Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Take The Opportunity To Give Back This Summer

Plenty of students are looking forward to a summer full activities. Whether it be attending summer school or working as an intern, many students have already had their summers scheduled months ahead. For those of you who haven’t planned quite yet, dont fret. Take this summer to do something meaningful- you can pursue a project you couldnt dedicate yourself to during the school year, or you can volunteer.895189323888264FBYale ‘19I did a lot of volunteer work in the summer of my junior high school year, not because I thought it would look good, but because I was interested in interacting with people I wouldnt have otherwise had a chance to. Dont pick things because you think it will look good. If you like theater, do theater because you like it, you know? People will see the inconsistencies between your application and your extracurriculars.DanilarooNotre Dame ‘18 Volunteer! Dont just do it as a resume/college application booster, though - volunteer somewhere you think is exciting, enriching, and challenging. Pick somewhere you can see yourself still volunteering at in years time. The experience you will gain from immersing yourself in volunteering is invaluable, both during the college application process and way beyond. jeg9000 Humboldt State ‘18 I really recommend that you become very involved in your community the best way possible. And the best place to start, is now! In my summer days in high school, I was involved in my church, in my sisters school, and in my local hospital. And to be honest, if I never had the opportunity to volunteer at the hospital, I would have struggled to find a field Im interested in. I was able to make good friends with the staff that worked there and was able to explore other areas of medicine I was not aware of at the time. It only made me more interested and more dedicated into wanting to pursue medicine. Carriexcullen Emerson 19I would recommend volunteering in the community in ways that are applicable to your intended major. For example, I volunteered over the summer doing a film for a local charity in my town. Listing this on my application to film school showed that I am both involved in my trade and involved in my community. Choosing where to go to college is an incredibly important decision. Make an informed choice by talking to current students on ourmentorship platform. Access 60,000+ successfulcollege application filesuploaded by college students (they get paid when you view them). is a community of students helping students. Our goal is to bring much-needed transparency to higher education.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Isabel Archers Downfall in Henry James The Portrait of a Lady essays

Isabel Archers Downfall in Henry James The Portrait of a Lady essays It is an unquestionable fact of life that human nature is flawed. Human beings have a variety of weaknesses that may differ from one person to the next. How one deals with this ultimately determines whether it will or will not destroy the person. The faults that humans possess stem from an open field of possibilities that they are able to choose from as they build their own character. However, as much as individual free will is desirable, as all other parts of the natural world, it can include negative aspects, as well. Probably, the most difficult element is being able to make good choices, keeping in mind what Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err." Once a state of freedom is attained, all of its sides are encompassed. This essential human cycle of freedom has progressed along with the changing times, views, and values in society. It is depicted by many authors in countless novels. Henry James' perception accurately describes the shifts that occurred in society during the late nineteenth century. He uses colorful characters in his writings to express his opinions on actual revolutionary outlooks of the time and to comment on human nature. The Portrait of a Lady is an example of his view on freedom. The quest for personal freedom destroys Isabel Archer in Henry James' The Portrait of a Lady. Isabel Archer is introduced instantly, in the novel, as a woman with strong and uncompromising convictions. The first glimpse of Isabel shows that she is "quite independent" (James 27). This early description sets expectations for her character. When Isabel herself appears on the lawn of Gardencourt, where she is met by the family she has never known, she strikes Ralph as having "a great deal of confidence, both in herself and in others" (James 31). Isabel's charisma could be felt by people that were strangers to her. Her attitude and...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Bilingual Education in United State History Essay

Bilingual Education in United State History - Essay Example The influx of persons in the United States contributed a lot in shaping the policies that determined the Bilingual Education policy. The country witnessed many groups of people into the country like the natives, immigrants, and displaced people as a result of the World Wars amongst others. In this context, therefore, there was a dire need to lay procedures in place that would incorporate all these persons in the policies that surround Bilingual Education. In the colonial phase, the Bilingual Education schools, established before 1800, were not public and were mainly parochial schools. At this time, a great number of immigrants from Germany and France made a great initiative to come up with the Bilingual schools. Studies indicate that in these schools, English was taught amongst other subjects. Teipelke (p.1) indicates that these schools cannot be termed as bilingual schools, and probably non English schools would be a suitable name. In the mid 1850s, a mandate was passed by the Calif ornia Instruction Bureau that all schools should teach all subjects in English. By the 1870s, attempts to advance English in the country were seen. For instance, in St. Louis district, the school inspector, Mr. Harris, was gave the mandate to all teachers to start teaching English in kindergartens that incorporated German as the mode of instruction. In the late 1890s, the number of schools that used German as the mode of instruction recorded a downward trend. With this trend taking root in the United States, studies indicate that by the early 1900, there were numerous arguments that a good number of German immigrants needed to maintain their origins. The numbers of immigrants in the country were escalating; thus, a good number of individuals enrolled their children in German schools to acquire education in the German language. At this time, the United States had strengthened its muscle into joining the World War. Conflicts were evident among various countries. In relation to Bilingu al Education, key personalities of German origin needed complete abolition of German–English schools. In 1923, the State of Nebraska, following a court ruling, made a ruling that all schools in the state must use English as the only medium of instruction. All foreign languages were banned, and if needed to be taught, it had to be done after the 8th grade. English was made the first language of all persons in Nebraska, on the virtue that useful citizens can only be made through English. English was also made compulsory upon the basis that they would become good citizens and not jeopardize the state’s security. The period of 1927 was termed as the Farrington versus the Tokushige era. This era saw the upending of Hawaii’s restriction schools that taught foreign languages. In this era, parents of Japanese origin gave their arguments that they have the right to ensure their children access education despite the impositions that may be placed by the government. Most o f the parents argued that they are better placed to determine the kind of education their children should achieve, as compared to the government’s restriction. However, this was not bound to stop the government’s move to establish Bilingual Schools in the country. In the 1940s, the country witnessed a great expansion of the English Second Language programs. By 1963, the government had come up with Bilingual Educati

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Quantitative Analysis of Business Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Quantitative Analysis of Business - Coursework Example Determine the equations for each of the three constraints that are plotted on the attached â€Å"graph 1†, showing all work necessary to arrive at the equations.  Determine the equations for each of the three constraints that are plotted on the attached â€Å"graph 1†, showing all work necessary to arrive at the equations.  Identify each constraint as a minimum or maximum constraint.   The objective function is Z= 30X+72Y+90Subject to   7.5X + 7.5Y ≠¤ 30 (equation for Nutrient C)    6X + 12Y       ≠¤ 72 15X + 6Y ≠¤ 90          X ≠¥ 0, Y ≠¥ 0 Since the feasible region is below the constraints the constraints are minimum constraints. Determine the total contribution to profit, if the company produces a combination of cases of brand X and brand Y that lies on the purple objective function (profit line) as it is plotted on the attached â€Å"graph 1†.If the company chooses to produce a combination of brand X and Y as given in graph then the different combinations would be (0, 8), (1, 6.6), (2, 5.4), (3, 4), (4, 2.6), (5, 1.3), (6, 0). The contribution to profit at various combinations can be obtained using the objective function where profit= 30X+72Y+90 and substituting the value of X and Y for each set in this function we get profit for each combination.When the company produces 8 units of Brand Y and no Brand X the profit function is maximized (666). But this combination is outside the feasible region. So, the combination that gives maximum profit (468) to the producer within the optimal region is 3 units of X and 4 units of Y. The Total Contribution of Profit: The total contribution to profit which can be obtained by producing 3 units of brand X and 4 units of brand Y is 468 which is obtained by putting the values of X and Y in the profit

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Considering Censorship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Considering Censorship - Essay Example In the subsequent parts of this essay, I would argue for considering censorship should be adopted on certain materials that endanger the moral and social values of humanity. For that purpose, first, definition of censorship is provided, it is followed by three examples- one from personal experience, one from general observation and third one is from Ian Inglis article. Censorship is defined as an act of suppressing or deleting expression that is understood objectionable on certain grounds such as moral, religious, military or religious grounds (Sweeney, 2004, pp.189).And, there are two type of censorship: state- imposed and self-imposed, for example, banning of books, governmental reviews, approval for a particular information is required before making that piece of information public. Society follows certain moral standards. These moral standards determine the entire social fabric and communication standards within the members of the society. If history is taken as an example, natio ns and societies have successfully lived on the basis of moral and social standards and their adherence in the required manner. It is the role of moral values that have ensured the existence of society till this point of time. At that time, under that society, children and younger generation was expected not to access certain material, and did not commit such actions where the rules of moral standards were violated. As a result, the entire society constantly survived throughout different times of history. However, after the inception of technology, it has become very easy for every one to access the forbidden material. For example, on the Internet, not only information but also porn images and videos are easily accessible. I strongly believe that such access must be censored and younger generation must not be allowed to access that. Why do I believe so? If we see, in many nations and in many countries, the rate of crime, rape, sexual assault, harassment, and even murder have hugely increased in the recent history. Each year, rape, sexual assault and other crimes are constantly increasing, and in stead of decreasing, each year data touches new levels. The fundamental cause behind this situation is provided by frustration in the younger generation over the issue of sex and crime. Additionally, the constant display of violence in movies and dramas has added fuel to the fire. Once I was studying a report of a Non-Governmental Organization over the causes of rape. In which, a rape case was reported and a teenager raped a girl. The report further explains that the NGO interviewed the victim and that rapist teenager. The teenager informed that he was returning from the gathering of his friends’ house where we had watched an adult movie, while on the way home; I could not control my self and raped that girl. Additionally, the world faces new kind of terrorism and violence after the events of 9/11. The information access has been a key in this regard. Currently, in many countries there are an on-going military operations against the terrorists and extremists. In order to carry out their military operations, military in these areas first plan and then attack. So, such plan remains confidential until the military operation is carried out. If that information is leaked, then the success chances of that military operation would be rare. The American tradition sanctifying abstract principles of free

Friday, November 15, 2019

Martha Grahams choreography

Martha Grahams choreography Discuss how the choreography of Martha Graham or Merce Cunningham reflected the changing contexts in which her/his work was produced. Martha Graham (1894-1991) was a truly inspirational and revolutionary performer and choreographer throughout the 20th century. Her work was a great influence to people from all aspects of the arts, from famous stage actors to painters, composers, sculptors and of course choreographers. Over Grahams seventy year long career she created a great many one hundred and eighty one pieces. (States http://www.innovationpark.psu.edu/coolblue/events/martha-graham-dance-company-clytemnestra last accessed 05/01/2010) These were an important influence for many people. She changed the way many perceive and interpret dance. It was 1910 when Graham was sixteen that she first laid eyes on an enthralling dance piece. It was seeing Ruth St. Denis at a performance of her famous solos The Cobras, Radha, Nautch and Egypta, in Los Angeles that caught her attention. Graham knew from this point on that this new, defining concept of dance with bare feet and natural flow is what she wanted to devote her life to. Due to her persistent and determined nature, she refused to conform to the social normalities of ballet within contemporary dance. It was 1926 when Graham formed the Martha Graham Dance Company. She veered off from the strict form of traditional ballet and led the way for a new language of dance which was based on her own principles of dance as an inner expression. With this ideology she focused more on significant movement than on classical technique, the likes of which ballet demands. She loved the form of precise movements of the body and she was set to faà §ade classical dance moves. She would go on to do this through her expressionistic work. Many of her performances would involve a rather racy theme, or something that was very rare for the period in which it was created. She also reflected what was going on around her socially. When discussing Grahams use of contraction and release, for which she was so well known, Susie Cooper (2009) states, Graham developed the movements of breathing contraction and release as the basis for her movement vocabulary and technique. When breaking down the dance of Graham I think Merle Armitage said it best; The dance of Martha Graham is neither literally (story telling in the allegorical sense) nor is it symbolic. It is a pure art of the dancea play of form which in itself is significant and provocativea language of its own, not a hand-maiden of another art form. Perhaps it is the first uninfluenced American dance expression, wholly disarming in its simplicity but curiously profound in its complexity. (Armitage, M. 1969 Martha Graham the early years. Da Capo Press, Inc.) Graham was greatly influenced by her father. Dr Graham was a physician who showed particular interest in the way people moved and used their bodies. This state of mind was passed on to his daughter and later on in her life she used to state his favoured dictum movement never lies.Graham was inspired by many different sources ranging from paintings and artwork to Greek mythology, Native American ceremonies and the American Frontier. Most of her truly memorable roles depict grand and significant women in history. Such as Clytemnestra, Jocasta, Medea, Phaedra and Joan of Arc.Lamentation is Grahams dance from 1930. It is a solo choreography which shows the struggle of human emotion and is a visual counterpart to the contemporary architecture that was beginning to grace the skyline of New York in a new and exciting way. Graham describes her piece as; a solo piece in which I wear a long tube of material to indicate the tragedy that obsesses the body, the ability to stretch inside your own skin, to witness and test the perimeters and boundaries of grief, which is honourable and universal. (Graham, M. 1991 Blood Memory: An Autobiography. Doubleday; 1st edition.) Many of her movements in this piece are from a grounded position and slowly contract and release to an upward position, much like the building and construction of a skyscraper. For example she is sitting on the edge of a bench and contracts from side to side and then arches into a high release which represents the rise of a building. As the dance progresses Grahams movements become a lot faster and angular. This shows the speed and contemporary design that the buildings were being built. It seems safe to assume that her fundamental aim is to allow the power and energy of the living world to filter through and animate her work. (Armitage, M. 1969 Martha Graham the early years. Da Capo Press, Inc.) Chronicle (1936) brought upon a new period of contemporary dance. Completely danced by women, serious issues were brought to light for the first time. It is a preface to war, devastation, destruction and seclusion. It showed Grahams anti-war stance. It was a counterpart to events such as the great depression. It was an iconic step forward in modern dance. Clytemnestra (1958) was considered by many to be Grahams masterpiece. It was an evening long performance, her largest scale work that she ever produced. Composed by Halim El-Dabh. The piece is based on an ancient Greek story about Queen Clytemnestra. It involves love affairs and sacrifice of her daughter. This was a very symbolic piece, use of red material as costume and props for the entrance to the Queens bedchamber. Graham had used material before in Lamentation but not in a design way, so Isamu Noguchi incorporated it within the design. (Graham, M. 1991 Blood Memory: An Autobiography. Doubleday; 1st edition.)Graham collaborated with many artists and visionaries alike. (The following are just to name a few.) Many of whom influenced her work and she in turn influenced them. Isamu Noguchi was a famous sculptor and was a good friend of Grahams and created many of her sets for her pieces. Graham was often compared to many famous artists by society. Her affect on dance was thought upon like Stravinskys music, Picassos paintings or Frank Lloyd Wrights architecture. One of the foremost composers of the time, Aaron Copland, worked with Graham. Copland was known to incorporate jazz music and folk music into his compositions, a revolutionary design for the time. This was then shown through Grahams pieces, for example, Appalachian Spring (1944), one of Grahams well known dances, had a brand new score created for it by Copland. This was a revolutionary piece both in the style of the choreography and of the music. Appalachian Spring was Grahams piece based on a springtime celebration of the American pioneers of the 19th century after they build a new farmhouse. Other composers were William Schuman, who composed Night Journey (1947) for Graham, Samuel Barber composed Frescoes (1978/79). Louis Horst was another of Grahams most valued composers, also known to be Grahams closest adviser on choreographic and creative issues. Graham collaborated with the famous designer Roy Halston Frowick, who created the costumes for some of her later works. He was one of the most proclaimed designers of the seventies. The first time Graham collaborated with Halston was on her work Lucifer (1975), which starred Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. Lucifer was a reference to the light bearer of biblical times. When talking about this piece Graham states; Many people have asked me why I did Lucifer with Rudolf Nureyev. Lucifer is the bringer of light. When he fell from grace he mocked Gosh. He became half god, half man. As half man, he knew mens fears, anguish, and challenges. He became the god of light. Any artist is the bringer of light. Thats why I did with Nureyev. Hes a god of light.And Margot Fonteyn was such a glorious complement to him at it. Luminous as night. When I first saw Margot Fonteyn she was a great and beautiful figure. The magic of Margots presence is an elusiveness of spirit that defies description (Graham, M. 1991. Blood Memory: An Autobiography. Doubleday; 1st edition.) Grahams final performance in which she danced was her work Cortege of Eagles (1967). It is one of her Greek mythology drawn pieces. It is about Hecuba reliving the massacre of the Trojan War. It is a very dramatic based piece focusing on the internal actions and ideals of Hecuba. It is not as investigative as her earlier Greek mythology drawn pieces. It has a focus to emotions and presence more than movement of Graham herself. Instead the actions are carried out by the chorus of dancers. As if they were playing out Hecubas memories. Martha Graham is still celebrated today as one of the most important performers and choreographers of all time. Maple Leaf Rag (1990) was Grahams last choreographed work with a score by Scott Joplin and Calvin Kleins costumes. Graham was working on a piece called The Eye of the Goddess before her death in 1991. It was her new ballet for the Olympic Games in Barcelona. So many of her students became choreographers and company leaders and took a certain aspect of her work with them. Merce Cunningham is a prime example, and this is one of the reasons why we still get to see a lot of her style of work today. Graham changed the concept of what we know as contemporary/modern dance. If not for her, many ideas of how we perceive dance would not exist in the present day. Some found Grahams work ugly and hateful; others called it a revolutionary masterpiece. People have asked me why I chose to be a dancer. I did not choose. I was chosen to be a dancer, and with that, you live all your life. (Graham, M. 1991. Blood Memory: An Autobiography. Doubleday; 1st edition.) Bibliography Books Horosko, M. 2002 Martha Graham: The Evolution of Her Dance Theory and Training. University press of Florida. Armitage, M. 1969 Martha Graham the Early Years. Da Capo Press, Inc. Graham, M. 1991 Blood Memory: An Autobiography. Doubleday; 1st edition. DVDs/Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEvcP-vXk4M (Last accessed on 13/11/09) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgf3xgbKYko (Last accessed on 12/11/09) DVD Martha Graham in Performance. Kultur. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFNsKeMbW20 (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://community.ovationtv.com/_Martha-Graham-A-Dancer-Revealed/video/251083/16878.html (Last accessed on 06/01/10) Websites http://www.studio360.org/americanicons/episodes/2006/01/07 (Last accessed on 13/11/09) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Graham (Last accessed on 13/11/09) http://www.cmi.univ-mrs.fr/~esouche/dance/Lamentation.html (Last accessed on 12/11/09) http://www.dancehelp.com/articles/modern-dance/martha-graham.aspx (Last accessed on 13/11/09) http://www.pitt.edu/~gillis/dance/martha.html (Last accessed on 26/11/09) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/aaron-copland/about-the-composer/475/ (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/martha-graham/about-the-dancer/497/ (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/isamu-noguchi/about-isamu-noguchi/675/ (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Spring (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://www.studio360.org/americanicons/episodes/2006/01/07 (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://www.answers.com/topic/louis-horst-1 (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Schuman (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://marthagraham.org/resources/about_martha_graham.php (Last accessed on 19/12/09) http://www.innovationpark.psu.edu/coolblue/events/martha-graham-dance-company-clytemnestra (Last accessed on 05/01/10) http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/06/arts/the-dance-martha-graham-s-cortege-of-eagles.html?pagewanted=1 (Last accessed on (05/01/10) http://www.exploredance.com/marthagraham2103.php (Last accessed on 05/01/10) http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/47790.Martha_Graham (Last accessed on 06/01/10)

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

So Much Media, So Little News

So much information, so little Idea The disease of new media has greatly shrink human minds that rub off on more and more people in this technology-accelerating world at present. Daily life nowadays has significant changed compare to ten years ago that office workers used to waiting for subway by reading a daily newspaper, housewives seating at balcony and reading a newspaper in the morning. But now, most people read news on their cellophane or television instead Of newspaper.What is rubbing off on their behavior? Peter Fun who is an pop-deed writer for the New York Times, writes about polysyllable on his essay â€Å"So much media, So Little Nevus†. Neal Gabbler who is a journalist and culture historian, writes about the relationship between big idea and post-idea world. On his essay â€Å"The Elusive Big Idea†, he argues that people don't care as much about ideas as they used to be. The connection between the two authors has one of the most important reasons that new m edia gradually twisted the true value of newspaper that smother big ideas.Thus, in order to correct the twisted value that media are rubbing off on news, the society needs to redefine the value of news and reexamine the concept of big ideas. The broadsheets offered daily coverage by publishing company, but no commentator or analyst gave any context and readers were left to make up their own minds. Peter Punt believes that there is barely people would create ideas on news, men sad truth is that while some of us are naturally curious about what we don ‘t know, an increasing number of readers and viewers want only reinforcement of what they already know. Pig. 1 98) Newspapers believed that their prime duty was to report what had happened the previous day and give a space to reader a way to think, to brainstorm rather than make argument to an event or judge on someone that post online. Were newspapers then better or worse? Certainly, they seem calmer, just followed a formula that required true story rather then come along with a high quality argument to rub off on reader and offer them a ready-made idea.Neal Gabbler argues a social fact that people loss attitude to create ideas in his say, â€Å"It's not because we are dumber than our forebears but because we just don't care as much about ideas as they did. In effect, we are living in an increasingly post-idea world that fewer people are generating them and fewer outlets are disseminating them, the Internet notwithstanding'(Pig 533) New media offers a way that what people can get idea from others immediately. Post-idea is a shortcut to make someone become lazy without thinking or taking advantage of technology as the modern science to make unceasing progress.But more and more people choose new media in order to save effort and expect a quick result, which is called the culture of instant gratification. New media provides a fast way to help them to get to know the others' opinion of news directly. Obliviousl y, newspaper is a better choice to help people create idea and prompt advance of society. Although 24-hour radio news stations had been established, TV equivalents were some years away. The pages may have been fewer, but the number of news stories was, if anything, slightly higher than in today's papers.Peter r-nut argues that people pay less attention on on what they not interest, â€Å"today's boutique media allow many people to skip news altogether. You can set your Internet home page so that it serves up only what you're interested in. â€Å"(pig 97) New media has diversity format of news, video, audio and fancy advertisement catches people's attention. Fun is pointing out a very important social trend in how people approach news media although they have the same nostalgia for the old days. People are seeking out information that confirms their own beliefs and interests as opposed to seeking to be informed†.This creates myopic views of the world resulting in corrupting. The prevalence of more and more â€Å"information isolation† is one of the causes of divisiveness. Like what Fun said the best prescription has always been a combination of what Want to know and what we Ought to know. Neal Gabbler proposes the reason why people would pay more attention on new media, â€Å"It keeps us in the loop, and keeps us connected to our friends and our cohort. Ideas are too airy, too impractical, too much work for too little reward. Few talk ideas. Everyone talks information, usually personal information. (534). New media takes more advantages from newspaper that could direct to readers mind. Newspaper still has a strong positive influence on both spread information and help inspire people's ideas, but the effect was less overwhelming. This was not just because newspapers had fewer intemperate columnists. It was also because even the miners' strike did not dominate page after page, creating a kind of emotional tsunami, as a similar issue might now. On the broadsheets particularly, width of coverage counted are more than PPTP of report.People have come to learn more and more and to be given more definite ideas about less and less. We live in a golden era of information when you don't have to passively rely on the news sellers but can go directly to the source yourself. New media effectively endows us with common eyes, ears, and brain. People should not blindly believe some rumored event occurred as described. Anything remotely of interest is available permanently available for anyone curious enough to look for its true different big idea.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Laptop with in Built Projector

June 5th, 2008 by Joanna Stern Beyond its Eee PC family line and slew of regular notebooks on display at Computex, ASUS is showing off an interesting prototype. In the corner of its booth is a  G1 laptop  with a built-in projector. Sure we have all heard about the possiblity of mini-projectors being built into cell phones, but no other company has incorporated them into laptops as of yet. Check out our video and first impressions. I went hands-on with the laptop and think it could be awesome if it works as promised. Built-in to the top bezel of the notebook, the rotatable micro-projector is able to project what is on the screen of the notebook onto a flat surface. On the prototype unit only the top right corner of the display was actually projecting. It was pretty neat to navigate to Web sites and see them appear on the facing wall. I even pulled up a YouTube clip and was able to watch it on the white wall. The contrast and coloring wasn’t vivid and I couldn’t find a way to adjust it on the system. But see for yourself and check out the video of the laptop projector in action. http://blog. laptopmag. com/asus-shows-off-built-in-laptop-projector ASUS Laptop With Built-In Projector Raises PowerPoint Threat to â€Å"Critical† Tucked away in a quiet corner at Computex, ASUS is showing a nondescript laptop with a built-in pico projector. Tiny projectors have made various  appearances  at the tech show so far, most recently  from Foxconn, but no other company has incorporated them into existing products, or for that matter shown many compelling applications for them other than in bulky and unrealistic cellphones. ASUS has provided the first example of what could be a fantastic use for this burgeoning new tech. For now though, the execution doesn’t seem great. The staff at PC Perspective, who were the first to lay eyes on the device, couldn’t tell much about the exact specs of the projection unit but judging by the photo below (and the capabilities of other miniature projectors) the images won’t exactly be dazzling. The camera is also built into the top of the bezel, which creates two pretty big chunks of wasted space. Speculative reservations aside, built-in projection capability could have serious potential in the business world, so ASUS may be on to something. http://gizmodo. com/5013328/asus-laptop-with-built+in-projector-raises-powerpoint-threat-to-critical Laptop with built-in projector Jun. 07, 2008  in  Computers [pic] The projector for handset has been developed for about one year and is expected to be released within this year. However, if you want make a presentation, laptop is apparently more useful than a cellphone, what’s more, laptop’s battery life is longer. So, I bet you would like to own a laptop with a built-in projector. ASUS, a Taiwan based PC maker provide a good choice for us. It comes with an mini-projector on the top of the LCD display and you can rotate it to adjust the position to get the best image. [pic] Fujitsu’s Pico Projector-Packing Laptops Replace Optical Drive with Something Even More Useless I can't remember the last time I put a disc in my laptop. Maybe an old mix CD. The world's moving on from physical media! Great! But how about replacing that slot with something useful, and not a  pico projector? Fujitsu's new LifeBook S761/C and P771/C notebooks are bizarre beasts, with fold-out pico projectors where your optical drive used to be. Not only are the machines crazily expensive ($2,675 and $3,110, for middling specs), but the addition of the pico projector is confounding and bizarre. How about adding an extra large battery in that space? Or hey, just  removing the optical drive  and making a lighter, slimmer notebook? The entire point of a pico projector was to be tiny and mobile—so if they're so conveniently small, why would you ever want or need one integrated? The thing is clearly pegged for conference room presentations and nothing else, as the pico projector is aimed  sideways, with no other angle available. If this appeals to you, then please just get a reasonably priced laptop and a (separate) reasonably priced pico projector. Hey guys, wanna watch this PowerPoint on my new $3,000 laptop? http://gizmodo. om/5794704/fujitsus-pico-projector+packing-laptops-replace-optical-drive-with-something-even-more-useless |HP to launch mini-projectors; integration into notebooks a future possibility | |Yen-Shyang Hwang, Taipei; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES  [Thursday 21 January 2010] | |[pic] | |Hewlett-Packard (HP) is planning to push two major product lines f or 2010 – tablet PCs and mini-projectors, according to Monty | |Wong, vice president and manager of personal computing systems group at HP Taiwan. |When asked if the mini-projector technology could be applied to other devices such as handsets and notebooks, Wong stated that it| |is is possible and should not be a technical issue. Wong explained that placing a projector where the webcam is normally located | |is not difficult (but facing outward or in a rotatable position). | |HP added afterward that the company has no plans for such a product this year. | |Although the idea of a mini-projector notebook is not new, successfully bringing products to market has been delayed by design | |and engineering obstacles mainly related to cooling solutions. In terms of which ODM would be able to develop such a product, | |market watchers speculated that HP would likely turn to Quanta Computer as one of its potential partners, as the notebook ODM has| |also invested in a projector manufacturer (Royaltek). | |Concerning HP's plans for this year, HP plans to launch several stand-alone mini-projector products in the market as an | |introduction to the notebook-integrated designs, Wong noted. As for tablet PCs, Wong said that HP will lean toward keyboard-less | |designs, meaning input will be through a touchscreen panel. |Wong believes that HP is unlikely to push non-Wintel products aggressively in the short term since these products are still have | |issues in software compatibility with Windows-based applications. Additionally, the segment is susceptible to fluctuating | |consumer demand and therefore needs to be carefully evaluated. | |(Editor's note: This article has been revised from its original version) | | |

Friday, November 8, 2019

Mistakes With Regard

Mistakes With Regard Mistakes With Regard Mistakes With Regard By Maeve Maddox The English word regard has multiple meanings as both noun and verb. A common error is to attach an s to the noun in certain expressions. Incorrect: In congressional questioning, assessment of Clintons performance at State in regards to the Benghazi attack was split by party line.- US News World Report. Correct : In congressional questioning, assessment of Clintons performance at State in regard to the Benghazi attack was split by party line. Incorrect: Texas Tech wants all or nothing in regards to AM  rivalry- NBC Sports. Correct : Texas Tech wants all or nothing in regard to AM  rivalry. Incorrect: Yoga outfit said to stretch truth in regards to assets - New York Post. Correct : Yoga outfit said to stretch truth in regard to assets. Incorrect: IRS Provides Guidance With Regards to Same-Sex Married Couples - Nova Southeastern University site. Correct : IRS Provides Guidance With Regard to Same-Sex Married Couples. Incorrect: If he was seen to be taking the party line and demonstrating strong leadership with regards to opposing the bill, this would do his chances no harm whatsoever.- UK History Learning site. Correct : If he was seen to be taking the party line and demonstrating strong leadership with regard to opposing the bill, this would do his chances no harm whatsoever. When does regard take an s? 1. When it is used to close a letter: Best regards, George 2. When it is preceded by as: As regards  the  issue of  complexity, this is quite evident: the brain is one of the most complex systems we know. 3. When it is used as a third person present tense singular verb: Respect is very important in the way  Scorsese  works with actors and also the way he  regards his  audience. Related posts: In Regard to Your Letter In Regards To Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?List of Prefixes and Suffixes and their Meanings

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Battle of Talas River - Background

Battle of Talas River - Background Few people today have even heard of the Battle of Talas River.  Yet this little-known skirmish between the army of Imperial Tang China and the Abbasid Arabs had important consequences, not just for China and Central Asia, but for the entire world. Eighth century Asia was an ever-shifting mosaic of different tribal and regional powers, fighting for trade rights, political power and/or religious hegemony. The era was characterized by a dizzying array of battles, alliances, double-crosses and betrayals. At the time, nobody could have known that one particular battle, which took place on the banks of the Talas River in present-day Kyrgyzstan, would halt the Arab and Chinese advances in Central Asia and fix the boundary between Buddhist/Confucianist Asia and Muslim Asia. None of the combatants could have predicted that this battle would be instrumental in transmitting a key invention from China to the western world: the art of paper-making, a technology that would alter world history forever. Background to the Battle For some time, the powerful Tang Empire (618-906) and its predecessors had been expanding Chinese influence in Central Asia. China used soft power for the most part, relying upon a series of trade agreements and nominal protectorates rather than military conquest to control Central Asia. The most troublesome foe faced by the Tang from 640 forward was the powerful Tibetan Empire, established by Songtsan Gampo. Control of what is now Xinjiang, Western China, and neighboring provinces went back and forth between China and Tibet throughout the seventh and eighth centuries. China also faced challenges from the Turkic Uighurs in the northwest, the Indo-European Turfans, and the Lao/Thai tribes on Chinas southern borders. The Rise of the Arabs While the Tang were occupied with all these adversaries, a new superpower rose in the Middle East. The Prophet Muhammad died in 632, and the Muslim faithful under the Umayyad Dynasty (661-750) soon brought vast areas under their sway. From Spain and Portugal in the west, across North Africa and the Middle East, and on to the oasis cities of Merv, Tashkent, and Samarkand in the east, the Arab conquest spread with astonishing speed. Chinas interests in Central Asia went back at least to 97 B.C., when the Han Dynasty general Ban Chao led an army of 70,000 as far as Merv (in what is now Turkmenistan), in pursuit of bandit tribes that preyed on early Silk Road caravans. China also had long courted trade relations with the Sassanid Empire in Persia, as well as their predecessors the Parthians. The Persians and Chinese had collaborated to quell rising Turkic powers, playing different tribal leaders off of one another. In addition, the Chinese had a long history of contacts with the Sogdian Empire, centered in modern-day Uzbekistan. Early Chinese/Arab Conflicts Inevitably, the lightning-quick expansion by the Arabs would clash with Chinas established interests in Central Asia. In 651, the Umayyads captured the Sassanian capital at Merv and executed the king, Yazdegerd III. From this base, they would go on to conquer Bukhara, the Ferghana Valley, and as far east as Kashgar (on the Chinese/Kyrgyz border today). News of Yazdegards fate was carried to the Chinese capital of Changan (Xian) by his son Firuz, who fled to China after the fall of Merv. Firuz later became a general of one of Chinas armies, and then governor of a region centered at modern-day Zaranj, Afghanistan. In 715, the first armed clash between the two powers occurred in the Ferghana Valley of Afghanistan. The Arabs and Tibetans deposed King Ikhshid and installed a man named Alutar in his place. Ikhshid asked China to intervene on his behalf, and the Tang sent an army of 10,000 to overthrow Alutar and reinstate Ikhshid. Two years later, an Arab/Tibetan army besieged two cities in the Aksu region of what is now Xinjiang, western China. The Chinese sent an army of Qarluq mercenaries, who defeated the Arabs and Tibetans and lifted the siege. In 750 the Umayyad Caliphate fell, overthrown by the more aggressive Abbasid Dynasty. The Abbasids From their first capital at Harran, Turkey, the Abbasid Caliphate set out to consolidate power over the sprawling Arab Empire built by the Umayyads. One area of concern was the eastern borderlands - the Ferghana Valley and beyond. The Arab forces in eastern Central Asia with their Tibetan and Uighur allies were led by the brilliant tactician, General Ziyad ibn Salih. Chinas western army was headed by Governor-General Kao Hsien-chih (Go Seong-ji), an ethnic-Korean commander. It was not unusual at that time for foreign or minority officers to command Chinese armies because the military was considered an undesirable career path for ethnic Chinese noblemen. Appropriately enough, the decisive clash at Talas River was precipitated by another dispute in Ferghana. In 750, the king of Ferghana had a border dispute with the ruler of neighboring Chach. He appealed to the Chinese, who sent General Kao to assist Ferghanas troops. Kao besieged Chach, offered the Chachan king safe passage out of his capital, then reneged and beheaded him. In a mirror-image parallel to what had happened during the Arab conquest of Merv in 651, the Chachan kings son escaped and reported the incident to Abbasid Arab governor Abu Muslim at Khorasan. Abu Muslim rallied his troops at Merv and marched to join Ziyad ibn Salihs army further east.  The Arabs were determined to teach General Kao a lesson... and incidentally, to assert Abbasid power in the region. The Battle of Talas River In July of 751, the armies of these two great empires met at Talas, near the modern-day Kyrgyz/Kazakh border. Chinese records state that the Tang army was 30,000 strong, while Arab accounts put the number of Chinese at 100,000. The total number of Arab, Tibetan and Uighur warriors is not recorded, but theirs was the larger of the two forces. For five days, the mighty armies clashed. When the Qarluq Turks came in on the Arab side several days into the fighting, the Tang armys doom was sealed. Chinese sources imply that the Qarluqs had been fighting for them, but treacherously switched sides midway through the battle. Arab records, on the other hand, indicate that the Qarluqs were already allied with the Abbasids prior to the conflict. The Arab account seems more likely since the Qarluqs suddenly mounted a surprise attack on the Tang formation from the rear. (If the Chinese accounts are correct, wouldnt the Qarluqs have been in the middle of the action, rather than riding up from behind? And would the surprise have been as complete, if the Qarluqs had been fighting there all along?) Some modern Chinese writings about the battle still exhibit a sense of outrage at this perceived betrayal by one of the Tang Empires minority peoples. Whatever the case, the Qarluq attack signaled the beginning of the end for Kao Hsien-chihs army. Of the tens of thousands the Tang sent into battle, only a small percentage survived. Kao Hsien-chih himself was one of the few who escaped the slaughter; he would live just five years more, before being put on trial and executed for corruption. In addition to the tens of thousands of Chinese killed, a number were captured and taken back to Samarkand (in modern-day Uzbekistan) as prisoners of war. The Abbassids could have pressed their advantage, marching into China proper. However, their supply lines were already stretched to the breaking point, and sending such a huge force over the eastern Hindu Kush mountains and into the deserts of western China was beyond their capacity. Despite the crushing defeat of Kaos Tang forces, the Battle of Talas was a tactical draw. The Arabs eastward advance was halted, and the troubled Tang Empire turned its attention from Central Asia to rebellions on its northern and southern borders. Consequences of the Battle of Talas At the time of the Battle of Talas, its significance was not clear. Chinese accounts mention the battle as part of the beginning of the end for the Tang Dynasty. That same year, the Khitan tribe in Manchuria (northern China) defeated the imperial forces in that region, and Thai/Lao peoples in what is now Yunnan province in the south revolted as well. The An Shi Revolt of 755-763, which was more of a civil war than a simple revolt, further weakened the empire. By 763, the Tibetans were able to seize the Chinese capital at Changan (now Xian). With so much turmoil at home, the Chinese had neither the will nor the power to exert much influence past the Tarim Basin after 751. For the Arabs, too, this battle marked an unnoticed turning point. The victors are supposed to write history, but in this case, (despite the totality of their victory), they did not have much to say for some time after the event. Barry Hoberman points out that the ninth-century Muslim historian al-Tabari (839-923) never even mentions the Battle of Talas River. Its not until half a millennium after the skirmish that Arab historians take note of Talas, in the writings of Ibn al-Athir (1160-1233) and al-Dhahabi (1274-1348). Nevertheless, the Battle of Talas had important consequences. The weakened Chinese Empire was no longer in any position to interfere in Central Asia, so the influence of the Abbassid Arabs grew. Some scholars quibble that too much emphasis is placed on the role of Talas in the Islamification of Central Asia. It is certainly true that the Turkic and Persian tribes of Central Asia did not all immediately convert to Islam in August of 751. Such a feat of mass communication across the deserts, mountains, and steppes would have been utterly impossible before modern mass communications, even if the Central Asian peoples were uniformly receptive to Islam. Nonetheless, the absence of any counterweight to the Arab presence allowed Abbassid influence to spread gradually throughout the region. Within the next 250 years, most of the formerly Buddhist, Hindu, Zoroastrian, and Nestorian Christian tribes of Central Asia had become Muslim. Most significant of all, among the prisoners of war captured by the Abbassids after the Battle of Talas River, were a number of skilled Chinese artisans, including Tou Houan. Through them, first the Arab world and then the rest of Europe learned the art of paper-making. (At that time, the Arabs controlled Spain and Portugal, as well as North Africa, the Middle East, and large swaths of Central Asia.) Soon, paper-making factories sprang up in Samarkand, Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Delhi... and in 1120 the first European paper mill was established in Xativa, Spain (now called Valencia). From these Arab-dominated cities, the technology spread to Italy, Germany, and across Europe. The advent of paper technology, along with woodcut printing and later movable-type printing, fueled the advances in science, theology, and history of Europes High Middle Ages, which ended only with the coming of the Black Death in the 1340s. Sources: The Battle of Talas, Barry Hoberman. Saudi Aramco World, pp. 26-31 (Sept/Oct 1982). A Chinese Expedition across the Pamirs and Hindukush, A.D. 747, Aurel Stein. The Geographic Journal, 59:2, pp. 112-131 (Feb. 1922). Gernet, Jacque, J. R. Foster (trans.), Charles Hartman (trans.). A History of Chinese Civilization, (1996). Oresman, Matthew. Beyond the Battle of Talas: Chinas Re-emergence in Central Asia. Ch. 19 of In the tracks of Tamerlane: Central Asias path to the 21st Century, Daniel L. Burghart and Theresa Sabonis-Helf, eds. (2004). Titchett, Dennis C. (ed.). The Cambridge History of China: Volume 3, Sui and Tang China, 589-906 AD, Part One, (1979).

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Meaning of Innovations and Traditions in Chartres Cathedral Essay

Meaning of Innovations and Traditions in Chartres Cathedral - Essay Example The cathedral you see today dates principally from the 13th century, when it was rebuilt with the efforts and contributions of kings, princes, churchmen, and pilgrims from all over Europe. One of the world's greatest high Gothic cathedrals, it was the first to use flying buttresses to support the soaring dimensions within. French sculpture in the 12th century broke into full bloom when the Royal Portal was added. A landmark in Romanesque art, the sculptured bodies is elongated, often stylized, in their long, flowing robes. But the faces are amazingly lifelike, occasionally winking or smiling. In the central tympanum, Christ is shown at the Second Coming, with his descent depicted on the right and his ascent on the left. Before entering, walk around to both the North Portal and the South Portal, each from the 13th century. They depict such biblical scenes as the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Inside is a celebrated choir screen; work on it began in the 16th century and lasted until 1714. The niches, 40 in all, contain statues illustrating scenes from the life of the Madonna and Christ: everything from the Massacre of the Innocents to the Coronation of the Virgin. The light from the stained glass covers an expanse of more than 2,500 sq. m. (9,000 sq. ft.), the glass is unlike anything else in the world. The stained glass, most of which dates from the 12th and 13th centuries, was spared in both world wars by painstakingly removing it piece by piece. It's difficult to single out one panel or window above the others, but an exceptional one is the 12th-century Vierge de la Belle Verrire (Our Lady of the Beautiful Window) on the south side. Of course, there are three fiery rose windows. The glass has gemlike richness, with the famous deep Chartres blue predominating. The oldest window is arguably the most beautiful: Notre-Dame de la Belle Verrire (Our Lady of the Lovely Window), in the south choir. The nave, the widest in France, still contains its ancient floor labyrinth, which formed a mobile channel of contemplation for monks. The wooden Notre-Dame du Piller (Virgin of the Pillar), to the left of the choir, dates from the 14th century. The crypt was built over 2 centuries, beginning in the 9th. Enshrined within is Our Lady of the Crypt, a 1976 Madonna that replaced one destroyed during the Revolution. Everywhere vivid color splashes on to the floor from the superb stained glass windows that glow like jewels. Dating from the early 13th century, the glass largely escaped harm during the religious wars of the 16th century; it is said to constitute one of the most complete collections of medieval stained glass in the world. Of the original 186 stained-glass windows, 152 have survived. A very notable window is the Blue Virgin Window (Notre Dame de la Belle Verrire), created in the early 1200s. (James, John, The Master Masons of Chartres) The Royal Portal: The west portal, known as the Royal Portal (Porte Royale), was carved in the 1140s. It has a revolutionary funnel shape that later became widspread. The sculptures and reliefs were modeled on those in the triple west portal at St. Denis, which were mostly destroyed at the Reformation. Decorating the recesses of the Royal Portal are very tall, thin

Friday, November 1, 2019

Business decision making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Business decision making - Essay Example The essential focus of this feasibility study is to help in decision-making in relation to opening Chatime at UK Coventry. The feasibility study is a great measure that is used in assessing the appropriateness of any given venture. It involves gathering data, storing it in addition to processing it to provide the information required for decision-making As such, this feasibility report will seek to present the computation behind the preliminary capital expenditure, the estimated sales, and the accepted payback period. Data collection process requires intensive planning in order to yield optimal results. Planning enables the data collection crew to set in place the various tools required for the entire process. For instance, the preparation for collection of primary data must acknowledge the contribution of this source of data collection to the entire research design. Quite often, primary data represents fresh evidence of data that other researchers have not delved into before. In real sense, a lot goes into the preparation process required prior to data collection process. For instance, the supervisor must ensure logistical plans are addressed appropriately. Considering the fact that data collection process may take place in varied places, it is important that transport means are made available prior to data collection. All the staff involved in data collection must be transported to their various sites that have been identified within reasonable time. This will also entail setting up central poi nt where all the data that has been collected is presented. This is to ensure that proper storage is guaranteed for all the data that is collected. At the same time, it is very significant to contact the local authorities within the area affected by data collection. This is meant to limit any possible suspicion on the part of local leaders or authorities.