Saturday, November 30, 2019

Politics And The Truman/ Macarthur Contoversy Essays - Korean War

Politics And The Truman/ Macarthur Contoversy July 7,2000 Politics and the Truman/MacArthur Controversy The precarious ?peace? following World War II was at times only seconds from degenerating into a world wide nuclear war. The intensity of the cold war allowed for minimal error in foreign policy. It was during this tense and volatile time that General Douglas MacArthur fought what some deem ?his? war in Korea. While he had proven himself time and again a brilliant military leader, his behavior was not impeccable. He tended to rely too much on his own authority, a trait not dear to Congress or the President. It was this tendency towards insubordination and his flagrant vocal outbursts that resulted in his dismissal on April 11, 1951, by President Harry S. Truman.1 The outcome of World War II left the world in an unprecedented situation. The two primary Allied powers, the United States, a capitalist nation, and the Soviet Union, a communist nation, were political polar opposites. The differences between the two political ideologies lent the two nations to a natural rivalry. The post World War II world was a prime playing field for this rivalry to unfold. Most of the world powers had been completely devastated, leaving formerly self-sufficient nations and their colonies in complete governmental and economic disarray. Subsequently they were susceptible to the influence of anyone offering assistance either governmentally of economically. Hence, the rivalry that had begun prior to the war was foregone out of the necessity to defeat a common foe once again began again in earnest. It was against this backdrop of fear and the burgeoning Cold War that General MacArthur would wage his war in Korea. The Soviet Union felt that the spread of communism was imminent and set about to assist that trend. At the same time the Soviet Union wanted to ensure that they would not be invaded again. If control of Eastern Europe could be retained they would be n essence killing two birds with one stone, furthering their political ideology and creating a buffer zone between themselves and anyone wishing to invade the Soviet Union. The United States was convinced that the soviets were intent upon the world domination of communism and that they would aggressively pursue that goal.2 This coupled with the blossoming of nuclear technology elevated the stakes. The United States had effectively ended World War II with the dropping of the atom bomb in Japan.Soviet nuclear technology was not far behind thanks to the infiltration of American government by soviet spies. Until the onset of the Cold War Korea would have been a non issue. .A remote place in respect to the United States, a war on behalf of Korea would never have occurred prior to the cold war and its foreign policies. However, the intense competition between communism and capitalism worldwide was enough to make the political status of Korea an important issue in American politics.3 When China became a communist nation the United States became willing to go to great lengths to ensure that no other East Asian nations succumbed to Communism. Thus a civil war in Korea led by a communist regime resulted in American intervention. This situation evolved into the Korean War. True to its oath to go to all lengths to contain communism, the United States dispatched its most decorated general, Douglas MacArthur, to head the forces in Korea. General Douglas MacArthur had been in the Far East for many years. Prior to the war general Macarthur had been commander in the Philippines and during the war he had led the Allied forces in the Far East. At the close of the war he had been appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in the Pacific. It was only natural that he would take control of the Koran situation. General MacArthur had proven himself a brilliant commander during the war and was very aware of his own successes. The fact that he had lived in the region for so long also led him to the conclusion that he understood the situation in the Far East more fully that any other American. These two beliefs played a large part in the culmination of events that led to the dismissal of General

Monday, November 25, 2019

About the Artful Use of Stucco

About the Artful Use of Stucco Stucco is a mortar mixture that is commonly used as an exterior siding application on houses. Historically it has been used as a sculpting medium for architectural ornamentation. Stucco can be made by mixing sand and lime with water and various other ingredients, most often cement. Like frosting on a cracked layer cake, a good layer of stucco can enrich a once-shabby exterior. The plaster-like material, however, has many decorative uses and is found throughout the world. For centuries stucco has been used not only in Middle Eastern mosques, but also as ornate Rococo ornamentation in Bavarian pilgrimage churches. The Stucco Wall Stucco is more than a thin veneer but it is not a building material- a stucco wall is not structurally made of stucco. Stucco is the finish applied to the wall. Usually, wooden walls are covered with tar paper and chicken wire or galvanized metal screening called casing bead. Interior walls may have wooden laths. This framework is then covered with layers of stucco mixture. The first layer is called a scratch coat, and then a brown coat is applied to the dried scratch coat. The tinted finish coat is the surface everyone sees. For masonry walls, including damaged brick and concrete block that a homeowner wishes to hide, preparation is easier. A bonding agent is usually brushed on, and then the stucco mixture is applied directly to the power-washed and prepared masonry surface. How to repair stucco? Historic preservationists have written extensively on the topic in Preservation Brief 22. Definitions of Stucco Stucco is often defined by both how it is made and where (and how) it is applied. Historic preservationists in Great Britain describe a common stucco as a combination of lime, sand, and hair- with the hair long, strong, and free of dirt and grease, from the horse or ox. A 1976 Time-Life home repair book describes stucco as mortar containing hydrated lime and asbestos- probably not a recommended additive today. The 1980 Penguin Dictionary of Architecture simply describes stucco as Plasterwork usually rendered very smooth or modeled as in stucco ceilings. The Dictionary of Architecture and Construction covers all bases: stucco 1. An exterior finish, usually textured; composed of portland cement, lime, and sand, which are mixed with water. 2. A fine plaster used for decorative work or moldings. 3. Simulated stucco containing other materials, such as epoxy as a binder. 4. A partially or fully calcined gypsum that has not yet been processed into a finished product. Decorative Stucco Although stucco-sided homes became popular in twentieth-century America, the concept of using stucco mixtures in architecture goes back to ancient times. Wall frescoes by ancient Greeks and Romans were painted on fine-grained hard plaster surfaces made of gypsum, marble dust, and glue. This marble dust compound could be molded into decorative shapes, polished to a sheen, or painted. Artists like Giacomo Serpotta became stucco masters, incorporating figures into the architecture, like the male nude sitting on a window cornice in the Oratory of the Rosary in Saint Lorenzo in Sicily, Italy. Stucco techniques were elaborated by the Italians during the Renaissance and the artistry spread throughout Europe. German craftsmen like Dominikus Zimmermann took stucco designs to new artistic levels with elaborate church interiors, such as The Wieskirche in Bavaria. The exterior of this pilgrimage church is truly Zimmermanns Deception. The simplicity of the walls on the outside belies the extravagant interior ornamentation. About Synthetic Stucco Many homes built after the 1950s use a variety of synthetic materials that resemble stucco. Mock stucco siding is often composed of foam insulation board or cement panels secured to the walls. Although synthetic stucco may look authentic, real stucco tends to be heavier. Walls made of genuine stucco sound solid when tapped and will be less likely to suffer damage from a hard blow. Also, genuine stucco holds up well in wet conditions. Although it is porous and will absorb moisture, genuine stucco will dry easily, without damage to the structure- especially when it is installed with weep screeds. One type of synthetic stucco, known as EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems), has long been associated with moisture problems. The underlying wood on EIFS-sided homes tended to suffer rot damage. A simple Web search for stucco lawsuit reveals plenty of problems up and down the East coast beginning in the 1990s. Experts say stucco can be done right, or it can be done quickly, reported Floridas 10NEWS-TV. And when builders are trying to put homes up as fast - or as cheap - as possible, they often choose the latter. Other types of synthetic stucco are durable, and the AIAs magazine, Architect, reports that building codes and commercial products have changed in the past few years. Its always wise to have a professional inspection before purchasing a stucco-sided home. Examples of Use Stucco siding is most often found on Mission Revival style and Spanish and Mediterranean style homes. When traveling to southern US environs, notice that concrete block is often used for sturdy, wind-resistant, energy-efficient homes and public buildings like schools and town halls. Many times these blocks are finished with only a hearty paint, but a coating of stucco is said to increase the value (and status) of these concrete block homes. Theres even an abbreviation for the practice- CBS for concrete block and stucco. When visiting the Art Deco buildings throughout Miami Beach, Florida, note that most are stucco over block. Weve been told that developers who insist on a stucco finish on wood frame structures end up having a heap of moisture problems. But not all stucco problems are the same. A wall made of straw bale will have different needs than concrete block or timber frame construction. Consulting a stucco restoration specialist who may know nothing about straw bale construction might be a mistake. Stucco recipes are not one size fits all. Mixtures are many. Having said all that, you can buy premixed and pre-formulated stucco. Both DAP and Quikrete sell bags and buckets of the mixture at big box stores and even on Amazon.com. Other companies, such as Liquitex, supply stucco mixtures for artists. Resources and Further Reading Revisiting EIFS, the Once-Maligned Cladding System that May Help Architects Meet New Energy Codes by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, Architect, August 5, 2013Floridas billion-dollar stucco problem by Noah Pransky, WTSP,  10NEWS-TV, June 24, 2015The Stucco Book: The Basics by Herb Nordmeyer, 2012Exterior Stucco by Ian Constantinides and Lynne Humphries, The Building Conservation Directory, 2003 at buildingconservation.com [accessed February 12, 2016]Time-Life books, Home Repair and Improvement, 1976, Masonry, Index/Glossary, p. 127The Penguin Dictionary of Architecture, John Fleming, Hugh Honour, Midolaus Pevner, 3rd edition, 1980, p. 313Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, Cyril M. Harris, ed., McGraw- Hill, 1975, pp. 482-483

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Review Of Inequality And Globalization Case Studies Economics Essay

A Review Of Inequality And Globalization Case Studies Economics Essay Globalization is defined as the worldwide movement toward economic, financial, trade, and communications integration according to www.businessdictionary.com. Globalization has been evolving for thousands of years; countries have been buying and selling goods to each other from great distances since the Middle Ages. The recent trend of globalization has been motivated by policies that have opened economies both domestically and internationally. Technology has been another driving factor for globalization. Information Technology has given the world a means of pursuing economic opportunities. There are multiple issues that have arisen due to the globalization of markets from around the world. International trade and transport are hindered by complicated, lengthy and frequently altered procedures and documentation, different requirements in different countries, duplicated inspections, high charges, the lack of effective interagency coordination and cooperation among ministries and agenc ies involved in trade and transport facilitation, overlapping and conflicting conventions for trade and transport facilitation and the absence of effective information and communication technology applications for trade and transport facilitation. These situations create high costs in trade transactions and delays in the cross border movement of goods and services. Globalization has caused the conditions of inequality and discrimination to deteriorate. Women in society have seen a significant impact as a result of globalization. A demand for cheap labor, combined with a loss of jobs held by men which reduced the customary family income has lead to an increase is the number of women in the labor market. Women who either cannot find factory work or whose family situation prevents them from working in a factory, have had to seek work in the informal sector under some of the worse labor conditions in existence. This had lead to inferior quality labor opportunities and puts underemployme nt just as big a problem as open unemployment. â€Å"Labour market deregulation has been an important issue that has arisen. Formal regulations have been eroded or abandoned by legislative means; and implicit deregulation, whereby remaining regulations have been made less effective through inadequate implementation or systematic bypassing. Such deregulation has been based on the belief that excessive government intervention in labor markets – through such measures as public sector wage and employment policies, minimum wage fixing, employment security rules – is a serious impediment to adjustment and should therefore, be removed or relaxed. Deregulation might mean more employment for women, but the danger is that such employment would tend to be on less favorable terms. The question is whether the market can be left almost entirely to determine the price of female labor and the conditions of female employment† (Lin, 1999, p19-20). However, the biggest issue arisi ng from globalization appears to be in human rights violations. The enjoyment of fundamental aspects of the right to life, freedom from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, freedom from servitude, the right to equality and non-discrimination, the right to an adequate standard of living (including the right to adequate food, clothing and housing), and the right to work accompanied by the right to just and fair conditions of labor, There is the concern that countries cannot fulfill their international human rights obligations.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Implementation & Analysis of Public Policy Essay

Implementation & Analysis of Public Policy - Essay Example e 2004 general elections before the voters to 2006 and later 2008 with an election outcome of 52.7 percent voting in favor of the project (Albalate 15). This approval was for the first segment of the proposed railway system that was dubbed Proposition 1A. As Albalate asserts, the entire project was estimated to cost forty billion dollars, however, the authority responsible for the execution of the plan releases a novel cost estimation ranging between $98.5 billion and $118 billion. The system is anticipated to complete in 2035 whereby it will carry 120,000 riders each day at a speed of 200 miles per hour, if it gets built successfully (16). Despite the gobs of benefits anticipated from the proposed rail system, there has been criticism hitherto. The proposed rail system intends to meet California’s transportation needs of the 21st century. The 800-mile running rail is purposed to connect the major regions of the state such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. With the congestion in the transport systems, it is feasible to implement a system that will help in reducing both the inconveniences and time taken to travel. The state of California experiences severe air pollutions, and to eliminate this, the proposed rail system aims at achieving a cleaner environment wiping out the auto travel, which is the main agent of air pollution. The elimination of autos from the transport system will also reduce the state’s reliance on foreign oils. For other means of transport, the high-speed rail project will enhance connectivity. The rail system is also calculated at contributing to the state’s economic development and job creation for the persistently heightened unemployment characterized population. Besides, the high- speed rail system aspires to protect the preserved, ecologically sensitive, and agricultural lands by reducing the per passenger emissions, during travel, across the state of California (Jones 228). After the completion of the project, Californians have much

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Ethical issues in packaging practices, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethical issues in packaging practices, - Essay Example Conventionally, the concept of ethical packaging is associated with green packaging. This can be attributed to the fact that environmental health and safety and preservation of natural resources are among the prime agendas of scientists and researchers in the present age. However, the concept of ethical packaging includes and extends beyond green packaging. Ethical packaging can be defined as a packaging that, in short, complies with the moral standards. While certain moral standards are shared by people in all sorts of cultures, there are others that change from one culture to another. One of the ethical issues in packaging is the pictures of models on the covers. This is particularly an issue in the Muslim countries. Muslim countries make a considerable portion of the consumers. In order to make a product successful in particularly some of the more conservative and orthodox Muslim countries, it is imperative that the products do not have pictures of models over their packages with any level of nudity. While this is generally not a matter of concern in the Western countries, such a packaging is not consistent with the values and teachings of Islam. The fundamental purpose of showing models over the packaging is marketing of the products. If the features of packaging offend the consumers in any way, the sole purpose of putting the models on packaging is lost. Ethical packaging constitutes green packaging given the rapid depletion of natural resources in the present age. In addition to the depleting natural resources, environmental pollution is increasing steadily with the growth of industrialization. This imparts the need for packagers to identify alternate materials with which to pack the products. Traditionally, products are packed in plastic bags. However, their difficulty of decomposition compared to paper bags makes the latter, a more environment-friendly option when it comes to packaging. But using a paper bag in place of a plastic bag has its own implica tions since it is not as strong and durable a carrier as a plastic bag is. Besides, most of the paper is recycled and the chemicals used to recycle the paper contaminate the products packaged in them. This is particularly a matter of concern for food items. When Oakland placed a ban over the use of plastic bags in general and Styrofoam food packaging in particular (Zamora, 2006), plastic manufacturers sued the city in response. According to The Coalition to Support Plastic Bag Recycling, the city did not do adequate research on the repercussions of the ban. Plastic manufacturers sued not on the grounds that their profits might be sabotaged, but instead on the grounds of environment, claiming that paper is no less harmful for the environment than plastic. The jewelery industry provides an example of how ethical packaging can be made more responsible and attractive for the consumers. Jewelery industry has started making socially responsible packaging by raising the bar on the practice s of ethical business. For example, Responsible Jewelery Council is a UK-based organization that has established international standards across the supply chain so as to introduce practices that are responsible socially, environmentally, and ethically in a transparent manner (Cohen, 2013). The movement of ethical jewelery is pervasive as it affects the method of production and

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Gullivers Travels Essay Example for Free

Gullivers Travels Essay Ten days after returning from his previous voyage, Gulliver is confronted by Captain William Robinson to work as his journey to the West Indies. The doubled salary is cause enough for Gulliver to accept the invitation and sets sail two month after the invitation. Upon arriving in Tonquin, Gulliver is appointed Captain of a sloop (a small sailboat with one mast and two sails) and ordered to transport goods; he is shortly captured by pirates. He earns his crews freedom but his attitude lands him on a small boat with limited food. He soon finds a few isles and decides to stay in the cave of a seemingly barren island—except for a few shrub patches. After some keen observation, Gulliver notices something strange obstructing the sunlight and deduces it must be a floating island. He tries to be noticed but the inhabitants seem to give little regard for his shouting. Eventually, the floating mass draws near and from it, descends a seat that Gulliver is instructed to mount. He is then drawn up into the Island. Gulliver is welcome by many people, whom he noticed to be very strange. Their eyes look in different directions and their heads do not sit level upon their heads. In addition, he takes note of their attires, which are covered with â€Å"celestial bodies and musical instruments. † People also have a servant who follows them and carries a â€Å"flapper. † This is essentially a mace, but with a soft sac on the end. The servant’s use it to slap their masters’ mouth or ear with the intent of alerting them that it is their turn to speak or listen while in conversation. After meeting with the King, Gulliver is appointed a language tutor. Shortly after his first lesson, Gulliver notices the island to move over villages, during which, subjects collect monies from the people below. In addition, he learns that the people value mathematics and music above all. (Because of this, their language is primarily based on the sciences stated previously. ) Their skill sets are limited to these two disciplines, as well as astrology. There are also in constant fear of an apocalyptic demise, resulting from an ever incumbent meteor. After a months stay, Gulliver is learned enough to speak to the King. Gulliver is now informed by the Prince, (one of the few free thinking individuals) of the dimensions and working of the Island. He is most intrigued by the motion of the Island and how it manages to stay afloat. It is explained to him that the most experienced astronomers figured that by mounting and manipulating a great magnet in the center of their island, they are able to float and move in any direction at will. However, the island is only able to move over a specific area on earth because of the specific magnetic forces required to maintain their desired altitude. Gulliver also learns how the Island is able to rule over the inhabitants of the land below. This is done mainly through varying degrees of punishments. Essentially, Laputa uses its size and position to, block out the sun, bombard the villagers, or, simply crush the village by means of ‘dropping’ the island. Gulliver then learns of a rebellious village, with capabilities to ‘capture’ the island and kill the King. In order to maintain peace and save himself, the King has granted freedom to these people. From that instance, the King and his family are restricted from leaving the Isle. Gulliver’s boredom leads him to want to leave the Island. He approaches a lord who seems to be genuinely intelligent and curious. (An oddity on Laputa) The lord lacks musical talent and is therefore regarded as unintelligent by the inhabitants. With the help of this lord, Gulliver proceeds in petitioning the King to leave Laputa. The King accepts and proceeds in leaving Gulliver with a friend of Laputa in a place called Balnibarbi. The man whom he is left with goes by the Lord Munodi. He is of high rank and possesses great wealth. The Lord proceeds to take Gulliver around the city of Lagado. It is of great surprise to Gulliver that the city is in shambles, the people are poorly dressed, and the ground is barren. They then proceed to the lord’s estate and it is evident of the stark contrast between the city and the estate. It is well built, well managed, and has fertile vineyards, as well as cornfields, fountains and meadows. The villagers do not have high esteem for this estate and do not strive to exemplify it—rather the opposite. Gulliver is then informed that, after a visit to Laputa by some if the city’s inhabitants, they decided to construct the Academy of Laguda. The sole purpose of this Academy is to develop new agricultural and architectural techniques. The new techniques are very flawed and extremely outlandish and have left the city in its current in its current state. The techniques are supported by so many mindless individual that they allowed for the destruction of the mill. Gulliver is very curious to the details of the projects that the Academy is working, so much so, that he decides to visit. Gulliver is allowed to visit the Academy. He takes careful note of the ongoing projects. First he sees a man attempting to use cucumbers as sun storage devices. He then witnesses a scientist attempting to turn feces into food. Another researcher attempts to turn ice in gunpowder and is fully invested into the idea of the â€Å"malleability of fire. † Gulliver travels throughout the Academy and witnesses many more experiments. There are blind paint mixers who are under the impression that they can smell color. There is even a scientist who is under the impression that his random word generator is capable of writing books on any topic. A linguist is under the impression that speaking is a waste of life and every breath used to speak brings people closer to death. He proposed everyone be mute and simply act out the message they wish to convey. Lastly, Gulliver witnesses a professor attempt to teach mathematics by writing equations onto wafers and feeding them to his students. Part III: Chapter 6 Gulliver is still at the academy and proceeds to visit professors who are dealing with politics and government. They propose that taxation of women be based upon their physical attributes and relative beauty. Other claims that to uncover conspiracies, they should search through the feces of the citizens. They even propose kicking and pinching the politicians to make them ‘less forgetful. ’ After witnessing the propositions and experiments of many, Gulliver concludes that there is nothing here that he could benefit from and wishes to leave. Gulliver wishes to travel to Luggnagg but cannot find a vassal to take him. Not wanting to stay in Lagado any longer, he decided to travel to Glubbdubdrib. He is able to deduce that the Isle is inhabited by people capable of doing magic. Upon his arrival, Gulliver requests an audience with the King—he is granted his wish. Gulliver then witnesses people simply disappearing and reappearing and ghosts serving food. He is initially surprised and startled by these events but becomes accustomed to them. He even goes so far to request the King to appease his personal requests. The King willfully satisfies Gulliver’s requests to speak the dead. He speaks to many prominent historical figures such as: Hannibal, Caesar, Pompey, Brutus, Junius, Socrates, Epaminondas, Cato, and Sir Thomas More. He converses with them and learns that history is not as it seems and that often, it is glorified in order to cover up the embarrassing truth.   Still in the company of the King, Gulliver continues to talk to the reincarnations of prominent historical figures. He observes how Homer and Aristotle carry themselves and even goes as far to point out their mistakes; mistakes that they accept without any aggression toward Gulliver for doing so. He then proceeds to interrogate the more modern rulers and is disappointed to learn that they have not been honest with their subjects as they should have. He also calls upon simple ‘less developed’ English ancestors, whom he finds remarkable large and of good stature. He concludes that the Nobles have diminished the physical strength that the English were once blessed with. Part III: Chapter 9 Gulliver returns to Luggnagg in disguise. He only wished to return to his beloved mother country—the Kingdom of England. His shipmates confess to the officials that a stranger is aboard, resulting in his capture, interrogation and confinement. The King has heard of Gulliver’s adventures and wishes to speak to him. Gulliver is then informed that, all of the Kings visitors are required to lick the floor as they enter the Kings room. Because Gulliver was a guest, the floor was cleaned very well, but on occasion, it is sprinkled with poison to kill the Kings enemies. Because of his vast knowledge of foreign places, the King grows to favor Gulliver and treats him very well. Gulliver is ‘invited’ to stay for an additional three months—he is obedient.   While in the company of the Luggnaggs’, Gulliver is told of an immortal people. These people are marked by a spot on their forehead and are called the Struldbrugs. Gulliver fantasizes how he would live his life if he were immortal. He concludes that he would study all arts and sciences and learn to acquire riches. Gulliver ponders the topic even further and postulates that he would ‘reasonably expect’ to be the â€Å"wealthiest man in the kingdom. † After being exposed to these individuals, he learns that they live forever, but are not young forever. This is a tragic flaw and the government actually considers them dead after the age of eighty. He also learns that they grow to be saddened and to live a life with neither joy, nor love. All of their marriages eventually become dissolved and they despise all mortals, most likely out of envy. As he learned of these people and about their true state, Gulliver regretted wishing that he could be immortal. Part III: Chapter 11 After spending ample time in Luggnagg, Gulliver is eventually allowed to leave. He is finally able to find a vassal to take him to Japan, with hopes of continuing on to England. Upon arrival, Gulliver had again; found himself in an uncomfortable situation. He eventually finds a Dutch ship travelling to England. The captain agrees to take him, as long as Gulliver provides works as a surgeon for half the usual rate. By blending in as a Dutchman, Gulliver is able to satisfy the Emperors requirements. He is then excused from the ritual stomping of the cross. They are now free and continue to Amsterdam, from where Gulliver is able to find passage to England. Upon arrival he goes immediately home to his healthy family.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

My love :: essays research papers

She sat across from me in Algebra class. In terms of appearance, I always compared the two of us as complete opposites. There I sat; a dark-haired, tan-skinned, green-eyed, arm-scarred, large, short-haired, tall, rather awake and attentive child whose only noticeable feature was his strong chin. I didn't even mention the bags under my eyes so bad, it looked as if they were packed and ready for vacation. She had a light complexion with freckles just above the bridge of her nose and below her eyes. Her eyes were robin's egg blue and her lips were a beautiful dark crimson red that stood out, but didn't scream for attention. Her lips were thin, like her. The hair that she had was red with dark blond streaks. She didn't have a scar on her. The bags under her eyes were non-existent. However, she liked to sleep in class. This made the beauty of her face covered by her long hair and the wonder that were her eyes covered by her eyelids. I would always look at her eyes. I peered in the hopes that she wouldn't see me each time I looked. Maybe I wanted her to see me. Catch me lost and swimming in her eyes. Although, no matter how much I looked at them, all I ever got back in return was my reflection. Her windows were like those of a limo - she could see out but you could not see in. This taught me the lesson that here eyes were strictly aesthetic. It was too bad that she liked to sleep. It never gave me much time to gaze at her eyes. Of course I saw her in other classes throughout the day, but I never got a view like the one in Algebra 3-4. In fact, Algebra 3-4 became the highlight of the day. There would be so many schooldays where the only thing, the only hope, getting me through the day was the opportunity to just look upon her face. It got me through almost anything at times. I wasn't obsessive, nor in a mentally grotesque state at that time. I knew my fondness for her was high, but it was pure. My thought of this was validated by how I knew what kind of a person she was on the inside. The leaves fell off the trees and turned brown, signaling the arrival of autumn.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Poetry & art Essay

Poetry is a form of art. Though I want to be an Economics Major in the University of Penn, I am a young aficionado of poetry and prose at heart. I would love to develop my skills through a disciplined and distinguished writing program and Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences offers to cater my aspirations. Believing that one must be a great reader before becoming a great writer, I indulge into books of every genre to harvest more knowledge. Literature brings out in me an overwhelming joy and I wish to carry my fondness for reading and writing into my college majors. The uniqueness cultivated by Penn’s English Department is perceptible by the de facto of education, wherein the emphasis is on creative writing. Through this facet of the University, I want to channel my passion for poetry into academia. As a Founder and President of our school’s Poetry Club, if accepted, I plan to visit the Kelly Writers House religiously, and satisfy my perpetual craving for literature. I can picture myself grabbing a turkey-and-cheese sandwich, without mayonnaise, at the 1920 Commons, and rushing off to the Kelly Writers House, carrying an armful of books by Maya Angelou and Eric Schlosser. Gathered in a close circle of chairs, my fellow literature lovers and I share professional works, with our own daring lines of free verses, swap suggestions, compliments, and light-hearted laughs. During these workshops, my very soul seeps steadily through an invisible tube from brain to ballpoint, the not-so-simple phenomenon of input-output fabricating ink on paper, a painting made of letters. On my way to a morning class on modern American poetry, I pass Oldenberg’s famed Split Button and acknowledge Mr. Franklin, sitting upright in his chair. After the lecture, Professor Josephine Park and I conduct research by analyzing the influence of conflicts between America and East-Asia. Being in the Penn family, I converse with colleagues, sisters and brothers that destiny lacked to give. I tutor secondary school students about reading and writing through the outreach program. Having been featured in a myriad of written works and publishing my own collections, I roll up my sleeves and organize literary pieces in the weekly undergraduate magazine, First Call. As the evening sinks, I bike to the Van Pelt Library, sit cross-legged in my favorite armchair and finalize the touches on a Second World War paper. Traveling to the other parts of the City of Brotherly Love, I gather up with study group friends for our fine dinner. When I reach home, my roommate chatters about the highlights of her day. I then read an article from The Daily Pennsylvanian. Turning off the lights and setting my alarm clock for 6:00 am, I drape my jogging shorts and shirt on a chair for the morning. Before drifting off to sleep, I reminisce those final months when I submitted my application to Penn and smile in the quietness of my room, happy to be here at last.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

The goal of the present paper is to discuss the different and shared properties

The goal of the present paper is to discuss the different and shared properties of photography and film with reference to the use of photographs in the film Paris qui dort (also known as Le rayon de la mort in France, and Paris asleep or The crazy ray internationally) by Renà © Clair (shot in 1923, the premier in France took place in 1925, in the United States – in 1926).Anne Friedberg once characterised this particular movie as â€Å"a narrative built around the shift from photography to film.†[1]   This quote indicates a channel for the discourse on the topic, how the French filmmaker synthesised photographic and cinematographic means to create a complex visual tissue.To remind the plot of this earlier example of cinematic science fiction, the main hero of the film called Albert (Henri Rollan), who is the watchman at the Eiffel Tower, awakens one perfect day to discover that the whole city of Paris has been fallen asleep. While he strolls down the streets of the bu siest European metropolis, the character observes people having been paralysed in their routine affairs. During his journey Albert meets five persons who have just arrived to Paris by airplane: Hesta (Madeleine Rodrigue), a self-made young traveller, a multi-millionaire who came to visit his bride (Antoine Stacquet), a hook and a police detective (Marcel Vallà ©e and Louis Prà © Fils), and a pilot (Albert Prà ©jean).These six occasional fellows in misery spend the night on the top of the Eiffel Tower and swoop into the city the next day to amuse themselves at their best.Having returned back to their shelter with precious loot, Albert and company catch the SOS-signal on the radio. In result of a purposeful search, the adventurers arrive at the cellar laboratory of Dr. Crase, a talented yet frenzied scientist (Charles Martinelli). Miss Crase, the professor's niece and assistant, meets the newcomers and tells them an interesting story.It appears that Dr. Crase has invented a wonderf ul machine that could arrest time by its rays. When the scientist tested his invention, all the six heroes enjoying the moment â€Å"happened to be, at three twenty-five, the moment of immobilization, at an altitude beyond its reach.†[2] Dr Crase was talented enough to design the formula for freezing the course of life but forgot to devise an antidote. Upon persuasion, he corrects his mistake, and Paris is permitted to return back to the usual mode of life.The members of the warm company separate from each other. Albert finds himself accompanying Miss Crase. The young man likes the girl and decides to see her back to her place but finds no cash to pay for the cab. He decides to immobilise the city one more time to stock up on money for the rest of his life. Albert rushes to Dr. Crase’s laboratory and struggles with the professor over the machine’s levy. Depending on their movements, the life in Paris is either set still or resumed in mobility. The battle ends up with an explosion.The heroes of the movie try to explain to the police what has happened. Nobody believes them so far as the rest of the Parisians, who have fallen asleep, do not remember the period of immobilisation. Finally, Albert is almost persuaded that Dr. Crase and his invention have been just his nightmares. However, upon return to the Eiffel Tower hand-in-hand with Miss Crase, the hero finds a diamond ring in the aperture between the girders. It was one of the trophies that the merry gang brought from the journey across the frozen city. The ring makes Albert believe once again in the existence of immobilising rays.[3]Before deciphering Friedberg’s idea about Clair having synthesised the performative possibilities of photography and cinematography, and before sharing some original ideas, the author feels obliged to analyse the technical and cultural backgrounds of these two interrelated media.Researchers started investigating the semiotic value of photography as the precedent to cinematography as early as in the mid-19th century. At the dawn of invention, photography was perceived as a technique to make light â€Å"exert an action †¦ sufficient to cause changes in material bodies.†[4] The idea was expressed by Fox Talbot in a book The pencil of nature, published in 1844. Rosalind Krauss chose the treatise as a field for analysis to discuss a dynamics of symbolic complexity associated with photography throughout its development. Her discourse is especially interesting so far as it explores the earlier metaphysical values ascribed to photography in the 1840s and the most recent semiological explanations of this art.To summarise the section of Krauss’ article dealing with the earlier representations of photography, the latter was perceived as a complex phenomenon existing both at the physical and metaphysical layers. On the one hand, it was often compared to â€Å"the footprint that is left on sand.†[5]To put it different ly, a well-known light spectrum was refracted inside a photographic camera so that the representations of people and other animate and inanimate objects were imprinted on the plates and photographic paper. On the other hand, Talbot and his contemporaries were intrigued by â€Å"certain invisible rays† which let â€Å"the eye of the camera †¦ see plainly where the human eye would find nothing but darkness.†[6][1] A. Friedberg, Window shopping: cinema and the postmodern, Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA, USA, University of California Press, 1993, p. 102. [2] Miss Crase’s words, cited in A. Michelson, Dr. Crase and Mr. Clair, October, 11: Winter, 1979: p. 34. [3] A detailed summary of the movie plot is provided by Michelson, pp. 33-34. [4] W. Fox Talbot, The pencil of nature, facsimile edition, New York, Da Capo Press, 1969, introduction, n.p., cited in R. Krauss, Tracing Nadar, Photography, 5: Oct. 1978: p. 39. [5] Krauss, Tracing Nadar, p. 33. [6] Talbot, cited in Krauss, Tracing Nadar, p. 41.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Shakedown in Ukraine essays

The Shakedown in Ukraine essays Bureaucrats of the Ukraine Tax Authority (UAT) Special Audits Department visit the Kiev-based offices of Customer Strategy Solutions and state that the company has failed to file five specific forms with the government. The fine for this equivalent to $16,000 and is payable to the Special Audits Department of the UAT. Kostya Hnatyuk, who runs the Customer Strategy Solutions software development center in Kiev gets the news and immediately calls Pavlo Zhuk, founder and entrepreneur of the company. The case study then progresses to Mr. Zhuk flying from Palo Alto to Kiev to meet with Kostya Hnatyuk to get the issue resolved. Previous situations including the payment of $5,000 to Dnipro Telecom to expedite the installation of telephone service illustrate how pervasive graft is in Ukraine. The case study presents Mr. Zhuk as seeing himself as a force for positive change in Kiev, and looks to bring additional employment there. His practice of paying his programmers double the going ra te, or $12,000 a year there, is no doubt attracting much attention in a country whose economy is weak due to so much graft and corruption. The most pressing issue is how corrupt the Ukraine is, and how pervasive it is, where Mr. Zhuk and his team encounter requests for bribes from the telephone company to the local tax authority. Studies indicate that there are approximately 1,300 bureaucrats who actively solicit and take bribes throughout this part of the world (Miller, 2006). Entering such a corrupt region of the world and not expecting to be impacted by it is naive on the part of the companys founders. Second, the payment of the telecom bribe sets a dangerous precedent for future transactions and may have already led to the company breaking international laws. Deciding to have their accountant back in Palo Alto figure out how to hide it is a slippery slope. Third, the issue of whether to pay the ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Industrial Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Industrial Revolution - Essay Example The success of the whole process depended on the ability to access products and services readily and the reduction of time wastage because of increased accessibility (Kiely, 2003, p. 56). Increased product and service visibility is directly linked with improve livelihoods because it reduces the amount of time and allow citizens to solve issues faster than before the revolution. Actually, industrial revolution simplified the living condition and improved the status of American citizens. As the focus changed from subsistence production to commercial production, several changes occurred and affected the citizens positively. The increase in competition led to drive to change the production methods and need for expansion due to increasing demand. Therefore, industrialization led to change in transportation and technology (Kiely, 2003, p. 57). New production systems were invented in order to reduce cost of production and increase the number of units produced. Consequently, the infrastructure was upgraded in order to improve connection between suppliers and consumers. The change was effective because it improved the citizen’s access to cities and essential products and services. The development of highways, canals, and turnpikes improved connection in the society which affected the society positively. Industrial revolution led to increased job creation within the society thereby increasing per capita earning of the country. The development of factories as a result of increased competition and revolution was in tandem with the demand for labor. The demand for labor created an opportunity for American citizens to get employment in the companies (Kiely, 2003, p. 89). The demand for labour attracted immigrants which led to more immigrants crossing the border in search for jobs. The entry of immigrants changed the countries perspective and led to the development of new approaches in the society including integration of different cultures and production systems. The immigrants shaped the landscape of the country by improving the understanding of the rights of the citizens and outsiders. In fact, the immigration led to awareness on human rights infringement and the need to develop the bill of rights. Therefore, it led to improved societal awareness. Challenges of the industrial revolutio n Despite the positives associated with the industrial revolution, it also brought several challenges as a result of change in population and production. One main issue highlighted by environmentalist is environmental damage as a result of the increased damage. During the industrialization era, few rules existed that protected the environment. In fact, there was no guidance in relation to environmental protection. As a result, companies polluted the environment seriously. The most affected sector was air because of the use of coal, wood and fossil fuel in the production process (Kiely,

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Midterm assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Midterm - Assignment Example They are the key elements that lead to so much variation in the physical and chemical conditions of different habitats. Temperature: It is one of the most relevant environmental factors controlling the type of organism that the ecosystem will support. The average temperature on land varies seasonally, decreases progressively from the equator towards the poles and from plains to the mountain tops. Temperature plays a very significant role in the metabolism and survival of the organisms. Water: Next to temperature, water is the most important factor influencing the life of organisms. The productivity and distribution of plants is also heavily dependent on water. For example, in deserts where water availability is very limited, only organisms with special adaptations to conserve water alone will be able to survive. Light: Sunlight is the main source of energy for the ecosystem and for the process of photosynthesis, by which plants produce food, can take place only in the presence of sun light. For many animals too, light is important in that they use the diurnal and seasonal variations in light intensity and duration (photoperiod) as cues for timing their foraging, reproductive and migratory activities. Biotic Factors The biotic components include all living organisms like plants, animals, fungi and bacteria of the ecosystem. The biotic components including the pathogens, parasites, predators and competitors – of the organism interact constantly with the abiotic factors of the environment for their survival. The biotic components modify their responses to changes in abiotic factors and maintain the balance of the ecosystem. 2. What is ecosystem function - in other words how does an ecosystem work? Ans. The components of the ecosystem are seen to function as a unit through the following aspects: (i) Productivity (ii) Decomposition (iii) Energy flow; and (iv) Nutrient cycling. The green plants known as the Producers or autotrophs trap the solar energy and conv ert simple inorganic materials into complex organic compounds or food. All animals depend on plants (directly or indirectly) for their food needs. They are hence called consumers or heterotrophs. The interdependency of organism for the requirement of food leads to food chain or food web. Based on the source of their nutrition or food, organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain that is known as their trophic level. The solar energy captured by plants flows through different organisms or different trophic levels of an ecosystem. The Organisms at each trophic level depend on those at the lower trophic level for their energy demands. When any organism dies it is converted to detritus or dead biomass that serves as an energy source for decomposers. Decomposers secrete digestive enzymes that breakdown dead and waste materials into simple, inorganic materials, which are subsequently absorbed by them. 3. Use the Diablo Range as an example of an intact ecosystem – Describe th e Diablo Range's abiotic and biotic components (including the Diablo Range location, topography, climate, plant communities, mammals & other organisms found there). Give details for each! Ans. Diablo mountain range is a classical example of an intact ecosystem. It is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area south to the Salinas Valley area of northern California, the United