Gentrifying San Francisco Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gentrifying San Francisco - Research Paper Example This involves poor residents being displaced by wealthy and resourceful people (Corbyn 1). Communities that experience gentrification are characterized by an increase in average income and a decrease in the average size of a family. Gentrification has the potential to affect the gay community in San Francisco through the displacement of people, economic shifts and social changes. One of the main challenges that the gay community in San Francisco, California is facing is gentrification. Gay leaders in influential gay neighborhoods such as Castro fear that these regions are quickly losing their identities. According to Associated Press (2007), these regions are being populated by heterosexual couples. An influx of heterosexual couples in these regions can be attributed to the forces of gentrification (Associated Press 1). Gay neighborhoods are increasingly becoming attractive to investors and developers. The gentrification debate is based on discussions around the uprooting of minority and poor individuals and families. These people are uprooted from their communities by government policies or developers. Different approaches or theories have been used to explain the cause of gentrification in San Francisco. There are five crucial factors that have been attributed to this trend. These are social-cultural, demographic-ecological, social movements, political-economic and community networks. In the case of demographic-ecological, gentrification has been attributed to demographic factors such as environment, social organization, population and technology. This approach explains the explosive increase in population of people aged between 25 and 35 years in the 1970s (Associated Press 1). As a result of this increase in population, demand for housing and amenities also increased. The second approach that is used to explain gentrification is the social-cultural approach. This approach expl ains gentrification based on sentiments, values, beliefs, ideas and

The Skillful Teacher Essay Example for Free

The Skillful Teacher Essay Introduction There has been a great deal of change taking place in the field of education over the past few years. It seems that every time we turn around a new approach is being heralded as the best in terms of teaching and helping students to excel. Most of these works come and go, as they more often than not, involve fads of sorts. With books like â€Å"The Skillful Teacher† by Stephen D. Brookfield and â€Å"Teaching Tips† by McKeachie there is hope that we can find the teacher that we always wanted to be within us. In Brookfield’s book we see a personal approach to teaching students and an approach that not only takes the students into account, but also the teacher. In McKeachie’s book we find many helpful tips that we can take into the classroom, no matter what the age of the student. In the following paper I will share with you some of the things that I have learned from these books and how I can utilize them in the classroom. Experiencing Teaching. Brookfield essentially asks the reader, the teacher, to look at teaching, to examine what they love about teaching, perhaps why they got into teaching, and use that knowledge as a foundation for the process. Brookfield offers suggestions, but seems to primarily rely on the intelligence and passion of the reader for the development of their own unique vision as it involves teaching. Learning is not a predictable and stable reality. There are rhythms to learning and students, as well as teachers, will often find themselves at a point where they are essentially stagnating as they have reached a level of burn out to some degree. Brookfield does not ignore these realities but presents the reader with ways in which to provide new motivation for learning, new motivation that helps students, and teachers, out of established patterns. Brookfield’s method of a textbook in a narrative form is a novel idea for future teachers who can gain more from a â€Å"story† than a theory book. I found the section on muddling through to be enlightening. As teachers we never know what is going to happen in a classroom on any given day so the best we can do sometimes is muddle through and hope that we make the right decisions. As a teacher I find myself doing this sometimes but I thought it was because I havent been teaching very long. I had no idea that there were actually teachers out there that have the same. Brookfield states that â€Å"this is going to be an opinionated, some would say polemical, book† (p. 3). I believe at this point in our career, when we are either teaching or getting ready to teach the opinions of those who have experience are more helpful to us than the theory that we learn. Real live experiences tend to stick in our mind better than a theory or formula that we might be able to incorporate into the classroom. Brookfield points out how important it is to gain the trust of the students. The teacher is, after all, the teacher, not the student. The teacher’s position, in this respect, can be very fragile if the students do not trust the teacher to do their job well, but also maintain an intelligence that is above the students to some degree. If a student does not trust that the teacher knows what they are doing, they will not listen to what the teacher presents. The example that Brookfield used (p.4, 5) regarding how to get students to open up and actually take part in a discussion is a breaking point for all teachers. This information will be helpful to me in â€Å"ALL† future classes. As an instructor at the college level, the only way that I know if my students understand the material that I have given them is an open discussion of the material. Unfortunately at times the silence is deafening. While I understand that Brookfield’s work primarily addresses adult students, college students many of the things that he mentioned can apply to students of any age. Again, this is an important aspect of teaching and learning for a student who feels motivated to become involved in discussions will feel that they are part of the process, that they are part of the teaching process. And, along the way they, as well as the other students, learn more than they thought they would. As Brookfield points out, too often students are not approached as though they were adults, a reality that Brookfield sees as very damaging to the teacher and learning process. Bearing this aspect in mind we see this first chapter as intriguing and very enlightening for college students do not need to be forced to learn, as though they were children. Students need to be approached as adults, from a teacher who is an adult and who is passionate about the entire learning process. Brookfield admits that emotional problems, emotional outbursts will occur while teaching. He does not avoid these realities, but addresses them and provides many helpful perspectives a teacher can take in dealing with such. Feedback Since some students really do have a hard time with open discussion in the classroom the one minute paper is a tool that can be utilized to find out if the teacher is actually getting pertinent information across to the students. We all know that students shake their heads in agreement so they can get out of class, but we never know if they actually understand what we are talking about. This is a tool that I plan on implementing in my classroom in the future, several times within the semester just to make sure that everyone is able to understand the information that I am trying to relay. I believe that the muddiest point (Brookfield, p. 38) will also be a significant point within this one minute paper. While I know that we should not try to control what the students write, because it inhibits their critical thinking, they might actually need some structure as to what they should put into their paper. In my experience, when asked to do a paper of any type, students always want to know what is expected of them so I might just throw things out for them that they might include in this one minute paper such as: â€Å"What was the most confusing thing that we covered today†; â€Å"Do you think anything that we discussed today will be important to you in your future? If so, what and why? †; â€Å"Tell me what I could have done today to help you learn the information better†. Since I teach an oral communication this will be a new experience for both the student and me, but I feel that I can glean good feedback by utilizing this method. Participation/Nonparticipation In McKeachie’s â€Å"Teaching Tips† (p. 45) the section on nonparticipants was something that I could relate to because it is so difficult sometimes to get some of the students to participate in any type of discussion. You never know if they have actually read the material assigned or if they just dont like to talk in class to a bunch of strangers. I really dont like to think that my students are bored but when students have a textbook for another class out reading it while you are lecturing, you have to wonder if you are that boring or if something else is just more important at the moment. In the discussion monopolizer section (McKeachie, p. 48) it stated that â€Å"if you have worked on nonparticipation effectively, the discussion monopolizer is less likely to be a problem†. Unfortunately there seems to always be that one student who wants to be the center of attention and they wish to talk (a lot) even if what they say has no relevance to the subject at hand. There have been times in my classes when I ask questions and continually have the same person answering the questions that I actually say; Now someone besides (blank) give me an answer. Sometimes teachers have to do this, not in an effort to embarrass the student but more so to give other students an opportunity to speak. The section in McKeachies â€Å"Teaching Tips† (p 45) about nonparticipants was extremely important to me. Because â€Å"most students are used to being passive† it is very difficult to get them to participate in an oral communications class. There is always so much apprehension from students that is difficult to get some of them to participate in anything that the class does. I spend a huge amount of time coming up with ways to get the students to participate in a manner that relieves their apprehension and anxiety. Some students right out of high school just dont have the experience in public speaking or people meeting skills that they need to get involved. Another instructor in my department gave me the idea to pair students up or put them in small groups of four or five and give them an opportunity to do different exercises to get everyone involved without having to be the center of attention for the whole class. Having rant sessions seems too pull these students out of their comfort zone of silence, because there is generally something that everyone has bottled up inside that theyre just waiting to get off their chest. Brookfield (p 141) talks about grading for participation by establishing clear criteria for effective participation. He states that this should be done in the syllabus but I do not think that it has to be that specific in the syllabus. There are different ways to have participation such as in groups. I like to break my class up into small groups of 4 or 5 on a regular basis to have them discuss issues and solve problems. Sometimes its just easier for shy people to talk in a much smaller group. I guess that what Im doing here also ties into the scaffolding discussion and the circle of voices (Brookfield, p 143). Lecturing Planning lectures and developing power points are an important part of teaching. In order for students to be able to learn they should not rely solely on the power points for their notes. Note taking is a valuable skill that students need to learn and keep throughout their college careers. Teachers should put key words on the power points and sometimes fun things that will get their attention. When planning a lecture an instructor should try to make sure that they use words that everyone understands and use everyday examples in them. I always make sure that Im asking the students questions as we go along to make sure they understand, even if its just What do you think or â€Å"Can you think of any examples of this? . It seems that teachers too often merely teach. They merely recite the information the student should know, expecting that the students are listening and taking notes. They do not stop to listen to whether or not the students are actually responding to anything that is being taught. And, conversely, what happens is that the teacher has no real response to teaching. As such, Brookfield illustrates how teachers can become aware of what they are doing, and approaching the entire endeavor of teaching from a responsive position. Brookfield offers suggestions to the reader for encouraging students to listen, for creating new ways to lecture that can get the students’ attention. Lecturing has often been a difficult part of teaching, as Brookfield indicates, due to the fact that learning habits instill in the student the belief that a lecture will be boring and will offer no sense of creative thought. As far as lecturing creatively, I read Chapter 6 (Lecturing Creatively) with great interest because I want to make sure that I am doing things in my classroom that work out best for my students. Brookfield stated that we need to be clear about why we lecture (p 99). Having been in classes where the lectures absolutely put you to sleep, I want to avoid this in my classes. I tell my students to look over the chapter(s) that we will be covering in class the next session, with the motive being open discussions. McKeachie (p 56) tells us to make sure we present up-to-date information, to summarize the material, adapt the material to the students, help the student read more effectively and to focus on key concepts or ideas. When lecturing, teachers should try to break the material down into language that the students understand and make it as concise as possible. Talking to the students and then asking questions to get them to try to discuss things seems to be a better way to try and get the information across to students. I always try to give them several examples of anything that I am trying to teach them (any new concepts). This opens the door for more discussion, especially as the semester continues and the students get more comfortable with the instructor and their classmates. Testing and Assessments  McKeachie (p 73, 74) discusses methods of assessment. He talks about being open to trying something different and I think that this will be beneficial to the students. History tells us that if a student fills their head with information that they will be asked to regurgitate on a test and it is not interesting to them, they will not retain this information any longer than necessary. Unfortunately some departments require that you administer tests in order to dole out a grade. In my case there are specific guidelines that are given, that we as instructors are supposed to teach and test on to meet certain criteria. Sometimes the information in a basic text book can be confusing if there is not any discussion that goes along with it. Giving students an opportunity to ask questions about what will be covered on the test and encouraging them to think about it for several days before the test so that they can get any questions answered is a method I use to get see what information the students know and do not know. I think that one of the most common methods for checking for understanding is tests or quizzes that we give our students. I like McKeachie’s (p 300) approach of having students paraphrase things for you. This is a method that I utilize quite. I don’t want to test my students to death because some students have test apprehension and I don’t want to stress them out by thinking, â€Å"Oh, no. Another test! † McKeachie also talked about not just knowing how to learn, but also wanting to learn and I believe that this is a major setback for some students. Unfortunately some students are in college because their parents told them they were going. You always see some students who appear to be very intelligent but just really don’t want to be in the classroom. Class Discussions. I think that Brookfields chapter on discussion (Chapter 7) had some good ideas. It can be very difficult to get students to participate in discussion, especially undergraduate students. There are always some students in a class that just really dont have any desire to participate in any form of discussion. Im not sure if this is because they are afraid that they might say the wrong thing or that it might generate a question that they arent able to answer. Brookfield (p117) said that if a teacher makes part of the grade participation that the students think that they have to be involved in discussion to meet this obligation. I dont know if that is what all teachers expect. I dont think that any student should be put on the spot with having to come up with some type of discussion if they dont feel led to. We, as instructors, never truly know why someone doesnt talk much in class. It might just be their nature that they dont talk much. Brookfield stated (p 134) that â€Å"some students are so shy and introverted that nothing short of therapeutic intervention will embolden them to speak†. They might be the type that listens all through the class to digest the information and then wants to talk about it at the next class session. Brookfield (p 134, 135) talks about students being worried about â€Å"looking stupid†. Teachers should be aware that this might be the reason that some students dont speak up as readily. Brookfield said that instructors should announce in the class that there are no stupid questions. This should be one of the first things that students are told every semester and it should be repeated several times throughout the semester. Brookfield (p 135) recommends putting together a panel of former students for a discussion with current students to help put them at ease and I believe this something that I can incorporate into my classes. Group Learning Teachers do not use the group learning system as much as they should. I tend to believe that students learn better from each other than they do the instructor most of the time. ODonnell (McKeachie, 192) stated it right when she said that â€Å"peer learning has the advantages of interaction with a peer† and this is extremely important for young people. It sometimes builds their confidence in the information that they know. Some of the students who are less vocal might actually open up to a peer and share what they know. As far as peer tutoring I think this is something that should be encouraged in  classes. I believe that if we were to set up groups with the students who do well and those that dont do so well (as far as tests are concerned) to have them study together that it would improve the grades because I think that the peers can sometimes get the idea across to students on a level they understand. Writing McKeachie (p 214) discussed the various types of low stakes writing and that the most obvious thing to do is ask students to write about is things they are comfortable with, casual things, just exploring a topic and to encourage the students not to struggle with this too much. Low stakes writing should help build confidence in students regarding their writing. This method of writing can be used in class or out of class. Out of class this writing could be a journal. I plan to use this method of low stakes writing in my classes by having them keep a journal, probably of humorous things that happen to them, because it will go along with one of the aspect of communication where I teach about short term and long term memory. High-stakes writing requires more on the part of the student, as well as the teacher. High stakes writing requires that the writing has to be good which involves research on the part of the writer. McKeachie (p 217) points out that most readers of his book are not trained as teachers of writers. I can relate to this because I teach oral communication but there are times when I require students to write research papers so I need to become more comfortable with this type of writing. As a student myself, I have experience in writing research papers where the instructor wanted me to do exactly what McKeachie said (217) â€Å"regurgitate material from textbooks or lecture†. I believe that for high stakes writing topic selection will be the key to how good the writing actually is. I like the idea of multiple papers and drafts because I believe that the only way for you to learn to write better is to get constructive criticism. Having the opportunity to turn a paper in early for constructive criticism in order to rewrite it makes for a better final paper. With todays technology our writing suffers greatly because we depend on our software to find all the mistakes, whether spelling or grammar. Unfortunately the software might not always recognize that a word is not the correct word and it definitely doesnt always find grammatical errors. The old standby method of printing things off and reading them line by line and then paragraph by paragraph is still the best way to proofread. Technology Brookfield’s Teaching Online (p 191) was interesting but I am not a huge fan of online classes. I prefer the human interaction that you get in the classroom. I think that Brookfield (p 195) was correct when he said that it is an advantage to take an online class before you teach one. Before instructors put together an online course they should keep the three core assumptions that are mentioned in mind: good teaching is whatever helps the student learn, good teaching is critically reflective and how students experience their learning. If the students dont learn anything from an online class then it is not worth it to take the class. If there is no interaction between students and instructors, just how much is it helping the student? A good online course should require a specific number of posts expected each week in order to create good discussion. The instructor may have to guide the discussions so that everyone participates. Brookfield talks about organizing the online course work and I think that this is very important. The instructor must put just as much work into organizing and keeping up with what the students are doing in an online class as they do in the classroom. How far technology is going to take us in education? Sometimes not being in the classroom is not always the best way to learn. In other classes we have talked about the millennium student who wants to stay in their dorm room or apartment and do all their classes on line. This can be a benefit to both instructor and student or it can be a detriment to both. The teacher doesnt need to lose the people skills that they have developed after time in the classroom. In times of inclement weather though this can definitely be an attribute since colleges dont have make-up days and generally the department expects you to get through a certain amount of information. Learning Facilitating active learning in a large class is something that instructors should take seriously. The idea of forming small groups and the think-pair-share method (McKeachie p 269) is a good thing to utilize in large groups. If we put the students into smaller groups where they can discuss the material they will get more out of it. It is virtually impossible for the instructor to get the point across to every student in a large class, but students tend to learn better from their peers, probably because they are not as afraid to ask questions in small groups as opposed to in front of the entire class. Having a goal as a student is very important to our career as a student. As instructors we need to help the students realize that they will benefit from each of the classes that they are taking in some way and at some point in their life. As an oral communications instructor I not only teach them how to communicate in the business world but also teach them how to communicate with friends, family and their significant others. Building their self confidence in the classroom will only help them in the long run in the â€Å"real world†. Conclusion Brookfield’s book is a very diverse book that approaches topics not adequately addressed by other books. It is a work that touches on some of the most basic aspects of teaching. It does not focus on the political realities of teaching, nor does it set out to illustrate how all other methods of teaching are wrong. It is a thoughtful book that treats the students and the teachers as individuals, not merely part of an institution. Of course, the opinions and perspectives presented are only those of this particular writer. In light of this the student should use the information presented as a tutorial to assist them in development of their own perspectives concerning Brookfield’s book. McKeachie’s â€Å"Teaching Tips† is a valuable guide book that no teacher should be without. All teachers should have a copy of this book before they ever teach their first class. While some students sell their books at the end of each semester, this is one book that should be kept for references, no matter what age student is being taught. This book covers many (if not all) things that will be encountered in the classroom. REFERENCES Brookfield, S. D. (2006). The Skillful Teacher on Technique, Trust and Responsiveness in the Classroom (2nd ed. ). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. McKeachie, W. J. Svinicki, M. (2011). McKeachie’s Teaching Tips (13th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Karl Marx and the Ideal Society Essay -- capital communism freedom wor

Karl Marx and the Ideal Society One of the greatest debates of all time has been regarding the issue of the freedom of mankind. The one determining factor, for Marx, it that freedom is linked with class conflict. As a historian, Karl Marx traced the history of mankind by the ways in which the economy operated and the role of classes within the economy. For Marx, the biggest question that needed to be answered was â€Å"Who owns freedom?† With this in mind, Marx gives us a solution to both the issues of freedom and class conflict in his critique of capitalism and theory of communism, which is the ideal society for Marx. His theory of communism is based on the â€Å"ultimate end of human history† because there will be freedom for all humankind. Marx saw communism as the ideal society because it is "the genuine resolution of the conflict between man and man- the true resolution of the strife between existence and essence...between freedom and necessity" that capitalism fosters. Marx was also committed t o the notion that theory and action go hand in hand. Marx dismissed earlier thinkers because they (philosophers) "have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it." He also stated "Ideas cannot carry out anything at all. In order to carry out ideas men are needed who can exert practical force". However, Marx would have been appalled by the way his theory of communism was misused. It can be said, though, that Marx's theory of communism was clearly open for interpretation because he failed to offer "principles or guidelines of even the most general kind" for how the system of communism was to be fully established. It was this opportunity for interpretation that made Marx's theory of communism doomed for failure when it was used in practice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marx’s theory stems from the social conditions existing during his lifetime. This was when the industrial revolution was hitting its stride. Great technological advances were being made to the modes of production, especially in the areas of agriculture and textiles. This was the main factor that drove peasants from the countryside to find work in the cities. In addition, capitalism had emerged as the dominant form of economics. Marx contended that class is based upon the economic conditions of society. He identified class through the history of the changing modes of production. In a capital... ...leads to change. Marx certainly believed and documented this and based his theory of communism upon it. However, the gaps left in his theory have resulted in varying interpretation to what he originally envisioned. A society without class or state may very well have been achieved if his theory had given more direction as to the details for its establishment. Instead, Marx's theory has been twisted and rewritten to suit the interests of others. Perhaps the greatest problem with his theory "is that no one has tried it". Bibliography Bakunin: The Philosophy of Freedom, Brian Morris, Black Rose Books, 1993. Marxism and Class Theory, Frank Parkin, Columbia University Press, 1979. Marx: A Clear Guide, Edward Reiss, Pluto Press, 1997. Revolution and Counter-revolution in Germany, Frederick Engels, Foreign Languages Press, 1977. Capital, Karl Marx, Progress Publishers, 1971. German Ideology, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, International Publishers, 1996. European Democracies, Jurg Steiner, Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., 1998. The Outlook: Worker-Capitalists of the World Unite, Jacob M. Schlesinger, The Wall Street Journal, Monday, November 15,1999.

Demoiselles D’ Avignon Essay

During the 20th century the art form â€Å"Primitivism† was just taking shape. Any artist that wanted to paint in this style would look for inspiration from sculptures and masks of African and Polynesian origin (Yahoo.com, 2007). Spain’s distance to Africa played a huge role on this art styles coming about. Paul Cezanne took this style and adapted it to his work. You could say that primitive art was deeply influenced by the works of Paul Cezanne. Cezanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavor to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century (PaulCezanne.org, 2012). Pablo Picasso was one of those artists who were influenced by the works of Cezanne. You can see Cezanne’s influence in Picassos Demoiselles D’ Avignon. Through Picassos Demoiselles d’ Avignon he is able to reshape the art of the 20th century. Pablo Picasso w as born in 1881; he was a Spanish painter, draughtsman, and sculptor (PabloPicasso.org, 2009). He is one of the most recognized figures in 20th-century art. Picasso is best known for co-founding the Cubist movement and also for the wide variety of styles embodied in his work. Among his most famous paintings are the proto-Cubist Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) and Guernica (1937), his portrayal of the German bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War (PabloPicasso.org, 2009). No painter had been as famous as Picasso leading up to the 20th century. To say that he is one of the best that ever lived is an understatement. During the early parts of the 20th century Picasso’s style varied as he experimented with different theories, techniques, and ideas. Picasso also mastered all aspects of late century realist technique (PabloPicasso.org, 2009). Born to a father that was a painter Picasso was instilled with the tools and skills to succeed in art at a very early age. By the time he became the age of 14 Picasso had become an advanced student at the Barcelona Academy of fine Arts. Picasso’s art was like no other, you can see who he was influenced by but he always had his own twist. Picasso believed that the true meaning of art was to be derived from the works of other art, and not directly from nature (Renoirinc.com, 2008). Throughout his life his work was influenced by many different artists. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s and Paul Cezanne style of work can be seen in Picasso’s earlier work, during his â€Å"blue period† which lasted from (1901- 1904). After his â€Å"blue period was a period called the â€Å"rose period†. During which he painted harlequins and circus performers in a lighter and warmer color scheme, an underlying mood of spiritual loneliness and lyrical melancholy that marked his â€Å"blue† paintings was retained (Renoirinc.com, 2008). Picasso’s blue and rose periods vanished rather abruptly when he started the next phase of his career; both Picasso and Georges Braque began to lay the foundation of a new art form called cubism (Renoirinc.com, 2008). Cubism was the use of geometric shapes, interlocking planes. Astonished by the simplicity of pre-Christian Iberian bronzes and African sculpture, he and Braque began to work in a consciously primitive and monumental style that Picasso explored in sculpture as well as in painting (Renoirinc.com, 2008). He took these art forms combined them with the style that was first developed by Cezanne and produced Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (The Ladies of Avignon) was originally titled the Brothel of Avignon, was painted in 1907 Pablo Picasso. The painting is a portrait of five nude female prostitutes from a brothel in Barcelona. According to Wikipedia.com â€Å"Each figure is depicted in a disconcerting confrontational manner and none are conventionally feminine. The women appear as slightly menacing and rendered with angular and disjointed body shapes. Two are shown with African mask-like faces and three more with faces in the Iberian style of Picasso’s native Spain, giving them a savage aura† (Wikipedia.com, 2012). This portrait of Demoiselles was very controversial, because of that it led to wide anger and disagreement, even amongst his closest associates and friends (Wikipedia.com, 2012). When Picasso set out to paint this portrait I believe he wanted to make a statement. He could have painted anything; instead he chose to paint prostitutes. It wasn’t just the fact that painted these prostitutes it was also a big deal because of the manner and art form he chose to paint them in. Though this painting is controversial it opened the door for a new method of art style. When Picasso first began to sketch this painting he originally started the painting with men in it but by the end of the finished product he dropped the man and added the drapery in their place. The influence of â€Å"primitive art opened the door of to a radically new method of form and space (Kliener, 2006). When asked why he chose to portray the women the way he did Picasso said â€Å"I paint forms as I think them, not as I see them† (Kliener, 2006). Pablo Picasso had a tremendous influence on art. He is recognized as one of the most famous since Michelangelo. His work in pioneering Cubism established a set of pictorial problems, devices, and approaches, which remained important well into the 1950s (TheArtStory.org, 2012). Yes, cubism was there before Picasso decide to adapt the style but it wasn’t until he used the style in his own way did it really get the true recognition that it did. Picasso went through many stages in his career, from his works in the 1920s to his works in the 1940’s it took him to really put theses styles on the map. Pablo Picassos work lives on in many American artists. Taking a look at the artist Willem de Kooning and his work of monstrous women we will see him pay homage to the cubist women that were typically painted by Picasso. You will also see artist like Jackson Pollock reference Picasso by using bold black lines to outline figures in his work. Jasper Johns is a painter and sculptor, he is best known for his encaustic painting of flags and targets. Beside his works of flags and targets he also created dozens of works that incorporate elements directly from Picasso paintings – including nudes, mythical creatures, and portraits of women (artrevived.com). Pablo Picasso was a great artist, more like a jack of all trades. He was able to take art styles created by other people adapt it to his own style of work and make it amazing! He not only mad a claim on the people of his time but is still in some was very much alive in artist today. Picasso began his early work influenced by â€Å"primitivism† and â€Å"cubism† art and let the world influencing all the art of today. He not only mastered the works of artists before him and during his time he perfected it as well as opened the door for many different artists. Pablo Picasso had a huge influence on 20th century art. If we look at one of his most famous works of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon we will see how he was able to reshape the art of the 20th century. Referlles d’ Avignon. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Demoiselles_d’Avignon

World History: Ancient Civilizations

Joseph Reyes 2-B World History Ancient Civilizations People have been on the earth for hundreds of years. They have come together to become the best of the best. Civilizations were ways to put humans in to an organized group and to survive the ways of nature. Two civilizations were successful and survived for a long time. Ancient Mesopotamia was a much different civilization then Egypt, but both were organized in a similar way. They both developed by setting up their government, controlling their environment, and their values. In Mesopotamia the priest was in charge of dividing the farmers into groups to farm and take care of the land.In Egypt the priests were in charge of making a record of their pharaohs and marking the most important happenings of their reigns. Mesopotamia used the Code of Hammurabi which was laws that concerned daily life, business, medicine, property, and family. It was based on an eye for an eye (revenge) and was to give justice for all. In Egypt the pharaoh wa s considered a god that ruled the Egyptians and had absolute power that made all the laws of the land and decisions. This is both civilizations form of government and was successful for years; some of those laws are still in modern day government.Egyptians used the Nile River which provided food and water, farming, and transportation of goods. This helps them in their survival for the fact that they were living in the middle of a desert. In Mesopotamia, they developed city-states which were around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These rivers were a key in their survival; they used these rivers for food, transportation, as well as plants. The rivers created a Fertile Crescent which allowed farming in Mesopotamia, the Fertile Crescent were important it was surrounded by desert and anything outside of it can’t be farmed. Using heir environment was an important key factor for the survival of these two great civilizations. As I said earlier Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was a god and was one with the divine. The Egyptians (supposedly) built the pyramids for the pharaohs to be buried in after they died and along with all of his possessions. The Sumerians and Akkadians practiced polytheism which was the worship of many gods. They believed that keeping the gods happy was the key to happiness and prosperity. They built big temples called ziggurats which were supposed to link Earth with the heavens and link people with the gods.These were the beliefs of the civilizations and have shape humans in to believing in religion and God. All of this contributed to the success of the two civilizations. With their government controlling their actions and giving justice where needed. They also controlled their environment to use for their own advantage which allowed them to eat and use for transportation. Building great monuments for their beliefs and believing to obey all the rules of God as well. I believe all this contributed to the success of two giant civilizatio ns.

The Marketing Environment of Tobacco in Australia

The Marketing Environment of Tobacco in Australia Australia is known globally due to its initiative in controlling the advertisement and promotion of tobacco. There has been always a controversy concerning how the tobacco and cigarette sellers should advertise their brands. To some extent, the advertisement of the cigarettes by some of the firms in Australia is questionable due to the influence the advertisement imposes to the non-smokers.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Marketing Environment of Tobacco in Australia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some debates have been conducted to put some limitations on the brands of tobacco, and try to curb the consumption of the same. This essay paper will focus on the reaction of the customers concerning tobacco, and the marketing environment of tobacco in Australia. The costs of smoking are also discussed. On the other hand, the cigarette-manufacturing firms in Australia try to fight for their rights of marketing th eir products, although there are some public sectors that go against the issue. If customers are not informed correctly about the product, they may fail to make informed decisions concerning what they are purchasing. Just like any firm that advertises its products, it is the right of tobacco manufacturers to advertise their products and inform their customers on the available products in the market. Customers react differently concerning the brand advertisement, hence affecting their choice of purchasing the same. The major aspect in marketing is about increment, and concentrating less in dramatic changes in consumers’ behavior. The central government of Australia is working tirelessly to remove even the slightest influence on the packaging of the cigarette. The government is trying to work on this by reducing the amount of branding on a packaging. The main reason that made the Australian government to work on reducing the use of cigarettes was the reason behind the fact that in 1945, 72% of Australian men were smokers. This big percentage was because of the idea that smoking was accepted and an important part of Australian culture. After the interaction of the central government to the issue of smoking, the percentage of the smokers currently has reduced to 17% of the adults in Australia.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Severally, the government of Australia has tried to ban the advertising of cigarettes especially its crucial initiative it showed in 1976. Since this important initiative, the advertising and smoking of cigarettes in Australia has been regulated. This action made a great step of moving from normalization of smoking to normalization of non-smoking. Customers’ behaviors are prone to so many changes depending on the forces in the market. Marketing of the brand in the market have a great influence on the custom ers’ behavior. Marketing provides awareness and influences the attitude of customers in purchasing a certain products or brands. Consumers are always willing to change their behaviors, especially as much as products such as cigarettes are concerned. For instance, there are those customers who get the information concerning the risks of smoking, and they show willingness to quit smoking. To some extent, customer’s behavior towards cigarettes depends on the perception of an individual. There are those who believe that smoking is bad and those who believe it is all right. Other factors may influence consumers’ behaviors. For instance, the idea of Australian government to introduce plain packaging of cigarettes may have a great influence on consumers’ behavior. The government is proposing the cigarettes packet to be plain, with a graphic health warning, with just a small brand written in font type. The cigarette stick is proposed to be olive green in color, a nd the gold band removed. This action by the federal government of Australia is meant to reduce the desire among the young people, who are mostly the smokers. The government is aiming at influencing the behaviors of the consumers. According to the research done by specialists, it shows that modifying the graphic warning picture to be more visible, and reducing the number and size of the brand elements, will influence the behavior of the young people to quit smoking or never take it up.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Marketing Environment of Tobacco in Australia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The color of the packet and the cigarette stick has also great influence on these young peoples behavior. The use of a revolting color and very visible big health warnings on the packet may influence the consumers not to purchase the product. On the other hand, there are those hard-core smokers who will never change their behaviors no matter what. Mostly, the smokers who are above 50 years will be hard to change their behaviors. Even if the government changes the brand on the packet, these old smokers will never change their behaviors. Age is a factor as far as the consumer behaviors are concerned, young consumers are likely to change their behaviors depending on the information they are getting about the product. For the old consumers it would be hard to convince them about changing their behaviors. The type of information that consumers receive concerning the product has a great influence on their decision making processes. The health-warning graphic on the packet of the cigarettes as proposed by the Australian government may influence the behaviors of the customers a great deal, marking a big percentage quitting smoking. The second determinant of the consumer behavior is the price. As the government of Australia is proposing of an increased price per packet of cigarettes, this may discourage the consumers from buying and smoking. Another aspect of pricing that may change the consumers behavior is application of price discrimination to the group of people who are known to smoke heavily. Availing the product to the customer at the right time and place may change his behavior to the positive side and even smoke more. If the product is not available whenever the consumer needs it, he or she may develop some negative attitude towards it. Moreover, anything to do with promoting and advertising the product is very influential to the consumers’ behavior . Consumers develop more trust when they see their products being promoted and advertised regularly in the media.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The efforts of the federal government of Australia to curb the advertisement and promotion services of tobacco products may change the consumers’ behavior. Instead of advertising, the media should be giving the public the information concerning the risks of smoking as well as displaying the health warning graphics. What influenced the government of Australia to have a great urge of discouraging smoking were the long-term health costs. Starting with the increased cases of premature deaths and disability because of smoking made the government to make a move towards discouraging smoking. Something else that cost the government a lot of money are the chronic diseases caused by smoking. Such complications included lung cancer, a cause of many deaths in Australia, diabetes, and other life threatening diseases. According to the data that was collected in 2008, it revealed that Australia incurred a social cost worth 31.5 billion dollars because of cases of tobacco smoking . Other cos ts that were realized are the many lost working hours when people leave their chairs and excuse themselves to go and smoke. That study done in 2008 in Australia revealed so many things that categorized smoking as a very costly thing . It was evident that approximately 1256 deaths had occurred because of smoking related complications, and the country incurred hospital costs of 59.8 million dollars that was meant to cater for the hospitalized patients. The worst part of the study was the fact that out of 1256 deaths, 11 of them were because of passive smoking. Through passive smoking, the country incurred a cost of 5.9million dollars. More than 95% of the total cost that the country incurred because of passive smoking was for very young patients ranging between 0-14 years old. This finding proved to the government that the future of Australia is at great risk if it would continue loosing people at that rate. Due to many types of illnesses that people were suffering because of smoking, the productivity in the workforce and even in the household sectors was affected a great deal decreasing with approximately 400million dollars. Another cost that the country had to bare was about the fires caused by smoking, which was estimated to be approximately 16million dollars. All these costs made the government of Australia to realize that it is loosing a lot of money because of smoking to an extent of affecting the whole economy. Loss of young and energetic people in the country was also alarming, as the country was to be left with very old and very young people with lower productivity. Bibliography Australian Medical Association, (2003), The medical journal of Australia, Tobacco , 56- 79. Collins, D., Lapsley, H. (2004), The costs of tobacco, alcohol illicit drug abuse to  Australian society, Canberra: Department of Health Aging. Hammond, D., Parkinson, C. (2009), The impact of cigarette package design on perception of risk, Journal of Public Health , 343-353. Hoek, J., Gendall, P., Louviere, J. (2010), Effects oof Dissuasive Packaging on young  adult smokers tobacco control, New York: Cengage Learning. Llewellyn, M., Mylne, L. (2009), Australia for Dummies, Tadan: Publisher for Dummies. Miller, F., Vandome, A. (2010), Smoking Bans in Australia, New York: VDM Publishing House Ltd. Tyrrell, I. (2002), Deadly enemies: tobacco and its opponents in Australia, Michigan: UNSW Press. Wakefield, M., Horan, J., Cummings, K. (2002), The cigarette Pack as Image: New evidence from tobacco industry documents, Tobacco Control , 73-80.

Galvanic or Voltaic Cell Definition

Galvanic or Voltaic Cell Definition A galvanic cell is a cell where chemical reactions between dissimilar conductors connected through an electrolyte and a salt bridge produce electric energy. A galvanic cell can also be powered by spontaneous oxidation-reduction reactions. Essentially, a galvanic cell channels the electrical energy produced by the electron transfer in a redox reaction. The electrical energy or current may be sent to a circuit, such as in a television or light bulb. The electrode of the oxidation half-cell is the anode (-), while the electrode of the reduction half-cell is the cathode (). The mnemonic The Red Cat Ate an Ox may be used to help remember reduction occurs at the cathode and oxidation occurs at the anode. A galvanic cell is also called a  Daniel cell or a voltaic cell. How to Set Up a Galvanic Cell There are two main setups for a galvanic cell. In both cases, the oxidation and reduction half-reactions are separated and connected via a wire, which forces electrons to flow through the wire. In one setup, the half-reactions are connected using a porous disk. In the other setup, the half-reactions are connected via a salt bridge. The purpose of the porous disk or salt bridge is to allow ions to flow between the half-reactions without much mixing of the solutions. This maintains charge neutrality of the solutions. The transfer of electrons from the oxidation half-cell to the reduction half-cell leads to a buildup of negative charge in the reduction half-cell and of positive charge in the oxidation half-cell. If there were no way for ions to flow between the solution, this charge build-up would oppose and half the electron flow between the anode and cathode.