Chinese Influence to Japan and Korea essays

Chinese Influence to Japan and Korea essays Chinese Buddhism was introduced into Korea in the fourth century, and from there taken to Japan two centuries later. In this paper, I would like to compare what are the Chinese influences to Korea and Japan in the temples of Buddhism field. In addition, does Chinese really directly influence these two countries? The reason that I pick Korea and Japan as a comparison is because I have been to these two countries and visited some temples of them. My feeling is that even though those temples have some similarities but unique. I think it may be interesting to introduce the transformation of the temples. In addition, my grandfather is a Buddhist and I actually got some useful information form him about the paper. Historically, Japan has been subject to sudden invasions of new and alien ideas followed by long periods of minimal contact with the outside world. Over time the Japanese developed the ability to absorb, imitate, and finally assimilate those elements of foreign culture that complemented their aesthetic preferences. For example: Even though Japanese temples are influenced by China and Korea, it still keeps its original ideas and having its own style. On the other hand, while the foreign influence on Korean art cannot be ignored, it is almost impossible to appreciate the real value of Korean art without properly understanding the underlying context of Korean history and culture. This obvious truth has more often than not been overlooked Buddhism was first brought from China to the Korean Peninsula in 372 CE. The first Korean temples to be built, according to records, were Songmun-sa (or Ch'o-mun-sa) and Ibulran-sa. A Buddhist temple compound is far more than just a collection of buildings. First of all, the land is chosen according to the ancient science of geomancy which considers the shape of the mountains, position of water and the cardinal directions. Next the Main Hall is built, accompanied by special ceremonies. The oth...

5 Assorted Usage Errors

5 Assorted Usage Errors 5 Assorted Usage Errors 5 Assorted Usage Errors By Mark Nichol Using the right word for the job, or considering whether a word is needed at all, distinguishes careful writing from careless writing. Discussion and revision of the following sentences illustrate various ways in which writing can be improved by word-by-word attention to detail. 1. Here’s a list of several webinars that we have hosted that we think you may be interested in. The conjunction that is often optional in a sentence, but when it appears twice in a sentence, omit at least one expendable instance: â€Å"Here’s a list of several webinars we have hosted that we think you may be interested in† (or â€Å"Here’s a list of several webinars we have hosted we think you may be interested in†). 2. Smith snapped back in a rare display of emotion during an otherwise unflappable matter-a-fact testimony. Venerable idiomatic phrases a writer may have heard spoken but not seen written out may be misheard or misremembered and subsequently erroneously recorded, so always double-check the exact wording of such phrases: â€Å"Smith snapped back in a rare display of emotion during an otherwise unflappable matter-of-fact testimony.† 3. Jones’s teammates stressed how little he stresses in the postseason. Stress is often used as a synonym for emphasize, but it is better to employ it only to refer to physical or mental pressure, and emphasize is especially preferable if, distractingly, both senses of stress are used in the same sentence: â€Å"Jones’s teammates emphasized how little he stresses in the postseason.† 4. He’ll make his first scheduled public remarks at the state convention, where he is expected to address his future plans. Plans are, at least in the context of this sentence, something pertaining to the future, so future is redundant here: â€Å"He’ll make his first scheduled public remarks at the state convention, where he is expected to address his plans.† Always scan your writing to delete such extraneous wording. (See this DailyWritingTips.com post and this one for more examples.) 5. Depressed labor markets incent people to monetize their possessions, time, and talents in whatever ways they can. This sentence is a matter of aesthetic consideration rather than error, but avoid using neologisms when perfectly adequate (and often superior) antecedents exist: â€Å"Depressed labor markets incentivize [or â€Å"motivate†] people to monetize their possessions, time, and talents in whatever ways they can.† 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 Usage Review category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"Precedent vs. PrecedenceParticular vs. Specific

The role of cell phone usage in the dialectic of autonomy vs Research Paper

The role of cell phone usage in the dialectic of autonomy vs connection within young adult romantic relationships - Research Paper Example Does a relationship exist between cell phone application and perceptions of the dialectical autonomy pressure versus connection among romantic relationships in young people? â€Å"What sources of autonomy-connection conflict pertain to cell phone use within romantic relationships do individuals report?† Does a difference on sources of phone-based conflicts exist between individuals who experience â€Å"high versus low levels of autonomy-connection dialectical tension†? Which strategies to the target population use to resolve autonomy-connection conflicts that relates to cell phone application? (Duran, Kelly and Rotaru, 2011, p. 23). The researchers do not offer research hypotheses but these can be inferred from the research questions. The authors explain their expected findings on the research questions from the literature review that established existing knowledge in the subject of study and the aim of expanding the existing knowledge and this means that the study†™s findings are supposed to be consistent with the already developed knowledge regarding the research questions. The authors relied on previously developed information and not specific theories (Duran, Kelly and Rotaru, 2011). Analysis of the methods section The researchers’ description of participants’ selection strategy identifies a stratified sampling approach, a techniques that classifies participants into categories with identifiable features before sampling from each category. Stratified sampling is recognized for generating representative samples. The categories, used by the researchers, are upper division courses and lower division courses. Two hundred and ten participants were used in the study, 145 of whom were women while 45 were men and the participants had an average age of... The role of cell phone usage in the dialectic of autonomy vs connection within young adult romantic relationships The statement of purpose is therefore clear and is expressly stated. The author’s offers many justifications for undertaking the study and one of the justifications is existence of information gap on the subtopic that remains unexplored within the wider topic of mobile phones usability. Background information into the study that identifies increasing trend in phone ownership among teenagers, previous studies on rates of phone applications and the role of phone in social initiatives, among friends, and within social networks with little focus on the role of phone usage in dialectic autonomy versus connection among adults is one of the offered reasons for the study. The need to obtain solutions for developed questions from the study’s background information is another justification that the authors offer for the study. The questions relate to partners’ perception of the role of mobile phones on â€Å"autonomy-connection dialectic† and potential conflict amon g partners regarding cell phone usage. The researchers’ description of participants’ selection strategy identifies a stratified sampling approach, a techniques that classifies participants into categories with identifiable features before sampling from each category. Stratified sampling is recognized for generating representative samples. The categories, used by the researchers, are upper division courses and lower division courses. Two hundred and ten participants were used in the study, 145 of whom were women while 45 were men and the participants had an average age of 20.62.

The Law of the UK and the US on Assisted Death Essay

The Law of the UK and the US on Assisted Death - Essay Example In the present day there have been attempts to legalize assisted suicide. This attempt has met strong opposition from human rights activists citing issues of right to life. However some states in the United States have legalized assisted dying while it remains illegal in other states. In the United Kingdom assisted death is still illegal despite the many efforts by the parliament to pass a bill in its support. Legal Concerns Three American states namely Washington, Montana and Oregon have legalized assisted suicide. Oregon has enacted the Oregon Death with Dignity Act which has legalized assisted death. Washington too has enacted its own law namely the Washington Death with Dignity Act which too has legalized assisted suicide. In Montana assisted death was legalized via a ruling in the case of Baxter v Montana 20091. However, there are many barriers to use of these provisions considering the fact that the right to life which is a constitutional right guaranteed by the constitution of the United States. An instance where the use of the provisions of the enactments has been limited is in Oregon where a physician may prescribe a medication which however must be self-administered. The person is required to be a resident of Oregon. To escape criminal liability two oral requests from the patient and a written request for prescription are a requirement. The doctor must also give a written confirmation that the act by the patient was informed and voluntary. All these limitations to these provisions check the balance between the constitutional rights to life. In some states there are enacted laws which specifically prohibit assisted suicide. For example in Alaska, Statute 11.41.120(a) (2) specifically prohibits assisted dying2. The supreme court of Alaska declared unanimously in the case of Sampson V. Alaska, that the right to assisted suicide was unconstitutional and upheld the Alaska law that prohibits the assisted suicide3. Florida State’s Statute 782.08 and e uthanasia law specifically prohibit assisted dying. In Krischer v Mclver, the supreme court of Florida ruled that under the constitution of Florida the right to assisted suicide was prohibited4. The Oregon state legalized assisted dying after November the year 1994 when Oregon citizens voted for a physician assisted suicide by their vote of 51% to 49%. Later in the year 1997, the citizens rejected an attempt to overturn this law by a majority of 60%5. The Michigan law expressly prohibits assisted suicide. The law provides that a person is guilty of criminal offence if he or she knows that another person intends to commits suicide and with the intention to assist that person himself or herself provides a means or means through which that individuals kills himself or herself6. The person is also guilty where he or she directly participates in the act of killing the person committing suicide. Thus it’s still an offence in instance of attempted suicide. In most of the States of U nited States, it is a criminal offence to assist someone to commit suicide. Alpers and Benard affirm that churches and human rights activist have strongly fought against any attempt to enact laws that allow assisted dying7. This has been a bone of contention for a long period. Humanitarian groups now feel that the law is oppressive to the extent that it deprives an individual their right of being autonomous beings. Thus there have been debates that the law allowing attempted suicide is incompatible with the

Positive Impact of Woman Labor in Economic Growth Essay Example for Free

Positive Impact of Woman Labor in Economic Growth Essay Labor one of the factors of production and serves as the source of competitive advantage of various countries in attracting foreign investors. Alongside with labor is the concept of productivity which is the largest single component of economic growth especially for those labor intensive countries. Therefore, government of various countries around the globe a lot enough focus on maintaining the equilibrium condition of their labor market in order to achieve impressive economic growth. But with the advent of globalization, the demand for laborers extended up to such point wherein the labor market has to accommodate woman on the pool of labor. But why is that so? Are there any benefits that can be derived from hiring a woman on a certain business firm? This paper aims to identify the effects of woman’s entrance to labor pool to economic growth as well as the factor/s that contributed in order for such event to occur in the labor market. Relationship of Woman Labor and Economic Growth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gender bias in labor force is a large factor to some of the countries especially in the Middle East wherein the labor pool is still being dominated by men and discrimination and injustices to women is very much accepted into their society. But there are still those liberal countries that welcome the entrance of women to labor force. Like for instance in UK, women serve as one of the source of higher productivity and economic growth (Walby, 2002). For the past decades, UK is relatively stable in terms of market success due to the improvement of the skills of their labor force and women made a significant contribution for the attainment of such impressive productivity and high performance. The characteristics of women like being keen to details and always want to take their time in order to attain the highest possible quality improved the efficiency and effectiveness of UK’s labor force.   Furthermore, though women are physically weak as compared to men, they are more productive when it comes to making planning and strategies on how to solve various problems concerning the welfare of the company or a business firms. This distinct characteristic of women serves as an avenue towards the improvement of the entire labor pool of UK for the past years. Moreover, it was identified that deficit in the labor force in the UK market provided a room for the market system to accept the entrance of women into the labor force despite of the fact that women have fewer educational qualifications than men; but this draw back on women was already settled by the present young women. Women nowadays compete at par with men in terms of attaining higher positions in the corporate world as they start to attain higher academic degrees. With this increase on productivity of labor force in UK industries started to generate more income and becomes more profitable. Moreover, domestic production is deemed to boost by the time skilled women entered the labor force of UK. In this regard, it is clear that the entry of women to labor force did provide positive impacts on the economic growth of the country. This insight do not suggest that men are already less efficient as compared to women, the point is, with the entry of women in the labor pool, the efficiency and effectiveness of men is further improved by the women. But with regards to physical productivity, still, men are still the one who dominates in the said area. Moreover, with the entrance of women in the labor force, flexibility of the labor pool improves since there were some tasks that only women can perform or requires the experiences of a woman. As a result, the productivity of the labor forces increase and so with the entire economy. At the end of the day, the entrance of women to labor force increases the volume of domestic production as more laborers can now be hired by domestic and foreign firms; as well as the improvement on the quality of the products being produced in the economy due to the innate characteristics of women like their keen attention to details provides lesser rooms for mistakes or errors. Moreover, those increases in the domestic production and higher quality of products will make the GDP of the country to increase which in return will improve the economic and social welfare of every laborers in the market. References Walby, S. (2002). The Impact of Women’s Position in the Labor Market on Pay and Implications for UK Productivity. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/publications/weu_pay_and_productivity.pdf

Militarism Caused WWII Essay -- World War II WWII WW2

Militarism On Sunday June 28, 1914, a member of the terrorist group The Black Hand, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Many historians say that this event was the cause of World War I. There is also a theory that the assassination of the Archduke was only a trigger and that the war itself was caused by numerous other historical events and developments including imperialism, militarism, and alliances. Militarism was the leading factor in the outbreak of war. Militarism is the philosophy that a country’s significance is shown through its military might. Such a violent ideal promotes a unnecessarily strong military force and an aggressive demeanor while negotiating national interests. Without it the World War I would not happen on such a grand scale, if it would have happened at all. Militarism has always been present in countries around the world, but it had never become such a major force until the new Kaiser of Germany, William II, rose to power. He grew up as a cadet in Potsdam and it was there that he acquired a fondness for military pomp. While receiving his education, instead of insight and wisdom, it filled him with bigoted and absurdly romantic notions of war (Schulezed et al 69). Although Bismark, the previous prime minister, dismissed the new youthful Kaiser, he was forced out of power, marking the turning point of when German militarism moved to a forefront and became the ideal of the nation, and all rational calculations were put on the back burner (Schulezed et al 70). When Germany began to build its army, there was no going back. The Social Democratic Party, the main political party at the time, was unsuccessful in opposing naval growth because military provided the working class with tens of thousands o... ...l in times of peace. He argued that military elites had too much power in European countries and World War I was a consequence of their desire for the military power and disdain of democracy. He supported the removal of rulers such as Wilhelm II, an end to aristocracy, and militarism in any shape or form. Unfortunately his ideas were implemented only after the world suffered through the second World War when history had repeated itself without anyone learning their lesson. Bibliography â€Å"Naval Rivalry.† Europe. 3rd ed. 5 vols. Beresford, Charles W., Volker R. Berghahn, Herwig H. Holger, Lambert A. Nicholas, Arthur J. Marder, Jon T. Sumida, and Lawrence Sondhaus. Farmington Hills: Tomson Gale, 2006 Schulze, Hagen. German - A New History. Massachusette: Harvard University Press, 1998. Stratachn, Hew. The First World War. New York: Penguin Group, 2004

Internet shopping Essay

For those who prefer their shopping to come to them, Sainsbury’s to You delivers groceries ordered via the Internet. Audio publications for blind people For people who cant see they can get Braille embossed audio-cassette where all their gifting and food/drink brochures are available. They can order the items via phone or tell a family member to get it for them. Disability parking spaces All car parks have designated disabled parking spaces. These are situated near the main store entrance for any customers with a mobility/access requirement. Guide/assistance dogs Guide/assistance dogs are welcome in all Sainsbury stores. Help with shopping Members of staff are available to assist customers with their shopping, including packing items at the checkout if required. Also they can carry shopping bags to the car if requested. Induction loop system for hearing impaired Most of the stores have hearing induction loops installed to help hearing-aid users interact with staffs at specific locations around the store, including selected checkouts and the customer service desk. The following symbol is displayed where induction loops have been installed. Service call in petrol stations 95% of their petrol stations have a service call facility available, enabling disabled drivers to request assistance without leaving their vehicle. Wheelchairs and specially adapted trolleys These items are available in every store (excluding Locals and selected Centrals where space is limited). Electric scooters are also available in larger selected stores. Service for parents and infants Customers shopping with a child under five years old, at a store with a Sainsbury’s controlled car park, can get a Parent and Infant windscreen badge from the Customer Service desk and keep it on their cars. Several types of trolleys are also available for various family combinations of babies and toddlers, even for triplets. Parents shopping with children can use the priority wide-aisle checkouts to avoid waiting. Sitting place for elderly people There will be chairs near the checkout for them to rest on, as they normally get tired in big stores. Time saving for kitchen work Time pressures exist at home as well as at work, so Sainsbury will offer products like ready-meals and prepared meats and vegetables that require no preparation. Mothers with baby-need trolley with baby seat There are few trolleys for babies to sit, but if the parents think the seats are not safe enough then they could give ideas of improving to the customer service, and from there Sainsbury will find ways to improve it if its possible. Blind people There should be someone with that person to help then to get the shopping done by looking at the shopping list. Students-having the products set out in the right place as students don’t have time to look for things Maybe checking the selves 3 times a day (morning, afternoon and evening) to see if the products are in the right place. Organic, vegetarian, vegan food They are put in different section so it is not difficult to find. Socio-economic group – A,B,C1,C2,D, E The price should be different, as everyone cannot afford even some luxury products. As well meeting the needs of the customers, Sainsbury already has other good facilities, which helps it to be a good customer service. They are: Health Sainsbury understands that healthy eating is about balance, so they focus on providing clear and easy-to-read nutritional information on their products to help customers seeking this balance. In some stores they carry out health checks and allergy tests. They have successfully reduced the level of salt in their products, and minimised the unnecessary use of pesticides to grow Different tastes It offers a very wide range of products (over 20,000 different products in many of our supermarkets) to meet just about every taste. For example, it caters for local tastes in Scotland by opening Simon Howie branded meat counters, Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream in the South West, Bartons pickles in the North West, Genesis bread in Northern Ireland and a wide range of kosher foods in Finchley Road. Top-shelf publications Although there are no legal or trade guidelines on what may or may not be sold in newsagent outlets in general, their policy is not to display or sell any newspaper or magazine, which they think it would offend or embarrass the average customer. Sainsbury are also a member of Baywatch campaigning. Baywatch is a national campaign set up in response to widespread concern about the abuse of parking spaces designated for use by people with a disability. Along with other national retailers Sainsbury’s are supporting the campaign throughout their stores. Sainsbury’s recognises that each of its customers is an individual with individual needs, so all members of staff receive disability training as part of their induction programme to ensure that all staffs have an understanding of the needs of thier disabled customers. They were voted the best corporate chain store for their commitment to providing better service for deafblind customers at the Deafblind Friendly Corporate Awards 2001. It supports the Wellbeing ‘Eating for Pregnancy’ Helpline, which is run by state-registered dieticians. This shows they care about pregnancy customers as well. As they are supporters of the National Childbirth Trust’s ‘Breast is Best’ campaign, they provide baby changing rooms and some free nappies. Free membership is available for the Little Ones Club, but they are only entitles to the customers when they are shopping. A free magazine is also available for parents with the latest news on childcare and new products. Some of the larger stores also sell range of Adams children’s clothing and Early Learning Centre toys. What is customer protection? Customer protection is made up of several laws, which is placed by the government in favour of the consumers. This is placed to insure that the businesses know precisely what their responsibilities are towards their consumers. E. g. when selling a product to a customer, the business has to make sure that the customer is happy and satisfied with it. These are consumer protection legislation laws. * Sale of Goods Act (SGA) 1979 – this Act is consolidated the 1893 Act and its amendments. The right of the seller to sell = in every contract, there are some implied conditions. One such implied condition is that the seller has legal right to sell. When you go shopping you do not ask the shopkeeper if the goods that he or she is offering to sale are legally his or hers – you have to assume that it is so, but if later on you discover that the seller did not have the right to sell, then by the SGA 1979 Act you have the rights to recover the money you have spent. Another implied condition in a contract of sale is that the goods must correspond with the description that is given. E. g. a pair of gloves described as made of leather must be made of leather, not plastic. Â  Sale and Supply of Goods Act (SSGA) 1994 – This Act is important for its substitution of the term ‘satisfactory quality’ for the previously used phrases ‘merchantable quality’ and ‘fit for the purpose’. The guideline quoted above were set out in the SSGA 1994, but are implemented through the SGA. Supply of Goods and Services Act (SGSA) 1982 – The SGA 1979 dealt only with the legal responsibilities of sellers of goods. The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 added the responsibilities of providers of services. A contract for the supply of a service is defined as ‘a contract under which the supplier agrees to carry out a service’. This makes the supplier of a service carry out ‘responsible care and skills’. All service providers are included in this, whether they are professional or unprofessional.

Graffiti Art Essay

In the late 1960s’s, another art genre was recognized and developed although its lack of form and other basic aesthetic elements has been once a topic of debates as regard its acceptance in the artistic world. Obviously, it differs from the works of art found in museums and galleries and its kind are not found in those elite locations because its location is specific. The location of graffiti art has been actually a subject of oppositions as well as its bold, unexpected and unconventional presentation. Although still, its location, may it be illegal, does not disqualify it as art. Thus, graffiti art is a form of art despite criticisms on its legality, coherence and presentation. It is also argued that graffiti art is a form of vandalism, but this is true only if they appeared on private or public property without permission. Graffiti art is indeed another genre of visual masterpiece. Graffiti comes from â€Å"grafficar†, an Italian word for drawings, markings, patterns, scribbles, or messages that are painted, written, or carved on a wall or surface. Graffiti is the plural of grafficar. Grafficar also signifies a process meaning â€Å"to scratch†. Examples of which are different wall writings ranging from â€Å"cave paintings†, bathroom scribbles, or any message that is scratched on walls. In the ancient Egypt and Rome, in particular, graffiti has been visible in monuments and building walls which are now being explored. It is originally used to term inscriptions, figure drawings, and other carvings found on the walls of ancient sepulchers or ruins. Examples are the Catacombs, or those found at Pompeii. (Whitford, 1992. pp. 137) In the modern era, present day graffiti is also associated to any unsolicited markings on a private or public property, usually considered to be vandalism. In the early 1970s young New Yorkers has started to adopt tags, signatures and signs using aerosol sprays and markers in public places. The youngsters, belonging to the black and Puerto Rican communities have initiated the tagging which eventually developed and soon covered the city’s walls, buses and obviously in subway trains. Tags even cover the entire train. Some may contain screen names or reflections of the writer, comes in subtle and often cryptic messages. Taki, an artist of Greek-American descent, was the first modern identified tagger in New York. He signed himself Taki 183, the number probably derived from the number in his apartment block. Some names also made their appearances in some real urban murals painted with spray-paint. Tags such as Futura 2000, Dust and Pink gained fame and recognition in the world of hip-hops. There were also Basquiat and Haring who also started to work in the street and the subway but their works swiftly spread beyond the works of graffiti. Their works attracted the attention of influential dealers which put them in great demand although their works were considered one of the rare forms of graffiti art. (Graffiti†¦ 2007, p. 1) Tagging and graffiti differs from each other although arguments about this difference still arise. Tagging is associated negatively as gang-motivated and illegal because it is usually meant as vandalism. It is also viewed as too vulgar or controversial to have public value. On the other hand, graffiti can be viewed as creative expression, not to mention its usual link to politics. Main Types of Graffiti Art The main types of graffiti fall into different categories and have their own names which are recognized in cities all over the world. First is â€Å"Hip Hop Graffiti†. This is characterized by ‘pieces’ which hip hop graffitists create by aerosol spray paints. They are large and colorful works, usually including either a complex mix of letters or a cartoon-style picture. This type of graffiti often lacks much thought and planning in design and usually takes an extended period of time. Second is the â€Å"Opportunistic Graffiti† which location is selected impulsively, on the basis of low risk and low natural surveillance. Graffitists of this type usually use â€Å"tags† or â€Å"scrawling† to mark their territory. Third type is the â€Å"Gang Graffiti†. Gang graffiti is not art work but a sophisticated communication to publicize gang power, status, and territory. This type is somehow related to opportunistic graffitists because they also use â€Å"tags† or â€Å"scrawling† to mark territory. But in addition to this, gangs use graffiti to create notoriety or show off their defiance of the law and society, and as a mode of marking their presence. The fourth, the â€Å"Political & Social Graffiti† is obviously of racial or political motivation. This is uncommonly regarded as part of the graffiti subculture, although it is recognized as damaging to property. The last type is the â€Å"Commercial Graffiti† which is an emerging civic problem. This involves huge compensations paid by private organizations to graffitists to spray advertising logos onto walkways and buildings for promotions of their products. This type is an illegal form of advertising that avoids normal planning laws. (Stowers 1997, pp. 1-2) Gang Graffiti: The Most Dangerous Graffiti The gang graffiti is the most controversial not just because of the characters of its writings but because of its social impact in the neighborhood. Gang graffiti is an indication of gang presence in the community. Gangs use graffiti as their â€Å"newspapers,† thus they usually call it â€Å"newspaper in the wall† as gangs use them to send messages. This is their way of marking boundaries and warning rival gangs. Graffiti may also be an instrument to advertise drug market or, as a memorial to a killed gang member. Symbols and cryptic writing style is exclusive in each gang. Death warrants and beat downs are known to be posted in graffiti. Upside down or crossed out graffiti generally means a put down or threat to a rival gang or person. (Bland and Read 2000) According to Michael Carlie (2002), graffiti is the most common method of gang communication and a major symbolism of their gang affiliation. Jonathan Kellerman (1994) as cited by Carlie referred to graffiti as â€Å"the hieroglyphics of rage† because of the violence associated with it. On the surface, a person who is not familiar with it might think of graffiti as a simple nonsense painting on the wall or in poles or elsewhere, or just a plain vandal. Carlie adds that among other things, graffiti communicates the â€Å"role call† or the roster of gang members, or the hierarchy of gang members. It also implies who’s around, who’s with who, who’s disrespecting who, which gangs are claiming what territory and which areas are in dispute. It may be an announcement of current gang activities and who’s getting ready to attack who, or who’s already been killed. A familiar language, for example, is the â€Å"X† which if marked on a member’s name means he is the likely target for an attack or murder. (Carlie 2002, pp. 2) An important not on gang graffiti is, in many ways, it is a code and codes in general are subjects to analysis. Deciphering gang graffiti requires the understanding of the symbols, abbreviations, structure, that composes the gang language. In the United States, gang graffiti is usually based on two dominant styles – the L. A. and Chicago styles – which vary greatly and influence to some degree across the country. Some gangs use an exclusive style while others use a combination. For example, the Gangster Disciples originated in south-side of Chicago might combine L. A. style gang lettering with Chicago Folks Nation symbols. In New York, Latin Kings might use Chicago Latin King symbols but with New York tagger style graffiti lettering. (Graffiti†¦ 2010) These styles and some of the variations are seen throughout the country and a person who understands both styles is more likely to understand most, if not all, gang graffiti. Characters of gang related graffiti has sharp, angular stick letters, or mostly contains religious, even â€Å"satanic† imagery, or is done in one color of paint. Most of the times they are very simple and flat-out which make them easy to figure out. But no matter how simple they appear, it still requires some basic code-breaking skills. (Deciphering Gang†¦2010. p. 1) Figure 1: â€Å"WS 18 St, HGS† – West Side Eighteenth Street (gang), Hoover Gangsters (a clique of 18th Street) Two-digit numbers, especially â€Å"13? , â€Å"14? , or â€Å"18? , signifies graffiti for a hispanic gang while three digits, especially if they are the area code of your neighborhood, it’s almost certainly not a hispanic gang, but a typical prison or street sort. Exception to this is numbers followed by â€Å"K† which means a threat from a rival gang. â€Å"WS18? (figure 1) is a tag for the (hispanic) West Side 18th Street gang out of California. â€Å"WS18K† means a threat towards 18th Street by a local gang. Note that â€Å"K† is short for â€Å"Kill†. If there are two digits, see if they’re prefixed by â€Å"N†, â€Å"S†, â€Å"E†, or â€Å"W† – (or â€Å"NS†, â€Å"SS†, â€Å"ES†, or â€Å"WS†) – which relate to the cardinal directions, and form part of the gang’s identity. Hispanic gangs more often use 13 and 14 – the 13th letter of the alphabet is â€Å"M†, which generally stands for â€Å"Mexico† or â€Å"La Eme†, the Mexican Mafia and the 14th letter â€Å"N† generally means â€Å"North† that symbolizes which end of California the gang originated from. It is a division as gangstas from the north and south parts of California frequently clash. Figure 2: â€Å"Lil Capone WS VSLC, crossed out BK, Crossed out PBGK† – Lil Capone (name of gang member) West Side Venice Shoreline Crips, Blood Killer, Playboy Gangster Killer (disrespect to rival gangs) Certain patterns appear without the numbers. As always, â€Å"K† is a threat to â€Å"(K)ill†, as are any crossed-out letters. â€Å"A† as in â€Å"Almighty† â€Å"N†, that virtually stands for â€Å"Nation† can be safely ignored. When seen together, which usually occurs, it show up that the gangs used to calling themselves the Almighty Whatever Nation. Figure 3: â€Å"GD around Star of David with number six inside the star, pitchfork extending from the D† – Gangsters Disciples with six point star representing GDs and Folks. Pitchford represents GD’s and Folks Gangs which are known in the country carry a finite code which makes them easy to identify. â€Å"GD† is the Gangster Disciples and â€Å"VL† are the Vice Lords. â€Å"LK† are the Latin Kings, and â€Å"LQ† the Latin Queens; sometimes when they’re getting along, they’re the LKQ – Latin Kings and Queens. Crossed-out letters in gang graffiti usually mean a threat. Letters â€Å"B†, â€Å"C†, â€Å"F†, â€Å"P†, or â€Å"S† crossed-out in a piece of gang graffiti, it signifies a threat towards a gang whose name, â€Å"nation†, or nickname begins with that crossed out letter. In the Vice Lord tag, the letter â€Å"C† is not crossed out which tells you the local Vice Lords don’t have complaints with the (C)rips. Gangs should write very carefully because all too often, little slights in graffiti like crossing out letters, or painting over rival gangs’ tags, are a sure warning sign of impending gang war. Figure 4: â€Å"CVLN† – Conservative Vice Lords Nation. Cane extending from the â€Å"L† is a CVL symbol. Upside down pitchfork shows disrespect towards Fold Nation gangs. Knowledge in deciphering gang graffiti introduced you to a neighborhood of gangs. In (figure 4) the â€Å"C† is short for â€Å"Conservative†. The â€Å"Conservative Vice Lords† are one of several dozen larger Vice Lord â€Å"sets† around United States. Some communities have taken a massive campaign against graffiti and also intensifies gang reduction. In Florida, the Florida Department of Corrections website posts information to help educate the public in reducing gang activities, which imposes threat to the community. Some gangs, the website says, even use graffiti as ‘Death warrants’ to authorities specifically to police officers. Community awareness program in most part of America uses the 4 R’s of graffiti to intensify campaign against gangs and gang graffiti. The slogan says, â€Å"READ IT, RECORD IT, REPORT IT & REMOVE IT†. (Deciphering Gang†¦2010, p. 1) Thus, citizens should read it and report it to police, and police will record it and then remove it. These steps are important but the removal of the graffiti is the most risky. Removal of graffiti manifests the neighborhood’s refusal to be dominated or intimidated by gangs which is a language most gang members understand. Neighborhood residents who ignore graffiti and bother not to remove them are viewed as frightened and weak by the gangs who made them. At the worst, there are instances that gang members attack people who attempt to remove or cover their graffiti. Gang graffiti is the most dangerous of all graffiti and can usually be found around community rail stations. It marks territory and rival gangs usually challenge for territory by crossing out another gang’s graffiti. It imposes real and great danger to the residents. Messages in graffiti are taken seriously by gangsters and the longer graffiti is, the greater the risk that the threats will be acted on. Graffiti is a gateway crime and membership in gangs certainly guarantees a criminal record. Since juvenile of minor age receives more lenience when it comes to punishment, the minors are the usual target of recruitment and the doer of crimes. Residents Against Graffiti Everywhere (RAGE) is a community group that looks at social issues and works with local councils and Governments towards promoting a zero tolerance policy on graffiti. (Bland and Read 2000, p. 179) By legal definition, graffiti is vandalism. It is the unauthorized application of markings on someone else’s property, especially without permission. Therefore, legality wise it is a crime. The manner that graffiti is regularly produced as illegal detracts it from the concept to be considered an art form. Very unfortunately that graffiti is responded with outrage over the abuse of someone’s property. This negative connotation may take away the value or impact of the artist’s original message. Perhaps, it would be better to get permission from the owner of the â€Å"canvas† to display the art. Yet, graffiti still elicits emotional response even in its illegal state. Furthermore, it is composed of lines, shapes, color, tones, and forms in a display that conveys a certain message and elicits an emotion. Therefore, it is safe to say that graffiti is indeed an art. As George Stowers (1997) presented four criteria as basis that some forms of graffiti become a work of art. First, the artist’s intention to produce a work of art separates graffiti art from everyday graffiti markings. Second, graffiti art established a history of development in style and technique. Third, the art world has already recognized graffiti as an art form. Fourth is the public response to graffiti art indicates that it is art. Regardless of the message it conveys, the fact that graffiti carry the aesthetic and creative symbolism and expression, public agrees that graffiti is a form of art. Like other art forms, graffiti art is a definite art when both the artist and the audience agree on the works ability to provide maximal aesthetic satisfaction. Graffiti is presently known as spray can art which is a form indeed recognized as art. It has form, color, and other base properties as any other art pieces. It also has as an arrangement of these elements into structures that qualify it aesthetically as being art. However, something that is done with spray paint might make it graffiti, but not necessarily qualify as art or graffiti art. Location and presentation still are the factors that hinder the general acceptance of graffiti art. However, the instances that the art world’s acceptance of graffiti art shows that conventional methods of presentation are not all that matters in determining graffiti as an art. Graffiti in the form of spray can art is art like any other work that might be found in a gallery or a museum. References Bland, N. & Read, T. (2000). Policing Anti-social Behaviour. Police Research Series 123, Policing and Reducing Crime, British Home Office, London, UK. Carlie, Michael. (2002) Graffiti and Other Gang Identifiers. (Into the Abyss: A Personal Journey into the World of Street Gangs) Retrieved 23 May 2010 from . Deciphering Gang Graffiti (2008). The Slugsite. com. Retrieved 23 May 2010 from . Graffiti. (2007) The Huntfor. com retrieved 23 May 2010 from .

Biography of Victoria Woodhull, Womens Rights Activist

Biography of Victoria Woodhull, Women's Rights Activist Victoria Woodhull (born Victoria Claflin; September 23, 1838–June 9, 1927) was a womens rights activist, stockbroker, and newspaper editor. She ran for president of the United States in 1872. Woodhull was also involved in the spiritualist movement, and for a time she made her living as a healer. Fast Facts: Victoria Woodhull Known For:  Candidacy for U.S. President; radicalism as a womens suffrage activist; role in a sex scandal involving Henry Ward BeecherAlso Known As:  Victoria California Claflin, Victoria Woodhull Martin, Wicked Woodhull, Mrs. SatanBorn:  September 23, 1838 in Homer, OhioParents: Roxanna Claflin and Reuben Buck ClaflinDied:  June 9, 1927 in Bredon’s Norton,  Worcestershire, EnglandSpouse(s): Canning Woodhull, Colonel James Harvey Blood, John Biddulph MartinChildren: Byron Woodhull, Zulu (later Zula), Maude WoodhullNotable Quote: Of all the horrid brutalities of our age, I know of none so horrid as those that are sanctioned and defended by marriage. Early Life Victoria Claflin was born into the poor and eccentric family of Roxanna and Reuben Buck Claflin as the seventh of 10 children on September 23, 1838. Her mother often attended religious revivals and believed herself to be clairvoyant. The family traveled around selling patent medicines and telling fortunes, with the father styling himself Dr. R. B. Claflin, American King of Cancers. Victoria spent her childhood with this medicine show, often paired with her younger sister Tennessee in performing and telling fortunes. First Marriage Victoria met Canning Woodhull when she was 15 and they soon married. Canning also styled himself as a physician, at a time when licensing requirements were non-existent or loose. Canning Woodhull, like Victorias father, sold patent medicines. They had a son Byron, who was born with serious intellectual disabilities, which Victoria blamed on her husbands drinking. Victoria moved to San Francisco and worked as an actress and cigar girl. She later rejoined her husband in New York City, where the rest of the Claflin family was living, and Victoria and her sister Tennessee began practicing as mediums. In 1864, the Woodhulls and Tennessee moved to Cincinnati, then to Chicago, and then began traveling, keeping ahead of complaints and legal proceedings. Victoria and Canning later had a second child, a daughter Zulu (later known as Zula). Over time, Victoria grew less tolerant of her husbands drinking, womanizing, and occasional beatings. They divorced in 1864, with Victoria keeping her ex-husbands surname. Spiritualism and Free Love Likely during her troubled first marriage, Victoria Woodhull became an advocate of free love, the idea that a person has the right to stay with a person as long as they choose, and that they can choose another (monogamous) relationship when they want to move on. She met Colonel James Harvey Blood, also a spiritualist and an advocate of free love. They are said to have married in 1866, though there are no records of this marriage. Victoria Woodhull, Captain Blood, Victorias sister Tennessee, and their mother eventually moved to New York City. In New York City, Victoria established a popular salon where many of the citys intellectual elite gathered. There she became acquainted with Stephen Pearl Andrews, an advocate of free love, spiritualism, and womens rights. Congressman Benjamin F. Butler was another acquaintance and advocate of womens rights and free love. Through her salon, Victoria became increasingly interested in womens rights and suffrage. Womens Suffrage Movement In January 1871, the National Woman Suffrage Association met in Washington, D.C. On January 11, Victoria Woodhull arranged to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on the topic of womens suffrage, and the NWSA convention was postponed a day so that those attending could see Woodhull testifying. Her speech was written with Rep. Benjamin Butler of Massachusetts and made the case that women already had the right to vote based on the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The NWSA leadership then invited Woodhull to address their gathering. The leadership of the NWSA- which included Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Isabella Beecher Hooker- was so taken with the speech that they began promoting Woodhull as an advocate and speaker for womens suffrage. Theodore Tilton was a supporter and officer of the NWSA and also a close friend of one of Woodhulls critics, Reverend Henry Ward Beecher. Elizabeth Cady Stanton told Victoria Woodhull confidentially that Tiltons wife Elizabeth had been involved in an affair with the Reverend Beecher. When Beecher refused to introduce Woodhull at a November 1871 lecture at Steinway Halls, she visited him privately and reportedly confronted him about his affair. Still, he refused to do the honors at her lecture. In her speech the next day, she referred indirectly to the affair as an example of sexual hypocrisy and double standards. Because of the scandal this caused, Woodhull lost a significant amount of business, though her lectures were still in demand. She and her family had trouble paying their bills,  however, and were eventually evicted from their home. Presidential Candidacy In May 1872, a breakaway group from the NWSA- the National Radical Reformers- nominated Woodhull as a candidate for U.S. president of the Equal Rights Party. They nominated Frederick Douglass, a newspaper editor, former slave, and abolitionist, as vice president. Theres no record that Douglass accepted the nomination. Susan B. Anthony opposed the nomination of Woodhull, while Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Isabella Beecher Hooker supported her run for the presidency. Beecher Scandal Woodhull continued to have significant financial problems, even suspending her journal for a few months. Perhaps responding to continued denunciations of her moral character, on November 2, just before Election Day, Woodhull revealed specifics of the Beecher/Tilton affair in a speech and published an account of the affair in the resumed Weekly. She also published a story about a stockbroker, Luther Challis, and his seduction of young women. Her target was not the morality of the sexual affairs, but the hypocrisy that permitted powerful men to be sexually free while women were denied such freedom. The reaction to the public revelation of the Beecher/Tilton affair was a great public outcry. Woodhull was arrested under the Comstock Law for distribution of obscene material through the mail and charged with libel. In the meantime, the presidential election was held, and Woodhull received no official votes. (Some scattered votes for her were likely not reported.) In 1877, after the scandal had subsided, Tennessee, Victoria, and their mother moved to England, where they lived comfortably. Life in England In England, Woodhull met wealthy banker John Biddulph Martin, who proposed to her. They did not marry until 1882, apparently because of his familys opposition to the match, and she worked to distance herself from her former radical ideas on sex and love. Woodhull used her new married name, Victoria Woodhull Martin, in her writings and public appearances after her marriage. Tennessee married Lord Francis Cook in 1885. Victoria published Stirpiculture, or the Scientific Propagation of the Human Race in 1888; with Tennessee, The Human Body, the Temple of God in 1890; and in 1892, Humanitarian Money: The Unsolved Riddle. Woodhull traveled to the United States occasionally and was nominated in 1892 as the presidential candidate of the Humanitarian Party. England remained her primary residence. In 1895, she returned to publishing with a new paper, The Humanitarian, which advocated eugenics. In this venture, she worked with her daughter Zulu Maude Woodhull. Woodhull also founded a school and an agricultural show and became involved in a number of humanitarian causes. John Martin died in March 1897, and Victoria did not remarry. Death In her later years, Woodhull became involved in the womens suffrage campaigns led by the Pankhursts. She died on June 9, 1927, in England. Legacy Though she was considered controversial in her time, Woodhull has come to be widely admired for her trailblazing efforts to secure rights for women. Two womens rights organizations- the Woodhull Insititute for Ethical Leadership and the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance- were named in her honor, and in 2001 Woodhull was added to the National Womens Hall of Fame. Sources Gabriel, Mary.  Notorious Victoria: The Life of Victoria Woodhull, Uncensored. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1998.Goldsmith, Barbara.  Other Powers: The Age of Suffrage, Spiritualism, and the Scandalous Victoria Woodhull. Granta, 1998.Underhill, Lois Beachy.  The Woman Who Ran for President: The Many Lives of Victoria Woodhull. Penguin, 1996.

How Shampoo Works and the Chemistry Behind It

How Shampoo Works and the Chemistry Behind It You know shampoo cleans your hair, but do you know how it works? Here is a look at shampoo chemistry, including how shampoos work  and why its better to use shampoo than soap on your hair. What Shampoo Does Unless youve been rolling around in mud, you probably dont have hair that is truly dirty. However, it may feel greasy and look dull. Your skin produces sebum, a greasy substance, to coat and protect hair and the hair follicle. Sebum coats the cuticle or outer keratin coat of each hair strand, giving it a healthy shine. However, sebum also makes your hair look dirty. An accumulation of it causes hair strands to stick together, making your locks look dull and greasy. Dust, pollen, and other particles are attracted to the sebum and stick to it. Sebum is hydrophobic. It waterproofs your skin and hair. You can rinse away salt and skin flakes, but oils and sebum are untouched by water, no matter how much you use. How Shampoo Works Shampoo contains detergent, much like you would find in dishwashing or laundry detergent or bath gel. Detergents work as surfactants. They lower the surface tension of water, making it less likely to stick to itself and able to bind with oils and soiling particles. Part of a detergent molecule is hydrophobic. This hydrocarbon portion of the molecule binds to the sebum coating hair, as well as to any oily styling products. Detergent molecules also have a hydrophilic portion, so when you rinse your hair, the detergent is swept away by the water, carrying sebum away with it. Other Ingredients in Shampoo Conditioning Agents:  Detergents strip away the sebum from your hair, leaving the cuticle exposed and susceptible to damage. If you use soap or dishwashing detergent on your hair, it will get clean, but it may look limp, lacking body and shine. Shampoo contains ingredients that replace the protective coating on the hair. Silicones detangle hair, smooth the hair cuticle and add shine. Fatty alcohols help prevent static and fly-away or frizzy hair.Shampoo typically is more acidic than soap, so it may contain ingredients to bring down the product of the pH. If the pH of shampoo is too high, the sulfide bridges in keratin can break, weakening or damaging your hair.Protectants:  Many shampoos contain additional ingredients intended to protect hair. The most common additive is sunscreen. Other chemicals protect against heat damage from hair dryers or styling aids, chemical damage from swimming pools, or build-up from styling products.Cosmetic Ingredients:  Shampoos contain aesthetic ingredients that dont affect how well the shampoo cleans your hair but may make shampooing more pleasant or affect the color or fragrance of your hair. These additives include pearlised ingredients, which add sparkle to the product and may leave a faint glimmer on hair, perfume to scent the shampoo and hair, and colorants. Most colorants wash out with shampoo, although some subtly tint or brighten hair. Functional Ingredients:  Some ingredients are added to shampoo to keep it uniformly mixed, thicken it so that it is easier to apply, prevent the growth of bacteria and mold, and preserve it to extend its shelf life. A Word About Lather Although many shampoos contain agents to produce a lather, the bubbles dont aid the cleaning or conditioning power of the shampoo. Lathering soaps and shampoos were created because consumers enjoyed them, not because they improved the product. Similarly, getting hair squeaky clean actually isnt desirable. If your hair is clean enough to squeak, it has been stripped of its natural protective oils.

Inventory Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Inventory Management - Research Paper Example This means that the employees order new stock as soon as the existing one is depleted. Full maximization of employee use is essential in times of failure of the system. Many businesses have employed the use of self-checkout machines in retailing to enhance productivity. Among the major advantages of these machines is the improvement of efficiency in that they reduce the checkout time. A store can run six self-check units all controlled by one employee who tracks the progress of all customers in all the machines as opposed to one cashier and thus reduce time. The customer also gets a false sense of privacy thus improving satisfaction and productivity. For a retailer, there is reduced staffing and therefore reduced cost of management due to less administration costs. The machines enhance efficiency in the payment as they accept many methods of payment such as the debit and credit cards, cash through coin slots and electronic food assistance cards. However, the system is vulnerable to theft from shoplifters. The trustworthiness of customers is questionable but the machines may detect incidences of theft and cause the customer to change attitude toward s