Monday, September 30, 2019

Diagram Architecture

Reading Response (Diagrams Matter by Stan Allen) â€Å"A diagram architecture is not necessary an architecture produced through diagrams†¦. Instead, diagram architecture is an architecture that behaves like a diagram, indifferent to the specific meaner of its realization. † (Par. 13) This paragraph points out the answer that beginners architecture students struggled to find. In the process of design, I try to find the potential through the translation from reality to the abstract diagram.While I wonder if the architecture should carefully be developed room the analysis; the images representing the essential information. Comparing the statement of Stan Allen to the analysis project for this semester, I realized, the diagrams give us the chance to study and create in a special way by not duplicating what is already given. â€Å"†¦ Since nothing can enter architecture without having been first converted into graphic form, the actual mechanism of graphic conversion is f undamental. In my opinion, the use of diagram does not describe the actual object but shows the relationship between different elements or technique that was used to mom up with one simple design idea. Most students in architecture usually struggle to make an efficient diagram to show things such as concept, process and analysis drawing. Thinking about the feature of diagram, the visual character is to represent the simplicity of an object.To me, it meaner the diagram is abstract tool to represent the idea and the process of design. But Stan Allen defines the diagram as the organization, â€Å"description of potential relationships among elements, not only an abstract model of the way things behave in the world but a map of possible orals. † (Par. 1) And these possible worlds became full of invisible images and information opposing to materiality of buildings.In this invisible time, the diagram has potential to be efficient method as well as strong tool in architecture becaus e â€Å"a diagrammatic practice locates itself between the actual and the virtual†. Stan Allen argues and states a lot of architects' portfolios, theory and practice who do use diagrams to create architecture. He does believe they are not Just a single statement but rather they are transposing ideas rather than translating them. We generate diagrams to create new ideas.He even goes as far as dividing the diagrams into stages of generating ideas, to communicate. Overall, diagramming helps to gather all information/data that surround a project, compare relationships and discover new information that might help to design effectively. The most difficult bridge to cross is applying one's diagram and relationship to the overall design. From this reading, I am convinced diagrams helps to manipulate information to symbols to understand the basic concept of a design.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

St. Augustine’s ‘The City of God’

‘The City of God’ is a book written by the 5th century Church Father, St. Augustine. Augustine wrote the treatise as a general defense of Christianity, that is, to admonish the assumption that Christianity was the cause of Rome’s downfall. Augustine also intended the treatise to be an exposition of Christian orthodox beliefs (against the Arians and Schismatics). The historical context in which the book was situated, Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire. Many Christians dominated the politics of Rome (the emperor himself was a Christian). The Roman state persecuted the adherents of pagan religions. A significant portion of the Roman budget went to the construction of elaborate basilicas and churches. Pagan philosophers saw these events as proofs of the evil intent of Christianity. The impending fall of Rome was the work of Christianity. Christianity weakened the Roman state by imposing its own will on Rome’s future. It destroyed traditional Roman virtues. It replaced militant nature of the Roman army by preaching the efficacy of peace and universal love. Christianity, in general, put Rome into a state of anarchy and loss of patriotism. Taking into account these facts, St. Augustine sought to establish a logical, transcendental approach in answering the criticisms of the pagan philosophers. He argued that the existence of the Roman state is first and foremost subject to Divine will. According to him, the destiny of nations and states is determined by God, the source of legitimate political authority. No nation, state, or even community could last for eternity. For Augustine, the existence of the state is temporary, for its elements are temporary, created by the minds of man – whose existence is also material. It was the destiny of Rome to fall under the hands of the barbarians – a fact which cannot be comprehended by the human mind. St. Augustine wrote, â€Å"Whether the same world remains intact throughout or whether it keeps setting into disintegration and rising into newness with each rotation of the wheel of time. Whereas, if one rejects the periodicity of identical patterns, one is left with an infinite diversity of events which no knowledge or pre-knowledge could possibly comprehend† (Curtis, 429). Thinkers such as Smith, Nietzsche, and Gibbons rejected the above-mentioned assumption of Augustine. These thinkers argued that it was clear that the fall of Rome was due to ‘the ineptness of the Christian religion, its impracticality as an imperial religion, and indecency as a political and religious movement’ (Toynbee, 219). One need not determine empirical data to prove Augustine’s thesis. Michael Schmaus argued that the fragile nature of the state is due primarily to its origin. The state is the expression of man – a being whose existence is temporary. Hence, if a state is to last for eternity, according to Schmaus, it must be immune to the weaknesses of man – from outright desire of the flesh, from political conflicts, from the intrigues of the human mind. Schmaus stated: â€Å"The term ‘eternity’, in essence, only refers to the Divine Being. The state, in particular, is not in any way an everlasting entity, for it is wholly man’s creation – a derivation of man’s innate qualities. These qualities, we may describe, as momentary, capricious, and overtly devoid of divine significance. Man, by himself, cannot affect a change in the state of nature, or his predilections capable of uniting the elements of political life† (Schmaus, 57). St. Augustine based his arguments on the notion that the state is a necessary evil. Augustine derived this statement from basic theological truths. The first ‘truth’ attested to the integrity of man before the fall. In traditional Christian theology, the first human beings possessed, besides righteousness and holiness a genuine partnership with God, the so-called preternatural gifts (justitia originalis), gifts of integrity, freedom from suffering and death, from inordinate appetites and ignorance. The sin of Adam greatly weakened these gifts. Man became vulnerable to weakness, to death. Hence, according to Augustine death belongs to the nature of man. But as a result of sin it has the added character of punishment; that is to say, what belongs to the nature of man, his transitories, is now bound up with anxiety, pain and glaring absurdity. Because the state is a necessary evil, then man itself is bound by such necessity. He must live in that necessity, and of course its consequences. A necessary evil man must endure, for it is his temporary refuge. It is a temporary refuge from the ineptness of savagery, from irrationality, and from the affects of nature. The state was created as a temporary refuge of man – an entity which inhibits man’s innate savagery and irrationality – things which were consequential of the fall. The state, according to Augustine, is lead by pride and flesh. The state is the embodiment of worldly desires and passions. Although it inhibits man’s lust for materiality, it is in itself the efficacy of such materiality. The state though is necessary because it enabled man to work in groups, to limit man’s obsession with himself, and to protect man from the dangers of the natural world. The state, however, is not necessarily good. Man must endure the world of politics, deception, and outright political chaos. Hence, the state is a temporary state of nature. Again, Augustine’s argument makes sense because of the assumption that the state is a temporary association. Philosophers like Aristotle, Hobbes, and Locke supported this argument. These philosophers agree that the state is a temporary refuge of man – that is, it was borne out of man’s own innate weakness. However, these philosophers disagreed on the nature of man’s weakness, whether either borne out of lack of faith on a Divine entity or just the condition of the state of nature. Augustine’s arguments were not immune to criticisms. One of the weakness of this argument is provided by Schoonenberg who argued that it is impossible to attach the social origin of the state with the theological origin of man. According to him, a distinction must be made between what is political and what is epistemological (Schoonenberg, 58). Schoonenberg argued that the origin of Christianity is separate from the origin of the state, as far as orthodoxy is concerned. Here, it is possible that Augustine may have committed this particular mistake. Now, Augustine examined the origin of man’s weakness in relation to Divine Providence. St. Augustine argued that the fall of man is caused by man’s desire to make himself an equal of God. The evil which befallen man is neither the work of God or nature; it is the work of man. Here, St. Augustine discussed the nature of evil and free will. According to him, evil comes into the world in a kind of privation. Privation is desire for things which are less real and not good. Evil is love of the world of shadows and allusion – a perversion of Divine will. According to Augustine, the origin of sin is free will, that is, individual freedom. Free will presupposes that man is independent of God, which man, by his own nature, can succeed apart from God (Schoonenberg, 329). For Augustine, the arrogance of man is in itself the rejection of God and the acceptance of the ‘temporary state of nature. Man loves this arrogance because it increases his fidelity to himself; that is, arrogance is the fruit of deception – that man can wander by himself, that he can, apart from God, measure the knowledge and the inertia of God. Augustine wrote: â€Å"The fundamental fallacy of these men, who prefer to walk in round about error rather than to keep to the straight path o f truth, is that they have nothing but their own tiny, changing human minds to measure the divine mind, infinitely capacious and utterly immutable, a mind that can count things without passing from one to the next†¦ Without having a notion of God, they mistake themselves for Him, and, instead of measuring God by God, they compared themselves to themselves† (Curtis, 415). St. Augustine argued that the end to man’s suffering is the establishment of the City of God, a place where Christ reigned. The City of God is synonymous with the Second Coming of Christ, whose authority has no equal. Augustine pointed that the founding of this city is unlike any other city on earth. It is everlasting. It is immune from the intricate weaknesses of man – from his passion, idolatry, and irrational manifestations. The City of God is the manifestation of God’s desire to free humanity from suffering and death. From an orthodox theological point of view, Augustine’s argument is consistent with the notion of a God-saving being, merciful, and full of inertia. Man’s choice is either to accept this promise or reject it. It may be impossible here to prove Augustine’s point, but from a Christian viewpoint, his argument seems to navigate on the ideas of Divine love and justice, which are evident in the doctrinal conjugation of today’s Christian sects. In the Confessions, Augustine proudly asserts, â€Å"What then is my God, what but the Lord God? For who is Lord but the Lord †¦ sustaining and fulfilling and protecting, creating and nourishing †¦ Thou owest nothing yet dost pay as if in debt to Thy creature† (Confessions, 24). Conclusion The ‘City of God’ is both a defense of orthodox Christianity from the attacks of pagan philosophers and a summary of primary Christian beliefs. Augustine dismissed the notion that Christianity was the cause of Rome’s downfall. In addition, Augustine stated that the state is a necessary object of man’s existence. Its origin lies entirely in the facet of individual social constructivism, not in the crucial malivolence of an evil entity.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Effects of the Subsidy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Effects of the Subsidy - Essay Example A market without a subsidy will reach equilibrium at the point where the demand curve intersects the pre-tax supply curve. Let’s assume that the price is P and the quantity is Q. The subsidy by the government will shift the supply curve downwards by the subsidy amount. The price paid by the buyers for the homes will fall from P to Ps, that is from $167,000 to $ 159,000 while the one to the suppliers will increase to Ps’ that is from $167,000 to $174,000. The quantity supplied will then increase from Q to Qs. In the graph below, the cost of the subsidy to the government is shown. The graph clearly shows a negative balance which is the cost of the subsidy which is always greater than the benefits enjoyed by the producers and the consumers. The deadweight loss of the subsidy is the amount by which the subsidy costs exceed the gains in the producer and consumer surpluses. The deadweight loss magnitude depends on the subsidy amount as well as the change in the production which results from the subsidy The benefits obtained from the subsidy are usually shared by the producers and the consumers in a proportion which depends on the relative slopes of supply and demand functions. However, the buyers gain more than the suppliers as the subsidy lowers prices to buyers and increases the price to the sellers. Assuming the two firms compete on prices à   la Bertrand with the production function and factor prices remaining the same: qM = L0.6K0.4 ;qK = L0.5 K0.5 ;the wage rate is $5 and the rental rate of capital is $10.

G H 402 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

G H 402 - Assignment Example Most malarial deaths occur to the pregnant women and young children because of the inability to access proper medical care and poor sanitation services that lead to the breeding of mosquitos. Global malaria prevalence is also due to poor and limited information on malaria and the possible preventive methods. Most of the affected groups have a wrong perception on Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) and therefore they don’t control the vector causing malaria (McCracken and Phillips 75) Malaria has become a global concern because it is considered to be both a disease of poverty and a major cause of poverty mostly in the developing countries. This is because the developing countries do not have the sufficient and proper medication for the disease. It has therefore been considered to be a major constraint to economic development in the developing countries as it has both high social and economic costs that cause a wider gap in the GDP of the developed and developing countries (McCracken and Phillips 78). This has therefore led to a big global dilemma for the affected communities. Environmental sanitation is another major global concern due to the rising environmental degradation. For a proper and safe environment, there should be minimal sharing of the sanitation services such as the toilets as recommended by the World Health Organization (McCracken and Phillips 76). This improves the security and safety of the services and enables accessibility and proper maintenance. If sanitation facilities are highly shared, it becomes a challenge to maintain their cleanliness, and this may turn them to be breeding places for disease-transmitting parasites and pathogens. The global concern for environmental sanitation is causing the dilemma because of the rising number of people that have limited access to improved sanitation making them prone to diseases (McCracken and Phillips 84). Due to the rising

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Evelyn monologue Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evelyn monologue - Coursework Example Am paying for all my deeds. I should be ashamed of my deeds. I let her down, I disregarded the fact that she is now a grown up and not a child any more. But come to think of it, how did she discover? It must have been my mother. Yeah its my mother who told her about my past. How could she. Thanks to her I have lost the only thing I had in the world, no husband, my daughter is gone now, I have no one. I wish I had been more open to her as she grew up. This could not have happened at all. If only I had let in on the truth, things could have been easier for her to handle. I can only imagine the shock she had when she finally heard the truth. If I had worked hard to build a relationship with Faith, if only I was a good mother. I regret the times I did not come home until late at night. I should have made more time for her, to talk to her to share her fears and let her see the world through my eyes. I should have known one day this would happen and I would not have a second chance at doing these things. I should have given my mother so much freedom to talk to my daughter, Faith; look where it has put all of us. I remember my childhood with tears I never had enough time with my parents. They were ever out working; making sure we had a roof over our head and food on our table. My perception of the world was through my friends. Who used to mock me for being Jewish. I heard that part of my life for my daughter, with the aim of protecting her. I did not want her to be mocked by other children, the way it happened to me. No one would want their children to experience prejudicism that is why I did my best at keep that side of me away from my daughter, I thought the less that she knew the better it would have been for her. After having spent so little time with my mother during my childhood, I decided to let her move in with me so we could at least try to catch up. However, this was never to be, we are like strangers. All she does is to meddle in my

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Rowe's Cosmological Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rowe's Cosmological Argument - Essay Example The Principle of Sufficient Reason follows the idea that everything must have an explanation. In the arguments for God’s existence, this principle is commonly used to explain the causal or creative power. There are normally four unique forms of the Principle of Sufficient Reason. The first one is known as the Principle of Sufficient Reason of Becoming is the first form and it states that if an object’s new form appears, there must have been another similar state. The Principle of Sufficient Reason of knowing states that for judgment to express some knowledge, there must be sufficient ground which serves as a basis for the knowledge. This quality gives judgment a level of being true a fact that can be used on the judgment when it is being used for something else. The principle of Sufficient Reason of Acting states that all human decisions are results of an object that has the power to determine the will of humans by acting as the motive for such a will. Just like the Principle of Sufficient Reason, the cosmological argument maintains that the existence of the universe had to come from somewhere (Sullivan 330). In other words, there must have been an original or first cause that made it possible for the universe to exist. The cosmological point of view highlights the relevance of the first cause, arguing that the first cause does exist and is most certainly recognizable as God. In this regard, the cosmological world view about the existence of God may require the Principle of Sufficient Reason to put more emphasis on the fact that the first cause, or God, has an explanation. ... In this regard, the cosmological world view about the existence of God may require the Principle of Sufficient Reason to put more emphasis on the fact that the first cause, or God, has an explanation. Rowe in his explanation of the Cosmological Argument, identifies two parts of the Principle of Sufficient Reason: the first part requires that an explanation is necessary for the existence of everything, which means that one must be able to identify the cause of any being that is in existence. The second part of the principle requires that for any positive fact, there has to be an explanation. Rowe argues that there are three ways of explaining the existence of a being: explanation by itself, by another being or by nothing (Rowe 18). This means that the existence of all beings, and to a great extension, the whole universe, is fully accounted for. I completely agree with the views of the Cosmological Argument presented by Rowe. There has to be an explanation or a reason why the universe exists or why things are the way they are. For the universe to come to existence, it must have come from somewhere. The cause of this existence is definitely a Supreme Being, or God. I disagree with those who oppose the Cosmological Argument saying that the existence of the universe does not necessarily mean that there is a Supreme Being. I also support Leigniz’s Principle of Sufficient Reason which implies the same thing implied by the Cosmological Argument: that there must be sufficient reason for everything that exists or happens and this sufficient reason is definitely God. Many people normally ask then if this is the case, is there a sufficient reason for God to exist (Rowe and Trakakis 3). In my opinion, God’s existence

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

T-Moblie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

T-Moblie - Essay Example public, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Poland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the Slovakia– including the US Virgin Islands, US, and the Puerto Rico. On the global level, the International subsidiaries of T-Mobile possess total subscribers which are roughly 150 million in number, which makes it the twelfth-largest service provider of mobile phone in the entire world in terms of subscribers. Besides this, T-Mobile bags the rank of the third-largest multinational and stand after Spains Telefà ³nica and UKs Vodafone. T-Mobile, in the year 2010, became the segment of the agreement of joint venture with the UK mobile-network provider of France Telecom, Orange UK. These companies combined and formed the largest mobile-network operator of UK and called itself Everything Everywhere. However, even after forming the joint venture, the Orange brands and T-Mobile go on to co-exist in the markets of United Kingdom. T-Mobile complies with all the laws which are applicable to the state and federal codes of laws and regulations. The management of the company does not indulge in any activity which violates the policies of the company such as non-retaliation, non-discriminatory and non-harassment policies. The unacceptable conduct in the company constitutes of violation of company laws and policies, removal of the property of company without permission, willful or neglectful damage or defacing of the company property, dishonesty, fraud, improper record keeping and all the related activities. Any criminal conviction amongst the employees results in their termination from the company. Besides this, all the secret trade laws and other legal information are kept confidential from others except the concerned parties. The company makes the decisions in the business by giving proper consideration to the social, ethical and legal regulations. The T-Mobile makes returns to the society through the afterschool community outreach program. The company makes efforts to

Monday, September 23, 2019

Coronary Artery Disease - Pathophysiology and Management Research Paper

Coronary Artery Disease - Pathophysiology and Management - Research Paper Example Plague is a component of fat, cholesterol and other substances of the blood. Plague is slowly built up over several years forming a condition known as atherosclerosis (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). After a long period of building up, plague hardens and narrows coronary artery leading to limits of flow of oxygenated blood to the heart. As the plague hardens, it eventually ruptures, causing a blood clot, a situation that can lead to blockage of blood flow through the coronary artery. If the flow of oxygenated blood is reduced or blocked, a heart attack occurs (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). The beginning of symptomatic CAD is normally about ten years in men, but CAD cases in women are more prevalent especially to women who have reached menopause. However, it is believed that CAD cases tend to cumulate in families (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). Studies have indicated that history of CAD risks in families with CAD cases is common. Although some people can argue that CAD is a hereditary disease, some factors like other health complications such as hypertension, high blood pressure and obesity facilitates risks of CAD. All these are widely associated with living styles. There are precautions that physicians give to patients suffering from CAD. Unfortunately, many people suffering from CAD fail to take these precautions seriously (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). For example, the habit of smoking has become so rampant with over twenty five percent of people with over eighteen years smoking cigarette. Smoking is said to multiply the effects of other CAD factors. It is estimated to cause twenty percent of CAD deaths. The theory of aetherorosclerosis states that the process symbolizes an effort to heal in response to endothelial injury (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). During this process, the first step involves development of fatty streaks. These streaks tend to form between endothelium and internal elastic lamina. In the recent past, inflammation is becoming a component of atheroscler osis genesis and plague instability. Patients with CAD are at danger of risk factors known as metabolic syndrome (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). CAD is known for its persistent burden to many people all over the world. However, its risks can be managed if efficacy of lipid- lowering models is followed. The first lipid- lowering therapy focuses on therapeutic lifestyle changes (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). This includes dietary changes, constant physical activities, avoiding risky practices like smoking and alcohol drinking, and undertaking recommended wait lose. However, there are pharmacologic agents that help adjust lipid levels although, therapeutic lifestyle is preferred to them (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). Patients with CAD are carefully examined. The examination includes description of the pain, its location and severity (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). Diagnosis of CAD involves detailed patients history and electrocardiogram. After the initial diagnosis, laboratory tests follow. Angi na is the commonest symptom although some patients remain asymptomatic. Some of the notable symptoms include chest pain, sweating, and yellowish tumors at either lower or upper lids. One of the major causes of CAD is stress (Cohen & Hasselbring, 2007). In this regard, nursing care plan involves helping the patient to realize the cause of the disease and how best they can refrain from it. Since stress is prevalence to most CAD patients, one of

Sunday, September 22, 2019

How to Empower Employees Essay Example for Free

How to Empower Employees Essay In today’s marketplace it is more important than ever to implement employee empowerment policies in order to keep a competitive advantage. An empowered employee feels in control of their position, as well as a valued member of their organization. These employees have a sense of job enrichment which creates a more productive work environment for them, as well as their coworkers. Employee empowerment is a way to allot power in the company while raising productivity and creating job fulfillment in the organization. This helps to offer some valuable advantages to the organization and lowers the employee turnover rate (Korkmaz, 2012). There are many different ways a company can increase employee empowerment. A few important examples are by allowing for a large degree of autonomy, creating jobs with significance and areas for future advancement, giving and receiving employee feedback, and having a competitive benefit and compensation program for employees. These enrichment techniques will help to improve productivity, create higher employee morale, relieve some of the pressure on management, and help to recruit high-skilled individuals for employment (Gerhart, Hollenbeck, Noe, 2011). The most important technique with regards to employee enrichment is Autonomy, which is adding more freedom in the decision making ability an employee holds. This is a great way to empower an employee. Two examples of this would be giving an employee the ability to decide the best process for creating a project, rather than instructing them on definite steps to take. One may also receive the authority to handle customer complaints. These critical thinking practices will make an employee much more involved in their position, while helping to relieve management of the constant supervision of less important tasks (Hardrà © Reeve, 2009). Another effective method would be creating a position which conveys a sense of importance, as well as having the possibility for promotion. This is a great way to create a long lasting relationship with an employee, while also encouraging them to strive for future advancement. Stressing the importance of the job at hand will motivate the employee, while giving them a greater sense of pride in the position they hold. This could be demonstrated by getting the employee involved in the bigger picture of what a company is trying to accomplish (Gerhart et al, 2011). Another technique with regards to employee enrichment is giving and receiving employee feedback. This action helps to motivate the employee by constructing positive reinforcement on the favorable aspects of their performance. This aids in guiding the employee with direct future expectations and goals, while also verbally rewarding them for their positive characteristics. This is a very motivating, yet cost effective technique that will benefit both the employee and the company. By also allowing the employee to give feedback regarding management and production, the employee gains a feeling that their opinion is meaningful and beneficial to the operations of the company(Harms Roebuck, 2010). The last example for creating employee empowerment is to have a competitive benefit plan for employees. Along with some of the benefits included in a standard plan, some examples of benefits that empower employees could include letting an employee create their own schedule, giving extra time off for meeting certain requirements, and the ability to choose certain assignments over others. Other ways to empower employees through benefits would be to allow each member to pick and choose what benefits are right for them based on their specific lifestyles. (Gerhart et al, 2011). Empowering employees is an important aspect for any company. There are many enrichment techniques that can be implemented to improve productivity, raise employee morale, and recruit high skilled employees for future success. By applying these techniques, management gives their company the competitive advantage over the rest, while creating long lasting relationships with their employees. References Gerhart, B., Hollenbeck, J., Noe, R., Wright, P. (2011). Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 95-116, 390-404. Hardrà ©, P. L., Reeve, J. (2009). Training corporate managers to adopt a more autonomy-supportive motivating style toward employees: an intervention study. International Journal Of Training Development, 13(3), 165-184. Harms, P. L., Roebuck, D. (2010). Teaching the Art and Craft of Giving and Receiving Feedback. Business Communication Quarterly, 73(4), 413-431. Korkmaz, O. (2012). Differences in Employees Perception of Employee Empowerment Practices. European Journal Of Social Science, 34(1), 43-57.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

A Discussion of Tim Walkers Work Essay Example for Free

A Discussion of Tim Walkers Work Essay Walkers’ upbringing in Guildford, surrounded by country has left in him with a feeling of love when it comes to Britain’s landscapes that he wants to show it off in his images, in any which way he can. This essay compares and contrast two works by Tim Walker that are identifiable as his signature style, however individually differ in diverse ways to each other. Taking into consideration the ideas behind the image and how and where he draws his inspiration from to create images that inspire others. His style so unique and recognisable, this essay will take into consideration the historical and social contexts to his works and if his style is a reflection of his inner self, childhood and naturally occurring ideas, or if this style is something he created and now lives within. After graduating from Exeter College of Art, where he studied photography for 3 years, Walker worked as a freelance photography assistant in London. However, it was his move to New York and assisting the photographer Richard Avedon that may have forwarded his career so that at the very early age of 25 he had shot his first fashion story for Vogue. Today a London based photographer, Tim Walker is at the top of his profession and internationally known for his cutting- edge fashion photography; taking fashion further so that fashion becomes seconded to fantasy and surrealism. Walkers innovative photography places him in the midst of the most creative and imaginative photographers out there today. ‘Tim sees pictures in front of him which are not yet there’ (DERRICK, 2008, p124. It is the detailed planning of every image and the ideas that starts the process of the final images he is famous for; for each project of Tim’s, you’ll be able to find a scrapbook full of clippings and ideas found from anywhere. ‘My ideas for all my photographs come from any number of places; a film, or a book I’m reading, a story someone tells me. I take loads of visual references and put them into scrapbooks. I’ve got hundreds of them. ’ (WALKER, 2009, [WWW]) It is these scrapbooks that have provided inspiration for a number of Tim’s shoots. But it’s to be remembered that the inspiration has come from things that have already been, but that he took interest in. ‘I don’t believe in originality. You take inspiration from whatever moves you and you find your own voice in those things’ (WALKER, 2008, p242) Tim Walker saying this, is almost find ironic because his pictures are often named original. However, if it is replicated from/inspired by something/anything he may have seen before- as like most pictures- it can only be your take with your voice on it. However Walker’s inspiration doesn’t stop at that, he also looks to photographers before him for inspiration. Cecil Beaton took so many photographs that purely to me represent the joy one gets from creating fantasy† (WALKER TIM, 2009, [WWW]) The opening to Tim Walkers book Pictures, like all others, start with a foreword. However, unlike all others Tim has handwritten his as if it was just another page in his scrapbook. Located only six pages in after only the credits and title, this is really the very first thing you see in the book and it gives great indication to the style of the book and if you did not know much about Tim beforehand; a great introduction to him, his style and how he thinks. Not only is it the actually content of the foreword: ‘as you tour your imagination you want to photograph what you are seeing†¦you are SO very keen to be able to show what you’ve seen that it somehow becomes true, and the picture you end up taking becomes a souvenir, a piece of proof brought back [all the way] from the daydream. ’ (WALKER, 2008, P6) But the design and the layout of the page also: He cleverly drops the control of the layout, slanting the writing just as he talks about his mind drifting. It’s a clever play on the typography that as we read, we too feel as if we’ve sunken into this relaxed state of daydreaming. The way Tim describes in depth the path he often goes on that lands him at the conclusion of an image shows deeply how creative it often is, usually because it begins with something as simple as walking round a clothes store. The pictures he takes then become a snapshot almost, and a gift he shares with us from his imagination†¦from his daydream. Tim’s childhood plays a big part in the ‘fun’ many of his images are filled with. ‘He draws upon his childhood to construct sets for his images that are witty and playful yet sufficiently sophisticated enough to perform for his fashion clients. (THOMAS, 2008, [WWW]) Bringing such essences of an adolescent age into something quite professional could be risky, but it is this that give’s Tim’s pictures that exciting, magical vibe. Tim Walker says in an ICP awards interview, ‘fashion is the dream department for photography and I’ve always been a daydreamer. Tim’s pictures relate to and reflect a time in the 1940’s era and the time of the Neo-Romantic artists, that happened at a time of Britain’s ‘dark hours’. Today, although we might not be in the middle of Second World War, the world is in a state of uncertainty. For Walker, it may just be that creativity in fashion photography and the understanding of make believe places in his imaginations may just be the sort of images that the world need to see, to remember themselves, how magical and escapist day-dreaming can be. The first image of Tim Walkers I have chosen is this one titled ‘Lily Cole on fish hook. ’ Surrealism is a big factor in the creation of a Tim Walker shoot and it is the surrealism in this image that makes it so striking. It grabs your attention straight away and with little effort in the actual design of the image. Although the content is completely random, the image works in so many different ways that you almost don’t recognise it until a few moments after looking. The whole image looks calm; the stillness of the water, the sunlight reflected off of it, the grip of her hands on the hook, her expression. This image is magical, because it looks right, for something that shouldn’t ever be. The shoot was located in Northumberland, England and the location only helps set this calm relaxed scene as well as adding to that ‘very English’ feeling he often brings forth to many of his images. Recreational fishing is fishing for pleasure, with the fisher not really too interested in catching fish, but for the tranquillity and relaxation of it. This shoot, is extremely reflective of this, oozing tranquillity with the colours and calmness. Lily allowing her tip toes to play with the surface of the water, creating disturbance in it, works well within the image; it doesn’t have a negative effect on it, but almost brings her as a model to life. This was not Lily’s first shoot with Tim, and posing as bait on a giant fish hook was nothing out of the ordinary madness. He loved working with the English model, who first posed for him at the age of 15. ‘Some Models know how to stitch and weave themselves into a picture. Lily instinctively knows how to become part of it. ’ (WALKER, 2008, p124) In this image of Lily on the hook, she really does own it; she pulls of her ‘act’ as bait, attracting the fish just with her stance and beauty, and looking calm and really engaged with the photographer. She’s wearing a random collaboration of 3 tutus and her hair fizzed up to mirror them. Although quite dainty and delicate in body, she looks strong and very in control ironic to her state as bait. But this works nicely as the setting of the lake and the fields in the background add to that gentle voice the image has, balancing it nicely. The second image is one that Walker had designed for Italian Vogue. The image named ‘Eglingham Stream’ was shot in Northumberland, England, 2004. The image shows a bedroom with a stream running through it from the fireplace. The room is cluttered, and filled with clear personal belongings of somebody. The contents of the coat stand and the drinks trolley-in which the whiskey is the most noticeable bottle-all refer to the occupant being a man. The fishes on the stone and those in the basket on the table suggest that the person that lives her is a man that has a fond passion for fishing. These objects that the viewer initially notices, cleverly lead them to be mysterious as to what the image is showing us. When looking further into the image, we notice smaller details such as the images framed on the wall that are not of any family members or portraits of him, but of horses and landscapes. This could suggest that he has no family members and is possibly quite a reserved man and this is strengthened by the big matter of his room being right by the lake. It raises questions as to how obsessed this man actually is with fishing, that he has moved his bedroom to live within meters of the lake. Although, there are some signifiers that suggest that a woman is present: the pink bedding and net chiffon, the frill trimmed lamps and the two tooth brushes on the chest of drawers. There is also a small portrait of a young boy in the frame above the fireplace. Because of how out of place this looks as the only one, it seems to be a ‘woman’s touch’, as do the shells on top of the fireplace. The image as a whole has a romantic, feminine and fantastical feel-created by the lighting and whispery stream-that is signature to Walkers style. The shoot seems to be set in the twilight hour, or in the early evening, indicated by the bluely tint to the night and the 3 lamps in the room being on. The absence in the room could well just mean that the man is off fishing with his dog shown by the empty dog basket. There are many things about both the images that make them similar when talking about them in context of Walkers style. Both images were shot in Northumberland in the same year and although it isn’t stated, the lake that we see Lily suspended above is likely to be part of the stream that is present in the second image. The images both have strong fishing references to them: Lily is suspended on a giant fishing hook, and the setting of the second is the home of someone completely obsessed with fishing. The images are not part of the same set or story, and do not look it either. However, contextually, they seem to work hand in hand. Having the countryside and fields in the background that run our eyes to the edge of the Fish Hook image just above the halfway line is similar in comparison to the way the Eglingham Stream image is cut off. This image is split by the striking pink/reddish colour of the walls meeting the grey wet slate form the stream that make the bedroom floor. Both splitting factors are of natural earthly objects; possibly representing that county, earthly, English vibe Walker has been known to create in many of his images. There is a terrible truthfulness about photography that the ideas which might work in a painting or a sketch won’t necessarily work in a photograph’ (UNKNOWN, 2008, p254. ) This statement is from Tim Walkers book Pictures and although this was not said in reference to Walkers work, it almost seems as if this is something he fights hard to overcome in his own pictures. He doesn’t let the normal be a limi t, he combines familiarity with fantasy and imagination to create what has never been seen before. This is what gives them that edge over many other fantastic editorials, and sketching ideas to visualise them is a big thing with Tim Walker; something he prides his work upon. Despite all their similarities, the images are in fact very different and not only of location and setting, but of story and design. In the first image of Lily on the hook, that is the surrealism; this beautiful girl dressed in a random combination of tutus with huge frizzy ginger hair hanging on a fishing hook. This is what we are supposed to look at and see the dreamlike, far from ordinary image in front of us. In the second image, the stream running out of the fire place through the middle of the room is also surreal, but that’s not only what the image is about. It’s about the story the scene creates. Yes you look at the stream and think ‘wow’ and begin to question it, but it doesn’t stop there, your questioning goes on to the room and what the contents of it mean. The images also differ in terms of layout. The first is portrait and works better in this format as it allows the full size of the hook to be appreciated. If this was on a landscape layout, the surrealism of the hook may not be fully valued due to it physically having to be shrunk on the page. However, the double page landscape layout for the second image allows a full viewing of the room and many details and objects to be noticed. This image in a portrait layout would not be successful as the image would have to be shrunken or cropped- both having negative effects on the way the image is viewed. The subject matter and the use of a model being used in the first image but not in the second is another differing factor between them both. Lily as a model is the subject in Figure 2 that the viewer connects with; she gives the image that presence so that when we look at it, it’s not just a picture, it’s a situation that we feel as if we are now part of. In Figure 3, Tim Walker is successful in including the viewer, but in a very different way and without using any models; we are invited to look into somebody’s bedroom while they are not there and just by looking at the photograph, the viewer becomes an intruder. But this intrusion plays as a foundation for the story behind the image, the one we seek out and uncover more of the more we look at it. Although the lamps warm up the image, it still has this cold feel created by the grey stones, real flowing stream and lack of natural light. The absence of anybody in the room assists in creating this ‘chill-in- the-air’ feeling. Figure 2, where Lily is standing on a large fishing hook, has a surprisingly warm tone to it and this may be due to her relaxed pose and the warming colours present in the image: The ginger of her hair, the red of her tutu and the fishing tackle and the brown/copper of the lake. The colours are softened by the sunlight adding to that warm tone. ‘Photography is a bit like cooking: you take the ingredients out of the cupboard and mix them up- old pictures, characters, colours, landscapes, to create something that is in your imagination that surprises you. ’ (WALKER, 2009, P208) It is clear to see that Walker uses certain ingredients in both of these images; fantasy and surrealism become like the salt and pepper; the underlying flavour and present always. After looking at Lily On The Hook and Eglingham Stream in comparison to each other, many similarities are because of Walkers ‘style’ that are consistent throughout. Even though both are editorials, contently, technically and visually, there is a big difference between them. Creatively, they are alike. These are just two out of hundreds of Tim Walkers photographs, but as like all of his images, there will always be something magical, fantastical or romantic to hint that the image was photographed by Walker. The images are real in their own terms; that is what they are. As a fashion photographer you are a documentary photographer within a fantasy land. ’ (WALKER, 2009, p210) By Walker referring to himself as a documentary photographer within a fantasy land gives us a clear insight to how he sees fashion photography; in a childlike day-dream way. He escapes to this place in which his imagination can be real and he sees his job as a photographer to document this.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Conflict Resolution Project | Case Study

Conflict Resolution Project | Case Study Lynette Renberg Conflict is a part of all our relationships and friendship we endure. It is important to understand the context and nature of conflict in order to preserve our relationships. The situation is Pat and Chris have been saving for their annual trip. For this vacation, Pat wants to go to the shore and relax by the water, Chris wants to go hiking and camping in the mountains. They have usually been able to work out their differences, but Chris feels strongly this year since last year they went with Pat’s choice. Pat brings in a higher income and contributes more than Chris to the trip each year. I will be taking on the role of Pat in resolving this conflict with Chris. The climate that seems to be forming is a negative one. Chris isn’t regarding the facts that Pat does contribute more to the trip and isn’t considering her choice of where to go. Also Pat isn’t regarding where Chris wants to go for the trip and she still avoids the fact that Chris isn’t putting as equal amount of money into the trip as she does. The climate could continue to be negative if their communication stays disconfirming. Disconfirming communication is when those show lack of regard to the conflict and the other person involved. In the Knapp’s Model of Stages in a Relationship, this relationship is at the differentiating stage. Both Pat and Chris are exhibiting differences that are causing conflict. This situation appears to be a symmetrical conflict style in which both partners use the same behavior. Both partners save up money to go on a trip together every year and they both decide together where to go with knowing each other has differences in where to go. My character Pat has more power than Chris. Pat makes more money and puts more money into the trip than Chris does. Chris can confront Pat about how he feels about where to go for their trip, but Pat has more right and power to decide where they go until Chris pays just as equal amount for the trip to be fair. Pat wants to go somewhere with a shore to relax by the water and shouldn’t have to pay more for the trip because it should be equally split between the two. Using the Satir Model, one looks or analyzes their feelings, their partner’s feelings, context or place, and topic is the issue of conflict. There are five stages of this model. Placating can lead to avoidance for one ignores or doesn’t acknowledge their feelings. Pouncing or Blaming is when one ignores or doesn’t acknowledge their partner’s feelings by putting the blame on their partner and the outcome being a win-lose. Computing is when me, you, and context are cancelled out. The topic of conflict becomes the main focus. Distracting is a lose-lose style because no one’s feelings are being acknowledged, there is no place to confront the situation, and the situation is being completely avoided. Interpersonal Style is when all elements are considered in which can lead to a win-win outcome. Everyone’s feelings are being voiced at an appropriate time and place and the situation is being addressed in order to be resolved. For this particular situation, it would be ideal to use the Interpersonal Style stage. That way Chris can express his feelings on how he strongly feels that he should decide where to go this year. Then Pat can express her feelings on how she contributes more money to the trip and how she would like to go somewhere with a beach and relax. As long as a good time and place is chosen the situation can be addressed less defensively and hostile. Both Chris and Pat can talk things through by addressing each other’s feelings, why there is a situation, and figure out together how resolve the issue so everyone is happy. Another method to increase perception of the topic is by using the Pillow Method. There are also five positions in the pillow method to rationally approach a win-win outcome. By using the position five and acknowledging there is truth in all perspectives can leave compromise and consensus to achieve a win-win outcome to this conflict. Here is a win-win situation that can occur if followed right. Identify the problem and unmet needs is Chris feels he should get to choose where to go and what to do this annual trip since Pat chose last year and it is acknowledged successfully. Then Pat can address her feelings on why she wants to go to the shore and the money situation of her contributing more. Chris confronts Pat and asks when a good time to talk about the trip would be. So they both set a date to talk. During the time and place decided to talk about the trip, Chris can describe to Pat how strongly he feels about going camping and hiking this year. Pat can then explain to Chris that she understands where he is coming from and she can explain how she is still contributing a lot to their annual trip and that she really wants to be near a shore to relax. Chris and Pat can then negotiate trip locations where it has camping, hiking, and a shore. Also maybe Chris can contribute a little more to this trip. Once they settl e on a location then they can follow through on their solution and both enjoy a wonderful vacation together being happy with getting what they both want. During this process, if one party didn’t agree or successfully pass a stage, then they would have to start over to the appropriate stage until both agree and successfully continue through the stages. One part that will be difficult in my plan of action is both parties trying not to be defensive and stay sensitive to each other’s feeling and unmet needs. The reason this can be difficult is because since one party (Pat) contributes more money for the trip they may become defensive and say since they make more money it doesn’t seem fair that they would go with Chris’ plans for camping and hiking. That could make Chris feel bad and put him on guard as well. Chris may feel that his feelings and unmet needs are not being acknowledged. Or another scenario is Pat could acknowledge Chris’ feelings and compromise to letting him choose where to go on their trip in which would outcome to a lose-win situation. With there being difficulty in the plan for a win-win outcome, here are some consequences of using a win-lose, lose-win, lose-lose, and compromise method. A win-lose outcome is competing where this approach to conflict involves high concern for self and low concern for others. If Pat pursued this outcome, then she would use her power of how she makes more money and pays more for the trip to get her way to going to a beach or where ever she wanted to go disregarding Chris’ feelings and wants. A lose-win outcome is accommodating where one allows the other to have their way rather than asserting you own point of view. Pat could disregard her own feelings and wants by settling to go where ever Chris would like to go this year. Lose-lose outcome is avoiding where people non-assertively ignore or stay away from conflict. Pat and Chris could avoid the matter all together and just pick a place to go without resolving their problems they both are feeling. This down the road could lead into a bigger conflict. Compromising which is a partial lose-lose outcome is when both parties at least give some of what they want, although both sacrifice part of their goals. Pat and Chris could compromise on where to go and how much each will pay, but this delays and setbacks the conflict in which both parties don’t get what they really want to be resolved. A personal experience where I could have used a win-win conflict style approach is with my ex-boyfriend. The situation was my ex-boyfriend started a new job working out of town at least three weeks every month and we hardly were spending time with each other. I was feeling neglected and didn’t feel important to him. The outcome turned into a lose-win. I should have gathered my feelings and unmet needs better and set a date to talk to him about how I was feeling. Instead I had emotional outbursts because I bottled my emotions up and it all came out at really bad times. If we made a date to talk, then we both could have described the problem and our needs so we could be more understanding of each other. By acknowledging each other’s feelings and points of view then we could have negotiated what we wanted to do or how to better our relationship. Once we figured out what would make each other happy and strengthen our relationship then we could follow through in our solution . However, with having so much conflict that was unsuccessfully resolved we ended up parting ways so we wouldn’t hurt each other or continue being unhappy. My ex-boyfriend broke up with me while I still wanted to figure out a way to make our relationship work. It became a lose-win situation because the outcome went in the way my ex-boyfriend wanted and it wasn’t an outcome I wanted. Conflict resolution has many stages and outcomes in all different kinds of situations. I have learned through this course on how to better my communication and resolve conflict for a win-win outcome in my relationships. Pat and Chris will resolve their conflict while keeping their relationship intact and have a wonderful vacation doing the things they anticipated doing. By following the conflict resolution model, can strength relationships and help resolve conflict by addressing the problem, being sensitive and open minded to each other’s point of views, and negotiating to reach a solution that makes both parties happy. Situation Comedy: Analysis of Peep Show Situation Comedy: Analysis of Peep Show Carroll discusses the type of characters which the audience find most attractive in sitcoms: Much humour is undeniably at the expense of characters who are particularly stupid, vain, greedy, cruel, ruthless, dirty, lubricious, and deficient in other respects (2005, p.345). I intend to examine the ways in which Carrolls statement can be supported through the depiction of characters in contemporary sitcom, focusing on the British sitcom Peep Show and American sitcom Community. Peep Show (Clarke, 2003) follows the lives of two friends Mark Corrigan and Jeremy (Jez) Usbourne who live together in a flat based in Croydon, London. Mark has a pessimistic outlook while Jeremy is lazy and childish, with unrealistic goals about his future. American sitcom Community (Harmon, 2009) focuses on the lives of an ensemble cast of characters, Jeff Winger, Britta Perry, Abed Nadir, Shirley Bennett, Annie Edison, Troy Barnes and Pierce Hawthorne, who live in the fictitious town of Greendale, Colorado and attend Greendale Community College. The purpose of humour is to challenge social norms and morals within society. Humour is a part of daily life, and thus it should be relatable to the audience; humour can be culturally specific, or worldwide, focusing on issues such as gender, family or work life, religion, politics, wealth, class, or race and ethnicity: A standard definition of sitcom [is] concentrating on the recurring set-up and characters, the happy ending and the fact that individual episodes rarely refer to events in previous ones (Sander, 2012). The three theories of humour, are superiority, incongruity and release/relief theory. Plato and Aristotle held a negative view towards humour, as Plato perceived humour to be a malicious act while Quintilian, Aristotle and Cicero established that it is a form of behaviour from which civilized man should shrink (Chapman and Foot, 1995 cited in Perks, 2012). Superiority theory is the idea that humour is found in laughing at those deemed inferior. Theorist Thomas Hobbes talks about the sudden glory felt by viewers when they can identify their superiority over others: The idea of laughter is self-applause can nevertheless be defended by pointing out that, even though somebody elses joke occasions my laughter, what I am laughing at, what produces my joy, might be that I can see the point and thus appreciate my superiority (Ewin, 2001). It can be argued that Robert Webbs Peep Show character Jeremy triggers this type of response. Jeremys immaturity is highlighted throughout the show and is often the reason behind his involvement in regrettable situations. Jeremy lives in a fantasy world, he thinks highly of himself with illusory ideas about his future career in music. The audience are aware of Jeremys delusions, and this encourages a humorous element as we laugh at Jeremys expense. The viewer takes comfort in the knowledge that Jeremy is an example of who we aim not to be like; furthering the idea of supremacy and therefore, his character is highly entertaining and comical. This contrasts with Mark (David Mitchell) who is a rational and sensible character. It is evident that Mark is trying to succeed, especially in his work life. The audience may feel sympathetic towards Mark and the superiority notion may not be as dominant in his case, as he has more relatable and reachable goals. Superiority theory applies to Community. In the Introduction to Film episode, Britta (Gillian Jacobs) persuades Abed (Danny Pudi) to begin studying film. Abed enjoys the class, as he is seen later using a camera to create a documentary. Abeds fathers appears at Greendale college furious that Abed is studying film. Abeds friends defend his choice to take the class, explaining he can make his own decisions. His father states that Abed is no longer his concern and now his friends responsibility. Although this incident is comical due to the anger of Abeds father and the awkwardness of the groups response, there is an underlying sense of sorrow regarding Abeds relationship with his father. He is shown as controlling and forceful, and this may explain the reason for Abeds introverted personality. Abed is often the laughing stock of the group, which is also funny to the viewer. We laugh at Abed due to the ridiculousness of his experiences and how he deals with situations, as his actions are not conventional. However, the audience may or may not realise that Abed has had a difficult upbringing (especially evident with his domineering father) and although this can be interpreted as humorous on one level, it may be deeply distressing to Abed on another. We are laughing at Abeds problems and the areas in which he is lacking. Due to his fathers selfishness, Britta and Jeff (Joel McHale) are now cast in the roles of Abeds parents. This is amusing as their struggle of trying to provide for Abed is highlighted, however we are again laughing at the characters hardships, feeling thankful that we are not part of the situation presented. The viewer may also feel they could perform better in parenting Abed, and thus a feeling of superiority may arise in this way. Plato describes laughter: Plato believed that the laughter that attends humour is directed at the vice of self-unawareness. That is, we laugh at people who fail to realize the Socrates adage- Know thyself and who instead deceive themselves, imagining that they are wiser than they are (Carroll, 2005 cited in Levinson, 2003). Incongruity theory relates to the idea of comedy being absurd and irrational/illogical. Shifting away from what is accepted to be normal behaviour and societys values, often using exaggeration and rebelling against societys rules of protocol. Philosopher Immanuel Kant talks about incongruity theory: It is remarkable that in all such cases the jest must contain something that is capable of deceiving for a moment. Hence, when the illusion is dissipated, the mind turns back to try it once again, and thus through a rapidly alternating tension and relaxation it is jerked back and put into a state of oscillationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to this sudden transposition of the mind, now to one now to another standpoint in order to contemplate its object, may correspond an alternating tension and relaxation of the elastic portions of our intestines which communicates itself to the diaphragm (like that which ticklish people feel) (Kant, 1790 cited in Bardon, 2005). Incongruity theory is evident in Community. Throughout the series, a dreamlike setting is apparent, especially in Abeds Uncontrollable Christmas. Abed Nadir is eccentric and quirky. It is often hinted at that Abed is suffering from a mental illness or personality disorder. During this episode, Abed believes the upcoming Christmas is particularly special as he views his friends as clay stop-motion animations. The group are concerned for Abeds mental health, and encourage him to find the cause for this delusion. The characters who come in and out of Abeds fantasy animated world do so through a curtain, and as the curtain opens, a glimpse of the normal study room is seen. This helps to connect the audience with Abeds friends, and offers a sense of reality. The animation effect is unusual and may surprise or disturb the viewer. This world is an impossibility and is irrational to the audience and to everyone else within the episode, aside from Abed. We are led on the same journey with Abe d and his friends, to try and help him return to rational thought. Community consists of non-linear narratives and surrealist themes throughout, which adds to its overall success as a sitcom. The audience are encouraged to find humour in the bizarre happenings. It should be mentioned that the characters make it known that Abeds stop-motion world is peculiar, and the viewer can laugh at Abed regardless that the cause for his hallucination is related to a more personal issue, which relates back to superiority theory. Peep Show portrays elements of incongruity theory. Mark and Jeremy often rebel against what is classed as normal behaviour. As a cringe-style comedy, Peep Show breaks the fourth wall and this allows for intimacy and immediacy with the audience. Incongruity theory is shown in the episode Shrooming, where Jeremy, to impress the girl he loves (Sus), hosts a drug party at the flat. Mark arrives home from work ill with gastric flu. Jeremy is furious that Mark has returned and this may hinder his chances with Sus and ruin the party. Jez puts sleep medication in Marks tea before locking his bedroom door. The episode is comical as the viewer can sympathise with Mark being very ill and not having access to a bathroom. Jeremy will do whatever it takes to fulfil his own selfish desires. In addition, Marks boss has suspicions over his condition and is unsure if Mark is well enough to attend the upcoming business trip, however Mark insists he is fine. It is evident that Mark is desperate to impr ess his boss and will risk his own health in doing so. This type of behaviour is somewhat strange and the viewer may question why Mark does not refuse due to his ill health; its as though he feels he has something to prove. Once Mark escapes the bedroom, he rushes to the toilet, however the bathroom door has been removed from the hinges. Unfortunately, his boss has come to the flat, but finds him in the bathroom alongside Jez. The two men are appalled and disgusted at Mark, who is extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable. The social awkwardness of the situation is outstanding and the audience experience the humiliation alongside Mark. This behaviour is shocking, as it defies what is deemed socially acceptable, and is an infringement on human privacy. Jeremy and his boss continue to observe Mark instead of realising the bizarreness of the situation and leaving. Feelings of sympathy towards Mark return, and Jeremy is viewed in a negative light as he has the option to allow Mark his privacy but refuses, showing little respect. Herbert Spencer talks about relief/release theory, and its psychological effects: That laughter is a form of muscular excitement, and so illustrates the general law that feeling passing a certain pitch habitually vents itself into [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] action, scarcely needs pointing out. It perhaps needs pointing out, however, that strong feeling of almost any kind produces this result. It is not a sense of the ludicrous, only, which does it; nor are the various forms of joyous emotion the sole additional causes (Herbert, 1987 cited in Olson, 2007). Through the observation of an event or situation an initial build-up of tension is caused, and pleasure is found in the release of this energy.   Austrian philosopher/psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud expands on Spencers theory. Freud talks about the relief that comes with laughing or finding humour in the critique of society and its expectations of us. Freud goes on to explain that our sexual impulses are like our malicious ones, stating that these elements of humour are highly appealing and offer relief, as we are forced to repress these thoughts/feelings by society: The prevention of invective or of insulting rejoinders by external circumstances is such a common case that tendentious jokes are especially favoured to make aggressiveness or criticism possible against persons in exalted positions who claim to exercise authority. The joke then represents a rebel ­lion against that authority, a liberation from its pressure. The charm of caricatures lies in this same factor: we laugh at them even if they are unsuccessful simply because we count rebellion against authority as a merit (Freud, 1960). This illustrates that we will indulge in such thoughts, only if safe to do so; if there is no threat such as our reputation being judged. Relief theory can refer to humour and laughter at cruelty, obscenity, inappropriateness and nonsense. It can be argued that relief and release theory apply more so to a stand-up comedy routine where jokes are continuously told allowing for the sense of anticipation, rather than a sitcom television programme. Relief theory may apply to an episode in Community: Curriculum Unavailable. During this episode, the group have been expelled from Greendale, and notice Abeds behaviour becoming particularly erratic. Due to this, the group attend therapy alongside Abed. During the sessions, the group are informed that Greendale is in fact a mental health institution where the group were attending as patients due to nervous breakdowns, and they created the delusion that they were part of a community college. This revelation builds up tension and anticipation as the viewer begins questioning the entire series and setup of Community. Once Jeff insists this is not be true and the group discover the psychiatrist is a fraud, faith is restored in the narrative. Relief is experienced through this discovery, and we laugh at the ridiculousness of the joke. Nervous excitement is released through laughter at the realisation the counsellor is lying to the group. Also in this episode, it appears Pierce is addicted to pain medication. He experiences hallucinations of a small man, referred to as Tiny Man. Pierce is shown to enjoy his high from the drugs and no one has yet mentioned his addiction, even though it was witnessed earlier in the study room. This may glamorise the idea of taking drugs and we laugh at Pierces pleasurable experience. Drug addictions are viewed as extremely negative within society, and hinting at the idea that taking drugs is an enjoyable or fun experience is a prejudicial notion, thus allowing suppressed feelings to arise in the viewer and laughter to occur. A Peep Show episode Seasonal Beatings, where Mark is hosting a Christmas family dinner shows relief theory. Mark describes his father as having a critical personality and he fears this. It becomes evident that Mark does not have a healthy relationship with his parents and feels nervous about their arrival. Marks girlfriend, Dobby, also attends the dinner however Mark insists she does not inform his parents about their relationship. This sets up anticipation, the audience begin to feel the tension of the situation. There is a build-up of anxiety concerning the arrival of Marks parents as well as ensuring his relationship with Dobby is kept secret. Once his parents arrive, Dobby begins speaking negatively about her boyfriend- this continues the accumulation of anticipation (we want his parents to discover this horrible boyfriend is Mark). Finally, Mark becomes frustrated and it is revealed to his parents that he is Dobbys boyfriend. The relief is found in the reveal that Mark is the di sappointing boyfriend and his fathers reaction we laugh at this, and understand that Mark is the butt of the joke. To conclude, Carrolls account continues to be manifested through characters and storylines within the contemporary situation comedy. Both Peep Show and Community are examples of these types of sitcoms, with characters such as Mark, who we often feel sympathy towards or Jeremy, who comes across as rather selfish and egotistical. Community portrays a variety of characters who differ from one another, such as Abed who is unsure of himself and eccentric or Pierce, often depicted as being sexist through making crude or sexual jokes regarding women. Humour is found in these types of personalities and the way the characters interact with one another. The audience enjoy characters who are willing to push the boundaries and test or challenge social norms. References Bardon, D. (2005) The Philosophy of Humor. [Online] Available: http://faculty.swosu.edu/frederic.murray/philosophy%20of%20humor_1.pdf [Accessed: 10 March 2017]. Community. (2009) Series 1, Episode 3. US. [TV Programme] NBC. 1 October 2009, 9:30pm Community. (2009) Series 2, Episode 11. US. [TV Programme] NBC. 9 December 2010, 8pm Community. (2009) Series 3, Episode 19. US. [TV Programme] NBC. 10 may 2012, 8pm Davies, C. and Berger, P. (1998) Redeeming Laughter, The Comic Dimension of Human Experience. The British Journal of Sociology. [Online] Vol.49(4), p.670. Available: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1466184 [Accessed: 12 March 2017]. Ewin, R. (2001) Hobbes on Laughter. The Philosophical Quarterly. [Online] Vol.51(202), pp.29-40. Available: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2660519 [Accessed: 12 March 2017]. Levinson, J. (2003) The Oxford Handbook of Aesthetics. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Olson, E. (2007) The Horror of Humor. [Online] Available: https://gustavus.edu/philosophy/files/theses/horrorofhumor.doc [Accessed: 10 March 2017]. Peep Show. (2003) Series 3, Episode 3. UK. [TV Programme] Channel 4. 25 November 2005 Peep Show. (2003) Series 7, Episode 5. UK. [TV Programme] Channel 4. 24 December 2010 Perks, L. (2012) The Ancient Roots of Humor Theory. [Online] Available: http://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007context=com_facpub [Accessed: 10 March 2017]. Sander, J. (2012) The Television Series Community and Sitcom. [Online] Available: http://www.divaportal.org/smash/get/diva2:558088/FULLTEXT01.pdf [Accessed: 5 March 2017].

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Kate Chopins Awakening Essay -- Kate Chopin Awakening Essays

Kate Chopin's Awakening Kate Chopin's depiction of â€Å"The Awakening† is realistic as she develops Edna Pontellier’s character from a socially and morally respectable individual to an individual that turns her back on everything closest to her as she births her new self-being. Edna Pontellier struggles between her subconscious and conscious thoughts as unusual feelings stir unfounded emotions and senses. Some of Chopin’s characters lend themselves in Edna’s â€Å"awakening†. Through examination of Leonce Pontellier, Robert Lebrun, Madame Moiselle Reisz, Adele Ratignolle, and Alcee Arobin the life of Edna Pontellier turns into her ultimate death. The relationship she has with each one of these characters influences and initiates a lost feeling that has never risen to its complete capacity. As Edna awakens to this new self she becomes self absorbs and chooses herself-satisfaction over her family. Edna and Leonce’s marriage didn’t start as two star crosses lovers, but more of convenience. Leonce pursued Edna and â€Å"fell in love† with her (Kate Chopin 32). Edna wasn’t in love with Leonce, but rather embraced the idea of defying her family. Kate Chopin states, â€Å"And to this violent opposition of her father and sister Margaret to her marriage with a Catholic, there is no need to search for the motive which led her to accept Leonce as her husband† (32). Leonce’s commitment to Edna satisfied her mind set. When Leonce â€Å"goes to join the calvary officer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (33). Edna finds herself in the depths of the realization that she is left alone. This is the first of many times that Leonce leaves her. Although Leonce takes good care of his family financially, there is the definite absence of intimacy between he and Edna. It seems Edna has never had an intimate relationship, but has had intimate feelings of fascination. Chopin rev eals, â€Å"she remembered feeling enarmored with a Kentuckian Calvary officer who came to visit her father, after he faded from her existence her mind turned to a gentleman who called upon a neighbor. He too vanished from her dreams† (31-32). Emerging from adolescence into puberty can stir a child’s emotions. They can become infatuated with virtually any attractable figure. At this point in a child’s life he needs parental guidance. Since Edna’s mother is dead she was probably somewhat rebellious and though Leonce made her happy in the beginning their relation... ...’t realize that there is anything wrong with her life until she meets those around her that are free from conformity. In Mme. Reisz, Edna admires and desires what she has which is independency. She doesn’t rely on anyone for anything. In Adele she sees the mother that she would like to be, but doesn’t want to bother. She cares more about her own satisfaction, independent of her family. Robert Lebrun stirred something up in Edna that she could not let alone. She felt aware of herself for the first time and she would seek it out until she was satisfied with herself. Edna’s awakening was apparently more than she could deal with, though we don’t really know if she intentionally swam out into the ocean to drown herself or if she just swam too far and was unable to swim back. Regardless of that thought Chopin must have intended for the possibility of either happening or she would have made a clear and precise account for Edna’s purpose. Chopin clearly defined each character in Edna’s life and how each one affected her during her awakening. Each one had a role in Edna’s life and played an important part in her awakening. Works Cited Kate Chopin. The Awakening. Oxford World Classics

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Ethos of John Lennon Essay -- Religion, Pilgrimage

The features and boundaries of pilgrimage have been debated by scholars (Badone and Roseman 2004a, Cohen 1992, Eade and Sallnow 1991, Morinis 1992, Reader and Walter 1993; Timothy and Olson 2006). Although this paper cannot evaluate Strawberry Fields as a place of pilgrimage in the absence of fieldwork, Kruse (2003) suggested the possibility. In light of this possibility, and the centrality of the ethos of peace activism to Lennon memorials, the definition of pilgrimage formulated by Alan Morinis (1992, 4), may be appropriate: â€Å"the pilgrimage is a journey undertaken by a person in quest of a place or a state that he or she believes to embody a valued ideal.† This definition of pilgrimage is suitable for understanding the motivation of participants to attend memorial events because, as demonstrated in this paper, many participants come to celebrate Lennon in the context of his peace activism. Further, the attributes of pilgrimage proposed by Ian Reader (1993, 7-8) provide an account of the varying motives of participants who attend the Lennon memorial: â€Å"the idea of a journey out of the normal parameters of life, the entry into a different, other, world, the search for something new, the multiple motives of participants, ranging from homage to veneration to the simple impulses of curiosity.† These definitions encompass the differing motives of individuals visiting Strawberry Fields. For some, the memorial would be a sacred space, a location where fans have the opportunity to mourn Lennon's death, offer tributes and be in the presence of his spirit: â€Å"You come here, you feel his spirit. His spirit is so alive in here,† a fan comments. Other participants may come to the memorial as one part of their visit to New York City. Badone... ...his paper and in Riddell (2008), on pilgrimage to the gravesite of Jim Morrison, I learned that people apply religious categories to â€Å"secular† phenomena, such as memorial objects, strange occurrences become supernatural phenomena, and a musician, such as Morrison, can become a â€Å"religious figure.† Erika Doss (1999, 74-75) believes that â€Å"as a profoundly religious people, Americans tend to treat things on religious terms, apply religious categories, and generally make a religion out of much of what is touched and understood.† The practice of â€Å"parrallelomaina,† as Sean McCloud (2005) characterizes it, that is, understanding religion in popular culture by analogy, may or may not be helpful. What is significant, for future study, I suggest, is the process by which dead celebrity fandom is sacralized and the ability of an ethos to be the foundation of such a community. The Ethos of John Lennon Essay -- Religion, Pilgrimage The features and boundaries of pilgrimage have been debated by scholars (Badone and Roseman 2004a, Cohen 1992, Eade and Sallnow 1991, Morinis 1992, Reader and Walter 1993; Timothy and Olson 2006). Although this paper cannot evaluate Strawberry Fields as a place of pilgrimage in the absence of fieldwork, Kruse (2003) suggested the possibility. In light of this possibility, and the centrality of the ethos of peace activism to Lennon memorials, the definition of pilgrimage formulated by Alan Morinis (1992, 4), may be appropriate: â€Å"the pilgrimage is a journey undertaken by a person in quest of a place or a state that he or she believes to embody a valued ideal.† This definition of pilgrimage is suitable for understanding the motivation of participants to attend memorial events because, as demonstrated in this paper, many participants come to celebrate Lennon in the context of his peace activism. Further, the attributes of pilgrimage proposed by Ian Reader (1993, 7-8) provide an account of the varying motives of participants who attend the Lennon memorial: â€Å"the idea of a journey out of the normal parameters of life, the entry into a different, other, world, the search for something new, the multiple motives of participants, ranging from homage to veneration to the simple impulses of curiosity.† These definitions encompass the differing motives of individuals visiting Strawberry Fields. For some, the memorial would be a sacred space, a location where fans have the opportunity to mourn Lennon's death, offer tributes and be in the presence of his spirit: â€Å"You come here, you feel his spirit. His spirit is so alive in here,† a fan comments. Other participants may come to the memorial as one part of their visit to New York City. Badone... ...his paper and in Riddell (2008), on pilgrimage to the gravesite of Jim Morrison, I learned that people apply religious categories to â€Å"secular† phenomena, such as memorial objects, strange occurrences become supernatural phenomena, and a musician, such as Morrison, can become a â€Å"religious figure.† Erika Doss (1999, 74-75) believes that â€Å"as a profoundly religious people, Americans tend to treat things on religious terms, apply religious categories, and generally make a religion out of much of what is touched and understood.† The practice of â€Å"parrallelomaina,† as Sean McCloud (2005) characterizes it, that is, understanding religion in popular culture by analogy, may or may not be helpful. What is significant, for future study, I suggest, is the process by which dead celebrity fandom is sacralized and the ability of an ethos to be the foundation of such a community.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Leasership and Social Organization in Europe Essay

In Europe, most of the area used one main social structure. This is represented in my first pyramid. As you can see the kings are the most powerful, next come the nobles, then the knights, and finally the peasants. The box that has the word â€Å"church† in it to the side means that they had as much power as the kings and nobles. This society was based on the feudal system. It was mainly constructed for one reason, which was security. It was possible for everyone to move higher up the ranks of the pyramid. This is what most people aspired to do. England had a different social structure than this. It was made up of nobility at the top, next came the knights, then the largest class of population, the villanis, and finally the lowest class, the bordars. The two social structures were alike because they both had to do with the process of giving and keeping pieces of land to workers. The nobility played a big role in both social structures too. In the late middle ages, they wanted to centralize power so they expanded royal domain, set up systems of royal justice, organized government bureaucracies, built standing armies, and developed tax systems. This was very beneficial to Europe. These particular systems were probably in place because they were simple and easy to follow. In my opinion, I think that these social structures did work for Europe and England. I don’t think it could have been changed any better because it was already very organized and clear. Without these social structures, medieval Europe would not have been the same. Biography Social Structure in Medieval Europe. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. . The Feudal Structure of the Medieval World. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. . â€Å"Feudalism Pyramid.† Middle Ages. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. . Medieval English Society. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. . Ellis, Elisabeth Gaynor., Anthony Esler, and Burton F. Beers. Prentice Hall World History. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Print.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Focusing, Positioning and calculating the size of cells Essay

Exercise 1: Focusing, Positioning and calculating the size of cells Under the ‘Try This’ tab, complete the puzzles (P1- P6) presented to bring the items into focus. Use the check lists to make sure you have completed all steps Under the ‘Try This’ tab, complete the measurement puzzles (M1-M3) and write the answers here: M1 = __150___ micrometers at __10x__Objective Power (scale is 1 unit = __10_micrometers) M2 = __8.0____ micrometers at _100x_____Objective Power (scale is 1 unit = _1.0__micrometers) M3 = ___2.0__ micrometers at __100x____Objective Power (scale is 1 unit = _1.0__micrometers) Exercise 2: Viewing a typed letter ‘e’ with your scope. Obtain the slide with an ‘e’ on it from the slide selections. Place the ‘e’ slide right side up on the stage with the letter ‘e’ over the hole in the stage. Using the techniques described in the ‘getting started tour’, focus on the letter on the lowest objective power. What do you notice about the orientation of the letter as you look through the microscope? In other words, how does the ‘e’ position compare to how it looks on the slide when looking at the microscope? Upside down At the lowest power, what is the total magnification of the image? 16x Adjust the position of the slide so that a portion of the letter is in the center of the viewing field. Now, rotate the next higher objective in place. If the image is not clear, use only the fine tuning knob to adjust. At 10x, what is the total magnification of the image now? 40x At 40x, what is the total magnification of the image now?160x At 100x, what is the total magnifi cation of the image now?400x Exercise 3: Human cheek cells. Your cheeks are lined with very thin cells that can easily be removed for viewing under a microscope. These cells are called epithelial cells and they line the outside and inside of your body. Cells are small, but large enough to be viewed with a light microscope. The following procedure shows how you would obtain these cells. However, since this is a virtual lab, the cheek cells have already been collected and stained. They are stained with methylene blue to view some sub-cellular parts. This is the actual procedure, but please proceed to placing the cheek smear slide on your ‘virtual’ microscope and bringing into focus. 1. Gently scrape the inside of your cheek with a toothpick. 2. Using a circular pattern, spread some saliva in the middle of a slide. 3. Place a small drop of stain on the saliva smear. The less stain you use, the better the results will be! 4. Place a cover slip on the stained smear. Knowing the objective scale in Exercise 2, estimate and record the diameter of a single cheek cell in micrometers. Diameter = ___4__________ micrometers What power of objective lens did you use? 100 What was the total magnification?400

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Lost in Translation Essay

â€Å"Most linguists would say that there is no such thing as a perfect translation and that something is always lost when we move from one language to another. † Sometimes when translating, there might be the difficulty, of finding a word that expresses or means the same thing, and because there isn’t one specific word that means the same as the other, instead of putting one word, many are used, to describe the words meaning. Each language has a specific way in which the words structure a sentence (grammatical rules to structure a sentence), so that the sentence can make sense. Because meaning changes from one language to another, words need to be added or omitted and the structure of the sentence needs to change, so that meaning of the words can be more accurately translated. When translating one needs to at times translate the meaning, and not the words, because the words could have different meanings. Even though the structure has changed the meaning can still be the same, they are just said in different ways. Each language has it’s own set of grammatical rules (and conjugations), which is why when one word is translated into another (in a different language), the grammatical structure also has to be correct, in order for the sentence to make sense. So in many cases, when translating, the grammatical structure needs to change too. After translating the words or sentence, and changing the grammatical structure, when the meanings are compared in different languages, they are more or less the same. But if you translate the words in their direct meaning, the sentence won’t make sense. Example of words, using different words to translate the meaning more accurately: English:Direct translation into Spanish:  ·Are you serious? Estas tu serio? This translation doesn’t make sense in Spanish. The words need to change so that the translation of the meaning, or expression is correct. The correct way of expressing these words in Spanish would be: No me digas! But when you translate these words back into the original language (English), the meaning would change. The direct translation of No me digas! is: Don’t tell me. In English when you compare the words: â€Å"are you serious? † to â€Å"Don’t tell me! † the meanings are different. â€Å"Are you serious? † would mean: Are you kidding? Really! Or I can’t believe it! While â€Å"Don’t tell me! † would mean: Don’t tell me what’s going to happen or don’t talk to me, I don’t want to hear it! When comparing the meanings, one can see the obvious difference. So in order to get the same meaning, words as well as their structure need to change.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

All State Case Study Essay

How does a company known for being conservative attract a non-conservative target market? Since being the founded in 1931, Allstate has been one of the leading companies in the insurance business acting as a leader in sales while remaining vocal about increasing safety processes. Starting in the 1960’s Allstate began promoting the customers safety by playing a role in convincing governments to make seatbelts mandatory and then again in the 70’s to 80’s in promoting airbags. Allstate’s motto â€Å"You’re in good hands† along with their ability to remain in a positive public light for many years has provided the confidence customers want in an insurance company. Allstate offers many types of insurance including home, rental, auto, life in addition to various recreational vehicles, motorcycles included. Slide 3-29 Estimating Current Demand: Total Market Potential With 9 million motorcyclists registered in this country this became a market that Allstate developed a heightened interested in targeting. After initial data collection they determined that they only provided insurance to a single digit percentage of this market. They began their campaign by simply trying to create awareness that they sold motorcycle insurance. The number of registered motorcyclists along with registered bikes would allow Allstate to help determine their total market potential. As many motorcyclists own multiple bikes this would need to be accounted for in estimating the potential number of buyers. Industry sales would then need to be looked at as not every motorcycle owner purchases motorcycle insurance, whether they are currently not using their bike or due to a disbelief in the need for insurance in general. This additional data could also be provided from surveys of buyer’s intentions targeted at those with a motorcycle license or those who have recently purchased a motorcycle. Slide 3-7 Database Management Marketing and selling insurance is very different beast from marketing retail products. Retail products typically can be marketed to offer something new to an individual that they don’t already have or to replace their current stuff with a newer versions. On the contrary once a customer has purchased insurance they do not make a change until they are either unhappy or a new offer is enticing enough to attract a customer to switch providers. Due to Allstate current customer profile they already have the ability to reach out, collect data and market to their 1.5 million motorcycle owners who were already clients for other types of insurance. (Elliot, 2008) By providing a package deal with other insurance policies purchased through Allstate they are able to market internally and increase sales to those that are already loyal customers. Slide 3-11 Needs and Trends As times have changed and gas prices continue to rise, along with our population, consumers have begun to switch from the larger vehicles to more gas efficient choices that allows them the freedom to commute in the car pool lane. Motorcyclists who initially rode solely for pleasure began using their more cost effective motorcycles as part of their daily commute. These factors have played a role in the increasing trend of motorcycle sales for the past decade. As these sales have remained elevated, this market has solidified its move to become a predictable and durable trend rather than a fad. Due to the concern that our current primary fuel source, oil, is finite and nonrenewable, we face substantial cost increases as depletion approaches. (Kotler & Keller, 2012) As the population continues to grow our highways also become more congested, increasing our commute time. In most Asian countries, with some of the more dense populations the main individual vehicle choice is the motorcycle. (Ing, H. T.-P., Eng, A.F.M.S. & Ing, N.X.D, 2008) In time we may see our country following this trend and this may eventually transform our transportation industry resulting in motorcycle sales becoming a Mega Trend. Slide 3-21 Natural Environments As of Motorcycle Industry Council’s most recent report, scooter sales are up 11.8% and dual-purpose bike sales are up 14.2%. (MIC, 2012) With the purchase of any of these types of bikes also comes a need for motorcycle insurance. The target population for these types of bikes are individuals looking for fuel efficiency, commute cost savings while still choosing a comfortable, more visible motorcycle or a less aggressive scooter. This target population fits into the Allstate’s current philosophy focusing on safety. Allstate’s website promotes the use of safety gear while riding and offers a good rider discount. According to the case study the increased sales are also accounted to the Baby Boomers and Generation Y consumers. Both these generations respond well to living green and are highly environmentally conscious along with image conscious. (Williams, K.K & Page, R.A) Slides: 4-11 Research Approaches, 4-30 Contact Methods & 4-31 Pro’s and Con’s of Online Research On the realization that this was an untapped market, Allstate did a wonderful job at reaching out to motorcyclists and determining how to target this population. Firstly, as Allstate found many of their staff were motorcycle riders themselves which allowed Allstate to start with their own internal focus groups. They then began their own website which was targeted exclusively to motorcycles in addition to sponsoring motorcycle rallies. (Helm, B. 2007) Motorcyclists are a tight community and communicate a great deal now through internet forums. Allstate has begun to play a role in this by providing their own forum and including their own employees. This provides them the ability to communicate directly with their consumers through a quick, cost efficient method. This also allows them to target individuals who are at a high likelihood of becoming potential customers and increases their ability to run quick surveys, whether determining user’s intention to buy or their opinion of Allstate versus other insurance providers. The other contact method that they have used in their sponsorship of motorcycle rallies has worked very well for Allstate’s competitor, Progressive. Progressive has been a longtime sponsor of the International Motorcycle Shows which allows them to advertise directly on their website and they makes them the first booth each visitor sees on attending the show. Immediately on arrival each visitor receives a business card to scan for free prizes which include various types of merchandise with Progressive’s logo. This marketing strategy has increased consumer association with their company name when asked where to buy motorcycle insurance. Allstate’s steps to enter the growing Motorcycle industry has not happened overnight however as it continues to grow their sales are likely to expand as well with their ability to attract the new conservative motorcyclists.

Friday, September 13, 2019

An essay on ecotourism

An essay on ecotourism Ecotourism Essay Ecotourism involves responsible traveling to fragile, pristine and mostly protected areas. This takes place for different purposes, from educating the traveler, fostering respect for different cultures to directly benefiting the economic and political empowerment of local communities (Garana, 2008). Ideally, ecotourism incorporates the following criteria; promote biological and cultural diversity, touring unspoiled natural habitats, and the main attractions being local culture, flora and fauna. In short, ecotourism operations are defined by their commitment to the environment, education, nature and culture. The main objectives of ecotourism are providing nature-based, environmental education experiences for visitors and managing this in a sustainable manner (Badan the sustainable use of ecological resources, increased environmental and cultural awareness, conservation ethos, support of local economies through increased revenue from visitors and the use of   local supplies and services.