International and strategic marketing Assignment

International and strategic marketing - Assignment Example The several challenges faced over the years have also helped to propel the company into new heights. These include fierce competition from other consulting firms, the credit crunch which saw the company barely survive and the restructuring we had to do to increase efficiency and serve our clients better. The International Market After long consultations with the directors and other stakeholders, it was agreed that the company should move to another level and expand into the international market. This will be a great privilege to the company. After the marketing team completed its analysis on the first location outside the UK that the company should base its services on, we decided to take the business to Paris, France due to a number of reasons that will be outlined later. With the expansion to Paris, the company will also introduce a new product in the market. This is an area that the company has researched on and found high demand for, especially in Paris. The new product involves training programmes for International marketing. The most obvious reason as to the choice of this product is due to the fact that Paris, being a renowned historical city in the world, attracts several local and international tourists every year. The training programmes in International marketing will thus be very useful to the market. ... Secondly, new products in the market usually earn higher profits than old ones because of their unique qualities and the fact that competitors would not have caught up yet. This is especially advantageous in launching new products in new markets where such products tend to generate curiosity from the market. Thirdly, limiting the company to old products may make the company lose out on emerging markets or existing clients who eventually get bored of the same products presented in the same old ways (Husig & Kohn 2003). Seasonal variation in demand for products may mean that firms’ revenues keep fluctuating. Development of new products which are customized to be profitable during different times is one of the ways companies can use to ensure consistent revenues throughout the year. Technological advances today, especially in Information Technology have made it easy for companies to easily develop new concepts at a faster rate and with lower costs. Developing new concepts therefo re helps companies keep abreast with technological advancements (Kotler & Gray 2008). The first step undertaken included the brainstorming of ideas. Once it was made known that the company was going international, the employees in the company were very enthusiastic to pitch in ideas to help in the development of a product that would hit in the international market. Brainstorming on ideas is usually a great way to get new ideas on the table (Cateora & Graham 2002). Apart from contributions by the employees and other experts hired to do the job, clients of the company were also asked for their contribution and the feedback received was very useful. After the ideas were sifted through, the marketing department did further research on the most viable ideas and the ideas were screened. The

Grammar school Essay Example for Free

Grammar school Essay As I entered the trading post in a small border reservation community I passed two Navajo youth leaning against the wall, one leg propped behind them for support. They wore black tee-shirts, one declaring â€Å"Indian Pride on the Rise,† the other showing a heavy metal rock group â€Å"Twisted Sister. † Both wore high topped basketball shoes and hair free flowing to their shoulders. One spoke to me. â€Å"Hey, are you the lady who is talking to dropouts? You should talk to me. Im a professional dropout. † I did. And to many others. Their stories spoke of racial discrimination and rejection by teachers. â€Å"The way I see it seems like the whites  dont want to get involved with the Indians. They think were bad. We drink. Our families drink. Dirty. Ugly. And the teachers dont want to help us. They say, Oh, no, there is Another Indian asking a question because they dont understand. So we stopped asking questions. † Their stories spoke of the importance and power of families and the Navajo culture. â€Å"I go crazy worrying about my parents. They need me so us Navajo stick together. I feel kinda proud to be a Navajo. † And their stories spoke of academic and social marginalization in their classes and schools. â€Å"It was just like they wanted to put us aside, us Indians. They didnt tell us nothing about careers or things to do after high school. They didnt encourage us to go to college. They just took care of the White students. They just wanted to get rid of the Indians. † This article is about these Navajo and Ute youth who leave high school. In mainstream research the phenomenon of â€Å"dropping out† is commonly defined as an issue of individual failure (see Note 2). Youth â€Å"fail,† either academically or socially, to make it through school. The problem exists not because of deficiencies in the schools but rather because of deficiencies in individuals and families. Youth who leave school are described as deviant, dysfunctional, or deficient because of individual, family, or community characteristics. Solutions reside on remediating or changing youth and families to better â€Å"fit in. † After all, most youth do succeed in school, suggesting evidence of the school as an effective institution. This body of research ignores the barriers institutions themselves create for youth. Another line of research on dropouts has turned a critical eye towards the role the school and structural barriers play in creating the problem (see Note 3). The research reported  in this article follows this line of inquiry. A critical examination of the â€Å"place† of Navajo and Ute youth in their school and community reveals other reasons than just individual failure for â€Å"dropping out. † Structural factors restricting opportunities, in effect, â€Å"fail† youth. The decision to leave school can then be seen, in part, as a rational response to irrelevant schooling, racism, restricted political, social and economic opportunities, and the desire to maintain a culturally distinct identity. There are many similarities between Indian and other kinds of dropouts. In most  cases, the reasons for leaving school are alike. For example, nearly all dropouts say school is boring, teachers dont care, and school will not help them with what they want to do in life (LeCompte, 1987). Many come from substance abusing families. There are, however, differences between other dropouts and these Navajo and Ute school leavers that only become clear when examining the cultural context surrounding these youth. Cultural and structural factors that might be easy to overlook if only examining â€Å"student characteristics† are important in understanding why many Navajo and Ute youth leave school. Specific to this cultural framework are 1) racial and economic relations in the community and school, 2) home child-rearing patterns of non-interference and early adulthood and, 3) cultural integrity and resistance. The Data Base: Master Student List, Questionnaires and Ethnography In the fall of 1984 1 started an ethnographic study of a border reservation community. I looked at interactions, understandings, and strategies related to education, schooling, success, and failure both in and out of school, among and between three culturally distinct groups of adolescents—Anglo, Navajo, and Ute. Presented here is only one part of this ethnography, focused on school leavers. Throughout this article I use the tribal names, Navajo and Ute, in recognition of the distinctness of these two cultures. I use the term â€Å"Indian† in situations which include both Navajo and Ute for simplicity, not for stereotyping. In addition, fictitious names are used for both communities and schools. These results were produced from four data sets: 1) a master data base from school records; 2) ethnographic field notes and collected documents; 3) interviews with a  convenience sample of school leavers, and; 4) a questionnaire. In trying to determine an accurate picture of the attrition rates in this district, a data base was established to track all of the Navajo and Ute students by name who had attended Border High School (BHS) and Navajo High School (NHS) from 1980-81 to the 1988-89 school year. This master list contained attendance data, grade point averages, standardized test scores, dropout and graduation rates, community locations, current employment situations, post high school training, and type of diploma received for 1,489 youth. This list has been verified by official district records, local Navajo and Ute community members, school officials, and the youth themselves. The graduation and dropout rate in this community was determined by following â€Å"cohorts† of youth throughout their school careers. A total of 629 students forming six different cohorts, from the class of 1984 to the class of 1989, from each of the two high schools are represented with complete four year high school records. Students who took either additional years and/or completed alternative high school degrees are included in the total graduation figures.

Taoism :: essays papers

Taoism It is always present in you. You can use it anyway you want. Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. The other philosophy native to China is Confucianism. Both Taoism and Confucianism began at about the same time, around the sixth century B.C. China's third great religion, Buddhism, came to China from India around the second century of the common era. Together, these three faiths have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-five hundred years. One dominate concept in Taoism and Buddhism is the belief in some form of reincarnation. The idea that life does not end when one dies is an integral part of these religions and the culture of the Chinese people. Although not accepted by our beliefs, its understanding helps build strength in our own religion. Reincarnation, life after death, beliefs are not standardized between the religions. Each religion has a different way of applying this concept to its beliefs. Ignorance of these beliefs is a sign of weakness in the mind. To truly understand ones own religion, one must also understand those concepts of the other religions of the world. Hopefully this will be an enlightenment on the reincarnation concepts as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism. The goal in Taoism is to achieve tao, to find the way. Tao is the ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the world and everything in it. Tao is sometimes identified as the Mother, or the source of all things. That source is not a god or a supreme being as with Christians, for Taoism is not monotheistic. The focus is not to worship one god, but instead on coming into harmony with tao. Tao is the essence of everything that is right, and complications exist only because people choose to complicate their own lives. Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as hindrances to a harmonious life. It is only when one rids himself of all desires can tao be achieved. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is able to concentrate on life itself. The longer the one's life, the closer to tao one is presumed to have become. Eventually the hope is to become immortal, to achieve tao, to have reached the deeper life. This is the afterlife for a Taoist -- to be in harmony with the universe. To understand the relationship between life and the Taoism concept

How Does the Early Mobile Phone Compare to those of the 21st Century? Essay

Nowadays, the usage of mobile phones is one of the most common practices that everyone indulges in and this is regardless of the age group or ethnical background to which the person belongs to (Cooper, 2003, n. p. ). Undeniably, mobile phones or cellular phones are tools in our modern world that has changed the way by which humans accomplish their day-to-day tasks. Moreover, further affirmation of the importance of mobile phones in our lives today is evident in the wide variability of the mobile phones that can be found in the market (Cooper, 2003, n. p. ). However, prior to the development of these modern type of mobile phones, these man-made gadgets have undergone rigorous and numerous alterations over the past years (Cooper, 2003, n. p. ). In connection to this, the objective of this essay is to discuss the changes that these products have experienced over the past few decades by utilizing a compare-and-contrast strategy to illustrate the difference between early mobile phones and the wireless phones of the 21st century. The era of mobile phones has started with the introduction of radiotelephones for military purposes which are found in ships, aircraft and military vehicles during the 1940s (Connected Earth, 2010, n. p. ). This was actually the time when telephones were used to pass information from one military camp to another in order to hasten the military operations (Connected Earth, 2010, n. p. ). Potential usage of telephones for commercial uses were introduced in 1947 when a taxi company in Cambridge has availed themselves mobile services in order to improve their service to the passengers and improve the profit input for their companies (Connected Earth, 2010, n. p. ). From then on, the mobile industry has continued to develop in order to become one of the most dynamic industries this world has ever known (Connected Earth, 2010, n. p. ). One of the greatest parameters of the advancements that this industry has encountered is seen on the features of the early mobile phones. It was said that a concept of a mobile phone in the early parts of the 1980s meant that a person was carrying a very big suitcase with a lot of electronic devices and wires inside it and is also characterized by the presence of about three-foot steel antenna that was drilled through the suitcase (as cited by Gow & Smith, 2006, pg. 22). By analysis, it can be said that the early mobile phones provide a perception of a non-easy-to-carry devices and this evident in the features and characteristics of the first and second generation cell phones (Memebridge, 2010, n. p. ). First generation cell phones was represented by the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, considered to be the first portable mobile phone, which had the following characteristics: 28 ounces in weight, dimensions of 13 x 1. 75 x 3. 5, and physical features resembling a brick (Memebridge, 2010, n. p. ). Second generation cell phones, on the other hand, was highlighted by the replacement of analog system frequencies, about 100 to 200 grams, handheld and portable, and were significantly smaller than the first generation mobile phones (Memebridge, 2010, n. p. ). Third generation mobile phones are the type of the present cell phones that we have today (Memebridge, 2010, n. p. ). These mobile phones are characterized by the presence of all of the basic features that were developed from the first and second generation cell phones plus the addition of a number of practical features (Siegel, 2010, n. p. ). Mobile phones of the 21st century do not only serve communication purposes but are also being used to connect to the internet, chat with friends, take pictures and videos, watch your favorite television program, and even use it as a replacement of a computer (Siegel, 2010, n. p. ). These additional features of the modern cell phones have actually revolutionize the lifestyle of man. In addition to these purposes, modern cell phones can be used to save the lives of people who are endanger and this is seen on the events when a person who has encountered an accident uses his or her cell phone to dial emergency services (Siegel, 2010, n. p. ). Consequently, it can be said that cell phones have indeed progressed from being brick-like, heavy, and inconvenient tools to light weight, hand held and multipurpose equipments for communication. In general, it can be said that the greatest comparison of early mobile phones to cell phones of the 21st century lies in the dimensions of the cell phone, physical features, ease of communication rate, and general usability to the person. List of References Connected Earth. (2010). The origins of mobile. Retrieved 06 May 2010, from http://www. connected- earth. com/galleries/frombuttonstobytes/mobilecommunications/theoriginsofmobile/ Cooper, M. (2003). History of cell phone. Retrieved 06 May 2010, from http://inventors. about. com/cs/inventorsalphabet/a/martin_cooper. htm Gow, G. A. & Smith, R. K. (2006). Mobile and Wireless Communication: An Introduction. USA: Mc-Graw Hill Ed. Siegel, A. (2010). Modern cell phones are more than just talk. Ezine articles. Memebridge. (2010). History of cell phones. Retrieved 06 May 2010, from http://www. historyofcellphones. net/

American Romanticism

The Literary movement and story I decided to choose was American Romanticism, and â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne. American Romanticism is a literary period in American Literature that lasted from sass to sass. The movement itself started off as an offshoot of the European Romanticism artistic movement, â€Å"It arose as a reaction to the formal orthodoxy and Neoclassicism of the preceding period. It is marked by a freedom from the authority, forms, and conventions typical in Neoclassical literature.It replaced the neoclassic emphasis on reason with its own emphasis on the imagination and emotions, and the neoclassic emphasis on authority with an emphasis on individuality, which places the individual at the center of all life†(Cooperate). The American Romanticism movement began after the Revolutionary war ended when America wanted to separate themselves from Britain and the European form of Romanticism. American authors wanted to separate themselves from Bri tain and Europe because they wanted to be their own country and not looked at like the â€Å"little brother† country.One quote that shows that America wanted independence from Britain and Europe is, â€Å"It emerged within the United States after the Revolutionary ar when it was connected with the aspiration to forge a distinctive cultural identity correlative with the revolutions unprecedented political and social achievements†(Pease). If it was not for the Romanticism movement in Europe, and Britain, and the Revolutionary war, America would not have had the important American Romanticism literary movement.Many of the early authors who started the American Romanticism movement had close ties to the European form of Romanticism. There was two generation of American Romanticism authors, the first generation of authors were William Bryant, Henry Headwords, Henry Longfellow, James Cooper, and Catherine Sedgwick. The movement itself is about expressing individuality, emoti ons, and creativity which caused Americans to write about the American wilderness, science, and other creative ideas that tapped into their heads.American Romanticism has many major themes, some are highly imaginative and subjective, Emotion intensity, Escapism, common man as the hero, and nature as a refuge or source of knowledge. The second generation of American Romanticism authors were had a few very well known authors that started the movement like Nathaniel Hawthorn, Edgar Allen Poe, Ralph Wald Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller and, and Herman Melville. The authors were to separate themselves from the European movement, â€Å"Their representation of the new nation as basically innocent and purged of old world vices†(Pease).The authors also wrote stories about the conflicts of exploring nature. The second generation of authors wrote short stories, and books about exploring nature, philosophy, and the conflicts of science which made them different than the fir st generation of authors. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 and died in 1864. The famous author as born in Salem Massachusetts into a family whose ancestors were among the earliest of settlers. Hawthorne was born into a Puritan family, which meaner he was raised in a very strict lifestyle.After Hawthorne father died in a boating accident, Hawthorne and his mother then moved to Maine to live and work on a farm, â€Å"Hawthorne was the son of a sea captain when Nathaniel was four years old†(The Columbia Encyclopedia). When Hawthorne was nine years old, he suffered a severe injury leaving him hurt and immobile for three years, and this is when it was made clear that Hawthorne loved to read and write. Since Hawthorne could not move because of his injury, he started to read and write major, and he decided to become an author.Hawthorne attended Bowdon College from 1821, to 1825, and after graduating from Bowdon College Hawthorne decided to follow his dreams to publish an d write short stories, and novels. His first story he published was â€Å"The Collection Twice-Todd Tales†, published in 1837, and was found to be liked by Hawthorne, and only Hawthorne. After failing miserably, and having no confidence, Hawthorne got a Job at the U. S. Custom center house in Boston. Hawthorne only spent two years working at the center house to save money to move to Broke Farm for six months.In 1842 Nathaniel Hawthorne married Sophie Peabody who was familiar with Emerson, Thoreau, and Margaret Fullers writings. The married couple then moved to Concord where Hawthorne wrote â€Å"Mosses From the Old Manse,† then to Salem where he wrote his best known book, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter. † In these books Hawthorne started using his own themes and styles of writing, â€Å"Set in the 17th Century Puritan New England, the novel delves deeply in the human heart, presenting the problems of moral evil and guilt through allegory and symbolism.It is often con sidered the first American psychological novel. â€Å"(The Columbia Encyclopedia) What made Hawthorn's stories beautiful was every character had a different drive to find their destinies than any other stories published in the American Romanticism movement. Many of Hawthorne' short stories showed themes of ironic consequences, and how the desire for perfection can turn out very badly. Hawthorne would start the story of by showing the readers the characters doing something good, but the characters would always end up in bad situations.A short story that shows irony, and how Hawthorn's characters end up in bad situations is called â€Å"The Birthmark. † â€Å"The Birthmark† is about a scientist named Laymen who decided to leave science for spiritual reasons. â€Å"It was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of a women†(Hawthorne 215). Laymen persuades a beautiful woman, who all the guys chase, to marry him. While he was married to Georgian, Layme n found the most slightest imperfection on her face, a birthmark annoying and ugly. Georgian was perfect except for the birthmark on her face that resembled a hand.The birthmark on Georgians face made Laymen think that she was not perfect, while the est. of the guys thought she was perfect besides the fact she had a birthmark that resembled a hand on her cheek. Laymen wanted to change Georgians imperfection through science because he wanted to â€Å"perfect† his wife. No matter the consequences Laymen wanted to challenge nature with science, and also change the culture. Laymen makes a potion that Georgian drink that makes the birthmark on her face start to disappear, but as the birthmark starts to disappear Georgian passes away.Georgian passes away because the birthmark on her face was the only thing that made her human, and peeping her in the human world because perfection cannot be obtained in a human, and without the birthmark on the cheek she was not human anymore. In Ala meda addiction for perfection, he lost his beautiful wife, and before he could think twice about what he did, Georgian was dead. This was very ironic because Laymen wanted to do something good by taking away the birthmark on her face, but ends up killing her on accident In American Romanticism some themes included culture of some form, nature, science, or the nature of perfecting something.Hawthorn's story â€Å"The Birthmark† wows how a man tries to perfect nature, but does not realize the consequences there was to trying to perfect something that cannot be perfected. Throughout the story Laymen was obsessing over Georgians birthmark, while other men of the story were saying how perfect she was with the birthmark, â€Å"If she were my wife, old never part with that birthmark† (Hawthorne 219). I believe that Hawthorne is trying to say that nothing is made to be perfect, so one should not try to perfect things that should not be perfected.I feel as though Hawthorne fath er dying is the reason behind some of the important deaths in his stories. Hawthorne writes about nature because it is something he has been interested in, and was a theme of American Romanticism. Hawthorne showed some other themes in â€Å"The Birthmark† like nature, science, the pursuit of perfection. Laymen was a scientist that wanted to perfect nature, even when more than half of his experiments have failed, he still tried to take the birthmark off of his beautiful wife's cheek.Laymen strives to get the birthmark off of Georgians cheek so much that he started to have dreams about ripping out her heart because he was obsessing over trying to perfect nature. Throughout the story it wows that Georgian Just wanted to please Laymen even though she thought that her birthmark resembled her, and all the guys loved it. Since Laymen started obsessing over the birthmark and hating it, this made Georgian start to hate the birthmark herself too, even though she knows that other men in the world find her birthmark beautiful.Since Laymen was being selfish and Just thinking about himself and perfecting nature he lost love, and his wife Georgian. In â€Å"The Birthmark† there is a spot in the story where Laymen obsesses over the birthmark on Georgians cheek so much, that he had a dream where he ripped out ere heart, â€Å"Laymen now remembered his dream. He had fancied himself with Indaba, attempting an operation for the removal of the birthmark.But deeper went the knife, the deeper sank the hand, until at length its tiny grasps appeared to have caught a hold of Georgians heart; whence however, her husband was inexorably resolved to cut it or wrench it away'(Hawthorne 217). I feel like this shows that no matter what Laymen did, he needed to take the birthmark off of Georgians face, even if that did mean he would have to take out her heart to do so. What Hawthorne is trying to say in his story is that not one man in the world could perfect tauter, and one sho uld not try because no one knows the consequences of doing so.Nathaniel Hawthorn's story â€Å"The Birthmark† showed themes of American Romanticism by showing how culture and nature are different. Hawthorne shows that Laymen wanted to perfect nature, even when nature did not want to be perfected. â€Å"The Birthmark shows how no one can control, and perfect nature without having dire consequences that could end up killing people. You can see how events in Hawthorn's life effected his writing, and how it influenced his publication in the American Romanticism movement. American Romanticism The American writers tried to figure out what ‘American’ could mean—they were out to find a unique personality, a separate identity to the American literature, and the way of life, that was distinctly American and not British. This struggle fired them and took them to the portals of creativity. Their vision was to outgrow the concepts of guilt, evil, salvation, providential aspects of Puritanism, and search about the fiery rhetoric of equality and freedom. In the glorious years of 1850-1855, emerged writers like Emerson. The materialistic approach unavoidable in the circumstances then prevailing cost America the mind and the spirit.To blend 150 communities into a Nation was not an ordinary job. Writers like Emerson, moved away from the influences of stern dogmas and looked out for new spiritual roots. Materialistic theories for education were resisted. Truth is a matter of intuition and individual experience, and it transcends the borders of reason. Human beings n eed to follow the dynamic spirit, without destructive approach. Good literature must not go by the rules and it should appeal to the heart. To such writers Christ in the heart was more important than the cross on the neck!The ideas of Cultural Revolution became popular, even though many did not understand its exact definition and implications. The ‘clash’ of writes of the time continued; they influenced each other, though each denied such influence to assert their right as romantic individualists. Poe (who died in 1849) wrote about Emerson in his works, Emerson bought his writings to a creative boil etc. The hero of American Romanticism was Emerson, the literary giant, who kindled the creative fires in his time. He touched all the sensitive parts of the American psyche. The sentiments of an individual on the same topic vary from time to time.An authentic quality about thinkers and genuine writers is that they are willing to think; give room to accommodate; willing to ac cept, when necessary and reject outright, when required to do so. Emerson’s ‘Moral Sentiment’ and Poe’s ‘Poetic Sentiment’ often clash. Emerson viewed Poe as a man of dissipation. This is just short of telling that he is an evil-incarnation. He also considered Poe as a man of stern reasons, without heart. Poe was the genius of imaginative literature, but he lacked humanity, so essential for the standard of living and standard of life of the society.The evil influences of Satan in the writings of Poe were seen by many contemporary writers, including Emerson. Soon other writers began to narrow down the margin of difference between the writings of Emerson and Poe. The gap between Poe’s â€Å"poetic sentiment† and Emerson’s â€Å"moral sentiment† was much narrower. Critics created such a controversy and erected artificial barriers without going into the merits of the case. The spirit of the age to which the poets and wr iters live counts a lot and it has profound influence on their writings. The ‘generation gap.’ in the wide sense does the trick. Also, their ideas on relationship between art and morality, were actually of little consequence, once the influence of time-element is deleted from their views and writings. Viewed impartially, Emerson’s â€Å"Moral Sentiment' and Poe's â€Å"Poetic Sentiment† are the alternative beats of the same heart. Both wish to transcend the borders of reason, as they are aware that the bliss of truth is available for experiencing only when the last hurdle of the mind is crossed. Experience divinity through moral sentiment or poetic sentiment—it is one and the same!It is reasonable to assume that once they reach the ‘beyond the mind’ state, the poetic sentiments and the moral sentiments merge, because in essence, they are one and the same. The mind level critics can not understand Emerson or Poe! Their position is like the Surgeon in the allegory! He once questioned a Realized Soul, â€Å"Revered Master, I am a surgeon of international reputation. In the course of my professional duties, I have cut each and every part of the human body. But I haven’t seen your God anywhere! † â€Å"Is it so? † asked the Realized Soul, â€Å"Then you must have at least come across human emotions like love, anger, greed, etc.when you performed those operations! †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The perplexed Surgeon said, â€Å"These are mind-level emotions. How can one see them? † Now it was the turn of the Realized Soul to deliver the clincher. He said, â€Å"You are unable to see the emotions, which belong to the domain of mind. How can you see God, for experiencing whom, you need to transcend the borders of mind and enter the realm of divinity? † In fact, both Poe and Emerson wrote from the level of progression of their minds, and the time-element played an important role, as they tried to give the verbatim report of their intuitive experiences.Even the narrowest differences at the highest level become wide disagreements. It is not correct to conclude that Poe and Emerson always thought on identical lines. Apart from the above two sentiments, there are wide, irreconcilable differences between the two. Art takes the secondary position as far as Emerson is concerned. His main concern is Over-Soul. Art is just means to an end. For Poe, it is the end in itself. While asserting thus, he touches the portals of spiritual realm, but refuses to cross the last barrier of the mind.Perhaps it is this search for eternal truth that kindles the curiosity of Poe to create romantic hero like Auguste Dupin Poe is the undisputed ancestor of a detective genre of stories. The search in a fiction and real search in individual lives invite comparison. The reason for crime-perpetration (evil) is the age-old investigative querry of humanity. His detective story â€Å"The Murder in the Rue Morgueà ¢â‚¬  (1841) is the case in point. In this story Poe describes about the same pairs of opposites that govern and dominate human life, good and evil, which are important biblical subjects.Even today Dupin is the most admired and popular detective character. The most important asset of Dupin is his capacity for observation and ability to draw correct conclusions. His analytical mind was his natural gift which he used intelligently to arrive at decisions. Poe created this unique character when the detective genre of literature did not exist. One can observe similarities between the traits of seeker of truth and the detective Dupin who wishes to get at the truth of complicated issues. The time-element and the historical background have the dominant influence on the writings of an author.Viewed from this angle Emerson belonged to the volatile time of the American History, when the American society was going through convulsions. Such situations fire the mind of a creative author. Emerson has been hailed as the greatest prose writer of this century. There are solid grounds why Emerson’s essays are all-time greats. Such writing is possible for a brilliant mind, one who has the warm-heart and above all, one who has touched, and at times crossed the borders of reason-transcended the mind-barrier to enter the portals of divinity. He has definitely experienced the flashes of divinity within him!The sum and substance of his essays is– life is to be lived in its trials and tribulations its duty and beauty with total respect and surrender for the Over-Soul that looks after the smallest and biggest actions and aspirations of an individual. Don’t seek concession, but make relentless efforts for Self-Realization, argues Emerson. The important themes depicted in Emerson’s ‘Circles’, are too profound for the ordinary mind to comprehend. Theme number one is, there are no fixed points and the second one, that the key to every man is his tho ughts.The import of the first point can be understood not by intellectuals but by the spiritually-oriented. The concept is equivalent to that of Maya (a Sanskrit word, roughly translated-illusion) of the Advaita (Non-dualism) Philosophy of the East, more specifically India! By arguments and counter-arguments, this point can not be proved, and therefore the rationalistic mind would not accept this. For example, when Bertrand Russell said, â€Å"Mental fear creates God,† it actually doesn’t make any difference to God! Russell is speaking from his mental level.Emerson, talking about the essential and real nature of things can be explained through an example: Howsoever powerful and big may be the waves in an ocean, their essential nature is mere water! Mind is nothing but the bundle of thoughts. When the thought process is changed, the action process is also changed. When the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed, when the mind is changed; the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed. There are inconsistencies in our perception and in our capacities for articulating ideas—this is bound to happen.Everyone speaks from the level of his progression, as cited in the example of Bertrand Russell, above. Such capacity is inborn as well as acquired. When Poe posits the figure of Auguste Dupin, whose perspective appears to supersede all partial perceptions, one needs to understand that he is thinking from the level of his perceptions about life. That can’t be and need not be truth. Poe’s conception of final intelligence is comparable with Emerson’s assertion that such finality is unattainable through the process and methods of intelligence and reason.That is the transcendental experience to be experienced, and no words can describe it for understanding by the masses. It is the level of unspeakable truth. It is the sweetest sound —the silence within! Auguste Dupin is an analytical genius. How come he became the genius? What is the secret behind his extraordinary abilities? Dupin lives in isolation, he is a completely detached individual, and this detachment gives him the extra power of close observation and he comes to correct conclusions. Police are in the middle of everything and are habituated to work in noise pollution (of the mind?) But Dupin works in ‘silence. ’ By depicting this style for working, Poe castigates the various social institutions, which are incapable of providing proper facilities and full justice to the people. Dupin is not attached to anybody and he is working without the motivated desires. =============== References Cited: Emerson, Ralph Waldo: Essays & Poems Emerson (Everyman's Library) Publisher: Orion Publishing Group, Ltd. (March 15, 1995) Poe, Edgar Allan: Thompson G. R. (Editor): The Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe (Norton Critical Editions) Publisher: W. W. Norton; 1st edition (April 2004)

Crystal Definition, Examples, and Common Types

Crystal Definition, Examples, and Common Types A crystal consists of matter that is formed from an ordered arrangement of atoms, molecules, or ions. The lattice that forms extends out in three-dimensions. Because there are repeated units, crystals have recognizable structures. Large crystals display flat regions (faces) and well-defined angles. Crystals with obvious flat faces are called euhedral crystals, while those lacking defined faces are called anhedral crystals. Crystals consisting of ordered arrays of atoms that arent always periodic are called quasicrystals. The word crystal comes from the Ancient Greek word krustallos, which means both rock crystal and ice. The scientific study of crystals is called crystallography. Examples of Crystals Examples of everyday materials you encounter as crystals are table salt (sodium chloride or halite crystals), sugar (sucrose), and snowflakes. Many gemstones are crystals, including quartz and diamond. There are also many materials that resemble crystals but are actually polycrystals. Polycrystals form when microscopic crystals fuse together to form a solid. These materials do not consist of ordered lattices. Examples of polycrystals include ice, many metal samples, and ceramics. Even less structure is displayed by amorphous solids, which have disordered internal structure. An example of an amorphous solid is glass, which may resemble a crystal when faceted, yet isnt one. Chemical Bonds in Crystals The types of chemical bonds formed between atoms or groups of atoms in crystals depend on their size and electronegativity. There are four categories of crystals as grouped by their bonding: Covalent Crystals - Atoms in covalent crystals are linked by covalent bonds. Pure nonmetals form covalent crystals (e.g., diamond) as do covalent compounds (e.g., zinc sulfide).Molecular Crystals - Entire molecules are bonded to each other in an organized manner. A good example is a sugar crystal, which contains sucrose molecules.Metallic Crystals - Metals often form metallic crystals, where some of the valence electrons are free to move throughout the lattice. Iron, for example, can form different metallic crystals.Ionic Crystals - Electrostatic forces form ionic bonds. A classic example is a halite or salt crystal. Crystal Lattices There are seven systems of crystal structures, which are also called  lattices  or space lattices: Cubic or Isometric - This shape includes octahedrons and dodecahedrons as well as cubes.Tetragonal - These crystals form prisms and double pyramids. The structure is like a cubic crystal, except one axis is longer than the other.Orthorhombic - These are rhombic prisms and dipyramids that resemble tetragons but without square cross-sections.Hexagonal - Six-sided prisms with a hexagon cross section.Trigonal - These crystals have a 3-fold axis.Triclinic - Triclinic crystals tend not to be symmetrical.Monoclinic - These crystals resemble skewed tetragonal shapes. Lattices may have one lattice point per cell or more than one, yielding a total of 14 Bravais crystal lattice types. Bravais lattices, named for physicist and crystallographer Auguste Bravais, describe the three-dimensional array made by a set of discrete points. A substance may form more than one crystal lattice. For example, water can form hexagonal ice (such as snowflakes), cubic ice, and rhombohedral ice. It can also form amorphous ice. Carbon can form diamond (cubic lattice) and graphite (hexagonal lattice). How Crystals Form The process of forming a crystal is called crystallization. Crystallization commonly occurs when a solid crystal grows from a liquid or solution. As a hot solution cools or a saturated solution evaporates, particles draw close enough for chemical bonds to form. Crystals can also form from deposition directly from the gas phase. Liquid crystals possess particles oriented in an organized manner, like solid crystals, yet able to flow.

What is the Worst Song in the World

What is the Worst Song in the World The Worst Song in the World The Era of Good Music The 20th century blessed the world with so much great music – from jazz to blues, rock, and roll to funk. That may not be a case with 21st-century music, but that’s another story altogether. Last century was a revolutionary time in western culture, as well as other parts of the world, and it produced some extraordinary art, including music. However, not everything produced was solid-gold music. Just look at John Mellencamp’s 1985 hit â€Å"Small Town.† It is easily one of the worst songs ever made. Not only is the song a big let down, it’s also repetitive, and it’s glorifying small-town mentalities, lifestyles and limitations almost to the point of condescension. In no way, shape or form is the song a good one; rather, it is surely one that should never be played or listened to ever again on the public radio. Guitar Rhythm Going Nowhere For starters, â€Å"Small Town† could be considered the worst song in the world because it’s one big disappointment after another. It’s a catchy intro, the guitar rhythm, but it seems to go nowhere. It illustrates that silly, simple drumbeat typical of music from the 1980s, which is all just terrible; except for anything by bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan, which is absolutely excellent. But Mellencamp’s â€Å"Small Town† is just a small-minded song that is barely a song. It’s mostly a bunch of shoddy lyrics backed by even lamer music. It’s the worst song in the world, and it clearly was an expedient effort to get paid. Secondly, and most importantly, it’s the worst song in the world because it can drive anyone nuts with its mindless repetition. It lacks creativity, originality, and diversity. In just seven stanzas – it has six four-line stanzas, and one five-line stanza – Mellencamp says the world â€Å"small town† 17 times – again, 17 times! It’s so annoyingly redundant that the listener has no choice but to anticipate him saying it, almost to the point of an anguishing dread. Some of the better songs have diverse choruses, interesting phrases. But, no, Mellencamp went a different route. How it reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart is surely a mystery that no cultural expert or art critic could explain. If anything, it alludes to the sheer idiocy of the 1980s – with its hair-metal bands, outlandish behavior, and working-class sensationalism. Too Depressive Song Thirdly, that latter point brings up another reason why â€Å"Small Town† is so horrible, probably one of the worst songs ever made: It clearly is pandering to a demographic – the small-town natives with their small-town mentalities – that it’s more depressing than encouraging. In the second stanza, he sings, â€Å"All my friends are so small town/My parents live in the same small town/My job is so small town.† Now it’s quite a challenge to look beyond the sheer, mindless redundancy of the lyrics, but he sings like he is celebrating the small-town life while making fun of it. He is a sort of condescending. And yet, Mellencamp left the â€Å"small town† to become a â€Å"big† star. In a sense, he is making fun of the dumb people buying his album, who thinks he is glorifying them and their lifestyles. But that is not the case. It is essentially Mellencamp catering to this poor, working-class demographic, knowing he can easily get them to buy his new album. It’s basically marketing at its finest, a business effort to make money. Only, art and music are these beautiful gifts that should never be used as tools to merely make money. â€Å"Small Town† did just that, and it should not be considered a good song. It should be seen as one of the worst songs – if not the worst song – ever made. To conclude, every time Mellencamp hears â€Å"Small Town† on the radio, he probably cringes, lights a cigarette and promptly changes the station. In fact, he has likely removed every single radio his family owns, whether in cars, unused rooms, everywhere that could house a radio, and replace them all with iPods of only his greatest hits. â€Å"Small Town,† because of its disappointing, repetitive, trolling, sold-out nature, is assuredly the worst song on the face of the Earth. It should be banned from universities, public libraries, and hospitals. It has no place in American culture, no place in the lives of hard-working, decently intelligent people – and we should make sure children grow up never hearing of such a terrible, soul-sucking song.

The Site Formation Processes in Archaeology

The Site Formation Processes in Archaeology Site Formation Processes- or more simply formation processes- refers to the events that created and affected an archaeological site before, during, and after its occupation by humans. To gain the best possible understanding of an archaeological site, researchers collect evidence of the natural and cultural events that happened there. A good metaphor for an archaeological site is a palimpsest, a medieval manuscript that has been written on, erased and written over, again and again, and again. Archaeological sites are the remains of human behaviors, stone tools, house foundations, and garbage piles, left behind after the occupants leave. However, each site was created in a specific environment- lakeshore, mountainside, cave, grassy plain. Each site was used and modified by the occupants- fires, houses, roads, cemeteries were built; farm fields were manured and plowed; feasts were held. Each site was eventually abandoned- as a result of climate change, flooding, disease. By the time the archaeologist arrives, the sites have lain abandoned for years or millennia, exposed to weather, animal burrowing, and human borrowing of the materials left behind. Site formation processes include all of that and quite a bit more. Natural Transforms As you might imagine, the nature and intensity of events that occurred at a site are highly variable. Archaeologist Michael B. Schiffer was the first to clearly articulate the concept in the 1980s, and he broadly divided site formations into the two major categories at work, natural and cultural transforms. Natural transforms are ongoing, and can be assigned to one of several broad categories; cultural ones can end, at abandonment or burial, but are infinite or close to it in their variety. Changes to a site caused by nature (Schiffer abbreviated them as N-Transforms) depend on the age of the site, the local climate (past and present), the location and setting, and the type and complexity of occupation. At prehistoric hunter-gatherer occupations, nature is the primary complicating element: mobile hunter-gatherers modify less of their local environment than do villagers or city dwellers. Types of Natural Transforms View of Point of Arches on the Ozette Reservation North of Cape Alava. John Fowler Pedogenesis, or the modification of mineral soils to incorporate organic elements, is an ongoing natural process. Soils constantly form and reform on exposed natural sediments, on human-made deposits, or on previously formed soils. Pedogenesis causes changes in color, texture, composition, and structure: in some cases, it creates immensely fertile soils such as terra preta, and Roman and medieval urban dark earth. Bioturbation, disturbance by plant, animal and insect life, is particularly difficult to account for, as shown by a number of experimental studies, most memorably with Barbara Boceks study of pocket gophers. She discovered that pocket gophers can repopulate the artifacts in a 1x2 meter pit backfilled by clean sand in the space of seven years. Site burial, the burial of a site by any number of natural forces, can have a positive effect on site preservation. Only a handful of cases are as well-preserved as the Roman site Pompeii: the Makah village of Ozette in Washington state in the US was buried by a mudflow about 1500 AD; the Maya site Joya de Ceren in El Salvador by ash deposits about 595 AD. More commonly, the flow of high- or low-energy water sources, lakes, rivers, streams, washes, disturb and/or bury archaeological sites. Chemical modifications are also a factor in site preservation. These include cementation of deposits by carbonate from groundwater, or iron precipitation/dissolution or diagenetic destruction of bone and organic materials; and the creation of secondary materials such as phosphates, carbonates, sulfates, and nitrates. Anthropogenic or Cultural Transforms The Pompeii of North America, Joya de Ceren, was buried in a volcanic eruption in August 595 CE. Ed Nellis Cultural transforms (C-Transforms) are far more complicated than natural transforms because they consist of a potentially infinite variety of activities. People build up (walls, plazas, kilns), dig down (trenches, wells, privies), set fires, plow and manure fields, and, worst of all (from an archaeological point of view) clean up after themselves. Investigating Site Formation To get a handle on all of these natural and cultural activities in the past that have blurred the site, archaeologists rely on an ever-growing group of research tools: the primary one is geoarchaeology. Geoarchaeology is a science allied with both physical geography and archaeology: it is concerned with understanding the physical setting of a site, including its position in the landscape, types of bedrock and Quaternary deposits, and the types of soils and sediments within and outside of the site. Geoarchaeological techniques are often carried out with the aid of satellite and aerial photography, maps (topographic, geological, soil survey, historical), as well as the suite of geophysical techniques such as magnetometry. Geoarchaeological Field Methods In the field, the geoarchaeologist conducts systematic description of cross-sections and profiles, to reconstruct stratigraphic events, their vertical and lateral variations, in and outside of the context of archaeological remains. Sometimes, geoarchaeological field units are placed off-site, in locations where lithostratigraphic and pedological evidence can be collected. The geoarchaeologist studies the site surroundings, description and stratigraphic correlation of the natural and cultural units, as well as sampling in the field for later micromorphological analysis and dating. Some studies collect blocks of intact soils, vertical and horizontal samples from their investigations, to take back to the laboratory where more controlled processing can be conducted than in the field. Grain size analysis and more recently soil micromorphological techniques, including thin section analysis of undisturbed sediments, are conducted using a petrological microscope, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray analyses such as microprobe and x-ray diffraction, and Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. Bulk chemical (organic matter, phosphate, trace elements) and physical (density, magnetic susceptibility) analyses are used to incorporate or determine individual processes. Formation Process Studies Restudy of Mesolithic sites in Sudan excavated in the 1940s was conducted using modern techniques. The 1940s archaeologists commented that aridity had affected the sites so badly that there was no evidence of hearths or buildings or even post-holes of buildings. The new study applied micromorphological techniques and they were able to discern evidence of all of these types of features at the sites (Salvatori and colleagues). Deep-water shipwreck (defined as shipwrecks more than 60 meters deep) site formation processes have shown that the deposit of a shipwreck is a function of heading, speed, time, and water depth and can be predicted and measured using a set basic of equations (Church). Formation process studies at the 2nd century BC Sardinian site of Pauli Stincus revealed evidence of agricultural methods, including the use of a sodbuster and slash and burn farming (Nicosia and colleagues). The microenvironments of Neolithic lake dwellings in northern Greece were studied, revealing a previously unidentified response to rising and falling lake levels, with the residents building on platforms on stilts or directly on the ground as needed (Karkanas and colleagues). Sources Aubry, Thierry, et al. Palaeoenvironmental Forcing During the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic Transition in Central-Western Portugal. Quaternary Research 75.1 (2011): 66-79. Print. Bertran, Pascal, et al. Experimental Archaeology in a Mid-Latitude Periglacial Context: Insight into Site Formation and Taphonomic Processes. Journal of Archaeological Science 57 (2015): 283-301. Print. Bocek, Barbara. The Jasper Ridge . American Antiquity 57.2 (1992): 261-69. Print.Reexcavation Experiment:Â  Rates of Artifact Mixing by Rodents Church, Robert A. Deep-Water Shipwreck Initial Site Formation: The Equation of Site Distribution. Journal of Maritime Archaeology 9.1 (2014): 27-40. Print. Ismail-Meyer, Kristin, Philippe Rentzel, and Philipp Wiemann. Neolithic Lakeshore Settlements in Switzerland: New Insights on Site Formation Processes from Micromorphology. Geoarchaeology 28.4 (2013): 317-39. Print. Linstdter, J., et al. Chronostratigraphy, Site Formation Processes and Pollen Record of Ifri Netsedda, Ne Morocco. Quaternary International 410, Part A (2016): 6-29. Print. Nicosia, Cristiano, et al. Land Use History and Site Formation Processes at the Punic Site of Pauli Stincus in West Central Sardinia. Geoarchaeology 28.4 (2013): 373-93. Print.

The Shoe Shop Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Shoe Shop - Case Study Example The shoe industry, together with the apparel and accessories sectors posts increases in total turnover in the past year which shows the increasing demand and market for these products. The creation and operation of The Shoe Shop which will commence on January 2008 is another quest to provide products for this profitable market. The price of shoes in London is highly dependent on the strategies employed by the different industry players (BFA 2007). Business organizations which employ differentiation and niche strategies enhance the image of their brands by putting a high margin in their shoe products. A good example of this is Russell and Bromley where a pair of women's shoes can cost up to '200.00 (Russell and Bromley 2007). On the other hand mid-priced companies charge from '40 to '90 for a pair of shoes. Shoe manufacturers who are utilizing cost leadership strategies can price more competitively at less than '30. Ben Sherman can price as low as '15 for a pair of women's shoes. These pricing strategies of the competitors in the market together with the survey conducted to determine the target consumers' preferences become the primary bases of The Shoe Shop's proposed pricing strategies. The pricing strategy of a business organization is one of the key elements to its success and even mere survival in the industry where it operates (Kotler 2005). In this consideration, The Shoe Shop formulates its pricing strategy as a way to efficiently generate the maximum profit available. The main aim of the pricing strategy is to cover all the company's efforts in production and other activities, provide ample margin for profits, build the hip image that the company desires, and generate enough demand by pricing competitively and at par with other industry players. In order to determine the pricing strategy, the market research department of the shoe shop conducted a survey which is geared in appropriate rice for a pair of shoes. Considering the target market of The Shoe Shop, the survey was participated by both men and women whose age ranges from 18-35 years old. The market research department concluded that within this age range, consumers are very much concerned about their image and prefer products which express what is hip and trendy. They are willing to pay more for image but most will not spend more than '92.00 for a pair of shoes. Thus, with this consideration, The Shoe Shop will price a pair of shoes in its product line for '70.00. III. Per Unit Cost Statement The costs associated with the production and marketing of the company's shoes generally has a variable and fixed component. The variable costs are direct materials and direct labor both of which can be directly traced to the individual shoes being manufactured. Even though the sizes and design of the shoes vary, the company's direct material cost '27.25 for each pair. Direct labour is 1.25 hours and employees are paid '15.00 per hour of labor. In terms of indirect costs, The Shoe Shop pays a monthly overhead of '7,500. The manufacturing department together with other functional areas, is serviced by the administrative and marketing department. The Shoe Shop allocates a monthly overhe

Colombia's International Trade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Colombia's International Trade - Research Paper Example Additionally, there are other factors responsible for the growth of the economic conditions, which include reduction of public debt, rigid government budgets, increased export activities and increased commodity prices. Contextually, improvements relating to security of business affairs and trade policies have been accountable for attracting greater Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) within its national markets, which is further expected to yield greater benefits to the economy in the long run through enriched international collaborations (Beittel, â€Å"Colombia: Background, U.S. Relations, and Congressional Interest†). Contextually, trade operations are determined to play an effective role in developing the economy on the continuous basis over the long run rather than focusing merely on short-run benefits. In this regard, the government has adopted important measures of performing international trade activities with other countries. Moreover, the government has also entered into free trade agreements with the US. Subsequently, the growth of trade operations is quite likely to facilitate in enhancing import along with export operations to a considerable extent. The country is also identified to acquire energy along with mineral resources in abundance to support its developmental needs in the near future (LTBS, â€Å"Focus on Colombia†). Prior to assessing Colombia’s economic indicators, it is essential to note that the country has been engaged in conflicts and dispute situations for a period of five decades in the recent past till the present scenario between Colombian government, the ‘National Liberation Army’ (ELN) and the ‘Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia’ (FARC) during the 1950s (Lopez 6-20).

Should College Athletes Get Paid Research Paper

Should College Athletes Get Paid - Research Paper Example Therefore, they are potential candidates for endorsing and advertising products. It is thus justified to pay them especially noting that athletes have a limited time for fame. Although some critiques argue that it is difficult to determine how much to pay each player, a good mechanism can be devised. It is ironical that athletic organizers can be able to organize college athletics and fail to make a good payment scheme for the players. It is also important to note that most of the college athletes who get into college with scholarship are actually from low-income families. Additionally, most of them are particularly talented in athletics and not in books. Whereas their academically talented counterparts are in class making their future, college athletes are on the field practicing. Therefore, they can hardly get formal employment in the job sector. This makes it important to consider them for payment since athletics is their career. If they do not start to be paid in college, they wi ll hardly make it in life since other better talented athletes will come and replace them with time. However, it is strongly argued that paying college athletes will turn college athletics into businesses such as FIFA. Rich colleges will attract the best talents and other colleges will be denied a chance to nurture their own talents. However, it is worth noting that colleges, including college athletics cannot be run without rules, laws, and regulations. Therefore, efficient and effective control mechanisms can be used to regulate how colleges source for athletes. Figures and statistics show that not all college athletes make to professional teams. This is because college athletes are large in number and therefore, cannot fit in the national or... This essay declares that figures and statistics show that not all college athletes make to professional teams. This is because college athletes are large in number and therefore, cannot fit in the national or professional teams. Although few make it through, those who are not lucky end up in poverty. It is thus justified to pay them while they are still in college. This way, they will be able to save some money for their studies. If well paid, they can even have enough money to start good businesses when they leave college. Those who do not make it to professional teams will thus be able to establish their lives from college savings. It is true that many colleges do not make profits out of college athletes. This paper makes a conclusion that there is a lot of support for pay for college athletes. Since the athletes are the primary source of athletics money, they should then be paid. College athletes are potential candidates for endorsements and advertising products. It is thus justified to pay them especially noting that athletes have a limited time for fame. If they do not start to be paid in college, they will hardly make it in life since other better talented athletes will come and replace them with time. Athletes should be paid while in college. This way, they will be able to save some money for their studies. If well paid, they can even have enough money to start good businesses when they leave college.

Evolution of Social policies in Mental Health in the US Essay

Evolution of Social policies in Mental Health in the US - Essay Example Hippocrates who lived in the 5th century is the pioneer who treated mentally ill with methods which was not rooted in superstition or religion. Negative attitudes towards mental illness persisted into the 18th century in the United States, leading to stigmatization of mental illness, and unhygienic (and often degrading) confinement of mentally ill individuals. Since then the mentally health had been evolving and at present it has reached a stage where comprehensive policies underlie mental health treatment particularly in U.S. In this paper, the evolution of social policies with regard to mental health in U.S will be looked in to. The social, economical and political factors that have contributed to the evolution will be explored. The current policy, goal of the policy and its relevancy with the welfare and state would be analysing. Also whom the policy serves and its universal characteristics will be examined. Mental health in U.S has been progressing ever since the beginning of 20th century. The Mental Health America which was founded in 1909 founded by Clifford Beers has changed the lives of mentally ill people. The U.S governments formed throughout these years have been proven to contribute largely to the welfare of mental health system in the country. Many research and lobbying effort have undergone to revive and upgrade the mental health system in U.S. The National Mental Health Act passed by Harry Truman 1946 gave rise to National Institute of Mental Health and have allocated funds from government for the research, treatment purposes. Moreover, The Mental Retardation Facilities and community health centre was passed by the Congress in 1963 which gave a new dimension to mental health system. In 1979, the National Alliance for mentally ill was formulated All these changes have given enormous support, education, advocacy and research facility to

My Life Stage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

My Life Stage - Essay Example Personally, as a student of 21 years and in a foreign country, can be considered to be in this phase following migration to a new country that is away from home and following attempts to take a job away from their parents. The above shows my attempts, according to Levinson, to establish independence away from my parents and away from my comfort zone, in which emotional, attitudinal, and physical attachment as new relationships are established. As a student studying abroad, this phase is evident as parents and all familial ties are left in the mother nation as one seeks independence a classic application in real life. In addition, Levinson talks of the transitional stage, where one makes choices in his or her own life that may alter their means of living although not drastically. This is considered a transition as one makes choices for himself aside from parental decisions that have been made since childhood. As a foreign student, am left me in a position to make crucial life-changing decisions for myself as opposed to living with the parents, who tend to make all the important decisions. In conclusion, as a 21-year-old student my life clearly illustrates the Levinson model quite well due to severance of dependency and attachment on familial basis, as well as decision-making. As a result, the Levinson perspective evidences one as a young adult in the transitional phase from dependence to

Summarize Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summarize - Research Paper Example It claims to be an eco-friendly option of transportation, and factually as having reduced the harmful greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1 tonne on average (cited in Tecsult Inc., 2006). Communauto Car-sharing Service: Useful or Not? Before concluding anything about the usefulness of Communauto service for the people, an analysis has been done in the further part of the paper. The usefulness of this service is largely dependent on the response of its users, benefits that car-sharing provides, the target group of people being wide or narrow, the USP (unique selling proposition) of the Communauto service and the market competitors. About Communauto Car-Sharing Service. It involves multiple users using fewer vehicles. It leads to reduction in congestion, pollution-level, number of vehicles per household and reduction of money spent on individual transportation. Communauto Users. The corporate usage of Communauto is more as compared to individual car-sharing, people who drive less and youth associating with ‘Green’ keeping in consideration style and comfort also can be included among the general users of Communauto vehicle service. The usefulness of Communauto lies in the information that its vehicles are eco-friendly through zero-emission cars, low per family car-expenses, lot of stations for Communauto car pick-up, 24 hours availability and low rent.

My Life Stage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

My Life Stage - Essay Example Personally, as a student of 21 years and in a foreign country, can be considered to be in this phase following migration to a new country that is away from home and following attempts to take a job away from their parents. The above shows my attempts, according to Levinson, to establish independence away from my parents and away from my comfort zone, in which emotional, attitudinal, and physical attachment as new relationships are established. As a student studying abroad, this phase is evident as parents and all familial ties are left in the mother nation as one seeks independence a classic application in real life. In addition, Levinson talks of the transitional stage, where one makes choices in his or her own life that may alter their means of living although not drastically. This is considered a transition as one makes choices for himself aside from parental decisions that have been made since childhood. As a foreign student, am left me in a position to make crucial life-changing decisions for myself as opposed to living with the parents, who tend to make all the important decisions. In conclusion, as a 21-year-old student my life clearly illustrates the Levinson model quite well due to severance of dependency and attachment on familial basis, as well as decision-making. As a result, the Levinson perspective evidences one as a young adult in the transitional phase from dependence to

Is edcuation a service industry Discuss and critically evauate the Essay

Is edcuation a service industry Discuss and critically evauate the role of the WTO in education - Essay Example Higher education is increasingly seen as a commercial product to be bought and sold like any other commodity. Higher education commercialization has now reached the global marketplace. According to the American Heritage dictionary, the term "EDUCATION" is defined as the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process (Answers.com). The World Trade Organization (WTO) is considering a series of proposals to include higher education as one of its concerns, ensuring that the import and export of higher education be subject to the complex rules and legal arrangements of the WTO protocols and free of most restrictions. The demand for higher education, on the one side, is growing, while on the other side, trans-border education is increasing. The capacity of the public sector has not kept up with this demand. This coupled with the recent developments of ICTs and the ensuing growth in online learning has resulted in the creation of this very lucrative market. Though higher education has a higher calling, it will not be able to compete successfully for necessary resources unless its rules comply with those established by the World Trade Organization (UNESCO) . ... Let us take a quick look at the history and evolution of education to understand it from various perspectives. Going back to the world's ancient civilizations of Egypt, China, Mesopotamia and Indo-Harappan civilizations, it's amply clear that the knowledgeable and the wise ones of the society were looked up to "educate" others. Coming a little closer to out times, I'm sure we can talk of various philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Seneca, Archimedes etc, who are even today acknowledged as some of the world's greatest thinkers and to make a point were in demand to "educate." At that point there was, strictly speaking, no concept of standardization. Education, especially the primary education has spin offs and major economic, social and financial implications on the society. Some of the economists have gone to the extent of linking primary education with the growth of a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Economics of Higher Education, 2003). Furthermore, education plays a very critical role in not only shaping an individual's capabilities and competence but also has spin - offs on nations. On inspection of history, one can also fairly conclude that economic growth has happened around the seats of education. Also there was great social differentiation between the educated and the not educated (UNESCO). Massing of wealth by the educated and the depreciation of values, later on, has lead to many social revolts, which is a different story and line of pursuit. By the end of the 19th century, all nations globally had recognized and set up some systems of education essentially aiming at long term growth prospects for themselves ( UNESCO). The burgeoning needs for education driven by governmental support, spurn the parental

Costing Methods Paper Essay Example for Free

Costing Methods Paper Essay Variable and absorption costing methods are two different costing methods. Almost all successful companies in the world use both methods. Variable costing and absorption costing cannot be substituted for one another because both the systems have their own benefits and limitations (Accounting for management). This paper will complete and discuss exercise 19-17 in Wiley Plus: it will discuss the following questions: In this case, would it be better to use the variable or absorption costing method, and why? In this example Polk Company should use the absorption method, because the absorption only uses overhead that allocates to the 80,000 units sold. Whereas the variable method counts the fixed overhead as a period expense, the fixed overhead during this period is calculated on 95,000 units produced, when the absorption method is used. The variable method just calculates fixed overhead on 80,000 units sold. What are the benefits of the two methods? Both systems have their own benefits and limitations. The absorption method gives management information of product cost this is the main benefit of the absorption method. The benefit of the variable method is it gives an output the mimics the cash flow of the company. Which method would lead to the best decision when a competitor is submitting a lower bid for your product? The absorption method would be best although both methods are used, with variable costing expenses remains the same, and with the absorption method fixed production cost are period cost. Variable costing method helps with demand based pricing. References Accounting for management. (n.d.). Variable costing versus absorption costing. Retrieved from http://www.accountingformanagement.org/variable-vs-absorption-costing/

Challenges Facing The Internationalization Of Chevron Management Essay

Challenges Facing The Internationalization Of Chevron Management Essay Chevron falls among the worlds top leading energy companies. Its headquarters are in San Ramon, California, and it boasts of numerous branches and divisions in many countries worldwide. Its core business is oil and gas, and the drilling and harvesting of the same from oil reservoirs all over the world. Chevron can trace its origins back to 1879, when oil was discovered at Pico Canyon, California. Because of that discovery, the Pacific Coast Oil Company was formed, and it later became Standard Oil Company of California. With the 1984 merged with Gulf Oil Corporation, Standard Oil Company then became Chevron, as it is known today. The merger with Gulf Oil corp. almost doubled Chevrons reserves of oil and gas, and went a long way in the making Chevron the energy giant it is today (Biographiq Business Profile 2008, p.4). However, Chevron was not done yet, and continued to expand its territory through further mergers. In 2001, Chevron merged with The Texas Fuel Company, which was also known as Texaco, of Beaumont, Texas. In 2005, it also acquired the Unocal Corporation, and affirmed its position as a leader in the energy industry. Their natural gas and crude oil reserves had greatly increased all over the world through these acquisitions (Qontro 2008, p.12). In the light of such success in the oil industry, Chevron expanded its influence into other industries like coal, petrochemicals, technology, and power generation. Chevron Mining Inc., a subsidiary company of Chevron, operates three coalmines in Berry, Alabama, McKinley, New Mexico and Wyoming and a mineral mine in Questa, New Mexico in the United States. Chevron Mining Inc. is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado and supplies molybdenum and coal to customers all over the world. In the industry of petrochemicals, Chevron combined with Phillips Petroleum Company, now ConocoPhillips, to form Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC (CPChem, p. 2). CPChem is a leading producer of products like Olefins and Polyolefins, Aromatics, Alpha olefins, and Styrenics. CPChem has 35 manufacturing plants in the United States, Colombia, Brazil, China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, South Korea, and Belgium and employs over 4500 employees. In the power generation industry, Chevron currently has 13 power-generation facilities in the United States and in Asia that make the use of geothermal, wing and natural gas to produce electricity. The wind-powered facility is only one, and it is located in Casper, Wyoming. It began operations in 2009. In Asia, Chevron facilities are mainly geothermal; two of these are in Indonesia, at the Darajat and Salak fields in West Java. It also has facilities in the Philippines, where it manages steam fields that supply geothermal energy to the Mak-Ban and Tiwi power facilities. Chevron, in light of the evolving global energy industry, also invested in research and technology. It was seeking cleaner solutions, and more affordable and more reliable energy than the solutions the energy industry had to offer. In seeking these solutions, Chevron specialized in bio-fuels and emerging energy applications, and formed the Energy Technology Company, Information Technology Company, and Chevron Technology Ventures to assist it to accomplish its goals. Presently, overall, Chevrons network stretches over 28 countries in six continents in the world. These nations are Angola, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chad, China, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kuwait, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Trinidad Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, and Venezuela. Internationalization Strategies Chevron has had to use various strategies to enter into international markets that it has considered lucrative. In some nations, it has used the principle of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to gain favor with prospective nations whose markets it has wanted to explore, or whose resources it has desired to harvest. Angola is one example of a nation in which Chevron penetrated and established roots. Presently, Chevron stands as one of the largest producers of oil in Angola. Chevron discovered considerable reserves of oil and natural gas, thus, in order to be accepted by the Angolans, it committed itself to working closely with the local communities to empower and equip the people with skills and knowledge that they could use to create lasting social development and economic growth. This was shown in the introduction of the Angola Partnership Initiative, which was initiated in 2002. The goal and purpose of this initiative was to help build capacity of government development agencies and nongovernmental organizations, and to assist in alleviate poverty through the development of small and medium sized enterprises. Chevron invested an initial amount of $25 million in this project, and multilateral and national development programs later matched that by $31 million. In healthcare, Chevron committed funds towards the reduction of mortality, especially in women and children. In 2009, combined with several partners, it gave to the Cabinda Tuberculosis Program drugs worth $185,000 as well as consumables and x-ray equipment. According to statistics, the program treated 110 patients, and 73 of these were cured. Between 2008 and 2011, Chevron also boosted the governments efforts in combating malaria by giving $5 million, towards this purpose, to the Global Fund. As at 2009, more than two million individuals and over 70 institutions had benefitted from programs funded by Chevron. These institutions included schools and hospitals. This kind of community development was done not just in Angola, but also in other countries into which Chevrons invested, and it has created good name for Chevron. Unfortunately, other countries were also exploited by Chevron, so that good name did not stick. Joint Ventures Chevron has made several joint ventures with several companies both locally and worldwide that have enabled it to tap into markets that it would not have been able to tap into alone. It involves the joining of assets between two or more companies for a specific goal or task (Vonortas, 1997). The joint ventures that Chevron got into came with several advantages, namely: 1) They enabled it to expand its market coverage. For example, when Chevron merged with Phillips Chemical Company LLC to form CPChem, it gained access to the international market stretch of Phillips Chemical Company. The Phillips Company had establishments and investments in nine countries worldwide. Chevron products were now sold alongside the products of Phillips Chemical Company in those countries. 2) Access to new technologies: In the joint ventures, Chevron and the companies involved came together and combined their technological knowhow and research to come up with a superior product. Both Chevron and the other company owned this product. The objective of this was to make products that were more appealing to customers, as opposed to their own individual products. In the end, both companies got a product that was better received by the public, thus, it increased profits. Chevron and the companies also all benefitted from learning new technology from each other that they did not have before. 3) Reduced costs of production: in the joint ventures, the companies shared the cost of manufacturing, distribution, transport, technology and all other required production components, which ended up being of great benefit to the companies. 4) Spread of risk: the risk of the failure of the project was shared equally by all the companies in the merger. 5) Increased quality of product: the products that came because of the joint ventures were of greater quality. The shared cost of production allowed the companies to spend more on perfecting the products, thus, the quality of the joint venture product was superior. An example of a joint venture that Chevron undertook was the joint venture company called Catchlight Energy LLC- formed by Chevron and Weyerhaeuser Company in 2008; it also formed joint ventures with Star Petroleum Refining Company of Thailand, Petrobas and Venezuelas PDVSA Company, TPAO for Black sea exploration, and many more (Vonortas, 1997). Franchising This is mode of internationalization has been most used by Chevron and all other oil producing and supplying companies. According to Franchisehelp Inc. (1998, p.11), petrol stations have been set up under Chevrons name in uncountable countries all over the world. Having a globally recognized and respected name, chevron franchises have been greatly sort after. This number of franchises has continued to grow steadily, and will continue to grow, as Chevron continues to conquer new global territories. Challenges facing the internationalization of Chevron Chevron, as well as many other oil producers, has had challenges in the area of acquisition of rights to drill for oil in international countries. There are several areas around the world where oil has been discovered, and Chevron has tried to come in and seal the deal for these reservoirs, but has not managed to do so. This is because the host countries have not been willing to give up their oil, even though have not been in a position to harvest it. It has not been easy for countries to give up their oil, which has been considered a national treasure. Chevron has had to give extremely generous compensation packages for the opportunity to drill in these countries. Again, in the countries that Chevron has been given the go ahead to harvest oil, great tension has remained over agreements, mainly due to the large amounts of money that have been involved in getting the rights to drills. Environmental challenges Another challenge that has hindered Chevrons progress in internationalization is the way their operations have affected the environment. A specific case of this was in Ecuador, in the Northern Amazon. In 1964, Texaco, which is currently under Chevron, came to the area and began prospecting for oil. It was the first company to come to the area and discover large quantities of oil that could be harvested commercially. Texaco, working in a joint venture with Petroecuador, commenced operations in the area. According to a 1993 report called Crudo Amazà ³nico, by an environmental lawyer by the name of Judith Kimerling (1993, p.90), Texaco had dumped more than 19 billion gallons of toxic waste in the area between 1972 and 1992. It was also responsible for the spilling of a further 16.8 million gallons of crude oil into the forest from the main pipe. This dumping and spilling of oil was said to have contaminated the soil and seeped into the ground water reservoirs, and subsequently, it affe cted the health of the people of that region greatly. Statistics shown that cancer rates went up. Another study by the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health attributed a high abortion rate in the people living in near the contaminated streams to the spillage. This has served to discourage many countries from allowing Chevron to operate in them (Rubovits 1991, p.30). In Chevrons operations in Nigeria, Prince Gabriel B. Atsepoyi laments at the way the Nigerians expected so much from Chevron in terms of electricity, schools, and clean water, which was its duty (Atsepoyi Sep 2010, p.9). Instead, since 1963, Chevron came and exploited the resources of crude oil, and caused daily spills and widespread pollution from waste. In all of this, the people did not receive any benefits. Atsepoyi also stated in his book Chevron and Ethics (Atsepoyi 2010, p.41), how Chevron never used to pay the Nigerian workers. Another challenge that Chevron has come across is the issue of government regulations. Governments of some countries, having set stringent conditions concerning air pollution, demanded a superior grade or quality of the gasoline produced. Gasoline that was more refined meant higher production costs for Chevron in that country. Another thing that the government controlled and still controls is the pricing of the gasoline or petroleum products. It would normally control this through taxes. When taxes were high, it meant that Chevron would not make as much sales as it would have wanted. One additional challenge was issues with workers. In the countries that Chevron penetrated, it would set up large facilities that required a lot of labor. The governments of these nations required of Chevron that majority of its employees are of the indigenous ethnicity of the country in question. Chevron would have to educate them and train them sufficiently so that they could work in the facilities. It proved to be quite a challenge to work with these people if the country in question did not previously speak English. Conclusion There were also always those nations whose people considered the giving of drilling rights to foreigners as wrong. In these countries, they felt that the wealth of the country should remain in the hands of the ethnic people of that country. Normally these countries had been colonized. Because of the exploitation and torture that they had experienced during that time, they formed a dislike and even hate for westerners. Thus, they were not willing to allow them to manage their resources. Having foreigners come to take over their resources, especially those similar to their colonizers, also worried them of being taken advantage of again. In considering all things ethically, Chevron did well in several countries like Angola, investing heavily in the wellbeing of the men, women, and children of that country, in all areas. One could argue that Chevron did this kind of community investment only in the countries where it had the largest financial interests. This argument seemed to be justified because the contrast between the countries that it supported financially and others that it abandoned like Ecuador. It left the Ecuadorian people suffering serious medical complications because of the spills and the toxic waste they dumped.

MTV :: essays research papers

Somewhat perversely, it might be expedient to begin by pointing out that this paper is not about the music video per se. There will be no close textual analysis of individual clips. Eminent pop philosopher Elvis Costello once said that "writing about music is like dancing about architecture. It's a really stupid thing to want to do" (quoted in Goodwin, 1993: 1). Conscious that 'accidents can happen", this paper is concerned with the institutional as opposed to the purely textual; with the processes of production and reception (although it should be noted that it is perhaps inevitable that such a consideration will touch upon the channel - if not the videos themselves - as "text" in its most socially-engaged sense). The focus here, then, is on those organisations which broadcast music videos, on Music Television (MTV) in particular, and on the possible impact of what has become a truly global phenomenon. There is a common perception that American products dominate the world's markets. Coke and Pepsi slug it out across continents. It would appear that there is no place on earth where one cannot purchase a Big Mac. In his book Superculture, Christopher Bigsby offers this assessment of America's global dominance: American corporations shape the physical and mental environment, influence the eating habits, define the leisure pursuits, produce TV programmes and movies: devise, in other words, the fact and fantasy of the late twentieth century (Bigsby, 1975: 4). The perceived threat of globalisation has prompted fears and resentments not dissimilar in temper and tone to those by-now familiar reactions to the threat of Americanisation. Globalisation is sometimes seen as a force that will erode or, worse still, dissolve cultural difference and variety. Yet, the presence and pervasiveness of American-made goods does not necessarily signal the death of the local, regional or national. As Frederic Jameson notes, late modern or postmodern capitalism has led to a more disorganised set of relationships between trading nations. Thus, it is one of the characteristics of the dreaded "P"-concept - postmodernism or, perhaps more accurately, postmodernity - that it leads to uncertainty and paradox, as opposed to certainty and confidence. As a kind of postmodern capitalism, globalisation reflects this. For with it, the act of cultural transfer becomes more problematic, the flow of goods and ideas so much more difficult to "police". Economically, globalisation refers to a shift in capitalist practice. Today's multi- nationals talk of "global marketing strategies" and securing a "global market share" - corporate- speak which alludes to a kind of capitalism sans frontieres. MTV :: essays research papers Somewhat perversely, it might be expedient to begin by pointing out that this paper is not about the music video per se. There will be no close textual analysis of individual clips. Eminent pop philosopher Elvis Costello once said that "writing about music is like dancing about architecture. It's a really stupid thing to want to do" (quoted in Goodwin, 1993: 1). Conscious that 'accidents can happen", this paper is concerned with the institutional as opposed to the purely textual; with the processes of production and reception (although it should be noted that it is perhaps inevitable that such a consideration will touch upon the channel - if not the videos themselves - as "text" in its most socially-engaged sense). The focus here, then, is on those organisations which broadcast music videos, on Music Television (MTV) in particular, and on the possible impact of what has become a truly global phenomenon. There is a common perception that American products dominate the world's markets. Coke and Pepsi slug it out across continents. It would appear that there is no place on earth where one cannot purchase a Big Mac. In his book Superculture, Christopher Bigsby offers this assessment of America's global dominance: American corporations shape the physical and mental environment, influence the eating habits, define the leisure pursuits, produce TV programmes and movies: devise, in other words, the fact and fantasy of the late twentieth century (Bigsby, 1975: 4). The perceived threat of globalisation has prompted fears and resentments not dissimilar in temper and tone to those by-now familiar reactions to the threat of Americanisation. Globalisation is sometimes seen as a force that will erode or, worse still, dissolve cultural difference and variety. Yet, the presence and pervasiveness of American-made goods does not necessarily signal the death of the local, regional or national. As Frederic Jameson notes, late modern or postmodern capitalism has led to a more disorganised set of relationships between trading nations. Thus, it is one of the characteristics of the dreaded "P"-concept - postmodernism or, perhaps more accurately, postmodernity - that it leads to uncertainty and paradox, as opposed to certainty and confidence. As a kind of postmodern capitalism, globalisation reflects this. For with it, the act of cultural transfer becomes more problematic, the flow of goods and ideas so much more difficult to "police". Economically, globalisation refers to a shift in capitalist practice. Today's multi- nationals talk of "global marketing strategies" and securing a "global market share" - corporate- speak which alludes to a kind of capitalism sans frontieres.

Baroque Art Essay

It’s hard to make a distinction in which the beginning of the Baroque period is clearly distinguished from that of the late Renaissance. Nonetheless, Baroque art is emotional, decorative and a direct result of the Counter-Reformation movement in Europe. During the Baroque period, there was a dramatic religious split in the Church with the formation of Protestantism. Catholics reacted with the Counter-Reformation to revitalize Catholicism. They needed to attract viewers with religious art that more significantly impacted onlookers. Protestant areas (in the North) responded with a lack of religious art, concentrating, for example, on genre paintings that taught their viewers moral lessons. Compositions tended to have more open space. The Baroque style originated in Italy and spread north, profoundly affecting the rest of Europe as it spread. In his survey of art history text, Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Global History, Fred S. Kleiner asserts that the term Baroque is â€Å"problematic† because the era encompasses a broad range of genres and styles. At the same time, it is effective in describing the art of the 17th century, a style marked by dynamism and movement, drama and greatness. Since the masses could not read, there could be no better way to feed them religion-Catholicism’s particular view of it-than through grand pictures depicting Biblical lessons and the dominance of Catholicism, figured the Church. One of the most interesting examples of art as propaganda for the Catholic Church is Caravaggio’s Conversion of Saint Paul, painted ca. 1603. In 1600, Caravaggio was commissioned to paint two pictures. One is Crucifixion of Saint Peter, a dramatic and unconventional work. The other is Paul’s Conversion, which hangs across the chapel from Saint Peter in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome. Also known as Conversion on the Way to Damascus or The Road to Damascus, this depiction of Paul’s conversion is known as the most intriguing of the two paintings. In this grand picture Caravaggio portrays the moment described in the Bible, in the Book of Acts, when Paul (then Saul) falls to the ground in an epiphany from the Lord. The egocentric, Christian-hating Saul is on his way to Damascus, on a mission to witch-hunt Christians there. In Acts chapter 22, verses 6-7, Saul describes the moment: â€Å"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me? ‘† This information is important to consider when studying Caravaggio’s representation of the event. Caravaggio, who, in his personal life, was known to have an erratic disposition and not long after painting this scene, he fled Rome after killing a man (Encyclopedia Britannica) clearly was a revolutionary in his art. In this scene’s it perhaps showed the mystery in the man that represents Caravaggio’s sarcasm, his sardonic version of Jesus, who, after all, is the one who knocked Saul senseless. If so, what is it that Caravaggio is secretly saying about Jesus? We will never know, but the possibility is at least entertaining. Summary While Baroque art arose out of an effort to manipulate the masses through propaganda tactics, it changed and evolved as it spread throughout Europe. Today, the style can be appreciated for its many accomplishments, everything from its realistic renderings to its grand drama and its larger-than-life grandeur. Baroque art has an intensity and immediacy not seen prior. The exquisite attention to detail and the realism of the style are part of what defines this age. Many masters emerged from this era, masters whose styles are widely varied and whose intentions were just as varied, and much can be learned from them and the legacies they left behind in their art, music, literature and architecture. Combined, these characteristics make the Baroque style one of the most compelling periods in the history of Western art.