Princeton Personal Essay Samples Secrets That No One Else Knows About

Princeton Personal Essay Samples Secrets That No One Else Knows About The Ugly Side of Princeton Personal Essay Samples The very first step to any essay writing is to choose a subject of interest. You don't need to possess the very best writing skills to be able to be creative and compose an effective essay. There's a specific procedure of how essays ought to be written. Many trustworthy writing services are eager to provide essay help. When writing an essay, you will need to show that you're worthy of the scholarship. Please note that a few of these college essay examples could be responding to prompts that are no longer being used. These kinds of essays are guaranteed to doze off your readers. Scholarship essays are extremely similar to your college application essays when it comes to strategy. Whether you're aiming for a university admission or landing work at a prominent revenue statement for company, an effective personal letter offers you a better shot in comparison to others. As it conveys a lousy impression on employer. On Timewise Jobs, you also enter your private statement at the surface of your profile form. Perfectionists are a great example. While writing a military resume, the candidate have to bear in mind to incorporate the most crucial sections like the educational qualification, key abilities, and prior job experience. The most important relevance of a Personal Statement is to produce kn own your ambitions, thoughts, passions and other skills which aren't available on your resume that will cause you to stick out from the crowd. Your own personal statement should be tailored to your precise abilities and achievements. Your own personal statement' is the quick overview of your key abilities and experience that you need to put at the peak of your CV. Inside my opinion, some of the greatest essays reveal how at some point or another your mind was blown, shifted, changed in some manner. To let you know the truth, it's not the basis of a personal statement. All personal statements ought to be tailored to the part in question. Therefore, to ensure your private statement is flawless, get it reviewed by somebody else. The Importance of Princeton Personal Essay Samples Additionally, you can buy articles or papers online easily and conveniently without the should experience much stress in writing your own piece whenever you do not have any clue in the slightest. Ther e are a number of good reasons someone may want to have a career break. It's helpful to find other folks to read your statement and offer feedback. Likewise somebody who has crossed the personal statement writing hurdle himself can demonstrate the suitable approach to cross it. A wonderful scholarship essay enables the scholarship provider understand the actual person supporting the application and may be the trick to winning the award (assuming you satisfy the other scholarship criteria). Sample personal statement for graduate school examples can help you to compose a personal statement for graduate school showing why you are considering doing your studies in a particular school and why you wish to further your education in a particular field. Writing informative speech papers is typically a challenging endeavor to a lot of students. Nearly all of examples are posted as a member of writing guides published on the internet by educational institutions. There are lots of things which you can do to improve your probability of obtaining a scholarship and writing a scholarship essay is just one of it. Consequently, glance at the guidelines to understand whether there are any particular necessities of the college. Prove your worth there are lots of applicants that are hoping to have a scholarship. If you want more money to cover college, odds are you will be applying for several college scholarships. Introducing Princeton Personal Essay Samples You may also use our private statement worksheet as a way to map out the above. Don't forget to examine over your own personal statement each time you submit your CV for a new vacancy. With copious Income Statement Examples readily available, you can manage to earn your statement to determine how healthy your financial status is. Additionally, there are personal statements that arrive in the shape of a list, like the personal financial statement. Personal Statement is going to do just fine. A personal statement provides the selection committee more info about you that isn't captured in different documents. It is not a confessional booth. Keeping your own personal statement concise is particularly important due to the limited character count. Princeton Personal Essay Samples Help! Before you submit your application make certain you take the opportunity to proofread your essay from starting to end. Figure out what it is you are supposed to do. Indicate the kind of role you are trying to get. Try to remember, the major goal for your own personal statement is for it to further your work search. In your own personal statement, you wish to generate a connection between yourself and the position. The XYZ Engineering program has historically been and is still a leader in the business of innovation. While mentioned in places throughout the statement, it has to be stated in the start. Start here for some things you ought t o keep in mind while writing your own personal statement. The statement also provides the selection panel a very clear insight of how your time spent within the college is going to be of an extra advantage to the entire community for a whole. Ultimately, the detail of true speech makes the scene pop. The Little-Known Secrets to Princeton Personal Essay Samples All the text are completely editable to accommodate the info that should be included. All letters ought to be business letter format and there ought to be three brief paragraphs. As you move forward with additional information it then becomes tough to break from the format you've started. The total format of your essay, for example, font size and margins, will solely count on the instructions offered to you.

An Argumentative Essay Regarding the building of the...

With an increasing global population and ever industrializing society s, environmental concern is rarely given priority over economic incentive. But what people fail to realize is that our environmental failures, and relative apathy about it set up a plethora of problems for future generations to deal with. One of the most important decisions president Obama will face in the next year will be whether or not to approve the building of the Keystone XL pipeline, a massively sized, and massively controversial oil pipeline that would stretch all the way from Alberta Canada, to American oil refineries along the Gulf Of Mexico. Despite the economic incentive present, the building of the Keystone XL pipeline should not happen because of the†¦show more content†¦This year we have seen more electric and hybrid vehicle startups than ever before.† (Morrison) Nearly everyone recognizes the benefits of the shift, both in terms of how it would help our environment in the long term, b ut also the economic impact it would have, (reduced gas costs, lower electric and other utilities bills... etc.) But still, many large companies work to impede the progress in favor of maintaining our dependence on fossil fuels. The American Petroleum institute has worked with many oil industry protection companies to stymie the renewable energy movement, even in some cases, â€Å"posing as environmentalist groups in order to attract the support of environmentalists while simultaneously pushing their anti-renewable agenda.† (Blankenhorn) Many of these companies striving against renewable energy also support the building of the Keystone pipeline, using the justification that the building of the pipeline would lower gas prices. But what they fail to acknowledge is the basic economic fallacy of this, â€Å"Fossil energy prices are not going to fall. The more you remove carbon-based resources from the ground, the more it costs to get more.†

To have or have not Essay Example For Students

To have or have not Essay During the recent glorious days of Indian Summer, President and Mrs. Clinton hosted two days of celebration honoring 18 recipients of the National Medal of Arts and the Charles Frankel Prize in the Humanities. The ceremony on the White House lawn, the evening reception which followed, and the lunch the next day at which Jane Alexander was sworn in as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, were galvanizing events. Isaac Stern, speaking at the reception, remarked on how the celebration served as a welcome home to the nations artists who had felt increasingly shunned and avoided in recent years. We are feeling respected and welcomed, he said. Most encouragingand repeated several times were statements by the President and First Lady attesting to the importance and centrality of the arts to the well-being of the country. There was little evidence of a speech writers rhetoricboth gave touching examples of the impact and influence of the arts and humanities on their own lives. I want to quote from what President Clinton said at the awards presentation: Throughout history, the arts and humanities have been the cultural signature of this great nation. They have enabled Americans of all backgrounds and walks of life to gain a deeper appreciation of who they are as individuals and who we all are as a society, stirring our minds and our senses, stimulating learning and collective discourse. The arts and humanities teach us in ways that nothing else can about the vastness and the depths of human experience. They are our great equalizers. We inherit them, and we can all participate in them. At a time when our society faces new and profound challenges, at a time when we are losing so many of our children, at a time when so many of our people feel insecure in the face of change, the arts and humanities must remain a vital part of our livesas individuals and as a nation. For 200 years, the freedom of our artistic and intellectual imagination has contributed to the quality of our civic life. It has helped to shape American ideas of democracy, of pluralism, of tolerance. The human imagination is still the most powerful tool we have in moving forward as a civilization. You provoke our minds, you enliven our senses, endow our souls, help us to give our lives meaning. That is why public support for the arts and humanities remains essential today and for generations to come. President Clintons commitment has been underscored by the appointments of two distinguished and outstanding professionals to head the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Jane Alexander and Sheldon Hackney share a vision for the Arts and Humanities Endowments that has been absent too long. Already, much discussion has taken place on how the two agencies can work more closely with each other, and how they can complement and support each others work. The counterpoint to the good news emanating from Washington was alarming news from New York. In late October, Brian Friels eagerly anticipated new play Wonderful Tennessee closed on Broadway after only nine performances. While the reviews were mixed, the critics acknowledged the unique talents of Friel as a poet/playwright, and all praised the skill of the Irish actors from the Abbey Theatre, as well as the direction and design. Here, demonstrably, was a rich and seamless production of a play by a major English-speaking playwright. Wonderful Tennessee may not have had the broad appeal of Friels immensely popular Dancing at Lughnasa, but it clearly was an event of importance on Broadway. .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 , .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .postImageUrl , .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 , .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50:hover , .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50:visited , .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50:active { border:0!important; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50:active , .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50 .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uacc6e9aa53c56dbe83802d5df0508f50:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Women on men (and vice versa) EssayDid the very quick demise demonstrateagainthe inability of a serious dramatic play without sex or stars to flourish in the commercial arena of Broadway? While the $47.50 ticket price was lower than that of most of Broadways straight plays, it still represented a big chunk of disposable income for most people. And at these prices, it is virtually impossible to develop a theatregoing habit. At $47, one doesnt take chancesone needs the assurance of critical acceptance. Thirty-five years ago, the nonprofit theatre came into existence as an alternative to the commercial theatre. In 1993, that alternative role has become essential since the com mercial theatre increasingly finds difficulty in sustaining anything except that which has huge audience appeal. The disappointing state of serious dramatic work on Broadway is happily not duplicated on the national scene. Despite the dire economic circumstances of the past two seasons and the consequent scarcity of research and development funds, there continues to be a steady stream of challenging work being produced at theatres throughout the country. The rediscovery of Marivauxhardly a familiar household namedemonstrates that audiences still hunger for language and imagery in the theatre. From Berkeley to Buffalo, there will be at least seven productions of four plays from the often overlooked French playwrights 18th-century canon, work heretofore virtually unknown in this country. While New York doesnt support Friels new work, Syracuse Stage and Yale Rep will premiere new works by M. Scott Momaday and Suzan-Lori Parks, and the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles will present a new musical created by Tony Kushner and Mel Marvin.

W.E.B. Dubois & Booker T. Washington Essays - Reconstruction Era

W.E.B. Dubois & Booker T. Washington At a time when the Black community is being afforded a free status, but not one of equality, many leaders arise out of the woodwork to appeal to the white governing body for social equality. The transition from the ninetieth century to the twentieth century gives birth to two of these leaders, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. These two men are both working to achieve a common goal, but the roads on which they're each traveling to get there differ significantly. Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois offer different strategies for dealing with the problems of poverty and discrimination facing Black Americans. Booker T. Washington's gradualism stance gives him wide spread appeal among both blacks and whites, although W.E.B. Du Bois has the upper hand when it comes to ideology dealing with economic prosperity and education amidst Blacks. Product of slavery, Reconstruction, and Black codes (Roark, et al p.616), Washington favors the humble - ask nicely; appreciate what you're given; and say ?thank you? - approach to obtaining social equality. Washington addresses the issue with meticulous caution, in doing so he not only comes across as an advocate of Blacks gaining ?all privileges of the law?(D), but also of Blacks being prepared ?for the exercises of these privileges.? By taking this approach Washington is gaining the appeal within the Black audience as well as the white community. In contrast to this seemingly effective stance, Du Bois stands on the platform of ask, but ask incessantly with a loud and firm voice. Du Bois even goes as far as to say that if the Black community wants social equality they must simply complain. ?Ceaseless agitation?(F) he feels will do more in the fight for equality than ?voluntarily throwing away?(E) the reasonable rights they are entitled to. The opposing approaches of Washington and Du Bois are far from unnoticeable, and receive recognition from both sides. Whether or not these two dynamic leaders are intentionally attacking each other, one can only speculate that the vast differences in methodology creates tension within the arena. In Washington's ?Atlanta Compromise Address?(D) he comments that the ?wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing.?(D) This statement, delivered at a time when Blacks and whites have separate water fountains(J), almost one-hundred and forty Black people were lynched(C), and forty-five to sixty percent of Blacks over the age of nine are illiterate(B), directly condemns the blunt complaining with which Du Bois is aligning himself. Return criticism is illustrated in The Souls of Black Folk, written by Du Bois in 1903. ?The way for a people to gain respect is not by continually belittling and ridiculing themselves; that, on the contrary, Negroes must insist continually, in season and out of season?(E) as written by Du Bois seems to be a direct response to the 1895 infamous address of Washington. With Jim Crow laws in effect, Du Bois position seems to be the more fitting and proper of the two. The ideology of Washington promotes unity ?in all things essential to mutual progress,?(D) but in comparison to Du Bois stand point in the early twentieth century he comes across as merely a sell out. Thus, W.E.B. Du Bois is the more highly regarded and esteemed of the two based on his fervent advocating of Black rights. The impending question plaguing the Black community is that of equal opportunity within the realms of education. Both Washington and Du Bois receive college level education's, but Washington's is merely vocational training versus the Harvard Ph.D. held by Du Bois. Advocacy of Washington for industrial education is grounded in his training. Washington sees the training for ?what is practical? and ?what will best fit?(G) as teaching the arts of ?farming, blacksmithing, carpentering?(G) to Blacks. These things are good, but they result in Negroes ?spending time studying about the things which might had been or might be,?(I) according to historian Carter Woodson. Washington also receives contempt from activist Ida Wells Barnett, who regards his ?industrial education for the Negro? as his ?hobby?(H). Du Bois, on the other hand, acknowledges the efforts being made to ?curtail the educational opportunities of the colored children?(F) and he sees ?the most meager chance for developing. . .exceptional men?(E) within the Black community. Du Bois observations

Puppy Bowl Analysis Essay

Puppy Bowl Analysis Essay Puppy Bowl Analysis Essay Yukari Kristine Nishi Strengths Loyal Viewers 13.5 million last year Long history of success The show has a great purpose = adoption Animal Planet Show - Well respected broadcast channel Partnership with local shelters and animal welfare groups across the country Uber partnership Sponsored by GEICO, Subaru, and Pedigree Has a variety of animals on the show Opportunities Weaknesses Aired on the same day as the traditional sport day - Super Bowl Sunday Advertisement is hard to compete against the Super Bowl commercials/ads Only once a year - difficult to keep the audience engaged until the day of the Puppy Bowl Specific target audience - animal lovers Threats †¨ Creates a connection for adoption - great cause Movies in theaters were opened the Friday so it may attract more viewers who are interested before the game - Project Almanac / Black & - e.g. family White Raising awareness Super Bowl Viewers / Advertisement Sponsorship may increase because of the positive reputation the show has. Aired even during the game - viewers may watch it during the commercial of Super Bowl Strategic Implications Since the Puppy Bowl has a long-held history and many loyal viewers, I believe it would be a good idea to try expanding their cause by engaging current and new viewers through social media, especially throughout the time leading up to the day Puppy Bowl is aired. New Sponsors: 1. Petsmart - A retail chain for pet supplies, also supports pet adoption at their store. 2. Petfinder - Pet adoption organization, based on their online website. 3. Meow Mix - Pedigree is a dog food company already sponsoring PB, Meow Mix could be the sponsor from the cat food field. 4. Moo Shoes - a cruelty free shoe store, helps cat adoption at several of their stores.†¨ mooshoes.com/about-mooshoes/ Top 15 Facts Tweets: 1. Dogs have amazing ability to smell, it even helps detect cancer in the human body! http:// aol.it/1qMnY0p #PuppyBowlXI #Puppyfacts †¨ Yukari Kristine Nishi 2. Studies show a clear correlation between people’s personalities and type of dogs they own! http://bit.ly/1dcz0S4 #PuppyBowlXI #Puppyfacts †¨ 3. All he wants is a belly rub! Petting your dog lowers heart rate & blood pressure! http://bit.ly/ 1dcz0S4 #PuppyBowlXI #Puppyfacts #bellyrubs †¨ 4. Happy puppy, happy life! Dog owners are less like to get depression compared to non-pet owners. http://bit.ly/1dcz0S4 #PBXI #Puppyfacts †¨ 5. 72% of American households, that's 82.5 MILLION households has a pet in their family! http://bit.ly/1uGzEAe #PBXI #Puppyfacts†¨ 6. Every year 5 - 7 million pets enter animal shelters, 3 - 4 million are euthanized. http://bit.ly/ 1uGzEAe #PBXI #Puppyfacts #Giveahome #Adopt†¨ 7. Studies show cat owners are 30% less likely to get a heart attack compared to non-cat owners.

How to Write Perfect Research Paper †Pro-Academic-Writers.com

How to Write Perfect Research Paper The Role of Research Paper in Academics and Life Many students wonder how to write a great research paper as far as this project often weighs 20% of the course grade or even more. Even if you’re not a student any longer, you might want to compose a perfect research paper as a part of your business presentation or scientific report. On the whole, the following skills are required to come up with A+ research paper: Reading Writing Research Gathering information Analytical skills Knowledge of particular subject check the levelThis way, teachers and professors around the world check the level of student’s knowledge. Once defining the weak sides of the students, teachers think of the new approach to education.   Students and professionals create research papers basically to impress the target audience, obtain wide recognition, and get promoted. Students write these projects to get the highest grades and pass the course as well. The Goals of Research Paper Before writing, one has to understand the main purposes of this assignment they are: To inflate weak ideas Obscure poor reasoning Inhibit clarity Thus, the research paper has to be clear, concise, and built in a logical manner. Moreover, it should cover an issue which is relevant for the current society. That is why you should find sources that are no elder than 5 years. To achieve the desired results, students have to practice a lot. That is why various essays are assigned before the research or term paper. Every small paper is given to get students prepared for a time-consuming, complex work. You must realize that any essay communicates your ideas. THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO INFECT THE MIND OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE WITH YOUR SPECIFIC THOUGHTS, LIKE A VIRUS. The best ideas come up when a student combines his own judgments with those made by famous people today and ages ago. Online writing services were designed to help students and young professionals with their writing projects. Step-by-Step Writing In brief, the general scheme of writing a research paper looks this way: Idea ⇒ Do research  Ã¢â€¡â€™ Write project Do you wish to observe more steps? The entire process can be described in more details which can be found further in the text. Select a topic Brainstorm and write down all possible ideas that come to your mind. Unless your teacher assigns the topic for your academic assignment, you have to pick one based on your ideas. If you have no idea, listen to the points of other people. Search for the sources Your sources have to be relevant and up-to-date. Including outdated sources is possible only when the main idea has not changed for ages. For instance, various economic terms have not changed since Ancient Rome. Still, the numerical data for accounting or financial research paper has to be gathered from the recent sources. Teachers are usually interested in the latest statistics. Part of the information must be influenced by your own thoughts. The primary sources for a good research paper include: Textbooks Books Academic articles Scientific journals Newspapers Magazines Reports Documentaries Audio tapes You can get some online or attend traditional library and save money. Read each online or published source carefully before using ideas from it. Your research can be both qualitative and quantitative. Humanitarian disciplines won’t require a quantitative research to be applied. However, it is impossible to ignore the quantitative studies when preparing a paper for Accounting, Statistics, or Finances classes. By the way, Statistics class will teach you everything you have to know about the research process. Mind your resources Usually, you need nothing more than your computer or laptop, opened Word, and internet access. However, there are times when you might need to create a presentation to support your academic project. You might want to use PowerPoint or Acrobat as well as various pictures and other additional materials. Also, you might demand real-life examples to show in class during your presentation. Prepare introduction Start working on your first draft. The most important thing you have to do in the first paragraph of your research paper is to state a thesis. Thesis statement reflects your main topic’s idea. Also, your introduction must explain the reason for choosing this topic out of many. Make an outline Once you are done with your thesis and introduction, develop an outline to serve as the plan. An outline has to be located on the second separate page after your title page. In other words, it looks like a table of contents. Arrange your notes Your notes and footnotes have to be united in one whole piece. Delete information which repeats. Each of the points you mention in a research paper’s body needs support, so be careful when organizing the data. Make a final draft After you handle all your footnotes and notes, work on the final draft of your academic task. By following the rules of the chosen writing style APA, Turabian, etc.), you must keep an eye on the organization of your ideas. They all should relate to your thesis and be logically interconnected. You may insert a question from time to time to encourage your reader. To support your thoughts, there should be some quotations added too. Cite them properly using one of the writing style guides. Do not forget to list all the referred sources at the end of your paper. To do so, develop a separate Bibliography or page. Obey this check-list Put a tick in front of each category you managed to cope with: Is my thesis statement concise and understandable? Did I keep to my outline as a plan? Are all arguments written in a logical manner? Are all used sources properly cited? Are there any plagiarized parts? Was my thesis statement supported by the powerful arguments and facts? Were my goals and points clear in the final paper? Revise edit the final draft Don’t hurry to get rid of your research paper. Before submitting any academic work, you have to check it twice or even more, times to make sure no grammar or spelling mistakes were missed. Check your punctuation as well. Various plagiarism tools will help to detect any copied parts of the text. There is always some time left to edit your text. But you should mind the deadline. If you are late with your paper, rely on writing and editing services where you can buy custom research paper without any delays.

Roman Catholics in Alaska Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Roman Catholics in Alaska - Research Paper Example Today, Russian Orthodox Christianity claims over 20,000 followers and over 46 congregations. In addition to Russian Orthodox, general Roman Catholicism represents over 50,000 individuals, with over sixty-eight congregations (‘Alaska Religions’). Remaining within the Christian understanding of religions, other major groups include the Latter-Day Saints, the Assembly of God, and the Episcopalians. While Christianity represents the dominant religion, just like the lower forty-eight states, the other monotheistic religions are prevalent throughout the state. In these regards, both Judaism and Islam have a minority contingent of followers. In terms of specific regional religions, the Thlingets have been demonstrated to exhibit particular spiritual elements specific to the state. In considering the Thlingets, it’s been noted that, â€Å"men naturally grope after the Supreme Being, ‘if haply they may find Him.’ The Thlingets of Alaska are no exception to th e rule† and in speaking about Alaskan natives, â€Å"religion has been and is yet a great factor in their lives† (Jones, pg. 231).

Bakans five propositions for exploring World Music Essay

Bakans five propositions for exploring World Music - Essay Example There is a big similarity in the way the quality of music and the quality of sound are always judged. Just like sound, music can also be pleasant or unpleasant depending on the audience. Sound is usually a result of vibration of an object, for instance, a guitar string being plucked. After the sound is produced, its transition usually takes place through a medium, which is in most cases the air. It is in the human ears that the sound causes a vibration of the eardrum leading to the creation of impulses which are then transmitted to the brain. It is in the brain that the sound is judged as pleasant or unpleasant. The same process will take place for music only that in judging of quality of music the brain will us other content values such as rhyme and lyrical content (Graham 186). To prove just how much sound is important, it will be good to look at those factors that are always used to determine whether a song is of good quality or not. One of these factors is pitch. The pitch of sound refers to whether a sound is heard to be low or high. The difference in the pitch of sound is always brought about by the difference in the frequency of vibration of the object producing the sound. Fast vibrations usually produce higher pitches while the slow ones produce lower pitches. Pitch is always measured in cycle in each second. In terms of music, tone is the term normally used to refer the definite pitch. Tones usually have specific frequency. Tones have regular vibrations and always get to the ear at equal intervals. When tones have different pitches they usually end up having different sounds. This nature of sound makes it and the importance of music in general. With the knowledge of the difference between the highest and the lowest tones of sound, also called rage, musicians can also manipulate the outcome of the music. This implies that knowledge of pitch as a property of sound is very important if at all the musicians have to

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Though the novel is entitled The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the story is told by Huck, the key character in the novel is Jim The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has two key characters, one is the slave Jim, the other; the protagonist Huck. Jim and Huck could each be considered the key characters for different reasons, Jim as he is the main representative of the typical slave (slavery being the most important theme of this novel) and Huck for he is the main storyteller. Jim is an important character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and without him the novel would be ineffectual. However The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel about the adventures of the protagonist Huck, and it is more likely that the key character of this novel is Huck because we see everything from his view. In a novel which is written as a satiric social comment upon the southern states of America Jims role as the manifestation of slavery must be a key one. Incidents in which Jim interacts with other characters and their reactions to him are meant to symbolise the wider societys opinions on slaves and the practice of slavery. Jim, is a heroic figure in a book whose main characters consist of liars, cheats and scoundrels. Jim always does the right thing if he can, he always feels empathy for others even if those people show no such emotions for him. The incident at the end of the novel when he saves Tom and risks what he believes to be his own freedom is a case in point. We empathise with Jim because even though other characters suggest that his feelings are least important, whose life is lesser, whose existence is trivial, he manages to stay cheerful, and even kind to those who treat him in this manner. This quality makes him even more heroic, for he is a figure who turns the other cheek, and is kind to others no matter what. Jim doesnt lie or cheat, or steal or gamble and looks down on these activities. Jim is never bitter, he never complains, and never expects Huck to return or even notice what he does for him. However this is no to say that Huck is not heroic himself, his support for Jim, a black man, who Huck has been taught is inferior and as important as a pack horse is astounding, and displays that Huck is strong enough and heroic enough to make the harder choice and choose his heart over his conscience. An example of Huck choosing his heart occurs just after Jim has been sold by the King and the Duke for forty dollars, Huck believes he has been forced to make a choice between Jim and heaven. He chooses Jim with the words All right then, Ill go to hell. It is Jims escape and the subsequent threat of his re-capture that provides the reason for himself and Huck to leave the island and travel down the river where most of their adventures occur. Without Jim Twain would lack a reason for Huck to travel down the river and experience what he experiences, without Jim this would be little more than a story about a boy who fakes his own death, and then lives on an island. Add to this the fact that Jim is the leader during the travel down the river. He is the one who knows all the signs of weather, either good or bad, it is he who makes their journey its success and ensures their lives. Jim is the maturest out of himself and Huck. Hucks immaturity is shown when he puts the rattlesnake in Jims sleeping bag, or when he plays a trick on Jim during the fog. Jims maturity is displayed by his reaction to the incident when Huck plays a trick on him during the fog. Without Jim the novel would be innefectual because Hucks development would be stunted without him. One prime example of Jims importance occurs when Huck comes closer to fully realising that Jim is a real person too and the colour of his skin does not diminish his humanity. Huck has realised that Jim is a human and that he should not play tricks on him or regard him as stupid, around the end of the novel Huck says I knowed he was white inside, Huck is expresing his realisation that Jim is a human in the only way he knows through making Jim white. Hucks realisation is well brought across to us just after he has hidden in the fog, and returned to Jim, Jim works out that Huck is trying to trick him and reacts very badly to Hucks prank. Huck then says. it was fifteen minutes before I could work myself to humble to a nigger- but I done it, and I warnt ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didnt do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldnt done that one if Id knowed it would make him feel that way. Huck and Jim have a symbiotic relationship, they need each other Huck needs Jim to remain dynamic and keep our attention, and Jim needs Huck to justify his presence in the novel. Jims effect on Huck is huge it is through Jim that Huck begins to learn about how the colour of skin does not alter the person inside. An example of this occurs when Huck says and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for theirn . Huck justifies Jims existence as a character of substance in this novel, for through helping Huck and caring for him, Jim is makes an impact on the reader, and hence makes his position in the novel as one of its main characters more tenable. However while it is obviously true that Jim teaches Huck he is not Hucks only teacher, several other characters such as Pap and Tom also teach Huck valuable lessons. One example of Huck being taught by someone other than Jim occurs when Huck says If I never learnt nothin else out of pap, I learnt that the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way. It is through Huck and his reactions to various events that Twain passes on his opinions to the reader. Huck is a character through which the author, in Twain puts across his point of view, for example Hucks realisation that Jim is also a human and also important. Twain is trying to get this message across to the public. Huck is a representation of the common person at the beginning of the novel. He is white, uneducated, simple, and not willing to think about what he is told just willing to accept it. Hucks realisations about right and wrong, and importantly his own ability to determine this for himself are drawn out and argued logically inside a story which will hold the readers attention. Through Huck Twain frames all the key issues of freedom, racism and slavery, personal integrity and social rebellion against social attitudes of the period. This occurs when Huck interacts with key characters who are representative of a theme or an idea being presented by Twain. For example his interaction with Tom who represents conventional social attitudes, as the novel progresses Huck is less inclined to accept what Tom says or does as correct. One example of this occurs when Huck quits Tom Sawyers band of thieves, he no longer agrees with Tom, and many of Toms imagined incidents such as that of rading the summer school picnic no longer hold any credence with Huck. This moving away from Tom and what he represents, is an indication of Twains rejection of conventional social values. Jim is the symbolic representation of only one of these points of discussion, slavery. Jim is only a part of that whole because he represents only one of the themes that Twain is discussing in this novel. Unlike Huck, Jim is not the one who reveals the authors opinions through his actions and reactions he is merely representative of one of these ideas. Without Hucks presence the novel lacks a unifying element. Jim is unable to fill the void in this regard as he is a relatively static character who does not change. This is unlike the dynamic Huck who changes some of his opinions and learns about many things ranging from serious issues such as slavery to simpler things such as to how to discern what the weather will be. The most important factor that leads me to argue that Huck is the protagonist comes from the fact that the whole novel is told in first person. It is Hucks views not Jims that we get, it is his outlook that colours our opinion, and most importantly his vernacular we read. In fact Jim himself is seen through Hucks eyes, with Hucks opinion colouring our own. Huck is omnipresent, this is not so with Jim he continuously disappears when it does not serve Twain to have him in the episode. Debates inside Hucks mind, the incident when Huck plays a trick on Jim during the fog, and even the whole Shepardson, Grangerford incident are lacking the presence of Jim. When Huck meets the Shepardsons and the Grangerfords, for example Jim magically disappears into the bushes to repair the raft. Huck is in every moment of the novel, and other characters are merely there because they interact with Huck, Jim is no exception. Jim is an extremely important character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Jim represents slavery the major theme of the novel, is forgiving, and kind, however this makes him a heroic character, not the key character. Huck on the other hand is the key character by virtue of his predominance throughout the book, he is on every page, and every line and unlike Jim he is the character who reveals and in effect discusses issues through his reactions, action and interaction with other characters. Hence it is fair and logical to conclude that although important Jim is not the key character of the novel, that honour must go to Huck.

Phenomenology and Architecture Essay -- Environmental and Architectural

Introduction Phenomenology can be deemed to be both an unambiguous academic research field and a theoretical design current within contemporary architecture and is usually founded on one’s experience of the materials used in construction inclusive of their sensory characteristics. In this regard, architecture is the impetus towards transformation and inspiration of an individual’s daily existence. Unlike other forms of art, architecture employs the immediacy of an individual’s sensory perception. The complete architectural experience is dependent on many factors such as details, materials, texture, color phenomena, transparency and shadows, time passage, etc. There is the huge phenomenon that phenomenology does not exist in architecture but rather the problems associated with it. This theory is very debatable and this paper will aim at expounding on some of the aspects associated with phenomenology. Acoustical Intimacy Science The ear, which is the organ that the body uses to achieve acoustical intimacy, is capable of defining a space and the resultant effect is a sculptural image encrypted in the deep parts of the mind. Acoustic science dictates that sound can be softened or refracted by the surfaces of copious entities of personal life. All spaces and buildings posses individual characteristic sounds of monumentality or intimacy, hostility or hospitality and invitation or rejection. The ability to hear generates a sense of solidarity and connection contrary to the ability to see which creates a feeling of solitude. The sound of a friend approaching you behind your back definitely has a charge filled with emotion as th... ...nds: TU Delft Department of Industrial Design, 2006. Holl, Steven, Juhani Pallasma, and Alberto Perez- Gomez. Questions of Perception. Tokyo: a+u Publishing Co., 1994. Le Corbusier. Towards a new architecture. London: Architectural press, 1959. Levin, D.M. The Opening of Vision – Nihilism and the Postmodern Situation. New York and London: Routledge, 1988. Pallasmaa, Juhani. An Architecture of the Seven Senses, Questions of Perception. Tokyo: a+u Publishing Co., 1994. Pallasmaa, Juhani. The eyes of the skin – Architecture and the Senses. Great Britain: Academy Editions, 1994. Yusufzai, Zinat. â€Å"The Lucidity of Place.† Thesis of Master of Architecture in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2001): 10-20. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-11302001-161439/unrestricted/thesis-low-res.pdf (accessed February 19, 2014).

Cruddy by Lynda Barry

Lynda Barry has provided a thoughtful, interesting, and provocative novel about Roberta Rohbeson featuring, on the surface, two diverse, but related story lines. The first is the story of Roberta as a sixteen-year-old girl and details what happened to her to cause her to be grounded for a year for dropping two hits of acid in September of 1971. It is Roberta who gives the book its name. While grounded in her room she begins to write in her diary with an ominous note of her intended suicide, â€Å"I planned this way before the drugs were a part of my life. . . .It was my idea to kill myself† (Barry two pagers before 1). This plot thread is interwoven with a more detailed sinister thread that took place five years earlier when Roberta's parents separated and, at her mother's insistence, Roberta hide in the back of her father's car and accompanied â€Å"the Father,† as she calls him, on a bloody, murderous, cross-country spree fueled by the near constant drinking by her al coholic father. The spree ended with her father as the prime suspect in the Lucky Chief Motel Massacre and with Roberta walking through the Nevada while covered with blood (Barry).It is unclear however whether either of the plot threads actually occurred within the world of the novel or whether they are the imaginings or hallucinations of a teenage girl being punished for misbehaving. Unlike many books that deal with teenage angst by portraying the protagonist as a person with a â€Å"woe is me† attitude, Cruddy distinguishes itself by not falling victim to this self-indulgent trap. Roberta is detached from her family. Like the impersonal description of her father as â€Å"the father,† Roberta's mother is called simply â€Å"the mother.† Roberta views her younger half-sister Julie with the usual contempt of teenagers who are forced to share a bedroom. Roberta has a matter of fact attitude toward the events in her life and blames no one for her actions. She remem bers and acts upon some of the philosophical aphorisms her father espouses. â€Å"DO NOT HESITATE. NEVER, NEVER HESITATE† and L. L. S. S. , (loose lips sink ships) (Barry 30, 99). The book features a large number of charcoal drawings that illustrate the accompanying text. These pictures provide the reader with the best physical description of the father.Page 22 features a portrait of a hard looking man with deep-set eyes and a cigarette drooping reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart. The picture reveals an independent man who will brook nonsense from no one and will not hesitate to use violence should the need or opportunity arise. The father's face reveals no compassion for anyone, not even his daughter Roberta whom he calls Clyde. Ostensibly the alcohol binge and crime spree of the father starts at the time of the separation of Roberta's parents.When the father discovers that Julie, the younger sister, is not his, but the child of his wife's boss he snaps because of the stress cau sed by the discovery. Combined with the apparent suicide of his father known as Old Dad, it was more than he could bear. The newspapers covering the story of the murders alleged that the father stole Roberta in the middle of the night and left a note threatening to kill Roberta if the mother calls the police or tried to find them (Barry 23). According to Roberta this is largely a fiction put on by her mother to get her picture in the paper.The real story is the mother made Roberta hide in the car and accompany her father. At the novel's beginning the father was due to inherit the family business, a well-known local meatpacking plant where he worked as a butcher and had developed a good reputation locally. Instead of leaving the business to his son Old Dad sold it â€Å"out from under† the father and left him unemployed and without funds. Allegedly Old Dad placed the money into three Samsonite suitcases none of which he gave to the father. Then Old Dad hanged himself in the me at cooler.He believes his father, Old Dad, has cheated him and that he is just getting back what was his by natural right. Allegedly much of the father's motivation lies in hopes of recovering the suitcases and the supposed money in them. However, it is difficult to determine if there is any truth at all to the story of the three suitcases of money. Supposedly the meatpacking plant was heavily mortgaged and selling the plant was necessary to pay the debts, â€Å"at least I'm not leaving you in the hole,† said Old Dad.If this were the case one would expect him to open the suitcases as he found them and make use of the money, but he does not do this. When he finds the first suitcase he merely holds it up and says, â€Å"not a scratch on it . . . It's Samsonite! We could do a [bleep] commercial† (Barry 25-38). This peculiar behavior calls into question whether this plot thread ever existed. Nonetheless with this theoretical motivation the father packs his butcher knives a nd leaves his wife. Blood has played an important role in the father's life.Although he spent time in the Navy, being a butcher was his work as a butcher that he believed that he would achieve success. He takes pride in the work he does and has hopes of challenging even the big packinghouses and that stores were going to come back and buy their meet from Rohbeson's Slaughter House (Barry 25). At the end of a workday he and his clothes were often covered with blood. He is devoted to his knives and goes so far as to name them. Little Debbie is his favorite and he gives it to Roberta to protect herself. The nature of the father's profession was inherently violent.The violence manifests itself throughout the novel. He kills people in a variety of ways including homicide by car and shooting people. When Roberta is injured and receives a small cut on her finger that becomes infected, he casually uses Little Debbie to remove the finger at the knuckle while promising that Roberta â€Å"wou ld not feel a thing: (Barry 198). The name of the combination slaughterhouse, restaurant, and bar where they stay for a time is the Knocking Hammer, presumably a reference to a notorious method of killing beef about to be slaughtered by hitting them in the head with a hammer.The violence in the father's life also occurs in Roberta's world. Shortly after the father amputated her finger Roberta found herself thinking about killing the father and the others who live at Knocking Hammer (Barry 214). Shortly afterwards Roberta uses Little Debbie to cut the throat of the deputy sheriff while he is driving her to the institution where her father has committed her. By the end of the novel Roberta has killed her father by slicing his throat with the knife named Sheila. She also killed the others staying at the Lucky Chief Motel.Roberta has become a serial killer. It is unclear whether or not examining the father helps understand his blood thirst. By the book's end the two plot threads have vi rtually merged and it is no longer clear how much of the events in the novel actually happened. It appears likely that the thread where Roberta gets grounded for dropping acid is true. However, it is less clear the other thread occurred at all. It may be the acid induced hallucinations of Roberta. It may be a story made up to entertain her friend Vicky.Both threads may be the imaginary world of a teenager trying to get back at her parents for grounding her for a year by imagining one of them an unfit mother and the father as a homicidal, alcoholic maniac. The novel works in all of these fashions and leaves the reader unsure just what is what. In any case the world where Roberta lives, whether it is real, imaginary, or the product of drug-induced delusions is a violent one. Works Cited Barry, Lynda. Cruddy: An Illustrated Novel. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

Winston Doomed to Fail?

A Character Doomed to Fail Failure, a concept most people are familiar of, often refers to the inability to perform a particular action or finish a certain task. In the novel 1 984 by George Orwell, the protagonist Winston Smith dreams to overthrow â€Å"The Party† and live In â€Å"the place without darkness†. However, he suffered the fate of being tortured and brainwashed eventually. Many readers perceive Winston as a tragic hero who valiantly tries but fails to rebel against the â€Å"Big Brother†.However, in fact, Winston Smith's fate was set the moment he wrote his rebellious speech on the journal. Winston is doomed to be unsuccessful due to his weak willpower, unrecognized planning style, and indulgent nature. Winston is a weak and contemptible person in nature; hence his downfall is inevitable. In a research essay composed by University of Chicago students entitled, â€Å"Firm Willpower†, the authors claim that â€Å"self-control is a battle that i nvolves strengthening willpower to withstand immediate pain or resist immediate pleasure† (Iris 1).Therefore, they state that the amount of physical pain one can stand Is directly affected by an individual's willpower. The fact that Winston cannot tan physical pain at all proves that he Is a weak coward who cannot achieve anything. When the thought police finally get to Winston, his reaction Is â€Å"one thing alone matter(s): to keep still, to keep still and not give them an excuse to hit you! † (Book 2, Chapter 10) Instead of thinking of a plan to escape or to rescue his lover Julia, Winston sticks to the thought of avoiding getting hit.His inner thoughts reveal that he himself is a weak and contemptible man with no physical courage at all. Moreover, Winston shallow and weak personality can be further exemplified when e is under torture in the Ministry of Love. Winston proclaims: â€Å"Of pain you could wish only one thing: that it should stop. Nothing in the world w as so bad as physical pain. In the face of pain there were no heroes, no heroes, he thought over and over as he writhed on the floor, clutching uselessly at his disabled left arm† (Book 3, Chapter 2).Winston not only cannot stand one blow, but also thinks that everybody else Is Like him. Winston cowardly action towards torture proves that he Is a man with a weak will and lack courage required. In comparison, â€Å"Big Brothers is made up tit thousands of thought police and inner Party members who can torture thought criminals all day to break their will. Confronting such powerful enemy, Winston, a weak man who cannot stand any physical pain, really does not stand a chance. In 1984, Winston always wants to overthrow the party but has no realistic plan in doing so.In the first book. Winston sneaks inside an ordinary shop and buys a journal. However, neither buying the Journal nor writing on the Journal contributes to the downfall of â€Å"Big Brother†. Winston simply wri tes on the journal to express his anger towards â€Å"Big Brother†, but in nature, such action only Increases the chance of getting caught. Through Winston actions, we can conclude that he is not an organized person and has no plans against â€Å"Big Brother†. HIS rebellious acts are only to satisfy his emotions. In addition, Winston also takes unnecessary risks In his rebellious journey.In Book 1, Orwell states: â€Å"But there was a fraction of a second KNEW! -? that O'Brien was thinking the same thing as himself†. Even though Winston had only one look of O'Brien, he is determined that O'Brien can be trusted even Hough there is no evidence that O'Brien is wroth trusting. This action proves that although Winston is desperate in bringing down the â€Å"Big Brother†, he has no viable plan other than to trust complete strangers. He has proven himself to be a disorganized individual who has rebellious nature.In contrast, the â€Å"Big Brother† runs a totalitarian society and is highly organized. In researcher Michael Lindsay dissertation â€Å"Contradictions in a Totalitarian Society', he mentions that â€Å"in a totalitarian society, there is no question of policy, no room for disagreement, no alternatives; governments only need to administers the maintenance of the ideology' (Michael 1). In order for the â€Å"Big Brother† to maintain this ideology, the ruler needs to have highly organized system and individuals to follow each and every task.In the novel, Ocean's society has reached the level of brainwashing. In order for anyone to conquer such a vast and complicated system, the individual will need a highly-organized plan and a sophisticated mind to carry through. Winston possesses neither of these traits; therefore he was doomed to fail. Other than Winston weak characteristic and his lack of planning, the main cause that contributes to Winston downfall is his indulgence. Winston lacks the ability to control himself from anything addictive in life.This personal flaw makes Winston lost in his cause to the destruction of â€Å"Big Brother†. In the novel, Winston constantly drinks and smokes to distract himself instead of focusing on a plan to take down â€Å"Big Brother†. Winston dream is to have a love affair: â€Å"Almost as swiftly as he had imagined it, she had torn her clothes off, and when she flung them aside it was with hat same magnificent gesture by which a whole civilization seemed to be annihilated† (Book 2, Chapter 1).His illegal love affair with Julia does no good to his objective of bringing down â€Å"Big Brother†. The only result that the love affair accomplishes is Winston lust for women and his sexual desires. Winston cannot resist women, wine and his bad, compulsive habits. These actions prove that Winston is an indulgent man instead of a persistent one. According to PhD student Roy F. Bandmaster's dissertation â€Å"The Strength Model of Self-cont rol†, â€Å"self – control is a entrap function of the self and an important key to success in life† (Roy 2).Winston constantly gets distracted by the outside world and cannot restrain himself from his own desires. Without his ability to control himself, Winston dream of changing the world is a lost course from the beginning. In the novel 1984, Winston Smith's goal of overthrowing the totalitarian society is doomed to fail because of this protagonist's lack of courage, unrecognized planning system, and indulgence. George Rowel's characterization of Winston failure is exemplified further through the dangers of a totalitarian society.

Life of a Peasant essays

Life of a Peasant essays When you think of the Middle Ages you think of Kings and castles, knights in shining armor saving the princess, and savage warfare to coincide with horrible diseases and plagues taking lives. For the most part that was true, but we are forgetting about the majority of the population, otherwise known as the commons. These people can easily be compared to you and I living in these times. The peasants were not a part of the noble class or associated with the clergy, but just lived plain and simple lives and tried to get by with what they had. In those times they did not have a lot. Since all of us would be considered peasants in those times, I am going to take us back to that era and compare the life of a peasant to our lives now. From the day they are born all the way to their death. I will go over the different types of commoners, go over how they grew up, what they ate, and even what they did for fun back in those days. Childbirth in Medieval times were much of the same as they are now. I say this in the biological way only of course. Birth was not in the hands of a physician, but entirely up to a midwife. The only reason there would be a doctor there is if there was a pathological complication. The setting for childbirth was different as well. All of the childbirths would take place at the home, as compared to 2hospitals in todays times. Hospitals were predominantly used for long-term care for the poor. Another huge difference in childbirth was the risk to the mother. The closest estimate of childbirth deaths was about 14 deaths for every 1,000 childbirths. This is very high in modern standards. In 1988, Nigeria was reported to have a rate of 8 deaths in every 1,000 births, which was unusually high even for a Third World country.(Singman,McLean p40) The first formal event that an infant had to go through was the ceremony of baptism. This...

How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples)

How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples) Whether you’re a veteran of the open road or someone who feels the freedom and independence of driving for a living calling to you, there’s no denying the appeal of a career in trucking and logistics. If you have a clean driving record and don’t mind spending most of your days with mostly the radio for company, it’s a great field. Let’s look at the truck driver resume for people in the trucking industry. One is just starting out, another has been on the road for a while, and the third is a trucker looking to trade in the keys for the next step up: a managerial position in the logistics industry.1.CDL Certified Truck Driver Resume2.Experienced Truck Driver  Resume3.Driver  Manager ResumeFirst up is Barbara. She’s a newly certified commercial driver, looking to trade in her local delivery experience (pizza and packages) for bigger cargo.Download This Resume in MS WordBarbara Jones 765 Garden Street Pawnee, IN 34343 BarbJ@emaildomain.com (77 7) 444s)How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included)How to Create a Perfect Retail ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Social Worker Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples)

Lean Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Lean Management - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that objective of lean management is to be an efficient, effective and customer focused organization with least cost and zero wastes. Customer satisfaction plays a vital role in developing and retaining new markets in any business and one good method to gauge it is getting feedback on different aspects from the customers. Major businesses employ customer contact center concepts since these solutions provide businesses with the flexible and strong infrastructure to interact with their customers and effectively manage ongoing projects. Based on these feedbacks, improvements in products and business strategies, development of new products, increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty, and exploration of new markets is sought to devise the swift response to global competitive markets. In the recent past, a number of companies have invested considerably in managing and maintaining contact center to get a competitive advantage by analyzing custome r experience and company performance; however, due to recent economic downturn companies are finding it difficult to manage the contact centers due to increased operating expenses. The as lean principle has effectively been applied in the manufacturing sector, in a similar way this concept is equally well applicable to a service industry. In doing so, Hines cautioned that organizations may miss a strategic aspect of value creation while focusing merely on cost reduction and lean tools while applying lean principles. To reduce the operating costs associated with contact centers, a lean management approach would help in creating a greater value demand while reducing the failure demand. IT businesses recognize that customers lean to support companies providing better services within a given price range. In this report, the company realized that its competitive position in the market is no longer secured. Therefore, a shift to lean management was attempted to reduce wastes and costs and increase revenue. This report is an attempt to study the significance of adopting and applying lean management concepts to Contact Center Industry using academic rigor while focusing on Averatec Contact Center and how it can effectively be applied to achieve zero defects with increased customer satisfaction. Averatec Contact Center 2.1 Company Description Averatec, established in 1984, is a company offering a broad range of computer products including desktop PCs, Laptops, and Servers, networking, storage and peripheral accessories. IT services including infrastructure technology, consultation, and business process development are few other services offered by the company which is engaged in a number of project in these areas. The company supports its entire operations with total 6000 employees and one design, development and manufacturing facility, and more than a hundred service centers located across the globe.

Media and communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Media and communication - Essay Example Gerbner’s therefore insists on the economically-determined nature of media violence, this he says undermines our chances of realizing effective reforms in the media. George Gerbner urges the society to think about the impact in complex and new ways and that media violence causes real world violence and therefore encourages us to think about the political, psychological social and development effect of growing up and living within a cultural environment of persistent, ritualized violence images (Gerbner, 1990). He mainly focused his theory of the content of our TVs and the impact of the content on the growing population of the children and the highly growing population. The cartoon network shown to most of the children on the Saturday was his major point of argument where he argue that the viewers are highly affected by what they watch and if they watch violent things on the TV then they will automatically become what they see and that violence comes with power and therefore ou r children will follow suit. Cultivation theory is a social that scrutinizes the long-term impact of television. It proposes that full television exposure produces a world of ideas and mental content that is similar and biased toward reality as is portrayed in media content. The main proportion of cultivation theory states that the more time people spend living in the television world the more they are likely to believe in social reality depicted on televisions and therefore tends to leave people of the misperception of what is true in the world. According to this theory, those who view television are cultivated to view reality the same as what they watch in the television. Most of the television shows are normally very easy to access and very easy to understand and for this reason they provide very easy means through which people socialize within the society without these people considering the social dangers caused by these programs

The effects of U.S. recession on other countries economies Research Paper

The effects of U.S. recession on other countries economies - Research Paper Example Economy has affected other nations although it should be noted that the downturn in is a global phenomenon. At least superficially it is the case that the recession is affecting different nations for reasons other than changes in the U.S. economy specifically. Firstly it is the case that this economic downturn is a recent event relatively speaking. As a consequence, there are not many peer reviewed academic articles on the topic. Furthermore it may be the case that the full effect of this recession has not yet been felt and by extension there is a research gap for what is currently transpiring and future consequences. Secondly any information disseminated from the economic downturn can be beneficial for future potential economic downturns. As it is the case that any impact that the downturn may have on a specific economy may yield possible contingency plans. Why this information would be relevant to others is because any information gathered theoretically is of use to subjects as diverse as international commerce and policy, economics, developmental economics as well as sociology. The article first highlighted that the BRIC nations (Brasil, Russia, India and China) are the most likely candidates for a speedy economic recovery and by extension are poised to help push a global economic recovery whilst the more economically developed nations (Europe, North America and Japan) are expected to lag. How this relates specifically to the United States is that the article specifically sites that American corporations and consumers are presently tamping down the impact of the economic stimulus package by increased saving. What this translates to is an estimated overall shrinking of the American economy of 2.8% in 2009. As a negative consequence of this action it could be predicted that this emerging/developing market growth could theoretically push interest rates in developed economies which in turn would increase the price of oil. Furthermore, increased savings

The desire for wealth and possessions

The desire for wealth and possessions Materialism in American Society Over the course of the last century America has undergone many societal changes, none of which have had as great an ethical effect as the nations transition towards ever increasing materialism. Materialism, or the desire for wealth and possessions, has faced virulent opposition for thousands of years from both religious institutions and social activists. Throughout time, materialism has been widely slandered not only as spiritually corrupting, but also as a major cause of a multitude of societal ills throughout the world. Although absolute materialism would obviously be awful for all involved, to date materialism has overall been very positive for American society, driving it towards ever-greater productive, intellectual, and ethical heights. First, the most obvious benefit bestowed upon America by materialism is the increased productivity of its people. With the attainment of wealth and possessions as the predominant motivation, it is to be Is American materialism increasing? Is American materialism increasing? To answer this question, we need only look at the current buying trends in present day society. Even a cursory glance at these trends would cause the question to be answered with a resounding YES! The pursuit of the American dream has become rather costly in that it is fraught with a large quantity of material possessions. The requirements to â€Å"keep up with the Joneses† are becoming more and more burdensome. Americans are made to feel that they absolutely must have certain things that had not even been invented just a few years ago. The increase in high tech, computerized, and digitized devices in the areas of electronics and household appliances has altered the landscape of the American home and family. What has fostered and fed these new trends? First and foremost, Americans will continue to subscribe to the pursuit of material goods, especially high tech devices for two basic reasons: the need for comfort and the need for entertainment. The deep, sometimes unspoken desire is to be coddled, catered to, and distracted. Embedded in this need for comfort and entertainment is the need for easy, quick access to information and resources. So, along with popping the family dinner into a microwave oven and eating the meal in a room with perfect temperature control, bill paying can be done from the comfort of home without ever writing a check or mailing an envelope. One can simply place his or her laptop on their laps from the comfort of any room in the house (thanks to a home-based wireless network), type in a few digits and press â€Å"go.† Any topic may be researched from the limitless stores along the information highway from how to treat a skin rash to exploring ancient religion s. Next, a parent can â€Å"talk† back and forth with a son or daughter in college or to an elderly mother halfway across the world. Such things were virtually unheard of many years ago. After the bill paying, research, and e-mailed correspondence, one can relax in the family room and choose from literally hundreds of movies or programs accessed through their cable or satellite TV provider. The picture will be viewed on a screen nearly covering the entire wall while the stereo sounds fill the entire room. These are just a few of the things that have become necessities, along with video games, luxury cars, summer homes, boats, designer clothing, and disposable contact lenses. These are the â€Å"must haves† of the American dream. Families, couples, and individuals expend hours, days, and years of their lives to obtain these things so that they may feel that they have â€Å"arrived† and so that they may be comfortable. This increase in American materialism, unfortunately, exists along with other less fashionable increases; teen suicide, depression, divorce, the disintegration of the family, bankruptcy, and despair. It does not appear that those living by the law of materialism are necessarily happy or fulfilled. The increase in the pursuit of things is evident; satisfaction from possessing these things is suspect and spurious. Jesus declared in John 10:10b, â€Å"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.† He also asked the rhetorical question, â€Å"Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?† (Matthew 6:25b). While Americans continue to search and work for the â€Å"full life† it is urgent that they also discover the real source of full life. Materialism And Consumerism In The 1920s A crucial transformation to the structure of American culture during the 1920s was the rise of consumerism and materialism. As the country experienced an extraordinary economic boom, the outlook of America shifted. People began receiving higher wages, and there was a sudden increase of spending on discretionary goods which advertisements claimed people could not live without. The progress of the automobile industry, radio and motion picture production, and advanced technologies made it possible for this great escalation of the economy. There were many notable critics of the decade that made their opinions known in various ways. One such critic was F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote the novel The Great Gatsby. In this novel, he is critical of the 1920s as the obsession of consumerism and materialism flourish throughout the United States. Fitzgerald feels that it is this mindset that ultimately leads to the tragedies and miseries at the end of the novel, as well as at the foreseen end of t he 1920s. The Great Gatsby portrays an image of abundant leisure and excess, which parallels similar ideas with those of the 1920s. To illustrate this, Nick Carraway, the storys narrator, compares his â€Å"eye-sore† of a house with the man In addition to Jay Gatsby, materialistic and consumerist elements are also present in other characters in the novel. Daisy Buchannan becomes conscious of the fact that her husband Tom is cheating on her, yet she does nothing about it. It can be argued that she doesnt confront him, or threaten to leave him because Tom has all the money that she could ever need. That is what truly matters to Daisy and what will always make her happy, not honesty and commitment, but financial benefits. Also all the people in attendance at Gatsbys parties are guilty. They have no problem showing up at his home to party, drink, and dance all night long, but when it came to his funeral, â€Å"the minister glanced several times at his watch so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasnt any use. Nobody came† (p. 182). This shows that all those materialistic party-goers werent really friends of Gatsby, but just there to use him for his wealth with no common courtesy for him. Another character in the novel, Jordan Baker, seems to be rather superficial in her outlook on life. She appears to lie her way out of bad situations she may get herself in, and her lack of honesty and careless attitude are some of the factors that turn Nick away. Nick says â€Å"she wasnt able to endure being at a disadvantage† (p. 63). Another character, Meyer Wolfshiem, Gatsbys business associate, apparently had been the man responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series. It is fitting that Fitzgerald included a Wolfshiem type of character in his novel, for the fixing of the World Series mirrored the idea that money could buy any American utterly anything, even love and happiness. As Americans continued to gain material prosperity, in return, they began to lack spiritual wealth and strong religious faith. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald depicts a world in which value systems have been distorted and religion faded. It illustrates a nation that gets too caught up in the moment to reali 1. The theory or attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life. Advertising generates new needs and establishes brand loyalties. Ads alert people to both new products and new versions of old ones. Consumption today is not only about keeping up with the Joneses. The labels you wear, the food you eat, the restaurants you frequent, the haircut you flaunt, where you go on holiday, even your spiritual cravings are social symbols. What is happening to the average man, the man who is caught in the web of a consumerist and materialistic culture with all the temptations it offers him? The general scenario is one of utter helplessness and nobody seems to have any control over his future. Added to this is the acquisitive tendency of those who are tempted to go for all kinds of things the market offers. A kind of insatiable greed seems to have taken control of all of us and no effort is being made anywhere to limit ones wants. And this has become a global phenomenon and no country seems to be free from it. Thus the average man finds himself to be tr! In conclusion, most advertisements do not tell the whole story. They neglect to tell you the problems that their car can cause the environment. In most of these cases the advertising agency attempts to gain your interest through certain aesthetics in the ad. I chose to show a car ad because they have so many components that directly effect society and the environment in a harmful way. Because car ads like to show you what the ideal car (without pollution) would be like, society needs to simply keep in mind that what you see is NOT always what you get. Carbon dioxide is another gas released through exhaust emissions. It isnt dangerous directly to humans, but it is considered to be a â€Å"green house gas.† A â€Å"greenhouse gas† is a gas that is associated with global warming. Global warming is the gradual increase of temperature due to human activity. Certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone allow radiation from the sun to break through the atmosphere and go to the earths surface. Global warming affects all living things on the entire planet.1 In a few ads, like the Outback commercials, you see the car in the wilderness with green lively trees and wild life flourishing. A true, maybe exaggerated, depiction would be animals suffering from car pollution and the sky covered by smog. One of the most important things that is neglected is the fact that, there may not be a hugely visible affect of pollution where you are but in other parts of the world there is plenty; in other words, we have only one Eart h. The fact that most of society does not care enough about the environment to take a bus, or carpool to minimize the amount of hydrocarbons in the air, only encourages manufacturers. Sure society can say that in a few years we wont have to worry about these emissions and there is nothing to worry about now. That sounds great, except following the trend of the human race thus far, we have only created more harmful and destructive things such as the atom bomb and biological warfare. The thing to keep in mind is that the things that affect the environment now may be gone in a few years, but who is to say there will not be something even worse Materialism: As Seen Through Four Different Authors As defined materialism refers to the theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena. Although it is far too easy to merely look up the definitions of materialism understanding the concept is rather difficult. To help with the comprehension of materialism we take a look at four renowned authors who are tied to the idea of materialism. These four men are Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Morton Fried, and Marvin Harris. First we take a look at Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles, who collaborated to produce Feuerbach: Opposition of the Materialist and Idealist Outlook. Both Marx and Engles were idealist in every sense, they grasp on reality was far reaching. Although they were both idealists, Engles believed that ideas where what shaped people, and that if a person where to think like a wealthy land owner they would indeed start feeling like a wealthy land owner. Marx on the other hand had a more sensible approach he felt that means of production were what drove society not ideas. The things in particular that drove society were not only basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and protection, but also, money, need for material things, division of labor, exchange, and ownership. Ownership is a concept that ties in with materialism, ownership as presented in the article has various forms. The first form of ownership is tribal ownership which is limited to within the family. This is followed by state o wnership which is where there is a collaboration of many tribes which have the power to control the workers only under their state ownership. Finally, there is estate property which gave rise to the concept of princes and peasants. As we can already see these different Materialism I can get no satisfaction There is something perverse about more than enough. When we have more, it is never enough. It is always somewhere out there, just out of reach. The more we acquire, the more elusive enough becomes. -Unknown. Materialism is todays religion. We always value ourselves by what we wear, what we drive or how much we can spend. Brands are taking over the world very fast and today a 3 year old child is more likely to recognize and remember McDonalds than to know his last name. (Lynas, 2007) As the quantity and variety of brands and products grow, so does our need to have it all, apparently we can get no satisfaction. But what is materialism and why is it spreading so quickly around the world? The two most important definitions of materialism include those of Belk (1984,1985) and Richins and Dawson (1992). Belk describes materialism as â€Å"believing the acquisition and possession of thing is the ultimate source of happiness†. Richins and Dawson define materialism as a â€Å"set of centrally held beliefs about the importance of possessions in ones life.† The people who follow this trend are the perfect consumers, willing to buy anything the industry convinces will make them feel better. They are easy prey for advertisement and follow it without further thinking. When buying they are low involved and not pay attention to the product characteristics. But why do people focus so much on their possessions and turn into materialists? Researchers have found that family communication is a decisive factor when determining if a person will become materialistic or not. Families where parents do not fulfill the childrens needs, adolescents who do not have good communication with their parents and who make social Ethics Of Materialism Repercussions of Materialism Materialism and the want of consumer goods, has proved to be a prevalent force in the last century. When superficially thinking about materialism, one would not immediately register that there is a relationship between materialism and ethics; although, under examination, we can see that there is indeed a great association between the two. Are materialism and the obsessive consumer culture we have made for ourselves ethical? Peoples opinion on this question can be polar opposites. Some people believe that materialism has great benefits for the technological and economic growth, while others argue that materialism strips people of their individuality and creates unethical division between the rich and the poor. Its very easy to understand why someone would chose to live a life full of materialism as there is a lot of luxuries, lavishes and comfort. However, looking at it deeper, consumers have now become victims of this never ending cycle of materialism where they always want the newes t and latest goods. Also, people who cannot afford to pay for these products try and find illegal and immoral ways to gain wealth so they can be accepted in society. So, although materialism promotes technology and modernity, excessive amounts of it creates a division between social classes, which causes poor people to act unethically in order to live up to the materialistic standards society has created. The goal of a materialistic life style is to be on the top of the social hierarchy, to be recognized as the most powerful and to be able to flaunt the greatest amount of luxuries. Without consciously realizing it most of us judge others on their status and position in society. This means, that we are internally programmed to look at people based on the amount of materialistic goods they have. This is one of the main reasons why people who can not afford to live up to the materialistic standards set by the privileged, have to resort to unethical means American Materialism Materialism in American Society Over the course of the last century America has undergone many societal changes, none of which have had as great an ethical effect as the nations transition towards ever increasing materialism. Materialism, or the desire for wealth and possessions, has faced virulent opposition for thousands of years from both religious institutions and social activists. Throughout time, materialism has been widely slandered not only as spiritually corrupting, but also as a major cause of a multitude of societal ills throughout the world. Although absolute materialism would obviously be awful for all involved, to date materialism has overall been very positive for American society, driving it towards ever-greater productive, intellectual, and ethical heights. First, the most obvious benefit bestowed upon America by materialism is the increased productivity of its people. With the attainment of wealth and possessions as the predominant motivation, it is to be expected that the majority of Americans go to great lengths to attain material success. Even with such a relatively short lifetime as a nation, Americas capitalist beliefs have catapulted it to the forefront of the world as the only true modern superpower. One of the most significant factors contributing to Americas dramatic rise in power is the capitalistic drive for success and achievement, a love for material possessions that has manifested itself in the typically American value of hard work, both in ones profession and in school. Since education and socioeconomic position are closely correlated, it is not surprising that America is the worldwide leader in higher education. Not only does America produce great thinkers, but it also attracts the best and the brightest of other countries, people who are drawn to Americas freedom of thought and the material possibilities that abound. So many great minds have made America a land of unprecedented innovation. The copious amounts of money Materialism Materialism: Can it make you Happy? Can Greed and Materialism lead to true happiness? â€Å"Greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works and greed will save the USA.† (Wall Street) â€Å"Cause we are living in a material world and I am a material girl† a theme in one of Madonnas most famous songs. Greed and materialism stand in apposition to any manifestation of true happiness. People are under a false perception that money will solve all of their problems and as a result bring them their utmost joy and happiness. Many psychologists, philosophers, and religious figures throughout the ages have refuted this assertion. People in American society take money very seriously because it can either make or break your life choices. In order to fit in todays society Americans feel the need to obtain material assets so that they are looked upon as being â€Å"in style† or being economically sufficient. Money and greed is the main factors that cause people to be in debt. People today work hard to obtain wealth and success not so that they can be happy but just because they want to â€Å"keep up with the Jones†. Money can only make you happy temporally because if you are working hard just so that you can buy material things you really are not going to enjoy them because all o f your time and energy is put into maintaining your material wealth by working extra hard. It is Normal to think that money is not everything in life, although in the world we live in your not going to accomplish anything or get anywhere or even live a life that is considered normal to the world without money. Even though you cannot buy love or happiness you are very unlikely to find either if your living under a bridge. We rely on money, if all the money in the world disappeared tomorrow the world, as we know it would collapse. Everything is connected to money in some way. Everything essentially has a price tag on it if your pocket is fat enough. This is what makes money extremely appealing. But money shouldnt be the Materialism Is The Root Of All Evil There is an old adage which says, â€Å"The root of all evil is money.† This, however, is not true in America. In America, money is not the problem, the love of money, or materialism, is the problem. Materialism is at the core of our American dream. We grow up learning that success is rooted in material wealth and power. We live in a country where material things mean more to the general populous than a good education, where material things dictate the amount of money we spend, and where material things motivate our lives in most every way; something needs to change. Realizing that we are corrupted by materialism is not difficult. What is difficult, however, is finding a solution to the problem. Habits recognizes the difficulty by saying, â€Å"And since we have believed in that dream for a long time and worked very hard to make it come true, it is hard for us to give it up, even though it contradicts another dream that we have- that of living in a society that would really be worth living in.† (Bella, et. Al. 285) Materialism is closely tied to our individualism. We are taught to pursue our materialistic American dream, to get ahead in life, to be somebody, to pursue our own happiness. Even our own Declaration of Independence assumes we are individuals first and for most: â€Å"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. . .† For Americans to be primarily self-reliant and selfish is not surprising. Americans only do what is beneficial to themselves, if it helps someone along the way, then thats great, but helping people is not their initial motive. In order to have the necessary balance between individualism and community, we must be willing to give and then, only after giving, take what has been given to us. If we learn to give, and then take what has been given to us, we Materialism In the oxford English dictionary materialism is described as a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values. This theory is far more than a simple focus on material possessions. It states that everything in the universe is matter, without any true spiritual or intellectual existence. We live in a world surrounded by and composed of matter. It is natural; therefore, that we may become distracted from spiritual or intellectual pursuits by material possessions, but this is frequently where problems occur. We can become obsessed by a desire to obtain them, or simply frustrated by the need to maintain them. In a short play called Rodeo written by Jane Martin, a young girl name Lurlene, becomes unsuitable for the rodeo because she doesnt dress like a showgirl and wear material clothes (Martin 9). In an essay called Super-Size It written by Lisa Colletti, consumer commodity and must need material possessions are major concerns in the daily lives of Americans. Money is a valuable thing and wasting it on unnecessary items is a sin. Contrary to popular belief, Americans spend on average $3500.00 a year on unnecessary products such as a new iPod, a flat screen TV, a computer, clothes, dining out or a vacation. Nowadays, new products advertised on TV make the people watching it feel as if they need to buy that item. This is the problem with Americans; we buy what we dont need just so we can say I have that! And show off to our friends. We spend money we dont have just to be up to date with the latest fashion trends. Its unethical what this world is coming to, what happened to the days were people watched every penny they made and only bought necessary items. Stores that have been in business for decades are being remodeled by new management in order to lour in customers. In the same fashion, Lurlene from the story Rodeo is kicked to the curb by new management because she is not up to date with the new fashion True Materialism It is human nature for people to desire material possessions. Our material yearnings are an attempt to satisfy are need to special and wanted. In a world where most of society defines â€Å"socially acceptable† as the material possessions one owns such as, the latest clothing, the biggest house, or the fastest car one comes to believe that you need all of these things to be viewed as a part of society. For many, work has taken over community life and has had a major effect on happiness. Advertising has also become a primary determinant of our satisfaction, and is only a small part of a larger materialistic culture in which we are not only enticed customers but also prominent consumers. We have been beguiled into believing that material possessions will bring satisfaction and happiness. We imagine ourselves as being more than we are and in this we see how powerful images are. As a teenager I have fallen victim to the web of deceit and lies that has been spun by the stereotypical belief that we need to buy the latest fashion or the best technological devices. I put a lot of effort in my appearance and my material possessions. I watch and look at the advertisements and the images presented within them wishing that I had, or could afford what they are selling. I have come to realize that I am a very materialistic person and that I buy expensive phones, cars and clothing in order to appear better than others who do not have what I have. For instance, I wanted a new cell phone that cost well over four-hundred dollars. So I got a second job just to afford it. Another instance was when I bought my new car. It is a 2006 Phantom. I now have three jobs just to afford the car note, insurance, gas, and general up-keep of the car. This only goes to show that I have become so enamored with the desire for material possessions that I will go to unearthly lengths to obtai n them. Some of the possessions I have show me for what I want to be, but not for who I really am. My cell phone, Has America known its finest hour? Are we losing our religion and sanity as well? What is wrong with our society anyway? These are baffling questions that are frequently being asked by more and more people, even the media. From environmental pollution to spiritual pollution, from artificial food to artificial joy these are the side effects of the pursuit of materialism (a by-product of the American Dream, as we know it). Today, everything is fair game in the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain and personal responsibility, not to mention the absence of morality and a wholesome values system. Is America at risk of reaching a point of no return, or worse becoming a third world nation? According to universal laws, its all a simple matter of cause and effect or as its been said â€Å"as you sow so shall you reap.† What we are witnessing is the powerful consequences of these laws from which no one is exempt. We live in a time characterized by a modern battle between good and evil which can be defined as limited awareness (the norm) and integrity and enlightenment (which are the exception). Its a time when chaos and anarchy are the order of the day. While technologically we may live in a space age, morally we are still living in the stone age as reflected in our social ills, the failure of our systems and institutions and the growing conflicts both domestically and internationally. One of the greatest human tragedies is not the lack of resources and/or control over our own circumstances, but rather the lack of awareness. Whether we realize it or not, the current climate of insanity, including terrorism, is a reflection of a moral and spiritual crisis. Its indicative of our denial of our own spiritual roots and the perception that we are separated, which eventually leads to conflicts and even wars. An engineer can look at the foundation of a building under construction and tell you its eventual height and even fate of a structure. Similarly, a society is as strong and free as the pillars of the spirit upon which its built. Spiritual roots are the foundation upon which total prosperity and peace and harmony are built. When we reject concepts of spirituality, integrity and morality we also deny the greatest part of our existence (our spirit) which enables us to prosper and experience a fuller life of meaning, purpose, real joy, fulfillment and peace (inner and outer). By so doing, we also deny our access to the ultimate real and positive power, the ever-present force (God) that builds and doesnt destroy. Thats because we are spiritual beings experiencing the human experience and not the other way around. As such we were designed and meant to live a life of meaning and purpose through spirit and integrity beyond the narrow boundaries of the material world. In a materialistic-driven society where vanity, not virtue, is worshipped, all the things we used to hold dear like, religion, marriage, family, loyalty, faithfulness, hard work, and being of service to the community are no longer sacred. Instead consumerism, in the spirit of â€Å"He with the most toys lives,† rather then â€Å"He with the most joys lives,† is promoted and driven by profit and greed to the point that even a holiday like Christmas is now more of a marketing concept and devoid of any real meaning. The media, especially Hollywood, is also at fault. Rather than celebrating excellence and the human spirit, by promoting positive concepts such as personal responsibility, making a difference, tolerance, kindness, giving and sensitivity to the human condition, the media produces shows and movies that celebrate human weakness, vanity and perversion. These productions promote social ills such as anti-social behavior, excessive self-indulgence and entitlement, instant gratification, greed, corruption, compromised integrity and obsession with external, shallow values, including the obsession with fame, fortune, and youth. This has led to a significant increase in substance abuse, senseless violence in our schools, and increased teen suicide. You can blame it all on the pursuit of the American Dream, as we know it, which is an illusion based on a materialistic values system characterized by corruption, greed, compromised integrity and the erosion of morality whereby the love of power overcomes the power of love. It certainly does not represent the true spirit of America, which was based on perspiration, innovation, risk and reward and where the focus used to be on a strong work ethic, high integrity, family and community. All of which created a nation of producers with an enviable prosperity that created real joy and fulfillment. Its obvious that America has gone off track and is in desperate need for healing and revival if we are to maintain a free and thriving nation, not to mention our leadership in the international arena. The solution to restoring our spirits and our economy is through increased awareness and by reconnecting with our spiritual roots. Awareness can be used as a useful tool to better understand the unity of life, our place in the universe and ourselves. By understanding ourselves better, we come to understand God as the