L’Oreal of Paris: Bringing Class to Market with Plenitude Essay

L’Oreal has always used its Class to Market approach and used its high-end technologically superior products to advertise its brand. It uses the ‘Class to Market’ products to finance its research into newer technologically advanced products. The US Market is a very competitive market where all the companies put millions of dollars into advertising and other promotional events. The US market also has a lot of potential as the people are fashionable and have the money to pay for the products that cosmetic companies make. The US market presents its own challenges; people from across the world live in the US, for a cosmetic company this means that there are many skin tones, skin types etc. importantly, it also means that there are different attitudes and perceptions about cosmetics, consumers income levels, consumers budget towards cosmetics. And this differs from state to state in the US. Community A maybe using a lot of cosmetics vs. Community B where people feel that cosmetics are too fashionable and hence abhor using them; but these opposing opinions like I mentioned also go along with subtle changes in perception amongst communities. Unlike Europe where it is easy to categorize people based on the country, in the US it is extremely difficult. There are companies that are doing it quite successfully but as the CEO mentioned, L’Oreal needs to figure out a couple of things before they can crack the US market. Their market share is stagnant and they are now fighting back; however, what they need in the US is to identify which product go to what area – the expensive products probably sell better on the east coast than the west? The moisturizers probably sell better in the colder parts of the country in a certain season compared to the cleansers which again probably sell better on the east coast as people generally (myth or reality? Only research can tell us) have more money and care more about their looks. Social pressure is also another factor that will affect the way people use and spend money on cosmetics. L’Oreal must also analyze what products to sell and which ones not to. It has hundreds of products and its very difficult to sell all of them successfully in each country. However, going with just 5 or 10 products isn’t going to win the battle either. They should sell high-end products with big profit margins but they must know that there are other companies competing for the same dollars, so the product they sell must either be better or must be properly differentiated. Selling products in beauty parlors is a good idea in the US, however, they must first find out which parts of the US has more beauty parlors, where do customers get what type of treatments, and where do customers ask for specialized products vs. letting the beauty parlor decide for them. The level or research that goes into introducing products for the US has to be much deeper than the research they have done in Europe. They are basically baking on Europe to provide two-thirds of their revenues and profits. The company is focusing their resources on Europe, which is not a bad thing; however, with competition getting successful int eh US it shows that there is a lot that L’Oreal is losing. L’Oreal is also losing on the lucrative South-East Asia India and China market, there are 3 Billion people in that part of the world and less than 20% of their sales come from this region. With the money flowing into China and India, people will eventually have more spending power which means they will spend more money on items of beauty and other personal care products.

Love in Pride and Prejudice Essay

Marriage in England in the nineteenth century is much different than it is in today’s world. Almost everyone wants to marry for love and happiness. During this period of time, beautiful women would marry a man because he is rich or the opposite. A nice looking man would marry a woman because she comes from wealth. Love is left out of these marriages. Some thought they would soon develop love along the years. Mrs. Bennet’s main priority throughout the book was to make sure here five daughters were married to a rich suitor. Money was the main concerns for her not love. Her marriage was based on the principle of monetary gain. She thought her daughters would not be able to survive if they remained unmarried. For any woman of her time marriage on any terms was often the only getaway from a miserable life of poverty. Elizabeth did not want to marry for money. She wanted to marry for love. She turned her first proposal down from Mr. Collins because she had no feelings for him. Elizabeth shows a lot of pride throughout the book. Even though her family was not of upper class, she still held her head high with pride. She is a middle class woman who wants to be treated the same by every one no matter who it is. She believes herself to be good enough for any man. When she first meets Mr. Darcy, she says that he is very attractive. Prejudice blinds her and leads to false opinions of Mr. Darcy. She overhears him say, â€Å"She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. † Darcy is very blinded by his inferior standards. Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley are happy when they are together. Mrs. Bennet was so sure they would marry within months. They were so shocked to hear that he had left town so suddenly. Mr. Darcy breaks them up before their relationship could get as far as marriage. He didn’t honestly believe that Jane was truly in love with his good friend Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth believes that he did this because of his prejudice for the lower class. Mr. Darcy believed that Jane was only after his money. Jane is very broken up over Mr. Bingley leaving town. They both loved one another. Mr. Darcy later writes a letter to Elizabeth, explaining the real reason why he broke them up. After reading his letter, she begins to understand the pride that Mr. Darcy has for himself. This is where she begins to have feelings for him. Her youngest sister Lydia runs away and marries Mr. Wickham. Soon Jane and Mr. Bingley reunite and he proposes to her. Elizabeth finds out that Mr. Darcy had bribed Mr. Wickham to marry her sister. She soon realizes Mr. Darcy isn’t a bad person after all. He is a great person and a romantic at heart. After his second proposal to Elizabeth she agrees to marry him, not for money but for love. Happiness does not come from a marriage based on money.

The Impact of genetic fingerprinting and gene profiling in Forensic Science

Gene profiling and genetic fingerprinting was unheard of in Forensic Science 20 years ago. DNA testing was initially introduced in the 1980s and the first court case, which saw a man put behind bars due to the forensic evidence was in 1985. Following the success of the use of physical proof, numerous cases around the world from paternity tests to identification of American soldiers from the Vietnam War have been solved. A person's DNA (de-oxyribonucleic acid) can be found from a single strand of hair, skin under a murder victim's nails or bodily fluids such as sweat, saliva, semen and blood. The chances of a sample of DNA being the same as another person, other than monozygotic twins is 1 in 24 million. This is why recent cases such as that of Sarah Payne rely so much on DNA samples found at the crime scene. In this case a single strand of Sarah's hair was found on Roy Whitting's sweatshirt and matching fibres from his sweatshirt were found on her shoe, although there was slight controversy as to whether the evidence was contaminated. The method for extracting the DNA from a sample is a complex one. The technique was first developed in this country in 1985, the year of the first proven case. Firstly the DNA must be extracted from the sample of body tissue or fluid. This could be a very small amount in a criminal investigation where the offender could've taken every precaution to avoid being caught. A process called Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) then multiplies the sample and produces millions of identical strands of DNA. PCR is completed by a â€Å"repetitious, cyclic programme of heating and cooling the substance together with a heat resistant DNA polymerase and two specific DNA primers. The polymerase and primers reproduce a small region of a genome, the whole of the DNA of the organism.† – quoted from DNA in Forensic Science by J. Robertson, A.M. Ross and L.A. Burgoyne. Forensic scientists use PCR to produce plenty of DNA to carry out all the necessary experiments to obtain a conclusive result. The DNA is then broken up, using enzymes, into standard fragments. The enzymes used cut the DNA at precise sequences of A C G and T in the DNA. A few fragments are then chosen and separated by size on a gel. The gel is then exposed to radioactive samples of the DNA. This produces different sized bands and the bands that have the same sequence of DNA are prominent. Generally the DNA evidence found at the scene is tested and the suspect may have a blood test or a saliva sample from the inside of the cheek, which will also be tested. The two samples will be tested and compared several times. If the two samples have 5 bands or more that match the result is considered as decisive. In 1992, after many years of arguments for and against the gene profiling, the National Research Agency accepted the method as a reliable one to help identify criminal suspects and shortly after the procedure entered the mainstream court system. Genetic fingerprinting is now so common it's difficult to avoid in everyday society. The accuracy of gene profiling is very good. The chance of two people sharing one band of DNA is approximately 1 in 30. This may not seem like there is much chance of identifying a person, as there is a fairly high possibility of it being a number of people. However, the National Research Agency has a policy stating that at least 5 bands have to match for the test to be considered as positive. This means that the probability goes from 1 in 30 to 1 in 30 x 30 x 30 x 30 x 30, which is equal to 1 in 24 million providing the two samples aren't from blood relatives. This is why genetic fingerprinting is considered as firm proof in a court of justice. Overall, the chance of getting a DNA test wrong is slim, providing the tests are carried out properly. However, just because someone's DNA is found at a crime scene doesn't prove that the suspect is guilty. There are many other areas of law that need to be investigated before a verdict can be decided. Some offences that are committed rely almost solely on forensic evidence such as that of rape. If semen is discovered and recognized as that of the suspect then that is nearly a conclusive result. The suspect may claim that the other party consented to sexual intercourse, but would find it difficult to deny that intercourse took place. Nevertheless, forensic evidence does have its problems. Firstly the tests have to be carried out in fully sterile conditions to ensure that the DNA isn't distorted in any way. It is crucial that the sample before PCR takes place is not contaminated as PCR will produce several thousands of exact clones and all the forthcoming tests could be inaccurate. Also, over time mutation of a sample takes place, gradually decreasing the likelihood of identifying a suspect perfectly. There have been experiments carried out to test how quickly mutation takes place. Scientists have found that, with blood and semen stains kept at room temperature for more than four years, it was almost impossible to identify any reliable DNA information due to mutation. In some cases, such as rape, the evidence can disappear within a matter of hours. When testing for semen in a rape case, the DNA should be found within 20 hours of the crime. Following the first 20 hours, the probability of obtaining an accurate identification decreases hour by hour. Conclusion With the slim chance of 2 people's DNA making a full match, gene profiling is a definite way of proving whether a person was at a crime scene or not. Whether they actually committed the crime is a different matter. Providing all tests are carried out well and the DNA is extracted properly and without contamination then the results should be extremely accurate. On the whole, gene profiling has taken forensic science that stage further and it has developed to being a crucial part in identifying criminals all over the world. There remain ethical difficulties which have yet to be resolved, for example, the establishment of a DNA database, human rights and civil liberties, the use of DNA information in unrelated legal cases, etc, but these issues will be addressed in due course.

Health Families, Localities and Societies Essay

Health Families, Localities and Societies - Essay Example Localities differ in living, economic and cultural standards that inhibit some individuals to truly adopt precise measures for maintaining their health. However, this is the part where schools need to step in, because these are schools that may provide children with the better knowledge of health issues and the most relevant ways of addressing them (Finlay, Pearson & Ram, 2009). Beginning with the actual implementation of an environment that endorses better health, schools can introduce an offering of a nutritionally balanced diet through the cafeteria and canteen foods. By having salad bars, whole-wheat products, fruits etc at cafeteria counters for students in place of sugary or fried contents can build the air of awareness to an extent. Students, especially children, are prone to learn more quickly when they are subjected to an environment that promotes that learning. In these ways, schools can provide children with practical experience in nutrition – skills widely regarded as essential for healthy living (Finlay, Pearson & Ram, 2009). Considering the example of Kate from chapter five who experienced a change in her lifestyle and her behavior as her school introduced better food for meals. The facilities and services that Kate’s school offered her resulted in the betterment of her health and life. Offering a balanced diet to students as in the case of Kate’s school can progressively enhance the student’s health (Finlay, Pearson & Ram, 2009). Additional efforts from schools are required in the form of fitness awareness. The past years in British schools have been marked with the growing health awareness and the implementation of a greater variety of sports options than in the past (Finlay, Pearson & Ram, 2009). Sports facilities have not only proven to be a great way of enhancing individual health and fitness, it has also been of a greater attraction

Fieldwork observation report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fieldwork observation report - Essay Example With due consideration to these factors, an observation was conducted in a classroom setting aimed at learning the behavior of the students in response to the teaching method applied to instruct them. The observation was also aimed at obtaining substantial understanding of the cognitive and the intellectual behavior of the children in classroom settings. In this study, five students were observed, from different school grades and origins, including Hispanic, African American, Jewish and Caucasian. The research work was conducted on students who were in grade 4, 5 and 6. The students who were observed in a New York based school, i.e. ‘Vincent Smith School’, located in Long Island. It is a private school, which is well-known to allow students from different cultures, and was deemed as appropriate to obtain proper understanding and analysis of the subject matter, concentrating on the impact on teaching method on the development of the child as per their age and cultural background. The behavior of every student was observed as different based upon their culture, behavior and attitude. The observation therefore aimed to evaluate the students belonging from different cultures for a better understanding. In the school setting, it was observed that the classrooms were an enclosed 4 wall rooms, with a blackboard in the centre of the class. The windows and the artifacts in the classroom setting were made by the students in their respective classrooms. The walls of the classes were filled with various charts and artifacts showcasing the self portraits of students and with the stud strategies. To get a better overview of the classroom setting, the desks of the students were in the middle of the classroom. However, the desk for the teacher was sent in front of the students and near to the blackboard. In subsequence, the analysis of the setting was conducted based on the cognitive thinking, intelligence and behavior of the

The Adoption of Integration of Information and Communication Essay

The Adoption of Integration of Information and Communication Technologies by Sainsburys - Essay Example Notably, the various reasons for executing the ICT by the business organisations include diminishing the transaction costs and ultimately raise the productivity and delivers instant connectivity which thereby improves the accuracy and transparency of the business organisations. Furthermore, the other valuable reasons also include enlarging the geographical scope of the potential markets for the business organisations, adequately accessing different products and commodities and ultimately raising the profitability of the business organisations (Picot & et. al., 2008). In this paper, the business organisation, i.e. Sainsbury’s, has been taken into concern. The main objective of this paper is to discuss regarding the self-service checkout which has been implemented by Sainsbury’s. The main reason behind this phenomenon has been related to attaining competitive advantage and it might also have been the case that they must have evaluated the previous processes and re-created it in order to attain success for the organisation. In addition, adequate execution of ICT that enhances the shopping process of Sainsbury’s and few concluding lines will also be portrayed in the discussion. The Chosen Organisation Sainsbury’s is regarded as one of the oldest retailers which was founded in London as its home city, in the year 1869. It is recognised as the third largest chain of supermarket prevailing in United Kingdom. Currently, it acquires a considerable market share of 16.5% in the global retail market. The company delivers broad variety of quality food commodities. In this regard, the vision of Sainsbury is to promote healthy consumptions along with... This essay stresses that the practical application of ICT has been apparently increasing in the current day phenomenon. It has also been recognised that most of the business organisations execute different types of technological equipments ensuring that those might raise as well as enhance the competitive position of the company in the long term. Similarly, in this context, Sainsbury’s which is one of the oldest and foremost retailing companies prevailing in the UK tends to execute ICTs such as self-serviced counters while operating the business functions. This paper makes a conclusion that the adequate implementation of the above discussed ICTs eventually raised the competitive advantage along with greater improvement in the business process of Sainsbury’s. Moreover, an innovative conception in relation to ICT has been prescribed for Sainsbury’s that would considerably enhance its business processes along with attaining competitive benefit over its competitors. Thus, it can be stated that Sainsbury’s can attain superior position in this competitive world along with sustaining its productivity through the execution of different types of ICT equipments to a significant extent. The company i.e. Sainsbury’s might enhance its working efficiencies through the application of improved self-service checkouts involving innovative technological equipments that ultimately would accelerate the efficiencies of the business procedural functions by a considerable level.

Emily Dickinson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Emily Dickinson - Essay Example This piece is fundamentally significant and is named first as it is written in such a way that it capably yet briefly discusses virtually any and all things relevant to life on this earth. The very first line ushers the reader into an immediate mixture of nouns representing it seems, everything taking place in the world all at once, â€Å"Forms, qualities, lives, humanity, language, thoughts†(Whitman, 1). Discussing this poem first lays the groundwork for the integration of 11 other poems which utilize imagery and monologue within the same or similar context. The next poem chosen to compose this project is titled Adam Means Earth by Samuel Menashe. This poem discusses the name ’Adam’ which is given to the biblical character introduced in Genesis, who essentially is the origin of mankind. By returning to the very beginning of time based on biblical lure, the poet manages to devise a foundation which encompasses all things as he alludes to the fact that the very name ’Adam’ translates to earth. The vivid contrast of earth, or the physical sum of all things, against the backdrop of a disembodied name which is far removed from tangibility, allows the reader to derive an essential meaning based on physical existence and spirituality on a fundamental level. The poet is able however, to remove the ideology of religion and still utilize biblical reference and imagery. He uses it to his advantage and it works well. Continuing with the theme of an elemental approach routed in earthy language, the poem entitled A Chagall Postcard written by Peter Porter, begins with a personification of the ’night’ drawing a similar connection between the physical and the intangible or disembodied idea of something such as the case with Menashe’s ’Adam’ compared to earth itself and Whitman’s first line coupling of pieces of life as we know them and tangible existence. Porter begins the piece with â€Å"The

The New Deal and the Great Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The New Deal and the Great Society - Essay Example Roosevelt believed that other matters were far more important than racial discrimination. Never willing to lose the support of Southern Congressional Democrats, he declined to support legislation making lynching a crime, while denouncing lynching in his speeches. He declined to advocate banning the poll tax, used by southern whites to deny the vote to southern blacks. He refused to use the relief agencies to challenge local patterns of discrimination; the NRA tolerated widespread practices of paying blacks less than whites, blacks were largely excluded from employment in the TVA; the FHA refused to provide mortgages to blacks moving into white neighborhoods; and the AAA was ineffectual in protecting the interest of black share croppers and tenant farmers. Some liberal historians argue that the New Deal laid the groundwork for the â€Å"broker state† to be expanded a generation later, mostly through the work of the next wave of liberal reform – the civil rights movement and the Great Society – to embrace groups marginalized in the 1930’s – however, many African American historians insist that the civil rights movement owed everything to black activists and very little to the New Deal. Roosevelt was an idealist with a vision. He promised the American people a New Deal, but when he took office during his first term, he had no idea what that New Deal would consist of. He knew the American people were in dire need of relief, and this could only be brought about through recovery, and that all aspects of the American system were in need of reform. need of reform. As a consequence, his initial foundation was premised on what has become known as the three R's.The first effort which he embarked upon was the providing of relief. Taking the remnants of an old Hoover program; the federal Emergency Relief Administration, which was a work relief program, Roosevelt scrapped what he considered to be viable and to it he added the civilian conservation corps. He added auxiliary programs i.e., Works Progress Administration, and beginning in 1935, he introduced his most long standing and beneficial social security and unemployment insurance programs. It was obvious that rural America, albeit suffering from the same

Sheesha smoking Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Sheesha smoking - Dissertation Example It also makes an attempt to reveal the factors that work behind Shisha smoking and encourage this within the society. Also the paper vouches for legal regulation towards Shisha smoking and tries to increase the awareness level of the common people regarding the same. Introduction There is a universal consensus on the dangers posed by tobacco in cigarette. It has been established by many studies that cigarette smoking is indeed injurious to health. Cigarette smoking has been directly linked to many cases of lung cancer. Studies have shown cancerous diseases such as lung cancer is strongly linked to smoking cigarettes and causes around 87% of death worldwide, (Parkin et al 2005). Therefore, it is not wrong to assume smoking tobacco related diseases have reached an epidemic scale. The scale and the problems associated with smoking have always been noted in epidemiological research (Siegel, 2007). However, the social phenomenon of its severity has recently been highlighted due to several reasons, mainly due to increase in mortality rates. Unfortunately, not all forms of tobacco smoking have been subjected to the same regulations (policies) and health campaigns as cigarette smoking. Unlike cigarette smokers, Shisha smokers are unaware of the ill effects of smoking Shisha. ... The frequent instances of minors below 18 years indulging in Shisha smoking might be a reflection of this lack in awareness. (Barton, Chassin and Sherman, 1982) Furthermore smoking cigarettes outweighs the other forms of smoking by quite a large margin, that has also resulted in less concern and awareness towards other forms of smoking such as Shisha.(Chaaya,2004) According to the World Health Organization the health risk associated with Shisha smoking is even worse than that of cigarette, yet it is not adequately highlighted (WHO, 2005). This lack of acknowledgement from the authorities regarding the health hazard Shisha poses makes the case even worse. Till date there are no health warnings or regulations on Shisha, even though it presents dangerous implications. Lack of regulations or warning reinstate the false idea Shisha smokers have about the effects of Shisha on health (Feng et al, 2007) A description of the Shisha is as follows: It consists of a vase filled with water, to wh ich a vertical metal pipe that has a clay pot on top is attached. The tobacco substances are placed and burned with charcoal in the clay pot. The smoke is then filtered through water and inhaled through the hose. (see appendix 1) Shisha is an ancient form of smoking tobacco. It was traditionally widely used in Africa and Asia (Chattopadhyay, 2000). It is increasingly evolving world wide, especially in Europe and America. The factors that are contributing to this dramatic spread of Shisha might be due to the global integration and the myth and perception of Shisha being less harmful. Contrary to this ancient traditional philosophy, Shisha contains numerous toxic substance and gases known to cause lung

Foundations of terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Foundations of terrorism - Essay Example Today, almost every terrorist group makes use of suicide terrorism to some extent to cause terror and instability in the targeted place. However, the terrorist groups that have made the greatest use of this form of terrorism are Al-Qaeda (based in Afghanistan and operating mainly in Afghanistan and Pakistan), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas (based in Palestine), and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (based in Sri Lanka). The main aim of the suicide terrorist attacks is to make a democratic government to withdraw its forces from the terrorists’ occupied areas (Pape, 2005). Similarly, some terrorist groups carry out suicide attacks in response to foreign occupation of their land (Pape, 2005). We can take example of suicide attacks on Pakistani civilians and military forces. Pakistan is a neighbor of Afghanistan and almost a second home to the Al-Qaeda terrorists. Al-Qaeda is still active despite of the loss of its top leadership by the American forces on account of its attack on the World Trade Centre (Kugelman, 2014). The group is expanding rapidly and is becoming a big threat to the lives of thousands of people (Salama & Hansell, 2005, p. 615). Al-Qaeda has been targeting forces and civilians of Pakistan since American occupation of Afghanistan. The reason they give for these terrorist attacks is that of the support that Pakistan has provided and is still providing to the NATO forces operating in Afghanistan. Similarly, Hamas has also carried out a number of suicide attacks on Israeli targets because of Palestine’s conflict with Israel and Israeli occupation of some of the Palestinian territory. Another example is of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which acted actively in two completes decades of 1980’s and 1990’s and in the first of half of 2000’s to get an independent state for Tamil

Solution of Bottleneck problem Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Solution of Bottleneck problem - Assignment Example However, there are always alternatives that can be embraced to avoid such ups and downs. These actions could even call for an evaluation of the entire process, and once a section that is responsible for the stagnation is established, one can always know what to do to correct it. Such a problem was encountered in one of the buildings, Annex Building entrance, and below is how the irregularity is contained effectively, after close examination of the problem. The doors to Annex building, used on daily basis by different people ranging from workers who have offices in the building, hundreds of teachers and students with classes there, and others wishing to access facilities such as library and food courts. This large number of people flocking into the building further bring into consideration the aspect of convenience which should be paramount for ensuring minimum time loss and for controling excessive crowding at the doors. As expected, the doors to this building should be easy and straightforward to use in order to ensure that there are no inconveniences that arise when anyone wishes to access the building. Though the process sound so simple theoretically (just grasping the handle, pulling/pushing the door open and proceeding through), it is cumbersome when practically done. Numerous factors cause people to halt interactions until they can get someone to ask for assistance. These factors include overcrowding, usability of the arm, people’s baggage loads, and cases when individuals with wheelchairs experience problems at the doors.

Diversity in instructional methods toward meaningful learning Essay Example for Free

Diversity in instructional methods toward meaningful learning Essay Abstract There is diversity in instructional methods that teachers can use to bring about meaningful learning. This paper discusses five of them; namely integrated inquiry approach, 5-model of inquiry, the jig-sawing approach, role playing and WebQuest. These instructional methods are learner centered methods that consider prior knowledge, attitude and skills and promote development of new knowledge and relate them to a variety of contexts. All of them also deal with real-life situations that essentially develop interpersonal relationships, problem-solving skills and content-knowledge among others. The teachers’ tasks are to plan and carry out efficiently the instructional designs to have meaningful learning among diverse learners, instructional methods and learning environments. Diversity in Instructional Methods Toward Meaningful Learning Diversity is an essential ingredient of success of all ventures in life including education. There are different kinds of learners as there are teachers, instructional methods and learning environments; but there is only one goal in education and this is for an effective and meaningful learning. Teachers should set environments for students so they could think critically and independently and relate new knowledge learned with a variety of contexts for meaningful learning. It is the task of the teachers to match the learners, the learning environments, the knowledge to be learned and the instructional methods. Learning meaningfully means that learners relate new knowledge to what they already know. Meaningful learning is non-arbitrary, non-verbatim, substantive deliberate effort to link new knowledge with higher order concepts in cognitive structures. It is a learning related to experiences with events or objects and affective commitment to relate new knowledge with prior learning. The diverse instructional designs towards meaningful learning should identify outcomes, guide the development of instruction content and establish its effectiveness. Efforts to consider meaningful learning in the different stages of instructional design are essential. Gagne et al. (1992) identified the different stages of instructional designs as: defining instructional goals; conducting instructional analysis; identifying entry behaviours and learner characteristics; developing performance objectives; selecting an instructional method; assembling instructional materials and planning formative and summative evaluations. He and his colleagues further cited that current educational theory and researches support the use of instructional methods that make students active learners. Among the diverse instructional methods available to teachers to explore and use, the commonly utilized approach towards construction of new knowledge meaningfully are the problem –based learning and inquiry approach, cooperative learning, and technology strategies. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages, but when used effectively can maximize learning. Problem-Based and Inquiry Approach Students in the problem-based and learning inquiry approach engage in meaningful learning through being actively involved in their own learning and reconstructing these based on their experiences. They further participate in active investigation, more of integrating knowledge rather than separating them so that deep understanding develop from acquisition of new facts. In this method, students are given relevant problems by teachers which inquiry must be done. The general steps in this inquiry approach are: identifying the problems, gathering of data, organizing the data in attempt to analyse the problems and analyses of the strategies to use to solve the problems. Integrated Inquiry In the Integrated Inquiry planning process, a model of inquiry approach developed by K. Murdoch, sequences of activities and experiences are developed to build on and challenge student perceptions. These sequences begin with students’ prior knowledge and experiences and move through deliberate processes wherein that knowledge is extended, challenged and refined. Students have their own prior experiences that they bring to their classes and teachers should be aware of how to address this situation. Activities and learning experiences in this model are grouped as: tuning on, finding out, sorting out, going further, making conclusions and taking actions (Murdoch, 1999). Furthermore, planning for assessment is a very important element of planning for Integrated Inquiry. Murdoch (1999) highlights the need for the collection and analysis of information about what and the how students have learned. The assessment in the Integrated Inquiry model is to determine how to improve student learning as these new information help teachers modify their plans of work to suit the needs of the learners. Students’ involvement in planning for assessment as in selecting responses to particular learning experiences and designing demonstrations of understanding are highly encouraged. Therefore, teachers are also tasked to identify and design learning experiences that will provide information for assessment purposes. The strengths of this model are focussed on assessment of learning in context and encouraging a variety of demonstrations of understanding based on the learning experiences that students undertake. Learners that may benefit most from this Integrated Inquiry Approach are those capable of setting goals in their own learning and significantly contribute in determining how assessment could be effectively done. 5-E Model In the book â€Å"Activities for Teaching Science as Inquiry† by Carin, Bass Contant (2005) many laboratory investigations were cited as inquiry approach to learning. They focused on the 5-E Instructional Model with the five main components identified as Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration and Evaluation. Each of these components is learner-centred. This investigatory method maybe time and resource consuming but it allows the learners to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills experientially. The use of this method is not limited to teaching sciences, which are considered to be not very easy subjects. This experiential learning brings more opportunities for learners to bring forth better understanding and longer retention of knowledge learned. Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning is an instructional method that takes place in a small group of learners of different levels of ability and in environments of responsibility not only for their own understanding of the subject but also for his co-learners. It brings more meaning to learning because it provides shared cognitive sets of information between students, motivating them to learn the materials, ensuring that they construct their own knowledge, providing formative feedback, developing social and group skills necessary for success outside the classroom. Cooperative leaning promotes learning and academic achievement, increases retention and satisfaction with their learning experiences among students, helps develop skills in oral communication, social skills, promotes student self-esteem and fosters mutual responsibility. Although this method helps students learn to be more patient, less critical and more compassionate, some students may find difficulty with this method. Students who work alone find difficulty in sharing answers while aggressive students will tend to take over and brighter students to act superior to the rest. Teachers who will employ cooperative should prepare their students how to work in groups for this method to be successful. Jig Sawing Approach The â€Å"Jig Sawing† Approach is a cooperative learning strategy wherein students becomes an â€Å"expert† in a particular area, then shares his or her learning knowledge with other members of the group that eventually all members of the group learn the concepts. In the Modified Jigsaw, the class is divided into equal expert groups, with each of these groups working on isolated portions of the activity. Once each expert group has completed the tasks, they report their findings as group to the class. Group report allows for greater flexibility in student presentation style and prevents the possibility of unintentionally misrepresentation of information (Beaudrie et al. 1998). This method best suits heterogenous learners across disciplines. It provides opportunities for learners to show various competencies. Moreover, students are more comfortable to exchange ideas with their co-learners because of their dynamic open relationship. Role playing Another instructional method of interest is role playing. It also deals with solving problems but through actions. In role playing, problems are identified, explored through actions and discussed. The students input in their role playing their prior knowledge, values and attitudes. A role-playing strategy seems to work best when there are multiple correct approaches to solving problems. It encourages thinking and creativity to develop and practice new behaviours in non-threatening setting. It provides opportunities for students to explore further their feelings; gain more insights about their attitudes and also enhance their problem solving skills. It also promotes effective interpersonal relations. The learning in these role playing activities are meaningful as they are retained longer and hoped to be of use to the real life of the learners. Terms which are used, often interchangeably with role playing are simulation, game, role-play, simulation-game, role-play simulation, and role-playing game. Role playing dynamically promotes effective interpersonal relationships and social transactions among learners. Technology Supported Approach Technology provides a set of tool for addressing the issues on improving student learning. These issues are of providing more of learners’ time on authentic, challenging tasks with rich contexts with emphasis on multi-disciplinarity; changing of role of teachers to facilitators of knowledge that guide students and learn along with them; students working in an environment of more cooperative relationships that encourages communication and access to real-world examples towards the development of learning communities; and with greater emphasis placed on reflective thinking and productivity with the understanding that students will preform their tasks differently and have different task-relevant skills ( Grabe and Grabe, 2004). WebQuest WebQuest, the model developed by Bernie Dodge, is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. WebQuests is most often a group activity in a library or distance education setting. It may be enhanced by wrapping motivational elements around the basic structure by giving the learners a role to play, simulated personae to interact with via e-mail, and a scenario to work within. They can be designed within a single discipline or they can be interdisciplinary (Dodge, 1997). The WebQuest challenges he learner to be creative in problem-solving. In the world of education, there are so many instructional designs that can be utilized to end up with meaningful learning. No instructional method is better than the other but each one in the hands of a committed and learned teacher can merit students across academic levels and disciplines to bring about meaningful learning. References Beaudrie, B. , Slater,T. F. , Stevenson, S. Cadit, D. (1998). Teaching astronomy by internet jigsawing. Leading and Learning with Technology Journal, 26. , Retrieved December 13, 2007 from http://www. aem. umn. edu. Carin, A. A, Bass, J. E Contant T.L. (2005). Activities for Teaching Science As Inquiry. NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Dodge, B. (1997). Some thoughts about WebQuests . Retrieved December 13, 2007 from http://webquest. sdsu. edu/about_webquests. html. Gagne, R. M. , Briggs, L. J. , Wager, W. W. (1992). Principles of Instructional Design . TX: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. Grabe, M. Grabe C. (2004). Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning. NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. Murdoch, K. (1998) Classroom Connections: Strategies for Integrated Learning. Melbourne: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Design Concepts in Architecture

Design Concepts in Architecture Design is the most basic human creative activity. One could argue that Palaeolithic cave drawings were based on this fundamental human creative need. The word design derives from the Italian word disegno, meaning drawing of a work. Many confuse the notion of Design to Art. Design can well be seen in art, but as an independent subject it must be considered as entirely different. One of the first to distinguish this difference, were several British design historians, dating from 1977. Design can be seen and experienced everywhere. Design can be a development progress or an object. Definition for the word design given by designer Richard Seymour is making things better for people. ¹ Design expands so vastly, It can be seen in furniture, advertising, machinery, books, media, fashion, computers, food and in many other fields. Design nowadays is a subject of university study, such as graphic design and industrial design etc. It has always been accepted that anyone who created something, or made something look good, aesthetic or beautiful could be considered a designer. Even though most people believe that a good design is one that looks beautiful, this is not always the case. A good design is one which focuses mainly upon its intended function. A successful design is one that completely fulfils the needs of its intended purpose, Form Follows Function. A designer must be able to meet several points: aesthetical, artistic, theoretical, mechanical, organizational and functional. The word design holds much meaning and design paradoxes are endless, it would therefore be impossible to analyse them all. The focus of this review essay is the architectural area of design. In early 1937, Czech philosopher, Jan Mukarovsky developed a model of five functions for architecture: the immediate, the historical, the personal, the social and the aesthetic. In the arena of Art and Architecture, Design is a basic principle that must be carried out through every piece of work. In this respect, design is an idea, a concept, which is transferred from the individuals mind on to canvas, paper, blue print etc. In England (16th century) the term design was used under the sense of plan from which something is to be madea drawn sketch for an artwork, but also s Bernhard Burdek said: an object of applied arts; Design can be anything that stings ones imagination. Italian designer Giorgio Giugiano says: there is nothing without design. As the 20th century approached new attitudes in Art made their appearance. New styles were discovered by different artistic experiments such as Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts Art Deco. These artistic trends and movements would encompass the styles referred to as the isms of the period, for example; Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism and others. Some of these aforementioned areas had an impact in Architecture, but it must be noted that the Architectural field consisted of its own movements which rose within these decades. Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Renaissance architects and artists would combine their knowledge in order to produce a building design which combined and encompassed both the beauty of Art, but also the power and discipline of Architecture. The roots of Modern Art dates back to the 19th century. Artists were experimenting with their paintings and sculptures in order to find something different, something that could express better what the painter, sculptor saw or felt, but at the same time enabling the observer to experience the artwork himself through his personal emotions. Areas of the Modern Art movement will be further analysed in the forthcoming paragraphs and their connection with the architectural styles which were popular at that time. Even though the modern era in architecture consists of several other movements (Usonianism, Constructivism, Purism etc), the purpose of this review is to analyze the influences that Art had on Architecture during the 20th century. Within the first decade of the 20th century, the first movement in Modern Art, to make its appearance was Expressionism. Painters such as Vincent van Gogh would flatten their paintings using lines, exaggerating certain fragments of the painting, either by using bright colours or by just the simple and minimal black and white. This simplified way of painting would usually portray sceneries focusing not on the beauty as the public was use to, but the suffering, poverty and violence were the notions presented. Parallel to Expressionism in Art, Expressionist Architecture started to develop. Most examples Can be found in Germany and a few other European countries. Similarly to artists trying to picture the cold truth of a humans life without any essence of beauty, leading architects such as Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropins and Hans Poelzig developed poetical and dramatic designs influenced by natural forms which consisted of unusual shapes and massing. Manmade materials, such as, brick, steel, concrete and most importantly glass were key characteristics to this architectural style. In the lithograph on the left, Scream, also known as Shouting, the notion of sadness , fear or even death have been pictured; the print consists only of lines, which all lead to the centre of the picture, to the most important part, the screaming figure. The facial characteristics of the human head are very minimal, and may remind one of a caricature or a cartoon; even though the face is some what destroyed the person shouting, holding his head, with wide open eyes and mouth, gives one the impression of fear; as if he was facing something that scared him. The figure itself is very thin , the minimal appearance of clothing and the skinny face, may be thought to be either an old woman or man, facing the time of death. One of the buildings which has been placed under the title of Expressionist Architecture, is Hans Poelzigs exhibition space and water tower building. This extraordinary design of its time, is located in the city of Poznan, in Poland and was completed in 1991. Throughout the building it is difficult to find any straight lines; curves and flowing shapes are what make up the Einstein Tower. It looks more like a poetic and romantic sculpture than a building for such a specific use. The steps leading up to the entrance, through the body of the building with its dome like roof, reminds one of a naturally occurring organism such as a plant or an undersea creature. In France, during the period 1907 to 1914, the leaders Picasso and Braque developed the movement of Cubism, which largely differs from Expressionism. Analytical Cubism, focused on two-dimensional, flat paintings which would picture an object by breaking it down into shapes. Lines, geometric forms and bright colours were a necessary characteristic. Synthetic Cubism derived from the method of Collage, synthesising, combining painting, incorporating pictures from magazine advertisements, cuttings and clippings of different materials to generate a complete piece of artwork. As previously mentioned, Cubism was strongly associated with two-dimensional portraying. This motif in art also had an influence on architecture. Well analysed and synthesized architectural spaces, would remain in the usual two dimensions; architectural representations were based on the artistic era of the time. Closely related to Cubism is Abstract Art. Artwork now is not a matter of copying what appeared in front of ones eyes, but something that one may call a piece of decoration. What the artist feels becomes art. During the First World War, a group of young artists, named Dada, made their presence. They found a way to express their protest to the war, through their abstract painting. Picassos Violin, appears to be very confusing. By its title, one becomes familiar with what is portrayed. The painting illustrates a destroyed musical instrument, broken/cut into pieces. With its curved shapes and brown colours it is easily understood. But what is fascinating about this piece of artwork is the way the artist has shaded each part of the violin, giving it a special significance. Even though the painting is portrayed on a canvas (two dimensional), the hole picture seems to escape those boundaries, each part appears to stand out from the canvas. Dada for me was a new beginning and a closure. In free Zurich where the newspapers can say what they want, where magazines were founded and poems against the war read out, here where there were no ration-cards and no ersatz, here we had the possibility of shouting out everything that was filling us fit to burst. Richard Huelsenbeck. During 1922 to 1924, when Dada began to lose their influence, Surrealism was introduced. Painters were creating dream like pictures. Within these paintings one fragment would blend and merge into another and depending on the angle in which one viewed the drawing, the picture on the canvas would change. The same object could have two or more uses within the painting. Architecture has embraced most art movements and Surrealism was not be left out. As was analyzed in the previous paragraph, painting fragments, which had multiple uses, were one of the principles undertaken in this art style. Architects were incorporating two or more in some cases uses to a building, multiple approaches and embeddings. Within this surrealist painting of Dali, different elements accommodated a different story; and in some cases may have more than one role. In the centre of the painting , a female face appears, her eyes are also seashells on the beach, her forehead and nose form a fruit bowl full of pears; on her left hand side there is a dark tunnel with a river, whereas on the left side of the painting, there is mountain with sea waves running down towards the females face. The mountain to the right acts as a dogs head and what seems to be its collar is a bridge; many other such elements are hidden within this painting. These two multi-storey buildings, appear to be dancing. The male (cylindrically shaped building on the right), Fred, is standing next to Ginger (female). Fred seems to be reaching out his right arm to his dancing partner. This concrete structure, relates to the strong nature of a male. On the other hand, Ginger, as a woman, constructed from glass, appears more fragile, just as a woman can be elegant and delicate. Advertisements, comic books, magazines, posters, movies and everything else which portrayed some sort of a commercial image came in fashion; art was now called Pop Art. Although many believe that Pop Art was discovered in America, continuing from the movement of Abstract Expressionism in the 1930s, Pop Art was actually first seen in London. Leader and inventor of this movement was English painter and Collage artist Richard Hamilton. Often called the intellectual father of Pop Art. The Abstract era continues to grow in the United States and in Europe. Op Art, also known as Optical Art is appearing. In the period of the 60s and the 70s, vibration and optical illusions created either by monochrome, images or outstandingly bright coloured pictures consisting of basic geometric shapes were this movements principles. Similarly to optical illusions in Op Art, illusions of such type can be found within the world of architecture; maybe this is not an era called Op Architecture but defiantly architects have been inspired from this particular artistic style; Soon after came minimalism, with Kenneth Noland, Larry Poons and others. Minimalism consisted of simple colours and solid shapes based on geometric forms. Artists would reduce as much of the elements as possible within their work in order for it to appear simple but yet again well worked. Such fragments would be colours, textures and volumes. Architect Mies van der Rohe, adopted the so well know phrase les is more, by developing building designs which consisted of open plan layouts, minimal exteriors etc. Minimalism and Architecture is still a movement that continues to grow. Minimalist architecture comprising of simple volumes and clear lines, which sometimes look very similar to solid geometric shapes, is a style of architecture found all around us. Oil, water colour, charcoal, pen and ink, sculptures and photography are some of the art forms that can be found within the Fine Art department. There are different techniques in which an artist can experiment and develop in order to produce what might be a masterpiece. The French word coller meaning glue is the term used do describes one of those methods. The assembly of different materials, which create a new image, is else known as Collage. One of the first examples that can be related to this motif was found in China and dates from 200 BC, during the invention of paper. It was not until many decades later, in the era of Modern Art and during the Analytical Cubism phase, when Collage was formally introduced. Pablo Picasso and George Braque were the first to bring out the glamour of this technique in the year 1906-07. George Braque was the inventor of collage in Modern Art. He mostly applied this technique on his charcoal drawings. One of the earliest most famous collages was Picas sos Guitar, Sheet Music and Glass. By autumn 1912 it was apparent that Picasso was very interested in the three-dimensional construction of a collage. As in Picassos Violin (pg.4) for one to understand what is portrayed, one should be familiar with the object in question; in this case Guitar, Music sheet and Glass constructed in September 1912, follows the same principle. The rear surface of the collage appears to be a section of flowery wall paper; the shapes in which the other fragments of the collage are cut are very simple and one could say effortless; but the way in which they are arranged together gives the observer a clear impression of the subject. On the left hand side of the collage the body of the guitar is formed from a wood-like cut-out. The blue rectangle next to it reminds us or the neck of the guitar, and below this the white circle resembles the sound hole. A black cut out of a semicircle forms the base. To the right are strips of sheet music and below a newspaper cutting and one of Picassos sketches picturing an abstract view of a wine glass, are the fragments which are used in order to compete the Guitar, Music s heet and Glass collage. Tatlins assembly on the left is a three-dimensional abstract construction. This creates the feeling of anger or fear and is due largely to the materials chosen. Canvas or board paper are replaced by an old wooden board. Industrial materials replace paper cut-outs which are secured by screws instead of glue. The artist, in this case, is not interested in a clean finish, but creating a rougher and more textured result which all add to its beauty. The discovery that the very distinction between flat and volumetric was no longer absolute, that through a process of unprecedented spatial semantic complexity, something deeply unsettling was happening to art.? Picasso started to experiment with his papier collers adding other materials which had a special significance. Cardboard, wood, metal and other textiles were incorporated within his Cubist artworks which were soon characterized as surrealist; In the years to come, several more artists, such as, Vladimir Tatlin, Varvara Stepanova and Alexandr Rodchenko, were producing collages. Newspapers, advertisement strips, magazine parts, photographs were some of the materials used. During the First World War, a young group of artists known as Dada were introduced, and soon became very popular. Dada attempted, in their own artistic way, to protest against what was happening to the world around them. The Dada movement was controversial at the time. They introduced a new art form, the art of expressing, in a more literal way, their thoughts about the disaster of the Great War. Dada meaning Hobby Horse in French, consisted of six members. Hugo Ball, his lover Emmy Hennings, Tristan Tzara, Hans Richter, Marcel Janco and Hans Arp. The group were based in Switzerland and the Dada era was born in 1916 in the city of Zurich. Dadaism did not only produce drawings or paintings; it was an era where all visual and intellectual arts were combined together. They used drawings, paintings, sculptures and poetry. It combined artistic, philosophical, music and political aspects. Hugo Ball would take poems apart and place the words in a random sequence. This recycling words technique and later on the photomontages and collages produced by the Dada group, would make one think that they were not so much inventors but recyclers; On the other hand another member of the group, Hans Arp was concentrating on the visual representation of their protest. Through collages and reliefs he was expressing the need of change. Within those collages, elements of wood, screws and paper can be found. The construction of those art works, were based on the law of change as Arp would say. Coming back to the motif of three-dimensional collages reliefs (page 8, Picasso), the Dada reliefs made this motif obvious. The shape in which the elements of the reliefs were cut was well thought, planned and processed. Sketched beforehand and placed exactly in order to complete the artwork. Usually curved and orientated in a natural like way would be remeniscent of organic cultures and the era of Impressionism. We do not wish to imitate nature; we do not wish t reproduce. We want to produce. We want to produce the way a plant produces its fruit, not depict. We want to produce directly, not indirectly. Since there is not a trace of abstraction in this art we call it concrete art. First collages created by Hans Arp were very minimal and simple. One could say that little effort had gone into creating them. Dadas reliefs are some what different to what one has seen through the history of collage. Shapes cut out from wood in natural forms are stuck one on top of the other. This technique could remind one of the three-dimensional construction of collages during the period of 1912-14 (pg.8). But in the reliefs on the left, an abstract assembly consisting of organic shaped, wooden fragments , painted in pastel colours, give the impression of a playful scene. Maybe one from the deep oceans or a field covered with flowers; Moving away form the notion of three-dimensional construction, Dadas work also consists of papier colles; Rectangles arranged according to the Laws of Change, is one of dadas paper collages; squares and rectangles in two shades of blue are cut and randomly placed on the rear (blue) surface of the collage. No right angles appear anywhere in this piece of artwork, nor in the position in which the paper fragments are placed on the board, nor in the way the elements are cut. Arp was always pleased to work and create art with other artists. In 1916 Arp invented the Fatagaga pictures. Fatagaga was a word which derived from the first syllables of the sentence: Fabrication de Tableaux garantis gazometriques, meaning: production of guaranteed gasometric pictures. Based on this new term, Arp and other artists created the i-drawings. The group continued to express their compassion to the sufferings of the public, but this time their collages, or as they called them, photomontages, were not so simple looking. Dada brought photographs in the papier colles, which pictured human bodies with different heads or objects placed on their forehead in combination with written illustrations, suggesting in their way the political and social exasperation towards the world. With Analytical Cubism, art opened its doors to papier colle, the construction and design of collages. Dada introduced that a collage did not only have to consist of paper and glue, but it could incorporate other materials as well, (wood, photographs, paint etc). Max Ernst said: I had to admit that in most of my collages there was no use for glue; that I am not responsible for the term collage; As the 1920s entered Dada collages formed a big change; collages where now consisting if geometric shapes, well processed and cut. The i-picture on the left, is one of Arps i-drawings. Rectangles and squares with sharp lines and right angles are places adjacent one to the other; in contrary to the Rectangles arranged according to the Laws of Change (pg.11), this collage looks more like a collage an architect would create; well planned and placed fragments in basic colours. Its one of the first times where one sees the illustrations of text within Dada pa co. The letter i is placed in the centre of the collage catching ones attention, from the first glance. The Art Critic (image on the left), moves away from the graphic collages that Dada were concentrating on until the 1920s. The illustrated bright orange rear surface of the collage, gives a new feeling to the whole picture; human forms are introduced with satiric elements. The man body is a different collage fragment to the out of scale head; facial characteristics are exaggerated by the added sketches/doodles representing eyes, lips teeth etc. Part of a shoe on the forehead of the Frankensteins man and a large pen in his right hand, weapon like, add to the style of the collage. On the right a male figure appears through the newspaper cutting on a black and white photograph. A woman looks stunned by the large figure in the centre of the collage. Additional fragments taken from magazines are added to the whole creating a troublesome image. Even though collages and photomontages started to disappear during the surrealist era in Art, there are a few examples for such stylistic papier colles. Max Ernst was one of the most popular surrealist painters in the 1920s. Within his works, numerous collages can be found. By cutting and reorganising sentimental illustrations, surreal collages would make their appearance. Other artists, such as Dali were strongly connected with surrealist collages Dali would play with the observer. He did this in the way in which the fragment of his collages where placed together, he would confuse the observer about what was being viewed, where as what was actually being portrayed was different to what the eye would see. Dalis playful scene of brightly coloured elements consists of both painting and collage; this technique has been seen before with Picassos Guitar, Music Sheet and Glass collage (pg. ). The rear surface of the Accommodations of Desire collage, is painted; this would be separate to the lion heads which are glued on. The collage consists of nine incomplete lions heads and is violent in its suggestions. In the top centre of the collage a sexual scene is suggested, with a naked women and a man standing close to her. Photomontage did not make its official appearance till the First World War and the Dada movement, but there are many examples in the past, dating back as far as the Victorian era to prove that this technique was seen before. German word Montage means fitting, and explains exactly what a photomontage is, the fitting of multiple pictures/photographs together and creating a new image. Million Fox Talbot was one of the people associated with the invention of photography. He would experimented with his photographs, as any individual would when trying to invite something now, such as photography; by placing tree leafs of the photographic plates, it would remind of some sort of photomontage; In those days, without the invention of photographic paper, the photographic plates were reused and must have be well cleaned in order for the next photograph to be taken. By not cleaning the plates whilst taking a new photo, the result would look as if one image had been placed on the other. In this wa y, photomontage was beginning to appear. In this way they would experiment with multiple plates and effects. During the Victorian period, several examples of such experiments can be found. One of the most striking of its time, were the postcards portraying a human body with a different head. With the revival of Pop Art collages and photomontages were brought back to file. Pop Art Daddy, Richard Hamilton was strongly associated with those art motifs. A collage made from photographs or photograph parts is called a photomontage. At the time, for many people Pop Art was difficult era to be understood. The images portrayed in the Pop Art movement were generally seen in other context and individuals had problems embracing the new art form. In 1957 Hamilton defined Pop art as: Popular (designed for a mass audience), Transient (short-term solution), Expendable (easily forgotten), Low cost, Mass production, Young (aimed at youth), Witty, Sexy, Gimmicky, Glamorous and Big business. But Richard Hamilton found different ways in which he engaged the public with his art. His influence of Abstract Art was obvious in his works, which mostly consisted of collages and photomontages. The images used in order for him to produce a collage would have often been seen in other artistic works in the past; but Hamilton would manipulate them and make look unique. One of the first examples in Pop Art and Hamiltons most famous collage / photomontage is Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing. In August 1956, an art exhibition opened its doors to the public. The exhibition hearing after the name This is tomorrow, took place in the Whitechapel Art Gallery, in London. The aim of this exhibit was o present new ideas to the public rather to a certain group of people. These new ideas exhibited would accommodate new, exiting and futuristic aspects which were introduced in the everyday life of an individual. For example aspects of Cinema, Comic books, Pop music, Science fiction and even the unforgettable, sexy Merlin Monroe were present; The exhibition was a space surrounded with playful imagery, music and even some shocking aspects which would make the public wonder about what Tomorrow would bring to their lifes; Richard Hamiltons collage Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing, was created for the purposes of advertising posters and catalogue for the exhibition. Even though the artwork, consisting if collage and photomontage was only creating for commercial use, it was one of which made the British Artist famous; As mentioned in the side text, Richard Hamilton would recycle work of others, or imagery seen elsewhere; this is quite predictable, as collage can be alternatively described as a way of recycling imagery, text and photographs from other sources; but in this particular example of the collage pictured above [Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing ], the title itself is reused; the original quat derives from an advert starting: just what is it that makes todays homes so different, so appealing? Open planning of course and a bold use of colour. all components of the collage are taken from popular 1960s adverts; The rear surface of the collage had been originally seen in the advert for Armstrong floors company floor surface types; the particular image was found in the Ladies Home Journal. Secondly, the young semi naked male, pictured holding a tennis racket, is the famous Irwin Zabo Koszewski, body builder. [photograph taken from Tomorrows Man magazine]. The woman sitting on the sofa at the rear right side of the artwork is believed to be artist Jo Bear. Opposite, on the left side, the element of the staircase accommodating a young female cleaner, was taken from the advertisement of the new, at the time, Constellation model of a hover. The painting / picture, which is hanging on the rear wall if the interior pictured in the collage, Young Romance, is part of an advert in Young Love. Below there is a television; produced be the Stromberg Carson company (1955). But not all the element accommodated within this collage are exactly cut and pasted in order to create this Pop image; Richard Hamilt on has modified certain parts, which without any hesitation contain a secrete meaning within them; in order to make this more clear, the rug, behind the young bodybuilder is actually a blown up image of the Whitley Bay Beach crowed; lastly on the ceiling of the interior, the image of the earth emerges; most probably this photograph is taken from the Life Magazine [September 1955 edition]. There may be different meanings hiding in this collage. But my personal view ion this artwork, is based on the promotion of the perfect home and family. During the period of the 1960s all was based on the visual aspects of life, new elements in the entertainment field of the public culture were been modified and everything was surrounding the new popular and exiting; cinema, magazines with shocking playful and colourful imagery were incorporated in peoples daily routines; Based on the collage Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing , I believe that the artist is trying to portray the Perfect couple. A young , hansom, muscular male, with a sexy, beautiful woman by his side; elements of taking care if the physical body condition of both parties are suggested through the element of the tennis racket; Now there is the opportunity for the female to be the lady of the house; economical changes are suggested; now cleaners can be hired to keep the house in its perfect / clean condition and women can start taking care of themselves. Photographs were a major inspiration for Hamilton works; elements of advertising, film, photography, fashion, music, style, mass media, TV etc were always precent in his work. During the 60s R.Hamiltons works took on a more domestic feel. He was portraying interior spaces which were very similar to the scene of a film set. Some would characterise his work ironic, but for Hamilton that was not the case. By applying in his work imagery seen in the wider public and mass media environment, he addressed a problem which the outside world was facing and at the same time he would picture its possible solution. Hamilton explained in 1968: One wasnt just concerned with a car and the idea of speed but [with] the way it was presented o us in the mass media presenting a glamorous object by all the devices that glamorous advertising can add. The Pop paintings are anthologies of the mechanics of visualisation. Maybe it is not only about the entrainment and the economical but also about the political changes taking place at the time; women are becoming more important and have a say in different important matters; every home should accommodate the newest designs of furniture and electrical facilities; (TV, Hoover, Tape recorder) The perfect home sheltering the perfect couple The images of the earth on the ceiling of the interior may suggest that even in such a house, with all its fashionable and great conditions, it is actually what everyone feels within it; our house is our world; American, visual artist, Christian Marclay, concentrates on exploring the connections that may exist between music, sound and photography. He transforms sound into visual and physical form; this is represented by video, photography, sculpture etc. One of Christian Marclays projects was the Body Mix Series (1991). The project consisted of several album covers, which were collaged in such a way, in which a whole new image immerged through the stitched together pictures. One of those Frankenstein images, named Doorsiana, consisted of six different covers, one of which was the face of Jim Morrison and Diana Rosss left arm, in connection with several other albums. Seliger: It seems that from the start your work has always had a lot to do with collage, both in performance and with the objects. Marclay: Yes. Ive always used found objects, images and sounds, and collaged them together, and tried to create something new and different with what was available. To be

The Power Of Positive Thinking

The Power Of Positive Thinking Discovering happiness is like discovering yourself. You do not find happiness, you create it. Happiness is a conscious choice. Self actualization is the method used to discover who you are, who you want to be, and what happiness is to you. Ultimately, attaining genuine happiness is the method of doing what brings you the most pleasure and contentment for the duration of your life. The texts The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Siddhartha written by Hermann Hesse, elucidate the actuality that happiness is a pathless journey. It is a journey of self creation and varies depending on the individual. Happiness is obtained through internal possessions opposed to external possessions. Within both novels happiness is said to be attained through positive personal thoughts and perceptions, and through the trials and errors of self actualization and enlightenment. However, happiness is not pursuable through money and materialistic objects. This discovery is structured arou nd the realization that true happiness lays within ones self. Searching for contentment and pleasure in the outside world will inevitably only lead to disappointment due to the detail that these forms of happiness do not have a lasting effect; their result is short term. Within the text The Power of Positive Thinking happiness is believed to be attained through positive personal thoughts and perceptions. Although it is not easy to find true happiness in ones self, it is not feasible to find it elsewhere. With the realization that happiness is something that lies within ones self, the search for it in the outside world can be disregarded. Within the text The Power of Positive Thinking, Peale discusses the concept that through thinking the kind of thoughts that lead you to a fuller and satisfying success, opposed to thoughts that will only bring an acquisitive success. Norman gives explanation of this by saying, You can think your way to failure and unhappiness, but you can also think your way to success and happiness. The world in which you live is not primarily determined by outward conditions and circumstances but by thoughts that habitually occupy your mind (Peale, pg 166). This quote illustrates how thoughts can influence ones disposition and life. Thoughts are far more than a process the mind uses to consider something, they are dictators of happiness. Thoughts are things, which essentially posses forceful power. The mind generates infinite amounts of thoughts each day. Thoughts are what consume, influence, and ultimately give morality and principals to people; they are essential guidelines to life. So the belief that if one thinks positively positivity will be generated around, and inevitably create happiness, is basically correct. Peale illustrates this concept by saying, It has been said that thoughts are things, that they actually posses dynamic power. Judged by the power they exercise one can readily accept such an appraisal. You can actually think yourself into or out of situations. You can make yourself ill with your thoughts and by the same token you can make yourself well by the use of a different and healing type of thought. Think one way and you attract the conditions which that type of thinking indicates. Think another way and you can create an entirely different set of conditions. Conditions are created by thoughts far more powerfully then conditions create thoughts (Peale, pg 166). This quote exemplifies how thoughts can generate negative or positive facets. Ultimately generating positive thoughts brings happiness, and affirming results. Thinking positively will create an atmosphere crucial to producing inner happiness. Within the text Siddhartha, the suggestion that happiness is attained through positive and optimistic thoughts is epitomized. Within the text, the protagonist Siddhartha embarks on an expedition of self enlightenment. This consists of listening to ones inner self to generate happiness opposed to the disarray of the outside world. Siddhartha was raised by his father in a small town located in India. He was educated on the subject of the ancient Hindu religions. However, Siddhartha becomes pessimistic about the teachings, and decides to set out into the world to observe and learn alternative answers to his questions regarding life and happiness. Siddharthas Hindu teachings did not fulfill sufficient explanations about the world. Unsurprisingly, Siddhartha ventures beyond his small village with his childhood friend Govinda, who wishes to reside within Siddharthas shadow, in hopes that he will become profitable with knowledge and wealth. After three years of regularly practiced meditatio n and fasting Siddhartha desires to achieve the enlightenment that the Buddha has achieved through listening to his inner thoughts and perceptions opposed to the madness of the outside world. In relevance to the text, The Power of Positive Thinking, the concept of obtaining a meaningful life is exemplified through listening to ones conscious; rather than following other individuals teachings. Ultimately, happiness is a self established thing. Hesse illustrates this concept by saying, I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my SelfNo other teachings will attract me, since this mans teachings have not done so (Hesse, pg 29). This specific quote exhibits Siddharthas desire to amalgamate with his sense of self. He is certain in his belief that if he unites with his inner self, he will ultimately find happiness and be enlightened. He begins to concentrate his thoughts, and focus on being positive. He comes to the realization that happiness is derived from spiritual wealth opposed to material wealth. So ultimately he believes that generating positive thoughts and perceptions will lead him on his pursuit of happiness. He believes that there is a profound and powerful influence of ones thought. Hesse demonstrates this by exclaiming, Siddhartha spoke with ecstasy; deeply, this enlightenment had enlightened him. Oh, was not all suffering time, as soon as time would have been put out of existence by ones thoughts? In ecstatic delight, he had spoken, but Vasudeva smiled at him brightly and nodded in confirmation; silently he nodded, brushed his hands over Siddharthas shoulder, turned back to his work (Hesse, pg 50). This quotation from the text Siddhartha illustrates the idea that ones thoughts whether they are negative or positive have a significant impact on achieving happiness. Siddhartha refers to this by saying, All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him (pg 67). This quotation is basically elucidating the notion that if you think negatively, negative effects will occur in your life. However, if you have a positive frame of mind, positive effects will occur within your life, and follow you throughout your existence. Ultimately, Siddhartha is on a journey to attain his self created inner peace. Both texts, The Power of Positive Thinking and Siddhartha illustrates the profound impact of thinking positively and how it can help obtain happiness. Throughout the text The Power of Positive Thinking happiness is considered to be attainable through the trials and errors of self actualization and enlightenment. Within the text, Peale exclaims that the only individual who decides ones happiness is that specific individual. On this journey of self actualization that Peale discussions throughout his text, there are key elements that facilitate the discovery of ones self. An individuals self is made up of numerous amounts of experiences. Some of these being positive, some negative. These experiences, all have one similar fixation; they all have a particular emotion attached to them. Some of these experiences are guilt, anger, sadness, excitement, love, hate, resentment, and of course happiness. These experiences are the trials and errors to achieving ones self. Unfortunately, people require the negative, to achieve the positive. If there were only positive experiences and emotions in the world, people would not be able to identify tru e happiness. This concept demonstrates how societies need trials and errors to finding ones self, in order to achieve true happiness. Peale expands on this idea by saying, As you read these words you may say, there is nothing new. Indeed, there is something new in every experience, good or bad, especially if you have never tried it. When you start to take practice in the method of finding positive within the negative, you will find the newest, freshest, most astonishing method of happy and successful living principals of all your life if you have never made use of them. Such inefficiency in living is tragic. For a man to have lived in poverty when all the time right on his doorstep is gold indicates an unintelligence approach to life. This simple philosophy is the way to life (Peale, pg 64). This particular quote exemplifies the notion that one cannot achieve happiness without knowing despair. However, to live a life of misery, completely oblivious to the reality that happiness is right in front of you is ultimately living an unfortunate life. However, some people choose to become ignorant to attainable happiness because they have found comfort in their unconstructive life. Ultimately, this is the life of an individual who has become trapped in the trial and error process of finding their own sense of self. Peale comments on this concept by saying, In saying this I certainly do not ignore or minimize the hardships and tragedies of the world, but neither do I allow them to dominate. You can permit obstacles to control your mind to the point where they are uttermost and thus become the dominating factors in your thought pattern. By learning how to cast them from the mind, and refusing to become mentally subservient to them, and by challenging spiritual power through your thoughts you can rise above obstacles which ordinarily might defeat you. You need be defeated only if you are willing to be. You can embark on the inner journey of self discovery, through trials and errors, but ultimately if you are persistent in your efforts you will be able to rise above, and obtain an inner happiness (Peale, pg 5). This exemplifies the notion that eventually, if persistent in ones efforts to discover their inner self, unwilling to allow the trials and errors of such a task to defeat them, happiness is bound to emerge into the individuals life. The inevitable enlightenment of such an experience will alter the thought pattern of the individual ensuring a true and lasting inner happiness. Within the text Siddhartha, is the journey into the inner psyche to ultimately achieve a sense of self actualization and enlightenment. Siddhartha is open to undergo any experience for the chance to have insight into his self. He believes that through achieving self actualization he will inevitable become enlightened causing continuous happiness. Siddhartha compares this strength of mind to a stone being dropped into the water. He says, It is the same when Siddhartha has an aim, a goal. Siddhartha does nothing; he waits, he thinks, he fasts, but he goes through the affairs of the world like the stone through the water, without doing anything, without bestirring himself; he is drawn and lets himself fall. He is drawn by his goal, for he does not allow anything to enter his mind which opposes his goal (Hesse, pg 24). Siddhartha is determined to attain his self actualization and he is certain it will lead him to inner happiness. He does not let anything distract him from this pursuit of self; ultimately becoming consumed by his journey. This directly relates to the text The Power of Positive Thinking, when Norman Peale discusses the concern of an individual becoming overly devoted to this pursuit of self, and becoming disillusioned; ultimately becoming trapped within the trial and error process of self actualization. Furthermore, within the texts, The Power of Positive Thinking, and Siddhartha, happiness is believed to be attainable through the trials and errors of self actualization. Within the text The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale eludes the actuality that happiness is not pursuable through money and materialistic objects. There is an evolving obsession in society with money and materialistic happiness. It seems that the recognizable quote money cannot buy happiness is irrelevant to todays society. However, repeatedly comprehending this quote has not had a significant effect on societys analysis of what true happiness is. To Norman Vincent Peale, happiness does not lie within the riches of society. True happiness is defined by ones acceptance and contentment with their inner self. Peale elucidates this concept by saying, By working on the practical suggestion of not focusing on the false versions of happiness; outwardly concepts, you will have the experience that produces a true quality of happiness. I know this is so, because many of those to whom I have referred and shall refer in later chapters got their vital new life in the same way. Then, having been changed inwardly, you will begin to create out of yourself not unhappiness, but a happiness of such a quality and character that you will wonder if you are living the same world. As a matter of fact it wont be the same world because you are not the same, and what you are determines the world in which you live, so as you change, your world changes also (Peale, pg 67). Ultimately Peale is stating that if individuals seeking true happiness focus solely on the outwardly world to supply them with fulfillment, they will never achieve a definite form of happiness. Peale believes in a genuine happiness that does not exist in money, cars, houses, and materialistic objects, but inside each individual. He is convinced that happiness is something that is obtained inwardly opposed to outwardly. Peale describes how happiness is truly achieved by stating, The way to happiness is not through the riches of the outward world, but by keeping your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, and give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine. Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by. Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate; the inward you. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast (Peale, pg 73). This quotation exemplifies the idea that lasting happiness is not attainable through money and materialistic objects; rather by a simpler approach. True and everlasting happiness is attained inwardly by each individual. Within the novel Siddhartha, happiness is not obtained through the outward world, or by means of teachings. Happiness is a self established thing. True happiness to Siddhartha is only attainable through the inward path to enlightenment. Such enlightenment can be achieved through meditation, which takes ones soul on a spiritual journey to assist in the self actualization process. Siddhartha illustrates this by saying, He who ponderingly, of a purified spirit, loses himself in the meditation of Atman, inexpressible by words is his blissfulness of his heart (Hesse, pg 17). This quote can be scrutinized and translated into saying that anyone has the possibility of achieving peace and happiness within their soul if they are uncontaminated in their meditations. Although this particular quote directly relates to Buddhism in Siddharthas time era, we can compare it to todays journey for happiness. If individuals in pursuit of happiness attempt to empty their minds of negativities and frustrations through mediation, it is possible to attain satisfaction in a world with no materialistic objects and things that hold people back from achieving true happiness. To Siddhartha, the goal here is to let go. Also, within the text Siddhartha, the achievement of happiness can only occur when one replaces all of the negative and false ideas of happiness; these being money and materialistic possessions, with positive and genuine ideas. This concept is elucidated by Siddhartha when he states, To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to ones family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control ones own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him. (Hesse, pg 62). Essentially this quote illuminates the idea that true happiness is not created upon the foundation of money and materialistic possessions, but is rather achieved through the redirection of ones mind into a positive and simpler mindset. True happiness is not something that can be discovered; essentially it can only be created. Throughout the texts The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Siddhartha written by Herman Hesse, is the expression that happiness is a pathless journey; it is a journey of self creation and varies depending on the individual. Within Siddhartha, happiness is in essence, the path to nirvana. Additionally, happiness is a self established thing, which is derived directly from experience. If you undergo this experience within life, when you return, you will be much more fulfilled and find it effortless to achieve true happiness. Appearing within the text The Power of Positive Thinking, is the concept that happiness can be attained through a simple formula of redirecting the mindset in a positive direction. Within both novels happiness is said to be attained through positive personal thoughts and perceptions, and through the trials and errors of self actualization and enlightenmen t. However, happiness is not pursuable through money and materialistic objects. This detection is prearranged around the comprehension that true happiness lays within you. Additionally individuals who are convinced that happiness is defined by riches and outer wealths will never achieve a definite happiness. Furthermore to believe that one can find happiness in money and materialistic objects is having the belief in an illusion, and ultimately a faà §ade.

Seventeenth Century Natural Acting Essay -- European History Essays

Seventeenth Century Natural Acting As we read through the standard accounts of seventeenth-century acting, observers display the same desire to believe in the fictions of the actors as their twentieth-century counterparts. Webster said of "An Excellent Actor" that "what we see him personate, we think truly done before us" ("An Excellent Actor," 1615, in Overbury's The Wife) An anonymous elegy on the death of the famous actor Richard Burbage (d.1619) recalls, Oft have I seen him leap into a grave Suiting the person (which he seemed to have) Of a sad lover, with so true an eye That then I would have sworn he meant to die: So lively, the spectators, and the rest Of his sad crew, while he but seemed to bleed, Amazed thought that he had died indeed. Like spectators today, the Jacobean spectators had strong ideas about what constituted "good acting." Thomas Heywood notes that good looks, combined with type casting, are important: "actors should be men pick'd out personable, according to the parts they present" (An Apology for Actors 1612). In the fictional acting lesson in The Return from Parnassus, Part II (c. 1601-03), the Burbage character remarks to his student, "I like your face, and the proportion of your body for Richard the Third ... let me see you act a little of it." Shakespeare's Peter Quince and Holofernes go in for similar methods of casting in their amateur theatricals. Rhetoric and vocal virtuosity were also admired. Hamlet advises that the players speak "trippingly on the tongue" (Hamlet, III.2, c. 1603), and Heywood adds that the actor should observe the structure of his texts, "and with judgment to observe his commas, colons, and full points; his parentheses, his breathing spaces, and distin... ...n the men's companies seem to have learned more from examples that from a curriculum. In The Return from Parnassus, Part II, both Burbage and Will Kemp are shown teaching by imitation: BURBAGE: I think your voice would serve for Hieronimo; observe how I act it, and then imitate me. Here we run up against the bugbear of historically informed performance. So many of the treatises (in music and dance as well as in acting) depend on the student's imitation of an admired master, and a gradual perfection of "good taste" as his society constructed that elusive quality. We cannot recreate those apprenticeships, those saturations in a period aesthetic. However, by constructing exercises along the lines of a Renaissance aesthetic, we may expose some of the differences between what the Shakespearean audience saw, and what the North American audience sees today.

From the Pillars of Civilization to the Pillars of Law :: Law College Admissions Essays

From the Pillars of Civilization to the Pillars of Law As sweat dripped down my nose and mixed with the dirt, I yelled, "I found glass!" Glass is considered a rare find, and upon hearing my announcement the excavation team stopped digging. Later, as I sat under the overhang on the laboratory roof patiently brushing dirt off a pottery shard and reconstructing a pot from the shard, I realized that archeology parallels the process of producing a paper, piece by piece and note-card by note-card. I came to Mallorca, Spain because of my passion for Egyptology and archeology. I was determined to excavate, and although Mallorca is not Egypt, this was my opportunity to do so. I love solving puzzles - discovering pieces, analyzing their importance, uncovering relationships and then utilizing the information to produce a final work. An archeologist discovers an object; draws on knowledge of the culture, materials available, and history to analyze the object; deciphers its role and determines its value. Writing, research, legal study, and legal prac tice share this process with archeology. Instead of finding a pottery shard in soil, the discovery is information and requires research and analysis. The challenge of researching and analyzing an unknown subject is the most enjoyable part of academic life. An honors thesis I wrote on Colombian environmental policy allowed me to study a topic about which I had been ignorant. I chose Colombian environmental policy because my Latin American Politics class did not cover Colombia, and I was interested, after writing about French and American environmental policy, in continuing my study of different countries' environmental policies. Colombia, however, presented a greater challenge than the other two countries due to the paucity of available material. After the Colombian consulate was unable to help me, I located one of the few experts in the field who directed me to relevant material. I threw myself into a provocative topic, formerly unknown to me, and transformed it into something about which I was knowledgeable. The process is like discovering a shard, or if lucky, a piece of glass. The Colombian paper also stands out as one of my favorite projects because of the analysis and interpretation it required. The class analyzed events using a matrix comprised of political, social, international, and domestic factors. The environmental articles offered no obvious examples of reasons for the events; my analysis relied solely on my interpretation. From the Pillars of Civilization to the Pillars of Law :: Law College Admissions Essays From the Pillars of Civilization to the Pillars of Law As sweat dripped down my nose and mixed with the dirt, I yelled, "I found glass!" Glass is considered a rare find, and upon hearing my announcement the excavation team stopped digging. Later, as I sat under the overhang on the laboratory roof patiently brushing dirt off a pottery shard and reconstructing a pot from the shard, I realized that archeology parallels the process of producing a paper, piece by piece and note-card by note-card. I came to Mallorca, Spain because of my passion for Egyptology and archeology. I was determined to excavate, and although Mallorca is not Egypt, this was my opportunity to do so. I love solving puzzles - discovering pieces, analyzing their importance, uncovering relationships and then utilizing the information to produce a final work. An archeologist discovers an object; draws on knowledge of the culture, materials available, and history to analyze the object; deciphers its role and determines its value. Writing, research, legal study, and legal prac tice share this process with archeology. Instead of finding a pottery shard in soil, the discovery is information and requires research and analysis. The challenge of researching and analyzing an unknown subject is the most enjoyable part of academic life. An honors thesis I wrote on Colombian environmental policy allowed me to study a topic about which I had been ignorant. I chose Colombian environmental policy because my Latin American Politics class did not cover Colombia, and I was interested, after writing about French and American environmental policy, in continuing my study of different countries' environmental policies. Colombia, however, presented a greater challenge than the other two countries due to the paucity of available material. After the Colombian consulate was unable to help me, I located one of the few experts in the field who directed me to relevant material. I threw myself into a provocative topic, formerly unknown to me, and transformed it into something about which I was knowledgeable. The process is like discovering a shard, or if lucky, a piece of glass. The Colombian paper also stands out as one of my favorite projects because of the analysis and interpretation it required. The class analyzed events using a matrix comprised of political, social, international, and domestic factors. The environmental articles offered no obvious examples of reasons for the events; my analysis relied solely on my interpretation.