artist throughout history that essays

artist throughout history that essays Artists throughout History That Have Self-Destructed The most successful or famous artists are not always as happy as successful people are portrayed- living a life of fame, fortune, and glamour. The following examples will show some of the problems that four different artists have suffered in the past century.Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch painter who lived from March 30, 1853 to July 29, 1890. He is now one of the most famous painters in modern art (World Book 306). He only sold one painting in his living days, but now his paintings are considered priceless.Some of his paintings and drawings include: The Bedroom at Arles 1888 Self-Portrait 1888 Vase with 12 Sunflowers 1888 Langlois Bridge with Women Washing 1888 (Sweetman 378)Those are just a few of his accomplishments, though he has created many, many more works of art.In 1888, artist Paul Gaugin moved into Vincent's house with him. At first everything worked out fine, but within the year, their personalities started to clash , and big problems arose. Then, on December 23, 1888, Paul Gaugin was taking a walk in the nearby public garden, when, according to his memoir "Avant et Apres," Vincent chased after Gaugin with an open razor blade. But, when Gaugin turned around, Vincent turned and ran home. Gaugin decided that this threat was too much for him to take, so he checked into a hotel room for the night. When Paul Gaugin arrived at home the next morning, he saw a crowd of police officers and citizens surrounding the house. When he went in the house he saw that there was blood everywhere- on towels and blankets, then a trail leading up the stairs. When he got to Vincent's bedroom, he found him curled up on his bed covered in sheets pink with blood. Gaugin thought Vincent was dead, but when he went to touch his friend's hand, it radiat! ed warmth from his friend's body (Sweetman 290). Gaugin found out later that Vincent had cut off almost his whole left ear, wrapped it in newspape...

Mass Media Role in Distorting the Image of Islam

Mass Media Role in Distorting the Image of Islam The relationship that Muslims and the general society share has been affected over the past years. This worsened especially after 2001. The manner in which the media has been covering domestic matters as well as international occurrences which involve the Muslims is thought to be the main issue in the continuance of the negative view about Islam.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mass Media Role in Distorting the Image of Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With disregard to direct, first-hand information or contact with the Muslim nation, the mass media sadly becomes the main source of information regarding Islam. With the rest of the nation composed largely of other groups, the Muslims make a small portion of the country’s population. This consequently offers a very constrained chance for personal contact with the Muslim people. This paper attempts to recreate a proper image for the Muslims from that alread y distorted by the Media. From 1991, when the gulf war took place to time dating back to the revolution of Iran in 1979, Muslims have commanded a great deal of media coverage. Previously conducted research studies have gone ahead to prove that Islam has largely been depicted derogatively through the lenses of the mass media. After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, more research has also proved not just a large increase in the percentage of media coverage especially concerning the Muslim nation but also an upsurge in the derogative nature of such media coverage. This essay in no way attempts to imply that acts of violence, terrorism, and other violations of human rights perpetuated by the Muslim nation in the guise of religion are a creation of the media. Indubitably, this is the situation in many parts of the Muslim nation and also among a number of the Muslim people. Nonetheless, to solely assume the mass media’s depiction of Islam as gospel truth and a picture of the real occu rrences on the ground is incorrect except where a person considers that basing on the shapes of the mirrors, realities can also be distorted.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Maybe a better representation is to think of the media as being a window. It distorts the real scenario slightly because it hinders the scope as well as the viewing range basing on its size on the wall, where it has been set up, and the direction it has been placed. The well-known trend of the mass media is to make an emphasis on the rare, unbelievable, and life threatening happenings in the Muslim world. Subsequently, when people depend more on the mass media to enable them understand Islam as a religion and the Muslim people; they will probably not understand the reality. Their considerations of Islam will be controlled by what has been done and said by a few Muslims in certain contexts. Th is is an issue which can best be described as ‘mass media Islam’ since it goes hand by hand with the media depiction of Islam as compared to reality. In conclusion therefore, it is important to observe that the mass media has played an important role in distorting the image of Islam. As noted, those that rely on media representation of Islam are less likely to appreciate and understand that Muslims are not as they are portrayed especially in the western media. The media has to stop generalizing Muslims when reporting their content but categorize the various groups.

Chauvet Cave Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chauvet Cave - Assignment Example The art is simply something worth looking at. In Nine Lives, by Dalrymple, the people and places could be compared to the Chauvet Cave. This is in the sense that they all possess certain characteristics. The following paper will look into the comparisons between the cave and the places and people recounted in Nine Lives. In comparison, the cave and the places in India could share very many similarities. For example, the places in India have the same symbolism as the cave in Southern France. The people there look up to their land to find peace and a sense of belonging. They all can relate to the places they are in for it is their source of life. They are used to those places and cannot trade it for any other. In the cave during the early periods when the paintings were being done, the people went there to reveal themselves to the world (Clottes, p. 25). They could identify what it was that really mattered to them and paint on the walls of the cave. The history of people is embedded in the places they have stayed. Their roots are firmly tied to their place of origin. The art in the cave could bear huge similarities to the places in Nine Lives since the history of a civilisation are painted on the cave walls. The history of any people in a given place at a given period of time is very important. The story of their existence is also firmly told to the generations that follow (Curtis, p. 12). This way, the generations that come into being know of their origins, and they end up telling it to the next generations. In Nine Lives, India bears this symbolism. Another similarity is the way culture and tradition is being maintained. It is through all this that the culture of a people can go on without being eroded or corrupted. The preservation of the Chauvet Cave is done so as to keep the ways of certain people intact (Clottes, p. 27). These ways are often seen as pure and the interference of other ways and/or mannerisms could be very unhealthy. In Nine Lives, this is als o seen with people keeping the traditions of their people alive through poetry, song and dance (performing arts). Moreover, the people of these areas are recognised through these works of art performed. It is through it that their spirit as a people comes alive. Through the cave art and/or paintings, the way of worship was recognised. The kind of gods they worshiped and the entire process. It is the same as in Nine Lives. The people’s form of worship was described to the people, how the sacrifices were made and the stages involved in it. This showed that in both these settings, communication to the people was made clear to them in cultural ways. This was to ensure that they were not forgotten through time (Guy, p. 25). However, the differences in the two are very distinct. The way and manner in which the cave paintings have been skilfully done is something to be admired. There is nothing naive about the art in the walls. This is unlike the ways and manner in which the people described by Dalrymple carry out their daily rituals. This cave represents the time taken by a certain group of people to relay a message to the people who will read it. The people of India as described in Nine Lives do not give a reason as to why and how the rituals come about and how the message meant for them is passed through (Curtis, p. 20). Also, the cave had the art preserved in a way that no one could tamper with the message it relayed. Unlike the

Take Home Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Take Home Final Exam - Essay Example This time it’s the Eastern Ukraine that has become center of attention. Each of the region aims at establishing a pro government which would serve its strategic purposes. The recent event of Crimea Crisis has brought the two nations to a strangulating view point in the diplomatic and political activities. As a result the allies on each side have been brought into action as well as subsequently the United Nations Security Council as well. After the formal annexation and troops march in, the Russians have declared it a Crimean Federal District. Although this move has not been approved by the United Nations. The Crimean Peninsula is important on multiple accounts. One of the factors is its multi dimensional and multi ethnic population segmentation, the other factor that has caused the stir and attention is its affiliation and geographical capacity with the Black Sea which has since centuries served as the pivot towards the Russian interests in the region (Pavliï ¸  uï ¸ ¡k and Klympush-Tsintsadze, 68). Surveys conducted in this pursuit to determine the pulse of the people, it was revealed that over 40 percent of the Ukraine population desires becoming part of the E.U, while a meager 14 percent of the population wanted to get enrolled into a pro Russian economic union entity. United States of America cannot allow re occurrence of the Cold War expansionist policy of Russia through the influence establishment in the smaller states of the region. It at the same time does not want the natural resources to fall under the Russian influence as a result it badly wants Ukraine to be enrolled in the European Union. In bid to protect the central part of Ukraine from falling into the shade and influence of Russia, United States of America has released a fund and assistance of one billion dollars on immediate grounds (JOACHIM and WEISMAN). This has been done so to provide assistance to the already frail economy of

Information Management and Design - Critical Thinking Mod 4 Essay

Information Management and Design - Critical Thinking Mod 4 - Essay Example This will help in knowing the number of CDs that move fast thus enabling the shop owner to diversify into such product codes, hence enabling a clear focus and indication of the products that are in store or out of the store. It should put into consideration the programs that are able to have predetermined weekly forecasts all through the levels of operations of the shop (Wierenga, 2008). When this is done the shop owner is able to have an automatic manipulation of the prices of the CDs in stocking thus factoring in those that sale slow without losing profitability. This system should also take into consideration the ability to set prices in an interactive way that enables better displays thus promoting wholesale practices, this is able to factor all the CDs that are on display without any kind of discrimination in quality versus prices. The prices should be designed in a way that they are grouped as per the code classifications of the products, there may be some CDs that may not sell that first, it is therefore important to put them in that category of CDs that sell fast and code them the same. This kind of system design is able to promote profitability and the movement of the stock (Wierenga, 2008). While designing the system it is also important to put into consideration the promotional calendars that are geared into performing multiple weekly operations rather than single weekly price settings. This should set values for seasonal promotions where certain types of CDs sell at high levels hence the system designs should be able to take into account the promotional activities from the manufacturers to the shop retail levels. The system should be designed in a way that it is able to capture the prices from the competitor’s level in an incomplete way so as to help in designing competitive prices for the products that are able to sell faster and those that sell slower (Burstein, 2008). This kind of system design should be able to find a way of coordinating all the CDs and their categories while in the stores. This system should factor a better way of finding correct method of coding the prices according to the market trends which helps in achieving consistent images across the categories of the CD products in the store. The system should be able to capture all the information from many sources and integrate them together in a compatible format so that the inventory systems can be integrated with pricing systems (Burstein, 2008). The design should be able to help the shop owner in scaling the CDs into one category or more categories so as to help in promoting sales equally regardless of whether the CD is of inferior or superior qualities. While doing all these, the system should also be designed in a way that it gives prices recommendations in a strategic way that all the products are sold in a strategic way and this should be able to warn and discard bad pricing strategies. All these system designs should factor in better ways of easi er data accessibility for better reporting and decision making in knowing the best products in and out of store. When the data is easily accessed, there is a greater possibility of consolidating the data set that can be used in getting better analysis of the CDs according to their clientele suitability and prices. The system shou

History of Geodesy

History of Geodesy Assignment 1 History of Geodesy Complete the following timeline by providing one important figure in the history of geodesy for each designated time period. Please include their name, nationality, and scientific contribution/importance. [18 points] 600 BC 200 AD Name : Eratosthenes Nationality: Greek (Born in town of Cyrne which is now the town in Libya) Contribution: founder of Geodesy; measured size of the Earth; obliquity of spin axis; map of the world; one interconnected ocean 100 1500 AD Name : Giordano Bruno Nationality: Italian Contribution: proposed that the stars were just distant suns surrounded by their own exoplanets and raised the possibility that these planets could even foster life of their own , the universe is in fact infinite and could have no celestial body at its center, burned at the stake in Rome on February 19, 1600 for belief in heliocentric theory and other ideas 1600 AD Name : Tycho Brahe Nationality: Danish Contribution: improved observational methods; used triangulation in 1589 to determine distance to island. 1700 AD Name : Newton Nationality: British Contribution: theory of gravitation; predicted Earth should be oblate 1800 AD Name : Foucault Nationality: French Contribution: gyroscope; pendulum; demonstrated Earth spins on axis. 1900 AD Name : Einstein Nationality: German Contribution: General Theory of Relativity; concept of gravity as the geometry of space-time Provide a brief description of each of the following international geodetic organizations. At a minimum, include their website and why they are important. [8 points] International Federation of Surveyors(FIG) This international organization was established in 1878 with the aim to ensure that surveying disciplines and all those associated with surveying meet the needs of the markets and communities. This organization represents the interest of worldwide surveyors which provides an international forum for discussion and professional development. Currently, it represents more than 120 countries The vision of FIG is A modern and sustainable surveying profession in support of society, environment and economy by providing innovative, reliable and best practice solutions to our rapidly changing and complex world, acting with integrity and confidence about the usefulness of surveying, and translating these words into action. Website: www.fig.net International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics(IUGG) This international organization is dedicated to the promotion and coordination of scientific studies of earth which includes physical, chemical and mathematics study and its environment in space which includes shape, dynamics, gravity, and magnetic fields, tectonic and earthquakes etc. It was established in 1919 and is one of the 32 scientific union within International Council for Science. Website: http://www.iugg.org International Association of Geodesy(IAG) This promotes scientific cooperation and research in geodesy on a global scale. It is one of the active member of IUGG which is one of the 32 scientific union within international council for science. The mission of the Association is the advancement of geodesy. Website: http://www.iag-aig.org International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems andReference Systems Service(IERS) This international organization was established in 1987 by the international Astronomical union and the international union of Geodesy and geophysics. It was renamed to International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service in 2003.The objectives of the IERS are to serve astronomical, geodetic, and geophysical communities by providing standards, constants and models, geophysical data to interpret time /space variation, earth orientation parameters required to study earth orientation variation, and international Celestial Reference System and international Terrestrial reference system. Website: https://www.iers.org Read an article from a geodesy journal that you find interesting and provide a one to two paragraph summary of the article including a proper reference and citations. Upload a PDF of the original article to the assignment #1 drop box. [24 points] The recent discoveries of many other earth like exoplanets have raised a question about Earth being only living planet in the universe. Are there any other planets which are suitable for life to start? The requirement of life on any planet is water. Living organism cannot exist without water. Pressure and temperature on the planet should be in a specific range to get the liquid water. Pressure must be significantly higher and the temperature should be between freezing and boiling point. This condition is much more impossible in other existing planets or yet to be discovered. Various classes of habitable planets are classified where class I habitats represents Earth like planet where stellar and geophysical conditions allow water and sunlight to be available. Class II habitats do not have ability to sustain liquid water on their surface due to geophysical conditions, e.g. Mars and Venus. Class III habitats are planet where water exists below the surface which Interact directly with si licate-rich core. The interaction of silicate and hydrothermal activities are assumed to be very important for the origin of life in such planets, e.g. Europa and one of Jupiters satellites. And class IV habitats are very rich in water with oceans lying above a solid ice layer. The oceans are thought to be enclosed between ice layers where the possibility of life is very thin. The other condition to be a habitable planet is being at the right distance from a star and having the right atmosphere. It must have an atmosphere which keeps the pressure and temperature in the right range. However, the experience of mankind is not yet sufficient to estimate the nature and habitual conditions of many others planets. The Earth, in the other hand has a combination of favorable conditions among other planets for the life. It will be possible in the future to learn more about the exoplanets atmosphere because of the projects like earth-based telescopic observations, the James Webb Space telescop e. However, discovering and characterizing the atmosphere of habitable planets will remain challenging. (Forget, 2013) Reference Forget, F. (2013, July). On the probability of habitable planets. International Journal of Astrobiology, 12(3), 177-185. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550413000128

The Role of Friar Lawrence in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Es

The Role of Friar Lawrence in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet When we first meet Friar Lawrence (à Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã‚ ·), he appears to be picking flowers and herbs. He shows us he has a deeper understanding of the characteristics of herbs and how everything has a good and bad side: Ââ€Å"Within the infant rind of this weak flower Poison hath residence and medecine power.† This also relates to the families of Romeo and Juliet. It dramatically hints about the bad things to come such as the death of one of the family members. The audience develops the idea of Friar Lawrence acting as a father to Romeo: Ââ€Å"Good morrow, father.† The noun ‘fatherÂ’ indicates how close the relationship between them is and how he goes beyond his role of being a Friar. I think that this isnÂ’t right act of Friar and it might lead to trouble. He also seems to be able to judge people: Ââ€Å"Our Romeo hath not been in bed to-night.† This makes the Friar seem to have special abilities, which may help in later events. I think that Friar Lawrence is not to blame, this far into the play because he is acting out of his own good will. When Romeo tells Friar Lawrence about his love towards Juliet, he is shocked: Ââ€Å"Holy Saint Francis what a change is here!† In the same speech that he delivers this line, he changes his mind into thinking it is a good idea: Ââ€Å"To turn your householdsÂ’ rancour to pure love.† The noun ‘rancourÂ’ shows how much the two families loathe each other. We get the impression that Friar Lawrence is naÃÆ' ¯ve and that his plans are spontaneous. He is not aware of the consequences of marrying Romeo and Juliet. We also see... ... the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet: Ââ€Å"I am the greatest able to do least, Yet most suspected, as the time and place Doth make against me, of this direful murder; And here I stand, both to impeach and purge, Myself condemned and myself excused.† He pleads guilty but at the same time innocent. We think that he tries to make the Prince feel sorry for him and it works in the end: Ââ€Å"We have still known thee for a holy man.† Overall we see that the play rotates around Friar Lawrence and that he is an agent of the drama. From my point of view, I think that Friar Lawrence is to blame because despite his honorable intentions, he could have done something to stop the tragedy from happening. Friar LawrenceÂ’s character changes dramatically as well as his use of language and dramatic significance.

Leeming’s Monomyth in Regards to Apocalypse Now

John Jarvis Mythology 211 October 1, 2012 Apocalypse Now Redux: Symbolically Mythology Nothing affixes attention, especially in literature and cinematic entertainment, more readily than a hero. Heroes and their journeys are the central focuses in many famous stories, either ancient or modern. The idea of the journey of a hero and their triumph is referred to as a monomyth, and there are a few approaches to determining if a story is or is not a monomyth. In his book Mythology: The Voyage of a Hero, David Adams Leeming proposes a method that involves eight steps or phases that coincide with the life and journey of the hero.Many of our culture’s most revered and acclaimed movies fit the description of a monomyth, including Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now Redux. The entire movie takes place during the Vietnam War and depicts the hero, Army Special Operations Captain Willard, on his quest up a river to kill a psychotic Army officer, Colonel Kurtz. Francis Ford Coppolaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Apocalypse Now Redux coincides with David Adams Leeming’s method of a monomyth because Captain Willard symbolically undergoes every aspect of Leeming’s eight part process.Leeming’s system first starts off with the birth of the hero, and the first scene of the movie corresponds to this point perfectly. The scene begins with Captain Willard in a hotel drinking heavily, and he eventually makes a very gloomy aside. In his aside, Willard states that he is back in Vietnam and that when he is back in America he can’t stand the fact that he is not in Vietnam. Willard notions to the fact that now that he is back he feels like he has a purpose, and it becomes apparent to the audience that the war has consumed Willard’s life.Near the end of the hotel scene, two NCOs find Willard in an extremely drunken state and wash him in the shower in order to make him presentable enough to receive his next mission. While Willard is not literally being born, the a ct of the NCO’s washing him and making him new so that he can go back to performing secret missions, in a sense his life, is symbolic of birth or in some ways rebirth. Now that the hero has been born, the next phase in Leeming’s method is that the hero is made aware of greater forces, usually those which the hero will eventually face.The segment in the movie that relates to this point occurs immediately after the hotel scene, when Captain Willard is briefed about his mission by a few higher ranking military officers. The officers inform Willard that his mission is to kill a rogue and mentally unstable special operations officer, Colonel Kurtz. Colonel Kurtz was once a highly decorated and respected officer, but the briefing officers inform Willard that Kurtz is now acting on his own accord killing at will with an army of people following him who worship him like a god.By the end of the briefing, Willard is made aware of the greater force that he must face. After the he ro is made aware of greater forces, Leeming notes that the hero withdrawals for a period of time to prepare to face the greater force. A little while after the briefing, Captain Willard boards a boat and orders the crew to take him up river. Willard takes time to reflect, in the form of another internal aside, upon his mission in the time before he and the crew run in to anything on the river.Willard shows his concern for the rather novice and oblivious boat crew. He also wonders about what exactly he will encounter on the river, what he will find out about Colonel Kurtz when he finds him, and what Willard will ultimately find out about himself. Following the hero’s preparation to endure their quest, the next step is for the hero to embark on their journey. On this journey, a hero typically displays traits that affirm that he or she is in fact a hero. Likewise, Captain Willard exhibits several examples that affirm his heroic demeanor.An instance where Willard shows that he ha s concern for his subordinates, the boat crew, occurs when he trades supplies at an outpost so that the boat crew can have a few hours with a couple of playboy bunnies that are stranded at the outpost. Another example of Willard’s concern for his men happens when they encounter a French plantation further down the river. One of the members of the boat crew had been killed, and Willard requested the permission to bury him on the plantation. Willard also illustrates the concept of putting the mission first when the boat crew, against Willard’s orders, searches a Vietnamese shanty boat.The crew mistakenly fires on the innocent Vietnamese civilians on the boat, which leaves one of the civilians alive. Rather than he and the crew having to deal with the well-being of the civilian, Willard kills her and tells his men that they should have listened. Once the hero has undergone the main leg of their journey, Leeming states that the hero experiences a symbolic death. Captain Wi llard experiences this symbolic death when he and the crew arrive at Colonel Kurtz’s compound. They are immediately over whelmed by the vast number of followers Kurtz has brain washed, the most of whom being an American reporter.In another aside, Willard constantly uses words and phrases to make the compound seem extremely horrific and hell-like. Willard also realizes that the only reason that he and the crew have not been over whelmed and killed is because Kurtz wants him alive, but Willard makes comments to suggest that he is already dead internally. When the reporter takes Willard to meet Kurtz, he tells one member of the crew who stays on the boat to call in an airstrike on the compound if he is not back within a certain amount of time. The next step in Leeming’s process, after the symbolic death of the hero, is the hero confronts death while in the underworld.Captain Willard’s first meeting with Colonel Kurtz represents this point very well, with Kurtz embo dying the force of death. Kurtz informs Willard that he has been expecting someone like him and asks Willard why he has been sent. Willard tells Kurtz that it is because Kurtz has gone completely insane, a fact that Willard backs up. Kurtz then states that Willard is insignificant and imprisons him. While Willard is imprisoned, Kurtz throws the head of the crew member who was to call in the airstrike on Willard’s lap, showing that Willard is truly helpless.Leeming notes that after the hero has confronted death in the underworld, the hero experiences a rebirth and a passing on of knowledge. This passing on of knowledge occurs after Captain Willard’s first meeting with Colonel Kurtz. The brain washed reporter visits Willard while he is imprisoned and states that the reason Kurtz is keeping Willard alive is because the reporter believes Kurtz is sick of being praised as a false idol and is internally dying himself. The reporter says that after Kurtz is dead that Willard w ill be the one to tell the world what happened at the compound.This encounter is what relights Willard’s internal fire, in a way resurrecting him from the symbolic hell he was in. Willard gains highly significant knowledge in his prolonged second meeting with Kurtz, in which an internal strife builds inside Willard because he begins to harbor affinity for Kurtz. In the meeting, Kurtz explains his position on war and how it should be carried out. Kurtz states that a perfect soldier is moral, but knows when to at times forget his moralistic views and use his primordial instincts to discern what the right course of action is.However, Kurtz notes that common soldiers do not operate in such a way which is their downfall. Willard, eve concludes that he must operate on these instincts if he is to conquer Kurtz. The final stage of Leeming’s model to prove a hero, occurring after the hero’s rebirth and a passing on of knowledge, is the hero ascends from the earth and esc apes the cycle of the world. With the compound in this case symbolizing earth and the war representing the cycle from which Captain Willard will escape.Willard reaches these ends by letting his instincts take control, killing Kurtz at the same time Kurtz’s followers are sacrificing a bull in Kurtz’s honor. Willard then boards the boat and escapes with the one remaining crew member. Even though Willard had grown to in a way admire Kurtz towards the end, Willard implemented what he had learned by operating off his natural instincts he was able to make the right choice. The notion that Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now Redux is a modern day monomyth is bolstered by the fact that Captain Willard symbolically experiences every phase in David Adams Leeming’s method of defining a monomyth.Even though Apocalypse Now Redux is a work of fiction, the concept of basing a story around a heroic figure is a staple of literature in our culture. Real people who act in a heroic manner will continue to inspire such stories. Hopefully, society will never see the day where stories based around heroes cease to be written; because that would mean that the people who inspire those tales will have disappeared. Works Cited Apocalypse Now Redux. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall. 1979. Miramax Films, 2001. Film.

Dancing essays

Dancing essays When I look back through my old family photo albums, I find it difficult to recall much more than what is pictured in their pages. The dated clothing, the people, the locations... all of these are quite visible, and therefore appear memorable, but the fact is, without the visual prompt, I probably wouldn't recollect many of the pictured events at all. Things that made no major impact on my life remain simple illustrations in the back of my mind or images in the album tucked away in the back of an unused closet. Looking at a picture of my fifth birthday party, I can see who was there, what the cake looked like, the gifts I received, but I can't remember much else. Other times in my childhood I remember rather vividly, however. It's funny how memory is selective like that, how certain things can be completely retold down to every last detail. Often, however, a simple prompt can trigger an outpouring of memories that may have otherwise remained hidden deep in the mind. A sight, a sound, perhaps a smell...all of these things can trigger a deluge of retrospection. We have a home movie of this party...it is grainy and of short duration, but it's a great visual aid to my memory of life at that time. And it is in color - the only complete scene in color I can recall from those years. -Judith Ortiz Cofer, "Silent Dancing" In her book "Silent Dancing," Cofer recounts the memories of her childhood induced while watching this short piece of film. Each scene brought about more memories, as colors and scents of the past were relived through it. Because the film was silent, however, those parts of the past had to be made up...explored by her. When I think of the things that remind me of my childhood and development, one scene in particular stands out. I experienced more learning and exploration on the playground at age eight than any other time I can recall in my life. The many things I learned st...

The Pledge of Allegiance essays

The Pledge of Allegiance essays Recently there has been controversy over whether or not the Pledge of Allegiance should be recited in public schools. People may ask where this controversy originates. It comes from the fact that most school teachers are liberals and liberal views are generally very strong, sometimes almost arrogant. They want to change things to increase personal freedom and tolerance, and are willing to empower government until they reach their goals. Liberals want to help individuals take more control over their own lives and they are secure in their beliefs. If you stop and think about it, these views relate to the question in many ways. The boundary of personal freedom is crossed when you coerce someone to participate in an act such as this. In 1943 there was a court case, West Virginia State Board of Education vs. Barnette and after that case the Supreme Court now prohibits public schools from requiring students to pledge the flag. This case came about when Jehovahs Witnesses decided that their religion forbids them from saluting the flag and standing, in a way, still showed support. Once this was brought to court it was decided that the government may not require them to salute it or even stand for the salute if they didnt believe in it. Well, now that you hear one side of it, let me give you my views. I feel that with our country under attack people should be doing everything they can to show patriotism. A month after the attack, October 11, there was an idea that every school across the nation should salute the flag at 2 oclock, needless to say there were two school districts that prohibited their schools from participating due to students religious beliefs. What about that 90% of students whose religious beliefs are in God and in their country? Is it fair for them not to be able to participate? The whole controversy is over the addition of under God which was added ...

Bilingual Education in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bilingual Education in America - Essay Example For the students who speak only a minority language, or are limited-English-proficient (LEP), bilingual education is not an optional luxury. It is a necessity required to access an acceptable education. Bilingual education is not a recent development in America. As early as 1839 Ohio enacted a German-English program to teach immigrant students (History of Bilingual Education). The political shifts of the 20th century greatly curtailed bilingual efforts and recent political views against it have cast the issue back into the spotlight. Proponents of an English only system have pointed to the fears of losing our national identity and that speaking English makes you American. This approach has led to the sink or swim approach to educating our youngest students. Though these objections may be raised with good intentions, the long-term effect for the student and society is harmful and the cost is high. Students need to be assimilated into our language as well as our society. With a bilingual program, students are taught the desired English, yet have the chance to also explore other subjects in their native tongue. This keeps the student on pace and the additional knowledge also aids in the learning of English (Crawford, 1998).

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Research Paper Example Furthermore, the paper will also provide my own viewpoint regarding a positive relationship between the people of Middle East and the USA. After reading different course books, study material, and presentations on the topic I am glad to say that I have a complete different perspective regarding the Middle East. My pool of knowledge has increased through the videos I have watched and the news I have read as a part of the course. Initially, I did not have a clear understanding regarding the entire Middle East. I was familiar with only chief countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and U.A.E. etc., however, it was because of this course that I am able to understand the inside stories of various countries in Middle East, which I did not know. Moreover, it has also allowed me to observe things from a neutral perspective. The environment of Middle East is usually hot, dry, and humid. There are vast deserts in the region encompassing hundreds of kilometers. This does not let irrigation or agricu lture in most of the Middle Eastern countries. However, it came to my knowledge that regardless of this extreme dry weather, the region produces date palms and olives in large quantities. Both these commodities are the chief intake for many within the Middle East. Moreover, the oil reservoirs in the Arab countries surpass the oil reserves of any other region in the world1. This, however, is a bit frightening as various conflicts are present over the issue of oil reserves in the Middle East. Iran, Iraq, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE, etc are all major exporters of oil to the international markets and member of OPEC2. It is through the export of oil to the rest of the world particularly the West that the countries are able to meet their economic needs. Sadly, the war, which started between America and some member countries of the Middle East, has given rise to various issues. The war led by America in the name of war against terrorism has killed as many as 1000,000 Iraqi s so far since 2003 and has also destroyed various cities and oil reserves of the region3. It is not appropriate for me at this stage to decide whether it is the war against terrorism or to conquer the extensive oil reserves. It was indeed sad for me to know that the conflict started after the issue of 9/11 in which thousands of US citizens along with others were killed. 5 Guantanamo detainees claimed the attack. They held themselves responsible for the attack saying that it was a response to the support of US for Israel4. The Middle Eastern particularly the Palestinians have suffered a lot because of the wars that are led by Israel. The Jews always had issues with the Muslims and so did the Muslims with Jews. This gave rise to various conflicts inside and outside the Middle East. Many did not appreciate the support of US for Israel. Islam is the major religion that is practiced in the Middle Eastern countries as per the guidelines given to them through the Quran. The Jews are consi dered as anti-Muslim element. They have always tried to lower the esteem of Muslims through different wars, conflicts and debates. In my perspective, this is huge cycle in which all issues are interconnected to each other in one way or another5. According to my critical thinking, the reason behind the rise of these issues is the conflict between Israel and