The Church Of A Church - 1191 Words

Being born in a Jewish house, I decided to visit a Church. I visited a Presbyterian church. Presbyterians is a branch of Protestant Christianity, which is part of the most populated religion in the world Christianity. The word Presbyterian comes from the Bible from the Greek word for elder. The Presbyterian Church is governed by elders. That being the main difference from my understanding. Being governed by elders, The more experienced elders have more power as they are the main source of authority. The more experienced elders are authorized to train and ordain Church Deacons. With the first Europeans to establish settlement in North America being Spanish such as St. Augustine, Florida in 1565 the earliest Christians in the territory†¦show more content†¦Examples of popular pieces of art include 12th century mosaics of the Hagia Sophia image of Christ Pantocrator and the last supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Christianity is well known for the great amount of symbols in the religion. The Christian Cross seen as a representation of the crucifixion of Jesus is the best-known symbol of Christianity. The cross has been used since early Christianity, although during the first two centuries of Christianity the cross was rarely used because it shows a horrific method of execution. The cross symbol started to be used at the beginning of the 4th century. The Jewish Encyclopedia says that the cross was used in Christianity as early as the second century as a talisman against the powers of demons, and that Christians used to swear by the power of the cross. The Crucifix (Cross with an image of Christ present) is not known to have been used until the 6th century. Modern day Christians use the cross as a reminder to Christians of God s in sacrificing his son for humanity. It also represents Jesus winning over sin and death. There are many other symbols that relate to Christianity like the Ichthys, Sta urogram, or Chi Rho all coming from Greek routes. Outside of the Greek based symbols, there are other symbols like an anchor that was adopted as a symbol of hope in future existence because the anchor was regarded as a symbol of safety in ancient times.

Outline Of Persuasive Speech On Procrastination - 1378 Words

Scott Alex Suddoth COMM 2381 Outline for Persuasive speech 11/18/2015 Procrastination I. Attention Getter: A famous author by the name of Wayne Dyer once said, â€Å"Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is incredibly heavy.†(1) In todays society it seems as if procrastination has become a normal and acceptable thing to do. It is often joked about amongst schoolmates and co-workers around the world. Nothing seems to get done until it absolutely needs to get done, then everyone runs around getting things done quickly and often times inaccurately. The trouble with this mentality however is that some things will never get done because something will come up tomorrow or the next day and what you are putting off now gets pushed even further back. Today I will persuade you to stop this habit from continuing. I will be explaining the problems we face when dealing with procrastination as well as how to deal with it and actions you can take to prevent it in the future. Transition: It is in our human nature to procrastinate, some of us do it more than others but learning about this problem and understanding how it can effect you can be beneficial to everyone II. Need(the Problem): According to an article from Psychology Today, â€Å"20 percent of people chronically avoid difficult tasks and deliberately look for distractions† (2) and According to recent research â€Å"Procrastination has more than quadrupled in the last 30Show MoreRelatedFinal Exam4697 Words   |  19 Pageslikely to text while driving and it is dangerous. Bluetooth and hands-free technology is gaining popularity in the American auto industry. Instructor Explanation: Review Ashford Writing Center, Writing Resources, Types of College Writing: Persuasive Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: Question 15. Question : Ideas and information that constitute common knowledge don’t need to be cited. Student Answer: CORRECT True INCORRECT False Instructor Explanation: Review AshfordRead MoreGucci Mane: a Thug Life7811 Words   |  32 Pagesresearch assignment, noticed that they were procrastinating, and were aware that they were distracted by more appealing ways to spend their time, they could then take action to get started on the assignment. But until they are aware of their procrastination and take control by making a plan for doing the assignment, they will blissfully continue to neglect the assignment. II. Metacognition and Three Types of Knowledge To increase their metacognitive abilities, students need to possess and be awareRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesdegree of success or failure. In summary, evidence suggests that a five-step learning model is most effective for helping individuals develop management skills (see Cameron Whetten, 1984; Kolb, 1984; Vance, 1993; Whetten Cameron, 1983). Table 3 outlines such a model. Step 1 involves the assessment of current levels of skill competency and knowledge of the behavioral principles. Step 2 consists of the presentation of validated, scientifically based principles and guidelines for effective skill performanceRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesa book that can help transform dry and rather remote concepts into practical reality, and lead to lively class discussions, and even debates. In the gentle environment of the classroom, students can hone their analytical skills and also their persuasive skills—not selling products but selling their ideas—and defend them against critical scrutiny. This is great practice for the arena of business to come. NEW TO THIS EDITION In contrast to the early editions, which examined only notable mistakesRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesCommunication 341 †¢ Nonverbal Communication 341 Organizational Communication 342 Formal Small-Group Networks 343 †¢ The Grapevine 343 †¢ Electronic Communications 345 †¢ Managing Information 349 Choice of Communication Channel 350 xiv CONTENTS Persuasive Communications 351 Automatic and Controlled Processing 351 †¢ Interest Level 352 †¢ Prior Knowledge 352 †¢ Personality 352 †¢ Message Characteristics 352 Barriers to Effective Communication 353 Filtering 353 †¢ Selective Perception 353 †¢ Information

Fuel Price Free Essays

Great Impact of Rising Fuel Price Fuel is another transportation system component. Rising of fuel price is one of the major issues facing the transportation industry in Malaysia. Fuel may be gasoline, natural gas, diesel fuel, ethanol, methanol, coal, etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Fuel Price or any similar topic only for you Order Now The costs and efficiency of transportation fuels are considerable interest. (Joseph Sussman; Introduction to Transportation Systems; Transportation System Components; 2000). Fuel price volatility along with overall price increases has been an issue with transportation carriers, airlines, and even some water carriers and is a continuing challenge to the financial viability, causing some carriers to file for bankruptcy. Overall, it can be argued that is a manifestation of world demand and the supply of crude oil. The demand for oil as a source of energy to power transport equipment and for private use has been growing steady, but crude oil is limited natural resource. New oil fields have been discovered since World War II, but the known available supply of oil has not kept pace with the increased demand. Consequently, the general trend for fuel prices has been upward. This trend in price has been exacerbated by the location of the best oil fields in distant countries and the disproportionate share of oil consumption. Two factors mentioned have impacted the price of oil namely the growth in demand from other countries and the speculation that occurs in the futures market. An additional factor is the disruption that can occur with terrorist actions and political upheaval in certain parts of the world. Rising fuel prices could put a spanner in the works of the region’s recovering economies, Malaysia included, if the market does not cool down soon. The higher costs incurred by transportation companies are already causing jitters that they might have to offload some of the burden onto end-consumers soon. Malaysia Airlines, for example, has been lobbying for months for a domestic air fare increase to offset higher direct operational costs, of which jet fuel and kerosene are the largest components. -(Pui Kiew Ling, Jamal Othman, Noorasiah Sulaiman ;Macroeconomics and Industry Effect of an Increase in Fuel Price in Malaysia; 2012) Already there are fears in the US that the runaway oil prices would bring the economy’s decade-long expansion to a screeching halt, with all its implications on the rest of the world, particularly export-driven economies ike Malaysia which depend heavily on the US, European and Japanese markets. -(Transport, Trade and Climate Change; Carbon Footprints, Fuel Subsidies and Market-based Measure; 2011) The challenge, then, in transportation industry especially for carriers and shippers for example will be deal with the uncertainty and volatility of fuel prices and the expectation that the price will be increasing over time. However, the impact will vary amo ng the modes of transportation because some are more fuel efficient than others due to their different operating and market condition in or outside our country. In overall, looking to the future and considering the challenges associated with volatility in fuel prices and the environment on the other side, much effort will be directed at the concept of the green supply chain. There is every indication that is not just a concept but rather a growing commitment that has economic as well as environmental benefits to shippers and carriers and also for all type of transport in Malaysia transportation industry generally. How to cite Fuel Price, Essay examples

Crime Prevention in Schools free essay sample

Reasons for constitutionality of searches, probable cause, seizures random testing, court cases and role of police. Police have increasingly been called into the public educational setting to insure the safety of high school campuses. Many school districts have their own police departments, or school police, who head security departments on campus. Their credibility as police officers helps to insure a safe environment in which learning can take place. Drugs, weapons, on-campus brawls, and traffic problems are less likely when students see that the full force of the law is at hand. Background information on school police in some communities will provide an introduction to what many believe is the best solution to crime in todays high schools. At the same time, however, issues of search/seizure, random drug testing, locker searches, and strip searching have been brought to the forefront by the advent of tightened security measures and an increase in crime. We will write a custom essay sample on Crime Prevention in Schools or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The

Poem Analysis Flashcard

Poem Analysis

Cómo consultar fácil estado solicitud visa americana

Cà ³mo consultar fcil estado solicitud visa americana Cualquier persona puede consultar el estado de todas las visas no inmigrante que ha solicitado recientemente o en el pasado ingresando a una pgina oficial del gobierno de Estados Unidos. Este artà ­culo, que aplica a visas no inmigrante como la de turismo, intercambio, inversià ³n, estudiante, trabajo temporal, religiosos, etc. muestra cà ³mo saber el estado de la solicitud y todos los tipos de respuesta que se pueden obtener y quà © significan.  ¿Quà © se necesita para verificar estado de solicitud de visa? Antes de empezar con el trmite es necesario tener a mano el cà ³digo de barras que se imprimià ³ tras realizar la solicitud de visa por internet mediante el formulario DS-160. A continuacià ³n, introducir en esta pgina del Departamento de Estado ese nà ºmero y el nombre de la ciudad donde se realizà ³ la entrevista, si à ©sta ya tuvo lugar, o donde se realizar, en caso contrario.  ¿Quà © resultados se pueden obtener al verificar el estado de tramitacià ³n? Aparecer una pantalla en inglà ©s donde lo importante son cualquiera de las siguientes palabras: No Status. Quiere decir que se ha realizado la solicitud pero todavà ­a no ha comenzado su tramitacià ³n dentro del sistema de visas. Dependiendo de la Embajada o consulado puede demorarse. Ready. En estos momentos la tramitacià ³n est en marcha. Pronto tendr lugar la entrevista y la toma de huellas digitales. Si ya tuvo lugar o no es necesario, volver entrar al sistema dos dà ­as ms tarde para darle tiempo a actualizar el estado. Administrative Processing. En ocasiones y por razones varias una solicitud de visa no es ni aprobada ni negada. Simplemente se considera que es necesario hacer ms comprobaciones. En estos casos pasa a una situacià ³n de procedimiento administrativo. El tiempo que se puede prolongar va desde unas semanas a incluso meses. Mientras tanto, el solicitante no puede hacer nada. Si la oficina consular necesita documentacià ³n adicional, la pedir. Issued. La visa ha sido aprobada y est o bien en su à ºltima fase de gestià ³n o en proceso de envà ­o. Una vez que aparece esa palabra, si no se recibe el pasaporte con la visa estampada en à ©l en el plazo de diez dà ­as, consultar con la Embajada o consulado a cargo del trmite. Muchos consulados y embajadas de EE.UU. utilizan el servicio de mensajerà ­a de DHL para enviar los pasaportes con las visas estampadas en los mismos. El solicitante de la visa debe recogerla en la oficina de DHL que designà ³ en el momento de hacer la peticià ³n. Si no lo hace dentro de plazo, la visa ser regresada a la delegacià ³n consular y, si no se reclama en el plazo de un aà ±o, ser anulada. Refused. La visa ha sido negada. Si el visado es negado no es verdad que se pueda apelar la decisià ³n del oficial consular. Las solicitudes de las visas no inmigrante se pueden rechazar por dos grandes categorà ­as: inelegibilidad o inadmisibilidad. Estas son las 20 causas ms frecuentes  por las que el solicitante es inelegible. Adems, hay que tener en cuenta estas 22 causas que convierten a una persona en inadmisible para los Estados Unidos. Para evitar perder tiempo y dinero –ya que es necesario volver a presentar una solicitud nueva y por lo tanto pagar de nuevo la tarifa de $160–, es muy recomendable saber cul fue la causa del rechazo. Y segà ºn sea analizar si es posible aplicar con à ©xito o no. Por ejemplo, si el problema fue que no se demostrà ³ con à ©xito lazos econà ³micos y familiares en el paà ­s de origen lo mejor esperar a que se produzca un cambio en la situacià ³n del solicitante para tener ms à ©xito. Por ejemplo, tener un buen trabajo, haber formado una familia, propiedades, empresas, etc. En otras palabras, todo lo que sirva para que el oficial consular no sospeche que la razà ³n para solicitar la visa sea ingresar en EE.UU. con el fin de trabajar y/o quedarse en el paà ­s ms tiempo que el autorizado. Sin embargo, si se rechazà ³ la solicitud porque con anterioridad la persona estuvo en Estados Unidos ilegalmente en Estados Unidos despuà ©s de cumplir los 18 aà ±os de edad por ms de 180 dà ­as, tendr un castigo que le impide regresar al paà ­s por tres o de 10 aà ±os, segà ºn las circunstancias. Otras situaciones que pueden dar lugar a problemas muy graves en la solicitud de la visa son la pertenenciaa  las pandillas, el trfico de drogas, el mentir en una aplicacià ³n para la visa o presentar documentos falsos, ya que se considera que es un fraude de ley, etc. Cabe destacar que en casos muy particulares es posible pedir un perdà ³n para visa no inmigrante.  Cuando se solicita la visa que se rechaza el oficial consular puede sugerir pedir un perdà ³n, tambià ©n conocido como waiver o permiso, cuando crea que el solicitante reà ºne los requisitos para que el mismo le sea concedido. Puntos clave: Cà ³mo comprobar el estado de solicitud de la visa americana En la pgina oficial del Departamento de Estado www.ceac.state.gov es posible rastrear el estatus de la visa no inmigrante que se ha solicitado. Es necesario tener a mano la hoja de confirmacià ³n con su cà ³digo de barras que se tuvo que imprimir cuando se inicià ³ la solicitud de la visa mediante el formulario DS-160.En el rastreo pueden aparecer cinco resultados: No status (sin estatus), Ready (preparado), Administrative Processing (en proceso administrativo), Issued (emitida_ y Refused (rechazada).Las visas no inmigrante se rechazan por dos grandes categorà ­as de causas: inelegibilidad e inadmisibilidad. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Critical Review - Essay Example There is a common understanding that consumers require information to know about products that have the potential to satisfy their top needs. Information channels that avail the products details consumers want have a place in the current market. The following review will focus on the objectives of integrated marketing communication, the way IMC has developed over the years, review of academic studies, the role of consumers and communication channels in the purchase decision-making process. Understanding consumer behaviour also calls for an evaluation of the proposed IMC model and unearth the strengths and weaknesses. The review further considers the consumer segmentation to know the attributes they look for when making purchase decisions. The re-evaluation also criticizes some of the approaches the author uses to discuss the aspects of integrated marketing communication with respect to consumer behaviour and the ultimate consumer decision-making process. The article is entitled Impact of Integrated Marketing Communication on Consumer Behaviour written by Camelia Mihart. The author uses a comparison of studies to highlight the impact of IMC on the consumer behaviour and decisions they make concerning purchasing. The article features a structured comprehensive flow that starts with an abstract and ends with a model of IMC. The model has been deduced from the studies explored in the literature review section. The author has used the literature review section to explore IMC impact despite myriad of authors studying the topic in the past. Highlighting objectives of integrated marketing communications (IMC) with respect to consumer behaviour is relevant. Companies must keep competition at bay by understanding how consumers behave and providing them with their needs on prompt basis. Consumer satisfaction is far more important than availing the needs that match their tastes and preferences, which is the foundation of integrated marketing communication or

Nursing Health History Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nursing Health History - Case Study Example Two months later, Dorothy noticed that the wound is becoming bigger and worse and has moved up to the lower portion of the leg. The persistence of this wound prompted the patient to consult the emergency department of the hospital. Dorothy does not smoke, but claims to drink a few glasses of wine on occasion. She leads a sedentary lifestyle, performing minimal household chores. Tending to her garden every morning is the most exercise that she does. There is history of Diabetes Mellitus on the maternal side of the patient, while on the paternal side, there is history of hypertension. Despite this knowledge, Dorothy still liked eating cakes and pastries. There is no history of asthma. In 1971, she published her nursing concepts of practice known as the Self Care theory (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Snyder, 2004). She sought to answer the questions "what is nursing" and "when do people need nursing care", from which she concluded that people need nursing when they are unable to care for themselves (Delaune & Ladner, 2006). Orem's Self Care theory revolves around four concepts: (1) self care; (2) self care agency (which consists of two agents: the self care agent and a dependent care agent); (3) self care requisites; and (4) therapeutic self care demand (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Sydney, 2004). ... self care; (2) self care agency (which consists of two agents: the self care agent and a dependent care agent); (3) self care requisites; and (4) therapeutic self care demand (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Sydney, 2004). Self care pertains to the activities an individual practices independently throughout the course of life to promote and maintain health and wellness, while self care agency refers to the individual's ability to carry out these activities (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Sydney, 2004). The self care agent is the independent individual who cares for himself, while the dependent care agent is another person who provides the care. Examples of a self care agent and a dependent care agent are adults and children respectively (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Snyder, 2004). Lastly, therapeutic self care demand pertains to every activity done by an individual to fulfill self care demands, which stems from the need to be responsible (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Sydney, 2004). In short, it refers to actions taken to maintain health and wellness. Self Care Deficit Model courtesy of www.nursing.uiowa.edu Self care is performed by oneself for oneself. It is a gradually learned and deliberate behavior for the purpose of bringing about a condition of well-being (Delaune & Ladner, 2006). It is an individual's right and at the same time a personal responsibility. It may be effective or ineffective, and therapeutic and non-therapeutic (University of Iowa, n.d.). According to this theory, it is the self care deficit that presents the need for nursing care, not the medical condition (Delaune & Ladner, 2006). Self care deficit is subdivided into three categories: universal self care requisites, developmental self care requisites, and health deviation self care requisite

Early Italian Poetry and Woman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Early Italian Poetry and Woman - Essay Example 3). Through this form of poetry, poets were able to reflect inwards to their own voice, which provided them a mode through which to discover themselves. However, the medium of the written word also enabled the separation of the â€Å"speaker from the spoken†, in which the author was able to construct an â€Å"alter ego† that could express the actual speaker’s unrestrained feelings (Holmes 2000, p. 4). This shift also marked a shift towards authorship of the autobiographical, in which the Italian poets of the middle ages utilized the written word as a â€Å"confessional self-portrait†, where the words represented the poet’s innermost thoughts on such themes as life, religion, salvation, loss, etc. (2000, p. 7). Through a critical look at selected poems by Guinizelli, Dante, and Petrarch, the central theme of love will be discussed, as it is portrayed through the character of the heavenly or angelic idealized woman. Prior to a critical reading of the poetry, a brief biographical discussion on the poets is necessary to understanding the importance of the literary genre. In several of his poems, Dante referred to Guido Guinizelli as the â€Å"father of me and father of my betters† for having founded the school of poetry referred to as the dolce stil nuovo (Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 248). Born in 1230, in Bologna, Italy, Guinizelli founded the new style of poetry, which included the literary contributions of several Bolognese poets, including the prominent poetry by Dante. Unlike the Sicilian poets, â€Å"Guinizelli’s analogies, metaphors, poetic language, and concept of love reflect his effort to write not from the heart but from the head, and to analyze love and its effects† (Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 248). ... 248). His most well-known poem, â€Å"Al cor gentil rempaira sempre amore† critically analyzes courtly love by emphasizing the central importance of internal integrity as the true source of nobility, rather than basing nobility on status. He goes on to compare the noble love between a woman and man to the relationship between God and the angels. Dante used the image of Guinizelli’s noble lady in his anthology of works, entitled Vita nuova, and Dante accredits Guinizelli for playing the â€Å"role of both poetic father and prophet in establishing the dolce stil nuovo manifesto as the poetic vehicle for articulating philosophic truth through love† (Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 249). Guinizelli’s most famous successor was Dante Alighieri, who was born in Florence in 1265. Seeing his life-long love, Beatrice Portinari, at the age of nine served as inspiration for his entire artistic career, and the love story between Dante and Beatrice unfolds in Danteâ⠂¬â„¢s Vita nuova, which was written after (and inspired by) the deep emotional impact of Beatrice’s death in 1290 (Lambdin & Cooner Lambdin 2000, p. 118). During the political turmoil in Florence at the end of the 13th century, Dante was exiled from Florence until his death; according to Dante’s first biographer, Boccaccio, the meeting with Beatrice and his exile from Florence was the two more important events in Dante’s life which strongly impacted his artistic work. Written between 1293 to 1294, Vita nuova consists of thirty-one poems written to, and about, Beatrice, whom he viewed as â€Å"representative of divine goodness and beatitude on earth†; and it is in this anthology that Dante rejects

Impact Of Cultural Revolution On Fashion Designers Cultural Studies Essay

Impact Of Cultural Revolution On Fashion Designers Cultural Studies Essay To what extent did the Cultural Revolution impact designers Vivienne Tam and Han Feng and how did it affect their work? Background In 1949, after several decades of foreign aggression and civil war, the Communists took control of China and Mao ZeDong assumed power in the country. At the ceremony in Tiananmen that proclaimed the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, he began his long term of office wearing what was to become know in the West as the Mao suit. This was symbolic in signaling the inauguration of not only a social but also sartorial revolution. The years following the establishment of the PRC were a time of consolidation, reconstruction and reform. The communists believed in the power of mass movements, seen as a necessity to maintain revolutionary spirit and these took place frequently, eventually culminating in the ferment of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. During the 10 years from 1966 to 1976, the Communist Party attempted to politicize every facet of life and anything that might be regarded as bourgeois or counter-revolutionary was severely repressed. The Red Guards, essentially the shock troops of the Cultural Revolution, were instructed to attack elements of old China; old customs, old habits, old culture and old thinking. Clothes were highly visible in all four categories and, inevitably, fashion was highly liable to attack. Contemporary fashion was attacked as foreign and traditional clothing as feudal and in general a concern with personal appearance was interpreted as an expression of bourgeois tendencies and extreme individualism. Indeed, one of many accounts describes the humiliation of a young woman seized by the Red Guards who forcibly removed her fashionable trousers and shoes in front of a jeering crowd and illustrates the sartorial terrorism which was common throughout China during the Cultural Revolution. It was therefore tacitly understood that dressing in a simple proletarian way was the appropriate order of the day. The government encouraged people to adopt the attire of the workers, peasants and soldiers who were regarded as the ultimate benefactors of the socialist state. The uniform of the Peoples Liberation Army was of green cotton cloth, civilian cadres wore a grey administrative uniform and workers and peasants were clad in dark blue tunics and trousers. What therefore resulted from the mass adoption of the new socially acceptable attire was a spectacle of blue, green and grey. A spectacle that both Vivienne Tam and Han Feng vividly remember. Introduction Both Vivienne Tam and Han Feng were born at the height of communist power in China and albeit in different ways, they both lived through and were influenced by the Cultural Revolution. Their individual experiences shaped their attitudes towards fashion and they are now prominent designers, recognized wordwide as well as in China. Description of Han Feng and Vivienne Tam How their lives are different: Vivienne does not live in China during the Revolution; Han Feng does Vivienne exploits Mao cult, imagery, symbolism; Han Feng opposes it completely Vivienne escapes to HongKong, remains in Chinese spectrum; Han Feng leaves to US (abandons home country completely paralleled in the abandonment of everything Communist China represented. In common: Theatrical and artistic approach, not only fashion approach Vivienne Tam Vivienne Tam was born in Guangzhou in 1957. Her father was a landlord and as the PRC was striving to eliminate private ownership, landlords were accused of exploiting people for their own profit and were thus targeted for being insufficiently devoted to state directed socialism. Tams family found themselves in a vulnerable position and as she recalls It was a really difficult time. They therefore fled to the Hong Kong, escaping the threatening Communist doctrine. Tam was left behind with her grandparents until she was three years old when she was finally able to join them helped by a couple who told authorities she was their daughter. While living in Hong Kong she was able to maintain a Chinese lifestyle while being open to the rest of the world. Hong Kong was a thriving British colony and trade center and while she continued to speak Chinese at home and followed Buddhist religious rituals she attended a Roman catholic school and began to learn English in earnest. It was this opportunity of having a bi-cultural upbringing and a hybrid way of life which not only fueled her fascination for the East meets West nuance but also taught her to be more open and accept other people and other cultures. Meanwhile, mainland China under the Cultural Revolution was not only shutting out Western culture but also Chinese culture itself, deeming it bourgeois and anti-communist. Much that was lost to the revolution in China continued to grow and develop in Hong Kong and this offered Tam a freedom of inspiration. As a fashion design student of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, she was able to absorb the Western influence present in Hong Kong and at the same time freely investigate her Chinese cultural and sartorial heritage, an exploration which meanwhile was strictly forbidden to students in mainland China. As students in China lived under extreme repression, Tam experienced the Cultural Revolution as an observer, acknowledging the hardships but not being directly affected by them. This freedom from repression shaped her approach to seeking inspiration from the Cultural Revolution. Indeed, when she returned to visit China in the late 70s to early 80s, she experienced China almost as a tourist would. She was fascinated rather than dismayed by the blur of green and blue that surrounded her and was intrigued with Mao fashion- or anti-fashion- of putting everyone in a uniform and trying to make them equal- an attempt to cover up very real differences. She even admired the loose but tailored cut of the Mao suit and its unisex appeal; it highlighted the communist principle that men and women were equal and offered women freedom in physical movement. She noticed that this element of practicality had replaced fashion; window displays were filled with practical things instead of fashion, and she therefore ventured into the arts and crafts and home and furnishing sections of stores where she found inspiration and sources for her materials in such textiles as bedroom linens, bedspreads and towels. However, what struck her most from her experience visiting China and ultimately inspired her to create her most controversial collection was the remarkable power of Maos image. During the Cultural Revolution, portraits of Mao were ubiquitous; they hung in every living room, class room and office and Chinese people all owned Mao badges, mirrors, weavings and needlepoint works and fostered what became a cult of personality that did not immediately end with his death. People valued these items as good luck charms and Mao was effectively venerated like a God, complete with a halo. Tam was absorbed by all these style elements left from the Mao cult and collected such vintage items as inspiration. In 1994, Tam was introduced to artist Zhang Hongtu, the first artist to use Maos image in his work. She was inspired by his background and the concepts behind his work and collaborated with him to create her Mao Collection for Spring 1995. It is interesting to note their individual approaches to the project. Zhang Hongtu was born in Gansu province, attended highschool in Beijing during the sixties and later trained at the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts. He left to New York in the early 80s and, having experienced the intensity of Communist indoctrination and the overwhelming power of Maos image, began painting Mao in only a lightly humourous way, separating the image from its political undertone. It was only after the 1989 Tiananmen events that, albeit having to overcome initial strong feelings of guilt, he decided to exploit Maos image as mental therapy and as a way of expressing his own political feelings. It was an ironic reversal of the way he, as an artist, had been exploited to create propaganda art for the government. Tam sensed this political resonance in his work but instead chose to focus on its humouros element, aiming to loosen it up by amalgamating it with fashion. While Zhang Hongtu was directly responding to a need to get away from the shadow of Maos repression, escaping the authority of his image and being able to express himself politically, Tam saw the power of image and exploited it humorously as a representation of the new openness of China, using humour and warmth as a way to express the growing freedom of the Chinese people from Maos image. This highlights her inherent detachment to the emotional hardship behind the Cultural Revolution that artists who grew up under its repression feel. Tam, perhaps as a result of this detachment and thus not quite grasping the extent of the power that still lay behind Maos image, was even surprised by the strong reaction that the collection provoked. The collection comprised of 8 images of Mao; 6 of which included Mao So Young- with pigtails, a peterpan collar and gingham dress, Ow Mao- cross eyed with a bee perched on his nose against a black and yellow striped background, Holy Mao- with a clerical collar, Psycho Mao- with dark hypnotic glasses, Miss Mao- with lipstick and Nice Day Mao- as a smiley face. She printed four coloured images in a checkboard pattern, reflecting Maos changeable character and, in another design, expressed his positive and negative effects, printing the images in black and white. She also printed the images on T-shirts, deepening the texture with patterns and sequins to make the designs alive with movement and light. The striking juxtaposition of colours and textures with Maos political imagery and the resulting strongly humorous element in the designs was highly controversial, some responding to it as almost blasphemous while others deemed it tasteless. The images were compared to Warhols depiction of Mao, but, while Warhol had used the image of Mao as merely another mass icon like Marilyn Monroe, Tam and Hongtu had exploited it as a political figure which thus prompted the reaction If Mao was a dictator like Hitler or Stalin, how can it be okay to use his image as pop art? Isnt it tasteless to make fun of the suffering they caused? Tam and Hongtu contended that it was a form of critisicm to the continuing use of Maos ideology, image and flag in China and a way to further undermine the authority of Maos image; any use of Maos image which makes him less godlike, is a form of criticism. And its necessary. Yet Tam admitted that she had no idea there would be a strong reaction to the designs and it was observing the attitude towards the collection that enabled her to gain a lot of insight into Mao and his power. Han Feng Han Feng was born in Nan Jing in 1962. I grew up during the Cultural Revolution and it was difficult she explains and when she was 1 year old, authorities sent her father to another city and her parents were forced to separate. Her father hung himself and later another man she was close to also commited suicide during the Cultural Revolution. She grew up in HangZhou, Chinas artistic center, and, pursuing her childhood flair for creativity, she attended the China Academy of Fine Arts, training in graphic design as there were no fashion design programs. I started out painting how my teachers wanted me to she recalls, but then I became this crazy person who wanted to be different. It was no doubt having to endure the imposed Maoist dress code and how it stifled non-conformity which fueled Hans determination to distinguish herself; I got a T-shirt and jeans and grew my hair long so I would stand out and she gained a reputation in the academy as being a bit of a blacksheep due to her desire for experimentation and refusal to merely copy what had been done before; I wanted to learn, not copy. My teachers didnt understand that. Communist indoctrination was such that expanding creative horizons was virtually impossible. She was one of many who wished to escape the stifling repression of the tight grip maintained by the Communist Party on creative expression; We all wanted to leave China in the 1980s because there was too much pain. She met her husband who was an English teacher of the art academy, and, seeking freedom and a larger stage for her interests, she moved to New York with him in 1985. Leaving China was symbolic in asserting the approach she would take towards designing abroad; I thought, God, the Chinese-who cares? I am from China. I want to forget where Im coming, forget my past. Its just too painful to remember. The pain and struggle that characterized Hans experience of the Cultural Revolution not only determined her to leave China, but also inspired her to create designs that (whether intentionally or subconsciously) completely opposed all the elements of Maoist style, perhaps as a personal provocation and rebellion against everything it had tried to impose. When I left China she explains, everyone was wearing exactly the same thing. And it was grey. It is no coincidence that her designs are now widely recognized for their rich and innovative use of colour and that she is credited one of the most brilliant colorists in the New York fashion world. After having been limited to blue, black and red dyes which were the only ones available in dyeing shops in China during the Cultural Revolution (Antonia Finanne, 237), Han now embraces the freedom of using vibrant colours; I love designing with pure, bright colors because I didnt experience them as a child she says. Red is particularly prominent in her pallet, varying in geranium to cerise shades, as are green and blue shades of chartreuse and lime to lapis and turquoise. Her collections combine colors in subtle ways highlighted in items mixing burgundy with fuschia or pairing the different shades of green or blue, often placing paler colours alongside more intense ones for artistic effect. In addition to her use of colours, Han Feng is also known for her creative treatment of fabrics and her designs are equally characterized by their materials. Escaping the drab conformity imposed by Communist Doctrine, Han Feng reversed the changes that the Cultural Revolution had forced upon the use of fabrics in China. Chinese people had been obliged to abandon traditional Chinese fabrics such as silk and satin which, according to the Doctrine, carried a strong feudalistic connotation, and were required to adopt revolutionary cotton or patriotic wool.(Hua Mei, 98) Instead, Han Feng abandoned the bland cotton and crude wool that characterized Maoist style and zealously explored the realm of fabrics and materials that was newly available to her. Perhaps as a result of growing up in Hang Zhou, a city which had been reputed for its silk trade, she developed a keen appreciation for silk, wistfully reviving it as the fabric of her heritage. This passionate exploration and revival of fabrics and materials is clearly expressed in her collections. She works with a diverse array of materials including silk (occasionally blended with wool), organza, velvet, satin, stretch chiffon and fine polyester. These light, pliant and diaphanous fabrics which characterize her collections certainly contrast with the coarse thickness of the cotton and crude wool which she had no choice but to wear when living in China. Yet her endeavor went further then just exploring fabrics. What sparked her interest were the ways in which she could treat and manipulate the fabrics creating different textures and styles, once again delving into a creative realm which had been restricted during the Cultural Revolution. The uniformity of the Mao suit was constrained to straight ironed cotton, occasionally padded or patched, and did not allow for ruffles or any such touches of originality. It was shapeless, defined only by the square, linear attribute of the typical uniform. The description of Hans collection of 1993 in the New York times, best signaled her approach to investigating materials; She pleats fabrics into gnat-sized accordions: the tiny folds in the fabrics give drama to even the plainest polyester georgette. Her chiffon A-line dresses were cut in spirals, like orange peels. Velvet was crinkled and pleated to make a simple tank dress fit for the wedding of a barefoot contessa. Indeed, the transformation she underwent as she explored and discovered new ways of using materials is clear in the development of her designs, in particular that of her signature scarves. While she had initially launched her career in selling pleated scarves, her collection of scarves are now paisley, plaid, fringed, crinkled, embroidered and featuring colorful woven ribbon inserts; techniques that she then applied to other clothing designs. Her Spring/Summer 2001 collection highlighted her accordion-pleated skirts and crinkled silk blouses printed with impressionistic floral patterns. Han also styles fabrics in a distinctly original way, rejecting conventional tailoring and, perhaps paralleling her appreciation of the enveloping quality of scarves, she focuses on creating clothes which wrap and veil, assembling the garment as a light sculpture on the body. This quality has been admired and her clothing has been described to wrap the body as the clouds enclose a mountain. Her collections have often been defined by the way she drapes soft jerseys and chiffons and folds back the fabric as well as by the untailored loose panels of fabric floating from the backs of dresses, uneven hems and asymmetric cuts. What emerges as a result of the blending of diaphanous fabrics, textures and colours, untailored and wrapped around the body is a light, weightless and dreamily feminine appeal. This quality is perhaps what most manifestly contradicts Maoist uniform and its fundamental principle of de-feminizing women. While the squarely tailored Mao suit was specifically designed and imposed on women to conceal their curves and natural movements, Han strives to create clothes which accommodate and embrace them. She maintains that women should enjoy their bodies more and not try to hide themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the body is beautiful. She thus takes pleasure inplaying with shape and making women look more feminine in a subtle way. Her 1995 fall collection, for instance, was based on curves; curved seams that bring the jackets close to the body, curved collars that frame the neck, curved backs that give a cocoon-like shape to pleated silk evening jackets or velvet coats. Emphasizing the reassertion of feminity in her style, she complements her outfits with accessories including scarves, gloves and hair ornaments. While accessories during the Cultural Revolution were limited to Red Guard armbands, army caps, Mao badges and his little red book, Hans collections feature trimmed iridescent shawls with gilded tassels, black wool gloves weaved with rows of pink bows and polytail holders linked with velvet buttons. She even makes this twist literal in her 1999 collection; one item is a high-collared Chairman Mao jacket accented with a chinchilla scarf, a subtly controversial pairing of the strict suit with the elegant touch. With the revival of feminine allure comes the emotional feeling of her clothes. Although her designs remain simple and practical, their unparalled inventiveness and originality hold a hint of haiku-like poetry, highlighting her romantic vision. In fact her fall/winter 1998 collection was inspired by the story of a love affair between a fabric trader and a young woman along the silk road to China. No doubt she was enthused by the controversial appeal of the story, exploring its romanticism and creating a more emotional collection; emotion being an element which was wholly non-existent in the cold, military allure of the Mao suit. She later skillfully accentuated the emotional and dramatic aspect of her designs to the height of theatrical flair, leading to her debut as a costume designer and ultimately her success in designing costumes for director Anthony Minghellas English National Opera production of Madame Butterfly. 1980s onwards Mao Zedongs death in 1976 brought an end to the Cultural Revolution. Later that year, the downfall of the Gang of Four, including Maos widow Jiang Qing who had implemented the most extreme policies, led to a slow loosening of laws related to dress and social constraints. In 1984, under Deng Xiaopings leadership and the open door policy of reform, certain cities were designated open as part of a new strategy inviting foreign investment. In October 21, 1984, Hu Yaobang, the General Secretary of the Communist Party, appeared on television at a meeting of the Central Committee wearing a dark-blue western style suit. Although his move was possible because of the more relaxed atmosphere following the ascendancy to power of Deng Xiaoping, he was still making a bold sartorial statement. While both Vivienne Tam and Han Feng were able to escape the confines of Communist indoctrination and establish themselves as designers in New York, they left a China that was struggling to reassert itself within the international political stage and the global economy. This struggle was (and still is) reflected in the clumsy approach people began to take to new fashions and Western styles entering China; Tam herself commented that their style was borderline bad taste and hip because they were borderline Cultural Revolution and Western modernity. Unavoidably the new danger to Chinas sartorial identity is the influx of Western brands which are threatening to create yet another type conformity and as Tam rightly observes American influence is diluting the distinctive flavor of Chinas fashion industry. Both Tam and Han Feng are now challenging the dominance of mass produced Western brands in China. Having experienced the Cultural Revolution, they do not want to see the uniformity of the Mao era simply transgress into a new Western uniformity. What they therefore want to highlight is the importance of maintaining imagination and individuality;Everything we do should express feelings and experiences. We should create not just follow fashion. Each fashion designer should have his or her signature style. While acknowledging the need for recovering individuality in China, they are both optimistic in Chinas potential; it is growing, fashion here will soon have its own personality; We had great fashion for thousands of years, then no fashion at all. Now we are finding our contemporary design voice.

Henry James And the Art Of Fiction :: essays research papers

â€Å"The only reason for the existence of a novel is that it does attempt to represent life.† Stated Henry James in â€Å"The Art of Fiction† page 437. I agree with Mr. James that feelings and ambitions formed in characters do represent life. The idea of characters and how real they should is represented in page 440. Characters, in my opinion, form the novel itself. It is the characters and incidents corresponding in a novel, which make a good one. There are two kinds of characters: the round character, and the flat character. The round one has contradictions and develops with the progress of the novel. The flat character does not change; if it is good then that is the way it will stay, or if it is bad it will also stay as it is with no progress in it. There are as well minor characters, which are there to help the novel to develop, and make incidents more reasonable. Characters form actions, in my opinion, and actions form the incidents of a novel. In page 438, Mr. James stated that â€Å"the action of men† is â€Å"the task† of writers. It is not only important to show characters’ feelings, but also to see them in action. A novel I would refer to that may get to be the opposite of that statement would be To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. The novel does not have much action, but shows a lot of inner thoughts and feelings of the characters. The time passes by slowly at the beginning of the novel, which may make you feel dull. The story still is a genius one. These form of novels are called â€Å"the stream of consciousness†, and its form goes by hearing characters’ thoughts and their inner emotions. Mr. James prefers, as I interpret, that a novel should have characters combined with the actions they go through. I agree with him, since I find much pleasure in reading such works of fiction. That is of course my own taste, and not my own opinion, since an opinion should be objective. In conclusion, life can be seen in characters, which are in action. Also in corresponding of incidents that can be thought to be logical. If any work of fiction has logical events, and can be taken to be true, then it is a successful one. Any novel does not have to be only a copy of real life.

Action or Inaction and the Ethics of Choice Essay

One of Peter Singer’s four main principles of ethics is that we are just as responsible for our inactions as we are for our actions. This means that we as human beings have an ethical obligation to act if we witness something wrong happening. Even if we do not see it but we know it is going on, then once we possess that knowledge we have also incurred a moral duty to act. Without this obligation, we become a liability to the community because we are no longer taking responsibility for the well-being of others when it is in our power to do so. Examples of this are easily found in the modern media. The first example of such an understood and implicit responsibility would be in the case of Penn State and their football defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky. Jerry Sandusky committed horrible crimes, molesting and sexually assaulting numerous young boys who were looking to him to help them out of already bad situations at home via his charity, Second Mile. These were at risk youth. The head coach of Penn State’s football team, Joe Paterno, had been alerted to the crimes possibly being committed by his defensive coordinator but he had failed to act or contact law enforcement. The president of the university also was accused of knowing but taking no action. (1) In the eyes of the public, once the criminal trial began to get underway, the head coach and the president were both equally guilty for allowing such atrocities to go on under their noses. To the American people and the plaintiffs, simply saying, â€Å"It wasn’t me that hurt these boys.† was not enough to excuse their inaction. They had failed in their civic duty to protect the community and its children. To fail a society in this manner means you have become a hindrance and a liability to the people who once sustained you. It is no small question to wonder where the line is drawn between an obligation to action and the freedom to do nothing. Not only is it illegal to rob a bank, it is equally illegal to drive the getaway car. True, as a mere driver, you did not in fact steal money or hurt anyone. However, by your own inaction (you did not call the cops, you did not discourage the robbers), you have enabled harm to be brought to others. The consequences then are that had you acted, harm may have been avoided. Just as if you had held the gun yourself, your knowledge means that you acted to hurt someone else even if it was simply by not acting. Many cultures have shame and honor systems which detail explicitly the duties of a citizen to act and the restrictions on actions as well. American law makes very clear pronouncements about guilt by association, being an alibi, being an accomplice, and other specific things required by those who stood by. We as a people do not accept inaction as an excuse to avoid blame. Peter Singer’s specific principle denotes the ability to choose between action and inaction automatically confers upon the decider the weight of their choice. Once you are aware that you have a choice to make, you also should be aware that the choice rightly bears consequences. Surprisingly, many people find this unfair. They do not believe they hold any blame if they choose not to take action. If a woman is raped in a street in broad daylight with fifty witnesses, almost all the witnesses will feel that it was not their problem, not their responsibility to stop it or report it. When confronted later, they will squirm with shame, but as the well-known case of Kitty Genovese (2) proved, they do not honestly feel they did anything wrong. Therefore, the ethical idea of responsibility for both action and inaction is an idea that still needs advocates throughout the world. The social contract that exists between man and his government also extends to man and his fellow man. Works cited: 1.) Simon, M. (2012, November 7). Former Penn State president arraigned in Sandusky scandal – This Just In – CNN.com Blogs. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/07/former-penn-state-president-arraigned-in-sandusky-scandal 2.) Darley, L. (2010, August 19). Bystander Effect: The Case of Kitty Genovese. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from

Are We Losing Our Freedom essays

Are We Losing Our Freedom essays Are we losing our freedom? The answer is yes, we are. Phone lines are tapped legally but without the owners consent, e-mails and credit card numbers are read and stolen, and personal information are becoming not personal any longer. Parties, including the government, special interest groups, as well as ordinary citizens, are quietly leeching our freedom away. The government has done a large part in slowly taking our freedom. In recent months, some people are arrested for owning child pornography, some of those have only kept this pictures for their own private use and have not use these materials to affect others lives. I am not saying a agree on child pornography, but this is a clear example of how the government is digging into an individuals private life in an attempt to arrest those who has done nothing to harm the general public. Since a lot of people are standing with the government on arresting the child pornographic owners, this could mean that the government might use this power to control other aspects of our lives- aspects of ones life that would affect nobody but themselves. Our fellow citizens are also slowly taking the vast majoritys population of the freedom. Take the gay rights protestors for an example. In 1984, Trudeau passed a law that states that gay relationship is legalized and that bedroom businesses none of the governments business. In year 2000, these gay protestors are taking their bedroom businesses out of the bedroom and onto the streets! These people want to be socially accepted, and they want to integrate this aspect of bedroom life into the education system. So children, no matter if they want any part of the guy issue or not, are being force to learn and accept homosexual behaviour. This is a clear invasion of the vast majoritys freedom. All the society is talking about is gay rights, how the homosexual must have rights. Then, where are ou ...

The Old Man and the Sea

The Old Man and the Sea The Old Man and the Sea is a story of a modest old man and his struggle for the greatness. The plot is based on life of Santiago, an elderly Cuban fisherman who is unlucky in his fishing escapades. He is so unlucky that parents of a young boy Manolin, who wanted to fish with an old man and learn the skills from him, forbid him doing this and ask to sail with more successful young sailors.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Old Man and the Sea specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The author was on the ground of the World War I, and a casualty of the war may be seen as the reason behind the choice of themes. Bravery, courage, pride and honor are virtues that many survivors of the war possessed. Santiago’s move to set out to sea all alone in order to redeem his reputation among his people is a bold move (Hemingway 22). However, Hemmingway, the author, describes the boy as the one who admires the old man despit e his parents discourage him from joining Santiago in his fishing, he still continues to care for the old man. This essay seeks to make a detailed review of the story, â€Å"The Old Man and the Sea†, its themes and relations to the real world. The plot brings out the boy as being very caring. He is shown in the way he helps the fisherman to carry his fishing gear and discussing the latest happenings in the American baseball. Despite the old man’s unsuccessful fishing trips, the book portrays him as having a strong determination to achieve his aim. In a highly sequential flow of events, the book explains how Santiago sails further away from familiar territory and ventures into the Gulf Stream. The author goes ahead to explain how the old man gets lucky and catches a big fish known as Marlin at midday. However, in a twist to the story, Santiago is unable to pull the gigantic animal to his boat, and the fish starts pulling. The story shows the reader an image of an enduri ng man who is overcome by fear trying to save his life by all means. It is presented when Santiago struggles to bear the strain of the line hooking the massive fish with his shoulders. He does this in order to avoid tearing the boat apart and tries to hook on it. The story explains how an old man pulls the line for three days as the fish swims with the old man enduring this pain (Hemingway 40). In this day to day sequence of events, Santiago is presented to the reader as an affectionate man who, despite the strain that the fish is putting him through, sees it as a brother in endurance, suffering, strength and resolve. Testimony to this, (the way Santiago feels it); the people who are going to eat this fish are not entitled to such greatness.Advertising Looking for book review on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is on the third day that we see Santiago is getting his catch into the boat finally. It is the evidence of Santiagos endurance and determination because, according to the story, this is the biggest fish that Santiago has ever caught after number of unsuccessful trials (Bloom, 150). In addition, the story brings out the anti-climax of Santiago’s happiness. It explains how Santiago struggles with the attacks of sharks that were attracted by the blood trails left from the fish. Hemmingway creates an image of a boat deep in the sea surrounded by sharks in the mind of the reader. This is where the courage of the old man is brought out. He is seen trying to deter the Sharks from attacking him by all possible means. For example, he fights them with a spear made by lashing a dagger to an oar and beating them up with the boats filler (Gerry 80). The old man’s courage and creativity are paid back as he manages to kill several sharks. However, he is left with nothing, as sharks manage to devour his catch leaving him with a skeleton, head and a tail. The man regr ets his decision to go out far into the sea. He stumbles back home completely worn out and goes to sleep (Hemingway 20). Despite loosing the fish, the old man achieves greatness without realizing it. The reader understands this when reading about tourists who watch a giant Skeleton with amusement the following morning. Two themes can be brought out from this story. The first one is the theme of honor. Throughout the story, Santiago is shown as a person swimming against the tide trying not to be defeated. He is shown as a person who is struggling with the power of the sea without catching any fish for eighty seven days, but breaks his record by catching the largest fish ever caught in all his years of fishing. He is seen as fighting defeat by sailing into deep waters; he is struggling with a marlin for three days, and fights off shark attacks. This theme shows that Santiago and Marlin display virtues of courage and strong will, and they are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to u phold them. Santiago’s story does not provides him with the opportunity to change man’s place in the world, rather it enables him meet his most dignified destiny (Hemingway, 40).Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Old Man and the Sea specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The other theme discussed in this story is the theme of pride as the source of greatness and determination. Santiago’s character is created similar to all heroes of the world. In addition to coming out as strong, courageous and morally certain, they all possess a fatal flaw and pride. This leads to their downfall despite all the admiration that they receive. Santiago, on the other hand, is portrayed as being proof that it is pride that pushes great men towards greatness. For example, Santiago admits to killing Marlin out of pride. Thus, pride becomes the source of Santiago’s strength. Without this pride, he would neithe r have ventured deep into the sea, nor would he have struggled with the giant fish for three consecutive days. Pride drives the old man to transcend the forces of nature and come out triumphant (Gerry 50). In conclusion, it can be argued that this book tries to explain human nature. It explains that we are beings who, in most cases, are driven by pride while trying to achieve our goals in life. In addition, it tries to bring out the fact that pride does not always lead to downfall. Hemmingway illustrates that victory is not always a qualification for honor. It is brought about when one has the pride to struggle until the very end. In the case of Santiago, the glory and pride come not as a result of battle, but from his pride and determination to fight. Bloom, Harold. Earnest Hemingway’s the Old Man and Sea. New York: InfoBase publishing, 2008. Print. Gerry, Brenner. The Old Man and the Sea: Story of a Common Man. Michigan: University of Michigan, 1991. Print. Hemingway, Erne st. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2002. Print.

The Use of Web Bugs at Home Connection Case Study

The Use of Web Bugs at Home Connection - Case Study Example The web bugs have been placed on the personal computers of the subscribers of HomeConnection to gather results about an ongoing promotion. This has however been done without neither informing nor obtaining the consent of the subscribers (Josang, Maseng & Knapskog, 2009). The subscribers have a right to opt out of the company’s arrangement since it infringes on their rights by disclosing their activities (Spinello, 2002). They also have the right to refuse the web bug installation into their web pages since it could end up divulging information to intruders. The internet has a lot of criminals who are out to acquire vital personal information for the purpose of stealing finances and performing other dubious activities (Chander, Gelman & Radin, 2008). The company should have taken the initiative of informing the subscribers concerning their placement of the web bugs on their web sites. These actions would have prevented the company from receiving the complaints and threats of wi thdrawal they had experienced after their customers received knowledge concerning their activities and information being monitored (Spinello, 2002). The subscribers have additionally not been bound by any form of agreement that allows the company to intrude into their personal information and therefore have the liberty of opting out of this arrangement (Josang, Maseng & Knapskog, 2009).3Should a person displaying the ads agree to the web bug he should place a statement on his or her web site indicating that persons clicking on the ad.

Strategy (Business) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategy (Business) - Essay Example Johnson & Scholes (1999) define stakeholder as, â€Å"Stakeholders are groups or individuals who have a stake in, or expectation of, the organisation’s performance.† Stakeholders all have power, someone has a formal power invested in a position of authority or it could be the social power of being able to persuade others to support or oppose the policies of the organization. For example NGOs and social watch groups often exert such a power on the company forcing the organization to adopt or abandon some decisions. For example an oil producing company has to remain watchful for any pollution in the seabed, a construction company has to make sure that it doesn’t spread too much of building material on the lanes and bylanes, blocking the easy movement of general public. People with higher power could be the company’s most useful supporters or most dangerous opponents, depending upon the prevailing dynamics. Different companies have different set of stakeholders with different levels of power structures. Shareholders (medium and big): This type of shareholder is interested in better dividend rates as well as better performance and public relations of the company. He keeps an eye on macro as well as micro level factors. Banks and Financial Institutions: Banks and Institutions are not only interested in better showing, but they also wish the company to diversify in more areas, open more facilities as that involves more business for banks and Financial Institutions (FIs). Customers: Customers want value for their money; they can wield pressure by way of asking for better quality at reasonable prices. They need to be pampered by the company, otherwise there is an inherent danger of their opting for alternative products or the products of rival companies. Lower level Employees: These stakeholders are interested in their salaries at the end of the month, not involving themselves in the strategic decisions. They

Emerging Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Emerging Technology - Research Paper Example She appeals to the high intellectual abilities of both men and women. The thought-provoking ideals make her views clear and convincing. A distinctive writing of Mary entails the use of metaphor. For example, in the first paragraph, she compares the society with a garden in which grass is decaying. In one of her evident rhetorical techniques is literary allusion. In alluding to other great literary sources, Mary demonstrates her extensive knowledge while at the same time showing that she respects her audience (Jacobus 675). In one of her arguments in the rhetoric, she reminds the society the common illusion that women are weaker than their male counterparts are. Citing personal experiences, Wollstonecraft talks about the degradation a woman feels when forced to act as a governess (Jacobus 680). Judith Butler authoredUndoing Gender, a book written with clarity and directness. The book focuses on gender identity and the nature defining sexuality. The major premise put forward in the book is that both arise from socialization and the inherent force of language in the society. The power of language shapes ideas while gender is fluid (Jacobus 739-745). Most psychologists would take most of her premises seriously. In this excerpt, Butler is against the binary view of gender or rather the views that contribute to the classification of humans into a male or a female. As aforementioned, Butler takes great concern in various ways in which language define people and things (Jacobus 775). In some instances, Butler points out that language makes us understand the reality of nature. In addition, she states that we cannot place complete trust in language to reveal complete truth. In the opening pages of her selection, she outlines that she will focus on human based on intelligibility. Sh e defines intelligibility in the context of human love, norms and ways of understanding the modes of truth (Jacobus 750-755). Butler

Conflict Resolution Paper Essay Example for Free

Conflict Resolution Paper Essay People deal with conflict every day and can choose how they handle the situation on their own terms. When dealing with a learning team in a school setting, one must count on his or her team members to accomplish his or her goals. During the duration of the course the team may encounter issues that will work against them in obtaining their goals such as lack of communication, personal interruptions, lack of commitment to the other team members, and lack of commitment to the assignment. When these kinds of conflicts arise in the classroom the team members have to use certain conflict management techniques, use their individual strengths and eventually come to a decision as a team. The Conflict At times one may encounter the non-participator in the group. The non-participator is one who neglects his or her responsibilities to work with the team (Engleberg Wynn, 2010). A learning team participating in a course at University of Phoenix had a group paper that needed to be completed. However, not all team members were actively participating. The majority of the group wanted to start on the assignment in the middle of week three with the exception of one individual. The group used every resource—such as the learning team forum, the phone, and e-mails on their UOPX and personal account to contact the individual. By the middle of week three the team contacted the professor to inform her about the lack of communication. A couple of days later, the professor notified the group that she had not received a reply from the absent team member. The situation became critical to the point where the professor had to take time to contact enrollment to see if the missing team member had dropped the class. It turned out that the student was enrolled. The team was in a panic to create a contingency plan to determine who would pick up the missing members portion. This put unnecessary pressure on the group because of the lack of communication and participation. The day before the assignment was due the missing team member contacted the group stating that his portion would be submitted by the morning of the due date. The late response was very inconsiderate considering another member of the group was going to start on the missing portion, along with completing the final revisions. The group received a lower grade because the paper was lacking in readability and flow. The group was not pleased with the results. One more team project was due by the end of the course, and the team did not want to encounter the same problem on the final project. The team revisited the learning team charter as a method of enforcing the ground rules. Conflict Resolution Teams experience conflict within and between teams. When high performance work teams experience conflict, they handle it in a way that helps build team relations and promote positive change. Using effective conflict management techniques is the most valuable resolution for the team. The group agreed that positive techniques should be used. The first technique is to understand the underlining root cause of the conflict. Communicating with one another about the issue at hand allowed everyone to move forward in a resolution to the conflict as a team. Once the team agreed to understanding what the issue was, the team agreed on a time to be signed into a group discussion forum to work on the resolution. Next, the team communicated with each other about the conflict discussion topic and focused on the ideas brought fourth rather than who was presenting them. This focus was important because it allowed the team members to feel confident with expressing individual issues and allowed members to seek other member’s points of view (Belgard, Fisher, Rayner, 1995). One of the most important techniques was engaging in listening actively and empathetically. By listening to other members the group could build on the teams common goals and work through hard feelings, which had been interfering with an interpersonal relationship within the team. When conflict techniques are well managed, an extremely positive and productive effect can enable the team to foster continued improvements. Learning about conflict and conflict management techniques is extremely valuable to organizations, teams, and individuals. Conflicts occur at all levels of interaction—at work, among friends, within families, and between relationship partners. If it is handled well, conflict can be productive, leading to deeper understanding and mutual respect. Conclusion Teams move through various stages throughout the timeline of a project. As they move from the forming stage to the second stage of storming, it is vital to the success of the team that they utilize conflict resolution strategies if they are going to move to the norming stage and be successful. The team was trying to work through the conflict of being unable to communicate despite many efforts by the team. They utilized positive communication conflict resolution techniques to understand and work through the problem. The team reviewed their charter and stressed the importance of working together and communicating which fostered an environment of mutual respect versus bashing the teammate that had not effectively communicated in the first three weeks. Due to the problems, they ultimately turned their part of the project in late. Through the 4 R’s (Wynn, 2012): Reason- identifying the reasons for the conflict. The team worked through the conflict by seeking to understand. They made every attempt to contact the member of their team who had not been communicating and sought to understand the problem using a positive approach. Reaction-ensuring that in the nature of teamwork, they remain unbiased. The team did not assume the nature of the conflict, and instead they continued to work through the issue until they found that the member of the team that was unresponsive. Results- by maintaining communication and a positive approach to the project and monitoring the progress, the team was able to identify at a critical point that one team member was not communicating and was not demonstrating an effort to contribute to the project. The team was able to identify this and work quickly to resolve the situation. The team continued to work through the issue until the team member made contact. The team took steps after this situation to review as a team the charter and ground rules for the team to prevent this problem in the next project. It is vital to track progress and maintain communication for success. After the teammate was finally reached, the final R, which is Resolution, was achieved. References Belgard, W., Fisher, K., Rayner, S. (1995). Tips for teams. New York, NY: McGraw Hill, Co.. Engleberg, I. N., Wynn, D. R. (2010). Working in groups (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn Bacon.

Searching for Assata :: essays research papers

Searching for Assata I thought long and hard about the type of creative project I wanted to do for my Gender & Society class. This project is a really cool one, in which gender and the things I learned in class would be combined. At first, I was going to interview four teenage African-American girls about their experiences about being Black and female in this society. Due to technical difficulties (raggedly camcorder), I was not able to complete that task. Then I thought about doing a feminist critique of Scarlett O’Hara, the main character from â€Å"Gone with the Wind† but that type of thing is for a ten-page paper, not a creative project. Finally, I decided to do a collage depicting the life of Assata Shakur, one of the most wrongly convicted individuals in U.S. history. Her story is a sad chapter in American history, in which the color of her skin, social class, political affiliation, and gender played a role in her subsequent exile from her homeland. On May 2 1973, racial prejudice would change the life of Assata Shakur forever. An incident of what would now be labeled "racial profiling" takes place on the New Jersey Turnpike. Ms. Shakur, an active participant in the Black Liberation Army (BLA), was traveling with friends, Malik Zayad Shakur and Sundiata Acoli when state troopers stopped them, reportedly because of a broken headlight. A trooper explained that they were "suspicious" because they had Vermont license plates. The three were made to exit the car with their hands up. All of a sudden, shots were fired. When it was all over, state trooper Werner Foerster and Malik Shakur were killed. Ms. Shakur and Mr. Acoli were charged with the deaths of state trooper Foerster and Zayd Malik Shakur. While held in jail, she was shackled and chained to a bed, with bullet wounds still in her chest. She was also forced to undergo the jabs of shotgun butts of the New Jersey State troopers and heard their voices shouting Nazi slogans an d threats to her life. In the history of New Jersey state, no female prisoner had ever been treated as she, confined to a men’s prison, under twenty-four hour surveillance of her most intimate bodily functions. Ms. Shakur and Mr. Acoli were eventually sentenced to 30 years plus life. Although the verdict was no surprise since it was an all-White jury who convicted them, many questioned the racial injustice of the trial because it was riddled with many human rights violations and constitutional errors.

Brainstem Injuries and the Neuropsychologist Essay -- Neuropsychology

Brainstem Injuries and the Neuropsychologist The Neuropsychologist plays an essential function in assessment and rehabilitation after an injury to the head. Neuropsychologists essentially bear responsibility for testing and tracking the patients thinking ability. Below are key functions provided by clinical neuropsychologists: - Carrying out detailed assessments of cognition, emotion, behavior, and social competence; - Devising and implementing training programs; - Liaising with educational agencies/ employers to advise on the resumption of educational/ vocational life; - Advising on the management cognitive deficits/ disabilities; - Advising and providing long term care; - Providing psychotherapeutic input to address the emotional impact of injury and disabilities; - Facilitating personal, family, and social adjustment (Halligan 2003). A screening for a neuropsychological evaluation should be done as soon as possible after an injury to the brain or in this case, brainstem. A comprehensive evaluation is necessary if complaints and or problems persist. In most cases, an evaluation is performed biannually for the first two years, and as necessary, depending on the subjectivity of the patients status. An exam by the neuropsychologist typically involves a wide variety of tasks, most of which are done sitting at a table or at bedside in a hospital (www.neuropsychologycentral.com, 2002). The examination is non-invasive, and usually is not painful. The evaluation often takes 6 to 8 hours of face-to-face contact, but can vary widely depending on what information is being sought (www.neuropsychologycentral.com, 2002). Test results are used, depending o... ...y 1, 2005 from http//www.neuropsychologycentral.com/interface/content/resources /resources_interface_frameset.html. University of Florida (2005). Medical Informatics: Introduction to Clinical Neurology. Retrieved May 1, 2005 from http://medinfo.ufl.edu/year2/neuro/review/bsc.html. Joseph Landolfi (2005). Brainstem Gliomas. Retrieved May 1, 2005 from http://www.emedicine.com/NEURO/topic40.htm. Spencer, Rick (2005). Brain Injury 101. Retrieved May 1, 2005 from http://www.rickspencer.com/Headinjurylaw/brain101.htm. Theodosopoulos, Philip; Burton, Lisa; Wagner, Becky; Splitt, Nancee (2005). Retrieved May 1, 2005 from http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-BrainTumor.htm. Reiter, Jamie (2003). Journey Toward Recovery: A Brain Injury Guide For Families. Retrieved May 1, 2005 from http://www.sdbif.org/Guide/SDBIF_Guide_Eng.pdf.

Walt Whitman

I chose Walt Whitman for my biography report because Mr. Farlow said that if I wasn't going to take this class seriously and pick a real poet I might as well not come to class anymore. Walt Whitman was an awful child molester who was born in ancient Hong Kong. He is over 3,000 years old and remembers the names of all the forgotten Gods. Walt Whitman is 90 stories tall, and his adventures are legendary. With his blue ox, Emily Dickenson, Walt Whitman traveled across young America and helped the nation greow into the angry powerhouse it is today. He dropped his mighty axe, forming the Grand Canyon; the apple cores he would spit from his mighty mouth planted apple treees all acoess the country; and the stomp of his mighty boot caused the stock market to crash. He and his friend, Huck Finn, traveled down the Mississippi river and freed the slaves. Walt Whitman believed that the only good Chinaman was a dead Chinaman, so he went to Tiananmen Square and gave them all candy. Except instead of candy he killed them. Walt Whitman's might seem like a real cool guy, but in reality he's a whiny. His Livejournal, which he doesn't think anyone knows about is full of whiny goth poetry. His Current Mood is always â€Å"Apathetic† and his music is always some obscure punk band that no one has ever heard of. SOme people who pretended to be his friend so they could get access to his â€Å"friends only† posts grabbed some of poetry and made a book from them, and called it â€Å"Ode to Faggotry. When tehy found out other goth kids would actually read it, they changed the name to â€Å"Leaves of Grass† and it sold like gothcakes. Walt Whitman to this day doesn't know they're selling his poems andmaking a fortune off him. They still don't invite him to any parties though, because no one likes him. Walt Whitman died a lonely man in Walt Disney Land. He was on the gondola ride, and he fell out because he wasn't fastened properly to the restraint. Thanks to his dumb, now none of us can ride it anymore. Thanks a lot Walt Whitman.

Arabs vs Jews essays

Arabs vs Jews essays On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to divide the Middle Eastern land called Palestine into two independent nations, one Arab and one Jewish. On May 14, 1948, a new nation was born: Israel. The Jews of Israel and the world celebrated with joy and gladness, because for over two thousand years, they had hoped to return to the land of their heritage. (Silverman, 1) However with Jews from all around the world returning to Israel, the Arabs residing in this land were forced into exile. The rebirth of Israel marked the beginning of conflict, violence, and peace treaties between the Arabs and the Jews of the Middle East. Tensions between Jews and Arabs have been present since biblical times in the Middle East. In 132 AD, when Israel was under Roman rule, the Jews revolted and fought for independence. In 135 AD the Romans crushed the Jewish revolt and expelled nearly all of the Jews of Israel. The Romans then renamed Israel-Palestine, so as to remove any connection between the land and the Jewish people. (Tessler, 12) The Jews never forgot their homeland, and prayed three times a day to return to Israel and to the holy city of Jerusalem. In the 7th century, a new religion, Islam, arose in the Middle East. The Muslim Arabs conquered Palestine from the Byzantines and began to settle the land. They built the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa mosque in Jerusalem, where they believed Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven to receive parts of the Quran. (Goldschmidt, 46) During the early 1500s, Palestine was captured and put under Turkish rule. During the First World War, the Turkish government placed severe restrictions on Jewish daily life, because the Turks believed that the Jews were plotting with their enemies. In December of 1917, the British army under the command of General Edmund Allenby defeated the Turks and captured Palestine. Four hundred years of Turkish rule had ended. Just six weeks before the annex of Turk...

Competitive Advantage Essays

Competitive Advantage Essays Competitive Advantage Essay Competitive Advantage Essay Identify Your Competitive Advantage Introduction The Cheesecake Factory became a dream in the 1940s for Evelyn and Oscar Overton. Always known as an excellent cook, Evelyn created her Original Cheesecake recipe that everyone loved. By the late 1940s, she opened a small cheesecake shop in Detroit(TCF Co. LLC. ). In 1972, with their children grown, Evelyn and Oscar, now in their early 50s, decided to move their cheesecake business to Los Angeles. With the last of their savings, they opened a 700 square foot store, The Cheesecake Factory (TCF Co. LLC. ). SWOT Analysis, Situation analysis in which internal strengths and weaknesses of an organization, and external opportunities and threats faced by it are closely examined to chart a strategy (WebFinance, Inc. ). In this document I will be explaining the strengths and weaknesses of, The Cheesecake Factory using a SWOT. This will be done by data that was researched from an existing document and my own thoughts. Also I will advise a way to utilize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. There are several strengths and weaknesses that will be ouch on in this document. The strengths that is present to me; Extensive menu and bakery product offering (Group 7) Leveraging IT increasing operating efficiency (Group 7) Strong name, popularity mainly on North American Market (Group 7) Good advertisement methods (Group 7) The weaknesses that is present to me; Lack of international expansion compared to the other global brands (Group 7) Relatively small scale of operations (Group 7) The menu that The Cheesecake Factory, has to offer has over 200 menu selections for customers to choose from. To have so much to offer to the customer is great. Not only do they have a variety of items to offer they have signature cheesecakes and specialty desserts to offer as well. We will gladly honor requests to modify your order to suit specific health or dietary needs (TCF Co. LLC. ). The restaurant also notices the needs for customers with health problems and for the customers that are eating healthy. Adding value to each type of customer shows that they care about their customers. The use of the internet to sell products that you have to offer increases sales and dds a whole new aspect to the business. By offering an online menu to the customer the restaurant is hitting each aspect of the customer. For those that want one of the legendary cheesecakes that the restaurant has to offer they can get one online. This allows the customers that do not have the transportation to get to the restaurant can bring the restaurant to them. The use of information technology for advertisement is great for a business. It also allows for the customer to learn more about the restaurant and its roots. Also it allows the customer to keep up with the changes of he restaurant and allow them to learn about what the restaurant is doing behind the scenes with their involvement in the community and charities. Again this shows the customer that they care. Finding that Los Angeles loved their cheesecakes as much as Detroit, their reputation and sales grew, creating a need for a larger bakery. 1975 marked the beginning of the most creative and productive period of their business endeavors (TCF Co. LLC. ). The hard work and focus of the Overtons paved the way for the future of the restaurant. In 1978, their son David founded The Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills, California (TCF Co. LLC. ). In the present The Cheesecake Factory have over 160 locations. Their name became popular and known for the cheesecakes. Evelyn created over 20 varieties of her delicious cheesecakes and other fantastic desserts, which were sold to hundreds of wholesale accounts (TCF Co. LLC. ). From experienc e the cheesecakes are great and the food at the restaurant is awesome. My first time eating at the restaurant was a great experience which prompted me to tell my friends and family about it. The service as great and the staff was pleasant. The environment was calm and very relaxing which to me made a great setting for a nice dinner. I taste the freshness in the food that was prepared. With the use of the internet and customers like me the restaurant name became known. The products and services that the restaurant offers to its customers is what made the restaurant so popular across the, United States. Adding value to their customers the way they do is what keeps the restaurant going and remain loyal to their customers. Although, The Cheesecake Factory has several trengths it also has its weaknesses. One weakness that is present is the lack of international expansion compare to its competitors. The Cheesecake Factory is well known throughout North America. There are no restaurants abroad which leave for a small scale of operations. By branching into the new environments will allow the restaurant to gain new customers and possibly new items on the menu as well. Also this will allow the restaurant to create another level to their current operations to which will help manage the change, implementation, and transition to the new nvironment. The business is continuing to build in North America and has plans to build restaurants abroad. We currently have two licensing agreements in place for the Middle East and Latin America. The Middle East agreement provides for the development of 22 restaurants in five countries United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the opportunity to expand the agreement to include other markets in the Middle East and North Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Turkey (TCF Co. LLC. ). I believe that this is a great move or The Cheesecake Factory to make. I also believe that with their popularity in North America that they will be a success abroad. By keeping their strengths, values, and implement them abroad will help them with their success. Conclusion The Cheesecake Factory has a great foundation. It started with a dream and came to reality. The strengths that the business gained over the years, the value that it has for the customers and the community weighs heavy in the success of the business and its future. By using its strength and minimizing its weaknesses, the restaurant/ usiness can be even more successful in the future. References Group 7 Chad Baker, Alena Olvecka, Edward Pasqualini,Barbora Volenticova, Lindsay Winkler, (2010), Marketing Plan: The Cheesecake Factory. Retrieved from http:// lindsaykwinkler. weebly. com/uploads/9/5/O/6/9506544/ marketing_plan_for_the_cheesecake_factory. pdf TCF Co. LLC. , (2002-2013), TheCheesecakeFactory. Retrieved from thecheesecakefactory. com/aboutus/ourstory/ourstory WebFinance, Inc. , (2013), businessdictionary. Retrieved from businessdictionary. com/definition/SWOT-analysis. html

The Legend of Shaolin Monk Warriors

The Legend of Shaolin Monk Warriors The Shaolin Monastery is the most famous temple in China, renown for its kung fu fighting Shaolin monks. With amazing feats of strength, flexibility, and pain-endurance, the Shaolin have created a worldwide reputation as the ultimate Buddhist warriors. Yet Buddhism is generally considered to be a peaceful religion with an emphasis on principles such as non-violence, vegetarianism, and even self-sacrifice to avoid harming others - how, then, did the monks of Shaolin Temple become fighters? The history of Shaolin begins about 1500 years ago, when a stranger arrived in China from lands to the west, bringing with him a new interpretation religion and spans all the way to modern-day China where tourists from around the world come to experience displays of their ancient martial arts and teachings. Origin of the Shaolin Temple Legend says that around 480 CE a wandering Buddhist teacher came to China from ​India, known as Buddhabhadra, Batuo or Fotuo in Chinese.  According to later, Chan - or in Japanese, Zen - Buddhist tradition, Batuo taught that Buddhism could best be transmitted from master to student, rather than through the study of Buddhist texts. In 496, the Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowen gave  Batuo  funds to establish a monastery at holy Mt. Shaoshi in the Song mountain range, 30 miles from the imperial capital of Luoyang. This temple was named Shaolin, with Shao taken from Mount Shaoshi and   lin meaning grove - however, when Luoyang and the Wi Dynasty fell in 534, temples in the area were destroyed, possibly including Shaolin. Another Buddhist teacher was Bodhidharma, who came from either India or Persia. He famously refused to teach Huike, a Chinese disciple, and Huike cut off his own arm to prove his sincerity, becoming the Bodhidharmas first student as a result. The Bodhidharma also reportedly spent 9 years in silent meditation in a cave above Shaolin, and one legend says that he fell asleep after seven years, and cut off his own eyelids so that it could not happen again - the eyelids turned into the first tea bushes when they hit the soil. Shaolin in the Sui and Early Tang Eras Around 600, Emperor Wendi of the new Sui Dynasty,  who was a committed Buddhist himself despite his Confucianism court,  awarded Shaolin a 1,400-acre estate plus the right to grind grain with a water mill. During that time,  the Sui reunified China but his reign lasted only 37 years. Soon, the country once more dissolved into the fiefs of competing warlords. Shaolin Temples fortunes rose with the ascension of the Tang Dynasty in 618, formed by a rebel official from the Sui court. Shaolin monks famously fought for Li Shimin against the warlord Wang Shichong. Li would go on to be the second Tang emperor. Despite their earlier assistance, Shaolin and Chinas other Buddhist temples faced numerous purges and in 622 Shaolin was shut down and the monks forcibly returned to lay life. Just two years later, the temple was allowed to reopen due to the military service its monks had rendered to the throne, but in 625, Li Shimin returned 560 acres to the monasterys estate. Relations with the emperors were uneasy throughout the 8th century, but Chan Buddhism blossomed across China and in 728, the monks erected a stele engraved with stories of their military aid to the throne as a reminder to future emperors. The Tang to Ming Transition and Golden Age In 841, the Tang Emperor Wuzong feared the power of the Buddhists so he razed almost all of the temples in his empire and had the monks defrocked or even killed. Wuzong idolized his ancestor Li Shimin, however, so he spared Shaolin. In 907, the Tang Dynasty fell and the chaotic 5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdom periods ensued with the Song family eventually prevailing and taking rulership of the region until 1279. Few records of Shaolins fate during this period survive, but it is known that in  1125, a shrine was built to the Bodhidharma, a half mile from Shaolin. After the Song fell to invaders, the Mongol Yuan Dynasty  ruled until 1368, destroying the Shaolin once more as its empire crumbled during the 1351 Hongjin (Red Turban) rebellion. Legend states that a Bodhisattva, disguised as a kitchen worker, saved the temple, but it was in fact burned to the ground. Still, by the 1500s, the monks of Shaolin were famous for their staff-fighting skills. In 1511, 70 monks died fighting bandit armies and between 1553 and 1555, the monks were mobilized to fight in at least four battles against Japanese pirates. The next century saw the development of Shaolins empty-hand fighting methods. However, the monks fought on the Ming side in the 1630s and lost. Shaolin in the Early Modern and Qing Era In 1641, rebel leader Li Zicheng destroyed the monastic army, sacked Shaolin and killed or drove away from the monks before going on to take Beijing in 1644, ending the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, he was driven out in turn by the Manchus who founded the Qing Dynasty. Shaolin Temple lay mostly deserted for decades and the last abbot, Yongyu, left without naming a successor in 1664. Legend says that a group of Shaolin monks rescued the Kangxi Emperor from nomads in 1674. According to the story, envious officials then burned down the temple, killing most of the monks and Gu Yanwu traveled to the remains of Shaolin in 1679 to record its history. Shaolin slowly recovered from being sacked, and in 1704, the Kangxi Emperor made a gift of his own calligraphy to signal the temples return to imperial favor.  The monks had learned caution, however, and empty-hand fighting began to displace weapons training - it was best not to seem too threatening to the throne. In 1735 to 1736, the emperor Yongzheng and his son Qianlong decided to renovate Shaolin and cleanse its grounds of fake monks - martial artists who affected monks robes without being ordained. The Qianlong Emperor even visited Shaolin in 1750  and wrote poetry about its beauty, but later banned monastic martial arts. Shaolin in the Modern Era During the nineteenth century, the monks of Shaolin were accused of violating their monastic vows by eating meat, drinking alcohol and even hiring prostitutes. Many saw vegetarianism as impractical for warriors, which is probably why government officials sought to impose it upon Shaolins fighting monks. The temples reputation received a serious blow during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 when Shaolin monks were implicated - probably incorrectly - in teaching the Boxers martial arts. Again in 1912, when Chinas last imperial dynasty fell due to its weak position compared with intrusive European powers, the country fell into chaos, which ended only with the victory of the Communists under Mao Zedong in 1949. Meanwhile, in 1928, the warlord Shi Yousan burned down 90% of the Shaolin Temple, and much of it would not be rebuilt for 60 to 80 years. The country eventually came under Chairman Maos rule, and monastic Shaolin monks fell from cultural relevance.   Shaolin Under Communist Rule At first, Maos government did not bother with what was left of Shaolin. However, in accordance with Marxist doctrine, the new government was officially atheist. In 1966, the Cultural Revolution broke out and Buddhist temples were one of the Red Guards primary targets. The few remaining Shaolin monks were flogged through the streets and then jailed, and Shaolins texts, paintings, and other treasures were stolen or destroyed. This might have finally been the end of Shaolin, if not for the 1982 film Shaolin Shi  or Shaolin Temple, featuring the debut of Jet Li (Li Lianjie). The movie was based very loosely on the story of the monks aid to Li Shimin and became a huge smash hit in China. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, tourism exploded at Shaolin, reaching more than 1 million people per year by the end of the 1990s. Shaolins monks are now among the best known on Earth, and they put on martial arts displays in world capitals with  literally thousands of films having been made about their exploits. Batuos Legacy Its hard to imagine what the first abbot of Shaolin would think if he could see the temple now. He might be surprised and even dismayed by the amount of bloodshed in the temples history and its use in modern culture as a tourist destination. However, to survive the tumult that has characterized so many periods of Chinese history, the monks of Shaolin had to learn the skills of warriors, most of important of which was survival. Despite a number of attempts to erase the temple, it survives and even thrives today at the base of the Songshan Range.