Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Personal Helicon by Samuel Heaney Essay Example For Students

Personal Helicon by Samuel Heaney Essay Personal Helicon by Samuel Heaney is a descriptive poem of a child and his fascination of wells. The subject matter of wells is not very typical in poetry although the author, using stylistic devices, has developed the poem so that works on two levels. One level being of a very simple poem and on another level, the use of sounds and powerful images makes an instant impact on the readers senses. The five stanzas of poetry give a very personal and emotional insight into the authors experiences on the farm. The diction and sentence structure used is typical of a child, and the simple language promotes the feeling of innocence and the sense of enjoyment. The poem contains vivid although often grotesque imagery and helps add to a childlike outlook on life. In my opinion the purpose of this poem is to see how much enjoyment a child can have from such innate objects and therefore reflect on his innocence. The poem is very accessible to all readers since the language used is simple and symbolic of a child discovering a new toy. The child is portrayed as being very innocent, gaining enjoyment from wells and crashes when a bucket plummets down the end of a rope. We find many amusing childish ideas in the opening paragraphs, like trapped sky, because it seems as if he thinks that the sky is trapped within the well. In the latter part of the poem it seems as if the child has grown up, is beneath all adult dignity. This last line suggests that this poem has him recollecting childhood memories. In one sense he is discovering an exciting game but in another he can be seen to be discovering who his identity, as he progresses from child to man. The change in age and pursuit of indentify can evidently be seen through his writing in the last paragraph. I rhyme to see myself, to set the darkness echoing. The line, A white face hovered over the bottom, seems unusual in the way that the reflected face is surely his although he describes it very distantly as if he is not sure who is staring back at him. In my opinion it is him looking though a well as a grown man, and whilst recollecting childhood memories through the poem, he is taken back by his aged appearance now. The poem which on the front seems very childlike is actually deeper than imagined, containing devices such as paradoxes between the roots that he is digging in the well and the roots of his happy childhood past. The language used in the early paragraphs gives the distinct expression that he misses being on the farm and even years latter can still remember all the minute details that he experiences, such as the smells of waterweed. An indication of his change in age can be seen through his more complex use of language n the latter paragraphs with words like fructified replace more simple words like, bucket and rope. Helicon is a mountain in Greece, and in mythological times was sacred to Apollo and Muses because it contained fountains of inspiration. The poem, Personal Helicon therefore may infer that Healey is creating his own helicon in the poem as a source for inspiration, which is in fact the farmyard. The reflection of a well is typically implemented so that a character can reflect on what has happened and allows him to attempt to discover himself, and I feel it is used here to highlight the change from boy to man. Dank moss, and soft mulch are both examples of the unpleasant imagery used by Heaney in this poem. .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 , .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .postImageUrl , .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 , .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6:hover , .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6:visited , .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6:active { border:0!important; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6:active , .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6 .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u26706f4e1c50e4a337ea7eccc86d56b6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Consider the representation of gender roles in Rowling's text EssayThe combination of this imagery with the use of senses like sounds and smells is effective in creating a detailed description of the well, so that we can truly experience what he is feeling. Others had echoes give back your call, with a clean new music in it. I believe this line is symbolic because it represents the man calling but only hearing his on voice in return which might suggest that he is lonesome. I believe that the clean new music in the voice that replied to be his more deeper grown up voice and he was just surprised how he had changed from a child.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Influence of increased use of electronic and other technologies on the travel and tourism industry

Tourism is arguably one of the most productive sectors in the UK, estimated to account for about 9 percent of the country’s GDP (Papatheodorou, Rossell Xiao 2010). The industry encompasses various areas that would directly tend to impact human life. For instance, with tourism and travel come things such as car rental agencies, tour agents, and hotels, among other facilities known to trigger significant impact on a country’s productivity.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of increased use of electronic and other technologies on the travel and tourism industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this regard, this dynamic sector has continued to play a key role in diversifying the global economy through investment and employment (Mihali et al. 2002). All these benefits have changed tremendously over the last several years, as a result of various contemporary issues currently witnessed by the h uman race. For instance, increased application of electronic and other technologies on the sector is arguably one of the major contemporary issues that have brought greater impact on the hospitality industry. The purpose of this essay is to identify some of the emerging perspectives of the concept of photography as it is applied in tourism and travel sector. In other words, this essay critically analyses the impact of photography as one of the commonly applied technologies in the sector. The characteristics as well as the consequences of photography as applied in the sector are also observed in this report. Other issues highlighted in the report include recommendation on the possible resolutions that can be used to address various problems associated with the contemporary issue addressed in the essay. The increased use of modern technologies in the tourism and travel sector is a contemporary issue because the trend is pertinent in almost all social organisations of the modern world (Williams 2006). The incorporation of new age technology in tourism is characterized by the use of sophisticated tools and equipment in transforming the nature of the tourism sector (Buhalis 1998). As it would be observed, business activities in this dynamic sector are no longer conducted in a conservative style, but this traditional element is rapidly being eradicated from the face of the earth, following the development of new technological systems (Subrahmanyam Greenfield 2008). Information and communication are pivotal in today’s tourism and travel sector, and there is no doubt about that. In this regard, sophisticated cameras have completely dominated the tourism sector over the years, as a result of global advancements (Garrod 2009).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Today, the camera has become an integral part of the modern revolution in photography (Harper 2 000: 718). Wilhelm et al (2004) observes modern aspects of technology to have revolutionised the tourism industry in a number of ways. Constant application of modern electronics in the tourism sector has triggered both transformative and negative impacts (Buhalis Law 2008). In this context, there are mixed arguments on the impact resulting from the application of modern technology in the identified sector. Modern technology may have played a significant role in promoting the tourism sector, but there are other people who are totally convinced that the trend does not necessarily guarantee the tourism sector a competitive advantage anymore (Doswell 2012). In this regard, excessive dependence on technology in the industry has been both a threat and an opportunity to the players within (Buckley 2012). Key travel intermediaries such tour operators, agents, and conference organisers booking agents are among those who have benefitted from various modern technologies, considering the natur e of their work which involves reaching the masses to inform them about various aspects associated with tourism and travel (Rayman-Bacchus Molina 2001) The concept of photography is applied in the tourism industry around the world in performing various tasks that are crucial for the success of the sector (Buckley 2012). Some of these important tasks include product development and marketing of tourism products (Doswell 2012). The use of modern technology in the tourism sector has also been effective in ensuring that tourism clients receive a wider range of products and services that suit their needs (Sheungting, McKercher Cheung 2010). These approaches have been made easy through the use of photographs and other forms of communication (Valkenburg, Schouten, Peter 2005). The advancement of digital cameras and other sophisticated digital media capture devices has tremendously transformed the advertising and attraction department of many tourism facilities (Rost, Jacobsson Holmquis t 2006). Image sharing between intermediaries to customer communications have proved to play an increasingly significant task in the marketing of tourism products. Through these options, tourism agents are able to pass information regarding their products and services to potential customers via various mediums of communication. This way, potential customers and clients are able to access information regarding their choice of tourism treatment easily before setting off for the journey (Easterling 2005).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Influence of increased use of electronic and other technologies on the travel and tourism industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These approaches benefit both the tourism intermediaries and the customers in that; the intermediaries have the opportunity of accessing their customers directly, while the customers have the advantage of comparing various tourism facilities before they make up their minds. (Stockdale 2007). In other words, this direct interaction helps to improve the efficiency and effectiveness consumer services in the sector (Buckley 2012). The advance of mobile phone technology has played a key role in improving the interaction between tourism intermediaries and their potential customers through photography (Doswell 2012). The possibilities presented by the modern technological era have improved our lives abundantly, in a manner no one could have anticipated over a century ago (Beirne Curry 1999). Most modern mobile handsets come with high resolution cameras, which are essential for effective interaction among people (Van House 2006). As a matter of fact, digital cameras have in the recent years been outsold by the cameraphones, (Van House et al. 2004). The mobile phone culture is that, it brings the world to the fingertips of the users, thus enabling them to access the internet and chat directly with their friends and loved ones, no matter t he distance separating them (Buckley 2012). These gadgets are known to offer standard operating systems on top of the in-built special features, thus providing much convenience in image processing and sharing (Davis et al. 2005). The wealth of visual information accessible on the internet offers immense learning opportunities to potential tourists (Feighey 2003). People can easily access photography information about all tourism destinations in the world with just a click of a button on their mobile devices, and this enables them make more informed decisions on their tourism and travel plans (Stockdale 2007). More importantly, fast and convenient e-Commerce opportunities are provided online to facilitate business activities in the sector (Law, Leung Wong 2004). This way, customers can now book, pay for, and even make travel and hotel reservations over the internet, thanks to the rapid developments in modern technology (Chiam, Soutar Yeo 2009). Anyone in perception of getting the b est hospitality facility does not necessarily need the services of a tourism agent, but they can just scroll their 3G phones to search the internet for tourism and/or travel-themed pictures and information which may guide them to the kind of services they require (Beirne Curry 1999).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Online media usage has become popular nowadays, with the introduction of social network sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, which have attracted overwhelming numbers of users all over the world (Cho et al. 2007). Other significant platforms that have emerged over the last several years include Flicker and the Digital Darkroom, all of which are popular for their ability to offer reliable online photo services (Litvin, Goldsmith Pan 2010). Picture processing sites such as Flicker are accessible in the new generation of mobile phones, and this enhances interactions among people (Subrahmanyam Greenfield 2008). These social networking sites have demonstrated a dramatic increase in the popularity of the tourism industry (Nov, Naaman Ye 2009). The photography technology has turned out to be an integral part of human life through which people can interact freely (Golder 2008). Online photo sharing through various social networking sites and platforms is turning out to be a comm on practice for many people across the world (Stockdale 2007). As it would be observed, the internet happens to be the largest source of travel information used by the three topmost players of tourism affairs in the world: the United Kingdom, Germany and the U.S (Guill Surez 2005). Internet users all over the world can easily upload and share photos through these social platforms. For instance, people are used of seeing elegant snapshots of tourists in holidays making rounds on the internet, after their owners have willingly displayed them for others to view and be able to comment on them where necessary (Brennen Hardt 1999). Photographs are intended to serve as souvenirs of historic moments in the past which people may like to remember for the rest of their lives (Thurlow Jaworski 2010). In that respect, photos taken during a leisure tour to an exotic place are meant to help people tell their beautiful travel stories to others through the above thresholds of sociability, thus mo tivating them to have their own experiences on the well-trodden destinations (Chiam, Soutar Yeo 2009). This communication through photography has greatly helped in enhancing tourism activities and plans in the world (Mitchell 2005). The trend also comes with diverse benefits to various players and stakeholders in the industry (Van House 2006). For example, investors are able to save a lot of money in promotional activities and materials, since the management of marketing platforms over the internet are offered at a relatively low cost (Easterling 2005). However, these interactions through the emerging culture of photography technology does not only make things easier and more enticing to the players in the tourism industry, but they also play a significant role in saving time for both consumers and tourism intermediaries (Law, Leung Wong 2004). Despite these benefits and opportunities, there are also challenges that are directly associated with the increased use of the photography in the tourism sector. For instance, the development of new technologies has encouraged a different kind of competition, whereby investors in the industry have started seeing acquisition of highly sophisticated tools as the only option that can guarantee them a sustainable competitive advantage in the market (Bonn, Furr Susskind 1998). Besides, modern photography has become more common that it is the starting point of every other new investor who wishes to try their luck in the hospitality sector (Buckley 2012) This has significantly increased the competition tension within the industry, thus turning it into an economical battle field, where only the strong survive (Beirne Curry 1999). Another concern here is that, internet-based photograph sharing has constantly raised many questions about privacy matters, which is viewed by many as a way of exposing one’s life (Miller Edwards 2007). More importantly, photographs are said to speak more than words (Brennen Hardt 1999) an d in that case, their circulation on the internet has killed the spirit of adventure for some people who don’t see the value of visiting what they have already seen on pictures. Different people have different tastes for life, and in that case, not all would like everything about a particular tourism destination, no matter its popularity (Dyer et al. 2007). This can be a serious blow on tourism facilities, since it is obvious that crucial tourism images and information must be made available on the internet from where it could be accessed freely by potential tourism consumers and clients (Law, Leung Wong 2004). Based on the above observations, the use of photography in the tourism sector is defined by both threats and opportunities. However, players in this competitive sector will need to apply various managerial strategies, to be able to stand out successfully as strong competitors in the market (Litvin, Goldsmith Pan 2010). This can be achieved through effective utilisati on of the emerging information technology systems, coupled with innovative management strategies (Buhalis 1998). More importantly, investors in the sector will need to approach things in an innovative and creative manner, to be able to make wise business decisions based on the existing threats and opportunities (Doswell 2012). Finally, re-engineering is also likely to play a significant role in helping investors in the industry deal with the consequences of modern technology (Buckley 2012). Through this idea, players in the tourism sector are able to see useful prerequisites that would enable them make full use of the many unexpected business opportunities presented by the use of modern photography technologies (Doswell 2012). Tourism is a dynamic sector which has emerged a winner in the adoption and development of modern technological applications. The sector is constantly changing to fit in the demands of the ever-changing trends of life, such as the diverse economic as well as va rious social factors currently affecting the global populations. The main section of this essay has extensively expounded on the influence of increased use of photography technology on the tourism sector, and the overwhelming impact of this contemporary issue on humanity. Competing arguments on the addressed issue of concern as drawn from past literature have also been discussed extensively in the paper to identify, highlight, and define the perception of different people regarding the issue. The art of capturing, processing, and sharing information and photography over various social networking platforms has been observed in this essay, as one of the integral characteristics associated with the overwhelming developments in modern informational age. The impact of the trend on tourism suppliers, on one hand, and consumers, on the other hand, is also observed here. The report concludes with a critical discussion on the possible outcomes arising from the issue, the course of action whi ch has been generated to address it, and a deep account of the possible resolutions that needs to be applied in dealing with the issue. Based on the arguments presented on this essay, it is clear that photography really plays a significant role in transforming the tourism industry over the last few years. References Beirne, E Curry, P 1999, ‘The impact of the Internet on the information search process and tourism decision making’, Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, vol. 12 no. 25, pp. 88-97. Bonn, M, Furr, H, Susskind, A 1998, ‘Using the Internet as a Pleasure Travel Planning Tool: an Examination of the Sociodemographic and Behavioral Characteristics among Internet Users and Nonusers’, Journal of Hospitality Tourism Research, Vol. 22 No 3, pp. 303- 317. Brennen, B Hardt, H 1999, Picturing the past: Media, history, and photography, University of Illinois Press, Illinois, USA. Buckley, R 2012, Sustainable tourism: Research and reality: Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, Amsterdam. Buhalis, D 1998, ‘Strategic use of information technology in the tourism industry’, Tourism Management, vol. 19 no. 5, pp. 409-421. Buhalis, D Law, R 2008, ‘Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the Internet—The state of eTourism research’, Tourism Management, vol. 29 no. 4, pp. 609-623. Chen, C 2006 ‘Identifying significant factors influencing consumer trust in an online travel site’, Information Technology Tourism, vol. 8 no. 2, pp. 197- 214. Chiam, M, Soutar, G, Yeo, A 2009, ‘Online and Off-line Travel Packages Preferences: A Conjoint Analysis’, International Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 11 no. 8, pp. 31- 40. Cho, H, Gay, G, Davidson, B Ingraffea, A 2007, ‘Social networks, communication styles, and learning performance in a CSCL community’, Computers Education, vol. 49 no. 2, pp. 309-329. Davis, M, V an House, N, Towle, J, King, S, Ahern, S, Burgener, C, Perkel, D, Finn, M, Viswanathan, V, Rothenberg, M 2005, MMM2: mobile media metadata for media sharing: CHI’05 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems, ACM, New York. Doswell, R 2012, Tourism: How effective management makes the difference, Routledge, United Kingdom, Elsevier. Dyer, P, Gursoy, D, Sharma, B, Carter, J 2007, ‘Structural modeling of resident perceptions of tourism and associated development on the Sunshine Coast, Australia’, Tourism Management, vol. 28 no. 2, pp. 409-422. Easterling, D 2005, â€Å"The Residents’ Perspective in Tourism Research†, Journal of Travel Tourism Marketing, vol. 17 no. 4}, pp. 45-62. Feighey, W 2003, ‘Negative Image? Developing the Visual in Tourism Research’, Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 6 no. 1, pp. 76-85. Garrod, B 2009, ‘Understanding the relationship between tourism destination imagery and tourist photographyâ₠¬â„¢, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 47 no. 3, pp. 346-358. Golder, S 2008, Measuring social networks with digital photograph collections: Proceedings of the nineteenth ACM conference on Hypertext and hypermedia’, ACM, New York. Guill, M Surez, S 2005, ‘Explaining the global digital divide: Economic, political and sociological drivers of cross-national Internet use’, Social Forces, vol. 84 no. 2, pp. 681-708. Harper, D 2000, Reimagining visual methods: Galileo to Neuromancer, Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage, London. Law, R, Leung, K Wong, R 2004, ‘The impact of the Internet on travel agencies’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 16 no. 2, pp. 100-107. Litvin, S, Goldsmith, R, Pan, B 2010, ‘Electronic word-of-mouth in hospitality and tourism management’, Tourism Management, vol. 29 no. 3, pp. 458-468. Mihali et al. 2002, Tourism and economic development issues, Channel View Publications, United Kingdom. Miller, A Edwards, W 2007, Give and take: a study of consumer photo-sharing culture and practice: Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, ACM, New York. Mitchell, W 2005, What Pictures Want: The Lives and Loves of Images, University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Nov, O, Naaman, M Ye, C 2009, Motivational, structural and tenure factors that impact online community photo sharing: Proceedings of the 3rd Int’l AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media, San Jose, USA. Papatheodorou, A, Rossell, J Xiao, H 2010, ‘Global economic crisis and tourism: Consequences and perspectives’, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 49 no. 1, pp. 39-45. Rayman-Bacchus, L Molina, A 2001, ‘Internet-based tourism services: business issues and trends’, Futures, vol. 33 no. 7, pp. 589-605. Rost, M, Jacobsson, M, Holmquist, L 2006, Push! photo: Informal photo sharing in ad-hoc networks: Extended abstracts of UbiComp, Citeseer, New Jers ey. Sheungting, L, McKercher, B, Cheung, C 2010, ‘Tourism and online photography’, Tourism Management, vol. 32 no. 4, pp. 725-731. Soper, A 2007, ‘Developing Mauritianness: National identity, cultural heritage values and tourism’, Journal of Heritage Tourism, vol. 2 no. 2, pp. 94-109. Stockdale, R 2007, ‘Managing customer relationships in the self-service environment of e-tourism’, Journal of Vacation Marketing, vol. 13 no. 3, pp. 205-219. Subrahmanyam, K Greenfield, P 2008, ‘Online communication and adolescent relationships’, The Future of Children, vol. 18 no. 1, pp. 119-146. Thurlow, C Jaworski, A 2010, Tourism Discourse: Language and Global Mobility, Palgrave MacMillan, London. Van House, N 2006, UBICOMP’06 PICS Workshop, Distant closeness: Camera phones and public image sharing, University Of California, Berkeley. Valkenburg, P, Schouten, A, Peter, J 2005, â€Å"Adolescents’ Identity Experiments on the Inter net†, New Media Society, vol. 7, no.3, pp. 383-402. Van House, N, Davis, M, Takhteyev, Y, Good, N, Wilhelm, A, Finn, M 2004, From â€Å"what?† to â€Å"why?† the social uses of personal photos: Proc. of CSCW 2004, Citeseer, New Jersey. Wilhelm, A, Takhteyev, Y, Sarvas, R, Van House, N Davis, M 2004, CHI’04 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems, ACM, New York. Williams, A 2006, ‘Tourism and hospitality marketing: fantasy, feeling and fun’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 18 no. 6, pp. 482-495. This essay on Influence of increased use of electronic and other technologies on the travel and tourism industry was written and submitted by user Hayden Villarreal to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Different Periods of Ancient Greek Art

The Different Periods of Ancient Greek Art As it happened centuries later with a handful of Renaissance painters, ancient Greek art tends to be thought of in vague terms- vases, statues and architecture produced a long (unspecified) time ago. Indeed, a long time has passed between us and ancient Greece, and thinking like this is a good starting point, really. The vases, sculpture and architecture were huge innovations, and artists forever afterward owed an enormous debt to the ancient Greeks. Because so many centuries and different phases encompass ancient Greek art what well try to do rather briefly is to break it down into some manageable chunks, thus giving each period its due. Its important to know that ancient Greek art was mainly comprised of vases, sculpture and architecture, lasted around 1,600 years, and covered a number of of different periods. The Different Phases of Ancient Greek Art There were many phases from the 16th century BC until the Greeks suffered defeat at the hands of the Romans at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. The phases are roughly as follows: Mycenaean Art occurred from roughly 1550-1200 BC on the Greek mainland. Although the Mycenaean and Greek cultures were two separate entities, they occupied the same lands successively. The latter learned a few thing from the former, including how to build gates and tombs. Besides architectural explorations including Cyclopean masonry and beehive tombs, the Mycenaeans were awesome goldsmiths and potters. They raised pottery from merely functional to beautifully decorative, and segued right out of the Bronze Age into their own insatiable appetite for gold. One suspects that that the Mycenaeans were so wealthy they werent satisfied with a humble alloy.Around 1200 and the Homeric fall of Troy, the Mycenaean culture dwindled and died, followed by an artistic phase known both as Sub-Mycenaean and/or the Dark Ages. This phase, lasting from c. 1100-1025 BC, saw a bit of continuity with the previous artistic doings, but no innovation.From c. 1025-900 BC, the Proto-Geometric phase saw pottery beginning to be decorated with simple shapes, black bands, and wavy lines. Additionally, technique in the shaping of pots was being refined as well. Geometric Art has been assigned the years of 900-700 BC. Its name is utterly descriptive of the art created during this phase. Pottery decoration moved beyond simple shapes to also include animals and humans. Everything, however, was rendered with the use of simple geometric shapes.Archaic Art, from c. 700-480 BC, began with an Orientalizing Phase (735-650 BC). In this, elements from other civilizations began to creep into Greek art. The elements were those of the Near East (not exactly what we think of as the Orient now, but remember the world was a lot smaller in those days).The Archaic phase is best known for the beginnings of realistic depictions of humans and monumental stone sculptures. It was during the Archaic period that the limestone kouros (male) and kore (female) statues were created, always depicting young, nude, smiling persons. Note: The Archaic and subsequent Classical and Hellenistic periods each contained separate Early, High, and Late phases just like the Italian R enaissance would further on down the road. Classical Art (480-323 BC) was created during a golden age, from the time Athens rose to prominence to Greek expansion and right up until the death of Alexander the Great. It was during this period that human statues became so heroically proportioned. Of course, they were reflective of Greek Humanistic belief in the nobility of man and, perhaps, a desire to look a bit like gods. They were also the result of the invention of metal chisels finally capable of working marble.Hellenistic Art (323-31 BC)- quite like Mannerism- went a wee bit over the top. By the time Alexander had died and things got chaotic in Greece as his empire broke apart, Greek sculptors had mastered carving marble. They were so technically perfect that they began to sculpt impossibly heroic humans. People simply do not look as flawlessly symmetrical or beautiful in real life as those sculptures portray, which may explain why the sculptures remain so popular after all these years.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Not All Epithets are Insults

Not All Epithets are Insults Not All Epithets are Insults Not All Epithets are Insults By Maeve Maddox Judging by the words common use in todays media, one might imagine epithet to be no more than a synonym for insult. Some epithets are insults, but the word has a wider application. For example, look at all these epithets Handel applied to the Baby Jesus in The Messiah: Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Here are some Homeric epithets: many minded Achilles, swift-footed Odysseus, the ox-eyed lady (Hera) epithet 1. An adjective indicating some quality or attribute which the speaker or writer regards as characteristic of the person or thing described; 2. A significant appellation. OED 2nd edition. In 1993 this definition was added: An offensive or derogatory expression used of a person; an abusive term; a profanity. Leaving aside the literary uses of epithets, heres a look at some ways journalists use them. Some epithets, first used by one particular writer, become so attached to persons and things that it becomes rare to see one without the other: powerful Ways and Means committee embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich worlds largest retailer Wal-Mart Sometimes epithets may be used to predispose readers to a positive or negative frame of mind without seeming to editorialize: Motorist Rodney King Troubled pop star Brittany Spears NFL star Michael Vick semi-repentant zillionaire Mel Gibson greedy Wall Street bankers Some thoughts on epithets 1. Cliched epithets are not intrinsically bad. They can be useful shorthand devices for writers and readers in a hurry. 2. The epithet is a respectable rhetorical device. Writers with more time at their disposal might revise for cliched epithets and come up with fresher epithets of their own. 3. If one is writing about someone hurling epithets it might be helpful to specify what kind of epithets were hurled. Were they racial epithets? Did they attack the target in terms of gender, politics, occupation, or morality? Its conceivable that a speaker could be showered with complimentary epithets by his listeners. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of AdjectivesConnotations of 35 Words for Funny Peopleâ€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

Thursday, November 21, 2019

POVERTY AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

POVERTY AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS - Article Example This article looks at very important issues which are important to note in every way. The paper also tackles some issues which are very pertinent in the issue of poverty and education. It looks on the issue of social services, the definition of poverty and the need to protect families from indigenisation arising from depending on social services. This paper was written in the knowledge that of all the issues which affect the students such as race and ethnicity, poverty is the most difficult to understand because it is not discreet. In this regard, it becomes very difficult to know exactly when a child requires help in order to help them to not be affected by poverty. One of the major and most important factors which come out from this paper is the fact that it was revealed that the issue of poverty cannot be solved by money alone. In the Gift of Education Project, it become apparent that just giving the students financial aid did not help in making the students to be able to overcome the challenges poverty was giving them. This is a very important finding as it has very far reaching implications and to which solutions must be developed on order to make sure that it is possible to develop good solutions about the issue of poverty. ... r shows that it is necessary to understand that poverty is not just the absence of money of economic necessities, but rather that poverty is something that goes way beyond the issue money. This is important for policy makers in government in order to help them develop better ways of addressing the issue of poverty in schools. The authors also look at the relationship between poverty and race as well as locale. This is an important element and may be a good platform to create solutions to deal with the issue of poverty. The paper defined and determines some very strong links relating the economic abilities of families and their race as well as the location of a school or the students. This brings a new element to the issue of race and it is necessary to identify the need deal with poverty in a different manner. This study took a quantitative way of looking at the issue of poverty. Although 17% of all children under the age of 18 were in poverty, the study broke the numbers down to ind icate that children from African-American families were the most affected by poverty with as much as 33% of them being from families in poverty. While it is good to identify race related numbers with regard to student poverty, the authors however have not clearly indicated why these numbers are necessary and how why these numbers cna be utilised to punch out these issues. More importantly, the article tackles the issue of the difficulty of identifying big academic talent from poor families. The authors indicate that it is not easy for authorities to be able to identify those students with high academic potential who would then be given the support they need in order to prevent the academic talent from going to waste. While this is true in some ways, the authors have not been able to be

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Personal Branding and Social Media Literature review

Personal Branding and Social Media - Literature review Example ‘A personal brand is a perception in the minds of others’ which the brand owner creates and controls, and sends the message that nobody else exists in the marketplace who is quite like you (Vitberg, 2009, p. 10). While the brand is a perception, however, this does not mean that the perception is a contrived or false one (Banet-Weiser, 2012). Every person has his or her good and bad qualities; like any brand for a good or service, the personal brand highlights the best attributes of a person (Reddick, 2012a & 2012b) which must be grounded in truth (Canada, 2012; Madden & Smith, 2010; Millman, 2010). Necessity of personal branding Like Arruda, Rampersad (2008) does not see personal branding as an alternative, but as a vital asset in today’s ‘online, virtual and individual age’ (p. 34). He observed that the common misconception is that popular and successful people like Tiger Woods and Oprah Winfrey are those who can lay claim to having a personal brand. In truth, everyone has a personal brand, but because they are not aware of it, they are unable to use their personal brands strategically (Shepherd, 2005). Rampersad proposes the personal branding model which is shown below: Authentic personal branding model (Rampersad, 2008, p. 35) Rampersad’s model, though it may appear complicated, is built on what he describes as a four-step evolutionary and organic process: (1) Define and formulate your personal ambition; (2) Define and formulate your personal brand on the basis of your personal SWOT; (3) Formulate your personal balanced scorecard, which is the action plan into which your personal ambition and personal brand are translated; and (4) Implement and cultivate your personal ambition, personal brand, and personal balance scorecard (Rampersad, 2008). A personal brand is of little use, however, unless it is communicated to the target market (Martin, 2009). Jerry Wilson, senior vice-president of the Coca-Cola Company and preside nt of the Global McDonald’s Division, concurs that personal branding is crucial, and proposes that if one finds himself stuck in a certain job or position, that he/she should try to rebrand or reinvent himself (Jacques, 2009). This does not mean that people should make themselves into somebody else (Chase, 2011), but they may change their image and how people perceive them by highlighting those qualities they possess which have not been given much attention to (Colmerauer, 2012). This may be achieved by doing a brand audit, an assessment of where one is and what one has to offer. Wilson calls these attributes ‘transferable equities’ (Jacques, 2009, p 32) that a person may put forward to redefine him/herself. Personal branding and authenticity The key to success is having ‘an organic, holistic, and authentic personal branding model’ (Rampersad, 2008, p. 35). Arruda also perceives people as having the wrong view that personal branding is made up and ar tificial (Martin, 2009), and stresses that it must be honest and authentic. Morton (2012) likewise emphasizes the importance of authenticity, observing that a personal brand grows over time. This is significant, because if a personal brand is not solidly rooted in authenticity, then the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Comparative Analysis of Islamic and Conventional Bank Risk Essay Example for Free

Comparative Analysis of Islamic and Conventional Bank Risk Essay The decline of the religion has been attributed into modern times with a materialistic culture by the popular wisdom of today, the understanding of religion has embedded this view, as nature having only spiritual limits, and the worldly well being of an individual is very detached in this relation. However, this understanding of Islam religion has been misguided by many of among us in the past, as well as in the present. A critical role has been played by every religion regarding the guidance to survive in a society communally, and in the characterization of different markets of that time. In the religious regards, equal distribution of wealth and debt annulment was preached and emphasized by every religion in the past. The enforcement of the debt bond has been strongly rejected by all the beliefs and the concept of canceling the debt have been upheld by them. In the past, in order to satisfy and fulfill the financial needs of devout and pious Muslims, a concept of money depository was introduced in the Islamic civilization, which has now become a growing phenomenon of the world, that is, around 1. 6 billion Muslims in the world. The macro-economic properties of banking institution have been studies by many economists with relation to an ideal and isolated Islamic economy framework. In modern days, the working of this pioneering financial system is going on very effectively in various parts of the world. In many developed and under-developed countries, the other conventional banking systems are having this unique financing system besides them in every sector of the economy. In this regard, the comparative analysis has been done in this study, which will try to differentiate the Islamic banking system with the Conventional ones. In this study, we will try to understand and clarify the demarcation between the Islamic and Conventional Banking and the risks that are borne by these methods of banking. A financial intermediary having the aims and objectives related to the principles of Islamic law or ‘Shariah’ may be defined as an Islamic Banking System. Consequently, the zero-interest activities and operations are the key features of this distinctive banking system. However, eliminating the transactions based on interest is not the only objective of Islamic banking. The abolishment of all kinds of exploitation is also another aspect of Islamic banking system. In result, a balanced and unbiased social order is established by the system in this regard. Only the role of financier is not played by an Islamic bank. It also works as a partner in the business of an individual. Due to this, the risk between the capital owner and the entrepreneurs is involved by this system. However, the positive result of the collective efforts is also shared by the Islamic banking. Thus, the other conventional banking and interest-based system differs from the Islamic banking, as only the entrepreneur or the owner of the capital bears the risk in the conventional banking, and vice versa. However, the individual and bank shares the abovementioned with each other, which provides the entrepreneur to develop as a whole. In other way, participatory banking name can be given to the Islamic banking in this regard. In the Islamic economics, zero return on capital is not meant by the eliminating process of the interest in this unique banking system, as the pre-determination of a fixed return is forbidden for a certain amount of production in the Islamic laws. The equity based investment principle is followed by the Islamic banks. The contraction of the resources based on deals relating to the sharing of risks, and the ventures of capital is also proposed by the Islamic banking. It has been noted by the economists that economic growth and development of an individual becomes applicable and easy with the vital role that is played by the Islamic banks around the world. We can say that a relationship between finance, commerce, and industry is tried and developed by this exclusive banking system, which differs from the other conventional banking due to these characteristics of its system. The Islamic banking plays its role as an equity-based system, where the pre-determined interest rate is excluded, and the nominal value of deposits is not guaranteed. In result, changing values of the share deposits absorbs the shock to asset position immediately. Therefore, in such system, the assets and liabilities of bank will carry the same real value at all the points. However, in the more traditional and conventional banking system, a diversion can be caused between the real assets and liabilities by such shocks in the process of fixed nominal value of deposits. Therefore, the abovementioned features of this Islamic banking differs it from the traditional and conventional banking system, and so, various levels of risks are borne by these systems. Nowadays, many countries are trying to examine the possibilities of the introduction of an interest-free banking system based on the Islamic laws and principles. It has also been argued and discussed that if the Islamic financial system will be established in the various countries, it will be feasible, but also profitable for the individuals, as well as, the companies as a whole. These days, the truth of interest as an unbearable burden is being realized by the Western countries, as well as, the developing countries around the world. In this regard, all the interests have been waived by the Canada. A similar move has been made by the Australia. The suggestion of waiving off the 30 to 35% of the present interests of the debt has been officially given by the President of France. Therefore, it may be generalized that Islamic Banking and Financing System is a unique and distinctive system, which differs from the conventional banking systems around the world. In order to make a more detailed comparative view of the working and risks borne by the Islamic and Conventional Banking Systems, we will try to analyze with the help of data that represents the comparison between these two financial systems that are applied and practiced around the world. There are some different and diverse characteristics of the abovementioned two banking systems, which should be discussed in order to clarify the comparison between them. In the Islamic Financing system, the number of customers is less than the Marketing-based financing system. The ownership of the Islamic Banking is usually taken by the local or foreign individuals. However, only the local shareholders enjoy the ownership in the conventional banking system. In the Islamic banking, the integration of different activities is very high as compared to the traditional banking system. Lastly, the Islamic financing system has the high intensity of managing and bearing the risk internally, as well as externally. However, the risk is managed and borne by the Marketing-based financing system less internally and externally. Risk sharing is closely related to the risk management; no matter it may be external or internal in its nature. Development of close ties between the customers, and other interest groups may bring the risk externalization by an organization. It has also been indicated by various economists that one contributing factor that is related to the risk management is the long-term relations, which are made on the mutual dependence in an organization. From the different studies related to the Islamic Financing System, the responsibilities are shared by the junior and the senior staff jointly in organizations. In this case, the higher and lower level of management shares the risk. However, in the Marketing-based and Conventional Banking system, the internal risk is shared on a lower basis due to the centralization of power and authority, as compared to the Islamic Banking System. Conclusively, a high degree of the sharing of internal risk is characterized during managing the risk management in the Islamic Banking system as compared to the other conventional financing systems. Therefore, there are many differentiation between the Islamic and Traditional Banking systems around the world. Regarding the risk externalization, in the Islamic Banking system, the close lender-borrower relationships are characterized during the lending activities of organizations. The borrowers are also guided by the Islamic bankers apart from lending funds to them. In result, efficient network relationships create the increment of the externalization of risks relating to the partners who exchange in this regard. Therefore, in the Islamic Financing System, the degree of external risk is observed to be high. However, the formal lenders-borrowers relationships are characterized within the Conventional and Marketing-based financing system. In the result, it is a low degree of externalization of risks in this traditional banking system. In this regard, the extent of success of a banking organization is determined by the lender-borrower relationships, where the customers are given credit in this regard. Direct contacts with the various customers are maintained within the Islamic, as well as, the Conventional Financing Systems. The differentiation is observed in the Islamic Banking System while dealing with the financial activities, as the borrowed funds are monitored closely by these bankers, which results in the higher intensity of the lender-borrower relationships. In this regard, the risks are borne on a higher extent by the Islamic Banking system as compared to the conventional ones. However, the bank gets the higher profit as we have tried to discuss it in the abovementioned matter. Conclusively, the issues of fairness and justice are concerned in the Islamic principles that are related to the interest, rather than defining the efficiency narrowly. The focus is placed on the necessity of sharing the risk in a stable condition with the help of these principles, as well as, at the time of exploitation of the markets. We have also clarified that the Islamic Financing System works on the equity-based projects. However, the conventional ones prefer the debit-based schemes for the lenders and individuals. In an Islamic financing situation, the ownership is shared by the both bank and the client, and in the Conventional banking, all the equity is owned by the client, and the property value plays as a security to the bank loan. We hope that this study will help the scholars and the economists in understanding the role and differentiation of the Islamic Conventional Banking around the world. Works Cited Ahmad, S. (1992). Towards Interest-Free Banking. New Delhi: International Islamic Publishers. Chapra, M. (2000). The Future of Economics: An Islamic Perspective. Leicester, UK: The Islamic Foundation. Dar, A. H. , and Presley, J. R. (1999). Islamic Finance: A Western Perspective. International Journal of Islamic Financial Services. Dar, A. (2002). Islamic House Financing in the United Kingdom: Problems, Challenges, and Prospects. Ahmad, K. (1994). Elimination of Riba: Concepts and Problems, Response to the Supreme Court Questionnaire. Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan.