Tuesday, December 31, 2019
The Parthenon Sculptures, The Rightful Possessions Of Greece
The Parthenon Sculptures, the Rightful Possessions of Greece The British Government have an obligation to give back the Parthenon Sculptures in the British Museum back to the Greek government. This essay will seek to explain the Greek Arguments of the cultural importance of the statues in Greece, the importance of uniting the statues with the Parthenon and the possible illegal possession of the statues. A recount on the attempted Mediation of the debate conducted by myself and 3 other classmates will also be stated in this essay. The Parthenon Sculptures of Athens, as stated by the Greek Historian Anaxagoras ââ¬Å"Are a true representation of the splendour of Athens. They are a gem to the world, worthy of decorating that of Olympusâ⬠. Built in 447BCE, during the construction of the Acropolis of Athens, the Sculptures are considered by many in the modern world as being the finest samples of Greek Art during the supposed ââ¬Å"Gilded Ageâ⬠of Greek Culture from 600BCE to 150BCE. They consist of a vast collection of over 92 Metopes, 524 feet of elegant Frieze and 17 standing sculptures. Each of these constructions were formed through the usage of Parian Marble found in the Greek island of Paros, and were constructed alongside that of the Parthenon of Athens by the Athenians. Their primary purpose was to lavishly decorate the Parthenon, an Athenian temple constructed to worship the Greek God Athena. The Marbles were envied by other nearby Mediterranean nations such as Ancient Rome forShow MoreRelatedI nternational Cultural Assets in UK Museums: Return of the Elgin Marbles from Greece1957 Words à |à 8 Pagesï » ¿The International Cultural Assets in UK Museums: Return of the Elgin Marbles From Greece Introduction The marbles of Greeces Parthenon have been situated in the British Museum for more than 150 years. The Elgin Marbles are stated to continue to be the focal points of an ongoing debate that will ultimately determine the historical influence of a particularly important culture. The Parthenon Marbles are reported to constitute a unique case in that they form part of a unique historical monument
Monday, December 23, 2019
Understanding Key Ideas And Issues - 1260 Words
Section 1 ââ¬â Understanding key ideas and issues After viewing this film I understood the importance of preserving natural resources. In the film, Man of Steel, the idea of preserving, against exploiting natural resources is dramatized. Clarkeââ¬â¢s birth world Krypton was driven to the point of destruction due to the overuse of natural resources. Kryptonians exploited all of the planets natural resources and the planet couldnââ¬â¢t function correctly and the world exploded from the inside. This came after Clarkeââ¬â¢s birth father had warned the leaders of Krypton not to harvest Kryptonââ¬â¢s core, ââ¬Å"To harvest the core would be suicide. It accelerates the process of core explosion, depleting our energy reservesâ⬠. We as humans, are exploiting close to all of our natural resources without second thought. We chop down trees for fires, buildings etc. and by doing so we are tampering with our fragile environment, unbalancing the oxygen to carbon dioxide ratio and making our air polluted. We are also overusing and exploiting fossil fuels. Fossil fuels consist of oil, coal and gas. Fossil fuels are very important for humans. We use them every day, of every week, of every year. Fossil fuels are used to fuel cars and airplanes, power electricity plants, and heat our homes. They are also used to make medicines, cosmetics, plastics, synthetic fabrics, and lubricants. When you brushed your teeth this morning, you used a product made from fossil fuels ââ¬â toothpaste. Look at your shoes ââ¬â they are aShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding Key Ideas And Issues1441 Words à |à 6 PagesSection 1 ââ¬â Understanding key ideas and issues After viewing this film I understood the importance of preserving natural resources. In the film, Man of Steel, the idea of preserving, against exploiting natural resources is dramatized. Clarkeââ¬â¢s birth world Krypton was driven to the point of destruction due to the overuse of natural resources. Kryptonians exploited all of the planets natural resources and the planet couldnââ¬â¢t function correctly and the world exploded from the inside. This came afterRead MoreThe Debate Over Sugar Tax Essay1475 Words à |à 6 Pagesif it is a good idea or not.â⬠The understanding of the problem comes from a Neo-Liberal perspective, as Grieve supports the idea that nothing should be done to intervene with the idea of Consumer Sovereignty. Various possible Policy Initiatives could result from this understanding of the problem, these could include things such as ââ¬Å"Open Informationâ⬠policies, and policies with the manufacturers company in regard to Bulk Sale. The understan ding of the problem, due to not understanding the extent ofRead MoreMusic Industry: Written Report1615 Words à |à 7 Pages Attendance on this module is expected and any absences will be referred to your personal tutor. Learning outcomes addressed by this assignment â⬠¢ demonstrate an understanding of the operational framework of the music industry â⬠¢ evaluate a range of music industry stakeholders â⬠¢ demonstrate an understanding of current technological and commercial developments, and their impact on the industry Grading Criteria Written Report | Read MoreSysco Case1711 Words à |à 7 Pagesused by SYSCO to implement BI Step 2a: Zoom-out to the big picture (e.g. COBIT) and distinguish important ideas/issues from less important ones). Enter these ideas in column 2 of the table below. Step 2b: Zoom-in to distinguish relevant parts/details for each theme. Enter these ideas in column 3 of the table below. | |Zoom-out and distinguish key ideas (Step 2a) |Zoom in and identify relevant parts for each theme | | |Read MoreThe Snapshot Autobiography Is Having Student931 Words à |à 4 Pagesbe able to think like a historian. Historians donââ¬â¢t include every major detail when telling a key event in time. They include what is the most important and leave certain events out without taking away from the entire story. When students are creating their own autobiography, they are learning decision making skills by having several events that make up their story, but also being able to narrow this key events down to only a few while still effective telling their story. In their inquiry lesson,Read MoreNotes On Common Sense Economics1441 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe bigger picture that involves political rules and policies that go along with that. The context of the book aims to explain why nations prosper depending on peopleââ¬â¢s understanding of necessary economic arrangements. There are ten elements of economics, seven sources of economic progress, the role of the government, and twelve key elements of practical personal finance. James Gwartney even acknowledges what he wants students to get out of this text which is that: It will help more advanced studentsRead MoreThe Religion Of Jesus Christ Is True God And True Man1735 Words à |à 7 Pagesbeliefs is that Jesus was born both and lived as both completely man and completely divine. This idea of Jesus being a unity of completely God and completely human is referred to in the Catholic faith as the ââ¬Å"hypostatic unionâ⬠. Per the catechism, the statement on the hypostatic union is, ââ¬Å"He became truly man while remaining truly God. Jesus Christ is true God and true man.â⬠This belief is one of the key statements in the Nicene Creed, which is the Catholic profession of faith. The belief that JesusRead MoreDiscipleship Reflection Paper1132 Words à |à 5 Pagesused to analyze the main topic that we discussed. This semester, the main topic was that of discipleship. The questions are as follows: What is discipleship? What does Scripture say about discipleship? How should Scriptural principles shape our understanding of discipleship? What does the world say about discipleship? How should a Christian live in the world today with respect to discipleship? Each of these questions are important for engaging discipleship, as will be demonstrated through the analysisRead MoreSociological Reflection1258 Words à |à 6 Pagesthat I learned in this course that was very important to me. Those topics were: crime, deviance, bureaucracy, nature of science, philosophy, religion, common sense, scientific statements, sociological ideas, and core american values. 1.During the beginning of this semester we discussed the key characteristics of science how science was different from philosophy, how is science different from religion, make five scientific statements that are verifiable and falsifiable, make five statements thoseRead MoreCommunication Between Public And Private Sector1344 Words à |à 6 Pagesmeasurability are key principles of management. Increasingly, measurement and evaluation need to be more than anecdotal and informal. Objective rigorous methods are required that deliver credible proof of results and Return on Investment (ROI) to management, shareholders and other key stakeholders. (Cited from metrics paper. Pdf) The environment in which public relations and corporate communication operate today is increasingly frequented by management practices and techniques such as: â⬠¢ Key Performance
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Distally Based Sural Artery Flap Health And Social Care Essay Free Essays
Methodology: This prospective interventional survey was conducted from March 2007- February 2009 at the Department of Plastic Reconstructive Surgery and Burns Unit, Liaquat University of Medical Health Sciences, Jamshoro. Sample was collected by non chance convenience sampling. A predesigned proforma was used to roll up the information. We will write a custom essay sample on Distally Based Sural Artery Flap Health And Social Care Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now SPSS 17 was used for informations analysis. Consequences: Age of 35 inducted patients ââ¬Ë ranged from 13-57 old ages with Meanà ±SD age of 31à ±7.7 old ages. There were 29 males ( 82.85 % ) and 6 females ( 17.14 % ) . All flaps were survived ; partial tip mortification was seen in 3 patients ( 8.57 % ) . Mode of hurt was route traffic accident in 30 patients ( 85.71 % ) . Two immature males ( 5.71 % ) were with spoke wheel hurt. Two patients ( 5.71 % ) had force per unit area sore lesions. One patient ( 2.85 % ) has exposed calcanium due to fire hurt. Paresthesia on sidelong boundary line of pes resolved on its ain within 6 months period in all instances, there was no neuroma formation. Decision: Sural arteria flap is an outstanding pick for direction of soft tissue defects of lower appendage, specially exposed calcanium and malleolus due to its first-class blood supply and easiness of public presentation. Keywords: lower appendage Reconstruction, sural arteria, sural arteria flap, fasciocutaneous flap Introduction: Soft tissue coverage of lower appendages defect is disputing to both plastic and orthopaedic sawboness. Lower appendage is prone to trauma and jeopardies due to its location and low vascularity. Unlike trunk, there is limited figure of flap picks available for Reconstruction of lower limb defects. These flaps should be able to cover the defect specially any open bone, nervus, sinew or any major vass ; besides it should be easy to execute and give permanent consequences to patient. The really fist documented thought of fasciocutaneous flap was presented in 1980 by Poten, and that resulted because of advanced cognition and survey of anatomy of lower particularly in footings of neurovascular construction, muscular structure, and blood supply to clamber and deep facia. Poten described and emphasized upon the function of fasciocutaneous flap for Reconstruction of lower leg defects due to their dependability and safety profile. Upper and lower appendages have longitudinal dispersed superficial nervousnesss and hypodermic venas. It is advised that fasciocutaneous flaps should integrate these nervousnesss and venas which help in flap endurance and diminish the ratio of flap mortification and best illustration of such fasciocutaneous flap is sural arteria flap which is based on average superficial sural arteria which is a subdivision of superficial Sural arteria. The pedicel sural flap consists of superficial and deep facia, lesser sephanous vena, average superficial little arteria and sural nervus, whereas the flap consists of tegument with hypodermic tissue and facia along with above mentioned neurovascular constructions. Methodology: This prospective interventional survey was conducted form March 2007- February 2009 at the Department of Plastic Reconstructive Surgery and Burns Unit, Liaquat University of Medical Health Sciences, Jamshoro. During the survey period patients coming for coverage of lesion on lower appendages were included in the survey after obtaining informed consent. A predesigned proforma was used to roll up the data.. Patients were followed for a period of six months. SPSS 17 was used for informations analysis After all sterile steps the flap was raised. All patients were operated under spinal anaesthesia. After application of compression bandage, the surface markers were drawn at the sidelong boundary line of Achilles tendon medically and laterally at the border of fibular shaft. At sidelong malleolus a sidelong scratch is made, the median scratch is made at the sidelong boundary line of Achilles sinew which continues till the point of its interpolation at border of defect or tubercle of calcanium. After scratch on tegument and facia, the short sephanous vena is ligated and sural nervus is divided. Flap is than raised distally, subdivisions of peroneal arteria are included in sub facial fat in the flap to guarantee maximal blood supply. Flap is so advanced along the sidelong border of Achilles sinew. Donor side is so near chiefly if flap is little in size, otherwise natural surface is covered with partial thickness tegument grafting. After a period of 3 hebdomads the flap is detached and its distal portion is stitched back to its original location. Consequences Sural flap was done in 35 instances. Patient ââ¬Ës age ranged from 13-57 old ages with Meanà ±SD age of 31à ±7.7 old ages. There were 29 males ( 82.85 % ) and 6 females ( 17.14 % ) . Majority of patients were between 31-40 twelvemonth of age Table I. All flaps were survived, partial tip mortification was seen in 3 patients ( 8.57 % ) , and remainder had good viability of full flap. Mode of hurt was route traffic accident in bulk of instances i.e. 30 patients ( 85.71 % ) . Two immature males ( 5.71 % ) with radius wheel hurt. Two patients had force per unit area sore lesions. One patient ( 2.85 % ) has exposed calcanium due to fire hurt. Paresthesia on sidelong boundary line of pes resolved on its ain within 6 months period in all instances, there was no neuroma formation. Discussion Reconstruction of lower appendage defect are still an mystery for fictile sawboness working in a apparatus where microvascular surgery installations are non yet available. The most common site is heel which is a weight bearing country and is prone to trauma and other jeopardies like force per unit area sores. The tegument over the heel is less nomadic and has hapless blood supply. Following rehabilitative ladder several options have been studied for soft tissue coverage of open heel including septo cutaneal, axial form, random form, musculus flap and free flaps. So far, fasciocutaneous flaps are proven to be an armamentarium for fictile sawboness, particularly when it comes to Reconstruction of lower appendage defects. Though many writers are of sentiment that medical plantar flap is the best option for coverage of open heel. However others are of sentiment that sural arteria flap offers the same. Viability of island flaps are ever questionable due to cut down blood supply, another o ption for coverage of open heel defects is sidelong calcaneal flap which is based on sidelong calcaneal arteria, it besides contain lesser sephanous vena and sural nervus. However once more it has a short coming o tantrums little size, that ââ¬Ës why it is non ever suited for open heel defects particularly larger in size. Distally based contrary flow sural arteria flap is option of pick since 1980s. it is based on median superficial sural arteria. The blood flow is in contrary from the peroneal arteria in distal portion of leg. Small nervus besides has its ain arterial supply. These all subdivisions anastomosis freely in superficial plane. Many writers have reported that distally bases sural artery flap as a versatile and dependable flap for Reconstruction of lower appendage defect. Several surveies have reported experience of coverage of calcaneal and malleolus defects with good result with sural flap. The major drawback of this flap is forfeit of sural nervus ; nevertheless surveies report that the esthesis improves over the period of clip and same was the instance in this series on a 6 months follow-up. Decision It is concluded that distally based sural arteria flap is an first-class option for coverage of soft tissue defects of lower appendage, specially exposed calcanium and malleolus due to its first-class blood supply. Table I Age gender distribution Age scope ( old ages ) Males Number of patients ( % ) Females Number of patients ( % ) 10-20 6 ( 17.14 % ) ââ¬â 21-30 5 ( 14.28 % ) 1 ( 2.85 % ) 31-40 14 ( 40 % ) 3 ( 8.57 % ) 41-60 4 ( 14.4 % ) 2 ( 5.71 % ) Entire 29 ( 82.85 % ) 6 ( 17.14 % ) Chart I Mode of hurt How to cite Distally Based Sural Artery Flap Health And Social Care Essay, Essay examples
Friday, December 6, 2019
Dance Styles free essay sample
Dancing and music in general has evolved through time. People who danced in style in the sixties would not fit in the generation of the new millennium. As years have passed by, it seems the style of dancing is getting to be bigger. It Is Inevitable that dance will change throughout our lives and so will its style. Some of the dance styles around today are tap, modern, swing, contra, country, belly dance and Latin dancing. Dancing has changed In relation to music, behavior and time passed. My three favorite dance styles are ballet, hip hop and Jazz.Ballet Is beauty; flow and elegance are Inherent In the elements of ballet. Ballet Is a classical dance form that can be mastered by It or used as a technical base or supplement to other dance forms. Classes focus on overall body alignment and awareness with emphasis on proper usage of feet and legs and execution of turnout. We will write a custom essay sample on Dance Styles or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Carriage and usage of upper torso and arms are also stressed. Traditional barrel work. Center work and combinations are included in all classes. Hip hop is a high-energy class that uses the latest sounds in rap, and pop music together with movements influenced by some of todays hottest music dido choreographers.Hip hop encompasses movement that has elements of popping, locking, and breaking as well as freestyle movement to give students the opportunity to develop their own sense of style. Hip hop is urban, its street, and its diverse and forever changing. Jazz is an exciting and ever evolving dance form full of rhythm, syncopation, passion and life. Steeped in the rhythm of Jazz music, a true American art form, jazz dance brings energy and life to all those who dance it. Jazz explores body isolations of the head, shoulders, ribcage, feet and arms which encourage individual expression ND the development of personal style. Jazz can be powerful and percussive or expressive and lyrical. Ever evolving, Jazz dance is taught with the music of today together with the classical Jazz of yesterday. Classes teach basic Jazz dance technique, terminology and movement quality with an emphasis on proper execution of jazz isolations, rhythms and style performed to contemporary music. Maybe dance is the best language and the one we should use and that Is why all cultures have dance. Dance is smoothing and relaxing. When someone needs a break from anything then the best way to get away Is to dance. If someone looks they can find millions of dances to dance to. Someone can tap dance, do other cultural dances or maybe Just dance with their heart. When you want to dance then dance as though no one Is watching and dance because you want to dance. By charcoal have passed by, it seems the style of dancing is getting to be bigger. It is inevitable dancing. Dancing has changed in relation to music, behavior and time passed. My Ballet is beauty; flow and elegance are inherent in the elements of ballet. Ballet is a classical dance form that can be mastered by it or used as a technical base or ark, center work and combinations are included in all classes. Hip hop is a high-energy class that uses the latest sounds in rap, RB and pop music together with movements influenced by some of todays hottest music passion and life. Steeped in the rhythm of Jazz music, a true American art form, Jazz of Jazz isolations, rhythms and style performed to contemporary music. Maybe dance is the best language and the one we should use and that is why all from anything then the best way to get away is to dance. If someone looks they can no one is watching and dance because you want to dance.
Friday, November 29, 2019
Man in Space
For many years, man has always been interested in exploring the space. This is evidenced by many fictional scientific stories about the space that have been written. However, he has not made significant success in this endeavor. The greatest success that has been achieved is travelling to the moon in recent decades.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Man in Space ââ¬â Norm Thagard specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Man continues to make space travel attempts through advanced technology with the intention of exploring the space. The first attempt he made to travel to the space which was a joint effort between the Soviet Union and America took place in 1975. This project popularly known as Apollo test project was intended at testing the ability of the two countries to manage future space journeys (Nasa, n.d). Russia and America worked together since 1993 to facilitate space travel by man. Space travel equipments beg an making their trips to Russian stations in 1994. Norm Thagard was historically recognized as the first American astronaut to reside in Russia. Together with his seven colleagues, he joined other astronauts from Russia to work in an orbiting laboratory in Russia. This endeavor gave them enough experience that saw the development of space stations with international recognition. In 1998, the stations began developing in-orbit technology which was followed by constant staffing. These developments facilitated space travel greatly (Nasa, n.d). Most of the people who took part in space travel used different technologies such as nuclear propulsion technology. This was a preferable choice of technology because of its reliability and flexibility in long distance space travel. It was also preferable because it was cheaper when compared with other forms of technology such as chemical rockets. During space travel, man required certain domestic needs to be met and this made the development of modern technology important. The first technology development in space travel was associated with the Apollo project. This was the first space travel intended at placing man on the moon. This project was an important one and led to the development of different technologies. It expanded the knowledge of man regarding space travel (Nasa, n.d). During space travel, man required food since without food there would be no survival. As a result, the first technology used by man to prevent food from going bad during space travel was freeze drying. This technology was initially developed during the Second World War to preserve plasma. It involved freezing the food, a process that removed most of the moisture from it. The foods preserved used this technology included foods like meat, peas and liquids.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second technology used in space travel was the use of cordless power tools. While in space, astronauts were supposed to carry out different tasks in their quest to gather scientific information. It was therefore not possible for them to gather this information by using traditional or power tools. Traditional tools could not provide much assistance while power tools presented limitations because of their cords. The use of cordless power tools proved to be very useful for the astronauts (Bryson, 2010). The third type of technology used in space travel was MRI and CAT technologies. The initial space travels were intended at identifying the most suitable grounds to land when man travelled to the moon. For this to be accomplished there was the need to have the right equipment to take space photographs. This technology was used by man during space travel to develop computer aided topography. It was also used to develop magnetic resonance imaging. References Bryson, B. (2010). A Short History Of Nearly Everything. New York: Transworld. Nas a. (n.d). Space Shuttle. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/sts1/gagarin_anniversary.html This essay on Man in Space ââ¬â Norm Thagard was written and submitted by user Teagan Cantrell to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Monday, November 25, 2019
How Amino Acid Chirality Works
How Amino Acid Chirality Works Amino acids (except forà glycine) have aà chiralà carbon atom adjacent to the carboxyl group (CO2-). This chiral center allows for stereoisomerism. The amino acids form two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other. The structures are not superimposable on each other, much like your left and right hands. These mirror images are termedà enantiomers. D/L and R/S Naming Conventions for Amino Acid Chirality There are two important nomenclature systems for enantiomers. The D/L system is based on optical activity and refers to the Latin words dexter for right and laevus for left, reflecting left- and right-handedness of the chemical structures. An amino acid with the dexter configurationà (dextrorotary) would be named with a () or D prefix, such as ()-serine or D-serine. An amino acid having the laevus configurationà (levorotary) would be prefaced with a (-) or L, such as (-)-serine or L-serine. Here are the steps to determine whether an amino acid is the D or L enantiomer: Draw the molecule as a Fischer projection with the carboxylic acid group on top and side chain on the bottom. (The amine group will not be at the top or bottom.)If the amine group is located on the right side of the carbon chain, the compound is D. If the amine group is on the left side, the molecule is L.If you wish to draw the enantiomer of a given amino acid, simply draw its mirror image. The R/S notation is similar, where R stands for Latin rectus (right, proper, or straight) and S stands for Latin sinister (left). R/S naming follows theà Cahn-Ingold-Prelog rules: Locate the chiral or stereogenic center.Assign priority to each group based on the atomic number of the atom attached to the center, where 1 high and 4 low.Determine the direction of priority for the other three groups, in order of high to low priority (1 to 3).If the order is clockwise, then the center is R. If the order is counterclockwise, then the center is S. Although most of chemistry has switched over to the (S) and (R) designators for absolute stereochemistry of enantiomers, the amino acids are most commonly named using the (L) and (D) system. Isomerism of Natural Amino Acids All amino acids found in proteins occur in the L-configuration about the chiral carbon atom. The exception is glycine because it has two hydrogen atoms at the alpha carbon, which cannot be distinguished from each other except via radioisotope labeling. D-amino acids are not naturally found in proteins and are not involved in the metabolic pathways of eukaryotic organisms, although they are important in the structure and metabolism of bacteria. For example, D-glutamic acidà and D-alanineà are structural components of certain bacterial cell walls. Its believed D-serine may be able to act as a brain neurotransmitter. D-amino acids, where they exist in nature, are produced via post-translational modifications of the protein. Regarding the (S) and (R) nomenclature, nearly all amino acids in proteins are (S) at the alpha carbon. Cysteine is (R) and glycine is not chiral. The reason cysteine is different is that it has a sulfur atom at the second position of the side chain, which has a larger atomic number than that of the groups at the first carbon. Following the naming convention, this makes the molecule (R) rather than (S).
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Moby Dick Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Moby Dick - Essay Example Conversely, Starbuck had morals which provided him with opposing strength and a more honorable downfall than Ahab. Both men had a few similarities and were faced with the same challenges in whaling, the absence and presence of morals led the men to deal with the situation in different ways, and ultimately to distinct conclusions. To elaborate the thesis, we can see many instances available in the text. In Chapter cxxvi The Life-Buoy, when they were on a voyage to a rocky island, 'the bodings of the crew were destined to receive a most plausible confirmation in the fate of one of their number that morning' (p.517), there is certain exposition of prospective event that signals something to happen in future. "Indeed, in some sort, they were not grieved at this event, at least as a portent; for they regarded it, not as a foreshadowing of evil in the future, but as the fulfillment of an evil already presaged. They declared that now they knew the reason of those wild shrieks they had heard the night before. But again the old Manxman said nay." (p.518) The scene is described 'as the unsetting polar star, which through the livelong, arctic, six months' night sustains its piercing, steady, central gaze; so Ahab's purpose now fixedly gleamed down upon the constant midnight of the gloomy crew.' Furthermore, they feel as if 'it domineered above them so, that all their bodings, doubts, misgivings, fears, were fain to hide beneath their souls, and not sprout forth a single spear or leaf.' (p.528) If viewed critically and analytically, it may be affirmed that "In this foreshadowing interval too, all humor, forced or natural, vanished. Stubb no more strove to raise a smile; Starbuck no more strove to check one. Alike, joy and sorrow, hope and fear, seemed ground to finest dust, and powdered, for the time, in the clamped mortar of Ahab's iron soul. Like machines, they dumbly moved about the deck, ever conscious that the old man's despot eye was on them." (p.528) Everyone starts off at a common point but takes off at different speeds and on different roads. Ahab and Starbuck were generally the same in basic aspects. First, both of the men had strong beliefs. Ahab believed Moby Dick was evil and was destined to die at his hands. This belief was so strong that it led to obsession and destruction. In a similar fashion, Starbuck's strong belief in God led to his destruction for it prevented him from making the decision to kill Ahab and prevented him from destroying the entire crew. Second, Ahab and Starbuck both had a family. Apart from all of their whaling, their wives and sons were patiently waiting at home for their husbands' return from the voyage. Third, they both shared a common love for the sea Although crazed; Ahab still loved the ocean that he spent much of his life in. He expressed his love for the sea several times on his final whaling voyage remarking that the it's beauty soothed him. Starbuck spent much of his life on the ocean as well and enjoyed its adventures and beauty. In Chapter xxvi, Knights And Squires, Starbuck even respected the sea inhabitants and he
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Health promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2
Health promotion - Essay Example Obesity in childhood, teenage and adults is considered an epidemic in the United States. The advancement in technology created rapid changes in the eating habits of individuals globally. However, as countries become more developed in terms of economic status, the greater the availability and affordability of innumerable choices of food that an individual can indulge in. The issue of addressing obesity has been specifically identified as a national agenda in Healthy People 2010. Obesity is defined as a chronic condition of excess fat accumulation in the body. (Medicine.Net, 2009, 1). Medically, obesity can be defined in relation to the body mass index (BMI). The body mass index ââ¬Å"determines whether a personââ¬â¢s weight is appropriate for height by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared.â⬠(Delaune & Ladner, 2006, 1394) Using this index, obesity is then defined as a BMI of 30 and above. (Medicine.Net. 2009, 1) The primary causes of obesity are overeating and lack of physical activity. When a person takes in calories much more than what one burns, that persons gains weight. Excess energy is therefore stored as fat. If that person has no initiative at all to engage in any physical activity which would help him or her burn those excess calories, then, obesity sets in. Aside from overeating and lack physical activity, there are enormous factors which contribute to an individualââ¬â¢s being vulnerable to obesity. These are: genetics, composition of the diet, frequency of eating, slow metabolism, lack of exercise or physical activity, medications, psychological factors, and even certain diseases. With different researches undertaken to explore on the factors contributing to obesity, it is revealed in MedicineNet that ethnicity, childhood weight and hormones all have an effect in being obese. As a person gains weight and either consciously or unconsciously neglect any measures to prevent the continuous weight increase, that person increases
Monday, November 18, 2019
Isotopes in archeology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Isotopes in archeology - Essay Example Isotopes are classified into two groups, stable or unstable isotopes, stable isotopes are considered such because of the non-dynamic nature of their proton neutron relationship they do not disintegrate or decay, while unstable isotopes, on the other hand, are known as radioactive isotopes. They are characterized by an unstable proton-neutron combination, in the process of decaying; they emit various types of radiation such as gamma, beta, and alpha, depending on the creation process, ranging from Cosmogenic, to radioactive isotopes. Both classes of isotopes have a wide range of uses in various disciplines such as medicine, agriculture, and geology just to mention a few. This paper focuses on the uses of isotopes in archeology and examines the various uses of isotopes in archeological research, their advantages disadvantages, and alternative techniques. Radio carbon dating One of the most essential functions or radioisotopes is in the determination of the age of archeological especial ly the remains of once living organism which could have died thousands of years ago. This has been used to back up written and historical data in a range of disciplines such as history, evolution and religion. ... The archeologists hence measure the ratio of carbon in the organisms and compare it to the radioactivity of carbon 14 left in the organism (Van der Merwe, 1982). In this way, scientists have been able to determine, and with considerable success, the ages of many plants and animal matter that have been excavated in archeological sites. The main advantage of carbon 14 dating is that is economical, and when done properly after considering all the factors involved, it can produce results that are very accurate. However, it has got some limitations in that if the subject being aged has been in existence for over 50,000 years, it begins to lose accuracy since the carbon isotopes become too small for effective measurement. Besides, environmental changes due to natural or man-made courses such as atomic bombs and nuclear testing has varied the amounts of carbon in the atmosphere making it difficult to come up with accurate results (Van der Merwe, 1982). A new method is, however, being develo ped AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) to counterman these short comings since it can derive more accurate dates from smaller samples of carbon for radio carbon dating. Determination of Geological location Using Strontium (Sr), which is an isotope found in human bones, archeologists can determine the geographical history of humans i.e. where past civilizations have been, their migration and settlement pasts and patterns can be deduced form these isotopes (Bentley, 2006). The strontium isotopes are ideal for this since they act like geochemical signatures, the body takes up the isotopes from the soil through the consumption of plant or animals which have consumed the same plants. The strontium hence embeds itself into the local food chain and substitutes some of calcium in the
Saturday, November 16, 2019
A Reflective Paper On The Importance On Teamwork Nursing Essay
A Reflective Paper On The Importance On Teamwork Nursing Essay What is a team work? Team work can be defined as when actions of individuals are brought together for the purpose of a common goal. Each person in a team puts his efforts to achieve the objectives of large group. Teams make efforts to achieve the success but not necessarily the success is achieved every time. Within a team every member plays a role to achieve the teams objectives. These roles add new and important dimensions to interactions of team members. Bruce Tuckmans team development theory provides a way to tackle the tasks of making a team through the completion of the project. On the part of the team every member played an important role to achieve the success at the end of semester. Our planning (or worrying about) whats happening next gives us little opportunity or inclination to examine what has just passed (Wallace, 2005). Writing from the angle of teacher student and team member relationships, it was appropriate to look then above quote. I believe that many students in a team hesitate to step further for their next action during the proceeding of project. I need to be reflective in my action for the future performance in a team. Groups of employees who have at least some collective tasks and where the team members are authorised to regulate mutually the execution of these collective tasks (Delarue, 2003). Group work is defined by a common task requiring interdependent work and successive or integrative action (Hacker, 1998). Belbin (1981) developed a model on team roles which was extended in Belbins (1993) publication. On the basis of the Belbins model the team performance can be observed when a winning or losing task is set for the team. Each member with assigned role balances the team role in a group and strong representation of all roles is predicted with high performance. I have experienced the same the role of every member in my team. Belbin makes a difference between two terms team role and functional role. It is necessary for a team to keep the optimum balance both in functional roles and team roles. On the other hands the Tuckmans theory describes the four stages of small group development as forming, storming, norming and performing. However a fifth stage of adjourning was added which involves the completion of tasks, termination of roles and dissolution of groups. Belbins theory is helpful to identify the different types of the teams; the characteristics define the work of the four categories. This model explains that during the team developments conflicts and interpersonal issues are found there and team development is dependent on the quality communication and relationship maturity with better performance. In traditional setting this model is useful for many practitioners and team leaders. According to this model all members work at the same place and are engaged in predefined work. This model works at the micro level of teams when new tasks are introduced and people involved have worked together not for long time. Belbin (1981) saying that not a single individual may have all the qualities to accomplish the total corporate role is totally right. An individual in a team is assigned his role of his choice and is avoided to perform the roles which are not in his abilities. Belbin also formulated the concept of roles in a team and their contribution of characteristic personalities and abilities in a team. The success of a team is the result of combination of team roles in it. The roles identified by the Belbin are lesser or greater extent shape the individual roles in a team. I am agreed with these nine roles explained by Belbin; all the nine roles are not necessary to achieve the success. I think that five roles are sufficient to achieve the success as some roles are doubled up for example a specialist role can be performed by a Plants role included in nine roles of Belbin. A project in beginning needs the ideas, concept and contacts so the roles of Plants and Resource are more valued at that oc casion. When the project is completed the roles of implementers and completer have their own place in a team. The Belbin theory allows every role to play a secondary role in a team. The secondary role possesses the second higher skills in results. In this way a role can perform more than one function to become a secondary role player in a team. In this work I want to reflect the situation taken place during the last semester to develop and utilize my personal skills needed to maintain the relationships with other team members. Gibbs (1988) Reflective cycle is used to reflect in an effective way. I am using this model because it is a recognized framework for my reflection. Gibbs (1988) contains six stages to complete the cycle which improves my personal skills continuously and learning for the best practices in future. As Gibbs cycle moves forward the first stage describes the situation where the team members work together, next stage looks the feelings of members about the work and third stage involves the analysis of the feelings of team members. The fourth stage is the analysis to make the sense of experience, 5th stage includes the outcome of team work and the final stage involves the action plan for the situation if it arose again. This kind of reflection generated the practice knowledge which assisted me to work with m y team members and adapt the new situation during the work. The team work generated a sense of satisfaction and developed professional practices. My team work encouraged me to learn from the mistakes and behavior and looked at the perspectives of other members in team. It was important for me to build the team member relationship with other team fellows. I established a mutual understanding and trust with other team members. Bound (1996) has stated that reflection is prompted by its positive states. He gives examples of a completion of a task which was thought impossible previously. I think that I have showed this sort of reflection during my last semester. Team work faces many challenges as the Watson (1995) says that teamwork is not a smooth path individualistic behavior, competitive, personality imbalances and cultural, philosophical, gender differences are all risks. I have seen these negative aspects of teamwork provided me learning opportunities when I was asked to do a differ ently next time. There existed the cultural and language differences among the team members. Therefore many learning activities were organized as a group but the challenges of language and cultural differences resisted producing the expected results. Students in a group varied due to academic levels and many of them were unable to embrace the other cultures. Language differences also impacted our teamwork due to language handling conflicts. The positive points of teamwork are enormous as being a team member I have shared the resources, success glory and burden failure. We have talked on various topics relevant to our project during the last session. I have respected my team members, their ideas and feelings. At the start of the project,t team members agreed upon the team objectives and enabled us to make consensus on the aims, and minimized distraction from other issues. An agenda was prepared before every meeting and circulated to every member of the team during the session. It inc luded the venue, time and duration of the meeting and discussed the supporting materials at the meeting. It was impossible to solve the problems lonely. I inter-acted my team members which was vital for the team success. Our team leader addressed the team dynamics and created a culture of the creativity. I was a big part of my team to remove the barriers to generate the new ideas and encouraged all members and also supported them. Conclusions In this reflective paper the pros and cons of a team member are discussed with perspectives of Belbin and Gibbs theories. One very positive spin-off from this reflective essay is that now I am able to get further insights into processes and deliberations of each team. Overall it has been very learning experience for me and I have welcomed every my team members with different cultures and languages. A comparison of Belbins theory and Tuckmans theory is part of this paper. Belbins model is based upon the team roles while Tuckmans model tells us about team development process. Gibbs Reflective cycle is a role model to work within team and is described with its stages to improve my personal skills for the future work in a team. To keep the team more effective I must provide more opportunities and challenges and help my team members to plan their careers based on the projected organizational needs. By creating an organizational environment, openness and energies I can expect to attract th e vital team members which are major part of the keys to my future. Teamwork allows me to be involved and participate in equal ways, sharing equal ideas. This helps to broaden my thinking to achieve the best outcomes.(Griffith Graduate, 2003).
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Judaism :: essays research papers
Judaism 1 A nation of Priests, Prophets, and Kings. à à à à à While the Jews were still trying to find the holy land, the brother of Moses, Aaron, established a priesthood. They build the tabernacle, a large tent, it became the center for Jewish worship. In 1077 B.C. a member of the tribe of Judah, David, became King of the Israelites. He firmly established kingship and priesthood in the nation's capital of Jerusalem. Solomon, David's son, built a large temple in Jerusalem. The messiah would come from David's line. There were three prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, each warned of punishment from god. 2 Judaism under Roman rule à à à à à The Jews were divided into factions. The Pharisees emphasized oral law. The Sadducees stressed the importance of the temple and priests. There was also the Essenes, the Zelots, and the Herodians. Jewish leaders were called rabbis. Rebellion broke out against the Romans in 70 C.E. Troops laid waste to the city and destroyed the temple. Jerusalem was declared of limits to Jews. The Sadducees were thus wiped out without the temple. 3 Judaism Emerges with a Greek garment à à à à à By the 4th century B.C. the Jews had engulfed the Mediterranean sea. Alexander the great was welcomed into Jerusalem. The Greek and Jewish cultures mixed. As a result the Jewish religion spread even faster. They were able to expand all across the known world. Even scriptures began too be translated to greek. 4 Judaism and God's name à à à à à Jews Believe gods name is too holy to pronounce. Over the last 2000 years the name has been lost. The name of God is Yahweh. In Latin he is called Jehovah. The Jews put much importance to God's name. For a period of time it was illegal to speak gods name.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Abnormal Psychology Reflection Essay
The objective of the course was for a better understanding of mental disorders. This course has given me the ability to apply information learned about human experience, and relate it to psychopathology. During the semester I have learned various types of psychological perspectives and diverse treatment plans; and by taking this class I have been given the tools, and skills to think critically about mental disorders. The course of abnormal psychology is a branch that deals with the description, causes, and treatment of abnormal behavior patterns. Abnormal psychology is the thoughts or behavior that cause social, cognitive, emotional, and various other tribulations for an individual. When there is an abnormal behavior pattern disrupting oneââ¬â¢s psychological functioning or behavior, it is due to a psychological disorder. I have realized that to be able to distinguish when a person has a psychological disorder, it is vital to be able to determine the definition of the abnormal behavior. The characteristics that classify abnormal behavior are unusualness, social deviance, faulty perception, significant personal distress, maladaptive behavior, and dangerousness, all traits that need attention and diagnosis. Abnormal behavior can bring unhappiness, conflict, or even discomfort in the individualââ¬â¢s everyday life not only impairing oneââ¬â¢s lifestyle, but can affect others. However, behavior that is normal in one region may be considered abnormal in another, henceforth I must also be refined in the cultures around the world and of the patient. Each culture approaches mental disorders differently, and have different forms of normalityââ¬â¢s, and solutions for oneââ¬â¢s behavior. In this class I was taught how American and western cultures approach mental disorders. Throughout the course I learned about different perspectives of psychology and different approaches to treatment. The perspectives that I consider to best explain abnormal behavior is the biopsychosocial model. The biopsychosocial model is an integrative model, which explains abnormal behavior through the interactions of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. The reason why Ià believe this model is the most accurate is because it takes into account that there is not just one factor that can cause a mental illness. One of the most interesting ways it approaches disorders is that it comes up with the diathesis-stress model. This model is a way of explaining how people end up suffering from mental disorders, by assuming that mental disorders come from the interaction of two things, genetic and life experience. A person that is genetically susceptible, minimal stress from the environment can trigger a mental illness; in contrast a person can withstand immense environmental stress and withstand mental illnesses. I find this model to be conclusive because it explains how all three factors contribute to different mental disorders. The treatment that I found most efficient and effective for mental disorders is cognitive-behavioral therapy. This therapy treats a maladaptive-learned behavior through applying the behavioral principles of learning. This gives the individual the ability to reconstruct his or her thoughts in a more positive matter. Disorders tend to make a person feel hopeless and maladaptive, but this treatment allows the person to have control of their thoughts and feelings. Mental illnesses can lead to disturbances in a personââ¬â¢s thoughts and may be an emotional experience. Mental illnesses tend to make life difficult because a person may find it hard to sustain relationships, keep a job, or motivate oneself to do daily activities. Without treatment, they can and often do make life intolerable to live. From this class I have a better understanding how mental disorders can affect oneââ¬â¢s life and what one can do to change their life. Furthermore, this class has given me a better understanding of the various psychological disorders, and how to diagnosis, as well as treat them. This has guided me so that one day I can help other people, and make their lives enjoyable and fulfilling.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Three Blatant Acts of Racism Against Obama
Three Blatant Acts of Racism Against Obama When Barack Obama became the first African-American elected president on November 4, 2008, the world viewed it as a signal of racial progress. But after Obama took office, he was the target of racist illustrations, conspiracy theories, and Islamophobia. Do you know the tactics used to attack him on the basis of race? This analysis covers three blatant acts of racism against Obama. The Birther Debate Throughout his presidency, Barack Obama was dogged by rumors that he was not an American by birth. Instead, the ââ¬Å"birthersâ⬠- as the people spreading this rumor are known- say that he was born in Kenya. Although Obamaââ¬â¢s mother was a white American, his father was a black Kenyan national. His parents, however, met and married in the United States, which is why the birther conspiracy has been deemed equal parts silly and racist. The birthers have also refused to accept as validà the documentation provided byà Obama that proves he was born in Hawaii. Why is this racist? New York Times columnist Timothy Egan explained that the birther movement ââ¬Å"has little to do with reality and everything to do with the strangeness of Obamaââ¬â¢s background- especially his race. He continued, Many Republicans refuse to accept that Obama could come from such an exotic stew and still be ââ¬ËAmerican.ââ¬â¢ â⬠¦So, even though the certificate of live birth first made public in 2008 is a legal document that any court would have to recognize, they demanded more.â⬠When Donald Trump repeated the claims of birthers in April 2011, the president responded by releasing his long form birth certificate. This move did not completely quiet the rumors about Obamaââ¬â¢s origins. But the more documentation the president released about his birthplace, the less ground the birthers had to suggest that the black president did not belong in office. Trump continued sending Twitter posts questioning the birth certificate authenticity through 2014. Political Caricatures of Obama Before and after his presidential election, Barack Obama has been depicted as subhuman in graphics, email, and posters. While turning politicians into caricatures is nothing new, the ones used to criticize Obama frequently have racial overtones. The president has been portrayed as a shoeshine man, an Islamic terrorist, and a chimp, to name a few. The image of his altered face has been shown on a product called Obama Waffles in the manner of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben. The depictions of Obama as ape-like have arguably sparked the most controversy, considering that blacks have been portrayed as monkey-like for centuries to suggest that theyââ¬â¢re inferior to other groups. Still, when Marilyn Davenport, an elected official in the Republican Party of Orange County, Calif., circulated an email portraying Obama and his parents as chimps, she initially defended the image as political satire. Mike Luckovich, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, had a different take. He pointed out to National Public Radio that the image wasnââ¬â¢t a cartoon but Photoshopped. ââ¬Å"And it was crude and it was racist,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"And cartoonists are always sensitive. We want to make people think- we even want to tick people off occasionally, but we donââ¬â¢t want our symbolism to overwhelm our message. â⬠¦I would never show Obama or an African American as a monkey. Thatââ¬â¢s just racist. And we know the history of that.â⬠The ââ¬Å"Obama Is Muslimâ⬠Conspiracy Much like the birther debate, the debate over whether Obama is a practicing Muslim appears to be racially tinged. While the president did spend some of his youth in the predominantly Muslim country of Indonesia, thereââ¬â¢s no evidence that he himself has practiced Islam. In fact, Obama has said that neither his mother nor his father wasà particularly religious. At the National Prayer Breakfast in February 2011, the president described his father as a ââ¬Å"nonbelieverâ⬠whom he met one time,à according to theà Los Angelesà Timesà and his mother as having ââ¬Å"a certain skepticism about organized religion.â⬠Despite his parentsââ¬â¢ feelings about religion, Obama has said repeatedly that he practices Christianity. In fact, in his 1995 memoir Dreams From My Father, Obama describes his decision to become a Christian during his time as a political organizer on Chicagoââ¬â¢s South Side. He had little reason at that time to hide being a Muslim and pretend to be a Christian as it was before the 9/11 terrorist attacks and his entry into national politics. So, why do rumors about Obama being a Muslim persist, despite his declarations to the contrary? NPR senior news analyst Cokie Roberts faults racism. Sheà remarkedà on ABCââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"This Weekâ⬠that a fifth of Americans believe Obamaââ¬â¢s a Muslim because itââ¬â¢s unacceptable to say, ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t like him ââ¬â¢cause heââ¬â¢s black.â⬠On the other hand, ââ¬Å"itââ¬â¢s acceptable to dislike him because heââ¬â¢s a Muslim,â⬠she declared. Like the birther movement, the Muslim conspiracy movement against Obama highlights the fact that the presidentââ¬â¢s different. He has a ââ¬Å"funny name,â⬠a so-called exotic upbringing, and Kenyan heritage. Rather thanà pointà out their distaste for these differences, some members of the public find it convenient to label Obama a Muslim, This serves to marginalize him and is used as an excuse to question his leadership and actions in the war on terror. Racial Attacks or Political Differences? Not every attack against President Obama is racist, of course. Some of his detractors took issue with his policy alone and not with his skin color. When the presidentââ¬â¢s opponents use racial stereotypes to undermine him or accuse him of lying about his origins because heââ¬â¢s different- biracial, bred outside of the continental U.S., and born to a Kenyan father with a ââ¬Å"strange nameâ⬠- an undercurrent of racism is often at play. As former President Jimmy Carter said in 2009: ââ¬Å"When a radical fringe element of demonstrators â⬠¦begin to attack the president of the United States as an animal or as a reincarnation of Adolf Hitlerâ⬠¦people who are guilty of that kind of personal attack against Obama have been influenced to a major degree by a belief that he should not be president because he happens to be African American.ââ¬
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Golden Lion Tamarin Facts
Golden Lion Tamarin Facts The golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) is a small New World monkey. The tamarin is easily identified by the reddish gold hair that frames its hairless face like a lions mane. Also known as a golden marmoset, the golden lion tamarin is an endangered species. So far, the tamarins have been saved from extinction by captive breeding in zoos and reintroduction into their native habitat. However, the outlook for this species in the wild is grim. Fast Facts: Golden Lion Tamarin Scientific Name: Leontopithecus rosaliaCommon Names: Golden lion tamarin, golden marmosetBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 10 inchesWeight: 1.4 poundsLife Span: 15 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Southeastern BrazilPopulation: 3200Conservation Status: Endangered Description The most obvious characteristic of the golden lion tamarin is its colorful hair. The monkeys coat ranges from golden yellow to red-orange. The color comes from carotenoids- pigments in the animals food- and the reaction between sunlight and hair. The hair is longer around the monkeys hairless face, resembling a lions mane. The golden lion tamarin is the largest of callitrichine family, but its still a small monkey. An average adult is about 26 centimeters (10 inches) long and weighs about 620 grams (1.4 pounds). Males and females are the same size. Tamarins have long tails and fingers, and like other New World monkeys, the golden lion tamarin has claws rather than flat nails. New World monkeys, like the tamarin, use elongated fingers with claws to catch and eat prey. Steve Clancy Photography / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution The golden lion tamarin has a tiny distribution range, restricted to 2 to 5 percent of its original habitat. It lives in three small areas of coastal rainforest in southeastern Brazil: Poà §o das Antas Biological Reserve, Fazenda Unio Biological Reserve, and tracts of land set aside for the Reintroduction Program. Golden lion tamarin range. Oona Risnen IUCNà Diet Tamarins are omnivores that eat fruit, flowers, eggs, insects, and other small animals. The golden lion tamarin uses its elongated fingers and toes to catch and extract its prey. Early in the day, the monkey feeds on fruit. In the afternoon, it hunts for insects and vertebrates. The golden lion tamarin has a mutualistic relationship with nearly a hundred plants in the forest. The plants offer the tamarins food, and in return, the tamarins disperse seeds, helping regenerate the forest and maintaining genetic variability in the plants. Nocturnal predators hunt the tamarins when they are sleeping. Significant predators include snakes, owls, rats, and wild cats. Behavior Golden lion tamarins live in trees. During the day, they use their fingers, toes, and tails to travel from branch to branch in order to forage. At night, they sleep in tree hollows or dense vines. Each night, the monkeys use a different sleeping nest. Tamarins communicate using a variety of vocalizations. Reproductive males and females communicate using scent to mark territory and suppress reproduction of other troop members. When the dominant female dies, her mate leaves the group, and her daughter becomes the breeding female. Displaced males can enter a new group when another male leaves or by aggressively displacing one. Tamarin groups are highly territorial, defending themselves against other golden lion tamarins in their range. However, the practice of changing sleeping sites tends to prevent overlapping groups from interacting. Reproduction and Offspring Golden lion tamarins live together in groups of 2 to 8 members. A tamarin group is called a troop. Each troop has one breeding pair that mates during the rainy season- usually between September and March. Gestation lasts four and a half months. The female usually gives birth to twins, but can have anywhere from 1 to 4 infants. Golden lion tamarins are born with fur and with their eyes open. All members of the troop carry and care for the infants, while the mother only takes them for nursing. The babies are weaned at three months of age. Females become sexually mature at 18 months, while males mature at 2 years of age. In the wild, most golden lion tamarins live about 8 years, but the monkeys live 15 years in captivity. Conservation Status In 1969, there were only about 150 golden lion tamarins worldwide. In 1984, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. started a reintroduction program that involved 140 zoos around the world. However, threats to the species were so severe that the tamarin was listed as critically endangered in 1996, with a total of 400 individuals in the wild. Today, the golden lion tamarin is categorized as endangered on the IUCN Red List, but its population is stable. An assessment in 2008 estimated there were 1,000 mature adults and 3,200 individuals of all ages in the wild. Despite the success of the captive breeding and release program, the golden lion tamarins continue to face threats. The most significant is habitat loss and degradation from residential and commercial development, logging, farming, and ranching. Predators and poachers have learned to identify monkey sleeping sites, affecting the wild population. Golden lion tamarins also suffer from new diseases when they are translocated and from inbreeding depression. Sources Dietz, J.M.; Peres, C.A.; Pinder L. Foraging ecology and use of space in wild golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia). Am J Primatol 41(4): 289-305, 1997.Groves, C.P., Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 133, 2005. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.Kierulff, M.C.M.; Rylands, A.B. de Oliveira, M.M. Leontopithecus rosalia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2008: e.T11506A3287321. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T11506A3287321.enKleiman, D.G.; Hoage, R.J.; Green, K.M. The lion tamarins, Genus Leontopithecus. In: Mittermeier, R.A.; Coimbra-Filho, A.F.; da Fonseca, G.A.B., editors. Ecology and Behavior of Neotropical Primates, Volume 2. Washington DC: World Wildlife Fund. pp. 299-347, 1988.
Monday, November 4, 2019
Management Info Systems Individual Work wk1 Essay
Management Info Systems Individual Work wk1 - Essay Example On the other hand, Information Systems refers to the interlinked elements that control information with an organization in order to help in the decision-making process. It also helps in examining products for using new innovative ways to design a product. The Information System provides information regarding the organization as well as business external environment that affects the organization operation/undertakings. The main components of information are the input of information, processing of the information and finally giving the information as an output. The Information System of an organization is available for use by outsiders such as customers, competitors and other stakeholders. The main roles that Information System has played cannot be underestimated. Many organizations have been registered online; online advertisement has become a new phenomenon, and more internet users have been recruited (Loudon & Laudon, 2009). ABB is a multinational company that is based in Sweden.The organization is involved in supplying electricity and building automation products. It has an average of 7,000 employees in Sweden (ABB, 2014). Research was carried out to determine the role Management Information System had played in the organization. The study was necessary since one of its subsidiary company had adopted a new Information System. After a vigorous investigation, it was established that Information System had played five important roles that turned around the companyââ¬â¢s fortunes (Askenas&Westelius, 2003). According to the investigators Information, system acted as a manipulator, administrative assistant, a consultant, was bureaucratic in nature, and was a changed. The Information System that was used before was very efficient.However, due to the dynamic technological environment; the company was forced to adopt a new system called Triton
Saturday, November 2, 2019
The Concept of the Ecological Footprint Assignment
The Concept of the Ecological Footprint - Assignment Example At the same time, communities and society need to grow in their concern and understanding about the environment while providing more access to resources that provide sustainability and lower numbers in ecological footprints. There are several concepts and factors that are attributed to the ecological footprint. The main concept is based on the behaviors, social expectations, and trends that are within a culture. The amount of knowledge that one has about the environment also creates a different approach to the ecological footprint that is used. The first factor that determines an ecological footprint is based on the capacity that a human has to use different types of resources and how this directly impacts the environment. The main concept that has to be looked into is based on the amount of resource consumption that an individual uses per year. As economic growth continues to emerge and as rising material standards rise in demand are also problems with ecological deterioration. The more in which one demands to have specific resources available, the more it contributes to environmental changes as a use of resources on the planet (Wackernagel, Rees, 1996). Even though it is required that each individual uses a specific amount of resources, there is also a rising concern with the way in which these resources are impacting the environment. If the ecological resources that are available continue to rise, then it will create unsustainable communities. The first places that are affected are urban settings, which require substantial resources to work with agriculture and to produce resources for different nations. If this increases, then the percentage of resources needed also increase. At the same time, the environmental needs donââ¬â¢t match the number of resources that are needed within a community.Ã
Thursday, October 31, 2019
The Organizations Restructuring Programs and HRD Practices Research Paper
The Organizations Restructuring Programs and HRD Practices - Research Paper Example This study basically draws on the HRD policy based convergence/divergence parameters of the organization for the continuous analysis for proper articulation of the HRD strategy at a broader level through its theoretical underpinnings are based on the need to focus attention on the evolving environment of competition. HRD policies and initiatives have received greater attention in the current period due to highly articulate employee skills training and development strategies at the individual firm level. Thus the theoretical and empirical analysis of this paper is based on the available literature on the subject at a global level along with an analysis based on the business organizationsââ¬â¢ own HRD practices. In other words, an HRD policy and initiative based analysis is a near approximation of an otherwise intractable continuum which lacks definable contours and a logical conceptual framework of reference. While theoretical constructs underlying this approach have been presented as a uniform analysis there is very little attention being focused on the qualitative paradigm shift caused by the a priori and a posteriori catalytic changes. Thus the qualitative shift in this study is essentially based on these outcomes and the latest calibrations and/or benchmarks enunciated by researchers to establish a conceptual framework for analysis. This paper just focuses on the latest HRD related practices and theoretical evolutionary process with reference to the global level. HRD function as against HRM is much facilitated when the scale of operations expands beyond a certain minimum level.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Curriculum Development for Small Group Esl Essay Example for Free
Curriculum Development for Small Group Esl Essay I. Description of Learners This private tutoring course has been developed for three elementary school girls, ages 8 11. They are sisters, recent immigrants from Saudi Arabia, who will be living and attending school in the U.S. for approximately two years. These students have been assigned a private English language tutor by Cartus Intercultural Language Solutions on behalf of Chevron Corporation, as part of their familyââ¬â¢s transfer package. The students have a language background in Arabic, which is the primary language spoken in their home. They each attend a small, private, international school, where their teachers allow them certain ââ¬Å"ESL modificationsâ⬠. Information gathered from these studentsââ¬â¢ needs assessment evaluations (to be discussed in section three) showed them to be in the early production stage of English language development. They have limited listening and speaking proficiency, a firm grasp of the Latin alphabet, and the ability to read and write at about a kindergarten level. The students were very hesitant to speak English initially, which made assessment difficult. II. Course Rationale Cartusââ¬â¢ language trainers develop individualized programs to meet the needs of each participant, based on the results of the initial needs assessment process. Language trainers design programs for such practical applications as function-specific skills and vocabulary and conversational proficiency in order to increase your participantââ¬â¢s competency and confidence. Every aspect of the training program is customized. Considering this scenario, there is no standardized curriculum. Once studentsââ¬â¢ needs have been assessed, and reachable goals have been determined, then materials must be purchased in order to meet course objectives. The primary stakeholder is the childrenââ¬â¢s father, the students themselves are the secondary stakeholders, and their elementary teachers could be considered as tertiary stakeholders. III. Needs Analysis Cartus leaves analysis and evaluation up to the individual language instructor. An interview was conducted with the father over the phone to determine his goals for each child. During this conversation he also provided insight into each childââ¬â¢s personality and individual English proficiency. It was then discovered that a previous trainer had conducted an English language assessment while the children were still in Saudi Arabia. This assessment can be seen in Appendix 1. Considering the results of the previous assessment, the instructor conducted one on one interviews with each child trying to gauge their levels of proficiency in the following areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The instructor sought to identify any gaps between what students are able to do and what they are required to do at school. Low beginning level questions, such as the ones listed below, were asked in order to define both preliteracy and literacy skills the students possessed. These initial questions were asked orally. How many brothers do you have? How many sisters do you have? What is the name of your teacher? What is the name of your baby sister? How many fingers do you have? What is your favorite toy? In addition, during the course of the program, one of the childrenââ¬â¢s teachers was consulted in order to identify more specific goals. IV. Goals and Objectives The studentsââ¬â¢ father is the primary determiner of their educational goals. He stated, ââ¬Å"They each need to be able to read passages at a faster rate and be able to speak and conversate.â⬠(sic) In order to achieve these goals, the instructor took into account the studentsââ¬â¢ needs and abilities and set the following objectives to meet the fatherââ¬â¢s fairly broad goal: * Know the names and sounds of all the consonants and vowels * Understand phonics concepts such as consonant combinations * Follow along, reading, and summarizing simple stories with pictures * Demonstrate understanding of everyday vocabulary * Follow simple oral instructions * Demonstrate understanding of the most fundamental, specialized vocabulary in content areas (e.g., shapes, colors, alphabet, numerals, animals) * Understand nouns, verbs, and punctuation * Understand singular and plural * Understand common and proper nouns * Understand simple past, present, and future tenses. V. Course content Lessons are conducted in the studentsââ¬â¢ home for three hours four days a week. The instructor has purchased all study materials and supplies to be used for the program. The materials are kept at the studentsââ¬â¢ home for them to use on their own over the weekend. Occasionally a student will have a homework assignment that needs to be addressed by the language instructor. In those instances the subject matter is incorporated into the curriculum and each student will learn key aspects of the material in a situational capacity. Although the students are of varying ages, due to their intimacy and language background, lessons are often conducted as a small group. It has been established that they challenge one another to speak English and are competitive when it comes to reading and responding to questions in English. They have a positive effect on one another, so the occasional situational content can be either elaborated upon or simplified as needed. Over the first months of the program, lessons were focused on advancing the students from the silent period to initial stages of speech. The students were introduced to concepts of consonants, vowels, and phonics before additional topics were explored. Once students began to speak and read with increasing frequency, they began reading sentences and discussing stories. Recently they have been able to volunteer information about themselves, their day at school, and other activities. Below are examples of lessons on vowel sounds, consonant blends, rhyming, and reading VI. MaterialsThe instructor has purchased compatible study materials to be used and shared by all of the girls. There is no one overaching core book, rather many workbooks, puzzles, games, and story books are used throughout the lessons. In addition to some of the worksheets shown above, those materials include the following: This book introduces consonant combinations such as ââ¬Å"slâ⬠, ââ¬Å"stâ⬠, and ââ¬Å"skâ⬠. Students read the instructions and follow the instructions to fill in the blank, match sentences to corresponding pictures, and fill in crossword puzzles. This book introduces consonant combinations such as ââ¬Å"slâ⬠, ââ¬Å"stâ⬠, and ââ¬Å"skâ⬠. Students read the instructions and follow the instructions to fill in the blank, match sentences to corresponding pictures, and fill in crossword puzzles. This phonetic puzzle reinforces studentsââ¬â¢ understanding of long and short vowel sounds, and is also used to increase vocabulary. This phonetic puzzle reinforces studentsââ¬â¢ understanding of long and short vowel sounds, and is also used to increase vocabulary. This pack of cards is used to refresh studentââ¬â¢s memory of past lessons, and also to make short sentences or phrases. This pack of cards is used to refresh studentââ¬â¢s memory of past lessons, and also to make short sentences or phrases. These beginning reading books provide pictoral cues to accompany the sentences. Students are able to recognize animals and food in the books and learn their English names. They are also able to practice phonetic reading skills. These beginning reading books provide pictoral cues to accompany the sentences. Students are able to recognize animals and food in the books and learn their English names. They are also able to practice phonetic reading skills. Magnetic letters are used to create words and fascilitate reading phonetically. Students make rhyming words and create new words by adding ââ¬Å"sneaky silent eâ⬠to the ends of short vowel sound words. Magnetic letters are used to create words and fascilitate reading phonetically. Students make rhyming words and create new words by adding ââ¬Å"sneaky silent eâ⬠to the ends of short vowel sound words. VII. AssessmentBecause these students are not graded or scored, their knowledge and ability must be assessed in less structured, more organic ways. The students attend English language school every day and have certain anxieties in regard to tests and quizzes. Assessment is performed during every lesson to determine what tools and materials are meeting the studentsââ¬â¢ needs, as well as how the students respond to the materials. The studentsââ¬â¢ father, as well as comments from classroom teachers provide vital information that the language instructor uses to assess the students, to inform future lesson content, and to raise the bar for studentsââ¬â¢ objectives.Students are on a break for the holidays, but during their last lesson they were asked some of the following questions:What is a noun?Can you each name three common nouns?What is a proper n oun? How do you write a proper noun?If one is a ââ¬Å"foxâ⬠, what are two called?If one is a ââ¬Å"footâ⬠, what are two called?Can you name three words that rhyme with ââ¬Å"catâ⬠?Can you name three words that start with ââ¬Å"skâ⬠like ââ¬Å"skipâ⬠?The word ââ¬Å"dimeâ⬠, does it have a short or long vowel sound?What gives it that sound?How much is a dime worth?What is the opposite of ââ¬Å"upâ⬠?What is the opposite of ââ¬Å"hotâ⬠?If your body needs food you are _______If your body needs water you are _______Their answers were used to set homework assignments and to establish new goals once lessons resume in January.Observation and interview results have indicated that the students are progressing well into ââ¬Å"high beginner proficiencyâ⬠and are beginning to understand language and use it in a limited capacity. Typically, they memorize words and phrases and can comprehend and utilize language that they havebeen taught. The curriculum focuses on applying literacy skills to the development of new knowledge. In second language acquisition, social language usually precedes academic language development.Appendix 1. References Dept. of Education, State of Tennessee. 2005. ESL Curriculum Standards: Proficiency Levels. Retrieved December 22, 2012, from http://www.fentress.k12tn.net/ESL Cartus, 2012 Intercultural and Language Training Worldwide. Retrieved December 22, 2012, from www.cartus.comFerlazzo, L., and K. Hull Sypnieski. 2012. The ESL/ELL Teacherââ¬â¢s Survival Guide. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.FlashKids Editors, 2010. Phonics Blends. U.S. FlashKids Books.Magnetic Letters, 2012, Lakeshore Learning Materials.Richards, J.C. 2001. Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Sight Words, 2012, Lakeshore Learning MaterialsWho Lives at the Pond? Parents. Minibook. Activities: Science Nature: Ages 3-6. Retrieved December 22, 2012 from www.scholastic.com Worksheets for Young ESL Learners. Retrieved December 22 from 2012,www.bogglesworldesl.com Vowel Sounds Match Ups,
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Auditor Predecessor Successor
Auditor Predecessor Successor Question: What is the purpose of predecessor-successor auditor communications? Which party, the predecessor or successor auditor, has the responsibility for initiating these communications? Briefly summarize the information that a successor auditor should obtain from the predecessor auditor. The purpose of the predecessor-successor auditor communications is to help an auditor determine if a firm should engage with a new client. This communication will inform the auditor about the history of the client with the previous auditor and possibly expose some information that would suggest that accepting this client is not in the best interest of the firm. In recent times it has become important to carefully choose with whom a firm engages in an agreement with for representing them as their auditor. Not only is the firms reputation at stake but they can be held liable for their clients fraudulent activities. The Auditing Standards Board has issued a Statement on Auditing Standards Number 84 in October of 1997. SAS No. 84 replaced the SAS No. 7 which has the same title and was written to update the statement to the present environment. SAS No. 84 defines the required communications between the predecessor and successor auditor before accepting an engagement; what to do when the predecessor limits the responses to the successor; contains sample client consent and an acknowledgement letter and a successor auditor acknowledgement letter. Many of the CPA firms use caution when accepting new clients and go through a detailed procedure before accepting a new client. This is necessary to protect the firm from potential future liabilities based on their clients activities. SAS No. 84 made several modifications or improvements to SAS No. 7 which include communications prior to engaging with the client, discusses the usage and types of working papers, discusses the use of different types of correspondence letters for the predecessor-successor with examples, and outlines actions that the successor should follow if the financial statements are found to be misstated. This Statement was then amended by no. 93 because the statement didnt address the case where an auditor started an audit but didnt complete it. SAS No. 93 clarifies the definition of the predecessor auditor to include this situation. The definition was refined to include any auditor who is engaged to perform an audit but does not complete it. In the ZZZZ Best case study, Greenspan was an independent auditor that completed an audit of the ZZZZ Best Company in 1986. He used analytical techniques to look at the financial data and he confirmed the existence of their jobs by reviewing their documents. After completion of the audit, Minkow that owned the ZZZZ Best Company dismissed Greenspan and retained Ernst Whinney as the companys auditor. A congressional subcommittee was probing into the predecessor-successor communications that occurred when this transition occurred. When the congressional subcommittee asked what information he provided to the successor auditor, Greenspan was said ââ¬Å"Nothing. I did there was nothing because they never got in tough with me. Its protocol for the new accountant to get in touch with the old accountant. They never got in touch with me, and its still a mystery to me.â⬠According to SAS no. 84, the successor cannot accept the new client until they have communicated with the predecessor and have reviewed their responses. Even though the successor is required to initiate the communication, the predecessor is required to respond. The predecessor is required to get permission from the client before providing any information about the client. This means that there is a possibility that the predecessor will state that they will not be providing any information but they must respond stating this. If the predecessor doesnt provide any information, this most likely means that the client doesnt want them to disclose some potentially harmful information about the client and raises some concerns about accepting the new client. In the ZZZZ Best Company case, Ernst Whinney said that they communicated with Greenspan prior to accepting ZZZZ Best as an audit client. They didnt state any details related to the communication and Greenspan did not confirm this communication. Even if Ernst Whinney did initiate communication with Greenspan, given that neither one confirmed the details of what was communicated means that Ernst Whinney didnt follow requirement of reviewing the predecessor responses before accepting the client. The successor auditor should obtain information that will help decide whether to accept the client as their auditor. The type of information that the successor auditor should be inquiring about is related to the integrity of the management and any disagreements that the predecessor had with the management over accounting or auditing procedures. If theres has been issues with management integrity or concerns about their integrity from the predecessor auditor, it most likely will be an ongoing concern which may cause problems in the future. Also, if the predecessor auditor had disagreements with the client about accounting or auditing procedures then it would best to discuss these procedures with the client before starting the engagement with the client. Another item that the successor auditor should request is access to the predecessors working papers. ââ¬Å"SAS no. 84 includes a list of the working papers ordinarily made available to the successor, including documentation of planning, internal control, audit results and other matters of continuing accounting and auditing significanceâ⬠.1 The predecessor may limit the access to this working papers for reasons such as confidentiality agreements or litigations. These working papers provide the good insight into the client and give exposure to the predecessor and clients working arrangements. They will be the fastest and most detailed information for evaluating the client. When responding to the successor after the initial communication, the predecessor may request a written agreement disclosing the terms of what they disclose. They may request that the successor keep the information confidential and agree not to engage in litigations against the predecessor related to the material disclosed. Another item they should discuss is the reasons for the change in auditors. This information could show some insight into any management integrity issues if the predecessor auditor withdrew as the auditor. The successor will need to document the communications with the predecessor. They should document when the communications occurred, the results of the communications, and details of what material was disclosed. Even though the communications may be oral instead of written, it is good practice to document the details of what communications were made and the nature of the communications. SAS No. 84 doesnt require the documentation of this communications but the successor auditors working papers should show the details of communications that occurred. The predecessor-successor auditor communications is the key to determining if the firm should accept the new client. This communication will allow significant information to be gathered in determining whether to proceed into an agreement or not. The success auditor must initiate the communication with the predecessor. The completion of this exchange of information is vital to protect the firm from potential future liabilities based on their clients activities.
Friday, October 25, 2019
The Sex of Things: Gender and Consumption in Historical Perspective Ess
The Sex of Things: Gender and Consumption in Historical Perspective The Sex of Things is a collection of thirteen essays discussing the social history of consumption (loosely defined) and gender in France, England, Germany, Italy, and the United States from the eighteenth to the late twentieth century. Taking a primarily historical approach to the topic of gender and consumption, the contributors come from various academic disciplines: history, economics, area studies, English, art history, and gender studies. The contributors contextualize their analyses of gender and consumption historically in visual representations and popular social and political lines of thought. In the introduction, de Grazia lays the groundwork for why we should be concerned with how gender impacts the study of consumption. Simplistic notions of naturally or inevitably identifying the female sex with shopping sprees are challenged in favor of a deeper inquiry into the assumptions revolving around AMr. Breadwinner@ and AMrs. Consumer@(3). Instead of merely debating whether consumption is liberating or oppressive, these essays are concerned with the study of consumption in terms of the construction of gender roles, class relations, the family, and the state. Essays in the first section relate to the transition of consumption patterns from aristocratic to bourgeois society. De Grazia locates the growth of bourgeois consumption practices in the Afeminized world of the home@, where female heads of household not only were expected to be nurturing and sociable, but were also consumers of food, clothing, and furniture. Through their purchases, these women accumulated (for themselves and their children) what Pierre Bourdieu called Acultural capital, @ b... ...en women and melodrama by consideration of statistical data on the female audience, as well as discursive contributions from popular media. The Sex of Things concludes with selected bibliography by Ellen Furlough, highlighting gender and consumption in historical perspective. The bibliography includes histories of consumption and consumer culture as well as theoretical contributions and contains a number of categories rooted in feminist research on consumption. These categories include: sites of consumption, marketing and design , spectatorship and reception, production of representations, domesticity, sexuality, appearance, and politics and ideologies of consumption. Each section ranges historically from the Middle Ages to the present. Unfortunately, the bibliography is dominated by Western perspectives; only a few of the sources are non-Western in orientation.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
A Classical Story, a Baroque Interpretation, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini Essay
When told his son would surpass him in artistic brilliance, Pietro Bernini of Florence simply responded, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦remember, that in this game the loser winsâ⬠(Fagiolo 9). A conversation held in the distant past, there was no way for Pietro to know that his son, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, would come to be known as one of the most talented artists the world has ever seen. Fully immersed in the art world at a young age, Gian Lorenzo Bernini catapulted to artistic prominence soon after his initial commissions within the papacy. One of his earliest works, Berniniââ¬â¢s sculpture of Pluto and Proserpina not only illuminates Berniniââ¬â¢s astonishing skill in marble craft, but also serves as a perfect manifestation of Baroque ideals while simultaneously solidifying Bernini as a key artist of the Baroque art period which began its sweep across Europe during his lifetime. Gian Lorenzo Bernini was born on December 7th, 1598, in the city of Naples, Italy (Fagiolo 3). His father, Pietro Bernini, was a gifted Florentine sculptor who moved his family to Rome in 1606, the city in which Bernini would live until his death. In his youth, Bernini spent a great majority of his time and training in his fatherââ¬â¢s workshop; it was here that Pietro taught his son ââ¬Å"to exercise hand and eye continually in his craftâ⬠(Fagiolo 3). After moving to Rome, his father worked for several years in the service of the Borghese Pope Paul V (Wittkower 3). Through his fatherââ¬â¢s fortunate connection with the papacy, the young and extremely gifted Gian Lorenzo caught the eye of the Pope and his nephew, Cardinal Scipione Borghese (Wittkower 3). This initial discovery launched Bernini into his lifelong successful artistic career. From 1618 onwards, Bernini was consistently employed, creating incredible and awe-inspiring artworks in the city of Rome: ââ¬Å"For more than half a century he was sculptor-architect to eight popes, all of themâ⬠¦so respectful of Berniniââ¬â¢s genius that they gave him the richest commissions any artist has ever receivedâ⬠(Wallace 10). Following years of countless commissionsââ¬âincluding what some might call his most prominent and well known, the architectural design of St. Peterââ¬â¢s Square outside of the Vaticanââ¬âBernini died on November 28th, 1680 at the age of 81, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy which is still pertinent in present day Italy: ââ¬Å"â⬠¦only the Romans had a greater influence on Rome than Gianlorenzo Berniniâ⬠(Bent). The story behind Berniniââ¬â¢s Pluto and Proserpina stakes its origins in ancient Greek mythology. Copied from the Greeks by the Romans, ââ¬Å"The Rape of Persephoneâ⬠ââ¬âdaughter of the Greek goddess of the harvest, Demeterââ¬âwas written in order to explain the forming of the four earthly seasons: fall, summer, spring, and winter (Fairbanks 176-178). In the story, Persephone is in a meadow, picking flowers as she walks, when she spies a narcissus flower that is ââ¬Å"finer than the restâ⬠(Fairbanks 178). As she stoops to claim it for her bouquet, the ground opens up and Hades, god of the dead, on his ghastly chariot, abducts Persephone and drags her to the underworld against her will (Fairbanks 178). Demeter, who discovers her daughterââ¬â¢s fate from Apollo, pleads with Zeus to return Persephone to her. (Fairbanks 179). To Demeterââ¬â¢s dismay, Persephone had ignorantly eaten pomegranate seeds of the underworld, and was therefore obliged to remain with Hades (Fairbanks 179). However, an agreement was made in which Persephone may spend half of a year in the underworld with her king, and the other half on Earth with her mother (Fairbanks 179). In the spring, when Persephone returns to the earthly realm, Demeter causes the flowers to grow in order to welcome her daughter home (Fairbanks 179). When Persephone must return to the underworld, Demeter mourns her daughterââ¬â¢s leaving, causing the leaves to wither and fall off the treesââ¬âand thus, the seasons were formed (Fairbanks 179). One of Berniniââ¬â¢s earlier works, the sculpture of Pluto and Proserpina is truly a wonder to behold. Completed in 1622 when Bernini was a mere twenty-three years old, the marble sculpture is larger than life and currently presides in the Borghese Gallery in Rome (ââ¬Å"Plutoâ⬠). The sculpture, named for the Roman characters of myth, captures the very moment in which Pluto (Hades) has snatched his soon-to-be bride, Proserpina (Persephone), and drags her to his deathly realm. This is made apparent in the presence of Cerberus, the three-headed dog guardian of the underworld, who snarls ferociously under Proserpinaââ¬â¢s writhing form. Pluto, with his firm grip, clasps Proserpina as she tries to flee from her somber king. However, Proserpinaââ¬â¢s efforts are futile as Pluto is already successfully grounded in the underworld, and knows she cannot escape his clutches or a life spent in his shadowy kingdom. Pluto and Proserpina, as an artwork, serves as a pinnacle of Baroque values. The Baroque period, which began approximately around the year 1600ââ¬âtwo years after Berniniââ¬â¢s birthââ¬âmarked a severe transition in European artistic ideals: ââ¬Å"In comparison with the art of the High Renaissance, Baroque art isâ⬠¦more colorful, higher-pitched, and ââ¬Ëtheatrical. ââ¬â¢ Baroque art makes a direct appeal to the emotions of the viewerâ⬠(Wallace 11). In this regard, Pluto and Proserpina is dead onââ¬âas Proserpina strains against the force that is Pluto, the emotion portrayed via the body language and faces of both is a clear example of Baroque style. ââ¬Å"Bernini interpreted thisâ⬠¦as a conflict between brutal lust and desperate anguish,â⬠a notion which is made clear in movement of the sculpture (Wittkower 4). As Proserpina struggles with all of her might, she pushes her left hand against Pluto in a feeble attempt at escape, all the while marble tears roll down her cheeks, an expression of anxiety and sadness written clearly on her face. Pluto, whose taut, muscular legs and firm grip on Proserpinaââ¬â¢s thigh and stomach, has won his prize and intends to claim itââ¬âhe looks on the struggling form of Proserpina with a hint of a smirk and nothing but desire in his eyes. The expressions Bernini gave the two only emphasize his influence on fundamental Baroque elements: ââ¬Å"Baroque gestures inâ⬠¦sculpture are vividly dramaticâ⬠¦Facial expressionsâ⬠¦are so explicitly rendered that they verge on caricatureâ⬠(Wallace 11). The scene that Bernini portrays in Pluto and Proserpina is nothing short of emotive, dramatic, theatrical, steeped in movement, and utterly Baroque. Depicting a quintessential classical tale, Berniniââ¬â¢s sculpture of Pluto and Proserpina was created shortly after the conclusion of the High Renaissance, an art period in which ââ¬Å"ancient celebrations of the human figure, together with the optimistic spirit of the early sixteenth century, fostered an unprecedented interest in the figure as artâ⬠(Wood 138). Artists practicing within the Baroque period took this appreciation of the human figure and aimed to embellish it with drama, movement, and sensation. Berniniââ¬â¢s Pluto and Proserpina does exactly thatââ¬âmaintaining the High Renaissanceââ¬â¢s desire for classicism and appreciation of the individual, Bernini expertly crafts idyllic human forms while simultaneously adding Baroque flourish to the work. The rippling, muscular form of Pluto reflects attention to the male figure similar in quality to that of Michelangeloââ¬â¢s David, yet differs severely in Plutoââ¬â¢s movement versus Davidââ¬â¢s stagnant pose (Michelangeloââ¬â¢s). As Pluto lunges into the underworld with his fleshy prize, there is distinct sense of mobility and, in essence, story-telling within the work. David, on the other hand, is found lacking in both action and dramaââ¬âin a relaxed stance, David has his slingshot casually slung over his left shoulder, holding the stone listlessly in his right hand. Despite the fact that David is wearing an expression of what seems to be concentration or concern, Michelangeloââ¬â¢s work is a far cry from the emotional drama present in Pluto and Proserpina. Through Berniniââ¬â¢s portrayal of the contrasting feelings of Pluto and Proserpina in such an exaggerated and dramatic way, the audience is caught up in the moment of the story as if they are actually experiencing it. Static statues such as Michelangeloââ¬â¢s David, however, leave the viewer rooted in time and place, contemplating what the work has potential to do, without actually witnessing it. Despite the truly amazing artistic prowess behind Pluto and Prosperpina, not to mention the fact that the work was created almost four hundred years ago, Berniniââ¬â¢s massive portfolio of work has only recently been circulating the art world in terms of its analysis and critique. ââ¬Å"Bernini himself predicted that his reputation would diminish after his death; his art is much concerned with emotion and faith, andâ⬠¦he sensedâ⬠¦these qualities would not be the most admired in the age of reasonâ⬠(Wallace 10). Praised for years by eight different papacies, Berniniââ¬â¢s remarkable artwork fell by the wayside, and was even slandered by English art critic John Ruskin who believed it was ââ¬Å"impossible for false taste and base feeling to sink lowerâ⬠than Berniniââ¬â¢s work (Wittkower 1). However, although his reputation as an artist hit an all-time low in the Victorian era due to Ruskinââ¬â¢s harsh critique, Bernini is finally beginning to receive the recognition he deserves. With transportation more readily accessible than ever before in combination with he notion ââ¬Å"â⬠¦that citizens of the late 20th century, having seen what a botch men of reason have made of the world, are increasingly open-minded toward men of feeling,â⬠Berniniââ¬â¢s work is only now, within the last one hundred years or so, being considered by art historians, as implausible as it may seem (Wittkower 12). Pluto and Proserpina, though an exceptional work of art, is one of Berniniââ¬â¢s lesser-studied sculpturesââ¬âit is next to impossible to find any sort of analysis of the work. Yet, even though it is not considered to be his best workââ¬âif even considered at allââ¬âthose who have had the chance to observe and contemplate it recognize Berniniââ¬â¢s sheer technical expertise as exhibited in Pluto and Proserpina. In an article from The North American Review, Bernini is considered ââ¬Å"the soul of his ageâ⬠in that he provided ââ¬Å"a solid, emotional coreâ⬠to ââ¬Å"a theatrical style like Baroqueâ⬠(Bent). The article praises Bernini as ââ¬Å"a master of detail who always built his figures around a single, dramatically potent gesture. His ââ¬ËPluto Abducting Proserpinaââ¬â¢ is a case in pointâ⬠(Bent). More praise for Bernini comes from author John Wallace, who, in his book, The World of Bernini, describes the sculpture of Pluto and Proserpina as ââ¬Å"â⬠¦one of the most remarkable in carvedâ⬠¦sculptureâ⬠in terms of its astounding physical and psychological realism (Wallace 18). As ââ¬Å"â⬠¦an artist whose influence on his time is without parallel in history,â⬠Bernini was undoubtedly a crucial artist in the foundation of the Baroque movement (Wallace 9). Born two years prior to the dated beginning of the Baroque period, Bernini spent his entire life creating works of art steeped in Baroque idealsââ¬âworks of movement, drama, and emotion. The sculpture of Pluto and Proserpina does nothing but emphasize this notion of Berniniââ¬â¢s reign as a leading Baroque artist in Rome. Despite the fact that his reputation as an incredibly accomplished artist diminished drastically in the years following his death in 1680, Bernini is without a doubt one of the most skilled artists to have ever lived. Without Gian Lorenzo Berniniââ¬â¢s considerable contributions, the Eternal City of Rome would be found lacking in the majority of its artistic grandeur, and the Baroque period would be missing an absolutely essential founding father.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)