Saturday, November 16, 2019
Taliban vs Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Essay Example for Free
Taliban vs Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Essay Afghanistan is a mountainous land-locked country, which is one of the central Asian countries. In addition, it is an Islamic country that Islam religion has played a significant role in governing it. In Afghanistan Many governments had been changed in past several decades. For instance, the Kingdom of Amanullah Khan, the Kingdom of Mohammad Nadir Shah, Mohammad Zahir Shah, The Communist Regimes, the Islamic State of Afghanistan, Taliban Regime, Interim Government, Transitional Government, and the Islamic Republic Governments. As most of us agree that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan changed very much in contrast to passed governments, especially Taliban Regime. This piece of writing concentrates on similarities and differences of Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The similarities are fewer among the mentioned governments; however, the differences between them are several. First the similarities will be discussed; secondly the differences will be pointed. The first similarity between these two governments is that in Taliban Regime laws and regulations of Islam was implemented and maintained in according with Shariaââ¬â¢s laws. It always tried to carry on the Islamic laws on people and disputes. There were three types of courts such as, Primary Court, Appealing Court, and Supreme Court. In a similar way, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is also trying to implement Islamic rules and regulations. It is also seeking to help people by solving the disputes by carrying on the rules of Islam. For solving the cases and disputes, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is structured three types of courts, for instance, Primary Court, Appealing Court, and Supreme Court. Another likeness between Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is the centrality of government in Kabul. From the first invasion that Taliban did, they had the plan take the control over Kabul, after capturing the Kabul City, Taliban decided to establish their central government in Kabul City. For all of their time in government, their central government was located in Kabul. Similarly, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, from the beginning of its government, the central government organizations are located in Kabul City. The third similarity between those two mentioned governments is the patronage of some foreign countries of both governments, Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. When Taliban came to the power, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and reportedly United States of America were the strongest supporters of Taliban Regime. The first country that supported them was Pakistan. Pakistan always announced their support of Taliban Regime. Furthermore, it also provided the Taliban Regime an enormous amount of money and military equipments. Likewise, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is also supported by some countries, such as, USA, some European Countries, Japan, India, Turkey, and many others. They all give any kinds of support for the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The most obvious difference among these two governments is in education. For example, in Taliban Regime, there were no education facilities for females. Females were not allowed to attend schools and universities. They were all far from education. Talibanââ¬â¢s thought was that if a girls or a woman go to school, they would learn not Islamic principles. In contrast, in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, females are allowed to join schools, universities and other education centers to have education. Moreover, the government is also trying to provide opportunities for both males and females to get educated and even to complete their educations outside Afghanistan. The next very important difference between these two governments is entertainment. In Taliban Regime there was not any kind of entertainment for pleasure and enjoyments. There was just one TV and one radio station by the name Islamic State TV and Radio Station that showed and played just all the fundamental issues of Islam. There were no music, movies, cinemas, and parties. Even in wedding and other parties if someone played music, he or she would be punished and sent prison. On the other hand, In the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, there are more than twenty TV channels and almost eighty radio stations that bring enjoyments and pleasure in peopleââ¬â¢s lives. People can have music in their weddings and parties. They can play music, watch TVs, and listen to radios. Another distinction between these two mentioned governments was the governing system of each. For example, in Taliban Regime, the government was just over several provinces. They did not have control all over Afghanistan although they had a central government in Kabul. Their government was always in risk that one day it would be collapse. Some of the important offices were not run properly. There was not good management in ministries. Corruption was in most ministries, especially in courts. Instead, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan contains a good and proper governing system. It is trying to offer chances of development for its employees and offices. It has got line by line authority of command. It is a selective government. There is National Assembly of Afghanistan. Furthermore, members for National Assembly of Afghanistan are selected by people. There are appropriate procedures of doing something in government offices. The other difference between Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is that in Taliban Regime women were not allowed to get out of their houses lonely. And they were not allowed to walk lonely in the markets and streets. If a woman found alone in anywhere in the city, one of her family member would be punished. Conversely, there is no one that people would afraid of them in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan women are free to go anywhere like restaurants and markets. The economical perspective is another difference among Taliban Regime and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. In most of the provinces of Afghanistan during the Taliban period were wars happening. Therefore, people lift their homes and went to other countries. There were no farmers, no engineers, no doctors, overall no professionals that could help Afghanistanââ¬â¢s economy to develop. The government income was very less but the prices for goods were so high. No one invested in Afghanistan because being insure about the future of government. In contrast, in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, countries are hardly trying to invest in Afghanistanââ¬â¢s infrastructures. The government by itself is seeking to provide job opportunities for Afghan people. Professionals who lifted Afghanistan in Taliban Regime are coming back to their country to bring new ideas of development. In conclusion, it is now clear to most of us that Afghanistan had a very old history. Furthermore, the above facts show and indicate that Afghanistan passed a very difficult situation. The hardest situation that Afghanistan crossed through is the Taliban Regime. Although, some people are in support of Taliban Regime in past, but now some people are against them because of some difficulties in compare to this government, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Although there are some similarities between these two governments, but there are several differences between them.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Why Miller Included the Character of Alfieri in A View From A Bridge :: Papers
Why Miller Included the Character of Alfieri in A View From A Bridge The character Alfieri has a very important role in the play " A View From The Bridge." Alfieri acts both as a narrator and commentator but his main function is to offer ideas to the audience to set them thinking about the message of the play. Alfieri is a character in the play and yet his advice is objective and sympathetic. Alfieri is the first character to speak in the play; he therefore sets the scene and informs the audience the background to the action. He is a lawyer but in this area of Brooklyn the people distrust the law, he tells us "A lawyer means the law, and in Sicily, from where their fathers come, the law has not been a friendly idea since the Greeks were beaten". This speech immediately sets up tension between Alfieri, a representative of written law and the Italian immigrant community, who prefer to follow their own 'law', the Italian law of natural justice! Alfieri was born in Italy and tells us in his first speech that "I only came here when I was twenty-five." Because he grew up in Italy, Alfieri understands the other characters very well. They are all Italian immigrants and have a very similar background. The audience understands how fatalistic Alfieri is when he says "another lawyerà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦. sat there as powerless as I, and watched it run its bloody course." He is telling the audience that he can sense that a terrible event is about to happen but knows he is powerless to prevent this. He understands that in such a community it is better to "settle for half." Alfieri is a realist who is prepared to make a compromise between two cultures. He knows that there will always be injustice no matter how hard he tries to help the citizens of Red Hook. He is happy that he "no longer needs to keep a gun in my filing cabinet." Alfieri acts as a witness to the events as they happen and he makes comments
Monday, November 11, 2019
Panera Bread Case Study Essay
INTRODUCTION: Panera Bread is one of the great American success stories of breaking trends, and shaking up the market with complete innovation. Not only were they successful, but they were able to achieve this success while doing things their own way. Product and Service differentiation were the keys to this bakery-cafà ©Ã¢â¬â¢s success. Before Panera Breadââ¬â¢s creation in ___, never had a business combined the relaxing environment of a cafà © with the fresh aroma of an artisanââ¬â¢s bakery. This proved to be a gold mine for its owner and stakeholders, and the analysis of this period from 2001 to 2003 shows exactly why. In this analysis, we will examine the success factors of Panera Bread and explain why they were able to achieve some of the goals they had accomplished thus far. We will also explain some alternatives and opportunities that Panera Bread may look forward to taking advantage of in the future. Panera Breadââ¬â¢s mission was to create the bakery-cafà ©; a place the combined the welcoming atmosphere of coffee shops, the food of sandwich shops, and the quick service of fast food restaurants. They named this type of service ââ¬Å"fast-casualâ⬠dining and the term fits because of the atmosphere and quality of service they were able to provide. Panera Bread targeted 5 key consumer dining needs which include the following: SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS: CURRENT SITUATION The companyââ¬â¢s revenues rose from 350.8 million to 977.1 million between 2000 and 2003 as a result of new unit expansion, with 419 stores opening between 1999 and 2003. In 2000 system wide comparison sales and annualized unit volumes increased 9.1% and 12%. The growth of these two metrics decreased in the years following with system wide comparable sales and AUVs increasing only .2% and .5%. GENERAL ENVIRONMENT The fast-casual dining market consists of those companies that seek to fill the gap between fast-food chains and full-service restaurants. These companies offer speed, efficiency, inexpensiveness, hospitality, quality and ambiance. These restaurants fall under fast casual when they offer self-service, a check between 6 and 9 dollars, slightly more expensive than fast food but cheaper than full service restaurants. Other requirements include that the food be made to order and the dà ©cor being upscale. This market of restaurants experienced significant growth between 1999 and 2003. Continued growth was expected with sales projected to reach 50 billion in the following decade. This growth was expected to come at the expense of fast food chains. The industryââ¬â¢s growth started with high profitability and diverse dining avenues, with concepts such as Mexican, Chinese, and bakeries. Opening costs for these establishments in relation to annual sales was minimal, allowing more new players to get into the market with fresh concepts and menu items. Also the maturing of baby boomers and their children contributed largely to the growth of the fast casual market. This demographic expressed insufficient time for cooking while growing tired of fast food and desiring a high-quality, fresh, healthy dining experience, without the time consumption of a full dining restaurant. This market has effectively emerged itself into a legitimate trend in the restaurant industry. Modern day customers seek establishments that combine qualities such as a casual atmosphere, quality, and quick service. Panera Bread focuses on these aspects of their bakeries by offering breakfast, lunch, daytime ââ¬Å"chill-out, lunch in the evening and take home meals; in alignment with consumer diningà needs. The companyââ¬â¢s customer base included seniors, matinee-goers, shoppers, business professionals, and students. The company focuses on delivering high quality foods, targeting suburban dwellers and workers as a premium specialty bakery and cafà ©. Panera Bread was a pioneer in the cafà ©-bakery segment with unique concepts and operation strengths, which has led the company to its current position in the fast casual dining market. The company designed its concept in meeting the consumerââ¬â¢s needs of efficiency and the desire for high quality dining, which arenââ¬â¢t met by traditional fast food chains. The company strived to establish Panera Bread as a leading national brand, with its operation quality, real estate strategies, and design being integral to their success Each company-operated bakery had computerized cash registers to collect point of sale transaction data, used in generating marketing information. Product prices were programmed into the system from the corporate office. The companyââ¬â¢s in-store information system was designed to assist in labor scheduling and food cost management, to provide corporate and retail operation management fast access to data, and to reduce administrative time. These systems supplied data to the companyââ¬â¢s accounting department daily, enabling them to use the data to generate weekly reports on sales and other important elements. The company also monitored the average check, customer count, product mix, and other sales trends. Also, facilities had systems that allowed the dough facilities to accept electronic orders from the bakery and deliver orders to the bakeries. TASK ENVIRONMENT Employees consisted of full time associates in administrative or general positions, commissary operators, bakers, and associates at the bakeries. As of December 2003 the company had 3,924 full time associates, of whom 344 were employed in general or administrative roles principally at or from the companyââ¬â¢s support centers. The company also had 4,078 part-time hourly associates at the bakeries. The companyââ¬â¢s priority was staffing its bakeries, fresh dough facilities, and support centers with skilled associates, investing in training programs to ensure quality. The companyà offered incentive programs and bonuses to salaried employees, with the addition of product discounts and employee stock options. Panera Bread believed that providing bakery-cafà © operators the opportunity to participate in the success of the company would enable the company to attract and retain highly motivated and experienced personnel, resulting in a better customer experience. The company targets mostly those individuals in urban areas, focusing on white collar workers who seek a fast and healthier alternative from fast food burgers and other common establishments of fast service. With a large focus on individuals seeking a fast, quality bakery product, the company seeks to give its target customers a stylish ambiance to dine in. Panera Breadââ¬â¢s competition derived from sources within its trade areas. The stores competed based on consumers need for breakfast, lunch, daytime, lunch in the evening, and take home bread sales with the competitive factors being location, environment, customer service, price, and quality of products. The company also competed for leased space in desirable locations where certain competitors had capital resources that exceeded those available to Panera Bread. Those primary competitors included specialty food and casual dining restaurant retailers, including national, regional, and locally owned concepts. Panera Bread had a fresh dough facility system that supplied fresh dough to the company owned and franchise operated bakeries daily. The company had 16 commissaries that prepare the fresh dough. These commissaries assured product quality and consistency, headed by the companyââ¬â¢s master artisan baker, Mile Marino, who has been with the company since 1987. The company also entered into five year contract with a company named Bunge for its supply of frozen dough. The company also signed an agreement with Dawn Food Products to prep and deliver the frozen dough; structured as a cost-plus agreement. Franchised bakeryââ¬â¢s operated under individual contracts with either the company distributor or other regional distributors, with three companies serving as the primary distributors for Panera Bread. The company has had increasing stock holderââ¬â¢s equity between 1999 and 2003, with its most recent total stockholderââ¬â¢s equity equaling 195,937 in December of 2003. Total incurred liabilities of the company equaled $46,235 in December of 2003 which made for a total liabilities and stockholderââ¬â¢s equity of $245,943à for the year. INTERNAL ANALYSIS The company strategy centered around a conceptual focus on the specialty bakery category with a focus on artisan attention bread made with all-natural ingredients. The strategies implemented by the company focus on meeting the important consumer trends met by fast food chains, while striving for a more upscale environment. In an effort to make Panera Bread emerge into a nationally dominant name, the company framed its menu, operating systems, prototype, and strategies around effective competition within sub-level business targets. This helped to company to increase profits between 2002 and 2003. The unique character of Panera Breadââ¬â¢s quality in its cafà ©Ã¢â¬â¢s, menu options, distinguished bakery design, along with the valuable locations of its stores contributed to its success. The company planned to combine company and franchise efforts in order to achieve its growth. Franchising proved to be a key factor in the companyââ¬â¢s success, allowing the company to expand mo re rapidly due to increased resources to outfit the strategies and concepts produced by Panera. At the closing of the 2003 fiscal year, the company had 429 bakeries in operation and documented intention of opening an addition 409 bakeries. The company has 8 key executive officers with extensive experience, both with Panera Bread and also with other major corporations and organizations including Starbucks, Fidelity Investments, and other companies. All of these officers obtained their position with Panera between 1999 and 2003. The company derives its culture from the pre-existing chains of fast food and full service dine-ins. In an effort to supply consumers with a third option that combined the attributes of both of these markets, the company, through many stages of conception, effectively identified a niche within urban consumers. The company pioneered a new market segment of food service trends and through constant growth and innovation has built a successful company. The company is structured with top management and board executives establishing and updating views goals and visions for the growth and target of the restaurant chain. The company has both corporate and franchise operated bakeryââ¬â¢s that adhere to the vision and direction of company management and consumer trends. STRATEGY FORMATION: Panera Bread has maintained its business strategy over its lifespan and they continue to employ a product/service differentiation strategy to sustain their competitive advantage as a fast-casual dining experience. This strategy has enabled them to grow very swiftly over the past 15-20 years and has given them a substantial hold on the market for fast-casual dining. Panera Breadââ¬â¢s decision to employ this differentiation strategy correctly, gives them the best opportunity to succeed for their target market. They are in a market where there are many ways to differentiate the products and services they provide. Buyers often perceive these differences as the product/service having value. Fortunately, few rival firms are following this distinct differentiation approach. Ron Schaich and his team were correct when concluding that this differentiation strategy would attract patrons which gave Panera Bread every reason to employ this strategy. To differentiate themselves from the likes of McDonaldââ¬â¢s, Burger King, or Pizza Hut; they focused on an extremely high quality of food products. This played into their game plan of becoming a specialty cafe and they continued to choose the best and most natural ingredients for their products. Every loaf of bread is baked with the four ingredients, water, natural yeast, flour and salt, no chemicals or preservatives are ever used. Another practice they employ to provide first class products is within their supply chain. To provide fresh dough to their locations every day, they have many regional fresh dough facilities. These facilities would go through a 48 hour process to prepare bread and bagel dough for shipment, which provides consistent quality and efficiency to all the locations. Panera Bread also found that many customers were more health conscious which prompted them to introduce a full line of whole grain breads. Other improvements that they instituted included new artisan sweet goods, egg soufflà ©s and natural anti-biotic free chicken all to meet the customerââ¬â¢s ever changing preferences. These are the practices upon which Panera Bread has continued to provide an exceptional distinct product line to its customers in hopes of sustaining a competitive advantage. Panera has also implemented change in other areas to provide their customers with a differentiated service experience. They have employed a cafe design which created one of the most comfortable and warm environments to dine in. This has been very successful for their strategy of distinguishing themselves and their offerings to customers. Like Starbucks, they wanted to create an environment in which consumers would identify Panera Bread as a neighborhood meeting place. As a result, patrons would continuously use a Panera Bread location for all sorts of gatherings whether they are for business or pleasure. One of the greatest benefits that Panera Bread provides to its customers is free wireless high-speed internet and since they were one of the first to do so, this created a competitive advantage for them. The fast-casual dining industry is generally a new concept. At this point, Panera needs to sustain its leadership and competitive advantage in this industry to continue to grow and fend off competitors. One of the best defensive strategies that they can employ is the leverage gained by economies of scale. With these economies they can continue to offer their products on their terms, which give them an advantage over the competition. This in turn gives them more control over the market and the suppliers in this industry. Here they can block avenues for current competitors as well as new entrants. If they can continue to stay on the top of the industry they can continue to employ this defensive strategy. One of the main reasons that Panera Bread is relevant is because of its size. At this point they are one of the largest fast-casual dining businesses and they use this size to stimulate further growth. Continuing to grow gives them the opportunity to generate more revenue if executed well with the right buyers. Revenue is always a great reason for expansion and Panera Bread knows this. They are one of the best in the restaurant industry at recognizing shifts in consumer preferences and being able to make the proper adjustments to satisfy their customers. This is crucial especially in todayââ¬â¢s world where change is continuous and rapid. As Panera Bread consistently strives to be a leader in product and environmental offerings,à itââ¬â¢s crucial that they continue to be aware of and progress along with the changing world. Even though they can employ some of these strategies in the future, they canââ¬â¢t lose track of their business model for fast-casual dining restaurants in the process. Though Panera Bread has been very successful during this period, there are some strategies which they can enact to stimulate a growth in profits. Unfortunately, with each benefit from an alternative there is always a cost that Panera Bread may or may not be willing to incur. Firstly, Panera Bread could try to vertically integrate their products. This would call for them to pre-pack some of their bread and sandwich products and sell them in local grocery chains across the United States. This strategy would make their products more accessible to the general public even where there are no Panera Bread cafà ©-bakeries nearby. One of the key risks with strategy would be the possibility that product quality would diminish because the products are not being made fresh within the actual bakeries. The second strategic alternative would be the use of mini cafes within retail stores. This strategy has already been implemented by Starbucks with their mini cafes inside of Target retail stores. This would also make the products more accessible to the general public, thus giving Panera Bread more exposure. This strategy would require Panera Bread to train managers within the retail store to be able to handle the proper preparation of their products. Lastly, the third alternative would be acquiring local cafes and transforming them into new cafà ©-bakery locations. This strategy would essentially eliminate competition and create new areas where these products can be accessed. On the other hand, if Panera Bread is unable to conduct full takeovers, there is a risk that they could lose some of the authenticity of their products/services.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Abortion: What Is the Reaction of the Society Essay
In todayââ¬â¢s society moral standards of society, are becoming more & more justified. Abortions are becoming a controversial issue in the American society. It should be supported because of woman rights, rape & incest and health in women that could be a life and death situation that they may not be able to carry their unborn babies to full term. First, not to mention 1920 changed everything giving woman the right to vote and make their own choices and decisions. Woman now have rights to be able to get pregnant & not have to carry their babies to full term. Women also, are able to make choices about their bodies & reproductive lives without having a law placed on it. (Roe v. Wade 1). Secondly, woman who has been raped should have a choice. The woman is going through enough stress and trauma. So, carrying a baby for nine months is going to put a lot of stress on the mother. It will break her down physically, mentally and emotional. She just went through terrible act of injustices. The woman would be reminded of the committed violence against her that she wonââ¬â¢t be in a good state of mind to take care of the child properly. So, that case abortion will be the best option. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay In addition, my girlfriend was a victim of rap and she has a daughter who doesnââ¬â¢t live with her, but her grandmother decided to take her in. My girlfriend isnââ¬â¢t able to take care of her daughter as she would like too. The father isnââ¬â¢t in the childââ¬â¢s life since sheââ¬â¢s been born. Also, my girlfriend is having a hard time finding a way to tell her daughter whoââ¬â¢s her father and why he isnââ¬â¢t in her life. This is a case abortion would be acceptable. Third, some women arenââ¬â¢t always that successful carrying their baby to full term. The health of the woman can cause her to have to terminate her pregnancy. It is very rare when abortion is required to save the motherââ¬â¢s life. When two lives are threatened and only one can be saved, doctors must always save that life. There are many more ways a woman that has health problems that would need to terminate her pregnancy. For example, a woman with HIV, a woman whoââ¬â¢s on drugs really heavy, an STD that caused the amino fluid to leak out etc. To conclude, abortion is a controversial manner it has its proââ¬â¢s and conââ¬â¢s on how a person should go about trying to have an abortion. Itââ¬â¢s a widespread topic that can be justified by three main areas, rape, the health of the woman whoââ¬â¢s not able to keep their child full term, also women having rights and choices about their own body. Many people today have their own personal beliefs on how abortion should be used in todayââ¬â¢s society.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Free Essays on Case of Philosophy
Occasionally down the corridor of history, a solitary individual, through dint of his own leaps of logic and intuition, produces a work so astounding and compelling that it shakes an entire community of scholars, indeed the entire human village. We reserve such honors for a Plato, for a Kepler, or a Newton or an Einstein. But consider for a moment the following scenario. What if a great mind, one of the most profound in human history, completes what he considers his penultimate achievement, the acme of his spiritual and intellectual searching; but alas, the revelations presented in his works fall on deaf ears. He arrives at greatness, but has arrived too soon. Meanwhile, in the century and a half following his death, the concepts presented by the aforementioned great mind gradually occur to a number of other people, the likes of Albert Einstein and George Lemaitre. Unfortunately, the scenario describes the singular contributions, then subsequent neglect of the writer Edgar Allan Poe, who intuited the current modern cosmic theories, yet has never been properly credited for his discoveries. Even today, most people who thrill to Poe's masterfully told tales have never heard of Eureka, the work which Poe believed represented the full flowering of his mind, the precocious prose poem which delivers more modern cosmological theories than any work of the Newtonian era. And beyond scientific import, Poe composes a unified cosmic theory based on his spiritual insight. Unlike many scientific descriptions of the cosmos as a mathematically based machine set in motion, Poe's view of astro-physics resides within, and as a part of God. Eureka, Poe's essay on, and explanation of the universe, represents his last major work. It is a seldom-read masterpiece, quite scientific in content, especially scientific to have been composed by a writer of short stories and poems. It grew out of a lecture entitled "The Universe," delivered at the Society Li... Free Essays on Case of Philosophy Free Essays on Case of Philosophy Occasionally down the corridor of history, a solitary individual, through dint of his own leaps of logic and intuition, produces a work so astounding and compelling that it shakes an entire community of scholars, indeed the entire human village. We reserve such honors for a Plato, for a Kepler, or a Newton or an Einstein. But consider for a moment the following scenario. What if a great mind, one of the most profound in human history, completes what he considers his penultimate achievement, the acme of his spiritual and intellectual searching; but alas, the revelations presented in his works fall on deaf ears. He arrives at greatness, but has arrived too soon. Meanwhile, in the century and a half following his death, the concepts presented by the aforementioned great mind gradually occur to a number of other people, the likes of Albert Einstein and George Lemaitre. Unfortunately, the scenario describes the singular contributions, then subsequent neglect of the writer Edgar Allan Poe, who intuited the current modern cosmic theories, yet has never been properly credited for his discoveries. Even today, most people who thrill to Poe's masterfully told tales have never heard of Eureka, the work which Poe believed represented the full flowering of his mind, the precocious prose poem which delivers more modern cosmological theories than any work of the Newtonian era. And beyond scientific import, Poe composes a unified cosmic theory based on his spiritual insight. Unlike many scientific descriptions of the cosmos as a mathematically based machine set in motion, Poe's view of astro-physics resides within, and as a part of God. Eureka, Poe's essay on, and explanation of the universe, represents his last major work. It is a seldom-read masterpiece, quite scientific in content, especially scientific to have been composed by a writer of short stories and poems. It grew out of a lecture entitled "The Universe," delivered at the Society Li...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Attitudes to Language Essay Example for Free
Attitudes to Language Essay Language clearly plays a major role in all aspects of society. The most obvious is its social role of allowing people to relate to each other in all facets of their lives: to share information, emotions and ways of life. We use language as a means of navigating our daily lives and it plays an integral role in most of our interactions. Perhaps for this reason, French is regarded as an elegant and romantic language, while German is considered to be guttural. Additionally, ever since mankind evolved into different language communities, it is commonplace for people to adopt various attitudes towards the language(s) spoken by others, as well as towards the dialects of the language they speak. These attitudes are motivated by different factors, including pride in or shame regarding oneââ¬â¢s own language, confidence or embarrassment about how one sounds, nationalism and a sense of personal dignity, oneââ¬â¢s status and values as well as the prestige some languages are given in international interactions. A well known attitude is the desire for foreign speech patterns; another is the rejection of certain dialects. People form impressions of your personality, emotional state, geographic origin, education, experiences, age or socioeconomic status from the language you use and the way you use it. We often witness the amusement of an audience when someone speaks in the creole, for not only does the system of sound evoke laughter, but the assumption that the speaker is an uneducated serf is then made. Ridicule and contempt for the vernacular, creoles and dialects are common responses from some members of society, even within the Caribbean society, where dialects are rich, strong and the first language. Dialects develop under various circumstances as well as geographical locations and are varieties of languages. A creole could be a dialect within a language. Because of our history, people of the region tend to place a high premium on the standard languages (the language of power and economic might). Manyà people believe that upward mobility is largely dependent on oneââ¬â¢s ability to fit in with the predominant socioeconomic class, and language is the main signifier of this fit. Many Caribbean writers have described scenarios of people who went overseas, were generally expected to return with a new command of the target language and often demonstrated their new found ââ¬Ëstatusââ¬â¢ by emphasizing their foreign accent of ââ¬Ëtwangââ¬â¢. While some might be impress ed by the ââ¬Ëtwangââ¬â¢, others view such pretensions with derision. Attitudes to language may vary from one sector of the society to another and some people demonstrate self-conscious behavior when speaking the standard language. This is largely a result of the fact that in most societies one is often judged on the basis of the variety of language that one speaks. This is even more prevalent in societies with a colonial legacy, like the Caribbean, where certain dialects are associated with the institution of slavery or conquest. Increasingly, educators are becoming aware that a personââ¬â¢s native language is an integral part of who that person is and marginalizing the language can have severe damaging effects on that personââ¬â¢s psyche. Many linguists consistently make a case for teaching native languages alongside the target languages so that children can clearly differentiate among the codes ( a term used synonymously with language or dialect but generally refers to a linguistic system of communication. A code can also be non-linguistic such as a dress code or code of conduct) and hence be less likely to mix the two. This approach has been adopted in Haiti, where schools teach both Standard French and French Creole (Haitian) and children are expected to be fluent in both. Additional prominence has been given to Caribbean Creoles with the publication of Creole dictionaries and with the translation of the New Testament from the Christian Bible into French Creole in St. Lucia. A similar project is under way in Jamaica. While attitudes to local dialects have been slowly changing, many people still associate the use of Creole with negative images and believe that its use should be relegated to specific circumstances and occasions. However, the fact that non-standard language varieties are the most widely spoken in the Caribbean makes them the choice of persons trying to get information to large sections of the society. For example, many advertisers use the Creole language to ensure that their message appeals to most people. At the same time, because of the prestige attached to the standard language, it tends to be the language of choice on formal occasions, like church services. A language variety is usually chosen because of its perceived social functions. You may have noticed that, the more formal the occasion, the more likely the use of the standard language, while for everyday interaction, popular music or emotional appeals, people tend to gravitate towards the non-standard varieties. You would have noticed that, even in a formal situation, non-standard dialect might be used for anecdotes, to inject humour or in a quotation. In the Caribbean, people switching from one code of language to another, often without thinking. However, there are times when the use of standard langue would seem totally out of place and would even interfere with semantics. For example, folk stories, folk songs and proverbs seem to lose a certain essence when translated into standard. The role of language as a vehicle for sharing culture is indisputable. Caribbean writers, singers and oral poets have played a major part in fostering acceptance of the Creole languages of the region, by incorporating them into their work and exposing them to the world. Nonetheless, negative attitudes to these languages persist in the minds of many. Attitudes to Language. (2018, Oct 28).
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Art Apprecition IP Week Four Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Art Apprecition IP Week Four - Essay Example This essay compares and contrasts three artworks from famous Baroque artists: Peter Paul Rubensââ¬â¢ ââ¬Å"The Crucified Christ,â⬠Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggioââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Flagellation of Christ,â⬠and Rembrandt van Rijnââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"The Raising of the Cross.â⬠These paintings are works of realism, where painters focused on using light, shadows, neutral colors, spatial composition, and vivid themes to depict dynamic spiritual actions in a religious event through somber dramatic effects. The artworks are similar in form because of the use of light, neutral colors, and shadows to interpret different aspects of the Crucifixion. Rembrandt painted images of mythology, religion and landscapes, using generally broad brushstrokes. He maximizes light, shadows, and spatial layout to portray his images and characters, enriching their emotions and personalities (Durham, 2004, p.115). ââ¬Å"The Raising of the Crossâ⬠uses luminous light to focus on Christâ⬠â¢s body. The whiteness of the light symbolizes his purity. The darkness around him conceals the people. Their shadows depict the heaviness of their sins, either as active or passive participants. The direction of the painting is slanting, and most of the lines slanting as well. The same slanting lines are seen in Caravaggioââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Flagellation of Christ.â⬠Caravaggioââ¬â¢s style of painting is known for his realism, intense chiaroscuro and the importance placed on co-extensive space. His portrayal of religious themes tends to be somber and dark, and his peers criticized his work for being too realistic, showing the grimmest of human features. In ââ¬Å"Flagellation of Christ,â⬠Christââ¬â¢s body looks perfectly white, but the people who are crucifying him look like demons with their veined faces, arms, and legs. It seems that they are in extreme pain, when Jesus is the one being flagellated. They are concealed in dark shadows too, like in ââ¬Å"The Raisin g of the Cross.â⬠Aside from having the same light and shadow techniques, these paintings share the same neutral colors- white, black, and brown in different shades. ââ¬Å"The Raising of the Crossâ⬠has some cool colors because of the color found in the dress of the white turbaned man and the man in blue beret. Rubensââ¬â¢ ââ¬Å"The Crucified Christâ⬠shows Christ in a vertical position, but his arms and legs are slanted too. Rubens is arguably one of the most central Flemish painters of the 17th century. His style defined the sensual and dynamic techniques of baroque painting. Rubens mixes bold brushwork, glowing colors, and play of light to depict vibrant energies (Spielvogel, 2012, p.480). In ââ¬Å"The Crucified Christ,â⬠the slanted lines connote human pain and misery. There are no people at the background, but the shadows of the clouds and faraway buildings are evident. Sunset presents itself in orange hues at the lower part of Christââ¬â¢s body too . Like the other two paintings, the light is casted on Christââ¬â¢s body in ââ¬Å"The Crucified Christ.â⬠His purity is highlighted against the darkness of the world. The luminous light highlights the humanity of Jesus and the pain on his face marks his human anguish. Aside from the same style used on light, color, and shadows, these three paintings maximize spatial layout for dramatic effects. In ââ¬Å"The Crucified Christ,â⬠Christ is put in the middle of swirling dark clouds. Beneath him are dark human structures. The main impact is that Christ is the
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