Battle of Marathon in the Persian Wars

The Battle of Marathon was fought during the Persian Wars (498 BC–448 BC) between Greece and the Persian Empire. Date Using a proleptic Julian calendar, it is believed that the Battle of Marathon was fought on either August or September 12, 490 BC. Armies Commanders Greeks MilitiadesCallimachusArimnestusapprox. 8,000-10,000 men Persians DatisArtaphernes20,000-60,000 men Background In the wake of the Ionian Revolt (499 BC-494 BC), the emperor of the Persian Empire, Darius I, dispatched an army to Greece to punish those city-states that had aided the rebels. Led by Mardonius, this force succeeded in subjugating Thrace and Macedonia in 492 BC. Moving south towards Greece, Mardonius fleet was wrecked off Cape Athos during a massive storm. Losing 300 ships and 20,000 men in the disaster, Mardonius elected to withdraw back towards Asia. Displeased with Mardonius failure, Darius began planning a second expedition for 490 BC after learning of political instability in Athens. Conceived as a purely maritime enterprise, Darius assigned command of the expedition to the Median admiral Datis and the son of the satrap of Sardis, Artaphernes. Sailing with orders to attack Eretria and Athens, the fleet succeeded in sacking and burning their first objective. Moving south, the Persians landed near Marathon, approximately 25 miles north of Athens. Responding to the impending crisis, Athens raised around 9,000 hoplites and dispatched them to Marathon where they blocked the exits from the nearby plain and prevented the enemy from moving inland. They were joined by 1,000 Plataeans and assistance was requested from Sparta. Encamping on the edge of the Plain of Marathon, the Greeks faced a Persian force numbering between 20-60,000. Enveloping the Enemy For five days the armies squared off with little movement. For the Greeks, this inactivity was largely due to a fear of being attacked by the Persian cavalry as they crossed the plain. Finally, the Greek commander, Miltiades, elected to attack after receiving favorable omens. Some sources also indicate that Militiades had learned from Persian deserters that the cavalry was away from the field. Forming his men, Militiades reinforced his wings by weakening his center. This saw the center reduced to ranks four deep while the wings featured men eight deep. This may have been due to the Persians tendency to place inferior troops on their flanks. Moving a brisk pace, possibly a run, the Greeks advanced across the plain towards the Persian camp. Surprised by the Greeks audacity, the Persians rushed to form their lines and inflict damage on the enemy with their archers and slingers. As the armies clashed, the thinner Greek center was quickly pushed back. The historian Herodotus reports that their retreat was disciplined and organized. Pursuing the Greek center, the Persians quickly found themselves flanked on both sides by Militiades strengthened wings which had routed their opposite numbers. Having caught the enemy in a double envelopment, the Greeks began to inflict heavy casualties on the lightly armored Persians. As panic spread in the Persian ranks, their lines began to break and they fled back to their ships. Pursuing the enemy, the Greeks were slowed by their heavy armor, but still managed to capture seven Persian ships. Aftermath Casualties for the Battle of Marathon are generally listed as 203 Greek dead and 6,400 for the Persians. As with most battles from this period, these numbers are suspect. Defeated, the Persians departed from the area and sailed south to attack Athens directly.   Anticipating this, Militiades quickly returned the bulk of the army to the city. Seeing that the opportunity to strike the previously lightly-defended city had passed, the Persians withdrew back to Asia. The Battle of Marathon was the first major victory for the Greeks over the Persians and gave them confidence that they could be defeated. Ten years later the Persians returned and won a victory at Thermopylae before being defeated by the Greeks at Salamis. The Battle of Marathon also gave rise to the legend that the Athenian herald Pheidippides ran from the battlefield to Athens to announce the Greek victory before dropping dead. This legendary run is the basis for the modern track and field event. Herodotus contradicts this legend and states that Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta to seek aid before the battle. Selected Sources Battle of MarathonPersian Wars: Battle of Marathon

Geography of Japan Essay - 2320 Words

Japan is known for its contemporary culture and advancement in electronics and engineering. We could also learn from the traditions Japan can offer. From advancement in cars and electronic devices, Japan holds on to ancient arts and traditions that play a role in their daily life. Japan has various climates from tropical in the south to cooler temperatures in the north, and the famous tourist site of the active volcano Mount Fuji. Mount Fiji is the highest mountain in Japan, with a tundra climate the temperature is low and covered with snow causing. The average temperature is always below freezing, excluding the summer. Geography of Japan Japan is a country made up by a chain of thousands of islands on the Pacific Ocean. Japan†¦show more content†¦Chubu has the highest and most famous landmark of Japan Mount Fuji; some of the longest rivers in Japan are located along the Sea of Japan. Its three industrial areas, the first one Chukyo industrial zone are where Toyota Motors is located. The second industrial zone is called Tokai and is where Yamaha is located, and the third industrial location is called Hokuriku where chemicals, medicines, tourism, and a variety of rice is produced. Shikoku region is the smallest of the four main islands and has high steep mountains that do not allow much of farming. The climate is subtropical and is known for its large whirlpools. The Tohoku region located in the northeastern made of gigantic mountains. This area has short summers and long winters and is used for agricultural with over half of this land is rice fields. Kinki/Kansai region is where Osaka and Kobe are lo cated. Rice and citrus fruit are produced here allowed with fishing and lumbering: these industries are important for Japan and are the second most important area for Japan. Also in the Kinki/Kansai region is where one of the important ports for Japans trading. Kansai refers not to the location but to cultural and history of Kinki area. Kyushu and Okinawa are two different locations, but in the same region. They are the furthest south of the four major regions made up of more than 1,400 islands. Okinawa is an island by itself and theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Geography Of Japan464 Words   |  2 Pagesthan any other nation in the world, Japan is shaped by its geography to a tremendous extent. Technically classified as an archipelago, Japan is a curved chain of four islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, plus over a thousand smaller islands). However, it is first and foremost an island nation, a fact which isolated Japan from the rest of the world. The second largest i nfluence in Japanese geography is the size of the nation. The total area of Japan proper is a little under 143 thousandRead MoreJapan s Culture And Its Unique Geography Essay847 Words   |  4 PagesJapan’s culture began with its unique geography as an island that is separated and isolated from other East Asian countries. While there are many theories about modern’s Japanese ancestor; however, most Japanese archaeologists believe the first people that lived and colonized in Japan was the Ainu. The combined evidence of archeology, anthropology, and genetics have shown the indistinctive look between Ainu and the modern Japanese. In their overall genetic makeup, the Ainu are related to other EastRead MoreThe Geography 101 Course Essay Essay894 Words   |  4 PagesThrough the Geography 101 course, I have become increasingly familiar with certain concepts that are easily applicable to cities and countries that I am familiar with. These concepts help me fully understand t he geographic situation occurring in these locations. One location that has been brought up many times throughout the semester and I have increased with familiarity is Japan. This location is constantly changing and growing. 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The Japanese attackedRead MoreAp World History Essay: Comparing and Contrasting China and Japans Responses to Western Penetration in the 19th Century658 Words   |  3 PagesJapan and China had many contrasting responses to western penetration in the nineteenth century, including economic interaction - economically China suffered and Japan prospered, Japanese agricultural productivity increased while China’s did not, and China only accepted a small amount of goods while Japan accepted a wide range of goods- and political interaction - China went to war but Japan did not, Japan adopted western learning styles but China did not, and Japan heavily increased taxes on theirRead MoreWhat the World Eats, by Peter Menzel1750 Words   |  7 Pagesholds out a can of something altered and edible, and a young girl perched near her mother clutches a bag of potato chips to her chest as if claiming it as solely he r own. This is the scene depicted in a photograph of the Ukita family in Kodaira City, Japan as part of a series taken by Peter Menzel for the book â€Å"What the World Eats†. This series of photographs illustrates not only what people eat in different parts of the world, but also how their families, and lives as fellow humans can so closely resembleRead MoreFrom Chernobyl to Fukushima Essay1056 Words   |  5 PagesNot only will the world suffer emotionally from this tragedy emotionally but economically as well. We all know that geography is the ultimate reason behind the disaster. Japan is located at the junction of a web tectonic- plate, resulting in this island being particularly vulnerable to ground-shaking episodes, more than almost anywhere else (Winchester). Although, geography is not the only factor that played a role in this event. Topography greatly affected the death and disaster (Winchester)

Financial Management Policies-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Questions: 1.Critically evaluate Aveos Financial Management policies and practices with respect to their Social Responsibility and social outcomes of their actions 2.Using publicly available data, analyse Aveo as an investment proposition with particular reference to its share price history and history of traded volumes over the past 2 years. Answers: Introduction Efficient financial management is the essence of an organization and this is the reason why financial management policies like capital management, dividend policy are given due recognition. In relation to Aveo Group, the policies implemented by it have assisted it to make a strong progress over the years. An analysis has been done to shed light on the goals of Aveo and whether the corporation should consider the influence of financial decision on sustainability and responsibility. Goals of Aveo Firstly, the Group intends to obtain continuity of flexibility and funding and for such purpose, it utilizes bank loans, overdraft facilities, finance leases, etc in addition to other sources of income. It also reviews its current lines of funding so that future requirements can be addressed. This allows the Group to enhance its flexibility by matching the profiles of cash flow requirements with that of short-term investments. Further, this also allows for timing the negotiation of various credit facilities (Bauer Hann, 2010). This assists the Group in enhancing the efficacies of their social responsibility actions that is its main priority. Secondly, it recognizes the importance of management of capital and for such purpose; it ensures that a mix of funding options are utilized. Besides, this is done in alignment with the objective of maximizing shareholders returns. Further, it intends to maintain a capital structure that can assure a lowest available WACC (weighted average cost o f capital). In relation to this, the Group attempts to maintain its gearing ratio in the range of ten and twenty percent. This can be proved by the fact that its gearing ratio was 17.4% in the year 2015. Moreover, in order to attain advantage from variations in the cost of capital, the Group may adjust such capital structure including variations in dividend payable to shareholders, adjusting the level of debts, etc (Damodaran, 2010). Thirdly, in order to ensure that the resources of the Group are not hampered, it ensures that customers who are willing to trade on credit terms are properly subjected to credit scrutinization processes including an evaluation of their financial position, regulation of industries, etc. Further, the Group also possesses a cash management policy that allows it to maintain liquid cash and other portfolio investments so that preservation of cash is done at all times (Melville, 2013). This can play a key role for the Group in the proper investment of resourc es for the attainment of prime goals and objectives (Bauer Hann, 2010). Moreover, management of working capital can also be done with the help of such financial management practice so that future complications and risks can be avoided, and the resources can be committed to enhancing the lives of aged people in Australia. Fourthly, Aveo also possesses a securities trading policy wherein employees and directors are restricted from dealing in the securities of the company especially in the prevalence of price-sensitive information in order to safeguard insider trading (Aveo, 2017). Lastly, in relation to investments, the Group has an investment policy wherein when it comes to joint ventures and associates; the same is done through an equity-accounted investment measure so that the key social objective of development of retirement villages can be easily taken care of (Williams, 2012). Code of ethics, ethical theories, corporate social responsibility In relation to financial decisions on social responsibility and sustainability, not a slight carelessness can be undertaken. This is because of the fact that Aveo being badly accused of ripping its customers at their retirement villages even though it intends to maximize social responsibility through their actions. Even though Aveo is focused on retirement only by investing more than $700 million towards retirement items and services, yet it must consider the ramification of their financial decisions towards on sustainability and social responsibility. Aveo denies that it pursues a policy to churn the residents and states that most of its residents are happy. However, the truth is that the company has used complicated contracts and exorbitant fees to enhance its profits (Paradise Rogoff, 2009). Moreover, even though the company has denied to the same, yet there are cases of many residents facing intense issues because of the company (Kruger, 2015). This can be proved by the fact tha t the companys three different sources of income, despite being focused towards the lifestyle of residents, yet are causing troubles to them. The Group rakes in cash from the sales price received from the occupants, it also charges a management fee for various services offered, and a deferred management fee (DMF) is also taken after vacation of the unit. All these have fetched immense profits to the Group as it rose to $116 million in 2016 surpassing the expectations of the analysts. The accusations implanted upon the Group have made it realize that many customers were let down because of its financial decisions on sustainability and therefore, it has reconsidered its plans by strengthening and improving its own complaints and processes of incident handling that includes a need for independent mediation (Libby et. al, 2011). Further, it has also endeavored to make its contracts simpler so that the residents have adequate certainties about what they spend (Aveo, 2017). Moreover, it c an be seen from the annual report of Aveo that it has taken every relevant step to ensure that its customers are properly looked after but it must also consider the consequences of their financial decisions because many consumers encountered losses and other issues because of the Groups policy. According to various investigations, it was found that many residents were slipping through cracks in the regulatory system. This is because many authorities like the Consumer Affairs did not have enough powers to prevent such business practice of Aveo (Albuquerque et. al, 2013). Even lawyers have defined various clauses in the contracts of Aveo as draconian and complex. Therefore, on a whole, even though the major corporate Aveo has denied all the allegations, yet residents have encountered issues both mentally and financially. The Group intends to enhance the living style of its customers but every time it was proved that its main intention is to enhance profits. Besides, most of its profits derived from exit fees in the year 2016 that shows how much unsatisfied the consumers were. Hence, even if the accusations are untrue, the problems occurred to the residents cannot be unreal and it is just because of the ineffective financial decisions conducted by the company (Aveo, 2017). Thus, the Group must take into account the ramifications of their decisions on sustainability because if not, more residents will be caught in such financial prison. 2.Aveo as an Investment Going by the overall study and an in-depth research it can be said that the customers remained unsatisfied with the company and it is purely dedicated on reaping profits leaving other factors ignored. As per the study, it is seen that the acts of the organization have led to major issues and has affected the performance. Therefore, as per the evaluation, it can be said that the company is riding under immense difficulties and hence, any wrong or negative new can badly degrade its position in the stock market (Damodaran, 2012). Hence, investment at the current juncture would lead to difficulty as volatility is present and share has taken a sharp dive. Therefore, for the purpose of investment, it must be left to operate and must be kept under the radar so that a decision can be taken in the near future. Causes of fluctuations in the share price and the volumes traded The Aveo group share price pattern reveals that there has been volatility in the share prices. However, the overall trend was strong until 2017 where the graph was indicating higher high and higher low. However, in the year 2017, the share price plunged owing to negative media investigation that concerns the operational performance. The share prices of Aveo group became the worst performers on the Australian Stock Exchange when it declined by eleven percent following the allegations made by Four Corners and Fairfax Media. However, the company has witnessed major volatility in the prices of its shares and even the volume in the last two years. The major underlying reasons behind such volatility can be attributed to the performance of the Group and satisfaction on the part of its residents. When it comes to volatility it affects the prices of the shares and the volume too (Davies Crawford, 2012). Before such investigation claiming unethical practices conducted on the part of the Group, there were customers who were unsatisfied with the contracts of the company. For such purpose, Aveo endeavored to simplify the contracts in a way that it makes it simpler for the residents to understand. This assisted in enhancing the share prices of the Group and it can be proved by the fact that based on a survey, more than ninety percent of residents were satisfied with the services provided by the company (Ronngard, 2016). In addition, since the past two years following the rollout of Aveo contract, more than 2000 customers have gained from the simplification of the contract and it is increasing day-by-day. Moreover, this has resulted in doubling the profits of the company that has enhanced its share price by 10pc in the year 2017. Further, in the year 2016, the acquisition of Freedom Aged Care Pty Ltd allowed the company to diversify its services across Australia that also increased its prices of shares (Aveo, 2017). Furthermore, one year ago, the company moved to full authority over another operator named Retirement Villages Group that allowed it to absorb the remaining twenty seven percent of the stake it did not hold. As a result, there was an enhanced contribution from the sales of development units that was greater than the sales of its current units. This can be proved by the fact that the Group recorded an interim sales of 108 (development) in comparison to 29 of 353 overall sales that incurred in the first half of 2016. Besides, the development arm of the company contributed more than eight percent to the earnings of the Group in the past years that have in turn maximized its share prices. However, even though the company recorded efficient results, yet its practices became questionable under the eyes of the law that eventually played a key role in decreasing its share prices (Horngren, 2013). Besides, even though the contracts were simplified, yet many residents were unhappy and when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took over the case, hearing such news resulted in a decline of its share price by 5pc. Any questionable fact is considered by the market with utmost negativity and impacts the smooth operation of the company (Benabou Tirole, 2010). Due to all these questionable practices on the part of the Group, it finally decided to launch a $145 million buyback program so that it can enhance the prices of its shares. However, the Group could not encounter the questionable allegations even though it spent millions on advertising to avoid such accusations (Aveo, 2017). This resulted in a class action against the Group that declined its share prices by more than ten percent. Therefore, it is imperative that the company failed to prove the reason and give a complete justification of the happening. Hence, any further proceedings in the case can lead to more volatility and hence, Aveo at present is under difficulties and should not be considered for any investment purpose. It must be allowed to resurrect so that the trend or the pattern can be known. Conclusion The study above clearly indicates that Aveo has faced difficulty in operation and is mainly due to the external scenario. Hence, it is the duty of the management to ensure that the company should be free from all such allegation by laying down a structure of strong corporate governance. It needs to be noted that any wrong or negative news can bring the stock prices to a big fall. This affects the goodwill of the company and leads to a disturbance in the stock market. Overall, the market scenario of the company remains in a bearish mode and the sharp plunge in the stock prices must be considered before taking any vital decision. In all probability, the current scenario of the company is not a good bet for investment. At present the trend is unknown and hence, the stock must be left to operate on its own and decision must be taken accordingly. References Albuquerque, R, Durnev, A, Koskinen, Y 2013, Corporate social responsibility and firm risk: theory and empirical evidence, Boston University. Aveo 2017, AOG - AVEO GROUP - Share Prices, Company News and Announcements, viewed 2 September 2017 https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/quotes/price-history/AOG/aveo-group Bauer, R Hann, D 2010, Corporate environmental management and credit risk, Maastricht University. Benabou, R Tirole, R 2010, Individual and Corporate Social responsibility, Ecnomica vol.11, pp. 1-19 Damodaran, A 2010, Applied Corporate Finance: A Users Manual, New York: John Wiley Sons Damodaran, A 2012, Investment Valuation, New York: John Wiley Sons. Davies, T. Crawford, I 2012, Financial accounting, Harlow, England: Pearson. Horngren, C 2013, Financial accounting, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson Australia Group. Kruger, P 2015, Corporate goodness and shareholder wealth, Journal of Financial economics, pp. 304-329 Libby, R., Libby, P. and Short, D 2011,Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Melville, A 2013, International Financial Reporting A Practical Guide, 4th edition, Pearson, Education Limited, UK Paradise, R Rogoff, B 2009, Side by Side: Learning by Observing and Pitching In, Ethos, vol. 37, pp. 102138 Ronngard, H 2016, Aveo Group Climbs 8% after Confirming Acquisition, viewed 2 September 2017 https://www.moneymorning.com.au/20160218/aveo-group-climbs-8-after-confirming-acquisition-cw.html Williams, J 2012, Financial accounting, New

Isaiah Berlin Essays - Social Philosophy, Libertarian Theory

Isaiah Berlin Isaiah Berlin became one of our century's most important political theorists for liberty and liberalism in an age of totalitarianism. He was born in Riga, Latvia in 1909 into a well to do Jewish family. At the age of 12 he moved to Petrograd and experienced first hand the Bolshevik revolution, which would later influence his intellectual ideas about totalitarianism (Gray 3). In 1921 his family moved to London and sent Isaiah to school. His schooling lead him to Oxford where he took a position as philosophy professor in 1931. His English schooling led him to become a disciple of classical liberalism in the English tradition of Mill, Locke, and others (Berger). During World War II the British put him to work in their Foreign Service department where he became a favorite advisor of Churchill (Honderich 92). After the war his major political theory was developed as he moved into political philosophy and history as his areas of emphasis. His most famous and important works, a lecture, "Two Concepts on Liberty", and an essay, "The Hedgehog and the Fox" where produced in the 1950's. Knighted in 1957 and he became the first Jewish fellow at Oxford's All Souls College and chair of social and political theory at Oxford. After that he later became president of the newly created Wolfson College and then President of the British Academy (Honderich 92). After his death in 1997 historian Arthur Schlesinger stated that he is one of the finest liberal thinkers and political theorists of the twentieth century (Schlesinger 1). Isaiah Berlin is unique among intellectuals in the fact the he didn't produce a magnum opus during his life. He stated, "that he had no desire to sit in front of a desk with a blank piece of paper," and didn't care about it influencing his academic legacy (Berger). Most of his works came in the form of essay's and lectures, as his two most famous are, "The Hedgehog and the Fox" and "Two Concepts of Liberty." He wrote few actual books and had most of his work collected and published by Henry Hardy, once of his graduate students (Gray 4). He never tried to advocate a certain political philosophy and was actually quite against any "right" political philosophy. Through his essays and lectures he made critiques on the current systems and made observations on liberty, nationalism, and socialism. A strict stand against totalitarianism is one of the concepts that can be seen throughout much of Berlin's work. His strong liberal views clashed with totalitarianism in age where it dominated. Much of his distaste also came from his own personal experience with communism and fascism. He lived during the Russian Revolution and saw first hand its effect on the Russian people. "I was never pro-communist. Never...anyone who had, like me, seen the Russian revolution at work was not likely to be tempted (Houston Chronicle News Service)." He detested fascism but not as vocally as communism since most of it had been eradicated during World War II. Berlin had relatives during World War II left in Riga who where killed both by Nazi and Soviet Communist forces (Gray 3). This fact no doubt further heightened his contempt for both systems. An essay in 1953 entitled the "Hedgehog and the Fox" became one of his most popular works in the United States. Taking its name from a line by the Greek poet Archilochus, it was one part literary criticism on War and Peace and an attack on the inevitability of history (Greenburg). Initially published under the title "Leo Tolstoy's Historical Sceptiscism" he changed it to the, which according to British Publisher George Weidenfeld did more for his reputation than any other (Greenburg). Berlin asserted that individual's act freely in history and has a choice in their destiny. Tolstoy took the Marxian view that history was inevitable. "The characters despite the constraints of circumstance according to Berlin act freely and thus are morally accountable for their decisions" (Greenburg). Berlin thought that the characters still had free wills over their choices despite the situation they where in and thus history was undecided. This attack on historical inevitability shows Berlin's distaste for Marx's philosophy, particularly the Bolshevik brand of communism. Berlin's contention with the Marxian view of history has to do with historical anthropology of Marx. Marx asserts in his works that national culture would simply go away under communism and if it did survive, it wouldn't hold any political importance (Gray 94). He strongly stands against this view on the grounds humans being so vastly different in culture

Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins Essay Essay Example

Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins Essay Essay Example Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins Essay Essay Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins Essay Essay Opened Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons on December 18. 1990. and closed on February 16. 1991 after 73 public presentations. Directed by Jerry Zaks. The dramatis personae included Victor Garber. Terrence Mann. Patrick Cassidy. Debra Monk. Greg Germann. and Annie Golden. Harmonizing to the Los Angeles Times. â€Å"The show has been sold out since prevues began. reflecting the strong entreaty of Sondheim’s work among the theatre crowd. † Frank Rich in his New York Times review wrote â€Å"Assassins will hold to fire with crisp purpose and fewer spaces if it is to hit to kill. † Opened in London at the Donmar Warehouse on October 29. 1992 and closed on January 9. 1993 after 76 public presentations with way by Sam Mendes. Opened on Broadway at Studio 64 on April 22. 2004 and closed on July 18. 2004 after 101 public presentations with way by Joe Mantello. This show was supposed to open in 2001. but was pushed back until 2004. due to the recent terrorist onslaught on September 11. 2001. Librettist- John Weidman- boy of Jerome Weidman ( librettist of Fiorello! ) mostly known as a author for the hit kids telecasting plan. Sesame Street. Received a B. A. in East Asiatic History from Harvard and a J. D. from Yale. Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Book for a Musical three times. Libretti credits include: Pacific Overtures. Anything Goes. Assassins. Big. Contact. Bounce. Take Flight. Road Show. and Happiness. Composer/ Lyricist- Stephen Sondheim- received an Academy Award. eight Tony Awards ( more than any other composer. including a Particular Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre ) ; eight Grammy Awards ; a Pulitzer Prize. and the Laurence Olivier Award. He has worked on infinite musicals. Some credits include. West Side Story. Gypsy. Company. Folliess. A Small Night Music. Sweeney Todd. Sunday in the Park with George. Into the Woods. and Assassins. Director- Joe Mantello- mianly known for his way in Wicked. Take Me Out. and Assassins. Hes won two Drama Desk and Tony awards. Hes besides directed for the hit Television show. Law and Order. Choreographer/Musical Staging- Jonathan Butterell- choreographer for the Broadway resurgences of Nine. Fiddler on the Roof. and The Light in the Piazza. Besides choreographed for several movies including Finding Neverland. Michael Cerveris starred as John Wilkes Booth on Broadway ( 2004 ) . while Victor Garber starred in the function off Broadway ( 1990 ) . Other Broadway credits for Cerveris include. 18/20 twelvemonth old Tommy/Narrator in The Who’s Tommy. the title function in Sweeney Todd. and Thomas Andrews in Titanic. B. FOUNDATIONS OF THE PLOT PART 1 Time- Assassins opened on in 1990. so I presume the authorship of the show occurred in the 80’s. In the show. they hop from one epoch to the following epoch. The epoch that my wish list occurs is in the twelvemonth of 1865. Place- The drama takes topographic point in different countries of the U. S. where each Assassin lived. My scene takes topographic point in a barn in Port Royal. Virginia. minutes before my decease. The Balladeer. who portrays the young person of America. is on phase with me. David Herold besides makes a little visual aspect. Society and Culture- 1865. Everyone wore really classy get-ups. This is besides the clip of bondage. so what you wore depicted what category you belonged in. The rich were rich and the hapless were hapless. Economy- Despite the Civil War in the first half of the 1860s. the United States grew in population: from 31 million in 1860 to 38 million in 1870. This addition of 7 million included 2. 3 million immigrants. 90 per centum of them from Europe. An overpowering per centum of them settled other than in the South Politics and Law- Abraham Lincoln had abolished bondage which was the tipping point for Booth. C. FOUNDATIONS OF THE PLOT PART 2 Plot- The eventide begins at a fairground. in forepart of a shooting gallery that boasts a alone amusement: â€Å"Shoot the President – win a Prize† . As the Proprietor presents his sideshow. eight figures come frontward one by one to opportunity their fortune. bravos drawn from over a century of American history. They are a disparate group. one dressed in a nineteenth century frock coat. another as a section shop Santa. But each is handed his ain typical gun – the preferable agencies of ultimate political protest in the United States. â€Å"EVERYBODY’S GOT THE RIGHT† to be happy. the Proprietor asserts. Last to get is John Wilkes Booth. who quickly uses his freshly acquired arm on President Lincoln. As the fatal shootings pealing out. the Balladeer steps out to sing â€Å"THE BALLAD OF BOOTH† a fine-looking Satan who decided to take his bad reappraisals out on his Head of State. Holed up in a baccy barn with his Confederate David Herold. Booth is determined to put down his version of events: he’s non a common cut-throat. non a lunatic. but person who did what he did for his state. who slew a tyrant – as Brutus did. But. even as Booth dies. the Balladeer’s lay returns to indicate out that. thanks to him. Lincoln. who received assorted reappraisals. now gets merely raves. The other bravos are in a saloon. â€Å"Has Nixon been in? † asks Samuel Byck. still have oning his Santa suit. But it seems non. Booth is back. though. merely in clip to hear Giuseppe Zangara kicking about how nil seems to alleviate the hurting in his tummy. Booth suggests hiting FDR. â€Å"Will it assist? † asks Zangara. but Zangara’s effort duds and he kills. alternatively. Mayor Cermak of Chicago. Grouped around the wireless mikes in Miami’s Bayfront Park. a smattering of bystanders boast. over the strains of a Sousa March. of â€Å"HOW I SAVED ROOSEVELT† . while. strapped into the electric chair. Zangara insists he is non left or right. merely an â€Å"American nothing† . The vocal ends as the current is switched on. Forty old ages subsequently. in the seventiess. Sara Jane Moore and Lynette â€Å"Squeaky† Fromme meet up over a pail of Kentucky Fried Chicken. discourse the immoralities of fast nutrient and stop up taking pot shootings at the sculpted image of Colonel Sanders. Neither is really good with a gun. but at least they have one. â€Å"It takes a batch of work forces to do a gun. † says Leon Czolgosz. a heavy glass-factory worker contemplating the significance and power of his arm. In THE GUN SONG. Czolgosz. Moore. Booth and Charles Guiteau identify. in barbershop harmoniousnesss. the advantages of pieces: all you have to make is travel your small finger and you can alter the universe. The others wander off. go forthing Czolgosz entirely to see what he should make. He is an supporter of the nihilist fomenter Emma Goldman and. after one of her meetings. she suggested that he might wish to see the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. He does. and the Balladeer takes up the narrative in THE BALLAD OF CZOLGOSZ. As President McKinley shakes custodies with visitants to the Exposition. Czolgosz wraps his gun in a hankie. joins the President’s excited supporters and putting to deaths Big Bill. 1n the USA. you can work your manner to the caput of the line† . Back to the Seventiess: Samuel Byck. an out-of-work Sur salesman. has hatched a bold strategy to kill President Nixon and is explicating it. via his cassette machine. to Leonard Bernstein. the busy music director and composer. â€Å"Maybe if you can’t listen now. † suggests Byck. aware of the force per unit areas on the maestro’s clip. â€Å"you can listen ‘Tonight. tonight. . . ’ I love that song† . His message completed. he leaves singing â€Å"Everything’s great in America. . . † John Hinckley besides enjoys vocalizing. but merely his ain composings. angrily accompanied on his acoustic guitar. â€Å"UNWORTHY OF YOUR LOVE† . he admits in an distraught lay addressed to his â€Å"girlfriend† . Jodie Foster. Lynette Fromme tickers and so delivers her ain version of the figure. addressed to her lover ( and the new Messiah ) Charles Manson. But Hinckley blows his chance to turn out his worthiness to Jodie when he start s hiting unsuccessfully at a exposure of President Reagan that is projected on to the back wall. The President merely keeps wisecracking his manner through the slugs – and. hey. where’d that cat learn to hit anyhow? The Russian ground forces? Charles Guiteau has better fortune. In 1881. he meets President Garfield at the Baltimore and Potomac station in Washington and asks to be made Ambassador to France. Garfield ignores him and is fatally shot in the dorsum. Failed attorney. sermonizer. politician and writer. Garfield’s slayer is looking frontward to being an angel and. in â€Å"THE BALLAD OF GUITEAU† . cakewalks up and down the gallows stairss with uncontrollable sunniness. Before his blackwash of Garfield and executing. Guiteau had given Sara Jane Moore some lessons in how to hit up her Kentucky Fried Chicken more accurately. But they don’t seem to hold paid off. Trying now to hit President Ford. she kills her Canis familiaris alternatively. And she got all her day of the months mixed up. so she had to convey the child along and he’s shouting for an ice-cream and Lynette is shouting at her for conveying the child and the Canis familiaris to an blackwash. â€Å"Look. we came here to kill the President† . scream Moore. â€Å"Let’s merely kill him and travel home† . Enter President Ford. who trips on the slugs she’s dropped. really considerately hands them back to her and returns on his manner as Moore and Fromme pull their triggers impotently behind him. After Sam Byck’s stillborn mission to crash an airliner into the White House. he and the seven other bravos come together to explicate their motivations: one did it to revenge the ravaged South. another so her friends would cognize where she was coming from. Now. they want their awards. For the first clip. they are no longer freakish. embittered. angry persons but a group with a common intent. processing to ANOTHER NATIONAL ANTHEM – non the 1 you cheer at the ballpark. but the anthem of those who can’t acquire in. As the March dies off. the Blue Ridge Boys drama Heartache Serenade. and we’re hearing to a transistor wireless in the 6th floor storage room of the Texas School Book Depository on 22 November 1963. On the brink of taking his ain life. Lee Harvey Oswald is interrupted by Booth and the other bravos. and invited alternatively to do history. The bravos who preceded Oswald say he will convey them back ; those who came after him say he will do them possible. by one time once more doing blackwashs a portion of the American experience. His act can give them historical power as a united force. non as a clump of stray â€Å"nuts† . Oswald refuses and Booth entices him with the statement that when Hinckley’s room is searched after his blackwash effort on President Reagan. every book written about Oswald will be found. Through the window. flags are winging. sets are processing to loyal melodies. the President’s motorcade is about to go through by the shouting crowds. 1n here. this is America. too† . says Booth – the land where any child can turn up to be President. or turn up to kill a President. Oswald picks up his gun and moves to the window. As President Kennedy dies. his bravo takes his topographic point among his colleagues in the last empty booth at the carnival. He has brought them back. he has made them possible. and. for those ordinary Americans. who’ll ever retrieve where they were when they heard the intelligence. SOMETHING JUST BROKE. Their desperation stands in quiet contrast to the jaunty reprise of their subject. EVERYBODY’S GOT THE RIGHT †¦ to their dreams. D. CHARACTER Who- John Wilkes Booth. a good known histrion in the 1860’s. Super Objective- In his life: To clean his state of autocrats in the United States Government. In the vocal: To explicate why he assassinated the President of the United States. What relationship do they have with other characters- David Herold was one of Booth’s confederates and portions the last conversation of all time with Booth. After he shoots himself. he acts as a scruples to the other bravos in the drama. converting them to kill a president. Character Plot- As shortly as Booth enters the phase he shoots and kills Lincoln. He’s so seen in the barn where he’s concealment from the constabulary. David Herold gives himself up without a battle. while John stays back. He asks to the Balladeer to go through on the true ground why he killed the president. He so proceeds to explicate why he did what he did and so shootings himself in the caput. Obstacles/Conflicts- the constabulary have set the barn I’m in on fire. Character Backgroud- John Wilkes Booth perfectly obtained a grade from university. He besides has a rotter leg in this scene for he injured it during his flight from the Ford Theatre. What others say about me: The Balladeer – Johnny Booth was a fine-looking Satan - Had him a pique but kept it degree - Some say it was your voice had gone - they say you killed a state toilet because of bad reappraisals - Your brother made you covetous John. you couldn’t make full his places - They say your ship was sinkin’ John - They say it wasn’t Lincoln. John.

Greatest Quotes From Sex and the City

Greatest Quotes From 'Sex and the City' The hit TV show Sex and the City has beautifully captured the turmoil of modern women stuck in a fast paced city. When you read Sex and the City quotes, your first thought may be: Is this how life in NYC is like? Read and decide for yourself. Carrie: Everywhere I looked, people were standing in twos it was like Noahs Upper West Side rent-controlled Ark.Samantha: Oh sweetie, forget about him. You are gonna be on the side of a bus. 10 million men are gonna be drooling over you every morning on their way to work. Its the best personal ad Ive ever seen in my life.Carrie: Samantha has a particular knack for turning a desperate situation into a hopeless one.Carrie: Lets be honest. Sometimes there is nothing harder in life than being happy for somebody else. Like lottery winners. Or extremely successful people who are 27. And then theres that hell on earth that only your closest friends can inflict on you the baby shower.Carrie: When Charlotte really liked a guy, she said his whole name it helped her to imagine their future monogrammed towels.Miranda: Maybe its time I stopped being so angry.Carrie: Yah, but what would you do with all your free time?Samantha: Until he says I love you, youre a free agent.Carrie: What is this? The Rules According to Samantha?Samantha: See? Im more old-fashioned than you think.Samantha: Look at his robe. So Robin and his Merry Men.Carrie: Here. Swear. Swear on Chanel.: Oh my God were gonna have to ice skate home. Hell just froze over.Carrie: I thought I had come to terms with my looks the year I turned thirty, when I realized I no longer had the energy to be completely superficial.Samantha: Normal is the halfway point between what you want and what you can get.Samantha: Heres what I think. Round up all the divorced men and keep them in a pound. That way, you get their whole history before you take one home.Miranda: I love how they say until recently, the bride worked.Carrie: Yeah, meaning she quit her job as soon as she found her soul-mate-slash-investment-banker.Charlotte: Listen to this: sometime in the ten years before menopause, you may experience symptoms including all-month long PMS, fluid retention, insomnia, depression, hot flashes or irregular periods.Carrie: On t he plus side, people start to give up their seats for you on the bus. Carrie: Our affair, like our hotels, had gone from elegant with crystal to seedy with plastic cups.Miranda, : Why would that cheer her up? Does she look like a 22-year-old frat boy? Sex and the City Quotes Miranda: Men- wait, let me rephrase that- some men... Jerry Jerrod Sex and the City Quotes Sex and the City Quotes

Conjunctiva in Contact Lens Wear Research Proposal

Conjunctiva in Contact Lens Wear - Research Proposal Example In a study conducted by Aragona P, Ferreri G, Micali A, Puzzolo D. in 1998 to detect the morphological changes of the conjunctival epithelium in contact lens wearers evaluated by impression cytology, it was found that cellularity, nucleus to cytoplasm ratio and goblet cell distribution were altered. In another study by Knop E, Brewitt H. in 1992 , where they discovered using the impression cytology technique on contact lens wearers that enlargement of the conjunctival cells took place as well as flattening of their cells. They also noted a decrease in the number of goblet cells. The late finding was contrary to what Connor C.G., Campbell J.B., Steel S.A., Burke J.H. have found in 1994 of an increase of goblet cells in daily contact lens wearers. As the conjunctiva has an important functional demand on the eye helping in keeping the eye moist and its cleansing effect through tears, it is thus an important first defence against debris and pathogens. Direct in vivo observation of the co njunctiva at a cellular level using the confocal microscope is likely to provide important new insights into the impact of contact lens wear on the ocular surface. This study is aimThis study is aimed to conclude results from in vivo research of those contact lens wearers. The significance of this research is to give more focused results on the effect of contact lenses contributing to add more knowledge to this specific aspect and whether or not any compromisation of the conjunctiva takes place. Please add a new paragraph as follows:- Program of research and investigation: - Under this heading, I would like you to write about To Clearly State the research problem, research key questions, sub question or hypotheses or key issues that will be tested or addressed This research will perform its investigation to describe the possible effects of lens wearing on 20 candidates to discuss the conjunctival hazardous effects (if present) and either confirm or deny the hypothesis in question. Inspection will be done at a cellular level to further investigate any changes that may occur in the conjunctiva cells including epithelial cells, goblet cells and cellular density. According to Adar S, Kanpolat A, Surucu S, Ucakhan OO 1997 "Epithelial changes were noted to be more frequent and more severe in symptomatic patients than in those without any complaints." Moon JW, Shin KC, Lee HJ, Wee WR, Lee JH, Kim MK. 2006 also found that "The ocular surface changes in keratoconus may be directly related to contact lens wear" The hypothesis is that contact lenses do not produce any significant effect on the conjunctiva, mainly superficial conjunctival epithelial cell density (it is unclear whether this would be an increase or decrease) and results in a decrease in

Womens Suffrage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Womens Suffrage - Research Paper Example A series of activities followed the enlightening, which had been presented by the publication of this book. People began advocating for the equal rights among women and men The origin of the women suffrage movements could be traced in France during the French revolution, where Olympe de Gouges and Nicolas de Condorcet were involved in advocating for women suffrage during the national elections. This movement began spreading across continents and regions and almost all societies experienced such movements advocating for equality. These movements continued to become popular among different regions and they were increasingly utilised to advocate for other rights. Various debates arose within the regions focusing of the need to provide women with the right to vote. During the early 19th century, there was an increasing debate on women suffrage which resulted in a convention calling for women suffrage. The convention was conducted in 1848 in America, and it challenged America to revolutionise the social system in all aspects of life. Proponents of women suffrage believed that, suffrage was the most effective approach for changing the unjust system which failed to offer women the right to vote (Nardo, 2014). Since the movement began, some progress was made and women were accorded many freedoms which they lacked. These included education opportunities, property rights, and many other social freedoms. Although these were achieved through advocating for equal rights, the right to vote still remained elusive to the supporters of suffrage. The granting of the rights to vote remained limited to certain states within the United States of America. By the turn of the 19th century only four states had granted women the right to vote. The organizations which were advocating to equal rights remains focused on other forms of freedoms including the broad economic and political freedoms for social change (Buhle & Buhle, 2005). The

The Astonishing Hypothesis Essay Example for Free

The Astonishing Hypothesis Essay John Maddox (1995) in â€Å"The Prevalent Distrust of Science† argues that there exists a distrust in the innovations within the field of science as a result of the unreliability of the scientific community regarding the various innovations that it has developed over the past years. Maddox claims that this distrust has led to the creation of a culture of ignorance, the effects of which can be seen in the existence of an anti-science mindset. These views may take the form of passive denial and active denial. Passive denial refers to the â€Å"intentional obfuscation of what science is about† whereas active denial refers to the denial of the validity of scientific claims (Maddox, 1995, p. 436). Maddox further claims that this mindset may be seen as the result of (1) individuals’ inability to hold accountability for their actions since science â€Å"shifts responsibility from nature onto people’s own shoulders† and (2) individual’s inability to easily adapt to change since science â€Å"challenge(s) cherished beliefs† (1995, p. 436-437). In order to test the prevalence of this mindset within society, Maddox proposed the conduction of a public opinion poll in the form of a conceptual experiment. The experiment involves presenting the hypothesis of Francis Crick regarding human development as presented in his book The Astonishing Hypothesis. According to Crick, the human brain begins as a bag of neurons. In addition to this, he claims that the development of the hardwired parts of the human nervous system is genetically determined. The process in which this genetic determination occurs however was not accounted for by Crick. Based on his views regarding the distrust in the development in scientific inquiry, Maddox claims that â€Å"the scientists will not think Crick’s hypothesis all that astonishing† (1995, p. 437). In order to test whether such an anti-science mindset exists, I conducted the poll proposed by Maddox. In the process of doing this, I interviewed ten students, five of which major in science related courses and five of which major in humanities related courses. Their ages range from 19-25 years old. Amongst the ten interviewees, five were male and five were female. In addition to this, six of the interviewees were Caucasians, two were African Americans, and two were Asian Americans. In terms of their religious affiliation, six of them were Protestants and the remaining interviewees were Roman Catholics. All the interviewees were given the same information regarding Crick’s views on human development. After being given the information and asked regarding the validity of Crick’s views, all the interviewees agreed regarding the high probability of Crick’s claim. The difference between the interviewees can be traced to their explanation as to why they consider Crick’s view to be highly probable. The interviewees who major in science related courses gave more precise explanations regarding the probability of Crick’s claim. One them stated that â€Å"embryonic fetal development always begins with the development of the neurological system since the system is necessary to support the other development of the primary organs of the fetus†. Another one stated that this claim is true since studies have shown that the human embryo produces almost a million neurons every minute after the first four weeks of its conception. As opposed to this, the students who major in humanities related subjects tended to provide a less detailed explanation. One of them stated, â€Å"Crick’s hypothesis might be true since his view corresponds with what we discussed in Biology 101†. The reason for the difference of the explanation of these students may be traced to the formers exposure to the scientific language as opposed to the latter. Based on the interviews that I conducted, it seems that Maddox’s claim does not hold. It is possible that the reason for this may traced to the fact that the individuals I interviewed were all college students. Their educational background may have provided them with the recognition of the necessity to recognize the importance of scientific knowledge in the advancement of humanity. As I see, the distrust in scientific innovations stem as a result of individuals’ lack of knowledge regarding the importance of scientific innovation as well as the probabilistic nature of scientific knowledge. Reference Maddox, J. (1995). â€Å"The Prevalent Distrust of Science. † Nature, 378, 435-437.

Influenza in New York :: Journalism Health Medical Spanish Flu Essays

Influenza in New York NEW YORK: October 5.--The influenza virus is a common disease, which has been prevalent in society for many years. This year however we are seeing an influenza epidemic hitting not only the United States but also the entire world. This strain of influenza has been named "Spanish Influenza" and is much more volatile and deadly than the usual strain of influenza. The common influenza strain usually surfaces in the cold months of winter and this strain is no different, however it is unusually deadly. The fatality rate is much higher for people ages 15-45 compared to the common influenza, which is usually fatal for the young and old. This makes this particular strain of influenza much different and therefore is causing an epidemic and a certain state of panic across the globe. Here in New York it seems that the Spanish influenza was brought to the city by merchant mariners who were shipping in from the war front in Europe. It seems that Spanish influenza is spreading so quickly because of the war. With so many soldiers in tight quarters and in the trenches the disease is able to spread much quicker than before. These soldiers are coming home from the war to cities such as ours and unfortunately are bringing the virus with them. This is causing the spread of Spanish influenza not only through the military but also into the civilian population. Due to the rapid spread of the disease, many steps are being taken by the Public Health Department to try to curb the rapid spread into the civilian population. These actions may seem severe but they are necessary in order to make sure New York has as few fatalities from this epidemic as possible. The first step being taken is quarantining those coming in from Europe who are showing symptoms of the virus or have been in close contact with anyone else showing the symptoms. This is to ensure that these people do not ride in public transportation and transfer the virus to unsuspecting civilians. People are also being inspected for the influenza virus at railroad stations across the city. This is to ensure that the infected do not ride the train and pass the virus on to not only the people on board but also to the population of their destination city.

Beaten Like Dogs Essay

? â€Å"They went by, fallen, dragging their packs, dragging their lives, deserting their childhood, cringing like beaten dogs. † This quote stated in the book the Night written by Elie Wiesel. This quote simply sums up the book in a few words. For me it shows the indescribable misery endured by the Jewish people. This quote really has a deep impact on me. It makes me realize how lucky I am, to live in a country where there is a freedom to practice whatever religion you want to be a part of. It makes me feel so bad for all the torture that the Jews suffered. When I think about the gas chambers, the starvation, and the abuse, I put myself in the position of a Jewish person. If my family was told we were all going to shower, and finally be clean, and we were actually being executed. It makes me sick to my stomach. The disgust the images from this quote bring to me, I will never forget. When I juxtapose my life with an 18 year old Jewish boy’s life in 1945 I realize the suffrage that they went through. I choose to have a job, which I get paid for. While a Jewish boy at this time would be forced to do hard labor for no pay and if they refuse they would be brutally murdered. I eat everyday three meals a day but this boy however gets little to no food. Could I live like this? Suffering everyday surviving physical and mental torture. I really don’t think I could, all of the people, good innocent people being persecuted for their religion I have realized were stronger then the over compensating Nazi’s who got there high from literally breaking down these good people. This quote has changed the way I look at my life and the freedom and choices I get to make every day. Such as: school, clothing, sports, and my job. Also the quote has changed my view on abusive parents. I’ve always known this is a bad thing, but the quote makes me picture how an abused child could feel on the inside. In my opinion Wiesel named the book â€Å"Night† because the Jewish people in the death camps felt like they were trapped in the darkness, and would never see the light of day again.

Poetry of Emily Dickinson

The poetry of Emily Dickinson is studied like the works of William Shakespeare, as timeless and perfect works of art, gracing the canon.   This paper will analyze in detail eight of Dickinson’s poems which have been classified as â€Å"time† poems.   The poems to be discussed are: â€Å" I like to see it lap the Miles – â€Å"; â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death – â€Å"; â€Å"The Heart asks Pleasure- first- â€Å"; â€Å"After great pain, a formal feeling come†; â€Å"There’s a certain Slant of light†; I felt a Cleaving in my Mind†; â€Å"The first Day’s Night had come – â€Å"; and â€Å"Pain- expands the Time†.â€Å"I like to see it lap the Miles† is considered a time poem by many Dickinson scholars because it tracks the daily route of a train.   Its speaker, arguably the author, watches a train make its scheduled runs and stops through the mountains.   The train, an unlikely subject for Dickinson, who refers mostly to nature or the natural in her poems, seems to take on characteristics much like a horse.   The words â€Å"lap† and â€Å"lick† are two things a horse does; horses also have a â€Å"prodigious step† and come to rest at their â€Å"stable door†.The four quatrain stanza poem has no noticeable rhyme pattern.   The meter alternates between iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter in the first two stanzas.   The third stanza breaks the pattern suddenly with two lines of iambic dimeter and three lines of iambic trimester.   This stanza is also odd in numbered lines.   There are five lines, where the rest of the poem has quatrain stanzas.   The last stanza has yet a different meter, consisting of two iambic trimeters for the first two lines.   The poem ends with two lines of iambic tetrameter.â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death –† is one of Dickinson’s best known and most studied poe ms, and arguably her most famous.   This time poem starts with life and crosses over into death or eternity.   The transition is easy and painless for both the poet and the reader because of the flow of rhythm.   It is seemingly very natural.   It is very melodic and has been acclaimed over and over again by scholars to be the most perfect poem ever written.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Because I could not stop for Death – † is not only a time poem, but a death poem as well.   It deals with the idea of the afterlife, something Emily Dickinson has been rumored to be obsessed with. The speaker is the poet, who speaks as a person crossing from life to death, who is travelling with possibly the Grim Reaper or the angel of death.   Despite the circumstance, her tone is hopeful and casual.There are 6 quatrain stanzas in this poem. It has an easy rhythm pattern throughout.The first stanza has the only rhymed pattern of ABCB; the remaining five stanzas are all ABCD.   The pattern is iambic tetrameter alternating with iambic trimeter, every other line in the first three stanzas.  The fourth stanza switches the meter pattern temporarily to iambic trimeter, tetrameter, tetrameter, trimeter.   This switch is indicitave of a switch in tone in the poem.   The pattern is literally turned inside out.   Every other stanza in this poem has eight and then six syllables, alternating that pattern throughout the poem except for in this fourth stanza.   There are six, eight, eight, six, resembling a palindrome numerically.   This fourth stanza switches from the poet being in control of the action to nature around her reflecting the action, here the sun, passing her by.The last two stanzas continue with the previous pattern of alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and trimeter.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Heart asks Pleasure  ­ – first –† is a two stanza poem.   Every line is iambic trimeter except for the fourth line in the first stanza, which is iambi c tetrameter.This time poem is a step by step process, including he words, â€Å"first† and the phrase â€Å"and then† for each step.   The requests of the heart seem to indicate a timeline of pain in a person’s life or the end of a person’s life or a time when a person is in great pain or when the heart is broken or suffering.The narrator of the poem seems to be the actual heart speaking in the third person.   The tone is somber and points to an ending of some kind, a long for release.   There is a build up of intensity as the poem progresses, making the ending more dramatic and final.  The poem â€Å"After great pain, a formal feeling comes† traces the time after pain, but not prior to it.   The speaker is omnipotent, looking in from the outside, not connected with the piece.   The tone is quite formal, in agreement with the title.This poem consists of three stanzas of unequal length and meter.   The first and third stanzas have an AABB rhyme pattern. The middle stanza has an odd number of lines (five lines as opposed to the four lines of stanzas one and three), with no rhyme pattern.   The first stanza consists of four lines of iambic pentameter.   The second stanza has varying meters.   Lines one and five are iambic tetrameter; while lines two and four are iambic dimeter and the middle line is iambic trimeter, making an 84648 foot pattern for this stanza, again a palindrome in numbers similar to Dickinson’s previously analyzed poem, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death- â€Å".     It is in this middle stanza where once again with the differing meter that the most change in tone takes place as well.   Here is where there is a shift from writing about the natural or living to referencing to the non living, or non natural, such as â€Å"mechanical† and â€Å"stone†.   It is also here where Dickinson refers to the elements beyond human control, such as â€Å"Ground† and â€Å"Air†.The last quatrain begins with an odd seven meters, which is an uneven and unusual meter for a poem to have, but Dickinson does use the seven syllable line quite frequently.   Sometimes it is acceptable to have an occasional 7 meter line mixed in with iambic tetrameter, and it is usually taken as such, â€Å"given† an extra syllable per say, but not in this poem.The last two lines are iambic pentameter, in pattern with the first stanza.â€Å"There’s a certain Slant of light† traces a person’s enlightenment the moment it happens.   It is a short journey, there is no recall of a previous spiritual, mental, or physical journey, only the moment of enlightenment.   The narrator could be omnipotent, omniscient or first person, although there is no reference to first person in the poem.   It is however, written as though it was experienced firsthand.  This poem consists of four quatrain stanzas.  Ã‚  Ã‚   This rhyming poem has an ABCB rhyme pattern in all stanzas, which makes it sing-songy, or a hymnal poem in addition to being a time poem. The meter is trochaic.   In the first three stanzas, there are alternating patterns of seven and five syllables respectively.   The last stanza has eight and five syllables alternating.â€Å"I felt a Cleaving in my Mind† is interesting because the poem refers to the brain being split into two, and the actual poem itself is made up of two stanzas of equal length and meter, much as is a brain symmetrical and proportional and in sync when functioning properly.  The time sequence here is one that traces a person’s madness.   The narrator, the author herself, writes of a moment in time where she could not assemble the pieces or remember something, and therefore time was as disjointed as the task.There is an ABCB rhyme pattern in both stanzas.   The meter alternates every other line between iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter throughout both stanza s.   The poem has a very pleasing, almost lighthearted rhythm to it, which is in stark contrast to the overall theme or message of the poem.   The tone almost mocks the moment.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The first Day’s Night had come – † traces a journey from a past experience to the beginning of a new moment and carries on to the future, recalling the life changing moment.   The climax is either the onset of madness or a blocking of a memory.   The narrator is the author.   She is present in the poem.The poem consists of five stanzas.   There is one rhyme pattern present in the poem, and that is in the first stanza.   The rhyme pattern is ABCB.   There is no noticeable rhyme pattern in other stanzas.   The meter in this poem is as follows for all five stanzas: two lines of iambic trimeter, one line of iambic tetrameter and one line of iambic trimeter.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Pain – expands the Time† is a short poem of two stanzas.   The time reference in this particular poem deals with something actually influencing time – pain.  There is unequal meter in the third line of each quatrain. The second stanza has a noticeable rhyme pattern of ABCB.

The Invention of Paper Money

The Invention of Paper Money Paper money is an invention of the Song Dynasty in China in the 11th century CE, nearly 20 centuries after the earliest known use of metal coins. While paper money was certainly easier to carry in large amounts, using paper money had its risks: counterfeiting and inflation. Earliest Money The earliest known form of money is also from China, a cast copper coin from the 11th century BCE, which was found in a Shang Dynasty tomb in China.  Metal coins, whether made from copper, silver, gold or other metals, have been used across the globe as units of trade and value.  They have advantages- they are durable, difficult to counterfeit, and they hold intrinsic value.  The big disadvantage?  If you have very many of them, they get heavy. For a couple thousand years after the coins were buried in that Shang tomb, however, merchants, traders, and customers in China had to put up with carrying coins, or with bartering goods for other goods directly.  Copper coins were designed with square holes in the middle so that they could be carried on a string.  For large transactions, traders calculated the price as the number of coin strings.  It was workable, but an unwieldy system at best. Paper Money Takes the Load Off During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), however, merchants began to leave those heavy strings of coins with a trustworthy agent, who would record how much money the merchant had on deposit on a piece of paper.  The paper, a sort of promissory note, could then be traded for goods, and the seller could go to the agent and redeem the note for the strings of coins.  With trade renewed along the Silk Road, this simplified cartage considerably.  These privately-produced promissory notes were still not true paper currency, however. At the beginning of the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), the government licensed specific deposit shops where people could leave their coins and receive notes.  In the 1100s, Song authorities decided to take direct control of this system, issuing the worlds first proper, government-produced paper money.  This money was called jiaozi.   Jiaozi to Chao to Djaou The Song established factories to print paper money with woodblocks, using six colors of ink.  The factories were located in Chengdu, Hangzhou, Huizhou, and Anqi, and each used different fiber mixes in their paper to discourage counterfeiting.  Early notes expired after three years, and could only be used in particular regions of the Song Empire. In 1265, the Song government introduced a truly national currency, printed to a single standard, usable across the empire, and backed by silver or gold.  It was available in denominations between one and one hundred strings of coins.  This currency lasted only nine years, however, as of the Song Dynasty tottered, falling to the Mongols in 1279. Mongol Influence The Mongol Yuan Dynasty, founded by Kublai Khan, issued its own form of paper currency called chao; the Mongols brought it to Persia where it was called djaou  or djaw.  The Mongols also showed it to Marco Polo during his stay in Kublai Khans court, where he was amazed by the idea of government-backed currency.  However, the paper money was not backed by gold or silver.  The short-lived Yuan Dynasty printed increasing amounts of the currency, leading to runaway inflation.  This problem was unresolved when the dynasty collapsed in 1368. Although the succeeding Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) also began by printing unbacked paper money, it suspended the program in 1450.  For much of the Ming era, silver was the currency of choice, including tons of Mexican and Peruvian ingots brought to China by Spanish traders.  Only in the last two, desperate years of Ming rule did the government print paper money, as it attempted to fend off the rebel Li Zicheng and his army.  China did not print paper money again until the 1890s when the Qing Dynasty began producing yuan. Sources Lande, Lawrence, and T. I. M. Congdon. John Law and the Invention of Paper Money. RSA Journal 139.5414 (1991): 916–28. Print.Lui, Francis T. Cagans Hypothesis and the First Nationwide Inflation of Paper Money in World History. Journal of Political Economy 91.6 (1983): 1067–74. Print.Pickering, John. The History of Paper Money in China. Journal of the American Oriental Society 1.2 (1844): 136–42. Print.

Understanding Cultural Materialism in Sociology

Understanding Cultural Materialism in Sociology Cultural materialism is a theoretical framework and research method for examining the relationships between the physical and economic aspects of production and built society, social organization and social relations, and the values, beliefs, and worldviews that predominate that society. It is rooted in Marxist theory  and is popular in anthropology, sociology, and the field of cultural studies. History and Overview The theoretical perspective and research methods of cultural materialism emerged in the late 1960s and were developed more fully during the 1980s. Cultural materialism was first introduced and popularized within the field of anthropology by Marvin Harris with his 1968 book  The Rise of Anthropological Theory. In this work, Harris built on Marxs theory of base and superstructure to craft a theory of how culture and cultural products fit into the greater social system. In Harriss adaptation of Marxs theory, the infrastructure of society (technology, economic production, the built environment, etc.) influences both the structure of society (social organization and relations) and the superstructure (the collection of ideas, values, beliefs, and worldviews). He argued that one must take this whole system into account if one wants to understand why cultures differ from place to place and group to group,  why certain cultural products like art and consumer goods (among others) are produ ced in a given place, and what their meaning is to those who use them. Later, Raymond Williams, a Welsh academic, further developed the theoretical paradigm and research method, and in doing so, helped create the field of cultural studies in the 1980s. Embracing the political nature of Marxs theory and his critical focus on power and the class structure, Williamss cultural materialism took aim at how culture and cultural products relate to a class-based system of domination and oppression. Williams built his theory of cultural materialism using already existing theoretical critiques of the relationship between culture and power, including the writings of Italian scholar Antonio Gramsci and the critical theory of the Frankfurt School. Williams asserted that culture itself is a productive process, meaning it is responsible for making intangible things that exist in society, like ideas, assumptions, and social relations. The theory of cultural materialism that he developed holds that culture as a productive process is part of the larger process of how a class system is made and remade, and it is connected to the class-based inequalities that pervade society. According to cultural materialism, culture and cultural products play these roles through the promotion and justification of certain values, assumptions, and worldviews within the mainstream and the marginalization of others that do not fit the mainstream mold (consider the way rap music has been routinely vilified as violent by mainstream critics, or how twerking is often framed as a sign that someone is sexually loose or morally deficient, while ballroom dance is held up as classy and refined). Many scholars who followed in Williams tradition expanded his theory of cultural materialism, which was focused on class inequalities, to include the consideration of racial inequalities and their connection to culture, as well as those of gender, sexuality, and nationality, among others. Cultural Materialism as a Research Method By using cultural materialism as a research method we can produce a critical understanding of the values, beliefs, and worldviews of a period through close study of cultural products, and we can discern how they connect to the greater social structure, social trends, and social problems. Per the framework that Williams laid out, to do so one must do three things: Consider the historical context in which the cultural product was made.Conduct a close analysis of the messages and meanings communicated by the product itself.Consider how the product fits within the greater social structure, its inequalities, and the political power and movements within it. Beyoncà ©s Formation video is a great example of how we can use cultural materialism to understand cultural products and society. When it debuted, many criticized it for its imagery that appears critical of police practices. The video features images of militarized police and ends with the iconic image of  Beyoncà © laying atop a sinking New Orleans Police Department car. Some read this as insulting to police, and even as a threat to police, echoing a common mainstream critique of rap music. But apply cultural materialism as a theoretical lens and a research method and one sees the video in a different light. Considered in a historical context of hundreds of years of systemic racism and inequality, and the recent pandemic of police killings of black people, one instead sees Formation as a celebration of blackness in response to the hate, abuse, and violence routinely heaped upon black people. One can also see it as a completely valid and appropriate critique of police practices that desperately need to be changed if equality is ever to be possible. Cultural materialism is an illuminating theory.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leadership - Essay Example One of the major characteristics of DAC Ltd is the importance it gives to empowerment of employees. DAC leaders at all levels are trained to coach and mentor staff. Comprehensive training helps DAC to keep the employees competent all the time to meet the challenges of rapidly changing business world. DAC gives particular attention to the individual developments because of its belief that all the DAC employees are contributing to the company in one way or other. DAC is following a transparent approach in its functioning. It is not much interested in keeping company secrets. For example, everyone in DAC at all levels knows about the bid for EMMACorp. The company knows that revealing every secret to the employees may help the company to grow employee loyalty towards the company. It should be noted that employees may feel that they are essential parts of the organization and that is why the company is taking them in confidence. Relationship building is the core of every business activity and DAC knows this fact very well. This is a clearly communicated vision of the CEO and employees are expected to support this philosophy whole-heartedly. Those not committed to the company vision are encouraged to seek alternate employment. DAC knows very well that it is important for the company to keep existing customers along with finding new customers. So customer servicing at all levels has been given top priority at DAC. CHRISSIE Co One of the most common illusions among corporate world is the myth that women leaders are incapable of dealing with challenging situations. However, lessons from the latest recession show that companies with female board members done better than companies with male board... This research will begin with the definition of leadership as a highly sought- after and highly valued commodity. According to Northouse leadership is a process which occurs in groups; it involves influence and common goals†. Hackman on the other hand described leadership as the first and foremost a communication based activity whereas Mullins argued that â€Å"leadership is not about being a wonder woman or man; but it about valuing individuality†. According to Clawson, â€Å"Leadership is about managing energy first in yourself and then in those around you. Being a leader depends on one’s point of view, not on status and title†. The above definitions clearly suggest that it is difficult to accommodate leadership in few words. Leadership is a quality which is associated with lot of parameters. There are born leaders as well as developed leaders. In other words, leadership qualities are inborn as well as developed. For example, Steve Jobs was a developed le ader whereas Edward Kennedy was a leader with inborn qualities. Leaders with inborn leadership qualities may emerge out naturally while they work in groups. Others on the other hand, emerge as leaders over time after receiving enough experiences and training. Trait theory says that traits or inborn qualities such as intelligence, communication, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, vision and charisma are inborn leadership qualities. In other words, these leadership qualities are inherited among certain people at the time of their birth itself whereas others learn such qualities from their surroundings.

A Public Relations Plan of Blackberry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A Public Relations Plan of Blackberry - Essay Example Moreover, the ailing complementary PlayBook tablet. But one of BlackBerrys major strengths has all the time been information security. As written by enterprise mobile security expert Lisa Phifer, the BlackBerry OS includes a thorough collection of original security capabilities, for instance strong support for password security, AES encryption of data embedded on the device, automatic remote wiping and integrated data transport safeguard, all easily managed through flexible policies via BlackBerry Enterprise Server. At the moment, consumerization of IT has worn out what once was the BlackBerrys point of strength in enterprise (Pople & Turnbull, 2012). BlackBerry security has assumed a backseat to competitor`s flash and functionality, as most users are more concerned with introducing sexy back to devices in their pockets and also needing a solo device for both personal and business use (Tench & Yeomans, 2009). Most enterprise security teams, a few pressured by their executives, have tacitly permitted these mobile devices into their networks, opting to look the other way instead of identifying and addressing security problems these hugely unchecked devices present (Du, 2000). Now the security worry on consumer-centric mobile devices has become impossible for Blackberry to ignore and this is what warrants the establishment of public relation plan. Blackberry considers its target market to be people who are hyper-socially connected as well as true multi-taskers who require getting staffs done. In simple terms, Blackberry believes this is approximately a third of the entire available market globally. The company believes this target audience needs both a professional and Personal balance with simplicity. I’d also bet most of the users need this. For the past two months, close to 50 million new Android and iOS users have registered to exploit the company`s messaging service, BBM. So as to reach out

Public and Government approach in mosquito control programs Essay

Public and Government approach in mosquito control programs - Essay Example It will discuss the effectiveness of the programs, their advantages and disadvantages with regard to how they are implemented. It will also outline the prevalence rates of mosquito born diseases in Queensland especially with reference to Ross River Virus and others. Finally, it will provide some recommendations on how the programs can be designed and who to include in implementation process making them more efficient in future. Mosquito control programs in Queensland have been developed in the past and are still being developed to eradicate mosquitoes in homesteads, houses, hospitals and other public places. The programs are drafted and implemented by the Queensland authorities together with health care providers, local councils and the public in general. The problem has however been the rate at which members of the public are accepting and adopting these programs. The communities do not appreciate these programs and they instead use their own knowledge on how they can control and manage mosquitoes in their homes. They have resorted to buying treated nets, repellents and other pesticides to keep mosquitoes off. The programs from the government although being taken in are a second fiddle especially considering the fact that people don’t take them seriously Surveillance of any disease is the first line of defence against the disease2. In the recent years, there have been many cases of ‘imported diseases’ to Queensland especially from Asia and Africa. This is a setback against the fighting against the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Various groups are currently promoting the idea of disease surveillance in Queensland. A group based in the area by the name Tropical Population Health Networks Communicable Diseases Control Centre is working with communities and local government officials to make sure that all immigrants do not ‘infect’ the mosquitoes in Queensland

How the misrepresentation of war and conflict can lead to a false view of events

How the misrepresentation of war and conflict can lead to a false view of events Introduction In June 2009, it was announced that there would be an Inquiry looking into the Iraq War, and the United Kingdoms involvement within it (â€Å"About the Inquiry†, 2009). The Chilcot Inquiry aimed to cover the period between the summer of 2001 and the end July 2009, looking at not only the run-up to the conflict, but also the period during, and the outcomes after measures had been taken. Its aims were set to find out the legality and legitimacy of the conflict (Hirsch, 2009), and how it was presented to the public, prior to engagement. There has been much debate over whether what the public are presented with is as truthful as it states to be. Whether it be giving a cleaner depiction, with exaggerated sophistication, or â€Å"inflated claims† (Meacher, 2010, para. 2), such as the ‘weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, it can be debated that a fair representation is somewhat hard to find. The purpose of this dissertation is to look at how conflict can become misrepresented via the media. It aims to look at the various ways that the media communicate the conflict to the public, and how it poses itself as a watchdog, supposedly working as the publics eyes and ears, as well as giving them an outlet via which their ‘voice can be heard. Whilst one initially thinks of war as a brutal and life affecting situation, more recent war seems to leave most western citizens relatively untouched, and therefore, perhaps less informed. What little they may know tends to be gathered via television or print media, and tends to somewhat be taken quite literally as the ‘way it is. Chapter one brings together these ideas, and explores how the news present conflicts to its audiences. The dissertation then goes on to address the problematic representations that have occurred, and looks at how news can be manufactured for audiences, depicting situations in differing ways to how they are really occurring. It also looks at the idea of propaganda, and the negative and positive ways in which it can be used. This second chapter also addresses the Abu Ghraib situation, and how such a horrific situation can by-pass the media, and perhaps be covered-up. The media however, proved to play a positive role, informing the public of the situation, bringing them into the loop. Other elements which must be addressed is alternative representations. From documentary to video games, people now often use media which originates from conflict as a form of entertainment. Whether it be to inform themselves further, in the cause of documentaries, or to entertain and ‘participate, the media enables audiences to approach the idea of conflict from other angles. This is therefore why it is vital that such genres be addressed when looking at the representation of war and conflict. Chapter One: The Media; Our Eyes and Ears and Voice? When considering how most people get their news and current affairs information, most tend to trust and favour certain institutions. They trust these sources to deliver them accurate and truthful reports. Few people would question their favourite institutions ability to do so, or would question the validity of the ‘stories, consuming them as factual information, and would rarely think beyond it. As discussed by McChesney and Nichols, ideally, the media is supposed to â€Å"serve as a stern watchdog over those in power and those who want to be in power† (McChesney Nichols, 2002, p.24). This supports the idea that the media can be used to aid a countrys citizenship, helping those who do not have power to have a voice. Without the media, the public would find it hard to be heard, so they need to have the media on their side, likewise, the government must have the support of the media to influence the public (Katz, 2009, p.200). But whether the media really honours its role as ‘watchdog is questionable. When considering the media, particularly in relation to reporting conflict, it seems somewhat unlikely that a completely fair and accurate representation, to all audiences, could occur. The BBC, according to Aitken (2007, p.8), is thought of as one of the most trustworthy places that one can gather news and information. This could be due to a sense of ownership in which the UK public feel (via the license fee), or due to it being the most historically established. Either way, nationally, and internationally, it has become a trusted organisation. Zelizer and Allan even argue that, particularly post September 11, the BBC has become an organisation that the American public trust to deliver what they see as more extensive information. In comparison to US media representations, the BBC â€Å"provided a much more in depth approach, [] along with [a] ‘blunter attitude† (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.12) . According to Aitken, (2007, p.2), the BBC does have a duty under its Royal Charter, in order to maintain the license fee, that it must not be biased or favour views. This may indicate why it is seen as a more trustworthy source of information. However, as questioned by Aitken, it may be seen as the BBC holds people and organisations to account, but â€Å"who holds the BBC to account?† (Aitken, 2007, p.2). Particularly, when as Aitken suggests (2007, p.20), the political opinion within the organisation would be formed by those working within it. As Navasky discusses, â€Å"journalism, the flow of news, information, and ideas, is the circulation system of our democracy, the way we find out whats what. It is based largely on journalism that we make up our national mind† (Navasky, 2002, p.xiii). The medias influence over the public is tremendous, especially as it may be the main influence over many of ones beliefs. It therefore shows that there is a sense that the media should be aware of its power, and should therefore be regulated in such a way that it does allow diversity of representations to occur. As Doyle asserts, it is vital that there is a number of â€Å"different and independent voices, and of differing political opinions and representations† (Doyle, 2002, p.11). However, as Aitken continues, journalists report using their own views, and may do so completely unintentionally. However, when many journalists within an organisation are of similar beliefs, it could be hard for them to realise they may be bia sed. This is an â€Å"institutional deformation, invisible to the people working there, unless you were one of a small minority who happen to take a different political view† (Aitken, 2007, p.20). When considering journalism of attachment, it is easy to see where one may be unable to stand neutrally. As it is a â€Å"journalism that cares as well as knows† (Bell, 1998, p.15), the journalist is increasingly likely to be more emotionally entwined with the story, and therefore may find it harder to stand in a non-biased position. As Ellis addresses (1998, p.167), moral responsibility often takes over when journalism becomes closer to the victims. Emotion is a powerful tool used by the media, it can help to draw in an audience, and get them following along. According to Boltanski (1999, p.5), there must be sufficient contact between the ‘victim and those who are ‘fortunate for one to be able to connect with the victim or ‘unfortunate.   Despite this though, as Boltanski (1999, p.27) states, the two groups actually mean nothing to one another. Therefore, it is believed that the emotional effect of such reporting is relatively short lived for the audience consuming. Bystander journalism however, seems to be the more idealistic approach that media organisations may favour, if wishing to be non-biased. This form of journalism is more concerned with factual elements of war. This is a less biased approach, as it tends to report an overall representation via factual elements. It allows audiences to walk away without feeling an attachment or moral obligation. Whilst audiences may tend to favour this form of reporting as more accurate, it can cause problems. According to Sanders, there is â€Å"a time to be passionate and a time to be dispassionate† (Sanders, 2005, p.43). As he continues, this approach to journalism allows a â€Å"more truthful depiction of the horrors of war† (Sanders, 2005, p.43). It may give a more accurate reading into the devastation (on paper), but how one interprets that information though is where the problems occur. If one is not given the chance to physically see the devastation, it is hard to really understand. Therefore, by dispassionately reporting, one may lack the emotional tie, and get a cleaner depiction of what is ‘intended to be communicated. Whilst one may feel they understand the situation, they are only being told facts, and whether they can really translate these into reality, is problematic. If one does not get the full picture, including the emotional and social impact that such a war may have over others, it is an unfair representation. Economical and statistical figures only tell so much, and do not communicate a reality. As Nichols and McChesney discuss, we â€Å"dont see the reality of war† (Nichols McChesney, 2005, p.v). Although this is in reference to the US press and public, it could be applied to any countries depiction, according to the countries own national belief, even if not to the same extent. â€Å"War is the most serious use of state power: organised, sanctioned violence† (Nichols McChesney, 2005, p.37). It is therefore a serious issue if one is not being given the chance to see the reality of a conflict, and the arguments behind it. It is all very to have a vague understanding behind a conflict, via information received from the media, but many audiences may take this information too literally. They may not look beyond the information offered, and may take the medias chosen narrative as a truthful and fair depiction, without questioning why the media has taken that particular angle. As discussed by Aitken, it is about â€Å"constructing ‘narratives which give the audience a coherent framework within which to judge current developments† (Aitken, 2007, p.17). But as Aitken continues, most people consume and trust one narrative, despite there being many other competing versions of the same situation, which may be a more accurate representation. Narratives give audiences a platform to work on, and a basis to which they can base their beliefs. If however, there are many competing versions a situation, as Aitken suggests (2007, p.17), this demonstrates the various views that a broadcaster may possess. It would be hard for a broadcaster to deny their biases, particularly when there are other similar reports of other viewpoints. No one can truly asses a situation fairly without viewing every angle of the situation, not only from the home governments wished depiction, but also from the ‘enemies depiction. This draws onto another point. Due to the technology of today, audiences are now able to access news instantly as situations are occurring. They are led to believe this gives them a bigger picture. It is also a good position for the public to be in, as they are therefore able to access the same information as others, and are less likely to be misled. This however can be problematic for controlling bodies, particularly in relation to conflict. â€Å"Leaders must be prepared to handle the rapid pace of global communication and to avoid serious policy mistakes deriving from global televisions demands for a fast and effective response† (Gilboa, 2005, p.24). They have little time for preparation, and therefore have to be somewhat careful in what they say, and aim to be somewhat vague, to give them the ability to be able to change their angle later if necessary. Videophones have also proven problematic for those reporting via the media. Whilst they can â€Å"empower journalists [], documenting the effects of battle while capturing a dramatic but information-rich account of war† (Livingstone, Bennett Robinson, 2005, p.34), they can display more than a chosen government may have wished audiences to witness. However, it must be recognised that even with such resources, reporters are often not actually at the ‘frontline, and are still some distance from the actual action, and therefore may only have the details which they may have been given by officials. It may also vary with the type of people which they are surrounded by, i.e. civilians or the military. Another issue to discuss when considering reporting a conflict is where the information reported has been obtained from. Reporters are often â€Å"given access to a steady and predictable supply of information that is typically provided by official government sources† (Livingstone, Bennett, Robinson, 2005, p.34). This therefore, shows that the information may not be directly from the source, even if we are led to believe so. It therefore may not be the full bulk of the situation, particularly when the government is the middle man, as it may wish to represent its own view. If the government is passing the information on, they are able to edit the information into a situation that compliments their desired standpoint. Why would one wish to humiliate or inflate problems for itself when it is unnecessary to do so? This therefore raises the question of whether we should be in fact more concerned by what we are not being shown, rather than what we are. This process of eliminating a nd censoring news via gatekeeping is a way of ensuring only ‘newsworthy subjects reach the public, whilst other things they deem unnecessary, do not. The reporting of the 1990-1991 Gulf War can demonstrate where a lack of information was relayed to the public. During the conflict, the public were given a cleaner depiction, and were under the impression that bombs dropped were precise and accurate. However, â€Å"after the war it was revealed that in fact only 7 per cent of bombs were ‘precision or laser-guided weapons† (Philo McLauglin, 1995, p.149). Throughout the conflict, there was an obsession around the sophisticated weapons that were being used, which could now be seen as somewhat misleading. As cited by Philo and McLauglin (from The Daily Mirror), â€Å"The world watch in awe yesterday as Stormin Norman played his ‘home video revealing how allied plans are using Star Wars technology to destroy vital Iraqi targets. Just like Luke Skywalker manoeuvring his fighter into the heart of Darth Vaders space complex, the US pilots zeroed into the very centre of Saddam Husseins Baghdad† (Philo McLauglin, 1 995, p. 149). Such an article would give a very unfair representation of the real effect, but this may not be clear to audiences until after the situation has taken place. Surely therefore, this misleading of the public could be seen as a form of propaganda? As Rosenfeld suggests (2007, p.70), it may be necessary to represent events in certain, perhaps biased ways, as this should encourage support and patriotism within the public. Today one may assume that due to our knowledge and understanding of propaganda, it is less likely to happen to us. But as a victim of propaganda, would you really realise you were being subjected to it? According to Edward Bernays, propaganda is seen as a vital tool for societies. â€Å"Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are together as a smooth functioning society† (Bernays, 2005, p.37). Essentially, propaganda is â€Å"the establishing of reciprocal understanding between an individual and a group† (Bernays, 2005, p.161). So if as Bernays suggest, propaganda is needed to obtain a joint understanding within a group, this may indicate why it may be used by governments to persuade t he public to join their beliefs, in order to get a desired outcome. This can show why, it is essential that certain representations be presented to the public, however inaccurate or biased they may be, to create an alliance of beliefs. This would also support the idea behind over-emphasising the sophistication of war and cleanliness, in order to maintain support. As you can see from this chapter, the media are there as our eyes and ears, feeding us information, but also serves, as a watchdog over government and other elite bodies. Also demonstrated is how the media have a great responsibility when reporting, due to their persuasiveness, and the fact that the public can be easily manipulated, and often follow and gather their national belief via what the media feeds them. It shows how ones understanding of a situation may differ depending on how it is reported. If reported using emotions, it may create a different perception to if it was reported factually, even if the factual representation, on paper, gives more information. This gives a good basis upon which to discuss why such reporting takes place, and how it may benefit those in power. It also raises the questions around what is not being shown to audiences, and what happens when the media or government are shown to have been untruthful. Chapter Two: Censorship, Deceit and Propaganda As discussed in Chapter One, it can be somewhat confusing to consider the various ways that the media can present particular views. As suggested previously, it is thought that they do so consciously, but other views suggest that it is often unintentional. Whilst aiming to appear open, they often present a marginal view of the information they themselves are aware of. It therefore must be questioned why such actions are implemented, rather than presenting as much as possible, and why particular views are manufactured for audiences. Ellis (1998, p.170) considers the lack of information reported about a conflict to be incredibly important. The national security of a country could be jeopardised if one were to report everything occurring, on both the front line, and the tactical decisions behind it. As Ellis continues, it is thought that the media coverage of the Vietnam War was partially to blame for the conflicts failure. It is thought that â€Å"television coverage critically sapped the support of the American public† (Ellis, 1998, p.170). As this was the first war that was able to be broadcast ‘live, the problems were unforeseen, and therefore led to a problematic position for the government. Whilst the government was saying one thing, images shown were undermining their words, subsequently making the government appear somewhat untrustworthy. This, therefore, would show that it is necessary that the media and its coverage of a conflict should be censored and paid close attention to, so that support is maintained by the public. But, if censorship is in such a way that it helps the audiences to form a chosen opinion, effectively, this could be seen as propaganda. As Bernays states, propaganda is â€Å"the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses† (Bernays, 2005, p.37). But, also adds that it is important for democratic society, and without which, it would be hard for one to live harmoniously, especially if everyone was of differing opinions. Therefore, presenting a situation in a particular way should help society to form a joint understanding. For example, when thinking in relation to Iraq, the main reason for intervention was due to supposed ‘weapons of mass destruction. If the public understand the threat, they are more likely to consent. As demonstrated durin g the ‘Iraq Enquiry, when it was discovered that there were no weapons, the public support was threatened. It therefore is essential that the politicians defend what they have formerly said, just as Alistair Campbell has demonstrated, defending their statements as not misrepresentative (â€Å"Alastair Campbell defends†, 2010). As Bernays reiterates â€Å"We are governed, our minds moulded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of† (Bernays, 2005, p. 37). Therefore, whether it is government who we have chosen, the military, or other leaders that we have not, this would support the idea that our feelings about conflict are generally dictated to us. So, as it would appear, sometimes the restriction of coverage may take place when it is not entirely necessary. As Ellis addresses, during both the Falklands War in1982 and the Gulf War of 1991 â€Å"citizens were prevented from learning information which in a democratic society, they had a right to know† (Ellis, 1998, p.170). This seems particularly unfair, as citizens were unable to witness the real war that was being fought in their name, paid for by themselves. Since technology developed though, it would appear that censorship has become more necessary. As discussed in the previous chapter, videophones and correspondents worldwide enable audiences to access the action, at a much closer distance than previously (Livingstone, Bennett Robinson, 2005, p.34). This gives an impression to audiences that there is nowhere to hide, and they may believe what they are seeing is a fully representational true account, rather than the edited snippet that it really is. This kind of opinion, of knowing more, does not take into account that there are plenty of other journalists who are not as close to the action, or those who are closer to it, who may wish to protect the interests of those surrounding them. As previously stated, there is always fear that public support may be jeopardised, which is why on occasions there may be a haze over what is reality, as well as what is fabricated truth within the media. When one is able to ‘witness war from multiple angles, from multiple genres, and even witness it live, it creates public curiosity. Especially since problematic representations of previous conflicts have been reported, the public fight harder to know the truth, so they no longer have the wool pulled over their eyes. They want to ensure the war fought in their name is a war which they support. Particularly, when considering the fact that many nations are bound together as ‘one for the purpose of the media, forgetting the fact that there are many cultures, viewpoints and faiths with differing opinions. The public need the media to take on their role of ‘watchdog, and need it to marshal what is taking place beyond their vision on their behalf. The media, therefore, it seems has begun to honour this role more greatly. In 2004, the media brought us evidence of what is referred to as Abu Ghraib. It was revealed that some Iraqi detainees had been subjected to torture and other physical abuse. According to Miles, an Al-Jazeera cameraman, who was mistakenly arrested for a crime he did not commit, found out that â€Å"torture was still standard in Americas principle military detention centre in Iraq† (Miles, 2005, p.326). According to Miles, as the time of the accusations against the American military, â€Å"few in the West believed their stories at the time, probably because they were Arabs, perhaps because they worked for Al-Jazeera† (Miles, 2005, p.326). The US government and military repeatedly denied the accusations, â€Å"Donald Rumsfeld has described Al-Jazeera as ‘consistently lying, [and] accused the network of causing ‘great damage and harm in Iraq by continuously broadcasting wrong and inaccurate information, impairing what the coalition forces [were] trying to achi eve† (Miles, 2005, p.327). As Miles describes (2005, p.328), it was US officials that were angry, believing that such allegations would fuel Iraqi hatred against the West further. At the time, the officials may have not known of the occurrences, but it cannot be ruled out that they had no knowledge of it. This demonstrates an example whereby the American media were feeding the public with false information, whether it was intentional or not. If it was intentional though, it would have been in favour of government, who would obviously not want to be painted in a bad light. It was not until the New Yorker magazine published evidential pictures of the abuse that it was uncovered and believed, and finally admitted to be the truth (Miles, 2005, p.328). However, this is not where the only problem lies. Since then, it has been debated whether or not all of the images should be released for the public to view. One the one hand, it is believed that the images should be realised due to the fact that it was the American citizens own troops causing the offences, under the American name, whilst others believe it could potentially cause further harm. According to a report, â€Å"Obama said he believes release of the abuse photos would incite hatred against American troops† (Alberts, 2009, para. 4). This again brings up the subject of national security. Understandably the release of such images during a time of conflict could incite further hatred, but due to freedom of information, what right do officials really have to withhold them? Surely if one is to fully understand war, they must have the full picture, however horrific and problematic it may be. If the images are not fully released, is there a reason behind this other than prot ecting our conscience? What is being hidden? Could it be contributing to part of a ‘cover-up, with fear of something more sinister than what we already know being revealed? If therefore, officials had known about the situation (prior to it being confirmed), yet it had not made its way to mainstream media, this is misinforming the public, giving them a one sided ‘clean account of their position in the conflict. By never witnessing the faults of ones own government, one cannot really claim to know. Even by withholding the images, it does not allow the American and Western democratic public a clear view as to what is really occurring under their name. Particularly as it is ‘our men, who are normally painted as positively heroic, committing such horrific offences. This sort of behaviour by the media and government causes other problems too. Conspiracy theories to try and help explain other supposed reasonings behind war and decisions made by government begin to emerge. It helps give a new blame figure, and is perhaps fuelled by paranoia and suspicion (Knight, 2003, p. 20). As Knight asserts, conspiracy theory may put â€Å"forward the idea that sometimes people at the very centre of power might create (or perhaps just cynically promote) a popular outburst of demonology in order to further their own political schemes. This view is sometimes known as the elitist theory of moral panics, because it suggests that the elite deliberately fuel moral panics in order to legitimate repressive measures that would otherwise be unacceptable† (Knight, 2003, p.20). When the public begin to doubt their own government, feeling they are being fed propaganda, it is obvious they should want an explanation, so may turn to conspiracy theories as an alternative and comfort. For example, the documentary The Conspiracy Files (Rudkin, 2010, January 10) demonstrates how one may begin to become suspicious. It claims that a video of Benazir Bhutto talking after her first attempted murder was edited to exclude a statement she made about Osama Bin Laden. The version it claims the BBC presented cut out this section, for no apparent reason, so it is questionable as to why it was censored. A further example where the Western governments fear of what could be revealed via the media was demonstrated in October 2009 (Gray, 2009, October 25). Lance Corporal Joe Glenton was a soldier once serving in Afghanistan, who now faces a court martial and has been arrested. He claimed that he had â€Å"witnessed sights during his time in Afghanistan that forced him to question the morality of his role† (‘Soldier arrested, 2009, para. 8). Alike him, many other documentaries and interviews with ex-soldiers seem to unveil similar situations, where soldiers have a different picture of the war than the media have led the public to believe. The sanitization that takes place in the media is a view which soldiers alike Corporal Glenton would like to set straight. Glenton began to get the medias attention when he spoke at an anti-war demonstration that called for the British troops to be brought home. He claimed that many of the soldiers and demonstrators believed that it was not longer justifiable to have troops in the Middle East, and was trying to raise public awareness of this. This particular story came at a time when the public in both the UK and America were starting to doubt whether the war was really getting anywhere. Jeremy Corbyn MP is quoted as stating that the â€Å"war in Afghanistan had no clear war aims† (â€Å"Britons believe ‘Afghan war is failing†, 2009, para. 15). He also states that it is now â€Å"the time to change policy and bring the troops home to prevent Nato involving itself in a Vietnam style quagmire† (â€Å"Britons believe ‘Afghan war is failing†, 2009, para. 17). With such stories and statements emerging in the media, it does cause the public to question why the media and government would not present the ‘full picture. Especially when thinking about how the US media is less open about situations than the UK and other countries media (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.2). Previously, it was easier for a government to deny that they knew about a situation, but technology has now taken this advantage away, making it impossible not to know. However, as Zelizer and Allan argue, the media may be used in such a way that it helps the public. â€Å"Journalism plays a key role in moving whole populations form trauma to recovery† (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.2). It can therefore help to unite a nation, regardless of differing backgrounds, and help them to work together, particularly through traumatic times like conflict. With this view, it would seem that the US in particular may have needed such treatment. As the targeted nation in the 9/11 attacks, the y may have required more help than other nations to come to terms with the situation, as well as needing ‘encouragement in the right direction, and perhaps protection from the truth.. However, there is no doubt that this is a form of propaganda, as it does not demonstrate a clear communication of all the information one would need to make a fair judgement in order to make a justified opinion. This may demonstrate why the American citizens have trusted foreign institutions such as the BBC for increased information, as previously addressed The media also tend to emphasise violence and negative features of the enemy in order to justify the conflict in hand. Today, â€Å"terrorists have been given a voice† (Liebes Kampf, 2004, p.78). Since technology has greatened, other views, beyond just violence, have been represented. Interviews and arguments have been appearing in the media, with direct responses from the ‘enemy. Despite perhaps this being a positive thing, it can be used by government and the media to paint their own picture. They do not have to show everything, and can edit it as they desire, as previously discussed with the Bhutto footage. Another clear example is in the Joint Forces military publication. It has a dismissive attitude when discussing anything anti-American. It even addresses the problems of ‘foreign propaganda. It gives a sense of heroism, stating that via the American efforts in the war on terror, that they will â€Å"enable populations misinformed by censorship and other impediments to hear the truth† (Dailey Webb, 2006, p.46). It does not take into account the use of their own propa