Evaluating websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating websites - Essay Example For academic purposes however, khanacademy.org may not pass as a valid reference because it is not considered a scholarly site but rather just a tutorial. It could however, support as reference to scholarly journals. With Hulu.com, the films and clips that would be shown there can be referenced because it is the film maker that matters in academic citation and not the medium or platform. I chose to evaluate these two websites because they are very popular among teenagers like me and I would like to figure out myself if they are valid and substantive website. I also would like to know if they could pass for academic referencing. After studying that valid academic websites must be supported by scientific methodologies, I concluded khancademy.org may not qualify to be used as a primary reference even if it is very popular among students like me. Of course these websites are very helpful and easy to use especially Hulu.com. Who does not want to watch movies and tv anyway? It is also almost plug and play the moment we have chosen our desired film or tv series so it is very easy to use. It is also very helpful because the interface of the website is very easy to understand and navigate (hulu.com). With regard to khanacademy.org, the website is also extremely helpful with the basics in case we want to brush up with it. The site however is not much of use to college students and especially if the lessons that we are dealing with are quite complex. In addition, it cannot be used as a primary reference and not a site for research. With regard to its ease of use, the website is also easy to navigate and the subjects are logically arranged and categorized so that they can be easily located (khanacademy.org). There are things that could be learned from khancademy.org than Hulu.com. Hulu.com is an entertainment website and in academic sense, there is nothing much to be picked from it. But if we want to have a cost effective

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS-Calculate your ecological footprint(1) Assignment

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS-Calculate your ecological footprint(1) Manipulate your ecological footprint(2)Reflecting on your ecologica - Assignment Example The footprint calculator will be determined by the daily choices we make as individuals and communities, for example choosing to recycle, or cycling to school instead of driving. Since everything we do has consequences to our planet, we must aim to ensuring that we reduce our ecological footprint. I used the global footprint network to calculate my ecological footprint. The main steps used to calculate my ecological are broken down into four categories; carbon footprint which includes home and transport energy, food footprint, housing footprint and goods and services footprint ( Tinsley, 2006). Ecological footprint is calculated in global hectares/ acres. The quiz provides an estimation of the ocean and land that can support waste produced from consumption in the workplace, household, food, goods and services, housing and energy used in transportation. After taking the quiz, if every person lived the same lifestyle like I do, we would need 4.88 earths to live in. It is apparent that the lifestyle I live, in a small household of two, is very unsustainable, and I should do more towards ensuring sustainability of planet earth for current and future generations to be able to enjoy ecosystem goods and services like I do. ... Part two According to estimations, in order for all organisms to survive in this planet we each need an ecological footprint of 0.8. An ecological footprint of 4.88 is very unsustainable since we only have one planet. Developed countries have larger carbon footprints compared to less developed countries, which are growing. Promotion of western civilization lifestyles, such as excess shopping, will lead to an increase in the ecological footprint. As discussed earlier, small lifestyle changes can go a long way to ensuring we make a big impact. One of the changes include buying locally produced food and less packaged foods sold in stores and supermarkets, like I currently do, to reduce the footprint. In case it is necessary to buy packaged food, then the packaging should be recyclable and of lesser quality. It is necessary to reduce the waste produced by the household by purchasing only goods needed for short periods of time, mostly a week to reduce wastage. A good example is buying goo ds in bulk which is usually packaged in cans and bottles, which are not degradable, and lead to pollution of the earth. Other steps to reducing my footprint include drinking tap water which is safe to drink instead of bottled water, reducing meat consumption, because the more animals are grazed to meet meat consumption, the more methane gas is released, which is a green house gas. Buying foods that are in season is good because purchasing out of season fruits and vegetables means that they have been flown in from other countries, which increases my carbon footprint. I should change the activities I engage in during my spare time to reduce my carbon footprint such as restaurants and saunas. The housing footprint is a step used in

The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody Essay Example for Free

The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody Essay The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody portrays the dark side of human nature. It shows that mans behaviour does not vary over long periods of time and across different cultures. It shows that each and every single person has an evil or dark side to them and it is whether they succumb to this evil or follow the paths of light and goodness that decide what kind of person they are. Cheshunt, where the story is set appears to be a fairly normal town. When Nathanial and his mother arrive, Nathanial instinctively knows that something is not quite right. Nathanial is there for a reason. He and the other members of The Chain must learn the power of friendship to defeat the evil Kraken. The dark side of human nature is seen in many characters: Cheshunts headmaster Mr Karle is a truly evil person. Although Mr Karles only role in the community is Deputy Principal of Three North, he has manipulated those who do have a major role in the community into making himself the main power over all Cheshunt. His goal is to become the ruler of the world, starting with Cheshunt. To make sure that The Chain does not defeat him, Mr Karle defeats one member at a time. Mr Karle portrays the dark side of human nature he has attained power that he then uses to control all those around him. He has become corrupted by this power and with it he is able to manipulate the other characters to perform vicious acts. Mr Karle taunts and mocks in an attempt to emotionally destroy those around him he takes pleasure in others emotional pain. He causes distress in Nathanial when he tells him of his cold hearted father who was Insanely jealous. Unstable. Violent (page 263) and how Nathanials mother learnt not to speak to anyone or smile in fear of what his father would do to her. When Mr Karle reminds Indian that his sister is brain damaged because of Indians own mistakes he does this knowing the heartache this will cause. He mocks Nissa calling her unfeminine and unattractive and how no one could love such a creature except out of pity (page 246). Mr Karle defeats one character at a time. He is physically cruel and used force to hurt them. Mr Karle embodies all that is the dark side of human nature, he is cruel both  emotionally and physically Then the Kraken stepped forward and slapped her across the face. A trickle of dark blood ran from the corner of her mouth (page 249). He is corrupted by po wer, he is manipulative and in all this he takes pleasure. He is a true sadist. The dark side in human nature is also portrayed in many of the other characters, this is evidenced in Buddha Isobelle Carmody has used the name Buddha that represents peace and harmony and made him a killer. He burns Nathanials dog, The Tod, who is Nathanials only true friend and Nathanial loves. The match landed in his tail and flames swept forward up over him. Devoured him. He arched and coiled, yelping in pain and fright, and then he screamed, a long inhuman howl of agony and terror.(page 214). When Buddha burns The Tod it is a vicious, cowardly act and is evidence of how dark mans nature can be, that he can murder a poor, defenseless creature that is incapable of fighting back, also that the act was carried out in front of Nathanial to cause him immense grief and feelings of powerlessness. What is even more disturbing is that this is such a real act that could happen in our everyday life. How the people who are in a position to protect us and how they use this authority in a destructive way is also shown. The police, who are supposed to be good and honest are corrupt and evil. They protect the evil leaders and enforce their law, The pamphlet stuck under the door the day we arrived had welcomed us to the neighbourhood and urged my mother to join the Community Committee. It had a lot of by law information and the bit about the curfew was last. It said no one was to be out in the streets after ten at night without a specific reason. (page 20). The police either stood aside and let the people of Cheshunt be intimidated and bullied or were doing the intimidating and bullying themselves. Seth is a part of the chain that is needed to defeat the evil but Seth has given in to his dark side. He has a very weak character. Despite Seth being a brain (page 10), looking like one of those perfect guys off Coke ads (page 10) and coming from a good family, His father is a policeman (page 55) he is pathetic. He is sneaky and drinks alcohol to escape facing  reality. He cant deal with his own problems (his parents are divorced and he cant deal with being in the Chain and the effort it takes to defy Mr Karle) and uses his weaknesses as an excuse to attempt to commit suicide, Seth lay on his back between them, his face dead white. (page 142) He breaks promises You promised, Nissa said icily. (page 138). He also betrays those around him Mr Karle gave Nissa a radiant smile. Got him? But you misunderstand, Nissa. I didnt get Seth. He came to us.' (page 250). Nathanials father is a character who shows that mans dark side does not vary over long periods of time. Nathanials father was a violent jealous man who liked to have complete control over everything. He was jealous of Nathanial and the attention he got from his mother, especially when Nathanial was a baby I had to sometimes hold your mouth to stop the crying (page 264). Mans darkest nature was shown when his father attempted to kill Nathanial, Children should be seen and not heard, he said, and his big hands closed around my neck. And squeezed. (page 247). This is absolute evidence of innate evil that a father could try to murder his own son. In conclusion, The Gathering shows us the dark side of human nature and it is vividly portrayed. It has a realness that shows that evil is present in the past and in the future and is occurring right now, in all parts of our life. It shows that power can corrupt you and consume you absolutely. It also shows us that cruelty, deceit, jealousy and manipulation are just some of the many ways evil can be shown.

Software engineering principles

Software engineering principles Chapter 1 Software is a great combination between artistry and engineering. When you finally get done and get to appreciate what you have done it is like a part of yourself that youve put together. I think a lot of the people here feel that way. Introduction This report discusses Software Engineering principles in context with Service-Oriented applications. Software Engineering covers a very vast area. It encourages the development of high quality and sustainable software,using quality software engineering tools and techniques. Service Orientation on the other hand is a trend in Software Engineering, its an approach, a way of thinking, a value system that promotes the construction of applications based on activities called services. It was very complicated to conclude the basic principles of Software Engineering and then to make a decision which of these principles are applicable and which are not applicable to the development of Service Oriented Applications. There exists so much information on Software Engineering and Service-Oriented applications but very few talks about the Software Engineering principles and their relation with SOA. However, after browsing through the internet and digging into many Software Engineering and SOA books and journals some conclusion is made which is described in detail in following pages. Like most of the researches, this research also takes into consideration few assumptions which are stated clearly. Chapter 2 In order to be acquainted with the principles of Software Engineering it is essential to have a brief idea about it. The paragraph below will assist in giving some idea about Software Engineering. About Software Engineering. As mentioned above Software Engineering covers a very huge part in a development of any software. It is not a complex approach but over the years everyone has presented a different definition for Software Engineering because of its diversity. To get the more precise and clear picture, a few definitions from different sources are presented below. The establishment and use of sound engineering principles (methods) in order to obtain economically software that is reliable and works on real machines [Bauer 1972]. Software engineering is that form of engineering that applies the principles of computer science and mathematics to achieving cost-effective solutions to software problems. [CMU/SEI-90-TR-003] The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software [IEEE 1990]. There are aspects of each of these definitions that have a say to the viewpoint of software engineering used in the construction of this report. One particularly important aspect is that software engineering builds on computer science and mathematics. Software engineering encompasses a process, the management of activities, technical methods, and use of tools to develop high-quality, systematic, controlled, and efficient software products. Software is engineered by applying three discrete phases definition, development, and support. Subsequently, there are significant emphasis on analysis and evaluation, specification, design, and evolution of software. In accumulation, there are issues related to management and quality, to novelty and creativity, to standards, to individual skills, and to teamwork and professional practice that play a vital role in software engineering. Chapter 3 Service Orientation is a trend in software engineering that promotes the construction of application based on entities called services [9]. Service-Oriented Architecture A service-oriented architecture is the organizational and technical framework that enables an enterprise to deliver self-describing, platform-independent business functionality and make it available as building blocks of current and future applications. Simply speaking, in an SOA, a business is viewed as a portfolio of services that can be delivered independently and recombined without requiring detailed knowledge of how that service is implemented. [8] According to Wikipedia, incomputing,service-oriented architecture(SOA) has different non-standard and openly-debated definitions. Basically, it is an attempt to provide set of principles or governing concepts used during phases ofsystems developmentandintegration. Such architecture is supposed to package functionality asinteroperableservices within the context of variousbusiness domainsinvolved. Several departments within a company or different organizations may integrate or use such services à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ software modules provided as a service à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ even if their respectiveclientsystems are substantially different. It is an attempt to develop yet another means for software module integration. Rather than defining anAPI, SOA defines the interface in terms of protocols and functionality. Anendpointis the entry point to such an SOA implementation. Chapter 4 Principles of Software Engineering A set of fundamental principles can act as an enabler in the establishment of a discipline; however, software engineering still lacks a set of universally recognized fundamental principles. A fundamental principle is less specific and more enduring than methodologies and techniques. It should be phrased to withstand the test of time. It should not contradict a more general engineering principle and should have some correspondence with best practice. It should be precise enough to be capable of support and contradiction and should not conceal a trade off. It should also relate to one or more computer science or engineering concepts. [1] Principles are common and conceptual statements describing desirable properties of software products and processes. Principles become practice through methods and techniques, often methods and techniques are packaged in a methodology. Methodologies can be enforced by tools. Principles of Software Engineering have a good impact on the process of software engineering and also on the final product. These principles facilitate to develop software in such a manner that it posses all the qualities like: efficiency, functionality, adaptability, maintainability, and usability. Principles are general, abstract statements describing desirable properties of software processes and products. The principles are applicable throughout the lifecycle of the software. Principles are the set of statements which describe the advantageous features of the product and process. Focus on both process and product is needed to deliver software systems. These principles help in controlling process which in turn helps to control the quality of the product. Only the control of process will not guarantee a quality product therefore it is important to concentrate on both process and quality. As said earlier there are no fundamentally recognized principles of Software Engineering but we can list down few that may be used in all phases of software development. Rigor and formality Separation of concerns Modularity and decomposition Abstraction Anticipation of change Generality Incremental Development Reliability Principles explained. Rigor and formality Webster defines Rigor as. harsh inflexibility in opinion, temper, or judgment : severity the quality of being unyielding or inflexible : strictness severity of life : austerity b: an act or instance of strictness, severity, or cruelty 2: a tremor caused by a chill 3: a condition that makes life difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable; especially : extremity of cold strict precision : exactness Webster defines Rigor as harsh inflexibility in opinion, but thats not the general meaning of rigor in project management. In general Rigor means the strict precision with which you follow some project management belief or practice. Advancements of this approach enable us to construct more consistent product, organize their cost, and boost our confidence in their reliability. Formality is a stronger requisite than rigor; it requires the software process to be driven and evaluated by mathematical laws. As it is seen that Software engineering is a very imaginative design activity, so it must be practiced systematically. Rigor is an essential match to imagination that increases our confidence in our developments. Formality is rigor at the highest degree. Software development can accept neither ambiguity nor inaccuracy. Where rigidness helps to produce consistent products, controlling cost and increases discretion in products, Formality checks the process of software production using mathematical laws. Rigor and formality in context with SOA SOA aims to improve flexibility. The key reason for using SOA is that it should help you in your business. For example, you may need IT solutions that store and manage your data, and allow you to automate the usual processes that deal with this data. A critical factor for business success these days is keeping time to market share. To deliver a quality solution right on time, you need flexibility. But flexibility has a lot to do with clear organization, roles, processes, and so on. Therefore, SOA has to deal with all these aspects. [10] Conclusion For Software Engineering, Rigor means the strict precision with which you follow some project management belief or practice. On the other hand SOA follows agile methodology which can be described as iterative and incremental. As SOA is intended to enable flexibility, adaptability and reusability, this principle is not applicable to SOA. Separation of concerns There is a very popular saying Divide and conquer, it holds good in software development process also. This principle teaches to first divide or break the problem into small and different modules. This helps in dealing with different individual aspects of a problem and we can concentrate on each part separately. A problem can be divided with respect to time, quality, complexity etc. Once the problem is divided into pieces a project leader can thus easily separate the responsibilities among the developers. By doing this development of a big part of the project can be done in parallel, thus saving time. Separation of concerns in context with SOA SOA is all about services. SOA is nothing without services. Services are primary assets of SOA. Services in SOA are modules of business or application functionality with exposed interfaces that are invoked by messages from service consumers. [11]. Conclusion In SOA, complex problems are divided into different modules to design various reusable and interoperable services. Thus this principle does applicable to SOA. Modularity and decomposition Modularity is a kind of Separation of concerns. A complex problem can be divided into simpler parts called modules, allowing details of each module being handled in isolation and separately. A system that is collected of modules is called modular. When dealing with different modules we can ignore details of some not so important modules. Each separated module should be highly interconnected with the rest of the modules so that each module should be understandable as a meaningful unit. Components of a each module should be closely related to one another. Modules should exhibit low coupling means they should have low interactions with other modules. Too much interaction with other modules makes a module dependent on other, thus making it less reusable. Modularity in context with SOA Service contracts impose low consumer coupling requirements and are themselves decoupled from their surrounding environment. [12] Conclusion Loose Coupling is one of the basic principles of SOA. The principle of Service Loose Coupling promotes the independent design and evolution of a services logic and implementation while still guaranteeing baseline interoperability with consumers that have come to rely on the services capabilities [12]. This principle does applicable to SOA. Abstraction A software developer cannot deal with more than a few concepts and their relationships simultaneously. An abstraction allows suppressing details that are unimportant to him/her and emphasize the important information [2]. Abstraction helps manage the intellectual complexity of software [3]. Abstracting means that a higher-level concept disregards certain properties altogether [4, 5]. Abstraction is also related to Separation of Concerns. Here the modules are separated on the basis of purpose of the module. Actually we separate what from how. Then we can easily make out the central aspects of a phenomenon and overlook its details. Abstraction is the only tool through which we can actually master the complexity of the problem. Abstraction depends on the functionality of the module (What) or point of view. To decide which type of abstraction is to apply mainly depends on the purpose of the particular problem. Abstraction in context with SOA Service contracts only contain essential information and information about services is limited to what is published in service contracts. [12] Conclusion Abstraction ties into many aspects of service-orientation. On a fundamental level, this principle emphasizes the need to hide as much of the underlying details of a service as possible. Doing so directly enables and preserves the previously described loosely coupled relationship. Service Abstraction also plays a significant role in the positioning and design of service compositions. [12]. This principle does applicable to SOA. Anticipation of change The only constant is change. Change is everywhere. Even in Software development change always happens. It is very important to identify any likely change in the early phase of software development. When expected changes are recognized, a particular care must be taken to progress in a way that will make future changes easy to apply. The changes occur because usually the entire software requirement is not understood by the development team and this happens because of the communication gap between client and software team. Also most of the times the users and the environment of the requirement changes which leads to the minor and some time even major changes in the application. Such major changes affect the supervision of the software process. A small change in the application pushes the finished product back into the software development life cycle. It becomes necessary to do a regression testing with maintenance. Maintenance is the process where modifications are done to the application to reflect the changing requirements. Anticipation of change in context with SOA Conclusion Generality Generality can be characterized as a state or quality of being not limited to one particular case. Generalisation, as an inductive process, collects information about a number of particulars and presents it in a single description [6]. General description collects a set of individuals according to the features that are applicable to the whole as well as to every member of a set. As noted in Navrat [5], generalisation moves things along the set-superset relation. Specialization, as an opposite operation, moves things in set-subset relation. Less general description determines a smaller set of things, while its transformation to a more general description will determine a superset of the original set. Every member of less general set is a member of more general superset. While breaking a big problem into small modules one should generalize the problem to make the solution more potential for being reused. But a careful balance between performance and cost is necessary while generalizing a problem. Generalization often helps in solving some special case easily. Incremental Development Keep developing until you get it right. Incremental development is based on agile methodology. Agile methods generally promote a disciplined project management process that encourages frequent inspection and adaptation, a leadership philosophy that encourages teamwork, self-organization and accountability, a set of engineering best practices that allow for rapid delivery of high-quality software, and a business approach that aligns development with customer needs and company goals. [7] Incremental development means development in a stepwise fashion. According to this principle a subset of the system is delivered early to get the feedback from the users in the early stages of the development. New features or changes , if any, can thus be added incrementally during the early stages without doing much of changes in the structure of the system. It focuses first, more on the functionality, then turn to performance. It is a step-wise process which makes closer approximations to reach a desired goal. But a closer and careful management interference and documentation is necessary during all the steps. Incremental Development in context with SOA. As stated earlier, SOA is based on agile methodology. A disciplined Agile software development definition can be An iterative and incremental (evolutionary) approach to software development which is performed in a highly collaborative manner by self-organizing teams within an effective governance framework with just enough ceremony that produces high quality software in a cost effective and timely mannerwhich meets the changing needs of its stakeholders. [13] Conclusion Reliability According to ANSI, Software Reliability is defined as: the probability of failure-free software operation for a specified period of time in a specified environment.[ANSI91][Lyu95]. The NASA Software Assurance Standard, NASA-STD-8739.8, defines software reliability as a discipline of software assurance that: Defines the requirements for software controlled system fault/failure detection, isolation, and recovery; Reviews the software development processes and products for software error prevention and/or reduced functionality states; and, Defines the process for measuring and analyzing defects and defines/derives the reliability and maintainability factors. Reliability in context of SOA For services to carry out their capabilities consistently and reliably, their underlying solution logic needs to have a significant degree of control over its environment and resources. The principle of Service Autonomy supports the extent to which other design principles can be effectively realized in real world production environments by fostering design characteristics that increase a services reliability and behavioural predictability. [12] Conclusion Principle of Autonomy is one of the principles of SOA which talks about the reliability and behavioural predictability. This principle does applicable to SOA. References Abstracts from Fundamentals of Software Engineering, Second Edition, by Carlo Ghezzi, Mehdi Jazayeri, and Dino Mandrioli. Krueger, Ch. W., 1992. Software Reuse. ACM Computing Surveys, 24: 131-83. Pree, W., 1994. Design Patterns for Object-Oriented Software Development. Addison-Wesley. NÃÆ' ¡vrat, P., 1994. Hierarchies of programming concepts. Abstraction, generality and beyond. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 26: 17-21, 28. NÃÆ' ¡vrat, P., 1996. A Closer Look at Programming Expertise. Critical Survey of Some Methodological Issues. Information and Software Technol., 1: 37-46. Czarnecki, K. and U.W. Eisenecker, 2000. Generative Programming. Methods, Tools and Application. Addison Wesley. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Cartwright and Doernenburg 48 (3): 26. (2006) Zoran Stojanovic Ajantha Dahanayake. Service-Oriented Software System Engineering, Challenges and Practices. 1 Nicolai. M. Josuttis, 2007. SOA in practice. The art of distributed system design. 12-13. Eric A. Marks Michael Bell, 2006. Service-Oriented Architecture, A Planning and Implementation Guide for Business and Technology. 33-34 http://www.soaprinciples.com SOA: Principles of Service Design, byThomas Erl http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/agileSoftwareDevelopment.htm http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/agileSoftwareDevelopment.htm http://www.soaprinciples.com/service_autonomy.asp

Abstract Expressionism Essay -- Art Artistic Painting Paintings Papers

Abstract Expressionism "What about the reality of the everyday world and the reality of painting? They are not the same realities. What is this creative thing that you have struggled to get and where did it come from? What reference or value does it have, outside of the painting itself?" Ad Reinhardt, in a group discussion at Studio 35, in 1950. My essay starts with the origin and the birth of this great expression in the twentieth century. This movement not only touched painting, it had an affect on various aspects of art-poetry, architecture, theater, film, photography. Vasily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich and Piet Mondrian are considered to be the pioneer artists to have achieved a truly abstract visual language in painting. Although they worked independently, these artists were united by a belief that abstract painting was capable of evoking a spiritual experience. A central figure of German Expressionism, Kandinsky, in 1911, began to paint densely layered composition of free-floating lines and areas of color, with the intention to reveal his desire to instill visual form with the properties of music. By 1915, Malevich had invented a new, abstract visual set of paintings consisting of one or more colored geometric shapes on a white field. He visualized a state of feeling, and a sense of bliss and wonder. Mondrian took a different approach with tighter geometric orientation and stricter compositional order. He was also inspired by landscape but he interpreted it as a series of interlocking vertical and horizontal lines. It would be hard to advance any definition of abstract expressionism without taking into account the vast and varied cultural and historical happenings t... ...painting and drawing led to his investigation of film making. Abstract expressionism was the combination of idealism and spirituality- two graeat schools of thought. I would sum up this essay by quoting from Willem de Kooning describing what abstract art means to him in 1951. He saw it as a an art of spiritual harmony in which all the main characters flew away from the painful realities of life. He said, " Their own sentiment of form instead was one of comfort. The beauty of comfort. The great curve of a bridge was beautiful because people could go across the river in comfort. To compose in curves like that, and angles, and make works of art with them could only make people happy, they maintained, for the only association was one of comfort. That millions of people have died in war since then, because of that idea of comfort, is something else." Abstract Expressionism Essay -- Art Artistic Painting Paintings Papers Abstract Expressionism "What about the reality of the everyday world and the reality of painting? They are not the same realities. What is this creative thing that you have struggled to get and where did it come from? What reference or value does it have, outside of the painting itself?" Ad Reinhardt, in a group discussion at Studio 35, in 1950. My essay starts with the origin and the birth of this great expression in the twentieth century. This movement not only touched painting, it had an affect on various aspects of art-poetry, architecture, theater, film, photography. Vasily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich and Piet Mondrian are considered to be the pioneer artists to have achieved a truly abstract visual language in painting. Although they worked independently, these artists were united by a belief that abstract painting was capable of evoking a spiritual experience. A central figure of German Expressionism, Kandinsky, in 1911, began to paint densely layered composition of free-floating lines and areas of color, with the intention to reveal his desire to instill visual form with the properties of music. By 1915, Malevich had invented a new, abstract visual set of paintings consisting of one or more colored geometric shapes on a white field. He visualized a state of feeling, and a sense of bliss and wonder. Mondrian took a different approach with tighter geometric orientation and stricter compositional order. He was also inspired by landscape but he interpreted it as a series of interlocking vertical and horizontal lines. It would be hard to advance any definition of abstract expressionism without taking into account the vast and varied cultural and historical happenings t... ...painting and drawing led to his investigation of film making. Abstract expressionism was the combination of idealism and spirituality- two graeat schools of thought. I would sum up this essay by quoting from Willem de Kooning describing what abstract art means to him in 1951. He saw it as a an art of spiritual harmony in which all the main characters flew away from the painful realities of life. He said, " Their own sentiment of form instead was one of comfort. The beauty of comfort. The great curve of a bridge was beautiful because people could go across the river in comfort. To compose in curves like that, and angles, and make works of art with them could only make people happy, they maintained, for the only association was one of comfort. That millions of people have died in war since then, because of that idea of comfort, is something else."

Macroeconomics :: Economy Economics Essays

Macroeconomics â€Å"How might a country go about lowering its NAIRU? What are the welfare implications of so doing?† In tackling this question, we will adopt a theoretical approach in the sense that we will focus on an economy and explain the determinants of NAIRU as well as the policy options. But it seems logical to first introduce the concept of NAIRU, or the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment, which will be interchangeably used with the â€Å"equilibrium rate of unemployment†. According to Carlin and Soskice , the central concept of equilibrium unemployment can be defined as â€Å"the rate of unemployment at which the expected real wage that results from wage-setting decisions is equal to the real wage implied by price-setting decisions†. Stiglitz argues that the NAIRU is used as a theory to understand the causes of inflation (predicting the changes in inflation rates) and is important because it enlightens the relation between unemployment and increasing inflation. The NAIRU corresponds to the rate of unemployment which is consistent with an unchanging inflation rate, and further reflects how the economy behaves out of equilibrium. Unless employment is at equilibrium level, inflation will increase or decrease until it reaches the NAIRU, the level of output and employment at which inflation is constant. In fact, Stiglitz explains that when unemployment is below the NAIRU, real wages demands are greater than the amount firms are willing to pay. At equilibrium, the behavior of wage-setters is compatible with that of the price-setters. His point is indeed that â€Å"if NAIRU exists, it must be changing over time† . What is more, Stiglitz identifies four phenomena that can change the NAIRU, namely changing demogra phics of the labor force, the productivity growth becoming more in line with worker expectations, an increase in the competitiveness of the labor and product market (through greater openness and trade), and finally hysterisis, which says that a higher NAIRU will generate an even higher one. He also discards the theory according to which productivity rate affects the equilibrium rate: productivity only has a temporary influence through the â€Å"wage-aspiration† effect. According to Altig and Gomme , the NAIRU is thought to represent a â€Å"speed limit† for economic activity: â€Å"it measures a nation’s sustainable production capability†. If the economy grows faster than its resources can support over the long-run, that is when the unemployment rate falls below the NAIRU, then price pressure builds and inflation rate accelerates.

Banquets and Confrenceing

1. 1 THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF CONFERENCE AND BANQUETING INDUSTRY IN THE UK Conference and banqueting is normally organizing an event, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose, such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, small meetings, corporate gatherings, seminars, family occasions or weddings As of now, conferences are considered as one of the most essential and significant aspects in globalization as it bridge the gaps of various industries from one nation to another and it is helping many economies of various nations to be recognized all over the world.Accordingly, one of the most essential international conferences such as world expos is the World Expo conferences which are regarded as a large scale, non-commercial international expo. Since it is an essential and significant international conference such as world expo, the hosting for this must be applied for by a nation and approved by the international committee. The main goal of thi s event is to promote transfer and exchange of ideas as well as development of the global economy, science and technology, customs and culture and to allow exhibitors to promote as well as show off their achievements and enhance international relationship.A banquet (/? b k. w? t/; French: [b. k? ]) is a large meal or feast, complete with main courses and desserts. It usually serves a purpose such as a charitable gathering, a ceremony, or a celebration, and is often preceded or followed by speeches in honour of someone The idea of banqueting in the UK is ancient. In the 16th century, a banquet was very different from our modern perception and stems from the medieval ‘ceremony of the void'. After dinner, the guests would stand and drink sweet wine and spices while the table was cleared, or ‘voided’ (Later in the 17th century ‘void’ would be replaced with the French ‘dessert’).During the 16th century, guests would no longer stand in the grea t chamber whilst the table was cleared and the room prepared for entertainment, but would retire to the parlour or banqueting room. 1. 2 FACTORS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONFERENCE AND BANQUETING INDUSTRY IN THE UK As the idea of conferencing and banqueting developed, it could take place at any time during the day and have much more in common with the later practice of taking tea. Banqueting rooms varied greatly from house to house, but were generally on an intimate scale either in a garden oom or inside such as the small banqueting turrets in Longleat House. Modern banqueting has its roots in the traditions of the Greeks and Romans. The Greeks introduced the hors d’oeuvre course, to which the Romans added up to20 courses as they furthered the development of the banquet feast. From this elaborate format evolved the three-course medieval menu, which presented as many as 25 menu items with each course. The menu format revisions of the late-eighteenth and nineteen th centuries transformed the three primary courses with multiple dishes into a series of nine courses, each featuring an individual menu item.These revisions were incorporate-rated into menus throughout Europe and America in a variety of formats. The history of American banqueting begins with the feasts of the Native Americans. The menu formats of early colonial American banquets were primarily influenced by England. French cuisine and menu formats initially threaded their way to the colonies via English recipes and customs. The emigration of French royalists during the French Revolution accelerated the assimilation of both French cuisine and menus with American banqueting customs.Thomas Jefferson greatly aided the development of American banqueting during his years in the White House. His simplification of the menu and emphasis on wines were major elements in the development of a style of banqueting that prevailed over the next 165 years of White House functions. During the preside ncy of John Kennedy, banquets were enhanced by the contributions of Jacqueline Kennedy. Like Jefferson, Mrs Kennedy preferred menus of simple elegance that concentrated on a high quality of food and service.The records tracing the development of the banquet menu throughout the centuries provide a rich and exciting chronicle of food items, recipes, and traditions. Many of these food items and recipes endure in our contemporary food customs. Today in the UK, banquets serve many purposes from training sessions, to formal business dinners. Business banquets are a popular way to strengthen bonds between businessmen and their partners. It is common that a banquet is organized at the end of an academic conference.A luau is one variety of banquets originally used in Hawaii. The Nei Mongol provincial government in China levies a tax on banquets. 1. 3 THREE FACTORS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONFRENCE AND BANQUETING IN THE UK The banqueting and conference industry is also subject to many influences and factors The banqueting and conference businesses must take these influences and factors into account when planning their operations and delivering their services. The influences and factors on the industry can be categorised as: †¢Economy / commerce Technology †¢Legislation Let’s consider examples of each of these factors. ?Economic / Commerce- factors can influence demand for hospitality services. During a recession or periods of low economic growth, people don’t have as much disposable income as in times of an economic boom. People become more interested in value for money. Pubs and restaurants need to offer money-off vouchers and discounts to encourage people to eat out more. ?Technology- plays a role in how people access hospitality services.Customers can now book restaurant tables, hotel rooms or spa days 24/7 from their computers or phones. Most hospitality businesses need an online presence. ?Legislation- All industries must be concerned for the health and safety of their employees and customers, and must meet their legal obligations. Hospitality is no exception. Businesses are bound by the law. There is often a cost to the business in meeting its legal requirements, but this can save thousands of pounds in damages that might result from a negligence claim.