How Christian Sects Atoned for Racism in the Church

Racism has infiltrated  every sector in the United States—the armed forces,  schools, housing and, yes, even the church. After the civil rights movement, a number of religious denominations began to racially integrate. In the 21st century, several Christian sects have apologized for their role in supporting slavery, segregation and other forms of racism in the church. The Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church are just a few of the Christian denominations that have admitted to engaging in discriminatory practices and announced that they would instead strive to promote social justice. Heres  how the church has attempted to atone  for acts of racism. Southern Baptists Split From Past The Southern Baptist Convention arose after Baptists in the North and the South clashed on the issue of slavery in 1845. The Southern Baptists are the largest Protestant denomination in the country and are known for not only backing slavery but also racial segregation. In June 1995, however, the Southern Baptists apologized for supporting racial injustice. At its yearly meeting in Atlanta, the Southern Baptists passed a resolution â€Å"to repudiate historic acts of evil, such as slavery, from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest.† The group also specifically apologized to African Americans â€Å"for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism in our lifetime, and we genuinely repent of racism of which we have been guilty, whether consciously or unconsciously.† In June 2012, the Southern Baptist Convention garnered headlines for making racial progress after electing a black pastor, Fred Luter Jr., its president. Methodist Church Seeks Forgiveness For Racism United Methodist Church officials have  confessed to centuries of racism.  Delegates to its general conference in 2000 apologized to black churches that fled from the church because of bigotry. â€Å"Racism has lived like a malignancy in the bone marrow of this church for years,† said Bishop William Boyd Grove. â€Å"It is high time to say we’re sorry.† Blacks were among the first Methodists in the United States back in the 18th century, but the issue of slavery divided the church along regional and racial lines. Black Methodists ended up forming the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church because white Methodists excluded them. As recently as the 1960s, white Methodist churches in the South banned blacks from worshipping with them. Episcopal Church Apologizes for Involvement in Slavery At its 75th general convention in 2006, the Episcopal Church apologized for supporting the institution of slavery. The church issued a resolution declaring that the institution of slavery â€Å"is a sin and a fundamental betrayal of the humanity of all persons who were involved.† The church acknowledged that slavery was a sin in which it had partaken. â€Å"The Episcopal Church lent the institution of slavery its support and justification based on Scripture, and after slavery was formally abolished, the Episcopal Church continued for at least a century to support de jure and de facto segregation and discrimination,† the church confessed in its resolution. The church apologized for its history of racism and asked for forgiveness. Moreover, it directed its Committee on Anti-Racism to monitor the church’s ties to slavery and segregation and had its presiding bishop name a Day of Repentance to acknowledge its wrongdoing. Catholic Officials Deem Racism Morally Wrong Officials in the Catholic Church acknowledged that racism was morally questionable as far back as 1956, when other churches routinely practiced racial segregation. That year, New Orleans Archbishop Joseph Rummel penned the pastoral â€Å"The Morality of Racial Segregation† in which he stated, â€Å"Racial segregation as such is morally wrong and sinful because it is a denial of the unity-solidarity of the human race as conceived by God in the creation of Adam and Eve.† He announced that the Catholic Church would cease to practice segregation in its schools. Decades after Rummel’s groundbreaking pastoral, Pope John Paul II begged God’s forgiveness for several sins the church condoned, including racism.

Essay about Arjuna in the Bhagavad-Gita - 945 Words

Over the course of time in literature, movies, and in reality humans have come across heroes. A hero is not so easily defined though. Is it someone who saves others in dire need? Or maybe it’s someone who defeats the bad guy and gets the girl. It could be an awesome parent or friend or another relative who’s a good role model for someone. A credible definition of a hero can be seen if an observation is placed towards western culture. Heroes are depicted as bigger than life figures that defy the odds and always come on top, with happy endings most often. Their personalities can be bold, arrogant, and almost always carry an undeniable sense of justice. Although it can be out of context based on differences in religion and culture, these†¦show more content†¦Gita details its main protagonist, Arjuna, as he leads his troops into battle. Arjuna is a Sandava prince, who frequently wages war against the enemies of his people. Context clues suggest that this story see s a hero possibly as one who is willing to wage war, or whatever they are called to do, with the reward coming in the form of individually moving closer to nirvana, or enlightenment. A true hero carries out his duties for the sake of those in harm’s way, reward or not. Arjuna does not fit that mold because he carried out his duty on Krishna’s whim. He is a prince who wages war constantly, but not necessarily for heroic purposes, but was simply doing what Krishna had persuaded him to do, with more or less no moral reasoning behind it, other than Krishna’s words. â€Å"If you fail to wage this war of sacred duty, you will only abandon your duty and fame only to gain evil(36).† In doing so Arjuna resembles a soldier falling in line to a higher authority, simply a small pawn in a much grander scheme. Based on the actions of Arjuna before the battle and his ongoing conversation with the god Krishna, Arjuna cannot be considered a hero. In the early stages of the epic, the reader sees Arjuna filled with confusion and grief over his present battle. He must wage war against fathers, grandfathers, uncles, teachers, and friends. He is filled with grief because he does not understand why he must wage war against his kinsmen. â€Å"Dejected, filled withShow MoreRelatedThe Ethical And Moral Dilemma Of The Bhagavad Gita Arjuna910 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout The Bhagavad-Gita, Arjuna is invariably challenged with the ethical dilemma of war and the inevitably of physical demise. Arjuna must commit himself to his own morals and ethics, which appease his physical and emotional desires, or allow them to be driven and guided by the will of Brahman. Despite the clear path presented by Krishna, this is not a decision that can come come easily or instantaneously to Arjuna, and The Bhagavad-Gita records the arduous conversation between Arjuna and KrishnaRead MoreThe Epic Bhagavad Gita By The Scribe Veda Vyasa1223 Words   |  5 Pagesto never exist. In the epic Bhagavad Gita by the scribe Veda Vyasa, the theme of reincarnation is portrayed by Lord Krishna, telling a young warrior named Arjuna, to not dwell on the physical nature of this world because it can all be born again. In the Hindu religion, karma exists, which means whatever acts have been acted upon and whatever thoughts have been though having created an impression on the physical nature of the world and in the infinite universe. Arjuna is in the midst of chargingRead MoreThe Bhagavad Gita Essay861 Words   |  4 Pages The Bhagavad Gita as translated by Juan Mascaro is a poem based on ancient Sanskrit literature contained in eighteen chapters. The period of time, around which it was written, although it is merely an educated guess, was approximately 500 BCE. â€Å"†¦there are a few archaic words and expressions, some of the greatest scholars have considered it pre-Buddhistic, i.e. about 500 BC,† (Bhagavad Gita, xxiv). This quote is found in the introduction to the book and further explains that the exact time it wasRead MoreComparing Buddhism And The Bhagavad1453 Words   |  6 PagesBuddhism and the Bhagavad GÄ «tÄ  Early Buddhism and the Bhagavad GÄ «tÄ  have a wide array similarities and differences. Both Buddhism and the Gita deal with an inner struggle. We see Arjuna dealing with the struggle of whether or not he should murder his family in order to obtain a kingdom. In Buddhism, we see the inner struggle as the quest to find nirvana and the pain that is the very act of living. Although there are some similarities, the differences between Buddhism and the Gita are clear. One ofRead MoreMorality and Spirituality in The Book Bhagavad Gita Essay1084 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches Arjuna how to reach the highest stage of spirituality, and ultimately the divine God. Krishna gives Arjuna a clear road map to follow so he can reach this goal. Yoga is the main tool to obtain spirituality and it takes a lot of hard work and true determination to do so. The main part of reaching spirituality is to depart this world and sense objects, and build strong morals. Upon giving up worldly desire, one cannot but seek the Devine and by seeking GodRead MoreSelf Denial In Bhagavad Gita1106 Words   |  5 PagesThe Bhagavad-Gita and Self Denial While reading the Bhagavad-Gita, I found it interesting how different the meanings of self-denial were in Hinduism and Christianity. 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Gavin McClung â€Å"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.† -Eleanor Roosevelt The Bhagavad Gita has been estimated to have been in existence since

Greatest Threats to the Environment in Russia Free Essays

Report Greatest threats to the environment in Russia Russia has major environmental problems left from the Soviet Union. Those ills have been developing for years and years. Air, water and soil are equally polluted. We will write a custom essay sample on Greatest Threats to the Environment in Russia or any similar topic only for you Order Now Air quality Russia’s air is among the most polluted in the world. According to the estimate only tiny percentage of urban population breathes the air that is not harmful. Level of air pollution is dangerous, especially for the inhabitants of large industrial cities such as Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and many others. Every year there are more and more cars in large cities and their emissions worsen the quality of the air. Water quality Poor potable water quality Is a major concern. Nearly all Russian rivers and lakes are polluted both by industrial and household sewage. Paper factories taint the water of the largest Russian lakes LadoJskoe and Baikal. Water In the river Volga Is so dirty that It Is now unsuitable even for Irrigation. Soil and forests Land quality Is declining. Considerable amount of agricultural land have been ontaminated by Industrial toxic agents, pesticides, and agricultural chemicals. Chernobyl disaster caused radioactive contamination of vast territory. Coniferous forests In Siberia are disappearing because of acid rains, pollution and fires. Forests In Chernobyl area are polluted with radioactive element, therefore fires there are even more likely than In Siberia. Solutions Ecological problems are difficult to be solved. For example, forests In Chernobyl area cannot be decontaminated. Nevertheless If government understand the Importance f ecology and Invest large amounts of money Into the solutions of environmental problems, lots of things can be done to make air, water and soll cleaner. Poor potable water quality is a major concern. Nearly all Russian rivers and lakes are the largest Russian lakes LadoJskoe and Baikal. Water in the river Volga is so dirty that it is now unsuitable even for irrigation. Land quality is declining. Considerable amount of agricultural land have been contaminated by industrial toxic agents, pesticides, and agricultural chemicals. rests in Siberia are disappearing because of acid rains, pollution and fires. Forests in Chernobyl area are polluted with radioactive element, therefore fires there are even more likely than in Siberia. Solutions Ecological problems are difficult to be solved. For example, forests in Chernobyl area cannot be decontaminated. Nevertheless if government understand the importance of ecology and invest large amount s of money into the solutions of environmental problems, lots of things can be done to make air, water and soil cleaner. How to cite Greatest Threats to the Environment in Russia, Papers

Transition between Life and Afterlife Analyzing The Triumph of Death in the Camposanto of Pisa Essay Example For Students

Transition between Life and Afterlife: Analyzing The Triumph of Death in the Camposanto of Pisa Essay What is more vivid and earthly than death? It is very easy to represent death as the landing place of a process, as we can see in many works of art of the Western world. One thinks of the Death of Marat painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1793 à °fig. 1Þ, where the wan body of the revolutionary man, with a visible wound on his chest, lies in his bathtub just after his murder. The bloody dagger, abandoned by the killer, Charlotte Corday, lies near the leaning arm of Marat. Jacques-Louis David, Death of Marat, 1793, oil on canvas, Musà ©es Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels. day, lies near the leaning arm of Marat. This is one of the most popular representations of a dead body, which is directly linked with the Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio (1602–3) for the position of the arm in the foreground. David introduces the quotation from Caravaggio to sublimate hispolitical hero into an â€Å"alter Christus,† a new unreligious martyr. Nevertheless, both artists painted the body of the two protagonists—Jean-Paul Marat and Jesus Christ—as seen soon after death. We can see corpses in various works of art of different ages and different subjects, religious or not: battles, wars, depositions, entombments, Pietà  , slaughters of the innocents, and many others. A dead body itself does not involve problems of representation of transcendence. If, however, death is meant not as an ending point but as a transformation, a transition between life and afterlife, the theoretical problem is more complex. The passing away of a human body clearly shows signs of death as a process: but the visual arts—except cinema— cannot represent the exact moment of expiring; they can only get very close to it. This is a specific case of a general problem concerning the representation of time in â€Å"planar semiotics.† Literary art and visual art work in different ways, as Gotthold Ephraim Lessing recognized studying the Laocoà ¶n à °1766Þ: the narration of the former can follow the story in its process, while visual art must have a simultaneous narration, because its planar medium is, in some way, a limit to expression. Being a still medium, painting concerns spatial but not temporal dimensions; for instance, to correlate events happening in different times, the categories â€Å"before† and â€Å"after† are inferred by the beholder thanks to the logical relations between the places where static signs are arranged by the painter. But the artist who wants to re present a single action knows that it contains different phases, which can be schematized as â€Å"beginning,† â€Å"climax,† and â€Å"the end.† Climax is the moment of maximum tension—an instant infinitely short—and, concentrating on it, the artist summarizes the two extremities of the action, â€Å"before† and â€Å"after† à °Calabrese 2006cÞ. It is an excellent expedient to introduce the passing of time in the still medium of painting à °Corrain 1987Þ. Even photography has the same semiotic problem. The famous picture Loyalist Militiaman at the Moment of Death à °1936Þ by Robert Capa shows the effect of shooting on the body of an anarchist during the Spanish Civil War.4 Looking at this work in 1954, Louis Aragon admired the incredible ability of his friend â€Å"to capture forever, thanking his camera, the thin line between life and death† à °Whelan 2001Þ. Because of the exceptional nature of this picture, it was supposed not to be a live shot but the result of a mise-en-scà ¨ne sought after by the Hungarian photographer. Nowadays, after long research in local archives and interviews with veterans this interpretation has been demolished, and it has been confirmed that this picture was taken exactly in the instant of shooting.5 The militiaman did not pose for this photograph, and Capa came incredibly close to the point of no return, the climax of the action. Getting back to painting, the iconography of Crucifixion is one of the most vivid examples of the challenge of representing the infinitely short instant of passing away. In different ages artists have tried to approach the final act à °the climaxÞ, emphasizing some important signs of suffering, such as tension, contortion of the body, and pale skin tone à °Calabrese 2006bÞ, characteristics, among others, of the famous Grà ¼newald Crucifixion à °fig. 3Þ. Indeed, the rep resentation of the moment of death is a problem of passions, â€Å"because it involves a certain aspectuality of suffering à °inchoateness of agony, punctuality of the act of dying, durativeness of being deadÞ† à °Calabrese 2006a, 101Þ. These linguistic categories, adopted by generative semiotics for the visual arts, could be used to refine the three phases of an action à °Ã¢â‚¬Å"beginning,† â€Å"climax,† and â€Å"the end†ÃƒÅ¾.6 While the above-mentioned Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio and the Death of Marat by David concern the last phase—the durativeness of being dead—many Crucifixions focused on the punctuality of the act of dying. In general, this iconography stimulates the viewer to think about the suffering of Christ as a man, but also of his forthcoming resurrection. Trying to capture the exact moment of expiring means that death is conceived of as the crucial point of transformation from life to afterlife. And in most Crucifixions this process is supposed to be seen in the body of the actor à °the suffering ChristÞ. These theoretical aspects are fundamental to the analysis of the medieval representation of death—expressly its personification—which, ho wever, is very different from the above-mentioned iconographies. We are talking about the Triumph of Death à °fig. 4Þ frescoed by Buonamico Buffalmacco in Pisa, probably between 1336 and 1341. Traditionally, the unusual presence of the evil figure, fluttering with its large scythe under groups of people, dead and alive, was supposed to be the main subject of the painting; so it was wrongly interpreted as a depiction of the terrible plague of 1348, and its dating has only recently been corrected.8 The aim of this article is to demonstrate that the real subject of this work of art is the representation of a nonrepresentable transcendence, the passage from life to afterlife: the meaning of Death does not lie properly in its feature but in its function, because it acts as an agent of transformation between two realms.9 Also, the Crucifixion leads to the hereafter, but it concerns the life of the Son of God as an exemplum for everyone. In the Buffalmacco fresco, on the other hand, the transition acts from the life of humankind to its future salvation or damnation. In both cases death is meant as a transformation, but while the Crucifixion shows it in the climax of the suffering Christ,Buffalmacco shows it in a very complex arrangement of spaces and times. Outline1 The Workyard of the Graveyard2 The Vanishing of Earthly Times and the Eternal Consistence of Heavenly Life3 What Is Written Here?4 The Other Narration of the â€Å"Figures of Framing†5 The Consequences of Death The Workyard of the Graveyard In order to understand the Triumph of Death it is necessary to be reminded of its original destination: the Camposanto of Pisa, the monumental cemetery built in the Piazza del Duomo after the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Leaning Tower à °Baracchini and Castelnuovo 1996Þ. It was commissioned by the archbishop Federico Visconti and was begun in 1277 by the architect Giovanni di Simone. It is a roofed-over building, because it was conceived of not just as the burial place of important people but also as the storage for Roman sarcophagi gathered around the cathedral in the early Middle Ages à °Carli and Arias 1937; Settis 1984Þ. The Camposanto has a rectangular shape with a central courtyard and four galleries all around. As we can see from the map à °fig. 5Þ, along the inside walls of the galleries different artists realized the largest cycle of frescoes of the time: it is a well-structured program, composed of different subjects coming from the Old and the New Testaments, the lives of local saints, and two interesting â€Å"exceptions.† The pictorial decoration of the Camposanto started with the local painter Francesco Traini à °Caleca 1986Þ. Around 1330 he was asked to fresco the great Crucifixion à °fig. 6Þ behind the altar, where religious functions were celebrated at the beginning of the fourteenth century.10 Inside this building Traini did not execute more than this fresco. In fact, the Florentine Buffalmacco, a friend of Giovanni Boccaccio and Franco Sacchetti and protagonist of some of their tales,11 was probably invited to realize three stories of the life of Christ after death o n the left side of Traini’s painting: Resurrection, Incredulity of Saint Thomas, and Ascension of Christ à °fig. 7Þ. On the other side of the Crucifixion, on the southern gallery, Buffalmacco painted the most famous and largest cycle of frescoes of the Camposanto: the Triumph of Death, the Last Judgment à °fig. 8Þ, and the Thebais à °fig. 9Þ, showing several episodes from the lives of the Holy Fathers in the desert. The Triumph of Death and the Thebais are the iconographic â€Å"exceptions† of the whole program; in fact, these stories are taken neither from the Old and the New Testaments nor from the lives of saints. Many other painters followed, and the main decoration ended with Benozzo Gozzoli, who worked in Pisa for almost twenty years in the second half of the fifteenth century.12 The high humidity of the place and the exhalations coming from the graves seriously damaged all the frescoes inside the Camposanto, which has been continuously restored and partially altered. Since the beginning, the graveyard has been a never-ending workyard. Between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Camposanto became a favorite place of travelers, and we have a large number of descriptions in literature and the figurative arts.13 In 1812 the scholar Carlo Lasinio à °1759–1855Þ etched all the frescoes in forty plates,14 intending to record their status, but obviously giving his own int erpretation to these works of arts. Lasinio drew every single story, avoiding reproducing the frames painted around each one of them. Carlo Lasinio, Last Judgment by Buonamico Buffalmacco in the Camposanto, 1812,engraving. Reproduced from Lasinio Lasinio’s books of etchings were published in many languages, and travelers doing the Grand Tour arrived in larger numbers year after year, mostly to see the Triumph of Death, described by the Baedekers. At the end of the nineteenth century, a detailed photographic campaign of every story, illustrating also the painted frames, was realized with the same conservative purpose of the engravings. This is a fundamental documentation left to us, because on July 27, 1944, during the Second World War, a terrible fire destroyed the roof of the building, ruining many sarcophagi and most of the frescoes, some of which soon collapsed. These old pictures became the only sources available for restoring the image of the paintings and part of the architecture. After the war, but still in a situation of emergency, the restorers first—because of its celebrity—detached the Triumph of Death from the wall, and afterward the Last Judgment and the Thebais, bringing them to their labora tories à °Baracchini 1996Þ. They forgot the painted frames, while the other frescoes were detached in the following years; and in the 1960s a special exhibition room was built next to the Camposanto in order to display these stories by Buffalmacco.Recently, a new restoration is bringing the frescoes back to their original place within the external galleries, as will also happen in the near future to the Buffalmacco cycle. The Vanishing of Earthly Times and the Eternal Consistence of Heavenly Life Entering the Camposanto before July 27, 1944, we would have found the wide painted surface of the Thebais on our right hand à °fig. 5Þ. Walking along the gallery, seeing the Crucifixion in front of us, we would have reached first of all the Hell with the Last Judgment, and then the Triumph of Death. Apart from the Crucifixion, the narrow gallery did not allow a frontal general view of all the frescoes, and the viewer had to concentrate only on single episodes à °Caleca 1996Þ. This cycle was conceived by Buffalmacco to be seen in this way because he decided to use all the space available, without dividing it in two stories as he did on the eastern gallery for the Resurrection and the Incredulity of Saint Thomas. This interesting morphological choice invites us to examine the relation between the movement of the beholder and the architectural space of the gallery in connection with the medieval conception of time and space. Buffalmacco arranged the stories of Christ after death in order to let the beholder have a complete overview in spite of the narrowness of the gallery. But why did he not make the same choice for the cycle of the Triumph of Death? Probably one of the answers is Buffalmacco’s unusual subjects. The audience of that time was used to recognize the Resurrection, for example, as a singular scene with a specific iconography, isolated from the other episodes of the New Testament. The same audience was not equally familiar with the advent of death and its consequences, neither with the episodes of the Holy Fathers in the desert. At this point the movement of the beholder becomes crucial, because this part of the southern gallery was a sort of nave with the main altar underneath the Crucifixion. Several processions of Flagellants’ brotherhoods are documented in the first half of the fourteenth century, and the faithful walked along the nave from the Thebais to the presbytery, thus having a partial view of singular episodes.16 The peculiar architectural space and its religious function suggested to Buffalmacco to set several stories in different places, where various groups of people play a single act of th e whole drama. This arrangement reproduces the traditional setting of medieval theater called loci deputati à °designated placesÞ where single episodes of the story were staged à °Molinari 1961; Mervyn 1983; Bernardi 1991Þ. During Holy Week, for instance, a procession passed through the town, every square became the stage for a particular episode of the Passion, and the spectator could move from one place to another following a discontinuous temporal line; we can find visual translations of this theatrical conception in several paintings, as well as in later Northern European works such as The Passion of Christ by Memling à °fig. 10Þ. In the medieval conception, space and time are phenomenal categories in strict correspondence with transcendence à °Schlosser 1923Þ. Any episode of the Triumph of Death works as an exemplum à °moral exampleÞ, a warning to the faithful to look within and to think about our fleeting nature: this is the general theme that brings all the episodes toget her, although they do not necessarily have a narrative consequence. Some of the episodes, instead, are connected with other frescoes that Buffalmacco realized in the southern gallery à °Last Judgment, Hell, and ThebaisÞ, summarizing or anticipating their iconographies Hans Memling, Scenes from the Passion of Christ, 1470–71, oil on panel, GalleriaSabauda, Turin. Present time echoes metaphysical time; and the Triumph of Death represents both, arranging the external world in the lower level and the transcendent world in the higher level. This is very clear from looking at the historical photograph, because it is the only way to get a general overview, otherwise impossible. In fact, the faithful, just as the modern visitor, could only get a view of groups of characters or â€Å"squares,† starting from the so-called Three Dead and Three Living à °fig. 11Þ, on the very left side of the Triumph. Here is depicted the durativeness of death: a group of twelve young noblemen, riding horses during a hawking expedition, meet three corpses in different stages of decomposition.17 The corpses lie in superimposed coffins showing the ravages of time: the first corpse, most recently dead, shows a fresh-skin face and is smartly dressed with an elegant hat and footwear; the second wears a crown, being probably a king, and its appearance looks very de teriorated; the third is already a skeleton and lies very close to the beholder, turning the gaze toward him. In the central scene a group of beggars à °fig. 12Þ invokes the personification of Death, hanging in the air not so far from them. They turn their back on the preceding scene à °Three Dead and Three LivingÞ and orient their gestures, gazes, and a long scroll to the right side,18 with the following rhymes in early Italian: â€Å"Because prosperity has left us / Death, cure for every pain, / Come and give us the last supper!†19 This part of the fresco acts as a turning point, and it is marked also by a rocky landscape à °fig. 13Þ. At the foot of the triangular cliff of the mountain various corpses are amassed. Shrek is love Shrek is life EssayThe other side of this definition is â€Å"to show, to exhibit something present† à °352, emphasis addedÞ, and this process is an act of self-presentation by the image identifying the thing represented as such: â€Å"In other words, to represent means to present oneself representing something. Every representation, every representational sign, every signifying process thus includes two dimensions, which I am in the habit of calling, in the first case, reflexive—to present oneself—and, in the second case, transitive—to represent something† à °Marin  ½1994 2001, 352, emphasis addedÞ. The frame facilitates the mimetic or transitive dimension of representation; at the same time it takes charge of its reflexive dimension. Because every frame completes the picture in its finality, as it is to be seen, shown, and exhibited, it concerns a process of communication or, better, a relation with the beholder. So the frame activates a process of â€Å"presentation† and â€Å"putting on stage† the work, indicating what to look at. The presentative role of the frame could also be played by other elements, very different from a visual point of view, like painted curtains or figures that indicate something in the scene or look at the beholder. They can be inside the space of the narration and not necessarily inside the large space of the painted frame à °as in the Buffalmacco frescoÞ, but their function is the same. These elements are what Marin calls â€Å"figures of framing†: â€Å"This is also how the frame à °by this I mean the processes and procedures of framing, the dynamics and power of positioningÞ will delegate some of its functions to a particular figure, who, even as he participates in the action, in the story that is ‘told,’ ‘represented,’ will utter by his gestures, his posture, his gaze, not so much what is to be seen, what the vi ewer must see, as the way to see it: these are pathetic figures of framing† à °Marin  ½1994 2001, 358Þ.56 If the mimetic dimension prevails, the work of art seems to be able to speak by itself, creating an â€Å"effect of objectivity.† On the contrary, if the presentative dimension prevails, the work of art shows the mechanism that makes the representation happen and there is an â€Å"effect of subjectivity.†57 These concepts recall the theory of â€Å"visual enunciation† that Marin elaborated based on Benveniste’s â€Å"written enunciation† à °Benveniste 1966, 1974Þ: in language, the effects of objectivity à °Ã¢â‚¬Å"narrative enunciation†ÃƒÅ¾ and subjectivity à °Ã¢â‚¬Å"discursive enunciation† Þ depend, among others, on the personal forms of the word â€Å"he† à °effect of objectivityÞ as well as â€Å"I/you† à °effect of subjectivityÞ and on the circumstantial demonstrative adverbs linked with them à °Ã¢â‚¬Å"that† for â€Å"he,† â€Å"this† for â€Å"I/you†ÃƒÅ¾.58 Inside a work of a rt, for example, characters looking at us or pointing out something establish a relationship â€Å"I/you,† creating an effect of subjectivity. They also appear in the Triumph of Death, inside the space of the narration and inside the rhombus within the horizontal frames. These â€Å"figures of framing† build a second level of narration, guiding us to a deeper comprehension of the painting. First, the nine angels with scrolls inside the lower frame are painted at the height of the viewers’ gaze, establishing a dialogue with them. In particular, the one under the greyhound glances up, pointing out what to look at; his inscription builds a communication with the pronominal â€Å"you,† referring to the beholder and to the group of the hunters; one of the hunters is looking at us.59 The result of this connection is a visual and written communicative circuit. The same circuit, realized in different ways, concerns the three central angels of the lower frame. They gaze in our direction, but every mark of enunciation of their inscriptions is strikingly different. In fact, the verses on the scroll of the angel under the beggars echo the content of the one immediately above inside the narration, but in the frame the angel uses the sacred words of the Old Testament in Latin.60 While his eyes establish a discursive enunciation à °I/youÞ with the viewer, his scroll realizes a narrative enunciation à °heÞ, and his inscription brings to life a voice outside the narration. Looking directly at us, the following angel admonishes the beholder producing a discursive enunciation. Also, the third angel in the middle of the lower frame, just under Death, stares at us while holding a short inscription in Latin taken from the Old Testament: â€Å"Nobody knows when his hour will come.† Once again his voice is from outside the narration, and it properly refers to the indeterminable advent of Death, painted above. On a visual level â€Å"not knowing† the exact moment of its arrival, it corresponds to the representation of Death â€Å"getting on the point of using its scythe†: it is what we have called the inchoateness of the act of cutting down. The scroll of the eighth angel, under the group of people in the orchard, talks directly to one of the young ladies and to every woman of the audience à °youÞ, warning against earthly sins.63 Unlike the three previous angels, this one is represented in profile, and the direction of his eyes, underlining the content of the inscription, guides us to the next fresco à °Last JudgmentÞ. This angel, like the one under the greyhound, has the same visual function as the demonstrative pronouns à °this and thatÞ, because—just like the frame—he indicates to us what to look at. But the eighth angel guides us outside the framed scene of the Triumph of Death, and this unusual aspect finds explanation in the entire Buffalmacco cycle inside the Camposanto, that could be read just following a determined itinerary. We must remember here that the huge dimension of these scenes never permits an overall view.64 The painted frame by itself is not a guide to the eyes. In fact, in this cycle several â€Å"figures of framing,† play the same role as, for instance, the group of two cupids bringing a roll with a long inscription in the middle of the fresco, above the three central angels under the beggars and the heap of corpses. This group is another â€Å"figure of framing,† and just like the angels these cupids look at us: they are external to the mimeti c dimension of the representation and they have a presentative function. The Consequences of Death The frame is a borderline between the representation and everything that does not concern it: denying the space of the outside it affirms the one of the inside. Nevertheless, looking at the frame by itself, it clearly appears like a composite space, neither internal nor external to the representation.65 Therefore, it is has a neutral status,66 which derives from the double negation inscribed in the mechanism itself: occupying the limit of representation, the frame articulates the spaces that prove its being à °Marin 1982Þ. The neutral status immediately refers to the perceptive dimension of the frame because it has to be gazed upon without being seen; but it also refers to an immanent dimension that concerns the logical relations activated by the frame itself. Buffalmacco’s frame explains very well the neutral status of the margin. It is a geometric squaring of the space of representation, so it has a different nature, but it was realized on the same wall and with the same technique. Its ambiguous status, neither internal nor external, is very evident. But today we can talk about it only on the basis of historical pictures, because most of the frames of the entire cycle got lost; indeed, it is interesting to note that the detachment saved just the privileged space of representation. This loss is still heavier if we think that inside the margin we could find â€Å"figures of framing† that gave us a metatheoretical interpretation of the fresco, disclosing to us to the moral and theological explanation of the scene. The comprehension of the whole meaning would not have been otherwise impossible without these elements, but the â€Å"figures of framing† and, in particular, their inscriptions permit a true exegesis of what was painted on this wall. Every inscription talks about the transcendence meant as a passage to a new life, hellish or heavenly, places of eternal salvation or damnation. But how did Buffalmacco translate this theological concept in painting? Looking at the fresco as it appears today à °fig. 14Þ, we are impressed by the figure of Death not just for its horrendous aspect, but first of all because of its central role in the middle of the scene. The main subject is not Death that inevitably cuts off every life, but the afterlife opened by the intervention of Death. This metaphysical space is displayed in the higher part, while episodes of the earthly world, with different phenomenal times, stay closer to the beholder. There is a very significant area that corresponds to the corridor created by the arrival of the woman with the scythe, connecting two semantic fields: /life/ and /nondeath/.68 This is the real meaning of the fresco, not the Triumph of Death but its consequences, not the act of dying but the process of transformation from /life/ to /nondeath/, from /low/ to /high/. Also, the personification of Death—half human and half devil—connects these worlds. Compared to other Italian Triumphs of Death, the Buffalmacco fresco highlights the role of the old woman as a go-between toward a new life. In a later fresco, today in the Museo di Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo à °ca. 1446Þ, this personification is a skeleton riding a haggard horse à °fig. 15Þ: it is not flying and its earthly nature prevails.69 Remaining in Tuscany in the second half of the fourteenth century, in the church of San Francesco in Lucignano à °ArezzoÞ there is another fresco representing a similar iconography, but Death here is an old woman with claws and long white hair, riding a black horse à °fig. 16Þ.70 She does not stay in midair, as in Pisa, because her horse brings her to the earth, and she pronounces terrible words.71 This fresco has several elements in common with the Buffalmacco painting—the beggars with their invocation to Death, the heap of corpses, two hunters—but we find a very important difference: Christ appears in the sky under the horrible woman. Pointing to her, Christ talks to the beholder in the vernacular and in rhyme: â€Å"Oh You, reader, pay attention to the blows of / This Lady that killed me / Since I am the Lord / Of her.†72 In the Pinacoteca of Siena there is a similar iconography of Death represented together with Christ, traditionally entitled Allegory of Redemption à °fig. 17Þ. It is a tempera on wood panel attributed to Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and scholars are convinced that the author of this little painting drew inspiration from the Buffalmacco fresco in Pisa, dating it at the middle of the fourteenth century à °Frugoni 2002Þ. Christ crucified above a heap of corpses dominates the scene, but over his head flies Death, represented as a black devil with bat wings. This is a very unusual composition: the devil overlooks the Son of God, and its scythe hovers just above his head. Moreover, Death appears at another time: the same devil with the scythe accompanies the first two sinners on the very left side of the background, under the Creation of Adam and Eve and the Original Sin. In the foreground we can recognize Cain and Abel à °the first homicideÞ and two anchorites with a long scroll at the feet of the Cross. On the very right side Christ Judge, surrounded by angels, overlooks the Cross, between the Virgin and St. John, and, at the bottom, other angels are driving back the damned. Apparently the Lorenzetti narration is very different from that by Buffalmacco, above all for the presence of Christ. In Siena, the death of Christ is followed by his Ascension à °his â€Å"triumph over death†ÃƒÅ¾, the allegory of redemption that is possible to everyone who erases their sins. So the painting must be read from left to right: from the first sinners à °prehistoric timeÞ to the saved and the damned à °metaphysical timeÞ, passing through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross à °historical timeÞ. In this sense the Crucifixion functions as a gobetween from life to afterlife, the same role played in Pisa by Death. The monumental fresco in the Camposanto was adjacent to the Crucifixion and to the stories of Christ after death on the eastern wall à °fig. 6Þ. This sequence could hardly allow the faithful an interpretation of the whole cycle as an allegory of redemption. Moreover, our fresco can be freely read, or better, there is no direction from left to right but a leap in time in every episode, from phenomenal à °lowÞ to metaphysical à °highÞ. And in Pisa, inside the space of narration, apart from the angels disputing the souls, divinities are not represented. Why? The answer remains in the frame: as related by Cosimo Bartoli, in the lower margin two inscriptions come from the Old Testament à °EcclesiastesÞ while in the higher margin two other verses refer to Abel and Cain: Cain was the first human born and Abel the first human to die, Cain committed the first murder by killing his brother, and Abel is often compared to Christ as being the first martyr.74 If we look more closely at the historical picture of the Triumph of Death, the third character with a scroll in the higher frame stands out from the others and seems to be the Redeemer, young and bearded, holding the palm of martyrdom. Also, the next character, older and with a longer beard, looks like a sacred figure, possibly God or a prophet. Confining the sacred to the â€Å"neutral† space of the higher margin, the Camposanto fresco privileges an earthly point of view. For this reason it is traditionally called Triumph of Death, but it would be more appropriate to rename it —in comparison with the Lorenzetti painting—Allegory of Redemption.

Affecting of Curfews on Teens

Introduction Over the years, debates concerning instillation of curfews have taken a central part especially when discussing matters that are critical to teens. Curfews are defined as the regulations that are set requiring certain individuals to leave or be at a certain place at the stipulated time.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Affecting of Curfews on Teens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some parents seem to favors curfews while others strongly discredit instillation of curfews to teens. Teen is usually considered to be the between thirteen and nineteen years of age. In my views, curfews should be the most appropriate mode of enhancing discipline to the children who are in this age bracket (Kenneth 138). Curfews should be instilled to teens Teens with curfews are responsible. Curfews usually teach teen’s responsibility as well as obedience. It is paramount that those who argue against curfew should un derstand that curfews are not meant to punish the children at that age. It is a way of demonstrating to parents that their children can be trusted as well as whether they understand how to obey the rules that are set at home. This is the initial steps whereby teens are prepared for future responsibilities. Curfews also instills in them good morals which would enable them to live and relate well with other people as well as respect the laws of the society. Therefore, it allows them to avoid problems of breaking laws in future (Walsh 77). Teens with curfews are protected from obnoxious circumstances. It is surprising that many parents have never understood the value of curfews in protecting the children who are at their teen age. In fact, curfews can be perceived to be a safety net which can be put in place to protect the children at that tender age. Many scholars argue that teens should not be allowed much freedom since at their age; children are prone to experimentation of different kinds. Teens are at the age which is between childhood and maturity stage and it is at this stage that they often make wrong choices such as going to risky places at night, choosing wrong company and engaging in irresponsible behaviors which put their welfare at risk (Youth Justice Board 461). There have been increasing reported teens’ rape cases all over the world. They also put themselves in other horrid circumstances such as exposing themselves to harsh weather conditions which put their health at risk as well as encountering road hazards. When teens go out at go out late at night, parent’s anxiety increases. This is something that can be avoided if curfews are put in place.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Teens with curfews get enough sleep which is a very important aspect at their age. Therefore, curfews are critical and should be reinforced to school going childre n. Often, enough sleep improves their concentration at school. This opposed to those teens who are allowed to stay out late at night especially spending much time attending parties. Scholars argue that children who get enough sleep often perform better at school compared to those who sleep for few hours. Many teens often confuse curfews with restriction to their freedom but in the long-run, they thank their parent after discovering the benefit of curfews (Walsh 76). There have been some opposing views that curfews makes teens resentful as well as rebel against the authority. It could be true to some extent; however, this is subject to the steps followed when setting up curfews. If the teens are involved in the setting up of curfews, chances of being resentful are avoided and the children do not rebel. It is the duty of parents to involve teens in setting up those rules as well as communicate clearly to them the importance of setting the curfews. This is the only way which would ensu re that the two parties are in consensus. The major reason for teens being rebellious is attributed to failure of parents to execute consistent consequences when rules are broken by the teens. It is therefore paramount to give consistent punishment whenever rules are broken to avoid resentfulness and rebelliousness in future. Finally, teens with curfews get less trouble in the communities and even at schools. It is worth noting that many municipalities often formulate laws that prohibit children below the age of eighteen years to stay away from home at night, failure to which a warrant of arrest is given. They also avoid circumstances that would lead them to drug abuse which would ruin their lives (Walsh 74). Conclusion Curfews should not be seen as just house hold rules, instead, they should be perceived to be a means of teaching teenagers how to be responsible as well as obedience. It is apparent that curfews teach children how to respect laws, something they do even when they are past that age. It is the duty of parents to protect teens from distasteful circumstances. This can only be achieved through instillation of curfews. In most cases, children who are allowed much freedom ends up being on the wrong side of the law and some get arrested. It has been established that teens with curfews stay out of trouble and they avoid circumstances that would lead them to selection of bad company, which would lead them to crime.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Affecting of Curfews on Teens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Kenneth, Adams. â€Å"The Effectiveness of Juvenile Curfews at Crime Prevention†. The Annals of the American Academy of Political Social Science 587.1 (2003): pp 136 -139. Walsh, Charlotte. ‘Curfews: no more hanging around’. Youth Justice Journal 2.2 (2002): 70-81. Youth Justice Board. ‘Anti-social behavior orders’. The Howard Journal 47.5 (2006): 470-48 This essay on Affecting of Curfews on Teens was written and submitted by user Morph to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Natural Law theory Essays

Natural Law theory Essays Natural Law theory Paper Natural Law theory Paper Natural Law is becoming more irrelevant due to our secular culture. Natural Law depends on the belief that the world was designed by a creator, and that morality is absolute according to his standards. Aquinas assumes that all men must seek to worship God. What about an atheist? According to Thompson, if someone does not believe in God, then â€Å"the natural law theory loses its foundation. † Furthermore, in today’s society natural law has largely been replaced by utilitarianism, the belief that our moral choices are less absolute and should be based on creating the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. It has even been referred to as, â€Å"the ethics of the planet. † It is far less restrictive and many argue it is a superior philosophy to natural law. According to Peter Mullen, Working with Morality, it may be necessary, for example, to torture an innocent person to save the lives of thousands. Peter Singer once wrote a piece condemning natural law in a magazine called Project Syndicate. He prefers practical ethics to theoretical ethics. He cites the case of a South American woman called Beatriz who was pregnant and suffers from lupus, this made the pregnancy difficult. Furthermore, the child had anencephaly. Singer was enraged that the natural law philosophy of Catholic El Salvador prevented her from getting an abortion. He wrote with regard to natural law, â€Å"The use of the term â€Å"being with a rational nature† is very broad, perhaps too broad. † Even the Pope has recently condoned the breaking of natural law in extreme circumstances. Pope Francis has indicated that women exposed to the Zika virus may be permitted to use contraception to avoid pregnancy, in a departure from Catholic teaching. His comments came as women in South America frantically try to terminate pregnancies for fear of giving birth to babies with microcephaly, which gives them unusually small heads. He said that unlike abortion, â€Å"avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil† and in certain circumstances it may be â€Å"the lesser evil†. This proves that natural law is becoming irrelevant even for the Catholic Church. Among more orthodox thinkers, objection to the natural law takes several forms. Many, Protestant evangelicals in particular, presume that natural-law thinking fails to take seriously the condition of human sin and places misguided trust in the powers of human reason debilitated by the Fall. Consequently, natural-law theory is thought to be insufficiently Christocentric and located outside the realm of grace, thereby engendering a version of works-righteousness. These critics remain sceptical out of a concern that natural law is autonomous and somehow external to the centre of theological ethics and God’s providential care of the world. On the other hand, many would argue that natural law is not irrelevant because it is instinctual within all humans. Some believe that God has implanted the natural law as a form of moral instinct. For example, the writer Johannes Teutonicus said that the natural law of men is based on an, â€Å"instinct proceeding from reason. † Therefore even if one is an atheist you cannot escape the urge to follow natural law based on your conscience. Finally, Natural Law continues to be central to Catholic teaching. Early teachers such as Aquinas supported it and so do modern day clergy. The RCC believes that everyone is subject to it from birth (natio), because it contains only those duties which are derivable from human nature itself, and because, absolutely speaking, its essentials can be grasped by the unaided light of human reason. Just recently in March 2015 Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco has invoked the natural law in stressing the moral unacceptability of gay sex and gay marriage.

Tokyo Disneyland Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Tokyo Disneyland - Case Study Example 3. To recognize how the differences of Tokyo Disneyland to other Disneyland theme parks in terms of the themes and features of the park. 4. To examine the visitor statistics of Tokyo Disneyland. 5. To know how Tokyo Disneyland maintain the Japanese culture in the park. Statement of the Problem The study intends to investigate the success of Tokyo Disneyland in terms of culture, compared to other Disneyland theme parks. Specifically the study intends to answer the following questions: 1. How does the management of Tokyo Disneyland promote the park to the Japanese market even if there is still a touch of American culture 2. What are the differences of Tokyo Disneyland to other Disneyland theme parks in terms of the participation of staff 3. What are the differences of Tokyo Disneyland to other Disneyland theme parks in terms of the themes and features of the park 4. How does Tokyo Disneyland maintain the Japanese culture in the park Conceptual Framework / Theoretical Framework This study will apply the input-process-output (IPO) framework. Originating form the Industrial Revolution, the IPO model has been applied to various fields-from manufacturing to communications to computer programming. (Harris & Taylor, 1997) The IPO model is a design of how different input, intermediate, and output variables form causal relationships in a system. (Walliman, 2001) In the IPO model, a process is viewed as a series of boxes (processing elements) connected by inputs and outputs. Information or material objects flow through a series of tasks or activities based on a set of rules or decision points. (Walliman, 2001) Flow charts and process diagrams are often used to represent the process. (Walliman, 2001) What goes in is the input;... With continuous effort and perseverance to make the study a success as well as the support of the people who have helped in the project, the research was completed. For the future researchers that will have to undergo a series of data collection methods, it should always be keep in mind the possibility of incidents and instances that will hinder the execution of the research. Be prepared for the worst scenarios that could happen during field work whether the case concerns the participants, the location, the time and the gatekeepers. It is easy to find common elements between Disneyland and Disney films in all parts of the park. For example, it is well known that Disney made only one gate to Disneyland, against advice from amusement park experts. To Disney, the entrance gate and the beginning part of a movie are the same. From the gate, visitors head toward the shopping mall, where each store is a three-story house with a facade, similar to those of a small American city in the late nineteenth century. These facades reduced in various degrees, detach visitors from outside reality and bring them into the world of nostalgia. As a similar scenography is also used on streets that stretch from the entrance to the central plaza, the scene inside the park is put in a frame, and the street is long enough for visitors to transform themselves into inhabitants of Disney’s world. The recommendation of this study is for Tokyo Disneyland to maintain representing the rich culture of Japan in Tokyo Disneyland since this i s what their market needs.

Negotiation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Negotiation - Essay Example The avoiding style is uncooperative and unassertive, which might take the form of rescheduling an issue until a better period or withdrawing from it. The main conflict is never resolved or addressed. This model may be appropriate when a manager encounters a trivial issue. He might use this style to postpone the decision until a better time or withdraw from it. The potential ramification of overusing this model is that the main conflict may never be solved or addressed. When used reasonably, it might be appropriate, especially when there is no likelihood of winning. The competing style (also referred to as the win-lose approach) is uncooperative, assertive, and power-oriented model. An individual pursues his concerns at the expense of the other person to win position. A manager utilizing this style seeks establishing outcomes that would enrich him at the expense of the parties involved. This mode may be appropriate when there is a need of decisive action and hasty answers such as duri ng emergencies cases. It is applicable when confronting an unpopular action like cost cutting that demands crucial answers. When used too often, it may be unsuitable as one uses whatever means to defend his position without regarding other people’s feedback. ... However, it is not applicable when there is a conflict demanding a solving approach. Lastly, the collaborating style has high cooperativeness and assertiveness, often summarized as win-win scenario, and in this case, parties work towards accomplishing their desired goals and outcomes. This style is appropriate when there is a complex conflict and a high demand of having creative ideas of both parties. Nevertheless, this resolution style requires a lot of time in making the final decision. 2. What three (and only three) points of advice would you give to your best friend facing a negotiation? Or, stated differently, set forth how you would describe to your best friend the Getting To Yes model of negotiations knowing that he or she has not and will not read the book. In any event, be as specific as possible. (30 points) The Getting To Yes model of negotiations is applicable to collaborative negotiations established by William Ury and Roger Fisher. This model is helpful in negotiations as it detaches people from a conflict or a problem, separates positions from different interests, augments options for mutual gain, and looks for suitable standards. The first point to bear in mind is that the model is significant as it looks for multiple interests of others by asking various questions such as why in negotiation. Individual interest should go along with specific details and invite other parties to improve if they are not precise. The second point to keep in mind is that the model looks for appropriate standards by avoiding judgment. The criterion is based on fair procedures and standards without assumption and fixed policy. The third point: this mode enlarges creative problem solving as it evaluates possible options without evaluating personal ideas

Financial Management Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Management Master - Case Study Example It prides itself in the following retail brands: B&Q; Castorama; Brico Depot and Screwfix. Progressively, the company has been faring pretty well over the years, consequently scooping a pre-tax profit of three hundred and eighty six million pounds generated from a total sale of over nine billion pounds within the first quarter of the 2008 financial year (kingfisher.com). Investment will be reprioritized, targeting higher hurdle rates and faster payback periods. A key target is to stabilize debt at current levels, prior to reducing it in due course. A target of flat rate debt has been set for the current year. Greater focus will be placed on generating higher cash returns from the retail businesses. Stretching targets for sales growth, margin improvement and cost reduction will be drawn (http://www.ekingfisher.com/managed_content/files/downloads/2008ar.pdf ). With these key priorities it is evidenced that the management of kingfisher are committed to the survival profitability and sustenance of the company which is a very good indication of share prices increasing. The market for the product is very lucrative since home improvement is an attractive segment of retail, benefiting from natural long- term demand. Characteristics coupled with demand for more new housing and more frequent home renewal. The market also benefits from variety of products being common across international market, which gave rise to outsourcing and Economics of Scale; but within this market kingfisher is enjoying a large geographically diversified business. However, delivering these values to shareholders from this strong strategic position ill require the charges which have been talked about. The number of shares opened by the Company in various Countries will enhance the profitability base of kingfisher. This is enhanced by the management by the practice of decentralized management approach which gives power to their retail businesses largely operating independently but participating in group- wide programs for local advantage. This approach will enhance high turnover as local customers will adapt to the products. Operating Review of Kingfisher Plc With Retail profit growing rapidly for the past five years it has put the company in a good position to expand its operations in various sectors of the business. For example in 2007/2008 report of kingfisher retail profit grew 13.2% to 237million pounds with both businesses delivering a good profit growth. Gross margins were up90 basis points due to higher own- brand sales penetration, a 25% increase in direct sourcing and an improved sales and strong cost control. In France for instance kingfisher's total sales grew 7.2% and eight new shares were opened and in the year six were

Study On The Waterfall Model Information Technology Essay

Study On The Waterfall Model Information Technology Essay The waterfall model, documented in 1970 by Royce was the first public documented life cycle model. The waterfall model is a popular version of the systems development life cycle model for software engineering. The waterfall model describes a development method that is linear and sequential. Waterfall development has distinct goals for each phase of development. Because the life cycle steps are described in very general terms, the models are adaptable and their implementation details will vary among different organizations. The spiral model is the most general. There is various software development approaches defined and designed which are used during development process of software, these approaches are also referred as Software Development Process Models. Each process model follows a particular life cycle in order to ensure success in process of software development. One such process used in Software Development is The Waterfall Model. Waterfall model was first Process Model to be introduced and followed widely in Software Engineering to ensure success of the project. In The Waterfall model, the whole process of software development is divided into separate process phases. The phases in Waterfall model are: Requirement Specifications phase, Software Design, Implementation and Testing Maintenance. All these phases are cascaded to each other so that second phase is started as and when defined set of goals are achieved for first phase and it is signed off, so the name Waterfall Model. The real flow of waterfall model The stages of The Waterfall Model are: Requirement Analysis Definition: Requirements are set of functionalities and constraints that the end-user (who will be using the system) expects from the system. The requirements are gathered from the end-user by consultation, these requirements are analyzed for their validity and the possibility of incorporating the requirements in the system to be development is also studied. Finally, a Requirement Specification document is created which serves the purpose of guideline for the next phase of the model. System Software Design: Before a starting for actual coding, it is highly important to understand what we are going to create and what it should look like? The requirement specifications from first phase are studied in this phase and system design is prepared. System Design helps in specifying hardware and system requirements and also helps in defining overall system architecture. The system design specifications serve as input for the next phase of the model. Implementation Unit Testing: On receiving system design documents, the work is divided in modules/units and actual coding is started. The system is first developed in small programs called units, which are integrated in the next phase. Each unit is developed and tested for its functionality; this is referred to as Unit Testing. Unit testing mainly verifies if the modules/units meet their specifications. Integration System Testing: As specified above, the system is first divided in units which are developed and tested for their functionalities. These units are integrated into a complete system during Integration phase and tested to check if all modules/units coordinate between each other and the system as a whole behaves as per the specifications. After successfully testing the software, it is delivered to the customer. Operations Maintenance: This phase of The Waterfall Model is virtually never ending phase (Very long). Generally, problems with the system developed (which are not found during the development life cycle) come up after its practical use starts, so the issues related to the system are solved after deployment of the system. Not all the problems come in picture directly but they arise time to time and needs to be solved; hence this process is referred as Maintenance. There are some advantages of the Waterfall Model. The advantage of waterfall development is that it allows for departmentalization and managerial control. A schedule can be set with deadlines for each stage of development and a product can proceed through the development process like a car in a carwash, and theoretically, be delivered on time. Development moves from concept, through design, implementation, testing, installation, troubleshooting, and ends up at operation and maintenance. There are some disadvantages of the Waterfall Model. As it is very important to gather all possible requirements during the requirement gathering and analysis phase in order to properly design the system, not all requirements are received at once, the requirements from customer goes on getting added to the list even after the end of Requirement Gathering and Analysis phase, this affects the system development process and its success in negative aspects. The problems with one phase are never solved completely during that phase and in fact many problems regarding a particular phase arise after the phase is signed off, these results in badly structured system as not all the problems (related to a phase) are solved during the same phase. The project is not partitioned in phases in flexible way. As the requirements of the customer goes on getting added to the list, not all the requirements are fulfilled, this results in development of almost unusable system. These requirements are then met in newer version of the system; this increases the cost of system development.

Comparing The Marble Faun Sartoris, The Sound and the Fury, Soldier’s Pay :: comparison compare contrast essays

William Faulkner - The Marble Faun   Sartoris, The Sound and the Fury,   Soldier’s Pay William Faulkner, originally spelt Falkner, was born on September 25 1897 in New Albany, Mississippi. The eldest of four sons of a middle class family, William grew up the in the South and enjoyed the luxuries of life in a rural area. Faulkner never finished high school; he left in 1915 after he got a broken nose playing football. Over the next few years Faulkner worked at miscellaneous jobs while beginning his writing career. Originally he worked with verse and had his writings published in small—scale journals and papers. In April of 1918, he enrolled in the British Royal Air Force but never made it into combat as the war ended before he finished training. The following year he enrolled in classes at the tin University of Mississippi. In 1924, Faulkner published The Marble Faun, a verse-sequence and continued to write his short stories. It was not until 1926 that he published his first major novel, Soldier’s Pay, in which lie depicted life of a soldier after returning from war In l929 Faulkner created the imaginary land of Jefferson and Yoknapatawpha County in Sartoris: it is these counties that are the setting for most of his following novels. In 1929 he married Estelle Oldhain and within a year he bought Rowan Oak, where lie spent most of his time in the following years. In October of that year The Sound and the Fury was published and proceeded to gain Faulkner a lot of recognition. It was a different approach to fiction in that it provided a look at a story from four very separate viewpoints. Each of Faulkner’s novels offers a little bit of enlightenment on the subject that they pertain to. Often they are stylistically enterprising, as well as the subject matter being of great interest Absalom Absalom! contrasts viewpoints from which the story is told as it depicts the life of a troubled. Southern family. The Wild Palms is another example of Faulkner’s creativity. The story is told from two distinctly contradicting points of view. In 1942 Faulkner again shocked the literary world with his graphic depiction of racial, specifically â€Å"black versus white†, interactions on a Southern plantation. Many thought that Faulkner had under taken the task of historically representing the south during this era.

Marketing MIx Essay

Syllabus School of Business MKT/421 Version 12 Marketing Copyright  © 2011, 2009, 2008, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2001 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course involves an integrated analysis of the role of marketing within the total organization. Specific attention is given to the analysis of factors affecting consumer behavior, the identification of marketing variables, the development and use of marketing strategies, and the discussion of international marketing issues. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Armstrong, G., & Kotler, P. (2011). Marketing: An introduction (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kerin, R. A., Hartley, S. W., & Rudelius, W. (2011). Marketing (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2012). Marketing management (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Perreault, W. D., Jr., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2011). Basic marketing: A marketing strategy planning approach (18th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. All electronic materials are available on the student website. Week One: Marketing Fundamentals Details Due Points Objectives 1.1 Define marketing. 1.2 Explain the importance of marketing in organizational success. 1.3 Describe the elements of the marketing mix. 1.4 Explain the importance of the marketing mix in the development of marketing strategy and tactics. 1.5 Create a marketing plan. 1.6 Identify quantifiable elements that can be used to evaluate, monitor, and control marketing effectiveness. ASSIGNMENT 09/09/13 Due Date Points Reading Read Ch. 1 & 2 of Basic Marketing. 09/09/13 Reading Read Ch. 1 & 2 of Marketing Management. 09/09/13 Reading Review this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 09/09/13 Participation Participate in class discussion. 09/09/13 20 Learning Team Instructions Learning Team Charter Begin Learning Team process. Create the Learning Team Charter and Log will be due next week. First Due Date: 9/19/13. Learning Team Instructions Marketing Plan (Preparation) Your Learning Team must create a new product or service for an existing organization and complete assignments related to creating a Marketing Plan. These assignments culminate in the Marketing Plan: Final Paper and Presentation, due in Week Five. The Marketing Plan deliverables are: Marketing Plan: Phase I Paper: Marketing Plan: Phase II Paper Marketing Plan: Phase III Paper Marketing Plan: Final Paper and Presentation Begin working on the Marketing Plan. A Marketing Plan Outline is available in Course Materials, and will be posted in OLS. Individual Defining Marketing Paper Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you define marketing. Include your personal definition of marketing and definitions from two different sources. Explain the importance of marketing in organizational success, based on these definitions. Provide at least three examples from the business world to support your explanation. Properly cite sources used in the paper. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. 09/09/13 100 Week Two: Marketing Research Details Due Points Objectives 2 2.1 Justify the importance of marketing research in the development of marketing strategy and tactics. 2.2 Analyze the importance of competitive intelligence and analysis in marketing. 2.3 Identify various segmentation criteria that impact target market selection. 2.4 Describe the various types of organizational buyers and consumers and the factors that influence their purchasing decisions. 09/16/13 Reading Read Ch. 8 of Marketing. Read Ch. 4, 5, & 6 of Marketing: An Introduction. 09/16/13 Reading Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 09/16/13 Participation Participate in class discussion. 09/16/13 20 Individual Marketing Mix Paper Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you describe the elements of the marketing mix: product, place, price, and promotion. Include the following: Select an organization with which you are familiar and describe how each one of the four elements of the marketing mix affects the development of the organization’s marketing strategy and tactics. Describe how each element is implemented. Suggested use of â€Å"headings† for each of the 4-P’s (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion). Identify your selected organization and the industry in which it exists. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Suggested Research: One Source listed from our text(s), and a minimum of two additional credible sources. 09/16/13 120 Learning Team Marketing Plan: Phase I Create a new product or service for an existing organization. This product or service will be the basis for your Marketing Plan Paper. Obtain your instructor’s approval of your product or service before beginning this project. PHASE 1: Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper that includes the following: An overview of the existing organization A description of the new product or service An explanation of the importance of marketing to your selected organization’s success A SWOTT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends) analysis on the new product or service The marketing research approach you would use to develop the marketing strategy and tactics for this new product or service Refer to the Marketing Plan Outline located on the student website for the general framework of the Marketing Plan. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Suggested research: Use our Text(s) and a minimum of 2 additional credible sources. Suggested use of â€Å"Headings† for each bullet point in the assignment. 09/19/13 50 Learning Team Charter LEARNING TEAM CHARTER: Post in Assignment Link of Team Leader 09/19/13 5 Learning Team Log LEARNING TEAM LOG: Post in Assignment Link of Team Leader 09/19/13 5 Week Three: Marketing Strategy: Product and Price Details Due Points Objectives 3 3.1 Describe the relationship between differentiation and position of products or services. 3.2 Analyze the impact of the product life cycle on marketing. 3.3 Identify the appropriate price strategy that should be used in the development of the strategic marketing plan. 09/23/13 Reading Read Ch. 4, 9, 10, 17, & 18 of Basic Marketing. 09/23/13 Reading Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 09/23/13 Participation Participate in class discussion. 09/23/13 20 Individual Marketing Research Paper CHOOSE ONE OPTION ONLY: (APA Individual Paper) OPTION 1: Visit one of your favorite Grocery Stores, Non-Foods, Warehouse Clubs, or Mass Merchandisers. Examine one department: (i.e. Cereals). Describe the store you have visited. What are the major brands in the department you have chosen? How many individual items are in the department? Are there any new items? What is the price range from lowest to highest? Are any of the items currently being promoted? How? Ask the store manager 1 or 2 Marketing questions on any topic / issue, and incorporate this information into your paper. Suggestions for the Manager’s question: 1. Has your store’s foot traffic been increasing or decreasing? 2. If decreasing, what types of promotions have you been doing to get more shoppers back into the store? 3. Who are your strongest competitors? 4. How well does your Private Label / Store Brand product line sell versus National Brands? Considering the entire store: 1. Discuss how you feel they differentiate themselves from their competitors. 2. How do you feel they have positioned themselves in the â€Å"mind† of their target customer? (i.e. â€Å"The Low Price Leader†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) 3. What price strategy are they utilizing in your opinion? 4. What recommendations do you have for the store to improve their business in the department you have studied? (i.e. – are their prices right? Does the appearance/flow of the department make it easy for the consumer to shop? Etc†¦) Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Suggested length: 1,050 – 1,400 words. ——————————————————————————————– OPTION 2: Resource: Kudler Fine Foods Virtual Organization Use the Virtual Organization link on the student website to access additional company information on Kudler Fine Foods. Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you justify the importance of marketing research in developing Kudler Fine Foods’ marketing strategy and tactics. Include the following: Identify the areas where additional market research is needed. Analyze the importance of competitive intelligence and analysis regarding the development of Kudler Fine Foods’ marketing strategy and tactics. With either Option: Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. 09/23/13 150 Learning Team Marketing Plan: Phase II Use the product or service you selected for your Marketing Plan: Phase I Paper. PHASE II: Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you address the following: Identify the segmentation criteria that will affect your target market selection. Identify your target market. Describe the organizational buyers and consumers of your product or service and the factors that influence their purchasing decisions. Discuss how these factors will affect your marketing strategy. Analyze current competitors and define the competitive landscape for your product or service. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. (Suggested use of sources and research: One source from our text(s) and a minimum of two additional credible sources). 09/26/13 50 Learning Team Log LEARNING TEAM LOG: Post in Assignments Link of Team Leader 09/26/13 5 Week Four: Marketing Strategy: Place and Promotion Details Due Points Objectives 4 4.1 Analyze the impact of channel management decisions on marketing. 4.2 Select appropriate distribution channels. 4.3 Identify the appropriate place and promotional strategy that should be used in the development of the strategic marketing plan. 09/30/13 Reading Read Ch. 11, 12, 14, & 16 of Basic Marketing. 09/30/13 Reading Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 09/30/13 Participation Participate in class discussion. 09/30/13 20 Individual Using Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation Summary Complete the simulation, Using Perceptual Maps in Marketing, located on the student website. Write a 1,050- to 1,450-word summary in which you address the following for each of the three major phases in the simulation: The situation Your recommended solutions, including why Your results Summarize the different marketing components addressed in this simulation by answering the following questions: What is the relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or services? Is the repositioning of the product in the simulation as you had expected it to be? Explain why or why not. What is the effect of the product life cycle on marketing? What effect did the product life cycle have on the product in the simulation? Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines 09/30/13 70 Learning Team Marketing Plan: Phase III Use the product or service you selected for your Marketing Plan: Phase I Paper. PHASE III: Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper that includes the following information: Describe the attributes of your product or service in detail. Describe the pace at which your product will move through the product life cycle and the factors that will affect its movement. How will the product life cycle affect the marketing of your selected product or service? Identify the positioning and differentiation strategies for the product or service. Identify the appropriate price strategy that should be used for the product or service. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. (Suggested use of sources and research: One source from our text(s) and a minimum of two additional credible sources). 10/03/13 60 Learning Team Log LEARNING TEAM LOG: Post in Assignments Link of Team Leader 10/03/13 5 Week Five: The Dynamic Environment of Marketing Details Due Points Objectives 5 5.1 Identify environmental factors that affect marketing decisions. 5.2 Explain the impact of technology on marketing. 5.3 Analyze the importance of social responsibility and ethics in marketing. 10/07/13 Reading Read Ch. 3 & 13 of Marketing Management. 10/07/13 Reading Read Ch. 15 & 16 of Marketing: An Introduction. 10/07/13 Reading Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 10/07/13 Participation Participate in class discussion. 10/07/13 20 Individual Final Examination FINAL EXAM: (Suggestion: Do Not Wait Until Last Day) Click the link to the Final Examination on the student website available at the end of Week Four through the end of Week Five. Complete the Final Examination. You are allowed one attempt to complete the examination, which is timed and must be completed in 3 hours. Results are auto graded and sent to your instructor. Typical exams have 30 questions with a combination of multiple choice and True/False. Exam Tips: See Course Materials for 2 attachments: A) Tips for Exam Success B) MKT 421 Final Exam Study Guide Use your Chapter Readings as a reference for all major concepts, some of which will be: 1) The 4-P’s of Marketing 2) Positioning and Differentiation 3) The Product Life Cycle 4) Market Segmentation and Demographics 5) The Purchase Decision Process 6) Distribution (Intensive / selective) 7) The New Product Development Process 8) Market Research (Primary vs. Secondary) 9) Monitor and Control elements. Instructor will post the PowerPoints from the readings every week after class for easier reference. 10/07/13 150 Individual Learning Team Evaluation 10/07/13 5 Learning Team Marketing Plan: Final Phase Resources: Marketing Plan: Phase I Paper, Marketing Plan: Phase II, Paper, Marketing Plan: Phase III Paper Use the Marketing Plan Outline listed on the student website as a guide. Write a 1,750 to 3,000 word paper: Phase IV. Address the following information in your paper: Identify the appropriate place and promotional strategy that should be used in developing the strategic marketing plan. Develop an initial sales promotion schedule. Create an advertising plan. Identify public relations opportunities for the product or service. Analyze the effect of channel management decisions on the marketing of your selected product or service. Select appropriate distribution channels for your product or service and address costs in terms of placement, shipping, and middlemen. Develop a budget for your plan. Identify quantifiable elements that can be used to evaluate, monitor, and control the effectiveness of your marketing plan. Conclusions / Recommendations Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. (Suggested use of sources and research: One source from our text(s) and a minimum of two additional credible sources). 10/07/13 80 Learning Team Presentation Prepare a 15- to 20-minute oral presentation accompanied by 10- to 15-slide Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® presentation illustrating your Marketing Plan Paper. May use additional presentation elements such as: Samples, Demonstrations, Focus Groups, Surveys. Suggested Length of Time: 20 – 30 minutes. Possible penalty for coming in over â€Å"or† under the time limit: 5% 10/07/13 40 Learning Team Log LEARNING TEAM LOG: Post in Assignments Link of Team Leader 10/07/13 5 TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE: 1000 Copyright University of Phoenix ® is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft ®, Windows ®, and Windows NT ® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix ® editorial standards and practices.

Elvia Essay

Elvia Essay Elvia Essay * Cancer Essay Cancer is known as the diseases that killing many people all over the world. People of all age could get cancer and all races and even different genders. About 7.5 million people die out of cancer each year. It is very important to know about cancer because it affects so many people and also to help prevented it. This paper will discuss what cancer is, the different types of cancer, the risk factors, treatment of cancer, and prevention of cancer. Before people can understand cancer they have to know what exactly cancer is. Cancer known medically as a malignant neoplasm is a broad group of various diseases all involving unregulated cell growth. There are around 200 different types of cancer that can affect the human body. A large percentage of people will be affected by some form of cancer or other in their lifetime. Some types are more serious than others, some cancers can be treated and others are hard to be treated so they lead to dead. Each type of cancer is unique w ith its own causes, symptoms, and methods of treatment. Symptoms of cancer vary based on the types of cancer. As cancer progresses to an advanced stage, common symptoms can occur for example, weight loss, fever, being excessively tired, and changes of skin. When a person has cancer they can get a lot of tumors. It is difficult to define cancer because there are so many different types of cancers. There are over 200 types of cancer. You can develop cancer in any body organs. There are over 60 different organs in the body where a cancer can develop. Cancer can affect people of all ages. Some types of cancers are bone, kidney, mouth, and throat cancer. Two of the most common types of cancer are skin and lung cancer. Skin cancer itself has three different types. Basal cell cancer is the most common but least dangerous. Squamous cancer is another type; melanoma is the last type and the most dangerous. Lung cancer is uncontrolled cell growth in the lungs. Most lung cancer is carcinomas an d cause by smoking. All this are types of cancer some could be cure by surgery and others causes death and have no cure. The treatment for all this cancers is mostly radiation therapy, immunotherapy, vaccine therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. Each year many people die out of these types of cancers around 7.5 million die each year. There are many types of cancers that have many risk factors. Doctors often cannot explain why one person develops cancer and another does not. But research shows that certain risk factors increase the chance that a person will develop cancer. Merriam Webster defines risk factor as something which increases risk or susceptibility. These are the most common risk factors for cancer growing older, tobacco, sunlight, lionizing radiation, certain chemicals and other substances, some viruses and bacteria, certain hormones, family history of cancer, alcohol, poor diet, lack of physical activity, or being overweight. Many of these risk factors can be avoided a nd others such as family history cannot be avoided. Most cancers occur in people over the age 65 but people of all ages, including children can get cancer too. Tobacco use is the most preventable causes of death. Each year more than 180,000 Americans die from cancer that related to tobacco use. Using tobacco products or regularly being around tobacco smoke (environmental or secondhand smoke) increases the risk of cancer. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop cancer of the lung, larynx (voice box), mouth, esophagus, bladder, kidney, throat, stomach, pancreas, cervix, or acute myeloid leukemia. There are many different ways to treat cancer. Treatment varies based on the type of cancer and its stages. The stages of cancer refers to how much it has grown and whether the tumor has spread from its original location. Some treatments for cancer are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

How to Analyze a Historical Document

How to Analyze a Historical Document It can be easy when examining a historical document that relates to an ancestor to look for the one right answer to our question - to rush to judgment based on the assertions presented in the document or text, or the conclusions we make from it. It is easy to look at the document through eyes clouded by personal bias and perceptions engendered by the time, place and circumstances in which we live. What we need to consider, however, is the bias present in the document itself. The reasons for which the record was created. The perceptions of the documents creator. When weighing the information contained in an individual document we must consider the extent to which the information reflects reality. Part of this analysis is weighing and correlating evidence obtained from multiple sources. Another important part is evaluating the provenance, purpose, motivation,  and constraints of the documents which contain that information within a particular historical context. Questions to consider for every record we touch: 1. What Type of Document Is It? Is it a census record, will, land deed, memoir, personal letter, etc.? How might the record type affect the content and believability of the document? 2. What Are the Physical Characteristics of the Document? Is it handwritten? Typed? A pre-printed form? Is it an original document or a court-recorded copy? Is there an official seal? Handwritten notations? Is the document in the original language in which it was produced? Is there anything unique about the document that stands out? Are the characteristics of the document consistent with its time and place? 3. Who Was the Author or Creator of the Document? Consider the author, creator and/or informant of the document and its contents. Was the document created first-hand by the author? If the documents creator was a court clerk, parish priest, family doctor, newspaper columnist, or other third party, who was the informant? What was the authors motive or purpose for creating the document? What was the author or informants knowledge of and proximity to the event(s) being recorded? Was he educated? Was the record created or signed under oath or attested to in court? Did the author/informant have reasons to be truthful or untruthful? Was the recorder a neutral party, or did the author have opinions or interests that might have influenced what was recorded? What perception might this author have brought to the document and description of events? No source is entirely immune to the influence of its creators predilections, and knowledge of the author/creator helps in determining the documents reliability. 4. For What Purpose Was the Record Created? Many sources were created to serve a purpose or for a particular audience. If a governmental record, what law or laws required the documents creation? If a more personal document such as a letter, memoir, will, or family history, for what audience was it written and why? Was the document meant to be public or private? Was the document open to public challenge? Documents created for legal or business reasons, particularly those open to public scrutiny such as those presented in court, are more likely to be accurate. 5. When Was the Record Created? When was this document produced? Is it contemporary to the events it describes? If it is a letter is it dated? If a bible page, do the events predate the bibles publication? If a photograph, does the name, date or other information written on the back appear contemporaneous to the photo? If undated, clues such as phrasing, form of address, and handwriting can help to identify the general era. First-hand accounts created at the time of the event are generally more reliable than those created months or years after the event occurred. 6. How Has the Document or Record Series Been Maintained? Where did you obtain/view the record? Has the document been carefully maintained and preserved by a government agency or archival repository? If a family item, how has it been passed down to the present day? If a manuscript collection or other item residing in a library or historical society, who was the donor? Is it an original or derivative copy? Could the document have been tampered with? 7. Were There Other Individuals Involved? If the document is a recorded copy, was the recorder an impartial party? An elected official? A salaried court clerk? A parish priest? What qualified the individuals who witnessed the document? Who posted the bond for a marriage? Who served as godparents for a baptism? Our understanding of the parties involved in an event, and the laws and customs which may have governed their participation, aids in our interpretation of the evidence contained within a document. In-depth analysis and interpretation of a historical document is an important step in the genealogical research process, allowing us to distinguish between fact, opinion, and assumption, and explore reliability and potential bias when weighing the evidence it contains. Knowledge of the historical context, customs,  and laws influencing the document can even add to the evidence we glean. The next time you hold a genealogical record, ask yourself if you have really explored everything the document has to say.