The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man Essay

The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man - Essay Example   The paper tells that William Apess was a Native American who accepted the Christian faith. He continued to labor among the Native American Indians as a Christian minister and advocated human rights in his sermons and writings. The period in which he wrote marked an age of cruel slavery and anti-miscegenation laws which prohibited the intermarriage between Whites and Colored people. Apess uses the notable technique of irony in which he would expose the hypocrisy of the Whites employing their own religious doctrines and ideologies.  The superficiality of the White man's doctrine is a point of argument in Apess' work. Apess observes that one "may learn how deep (the White man's) principles are...I should say they were skin deep." The foundation of the White man's objection to the non-Whites enjoyment of their inalienable human rights is based on the skin tone. Skin pigmentation or exterior is not of value in any substantial and profound argument for what lies on the inside forms t he core and matters most. In his day, Apess would have been familiar with the Great Chain of Being philosophy which privileges the Whites at the head of the human races and relegates the Other to occupy lower tiers. Whites used this concept to justify their subhuman treatment of other races. The irony of using skin color as a means to exalt oneself and debase another reveals the truth of the proverb, 'All that glitters is not gold.' In time, the surface of any object is defaced and gradually stripped away. External appearances deceive however, only nature is real and enduring. Apess reiterates: "I am not talking about the skin, but about principles." Apess makes a stirring appeal to the tenets of Christianity, the so-called White man's religion. White men would use their religion to validate conquest, segregation, and the institution of slavery, however, Apess wields the Holy Bible, the book which instructs Christians in defence of human rights, equality, justice and brotherhood. The Christian Bible quotes that "God is no respecter of persons"-"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength-Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "By this shall all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." "Let us not love in word but in deed." Repeatedly Apess preaches to the people who should be acquainted with their own doctrines of love. Apess concept of God differs from the White man's God. Judging from the professing Christians' cruelty, greed, and antagonism, the Apess shows that according to the white man's principles, the Christian God wou ld have to be an unfair and hateful deity who would favor a cross section of people and belittle others. True religion in Apess' eyes is an inclusive religion. One which inspires love and compassion. Apess laments that in 'Christian America' there remains active practice of cruelty, systematic oppression, inhumanity and hostility. Apess argues that a Christian should never be a slave-owner for doing so puts at detriment his own soul and contravenes the founding principles of his faith. He urges the equality and brotherhood of Negroes and Whites according to the Christian doctrines and wonders at White Christian hypocrisy. To add force to his arguments, he quotes numerous scriptural texts from the Bible from Matthew, John and Romans. To hate and propagate division is not only unchristian but also unethical. God's unconditional and impartial love is a perfect example of the love that man must have for his fellow. Greed, selfishness and prejudice are the true motivators of discriminati on that have poisoned the heart, turning it from human compassion. Vices such as sloth, greed and materialism are other adverse effects of the White

Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger - Essay Example However, what could have been the most significant change in European warfare in those times? Junger’s accounts are extremely straight forward and he makes no effort in downplaying the extremity of the situation; â€Å"Bloody scraps of cloth and flesh had been left on bushes around the crater – a strange and dreadful sight that that put me in mind of the butcher – bird that spikes its prey on bushes.† (Page 23) One can easily notice the fact that the book involves a lot of manual work when it came to fighting. Shelling, that is tear gas was a common way of making the enemy retreat. It can be stated that there was minimal use of technology, the biggest one being guns and bullets. Even though the Industrial Revolution took place in the 18th century, it had a rather late impact on the European warfare. There was little or less impact in World War I for them, however, towards the 20th century and when World War II took place, some big changes were observed. Nu clear powers came into being when the world witnessed the bombings of 1945. The storm of steel clearly gives away tactics of that time. It is quite obvious that only the general who is the head of a particular army made plans and the rest of them just followed or executed it. However, this single minded approach is not very useful if we pay a little attention. In the late 19th century, people started believing that the risk or fate of an entire nation in a war could not be left upon one person’s hand; hence the general started being advised when it came to making plans regarding battles. Also till World War I generals would be present in the scene of action. This routine was changed when strategies were allotted into categories which were separated geographically. This meant that at no single time, the strategies could be gone into the hands of the enemy at once. These accounts of Junger can be easily used to analyze the European tactics and warfare in those days. In the very beginning of the book, Junger introduces the reader to the introduction he got when he was fist deployed, a place called Champagne. As soon as the soldiers reached their place, they were attacked with what Junger describes as â€Å"curious fluttering and whooshing sound†¦followed by a sudden violent explosion† (Page 6). The attack was also made by shelling which has been frequently in the past and remains to be commonly used today as well. As the book moves forward, we learn the use of trenches. Trenches play a significant part in the book, as it is a great defensive strategy. World War I has played a significant role in developing the European countries in matter of tactics and warfare. The biggest change that one saw in the warfare was the decrease in the usage of trenches. They were greatly used in the World War I as per the narrations of Ernst Jugner, but just as the world has witnessed a revolution in every aspect of life, technological advancements also came and s wept everyone off their feet. Trenches required hard work and a lot of labor, also, with the new machines and equipment, crossing trenches became no problem at all. As a result, when the trenches stopped providing the basic need of security and shield, they were stopped being used as a whole. After World War I, there was a rather definite change in European warfare. In terms of

Double Indemnity And Touch Of Evil Film Studies Essay

Double Indemnity And Touch Of Evil Film Studies Essay Film in popular culture was under scrutiny from cultural theorists during the 1930s and 1940s. It was suggested that film lacked originality and authenticity because of the way in which organisations, such as Hollywood, were producing art by using generic formulas (Grant, 2007:5). This repetition of conventions, characters and settings was typical of the Hollywood genre system (Palmer, 1994:1). This system enabled Hollywood to make films cheaply and competitively, which was criticised further by cultural theorists because the organisation was mainly motivated by profit (Grant, 2007:7). Genre films were at the forefront of the American ideal as films were an important feature of American culture. They represented an expression of the spirit of the time and worked as an inexpensive form of entertainment (Grant, 2007:5). The generic formulas were liked and accepted which was beneficial for both consumer and institution as the Hollywood studio could cater to a large audience (Palmer, 1994:2). However, the poor economic conditions of America in the 1930s meant that cinemas had to entice their audience with a more modern form of storytelling and representation (Palmer, 1994:3). Whilst the typical Hollywood film had to follow certain principles of narrative, the film noir was able to push the boundary of conventional storytelling. The visual stylisation, storyline and dark themes describe the essence of the noir film. These conventions will be discussed with examples from Billy Wilders Double Indemnity (1944) at the beginning of the noir period and Orson Welles Touch of Evil (1958) towards the end. The distinct elements that form the noir were largely due to the contributions of those in film production. During the early 1930s directors, actors and cinematographers who were involved in German expressionist cinema moved to Hollywood (Grant, 2007:25). The stylistic qualities of noirs were heavily influenced by expressionism; German silent films were admired by the Hollywood film industry (Silver, 2004:11). The artistic roots in German expressionism are portrayed in the use of common stylistic conventions such as chiaroscuro lighting, distorted camera angles and the use of symbolic designs (Silver, 2004:11). The most visible feature of the noir style is low-key lighting; cinematographers manipulated contrasts of light and shade between day exteriors and realistic night scenes through the use of curtains or venetian blinds (Silver, 2004:16). Dramatic use of lighting was used to create tension and confirm beliefs that the noir world was uncomfortable and corrupt. In Double Indemnity the establishing scene already implies this as Walter Neff begins to confess his crimes, while his face is in shade suggesting that he is ashamed. A less apparent feature, though crucial in terms of its expressionist value, was the use of distorted camera angles. Each camera angle was used specifically to create a dramatic and symbolic meaning. Low angles were pivotal in creating the feeling of claustrophobia and paranoia, for example when ceilings of interior settings were visible in the frame (Silver, 2004:16). Double Indemnity continues to provoke uneasy feelings with low angled shots in the initial scene suggesting that Neff is trapped with no other option but to confess. The use of high angles creates disequilibrium, for example when a city street is visible far below out of a window (Silver, 2004:16). This type of feeling is also expressed by dimly lit alleyways and shadowy pedestrians in the urban landscape (Silver, 2004:16). The noir style frequently makes use of shadow and unbalanced compositions (Telotte, 1989:17). Off-angle compositions of characters in the frame were used to create the suggestion of an unstable world (Spicer, 2002:47). In Touch of Evil, Spicer (2002:62) suggests that Orson Welles is able to draw the audience into a state of confusion by not including any stabilising balance of scenes. Touch of Evil was produced after the film noir description was established which suggests that the noir features in this film were used more deliberately. The expressionist style had been developed by using scenes of limitless darkness to create a sense of claustrophobia and agoraphobia (Spicer, 2002:61). Welles primarily uses night scenes, which allows characters and shadows to merge together creating a sinister atmosphere. Vargas is unsuccessfully attacked with acid by a shadowy figure. Hank Quinlans own corruption is symbolised in Touch of Evil as he falls to his death into floating waste (Silver, 2004:169). Similarly, visual symbolism is used in Double Indemnity as Wilder carefully constructs a mise-en-scà ¨ne to provoke meaning that may not always be obvious. The character of Phyllis Dietrichson is given primary importance both in style when she makes spectacular entrances and in the narrative when she manipulates those close to her. Both Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil share similarities in their visual styles which are heavily influenced by German expressionism. The expressionist style also influences the narrative and themes of noirs. Some of the themes that are expressed in the films are developed through the narrative. Noir stories challenge the conventional linear narrative of other Hollywood films and explicitly state points of view (Telotte, 1989:3). Strategies used are the voice-over, the third person flashback style, and the subjective camera technique (Telotte, 1989:12). The voice-over narrative technique enables the audience to experience situations through the protagonist. The first person narration allows the audience to identify with the character or narrator even if they are morally wrong (Silver, 2004:20). Telotte (1989:16) suggests that the I whose most basic purpose is to provide us with a privileged and personal eye on the world. Flashbacks are used to introduce the past which is presented from the narrators point of view (Silver, 2004:16). This is clear during Double Indemnity as Neff takes the role of narrator in flashbacks through to the present day. The first person voice-over is used as he retells the crime story on the Dictaphone but third person is used in the flashback scenes. Telotte (1989:45) suggests that Dictaphone narration is used to avoid speaking directly, which conforms to the noir ideology of tricks, lies and communication difficulties. There is frequent use of the subjective camera in noirs which emphasises points of view (Telotte, 1989:17). Welles uses this technique in Touch of Evil in confrontation during interrogations between Quinlan and Vargas where the audience is constantly deciding who is the dominant figure. Noir films were generally marketed as detective, thrillers or crime melodramas. Audiences were unaware that they were watching anything that was different from the Hollywood genre system. It was only the French critics who coined this term as the films dark qualities went unnoticed by audience and industry (Palmer, 1994:6). However, these films followed the crime detective formula as most, including Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil, were based on crime fiction novels. Double Indemnity was an innovative film and perhaps therefore a more authentic film noir. By comparison, Touch of Evil was rewritten into a much darker version that deliberately played on the noir styles. Silver (2004:15) states that noir relies on the element of style not just the content and that narratives are complex and not just icons. Literature of the time contained existentialism and psychological matters that promoted the importance of the past reflecting on present actions. This was particularly meaningful given the circumstances of America during the World War and the Depression (Silver, 2004:15). Grant (2007:26) suggests that noirs depict a sense of post-war disillusionment and was a delayed reaction to the enforced optimism of popular culture during the Depression and war years. The intended purpose of Hollywood narratives was to confirm the beliefs and values of the audience. Hollywood took a conservative stance within society both socially and politically. Films had to follow censorship regulations where certain principles had to be followed such as poetic justice, unsuccessful villains and restricted sexual liaisons (Palmer, 1994:4). Film noirs, for the most part, complied with these regulations given that they were unnoticeably different. However, they did touch on certain non-traditional themes such as sexual and criminal violations (Palmer, 1994:9). The French critic Nino Frank (cited in Palmer, 1994:8) described noir having rendered obsolete the traditional detective film because noirs focussed on the psychology of the characters rather than the actual crime and criminal. According to Silver (2004:15), important themes in film noir were classified as the haunted past and the fatalistic nightmare. The haunted past suggests the protagonists escape from a traumatic incident as in Touch of Evil or, crimes committed out of passion as in Double Indemnity. Past and present circumstances are mixed within the narrative; the past is real and inescapable and the protagonist has to confront it to seek redemption. This is featured in both Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil. The second theme is the fatalistic nightmare which is based on causality where present events lead to an inevitable conclusion. Good intentions of characters can be overridden when certain factors are taken into consideration. Double Indemnity uses chance and opportunity to commit crime, whereas the structure of society affects situations in Touch of Evil. Confusion was another theme in noir. It gives a sense of ambiguity to the narrative and a sense of nightmare to the atmosphere. This is conveyed in Touch of Evil when Susan Vargas is resting in the motel and a group of Mexican youths take over which leaves the audience questioning what happened exactly. Noirs present a bleak vision of contemporary life that was populated by criminals and immoral people; all of which opposed the American ideal (Palmer, 1994:6). The protagonists are mostly male and reflect the disruption to the traditional male role that was caused by the war and post-war readjustments thereafter. Females were characterised as both domestic and bland or as femme fatales. Male powerlessness is demonstrated next to the femme fatale which was a common feeling in post-war society (Grant, 2007:26). However, post-feminist critics suggest that Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity was a strong woman in a male-dominated world where she had to use any kind of weapon, including sexuality, to become an equal (Silver, 2004:16). But ultimately, the femme fatale corrupts the protagonist. The themes in Touch of Evil also promote the sense of corruption: drug dealing, sex trade and gambling. Touch of evil represents the conflict between true justice and the prevailing norms of justice. It has a theme of good versus evil where the moral Vargas can progress through the noir world of corrupt police officers such as Quinlan (Conard, 2006:43). Unlike Neff in Double Indemnity, Quinlan is deeply flawed already. Noirs involve moral decision making, the ethics of knowing what is morally right but finding alternatives more attractive. For example, in Double Indemnity a manipulated insurance salesman plots with a married woman to murder her husband to gain financial rewards (Conard, 2006:42). Double Indemnity contains adultery, cold-blooded killing, insurance fraud and criminal activity that are blamed on a female, which went against the contemporary censorship rules of the time. However, Neff and Dietrichsons inescapable fatality that draws them into crime seems to agree with those rules (Palmer, 1994:9). This is proven as Neff begins his narrations suggesting that crime does not pay (Double Indemnity, 2005): Yes, I killed him. I killed him for money and for a woman. I didnt get the money and I didnt get the woman. Pretty isnt it? The noir categorisation occurred because of the interaction between style, narrative and theme attributions. Noirs were able to branch away from the standard Hollywood product in such a way that it still catered to a large audience but unknowingly contained influences from European cinema. The impact that German expressionism had on Hollywood was remarkable and it is clear that the expressionistic style influenced many subsequent films. Double Indemnity, the earlier film, was a good example of innovative style both in appearance and narrative and was extremely influential. Touch of Evil was made towards the end of the noir period and deliberately used noir features but to an excessive degree. Noirs were considered to be a new type of detective crime thriller that subtly changed from the standard Hollywood genre film. They were still able to maintain the industrys principles by allowing a moral outcome but incorporating a more complex body to the story. These themes reflected the feelings of the American people towards their own society which made the films acceptable. The audiences need for a new way of expressing the story was met by a different, experimental narrative technique which heightened the impact of the dark qualities in the themes. These influences together with the dramatic, expressionist style established the film noir and give it a unique element in Hollywood.

Vying For A Title :: essays research papers

Vying for a Title   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The contenders have been primped and manicured by their masters and are ready to be placed on display. The subjects with the wealthiest owners attend top-notch obedience schools where they are trained in the art of acting and appearing in a way uncharacteristic to their nature. They are rewarded with special treats when they work hard during training. The skills learned in these unique schools are not useful anywhere else, but in the competitions are judged and often given a champion prize. The contestants are paraded in, coached by their owners. Each standing tall with her head raised and nose up. Most are showing their teeth as if to be smiling or happy. Truthfully, they are showing the judges the straightness and whiteness of their teeth. Both the long-haired and short-haired have had chemicals applied to them to make certain every hair lays perfectly. The outward appearances of the participators are close to flawless. If any flaws are detected in the preparation they are quickly covered up. Trainers and owners see imperfections as point deductions. Those are deductions they can’t afford when a title and thousands of dollars are on the line. A woman moves from one contestant to the next testing them. To the last in the line of female competitors the question is asked, â€Å"If you could change the world, what would you change?† Too confidently the girl replied, â€Å"I would end world hunger and poverty.† When all she really aspires to do is win this contest and the next. This is what pageantry is about. Parents who subject their children to beauty pageants teach their children that winning these contests will bring them happiness. Is being deemed the best at being fake really anything to be happy about? Too many mommies and daddies believe so. Do the pageant parents have their own dreams about their daughters being Miss Americas? Do the participants really compete in beauty contests to better themselves or their futures? Do they have a driving force from behind the stage? Will these parents go to any extent to mold their daughters into something that might win a few of these superficial contests? â€Å"†¦Didn't the Ramseys think that putting JonBenet in all those beauty pageants, looking so seductive, was inappropriate. The child was 5. All the pictures we saw were of her looking 25 and slinking and winking.† (Schwartz) â€Å"Mrs. Ramsey said that was just the public's problem and if they thought a 5-year-old trying to look more sexy than Madonna was a bit twisted - well that just shows what twisted people we have in this country.

Haptic Technology †Feeling the Future Essay

What is haptic technology? It’s the technology relating to or based on the sense of touch. We see it every day with our touch screen phones. It is needed to interact with your phone, computer, keyboard, mouse, car, gaming system and more! It can also be used in medicine, robotics, art, design, electronics, toys, and more! Where is the technology feeling to go? What is haptic feedback? What is haptic feedback? Haptic feedback the shake of your gaming console’s remote, the vibration of your phone, clicking of the keyboard and mouse. the interaction of touch and response (Figure 1). How does this correlate with human memory?   Memory has several categories. There is long-term memory, short-term and sensory memory. Each one plays an important part of overall memory. â€Å"They all cooperate in the process of memorization, and can be seen as three necessary steps in forming a lasting memory† (Mastin, 2012). Haptic technology uses sensory memory. What is sensory memory?   According to Mastin, sensory memory is the shortest-term element of memory. â€Å"It is the ability to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimuli have ended. It acts as a kind of buffer for stimuli received through the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch† (Mastin, 2012). Touch is the key word in haptic technology. How will this technology change the way we interact with computer? The interactions of computer and humans are known as human-computer-interface (HCI). Human-computer-interface (HCI) developers and engineers goals are to improve the user’s overall experience. This can be accomplished by creating a lasting memory for the end user and a good feeling of using the technology known as haptic technology. What is HCI? HCI is the study on how to better improve the interaction between human and computers. For example – Human Machine Symbiosis Laboratory – Department of Biomedical Informatics – Arizona State University conducted a study on the Psychology of Haptics, Haptic User Interfaces and Human Motion Analysis. Their main goal for the haptic user interface study is to design effective and efficient interfaces; in psychology of haptics study they focused on the role of haptic modality in formation and retention of memory and categorization; and in the human motion study they concentrated on gesture analysis. Human computer interaction (HCI) has emerged as a focal area of both computer science research and development, and of applied social, behavioral and psychological research† (Kahol, 2010). The research team in Arizona State University focused on memory and categorization controlled experiments using mechanisms of haptic memory and categorization. They also explored whether individuals who were blind and sighted can abstract a haptic prototype from a study set; the nature of haptic space through multidimensional scaling; and haptics in early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The Arizona State University research team are concerned with design, development and testing of tactile and force feedback devices and its associated software(s). â€Å"These devices have widespread applications such as surgical simulations, medical and procedural training, scientific visualizations, assistive and rehabilitative devices for individuals who have physical or neurological disorders and assistive devices for individuals who are blind† (Kathol, 2010). The human motion research field is guided towards understanding human motion through gesture analysis. The research team from Arizona State University has developed novel gesture segmentation and gesture recognition tools for understanding and modeling human motion. They plan to develop scalable gesture segmentation and gesture recognition tools. They plan to apply the models to generic human motion as well as specialized human motion as in dance and in various scenarios such as surveillance, human computer interfaces and 3D Dance motion. Once these devices are implemented, they must remain consistent. Why you ask? Image a medical procedural being done on you. The doctor is located in different part of the world and is using new technology which allows him to operate remotely, but wait. The controls he is using are not consistent with the standard controls accepted in the USA. Will you risk your life on this doctors questionable HCI? I know I wouldn’t. Designing the right HCI is key to any successful implementation of new technology. What are some design factors to consider in the implementation of HCI and where does the future of HCI feel to go? Figure 2 – User-Centric Design (SAP, 2013) One possible design process we can use is UCD. What is is UCD? User-centered design (UCD) is a design methodology and process that focuses on the needs of end users, limitations of end users, preferences of end users, and business objectives (USABILITY, 2013). The UCD has several components: plan, research, design, adapt, and measure (Figure 2). â€Å"Plan – In the Plan phase, the team determines all of the UCD activities and ensures that the necessary resources are available. Research – Before you can design a product, it is imperative that you have a clear understanding of the users’ goals and tasks, the market needs, and related work. Design – In the design phase, you define your system from the users’ perspective. Initially, this phase takes the form of use cases and an object action model, which describes the tasks that the system will support. From these tasks you create UI designs, beginning with rough sketches and ending with detailed UI design specifications. Adapt – The adapt phase acknowledges that even the best conceived designs often need to be adapted when development begins coding. This adaptation can occur as a result of unforeseen limitations in the target technology, new requirements, or missing functionality in the initial design. Measure – When the product is released, it is possible to measure its usability quantitatively. These tests measure a product’s effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction† (SAP, 2013) HCI FUTURE Microsoft researchers wrote Being Human – Human Computer Interaction in the Year 2020. In the paper they state: â€Å"HCI needs to extend its methods and approaches so as to focus more clearly on human values. This will require a more sensitive view about the role, function and consequences of design, just as it will force HCI to be more inventive. HCI will need to form new partnerships with other disciplines, too, and for this to happen HCI practitioners will need to be sympathetic to the tools and techniques of other trades. Finally, HCI will need to re-examine and reflect on its basic terms and concepts. Outdated notions of the ‘user’, the ‘computer’ and ‘interaction’ are hardly sufficient to encompass all that HCI will need to attend to† (Microsoft, 2008).

Positve And Negative Emotions

The Broaden- and- build theory created by Barbara Fredrickson (2001) describes how positive emotions open up our thinking and actions to new possibilities, and how this expansion can help build physical, psychological, and social resources that promote well-being (Baumgardner, 2009). In correlation as suggested by Fredrickson (2001), positive emotions include joy, interest, contentment, pride and love. They all provide the ability to broaden one’s momentary thought-action repertoires and help build their personal resources (Baumgardner, 2009).The benefits of positive emotions are more general and long-term rather than the short-term effects possessed by negative emotions. Men and women have different ways of expressing the same emotion. Hence, when a woman is sad, they tend to show depression for their sadness, whereas men tend to show anger when dealing with sadness. They both feel the same way, but show it differently. When women are angry their feeling gets expressed throug h words and sadness. As opposed to men their sadness is shown with anger and resentfulness. Men and women do not feel differently with a negative emotion, but simply react differently to the emotion.Research shows that men tend to use the left side (reasoning) of their brain more than women. Women use both the left and the right (emotional) sides of their brain. This provides women the ability to understand people and express their emotions more effectively (Brenda, 2013). The research found is mixed regarding the emotional differences between the sexes. Strong evidence has been found that there are differences in the way men and women detect, process, and express emotion. Other studies show that men and women share more emotional similarities than differences (Thompson, 2013).

vasco de gama essays

vasco de gama essays All throughout time Religion has been a significant aspect of all cultures. Religion has been the motivation for many great things, and for many more not so great things. Religions spread and brought in new believers and others converted from one religion to another. For most religions, spreading the word of God is undertaken by missionaries. This also goes for Christianity. The role of the Christian missionary was to spread the word of God to all. The motivation of spreading the word of God was a very large part of western exploration. In addition to spreading the word of God, the accumulation of wealth and thus power were also great factors in motivating people to explore the western world. Portugal took the initiative of western exploration after they successfully expelled the Muslims from the country of Portugal. The power created by such a successful expulsion of outsiders and the religious fervor of missionarys encouraged the rulers of Portugal to seek conquests in Africa. The Portugese rulers were drawn to the possibility of causing harm to the Muslim world and a hunger for wealth(Stearns 34). In 1498, Vasco Da Gama, a mariner from Portugese, left Portugal and set sail for Calicut, India. He was asked why he did so and replied Christians and spices. The mass conversion of people to the religion of Roman Catholicism and the accumulation of spices, fine textiles, and other Asian goods were what drove him to Calicut, India. Vasco Da Gamas desire for Christians and spices was typical for most explorers of the time. Either people went to convert the masses or to find riches or even both(Stearns 150). Not all countries were interested in the spreading of Roman Catholicism as other countries were. The English and Protestant Dutch had little interest in gaining converts to Christianity. Yet the spread of Roman Catholicism was a essential part of the worldwide operation of the Portu...

Exhibitions at the International Center of Photography

Exhibitions at the International Center of Photography Two exhibitions â€Å"Roman Vishniac Rediscovered† and â€Å"We Went Back: Photographs from Europe 1933–1956 by Chim† are presented at the International Center of Photography. The pictures made by two photographers who worked during the period of the 1920s-1950s impress the audience with the extreme honesty and realism.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Exhibitions at the International Center of Photography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Observing the works by Roman Vishniac, a person can feel as prying about the moments of the Jewish people’s life. Focusing on the photographs by Chim (David Seymour), it is possible to feel as the part of the European society between the 1930s and 1950s. The exhibition â€Å"Roman Vishniac Rediscovered† represents the imprinted moments of the Jewish people’s life in the Eastern Europe. The photographs seem to be the caught moments of the eve ryday life and routine. The photographer is distancing himself from those people depicted in the pictures. As a result, the feeling of prying about the audience is created. The composition of many pictures is complex because several elements work to attract the audience’s attention. Many photographs represent children whose face expressions and reactions to realities are rather exemplary and frank (â€Å"Roman Vishniac Rediscovered†). The black-and-white photographs create the effect of minimalism, but they also help accentuate definite important details balancing the light and shadow in the picture. In his works, Vishniac combines the aspects of the Jewish people’s life in communities and ghettos with the depiction of Nazi elements. Thus, the portrayals of Jewish schoolchildren are presented next to the pictures with swastika and Nazi Storm Troopers to accentuate the contrast (â€Å"Roman Vishniac Rediscovered†). As a result, the photographs depicting th e moments of the ordinary life of people during the period between the two World Wars, which can be discussed as documentary ones, are perceived as the real pieces of art. The whole life in its deepness is illustrated by Roman Vishniac with the help of the caught face expressions and body movements in their combination with presenting complex surroundings. David Seymour worked as a photographer using pseudonym Chim. The photographer is unique in his ability to provide effective portraits as well as photographs demonstrating a lot of people or even crowds of people.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 The works by Chim should be discussed and interpreted with references to the large political and social context. The crowds of people at the square, people listening to the speeches of political leaders or people participating in the land reform meetings are depicted in a lot of pictures by Chim (â€Å"We Went Back: Photographs from Europe 1933–1956 by Chim†). From this point, Chim focused in his works on presenting the history of societies. All the black-and-white or color photographs demonstrated at the exhibition â€Å"We Went Back: Photographs from Europe 1933–1956 by Chim† are different in their tone, style, and theme. However, these photographs are astounding in relation to their illustrativeness and earnest to reflect the atmosphere of the situations and moments depicted. The exhibitions â€Å"Roman Vishniac Rediscovered† and â€Å"We Went Back: Photographs from Europe 1933–1956 by Chim† allow feeling the unique unstable atmosphere of the 1930s-1950s. In spite of the fact Roman Vishniac and David Seymour focused on different themes and objects to depict, these photographers used similar approaches to creating the realistic photographs which can represent the mood and atmosphere of the moment with re ferences to the historical, cultural, and social context. Roman Vishniac Rediscovered. 2013. Web. https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/roman-vishniac-rediscovered-traveling-exhibition. We Went Back: Photographs from Europe 1933–1956 by Chim. 2013. Web.

Murder Mystery Comedy Plays

Murder Mystery Comedy Plays Audiences love a good gasp induced by a shocking murder mystery. They also cant get enough of laughter induced by wacky characters and slapstick hijinks. Combine both worlds and youve got a popular genre known as the murder mystery comedy. Of course, just because you have all of those ingredients doesnt mean the play will actually be suspenseful, mysterious, or even funny. When youve got a bunch of dead bodies on stage, the comedy is going to get quite dark, so it takes a special sort of playwright to properly entwine the macabre with the moronic. Here are a few murder mystery comedies that get it right! The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 Written by John Bishop, this farcical whodunnit does not take a Sherlock Holmes to reveal the villains. But it does create enough mayhem to leave you guessing about what will happen next. A snowstorm encroaches upon the estate of a wealthy philanthropist, a patron of the arts who has called together a famous songwriting team, an iconic director, a Broadway producer, and a pair of theater wannabes. They think that they are pitching the next musical extravaganza  when, in fact, they have been summoned in order to discover the Stagedoor Slasher, a madman (or madwoman) who killed three chorus girl dancers and just might kill again. Throw in some Nazi spies, cross-dressing psychopaths, and a bumbling police detective, and you have a murder-mystery-comedy with a vintage flair. The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 is available at Dramatists Play Service. (And for those of you actors who cannot sing and/or dance, dont worry. Theres hardly any music and no choreography except for some hysterical fight sequences). The Bold, the Young, and the Murdered There must be something intrinsically amusing about actors dealing with creepy killers because its a popular theme found in comedic murder mysteries, including this one by Don Zolodis. Heres the brief synopsis provided by the publishers at Playscripts: The long-running soap opera The Bold and the Young is in its last days: its hunky hero has self-esteem issues, its villainous old man is more interested in soup, and its heroines are slightly psychopathic. The executive producer gives the squabbling cast an ultimatum: Complete one episode overnight or the show dies. But when the director ends up murdered, and other cast members start dropping like flies, it seems like his threat might actually come true. Can these misfits discover the murderer before the show is literally killed off? The script lends itself nicely to high school drama students and professional actors alike. Theres something liberating about letting go and pouring on that soap opera cheesiness. Mandate for Murder Pat Cook is the master of melodramatic comedies  and has the ability to crank out silly characters so fast, his computer keyboard must be smoking when hes done. (Tim Kelley woulds be proud!) Most Cook comedies are as funny as the playwright is prolific. Mandate for Murder, brought to you by Eldridge Plays, is no exception. And its a blast for community theaters to perform, especially around election time. When a political aide is stabbed to death and the murder weapon is a knife pulled from a birthday cake, the crime-solving characters have a lot of questions to ask. However, they arent the only ones. The audience gets to interrogate the suspects too, not only that- by the end of the evening, they get to vote in the election! The Murder Room This comedic gem by Jack Sharkey brings back a ton of high school memories. We spent just as much time working on the set, with all of its trap doors and secret entrances, as we did working on the lines. Like other zany mysteries, this one features a wide variety of characters (nearly all of them should be played with English accents). With all of its mix-ups and botched assassinations, by the end of the play the audience isnt sure if anyone has actually been killed off. It also pays homage to Sleuth in that characters who supposedly left the storyline come back into the play wearing a clever disguise. The 39 Steps Imaginatively adapted from a Hitchcock classic, the comic masterpiece The 39 Steps transcends the genre. Audiences rave about the non-stop comedy, the amazingly creative blocking, and the four versatile actors who play over one hundred characters. Directed by Maria Aitken and adapted for the stage by Peter Barlow, this farcical tribute to Hitchcock thrillers has been delighting audiences since 2005.

Major Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Major Project - Essay Example It is getting the whole nation to ask a number of important questions of their own capacity to recover and be resilient in the midst of a crisis resembling economic chaos and growing militancy in the labor front. For its part, the state of Wisconsin through their Republican Governor is turning to thousands of their Democrat leaning state employees for initial answers. Where does patriotism lie in the midst of lavish benefits and indulgence with the impending financial ruin getting to be the main backdrop of the controversy? Keywords: GOP - Grand Old Party, Republican, Democrats PUBLIC EMPLOYEES UNIONS ACROSS AMERICA 3 Public Employees Unions Across America Face Massive Curtailment On Grounds of Averting an Impending Financial Crisis What sets off a statewide protest more conspicuously heard and felt in Wisconsin is the planned amendment to overhaul a system which initially included giving the state a new mandate of declaring bankruptcy and soften financial woes through an eventual re negotiating of wages and so-called lavish benefits of state employees. ... With a historically binding political patronage that tilts heavily on the side of the Democrats since President John F. Kennedy signed the executive order granting public employees the ability to a collective bargaining in 1962, such peripheral political and industrial advantages now face its biggest threat of curtailment on grounds of regaining sound fiscal management and economic parity raised by the Republicans in Wisconsin. The GOP takes the upper hand as the dominant party in Wisconsin while the Democrats and the main protagonists, the affected public employees and the unions, brace themselves for an extended political and judicial confrontation. The showdown PUBLIC EMPLOYEES UNIONS ACROSS AMERICA 4 begins in Wisconsin, home of the first ever unions of public employees in America. This is where collective bargaining for state workers was originally conceived with its long standing political alliance with the Democrats. But when the Republicans took control of the senate, the ass embly and more significantly the office of the Governor, the result was a heightening political confrontation endemic to a two-party political system and an increasingly massive workers’ dissent that is slowly engulfing the whole of America where majority of the states have established politically active, benefits and welfare-oriented unions for public employees. Wisconsin has set the precedence, then and now. Of the total fifty two states comprising the United States, thirty of them have collective bargaining statutes covering state and local employees. Since the 1950’s, government employees’ unions have grown into a major influence-peddling

British Petroleum Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Petroleum - Case Study Example Colonialism, however, eventually collapsed but BP did not (Heiss, 1997). Indeed, not only did BP survive the collapse of colonialism but it expanded its global operations, effectively maintained its status as one of the world's top oil and gas multinationals. In recent years, however, BP's status was threatened by industrial accidents which, consequent to their detrimental environmental effects, turned public opinion against the company. Survival, evidenced in the fact that it did re-bounce, was predicated on the successful revamping of BP's image. With the dawn of the new millennium, British Petroleum's problems reached the point of crisis. Its environmental and human rights records were placed in the spotlight and subjected to public scrutiny, with the outcome being that in both 2001 and 2006, BP was named as one of the world's worst corporations (Cameron, 2006). Allegations, the majority of which were substantiated and incontrovertibly factual, encompassed of BP's poor environmental record, its abuse of its own employees, its support of totalitarian governments for its own financial gain and the exploitation of the public's dependency on oil and gas for the expansion of its profit margins. Accusations pertaining to abuse of its labour force focus on the Tex... gh price in 2005 when a large column overfilled with gas, leading to the formation of a vapour cloud and, eventually, an explosion which killed 15 employees, injured several others and destroyed a significant percentage of the plant itself. More independent and internal investigations placed the blame squarely on BP, focusing on mismanagement and lack of regard for worker and environmental safety as evidence in its failure to maintain the plant and implement the minimum required safety standards (Cameron, 2006). Prior to recovering from the Texas City Refinery Disaster, BP confronted an environmental disaster in Prudhoe bay, Alaska, fording the closure of its pipelines there. In 2006, corrosion in its pipeline led to the spilling of 5,000 barrels of oil into the environment (Cameron, 2006). At this point, part of, but not all of the pipeline was closed. In 2007, a second disaster forced the closure of much of the remaining operational sections of the pipeline. Again, the cause was cited as BP's failure to adequately invest in safety and maintenance. It is interesting to note that in 2006 BP admitted to the fact that it had contributed to the degradation of the Alaskan natural environment through seepages which totaled approximately 27,000 barrels of oil (BP,' n.d.). The fallout of BP's seemingly callous attitude towards worker safety and the environment, were only exacerbated by its support of totalitarian and abusive governments for the purpose of maintaining corporate profits. In 2006, BP lost a lawsuit launched against it by Columbian farmers who accused the company of supporting an openly abusive regime for the purpose of maintaining its pipeline operations in the country. A similar accusation was made by the West Papua population which accused BP of

Geotechnical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geotechnical - Essay Example Geotechnical engineering uses the geophysical methods in measuring the physical properties on the earth sub surface. These methods have the potential of measuring the anomalies in the properties of soil to identify the position and the presence of minerals (Das and Sobhan, 2013). They involve applying physical methods in measuring the physical traits of rocks and soil thus detecting the physical differences between the rocks that have the hydrocarbons or ore deposits. This paper explores the different types of geophysics method and their use in geotechnical engineering. Electromagnetic induction (EM) involves a method that uses the induction principles in measuring the electrical conductivity of the subsurface. Different from the techniques of conventional resistivity, EM requires no contact in the ground. This eliminates the fast problems of electrical coupling allowing much acquisition of rapid data. Since the EM instruments give an easy and rapid collection of data, the instruments are always used as the tools of reconnaissance used in identifying the greatly detailed anomalies (Nobes, 2000). The induced electromagnetic pulse can be measured using the frequency domain meters and time domain meters. GPR (ground penetrating Radar is utilized in pinpointing the buried objects location and mapping and having stratigraphy mapped out. It gives the shallow subsurface cross-sectional measurements. The method has the ability of locating the nonmetal and metal objects. In many cases, data and profiles are recorded and the result is shown using the real time having the attached display unit of the computer. This results into a fast and easy field interpretation. More data interpretation could be done later (Nobes, 2000). The instruments of GPR have energy beamed into the ground from the antenna in the electromagnetic wave form. An energy position is reflected towards the antenna at the specific subsurface

Crisis Mapping Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Crisis Mapping - Research Paper Example ans then use this information to determine localities where their help is needed (Goolsby, Social media as crisis platform: The future of community maps/crisis maps.). In the year 2011, East Japan experienced an earthquake and Tsunami, which claimed many live, destroyed properties and disabled others. It was a situation, which needed humanitarian assistances (Goolsby and Gao). The openstreemap community launched a crisis map hours after the disaster occurred. The humanitarian team was able to identify areas facing particular types of problems and respond appropriately. The Ushahidi project, enabled by Google maps, facilitated real time distress calls and, therefore, was an invaluable resource for humanitarians. The earthquake, which struck the Christ church in New Zealand in 2010, is another disaster occurrence whose situation eased by the help of crisis mapping (Munro and Meier). Given the loss of lives and injuries experienced by the victims, Crowd source, crisis map provided by Google maps and Ushahidi acted in helping organizations and local people to identify people who needed help. The Libya crisis map project was as a response to the U.N’s request, which was in a bid to ease coordination of the required humanitarian affairs. Although the crisis map operated on a delayed 24 hours for information security purposes, it was able to update on evacuation, refugee’s movements, street fights, and military actions (Christopher). The information enabled for appropriate reaction by volunteers in helping the victims. Conclusively, Crisis mapping has helped in disaster management in the most convenient

Enterprise Business Intelligence and analysis Essay

Enterprise Business Intelligence and analysis - Essay Example As stated in the report, offering advanced technological features to casual users is a recipe for disaster. Casual users are information users who are interested only in the reports and not in how the tools and databases work. Therefore the factor of usability is the most important in increasing BI adoption among the casual users. The power users as information producers require more powerful analytical tools to develop reports and business views. Therefore the development of the BI infrastructure should be customized to the different groups of users. Implementing a BI framework effectively is a process of change management. Therefore the top management has to communicate with the employees about the strategic importance of maximizing the use of BI. Unless there is support from the top management for using the BI framework, the employees will not be motivated to use the features and functionalities of business intelligence to the maximum extent. For this reason it is important to cat egorize the different requirements of power users and casual users and to communicate with them accordingly. The communications framework is one of the most important tools in managing change and therefore it should be used by the top management in motivating the application of business intelligence. The power users are the more important users. ... In order to maximize the effectiveness of the technology, the organization should be able to integrate BI into the existing architecture consisting of security, web servers and databases. Unless the BI system can be made compatible with the processes which are currently being used, its usability will be minimal. The employees will be more willing to use BI if it has an interface that is similar to those that they are currently using. It is more important to bring the power users on board so that they can coordinate with IT personnel to optimize the delivery of the format to the rest of the enterprise. The management also has to purchase licenses. Therefore they should conduct an inventory of users to estimate the number of licenses required and thus reduce costs. Another way to reduce costs is to ensure fast performance. It is more important to ensure fast performance among the casual users. However the power users should also emphasize upon fast performance in order to deliver timel y information. This information should be based upon high-quality data. Maximization of the BI acceptance among employees in various business functions and hierarchy levels in enterprise operations entails the process of managing change. The critical success factor in change management is communications. Therefore the critical success factor is to consider how to create an effective communications framework between the top management and the employees. As stated in the TDWI best practices report, this objective can be met by developing a marketing plan which can be delivered enterprise-wide through a variety of communications channels such as email, Web, meetings, events, posters, training, helpdesk etc. In this manner the value

Outline chapter(4) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Outline chapter(4) - Assignment Example This is explained through the relationship of various effects that may accrue, from the innumerable studies that have been conducted. This means that sophisticated approaches have been bore during the past several decades that help in understanding effects. Next, Hattie sub-groups these consequences into various sub categories in order to understand the specification criterion that best explains the entire effect. For instance, he disintegrates the schooling process into components like students, the process of teaching and learning, other co-curriculum activities, the teachers in charge, the curriculum being used, stakeholders partaking the schooling process, just to mention but a few. With such sub divisions, they can be well understood in this individualized content. This just explains what begets the dynamic perspective of the schooling process. Hattie then establishes a measurement criterion for the varied observations made from the individualized sub groups. This enables them to be categorized in order of effect such that others are ranked as extreme, while others as mild. In general, the chapter outlines the individualized as well as the generalized perspective research methodologies encompassed in the learning process. A myriad of methodologies are explained and recommended as pertaining to any education process which, as a matter of fact, is

Enterprise Business Intelligence and analysis Essay

Enterprise Business Intelligence and analysis - Essay Example As stated in the report, offering advanced technological features to casual users is a recipe for disaster. Casual users are information users who are interested only in the reports and not in how the tools and databases work. Therefore the factor of usability is the most important in increasing BI adoption among the casual users. The power users as information producers require more powerful analytical tools to develop reports and business views. Therefore the development of the BI infrastructure should be customized to the different groups of users. Implementing a BI framework effectively is a process of change management. Therefore the top management has to communicate with the employees about the strategic importance of maximizing the use of BI. Unless there is support from the top management for using the BI framework, the employees will not be motivated to use the features and functionalities of business intelligence to the maximum extent. For this reason it is important to cat egorize the different requirements of power users and casual users and to communicate with them accordingly. The communications framework is one of the most important tools in managing change and therefore it should be used by the top management in motivating the application of business intelligence. The power users are the more important users. ... In order to maximize the effectiveness of the technology, the organization should be able to integrate BI into the existing architecture consisting of security, web servers and databases. Unless the BI system can be made compatible with the processes which are currently being used, its usability will be minimal. The employees will be more willing to use BI if it has an interface that is similar to those that they are currently using. It is more important to bring the power users on board so that they can coordinate with IT personnel to optimize the delivery of the format to the rest of the enterprise. The management also has to purchase licenses. Therefore they should conduct an inventory of users to estimate the number of licenses required and thus reduce costs. Another way to reduce costs is to ensure fast performance. It is more important to ensure fast performance among the casual users. However the power users should also emphasize upon fast performance in order to deliver timel y information. This information should be based upon high-quality data. Maximization of the BI acceptance among employees in various business functions and hierarchy levels in enterprise operations entails the process of managing change. The critical success factor in change management is communications. Therefore the critical success factor is to consider how to create an effective communications framework between the top management and the employees. As stated in the TDWI best practices report, this objective can be met by developing a marketing plan which can be delivered enterprise-wide through a variety of communications channels such as email, Web, meetings, events, posters, training, helpdesk etc. In this manner the value

Scientific Method Essay Example for Free

Scientific Method Essay The scientific method has four steps 1. Observation and description of a phenomenon. The observations are made visually or with the aid of scientific equipment. 2. Formulation of a hypothesis to explain the phenomenon in the form of a causal mechanism or a mathematical relation. 3. Test the hypothesis by analyzing the results of observations or by predicting and observing the existence of new phenomena that follow from the hypothesis. If experiments do not confirm the hypothesis, the hypothesis must be rejected or modified (Go back to Step 2). 4. Establish a theory based on repeated verification of the results. The subject of a scientific experiment has to be observable and reproducible. Observations may be made with the unaided eye, a microscope, a telescope, a voltmeter, or any other apparatus suitable for detecting the desired phenomenon. The invention of the telescope in 1608 made it possible for Galileo to discover the moons of Jupiter two years later. Other scientists confirmed Galileos observations and the course of astronomy was changed. However, some observations that were not able to withstand tests of objectivity were the canals of Mars reported by astronomer Percival Lowell. Lowell claimed to be able to see a network of canals in Mars that he attributed to intelligent life in that planet. Bigger telescopes and satellite missions to Mars failed to confirm the existence of canals. This was a case where the observations could not be independently verified or reproduced, and the hypothesis about intelligent life was unjustified by the observations. To Lowells credit, he predicted the existence of the planet Pluto in 1905 based on perturbations in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. This was a good example of deductive logic. The application of the theory of gravitation to the known planets predicted that they should be in a different position from where they were. If the law of gravitation was not wrong, then something else had to account for the variation. Pluto was discovered 25 years later. Limitations of the Scientific Method Science has some well-known limitations. Science works by studying problems in isolation. This is very effective at getting good, approximate solutions. Problems outside these artificial boundaries are generally not addressed. The consistent, formal systems of symbols and mathematics used in science cannot prove all statements, and furthermore, they cannot prove all TRUE statements. Kurt Godel showed this in 1931. The limitations of formal logical systems make it necessary for scientists to discard their old systems of thought and introduce new ones occasionally. Newtons gravitational model works fairly well for everyday physical descriptions, but it is not able to account for many important observations. For this reason, it has been replaced by Einsteins general theory of relativity for most celestial phenomena. Instead of talking about gravity, we now are supposed to talk about the curvature of the four-dimensional time-space continuum. Scientific observations are also subject to physical limits that may prevent us from finding the ultimate truth. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that it is impossible to determine simultaneously the position and momentum of an elementary particle. So, if we know the location of a particle we cannot determine its velocity, and if we know its velocity we cannot determine its location. Jacob Bronowski wrote that nature is not a gigantic formalizable system because to formalize it we would have to make some assumptions that cut some of its parts from consideration, and having done that, we cannot have a system that embraces the whole of nature. The application of the scientific method is limited to independently observable, measurable events that can be reproduced. The scientific method is also applicable to random events that have statistical distributions. In atomic chemistry, for example, it is impossible to predict when one specific atom will decay and emit radiation, but it is possible to devise theories and formulas to predict when half of the atoms of a large sample will decay. Irreproducible results cannot be studied by the scientific method. There was one day when many car owners reported that the alarm systems of their cars were set off at about the same time without any apparent cause. Automotive engineers were not able to discover the reason because the problem could not be reproduced. They hypothesized that it could have been radio interference from a passing airplane, but they could not prove it one way or another. Mental conceptual experiences cannot be studied by the scientific method either. At this time there is no instrumentation that enables someone to monitor what anybody else conceives in their mind, although it is possible to determine which part of the brain is active during any given task. It is not possible to define experiments to determine objectively which works of art are great, or whether Picasso was better than Matisse. So-called miracles are also beyond the scientific method. A person has tumors and faces certain death, and then, the tumors start shrinking and the person becomes healthy. What brought about the remission? A change in diet? A change in mental attitude? It is impossible to go back in time to monitor all variables that could have caused the cure, and it would be unethical to plant new tumors into the person to try to reproduce the results for a more careful study. Critical Thinking The scientific method relies on critical thinking, which is the process of questioning common beliefs and explanations to distinguish those beliefs that are reasonable and logical from those which lack adequate evidence or rational foundation. Arguments consists of one or more premises and one conclusion. A premise is a statement that is offered in support of a claim being made. Premises and claims can be either true or false. In deductive arguments the premises provide complete support for the conclusion. If the premises provide the required degree of support for the conclusion then the argument is valid, and if all its premises are true, then the conclusion must be true. In inductive arguments the premises provide some degree of support for the conclusion. When the premises of inductive arguments are true, their conclusion is likely to be true. Arguments that have one or more false premises are unsound. Fallacies Arguments are subject to a variety of fallacies. A fallacy is an error in reasoning in which the premises given for the conclusion do not provide the needed degree of support. A deductive fallacy is a deductive argument where the premises are all true but reach a false conclusion. An inductive fallacy consist of arguments where the premises do not provide enough support for the conclusion. In such cases, even if the premises are true, the conclusion is not likely to be true. Common fallacies are categorized by their type, such as Ad Hominem (personal attack), and appeals to authority, belief, fear, ridicule, tradition, etc. An example of an Ad Hominem fallacy would be to say You do not understand this because you are American (or Chinese, etc. . The national origin of a person (the premise) has nothing to do with the conclusion that a person can understand something or not, therefore the argument is flawed. Appeals to ridicule are of the form: You would be stupid to believe that the earth goes around the sun. Sometimes, a naive or false justification may be added in appeals to ridicule, such as we can plainly see the sun go around the earth every day. Appe als to authority are of the form The president of the United States said this, therefore it must be true. The fact that a famous person, great person, or authority figure said something is not a valid basis for something being true. Truth is independent of who said it. Types of Evidence Evidence is something that provides proof concerning a matter in question. Direct or Experimental evidence. The scientific methods relies on direct evidence, i. e. , evidence that can be directly observed and tested. Scientific experiments are designed to be repeated by other scientists and to demonstrate unequivocably the point that they are trying to prove by controlling all the factors that could influence the results. A scientist conducts an experiment by varying a single factor and observing the results. When appropriate, double blind experiments are conducted to avoid the possibility of bias. If it is necessary to determine the effectiveness of a drug, an independent scientist will prepare the drug and an inert substance (a placebo), identifying them as A and B. A second scientist selects two groups of patients with similar characteristics (age, sex, etc. ), and not knowing which is the real drug, administers substance A to one group of patients and substance B to the second group of patients. By not knowing whether A or B is the real drug, the second scientist focuses on the results of the experiment and can make objective evaluations. At the end of the experiment, the second scientist should be able to tell whether the group receiving substance A showed improvements over those receiving substance B. If no effect can be shown, the drug being tested is ineffective. Neither the second scientist nor the patients can cheat by favoring one substance over another, because they do not know which is the real drug. Anecdotal, Correlational, or Circumstantial Evidence. Where there is smoke, there is fire is a popular saying. When two things occur together frequently, it is possible to assume that there is a direct or causative relationship between them, but it is also possible that there are other factors. For example, if you get sick every time that you eat fish and drink milk, you could assume that you are allergic to fish. However, you may be allergic to milk, or only to the com bination of fish with milk. Correlational evidence is good for developing hypotheses that can then be tested with the proper experiments, e. g. drink milk only, eat fish only, eat fish and milk together. There is nothing wrong with using representative cases to illustrate an inductive conclusion drawn from a fair sample. The problem arises when a single case or a few selected cases are used to draw a conclusion which would not be supported by a properly conducted study. Argumentative Evidence consists of evaluating facts that are known and formulating a hypothesis about what the facts imply. Argumentative evidence is notoriously unreliable because anybody can postulate a hypothesis about anything. This was illustrated above with the example about the channels of Mars implying intelligent life. The statement I heard a noise in the attic, it must be a ghost also falls in this category. Testimonial Evidence. A famous football player appears on television and says that Drug-XYZ provides relief from pain and works better than anything else. You know that the football player gets paid for making the commercial. How much can you trust this evidence? Not very much. Testimonials are often biased in favor of a particular point of view. In court proceedings, something actually experienced by a witness (eyewitness information) has greater weight than what someone told a witness (hearsay information). Nevertheless, experiments have repeatedly demonstrated that eyewitness accounts are highly unreliable when compared with films of the events. The statement I saw a ghost last night. is an example of testimonial evidence that probably cannot be verified and should not be trusted. On the other hand, the statement I saw a car crash yesterday. can be objectively verified to determine whether it is true or false by checking for debris from the accident, hospital records, and other physical evidence. Make full use of your senses. Making use of your senses is the subjective part of the Methodology. This is the stage where your special sensory skills can be put to use. If you have extraordinary hearing, use it. If you have a photographic memory make sure that it gets used for most of your problem solving. Nobody else has your s pecific impressions of your environment. Your point of view and your observations are unique. Part of using your senses may involve using instrumentation or interaction with others. Lucky charms, divining rods, and other magical devices that do not have reproducible and verifiable functionality do not count as instrumentation. If you dont have perfect eyesight and you need to see something clearly, use your glasses. Make observations from several points of view to get good depth perception and to confirm impressions. Take photographs if you need to remember something in great detail. Use a tape recorder or a notepad to record your observations for later review. Make sure that your senses are at their best by avoiding intoxicants that affect your perceptions. Interaction with others may involve using another being (not necessarily human) to make the observations for you. For example, a blind person may use a seeing-eye dog to get around, a truck driver may use directions from someone else when backing up into a tight spot, a hunter may use a dogs sense of smell for tracking game, or a miner may use a canary to warn him of pockets of unbreathable odorless gases. Whenever you trust someone elses perception more than your own you may find that the conclusions that you reach are unsatisfactory. How many hunters have been led astray by dogs that followed a rabbits trail rather than the foxs? And how many truck drivers have crashed while backing up because they misinterpreted their helpers signals? Reliance on your own senses is the only way to avoid such problems, but you dont always have this choice. The application of logic may be necessary to determine which perceptions you can trust. Let us say that you are not under the influence of any drugs and you see an apparition of a dead person, what should you do? How do you distinguish hallucinations from real perceptions? How do you know if your senses fool you or if your observations are real? One time-honored test is to pinch yourself to make sure that you are not dreaming. If you should tell someone else about your experience and they dont observe the same things, does this mean that you are crazy or that something is wrong with you? Or does this prove that you have more refined perception that enables you to see things that others do not see? What would it be like to live in a world where only you have color vision and everyone else is colorblind? The difference between real perceptions and hallucinations is that you can repeat and reproduce results from real perceptions but not from hallucinations. In a world where you are the only person with color vision, you would eventually be able to prove to everyone else by objective means that colors, or at least different frequencies of light, do exist.

Hewlett Packard: Porters Five Forces, SWOT and PEST

Hewlett Packard: Porters Five Forces, SWOT and PEST 1.0 Background The organization being chosen to carry out such change process analysis is the computer industry and the organization company in focus is amicably regarding HP Computers. Thus, change processes in business organizations involves the reality behind every process and is considered as a daily cycle in dealing to various issues and concerns of the organization as it depends on the managements actions and its respected change of nature in dealing with effective change management as directed at overcoming anger and resentment evolving into a program that supports acceptance and internalization. As a consultant commenting on the organizational change process choosing HP organization as the focal point for discussion and analysis for this presentation, role to the organization is to have a clear emphasis dealing to the external and internal change drivers and other essential points needed for the realization of purpose for this report presentation for the senior management of the HP in provi ding factual information that will be able to give a better substantive spontaneity of understanding of such organizational state needed for selection and the application of the appropriate management models as well as concepts per se. This essay utilized HP Corporation as the model organization to review its present visions for renewed organization and how they dealt with critical situations. From the analysis, key trends in the change strategies of HP Corporation were then identified, how they worked and their effectiveness in dealing with critical situations was ascertained. The paper then moved on to assess these change strategies with regard to their suitability to critical situations, during which the internal capabilities of these change strategies in relation to the strategy being followed by HP Corporation was determined also. An overall analysis of the performance and effectiveness of the change strategies was also conducted to assess and compare the capabilities of these change strategies with those of others. Gaps in the change capabilities and environment were then identified. Finally, several choices of strategies to improve the change strategies of HP Corporation as effective means in critical situations were recommended and evaluated in terms of appropriateness to the issues reviewed, feasibility in carrying out the options and acceptability within the key stakeholders and decision makers. Several key implementation issues related to managing strategic change were also addressed as well. 2.0 Introduction: Typically, the concept of organizational change is in regard to organization-wide change, as opposed to smaller changes such as adding a new person, modifying a program, etc. Examples of organization-wide change might include a change in mission, restructuring operations (e.g., restructuring to self-managed teams, layoffs, etc.), new technologies, mergers, major collaborations, rightsizing, new programs such as Total Quality Management, re-engineering, etc. Some experts refer to organizational transformation. Often this term designates a fundamental and radical reorientation in the way the organization operates. Change can be defined as the efficient and effective implementation of the policies and tasks necessary after takeover or merging of one or more companies or organizations. Change management focuses on the careful management of the processes involved in the gradual adjustment of the new management and its workforce. More often than not, the newly merged or acquired business entities dont really have an easy time adjusting to the changes brought about by the acquisition or take-over. As a result, these entities engage in activities that are somehow resisting to changes. Therefore, the major activities of the company such as the manufacturing of products, product development, production and distribution become severely hampered. However, change deals with all operations done within companies and organizations. Activities such as the management of purchases, the control of inventories, logistics and evaluations are often the focus of change. A great deal of emphasis lies on the efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, change includes the analysis and management of internal processes. 3.0 Hewlett-Packard (HP) SWOT Analysis: 3.1 Strengths: The new product offering New innovation for RD Competitive Price After sales service 3.2 Weaknesses: Internal control issues Lack of in-house management consulting division No aggressive investments in RD compared to historical spending Unrest among internal employees due to pay cuts and lack of people care Intellectual Capital is under estimated No Good People retention policy or HR practices to ensure IC is protected 3.3 Opportunities: Emerging markets, particularly countries e-Commerce expansion Restructuring of internal IT structure Imaging and printing businesses 3.4 Threats: Intense competition from other PC manufacturers Increasing competition on imaging and printing Slowdown in economic conditions Product recalls and supply chain disruptions 4.0 Hewlett-Packard (HP) Porters five forces Analysis: 4.1 Rivalry within the Industry: The centre area represents the rivalry in the industry. On the left are the main traditional players in the industry, with an indication that there is a large amount of consolidation occurring between these companies. On the right are the areas in which the market is being fought. In the basic access/basic services arena, many companies are offering the same deal access and basic services, and so those that are doing it more cheaply than others will attract customers. Otherwise, ISPs will have to offer something special to differentiate them from others. 4.2 Threat of Substitute Products: There is a tremendous attraction for companies other than offer computer accessories and services, especially if they know they can enter the market at a high level. Competitors have the resources and computer accessories know-how to be successful in this industry. They are also aware of the threats of not being a part of this industry, and are entering at a tremendous rate, either by acquisition, merging, or simply. 4.3 Threat of New Entrants: Due to the nature of the computer market, the threat of new entrants is reasonably strong. There are low barriers to entry all that is needed to become is a small amount of capital and some technical know-how. Much of the activity can be outsourced, which can reduce initial costs. 4.4 Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The suppliers are those that own the networks. These tend and backbone providers. Backbone providers generally own what is the absolute backbone of the Internet, and control routing and switching of traffic. Own the local loop copper pairs, which most customers use to connect and the lines that lease to connect to the Internet, and much of the Internet backbone. 4.5 Bargaining Power of Buyers: Although an individual consumer has little or no say about how much an ISP charges, due to the rivalry within the market, ISPs generally have to offer their services at reasonable prices. They will lose their customer base if they charge more for a service someone else provides more cheaply. Switching costs are low, and so churn rates are high. 5.0 The External Environment A PEST Analysis of Hewlett-Packard (HP): A PEST (Political, Economic, Sociological and Technological) analysis is a scan of the outside environment to try to spot changes that might impact upon business. These changes might be seen as opportunities or threats. 5.1 P Political: HP operates as a global business within 145 countries world wide. It is organized into three global business groups which roughly correspond. HP is subject to various regional regulations and policies within the associated trading blocks. The key factors at play include trade regulations and tariffs, legal framework for Intellectual property and contract enforcement. The advent of globalization has mitigated against the more adverse impacts of such policies, Europe to America and Visa Versa. In addition, Japan and China and Korea are large important markets for HP and general movement to free markets has encouraged expanding trade here. 5.2 E Economic: HP is directly impacted by general economic trends. The Server, PC and storage business are barometers of general business economic climate, for example the 2001 technology crash impacted various areas of these business units. Also the mobile PC business, printer and ink business are directly tied to consumer spending and sentiment. The back to school consumer market is a very large component of the HP sales in summer months. HP is a mature company and with lower than average employee attrition rates, particularly within the United States, this aging workforce has negative financial implications for pension and downstream Medicare costs. 5.3 S Sociological: HP is subject to a number of macro social trends. One key trend is the market and political focus on green issues. HP as a large ink and printer manufacturer, people use a lot of paper and ink with HP products so its indirect carbon footprint is large. Also as the worlds largest PC and laptop manufacturer, HP will have to address potentially stricter environmental policies in the coming years. We already have seen recent European legislation concerning end of life disposal for consumer white goods. There is a large change in social interaction with technology, wireless and mobility are now key product and user demanded attributes. Peoples expectations relating to technology are accelerating. People are also using technology in new ways, HP must map and maintain coherence with these social trends to be successful. 5.4 T Technological: As HP is a technology enterprise, there are many macro factors at play in this category. The most salient are discussed here: Emergence of Linux This impacts HPs core enterprise platform business, HP has invested and developed over many years its own enterprise version of Unix called HP-UX. Convergence of standards and technologies Computing infrastructure is now viewed as a utility by many large enterprise customers, an intel based platform running windows is practically identical in terms of price /performance from any vendor. Scale of Technological Advancement The price /performance scalar for computing platforms is well documented but this rapid advancement has large impacts on how enterprises configure supply chains and routes to markets. Lower Cost Computing Improvements in technology have led to rapid advances in mobile technologies and lower cost have yielded large price /performance gains for consumers. Service revenues mix changing The advent of new technologies such as virtualization, standardization of the platforms and lower cost of hardware / software is changing the way customers now purchase value added services from HP. 6.0 Vision for Renewed Organization: It all started in 1939 when Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard created HP when they worked on an audio oscillator in a garage in Palo Alto, California. After Walt Disney bought several of these oscillators for their latest movie, Fantasia, the company was off and running. While HP began as a company that produced all sorts of electronic products, their first focus was on test products like counters and voltmeters. Later on in the sixties, HP ended up becoming the founder of Silicon Valley. They got into semiconductors in the early sixties and by 1966, they entered the computer market with the HP 2100and the HP1000. These were sturdy models that lasted for a good twenty years before more advancements saw screen keys and the HP 2640 rise to the occasion. HP is one of the few companies in the world to successfully marry the technologies of measurement, computing and communication. The company makes new advances in portable computing, enters the home-computing market and continues to invent new printing and imaging solutions. For most of the decade, HP enjoys growth rates of 20 percent. Early in the 90s, John Young retires and is replaced by Lew Platt, under whose leadership HP continues to grow. HP becomes recognized as a company whose policies on work-life balance, diversity and community involvement help attract and retain top employees. At the end of the decade, HP spins off its measurement and components businesses to form a new company, Agilent Technologies. It also brings on board a new CEO, Carleton (Carly) Fiorina, who focuses the company on reinventing itself for growth and leadership in the 21st century. HP has approximately 39,000 employees around the globe and has a large and diverse corporate organization. HP company has lot of computer systems in many locations such as Austin, Texas and Nashville that could be of high staffing cost and value that has contributed in maintaining sales to over thirty four offices around and then serve as the front line in terms of selling its products and services worldwide. In human resource side, HP conducts training for all employees in order to reduce absenteeism and human errors as well because the high-quality staff is required in enhancing the best quality performance of the company. HP Corporation aims for change in order to pursue sustainable growth as a broad market leader in mobile computing as well as for segment leadership. In both cases, the HP brands will play a crucial part. HP Corporation is able to establish its broad leadership usually by acquiring other strong mobile computing companies and their products, which are then combined into a new, larger company. Offering training to its employees, improving the company operations, and the introduction of new technologies then reinforces the positions of the various HP products. This practically results in economies of scale that is able to create a distribution network for both the local and international HP products. If a market is already in the control of other mobile computing companies, HP Corporation devotes its attention towards the development of a premium segment with its various HP products. The vision of HP Corporation for renewed organization is to secure the growth of the business in a sustainable manner, while at the same time constantly improving the companys profitability. The strategy to achieve this involves four elements: Striving in order to reach a leading position in attractive markets Focusing on securing a competitive share of the mobile computing market segments. Working in order to improve the companys efficiency and cut costs in operations. Continuous growth through selective acquisitions for as long as they are able to create shareholder value. 7.0 Scope of Change: 7.1 The Change for Staff: Human resources are an organizations most important asset. Ultimately an organizations distinctive competences lie in the skills and abilities of its employees. Because these skills and abilities give an organization a competitive advantage, organizations must continually monitor their structures to find the most effective way of motivating and organizing human resources to acquire and use their skills. Employees basically refer to people who work for another in return for wages or salary. Legally, an employee is referred to a person hired to provide services to a company on a regular basis in exchange for compensation, and who does not provide these services as part of an independent business. However, stated that employees are more than any of those definitions. Employees are the lifeblood of the organization because they are the ones who provide products and services that define corporations, organizations and government entities. They are referred to as the most precious assets of the organization because without them, the organization is crippled and cannot function effectively. Because of the important role of employees, HP Corporation has the responsibility to motivate them so as they can function more effectively. Theories of motivation such as Maslows theory, Alfelders theory, McClellands theory, and Herzbergs theory explain why employees and staff should be motivated and why organizations should take this concept into consideration. But what really constitutes effective employee motivation? Building a positive communication with employees is important because they are the organizations best ambassadors or loudest critics, depending on how fast they get relevant information and the context in which it is received. Information consistency affects the success of the company and if it fails to communicate information internally and externally, the reputation of the company may fall. Communication basically uplifts the morale of an employee as it makes them feel that they are valued by the organization. This also builds employee loyalty and satisfaction. 7.2 The Change for System: Organizational function needs to develop procedures that allow it to manage the particular environment it faces. As the environment changes. Organizations often transfer resources to the functions where the most value can be created. Crucial functions grow in importance, while those whose usefulness is declining shrink. An organization can improve the value that its functions create by changing its structure, culture, and technology. The change from a functional to a product team structure, for example, may speed the new product development process. Alterations in functional structure can help provide a selling in which people are motivated to perform. The change from traditional mass production to a manufacturing operation based on self-managed work teams often allows companies to increase product quality and productivity if employees can share in the gains from the new work system. There was a period when HP Corporation was generating its first surplus which was the effect of the cost-cutting activities imposed by their management. This was the time when HP Corporation had also realized that the organization needs to pay attention on it customer service so as to ensure that the industry will continue to earn profit. In order to initiate such change, HP Corporation hired Consultants to gather data about staff and customer attitudes. The result of such evaluation shows that there is a significant gap between what the staff is providing and what the customer actually needed. Hence, another management initiative was the change of the system from staff- oriented to customer oriented industry through the creation of customer is king culture within the organization. 7.3 The Change for Strategy: The organizational structure of HP Corporation also changed to a much flatter and slimmer structure. Five sections of the industry are directly reporting to the CEO and eleven profit centers were created. This structural alternation aims to enhance the staff integration and communication, within HP Corporation. The performance-related pay was also introduced by the management based on an appraisal system which values the significance of customer service and organizational cohesion. This change also includes major investments in ground facilities and IT in order to adhere to the needs of its customers. 8.0 Speed of Change: The speed of change can be two types_ Evolutionary Change is described as incremental, gradual and narrowly focused. This change is constant. Evolutionary change may be a carefully developed, long-term goal that an organization is moving toward. One tool that can promote and direct evolutionary change is strategic planning. Revolutionary Change Revolutionary change is dramatic, rapid and broadly focused. This radical shift may mean new ways of doing things, new goals or a new organizational structure. The three important components of revolutionary change are reengineering, restructuring, and innovation, as described by Jones and George. Revolutionary change is appropriate within the technology industry, where swift advancements often happen. Although an organization cannot plan for every situation, scenario planning may be most appropriate to predict potential revolutionary change. In scenario planning, a business envisions possible future outcomes and creates a plan to deal with each one. Reengineering involves rethinking and redesigning business processes to increase organizational effectiveness. Instead of focusing on an organizations functions, the managers of a reengineered organization focus on business processes Although the management change had been able to enhance the competitiveness of HP Corporation, this does not mean that the company felt the changes immediately and became free from any other problems and issues. Definitely, the employees and staff took time before they became fully adjusted with the changes as HP Corporation imposed a more comprehensive human resources management through its Staff Development Initiative. However, not all employees had been able to meet the objective of such initiative. Hence, the problem encountered by HP Corporation during and after the management change is a concrete evidence of the lengthy time that the company experienced getting accustomed with the changes. 9.0 Proposed Action: Strategy 1: Product Development The retailers represent HP Corporations largest sales and marketing channel which encompass national and regional office supply stores and mass merchants. Distributors represent HP Corporations second largest channel and generally sell to both traditional and Internet resellers and retailers. In Europe and Asia, HP Corporations market share is still relatively high. HP Corporation has more than 100 international distributors located worldwide. Strategy 2: Product Penetration The company uses the online store as a venue to sell its products. This is accomplished through the use of e-marketing campaigns and product bundles. The company is able to build awareness of its products and brands through mass media advertising, public relations efforts and branded Internet properties. The company also makes it a point to receive feedback from its customers through market research. The company then uses these feedbacks to refine its product development efforts and marketing strategies. The company also initiated an e-commerce strategy to increase online sales and provide new innovations in business class which increases customer satisfaction. Strategy 3: Enhancement of Operations / Efficiency and Effectiveness HP Corporations direct to customer model solve the problem for additional capital for marketing and sales. By selling directly to consumer it eliminated retailers along the way. One advantage of this kind of system is that the firm is continuously in contact with its customers and they are benefiting in two areas concerning sales and marketing, seeing sales trends and learning about unmet costumer demands. Strategy 4: Technology Improvement Technology is an important source of competitive advantage. And this is considered a strength of HP because the firm enjoys better access to technology. HP introduces the latest relevant technology much more quickly than companies with slow-moving indirect distribution channels. 10.0 Leadership: The existing style of leadership HP uses is the transformational leadership style as the CEO Michael HP applies this particular style of leadership that involves inspiring employees to transcend their own self interests and work for the larger good of HP company. HP articulates a vision that convinces subordinates to make important and positive changes in business process and management and relates to profound belief on beliefs and values that goes beyond its changes and achieving ways to transcend proper decision making engaging through such utilization factors as HP utilizes the IT as a factor for the successful running of its business. The acquisition by means of using some of the leadership styles as HP will make sure to value their customers and business partners in a form of interpersonal style of expressing to a level of virtually integrated as if theyre inside the company and by having customer information as used for analyzing and forecasting customer demand and achieving th e mass customization. HP expect that the success would be forever and they expect that other companies might implement such leadership models and believed that Information Technology would play a vital role in the success of the business as well as the centerpiece of the business per se. 11.0 Communication Change: Communication is important in HP Corporation because its business environment is the place where many interactions are needed, and where much information is acquired. It always involves openly competitive activity, in which working professionals in HP Corporation debate issues, defend positions, and evaluate the arguments of others. Most working professionals in HP Corporation, particularly those in middle and upper management, routinely produce a variety of messages, many of which are in the written form of memoranda, electronic mail, letters, reports, performance reviews, instructions, procedures, and proposals. It is also argued that a fuller understanding of organizations is a vital ingredient at every forward step of the career process, and that communication is a primary element for understanding how organizations function and how members of the organization should, even must, behave in organizations if they are to advance their careers. The practice of effective communication within HP Corporation is also linked with the development of a healthy corporate culture, job satisfaction of employees, and the happiness and productivity of employees. Communication skills are also important to the leaders of HP Corporation because it helps them manage the company more effectively. 12.0 Conclusion: It seems that the major cause of the problems encountered by HP Corporation is due to the unplanned management changes imposed. In addition, the problems also arise because of the inadequate knowledge of its management about the use of strategic management and other management systems. This way, the empire of HP Corporation will remain unscathed amidst the advent of consolidation and globalization.