Gods and Goddesses of Norse Mythology

When Ymir lived long agoWas no sand or sea, no surging waves.Nowhere was there earth nor heaven above.Bur a grinning gap and grass nowhere.- Và ¶luspà ¡-The Song of the Sybil Although we know a little from observations made by Tacitus and Caesar, most of what we know of Norse mythology comes from Christian times, beginning with the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson (c.1179-1241). Not only does this mean the myths and legends were written after the period when they were routinely believed, but Snorri, as is to be expected, occasionally intrudes his non-pagan, Christian worldview. Types of Gods The Norse gods are divided into 2 major groups, the Aesir and Vanir, plus the giants, who came first. Some believe the Vanir gods represent an older pantheon of the indigenous people whom the invading Indo-Europeans encountered. In the end, the Aesir, the newcomers, overcame and assimilated the Vanir. Georges Dumezil (1898-1986) thought the pantheon reflected the typical pattern of Indo-European gods where different divine factions hold different societal functions: military,religious, andeconomic. Tyr is the warrior god; Odin and Thor divide the functions of the religious and secular leaders and the Vanir are the producers. Norse Gods and Goddesses - Vanir Njà ¶rdFreyrFreyjaNannaSkadeSvipdag or HermoNorse Gods and Goddesses - Aesir OdinFriggThorTyrLokiHeimdallUllSifBragiIdunBalderVeViliVidarHà ¶dMirmirForsetiAegirRanHel The Gods Home Norse gods dont live on Mt. Olympus, but their abode is separate from that of humans. The world is a circular disk, in the center of which is a concentric circle surrounded by sea. This central portion is Midgard (Mià °garà °r), the home of mankind. Across the sea is the home of the giants, Jotunheim, also known as Utgard. The gods home lies above Midgard in Asgard (à sgarà °r). Hel lies below Midgard in Niflheim. Snorri Sturluson says Asgard is in the middle of Midgard because, in his Christianization of the myths, he believed the gods were only ancient kings worshiped after the fact as gods. Other accounts place Asgard across a rainbow bridge from Midgard. 9 Worlds of Norse Mythology The Gods Death The Norse gods are not immortal in the normal sense. In the end, they and the world will be destroyed because of the actions of the evil or mischievous god Loki who, for now, endures Promethean  chains. Loki is the son or brother of Odin, but only through adoption. In reality, he is a giant (Jotnar), one of the sworn enemies of the Aesir. It is the Jotnar who will find the gods at Ragnarok and bring about the end of the world. Norse Mythology Resources Individual Norse Gods and Goddesses Next page  Ã‚  Creation of the World   Page 1,  2

An Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s Life - 1497 Words

Live with an Author Framework Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, on January 19th, 1809 and was best known as a writer of dark poetry and short stories. Poe had an interesting and somewhat tragic upbringing , he was orphaned as a young child and then raised by an affluent couple called John and Frances Allan from Richmond, Virginia. Poe spent 5 years in England as a young child and studied different languages , however his university career was short lived as his father would not pay for his schooling. Poe’s troubled life continued when he tried to rebuild his relationship with his father after some time in the army , however again his father s refusal to give him†¦show more content†¦Edgar Allan Poe’s work contains many references to death and tragic circumstances. Poe uses dark comedy and romance also which seems to express his personal struggles in his life using symbolism and allegory . In the poem The Raven, Poe describes someone who is alone and very fearful and has recently lost someone, which can be related to Poe’s personal loss and loneliness. The Raven highlights struggles with fear and how it can amplify a simple noise like a knock on the door into something more sinister. â€Å"Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning.† (31). The narrator in the story very paranoid, to the point where he actually feels like his soul is on fire and becomes too paranoid to go back to sleep.His paranoia is connected to his fear of being alone in the darkness. In the Cask of Amontillado, Poe tells the story of the narrator’s plan to kill Fortunato in a very calculated way. The story described a lot of hatred and tension between the characters and is filled with irony that is apparent to the reader but not to Fortunato.An example of this being a quote from the middle of the story when Fortunato says â€Å"I shall not die of a cough. † â€Å"True – true,† I replied.† (37-38).The narrator jokingly agrees with him while knowing Fortunato will die of something else. The reader can see this and this builds more tension between both the narrator and Fortunato and the reader and Fortunato. Poe was writing about

6 C’s of Communication Free Essays

Challenge Statement Kindergarten students should transition from books that offer chants, songs and memorized text to books that offer an opportunity to build decoding skills, sight vocabulary and slightly more difficult text. Instructional/Learning model specified Six C’s of Motivation will be used to expose the kindergarteners to diverse types of literature and to encourage a love of reading through the use of the Georgia Picture Storybook Award winners and nominees for the award. Explanation of Instructional/Learning model Students have been given the basic letters and letter sounds to learn with no choice. We will write a custom essay sample on 6 C’s of Communication or any similar topic only for you Order Now Now is the next step of turning the students into motivated readers. The 6 C’s of Motivation will be the ideal theory to put into practice with this next step. Choice – Giving the students a more challenging selection of books such as the Georgia Picture Storybooks award winners and nominees demands a large next step in enthusiasm from the student. A major reason for the program is to get students involved in reading without creating a scenario where failure seems inevitable. Students strive to meet a reading/learning challenge. Adding the next level of books to the classroom reading time and leisure time will help the students to focus on this reading goal. Challenge – Students strive to meet a reading/learning challenge. Adding the next level of books to the classroom reading time and leisure time will help the students to focus on their next reading goal. Control – When students are given a wide selection, and control over what topic of book to read then they feel like they have ownership in their task. If the topic of the book is interesting to them then they will be motivated to read and learn the new words. Collaboration – The kindergarteners enjoy their Book Buddy (5th grade students) time. Book Buddies will come in and select a book with their apprentice and take turns reading it to each other and discussing what is going on in the story. Constructive Meaning – If the MKO (Book Buddy/parent/teacher) shows an interest in the new level of reading books and find meaning in what is written then the student will also find meaning n the words, sentences and story. The student finds value in being able to read the story and find that others value what the students is reading to them. They need to be given an opportunity to write and speak what the story was about. Consequences – Students will be given the opportunity to share with their Book Buddy class the story that was read together. These opportunities to share what they read will include pictures and written text that summarizes the story. The event will conclude with an ice cream party. When students become motivated, they choose to practice reading books that are more and more challenging. The six C’s of Motivation provides six concepts that could be applied to encourage the development of intrinsic student motivation. As they continue to improve, they become even more excited about improving their reading skills. This process repeats itself while teachers, parents, and book buddies (MKO) praise the kids on their progress. The Six C’s of Motivation is the best choice of theories to use in this type of reading development. How to cite 6 C’s of Communication, Essay examples

Difference Between Digital and Traditional Painting Essay Example For Students

Difference Between Digital and Traditional Painting Essay Drawing, composition and abstraction and other aesthetics may serve to manifest the expressive and conceptual intention Of the practitioner. Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in a still life or painting, photographic and abstract) be loaded With narrative content, symbolism and emotion or be lattice in nature. 10 Most Popular Modern Painting Styles Abstract Art- Abstract expressionism paintings are emotionally intense and spontaneously created by the artist. It is often synonymous with action or gesture paintings that have an anarchic and rebellious feel. There is tension and high drama in their composition. Surrealism- Surrealism is a modern painting style that juxtaposes various images together to give a startling effect. The images in these paintings are often illogical and have a dream-like quality about them. Surrealist paintings emphasize the subconscious. Conceptual Art- is a modern art style where the artist believes that concept is more important than artwork Many conceptual artists believed that while they conceived the work, it is completed by the viewer. We will write a custom essay on Difference Between Digital and Traditional Painting specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Pop Art- Pop Art paintings occurred as a reaction to abstract expressionism, which mid-asses British artists believed was art that was far-removed from daily life. Pop Art revolved around mundane subjects like comic books, advertising, celebrities, and other objects found in the everyday. It was a return to realism and representation in art. Photorealism. From the name itself, a photorealism painting is one that looks as legalistic as a photograph, This is done by taking a picture of the subject and then painting it. Photorealism is an art movement influenced by pop art, and it ran counter as a reaction to abstract expressionism, Unlike abstract art or conceptual art, photorealism painting has to be done by an artist who possesses advanced technical ability to capture the realism of the photograph onto canvas. Hyperthermia- Hyperthermia is an advancement of the photorealism art movement. Artists use high-resolution cameras to take photographs and paint them on canvas. Compared to photorealism, however, hyperthermia paintings eve exaggerated shadows and inanimate objects display lifelikeness, even though they do not normally possess these qualities. Hyperthermia focuses on a false super reality. Minimalism- Minimalism is an art movement that is, as expected, characterized by simplicity. Minimalist Paintings strip down the subject to its very essence. Instead of energy-filled self-expression as is the hallmark of abstract expressionism, minimalist art, on the other hand, paints only what the artist believes is necessary. Futurism- Futurism is a painting style that concerns itself with subjects like the genealogy, speed, violence, and the future of the world. It concerns itself with the depiction of mans triumph over nature. This movement rejects the establishment and praises originality. To recreate this level of emotional dynamism on canvas, futurist painting adopted the cubist style of painting where they deconstruct subjects into geometric figures to show movement. Impressionism- is one of the earliest modern painting styles that originated in Paris, Prance It is characterized by thin brushstrokes and an emphasis on the depiction of light. Impressionist artists often painted outdoors to capture unlighted and color of their subjects. In the asses, impressionist painting were considered radical because they did not paint according to the rules. Modern Impressionism- is an art movement that occurred sometime after impressionism. While impressionism retains a somewhat realistic representation of the subjects, modern impressionist artists focus on strong color. Artists employing this style have wild brush strokes and highly simplified subjects. WHAT IS DIGITAL PAINTING? Digital painting is an emerging art form in which traditional painting techniques such as, watercolors, oil, impasto, etc. Are applied using digital tools by means t a computer and software, a graphics program offering a virtual canvas and painting box with a large amount of brushes, colors and other supplies. .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 , .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .postImageUrl , .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 , .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580:hover , .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580:visited , .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580:active { border:0!important; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580:active , .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580 .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uab73ada99db86e306baeaa7cf0cdd580:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: An analysis of Mark Rothko's EssayTheres a wide variety of software we can use to paint digitally. Here are some: Adobe Photos, Corer, Alias Sketchbook Pro, Open Canvas, Retrace, Gimp, and many more. Below are the criteria we used to compare digital painting software: Drawing Painting Features When you are considering purchasing a digital painting software program, you should give the greatest attention to the breadth Of drawing and painting features, as well as the quality of the software. The best painting software provides a variety Of artistic features that include color palettes and composition tools. Additionally, the best digital painting software provides outstanding customization tools. It can effectively mimic the appearance of brush strokes on a canvas and provide an assortment of surface texture options to help make your digital canvas more lifelike and visually appealing. Many applications also allow you to trace images, mix colors, and add text and annotations to your paintings. Brush Selection Digital painting software should provide a large variety of tools and brushes hat imitate both wet and dry techniques. We looked for wet paint tools such as watercolors, sponges, airbrushes and oils. Dry media tools should include pens, pencils, charcoal and chalk. Some of the best painting applications even allow you to combine and create brushes to achieve a desired effect. File Compatibility The works of art you create wont be of any value if you cant view and use them in other media formats. You need software that allows you to import a wide variety of file types to your canvases to help enhance your paintings. Additionally, applications that are compatible with common software such as Photos Will let you export images in a variety Of file types to ensure that you can utilize your completed projects without any trouble. Help Support Digital painting software, like other design. Intensive software, is complex, with a broad range of tools whose operation can range from the familiar to the complex. Manufacturers should provide a variety of help resources such as a FAQ section, knowledgeable, tutorials, user forum, user manual and other self-help options.

University of Phoenix Material Essays - Communication, Behavior

University of Phoenix Material Communication Process Complete the following table. Review the steps of the communication model on in Ch. 1 of Business Communication. (See Figure 1.3). Identify one personal or business communication scenario. Describe each step of that communication using your personal or business scenario. Use detailed paragraphs in the boxes provided. |Steps of communication |Personal or business scenario | |model | | |Sender has an idea. |Reconfigure a receiving room to fit all | | |essential equipment and stock. | |Sender encodes the idea |The sender organizes a meeting with store | |in a message. |manager to arrange reconfiguration with the | | |help of two other team members. | |Sender produces the |Sender holds meeting with manager and the two| |message in a medium. |other team members to discuss labor costs and| | |plans for reconfiguration of the receiving | | |room. | |Sender transmits message|Sender sends official email to all team | |through a channel. |members and manager about upcoming | | |reconfiguration of receiving area. | |Audience receives the |Manager and team members receive message via | |message. |secure work email. | |Audience decodes the |Managers and team members look through email | |message. |and study information provided by sender to | | |understand what the course of action will be | | |for reconfiguration proposal. | |Audience responds to the|The manager understands and responds to | |message. |message from sender effectively and | | |articulates what they think the message was | | |indicating and how to move forward with the | | |proposed idea. | |Audience provides |Manager and team members give positive | |feedback to the sender. |feedback to sender by showing enthusiasm in | | |person about the idea of reconfiguration of | | |the receiving area. | Additional Insight Discuss how mobile technology is changing the practice of business communication. Define ethical communication. In the digital age, explain how the widespread use of social media has increased the attention given to the issue of transparency. Communication Process Worksheet Ashley Natusch COM/295 06/12/2017 Glenn Shivers Communications Process Describe how mobile technology is changing the practice of business communication. The rapid, constant change in mobile technology has had an impressive impact on the way businesses operate on a daily basis not only with their customers, but also each other and other business partners as well. Businesses, small and large can do business all over the country and the globe with little to no issue all due to laptops, smartphones, and tablets connected by wireless networks. All of these recent advancements in technology drive the demand for enhanced wireless connections that are faster, more dependable, and safer than ever before. The U.S. wireless industry is worth an estimated $195.5 billion, which is more than other major industries like motor vehicle manufacturing and motion pictures. The wireless industry is booming in response to our need for wireless connectivity in business, as well as our personal lives. According to Green Mountain Communications "There were the following percentages of American adults having or owning these different mobile devices: 90% have a cell phone; 58% have a smartphone; 32% own an e-reader; and 42% own a tablet computer". While tablets and e-readers are still on the rise, it is evident that cell phones, and now smart phones, have become an integral part of our lives and the way we conduct business on a day-to-day basis. "It is forecasted that by 2015 smartphones will be used by 81% of cell phones users", according to Green Mountain Communications. Define Ethical Communication Ethical Communication refers to the moral aspects of group interaction. This type of communication enhances the human worth and dignity by fostering and providing truthfulness, fairness, responsibility and personal integrity for the respect of one's self and others. In small groups ethical communication all members need to take responsibility towards themselves and the other members. Expression and the freedom to use it wisely and responsible decision making play an important part of communication through ethics as well. Understanding others feelings and values or questions and answers can be important as well. Being a team player either in large groups or small can make conversations and emotions throughout the group run smoothly and prevent any conflict that may arise. Explain how the widespread use of social media has increased the attention given to the issue of transparency. This concern regarding the increase on the issue of transparency and social media has increasingly gained attention with the nation and even the government since whistleblower Edward Snowden leaked secret NSA files in 2013. The rise of social media has everyone on edge as to

Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay Example

Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay Example Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay You already have your bachelor’s degree, but more training would make you more competitive. In this ever-changing market, every advantage counts. If it’s time to advance your career and increase stability, an online MBA can provide you the edge you need. Going to school via an online university degree program is a little different than the traditional experience. Still, there are some distinct advantages to taking this route. In fact, many of the differences are also seen as strengths for this type of program. If you’re interested in an online MBA program, you’ll discover these differences between a typical classroom and learning from the comfort of your own home or office: More individualized attention – While online degree programs can vary in their structure, in most cases, students enjoy a more personalized relationship with their instructors. This can greatly benefit returning students who are intimidated by the size of traditional classrooms. Plus, it can be a real boon for those who prefer to work at their own pace and on their own level. In many cases, this type of learning opportunity enables students to spend more time on topics that they find difficult while gaining the benefit of assistance from a professor. Greater convenience – Getting an online MBA means enjoying a tremendous amount of flexibility. This can be very important for students who are currently employed and would like to stay that way. Online MBA classes are much easier to work around a schedule than classroom-bound programs. While online MBA programs used to be offered by schools that no one had ever heard of, this is no longer the case. Private and public universities all over the country are expanding their offerings to the online world. As this happens, the prestige of online degree programs is rising rapidly. When it’s time to go back to college to better secure the future, online programs can make a difference. Although this style of learning is different than the traditional, it does offer its own advantages.

Who Am I Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Who Am I - Essay Example Having listened to their experiences, I used to feel so lonely when I realized I was alone. My family only had me and my two parents. There was no 4th individual in our family. I always used to wish I could expect a sibling if I did not have one. I wished I had a brother with whom I could fight or a sister that I could take care of. But why I never had them, I did not know. Occasionally, I would speak of my loneliness to my parents. In turn, they would console me and get me distracted one way or another. One day we had a gathering at our home. All of my cousins were there. Elders were all busy gossiping in the living room. I was in my room with my cousins. One cousin of mine, Stuart, was quite older than me in age. I was showing him my rackets. He said to me, â€Å"Who do you play with when you are at home?† I said, â€Å"Mummy or daddy, depends on who is available.† I added, â€Å"At times, I play against the wall.† He said, â€Å"Do you know why are you alone?† I thought he was close to giving me the answer I was longing to listen. So I expressed my interest in knowing what he was about to tell me. He said to me, â€Å"Alan, you are an adopted child.† I felt like I was electrocuted. It felt like someone had buried half of me into the earth and was hammering on my top to insert the other half. I was stunned and shocked. Five years have passed since then and I still do not know why he did that to me. Of all the people in the world, why would he do this to me? Of all the things in the world, why would he say that to me? These are the questions I have been asking myself ever-since that happened. But I could still find no answer to my own queries. My world changed from that day onwards. I did not believe Stuart in the start.

Testing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Testing - Research Paper Example Test methods include, but are not restricted to, the process of using an application or program with the aim of finding software errors, bugs or other defects (Humble & Farley, 2010). Testing begins the same time as the system design. Test groundwork is carried out by a unique group to make sure that each and every element is correctly handled. Unit test is managed by the programmer who creates the code. Every programmer tests their own code. Any bug found is rectified by the programmer, and the programs are reevaluated till clean (Humble & Farley, 2010). When testing has been done to all the programs, and no error has been found, the test begins. The division of debugging from testing was originally introduced, in 1979, by Glenford Myers (Ammann & Offutt, 2008). Even if, his goal was on breakage testing ("an effective test is one that locates a bug") it demonstrates the need of the software engineering society to divide fundamental development actions, such as repairing, from that o f authentication. Concerning the periods and the diverse objectives in software testing, diverse roles have been set: manager, test lead, test designer, test analyst, tester, test administrator and automation developer. Ammann & Offutt (2008) classified the goals and phases in software testing in the following stages: Debugging oriented (1956) Demonstration oriented (1957–1978) Destruction oriented (1979–1982) Evaluation oriented (1983–1987) Prevention oriented (1988–2000) How Testing is Controlled Test control can be considered as the test management tasks needed throughout the test procedure so as to keep the testing aligned to the software development procedure, the requirements of the project, and the requirements of the firm wanting to use the software (Miller, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2004). These tasks take place as stipulated, based on the decision of the test manager, as well as other associates of the project team, and can also occur on a premeditated basis (Miller, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2004). Testing is controlled by ensuring that Software Quality Control is set up. Software Quality Control refers to a set of protocols used by companies to make sure that a software product will fulfill its quality objectives at the best value to the client, and frequently to improve the firm’s capacity to produce more software products in the future. Software quality controls are specified requirements, both functional and non-functional, such as supportability, usability and performance (Cangussu, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2002). It also refers to the capacity for software to perform effectively in unpredictable scenarios and maintain a fairly low fault rate. These premeditated procedures and requirements bring about the idea of software testing, Validation and Verification It is different from software quality assurance, which incorporates reviews of the quality management system alongside a standard. While software quality control refers to contr ol or management of products, software quality assurance, on the other hand, is a control of processes. This function checks whether or not a software project follows its premeditated procedures and processes, and that the project brings out the anticipated internal and external products (output) (Miller, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2004). Managing Creativity When managing creativity with regards to software management, it is vital to differentiate two main viewpoints: activity-level (or task-level) analysis, as well as process-level analysis. The activity-level viewpoint pertains to the issues of how pockets of creativity are typified and how they can be endorsed (Sommerville, 2006). The process-level

Same sex couple SHOULD BE allowed to marry Essay

Same sex couple SHOULD BE allowed to marry - Essay Example Countries like Belgium, Netherlands and Canada give legal assistance to homosexual marriage. Above all as the same sex couples love each other and ready to live together it is their right to pursue their option (Filer, 2010). Denial of same sex marriage is offensive in anyway and many supportive aspects could be found in this regard. First of all being a homosexual or lesbian does not deny a person his or her citizenship. So, all the citizens of a nation should have equal rights. There should not be a division on the basis of their gender. As the heterosexual has the freedom to marry the person whom he or she loves the person who prefers same sex should also be allowed to marry the one whom he or she likes. The constitution of a country is written for all the citizens of that country and the denial of their rights is unjust on the part of the constitution. Government should not interfere in peoples’ private affairs and the denial of marriage to a certain segment of population is clear discrimination. Marriage should take place on the basis of the love between two persons and gender is not a determining factor of one’s love. It is the fundamental right of every citizen. As love is the main f actor of married life denial of union between two loving hearts just because of same sex is cruel and barbaric. People who stand against same sex marriage say that marriage is for procreation. But that is a wrong idea as marriage primarily aims at loving and caring of two persons. More over there are a number of heterosexual couples who do not procreate. There have been attempts to portrait gay as deviants and overturn their right to marry as per their will. Most probably religious are there behind it, especially the catholic. But one should bear in mind the fact that the constitution is written not exclusively for any particular religious group and it is not a religious document (Homosexuality and

Marketing Plan For Fragrance Direct Marketing Essay

Marketing Plan For Fragrance Direct Marketing Essay Fragrance Direct is a toiletries retailer who sells branded, discounted perfumes, aftershaves, cosmetics,hair care, skincare, cosmetics and beauty products. This report investigates and discusses the Fragrance Directs current marketing situation in an intensively competitive marketplace and to prepare an appropriate two-year marketing plan which could lead the company to increase its market share. The report was prepared after critically considering all marketing theories and tactics in context of Fragrance Direct like e-business strategies, product development, marketing decision making and organizational strategy, marketing segmentation and positioning, SOSTAC planning model etc. A projected budget was prepared and justified for the projected marketing plan. Marketing plan Regardless of types of business, any business needs a concrete marketing plan if they were to succeed. Brassington Pettit (2006) define, Marketing plan is a detailed, written statement specifying target markets, marketing programmes, responsibilities, timescales and resources to be used, within defined budgets. A two-year marketing plan is made for Fragrance Direct which could aim to help them to achieve a growth in market share. SOSTAC planning model Many approaches can be used to make a marketing plan. SOSTAC planning model is the one which includes all essential marketing plan and it is the most useful one. Here I used Smiths (1997, pp 32) SOSTAC planning model to make a two-year strategic marketing plan for Fragrance Direct: S- Situation Analysis (where are we now?) At present, direct selling businesses are booming due to increased home broadband services. The case suggests that Fragrance Direct is one of a number of specialist internet-based retailers at the moment. Their strength is they can sell products cheaper than any other competitors who trade through physical stores. According to their website, they are able to offer highly competitive prices and this is done by keeping overheads low. There is no shop, no middlemen as they supply their products directly to the customer ( Fragrance Direct, 2009). So the company is in a good shape and has the ability to grow even further. O-Objectives (where do we want to go?) Though the company has been growing rapidly but according to the case scenerio in order to achieve their medium-term growth targets they need a major push to broaden their customer base and increase market share. There is opportunity for the company to do that. So the key objectives Fragrance Directs management should adopt right now are to target new segment while maintaining existing products portfolio and develop new products for the targeted segments. This way they can manage to retain the present market share as well as there is possibility to increase their customer base with the help of launched products. S-Strategy (how do we want to go there?) Selecting the correct segment and correct proposition is the key to success. Kotler Armstrong (2006) point out that the market consists of many types of customers, products and need. The marketer has to determine which segments offer the best opportunity for achieving company objectives. Traditionally Fragrance Direct have not focused in male grooming audience yet although the case report suggests mens fragrace market is worth over 500 million US dollars and the demand is steadily increasing. So as an existing market player this the segment where Fragrance Direct should exploit if they want to increase their market share. Most of the existing toiletries market players targeted young man while the report indicates this segment is declining. On the other hand older segment is increasing so Fragrance Direct should target this segment with widen products base. Market segmentation is important for any company like Fragment Direct as it helps to target its marketing mix more closely and p recisely. T-Tactics (the details of strategy) Tactics tend to be short term and flexible, whereas strategy is longer term and more enduring. When strategy is agreed the next job for marketers to develop tactics. Smith Chaffey, (2005) hinted that E-marketing tactics focuses on deciding the optimum marketing mix (pp 338). Marketing mix The marketing mix concept is one of the core concepts for marketing. 7Ps framework for marketing has achieved high degree of acceptance. Armstrong Kotler (2007) define A marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market. Here, the 7Ps marketing mix tactic has been discussed in context of Fragrance direct: 1. Product: Products should be developed in accordance with customer demand and developed products should meet the need of targeted segment of the market. At present the male grooming product market is confined with aftershave fragrances and a limited range of hair care products. So there is scope to broaden the sell of different others new products like mens bath and body, mens skin care, mens sun care, mens accessory etc. as the demand is consistently increasing. 2. Price: When determining the price it is important to remember that whether customers are willing to pay the price or not; they have the ability or not. Wrong pricing could lead the market failure. According the companys website their one of the aims is To keep prices as low as possible to make high street shopping a thing of the past. However they are under intense compitition from traditional sellers lke chains of chemists (pharmacists, drugstore) and supermarket chains who have started selling health and beauty products thorough their physical stores as well as through internet and they are capable to offer cheaper price. So new products should be priced as cheap as as possible as a penetrating price while continue to offer existing cheap price for others products. 3. Place: The place is where customers buy the product. For Fragrance Direct place is internet from where customers by their products. Products must be delivered in right time, and in the right quantity in order to maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction. Fragrance Direct aims to make shopping online quick, easy and convenient and to provide an excellent level of customer service. They also aim to make their site fun, interesting with bargains and a range of products (Fragrance Direct, 2009). To mainten these services storage, inventories and distribution should be maintained appropriately. 4. Promotion: Through promotion activities a company delivers messages to its cusomers about the products, brands using variety of media and communication tools. Smith Chaffey (2005) suggests that the ten promotional mix (advertising, selling, sales promotion, PR, sponsorship, direct mail, exhibitions, merchandising, packing and word of mouth) -can be used to communicate or promote in the online or offline world (pp 54). Fragrance Direct should use all of these means to fulfill their mission-To be the first name you think of when buying fragrance and cosmetics on the internet. The case article suggests that male style magazines such as GQ, FHM and Loaded have huge impact on male in the UK so they should specially promote the site with those magazines. 5. People: We could assume the online business as service marketing. In service marketing people or staff is a very important part of marketing mix. The challenge for Fragrant Direct is to continue recruiting right people, train them and reward them appropriately. 6. Process: Process in a web-based company includes internal and external process as well as transactions, internal communications etc which are necessary to run a business. All processes have to be executed excellently to make the business a success. Fragrance Direct must keep an efficient process by keeping site updated to indicate if any number in stock changed, product specification, price change, dealing with customers e-mail enquiries, product dispatch etc. 7. Physical evidence: In an online business, the quality of the site is the physical evidence (Smith Chaffey; 2005, pp. 66). Normally customers buy intangible services from Fragrance Direct through their site so there is an amount of uncertainty in the process. So Fragrance Direct must ensure customers buying the services must meets acceptable standards of speed and ease of use. A- Action (or implementations-putting the plans to work) Smith Chaffey (2005) states that action stage reveals the details of tactics. Actions implement the tactics. Any kind of project action plan can be used like critical patch or Grant chart. Following is the Grant chart which reflects a two-year action plan for Fragrance Direct: Table 1. Grant chart for Fragrance Direct Activity April 2009 June 2009 July 2009 Dec 2009 Jan 2010 March 2010 April 2010 September 2010 Oct. 2010 Dec. 2010 Jan 2010 March 2011 Get approval for new product development Product development Build information/brochure Run banner campaign on website Offline press launch of new products Website update C- Control (measurement, monitoring, reviewing and modifying). In any marketing planning, details should be added about how the plan would be monitored, measured and controlled. If any components of the plan are not working it should be reviewed, modified if necessary even should be stopped. The following diagram shows a two-year Control system for Fragrance Direct: Table 2. Model of Control systems for Fragrance Direct (two-years) Quantified objectives Means of measuring Frequency of measurement (quarterly) Accountability Cost Action (Who needs to be alerted?) Building information/brochure June 2009 Marketing executive  £2000 Marketing executive à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sept. 2009 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Dec. 2009 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. March 2010 June 2010 Sept. 2010 Dec. 2009 March 2011 The 3Ms In any marketing plan all company resources required to be included. Smith Taylor (1997) state that the three resources, 3Ms, cover: 1. Men/Women (the human resources) Skilled professionals (men/women) need to brought in to make the organization run as well as existing human resources need to be retained with training, rewarding. However it was discussed before in the marketing mix people section. 2. Money (budget) 3. Minutes (time) These two points are discussed in the later section. Timeframe Any e-marketing plan must contain timescales, schedules and deadlines. It must take time for Fragrance Direct to analyze their recent market situation, targeting, segmentation, new product development, promotion campaign etc. So everything should be done according to timeframe as time seems often the most tight of the resources. Without a proper timeframe the marketing plan may get uncontrollable. There is a time frame for fragrance Direct: Table 3. Timeframe Activity Timing Market research 6 month Product development 3 month à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Projected budget An adequate budget is required in order to achieve the plan. Like any other retailer Fragrance Direct now have to face the tough competition from competitors. Retailers are cutting prices in a desperate bid to sell their goods. A research by Ramasesham (2000) found that even prices are cut to a level where extra sales are made at a tiny gross margin. At the same time retailers are facing cost rises which are in many cases higher than the rise in selling prices. The following projected budget is made according to Ramasesham (2000) research where he investigated from marketing budget how much money should be spent in different marketing activities e.g. 33% of total marketing budget should be spent for advertising and so on. Table 4. Projected marketing budget Item of Percentage of total marketing expenditure accounted for by item Advertising 33 Promotion 15 Personal selling 28 Storage 2 Order filling 4 Delivery 2 Clerical sales, accounting 5 General and administrative 5 Research 1 Credit 1 Others 4 Total 100 Recommendations conclusion Fragrance direct is a successful company who posseses the ability to offer products at great prices, whilst still concentrating on a high level of service. So it is possible for them to out perform their rival and increase market share if they have been able to follow a perfect strategic marketing plan. It is strongly recommended that they strictly follow the suggested two-year strategic marketing paln in accordane with tight controlling measures. It is also recommened that this is the time to concentratte on suggested marketing segment, penetrate the market with new developed products and apprppriate marketing mix. References Armstrong, G. Kotler, P. (2007) Marketing: An introduction. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Prentice Hall Brassington, F. Pettitt, S. (2006) Principles of Marketing. 4th edition. England: Pearson Education Limited Fragrance Direct (2009) About Us [online] http://www.fragrancedirect.co.uk/Customer-Services/About-Us/page/aboutus [accessed 9 April, 2009] Kotler, P. Armstrong, G. (2006) Principles of Marketing. 11th edition. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Prentice Hall Ramasesham, B. (2000) Research Note: Marketing Budgeting Practices of Retailers Retailers Marketing Budgeting. Smith, P. R. Chaffey, D. (2005) e Marketing eXcellence. 2nd edition. Oxford, England: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Smith, P. R. Taylor, J. (1997) Marketing Communications. 4th edition. London: Kogan Page

Computer Illiteracy :: Computer Illiteracy

Society is currently in a period of rapid technological change. Computers are becoming a household item as well as a highly advanced tool for most every workplace. The entire world is interlinked through the Internet and information is being transferred across the globe in a matter of seconds. Computers are getting smaller and quicker and the amount of information they can store is getting larger. In this information society that we are becoming, a new advanced form of literacy threatens to debilitate anyone who refuses to step into the computer age. Computer illiteracy endangers not only the individual but our nation’s economy. Whether you like it or not, computers are the new language and those who refuse to accept this will be left in the dust . Computer illiteracy must be addressed now or there will be a whole new population of specialized illiterates in America. There is no doubt that computers are firmly implanted in our nation’s daily existence. Everyday I use a computer at least once, either writing a paper, surfing the Internet or checking my e-mail. On a recent trip to the library to do research I was quickly escorted by a librarian to the variety of computer databases, which are the fastest and most current source of information I found a survey in Statistical Abstracts of the United States comparing students use of computers in kindergarten through college from 1984 to 1993. A total of 27.3% of students used computers in schools in 1984, while a total of 59.0% used computers in 1993. This shows a steady rise in scholastic computer use and these figures are probably greatly inflated by now in 1997. Sadly, many people refuse to face the onslaught of computer technology. A 1994 survey conducted by Dell Computers indicated the 55% of Americans are phobic or resistant to computers (Column). In addition, many important people, including CEOÕs of major companies, are rumored to be computer illiterate (Column). The former CEO of IBM even admitted to never using a computer (Column). Fortunately, PC’s are becoming more and more user friendly as the technology improves. Fewer errors, less maintenance and quicker functioning should encourage many reluctant people to finally step into the new era. Computer literacy requires that an individual be able to word process and have a basic knowledge of CD-Roms, database and the Internet. These are the basic objectives of computer literacy, just as composition may be the objective of regular literacy.

Learning Knowledge for Effective Performance Essay

It instills organizations with new ideas and information which is a essential component of learning organization. Peter Senge’s 5 disciplines are essential for a learning organization. Systems Thinking is the crucial discipline which brings all the other factors together into a balanced theory and practice. Figure 1: The 5 Basic disciplines of a learning Figure 2: â€Å"The Fifth Discipline† by Peter organization Senge It allows organizations to see the big picture and differentiate learning patterns within the organization. Using this principles, organizations can work with a system to create solutions to challenging problems in every field as Senge believes that current problems are results of solutions that were applied in the past. Systems thinking involve learning to distinguish general behaviours and create new ones to familiarize with special terms and tools that aid decision making and also allow employees to participate in decision making. It also helps managers to detect repetitive patterns such as common ways of solving problems, present goals and policies that restricts the growth of the organization. It is similar to single-loop learning. Although it takes time to be implemented, it promises a wide range of benefits to companies and improve overall achievement (Delio, 1998). Toyota For example, TPS (Toyota Production System) is an approach created by the founder of Toyota, his son and his engineer that manages logistics, manufacturing and interactions between customer and supplier. TPS was created to bring consistency to the system and enable an effective production process, which eliminates waste. As a result, TPS worked well and has increased production and improved quality of cars. The system has made what Toyota is today: a leader in the automotive manufacturing and production industry.   Personal mastery is the discipline that describes personal growth and learning. Individuals who have a high degree of personal mastery are continuously seeking learning opportunities because they â€Å"are acutely aware of their ignorance, their incompetence and their growth areas† (Senge, 1990). Their self-improvement and self-discovery abilities motivate a learning organization as they are self confident and have great commitment and responsibility towards work. Personal mastery allows one to distinguish what is important and picture the real world more clearly. Therefore, managers must help to create the environment to change by creating an atmosphere that promotes personal mastery within organization where employees should feel comfortable to create personal visions. Managers who are serious in delivering personal growth will send a powerful message to his or her employees. Disney At Disney, successful films are not made only from the ideas of managers. In fact, the top management attends an event called ‘Gong Show’ three times a year where an employee at any level is encouraged to throw ideas and story lines. Employees at Disney feel comfortable to create their personal vision. Managers then respond immediately and reward the employee. The results would be an extraordinary concept of animated film.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Mental models are deeply held internal images of how the world works, images that limit us to familiar ways of thinking and acting† (Senge, 1990). Mental models are the way how one sees things, learn and react to situations on a daily basis. Generally, people do not do what they say but they behave according to their mental models. Mental models are very important in an organization because it is relates to consequences that occur. It is rather difficult to develop systems thinking if mental model is fixed in past experiences. For example, a manager will find it difficult to handle with interpersonal problem in the organization if he or she has a different perception on an employee. Many organizational learning fail when managers ignore the power of mental models. When managers in an organization develop the ability to work with mental models, it will be necessary for employees to learn new skills and orientations. Both systems thinking and mental models fit together as systems thinking concentrates on how to modify assumptions in order to show causes of problems and mental models look at revealing our hidden assumptions (Taggart. J, 2009). Therefore, it is worthless for managers to engage in systems thinking until their mental models change. Apple Japan Apple introduced the concept of learning organization into their workplace. Apple was advised to embark upon the Five Disciplines which are important to a learning organization. Each employee had a mental model of the way the organization operates. The learning process was more efficient when each employee’s mental model was brought in-line with the rest. Managers at Apple also encouraged Personal Mastery to staffs to place reasonable goals. The essential discipline was Systems Thinking, where it facilitated each employee to make decisions, taking the whole system into account, instead of analyzing specifically on their own problems. All the 5 disciplines were implemented through a program of education and it marked improvement in sales and growth. (Adapted from: Case Studies of the Learning Organization, n. d. ) SHARED VISION Senge’s (1990) shared vision is not an idea but a deeply embedded belief shared by many that provides focus and is a vital part of generative learning. Shared vision is derived from personal vision. Therefore, managers should encourage employees to develop personal vision so that organization’s vision succeeds as both vision are engaged. It provides the focus and energy for learning making it an important component of a learning organization. Shared visions encourage new ideas and concepts within organization while encouraging experimentation. Senge claims that managers should understand that their high position in an organization does not mean that their personal vision is also the organization’s vision. Although visions are mostly visualized by top management, it is not consider a shared vision until others in the organization connect it with their personal vision. General Motors In General Motors (GM), a group of executives decided to implement a new approach in automobile manufacturing as well as a new friendly working environment. Pfeffer and Sutton (2000), discuss creating an organizational learning environment with a shared vision in a case study based on Saturn. The Saturn employees were labeled as risk takers. Later, these staffs sought and embraced a systemic change in Total Quality Management . As a result, Saturn developed into a successful car company due to its shared vision among employees. TEAM LEARNING Team learning is where a group of people work together to create results that they truly desire. Team learning is built on the discipline of personal mastery and shared visions but these alone are not enough to act wholly. Team learning involves two primary ways of communication among members which are dialogue and conflict. These are essential ingredient for learning. Dialogue among members in a team creates a language that helps deal with difficult situations and focus on structural issues. It helps members to learn how to recognize the patterns of interaction which provides an opportunity for members to interact with one another and discover possibilities. Conflicts is a norm in team and teams must know how to deal with disagreements well. A well handled conflict is important in a team as t often leads to effective brainstorming and problem solving matters. According to Senge, 1990 â€Å"the difference between great teams and mediocre teams lies in how they face conflict and deal with the defensiveness that invariably surrounds conflict. † General Electrics An example here is Jack Welch, CEO of General Electrics ( GE) came up with a solution call the Work-Out program to ‘clean upâ€℠¢ GE and improve productivity. It got every employee to get involved in challenges and problems. It has adapted a learning culture among employees which make GE a learning organization. As a result, GE increased its market share from $13 billion in 1981 to $500 billion in 2000. Figure 3: The Work-Out program implemented in 1981 increased Market capitalization by $487 billion.   Figure 4: Kolb’s Cycle of Experiential LearningDEFINITION Concrete experienceConcerned with something that has happened to you or that you have done. Concerned with adopting your new ideas into practice. Reflective ObservationConcerned with reviewing the event or experience in your mind or exploring what you did and how you, and others feel about it. Abstract ConceptualizationConcerned with developing an understanding of what happened by seeking more information and forming new ideas about ways of doing things in future. Active ExperimentationConcerned with trying out the new ideas as a result of the learning from earlier experience. Table1: Brief definitions of Kolb’s cycle of Experiential Learning. Figure 4 and Table 1 adapted from ‘Reflection on and in the workplace by L Allin and C Turnock, 2007. One may begin at any stage, but must follow each other in the sequence: †¢concrete experience (or â€Å"DO†) †¢reflective observation (or â€Å"OBSERVE†) †¢abstract conceptualization (or â€Å"THINK†) active experimentation (or â€Å"PLAN†) Kolb, an American educational theorist explains how experience is translated through reflection into concepts, which is then used as a guide for current and new experimentation. This can be applied in the several forms of informal and formal learning in the organization where learning becomes more effective as employees gets hands on experience on the knowledge they have gained. It also improves performance at workplace and influences the behavior of the learner and as such employees can enhance their performance as they are able to understand and learn better. Learning increases ability to contribute to the organization’s success. It also contributes to a better understanding, increases communication, improves quality of decision making within organization. Organizational learning is essential for innovation ( Laundry, 1992). Innovation is vital for organizations to survive in the competitive world today. Organizations are required to think out of the box and practice continuous learning to remain top in the market. Organizational learning has affected performance of individuals as well as organization as a whole in a positive way. Most firms these days are categorized as learning systems. Organizations such as Fiat, Toyota, Motorola and a few others have improved tremendously after learning took place. They had both formal and informal ways of knowledge acquisition, sharing and implementation of knowledge and skills. Motorolo today is a well developed organization because of its learning processes and culture where employees are fully committed to total quality management. Organizational learning fosters a great opportunity for meeting goals, visions and values. Here, a manager plays a huge role not only as a charismatic leader but also as a motivator that guides employees towards change, shapes the design and structures of the organization and overall creates a positive impact on the organization. The factors that add to effective performance through organizational learning are the skills developed by employees, resources that are available in helping them learn, reward system given by employers, environment and culture. Competitive advantage is a strength a company has over their rival firms. It is an bility to operate at minimum cost, produce quality goods, and invest in Research and Development. Through organizational learning, a firm can develop the necessary knowledge that is vital for effective performance. Intrinsic knowledge can also be applied in organizational learning. Intrinsic knowledge is the knowledge which resides within the organization in terms of work relationships, attitudes and behavior. They are difficult to transfer f rom one to another. Employees in a company which has developed strong intrinsic knowledge will be able to use them in the operations and gain productive performance. It will help them to show a higher proactive personality together with commitment. It becomes a competitive advantage to the firm as it will be hard for competitors to follow. Federal Express’s efforts and approach of investing heavily on team learning among employees has enhanced quality and gained success. It is the ability of the firm to practice continuous learning that made it what it has become today. Although learning is a slow process, once initiated, it feeds on itself and will continue to grow and improve efficiency of employees. Today, more organizations are realizing the importance of learning to be successful in their respective markets. Knowledge within learning organizations must be discovered and shared among employees so they can work in a team to enhance problem solving, decision making and response to challenges. Therefore, managers in organizations should take the necessary steps to shift from organizational learning to a learning organization. Organizations such as Totoya, GE, Disney and others are clear examples of how learning efforts have helped these firms to achieve high performance and compete against competitors in the 21st century.

The Affects WWII had on America essays

The Affects WWII had on America essays World War II had an immeasurable affect on the United States; socially, culturally, politically and economically. The post-war era possessed many significant changes in the lives of Americans. Even to this day, it contributes to our daily lives. Women played a great role during this era, socially and culturally. Their wartime duty to produce the goods needed for victory was replaced with their postwar obligation to withdraw from the labor force and attend to their homes and subject there husbands to the jobs they were performing. Although, this was a negative anticipation at the time and made women view government cynically, but gave them a chance to prove their worth and rights. Making history and changing every woman after her time. These affects of the war also caused massive migration of families into urban industrial centers. Created tremendous instability in the home life and personal lives, teen dropouts and child deliquesce. The divorce rate also tripled when soldiers came back home (1946). Daily habits and even values of ordinary people changed as the economy became more service-oriented and the opportunity to buy a host of new products intensified the growth of culture based consumption. The television itself developed major changes. Money became a much larger force in politics than ever before, because candidates needed to raise huge sums for expensive TV spots. Television was a major component to communication for the Americans. In America, many minorities found themselves part of the civil rights movement, African Americans conducted the most dramatic challenge to the status que of the post war era, as they sought to break the chains that had replaced the literal bonds of slavery. African Americans played an extraordinary role socially and culturally in the post-war era. It changed many perceptions and aspects of their lives to be. African American soldiers and civilians alike resolved that the return to ...

And The Winner Is… Orange Bubble Power!

And The Winner Is†¦ Orange Bubble Power! And The Winner Is Orange Bubble Power! And The Winner Is Orange Bubble Power! By Daniel Scocco The Short Story Competition 2 has finally come to an end. The voting session last week was pretty interesting, with different stories taking the lead in different days, and in the end Orange Bubble Power won. Congratulations to Violet Toler! Both Violet and Easton Miller, the runner up, will get a free license to the executive edition of the WhiteSmoke writing software, which costs $310. Thanks WhiteSmoke for sponsoring the event as well. Finally, a big thank you to all the readers who supported the competition with their votes and comments. Below you will find the winning story once again. Orange Bubble Power by Violet Toler I love to write. I hate housework. However, some mundane chores just won’t wait. One look at the bathroom sink caused me to grab my trusty Orange Bubble Power Wipes dispenser. Too bad those cute little scrubbing bubbles from the commercial aren’t real. I’d love to let them do the job while I compose the next NY Times best seller. Might as well get it over, I thought, as I hurriedly opened the lid and snatched at the wipe. The tip tore off in my hand. Irritated, I pulled on the stub more forcefully this time. It ripped again. Grabbing the last smidgen that barely peeked through the slit, I yanked hard. Out came the rest of the wipe–unattached from the rest of the roll. The second wipe should have fed through the X-shaped cut in the plastic top. It didn’t. Impatiently I jerked the lid off to feed the darn wipe through from the underside. The orange lid was stiff and unyielding. â€Å"I don’t have time for this!† I grumbled. Accentuating my words with action, I vigorously crammed the wipe out the other side. That’s when my troubles began. One-half inch of my index finger now protruded through the hole with half a wipe. A stream of Orange Bubble Power Wipes drooped between my hand and the open container on the hamper. Try as I might, I couldn’t get free. I tugged and the blasted lid worked like Chinese handcuffs. The harder I pulled, the tighter it stuck. I twisted and turned, but remained trapped. Every movement sucked my fingertip in tighter still. Within minutes, sharp V-shaped points were digging into my flesh cutting off circulation. How humiliating. This situation was far beneath my dignity. After all, I was a professional woman. I couldn’t allow anyone to see me like this, especially Stephen, my proper gentleman husband. I was determined to solve this problem by myself in privacy. God knows I tried. I lathered my finger with soap. I pried. I twisted. I pulled. Nothing helped. Oh, gosh durn, I thought, this hideous contraption is going to eat me alive! Orange Bubble Power indeed! I wondered if my finger was only an appetizer for this plastic vampire. It appeared voracious. Panicked, I swallowed my pride and called for help. My urgent tone brought Stephen down the stairs two at a time. He burst through the bathroom door, out of breath. When I saw his concerned expression, I regretted frightening him. However, as he surveyed the situation, worry fell off his face so fast, I swear I heard it hit the floor. His dignified manner disappeared as his lips twitched, then his whole face rippled as he broke into laughter. This was no mere grin or snicker, but was a total knee-slapping belly laugh. I stood there, annoyed, humiliated, and in pain. He finally regained his composure, held my finger tight, and tried to unscrew the lid, so to speak. His plan went awry. So did my usually mild demeanor as I told him what I thought of his attempt. He poured half a bottle of liquid soap and some cooking oil over my finger. It added goop to the mess, but didn’t penetrate the orange grip of death. Imagining the worst, it dawned on me that my finger could die without blood. For all I knew, I could be facing amputation! Panicked, I ran through the house for my sewing shears. Ten feet of Bubble Power Wipes streamed behind like crepe paper from a Main Street parade. The empty container rolled onto the floor with a thump. With my left hand, I grabbed the scissors and tried to cut myself free. No luck. Stephen took over, but my scissors couldn’t grip the slimy lid. We tried again after rinsing, but the rigid material was unrelenting. So was the pain! Stephen headed for his basement workshop for tin snips leaving me helpless and alone for what seemed an eternity. By this point, I was ready to stoop to just about anything. I seriously considered dialing 911 with my good hand, all the while picturing the Jaws-of-Life rushing to my rescue. Stephen finally returned. I wailed shamelessly as he snipped at the blasted lid. Jagged points bit deeper with every clip. After several distressing snips, he pried the plastic apart and set me free. My poor finger had four pointed indentations that resembled tooth marks and a bloodlessly white tip. Other than that, I had escaped the Orange demon. My hero tried to manage a straight face. â€Å"What on God’s green earth were you trying to do?† â€Å"Believe me,† I pronounced grimly, â€Å"Those Scrubbing Bubbles may look cute on TV, singing their little high-pitched song, but don’t let them fool you. Those sweet grins hide sharp, powerful, orange teeth that are just waiting to attack! Lucky for me, you were here. They would have done their dirty deed, wiped up the mess, and you’d have never known what became of me.† He left the room muttering something about finding a support group for husbands of imaginative writers. Me? I headed for the computer to write this story one-handed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?The Difference Between "will" and "shall"English Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases

Energy Transfer in electrical circuits Research Paper

Energy Transfer in electrical circuits - Research Paper Example Home appliances and industries transform energy into other forms to a desired form. Electric circuits are utilized for these operations. Energy is not in the form of matter that can be saved. â€Å"Energy can neither be created nor it can be destroyed, it can be changed from one form to another form† (Moan & Smith, 2007). The phrase â€Å"source of energy† or â€Å"sources of energy† is a wrong phrase as energy is impossible to create. We can only alter it from one form to another form. Battery converts chemical energy to electrical energy. Battery does not generate energy. A power plant converts chemical energy of fuel to electrical energy. Fossil fuels had converted solar energy to chemical energy (Moan & Smith, 2007). An ideal energy conversion system is that that has no losses. One form or energy is converted to the other desired form without any losses. The efficacy of such a system is 100%. It means that the ratio of inputs and outputs equal 1. Practically it is impossible to have an ideal system. A practical energy conversion system does have some losses and thus the desired output is always less than the input. In power generation, internal combustion engine are only 40% efficient. 60% of the input energy is wasted as heat energy that is undesired. If a combined cyclic plant is utilized to convert energy, 80% efficiency can be achieved, as a carefully designed heat recovery system recovers most of the thermal energy that goes to waste. In the similar manner, an electric motor does not convert all the input energy to mechanical energy, some of the energy is dissipated as heat and bearing losses. An electric bulb wastes about 95% of energy, which is dissipated in the form of heat and converts only 5% of the energy to light energy (Bbc.co.uk, 2014). There is much difference in energy and power. Energy yields power. Electrical energy is the product of electrical power and time. If electrical energy is denoted

Slavery and Paternalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Slavery and Paternalism - Essay Example The official system was also not a choice for slaves to rely on for aid as they had no official rights. Douglass stated his story when he was a slave. He declares many horrible acts committed by the slaveholders in Talbot County (his birthplace). Douglass declares that in Talbot County slaying or punishing a slave is not considered as unusual or offensive. He further explains the story of a slaveholder who kills two of his slaves and despite of his declaration of the two murders neither anyone put him in jail, nor taken any action against him. Douglass gave some more examples of such horrible deaths of slaves for their minor mistakes. He stated the story of his own cousin who was beaten harshly by a lady with an oak stick just because he fell asleep while watching the lady's child. Such harsh and horrible behavior and dreadful murder of a slave needed to be noticed and forwarded for some solution but this horrifying murder did not seem enough to take action against the lady. One more declaration was that an old slave of Colonel Lloyd was shot just because he encroached mistakenly onto private land. The killer visited Colonel Lloyd to clarify what occurred and the entire issue settled down. Douglass declares quiet repulsively and regretfully that 1"it was worth a half-cent to kill a 'nigger,' and a half-cent to bury one." Chapter 4, pg. 69 Douglass disagrees with the statement that the slaveholders take care of their slaves from their birth till their death and he also refused that slaves have any kind of freedom. As he declares, 2"The whisper that my master was my father, may or may not be true; and, true or false, it is of but little consequence to my purpose whilst the fact remains, in all its glaring odiousness, that slaveholders have ordained, and by law established, that the children of slave women shall in all cases follow the condition of their mothers; and this is done too obviously to administer to their own lusts, and make a gratification of their wicked desires profitable as well as pleasurable; for by this cunning arrangement, the slaveholder, in cases not a few, sustains to his slave the double relation of master and father." Chapter 1, pg. 49 Douglass stated the whole period of his slavery in pain and did not like the rules that were just in favor of the slaveholders. He wanted to escape from this disgraceful and terrible County where the slaves were not even considered as human beings. He hated the behaviors of slaveholders with their slaves. The statement of Douglass further points toward the cruelty and fear of the white men (slaveholders). 3"A single word from the white men was enough-against all our wishes, prayers, and entreaties-to sunder forever the dearest friends, dearest kindred, and strongest ties known to human beings." Chapter 8, pg. 90 To support his argument he gave many examples of murders committed by the masters and their cruelty even as a result of the minor mistakes. Colonel Lloyd had a lot of slaves that he does not recognize them all and they do not all recognize him. It is stated that one day as Colonel Lloyd was on a trip; he meets up a slave and inquires him about his master. As the slave answers that he belongs to Colonel Lloyd, he inquires the slave if his master takes care of him. The slave, unaware of

UK Food Labelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

UK Food Labelling - Essay Example In a nation where consumers want to know more and more about what they are putting into their shopping carts, the way towards a more healthy diet and wider awareness of how eating and shopping habits affect the rest of the country and the world on the whole, more information is needed for each food item and the answer seems to be a label that is ever increasing in size. This essay examines the current guidelines of British food labelling, where Europe feels the guidelines should go and in particular how the elements of the 2006 Conference on Food Labelling might be implemented into UK directives. With reference to stakeholders, current label requirements, necessary information and consumer understanding, the role of the label is ascertained both on its own and in conjunction with other information media now and in the near future. Foods that are sold in the United Kingdom are subject to the legislation of the Food Standards Agency; internally speaking this means that any produce sold, or any packaged foods sold in grocery stores must meet certain standards (Cartwright 1999). Meat, for example, must be traceable to the farm they were raised on so that if any health risks are discovered it will be possible to track down any other potentially harmful produce quickly and efficiently (Fine 1998). Packaged foods must not exceed certain amounts of salt or contain substances not deemed suitable for consumption (Foodlaw; General Guidance for Food Business Operators). In terms of the European Union and food trade agreements, these guidelines have not been imposed strictly on EU nations and so it becomes difficult to legislate on imported produce. This means that the FSA must deal with the concerns of its British population in terms of foreign food standards, plus it must deal with internal pressure to understand the fu ll nutritional value of foods sold locally (FSA; Food Law Enforceement). The FSA is run by an appointed board whose members have recently lobbied for the removal of commercials aimed at children that promote the consumption of unhealthy food items containing high amounts of sugar, salt and fat. The organisation is responsible foremost for the health of British consumers and in this capacity it has taken on many challenges in recent years. The FSA is currently under pressure to establish a new labelling system that might incorporate organic and free range status as well as to stamp each item or ingredient with a place of origin (Mansfield 2004). Consumers want to know that their food is not only healthy for them, but healthy for the environment and that any live animals consumed were treated well before their slaughter (Goldstein and Goldstein 2002). Certainly it is beginning to seem as if there is no end to the information being demanded on each food label, however one must consider whether a person can be expected to eat something that is of questionabl e origin and quality. A traffic-light system has been recently backed by the FSA in terms of categorising several packaged foods by level of nutritional value. A green mark will indicate healthy food to be eaten regularly, yellow indicates moderation and red will indicate a food that should only be eaten on occasion (FSA; Agency's new traffic-light TV ad launched). After

The Medici’s and their Art Essay Example for Free

The Medici’s and their Art Essay The Santa Maria Basilica facade resembles something out of the Arabian Nights. It is one of the most recognisable and authentic of the great basilicas in Florence. The basilica also houses some of the most important works of art in Florentine history. It attempts above all to create a relationship between science and art and in so doing, becomes the essence of Renaissance thought. Like many Renaissance and post Renaissance works in Florence, the Santa Maria Basilica or Basilica di santa Maria Novella was not only a product of intense artistic change, but also a product of one of the most important family cartels in artistic history. The name Medici is one that is synonymous with gracious buildings and immaculate architecture, as well as large amounts of money. When considering the Medici family, it must borne in mind that not only were they great architects and patrons, but they also had great power within the church. In fact the Medici family had more influence on most aspects of Florentine life, than any other family. They were and remain in history, the Renaissance version of the Rothchilds, Rockerfellers and Getty’s. This enigmatic family is one whose legacy remains in art history, not because of what they created, but because of what they encouraged. Who were the Medici? In order to better understand how and why the Medici family became so influential, we need to understand where they came from and what their social standing allowed them to achieve. The Medici family is associated with great wealth, but also with some controversy. The Medici family can be traced back to the 12th century and were not seen to be nobility but rather belonged to a line of the patrician class (Van Helden). By the 13th century the family had acquired great wealth through commerce and banking, something that leant itself to political power. Eventually the Medici family became a strong political force in Florence (Van Helden). This political power led to Salvestro de’Medici moving into high ceremonial office (otherwise known as gonfaliere). Salvestro, in the 14th century led a revolt with the ‘common people’, ultimately culminating in the Medici downfall. It was Giovanni di Bicci de’Medici who restored the family name to its former glory as well as even increasing their political prowess (Van Helden). Despite this historical discussion, there was of course, a line Medici’s with whom we are specifically concerned. It was Giovanni’s son who bore the children with whom the Renaissance is associated (Van Helden). It was also this family line in which murder would become a central interest. Guiliano and Lorenzo, the grandsons of Cosimo the elder and sons of Piero were killed and wounded respectively during an internal battle (Van Helden). The Medici family crest is recognisable wherever the Medici influence reaches. Among the distinguished Medici’s are Popes and Grand Dukes, meaning that the family as a whole stretched beyond simply the commercial and financial world. These were the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and to name but a few consisted of Cosimo I, Giovanni and Pietro. The Medici Popes included Clement VII and Leo X (Wikipedia). Indeed, to undertake a more involved discussion will be beyond the scope of this discussion and to this end is far too complicated. However, certain Medici members were of greater influence in the art world than others. The Legacy of the Medici The legacy of the Medici family is well known and remembered particularly due to their rise from ordinary or patrician’s to nobility. Perhaps most clearly of all, we see them as the creators who planted the seeds of modernity during a Renaissance that proved irrevocable in its changes. In fact the Renaissance as such appears to be â€Å"less as the rebirth or revival of a distant and glorious antiquity than as the origin and beginning of the modern world, the prototype of modern European civilisation. †(Garraty and Gay, 488). The Renaissance was not merely about the production and emancipation of art, but also about the creation of a modernised medicine, science and finance. The Medici were at the forefront of all three, with the Medici bank cleverly avoiding the fall of the economy following the Black Death (Garraty and Gay, 489). So far, we are able to ascertain that the Medici were a family of great political and economic concern but that the types of Medici also included clergymen, tyrants and nobility. We also know that with the amount of money available to the Medici, patronage was not only acceptable but expected. The legacy left by the Medici is not only financial and noble, but also available to us for viewing at any time we want. Patronage To be a patron of a specific form of art or indeed, any art, meant that you had great social standing and great wealth. To commission works of art was costly and time consuming, meaning that you were not only able to appreciate it, but that you could also afford ongoing work. Patronage was an important part of Italian Renaissance life, based on the societal norms and values. To patronise a community or an artist meant that you were not only gracious but also wealthy enough to put money into something that essentially did not create more wealth for you. Was this merely a status symbol or was there more to the practice of patronage than we believe at this stage? First of all, patronage included the embellishment and growth of public buildings and artefacts (Annenberg Media). Art during the Renaissance required the outside and the inside to both resemble works of art in different mediums. Brunelleschi and Botticelli were two of the best known artists patronised by the Medici and who uphold the proposition of art as an interior and an exterior (Anneberg Media). The Medici remained the forerunners of artistic patronage mainly because of their love of the extravagant and larger than life lifestyles (Harness). I can thus, given their humble beginnings, understand why the Medici might want to share their wealth with the rest of the world by virtue of creating beautiful surroundings that the public could also enjoy. Although this may be difficult to assimilate given the previous feudal system, it is perhaps relevant to note that the Black Death incited what is known today as philanthropy. Philanthropists generally enjoy alleviating pain and suffering through the aid that they are able to meter out to their fellow humans. Prior to the Renaissance, this was perhaps not a common occurrence, but like AIDS today, the Black Death knew no boundaries. It affected whoever, wherever. For this reason, perhaps it became more necessary to attend to the needs of other people. It was also important to the merchant community of Florence, to spread the education of art, science and mathematics (Harness). Hence the saying that knowledge is power comes to mind. It is also notable, that a patron becomes more politically popular if they uphold the growth of knowledge for their minions as well as providing an income for those who would largely find their career difficult to pursue. The purpose of this civic duty became, although not perhaps initially intended to, a political tool to provide trust between the civil servant and the government (Trexler, 27). In a sense, it was meant to bridge the gap of inequality but was not altogether successful, creating a great deal of stress for the patron (Trexler, 28). â€Å"This sub-governmental system was the patronage network, the everyday lines of communication regulating social relations. In this network, as in formal government, men styled themselves each others true amici, and despised the love of the merchant: You help me, and Ill help you. †Ã¢â‚¬ (Trexler, 27-28). The Medici Crest Above on Figure 1 is a basic picture of the Medici family crest. It shows six balls of red placed in an oval shape upon a mustard yellow background. The Medici â€Å"balls† as they became sarcastically known as were not only a feature emblazoned on all Medici buildings, but also one that became known for its overt publicity. Rivals of the Medici were outraged at the Medici blazon being so clearly visible to the public and thought it to be in rather bad taste (Fillipo). Despite this, the blazon’s origin is surrounded by much debate although it is clearly visible on all Medici buildings. One thought on the origin is that the balls represent either coins (merchant origins) or pills (medical origins) based on the Medici practices and occupations. Some believe that rather than it being swathed in apothecary history, it is the sign of Arte del Cambio, a guild of moneychangers and exchangers (Fillipo). Nonetheless, this blazon has become well known as the essential historical beginnings of the merchant bank. Below is an example of how the Medici blazon is used on buildings that were built on Medici money. The Medici Artists Artists who were patronised by the Medici included the aforementioned Sandro Botticelli and Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Donatello, Fillipino Lippi, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Brunelleschi. These all make up some of the greatest names in Florentine art history. It pays to note that all of the above artists were great names and we need to not how much of this greatness might have been due to the presence of the Medici. Fillipo Brunelleschi Fillipo Bru nelleschi had a love-hate relationship with Cosimo de’Medici, despite completing many works with the man. Brunelleschi, along with artist Ghiberti vied for the artistic attentions of Cosimo, but did not always win the bids. He created for Cosimo, the Santa Maria Novella sculpture, the Crucifix and the Santa Maria del Fiore cupola alongside arch-rival Ghiberti. His bid for the design of the Pallazzo was overturned in favour of his pupil Michelozzo (Provincia di Firenze). Allesandro Botticelli Botticelli served as an apprentice to a goldsmith and is thought to have become the closest of all artists to the Medici (Pottinger, 118). Botticelli is famed as having painted the interior of the Santa Maria Novella with a fresco of the Adoration of the Magi, in which he painted three Medici’s as the Kings: Cosimo, Guiliano and Giovanni (Pottinger, 118). However, his relationship with the Medici was not with Cosimo, but with Lorenzo, a member of a different branch of the Medici (Pottinger, 118). Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci Leonardo Da Vinci was supported by Lorenzo in his early career, although it is largely agreed that Medici neglected the talents of the young Da Vinci (Pottinger, 119). Michelangelo, similarly fell under the patronage of Medici, given his tutorship with another Medici artist Ghirlandaio (Pottinger, 119). Medici therefore did support the earlier careers of the two geniuses that would become the greatest artists of the later Renaissance period. Domenico Ghirlandaio Ghirlandaio is best known as the first of Michelangelo’s esteemed teachers. He also became known, like Botticelli, for his reverence towards Lorenzo. This was seen in his subjects’ likenesses to the man who patronised him (Pottinger, 117). The Refectory of the Ognissanti shows a fresco of the Last Supper with such likenesses present. The Sassetti Chapel at Santa Trinita also reveals this portraiture although his painting remains in the earlier style of Renaissance painting. Ghirlandaio did not enjoy painting women and found the male form far more intriguing. This is seen in the Santa Maria Novella choir paintings of the Tornabuani family, where the female features, though still beautiful, are considered lifeless (Pottinger, 117). Fillipino Lippi Lippi was one of Botticelli’s proteges and shows the style of Botticelli very well. Working primarily for Cosimo, Lippi landed himself in a number of problems due to his insatiable appetite for the gentler sex. In fact, working for Cosimo meant that commissions had to be done under the watchful eye of the Medici to prevent his romantic pursuits that led to melancholic intervals where he refused to leave his room (Life of an Artist). Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi (Donatello) Donatello was a close friend of Cosimo de’Medici and for this reason he was assigned the painting of the frieze in the Palazzo Medici (Pottinger, 132). He recreated the antique cameo’s to provide a divine and luscious frieze and roundels (Pottinger, 132). He apprenticed under Ghiberti, another famous and interactive artist in the Italian Renaissance. Donatello sculpted the figure of the dead pirate Baldassare Cossa in bronze, for Cosimo (Devillier Donegan). What we have in the above discussion, is a list of some of the finest artists not only of the Renaissance, but of all time. The pertinence of this is the reach that the Medici had as the proponents of fine art. The abovementioned artists are all quite different both in character and in style, but all contributed to some of the most famous and revered works in history. It is notable that the Medici are credited with finding and upholding this classicism as well as reaching for a new and modernised world. The artists also all contributed to the arts in different ways: sculptors, painters, inventors and architects. Medici Buildings Touring Florence, I became irrevocably aware of the influence of the Medici on architecture and art of that period. What is most fascinating is the length and breadth of the ability of the Medici to make them memorable and also to make art something of great value. The crest of the Medici is visible all around Florence, in churches, libraries and museums. The Medici performed the same tasks as other great personalities such as Peter the Great of Russia and the Athens of Pericles. It was this influence that I noticed beyond all, that this family had the ability and the motivation to create a Florence that would last it must be said, longer than the previously mentioned empires. Not only have they succeeded in producing the future and the past in one capsule, but they have also managed to preserve their legacy. We have a lot to be grateful for in terms of being able to make contact with our past through the works that the Medici sponsored.

Cubism and Henry Moore: A Comparison

Cubism and Henry Moore: A Comparison The 20th century comprised of artists with a broad array of interests and fortes, causing an overlap of stylistic features in artworks ranging from the drawn, the sculpted and even the assemblage works. Sculptures during this era were radical in nature due to their loosening grip of the conventional sculptures that were prior constructed from marble or bronze and the divergence from representing figures. Henry Moore was a well-known sculptor of this period living nearly 90 years who demonstrated this avant-garde emancipation from the standard. In juxtaposition to Moore, Pablo Picasso was associated with the emergence of the Cubism a movement he is noted for. Both artists incorporate themes in their artworks that are both similar and different to one anothers stylistic specialty. The deviation from high-art materials to low-art materials, the influences of both artists from prehistoric to primitive, and the shared and unshared aesthetic qualities of their artworks have been discuss ed in relation to the comparison of Cubism (Picasso) and the sculpture of Henry Moore. Materials were a radical and trans-figurative aspect of both Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore. Both artists had rejected the conventions of traditional art and materials, which were mainly associated with high-art. The aforementioned, Picasso and Moore created their works by breaking these standardizations of the old masters by incorporating materials of low art: an avant-garde aspect that personified this era. Cubism uses every day commercial materials such as newspapers, wallpapers, cardboard, and metal, whereas Henry Moore takes a leap isolating himself from the rest of the sculptors and uses unusual and unique materials in his sculptures. Moores list of materials include: for stone alabaster, ironstone, Corsehill stone, African wonder stone, birds-eye marble; for wood ebony, beech wood, walnut, lignum-vitae; for metals- lead and bronze. It also includes terra cotta and cast stone and various combinations of string and wire with wood and metal (Blackshear, 46). For Picasso and Mo ore, materials were used to provide a contrast; In Moores case paint was not applied or used like the cubists did on their canvases; the use of a variety of materials replaced the act of applying the paint directly in favor of an element of colour interest often lacking in the accumulated work of a sculptor. (blackshear, 46). Both Picasso and Moore also believed to give truth to their materials, which later came to be known as the reduction of means (Kirschenbaum, 169). To extrapolate, both artists believed that the material used, should represent itself rather than insinuating an exterior notion paint should look like paint, wood like wood and stone like stone (Kirschenbaum, 169). The colonization of the African continent by the European powers was a stepping-stone for the emergence of primitive cultures and their influence on the Modern art. It was through this massive bloodshed of the colonization and trade, that the African Tribal Masks made their way to Europe. These masks were merely seen as wooden carvings until the hands of Picasso, Braque and Derain and many more were laid on them. The masks had become a hot commodity in the realm of art aiding in the growing interest of Primitive Art. One of these artists was Picasso, whom surprisingly in different accounts has denied his fascination with these Primitive artifacts. However, this subject is still controversial, because Picasso  remains silent about it and his friend, the art dealer Kahnweiler,  has denied in his writings that the Cubists borrowed from  African art. Despite Picassos refusal to discuss this subject, it is  known from the reminiscences of some of his artist-friends that  he was greatly impressed by and collected African art. He may be touchy about this matter, since Gertrude Stein once reproached  him of using African art as a crutch (Alfert, 391 393). Although Picasso disagrees with those who state that he is in fact indebted to primitive art, his artwork exemplifies otherwise. His early Les Demoiselles DAvignon of 1907 would have been incomplete without the primitive aspects of the mask- the shading, the rough contours, and the explicit twisting of bodies. On the contrary, Moore, who too was influenced by these masks, acknowledges that he borrowed from primitive art (Alfert, 391). In 1930 and just before, he [Moore] produced a number of stone figures  whose facial features are characterized by a concave, heart-shaped  form in which the eyes protrude as small, raised craters. Such a  configuration is common among the works of several African tribes,  notably the Ba-Lega of the North- Eastern Congo. (Alfert, 391) Inevitably, with African sculpture acting as a catalyst in 20th century art, the struggle in art became one for directness, immediacy, and economy of means. (Kirschenbaum, 169). The works of Picasso and Moore have come a long way since their initial exposure to the works of their forefathers of Modern art namely Cezanne and Rodin. (Elsen, 355). Picasso borrowed many of Cezannes pictorial techniques and integrated them into his early cubist works (lecture). He always looked up to Cezanne and admired him greatly since he had initially-before the Cubist movement-deviated from the legacy of the Old Masters; Cezanne instead epitomized new radical practices such as the flattening of the image and the abolishment of perspective-laying the foundation of the Cubist movement. Similarly, Moore looked up to Auguste Rodin who is believed to be the progenitor of Modern sculpture. (ucker, William (1974). Early Modern Sculpture. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-519773-9). It was from Rodin, that Moore developed an interest in the integration of nature and body -a repetitive theme of his works. Moore has explicitly accredited Rodin at many instances: Rodin taught me a lot about the body; its asymmetry from every point of view, how to avoid rigid symmetry, the flexible parts of the body, the head, jaw, neck, thorax, pelvis, knees etc., and that these axes should not parallel each other. These were the ways of giving the figure vitality. (Elsen, 355) Nature, for Moore became an imperative theme in his sculptures. He frequently places his pieces in a horizontal position, which devaluates the importance of the head and stresses the abdomen as the compositional center (Arnheim, 31). By targeting the abdomen, Moore emphasizes his continuous theme of nature, which is also seen in Fauconniers Abudance painting of 1910. Fauconniers piece is a masterful representation of the womb being the center of life regurgitating the role of the woman as being the body in which a growing fruit is held for nine months. This theme of nature used by Moore, is also proven by his favorite theme of the Mother and Child seen in many of his series. Through the integration of Cezanne and Rodins techniques and styles into their artworks, both Picasso and Moore demonstrate how they utilized what they learnt from their Masters to create a bridge towards their individual breakthrough. Aesthetic concepts in the works of Cubism and in the sculptures of Moore are similar in nature. The artists incorporate a sense of uniformity, balance, vitality and emancipation to their pieces to create a dynamic space for it to occupy. The Cubists and Moore have interpreted the occupancy of space by an artwork as being comprised of the relationship of negative and positive space (blackshear, 46). The Cubists believed the non-Euclidian theory where space is not comprised just of the first, second, or third dimension but also the fourth, which symbolizes the notion of timelessness, and simultaneity (textbook). In conjunction to the Cubists idea of space, Moore too has come to use space in all its forms (Blackshear, 46): he uses the dot (zero dimension), line (first dimension), shape (second dimension), volume (third dimension), and movement (form of fourth dimension) (Blackshear, 46). In contrast to cubist works, in which negative spaces cease to exist, Moore makes the use of positiv e and negative space- a tenacious quality of his sculptures (blackshear, 46). Moore utilizes the hollows created in his sculptures the Reclining Figure as the negative space and relates it to another punctured hole to create uniformity. The holes filled with dense air of its surrounding created in his carvings are concave in nature, reminiscent of the concave perforation in Picassos Guitar of 1914 (the Guitars concavities have been influenced by the Grebo Mask). Moore resists using convexities in his pieces because they would obstruct the space aggressively, countering his obsession with coherency. In accordance of invading space, the Guitar is comprised of protruding planes, which jut out in play of substance and void into the air, disrupting its surrounding space. Homogeny in Moores pieces is further achieved through the flow of his units the dead ends of the hands and feet [of the body] merge with each other or stream back into the body of the figure, permitting the circulat ion of energy to continue (Arnheim, 30). Regularity is also attained by the balance and assimilation of the two antagonistic tendencies the internal and external thrusts (Arnheim, 35). Vitality another aesthetic aspect of the work of Picasso and Moore is not achieved in cubist works because the works are to be seen as what they represent, and nothing more meaningful. The shattered fragments of cubist works deny the possession of energy, in favour of embracing spatial incongruity. To compare, for Moore: A work must first have a vitality of its own. I do not mean a reflection  of the vitality of life, of movement, physical action. Frisking, dancing  figures and so on, but that a work can have in it a pent-up energy,  an intense life of its own, independent of the object it may represent. When a work has this powerful vitality we do not connect the word Beauty with it. (3 way piece, 238) For both artists, the labeling of a work with the word Beauty was unacceptable. They both believed that a work should be viewed simply as what it is, similar to how they brought their materials to reductionism, so that they represented what they were and nothing else. Therefore, through the presence of uniformity, balance and the invigorating vitality in Moores works, he complements the surrounding air, by capturing the energy, absorbing it, and then allowing it to evaporate and disseminate into infinity.