Midnight, XIX century Review Essay Example

Midnight, XIX century Review Paper Essay on Midnight, XIX century Without missing a book bazaars that found me on the road, from time to time it manages to catch something more than curious, for a ridiculous price. This time, the result of the catch was the book Midnight, XIX century an anthology of Russian classic horror story, bought for 20 rubles. The title of the anthology will not give up in the humor, and the content in respect. So, who we wrote about maniacs, psychopaths, devilry and parallel worlds The contents represented by the following authors: Bruce, Gumilyov, Chekhov, Andreev, Sologub, Green, Garshin and Artsybashev. Quite a galaxy So far, only read the first story Now, when I woke up authored by Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov. Entertaining somnambulistic nightmare, in the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe. The protagonist the world prefers to sleep waking, where he the lord and can create any plot. However, according to him, A man in his primitive state may crave only one thing to torture yourself like our culture has imposed a curb on this natural impulse of slavery Ages brought the human soul to the belief that other peoples suffering painful to her And now people are quite sincere cry about others and feel pity them. But this is only a mirage and illusion. Thats our main character creates all sorts of abominations, preferring nightmares dreams rainbow. Through long training and techniques completely subjugates the world of sleep, makes it currently den-torture chamber, improvised ugly dwarf, a large arsenal of monstrous weapons, and a host of victims. We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer interesting to get batch of just what amused intillegentsiya at the turn of the century: aesthetization perverse fondling romanticizing of sado-masochism, esoteric technique, the theory of the ether and astral body, narcotic indulgence. The final scene is striking in its brutality. You understand that the age of today where there is a Stephen King movie studio and Troma little surprise, but do so in the time of writing the blood more gallant, and silver? Wrote, and why not. Who, I still will remember fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm oozing blood and ichor Fans of the horror genre -. I advise. Story short and this is its advantage: ornateness authors words and muslin gromode of words no time to get bored, and served at exactly the same proportion, to enjoy Read the story of Valery Bryusov: . Midnight, XIX century Review Essay Example Midnight, XIX century Review Paper Essay on Midnight, XIX century And not only one, she gets up, but stand up and all the dead, who are so terribly felt in his solemn, cold silence. Leonid Andreyev, Silence Continuing to study the book, she could have been so wonderfully brighten boring literature lessons at school, I read a few stories of mystical. This time:. Leonid Andreev Silence, Alexander Green Murder in the Kunst-Fishe, Fedor Sologub Death at the invitation of Do not even know where to start, because . kakzhdy story requires mention. Here for example, of the Greens Murder in the Kunst-Fishe requires mention that to mention it is not really something and worth. The story, of course, good but so that no mind or heart. Place it somewhere between skanvordov heading and anecdotes. In that sense, its a fantastic amusing sketch of jealousy and revenge, nearly Othello, only instead of battering and dagger a samurai sword and a mysterious statuette We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Death to declare Fyodor Sologub -. Certainly amusing. It is known that aging bon vivant, who decided that everything in life is tried, begin to suffer all sorts of crap. Who in the club will be written suicide who entertain social experiments. Our own hero, swiping the newspaper, decided to ask for a decent fee to play in front of them show death. Those. woman reshivshayasya to take on this role must be clearly represented in the image of Death. So whether self-fulfilling, whether the actress was wonderful, or is it with the fat gone mad. The story seems to me especially enjoy the girls Gotko, because everything in it and betrays farcical atmosphere dekadantov in which young people play the beginning of the 20th century. And, in fact, we reached the gems of the trio, story Leonid Andreev Silence. Despite the fact that two other stories from the book, authored by Andreev ( Alarm and The Abyss), I was not very inspired, Silence simply stunned so frankly, so precisely, so badly loomed the drama of the story. We have a daughter o.Ignatiya languishing by unspoken angst. And with this longing, which is so not a word, and not dropped, it falls under the wheels of the train. After her daughters death his wife o.Ignatiya breaks paralysis and o.Ignaty remains immersed in this depressing, soul, silence. From the day of the funeral in a small house there was silence It was not silence, because silence -. Only the absence of sound, but it was silent, when those who are silent, it seemed, could talk, but do not want to. I would like the main character to get an answer, but not one of his. Ask my wife only a glimpse into the abyss it is already almost dead eyes, the daughter the grave did not respond, though, and O. Ignatius removed his wide-brimmed black hat, straightened his wavy hair and whispered: Vera he was embarrassed that he could hear someone outside, and stood at the tomb of Ignatius looked over the crosses was empty, and he was loudly echoed: Faith..! It was an old voice of Ignatius, dry and demanding, and it was strange that with such force expressed demand remains unanswered -.. Vera ! loud and persistently called r Olos, and when he was silent, for a moment fancied that somewhere at the bottom sounded vague answer. And on. Ignatius, once again glancing around, removed the hair from the ear and lay it to the hard, prickly turf. Faith, say and with horror felt about Ignatius, in his ear pouring something Mogilno-cold and studios brain and that Vera says -. but it says it all in the same long silence . Cold, supernatural horror seemed flows when reading these lines. Like o.Ignatiyu reader is languishing in a net of insanity, and maybe even a couple of lines, a couple of keys and the letters Andreev managed to open the gates of madness an exciting and bring to the readers mind. But regretted not unlocked the gates Alexander Green -. Murder in the Kunst-Fishe Fedor Sologub Death of an ad Leonid Andreyev Silence Midnight, XIX century Review Essay Example Midnight, XIX century Review Paper Essay on Midnight, XIX century Continuing to continue reading the collection of scary stories the authors of domestic manufacture and classical excerpts, faced with a serious problem. My wife went with the child for a month on vacation. What kind of a problem for a person to read? On the contrary there are no worries about the house was lying on the couch, but read. However, in addition to the function to cause love and obazhanie, his wife is a function purely utilitarian to know where that is in the house! A book of stories sunk, whether in summer, whether for a bedside table, or been devoured by demons-socks-with-second-bottom-drawer-cabinet (I I look with suspicion on the washing machine if she is actually endowed with reason and bibliographic predatory habits?). Therefore, of the three stories of Leonid Andreyev presented in the book, I read only two: Alarm and The Abyss. I, honestly, I find the book and read the third I have a suspicion to the dresser, too happy sound of his patent leather handles Alarm -. The story about a terrible summer, when the neighborhood was played simple Russian folk pyromaniac, igniting village outside the village. In the hot and ominous summer burned all burned whole towns, villages and hamlets, woods and fields no longer have their protection:. Obediently flashed himself defenseless forest, and red cloth stretched fire on parched meadows afternoon of caustic smoke hid crimson,. dim the sun, and at night at different ends of the sky flashed a silent glow hovered in silent fantastic dance, and the strange, vague shadows of the trees and people were crawling on the ground, as the unknown bastards. Horror shown in the story its sticky, hot, oppressive terror that often haunts a man in a dream longing, the pursuit of the unknown to you, phantasmagoric atmosphere. But, the main hero of the story, going through all of this in reality. As he noticed Andreev, this story autobiographical, describes real terror experienced by the author. Trotsky, in his review of a collection of stories Andreeva, mentioned the similarity of Nabat with The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe, to me, for some reason, the general mood the story reminded Chickamauga Ambrose Bierce We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer . the abyss - the story quite well-known, stirred up after the publication of numerous discussions, something reminds me of those that caused the film the Night porter . Two lovers in the forest run up friendly company buhih vagrants craving young so beautiful body. Chevalier stun, and the girl being raped. Shocking ending of the story is credited with numerous critics are terrible necrophiliac that Andreev has thrown in the face of the reader, having stated the truth about the secret disgusting human soul even in suffering, thinking about enjoying his own. Well, perhaps this is so. And indeed the abyss from the title and the story Nietzschean, but to me personally, man prochitavschemu story on the surface the behavior of the main character seemed not at all disgusting, and quite naturally a person is in a state of shock, endeavor consider everything that happened a terrible dream, thinking that none of this it was not, and hoping to correct irreparable shaking, pressed to her lovers body, showering him with kisses and protestations of love. But maybe Im wrong and numerous generations of hereditary York Shire Terrier critics mistakes can not The overall theme of the story the clash with the human abyss. With horror, the real, but it is so great, that his mass man crushes, degrades, exposes all of its nullity and insignificance. Both stories the ideal tool for introducing themselves into a state of gloom and depression of all the senses P.S.. Links that I give you below I recommend especially since to the story of The Abyss is a lengthy commentary. Read the stories of Leonid Andreyev Nabat Midnight, XIX century Review Essay Example Midnight, XIX century Review Paper Essay on Midnight, XIX century Continuing the reading collection and mysterious nightmare (not in quality, and the plot) works familiarized with two stories. The first, authored, Gumilev Black Dick (hmm, the brain itself slipped dirty translation from England movu :)), and fear Chekhov Black Dick. quite a harmless treshak, in the best tradition film studio Troma or newborn Scandinavian horror film. The plot is simple as a penny. The company a funny urban rabble feasted at the tavern. Father comes to local and all brands. Their leader the citys main bully decides to make fun of rebuke and created the charitable cause, namely to kidnap and rape a girl that lives with the mother of a hermit in the neighboring island. The whole gang decides its a wonder what a cool joke. Oh, they could, before people knew how to have fun! That young king Peter to carols loyal vassal in the ass hammered the candle and ignite, behold, Black Dick announce neighbor a witch and decides to abuse. Broad is the human soul! In defense of what times were better before, here and the fact that the science of criminology flourished even among the simple population: We saw the stained mouth and sharp white teeth, that we do not dare to admit teeth Black Dick. And you say that the fingerprintin g and opoznovanie in the teeth (dentoskopiya?) the dignity of our enlightenment century We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Midnight, XIX century Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer But the story of Anton Chekhov -. Fears much, much more interesting. If Nikolai Stepanovich, so to speak, explores the mythological, occult evil in the fact that neither has a carnal performance, the subject matter of Chekhov the fear as an emotion, like wearing harkter transcendental and quite explainable, man. No mystery, but to a mystical interpretation of their fears of the protagonist in the story no. This story could even be regarded as a mockery of the horror genre, though he, on the very fact, did not show his true inside out. Chekhov said that we are not afraid of the walking dead, but simply darkness, in which are hidden all chimeras, which is able to invent man. All the time I was living in this world, I was scared just three times. The first real fear, which made my hair and body ran goose, had their cause insignificant, but a strange thing. And, of course, beautiful language classics: The evening was quiet, warm and almost stifling, like all those monotonous evening s in July, which, once started, correct unbroken succession one after another week or two, sometimes more, and suddenly cut off by a violent thunderstorm with a luxurious, long refreshing shower Read stories:. Nikolai Gumilyov, Black Dick Anton Chekhov, fear

Censoring essays

Censoring essays America would need a command and control network, linked from city to city, state to state and base to base. No matter how thoroughly that network was armored or protected, its switches and wiring would always be vulnerable to the impact of atomic bombs. A nuclear bombardment would reduce any network to tatters. Any central authority would be an obvious and immediate target for enemy missiles. The center of a network would be the first place to go. So RAND mulled over this puzzle in deep military secrecy and arrived at their solution. In 1964 their proposed ideas became public. Their network would have no central authority, and it would be designed from the beginning to operate while in tatters. All the nodes in the network would be equal in status to all other nodes, each node having its own authority to originate, pass and receive messages. The messages themselves would be divided into packets, each packet separately addressed. Each packet would begin at some specified sour! ce node and end at some other specified destination node. The particular route that the packet took would be unimportant, only the final results counted. Each packet would be tossed around like a hot potato from node to node, more or less in the direction of its destination, until it ended up in the proper place. If big chunks of the network were blown away, which wouldn't matter, the packets would still stay airborne, moving across the field by whatever nodes happened to survive. This system was efficient in any means (especially when compared to the phone system), but it was extremely tough. In the 1960's this concept was thrown around by RAND, MIT and UCLA. In 1969 the first such node was installed in UCLA. By December of 69, there were four nodes on the network, which was called ARPANET, after its Pentagon sponsor. The nodes of the network were high-speed supercomputers. (supercomputers at the time, desktop machines now) Thanks to APRANET scientists and ...

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 17

Leadership - Essay Example In our daily life, we often play the role of a leader whether or not we realize this. In this paper, I have analyzed my own style of leadership that prevails in a particular context. This paper first describes the scenario in which I have analyzed my style of leadership followed by a comprehensive discussion of the identified style of leadership. I used to play in a rock band as a lead guitarist. There were five members in my group. We used to record songs and I used to take active part in that activity. I used to tell my group members my opinions regarding the songs as well as their lyrics. Since our group also made songs, and I have good sense of poetry, I helped my group write the lyrics of the songs. Even now when my friends make a new song and record it, the first person they send its copy for a review and necessary alteration is me. This is because they believe in my abilities as a lyricist and trust me that I would give them honest advice. When I give advice, they change the songs accordingly. In the situation described above in which I help my friends in writing the lyrics of the songs or help them modify the lyrics they have written to make the songs perfect, I play the role of a servant leader. Robert Greenleaf coined the term â€Å"servant leader† in the 1970’s. Servant leader is a person that may not necessarily be formally identified as a leader. When an individual working at any level in an organization leads just by addressing the needs of the team, that person essentially plays the role of a servant leader. In my case, I used to meet the needs of my friends by giving them useful advice regarding their songs. Although by doing so, I helped them yet I was never recognized as a leader perhaps because I was their age and a friend to them. This made me their servant leader. A servant leader resembles a democratic leader in many ways since in such a leadership, the whole team plays a role in the decision-making. In my case, when I

Labour Laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Labour Laws - Essay Example This is certainly the case with Key Lime Printing. There is a feeling on the part of the workers that they are at best getting a very bad deal from a company that has already been in business for a relatively long time and should be able to do better. As a lawyer, there are a few issues that I shall seek to reinforce. I shall seek to inform the client, Joe Blow, that there is little legal recourse once the matter gets to this point. After all, the Notice of Certification from the labor relations board has already been received. There are three main issues that seem to underline the employees’ decision to unionize. First of all, there is the issue of pay. Pay disputes are always a minimum expectancy when it comes to labor relations. This is where most of the labor unrest that we witness centers around. The next issue lies with dismissal of employees. Fair or unfair dismissal is a contentious issue that cannot be resolved anytime soon. On the part of the dismissed employee, thei r default position is that the dismissal is always unfair (Cihon & Castagnera, 2010). Finally, there is the whole issue of unionization. I shall seek to show my client his rights and responsibilities as far as unionization of employees is concerned. The first issue deals with income. I shall handle this issue in two parts. The first part shall be with relation to the right amount that each employee should receive. This is an extremely complicated issue. If each one of us were given the option to suggest how much we want to be paid, then we might suggest amounts that are impractical for the profitable conduct of business. We cannot leave this weighty decision to the employers alone either. There is a need for both the employer and the employee to sit down and discuss each of their positions as far as remuneration is concerned. My client does not seem to have done this. Therefore, first step during the anticipated meeting shall be to hear each side’s position in as far as salar ies are concerned (Pay and Wages, 2013). The second angle in as far as salaries are concerned is the nature of employment. There is the need to find the right balance between benefits, commissions and salaries. The idea of only paying a commission to the three workers without either salaries or benefits is a very emotive one. Initially, it was thought that being paid on commission motivated the workers to apply themselves fully so that in a way they can ‘determine their own salaries’. This is not the case anymore. Finding business is not guaranteed, yet at the end of the month these employees have bills to pay and other responsibilities to fulfill. This needs to be looked at considering that the leading light in this revolt is an employee who is subject to this draconian employment terms (Pay and Wages, 2013). Dismissal is another issue that needs to be addressed. Arguably, perhaps it is the place where the bitterest battles with regard to employee rights are witnessed. There should be a firm basis for any dismissal that is effected in the workplace. After all, this is a place where people from different backgrounds coalesce to satisfy their needs for employment. Additionally, in such a place one cannot dismiss the effect of culture and background on general conduct and productivity in the workplace. Therefore, dismissal must be looked at with this backdrop in mind. There seems to have been instances where the foreman, Top, dismissed employees. He has no right to do this. This is un-procedural. There needs to be a properly laid procedure through which dismissals are carried out. Only the owner, Blow, should have the power to mete out such punishment. In most cases, dismissal should be the last resort (Arthurs & Carter,

Research primer(hip hop) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research primer(hip hop) - Assignment Example As mentioned in K. Blow’s composition of â€Å"If I Ruled the World† which initiates with ‘If I ruled the world, was king on the throne I’d make peace in every culture, build the homeless home / I’m not runnin’, for Congress or the President / I’m just here, to tell the world, how my story went’, already the rapper’s aim or how he would manage to proceed from this stage becomes clear. A message of peace or unification upon a diverse culture and race is conveyed, being quite a necessity to express hope of ceasing discrimination and rigid social structure in a society where poor continue to get by a rather low quality of living. Similarly, the song points out well how a huge change or reform must be taken by the government officials for any intended progress to create impact especially upon the social security and impoverished state of economy among mass communities. During this period, the global economic condition occurred to be heading towards an increased level of decline while most public officials kept their corrupt deeds as exclaimed in ‘To fight crime and hunger and poverty / ‘Cause the African baby is dyin’ overseas / While you sucker mission politicians bustin’ out Zs .. ... It is obvious that there were those poor individuals who had liberation sought by personal means, regardless whether such influence would uphold their welfare or not, just so they could overcome poverty, identity crisis, or any other related associated conflicts that seemed beyond imaginable remedy. No significant departure from this idea can be detected in the other piece of â€Å"If I Ruled the World† according to joint performances of Nas and Lauryn Hill. Apart from coincidence, one may find striking semblance between choruses as when Nas sang ‘If I ruled the world / Imagine that / I’d free all my sons, I love ‘em love ‘em baby / Black diamonds and pearls / Could it be, if you could / be mine, we’d both shine / If I ruled the world / Still livin’ for today, in / these last days and times’ in concrete detail which Kurtis shortened to ‘If I ruled the world.. Huh-huh, huh-huh / I’d love all the girls.. I love ‘em love ‘em baby!! Black diamonds and pearls.. ooh yeah / If I ruled the world’. Here, the noticeable intersection with phrases ‘black diamonds and pearls’ and ‘love ‘em’ sounds emphatic in an intention to signify unity between the Blacks and the Whites. While Kurtis Blow did not obtain much success with his musical career after the release of â€Å"The Breaks† and his biggest UK hit single due largely to being independent or labelled as an underground rapper, Nas took on his passion onto a degree that combines his rapping talent with acting. As a son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City. He managed to attain a higher order of literacy which is very much recognizable in most of his lyrics though he actually

The Sleeper Curve Technology And The Media Media Essay

The Sleeper Curve Technology And The Media Media Essay Johnson notes that the sleeper curve is a comparison between the level of I.Q and other neurological capabilities in relation to the changing technology aimed at showing how the modern forms of technology and the media are responsible for sharpening our minds (Johnson, page 34). Contrary to most peoples expectations that TV and video games play a role in sharpening our minds, Johnson proves that the complexity of the TV shows aired and video games that are played have a fundamental role in sharpening our minds and making us more attentive. He notes that the attributes derived from playing games and watching television make us more perceptive and train our brains to things in a sound manner. He states that This growing complexity involves three primary elements: multiple threading, flashing arrows and social networks. (Jazz Corner 2005 and The New York Time, 2005). This way, our IQ levels are increased and our brains become more sharpened. He therefore advocates for young people to co ntinue playing video games and watching modern TV shows. He goes on the further state that, The quickest way to appreciate the Sleeper Curves cognitive training is to sit down and watch a few hours of hit programming from the late 70s on Nick at Nite or the SOAPnet channel or on DVD. (Jazz Corner 2005 and The New York Time, 2005). According to Johnson, a sleeper curve can be explained in three different models or levels which are the common driving forces in the sleeper curve. These driving forces include economic factors, neurological factors, and technological factors. The economic factors driving the sleeper curve include the changes that have been effected in the industry to suit the needs of the viewer while at the same time satisfying the financial needs of those in the show business industry. Changes have been cited in the television industry in recent times most of which have been due to changing consumer preferences. This has been done through the introduction of TV series aimed at meeting the viewers needs. For instance, there has been an increase in the story line complexity and television shows that aired 20 years ago re now being regarded as primitive by the viewers. This explains why older shows like the Dragnet cannot match up to most modern shows being produced such as the Sopranos. This has e nsured that people adopt the concept of Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), in an attempt to understand peoples emotional intelligence through reading their minds (Johnson, p.98). For instance, the producers and media people have to read the viewers emotional cues, anticipate their inner feelings and thoughts (Johnson p.98,99). Likewise, when watching television with friends or families, one also has to read their minds; what they anticipate and feel about the program. Therefore, television provides a medium where one can assess peoples emotional intelligence (Johnson, p.99). Technology is a major factor that helps in the understanding of the sleeper curve. The ever changing technology is responsible for the sleeper curve. The technology that is used today cannot be compared to the technology that was used 20 years ago. Everything has changed. First there was the adoption of VCRs, and then came the introduction of CDs and DVDs. This also ranges from the video games that kids play to the TV shows being aired. For instance, the type of video games that were being played 20 years ago ( ie Pong or Duck Hunt), cannot be compared to the ones being played today ( ie Call of Duty or Halo). Most of the games played then just required minimal skills which ranged form motor coordination to pattern formation and understanding. The video games that are played today are very advanced as compared to those that were played back in the early 1970s. Modern video games create a whole new virtual world. For instance, digitalization has been on the rise in the show business. This is usually present in the TV and video games. For instance, Sleeper, the 1973 science fiction explains the incompatibility between the scientists in 2173 and the 21st century generation. The film is against the current generation trying to impose scientific and technological advancement used in cloning. However, current series such as Greys Anatomy embraces technology and scientific advancement by hypothesizing the probability of cloning in the near future. Therefore, the TV and video games pertaining technology helps compare cultures and the superiority of the current intellectual riches. The neurological aspect of the brain is an important factor to look at when dealing with the sleeper curve. The way we think and look at things today is not the same way people looked and thought of things 20 years ago. Today, education does not take place in class alone. There are numerous activities in living rooms and basements which help kids to become smarter today. The mindset of children today cannot be compared to the children in 1970 or 1980. Today, children get introduced to very complex aspects of technology at very young ages. This facilitates adoption of the current trends of technology at the tender ages. The change in the neurological setting is what facilitates an overall need in the change of how technology evolves and our reaction to the different aspects of technology. Viewers have a need to maintain their connection between the virtual world physics and their brain chemistry, therefore, they are attracted to systems that explore the environment and have clearly de fined rewards in spite of them probably having the virtual characters. This explains why the people who are above the age of twenty are not attracted to the rescue princess like games or videos like Nintendo or Zelda. The more grown up video games such as Halo or Call of Duty and the The Sopranos are what they are watching or playing. Additionally, people love mind bending files like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Momento and Pulp Fiction which help them develop neurologically. For instance, Momento uses a reverse chronological order whereby the audience is barely aware of the events preceding in attempt to confuse them. As the film ends, both narratives converge and one understands that the investigation taking place resulted to someone death. Watching the television shows provides a platform for improving our neurological development. Consequences The sleeper curve undermines the long headed belief that pop culture is on a race to the bottom, where the cheapest thrill wins out every time. Johnson quickly states that the sleeper curve has not yet become more superior than the traditional culture. It undermines the premise that mass culture pales in comparison to High Art in its aesthetic and intellectual riches. However, to me his argument is invalid. The sleeper curve has greatly impacted the popular culture generation in the way they live and has therefore become more dominant than the traditional culture. In comparison to the older generations, the impacts of video games, TV shows, and technology are greatly felt in the society today. This has changed the American cultural values and the pop culture which was disregarded is now being embraced in a different style and people view it from a different perspective. Earlier on, people detested videos with extreme violence which are now embraced and used to make kids sharpen brain s. They improve the level of perception and increase the analysis speed of viewers. The TV shows and video games are actually making people smarter as opposed to the belief that nothing good can come out of TV shows and video games. The videos and TV shows are now incorporated in education and children are able to grasp more within a limited span of time. Children can now cope with school subjects like mathematics by using video games like Dungeon and Dragons that help kids to increase their calculation capabilities. Additionally, embracing the current trends in technology increases important learning skills such as reading speed and accuracy. Modern TV shows have subtitles that allow viewers to quickly read through and grasp the concept of the TV shows. This way, viewers can master how to read through these subtitles and lines with ease and use the same strategy when studying large volumes of books or numerous readings. The video games that were present 20 years ago are not the same as those which are played today. Games like Pac-Man and Tetris which were very popular back in the 1980s and 1990s are not as challenging as the video games today. Take for instance, a game like Grand Theft Auto 3 which requires mor e than just pattern recognition and motor coordination. Modern games are designed not only to create a challenge for the players, but also to sharpen the skills of the players. Modern games are created to bring into existence an imaginary world which has a lot of details and is very competitive in nature. Importance of understanding the Sleeper Curve It is very important to understand the sleeper curve because of the impact it has on our daily activities. Everyone is affected by the sleeper curve either directly or indirectly. The sleeper curve also affects the way we interact with the environment in general. Understanding how the sleeper curve operates is an important thing to put into consideration. If we are able to understand the changes brought about by the sleeper curve and the resulting effects, we can understand these changes and how vital these changes are as it helps one to come to terms with and evaluate the sleeper curve. This is because video games and TV shows have a great influence in our lives today. If video games and TV shows make kids smarter, then they should be looked into deeply. Anything that affects the social, cultural, and educational aspects of children should probably be looked at very closely. The advantages accrued to the sleeper curve outweigh the negative effects and therefore, people should embrace modern forms of technology particularly the video games and modern TV shows. As we have seen, video games and modern TV shows are major contributors in our cognitive thinking and which increase our IQ. Children who play video games and watch modern TV shows are generally smarter and their smartness is explicitly shown in the educational field. Children learn how to grasp so much in such a small amount of time which also teaches them how to find their way out of difficult situations. People should therefore engage in, embrace video games and television shows to actually see the quickest way to appreciate the sleeper curves cognitive training (Jazz Corner 2005 and The New York Times 2005).

Analysis of Buried Child by Sam Shepard Essay -- Buried Child Sam Shep

Analysis of Buried Child by Sam Shepard Sam Shepard has always written plays that have numerous illusions to frustrate the reader. Shepard has also been known for several twists in his plays, and also makes the reader believe in something that is not real. Born in 1943, Shepard always enjoyed Theatre and Playwriting. Now, nearly 60 years of age, Shepard is one of the most famous playwrights in America. In Shepard’s Buried Child, there are many twists and turns that have the reader wondering and wanting more. Buried Child can be similar to classic plays such as Oedipus Rex, where Shepard includes the theme of incest. He has also included many symbolic objects and Native American symbols of renewal with the large quantity of vegetables in the backyard of the family’s house. There are seven main characters in this play, the majority belonging to one family. The first impression seems like the family in the play are a normal Middle American family. Dodges one-track alcoholic mind, Halie’s irritating personality, and Tilden’s distant relationship with his father seems fairly typical of an elderly family; however, this is far from the truth. The play begins with Dodge, who is in his seventies, may not have much longer to live. He has an unhealthy cough, which gives the thought that he is extremely ill. In the play, Shepard is pointing out that Dodge is not only sick physically, but also mentally. His vicious cough seems to show the progression of his illness throughout the play. The introduction of Tilden, Dodge’s son, is quite unusual; he enters the house with an armful of corn and drops it in front of his father. The significance of this action will be noticed further into the play. When Tilden brings the corn in from the backyard, his father looks at him and tells him to give the corn back, thinking he has stolen it. Dodge snaps, "I haven't planted corn back there since 1935, so take that damn corn back form where ever you got it.† Yet, Tilden argues that the entire back yard is filled with tall stalks of corn, carrots and potatoes. Tilden is a young man living with his parents after getting in trouble in New Mexico. Halie, Tilden’s mother and Dodge’s wife, is abnormally protective of Tilden, which he is not allowed to do or say anything without the permission of Dodge or herself. Halie is constantly worrying about Ti... ...the family, and will hopefully lead them in a positive direction. The ending of this play comes to the conclusion that this family can never be a normal Middle American family. This family is at a loss, and will probably never see life the way that they have before. I believe the message Shepard is trying to reach out to the reader is that secrets and dishonesty can tear a family apart and make them go insane. Unfortunately for this play, the terrible secret was exposed too late. Shepard created an ending which the world could appreciate its simplicity yet complications. Buried Child explores the inner tensions of a rural existence, father-son relationships, and the place women hold in an ambiguous domestic atmosphere. Simply poetic, humorous, and mysterious, Buried Child is a vision of a troublesome family transformed into a symbol of America's loss of innocence. This play made Shepard a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1979, and is very much earned. Bibliography Jacobus, Lee A. 1994. The Bedford Introduction to Drama--Third edition. Microphil Publications. American Repertory Theatre. â€Å"Past Productions: Buried Child.† Dec. 96 http://www.amrep.org/past/buried/buried.html

Four Women in American Music History

American music history has grown an incredible amount in the last hundred years. Prior to that time, there were very few styles of music that originated in America. However, with the advent of jazz and related styles, American music culture was born. Blues is one of the early styles of music that is truly American, and there are many American artists who sang or performed in that style. In fact, blues is still popular today, although it has changed over time. Blues is an important and long-term American musical style, which has had many effects on musical culture from the early 1900s through today.Bessie Smith was an early blues singer. She was popular in the 1920s and 30s, and was known as much for her hard-drinking, rough life as much as her music. She sang about what she knew. Bessie was an African American woman who indulged in sex and alcohol, and had a strong temper. She never gave up without a fight, either in her music or her life. Getting into a fight with Bessie wasnâ€℠¢t something a person wanted to do, either, because she was over six feet tall and weighed about two hundred pounds. Bessie had a history of getting into fist fights with people, male or female.She also took off after her ex-husband with a gun when she found him cheating on her, after beating up his lover. However, Bessie herself was known for sleeping with a number of both men and women (Whitney). Musically, Bessie was not really trained. She could not read music, and relied on other musicians to write her songs down for her. She did write her own lyrics, though. She was a formidable presence on stage, able to sing loudly and strongly because of her size, and her tendency to sing in the range that was easiest for her.In writing her music, Bessie tended to modify existing melodies, and sometimes create new ones, so that they lay well in her â€Å"good† range (Whitney). Here is an example of Bessie’s lyrics, which show her feelings about life plainly: â€Å"I ain't no high yella, I'm a deep killer brown. /I ain't gonna marry, ain't gonna settle down. /I'm gonna drink good moonshine and rub these browns down. /See that long lonesome road, Lawd you know it's gonna end,/and I'm a good woman and I can get plenty men† (Whitney). Bessie was also known as something of a racist.While her fans were both black and white, she was rude to both whites and lighter-skinned blacks. Even at the height of her career, when she had enough money to live as she chose (even as a white person might, in the early 30s), she chose to stay on the streets and to live the life that was familiar to her. Her lyrics here show her thinking on this matter: â€Å"Mister rich man, rich man, open up your heart and mind,/Mister rich man, rich man, open up your heart and mind;/Give the poor man a chance, help stop these hard, hard times./While you're livin' in your mansion you don't know what hard times means, /While you're livin' in your mansion you don't know what hard times m eans; /Poor working man's wife is starving your wife is livin' like a queen† (Whitney). Ethel Waters is a blues singer who began performing later in Bessie’s career. While Bessie was primarily performing and well known during the 1920s, Ethel became better known in the 1930s (her career did officially begin in 1921, though). Ethel was specifically a different kind of blues singer than Bessie, and in fact was different from her in many ways.Ethel is also of African American decent, but she grew up in the North and was heavily influenced by white performers. When she began performing professionally, Ethel joined a group of blacks who called themselves â€Å"Cakewalk singers,† which was distinctly different from the more traditional blues singers, like Bessie (PBS). Ethel’s acceptance of whites can be traced to what was a very rough beginning for her. She was born when her mother was only 12. Her mother had been raped by a white man, John Waters. Ethel, then, is half-white, and carries her father’s surname.She was raised by her maternal grandmother in poverty, and began singing at age 5. Her beginnings are much more similar to Bessie’s, but what she did with herself later differs widely (Myers). Ethel worked with a number of famous jazz performers, including Duke Ellington. In addition to her singing career, Ethel was also an actress, an area of her life that eventually came to the forefront. Her singing style was not nearly as strong as Bessie’s, but she performed very theatrically and managed to capture the audience’s interest in all of her music.This came in handy, as she continued performing through the 1960s and 70s, working at that time with Billy Graham (PBS). Ultimately, Bessie’s influence on Ethel was very indirect. Both were jazz singers in a time when African Americans were first on the rise in popularity on the stage. Bessie’s grit may have given Ethel opportunities she might not hav e otherwise had. In many other ways, though, the two were very different; attitude, style, and more. Dinah Washington is another important singer in this chain of history.Her birth name was Ruth Jones, and she was born in 1924. She is significantly younger than both Ethel and Bessie, whose careers were near their peaks when she was born. Music was in Dinah’s family from the beginning. Her mother was a church pianist, and taught her to play at a young age. She was accompanying and touring by the time she was 16, and had already won prizes. However, although her initial roots were in the church, Dinah longed to work in secular music, namely jazz (Dahl).At age 19, Dinah got her big break, singing with Lionel Hampton’s Big Band, then one of the most popular music styles. By 1945, she was recording her own solo work for the Apollo label and Mercury records, and by 1948, she was on her way to major stardom. 1959 was her biggest year, when she sang â€Å"What a Dif’re nce a Day Makes† (Dahl). In her personal life, Dinah was similar to Bessie. She had many husbands, and she drank a lot. In fact, alcohol and drugs eventually killed her at the end of 1963 (Dahl). In addition, she also loved the finer things, including fur, clothes, and cars.Her personality was known as â€Å"feisty,† and she could be snapping one minute and generous the next (Cohodas). At first glance, Christina Aguilera doesn’t look much like the other stars. For one, she isn’t black. For another, she was born after all of the other singers had died. However, it is her roots and influences that she is similar to them. Like Dinah, she is biracial, with a mom who is Irish and a father who is Ecuadorian. Her father was in the military, which meant that Christina traveled a lot as a child (Biggest Stars).Also like the other singers, Christina was interested in singing and performing from the time she was a young girl. Her family was also musical, with her mot her performing on violin and piano professionally. Christina had a brief, two-year stint on The Mickey Mouse Club when she was a child, working with other singers who later became famous, like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake (Biggest Stars). Christina’s initial music was definitely pop, with her first number one single titled â€Å"Genie in a Bottle. † The single topped both the U. S. and UK charts in 1999.For awhile longer, Christina continued in the pop genre, recording for the movie Mulan, and singing a new version of â€Å"Lady Marmalade† with several other female pop stars (Biggest Stars). Christina’s work eventually began to seem less significant to her, and she decided to record her 2002 album â€Å"Stripped. † The album was the first that really showed her background and influences. Her comments about this album: â€Å"Coming off of the height of being a part of such a big pop-craze phenomenon, that imagery of that cookie-cutter sweet heart, without it being me, I just had to take it all down and get it away from me.And that is why I actually named the album Stripped, because it is about being emotionally stripped down and pretty bare to open my soul and heart. † This album used many different influences, including soul, R&B, rock, hip-hop and Latin (Biggest Stars). Aguilera’s influences were similar to the earlier stars mentioned. She looked to soul and R&B, both of which are styles typically recorded by African Americans. The blues aspect of R&B, in particular, is interesting to note. Aguilera was following in the footsteps of the other female jazz singers with this style.Also, similar to Dinah Washington, Aguilera sang pop (Dinah did pop in addition to her jazz roots). In general, all four of these women have things in common, and things that are different. Each grew up under similar circumstances, often with mostly maternal influences. Most had some kind of musical background at home. Most grew u p poor, and all had an early talent for music and singing. Most also had a taste for sex, drugs, and some rougher things in life, and had a hard time at one point or another. However, each was unique.Bessie was certainly the biggest and most blunt of the group, while Christina stood of the opposite end as the â€Å"sweetheart† of pop for awhile. Christina was also different in that she was not of African American decent in any way, although Ethel was also half-white. Some of the singers, namely Dinah, had their start in gospel music, while others went straight for jazz or pop. Overall, it is interesting how strikingly similar the artists are, even though there are also very big differences in their lives and styles.Their stories and backgrounds are surprisingly similar in some respects, but very different in others. These four women are just some of the amazing performers from the rich tapestry that is American music history. Sources Burns, Ken. â€Å"Ethel Waters. † J azz. Accessed on December 4, 2007. Website: http://www. pbs. org/jazz/biography/artist_id_waters_ethel. htm. â€Å"Christina Aguilera Biography. † Biggest Stars. Accessed December 4, 2007. Website: http://www. biggeststars. com/c/christina-aguilera-biography. html. Cohodas, Nadine (2004).Queen: The Life and Music of Dinah Washington. Accessed December 4, 2007. Website: http://www. dinahthequeen. com/. Dahl, Bill. â€Å"Dinah Washington. † Accessed December 4, 2007. Website: http://www. vervemusicgroup. com/dinahwashington. Myers, Aaron. â€Å"Ethel Waters. † Accessed December 4, 2007. Website: http://www. wntb. com/blackachievers/ethlwaters/. Whitney, Ross (1995). â€Å"Reflections Of 1920's And 30's Street Life In The Music Of Bessie Smith. † Accessed December 4, 2007. Website: http://bluesnet. hub. org/readings/bessie. html.

Thomas Hobbes State of Nature

Thomas Hobbes’ â€Å"State of Nature† argument: Morality as a prerequisite for peaceful social co-existence I have chosen to write about what Thomas Hobbes’ calls â€Å"The State of Nature† and how morality is needed in order to maintain peace among different societies. I will begin by briefly describing â€Å"The State of Nature† argument and illuminate some of the basic features within this theoretical situation. Then, through the use of excerpts from Hobbes’ book The Leviathan I will give specific facts regarding the conditions of human life as expressed within the state of nature.Next, I will demonstrate how these specific facts caused Hobbes’ to conclude that human life within the state of nature will be ruled by constant fear of other people, otherwise known as the â€Å"state of war†. I will then offer solutions for individuals to escape such an unpleasant situation because the majority of humans would find that life unde r constant fear of being harmed is unacceptable. Next, I will discuss James Rachels’ beliefs concerning the two fundamental conditions that would ultimately allow people to escape the state of nature by enabling individuals to work together.Lastly, I will explain why by putting these two fundamental conditions in place it amounts to an agreement, known as the social contract, between people to obey the basic rules of morality; I will also define the term social contract. The state of nature argument suggests that people would naturally do whatever was necessary to obtain their wants and desires without considering the consequences of their actions; there are no innate moral values that control people’s actions nor is there pure good or evil.Hobbes’ writes that morality solves the issue of societies’ tendency of self-interest and is needed in order to promote a healthy, peaceful environment for all people (Rachels, 80). Hobbes’ believed that life in this manner would be short, hard, and nasty. He dreaded a life in which there would be â€Å"no industry, no society, no commodities, no letters, no arts, and no account of time† (Rachels, 81/Excerpt from The Leviathan). There are four basic facts about life which according to Hobbes’ would make life awful; they are the equality of need, scarcity, the essential equality of human power, and limited altruism (Rachels, 81).More specifically, these four facts highlight that all humans require the same basic things in order to survive such as food and shelter however the world is not equipped with the proper amount of these needed resources to supply all beings with and no one individual is entitled to a larger share of these goods than another human being because everyone is capable of being overpowered or outsmarted; lastly, this poses an issue because everyone will put the needs of themselves above others in times of conflict so all human beings must be able to stand up for themselves.No one person is ever more powerful than another human being however a person’s desire to power others poses a major concern; Hobbes’ believes that human life within the state of nature will be ruled by constant fear of others. Hobbes’ states that the worst result, stemming, of the state of nature argument is the â€Å"continual fear and danger of violent death† (Rachels, 81/Excerpt from The Leviathan). Hobbes maintained that the constant back-and-forth mediation between the emotion of fear and the emotion of hope is the defining principle of all human actions. Either fear or hope is present at all times in all people.In a famous passage of Leviathan, Hobbes states that the worst aspect of the state of nature is the â€Å"continual fear and danger of violent death. † In the state of nature, as Hobbes depicts it, humans intuitively desire to obtain as much power and â€Å"good† as they can, and there are no laws preventing the m from harming or killing others to attain what they desire. Thus, the state of nature is a state of constant war, wherein humans live in perpetual fear of one another. This fear, in combination with their faculties of reason, impels men to follow the fundamental law of nature and seek peace among each other.Peace is attained only by coming together to forge a social contract, whereby men consent to being ruled in a commonwealth governed by one supreme authority. Fear creates the chaos endemic to the state of nature, and fear upholds the peaceful order of the civil commonwealth. The contract that creates the commonwealth is forged because of people’s fear, and it is enforced by fear. Because the sovereign at the commonwealth’s head holds the power to bodily punish anyone who breaks the contract, the natural fear of such harm compels subjects to uphold the contract and submit to the sovereign’s will.

THE DEATH PENALTY IS ALWAYS WRONG essays

THE DEATH PENALTY IS ALWAYS WRONG essays The real question is whether killing people is fundamentally wrong, or whether it is only wrong in a given set of circumstances. Most would agree that intentionally killing someone in cold blood for personal satisfaction is wrong. We might agree that killing 10 people in order to save 5 people is also wrong. We may differ on whether killing 1 innocent person to save 1000 others is wrong. Intentionally killing other people is always wrong no matter what. If there is a grey area between morally wrong killing and morally right killing, then where do we draw the line? More importantly, who has the right to draws that line? A total of 904 executions have been carried out in the United States since 1976, when the death penalty was reinstated after the Supreme Court banned it four years before (pg 1). This is a staggering figure and does not show that things are going to slow down. The use as a deterrent is not working. The point of capital punishment is to kill the people who kill people to show other people that killing people is wrong. But if killing people is wrong, then why is it considered that the State is right to kill people? Capital punishment therefore sends a clear message that killing people is perfectly acceptable and is actively endorsed by the State. A study following 25 condemned men ended after 12 of them had been executed, and the other 13 had been exonerated of their crimes after new evidence was produced. Pg 47. We really do not know how many people are on death row for false charges or for the police trying to seek their own justice. Once you execute a prisoner it is forever, you will not be able to bring them back. Even if new evidence is found the damage has already been done. Contrary to public opinion, it is actually a more expensive process than life imprisonment. With all the appeals, proceedings and hearings that occur for people on deat ...

Creativity, Play and Learning (Arts in Early Childhood Education) Personal Statement

Creativity, Play and Learning (Arts in Early Childhood Education) - Personal Statement Example The teacher gave me extra lessons outside class, allowed me to keep my work safe in his office and provided me with the right kind of pencils, brushes and colours. The completed work was quite remarkable on its own right, though fidelity to the original work was questionable. When I look back to this incident, I feel that the teacher had in fact gone out of his way to accommodate my need for artistic expression. During that period, he was the most accessible person to me – through every act of understanding and kindness he displayed. Another experience made me feel on the contrary, as my teacher did something uncharacteristic of him. In one of his classes, he asked us to draw outline pictures of a building. I happened to sit with a close friend of mine who could only draw one-dimensional picture. I felt I could help him produce a better work and tried to explain to him some techniques of creating a two or three dimensional effect. My teacher considered this as a distraction and raised his voice – asking me to focus on my work and to let my friend focus on his work. He needed finished works by the end of the class. I felt restricted and uneasy about this, and found that it had a totally negative impact on my own work during that class. The idea of following strict rules during a creative endeavor disheartened

Prohibiting smoking in public places Research Paper

Prohibiting smoking in public places - Research Paper Example The legal system should regulate smoking in public places by prohibiting it,and by rigorously enforcing the ban.Murder,robbery,aggressive actions,sale of drugs that are considered to be dangerous,overt sexual acts,unauthorized use of explosives,transport of toxic materials,and many other potentially dangerous or offensive actions are strictly regulated or fully banned in public places. Cigarettes are dangerous and offensive to those people who are exposed in public places. The term, â€Å"in public,† implies shared space. It must be considered that there are ill people, infants and children, pregnant women, elderly people, valuable and contributing members of society, animals, birds, insects, trees, plants, and air in that shared space. All are vulnerable to contamination and poisoning by toxins released in cigarette smoke. It is the purpose and duty of the legal system to protect people in shared space, as well as to uphold the protections promised in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Second-hand smoke is damaging and illness-inducing. Victims are involuntarily exposed, and many have no voice or social influence to fight against this injustice. Infants and children, for example, cannot voluntarily leave a smoke-filled area, but are at the mercy of adult choices. It is known that the effects of second-hand smoke on children places them at risk for developing frequent colds, asthma, coughs that do not go away, ear infections, high blood pressure, learning and behavioral difficulties (The Cleveland Clinic). People who work in restaurants or other service-related industries, where they are frequently exposed to second-hand smoke, are another high risk group with no real choice to stop exposure, if they leave the area, they risk losing employment and income. If they stay, they regularly absorb carcinogens and various smoking-related toxins into their body, increasing their risk of lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, emphysema, eye and nose irritati on (The Cleveland Clinic). Smoking cigarettes is potentially fatal. Because it is voluntary, it can be seen as an act of slow-motion suicide. When a smoker smokes, in public space, he/she is performing a public act of self-destruction, witnessed by children, teenagers, and other emotionally impressionable people. It is a horrifying act, a slower death than catching one’s body on fire, in protest, or jumping off a skyscraper, but horrifying anyway. Civilized people, who choose to kill themselves, should do so in private, not demand witnesses. This argument has merit precisely because the average person is informed about the potentially fatal consequences of smoking. The act of smoking raises imagery, based on real information in the minds of informed witness. The witness understands that smoking can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and lung cancer. The witness has seen examples of yellow teeth and yellowed nails on a smoker. The witness has smelled the stale aroma hanging in a smoker’s hair, house, and clothing. Perhaps the witness mourns the death of a loved one, lost to the consequences of smoking. The witness is involuntarily confronted by this imagery, when a smoker lights up in shared space. If the shared space is a restaurant, the witness suffers damage to a healthy appetite. If the witness has asthma, or other respiratory illness, the smoker obliviously antagonizes another’s health condition. If the shared space includes pregnant women, their unborn children are also endangered, along with the mothers-to-be. Along with the pregnant woman, the fetus comes into higher risk of developing lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease, allergies and asthma (The Cleveland Clinic). If the shared space is a public event, attention is forcibly re-directed to the smoker. If the shared space is a church hall or parking lot, the witness may suffer offense to his/her faith. If the shared space is a park, the beauty of connection with nature is compromised . The smoker sets a bad