Transformational shift in the 'new competitive advantage' Essay

Transformational shift in the 'new competitive advantage' - Essay Example The result is human resource management considerations that are now using new strategies and approaches to add value into the internal organization while moving ahead of the competition with the main changes. According to the Workplace Employment Relations Survey conducted in the UK in 2004 there are several benchmarks which have been established among businesses that are leading to transformational shifts. Through this survey, it was found that employment relations where determined first by the policies that were a part of the foundation of the organization in over 85% of the organizations surveyed. This particular aspect was directly related to the decision to hire an individual with an average of 19% using personality tests for the hiring process, 46% using performance tests and 78% using off the job training. The work dynamics were also determined by the team work which was created after one was hired. 72% of businesses had designated teams for individuals, 66% had flexible teams , 21% had non – managerial employees and 48% used core employees to create and work with teams. Within this, were attitudes toward the union in which 84% were in favor of unions, 17% were neutral and 4% were against unions. However, it was also noted that the mutual trust between managers and employee representatives was higher with non – union representatives, averaging at 64%, while union members held a response with trust by 31%. If difficulties arose, 95% of employees felt the right to appeal with 83% contacting a manager for the appeal. Within this, the perception of management by employees had an average response of 41% believing it was good, 19% believing it was very good, and 4% believing it was very poor with others remaining neutral (Kersley et al, 2004:1-6). This report shows that the shift is one which, while retaining employment with unions, is now more dependent on the structures of management, responses and the amount of trust which is in place with work dynamics. The large number which had trust to work with non – union members as well as employees believing they had the right to complain being with a positive response, combined with the variety of internal structures show that the concept of management, policies within the office and ability to resolve conflict is now dependent on the internal organization. According to another survey (Machin, Wood, 2004), the concept of unions is one which is believed to have a direct relationship to Human Resource Management. The HRM has now become a direct way in which individuals can express rights with their employment while having a type of mediation and protection. The HRM practices then became more important than other aspects with the employee relations. However, it was noted that this was dependent on communication channels, levels of trust that were in the environment and the organizational policies attributed to the situation. If situations that were internalized contained more politics or less trust, then employees would not consider the HRM as a way of resolving conflict or working within teams and with managers (Machin, Wood, 2004: 2). Both surveys indicate that the knowledge of personnel practices in the UK have a shift in how companies and managers approach the work place. The approach which is now being focused on is based on using more strategic practices within the internal

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 53

Nursing research - Essay Example Consequently, this approach of conducting shifts handover, and the eventual participation of students in their care improved patients’ satisfaction in the care provided in my work place.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Communication is a crucial component in the contemporary society. In an organizational setting, programs cannot succeed without proper communication among the people involved in working to implement the programs. In line with this, it is essential for hospital leaders to ensure that they provided an environment that enhanced effective communication in order to ensure that the programs were implemented in a seamless approach. Importantly, it should be noted that communication involves many factors with feedback being an critical component of communication. In this case, feedback helps the two people communicating understand whether the message was passed effectively, which should be reflected in the way that the activity is

The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dalí: An Analysis

The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dalà ­: An Analysis Surrealism is defined as a 20th century art movement which represented the subconscious mind of the artist. This style of painting involved creating fantastic imagery and ideas that seemed to contradict each other. In a surrealistic work of art, the world of dream and the world of fantasy are joined in the everyday. Surrealistic work can have a very rational, along with an irrational style. The surrealistic movement was first founded by Andre Breton in his painting titled Manifesto of Surrealism. Along with Breton, many other artists who have used surrealism in their paintings have previously belonged to the Dada movement. Surrealism was practiced with the use of various forms of expression. Salvador Dali, for example, used dreamlike perceptions of space as well as dream inspired images in order to create surrealistic images. Such artists have been labeled by the name of verists because their paintings were perceived as transformations of the real world. Salvador Dalis contribution t o the surrealistic world was a paranoiac-critical method. As it is stated by Aaron Ross; The paranoiac critical method provides a window into that unknown world of unconscious, and yet does not present the danger of psychic inundation. This method was responsible for Dalis famous double images. It required the artist to perceive and paint different images within a single shape. Dali was capable of examining his own paranoiac perceptions and interpretations (Ross, 5). A perfect example which represents how many images are melted into one shape is Salvador Dalis painting titled The Great Masturbator. Through the use of surrealism, Dali was able to incorporate more than one image into one shape. The Great Masturbator was painted by Salvador Dali after he has married Gala Eluard. Nathaniel Harris, an art critic has also states that According to Dali, it [the painting] was inspired by a 19th-century picture of a woman smelling an arum lily (15). At a first glance, the  viewer might not realize how disturbing, but at the same time brilliant, the painting really is. It is very hard to interpret what The Great Masturbator is about without first taking a very close look at the painting per se. At the center of the painting, one is able to see an upside-down face. A lot of critics state that this face is that of Salvador Dali himself. From the back of the head, one is able to point out a womans head emerging. Once again, the woman is recognized as Dalis wife, Gala. The womans mouth is painted to be facing a male crotch. In addition to that, the male figure is seen only from the waist to right below his knees. As if this image was not disturbing enough, the cuts on his legs appear to be fresh and they look as if they were still bleeding. In addition to those more obvious images displayed in The Great Masturbator, the viewer will eventually be able to point out the smaller, but also very essential images. Right below the self portrait of Salvador Dali is a dead grasshopper. Just as all the other images mentioned above, the grasshopper represents Dalis great fear of insects. The viewer is also able to point out the ants which are crawling all over the grasshoppers belly. These ants are also moving upward on the upside down face. Concluding from the fact that Dali had a fear of insects, one may conclude that this represents Dalis loss of control. Finally, the images of the white lily (which is painted right below the female body), and the lions head, are understood to be representations of fertility. Along with these images, there are other images which I was not able to find any representation for. For example, towards the bottom right of the painting, the viewer is able to notice a very small figure. I believe that this is the figure of Salvador Dali who is looking at his subconscious, which in this case represents his sexual frustrations. Along with the small figure, more to the midd le bottom of the painting one is able to point out another small shape. In my opinion, this shape represents a small male figure that  is making love to a rock shaped like a woman. In my research regarding The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dali, I was not able to find any interpretation of these images. The only explanation as to why Dali has placed this image of a small man in the painting is that this might possibly be Dalis ex-best friend and Galas ex husband. Overall, the painting of The Great Masturbator is one in which Salvador Dali is able to let out his sexual frustrations as well as his inner fears. (Masters of Deception) I find the painting of The Great Masturbator to be a very disturbing, but at the same time very fascinating painting. When viewing this painting, one is able to see how graphic it really is. The feeling that this work of art gives off is that of sexual frustration and of fears which Dali held inside of him. This is clearly shown by the womans head leaning towards the male crotch. This painting also gives off a somewhat painful feeling. When the viewer is looking at the male crotch, they will automatically realize the cut off, bleeding legs. The viewer, just as Dali was, might also be disturbed by the image of the dead grasshopper as well as the ants. Because dead insects are not a pleasing sight, this image might come as a disturbance to many who view it. The Great Masturbator is a painting that is charged with energy. Even though everyone knows that there is no movement going on in the whole painting, the energy is greatly radiating. As a result, the viewer is able to imagine the wo man moving closer and closer towards males crotch, as well as the ants crawling high and higher on Dalis self portrait. Although the theme of The Great Masturbator is very essential, the mode of expression also plays a great role in the paintings context. The mode of expression in which The Great Masturbator was painted in is known as abstract. In a way, abstract art is one which resembles real form. Generally, abstract art is  understood to mean art that does not depict objects in the natural world. Instead, it uses shapes and colors in a non-representational way. Abstract art may also be defined as one which has no reference to reality. The Great Masturbator can be classified as an abstract work of art because of the way that Salvador Dali played with its context. First off, the self portrait of Salvador Dali is an abstract work in itself. When the viewer first takes a look at it, it does not necessarily resemble a head. It is only after a while; however, that he or she will be able to recognize that it is in fact, Salvador Dalis head. In addition to that, abstraction is also displayed through the woman (Dalis wife). Although she looks very realistic in the painting, the way that she is melted into Dalis head is a sign of abstract ion. The same thing can be said for the males legs which also give off the illusion of being molded into the image. In addition to that, another abstract image that the viewer might point out while observing the painting are the hanging rocks on a wire right above Dalis deformed head. I would say that this is the most abstract image because while writing this analysis, I was not able to determine what it represents. Aside from the abstraction which is obvious in The Great Masturbator, the painting is also said to be highly representational. In order to understand the theme that is incorporated into The Great Masturbator, one may first take a closer look at the painting as a whole. When a work of art is said to be representational, it is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦type of art in which the subject is presented through the visual art elements so that the observer is reminded of actual objects (Art Fundamentals, 341). The Great Masturbator is a highly representational painting because the females hair looks like real hair, and her eyes as well as face also look like they were derived from reality. In addition to that, the male body resembles that of a real male body, and the grasshopper resembles a  grasshopper that one would see in a natural environment. Those images mentioned above and other images which I had not mentioned, such as the ants, are ones that Dali painted to represent the natural environment. It is almost as if they were taken out of reality and placed in the panting and because of that it is classified as highly re presentational. In order to express himself in an abstract, as well as highly representational manner, Salvador Dali had to use various mediums. The type of medium that Salvador Dali used while painting The Greta Masturbator was oil paints on a canvas. Concluding from my research on this type of medium, I am able to say that after Salvador Dali painted The Great Masturbator it must have taken a long time for it to dry, since oil paint tends to dry very slowly. Salvador Dali painted this work of art flat on a canvas. However, because oil paints have a thicker consistency, the whole painting has a feeling of texture. To begin painting, Dali first had to prepare the canvas. To do that, he first had to stretch the cotton fabric over a wooden frame which is also called the stretcher. Next, he had to apply gesso to make the surface more able to accept the paint. In order to paint The Great Masturbator, Dali used various types of materials. Most of the time, when an artists uses oil paints, they use a brush to apply the paint. To achieve the effect or realism combined with abstraction, Dali had to use different kinds of brushes. All those brushes must have varied in size and shape, as well as the texture that they possessed. Along with the medium used to paint The Great Masturbator, Salvador Dali used two techniques what were essential in creating his work of art. One of the major techniques applied while painting The Great Masturbator is expression. Expression is defined as The manifestation through artistic form of a thought,  emotion, or quality of meaning (Art Fundamentals, 338). Just as previously mentioned, Salvador Dali painted The Great Masturbator as a self portrait. Everything that is included in this painting was in one way or another meaningful to him. For example, the reason that Dali painted a dead grasshopper with ants crawling up to his mouth was because as a child he was said to have a great fear of insects. In addition to that, the reason that he has painted a female leaning toward a males crotch was because he thought that painting such images would relieve all the sexual frustration which he held inside. Through expression Salvador Dali has figured out what he wanted to paint. His second step was to somehow make this painting a work of art. Aside from expressionism, shading is another technique of painting that Salvador D ali used while creating The Great Masturbator. In the Art Fundamentals textbook, shading is defined as the darker value on the surface of an object that gives the illusion that a portion of it is turned away from or obscured by some source of light. A perfect example of shading would be represented by Salvador Dalis self portrait. Although the whole side of Dalis profile seems very well lit and bright, the top of his profile is significantly darker. Because his head as well as his forehead and nose are darker, the viewer is able to imagine where the source of light is coming from, in this case from the front of the painting. This casting of shadow (shading) is a technique which is very essential to a lot of artists. Salvador Dali used shading as one of his techniques in order to enhance the appearance of the painting. The pictorial field is a shape that dominates all the other shapes in a painting. It is an image which always contributes to the structure as well as the expression of the painting. Most of the time, a picture plane is situated on viewers eye level. While observing The Great  Masturbator, the viewer is able to see that there is only one surrealistic image which dominates the picture plane. This image is one of Dalis self portrait, which includes the female as well as the male figure molded into it. In this painting, the picture plane seems to dominate the whole painting. Because it is so great in size, and because it is painted as only one shape, some viewers might have a more difficult time of studying the painting as a whole. Being that the picture plane is so large in size, it takes over the appearance of the whole painting. Speaking from my own experience, I was able to conclude that while studying this work of art; it was not till much later on that I realized what its backgro und consisted of. Another method of painting that Salvador Dali used while creating The Great Masturbator was illusionism. Illusionism is defined as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦imitation of visual reality created on the flat surface of the picture by the use of perspective and light-and-dark shading (Art fundamentals, 338). Illusionism, also known as the trompe loeil effect is a technique which in the case of this painting is intertwined with chiaroscuro. Just as chiaroscuro, illusionism gives an effect of reality. However, illusionism shows a sense of reality through not only the distribution, but also by the shading of light and dark. The Great Masturbator is a perfect example of an illusionary work of art. As I previously mentioned, in order to learn more about the painting, one must take their time to study it. This surrealistic work of art created by Salvador Dali is one which holds many hidden images. When the viewer first looks at this painting, he/she will most likely not know what it is about. To some who observe it, the painting at the first glance may give off an illusion of a woman. However, Dalis sel f portrait, as well as all the other images in this painting, are so well intertwined with each other, that it is very hard to distinguish them without first taking a hard look at the whole piece. As a result, The Great  Masturbator might fool the observers eye into thinking that it sees an object, which in reality is not there. In contrast to that, the image may also create an illusion of hidden images which are waiting to be discovered by the viewer. Push-pull color is another method used by Salvador Dali which can also create the illusion of fooling the eye. The Push-pull effect is a method used by artists which represents two or more colors that alternate places with each other. For example, a person may see two images, green and orange. At first, the green image may look like it is closer than then the orange image. However, all of the sudden, the image fools the eye and the orange color appears closer, and vice versa. In The Great Masturbator, such a push-pull color effect is obvious. First off, the image in the picture plane is much brighter then the background of the painting. However, when one takes a closer look, he or she will realize that involuntarily, the two colors keep on changing place by moving back and forth. Because of the color synchronization, the viewer will be able to recognize that push-pull color effect. In addition to the push-pull color effect, the dominant areas in The Great Masturbator play a very symbolic role. The areas in The Great Masturbator that play a dominant role are the same areas which the viewer is able to see in the picture plane. First and foremost, the most obvious area that plays a dominant role in the painting is the upper body of the female. The factors that contribute to the dominance of this specific area, is that when a viewer looks at this painting, they will automatically see the female. This is because she is the most recognizable shape in the painting. In addition to that, her hair color also stands out, and automatically brings the readers attention. Another dominant area in the painting would be Salvador Dalis self portrait. The reason for this image not to be the most dominant is because it is not as clearly  identified as the woman. Another reason is that Dalis self portrait is upside down, and it takes a while for the viewer to recognize it. In addition to that, the third dominant image in this painting is the grasshopper, which is followed by the image of a m ales lower body. On the other hand, the negative areas painted in The Great Masturbator are the horizon, as well as the two tiny male figures in the background. They are classified as negative space in the painting because they are just there in order to fill the space between the subject and the rest of the canvas. The negative and the positive spaces are combined by the shading and brightening up of the canvas where it was appropriate. The Great Masturbator is painted with approximate symmetry. Stated in the Art Fundamentals book is that approximate symmetry is the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦use of similar imagery on either side of a central axis. The visual material on one side may resemble that on the other but is varied to prevent visual monotony. The Great Masturbator is a great example of a work of art which employs approximate symmetry. First off, Salvador Dalis self portrait shows his profile; however, the face is upside down and as a result, his nose is pointing toward the floor. Also, on the same side of the canvas, right above Dalis head, one is able to notice the rocks that are hanging on a wire. On the other side of the canvas, however, the viewer is able to see the upper-half of the womans body leaning towards the male crotch. In conclusion, one is able to realize that Dalis self portrait (which is painted with his nose down), balances out with the female on the other side of the canvas leaning toward the male. Al so, if one were to draw a vertical line down the middle of the canvas, the grasshopper would be split on both sides of the line. In addition to that, the two small figures in the back are also situated so that they will keep the symmetry on both sides of the canvas. Although the whole painting may not have been  painted exactly symmetrical, every shape and image balances one another, and because of that approximate symmetry is achieved. Obviously, The Great Masturbator would not exist today if it were not for the line which has made it. A persons eyes see boundaries of objects in terms of lines. Also, we have been taught to draw using line, shape and form. Lines are a very essential part of creating a good work of art. When used correctly, lines can symbolize various feelings. The first type of line which is visible in The Great Masturbator is the contour line. A contour line is the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦line that defines the outermost limits of an object or a drawn or painted shape. It indicates an edge that also may be defined by the extremities of darks, lights, textures, and colors (Art Fundamentals, 76). Such lines are shown through the whole painting. Contour lines are also present in Dalis self portraits wrinkles, as well as in the stand that the male figure is painted on. Another form of lines which are present in the painting are the cross contour lines. Those lines are defined as lines that cross and define the s urface between the edges of shapes or objects. An example of cross contour lines is shown on the grasshoppers wings. Another example of a type of line that one can point out from the painting is the implied line. An implied line is a line that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦dims, fades, stops, and/or disappears (Art Fundamentals, 76). Implied lines can be seen in Dalis hair on eyelashes as well as on his whole self portrait. Implied lines can also be seen disappearing after they have outlined the womans shoulder, as well as from the stem of the calla lily. In addition to line, shape also plays a very important part in the representation of a work of art. Shape is a two dimensional space which is usually defined by a line, or another. Artists may decide to use basic shapes, or they may want to choose to use a different type of shape. The shapes they use may be representational, or nonrepresentational. The shapes that play a key role in The Great Masturbator are known as biomorphic shapes. Biomorphic shapes are ones that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦resemble the freely developed curves found in live organisms. Such shape is apparent in almost the whole painting. Starting from Salvador Dalis profile, and including the stand on which the male is standing as well as the two small people figures. He reason that these shapes classify as biomorphic is because although they do not represent anything in real life, when painted as something, they will morph and transform into an object or a person figure which one would see in everyday life. In addition to the biomorphic shape, objective shape is also present in this painting. An objective shape is one that is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦based as nearly as possible, on physical actuality or optical perception (Art Fundamentals, 76). Objective shapes tend to appear very natural or real. An example of an objective shape would be the female as well as the male figure present in the painting. In addition to that, the grasshopper would also qualify as an objective shape. Through those shapes Dali was able to create an illusion of wonder, but at the same time, reality and consciousness. Value is related to the degree of light and dark. One may experience the feeling of value when they get to see a solar eclipse or the sunset. Through value, one is able to distinguish many shapes as well as sizes. One example of value that the viewer may notice in The Great Masturbator would be chiaroscuro. The Great Masturbator is known for the rich chiaroscuro incorporated in the painting. In simpler terms, chiaroscuro can be defined as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the distribution of light and dark in a picture (Art Fundamentals, 327). Through this technique Dali was able to create an illusion of three dimensionality. In addition to that, chiaroscuro makes all the images, as well as the painting as a whole, look alive. Although the  images are painted on a flat canvas using shading done by chiaroscuro, they seem to look alive. While observing the painting, the viewer will have the illusion of the objects being in motion. Because most of the painting is melted together to form one image, the v iewer might only glance at that image and realize how alive it appears. This perception of movement and liveliness can be created through chiaroscuro. Value also serves a great role while speaking about texture and volume. While looking at the painting, one may conclude that the darker texture (the negative space), is the one which exhibits a rough and deep texture. The observer may conclude that the lighter texture (positive space), appears to be softer to the touch; therefore shallower. One may conclude this by taking a looking at the value of the positive and negative space. The negative space is darker, and therefore seems rougher and deeper. The positive space, on the other hand, seems to have lighter value in it; therefore, one may conclude that it may by softer and shallower. Texture is the tactile quality of visual expression. Texture can qualified as real or implied. It is created by using other elements such as value, line, and color. One type of texture which one the observer will be able to point out in The Great Masturbator is accent. Accent is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦texture which places an emphasis to elements of composition that makes them attract more attention then other features that surround or are close to them. (Art Fundamentals, 134). Accent texture may be achieved by a adding a brighter color, a darker tone, or by any other means in which a difference is exposed. In other words, Salvador Dalis self portrait is an example of accent. It distinguishes itself with a brighter color then any other image on the painting. Accent texture serves as a great addition to the overall painting. First off, it makes the  whole painting very shiny and bright. In addition to that, the bright color in contrast wit the dark color, gives off a very smooth (light) v ersus rough (dark) feeling. Color is the most universally appreciated element (Art Fundamentals, 149). Color surrounds everyone. Everywhere we go, we are always in contact with color, and from time to time, we are being introduced to new colors. The Great Masturbator, for example, is a work of art that is very rich with many different colors. This painting by Salvador Dali contains a mixture of warm and cool colors. For example, the head which symbolizes a self portrait of Dali is yellow; a warm color. Same thing can be said for the female, she is also painted in warm colors. However, it is hard to tell whether or not the male is painted with worm or cool colors. A part of him can be perceived as if it was painted with warm colors. Another half, on the other hand, looks as if it was painted in cool colors. The background of The Great Masturbator, however, is a mixture of warm as well as cool colors. From the horizon, and a little more to the top, the viewer is able to see the yellow, warm, color. However, from the yellow color, and more to the top, one is able to see all the dark hues, and as a result, the hue here is classified as cool. In my opinion, the overall tonality of The Great Masturbator is tranquil and peaceful (not paying attention to the images, only color). I am able to say that because even though it is a lighter color, the yellow is overpowering the green. Simultaneous contrast happens when two different colors come into direct contact. As a result, the contrast intensifies the difference between them. Simultaneous contrast means that when a person makes a couple of white holes in a red sweater, and then lays it down on white table, we will perceive the table color different then the white hole color, even though it is the same thing. I believe that this happens because people are not used to experimenting with  color. We are used to perceive color for what it is, whether it is yellow, blue or red. However, when someone puts us through a test such as the one I mentioned above, we cannot believe that it is not the white that changed, but the background which was laid on to make us think that the color has changed. . Local color is something that we see every day. Local colors brighten our day and make us feel good. Colors are classified into three properties: Value, Hue, and Intensity. Value can be defined as the quantity of light reflected by a color. Value can be classified as chromatic value, which distinguishes the lightness and darkness of colors. The high key colors are the colors that are above middle gray. Low key colors, on the other hand, are all the colors below the middle gray. Hue is only the real name for color. In reality, it is not the color red, the color blue; it is a red hue, a blue hue and so on. Every hue exists in many other variations. Many reds have different shades; many blues have different shades, and so on. Intensity, on the other hand, refers to the quality of light in a color. Intensity distinguishes the brighter colors from the duller colors. As a matter of fact, color can actually loose its intensity. After its whole intensity has been lost, the color stays gray. However, there are a couple of ways to change a colors intensity. In order to increase a colors intensity, one must place the dull color right next to its complement. In order to decrease a colors intensity, it is required to mix the color pigments. People very often mistaken value for intensity, however, it is not the same. Symbolic color plays a great role in painting various subject matters. Symbolic color is used by an artist to represent a mood or a feeling in a given painting. Depending on a person and their origin, colors may have many different symbolic meanings. For example, the color gold is often associated with royalty. The color red, on the other hand, may have many different symbolic meanings such as alert, blood, love etc. Through the use of symbolic color, the viewer may develop a greater understanding of a certain painting. The Great Masturbator does not consist of any symbolic color that would help the viewer determine the mood or feeling of the painting. However, the colors used by Dali in painting have to be symbolic in one way or another. Just as color is needed to describe the mood or feeling of a painting, unity and harmony are essential. Unity is defined as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦result of bringing the elements of art into the appropriate ratio to achieve a sense of oneness (Art Fundamentals, 324). Harmony, on the other hand, is the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦quality of relating the visual elements of a composition (Art Fundamentals, 32). Harmony is achieved by repetition of characteristics that are the same or similar. Harmony is one of the principles of organization which helps to produce balance. There are many ways that harmony can be incorporated in a work of art. Repetition uses the same visual effects, such as color or shading, in order to produce one dominating visual idea. Through repetition, the viewer may start to feel a harmonious relationship with the work of art that is viewed. Rhythm, on the other hand, is achieved when many of the same shapes or images are repeated. Lastly, economy distills an image to the basic essentials for its clarification or presentation. In the painting of The Great Masturbator, Salvador Dali uses the technique of rhythm. In my opinion this is a rhythmic painting because of its soft flow. When taking into consideration the foreground of the painting, the whole image consists of a continuous flow. Very soft and almost musical lines connect the images together. There is no sharp breaking or snatching of lines; they all have a perfectly finished ending. After my analysis of The Great Masturbator, I am able to state that this is one of the most brilliant works of art that I have ever studied. While taking the time to look at the painting, one cannot forget the great artist himself, Salvador Dali. His magnificent talent and imagination have awakened in me the need to learn more about him as well as his other works. Salvador Dali knew what to paint in order to make his art as well as his intelligence well known. It fascinates me how he used his life as well as feelings to paint a painting, such as The Great Masturbator, that can be so personal, but at the same time so open to interpretation. His brilliant use of abstraction, color, value, shape, as well as all the other techniques, take the breath of anyone who has ever looked at his artwork. I am also convinced that The Great Masturbator is one of his classic works by which he will always be remembered.

kant Essay -- essays research papers

Kants’ Critiques of Pure reason and Groundwork of the Metaphysics Kant states that, â€Å"In the order of time, therefore, we have no knowledge antecedent to experience, and with experience all our knowledge begins, but although all of our knowledge begins with experience, it does not follow that it all arises out of experience,†(CPR,41). What he means is that we do not rely on experience inorder to have knowledge, but knowledge and experience are connected for to have knowledge we must begin with experience. There are four types of knowledge that Kant deduced. A priori, which is knowledge that is independent of experience, knowledge which is always true, does not rely on a person to experience it inorder for one to realize that it is true. A priori knowledge are entitled pure when there is â€Å"no admixture of anything empirical,† (CPR, 43). Kant also states that, â€Å"Necessity and universality are sure criteria of apriori knowledge, and are inseparable from once another,† (CPR, 44). A posterior knowledge on the other hand is knowledge which is dependent on experience, and requires it inoder to understand it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Analytic judgments are, â€Å"those in which the connection of the predicate with the subject is thought through identity,† (CPR, 48). Synthetic judgments are, â€Å"Those in which the connection between the predicate and the subject is not present,† (CPR, 48). Analytic judgments are explicative because they add nothing new to the subject, but only further the...

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 8 ADRENALINE

â€Å"OKAY, WHERE'S YOUR CLUTCH?† I pointed to the lever on my left handlebar. Letting go of the grip was a mistake. The heavy bike wobbled underneath me, threatening to knock me sidewise. I grabbed the handle again, trying to hold it straight. â€Å"Jacob, it won't stay up,† I complained. â€Å"It will when you're moving,† he promised. â€Å"Now where's your brake?† â€Å"Behind my right foot.† â€Å"Wrong.† He grabbed my right hand and curled my fingers around the lever over the throttle. â€Å"But you said† â€Å"This is the brake you want. Don't use the back brake now, that's for later, when you know what you're doing.† â€Å"That doesn't sound right,† I said suspiciously. â€Å"Aren't both brakes kind of important?† â€Å"Forget the back brake, okay? Here† He wrapped his hand around mine and made me squeeze the lever down. â€Å"That is how you brake. Don't forget.† He squeezed my hand another time. â€Å"Fine,† I agreed. â€Å"Throttle?† I twisted the right grip. â€Å"Gearshift?† I nudged it with my left calf. â€Å"Very good. I think you've got all the parts down. Now you just have to get itmoving.† â€Å"Uh-huh,† I muttered, afraid to say more. My stomach was contorting strangely and I thought my voice might crack. I was terrified. I tried to tell myself that the fear was pointless. I'd already lived through the worst thing possible. In comparison with that, why should anything frighten me now? I should be able to look death in the face and laugh. My stomach wasn't buying it. I stared down the long stretch of dirt road, bordered by thick misty green on every side. The road was sandy and damp. Better than mud. â€Å"I want you to hold down the clutch,† Jacob instructed. I wrapped my fingers around the clutch. â€Å"Now this is crucial, Bella,† Jacob stressed. â€Å"Don't let go of that, okay? I want you to pretend that I've handed you a live grenade. The pin is out and you are holding down the spoon.† I squeezed tighter. â€Å"Good. Do you think you can kick-start it?† â€Å"If I move my foot, I will fall over,† I told him through gritted teeth, my fingers tight around my live grenade. â€Å"Okay, I'll do it. Don't let go of the clutch.† He took a step back, and then suddenly slammed his foot down on the pedal. There was a short ripping noise, and the force of his thrust rocked the bike. I started to fall sideways, but Jake caught the bike before it knocked me to the ground. â€Å"Steady there,† he encouraged. â€Å"Do you still have the clutch?† â€Å"Yes,† I gasped. â€Å"Plant your feetI'm going to try again.† But he put his hand on the back of the seat, too, just to be safe. It took four more kicks before the ignition caught. I could feel the bike rumbling beneath me like an angry animal. I gripped the clutch until my fingers ached. â€Å"Try out the throttle,† he suggested. â€Å"Very lightly. And don't let go of the clutch.† Hesitantly, I twisted the right handle. Though the movement was tiny, the bike snarled beneath me. It sounded angry and hungry now. Jacob smiled in deep satisfaction. â€Å"Do you remember how to put it into first gear?† he asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well, go ahead and do it.† â€Å"Okay.† He waited for a few seconds. â€Å"Left foot,† he prompted. â€Å"I know,† I said, taking a deep breath. â€Å"Are you sure you want to do this?† Jacob asked. â€Å"You look scared.† â€Å"I'm fine,† I snapped. I kicked the gearshift down one notch. â€Å"Very good,† he praised me. â€Å"Now, very gently, ease up on the clutch.† He took a step away from the bike. â€Å"You want me to let go of the grenade?† I asked in disbelief. No wonder he was moving back. â€Å"That's how you move, Bella. Just do it little by little.† As I began to loosen my grip, I was shocked to be interrupted by a voice that did not belong to the boy standing next to me. â€Å"This is reckless and childish and idiotic, Bella,† the velvet voice fumed. â€Å"Oh!† I gasped, and my hand fell off the clutch. The bike bucked under me, yanking me forward and then collapsing to the ground half on top of me. The growling engine choked to a stop. â€Å"Bella?† Jacob jerked the heavy bike off me with ease. â€Å"Are you hurt?† But I wasn't listening. â€Å"I told you so,† the perfect voice murmured, crystal clear. â€Å"Bella?† Jacob shook my shoulder. â€Å"I'm fine,† I mumbled, dazed. More than fine. The voice in my head was back. It still rang in my earssoft, velvety echoes. My mind ran swiftly through the possibilities. There was no familiarity hereon a road I'd never seen, doing something I'd never done beforeno deja vu So the hallucinations must be triggered by something else I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins again, and I thought I had the answer. Some combination of adrenaline and danger, or maybe just stupidity. Jacob was pulling me to my feet. â€Å"Did you hit your head?† he asked. â€Å"I don't think so.† I shook it back and forth, checking. â€Å"I didn't hurt the bike, did I?† This thought worried me. I was anxious to try again, right away. Being reckless was paying off better than I'd thought. Forget cheating. Maybe I'd found a way to generate the hallucinationsthat was much more important. â€Å"No. You just stalled the engine,† Jacob said, interrupting my quick speculations. â€Å"You let go of the clutch too fast.† I nodded. â€Å"Let's try again.† â€Å"Are you sure?† Jacob asked. â€Å"Positive.† This time I tried to get the kick-start myself. It was complicated; I had to jump a little to slam down on the pedal with enough force, and every time I did that, the bike tried to knock me over. Jacob's hand hovered over the handlebars, ready to catch me if I needed him. It took several good tries, and even more poor tries, before the engine caught and roared to life under me. Remembering to hold on to the grenade, I revved the throttle experimentally. It snarled at the slightest touch. My smile mirrored Jacob's now. â€Å"Easy on the clutch,† he reminded me. â€Å"Do you want to kill yourself, then? Is that what this is about?† the other voice spoke again, his tone severe. I smiled tightlyit was still workingand ignored the questions. Jacob wasn't going to let anything serious happen to me. â€Å"Go home to Charlie,† the voice ordered. The sheer beauty of it amazed me. I couldn't allow my memory to lose it, no matter the price. â€Å"Ease off slowly,† Jacob encouraged me. â€Å"I will,† I said. It bothered me a bit when I realized I was answering both of them. The voice in my head growled against the roar of the motorcycle. Trying to focus this time, to not let the voice startle me again, I relaxed my hand by tiny degrees. Suddenly, the gear caught and wrenched me forward. And I was flying. There was wind that wasn't there before, blowing my skin against my skull and flinging my hair back behind me with enough force that it felt like someone was tugging on it. I'd left my stomach back at the starting point; the adrenaline coursed through my body, tingling in my veins. The trees raced past me, blurring into a wall of green. But this was only first gear. My foot itched toward the gearshift as I twisted for more gas. â€Å"No, Bella!† the angry, honey-sweet voice ordered in my ear. â€Å"Watch what you're doing!† It distracted me enough from the speed to realize that the road was starting a slow curve to the left, and I was still going straight. Jacob hadn't told me how to turn. â€Å"Brakes, brakes,† I muttered to myself, and I instinctively slammed down with my right foot, like I would in my truck. The bike was suddenly unstable underneath me, shivering first to one side and then the other. It was dragging me toward the green wall, and I was going too fast. I tried to turn the handlebar the other direction, and the sudden shift of my weight pushed the bike toward the ground, still spinning toward the trees. The motorcycle landed on top of me again, roaring loudly, pulling me across the wet sand until it hit something stationary. I couldn't see. My face was mashed into the moss. I tried to lift my head, but there was something in the way. I was dizzy and confused. It sounded like there were three things snarlingthe bike over me, the voice in my head, and something else â€Å"Bella!† Jacob yelled, and I heard the roar of the other bike cut off. The motorcycle no longer pinned me to the ground, and I rolled over to breathe. All the growling went silent. â€Å"Wow,† I murmured. I was thrilled. This had to be it, the recipe for a hallucinationadrenaline plus clanger plus stupidity. Something close to that, anyway. â€Å"Bella!† Jacob was crouching over me anxiously. â€Å"Bella, are you alive?† â€Å"I'm great!† I enthused. I flexed my arms and legs. Everything seemed to be working correctly. â€Å"Let's do itagain.† â€Å"I don't think so.† Jacob still sounded worried. â€Å"I think I'd better drive you to the hospital first.† â€Å"I'mfine.† â€Å"Um, Bella? You've got a huge cut on your forehead, and it's gushing blood,† he informed me. I clapped my hand over my head. Sure enough, it was wet and sticky. I could smell nothing but the damp moss on my face, and that held off the nausea. â€Å"Oh, I'm so sorry, Jacob.† I pushed hard against the gash, as if I could force the blood back inside my head. â€Å"Why are you apologizing for bleeding?† he wondered as he wrapped a long arm around my waist and pulled me to my feet. â€Å"Let's go. I'll drive.† He held out his hand for the keys. â€Å"What about the bikes?† I asked, handing them over. He thought for a second. â€Å"Wait here. And take this.† He pulled off his T-shirt, already spotted with blood, and threw it to me. I wadded it up and held it tightly to my forehead. I was starting to smell the blood; I breathed deeply through my mouth and tried to concentrate on something else. Jacob jumped on the black motorcycle, kicked it to a start in one try, and raced back down the road, spraying sand and pebbles behind him. He looked athletic and professional as he leaned over the handlebars, head low, face forward, his shiny hair whipping against the russet skin of his back. My eyes narrowed enviously. I was sure I hadn't looked like that on my motorcycle. I was surprised at how far I'd gone. I could barely see Jacob in the distance when he finally got to the truck. He threw the bike into the bed and sprinted to the driver's side. I really didn't feel bad at all as he coaxed my truck to a deafening roar in his hurry to get back to me. My head stung a little, and my stomach was uneasy, but the cut wasn't serious. Head wounds just bled more than most. His urgency wasn't necessary. Jacob left the truck running as he raced back to me, wrapping his arm around my waist again. â€Å"Okay, let's get you in the truck.† â€Å"I'm honestly fine,† I assured him as he helped me in. â€Å"Don't get worked up. It's just a little blood.† â€Å"Just a lot of blood,† I heard him mutter as he went back for my bike. â€Å"Now, let's think about this for a second,† I began when he got back in. â€Å"If you take me to the ER like this, Charlie is sure to hear about it.† I glanced down at the sand and dirt caked into my jeans. â€Å"Bella, I think you need stitches. I'm not going to let you bleed to death.† â€Å"I won't,† I promised. â€Å"Let's just take the bikes back first, and then we'll make a stop at my house so I can dispose of the evidence before we go to the hospital.† â€Å"What about Charlie?† â€Å"He said he had to work today.† â€Å"Are you really sure?† â€Å"Trust me. I'm an easy bleeder. It's not nearly as dire as it looks.† Jacob wasn't happyhis full mouth turned down in an uncharacteristic frownbut he didn't want to get me in trouble. I stared out the window, holding his ruined shirt to my head, while he drove me to Forks. The motorcycle was better than I'd dreamed. It had served its original purpose. I'd cheatedbroken my promise. I'd been needlessly reckless. I felt a little less pathetic now that the promises had been broken on both sides. And then to discover the key to the hallucinations! At least, I hoped I had. I was going to test the theory as soon as possible. Maybe they'd get through with me quickly in the ER, and I could try again tonight. Racing down the road like that had been amazing. The feel of the wind in my face, the speed and the freedom it reminded me of a past life, flying through the thick forest without a road, piggyback while he ranI stopped thinking right there, letting the memory break off in the sudden agony. I flinched. â€Å"You still okay?† Jacob checked. â€Å"Yeah.† I tried to sound as convincing as before. â€Å"By the way,† he added. â€Å"I'm going to disconnect your foot brake tonight.† At home, I went to look at myself in the mirror first thing; it was pretty gruesome. Blood was drying in thick streaks across my cheek and neck, matting in my muddy hair. I examined myself clinically, pretending the blood was paint so it wouldn't upset my stomach. I breathed through my mouth, and was fine. I washed up as well as I could. Then I hid my dirty, bloody clothes in the bottom of my laundry basket, putting on new jeans and a button-up shirt (that I didn't have to pull over my head) as carefully as I could. I managed to do this one-handed and keep both garments blood-free. â€Å"Hurry up,† Jacob called. â€Å"Okay, okay,† I shouted back. After making sure I left nothing incriminating behind me, I headed downstairs. â€Å"How do I look?† I asked him. â€Å"Better,† he admitted. â€Å"But do I look like I tripped in your garage and hit my head on a hammer?† â€Å"Sure, I guess so.† â€Å"Let's go then.† Jacob hurried me out the door, and insisted on driving again. We were halfway to the hospital when I realized he was still shirtless. I frowned guiltily. â€Å"We should have grabbed you a jacket.† â€Å"That would have given us away,† he teased. â€Å"Besides, it's not cold.† â€Å"Are you kidding?† I shivered and reached out to turn the heat on. I watched Jacob to see if he was just playing tough so I wouldn't worry, but he looked comfortable enough. He had one arm over the back of my seat, though I was huddled up to keep warm. Jacob really did look older than sixteennot quite forty, but maybe older than me. Quil didn't have too much on him in the muscle department, for all that Jacob claimed to be a skeleton. The muscles were the long wiry kind, but they were definitely there under the smooth skin. His skin was such a pretty color, it made me jealous. Jacob noticed my scrutiny. â€Å"What?† he asked, suddenly self-conscious. â€Å"Nothing. I just hadn't realized before. Did you know, you're sort of beautiful?† Once the words slipped out, I worried that he might take my impulsive observation the wrong way. But Jacob just rolled his eyes. â€Å"You hit your head pretty hard, didn't you?† â€Å"I'm serious.† â€Å"Well, then, thanks. Sort of.† I grinned. â€Å"You're sort of welcome.† I had to have seven stitches to c lose the cut on my forehead. After the sting of the local anesthetic, there was no pain in the procedure. Jacob held my hand while Dr. Snow was sewing, and I tried not to think about why that was ironic. We were at the hospital forever. By the time I was done, I had to drop Jacob off at his home and hurry back to cook dinner for Charlie. Charlie seemed to buy my story about falling in Jacob's garage. After all, it wasn't like I hadn't been able to land myself in the ER before with no more help than my own feet. This night was not as bad as that first night, after I'd heard the perfect voice in Port Angeles. The hole came back, the way it always did when I was away from Jacob, but it didn't throb so badly around the edges. I was already planning ahead, looking forward to more delusions, and that was a distraction. Also, I knew I would feel better tomorrow when I was with Jacob again. That made the empty hole and the familiar pain easier to bear; relief was in sight. The nightmare, too, had lost a little of its potency. I was horrified by the nothingness, as always, but I was also strangely impatient as I waited for the moment that would send me screaming into consciousness. I knew the nightmare had to end. The next Wednesday, before I could get home from the ER, Dr. Gerandy called to warn my father that I might possibly have a concussion and advised him to wake me up every two hours through the night to make sure it wasn't serious. Charlie's eyes narrowed suspiciously at my weak explanation about tripping again. â€Å"Maybe you should just stay out of the garage altogether, Bella,† he suggested that night during dinner. I panicked, worried that Charlie was about to lay down some kind of edict that would prohibit La Push, and consequently my motorcycle. And I wasn't giving it upI'd had the most amazing hallucination today. My velvet-voiced delusion had yelled at me for almost five minutes before I'd hit the brake too abruptly and launched myself into the tree. I'd take whatever pain that would cause me tonight without complaint. â€Å"This didn't happen in the garage,† I protested quickly. â€Å"We were hiking, and I tripped over a rock.† â€Å"Since when do you hike?† Charlie asked skeptically. â€Å"Working at Newton's was bound to rub off sometime,† I pointed out. â€Å"Spend every day selling all the virtues of the outdoors, eventually you get curious.† Charlie glared at me, unconvinced. â€Å"I'll be more careful,† I promised, surreptitiously crossing my fingers under the table. â€Å"I don't mind you hiking right there around La Push, but keep close to town, okay?† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Well, we've been getting a lot of wildlife complaints lately. The forestry department is going to check into it, but for the time being† â€Å"Oh, the big bear,† I said with sudden comprehension. â€Å"Yeah, some of the hikers coming through Newton's have seen it. Do you think there's really some giant mutated grizzly out there?† His forehead creased. â€Å"There's something. Keep it close to town, okay?† â€Å"Sure, sure,† I said quickly. He didn't look completely appeased. â€Å"Charlie's getting nosy,† I complained to Jacob when I picked him up after school Friday. â€Å"Maybe we should cool it with the bikes.† He saw my objecting expression and added, â€Å"At least for a week or so. You could stay out of the hospital for a week, right?† â€Å"What are we going to do?† I griped. He smiled cheerfully. â€Å"What ever you want.† I thought about that for a minuteabout what I wanted. I hated the idea of losing even my brief seconds of closeness with the memories that didn't hurtthe ones that came on their own, without me thinking of them consciously. If I couldn't have the bikes, I was going to have to find some other avenue to the danger and the adrenaline, and that was going to take serious thought and creativity. Doing nothing in the meantime was not appealing. Suppose I got depressed again, even with Jake? I had to keep occupied. Maybe there was some other way, some other recipe some other place. The house had been a mistake, certainly. But his presence must be stamped somewhere, somewhere other than inside me. There had to be a place where he seemed more real than among all the familiar landmarks that were crowded with other human memories. I could think of one place where that might hold true. One place that would always belong to him and no one else. A magic place, full of light. The beautiful meadow I'd seen only once in my life, lit by sunshine and the sparkle of his skin. This idea had a huge potential for backfiringit might be dangerously painful. My chest ached with emptiness even to think of it. It was hard to hold myself upright, to not give myself away. But surely, there of all places, I could hear his voice. And I'd already told Charlie I was hiking â€Å"What are you thinking about so hard?† Jacob asked. â€Å"Well† I began slowly. â€Å"I found this place in the forest onceI came across it when I was, um, hiking. A little meadow, the most beautiful place. I don't know if I could track it down again on my own. It would definitely take a few tries† â€Å"We could use a compass and a grid pattern,† Jacob said with confident helpfulness. â€Å"Do you know where you started from?† â€Å"Yes, just below the trailhead where the one-ten ends. I was going mostly south, I think.† â€Å"Cool. We'll find it.† As always, Jacob was game for anything I wanted. No matter how strange it was. So, Saturday afternoon, I tied on my new hiking bootspurchased that morning using my twenty-per-cent-off employee discount for the first timegrabbed my new topographical map of the Olympic Peninsula, and drove to La Push. We didn't get started immediately; first, Jacob sprawled across the living room floortaking up the whole roomand, for a full twenty minutes, drew a complicated web across the key section of the map while I perched on a kitchen chair and talked to Billy. Billy didn't seem at all concerned about our proposed hiking trip. I was surprised that Jacob had told him where we were going, given the fuss people were making about the bear sightings. I wanted to ask Billy not to say anything about this to Charlie, but I was afraid that making the request would cause the opposite result. â€Å"Maybe we'll see the super bear,† Jacob joked, eyes on his design. I glanced at Billy swiftly, fearing a Charlie-style reaction. But Billy just laughed at his son. â€Å"Maybe you should take a jar of honey, just in case.† Jake chuckled. â€Å"Hope your new boots are fast, Bella. One little jar isn't going to keep a hungry bear occupied for long.† â€Å"I only have to be faster than you.† â€Å"Good luck with that!† Jacob said, rolling his eyes as he refolded the map. â€Å"Let's go.† â€Å"Have fun,† Billy rumbled, wheeling himself toward the refrigerator. Charlie was not a hard person to live with, but it looked to me like Jacob had it even easier than I did. I drove to the very end of the dirt road, stopping near the sign that marked the beginning of the trailhead. It had been a long time since I'd been here, and my stomach reacted nervously. This might be a very bad thing. But it would be worth it, if I got to hear him. I got out and looked at the dense wall of green. â€Å"I went this way,† I murmured, pointing straight ahead. â€Å"Hmm,† Jake muttered. â€Å"What?† He looked at the direction I'd pointed, then at the clearly marked trail, and back. â€Å"I would have figured you for a trail kind of girl.† â€Å"Not me.† I smiled bleakly. â€Å"I'm a rebel.† He laughed, and then pulled out our map. â€Å"Give me a second.† He held the compass in a skilled way, twisting the map around till it angled the way he wanted. â€Å"Okayfirst line on the grid. Let's do it.† I could tell that I was slowing Jacob up, but he didn't complain. I tried not to dwell on my last trip through this part of the forest, with a very different companion. Normal memories were still cangerous. If I let myself slip up, I'd end up with my arms clutching my chest to hold it together, gasping for air, and how would I explain that to Jacob? It wasn't as hard as I would have thought to keep focused on the present. The forest looked a lot like any other part of the peninsula, and Jacob set a vastly different mood. He whistled cheerfully, an unfamiliar tune, swinging his arms and moving easily through the rough undergrowth. The shadows didn't seem as dark as usual. Not with my personal sun along. Jacob checked the compass every few minutes, keeping us in a straight line with one of the radiating spokes of his grid. He really looked like he knew what he was doing. I was going to compliment him, but I caught myself. No doubt he'd add another few years to his inflated age. My mind wandered as I walked, and I grew curious. I hadn't forgotten the conversation we'd had by the sea cliffsI'd been waiting for him to bring it up again, but it didn't look like that was going to happen. â€Å"Hey Jake?† I asked hesitantly. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"How are things with Embry? Is he back to normal yet?† Jacob was silent for a minute, still moving forward with long paces. When he was about ten feet ahead, he stopped to wait for me. â€Å"No. He's not back to normal,† Jacob said when I reached him, his mouth pulling down at the corners. He didn't start walking again. I immediately regretted bringing it up. â€Å"StillwithSam.† â€Å"Yup.† He put his arm around my shoulder, and he looked so troubled that I didn't playfully shake it off, as I might have otherwise. â€Å"Are they still looking at you funny?† I half-whispered. Jacob stared through the trees. â€Å"Sometimes.† â€Å"AndBilly?† â€Å"As helpful as ever,† he said in a sour, angry voice that disturbed me. â€Å"Our couch is always open,† I offered. He laughed, breaking out of the unnatural gloom. â€Å"But think of the position that would put Charlie inwhen Billy calls the police to report my kidnapping.† I laughed too, glad to have Jacob back to normal. We stopped when Jacob said we'd gone six miles, cut west for a short time, and headed back along another line of his grid. Everything looked exactly the same as the way in, and I had a feeling that my silly quest was pretty much doomed. I admitted as much when it started to get darker, the sunless day fading toward a starless night, but Jacob was more confident. â€Å"As long as you're sure we're starting from the right place† He glanced down at me. â€Å"Yes, I'm sure.† â€Å"Then we'll find it,† he promised, grabbing my hand and pulling me through a mass of ferns. On the other side was the truck. He gestured toward it proudly. â€Å"Trust me.† â€Å"You're good,† I admitted. â€Å"Next time we bring flashlights, though.† â€Å"We'll save hiking for Sundays from now on. I didn't know you were that slow.† I yanked my hand back and stomped around to the driver's side while he chuckled at my reaction. â€Å"So you up for another try tomorrow.'† he asked, sliding into the passenger seat. â€Å"Sure. Unless you want to go without me so I don't tie you down to my gimpy pace.† â€Å"I'll survive,† he assured me. â€Å"If we're hiking again, though, you might want to pick up some moleskin. I bet you can feel those new boots right now.† â€Å"A little,† I confessed. It felt like I had more blisters than I had space to fit them. â€Å"I hope we see the bear tomorrow. I'm sort of disappointed about that.† â€Å"Yes, me, too,† I agreed sarcastically. â€Å"Maybe we'll get lucky tomorrow and something will eat us!† â€Å"Bears don't want to eat people. We don't taste that good.† He grinned at me in the dark cab. â€Å"Of course, you might be an exception. I bet you'd taste good.† â€Å"Thanks so much,† I said, looking away. He wasn't the first person to tell me that.

Human Trafficking in Europe

The Sex Trade of Eastern Europe â€Å"VELESTA, Macedonia – Olga winced as she drew back the bandage on her right breast, revealing an infected puncture wound that hadn’t healed since a man bit her in a fit of sexual rage. But the wound, for which the 19-year-old Moldovan lacked even basic medicine, is only a small part of Olga’s daily agony. For more than a year she has been held as a sex slave in this town in western Macedonia, where human trafficking flourishes and young girls are forced to endure the sexual whims of thousands of men. † This story, unfortunately, is reality to roughly 200,000 women and children from Eastern Europe.Sex trafficking simultaneously exploits both the best and the worst aspects of globalization- the champions of globalization flaunt the growing ease of conducting business across national borders. It is due to sophisticated communication tools and relaxed banking laws that it is now possible to exchange assets internationally w ith ease. Virtual enterprises can operate everywhere and nowhere, making themselves known only when and where they choose. â€Å"Generating around 32 billion dollars annually, human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal activity of today. While the governments of the troubled countries as well as the European Union make laws and regulations, the perpetrators become smarter; little progress gets made in solving this problem. At the center of human trafficking is the sex trade. The growing sex trade, which is more than visible in most of Europe, plays on the notion of growth in the â€Å"world sex-market†. This market is made possible by the globalization of consumer capitalism in which commercial sex plays a big role. There are three sides to the issue: the victims, the perpetrators, and the governments, law makers, and groups who are trying to stop the epidemic.Together, over time, these people have built a crime market that is becoming harder to break. Women are being smuggled under the false pretense of a better life. Perpetrators have made a powerful market which works under transnational groups who have become masters at instilling fear in young women. And countries’ governments have made regulations and laws that often hurt the victims, are not successful, or they are working in conjunction with the traffickers. The problem to be solved does not lie in just one group, but it is due to the actions of all three.It is important to see the dynamics of each group in order to understand just how powerful the sex trade is in Eastern Europe. The Woman’s Role Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and end of the Cold War, international borders are easier to cross than at any other time in world history. Also, there has been an increase in worldwide poverty, which has left women to seek the means of economic survival for themselves and their families. It is out of this dilemma that a sense of desperation comes that makes Eastern European wome n susceptible to the trickery of traffickers.This has caused such an affect that women and underage girls now constitute 90 percent of Eastern and South Eastern European people trafficked into the western parts of the continent. And even though women are knowingly aware of the dangers and prominence of sex trafficking, they continue to be swayed by lies of better lives and economic success the traffickers use. This refusal to acknowledge and actively weigh the dangers of too- good- to- be- true offers from the West is the victims’ greatest contribution to the problem of sex trafficking.Case studies on girls from the 1990’s and at the present time show women’s reasoning for coming over and falling victim to trafficking include economic, cultural and social-psychological â€Å"push† factors. These push factors tend to be coming from a country of low employment and pay rates, frustration at the suppression of women in their countries (often Eastern European women read Western literature which shows women in power, thriving), and also they face the difficulties of obtaining a visa. The prime age for women to be trafficked is 18-25 years old.However, 15-30 percent of girls trafficked are under aged. An interesting place where European victims differ from Asian and African victims is in their education level. Usually, European victims have secondary education. A fair amount even have post-secondary education. These facts and statistics show that it is naivety and desperation that is putting these girls in danger, not knowledge. Studies even show that women are â€Å"generally aware† of the mishaps occurring to their compatriots and how they are occurring.One of the reasons women are still falling victim to traffickers despite their awareness is due to many references are coming from acquaintances. These references ease the fear of the women so they become more vulnerable. And although references are being traveled by word of mouth, the source of them is usually the local newspaper. In the 1990’s, Eastern European newspapers advertised jobs as babysitters, waitresses, and bar girls in the west and also showed western men looking for â€Å"nice Eastern European women† for wives and mothers. Ten years later, the Russian and Ukrainian media largely took over the task.Thus, a typical ad in the Kielce daily reads: ‘Young women needed in Berlin [Helsinki, Vienna, Milan] as maids and babysitters in middle-class homes. Room and board, weekly wage (net) 150-200 Euro, one day off, health insurance provided. Assistance in obtaining travel documents and transportation. â€Å" Other widespread methods used to coerce women into the system are the â€Å"rosy boy† method where a foreign man promises marriage or a â€Å"rosy† future and arranges her travel abroad and the usage of elderly women whose job is to offer young girls jobs in Western Europe.Blackmail is used against the women in most cases to make them obey their owners. Once the girls are under the care and supervision of their transit leader, there is very little they can do to escape. After a woman is transited, the outcome is usually the same. The perpetrators tell them that they must pay back their travel expenses. These debts can range from 700 and 4,000 American dollars. They are then transferred to a high surveillance boarding house where they are physically and emotionally abused into prostitution.Women often end up working in brothels, night clubs, borderlines serving truck drivers or other passer bys, and pornographic films. â€Å"Managers† transfer them from place to place to not get caught. When a woman becomes too old to be sold or a manager is done with them, they are often thrown on to the streets with no paperwork, money, or guidance. Trafficked women live in fear. Often, they are beaten, abused, and raped on a daily basis. Afraid of their owners, they do not ask questions as to where th ey are or if they will be released.The victims often depend upon their clients for information and help. And although the predicament of these girls is beyond inhumane, it is important to remember that these girls are often times being foolish when they put a great amount of trust in strangers. Also, it is necessary to understand the sex trafficking system of operation and where the women fall in it. For like in any problem, if you do not understand the entire premise, you will not be able to solve it. The Perpetrators Organized crime is largely responsible for the spread of international human trafficking.Sex trafficking – along with its correlative elements, kidnapping, rape, prostitution and physical abuse – is illegal in nearly every country in the world. However, widespread corruption and greed make it possible for sex trafficking to quickly and easily proliferate. The operation of the sex trafficking business-from location and recruitment of candidates in their h ome countries to transportation across borders to their exploitation in the place of destination- requires an efficient transnational organization. Within Eastern Europe, traffickers (often mafia involved) create organizations that run similarly to small businesses.There are usually five to fifteen people per each international circuit. These â€Å"businesses† are usually made up of men who each hold a different position within the system. Typically, there is a boss in each origin and destination country. They have managers and recruiters of special travel agencies in every origin, assistants for security, transport, contacts (bribery) with authorities, and helpers along transit points during transport from the country of origin to country of destination, collect money, and there are managers of the women’s employment.These circuits take place all over Europe and through the years the transits have been mapped out and made known to the public. Traffickers as well as go vernment officials have divided the transits in to three main categories: long distance, mid to long distances, and short trajectory. Long distances initiate typically in Central Asia, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. They go through Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania and end in Poland, Slovakia, or Hungary where they stay or go to Germany, Austria or Sweden.Mid to long distance transits begin in Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania in East Eastern Europe and Albania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia in South Eastern Europe. They go through Slovenia, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic to Western Europe, Israel, Arab Republic and North America. The shortest transit is solely moving Eastern European women to West Europe. This is the most common and this transit has been so successful that over 90 percent of prostitutes in Western Europe are Eastern European. Smuggling women has become an enormously profitable business for these men.For example, if a girl around 17 years old is smuggled from Albania, o nce she reaches Italy she is worth around 10,000 dollars. Once she is sold, she could make upwards of 600 American dollars per night for her owner. In the UK, a woman can sell for up to 14, 000 dollars. European traffickers work on the economic principle of supply and demand. The demand comes from all over the world and since in many countries prostitution is legal, buyers have little knowledge about whether their bought partner is there willingly or is acting as a slave.Clearly, the perpetrators are the ones doing the most harm in this three-sided relationship. What the Enforcers are Doing Since the 1990’s there has been a considerable increase in the attention given to sex trafficking in Europe. The European Union, individual governments as well as Non Government Organizations have been working to raise awareness, educate women and arrest traffickers. Unfortunately, their attempts are not as efficient as they should be. It seems like out of the three major groups aiming to stop sex trafficking, the individualized governments are having the most unsuccessful time.Two major problems individual governments have is corruption and getting around illegal immigrant laws when a trafficked woman is saved. It is important to remember that almost all women who are trafficked are illegal immigrants. Countries are then forced to deal with that issue once a woman is rescued. Often times they are deported. When it comes to law enforcement too often in countries like Moldova and Russia, the traffickers are part of the mafia. Because of this, they often have ties with the government or the government works closely with them.Although the police forces in European countries have been making better strides in catching traffickers, there are also many stories of policemen who are traffickers themselves. â€Å"And even if the traffickers are caught, often times they can pay off the judges, the politicians and the police. In the first three months of 2008 more than 50 Alba nian police officers were thrown off the force for taking bribes from the mafia. † Over the last decade both the EU and the COE have devoted considerable attention to trafficking women and the documentation on this issue is xtensive. All of the recent publications stress the gross violations of human rights that trafficking involves, noting that trafficking women is a low risk, high reward, and that it is the responsibility of all states to increase the risks and penalties( COE, 1994; 1996; 1997; 1998; European Commission, 1996, 1998; European Parliament, 1993; 1996; UN, 1998). Specific UN initiatives include the General Assembly’s 1997 Resolution of the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and the Palermo Protocol which entered into law in 2003.The UN General Assembly’s 1997 Resolution of the Elimination of Violence Against Women specified a number of crime prevention principles in the form of model strategies and Practical Measures to be adopted by member cou ntries. The UN General Assembly Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (or the Palermo Protocol- entered into law in 2003) is made up of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Lane, Air, and Sea. Although the UN is taking initiative, the high numbers of trafficked women prove the legislation ineffective.This is often blamed due to the nature of anti trafficking efforts which Dr Rossanka Venelinova, executive director of the Nadja Center in Sofia describes as, â€Å"a jungle†¦ There is no overall strategy, only a large number of programs that are not properly coordinated. That means that there is no sustainability. † Another fact working against the EU is that only a fraction of the countries have ratified the anti-trafficking conventions and the conventions are not properly monitored or verified properly. Now, due to the pressure on international o rganizations and NGOs, anti-trafficking strategies take more of a human rights approach.Shelters, psychological and medical counseling services, the re-integration of women in their home communities, the granting of temporary residency permits in countries of destination and awareness campaigns help trafficked victims and prevent others from becoming victims. While the NGO’s are successful they are constantly fighting for funding and publicity. One of their most beneficial approaches is through education for young girls in school. It seems that â€Å"the enforcers† are at fault due to a lack of cooperation.If the government, UN, and NGO’s gained forces (and funding), the task of eliminating trafficking wouldn’t seem as impossible. However, the potential victims must also take responsibility for this crime by not submitting themselves to dangerous behavior. Is There an End? This essay addresses upon the three major players in the sex trafficking industry i n Europe. It also shows the flaws in the forces combating the problem. Sex trafficking will only end once there is a solidified, enforced plan of action which uses not only the government, but the non government groups as well.One of the most important things that must continue is the prevention education given to young girls. If they are aware of the dangers and know what to look for they are less susceptible to being abducted and held captive. It is possible for sex trafficking to be greatly diminished, but new strategies must be adopted first.

Considerations When Choosing A Career

Considerations When Choosing A Career A few people are given an inner conviction that they must follow a certain occupation, irrespective of money, status or obligation to family. This applies to clergy, sometimes to doctors and nurses, and occasionally to teachers and social workers. So choosing a career includes many factors such as: capabilities, qualifications, personal problems and career goals. Most people choose a career taking into account these factors carefully.First, we refer to capabilities which are developed in college. To some, science comes easier than the arts, or vice versa. Given a particular bent, the wise course is to consult a career counselor, who will not only outline job opportunities but also discuss the student's potential. Any worthwhile career demands academic qualifications which are only obtained by successfully completing a course of higher education. This may be lengthy. To become a lawyer involves five years of training, a doctor, seven. This raises the question of tuition and maintenanc e fees.Students of Nan Hua High School gathering in the S...In many countries, success in examinations may lead to scholarships which may offset some of the expenses. In light of this, the student must be fairly certain of completing the training from the outset.Next, it is one thing to qualify for a job, another to get one. Therefore a realistic look at job opportunities at home is essential. Some students decide to qualify and then go overseas, either to get a job or to obtain a higher qualification, which will give them better openings back home. An essential thing for working or studying in a foreign country is a good, preferably colloquial, knowledge of the language. Another is to have friends or contacts in that country, and to be certain that one can face a high cost of living. The third, perhaps the most important, is the need for a work permit.

Christmas Party Themes for Every Friend Group [Guest Post]

Christmas Party Themes for Every Friend Group [Guest Post] Whether this is your first Christmas in college or your last, it’s a long-awaited season of festivities. In the dorms, your friends are just a short walk away and there are plenty of events to choose from. In an apartment, you have the freedom to decorate an entire space, transforming it into a magical winter wonderland - don’t forget the photo booth! But year after year it seems more difficult to host a party that feels outside the box. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you plan your party based on the interests of you and your friend group. The Foodies After a week of dining hall food, you’ll already be dreaming of mom’s home cooking. If you’re in the dorms without a kitchen, make things interesting by hosting a homemade potluck. The caveat is that you can only use dorm room essentials (like a microwave). See who can craft the most delicious snack without a full kitchen. Hint: try your hand at no-bake desserts for a sweet treat that will be the talk of the party. If you’ve grown out of dorm life, host a Masterchef: Holiday Edition party. Give each person one ingredient that has to be the central flavor in their dish, and see what they come up with. You can keep it traditional with ingredients like peppermint and rosemary, or get creative with unconventional ingredients like bacon and seaweed - holiday-themed sushi, anyone? The Mathletes Is everyone in your group a math major or engineer? Bring numbers and coding into the equation. For those who love math, take gingerbread making to the next level. Include rules that require the builders to use specific angles in their design or an exact number of certain ingredients. Extra points if you bake the gingerbread shapes yourself so people can build structures that differ from the traditional house. If your friends are engineers, host a unique â€Å"gift† swap. Similar to Secret Santa, assign everyone a buddy. Then, have each person code a special card or message. Show the designs at the party and vote on the most creative one! Alternatively, you can turn this into a GIF challenge (especially for those who don’t code). Who doesn’t love a good GIF? The Pop Culture Buffs Whether your friends are aspiring actors and actresses, or simply in tune with the latest and greatest shows, you can’t help but have a Christmas movie marathon. Our vote is Elf. Take it from Buddy, â€Å"the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.† That’s right, you won’t just be watching a movie, you’ll be playing themed games too. Start off with Pin the Face on the Elf. You can print the Christmas game here. You’ll also need to print out a variety of faces to stick on the elf’s body. For extra personalization, print the face of every guest out. Alternatively, you can choose everyone’s favorite celebrity. Next, have a sing-off. Someone will start singing a popular song. They’ll end on a word that’s common in many carols. The next person will start with that word and continue with lyrics from another song. Whoever can’t think of a new carol loses. The Know-It-Alls Are you that group that always knows random facts? If so, go head-to-head in a seasonal version of Holiday Jeopardy. From festive facts to seasonal puns, see who is the ultimate holiday aficionado. Make sure you designate a host for the game to moderate and provide small prizes for the winners. Once Jeopardy is over, switch to lighthearted games like Heads Up, Taboo or Pictionary. Create your own cards with inside jokes to keep it interesting. The Artists Who doesn’t love a sip and wine party? Instead of painting the same picture, let your creative skills run wild and make gifts for friends! Assign everyone a partner to make a gift for, but keep it a secret. Provide plain plates, mugs or glasses to paint. You can use paint, paint pens or other mediums. You’ll likely need to set the gifts in the oven, so remember to leave time for that. Grab a glass of wine and get painting! Once everyone is done and the gifts are set, place each piece out on the table. Vote who it was made for to see which friends you know best! Bonus: Make everyone wear homemade ugly Christmas sweaters to showcase their creative skills. The Accountants If you and your friends are in business or accounting, you’re used to working with money all the time. Put a unique spin money management by seeing how far everyone can stretch a dollar (or ten), at a thrift store. There are a few different ways you can interpret this theme. One is a scavenger hunt. Create a list of general items (ex. something green, something with glitter). Give everyone a time limit and see who can come back with the most unique items. Assign someone to be the judge and choose the winning team. Alternatively, you can throw a costume party. Everyone has $10 to come up with the most crazy holiday costume. The best outfit wins bragging rights for the next year. Now that you have a list of activities in mind, get planning! Don’t forget to check off all the party essentials: food, decorations, music, games, and, of course, a good group of friends. Take lots of pictures to send to Mom and Dad and show them that they taught you to host a party in style. Afterwards, you just have to get through those final papers and tests, and you’re on your way to a month-long winter break. Time for party number two (or three or four) with family and friends back home. Don’t forget to show them the tricks you learned from hosting your own holiday party! Author: Alex Heinz Alex Heinz loves everything DIY including sewing, crafting home decor, and cooking meals for friends. When shes not creating or writing, you can find her playing with her energetic dog, at the beach, or exploring new hikes.

Arnolfinis Marriage Essay

Arnolfinis Marriage Essay Jan van Eyck was one of the greatest and most influential Flemish painters of altarpieces and portraits of the 1400s Hayes. van Eycks paintings often include objects with hidden symbolic meaning. There are several different interpretations of the symbolic meaning concerning his portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his second bride often referred to as The Arnolfini Marriage. Marriage is a sacred union between man and woman. A wedding is one of the most important events in a womans life. Often a wedding occurs in the present of the wedding party, family members and friends. During the 1400s a wedding ceremony was performed in the privacy of the home. van Eyck was hired to paint a portrait of this marriage union. Some art historians, like Panofsky, claim that van Eyck was a witness to the Arnolfini wedding and the painting serves as documentation of their vows Kren. Jeanne de Chenany looks pregnant in her green wedding dress, this wedding was kept private because it was a secret or maybe this type of dress was very stylish during the 1400s. The bride was definitely not a virgin, because white symbolizes pureness not green. Arnolfini is holding Jeanne de Chenany hand as an expression of his love for her. This wedding was held during the daytime because you can clearly see the light through the window in the painting. The single burning candle in the chandelier was not needed to light up the room. This candle symbolizes the union candle or could even symbolize the presence of God. In the Renaissance culture, a devotional candle signified Gods all-seeing knowledge Pioch. Arnolfini and his bride are not wearing any shoes. This symbolizes the floor is considered holy ground or the sanctity of marriage Pioch. Some art historians claim the shoes do not have a symbolic meaning. Dog were considered a symbol of devotion and love so often they were included in portraits of a married couple. van Eyck painted the mirror as a reflection of the witnesses present for the wedding. Which includes van Eycks own tiny self-portrait Pioch. His signature on the painting reads Jan van Eyck was present, this has been interpreted by some historians as an indication that he served as a witness Pioch. If the Arnolfinis Marriage had taken place during the 1900s it would have been very easy for an artist to include every single detail of the wedding. Because the wedding took place during the 1400s, all we can do is assume or use our best judgment to interpret the true meaning of each symbol in the portrait. We can all at least agree van Eyck was the artist that painted this portrait. Then again some historians say his brother Hubert was the artist. Kren

Organisational Change Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Organisational Change Management - Assignment Example It is therefore recommended that; for a successful change process, thorough planning, managing and strategic communication of information about the change should be adhered to. 5Ds approach is therefore recommended during planning of organizational change. These 5Ds are essentially, Definition, Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny or Delivery. Definition According to 5Ds cycle perspective, the first D represents the definition. Ironically it was the last D to be introduced into the cycle. It is therefore regarded as the first approach or step that should be taken to ensure that an organizational change is successful (Tonder 2004, p59). Obviously, it is impossible to solve a problem that is yet to be detected. It is argued that in the previous days, Al consultants used the process of definition in answering the following questions, what is the project is all about? What are the outcomes of the project? And what are the contract details? Up to this point, one can therefore define Defin ition according to 5Ds as, the process of determining what the problem in an organization is? And what are the outcomes of the changes made in an organization? This process therefore tends to help managers in determining the consequences that might result from the changes they make in their respective organizations. As much as much as 5Ds cycle is recommended during the process of implementing a change in organization, managers of these organizations are also always advised to consider some factors that might guide them during the process of implementation (Burke 2010, p104). These factors are always meant to help prepare the managers themselves and the entire employees of the possible consequences that might be experienced as a result of the change or changes made in an organization. Some of these factors include; early preparation for the change of the project, how to communicate the information of change about the project, how to handle the reactions that might be resulted from t his change, developing leadership strategy that can effectively lead change, how to survive the difficult task of restricting and finally, to always seek help through the process of change (Savon & Czarniawska-Joerges 1996, p72). Generally, consideration of these factors will protect the manager from receiving shocking reactions during the process of change. Regarding the situation in the D2 Company, it is clear that change is needed. This then implies that the company’s manager must come up with a strategy of implementing the change. For these changes come up successfully, the manager of the company will have to use the 5D approach with the considerations of the guiding factors. The manager is then expected to start the process of implementation of the change by considering the first D of the cycle. The Definition step will then help him determine what type of change is needed, what the expected outcomes are and finally what the contract details of the implementation. As for the case in D2 Company, the reason for the change is because the company is experiencing economical problems thus the need for cutting costs. Therefore the manager is expected to act swiftly towards the implementation of the changes required. As for the case of D2 Company the key issues that require attention are the following: first the major issue is how the company can survive the effects of economic downfall. Secondly the company will then need to look on the issue on

The Canterbury Tales Writing Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Canterbury Tales Writing Assignment - Essay Example Later on, the Miller’s Tale tells a rather lustful and vulgar story of a Carpenter and his wife who deceives her husband with a clerk. Overall, the loathsome and vulgar character of the Miller surpasses the aversion of other characters from The Canterbury Tales. The Miller’s Tale effectively illustrates the lecherous personality of the Miller who narrates a lewd story of a carpenter named, John and his wife, Alisoun. John, who works as a carpenter rents out a room of his house to a student named Nicholas. Another clerk named Absolon is also there in town who later falls in love with Alisoun. The story exhibits a high degree of deception where Alisoun becomes involved with Nicholas as well as Absolon at the same time while her husband leaves town for a few days. At another occasion, Nicholas fools John of a deluge of the same intensity as that of Noah’s time. John climbs into a basket to save himself from the flood while Nicholas and Alisoun are spending time toge ther in their bed. At the same time, Absolon arrives and brands Nicholas upon which he cries â€Å"Water!† (Chaucer 3815). Upon hearing this, John cuts the rope to his basket and falls down. The townspeople arrive at the scene and laugh at John. The whole story of the carpenter’s wife, Alisoun cheating her husband by having an affair with two younger men at the same time represents an indecent and boorish side to the personality of the Miller. Thus, this example suggests the lecherous internal character of the Miller apart from his already obnoxious physical outlook. The Miller is a character possessed not only by a vile internal nature but also an outrageous physical character. The detail regarding the Miller’s activities and interests build on to his strong and physical personality. In the prologue, Chaucer introduces its readers to the Miller’s most regular practice of wrestling where he always wins the ram (548). His ability to break doors with his he ad (Chaucer 550-551) and the wrestling matches he has won demonstrate his strong physical capabilities adding on to his huge and disgusting outlook. Further details of his appearance reveal his unappealing outward image that makes him an ugly individual. The descriptions of ugly features including his red beard, huge physique, wart with tufts of hair, and huge dark nostrils display a repulsive character that conjures up horrific images in the mind of the readers. As a person closely observes the explanation of the Miller’s personality, it is not hard to picture a disgusting character with repulsive features that is dishonest and vulgar by nature. During his conversation with the Host prior to the narration of his tale, he announces that he is drunk and that he should be forgiven in case he says anything wrong. When he goes on to tell his tale, his story points out the immoral side of wives. The Miller’s huge personality along with his red beard and hairy wart represent a coarse side to the character of the Miller who although has a large physique but little intelligence. Apart from the Miller’s rude and ribald inclinations, he is also a dishonest man in his business. The Miller is not only a lustful and physically disgusting character, but also a dishonest man who tricks his customers by stealing corn or getting them to pay more (Chaucer 562). With the huge

SIDRA Medical and Research Centre Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

SIDRA Medical and Research Centre - Case Study Example The ownership type of this centre is of a private nature. This centre is located in the Doha city of Qatar and owned by a company known as Zawya Industrial Classifications. It is expected that the centre will be built on a 2,500 acre piece of land found at the Education City campus. The architect for construction is OHL International while the designer is known as Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli and Blerbe Becket, which is an executive architectural firm (Pelli & Michael 25). The funding for the construction and development of the facility will be from the Qatar Foundation; hence, the Qatar government believed to be the client for the building. The geographical location of the building is one opposite the Education City and adjacent to the Science and Technology Park as well as National Convention Centre, both in Qatar. Project description Currently under construction, this facility will be considered the best groundbreaking hospital in the region, offering digitalized education an d research on the health of both children and women from the region as well as internationally. The initial structure of the building was slotted to be able to contain a capacity of 400 beds, 550 beds at most after expansion as shown in image 1 below. The construction cost including the furnishing with required equipment has been estimated by the Qatar Foundation at a cost of $7.9 billion. 1. Architectural image of SIDRA when complete 2. Interior design of SIDRA http://pcparch.com/project/sidra-medical-and-research-center#view-image The design for the centre both interior and exterior shall comprise of cutting edge glass, steel and white ceramic structure thus, guaranteed to provide an ideal environment for privacy, tranquility and healing for patients as shown in image 2 above. The official opening of the centre for patients to access is expected to be in the year 2015 when the centre shall fully be operational. Concept (Mission statement and goals) As a part of highly digitalized dynamic education and research environment in Qatar, SIDRA will comprise of international institutions that are leading such as Weill Cornel Medical College and BGI-Health Asia Pacific. The mission statement is to raise the health care standards throughout the country with a main focus on women and children while providing valuable learning and research opportunities. This will encompass three main missions which includes providing world class medical and patient care, provision of medical education and facilitation of biomedical research. The centre’s main goal is to be a fully ultra-modern, digitalized/all-digital research and academic medical centre through the setting up of new patient care standards for children and women in Qatar, regionally and internationally (Qatar Investment and Business Guide, 13). Spatial analysis The spatial analysis of SIDRA details the need for proper coordination between engineering and architectural components of the construction. Consequentl y, the quality of the architectural components of the project as well as the constructability will be analyzed. The architectural documents will also be reviewed to ensure that none of them potentially conflicts in any manner with other disciplines (Park 15). Circulation/way finding In this scenario, this case study can reveal that as in the case of most international buildings, the floor plan of SIDRA portrays various symmetries such as C ­Ã‚ ­1, C4, and D1 for various rooms and floors of the building. This case is also a common feature in which the symmetrical dispositions of the building are being emphasized both by local and global symmetry. This then becomes the determinant for its organizational design. By being able to read the symmetry of a building, one is capable of reading the spatial