Electoral College Essays (537 words) - Psephology, Electoral Systems

Electoral College The Electoral College has been used to elect the President since the beginnings of the United States. In the two hundred some odd years of history, there have been instances when the college did not work. There have been many ideas that have floated around about fixing the problem with the electorate. Then again, there are many plusses to using the Electoral College system. In an election, the President is elected not by the popular vote, but by the votes of the electorates. The electorates are representative of each state. There are a number of electorates per state equal to the amount of persons in both the House of Representatives, and the Senate. The District of Columbia also has three votes to cast. One of the major drawbacks to the Electoral College is the fact that it can at times be very undemocratic. If a candidate wins the votes in certain states, and gets all their electoral votes, it is possible to win the Presidency, without getting the most popular vote. In the 1800's, there were three instances where the Electoral College disagreed with the popular vote. On the same note, in 1968, the race would have ended up in congress shy of a few votes for George Wallace. Again in 1976, the electoral vote gave Gerald Ford the victory even though Jimmy Carter one the most popular support. How would you fix this problem, there is no easy answer to this question. One way to solve this is send percentages of electoral votes, or ignore the winner-take all system. For instance, say that in Florida, who has 25 votes, 80 percent of the popular vote supports the democratic nomination, whereas the other 20 percent went for the republican nomination. Then 20 electoral votes would go to the democrat, and 5 would go to the republican. Another way to solve this problem would be to base electoral votes solely on the population, separate the nation into regions with approximately the same population, and give them each votes. In this, there would be no actual state borders, just a set number of voting regions. A third and final way to solve the problem would be to do away with the system entirely, and let the popular vote be the sole decision making factor. This would be the easiest and quickest way to solve the Electoral College problem. The electoral system is not all bad. There are several pluses to its use. One of those plusses is the declaration of a clear winner. Whichever candidate wins the most votes, or the first to get 270 votes, wins. Also with the current winner-take all policy, it makes the smaller states votes more important and less significant to the candidates. There is also the ability to tell that a clear winner may or may not have a mandate. A mandate states that the public endorses a candidate's programs and that the candidate should put them into affect when he finally reaches office. The Electoral College is the system of the United States, set up even before the first actual political parties, that is used to elect the President and the Vice President. The Electoral College is not perfect by any means. There have been some instances when a President has been elected even though he wasn't the popular choice, but the plusses given to the election process by having it are worth the few mistakes.

Free Essays on Creating A Safe Work Environment

You wouldn’t think that giving someone a compliment, like â€Å"Hey you look sexy today†, would be considered harassment. However, in today’s world anything is possible. Sexual harassment has become a big issue in society and sometimes a person can take it to the extreme. There are many things that can be considered harassment, there are many ways to prevent it, and there are things you can do to help yourself if you are a victim. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment. Moreover, when giving in to or rejection of this conduct openly or perfectly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individuals work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following: The victim as well as the harasser may be man or woman. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex. The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee. The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct. Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or release of the victim. The harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome. It is helpful for the victim to directly inform the harasser that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop. The victim should report the incident immediately after it happens. Do not hesitate; otherwise, your report may not be taken seriously. When investigating allegations of sexual harassment, EEOC looks at the whole record: the circumstances, such as the nature of the sexual advances, and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred. A purpose on the allegations is made from the facts on a case-by-case basis. Prevention is the best tool t o elimin... Free Essays on Creating A Safe Work Environment Free Essays on Creating A Safe Work Environment You wouldn’t think that giving someone a compliment, like â€Å"Hey you look sexy today†, would be considered harassment. However, in today’s world anything is possible. Sexual harassment has become a big issue in society and sometimes a person can take it to the extreme. There are many things that can be considered harassment, there are many ways to prevent it, and there are things you can do to help yourself if you are a victim. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment. Moreover, when giving in to or rejection of this conduct openly or perfectly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individuals work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following: The victim as well as the harasser may be man or woman. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex. The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee. The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct. Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or release of the victim. The harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome. It is helpful for the victim to directly inform the harasser that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop. The victim should report the incident immediately after it happens. Do not hesitate; otherwise, your report may not be taken seriously. When investigating allegations of sexual harassment, EEOC looks at the whole record: the circumstances, such as the nature of the sexual advances, and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred. A purpose on the allegations is made from the facts on a case-by-case basis. Prevention is the best tool t o elimin...

Eroupean business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Eroupean business - Essay Example Along with this evolution of humans and territories, the political setup, which ruled villages, also evolved and new political setups came into being, to rule cities, provinces or states and importantly countries. With the evolution and formation of countries, the political setups also evolved, with countries governed by different political setups including democracy, monarchy, Theocracy, Despotism, etc. This evolution and establishment of many countries with different political setups have necessitated the formation of an overseeing or conglomerate organization. The role of ‘conglomerate’ organization is manifold as it provides a forum to discuss as well as solve many important issues apart from aiding unison of countries. This paper will focus on one such organization, European Union. European Union is a conglomeration of countries in the continent of Europe. But, that conglomeration or integration has not been fully actualized, as certain older member states particularly United Kingdom opposing it and mistrusting it. So, this paper will first analyze why certain member states particularly UK is mistrusting European integration, and then will discuss the changes particularly in stitutional structure and economic changes that might reinvigorate the process of European integration. United Kingdom is regarded as one of the most dominant countries in the world history, as it strengthened its sovereignty as well as spread its influence all over the world in the earlier centuries. But, in recent times or in recent decades, citizens think that its supremacy and importantly sovereignty is being challenged by external issues or organizations, with which UK is voluntarily associated. That is, some actions of external bodies like European Union (UK holds membership of it) and its court is undermining the powers as well as the laws issued by the UK Parliament, thereby UK’s sovereignty. According to majority of the

Marketing Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Management - Essay Example When the consumer paid this price he was assured of top grade quality, hence he did not mind shelling out a low price compared to the retail price of a CD. He could also burn his own CDs and since he could do it several times the final cost was negligible when compared to the quality of the product he got. 3 Promotion. Image plays a very important role. Whether it is the image of the product which enhances value or status or the image of the buyer when he acquires a product or service, both factors are extremely important for the buyer in arriving at a purchase decision. iTune was certainly something one could possess with pride. The mere ownership carried a premium as the performance was superior to any other product in the market. 4 Place or Time of offer. It is of great value to the buyer if a product or service is offered to him at a place and time that suits him. This is a particularly relevant feature in on-line sales of products as accessibility from anywhere and at anytime is the greatest attraction of such trades. The method of access devised by iTunes was simple and easy to manage. There were no messy subscriptions and the download was quick and fast. The ease of access and use were fascinating for the user hence this became a useful factor in the popularity of the product. Although each of the above factors was well exploited by Apple yet iTune became popular mainly because of two of above factors. Firstly the product offered an opportunity to customers to acquire CD grade music from the net; a facility offered by the P2P service like Napster that was closed down by the law denying the pleasure of getting high class music files online. The second was the Place and Time of offer that offered the convenience of acquisition at one’s choice. Among its rivals the closest ones also took advantage of the above factors but they relied more heavily on price cutting like in the case of Music.com who

Musculoskeletal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Musculoskeletal - Essay Example Another vital electrolyte in musculoskeletal function is Potassium. Its role is concerned with the neutralization of metabolic acids that deplete bone. Potassium salts taken into the body via fruits and vegetables yield Potassium bicarbonate via metabolism. Were these not to be taken in adequate amounts, they would lead to mineral compounds that alkalize bone being recruited from the bone, thus resulting in bone resorption, a possible cause for the patients need for a hip replacement. The resorption of bone to provide alkalization fluids leads to bone weakening (Denegar et al, 2004). a) Osteocytes: These are star shaped cells of the bone that are surrounded by the bone matrix. They are mature forms of other bone cells called osteoblasts. They possess long branches from their main body that extend and connect to other adjacent osteocytes. They perform a crucial role in the maintenance of body fluids of Calcium ion levels. They carry this function out by regulating the resorption and formation of bone, thus controlling the amount of calcium in the body, since Calcium ions are essential components in the formation of bone. The bone is the human body’s major Calcium reservoir. Thus, these cells end up controlling Calcium levels. The patient could have a problem with osteoclast regeneration, thus leading to continued bone depletion (Dvořà ¡k, 2009). b) Osteoblast Cells: These are primarily bone cells that form bone. They only possess one nucleus and are formed from other cells known as osteoprogenitor cells. They function via the production of osteoid, better known as the bone matrix. After secretion, the matrix is then, together with Phosphate and Calcium, mineralized to form bone (Dvořà ¡k, 2009). When these cells mature and stop producing bone, they become flat and line the bone surface. Here, they regulate the entry and departure of Calcium and

The Relationship Between Culture And The Media Media Essay

The Relationship Between Culture And The Media Media Essay The relationship between sport, culture and the media is a flourishing field of investigation, especially so when examined from the perspective of Cultural and Media Studies. Although relatively unseasoned in its capabilities as a topic of enquiry, the subject matter has recently been addressed as being a dynamic, fascinating subject of underestimated sociological significance, with the ability to convey a strong sense of a field of study with its own history and intellectual trajectory (Rowe 2004: 2) The Media Sports Cultural Complex, as described by (Rowe 1999) analyzes the relationship between media and sport within contemporary culture, and discusses specific media sports texts within a theoretical framework, while addressing debates concerning methods of production, reproduction, and transformation. This manages to signify both the primacy of symbols in contemporary sport {and} the two-way relationship between the sports media and the great cultural formation of which it is a part'( Rowe 2003: 4). This concept, manages to embrace all the media and sports organizations, processes, personnel, services, products and texts (Jacobson 2003) which can amalgamate in the creation of the broad and dynamic field of contemporary sports culture (Rowe 2004: xx). The scope and scale of this theory, and its culture, means that within modern day society, it is invariably impossible to escape its impact. In this paper I plan to discuss the issues and significancies surrounding the topic of Sport and media, and in particular, Sport Fishing, and its relevance as a matter of investigation. Focusing on how relationships between sport fishing and the media have been approached by both contemporary practitioners and scholars alike. This paper will carry out debates into the notion of socio-cultural enquiry in Media sport. Concepts such as representation and ideology can bring to light the vast range of discernible aspects of the production, circulation and consumption of sport fishing, and both its immediate, and long lasting cultural consequences. When looking at Sport Fishing as a focal point for culture and media, it must be stated that choosing a subject matter on which to concentrate from a large, growing and diverse body of topics is a taxing activity, but I have done so on the grounds that although seemingly controversial, Sport fishing remains the most popular participant sport in the world. Recent studies have supported this notion, reporting that in the US alone figures of 60 million anglers generating over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nations economy creating employment for over one million people (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report, 2006) To accompany this, growth in Angling popularity has embraced a vast array of media texts, namely books, painting, photography, statistical databases, television and radio broadcasts, video, DVD, films of both fiction and non-fiction varieties, photo-essays and the internet. Throughout the following chapters I will refer to all media forms as text s. Through analysis of these various texts, sport can be applied to a vast array of age groups, and pose a constant opportunity for representation and commercialization: When considering the nexus of sports fishing as a Media Sport, those who have emerged as key players in this enormous industry, have carefully and cleverly used the media as a mode to communicate, demonstrate, market and commercialize the sport. Media Sport is now perceived as being closely- knitted with the lives of both fans and non followers uniformly. Much of this is due to the fact that Media and Sport are now widely seen as becoming mutually dependent, and with this allegiance has come an explosion of media sport publicity, taking up enormous amounts of electronic, print and cyber-space. This has permitted opportunities for large numbers of businesses and workers to generate the production of goods and services. This grants absorbance of substantial public resources in the form of programs, subsidies and tax exemptions and is in turn strategically used by the political apparatus in the name of the people (Rowe 2004: 3) When considering Sports fishing, the Wal-Mart FLW Bass fishing tour in the USA is a spectacular example of where sport acquires vast tracts of Media coverage, and is responsible for the production and consumption of everything from soft drink to clothing, {and} is heavily subsidized by corporate groups (Roche 2000). From here, it becomes of vital importance, to come to terms with the intricacies of Sport fishing (in Cultural and Media studies) by understanding, probing and criticizing it in order to be in a position to intervene in its operations, where necessary, in the name of cultural citizenship (Murdock and Golding 1989; Murdock 1997). In essence, Sport fishing, as a Media sport, is particularly important to contemporary cultural citizenship {because} there are no more culturally and economically prized texts, with correspondingly high rewards for controlling them, than live televised media sports texts (Rowe 2003). This paper functions firstly as an introduction to the research and scholarship surrounding Sport, culture and the media, and the relationships that are created by this allegiance. As an ever growing field of inquiry, this topic is explored by generating critical and academic discussion from the perspective of Cultural and Media studies. This aims to highlight the importance of examining the various dimensions of this conspicuous yet elusive analytical object (Rowe 2003) by examining both Sport (Fishing) and the Media, and the ways in which the two have become merged. The evolution and union of sport and media, is deciphered by analyzing the respective histories, whilst delving into matters of social structural changes. These changes are in turn responsible for a rise in mass consumption and cultural economy of sport through channels such as the exchange and manufacture of images, information and ideas. Once these concepts have been explored, this paper progress toward notions of denotation and connotation of media sport. For example when considering a sports text, that text must be read by a sentient being {and} in reading that text, the reader will interpret it and obtain direct and indirect meanings from it (Murdock 1992). By comparing and contrasting the formal properties of essays, photography, television, film and the internet respectively, its is possible to examine the effect semiotic and textual relations have upon a variety of readers. This creates a void for academic debate surrounding social issues such as ethnicity, age, gender, nationalism, and class: theoretically, conceptually and empirically informed analysis enables a critical understanding of the institutional context within media sports texts, in their many forms and uses (Rowe 2003) {which forms} specific viewerships, ideologies, myths and other texts in a way that makes them important components of contemporary culture (Rowe 1999: 144)

Lift, Weight, Thrust And Drag :: essays research papers

One of the first things that is likely to be noticed during a visit to the local airport is thewide variety of airplane styles and designs. No matter what each looks like like they alldepend on the the same four factors which are lift, weight, thrust, and drag Lift is the upward force created by the effect of airflow as it passes over and under the wings. It supports the airplane in flight. Weight opposes lift. It is caused by the downward pull of gravity. Thrust is the forward force which propels the airplane through the air. It varies with the amount of engine power being used. Opposing thrust is drag, which is a backward, or retarding, force that limits the speed of the airplane.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lift is the key aerodynamic force. It is the force that opposes weight. In straight-and-level, unaccelerated flight, when weight and lift are equal, an airplane is in a state of equilibrium. If the other aerodynamic factors remain constant, that airplane neither gains nor loses altitude. When an airplane is stationary on the ramp, it is also in equilibrium, but the aerodynamic forces are not a factor. In calm wind conditions, the atmosphere exerts equal pressure on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing. Movement of air about the airplane, particularly the wing, is necessary before the aerodynamic force of lift becomes effective. During flight, however, pressures on the upper and lower surfaces of the wing are not the same. Although several factors contribute to this difference, the shape of the wing is the principal one. The wing is designed to divide the airflow into areas of high pressure below the wing and areas of comparatively lower pressure above the wing. This pressure differential, which is created by movement of air about the wing, is the primary source of lift.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The weight of the airplane is not a constant. It varies with the equipment installed, passengers, cargo, and fuel load. During the course of a flight, the total weight of the airplane decreases as fuel is consumed. Additional weight reduction may also occur during some specialized flight activities, such as crop dusting, fire fighting, or sky diving flights. The direction in which the force of weight acts is constant. It always acts straight down toward the center of the earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thrust is the forward-acting force which opposes drag and propels the airplane. In most airplanes, this force is provided when the engine turns the propeller.

Benjamin Franklin Essay

Founding father Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"The way to see faith is to shut the eye of reason. † Theists for thousands of years have shut their eyes to reason and blindly followed the word of those who would have them believe in false gods. Reason demonstrates, through outlets such as Occam’s Razor, the lack of a need for the existence of those gods and the shortcomings of theists in attempts to prove their faith. Such shortcomings most prominently come in the failure to provide empirical data for the existence of gods, in fact, experimentation and observation show otherwise. To accompany a lack of need and a lack of evidence, because faith causes one to turn a blind eye to reason, arguments for theism are often weak, personal, and circumstantial at best, and can be easily negated. Reason, a lack of evidence, and weak arguments leave mankind only one option in regards to belief in the supernatural; no god or gods actually exist. Occam’s Razor not only establishes the falsehood of a requirement for gods, but also shifts the burden of proving the existence of gods unto the theorists. In blunt terms, the Razor states that, â€Å"All other things being equal, a simpler explanation is preferred over a complex one† (Krauss). Therefore, entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily, so the simplest of theories should be chosen before the most complex and that the unknown should first be measured in known quantities (Krauss). A deity, while providing a simple metaphysical escape for the absence of evidence, adds a plethora of unneeded layers of complexity to the creation of the universe. The addition of a supreme being to the equation not only dismantles established laws of physics, but creates a type of pyramidal scheme to the universal hierarchy, with the deity at the top, as its influence can â€Å"butterfly out† to touch everything in existence and possibly altering its physical properties. The metaphysical effect of a deity on the physical world would have unimaginable effect on known forces and constants, creating a faucet that streams unknown quantities. Fortunately, Occam’s Razor demands that without empirical data solving some of those unknowns, there is no need to add a god to the equation and the deity can be dismissed (Krauss). To stack on the allowance of a dismissal of gods by the Razor, Occam also requires that the burden of proof of gods falls to theists. Without a need for a god, one must not assume without evidence that a deity exists, just as one would not assume a Minnie Mouse teapot floats between the Earth and Mars without empirical proof of its existence (Krauss). Therefore, if there is no need for a god, then theists must provide tangible confirmation demonstrating the existence of such a being in order for a reasonable person to feel the need to believe in it (Myers). If the theists, on the other hand are unable to provide tangible confirmation, then the majority are essentially asking the world to follow their religion without a need for god, without proof, and on the terms that the church understands all there is to know of the universe. In the end, thanks to Occam’s Razor, in order for the thesis to stand atheists need not disprove the idea of gods, as one cannot prove a negative. They need only to disprove (or prove the absence of) the evidence supporting theism. The religious throughout history have failed to provide empirical data for the existence of gods; in fact, experimentation and observation shows otherwise. Theism ultimately provides no factual evidence indicating the existence of a god or multiple gods. The so-called strongest proof for the presence of the supernatural lies almost entirely in the realm of unreliable personal experiences (Faust 72). Theists will often claim that they know of their gods through personal communication or through the feeling of their presence in the world. This idea inspires quite the opposite of the confidence in God the religious are trying to demonstrate by sharing that information. What the concept of â€Å"feeling† gods or having them speak to a person is not only condoned as ludicrous by those who do not partake in the lie, but if true indicates something that drifts very nearly toward borderline mental illness. Those who believe their gods speak to them should not be granted any immunity other schizophrenics are not and need to be admitted into a psychiatric ward. The thought that personal experience that cannot and has not been processed through a reasonable scientific experimental procedure can take the place of real evidence is one shared solely by theists. The world does not so lightheartedly admit untested and inconstant variables such as personal experiences because no one who logically assesses the facts could morally do so. The nonreligious portion of the Earth’s population does not recognize personal experience as a viable form of evidence for anyone besides theists (Faust 72). This arises from the notion that these experiences claimed by the religious are not comparable to witness accounts r recollection of victims in the court of law. Unlike in the case of witness accounts and recollections, theists demand that the supernatural feelings they have be classified as stand-alone evidence without empirical data or essentially a case to back it up (Faust 74). This form of proof cannot stand by itself, especially when one takes into consideration the fact that these experiences happen so little and with so little correlation to any direct event or circumstance that when compared with the rest they produce an insignificant number (Faust 75). Not to mention of course, that any witness account in a case must be taken with a grain of salt, as one can never be certain they are telling the truth without the backing of empirical data. In a vain attempt to denounce alternatives to supernatural creation theists often cling to the proud notion that if they can find a single flaw in an important scientific theory, such as natural selection or evolution, then the entire case of the nonexistence of god collapses (Dawkins 51). First, as proved earlier in the paper, the burden of proof is on the theists, so even if theists can disprove every scientific theory they must still prove theirs (Dawkins 53). Second, a scientific theory must be show to be fundamentally flawed in order for it to collapse. A few issues in the theory simply shows that there is a small amount of data missing or that a certain aspect must be corrected, both of which existences would serve to further the theory (Dawkins 53). The distinct difference between science and religion is that the scientific method of proposing a theory allows for the theory to change and adapt according to what is observed, meaning the core of the idea is what needs to collapse for it to be incorrect, not the random outliers and exceptions picked on by theists. Conclusively, unlike religious arguments, scientific theory is based on observation and change and therefore need to be proven fundamentally wrong to be publically denounced. Atheists have all heard it before, â€Å"Complexity, complexity, complexity, complexity, complexity. Did you know that a cell is really complex? Complexity, complexity, complexity, and you are just going to be blown away by the Trilobites. It crazy, they’re like little machines. Complexity. Therefore, design. † The argument of complexity through intelligent design is another tidbit of supposed empirical data theists put forth in an effort to provide â€Å"physical† evidence for the existence of gods (Myers). This contention is one of the main, and essentially their only, religious attempts to put forth empirical data which scientists can measure. The entire idea of complexity indicating design is in every sense ridiculous. The notion can be dispelled by observing the known world and watching nature, or even humans, create complex structures by chance or accident. Take for example, a young boy who tires of playing with a stick and throws it into a nearby creek. The stick floats downstream until it gets caught between two rocks at a narrow, and begins to catch other debris floating by. Eventually a variety of different types of objects will form a natural dam in the creek, creating a small pond, which in turn can develop its own ecosystem filled with life giving the illusion of design, but being completely natural (Myers). As shown in the example, the complexity of the world derived not from design, but from the wonder of chance, evolution, and natural selection. Over hundreds of millions of years life has slowly developed and pieced itself together much like the dam, changing and adapting to conditions and lifestyles on Earth (Myers). The extreme complexity through which the systems of life today work is derived from the natural selection aspect of evolution, if a system does not work, or fails to quickly adapt, then the system is eliminated time and time again until a system that operates survives (Myers). The argument of complexity solely resides in world of fantasy, has no scientific basis, and should be disregarded as viable physical evidence. Full well knowing how pitiful the points of the argument of intelligent design are, theists look to one final, very childish, measure to save their drowning plight, questioning the validity of science and the scientists who propose it (Mathew 1). Worshippers have long tried to poke holes in important theories such as natural selection and evolution or convince people to dismiss them as simple â€Å"guesses by scientists† (Mathew 1). On the receiving end of most of this ill-informed ridicule rests a creationist’s worst enemy, the theory of evolution. According to many theists, evolution cannot be as there are, so pompously pointed out, several gaps in the evolutionary chain (Dawkins 52). Not only does this not affect the validity of a theory as proved earlier, but is entirely untrue. Fortunately in this world there stands a concept known as a universal constant, a constant essentially keeps humans from testing if the floor will hold them every time they leave bed, or if the stove is hot when the on light is on, or allowing them to understand if they ump from a building they will die. These constants allow mankind to make a series of assumptions that make up nearly every decision in an average day. These assumptions permit humans to deduce situations such as that if a malicious looking; blood-soaked man leaves a room with a knife in hand and a body is found that the man was the murderer. The same idea transfers to the concept of evolution in the regard that scientists, with proper reasoning and motive, can guide the theory across gaps in the chain and still hold a fair evidence base. This utilization of basic skills as assumptions paired with evidence to substantiate them, along with earlier points of scientific theories’ abilities to withstand isolated flaws discredits theist attempts to put science to the question. Not only do the religious weakly attempt to discredit scientific theory and method, but they often will question the religious background of scientists in an effort to win people over to their side (Mathew 4). Perhaps the two most famous cases of the abuse of character are that of Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin. For ages now religious fanatics such as Ray Comfort have bastardized their work by releasing edited copies of their books and mining for quotes that will purposely mislead the common citizen into believing the scientists were theist. For example, Ray Comfort puts forth this quote about Einstein, â€Å"I believe in Spinoza’s God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Comfort removed the quote completely from context in order to misconstrue its true meaning (Mathew 4). Spinoza’s God is not a god at all, but a term used to sum up the forces of the universe into a word. Einstein in that very paragraph went on to describe how he does not believe in a god who concerns himself with the fates and actions of humans (Mathew 4). Einstein even addressed this kind of misleading material in his own day writing statements denouncing those who claimed him as a believer in God, â€Å"It was of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which has been systematically repeated (Mathew 4). Zealots like Comfort also release carefully crafted versions of great works like Darwin’s Origin of Species in which Darwin claims that he finds it hard to believe that something as astounding as the human eye could have developed through chance, neglecting to add the parts right in which Darwin continues to say that despite this, reason suggests that its true (Mathew 5). The attempt to discredit science and scientists by theists is disgraceful and such a ersonal attack in an impersonal topic alone should be grounds to dismiss the claim. Overall, theists have repeated neglected to present any actual empirical data, therefore have no proof of the existence of gods, and must resort to metaphysical or personal claims. Not only do Occam’s Rule and the absolute lack of empirical evidence disprove the idea of gods, but what arguments theists do rely on are weak, individual, and circumstantial at best, and can all be easily negated. One of these arguments for theism is the existence of morality and the correlation of morals throughout the world and history (Hauser et al 1). This can be easily negated as, put simply, atheists are the perfect example of how this cannot be true. Without guidance and belief in gods they are just as morally good as any religious person (Hauser et al 2).

The Definition of Form in Art

The Definition of Form in Art The term form can mean several different things in art. Form is one of the seven elements of art and connotes a three-dimensional object in space. A  formal analysis of a work of art describes how the elements and principles of artwork together independent of their meaning and the feelings or thoughts they may evoke in the viewer. Finally,  form is also used to describe the physical nature of the artwork, as in metal sculpture, an oil painting, etc.​ When used in tandem with the word art as in art form, it can also mean a medium of artistic expression recognized as fine art or an unconventional medium done so well, adroitly, or creatively as to elevate it to the level of fine art. An Element of Art Form is one of the seven elements of art  which are the visual tools that an artist uses to compose a work of art. In addition, to form, they include line, shape, value, color, texture, and space.  As an Element of Art, form connotes something that is three-dimensional and encloses volume, having length, width, and height, versus shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat. A form is a shape in three dimensions, and, like shapes, can be geometric or organic. Geometric forms are forms that are mathematical, precise, and can be named, as in the basic geometric forms: sphere, cube, pyramid, cone, and cylinder.  A circle becomes a sphere in three dimensions, a square becomes a cube, a triangle becomes a pyramid or cone. Geometric forms are most often found in architecture and the built environment, although you can also find them in the spheres of planets and bubbles, and in the crystalline pattern of snowflakes, for example. Organic forms are those that are free-flowing, curvy, sinewy, and are not symmetrical or easily measurable or named. They most often occur in nature, as in the shapes of flowers, branches, leaves, puddles, clouds, animals, the human figure, etc., but can also be found in the bold and fanciful buildings of the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi (1852 to 1926) as well as in many sculptures. Form in Sculpture Form is most closely tied to sculpture, since it is a three-dimensional art and has traditionally consisted almost primarily of form, with color and texture being subordinate. Three-dimensional forms can be seen from more than one side. Traditionally forms could be viewed from all sides, called sculpture in-the-round, or in relief, those in which the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background, including bas-relief, haut-relief, and sunken-relief. Historically sculptures were made in the likeness of someone, to honor a hero or god. The twentieth century broadened the meaning of sculpture, though, heralding the concept of open and closed forms, and the meaning continues to expand today. Sculptures are no longer only representational, static, stationery, forms with a solid opaque mass that has been carved out of stone or modeled out of bronze. Sculpture today may be abstract, assembled from different objects, kinetic, change with time, or made out of unconventional materials like light or holograms, as in the work of renowned artist James Turrell. Sculptures may be characterized in relative terms as closed or open forms. A closed-form has a similar feeling to the traditional form of a solid opaque mass. Even if spaces exist within the form, they are contained and confined. A closed-form has an inward-directed focus on the form, itself, isolated from ambient space. An open form is transparent, revealing its structure, and therefore has a more fluid and dynamic relationship with the ambient space.  Negative space is a major component and activating force of an open form sculpture. Pablo Picasso (1881 to 1973), Alexander Calder (1898 to 1976), and Julio Gonzalez (1876 to 1942) are some artists who created open form sculptures, made from wire and other materials. Henry Moore (1898 to 1986), the great English artist who, along with his contemporary, Barbara Hepworth (1903 to 1975), were the two most important British sculptors in modern art, both revolutionized sculpture by being the first to pierce the form of their biomorphic (biolife, morphicform) sculptures. She did so in 1931, and he did in 1932, noting that â€Å"even space can have form† and that â€Å"a hole can have as much shape meaning as a solid mass.†Ã‚   Form in Drawing and Painting In drawing and painting, the illusion of three-dimensional form is conveyed through the use of lighting and shadows, and the rendering of value and tone. Shape is defined by the outer contour of an object, which is how we first perceive it and begin to make sense of it, but light, value, and shadow help to give an object form and context in space so that we can fully identify it. For example, assuming a single light source on a sphere, the highlight is where the light source hits directly; the mid-tone is the middle value on the sphere where the light does not hit directly; the core shadow is the area on the sphere that the light does not hit at all and is the darkest part of the sphere; the cast shadow is the area on surrounding surfaces that is blocked from the light by the object; reflected highlight is light that is reflected back up onto the object from the surrounding objects and surfaces. With these guidelines as to light and shading in mind, any simple shape can be drawn or painted to create the illusion of a three-dimensional form. The greater the contrast in value, the more pronounced the three-dimensional form becomes. Forms that are rendered with little variation in value appear flatter than those that are rendered with greater variation and contrast. Historically, painting has progressed from a flat representation of form and space to a three-dimensional representation of form and space, to abstraction. Egyptian painting was flat, with the human form presented frontally but with the head and feet in profile. The realistic illusion of form did not occur until the Renaissance along with the discovery of perspective. Baroque artists such as Caravaggio (1571 to 1610), explored the nature of space, light, and the three-dimensional experience of space further through the use of chiaroscuro, the strong contrast between light and dark. The portrayal of the human form became much more dynamic, with chiaroscuro and foreshortening giving the forms a sense of solidity and weight and creating a powerful sense of drama. Modernism freed artists to play with the form more abstractly. Artists such as Picasso, with the invention of Cubism, broke up the form to imply movement through space and time. Analyzing an Artwork When analyzing a work of art, a formal analysis is separate from that of its content or context. A formal analysis means applying the elements and principles of art to analyze the work visually. The formal analysis can reveal compositional decisions that help to reinforce content, the work’s essence, meaning, and the artist’s intent, as well as give clues as to historical context. For example, the feelings of mystery, awe, and transcendence that are evoked from some of the most enduring Renaissance masterpieces, such as the Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci, 1517), The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo, 1512),  the Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci, 1498) are distinct from the formal compositional elements and principles such as line, color, space, shape, contrast, emphasis, etc., the artist used to create the painting and that contribute to its meaning, effect, and timeless quality. Resources and Further Reading Form, Tate Museum, tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/f/formThe Art of Sculpture, Encyclopedia of Art, visual-arts-cork.com/sculpture.htmThe hole of life, Tate Museum, tate.org.uk/context-comment/articles/hole-of-lifeBarbara Hepworth vs Henry Moore, CultureWhisper, https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/article/preview/3670Works of Antoni Gaudi, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/320Henry Moore Foundation, https://www.henry-moore.orgBarbara Hepworth, https://barbarahepworth.org.ukJames Turrell, http://jamesturrell.com Resources for Teachers The Elements of Art: Form, Grade Level: 3-4, National Gallery of Art, https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/teachers/lessons-activities/elements-of-art/form.htmlShape and Form in Art: Instructional Program for Grades K-4, Teacher’s Guide, http://gettingtoknow.com/wp-content/uploads/shapeinartTG.pdf

Navajo Code Talkers

Navajo Code Talkers In United States history, the story of Native Americans is predominantly tragic. Settlers took their land, misunderstood their customs, and killed them in the thousands. Then, during World War II, the U.S. government needed the Navajos help. And though they had suffered greatly from this same government, Navajos proudly answered the call to duty. Communication is essential during any war and World War II was no different. From battalion to battalion or ship to ship - everyone must stay in contact to know when and where to attack or when to fall back. If the enemy were to hear these tactical conversations, not only would the element of surprise be lost, but the enemy could also reposition and get the upper hand. Codes (encryptions) were essential to protect these conversations. Unfortunately, though codes were often used, they were also frequently broken. In 1942, a man named Philip Johnston thought of a code he thought unbreakable by the enemy. A code based on the Navajo language. Philip Johnstons Idea The son of a Protestant missionary, Philip Johnston spent much of his childhood on the Navajo reservation. He grew up with Navajo children, learning their language and their customs. As an adult, Johnston became an engineer for the city of Los Angeles but also spent a considerable amount of his time lecturing about the Navajos. Then one day, Johnston was reading the newspaper when he noticed a story about an armored division in Louisiana that was attempting to come up with a way to code military communications using Native American personnel. This story sparked an idea. The next day, Johnston headed to Camp Elliot (near San Diego) and presented his idea for a code to Lt. Col. James E. Jones, the Area Signal Officer. Lt. Col. Jones was skeptical. Previous attempts at similar codes failed because Native Americans had no words in their language for military terms. There was no need for Navajos to add a word in their language for tank or machine gun just as there is no reason in English to have different terms for your mothers brother and your fathers brother - as some languages do - theyre just both called uncle. And often, when new inventions are created, other languages just absorb the same word. For example, in German a radio is called Radio and a computer is Computer. Thus, Lt. Col. Jones was concerned that if they used any Native American languages as codes, the word for machine gun would become the English word machine gun - making the code easily decipherable. However, Johnston had another idea. Instead of adding the direct term machine gun to the Navajo language, they would designate a word or two already in the Navajo language for the military term. For example, the term for machine gun became rapid-fire gun, the term for battleship became whale, and the term for fighter plane became hummingbird. Lt. Col. Jones recommended a demonstration for Major General Clayton B. Vogel. The demonstration was a success and Major General Vogel sent a letter to the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps recommending that they enlist 200 Navajos for this assignment. In response to the request, they were only given permission to begin a pilot project with 30 Navajos. Getting the Program Started Recruiters visited the Navajo reservation and selected the first 30 code talkers (one dropped out, so 29 started the program). Many of these young Navajos had never been off the reservation, making their transition to military life even more difficult. Yet they persevered. They worked night and day helping to create the code and to learn it. Once the code was created, the Navajo recruits were tested and re-tested. There could be no mistakes in any of the translations. One mistranslated word could lead to the death of thousands. Once the first 29 were trained, two remained behind to become instructors for future Navajo code talkers and the other 27 were sent to Guadalcanal to be the first to use the new code in combat. Having not gotten to participate in the creation of the code because he was a civilian, Johnston volunteered to enlist if he could participate in the program. His offer was accepted and Johnston took over the training aspect of the program. The program proved successful and soon the U.S. Marine Corps authorized unlimited recruiting for the Navajo code talkers program. The entire Navajo nation consisted of 50,000 people and by the end of the war 420 Navajo men worked as code talkers. The Code The initial code consisted of translations for 211 English words most frequently used in military conversations. Included in the list were terms for officers, terms for airplanes, terms for months, and an extensive general vocabulary. Also included were Navajo equivalents for the English alphabet so that the code talkers could spell out names or specific places. However, cryptographer Captain Stilwell suggested that the code be expanded. While monitoring several transmissions, he noticed that since so many words had to be spelled out, the repetition of the Navajo equivalents for each letter could possibly offer the Japanese an opportunity to decipher the code. Upon Captain Silwells suggestion, an additional 200 words and additional Navajo equivalents for the 12 most often used letters (A, D, E, I, H, L, N, O, R, S, T, U) were added. The code, now complete, consisted of 411 terms. On the battlefield, the code was never written down, it was always spoken. In training, they had been repeatedly drilled with all 411 terms. The Navajo code talkers had to be able to send and receive the code as fast as possible. There was no time for hesitation. Trained and now fluent in the code, the Navajo code talkers were ready for battle. On the Battlefield Unfortunately, when the Navajo code was first introduced, military leaders in the field were skeptical. Many of the first recruits had to prove the codes worth. However, with just a few examples, most commanders were grateful for the speed and accuracy in which messages could be communicated. From 1942 until 1945, Navajo code talkers participated in numerous battles in the Pacific, including Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Peleliu, and Tarawa. They not only worked in communications but also as regular soldiers, facing the same horrors of war as other soldiers. However, Navajo code talkers met additional problems in the field. Too often, their own soldiers mistook them for Japanese soldiers. Many were nearly shot because of this. The danger and frequency of misidentification caused some commanders to order a bodyguard for each Navajo code talker. For three years, wherever the Marines landed, the Japanese got an earful of strange gurgling noises interspersed with other sounds resembling the call of a Tibetan monk and the sound of a hot water bottle being emptied.Huddled over their radio sets in bobbing assault barges, in foxholes on the beach, in slit trenches, deep in the jungle, the Navajo Marines transmitted and received messages, orders, vital information. The Japanese ground their teeth and committed hari-kari.* The Navajo code talkers played a large role in the Allied success in the Pacific. The Navajos had created a code the enemy was unable to decipher. * Excerpt from the September 18, 1945 issues of the San Diego Union as quoted in Doris A. Paul, The Navajo Code Talkers (Pittsburgh: Dorrance Publishing Co., 1973) 99. Bibliography Bixler, Margaret T. Winds of Freedom: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. Darien, CT: Two Bytes Publishing Company, 1992.Kawano, Kenji. Warriors: Navajo Code Talkers. Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Publishing Company, 1990.Paul, Doris A. The Navajo Code Talkers. Pittsburgh: Dorrance Publishing Co., 1973.

Hospitality Technology Applied to Hospitals Essay

Hospitality Technology Applied to Hospitals - Essay Example To this end, the hospitality industry, including the airlines and the hotels, are in a constant struggle to introduce new ways to achieve the mentioned goal. This paper purports to discuss some of the new advancements in technology that the airlines have incorporated worldwide to provide for an improved customer experience through improved hospitality and operational management. The airlines have, of late, put an end to paper tickets by encouraging their customers to book tickets online and by checking their bookings through online softwares and databases (3 Big Tech Changes). The latest advancement in this category is an attempt to replace the boarding passes with electronic system of bar codes, so that passenger check-ins can be expedited, and there is less traffic at the airport terminals (3 Big Tech Changes). For this purpose, the major airlines all over the world have started the practice of recording the passenger’s cell phone numbers when they make reservations (3 Big Tech Changes). The airlines then send a bar code to the cell phones via text message, and also to the email address (3 Big Tech Changes). The customers have the option of either printing the emails, or brining their cell phones with them when boarding the planes. The company then checks the bar codes that the passengers have on their cell phones or email print outs(3 Big Tech Cha nges), which therefore, serve as the boarding passes. On 15 January, 2003, Saudi Arabian Airlines opened their first ever option of online booking to the public (MacAllister). This is a major step in the advancement of a key international as well as Middle Eastern flight company, falling currently at number fifteen on the list of the International Air

William James, The Will to Believe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

William James, The Will to Believe - Essay Example Only a genuine option is relevant. James creates a three-part test for determining whether an option is, in fact, genuine. This three-part test requires that an option be living, forced, and momentous in order to be genuine. As an initial matter, there must be two alternatives. To be genuine, the option must be living. This means that the individual in question will consider seriously each of the alternatives. It must be possible that he will choose either of the options. In this respect, the genuine option becomes extraordinarily individualistic. The test is not applied to groups, whether large or small, but to the smallest possible unit. The test is applied to the decision-maker. This has significant implications. An option may be living for one person but not for another. In a very basic way, the person must be thoughtful, open-minded, and undecided for the option to be living. Assuming that the option is living, the second part of the test requires that an option must be forced. The forced element demands that an alternative be chosen. There can be no hedging. There can be no qualifications of the choice. There is a sense of completeness and irrevocability demanded by this element of the genuine option. You have faith or you do not have faith. You like a person or you do not like a person. There is, in short, a conflict and it must be resolved. The final part of the test concerns the uniqueness of the option. James refers to this as the momentous option. In his view, this option presents itself as a once-in-a lifetime opportunity. To be momentous, the option must transcend trivial issues. The option must involve truly significant matters, the decision must be irrevocable, and the decision must be unique. This limits the discussion to very fundamental issues, such as deeply moral questions, religious questions, and personal relations. In the final analysis, James argues that the question of religious faith is a genuine option because the question satisfies the three-part test. When confronted with the question of religious faith, the option may very well be living to many individuals. The individual may consider both alternatives, to have faith or not to have faith, very seriously. Faith is forced in the sense that, after considering the question, a choice must be made. You do not have faith in salvation without a corresponding faith in hell. Finally, this question of religious faith is a momentous decision. The notion of God is hardly trivial. The notions of salvation and eternal damnation are quite significant. How an individual defines his existence, and leads his life, can be fundamentally affected by this decision. Is this type of religious faith then a rational faith James believes that religious faith, as qualified by the genuine option approach, is rational. Again, his framework relies heavily on the concept of circumstance and individuality. The need for absolute evidence is tangential. This rationale is justified by reference to what he calls our passional nature. Our passions motivate us to act. They are not objective. They are specific to each individual. We are all possessed of