Essay Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost - 1237 Words

I was in seventh grade when I first saw the film The Outsiders. This is when I was first introduced to poetry in a way that stuck with me for the rest of my life. In the film, one of the characters quotes the Robert Frost poem ―Nothing Gold Can Stay.â€â€" I didn‘t really understand the meaning of the poem at the time, but for some reason the poem stayed with me. I had only just heard it and already almost had it memorized. It is a beautiful poem that has a meaning within a meaning and one that seems to make more sense with every new stage of my life. When I first heard the poem, it didn‘t make a lot of sense to me, even though Johnny explains it at the end of the film. Being thirteen years old, I didn‘t really put a lot of†¦show more content†¦I tried and tried, but, in my opinion, nothing I ever wrote seemed worthy enough to share with anyone. Eventually I realized that one of the qualities of the poem that had drawn me to it was its rhythm. Being a drummer, this made perfect sense to me and justified my conclusion as to one of the reasons why I liked Frost‘s poem so much. After graduating high school, I was approached by some friends that had started a rock band, and they asked me to play the drums for them. I had been playing since the age of about twelve. After practice one night, we were all sitting around talking about how we needed more original songs when I had what I thought was an epiphany: ―Song lyrics are just poems put to music!â€â€" I went home that night to write a poem and took it to practice the next night. I was nervous about showing the guys my poem and to save face I called it a ―song,â€â€" but I thought, ―What the hell? All they can do is shoot it down and maybe give me grief over it for the rest of my life, but I‘ve got enough dirt on them now that I can probably shut them up pretty quick.â€â€" They read it one by one, and finally gave it their stamp of approval by saying ―It‘s good, man.â€â€" We put my poem to music, and a ―songâ€â€" was born.7 I started writing more and more. Some of my poems were good, and some were not. Nonetheless, I wasShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Nothing Gold Can Stay By Robert Frost742 Words   |  3 Pagespoems story behind it. The title Nothing Gold Can Stay gives us a mood of sadness and loss. The title is not representing a contrast between two things, it is simply giving you an idea of the poems meaning. When you hear Nothing Gold can stay you think of loss and something precious being lost. Repetition in the Poem Even though the poem is rather short and doesnt contain much repetition; the word gold is used frequently because gold is what is symbolizing somethingRead MoreRobert Frost s Poem Nothing Gold Can Stay959 Words   |  4 PagesIn the poem â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† from Robert Frost, corruption first began in nature. The corruption in nature is first seen in the poem when â€Å"†¦ leaf subsides to leaf† and â€Å"†¦dawn goes down to day† (Frost 5, 8). Frost says that nature was once so beautiful but by the conflict in the Garden of Eden it was corrupted. The conflict in the Garden of Eden was caused by corruption in humans. It seems that humans ruin everything good for the sake of themselves. Frost probably wrote this poem while sittingRead MoreLiterary Analysis : Nothing Gold Can Stay By Robert Frost975 Words   |  4 Pages When Robert Frost wrote the poem he had political views because he thought the world was ending. He was also concerned with the way Germany was acting because it was after a huge war. He wrote this poem in the early 1920s the poem was written in english. Frost wrote the poem around the time World War 1 ended and he was fearful about what would happen next. The poem is lyrical because it is short and rhymes. There is a longer verision that has more stanzas. That poem would be a narative becauseRead MoreNothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost Illustrates Nothing Lasts Forever604 Words   |  3 Pages â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† is a poem written by Robert Frost in the year 1923. The poem illustrates the fact that nothing will last forever. It especially stresses the fact that money will not last forever, and will soon disappear. Frost makes his point clear throughout the poem by alluding to nature. The entire poem talks about objects in nature that seem beautiful at first, but then subside into nothing. Throughout the poem, Frost uses deep symbolism, rhyme, and allusion to reveal his point. TheRead MoreNothing Gold Can Stay By Robert Frost And The Powwow At The End Of The World `` By Sherman978 Words   |  4 Pagesanalyzed are â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† by Robert Frost and â€Å"The Powwow at the End of the World† by Sherman Alexie. Both of these poems have a common theme that has to do with nature. Although the poems come from authors of two different backgrounds, one is a white American and the other is a Native American. The poems each use legends or myth to get a specific point across. These poems are great examples of myth/legend use to drive its authors point across, such as â€Å"Nature’s first green is gold,† a reflectionRead MoreAnalysis Of Nothing Gold Can Stay1355 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Frost wrote Nothing Gold Can Stay in 1923. Frost wrote this poem out of fear the world would end. He did not publish the entire poem and modified the first section. The first section is what is featured in print. By not publishing the entire piece, this leads me to believe he was going to publish the whole piece for a different reason than the reason he only published part of it. He may have targeted one audience with all of the piece, but then another audience with only part of the pieceRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Robert Frosts Nothing Gold Can Stay893 Words   |  4 PagesThe author of Nothing Gold Can Stay is Robert Frost. He wrote the poem in 1923. Frost was born March 26, 1874 in San Fransico. His parents were William Prescott Frost and Isabelle Moodie. When he was in high school he started to get intersed in reading and writing poetry. After leaving school, Frosthad jobs as a teacher, a cobbler, and the editor of Lawrence Sentinel. His first poem published was My Butterfly, on Nov. 4th 1894 it appeared in the New York newspaper The Independent. And in 1895Read MoreThe Meaning Of Nothing Gold Can Stay1204 Words   |  5 PagesNothing Gold Can Stay was written by Robert Frost in 1923. Frost was a U.S. citizen. Frost was born in San Francisco, California on March 26, 1874. His father died, so his family moved to Massachusetts. He married his wife, Elinor White, and a year later after they got married had a child, Elliot. Frosts first son died of cholera in 1900. After Elliots death they had four more children. Carol, who committed suicide in 1940, Irma, developed mental illness, Marjorie, died after giving birth to herRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Nothing Gold Can Stay1262 Words   |  6 Pagesonce the poem was published the author of the poem Nothing Gold Can Stay was Robert Lee Frost. I think Robert frost based his poem on things he has seen in his life and based it off of nature. the poem was written in 1923. the poem was one of many poems the author robert frost wrote, its own poem but has the same author of multiple poem the main style of this poem is narrative. I think its narrative because the poem tells a story and digs deep into things found in nature. its not focused on a personRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Robert Frosts Nothing Gold Can Stay970 Words   |  4 PagesRobert Frost wrote this poem in 1923. Frost is referencing creation from a perspective of a Christian. The poem is about creation and how creation evolves overtime. He is American from New England. This piece is from 20th century poetry. The style of Roberts Frosts poem Nothing Gold Can Stay, is a little bit of a confessional poem. I think this because it is maybe reflecting someones memories or experiences from the past about creation. As well as talking about seasons changing. An example

The Important Role of Women in Combat Essay - 3368 Words

The women say, the men have kept you at a distance, they have supported you, they have put you on a pedestal, constructed with an essential difference. -Les Guerilleres, Monique Wittig The struggle for women to attain entrance to combat positions within the armed forces has been arduous. Unfortunately, most nation-states do not allow women into battle in any capacity; still, some countries do not allow women to participate in the military at all. However, the introduction of women into combat within the British, Canadian, Danish, German, Israeli, Norwegian, and US forces has been effective in that women have significantly contributed to their success. This success is the strongest advocate for female access to combative positions.†¦show more content†¦One of the foremost issues to consider in the debate of women in combat is which positions combat entails. Even looking to a definition from the Oxford English Dictionary, of or pertaining to the fighting services (as opposed to base units, etc.) creates ambiguity (OED Online, 2003). Certainly, the infantry is combative, since they are on the ground and armed with weapons, but even the infantry by definition, is limited to men. Although pilots of fighter planes are not players on an actual battlefield, qualified women have filled this position, which has become essential in more modern armed force missions. This progression from conventional face-to-face attack to more high-tech, intelligence-based war tactics is why women have gradually gained combat roles (Dunbar, 1992). On the other hand, women have been somewhat included on the battlefield. During World War II, female soldiers in the British army loaded and targeted guns for their male counterparts; however, men had the exclusive right to pull the trigger. Therefore, the British were appeased to know that, because of a technicality, women were kept from combat (DeGroot, 1997). Women have contributed to the military in many aspects. Enlisted females have aided the military within their traditional roles (secretarial, nurse duties) as well as in more recent combat roles. Because the definition of combat isShow MoreRelatedWomen s Allowance Of Women1684 Words   |  7 Pages A topic that is becoming more and more prevalent in today s society is the allowance of women into direct combat roles in our armed forces. Forests densely covered with fog, barren deserts, bomb cratered fields. Those are just a few of the many different types of scenarios encountered by troops in direct combat roles on the modern day battlefield. The warrior in today s direct combat roles need to be decisive, mentally and emotionally stable, very physically fit, and the ability to be ableRead MoreWomens Fight For Women1361 Words   |  6 PagesWomen in Combat For a long time now women have been an important part of the U.S. military, having performed admirably in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The debate on whether women should play a role in combat has been a long standing debate that has not yet reached a consensus. According to Daniel Davis in his article â€Å"The Truth About Women in Ground Combat Roles† President Obama commended the December 3 decision by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to open all combat jobs to womenRead MoreHow the United States can Solve the Debate on Female Soldiers in Combat1263 Words   |  6 Pagestrue to this day. However, in 2013, the Pentagon announced that by 2016, the ban preventing women from entering combat will be fully revoked. This means that women in the United States military will be placed into combat roles, such as Army and Marine infantry units, artillery, armor, Special Operations Forces, and the Navy SEALs. This shift, which will open more than 250,000 combat-related jobs to women in the military, has generated mixed feelings from those in the armed forces. A large numberRead MoreWomen During The United States Mil itary1345 Words   |  6 Pages 9 April 2016 TOULMIN ESSAY Women have always served in the United States Military, since the beginning of the existence of the United States. I will make the argument, that women can and should be allowed to serve in combat roles, that are traditionally open for men only. Combat does not distinguish between the sexes. This is an important issue for everyone. The main reason, why women have never been allowed to be in combat roles, is because the sight of a wounded woman on the battle fieldRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women1086 Words   |  5 Pagesyears. From suffrage being granted to Women, to people of different races being able to attend the same unsegregated schools. Yet, equal treatment and opportunities for all is still not assured in our society. A blatant example of this is the controversy around allowing women to serve in combat roles. Many detractors try to make the case of females being mentally and physically unsuited for the harsh trials of combat, therefore wanting to bar them from those role s. These critics fail to recognize theRead MoreWomen During The American Society Essay1309 Words   |  6 Pagesgender roles. These gender roles could determine how someone should act or think. Even though people have become accustomed to their specific role in life, others argue that a person can assume any role they would like to. Women in the American society argue that they could do anything that a man can do. However, some people think that there are certain aspects that make a woman a woman or a man a man. Women in combat is a controversial topic in the United States. Many people think that women shouldRead MoreNearly One-Fifth Of The U.S Military Is Female, However1319 Words   |  6 Pageshowever certain jobs are not eligible for women. Is it believed that women are not considered for front-line combat and Special Forces positions. Opponents argue that women are physically not capable of being effective for troops and would distract men making the military less effective. However women are fully capable of becoming troops the only thing holding them back is the stereotype that they are not physically capable of handing combat roles. Women in the military have changed drasticallyRead More Women in the Israeli Army Essays1382 Words   |  6 PagesWomen have always played a very integral role in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), since its inception in 1948 shortly after the declaration of the State of Israel. The IDF is regarded as one of the most well trained armed forces in the world thanks in part to the progressive changes in the military with regards to equality for women. Historically, at the ground roots of the IDF, women were held back from combat and served mostly in a variety of support duties under the command of Chen (Women’sRead MoreRole Of Women Into Combat Roles During Marine Corps Infantry And Other Ground Combat Schools1649 Words   |  7 PagesDue to the expected integration of women into combat roles, the Marine Corps trained 233 female Marines in Marine Corps infantry and other ground combat schools (Michaels). Of those 233, less than half passed the minimum requirement of pull- ups (AP). In 1994 the â€Å"Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule† was installed to remove women from direct combat roles (Hovey). In the time since, social justice groups have fought for equality for women, the LGBT community, and minority groups concerningRead MoreThe Military Policy Bans Women931 Words   |  4 Pageshave been many arguments regarding women on whether or not women should be allowed in combat roles. The military policy bans women from having combat roles. Although, Defensive secretary has ordered the military to allow women in combat roles. Many people believe that women don’t meet the standards of being in combat duties. They say that women are not strong enough and have a strong percent chance of dying. There have been studies that show that women in combat get the squadron a higher injury rate

BB concepts Free Essays

Transactional (timely exchange of products and services) Value-added (falls between transactional and collaborative) Collaborative (alternatives are less, complex purchases and high prices) Transactional: Timely exchange of g/s in a highly competitive market in terms of prices. Autonomous, no/little concerns towards the need of customers or sellers. The relationship ends once the purchase Is done Types of products- packaging, cleaning products or commodity products where bidding is involved Collaborative: Occurs when few alternatives are present and involves complex purchases. We will write a custom essay sample on BB concepts or any similar topic only for you Order Now Prices too are high. Switching costs are very high and extremely important to collaborative customers. This is because the organizational customers invest in their relationships in the following areas: Money People Training costs Equipment Procedures Processes The needs of both the customer as well as the seller is taken care of. Trust and commitment are the key factors In such a relationship and they exists when one party has complete confidence In the other partner’s Integrity and ability. Egg: IBM/GE/ Intel/ DuPont- Sucrose, etc. In case of high tech IT products, collaborative relationship can be very beneficial. It focuses on joint problem solving and resource sharing. Value drivers in Collaborative exchange: Value creation through core offerings- direct cost, delivery performance Value creation within sourcing process- acquisition cost Value creation at the customer level of operations- ops In order to achieve the key supplier status In collaborative exchange, one must- Target the right customer Match with their purchase requirements Develop strategies to build trust and commitment in order to reduce the perceived risk in the minds of the buyers. Value-added In-between transactional and collaborative. They are those businesses which apart from Just attracting customers also try and retain customers by: Providing additional services Developing customized services according to customer needs Provide incentives to the customers on a regular basis to retain them Egg: Tate Lyle and food ingredients The buyer seller relationship depends mainly on: Market conditions- Highly volatile/ less alternatives go for collaborative, Low prices/ low complexity go for transactional o/w collaborative Improving transactional customer loyalty: Adopt differentiation strategy- this strategy suggests that the value created to the customers which is measure by high margins and sales should exceed the cost involved in creating and delivering the customized product/ services. Adopt activity based costing- BBC is a method that allocates the cost of performing various service to each customer. This will enable the firms to accurately identify who are the most profitable customers. The whale curve which is the result of BBC tells that 80% of sales revenue comes from 20% of the customers. The firms should therefore either retain the most profitable customers, convert unprofitable one to profitable or fire those who are not profitable. Managing unprofitable customers- Reduce cost to serve Increasing profitability- life time value All this can be done through adopting the right CRM strategy The CRM strategy: Acquire the right customers How to cite BB concepts, Papers

Ntuc free essay sample

The group has 100 supermarkets across the island, with over 50 outlets of Cheers convenience stores island-wide. NTUC FairPrice has partnered with ExxonMobil to run several stations with a FairPrice branding at the minimarts at their stations. The supermarket has a slogan known as Singapores very own. The head of the company is Ng Ser Miang. NTUC FairPrice was first established in 1973 as NTUC Welcome Supermarket in Toa Payoh, in order to solve the rising oil and daily prices then due to inflation. The then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew opened the first supermarket at Toa Payoh. Around the same time, other unions such as the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation and Pioneer Industries Employees Union also set up co-operatives to run supermarkets. The two organisations later merged in the early 1980s to form the Singapore Employees Co-operative (SEC). In May 1983, due to competition, NTUC Welcome and SEC merged to form a larger co-operative which was known as NTUC FairPrice Co-Operative Limited. We will write a custom essay sample on Ntuc or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The company started a central-distribution system to change the way goods were delivered to stores, to enhance efficiency. This was owned by another company, but in 1998, FairPrice took full ownership of the warehouse and distribution company. It was renamed Grocery Logistics of Singapore (GLS). In 2003, FairPrice opened a new 13,000-square-metre Fresh Food Distribution Centre. The refrigerated-distribution facility centralises the distributions of fresh and chilled products to all the outlets in the chain. It is the first supermarket retailer in Singapore to build, own and operate its own fresh-food distribution centre.

Platos theory of forms

In the world of philosophy, Plato is one of the most celebrated and studied philosophers. One of his major works is elucidation of ‘Forms’ which he describes them as supra-sensible entities. According to him, ‘Forms’ or ‘ideas’ are none mental entities and do not depend upon human mind. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Plato’s theory of forms specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Plato’s main point on the ‘Forms’ is that it is only by studying them genuine knowledge can be obtained. His major work on the Forms came about in his attempt to come up with a concrete solution to world\s problems (Dancy, pp11). Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to discuss theory of Forms as one of the main contributions of Plato. To grasp what is all about the theory of forms, he explains various qualities possessed by the forms. Transcendence is one of the charact eristics possessed by forms. They are inherently in the nature and they are not limited to space and time. Due to the fact that forms epitomize a single property they are said to be pure. Material objects are impure simply because they combine more than one property such as hardness, redness and circularity just to mention but a few. Another attribute of forms is that they are archetypes. By this it means that they are perfect examples of that which they stand for He further maintains that all material objects as reflection of forms because forms are ultimate real entities and reality of object forms is derived from the forms themselves. Another characteristic of forms is that they are causes of all things in that they are real source of the being of all things in the world. Lastly, Plato maintains that there is systematical interconnectedness in forms as seen in dialectic process that we acquire from knowledge of forms (Dancy, pp 299). Plato formulated the theory of forms as a resu lt of major problems in the world which he attempted to solve. The first problem which he attempted to solve was ethical problem. Before then, it was not clear how possible it was for humans to lead a fulfilling life in yet changing world in which those things they attach to them can be deprived from them. The second problem was the problem of permanence and change. Solution to this problem sought to address the question on how it is possible that the world appear to be both changing and permanent. As he attempted to provide solution to these grand problems, he first broke up the existence into two realms namely: material realm and transcendent realm of forms. Plato maintains that human beings are able to access the realm of forms by use of their mind through reasoning. Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By so doing, this facilitates to have access to unchanging world that is free fro m pain and changes that are witnessed in material world. However, it calls for detachment of an individual from the material world and from the body as one gets more concerned with forms. He affirms that only through this way we find a value that is neither subject to disintegration nor change (Dancy, pp314). Similarly, by breaking up existence up into two realms it helps to provide an answer to problem of permanence and change. In regard to this problem, through our mind we perceive a different world which has different objects. This is possible through our senses. However, material world is always changing but the realms of form which are perceived though mind there are permanent. He declares that it is this world which is real and that the world of change is just but imperfect reflection of real world. Therefore, in regard to Plato’s theory of Forms, human beings are prone to deception from their senses on how they discern the world around them. Importantly, objects that t hey perceive using their senses are just but images or even experiences from their mind. So, the more the object is objective, the more the real the object that is being described becomes. Works Cited Dancy, M. Russell. Plato’s introduction of forms. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004. This essay on Plato’s theory of forms was written and submitted by user Elian Daniels to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Use of Child Booster Seats in Motor Vehicles Following a Community Campaign

Use of Child Booster Seats in Motor Vehicles Following a Community Campaign Journal- Child:"Use of Child Booster Seats in Motor Vehicles Following a Community Campaign"Child booster seats are designed to improve safety for children who are too big for a traditional child harness seat but who are too small to properly use an adult seat belt. Usually these children are between four and eight years old and weigh between 18 and 36 kg. The purpose of this study is to determine if a community centric campaign would improve the rate of child booster seat usage among those children who would benefit from a booster seat.Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death of children age 4-8 however booster seat usage remains low. This study uses a community advertising campaign modeled on a campaign to increase bicycle helmet usage among children. Four communities in the Seattle, WA area were selected for the campaign and eight communities in the Portland OR, and Spokane WA areas were selected as control groups.SAKURAKO - TAKATA child safety seat.

Financial Markets and Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Markets and Institutions - Essay Example (Govori, 2005) The financial market is divided between investors and financial institutions. Financial institutions are organizations, which act as agents, brokers, and intermediaries in financial transactions - usually a bank that keeps custody of an investment or assets. Agents and brokers contract on behalf of others while intermediaries sell for their own account. For example, a stockbroker buys and sells stocks for us as our agent, but a savings and loan borrows our money (savings account) and lends it to others (mortgage loan). The stockbroker is classified as an agent and broker, and savings and loan is called a financial intermediary. Brokers and savings and loans, like all financial institutions, buy and sell securities, but they are classified separately, because the primary activity of brokers is buying and selling rather than buying and holding an investment portfolio. Financial institutions are classified according to their primary activity, although they frequently engage in overlapp ing activities. The types of instruments exchanged in financial markets include promissory notes, commercial bills or bank-accepted bills. Other types of securities include treasury notes issued by a government, commercial papers and certificates of deposits. Why do we need financial markets and institutions One of the indicative signs of a robust economy is a dynamic exchange or circulation of money by business and government activities. This is where the financial markets play a significant role. Financial markets facilitate the movement of funds from those who save money (meaning idle money) to those who invest money in capital assets. Financial markets mobilize funds and reallocate them to uses that generate better returns than can be achieved by the holders of the funds through securities traded in the financial markets. Simplistically, they provide a convenient place where savers can safely invest excess money and consumers can easily borrow funds and be used for various purposes to further fuel the economy of a nation. What role do they play in a nation's economy The financial markets and institutions play a number of important roles in the financial system. The financial markets price funds so that businesses and governments can make rational economic allocations of capital. Business and/or government may decide upon a time pattern for expenditures that does not necessarily coincide with their current or expected income flows. Financial markets allow time adjustments in the payments for goods. Without them, there would be no opportunity to earn interest on savings, and expenditures would be limited to current receipts and cash. Savings allows many consumers to postpone consumption and to receive returns from investments. Another important function of financial markets is that it distributes economic risks. On a larger scale, the financial markets transfer the massive risks from people actually performing the work to savers who accept the risk of an uncertain return. The chance of failure for a $500 million computer chips manufacturer may be divided among thousands of investors living and working all over the world. If the computer chips business fails, each investor loses only part of his or her

Harmonization and Financial Reporting Coursework

Harmonization and Financial Reporting - Coursework Example That seemed far from a sure thing last spring, w. hen the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) solicited comments on the AICPA's new "comprehensive "model f business reporting" and so endowed it with a faint whiff f reality. The timing seemed right. At the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), commissioner Steven M.H. Wallman was already lending tacit support to the concept by publishing articles and hosting conferences on his own ideas for an expanded system that would include improved disclosure f intangible assets. Meanwhile, SEC chairman Arthur Levitt had just successfully lobbied the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) to give one f the seats held by the Financial Executives Institute (FEI) to a public-sector trustee. The FAF oversees FASB, f course, and what small voice preparers had in directing the views f FASB was further diminished. Finally, many preparers had concluded that FASB, as demonstrated by the onslaught f new standards it had issued in recent years, w as hardly worried about complaints that financial executives were overburdened. And yet, like a baseball team that has just captured a wild-card ticket to the playoffs, the preparer community appears to have enjoyed a turn f luck. After reviewing the AICPA's arguments for a new reporting model and listening to comments from users and preparers f financial statements, both in written and oral testimony, FASB chairman Dennis Beresford has concluded that, for now anyway, it's just too much. "While it is dangerous to generalize about such letters and meetings," Beresford says, "my feeling is that most f our constituents aren't interested in wholesale changes to our current financial reporting system." And FASB, it seems, is not interested in tackling any major overhaul f the status quo. "My prediction," says Beresford, "is that FASB is going to be quite cautious about expanding its role beyond traditional financial statement matters." The Complicating Factors FASB has good reasons for tabling the issue. For one thing, Beresford's second five-year term expires in June, and many observers think the Board will be reluctant to take on any major new projects until a new chairman is installed. In addition, FASB's current agenda is jam-packed with such projects as derivatives disclosure, segment reporting, and comprehensive income. While FASB agreed to review the future f financial reporting as part f its first strategic plan, adopted last April, so far it has been reluctant to for-realize the creation f a new financial reporting model as a working project. And whatever decision is made about the future f reporting has to be made with an eye toward possible U.S. acceptance f new international accounting standards--which isn't expected for at least several more years. All in all, this is not what the AICPA had in mind when its Special Committee on Financial Reporting, chaired by Edmund Jenkins, issued its voluminous report a little over two years ago. The committee said then that current financial statements were no longer providing users with the information they needed to make smart credit and investment decisions, and were

Auditing and Assurance service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Auditing and Assurance service - Essay Example However, due to lack of assessing the net realisable value with fair degree of accuracy, firms often stick to using cost as the main method of valuing inventories. For a firm working in Information Technology such as Dynamic Data, the issue of valuing inventories at cost or net realizable values is critical because the industry is highly volatile and dynamic in nature with technology becoming obsolete at much higher speed as compared to other traditional goods. Thus there are different factors which compel firms to use cost as the basis of valuing their inventories and reporting them into their financial statements. As discussed in the case study that there are some news articles which indicate that the technology used in different products by Dynamic Data may be good enough to serve the current needs however, they are adequate enough to meet future demands therefore there are chances that their market value may come down very fast.

South Korea Travel and Tourism

South Korea Travel and Tourism Tourism is one of the worlds most important activities, involving millions of people, vast sums of money and generating employment in developing and industrial countries. The economies of Tourism presents new insight into the intricacies of tourism demand, firms and markets, their global interrelations and the fundamental contribution of environment to tourism activities, to offer an accessible, interdisciplinary analysis of the interwoven fields of tourism and economics. Today, tourism is one of the largest and dynamically developing sectors of external economic activities. Its high growth and development rates, considerable volumes of foreign currency inflows, infrastructure development, and introduction of new management and educational experience actively affect various sectors of economy, which positively contribute to the social and economic development of the country as a whole. Most highly developed western countries, such as Switzerland, Austria, and France have accumulated a big deal of their social and economic welfare on profits from tourism. According to recent statistics, tourism provides about 10% of the worlds income and employs almost one tenth of the worlds workforce. All considered, tourisms actual and potential economic impact is astounding. Many people emphasize the positive aspects of tourism as a source of foreign exchange, a way to balance foreign trade, an industry without chimney in short, manna from heaven. But there are also a number of other positive and negative factors of tourism on economy for local communities. Therefore in this essay the researcher will explain the impact on economy due to tourism to local communities. Relationship between Tourism and Economic Development Tourism is of great importance in any countrys economic growth and on conversely economic growth will initiate growth in tourism activities in any economy. The importance of economic development to tourism is widely accepted (Pearce, 1995). Tourism has been regarded as the main instrument for regional development as it stimulates new economic activities; it has a positive economic impact on the employment, foreign exchange earnings, production and gross income. However uncontrolled and unplanned tourism activities can lead to a negative impact on the society (Fossati and Panella, 2000). Positive Impact of Tourism on Economic Growth Tourism is classified as one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. It contributes extensive economic benefits on both sides, for the tourist home country as well as the visiting country. In less developed Countries tourism activities are regarded as resources which are expected to enhance economic growth. When tourists travel internationally apparently the host country earns foreign currency, hence the inflow of revenue creates government revenue, business turnover, household income and employment (Archer and Fletcher, 1991). Domestic tourism will have the same effects on the host country while international tourism creates an inflow of foreign currency while on the other hand domestic tourism creates spatial redistribution of local currency within the boundary of the country (Archer et al., 1998). Negative Impact of Tourism on Economic Growth Most Less Developed Countries (LDCs) depends on foreign aid from the developed world to stimulate its economic growth as well as to cover budget deficits in social services and infrastructure activities. In this context therefore, tourism growth creates an illusion to the aid provider to limit and cut their financial aid as a result many countries that depend on financial assistance are affected, which leads them remaining poor. For a different perspective the enormous inflow of tourists may lead to price increase of many goods and services in the tourist destinations by which in turn the societies around are affected as they have to follow the price pattern. Further more tourists are interested in very narrow range of products such as beauty products, gifts, sports equipments clothes, meals and special products like chocolates, which the local residents are not always in need of, and this leads them to change their buying behaviour and shift to other points of sale. On other hand it is assumed that mass tourism increases land price, it also creates additional demand for land whereby potential buyer compete hence a higher price. The local people are required to pay more for their homes. Generally, mass tourism leads to higher land value, more jobs and wealth. Conversely, in a situation when tourism demands are very high inflationary tensions in tourism spill over the economy at large and contribute to a large inflation (Wall and Mathieson, 2006). Travel and Tourism in South Korea The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is located about 500km off the coast of mainland China, and forms the entire southern half of the Korean peninsula. There are many hundreds of small islands to the south, most of them uninhabited. The territory is mixed in character, with considerable mountainous areas. Consequently, most of the largest settlements are on the southern and eastern coasts, the capital city of Seoul being the notable exception. The present capital is Seoul. Economy and Tourism of South Korea South Korea is Asias fourth-largest economy and slowed to 2.2% in 2008, after several years of strong growth. In 2009, GDP reduced by 0.8%, due to the global economic downturn. Given this countrys reliance on exports, the recovery would depend on the rebound of global demand. An economic recovery was expected in 2010 with a 3.7% growth in GDP, while further improvement is forecasted in 2011, with a 4.6% increase in GDP; Private consumption registered a moderate year-over-year increase of 0.9% in 2008 and is forecasted decline by 0.4% in 2009, before rebounding to 2.7% in 2010. In 2011, private consumption is expected to gain momentum and improve by 3.8%; The unemployment rate rose to 4.0% in 2009, which was due to the global economic slump as a result of demand from the export dependent country. The ensuing slowdown in employment has been the countries worst since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. As South Koreas economy emerged out of the 2009 recession, unemployment is forecasted at 4.1% in 2011, as employers remain cautious in hiring new employees; South Koreas consumer prices grew at their fastest pace with a 4.7% growth in 2008, which was caused by high oil and other commodity prices. Rising inflation has affected the countrys economic growth and has impacted the countrys ability to pull out of the recession in 2009. Inflation fell to 2.7% in 2009 and 2.1% in 2010; The Korean Won weakened greatly in 2008 and depreciated further in 2009. The Won is forecasted to appreciate in 2010 and improve by in 2011. Impact of the Global Recession The South Korean economy posted negative quarter-on-quarter growth of 6% in the fourth quarter of 2008 in the wake of the economic turmoil triggered by the global financial crisis. This was the first time since the financial crisis in 2007 that negative growth was recorded. This was followed by positive growth of well below 1% in the first quarter of 2009 and 2% in the second quarter. In 2008, as the economy began to spiral downwards, the South Korean job market became unstable, and, as a result, unemployment rose to 4% in early 2009 from the average of 3.5% seen over the review period. More worryingly the unemployment rate amongst South Koreans in their 20s stood at nearly 9% in 2009. Furthermore, disposable income shrank in the majority of households. Meanwhile, during the first quarter of 2009, the lowest 20% of South Korean taxpayers saw a 5% decline in their average income. As the job market deteriorated, the government promoted a job sharing campaign, whereby annual pay increases were frozen or annual salaries reduced to enable the employment of more people. Increased job sharing is another factor contributing to the countrys declining disposable income levels. Current Impact As the economy continued to struggle, consumers reduced spending on clothing, leisure pursuits and dining out, according to a survey conducted by the South Korea Chamber of Commerce. Outbound tourism, which saw annual double digit volume growth over the first three years of the review period, saw negative growth of 7% in 2008, followed by a further decline of 18% in 2009. However, domestic tourism saw growth of 9% in 2009, as South Koreans continued to struggle as a result of the ongoing fallout of the global economic crisis. Furthermore, in line with this tendency of pursuing cost-effective domestic holidays, increased consumer preference for mid- and low-priced accommodation was evident. Outbound Tourism of South Korea Departures saw a turn down in 2008 after seeing double digit growth in each of the first three years of the review period. 2009 saw departures decline further as negative growth of 18% was recorded, largely due to economic uncertainty and the H1N1 pandemic. Compared with 2008, travel abroad became more affordable for Korean tourists following a strengthening of the won in the second half of 2009. However, the expected resultant increase in outbound tourism never materialised due to the global outbreak of the H1N1 virus. Outbound golf tourism decreased in popularity in 2008 and yet further in 2009. This was largely as a result of the ongoing impact which the global financial crisis had on the country, related to the increased price competitiveness of local golf courses. Outgoing tourists have became far more price-conscious since 2008, and the former reliance on package tours declined yet further in 2009 as a result of price increases driven by rising oil prices and a weakening of the South Korean won during the first half of 2009. Destinations Koreans Visit China, being a relatively inexpensive destination due to its proximity, is the most popular destination for South Korean tourists, particularly first-time travellers. Departures to China declined in both 2008 and 2009. Despite the decline seen in 2008 and 2009, China remained the most popular outbound destination, in accounting for 29% of all departures in 2009. Japan, the second most popular destination, accounted for 15% of all departures. Japan is a popular destination amongst South Koreans of all age groups because of the countrys wide variety of attractions, as well as its proximity. However, Japans high consumer prices and strength of the Japanese yen make it an unaffordable destination for many South Koreans. Departures by Country of Origin 000 people 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Australia 172.3 197.4 213.2 201.5 179.3 153.8 Canada 133.8 139.2 146.8 153.4 138.6 124.2 China 2534.8 3156.8 3512.8 4004.3 3520.4 2856.4 France 79.9 95.2 107.8 121 114 100.7 Germany 141.8 141.3 124 140.9 125.9 111.6 Hong Kong, China 86.4 105.6 98.2 106.7 109.1 107.4 India 305.4 403.3 512.6 636.7 684.7 571.6 Indonesia 228.4 252 280.5 327.8 369.1 356.8 Japan 1569.2 1734.8 1917.9 2345.8 2167.2 1463.8 Malaysia 91.2 158.2 189.4 224.9 267.5 234.5 Philippines 90.7 91.8 97.8 83.3 68.2 54.8 Russia 337.2 452 569 654 611 567.5 Singapore 52.9 54.7 47.5 56.1 51.9 47.3 Taiwan 190 269.1 368 396.6 363 325.6 Thailand 134.6 171.9 176.5 201.8 222.3 183.2 United Kingdom 754.1 781.3 898.8 881.2 759.6 613 USA 111.8 116 120.1 129.9 110.3 93.1 Vietnam 627.6 658.1 687.7 724.9 686.2 626.9 Other Countries of Origin 1118 1189.7 1008.7 889.7 870.7 789.4 Total 8760.1 10168.4 11077.3 12280.5 11419 9381.6 (Source: Euromonitor International) Leisure Outbound The decline in outbound tourism witnessed in 2009 was mainly due to a decline in leisure departures. Leisure departures saw a decline of 20%, or close to 2 million people, in 2009 mainly as a result of the ongoing effects of the global financial crisis and the negative impact of the H1N1 virus. Organised tour groups departures saw decline of 23% in 2009 as Koreans avoided expensive package holiday products. The proportion of total departures accounted for by organised tour groups saw a steady decline over the review period from 52% in 2005 to 40% in 2009. While organised tour groups showed a downwards trend, the number of free independent travellers (FITs) saw growth over the review period, although a decline was witnessed in 2009. Business Outbound Business departures at 2 million in 2009 comprised 22% of total outbound tourists in 2009. MICE tourists accounted for 86% of total business departures in 2009. The consistent flow of both leisure and particularly business tourists to the US left the country as the third largest destination for South Korean tourists in 2009. Despite the fact that the H1N1 virus became widespread in the US following its initial outbreak, departures to the US only saw a decline of 9% in 2009, compared to the 18% decline seen in departures as a whole. Inbound Tourism of South Korea Following the strong arrivals growth of 8% witnessed in 2008, inbound tourism was further boosted by the declining value of the South Korean won against the US dollar and Japanese yen in 2009, leading to arrivals growth of 15%. Furthermore, inbound tourist receipts saw growth of 10% in 2009. As the South Korean economy began to recover over the course of the year, the won strengthened and, as a result inbound tourism began to taper off from June 2009. While incoming tourist receipts increased by 10% in 2009, arrivals saw growth of 15%, as average spend per visitor declined. While Hallyu, a term referring to the popularity of South Korean culture, artists and media content, particularly television dramas, still motivates Asian tourists to visit the country, the national tourist office increased its efforts to boost inbound tourism in the wake of the strengthening of the South Korean won. The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) issued coupon books for independent tourists travelling from Asia. These contained coupons issued by nearly 20 entities, including retailers, theatres, theme parks, restaurants and skin care shops, and offered discounts ranging from 5% to 50%. The coupon books were distributed through consulates and KTOs English-language website. Country of Origin Arrivals from Japan saw growth of 28% in 2009 to reach 3 million, 45% of total arrivals. The strengthened value of the Japanese yen revived outbound tourism in Japan, and South Korea saw a surge in Japanese tourists in 2008. The Japanese tourist inflow increased further during the first four months of 2009, but slowed thereafter, as the Korean won began to strengthen against the Japanese yen. Furthermore the Japanese government recommend travel restrictions in light of the H1N1 virus outbreak. Despite these setbacks the arrivals growth of 28% seen in 2009 represented a significant improvement on the 6% recorded in 2008. China was South Koreas second largest source of inbound tourists in 2009 in accounting for 15% of total arrivals during the year. Arrivals from China saw growth of 10% in 2009, down from the 15% witnessed in 2008. According to the Korea Tourism Organisation, this decline was due to the failure of organised tour groups to attract sufficient tourist numbers in June and July. The majority of Chinese tourists to South Korea come in organised tours due to the incentives on offer from travel agents in collaboration with many related parties, including local government agencies eager to attract Chinese tourists. Arrivals by Country of Origin 000 people 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Australia 75.2 82.7 87.6 89 100.3 98.2 Canada 93 121.4 130 118.9 125.7 130.7 China 410.3 494.1 626.2 814.8 939.7 1031 France 35.2 38 40.6 46.6 52.3 52.6 Germany 59.7 66.4 67.2 74.1 78.2 83.8 Hong Kong, China 147 157 134.7 131.2 151.2 198.6 India 33.4 34.3 36.7 41 42.9 39.6 Indonesia 34.9 35.4 35.8 38.7 48.9 46.2 Japan 2409.9 2406.6 2310.4 2204.6 2345.6 2994.1 Malaysia 73 75 74.3 65.7 66.9 61.2 Philippines 60.3 62.9 69.3 70.3 75.2 74.4 Russia 76.7 62 61.3 62.9 66.2 66.9 Singapore 74.6 71.6 70.9 75.3 77 77.5 Taiwan 305.5 352.1 328.1 326.1 315 342.7 Thailand 70.1 77 88.6 99.5 116.9 134.3 United Kingdom 64.5 70.8 73.5 74.6 81.9 84.7 USA 535.8 556.1 637.3 659.6 674.8 661.3 Vietnam 20.3 27.3 28.9 37.8 51.6 60.8 Other Countries of Origin 319.1 329.3 339.9 364.3 389.3 420.3 Total 4898.5 5120 5241.3 5395 5799.6 6658.9 (Source: Euromonitor International) City Arrivals South Koreas capital, Seoul remained the most popular destination for arrivals in 2009, as more than 2.5 million inbound tourists visited the city. Inchon, Busan, Jeju, Daegu and Daejeon were the next most popular destinations. Seoul offers a variety of attractions, including cultural treasures such as museums and palaces, as well as huge marketplaces, theme/amusement parks and beauty shops. Myongdong downtown area is host to a variety of activities, including shopping, dining out, skin care, and entertainment. The large number of inbound tourists visiting traditional marketplaces in 2008 and 2009 compensated for the reduction in local shoppers seen as a result of the economic downturn. According to a national tourist office survey, shopping remains one of the most popular activities amongst inbound tourists visiting South Korea. The city of Incheon has seen arrivals growth in recent years not only because of its proximity to Koreas largest international airport, but also due to the promotion of the new business centre located there. A business hub, which uses Dubai as a benchmark, is being developed in Songdo on 1,500 acres of reclaimed land. With the planned city slowly taking shape, Incheon Metropolitan Government has been actively promoting Songdo globally as a venue for international events. Leisure Inbound Leisure arrivals, which saw growth of 17%, accounted for some 95% of total arrivals in 2009. The increase in leisure arrivals in the midst of the fallout from the global economic crisis was largely attributable to the weakening of the South Korean won. Organised tour groups accounted for 35% of total arrivals in 2009. Organised tour groups remain the most popular way to travel to South Korea due to the language barrier involved for the majority of arrivals. Business Inbound Business arrivals saw a decline of 8% from 382,509 in 2008 to 349,211 in 2009. This decline was largely as a result of the global economic downturn, as companies reduced their spending on business travel. The share of total business arrivals accounted for by Meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) increased from 91% in 2008 to 93% in 2009. MICE arrivals were less affected than other types of business arrivals, as KTO has actively sought to attract them through its subsidiary, Korea Convention Bureau (KCB) since 1979. Furthermore, an increased number of large scale MICE events, such as the 2009 Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza which attracted 20,000 attendees, were held in Seoul in 2009. The national tourist office claims that South Korea is the twelfth-ranked country in terms of hosting international meetings. South Korea held 293 international meetings in 2008, up from 268 meetings recorded in 2007. Efforts Made To Uplift Tourism Domestic Tourism Sees Healthy Volume Growth In the recent years South Koreans have turned to domestic travel, as outbound tourism became unaffordable for them, in the dire economic climate. Jeju Island, South Koreas most popular domestic holiday destination, due to its exotic subtropical climate and well established resorts, saw a record number of visitors in 2009. Furthermore there were a number of people who visited national parks as large percentage of population choose a relatively inexpensive holiday due to the recession. The number of domestic tourists visiting campsites also grew significantly, partly due to the increased number of auto-campsites available, but also due to a growing consumer desire to save money. Low Cost Carriers Achieve Higher Penetration Low cost carriers contributed to the growth seen in domestic tourism by providing affordable flights. The role of low cost carriers remains insignificant on international routes due to the limited number of routes covered. But low cost flights to domestic holiday destinations became increasingly popular in 2009, which helped South Koreas four low cost carriers improve their position in domestic air travel. In general, air travel is not a popular mode of transportation for domestic travel, due to South Koreas relatively limited size. However, it is the preferred mode for tourists looking to visit Jeju Island. The use of low cost carriers for the 30 minute flight to Jeju Island became commonplace amongst domestic tourists in 2009. Medical Tourism as a Tourism Growth Driver The South Korean medical sector was subject to strict advertising restrictions under previous legislation. However, the government is now supporting its liberalisation in the hope of increasing competition. Hospitals will be allowed to advertise their services through television for the first time. The liberalisation of South Koreas medical sector is expected to promote the growth of medical tourism in the country. South Koreas advanced medical resources and competitive prices are expected to see the country become an increasingly important medical tourist destination. Some travel retailers have already taken steps to establish themselves as leaders in this emerging field. In 2007, 6.4 million foreign tourists visited South Korea, making it the 36th most visited country in the world and this number is expected to exceed 8.5 million in 2010. Most non Korean tourists come from Japan, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The recent popularity of popular culture in these countries has increased tourist arrivals. Seoul is the principal tourist destination for visitors; popular tourist destinations outside of Seoul include Seorak-san national park, the historic city of Gyeongju and semi-tropical Jeju Island. Traveling to North Korea is not normally possible without a special permission, but in recent years organized group tours have allowed groups of South Korean citizens to visit Kumgang-san. The Positive and Negative Social and Environmental Impacts of Tourism Socially tourism has a great influence on the host societies. Tourism can be both a source of international amity, peace and understanding and a destroyer and corrupter of indigenous cultures, a source of ecological destruction, an assault of peoples privacy, dignity, and authenticity. Here are possible positive effects of tourism: Developing positive attitudes towards each other Learning about each others culture and customs Reducing negative perceptions and stereotypes Developing friendships Developing pride, appreciation, understanding, respect, and tolerance for each others culture Increasing self-esteem of hosts and tourists Psychological satisfaction with interaction So, social contacts between tourists and local people may result in mutual appreciation, understanding, tolerance, awareness, learning, family bonding respect, and liking. Residents are educated about the outside world without leaving their homes, while their visitors significantly learn about a distinctive culture. Local communities are benefited through contribution by tourism to the improvement of the social infrastructure like schools, libraries, health care institutions, internet cafes, and so on. Besides, if local culture is the base for attracting tourists to the region, it helps to preserve the local traditions and handicrafts which maybe were on the link of the extinction. On the other side tourism can increase tension, hostility, and suspicion. Claims of tourism as a vital force for peace are exaggerated. Indeed there is little evidence that tourism is drawing the world together (Robinson 1999). In this context economic and social impacts on the local community depend on how much of the incomes generated by tourists go to the host communities. In most all-inclusive package tours more than 80% of travellers fees go to the airlines, hotels and other international companies, not to local businessmen and workers. On the other hand large hotel chain restaurants often import food to satisfy foreign visitors and rarely employ local staff for senior management positions, preventing local farmers and workers from reaping the benefit of their presence. Tourism has the power to affect cultural change. Successful development of a resource can lead to numerous negative impacts. Among these are overdevelopment, assimilation, conflict, and artificial reconstruction. While presenting a culture to tourists may help preserve the culture, it can also dilute or even destroy it. The point is to promote tourism in the region so that it would both give incomes and create respect for the local tradition and culture. There are also both negative and positive impacts of tourism on the local ecology. Tourism often grows into mass-tourism. It leads to the over consumption, pollution, and lack of resources.

Characters, Language and Physical Characteristics in I Never Promised Y

Characters, Language and Physical Characteristics in I Never Promised You a Rose Garden   Ã‚  Ã‚   A past of discomfort and sorrow, loneliness and pain shadowed an innocent girl with so much potential. She lay broken under the weight of her own secret longing, while no one seemed to care. Then, through a thick veil of anguish, Deborah noticed an unfamiliar, yet inviting light sprouting from within herself. Through the open door of this needed world Deborah ventured, drowning in her own relief. The Kingdom of Yr, Deborah's imaginary world, was so intricately created in the darkest corners of her mind that it became real to her. As time passed and Deborah became more desperate for belonging, Yr's bliss was all she lived for.      The combination of the delicacy and complexity of the imaginary world's complications, characters, fear, love and senses creates an inclination of Yr's reality within the reader. The secret world of Yr, which was introduced in the book I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1964) by Hannah Green, deserves much consideration and attention. Its sophisticated structure makes even the most sane of human beings question their own perception of reality. The author brought the reality of Yr to life through three distinguished elements: characters, language and physical characteristics. Keep in mind, the very essence of reality is what one makes of it.      Yr portrayed several characters who harbored realistic characteristics. Although most of the characters were considered gods, Deborah was able to see, befriend and interact with them as if they were real companions. Anterrabae, the Falling God, was characterized by his hair of fire and endless decent through the dark midst of Yr. He... ... perfection or complete bliss, but a world of acceptance; she belonged to Yr. No matter how hard life became for Deborah, her boundless longing for acceptance was filled. Reality cannot be accurately described, because it is different for everyone. Deborah's desire to belong somewhere was enough to create her own world. For most "sane" beings of Earth, peace must stem from the satisfaction of believing the accepted thought that our world, Earth, is the only reality. Perhaps it is the "insane" who completely understand the essence of real life. They are not afraid to venture beyond the burning boundaries of truth to discover for themselves their personal reality. One can speculate that reality is precisely what one makes of it.    Works Cited    Green, Hannah. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964.   

The King and His Role in Ancient Egypt

Janelle Richardson Professor Ogden Goelet Ancient Egyptian Religion First Paper 4/8/13 The King and his role During the times of the Ancient Egyptians there were many beliefs that the Egyptians stood by, one of which being the ideal of polytheism. The Egyptians live in a spiritual free reign. Although they tend to follow the beliefs of the community that they lived in and around, they were for the most part free to worship and practice whatever they may with whatever God they felt right.Another belief the Egyptians held onto was the belief in kingship and order, â€Å"Maat†. The construct of Kingship during the times of the Ancient Egyptians was crucial to the unification of the Egyptian people. Through his associations with the Gods he was expected to keep the order or rather ma’at of the land, which was inhabited by the Egyptian people. The king was responsible for keeping the peace and amongst the people and the land both figuratively and literally. The king was task ed with protecting the people from potential attacks from foreign lands.But perhaps most importantly the King served as the median between the people and the Gods. They were therefore expected to make offerings to Gods that would suffice to their needs as deities, pleasing them and placing the king and thus his kingdom, his land and his people in good favor with the Gods. This was crucial because this meant that the Gods have blessed the land that the Egyptians harvest on assuring lasted nourishment, the king had to feed his people, and if he alone managed to please the Gods on behalf of him and his people he was able to accomplish just that.But we can’t forget the idea that when the people are happy the king is secure. All of the positive exchanges between the Gods and king were important in securing a pharaoh’s kingship and ultimately giving them the opportunity to create and secure a dynasty for a longer period of time. This is an important idea when discussing the topic of the development of Religion in State. Equal to the construct of kingship, religion and ritual were a vital part of the Egyptian culture, thus a vital part in their unity, especially during times of tribal strife and war.Also key in the formation of religion is the Egyptian’s obsession over death, which could leave a dark air about the culture as whole, but the idea of an after-life, life after death was brought to the Egyptians through the image of Gods. The Egyptians created a world of polytheistic ideals and rituals that reflected their beliefs â€Å"Egyptians believed dated back to the time when gods ruled on earth, and by the â€Å"law† laid down by the King, their son and earthly representative. † (Cerny 35).So being that the relationship that the Egyptian people had with the Gods and their importance in the limiting of chaos in their world the ideal of the King’s divinity was key for the survival of society and perhaps the sanity of society as well. â€Å"Egypt was the first large â€Å"nation state,† with a culture virtually restricted to that state, and thus was very self-contained†¦ in which kingship was an unquestioned presupposition of social order—indeed order was hardly conceivable without it. † (Baines, 2).The King’s responsibilities stretched as far as the prevention of the collapse of their Egyptian state. Of course it was important to every Egyptian to be responsible for themselves and do their duties unto the land as the Gods may have it and they praised and celebrated and communed because of these rituals and these practices. But in these times, even if an Egyptian works as hard as he can consistently to please the Gods on his own if the king falls short of his duty as the Divine middleman, the Egyptian’s harvest may not bloom crops sufficient enough to feed themselves of their families.The King as a Divine Creature Although out of the archives and data that has bee n collected over the past decades about Ancient Egyptian, the evidence that shows the King as being an actual divine being of the Gods, usually an incarnation of a particular God or sometimes a mosh of multiple Gods the King was scene by the people as divine and a direct creation of the Gods, therefore the only person with the ability to be in communication with the God. The sun-god we are told elsewhere had appointed hum ‘to be shepherd of this land, to keep the people alive†¦in theory he was the officiant in every temple in the land†¦and every religious ceremony and ritual was in a sense a royal ritual. † (Fairman 1958, 76). The Egyptians also believed the Kings, if they weren’t to fail and disgrace themselves in the eyes of the Gods, received a different treatment after death.The afterlife of a king wasn’t thought to be the same as one of an Egyptian civilian, rather the Egyptian people believed that after the death of the kings cross over to t he worlds of the divine, some believe that they become Osiris in the afterlife. The king This idea is seen in many of the art pieces made by the Egyptians that referenced kings after their deaths and their relationship to the Gods, or in a lot of cases a particular God (For example: The God Horus).Whole tombs at the highest level of grandiosity and tribute were made for kings after their deaths. Many rituals were had for the kings before and after their passing including the kings initial coronation which involve d the ‘selection of the new Sacred Falcon, which was effected by Horus by means of an oracle†¦special hymns were sung, one greeting the New Year†¦ and the second being concerned with ensuring the protection of the Sacred Falcon’ (Fairman 1958, 80).It was believed that the spirit of Horus enters the king at the coronation and guides the king along the path of maat. Then when the king died his spirit was merged with Osiris ‘from where he could gui de his successors’. The King was key in the lives of the Egyptians. The King had a foot in both worlds, the secular and the spiritual, or rather the sacred, which were treated as one in the same thing by the Egyptians, at all times. The King was the religious leader and the law book simultaneously.The Kings was seen as a representation/manifestation of God in a flesh and completely mortal carcass that served the God King for as long as they are to rule until their time to go and take part in their after-life begins â€Å"The king, it is true, interprets the evidence, translating radiation and motion in terms of religious meaning, answering them by cultic action and speaking to a God who expresses himself in a strictly ‘heliomorphic’ way† (Assman 1989, 68). Even the Pharaohs ritual vestments were designed to show his power.The symbols of the gods were the king’s tools of office. The crook, to reward the innocent, the flail, to punish the guilty, show ing his authority to rule the two-lands, and the Ureaus Cobra or Eye of Ra seeing all that the Pharaoh did, good or evil. (Humphries). The Kings was responsible for keeping order or Ma’at , the rule of order over the chaos that the Egyptians thought was waiting to sheath the world, at any moment without the guidance of the Gods and the usefulness of the King.The focus was on balance, the people; the Egyptians themselves were inclined to honor the God’s along with the King by living a life of obedience and balance so that they can rest assured that all will be well, they have pleased the Gods and they shall not be punished for any wrong doing. The king’s notional strength came from the support of the gods and as long as this was maintained no ill could befall the country.There is little denying that the Egyptians didn’t believe that their kings weren’t in part Gods themselves as represented by most of their art and writings. But this system that the Egyptians became so accustomed to held the potential to cause problems for the king. The key to life lived in balance is Maat but once this was lost, however, the kingdom was thrown into turmoil until a new strong king, who had the support of the gods, took the throne. The Kings and the Egyptians found out that the Gods aren’t always pleased.The Integration of the Church and State and the Problems that it caused the King The Pharaoh was seen as the emissary of the gods and life was good as long as the religious rites were performed and maat was maintained, but what happened when maat wasn’t contained? What problems arose for the king then, when something hasn’t lined up with divine order? Though I stress the importance of the king in Ancient Egypt, we can’t forget that not everything always went so smoothly for the Egyptians and those who ruled over them.Perhaps one of the most obvious drawbacks to being a king endowed with such divine responsibility is if and when the Gods were not perceived to be happy whether specifically at the king’s actions or the actions of his people, the state of the king’s position in his kingdom comes into question and under fire. These occurrences however, might have helped balance out the Egyptians belief of the God like ways of being for the king. The King is mortal and fallible, after all, the king is still human.This ideal is showcased in a lot of the literary texts of the New Kingdom, â€Å"Many different types of human frailties and weaknesses characterize all the figures in†¦The Contendings of Horus and Seth† (Wente 1972c, 108-126 [translation]; and Lichtheim 1976, 214-223 [translation]), â€Å"The gods were anthropomorphized from an early period in ancient Egypt’s history (Hornung 1982a, 105-107), and their portrayal both in figures and in text clearly is humanized. They have family problems. They bicker. They display moods (Silverman 1995, 53-54).In other words they’re human, just as they were and were witnessed to be in life outside of their association with the Gods. Conclusion Was the king divine? It’s obvious now that the Egyptians without a doubt believed in the divinity of their king, some might even say that that belief was necessary for the survival of the Egyptians I would say that by definition and according to what most of society today thinks of to be ‘divine’, the answer is yes and no, the king wasn’t actually divine in the sense that he possessed magical powers that directly affected those around him and his people, or in the sense that the king was actually just God.But in accordance to what I believe as a member or today’s society and from what I know of the Ancient Egyptians and their beliefs, I think that the king was divine, but I believe that by the same nature of the king being divine, so was every other Egyptian that lived during the time. Now this is simply my opinion and lin es up directly with my personal beliefs in God, but in a less personal explanation, the presence and usefulness of the King in relationship to the Egyptian people and the order of the Egyptian world, served as a very sturdy backbone in the Egyptian society.Footnotes: The silence of the god who expresses himself visually is balanced by the ‘voice’ of the king which plays such an important part in the inscriptions. The king is the ‘speaking god’, spreading truth (Maat) upon earth as the Aten Spreads light and life. Sources and Bibliography Assmann, J. , â€Å"The Name Formula,† in The Search for God in Ancient Egypt, D. Lorton, trans. (Ithaca, NY 2001) 83-110. Bell, Dr. Lanny. â€Å"Montclair State University. †Ã‚  Divine Kingship in Ancient Egypt -Mythology and Iconography. N. p. n. d. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. . Cited for information on Horus Cerny, J. ,, â€Å"Egyptian Oracles,† Chap. 6 in R. A. Parker, A Saite Oracle Papyrus from Thebes (Pro vidence 1962) 35-48 Dunn, Jimmy. â€Å"King Ramesses I, Founder of the 19th Dynasty. †Ã‚  King Ramesses I, Founder of the 19th Dynasty. Tour Egypt, n. d. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. . Fairman, H. W. â€Å"The Kingship Rituals of Egypt,† in Myth, Ritual and King ship: Essays on Theory and Practice of Kingship, S. H. Hooke (Oxford 1958) 74-104 Hornung, E. , â€Å"The Pharaoh,† Chap. 10 in S. Donadoni, ed. , The Egyptians (Chicago and London 1997) 283-314. Hornung, E. , â€Å"History as Celebration,† Chap. 8 in Idea into Image (New York 1992) 147-164. Humphries, Ken. â€Å"Egypt: Was Pharaoh Divine. †Ã‚  Egypt: Was Pharaoh Divine. N. p. , n. d. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. Used as a study source Silverman, D. P. , â€Å"The Nature of Egyptian Kingship,† in Chap. 2 in D.O’Connor and D. P. Silverman, eds. , Ancient Egyptian Kingship. Probleme der Agyptologie 9 (Leiden 1995) 49-92. Lichtheim, M. â€Å"Stela of Sehetep-ib-re,† Ancient Egyptian Literatur e I (Berkeley 1975) 125-129. Teeter, Emily. â€Å"Festivals. †Ã‚  Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2011. 56-75. Print. Wente, Edward F. , and Robert A. Oden. Response to Robert A. Oden's â€Å"‘The Contendings of Horus and Seth' (Chester Beatty Papyrus No. 1): A Structural Interpretation†Ã‚  Chicago: University of Chicago, 1979. 105-07. Print.

Analysis of The Lottery Research Paper Example

Analysis of The Lottery Research Paper Example Analysis of The Lottery Paper Analysis of The Lottery Paper When someone gets in trouble unfairly, people could protest against unfairness or could obey the unfairness. The Lottery, is a short story written by Shirley Jackson in 1948, shows dark sides hidden in peoples minds. This story was influenced after the World War II, so peoples brutality from the war is reflected to this story. In this story, there is an annual lottery that the result of winning is stoned. Jackson uses symbolism to imply that blind obedience to radiation can be dangerous and peoples inconsolableness. At first, names of each character have specific meanings. Jackson uses symbolic names to connote a forthcoming event after the lottery. For examples, the name, Mr.. Summers (1238), is associated with warmth, blooming, blossoming, youth and sunlight, so the author uses this name ironically. Also, it implies the lottery is held in summer season. The next symbol is Mr.. Graves (1238) who is an assistant of Mr.. Summers. A grave means a place of burial for a dead body. Therefore, readers can infer that a tragedy will come at the end. Also, by showing two opposite names, oppositeness and negatives always exist together. Secondly, a black box which keeps slips of papers exists. The black box is a symbol of tradition of the town. The box is described as The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago (1238). It shows even though the original box had been lost, the old tradition has never changed and questioned. Also, she states, Mr.. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box (1238). Based on this ascription, she shows people in the town do not want to change their old tradition and want to settle for the present without any wiliness even though they have a chance to be changed. Actually, the slips of papers substituted for the chips of wood that had been used for generations. It seems that people tried to change their old customs; however, it is for their convenience, not for revolution. In addition to, the black color symbolize death or evil, so Jackson implies that a result from the black box is punishment. Also, she uses black color to show peoples fear to the lottery impliedly. The next symbol is the stones that kill Mrs.. Hutchinson. At first, Jackson describes the situation of the day: Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example (1238). Jackson uses innocent children as people who accumulate stones. In this scene, she describes the deadly lottery game as a simple play by using pure objects. Also, she depicts the stone with innocuous words: the smoothest and roundest stones (1238) which is contrary to the tragedy end. By doing so, people feel they get rid of their guilty because, at least, they use items cooking not bad on the exterior. However, at the last scene, the stones are used as punishment tools by people who do not pick up a winning slip. It shows peoples selfishness because the citizens throw the stones only for their future which means harvest. The last and the central symbol is the lottery itself. Actually, winning in a lottery game is related to being lucky. However, In The Lottery, it means death and sacrifice. Jackson implies peoples madness from the lottery. For example, she states Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon. (1241 ). They believe hat killing a person by stones bring them a rich year. Therefore, they attempt to rationalize their barbaric and heartless tradition. Also, this story shows peoples obedience to power and conventionality when Mr.. Hutchinson picked up the winning slip. Mr.. Hutchinson says Shut up Testis (1241) to his wife who is Mrs.. Hutchinson and at the last scene, when his wife was decided to get stoned, Jackson depicts his attitude to his wife: Bill Hutchinson went over to his wife and forced to the slip of paper out Of her hand (1243) . Even though Testis Hutchinson is his wife, Bill treats Testis cruelly. It also shows peoples selfishness. After starting throwing stones, Testis tries to run away, but she is caught by people soon. The tradition will be lasting after this year lottery. At the last scene Testis shouts out: It isnt fair, it isnt right (1243), and it implies the tradition is unfair and it should be changed, yet people do not think of changing their old customs. In conclusion, the use of symbolism in The Lottery is very clearly. The author implicates symbols in the story in a society at that time. In my opinion, Shirley Jackson wants to indicate our society in her story. This story strongly shows collectivity, selfishness and madness of people. The tradition represented as the lottery is shown not to be changed and unquestioned by peoples obedience. Additionally, this story shows that dill makes a joke to his wife and then kills her in a short time it shows how cruel people are. Overall, the author uses symbols indirectly, but also very obvious to imply peoples madness and selfishness.

Are humans rational essays

Are humans rational essays The human species has well developed cognitive abilities compared to animals. These can be remarkable like language and many other communication systems. Our visual system provides us with excellent vital information for the environment. Besides, through thinking and problem solving, we have adapted the environment to suit us and developed science and technology. Surely, these are evidence of an advanced intelligence humans possess. On the other hand, though, psychological research strongly suggests that humans are irrational. There is a mass of psychological evidence (Kahneman et al., 1982; Baron, 1988; Evans et al., 1993), which show many errors and biases in human reasoning and decision-making. Besides, everyday life provides us with supportive evidence for human irrationality. Smoking and drink driving is just a couple of them. How did humans achieve so much but are being irrational in so many experimental tasks and many aspects of life? Philosophers and psychologists, troubled b y this paradox, suggest that there must either be something wrong with the experimental research as it is or researchers misinterpret the findings. In 1996, Evans and Over proposed another possible solution to the paradox. They argued that there should be a distinction between the uses of the word rationality. They suggested two different uses of the word rationality, rationality1 and rationality2. Rationality1 is used when referring to the rationality on a personal level. In this case, rationality is satisfied when people successfully achieve the basic goals of survival and communication. Animals and humans share rationality1 that includes the use of early cognitive processes such as memory, perception, problem solving, learning and processes of adaptive and effective thinking. Rationality2, on the other hand, is impersonal and depended on actions based on logic or hypothetical thinking. Rationality2 is exclusive to humans. Labo...

Ethical Debate on Assisted Suicide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethical Debate on Assisted Suicide - Essay Example They must also be capable of administering the medication on their own. This paper will review the debate over assisted suicide, and how involved stakeholders constantly grapple with varied issues when confronting assisted suicide in these modern times. There are three fronts from which to look at the debate. These are social, religious, and political fronts. All these fronts have reasons as to why assisted suicide should, or should not exist (Battin, Rhodes, & Silvers, 1998). The rapid development in science and technology has enabled medical practitioners all over the world to find ways and means to cure the sick. Medicine capable of curing many illnesses is at the world’s disposal. These advances have enabled the world to sustain the lives of people whose capabilities as humans cannot be restored. As this technology pulls people away from death, pleas to end the lives of tortured patients are getting louder. Many people believe that if one person is in excruciating pain and cannot be helped by modern medicine, they owe that individual the courtesy to end their pain. Suicide in some constitutions, in the world today, is not considered a crime. However, assisted suicide is, and it is a punishable offense in a court of law (Battin, Rhodes, & Silvers, 1998). It is, therefore, a moral issue that generates such intense controversy. There are many people who are involved in assisted suicide. This is either directly or indirectly (Battin, Rhodes, & Silvers, 1998). However, physicians are considered the most vulnerable parties in these cases. This is because; as people believe they have the knowledge and intellect to aid a person in committing suicide. People believe that it is not in the best interests of a physician to give advice to their patients about lethal drugs. Oaths are administered to ensure that physicians stick to helping their patients. The psychological standing, also seen as the social standing, is vital over this

Florence Nightingale...To pledge or Not to Pledge Research Paper

Florence Nightingale...To pledge or Not to Pledge - Research Paper Example Lystra Gretter first wrote the Nightingale Pledge in the year 1893. Lyster was a nursing instructor at the old Harper Hospital in Detroit. The Nightingale Pledge was first used by graduating class of Harper hospital in 1893 (Nightingale & McDonald, 2005). It is an adaptation of the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians.it is a way of nurses expressing their intentions of fulfilling their responsibilities. Every graduating student nurse must recite this oath.   Gretter  named the pledge after Florence Nightingale as a sign of respect because she is the mother of nursing. This pledge is still the symbol of nursing and it represents the nurses’ values (American Nurses Association, 2006). By reciting, a nurse pledges to be faithful in her practice her profession and to exercise proper ethical values (Nightingale & McDonald, 2007). However, the nursing community still debates on this oath about its importance to nursing as a profession. Its relationship to the old oath of medicine is quite plain. The pledge has undergone some changes over a period. This pledge states that nurses are health missionaries who take full responsibility for the health of their patients. It has also brought to light a new direction to healthcare provision (ANA, 2012).   Mrs. Cadwalader Jones, who is member of the Board of Managers of the City Hospital in New York, is the author of another version of the Hippocratic Oath. The oath is as follows: the nurse swears to be loyal to the doctors under whom they serve, as a soldier is loyal to his or her seniors, the nurse swears to be fair and liberal to all other members of the medical profession be helping them where necessary( Wolf,2014). The nurse swears to lead the nursing profession in honor. The nurse swears to resist any form of temptations whatsoever in any field during nursing practice to ensure the sick receive proper care. Lastly, the nurse

Karl Marx - Capital Ch 24 Sec 1 Ch 25 Sections 1-4 Essay

Karl Marx - Capital Ch 24 Sec 1 Ch 25 Sections 1-4 - Essay Example The worker is purely the actor through whom the means of production acquire value. In Chapter 25 of Capital, Marx states that, â€Å"The mass of the means of production which (the worker) thus transforms, increases with the productiveness of his labor† (Marx, 682). The â€Å"mass† in question – to use Marx’s own example, the raw material labor transforms into yarn – represents a fundamentally industrial process that is ossified, a carefully preserved scenario to which Marx failed to ascribe the eventuality of progressive change. Darwinian theorist though he was, Marx appears to have reckoned without the process of evolution, which is surely as pervasive and dynamic in the field of economics as it is in the anthropological study of man’s development. Industrial revolution has given way to industrial evolution, yielding a far more complex and sophisticated labor paradigm than could possibly be accounted for in Marx’s Name 2 equation. Mar x does address the â€Å"division of labor in manufacture,† proposing that â€Å"with the use of machinery, more raw material is worked up in the same time, and, therefore, a greater mass of raw material and auxiliary substances enter in the labour-process† (682).

Peoples Republic of China Essay Example for Free

Peoples Republic of China Essay Different countries have different societal structures, cultural norms and ways of forming relationships. China has strong traditions and moral values, borne out of a long history. Food In China, food is an important part of life. The official Language of China is Mandarin. In the Chinese culture there are a vast of Morals and Values that range from humility to respect and are very important in the Chinese culture. There are two main religions in the Chinese culture. Taoism, also known as Daoism, is based on the teachings of the Tao Te Ching, which was written  in China in the 6th century BC. The emphasis is on finding spiritual harmony within the individual. Buddhism is the dominant religion in China. This began in India 2, 500 years ago and follows the teachings of the Buddha, The Enlightened One. In China, Mahayana Buddhism is particularly common. In this form of Buddhism the path to liberation involves religious ritual, meditation and devotion. The social structure of China is a hierarchical and formal social structure. For example, in the family, children are expected to respect their elders with the eldest  family member commanding the greatest respect In the Chinese culture family is defined as mother, father and children. When the female child marries she then is a member of her husband’s family and is no longer considered as a member of her family that she was born into. Therefore the family then consists of Mother, father, son and daughter n laws and children. The oldest male in the family has he most status. This person is considered to be the oldest and the wisest therefore has the most status. In the Chinese culture success is determined by purpose. The definition of purpose is the  reason for which something exists. Meaning, â€Å"Why are we here? † In the Chinese culture they strongly believe in a creator. The creator defines there purpose for them. Amy stated that â€Å"Every moment of every day, I live my life according to what I believe†. Every decision is based on a set of values that guides her in determining the direction she is to go. When asked if she considered her parent to be successful. Her response was yes. She feels as though her parent’s success is measured by what their purpose was. Her mother purpose was to be a house wife and  take care of the home and her father’s purpose was to work and to provide for the family. Education in the Chinese culture is very important. It starts when the child is very young and in the home. In China, parents are the first educators of their children. Therefore, family education is the most basic and important education model of their culture. Given the importance of family education, parents put more and more effort in educating their children and helping them grow as persons. Amy stated that her parent always demanded that she get good grades in school. She had to attend extra classes to help her achiever higher grades and she was continuously involved in numerous activities ranging from art, dance or musical classes. She stated that she didn’t have much of a say in choosing her classes or clubs that she was a member of. Her parents made all of these decisions for her. Chinese parents tend to care so much about their children’s studies that they don’t ask them to help in any other daily tasks. The primary requirement for children is to study hard, do well in exams and graduate from reputable universities so that they could have careers. The reason for this on one hand is children’s own good, as in a populated and highly competitive society like the Chinese, good academic scores can probably guarantee a bright future; on the other hand, it is a traditional value orientation that parents will be respected if their children have great achievements in society. Therefore, Chinese parents are willing to self-sacrifice and give up their own time, hobbies and interests in order to provide better conditions for their children. In the Chinese culture breakfat is the most important meal. Most Chinese persons start  there day out woth a bowl of Congee, which is like a watery rice that can be seasoned just to give it more flavor, it can be sweet or salty or even spicy and, sometimes, with vegetables, meat or mushrooms if the person chooses. Another typical food that the Chinese people eat for breakfast is Crullers, they call them also the â€Å"deep-fried-devils† and they are basically twisted strips of dough that been deeply fried in oil, they are very popular in the street stands. The Crullers always are eaten with congee. In China, food is an important part of life. Sharing a meal is the common way to socialize in the same way that We may go to a bar or pub for a drink. In the Chinese culture they have a strong waste not, want not . This means they can make a meal out of just about any combination with rice or noodles. In the Chinese culture ricer and noodles are like bread to our culture. It’s a common part of every meal. I asked Amy if racism existed in China and she told me no. I asked her ‘what do you think of black people’ or ‘what do you think of Japanese people’, and the answers that she gave me were very racist responses. In my opinion her responses showed me that racism against black people may be the strongest form of racism in China. I asked her how would her family react if she had of married a black man. She stated that she would probably get disowned. She said this is because most black people are known to have very little status or money unless they are basketball players or entertainers. Now the racism against Japanese People in China is just as bad. Some children in China are taught hate songs against Japanese people in elementary school – and history books in China that deal with Japan focus almost exclusively on the terrible things  Japan did around World War II, ignoring much of Japan’s recent history. This project opened my eyes to the differences among cultures. I didn’t truly understand why some of my coworkers that were Chinese acted the way that they did. For example; Amy would never give a direct answer especially of the answer was no. This was because in her culture it was not a common thing to say no, and when one did say no it meant that the relationship was now ended. She would always say, I’m not sure or maybe. This then protected her from having to end out working relationship. She also was not very affectionate. In her  culture displays of affection were seen as disrespectful. I can remember a time when we had got some great news within out department and she was sitting next to me. I immediately reached out and hugged her because she was the main person that worked on the project with me. I felt a little weird after the embrace because I felt as though I violated her space. But after doing this research on her culture I now understand why. I started out in this class not understanding what I would truly learn from this. But after the assignment I have learned how to effectively communicate with coworkers of the Chinese culture.

Musical History And Societal Influences Music Essay

Musical History And Societal Influences Music Essay The definition of music is defined in many ways; Websters definition is as follows an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, or harmony. There are many theories regarding when and where music formed. Many agree that music began even before man existed. Researchers point out that there are six periods of music and each period has a certain style of music that made what music is today. Here are some resources for you to better understand the history of music. (Estrella 2001) Music is traced back as far as ancient Israel a thousand years before Christ; King David composed and sang hundreds of songs called psalms. A few of them are written in the old testament in the book of Psalms. But music as we know it now, as having structure and form, may have begun in the 10th century with the Gregorian chants. These chants were organized and detailed with soloists and small groups singing distinctive parts. The music we are more in common with began around the year 1200 and soon after, troubadours singing folk music starting to appear in parts of Europe. In the 14th century, sacred music (church music and hymns) was quite common (but secular music had begun to take hold as well). During the renaissance (around the year 1500) one of the most significant events occurred-the birth of the composer. The appearance of composers, of course, spawned instrumental music and the creation of the instruments such as the piano and lute. (Ezine Articles 2005) The years 1750 to 1820 is considered the Classical period with the piano being a composers instrument of choice. During this time, Mozart wrote his first symphony, Bach performed in London, and Beethoven was born. Many of the symphonies we enjoy today were written during this time. Music has truly evolved since this period though. By 1900, a man named Scott Joplin had composed and published the Maple Leaf Rag, an event many see as the beginnings of the music we know today as popular music. Soon after, new musical forms were taking hold. Jazz in the 1930s (Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday), big band music in the 1940s (Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington), and rock-and-roll (Elvis Presley, Chuck Barry) in the 1950s. Other countries (most notably France and Spain) were creating their own popular music during this time. (Ezine 2005) The three time periods I want to focus on is Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary. This is all known to us to day as Opera, RB, Rock, Hip Hop, Soul, etc. Music has been around for years and can be broken down into many stages or cycles. People everywhere all over the world make their own style of music. Ever genre, sound, melody is different in some way. When we look at the medieval music, we are dealing with the longest and most distant period of musical history. Saint Gregory is credited with organizing the huge repertory of chant that developed during the first centuries of the Christian church, hence the term Gregorian chant. He was pope from 590 to 604, and the medieval era continued into the 1400s, so this period consists of almost a millenniums worth of music. One of the principal difficulties in studying medieval music is that a system for notating music developed only gradually. The first examples of musical notation date from around 900. For several centuries, notation only indicated what pitch to sing. The system for notating rhythm started in the 12th or 13th century. Gregorian chant is monophonic, meaning music that consists of only one melodic line without accompaniment. The beauty of chant lies in the serene, undulating shapes of its melody. We do not know who wrote the melodies of Gregorian chant. Like folk melodies, the music probably mutated as it was passed down through generations and eventually reached its notated form. Polyphony, music where two or more melodic lines are heard simultaneously, did not exist (or was not notated) until the 11th century. Unlike chant, polyphony required the participation of a composer to combine the melodic lines in a pleasing manner. Although most medieval polyphonic music is anonymousthe names of the composers were either lost or never written down at allthere are composers whose work was so important that their names were preserved along with their music. (Ezine 2005) Renaissance is reflected by the changing role of the composer in society. Unlike most of their medieval times, the great masters of the Renaissance were created in their own lifetimes. The technique of printing music, while slow to evolve, helped in the preservation and distribution of music and musical ideas. Sacred music was still predominant, though other music became more prevalent and more sophisticated. The repertory of instrumental music also began to expand significantly. New instruments were invented, including the clavichord and virginal and many existing instruments were improved. Masses and motets were the primary forms of sacred vocal polyphony. Other vocal forms included motets, madrigals and songs (generally accompanied by lute or a small instrumental ensemble or consort). Instrumental pieces were usually short polyphonic works or music for dancing. (Ezine 2005) Compared with the medieval style, Renaissance polyphony was lush and sonorous. The era between Josquin Desprez and Palestrina is known as the golden age of polyphony. Imitationwhere one melodic line shares, or imitates the same musical theme as a previous melodic linebecame an important polyphonic technique. Imitation was one method composers used to make complex music more easily comprehensible and give the listener a sense of structure. Imitative polyphony can be heard in the masses and motets of composers from Josquin onward and is featured in instrumental music by Byrd, Gibbons, and the Gabriellis. Baroque music is often highly ornate, colorful and richly textured when compared with its predecessors. Opera was born at what is considered to be the very beginning of the Baroque era, around 1600. This unique form combines poetry, theater, the visual arts and music. It came about because a group of Italian intellectuals wanted to recapture the spirit of ancient Greek drama in which music played a key role. The first great opera was Orfeo, by Claudio Monteverdi, first performed in 1607. Musics ability to express human emotions and depict natural phenomenon was explored throughout the Baroque period. Vivaldis famous set of concertos, The Four Seasons, is a famous example. Although imitative polyphony remained fundamental to musical composition, homophonic writing became increasingly important. Homophonic music features a clear distinction between the melody line and a subsidiary accompaniment part. This style was important in opera and other solo vocal music because it focused the li steners attention on the expressive melody of the singer. The homophonic style gradually became prevalent in instrumental music as well. (Ezine 2005) Many Baroque works include a continuo part in which a keyboard (harpsichord or organ) and bass instrument (cello or bassoon) provide the harmonic underpinning of chords that accompanies the melodic line. New polyphonic forms were developed, and as in the Renaissance, composers considered the art of counterpoint (the crafting of polyphony) to be essential to their art. Canons and fugues, two very strict forms of imitative polyphony, were extremely popular. Composers were even expected to be able to improvise complex fugues on a moments notice to prove their skill. The orchestra evolved during the early Baroque, starting as an accompanist for operatic and vocal music. By the mid-1600s the orchestra had a life of its own. The concerto was a favorite Baroque form that featured a solo instrumentalist (or small ensemble of soloists) playing against the orchestra, creating interesting contrasts of volume and texture. Many Baroque composers were also virtuoso performers. For example, Archang elo Corelli was famous for his violin playing and Johann Sebastian Bach was famous for his keyboard skills. The highly ornamented quality of Baroque melody lent itself perfectly to such displays of musical dexterity. (Grieg 2002) The word Classical has strong meaning, mixed with the art and Philosophy of Ancient Greece and Rome, along with their ideals of disciplined expression. The late Braque was complex and melodically different. The composers of the early Classical period changed direction, writing music that was much simpler to understand. Homophony music, another part of classical music in which melody and charm are distinct, and has dominated the Classical style is another form of classical music. New forms of composition were developed to accommodate the transformation. Santana Form is the most important of these forms, and one that continued to evolve throughout the Classical period. Although Baroque composers also wrote pieces called sonatas, the Classical sonata was different. The essence of the Classical Sonata is difficult to understand. A highly simplified example of such a conflict might be between two themes of contrasting character. (Grieg 2002) This contrast would be found during the course of the sonata, and then resolved. Sonata form allowed composers to give pure instrumental music recognizable dramatic shape. Every major form of the Classical era, including the string quartet, symphony and concerto was molded on the dramatic structure of the sonata. One of the most important developments of the Classical period is the growth of the public concert. Although the aristocracy would continue to play a significant role in musical life, it was now possible for composers to survive without being the employee of one person or family. This also meant that concerts were no longer limited to palace drawing rooms. Composers organized concerts featuring their own music, and attracted large audiences. The increasing popularity of the public concert had a strong impact on the growth of the orchestra. Although chamber music and solo works were played in the home or other intimate settings, orchestral concerts seemed to be naturally designed for big public spaces. As a result, symphonic music composers gradually expanded the size of the orchestra to accommodate this expanded musical vision. (Grieg 2002) Just as the word Classical conjures up certain images, Romantic music also does the same. Whether we think of those romance novels with the Romanticism implies fantasy and sensuality. The Classical period focused on emotional restraint. Classical music was expressive, but not so passionate that it could overwhelm the work Beethoven, who was in some ways responsible for igniting the flame of romanticism, always struggled (sometimes unsuccessfully) to maintain that balance. (Greig 2002) Many composers of the Romantic period followed Beethovens model and found their own balance between emotional intensity and Classical form. Others reveled in the new atmosphere of artistic freedom and created music whose structure was designed to support its emotional surges. Musical story-telling became important, and not just in opera, but in pure instrumental music as well. The tone-poem is a particularly Romantic invention, as it was an orchestral work whose structure was entirely dependent on the scene being depicted or the story being told. Color was another important feature of Romantic music. A large palette of musical colors was necessary to depict the exotic scenes that became so popular. In addition to seeking out the sights and sounds of other places, composers began exploring the music of their native countries. Nationalism became a driving force in the late Romantic period and composers wanted their music to express their cultural identity. This desire was particularly intense in Russia and Eastern Europe, where elements of folk music were incorporated into symphonies, tone-poems and other Classical forms. (Wagner 1999) The Romantic period was the days of the virtuoso. Gifted performers and particularly pianists, violinists, and singers became enormously popular. Liszt, the great Hungarian pianist/composer, reportedly played with such passion and intensity that woman in the audience would faint. Since, like Liszt, most composers were also virtuoso performers, it was inevitable that the music they wrote would be extremely challenging to play. The Romantic period witnessed a glorification of the artist whether musician, poet or painter that has had a powerful impact on our own culture. (Wagner 1999) This style of music became known as being romantic. The evolution of music is at least partly shaped by the influence one composer has on another. These influences are not always positive, however. Sometimes composers react against the music of their recent past (even though they might admire it) and move in what seems to be the opposite direction. For example, the simplified style of the early Classical period was almost certainly a reaction to the extreme intricacies of the late Baroque. The late Romantic period featured its own extremes: sprawling symphonies and tone-poems overflowing with music that seemed to stretch harmony and melody to their limits. It is certainly possible to view some early 20th century music as an extension of the late Romantic style, but a great deal of it can also be interpreted as a reaction against that style. 20th century music is a series of isms and neo-isms. The primal energy of Stravinskys Rite of Spring has been called neo-Primitivism. The intensely emotional tone of Schà ¶nbergs early music has b een labeled Expressionism. The return to clearly structured forms and textures has been dubbed neo-Classicism. (R. Strauss) These terms have been employed in an attempt to organize the diversity of styles running through the 20th century. Nationalism continued to be a strong musical influence in the first half of the century. The study of folk songs enriched the music of numerous composers, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams (England), Bela Bartok (Hungary), Heitor Villa Lobos (Brazil) and Aaron Copland (USA). Jazz and popular musical styles have also been tremendously influential on classical composers from both the United States and Europe. Technology has played a increasingly important role in the development of 20th century music. Composers have used recording tape as a compositional tool (such as Steve Reichs Violin Phase). Electronically generated sounds have been used both on their own and in combination with traditional instruments. More recently, computer technology has been used in a variety of ways, including manipulating the performance of instruments in real time. (R. Strauss) So as you can see, music has been around for centuries. Many people have helped music evolve over the years. The six long periods of music that were discussed above really helped music become what is today. Although each individual listen to various types of music they all started the same, with either a rhythm or beat. Music was originated long before humans even existed and grew from there. Music in general has made the world a better place. It gives people a way to express themselves. Music has been called The International Language; a very simple thought with much meaning behind it. Even if you cant speak the language of a country, you can move, sway, dance and most of all enjoy the music of the country. We may not understand the words of a musical selection but we do understand the beauty. (Ruth 2008) Musics interconnection with society can be seen throughout history. Every known culture on the earth has music. Music seems to be one of the basic actions of humans. However, early music was not handed down from generation to generation or recorded. Hence, there is no official record of prehistoric music. Even so, there is evidence of prehistoric music from the findings of flutes carved from bones. The influence of music on society can be clearly seen from modern history. Music helped Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. When he could not figure out the right wording for a certain part, he would play his violin to help him. The music helped him get the words from his brain onto the paper. In general, responses to music are able to be observed. It has been proven that music influences humans both in good and bad ways. These effects are instant and long lasting. Music is thought to link all of the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe. Music can also be used to change a persons mood, and has been found to cause like physical responses in many people simultaneously. Music also has the ability to strengthen or weaken emotions from a particular event such as a funeral. People perceive and respond to music in different ways. The level of musicianship of the performer and the listener as well as the manner in which a piece is performed affects the experience of music. An experienced and accomplished musician might hear and feel a piece of music in a totally different way than a non-musician or beginner. This is why two accounts of the same piece of music can contradict themselves. (ODonnell 2001) According to The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, learning potential can be increased a minimum of five times by using this 60 beats per minute music. For example, the ancient Greeks sang their dramas because they understood how music could help them remember more easily). A renowned Bulgarian psychologist, Dr. George Lozanov, designed a way to teach foreign languages in a fraction of the normal learning time. Using his system, students could learn up to one half of the vocabulary and phrases for the whole school term (which amounts to almost 1,000 words or phrases) in one day. Along with this, the average retention rate of his students was 92%. Dr. Lozanovs system involved using certain classical music pieces from the baroque period which have around a 60 beats per minute pattern. He has proven that foreign languages can be learned with 85-100% efficiency in only thirty days by using these baroque pieces. His students had a recall accuracy rate of almost 100% even after not r eviewing the material for four years. The article above discusses how the history of music not only helped human beings but impacted their lives greatly to where we learn better and think better. (ODonnell 2001)