Titus Andronicus By William Shakespeare - 910 Words

The play Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare depicts the Roman Empire from a very traditional perspective within each of the characters. Shakespeare creates a visual of historical Rome that includes many blood battles, deception, courage and loyalty not just to Rome and her people, but to one s family. By doing this, Shakespeare shows the reader that Rome was a great city of power that revolved around the idea that justice must be of an equivalent manner suitable to the crime committed by the other party. The word Rome, both historically and in modern times, is often defined as being the perfect model for an advanced civilization, and many looked upon Rome and Romans as being examples of excellence for architecture and political advances within a society. (Rome, OED Online). The word Rome is seen frequently throughout the play and is used by almost all of the characters. It is a word that describes what Roman civilization entails and how the city of Rome can be a very dark and c ruel city. The Roman characters in particular describe the two main concepts of Rome and Roman by means of traditional birth-right and traditional forms of justice. Both meanings are seen frequently amongst each Roman character. By fully understanding why particular events in the play occur and being able to see the traditional aspects of the word Rome among each character, it aids the reader in understanding how the play revolves around the historical context of Roman values ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Titus Andronicus By William Shakespeare2014 Words   |  9 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s play, Titus Andronicus, the main character Titus Andronicus is a perfect example of the never-ending cycle of vengeance. Throughout the play, Titus and Tamora seek resolution and closure through revenge. Throughout the play, these characters do not realize the resolution to their war over vengeance is making peace. When one person chooses to get back at the other this creates a never -ending loop of revenge or topping one another’s conflict. The key to success in this situationRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Titus Andronicus 1189 Words   |  5 PagesTitus Andronicus is an interesting play of William Shakespeare’s that deals with multiple difficult and important plot devices and themes. Themes of love, duty, grief, and revenge, among others. The play deals with death, rape, the nature of disability, and service to one’s nation. Many events and tragedies happen to Titus and his family, stemming from Titus killing the son of the queen of Goths. Titus’ perception of his tragedy truly begins in Act 3 scene 1. Two of Titus’ sons are being chargedRead MoreThe Theme Of Revenge In Titus Andronicus By William Shakespeare956 Words   |  4 Pages Titus Andronicus is a play renowned for its bloodshed and human suffering. Shakespeare’s strategic use of diction, literary devices such as alliteration and rhyme heightens the dark ambiance. The dark and lifeless images which pervade Tamora’s monologue explores the breakdown of human goodness and familial relations and loyalty. Titus Andronicus demonstrates the dangerous force of vengeance. Furthermore, Shakespeare’s underscores the complexity of gender roles that can impede female liberties throughRead MoreThe Bloody Root Of Titus Andronicus1057 Words   |  5 PagesThe Bloody Root of Titus Andronicus: An Argument of Intent and Origin There are have been many arguments throughout the history of Shakespearean academia regarding the validity of Shakespeare’s authorship to Titus Andronicus, and the critics have not been shy to express their discontent of its seemingly endless violent montage. As Michael Fentiman and Harold Fuller point out of what Dr. Samuel Johnson spoke to in 1765, â€Å"all the editors and critics agree in supposing this play spurious†¦for the colourRead MoreLanguage and Syntax in Coriolanus791 Words   |  3 PagesLanguage and Syntax in Coriolanus As William Shakespeare continued to write and create plays, he became more experiential with his language and rhetoric within them. Coriolanus, one of Shakespeare’s final tragedies, exhibits a distinct syntax when compared with Titus Andronicus and Othello. Titus Andronicus was one of the first of Shakespeare’s plays and his first tragedy. The play is characterized by classic verses, mainly in the iambic pentameter form. Shakespeare did not have the experience and artisticRead MoreTitus Andronicus: An Anachronistic Obsession over First Born Sons1260 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s Titus Andronicus demonstrates how aggressive challenges and divisions are born out of conflicting belief systems. For example, because the Roman citizens, the Goths, and Aaron the Moor all differ in matters of consciousness, tension ensues. Nicholas Moschovakis comments extensively about these clashes in his essay â€Å"â€Å"Irreligious Piety† and Christian History: Perse cution as Pagan Anachronism in Titus Andronicus,† and Moschovakis not only magnifies persecution, but he remarks extensivelyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Family Dynamics1560 Words   |  7 PagesMany fathers appear in the works of William Shakespeare, family dynamics are the center of nearly all his plays. Shakespeare must have known that relations between members of shared bloodlines were ripe for drama, suspense, and highly emotional content. However, despite the many fathers depicted, and plays named for them, fathers King Lear and Titus Andronicus stand as share contrasts to one another. Both have their plays named ominously for them, insinuating that they are the center of the eventsRead MoreAnalysis of William Shakespeares Titus Andronicus1046 Words   |  4 PagesTitus Andronicus William Shakespeares Titus Andronicus is about revenge, anger, and about what happens when people concentrate all of their energies into causing harm rather than considering the potential repercussions for their actions. The question of revenge and vengeance is paramount to the story of the play. All of the characters to kill or maim out of revenge do so because they belief that their endeavors are justified by the wrong that has been done to them. Justice is supposed to ensureRead MoreEssay on Suffering in Titues Andronicus and King Lear2882 Words   |  12 PagesSuffering in Titues Andronicus and King Lear An essential element to any Shakespearean tragedy is the idea of human suffering. In both Titus Andronicus and King Lear no one can deny that the characters in these plays do indeed suffer and at great lengths, but the question begs to be asked what is the source of this suffering? Keeping in mind that during the times in which William Shakespeare wrote death, adultery and fragrant sexuality where at an optimal level and as such single parent familiesRead MoreShakespeare Is a Fraud1232 Words   |  5 PagesSHAKESPEARE IS A FRAUD January 25th 2012 Shakespeare is a Fraud One cannot write thirty-six plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and two long narrative poems if they were ordinary. But unbelievably, William Shakespeare did just that from 1564 – 1616. People have questioning how Shakespeare achieved writing such great pieces of literature, when the behind the scenes story does not add up. There are no records to prove he wrote anything and there is proof

Current Factors and Risks Affecting Wallis Drilling Services

Question: Discuss about the Current Factors and Risks Affecting Wallis Drilling Services. Answer: Introduction Wallis Drilling Company is among the top companies in the world that have been providing drilling services for mining of minerals. Wallis Drilling has been operating for 52 years. Wallis Drilling is a private company that has the most efficient and advanced machines that can work on any terrain in Australia and other international countries (Wallis Company 2015, par. 1). With a sufficient number of competent employees, the services offered are world class. Even though returns are promising, there are some risks that are associated with Wallis Drilling that is significant for the survival of the company. Wallis Drilling company is affected by some international risks; the risks include; commercial risk, cross-cultural risk, country risk and the currency risk. Application of the theory to Wallis Drilling Commercial risk revolves around operational problems that are the issues that are associated with the day to day activities of the company. The operational problems may be the lack of liquid cash or the inability to settle the creditors. The other issue associated with commercial risk is the aspect of timing. A business may enter into an international trade at a time that the economic conditions are straining and thus little profits are earned at the end. In addition, the competition may be very stiff from the already progressed competitors thus making it extremely hard for the company that has not adopted some specific procedures (Burgess-Limerick 2010, p. 53).Lastly, a company may have adopted a strategy that is imperative for its for survival, but poor implementation of the strategy due to factors such as an incapable management can pose a great threat to companies such as Wallis Drilling. Currency risk is another problem that affects Drilling Company. The fact that most of such companies operate internationally is a major factor. Companies need to import or export machinery and equipment for their operations (Tenfelde 2016, p. 5). The prices of the drilling rigs are affected by the currency exchange rate in the international market. There are times that a company may fetch more or less in the same market. The fluctuation in prices of the commodities leads to losses. Currency risks are uncontrollable for they are influenced by externalities or economic conditions. Losses are the greatest worry for Wallis Drilling because of the instances of inflation and international taxation. Country risk majorly revolves around the current situations in the operating country. Companies that are operating internationally face the problems of unstable countries. When there is war in a country, there is no way that a company can be able to carry out its activities normally. The employees will fear for their lives, and thus the operations must be ceased until peace is restored (Tenfelde 2016, p. 7). Economic conditions in a country are also a factor of concern. A country that the company has got a contract in is influenced by factors such as inflation and the ability of the company to honor the terms of the contract like payment of the fee required. Country risk affects some profits and the efficiency of operations. Lastly, a cross-cultural risk is depicted by the factors that are associated with interacting with new people. Most of the time, they interact with individuals that have different approaches to their way of living and decision making. The cultural differences greatly affect the rate at which employees are operating internationally get to adapt to the environment that they are operating in. Negotiation styles may also be different, and thus it may take some time before a contract is fully settled. Conversely, the disparities in the ethical standards may be a factor of concern. If the ethical standards are different, then disagreements may be experienced, and this could reduce the number of contracts attained. Justification of the risks affecting Wallis Drilling Wallis Drilling is a victim of the risks that are associated with international trade. To begin with, Wallis Company employees have experienced difficulties in mingling with different cultures, sometimes the employees have been received with hostility or failed to blend their culture with that of the host country (Boomhower 2014, p.12). It becomes difficult to work in a condition that you are not conversant with. Most of the employees have left the company because of the unconducive working environment. Losing skilled employees to the rival company creates a very stiff competition that most of the time puts a strain on the limited resources available in the company. Also, Wallis Drilling Company has experienced losses due to the low prices of iron in the market. Since the decline of the iron prices due to economic conditions, the operation costs have not been compensated by the expected profits. When the prices for the minerals reduce, most of the mining sites have to be closed by the managing companies. Wallis Drilling has to wait until the prices of the minerals appreciate. Operating internationally has called for sensitiveness when it comes to the foreign exchange rates. For Wallis drilling, they have the threat of experiencing losses when they export or import their drilling rigs (Burgess-Limerick 2010, p. 51).The prices of the equipment are affected by the international economic factors that are beyond the control of the company. Lastly, the inability to pay its creditors the amount they owe them when time elapses. It is certain that Wallis Company being a large company it has various needs that must be allocated to enough resources. To fund its activities, most of the time, the company has to borrow from lenders. In the case that a mine is closed down because of reasons such as low prices in the international market, it becomes tough to honor the promises that were made to the creditors. Wallis Drilling Company thus has the risk of being bankrupt or liquidated by the creditors in case it is unable to honor its creditors (Boomhower 2014, p.78). References Boomhower, J 2014, Drilling like there's no tomorrow: Bankruptcy, insurance, and Environmental risk. EI@ Haas Working Paper, 254. Burgess-Limerick, R, Krupenia, V, Zupanc, C, Wallis, G Steiner, L 2010. Reducing Control selection errors associated with underground bolting equipment, Applied Ergonomics, vol. 41, no.3 pp.549-555. Tenfelde, AM., Esquivel, AO, Cracchiolo, AM, and Lemos, SE, 2016,Temperature change when drilling near the distal femoral physis in a skeletally immature ovine model, Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, vol. 36, no.7, pp.762-767. Wallis Drilling. A Deeper Understanding, viewed 16 March 2017, https://www.wallisdrilling.com.au/

A critical review of the role of coordinated sport science Essay Example

A critical review of the role of coordinated sport science Essay A critical review of the role of coordinated sports science support and its importance to elite level performance Sport today has changed greatly from 40 years ago where love for the sport and intrinsic rewards were the main motivations (Green Holmium, 2010). In the present day with mass exposure and popularity of elite level sport along with big financial rewards and losses at the highest levels (Yardman Jones, 2011), and increased level of performance in sport (Collins, Moore, Mitchell Lappers, 1999) coaches are under pressure to deliver successful performance results (Richardson, Anderson Morris, 2008). With this level of investment and interest from the masses, fulfillment professional careers for athletes have been created who dedicate their lives to their sports, putting their bodies and minds on the line and increasing risk of negative health effects (Handstand Wadding, 2009). According to Pipe (2001), it is sport coaches and sport science support (ASS) responsibility to act as an athletes advocate and reduce these negative health effects, protecting their health and well-being. We will write a custom essay sample on A critical review of the role of coordinated sport science specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A critical review of the role of coordinated sport science specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A critical review of the role of coordinated sport science specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Southeast (2012) highlighted that margins between podium places are getting narrower and the increased need to look at all options to find improvements, squiring specialist sport science skills to be able to measure, interpret and improve particular areas. This pressure from dedication levels of athletes, financial rewards/ loses, smaller winning margins and exposure by the media and the public that stresses the importance of the athlete receiving the most thorough and professional service possible. To provide this service, coaches and sporting organizations are increasingly seeking ASS (Lees, 2003; Collins et al. 1999), and ultimately enhancing athletic performance (Williams Kendal, 2007; Hooper, 2006). Due to the above- mentioned issues it is essential to consider the most efficient and effective way for coordinated ASS to work, however with coordinated ASS certain issues may arise having negative effects of athletic performance and athlete well-being (Collins et al. , 1999). In the following text the author will, define and critique the different coordinated ASS approaches, review the issues and areas that may impede efficiency and finally conclude and provide recommendations for the application of coordinated sports science support. An interdisciplinary approach is where a number of sport science personnel (SSP) room different areas of sport science integrate and work together in a coordinated manner to problem solve (Burrito, Moore Wilkinson, 1994). Elite level sport is based upon a number of multi-factorial variables (Meyers, Laurent, 2010) that can be measured, analyses, interpreted and ultimately manipulated to promote increased performance. Interdisciplinary ASS can produce a vast range of in depth information and data (Knudsen, 2011), which in turn means that appropriate and specific training regimes and strategies can be implemented in order to increase performance coaching team must have knowledge of how different variables inter-link and be able to consider how manipulation of one variable may affect another. For example the use of a head guard in boxing from a biomedical perspective would have a positive effect because it would decrease punch force however from a psychologists perspective this could grant a false sense of security, having a negative effect (Burrito et al. , 1994). As well as being able to interpret these risk and benefits the coaching team must be able to assess their significance, priorities and contextual in order to Justify implementation of manipulations (BASES, [n. ]). An interdisciplinary ASS approach requires a number of team-wide skills in order for it to be successful, they are; Bridge building the linking of knowledge from different spinelessness, Restructuring methodologies, theories and practices transferred into different spinelessness and Integration the application of a number of spinelessness (BASES, [n. D. ]), without these skills a support team would move towards a multidisciplinary approach. Multidisciplinary is defined by Burrito et al (1994) as a number of SSP working in parallel rather than in symbiosis, Corner (2010) supports this and adds that each SSP as a clear role definition, specific task and hierarchical lines of authority. Within Interdisciplinary approach there is little or no communication among each susceptible, as a result there is little overlap (Corner, 2010), which means SSP from a particular discipline may be unaware of detrimental effects caused in another discipline when interventions/ strategies are implemented in his field of expertise. Whilst both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are products of an input from more than one discipline, the principle difference is the integrative approach of the interdisciplinary sports scientist as opposed to scientists working in parallel often associated with multidisciplinary (Dandles, 2011). Interdisciplinary approach is having a single sub discipline that works in isolation to the other sub disciplines; interdisciplinary approaches are often undertaken during research, but are not always appropriate when holistic athlete centered approach is desired (Burrito et al. , 1994; BASES , [n. D. ]). Interdisciplinary approach is similar to multidisciplinary in that it has no or little overlap between disciplines, reducing role conflict to an extent. Another benefit as noted by Jones (2006) is that each specific aspect of sport science can be taken into account and can be assessed in a thorough manner. The main difference between interdisciplinary and other approaches is that because the SSP work in relative isolation to the others alliances and allegiances tend not to be as prevalent. These alliances and allegiances can produce subgroups and isolates, decreasing productivity (Slinkier et al. , 2012). Therefore, Reid et al. 2004) suggested an optimum group number should be five or less to maintain the best mix of commitment and collaboration. Within all of these approaches there exist a number of possible issues that may increase athlete stress and in turn decrease athletic performance, this section will look at some of these issues. Fletcher, Wanton Mealier (2006) identified fi ve performers: factors intrinsic to the sport (e. G. Training schedules); roles in the sport organization (e. G. Lack of role acceptance); sport relationships and interpersonal demands (e. G. Conflicts with coaching staff; athletic career and performance development issues (e. . Selection); and organizational structure and climate of the sport (e. G. Result vs. Placement focus), all of which can be influenced by ASS. Within all teams, particularly at an elite level there are substantial organizational and team dynamics (Collins et al. , 1999), an understanding of these dynamics are crucial for most effective work (Arnold, Moore Burrito, 1998). Figure 1 shows the organization of most elite level support teams, the dashed line is knows as the us and them divide with anyone above the line having or perceived to be having power to influence selection (Collins et al. 1999). Anyone above this line with perceived power and influence will experience high levels of impression management fro m athletes, particularly at elite level where benefits of selection are so high (Leary, 1994). Impression management is altering ones interactions in order to protect or improve ones position and the most common occurrence of impression management is limiting information on the status of and injury/fitness in order to improve chances of selection (Collins et al. , 1999). Some athletes may even take impression management to the next step and exploit certain members of the support team as a naive conduit in order to use their link to and influence on selection in order to improve chance of selection (Collins et al. 1999). Once being identified as on the them side of the us and them divide, SSP will in one way or another receive limited and well managed information, however Leary (1994) notes that this is neither dishonest nor devious but rather is an inevitable feature of group dynamics. Being on the or being perceived to be on the us side of the divide SSP will gain trust and improve SSP athlete relations. However in order to be perceived as on the us side of the line the SSP must work in total confidentiality or they will seem to have influence on selection by passing information onto management and therefore being placed in the them category and experiencing more impression management. Therefore in order to be considered us SSP must regard the athlete as the client and exhibit total confidentiality (Klein et al. 2012). However by maintaining this patient confidentiality the SSP may mean withholding information from management that the athlete does not wish to be disclosed, which could put the SSP reputation and Job at risk, highlighting an issue with patient confidentiality (Collins et al. , 1999). Confidentiality is crucial to the SSP athlete allegations, however if an athlete is unfit to play the SSP may struggle to deal with this issue without breaking confid entiality. SSP also recognize the pressure to divulge information applied by management as they have a responsibility to management as ultimately they pay their wages (Collins et al. , 1999). SSP have varying codes of conduct when it comes to confidentiality; for example traditionally banishments and physiologists share information with coaches, whereas psychologists must protect all psychometric data (Collins et al. , 1999). Depends on their philosophy and will be influenced by whom they see as the client, he athlete or the management. Collins et al. 1994) identified two separate approaches to confidentiality depending on who is regarded as the client; firstly the athlete client approach where the SSP will work in total confidence and only divulge permitted information; and secondly the management client approach where the SSP will field athletes who are fit to partake. Both approaches do however have implications, being management client based and removing an athlete from events technically s tands the SSP liable for causing loss of earnings or restricted trade (Collins et al. , 1994). Being athlete client based causes issues with confidentiality as discussed in the previous paragraph. Contrasting philosophies can cause conflict within a ASS team, for example a SSP who has an athlete centered philosophy may want extended rest period after big competitions whereas a SSP with a result based philosophy may disagree with this and want them back training as soon as possible. This highlights the need to consider philosophy when recruiting SSP into a ASS team in order to reduce conflict, however some may argue that the more qualified the better, regardless of their philosophy. Conflict is a regular and expected consequence of ASS (Collins et al. , 1999; Reid, Stewart Throne, 2004), and is often born from different conclusions of the same problem from different sub disciplines. To avoid this conflict some may support a indiscipline approach, however conflict is often key to making informed, correct Judgments being made to improve athletic performance, furthermore it facilitates SSP self critiquing and questioning of practice (Ride et al. , 2004). The author will now consider ways to combat these afore mentioned issues. Due to each discipline having varying codes of conduct when it comes to confidentiality Collins, et al. , 1999), athletes are often left unsure on information handling procedures and roles (Moore Abbott, 2012) and SSP are left in a difficult position. To combat this all disciplines should have a standardized level of confidentiality through their professional associations, currently only the Charted society of physiotherapy has a cross discipline code of conduct (CUPS, [n. . ]). Athletes should have to sign an athlete charter which presents the scope of data confidentiality and whose interests are being met by each role so that the athlete clearly knows how the information he gives will be used and to what extent it will be confidential (Collins et al. , 1999). In order to reduce conflict within ASS group member philosophies must be considered, however at an elite level it is usually results based, therefore t he most qualified/successful SSP may be employed. ASS group size can also be considered to reduce conflict, but at elite level it is unlikely to reduce the size of the support team, reducing performance, purely to reduce chances of conflict. Although these things can be done to reduce conflict, as pointed out by Ride et al. (2004) some conflict can e a positive. Bigger the group the more conflict (Ride, 2004) an interdisciplinary approach allows for integrated and coordinated problem-solving resulting in a higher quality of collaboration and team performance (Mackinac Rodgers, 2000; Norwalk, 2003). Therefore an interdisciplinary approach must be adopted in order to produce the highest performance levels. Athlete charters and universal codes of conduct should be used to clarify confidentiality levels and reduce issues in this area. Conflict is expected in ASS and some conflict is good however ASS team philosophies should be noninsured in order to reduce it and make sure the entire team has the similar aims. Due to the nature of sport, impression management will always be present, therefore SSP must be aware of this.

How to Calculate a Male to Female Ratio (And Other Quantities)

How to Calculate a Male to Female Ratio (And Other Quantities) To paraphrase Frederick Douglass, â€Å"We may not get all that we pay for, but we will certainly pay for all that we get.† To salute that grand arbiter of coiffure and promoter of equality, let’s discuss how to best use our resources. Use a ratio to compare two  quantities. Examples: Using Ratio to Compare Quantities Miles per hourText messages per dollarFacebook page visitors per weekMen per women Example: Ratio and Social Life Sheila, a busy career woman, plans to wisely use her leisure time. She wants a place with as many men per women as possible. As a statistician, this single woman believes that a high male to female ratio is the best way to find Mr. Right. Here are the female and male headcounts of certain places: Athletic Club, Thursday night:  6 women, 24 menYoung Professionals Meeting, Thursday night:  24 women, 6 menBayou Blues Night Club, Thursday night:  200 women, 300 men Which place will Sheila choose? Calculate the ratios: Athletic Club 6 women/24 menSimplified:  1 women/4 menIn other words, the Athletic Club boasts 4 men for each woman. Young Professionals Meeting 24 women/6 menSimplified: 4 women/1 manIn other words, the Young Professionals Meeting offers 4 women for each man. Note: A ratio can be an improper fraction; the numerator can be greater than the denominator. Bayou Blues Club 200 women/300 menSimplified:  2 women/3 menIn other words, for every 2 women at the Bayou Blues Club, there are 3 men. Which Place Offers the Best Female to Male Ratio? Unfortunately for Sheila, the female-dominated Young Professionals Meeting is not an option. Now, she has to choose between the Athletic Club and the Bayou Blues Club. Compare the Athletic Club and Bayou Blues Club ratios. Use 12 as the common denominator. Athletic Club: 1 women/4 men 3 women/12 menBayou Blues Club: 2 women/3 men 8 women/12 men On Thursday, Sheila wears her best spandex outfit to the male-dominated Athletic Club. Unfortunately, the four  men she meets all have breath like train smoke. So much for using math in real life. Exercises Mario can afford to apply to only one university. He will apply to the school that offers the best probability of awarding him a full, academic scholarship. Assume that each scholarship committee - overworked and understaffed - will award scholarships to students whose names are randomly pulled from a hat. Each of Marios prospective schools has posted its average number of applicants and average number of full-ride scholarships. College A:  825 applicants; 275 full-ride scholarshipsCollege B:  600 applicants; 150 full-ride scholarshipsCollege C:  2,250 applicants; 250 full-ride scholarshipsCollege D:  1,250 applicants; 125 full-ride scholarships Calculate the ratio of applicants to full-ride scholarships at College A.825 applicants: 275 scholarshipsSimplify: 3 applicants: 1 scholarshipCalculate the ratio of applicants to full-ride scholarships at College B.600 applicants: 150 scholarshipsSimplify: 4 applicants: 1 scholarshipCalculate the ratio of applicants to full-ride scholarships at College C.2,250 applicants: 250 scholarshipsSimplify: 9 applicants: 1 scholarshipCalculate the ratio of applicants to full-ride scholarships at College D.1,250 applicants: 125 scholarshipsSimplify: 10 applicants: 1 scholarshipWhich college has the least favorable applicant to scholarship ratio?College DWhich college has the most favorable applicant to scholarship ratio?College ATo which college will Mario apply?College A

Ancident and Medieval Cities History Question 2 Essay

Ancident and Medieval Cities History Question 2 - Essay Example For example, figure 3.4 shows a boat being towed across a river which means river traffic is being controlled by the administrators on land. This certainly shows that the city had grown to a point where traffic on the river could cause confusion and even traffic jams which had to be avoided in order to keep Rome running efficiently. Just as the Romans had created pathways for clean water coming into the city and pathways for removing dirty water out of the city, their river transport systems allowed more to be done in less time. Of course the input of more goods coming from around the empire meant that the Romans needed specific ways and better methods for storing the goods that were coming to them. To handle this, they created granaries like the ones shown in figure 3.5 which allowed food and grain to remain fresh for longer periods of time than before. As reported by Dunn et. al. (2006), technological innovations allow cities to build more and grow at a faster rate than other cities and the expansion of Rome not only created the requirement for improved technology, it also answered the requirements with improvements in technology. In fact, such innovations are just a few of the total innovations which the Romans called on to help them in growing their city in a stable manner. For example, the presence of social services such as a city wide fire management system and the ability of their engineers to build multistory houses and apartment buildings only helped in expanding the city (Wikipedia, 2007). At the same time, their engineers and technologists also helped in expanding the overall size of the Roman Empire with the creation of empire wide systems of management that were greatly helped by the Roman development of paved roads and tracks. These roads allowed not only the fast movement of troops and legions but also of goods

What was the role of the media in the 2012 presidential elections Essay

What was the role of the media in the 2012 presidential elections - Essay Example The BBC monitoring group of the presidential election in Russia outlined the profiles of successful presidential candidates in the 2012 election. This move was meant to inform the public about the persons they were likely to elect into office. Key details presented were the lives, previous services, and eligibility factors for the five successful presidential candidates. In so doing, an assessment or evaluation concept emerges, where the candidates’ merit to the public can be prepared. This press document denotes one of the primary functions of the media towards the society. The ultimate objective is to have the media evaluate the relative political welfare in Russia. Trends in global politics have become deeply rooted in democracy. This democracy has subsequently resulted in the proliferation of diplomacy among world states. For the Discovery World, diplomacy is a diverse and dynamic concept. What this means is that approaches to diplomacy differ from one country to another. What constitutes effective and efficient diplomacy in Russia does not necessary do in the United Kingdom. This document, therefore, highlights interstate diplomacy, politics, and media engagement differentials. The idea is to mobilize the public to be more vigilant as they undertake their constitutional right of participating in presidential elections. Political outcomes are often uncertain and subject to criticism from different players in the public domain. This press file highlights arguments for and against the outcome of the Russian election of the year 2012. For the media, the primary focus is directed towards what observers said. However, the situation is different to the voters. Voters had five candidates to choose their president from. Whether or not the observers’ remarks were true, the voters reserved the secretion to elect the preferred president. Over and above the mere reporting of what

Post Modernism in Pop Culture and the Simpsons

Post Modernism in Pop Culture and the Simpsons Attempts to define post-modernism can come in many different forms as different people have different ideas as to what exactly the term means. This being said, most people who take part in the debate over modernism and postmodernism share a consensus that postmodernism might be many things, but it certainly is linked with the growth of popular culture in the late twentieth century in the West. In other words, postmodernism can be seen as a new historical moment, a new sensibility, or a new cultural style, but popular culture can be referenced as the site on which these changes can be most easily found. Postmodernism is a perspective which tends to reject many of the accepted values of modernism. It involves a reinterpretation of gender roles and the differenced traditionally applied to them. It takes a more global perspective in its view of ethnic and national distinctions, and rejects stereotypes of all kinds. At the same time, it embraces the notion of nostalgia in art (film, telev ision, advertising) and uses multiple referencing (among other strategies) to communicate on a variety of symbolic levels. This essay will research the nature of postmodernism and apply it to a body of film, television, or advertising material. It should the focus on a single example and analyze it as typical of postmodern artistic form. From this essay it will be clear that postmodernism represents a blurring of the boundaries between levels of culture, and The Simpsons is a typical example of postmodernist artistic form. It was the late 1950s and early 1960s that the movement that we now come to know as postmodernism began to emerge. In the words of Susan Sontag, a critic of American culture, it came with the emergence of a â€Å"new sensibility†, and this involves a blurring of the distinction between â€Å"high† and â€Å"low† culture. Anyway, the distinction becomes less meaningful. The post-modern new sensibility did not follow along the same lines as the cultural elitism of modernism. Although modernism seems to have an important place in popular culture, it is marked by a significant suspicion of all things popular. It was those items that were associated with elite culture that were accepted under modernism. Culture was that which would be readily accepted into a museum, it was that which had a homologous relationship with the elitism that is inherent in class society. What this means is that the drive towards post modernism in the late 1950s and 1960s was associated with the growing attack on the elitism of modernism. The emergence of postmodernism signaled a refusal of â€Å"the great divide†¦ a discourse which insists on the categorical distinction between high art and mass culture,† moreover, â€Å"to a large extent, it is by the distance we have traveled from this great divide between mass culture and modernism that we can measure our own c ultural post modernity.† A good early example of the new wave of post-modern popular culture can be seen in the American and British pop art movement of the 1950s and 1960s as it rejected the division between high culture and popular culture. This can be said to be â€Å"postmodernisms first cultural flowering.† One of pop arts first prominent theorist, Lawrence Alloway explains that â€Å"the area of contact was mass produced urban culture: movies, advertising, science fiction, pop music. We felt none of the dislike of commercial culture standard among intellectuals, but accepted it as a fact, discussed it in detail, and consumed it enthusiastically.† This acceptance of the new movement of postmodernism allowed people to treat popular culture in the realm of serious art, and not a second tier of culture. When seen from this perspective, postmodernism first came out of a refusal by the different generations to abide by the categorical certainties of high modernism. It came to be thought of as taboo to continue to maintain an absolute distinction between high and popular culture. This was very evident in the way that art and popular music merged. A good example of this can be seen in the way Peter Blake designed the front cover of the Beatles Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and the way Andy Warhol designed the cover of the Rolling Stones album Sticky Fingers. By the middle of the 1980s, the post-modern new sensibility had become deeply engrained into popular culture, and for some, a reason to despair. The postmodern condition is one that is marked by a crisis in the position of knowledge in Western societies. This served to give intellectuals less eminence as the â€Å"academy† continually lost its credibility. Iain Chambers argues this point from a different perspective. He says the debate over postmodernism can in part be understood as â€Å"the symptom of the disruptive ingression of popular culture, its aesthetics and intimate possibilities, into a previously privileged domain. Theory and academic discourses are confronted by the wider, unsystemized, popular networks of cultural production and knowledge. The intellectuals privilege to explain and distribute knowledge is threatened.† Another cultural theorist, Angela McRobbie agrees with this as she sees it as â€Å"the coming into being of those whose voices were historically drowned out by the (modernist) metanarratives of mastery, which were in turn both patriarchal and imperialist.† She put forth the argument that postmodernism has enfranchised a new sect of intellectuals who speak from the margins from a perspective of difference, including ethnic, class, gender and sexual preference differences. These are the people whom she refers to as â€Å"the new generation of intellectuals.† A similar point is made by Kobena Mercer as she sees postmodernism as partially an unacknowledged response to the emerging identities and voices of those people who have emerged from the margins, and this opens a new way of seeing and understanding. Hyperrealism can be said to be a component of postmodernism. In the sphere of the hyperreal, the real and the imaginary continually come into contact with each other. Simulations begin to be experienced as something that is more real than real itself. The evidence in favor of this argument can be seen throughout our Western society. For example, we live in a society where people write letters to the characters they see on television, asking them out on dates, and offering them places to live. This can be called the dissolution of television into life, or the dissolution of life into television. It was said by John Fiske that postmodern media does not, like it once did, â€Å"provide secondary representations of reality: they affect and produce the reality that they mediate.† Additionally, Fiske argues that those events in our lives that ‘matter must be synonymous with media events. The arrest of O.J. Simpson was a good example of this. As the news of his story unfolded, people in the area rushed to his house so that they could be part of the news cycle. They wanted to be indistinguishably live people and media people. This is an attribute of the postmodern era. These people were aware that the media was not merely reporting of circulating the news, they were creating it. Therefore, if people wanted to be part of the news of this event, it was not sufficient to be there on the scene, to actually be part of this event, they had to be on television. This is a testament to the fact that in the hyperreal world of the postmodern, the distinction between a real event and its media representation loses its distinction. Frederic James who is an American critic of culture as is well versed in postmodernism argues that it is a culture of pastiche. To him, postmodern culture is â€Å"a world in which stylistic innovation is no longer possible, all that is left is to imitate dead styles, to speak through masks and with the voices of the styles in the imaginary museum.† Postmodernism is a culture that is put together from many different places it can be said to be â€Å"a culture of quotations.† Our cultural production is the consequence of other cultural production. â€Å"Postmodern cultural texts do not just quote other cultures, other historical moments, they randomly cannibalize them to the point where any sense of critical or historical distance ceases to exist there is only pastiche.† This trend of the pastiche is noticeable in both the body of film and television. It can be seen in the ‘nostalgia film that is evident in both television and film. Some movies that would fall into this category of the postmodern nostalgia film would be Back to the Future as it seeks to recreate the atmosphere and stylistic peculiarities of America in the 1950s. Other films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Robin Hood and Lord of the Rings act in a similar way as they induce a sense of narrative certainties of the past. In this way, â€Å"the nostalgia film either recaptures and represents certain styles of viewing the past.† These films seek to make cultural myths and stereotypes about the past. They offer â€Å"false realism: films about other films, representations of other representations.† As this study of postmodernism in popular culture progresses, it is useful to apply it to a single example, and then analyze it as typical of postmodernist artistic form. The Simpsons is a spectacularly popular show of the lat two decades and it represented the first prime time animated series since the Flintstones. Since its inception, this show has emerged as a cultural phenomenon. It is because of this immense success that The Simpsons represents a worthy object of study for cultural critics. There is no doubt that this television series can be placed in the category of the postmodern. All of the rhetorical devices that are synonymous with postmodern theory are present in The Simpsons: pastiche, quotation, intertextuality and reflexivity. The Simpsons, because of the way it uses reflexivity and intertextuality in particular is a great example of the postmodern at work. All elements of this show are related to a network of intertextual references to popular texts of other. In particular there are four ways in which The Simpsons uses intertextuality in recurrent forms. Firstly, there are single elements in the show that carry many intertextual references. A good example of this is the fact that the name of the town that The Simpsons live in is called Springfield. This is significant because it is the same name as the town that the vintage television show Father Knows Best was set in. This might be a rather obvious reference to the nostalgic, but there are much more subtle references in the show that make it surely a postmodern creation. For example, the curator of Springfields museum is named after a couple of dormitories at Harvard University. Also they build on nostalgic phrases on the past, â€Å"two cars in every garage, and three eyes on every fish.† In this way The Simpsons can be said to be a collection of quotations. Many of the scenes from The Simpsons are also taken from other movies or television shows. There is that episode that includes â€Å"22 Short Films about Springfield,† and this in particular serves as a parody of Pulp Fiction, another important creation in the postmodern milieu. In fact, there are whole episodes of The Simpsons that are entire parodies of other shows. For example, the episode â€Å"Bart of Darkness† is a parody of Alfred Hitchcock, and there are even echoes of Jimmy Stewart in â€Å"Itchy and Scratchy Land.† Additionally, the show is one that heavily displays internal references. This builds on the fact that each episode is at its outset freestanding. Even though the main characters do not evolve, they posses a memory of past episodes and the supporting characters do change. The Simpsons can also be said to be postmodern because of the way that it is an example of reflexive television, one in which the text is a reference to its condition of consumption and production. This can be seen in four ways. First, The Simpsons can be seen to be reflexive from an examination of the opening credits where the family rushes home to crowd the couch and watch television. This highlights the fact that the show is about the process of watching television, and television consumption is a necessary component of family life. The Simpsons also possesses a commentary on the star system. In one way, the show contains a television universe where television stars are created. One such example is Krusty the Clown whose purpose is to fulfill the ongoing process of consumption and merchandizing. In another way, real stars make cameo appearances on the show giving their voices characters that either represent themselves of other figures. The show can even serve as a parody of the a nimation industry within the animation industry. There is an episode where the ratings of the new â€Å"Itchy Scratchy Poochie Show† has poor ratings. This episode is interesting because it highlights a caricature of a market research process which utilizes the pulse meter for assessing how new characters are received when they are seen by the audiences for the first time. This is a great example of how The Simpsons is reflexive television. The Simpsons can even refer to what has been dubbed postmodern hyperconscious. It is a type of commentary on the role that they play in popular culture. An example of this comes when Homer is enjoying a night out and Apu ask Homer if he is on television as he looks familiar. Homer says, â€Å"sorry buddy, you got me confused with Fred Flintstone.† This is reflexive in that it shows that the series creators are aware of the links between their show and their predecessors. These are just some of the many examples that make The Simpsons a great example of postmodern culture, although their use of these rhetorical devices is systematic. What is the reason for this shows particular approach, meaning that unlike the other cartoons on television, The Simpsons is very unique? This is because the show is not intended to attract the same audiences as other cartoons, it provide a social commentary and is thus attractive to the sophisticated public. The Simpsons actually works in an interesting way as its form serves to encourage the consumption of popular culture. The show uses postmodern strategies to make political and social commentary in a way that is non partisan and in a way that is appealing to the masses. The creators of the show clearly do not want to create divisions among its audiences. In this paper it has been shown that attempts to define postmodernism can be a difficult task, but there are simple ways to explain it. One thing for sure though is that postmodernism is linked with the growth of popular culture in the late twentieth century in the West. Postmodernism is a perspective which tends to reject many of the accepted values of modernism. It involves a reinterpretation of gender roles and the differenced traditionally applied to them. It takes a more global perspective in its view of ethnic and national distinctions, and rejects stereotypes of all kinds. At the same time, it embraces the notion of nostalgia in art (film, television, advertising) and uses multiple referencing (among other strategies) to communicate on a variety of symbolic levels. It was then shown that The Simpsons is a perfect example of postmodern pop culture as it is nostalgic and reflexive, and also uses rhetorical devices which are common in postmodernism. From this essay it is clear th at postmodernism represents a blurring of the boundaries between levels of culture, and The Simpsons is a typical example of postmodernist artistic form. Works Cited Cantor, Paul A. â€Å"In Praise of Television: The Greatest TV Show Ever.† American Enterprise vol. 8, no. 5 (Sept-Oct. 199): 34-38. Elm, Joanna. â€Å"Are the Simpsons Americas TV Family of the ‘90s?† TV Guide v.38 no. 11 (March 17, 1990): 7-8. Fiske, John. Media Matters: Everyday Culture and Political Change. University of Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1996. Huyssen, Andreas. After the great divide: modernism, mass culture, postmodernism. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1986. McRobbie, Angela. Postmodernism and popular culture. New York: Routledge, 1994. Sontag, Susan. Against interpretation, and other essays. New York: Farrar, Straus Giroux, 1966. Storey, John. â€Å"Postmodernism in Popular Culture,† In Stuart Sim, The Routledge Companion to Postmodernism. New York: Routledge, 2005.