History of Geisha Essay

Geisha recruitment seems to be a business wherein the indigenous people were the victims. Unfortunately this is the reality of life; one suffers while the other prospers. Another important contribution of Geisha is the preservation and performance of many Japanese dances. Dances like Mivako Odori and cherry dances which are based on Japan’s cultural value were the most common dances performed by Geisha. The red costume of the Geisha had a great significance in the Japanese culture and society. The use of red in their dress and makeup signifies beauty and happiness. The red underclothing was believed to ease the menstrual pain and maintain the good and healthy functioning of female reproductive system. Red is an erotic symbol for men. In fact they wear red lining under their own kimonos and apply red lipsticks made from petals of red flowers. In early times, the costumes of Geisha girls have warrior motifs which include hats and swords. But as time passes by and culture progresses, Geisha’s dress became feminine. Geisha is a culture which permits Japanese women to become independent and economically stable. It is believed that this is the only profession in which they are above men. It is one of the most important role of Geisha in society; keeping women at the height of men. Being intimate with men are part of the being a Geisha. Nearly all marriages in Japan were arranged by families of both parties. These marriages main goal is to preserve the present rank in the society rather than to seek peace and happiness. In this kind of situation, the man would normally have two women in his entire life. It was a common practice that wealthy and powerful men have a relationship with geisha. On other culture and religion this set up do not conform to morality. The Christianity sector would surely say that this is immoral. Unfaithfulness to your wife is considered a sin but still other may see it as something normal. Geisha is mysterious but beautiful creatures that represent the very old traditions of the Japanese. Now, modern geisha still reside in what they call okiya in flower towns especially during mentoring era. Most old and experienced geisha decide to live independently. They are often hired in parties or exclusive events at the tea houses and also to high-class restaurants in Japan. An incense stick serves as their clock for determining the spent time of each geisha in entertaining guest and visitors. Confusion still remains on what is really the nature geisha profession. An awful view about Geisha is that they serve as prostitutes. In western perspective, Geisha are known as expensive prostitutes. Geisha are entertainers and they are expected to entertain their customers in many ways such as reciting verse, playing musical instruments or simply by giving a good conversation but not to serve as sexual workers. Geisha’s arrangement also includes flirting with the customers and to do some playful and fancy innuendos but nothing more can be expected. Geisha strongly do not engage with sex with the customers even with money offerings. What they believed is that geisha are entertainer particularly sexual entertainers. This common notion about geisha made this decent and simple tradition to be a tradition full of immorality and sins. To attract costumers, prostitutes dressed and posed as a true geisha. Actually, a true geisha do not engaged with sexual relationship with her costumers. What they usually do is just entertainment. In fact, they were first and foremost entertainers. Geisha were invited to gatherings to keep thing in harmony and lively. They dance together with the guest, sing with them and played drinking games. Clearly, geisha are there for mere entertainment. The success of parties and celebrations are determined by the presence of geisha. Having several geisha in a party meant that the party host was wealthy and powerful. Geisha and the traditional high-class courtesans also know as oiran have similarities which lead to confusion. Like geisha, oiran also have their elaborate hairstyles and wear white make-up. Geisha are truly different with orian in a simple manner. Oiran tie their obi in the front and serve as prostitutes while Geisha in contrast usually tie their obi in the back. Prostitution was legalized during the Edo period. Prostitutes like orian were given license by the government. On the other hand, geisha were strictly prohibited to hold such kind of license and eventually forbidden to have sexual engagement with their customers. Any geisha holding the prostitution license is referred to be promiscuous. During the Japanese occupation, several Japanese prostitutes sold themselves to American to become sexual slaves. These prostitutes are termed geisha girls which lead to the conception of geisha as prostitutes. Also, those geisha working in onsen towns give a bad reputation to geisha because of the prevalence of prostitution. They used the name and character of a geisha in order to have a good market. Geisha indeed are not prostitutes. They are just victims of wrong conception. But sadly, although the nature of geisha is really good many are still doubt the nature of geisha’s profession. We can now infer that being a geisha is tough job. A geisha needs to be beautiful all the time and must undergo hard trainings to perfect the geisha’s required talents skills. We can see the good and bad accounts of being a geisha. It is a good tradition of Japan. It reflects all the prosperous cultures and traditions of Japan; from dancing, singing, conversing to the various arts. Also geisha’s dedication to work really manifest that Japanese are disciplined person. Generally, geisha plays an important role in Japanese culture. Geisha are entertainers not prostitutes. Although most people considered them as sexual workers, we cannot take away the fact that they bring happiness and pleasure to people. Although the nature of geisha’s work is closely similar to prostitutes we must not immediately pre-judge it. Geisha is a wonderful culture which is full of creative stuffs. From the dress, hairstyles, and other attributes of geisha we can see how diverse the Japanese culture is. Those bad accounts to geisha will be polished by its amazing structure. Eventually and hopefully people would fully accept the truth that geisha are made for merely entertainment. Instead of looking at it that way, looks at it other perspective or maybe people can even look deeper to the inner core of it in order to see its real purpose. References: History of Geisha. Retrived November 14, 2007, from http://marian. creighton. edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/history. html.

Experiences as a part of life Essay

Experiences are a part of life which makes man more confident, strengthen its capabilities and polish him like a diamond. Same thing happened to me when I took admission in university . After leaving college life entering in university life is a different experience for me where everything is change from environment to studies. The first day of university life was quite different than the rest of the days. Have you ever been so excited that your heart can’t stop beating? That’s how I was my first day at the university. I was very excited, but also I was frightened. I was about to meet the people who were going to be with me for four years. I kept asking myself; â€Å"would they be nice? Can I meet some good friends here? † That morning I woke up too early and arrived at the university early. When I got there, I just sat on the Philosophy Department stairs waiting for someone else to arrive. The minutes passed and nobody arrived†¦ 5, 7, 10 minutes and nothing. â€Å"Soon it’s going to be the meeting time and nobody else is here† I thought. When it was time and nobody appeared, I began to change my excite for fright and anguish. The time kept passing and nothing†¦ All of the new students were supposed to meet at 8 o’clock, and when I looked at my watch, it was 8:30 so I started to think that I was in the wrong place. Because I was waiting for so long, nobody arrived yet, and there wasn’t anybody whom I could ask where the right place was, I didn’t know what I should do, and I began to feel scared. Suddenly, a guy appeared and sat behind me. I saw him, and I wanted to ask if he knew something about the meeting, but he looked as lost as I was. After a few minutes, Mauricio, the guy sitting behind me, asked me â€Å"Excuse me, what time is it? † So I looked at my watch, and I realized that it was 8:45 already. â€Å"What am I going to do? † I thought, â€Å"I have to find the meeting place. † Soon another guy named Wilson arrived and before we could realize that he was there, he started to talk to us. After a short talk, he told us that he knew the university and that he could guide us to a place where the meeting probably was. So the three of us decided to go to another building and check if the meeting was there. As we all miss school life when we enter to college life in the similar manner we miss both college and school life when entering to university life because there is no comparison of college and school life with university. My first day at university was exciting one while entering through the gate I am wearing casual outfit and no uniform!!. I remember my college days when I entered to college I used to rush towards assembly area to attend assembly but there is no concept of assembly at university. When I enter to the class there are new faces over there (same situation as in college). During break I interact with my classmates and ask their names. When I was sitting in cafeteria five senior came and welcomed me in there own style (i. e. ragging). After this I had a lunch with some money left . when my class was over I realize that college and school days are the golden days of one’s life. You cannot compare the college days with university days. My first day at university has large impact on me because I realize that professional studies are much difficult and requires great dedication whereas school and college studies if you prepare for exam just one month before you can easily pass the exam. After the first day at university I feel that now I am grown up and now I can polish whatever the skills I possess . first day at university taught me the experience of life that in life you always find new faces, new environments and new challenges. If you are the able person these challenges doesn’t affect you. First day at university is a very delightful experience. When we arrived at the other building, all of the new students were in groups. The university had prepared some activities for integrating the Humanity Faculty’s new students, and all of the groups were already made. I felt lost, and suddenly Mauricio and Wilson, the only guys that I knew, disappeared. They went to their groups. â€Å"Which one is my group,† I thought with fear. After a long search I could find my group, and I joined. When I was in my group, I started to do the activities that they were doing from the early morning. There were five more people in my group, but none of them were going to be philosophy students, so no one in my group would actually be my classmate. There were two future sociology students and three future psychology students, but no future philosophy students. At lunch time, I met Mauricio again and he told me that he had met some future philosophy students. When the group activities ended, I met Mauricio, and we went out with some of our new classmates. That day we had the chance to meet each other and to make a nice group. Since that time we became very good friends. During my entire career, they were my friends. I had fun with them, and I also shared my sadness with them. They’re still my friends, and I know that they will be there when I need them, and I will be there for them whenever they need me.

Language Learning and Elementary School Curriculum Annotated Bibliography

Language Learning and Elementary School Curriculum - Annotated Bibliography Example It is appropriate, hence, that the chapter included several empirical pieces of evidence that supported the theories. For example, they explained why assessment is necessary or why particular components of such assessment are critical. This allowed a better understanding of the imperative for a "connection" between language learning and language learning the elementary curriculum. Following an inductive approach to content, it began with the general theories of communication and then proceeded on specifying models and strategies. This is great for instructors who are interested using the multidimensional "interactive approach" in developing listening, reading and viewing in learners. The chapter is particularly useful in developing unique instruction strategies that are tailored for a diverse set of learners. There are several sub-strategies and components that are further contextualized according to reading, listening and viewing, for instance, that could be combined in order to come up with the effective program or instruction plan. A critical dimension of this chapter is how it covered and addressed challenges such as anxiety and other factors that impact learners interaction with texts. Â  Tackling the issues concerning teaching grammar, this chapter offers an interesting approach to achieving better learning outcomes. The key concept was the "dialogic approach" wherein the subject is taught using cultural stories. This is quite interesting for those who are exposed to the traditional teaching model for grammar with the focus teaching grammatical rules as opposed to a focus on form.

Impact of Brand Personality on the Purchasing Decision Research Paper

Impact of Brand Personality on the Purchasing Decision - Research Paper Example During this period there were explosion of brands. Starting from mere cigarettes and soaps to luxury cars, a number of brands appeared which led human being to witness the modern form of marketing. Understanding the manner in which those marketing concepts evolved, will help to get better idea about why branded products are omnipresent nowadays. If we move back to the time when the concept of branding was unknown to human being, the theory of business was also very simple. The only criterion for being successful in trading was to manufacture superior quality products. For instance, if a company offered high quality coffee, bear or any other products, the customers were happy to buy those products. Moreover as long as the company maintained the same quality, repeat purchase was also common. It was also a time when consumers were more focused on the quality of products rather than the brand name associated with it. The report will primarily highlight the concepts of branding and the id eas related to it. In this context brand personality, brand value etc will be emphasized. Furthermore the importance and advantages of a brand will be also portrayed. The study will also analyze one of my recent purchases of a branded product. Finally the study will conclude highlighting the key areas and answering the question whether consumers often choose and use brands that have a brand personality or not. Brand & Brand Equity Traditionally the role of a brand was just about providing a name or an identity to the product (Baehrens, 2012). However presently eminent scholars such as De Mozota defined brand as the group of perceptions which is determined by both experience and communication. It can also be referred to as the addition of the characteristics of intangible and tangible which is used to make exclusive offers (DeMozota, 2003, Brand). A brand influences the perception of the customers about the company and therefore brands should be developed for its betterment (Adebola, Talabi, & Lamidi, 2012, pp.424-428). In addition, branding is also portrayed as the way by which an organization develops and delivers the propositions to the consumers. Nevertheless the assurance can be in the context of experimental enrichment, functional satisfaction or fulfillment of the aspirations (Baker, 2012, p.376). Usually, a brand is developed on the basis of 5 factors. They are design, positioning, customer relationship, storytelling and price (Healey, 2008, p.8). Some of the illustrious branded products are Nescafe, Marlboro-Clove, Kindle, Gucci, Apple, Samsung and Turtle among many others. In the similar approach brand value has also been identified as the biggest asset of the companies. It can be defined as extra cash flow earned by relating a brand with the goods and services (Aaker & Biel, 1993, p.69). Brand Personality Brand personality in simple terms can be defined as the way by which a brand speaks or how it behaves. It is process by which a brand is assigned w ith the human characteristics or personality traits with the brand in order to achieve some kind of differentiation to the product. These characteristics in turn signify the brand behavior with the help of its representatives. The representatives of a brand are the employees of the organization and packaging & advertisements of the company.

Public Health Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Health - Research Paper Example Public health also alleviates human suffering, and is practiced by a variety of professionals in the field. As a field of study, I have gained vast knowledge on public health, including all the aspects of public health, and policy and practice. Therefore, this has prepared me to undertake practical tasks in the field, where I will perform effectively, considering the amount and quality of knowledge I have gathered in this course. Through learning this course, I have realized that there are many challenges that face public health today. Therefore, as a professional and leader in this field, I have to contribute to the development of solutions to the challenges. Therefore, learning this course has increased my understanding of the complex challenges, which professionals in the field of public health are faced with. Times have changed, and so have the challenges in Public Health. These are evolving, and becoming more complex. Three major factors are responsible for the changing the natu re of health threats today. These include demographic transition, which occur because of urbanization and ageing, epidemiological transitions, and compromised physiology. In addition, financial insufficiencies have hindered the effective implementation of most public health initiatives. Furthermore, it is challenging for public health practitioners to achieve the desired influence in society, since the main ethos of public health; prevention, is undervalued in society, basing on its invisible benefits. Communication is another major challenge in public health, as the field is highly involved in the education of the public. Finally, because of globalization, public health professionals are expected to adopt a global thinking by local action (Pomerleau & McKee, 2005). Therefore, the aspect of intercultural communication is core to public health, and professionals in this field. Like other any workplace, the field of public health also faces considerable issues at the workplace. These vary in nature, and might involve the company itself or its employees. Therefore, as a leader, it is important to develop strategies that can help in addressing the emerging complex issues. There are various strategies, which managers at the workplace can employ to address workplace issues. The most important strategy is for managers to develop an open-door policy for employees. In this case, employees will consider the manager approachable, thus will feel free to report any pressing issue they experience. Secondly, it is important for a manager to address problems or issues immediately they occur, instead of leaving them unaddressed. Furthermore, fairness at the workplace is of great importance. The culture of fairness helps to prevent major problems, which would have occurred at the workplace. Above all, communication is key, therefore, managers should foster effective communication with employees, as this helps to cut down on difficult situations. In order to increase efficiency at the workplace, as a manager, I must push for the adoption of effective information technology. Today, the technology is highly advanced, and has increased efficiency and performance of tasks. Therefore, present public health managers have a role of ensuring that new technology is adopted at the workplace.  

Video review on Orientalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Video review on Orientalism - Essay Example It is the assumption that some places that are perceived to be magical are also timeless and unevolving. Napoleon’s conquest of Egypt in 1798 came about in a different way which basically shows a different way in which a conquest can be made. One can invade a country in search of treasure and petroleum, but in this case, Egypt was invaded and studied for the purpose of what can France to for Egypt. Edward Said shows the difference between Europe and America. He shows how Europe had its colonies in India, Algeria and Indochina for non political reasons which gave both parties a long standing relationship. America on the other hand is interested in countries for political reasons. Edward Said’s view of America’s Orientalism in the east is â€Å"that the American Orientalism is very politicized by the presence of Israel for which America is the main ally.† (Media Education transcript pg.6, www.mediaed.org) [CNN News: Vice President Al Gore] President Clinton and I are proud, as are all Americans that the United States was the first nation to recognize the State of Israel, eleven minutes after you proclaimed your independence. (Media Education transcript pg.6, www.mediaed.org) This breaks down the stereotypes and the ideas that pop into non oriental people when the Orient is talked about. Ideas such as extremists, fanatics, and kamikaze are all words and images that come to mind when the Middle East is talked about. â€Å"So the impression you got of Islam was that it was a frightening mysterious, above all threatening, as if the main business of Muslims was to threaten and try to kill Americans†, says Edward Said (Media Education transcript pg.7-8, www.mediaed.org)in the video. Edward Said was in Canada during the Oklahoma city bombing in April 1995, and just after it happened he was called off the hook by journalists simply because

The Bookshop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Bookshop - Essay Example The Bookshop, a novel by Penelope Fitzgerald got published in the year 1978. The novel primarily deals with a small English town in the late 50s, where the parochial attitude and approach towards things and issues bring to test the very grit and resilience of the ordinary people trying to achieve ordinary goals in a somewhat extraordinary way. The Bookshop attempts a realistic approach towards a moral and ethical map making of this small English town that is not only marvelously piercing in its force, but is also rather imbued with a wry and ironically comical animation (Wolfe 30). The Bookshop is a novel whose true strength does not lie in the unfolding action. Nor is this book peculiarly marked by an intensely exciting plot. Rather the books conjures up the reader’s interest and participation by its evocative delineation and chronicling of the prosaically ordinary times, and how the very ordinary people try to come to terms with and succeed against the limitations and constr aints imposed by these times (Janik & Jankik 125). The Bookshop is primarily about the extraordinary persistence and will required by the ordinary people to fulfill their seemingly simple and readily accessible goals. It celebrates the courage mustered by the ordinary people against the stifling narrow mindedness, starkly limiting regimentation, and the blatant injustices imposed by the financial and social inequalities in the ordinary day to day life (Lewis 27).

Emerging technologies proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Emerging technologies proposal - Essay Example An interesting consequence of this is that materials with a negative refractive index have been constructed that can focus light much more finely than conventional lenses and can also be used for energy harvesting (Ball, 2007). The study and construction of metamaterials has given a new direction to the field of Plasmonics, the study of Plasmons. These are small waves of electron density that are produced by using light. Using Plasmons, optical signals can be squeezed into very small wires. The induction of plasmons in metamaterials can induce extraordinary optical and magnetic properties in them. Together, these two developments can be used to envisage higher capacity optical data storage and telecom systems that are ultrafast, compact and highly integrated (Atwater, 2007). The Technology Review, the publication from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has identified Metamaterials as one of the top ten emerging technologies in a special review. They offer significant size reduction in optical data storage and computation. When combined with plasmonics, they demonstrate electromagnetic properties that are impossible to achieve with conventional materials. Thus, they can be effective circuit elements of very small size but increased complexity and performance. They can also enable the Radio Frequency (RF) signals to be shaped and controlled in a completely novel way. This will miniaturize the devices and processors for computers, help the information processing be faster. Eventually, this technology could change the future of telecommunications and data storage. I am interested in the application of plasmonic metamaterials to computer chips in the IT industry. Miniscule plasmonic devices with arrays of metamaterial stripes and gaps can be produced to act as computer chips. The arrangement of these arrays acts as a plasmonic circuit that can convey much more data at a significantly higher rate than conventional

Apple Marketing Strategy analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Apple Marketing Strategy analysis - Essay Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is Apple red as giant in the consumer electronics market and its products are considered as one of the most successful and hot selling items. From a mediocre organization to the best firm in the industry, Apple has made tremendous progress in terms of product innovation and service delivery. It started as a computer manufacturing and selling firm however, it has now transformed itself into a consumer electronics manufacturing firm with product range as wide as TVs, MP3 Players, Smartphones and Tablet Computers. Apple started as Apple Computers Inc during 1977 however, Apple rolled out its first personal computer during 1976. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started the company with an aim to manufacture and sell personal computers. As a result of this effort, Apple-1 was introduced during 1976 and Apple afterward continued to build upon its technical superiority and was able to expand its overall range of products. Over the period of time, Apple rem ained under the control of different CEOs however; its glory and success came under the leadership of Steve Jobs – the co-founder of the company who was also later on removed from this position during 1990s. One of the key reasons for the success of Apple as a firm was the leadership style and approach adapted by Steve Jobs. It is argued that Steve Jobs broke almost every principle of leadership and cultivated a new and unique style which allowed Apple to dominate different markets at the same time. Considered by many as dictator and tyrannical, it was the unique vision and micromanagement ability of Steve Jobs which contributed mostly towards the success of the firm (Emerald Group Publishing Limited). It was because of this leadership style of Steve Jobs that the overall culture of Apple evolved as a culture with strong accountability and very clear and swift communication from the top. Most of the decisions were centralized and revolved around Steve Jobs owing to his person al genius and detailed oriented leadership style. Much of the Apple’s culture as well as corporate success was dependent upon the innovative genius of Steve Jobs, his ability to manage everything on his own and enforcement of a strict corporate culture with very little tolerance for dissent and low performance. (Allen) The Mission Statement â€Å"Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.†1 The above Mission Statement of the firm suggests that Apple has been able to dominate four different market niches in consumer electronics industry i.e. personal computers, digital music, mobile phones and mobile media and computing. Though the mission statement seems vagu e but it clearly outlines the current ambitions of Apple and its will to dominate different markets at the same time. Exceptional factors contributing to the success of firm One of the key factors behind the success of Apple was the leadership of Steve Jobs under whose visionary presence; firm was able to transform itself into a giant in consumer electronics industry. Steve Jobs expanded the overall vision for the firm and included other product ranges coupled with effective market strategies which allowed Apple to become number 1 firm in the industry. The leadership and corporate culture of firm helped Apple to enforce strict accountability and create further room for creativity and innovation. Such approach therefore resulted into the development and marketing of products which became hot selling due to their innovativeness and ease of use for end users. Apart from this, Apple’s products are considered as of highest quality and durability along with their ability to offer a complete experience to customers. Apple started its music

GE’s Talent Machine Essay Example for Free

GE’s Talent Machine Essay Leadership development is a heavy priority for GE. The company put a great emphasis on building leaders. Four successive CEO each made contributions to the development of management talent. The CEO Cordiner implemented a decentralization practice that broke the company into various departments. The new company structure was more manageable but required more delegation. As a result of the decentralized structure, GE put a great emphasis on developing organizational learning. GE spent a lot of money on management education to expand managers’ leadership ability and general management skills. Education is one of the three life and work experience that contribute to leadership development (P479). The first corporate university was built by Cordiner where provided programs on executive education and management training. Those learning programs focus on personal growth that help employees to improve themselves continuously in GE’s learning culture. GE had various programs for finding potential leaders and preventing brain drain. The Session C was a performance assessment process that implemented to promote â€Å"high potential† employees. It included the individual evaluations, the career forecasts, and the succession plans. Subordinates were placed on a six-point scale from â€Å"high potential† to â€Å"unsatisfactory†. This feedback-intensive program helped the potential leaders to understand their behavior patterns, and they were able to find more constructive ways of achieving their objectives (P488). Another GE’s leadership excellence named disciplined performance management analysis, also known as the â€Å"vitality curve† was added to Session C. The incentive ranking system help GE to seek the best talents and to sustain a high-performance workforce. In addition, the CEO Reg Jones initiated a more structured practice to strategic planning to make the review process more manageable- the strategic business unite (SUBs). All those programs help GE to build a results-driven workforce. That is why GE is a â€Å"CEO factory. The forced ranking system put much pressure on employees for improving performance and productivity. The system feed on favoritism, and managers as rankers may intentionally give the high assessment to the people who are close to them. My suggestion for the vitality curve is to add a peer  evaluation into the ranking system. However, fairness could also be questioned in this case, because some people end up at the bottom even thought their performance may be perfectly satisfactory when judged in isolation. Also, it is easy to present the blind competition because the success of one employee is a lost opportunity for others. Additionally, I suggest having the 20% highly progress reward from the highly valued 70%. Recognition and rewards for the top 20% should keep the same, but add more recognition to the average performers who improved a lot compared with last year. This practice will boost the confidence of average employees who think they will never be rewarded. On the flip side, it may be more complex and take longer time to evaluate the performance. Since GE conduct business all around the world, a more aggressive international approach is needed. I suggest GE to focus on global recruitment that can provide more opportunity to hunt talents. One thing GE could do is partnerships with universities overseas, and open training and developing programs in the universities to attract potential non-American young talents. GE could provide internships and jobs for high performers who enter the programs. The programs may require a lot investment, and the benefit is unknown. People may use the programs as stepping stones to their own career. Great leaders are great learners. Learning does not end when I get out of college. Learning is a life long process. As a potential future leader, I have to adopt continuous learning as my personal leadership priority. As I learned form the ITO (Individual, Team and Organization) class, knowledge could be classified into explicit knowledge and tactic knowledge. Explicit knowledge could be learned though training and books. It is beneficial for me to read more books to enrich the knowledge, and keep my knowledge updated to the current world. Also, I need to learn to be opportunistic, and take advantage of training programs. Tactic knowledge, in contrast, is what I can learn through experience. I could take advantage of networking, and meet new people to build week ties. Therefore, I could have more opportunities to experience different things though those week ties. Finding a good mentor in the organization is also good for my learning development. Also, ask for  feedback. Another thing I learned from GE is the goal orientation. The company set a clear objective of building leaders, and all the leadership development practice were build to fulfill that goal. I have to set both short term and long term goals that motivate me to achieve. Finally, be self-awareness. I need to take time to think about my strengths and weaknesses, and do self-evaluation regularly to summarize areas that I need to improve.

Managing The Development Of Small Business Ventures

Managing The Development Of Small Business Ventures Nowadays, businesses are growing day by day. But inflation is becoming challenges in front of small and large types of businesses like there are many countries which are facing this problem. There are lots of countries which are increasing the price of their products day by day because of inflation. Inflation: There are negative and positive effects of inflation on small and large type of businesses. Some of businesses want to earn more money that is why they grow the prices of their products and it is also a part of inflation like in New Zealand the burger king (BK) raised the price of a double cheeseburger from $1 to $1.19 and they removed one slice of cheese from double cheeseburger on its dollar menu (they now call it the BK dollar double) due to the inflation dilemma that business ventures are dealing within the current economic environment. Sometimes some restaurant changes their prices on bases on national pay rate of labour like last year the pay rate of labour or minimum pay rate was $13.75. But now government has changed it from $13.75 to $14.25 and that is why BK’S costs are going up on the producer level because of higher commodity prices. Burger king (BK) cut the quantity and raise the price and they launched this burger with new name because they want to attract more a nd more customers and also want to earn more money by giving it new name like double cheeseburger to BK dollar burger. On the other hand, BK also have another reason to raise the price like in a healthy economy, BK would have simply raised the price of the burger. However with demand weak, BK is forced to cut its offering by giving its customers only 1 instead of 2 slices of cheese if they order from the dollar menu. Interest rate: An interest rate is the rate at which interest is paid by a borrower (debtor) for the use of money that they borrow from lender (creditor) like banks. Specifically, the interest rate is a percentage of principal paid a certain no. of times per period for example a company borrow a big/small amount of money/capital from bank to buy new assets for their businesses. There are some conditions are apply on loan like if any company borrow small amount of capital then they have to pay high interest rate on that money and there are less chances to expand the business as well. The chances of profit will goes down like Sak Strand bag Company. This company is a highly successful wholesaler of handbags since 1989. The company’s forte is fabricating high-quality handbags from distinctive, richly textured textiles. In 1999, after 10 very successful years in the handbags business, SS decided it was time to expand their products line. They expanded their products lines such as footwear, belts and jewellery. Mr. Falucci, CEO of this company played spin the wheel of growth and considered getting additional loan from the ANZID bank, the same bank who provided them the company its capital during its first year of operation. After getting loan they have to burden the interest rate of 10% of the amount loaned per month. Unemployment: Unemployment occurs when people are without work. There are positive and negative effects of unemployment like if people are unemployed then there are lot of negative effects. The profits will goes down because of unemployment in a business and the sales become less. Unemployment has negative effects on tax system like the tax will goes to high because of unemployment. On the other hand, due to unemployment there cheaper labour will be available and we can find more and more people who has good qualification or not for work. Maxx started the big business around of 85 restaurants in Sweden, compared to 40 jut five years earlier. From 2005 to 2010, max expanded extensively to the western parts of Sweden. Plans have been announced to expand to New Zealand in 2013/14. In their research of New Zealand employment market, the following information was gathered.in January 2011 OECD figured reported youth unemployment in New Zealand at 19.4% the highest since the early 1990s and above the OCED average. The youth unemployment rate reported in September 2010 by the household labour force survey (HLFZ) was 16.2%, two and half times higher than the rate for all people. Young men and women have been disproportionately affected by the recession. Indeed youth unemployment has increased significantly since 2008 and is two and a half times more than adult rate. After getting this report, the New Zealand government provided the job assistance to the unemployed people and also organised the many programs by which they could start their own businesses means the government provided the knowledge to the people about the small and large type of business and how they can start these businesses. Investment spending: Money spent on capital goods used in production of capital, goods or services. Investment spending may include purchase such as machinery, land, production input or infrastructure. Investment spending should not be confused with investment means we have to have whole knowledge about that thing where we are going to spend our investment or money. In this condition we have to spend our money on right place or on right time. If we spend money on right place but the time is not perfect to spend money on business like high labour cost, high interest rate, high transport cost and so on at that time. In these conditions our company will goes to in loss before staring a whole business. Like a 31-year-old Chinese started a restaurant in Auckland, a business born of true opportunity. In, 2004 the team cobbled together $100000 in investment money and additional $500000 for investment spending and started a new company, Salvador’s kiwi food and beverage Ltd. This allowed them to open a co ffee house in central Auckland. After several hard times, the business started. After few years from start-up the business has been wonderfully successful. They invested their money at right time or at right place that’s why they got success and they also did hard work as team. Business confidence: In this, any person can start his own new business with fully confident. It means he has whole information about his business what he wants to do. Sometimes people feel very uncomfortable to start a new business with confidence because of lack of knowledge and confidence. Experience about business is important factor for business confidence like Boos and Goud used their experience at right time on a magazine prototype with $50000 capital from family and friends. They called the magazine Pink, to suggest that women can be both powerful and feminine. An ad recession time for under way and working women magazine had gone out of business in 2001, after 25 year run. When they launched the Pink magazine, there were not too much magazines because of recession. It was positive point for their business. They also used their experience like they started the meeting with big companies for their marketing and promotions and so on like coco-cola and Home Depot. With 300000 coaxed from advertisers over a one- year period, the first 98- page issue was produced in mid-2005. They earn $5 million in income from ads, conference, and syndication, they claim margin of 16%. They earn this large amount of money because they used their previous experience, time and they were fully confident. Share market: The share market is always depending on fluctuations of market prices or rates. When the company needs more money, they produce their shares in market. Sometimes the prices goes to high sometimes it goes to down because of fluctuation but when the prices of shares goes to very low then people (who bought the shares) complaint to the CEO of company about this. We have an example of share market fluctuation like JRV Company and it is NZ’s fastest growing company, the company has sustained a remarkable growth rate through a superior product, a very effective sales system and intensive marketing. The business selling construction supplies like cement, ceramic, tiles metal and structural beam and etc. these are coming from different companies in Europe. This franchise is still in its early stages in terms of market penetration, so the potential to grow revenues is enormous. Since the business is imported based, they monitor the flow of the share market. 1.5) (a) Increase in business: business confidence increase will increase the investment which will help to increase in the business. (b) Increase in jobs: due to the increase in business Pink will need more people which will increase the jobs in market. 1.6) sudden changes either up or down on the share market can affect the value of the New Zealand dollar on the international money market. If dollar will falls, import cost move which means importers have to cut margins or increase prices. 1.7) 1.7.1) Credit availability: lack of capital history may affect applications for capital investment expansions however a strong presentation highlighting the company’s rapid growth and success to date should go some way to offsetting that negative factor. 1.7.2) gross domestic product: wing zones target make is the highly mobile student sectors that traditionally service on fast food and have little consideration for long term financial matters and are not likely to be affected by GDP. All people have to eat even hard time so GDP factors may not have a major affection on wing zone. 1.7.3) national income: decreasing business profit and wages and salaries may cause reduced consumer spending in non- essential market sectors but generally food supplies and sales will maintained. 1.7.4 Money supply: reserve bank restriction on May supply may restrict or slow down the availability of funds for business expansion. 1.7.5 International trade: McDonald and burger king but they have an international business. They have their franchise almost in all country. Fast internet connection will develop their business and social media network that is best way to develop the business. 1.7.6 International Market Fluctuation International market fluctuation effect the stock market. They also affect a small business. 1.7.7Currency Fluctuation Fluctuation risk on the foreign Exchange their price will low and high they most effect on the small business. 1.7.8Balance of Payment Balance of payments accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world. These transactions include payments for the countrys exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers Task 2 2.1 Disposable Income: -Disposable income is total personal income minus personal current taxes. In national accounts definitions, personal income, minus personal current taxes equals disposable personal income. They started a small business it is very hard to save amount because they need a best employers to work and best product goes to market and they also need a promotion like advertisement on TV, Newspaper, Magazines, Etc. 2.2 Population Trends: In population Trend How many people drink beers and how many people drink a wine in their life. Youth Generation not drink a wine 18-24 aged represent only 6% of wine consumed. But there is different choice in the market to buy a wine and beers choice available. 2.3 Building Permits: Building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance with national, regional, and local building codes. Failure to obtain a permit can result in significant fines and penalties, and even demolition of unauthorized construction if it cannot be made to meet code. 1.7.6 International Market Fluctuation International market fluctuation effect the stock market. They also affect a small business. 1.7.7Currency Fluctuation Fluctuation risk on the foreign Exchange their price will low and high they most effect on the small business. 1.7.8Balance of Payment Balance of payments accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world. These transactions include payments for the countrys exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers Task 2 2.1 Disposable Income: -Disposable income is total personal income minus personal current taxes. In national accounts definitions, personal income, minus personal current taxes equals disposable personal income. They started a small business it is very hard to save amount because they need a best employers to work and best product goes to market and they also need a promotion like advertisement on TV, Newspaper, Magazines, Etc. 2.2 Population Trends: In population Trend How many people drink beers and how many people drink a wine in their life. Youth Generation not drink a wine 18-24 aged represent only 6% of wine consumed. But there is different choice in the market to buy a wine and beers choice available. 2.3 Building Permits: Building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance with national, regional, and local building codes. Failure to obtain a permit can result in significant fines and penalties, and even demolition of unauthorized construction if it cannot be made to meet code. Task 5 5.1 Internal Evaluation: Can have the meeting with the staff to find out the reason of the problem, give them the instructions to follow and perform the work in the correct way. External Evaluation: Have to identify the reason of sales which are going down at that stage and need to look for on the market position, Can take a professional assistance to find the reason of the problem and can take advice from professional finance advisor to find out the reason. 5.2 Decision making technique helps alot to choose the option to solve problem because while doing decision many factors come to be naked and we will get many option to solve a particular and we can also select most suitable solution for the problem. 5.2.1 Breakeven: The break-even is the point at which cost or expenses and revenue are equal: there is no net loss or gain, and one has broken even. A profit or a loss has not been made, although opportunity costs have been paid, and capital has received the risk-adjusted, expected return. 5.2.2 Decision tree: A decision tree is a decision support tool that uses a tree-like graph or model of decisions and their possible consequences, including chance event outcomes, resource costs, and utility. It is one way to display an algorithm. 5.2.3 Payoffs approach: In this technique we use cash flow scenarios to model the future. We can use that data which is already available in the company. 5.2.4 Professional assistance: In this we ask help for a professional who is not a member of our business he is expert assistance. 5.2.5 Group decision making: Conduct a meeting with all member of organization. Solve the problem on this meeting. Every member names and priority issues and ranks it’s according to the work. 5.2.6 Cultural consensus methods: Cultural knowledge is shared and systematically distributed. A good decision is one which has taken into the different culture of all the member of the group. 5.3 5.3.1 Maori- owned and operated business Cultural consensus method: In this method we can share their knowledge. A good decision is one which has taken into the different culture of all the member of the group. Group decision making: They conduct a meeting with all member of organization. Solve the problem on this meeting. Every member names and priority issues and ranks it’s according to the work. 5.4.1 Owners who cannot get out of their own way. They may be stubborn, risk adverse, conflict adverse meaning they need to be liked by everyone (even employees and vendors who cant do their jobs). They may be perfectionist, greedy, self-righteous, paranoid, indignant, or insecure. You know the problems but continue to make the same mistakes over and over. 5.4.2 Out-of-control growth. A successful business is ruined by over-expansion. This would include moving into markets that are not as profitable, experiencing growing pains that damage the business, or borrowing too much money in an attempt to keep growth at a particular rate. 5.4.3 Operational inefficiencies. Paying too much rent, labour, and materials. Not having the tenacity or stomach to negotiate terms that are reflective of todays economy may leave a company uncompetitive. 5.4.4 Dysfunctional management. Lack of focus, vision, planning, standards and everything are that goes in good management. Throw fighting partners or unhappy relatives into the mix, and the business is a disaster. 5.4.5 A declining market. The annual industry revenues are steadily declining because of the saturation of the market, the decrease in the market size, or the due to the introduction of a service, product or a technology from huge companies with more buying power and advertising dollars.

Artificial Insemination and the Rights of Women, Men, and Children Essa

Women have adamantly battled for political and social reproductive rights since, in particular artificial insemination, have become mainstream phenomena in the recent decade with a focus on rights of women. In fact, doctors have experimented with the procedure for nearly a century. However, with the women ¹s liberation movement of the 1970s, physician-assisted and self-insemination has become more and more popular among heterosexual career women and lesbians. The Origins of Artificial Insemination She was a Quaker. The wife of a merchant. The infertility patient of Dr. William Pancoast. She was a woman whose name was never recorded. Dr. Pancoast, a professor at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, had already examined and tested her numerous times. Finally, he discovered that she was fertile and that the problem was her husband ¹s;; There were no sperm. Pancoast (or maybe it was one of his students) had an idea. He called her in. He just wanted to examine her once more, he told her. The woman lay on the table as she had been told to do. Pancoast ¹s six medical students-all young men- stood around her body. Pancoast anesthetized the woman with chloroform. He took the receptacle into which one of his students had masturbated. With a hard rubber syringe, he inserted the student ¹s semen into her uterus. He then plugged her cervix with gauze. When she awoke, he did not tell her what he had done. He never told her. Nine months later, she bore a son. It was 1884. This was the first reported human artificial insemination with donor semen. It was a rape. (Corea, 12) As explained by the above excerpt from The Mother Machine, artificial insemination is not a recent technological breakthrough. The procedure among huma... ...n under the notion that reproductive technologies will ensure conception of a perfect child. If the child is born with a congenital defect or is of the wrong sex, the parents present feelings of disappointment, which is often reflected in the rearing of the child. (Blank) Moreover, parents treat their children as more fragile that other children in their nuclear family conceived by natural means, and tend to be overprotective of him or her. Works Cited Blank, Robert. Human Reproduction, Emerging Technologies, and Conflicting Rights Congressional Quarterly: Washington D.C., 1995. Corea, Gena. The Mother Machine : Reproductive Technologies from Artificial Insemination to Artificial Wombs New York : Harper & Row, 1985. Daniels, Ken R.  ³Information Sharing in Semen Donation: The Views of Donors ² Social Science & Medicine v. 44 no5 (March 1997) p. 673-80

Oedipus: Riddle of the Sphinx as a Metaphor of Life Essay -- Oedipus t

Oedipus: Riddle of the Sphinx as a Metaphor of Life      Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus Rex (the King), written by Sophocles, is the tragic play depicting the disastrous existence to which Oedipus, an Athenian, is 'fated' to endure. With a little help from the gods and the 'fated' actions and decisions of Oedipus, an almost unthinkable misfortune unfolds. Athenian perfection can consist of intelligence, self-confidence, and a strong will. Oedipus, the embodiment of such perfection, and his tragedy are common place to Athenians. Ironically, the very same exact characteristics that bring about the ominous discovery of Oedipus' fate: to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus' 'fated' decisions entangle everyone whom is of any significance to him within a quagmire of spiraling tragedy. Sophocles uses the riddle of the Sphinx as a metaphor for the three phases of Oedipus' entangled life, the three phases of human life, and to describe how every life-changing action or decision can influence other lives. As stated in Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, the Sphinx poses the following riddle to all those who would come to her: "What goes on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three at evening?"(Gioia and Kennedy, 1253) Many of Thebes' most intelligent citizens die as result of answering incorrectly. Using his superior discernment and diligence, Oedipus answers the riddle correctly and secures his reward in claiming the high seat of King of Thebes, along side Queen Jocasta. As a child, man crawls on his hands and knees, which the Sphinx refers to as four legs. One depends solely on others for nourishment and well being. Sophocles enacts this particular portion of the metaphor by telling us of Oedipus' birth an... ...g life's circle and the riddle of the Sphinx.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How often can one look back on life and see the choices one makes, only to come to the realization that no matter what decisions one makes about any and all of life's choices, most of humanity is paralleled by the same metaphor Sophocles uses to guide Oedipus' life? The riddle of the Sphinx is fate for each and every man, woman, and child. Although in real life the ending isn't always quite as tragic, everyone brings about his or her own discovery of truth and that quest of discovery inevitably touches, and in some cases, dramatically changes the lives of significant and insignificant friends, family, and acquaintances.    Works Cited Sophocles. "Oedipus the King." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 7th ed. New York: Longman, 1999. 1902.

Chlamydial Infection :: essays research papers

Chlamydia Chlamydial infection is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the United States today. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 4 million new cases occur each year. The highest rates of chlamydial infection are in 15 to 19-year old adolescents regardless of demographics or location. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious complication of chlamydial infection, has emerged as a major cause of infertility among women of childbearing age. Chlamydial infection is caused by a bacterium, Chlamydial trachomatis, and can be transmitted during vaginal, oral, or anal sexual contact with an infected partner. A pregnant woman may pass the infection to her newborn during delivery, with subsequent neonatal eye infection or pneumonia. The annual cost of chlamydial infection is estimated to exceed $2 billion. SYMPTOMS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most chlamydial infections are silent, causing no symptoms. However, men and women with Chlamydia may experience abnormal genital discharge or pain during urination. These early symptoms may be mild. If symptoms occur, they usually appear within one or three weeks after exposure. Two of every three infected women and one or two of every four infected men have no symptoms whatsoever. As a result, often the disease may not be diagnosed and treated until complications develop.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctors estimate that, in women, one third of the chlamydial infections result in PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease). Often these infections are not diagnosed until PID or other complications develop. In men, rarely, chlamydial infections may lead to pain or swelling in the scrotal area, which is a sign of epididymitis, an inflammation of a part of the male reproductive system located in the testicles. Left untreated, this condition, like PID in women, can cause infertility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chlamydia can cause proctitis (inflamed rectum) and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the lining of the eye). The bacteria also have been found in the throat as a result of oral sexual contact with an infected partner. In tropical climates, a particular strain of C. trachomatis causes an STD called lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), which is characterized by prominent swelling and inflammation of the lymph nodes in the groin. Complications may follow if LGV is not treated; this infection is very rare in the United States. DIAGNOSIS:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chlamydial Infection can easily be confused with gonorrhea because the symptoms of both diseases are similar; in some populations they occur together. The most reliable way to diagnose chlamydial infection is for a clinician to send a sample of secretions from the patient’s genital area to a laboratory that will look for the organism using one of a wide variety of quick and inexpensive laboratory tests.

Adaptation & Accountability Essay

There are a lot of measures where accountability can be checked in a workplace. However, there are still a lot of companies that mess up with such processes. Accountability is important in the workplace especially that most companies are grounded in some sort of bureaucracy where someone is supervising a department and supervisors report to managers and so on. It is only through an accountability measures that work in such setup could be well done. Accountability does not only involve accepting a work and doing it, â€Å"true accountability involves taking ownership of your work and viewing your job as a stakeholder would (www.iaap-hq.org).† On the other hand, Robert Staub defines accountability as â€Å"a systemic issue and must be understood in terms of a systems approach if it is to really work in any group, family or organization. It is a system of individuals, linked in a chain of mutuality, taking personal and group responsibility to achieve something meaningful.† In a publishing company where I work, a lot of papers are involved as an accountability measure and they are effective. It is necessary for people to sign in or complete forms before the next process is to be completed especially for writers because they are fully responsible to the articles they write. At the start of every magazine issue, an article checklist is given to the writer in duplicate. This checklist contains the column title, article title, writer’s name, layout artist’s name, date submitted/completed and remarks. This form should be accomplished and one copy be returned to the Editor-in Chief. That form is used by the editor to follow-up the status of the articles being written or submitted to the writer. There is another form called the status report. This is almost the same as the checklist but in expanded and more detailed form. This is also accomplished in duplicate, one for the writer, the other for the layout artist. The chart contains the column title, article title and writer’s name, edited, first proof, second proof, photo and press. This guides the writer in the status of the folder he/she is processing for completion. He/she will enter the dates in the given columns to see whether everything is already completed or not. It helps the artists to countercheck whether he/she is putting the appropriate photos or the right bylines in the right articles. Sometimes, these status reports are checked by the supervisor to see whether the printing press can accommodate the printing of the magazines at a given time or if it needs to be outsourced. Moreover, it also helps the coordinator to track the articles of contributors and to follow them up. Those charts were designed to tell who is accountable for such work especially when there are errors. The employees may lie but the papers they have accomplished themselves not. Those are also necessary for evaluation purposes at the end of the publication cycle. The department may know how to be become more effective and efficient in terms of workforce and resources. These processes are made clear at the onset of training for new employees and they are mutual agreement in the department. Deborah Mackin in her article Growing Responsibility and Accountability in the Workplace, proposed the RACI Chart as one of the tools which may be similar of that above. The RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. It will help people to know their responsibilities, who is accountable for such work, whom he or she is accountable to, who will be consulted and how and who to inform. Basically, such chart should be present in a workplace so the management is certain why are they hiring people and people are particular at the jobs they have to accomplish. References â€Å"Accountability in Today’s Workplace.† Retrieved December 12, 2008 from http://www.iaap-hq.org/OfficeTeam_CareerCenter/accountability_in_todays_workplace.htm Staub, R. 2005. Accountability and its role in the workplace. The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area. Retrieved December 12, 2008 from http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2005/01/17/smallb3.html Mackin, Deborah. _______. Growing Responsibility and Accountability in the Workplace. Retrieved December 12, 2008 from http://www.sideroad.com/Management/accountability-in-the-workplace-responsibility.html

Religion A Means to an End or Just a Delusion Essay

Over the years, people have held different opinions about religions around the world. Many believe in the existence of a divine being like God, while others worship idols and other images that they consider as their god(s), without concrete proof that these beings do exist. Based on the statement by Sigmund Freud that â€Å"Religion comprises a system of wishful illusions together with a disavowal of reality†, one may come up with several arguments about religion. This notion held by Freud, which he contends that religion is merely a human delusion forms the basis of this paper among other views. It is in human nature to seek and understand the meaning of life and through the use of intangible concepts, religion attempts to provide answers to satisfy human curiosity. Burke believed that different religions provide a framework by which people can understand the meaning of human life and the world. Each religion prescribes possible remedies to correct what it views to be fundamentally wrong and unsatisfactory about people’s existence (Burke 126), making religion an attractive way to attain satisfaction in life. However, the basis of such remedies lies in a realm that is transcendent of ordinary human experience, that is, more on the realm of supernatural (Burke 141). For example, monotheistic religions point to a supreme being who judges which people gets eternal life based on their obedience to his law. Religions of Indian origin on the other hand, provide an escape from an eternal destiny of suffering and limitation brought by the unending cycle of birth, death and rebirth (Burke 161). Such influential notion that obedience to a religion could give fulfillment may cause people to accept and believe in religious concepts wholeheartedly, wit hout tangible proof. Monotheistic religions describe an omnipotent and omniscient supreme being who governs human life through a set of laws. Believers may seek solace, comfort and the purpose of life by obeying this set of rules, often to gain good judgment from their God. However, such belief in a supreme being is typically based on human faith rather than concrete evidence of divine existence. For example, people in these religions believe that their God created the Earth and therefore, human existence. This notion can be challenged by modern scientific theories that explain the origin of the universe and human existence through logical and factual means, such as the Big Bang theory for the origin of the universe and evolution for how humans came to be. Religions of Indian origin deal with the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Rebirth is the religious or philosophical idea that the spirit or soul, after natural death, can start another life in another body (Burke 163). This never-ending cycle is brought by human’s self-centered desire, and brings eternal suffering to humans. Human existence therefore is to liberate one’s spirit from an egocentric self to end the cycle of birth, death and rebirth and free oneself from suffering (Burke 236). This largely deals with the spiritual dimension and is nothing more than a philosophical concept, which again is based on human belief and not concrete evidence. There has been no account of people who have been reincarnated, or proof that a soul does exist. It is another way to explain the meaning of life, which gives people purpose of living. In conclusion, people hold different views about religion. In any case, religious views are just analogies, by the assistance of which we attempt to comprehend a shared phenomenon. However, the absence of convincing proof for the existence of God and the soul, and the presence of more plausible explanations for religious phenomena, prompts Freud and other skeptics to dismiss religion as merely a human delusion. References Amstrong, Karem. Islam. London, United Kingdom: Orion Publishers, 2011. Print. Burke, Thomas P. The Major Religions: An Introduction with Texts. Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Print. Trungpa, Chögyam, and Judith L. Lief. The Heart of the Buddha: Entering the Tibetan Buddhist Path. Boston, Mass: Shambhala, 2010. Internet resource. Source document

BIBL 104

Matthew is the first of the four gospels of the New Testament. Largely narrative material, this first gospel serves as the connection between the Old and New Testaments, providing an understanding of how Jesus fulfilled all the various prophecies about his coming that are found in the Old Testament. Possibly written in the A. D. 70s, though some believe it could have been written ten to twenty years earlier, the gospel of Matthew covers the entire span of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, concluding with Jesus giving the disciples their mission of going out and spreading the word of God.Geared primarily towards Jewish readers, the goal of the text was to provide them with irrefutable proof that the long-awaited Messiah had come to usher in the kingdom of God on Earth. Mark The second of the four gospels, the gospel of Mark is largely narrative and goes at a fast pace. Unlike the gospel of Matthew, which begins with the birth of Jesus and progresses through his life, Mark b egins with John the Baptist prophesying about Jesus, followed by the baptism of Jesus by John. It progresses from this point on to the end of his life.The focus of the text is on the many parables Jesus told and the miracles he performed during his period of ministry, which lasted a total of three years. The text was written by John Mark, son of a widow in Jerusalem whose home was most likely a meeting place for early Christians, who got his information from the disciple Peter. Written possibly as early as A. D. 50 and as late as A. D. 65, the text has a distinctly non-Jewish feel to it, and thus may have been written for Christians in Rome.Mark wrote it with the goal of offering encouragement to these Christians, who were suffering at the hands of the Romans, particularly the emperor. Mark, through his writings, presents Jesus as the suffering Messiah, as well as the Savior of the entire world, regardless of race or religion. Luke The third of the four gospels, the gospel of the Lu ke is largely narrative, and is the most elaborate in regards to the details of the life of Jesus. It begins with the prophecy regarding the birth of John the Baptist, progressing from that point on to the events surrounding the birth, life, and death of Jesus.Luke has the widest range of information with regard to the parables, miracles, and teachings of Jesus. Some of the more familiar parables include the parable of the sower, the parable of the Good Samaritan, the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the prodigal son, and the parable of the ten talents. Some of the more familiar miracles include the healing of the Roman centurion’s servant, the feeding of the five thousand, the transformation of water into wine, the raising of Lazarus, and the raising of daughter of Jairus. Possibly written between A. D.59 to 63, or maybe fifteen to twenty years later, the goal Luke had in writing this gospel was to put forth the message that the love of God is not just for Jews, bu t for everyone who believes in him. John The final of the four gospels, the gospel of John is largely narrative. It is believed that it was written sometime between A. D. 80 and 95. However, there are those who believe that it was written as early as the A. D. 50s and no later than A. D. 70. Like Mark, John begins his gospel with John the Baptist baptizing Jesus, and progressing from this point on up to the death and resurrection of Jesus.Written at a time when non-Jewish followers of Jesus were being bombarded with the Greek theory that Jesus was divine but not truly human, the purpose of this gospel being written was so that the people would believe that Jesus truly was the Son of God, and that he was the word made into flesh. One particular aspect that sets this gospel apart from the other three is the inclusion of several sermons Jesus gave during his three-year ministry, none of which are found in the other three gospels. Acts Written by Luke around A. D.63 to 70 to Theophilus, who may have been a particular person or a reference to the Christians in general, the book of Acts is largely historical narrative written in the form of a letter. Covering the period from Pentecost, as well as the early stages of the disciples going out and preaching the word of God, the text can be viewed as the sequel to the Gospels. Within it is an explanation by Luke regarding the incredible growth of the early Christian church, as well as a discussion regarding the source of conflict between Jewish and Gentile Christians, both of whom would be brought together eventually through their mutual love of Christ.One of the key events within the text is the martyrdom of the disciple Stephen, now known as Saint Stephen. He is one of many that Luke writes about who die for their belief in Christ. Romans The book of Romans is the first of thirteen letters, or epistles, written by the apostle Paul to various non-Jewish Christian communities, in which he offers them advice and expounds on the teachings of Christ. Written sometime in A. D. 57, and largely narrative conversation, it was geared to the mostly Gentile followers of Christ living in Rome.His goal in writing this particular letter was three-fold. First, he wanted to introduce himself to the Christian community in Rome and garner their help in spreading the gospel. Second, he wanted to develop, expand, and defend the gospel message he was preaching. Finally, he wanted to encourage the Roman Christians to depend solely on God for their salvation. In this way, they would better realize and understand that they can become righteous and be transformed through believing in Christ. To that end, the main themes of the text are faith, grace, righteousness, and justification.As a result, this text best serves those seeking spiritual renewal, and played a pivotal role in the development of the belief held by Martin Luther – that faith alone justifies – and thus in the Protestant Reformation, which fore ver changed Christianity. 1 Corinthians The second of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, Paul wrote this letter to the Christian community in Corinth around A. D. 54 to 55. Within two to three years after starting the Christian community in Corinth, Paul got word that there was a great deal of strife within the young church.There were those who had become spiritually arrogant, which in turn led to problems such as sexual misconduct, mistreatment of fellow believers, abuse of spiritual gifts, and a general misconstruing of the basic teachings of Christ. Thus, Paul wrote this letter to help restore balance to the young Christian community, giving them simple and straightforward advice on what needed to be done to restore unity within their church. Thus, the text contains information concerning Christian living, relationships within the church, spiritual gifts, love, and the teachings of Christ – all of which are still relevant today.2 Co rinthians The third of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, this was a follow-up letter written to the Corinthian Christian community around A. D. 55. Due to an uprising within the community, Paul felt obliged to write this letter to accomplish the following: the calming of various disagreements within the community, the restoration of unity within the community, and the reestablishment of Paul’s role as the leader of the community.Various themes covered in the text include the following: how to handle dissension within the church, false teaching, church leadership, the plight of other Christian communities, and financial support of the church and the poor. Paul also discusses the hopes, fears, and assurances he has for the Corinthian church and their relationship with God. Galatians The fourth of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, the letter was written by Paul to the Christian community in Galat ia, a Roman province in what is now central Turkey. Written around A.D. 48 to 53, just under 25 years after Jesus was on Earth, the letter was meant to denounce and correct the false teachings cropping up in the churches that Paul and his fellow disciple – Barnabas – had established. The letter was also written by Paul as a method of defending his integrity as an apostle of Christ, which had been questioned and attacked, and also to reassert the love he had for the Galatians. This text goes back to the basics of Christianity and its teachings, focusing on what the gospel is, how it is received, and how it can be applied to daily living.Paul accomplishes through a variety of techniques, such as illustrations from his life and that of Abraham, to encourage the Galatians to return to the pure gospel and avoid the legalism that false teachers were pushing on them. Ephesians The fifth of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, it was writ ten by Paul sometime during his imprisonment in Rome, around A. D. 60 to 62. The goal was to provide encouragement to the Christians of Ephesus to view themselves in a whole new way.They had once been idol-worshipers, involving in pagan activities and adhering to foolish philosophies. Now, Paul wanted them to realize that they were people in Christ. The text provides insight into what God wants for his followers, stresses unity within the church and among its believers, and provides the usual practical advice with regard to Christian living. Philippians The sixth of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, it was written by Paul around A. D. 60 to 62, while Paul was under house arrest awaiting trial regarding an appeal to the Emperor Nero.Philippi was the first place in European that Paul had begun a church, sometime around A. D. 50. He eventually moved on, but the people continued to express their devotion to him by offering aid to him whenever th ey could. Thus, when he was under house arrest, they sent him money to help with his living expenses. The letter was written to thank them for the help, as well as to warn them against false teachers and to urge them to be more unified. The text also contains one of the most prominent psalms of the Bible regarding praise to and for Jesus (2:5-11).Finally, it contains practical advice to help one reshape his or her thinking according to the ways of God. Colossians The seventh of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, it was also written during the time Paul was under house arrest. Geared toward the small Christian community founded by Epaphras, one of Paul’s disciples, in the small city of Colosse, the goal of the letter was emphasize the supremacy of Christ, which was being challenged by the appearance of a new religious philosophy called Gnosticism.This new philosophy was a mixture of Christian, Jewish and pagan beliefs that were beginnin g to take hold. Paul’s intention was to make it clear that the nature, identity, deity, and authority of Christ were unquestionable and unparalleled. Other aspects also touched on in the text include the various ways that one can develop and maintain attitudes and actions that honor Christ. 1 Thessalonians The eighth of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, this letter was written by Paul sometime around A. D. 50 to the Christian community in Thessalonica.Founded during his second missionary journey, Paul had been forced to leave the community due to violence and opposition against him. When he later received news of how well the community was thriving, he wrote this letter to them to commend them on their success, but also to advise them to clear up any misunderstandings that existed. The text thus provides guidelines on how Christians can live a holy life even if surrounded by hostility to their religious beliefs. It also touches on the aspect of eternal life, offering clues about the end times and the return of Christ to the Earth.2 Thessalonians The ninth of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, this second letter was written not too long after the first. Paul wrote it due to the impression he got that the Thessalonicans needed an extra dose of his advice with regard to their community. Several themes are touched upon in this letter: suffering, work, and the end times. This letter, in conjunction with the first one, provide for Christians then and now, a great deal of information with regard to what will happen in the end times.It could be said to be a precursor to the book of Revelations, which goes into greater detail about the end times. Finally, the text reminds all Christians that, though our earthly life is terminal, we have the hope of living eternally with Christ. 1 Timothy The tenth of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, this letter is different in that it was geared toward on specific person rather than a whole community. Timothy was a protege of Paul’s, and was now the leader of a small Christian community that was going through difficult times.Written shortly after Paul was released from jail sometime around A. D. 63 to 65, the letter offered Timothy specific guidelines on how to organize and run the church, as well as offered various practical solutions with regard to believers developing stronger relationships among themselves, as well as with their leaders and the world at large. Thus, the ultimate theme of the text is that a church requires unity in order to survive and prosper. 2 Timothy The eleventh of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, this second letter to Timothy was written around A. D.66 to 67, when Paul was once again in a Roman prison. This time, however, it was clear he would die in that prison. As a result, many of the people who had suppo rted him had now turned away from him. This letter, then, is considered to be one of the last written by Paul. In it, he demonstrates his concern not just for Timothy, but also for the Christian churches overall. He offers encouragement to the faithful, discusses various teachings of Christ and events that will occur in the last days of time, and ends with him giving Timothy his assignment – to spread the word of God – and closing remarks. TitusThe twelfth of thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, it was written to Titus by Paul sometime between A. D. 63 to 65, during his travels following his first release from prison. Titus was a protege of Paul, and had helped him start, organize, and lead several churches throughout the eastern half of the Roman Empire. The letter contains advice for Titus, who was now a young leader of a troubled church on the island of Crete. In it, Paul tells Titus to refute and ignore all false teachers, to work for the unity of his church, and to find good leaders for the church.It also provides guidelines for living a godly life, and emphasizes the power of faith with regarding to overcoming the problems of division and disharmony within the church. Finally, it puts forth the point that does who persevere in the face of difficulty will reap the benefits and rewards of their perseverance. Philemon The last of the thirteen letters offering advice and expounding on the teachings of Christ, it was written to Philemon by Paul between A. D. 60 and 62, while he was in prison. Philemon was a wealthy Christian who was part of the church at Colosse. One of his slaves – Onesimus – had run away from him.This same slave had come in contact with Paul while both were in a Roman prison. While there, Onesimus became a follower of Christ. After this, Paul decided to send the young man back to his former master, along with this letter asking for Philemon to forgive Onesimus. The hope Paul had was that Philemon would become a living example of the grace that all Christians receive through Christ. Thus, the text provides a riveting tale of the cost of asking for and granting forgiveness. It also demonstrates how important it is for Christians to realize they are all equal and acceptable in the eyes of Christ.Hebrews Hebrews is the first of eight additional letters within the New Testament. Written between A. D. 60 and 70, the author is not identified. Possible suggestions could be Paul, Barnabas, Luke, or Apollos. The purpose of the letter was to warn the early Jewish believers in and followers of Christ, who were suffering continual persecution, against reverting back to their Old Testament way of life. Throughout the letter, the author uses vivid illustrations from the Old Testament to demonstrate what God had done through Christ.There are strong emotional appeals to the Hebrews, the name initially used to refer to the Jews before they were called Israelites, to mai ntain the new covenant they had with Christ rather than revert back to the old one that had been made in the days of Noah, Abraham, and Jacob. These various connections and contrasts between the Old and New Testaments are meant to demonstrate the superiority of Christ and the new covenant made with him. Ultimately, the letter is meant to inspire all who read it to maintain their faith in Christ in all situations.James James is the second of eight additional letters within the New Testament. It is possible that this was the first book of the New Testament to have been written, sometime between A. D. 40 and 50. The letter was geared to the twelve tribes, and this could mean either the people of Israel that had now become followers of Christ or the church in a symbolic sense. It was meant to warn them against some of the habits they had developed which were undermining them: favoritism, slander, pride, the misuse of wealth, and impatience.The ultimate goal of the letter was to demonstr ate that, though one can believe in Christ, it is still possible to live the wrong way. However, it also shows that it is possible to turn belief in the right doctrine into right living. 1 Peter This first letter written by Peter is the third of eight additional letters within the New Testament. Composed sometime between A. D. 60 to 64, and geared to the Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor (modern Turkey), the letter was meant to encourage the early Christians in the face of the continual persecution they were facing.This persecution had scattered them, thus spreading their belief in Christ; however, some were beginning to feel abandoned by God. To understand why they would feel this way, the letter must be placed in its historical setting. When Christianity first emerged, the Roman government had allowed early Christians the same type of religious freedom they allowed the Jews. However, as tensions grew between Jewish and Christian beliefs, the tolerance for Christianity beg an decreasing. This decreased tolerance led to the Roman government’s persecution of Christians, including Peter, who endured imprisonment and beatings for his faith.Thus, the goal of the letter is to demonstrate how faith is tested through suffering, and can be strengthened by it. 2 Peter This second letter written by Peter is the fourth of eight additional letters within the New Testament. It was geared to the same people – Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor – and was written in Rome sometime between A. D. 64 and 68. This time, the purpose of the letter was to warn the people against false teachers that had begun to infiltrate various Christian communities.In doing so, Peter hoped that the warning would prevent the Christians from being taken in by the false teachings, and instead remain true and faithful to the word of God. Several key themes can be found throughout the letter: the need and importance of developing a Christian character, the importanc e of holding on to the truth, warnings against false teachers and prophets, and advice on how to live a life that is based on the return of Christ to Earth. 1 John The first of a series of letters written by John, who also wrote one of the four gospels, it is the fifth of eight additional letters within the New Testament.Written sometime in the A. D. 80s, when John was an old man, the letter was geared to a group of Christian communities near Ephesus. These communities were part of a springing up of Christian communities emerging after the first major wave of persecution Christians endured during the rule of the Roman Emperor Nero. Possibly the last surviving apostle, John wrote this to encourage these new Christian communities, and also as a sort of history and examination of the gains and losses of the early Christian church.Some of the themes covered in the letter include the following: the fact that God is the light and his followers must walk in that light to maintain a bond wi th him; loving your fellow man as Christ taught; having faith in the Son of God – Christ; and avoidance of anything that attempts to refute the teachings of God. He concludes by restating that Christians are the children of God, and that through Christ, we have an understanding of who God is and of the promise of eternal life he offers to those who believe in him. 2 JohnThe second of a series of letters written by John, it is the sixth of eight additional letters within the New Testament. It was most likely written shortly after the first letter, and was most likely meant to accompany the first letter. His goal in writing it was to help renew the commitment the Christians made to follow Christ by further exposure of false teachings, and to also encourage them to remain faithful to God. Thus, many of the themes covered in the first letter are touched on within this short follow-up letter.Also, it is something of a challenge to those who believe in God to make sure they are fir m in their faith. 3 John The last of a series of letters written by John, it is the seventh of eight additional letters within the New Testament. It was most likely written shortly after the second letter. However, unlike the first two geared to Christian communities in general, this letter is written specifically to Gaius, a friend of John’s. The letter served to commend Gaius for his faithful support of legitimate teachers, while warning him against the actions of a strong-minded leader by the name of Diotrephes.Again, many of the same themes touched on in the first letter are touched on in this letter. However, the primary focus is on walking in the light of God and living according to his teachings. Jude The last of eight additional letters, it was written by Jude, the half-brother of Jesus and full brother of James. Composed sometime around A. D. 65 or possibly earlier, Jude wrote it because he was concerned about the possibility of Christians being drawn to and taken in by the many false doctrines being put forth at the time.Therefore, he urged believes to maintain and fight for the Christian faith. Although brief, the letter provides direct warnings against turning away from God, while also touching on the many promises a life lived in the word of God can offer. Revelation The final book of the New Testament, and of the Bible as a whole, this was most likely written by John sometime around A. D. 90 to 96. The book went to the seven Christian communities located in Asia Minor, to warn them against letting go of their faith in Christ.It also reassured them of the ultimate victory of those who remain faithful over those who choose to live immorally. The text is considered to be apocalyptic narrative, due to its many prophecies. There is a great deal of imagery and symbolism, which are used to demonstrate how evil within the world will be replaced with the good and peacefulness of the kingdom of God. Thus, the ultimate message is that, ultimately, go od will defeat evil, and the world will revert back to what it had been before Adam and Eve committed the first sin.

Artist: Andy Warhol Essay

Perhaps no artist in American history has embraced ambiguity more willingly than Andy Warhol. To this day, scholarly interpretations of his multi-faceted creative output struggle to define Warhol’s essential aesthetic, and also to resolve the central debate relative to his artistic career, which centers around crucial definitions of â€Å"pop art† and â€Å"avant garde† expression. Warhol, regarded by many as an apologist for twentieth century American culture, receives an equal portion of accolade for being twentieth century American culture’s most accomplished satirist and critic. As an artist with â€Å"roots in commercial design, who, by 1965, was already a celebrity commanding large commissions and shows in major galleries† Warhol occupied a unique aesthetic position which allowed him to forward a number of ground-breaking artistic works which disturb â€Å"the image of Pop as a crass, commercial cousin to the more genuinely radical movements of the period† while remaining a successful capitalist and popular celebrity-artist. (Rifkin 647) Warhol remains a â€Å"leading exponent of the pop art movement,† which is viewed by art historians and critics as an important movement in the mid-twentieth century. Warhol’s use of â€Å"commonplace objects such as dollar bills, soup cans, soft-drink bottles, and soap-pad boxes† is his paintings, collages, and other works emphasized what was then considered a bold new voice in experimental art. paradoxically, the â€Å"experimental† attributes of this new art drew their origin from common, everyday cultural objects, with which Warhol seemed to be attempting to â€Å"ridicule and to celebrate American middle-class values by erasing the distinction between popular and high culture† while simultaneously attempting to blur or erase the line between popular expression and experimental techniques. (â€Å"Warhol, Andy†) In addition to blurring the lines between pop-art and avant garde experimentalism, Warhol also blurred the lines between the personal and impersonal in his art. His idiom incorporated elements of modern society, particularly repetitiveness and â€Å"emptiness† which played equally visceral roles in the impact of his works. In doing so, Warhol admitted into his art, a personal element which often made us of erotic and sexual themes, but which were expressed by way of an intermediary medium or set of contemporary images which seemed to be rife with symbolic association but which might just as easily comprise merely a clever pastiche or surface-level recapitulation of social mores and icons. Warhol produced â€Å"multi-image, mass-produced silk-screen paintings: for many of these, such as the portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy, he employed newspaper photographs† which allowed for an impersonal medium and yet which produced indelible, iconic visual statements. (â€Å"Warhol, Andy†) Warhol’s idiom developed from his lived-experience. Rather than utilize his personal life for theme and subject matter, he incorporated his biographical experiences: those of a Bohemian, East-coast avant-gard artist into his techniques and in to his supporting cast of assistants. In the 1960’s Warhol â€Å"and his assistants worked out of a large New York studio dubbed the â€Å"Factory. † In the mid-1960s Warhol began making films, suppressing the personal element in marathon essays on boredom. In The Chelsea Girls (1966), a seven-hour voyeuristic look into hotel rooms, he used projection techniques that constituted a startling divergence from established methods. Among his later films are Trash (1971) and L’Amour (1973). With Paul Morrissey, in 1974 Warhol also made the films Frankenstein and Dracula. In 1973, Warhol launched the magazine Interview, a publication centered upon his fascination with the cult of the celebrity. † (â€Å"Warhol, Andy†) The influence of his life upon Warhol’s notions of compositional methods gained reinforcement from similar avant-gard artists, poets, and publishers in the 1960’s. Many of Warhol’s associates â€Å"Floating Bear, and Ed Sanders’s Fuck You: A Magazine of the Arts transmitted gossip and/as new literary works; for the extended community who read them, the little magazines functioned as a kind of group epistolary romance† which indicated the juxtapositioning of biography and artistic expression. As such, the â€Å"fast-paced intimacy of these productions appealed to Warhol, who worked to integrate these attributes of the mimeograph medium, as well as the personalities who populated the journals, into the production and distribution of his early films† and also, into his photographically inspired portraits and other paintings which had revitalized a thought-to-be-dying sub-genre. (Rifkin 647) So, in some ways, Warhol seemed to be acting directly against the contemporary social mores of his time: he was openly homosexual, lived as a Bohemian reveler, with a reputation for excess and he made dramatically ambiguous public statements which seemed to stoke the fires of controversy, he was also a self-professed lover of contemporary culture and pop-culture. A good case in point is Warhol’s famous response to â€Å"Gerard Malanga’s â€Å"Andy Warhol on Automation: An Interview,† originally printed in Chelsea magazine in 1968: â€Å"Q. How will you meet the challenge of automation? A. By becoming part of it† (Pratt, 37). In the end, Warhol’s statement about automation is both self-effacing and self-elevating; he is suggesting, in fact, that he not only understands the ways and means of contemporary culture but understands how to submit to it in order to glean artistic and creative insight and power, but he is also admitting to a denial (or subsuming) of the individual into the non-personal culture as a whole. For example, Warhol said he â€Å"thought that â€Å"making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art† and recommended that in love affairs we follow at least one rule: â€Å"I’ll pay you if you pay me. † (null18) Warhol’s comments frequently invited cultural projection; that is, his statements allowed an individual or group of individuals to foist their own beliefs onto his words. This is a similar operative method which propels most of his important creative work as well. Warhol seemingly understood the public persona to be a function of artistic expression– and vice-versa. At play in all of Warhol’s works is â€Å"an interaction between Warhol’s supposed subjectlessness and the suspicion that this is, in fact, an impossibility. The desire to penetrate this impassivity has inflected much of the critical and art historical commentary on Warhol as well, where a dialectic frequently unfolds between the attempt to define the artist’s meaning and the tacit assumption that neither he nor his art will provide the means to do so. † (Joseph) In order to understand Warhol’s work or his life, it is necessary to conceded that they are absolutely inseparable. â€Å"In a large portion of the writing on Warhol, the result is an analysis that cedes to projection, with the overall impression being one of an ineffectual and unenlightening hermeneutic spinning out of control. â€Å"[I]t’s often impossible to distinguish the authentic Warhol from the act,† which, of course, concedes another fact: that Warhol’s expressive and creative techniques alone may fail to rise to the level of enduring and meaningful art sans the impact of his public persona and biographical details. (Joseph) From this perspective, many of Warhol’s attempted works, from his dozens of films, to his thousands of silk-screens and sketches, may be of less intrinsic value than is widely supposed: â€Å"the role of avant-gardes has always been, as John Ashbery maintained in his founding article on Pop, to â€Å"call attention †¦ to the ambiguity of the artistic experience, to the crucial confusion about the nature of art† rather than to express, with finality, assumptions about the form and function of art, per se. (Rifkin 647) Warhol seems forever poised between these two worlds: the world of the pop-artist with its attending celebrity and riches and the world of the avant gard experimentalist with its womb-like world of underground poetry, music, theater and â€Å"fringe† characters of all kinds. Against this central dichotomy, Warhol’s aesthetic emerges like a spiderweb over a canyon and anyone attempting to cross over upon it, including, perhaps, Warhol himself is probably doomed to experience a very long fall. Part of the fall is in the â€Å"challenge still posed by the core of Warhol’s art is that of articulating the means by which meaning is produced in the midst of such impassability. If Warhol’s archive stands as a sort of metonym of its subject, then the profusion and disparity of materials within justly calls to mind one of the most famous maxims from The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (from A to B and Back Again): â€Å"I never fall apart because I never fall together. † (Joseph) A paradigm for Warhol’s unique melding of popular and avant garde techniques is his famous works in portraiture. This genre where he so famously distinguished himself also shows his propensity for making profitable art, and for celebrating the celebrity social worlds he so loved. His reinvention of portraiture, though viewed as astonishingly radical, simply incorporated the most modern of new visual technologies at the time: the photograph, to revitalize what had been a dead genre of patining and visual art. Warhol’s conclusion was that â€Å"the best method of electrifying the old-master portrait tradition with sufficient energy to absorb the real, living world was, now that we see it in retrospect, painfully obvious. The most commonplace source of visual information about our famous contemporaries is, after all, the photographic image, whether it comes from the pages of the Daily News or Vogue. † (Rosenblum 208) However, viewed closely, Warhol’s most famous work: his Marilyn Monroe portrait, reveals itself as much more classically inspired than its radical reputation would suggest : â€Å"No less than the medieval spectator who accepted as fact the handmade images of Christian characters who enacted their dramas within the holy precincts of church walls, we today have all learned to accept as absolute truth these machine-made photographic images of our modern heroes and heroines. When Warhol took a photographic silkscreen of Marilyn Monroe’s head ( fig. 126 ), set it on gold paint, and let it float on high in a timeless, spaceless heaven (as Busby Berkeley had done in 1943 for a similarly decapitated assembly of movie stars in the finale of The Gang’s All Here), he was creating, in effect, a secular saint for the 1960s that might well command as much earthly awe and veneration. (Rosenblum 208) Such interpretations provide a rich glimpse into the ambiguity of expression, the fusion of opposites, which Warhol achieved with brilliancy during his extraordinarily diverse and celebrated career. Warhol presented an enigma, perhaps, but one which stripped of its mystery, still revealed merely a poker-faced perceiver of contemporary America — or not. Just as easily, Warhol could be viewed as a visionary Bohemian, a gay-rights activists and a visionary of underground culture. That he could paint â€Å"simultaneously Warren Beatty and electric chairs, Troy Donahue and race riots, Marilyn Monroe and fatal car crashes, may seem the peculiar product of a perversely cool and passive personality until we realize that this numb, voyeuristic view of contemporary life, in which the grave and the trivial, the fashionable and the horrifying, blandly coexist as passing spectacles, is a deadly accurate mirror of a commonplace experience in modern art and life. † (Rosenblum 210) Works Cited â€Å"Warhol, Andy. † The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. 2004. Joseph, Branden W. â€Å"The Critical Response to Andy Warhol. † Art Journal 57.4 (1998): 105+. Leung, Simon. â€Å"And There I Am: Andy Warhol and the Ethics of Identification. † Art Journal 62. 1 (2003): 4+. Mattick, Paul. Art & Its Time: Theories and Practices of Modern Aesthetics. New York: Routledge, 2003. Pop out: Queer Warhol. Ed. Jennifer Doyle, Jonathan Flatley, and JosE Esteban MuNoz. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1996. Pratt, Alan R. The Critical Response to Andy Warhol. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997. Rifkin, Libbie. â€Å"Andy Warhol, Poetry and Gossip in the 1960s. † Criticism 40. 4 (1998): 647. Rosenblum, Robert. Selected Essays Selected Essays. New York: Harry N. Abrams Publishers, 1999.