A short history of classical music essays

A short history of classical music essays Music is considered food for the soul. It is also considered as medicine for a depressing soul or a tensed mind. Music has its different forms suiting different moods e.g. classical music, hip hop, rock and roll, blues, jazz etc. Each of these music types has their own regional and cultural traditions. Classical music has its own noble history like the rest of the music types. Every culture and tradition has its own form of classical music that is played with the assistance of different instruments e.g. Indians, Chinese, Arabs and Europeans had their own traditions for classical music. Classical music is a broad, somewhat inexact term, referring to music produced, or rooted in the traditions of art, ecclesiastical and concert music. A music is classical if it includes some of the following features: a learned tradition, support from the church or government, or greater cultural capital. Classical music is also described as complex, lasting, transcendent, and abstract. The classical music, found in stores and performed regularly by symphonies around the world, spans a length of time from 1600 up to the present. This time frame includes the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary periods. The classical period of music actually spans a time from of 1750 to 1800. Some people consider classical music as Western Art Music because most of the major composers till the 20th century were European. Vivaldi was Italian, Bach was German, Mozart and Beethoven were Austrian; they were some of the more prominent composers. The instrumentations used for composition of Classical music include both large orchestras and small ensembles. The largest part of the orchestra was the string section consisting of violins, violas, cellos and string basses. These instruments were invented very early in medieval times but really matured into their present form during the late 18th century. The wind instruments, comprised of brass and woodw...

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Pre If we talk about the best and the most influential composers of all the times, Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the first names that have to be mentioned. This German composer and organist created plenty of unbelievable works, which presented the Baroque period in all its glory.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Pre-Concert Talk about Johann Sebastian Bach specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In comparison to many other composers of the 17th, 18th, and 19th, Bach’s life and career has quite limited boundaries from Eisenach to Leipzig. However, his works and ideas are known to the whole world and arouse interest of many people with different cultures and preferences. His The Well-Tempered Clavier and Three Collections of Dance Suites are probably the greatest intellectual treasures all over the world. These keyboard works have their own peculiarities and captivate both the listeners and the performers. Without any do ubts, lots of pianists prefer to use the works by Bach during their performances, but they do not completely comprehend their style and background. Such lack of understanding turns out to be the major reason of why the same works may be presented and comprehended in many different ways. This is why it is crucially important to know the background of each musical work and be able to analyze its style. This time, two above-mentioned Bach’s works will be under our consideration. In Bach’s life, there are three major periods: Weimar, Cà ¶then, and Leipzig. During each of these periods, Bach created more and more captivating works and amazed people with his abilities to choose the best things in the world and represent them by means of music. â€Å"It was in Weimar that this remarkable process of self-education culminated in consummate mastery and the crystallization of Bach’s personal style which be then had evolved as the synthesis of the international musical le gacies.† 1 The Well-Tempered Clavier is considered to be one of the brightest works during this period.Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is â€Å"much more than a compendium of contrapuntal devices, a role belonging more properly to the Art of Fugue.†2 In order to comprehend this work and be ready to read it, taking into consideration every detail, it is very important to analyze certain theoretical background and be aware of meaning of such notions like ‘equal temperament’, ‘just intonation’, ‘prelude’, and ‘fugue’. There are two volumes, which present a prelude and a fugue in every key, major and minor. A prelude is a quite short piece of music that may change its form depending on the whole masterpiece. Preludes usually serve as introductory parts to succeeding movements of the rest of the work or as separate pieces of works. The prelude consists of several repeating rhythmic motifs, so that it may considerably influence the general perception of the work. At the beginning of the 17th century, German composers started uniting preludes with another type of contrapuntal technique of a work, a fugue. The combination of preludes and fugues gained its recognition in numerous Bach’s works. Bach liked to participate in different events, where composers had to create and introduce fugues on organs or harpsichords in a short period of time. German composers wanted to move toward expression by means of huge harmonic changes and had a need of wider tonality realm. Without any doubts, Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier serves as a good example of this musical tuning, known to lots of people as â€Å"just intonation†. It is a kind of system, â€Å"in which all the intervals are derived from the natural (pure) firth and the natural (pure) third.† 3 Nowadays, well temp eraments are replaced by another system of tuning that is called â€Å"equal temperaments†, where only octaves considered to be pure intervals. Sebastian Bach could not agree that equal treatment should take such an important place.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Pre-Concert Talk about Johann Sebastian Bach specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More â€Å"The more mathematically minded writers on equal temperament have given the impression that extreme accuracy in figures is the all-important thing in equal temperaments, even if it is patent that such accuracy cannot be obtained upon the longest feasible monochord.† 4 Of course, the results of Bach’s own tuning deserve people’s recognition and analysis. In 1722, Bach started the creation of the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier and the first cycle of different compositions in this very conception. The prelude in C Major that is followed by the fugue in C Major starts Book I. Then, the prelude and fugue in C Minor follow. Each pair of prelude and fugue is presented in the chromatic scale till the last key. Book II was completed in 1744. More experienced and more educative Bach made a wonderful attempt to continue his work and add more interesting details to it. He wanted to achieve one of his cherished goals during the creation of this Well-Tempered Clavier – to prove the feasibility of well temperament for each composition in every key. However, it was not the only purpose of Bach. He was also eager to clear up how progressive work might contain some conservative ideas. This is why The Well-Tempered Clavier may be analyzed as a great source of information about various historical styles and idioms. It is necessary to admit that ornamentation played a very important role in the sphere of music during the 17th and 18th centuries. Lots of Bach’s written-out notes may be regarded as ornamentation examples. O rnamentation in Bach’s compositions helps to comprehend better different melodic events and make them more beautiful. People, who cannot notice any pieces of ornamentation, may see only a kind of surface layer of all the notes presented by the composer. The table of ornaments, offered by Bach in 1720 describes almost all commonly used ornaments: turn, appoggiatura and trill, ascending trill, etc. 5Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Without any doubts, The Well-Tempered Clavier created by Bach is considered to be the greatest work of the Weimar period. In spite of the fact that this composition was created during the Baroque period, it had a considerable impact on Western classical music. For lots of people, who deal with music, both theorists and composers, this masterpiece remains a good sources of various musical techniques, which were so inherent to the Baroque style. Bach tried to unite unbelievable things or just the things, the combination of which was still unknown to the composers of the 17th century. When people listen to The Well-Tempered Clavier, they get a wonderful opportunity to enjoy unbelievable sounds and ideas. However, without proper awareness of such issues as equal temperament, just intonation, prelude, fugue, and different types of ornamentation, a professional musician will hardly evaluate this piece of work and find out what exactly the creator wants to represent to his listeners. Anoth er Bach’s work that deserves our attention and requires deep consideration is Three Collections of Dance Suites: The English Suites (BWV 806-811), the French Suites (BWV 812-817) and the Partitas for Keyboard (BWV 825-830). In order to comprehend why Bach chose a certain style for his work, it is better to analyze the backgrounds of each of dance suite and clear up their tempos. There are so many kinds of dance suites like the allemande, the sarabande, the gavotte, or the bourree, and each of them has its own peculiarities and influences the further development of the masterpiece. â€Å"The suite is usually denotes a cycle (or series) of dance pieces changing in tempo and meter yet preserving key unity throughout.† 6 The dance suite appeared in the 17th century and was one of the most famous discoveries of the Baroque Era. The Baroque dance suite’s major components, which are performed in one and the same key, are a prelude (it has already been discussed), the a llemande, courante, sarabande, intermezzi (consisting of minuet, gavotte, or some other dance), and gigue. Usually, al these components turn out to be dependant on the composer’s wish. If he/she wants to make the work really captivating, it is crucially important to think about the possible combinations and represent them in the composition. To make the right decision, it is necessary to be aware about the background of each dance suite and its tempo. First of all, it is better to remember that: Allemande has German origins and is represented within quadruple meter. The tempo of this movement is quite moderate and starts with an upbeat. Courante has more French origins and is characterized by quicker tempo in comparison to allemande, and presented in triple meter. If we look at the French dictionary, we will see that courante means run. According to such a simple translation, it is easier to guess a nature of this very movement. Sarabande is probably one of the slowest types of dance suite. It has Spanish origins and is performed in triple meter. Gigue attracts people attention by its fast tempo and lively atmosphere. This dance suite came from England, and its peculiar features are numerous triplets and a certain number of wide leaps. This very dance suite starts with eight meter. These four movements were the major components of the suites during the times of Bach. It was also possible to add several optional movements, which may be placed between the sarabande and gigue. In Three Collections of Dance Suites, Bach preferred to use bourree, gavotte, minuet, and prelude, of course. â€Å"His music speaks of initial hesitancy followed by confidence†7, this is why his unbelievably right choice of components for the suites always amazes the listener. Almost all additional movements have French origins: bourree is characterized as lively dance, gavotte is a kind of moderately fast dance, and minuet is elegant French dance with three even beats perf ormed in triple time. The minuet is the dance suite, which was the most preferable one by Sebastian Bach. In his Collection of Dance Suites, each collection consists of six suites. The model to each collection is quite standard: prelude, allemande, courante, sarabande, optional movement, and gigue. However, it is necessary to admit that Bach did not like to follow the rules precisely, but still could not create absolutely different pieces of music, this is why each collection has something in common that corresponds to the general model, and something different that underline the uniqueness of each collection. The English Suites are one of those, which closely follow the ordinary model. All six suites have the prelude, allemande, courante, sarabande, and gigue. Between the gigue and sarabande, each suite presents own optional movement: bourree (1st and 2nd suites in A major and minor), gavotte (3rd suite in G minor), minuet (4th suite in F major), passepied (5th suite in E Minor), a nd again gavotte (for 6th suite in D Minor). The French Suite does not have the prelude, but presents more movements between the gigue and the sarabande. This is why some of the French Suites have 5 movements (the 1st suite), 7 movements (2nd, 3rd, and 5th suites), and even 8 movements (4th and 6th suites). The Partitas for Keyboard is interesting due to its introductory movements and the variety of movements between basic elements of the whole model. The first suite has the standard model with the prelude and minuet. The 2nd suite has sinfonia as the introductory movement, and rondeau and capriccio as the final movements. The following four suites have quite different structures represented in the same key. After we look at the structures of each Bach’s suites, we can easily find out the differences and the peculiarities of each of them. It is impossible to say that some suite is better or worse than the other is. It is rather understandable that the beginning of the composi tion is a bit simple in order to provide the listener with a chance to feel the melody and create the general picture of the events. With each suite, Bach adds more and more movements. Such addition may be compared with the development of a person. With time, a human learns something new and enlarge his/her knowledge, he/she meets new people, and tries to make this life better than it is. Almost the same happens in Bach’s compositions. With time, each suite is enlarged with one or more movements. They influence the suite in its peculiar way and make the listener feel something that has not been inherent before. Johann Sebastian Bach’s contribution into music during the Baroque Era remains to be rather considerable. People all over the world get a wonderful chance to enjoy his magnificent compositions. â€Å"His personal stamp on† 8the old forms of suites added something really new to the further development of classical music. Even if Bach was a bright represent ative of the Baroque Era, his impact on Classical music is also great. It is impossible to analyze his works after listening them for one or two times. To grasp all the ideas, which Bach wanted to reproduce, it is better to learn their backgrounds and pay attention to each detail in the composition. Each suite in Bach’s compositions has different components. These movements make the work sweeter, and the addition more and more different movements to each suite is a wining decision of the composer to attract the attention of many theorists and practical composers. His works serve as good educative examples to learn more and more about the world of classical and Baroque music. His Dance Suite and The Well-Tempered Clavier are real treasures, which have to be kept, analyzed, and used in order to improve our modern music. Bibliography Apel, Willi. Harvard Dictionary of Music, Harvard University Press, 1969. Barbour, James, M. Tuning and Temperament: A Historical Survey, Courier D over Publications, 2004. Gillespie, John. Five Centuries of Keyboard Music: An Historical Survey of Music for Harpsichord and Piano, Courier Dover Publications, 1972. Lloyd-Watts, Valery Bigler, Carole L., and Palmer, Willard A. Ornamentation: A Question Answer Manual, Alfred Publishing, 1995. Melamed, Daniel, R. J. S. Bach and the German Motet, Cambridge University Press, 1995. Neumann, Frederick. Ornamentation in Baroque and Post-Baroque Music: With Special Emphasis on J. S. Bach, Princeton University Press, 1983. Schulenberg, David. The Key Board Music of J. S. Bach, CRC Press, 2006 Sharpe, R. A. Music and Humanism: An Essay in the Aesthetics of Music, Oxford University Press, 2000. Footnotes 1 Neumann, Frederick. Ornamentation in Baroque and Post-Baroque Music: With Special Emphasis on J.S. Bach (Princeton University Press, 1983), 7 2 Schulenberg, David. The Keyboard Music of J. S. Bach (CRS Press, 2006), 199 3 Apel, Willi. Harvard Dictionary of Music. (Harvard University Press , 1969), 448 4 Barbour, James, M. Tuning and Temperament: A Historical Survey, (Courier Dover Publication, 2004), 87 5 Lloyd-Watts, Valery Bigler, Carole L., and Palmer, Willard A. Ornamentation: A Question Answer Manual. (Alfred Publishing, 1995), 39 6 Gillespie, John. Five Centuries of Keyboard Music: An Historical Survey of Music for Harpsichord and Piano (Courier Dover Publications, 1972), 40 7Sharpe, R. A. Music and Humanism: An Essay in the Aesthetics of Music (Courier Dover Publications, 1972), 81 8 Melamed, Daniel, R. J. S. Bach and the German Motet, (Cambridge University Press, 1995), 54. Pre Introduction Pre-stressing is one of the methodologies applied by civil engineers to mitigate natural drawbacks of steel concrete structures. The methodology is deployed to produce various structures for commercial utilisation such as floors, bridges, and beams among others.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Pre-Stressed Concrete specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Concrete withstands more loads while subjected to compressive loads than while subjected to tensile loads. This behaviour implies that, when used to produce columns that are to be subjected to compressive loads, it can withstand more loads relative to when it supports loads that subject it to tension. A similar scenario is experienced when concrete is deployed to produce a beam. For instance, when a beam is simply supported and loaded, the dead load (load due to the weight of the beam) and the applied load subject the upper portion of the beam to compressive d eformation. The lower side is subjected to tensile strains, which otherwise induces tensile stress. Since non-reinforced concrete is stronger in compression than in tension, the beam can only support a limited amount of load in tension. When the span of a beam is increased, the load, which can be supported, reduces because longer spans buckle more than shorter spans. One way of dealing with this challenge is by providing more supports to the beam. However, this strategy is inconvenient especially when a beam is used to support floors in multi-storey buildings requiring large floor surface areas. Cost also becomes prohibitive. The amount of concrete used to make a beam to support a given amount of load is also higher than in the case of a reinforced beam. Traditionally, reinforcing was done using steel bars, which provide the required strength in tension. With a reinforced beam, the spans, which can support an equivalent load with a non-reinforced concrete beam with equal cross-secti onal dimensions is higher. The need to increase such spans even higher gives rise to the need of utilisation of pre-stressed concrete. The aim of this paper is to discuss the historical developments of pre-stressed concrete, the basic concepts of pre-stressed concrete, and the manufacturing of the pre-stressed concrete. An effort is also made to discuss the design of pre-stressed concrete together with its new developments. Historical Development The current achievements of the utilisation of pre-stressed concrete in civil engineering rest on the undying effort of scientists and engineers within the last 100 years. A San Francisco-based engineer, Jackson, was the first to patent pre-stressed concrete when he applied â€Å"patent for construction of artificial stone and concrete pavements in 1886† (Raju 2009: 2).Advertising Looking for report on architecture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In his patent, pre-s tressing was realised through tensioning. Various rods used for reinforcing concrete were set in the form of sleeves. Two years later in 1888, small beams coupled with slabs were produced in Germany, Dorhring through deployment of tensioned wires that were embedded in concrete for purposes of crack prevention. In 1886, Mandl introduced the idea that pre-stressing was essential in countering the stress introduced by loads in concrete structures. Later, in 1907, â€Å" Koenen, of Germany, further developed the subject by reporting on the losses of pre-stress due to elastic shortening of concrete†(Raju 2009: 2). However, the significance of the loss of these stresses was identified first by an American Engineer, Steiner, in the year 1908. A Vienna-based Engineer, Emperger, used these findings to produce wire-bound concrete pipes. According to Raju (2009), these pipes were made by â€Å"binding high tensile steel wires on pipes at stresses ranging from 160 to 800 N/mm2† (2 ). Dischinger first demonstrated that unbounded tendons could also be utilised to make pre-stressed concrete structures in the year 1928. This task was accomplished through construction of deep-girder version of major bridges through use of pre-stressed wires, which were secured inside his girder that did not have any bond. The losses of pre-stress encountered were taken up by corresponding re-tensioning of wires that were deployed in the concrete structure. Based on these structures and exhaustively studying the steel and concrete properties, in 1928, Freyssinet argued that high-strength steel was advantageous for use in making pre-stressed concrete since more accounting of pre-stress losses could be realised. He singled out that such losses arose principally from shrinkage and creep in steel structures when loaded. From 1928 to 1933, Freyssinet is recognised for having made the most significant achievement in the development of pre-stressed concrete. These achievements were due to â€Å"development of vibration techniques for production of high-strength concrete and the invention of the double acting jack for stressing high-tensile steel wires† (Raju 2009: 2). These discoveries marked the beginning of the intensive spread of the practical applicability of the pre-stressed steel as from 1935. In the US and Europe, civil engineers began constructing long-span bridges from 1945 to 1950. A good example of such a bridge is shown in fig.1 below. Christian Menn designed and fabricated it in 1962. The bridge is found in Tamins-Reichenau in Switzerland. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Pre-Stressed Concrete specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Fig.1: Tamins-Reichenau Bridge in Switzerland Source: (Billington 2004: 28) Over the last 50 years, pre-stressed concrete has been used in civil engineering for a variety of applications. They include construction of bridges having long spans, shelf roof f or industrial applications, construction of structures used in the marine industry, pressure vessels used in nuclear power plants, and railway sleepers among other applications. In recognition of these applications of pre-stressed concrete, Raju (2009) reckons, â€Å"there is probably no structural problem to which pre-stressed concrete cannot provide solution and often a revolutionary one† (3). In the same line of thought, it can be inferred that pre-stressing is a universal principle in civil engineering, rather than just a technique. Basic Concepts of Pre-stressed Concrete The need to use pre-stressed steel arose because of two main reasons. The first one is the need for utilisation of high-strength steel in the making of concrete structures. The basic idea behind this need is that, the stronger the material used in construction, the lighter and smaller the beams to be built without sacrificing strength. Burgoyne (2002) cites the second reason as â€Å"the recognition of losses of pre-stresses due to various causes† (548). In fact, the initial attempts to deploy mild steel in the making of the pre-stressed concrete failed miserably because the working stress of mild steel is about 120N/mm2. This stress is totally, or the better part of it is, lost due to shrinkage and creeping together with elastic deformation. In this regard, Burgoyne (2002) puts the loss of stress in pre-stressed concrete due to these factors in the order of 100 to 240N/mm2. A material to be utilised successfully for making pre-stressed concrete requires strength in the range of 1200 to 2000N/mm2. Such amount of strength can only be provided by high strength steel. Raju (2009) supports this basic design principle by asserting, â€Å"high strength concrete is necessary in pre-stressed concrete, as the material offers high resistance in tension, shear, bond, and bearing† (3). A fundamental question that arises is how the high-strength steel could be used to support tens ile loads yet it sags.Advertising Looking for report on architecture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The response to the above query underlines the reason why pre-stressing is done while using a high-strength steel to make concrete beams. Perhaps the best way of conceptualisation of how steel functions in a concrete beam to support tensile loads can be done by consideration of an elastic band. When an elastic rubber band is stretched and force applied mid way, the amount of sag decreases when a constant load is applied as the stretching force is increased. This finding implies that the higher the pre-stressing force, the higher the amount of that load that the rubber band can support. This concept is the basic principle of operation of pre-stressed concrete beam. The functionality of pre-stressed concrete beam may also be interpreted by consideration of an analogy of carrying books, which are stuck together. Books can be stuck in rows, which can then be lifted up. It is also possible to carry the books by first applying a force to make the rows stick together and then pull the stac ked books in rows horizontally. Upon applying pressure, compressive stresses are induced in the books so that they become easier to move from place to place at once. Using the same concept, pre-stressing concrete helps to eliminate a number of design challenges associated with reinforced concrete. Burgoyne (2002) supports this importance of pre-stressed concrete by asserting, â€Å"Pre-stressing removes a number of design limitations that conventional concrete places on span and load by permitting the building of roofs, floors, bridges, and walls with longer unsupported spans† (551). Consequently, engineers and architects are given an opportunity to come up with designs for beams, which can have longer, lighter, and shallower spans while paying critical attention to the need of the high strength required for utility performance in structural components of roofs and bridges. Manufacturing of Pre-stressed Concrete Manufacturing of pre-stressed concrete is done at a pre-stressin g concrete plant. During manufacturing of the pre-stressed concrete, civil engineers apply two ways for inducing compressive stresses in pre-stressed concrete. The first one is pre-tensioning while the second one is post-tensioning. Pre-tensioning is a method whereby concrete is placed after stretching of tendons. Fig. 2 below shows the tendons used in the manufacture of pre-stressed concrete. Fig 2: Tendon used in manufacture of pre-stressed concrete Source (Raju 2009) The force used to pre-stress concrete is transferred via a bond to the concrete. In the pre-tensioning method, concrete is placed upon stretching steel. â€Å"In order to strengthen the beam, steel tendons with high strength are put in between two abutments to be tensioned to around 70 to 80 percent of their overall strength† (Mutsuyoshi Hai, 2010, p.167). The concrete is allowed enough time to cure to gain the necessary strength. Tensioning forces are now released. Steel produces a reaction after attaining the required strength from the concrete making it gain the length that it had before. Consequently, tensile stresses are converted into transformed into compressive stresses, which upon complete curing are now very firm. Fig .3 below shows an example of a beam used for bridge contruction manufutured through pretentioning. Fig. 3: Pretentioned pre-stressed Concrete beam Source (Billington 2004) Post-tensioning is a pre-stressing methodology in which the concrete put after the tendons is tensioned and hardened before the steel is stretched. â€Å"The pre-stressing force is moved through the end anchorages to the concrete† (Mutsuyoshi Hai, 2010, p.171). Concrete is then cast around. Normally, an engineer makes ducts in the concrete body as the process progresses. This case is done with the help of steel rods, which are later removed. In the next step, with regard to Raju (2009), â€Å"After the concrete is hardened until it gains the required strength, engineers place and str etch the steel tendons towards the end of the unit† (p.57). Concrete that has been post-tensioned has a myriad of applications ranging from making of large girders, slabs, and roofs to pavements among other applications. Both pre-tensioning and post-tensioning produce good pre-stressed concrete. However, they are different. One of the striking differences is that post-tensioning is only possible to do in a manufacturing plant. Post-tensioning is done on the job site using applications, which are cast in place. Design of Pre-stressed Concrete Beams The pre-stressed concrete design initiates by determining the required load to be supported and the mechanism of loading the resulting beam. However, while designing, it is important to remember that a beam has its own weight. In the most simplistic scenario, it is uniformly distributed. Supporting conditions also determine the dimensional and sectional properties of the pre-stressed concrete beam that is selected for a given applica tion. The simplest support conditions are the cart livered beams or simply the supported beams. For pre-stressed concrete beams, having multi supports such as the ones shown in making the bridge shown in shown in fig .4, the calculation involved requires advanced techniques to obtain solutions for deflections, and the tensile and compressive stresses and strains on the loaded beam. Such techniques involve numerical methods and other methods for obtaining parametric solutions. It is important to note that, with the development of software applications, there is a specialised commercial software application that helps designers to handle these often-tedious calculations. However, for the software to give practical solutions, there must be inputs such as loading conditions and sectional properties such as the modulus of elasticity, the permissible bearing, shearing, compressive and even tensile stresses that would be induced on the beam. Normally, a designer has at his or her disposal the material properties, which are often tested and documented in the form of standards such the required loading and span. Depending on the required aesthetic properties of the concrete structure, the cross-sectional shape may also be known. The design challenge is then to find the member size, which is required together with the tendon profile and forces required for pre-stressing. Fig 2: Chillon Viaduct Bridge in Switzerland Source (Billington 2004: 27) Determination of the member size requires designers to conduct an analysis of the pre-stressed members, which can be â€Å"different for different stages of loading† (Burgoyne 2002: 549). There are three main stages of loading. They are initial, intermediate, and final loading stages. The initial stage is further divided into two main sub-stages. These are â€Å"tensioning of steel and the transfer of pre-stress to concrete† (Raju 2009: 98). In case of the intermediate stage, the designer considers the loads acting on the members during transportation, handling, and during erection of members that are pre-stressed. In the final stage of design of the pre-stressed concrete beams, two main considerations are made. These are the response of the members during operation and the ultimate performance of the members during extreme conditions. Since a pre-stressed member is built to withstand even extreme forces, for instance intense forces impacted on members during high water waves or during earthquakes, the designer is most interested in the analysis of the failure of the structure during such scenarios. As argued before, the design process of pre-stressed concrete yield parametric solutions. Therefore, the designer is involved in the intersection between decision-making and numerical calculations. In this regard, Burgoyne (2002) argues, â€Å"the human designer alternates between decision-making and computational challenges until the design is complete† (p.549). However, simple calculations are conducted first since they are repeated again in case the design fails to work. Complicated calculations are normally executed last when the design engineer is completely sure that the design will work. New Developments in the Pre-stressed Concrete For many decades now, pre-stressed concrete has been used in the construction of structures such as bridges all over the world. Pre-stressed concrete has dramatically grown due to the rise of its advantages such as higher lifecycle and the initial cost of making the concrete bridge. Pre-stressed concrete has great features over steel bridges because of its huge characteristics in aesthetic and economic aspects compared to concrete bridges, which have been reinforced. Recently, most pre-stressed concrete bridges have deteriorated before serving their estimated life span. This situation is caused by various factors such as environmental factors and corrosion. Consequently, concerns have been raised in the design and construction of pre -stressed concrete and its long-term durability (Mutsuyoshi Hai 2010). Therefore, civil engineers have adopted and applied a number of innovative technologies of pre-stressed concrete during the actual construction of projects as well as in their developments. In addition, some structures used in the construction of pre-stressed concrete have been presented to represent state of the art technologies. Development of new structures for pre-stressed bridges requires using an external pre-stressing technique, which produces externally pre-stressed concrete bridges that are designed using pre-stressing tendons, which are placed outside the section with concrete but within the boundaries of the cross-section of the girder. The idea behind external pre-stressing is widely advantageous. It is now becoming more popular in the building of medium and long-span bridges. Some of the advantages are the ability to control and adjust tendon forces, ease inspection of tendons while they are built, and reduction in thickness of the web. To increase performance of pre-stressed concrete bridges, new innovative technologies have been adopted to make this possible. These technologies include PC bridges, which have tendons that are highly eccentric externally. Although, externally pre-stressed PC bridges are well known and are highly advantageous, their flexural strength is lower compared to that of internally bonded tendons because of the eccentric tendons being smaller and limited by the ties of the girder section as well as the reduced eccentric tendon at the definite flexural failure. Extra-dosed PC bridges comprise a type of system that is structured in a way that tendons have been installed outside and above the major girder with a short deviation of towers being situated at supports. With regard to Virlogeux (1998) argues, â€Å"Extra-dosed PC bridges have a girder height that is lower than that of the ordinary girder bridges† (p.19). This case reduces the weight of t he structure. Thirdly, bridges made from pre-stressed concrete and possessing webs from steel possess grooved steel plates with less weight. These are better instead of using the concrete web because corrugated steel can withstand shear forces while not absorbing the unwanted stresses brought by pre-stressing thus efficiently enabling pre-stressing of up and down concrete deck slabs (Virlogeux 1998). In fact, corrugated webs made form steel are known to possess incredible shear resistance coupled with buckling rà ©sistance. Raju, (2009) develops this argument further by stating, â€Å"Lightweight corrugated steel web plates cause about 25% reduction in self-weight of main girders enabling the usage of longer spans† (p.93). They also reduce the cost of construction. Conclusion Pre-stressed concrete offer a myriad of advantages compared to the reinforced concrete. From the discussions of the paper, these merits range from increased spans length of a beam that can be simply sup ported to reduction of the dimensions of the beam without sacrificing the strength of the structure constructed using the pre-stressed concrete beams. Since the weight of a beam is also less, the strength of the supports required is also reduced. The paper held that the advantages have prompted hefty research on how such beams can be cheaply manufactured since they are currently finding wide range of applications in a variety of fields such as nuclear power plants, rails, and road bridges having long spans and even in construction of roofs for building requiring large floor areas. Bibliography Billington, D, ‘Historical Perspective on Prestressed Concrete’, PCI Journal, vol. 1, no. 3, 2004, pp. 14-30. Burgoyne, C, Design of Prestressed Concrete Beams Using Expert Systems, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, 2002. Mutsuyoshi, H N Hai, Recent technology of pre-stressed concrete bridges in Japan, Saitama University, Tokyo, 2010. Raju, K, Pre-Stressed Concr ete, McGraw Hill, New York, 2009. Virlogeux, M, Non-linear Analysis of Externally Prestressed Structures, Proceedings of FIP Symposium, London, 1998.

Hate Speech Phenomenon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hate Speech Phenomenon - Essay Example There is a consensus among the leaders of the international community that hate speech needs to be prohibited by law but the compatibility of the hate speech legislation and the free speech laws is yet to be established. A large majority of people support legislation against hate speech but there are other perspectives as well. The adversaries to the legislation against hate speech present freedom of speech as the strongest argument however there are other arguments besides this. According to some people hate speech should be tolerated because it allows people to release their hatred towards a particular group of people in a much softer way. According to them hate speech helps people releasing the pressure of hatred that is built up inside their minds through their tongue and thus it helps preventing the threat of physical violence. However the case of human beings is different from mechanical pressure vessels and tolerance of hate speech promotes it in most of the cases. The first a mendment to the constitution of the United States ensures the freedom of speech and expression however it has certain shortcomings regarding the saving of the minority groups from hate speech; free speech as a phenomenon ensures the provision of human rights however free speech clause has failed to do so because it has been used as a tool for spreading hatred on numerous occasions. People who are against the hate speech laws argue that hate speech cannot be abolished by enforcing laws against it because it is a moral and social issue which can be solved through arbitration and changing the mindset of hate mongers. Hate speech laws at times ‘overprotects’ minorities like blacks and Jews who exploit these laws while expressing their own hatred towards majority groups so the whole legislative process against hate speech is very critical and laws should be formulated by keeping into consideration all the possible ways in which the laws could be misused (Delgado). In places where hate speech laws have been formulated and are being enforced, some people have reported the presence of ‘underground racists’. These people are those racists who do not openly express their hatred towards the minority groups because the law bars them to do so, consequently they keep their feelings hidden, working silently to cause damage to the minority groups and thus pose a greater threat. So the challengers of the hate speech laws use the case of underground racists as another argument against the enforcement of hate speech laws because according to them a person who hides his hatred is much more dangerous than a person who openly admits his hatred towards other people. Thus the adversaries argue that formulating laws against hate speech is not the solution, moral solutions are much better. For example one of the solutions that they propose is that a person who confronts hate speech should learn to ignore it because ignorance discourages the hate mongers wherea s reaction is considered as offensive and further encourages the hate mongers to continue spreading hatred. But ignorance is sometimes considered as weakness, under such circumstances, the minority groups should learn to reply back. So the person who confronts hate speech is in a much better position to resolve the issue than the authorities who can only impose law which are not effective in stopping the incidents of hate speech. The

Why traffic congestion is a classic example of the problem of Essay

Why traffic congestion is a classic example of the problem of externalities - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that traffic congestion is the most significant problem in a large number of cities of the world. Traffic congestion is regarded as an example of consumption externality. It is reported by the experts that negative externalities do take place when consumption or production of a good or service by one person imposes a burden of cost on the other people. The result which is achieved from such a scenario does damage the environment. Traffic Congestion produces negative externalities. The present research has identified that various external costs are imposed upon by journeys through cars in the forms of air pollution, traffic congestion, noise pollution, change in climate and accident.   Peaking is responsible for creating traffic congestion. Suppose that a road network is already running at its full capacity. At this kind of situation, if an additional car joins the network, then it is quite evident that it would result in the fall of an av erage speed of all the cars in that road network that in turn would increase the time of journey for all.   Beyond the full road capacity, the cost that a journey through a private car has to bear gets increased due to congestion as it creates more delays in time as well as larger costs of fuel. If an individual takes the decision to drive his/her car at the time of going to work, the ability of the decision actually makes the same road a bit more crowded.... All the additional costs are taken into account, such as extra costs of fuel. Negative externalities are always considered by the economists as undesirable because they help in creating inefficiencies. It simply implies that people indulge in driving even if they should not do so from a societal perspective. For instance, if one estimates that all the benefits of going for a drive including more comfort and more flexible journey surpass the costs of driving in the form of fuel costs and costs of maintenance, then the person would choose driving through personal car as the best mean for going out to work. But, in this calculation, the person has surely neglected some vital component: the costs for longer period which the person would impose on other commuters inadvertently. Thus traffic congestion becomes a classic example of the problem of externality. (Litman, 2003; Lindsey, 2006) 2. Consider the ways in which private motorists will respond to road charges and comment on the private motorists' price elasticity of demand for road use. According to the theory of demand, an increase in price of a normal good/service will cause a fall in the quantity demanded for that good. This logic holds true for the road use by private cars as well. Imposition of road charges implies that costs of road use will increase for private motorists. Given the same benefits derived from going out with a private car, road charges cause the average costs to rise. It will simply result in a fall in the road use by private motorists. They would now prefer to go with a bus or travel in some other time when congestion is lower. Thus the private motorists respond to a road pricing either by reducing the same road usage at peak

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Research Paper - Essay Example To be specific, choosing an apt thesis for my research work was the most important problem. I need to prove myself that I am able to point out my own opinion on the topic selected for the research work. One can see that thesis is to be considered as the core element of a research work which influences the work as a whole. I was totally confused because I was permitted to choose the topic by my own. So, I decided to go through books. This initiative helped me to have through knowledge in the topic selected for the research work. I came to realize that no one can plan a research work without having thorough knowledge in the topic. I decided to make use of the books, journal articles and other sources and began to take notes. Then, I chose an apt thesis for my research work, went through other research works, and created an outline for my work. Next, I went through the notes and chose the most important points and quotations related to the topic. This was an easy task for me because the knowledge gathered from books, online journal articles, and other sources helped me to create an apt bibliography. Then, I began to write my first draft, including all the points to be included in the research work. After completing my task, I came to know that one of my peers is facing difficulty with the task of finding relevant sources for the research work. To be specific, this problem cannot be dealt with ease. My friend/peer must show utmost care and attention in finding relevant sources. For instance, my friend can go through the available books, journals and other sources in the library. After completing this task, my friend can make use of ‘Google Books’ to search books. Besides, my friend can make use of online magazines, online journal databases, online editions of newspapers and online libraries. I hope all these steps can help my friend/peer to complete

British Colonialism In Daniel Defoes Roxanna English Literature Essay

British Colonialism In Daniel Defoes Roxanna English Literature Essay Max Weber in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism claims that Capitalism educates and selects the economic subjects it needs through a process of survival of the fittest (Weber 154). Weber believes that there is a direct link between institutions and individual characters. In other words, one can say that Capitalism would not survive without economic men and also economic men could not maintain their social place without Capitalism. In the following the researcher tries to show that at least certain men and women, were swayed by the logic of Capitalisms productive possibilities. Defoe was intensely interested in capitalist modes of production, efficiency and improvements and in the exploitation and expansion of new markets along imperialist lines that would favor English trading interests. Defoe was also interested in the politics of his time and in the social issues. Defoe was a mature product of the cultural process initiated by Capitalism. In other words he is a master over circumstances, over nature. He has the confidence, despite his mediocre birth, to comment on the social, political, and economic affairs of his day. In turn, Roxana was a woman, who, despite her reverses and her own mediocre birth, could entertain princes and kings. In the beginning of this emerging capitalist interest, and with the thirst of reform, Defoe was able to synchronize in his own life Capitalisms vision of a new social order, of commerces role and change. All his novels are rich in content and context. Roxana has been called by modern critics Defoes darkest novel. Many critics have claimed that the greatest difference between Defoe last novel and his earlier works is Roxanas greater gravity. Many critics described it as a novel whose primary concern is with the psychological nature of Roxana and Amys sin. Roxana has most often been appraised as a story of moral decay, in which the heroine progresses from virtuous poverty to corrupt wealth. Roxana has also been criticized as a woman with a cynical attachment toward those who love her and whose rational self-interest places her as the embodiment of Defoes vision of a corrupt society. Roxana is a heroine who rushes toward material comfort and self transformation at the price of her soul. Roxanas internal world of memory and guilt concerning her various sexual partners, the death of her daughter Susan at the hands of Amy, and the like, becomes the price Roxana pays for the control she assumes in external world of financial and sexual interests. In this aspect, two factors about Roxana should be emphasized: the nature of Roxana as a new economic woman caught between profit and spirituality and the issues of empire and slavery which were not only important in the fictional life of Roxana, but also in Defoes life. Considering the above mentioned remarks, some examples are traceable in the novel. For instance, when Roxana discusses the dangers of marrying a foolish husband her remarks repeat one of Defoes favorite maxims about the nature of commerce, while also underlining the context of commerces international nature: I was a Warning for all the Ladies of Europe, against marrying of Fools; a Man of Sence falls in the world, and gets-up again, and a Woman has some Chance for herself; but with a FOOL! Once fall, and ever undone; once in a Ditch, and die in the Ditch; once poor, and sure to starve (ibid 96). Roxana addresses her comments to the Ladies of Europe, and Roxana like so many of Defoes novels is at the center of attention internationally and all these shows that Roxanas warning have larger international designs. Another example of this imperialist economic instruction can be found in Sir Robert Claytons disquisition on prudent money management. As he instructed Roxana, he talks about industry as such: If the Gentlemen of England would but act, every family of them would increase their Fortunes to a great degree (ibid 167). That international commerce and empire are part of the overall fabric of Roxana is also evident in the rituals of adornment which Roxana undergoes with each of her lovers. Because the English female body and female dressing were powerful motives of 18th centurys imperialist ideology. Roxanas Turkish dress is an example of this motif. This dress comes to the hands of Roxana from a Malthese Man of War, which had captured as spoils a Turkish ship and enslaved its passengers, one of which Roxana bought during her tour of Italy (ibid 173-174).This dress enables Roxana to market herself to English court culture. Roxana explains: that Notion of the King being the Person that dancd with me, puffd me upto that Degree that I à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ was very far knowing myself (ibid 177). Further, this dress is also, as Roxana emphasizes, a counterpart to the slave she purchases. She says: I bought the rich clothes tooà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as a Curiosity, having never seen the like (174). Here Roxana confront s the other in the form of a person, and the material culture of that other. The dress is explained as extraordinary fine indeedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the Robe was a fine Persian, or India Damask à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ embroidered with Gold, and set with Pearl in the Work, and some Turquoise stones(ibid 174). Both the slave and the dress are also delivered to Roxana through the agency of imperialist aggression- by the acts of a Malthese Man of War (ibid174). Significantly, Roxana who is without Amy on her travels throughout Italy uses her slave as a means to put the dress, with its various decorations, on her body. In other words, she learned how to cover herself in the dress of the other with the aid of an other. Literally, Roxana is using the local knowledge of the Turkish womans material culture in order to use that knowledge to her advantage and this is a good example of the methodology of imperialist expansion. On the other hand, Roxanas dress is an important metaphor for imperial expansion; another important metaphor is her purchase of a slave. Defoe, like many of his contemporaries during the early eighteenth century, was ambivalent about the issue of slavery; in other words, Defoe was no abolitionist. Defoe demonstrated his ambivalence toward the slave trade by generally giving it strong support to increase his nations share of the market in human chattel, and in the African trade in general. Like Defoe, Roxana was also interested in what profits she could reap from the slave trade. She versed herself in the culture of the Turkish woman she bought from the Malthese, so one can assumes that Roxana did not find her slave, or her slaves manners, repugnant or distasteful. In dressing for her second husband, Roxana even set her picture in diamonds above her heart, which was a compliment among the Eastern peoples (ibid 247). In fact, in learning the language of the Turkish woman, Roxana sought to know this Turkish slave and her culture in a way that was far more intimate than most Westerners at this time could have claimed or even imagined. The knowledge Roxana acquired of her Turkish slave is used to advance her socially and for a time, in London court society. Therefore, for Defoe and Roxana alike, prosperity could be found in the slave trade, and in the monies and knowledge of the world found in that trade. Like Defoe, Roxana claims that I could give up my virtue, but not gi ve up my money (ibid147). In conclusion, while Roxana is a novel with an emphasis on the psychology of sin, that psychology is informed by more than just her own guilt, and her quest for individuality. It is informed by issues that concerned her creator: trade, imperialism, and slavery. Each was used to create networks of knowledge and power over the world within sight of both Defoe and Roxana. Like any other good capitalist, they both used knowledge to further their own ends. The acquisition of this knowledge was, in turn, directed toward populations of others- Africans, Arabs, Native Americans, etc. who could most readily serve their interests. For Defoe it was in form of improving Britains economy and social structure and for Roxana in the form of improving ones social status. Therefore, Roxana, as a creation of Defoe, mirrored Defoes life as a capitalist. Yet she mirrored it as a seeker of personal aggrandizement than as a person committed to seeing Britain flourish. In conclusion, this may ultimately ex plain Roxanas fall.

Thorn Queen Chapter Nine

Returning home was great. I was exhausted mentally and physically and didn't even mind the onslaught of dogs and cats that greeted me. Tim stood in the kitchen, mixing up some kind of batter. He also wore a full Native American feather headdress that went all the way down his back. â€Å"Isn't that a Sioux thing?† I asked. â€Å"Er, Lakota?† â€Å"I keep getting in trouble when I pretend to be one of the local tribes,† he explained. â€Å"So, I figure if I claim to be from out of town, no one can push for details. Besides, you're one to judge appearance. Did you sleep out in the rain or something?† Ironically, I had, but I wasn't about to tell him that. â€Å"It's been a long day. Days. Whatever.† â€Å"Lara called like eighty times. She's got a real attitude, you know.† â€Å"That's why she makes the big bucks,† I said with a yawn. â€Å"I'm going to go take a nap. Wake me if she calls.† â€Å"You going to go hear me perform tonight?† he called as I headed down the hall. I froze. â€Å"Oh, um, gee. I've got plans†¦.† â€Å"You do not!† â€Å"I do.† I turned around. â€Å"I'm going to my mom's.† â€Å"The reading's late,† he said. â€Å"Doesn't start until nine. You'll be done by then.† I had long since accepted Tim's fake American Indian gig, but accepting it and witnessing it-aside from when he stood in full regalia in my kitchen-were two entirely different things. â€Å"I've even written new material,† he added when he saw that he wasn't making much progress. â€Å"I'm not sure that's a selling point.† He held up the bowl of brownie mix. â€Å"I'll make them with walnuts.† I sighed and turned back toward my bedroom. â€Å"You don't play fair.† He whooped with joy. â€Å"You'll love it, Eug. I promise.† I fell asleep pretty easily and woke to two pleasant surprises. One was the scent of freshly baked brownies wafting in the air. The other was Kiyo sitting in a chair in my room, eating one of the aforementioned brownies. With the way he'd been in and out lately, I never really knew when to expect him. â€Å"Nice surprise,† I said, sitting up. â€Å"Likewise,† he said, eyeing my bare legs. I'd gone to sleep in a T-shirt. â€Å"Anything new in the Otherworld?† â€Å"Not much. Maiwenn's getting nervous about the delivery, but I kind of figured that would happen.† â€Å"She's got good healers,† I said, wanting to reassure him in spite of all the troubled feelings Maiwenn generated in me. I noticed then that he wore his white coat. â€Å"You going into work?† â€Å"Just got out.† Damn. It was later than I'd realized if he'd hung out with Maiwenn and pulled a shift at work. â€Å"Do you want to go see my parents with me?† Kiyo made a face. â€Å"Roland hates me.† â€Å"Hate is a strong word.† But it wasn't an entirely inaccurate one. Roland, my shaman stepfather, made no secret of the fact that he didn't like me spending as much time as I did in the Otherworld. Bringing home an Otherworldly boyfriend hadn't earned his approval either, even though Kiyo was half-human like me. Still, Roland was always more or less polite. My mother, who didn't know about Kiyo's heritage, couldn't gush over him enough. I think she'd nearly given up on me ever dating anyone, so me landing a veterinarian was quite a coup as far as she was concerned. She was a fantastic cook and so even though Roland made him uneasy, Kiyo still consented to go. â€Å"Are you sure you got enough to eat?† she asked after we finished dinner with them later that night. She operated under the assumption that I was on the verge of malnutrition and that Kiyo was incapable of feeding himself if someone else didn't cook for him. In truth, Kiyo was a much better cook than me. â€Å"It was great,† he assured her. â€Å"Believe me, I had more than enough.† â€Å"Well, don't be afraid to go back for more. Or take home leftovers.† â€Å"Geez, Mom. He had three helpings. Are you fattening him up for the kill?† I asked. â€Å"There are worse fates,† mused Kiyo good-naturedly. My mom beamed. I thought she was exceptionally pretty, but maybe I was just biased. People said we had similar looks, and we did as far as build and facial features went. It was the coloring we differed in. Her eyes were just plain blue, and her dark hair was graying. My reddish hair and violet-blue eyes were Storm King's legacy. After dinner, I stole Roland away to the den to talk shop and left Kiyo to entertain my mother. She knew what it was we did, but after her own experiences in the Otherworld, she preferred to avoid our shamanic discussions. â€Å"Still with him, huh?† asked Roland, relaxing back in an easy chair. â€Å"He's nice, and you know it. He's the same as me.† Roland scratched his head thoughtfully. His hair had gone gray, and he seemed to have new wrinkles every year. He was still more than a match for most Otherworldly foes (even though he'd ostensibly retired), and the crosses, whorls, fish, and other Christian tattoos on his arms could summon the same power my goddess-based ones could. â€Å"He is like you,† he agreed. â€Å"He's not entirely Otherworldly-but he's tied to it. He's spent more of his life there than you, let it become more a part of him. And you being with someone like that means that you'll just be that much more tied to it in return. With everything that's going on over there, it's really better if you stay away.† â€Å"Everything,† of course, meant the prophecy about me bearing the Otherworld's savior. While I usually recapped a lot of my shamanic business to Roland, I had neglected to mention a few of my recent activities-say, like inadvertently conquering a kingdom and becoming a queen. Call me crazy, but I just had to think our relationship would be better if he remained in ignorance about that. â€Å"Well, I've kind of gotten involved with something over there. And don't give me that look,† I warned, seeing his frown. â€Å"I'm helping out some people who need it, and it's too late to back out. But the other day, I saw fire demons.† That got his attention. â€Å"You do mean in the Otherworld, right?† â€Å"God, yes.† Demons in our world would be pretty horrible. â€Å"There were five of them.† He let out a low whistle. â€Å"That's substantial even for them. It'd take a powerful summoner to do that.† â€Å"I was with, uh, some others, and they managed to do some damage, but for the most part, we were useless. I banished one, and that just about wiped me out.† â€Å"Yeah, it can be done, but it's not easy. You could do it with a couple of other shamans, but on your own†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"I really don't like you getting involved with that.† â€Å"I know, I know, but like I said, it's too late. Do you know how to get rid of them? Aside from assembling a shaman posse?† â€Å"The easiest way-and I use that term loosely-would be to find a gentry who could summon water demons. Put them with fire demons, and they'll all turn on each other.† â€Å"Somehow I'm not optimistic about finding someone like that.† Yet, even as I said that, I wondered if I could do it. As far as I knew, that wasn't part of my storm magic. I could summon water and had once controlled air, bending those forces to my will. Summoning elemental creatures was out of my range. Storm King had allegedly been able to do it. Jasmine had commanded water creatures as well, though I didn't know if that would include demons. It irked me that I couldn't do what the rest of my family could. â€Å"True,† Roland agreed. â€Å"In that case, brute force may be the only way to go. Let them assemble their own forces to get rid of the demons. It's not your problem. It's the gentry's and their leaders' responsibility.† â€Å"Right,† I said uneasily. â€Å"Well, we'll see what happens.† The look he gave me showed that he didn't believe I'd leave this alone. It also said he knew nothing he could say would convince me. â€Å"I've got another question. Ever heard of Otherworldly towns called Ley and Skye?† Shamans generally avoided crossing over to that world, but Roland had been there many times and knew a lot about the land. â€Å"Ley sounds familiar†¦it's in the Alder Land, isn't it? Or is it Rowan?† In addition to not knowing about my queenly status, Rowan also didn't know there'd been a complete upheaval in the Alder Land. â€Å"Rowan,† I said. â€Å"But very close to, um, Alder. There's supposedly a crossroads near there. Do you know where it comes out?† â€Å"No†¦nowhere around here, I'm sure.† â€Å"Any way you could find out?† â€Å"Is this tied in to the demons?† I hesitated a moment and opted for the truth. â€Å"No, it's something else. A different thing I'm helping them out with.† â€Å"Eugenie!† Roland rarely lost his temper, but I could see the anger in his eyes now. â€Å"What are you doing? You can't do this. You can't get entangled in their affairs. Your job is to protect this world, to keep them and the other monsters and ghosts out of here.† â€Å"They're not all bad,† I said, surprised as the words came out of my mouth. â€Å"Do I need to remind you about your mother's abduction and the assorted attempts to rape you?† Hearing him say those words stung, but I held my ground. â€Å"I'm dealing with that. It's not an issue.† â€Å"It's always going to be an issue,† he argued. â€Å"And I'm not going to help you keep getting into more trouble with them.† â€Å"What, are you threatening to cut me off from information?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Maybe. If it'll keep you safe.† â€Å"Well, it won't. The only thing you'll do is put me in more danger if I keep going there uninformed!† His eyes narrowed. â€Å"So now you're the one threatening me?† â€Å"What's going on?† My mother stuck her head in the den's doorway, concern on her face. â€Å"Is everything okay? I thought I heard shouting.† I stood up. â€Å"Roland's just getting hard of hearing, so I was helping him out.† I followed her back to the other room, where Kiyo watched me curiously. Even in human form, he had a fox's hearing, and I wouldn't have found it surprising if he'd heard the whole argument. â€Å"We have to take off,† I said. â€Å"We're going to hear Tim recite some poetry.† Kiyo's raised eyebrow was his only sign of surprise at our evening plans. I'd neglected to tell him earlier because I was pretty sure he would have never left the house with me. He smiled politely at my mom. â€Å"Thanks for dinner. It was great.† My mom was sad to see us go. â€Å"Well, you should come back next weekend. I'll make lasagna. And cherry pie.† I kissed her cheek. â€Å"You don't have to bribe us to come over.† â€Å"No, but it doesn't hurt.† Mad or not, I gave Roland a hug too. In that brief moment, he murmured in my ear, â€Å"I'll talk to Bill.† He sounded weary and defeated, and I hugged him closer. â€Å"Thank you.† Bill was a shaman friend of his in Flagstaff. Once we were finally able to leave, Kiyo didn't waste any time in getting to the point. â€Å"Trouble on the home front?† â€Å"Like you don't know,† I said. â€Å"Told you he hates me.† â€Å"I think he hates me making all these trips to the Otherworld more.† â€Å"But he still thinks I'm a bad influence.† â€Å"You are a bad influence.† We drove in silence for a few moments. Then Kiyo noticed that I wasn't heading toward my house. We were going downtown. â€Å"No,† he groaned. â€Å"We are not actually going to hear Tim, are we? I thought that was just an excuse to leave.† I shook my head. â€Å"Sorry. I promised.† Kiyo sighed but took it like a man. We went to one of Tim's regular venues, a place called the Fox Den. I thought Kiyo would think that was funny, but he didn't. When we walked in, there was a girl on the stage reciting poetry about the bleakness of existence and litter on the side of the highway. Kiyo looked around, taking in the patrons and tables-and then realized we were in a coffee shop, not a bar. â€Å"They don't serve alcohol here? There's no way I can do this without hard liquor.† â€Å"Oh, just hush,† I said, trying to hide my smile. We found a small round table in the middle of the crowded cafe, and I left him there while I went to get hot chocolate. I would have loved coffee but had enough trouble sleeping without the addition of caffeine this late at night. When I returned, I saw three visitors had pulled chairs up to our table. â€Å"Hey, guys,† I said. â€Å"Nice to see you again, Eugenie.† The speaker was named Barbara. She was an elderly woman, belonging to the Pascua Yaqui tribe. Their religious beliefs, while having some similarities to the nature-oriented views of neighboring tribes, had picked up a lot of Christian influences over the years. Indeed, she wore a cross around her neck but was also still regarded by many as a type of holy woman. She had no problem with me calling myself a shaman, as those of other Indian tribes sometimes did. Her grandsons, Felix and Dan, were with her tonight, and they didn't have a problem with me either. Tim, however, was a different story. â€Å"Please tell me your asshole roommate isn't performing tonight,† said Felix. â€Å"Watch your language,† said Barbara in a very grandmotherly way. I shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"Well†¦he might be up there tonight†¦.† â€Å"Jesus Christ,† said Dan, munching on biscotti. He looked apologetically at Barbara before turning to me. â€Å"We've told him a hundred times not to do that.† â€Å"Come on, guys. Don't start something again-it took forever for that last black eye to go away,† I reminded him. Felix shook his head. â€Å"Look, impersonating us wouldn't be so bad-and it is bad-if his poetry wasn't such shit.† â€Å"Felix!† warned Barbara. He turned sheepish. â€Å"Sorry, Grandma. But you know I'm right.† â€Å"It's the only thing he knows how to do,† I said lamely. â€Å"Besides, he's going Lakota tonight-if that helps.† â€Å"I don't think it'll improve the poetry,† noted Kiyo, stretching back in the chair. â€Å"Agreed,† said Felix. â€Å"His poetry's crappiness transcends all cultures.† He looked smugly at his grandmother, pleased that he hadn't sworn this time. She turned to me, ignoring him. â€Å"How's business?† â€Å"Good,† I said. â€Å"Weird.† While she had no issues with me being a shaman, she was sometimes troubled by the thought of me fighting Otherworldly creatures. She seemed undecided about whether they were holy or not, though she had seen her fair share of evil ones and knew what I did was sometimes necessary. She was about to ask me more when Tim suddenly walked onto the stage. He had on the feather headdress, no shirt, and leather chaps. â€Å"Oh God. No,† groaned Felix. Tim held up his hands to silence the scattered applause. â€Å"Thank you, friends,† he said in a deep, flat voice. â€Å"The Great Spirit welcomes you and your joining of our holy circle tonight.† â€Å"I am not even joking,† said Dan. â€Å"I am this close to walking up there and dragging him out back.† â€Å"Please,† I hissed. â€Å"Not tonight.† â€Å"For my first poem,† continued Tim, â€Å"I would like to read you something I was inspired to write while sitting outside and considering the way the beating of a butterfly's wings are just like the beating of our hearts in this transient world.† Spreading his hands wide, he recited. â€Å"Sister Butterfly upon the wind Wings so yellow Let us fly with you into the sky so blue Our souls soaring in the clouds so white As we look down on those who dream to fly But are too afraid And must stay earthbound Like Brother Beetle so brown.† â€Å"I'm going to help Dan,† said Kiyo as the audience applauded. â€Å"I'm going to help him drag Tim off.† â€Å"Seriously?† said Dan, excited. â€Å"No,† said Barbara and I in unison. Tim's next poem was about a mythological woman named Oniata, a girl of divine beauty and youth who came to Earth and caused men everywhere to fight over her. The story was interesting, but like all of his poems, the verses were pretty bad and filled with horrible metaphors. â€Å"That's a real story,† I challenged my companions. â€Å"I've heard it before.† â€Å"Yeah, but it's not Lakota,† said Felix. â€Å"I think it's Iroquois or something.† â€Å"Honestly, I don't think it matters at this point,† said Dan, looking weary. â€Å"Besides, everyone's got some story about unearthly beautiful women.† Kiyo linked his hand with mine and murmured, â€Å"And fortunately, I've got my own.† â€Å"Sly man,† I said back. â€Å"Sly as a fox.† When the poetry reading wrapped up, Tim sold his self-published poetry books. I think this was the most remarkable part of all-he always sold a bunch. And the women†¦the women loved him. A number were cozying up to him already, no doubt wanting to go out later. Watching the women, Dan declared that he was going to quit his job as a computer-support technician and start up on Tim's gig, causing us all to laugh. â€Å"Say what you want,† I said to Kiyo, watching Tim and his admirers. â€Å"This all means Tim probably isn't coming home tonight.† â€Å"What are you saying exactly?† â€Å"That the sauna is all ours.† Not that anyone else could have really fit into it, though. My wet sauna wasn't that big, which just meant that when Kiyo and I got home, we had to be that much closer to each other. Neither of us really minded. We shed our clothes in the hallway, and he pulled me to him, hands running over my waist and lips grazing my neck. â€Å"You owe me big for making me endure that poetry,† he growled in my ear. â€Å"Whatever. That was practically foreplay. Are you saying Tim's poem about Brother Woodpecker plunging his beak into the tree didn't turn you on? You know that was a total metaphor.† Kiyo's only response was a smothering kiss that ended any other witty commentary I might make, his lips hot and hard as his tongue sought mine. Without breaking the kiss, we somehow managed to open the door to the sauna and stumble inside. Immediately, heat and steam surrounded us. Everyone always praised Arizona's heat for being dry, but I loved humidity and the way it enveloped my body. I also loved the way the moisture dampened Kiyo's dark hair, making it curl up even more against his neck. Still holding on to that kiss, he pressed me against the sauna's wooden wall, his hands gripping my hips. In only a short time, the heat had us both slick and sweating. I tangled my fingers in his hair and then ran them down his arms and chest. The oil and sweat made my hands glide effortlessly across his skin. I paused to run circles around his nipples, slowly increasing the pressure and squeezing them in the way he so often did to mine. He gave a small grunt of surprise and pleasure and then moved his lips to my neck. I tipped it back, giving him greater access. His kisses were hard, like he was trying to consume me with his mouth alone, and there were even a few teeth involved. With as fair as my skin was, he actually left me with the occasional hickey after sex. It always made me feel like I was sixteen and foolish the next day, but in the moment? It seemed totally worth it. His lips moved from my neck to my shoulder while his hands slid up from my hips to my breasts, again moving easily with all that sweat and moisture. He rubbed them and cupped them, his fingers slipping back and forth against my wet skin and occasionally pausing to stroke my nipples in a way that sent waves of need throughout my entire body. Driven to impatience by my own desire, I slid my hands down his stomach, down to the erection pressing against me. I grabbed a hold of him and started to bring him into me. Unexpectedly, he turned me around, still keeping me pressed against the wall. I held my hands against it for support while his strong fingers rubbed my back, massaging the muscles that always seemed sore lately. I gasped, finding the massage almost as arousing as the rest. It was fleeting, however. His hands soon moved to my hips again, tipping me out slightly so that I was bent over, rather than pressed flat against the wall. A moment later, he pushed against my body, and I felt him enter me. My own wetness made the thrust almost as effortless as our hands had been on each other's flesh. I cried out at the feel of him filling me up, pushing harder and harder into me. I rested my check against the sauna's wall, bracing myself and allowing him to take me more deeply. He gripped my breasts as he continued moving in and out of me, and I moaned as his touch sent shockwaves through my skin. I was overloaded with sensation as he seemed to take control of every part of my body, both inside and out. His thrusts grew more urgent and fierce; his hold on my breasts became tighter. Having him inside me built a heat between my thighs that radiated out to the rest of my body, rivaling the heat of the air around us. That bliss grew and grew to unbearable heights, until at last the orgasm burst within me, making my legs go weak and nearly give out underneath me. Every part of me tingled and burned, and the feel of him still slamming into my body was almost too much for my flooded senses. Yet, even as I thought I couldn't handle any more, I still felt that intense pleasure building within me once more and knew that it would take only a little more of this for me to come yet again. By then, Kiyo's hands had moved back to my hips, steadying himself so that he could push even harder. With all that force, it was a struggle to continue bending and not simply get pressed flat against the wall. Then, I felt his body grow tense and knew he was about to come. He made a guttural, primal sound, his thrusts growing long and deep as he came and let his own orgasm explode within me. He pressed his face against my shoulder, his motions gradually slowing down as his body sated itself. When he was done, he slid his hands from my hips to my shoulders, turning me around and pulling me toward him. We wrapped our arms around each other, gasping as we leaned against the wall. He said nothing but gently kissed my cheek. I smiled, pushing closer to him and drowning in the scent of his sweat and skin. â€Å"Worth enduring the poetry reading?† I asked. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"Definitely.† The phone woke me up the next morning. Kiyo dozed naked beside me in bed, and I had to practically crawl over him to reach my cell. It was Roland. â€Å"I found out about your crossroads. It crosses over to a town in Texas called Yellow River.† â€Å"Texas, huh?† That was unexpected. â€Å"Yep. And there are two shamans who live there already to keep an eye on it.† â€Å"Two?† There weren't really that many in our profession. We were spread thin, so more than one in a region (aside from a father-and-daughter team like Roland and me) was surprising. â€Å"It's apparently a big gate. Doesn't take much power or effort to cross through it, so it needs a lot of attention.† Interesting. Crossroads varied in accessibility. Most required more power than the average human or even gentry could use, fortunately. On certain days of the year-like Beltane and Samhain-areas between our worlds grew thin, making it easier for crossings. Those were dangerous times that kept Roland and me busy. A gateway that was usable the rest of the year was even more dangerous. But, if it was easily accessible, then it wouldn't be too difficult for these girls to cross and seek out humans to father their children. The whole thought made me squirm. A generation of half-Texan, half-gentry kids. God help us all. â€Å"Eugenie?† asked Roland warily. â€Å"What are you thinking?† â€Å"I'm thinking I need the names of those shamans.† He still seemed troubled at my involvement, but I think he felt better about me getting in touch with others-particularly others who were human. He pushed me a little about what was going on, but I still refused to talk about it. After much thanks on my part for the information, we finally disconnected. Kiyo had climbed out of bed during the call and was in the shower. As I waited for him, I wondered how I should proceed. Presumably, I should contact these shamans and see if they'd noticed a recent influx of gentry girls. If I could confirm that, it'd ease my worry about bandits (or monsters) kidnapping them, even though it still left the moral dilemma of whether I should be kicking those girls back to their own world. A drop in temperature and a prickling of my skin signaled Volusian's sudden arrival. He materialized in the darkest corner of my room, expression as sullen and malevolent as usual. â€Å"Well, this is a treat,† I said. â€Å"I do so love seeing your cheery face in the morning. What's up?† When I'd left the Otherworld last time, I'd kept Volusian on standing orders to ferry any messages over to me. My joking aside, I wasn't overly thrilled to see him because I knew it meant there was something I had to deal with. â€Å"The hulking imbecile who commands my mistress's guards has requested her presence,† said Volusian. â€Å"Do you mean Rurik?† â€Å"Yes, unless my mistress has appointed another hulking imbecile to command her guards.† â€Å"Did he say why?† If it had been more trade business, Shaya would have been the one to ask for me. â€Å"He wished to tell you that one of the missing girls returned.† â€Å"What?† I sprang out of bed and hastily threw on some clothes. Kiyo returned to the room, astonishingly sexy with wet hair, and gave me a surprised look. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"I got a lead on one of the girls. You want to come with me?† He shook his head. He held up his white coat. â€Å"Can't. I've got to work.† I was disappointed. I would have liked to have him with me, but that petty part inside of me felt better about him working than hanging out with Maiwenn again. So, we made our good-byes, parting with a long kiss-a really long kiss. When we finally dragged ourselves away from each other, Volusian looked as though he wouldn't have minded being smote out of existence. I sent him on ahead of me and then crossed over shortly thereafter. Nia as usual fell all over herself, but I had to politely dismiss her in my eagerness to find Rurik. He was sitting with Shaya in the parlor adjacent to her room, deep in conversation. Both sprang up when they saw me. â€Å"Your majesty,† intoned Shaya politely. â€Å"Where is she?† I exclaimed. â€Å"The girl. I want to talk to her and get this settled.† Rurik grimaced. â€Å"Ah. About that.† â€Å"What's wrong? Volusian said you found her.† â€Å"Well, we did, in a manner of speaking. It was the girl from Westoria-the one whose parents spoke to you. She surfaced last night in the village, hysterical and going on and on about how she escaped and how horrible it all was.† â€Å"There really was a monster?† I said, surprised. â€Å"Or did she escape from the bandits?† I still hadn't ruled out their involvement. He shook his head. â€Å"Nobody knows. She wasn't making any sense, and mostly, her parents wanted to calm her down. In the meantime, they sent word to us because they knew you'd want to talk to her, and†¦well, that's when the problem started.† â€Å"Like the rest of this isn't already a problem?† â€Å"When the girl heard you were coming, she became even more hysterical.† â€Å"More hysterical over me than a monster or whatever?† Rurik shrugged. â€Å"As we've learned, your reputation is a bit†¦alarming to some.† â€Å"Good God. Didn't she hear I got my ass kicked by fire demons?† I sighed. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"She ran away. For real this time.† I groaned and sank back into a chair. â€Å"We sent out a search party as soon as we heard,† he added somewhat hopefully. â€Å"Well, that's something, I guess. It's one girl†¦she can't be that hard to find, right?† Rurik and Shaya exchanged doubtful looks. I groaned again. With the way the land was around here, it was likely anyone who wanted to disappear could. I'd had parties out looking for Jasmine for the last three months and found no clue to her whereabouts. â€Å"We need to start putting faces on milk cartons,† I muttered. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† asked Shaya. â€Å"Never mind. Anything else I should know about? Any word from Leith?† I figured I'd go do my meditation and connection with the land and then head back to Tucson. â€Å"Nothing yet,† said Shaya. â€Å"However†¦we did hear from Dorian.† Right. Another of my problems. She seemed a little nervous about going on. â€Å"He sent a message wondering why you hadn't contacted him yet about trade. And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Go on. I expect the worst.† She looked embarrassed. â€Å"He said if you can't be troubled to come in a timely manner, then he's going to rescind his offer.† â€Å"That might not be horrible,† I pointed out. â€Å"I mean, you've told other people, right? We've got other kingdoms wanting to buy the copper, don't we?† Her look of discomfort grew. â€Å"Well, not so many.† â€Å"How many is not so many?† â€Å"Aside from the Rowan Land? None.† â€Å"Son of a bitch.† Honestly? I wouldn't have put it past Dorian to influence others not to trade with me just so he could play these games. I steeled myself and met Shaya's pleading gaze. â€Å"I don't suppose he specified what a ‘timely manner' is?† â€Å"He did, actually,† said Shaya. Rurik was smiling, which I took as a bad sign. â€Å"Today.†

Benefits of Program Evaluation to Decision

Program evaluation refers to the systematic process of gathering data and putting them all together in order to generate an overall assessment of a program, policy or project needed in decision-making. It provides a list of the strengths and weaknesses used in assessing the efficiency of a program. Both profit and non-profit organizations depend on program evaluation as a tool in gauging the performance of their projects. Often ignored in the process of program implementation, program evaluation is, in fact, necessary in providing constructive information for the improvement of an organization.In an evaluation, the data analyzed serve as guide for decision-makers on how well a program or project is operating. This answers questions regarding the effectiveness of the program to the implementer and beneficiaries, the attainment of the program goals and objectives, and the options for future improvement (McNamara, 2002). Evaluation of the internal and external factors affecting the oper ation of the program aims to provide credible, objective, and pertinent conclusions to decision-makers.Internal evaluation, covering all levels of an organization, requires the participation the program staff and stakeholders in the assessment of the program operation. External evaluation, on the other hand, takes account of the changing conditions outside of the organization that may have an influence to the performance of a program (Freeman, 2006). Findings of a program evaluation would serve as ground for the betterment of a project and the organization, as well.This would also serve as basis for the maintenance of existing program policies and construction of more cost and time-efficient operations. Moreover, evaluation can serve as basis for other organizations in carrying out analogous plans. References: Freeman, B. (2006). The Importance of Program Evaluation. from http://501cweb. wordpress. com/2006/12/30/the-importance-of-program-evaluation/ McNamara, C. (2002). A Basic Gui de to Program Evaluation [Electronic Version], from http://www. tgci. com/magazine/A%20Basic%20Guide%20to%20Program%20Evaluation. pdf

essay 1 Socrates trial

essay 1 Socrates trial essay 1 Socrates trial Philosophy 191 Critical Thinking Essay Chapter Two: The Trial of Socrates Name: ___Casey Shepherd_____________________________________ In Platos â€Å"The apology†, Socrate is put on trial and charged with corrupting the youth and failing to acknowledge the gods that the city acknowledges. The main premises of Socrates argument are, as he speaks with truth and directness, which he always does, his acts stem from a prophecy by the oracle of Delphi which claimed he was the wisest of all men. He assumes he is not wise in that he knows he knows nothing. Therefore, it is his duty to question â€Å"wise† men and to expose their false wisdom as ignorance. This evidence of the Oricle is speculation. Or Socrates assumption this is what the Oricle meant. Socrates is accused as a wrongdoer who meddles with inquiries into things beneath the earth and in the heavens and who makes the weaker reason appear the stronger, and who teaches these same things. His defense is if you speak to any witness who has heard him speak, has never heard him say such things. This would be evidence if witnesses were call to trial and confirmed this statement. Then again, he is assuming they would say they never heard him say such things. Socrates admits he has been imitated by the sons of young wealthy men in hearing Socrates cross examining, the young men have proceeded to cross examine men who think they know a great deal when they know little or nothing. He defends, when these men are defamed, they get angry with me instead of themselves. Assuming this is why they blame Socrates for corrupting the youth. The charges brought against myself by Meteltus, for a) corrupting the youth b) does not believe in the gods the state believes in. Socrates defense is Meteltus is a), playing a joke by lightly bring men to trial and b), pretending to have zealous interest in matters to which he has not given a moment’s thought He defends, he has gained this unjust reputation by reason of a certain wisdom, reason human wisdom, in that I am really wise†¦..He later states, and human reason is worth little or nothing. Defend the attack on his somewhat tainted reputation, tales told to the children, with motives of resentment and prejudice. Now I am being attacked by Meletus and his associates. So set aside these prejudices. Socrates cross-examines Meletus, in order to defend himself against the charges of corrupting the minds if the youth. Meletus assumes that laws make people good, jury men are responsible for making the laws, assumes all members are equally good influences, and the assembly is open to all adult males. Because he assumes this to be true, then the entire population of Athens has a positive influence on the youth, except Socrates. The Soundness and validity of this premise can be assumed to be a false generalization of the political office and the people of the city of Athens. Socrates cross-examines Meletus, in order to defend himself against the charges of believing in gods other than the gods believed by the state. Meletus then states he believes Socrates does not in the gods in anyway whatever. Socrates suggests it would be impossible to believe in human matters without believing in human beings. Meletus claims Socrates believes and teaches others to believe in supernatural matters, which implies Socrates believes in supernatural beings, or gods. Again, the argument cannot pass truth or validity, the argument is not sound. Socrates also defends, could a person believe in such things as clothes yet not in the human beings that wear them. As is the same with diving things, since Socrates believes in a divine thing, supernatural beings, it follows that he believes in divinities, Gods. Socrates sets out to discredit Meletus, the exchange is bitter. Socrates doesn’t pretend to have an interest in identifying the source of his views. The

Medias Bias Against Minorities essays

Medias Bias Against Minorities essays Todays media is biased toward minorities. Everyday it is easy to see that racial and ethnic stereotypes still dominate much of reporting today. On television shows and film, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and Native Americans are also shown in stereotypical ways. This media coverage perpetuates racism and increases the hardships that minorities may face. In the news African Americans are portrayed as criminals. The news selectively covers murders and drug busts, but only acknowledges black achievements as a special occasion. News companies make it seem normal for blacks to be criminal; while black achievements are rare flukes. An example of this is nearly every year, there is a story of a poor, black high school senior who overcame living in a poor neighborhood to graduate and attend college. Granted, this is a great achievement, but it happens more than the media portrays. This selective coverage creates connotations of lower achievement for urban blacks. In movies blacks are portrayed as thugs and criminals, and when not portrayed as such, they are used for comedic effect in the fish out of water sense. They will place a black man in a movie surrounded by white people and make him stand out as not belonging for the sake of comedy. Latinos are portrayed similarly in the news. In other media, they are portrayed as lazy and/or criminal. Asians on the other hand face stereotypes of being nerds. They are portrayed as being geniuses with no character. This leads to stereotypes such as all Chinese people are good at math etc. One movie that gives a clear look into Asian American youth is Better Luck Tomorrow, a film that explores and dispels stereotypes of Asian Americans. Native Americans are portrayed negatively in the media as well. This can be seen primarily in sports mascots, and Westerns. ...

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Proposal - Essay Example I believe that though some studies also showed that violent media can have bad effects on the sociability and aggression of adolescents and adults alike, these effects came more from their childhood experiences of violent media. Adults can understand what is wrong and right, so they can better understand the harmful effects of violence and they know that violent media is unreal. Children, however, are different because they are not yet mentally and emotionally mature. Violent media can have serious effects on their perceptions of violence, as well as attitudes and actions toward violence. My pathos is that I believe that when we fail to protect the healthy development of the minds and emotions of our children, we are also forsaking the development of a peaceful and rational society. If violent media is bad for kids, then kids must not play them at all, or be exposed to them, including marketing tools that sell violent media. 4. What’s your thesis? Violent media is bad for kids because it has significant short-term and long-term effects on children’s development of aggressive thoughts, emotions, and actions, regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, intelligence, and parenting styles and characteristics. What information do they need and why? They need to know why violent media is bad for kids using logic and evidence because they need convincing on why violent media can affect the thinking and behaviors of their kids. How much or how little are you going to use that/those source(s)? I am going to use them all but I also need contradicting research or studies and anecdotes that oppose them, so that I can respond to these research and ideas and prove that my position is more convincing than

E-logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-logistics - Essay Example budge constraint).† Businesses of today in either perspective (business or consumer) markets have realized that in order for them to remain competitive, they need to have an easy access of current information and clear communication. In order for this competitive edge to become stable, steady, and maintained, businesses need to have a support and reverse system that is called the electronic logistics or e-logistics. However, maintaining this system is not easy for this involves billions of dollars, yet they have no other option but to take advantage with the benefits and outweigh the liabilities. Based, on the study of Lambert and Burduroglu (2000), the amount spent for logistics is worth the price because customers’ satisfaction will increase the value added services of companies and they are also rewarded by their customers with a large increase in the volume of demand. The main purpose of this paper is to give an overview of e-logistics, identify its emergence, and di stinguish. Overview of e-logistics According to Sarkis, et al. (2004), â€Å"Organization realizes that a strong supporting logistics or electronic logistics (e-logistics) function is an important organizational offering from both the commercial and the consumer perspective.† A typical supply chain usually involved materials and information that includes operational logistics such as inbound and outbound logistics. In the study of Auramo, et al. (2002, p.528), it is stated that information, supply network and material flows are necessary in order to have a successful implementation of e-logistics. â€Å"The role of logistics in e-commerce has garnered the lion’s share of the focus on the success or failure of Internet-based companies† (Sarkis, et al., 2002, p.35). It is not enough for a business to have an online delivery information portal because what customers want is to have the products or services be delivered in an efficient, timely, and accurate manner. The overview of logistics has something to do with the marketing effort of the business in order to come up with a sound and pleasant decisions and activities (Bowersox, Mentzer, & Speh 1995). Emergence of e-logistics Advancement in information technology and communication are among the important factors that made e-commerce and e-logistics more successful for these are the carriers used in the delivery of information. The increasing number of companies that are now using these advance technologies had made a growth in e-commerce, and as a result, operating costs had also increased. This scenario is brought by globalization and the growing array of logistic options, and in order for companies to remain competitive, they have to focus on the development of physical material flow or physical logistics while continuously amending customer service (Thomas & Griffin, 1996). The traditional logistic functions that involved the activities of transporting, transshipment, and storage are par t of the physical logistic activities which has been changed since the adoption of e-logistics (Alt & Zbornik, 2002, p.723). Improving physical logistics has become complicated and consequently formed a new logistics system called e-logistics. The emergence of e-logistics had changed the virtual image of transporting, transshipment, and storage of information and materials, and it also managed to meet end-users expectations from manufacturers. For example, the emergence had helped Pfizer Pharmaceutical Corporation in the distribution of their medical products or medicines in the global