Iron Crowned Chapter 10

Deanna came easily when I summoned her, making me wonder if she'd been hanging around invisibly since our last chat. Regardless, she didn't mention the fake ultimatum, thus letting Kiyo continue to believe we were in a time crunch. I called Volusian as well, figuring it couldn't hurt to have his protection while traveling to the ghost cutoff point. The two spirits didn't interact as we traveled, no surprise seeing as they had little in common. Deanna was tied to the living because of unfinished business and love for others. Volusian's soul was damned for eternity, forced to wander for his crimes – unless I ever sent him to the Underworld. Deanna hadn't been able to give us a time estimate on how long it would take to reach the crown's lair (as I was beginning to refer to it). The Otherworld's twisted terrain always made travel hard to gauge, plus spirits could move faster than we could. I wouldn't have minded walking, but the unknown variables made me ride horseback. Kiyo did the same out of courtesy for me, though he could have tirelessly covered miles and miles in fox form. The only thing I really knew for sure was that this wouldn't be a day trip. Kiyo and I were as silent as the ghosts, though once we crossed out of the lands adjacent to mine, he would occasionally tell me where we were. I'd never ventured this far into the Otherworld, and it made me uneasy, though knowing we were clear of the Rowan Land was a relief. Even Kiyo, neutral as he claimed, had tensed in Katrice's territory. â€Å"This is the Honeysuckle Land,† he said, when the road led us to a hot, riotously colored landscape. Flowers grew everywhere, and even the trees were covered in blossoms. Arizona was notorious for all its hummingbirds, but here, they swarmed like flies. â€Å"Dorian was right,† I mused. â€Å"It is beautiful.† It was hard to imagine this place mustering up a military. This seemed more like a world where people frolicked in scanty clothing, beating drums and engaging in free love. Well, since they were gentry, free love would have been a given. â€Å"Dorian would know,† said Kiyo stiffly, eyes focused straight ahead. â€Å"I'm surprised he let you come with me.† â€Å"Dorian doesn't say what I can or can't do,† I snapped. â€Å"If you're going to just keep doing this the whole time, I'll – â€Å" â€Å"You'll what?† asked Kiyo with amusement, when I didn't continue. â€Å"Send me back? Face death-threatening situations alone?† â€Å"I would gladly escort you back, if that is what you choose,† Volusian told Kiyo. I sighed. â€Å"Please. Just don't get on Dorian the whole time, okay? He wants this over. It was his idea to get your help. He's worried, believe me.† â€Å"That,† said Kiyo gravely, â€Å"I can believe. I don't trust him. I don't believe his alliance with you is as straightforward as it seems. But I do believe he cares about you.† The landscape suddenly shifted around us, becoming a rolling desert of white sand. It stretched out under a blazing sun, reflecting back at us in a way that was hard on the eyes. â€Å"Ugh,† I said, focusing down on the road. â€Å"What's this?† â€Å"The Myrrh Land,† said Kiyo. Even with my eyes averted, I knew he was smiling. â€Å"Figured you'd like this place. You should go make friends with its king. They've got some badass fighters.† â€Å"Big difference between this and the Sonora Desert,† I said. Although harsh and scalding, the desert I'd grown up with was full of life. This place was desolate and dead. Mercifully, we soon passed out of it into sweeping moors, covered in snow. I took my leather jacket out of my pack. I'd brought it knowing we might travel through lands that were in winter. It still wasn't much protection, and I realized I could have easily gotten one of my servants to whip up something more suitable. No doubt it would've been gentry-style, probably a cloak. Look human, Jasmine had said. Mostly I looked cold. Kiyo identified this place as the Birch Land. We crossed into the Honeysuckle Land again, which was typical of the Otherworld. Other places repeated as well. When the road took us through a landscape that reminded me of northern Texas, Kiyo had nothing to say. â€Å"What's this?† I asked. â€Å"I don't know,† he admitted. â€Å"The Pecan Land,† said Volusian. â€Å"Sounds delicious,† I teased. We'd had few stops and mostly eaten travel rations. â€Å"I could go for a pecan pie right now.† Kiyo didn't respond. He seemed lost in thought, his expression growing darker as we passed through more and more terrain he didn't know. He seemed to know the names, though, and didn't like them. â€Å"You're taking us to the Unclaimed Lands,† he said to Deanna. It was near the end of our day, the sky burning red. â€Å"I don't know,† she said simply. â€Å"I'm only going where I was shown.† â€Å"Volusian?† I asked. â€Å"Of course we're going to the Unclaimed Lands,† he said, sounding mildly annoyed by my stupidity. â€Å"We're nearly upon them. Where else would you expect a coveted object to be hidden?† I glanced at Kiyo. â€Å"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess these are kingdoms no one controls?† â€Å"‘Kingdoms' isn't even the right word,† he said. â€Å"No one lives here.† â€Å"Why not?† I asked. The scenery changed again. The texture of the ground was like recently dried mud, covered in a pattern of cracks that reminded me of one of my jigsaw puzzles. Odd holes were scattered here and there. This eerie landscape stretched far, far ahead, no end in sight. Not far from us – ten miles at most – the land rose sharply along the sides of the cracked road, forming high, rocky cliffs that curled in at their tops like jaws. Erratic gusts of wind blew through the tunnel they formed. The setting sun made everything blood-red. â€Å"Guess,† said Kiyo. â€Å"Because we're here.† I peered around, studying the depressing landscape. Its superficial appearance meant little, really. Any gentry seizing control of it could shape the land to his or her will, instantly beautifying it. Then, a strange feeling settled in me. I couldn't quite define it. It didn't make me ill or disoriented. It just didn't feel right. I squinted at the cliffs, taking in their striation. Through the red haze, I could see many of the loose rocks were a dull gray, streaked with orange. Oxidized metal. â€Å"Iron,† I realized. â€Å"We're surrounded in iron. We're not even in the crown's lair yet. We can't get to the lair without passing through iron.† â€Å"Can you feel it?† asked Kiyo. â€Å"Yes †¦Ã¢â‚¬  That was the odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. â€Å"That's the gentry in you. Even with your human blood, you can't help but be affected. There's a lot of iron here.† â€Å"I don't feel weak,† I said, astonished the iron would affect me at all. â€Å"Or sick or in pain.† I'd seen gentry scream just from the smallest touch of iron. I summoned the magic within me, letting it reach out to the air and unseen moisture, though I didn't actively use it. â€Å"I don't think it's hurting my magic either.† â€Å"Good,† said Kiyo. â€Å"You're strong, so I'm not surprised. You may just have a simple awareness of it.† I thought about this for a moment and came to another realization. â€Å"You're not affected at all, are you?† He shook his head. â€Å"Nope.† I always thought of Kiyo and me as being alike, children born of both worlds. That part was true, as was our half-human heritage. But my Otherworldly blood came from the gentry. Only gentry were affected by iron, and kitsunes had no fairy connection. As with the demon bear and the fetch, a kitsune's bane would be silver. At least, a full-blooded kitsune's would be. I'd seen Kiyo handle silver objects; his human blood protected him as mine did me. The bottom line was that he was a more useful companion here than I'd realized. I wondered if Dorian had made the connection. â€Å"We will cross through no other lands until you turn back, mistress,† said Volusian. â€Å"So this is the world's end. The Otherworld's end, at least.† I turned to Deanna, hovering alongside us. â€Å"Will we reach the entrance before night?† She thought about it, and I braced myself for another vague response. â€Å"No. If you don't stop, you'll reach it in the morning.† Kiyo and I exchanged looks, both of us thinking the same thing. Get to the crown sooner or camp and be rested? I looked over at Volusian. â€Å"You said there are no other lands. But will the terrain in this one change?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"What do you think?† I asked Kiyo. â€Å"I don't want to be tired when we face whatever's guarding the crown, but this isn't great camping territory.† â€Å"No,† he agreed. His eyes scanned around us, able to see more than mine in the waning light. He pointed. â€Å"There. There's a small outcrop that'll block most of the wind. Enough to keep a fire going. I hope.† I couldn't see the spot but trusted him. â€Å"Camping it is.† When we reached it, I saw the site was indeed sheltered. I tethered the horses while Kiyo built up a fire. We watched it warily as the wind abruptly came and went. The fire flickered and waved but appeared capable of lasting the night. â€Å"I could hold off the wind a little,† I said. â€Å"Don't bother,† said Kiyo, settling down beside the blaze. â€Å"Save your magic. This'll hold.† I wondered if he really was concerned about me conserving my strength or just wanted me to avoid my magic altogether. He'd never liked it. I didn't question him, though, and sat down as well, mostly because the cold was finally starting to get to me. I buttoned up the leather jacket, achieving little. Our dinner consisted of more travel food: jerky, granola, and some bread that would probably be stale tomorrow. â€Å"I don't suppose you can use your wilderness skills to go hunt us something fresh?† I asked. He smiled, the campfire casting strange shadows on his face, now that night had fully come. â€Å"I would if there was anything alive out here. It's just us.† He eyed me, taking in my shivering. â€Å"Don't you own a warmer coat?† â€Å"Where am I going to get a down coat in Tucson?† I demanded. â€Å"This time of year? Any sporting goods store. For the skiers. Lara could order you one if you can't be troubled.† â€Å"I think Lara and Tim are in love,† I said abruptly, remembering that bizarre development. â€Å"What?† asked Kiyo, as astonished as I had been. â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"Well, they're in infatuation, at least. Volusian, were they together when you went back?† My minion was off in the shadows, only his red eyes visible. â€Å"Yes, mistress. They were in bed, their bodies naked and – â€Å" â€Å"Okay, okay, stop,† I exclaimed. â€Å"I don't need to hear anymore.† â€Å"Well, I'll be damned,† said Kiyo. While we'd dated, he'd been witness to their phone battles. â€Å"But I guess stranger things have happened.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed. â€Å"Look at us. We're sitting in an iron landscape, being led by a ghost to a mythical object, which – if it even exists – may or may not make me scary enough to end a war.† â€Å"Fair point,† said Kiyo, his smile returning. We sat in companionable silence. It was a nice change from the animosity and tension that had surrounded us for so long. I'd missed him, I realized. â€Å"Eugenie?† â€Å"Hmm?† I glanced up, feeling embarrassed by my thoughts. â€Å"Why didn't you bring Roland with you? He could've fought unaffected. And God knows he doesn't want gentry power.† I looked away from those dark eyes, down at the fire's blue heart. â€Å"He doesn't want me to have gentry power either.† â€Å"Yeah, but he'd put that aside if he knew you were walking into – â€Å" â€Å"He doesn't know anything,† I said bluntly. My voice then grew soft. â€Å"We aren't speaking anymore.† â€Å"How †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kiyo paused, no doubt trying to wrap his mind around this. â€Å"How is this possible?† I shrugged. â€Å"He cut me off. When he found out I'd been keeping the truth from him, about the Thorn Land and everything else †¦ Well, ever since what happened with Leith, he's refused to speak to or acknowledge me.† â€Å"But your mom †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Talks to me occasionally. She's caught in the middle, and I don't want to make it harder on her than it already is. She shouldn't have to go against her husband.† Kiyo's confusion was becoming anger. â€Å"Yeah, but you're her daughter! She should be able to – â€Å" â€Å"Just forget it, okay?† I drew my knees up to me and wrapped my arms around them to draw in more warmth. â€Å"I don't want to talk about it.† â€Å"Eug, I'm sorry.† I kept quiet. There was nothing to say. He cleared his throat. â€Å"I don't suppose you brought anything else to keep you warm? Blankets? Camping supplies?† â€Å"I didn't think about the possible overnight part,† I said, grateful for the subject shift. â€Å"I've got a change of clothes like these, food, weapons, and first aid supplies.† â€Å"You brought first aid stuff?† He sounded impressed. â€Å"It's not like you to think ahead. Er, I mean, you don't usually worry about – â€Å" â€Å"I know what you mean,† I said with a weary smile. â€Å"And don't worry, the universe is the same. I didn't plan ahead. It's for current injuries.† â€Å"Current?† â€Å"I got hit by a table.† There might be a million reasons that Kiyo and I were wrong for each other, but one nice thing was that when I made a statement like that, he just didn't question it. I was still freezing when it came time to sleep, forcing Kiyo into a bold suggestion. â€Å"Come sleep over here, between me and the fire. The cold doesn't bug me as much, and I can block the wind.† â€Å"Kiyo – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah. I know. Dorian. But if he wanted me here to protect you, then here's the perfect chance. Besides, we all know you can kick my ass if I try anything.† I said and did nothing. When this continued for about a minute, he sighed and lay down on his side, back to the wind. I attempted the same, after ordering Volusian to stay on watch, but even with the fire's warmth, I was still cold. I'm tough, I'm tough. I played those words over and over through my head, not wanting to admit weakness. After about fifteen minutes, I gave in and crawled over to Kiyo's side of the fire. There was no â€Å"I told you so.† He simply made room but was surprised when I positioned myself to face him. â€Å"I thought you'd want your back to me.† â€Å"Can't,† I said. â€Å"That's where the injuries are.† â€Å"From the table.† â€Å"Right.† He could have attempted propriety by turning over so his back faced me, but that would have put his face to the wind. He didn't deserve that. I wiggled myself closer, curling myself against his body, and resting my head against his chest. He was big enough that he did almost completely shield me. His whole body stood still as I made myself comfortable, either from his astonishment or for my ease. Once I was settled, he relaxed slightly and tried to put his arms around me. He suddenly fumbled and pulled them away, grazing my breast as he did. I don't know if he noticed. I certainly did. â€Å"Wait. Where are you hurt?† â€Å"Back. Left shoulder.† Tentatively, he reached out again and wrapped his arms around my waist. â€Å"This okay?† â€Å"Mmm-hmm.† Holding me, he shifted closer so that our bodies pressed together, holding in the warmth. â€Å"This?† â€Å"Fine.† He relaxed again and exhaled. Tucked against him, I couldn't see his face but had the sneaking suspicion that I wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. Survival-wise, this plan was sound. I was warm(ish) now, protected and heated by him. But I was also pressed up against a body that I knew intimately, one that used to move in mine with a possessive fierceness. Dorian claimed me with mind games and exquisite acts of dominance. Kiyo had always done it through strength and ferocity, an animal taking his mate. I bit my lip and closed my eyes, hoping I'd fall asleep if I mentally enumerated the reasons we'd broken up. But mostly, I kept remembering how his hand had lightly rubbed my breast. Sleep finally took me, but it was a long time in coming. As I drifted off, I wondered how he was coping. This probably didn't affect him at all. If he really wasn't sleeping with Maiwenn again, then he was probably out picking up women all the time. Kitsunes had kind of a supernatural allure, and God knew he'd been pretty persuasive the night we'd met. I awoke a couple hours before dawn – and not by choice. Volusian's warning came only seconds before the surface below us began to tremble. I was up in a flash, but unsurprisingly, Kiyo had already beaten me. I'd gone to sleep with weapons, uncomfortable though it was. I hadn't known what I'd need out here, except that I wouldn't need the iron athame since this was a gentry-free zone. I had my gun (safety on) and the silver athame. Both were out as Kiyo and I stood back to back, staring around us. The tremors shook the ground, forcing some fancy footwork, and creating more of the cracks that already covered the ground. A few more seconds passed, and then all went still. â€Å"An earthquake?† I asked uncertainly. â€Å"No,† said Volusian. He was in his solid, two-legged form, staring around with narrowed eyes. It was a little disconcerting that he didn't seem to know precisely what the problem was. â€Å"Then what are we – â€Å" The ground below us suddenly split open. With only the light of the fire, my vision was bad, but I thought I saw what looked kind of like a serpentine shape emerge from the earth. No, it was exactly like a serpentine shape because a moment later, a giant fucking snake shot up and landed neatly in a perfect coil, its head towered over Kiyo and me as it regarded us with glowing green eyes. The light from them illuminated a flicking, forked tongue, and the loud hissing that followed was kind of a given. â€Å"Volusian!† I yelled. My minion sprang into action. The deadly touch of his hands made the snake jerk in surprise. Beside me, Kiyo was shifting into fox form, and I decided a gun was probably going to get me farther here than the athame's small blade. A drop of venom fell from the snake's mouth, and it sizzled when it hit the ground in front of me. Lovely. Still, I felt confident the three of us could take this thing. At least until the ground shook again, and another snake popped up. It was soon followed by a third. â€Å"Son of a bitch.† I deliberated, wondering if mass force on one snake at a time was the way to go. No. I'd leave Kiyo and Volusian to the first. I yelled a warning to Kiyo that the snake was poisonous, but it was hard to say if he understood. I turned on the two new snakes. Even with part of their bodies coiled, their heads stood a good ten feet above mine. More venom dropped before me. Deciding not to play favorites, I aimed the gun and quickly fired off a couple of rounds into each. I'd had the foresight to load up silver bullets, but it didn't look like the gun was going to kill the snakes anytime soon – at least not without fifty more shots. Mostly, the bullets seemed to piss them off more. Still, I kept firing since that seemed to make the snakes keep their distance. It proved to be a short-term solution, seeing as my bullets soon ran out. I reached for another clip. I could reload a gun quickly, but that pause gave one of the snakes an opening. Its head – no pun intended – snaked toward me, giving me a close-up view of large fangs. I'd been on guard for such an attack and jumped out of its way, only to be struck by the other's tail. It knocked me several feet away, causing me to lose my grip on the new cartridge. The cartridge disappeared into the night, and I landed hard on the ground. My back and shoulder screamed in agony, but I had no time to baby them. There were two other clips in my belt, but as one of the snakes came for me again, my hand went to the athame after all. The snake that had hit me leaned down, its face and dripping jaw inches from me. Rather than run again, I leaped forward and plunged the blade into its eye. It cried out in pain, suffering from the silver, just as any Otherworldy creature would. Well, actually, any creature with a knife in its eye would probably suffer, magical or not. I had the sense to jerk my athame out, having no desire either to lose the blade or get pulled along as the snake reared back up. The suffering of its pal made the other hold off. In those moments, I shoved the athame back into my belt, yelping in surprise. Apparently, the snake's eye was poisonous too, and whatever liquid had come away with the blade ate through my jeans and burned my skin. Nonetheless, I managed to get another cartridge loaded. Without hesitation, I turned and emptied the entire gun into the snake's head. I wasn't precise enough to hit the eye, but all those bullets took their toll. The snake wavered in the air, blood mixing with venom on its skin, and with a last hiss of pain, it fell over and slammed into the ground. Wondering why the other snake hadn't come for me, I spun around and saw Volusian and Kiyo attacking it. I took it on faith that the first one was dead and loaded the gun with my last cartridge. Volusian's touch was searing the snake's skin, and Kiyo was simply ripping into it with his teeth. Opting for what seemed tried and true, I fired into the snake's head again. Between the three of us, we soon literally took the snake down. I stood there tense and ready, empty gun in one hand and athame in the other. The world was silent except for the wind and the occasional twitching of the third snake as it died. Moments later, Kiyo morphed out of the fox shape, giving me a better view of any injuries now that he wasn't covered in fur. He grimaced and spit on the ground a few times, but biting the snake apparently hadn't destroyed his mouth or face. A couple red spots on his arms made me think he too had been splattered with the venom. Otherwise, he looked unharmed. He sighed and raked a hand through his black hair, which was curling slightly from sweat. â€Å"You know,† he said. â€Å"I don't think I'll ever be able to bring myself to watch Dune again.†

Picasso’s Background And Life Experiences Essay

Picasso was arguably the most influential artist of the twentieth century. He had some degree of influence in all styles of painting which were used during his time, and was known and respected by almost every art enthusiast on the face of the planet. Pablo Picasso, born Pablo Ruiz Picasso, came into the world on the 25th of October 1881 in the southern Spanish town of Malaga. Pablo was an artist from early in his life – he was a child prodigy. He began his career as a classical painter. He painted things such as portraits and landscapes. But this style didn’t satisfy Picasso, he was a free man and wanted to express himself and ultimately leave a lasting mark on art, as we know it. Picasso turned his attention to cubes. He invented Cubism – a radical art form that used harsh lines and corners to display a picture instead of the usual soft curves. Picasso won a lot of fame for his Cubist paintings, but was criticized for it also. He designed and painted the drop curtain and some giant cubist figures for a ballet in 1917. When the audience saw the huge distorted images on stage, they were angry, they thought the ballet was a joke at their expense. Cubism lived on despite this. Other artists mimicked Picasso’s Cubism, and it took hold. Picasso had only just begun his one-man art revolution. In the late 1920s, Picasso fixed himself upon an even more revolutionary art form – Surrealism. Surrealism emphasized the role of the unconscious mind in creative activity. Surrealists aimed at creating art from dream, visions, and irrational impulses. Their paintings shocked the world – particularly Picasso’s – it was unlike anything a nyone had ever seen before. He took advantage of this fact and also the fact that he was extremely famous, to make a few political statements, statements that would go down in history. 1936 saw the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Fascist revolutionaries, led by Francisco Franco took hold of Spain and imposed a fascist dictatorship upon the country. Due to poor economic control and disregard for the people on the part of the Fascists, the country went through hell. The unemployment rate was phenomenal. The majority of the population were peasants and lived in appalling conditions. Impoverished gangs scavenged in fields and rubbish heaps for anything they could find. A vast horde of ragged, jobless people  wandered around from town to town. On top of this the Fascists operated as a police state and therefore anyone who opposed it would be executed. This incident sparked the most important time in Picasso’s life. On April 26 1937, Nazi German bombers flying under orders from General Francisco Franco, laid waste to the town of Guernica, in the Basque part of Spain, killing many innocent civilians. The bombing of Guernica was an extremely cruel example to th e rest of Spain of what would happen if the Republican resistance continued. This action prompted Picasso to paint Guernica; some say his greatest masterpiece ever. It shows the suffering and destruction of the town, as well as Picasso’s own horror and outrage at what happened. The painting depicts death and carnage on a large scale. A grief stricken mother is holding her dead child, a woman is burning, a severed arm holding a broken spear is lying next to a dead man and a horse, which represents the people, has been speared through the heart and is in agony. The bull stands alone, above everything else. The painting shook not only the art world but also the political world. Guernica is Picasso’s major political expression of all his paintings. Even though it is a single painting, it did so much. And even though it is painted using expressionism, it is still so powerful and it made people realize what was going on in Spain and struck up sympathy for the Spanish people, and hatred for the fascists. Even though Picasso only aimed to express his own horror, outrage, suffering and sorrow of the Spanish people. By unleashing Guernica on the world, Picasso achieved more than he set out to do. Guernica struck up mixed emotions. The Nazis thought of his work as â€Å"degenerate† art – not only did it defy â€Å"the rules† of painting; his artwork was anti-Fascist and therefore anti-Nazi. On the other hand, the British, Americans, French etc. loved his work because it expressed, as nothing else could, the horrors and atrocities of Fascism. When Nazi occupation of Paris came, Picasso’s work was prohibited from public exhibition. Picasso then took on a new role. He refused to leave Paris while the Nazis were there – his fame protected him. But Picasso’s refusal to co-operate with the Germans also made him, as a person, a symbol of freedom, of the â€Å"unvanquished spirit† After the war however, Picasso’s work was not  met entirely with open arms. In Paris, those still influenced by Nazi propaganda, violently protested against Picasso. But this wore off and Picasso went down in history as not only one of the greatest artists ever, but also a hero, and a figure of defiance against Fascism. Works Cited Page  ·Ã¢â‚¬ Pablo Picasso: The Early Years†. E-Library Article Preview. http://ask.elibrary.com  ·Picasso and Braque : pioneering cubism : [exhibition] Museum of Modern Art, New York, September 24, 1989-January 16, 1990.  ·The Artist and the Camera : Degas to Picasso, by Kosinski, Dorothy M.

Causes and Consequences of Chernobyl Incident Research Paper

Causes and Consequences of Chernobyl Incident - Research Paper Example As a fact the power supply was already lowered down almost 15 hours before the experimentation had resumed this time. Later on, this emerged in a news report that the said nuclear reactor was functioning at almost 7 per cent of its full capability. Records indicate that the test begun at 01:23 a.m. local time (The Telegraph 2011). It took not more then the next 60 seconds and a dreadful accident had occurred. The power supply had intensified which led to two disastrous explosions. As a result, highly intensified radioactive substance was also unleashed. The reactor was thoroughly destroyed, leaving behind an immense cloud of radioactive substance that rose to an estimated 3,300 feet straight to the skies. Due to the intense force of the blast, some of the released substance gradually scattered in the surrounding areas yet most of it was able to travel as far as Western Europe (Park 1986). International news agencies became active. The incoming reports strongly suggested that the over all design along with most of the operating functions of this High Power Reactor were outdated and poor. A lack of safety measures and other omissions on the part of reactor’s operating crew were being further added to the latest insights that may have led to this happening. More causes that actually lead to this disastrous accident were clarified after months when Soviet officials declared that the accident was a result of several failures (Park 1986). In the year 1992, a report was put together for the UN nuclear power watchdog, in which chief of the reactor’s statement was also quoted. It read: â€Å"01:24, serious shocks.† This statement that was obtained from the operator log clearly indicates that things were pretty much out of control right after the experimentation had begun. The report further elaborates as the engineer explains â€Å"the rods of Reactor Control & Protection System had actually stopped moving before they had touched the lower limit ene rgy switches.† Later on, it was clarified in a report that was published in the Soviet newspaper that the atomic station was under-staffed during the accident, adding that most of the workers had left due to the upcoming â€Å"May Day holiday† This news added a lot to the situation. Some of the key engineers were also among those that were not present that day (Hoffmann 1986). Few analysts said that it was rather good that a less amount of people were available when the blasts occurred whereas others raised the point that this was probably an additional cause of the explosion. Due to the instant explosion, one of the workers was killed right away. His body was never to be found while another operating member lost his life after few hours following the grieve accident. He was taken to the hospital but could not survive. Firefighting team arrived in a short bit. They started their efforts to somehow extinguish the fire and take over the chaotic situation. More teams were summoned. All these fire-fighters were a target of an abnormal dose of radiation. Thus a total of 28 rescue workers along with plant’s serving members that were present at the sight would die in the up coming weeks. They were more likely to get infected by Acute Radiation Syndrome, commonly known as (ARS). Even though the number of causalities that had taken place and those that were to follow the leakage clearly called for a state of emergency, the Soviet authorities remained silent for another three days. On April 28th, TASS, an official

Job titles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Job titles - Essay Example In 2007, demand for Information Security jobs started growing. [1] Today getting a job in the information security field can be tricky. However, titles in the field range from security administrators, network security analysts, information security analysts, security architects, information security engineer, Web application security analysts, security auditors, and compliance auditors. But beware—these titles can entail very different responsibilities within different companies, so it’s important when looking for a job in this field to focus on what people are looking for in terms of skills. This assignment is to search for job advertisements related to Information Security through the Internet. The finding information will be summarized in a table including the advertised job title, and a summary of the responsibilities, Jobs requirements and company profile. Reflection summary will highlight potential overlap in responsibilities among different job titles and responsibility. There are looking for a candidate with good experience in Information Security in core banking project with experience in designing, implementing and monitoring a secure IT infrastructure in terms of Information / IT security products, processes, procedures, guidelines and standards. Plans and manages the activities of suppliers engineers and contracted staff involved in the installation, commissioning, and maintenance of computer systems for company network and other hardware related peripherals. Degree (BSc or Diploma) in Engineering, Business Information or any other relevant field. 7+ years of experience in the IT Security Industry is a must. 3+ years of experience as Technical Sales Specialist in IT Security Industry. Strong background in Risk & Compliance/Security is a plus. Certifications in one or more of the following are a plus - CISSP, CISM, CISA, CIA, CRISC. Local market knowledge is a plus Assist the Software Group and Intelligent

Transformational corporate leaders are born not made Essay

Transformational corporate leaders are born not made - Essay Example or is of the view that transactional leadership is the most common form of leadership where the focus is on the exchange that occurs between leader and his sub-ordinates. Politicians who promise â€Å"more development,† managers that reward their employees with â€Å"promotions† and classroom teachers, which grade students on their completed work, engage in transactional leadership. According to the definition of transactional leadership, â€Å"it refers to the leaders who guide or motivate their followers in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements† (Robbins, pp. 44-51, 2001). However, â€Å"transformational leader are those who inspire followers to transcend their own self-interests and who are capable of having a profound and extraordinary effect on their followers† (Robbins, pp. 25-31, 2001). As the definition implies, transformational leaders have a boarder vision and go one-step further than transactional leaders. These people actually make an effort to engage and develop and connection with their sub-ordinates or followers and then work towards increasing their motivation levels and making them realize their full potential. More importantly, during this process not only the leader transforms his followers but also finds a transformation in him as well. Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most cited examples of tr ansformational leadership. He influenced the Hindus of the South Asia, raised their hopes and demands, made them felt their needs and rights and during this process he ultimately found himself transforming from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to â€Å"Mahatma Gandhi† (Tichy & Devanna, pp. 85-97, 1990). Other examples include A. G. Lafley of Procter & Gamble, Andrea Jung at Avon, Jim McNerney of Boeing and Orin Smith at Starbucks, Steve Jobs founder of Apple Computer, Mary Kay Ash from Mary Kay Ash cosmetics and others (Daft, pp. 41-49, 2007). A study conducted with five corporate leaders, which have performed like transformational

Pollution Use in Future Life Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pollution Use in Future Life - Research Proposal Example Life in the future is more likely to involve taking advantage of pollution as a means of not only attaining economic but also social and political goals that are useful for the whole of society. In the future, there will be a realization of the inevitability of the world becoming further polluted than it is already. This realization will create a situation where the leaders of the world will stop attempting to fight pollution and will instead spearhead the development of means through which all human beings will be able to adjust to the new environment (Bakari 23). Under these circumstances, it will be necessary to devise new types of technology, such as houses which are resistant to the effects of pollution, so that individuals in the society might not be affected by its harmful effects. Furthermore, it will be essential for protective clothing to be developed and this will be done in a manner that ensures that individuals are not only dressed fashionable but are also protected from the dangerous environment that will have come about as a result of pollution. These developments will create a situation where there will be a rise of new industries specialized in them and this will ensure that there is greater economic development in many parts of the world. Industries based on the determination to ensure that human beings adapt to the new global environment might be considered to be another form of industrial revolution because it will not only help in the creation of better living conditions but will also help individuals in businesses all over the world to make plenty of money.  

HR Law and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

HR Law and Business - Essay Example An employer may not include preferences on age, limitations or specifications on age when making an advertisement for any job opening unless there is an express provision for age for the particular job under the bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) principle.1 Therefore, the claim by Latino Lawrence High School that they were looking for â€Å"energetic† and â€Å"flexible† is discriminatory in nature and the school can be reported to law enforcement authorities. Rose Flanagan can report Latino Lawrence High School to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for investigations into her claim of discrimination based on age at the work place. At the EEOC, she must show intent of the employer to discriminate against her based on age at the work place or that the employer has on previous occasions discriminated against others based on age (Miller and Jentz, 2013). Once it is proven that she was wrongfully denied the job position due to discrimination against her age, Rose may be entitled to certain remedies against the employer. If she succeeds, she will be entitled to such remedies like back pay or front pay, hiring, promotion or reinstatement. In her present case, the most probable remedy would be to be hired as she was the most qualified amongst the applicants to the job. Moreover, in certain instances may be entitled to liquidated damages if it can be proven that Latino Lawrence High School willfully violated the provisions of ADEA or acted in a reckless manner in total disregard of the law. In the present instance, Rose who was more qualified will can report Latino Lawrence High School at the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) and obtain the remedies aforementioned. In the United States, it is illegal to discriminate against a person at the work place based on their sexual orientation whether homosexual or heterosexual. Therefore, the claim by Down Home Restaurant that they only employ those who demonstrate

Politics and Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Politics and Administration - Essay Example All of these states were once colonies and had gained their independences through hard struggle, though they decided to converge together and form a central government or confederacy, named the United States of America (McGraw-Hill, 1999). The states were colonies which decided to converge for a better security status and strength against their enemies and colonizers, forming the central government for the signing of treaties, declaration of war or the raising of arms (McGraw-Hill, 1999). However, due to the security and independence of individual states, the central government was given a limitation on the regulation of trade and the imposition of taxes (McGraw-Hill, 1999). The social contract theory had many restrictions in both sociality and movements, which delivered the Articles of Confederation that was seeking remedies for the loop holes in the social contract theory. The social contract theory was a brainchild of John Locke, David Hume and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which is a de scription of how people converge together and establish agreements or contracts on living harmoniously together for mutual benefit (Wilson, 2011). As a strategy to defeating their colonizers and enemies, the states converged and entered into a strong relationship league for stronger common defense and security of their liberties (McGraw-Hill, 1999). ... ates was closely guided by common ideologies amongst the states, and the formation of common guiding legal frameworks and policies in the Central Government. The Central Government was designed to serve as a common secure ground for all the member states, which had created perpetually mutual relations, with enhanced contacts and social interactions within the states (McGraw-Hill, 1999). The Articles of Confederation set a common equal ground for social interaction and free movements within all the member states, with an exception of law fugitives and paupers, where the internal immigrants who originate from either of the member states were bound to enjoy the same privileges and immunities as the resident citizens (McGraw-Hill, 1999). It enhanced the free ingress and regress within the states for citizens of any of the states, as opposed to the restricted movement of people as dictated by the existence of the social contract theory. The formation of the Articles of Confederation, that delivered the United States of America, was greatly beneficial to the citizens of the member states (McGraw-Hill, 1999). All the citizens from within any of the states enjoy common and unbiased privileges of trade and commerce in any of the states, and a common tax and duty imposition. This is an improvement and amendment due to the social contract theory that only allowed equity in privileges for citizens of a specific state, which were bound to be denied or adjusted in of the other states (Wilson, 2011). The Articles of Confederation allowed for the free movement of citizens within the states, with no taxation or duty imposition on imported property or habitation restrictions for inter-state migrants. On the contrary, the social contract theory dictated tax and duty imposition on the

Avoiding Burn-out in Community College Technical Educators Term Paper

Avoiding Burn-out in Community College Technical Educators - Term Paper Example Role conflict, role ambiguity, lack of intellectual work environment, and absence of institutional support to counter stress and development of burnout, are some of the issues educators cope with. Further, the teaching of online courses present new issues that community college educators have to additionally deal with. The occurrence and consequences of burnout in the faculty will be identified. To avoid developing burnout and to prevent stress, various effective techniques and strategies will be examined. These include: increasing the academic scholarship of community college educators to raise their knowledge background for enhanced student outcomes, applying the wellness approach to avoiding faculty burnout, workshops for reducing burnout, the provision of an environment of social support by community colleges, administrators’ promotion of faculty vitality, implementation of effective strategies to reduce workplace stress and consequent burnout, and the faculty eliminating burnout by improving their relationship with work. Avoiding Burnout in Community College Technical Educators Introduction Community colleges are public-funded institutions providing two year courses in higher education, mainly for the local community (Cohen & Brawer, 2009). Community colleges generally offer certificates, diplomas and/ or Associate degrees for various courses. A wide range of teaching personnel are employed by community colleges. The faculty may include â€Å"full time teaching instructors, part-time or adjunct instructors, librarians, staff in student personnel services† (Miller, Finley & Vancko, 2000, p.22), and occasionally college administrators teaching a course. Because of excessive work loads, diverse and academically under-prepared students, greater pressure for meeting performance expectations, increased accountability and other challenges, community college technical educators commonly experience burnout. Burnout is a depressive disorder which devel ops gradually over a period of time. It arises from an individual’s perceptions of unmet needs, unfulfilled expectations or threatening conditions. Besides progressive disillusionment as well as decline in self-esteem, the individual’s perception of being trapped in the situation and inability to cope with their feelings of hopelessness lead to the condition (Gold & Roth, 1993). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the significance of community colleges, identify the challenges affecting teaching effectiveness of the faculty, examine the prevalence of burnout in community college technical educators, and determine effective means by which the faculty can avoid burnout. Community Colleges and their Significance Increasing numbers of students opt to complete their first two years of post-secondary education at community colleges. At present there are more than eleven hundred community colleges in the United States enrolling approximately 6.6 mill ion students, and employing around three hundred and thirty thousand full time faculty. â€Å"Community college faculty in the United States constitutes a major labor force, and represents one-third of all postsecondary faculty† (Levin, Kater & Wagoner, 2006, p.3). The two-year colleges function as stepping stones to higher education courses consisting of fewer years, which would otherwise be inaccessible for many students on the basis of costs as well as adequate academic preparation.

Managing Health and Safety at Work Act Essay Example for Free

Managing Health and Safety at Work Act Essay Review of health and safety roles and responsibilities Identify 2 pieces of legislation relating to health, safety and welfare relevant to the workplace I have identified, The Health and safety at work act 1974 and Management health and safety at work regulations 1999. The health and safety at work act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering all work related health and safety in the UK. It sets out employers responsibilities for your health and safety at work. The Management of health and safety at work regulations make the assessment of risks a cornerstone of UK health and safety requirements. Duties statute law imposes on both the manager and the team and the managers responsibilities contained within the organisations health and safety policy. The most important responsibility as an employee is to take reasonable care of your own health and safety and if possible avoid wearing jewelry and tie hair back when using the machines. To take reasonable care not to put other people , fellow employees and members of the public at risk by what you do or dont do in the course of your work. You should co-operate with your employer, making sure you get proper training and you understand and follow the companys health and safety policies. An employee should never interfere with or misuse anything thats been provided for your health, safety or welfare. It is your duty to report any injuries, strains or illnesses you suffer as a result of doing your job. You should always tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work eg becoming pregnant or suffering an injury. All employers must make the workplace safe and prevent risks to health and ensure that the machinery is safe to use, and that safe working practices are set up and followed. The employer needs to provide adequate first aid facilities and tell you about any potential hazards from the work you do and give you information, instructions, training and supervision as needed. Emergency plans need to be set up in case of emergency. Make sure that ventilation, temperature, lighting, and toilet, washing and rest facilities all meet health, safety and welfare requirements. Check that the right work equipment is provided and is properly used and regularly maintained. Ensure that the right warning signs are provided and looked after.Report certain accidents, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to either the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the local authority, depending on the type of business. Explain what is meant by a ‘competent person’ in your workplace A competent person is someone who has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities that allow them to assist members properly. The level of competence required will depend on the complexity of the situation and the particular help you need. When getting help you should give preference to those in your own organization who have the appropriate level of competence which includes the employer themselves before looking for help from outside. You must consult health and safety representatives in good time on the arrangements for competent help. Identify 2 ways you can provide health and safety information, instruction and training in your team One way you can provide health and safety information is by using leaflets and posters around the work place. You can get these from various sites including: Sector Skills Councils (www.sscalliance.org.uk); UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)(www.ukces.org.uk); trade unions or trade associations; further education colleges; private training organisations; independent health and safety consultants; employer bodies (eg Chambers of Commerce); and qualification-awarding bodies. To find a course leading to an accredited health and safety qualification look at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority website www.qca.org.uk/qualifications. Secondly you could offer on the job training or classroom based learning individually or in groups. Computer based or interactive learning is a very fast, accurate and fun way of teaching the employees.

How Natural Science And Arts Made Progress Philosophy Essay

How Natural Science And Arts Made Progress Philosophy Essay Everyday in our life, we will learn something new either we realize or not. We gain the knowledge through our own experiences as well as other peoples experiences. From those experiences, we learn which are right or wrong. When we get the knowledge, how can we recognise when we have made progress in the search for knowledge? This essay will be discussed two areas of knowledge, Arts and Natural Science. This essay will discuss how Natural Science and Arts made progress in the context of Scientist and Artists themselves as well as in the context of a knower in the public. Yes, we can recognise that we have made progress in some areas of knowledge if we can first measure the expansion of the knowledge. We measure the expansion of the new knowledge by comparing it with the present knowledge. In Natural Science, we measure the expansion of the new knowledge by comparing it with the present knowledge. If the new knowledge has more benefit compare to the present knowledge, we consider we have made progress in this area. We can say that we recognise we have made progress in the search for knowledge because we can see the benefit of the new knowledge. Here, we take an example of X-ray. Wilhelm Roentgen was the one who found X-ray accidently. He did not know what kind of ray was it, so, he called it X-ray. This was the new knowledge that he discovered at that time. The other scientists made further research about X-ray. They compare X-ray (new knowledge) with the present knowledge, which is light because they found that X-ray is one form of light. Therefore, they compare the properties of X-ray with the properties of light. Then, the benefit of X-ray was determined. One of them is X-ray have high penetrating power. Other researches were made, now, the X-ray is used in medical field. We use X-ray to see the structure of the bones in the body. Besides, X-ray made progress as it is used not only in medical field but also in automotive industry as automatic X-ray inspection. Here, the knowledge expands and we realize the expansion by comparing it with the present knowledge and we can see the benefit of the new knowledge. However, what if there is no benefit of the new knowledge? With the help from the latest technology, the experts found that there is one part of the intestine in human body that called appendix. When they made more research, it is find surprisingly that the appendix has no benefit and if it is remove from the body, there is no negative impact. Yes, it helps for those who has appendix problem if they need to remove it but for whose have no appendix problem, so far, does it means that this discovery is not knowledge to them? It is indeed knowledge and new progress that we know it gives no negative affect. On the other hand, I would like to think that it must have good reason why God created it. It is right that we still need to do more and more research before we make a new progress that is to know its function and its benefit. Can we measure the progress in the search for knowledge in arts? In arts, we still measure the expansion of the art by comparing the new piece of art with the past and present arts. For us to recognise that we have made progress in the search for knowledge in arts, we can see it in two ways, from the satisfaction of the artist who produces the arts and the acceptance from the audience. We know that in arts, there is no absolute truth. Everything can be real in arts. So, here, we can say the expansion of the arts can be seen from the heart of the artist and the audience because both of them may not have the same opinion. Imagine that an artist starts painting pictures and sell them on a street. Then, the artist tries his best to produce more and more pictures that he satisfies until he can display his pieces of arts at art exhibition. After joining the art exhibition, he becomes popular and his paintings become well known around the world. The artist must really feel content with himself because he and his paintings has been recognised from on a street to the art exhibition. In the eyes of the artist who produces the arts, he must be really satisfy because his pieces of arts expand and made progress from the street to around the world. We compare that the piece of art that at first produce on a street now being presented through art exhibition. Before this, the painting just known at the street but now, it becomes popular around the world. This can be the measurement that his content is progressing, his recognition is progressing and the sale of his painting is also progressing. However, what if the audiences do not accept that piece of art? Even though the artist feels content with his piece of art, it means that his content is progress, but if the audiences do not have the same opinion, the artist cannot make progress in his recognition and sales on painting. If the artist produces many paintings but the audiences do not buy or accept them, the artist cannot join the art exhibition. Therefore, for the artist to recognise that they have made progress, they need to consider the opinion and acceptance from the audiences. In any progress made while seeking for knowledge, we will discover more about the advantages and the disadvantages of the subject. When we find more disadvantages, can we claim that we have made progress in that area of knowledge? In natural science, we take the example of X-ray. About X-ray, we know that we have made progress in the knowledge about it. X-ray gives good impact such as with X-ray, we can see the structure of the bones. X-ray helps the doctors to determine the bones condition of the patients. Then, the doctor can decide what to do next. X-ray makes everything easier for the doctors and patients. The discovery of X-ray brings very good impact in medical field. However, X-ray also brings harm to the people around it, who expose to it. Too much uses of X-ray can lead to the formation of cancer. This means, if the patient undergoes too much X-ray test, he/she will have higher tendency to get cancer. The same thing happens to the doctor or nurse who conduct the X-ray test. He/she is exposed to the X-ray for a long period. Thus, he/she can get cancer. If we do not find ways to overcome the danger of exposure to X-ray, this will bring more harm than good. But, with X-ray, it gives a lot of knowledge ab out ones health. That has lots of benefit. Therefore, it is considered as the knowledge made progress. Progress in arts, for example in photography, there is progress from 2D photography to 3D photography. While the arts make progress into 3D, it brings disadvantages when it produces pornography. There are many form of pornography, one of them is pornography in motion pictures. Although photography in 3D brings good impact in arts, as it makes art more realistic but with the present of pornography, it brings negative physiological effect to the society. One of them is it leads to anti-social attitudes and behavior to the person who loves pornography. Male viewers tend to be more aggressive toward women, less responsive to the pain and suffering of rape victims, and more willing to accept various myths about rape.(Anderson, 1992). Besides, pornography leads men and women to experience conflict, suffering, and sexual dissatisfaction. (Anderson, 1992). In both areas of knowledge, natural science and arts, we can recognize we have made progress in the search for knowledge by comparing the new knowledge with the present knowledge. In natural science, if we find the benefit of the knowledge when we compare it with the present knowledge, then we can recognize that we have made progress. Although there might be disadvantages of that knowledge but as long as the benefits if more, we can still consider that the knowledge expand. While in arts, we recognize we have made progress when the artist satisfies with the piece of art.

The Plague Essay -- essays research papers

The Plague   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The rats did it! Rats, almost single handedly, killed off about a third of the European population throughout the 14th and 15th centuries. Its effects on western civilization still lasts today, but for the people who lived during the plagues wish indeed that they did not. Society was depressed, the economy was struggling, food was scarce, and all of Europe was in battle. Who would want to live in these dramatic conditions? No one, and not for centuries to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Plague, also known as the Black Death, or the Bubonic Plague, which struck in 1346, and again in 1361-62, ravaged all of Europe to the extent of bringing gruesome death to millions people of the Middle Ages. It was a combination of bubonic, septicemia, and pneumonic plague strains that started in the east and worked it’s way west, but never left its native home. One of the things that made the plague one of the worst was that there were outbreaks almost every ten years but still restricted to Europe. It is thought that one third to one half of the population in Europe could have possibly died due to the plague with some towns of a death rate of up to 30 or 40 percent. Very few that were infected with the plague actually survived more than one month after receiving the disease. The Black Death was an incredible event that effected everyone on a physical level, emotional level, or both. The Black Death was more terrible, and killed more people than any war in history. The plague was so horrible and terrifying that people said it made all other disasters in the Middle Ages seem like a walk in the park when compared it to the Black Death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The infested rat, called the black ship rat, was carried in the baggage of merchants on board ships traveling all over the Mediterranean. They didn't know it, but It was the people that actually spread the disease across the land. The plague spread in a great arc across Europe, starting in the east in the Mediterranean Sea, and ending up in Germany. It is incredible that the plague hit Europe several times, but still no one understood neither the causes nor the treatments of the epidemic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the Black Death was one of the largest epidemics ever recorded, it did not have many visible symptoms. The actual symptoms varied i... ...e seen along with the cathedrals started in the 12th and 13th centuries and never finished because of the plague.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The effects on the future were not as bad as the effects the 14th century people experienced. After the plague had set in on Europe and took its toll the people began to stop writing and in turn stop reading. The citizens became illiterate and showed no real interest in the arts. The European population steadily declined after 1350 for the next century. In 1351, it was calculated that the total number of dead in Europe was approximately twenty-four million people. That is a great decrease considering that there was an estimated seventy-five million people living in Europe before the Black Death struck.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Plague certainly had one of the greatest effects on the world in all areas, and was also one of the greatest displays of human suffering ever. The Plague caused the people of western civilization to lose family, food, society, and basic fundamentals of living. It seems that bad or depressing situations give us a grasp on what is really important in our daily lives, and that is what we all need.

Violence in Video Games Essay -- Media Violence

Violence in the media is a very complex subject; extracting what actually causes aggression and what is just arbitrary circumstance can be a very sticky process. For instance, as a recreational player of video games, I play what might be considered violent games (mostly an online "shoot 'em up" game called Counter-Strike) in the eyes of someone who perceives what I am doing as "killing" or as violent, but there in lies the problem: I make no association with the death, killing or violence. Yes, I realize that on the screen there are guns and that to someone unfamiliar with the game it might look like mindless killing, but for me, it is truly just a challenge, a very engrossing and difficult one at that (due to the nature of the game I play, online, I am playing other people with real minds trying just as hard as I am to "come out on top"). The object isn't killing, the object is winning, competition and honing your skill, which takes practice, like anything else. Now, admittedly this is a bit tangental, but the point I am making is that it is not the actual video games that are causing these deviant behaviors, but rather outside stimuli cause the ills we are experiencing as a culture. Now, having said that, if the conditions are right, I definitely believe that video games and other types of media violence can at least influence an unstable target, but banning video games or censoring everything is not the correct approach, not given my experience, not based on the friends I have as models (given their video game history) or those whom which I have interacted with in gaming community at large (we've been under attack for some time now from these crusading Christian bible thumpers!). Video games are an intrical part of a large percentage of males in my generation's lives and to have this outlet reduced to the whim of outsiders who have never enjoyed beating a level or vanquishing an opponent, who see these games as purely degenerative and wasteful, to me is just ridiculous. Look at parenting, look at T.V., look at the politics, look at social unrest, look at economic pressures, hell even look at video games if you really want, but to resign to the notion that some game actually causes these real life tragedies is a simply ludicrous and short-sighted in scope (90% percent of the time). Unfortunately for the quiet throngs of video game practitioners world/n... ...ic violence in video games in recent years, I thought I would conclude by citing a piece I heard on NPR Radio that reported a study done at University of Rochester, in the magazine Nature (http://discover.npr.org/rundowns/segment.jhtml?wfId=1278017); the study showed considerably heightened visual attention skills amongst "hardcore gamers"(who played what are called "fps" or "first person shooters" in which you carry the first person perspective and can only see your gun/weapon and it's crosshair) and were even able to increase the original control group's (those that hadn't previously played video games) perceptual awareness dramatically in 10 short hours of involved training (learing to play video games). The question that concluded the piece, was one that posited whether non-violent video games could produce the same positive effects without some of the known ills of violent video games. Finally, the question of media violence, and distinguishing between what is harmless enter tainment and what the possible negative effects are can include a lot of grey area, but it's important to know the facts and decide for yourself what place video games/media entertainment has in our lives. Violence in Video Games Essay -- Media Violence Violence in the media is a very complex subject; extracting what actually causes aggression and what is just arbitrary circumstance can be a very sticky process. For instance, as a recreational player of video games, I play what might be considered violent games (mostly an online "shoot 'em up" game called Counter-Strike) in the eyes of someone who perceives what I am doing as "killing" or as violent, but there in lies the problem: I make no association with the death, killing or violence. Yes, I realize that on the screen there are guns and that to someone unfamiliar with the game it might look like mindless killing, but for me, it is truly just a challenge, a very engrossing and difficult one at that (due to the nature of the game I play, online, I am playing other people with real minds trying just as hard as I am to "come out on top"). The object isn't killing, the object is winning, competition and honing your skill, which takes practice, like anything else. Now, admittedly this is a bit tangental, but the point I am making is that it is not the actual video games that are causing these deviant behaviors, but rather outside stimuli cause the ills we are experiencing as a culture. Now, having said that, if the conditions are right, I definitely believe that video games and other types of media violence can at least influence an unstable target, but banning video games or censoring everything is not the correct approach, not given my experience, not based on the friends I have as models (given their video game history) or those whom which I have interacted with in gaming community at large (we've been under attack for some time now from these crusading Christian bible thumpers!). Video games are an intrical part of a large percentage of males in my generation's lives and to have this outlet reduced to the whim of outsiders who have never enjoyed beating a level or vanquishing an opponent, who see these games as purely degenerative and wasteful, to me is just ridiculous. Look at parenting, look at T.V., look at the politics, look at social unrest, look at economic pressures, hell even look at video games if you really want, but to resign to the notion that some game actually causes these real life tragedies is a simply ludicrous and short-sighted in scope (90% percent of the time). Unfortunately for the quiet throngs of video game practitioners world/n... ...ic violence in video games in recent years, I thought I would conclude by citing a piece I heard on NPR Radio that reported a study done at University of Rochester, in the magazine Nature (http://discover.npr.org/rundowns/segment.jhtml?wfId=1278017); the study showed considerably heightened visual attention skills amongst "hardcore gamers"(who played what are called "fps" or "first person shooters" in which you carry the first person perspective and can only see your gun/weapon and it's crosshair) and were even able to increase the original control group's (those that hadn't previously played video games) perceptual awareness dramatically in 10 short hours of involved training (learing to play video games). The question that concluded the piece, was one that posited whether non-violent video games could produce the same positive effects without some of the known ills of violent video games. Finally, the question of media violence, and distinguishing between what is harmless enter tainment and what the possible negative effects are can include a lot of grey area, but it's important to know the facts and decide for yourself what place video games/media entertainment has in our lives.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay example -- English Literatur

To Kill a Mockingbird Test Question 1 As readers, we saw Scout mature and grow as our narorater and as a person. She learned many things, but also lost many things. As she grew up and changed, she began to see how things really were, and gained the knowledge of the pure hate that one man can show another. Scout lost her innocence when she found this out. She began to see how cruel the world can be to someone who is a little different or strange. She saw this in the prejudice that was shown to Tom Robinson, Walter Cunningham, Miss Maudie and even herself. She gained the wisdom of the world outside her back door and began to see how society works. Although this may not have been a good thing, she could now see how unimportant it was. Who cared if one was not up high on the social ladder? Atticus taught Jem and Scout to be polite, caring kids. He instilled in them a great sense of love for their neighbor and told them things that would help them get on in life. Scout was very lucky to have someone to guide her along the way. Although she was faced with â€Å"the real world†, she had lots of people who would willingly explain to her and guide her. Scout really matured during the course of this book. She went from a six year old child with no knowledge of the real world to an about ten year old who had a lot of life’s most important lessons shown to her at a very young age. She had to learn, very quickly, that life would not always be easy and fun. She learned of the horrible ways men can treat other men and of the ugliness of station, poverty and hate. To say that Scout would of never found out about these is incorrect. She would of found out about them within due course, but to find out at nine or ten must have been a culture shock for her! Scout was a very brave little girl to accept, reflect, and reject this ugly knowledge that she gained. If she had just been able to keep the innocence of childhood that she lost, she would have been much better off. We cannot let children face the ugliness that Scout learned of. It was too much, to fast, even for someone so smart. We must show love to everyone so that our children will show love. To Kill a Mockingbird Test Question 2 The author, Harper Lee, picked an interesting person to narrate the story. This had some advantages and disadvantages as the story progressed. This writing te... ...o the story. Without him, the story might have been about Atticus prosecuting Tom instead of defending him. To Kill a Mockingbird Test Question 8 Harper Lee once called this book ‘a simple love story’. Critics today call it an icon of American literature. Why can we not call it both? The book is a love story between the children and Boo Radley. But critics say it was so mush more than that! It truly was. Harper Lee used so many literary tecniques, characterizations, relationship developments and so many other things even the greatest literary master probably couldn’t tell you what this book means. But why can’t a book be both? A Wrinkle in Time is a great adventure book but it’s also a great Newberry award winner. So can Harper Lee’s simple love story between three children and a man not wanting to be pulled into society’s drowning currents be one of the greatest books ever written? A book that has so many hidden and double meanings be one of the most well respected and loved books in all of America? Can a book that touches on so many issues that are still alive today and that peaks to every one of us in a special way be on of the most sold and read books in the world? Yes.

From being a maintenance planner at BMW

From being a maintenance planner at BMW , Norbert Reithofer was able to work his way up to being the head of production, and finally to being the company’s chief executive.Judging from his associates, his ability to build his network of alliances is indubitable. For example, the former CEO and now chief of BMW’s supervisory board is Joachim Milberg who was actually Reithofer’s thesis adviser in graduate school.This does not say, however that Reithofer’s ability to make alliances is limited to the top level. In 2002, he was able to halve the time requirement for full production of the next-generation three series from 6 months to three, with Burkhard Goeschel, BMW’s Development Chief.The increased level of production did not compromise the cars’ quality, as skeptics would like to think. Reithofer and Goeschel was able to assemble a team of R&D who worked for three years. From its introduction in March, none of the produced cars were reported t o have any quality problems. Reithofer believes that managers should be role models and should work together.Being the CEO, Roethofer will seek to keep the managers and workers to stay ahead. At present, he is expecting brands like Toyota’s Lexus and Nissan’s Infinti to set up plants in Europe and work on building BMW-like cars.

A Captain of Industry

A captain of industry is defined as a business leader that benefits the nation in a positive way. This includes increasing the availability of goods, creating more and new jobs, and donating money to benefit the well being of the people. Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835. His father, Will, was a failing weaver. Leaving Scotland poor, his mother wanted to return in a carriage as a wealthy well-respected woman of importance. This drove Andrew to become successful by amassing wealth in the steel industry. He came from a poor family and had little formal education. When the Carnegies immigrated to America in 1848, Andrew was determined to bring prosperity to his family. He worked many small jobs, which included working for the Pennsylvania Railroad where he first recognized the importance of steel. With this recognition, he resigned and started the Keystone Bridge Company in 1865. He built a steel-rail mill, and bought out a small steel company. By 1888, he! had a large plant, which provided many jobs in the United States. His steel company grew until it made him the wealthiest man in the world. His wealth was abundant and he believed that â€Å"one who dies rich†¦ ies disgraced,† because of this he donated much of his money to different things to educate people because he believed ignorance to be the main enemy of the people. After retiring Carnegie donated much money and time in world peace. The way Carnegie ran his business, donated his money, and worked hard to try and make the world a better place prove that he was a true captain of industry. Andrew Carnegie†s management of his company showed he was a captain of industry. His treatment of workers was completely different from all other businesses at that time. His workers got higher salaries and shorter shifts. Carnegie used a sliding scale for wages. The pay of the workers would increase if profits went up, and the pay would decrease if profits went down. This was motivation for ! workers to work harder if they wanted higher wages. Here Carnegie shows that he is a captain of industry by offering many jobs, of which benefit the people economically, also by rewarding people for more productivity products are then more available. Carnegie had an impressive way of dealing with workers who went on a strike. He didn†t hire new workers, but instead shut the business down completely and made the strikers eventually give in and agree to his terms. Carnegie had enough money to shut down his business if he wished to do so. This showed he was good at running this industry and, again was a Captain of industry. Carnegie†s goals were to have an efficient way of tracking money, i. e. if someone owed him a penny he wanted it, if he owed a penny he wanted the other person to have it, and once he found the cost to make a product he wanted to find ways to make more products for the same amount of money. Carnegie always wanted to cut the costs of his products. His motto was ! â€Å"Watch the costs, and the profits will take care of themselves. † The production of cheap steel and iron greatly increased the productivity of railroads and many other industries. Once he got his profits back, Carnegie immediately put them back into business. Carnegie also used vertical integration to keep his company strong. All aspects of production, from getting raw materials to shipping finished products, were controlled by the Carnegie Steel Company. These financial practices kept his company very strong. Carnegie†s company was so strong that it kept buying, building, and expanding while other companies went out of business. Carnegie†s steel and iron were used all over the United States to build various things. The immense strength and wealth of Carnegie Steel benefited the United States enormously proving that Carnegie was a captain of industry. Some $350 million of Carnegie†s business profits was donated to causes he saw fit. At first, he wasn†t sure of what to do with a! ll of his money. He said that it was a disgrace to die with so much money not spent for good causes. Carnegie established an idea that wealthy Americans had an obligation to do something beneficial to society. In 1889, Carnegie published an article â€Å"The Gospel of Wealth† arguing what people should do with their money. Carnegie was against giving the money to heirs who would become too dependent on it. He was also against giving it to trustees to give away for causes he may not agree with. His final decision was that the individual who owned money should rely on his own intelligence and personality to distribute the money. Carnegie decided to give money to improve education in the United States. He considered the main enemy of a person to be ignorance and thought that building libraries would help to solve that problem. Andrew Carnegie financed about 2, 800 libraries and other educating institutions such as colleges and universities. He only wanted to help those people who coul! d help themselves. Libraries were the main gifts Carnegie gave to our nation. This quite clearly shows Carnegie was a Captain of industry with him donating his money to benefit all of society. After Carnegie retired from business, he also got involved in world politics. His two main wishes were to abolish the British monarchy and make it adopt the American system, and promote peace throughout the world. Carnegie wrote various articles and books and soon became an unofficial diplomat in the cause of reducing differences and promoting peace. He believed that countries should resolve their differences by nonviolent methods. Carnegie was one of the first to call for League of Nations. In 1900, he donated $1,500,000 to build Palace of Peace, which serves today at International Court of Justice, an arm of the United Nations. In 1910, he set up an Endowment for International Peace to stop all the war conflicts in the world. Business, education and world peace all progressed thanks to! the hard work and well earned money of Andrew Carnegie. Obviously by promoting world peace, which would clearly benefit society, Andrew Carnegie is a Captain of Industry. Carnegie†s business ways, charity, and efforts in world peace show he was a captain of industry. After coming to America a failure Carnegie worked his hardest to climb the â€Å"ladder† to become the wealthiest man in the world. The way he handled workers, cut costs, and used vertical integration proved he knew how to run his business in the steel industry to perfection. The steel industry made Carnegie a very wealthy man and with this wealth, believing â€Å"One who dies rich†¦ dies disgraced,† he donated his money to various causes benefiting society. Retired, Carnegie dedicated much of his time to trying to attain peace in the world and changing Britain†s ways of government, obviously bettering society. A Captain of industry is a business leader who benefits the nation in a positive way and Carnegie defines this.

An analysis of the influence of technology on contemporary interior architecture Essay

The analysis of the articles is based on the influence of technology on interior architecture education and of employer’s expectations in the interior design industry. This also addresses the issues faced by interior designers in today’s world and how technology is hindering/fostering their creativity. Talking about the article on â€Å"Technology Changing the Face of the Modern Fit out†, it addresses a strong point of how the interior design industry was never considered as a crucial part of the industry and was dealt with a stereotype attitude that interior designers dealt only with the part of â€Å"decorating† the space until technology gained importance. Technology has now given a 180-degree turn to the industry because of which the industry has finally started gaining the deserved recognition. The underlying point in the article â€Å" is technology hindering or fostering the creativity in interior design†, although is on similar lines like the above mentioned article about the positive aspects of technology, it also talks about the pitfall side of technology on the industry. Their argument is supported with an example cited of a professor from a state university of how although he accepts that the technology has given the students, the most innovative platform to communicate their design ideas, somewhere down the lane, the students who are the prospective interior designers are lacking the basic creative skills and hand drafting techniques. â€Å"Interior Designers’ Perceptions of the Influence †¨of Technology on Workplace Performance† article gives us a different perspective of the influence of technology and how it caters to the interior designers. The statement is supported by examples cited by employees from the industry who have been interviewed of how 2D and 3D software have enabled the designers to get their work done in reduced time in comparison to how it was in the past. It also talks about what the expectations of the employers from new hires are , 2 which includes being efficient in 2D and 3D software which will enable them to be proficient in expressing their design ideas. The other side of the coin is that it is hindering the employers in certain ways. This point is well supported by examples they cite of how in case if the computer crashes the students are unable to come up with a hand made drawing ready for a meeting. The over dependence on the computer has led to this state where the new graduates are finding it tough to inculcate sketching and hand drafting although their competent computer skills enable them to complete a design project in no time. The articles that we have looked at firmly state that the influence of technology has its pros and cons. The use of technology has catered to designers in various ways in terms of the time factor, design output etc. But the basic thing we have to understand is every opportunity has both sides. So technology is definitely fostering the designers but having said that it is better that we don’t become over dependent on it that it hinders our creative and innovative skills of designing. 3 Works Cited (Melinda Lyon 2009) (Moore 2011) (TAUTE 2005) Melinda Lyon, Shiretta Ownbey, Mihyun Kang. International Journal of Instructional Technology and distance learning. January 2009. http://www.itdl.org/journal/jan_09/article07.htm (accessed August 2013). Moore, Tim. Design Build Source. October 05, 2011. http://designbuildsource.com.au/technology- ­Ã¢â‚¬ changing- ­Ã¢â‚¬ modern- ­Ã¢â‚¬ fitout (accessed August 28, 2013). TAUTE, MICHELLE. IIDA. 2005. http://www.iida.org/content.cfm/compass- ­Ã¢â‚¬ vs- ­Ã¢â‚¬  computer (accessed August 28, 2013).

Instant Replay Would Ruin the World’s Most Popular Sport Essay

The quarterback gets the snap, lobs it to the corner of the end zone, the wide receiver jumps up†¦.. it’s a catch! But did he get his feet in? Let’s look at the replay. Over 25 years ago on March 11th, 1986, the National Football League (NFL) introduced â€Å"instant replay† into the sports world (Wired, 2009, p.1). This recording technology has slowly worked its way into professional basketball, tennis, baseball & many other sports around the world. Soccer, often called Football outside of the United States, is one of the few sports that have resisted the temptation to introduce technology to the officiating of its games. Although the implementation may make the game more precise, this resistance has kept soccer â€Å"pure,† embracing its imperfections and old tradition. To put it in the most basic of terms, instant replay is â€Å"a recording of an action in a sports event that can be shown on television immediately after the original play happens† (Merriam-Webster, 2013, p.1). Instant replay may appear to be nothing but a tool to help officials make the right call, but with benefits comes consequences. One of the consequences of instant replay is an intense slowdown of the time it takes a sporting match to be completed. For example, in the NFL, a 2010 study breaking down a four-game playoff marathon (around 12 hours of broadcast time) resulted in fans watching on average for each of the four games: 67 mins of players standing around, 17 mins of instant replays, 11 mins of actual playing time, and 3 seconds of cheerleaders (The Wall Street Journal, 2010). When replays take up more time then the â€Å"live game,† our priorities, as players, announcers, and fans clearly need to be adjusted. Focusing on these replays often takes the attention away from what is currently going on in the game, which in my opinion takes away from the joy and passion that comes with sport. NFL football, although hugely popular, can’t compete with the fluidity and beauty of Soccer football. The word â€Å"beauty† is often thrown around loosely in describing soccer because of the games continuous ability to surprise. With soccer, the fans have two 45-minute halves sandwiching a 15-minute break. The clock never stops and in many respects, the players and ball never stops. This elegance of 11 players on each side keeping continuous play of one round ball for minutes on end, making passes and runs, and connecting 45-yard balls is where the â€Å"beauty† of the game is established. The simplicity of the game is what makes it so special. This simplicity can’t be compromised by technology, which in turn would cloud the games purity. â€Å"The beauty of sport is its humanity and the sense that it is peopled with people and not automatons.† (The New York Times, 1989, p.2). Berkow in his New York Times editorial puts this idea in the simplest of terms, stating that people play and officiate sports, and to take just a little part of that away is when sport loses its integrity. The technological advances in sport and society in the last 30 years have been unimaginable and the biggest challenge society has had is to know when to use these technologies. The first official rules of soccer were drawn-up by the English Football Association in 1863. Nothing much has changed since then. (Livestrong, 2010, p.3). There is a great source of pride and passion knowing that rules have been roughly the same since this time. The requirement of the players and referees to have the stamina to run for 45 uninterrupted minutes is truly demanding. It requires a dedication not only physical but spiritually, knowing the game has been virtually the same for over a 120 years. The biggest promoters of instant replay technology has been media companies in every sport that instant replays exist. But why? One of the key reasons is the opportunity to stop games and therefore play more commercials, which results in more profits for the networks. The New York Times commented in 2010 that its important to â€Å"never stop the game (of soccer), because that leads to television sticking its grubby commercials where they do not belong.† In fact, purists actually spit up at the thought of â€Å"The Beautiful Game† being interrupted by referees peering at replay video screens (NBC Sports, 2010, p.3). Also from a purely technical approach, there is absolutely no time periods long enough to review any calls. Referees often have 3-5 seconds to make a call. This constant demand to make a call and keep the game flowing is not only what makes soccer beautiful but is how the game needs to be officiated. â€Å"Test cricket, for instance, is made up of 540 separate moments of play — balls — each day; tennis is a series of points; rugby has regular breakdowns† (Sports Illustrated, 2010, p.1). Other sports have this segmented structured to them, which give them these constant opportunities to review or questions calls. All else aside, soccer can’t have instant replays implemented because that would mean the entire structure and rules would have to change along with them. Many soccer fanatics, particularly in the 2010 World Cup, which there were multiply questionable calls, are fed up with referees missing/making bad calls. Certainly, an argument can be made that instant replay may help change a bad officiating decision. But â€Å"indisputable visual evidence† to overturn a goal or call by a referee on the field could result in a 5 minute pause, which results in the referee returning to announce that there is no conclusive evidence, so the call on the field remains. How satisfying is that to any spectator or competitor? The â€Å"human error† element of game is sometimes an issue but also is a beautiful part of the game. If we had technology run every call, the element of surprise within the game would be lost. There is nothing better than teams fighting back from a few bad calls to come out on top; this ability of athletes to overcome obstacles (bad referees) makes watching soccer all the more worth it. Yet the controversy remains and the fans will continue to be mad at the referees. In the modern age technology is viewed as a solution to almost anything. If you have a hot room, buy an air conditioner to cool it down. But is soccer’s problem that black and white? Can we implement instant replay and we will fix the underlying issue? â€Å"The main difficulty underlying the use of technology to solve social problems is that these problems are fundamentally different from technical problems† (Society and Technological Change, 2014, pg. 31). Now many may argue that officiating mistakes aren’t a social problem, but something like soccer so ingrained into society and culture makes for a different situation. People world-wide have a loyalty and in their mind an obligation to the sport even though many never even step on a field. The implementation of instant replays could cause an absolute outcry world wide because we would be trying to â€Å"fix,† (missed/wrong calls) something that doesn’t need fixing to begin with. In many respects, Soccer is and has become a universal language. Spanning across the globe with over a thousand professional leagues, most ever country has at least one professional league for people to view. Other sports are also played worldwide but not nearly at the magnitude that soccer is at a professional level. Instant replay, if implemented in soccer, would completely change the playing field and spectator’s view of the game. Tarnishing the 100 years of soccer world-wide may cause a loss in the universal language that has been cherished and appreciated for so long. An even playing field for every professional team is just another beautiful part of the game that cannot be tampered with. Finally, I believe soccer allows fans and announcers to get lost in the game. Almost removing themselves from all external forces such as social media, texting, and technology in general and putting focus on the simple game of â€Å"football.† Other sports give you the ability to stay distanced from the game because the most critical points will always be showed over and over again between plays, sets, & points. With no stops or ability to look away, real soccer fans stay true to their selves when their team is on because otherwise they may miss something spectacular. The absence of technology in soccer is just another reason why the game is so simple, yet so beautiful. So risking an occasional bad call to retain the fluidity of the sport is something I embrace. â€Å"If one picture is worth a thousand words, moving pictures can speak volumes.† (American Journal Sports Medicine, 2007, pg. 358). The real world has mistakes and the real world doesn’t stop for a 60-second commercial. I vote yes for the real world and all its warts, particularly when it results in allowing myself and the rest of the world to watch and play in the world’s most popular and beautiful game! Bibliography Berkow, Ira. â€Å"SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Bloodless Instant Replays.† The New York Times. The New York Times, 14 Nov. 1989. 26 Sept. 2013. . Biderman, David. â€Å"11 Minutes of Action.† The Wall Street Journal 10 Jan. 2010: Print. â€Å"FIFA Shows It’s Still Leery of Instant Replay.† Yahoo Sports. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"FIFA’s Plan To Quash Bad Call Controversy: Censor In-Stadium Replays.† SportsGrid RSS. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"Instant Replay Controversy in Baseball Rears Its Ugly Head Again.† Bob Long Sports. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"Instant Replay.† Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"Length of a Regulation Soccer Game.† LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"March 11, 1986: NFL Adopts Instant Replay.† Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"Off the Bench.† Off the Bench. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"Soccer Could Use Instant Replay, but Not at Expense of the Sport’s Flow.† Soccer Could Use Instant Replay, but Not at Expense of Flow. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. . â€Å"Soccer Resists Instant Replay Despite Criticism.† Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 30 Nov. 2009. 26 Sept. 2013.. â€Å"World Football.† Bleacher Report. N.p., n.d. 26 Sept. 2013. .

Willy Russell's Educating Rita Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Willy Russell's Educating Rita - Essay Example It traces the development of a young working class hairdresser who attends English literature tutorials with an older academic called Frank. While the story of Rita is both amusing and poignant, it is in fact the transformation of Frank that provides the richest message of the play. At the beginning of the play there is a deliberate contrast between Rita’s fresh approach to literature, and Frank’s obvious boredom with his job. This can be seen in the way that Rita surprises Frank in her answers to his assignment questions, for example when he asks her a question about how to stage the play Peer Gynt, Rita answers â€Å"Do it on the radio† (Act I, Scene 4). The audience knows that part of the reason for this short answer is that she had to struggle against the combined opposition of her partner and her father to complete this assingmnent. Frank, however, interprets this the answer of a genius, showing Rita is an original spirit, able to think around the question a nd reframe it in an intelligent and quite radical way. It is not the kind of answer that Frank would expect from his usual students.

New Methods of Human Communication and their Importance Essay

New Methods of Human Communication and their Importance - Essay Example Today, communication to a great extent occurs through technological means. The existence of the mobile phone and social networking websites has made the world smaller and communications easier. However, the question remains as to whether there has actually been an increase in the amount that people talk to each other because of such inventions. Has communication between people increased as a result of the improvement in systems of communications? On the other hand, one also needs to look into the question as to whether the modern methods of communication that are present today have actually improved communication between people or whether the whole affair is a misconception or a mirage. This paper shall look into these questions and attempt to facilitate a discussion of the matter. With the introduction of the telephone, it became possible for people to communicate events and activities over long distances. Due to high costs and limited availability, the use of the telephone was limi ted during its initial stages but later, its use became widespread. The use of the letter reduced and there were many feelings and emotions that were left uncommunicated as a result. The written word could carry a lot of nuances in passages that a conversation on the telephone could not. Letters were written with deliberation and time was consumed during the composition of letters, unlike the conversations that are heard on telephones. The lack of speed in the delivery of letters had its own charm that the telephone could not replicate. There are often representations of people who are unable to communicate over the telephone in popular culture that indicate that the speed of communication in some cases kills the thought that goes behind communication. It is with the introduction of newer methods of communication all over the world that theories regarding the inadequacy of language and methods of communication came to be proposed by many thinkers. While this may seem like a paradox, proximity between the communicants can lead to an alienation between them. On the other hand, conversations on the telephone and especially on the mobile phone have a certain spontaneity associated with them that is natural to the manner in which it is used. While it may obviously not have the polish of a conversation carried on through letters, one is allowed to scream and lisp over the phone in a manner that is quite unimaginable in a conversation of letters. It also enables people to know where the other is, immediately, if one has made a plan to go to a certain place with other people. The opportunity to vent one’s anger is infinitely more effectively employable over a phone conversation that any other means of communication. Thus, one can see that with the invention of newer methods of communication, there are newer forms of information that are created and newer content that is modified so as to be placed in the framework of the new forms. Thus, it is not as if people do not communicate more, but both the forms and the content of communication has changed in the world of today. This is owing to the proliferation of newer methods of communication, the mobile phone being one of them. In many situations,