Information Assurance

We live and conduct business in an active asymmetric threat environment. An individual, business or organization must adapt and protect its vital information assets and critical digital infrastructure. Failure to do so is reckless and may be considered as an obvious lack of due diligence for people who have fiduciary and custodial responsibilities. Any event that causes damage to information resources, whether it is a computer virus, natural disaster or system failure could be devastating to an individual (i.e. identity theft), company, its customers, suppliers and shareholders. Failing to do so may threaten the survival of the company itself. An information system security breach could result in serious financial losses, the disclosure of protected private information, loss of research and development data or fines by regulatory agencies. Losses due to intrusions into an information system could negatively affect the general public (i.e. power failures). This might result in costly class action lawsuits that could exceed an organization's ability to pay and result in its dissolution. Even an individual might be sued for negligence and be financially ruined. So how should an organization or person protect its valuable digital processing infrastructure? A business should establish and implement a comprehensive information assurance plan. Individuals should at least address the components of a professional information assurance plan. Doing so is evidence that the infrastructure owners are attempting to practice due diligence. An information assurance plan for an organization should be formalized and approved in the organization's policies and have the following components: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Accountability and Non-Repudiation. Let's briefly examine each: A. Confidentiality refers to restricting access to data, information or to any component of the digital processing infrastructure unless there is a â€Å"Need† for an individual to be able to access it. The â€Å"need† must be aligned with an employee's job requirements and the mission of the organization. Strong confidentiality prevents the disclosure of sensitive records, research and development information. B. Integrity refers to maintaining the validity and reliability of information that is to be used for decision-making. An information infrastructure that has integrity can be depended upon when making decisions. The information is otherwise useless. Integrity must be aggressively assured. C. Availability is that characteristic of information, which assures that critical information is ready for access precisely when, and where it is needed and to whom it is needed so that decisions can be made. Computers and networks must be protected to assure that mission critical data is on hand when needed. D. Accountability refers to the idea of assigning responsibility to an individual or group of individuals for each part of the digital processing infrastructure. Each time the information infrastructure is accessed someone needs to be responsible for its safe and legitimate use. Otherwise the system is open to serious security breaches. E. Non-Repudiation is that component of information assurance that guarantees each party to a transaction is bound to its results. E-commerce, for example, would be impossible without provisions for assuring that a customer actually made a purchase. Maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, availability and non-repudiation of the information processing infrastructure is vital to the survival of an organization.

Discuss how three or more important symbols add to your understanding of Of Mice and Men Essay

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck portrays messages to the reader through various techniques, including the vivid animal imagery presented throughout the novella, most notably in Chapters 1 and 6. However, his most potent form of message conveying is through his use of symbolism. Interweaving light imagery and exercising characters as symbols into the text furthers the development of integral themes and plotlines throughout the turbulent story. From the â€Å"deep and green Salinas River† to the â€Å"right hand that had held the gun†, Steinbeck’s utilization of symbols contributes to the reader’s overall appreciation of the chaotic book, highlighting recurring themes such as loneliness. As was stated in the introduction, Steinbeck employs characters as symbols. The most familiar example of this is old Candy. Candy is a significant figure in Of Mice and Men, due to the likenesses between him and George. â€Å"I ain’t much good with on’y one hand†¦that’s why they give me a job swampin,’ Candy explains to George. As a swamper, this is all Candy has left. In 1930s America, a worker who could not work to his full potential, especially during the time of the Depression, would be replaced- Candy’s ultimate fear. That’s why he wants to â€Å"cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some† on Lennie and George’s land. Candy can lead a safe life, not having to worry about being â€Å"canned†. Candy’s stumped wrist is a result of an accident on the ranch. Candy is a prime example of being caught in the Migrant Worker’s Cycle- moving to one job, before leaving and moving somewhere else. A link can therefore be established with George, and Lennie, who appear to have been traveling around working before the time of Of Mice and Men. This is another case of the cyclic nature of the novella, and a reflection of the American way of life in the 1930s. Another example of Candy’s symbolic nature is with his â€Å"ancient dog†. This [Candy and his dog] is the first ‘relationship’ in the novella to be broken, with the final bond, George and Lennie, being destroyed at the climax. â€Å"‘No,’ he said softly. ‘No, I couldn’ do that. I had ‘im too long,'† explains Candy in Chapter 3, referring to the idea of killing his dog. This is very similar to George who, despite knowing Lennie will only cause grief to him and those around him, does not want to hurt him, because he too has been with his companion for a long time. Candy explains that, â€Å"I been around him so much I never notice how he stinks,† while George earlier says, â€Å"but you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him.'†- Another likeness between the two. George has his own dog, Lennie, who follows George around, maintaining silence in conversations and growing increasingly dependent on a master. During the novella, the recurrence of loneliness, and speculating at a lonesome finale, is ever present, especially in the form of playing cards. The bunkhouse is often the scene of the games, with George the dealer. This is significant, as George frequently exclaims his desire to be alone, â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy.† However, solitude is George’s enemy, and he is fearful at the prospect of living alone. This is projected through his card playing, â€Å"Slim sat down†¦across from George†¦He studied the solitaire hand that was upside-down to him.† Inadvertently, George has dealt a game of solitaire- a single player game, an insinuation at the conclusion of the story, when George ultimately kills his companion. A similar event arises when Candy’s dog is led by Carlson to be shot. â€Å"‘Anybody like to play a little euchre?'† asks George. The key theme of loneliness is being forced away by George, who refuses to be alone, opting to ask the group to play cards. The constant reminding of impending solitude, and its effects, enable the reader to understand and fully interpret the inevitability of what is to come. Hands play a vital role in the symbolism of Of Mice and Men. There are various references to the hands of men, building up to the climatic noting, â€Å"right hand that had held the gun.† Despite the assortment of quotes in relation to hands, each has its own meaning. George’s â€Å"right hand† is the killing hand that seals his isolation in the world. Candy’s lack of a hand, accompanied by persistent referencing to his handicap, â€Å"Candy stood in the doorway scratching his bald wrist,† provides a stark reminder of the perils of working in 1930s America, stressing the importance of staying healthy. If an illness or injury affected the work rate of a person, they were often removed from their job- a brusque feature of Capitalism. The contextual relevance expands the fluency of the text for the reader, as the framework for the 1930s American society is commonly paralleled with the novella. With regards to Curley, his â€Å"glove’s fulla Vaseline†, which he’s â€Å"keepin’ soft for his wife.† This is one of many sexual references regarding Curley’s wife, who regularly symbolizes the contextual attraction of whorehouses and prostitutes to the migrant workers. As stated above, Curley’s wife’s character is sharply familiarized with prostitutes and the brothels of the 1930s American society. Her flirtatious nature is met with an everlasting disapproval from the workers on the ranch – Candy thinks, â€Å"Curley’s married†¦a tart,† who, â€Å"got the eye,† referring to her engaging character. However, in a letter to Miss Luce, the actress who plays Curley’s wife in the play version of the text, Steinbeck explains, â€Å"She is a nice, kind girl and not a floozy.† According to Steinbeck, â€Å"she is a little starved. She knows utterly nothing about sex except the mass of misinformation girls tell one another.† From this, we can deduce that Curley’s wife isn’t a â€Å"Looloo†, and she isn’t likely to be found in â€Å"Old Susy’s Place†, but due to the fact Curley and her have not consummated their marriage, she feels an object to men â €“ â€Å"no man has considered her as anything except a girl to try to make.† Curley’s wife, Steinbeck explains, is a nice person, and knows the only way men will notice her is if she is desirable. In Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife experiences loneliness, due to neglect from Curley, and she confesses this to Lennie, â€Å"‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?'† Since no one has tried talking to her, Curley’s wife has not proved to be anything more than a floozy, which explains the unpleasant behaviour towards her. It is interesting that, when Candy calls her a â€Å"tart†, there is a pause, as if to suggest caution. Further along in the conversation, Candy asks, â€Å"You won’t tell Curley nothing I said?† This implies that Candy is afraid Curley will learn of what he has been saying, as the ranch is the only work he’ll ever acquire, due to his old age and handicap. The threat of Curley’s wife to the workers intimidates them to the point of obeying her. Steinbeck’s pointed description of how Curley’s wife flagrantly flirts with the other workers is a repetition of the theme, which he has earlier shown, using the brothels and his showing of the women who work in them as being mere objects. It is almost as if Curley’s wife believes that the only way to get by in life is to be like those women in the brothel, and to offer herself as an object. This is the case in Chapter 4, when Crooks coldly exclaims, â€Å"You got no right comin’ in a coloured man’s room.† Curley’s wife uses her position as the boss’ son’s wife, and her contextual superiority over the Negro to threaten him, â€Å"I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.† This is threatening to Crooks, as one simple cry of ‘Rape’ will result in a lynching. Curley’s wife also knows that, despite the harmful comments made by the men on the ranch, she holds a distinct advantage over them – â€Å"Curley’s pretty handy.† – Curley could beat the worker, and get them fired, due to his position as the boss’ son. All but two of the workers fear Curley – Slim, â€Å"Slim†¦was scowling†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢You lay offa me,'† and Carlson – â€Å"‘I’ll kick your god-damn head off.'† Curley’s wife, therefore, can target the remainder of the men, and flirt with them, to further her position. This goes horribly wrong when she begins to pursue Lennie. Firstly, she re-establishes her coyness through Lennie’s dream, â€Å"‘Well if that’s all you want, I might get a couple rabbits myself.'† Then, in the barn house, she looks, â€Å"closely at Lennie to see whether she was impressing him,† another instance where she is trying to leave her mark on a worker. Curley’s wife seals her own fate by exclaiming, â€Å"‘Mine [Hair] is soft and fine†¦feel right here.'† This is the last ‘stage’ of Curley’s wife’s seduction – physical contact. She has seen for herself that Lennie likes to pet things, and she foolishly bids Lennie to stroke her hair, knowing full well he will. Lennie strokes too hard, and she â€Å"flops like a fish.† Steinbeck purposefully repeats this simile, as this has been used when Lennie crushes Curley’s hand. This shared simile between the married couple suggests similar characteristics between the two – most notably the volatile tempers of the two, â€Å"‘What’s the matter with me?’ she cried.† As the novella was written in 1930s America, the contextual content would be ever-present. However, coming off of the Depression, the American Dream had been damaged. This is highlighted by Curley’s wife, â€Å"I never got that letter,† referring to her failed career as an actress. â€Å"He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural.† This is a prime example of the American Dream – a nobody becoming a somebody. However, as with the Depression and many lives in America, this Dream was shattered – â€Å"So I married Curley,† almost as if she married him to anger her mother, â€Å"‘I always thought my ol’ lady stole it.'† Curley’s wife can be classed as the Depression itself – the ender of dreams. The Depression ended the American Dream (Curley’s wife’s dream), as well as other people’s – in Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife also ends Lennie and George’s dream, by enticing Lennie, which led to her death, and the end of the Dream. Putting this into reality, these small symbolizations, such as Curley’s wife ending Lennie and George’s dream, enhances the understanding of the novel, as the main contextual features are evidently clear, assisted by Steinbeck’s geographical knowledge of the area – Steinbeck was raised in the California area, and he worked on a farm – the descriptions of the landscape would therefore be accurate, blurring the line between fact and fiction. One of the most effective symbols that Steinbeck employs to the novel is that of animal imagery. Throughout the novel, Lennie is likened to a bear, due to numerous references, â€Å"sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.† The bear-like stance of Lennie suggests his ferocity and power aid him, but he is clumsy, and prone to attack, a true reflection of Lennie’s character. In the opening and final chapters in the novella, the moods are very different, yet similar. The evocative beginnings to each chapter contain repetition of â€Å"the deep green pool of the Salinas River,† whilst both being disrupted by man. The most significant part about these openings is the disposition of the disturbance – in Chapter 1, â€Å"the rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover, â€Å"whilst in Chapter 6, Lennie’s intrusion is â€Å"as silent as a creeping bear moves,† yet another reference to his bear-like stature. However, the most potent form of animal imagery is when it is used in a prefigurative sense. In Chapter 1, â€Å"A stilted heron laboured up into the air and pounded down-river.† In Chapter 6, the heron reappears, â€Å"A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and†¦swallowed the little snake.† This is a foreshadowing of the events to follow, where George shoots Lennie in the back of the head. Steinbeck’s manipulation of his short story permits him to substitute ordinary characters and plots with complex, contextual symbolism. This is used to great effect, and enhances the reader’s understanding of the text, which allows a broader knowledge of both the book and the milieu in which it was written.

Afghan-war prisoners Essay Example for Free

Afghan-war prisoners Essay American Civil War (234) , Prisoner (26) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints ? Some insurgents’ failed attempt on an US military convoy was provocation enough for them to gun down 16 civilians, leaving another 25 severely wounded. The groups – dead and alive, contained woman and children. It is an event of March 4, 2007, took place in Iraq, on the Jalalabad highway in eastern Nangarhar province. The day next US army again responded the terrorist attack by 2000-pound aerial bombing in the civilian area, killing five women and three children. This happened at the Kapisa outpost. These are regular features in Iraq; between January 2006 till date, more than thousands of civilians were killed by US attack. Back home, US authorities are no less active under the ‘anti-terrorism’ movement. Ahmed Alenany, an Egyptian physician, was picked up from the road of New York City and was detained for five months, charged with overstaying, in spite of his valid ground of filing for its extension well before the expiry. His fault was that the police found two pictures of WTO in his car and he held a roadmap when arrested. That was one bubble on the sea. The United States securely took away 650 Afghan-war prisoners to their military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where they are reportedly passing their days in small single-person cells. India: On July 2005, four Kashmiri youths went to attend a wedding in Vilgam, Kupwara, and while out in the open at night for smoking away from the disapproving adults, three of them were gunned down by the Indian army all on a sudden. Later army admitted its mistake and wanted to compensate, though there was enough effort to suppress this news. India is also experiencing zero tolerance in counter-terrorism, especially after the militant attack on its parliament on December, 2001. They have even created a special law, â€Å"POTA† , which is capable of detaining anyone under the slightest suspicion on any ground of terrorism, that would later arrest 131 Muslims for the Godhra carnage of Hindus in 2002, who later retaliated with the killings of 2000 Muslims throughout the Gujrat state, were mostly able to slip past this law. China: Charged for â€Å"crimes of terror† and â€Å"incitement to separatism†, the popular religious leader Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was arrested in Sichuan on a night in December 2002 and sentenced to death. He was linked to the series of bombings. Same fate met his co-defendant Lobsang Dhondup, even quicker as he was executed. Now the open secret was that the authorities were up against his activities all the time, as he was a known supporter of the Dalai Lama. Egypt: This country has a track record of arresting hundreds of people either for their proximity to the Muslims, or for possessing â€Å"suspicious† literature. In a known case, 94 such victims, allegedly belonging to an â€Å"Islamic Group† though none heard about its name), were arrested in May, 2001. It was before the September 11 attack and after the attack, they were charged additionally for plotting to kill the government officials! The hapless victims belong to almost all rank and file – Doctors, engineers, professors, to name a few. They were dragged into the military courts whose norms, understandably conform to the trial standards set internationally. Accordingly, 51 were convicted! Georgia: Armed by the US support Georgian authorities have targeted the Chechens at Pankisi Gorge, a place which Russia also labelled as a â€Å"haven for the terrorists†. Here the governmental approach to the human rights violations is indicative of non-caring, as it is echoed by the words of its President Eduard Shevarnadze, who, right after extraditing five Chechens to Russia (October 5, 2002) without holding any court, said, â€Å"International human rights commitments might become pale in comparison with the importance of the anti-terrorist campaign† Afghan-war prisoners. (2017, Apr 25).

Colonization Impact on Aboriginal's Health Essay

Colonization Impact on Aboriginal's Health - Essay Example (Atkinson J.,pg.27) Due to this colonization the Aboriginal people suffered a major setback in terms of ill-health, loss of land and identity, exclusion from society, etc. Now the Australian government has imposed laws and policies for the betterment of the Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander People, which shows some signs of hope. Living in their own territorial boundaries, in small extended families, linked to larger groups and woven together by complex systems and rules for social interaction, Aboriginal people lived in total harmony. (Atkinson J., pg.25). They believed in We Al-li: fire and water, anger and grief, a program of healing. They also believe that dysfunctional cause's ill health, and so breach of land, kinship and trade obligations, breach of taboo, disrespecting dead and law was avoided. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). They had well balanced nutritious diet of animals, insects, plants, vegetables, fruits, etc. etc as they were available in plenty. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991) and practiced a very healthy lifestyle which they got from daily activities like hunting/gathering. They had their own ways of taking revenge or giving justice like: 1) Physical retribution 2) Tribal 3) Sorcery or Supernatural powers (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). Tribal healers, men or women were able personalities who had a lineage of healing. They used bush medicine like plants, shells, insects, etc. (Berndt & Berndt, 1981; Elkin, 1977; Maher, 1999; Sharp, 1993; Tonkinson, 1991). Aboriginal men and women believed in equality where no one was considered superior. They believe that racism has ill effects on the health and hence it should be avoided. Impact of Colonization: Colonizers invaded the tribal land and came with Savagery and Violence. Large-scale developments like, space station, resorts, mining, etc. laid deadly impacts on individuals, families and the entire communities and societies. Further this colonization resulted in dysfunctional and violent behavior on both individuals and human interaction. (Atkinson J., pg.23) Aboriginal people were traumatized and this affected their health to a large extent. Their ceremonial responsibilities and process were destroyed by the colonizers and had profound Tran generational effects on the people of this land (Atkinson J. pg.35) environments and the relationships within them became chaotic and unstructured.(Atkinson J.,pg.45) Large-scale epidemics, massacres, removals of whole population to detainment camps called reserves, removals of children, splitting apart of family groups, physical and cultural genocide, formed layers of trauma.

Accounting information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Accounting information system - Essay Example n cases where they have accepted to donate, the organization simply collects the cheque or cash from the donors and issues an acknowledgement for receipt of the funds. Some of the donors are government agencies, corporate sector, trust and foundations. Additionally, the organization gets its finances from program fees and consultation fees. Therefore, the revenue cycle has limited actors and the processes are simple and few as well. For instance the process of obtaining revenue is through donations and fees charged for consultations and program fees. There are no products or services to be sold in exchange for money. Therefore processes such as order processing, billing, invoicing and deliveries are not there. The revenue cycle is initiated by developing a set of programs and projects that can be funded by the donors. The organization writes a proposal to the donors who will in turn give a feedback on whether they will support the proposal or not. The following are some of the processes inherent in the revenue cycle: i) Request Proposal: This is done by the projects and program development department. The proposal for the various projects and programs is developed and submitted to the various donors. The donors will go through the proposals and determine whether they will support the project or not. Proposal development is an intensive process that requires a team of experts. The final proposal is submitted by a projects coordinator who is in charge of all project activities in the organization. ii) Approval of program Proposal: Once the donors receive the proposal, they will scrutinize the contents of the program proposed and decide whether to fund it or not. They will then approve the program and pledge their support for the organization. The program proposal always has the estimated budget, the duration of the program and the expected start and end date. It also has additional details that include the financial and technical proposal. It must have the

Knowledge Management and its Benefit to Business Assignment

Knowledge Management and its Benefit to Business - Assignment Example 2. Background Knowledge management is defined as a concept through which a business or an enterprise collects, organizes, distributes, and analyzes individuals and groups’ knowledge within an organization in ways that affect the performance of the business directly (Oliver & English, 2007). Knowledge management has also been defined as the process of identifying and analyzing available, relevant, and required knowledge processes and assets within an organization with the primary aim of achieving organizational goals and objectives. Over the years, knowledge management has proved to be an effective tool in enabling organizations to achieve their objectives (Pauleen & Gorma, 2011). There are numerous benefits that are associated with knowledge management. The first one is that it helps to ensure that right information gets to the right individuals at the appropriate time in order to facilitate making of the right decisions. Besides, it has been associated with increasing efficie ncy in the organizations, and this is critical in improving organizational productivity and performance (Davidson, 2002). Also, knowledge management tends to promote growth and learning among employees. Employee learning and growth is not only crucial in boosting employee satisfaction but also in enhancing their productivity at work (Collins et al., 2010). Since knowledge management helps in making better decisions in the organizations, it enables organizations to reduce costs because decisions on cost-related issues are appropriate and aimed at reducing costs in order to increase profitability. Along with that, it helps business avoid unnecessary cost because people involved know what the right cost is to incur through knowledge management process (Esposto & Abbott, 2011). Moreover, knowledge management is beneficial in the sense that it improves team communication. The process of collecting, sharing, and analyzing knowledge with the organization promotes communication among those involved, and this significantly contributes towards improved team communication (Pauleen & Gorma, 2011). In addition, it reduces the time taken in problem solving process in the business because there is knowledge of what the problem may be in the business and what the possible solutions should be. More importantly, knowledge management enhances customer satisfaction and participation. Knowledge management involves collecting, sharing and analyzing knowledge on a lot of issues including those about customers. The knowledge analyzed regarding customers can be used to create ways through which customer participation and satisfaction can be improved (Collins et al., 2010). Additionally, it can help a business have a better understanding of the market; this is important in helping business to devise ways through which a business can increase its market share in order to increase its profitability. Furthermore, improved profitability is another benefit associated with knowledge manageme nt. Since knowledge management provides business with ways of reducing its costs, increasing market share, enhancing customer satisfaction, and improving team communication, business performance is bound to improve and, therefore, lead to improved profitability (Oliver & English, 2007). While it is understood that knowledge management is of great value and benefits, it appears that people have

Sensory Perceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Sensory Perceptions - Essay Example If the source of the information is mare rumors then that will automatically hinder accuracy of sensory information (Oppapapers.com, 2012). Secondly, interpretation of the information received from the senses by the brain. The interpretation will depend on various factors such as the developmental stage of an individual; a juvenile might not interpret information that is symbolically coded as opposed to an adult (Nickel, 2006). For example, people thought the world was flat as they viewed a uniform horizon and interpreted it as they saw it; sense of sight. In addition, the cognitive ability and the data source of an individual determine the inaccuracy and accuracy of our sensory information. The source of data determines a lot, for example a mad person can say something although sensible at times but nobody can take it serious or even think about it as opposed to an influential person maybe in the government who is obviously given the first priority by the media (Oppapapers.com, 2012). There are several factors which contribute to the accuracy of the sensory data. First, the reliability of facts observed. Solid sensory data received through the accurate observations would provide data and facts that are vital for accurate sensory perception or thinking connection. The Brain and interpretation of data received contributes to the accuracy of sensory data. A healthy brain is very vital in cognitive ability to analyze sensory data. When the information is received in the brain, the power of the sense is manifested (Oppapapers.com, 2012). This means that any inaccurate data which has been sent by our senses to our brain will actually be inaccurately interpreted Thirdly, the accuracy of sensory data can be determined by the source of data and cognitive ability. The data source must be received through the senses of touch, hearing, sight, smell to obtain accurate sensory data (Green, 2009). The senses should be acutely sensitive like senses, particle detectors,

Christopher Columbus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Christopher Columbus - Essay Example The western colonization was on its way and Europeans were keen to discover new land and to take maximum advantage of the resources they offer. His first voyage was in 1492 but he couldn’t reach America during that and his third voyage lead him to the new world in 1498. He never thought to discover America; it was India which he was searching. And neither was he the only and the earliest European explorer to find America. The people already living there are refers as Indians and the reason is that Columbus thought he reached India and that’s why he referred them as Indian. Columbus’ discovery played an important part in the growing economy and imperialism of European powers at that time, the economic competition was growing between the European countries and all of them were in search of new colonies and trade routes. So his discovery was a break through in the economic competition. Americans and Spanish celebrate Columbus Day every year in the anniversary of the great discovery by Christopher Columbus. It is believed that he was born in Republic of Genoa which is located in the Italy, 1 and married to a Portuguese woman. His father was a middle class wool weaver and he got two brothers and a sister. Due to the poor financial conditions of his family, he did not take any proper education and start working at sea. According to his writing, he first went to the sea at the age of ten. His first voyage was in a service to Rene I of Anjou; Columbus was assisting him in his quest to conquer the Kingdom of Naples. Since then he started his career and went to different voyages in different areas. Though there is no existing portrait of Columbus present in this world but still there are few on which we usually rely. Though an official portrait was drawn by Alejo Fernandez and the title of that was Virgeon de los Navengates. 2 From different writings we can get the idea that the Columbus was a red

Discussion question week 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion question week 4 - Essay Example rkable example of a company that has experienced that, and discussing the differences of domestic and global marketing strategies (Adamson et al, 2007). A brand is a figure of the features that makes a product exceptional. Every business has its brand. Various businesses attempt, but several fail at building a winning brand. When a company notices that its sales are flagging, it blames it on the brand. The shift of focus has moved from the product-blame to the brand-blame, thus relating to the manner the buyer’s conduct transforms (Ries et al. 2002). Branding is a more effective method of selling products; thus entirely fine products can be unsuccessful because of poor branding. Branding increases the returns but also intensifies the risks. The emotional ties developed by customers and brands ought not to be broken as messing with them results in irreparable damage. A brand acquires strength though the market constantly remains subtle. Coca-Cola ranks top of the list as the most identified brand with a sale of almost 1 billion drinks each day. However, when Coca-Cola stopped the distribution of the original Coca-Cola drink, i t replaced it with the New Coke drink to match up the competition posed by Pepsi-Cola. New Coke hardly made any sales as the consumers rebelled against it (Gobe, 2010). Coca-Cola learnt the hard way that marketing is more than the product. It had simply focused on the taste factor when it was strategizing to build on its product, in the process missing its major brand property, which is originality. Coca-Cola had been the only product in the market ever since its foundation, with the brand name becoming product’s name as well/ Coca-Cola majorly capitalized on its original status in the various promotional campaigns (Cross Cultural Blunders). The launch of New Coke was a contradiction to the marketing efforts by Coca-Cola. It was very misguided confining the brand’s importance to a question of taste. The representation was more important

Ergonomical Assessment Of A Workplace Essay Example for Free

Ergonomical Assessment Of A Workplace Essay Posture and muscular activity is an inevitable process of work that can never be avoided in several jobs today. As a packaging agent [someone who assists in a packaging center for parcel or air delivery], a person is intended to face several challenges on how an individual’s workplace be worthwhile so as not to get stressed physically and mentally at once when that particular individual is already at work. This is where the role of ergonomical assessment comes in the picture. What is ergonomical assessment? Primarily, this workplace assessment depends on the ways by which the arrangement is considered by the employers. This assessment actually focuses on the ways by which the physical activities of the employees are relatively considered when the employers themselves are planning the work areas. The idea is that the work areas should equally be comfortable enough to prolong the fine performance of their employees at work. Through the concern of the employers as to how their workers are using their physical strength to complete the tasks that they are supposed to attend to, the profit and the capability of the entire business company in assisting their clients with their demands would be much easier to attain on the part of the employees at work. In this paper, the work area of a packaging center in the Army Post Office or the APO in the postal clerk (PC) area. The description of the area as well as the type of work done within the area shall be discussed within the paragraphs that follow. Through the use of the WISHA guidelines, the said branch of army operations shall be observed and evaluated as to how much work-efficient the work area of the said branch is to its employees. The Work and the Area The nature of the work is rather demanding in terms of physical patience whereas the employees are expected to have constant track of their task while they discipline their bodies in dealing with the stresses that the work itself brings them. The work begins when the PC receives the package from the customer, weighs it, places postage on it, and then moves the package to a receiving window. There is only 1 shift which lasts 10 hours with a 1-hour lunch break. The packages range from 1 pound to a max weight of 80 pounds. On average, a single PC will handle 120 packages a shift 6 days a week. This does not include letter mail. The average package weight is 35 pounds. The PC is required to stand all shift except for breaks on a wooden floor with no mats. The package weighing counter is made of wood and is 24 inches tall x 30 inches wide x 24 inches deep. The computer for postage input sits on the same counter at a height of 38 inches. The packages once weighed have to be lifted and moved across a distance of 65 inches directly behind the PC. The packages are placed in a cutout window that sits 32 inches off the ground and is 30 inches tall x 30 inches wide. From the overview of both the he job and the work area where the job is performed, it could be noted that the tasks actually involve massive muscular stress. This is simply because of the fact that the employees are required to stand for long hours, not to mention that fact that they need to deal with several weights of packages and are then supposed to work with a not-so conducive work-area. According to the WISHA guidelines, there are several repetitive activities that endangers the muscular system of a particular worker, especially with the fact that the said activities are done in long hours. As noted above, the employees are expected to report to work in ten hours with just one hour of lunch break. According to the description, the package receiving area is composed of facilities whereas the employees would need to bend down and work their ways to finish the task that they are supposed to complete. The area is less conducive in assisting the employees in fixing the packages in a more comfortable posture as the description points out that the Package Receivers need to carry or lift the package from the receiving area to the weighing area. The employees need to bend down and kneel down to fix the packages for departure for at least 120 times within the ten hour shift that they are supposed to complete; WISHA guidelines actually consider this fact dangerous on the part of the employees performing the task. According to the guidelines, lifting more than 25 pounds above the shoulders below the knees at arm’s length must be done in a maximum of 25 times per day (WISHA Checklist). However, in the case of the employees in the packaging area, they are doing this particular task in almost 120 times per day. This is seriously hazardous on the muscular activities of their body as well as with their backbone resistance to stress. Aside from this, the act of repetitively raising the hands above the head or the elbow above the shoulders more than once per minute is also a hazardous on the part of the employees (WISHA checklist). As for the case of the work nature noted in this paper, this is particularly something that needs to given constant attention by the management of the APO as observed herein. As the description points out that the employees are working at least 5 hours straight at the most then takes a break and then another 5 hours of work shall indeed bring stress on the physical body of the employees. It should also be noted that the job places the employees in a situation with which they are supposed to stay in an area that is uncarpeted where they are supposed to stand for long hours. The pressure of the weight of the body and the weight of the packages that they carry back and forth the area would bring much stressing weight on their feet. For this reason, not only the muscular areas on the upper body of the employees are strongly affected by the job, it also affects the lower muscular area of the employees which includes the feet. Not only does the job-tasks bring pressure to the back bone of the employees, but it also leaves a high level of pressure on the leg and feet area of the said individuals. For this reason, it is highly recommended that the office be fixed, rearranged in a way that the lifting of the packages be minimized through putting the receiving area and the weighing area much closer to each other. Additional fixing tables could be placed nearby where all the needed materials for packaging and providing receipts to the clients would be of better breach by the employee could be further implemented.  This would not only increase the performance level of the employees, it would also regulate the time spent by the employees in finishing their jobs thus giving them the chance in serving more clients within the 10 hour shift that they are to complete everyday. Conclusion From the assessment presented herein, it could be noted that most of the parts of the office that has been observed [packaging office of APO] has so much hazardous areas for the employees of the business.  This is the reason why the management of the said establishment is suggested to have a consideration on how the areas of the office best serve the employees and the clients as well. Making the area more conducive for the type of work that is performed in the office would not only increase the performance complexities of the employees but it will also increase the satisfaction of the clients with the services that they are supposed to receive from the establishment and the employees working for them.

Analysis Of Ramayana And Odysseus

Analysis Of Ramayana And Odysseus Ramayana and Odysseus are epic literatures (poems) from India and Greece respectively. Odysseus mainly deals with the Greek hero Odysseus and explores his encounters as he returns home after the Trojan War, where he was assumed to have died. Due to his long absence, his wife back home was being persuaded by different suitors to marry them as her husband was believed dead. Regardless of his sons efforts to throw his mothers suitors away, he is unable because of his tender age and inexperience in war. Odysseus delay was caused by being held hostage at Calypsos Island, destruction of his ship, and the princess of this island who is in love with him (Homer 23). This story recounts his experiences at the Calypso Island, the trouble he undergoes when trying to return home, his welcome at home of the Phaeanicians where he revealed his identity after his sheep was destroyed and he was forced to swim to the shore. After telling of his story, he is helped to go back home; Ithaca disguised as a beggar where he finds he kills all his wifes suitors. The story ends after he has reunited with his family and settled which ends his long ordeal. Ramayana on the other hand is an Indian epic highly regarded for its spiritual depth, psychological insight, full of practical wisdom and just a wonderful tale. This epic is about the story of Rama, whose wife is snatched by a demon king (Narayan 5). This epic has much influence to the Indian culture, their life and extensively explores human experiences, existence and the perception of dharma. One of the most important topics it explores is the duty of relationship, for example the perfect wife, the perfect brother, king and the ideal servant. Divided into several books, this epic describes the life of Rama from childhood, his marriage to Sita, his coronation and the subsequent exile into the forests, the life he spend at those forests, how his wife was kidnapped by the king of Ravana, up to his final departure from the world. These books have a remarkable resemblance both in content and context. They also contrast sharply in some aspects. For example, both of these poems are epic. Based on famous and brave characters, these poems occur in different sections or books. Odysseus is written and translated from book 1 up to book twenty four. The same case applies to Ramayana which is written in different Kandas describing the life of Rama. These are named as Ayodhya Kanda, Bala Kanda, Aranya kanda, Sundara Kanda, Kishkinda Kanda, Uttara Kanda and Yuddha Kanda. Al these books describe different aspects of Ramas life which explain the bravery of Rama. Both books are also based on the lives of heroes. Odysseus was a hero in Greek history who fought the Trojan War and embarked on his journey after the fall of Troy. Ramayana is also based on the heroic life of Rama who escaped to the forests, survived there for extended period of time and fought the Ravana army which had some super natural powers. Both heroes are s eparated from their wives by inevitable circumstances like Odysseus who is separated his wife by war while Ramas wife is kidnapped (Narayan 10). At the end of both poems, they are re united to their spouses, and live happily after. Another similarity between these poems is the existence of supernatural powers. The Ramayana explains about Ravana, the demon king who kidnapped Ramas wife. In Odyssey, the witch goddess Circe also had some supernatural powers. She was able to turn Odysseus men into swine by feeding them on wine and cheese (Homer 34). Odysseus was only able to escape this wrath because of a type of medicine he had used called moly. It took this goddess to fall in love with Odysseus, to release his men, who remained in the island for over a year. Both heroes were also faced with difficulties and wars in their existence. Odysseus fought with the suitors who wanted to take his wife while Rama fought with kidnappers of his wife. It is also important to point out that both heroes believed in existence of spirits and constantly sought guidance from them. These two poems also depict women as ideal temptresses and wives. Regardless of goddess circe seduction, and turning men into pigs, we understand that, Odysseus wife Penelope remained obedient and royal to her husband. Odyssey tells us that, there were so many suitors who remained at her home trying to convince her to marry them, she remained optimistic of her husbands return which eventually happened. The same case is seen with Sita, Ramas wife who chooses to remain at her husbands side regardless of Soorpanaka, who was known for stealing other womens spouses and sleeping with them, constant tries. Soorpanaka had seen Rama on the course of her wonderings and had sworn to seduce him with all what she had (Narayan 7). These books show a few contrasts like the destiny of both heroes. Odysseus settles down with his wife while Rama departures this world.

There are no Characters in The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers fc

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter as an exemplum on pride. His creation of Hester Prynne, the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, and her selflessness was the moral behind keeping her alive. The characters in The Scarlet Letter are nothing more than symbols representing abstract qualities and are dispensable. Names play an important role in The Scarlet Letter it is Hawthorne’s way of distinguishing not just the characters but their personalities. The latter is the most important when considering Hawthorne’s characters as abstract symbols. Dimmesdale is especially noted for his dark nature of concealing his association with Hester’s scarlet letter. His extreme selfishness and pride blinds him from what the Bible ahs taught him and in this aspect is a one dimensional character as are the Puritans. â€Å"Whom, but the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, half-frozen to death, overwhelmed with shame, and standing where Hester Prynne had stood!† (Hawthorne 139). His extreme fear of someone discovering his secret and losing his high status is just one way Hawthorne manipulates the characters to make the novel more didactic rather than a stream-of-consciousness. â€Å"Hester recalls Hestia, the Greek goddess of the hearth and home, and Esther of the Old Testament, a woman who intercedes for her people and is often considered and image of inner strength coupled with beauty†(Pennell 83). Each character is abstractly represented differently; Pearl as nature, Chillingworth as pure evil, Hester as selflessness and Dimmesdale as pride. Roger Chillingworth's†¦expression had been calm, meditative, scholar-like. Now there was something ugly and evil in his face† (Hawthorne 117). Hawthorne again is manipulating the characters to fit the exemplum. The easiest way to understand that the characters are in fact a symbol is to take into account the amount of themes, symbols and motifs Hawthorne incorporates in his novels. â€Å"The book is a moving series of symbols within a larger symbol from beginning to end†¦It is true that these characters are arbitrary manifestations of specific urges†¦They are not made of flesh and blood so much as they are made of moonlight and abstract qualities† (Gorman 7). The characters are just disposed of when their purpose has been served. When Dimmesdale confesses his sins on the scaffold, the pride element of his character leaves so Hawthorne kills him off. â€Å""The law we broke I--the sin here awfully revealed!--let these alone be in thy thoughts... God knows; and He is merciful! He hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions†¦Had either of these agonies been wanting, I had been lost for ever! Praised be His name! His will be done! Farewell!"(Hawthorne 233).

Discussion of Bradleys The Principles of Logic :: Bradley Principles Logic Essays

Discussion of Bradley's The Principles of Logic If I make the claim, â€Å"A wolf is a mammal,† I do not assert anything about my idea of a wolf, but rather something general about this real class of beasts. For Bradley, to admit this is to admit that ideas are general terms that refer to an independent reality. But notice that if, faced with one of these actual canines, I then say â€Å"Here is a wolf†, each term of this singular judgment is itself general and cannot possibly hope to capture in its particularity and wealth of detail the animal in question. If ideas are always general, then how can they relate to the real that presents itself as a unique event with determinate sensible content? They could just as easily be describing any wolf and any â€Å"here† without an adequate fit or representation of sensory experience. These are Bradley’s concerns in The Principles of Logic (PL)1, and since his proposed solutions to these problems were intended as a refutation of Hume’s empiricist psycholo gy and Mill’s doctrine of inference, and since they shaped if not antedated many of Russell’s achievements in logical theory, they call for careful attention.2 I must note, however, that Bradley is particularly frustrating insofar as he eschews any sustained metaphysical investigations, claiming that metaphysics is a matter separate from his logical concerns. Just at the point that one would demand a more determinate account, he remarks that to really consider such questions would involve him in metaphysics, which is not his present objective. However, as I hope to show, his entire theory of judgment rests on a clearly metaphysical consideration of the nature of time and space and, in fact, commits him to rather bizarre claims about the nature and function of singular judgments and indexicals. The notion that objects of experience are themselves symbolic will allow Bradley to unite his metaphysic with his theory of intentionality and eventually fund those features of his account that are particularly relevant to our purposes: viz., his anti-psychologism, from which naturally follows his attack on the impoverished apophantic paradigm in logi c, his insistence on a distinction between logical and grammatical form, and his claim that all judgments, properly understood, are hypothetical judgments. I. Reference We must first gain an appreciation for how pervasive the notion of reference is in Bradley’s account. In this section I will first characterize the

Government Subsidies to Correct Externalities Essay -- Alternative Ene

Government Subsidies to Correct Externalities The provision of energy is riddled with market failures. For instance, the U.S. maintains a military presence in the Middle East at least partly in order to secure energy supplies, but to what extent do U.S. consumers pay for that at the pump? Anecdotally, petrol costs about half in the States what it does in Europe. For another example, short haul flights are often cheaper than train tickets to the same destination, and yet, air travel is about ten times worse for the environment than is rail. Does the cost of either ticket account for this difference? Both the production and consumption of energy give rise to economic costs that are difficult to allocate. These externalities are a long-recognized economic problem. That is why we are in the midst of boom times for the alternative energy industry. For the most part, alternative means alternative to derivatives of crude oil, but it also seeks to substitute for coal and to a lesser extent nuclear energy. In many cases, demand for alternatives has exceeded supply. Similarly, demand for investments in new alternative energy technologies has exceeded the stock of available good ideas (Green Dreams, 2006). But has this driven up the price? Well, sort of. What has happened is governments around the world have stepped in to support alternative energy. According to The Economist magazine, 49 governments have made formal commitments. So while consumers by and large are still minimizing cost in the energy purchases, their elected governments have demanded dramatic changes in patterns of production (Investing in clean energy, 2006). There are broadly three reasons for consumer preference for alternative energy.... ... to assure that society gets the package of output that it desires. Works Cited The answer, my friend? ? Can the windy Great Plains be a new power source, or is that just bluster? (2006, October 26). The Economist. Green Dreams ? The flood of money into clean energy is better news for society than it is for investors. (2006, November 16). The Economist. Investing in clean energy ? Tilting at windmills. (2006, November 16). The Economist. Hammond, P., Gamble, B. (2006, February 16). Simmons Oil Monthly ? Solar Energy Overview. Retrieved 17 November 2006 from: http://www.simmonsco-intl.com Campbell, J. (2005, February 12). NOPA Biodiesel Speech. National Oilseed Processors Association 2005 Annual Meeting. Wind Power. Wikipedia. Retrieved 17 November 2006 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_energy

Labeling

When a person is labeled as something he or she has become part of that particular sub-culture, and although that person might not consider themselves to be that particular label, society has the majority rule. If society considers a person with tattoos a rebel, that person is now a troublemaker in society’s eyes; he or she carries the characteristics of that certain label, and that title sticks. Labeling in society is a natural human property. Humans label sub-consciously in order to organize the people they may come in contact with in society day-to-day. This action takes place because having a label does not stop at the face; it runs much deeper. Labels carry characteristics, properties, and key traits that can give a person an idea of what someone is like before they even say â€Å"[H]ello†. Every person has a label or title, but how does the labeling of people and groups affect others around them and society as a whole? In the article Decent into Madness: The New Mexico State Prison Riot written by Mark Colvin labeling plays an extraordinary role in the events leading up to the 1980 riot and the events that occurred during the riot. In the prison system being labeled something negative like a snitch can be potentially deadly. The guards would use labeling to coerce inmates into spilling useful information. The labeling in this prison system effects inmates greatly causing amalgams of emotions and an inner battle between what they believe is right and the what they pledged to their gangs. The labeling in a prison system effects directly affects the other inmates, not just a singled out victim. Others might feel betrayed which could lead to a whirlwind of other consequences, actions, and emotions. Another article that shows how society is affected by labels is The New Tattoo Subculture by Anne M. Velliquette and Jeff B. Murray. People with tattoos are constantly being titled rebels, troublemakers, and delinquents, when in fact people with tattoos usually have a very heart-felt story or reason why they ink themselves. To these people, they feel that they are being labeled unfairly and that society is making quick and senseless judgments. When it comes to school, nobody wants to be labeled the school nerd, slut, or anything negative. People only want to be labeled positively, something that gives them perks in school and applies to their own self-interest. The Peer Power: Clique Dynamics Among School Children written by Patricia A. Adler and Peter Adler, talks about the school structure and how labels can either make or break a student’s school career. The article talks about how cliques are labeled by the students who make them, almost like the saying people are what they eat, and school cliques are made by the people who are involved in them. School cliques carry pressures that not only affect the overall environment of the school but, labeling and clique involvement also effects staff and teachers as well as peers not involved in cliques. A hierarchy system is a clear cut way to put people into a certain class. Being at the top involves large amounts of power that effects society around them, while being at the bottom can allow for zero power and their actions hardly effect the environment around them. In the article Gang Business: Making Ends Meet by Martin Sanchez Jankowski the hierarchy system is used organize levels of a gang and individual players. This hierarchy system is one of the most clear cut ways to label an individual, because if a person is labeled a pusher he or she is basically stuck in with that title and the labels responsibilities until they have earned themselves increased respect from their peers. Gangs, governments, militarist and political parties use the hierarchy system to put people in certain ranks, and each rank brings its own traits and characteristics that person must follow or they will suffer the consequences. Labeling could be an incredible blessing to people who need a place in society. With a label such as a punk or a skater, that person now has a chance to identify themselves with a sub-culture that will accept them for who they are without trying to be someone else. Labeling in this manner is a great thing for it helps people, and from that labeled position a person can gain social status in their own group. In 1998 an article written by Patricia A. Adler and Peter Adler stated that â€Å"Cliques are, at their base, friendship circles, whose members tend to identify each other as mutually connected† (Pg. 55). Once a person is labeled as something whether it be a jock or a plastic, these people can now seek out others who are labeled similarly, and by doing so new friendships and relationships are born. Labels can introduce a person to a new set of people, which he or she would never have known if they were not labeled. In an article written by Martin Sanchez Jankowski in 1991 a â€Å"†¦ hierarchy system is used to label members of a gang†¦ † (Pg. 172). This hierarchy system can play a positive role in the life of a gang member because once you are placed on a level there is no ambiguity about a person's position and status; their responsibilities, liabilities, and expected actions are practically lied out for young gang member. Unfortunately labeling, for the most part, is a negative action taken against groups of people who do not comply with societies unwritten rules. When a person is labeled it is usually because said person did something that was unusual, different, and/or out of the social norm. In schools across the United States there is some sort of labeling among the student body, whether it be skin colour, gender, sports, or academics, there is always something that organizes students into different sections. In the movie Mean Girls, the lunch room provides an extreme example of labeling and the cliques that are created through labeling. All the students are divided into different sects depending on their status; popular girls, a. k. a. Plastics sat together at one table while jocks sat together at a different table. Their own independent label had an affect on their peers because their label gave certain students power over others while in reality all people are supposed to be equals. â€Å"The leaders would decide†¦. † is a popular phrase used in Patricia A. Adler and Peter Adler's article on Peer Pressure ( 1998. Pg. 156). The person labeled the â€Å"leader† has some sort of intangible power over other students, and it is preposterous to think that all of their power is based off a word, â€Å"leader†. Many labels carry meaning that runs deeper than the eye can see. At face value a corporal is just a word used to describe one of the first ranks of an army solider, but that label has depth. Being a corporal could mean constant order taking and back-breaking work. Having a certain label affects everybody not just a person's immediate friends. A powerful label commands respect and these people are treated with privileges and other special perks because of their label. Many labels come with their own with their own home-grown stereotypes. If a person is labeled a doctor this could mean that they earn a quarter million dollars a year, drive a Mercedes-Benz, and go golfing three times a week. Many labels come with their own with their own home-grown stereotypes. Along with perks and privileges labels also have imbedded consequences. In the 1997 article Decent into Madness by Mark Colvin, it is clearly expressed how certain labels could lead to imitate death. Colvin explained that a â€Å"coercive tactic was used to intimidate an inmate by threatening to â€Å"hang a snitch jacket† on him. â€Å"This tactic which involved the threat of labeling an inmate a â€Å"snitch† (or informant) was used to solicit information, and gain control over an inmate†¦. † (1997. Pg. 197). The label of a snitch is an inmate’s worst nightmare because the consequences and after-math of this label could lead to lack of trust with their fellow gang members, and if the leader of a gang found out an inmate actual ly snitched, the man labeled the leader is powerful enough to put a hit on that inmate. The label of snitch is so powerful that it can ruin the life of an inmate even if the accusation is false. Although labels usually carry any where from a minor al the way up to extraordinary negative connotations, they are a crucial part of society. Labels organize people into certain levels of society. People use labels as the first way to asses a person. When a business man walks into a pub and sees a scantily-clad dressed woman next to a women in a business skirt and blouse, that man will nearly always label the half-dressed women as a slut or desperate while he might label the other as more conservative. People use labels as their first line of defense in a situation when they feel something is not quite right. If a person sees a shady fellow on the corner of the street, that person might automatically label that man as a trouble-maker which in turn leads that person to walk away from the fellow on the corner. How a person dresses and holds themselves on the street, in a pub, or at a job interview could lead to the immediate labeling of themselves. This happens because humans label based on their own personality and upbringing; it is an ideology, a non-tangible belief that certain people are going to be labeled a certain way. People are subjected by labels, and this relates directly to powerful labels such as president, leader, boss, captain, etc. When there is a person who is labeled high on a hierarchy system, people will automatically listen and follow that person. Some might call this a power struggle while most will continue to follow in that leaders footsteps. Many people believe that if a person is labeled significantly high it is because they are doing something that is working, and many people will be the follower, not the leader. This is known as the path of least resistance; the ability just to follow a person labeled well above the rest is easier than striving to become the best. That label effects lower ranking members because being a leader carries the characteristic enticing followers. Labeling could be the closest human beings come to before physically marking people into certain levels. Labeling is a way to organize humans, just as a library organizes books. While some labels could improve on a person’s life and social class, labels usually carry a negative connotation. The three articles mentioning labeling as an important part of culture all share a similar opinion that labels are negative. Mark Colvin and the Decent into Madness article clearly state how labels could lead to inner group violence among gangs followed by a larger more devastating super nova. Gang Business by Martin Sanchez Jankowski expresses how a hierarchy system organizes illegal crime by placing pawns into certain levels, each containing their own sets of rules and responsibilities. Labeling in its most exposed form can be witnessed in schools. The Peer Power article written by Patricia A. Adler and Peter Adler states numerous times that people who are labeled leaders have power over others standing at a lower position. Labels are powerful because of the depth that many labels achieve. High-ranking important labels carry large responsibilities and actions that must be followed through by that title holder, because just as quick as a label is given it can be taken away and that person who was once powerful is now just a low ranking pusher.

The Origin of Money

The use of money began in the sixth century B.C. in what is now western Turkey, when lumps of gold found in rivers were melted and turned into pieces of uniform size imprinted with a stamp. For almost all of the time since then, the common monetary system has been commodity money, whereby a valuable commodity (typically a metal) is used as a widely accepted medium of exchange. Furthermore, the quantity of money was not under anyone†s control; private agents, following price incentives, took actions that determined the money supply. Today, the prevalent monetary system is that of fiat money, in which the medium of exchange consists of unbacked government liabilities, which are claims to nothing at all. Moreover, governments have usually established a monopoly on the provision of fiat money, and control, or potentially control, its quantity. Fiat money is a very recent development in monetary history; it has only been in use for a few decades at most. Why did this evolution from commodity money to fiat money take place? Is fiat money better suited to the modern economy or was it desirable but impractical in earlier times? Were there forces that naturally and inevitably led to the present system? Fiat money did not appear spontaneously, since government plays a central role in the management of fiat currency. How did govern-ments learn about the possibility and desirability of a fiat currency? Did monetary theorizing play any role in this evolution? In this article, I will argue that the evolution from commodity to fiat money was the result of a long process of evolution and learning. Commodity money systems have certain advantages, in particular in providing a natural anchor for the price level. But they also have certain disadvantages, manifested in particular in the difficulty of providing multiple denominations concurrently. These problems arose early on, in the fourteenth century, in the form of money shortages. Societies tried to overcome these disadvantages, and this led them progressively closer to fiat money, not only in terms of the actual value of the object used as currency, but also in terms of the theoretical understanding of what fiat money is and how to manage it properly. In the process, societies came to envisage the use of coins that were worth less than their market value to replace the smaller denominations that were often in short supply. These coins are very similar to bank notes; they are printed on base metal, rather than paper, but the economics behind their value is the same. What governments learned over time about the provision of small change is thus directly applicable to our modern system of currency. In his A Program for Monetary Stability (1960), Milton Friedman begins with the question: Why should government intervene in monetary and banking questions? He answers by providing a quick history of money, which he describes as a process inevitably leading to a system of fiat money monopolized by the government (p. 8): These, then, are the features of money that justify government intervention: the resource cost of a pure commodity currency and hence its tendency to become partly fiduciary; the peculiar difficulty of enforcing contracts involving promises to pay that serve as medium of exchange and of preventing fraud in respect to them; the technical monopoly character of a pure fiduciary currency which makes essential the setting of some external limit on its amount; and finally, the pervasive character of money which means that the issuance of money has important effect on parties other than those directly involved and gives special importance to the preceding features. †¦ The central tasks for government are also clear: to set an external limit to the amount of money and to prevent counterfeiting, broadly conceived. This article will find much to validate this view. It turns out that the problem of counter-feiting, identified as central by Friedman, provided obstacles that were overcome only when the appropriate technology became available. As technology changed and offered the possibility of implementing a form of fiduciary currency, various incomplete forms of currency systems were tried, with significant effects on the price level. These experiments led to the recognition that quantity limitation was crucial to maintaining the value of the currency. The need for a government monopoly, however, does not emerge from our reading of the historical record, and we will see that the private sector also came up with its own solutions to the problem of small change, thereby presenting alternatives to the monetary arrangements we have adopted.1 Among the desirable features of a monetary system, price stability has long been a priority, as far back as Aristotle†s discussion of money in Ethics. In the words of the seventeenth century Italian monetary theorist Gasparo Antonio Tesauro (1609), money must be â€Å"the measure of all things† (rerum omnium mensura) (p. 633). Aristotle also noted that commodity money, specifically money made of precious metals, was well suited to reach that goal: â€Å"Money, it is true, is liable to the same fluctuation of demand as other commodities, for its purchasing power varies at different times; but it tends to be comparatively constant† (Aristotle, Ethics, 1943 translation). The commodity money system delivers a nominal anchor for the price level. The mechanism by which this takes place can be described in the context of a profit-maximizing mint, which was how coins were produced in the Middle Ages and later.2 Suppose there is a way to convert goods into silver and silver into goods at a constant cost (in ounces of silver per unit of goods), which can be thought of as either the extraction cost of silver and the industrial uses of the metal or the â€Å"world price† of silver in a small country interpretation. Silver is turned into coins by the mint; the mint (which really represents the private sector) also decides when to melt down existing coins. The government†s role is limited to two actions. It specifies how much silver goes into a coin, and it collects a seigniorage tax 3 on all new minting. When the mint is minting new coins, its costs are the cost of the silver content, the seigniorage tax, and the production cost;4 its revenues are the market value of the coins, which is the inverse of the price level. Similarly, when the mint is melting down coins, its costs are the market value of the coins, and its revenues are the value of the silver contained in them. Whether the mint will produce new coins or melt down existing coins will thus depend on how the price level relates to the parameters: silver content of the coins, production costs, and seigniorage rate. The price level cannot be too low (or the purchasing power of the coins too high) or the mint could make unbounded profits by minting new coins and spending them. Similarly, the price level cannot be too high (or the purchasing power of the coins too low), or the mint would make profits by melting down the coins. The absence of arbitrage for the mint places restrictions on the price level, which is contained in an interval determined by the minting point and the melting point

Anna Karenina

Marital infidelity is condemned by law, religion and society in almost any country, more so in late 19th century Russia. In our modern culture as well, the unfaithful woman gets greater censure than the man who is guilty of it. This is also the case in Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. Oblonsky (Stiva) cheats on his wife, not once but twice, but he gets no more than a gentle reprimand. Anna Karenina, on the other hand, earns severe contempt from society for her adulterous liaison with the dashing Count Vronsky. On the surface, Tolstoy himself must have realized the gravity of her crime and to appease the moralists of his day he had to make her pay for it: she commits suicide, crushed beneath an oncoming train. But an in-depth comparison of Stiva’s and Anna’s infidelities, seen in the light of Tolstoyan thought, would suggest the author did not intend to condemn Anna’s deed alone, but the entire society of his day for its hypocrisy, its double standard of morality. Discussing the inequality of rights in marriage between men and women, Pestsov acknowledged that â€Å"the inequality in marriage†¦lay in the fact that the infidelity of the wife and the infidelity of the husband are punished unequally, both by the law and by public opinion. † (4. 12). Conservative Russia and even contemporary society would tend to look at Stiva with greater understanding and even approval. This emerges after a brief comparison between him and Anna vis-a-vis their adulterous affairs. Oblonsky (Stiva) intended to keep his infidelities a secret; Dolly found out about his affair with the French governess only by his carelessness. In contrast, Anna flirted openly with Vronsky despite knowing Kitty was in love with him and was waiting for his proposal. While it was not her fault that Vronsky followed her in the train, letting other people into the budding romance, she could have observed some degree of decorum or discreetness in his affair with the handsome officer, but she did not. The mere fact that Anna and Vronsky remained talking to each other at the little table even in the presence of her husband, at the beginning of their romance, was considered by the circle of guests present â€Å"indecorous. (2. 7). Seemingly unable to comprehend, like Vronsky, the gravity of their crime, she opted to ignore the judgment of society, including the elite of St. Petersburg where â€Å"everyone knows everyone else, everyone even visits everyone else† as well as of Moscow who frowned on such dalliances in contravention of the established morals of the day. (2. 4). Karenin became furious only when, against his insi stence that she at least observe propriety and decorum, she allowed her lover to visit her at their home (2. 22). Alexey, Anna’s husband, is depicted as the suffering party. He is pictured as one who is without vices and all virtue, although Anna hates him for it. He refuses to be jealous when his wife is besieged with other men. Giving her all the benefit of the doubt during their marriage, and before the affair, Alexey believed a gentleman was not supposed to go down in fits of jealousy, in reference to a woman’s exposure to temptations from other men, since he â€Å"could never lower her and himself by jealousy. † (1. 6). Despite his initial hatred at Anna for leaving him and her son, he readily forgave her when he thought she was about to die (4. 17). Then as now, people dismissed a man’s extramarital affairs in consideration of his virile nature. Oblonsky thought he could not be faulted for fooling around as he was still young and good-looking, while his wife was already past her prime. He was prone to temptation, and therefore could not be easily faulted for succumbing to earthly temptations. He thought his trysts with other women were but innocent, harmless pursuits. In contrast, Anna is severely judged for breaking her marital vows. It ignores as of no moment that fact that she married a man she did not love, who was twenty years older and made her life inexplicably miserable. She is condemned because of the perception that she had no excuse for wanting the affections of another, no matter how infatuated she may be. She openly flirted with Vronsky, knowing Kitty was in love with him and awaiting his proposal. To the moral guardians of her day, Anna Karenina was irresponsible, being unable to realize the consequences of her actions. Oblonsky remains his cheerful, confident self despite his marital troubles, even committing another infidelity with a pretty dancing girl despite his earlier avowal of regret, while Anna is physically and mentally devastated on account of her affair with Vronsky. Stiva considered his flings a mere pastime to escape the ennui of his everyday life, never seriously giving them much thought. To him, one â€Å"can be fond of new rolls when one has had one’s rations of bread. † He tells Levin, who is unconvinced, it really â€Å"does so little harm to anyone, and gives oneself so much pleasure. † He said he did not â€Å"count life as life without love. (2. 14). In his mind, Stiva did not rue the fact that he was no longer in love with his wife; his only regret, believing she was secretly aware of his dalliances but shut her eyes to them, was not being able to hide it from her. He was the type who relished his pleasures. He thought: â€Å"There’s something com mon, vulgar, in flirting with one’s governess. But what a governess! † (1. 2). For Stiva, as with many other men (or even society in general), a sin is not to be ashamed of as long as you maintain a sense of decorum or do it discreetly, careful about the sensibilities of other people who might be offended. Men are even expected to engage in such pursuits, provided they do not compromise their honor or make a fool of themselves before others. Such was the reaction of Vronsky’s mother, the countess, who thought that nothing â€Å"gave such a finishing touch to a brilliant man as a liaison in the highest society. † (2. 18). She was also pleased it was Anna Karenina who was involved with her son. To her, the matter became vexing only when she realized that their passion might lead him â€Å"into imprudence† and displease certain connections in high society. Vronsky’s brother shared the sentiment of the countess: He did not distinguish what sort of love his (Vronsky’s) might be†¦(he kept a ballet girl himself, though he was the father of a family, so he was lenient in these matters), but he knew that this love affair was viewed with displeasure by those whom it was necessary to please, and therefore he did not approve of his brother’s conduct. (2. 18). Of judgment by society, distinction should be made. There is a circle composed of the fashionable world, to which Anna was attached, that rendered no harsh judgment of her. Vronsky was conscious of the fact that he ran no risk of being ridiculous in the eyes of Betsy or any other fashionable people. He was very well aware that in their eyes the position of an unsuccessful lover†¦might be ridiculous. But the position of a man pursuing a married woman, regardless of everything, staking his life on drawing her into adultery, has something fine and grand about it, and can never be ridiculous†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (4. 4. ). (? ) Ther e was, however, another circle, composed of â€Å"elderly, ugly, benevolent, and godly women†, known as the â€Å"conscience of Petersburg Society† at the center of which was the Countess Lidia Ivanovna. Unlike the first circle which delighted in scandals and sympathized with the lovers, this particular group saw nothing but the immorality of Anna’s affair with the count. The first circle tended to condone the lovers, seeing in them reflected their own human weaknesses. The second circle condemned it, finding the scandal loathsome in the eyes of man and God. Unlike his brother Stiva, Anna totally turned her back on her family to make a new life for herself, not in pursuit of temporary pleasure or thrill as Stiva is wont to do, but in obedience to the dictates of her heart, utterly disregarding convention. Both Anna and her brother found it difficult to fathom the depth of their sins. Stiva believed himself quite powerless in the face of a woman â€Å"who loves him but who seeks nothing in return. † (1. 2). But whereas Stiva could not repent of his sins because they gave him so much pleasure, Anna and Vronsky cared not at all on how they shall be judged by society because of their total devotion for each other, finding that â€Å"the passion that united them was so intense that they were both oblivious of everything else but their love. †(2. 21). People might be gentler to Oblonsky because he immediately sought forgiveness from his wife when she discovered the affair; it did not once occur to him to forsake his family. As Anna points out to Dolly, men who commit such mistakes consider their families sacred. They may commit indiscretions but they would never seriously consider abandoning their home. â€Å"Somehow or other these women are still looked on with contempt by them, and do not touch on their feeling for their family,† observed Anna, unaware that she too would be judged severely in her future affair. They draw a sort of line that can’t be crossed between them and their families. † (1. 4). On the other hand, Anna left her husband to live with Vronsky without the formalities of divorce, earning the bitter ire of society and the church. By tradition, Anna’s infidelity to his husband Karenin is deemed more contemptuous in view of the attendant biases, tenets, prejudices and beliefs surrounding t heir milieu. Infidelity marked the woman as guilty of a capital crime. Vronsky’s mother judged her â€Å"a bad woman,† concluding that her desperate passions were all â€Å"to show herself something out of the way. The countess condemns her for completely ruining the life of his son and her husband, that â€Å"her very death was the death of a vile woman, of no religious feeling. †(8. 4). Then, a man’s pride was considered above all considerations, and an offended spouse was expected to challenge to a duel the man who stained his honor. On the other hand, the unfaithful husband receives only a mild censure. After all, society is not disturbed by his dalliances, so long as these are kept discreet and he does not abandon or neglect his own family. The unwritten dictum of the day, as now, was: Do what you have to do, but be discreet about it. We find that there is very little distinction between the adulteries of Stiva and Anna Karenina. Anna’s crime is deemed, at first blush, more reproachable, but we tend to understand her actuations, her emotions, upon deeper inquiry into her life. A young charming woman, married to an older man whom she detested for his virtues, is fair game to a dashing suitor. Never having been in love, she can not be faulted that easily considering her passionate nature, to fall madly in love while forgetting its possible repercussions. Such was the enormity of their love that they heeded not the probing and accusing eyes of society, religion, and the law. At least, the offenders commited everything in the name of their love for each other, and this at least, to my view, mitigates their crime. Of Stiva’s dalliances he has no saving grace. Oblonsky engages in it purely for the pleasure it brings, not because he is forced by the strength of his emotions. He has the temerity to seek forgiveness when his sole regret was not at hurting his wife but in having been so careless that his letter to his mistress was found. He even used Dolly’s own money to pay off his debts. Tolstoy depicts the suffering of the man wronged, but he also pictures the offender in a sympathetic light. Vronsky, for all his faults, undergoes suffering because of his forbidden love for Anna; he shoots himself in an attempted suicide. He speaks to no one for six months after Anna’s death, and refuses to eat unless forced to. He volunteers to serve in war, expecting never to return. (8. 4). Stiva looks upon him as a hero and an old friend. (8. 2). In War and Peace, Tolstoy tells of the suffering of Pierre Bezukhov on account of his wife’s adulterous affair with Dolokhov, whom Pierre challenges and wounds in a duel. Tolstoy then depicts Dolokhov, despite his flaw, as â€Å"the most affectionate of sons and brothers. (4. 5). We condemn the woman, but isn’t the man who seduces the wife of another, by the very definition of law and the Commandments, also an adulterer? The protagonists in Tolstoy’s novels are handsome and dashing counts, princes, and nobles, the unfaithful wives charming and beautiful countesses and women of stature in society, not ungainly rogu es and common women. He makes Anna Karenina a most charming, pretty, intelligent, educated woman. That she could have fallen low in the eyes of society makes one wonder, for it is commonly believed only ordinary mortals are susceptible to moral corruption. Other than his pre-occupation with the upper class, to which he himself belonged, perhaps Tolstoy was driving home a message: infidelity is not confined to class or breeding; all human beings are vulnerable to human frailty and error. By focusing on the infidelities of Stiva and Anna, contrasting them with each other, Tolstoy could have been presenting to us his view of the elite of Russian society and their morals, depicted in all their hypocrisy and nakedness despite the glamour and elegance of St. Petersburg and the other cosmopolitan cities where they lived. When we consider the infidelity of Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky against the unfolding of their mutual affection, we come to slowly understand that it would appear to have been foreordained, aided by their temperament and character, their passion and yearning for life, other than a predisposition to commit evil. Vronsky perceives that his affair with Anna had drawn so much condemnation from society because they could not understand it. Vronsky believed that if it were some common affair, people would have cared less. But society became annoyed because it could not comprehend his immense love for her, that the woman is â€Å"dearer to [him] than life. † (2. 21). While the young men envied him, â€Å"the greater number of the young women, who envied Anna and had long been weary of hearing her called virtuous, rejoiced at the fulfillment of their predictions, and were only waiting for a turn in public opinion to fall upon her with all the weight of their scorn. † (2. 18). Despite her failings, Anna refuses to run away with Vronsky as she did not want to part from her son, terrified of his future attitude when he shall realize his mother had abandoned his father for another man (2. 23). Again, this softens our attitude towards Anna in the same way perhaps, that Dolly warms up to her upon sensing that she, too, has her own weaknesses. Stiva, on the other hand, appears outwardly kind and genial and considerate to all persons, but his remorseless cheating ought to be condemned the greater, if we are to judge him by the severity with which we judge Anna Karenina. A person who repents does not necessarily have to wear sackcloth and ashes, but he should at least resolve to cease completely from doing that which hurt others. If he insists that he is incapable of repentance, why should he not be guilty of society’s condemnation? Anna Karenina, in this regard, would appear to be an indictment of society as a whole, showing the hypocrisy of those who find mirth and satisfaction in every scandal, assured that they are not lacking in company. It reveals a community of educated, fashionable, religious, noble persons who cannot stand the unfaithfulness of a woman completely immersed in his love while ignoring the acts of a man who makes adultery nothing but a pleasurable game. Perhaps Tolstoy was asking us not to judge, for by judging others, as Jesus warned, we shall likewise be judged. WORKS CITED Tolstoy, Leo. â€Å"Anna Karenina†. 22 February 2007. —â€Å"War and Peace†. 26 February 2007.    Anna Karenina The novel opened up to an implication of the strife in the Oblonsky household. There was an atmosphere of confusion as everyone was concerned about the discovered sexual affair of the Master of the house with the French governess. The wife of Prince Arkadyevitch Oblonsky (Stiva) did not leave her room and it showed how the situation evident with how everything has been going wrong.Examples were given to prove establish the confusion and the mess of the situation like the children going wild all over the house, how the house helpers were quarrelling, the man-cook quitting his job and others who were threatening to do so.Stiva woke up on the leather-covered sofa in his study without having to realize that he was not sleeping with his wife until he reached for his dressing gown that was not where it should have been, within arm’s reach of their bed. After which, he remembered his current predicament. The setting in this scene how a marital dispute can affect so many people and ho w more marital disputes can stir the course of the following events in the novel.Kitty’s big night, the ball, was narrated to be a dream-like event where she was to go down a â€Å"great staircase, flooded with light and lined with flowers and footmen in powder and red coats (Tolstoy Part 1, Chapter 9).† The sound of the orchestra can be heard. Women and men were wonderfully dressed, expensive fabrics and vibrant colors filled the ballroom as people started to waltz on the dance floor.This shows how Kitty, at the start of the novel was naà ¯ve in a way as she saw so much romance in the night and how she loved social gatherings like that night’s ball. The setting described the vibrancy and excitement Kitty felt before she found out that Vronsky, the man she loved, fell in love with Anna, the woman she adored.The description of the ballroom and the atmosphere was further elaborated with describing how perfect everything was with Kitty, from her hair, to her dress to her shoes, only to come to a huge turning point wherein she sees Vronsky’s affection for another woman.   The description of how exquisite Anna looked that night, added much weight to the twist that was about to take place, it made Vronsky’s admiration for Anna like a harder slap on Kitty’s face.ThemeThe major theme in the novel was about society and family. The second part of the novel gave much emphasis to solidifying this theme through different instances wherein Anna was reprimanded or placed in a bad light because of a foreseen case of infidelity.   It was important for families to stay together, more so during their time as women who are divorced loose a lot of ground in society, while the men do not loose as much.There was one instance wherein the text showed how Anna had three sets of friends in the Petersburg society.   There are those who belonged to the circle of her husband’s colleagues that seems to serve merely as acquaintances wit h the family.Another set was concerning the friends in Countess Lydia Ivanovna’s circle that Anna soon disliked greatly and the last set was one with Princess Betsy Tverskaya who was the wife of her cousin.   Each set of friend offered much of their opinions about how Anna changed and often gossiped about her and her husband Karenin.Alexey Alexandrovitch, Anna’s husband, only saw fit to talk to her wife about her behavior with another man upon realizing that others are already gossiping about them. The confrontation was indifferent for both of them and their relationship changed but they stayed together to avoid any societal conflicts.When Anna and Vronsky made love, it was obvious that Anna was distraught as to the consequences of her actions with society and how it will affect his family, even her son.When Vronsky fell of his horse during a race, Anna could not contain her emotions in public. This had shown her improper affection for Vronsky.   She cried as she w as so worried about him. Instead of being jealous about Anna’s obvious feelings for another man, Karenin simply warned her to be careful about how she reacts in public and showed how he valued his social stature more than he did his actual relationship with his wife.Even after Anna admitted his relationship with Vronsky, Karenin was more preoccupied with protecting his honor. During that time, it has established how people were more concerned about the opinions of society and how they maintain a clean image in public.   

Poetry Essay

Understanding and interpreting poetry requires a different method of reading than the method which is generally associated with prose. While a given poem, especially a lyric poem, may be literally read in a matter of minutes, the comprehension of the poem may take a lifetime. This is due to the extraordinary ability of poets to compress meanings and also develop complex and multi-layered associations of language, figurative language, image, rhyme, and even narrative within a very brief literary forms. Contemplating a poem is as much a part of experiencing it as merely reading a poem. In the hands of a talented and inspired poet, the minimal use of words and the seemingly constricted forms offered by poetry are actually platforms to convey thoughts, themes, and emotions that would find no more complete expression even if given the â€Å"larger† platform of a novel, essay, or even memoir. As an example of this multi-tiered expression that is found in good poetry, Anne Sexton’s poem, â€Å"Starry Night† provides a rich demonstration of how poetry conveys multiple meanings and associations within a minimalist form. To begin with, Sexton’s poem â€Å"The Starry Night† is an exercise in ekphrasis. Ekphrasis is a type of poem written about another art-form. Most often, in poetry, it involves painting. When writing a poems inspired by paintings, poets attempt to make language, image, and meter evoke the same emotional or thematic impact which is delivered by the visual techniques and textures of paintings. In â€Å"The Starry Night,†Anne Sexton was inspired not only by Vincent Van Goght’s painting of the same title, but by a letter the artist wrote to his brother, which contained the epigraph for Sexton’s poem: â€Å"That does not keep me from having a terrible need/of— shall I say the word— religion. Then I go/out at night to paint the stars. † By including the quotation form Van Goght above the body of her poem, Sexton accomplishes a clever bit of compression, in fact: explicating the poem’s theme before a word of the poem, proper, has a chance to even be read by the reader! This sly trick is compatible with Van Gogh’s technique in the painting â€Å"The Starry Night† which discards subtlety in favor of grandeur and obscurity in favor of explicit emotional expression. In the painting we see a night sky crowded with swirling clouds, blazing starts with burning halos and a moon which reflects each of the lunar phases in one image. All of these attributes are exaggerated, pulling the viewer into a setting of epic epiphany and emotional release. Van Goght’s sky is alive and engages the viewer relentlessly. The overall initial experience is one of being overwhelmed by the immensity of cosmic nature. Below a set of rolling hill lies a small town. The focal point of the town is the large church- steeple, which presides over the rest of the buildings. This steeple seems to anchor the town and the rest of the scene beneath the sky, suggesting that it is the religious and spiritual dialogue between humanity and the cosmos which is of the most importance, not the town itself. Similarly, Sexton begins her poem, â€Å"The town does not exist† establishing the primacy of a non-linear mode of perception, as well as setting the stage for the eventual, climactic religious epiphany. Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889. According to many sources his behavior was erratic during this period of his life. During his youth, Van Gogh had dedicated his life to the church. Many believe that Genesis 37:9: â€Å"And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me† greatly influenced Van Gogh’s â€Å"The Starry Night. † Sexton, too, carefully reserves the numerical symbolism of the painting in her lines: â€Å"The night boils with eleven stars. /Oh starry starry night! This is how/I want to die! † By repeating the adjective â€Å"starry,† Sexton gains the â€Å"crowded† feeling of Van Gogh’s canvas in her stanza. She grasps the â€Å"living sky† element in the following lines: â€Å"It moves. They are all alive. /Even the moon bulges in its orange irons. † The key to Sexton’s masterful ekphrasis seems to lie in her use of compressed diction: â€Å"The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars. †This, like Van Gogh’s hurried, thick brush stroked invokes a sense of both urgency and passion. Sexton’s use of the refrain â€Å"This is how I want to die! † encapsulates the theme of Van Gogh’s paining, that of religious ecstacy, by merging the erotic/death urge so common in Elizabethan poetry and here marked by an additional shading of surrealism â€Å"sucked up by that great dragon, to split/from my life with no flag. In so doing, Sexton remains true to her confessional mode, also capturing an element which is perhaps understated in Van Gogh’s original, but present nonetheless, a â€Å"confession† of deep loneliness and alienation, marked by the darker swirls of color on the painting’s peripheries and also by the lone black tree, which Sexton describes as â€Å"a drowned woman† marking for posterity her close identification with the emotional confessional and religious themes of Van Gogh’s painting. Sexton’s poem is a wonderful counterpoint to Van Gogh’s painting, a rich example of the artistic and expressive potential of transposing the themes textures and techniques from one art medium to another.