Analyze George Orwell's, Shooting An Elephant through the eyes of the Essay

Analyze George Orwell's, Shooting An Elephant through the eyes of the author of the Moral Instinct Steven Pinker - Essay Example This has never been put across more effectively as in the George Orwell’s essay, shooting the elephant. The author is forced by the general expectation to do what he does not believe in. He takes us through his ordeal so that we can understand the reasoning we often undergo in order to make decisions that seem conflicting in our lives. It’s not just the content of our moral judgments that is often questionable, but the way we arrive at them. We like to think that when we have a conviction, there are good reasons that drove us to adopt it (Steve 1).Orwell goes to a great length to try to justify decisions he made in this essay. A great lesson can be learned from his work. The author hated being a police officer. This was because he was secretly against imperialism which he was a part of. He was against the oppression of the Burmese people. He says he hated the job bitterly than he could clearly put across in the essay. He lives a miserable life, since he hates his empire and cannot voice his concerns. The people he seems to care about are against him and they make his life impossible. This is a tough way to live. He hated the conditions of prisoners huddled together and the sight of the oppressed. What keeps him on the job? Orwell tries to draw an emotion from us. He tries to make us fit his shoes so we can see how tough it was for him to quit his job. He was uneducated and young and could not seek employment elsewhere. He would have chosen to quit this job which did not stand his moral grounds rather than stay in unhappy employment. This builds on the fact that people seek justifications for actions they do in order to feel accepted. This is not the only incident that the author is faced with such a situation. He is called upon to kill an elephant which had gone rogue. He describes the pressure he felt. â€Å"And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all. The people expected it of me and I had got to do it; I could fe el their two thousand wills pressing me forward, irresistibly.† (Orwell 1). What made the matter worse was that the elephant was a tame one. He considered shooting a working an elephant a very serious offence comparable only to destroying a piece of machinery a decision which should have been avoided at all costs. With these strong convictions the reader is almost led to believe that Orwell was not going to kill the elephant. However despite being so against the action of taking the creatures life he goes ahead and does it. In trying to justify his action he claims that he would have looked like a fool. He did in order just to save face. This according to the reader is not a good enough reason but to him it is a reassurance that what he did was right. The oppressor is often viewed to be above the oppressed. Orwell in this situation proclaims that this is not always the case. He realizes that tyranny only jeopardizes the freedom of the oppressor. The tyrant is viewed by the opp ressed as being heartless and has to live up to these expectations. The tyrant is not allowed to show any signs of affection or weakness despite them being a part of human nature. One has to spend his life trying to impress the natives and so in every crisis he has got to do what the natives expect. The general expectation was that the white man was not supposed to be afraid of anything. Thoughts of what the people would think in case something went wrong during the

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay Example for Free

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay The nation’s economic crisis has deeply affected the lives of millions of Americans. Skyrocketing foreclosures and job layoffs have pulled the rug out from under many families, particularly those living in low-income communities. Deepening poverty is inextricably linked with rising levels of homelessness and food insecurity/hunger for many Americans and children are particularly affected by these conditions. Find out below a summary of the myriad effects of poverty, homelessness, and hunger on children and youth. Various volunteer opportunities and resources have also been listed that provide information and tools on ways to fight poverty in America. What are the current poverty and unemployment rates for Americans? The ongoing economic crisis has negatively affected the livelihoods of millions of Americans. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013), the unemployment rate is 7.9 percent as of January 2013. Despite the data showing an increase of only 0.1 percent from December 2012, the unemployment rate is still high by all accounts, having doubled since the beginning of the recession in December 2007. * U.S. Census Bureau data shows that the U.S. poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent (46.2 million) in 2010, an increase from 14.3 percent (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and the highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2 percent (39.8 million) Americans lived in relative poverty. * In 2000, the poverty rate for individuals was 12.2 percent and for families was 9.3 percent. * In 2010, the poverty threshold, or poverty line, was $22,314 for a family of four. * Over 15 percent of the population fell below this threshold in 2010. * The percentage of people in deep poverty was 13.5 percent of all Blacks and 10.9 percent of all Hispanics, compared to 5.8 percent of Asians and 4.3 percent of Whites. * While non-Hispanic Whites still constitute the largest single group of Americans living in poverty, ethnic minority groups are overrepresented (27.4 percent African American; 28.4 percent American Indian and Alaskan Native; 26.6 percent Hispanic, and 12.1 percent Asian and Pacific Islander compared with 9.9 percent non-Hispanic White). * These disparities are associated with the historical marginalization of ethnic minority groups and entrenched barriers to good education and jobs. Where is child poverty concentrated? * U.S. Census data reveals that from 2009 to 2010, the total number of children under age 18 living in poverty increased to 16.4 million from 15.5 million. Child poverty rose from 20.7 percent in 2009, to 22 percent in 2010, and this is the highest it has ever been since 1993. * Racial and ethnic disparities in poverty rates persist among children. The poverty rate for Black children was 38.2 percent; 32.3 percent for Hispanic children; 17 percent for non-Hispanic White children; and 13 percent for Asian children. * The National Center for Children in Poverty reports that 17.2 million children living in the U.S. have a foreign-born parent, and 4.2 million children of immigrant parents are poor. It is reported that child poverty in immigrant families is more closely related to low-wage work and barriers to valuable work supports. * The Population Reference Bureau (2010) reports that 24 percent of the 75 million children under age 18 in the U.S. live in a single-mother family. The poverty rate for children living in female-householder families (no spouse present) was 42.2 percent in 2010; 7 in 10 children living with a single mother are poor or low-income, compared to less than a third (32 percent) of children living in other types of families. A staggering 50.9 percent of female-headed Hispanic households with children below 18 years of age live in poverty (48.8 percent for Blacks; 31.6 percent Asian, and 32.1 percent non-Hispanic White). * Single-mother headed households are more prevalent among African American and Hispanic families contributing to ethnic disparities in poverty. What are the effects of child poverty? Psychological research has demonstrated that living in poverty has a wide range of negative effects on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s children. Poverty impacts children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in their neighborhoods and communities. * Poverty is linked with negative conditions such as substandard housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of access to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools which adversely impact our nation’s children. * Poorer children and teens are also at greater risk for several negative outcomes such as poor academic achievement, school dropout, abuse and neglect, behavioral and socio-emotional problems, physical health problems, and developmental delays. * These effects are compounded by the barriers children and their families encounter when trying to access physical and mental health care. * Economists estimate that child poverty costs an estimated $500 billion a year to the U.S. economy; reduces productivity and economic output by 1.3 percent of GDP; raises crime and increases health expenditure (Holzer et al., 2008). Poverty and academic achievement * Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood. * Chronic stress associated with living in poverty has been shown to adversely affect children’s concentration and memory which may impact their ability to learn. * The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2008, the dropout rate of students living in low-income families was about four and one-half times greater than the rate of children from higher-income families (8.7 percent versus 2.0 percent). * The academic achievement gap for poorer youth is particularly pronounced for low-income African American and Hispanic children compared with their more affluent White peers. * Under resourced schools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning needs of their students and aid them in fulfilling their potential. * Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty. Poverty and psychosocial outcomes * Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems. * Some behavioral problems may include impulsiveness, difficulty getting along with peers, aggression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder. * Some emotional problems may include feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. * Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who may experience chronic stress, depression, marital distress and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors. These are all linked to poor social and emotional outcomes for children. * Unsafe neighborhoods may expose low-income children to violence which can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties. Violence exposure can also predict future violent behavior in youth which places them at greater risk of injury and mortality and entry into the juvenile justice system. Poverty and physical health Children and teens living in poorer communities are at increased risk for a wide range of physical health problems: * Low birth weight   * Poor nutrition which is manifested in the following ways: 1. Inadequate food which can lead to food insecurity/hunger 2. Lack of access to healthy foods and areas for play or sports which can lead to childhood overweight or obesity * Chronic conditions such as asthma, anemia, and pneumonia * Risky behaviors such as smoking or engaging in early sexual activity * Exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., lead paint and toxic waste dumps * Exposure to violence in their communities which can lead to trauma, injury, disability, and mortality What is the prevalence of child hunger in America? * The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics reports that in 2010, 22 percent of children under the age of 18 lived in food-insecure households and one percent in households with very low food security. Food insecure means that at some point during the year, the household had limited access to an adequate supply of food due to lack of money or other resources. * In 2009 – 2010, 21 states and the District of Columbia had at least one in four households with children (25 percent or more) facing food hardship, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The District of Columbia had the highest rates of food hardship for households with children, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. FRAC data shows that Metropolitan areas in the South and South West, and California were hard hit by food hardships. Use of food stamps increased to 16% (13.6 million households) in 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau. States with the largest increase (over 30%) in food stamp use included Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin and Florida. * Approximately 1 in 4 Americans utilize at least one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) nutrition assistance programs each year (USDA, 2011). * The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) reports that 53% of infants born in the United States receive support from the Women, Infants Children (WIC) program. * In 2010, more than 31.7 million children each day got their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Approximately, 20 million children received free and reduced price lunch, according to the Food Research and Action C enter (2010). What are the effects of hunger and under nutrition on child development? Prenatally * Maternal under nutrition during pregnancy increases the risk of negative birth outcomes, including premature birth, low birth weight, smaller head size, and lower brain weight. * Babies born prematurely are vulnerable to health problems and are at increased risk for developing learning problems when they reach school-age. In infancy and early childhood * The first three years of a child’s life are a period of rapid brain development. Too little energy, protein, and nutrients during this sensitive period can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive, social, and emotional development. * Protein-energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, iodine, zinc, and other vitamin deficiencies in early childhood can cause brain impairment. * Failure to thrive, the failure to grow and reach major developmental milestones as the result of under nutrition, affects 5-10% of American children under the age of three. * Hunger reduces a child’s motor skills, activity level, and motivation to explore the environment. Movement and exploration are important to cognitive development, and more active children elicit more stimulation and attention from their caregivers, which promotes social and emotional development. In childhood * Families often work to keep their food-insecurity hidden, and some parents may feel shame or embarrassment that they are not able to feed their children adequately. Children may also feel stigmatized, isolated, ashamed, or embarrassed by their lack of food. * A community sample that classified low-income children ages six to twelve as â€Å"hungry†, â€Å"at-risk for hunger†, or â€Å"not hungry† found that hungry children were significantly more likely to receive special education services, to have repeated a grade in school, and to have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or not-hungry children. * In this same study, hungry children exhibited 7 to 12 times as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as fighting, blaming others for problems, having trouble with a teacher, not listening to rules, stealing) than their at-risk or not-hungry peers. * Among low-income children, those classified as â€Å"hungry† show increased anxious, ir ritable, aggressive, and oppositional behavior in comparison to peers. * Additionally, the multiple stressors associated with poverty result in significantly increased risk for developing psychiatric and functional problems. School-age children who experience severe hunger are at increased risk for the following negative outcomes: * Homelessness * Chronic health conditions * Stressful life conditions * Psychiatric distress * Behavioral problems * Internalizing behavior, including depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and poor self-esteem The effects of under nutrition depend on the length and severity of the period of hunger and may be mediated by other factors. * Improved nutrition, increased environmental stimulation, emotional support, and secure attachment to parents/caregivers can compensate for early under nutrition. * Babies who receive enough nutrition while in the womb appear to show higher cognitive performance in later childhood. * The human brain is flexible and can recover from early deficits, but this also means that brain structures remain vulnerable to further negative experiences throughout childhood. * Breastfeeding, attentive caretaking, and attention to environmental factors, such as sleep cycles and noise, can also promote healthy development. Who are homeless children and youth in America? * In 2009, an estimated 656,129 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a given night, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. An estimated 2.3 to 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness at least once a year. Homelessness affects people of all ages, geographic areas, occupations, and ethnicities, but occurs disproportionately among people of color. * Access to permanent and adequate shelter is a basic human need; however, the ongoing economic downturn (composed of the foreclosure crisis, spiking unemployment, worsening poverty rates, and inadequate low-cost housing) is likely to increase rates of homelessness. * The National Association for Education of Homeless Children and Youth reports that during the 2009-2010 school year, 939,903 homeless children and youth were enrolled in public schools, a 38% increase from the 2006-2007 school years. The data is an underestimate since it does not reflect pre-school age children, toddlers and infants. * The United States Conference of Mayors (2009) reports that in 2010 more than 1.6 million children (1 in 45 children) in America were homeless and that approximately 650,000 are below age 6. Families with children are a major segment of the homelessness population. Families with children comprise a third of the homeless population and are typically comprised of a single mother in her late twenties with two young children. * Approximately 47 percent of children in homeless families are Black, although Black children make up just 15 percent of the U.S. child population (Child Trends Databank, 2012). On the other hand, although White children make up 66% of the child population, they account for 38% of homeless children. Hispanic children make up 13%, whereas Native American children make up 2% of the homeless children population. * Homeless single mothers often have histories of violent victimization with over one third having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and over half experiencing major depression while homeless. An estimated 41 percent develop dependency on alcohol and drugs and are often in poor physical health. Maternal depression and parental substance abuse has a series of negative outcomes for children. * Unaccompanied youth (sometimes referred to as runaway youth) may number between 575,000 to 1.6 million annually and typically range from ages 16 to 22. The major causes of homelessness for unaccompanied youth are mental illness, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing. * Family conflict is the primary cause of their homelessness with 46% having experienced abuse and an estimated 20-40% identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT). * Homelessness is traumatic for children because they often experience frequent moves, family split-ups, and living in crowded places before using homeless shelters (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). * States in the south and south west where poverty is more prevalent have more homeless children than states in the north and northeast. Homelessness affects children’s health and wellbeing, their brain development, causes stress, and hinders readiness for school. What are the risk factors for homelessness in children and youth? * Extreme poverty is the strongest predictor of homelessness for families. These families are often forced to choose between housing and other necessities for their survival. At least 11% of American children living in poverty are homeless. * Female-headed households (particularly by women with limited education and job skills) are also particularly vulnerable. The current economic climate has made the labor market even less hospitable as many of them do not have more than a high school diploma or GED. * Teen parents are also particularly at risk of homelessness as they often lack the education and income of adults who become parents. * Lack of affordable housing is also a risk factor for homelessness, particularly for families who devote more than 50% of household income to paying rent or those who experience a foreclosure. Foreclosures affect vulnerable tenants as well as homeowners who are delinquent in their mortga ge payments. * Substance abusing or physically violent parents and stepparents are the major drivers of homelessness in runaway youth, particularly for those who identify as GLBT. What are the outcomes of homelessness for children and youth? * Homelessness has particularly adverse effects on children and youth including hunger, poor physical and mental health, and missed educational opportunities. * Homeless children lack stability in their lives with 97% having moved at least once on an annual basis, which leads to disruptions in schooling and negatively impacts academic achievement. * Schooling for homeless children is often interrupted and delayed, with homeless children twice as likely to have a learning disability, repeat a grade, or to be suspended from school. * Homelessness and hunger are closely intertwined. Homeless children are twice as likely to experience hunger as their non-homeless peers. Hunger has negative effects on the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children. * A quarter of homeless children have witnessed violence and 22% have been separated from their families. Exposure to violence can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties for children both emotionally (depression, anxiety, withdrawal) and behaviorally (aggression, acting out). * Half of school age homeless children experience problems with depression and anxiety and one in five homeless preschoolers have emotional problems that require professional care. * Homelessness is linked to poor physical health for children including low birth weight, malnutrition, ear infections, exposure to environmental toxins, and chronic illness (e.g. asthma). Homeless children also are less likely to have adequate access to medical and dental care. * Unaccompanied youth are often more likely to grapple with mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSD) and substance abuse problems. * Many runaway youth engage in sexually risky behaviors (sometimes for their own survival), which places them at risk of HIV, other STDs, and unintended pregnancies. Also, emerging research has shown that GLBT homeless youth are 7 times more likely to be victims of violent crime. What can you do to help children and families struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness? * Volunteer your time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to low-income and homeless children and families. * Donate money, food, and clothing to homeless shelters and other charities in your community. * Donate school supplies and books to under-resourced schools in your area. * Make your voice heard! Support public policy initiatives that seek to: i. Improve access to physical, mental, and behavioral health care for low-income ii. Americans by eliminating barriers such as limitations in health care coverage. iii. Create a â€Å"safety net† for children and families that provide real protection against the harmful effects of economic insecurity. iv. Increase the minimum wage, affordable housing and job skills training for low-income and homeless Americans. v. Intervene in early childhood to support the health and educational development of low-income children. vi. Provide support for low-income and food insecure children such as Head Start, the National School Lunch Program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) authorization. vii. Increase resources for public education and access to higher education. viii. Support research on poverty and its relationship to health, education, and well-being.

International Policy Analysis: Methodology

International Policy Analysis: Methodology 1. Introduction The last decade has witnessed many international developments that have profoundly affected the destinies of nations and humanity. The emergence of American unipolarism, the horrific attacks of September 11, and the rise of militant Islam, as well as the birth of the Euro and the business unification of affluent Europe are all important developments that have had far reaching effects on international affairs. However, these developments have been overshadowed by the rise of the phenomenon of globalisation, a process through which the developing world, riding on the strength of its low costs and ever expanding skill and knowledge base, has started integrating rapidly into the global economy. Most organisations operating in areas of government, business and not for profit need to work with the global community and operate in accordance with structured or informal international policies, which in turn define both their initiatives in the international arena as well as their responses to global developments. International organisations and international policy networks, in which many national bodies play a part, have significant roles in global governance. Considering that movements in goods and services are the causal factor behind the globalisation effort, multinational corporations and other organisations involved in overseas activity essentially need to have formalised international policies. Efficient and methodical analysis of international policy is an intriguing and specialised area of social research that involves deep understanding of social theory and international affairs, as well as sound familiarity with research tools. It is the objective of this manual to elaborate and describe the methodology that needs to be followed to analyse the international policies of different organisations in diverse environmental settings. 2. International Policy Analysis An assignment for analysis of international policy can arise either from an organisation responsible for framing the policy or from an external body wishing to analyse the policy of another organisation for specific purposes. Analysts could be part of in-house teams working on framing or implementing policies, or of external consultancies or think tanks engaged in the preparation of dispassionate appraisals. Researchers and analysts should also realise that many users of policy analyses have been disappointed with its results, despite the plethora of analytical studies and the increasing competence in the area. The proliferation of policy analysis has not, however, been matched by an examination of whether the annual production of hundreds of thousands of memos, briefings, articles, reports, books, and sundry policy prognosticationsinformed and otherwiseare actually useful to policymakers. What we do know is not encouraging: In public policy making, many suppliers and users of social science research are dissatisfied, the former because they are not listened to, the latter because they do not hear much they want to listen to (Lindblom (Hird, 2005) It thus becomes critically important for the analyst to understand the nature of the organisation desiring the analysis and its reasons for doing so. A thorough understanding of these reasons becomes invaluable in planning the assignment and in its subsequent conduct. Areas in international policy that need analysis are generally diverse and could encompass economic, political, security, environment or trade concerns. The framing of international policy primarily involves the evaluation and choice between different courses of action, programs and policies that are intended to address and resolve issues regarding social, economic and political issues in the global arena. It is the objective of this manual to guide policy advisors on the adoption of a systematic approach in the conduct of international policy analysis. It draws on the writing and theory of Carl Patton and other social researchers, all of whom find place in the bibliography. A policy analysis assignment involves certain steps in its execution and calls for the observance of certain principles to ensure the validity of its result. This manual commences with a discussion of the concept of policy, especially in relation to power and governance. It, thereafter, briefly takes up the practical principles that need consideration while planning and conducting the research, and then elaborates the sequential steps required for its proper execution. Policy A policy, very briefly, is a formulated plan used for the guidance of decisions and action and is used by groups, associations and organisations in the governmental and private sectors. An interesting and comprehensive definition refers to policies as â€Å"political, management, financial and administrative mechanisms arranged to reach explicit goals.† (Policy, 2006) >From universities and schools to public agencies and large corporations, policy is increasingly being codified, publicized and referred to by workers and managers as the guidelines that legitimate and even motivate their behaviour. To adapt a metaphor from Arthur Koestler (1967), policy is the ghost in the machine—the force which breathes life and purpose into the machinery of government and animates the otherwise dead hand of bureaucracy. (Shore Wright, 1997, p. 5) In a world that is becomingly increasingly complex, situations or problems are dynamic and incapable of proper definition. The process for policy formulation commences with the identification of issues and the development of various alternatives to deal with them. A rigorous and far-reaching assessment of the various alternatives leads to the selection of the final policy, which then needs proper implementation and monitoring. Very obviously, policies affect environments, societies and the lives of people, and while they can result in the greatest of good, they can lead to disastrous mistakes and to the commitment of the greatest crimes. The holocaust was a result of policy and so is the WHO’s global polio eradication programme. Policies have become a major institution of western and international governance and are distinguished into formal policy, embodying policy principles and objectives, and operational policy, which comprise of mechanisms for implementation and delivery. In the international policy of a trading organisation, the formal policy may, for example, require trade with East Asia with the clear definition of environmental and child labour constraints, whereas the operational policy would detail whether the operation would be controlled by the corporate headquarters in Europe or the regional hub in Singapore. Practical Principles of International Policy Analysis International policy can appear to be contradictory and difficult to understand. The analyst must try to understand and focus on the central and essential core of the policy, which in turn could involve cost, environmental, humanitarian or nuclear proliferation concerns. Policies frequently have several and opposing objectives, some of which suffer from poor definition. Analysts must thus try to focus on the core issues for analysis and not spend time on peripheral matters. Carl Patton and David Sawicki (1993) in their book â€Å"Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning† state that that the principles described below should help in planning and conducting an analytical assignment on international policy. Ideally, analysts should base their approach on using analytical tools appropriate to the issue at hand and refrain from thrusting their preferred method onto the assignment. The chosen method should be simple, transparent, logical, based upon common sense and tailored to the issue under scrutiny. In many cases, policies are uncertain about issues and there is a lack of clarity in approach. Researchers must thus be ready to take uncertainty in their stride and realise that despite their best efforts some areas will remain cloaked in uncertainty; this constraint should however not be allowed to retard the progress of the analysis or devour too much of the time allotted for the assignment. International policy involves factors that are frequently alien to domestic situations and requires an understanding of different cultures and political systems. An international aid organisation, for example, may have to provide succour to the citizens of a country known to have a notoriously corrupt government. In the absence of quantitative data, which is usually the norm in such cases, any analysis of international policy must necessarily depend upon subjective interpretation for projecting outcomes. While some factors of international policy are bound to be subjective and incapable of interpretation or analysis through numerical data, numbers do throw light on many issues and are useful for projecting outcomes. The use of quantitative techniques and numerical data thus becomes important, wherever appropriate. Simplicity in analysis and the use of figures are also often effective in driving home the distinguishing features of different alternatives, especially during client inter action. It is also very important for analysts to check their facts exhaustively, try to appreciate the viewpoints of people with radically different opinions and arrive at analyses, not opinionated decisions. Steps in Policy Analysis Effective analysis of international policy requires an understanding of world affairs, a firm grounding in the social sciences and familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research tools. Moreover as much of the data is subjective and needs informed interpretation, international policy analysis falls as much in the domain of art as that of science. Given the choice between too much of structure in charting of an analytical assignment and leaving everything to the judgement of the researcher, it is advisable to follow a few sequential steps in the conduct of the assignment. Policy analysts, as a rule follow a series of six easily distinguishable steps. While some experts advocate the breaking of these steps to make the process simpler, this manual stays with the practice of adopting six important steps. These steps start with the definition of the problem and are followed by establishment of criteria for evaluation and collection of evidence, identification of alternatives, evalu ation of alternatives, distinguishing among alternatives, and finally implementation and monitoring of policy. a. Definition of the Problem A policy analysis exercise must necessarily commence with the definition of the problem. This step is crucial and integral to the success of the project. It provides the reason for the exercise and gives direction for gathering of evidence. While a certain amount of experience helps in defining and detailing the issue, the process should be iterative and the â€Å"definition’ exercise repeated a few times. A meaningful effort at problem definition will enable the researcher to state the problem appropriately, determine its scale, eliminate extraneous matter, and question both the thinking and the definition of the issue. While defining the problem it is important to use quantitative data, study similar projects and locate relevant data. This will help in removing uncertainties, illuminating objectives, resolving divergences and focussing on the essence, i.e. the core issue. â€Å"Problem definition is a crucial step. However, because it is hard to get it right (the) same ste p (might be needed) again and again. Over the course of analytic work, empirical and conceptual understanding will evolve.† (Bardach, 2000, p. 7) b. Establish Evaluation Criteria The next step involves the establishment of criteria for evaluation and collection of evidence. This is essential to crystallize the modus of measurement of policy goals, bring about uniformity and establish similar criteria for assessing different alternatives and policy outcomes, desirable or otherwise. A number of factors, including costs, net gains, efficacy, fairness, organizational comfort, legal validity and suitability need consideration while establishing evaluation criteria. Most of the time spent on policy analysis happens because of the time required to gather data and time needed to think. While thinking is obviously by far the more important activity, data gathering is laborious and takes time. Data helps in three ways in the projection of realistic outcomes of policy and in the analysis of its implications. One purpose is to assess the nature and extent of the problem(s) you are trying to define. A second is to assess the particular features of the concrete policy situation you are engaged in studying. The third purpose is to assess policies that have been thought, by at least some people, to have worked effectively in situations apparently similar to your own, in other jurisdictions, perhaps, or at other times. (Bardach, 2000, p. 8) c. Identification of Alternatives Establishment of evaluation criteria leads to the next step, i.e. the identification of alternatives. The generation of alternatives requires imagination, knowledge and the ability to constructively brainstorm with other experts. The challenge of identifying alternatives, as good or possibly superior to the given policy, calls for combining ideas from different alternatives as well as from the one under study. It is important at this stage to assess the impact of any change in public policy that could have taken place in the interim or may well take place in the short and medium term. Public policy changes can occur due to a number of reasons, namely changes in the political establishment following elections, changes in budget, changes in the political structure of foreign countries or occurrences of disasters like the Tsunami or the Bird Flu epidemic. International policy, by its very nature is not prone to change at short notice and the assimilation of the possible effect of future changes into the generation of alternatives has proved to be very helpful in projecting policy outcomes. d. Assessment of Alternatives The identification of alternatives results in a need for their evaluation in terms of the benefits that each of them could provide vis-à  -vis established criteria. Data collection may again be required at this stage for the assessment of different alternatives and the projection of possible outcomes. This is a crucial phase of the process as new aspects of the problem could now surface, leading to reiteration of the various steps of the analysis. The evaluation of alternatives should actually focus on evaluating the outcomes of the different proposals as trade-offs between different alternatives cannot occur in the absence of projected outcomes. The criteria for evaluation should encompass different perspectives like costs, efficacy, fairness, equity and justice. Carl Patton (1993) states that evaluative criteria could also include issues like free markets, economic freedom, capitalism, freedom from government control, equality of opportunity, equality of result, free speech, relig ious freedom, privacy and safety. The analyst must bear in mind that the objective of the exercise is analysis for a specific user and not the handing down of a considered decision and should thus try to be as broad ranging as possible in the choice of evaluative criteria. e. Distinguish and Display Alternatives Evaluation of alternatives and outcomes makes it possible for the analyst to assess the extent of benefits met by individual alternatives, in the context of previously decided criteria, and in distinguishing between them. In case of conflict between alternatives that do not easily fit into the matrix of benefits, it is possibly advisable to go by the alternative that suits existing public policy. Issues of legality and political acceptability are also very important while distinguishing between alternatives and it would be patently unwise to consider alternatives, which while satisfying other criteria, skirt legal requirements or could end up as politically difficult to implement. While distinguishing and displaying alternatives, the analyst should focus on simplicity of presentation, use of tables and quantitative data and the highlighting of worst and best case scenarios for each alternative. The report must be clear, simple, tabulated properly and be easy to comprehend. f. Implement and Monitor Policy Once a policy alternative is accepted it is the role of the analyst to round off the exercise by planning for its implementation and creating a system to monitor policy outcomes. The monitoring and effective implementation of international policy is crucial as improper application and inadequate monitoring could result in undesirable outcomes and policy failure. International policies need to be very carefully monitored during implementation to ensure that unintentional changes do not occur and actual outcomes can be measured against those projected. 3. Conclusion The analysis of International Policy falls under the domain of applied social research and is a complex task that requires knowledge of social sciences, grounding in international affairs and familiarity with the tools of social research. A detailed and comprehensive understanding of the core issues involved in policy analysis assignment is a sine qua non and possibly the most crucial part of the analytical process. International policy analysis involves the use of quantitative and qualitative data, a variety of approaches to the subject and choice of appropriate methodology. Analysts must be ready to work â€Å"out of the box† at all times, especially in the identification of various alternatives. Policy analysis, while it uses scientific and statistical tools, is very interpretative in its approach and liable to bias. It is thus imperative that the exercise has a structured and phased approach and that all assumptions are identified clearly. Records should be kept accurately, information must be accessed from multiple sources and relevant professional and ethical considerations addressed appropriately to ensure the success of the exercise. Bibliography Bardach, E. 2000. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving. New York: Chatham House Publishers. Feller, I. 1986 Universities and State Governments: A Study in Policy Analysis. New York: Praeger Publishers. Fischer, F. Forester, J. (Eds.). 1993. The Argumentative Turn in Policy Analysis and Planning. London: UCL Press. Gross, F. 1954, Foreign Policy Analysis. New York: Philosophical Library. Hird, J. A. 2005, Policy Analysis for What? the Effectiveness of Nonpartisan Policy Research Organizations. Policy Studies Journal, 33(1), 83+. Hogwood, B. W., Gunn, L. A. 1984. Policy Analysis for the Real World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Patton, C and Sawicki, D, 1993, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning, 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall, USA Policy, 2006, Wikipedia, Retrieved January1, 2006 from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policy Roe, E. 1994. Narrative Policy Analysis: Theory and Practice. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Rust, M. 2001, November 19. Who Bought off the Think Tanks? Corporations Eager to Do Business with China Have Cozied Up to Conservative Think Tanks, Raising Concerns about Their Influence Level on Foreign-Policy Analysis. Insight on the News, 17, 20+. Shore, C. Wright, S. (Eds.). 1997 Anthropology of Policy: Critical Perspectives on Governance and Power. London: Routledge. Thomas M. Meenaghan, Keith M. Kilty and John G. McNutt Social Policy Analysis and Practice. 2005. Journal of Sociology Social Welfare, 32(3), 208+. Wignaraja, G. (Ed.). 2002. Competitiveness Strategy in Developing Countries: A Manual for Policy Analysis. London: Routledge

Three Short Pedagogical Pieces by Sidney Fein :: Sidney Fein Literature Writers Essays

Three Short Pedagogical Pieces by Sidney Fein I. Teaching Logic, or Barnabus' Ploy At the last minute Professor Hugo van der Weg decided to return to Holland. Perhaps he was homesick, missed pitched roofs and legalized narcotics, meatballs and rice table. No one told me. Maybe no one knew. Though I was deprived of the pleasure of meeting Professor v. d. w., his decamping was consequential for me. As Distinguished Visiting Professor (my pompous rating) I was obliged to teach only two courses per semester. My department chairman for the year was a decent fellow named William Pitt, like the prime ministers. He was one of those people who have the knack of turning high anxiety into a variety of charm and he telephoned at the end of August to beg me charmingly to take on another class, with no preparation and for no money, one of v. d. w.'s orphans. "It's logic," he declared, as if he had said something that amounted to an argument. "Pardon me?" "The course. It's 210, Logic. Please? Pretty please?" He then proceeded breathlessly, as though convincing me were a matter of speaking a runon sentence as rapidly as possible. "Look, I wouldn't dare to ask but it's a requirement for a lot of our students, though you shouldn't have more than twentyfive all together, so it wouldn't be fair just to cancel it and there's nobody else who can take it on—well, except for Harold Whitson but he's already agreed to do The Flying Dutchman's Rationalism seminar for me so I can't possibly ask him." "No, that wouldn't be fair." I could almost hear him throwing his gaze heavenwards. "What can I do?" Deans have it fairly easy; they can rely on simple bullying. But I think one of the criteria by which department chairmen are selected must be their ability to get people to sigh and say okay. So I sighed and said okay. But—logic? The class really was a requirement, as Pitt said, though in a respect he didn't mention. The Philosophy department, perhaps Pitt himself, had maneuvered things so that PH210, Logic, could be taken to fulfill the undergraduate math requirement. While this clever bit of academic politicking insured a healthy enrollment, lots of FTEs in the lingo of the trade, and looked good on the accounting sheet of the wisdomlovers, it also guaranteed classes filled with the reluctant, resentful, and resigned.

Non Conformity and Society Essay

Even though an overwhelming number of people believe that law and its implementation is the decisive factor that determines the success of a society. But is this generalization justified? Tim Li explores whether this idea is reality or just another myth. A society is based on a system of rules and regulations which all individuals are expected to abide by. Conformity, in general, means to go in accordance with those rules that govern our society. For instance, a group is going for camping; now that group cannot function if each of their individual members do not display a reasonable extent of conformity. This e.g. implies that even though the literal meaning of conformity remains the same, the way the people embrace it changes. To a large extent on conformity is needed for the success and improvement of a society. In the following article, I will explain conformity by discussing about Copernicus, Euthanasia and the growth of science. About 600 years ago, the church was considered law. No one could defy its teachings and whosoever did so was publicly beheaded. One of the theories of the church was that the earth was the center of the universe and that other planets revolved around it. Copernicus was a genius who had a great interest in astronomy. It was he who stated that the sin was the hub around which all other planets revolved. In this case Copernicus was a non conformist i.e. he believed in something that was against the religious teachings/implications of the church, but his being non conformist was the sole cause of the development of a theory that bought about a great change in the scientific perspective of astronomy. At present a very serious issue has jumped into the consideration and thinking of the society. The government is pondering on whether to accept the growing numbers of Euthanasia or to deny them. Euthanasia is when people suffering from long term chronic .are non conformist i.e. who don’t want to live are benefited more than other people suffering from the same types of diseases. Here conformity does not help, or in other words, it is better to be a non conformist. Science too, plays a decisive role on our changing society. It surrounds us completely, from a common light bulb to aero planes and space travel. In short, a society cannot function without science. A critical analysis of science suggests that new discoveries in science break laws on which our older societies and generations are built on. E.g. Until the 1900’s everyone believed that man cannot fly, but now science has broken that barrier, it is therefore a non conformist in relation to that law which was dominant at that time. Revolutionary research into stem cells has prompted a heated ethical debate between the church and the scientific faction. So, if this situation is examined, the church has always seen science as a ‘hard core’ criminal but that form of science is needed for the mere existence of a society. All these arguments reinforce the original statement that some degree of non conformity is needed for a successful society. Although too much conformity means the elimination of all crimes, it also implies the abrupt stop in scientific technology and I can’t live in Stone age, can you?

Queen Victorias Children and Grandchildren

Queen Victorias Children and Grandchildren Queen Victoria and her first cousin Prince Albert, who married on February 10, 1840, had nine children. The marriage of the children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert  into other royal families, and the likelihood that some of her children bore a mutant gene for hemophilia affected European history. In the following lists, the numbered persons are children of Victoria and Albert, with notes on who they married, and below them are the next generation, Victoria, and Alberts grandchildren. Children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert Victoria Adelaide Mary, Princess Royal (November 21, 1840 - August 5, 1901)  married Frederick III of Germany (1831 - 1888)Kaiser Wilhelm II, German Emperor (1859 - 1941, emperor 1888 - 1919), married Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein and Hermine Reuss of GreizDuchess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen (1860 - 1919), married Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-MeinengenPrince Henry of Prussia (1862 - 1929), married Princess Irene of Hesse and by the RhinePrince Sigismund of Prussia (1864 - 1866)Princess Victoria of Prussia (1866 - 1929), married Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe and Alexander ZoubkoffPrince Waldemar of Prussia (1868 - 1879)Sophie of Prussia, Queen of Greece (1870 - 1932), married Constantine I of GreecePrincess Margarete of Hesse (1872 - 1954), married Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse-KasselAlbert Edward, King of England as Edward VII (November 9, 1841 - May 6, 1910)  married Princess Alexandra of Denmark (1844 - 1925)Duke Albert Victor Christian (1864 - 1892), engaged to M ary of Teck (1867 - 1953)King George V (1910 - 1936), married Mary of Teck (1867 - 1953)Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar, Princess Royal (1867 - 1931), married Alexander Duff, Duke of FifePrincess Victoria Alexandra Olga (1868 - 1935)Princess Maud Charlotte Mary (1869 - 1938), married Haakon VII of NorwayPrince Alexander John of Wales (John) (1871 - 1871) Alice Maud Mary (April 25, 1843 - December 14, 1878)  married Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse (1837 - 1892)Princess Victoria Alberta of Hesse (1863 - 1950), married Prince Louis of BattenbergElizabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia (1864 - 1918), married Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of RussiaPrincess Irene of Hesse (1866 - 1953), married Prince Heinrich of PrussiaErnest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse (1868 - 1937), married Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (his cousin, a daughter of Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a son of Victoria and Albert), Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich   (married 1894, divorce 1901)Frederick (Prince Friedrich) (1870 - 1873)Alexandra, Tsarina of Russia (Alix of Hesse) (1872 - 1918), married Nicholas II of RussiaMary (Princess Marie) (1874 - 1878)Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh and of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (August 6, 1844 - 1900)  married Marie Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess, Russia (1853 - 1920)Prince Alfred (1874 - 1899)Ma rie of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Queen of Romania (1875 - 1938), married Ferdinand of RomaniaVictoria Melita of Edinburgh, Grand Duchess (1876 - 1936), married first (1894 - 1901) Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse (her cousin, a son of Princess Alice Maud Mary of the United Kingdom, a daughter of Victoria and Albert), married second (1905)  Kirill Vladimirovich, Grand Duke of Russia (her first cousin, and a first cousin of both Nicholas II and his wife, who was also the sister of Victoria Melitas first husband)Princess Alexandra (1878 - 1942), married Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-LangenburgPrincess Beatrice (1884 - 1966), married Infante Alfonso de Orleans y Borbà ³n, Duke of Galliera Helena Augusta Victoria (May 25, 1846 - June 9, 1923)  married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (1831 - 1917)Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein (1867 - 1900)Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (1869 - 1931), never married but fathered a daughterPrincess Helena Victoria (1870 - 1948)Princess Maria Louise (1872 - 1956), married Prince Aribert of AnhallFrederick Harold (1876 - 1876)stillborn son (1877)Louise Caroline Alberta (March 18, 1848 - December 3, 1939)  married John Campbell, Duke of Argyll, Marquis of Lorne (1845 - 1914)Arthur William Patrick, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (May 1, 1850 - January 16, 1942)  married Duchess Louise Margaret of Prussia (1860 - 1917)Princess Margaret of Connaught, Crown Princess of Sweden (1882 - 1920), married Gustaf Adolf, Crown Prince of SwedenPrince Arthur of Connaught and Strathearn (1883 - 1938), married Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife (herself a daughter of Princess Louise, granddaughter of Edward VII and g reat-granddaughter of Victoria and Albert)Princess Patricia of Connaught, Lady Patricia Ramsay (1885 - 1974), married Sir Alexander Ramsay Leopold George Duncan, Duke of Albany (April 7, 1853 - March 28, 1884)  married Princess Helena Frederica of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1861 - 1922)Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (1883 - 1981), married Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (she was the last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria)Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1884 - 1954), married Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-HosteinBeatrice Mary Victoria (April 14, 1857 - October 26, 1944)  married Prince Henry of Battenberg (1858 - 1896)Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke (formerly Prince Alexander of Battenburg) (1886 - 1960), married Lady Iris MountbattenVictoria Eugenie, Queen of Spain (1887 - 1969), married Alfonso XIII of SpainLord Leopold Mountbatten (formerly Prince Leopold of Battenberg) (1889 - 1922)Prince Maurice of Battenburg (1891 - 1914) Queen Victoria was an ancestor of later British rulers including her descendant Queen Elizabeth II. She was also an ancestor of Elizabeth IIs husband Prince Philip.

806454335780 Essays - Education, Educational Psychology, Free Essays

806454335780 Essays - Education, Educational Psychology, Free Essays 806454335780 I wrote about the Cognitive Load Theory. My main purpose for writing about this was because I found it the most interesting core reading out of all of possible core readings. The intended audience for this core reading is my instructor and my classmates. I made many changes in my paragraphs by adding more details and examples to help my class understand what I was writing about. I received feedback from Chaunsity Daniels about my core reading, some of the feedback from her helped me edit my Final Draft a lot. She gave me some ideas to add to my writing. It helps that she told me what was wrong and pointed a few things out because I thought I knew what I was doing but after she had pointed out that she liked it but wasn't really sure where I was going with my writing. Now that I have re-read and edited my writing it sounds better. I have decided to revise some of my paragraphs because they clearly started what I was writing about but didn't go into detail or give any examples. With adding more information, I feel that my writing is more understanding.00 I wrote about the Cognitive Load Theory. My main purpose for writing about this was because I found it the most interesting core reading out of all of possible core readings. The intended audience for this core reading is my instructor and my classmates. I made many changes in my paragraphs by adding more details and examples to help my class understand what I was writing about. I received feedback from Chaunsity Daniels about my core reading, some of the feedback from her helped me edit my Final Draft a lot. She gave me some ideas to add to my writing. It helps that she told me what was wrong and pointed a few things out because I thought I knew what I was doing but after she had pointed out that she liked it but wasn't really sure where I was going with my writing. Now that I have re-read and edited my writing it sounds better. I have decided to revise some of my paragraphs because they clearly started what I was writing about but didn't go into detail or give any examples. With adding more information, I feel that my writing is more understanding.2597151257300 English 111 final Draft 9410036300 English 111 final Draft center2300231140 9410012100 center818008227695 Amber Mileski [emailprotected] Amber Mileski [emailprotected] There are three types of CLT. Element interactivity is the driver of our first category of cognitive load, this category is called intrinsic cognitive load. Intrinsic cognitive load demand on working memory capacity, only a simpler learning task can be used to reduce this type of load. The second is referred to as extraneous or ineffective cognitive load. Ineffective cognitive load refers to when "Part A of an explanation refers to Part B without clearly indicating where Part B is to be found." Which will impose heavy erroneous cognitive load because working memory resources must be used for activities that are irrelevant. The final form is germane or effective cognitive load. Effective cognitive load is influenced by the instructional designer. Where ineffective cognitive load interferes, germane cognitive load enhances learning. Instructional design is to free space so germane cognitive load can be increased. Amber Mileski Papia Bawa English 111 18 September 2016 CLT Instructional Design Table 1 [This Table Title Uses a Style Named "Table Title", Available on the Home Tab, in the Styles Gallery] Column Heading AdditionalColumn Heading AdditionalColumn Heading AdditionalColumn Heading Row Heading Row Heading Row Heading Source: [This source text uses a style named "Table Source", available on the Home tab, in the Styles gallery.] [This note text uses a style named "Table Note", available on the Home tab, in the Styles gallery. Table notes use a lowercase letter instead of Arabic numerals to differentiate them from the notes to body content.] Fig. 1. [This figure caption uses the No Indent style, available on the Home tab, in the Styles gallery. Label figures with the abbreviated "Fig." and a figure number.] [The sample list that follows was created using the Bibliography feature available on the References tab. This feature offers the option to specify MLA style, so that your references are automatically formatted

The Pequot War - A History

The Pequot War - A History The Pequot War - Background: The 1630s were a period of great unrest along the Connecticut River as various Native American groups battled for political power and control of trade with the English and Dutch. Central to this was an ongoing struggle between the Pequots and the Mohegans. While the former typically sided with the Dutch, who occupied the Hudson Valley, the latter tended to ally with the English in Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Connecticut. As the Pequots worked to expand their reach, they also came into conflict with the Wampanoag and Narragansetts. Tensions Escalate: As the Native American tribes fought internally, the English began to expand their reach in the area and founded settlements at Wethersfield (1634), Saybrook (1635), Windsor (1637), and Hartford (1637). In doing so, they came into conflict with the Pequots and their allies. These began in 1634 when a noted smuggler and slaver, John Stone, and seven of his crew were killed by the Western Niantic for attempting to kidnap several women and in retaliation for the Dutch killing of the Pequot chief Tatobem. Though Massachusetts Bay officials demanded those responsible be turned over, the Pequot chief Sassacus refused. Two years later, on July 20, 1836, trade John Oldham and his crew was attacked while visiting Block Island. In the skirmish, Oldham and several of his crew were killed and their ship looted by Narragansett-allied Native Americans. Though the Narragansetts typically sided with the English, the tribe on Block Island sought to discourage the English from trading with the Pequots. Oldhams death sparked outrage throughout the English colonies. Though Narragansett elders Canonchet and Miantonomo offered reparations for Oldhams death, Governor Henry Vane of Massachusetts Bay, ordered an expedition to Block Island. Fighting Begins: Assembling a force of around 90 men, Captain John Endecott sailed for Block Island. Landing on August 25, Endecott found that most of the islands population had fled or gone into hiding. Burning two villages, his troops carried off crops before re-embarking. Sailing west to Fort Saybrook, he next intended to capture the killers of John Stone. Picking up guides, he moved down the coast to a Pequot village. Meeting with its leaders, he soon concluded they were stalling and ordered his men to attack. Looting the village, they found that most of the inhabitants had departed. Sides Form: With the beginning of hostilities, Sassacus worked to mobilize the other tribes in the region. While the Western Niantic joined him, the Narragansett and Mohegan joined the English and the Eastern Niantic remained neutral. Moving to avenge Endecotts attack, the Pequot laid siege to Fort Saybrook through the fall and winter. In April 1637, a Pequot-allied force struck Wethersfield killing nine and kidnapping two girls. The following month, leaders of the Connecticut towns met in Hartford to begin planning a campaign against the Pequot. Fire at Mystic: At the meeting, a force of 90 militia under Captain John Mason assembled. This was soon augmented by 70 Mohegans led by Uncas. Moving down the river, Mason was reinforced by Captain John Underhill and 20 men at Saybrook. Clearing the Pequots from the area, the combined force sailed east and scouted Pequot Harbors fortified village (near present-day Groton) and Missituck (Mystic). Lacking sufficient forces to attack either, they continued east to Rhode Island and met with the Narragansett leadership. Actively joining the English cause, they provided reinforcements that enlarged the force to around 400 men. Having seen the English sail past, Sassacus wrongly concluded that they were retreating to Boston. As a result, he departed the area with the bulk of his forces to attack Hartford. Concluding the alliance with the Narragansetts, Masons combined force moved overland to strike from the rear. Not believing they could take Pequot Harbor, the army marched against Missituck. Arriving outside the village on May 26, Mason ordered it surrounded. Protected by a palisade, the village contained between 400 to 700 Pequots, many of them women and children. Believing his was conducting a holy war, Mason ordered the village set on fire and anyone trying to escape over the palisade shot. By the end of the fighting only seven Pequots remained to be taken prisoner. Though Sassacus retained the bulk of his warriors, the massive loss of life at Missituck crippled Pequot morale and demonstrated the vulnerability of his villages. Defeated, he sought sanctuary for his people on Long Island but was refused. As a result, Sassacus began leading his people west along the coast in the hope that they could settle near their Dutch allies. Final Actions: In June 1637, Captain Israel Stoughton landed at Pequot Harbor and found the village abandoned. Moving west in pursuit, he was joined by Mason at Fort Saybrook. Aided by Uncas Mohegans, the English force caught up to Sassacus near the Mattabesic village of Sasqua (near present-day Fairfield, CT). Negotiations ensued on July 13 and resulted in the peaceful capture of the Pequot women, children, and elderly. Having taken refuge in a swamp, Sassacus elected to fight with around 100 of his men. In the resulting Great Swamp Fight, the English and Mohegans killed around 20 though Sassacus escaped. Aftermath of the Pequot War: Seeking aid from the Mohawks, Sassacus and his remaining warriors were immediately killed upon arriving. Desiring to bolster goodwill with the English, the Mohawks sent Sassacus scalp to Hartford as an offering of peace and friendship. With the elimination of the Pequots, the English, Narragansetts, and Mohegans met at Hartford in September 1638 to distribute the captured lands and prisoners. The resulting Treaty of Hartford, signed on September 21, 1638, ended the conflict and resolved its issues. The English victory in the Pequot War effectively removed Native American opposition to the further settlement of Connecticut. Scared by the European total war approach to military conflicts, no Native American tribes sought to challenge English expansion until the outbreak of King Philips War in 1675. The conflict also laid the foundation for the perception of future conflicts with the Native Americans as battles between civilization/light and savagery/darkness. This historical myth, which persisted for centuries, first found its full expression in the years after the Pequot War. Selected Sources Society of Colonial Wars: The Pequot War Mystic Voices: The Story of the Pequot War

Discussion Question 1 Week 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Question 1 Week 4 - Assignment Example The restaurant will require about $150,000 in order to be operational. The Smart fast food restaurant will be organized as a partnership business. This is because I intend to start the business in partnership with Mr. Johnson. We will hire three kitchen cooks who will be involved in preparing the fast foods. We will also need to hire one waiter and two customer support staff. Moreover we will also need to hire two sales persons. I will act as the human resource manager while Johnson will act as the sales manager. However, the Smart food restaurant aims at increasing the number of the employee as the business progresses. The Smart fast food restaurant will be stated with a capital base of $150,000. Johnson and I will contribute $50,000 as the starting capital the rest of capital will be borrowed from commercial banks. The following is an outline of the proposed financial plan This refers to the amount of money needed to cater for the initial cost in order to start a business. It includes the money required to purchase all the materials required to a start the business. In this case smart food restaurant requires about $80,000 for its start up cost. The monthly expenses refer to the cost the business is likely to incur at the end of the month. These costs include the cost of paying for insurance, and the cost of paying its employee. In this case the Smart fast food restaurant will require $50,000 to cater for its monthly cost This refers to the various sales estimates that the business aims at achieving at the end of certain period. In this case, the Smart food restaurant estimates that at the end of the month it will make sales worth $120,000. The smart fast food restaurant will mainly target to sell its food products to the business people found in the Los Angelis town. This is because most of the business people find it hard to leave their business to a have lunch in a hotel. The business will also target the college students since they also like

Almarai Dairy Foods Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Almarai Dairy Foods Company - Essay Example The fresh milk and laban produced by the company soon became two of the high demanded products in the markets of Saudi Arabia. The process of centralization took place in 1990s when the management started to centralize the structure of the company by replacing the decentralized plants by central processing plants. The state-of-the-art infrastructure plays a great role in the success of this dairy products producing company. Along with the infrastructure, the distribution mechanisms also hold great importance in the success of the company. Some of the main dairy product categories produced by the Almarai include dairy liquids, yogurt, cheese, butter, ghee, tomato pastes, fresh cream, custards, bakery products, and some chicken products. All of the products produced by Almarai are of high quality and that is the major reason behind the success of the company. Almarai is also the first dairy company in the world, which has been certified by the ISO 9002 quality standards. The title of t he website is the name of the company. The developer of the website is a renowned web development company, Media Plus. Although the name of the developing company has been listed on the website but there is no proper way to contact the developers. However, one can contact the company’s officials regarding any concern through messages. The link, contact us, has been placed on the home page of the website. The illustrations are appropriate and informative. The line, Quality you can trust, has been placed on the top of the first page of the website which gives a clear picture of the quality standards of the company. The overall design of the website is simple and easy to understand. The layout of the website is attractive as it gives a real feeling of a dairy company’s website. The website is also easy to navigate. The introduction of the company is appropriate. One can understand the nature and history of the company very easily by reading the introduction. Moreover, the introduction is written in simple English, which make it easy for everyone to understand the content. Seven links are placed on the home page of the website. In every link, there are some further links which take us to the details of the main link. For example, when we open products page, we can click on each product and can get detailed information of the product. This is a very attractive and informative aspect of the website. The text is normal. It is not very large so that it can occupy large place of the screen. Everyone can read the text without any difficulty. The text is also in contrast with the background color. For example, the links are written in white color whereas the background color for the links’ area is blue. The links’ sub-topics have been developed very well. The sub-topics are not linked in turn to other sites. The links work very well. One can get information about the required things by clicking on the relevant links. The website does not prese nt any specific viewpoint. It just presents facts about the company’s products, financial information, history, news etc. One can find useful information about the products, brands, and details of the products. The only drawback regarding the website is the time that it takes to open the links. The links do not get opened very quickly. Nadec Nadec is the biggest agricultural joint stock public company of Saudi Arabia. The company was founded in 1981. Nadec delivers high quality nutritious products to the customers. Along with agricultural products, such as, wheat,

The Way of Telling Lies and the Consequences Research Paper

The Way of Telling Lies and the Consequences - Research Paper Example This is a case comparable to that of sentencing a serial killer to death, so as to avoid their committing more killings or murders. From this example, the sentencing to death is equally causing death, but with the intent of putting an end to the deaths that the serial killer has caused, and those that they may continue to cause. Therefore, in avoiding the further deaths, a single death is justified, showing that in such a case, it is not wrongful to send such a person to death. This paper will discuss the causes and the reasons behind the lies made by different individuals, with the intent of showing that lies are a core part of the daily life of each individual, and a part that cannot be avoided – literally speaking. This will help shed more light on the issues and the challenges or circumstances that force people into making lies, as opposed to following the rightful path of telling the truth. From an analysis of the lies made by individuals, it is clear that the factors and the issues – often leading to the making of lies include solving sticky issues, avoiding trouble, protecting others from the truth that may hurt them and as an effort to make certain cases look better than they are. Other reasons for lying include lying so as to identify with certain groups, so as to act as examples for others, for example the case of a parent who tells children lies – that they were brilliant in school, so that the children can work harder. From this discussion, the writer will clearly show that lying or cheating – as wrongful as it may be – is a principal part of everyday life, and a key into effective living (Bakan 124-127; Brown & Levinson 168-174). Literature Review According to the BBC ethics guide, a website feature, lying is most probably the most common wrongful acts that are committed by individuals on a daily basis. The account explains that some researchers are quoted, as saying that lying is a fully unavoidable part of human nature. According to the account, most people would consent that lying is wrong, except in the case where it is committed for a good reason. Also, among the people that hold that lying is wrong, there is the problem that they shut the possibility of saving a certain course or situation, which may have been saved by making one lie. According to Sisela Bok (78), lying is a type of deception, but not all models of deception can qualify to be referred as lies. The account goes further to account that a lie has three basic characteristics, these including that it is made to communicate some information, that the liar plans to mislead, and that the liar is convinced that the information they offer is not right or truthful. However, the author goes further to account that, opposite to the belief of many, a lie does not have to offer false information, or get presented in a malicious manner – or with a wrongful intent. An example offered, is that of white lies, which are offered for good intentions. The definition of a lie, also includes, the case where an individual presents truthful information taking it to be a lie and in the cases of a known liar, who is not able to lie to others, because they know that they always tell lies. Therefore, from the diversity of the lies told, the source shows that lies form a core aspect of everyday

Web & Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Web & Social Media - Essay Example lemented through the proper identification of keywords, checking keywords, re-checking keywords and customising keywords as per requirements (WordStream, Inc., 2009). The on-site SEO technique of keyword research and analysis has been selected for ranking of my website owing to the reason that it provides the benefits of determining the behaviours of the people in accessing websites online and discovering more specific keyword queries rewarding better user satisfaction (SEOmoz, Inc., 2014). The on-site SEO technique of keyword research and analysis helped in ranking a website through the creation of a solid foundation based upon which, entire content creation ought to take place, which eventually results in high-ranking of search engines (SEOmoz, Inc., 2014). It can be affirmed that the business world has been changing in this modern day context with the introduction and the subsequent adoption of pioneering technological advancements. In this similar concern, relating to recent changes in the modern world, the on-site SEO technique, i.e. keyword research and analysis, possesses the ability to perform various significant activities. These activities comprise predicting variations in demand, responding towards transforming business market conditions and producing the contents, products and/or services that the web searchers are already aggressively seeking (SEOmoz, Inc., 2014). Apart from the above-elaborated keyword research and analysis SEO technique, another off-site SEO technique can be observed in terms of content writing and optimisation. Conceptually, this particular technique is regarded as a writing piece, which is mainly powered by certain specific keywords that facilitate the individuals to visit any particular webpage (Slideshare Inc., 2014). The implementation of content writing and optimisation as an off-site SEO technique evidently aids in ranking a website based upon its content presented to attract the visitors. In this regard, the particular

Renewable Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Renewable Energy - Essay Example In terms of expense, it is expensive to set up a wind farm. Furthermore, wind is unpredictable as it changes with weather and in other places; wind power cannot support a wind farm because it is too weak. Wind strength is also variable with time. Therefore, wind mills do not give out uniform amount of energy at all times. Sometimes, not even the slightest amount of power becomes generated (Kaltschmitt, Streicher & Wiese 96). If everybody is to turn to wind as an energy source, large tracts of wind farms would become needed to supply sufficient electricity. For instance, the most immense wind mill available in the United States is only able to supply electricity to about 400 homes. Solar energy is another renewable source of energy that people have failed to embrace fully. Solar energy has been in use since ancient times, with several technologies getting harnessed to collect heat and light from the sun with two main systems been used in this modern age (Boyle 89). These are photovolt aic, also known as solar cell and concentrated solar power systems. Concentrated solar systems have lenses which concentrate a significant area of light into a beam. The concentrated heat becomes used as a heat source. The photovoltaic cell, on the other hand, converts light into electric current. Solar energy gets applied in several fields, for instance industries located in remote places, use solar energy to power monitoring devices as well as corrosion protection devices (Johansson 66). Residents living in such areas use it to pump water, to cook, through the use of solar cookers, to heat and purify water and to dry fruits and herbs. Tests are underway on the use of solar powered planes. Recently, solar trash became designed in some of the big cities. Solar... Renewable Energy This essay demonstrates the comparison of different renewable energy sources types, their advantages, and disadvantages suitability, sustainability, and profitability if they are used during a long period of time. It talks about the possibility of fossil fuels replacement by new types of energy sources. Various researches are being carried out all over the world by scientists to come up with cost-effective, and environmentally friendly sources of energy. One of the analyzed sources is solar energy that people have failed to embrace fully. Solar energy is cost effective, easy to install, present almost everywhere, silent and do not pollute the environment to large extends. However, the initial cost to install solar cells is high, making it costlier to other traditional sources such as coal. It can also be limited by weather conditions, especially when clouds cover almost the whole sky all day. Another example of renewable energy is hydropower. This energy is generated from flowing water. It is the most affordable source of energy across the world. It is also readily available and pollution due to hydroelectric energy is minimal. It is, however, expensive to build and construct large dams. Furthermore, the giant dams have become associated with serious geological damage. Though, due to various shortcomings of these sources of energy, the non-renewable sources continue to be widely used. Therefore, the two sources become required to complement each other, but complete dependence on either of them is unwise.

Liberty and Government Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Liberty and Government - Term Paper Example But when it comes to good government, another fact about British government is that it is among the group of highest performing countries in the world. In order to analyze Britain with reverence to good government let us first point out the basic requirements that a government need to become a good government and that are: People who are elected or appointed should know their roles and job in order to maintain good accountability. Whereas, good people here mean to empower the front line who can administer well in political context and good process is better policy and law making. Trust between those who are governed and those who govern will maintain the good standards. Moreover outcome of the actions will prove that government was performing well. People being the majority have the right to opt, modify or eradicate their government which actually is the soul of democracy. It is though difficult for a government to take care of freedom of every individual as it some how can affect others emotions and one of the most sensitive matters is to make a policy to provide religious freedom to every individual especially in a religion that seize abundant sects like Christianity. After the revolution American puritans strove hard to create a pure church and a thoroughly Christian society. Puritanism is the most criticized religion in American history and their self righteous attitude was a cause of English civil war and American Revolution. Puritan basically was a name given to people who criticized or wished to purify the Church of England by Anglicans. Puritans were divided into two groups: Separating puritans Non separating puritans The basic difference between both groups is that one believe that Christians church of England is corrupt and puritan should separate themselves from it where as the other believe that they should not separate themselves but should reform the church respectively. John Winthrop was the member of puritan faction with in the established church of England and had given the suggestions to make colonies. He wanted to transform the world by making an ideal colony. As Winthrop believes that love is the most important element that binds the whole body together so he wanted to make a system where every body should respect and care for each other. Moreover Puritans no doubt have developed the improved education system of England. Apart from Winthrop there were some other important entities who believed that Puritanism should be practiced as a religion and those who did so are supporting devil. John Cotton was among such people. He was puritan minister and was of the same view that Winthrop was that is to become a "city upon the hill" Thomas Jefferson has criticized such thinking of Puritans and believes that no one can force any one to follow a particular

Web & Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Web & Social Media - Essay Example lemented through the proper identification of keywords, checking keywords, re-checking keywords and customising keywords as per requirements (WordStream, Inc., 2009). The on-site SEO technique of keyword research and analysis has been selected for ranking of my website owing to the reason that it provides the benefits of determining the behaviours of the people in accessing websites online and discovering more specific keyword queries rewarding better user satisfaction (SEOmoz, Inc., 2014). The on-site SEO technique of keyword research and analysis helped in ranking a website through the creation of a solid foundation based upon which, entire content creation ought to take place, which eventually results in high-ranking of search engines (SEOmoz, Inc., 2014). It can be affirmed that the business world has been changing in this modern day context with the introduction and the subsequent adoption of pioneering technological advancements. In this similar concern, relating to recent changes in the modern world, the on-site SEO technique, i.e. keyword research and analysis, possesses the ability to perform various significant activities. These activities comprise predicting variations in demand, responding towards transforming business market conditions and producing the contents, products and/or services that the web searchers are already aggressively seeking (SEOmoz, Inc., 2014). Apart from the above-elaborated keyword research and analysis SEO technique, another off-site SEO technique can be observed in terms of content writing and optimisation. Conceptually, this particular technique is regarded as a writing piece, which is mainly powered by certain specific keywords that facilitate the individuals to visit any particular webpage (Slideshare Inc., 2014). The implementation of content writing and optimisation as an off-site SEO technique evidently aids in ranking a website based upon its content presented to attract the visitors. In this regard, the particular

Liberty and Government Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Liberty and Government - Term Paper Example But when it comes to good government, another fact about British government is that it is among the group of highest performing countries in the world. In order to analyze Britain with reverence to good government let us first point out the basic requirements that a government need to become a good government and that are: People who are elected or appointed should know their roles and job in order to maintain good accountability. Whereas, good people here mean to empower the front line who can administer well in political context and good process is better policy and law making. Trust between those who are governed and those who govern will maintain the good standards. Moreover outcome of the actions will prove that government was performing well. People being the majority have the right to opt, modify or eradicate their government which actually is the soul of democracy. It is though difficult for a government to take care of freedom of every individual as it some how can affect others emotions and one of the most sensitive matters is to make a policy to provide religious freedom to every individual especially in a religion that seize abundant sects like Christianity. After the revolution American puritans strove hard to create a pure church and a thoroughly Christian society. Puritanism is the most criticized religion in American history and their self righteous attitude was a cause of English civil war and American Revolution. Puritan basically was a name given to people who criticized or wished to purify the Church of England by Anglicans. Puritans were divided into two groups: Separating puritans Non separating puritans The basic difference between both groups is that one believe that Christians church of England is corrupt and puritan should separate themselves from it where as the other believe that they should not separate themselves but should reform the church respectively. John Winthrop was the member of puritan faction with in the established church of England and had given the suggestions to make colonies. He wanted to transform the world by making an ideal colony. As Winthrop believes that love is the most important element that binds the whole body together so he wanted to make a system where every body should respect and care for each other. Moreover Puritans no doubt have developed the improved education system of England. Apart from Winthrop there were some other important entities who believed that Puritanism should be practiced as a religion and those who did so are supporting devil. John Cotton was among such people. He was puritan minister and was of the same view that Winthrop was that is to become a "city upon the hill" Thomas Jefferson has criticized such thinking of Puritans and believes that no one can force any one to follow a particular

Comparative Study of Maruti Suzuki & Hyundai Motors Essay Example for Free

Comparative Study of Maruti Suzuki Hyundai Motors Essay Since, this is a paid assistance may be other respondents would not have asked for the said assistance. Since it is provided by the company to every customer whosoever demands it. Q. 6 Do you find your vehicle comfortable for a long journey? 6 out of 15 respondents do not find their vehicle comfortable for long journey. So it could be said that out of 100 customers 40 are satisfied with their vehicle in the above stated parameter. Q. 7 Does your vehicle need regular maintenance? 10 out of 15 respondents said that their vehicle needs regular maintenance. However 5 out of 15 don’t feel that their vehicle needs maintenance. Q. 8 If given an opportunity will you change your vehicle to a similar model of another company? 8 out of 15 respondents will change their vehicle to a similar model of other company if they were given such opportunity. This parameter states that more than half of the customers are unsatisfied with the overall performance of their vehicle. Q. 9 Electronic devices such as power windows, central locking system provided in your vehicle are up to the mark or not? All the 15 respondents are fully satisfied with the electronic devices, central locking provided in their vehicle. This means each and every customer of Hyundai considers electronic devices are up to the mark. Y axis representing no. of answers Comparison of customer satisfaction Findings: (1) Majority of the customers of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai motors are satisfied with the vehicle they have purchased. A very small proportion of them are not satisfied with the vehicle when asked about their dissatisfaction most of them said that they are satisfied but not completely satisfied. (2) A good no. of respondents did not find their vehicles fuel efficient said that their vehicle doesn’t give mileage as stated by the company. When an executive of a company was contacted he said â€Å"the reason for the above is not keeping the right air pressure in tyres continuous fluctuations in speed. †(Acceleration) (3) Both the companies Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai are providing the best of the services to the customers through their art of state workshop under one roof. However the reason for dissatisfaction of certain customers cannot be found out. Reason may be higher costs of servicing. (4) Since, our research was for small car segment still customers were comfortable with boot space head room of their vehicle. However this is a parameter that is more dependent on height of the person. Therefore it could be said that most of the customers are satisfied. (5) On road assistance is provided by both the companies that too 24 hours through a toll free number. Most of the customers were unaware of any such service they actually asked me what it is. (6) Majority of the customers of Maruti Suzuki prefer to go on long journey in the diesel variants of the vehicles as it is more comfortable and economical. Hyundai owners rarely go for long journey on their own vehicle they too prefer diesel vehicle such as innova, scorpio, etc. 7) Upon analysis of the data collected it is found that vehicles of Maruti Suzuki need lesser maintenance as compared to the vehicles of Hyundai motors. (assumption- equal running) (8) Customers of Maruti Suzuki do not prefer to change their vehicle. However more than half of the owners of Hyundai are ready to change their vehicles with a similar model of another make. This m ay be on account of lower fuel efficiency or higher maintenance costs. (9) All the respondents of both the companies were satisfied with the electronic devices provided by the company. A customer of Maruti Suzuki was saying he has been using Maruti since 2002 and haven’t got any problem with the wiring or anything like that till today. Suggestions Suggestions for Companies. (1) Keep the service costs of the vehicles competitive. (2) Spares must be affordable. (3) Stress on RD to maximize customer’s satisfaction through continuous improvement in the products and services. (4) Training to customers for necessary maintenance. (5) Make more fuel efficient engines. (6) Maximize the room in the car. (7) Making the interiors even more attractive. (8) Increasing the number of free services from 4 to 6. 9) Ensure consumer satisfaction. Suggestions for customers (1) Operating the vehicle as it is recommended. (2) Keeping the tyre pressure as it is recommended to get efficiency in fuel consumption. (3) Timely maintenance regular servicing as specified in the manual so as to get best results from the vehicle. (4) Vehicle should be driven by the person who is com petent and experienced, a novice may mishandle it. (5) Deciding in advance what they really want in their vehicle then buying this will boost the level of satisfaction derived. Conclusion It was found that majority of the customers were satisfied with the vehicle they have chosen. And the small car segment is flourishing in the Indian car market. It is annually growing around 18-20%. However this is due to the easy availability of loans and finances to the end consumers. This is a great opportunity for the companies to encash by increasing the level of satisfaction they can not only increase their sales volumes but will have satisfied customers as well. Companies are trying their level best to maximize the customer’s satisfaction by continuously spending on research and development. In the long run this is definitely going to help the company in its revenues as well as its market share and therefore its goodwill.

History of Nude Drawings in Art

History of Nude Drawings in Art Nudity vs. Nakedness The nude figure is the most volatile subject in the history of painting. The artists treatment of the nude dictates whether her gaze addresses the viewer with a coy obliqueness or a confrontational directness. The figure has the ability to condemn, invite, and often perform both simultaneously. Through the viewers inverted projection an immediate response to nudity, the nude figure attains the ability to undress us. The vulnerability and splendor of nudity is that in its elemental form, with no adornment or intention, it is looked upon with grace and beauty but the moment that it dallies on the line of effortful pleasure, it will be seen in the opposite light. Even today, certain nude photos, in the culturally appropriated context, are appreciated as art, whereas pornographic images are viewed tactlessly and cheaply. The reclining nudes contentiousness can be charted from Cabanels Venus to Manets Olympia through the writers Zola, Clark and Castagnary. They argue that it is the contex t that demarcates the crucial difference of acceptable and refutable works of nudity and explain that these artists, most notably, Manet, disobey traditional conformity by being able to belong to multiple facets of prostitution therefore, in essence, not belonging to any singular categorization. To preface my explication on Manets Olympia, Ill first give some background. Edouard Manet was born on January 29, 1832. He was well educated but showed a great liking toward drawing and the arts. His Uncle Charles Fournier encouraged Manets appreciation for the arts and often took him and his friend, Antonin Proust, on outings to the Louvre. In 1850 Manet entered the studio of Thomas Couture and studied there until 1856. During this time, Paris began its massive transformation of the city under the supervision of Baron Haussmann. Haussmanns revitalization affected the physical environment of Paris as well as the cultural and social atmosphere. Thousands of jobs were created, stores redesigned, and buildings torn down and redeveloped. All of this happened to try to make Paris the most beautiful and cultural city in the world. This idea of change might have prompted Manets decision to paint his Olympia so boldly naked. But I believe the answer lies in the artists lifelong ill-health; it was in fact Manet himself suffered the physical pain from which he suffered on a daily basis was the result of a syphilic virus contracted during one of his aforementioned youthful encounters, a misconception which haunted the artist throughout his life . Taking this point into consideration, one must therefore consider the psychological effects that Manets own feelings of guilt and regret concerning the cause of his illness, and consider the effects that it had upon his life and his work, and thus in turn the way in which those feelings influenced his view of women as a whole, but particularly those of ill-repute. Although he has been hailed as the first modern painter, Manet was inspired by the great tradition of artists like Giorgione, Titian, Velazquez and Raphael, whom the Pre-Raphaelites had rejected. For example, Olympia (1863) is undoubtedly based on Renaissance works and shows his re-examination of old masters where as traditionally, nude figures were always depicted in classical settings or as goddesses, details like the choker and shoes of the subject of this painting make it clear she is a contemporary courtesan. Also, she does not have the typical demure, slightly coy expression the public would expect, but instead looks straight out of the painting in a matter of fact, challenging manner which would be shocking and considered unacceptable at this time. This painting also shows Spanish influences, and was described by a critic as a crazy piece of Spanish madness; due to the way the figure seems to be asserting a powerful physical presence. This idea of a powerful female figure was possibly inspired by the Spanish ballet troop who performed at the Hippodrome in Paris starring a woman called Lola, depicted as a robust, red-blooded figure. In the Salon of 1863, Manets Olympia was criticized her unacceptable composition and directness of gaze while Cabanels Venus, later purchased by Napoleon III, was lauded for its refined eroticism. Castagnary epitomizes this idealized view of the nude in his account of 1863 when he uses the words dazzling, immaculate and naked beauty to describe the nude form of the goddess Venus. Castagnary also comments on Venuss harmonious pose and pure, well arranged contours. Cabanels Venus is perfectly, technically drawn- idealized, devoid of any blemish or body hair. She is sexually passive, characterless and more perfect than is humanly possible- which fitted with the accepted style of the time. According to Frances Borzello, Cabanel adheres to a strict set of conventions when he paints his Venus as historically, the reclining nude is painted in the guise of a classical goddess and tends to lie with her eyes turned from the spectator, half closed, or even closed (as in Cabanels piece), offerin g no obstacle to his free-ranging glances over her body she often stretches out in a landscape whose hummocks and valleys metaphorically echo her curves (hence the significance of the swelling sea Venus floats atop) . The Salon goers were used to seeing paintings with elaborate shades between light and dark, and because Manet covered up nearly all such shades, the critics could not see Olympia as a three dimensional figure, only as an arrangement of flat patterns. But this engaged the eye more, forcing it to assemble continuity from extremes of light and dark. Manet chose instead to paint bold brush strokes, implied shapes, strong simplified forms, and used simple colours. He allowed the viewer to see the paint itself as a part in the painting and to see the texture, and elements of colour. His work looked natural with no actual fixed composition. Olympia beyond doubt shows Manets determination to simplify. Manet highlights his subject with a thick, blackish outline that closes in o n her. As a result, all of these techniques forced the viewer to see Olympia not only as a naked woman, but also as patches of paint precisely laid on the surface of the canvas. Manets use of color in Olympia separates it from many of his other paintings. Olympias chest is very lit up making her the focus of the painting. This flattens the image of Olympia by extracting the roundness of her. Everything in this painting is either light or dark. The light and dark both make up two different planes, the foreground and the background. The white sheets, pillows, flower bouquet, and the servants dress are the entire foreground layer. The dark green curtains and rust like wallpaper make up the background. These two layers, however, are joined together with the servants dark face, the black cat, and Olympias black jewelry. Without these elements the foreground would look like it was just cut out and pasted down on a background. The contrast of colors within Manets painting appeals to the viewers senses. Emotional responses to the painting, such as purity, are caused by the white colors of the bed and the woman upon the sheets. Her white, pure skin tone relates to th e natural association with virgin purity. The darkness that surrounds the women upon the bed then relates to dark, harmful feelings that most relate to evil. The woman upon the bed inhibits the natural innocence of the painting. The flower that is placed within her hair contains colors of pink and red hues. These brighter colors of the painting bring a very strong interest to the womans head and facial features. There are other various color relationships within this painting as well. The different flowers seen in the bouquet can also be seen in the blanket Olympia is laying on. The dress of the servant matches that blanket also. The wall in the background coincides with the couch or bed that she is laying on. Overall the repetition of color allows the painting to flow smoothly. The use of color within the painting allows different perspectives based on feelings and emotions. The subject matter of this painting is both intriguing as well as artistic. The woman, Olympia, is portrayed in a very different way than most of paintings in that time period. Her naked body shows her physical beauty, but the way she is propped upon the bed gives the idea of her not having respect for her personal body. The reason for this is that other paintings of this time show women presenting themselves in a more graceful matter, stereotypically ladylike. Her complete nudity, with the exception of her bracelet, necklace, and shoes shows that she feels that accents are needed to make her beautiful. If the womans view of herself was different she would see herself and her body as a piece of art work within itself. Her jewelry, flower, and shoes show us she needs more to feel beauty outwardly. The bed beneath her gives the pretrial of laziness because it is unmade. Yet the lines of the sheets accent her body curves to give an even idea of shape. Some might view her as a sexual par tner to many men because of her willingness to be nude and the flowers that are being brought to her by the servant. The flowers symbolize Olympia being very lady-like, and proper. However she maintains a very impersonal relationship with the viewer because of her flat gaze. Camille Lemonnier states that in order for a nude to stay pure in art she must be made impersonal and this is what Cabanel does by draping the arm across Venuss face, obscuring it and allowing her just to peek out through half-closed eyelids and by ridding her body of imperfections (which explains the absence of pubic hair) that make her personalized, and therefore flawed. The view that comes across very strongly in Castagnarys account is that all artists that paint nudes should strive to create perfection. This is a very different view compared to both Zola and Clark. Cabanel also includes the group of flying cupids that accompany Venus on her journey (to finally stand erect and reveal herself to men as Castagnary puts it). They play the part of the necessary allegorical trappings that must be included in a traditional reclining nude, as the aim of the painter is to elevate his model to goddess status and present her idealized, modest form to the spectator to appreciate and admire in her immaculate beauty. By placing cupids in his painting it ensured that the spectator would know that this was Venus- not just a naked girl Cabanel got to model for him, a mistake Manet makes with his Olympia. The fact that Manet copied his model, in Zolas words, just as she was caused much shock and outrage among the crowd at the salon of 1863. Manet disrupted the convention that the reclining nude should in no way cause embarrassment to the viewer. He caused a scandal by posing his model as a modern woman (with no allusions to her being a goddess) who stared boldly back at the spectator, challenging and discomforting. In Zolas account of Manets Olympia he focuses on the technical merits of the painting and highlights the new style that Manet was painting in, saying that everything is simplified and that if you wish to construct reality you must step back a bit, he believes Manet had performed a miracle. This view differs highly from Castagnarys, as in his account of Cabanels Venus he stresses the fact that Cabanel is a skilful draughtsman and much emphasis is placed on creating a technically correct painting. However it is my view that Venus in Cabanels work doesnt sit as comfortably in her setting as Manets Olympia does in hers. To me Venus appears stuck on to the crest of the wave- as if Cabanel had sketched his model first and added the background in later, working it around his model and not actually incorporating her into the scene very effectively. However, despite Manets miracle brushwork and his courteous nod to Titians Venus of Urbino people found the painting offensive. We can clearly distinguish Olympia as being a courtesan and this is what I believe caused the public react in a hostile manner towards it. She is adorned with many of the trappings that would have been familiar to them as they would have been able to tell she was a prostitute- her pink flower placed on the side of her head, her black ribbon around her neck and slipper dangling from her foot. A black maid offers flowers to her- no doubt sent by one of her clients, also whereas Titians Venus delicately covers her sex, Olympias flexed hand firmly protects hers, as if to refuse to let the viewers eye roam freely over her. This, accompanied with her calm, almost insolent glare further adds to the feeling of discomfort the visitors to the salon must have felt. There were many prostitutes around at this time that chose ancient names for themselves (like for example Olympia and Aphrodite) and numerous members of the nobility kept open mistresses. It was normal to go about your business and family life during the day then mix with women like Olympia at night. These high class men would have attended the Salon with their families and been confronted with something from their other life- a prostitute. The fact that she was a prostitute elevated to goddess status many people thought was unacceptable. Countless felt that this kind of image didnt fit in the setting of a respectable salon. Its because of this fact that Zola states that Manets work is more real than any other- when other painters correct nature (as Cabanel does in his work) they lie why not tell the truth? He says that Olympia is a girl of our own times whom we have met in the streets. Manet incorporated the present with the classical in a way that had never been seen before, it was a comment on society but more importantly he wanted to capture his subject as she really was. Titian turned his model into a goddess, whereas Manet turned Titians goddess back into a simple woman. Here we see the differences in Castagnary and Zolas opinion. Its my impression that Castagnary advocated that nudes should be objects of perfection to be viewed as a way of deepening our appreciation of beauty, whereas Zola stresses the importance of telling the truth and painting from real life, to create a comment on society. However Clark takes a different stance on the nude altogether and argues that the nudes purpose is to stir erotic feelings within us- if it fails in this objective he believes the artist has created bad art. Clark says this is the obvious point of the nude, and that however abstract, it shouldnt fail to arouse in us some vestige of erotic feeling. Manets Olympia certainly does this and so do countless other artists versions of the nude. Artists like Giorgione and Ingres show how the nude can be erotic in the traditional sense and artists such as Henry Moore, Modigliani, Picasso and Egon Schiele have explored new ways of portraying the nude- set free by Manets rebellion in 1863. However I do not wholly agree with Clarks view that the nude should always be erotic as I think that the nude evoke other feelings besides this. For example Egon Schiele can emit the feeling that is conveyed to me is one of intense vulnerability and this is something Clarke doesnt explore at all. To be nude/naked is to be stripped of our clothes, laid bare for all to see with nothing to hide us. It is true to say also that many nude paintings are too erotic- to the point where as a spectator you feel more like a v oyeur. Lucien Freuds painting Naked Girl Asleep for example, shocks me whenever I look at it, as do any of his paintings. However it is true to say that in the period we are living in we have been desensitized, which makes me believe that my reaction to Freuds work is similar to the salon goers of Manets day, to his Olympia. Its my opinion that the subject in Naked Girl Asleep is placed centrally on the canvas so that it forces you to look at her (much like how Manet made the focal point of his painting, Olympias eyes where she challenges you to engage with her). Everything in Freuds piece seems too stark and amplified, the rib cage juts out and the skin tone of the girl has an almost death like quality. Funnily enough this view is very similar to comments made by critics of Manets time about Olympias dirty flesh. I think it is very important to remind ourselves therefore of the period that each of these extracts were written in, as both Castagnary and Zolas account come from 1863, whereas the extract from Clarks book was written in 1956 and therefore what society found acceptable as art had changed quite dramatically. For centuries the reclining nude had been constrained by rules and conventions. After 1900 a reclining nude could be fractured by cubism or dissolved by abstraction painters were able to depict the previously unemitable. The nudes are no longer passive like Cabanels Venus but force you to interact with them, as did Manets Olympia. However, I do agree with Clarkes point that a nude should be erotic, but I dont believe that is its only purpose. I also agree with his point that if it does not evoke any feeling then it is bad art and I think this is true to says of all art in every genre. I believe a painting has to make you feel something whether its a bad feeling or a good one, as then it is creating a response- this is what I believe good art does. For me I get more out of looking at Manets Olympia than I do looking at Cabanels Venus as I feel there is more to engage with in the painting- the black servant presenting a bouquet of flowers, the cat arching its back and the mystery this creates. Is the cat arching his back and hissing because an unexpected person has just walked into Olympias room? Has Olympia sat up straighter, placed her hand coyly over her pubic area and met an unannounced guest with accusing, challenging eyes? Are we, as the spectator, in the position of someone bursting in? Is it us she chall enges, looking out as we look in? Cabanels painting in contrast fills me with none of these questions apart from the fact that I want to know why it is that Cabanel thought it acceptable to plonk Venus on top of the wave; I feel that she and the background do not fit together at all. Saying this I wouldnt say that Cabanels Venus was completely devoid of any erotic overtones, as I believe the way she gazes out at the spectator through half closed eyes is, in a way, inviting. I think the main thing that irritates me about this painting though is her passivity, almost as if she cant be bothered to really acknowledge you. She seems resigned to the fact that she is there as an object of desire and just accepts it. Whereas Olympia is much more aware of her sexuality and is in control of it- this to me, living in a post-feminist era is a lot more interesting and I feel I can identify with the painting more. In conclusion I believe that each of the writers attitudes towards the nude in the three extracts is valid and interesting. I can see Castagnarys point that the nude should be perfect as it can be an object of beauty, but this is an idealized view of how a woman should be. This view is still prevalent today in the culture we live in, where we are bombarded with images of perfect (often airbrushed models) on a daily basis. The idea of what perfection is may have changed but the concept has not. I believe that Zolas opinion that painters should tell the truth is correct in reference to painting the nude, as I agree with showing the body as it is, complete with every blemish as Picasso said if it is pure (as Venus is in Cabanels painting) it is not art . I also agree with Clark to some extent when he says that a nudes purpose is to be erotic, but I do not believe that this is its only purpose. The nude can evoke all sorts of feelings within the viewer- feelings of pity, of empathy, of a mazement, or of appreciation of our human bodies. To be nude is to revert back to the way we were in the beginning. Bibliography CLARK, T.J.- Olympias Choice, The Painting Of Modern Life- Princeton- 1984- p. 212, p.214 BORZELLO, Frances- Nude Awakening- The Guardian Online- 2009 (Found athttp://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,11710,824240,00.html) CLARK, Kenneth- The Nude- A Study Of Ideal Art- John Murray- London- 1956; repr 1957- p. 6