Tim OBrien Essays - Fiction, Literature, Tim OBrien

Tim O'Brien Tim O'Brien, a contemporary American novelist and short story writer of immense, imaginative power, freely admits that the Vietnam War was the dark, jarring experience that made him a writer. O'Brien served in Vietnam with the Fifth Battalion, Forty-six infantry from January 1969 to March 1970. He patrolled some of the most active and brutal sites of the war and it definitely showed in the settings of his writing. Before his induction into the army, O'Brien felt traumatized on the decision of whether to stay in the United States or to flee to Canada. He finally convinced himself to go for the reason that it was his duty. O'Brien returned to America sound of mind and body if not in spirit. He wrote of his war experience in a ?spare, poetically elusive, and classically toned personal memoir.?(Myers 140) Thomas Myers states that, ?O'Brien examines the wrenching transformation of sense and sensibility in fictions that are evocative, challenging meetings of imagination and memory, of the created and the recreated, of the impossible and the possible.?(Myers140) O'Brien uses much of Hemmingway's style in his work- despair, rhythmic repetition of key words and phrases; the hard, discipline control of idea and emotion in sentences and paragraphs that are models of the stoic understatement; the darkly ironic gestures; and the classical imperatives of courage and cowardliness, transgression and expiation, of Hemmingway's best stories and novels. O'Brien is a natural storyteller who can spin a tale with the best of them. He is also a figure who would cast off from safe harbors and dive deeply into the primal American soul and psyche. O'Brien explores a few specific subjects and themes: the continual interplay of fact and imagination in fiction and in life; the compulsive, absurd, noble quest for human truth; the difficulty in defining and obtaining the elusive quality of courage; and the ongoing human need for the fragile, made up, explanatory device we call story. O'Brien's prime theme is not that war maims and destroys but that storytelling explains, connects, and ultimately saves the teller and the listener. The two great themes that are instilled in all of his novels and short fiction: the ongoing quest to acquire or simply to define courage and the desperate need to attain redemption after sin. In his memoir, If I Die In A Combat Zone, O'Brien ? established his literary voice by creating a striking personal meditation with somber, classical tones and poetic effect, and he offers a version of himself who is both a participant telling one man's story and a symbolic emissary of his culture who exchanges traditional and pop culture myth for the hard-earned knowledge of the personal transgression and historical experience.?(Myers 144) In his book, Northern Lights, O'Brien made an early attempt to isolate and explore both the male and the female in every human being, fictional or real. O'Brien explained that men and women are different, but not that different. In Northern Lights, he shows the common traits between the opposite genders. In The Nuclear Age, O'Brien' treatment of the New Left is satiric, and the characters are often deliberate. ? What becomes clear in the novel is O'Brien's own ambivalence to the leftist politics, the civil disobedience, and the cultural upheaval of America in the 1960s and the 1970s.? (Myers 150) O'Brien combines a subtle blend of imagination and memory to give his readers a taste of the surreal past of his characters. In his next book, The Things They Carried, the establish subjects and themes were: the search for a workable definition of courage; the need to transmute terrible memory into a livable present; the responsibility of the living to the dead to keep them alive somehow; the wonderful, terrible nature of storytelling itself. The narrator and central character was named Tim O'Brien and was modeled after his creator, but both are and are not the ? real ? one. In this book, there is not only a pronounced metafictional feel ? the implicit argument for the utter interchangeability and fluity of life and art ? but also the perception by the reader that finally any attempt to separate the author from the narrator-hero is a fool's errand. In Going after Cacciato, the very themes of the book are imagination and memory. O'Brien makes it clear how the power of our dreams also creates what we call the real world. In The Lake of the Woods, O'Brien offers a depiction of human mystery, secret sin, and the dark, tragic effects of contemporary American history that again rubs away

Definition and Examples of Kennings in English

Definition and Examples of Kennings in English A kenning is a  figurative expression, usually compound in form, that is used in place of a name or noun, especially in Old English. Kenning as Metaphor The kenning has been described as a kind of compressed metaphor with the referent suppressed. Commonly used kennings in Old English and Norse poetry include whale-road (for sea), sea-horse (for ship), and iron-shower (for the rain of spears or arrows during a battle). Examples Old English poetry used a special poetic vocabulary. . . . [The word] ban-cofa (n) had a special meaning: its two elements were bone-den, but it meant body. Such an expression is a paraphrase, a reference to a thing by concentration on one of its attributes. A person could be called a reord-berend (speech-bearer) because speech is uniquely human. This device of paraphrase was frequent in Old English poetry, and it goes now by the name (borrowed from Old Norse) of kenning.(W.F. Bolton, A Living Language: The History and Structure of English. Random House, 1982)The poets loved kennings because they were opportunities to vary their descriptions when they told long stories of heroes and battles. . . .So, what could a ship be? A wave floater, sea goer, sea-house or sea steed. And the sea? A seal bath, fish home, swan road or whale way. Anything could be described using a kenning. A woman is a peace-weaver, a traveller is an earth-walker, a sword is a wolf of wounds, the sun is a sky candl e, the sky is the curtain of the gods, blood is battle sweat or battle icicle. There are hundreds more. (David Crystal, The Story of English in 100 Words. St. Martins Press, 2012) Circumlocutions The poets of medieval Scandinavia developed a system of naming by circumlocution, or kennings, which they could expand to a dizzying degree of complexity. They might call the sea earth of the fish. Next, they could replace the word fish by the expression snake of the fjord. Then, they might substitute for fjord the phrase bench of the ship. The result was a strange, prolix thing: earth of the snake of the bench of the shipwhich, of course, simply meant sea. But only those familiar with the conceits of poetry would know it.(Daniel Heller-Roazen, Learn to Talk in Beggars’ Cant. The New York Times, August 18, 2013) Contemporary Kennings We clearly see kenning variation . . . in the seventh of the sequence Glanmore Sonnets in [Seamus] Heaneys next volume, Field Work [1979], when names of the BBC Radio 4 shipping forecast (itself possessing the sonority of a formulaic catalogue from early heroic poetry) prompt the poet to expand on the metaphor in the Old English kenning for the sea hronrad (whale-road, Beowulf, l. 10): Sirens of the tundra,Of eel-road, seal-road, keel-road, whale-road, raiseTheir wind-compounded keen behind the baizeAnd drive the trawlers to the lee of Wicklow. . . . Heaney performs variation not just on the concept signified, but on the signifier itself, echoing the hypnotic chant of the shipping forecast. (Chris Jones, Strange Likeness: The Use of Old English in Twentieth-Century Poetry. Oxford University Press, 2006) Etymologyfrom the Old Norse, to know Pronunciation: KEN-ing

Identify and illustrate some of the dominant cultural values of modern Essay

Identify and illustrate some of the dominant cultural values of modern consumer societies - Essay Example Moreover, it is still a debatable issue whether modern consumerism has espoused globalised or localised philosophies (Merz et al. 2008: 166-182). Yet, literature on this topic has focused on finding the disparities between theoretical knowledge and its practical implementations. The main difficulty in arriving any conclusive model of consumer culture in modern societies is that social values and systems are too generic to hint at any distinctive features of consumerism. On one hand, the 21st century is market-centric. The pervasive market trends have engulfed everything material or immaterial. Theories of branding, especially those involving adolescent psychologies, clearly show how cultural propensities are directly regulated by the market economy (Naim et al. 2008: 627-640). On the other hand, this market driven economy fails to justify behaviours such as religious preferences or jingoism (Slater 1997: 24). This essay strives to discuss the key factors that can be held as probable identifiers of the dominant cultural values that underpin modern consumer societies. Culture is an abstract term for a number of social, economic and behaviorist aspects. The process of locating cultural attributes in any given society is extremely complex, for the notion of culture is highly de-territorialised due to regular intermingling of a diverse array of cultures across domestic as well as international borders. Hence, there is a pluralistic dimension to the study of ethnology in the context of consumerism (Craig and Douglas 2006: 322-342). The counter-culture movements in the 1960s may be examined in order to explore the subtleties of social hegemony and its impact on human culture. Market oriented economic practices in the modern era have not diffused into the realm of mass consumerism. Such practices are cultural properties of the elites who rule the economy of any given society. The mass, on the contrary, are compelled to using what is

The economic performance of London compared to that of the rest of the Essay

The economic performance of London compared to that of the rest of the UK since 2000 - Essay Example a great concentration of professional and wholesale financial businesses.5 This form of business enables London in specific and the UK in general to benefit from international trade. London as an economic hub exports businesses to the rest of the UK. Notably, the world class nature of these businesses gives London a competitive advantage when it comes to engaging in business with the rest of the nation. Considering that London is one of the premier world cities, its economic performance in terms of financial a business services helps the entire nation through tax revenues received from public spending. Undoubtedly, London’s economy is strong and as such it benefits the rest of the UK. During financial year 2002/2003, London generated $ 2 billion and $ 9 billion more in taxes than it received from public spending. However, London economy experienced relative slow down in 2002 compared to the rest of the UK economy making the overall UK public sector debt move from $ 15 billion to $ 25 within the same period.6 London economy varies from that of the rest of the country. Even though London is popular with its unique financial services, its economy is not only hinged on financial activities, but has other revenue generating activities including management and business consultancy activities which it score highly in specialization index. This kind of ranking not only shows how London supplies such services to the other parts of the UK but also to other countries. Other economic activities which makes London rank highly in economic performance compared to other UK cities include tourism, telecommunications and consultancy services among many others. Such sectoral specialization has indeed helped London to contribute to over half of the UK’s exports for activities such as...This essay critically assess the economic performance of London in the years 2000-2010 and compares with that of the rest of the UK There has been mixed views regarding the economic relationship between London and the rest of the UK. Some people argue that, London grows at the expense of the rest of the country while other hold the view that London is the focal point of the UK economy. This study found that most big businesses were established and are based in London, but at the same time they have established branches to other parts of the country. London population comprises of the young generation which in real sense migrates not only from foreign countries, but also from other cities and rural areas. Notwithstanding the recent global financial crisis, London remains a dynamic city in the world due to its living appeal and commercial superiority. Undeniably, London is the UK’s leading base for export oriented employment, high value businesses and therefore, its position relative to other UK cities portrays no sign of abating. London economy relies on sectors with faster growth in productivity. As such, faster growth in output per person and rise in wages is equally expected to be higher. London boasts as a hub for some of the big financial institutions and health facilities. The presence of major businesses coupled with increased economic activities has enabled London generate the bigger part of the national revenues. However, inequality gap between rich and the poor continues to widen as the economic conditions worsens.

Czechoslovakia Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Czechoslovakia Crisis - Essay Example Wilson pushed for inclusion of his fourteen Points especially the League of Nations. Many of his proposals however, clashed with the secret treaties and territorial rearrangements already made by the other three European powers. They found it difficult to hide their contempt for what they saw as Wilson's naivet and superior attitude. The political wrangling became intense. Finally, agreement was reached and a treaty presented to the German representatives on May 7, 1919. The terms were harsh. Germany was stripped to approximately 13% of its pre-war territory and all of its over-seas possession. The Ruhr-Germany's industrial heartland - was to be occupied by allied troops. The size of Germany's military forces was drastically reduced. The treaty further stipulated that Germany would pay for the devastation for the devastation of the war through annual reparation payments to its European neighbors. The victors ignored the bitter complaints of the German delegation. On June 28, two rather German representatives signed the treaty. Ever since the treaty was signed it brought bitterness to Germans but they had no other choice other than facing it. The latter years were spent to pay the debts. Ever since Hitler came to power in 1933 he had made successive assaults on the restrictions that had been placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. He had begun secretly the process of rearmament and felt confident enough to announce the program in 1935, the same year in which he introduced conscription to the new German army. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS THAT LEAD TO THE CRISIS Since the public announcement of German rearmament in 1935, in defiance of the treaty of Versailles, there had been apprehension among the European states, large and small, as to Germany's intentions. That they would not be pacific was made clear in the following year with the remilitarization of the Rhineland zone that had been permanently demilitarized by the same treaty (2). Thus, it was felt that it would only be a question of time as to when Hitler would proceed to realize the pan-German dream of German-Austrian unity (i.e., Anschluss): after all, Hitler himself had been born in Austria. Inasmuch as the earlier aggressive moves had produced no serious retaliation from either Britain or France, it was not to be expected that the absorption of Austria under threat of invasion on March 12 (soon to be endorsed by referendum of the Austrian people) would be met by other than words of protest from the Western powers. The gravest implications of Hitler's action, however, now pointed to Czechoslovakia (3), France's vulnerable ally now that hope of French assistance had been dealt a death blow by the earlier remilitarization of the Rhineland zone along the Franco-German border. RHINELAND CRISIS On March 7, 1936, in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, troops of the German army entered the demilitarized buffer zone along the River Rhine. Earlier, in 1925, the then German government, in order to facilitate its entry to the League of Nations and regain its status of a great power, had signed an Agreement (the Locarno Pact) with France that provided, under an Italo-British guarantee, for mutual acceptance of their existing border, including

Literature On The Impacts Of Landslides Environmental Sciences Essay

Literature On The Impacts Of Landslides Environmental Sciences Essay Objective of this chapter is to present all the literature available related to landslides and its impact to socio environment. It would include what are natural disasters, priority of occurrence of natural disasters, some thing about Sri Lanka and natural disasters in Sri Lanka; something about landslides, landslides is the one of main natural disasters for Hill country, reasons for landslides in Sri Lanka specially in Ratnapura district, socio impact of natural landslides in Sri Lanka, mitigation of landslides in Sri Lanka. A natural hazard is a threat of an event that will have a negative effect on people or the environment. In recent years, growing population and expansion of settlements and life-lines over hazardous areas have largely increased the impact of natural disasters both in industrialized and developing countries. (Guzzetti.F, et al, Landslide hazard evaluation: a review of current techniques and their application in a multi-scale study, Central Italy). Specially Asia and the Pacific is the worlds most disaster-prone region, accounting for 91 per cent of deaths from natural disasters in the past century and 49 per cent of the resulting economic damage (ASIA PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK). It can be illustrated as follow. (Figure 2.2.1) Figure 2.2.1: Impacts of natural disasters in the period 1900-2005 Source: EM DAT, the OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, Univercity Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. Each year for the past 15 years, an average of 41,000 people have died in the region from natural disasters, which annually inflicted $29 billion worth of damage. Of the worlds 10 most severe natural disasters in 2004, five occurred in the Asian and Pacific region, causing damage amounting to $55 billion, about 70 per cent of the total damage, estimated at $80 billion. Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific in 2007 presented major natural disaster events in the Asia and Pacific region from1988 to 2007. (Figure 2.2.2) Figure 2.2.2 Major natural disaster events in the Asian and Pacific region, 1988- 2007 Source: ASIA PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK At the meeting of Management of Landslide hazard, Japan Landslide Society (JLS) presented two reasons for that situation occurred in the Asia-Pacific Region. This include countries difficulty to face the high costs of controlling natural hazards through major engineering works, rational land-use planning and different part of landscape had been subjected to wide range of disaster from time to time through out the history. The droughts, landslides, cyclone, wind, storms, soil erosion, Tsunami and coastal erosion are the common natural disasters while terrorism, violence, civil conflicts, explosions, industrial accidents, epidemics, gem mining, sand mining, fires deforestation are the man made disaster that affect the community of the Asia-Pacific. Since 1990 the region has suffered 50 per cent of the worlds major natural disasters when International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction began. The total number of deaths due to natural disasters in the region has exceeded 200,000 and the estimated damage to property over this period has been estimated at US$ 100 billion (ASIA PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK). 2.2.1 Flood A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land, a deluge. Floods are the most common climate-related disaster in the region and include seasonal floods, flash floods, urban floods due to inadequate drainage facilities and floods associated with tidal events induced by typhoons in coastal areas. In Bangladesh, one of the most flood-prone countries in the region, as many as 80 million people are vulnerable to flooding each year (ESCAP, 1995a). In India, where a total of 40 million hectares is at risk from flooding each year, the average annual direct damage has been estimated at US$ 240 million, although this figure can increase to over US$ 1.5 billion with severe flood events.   (ASIA PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK). Flooding is the most common natural hazard in Sri Lanka also. Heavy monsoon rain has affected the South and South West of Sri Lanka, leading to the most serious flooding and landslides in over 50 years. Six districts are affected by the floods. This includes Ratnapura, Galle, Kalutara, Matara, Nuwara Eliya, and Hambantota disricts. Recent records indicate that Sri Lanka experiences large scale flooding every 2 to 3 years on average about 200,000 people are affected every year. The Government of Sri Lanka Disaster Operations Center has provided the following data on the affected areas: (Table 2.2.1.1) Table 01: flooding areas District Affected Families Deaths Houses destroyed Houses partially damaged Hambantota 1,812 22 429 932 Kulatara 21,550 8 7,658 35 Galle 36,703 17 1,273 560 Matara 68,075 80 8,850 17,822 Ratnapura 47,756 137 5,726 6,902 Nuwara Eliya 132 1 286 0 Source: The Government of Sri Lanka Disaster Operations Center There are 103 river basins in the island of which about 20 can be considered major basins of the five main rivers, the Kelani, Kalu, Gin, Nilwala and Mahaweli, which experience annual floods. Floods in Sri Lanka occur mainly due to excessive rainfall during the monsoons, and they normally occur during the Southwest monsoon and during the inter-monsoonal rains, just before and after the Northeast monsoon. Therefore, rivers located on the Western slope of the country become prone to flooding. . (Malalgoda M, et al, ITDG South Asia, 2002) 2.2.2 Earthquake An earthquake is a sudden and sometimes catastrophic movement of a part of the earths surface. Earthquakes result from the dynamic release of elastic strain energy that radiates seismic waves. Earthquakes typically result from the movement of faults, planar zones of deformation within the earths upper crust. (Cecil H, et al, Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Scripps Institution of Oceanography). Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph. At the Earths surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and sometimes displacing the ground. When a large earthquake epicenter is located offshore, the seabed sometimes suffers sufficient displacement to cause a tsunami. The shaking in earthquakes can also trigger landslides and occasionally volcanic activity.(Spence, William; S. A. Sipkin, G. L. Choy (1989). Measuring the Size of an Earthquake, United States Geological Survey, 2006). Earthquakes are short-lived, menacing and the most feared natural hazards because of their sudden impact and devastation in a matter of few seconds inflicting immense losses of life and property. Therefore since we are not in a position to predict an earthquake, we must at least try to find out the scientific causes that can lead to such catastrophic earthquakes. If not disaster due to earthquakes affects all segments of the community including individuals causing significant economic social impacts, severe damage to life human suffering, loss of property material wealth, environmental devastations, devastation of physical facilities (Banerjee R, et al Geomatics in Earthquake Mitigation, ESHD/MWRG-RESA, Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad). 2.2.3 Cyclones Cyclones are huge revolving storms caused by winds blowing around a central area of low atmospheric pressure. In the northern hemisphere, cyclones are called hurricanes or typhoons and their winds blow in an anti-clockwise circle. In the southern hemisphere, these tropical storms are known as cyclones, whose winds blow in a clockwise circle. Cyclones develop over warm seas near the Equator. Air heated by the sun rises very swiftly, which creates areas of very low pressure. As the warm air rises, it becomes loaded with moisture which condenses into massive thunderclouds. Cool air rushes in to fill the void that is left, but because of the constant turning of the Earth on its axis, the air is bent inwards and then spirals upwards with great force. The swirling winds rotate faster and faster, forming a huge circle which can be up to 2,000 km across. (Natural Disasters by Cindy, Lisa and Stacey). The Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka is prone to disastrous cyclones. The cyclone season is from November to December. About 83% of occurrences in the past have been during this period. In the instances where cyclones have hit Sri Lanka the effects have been devastating. The cyclone of 1964 hit the districts of Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Mannar, Batticaloa and Amparai. This cyclone resulted in 75,000 people being affected and 280 deaths. The cyclone of 1978 affected nearly 1 million people and an estimated 100,000 people were made homeless. . (Malalgoda M, et al, ITDG South Asia, 2002) 2.2.4 Droughts Droughts are caused by lack of rain over a long period of time. Most droughts tend to occur during summer, as the weather is hot and water is quickly evaporated. It has been observed that the impact of droughts differs widely between developed and developing countries because of the influence of such factors as water supply and water-use efficiency. The majority of the estimated 500 million rural poor in the Asia-Pacific region are subsistence farmers occupying mainly rain-fed land (ESCAP, 1995a). The drought-prone countries in this region are Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and parts of Bangladesh. The Philippines, Thailand, Australia and the Pacific islands of Fiji, Vanuatu and Samoa also contain drought-prone areas. (ASIA PACIFIC ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK) Dry spells and droughts are a recurrent feature of the natural climate of Sri Lanka. In the extreme northwest Mannar and Kalpitiya areas and in the extreme southwest Yala area the mean annual rainfall drops below 1000mm. Hambantota, Moneragala and Puttlam are the administrative districts where drought is a regular phenomenon. 2.3 Natural disasters in Sri Lanka 2.3.1 About Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, located in Southern Asia, southeast of India, in a strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes. It has a total area of 65,610 km ², with 64,740 km ² of land and 870 km ² of water. Its coastline is 1,340 km long. Sri Lankas climate includes tropical monsoons: the northeast monsoon (December to March), and the southwest monsoon (June to October). Its terrain is mostly low, flat to rolling plain, with mountains in the south-central interior. The highest point is Pidurutalagala at 2,524.13 m. Natural resources include limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower. Extensive faulting and erosion over time have produced a wide range of topographic features, making Sri Lanka one of the most scenic places in the world. Three zones are distinguishable by elevation: the Central Highlands, the plains, and the coastal belt. Sri Lankas climate can be described as tropical, and quite warm. Its position between 5 and 10 north latitude endows the country with a warm climate, moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture. The mean temperature ranges from a low of 16 °C in Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands (where frost may occur for several days in the winter) to a high of 32 °C in Trincomalee on the northeast coast (where temperatures may reach 38  °C). As a whole the average yearly temperature for the country ranges from 28 to 30  °C. Day and night temperatures may vary by 4 to 7. January is the coolest month, causing people, especially those in the highlands, to wear coats and sweaters. May, the hottest period, precedes the summer monsoon rains. The rainfall pattern is influenced by the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal and is marked by four seasons. The first is from mid-May to October, when winds originate in the southwest, bringing moisture from the Indian Ocean. When these winds encounter the slopes of the Central Highlands, they unload heavy rains on the mountain slopes and the southwestern sector of the island. Some of the windward slopes receive up to 2500 mm of rain per month, but the leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. The second season occurs in October and November, inter monsoonal months. During this season, periodic squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island. During the third season, December to March, monsoon winds come from the northeast, bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The northeastern slopes of the mountains may be inundated with up to 1250 mm of rain during the se months. Another inter monsoonal period occurs from March until mid-May, with light, variable winds and evening thundershowers.(Library of Congress Country Studies, which are United States government publications in the public domain, Geography of Sri Lanka). 2.3.2 Natural disasters in Sri Lanka As a results of geological factors, weather condition, human activities recent records indicate that Sri Lanka is a disaster prone country since historical time. Different part of landscape had been subjected to wide range of disaster from time to time through out the history. But not only natural disasters had been caused to introduce Sri Lanka as a disaster prone country, mane made disasters also subject to this situation. While the droughts, Landslides, Cyclone, Wind, Storms, Soil erosion, Tsunami and costal erosion are the common natural disasters; terrorism, violence, civil conflicts, explosions, industrial accidents, epidemics, gem mining, sand mining, fires deforestation are the man made disasters that affect the community of the country.(Jayaweera S, National Building Research Organization). Those natural disasters had been affected all segments of Sri Lankan community including individuals causing significant economic and social impacts, sever damage to life and human suffering, loss of property and material wealth, environmental devastation of physical facilities such as water supply, power generation and distribution, telecommunication, arterial roads linking the affected areas to other part of the country, township, health and education facilities. (Natural Disaster Risk Management Programme. Community Based Disaster Reduction and Recovery. Through Participation of Communities and Local Self Governments). According to the relief distribution to the victims during past two decades, the most devastating natural hazard has been landslides and floods in terms of deaths and cost. Disaster due to landslides affects all segments of the community including individuals causing significant economic social impacts. During the past few years landslide incidents seem to be increasing in number and severity casing vulnerability of communities. ( Jayaweera S, National Building Research Organizatio) 2.4 Landslides 2.4.1 Something about Landslide A landslide is the down slope movement of sediment and rock. The word landslide also refers to the landforms that result from this action. Landslides are reflecting the many diverse landscapes (Evans, S.G, Landslides; in A Synthesis of Geological Hazards in Canada, G.R. Brooks; Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin, 2001) Landslides and mass movements are common phenomena in the world, from the recent past. Especially landslides spread from the Central hills to neighboring districts predominantly. This can be occurred in different sizes and it can be range form a single boulder that fell off a cliff to a large area encompassing tens of square kilometers and millions of cubic meters of debris. And the speed of movement can range from extremely slow to extremely rapid. The slowest movement, creep, is on the order of a few centimeters to a few tens of centimeters per year. The fastest type of landslide, the rock avalanche, may reach velocities of up to 100 meters per second (360 kilometers per hour), which exceeds the speed of a race car. (Herath H.M.D.R, Department of Sociology  University of Peradeniya)   Landslides move down slope under the influence of gravity; although, if the geological material is particularly weak or sensitive or is saturated with water, gravity is less important. How the slope will fail and how the material will move is dependent on the specific geology and topography of the region. Some landslides move only a short distance, coming to a stop near the base of the slope; others can travel several kilometers from the source. Some landslides will trigger sequential failures retrogress the head scarp back into the slope. (Evans, S.G. (2001),G.R. Brooks; Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta, presented a specific areas which are more likely to experienced landslides. They are: Areas where wildfires or human modification of the land have destroyed vegetation; Areas where landslides have occurred before; Steep slopes and areas at the bottom of slopes or canyons; Slopes that have been altered for construction of buildings and roads; Channels along a stream or river; Areas where surface runoff is directed. 2.4.2 Types of landslides Figure 2.4.2.1: Rock Slide Diagram by J. Appleby, R. Kilbourne, and T. Spittler after Varnes, 1978 A landslide involving bedrock in which the rock that moves remains largely intact for at least a portion of the movement. Rock slides can range in size from small and thin to very large and thick, and are subject to a wide range of triggering mechanisms. Rock slides commonly occur on relatively steep slopes in competent rocks. Slope gradients are commonly from 35% to as steep as 70%. Figure 2.4.2.2: EARTH FLOW Diagram by J. Appleby, R. Kilbourne, and T. Spittler after Varnes, 1978 Earth flows commonly occur on moderately steep slopes. Slope gradients are commonly from 10% to as steep as 30%, although steeper slopes may be found in head scarp and toe areas. Earth flows typically are initiated by periods of prolonged rainfall and sometimes dont initiate until well after a storm or the rainy season has passed. They are characteristically slow moving, in the millimeters or centimeters per day range, and may continue to move for a period of days to weeks after initiating. Figure 2.4.2.3: DEBRIS SLIDE Source:Diagram by J.Appleby, R. Kilbourne, and T.Spittler after Varnes, 1978 Debris slides typically move initially as shallow intact slabs of soil and vegetation, but break up after a short distance into falls and flows. Movement of the slide mass as a shallow slab leads to a smooth, steep, commonly curved scar. The debris is deposited at the base as a loose hummocky mass, although the deposit may be rapidly removed by erosion. Debris slides commonly occur on very steep slopes, as steep as 60% to 70%, usually in an area where the base of a slope is undercut by erosion. Figure 2.4.2.4: DEBRIS FLOW Diagram by J.Appleby, R. Kilbourne, and T.Spittler after Varnes, 1978 Debris flows are most often triggered by intense rainfall following a period of less intense precipitation, or by rapid snow melt. High pore water pressures cause the soil and weathered rock to rapidly lose strength and flow down slope. Debris flows can move very rapidly, at rates ranging from meters per hour to meters per second and travel relatively long distances, making them a significant threat to life and property. Debris flows commonly begin as a slide of a shallow mass of soil and weathered rock. Their most distinctive landform is the scar left by the original shallow slide. The path of the debris flow may be marked by a small drainage that has been stripped of vegetation. The debris flow may not leave any deposit if it flows directly into a larger creek and is immediately eroded away. Many debris flow deposits are ephemeral, but in some cases successive debris flows may deposit material in the same area thereby forming a debris fan, which resembles a small, steep alluvial fa n. Figure 2.4.2.5: ROCK FALL Diagram by J.Appleby, R. Kilbourne, and T.Spittler after Varnes, 1978 Rock falls occur on steep slopes of hard, fractured rock. The scar left by a rock fall on the slope may be no more apparent than an area of rock that is less weathered than the surrounding rocks. Rock fall deposits are loose piles of rubble that may be easily removed by erosion. Because neither the scar nor the deposit are distinctive, and because the most frequently occurring rock falls are typically small, individual rock falls are usually not shown on regional-scale (1:24,000 and smaller) landslide maps. Though infrequent, moderate- to large-volume rock falls can be extremely dangerous and sometimes fatal. Large slabs of rock impacting a hard ledge after a long drop can rapidly break apart, leading to air entrainment and long run outs, induced air blasts, airborne projectiles (fly rock) and severe dust clouds. (Varnes, D.J., 1978, Slope movement types and processes. In, Special Report, R.L. Schuster and R.J. Krizek, National Research Council, Washington) 2.5 Landslides is one of the main natural disasters in hill country While flooding is most significant for lowland, Landslides are the serious geologic hazard common to hill country. Recent rainfall in several parts of the country caused havoc by way of landslides in the hill country and floods in low lands including Colombo City. Present landslide density in the central highlands and the wet zone of Sri Lanka is estimated to be in the order of 1-2 landslides per sq. km and approximately 20% of the total land area of the country, which supports nearly 30% of the total population, is subject to landslides. Landslide prone areas are located in 7 districts in and adjacent to the central highlands, and 7-9 districts located in the wet zone are prone to landslides. Namely Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kegalle, Kalutara, Kandy, Matale and recently Matara, Galle and Hambantota are prone to landslides while Ratnapura district is taking important place.(Malalgoda M, et al, ITDG South Asia, 2002) Poorna S. Yahampath, technical officer of disaster preparedness illustrated that Most of areas in Ratnapura district are affected by landslide (Figure 08) Map 2.5.1: Disaster prone district Source:compiled by the author Source: Poorna S. Yahampath; Technical Advisor Disaster Preparedness (2008) Because of above situation in Ratnapura district National Building Research Organization (NBRO) have choose Ratnapura for launch demonstration project (landslides, frequent flooding, erosion, pollution and contamination of water resources, ground subsidence etc. 2.6 Landslides in Ratnapura district Landslides occurred in many areas such as Ratnapura, Pelmadulla, Kalawana, Nivithigala and Kahawatta in Ratnapura district. Twenty Grama Sewa Niladhari (GSN) Divisions were affected due to landslides. According to investigations carried out by NBRO there are 135 high-risk areas, 69 medium risk areas and 67 low risk areas in the whole of Ratnapura District. The hazard analysis carried out by the Ratnapura Disaster Management Steering Committee (RDMSC) in 1999 under the SLUMDMP identified the following hazards in the order of frequency of occurrence shown as percentage on the graph below. This data reveals that Ratnapura is vulnerable to multiple hazards. According to that investigation disasters due to landslide took a 2nd place. Figure 2.6.1: multiple hazards in Ratnapura District Source: Asian Disaster preparedness center Table: 2.6.1 Landslides in Ratnapura district Date DS Division Village Deaths 1979 Kuruwita Akurana 5 2/6/1981 Pelmadulla Handurukanda 8/6/1981 Pelmadulla Pathalpana kanda 9 2/11/1983 Ratnapura Mihitiya 1985 Elapatha Kohomba kanda 2/6/1985 Kuruwita Wetumala 30/5/1989 NI Hettikanda 1 8/10/1993 Ratnapura Helauda kanda 31 28/5/1994 Ehaliyagoda Asgangula 7 21/6/1995 Balangoda Kumaragama 13/10/1999 Kalawana Ayagama 2 5/10/2002 Balangoda Puwakgahawela 6 17/5/2003 Elapatha Palawela 56 18/5/2003 Kalawana Panapola 26 18/5/2003 Ratnapura Muwagama 7 Source: Poorna S Yahampath, UK South Asia scientist and Practitioners (2008) The landslides in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka in May 2003 again showed the high vulnerability of the community living in the area. On 17th May 2003, Ratnapura had extremely heavy and unusual rainfall of 347.2 mm within 24 hours. Many landslide occurrences have been observed within the Ratnapura district surrounding the municipality area. Sliding of Lawulu Kella, Panapola Kanda, Muwagama Kanda were take priority. This was recorded as the most severe event. These three landslides were the most vulnerable that have ever recorded since historically. (Asian disaster preparedness center: case study on mitigating disasters in Asia and the Pacific) 2.7 Reasons for landslides in Sri Lanka specially in Ratnapura district Landslides commonly occur in connection with other major natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, wildfires, and floods. Landslides occur due to natural phenomena and man made activities also contributes to reactivate old landslide. Hilly area of Sri Lanka are affected or threatened by landslides when rains persist with increased intensity. Observations on rainfall data of land slide affected regions suggest that in the earlier times intensive precipitation of (200m 300m) in 24 hours triggered landslide. However, with increased human intervention the tendency for the occurrence of a landslide was high with a precipitation of 100 mm/ hrs. (Jayaweera S, National Building Research Organizatio) Natural phenomena can be divided in to three categories. They are geological factors, morphological factors and physical factors. Weak materials, sensitive materials, weathered materials, sheared materials, jointed or fissured materials, adversely orientated discontinuities, permeability contrasts, material contrasts are can be identified as a geological factor. slope angle, uplift, rebound, fluvial erosion, wave erosion, glacial erosion, erosion of lateral margins, subterranean erosion, slope loading, vegetation change are categorized as a Morphological causes. Physical factors are the factors that intense rainfall , rapid snow melt, prolonged precipitation, rapid drawdown, earthquake, volcanic eruption, thawing, freeze-thaw, shrink-swell, ground water changes.(Malalgoda M, et al, ITDG South Asia, 2002) Man made factors also directly subject to landslides. The reason for increasing man made factors is population growth in Sri Lanka. According to Annual Report of Central Bank resent years population and density rate in Sri Lanka is higher than 2001. So this is a clear indication of the heavy pressure, particularly on agricultural lands. Environment problems will be created with population growth distribution and density. The human population destroys wildlife habitats in many ways such as due to housing, built roads clearing forests or any kind of development tracts on land. There is a close relation between demographic pressure in hilly areas growing environmental degradation and landslides. The haphazard development and inappropriate resources and land utilization, Civil constructions on hilly terrain without proper geotechnical investigation non-provision of suitable drainage systems or blockage of drainage systems and /or natural watercourses, earthwork which alters the shape of a slope are contributory factors to landslide. 2.8 Socio impact of natural landslides in Sri Lanka Natural disasters have a profound impact on the quality of life through their destruction of food crops and livestock, and forced dislocation of households and communities. Their toll on lives and the instant poverty they cause are among their most devastating impacts. The region accounts for a majority of the total number of deaths caused by natural disasters globally. The number of natural disasters has been increasing around the world, but the trends in lives lost and damage caused have changed in recent years due to effective use of technology, communication and transportation systems. Over the past five decades, the average number of deaths caused annually by natural disasters was (Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific 2007) about 100,000; in contrast, the average over the last 15 years has been about 41,000. As low-income countries of South Asian countries consider as a more threaten counties by Natural Disasters. The sustained efforts for economic growth of those countries are often interrupted by recurrent natural disasters with considerable impact exacerbating poverty conditions in different parts of the region. Since times of unrecorded history South Asian countries have been facing the onslaught of natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, etc. The low-income countries of South Asia i.e. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka accommodate a large population of over a billion. The sustained efforts for economic growth of these countries are often interrupted by recurrent natural disasters with considerable impact exacerbating poverty conditions in different parts of the region. Among above that Asian Countries Sri Lanka consider as a one of main affected country by Natural disasters. Flood and landslides are most common natural disaster which has occurred in each and every year since 1981 to 2007 along with other natural disasters in Sri Lanka. Brammer, Bangladesh Country Study, 1991). Landslides and mass movements are common phenomena in Sri Lanka, from the recent past. The consequences of landslides cause in terms of casualties and extensive damage to the roads, bridges, dams, buildings, forests, paddy fields farm plots and animals. Once these events occurred in uninhabited area is only of scientific interest and not considered as a disaster. When the such events kill and injure people, hurt communities, destroy homes, make stress, cause economic hardships, make vulnerability of people such events cause disaster.  Landslides hazardous operate on varying scales. In order to decreasing severity, the following threats can be recognized.   Hazard to people      2. Hazards to goods 3. Hazards to environment 4. Hazard to development    Common impact associated with landslides is danger to life, property and infrastructure. Refugee loses their relatives and neighbors, property, houses and lands, employment opportunities, income, education and so on. The temporary accommodation areas have to share common resources a

The Real Sex Addiction Essay -- sexual compulsive behavior

In this time period, there are many different disorders and illnesses that go unnoticed, and unknown. Society creates stereotypes about illnesses such as obsessive compulsive disorder, clinical Depression, and many other mental afflictions. Another that seems to remain controversial and misunderstood is sexual compulsive behaviors. Many see it as an excuse to act a certain way, or think a certain way; in reality it is a serious mental disorder that can cause devastating effects on the people that are consumed by them and the people who are around them. Something that is however, known about sexual compulsive behaviors is that there are certain things that can emotionally damage a person and cause them to have these behaviors. The three major causes of sexual compulsive behaviors are trauma during childhood, insecure personal relationships, and improper or undeveloped coping mechanisms. Sexual compulsive behaviors have been around as long as many of the other disorders. However, there are certain specifics surrounding the issue that makes it more controversial, and therefore harder to diagnose and treat. The main argument is that it is an excuse for men that makes it okay for them to have affairs. This argument has been made partly because of certain movie stars and professional athletes, who use â€Å"sex addiction† as a way to save their careers and their relationships. However, this argument isn’t attributable to this subject because of the terminology that is used. The term â€Å"sex addiction† is not accurate for many reasons. When using the term, â€Å"addiction† one must be careful, because there is technical definitions of the word that need to be observed; these definitions are determined in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Ment... ...5 Oct. 2013. The author has her CNM, PhD, RN, and CNP. She has worked in many different hospitals and areas helping women with sexual abuse and sexual compulsivity. This article’s purpose is to bring to light the problem of sexual compulsive behaviors in women that go largely unnoticed. It breaks down this problem in women, and addresses all the different aspects of it. She focuses on how to treat it, and how nurses can play a large role in this. This article was written for nurses who are going to encounter women who have these sexual compulsive behaviors. It is meant to counsel them and give them the necessary information to make them able to help these patients. It is a very good source because it focuses on women, who mostly go undetected in sexual compulsive behavior studies. It has valuable information about the potential causes of these behaviors.

Our Visual Culture in Arts and Crafts Essay

Ours is a culture of spectacle, which is to say that we thrive on visual entertainment of all sorts (Mulvey, 2002). We love films, television, drama, ads, in addition to the art of the land expressed in art galleries throughout the world. We thrive on these visual entertainers, and so there is a huge industry involved in marketing visual thrills and using them on the people for a purpose. Visual culture is meant to influence the individual that enjoys it, so therefore advertisements add meaning to our lives by informing us about what is new and what is not in the all-important market of goods and services. Experts study the impact of their visual messages to people. In return for their efforts they have come to know that people are influenced by visual messages even if these messages last only a few seconds in an advertisement; and that the mind is like a long-term-memory photographer that may somehow retain everything in the subconscious part of itself. Henceforth are born marketing campaigns selling billions worth of goods and services to humanity. Films, too, cost billions of dollars. They, too, rely on the visual medium to make a living. What is more, films are seen as a necessity of modern life in terms of the culture that they allow ordinary individuals to relate to. Yes, films allow us to feel like we are a part of the culture they represent. Through films, humanity can connect. Connection and communication are the only essential facets of the media (that is, all mediums of communication). Visual art is special not only because it is related to the five senses of humanity; but also because it reveals a culture of science and imagination that we are invited to feel a part of. Every medium of communication is important in the modern world. The Internet plays an important part in the visual culture by bringing the world of visual arts into our homes. It shows us museums as well as the movies, icons of cultural visuals. Visual culture should be a subject of the communication field, as well as psychology and sociology, besides the fine arts. There are various understandings about what constitutes the visual culture, and so there are experts in visual arts that say paintings and similar art forms must not be open to visual-cultural interpretations. In other words, paintings are best left to the human soul to understand and judge (Kamhi, 2004). Visual culture is about quietude, just as much as it is about flourishing through science fiction movies such as the Matrix, and science fiction tv series like the Star Trek. These visual arts and crafts rely on the power of â€Å"effects† (which should also be read as special â€Å"affects†) seeing that these movies rely on the visual medium to produce pictures in the subconscious mind that would hopefully leave a lasting impression on the mind, depending on how powerful the visual message is. A very good medium of communication, such as the Internet encyclopedia by the name of Wikipedia, has a bad reputation because it is written by many experts and people do not always know whether those experts are real or not. Such reality conflicts are also obvious in the visual arts. Star Trek relied on special effects to make a lasting impression on the audience and also by its use of excessive, unique clothes and implements that never appeared real to the audience. We know that Star Wars is a lie, and yet we enjoy it. The reason appears to be that we enjoy unreal kinds of entertainment because they open the mind, allowing us to imagine things through the mind’s eye. All mediums of communication are open to competition and comparisons. Wikipedia may be compared to the Open Course Ware of MIT, for example, because many people find the encyclopedia useful. Wikipedia’s definition for â€Å"visual culture† appears very professional, concrete, correct and real: Visual culture is a field of study that generally includes some combination of cultural tudies, art history, and anthropology, by focusing on aspects of culture that rely on visual images. Among cultural studies theorists working with contemporary culture, this often overlaps with film studies and the study of television, although it can also include video game studies, comics, traditional artistic media, advertising, the Internet and any other medium that has a crucial visual component (â€Å"Visual Culture,† 2007). The above is actually just a part of the definition of the important culture of spectacle. Our generation of men will have literature about our visual culture in the days to come. Earlier generations of humanity did not perhaps have the kind of riches in visual culture that our generation possesses. We have excessive tv and movies that earlier generations did not have because they had not managed to make optimal use of electricity as well as scientific brains. This, indeed, is an important part of the definition of ‘our visual culture. ’ Like Wikipedia, there are visual means of communication that are rejected by certain kinds of people. In the Middle East, for example, it is considered a bad thing to enjoy Western television with girls kissing, beach babes, etc. And so, certain types of visual arts are not acceptable to particular groups of society. To put it another way, no visual culture or any other medium of communication can perhaps fully satisfy all people at the same time. Perhaps only nature can satisfy all people. Nature is an extraordinary feast to the eyes – a free form of visual art available for all and acceptable to all. Besides, nature could be compared to the films we watch and the photography we admire on the covers of golf magazines. Nature is represented by rivers, streams, oceans, mountains, lakes, green spaces, etc. What is a better feast to the eyes? We next explore how and why the visual culture of science fiction movies and tv shows is a visual form of entertainment. A viewer of both Star Trek and the Matrix may believe that one is better than the other, or that none of these visual entertainers are truly entertaining. In order to understand science fiction, it is necessary to know something about the science behind the phenomena being investigated in the film. Day after Tomorrow was a film that explored the possibility of an ice age suddenly hitting humanity when it’s time for global warming to show its true colors. It was a science fiction movie, and yet it was not an excellent representation of visual culture because the director(s) did not pay attention to good cutting/editing of the film. Similarly, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a famous name, a movie that cannot truly be understood unless one has read a book by the name of Guide to Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Tom Cruise’s episode of the Matrix, on the other hand – a movie about the most handsome man losing his face after he had been in a dream machine – is more interesting because it is filmed beautifully. Beauty is a universal language, and so a viewer does not have to know the ‘secret beyond matter’ to understand the science behind the movie. It was not important to understand the science in this case because beauty was caught on tape. Both Cruise and his girlfriend in the movie are breathtakingly beautiful, and so the movie is a definite hit – one that would leave a lasting impression on the viewer. Then there was an Arnold Matrix with a similar story, and of course, the true Matrix with Keanu Reeves. Both were action-packed, and telling a different story about afterlife, or another life. Yet, Keanu and Arnold were not as handsome as Cruise perhaps, and the latter’s movie left a longer lasting effect on the girls as opposed to the boys. Keanu’s version was a hit especially among boys, although girls enjoyed eyeballing Keanu very much. Genders have differing interpretations of the visual arts. So therefore, it can be imagined that boys enjoyed Keanu’s Matrix more than the girls because boys like violent films – a sociological question to ponder, with reference to the visuals of the culture. The best visual culture of arts and films is made by the minds that work on lasting impression. Our visual culture has the capacity to change and shape people, which is why foreigners refer to Americanization as the standardization/globalization of American films and television shows available in all countries abroad. Those who enjoy Americanization and take comfort in a culture that appears tolerant and good to them, are lovers of the visual arts of the West. For them, movies such as the Matrix (all episodes) and shows such as Star Trek are culture definers. The world understands us better because of our visual arts. Thus, it is very important to concentrate on what we want others to know about us in the future. It is essential to ask: Is our visual culture going to be admired by our descendants? It would be easiest for future generations to understand us by looking at our visual arts preserved in museums, homes, books, and the on the World Wide Web. Improved technology has also made it possible to preserve films and television shows in good packaging and systems such as the DVD’s. We are providing improved quality of visual arts to our culture at all times. What we keep in our records will be taught in schools of tomorrow. Hence, it is very important to leave good messages behind, and in good quality films that easily leave a lasting impression on people. Science is a defining attribute of the modern era. What we leave behind in visual arts in terms of science fiction movies has got to reveal that we, as a society of the twenty first century, were thoroughly drenched in scientific facts and we were exploring the universe by the use of imagination. The latter generation of the twentieth century was already exploring time relativity in Back to the Future series. Besides time traveling, our society is interested in a lot more scientific details, such as volcanoes, trips to Mars, etc. Mission to Mars is a new film of bad-to-good quality, perhaps as well filmed as old Back to the Future series. Matrix is perhaps the most modern specimen. It is an unforgettable story, after all. I believe that Matrix is the paragon of modern science fiction films. But then, this is just a single person’s opinion. What society thinks collectively about a visual arts project is generally considered more acceptable an interpretation of the art form, although this argument may not necessarily be true. In the case of Matrix and its contemporary films, the fact is nevertheless that the episodes about life versus dreams were more important for the general public to enjoy in the era of quantum mechanics. Films such as Back to the Future were good in their own time – right after Einstein. Science is constantly moving ahead, and so we may expect science fiction films to improve further. Damien Broderick’s (2000) â€Å"Tearing Toward the Spike† is truly a work of art as far as the imagination of the author is concerned. Mankind is seeking knowledge at greater depths than ever before. What is the future of humanity? – Broderick’s paper answers the question with various creative scenarios, including a future that resembles a black hole, and a â€Å"‘dinosaur-killer’ asteroid† that strikes humanity in the middle of the day. At the same time, the author invites the reader to imagine any number of scenarios on his or her own. As a matter of fact, Broderick’s paper is an invitation for the reader’s very own stream of consciousness to burst forth. It is a mind opener, as well as an attempt to analyze unlimited possibilities. It is very easy to make a visual art treat using the imagination of the paper. Even so, it may very well be that the evolutionists would read the paper differently from the creationists. This is because the creationists are typically those that would like to remain compatible with their belief that the world would end when the Day of Judgment begins. On the other hand, there is no restriction on the faculty of the imagination in both the theory of creation and that of evolution. Both God and chance allow for unlimited possibilities, after all. What is more, in visual arts, it is best to have competitions of quality as well as theory. If evolutionists and creationists both make science fiction movies, they would most probably add to the spice of life in the modern world of spectacle. A variety of different visual treats is definitely good for the human soul. Besides, the greatest thing about visual arts is that it is possible for anybody in the world to join in and become an artist and/or an entertainer/performer. The quality of the visual medium must be taken care of. At the same time, since visual culture refers specifically to â€Å"culture,† it is an unforgettable truth about our world that certain forms of art are still not acceptable to all people of the world. In Iran, Buddha’s sculptures would be rejected. Similarly, Star Trek may be more entertaining than Matrix depending on what we are concentrating on in our appreciation of the craft of moviemaking. Various perspectives are involved in understanding visual culture. The fact remains, still, that our visual culture is a necessity in our lives, and must be good at all costs.

The History and Qualities of Knights essays

The History and Qualities of Knights essays A knight is first and foremost a mounted warrior and that was his primary role in society. Just about anyone who fought on horseback could be considered a knight, even a lowly commoner. This was how it was in the very beginning, but later knights became specialized warriors. They wore armor and wielded a lance along with a sword or mace. Knights possessed many attributes including, Knights had to be able to fight well. Which means they had to have the ability to perform physical tasks and have a vast knowledge of weapons and armor. They had to possess great physical strength. There were no weight training programs only repeated use of arms. Above all they most have tremendous personal bravery. A knight would not fear death. A knight's honor was a measure of his standing amongst his peers. A knight's honor was as real the castle he protected. A knight would not think twice to defend his honor to his last drop of blood. Knightly society was a gift-giving society. A lord was expected to give gifts to his followers. These were not only gifts in the sense we know, but gifts in the form of privileges, shared wartime plunder, and honors shown. Gifts were exchanged to seal alliances, show friendship, and sent to accompany embassies and messengers. Most knights had no need for living within his means. This would indicate a preoccupation with accounting, which was tho ught to be below them. Glory and plunder were the prizes of battle, which every knight sought. Glory is the same as a notation of fame and meant prestige for him and his family. Glory was a public testimony of one's prowess and could be won in tournaments as well as in battle. Knights gained their fame through story and song and written word was becoming the source of lasting glory. Fidelity was paramount and oath-breaking the worst form of behavior. A true knight stayed true to his lord, his church, and his word. Loyalty to one's lord came before everything and everything i...

Stele of Hummurabi essays

Stele of Hummurabi essays Who wrote the earliest writing code law? Hammurabi was the ruler who chiefly established the greatness of Babylon, the world's first metropolis. He is the earliest-known example of a ruler proclaiming publicly to his people an entire body of laws, arranged in orderly groups, so that all men might read and know what was required of them. Hammurabi's most famous claim to fame is his law code. The code is inscribed on a magnificent stele of black diorite, eight feet high, found at Susa in A.D. 1902. Formerly it had stood in Babylon, but the Elamites carried it off when they conquered Babylon in the twelfth century B.C. It is now in the Louver Museum in Paris. At the top of the stele is a finely sculptured scene showing Hammurabi standing before the sun god Shamash (the patron of law and justice), who is seated and is giving the laws to Hammurabi. Beneath the scene the laws are inscribed in beautiful cuneiform characters in fifty-one columns of text. The code is inscribed on a tall black-basalt stele that was carried off as booty to Susa in 1157 B.C., together with the Naram-Sin stele. At the top is a relief depicting Hammurabi in the presence of the flame-should-dered sun god, Shamash. The king raises his hand in respect. The god bestows on Hammurabi the authority to rule and to enforce the laws. The sculptor depicted Shamash in the familiar convention of combined front and side views, but with two important exceptions. His great headdress with its four pair of borns is in ceptions. His great deaddress with its four pairs of borns are true profile so that only four, not all eight, of the horns are visible. And the artist seems to have tentatively explored the notion of forehortening a device for suggesting dept by repersenting a figure or object at an angle, rather than frontally or in profile. The gods beard is a series of diagonal rather than horizontal lines, suggesting its revession from the picture plane. ...

Microsoft Company Adaptation to the Global, Social, and Economic Essay

Microsoft Company Adaptation to the Global, Social, and Economic Changes since 1990 - Essay Example Nevertheless, some companies not only managed to remain afloat, but also raked in huge profits during those trying times. This paper seeks to analyze the major changes that rocked through the United States of America, and how various companies in the country managed to steer through the tough times. In particular, the paper places much focus on the performance of the Microsoft Company from 1990 to the current times (Ponzio, 2009:48). In the 1990s, the US underwent the second-longest era of growth ever seen in the country’s history. The country’s fiscal position grew at a mean rate of about 3.5% per annum. In addition, the country’s unemployment figures decreased to a level that, at one time, was below 4%. The nation’s stock market experienced drastic and interesting gains. This resulted in most of the country’s biggest business ventures raking in abnormal profits. Virtually all of the country’s population managed to be in a position to buy th eir own houses to live in during that particular era (Marlene, 2009:113). However, this blessed era ended towards the end of 2001, when the country’s monetary position growth rate radically fell after an unprecedented collapse in its major industry sector, the complex technology sector. The American economy is, by far, the most ideal in the world. However, it has always faced numerous troubles. The nation consists of very many manufacturing industries which products and goods get their respective markets locally. However, the industries, since 1990, were unable to satisfy the total consumer demand for various products and services. This has resulted in the United States having to keep an imbalance in their foreign trade as they have to import much more than they export. Because of the 1990s boom growth, the American economy developed a two-tier fiscal position. This resulted in some percentage of the country’s population attaining outsized incomes while the rest wallow ed in poverty. In addition, the era brought complex and continuous technology into the work areas. This has had the effect of restraining the country’s unskilled employees in minimum-pay or casual jobs, with no hope of advancement up the corporate ladder. By the start of 1999, a sizeable percentage of America’s population, amounting to about 12%, was still wallowing below the poverty line. In general, the country’s fiscal position has drastically improved since the dawn of the 1990s. However, a large quota of the profits realized in the country end up in the pockets of only about 20% of the total population (Marlene, 2009:147). By 1999, the most successful percentage of the country’s population amounting to about 10%, managed to earn about 29% of the nation’s fiscal profits while the bottom 10% of the nation’s citizen managed to accrue only about 1.4%. Though the country’s economy exhibits a great deal of diversity, services are the m ain constituents of the economy. In 1994, the services industry dominated about 80% of America’s GDP. Manufacturing dominated around only 18% while the country’s agricultural arm only had 2% (Ponzio, 2000:159). The Microsoft Company came into being because of the idea of William Gates in conjunction with Paul Allen. Initially, the venture offered only one product. It employed only three workers,

5 different ones Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

5 different ones - Essay Example If only one X chromosome is affected, she is a carrier. On the other hand, a male suffers from the disease if he has only one allele due to the presence of only one X chromosome in males. The mating of a female carrier with a normal male will not result in any of the daughters suffering from hemophilia. However, there is a fifty percent probability that the daughter may also be a carrier (VanPutte et al 2011). Answer. A normal cell of the human body has 46 chromosomes. The karyotype of a human cell during mitosis reveals that each chromosome is accompanied by another chromosome and these two chromosomes have a similar shape and size. This pair of similar chromosomes is referred to as homologous chromosomes and thus the humans have 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes (Campbell et al 2010). The homologous chromosomes have genes of the same trait. This means that the gene for a particular biological feature is present at the same place on homologous chromosomes. For example, the trait of eye color would be present at the same location on both the chromosomes. Thus, genes of the same trait lie at the same level on the homologous chromosomes (Campbell et al 2010). Answer. The process of meiosis is important for the reduction of the diploid number of chromosomes to haploid. There are two cell divisions during meiosis and the changes in the offspring result due to the genetic material coming from both the parents. The separation of the chromosomes followed by the reduction of the diploid number to haploid occurs during this process. Along with this, alterations are made in the haploid number during the process of meiosis. This results in new combinations of genes (Khanna 2008). Crossing over as well as fertilization which is unsystematic and the grouping of chromosomes independently is responsible for the production of new genes. This is significant for the purpose of selection as well