Calculating and recording every answer every movemen t I made.Truth is I don't know if I was alright I didn't know if I was allowed to be. My sister has never really been the same since that event, but then again no one else has been either. My mom cherishes us children a little bit more. My sister cherishes those who supported her and held her hand through the situation. And l, well I cherish my family every second of every day. â€Å"Life is fragile†, a saying used in many ways, but one doesn't really know how fragile a life is until youVe been there to see its fragility.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Dementia in the world Essay

Alongside traditional A Levels in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, QMC offers an A Level in Applied Science. This is an ideal course for pupils who have studied the GCSE Applied Science and who are interested in a science based career. COURSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS General entry requirements are 5/6 GCSEs at C or above to include Double Science, English and Mathematics. WHAT KIND OF JOB/DEGREE CAN THIS SUBJECT LEAD TO? Success in the A Level will enable you to apply for work in science based companies, the NHS or apply for Foundation degrees at university such as: FdSc Applied Medical Technology FdSc Medical Imaging (Radiography Technician) FdSc Medicines Management (Pharmacy Technician) FdSc Oncological Therapies (Oncology and Radiography Technician) FdSc Paramedic Science, currently available at Portsmouth DURING THE AS COURSE YOU WILL STUDY THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: In the AS year you will be studying 3 units which cover all 3 sciences. Two of the units are assessed by portfolio with the third unit being assessed by examination. This course is therefore best suited to students who find producing a steady flow of written reports preferable to sitting several exams at the end of the year. The portfolio units look at how science is put to use in the workplace. You will visit a range of local organisations and see science in action. Back at College you will learn how to carry out some of the techniques that scientists use at work and write reports about issues relevant to the use of science. As you go you will build up a portfolio of evidence of your growing skills. The examined unit focuses on the use of science in healthcare. You will look at how the body’s circulatory and respiratory systems work, and how they can be monitored and investigated. This will include considering the ethical issues involved when diagnosing and treating illnesses. DURING THE A2 COURSE YOU WILL STUDY THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: In the second year you will be learning how to carry out an extended investigation and then choose one you would like to study in depth. This investigation, and a unit on the techniques involved in genetic engineering and biotechnology, are both assessed by portfolio. A final examined unit brings together all the skills you have developed during the course on working as a scientist, including collecting samples, developing methods for carrying out tests, working safely, analysing data, and ensuring accuracy and reliability in all you do. HOW IS THIS COURSE ASSESSED? AS Level A2 Level 3 Units. 2 units portfolio evidence, 1 unit examination 3 Units. 2 units portfolio evidence, 1 unit examination IF YOU REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION †¦ Please contact the Head of Department, Dr Eddie Grimble, on (01256) 417500

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Alchemist Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alchemist Reflection - Essay Example his paper seeks to highlight an important lesson learnt in the novel and provide a personal reflection with regard to the triumphs and tribulations encountered in a quest to achieve one’s goals in life. The novel has a lot of life’s lessons that are presented by various characters and their attitudes and beliefs with regard to what is important in life. The most significant lesson garnered from the novel is the importance of faith and belief in self. This is because having a strong and unshakable faith or belief in self leads to the unlocking of one’s potential which is negated by self-doubt. Belief and faith in self is manifested as attitude which influences and determines an individual’s perception and opinions about life and their role in shaping their fortunes. This belief in self and a strong positive attitude is exemplified by Santiago in his quest to fulfil his dreams(Coelho 116). Santiago had strong faith in his destiny which translated to having a positive attitude towards his endeavour to fulfil his dreams. Attitude is a fundamental component of human nature, and its manifestation plays a huge and significant role in people’s lives. In essence this means that the positivity or negativity of an individual’s attitude plays a significant role in the outcome of one’s endeavours. The novel provides exemplary instances where the roles of belief, faith and attitude in a person’s life are brought out indicating their significance. This is in line with quote ‘when you want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it’(Coelho 22).Santiago’s strong belief and positive attitude can be applied in the context of the above quote; in the sense that his actions and experiences exhibit the tenets and implications of the quote above. In line with the quote, the universe conspires to enable Santiago fulfil his dreams in the sense that he meets people on his journey that help him gain useful insights towards realizing and

Informal Objective Summaries Ethics, the Cold War, Vietnam Essay

Informal Objective Summaries Ethics, the Cold War, Vietnam - Essay Example He asserts that Christians should pray and have faith and hope of winning. He goes further to explain that this is because we are the cause of war. He claims that it is the hatred in our own selves that makes us to fight. We fight because our hatred is so big that we cannot note, but see the little hatred in others. We use others as scapegoats and invest all our evil in them and, therefore, think that once we fight these scapegoats we will be liberated. However, deep in the article, Morton gets into the social cultural perspective and condemns the society for its failures in protecting those who had good intentions for the society. He says that the society instead criticizes them for their failures in some cases blaming them for the happenings. He says the power of God can be the solution since as much as we do not trust in one another we all trust in Gods being and we should not condemn but love all carefully (Merton, 1962). Roy Arundhat argues from social/ cultural perspective. â⠂¬Å"Drinking wine and preaching water†, a phrase commonly used to refer to hypocritical acts, is what Arundhat Roy indirectly meant by saying girls are boys and boys are girls in reference to America particularly the war with Iraq and the Taliban terrorists. This is particularly because before the war, the then American president said America was a peaceful country that had its own fundamental values and could not accept evil, violence, and murderers. Roy’s argument here is that, if for real America rejected violence, war, and evil they should have not gone to wars in the first place for war is an act of all. He goes further to list the other twenty nations that America has been involved in war with since world war two to emphasize this. Roy pinpoints some of the reasons why he opposes the war by fast saying that acts of terrorism should be condemned including the September 11th bombing. However, he notes that the methods used to respond (attacking the Taliban) in Iraq and hurting thousands of innocent people including women and children was not right. Roy point out that this has adversely affected the world’s economic status beginning with the instability of many countries economy because of the oil from the middle east which was affected by the war (Iraq) (Arundhat, 2001). Model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal or one who has been declared so (Saint) by canonization are the simple definitions or what we think of once we hear a person be referred to as a Saint. A peacemaker can be compared to a saint. He should be compared to a saint because of taking the risk to ensure that people live in harmony. Peacemaking is not an easy act and sometimes one has to create peace by ignoring what a war can do to him or her. In this context, we can use the example of Thomas Merton who gave an example of those who have good intentions for the society, but if they fail, they are condemned. Therefore, a peacemaker takes the risk de spite knowing the risks in case of failure and stands in to see a good course for the society. Secondly, a peacemaker should be compared to a saint since every war is different or special in its own right and brings different challenges that must be overcome by a peacemaker. This is a role that can be played by a few people because of the risks and dangers involved in it. Therefore, one who stands in as a peacemaker does something extra ordinary (has no equal) or special,

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

A worn path Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A worn path - Essay Example sion, one incident shows the roundness of her character as she picks up the nickel that slides from the Hunter’s pocket, â€Å"God watching me the whole time. I come to stealing† (Welty, 3) This god fearing nature is also typical of her age and racial background who had none but God to trust their fate upon and hence needs to fear them at times. The sole aim of her life is to save her grandson and for that reason she even opts for stealing but her realization that of the commission of her guilt is unmistakable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other characters of the story are also of round type. The hunter, for instance, initially appears to be harsh but when he sees that the old woman does not fear death, softens his tone and admires her courage. The nurse and the attendant though both of them spoke initially with the old woman in a harsh note but finally sympathize with her. These ups and downs are signs of a normal human nature. As these traits have reflected from the approach of all these characters, thus, neither of those can be classified as flat characters. The main aim of literature is to reflect different dimension of life and due to the roundness of characters, the story has become a real depiction of life. The treatment of a poor, racially inferior old woman normally initializes with a poor welcome. The disadvantage of old age, economic backwardness and also racial inferiority has been reflected here. However the author does not forget to bring out the courage, typical of a black woman through the other characters’ behavior after knowing her. All the characters she meets later become kind towards her. However the woman indulges in the act o stealth but earns the readers sympathy when they know her cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though is determined to save the life of her grandson yet she remembers her self-dignity. Thus, during the time of picking up the nickel she feels the bite of her conscience. Later on, at the doctor’s chamber in the town, when the attendant offers her to

Monday, August 26, 2019

Final Report on Stocktrack Portfolio Adjustmnet Essay

Final Report on Stocktrack Portfolio Adjustmnet - Essay Example From the specified figures, it is evident that the final results exceed the expected results, which clear show that the performance of the market was good and so the prospects of investing in the market are positive in terms of maximum benefits and minimal risks. Actually, there is a high probability of the investor benefiting from his investments. Generally, the performance of the portfolio against benchmark index posted an outperformed portfolio. The outperformance can be attributed to improved economy that is just recovering from financial crisis thus enhancing investor’s confidence, vigorous positive public relations by organizations and the market that has played a key role in reducing consumer doubts and promoted their confidence in some organizations such as Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. that were victims of unsubstantiated rumors, and the need by market analysts to set new stock goal that reflects the real financial performance of the organization without the influence of external factors such as investor’s loss of confidence. The first bullish trend was caused by high prospects of economic growth as a result of stimulus package given to companies to protect them from going bankrupt. As a result of the bullish trend, the market underwent correction to reflect the reality of the performance of company in the market. Most of the stock was devalued and so the rate of investment in them went down, but after a while the companies started posting positive results hence stimulating confidence in the market . Adjustment 1, which is based on diversification concept worked better because the rate of return and correlation are independent and so the risk in the portfolio can be minimized without affecting the rate of return. Adjustment 3, which is based on trend analysis, did not work well for my analysis because it only shows the theoretic effects of investor’s demand on the stock. In addition, it does not show

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Per3 Gene and Diurnal Preference Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Per3 Gene and Diurnal Preference - Lab Report Example The forward and reverse primers were chosen for PER3 gene and they were added to the PCR tubes along with crude DNA, polymerase buffer, Taq polymerase and DNTPs.   Forward and reverse primers are chosen based on the sequence of the PER3 gene. The primers must have the unique sequence region of each gene that is not present in any other gene.   The chance for primer – dimer formation is high because of many reasons. The annealing temperature may not be correct or the template may not be proper or the DNA may have contaminants. To prevent the primer – dimer formation, the above points must be taken care off. DNA polymerase buffer helps to increase the dNTPs binding with the DNA template. Taq polymerase enzyme polymerizes double stranded DNA formation. It acts as the catalyst for the amplification reaction.The master mix was prepared according to the instructions. The tubes were then placed in the PCR and the amplification was performed. To check the success of PCR amp lification, the amplified PCR product was run in the agarose gel electrophoresis. 1.2% agarose gel was preared and casted in the casting tray. The electrophoresis box was filled with the electrophoresis running buffer and the DNA products were loaded in the gel with the loading dye. DNA ladder was loaded in the first lane and the samples in the other lanes. The positive control was a readily avalilable one and the negative control was distilled water. The postive control enables us to make sure that the separation of the DNA bands.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Strategic Management Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Management Analysis - Essay Example With the company being driven towards revolutionizing the locomotive industry by 2020, the company made a difference through offering alternative mechanisms of powering locomotives by use of electricity, which is seen to be less hazardous while compared to the fossil fuels commonly used. Despite the fact that the electricity technology for locomotive propulsion existed even prior to the combustion engine technology, the Better Place organization is celebrated for improving on these ideas and designing improved systems for revolutionizing the industry. This therefore imply that the absence of the organization would imply that no solution to the problem of green gas emissions highly contributed by the locomotive industry would have been found and no efforts would be pursued to make the world a better places as the organization envisions. Better Place’s Visions: the organization’s main vision had been to link together the main players within the locomotive industry globall y for a more unified system in production and improvement of the locomotives produced. This meant that unification of customers, car companies, utilities as well as battery companies would ensure that the electric vehicles would be widely adopted. Besides, owing to the major hurdle that the EVs faced in reduced mobility, the company has a vision to improve on mobility of the EVs (Etzion and Struben, 2011, p. 5). Better Place’s stakeholders: The main stakeholders in the Better Place organization were the various governments that were supportive to the initiative and which are affiliated through registration and financial support, as well as general auto manufacturers interested into such a promising venture. Despite the governments contributing on financial resources, they also aided through policy frameworks to create an enabling environment in respective countries. Ideas and general infrastructure of manufacture of such vehicles was offered by the auto manufacturing companie s affiliated to the ideology of better place on the planet. Scenarios and industry analysis: The locomotive industry has undergone great and notable steps over generations since the initial era when transportation was through animal driven locomotives. Technological advancement brought about the discovery of the steam engine, which was initially developed for farm mechanization but later it was adopted for personalized mobility. However, with basic notable shortcomings in use of steam engines for personalized movement, the electric vehicle was designed in the early years of 19th century. Preference of electric vehicles to steam vehicles was on cleanliness, little noise and general ease of use. It is worth noting that the EVs were more expensive to the steam ones but by the close of the 19th century, more EVs were sold. Henry Ford later invented the ‘assembly line’, which is equally celebrated as a remarkable step in revolutionizing the locomotive industry by reducing ma nufacture time as well as the related costs of labor. The Ford, Chrysler as well as the General motor companies was the dominant companies in the time, which specialized in manufacture of the ICE vehicles though others slowly came in. It is to be noted however that the effects of use of the fossil fuels by the ICE are adverse to human health and the

Friday, August 23, 2019

Journalism In China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Journalism In China - Essay Example For instance, according to the guardian newspaper, a journalist Zhang Ping also known as Chang Ping forced himself out of the journalist profession due to tight restrictions posed by the Chinese government. He got punished repetitively for tackling sensitive issues touching the government in the Southern Metropolis newspaper. This raises many questions on the safety and freedom of journalists in China. The paper, therefore, attempts to analyze various underlying issues behind the freedom and safety of media journalists. The world association of newspapers called on the Chinese government, to honor the promises on reforms and allows freedom of the press. This is due to the continued increase of security issues of journalists who cover insightful issues. Journalists play an extremely imperative role in the media industry, and any attempt to hamper their operations, limit exploitation of their potential. China for instance is one of the leading countries in imprisonment of journalist. T his has attracted the world’s attention considering the Olympic bid of the country (World association of newspapers, 2012) The organization committee of the Olympic activities gave the country ultimatums on the issue of press freedom. In as much as the government promised to make amendments the following was arrest and detainment of 30 journalists and 50 cyber reporters (Tong, 2011). This is a move, which questions freedom of journalists. Consequently, the Chinese government restricts coverage of dominant international events. This got evidenced by the murder trial of Gu Kailai and wife of Bo Xilai, where restrictions got made, and authorities were there to ensure no press got involved (World association of newspapers, 2012). In as much as the government makes tough restrictions on journalists, internet has become its principal challenge as people and journalists are opting to the media device as a means of spreading information. Media safety has also raised concern due to th e death of a journalist Mika Yamamoto. This is one of the prominent journalists in china who got known for giving update information on various issues. However, his death got attracted by covering poignant clashes in the Huangdo region. In February 28, 2012, the United States ambassador to china met with various American journalists based in china where many issues got raised concerning the freedom of china press (Tong, 2011). An attempt to organize demonstrations, with the aim of reaching the information to the Chinese government was not met with a king heart after the police harassed and seized journalist equipment. The intimations according to ambassador Huntsman was one of the inhuman acts of the Chinese government. Further, he called on the Chinese government, to arrest and detains those responsible for the actions; however, this got countered by intermittent government claims (World association of newspapers, 2012). The Chinese media freedom has faced various human rights and fueled attacks preventing journalists from covering accurate and fair information. Open and free, democratic media culture are a campaign, which seeks to bring back and sustain media freedom. This is a campaign, which strengthens conditions of professional and independent journalists (Branigan, 2011). In addition, it creates a monitoring network together with IFJ affiliates by reporting actions against

Thursday, August 22, 2019

How Women Are Portrayed in Lynx and Cosmo Essay Example for Free

How Women Are Portrayed in Lynx and Cosmo Essay ‘Men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at’ – John Berger, ‘Ways of seeing’. For my research investigation I intend to explore to what extent specific media products use similar representations of women to appeal to their target audiences. The examples I have chosen to focus on are the iconic, international women’s fashion and lifestyle magazine ‘Cosmopolitan’ and Lynx’s controversial ‘beach campaign’. I will therefore be exploring what similarities and differences they embed due to their oppositional target audiences and content. Throughout my research the main theory I will be linking to my texts is that of Laura Mulvey, her theory explores ideas of sexism and male gaze within the media industry. Hearst the publisher of Cosmopolitan describes the magazine’s target audience as ‘Fun, Fearless Females’, the alliteration of the ‘F’ sound connotes a sense of attitude and fierce behaviour. Alongside the brand proposition ‘celebrates†¦a passion for life and inspires young women to be the best they can be’ consciously supporting women by portraying a sense of empowerment and ambition. In contrast, Unilever, owners of the Lynx brand state their brand prospect is that all their products are ‘designed to give our customers the edge in the mating game’ establishing itself as ‘UK’s leading male grooming brand!’. Cosmopolitan are iconic for telling their audience about two main topics; lifestyle and sex. Just by looking at the magazine covers, it is clear that these two topics dominate. I researched the April 2012 cover of Cosmopolitan, it follows the generic conventions of a typical magazine format for a women’s fashion and lifestyle magazine. In terms of the colour scheme the pink fonts and neutral clothing convey a sense of femininity and perhaps the everyday domestic lifestyle of women, although the lifestyle aspect of the magazine seems overpowered by the topic of sex. The cover features an attractive women – in this case the iconic Megan Fox, posing some mildly alluring body language, showing a lot of skin, all whilst looking directly at the camera (audience) with a sexy, serious facial expression with the eyebrow promiscuously raised, and suggestive parted lips. Although the model is simply posing the latest fashion, the low cut, tightly fitting dress connotes an over sexualised view of the celebrity who is universally known as a sex symbol in the media world, taking her place in FHM’s sexiest women each year and continuously playing the role of the sexy female in various popular films. It is clear that Cosmopolitan use bold sexual connotations surrounding women, although argue that their intentions are in fact to empower women through their sexuality. Notice the models strong body language , the hand on hip look used alongside taglines such as ‘Naughty or nice? You decide†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, and sexual puns are even added in regarding none sexual subjects such as career advice ‘You on top’, these are bold sexual connotations implying that woman should dominate to get what they want, mostly regarding the topic of sex. Perhaps fighting the controversial debate of sexism towards women in media by surprisingly embracing La ura Mulvey’s theory of ‘male gaze’. Cosmo put across the idea that if men find women attractive then it should accredit them by making them feel good about themselves, knowing that they look sexy and attractive. The magazine are conscious to do this in a sophisticated manor, opposed to other trashy and over sexualised magazines. Mediaknowall.com state that ‘Women’s magazines have moved on and offer visions of independence and confidence as well as beauty and domestic concerns, yet women are still encouraged to look good’. Body image and size have become a growing issue in society in result of magazine content. The overuse of petite, photo shopped models throughout magazines has resulted in these images becoming the dominant ideology. Over the years images printed in women’s magazines have contributed to this universal feeling to look good and be a certain size. Lynx are known for their voyeuristic product advertisement, this element of the company is what attracts their buyers, yet is also their downfall. Lynx have been publicly criticized for their overuse of objectifying women, using sexualized and provocative imagery and overall blunt sexism. The BBC news state that ‘in 2011 six of Lynx’s advertising campaigns were banned after mass numbers of complains were made’ they added that ‘the 113 complaints said it was sexually suggestive and demeaning to women’. I researched Lynx’s recent TV advertisement and accompanying print advert titled ‘The cleaner you are, the dirtier you get’. Although I believe this is one of Lynx’s milder sexualised adverts even the title itself contains a sexual pun, suggesting the promise of sex if you shower with the product. The girl on the print advertisement is no doubt an attractive young female, fitting the iconic ‘blonde bombshell’ look. The girl’s enticing facial expression creates the impression she is inviting the audience (male) into the shower with her. Although the girl’s expressions look confident, there is a contrast between this and her body language. For example the way she has to cup her bikini top to stop it from falling. This vulnerability of the woman standing half nude for a male audience completely visually depicting her as a female, making her a passive object of male visual pleasure. A comment by Jean Killbourne (a popular media activist) backs up my point by stating that ‘women’s bodies are often dismembered into legs, breasts or thighs, reinforcing the message that women are objects rather than whole human beings’. Killbourne suggests that women have become dehumanised into erotic objects for male pleasure. One element of Lynx’s campaigns which continues throughout is the idea of fake portrayal. In each advert the male role is played by your everyday, not overly-attractive man, contrasted with the female role being a desirable, young beauty. In an everyday world the changes of the male role attracting that type of woman are very slim. Despite this the main message that Lynx put across to their audience throughout their advertisements is that if men wear the product – women will find them irresistible – False portrayal. Of course this element adds humour to the advertisements, although all at the expense of objectifying women in the process and promoting the gender role of the dominant male. Bibliography Websites: www.mediaknowall.com Hearst, http.//www.hearst.co.uk/magazines/Cosmpolitan/5-about.htm Cosmopolitan, http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/exclusive/megan-fox-april-cover-cosmopolitan Exploring the media: representations and responses

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Great Little Box Company Case Study Essay Example for Free

Great Little Box Company Case Study Essay Problem Statement Idea Points The company’s original informal, simple structure has moved on to an organic structure has now outgrown itself. How does GLBC implement a structural revival and still retain and absorb customers in a market that is no longer suffering an economic down turn. How can this new structure be used against the competition in a global market How do we influence and delegate various levels of Authority and Legitimate power to employees to further organizational efficiency How do we implement different concepts of power type to our current and future organizational design? With the acquisition of new companies, interorganizational conflict will arise. Structural and personal factors lead to conflict in organizations. What key factors can we work on to heighten Emotional Intelligence? Symptoms We can see that the company started as a small structure. The power was in the hands of Robert Meggie † taking orders to making sales calls to running one of the machines and shipping out the completed orders.† Expert Power has been implemented through the hiring of a recently laid off salesperson from one of its largest companies (supply shipping first). The member of the organization â€Å"Upped our business 80 percent overnight† – and highlighted the importance of a strong sales force Eventually Meggie required the skills and expertise of another person (for sales and marketing) Meggie was then responsible only for administration and production (we can see a change into a slightly more divisional structure, based on the services) * Administration * Production *Marketing *Sales The Six types of OD structures can fall under two comprehensive categories (Mechanistic and Organic) we can identify GLBC as being closer to the organic side. (No one company can be purely be from one side or the other) We can see that size is increasing for the company (Absorption of Parrot Label (label capabilities), Vanisle Packaging (P provider on Vancouver Island), and Action Box Company (Lead provider of protective packaging in BC). This also forwards the Formalization and Specialization of the company. This in turns decentralizes decision-making. The past economic downturn had the small, agile company cut into an edge in the market. However, the now growing expansion has the need for strategic leader ship that can facilitate access to the company’s capabilities and knowledge. We do not have any type of standardization information present for this company. We have nothing that points to identification of a standardization of company management. (Rules, Policies, Documentation) As the company is continuing to grow, centralization is also growing. This is demonstrated by the monthly meetings that Meggie administers. The information shared is a vehicle of empowerment for the people below him at the various locations. Meggie also meets with everyone twice a year in groups, to provide â€Å"a state of the nation† (Centralized Authority Structure) It is possible to assume that as the complexity of the structure increases, so does the political element of the strategic decision processes- As the company grows Meggie may be faces with a problem where he may have to balance efficiency orientation and the quality orientation of the organization. Problem Analysis Information Technology and communication systems can lead to interworking with the company. These companies are less hierarchical and more engaged into external networking. This will deter a delay in decision-making, and increase the quality of the decisions being made. The right information is meeting with the right people. And no one is being overloaded with data. Coordinating plans can be not as effective in a changing structure, if the it is designed poorly GLBC at times may experience powerlessness can due to existing staff being grouped with newly acquired companies, and experience conflict. (Changing OD Structure) We must share power between people to project empowerment to the people? Information Power is the access and control to information that can be used by managers to establish power. We should use current technologies to share the proper information to the right people A high level of Vertical Differentiation must be in place for the organization to consider growing in size (global market). Horizontal Differentiation must be at a level where the needs of the customers are met by the specific Organizational Units (domestic and foreign operations). Conflict can arise from the improper grouping of processes. Refer to page 253 (Technology) Formalization, specialization, standardization, and centralization. – Must allow the proper authority to make key decisions, but allow the parent firm to allow the goals of the organization to be in check at the same time. Page 253 (Size) Structural Factors can lead up to a cause of conflict in an organization. We can identify this through the specialization of companies that have been absorbed by GLBC. In a big box company, Interdependence will become prevalent. All the groups rely on each other to create the finished product. It one section where to fail, it will be easy for one of the groups to blame another group.( Negative Consequences ) Functional Conflict – Can be used to promote new solutions to problems and promote creativity. Recommended Solutions We want to lead up to a semi autonomous system. Where organizations can self-manage and controls themselves. o The negative consequence in choosing this route is the possibility if a section of the company to lose track of the focus of the company. o A section might be given so much freedom that they can lead to a huge economic loss in not in check o Can be positive due to authority based decisions to be transferred completely to another autonomous unit, thus having speed and being unhampered by politics. o Delegation of tasks (Semi-Autonomous) will always answer to the organization but still be allowed to do its own thing Authority, Legitimate Power – Can be deployed to specific people with the use of information technology (For an example, Microsoft Domain Networks with separate Organizational Units) the proper people with have the proper knowledge, (The higher ups can be exposed to more but not actually work with it, people lower in the hierarchy can see less but more action orientated with it. (Goal setting mechanism)) o Very similar to authority, Based on mutual agreement of the structure and the target. We must make it visible to all workers, who is where and what they can do. o The negative side is that, people can choose to ignore people they do not respect. And later be swayed by referent power (They persons charisma) o It’s crucial to identify the group’s main source of authoritative inspirations and deploy someone who can meet the power needs. o A engineer is more likely to Expert Power and Reward Power more than the other power types. We can tell this by their personality type ENTJ INTP (Intuitive types). Perhaps even if we have a lot of EN** we can find a charismatic person that can a lot of expert power J If we cannot show a proper power structure to a changing organization, we may find people attempt to resort to political power to gain power. For an example, character assassinations. People may start to take favourites or put down people that will not help them achieve their power goals. -People may try to gain people under a personal agenda book -Make themselves look socially better -Influence people without using power ethically To deter this, again legitimate power can be instilled Vertical Differentiation – We have to have solid management with Authority. Progression up the company is clear and hierarchical. Communication flows vertically up and down Disadvantages We have individual containers for each section of a geographical area that is in charge of it owns sales, BUT Production is to remain consistent across all locations to have the brand product remain the same. The respective marketing is left up to the location is thus does not have to answer to the higher ups CEO in the company. This will prevent information overloading with the OD. The (Project Manager) will have the ability to work in two difference areas. As a regular projects manager in the Marketing Dept and as a functional Production manager. The right people to complete the tasks will be pulled from the locations thus leading to a organisations intimacy through the location. Also this provides for a need for achievement and affiliation. People will not feel like they are stuck in a certain area. In addition, the ability to flex positions would be present. Once they task is completed staff can be returned or combined with several structures creating a hybrid entity.

Challenges to Project Management in Construction

Challenges to Project Management in Construction By Aivaras Symanas Introduction This work uses Dreadnought project as a vehicle for discussion for challenges and of project management in construction as well as examining risk management strategy, particularly focusing upon the issues that arise from . Challenges to Construction Project Management The complexity of clients demands, together with the increasing complexity of the construction industry, particularly as a result of technological developments, has over the years resulted in specialisation within the industry. Variety of professions have developed as separate skills (e.g. Architecture, Quantity Surveying, ME Engineering etc.) and even on a small project all of those skills are involved. The key to the management of construction projects is therefore the way in which the contributors are organised so that their skills are used in the right manner and at the right time for the maximum benefit to the client. There is little point in the construction industry developing its skills if they are not then implemented effectively.(Walker, 2002) Scenario issues In addition to the professions already mentioned, every construction project involves many of the following additional stakeholders: Multiple regulatory bodies, local residents, statutory undertakers, end users etc. Internal and external stakeholders would be involved in different stages of the project. Early and comprehensive stakeholder identification and analysis, together with regular monitoring and updating, is necessary in order to deal successfully with all stakeholders and defuse many possible project obstacles. (Guerin, 2012) Successful Construction Project Management A project may be considered as successful if the building is delivered at the right time, at the appropriate price and quality standards, and delivers the client with a high level of satisfaction. (Naoum Langford, 1989). Effective project management seeks to make sure that these objectives are achieved, but nonetheless, completing large construction projects on time and on budget depends on a high degree of synchronization among many stakeholders which requires the entire team to work in collaboration. The need for collaboration arise and are depended on level of uncertainty, interdependence and complexity of the project. Issues with construction industry and its link with collaboration was recognized in the Latham Report (Constructing the Team) in 1994, and again reinforced by the Egan Report in 1998 (Rethinking Construction)(Gardiner, 2014) .It is fair to say, that collaboration is even more needed in todays industry with its complex chain of supply and introduction of specialist subcontractors and supplier design. Effective collaboration is one of the tools to ensure that stakeholders can accomplish the complex sequence of interconnected tasks on time. Tools to achieve collaboration http://www.constructionbusinessowner.com/topics/strategy/construction-company-management/key-successful-construction-project-management Decision making Iron Triangle As mentioned earlier, time cost and quality, also known as iron triangle, is often associated with project success, finding a perfect balance between them, or identifying the priorities of key elements could play a big role of project management. Lawrence Miles developed methodology called value engineering which is used to solve problems and identify and eliminate unwanted costs, while improving function and quality. In construction this involves considering the availability of materials , construction methods , transportation issues, site limitations or restrictions, planning and organisation, costs, profits and so on. https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Value_engineering_in_building_design_and_construction Knowledge Dreadnought project involves major refurbishment works, as well as replacement of existing services. According to (Koehn Tower, 1982) refurbishment work demands even greater supervision than new build work, given the increase in labour, together with a corresponding increase in fragmented specialized work and the difficulties associated with unforeseen challenges such as asbestos findings in demolition stage. The high level of uncertainty in refurbishment projects tends to lead to project over-run. The ability of project manager to cope with unexpected change and/or conflicts are necessary as well as knowledge associated with the analysis of project risks. (Smyth Pryke, 2008) Provision of a Risk Management Strategy Risk Management is a particular form of decision making within project management, these decisions are made against a predetermined set of objectives, rules or priorities based upon knowledge, data and information relevant to the issue. (J.Smith, et al., 2009). Nevertheless, it is not possible to have all relevant information on time, or conditions of total certainty and in some cases decisions are ill-founded, not based on a logical assessment of project specific criteria and lead to difficulties later. (J.Smith, et al., 2009). Dreadnought project was intended to be open by 2016, but due.kas nutiko ? the main contractor was liquidated. In construction projects each of the three primary targets of iron triangle will be likely to be subject to risk and uncertainty. It follows that a realistic estimate is one which makes appropriate allowances for all those risk and uncertainties which can be anticipated from experience and foresight. Project managers should undertake or propose actions which eliminate the risks they occur, or reduce the effects of risk or uncertainty and make provision for them if they occur when this is possible and cost effective. (J.Smith, et al., 2009). Most commonly, the Client has an overall risk management strategy and policy included in the strategic documents and quality management systems. Main issues concerning project owner risk strategy are risk ownership (which party owns the risk; risk exposure and transfer) and risk financing (how to include and use budget risk allowance or contingency). Project planning methods should be utilized to communicate to all parties in a project, to identify sequences of activities and to draw attention to potential problem areas. The successful realization of a project will depend greatly on careful planning and continuous monitoring and updating. Sequences of activities will be defined and linked on a timescale to ensure that priorities are identified and that efficient use is made of expensive and/or scarce resources. The purpose of planning are therefore to persuade people to perform tasks before they delay the operations of other groups pf people, and in such a sequence that the best use is made of available resources and to provide a framework for decision making in the event of change. Project management information systems (PMISs) should forecast the outcome of a project in terms related to achievement of its objectives. Integrated cost models link time with money. They provide project managers with forecasts to completion in terms of cost, time resource usage and cash flow. Decision about future actions can be made with the best available forecasts in these terms. Cost models also help to overcome an implementation gap between monitoring systems and the managers action. Risk management software (RMS) is the term used to denote a specialist software, which can be used to apply on of the many risk assessment methodologies (e.g. Origami, Procore) It is well known fact that managing risk has two major objectives; to avoid the downside risks and to exploit opportunities. And very often, the latter has been neglected, as the former has much more to do with securing your project objectives, which for many organizations is priority. But on the hand, the major leaps in project cost and time reduction are results of innovative thinking with focus on exploring opportunities by challenging the risks. The trend today is to establish ambitious goals, to seek for new technological solutions and concepts and to look for effective ways of organizing and managing projects (J.Smith, et al., 2009) To achieve these aims it is suggested that a systematic approach is followed: to identify the risk sources, to quantify their effects, to develop management responses to risk and finally to provide for residual risk in the projects estimates. These four stages comprise the core of the process of risk management. Risk Management can be one of the most creative task of project management. (J.Smith, et al., 2009) Contingency Conclusion Conclude recommend there are specific parts to the question, however, there may be a variety of options, it is useful to appraise these before you conclude; the conclusion should re-iterate, this may be subjective, if a balanced view is stated, this cannot be wrong, however there must be a conclusion Word count (excluding References) 2000 Guerin, D. M., 2012. Project Management in the Construction Industry, Massachusetts: Brandeis University. J.Smith, N., Merna, T. Jobling, P., 2009. Managing Risk in Construction Projects. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Koehn, E. Tower, S., 1982. Current aspects of construction rehabilitation.. ASCE, 108(C02), pp. 330-340. Naoum, S. Langford, D., 1989. An investigation into the performance of management contracts and traditional method of building procurement. s.l.:Brunel University School of Engineering and Design PhD Theses. Smyth, H. Pryke, S., 2008. Collaborative Relationships in Construction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Walker, A., 2002. Project Management In Construction. 4th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

John F. Kennedy Vs. Lynden B. Essay -- essays research papers

The question I am about to answer can not be answered in brief. To fully comprehend the similarities and differences between John F. Kennedy’s â€Å"New Frontier† and Lyndon B. Johnson’s â€Å"Great Society† you must understand their intentions first. John F. Kennedy was not an ordinary President. He was one with a certain â€Å"charisma†, as some put it. He was very blunt and knew how to get what he wanted. During his rain as President, he created the reform program know as the â€Å"New Frontier†. The New Frontier was developed to assure Americans of the upcoming sixties’ challenges. This was a program that affected all. Under the influence of the New Frontier Kennedy promised to defend freedom around the world. He stated: â€Å"Let every nation know, whether it wish us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of lib erty. This we pledge and more.† Soon Kennedy’s speech would be put to the test. The debate over communism or democracy was still going on. The Cold War had not yet ended. During his presidency Kennedy was determined to lower unemployment by creating more jobs. He expanded the space program and stimulated military spending. He also cut taxes to give Americans a little more money to spend. This tax cut lead to a period of prosperity. He proposed a medical care program for the elderly. It was rejected by congress. Kennedy appointed black officials to higher governmen... John F. Kennedy Vs. Lynden B. Essay -- essays research papers The question I am about to answer can not be answered in brief. To fully comprehend the similarities and differences between John F. Kennedy’s â€Å"New Frontier† and Lyndon B. Johnson’s â€Å"Great Society† you must understand their intentions first. John F. Kennedy was not an ordinary President. He was one with a certain â€Å"charisma†, as some put it. He was very blunt and knew how to get what he wanted. During his rain as President, he created the reform program know as the â€Å"New Frontier†. The New Frontier was developed to assure Americans of the upcoming sixties’ challenges. This was a program that affected all. Under the influence of the New Frontier Kennedy promised to defend freedom around the world. He stated: â€Å"Let every nation know, whether it wish us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of lib erty. This we pledge and more.† Soon Kennedy’s speech would be put to the test. The debate over communism or democracy was still going on. The Cold War had not yet ended. During his presidency Kennedy was determined to lower unemployment by creating more jobs. He expanded the space program and stimulated military spending. He also cut taxes to give Americans a little more money to spend. This tax cut lead to a period of prosperity. He proposed a medical care program for the elderly. It was rejected by congress. Kennedy appointed black officials to higher governmen...

Monday, August 19, 2019

thornton wilder :: essays research papers

thornton wilder a great writer Wilder’s Writing â€Å"Either we live by accident and die by accident, or we live by plan and die by plan.† In Thornton Wilder’s The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Brother Juniper strives to make this determination. Thornton Wilder may have also tried to ascertain this himself. As one of America’s most respected contemporary authors, Thornton Niven Wilder has recieved much renown for his works, especially Pulitzer Prize winning The Bridge of San Luis Rey . Why Wilder wrote the novel and why the novel is so famous may be argued through his background and use of specific themes (Books). Thornton Wilder’s background contribute to his way of writing as well as his outlook on life. In his novel In Life as we Live it, Wilder expresses his strong belief in the preciousness of life: â€Å" Do humans ever realize life while they live it?† (Simoni).When someone asked Thornton Wilder about his purpose in writing The Bridge of San Luis Rey, he replied that he was posing a question: "Is there a direction and meaning in lives beyond the individual's own will?" (Society). The three principle influences on the writings of Thornton Wilder were his religious background, his love of classicism, and his worldwide travels. Wilder’s Family and homelife also affected his writing greatly, especially his father (Books). The time period of his life aslo brought influence on Wilder’s writing. During this time was World War II in which Wilder served and recieved ideas. The reason for Wilder’s wide acceptance and large renown in society may be answered through the author’s Life influences, the time period in which he grew up, and the style and themes that he uses in his writing. Thornton Niven Wilder was born in Madison , Wisconsin on April 18, 1897, as one of five children, one of which was his twin, of Amos Parker Wilder and Isabella Wilder.Thornton’s father was a newspaper editor, diplomat, and a strict Calvinist. His father had a great impact on Wilder’s writing. In The Bridge of San Luis Rey, the Wilder said that the idea of the collapse of the bridge stemmed from arguments with his strict father. In 1906 the family moved to Hong Kong, where his father had been appointed American Consul General. After six months his mother returned with the children to the United States, but the family rejoined again in 1911 in Shanghai, where his father had been transferred. Wilder stayed in China for a year (Encyclopedia). Wilder’s home life was characterized by a strong religious and intellectual atmosphere

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Macbeth: Serpentine Imagery Essay -- essays research papers

The snake has long been used as a symbol of sly subtlety. A serpent’s presence has been characterized by cunning cynicism dating as far back as biblical times, when the snake persuaded Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of Eden’s garden. Even the phrase â€Å"snake in the grass† expresses latency. Shakespeare uses this treacherous reptile in Macbeth to convey the same evil. In his poetic prose, Shakespeare may not speak of a character’s malevolence directly; rather, he alludes to it through serpentine imagery. Macbeth contains four separate images of this type. What is their purpose, and what do they signify? A deep undercurrent of meaning flows beneath each image. In act one, scene five, Lady Macbeth tries to instill invisible evil into herself and her husband in preparation for Duncan’s murder. She asks for supernatural unsexing, for a thickening of her blood that will â€Å"stop up th’ access and passage to remorse.† She fears her husband is too weak to murder Duncan, which she believes is Macbeth’s only path to the crown. After tauntingly questioning her husband’s manhood, she convinces him to follow her gory plan and gives him instructions to do so. â€Å"To beguile the time, look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue. Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under ‘t.† She says that to succeed, they must feign mediocrity amongst their guests, concealing their sinister desires. Appearing normal will not invoke suspicions. The serpent Lady Macbeth s...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Topic of Your Choice Essay

English 090 Writing Fundamentals Assignment 3: Topic of Your Choice Essay Professor T. Finch Christopher Casselman 08-29-2011 There are many challenges to online study; however, time management, course load and prioritizing are the three main areas that should be focused on. First, determining how much time to spend on a subject is very troublesome. Depending on the subjects, some people like to spend extra time on certain things like math. Finding the time to spend with the family is stressful as well. There will always be something to distract one from their work. Next, course load will determine a lot of things, such as how much time will be needed for each subject, when assignments are due and when to take tests or quizzes. All of the things aforementioned need to be completed in a certain order and in a timely manner. Following a strenuous schedule will keep one on track. Finally, prioritizing will streamline things tremendously. Prioritize by determining how many assignments are due weekly for each subject, and if there are any tests. As well as, the difficulty of the subjects, and what impact they have on our daily life. In addition, many times we will overload ourselves and will need a momentary break. Though breaks should be short, but long enough so one can grasp the reigns tightly again and continue with what one is doing. Staying focused on the work at hand is hard to do when there are other obligations demanding attention as well. Doing the best in each subject, and staying diligent is the single most important thing. In closing, all of these things should be considered before starting an online course. Regret and failure will be less if one can get a good understanding of what is expected from them and focus on time management, course load and prioritization.

Friday, August 16, 2019

The Clash of Civilizations: a Summary of Samuel Huntington’s Controversial

POLI 100 – F10N01 Gabrielle Bishop The Clash of Civilizations: A Summary of Samuel Huntington’s controversial Political Analysis and its Critics â€Å"Culture and cultural identities, which at the broadest level are civilizational identities, are shaping patterns of cohesion, disintegration, and conflict in the post-Cold War World† – Samuel Huntington POLI 100 – F10N01! Gabrielle Bishop In a 1993 article published in Foreign Affairs, Harvard Professor of Government and Political Scientist Samuel Huntington made a prediction for the 21st century that would go on to be both disputed and supported by experts around the globe.As the Iron Curtain of ideology of the Cold War had fallen, Huntington theorized that a new â€Å"Velvet Curtain† of culture would rise1. While the Cold War divided the world up into â€Å"communist and democratic† societies, the 21st century would feature con? icts between â€Å"clashing civilizations†, whose disputes would be rooted in various ethnic, cultural, and/or religious differences 2. In 1996, Huntington wrote a book titled: â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order†, which expanded upon these points. Some were intrigued, others, extremely offended.But, few could ignore the controversial predictions Huntington made about the future of global politics. Huntington divides â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations† into ? ve parts, the ? rst of which is titled as: â€Å"Part One: A World of Civilizations†. In this chapter, he identi? es the six principal civilizations that make up the world, as well as two other â€Å"possible† civilizations3: 1. Sinic4: Includes China and the Chinese communities in South-East Asia. Vietnam and Korea are also in this group. 2. Japanese: Huntington stresses that Japanese civilization is very distinct, and does not necessarily ? in with other â€Å"Far Eastern† nations; having split off from China betw een 100 and 400 AD. 3. Hindu (Also referred to as â€Å"Indian† or â€Å"Indic†): Huntington notes that while there are Muslim communities within India, Hinduism has been essential to the culture of the subcontinent since for almost 4,000 years. 4. Islamic: This civilization emerged around 700AD in the Arabian peninsula, and quickly spread across North Africa, the Iberian peninsula, central Asia, the Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. Many unique Islamic â€Å"sub-cultures† exist because of this (ex: Malay, Turkic, Persian, etc. 5 5. Western (formerly known as â€Å"Western Christendom†): This civilization is widely viewed as having emerged at around 700AD, Huntington states, and comprises many states in Europe, and North & Latin America, as well as many European settler countries (such as Australia and New Zealand) 6. Latin American: While this civilization has its roots in European civilization, Huntington states that its corporatist & authoritarian cult ure is what truly sets it apart from Europe and North America. 7. Orthodox (possibly): Huntington mentions brie? that some other academics consider the Orthodox Russian civilization to be separate from Byzantine and Western Christian civilization. 8. African (possibly): Huntington also mentions that most scholars do not consider there to be an African civilization, with the exception of French Historian Fernand Braudel6 . He notes that North Africa is part of the Islamic civilization, and that Ethiopia has been known to constitute a civilization of its own7 . He theorizes that because of their rapid growth of identity, Sub-Saharan Africa could indeed become its own civilization, with a chance of South Africa being its â€Å"core state†8.In choosing to identify civilizations in this way, Huntington received a number of rebuttals; such as the one from Fethi Keles (who teaches in the Anthropology department at Syracuse University)9. In â€Å"The The Antinomies of Samuel P. Hunt ington: Some Anthropological Reflections on the American Pundit†, Keles criticizes Huntington for being â€Å"Eurocentric†, and too general; for not recognizing that cultures are not so simple that they can be categorized into six (or, eight) different civilizations 10.Keles also notes that Huntington never once cited a foreign-language reference (a detail first noticed by anthropologist Hugh Gusterson)11. Feles instead proposes that he â€Å"[pay] more attention to detail, of the sort provided by anthropology† 12. Only then, she states, will his predictions improve from a â€Å"constantly risk-running sort to a relatively risk-averse one†13. Huntington begins the next section, â€Å"Part 2: The Shifting Balance of Civilizations†, by stating that the power and influence the West once held is now dying14.Although the civilization did experience success with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Huntington argues that the West has become â€Å"exhaustedà ¢â‚¬ 15. He brings to light two opposing arguments: (A): That the West still holds a monopoly over economic consumption, military strength, and technology;16 and, (B): That the West is losing its influence and power. 17 Huntington takes the side of Argument B, and expands on it further. He notes that while the West’s power and influence may indeed be declining, it will be a very slow process and is therefore not an immediate threat presently to global forces 18.Huntington stresses the growing role religion is now playing in global politics. He notes that religion often gains popularity in response to a society’s changing needs. He mentions, for example, how many South Koreans have abandoned their traditional Buddhist beliefs in exchange for Christianity as their nation has become increasingly urban and economicallybased. Kang Jun In criticizes Huntington in his article: â€Å"Confucianism and Democracy in East Asia: A Critique of Samuel P. Huntington’s Third W ave†, published in Korea Journal in the Autumn of 1999.In states that Huntington is guilty of arguing that â€Å"East Asian countries which have Confucian tradition can attain the ‘salvation of democracy’ only by self-denial – the denial of their own tradition – and ‘assimilation’ of modern Western culture. †19 , quoting him saying â€Å"Confucian democracy may be a contradiction in terms, but democracy in a Confucian society†20. Ultimately, people â€Å"need new sources of identity, new forms of stable community, and new sets of moral precepts to provide them with a sense of meaning and purpose†21, Huntington argues.Huntington also notes that Muslim societies, contrary to their Asian counterparts, have expressed their culture through the resurgence of religion, noting that Islam â€Å"embodies the acceptance of modernity, rejection of Western culture, and the recommitment to Islam as the guide to life in the modern world†22. This is largely because of the emergence of a large, devout and young generation of Muslims has been paired with an authoritarian style of government. In â€Å"Part 3: the Emerging Order of Civilizations†, Huntington notes that during the Cold War, countries were either labelled as â€Å"communist† or â€Å"non-communist†.Now, countries who cannot easily identify themselves have entered into an identity crisis 23. Because of this, many new international organizations (Ex: the European Union, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, etc). came together; uniting nationstates under common â€Å"ancestry, religion, language, values, and institutions†, and in doing so, distanced themselves from different nations who did not share these characteristics 24. However, not all nations have been successful in identifying with one particular culture, Huntington states, referring to Mexico, Turkey, Russia, a nd Australia 25.These states, he says, could be described as â€Å"torn countries†26; countries which are torn between multiple cultural identities – the tradition cultural identity they’ve held, and the new cultural identity they wish to adopt. â€Å"A torn country†¦ has a single predominant culture which places it in one civilization, but its leaders want to shift it to another civilization. They say, in effect, ‘We are different peoples and belong in different places’†27. In â€Å"Chapter 7: Core States, Concentric States, and Civilized Order†, Huntington states that a small, powerful number of core states will be the centre of a new structure of civilizations.France and Germany are examples of these states in the European Union. He goes on to describe â€Å"core states†, the divide between Western Europe (Protestantism & Catholicism) and Eastern Europe (Orthodox Christianity & Islam), and the lack of a core state in Isl am. In â€Å"Part 4: Clashes of Civilizations† (arguably the most important section of the book), Samuel Huntington predicts that â€Å"In the emerging world, the relations between states and groups from different civilizations will not be close, and will often be antagonistic. 28 He hypothesizes that the three principal roots of conflict will be arise from the interaction of the following: 1. The arrogance of the West; 2. Islamic intolerance; and 3. Sinic assertiveness 29. As the chapter progresses, Huntington states that Islam and Christianity have almost always been at odds with each other, and that the Islamic and Western civilizations will inevitably clash in the 21st century. There are a number of reasons for this, from the Muslim population growth placing large numbers of unemployed and dissatis? ed youth in the hands of Islamic extremists; to the West? attempt to â€Å"universalize† its values, culture, and military (thus generating intense resentment from Mus lim communities), to an exaggerated view of differences between the two civilizations as a result of increased communication and interaction between them30 . ! Huntington notes that with the emergence of Asia and China? s growing economies has come an antagonistic relationship with the United States31. He predicts that the combination of China? s growing military with Asia? s growing economy could indeed result in an international con? ict. He also notes that the con? cts of the 21st century will be fought along â€Å"fault lines† (such as Islam vs. Christianity). He goes on to provide a list of fault line characteristics: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ â€Å"Communal conflicts between states or groups from different civilizations Almost always between people of different religions Prolonged duration Violent in nature Identity wars (us vs. them), eventually breaks down to religious identity Encouraged and financed by Diaspora communities Violence rarely ends permane ntly Propensity for peace is increased with third party intervention†32 In the final Chapter of the book, â€Å"Part 5: the Future of Civilizations†, Huntington oncludes that the West needs to be prepared to accept the growing influence of rival civilizations, if it wants to remain a global political power. As previously cited, Anthropologist Fethi Keeles was very critical of Huntington’s approach, in her piece published in the Journal of Third World Studies. Quoting Edward Said, a prominent critic of Samuel Huntington, she noted: â€Å"What culture today – whether Japanese, Arab, European, Korean, Chinese, or Indian – has not had long, intimate, and extraordinarily rich contacts with other cultures? 33 She then accuses him of being â€Å"indifferent to the complex nature of the multicultural world†, and argues that in his analysis he failed to address intra-cultural or civilizational variation34. ! However, Somali-born human rights activist and former Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali begs to differ. She argues that the greatest advantage of Huntington’s civilizational model of international relations is that â€Å"it reflects the world as it is – not as one wishes it would be† 35. â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations†, she states, â€Å"is a classic that should be taught in every international relations and history class — until a new world emerges. 36 No matter what the reader’s background is, it is difficult to argue that the nations of the world are not facing any forms of international conflict in the early 21st century. Where many critics choose to differ is on the grounds of the origins of said international conflict, asking: are the growing international conflicts truly due to opposing civilizations, or are the issues simply ideological? Samuel Huntington says these conflicts are predominantly rooted in culture and religion, and that the 21st century will inevitably be a period ch aracterized by â€Å"the Clash of Civilizations†.Bibliography: Huntington, Samuel P. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print. Charron, Nicholas. â€Å"Deja Vu All Over Again: A Post-Cold War Empirical Analysis of Samuel Huntington's ‘Clash of Civilizations' Theory. † Cooperation & Conflict 45. 1 (2010): 107-27. EBSCO Host. Web. Ali, Ayaan Hirsi. â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. † Foreign Affairs 89. 6 (2010): 198-99. EBSCO Host. Web. Perry, Glenn E. â€Å"Huntington and His Critics: the West and Islam. † Arab Studies Quarterly 24. 1 (2001): 18. EBSCO Host.Web. In, Kang Jung. â€Å"Confucianism and Democracy in East Asia: A Critique of Samuel P. Huntington’s Third Wave. † Korea Journal 39. 3 (1999): 315-37. Print. Hendrickson, Holly. â€Å"Book Summary of The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order by Samuel P. Huntington. † Beyond Intractability – More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict. Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado. Web. Keeles, Fethi. â€Å"The Antinomies of Samuel P. Huntington: Some Anthropological Reflections on the American Pundit. † Journal of Third World Studies. 14. 2 (2007): 131-43. Print.Sullivan, Anthony T. â€Å"Has Samuel Huntington’s Prediction Come to Pass? † Journal of the Historical Society 2. 2 (2002): 169-78. Print. Endnotes: Huntington, Samuel P. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print. 1 2 3 4 Huntington 28. Huntington 45-46. Huntington had previously labelled this civilization as â€Å"Confucian†, in his 1993 Foreign Affairs article. He decided to use â€Å"Sinic†, as he felt Confucian teachings were not at the core of the civilization he was describing. (Huntington 1996:45) 5 6 7 8 9 Huntington 45. Huntington 47.Huntington 47. Huntington 47 . Keeles, Fethi. â€Å"The Antinomies of Samuel P. Huntington: Some Anthropological Reflections on the American Pundit. † Journal of Third World Studies. 14. 2 (2007): 131-43. Print. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Fethi 131. Fethi 142. Fethi 142. Fethi 142. Huntington 82-83. Huntington 82. Huntington 83-90. Huntington 90-91 Huntington 91. In, Kang Jung. â€Å"Confucianism and Democracy in East Asia: A Critique of Samuel P. Huntington’s Third Wave. † Korea Journal 39. 3 (1999): 319. Print. 20 21 22 23 Huntington 308; 308-310. Huntington 97. Huntington 110. Hendrickson, Holly. Book Summary of The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order by Samuel P. Huntington. † Beyond Intractability – More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict. Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado. Web. 24 Huntington 126. 10 POLI 100 – F10N01! Gabrielle Bishop 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Huntington 139. Huntington 138. Huntington 13 8. Huntington 183. Huntington 183. Huntington 211. Huntington 218. Hendrickson web. Keeles 143. Keeles 143. Ali, Ayaan Hirsi. â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. † Foreign Affairs 89. 6 (2010): 198-99. EBSCO Host. Web. 36 Ali 99. 11

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Frontline: Camera and Current Affairs Programs

How do the creators of â€Å"Frontline† convey the main issues in the text? The truth in the media is a subjective commodity which is often sensationalized, fabricated and manipulated for a number of reasons. Therefore, realistically the media only represents certain facets of the truth to suit their purpose and context. Rob Sitch’s Frontline is a satirical examination of current affairs programs and explores the media’s selective dissemination of information to construct the desired truth. Though being disturbingly accurate in their sarcastic attack on the deceit and hypocrisy of the media, the producers of Frontline use wit and parody to challenge the reliability of the media and such concepts are explored through a number of film techniques in episodes such as ‘The Siege’ and ‘Add sex and stir’ The commercial nature of the media dictates that the content of the broadcast must rate well and be profitable. The episode ‘The Siege’ exemplifies the commercial nature of current affairs programs and re-emphasizes the media’s potential to regard the truth as a subjective commodity to further gain higher ratings. Frontline seeks little more than authenticity to convince their audience that they are a credible resource. In ‘The Siege’ Rob Sitch blurs the boundary between fiction and reality, through illustrating a story based on a real incident which occurred in 1994 making it harder to discern the truth. Frontline pursues a story about a father who has held his children hostage during a custody battle. This episode exposes the true nature of journalism and the unethical practices that the media undertakes to win the ratings war. Marty ironically says ‘you’ve crossed the line mate’, this pretense of ethics is juxtaposed with ‘you beauty’ when he realizes that it was the Frontline team itself that got through to interviewing the gunman. Marty further sensationalizes and exaggerates the truth by wearing a flak jacket and crouching down to make it appear that he is in a dangerous situation, when in reality he is five kilometers away from the danger zone. Through the use of dialogue ‘How about if I crouch down like this? To make it look like I’m in danger’ Marty illustrates his blatant disregard for the truth thus emphasizing the importance of appearance and ratings over the depiction of the truth within the media. Brooke further epitomizes the media’s motives through the use of incongruity in the dialogue ‘Mrs. Forbes do you have any nine volt batteries? ’ Such dialogue accentuates Brooke’s superficiality as she is not at all concern ed about Mrs. Forbes feelings. The camera close up of Brooke’s exceedingly concerned facial expression when she interviews Mrs. Forbes is juxtaposed with Mrs. Forbes misery and Brooke’s deception when she asks – ‘would you be able to cry again Mrs. Forbes? ’ The on and off camera persona evidently shows that the truth is subverted by the media to construct a desired representation, portraying the truth to be a subjective commodity. The media’s relentless pursuit of higher ratings to ensure commercial success plays a significant role in determining the representation of the truth they present to their audience. The episode ‘Add sex and Stir’ epitomizes the media’s selective dissemination of information to construct a desired truth, thus exemplifying truth to be a subjective commodity. Frontline pursues a story about the unfair dismissal of a sportswoman who is supposedly dropped from the team because she is not gay. Although Brooke acknowledges that the sportswoman was dropped from the team because of poor form, she decides to portray the misleading sex angle of the story in the pursuit for higher ratings to ensure Frontline’s commercial success. Frontline’s clean crisp picture quality, still camera and immaculate sets gives a sense of professional respectability and authority to create a sense of credibility. Rob Sitch employs caricature to emphasize the potential for the media to regard the truth as a subjective commodity to gain more ratings. Sitch satirizes the limited value that the media places on the truth through Brooke’s satirical comment ‘Well there’s a lead story, Stu, lead player dropped due to bad form, out breaking. ’ The truth is further manipulated through filming Brooke’s nods separately and out of context which further amplifies their falsity, emphasizing her lack of integrity. Brooke completely distorts the truth through creating a re-enactment, in which the story is further exaggerated through the steamy atmosphere in the girls change rooms, demonstrating that it is sleaze that sells rather than the truth. The dramatic background music in the re-enactment further satirizes the media’s pursuit for higher ratings, portraying that the media’s ‘essential objective is profit, rather than saving the world’ Chris Masters (ABC correspondent). Through this it is clearly evident that the truth to the media is a subjective commodity that can often be manipulated, fabricated and sensationalized for a number of reasons.

Accountability and Responsibility

These two words are often used interchangeably, however, they are NOT interchangeable. Let me explain: Responsibility can be, and often is, shared. Many people are responsible to you in your NWM business – Your sponsor, the rest of your upline, the people in your organization as it begins to develop, and, of course, your company, just to name a few. Your sponsor was responsible for bringing you into the business, but it doesn't stop there. In fact, the dictionary definition of sponsor is â€Å"One who assumes responsibility for some other person or thing†. Your sponsor is also responsible for helping to make sure you are properly trained, and that you receive all the necessary coaching, mentoring, and support as you begin your growing Usana business. Similarly, the rest of your upline is responsible to you and your sponsor in much the same way. And you, in turn, are responsible to everyone you sponsor into your business. Every person in your organization (which some people refer to as your ‘downline') is responsible for conducting themselves professionally in introducing the products and business to others. Our company is responsible to all of us to provide quality products, effective business-building tools, and a robust marketing plan to help each of us reach whatever goals we desire. Accountability, on the other hand, CANNOT be shared. We often hear the term â€Å"shared responsibility†, but there is no such thing as â€Å"shared accountability†. Some would call that term an oxymoron. One could define accountability as the â€Å"ultimate responsibility†. Perhaps it would help to think of one of the quotes that former President Harry S. Truman was famous for, and that is, â€Å"The Buck Stops Here†. That is probably the clearest and most well-known statements of accountability ever made, and it leaves no doubt in one's mind as to where the ultimate responsibility lies. Which brings me to the main point of my comments, which is that, while many people are responsible for your individual success in your NWM business, only one person is accountable for your success, and that person is YOU! That's right, the â€Å"Buck† stops with you. Everyone of us deals with numerous obstacles in our business: skeptical prospects, competitive companies, non-committed people in our organizations, and simply just not having enough hours in the day to be able to do everything we want to. Maybe you have a sponsor who doesn't return your phone calls. Maybe you live in a small town like Powell, Wyoming where there's hardly anyone to talk to about NWM. Maybe your family members think you're involved in some type of â€Å"pyramid scheme†. Maybe you have friends who were in network marketing, but gave up and claim that network marketing doesn't work. Maybe you don't have that brand new personal computer that you know will do everything for you. Or, maybe you've had some products or promotional material back ordered by Usana. I could go on for a long time listing dozens of more obstacles, and, like many of you, I've heard of, or experienced, almost all of them at one time or another. BUT, if you, even for a moment, blame even ONE of these, or other, obstacles for your lack of success, then you've given up your accountability. In fact, were Harry S. Truman here today, he'd say that you're â€Å"passing the buck†. Accountability & Responsibility Losing military property is a crime and it is unacceptable behavior that will not be tolerated. Your misconduct and neglect could have resulted in needless expense and has jeopardized the effectiveness of our organization to successfully accomplish the missions at hand. You will receive corrective training for your misconduct but any future violation will result in UCMJ action. Article 108 is a punitive article and can result in a Bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 1 year for loss of property through neglect. As a leader, you are responsible for what your subordinates do and fail to do. Responsibility and accountability are two of the main factors in being a successful soldier in today's Army. Responsibility is the obligation for the proper custody, care, and safekeeping of property or funds entrusted to your possession or supervision. Responsibility increases when you have personal control over your mission performance and when you have a single, clear set of rules that apply to a specific event. Your sense of responsibility becomes more effective and efficient when you perform out of desire to do well instead of just following orders. On the other hand, when guidelines are unclear when more than one set of rules seems to apply to an event, responsibility is decreased. This type of conduct continues, actions may be initiated under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to separate you from the Army prior to your scheduled ETS Date IAW AR 635-200. If you are involuntarily separated, you could receive an Honorable Discharge, a General (Under Honorable Conditions) Discharge, or a Under Other Than Honorable Conditions Discharge. If you receive a discharge Under Other Than Honorable Conditions, you will be ineligible for reenlistment and for most benefits, including payments of accrued leave, transitional benefits, the Montgomery GI Bill, VA benefits, and you may also face difficulty in†¦

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Art and Function in a T-Shirt Essay Example for Free

Art and Function in a T-Shirt Essay Defining and evaluating artistic and aesthetic value has often been a problematic task. This is because aesthetic judgements are subjective and are influenced by prevailing cultural, economic, political, and social norms. Hence, the definition of art remains a contested domain between those who believe in â€Å"high art† and the advocates of artistic and cultural relativism. (Danto 35) The difficulty in ascribing aesthetic value to objects is evident in the fact that relativism, with its focus on the individual subjective experience, would render anything and everything as artforms since humans ultimately attach meanings to objects they possess. Changes in culture and socio-economic conditions also alter and influence the very standards by which the aesthetic value of art forms and other objects are judged. For instance, in judging a t-shirt with Bob Marley’s face printed on it on the front through the use of the silkscreen method, one easily dismisses it as a non-art when judged according to the traditional notions of fine art. This is because the t-shirt and the print on it do not express artistic creativity, which is a prerequisite for objects to be considered art forms. The t-shirt and the print, which can be replicated many times over by any one with knowledge on silk screen printing, do not possess relevant canonic properties of art such as unity, complexity, and intensity which could evoke intense human experiences and therefore, aesthetic appreciation (Goldman 185). The sight of the t-shirt does not stir up feelings of beauty nor does its fabric hold anything extraordinary for the senses. The print on the t-shirt does not convey a particular style to capture attention or cause pain or pleasure, at least not in the way that beholding Picasso’s paintings evoke wonder, mystery, and other psychological sentiments arising purely from the painter’s use of style, colors, and the imagination. Likewise, the t-shirt with the print on it was created not for the purpose of being admired as an art. As such, the t-shirt is not valuable in itself but gains value for its function to humans, contrary to traditional visual and other forms of art. Art forms are valued for their artistic worth or for their ability to command a definite blending of particular perceptual and sensory elements from the audience (Goldman 188). On the other hand, subjecting the t-shirt to evaluation based on the principles of aesthetic value leads to interesting results. The t-shirt with Bob Marley’s face printed on it clearly fulfills two aesthetic principles. First, the t-shirt becomes a medium for the image of Bob Marley, a cultural icon in reggae music and in the historical struggle of Jamaicans. In this case, the t-shirt with Bob Marley’s image transcends its status as an object worn by humans to cover themselves and becomes an expression of the values of reggae and Jamaican culture in a manner similar to cultural artifacts. Second, the t-shirt itself may be valued by an individual for the sentiments attached to the shirt. It could have been given as a gift for an occasion or has been worn to events associated with feelings of happiness which make the t-shirt valuable to the individual because of the memories of joyous times spent while wearing it. Thus, other people might consider the same t-shirt aesthetically valuable. Fenner observes that objects do not have intrinsic aesthetic value; rather it is the subjective experience of humans that create aesthetic value for objects, particularly the expectation of pleasure from an object (122). Those who appreciate and know Bob Marley may value his image on the t-shirt and subsequently feel pleasure or the elevation of other feelings associated with Bob Marley’s musical contribution and historical roots. As such, the t-shirt may be appreciated by people who share a cultural affinity with Jamaica or of the counterculture that Bob Marley represents. The value of Bob Marley’s silkscreened image extends to the t-shirt which carries it and reinforces the value of the shirt for its owner. The t-shirt, donned by the owner, can therefore be considered the medium for the expression of individuality and creativity of the wearer. Wearing Bob Marley may be a political or cultural statement for a particular culture, particularly as a representation of the struggle against apartheid or against conventional popular music and the culture it represents. Hence, the appreciation of Jamaican culture or reggae music becomes another definitive aspect of the aesthetic experience that may be separate from the experiences attached to the t-shirt as an object. Likewise, neither the fact that the t-shirt was not created for the sake of art nor its low economic worth prevents it from being categorized as an art form. Fenner notes that the presence of traditional aesthetic properties do not necessarily lead to an aesthetic experience or to the creation of an aesthetic value (121). Hence, the audience can view a pricey painting without feeling any connection with it which would make the painting worthless in terms of evoking a subjective experience of appreciation for creativity or imagination. On the other hand, the same audience may behold the image on a shirt and feel an instant connection, a feeling of intense emotions from memories or meanings attached to the object of attention. It is clear that the traditional definitions of art and the accompanying distinction and stratification between â€Å"high art† and â€Å"lowbrow art† has slowly been eroded with the rise of cultural relativism and postmodern theory. Doubtless, the rigid formality of art has come under attack even within various artists’ circles itself that ascribe to the fluidity and less structured styles of postmodern culture. Thus, even an ordinary t-shirt can now be considered an art form when, after critical analysis, it is able to fulfill the principles of aesthetic value. Fenner, David E.W. The Aesthetic Attitude. Atlantic Highlands, N.J.: Humanities Press, 1996. Goldman, Alan. â€Å"Beardsley’s Legacy: The Theory of Aesthetic Value.† The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 63.2 (2005): 185-190. Art and Function in a T-Shirt. (2017, Mar 25).