The Validity of The Developmental Theories of Freud, Erikson and Essay

The Validity of The Developmental Theories of Freud, Erikson and Piaget based on the personal experiences of Amy - Essay Example In the oral stage, a child gets satisfaction and pleasure through mouth, tongue and lips. Toilet training plays a significant role in delivering pleasure and satisfaction to a child in the anal stage. The third is the phallic stage when sexual organs become a focal point for both the genders. This is also a stage for the development of Oedipus complex in which sexual attraction is developed for the opposite gender. The Latency or Puberty is the fourth stage in which Oedipus complex is resolved through repressing the open expressions of sex; though the dominant area of gratification is still the genital area. The Genital Stage (Puberty onwards) where primary interest turns towards the opposite sex. However, the individual understands the social taboos and try to play within the social norms (see the website). Erikson (29-34) development theory identifies eight stages of human development. In Trust-Mistrust stage, trust is defined as an essential trust on others and one's own self, whi ch is important and has lasting effects throughout the life. Toddlers try to control the environment by doing small things for themselves such as holding feeder in the stage of autonomy-shame and doubt, which brings sense of autonomy if they are successful. During Initiative-guilt stage, children take initiatives and feel guilty if they are discouraged. Comparison with peers becomes important in the Industry-inferiority stage and negative evaluation of one one's own self is damaging. In the Ego Identity-Ego diffusion phase, the adolcence tries to integrate many roles such as sibling, student, athlete, worker into a self-image and leads to dissatisfaciton if develops a feeling that they are not capable to fulfill the role. The next phase is Intimacy-Isolation in which one learns to develop meaningful relationship with others and draw satisfaction and encouragment. The Generativity-Stagnation is phase of adulthood in which one seeks satisfaction in productivity in career, family and s ocietal work. One feels satisfied in the stage of Integrity-Despair if one feels that he has reasonable accomplishments in the past. Jean Piaget (see website) gives four periods of development. The Sensorimotor period has six stages including development of reflexes, habits, coordination between vision and prehension, and beginning of creativity. Pre-Operatory thoughts, Pre-Operational stage, and Sensorimotor are stages of Preoperational period in which a child starts from learning to represent objects by images and words to developing language skills. The Concrete Operational period is the period of cognitive development where a child learns to sort objects in shape and colors, identifies sets of objects, considers multiple aspects to solve a problem, learns complex reversable aspects such as mathmatics, understands and develops ability to arrange unrelated arrangments of numbers, quality and numbers in a meaningful way and leaves egocenterism. In formal operational period, a child develops the ability to think abstractly, reason logically and draw conclusions from the information available. The crux of the theories is that specific developmental conflict becomes critical at a certain stage but that does not mean that attributes of each stage is only related to a specific stage. A passed stage has

Human Chip Implants Essay Example for Free

Human Chip Implants Essay It is now possible to track humans wherever they are, thanks to the new technology of human chip implants. While this statement may sound interesting for the developers of the technology, the issue has attracted enormous debate about the ethical implications that surround the application of the technology. Human chip implants are sophisticated silicon microchip devices that are inserted to an individual’s hand or face for identification purposes (Alam, 2010). Prior to human applications, the microchip devices were used to identify and track lost and stolen pets. The first human to accept the device be implanted into his body was Professor Kevin Warwick on August 24th, 1998 (Witt, 1999). Warwick, a director of cybernetics at the University of Reading, U. K became the first person to host the controversial microchip after a procedure which took 20 minutes. Dr (Witt, 1999). George Boulos led a team of doctors who inserted a glass capsule the size of a pearl into Warwick’s left arm just above his elbow. The glass capsule comprised of several microprocessors work to recognize the human and give commands and communicate with other electronic devices (Witt, 1999). The device that was implanted into Warwick’s arm was about (23 X 3) mm and it stayed in his body for only nine days in order to avoid medical complications (Witt, 1999). In addition, the device had been found to have lost some power to function and the removal of it was to ensue. Half of the device was an electric coil while the rest of it was purely an arrangement of silicon microchips that processed and stored the information (Witt, 1999). The device could use only 8 bits of the total 64 bits of information to interact and communicated efficiently with the intelligent building at the University of Reading. The device functions to pass radio signals between the door frames that have rigged up doorways (Witt, 1999). When a human with the device implanted into his body enters or gets through the doorways, the radio signal energizes the coil which then produces an electric current that chips use to communicate signals which the computer recognizes a person as ‘authorized. ’ After this intelligent authentication, the door opens and the person can enter the building. For the nine days after implantation, Warwick was able to make security doors that required only smartcards to swing open through an electronic node system that tracked Warwick’s movement through the entire building (Witt, 1999). The technology of human implants claims several applications such as the identifications of lost children as well as the confused individuals suffering from Alzheimer disease (Mcgee Maquire, 1999). It is also proposed that the technology can have potential uses in the verifications of job applicants to determine whether they are criminals or illegal immigrants (Alam, 2010). The devices can carry criminal and medical history after encoding the device only with one number (Alam, 2010). This shows how the device can be used for tracking among many different uses. The device can be used to gain access to facilities in a secure manner reducing the cases of theft and unauthorized access to buildings, libraries, laboratories or other places where security is of high relevance (Alam, 2010). There are human rights that are infringed when the human microchips are implanted. For example, the human chip implant would impinge the constitutional rights in relation to the Fourth and Fifth Amendments (Alam, 2010). The device is also argued to be violating the Fourteen Amendments which provides for the rights of properties. All persons are protected from unreasonable seizures and searches according to the Fourth Amendment and one of these searches is the electronic surveillance which reveals the privacy of persons without their consent (Macgee Maquire, 1999). Two implications about human rights abuse are made in the use of the human microchip implant; the attachment of the surveillance device on humans and the continued monitoring of the person once the device is in the body. The ability of the microchip implanted into the body to read-write and track predisposes individual personal information to be revealed (Alam, 2010). Even if the read-only devices are used, they can be easily be scanned by the police and unauthorized searches violates the Fourth Amendments. At the same time, the use of microchip implants would violate the Fifth Amendment since the application of the microchip could be one form of self-incrimination where the device presents some tracking capabilities which breach the Fifth Amendment which provides that no citizen shall be forced to witness against himself (Macgee Maquire, 1999). Although the Amendments refer specifically to verbal self-incrimination, it has been argued that the Amendment applies to modern technologies which forcibly take the evidence from someone. Another violation of the implantation of microchips involves the internal property interest (Alam, 2010). The chip installation involves the breaking into the skin and implanting the device just the similar ways a pacemaker or an artificial eye. In the case of eye and pacemaker implants, the procedure is acceptable for medical reasons. Contrary, in the case of human chip implants where the aim of the gadget is for the accounting system as well as to act as a repository for government information. In general, the human chip implants pose a number of ethical and legal issues despite their potential applications in ensuring security and tracking lost and kidnapped individuals. It is important to enact appropriate legislations that will prevent any grievous intrusion into individual privacy as the technology gets a big vote among Americans.

Essay --

â€Å"They can have it any colour, as long as it’s black† was famously said by Henry Ford, in reference to his car factory, without realising he was about to create an era that is often referred to as the machine that came in and changed the world. Throughout the essay we will be looking at several aspects of Fordism- its features and its influence on revolutionising the organisational world. Fordism is a hard area to describe, but in brief it refers to the system of mass production and consumption that produced sustained economic growth and widespread material advancement (Jayne, 2006). Before Henry Ford came into the equation and introduced his new working methods, there were several problems already occurring in the working world that Fordism helped to address. For example, there was divided authority between workers and managers, as well as inefficiencies, contradictions of interest and market competition. Whilst Fordism helped improve certain areas of management an d society, there were also a few problems that arose from it. Fordism was truly revolutionary touching all areas of the industrial sector, creating a new scientific management. It brushed away the old fashioned features related to the early 20th century capitalist society whilst at the same time sustaining economic development. Merkle, 1980 states Fordism wasn’t completely compatible with capitalism, however Henry Ford succeeded in slowly eliminating the ‘bubble and glut economy’ (Lind,M., 2013). Ford really pushed the idea of a ‘high-wage, high-demand economy’ (Lind,M., 2013) by paying his workers enough money to afford the cars they produced. This was only at a national level; internationally the export and import of goods and services from industrial nations all... .... Fast food chains, ie. McDonalds require low skilled staff to produce a standardized product and service; just like the production line workers at Ford. Furthermore, expanding on the idea of mass production, it meant that more products were available for a cheaper price and for a wider range of people, which had a big influence in society. Jessop (in Amin, 1994, p. 9) agrees with this as it expresses the idea that Fordism is an industrial paradigm that involves mass production which is its main source of dynamism. Mass production meant that finally there were products available to everyone and not just the higher classes. Ford was all about the welfare of the customers and wanted his products to be available to everyone. This was evident as he said, â€Å"It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.†

Fashion Mirrors Society Essay

One of the most stable industries in the contemporary society is the fashion industry. Fashion, because it manifests and affects every person, is one of the aspects that holds strong influence over the society. As the society undergoes changes, fashion is also subjected to these changes. And as such, there are people who merely abide with the current trends because of the dictates and influence of the mass media. Fashion is a way through which a person expresses his or her identity; as such, it is believed that the clothes that people wear is an extension of their personality. see more:essay on fashion The clothes manifests the people’s values, attitudes and behavior. In school, cliques and groups can be identified by means of their clothes. One can already judge a person’s personality through his or her looks which primarily consists of clothes and other fashion accessories that one wears. Fashion is considered as a phenomenon to dress up oneself; but it is also a reflection of the things that are currently happening in the society because it conforms to the present changes and the behavior of a particular society. It reflects the current popular culture as well as the alterations that are taking place in the society. People try to express their emotions, ideas and principles through various ways. Some people make use of various art forms as their own channel of expression. As individuals pursue alternative ways of expressing themselves, the concept of fashion becomes the best vehicle to bridge this pursuit. Fashion is something that every person has within him or herself. The clothes that people wear say something about themselves, regardless if they are or are not aware of the latest fashion trends. For every human being, it is one’s natural desire to achieve his or her own identity. As such, one would always wish to become a person who could stand out from the rest of the crowd. This goal is the reason behind every person’s fashion statements, especially the youth nowadays. However, the one thing that is certain is that fashion constantly changes. These fashion fads, trends and style undergo various changes over time. As such, the members of the society are constantly bombarded with new and innovative ideas in the world of fashion. Thus, it is a necessity for fashion agents to be always full of creative ideas that they can sell in the market (Alina, 2004). â€Å"Fashion is a means of self-expression that allows people to try on many roles in life. Whether you prefer hip-hop or Chanel-chic, fashion accommodates the chameleon in all of us† (Public Broadcasting Service, n. d. ). As such, fashion does reflect the values within a particular society of culture. It provides a certain non-verbal way of communicating and presenting oneself to the public. It serves as an extension one’s personality and identity. For example, a woman who wears Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent wardrobes and accessories can be perceived as a wealthy, sophisticated woman and a socialite. On the other hand, a man who prefers rugged jeans and tight-fitting shirts would probably be judged as a rough troublemaker. Thus, a person’s unique fashion statement clearly labels his or her personality in the community. As such, the clothes that one wears largely speak of his or her own self. Thus, clothing is indeed a powerful silent communicator. Some people argue that fashion does not depict the reality and may be utilized to conceal the unpleasant attributes of a person. People dress up in order to hide the things that they or other people dislike with them. Fashion may not also always reflect the person’s true identity because it can act as a form of disguise. Rather than speaking of the person’s real identity, people can use fashion to project an image that they want other people to perceive about them. As such, fashion plays an important role in the society and culture. Fashion is the basis or the foundation of everything that people do. In addition, fashion sets the standards of people’s activities. There is appropriate clothing style in every activity that people do; for example, people wear uniforms for their jobs in order to feel comfortable in doing their works. In most time, majority of the members of the society attempt to match their clothing, pets and even the food that they eat to what is considered as fashionable (Book Rags, 2006). Fashion also reflects society; some of the cultural characteristics are seen in the current fashion trends and styles. Fashion is embedded in the society and may be regarded as an important part of a whole. Scholars argue that, â€Å"Fashion does not directly or simplistically reflect the times; the fact that it is always and everywhere situated within a society and culture† (Entwistle, 2000, p. 80). The authors suggest that â€Å"fashion† is a connected concept from â€Å"society†. As such, fashion is directly related to the society because fashion is within the context of the society itself. â€Å"Fashion is embedded within culture and cannot be isolated as an independent variable† (Entwistle, 2000, p. 81). Thus, fashion changes along with the development of one’s society and culture; therefore, it is a part of a society or rather inculcated within it. In history, American garments are much different from today which is because of the fact that natives’ dresses and accessories are part of the culture. Natives and tribes wore beads or animal teeth around their neck as it is part of a certain tradition. Clothes, aside from being a basic necessity of the people, is also an integral part of cultural traditions and practices. Some of the clothes are the traditional clothing of a particular place. Fashion is culturally-initiated and it reflects the lifestyles of the members of the society. Like the bone and teeth that served as the accessories of the native Americans, it also showed how the people before hunt for food which is the main characteristic of their lifestyle. However, fashion or clothing is not an entirely reliable reflection of the society. The fashion statement of a person is an individual decision on how he or she would like to be perceived by others. Thus, the authenticity of this act can be doubted. The reliability of fashion requires the person’s honesty in dressing according to his or her own socio-economic status. Many people do otherwise; indeed, there are people who do not want to reveal their true socio-economic state because of several personal reasons. Nonetheless, according to Virginia Woolf in her novel Orlando, â€Å"it is clothes that wear us and not we them† (ctd. in Ribeiro, 2006, p. 348). Ribeiro (2006) adds in her description that, â€Å"she [Virginia] knew how dress carries within itself its own history of the past and dictates people’s expectations of us as wearers† (p. 348). Evidently, wardrobes have their own history as time progresses. The fact that societies with unstable mobility do have trends with regard to dressing shows that their fashion says a lot about them. It still identifies them as a group because of the uniformity of the way they put on and design their clothes. One of the many examples of how fashion reflects the modern society is in terms of consumerism. Before, people conserve as much it is possible; however, nowadays – just like the ever-changing fashion trends – people also try to change a lot about themselves. Consumerism is the offspring of advertising. Modern advertisements are too successful and effective in their field that they have influenced a great quantity of people to think that some â€Å"unnecessary† products are actually necessary. From a psychological perspective, it is believed that â€Å"[in] a sense, ‘consuming’ fulfills needs that will require other ways of being satisfied in a post-consumer society: the need to belong, the need for variety in life, the need to control your personal environment and your work† (Collis et. al. , 2009). In some countries, groups are identified through their clothes. The members of high-class society is perceived to wear elegant and extravagant clothing combined with various expensive ornaments. On the other hand, the members of the urban poor or those who live in poverty can be identified due to the filthy clothing they wear. People’s basic needs have extended from the concept of physical survival to the expensive concept of narcissism. Social and emotional needs are apparently the reasons why people engage in consumerism. As modern advertising progresses, people are becoming more influenced to consume and buy products that they do not really need. Fashion becomes synonymous to consumerism because as fashion trends change, consumers also avail of more market products to adapt to the change. Fashion is an integral part of society that reflects different principles, ideas and even stature in life. However, it is not a reliable mirror of society because of its ability to conceal the true self of the one who wears it. Moreover, the current fashion trends and styles do not cater for all members of the society. Rather, it caters only to the agents and perpetrators of these fashion trends. People are somehow defined through the clothes they wear; however, their attitude and behavior is still the most reliable source and reflection of one’s personality. References Alina, Y. (2004). Fashion in Modern Society. Retrieved June 4, 2009, from http://nota. triwe. net/teachers/tolstikova/students06. htm Book Rags. (2006). The Importance of Fashion in U. S. Culture. Retrieved June 4, 2009, from http://www. bookrags. com/essay-2006/8/10/234130/814 Collis, C. , Cooper, S. , Fitzgerald, P. , Lawson, J. , Purkiss, J. , Ryan, J. & Thomas, A. (n. d. ). How can we change consumerism?. Never enough anti consumerism campaign: a critical look at consumerism, poverty, and the planet. Retrieved June 4, 2009, from http://www. enough. org. uk/enough08. htm Entwistle, J. (2000). The Fashioned Body: Fashion, Dress and Modern Social Theory. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. Public Broadcasting Service. (n. d). What is Fashion? Retrieved May 19, 2009, from http://www. pbs. org/newshour/infocus/fashion/whatisfashion. html Ribeiro, A. (2006). Fashion and Fiction: Dress in Art and Literature in Stuart England. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Chinese Cinderella Essay

The most persuasive and intriguing aspect of an author’s stylistic choices are within the schemes, tropes, diction and syntax. Adeline Yen Mah, author of Chinese Cinderella, paints an authentic picture of her childhood in twentieth-century China; Mah’s childhood, fraught with painful memories and bad luck, accentuates her strength and courage and ultimate triumph over despair. Mah’s stylistic choices and appeal to pathos aggrandizes the overall effectiveness of her book, Chinese Cinderella. A worldwide bestseller that has been translated into eighteen different languages, Chinese Cinderella has a wide, varied audience. The style and effectiveness are heavily dependent on the writer’s diction; Mah carefully chooses words that convey the quiet tragicness of her situation and the cultural aspect. One of the most predominant aspect of the Chinese culture is the names- Mah could write about her grandmother, grandmother and stepmother, but instead chose instead to write about her Ye Ye, Nai Nai and Niang. Choosing to write using the Chinese words creates a compelling, permeating story: â€Å"Besides Father and Niang, we lived without Grandfather Ye Ye, Grandmother Nai Nai and Aunt Baba in a big house in the French concession of Tianjin, a port city on the northeast coast of China† (Mah 5). Removing the names disturbs the authenticity of the piece and upsets the overall meaning; so much of the story is derived from the culture and time period. Culture is a significant element in the writing, but Adeline Yen Mah’s personal experience is the most essential aspect. Mah begins as a young Chinese girl growing up in Shanghai. Mah utilizes syntax to convey the juvenile tone; simply constructed sentences create a childish perspective while maintaining an intelligent insight: â€Å"Next day, there was a grand funeral. Nai Nai’s coffin was draped with white sheets and placed on a hearse pulled by four men. We all dressed in white robes with white headbands for the boys and white ribbons for the girls† (Mah 20). While describing scenes and occasions so simply may seem less interesting, the simple, clean sentences actually paint a clear image in one’s mind. The strong, clean sentences keep the story from seeming too pitiful- Mah does not need verbiage to write well. If excessively descriptive, long sentences are employed the effectiveness of the writing would decrease, â€Å"Later, I saw Big Sister and Niang walking toward the balcony and talking privately just before she and Samuel left for their honeymoon. Was she able to explain it all away? I hoped so. I only wished I could have helped her more† (Mah 89). Straightforward observations create an innocent perspective. Verbiage would hinder her child-like persona- if she writes to sound like the settled, distinguished writer and doctor she is, her novel, in which she is a young Chinese girl, would be considerably less qualified. Through the syntax and diction, Mah appeals to her most compelling appeal, emotion. Her story is tragic- an unloved daughter, Mah suffers cosmic misfortune after cosmic misfortune. Syntax provides the youthful insight, diction provides the cultural aspect, and Mah’s life provides the emotionally evocative story, â€Å"Though a fascinating variation on the classic Cinderella story, with a monstrously hateful villain and a smart, plucky heroine, the book is also rife with simplistic caricatures and shallow melodrama. Yet the daily contempt Yen Mah encountered as a child often touches the heart† (Cruz). Mah eloquently details the tragic events of her past, and as a result, appeals to pathos strongly throughout the entire book. Mah’s stylistic choices and appeal to pathos aggrandizes the overall effectiveness of her book, Chinese Cinderella. The appeal to pathos is the greatest weapon in Mah’s arsenal, and she uses diction and syntax as her bullets. Strong, simple sentences and poignant, culturally related diction â€Å"Verges on soap-opera theatrics, Yen Mah remains true to her sympathetic nature† (Cruz). The elegance and skill of Mah are evident in her writing.

Austria 17Th & 18Th Centuries Essays - Knights Of The Golden Fleece

Austria 17Th & 18Th Centuries Essays - Knights Of The Golden Fleece Austria 17Th & 18Th Centuries Austria Keith Henriques History 21 August 22, 1999 In my paper I will examine the absolute monarchy of Austria during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. I shall focus on the on the power of Austria, its foundation, preservation, and expansion. Lastly I will take into consideration the relationship between the classes, the growth of the power of state institutions, and some of the consequential figures in the evolution of absolute monarchy in Austria. The foundation of absolutism was the theory of the divine right of kings. This theory maintained that the monarch was God's representative on earth. In reality absolutism was a closer working relationship with the nobles in order to maintain control. Ensuring the power of the nobles meant solidifying his authority. The bureaucracy began to reorganize, making it more effective on the local level. Local and national government began to meet on a regular basis. This was done by dividing the monarchy into ten units, then dividing it further into ten subdistricts. Kreishauptmann were the administrative heads of each district, appointed by the King to work at the local level. All this helped to extend the monarch's power to the far reaches of the domain. To the people this basically meant that not only was the king a supreme ruler but he could emphasize his will with armies of unmatched size giving the idea of absolutism an illustration and an authenticity never seen before. With this need for a standing army came the need for new funds. These new funds gave way to a new system of tax collection. Throughout history the war and taxes have gone hand in hand. The goal of every monarch was to have independent power and only economic independence could make that possible. Maria Teresa (r. 1740-1780) won approval of the realm to administer property tax on all subjects. These new funds were used to reform and build up Austria's depleted military. She expanded military academies, increased the size of her standing army, and even created a Hungarian army. The very nature of absolute monarchies created the need for state religion. If the people were to believe God had appointed the king, they better all believe in the same god. One of the few successes of the Counter Reformation was that all of Austria's nobility was converted back to Catholicism. Finally religious predominance could be used for the creation of an Austrian state. Then later on in Austrian history you'll see that the state even goes as far as to begin taxing the church. During Maria Theresa's reign the church was no longer exempt from taxation. The government then began to issue regulations to the amount men and women to enter in monastic institutes. This was a ploy by the government to tap into the wealth of the nobility. No longer could the nobles hide their money under the shroud of the church. Then under Joseph the II (r. 1780-1790) all non-productive religious institutions were closed. All together there were 700 monastic orders closed, leaving only the charitable, nursing, and educational institutions continuing to function. This freed up church funds for philanthropic endeavors. Priests then became state employees. While across the Atlantic they were trying to separate church and state, Austria was making the bond even stronger. Another way that the absolutist monarchs of Austria maintained their power was the creation of a court at Vienna. Beginning with Leopold I (r. 1658-1705), there was a promotion of the court as the center of political and social life. This turned Vienna into a city not only for the nobles but for businessmen as well. Leopold, unlike the Hapsburg rulers before him, was not a great ruler. He was a deeply religious man with no interest in the grandiosity of the great European Kings before him. He himself was a composer and his benefaction was a main reason for Vienna becoming the great musical center that it was renowned for. Leopold had plans for a grand palace, Schonbrunn, which was to surpass Versailles. These all contributed to the centralization of the government. The King finally could seek counsel of entrusted nobles and yet keep a watchful eye on those that would do him harm. Early on during Leopold's rule

Gender Determination in 19th Century Latin America essays

Gender Determination in 19th Century Latin America essays "To develop to a higher, better, or more advanced stage" is how progress is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. During the late 19th century, Latin America, in particular, was striving to do just what this definition states. From copying other countries ideas to living more luxurious lives, the majority of Latin America was ready to progress and thrive as a whole. However, in opposition, a number of people resisted progress because they were content with the lives they lived and did not see a reason for change. Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Amado is a prime example of progress in the 19th century. While reading the novel, the reader can see the resistance, as well as the push for progress, and understand how different sectors within a town in Latin America reacted to change. This was an exciting time in Latin America, due to a flourishing economy, technological advances, roads being built, newspapers published, and much more. However, many people did not know how to change as quickly as society A good example of this is gender determination, which is defined as, "in the realm of work and employment, the way in which jobs and professions are determined based on the sex of those involved". Men were in charge and as a wife, a woman obeyed. Men lived based off of a strong sense of masculine pride, power and strength, while women were seen as inferior, almost like a prize. Many men did not want this role to change, so as progress happened materially, some aspects of society did not progress as quickly. Even though sectors of society resisted change, progress was being discussed everywhere and anywhere. "Progress was the word heard most often in Ilheus and Itabuna at the time. It was on everyone's lips. It appeared constantly in the daily and weekly newspapers. It came up again and again in the discussions at the Model Stationary Store and in the bars and cabare...

10 Job Resources for Students You Shouldnt Miss

10 Job Resources for Students You Shouldnt Miss Looking for work as a college student can feel like a job in and of itself. Luckily, there are a number of new resources you can use to track down the job you need to get through school or even the job that can serve as a springboard for your career. Here well take a closer look at the ten best resources for job hunting while youre still in school or as you make the transition from student to full time employee. CollegeRecruiter The College Recruiter website offers more than just a place to check out new jobs in emerging career fields. They also offer help with continuing education credits and ways for employers to find recent graduates who can breathe new life into a field or simply bring a fresh perspective to a company. If youre still not sure your major will be your lifes work, College Recruiter can help with career aptitude tests and details on the best places to work. Once you find the job you want, College Recruiter helps with building your resume and tips for those more difficult interview questions as well. College Magazine – Find an Internship Internships have come under some heavy fire and criticism lately but the fact remains – if you want to get your foot in the door, an internship is your best bet. This is especially true for markets that are especially competitive, including the creative arts and multimedia focused careers. College Magazines resource offers up a streaming view of internships with clients like O Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Reboot and the CIA. Campus Riot The team at Surviving College knows that making it through your university years is more than just being able to get good grades and (hopefully) land your dream job. Surviving College offers help and advice on everything from whether or not store loyalty cards are worth the trouble for students to tips on the best ways to find and connect with ideal companies and internships to how to start a small business before youve even graduated. Career Thoughts Career Thoughts caters to both students and those already in the working world. Their approach is simple – if youre not in a job you love, youre not in the right job. Their helpful advice centers mostly around resume building and interview skills. They also offer advice on the best ways to search for companies that are hiring or on how to spot opportunities even the company itself hasnt considered. Finding a need and proposing a solution can help you stand out from other candidates and could even allow you to create your own position within a company. Job Stock Jon Stock is the go to place for freelancers of nearly every variety. Their feed of avaialble freelance positions is regularly updated and features a wide variety of available freelance projects in areas like programming, database management, content writing, blogging, graphic design and data entry. Unlike many other freelance job websites, you can search by company rating, rate of pay and location. Intern Queen If youve never seriously considered an internship or dont know if its the right thing for you, Intern Queen can help you make some sense of it all. The Intern Queen offers more than just an updated listing of some of the most interesting internships around – she also offers real world advice on how to find, land and survive your first internship without losing your mind. Her friendly, easy to follow and easy to relate to blog can help new interns adjust to the rigors of an all work, no pay lifestyle while offering keen insights that even seasoned interns will appreciate. Career Shifters Much like your major, your chosen career field can change as you grow and develop your own set of priorities, passions and talents. Career Shifters knows that the path to complete job satisfaction isnt always straightforward and they offer help on finding a different job, a new career or a whole new path from education to the ultimate dream job. They offer advice from people who have switched gears at various points in their life and offer helpful tips, job leads and food for thought. Lindsey Pollak Lindsey Pollak is the author of Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World and is also a LinkedIn Ambassador and keynote speaker. Basically, she knows a thing or three about using your college years as a stepping stone to your dream job. Her blog – and the entire website – can help students, recent graduates and young professionals find the resources, tips and tricks they need to succeed. Resume Companion Resumes have changed over the past few years. There was a time when simply spelling out your achievements and highlighting your education was enough to put yourself at the head of the pack but these days youll need to go that extra mile to get noticed. While there are plenty of websites, self-help books and blogs with tips on creating an eye-catching resume, Resume Companion offers a sense of humor alongside new and creative ways to stand out from the pack. With resumes for iconic characters like Batman to tongue in cheek satire, their website provides the ideal place to blow off some steam and get a few new ideas for your resume. CareerCast In terms of a one-stop job website, CareerCast offers a wealth of information, leads and help with landing a full time career, part time job or freelance work. So how do they stand out from the sea of job websites? They offer specific searches for niche fields, including Construction Disability Diversity Energy Green HealthCare Nursing Trucking Veteran With a combination of old school advice, an easily searchable database of jobs and help in targeting specific and niche industries, CareerCast stands out from the rest and will help you to do the same.

How we can use writing by Charles Dickens to enhance our understanding Essay

How we can use writing by Charles Dickens to enhance our understanding of selected aspects of the historical geography of Victorian London - Essay Example Most of Dickens’s work is set in or around London, though there are other works that have been construed in settings that are more industrial. Reflections from Dickens’s work can be utilised in order to paint a geographical picture of London from the Victorian era. This technique of geographical survey has been on the rise and has produced unique observations that would have been otherwise secluded from public view. This paper will attempt to analyse the various views and descriptions presented by Dickens’s through his works as per the residential segregation in the city of London. The various facets of urban and social life expressed in the divisions of residential neighbourhoods will allow the creation of a reasonable picture as per Victorian London’s geography. This paper will emphasize on a number of works by Dickens’s including Oliver Twist (1838), Dombey and Son (1846 – 48) Bleak House (1852 / 53), Little Dorrit (1855 / 56) and Great Ex pectations (1860 / 61) but not Hard Times (1854) because the latter is based on an industrial setting that resembled Liverpool or Manchester more closely than it resembled London. Furthermore, the first three novels provide a continuous picture of London’s public geography under evolution. ... The rapid pace of industrialisation bolstered the economy on one hand and left millions in misery on the other hand. This image of misery has been a hallmark of Victorian literature and the ensuing geographical inferences gathered from it. Generally when Victorian literature or geography is thought about, it is presumed that industrial establishments with narrow crooked streets, two to three storied cramped living quarters, a lack of sanitation and open public places is being talked about. This generalisation is imposed on all Victorian metropolises from the era whether one talks about London, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow or other cities. However, this image of London is far from reality from the era as per the works of Dickens’s as well as according to geographical descriptions from the era (Banks, 1967) (Dyos & Wolff, 1973). In contrast to the images of long factory chimneys, London was not an industrial establishment at all. Instead, London was based on finance capitalism rather than industrial capitalism. The city and its geographical life were dominated by the â€Å"world of lawyers, bankers, brokers, merchants, clerks and governmental institutions† (Woudenberg, 1996). The writings of Dickens’s also reflect this reality as most of his work concerning London is overly consumed with descriptions of locales that do not exhibit the typical industrial metropolis settings. Most of Dickens’s work being studied for this paper provides active descriptions of locales such as (Collins, 1987): the City and Westminster; the Inns of Court area; the poorer regions towards the East such as Limehouse and Whitechapel; the Southern areas such as Lambeth, Southwark, Bermondery, Deptford; the shabbier living quarters of the clerks based in Somers and Camden Towns, Islington

Club IT, Part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Club IT, Part 1 - Essay Example The business entity which is in focus in this case is Club IT. This is one of the new and emerging nightclubs which aims at capturing the hearts of the young revelers who would like to enjoy contemporary good music. The club has the mission of reaching out to the many potential revelers through the provision of quality services. The management of the club is of the opinion that the revelers are the ones who are supposed to be in control of what they get. For this reason, there is a need for an adequate information or feedback channel which will see to it that the management of the club gets to know what the revelers want and therefore go ahead and provide this to them. There are some issues which come up and are supposed to be addressed. In this case, the first thing that comes into perspective is to do with customer care management. The first thing which should be understood is that the collection of information in the course of the activities of a night club is something which may prove to be rather difficult for the managers of the night club and even the owner. This is majorly because the environment under which the night club operates does not necessarily create room for instantaneous feedback from the patrons who flock the night club. However, this is not to say that it is an impossibility to get this information from these individuals. currently, many nightclubs have engaged in social media. These clubs open up social media accounts from where they can interact with their customers and get feedback from them. This is something which has proved to be totally worth it to the clubs since they can easily get the much needed feedback from the patrons and after this they can see to it that they work on addressing some of the issues which are raised by the customers in the course of communication. This communication will not only be between the club and the customers but also amongst the customers or even the potential customers. For example, when a patron in t he night club uploads to Facebook a photo of the club or updates a status that points out probably the good services and pricing, it goes without saying that people might want to flock the place and sample that which was being referred to. In the modern business environment what many business are focusing on is the improvement of services, reduction of costs and at the same time generation of profits. In this light what most of them do is to adapt ways that can lead to this. In the current times these methods usually involve the revolutionized technology that is available world over. Again it is important to note that the adaptation of such measures puts the business at a better position in the industry as compared to the businesses that have not adapted the technology in their business operations. One of the ways in which companies achieve this goal is through the adaptation of business-oriented software such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The system which is to be implemen ted in this case ought to be one which will help the management of Club IT manage its finances, which is the most crucial thing in the operations. At the same time, there ought to be the provision of insights particularly to the managerial decisions which will be made and implemented in the course of business operations. The one thing which should be understood in this case is that these are some of the things which should be incorporated in the operations

The musical style of Heart is a lonely hunter Essay

The musical style of Heart is a lonely hunter - Essay Example In this regard McCullers herself characterizes the novel as a fugue in the musical features of the novel recurs in three parts of the novel. McCullers novel is musical in its characteristics in two senses: first the novel possesses a tuneful and harmonious structure; second it deals with the polyphonic characteristics of words, phrases and the greater unit of the structure of the novel (Fuller 57). The phonic tones and of tunes of words not only exists in the concrete form but also in the abstract sense. Evidently the phonic features both in abstract and concrete senses have been fused with its tuneful and harmonious structure, as it is noted in the Big Readers’ Guide†, â€Å"The novel’s rhythmic language is sometimes harmonious — as in the sweet, sad duets between Mick and Singer — and at other times cacophonous, as in Jake and Dr. Copeland’s final argument† (Big Read, 2). The entire structure of the novel appears to be a three part fu gue that closely follows the polyphonic actions with a number of symbolic voices including a central voice. The fugal characters of â€Å"the Heart is a Lonely Hunter† function in a contrastive, but rhythmic, way to demonstrate the dominant relationship between John Singer’s mute heart with the outside world and then necessarily the other characters come with the contrapuntal theme to contribute to the development of the major theme of the novel. Following the structure of a fugue, the novel deals with an extensive theme of man’s struggle against the loneliness of his inner being.

Asian history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Asian history - Essay Example se reading of the text could represent many thousands of different truths, such an interpretation and discussion would be too broad for the scope of this particular assignment. In this way, the following discussion will be mainly concentric upon three core interpretations that this author has determined to be of the greatest overall worth with regard to understanding Asian history. These are: the impact of religion upon the norms of society, the degree and extent to which international interaction took place within Asia, and the formative impact that non-violence played in determining social and political order within the ancient societies of Asia. Through such an analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a more informed understanding of the relevance that this particular chapter has to Asian history as well as a more specific interpretation of the actual events that culminated in the period in question. Further, although the impacts of nonviolent movements have been powerfully felt within the 20th and 21st centuries, this particular form of expression was not something that was unique to individual such as Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King. By much the same token, the nonviolent resistance was not something that was initially â€Å"thought up† near Walden Pond. Instead, the chapter helps to denote the fact that nonviolent protest play a powerful role in affecting a political change within ancient Chinese culture. Naturally, it would be foolish to assume that the text in question provides one of the first historical accounts of nonviolent resistance. However, notwithstanding this fact, it must not be ignored that nonviolent resistance in such a period was something that far exceeded the norm that could have been found elsewhere throughout the world. Says the text: â€Å"Seeing that he would be obtained by force and opposition to his original design, [Xuanzang] declared with an oath that he would eat nothing, in order to affect the

What Is Morality Why Should Society Be Moral At All Essay

What Is Morality Why Should Society Be Moral At All - Essay Example ‘Society’ is ‘a large group of people who live together in an organized way, making decisions about how to do things and sharing the work that needs to be done’. It is interesting to note that the lexical definitions of the words ‘morality’ and ‘society’ begin not with the definite article (the) but with the indefinite article (a). It goes on to imply the limitations of their specificity. In other words, any discussion on an issue like morality is inherently bound to be highly subjective in nature and any effort to arrive at objective conclusions is utterly futile. But this could mean that there are at least some issues which allow total objectivity and that becomes a disputable statement if we consider Nietzsche’s observation that there is no such thing as an objective point of view, which means objectivity itself is a subjective matter. [â€Å"There is only a perspective seeing, only a perspective 'knowing'; and the more e motions we express over a thing, the more eyes, different eyes, we train on the same thing, the more complete will be our idea of that thing, our 'objectivity'.† (Nietzsche, 153)] ... Not only in the production processes but also in the themes of films do we notice an ever-increasing obsession with technology if we take a careful look at the recent part of Hollywood’s journey from Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark to Cameroon’s Avatar. Even at this point of time, if humankind still continues to ponder over issues like morality and if there are still some directors interested in throwing light on how ‘sometimes good people do evil things’ (as the advertising tag of Sam Raimi’s 1998 film A Simple Plan reads) and if Michael Sandel’s discourse on justice has the potential to draw such huge crowds that it is rated among the most popular courses in Harvard’s history, it deserves careful consideration. It is a testimony to the fact that science’s takeover bid for the world does not mean a decline of our interest in morals and morality. The fundamental goal of a code of morality is to exercise control on the aspirations and deeds of individuals and groups. It is expected to be a deterrent. More than a century ago, W. W. Jacobs wrote the story The Monkey’s Paw (which opens with the caution: Be careful what you wish for. It might come true.) in which he skillfully embeds a very useful message in a seemingly horror story as to how our anxiety for quick or undeserving gains could have fatal consequences. It is this anxiety that prompts good people sometimes to do evil things. Thus, Sam Raimi’s A Simple Plan is more or less on the same lines as Jacob’s story. Capitalism, war, crime and corruption are all rooted in the desire to make a profit even if it is at the expense of someone else’s loss and if there is a code that could make everyone realize that prosperity is

Impressive and Attractive Portfolio Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Impressive and Attractive Portfolio - Article Example An impressive portfolio along with a good resume can increase the prospect of an applicant or job seeker to conquer heights of professional achievement. As far as the insurance field is concerned, one can rise to eminence if only one has good communication skills and if one is able to maintain effective business correspondence with the clients and the employer through effective e-mails, various types of letters, memos and press releases. By arresting the attention of the company/client through a systematically prepared portfolio, the applicant gets a chance to prove that he/she is the perfect fit for the job. As the past work one has done is considered as the best indicator of future performance, a hiring manager really cares about what the applicant can do for them in the future. In an interview, the examples of one’s work turn the interview into an opportunity to show where one excels and it provides a concrete opportunity for the employer to look for what he really expects from the applicant. A portfolio which is systematically prepared could just give one the edge, and one may get the first offer. To prepare an excellent portfolio, one must concentrate on the following points. It must include a copy of the applicant’s master resume to show the level of one’s skills, base and breadth of one's experiences in the field. Moreover, it must be pointed out that the applicant possesses lots of untapped potentials which distinguish him from the rest of the people being interviewed. The next point that must be considered is whether the applicant is capable of setting real examples or representative samples of his/her past works, which clearly show one’s level of skill and quality. For instance, a person who has previously worked in an insurance company or a bank can include samples of memos, e-mails, reply letters, request letters, negative message letters, sales letters and press releases in his/ her portfolio.

What Is Morality Why Should Society Be Moral At All Essay

What Is Morality Why Should Society Be Moral At All - Essay Example ‘Society’ is ‘a large group of people who live together in an organized way, making decisions about how to do things and sharing the work that needs to be done’. It is interesting to note that the lexical definitions of the words ‘morality’ and ‘society’ begin not with the definite article (the) but with the indefinite article (a). It goes on to imply the limitations of their specificity. In other words, any discussion on an issue like morality is inherently bound to be highly subjective in nature and any effort to arrive at objective conclusions is utterly futile. But this could mean that there are at least some issues which allow total objectivity and that becomes a disputable statement if we consider Nietzsche’s observation that there is no such thing as an objective point of view, which means objectivity itself is a subjective matter. [â€Å"There is only a perspective seeing, only a perspective 'knowing'; and the more e motions we express over a thing, the more eyes, different eyes, we train on the same thing, the more complete will be our idea of that thing, our 'objectivity'.† (Nietzsche, 153)] ... Not only in the production processes but also in the themes of films do we notice an ever-increasing obsession with technology if we take a careful look at the recent part of Hollywood’s journey from Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark to Cameroon’s Avatar. Even at this point of time, if humankind still continues to ponder over issues like morality and if there are still some directors interested in throwing light on how ‘sometimes good people do evil things’ (as the advertising tag of Sam Raimi’s 1998 film A Simple Plan reads) and if Michael Sandel’s discourse on justice has the potential to draw such huge crowds that it is rated among the most popular courses in Harvard’s history, it deserves careful consideration. It is a testimony to the fact that science’s takeover bid for the world does not mean a decline of our interest in morals and morality. The fundamental goal of a code of morality is to exercise control on the aspirations and deeds of individuals and groups. It is expected to be a deterrent. More than a century ago, W. W. Jacobs wrote the story The Monkey’s Paw (which opens with the caution: Be careful what you wish for. It might come true.) in which he skillfully embeds a very useful message in a seemingly horror story as to how our anxiety for quick or undeserving gains could have fatal consequences. It is this anxiety that prompts good people sometimes to do evil things. Thus, Sam Raimi’s A Simple Plan is more or less on the same lines as Jacob’s story. Capitalism, war, crime and corruption are all rooted in the desire to make a profit even if it is at the expense of someone else’s loss and if there is a code that could make everyone realize that prosperity is

Wall Stree Journal Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wall Stree Journal Review - Essay Example On the other side the program which is being dropped by Google involves sale of print advertising for newspapers. The article and the subject of discussion is real terms the interaction of two strongest media of marketing. The article strongly suggests the influence of current global economic scenario on the marketing strategies of the corporate world. In the context of economic recession, the companies are emphasizing much on cost reduction and management. This is leading them to cull the economically sick components of the business. Official sources of Google have cited in the article that in place of Print Ads program, they would like to concentrate more on other economically viable components. The economic viability strategy of Google is being reflected in this crucial step. Moreover the very concept of management of marketing strategies according to the differing market conditions is evident in this case. Google has ensured to check the economic viability and profitability of the discussed business component. Spencer Spinnell, director of Google Print Ads has been stated to say in the article that while they hoped that Print Ads would create a new revenue stream for newspapers and produce more relevant advertising for consumers, the product did not create the impact that they and their partners expected. ( Vascellaro ,J E, 2009). This suggests the importance of involving a feasibility review process in each and every marketing policy. Google Print Ads was formed to offer advertisements for newspapers. It was possible for the customers to by advertisements in more than 800 U.S. newspapers through the program. This very fact avers the magnitude of the marketing involved as the target group involved two huge marketing platforms. Despite this scope, the company through the article has announced the closure of the program by February 28, 2009. ( Vascellaro ,J E, 2009). Adding to

Blood clotting enzyme Essay Example for Free

Blood clotting enzyme Essay Serine protease proteins are important enzymes involved in the process of blood coagulation. Blood coagulation is an importance defense mechanism that prevents the host mammal organism from losing excess blood or from forming unwanted blood clot. The process of coagulation can be initiated by both intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors. A cascade of event is followed which activate these enzymes; normally the enzymes are inactive state a condition called zymogens. Zymogens by their virtual condition of being inactive prevent unwanted blood clotting which may have a far reaching consequence such as thrombosis. Blood clotting in a series of processes, in which the zymogens’ need to be activated by reacting with its glycoprotein co-factors. Among the serine protease is the thrombin enzyme factor five (v) responsible for clearing clot in the blood. The enzyme is usually present circulating in plasma which is made up of a single monomer chain, it life span can range from 12 to 36 hours. In human the main regulator in blood coagulation is erythrocytes leukemia cells which activate adenylate cyclase, the process is reversible by the interaction of Aalpa-thrombin with glycoprotein while b alpha enhance the platelets interaction which initiate the proteolytic process. Fibrin-bound thrombin is cleaved by thrombin at a very specific site at the extracellular N-terminal, PAR-1 regulates a number of endothelial cell biology, vascular development but more so is a mediator of thrombin signaling. The human thrombin consist of two gamma chains namely the gamma A and gamma’ the final stage of coagulation of mammalian blood involves the cleavage of the four arginine and glycine bond. Binding studies shows both fibrin 1 and fibrin 2 with low affinity to the E domain and high binding affinity at the extreme end of 408 to 425 on the gamma chain The mode of action involves conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin by breaking the bonds in the fibrinogen at a precise position of arginine and glycine where the fibrin peptides are released. The serine proteases require restructuring itself in order to fit the key and lock model. The glycine at the position five is highly conserved because it is the one which occupy the active site which is determine by the acryl group during the substrate conformation. Asparagines 189 help the enzyme to easily recognize the substrate. The active site is entirely made of histidine 57, asparagines 102, serine 195 and serine 214. The reaction on many a times prefers position 1 to position 4 during remodeling, therefore the type of protein presence to a large extend determine the kind protease and also the kind of cleavage to take place. Thrombin activation is regulated by pentapeptide of the COOH terminus of the factor (v) heavy chains. Thrombin and thrombin receptors is another regulatory point where they both posses strong protective barrier and at the same time cancerous cells were eliminated by apoptosis. A study carried out using mitochondrial membranes which were depolarized using attenuated Catalase lead to controlled cell death. Statistical finding indicate that 30% of the population carried world wide indicated that activated peptide segment at position 4 of factor eight caused a substitution in V34L after binding the structure and analyzing the interaction according to (Brenda 2010). The switching of receptor is PAR-1-dependent signaling specifically to thrombin resulting inhibition of adhesion cell surface which activate thrombin the ligand occupancy position switches the protease receptor by signaling specifically to the thrombin. Human cell in culture indicated low amount of thrombin and receptor PAR-1 agonist induced strong anti-inflammatory activities which was secondary effect of the low concentration of thrombin after activation by P13 kinase and PAR-1. Thrombin like other enzymes is very specific in the binding domain and the insertion loop which is determined by the residues involved in ligand binding as result of interaction glycoprotein and protease receptor on the platelet membrane. This uniqueness makes it very efficient in it task according to (Webert 2006). The enzyme play vital role in homeostasis, cell differentiation, thrombosis and activation of blood cell types, on exposure to phosphatidylserine on the outer surface the platelets were stimulated. A study done using heparin indicated an overlap of the active site, which was attributed to the interaction of thrombin and the gamma peptide chains to the external and the interaction to the active site in close proximity to the Na+ of the substrate. The role of the enzyme can be explained in terms of NA+ binding to thrombin on the basis of prothrombotic and procoagulant. The cascade is a continuous cycle of events that are activated by two factors ,factor (ix) and factor (viii) to form tenase complex which is discontinued by down regulation that occur in the following mechanism which include; serpin (serine protease inhibitors) which function to degrade thrombin and other activation factors, it can also be regulated by protein C where thromodulin bind to it and is inactivate in the presence of protein S, limiting the action of tissue factor by the tissue factor pathway inhibitors by inhibiting excessive TF mediated activation of factor (ix) and factor (x), plasmin help to degrade fibrin hence preventing more fibrin being formed and lastly but not the least regulation through adenylate cyclase pathway by inhibiting platelet activation by decreasing cytosol level of calcium which ultimately result to decreased release of granules which are responsible for the activation of more platelets and coagulation cascade. In conclusion the work play by thrombin enzyme is of paramount importance considering the complexity of the enzyme kinetics involved in the human body. References Brenda Enzyme database retrieved on 13 August 2010 from http://www. brenda-enzymes. org/php/result_flat. php4? ecno=3. 4. 21. 5 Furie B, Furie BC (2005). Thrombus formation in vivo. J. Clin. Invest. 115 (12): retrieved on 12 August 2010 from http://www. jci. org/cgi/content/full/115/12/3355. Webert KE, Cook RJ, Sigouin CS, (2006). The risk of bleeding in thrombocytopenic patients with acute myeloid leukemia. haematologica .

Big Changes With Minor Oversight Essays -- Social Media

One of the significant figures in human history the scientists Charles Darwin once commented, â€Å" In the long history of humankind those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed †(qtd.12most.com). This implies that success comes with collective efforts and using imagination. Similarly in order to have beneficial effects on something it is necessary to understand its interpretation. In the case of social media, it can be said that some people misunderstand its role in today’s life. Presently users live in new era of social media. As the role of the social media expanded and changed the view about connection, people started to change their pre historical habits and daily lives. Still some people argue against it. In the article â€Å"Faux Friendship†, William Deresiewicz asserts, that today people tend to make a lot of friends, without deep understanding of virtual sense of friendship and that representation of a real friend exti nguished. Author emphasizes the negative effects of social networks in human friendship. He explains how social networks have changed the view about friendship and how image of friendship has gradually transformed into a new form. Even though the tone of the article was negative towards social media, the initial purpose of the social media was not to change the meaning of friendship. It was used to post some information for the public, to get and transmit messages and exchange software (Rosen 189). Now, social media helps people to stay connected, to be informed (about current events), and to share their ideas. Despite the people’s misuse of the social media that could contribute to negative consequences, it plays a major role in the evolution of interpersonal relations of human be... ...macy.† TED.com. Nov 2009. Web. 05 March 2012. Callaway, Janet. â€Å"13 Great Social Media Quotes.†.Janetcallaway.com. n.d. Web. 20 March 2012. Deresiewicz, William. "Faux Friendship." Utne Reader: Alternative Coverage of Politics, Culture, and New Ideas. The Chronicle of Higher Education. n.d. Web. 11 March 2012. Park, Ryan. â€Å"Top 50 Social Media Quotes and Social Networking Quotes.† Theadventurous500.com. February 2012. Web. 20 March 2012. Shirky, Clay. â€Å"How Social Media Can Make History?† TED.com. June 2009. Web. 07 March 2012. Shirky, Clay. Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age. New York: The Penguin Press, 2010. Print. Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York: Basic Books, 2011. Print. Thoreau, Henry. â€Å" Henry David Thoreau Quotes.† Brainyquote.com. n.d. Web. 20 March 2012. Big Changes With Minor Oversight Essays -- Social Media One of the significant figures in human history the scientists Charles Darwin once commented, â€Å" In the long history of humankind those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed †(qtd.12most.com). This implies that success comes with collective efforts and using imagination. Similarly in order to have beneficial effects on something it is necessary to understand its interpretation. In the case of social media, it can be said that some people misunderstand its role in today’s life. Presently users live in new era of social media. As the role of the social media expanded and changed the view about connection, people started to change their pre historical habits and daily lives. Still some people argue against it. In the article â€Å"Faux Friendship†, William Deresiewicz asserts, that today people tend to make a lot of friends, without deep understanding of virtual sense of friendship and that representation of a real friend exti nguished. Author emphasizes the negative effects of social networks in human friendship. He explains how social networks have changed the view about friendship and how image of friendship has gradually transformed into a new form. Even though the tone of the article was negative towards social media, the initial purpose of the social media was not to change the meaning of friendship. It was used to post some information for the public, to get and transmit messages and exchange software (Rosen 189). Now, social media helps people to stay connected, to be informed (about current events), and to share their ideas. Despite the people’s misuse of the social media that could contribute to negative consequences, it plays a major role in the evolution of interpersonal relations of human be... ...macy.† TED.com. Nov 2009. Web. 05 March 2012. Callaway, Janet. â€Å"13 Great Social Media Quotes.†.Janetcallaway.com. n.d. Web. 20 March 2012. Deresiewicz, William. "Faux Friendship." Utne Reader: Alternative Coverage of Politics, Culture, and New Ideas. The Chronicle of Higher Education. n.d. Web. 11 March 2012. Park, Ryan. â€Å"Top 50 Social Media Quotes and Social Networking Quotes.† Theadventurous500.com. February 2012. Web. 20 March 2012. Shirky, Clay. â€Å"How Social Media Can Make History?† TED.com. June 2009. Web. 07 March 2012. Shirky, Clay. Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age. New York: The Penguin Press, 2010. Print. Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York: Basic Books, 2011. Print. Thoreau, Henry. â€Å" Henry David Thoreau Quotes.† Brainyquote.com. n.d. Web. 20 March 2012.

Michelangelo Buonarroti Essay -- essays research papers fc

Michelangelo Buonarroti   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in 1475. He was born in a small town called Caprese, in Tuscany, Italy. Michelangelo was one of the most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance. According to Charles de Tolnay Michelangelo's three greatest works of his later life, were the Tomb of Pope Julius II, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and the Medici Chapel(37).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michelangelo's specialty was painting the human body unclothed. In order to learn to paint the human body so well he would dissect human corpses. His artistic talents were noticed at a very early age. Michelangelo went to study with Domenico Ghirlandago, who taught him about painting. He then went on to work with Donatello to learn about sculpture. Between the years of 1490-1492 Michelangelo lived in the house of Lorenzo de' Medici and was influenced by Neoplatonic thought. Some of Michelangelo's early painting showed the influence of Giotto and Masaccio. Also many of his early sculptures show the influence of Donatello (Columbia University Press) .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michelangelo's artistic career can be divided into two periods. In the early period he focused on realism. During this early period Michelangelo's works included the â€Å"Pieta† and the â€Å"David.† At the age of 24 he completed a statue called the â€Å"Pieta,† showing the dead Jesus Christ in his mother's arms. In 1501 Michelangelo returned to Florence, Italy to sculpt the famous nude sculpture called the â€Å"David.† The â€Å"David† measures 18 feet tall, and is so massive that it took 40 men to move it from Michelangelo's workshop(World Book 5016)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second period of Michelangelo's career was based upon his imagination. In 1505 Michelangelo was summoned by Pope Julius II to fabricate his tomb. Michelangelo was so excited about making the tomb for the Pope that he spent many months looking for the perfect piece of marble to make the tomb. A short time after starting the tomb Pope Julius II selected Michelangelo to decorate the Sistine Chapel ceiling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Sistine Chapel is in the palace of The Vatican in Rome. The Sistine Chapel was built by Pope Sixtus IV in 1473. The Sistine Chapel ceiling took over four years to complete, 1508-1512. Michelangelo was able to accomplish this enormous job in such a short amou... ...ecause of Michelangelo's unhappiness with the Pope it caused him not to express his true feelings to the Pope. This made Michelangelo more upset and frustrated. Michelangelo's relationship with the Pope became a vicious cycle(Liebert 152).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michelangelo was one of the most recognized artists of the Italian Renaissance. He was a great sculptor, painter, writer, and poet. He was a true Renaissance man. One of his best works was the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Even though he was unhappy with the outcome of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the ceiling turned out to be magnificent List Of Works Cited De Tolnay, Charles. The Art and Thought of Michelangelo. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Random House, 1964 Janson, H.W. History of Art. New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Liebert, Robert S MD. Michelangelo, A Psychoanalytic Study of His Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and Images. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983. â€Å"Michelangelo.† Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Online.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Columbia University Press, 1994. â€Å"Michelangelo.† The World Book Encyclopedia. 1959. Vol. XI.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  pages 5015-5016.

Narrative and Narration Essay

Narrative and narration in films are the way in which the audience follows the plot. The difference between narrative and narration is only really clear when both are understood properly. Narrative is basically the way we see all the events in a film unfold. E.g. ‘Blair Witch Project’. A group of film students go into the woods to film a documentary about the myth of the Blair Witch. What we see is the people film everything that they do. We see (in a nutshell) them get lost, get scared and then looking at a wall. Narration is the process through which a film conveys or withholds narrative information, the way the story is told. Narration concerns the actual arrangement and presentation of the story in the film, the way the film distributes story information in order to achieve specific effects. E.g. in the ‘Blair Witch Project’ the story conveys the idea that there is ‘something’ out there, but it withholds all the information on the thing by never showing anything out of the ordinary. Once these two are understood we have to look into the two other effects to do with narration. These two are omniscient and restricted narration. Omniscient narration is where the audience is subjected to information from many sources such as ‘Lock Stock and two Smoking Barrels’. The film switches from one character to the next all the time, thus we never get to know one character more that any other. Plus it gives the audience more information than any of the characters, so we have an advantage over them all, which creates a feeling of suspense because the viewer is on the edge of their seat wondering if a certain character will find out a specific piece of information. Restricted narrative is where the film conveys the narrative to the viewer via one character. E.g. ‘Get Carter’. In this film we get almost all of the information from Jack Carter. He is in almost every scene. The advantage of this is that you know everything Jack knows, also everything that he doesn’t know. This is used in the British gangster genre film because is ads mystery to the question what will happen to our man (Jack  Carter) next. Tzvetan Todorov’s theory of narrative structure is a very simple way of explaining filmic narrative. The following is a point from the theory followed by an example of this from the film ‘Armageddon’. â€Å"A state of equilibrium†. Everything in the world is fine. People getting on with their run of the mill lives. The main star is seen grafting on an oil rig. â€Å"A disturbance of that order by an event†. NASA discover a big ass rock coming to earth at an enormous speed. We also see New York get hit by a meteor storm which emphasises the enormity of this event because the rock was able to squash such big and strong city like New York. â€Å"A recognition that the disorder has occurred†. NASA devises a plot to stop the rock ending all life on Earth, by sending a bunch of drillers to land on it, dig a hole, set of a nuclear bomb and come home heroes. â€Å"A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium†. The rock is blown to shreds and th e world is saved, so that now everyone can continue grafting for pittance just like before. The new equilibrium is emphasised by the shot of the wedding at the end with the photo of the people who died during this event, so there is less characters so its different from the original equilibrium. This new equilibrium is necessary or otherwise there would be no difference between the start and the end of the film so it would be pointless to watch it if nothing interesting has happened in the main event. So when a film is viewed in this way we get a better understanding of the plot because we realise that its not a straight linear concept, but a circular one. Otherwise how do we get back to the equilibrium if it goes straight. But it can also be argued that it is not a circular process because its not going back to a equilibrium like before but back to a new equilibrium so effectively its going in a linear structure. The narrative in the film is driven by attempts to restore equilibrium. But Todorov’s theory does not end there. Oh no. Todorov also argues that narrative involves a transformation. The characters or the situations are transformed through the progress of the disruption. E.g. Halloween. In this film Laurie Strode starts out as a geeky teenager who is more concerned with her lessons than boys. â€Å"Shit, what, I forgot my chemistry book†. â€Å"Hey Laurie I just got you a date with that boy you like. Oh no please tell me you didn’t. I sure did. OK th en you gotta ring him on  the morning and cancel the whole thing†. But then at the end of the story (which concludes at the end of the sequel Halloween 2) she is a much stronger character. This is emphasised with the character in Halloween H20 where we see how much she has moved on from geeky teenager to a confident, strong, energetic mum. Vladimir Propp believes that the characters in a film have a narrative function in the text. Characters are there to help provide a structure for the text. He found eight basic characters who perform a certain function. Following are the eight characters and with examples of their counterparts in some famous films. The HERO. In ‘The Matrix’ Neo is the person who on a quest for something gets drawn into a world of UN-reality and comes out the unlikely hero after being trained to realise the truth. This is a common action/thriller genre film technique, because it helps the audience feel related in a way to the hero because you realise that it could happen to anyone of us. This is used in ‘Enemy of the State’. Will Smith is the usual nothing and ends up learning how to outsmart the American Government, which are so hard to outsmart apparently. The VILLAIN. In Halloween the villain is the maniac killer Michael Myers. As with most horror films at least the villai n (a killer more times than not) is a psychopath. E.g. ‘Friday the 13th’, Mrs Voorhees is the shock killer, her son was killed in the opening of the film. ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’. Freddie Kruger is the mysterious killer who slashes people up in their sleep. In ‘Night of the Living Dead’ zombies are the weird dead things that try and kill everyone. In ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ its a family of freaks that lure people in and then kill’em. These are the films that scare people. The Villains that shock people are the ones that you cant see. Such as the devil in ‘The Exorcist’ or the witch in ‘The Blair Witch Project’. The reason why the films worked was because the viewer was taken into a world of un-reality and this scared people. It let them be witness to what reality would be like in a unreal society. But more recent horror attempts such as the ‘Scream’ trilogy and ‘Children of the Corn’ use real people as the freaks who go on killing sprees. This kind of film scared film fans because it gave the impression that anyone can turn into homicidal maniacs. These film’s wer e not as praised as the old fashioned films by big horror fans such as myself because  it tries to play the audience into believe something which is already happening in the world, whereas most people go to see films to get away from reality, the new sort of horror film just shows you real life situations. The DONOR. In my view the donor in 90% of films is the narrative. The reason being that in most films the plot is for the good guy to defeat the bad guy. This can be by arresting them, killing them etc., but it doesn’t really matter. The donor provides the object for the hero to go for, or the heroes goal, and this in most films is the neutralisation or stopping of the bad guy. So when looked at like this we see that its the films presentation that provides the goal for the hero. The DISPATCHER. The dispatcher in a film is the person who sends the hero on their way. In the film ‘The Lion King’ the dispatchers are Nala and Moustapha. The reason why it’s these two is because they persuade Simba to go after Scar and regain his kingdom as the king. These are one of the key characters in the story because if it wasn’t for them the hero would no nothing to try and fix the situation. The FALSE HERO. The false hero in the film ‘The World Is Not Enough’ is the character Electra. She appears to be on the side of the hero (James Bond) but then turns against him. She provides him and M with informati on that appears helpful to their cause but we then realise that its part of a trap, between her and the bad guy. This character is very important to the flow of a film because it provides the viewer with a reason to then go on and hate that character, because we relate to the hero and as that person has screwed the hero we therefore feel that she has screwed us to. So in a way it personalises the character with the audience. The HELPER. The helper in a film is the person that seems knowledgeable in a certain aspect of the plot and then goes onto help the hero. The helper in ‘Halloween’ is Sam Loomis. This character is usually a person who for some reason knows the actions of the bad guy. In the case of Sam Loomis he is the doctor of Michael Myers. This helps him know what the killer will do next. He tells the sheriff that the killer will return to Haddonfield to try and kill his one surviving relative Laurie Strode. If it wasn’t for this character the hero would have no chance of stopping the bad guy because he knows absolutely nothing about it. Its also the same in ‘E nemy of the State’. The helper Gene Hackman (Brill) is the person who knows all about surveillance, the US governments capabilities, so therefore can help the hero (Will Smith) overcome the  challenge that the narrative of the film has set out. The PRINCESS. The princess in a film is the sexual reward for the heroes good work. The princess in ‘Armageddon’ is played by Liv Tyler and is the reward for the partial hero’s (Ben Afflleck) hard work in saving the planet from total destruction. The princess character is very important to the conclusion if the film because it is possible for the men to relate to it. The way is that the typical family picture in the world today still is that man goes out to work, women cleans the house and kids go to school. The man comes home from work and gets some sex for all his work, just like the hero in the film. Also like in ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’, Angelina Jolie is the reward for Nicholas Cage’s efforts at stealing 50 cars in one night. The FATHER. The father in ‘Armageddon’ again is Bruce Willis. The role of the father is to reward the hero for a job well done. In ‘Armageddon’ the reward for good work is being able to live with the fathers daughter, because the father rewards him for good work by staying on the rock and choosing to die himself. The father in the film also acts as the man with all the knowledge that holds the group together. In ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ the father Auto (Robert Duval) acts as the all powerful, all knowledgeable person who’s been there before and therefore is the person who can guide all the younger ones in the right direction. All of these eight points of characters carry the film. Not just one but all of them. When looked at in greater detail Propp’s theory we realise that its the way we sub-consciously look at the characters that makes the viewer thank anything of a certain film. In conclusion narrative and narration are the key elements that make a film what it is. All the above theories are vital, when it comes to reading a film in detail. These theories are useful because they make us view the film in a different way than you normally would. They help you to understand what the importance of certain characters and effects are. They help the viewer view key elements in totally different ways and to understand them in a much deeper detail than before. E.g. When I first saw ‘Halloween’ I saw Sam Loomis as an old doctor who seems a bit crazy upstairs. I thought his importance in the film was minimal and that he was only there to involve a British dude; and now when I watch the film I can realise how important his character is to Laurie Strodes quest to kill the Shape. If it was not for  him no one would have any idea of his intentions and that he would return to Haddonfield. So basically you’re decision as to weather you like a film or not can be identified by breaking down the certain aspects of a film down into questions. I.e. How do the films narrative functions effect you’re overall perception of the film.? How does the films narration effect the way you perceive the film. When you look at Todorov’s theory of narrative structure how does your view of the film change from the one you had of it before you compared it to the points Todorov makes in his theory? How does Propp’s theory of characters and narrative function make you look at the characters when you also look at the eight points outlined in his theory? All this along with all the stuff to do with camera movement, use of sound, use of lighting, use of Mise-en-scene and the way the plot is portrayed all help you understand a film in a deeper way than before.

African American Culture 5 Essay

Question# 4: African cultures, by and large, bring a similar world view to the relationship between man and the spiritual realm, one that is marked by an extremely personal interaction. In the broader African spiritual world human beings are seen to be under the constant influence of other people, their ancestors, minor deities, the Creator, and various forces of nature. As a result the African spiritual world can be described as interactive since all things are endowed with life-force. How is this idea expressed in ritual approaches to morality, wrongdoing, and spiritual empowerment? African American religion has always been heavily involved and influenced by the notion of morality, wrong doing and spiritual empowerment since the slave days if not earlier, African Americans came to embrace Protestant Christianity and adapted their own version of it which is consistent with evidence in the 19th century and a little bit of the 18th, at the time Christianity had little effect on slave society through the efforts of Anglicans, but it was not because African Americans rejected the gospel but because whites seized Christian brotherhood from blacks. As blacks in the South and in the British Caribbean struggled to develop individual and collective identities from the ideas and ways of African culture and their new conditions of life, the series of efforts by evangelicals to convert slaves eventually gave rise to a distinct African-American form of Christian theology, worship style, and religious community. The importance of religion and having their own take on it is among African Americans, as among all people, rests on fulfilling the human need for an understanding of one’s place in both the spiritual and temporal world. Although it was difficult, African Americans discovered in evangelical conversion requirements an opportunity to reassert personal authority based on their ability to communicate directly with God and to bring others to recognize the need for personal repentance and acceptance of Jesus. A perfect example that supports the connection between religious involvement and a sense of personal identity, is found in a slave woman who, back then it was not common for them to tell missionaries that her people have come from across the sea and lost their father and mother, and therefore want to know the Father. The displacement of Africans, for whom locality was critical to interactions with the spiritual world, did not strip them of their religious identity, but required them to learn the spiritual landscape of their new home and reshape their practices accordingly. â€Å"Come Shouting to Zion† details the many religious rituals that Africans preserved in the new world, especially those surrounding fundamental life events such as the birth and naming of children, marriage, burial ceremonies, and ritual dancing and singing to communicate with ancestors and deities. The influence of Africans with many diverse but fundamentally similar cultures in a strange new land encouraged slaves to form new pan-African cultures, which grew increasingly popular as later generations of slaves were born into bondage in America, establishing a distinct African-American culture. The pidgin African-English is a prime example of Africans in American creating a system of communication that was not traceable to a particular African ethnic origin, nor was it a perfect imitation of American English, but was instead shared by blacks in America. As slaves first encountered a foreign language that whites wished them to learn well enough to be more productive but not well enough to pose a threat to the race-based socioeconomic hierarchy, so they became acquainted with Christianity at the will of whites, but when given the opportunity, appropriated it for their own purposes. In the early encounters between slaves and Christianity it is without question that African, and particularly American-born slaves, sought a spirituality that would explain or show their temporal condition. Some salves looked to a theology of liberation and equality among Christians, which they could glean from 18th century evangelicals, mostly Anglicans, who tried to downplay these aspects of biblical teaching. The early period of evangelism was restricted by the fears of slave-owners that slaves who converted to Christianity would feel empowered to revolt against their bondage. Several conspired rebellions and many smaller incidents of black assertion were linked to blacks who had heard enough preaching to identify themselves with the enslaved nation of Israel. This fed the fears of whites, and Anglicans continued to complain that the planters who prohibited them from educating slaves on religious matters were the largest hindrance to saving African American souls. While racism was strengthened and slaves were unable to improve their social status by conforming to white European-American values, very few blacks found the Christian message Anglicans shared with them appealing . Anglican churches maintained strict separation of rich and poor, white and black, during services and sacraments. The high-church emphasized that learned men alone were authorized to teach and that blacks would listen without questioning and to accept the extension of their temporal message and isolation from whites into the religious sphere. Under these terms, it is I am not surprised that Christianity failed to take root as a meaningful religion, a spiritual world that Africans wanted to live in. But it is essential to recognize the role of whites in shaping the message that Africans were allowed to hear, and the role specifically of slaveholders in excluding blacks from access to Christianity. That blacks expressed their agency in rejecting this early version of Christianity offered to them. . At the same time Anglicans were confused over their lack of success in the Southern mainland, Moravians made a significant impact on blacks in the Caribbean by bringing a different vision of a Christian community. Moravians, Methodists, Separate Baptists, and a few other missionaries in the late 18th and early 19th centuries who sought out African Americans stressed spiritual, if not always worldly, equality. Africans identified with and embraced images of a savior who had suffered like they did, and joined these Christian images with African musical modes of expression to create spirituals that reminded: â€Å"Jesus been down to de mire/ You must bow low to de mire† (Stuckey, 139). However, you must finally accept Christianity as an affirmation of their lowly place in society and a divine exhortation to obedience and docility, as many white slaveholders had hoped they would. Rather, blacks found opportunities at biracial revival meetings which were meetings held at locations most often church, in which slaves and blacks were black would interpret what they heard and to share their divinely inspired interpretations of Christian faith, even from pulpits. During this critical period when a significant portion of blacks in the Caribbean and American South were first offered Christianity, they clearly adopted it and transformed it into something that was their own. After the period of revivals that first sparked wide-scale conversions in the South, many African-Americans focused on building a community in which they could support one another and worship in their own African-influenced style. Local black congregations extended their religious community, most notably with the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in1816. As an institution spanning several states, the A. M. E. Church allowed blacks to take part at different levels in a collective, hierarchical social system as had never before been possible under American slavery. blacks continued to participate as minorities in biracial congregations (still with segregated seating) in most parts of the south and the expanding frontier, but found fewer opportunities to become ordained preachers or lay leaders in mixed parishes, where they were likely only to be allowed to â€Å"exercise the gift, provided they teach sound Doctrine sic† under the approval of whites (Frey & Wood, 166). In the creation of their own religious communities in which no whites were present to criticize â€Å"overemotional† black forms of religious expression and persisting practices, such as polygamy and dancing, African-Americans actively designed a spirituality that fulfilled their needs in the slave societies of the Americas. African-American religiosity was then, as it is now, â€Å"centered on extended and expanding families and households, the importance of self-determination and personal dignity, mutual aid, and shared responsibility for the progress of the race† (Hortons, xi). In my opinion, African agency is most clearly supported by evidence of Africans defining their faith, modes of worship, and religious ties as part of a larger emerging African-American culture. Change was a relentless fact of life for Africans in 18th and 19th century America, most tragically present in enslavement and removal from Africa and domestic trade within the Americas that broke up families as masters bought and sold property. Outside the personal struggles of individual slaves, the changes in ideology and society wrought by the era of the American Revolution exposed Africans and their descendents to evolving external ideas about their place within American society, their rights as humans, and their needs as spiritual beings. Religion was one of the few arenas in which African-Americans could control the changes in their individual lives and their culture as a whole. Evolving religious traditions provided individuals over generations with a source of spiritual renewal and a supportive community and prepared an institution that could serve future generations. The long and turbulent transition from African forms of religiosity to African-influenced forms of Protestantism shows that black Americans created, out of all religious ideas and structures available to them, a faith that was their own. Question#3 The musical selections in this section come from Africa and the Americas. Some are examples of the preservation of traditional musical styles; others are examples of the adaptation of traditional modes of expression to modern styles. Prevalent in each performance is the use of either percussion instruments such as drums or singing in groups or by soloists. How do these musical selections exemplify a common African musical aesthetic, i. e. rhythmic syncopation, call-and-response, melodic constructions, vocal colors, in both traditional and contemporary expressions? African dance has contributed many characteristics to dance in America. We see evidence of this in many aspects of dance today. Being such a diverse nation, America has the blessing of combining original dances from different cultures to create an amazing dance repertoire. American dance as we know would be completely different, if it weren’t for the Africans. African dance began with the different rhythms of the tribes. Its roots in America began with the slave trade. The American slave trade began in 1619, (However, Africans were imported as slaves to the West Indies staring almost a century before that) with the arrival of Dutch trading ships carrying a cargo of Africans to Virginia. They were first brought over by boat to places such as Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti. Eventually different countries end up taking over those nations and slaves fall under their rule. In Brazil, the Portuguese take over, in Cuba the Spanish take over, and in Haiti, the French take over. The retaining of African culture by those in slavery was stronger in the other nations than in America, as the Spanish and French rulers adhered to the more lenient view of dancing taken by the Catholic Church. In America, the Protestant church strongly disapproved of dance. Therefore, dances that occurred in the West Indies, Brazil, Haiti and Cuba retained more of the African dance structure, than those in America did. Those dances can be classified as recreational or sacred. An example of a recreational dance is the Juba, which was a competitive dance where opponents would outdo each other in feats of skill, sometimes while balancing something on their head. Sacred dances were based on the worship of religious gods. The goal of the dance was for the dancer to become â€Å"possessed† by the god so that it would speak through the dancer. Two examples are voodoo and Shango dances. Traces of the African religious practice of possession, or disengaging from reality through the combined effects of music and dance, can be detected in the appeal of some forms of jazz dance. In America, the dance movement of Africa was restrained mainly by two factors: the attitude of the church towards dancing as being immoral and the restricted use of the primary African instrument (the drum). Drumming was banned in 1739 following a slave insurrection. White plantation owners responded by banning all drums and that forced slaves to search for other percussion options. They substituted with banjos, clapping hands, stomping feet, and the fiddle. Dances that occurred on the Plantations were for recreation and religious reasons also. Because of the European influence in America, the movement gave a distinct American appearance, rather than a strictly African one. Many dances imitated animals. There were also circle dances and dances for celebrations. Another category that emerged was competitive dances. The most well known one was the cakewalk. The slaves had witnessed their owners’ dancing festivities and imitated their stiff upper bodies while contrasting it with loose leg movements. The owners enjoyed watching this and gave a cake to the best dancer. The observation of African dancing by the whites led to them stereotyping the dancing slave. They began to blacken their faces and imitate them using such indigenous movements as the ‘shuffle’. The imitation dances by whites started an era of American entertainment based on the stereotype on the dancing ‘Negro’. Before the Civil War, professional dancers were mostly white, with the exception of William Henry Lane. He was also known as â€Å"Master Juba† and was a freeborn slave thought to be the best dancer in the World. He had lived in Manhattan where the Irish immigrants also lived. His dancing was a combination of Irish jig dancing and African rhythm, just like the slaves who were forced to compete with the Irish migrant workers aboard the ships. Both his movements and the Nigerian slaves are said to be the start of tap dance. Minstrelsy was also a popular form of entertainment in America from 1845 –1900. The Minstrel show was a group of male performers that portrayed the Negro as either slow and shuffling or sharply dressed and quick moving. The minstrel show proved prominent in spreading vernacular dances like the cakewalk and jig dancing on a wide scale. The next major change after minstrelsy came with the birth of ragtime music and ballroom dancing after 1910. A bunch of animal dances were seen in white ballrooms. Examples were the Turkey Trot, and Chicken Scratch. The invasion of ballrooms with native inspired dances set the stage for the same process to occur on Broadway. Zeigfield borrowed some of these dances for his Follies. Social dance became introduced on the theatrical stage. The big aspect being borrowed wasn’t the actual dances, but their swinging qualities. In 1921, Shuffle Along featured a jazz inspired dance called the Charleston. It left the audience with a lot of energy and a new respect towards black dancing. Tap was now also brought to white audiences and the musical comedies took on a new, more rhythmic life. In the late 1920s, jazz inspired songs replaced the popular white standards and America accepted Jazz music as its own. Louis Armstrong was a big part of the creation of swing music. It was a style of jazz music that emphasized African influenced rhythm and was played by big bands. Faster and sharper footwork came about and the Lindy was the new dance craze. It incorporated the shuffle and glide and buck and wing movements from early African dances. The Lindy was significant for starting jazz dance styles used in later musicals. It also gave the opportunity for white choreographers to experience African swing. Jazz music and dancing slowed down in popularity after WWII. Technology and music were evolving. The beat became more complex and musicians like Charlie Parker and Dizie Gillespie explored more with improve. The overall result was, jazz music became something more to listen to rather than to dance socially. The advent of Television in the 1950s also kept people at home instead of on the dance floors. African American dance became more of an artistic expression than a social means. Professional companies and dancers restored early African rhythms and the beauty and emotion of their traditional songs, including Catherine Dunham’s â€Å"Shango†, Alvin Ailey’s â€Å"Revelations† and Bill T. Jones’ â€Å"Uncle Tom’s Cabin†. In the past 50 years, African American dance has been rich in innovations as well as connections with the past. The definition of professional dance has broadened beyond ballet, modern, and jazz. Popular and social dances, including the urban black dance forms of break dancing and hip-hop have been recognized for their artistry and expressiveness. Dance created and performed by African Americans has become a permanent part of American dance. Every dancer and almost every person in America, in one way or another has danced steps that resemble early African polyrhythmic movements. Personally, I think the dance World in America could no have flourished as well as it did without it’s African influences. since the slave trade the drum has been used all over the world as a means of communication and self expression. Its broad variety of users includes the early African tribes, using them for ceremonial purposes. The Africans brought drums with them to the Americas and helped to develop their popularity among American musicians. In the mid 1900’s drum sets were brought about. These revolutionary collaborations of percussive pieces started off with a pair of hi-hats, a bass and snare drum, and a couple of tom toms. Later as the music progressed, so did the drum kits, completely eliminating the need for an entire drum section. With the coming of the rock and roll movement the drum kits were changing, they needed to accommodate the new music styles. They became sonically diverse and even electronic drums were brought about; making them infinitely adjustable both ergonomically and musically. With every major drum manufacturer competing to have the best product on the market drums will always be evolving. African American musicians and early slaves choose to use drums as a common form of expression because of the deep bass that was used to duplicate heart beat and thunder. The sound waves for open ended and string instruments is fairly straight forward. However, for a closed end instrument, such as a drum, the sound waves are different. A lot of the energy is dissipated through the shell of the drum, which is the reason for the variance in drum construction these days. Many different kinds of wood are used to generate different sounds, or a different amount of energy absorption. For a warmer, deeper sound maple construction is used while birch is used to get a high, resonant tone full of vibration. The heaviest wood that dissipates the most amount of energy is oak, creating a lower, flat sound. Question#1 I believe that Egypt’s economic progress over the last decade is a great example of showing how They have come a long way and are still vastly improving. Egypt is the third-largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa region (after Saudi Arabia and Israel), as well as one of the strongest, with significant potential for future economic growth and diversification. With a real commitment to economic reform, which favors a large privatization program and the encouragement of private investment and growth. The improvement in Ghana is evident in how their country has such a diverse economy. The Gold Coast was renamed Ghana upon independence in 1957 because of indications that present-day inhabitants descended from migrants who moved south from the ancient kingdom of Ghana. By West African standards, Ghana has a relatively diverse and rich natural resource base Minerals–principally gold, diamonds, manganese ore, and bauxite–are produced and exported. Exploration for oil and gas resources is ongoing. Timber and marine resources are important but declining resources. Agriculture remains a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-third of GDP and about 55% of formal employment. Cash crops consist primarily of cocoa and cocoa products, which typically provide about one-third of export revenue, timber products, coconuts and other palm products, shear nuts , and coffee. Ghana also has established a successful program of nontraditional agricultural products for export including pineapples, cashews, and peppers. Cassava, yams, plantains, corn, rice, peanuts, millet, and sorghum are the basic foodstuffs. Fish, poultry, and meat also are important dietary staples. Ghana’s industrial base is relatively advanced compared to many other African countries. Industries include textiles, apparel, steel (using scrap), tires, oil refining, flour milling, beverages, tobacco, simple consumer goods, and car, truck, and bus assembly. Industry, including mining, manufacturing, construction and electricity, accounts for about 25% of GDP. I strongly believe that since Ghana and Egypt have improved so vastly it is helping African Americans improve in general, the saying â€Å"We come from a long line of kings and queens is such a truthful statement if you look back on history. We have a lot of ancestry that lies within Ghana and Egypt. With the knowledge of the past it will help us to continue realize our past and bring us to terms with the future. We can reverse the process by not letting people hold us back and to not blame others. I also believe that strong knowledge of Ghana and Egypt and Mali, will also further our culture by being educated and not told how our past was. There are a lot of invention by many great African Americans that most people do not know that black inventors were behind the idea, not that is matters that a black or a white person constructed or came up with an idea for a patent, it is essential that we are have contributed just as many things if not more than any other culture. There have been so many contributions to society to western civilization and I feel it is so important that we surround our selves with knowledge of our ancestors because they worked hard to get us to the point today where we are able to vote and the possibility of a black president. The saying that we come from a long line kings and queens is so powerful because it shows you that black really is beautiful and if you retrace our ancestors you will find out that our people were just as important as kings and queens. Lewis Temple was the inventor of a whaling harpoon called the â€Å"Temple’s Toggle† and the â€Å"Temple’s Iron. † He was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1800 and arrived in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1829. He worked as a blacksmith and had lots of friends that were whaler’s who bought harpoons and had lots of conversations with them. Granville T. Wood was known as the black Edison. Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio on April 23,1856. He never finished elementary school and he worked in a machine shop at a very young age. He moved to Missouri in 1872 at the age of sixteen. By 1881 he opened a factory in Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactured telephone, telegraph and electrical equipment. He filed for his first application for a patent in 1884 for an improved steam-boiler furnace. Woods patented the† telographony ,† a combination of the telegraph and the telephone. He produced one of his most important inventions in 1887, it was called the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph. It enabled messages to be sent from moving trains and railways stations. In 1890 he set out to improve the lighting system by creating an efficient safe economical dimmer. It was safer and and resulted in 40% energy savings. Woods also created an overhead conducting system for electrical railways and the electrified third rail. By the time of his death in 1910 he had 150 patents awarded to him all together. Lewis H. L was a pioneer in the development of the electric light bulb. He was also the only black member of the Edison Pioneers, a group of inventors and scientists who worked with Thomas Edison. He was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1848 and was raised in Boston. He enlisted in the Navy and served as a cabin boy on the U. S. S Massaoitta the age of sixteen. Latimer was given the assignment to draw plans for Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone patent . In 1879 Latimer went to work as a draftsman for Hiram Maxim, who invented the machine gun and headed the electric lighting company. Latimer worked on improving the quality of the carbon filament used in the light bulb. In 1882 he received a patent for an improved process for manufacturing carbon filaments. Gerrett is best remembered for his invention of the gas mask and the three way traffic signal. Mogan was born on March 4,1875 in Paris, Kentucky. He left school after fifth grade at the age of fourteen. He left Kentucky and headed for Cincinnati, Ohio and got a job as a handy man in a sewing shop. Morgan directed his attention to the frequent instances of firemen being overcome by fumes and thick smoke when they went into burning buildings. He perfected breathing device which he patented in 1914. In 1923morgan patented an automatic traffic signal which he sold to the General Electric Company for four thousand dollars. In 1963 Garrett A. Morgan died at ht age of 88 in Cleveland, Ohio after he was ill for two years. Just to name a few ,those were a couple of major contributors to the African American culture and western civilization.