Cold war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cold war - Essay Example In the end, both countries would end up losing if the war turned hot. This is likely why things never progressed further than they did. The Cold War officially ended in 1991. Just as there are a variety of reasons as to why the Cold War began, there are a few reasons as to why it ended. For one thing, the Soviet Union had collapsed by this time, which meant that the strength of Russia and its influence over other countries, such as Germany, was basically eliminated. In addition to their lack of influence, the Soviet Union did not have the resources to continue stockpiling weapons. Therefore, the Soviet Union had to call a â€Å"truce† with the United States, which they did during meetings between Mikhail Gorbachev, President Ronald Reagan, and, later on, President George H.W. Bush. The U.S. and the Soviet Union agreed to reduce their nuclear weapons that were set aside for war with each other. From there, the Soviet Union broke apart further, and the United States

Project Management and Virtual Teams Essay Example for Free

Project Management and Virtual Teams Essay Athabasca University Abstract Due to advanced communication technologies, globalization and outsourcing most of the project management teams are based on groups of individuals called virtual teams who work across time and space using communication technologies. Members of virtual teams may be employees of same company from same country, or they can be contractors, suppliers and company employees around the globe. Managing projects using virtual teams have some advantages and disadvantages. Also several studies have been done to try to determine the factors that are positively co-related to the effectiveness of virtual teams (Schwalbe, 2011). To manage virtual teams successfully in project management, the project manager must manage these factors successfully and also minimize the impact of disadvantages. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual teams in project management and outlines the factors that are positively correlated to the success of projects based on virtual teams. The paper also outlines some of the recommendations to successfully manage the virtual team in information technology projects. Keywords Globalization, outsourcing, virtual teams, video conferencing, telecommuting, Project Management, Trust and relationship, Advantages of Virtual teams, Disadvantages of virtual team. Introduction Imagine that you are a project manager in a multinational organization and managing a project to upgrade the server operating system and your team members are from different countries with different cultures and working in different time zones. To complete the project successfully that is based on virtual teams, project manager must understand the advantages and disadvantages of managing virtual teams and factors that positively affect the team members. Today most of the project management teams are based on virtual teams whose members work across time and space using communication technologies and project managers cannot rely on previous methods of project team management where they were able to build trust between team member by social interaction, face-to-face meetings, and direct observations of fellow team member commitment. Literature Review Virtual teams do have some advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages outlined by Kathy Schwalbe are: 24/7 availability of workers increasing competiveness and responsiveness, lowering the cost of project as many virtual team members do not need office space and support, providing more flexibility and expertise as project managers have access to the talent around the globe and increasing the work/life balance for team members by eliminating fixed office hours and the need to travel to work. (Schwalbe, 2011). Communication and trust are the most important factors that influence the virtual team performance. Saonee Sarker and others discussed the â€Å"theoretical linkages among trust, communication, and team member performance in virtual teams†. (Sarker1, Ajuja, Sarker, Kirkeby, 2001). To prove their argument the researchers identified and tested three proposed models (additive, interaction, and mediation) describing the role of trust in its relationship. The results of the study indicated that the â€Å"mediating† model best explains how communication and trust work together to influence the performance of virtual team members. In simple words them study proves that â€Å"a communicative individual will be more likely to be trusted and will therefore be more likely to be a high performer†. (Sarker1, Ajuja, Sarker, Kirkeby, 2001) Radostina K. Purvanova reviewed experimental literature and emerging field research on virtual teams. Author compared the â€Å"results from both type of literature and found that experimental literature has largely reported negative results for virtual teams, whereas ? eld investigations and case studies of real virtual teams employed by business organizations report positive outcomes for virtual teams. According to the article although results reported by experimental versus field studies are quite different, author concludes that both literatures have revealed negative attitudes toward virtual communication media. Advantages of Virtual Teams The main advantages of virtual teams include: The biggest advantage of virtual team enjoyed by an organization is the associated cost savings. The organization can save huge expenses on real estate, office spaces, utility bills such as gas, electricity, water etc. and executive’s travel. Team members can work from anywhere and anytime of the day. They can choose the place they work based on the mood and the comfort. You can recruit people for their skills and suitability to the job. The location does not matter. There is no time and money wasted for commuting and clothing. Physical handicaps are not an issue. Another advantage is the labour laws, some organizations prefer to have virtual teams because of strict local labour laws. Since the members span the time zones, there could be different team working on the same project 24/7, so when one member sleeps there will be another one somewhere else who would start work where the former had left. This shortens the product development time as well as faster response time to demands in both global and local markets. Disadvantages of Virtual Teams Disadvantages of virtual teams include: Since team members do not frequently meet or do not meet at all, the teamwork spirit may not be present. Some people prefer to be in a physical office when working. These people will be less productive in virtual environments. To work for virtual teams, individuals need to have a lot of self-discipline. If the individual is not disciplined, he or she may be less productive. The cultural difference between the members of virtual teams gives rise to number of conflicts. For example, while an employee from one part of the world would write a straightforward email describing a bad situation; this would be perceived as impolite by a member of the team from other part of the world. This would lead to conflicts, mistrust and difficulties in fruitful collaboration which is so vital for the success of virtual team functioning. These challenges are also precipitated by the absence of non-verbal cues so intrinsic to face-to-face interactions. Many members of virtual teams are adversely affected by the lack of physical interactions. Most of the communications in virtual environment is task-oriented. In today’s society where job is an important social force for most of us because many of our workplace colleagues also constitute our close friends, this gives a not-so-good feeling of social isolation. This in turn counter-effects productivity as well as leads to stress. In the virtual environment, it is better to communicate, clarify, and confirm everything to make sure that all members have the same understanding about the task at hand. This produces of ton of paperwork and files that could quickly fill your archives. Factors that positively affect virtual teams Succession planning and promotions involving virtual team members are important factors and if managed properly, virtual team members will feel that they are receiving recognition and credit and as a result they will be satisfied and their productivity will be increased. (Leonard, 2011) Since team members are not communicating face to face, constructive team and individual feedback early and often becomes more important and if managed properly can avoid many problems before hand. Trust between team members and project leader is an important factor that can affect the performance of team members. One important way to build trust between team members is effective communication. The more they communicate with each other and with project more they build the trust. Well defined and documented team process also important which saves a lot of time for especially new team members to find answers to their questions related to policies and procedures. A team member selection and role preference is also important factor to successfully manage the virtual teams. â€Å"Dr. Meredith Belbin defined a team role as a tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way. 15 It is important to select team members carefully and to form a team where all roles are covered. Each virtual team member must also understand his or her role(s) on the team. † (Schwalbe, 2011) Discussion and Conclusions Organizations such as IBM, Microsoft, Whirlpool as well as SMEs are reaping the benefits of virtual teams for some time now. It has been a well-recognized fact that virtual team is not a passing tide but it is here to stay. Virtual teams are rising in numbers nowadays and even small technology companies are now adapting virtual team practice for recruiting the best people from all over the globe and reduce the cost. As outlined in previous sections, virtual teams do have advantaged and some disadvantages as well. To benefit from advantages and to minimize the impact of disadvantages a project manager can focus on factors that positively affect the virtual team’s performance. As indicated by previous researchers, increase in trust, comfort level and communication effectiveness leads to better project success. All of the above discussed disadvantages can be overcome by following a different leadership approach, trainings, greater role clarity and effective communication strategies. Also earlier discussed factors that affect virtual teams, if managed properly can result in a successful project. In addition, the companies using virtual teams can minimize their operating costs and maximize the profit margins. Additionally, the employees working in virtual teams are at advantages when it comes to working in their own home, own time, and reduction of commuting costs. Therefore, organizations should look into setting up virtual teams for different tasks whenever possible. To reap the benefits of virtual teams in projects and minimize the impact of disadvantages virtual team managers should manage the outlined factors properly and should also follow best practices outlined in next section. Best Practices When running virtual teams, some of the best practices include: An instant messaging program can be used to create a sense of presence amongst members of the team. Chat is a good way to have side conversations during meetings to gain consensus, confirm understanding or ask questions. Quick questions can be asked through instant messenger as a substitute for popping into someone’s cubicle. Services for syncing files, bug tracking, project management, source control, web conferencing, conference calls, screen recording, usability testing and so on. A virtual phone system allows mapping of phone extensions to any phone number. Advance features allow callers to dial by name, get placed into a phone queue or get recorded answers back from a phone tree. In-person meetings are also a good option; it helps build team cohesion and trust and can help people get to know each other on a deeper level. But they are by no means critical. Bringing everyone together once a year may cost a little, but it’s still often cheaper than paying local salaries and rent, and increases the efficiency of team.

Defining Culture :: Essays Papers

Defining Culture Anthropologists define the term culture in a variety of ways, but there are certain shared features of the definition that virtually all anthropologists agree on. Culture is a shared, socially transmitted knowledge and behavior. The key features of this definition of culture are as follows. 1) Culture is shared among the members of that particular society or group. Thus, people share a common cultural identity, meaning that they recognize themselves and their culture's traditions as distinct from other people and other traditions. 2) Culture is socially transmitted from others while growing up in a certain environment, group, or society. The transmission of cultural knowledge to the next generation by means of social learning is referred to as enculturation or socialization. 3) Culture profoundly affects the knowledge, actions, and feelings of the people in that particular society or group. This concept is often referred to as cultural knowledge that leads to behavior that is meaning ful to others and adaptive to the natural and social environment of that particular culture. Some anthropologists prefer to conceptualize culture as a mental phenomenon where individuals learn culture and carry it in their heads ("cultural baggage"). From this view actual behavior is not part of culture, but is a product of culture. This view of culture is called the ideational conception of culture. A broader view of culture includes the behavior of individuals, in addition to the ideas, values, and other mental phenomenon. This view of culture encompasses the way of life of a particular group of people. One should keep in mind that people within a culture share ideas, values, opinions, etc., but they are not universal among all the people in that culture. The word culture is often used to emphasize the most unique aspects of a people's customs and beliefs. Thus, to refer to the culture of a people or group is to call attention to all the things that make that group different or distinctive from others. When anthropologists compare different cultures they do not mean that one culture is better or worse than another culture.

Raku Ware And Staffordshire Pottery :: essays research papers

Raku Ware was originally from Japan in the town of Kyoto and was named after the Raku family during the 16th Century. At this time, the Emperor Hideyoshi had conquered Korea and the native potters immigrated to Japan bringing with them pottery techniques and knowledge.The pots were produced for the Zan Buddhist tea ceremony and the decorating and firing of the pots were part of the tea ceremony. Bernard Leach introduced Raku into the west after living in Japan and China setting up pottery in St. Ives, England in 1920. It is still popular today, and made almost worldwide. Raku Ware is still produced today by the 14th generation, of the same Japanese family.Staffordshire was a large and important part of Britain for earthenware production. The first known examples of Staffordshire slipware date back to early Seventeenth Century. Even though lead-glazed earthenware seemed to be established before this time, the market generally went beyond Staffordshire. Butter pots made in Staffordshire were well known for their quality by dairy farmers in England and surrounding areas. Slipwares are named for their decoration with liquid clays, usually poured or trailed onto the pot. Although this was a highly developed technique in Staffordshire it was used in other surrounding areas such as London and Wrotham.Staffordshire slipware usually has three categories flatware which are plates, dishes and bowls, jugs and lidded pots are classified as hollow ware, and miscellaneous ware includes money boxes, cradles and candle sticks.Just as tea was important in the development of Raku Ware in Japan, so the Elers brothers who studied salt glazes in Europe and moved to Staffordshire in the 1690s, produced small tea pots, tea canisters, teacups and jugs. They used finely prepared red clay which was thrown on the wheel, and then lathed when leather hard. (Common salt is thrown into the kiln during firing 1200oc to produce a salt glaze)In Raku any clay that copes with the firing technique must be able to withstand heat shock without warping, distorting or cracking. The clay needs to have particles in it to allow water to escape quickly so calcinated China clay or clay with temper (grog, flint or shell) added to it, is successful. This clay occurred naturally in Japan. Many contemporary potters have favourite clay recipes for their clay bodies when making Raku Ware.Staffordshire slipware clays usually have trouble withstanding higher temperatures without distorting and warping while stoneware can.

Philippine Spanish Era Essay

Chapter 8 1. Explain how the British occupation of the country opened the eyes of the people in certain regions to the idea of freedom and expulsion of the Spaniards? During this period, the Filipinos discovered how weak Spain was when it comes to armory when the British defeated them. Eventually, Archbishop Manuel Rojo surrendered Manila and Cavite thus exposing them furthermore as to how vulnerable they were. 2. Why did the economic plans of Governor-General Basco fail? His plans failed because of his establishment of government monopolies. These monopolies benefited only the government and not the people. There was much corruption because the government was the only one who can transact business and having the exclusive right to purchase, classify and sell all the products locally or even abroad made the people poorer. 3. Why were the Spanish authorities in the Philippines opposed to the education of the Filipinos? The Spanish authorities opposed the education of the Filipinos because as they feared it, Filipinos will come to learn about their rights of equality. 4. Explain how the middle class arose. Who composed the middle class? In 1834 the King of Spain opened Manila to foreign traders, thus starting the development of manufacturing and agriculture in the country. Many crops and other products from different regions were produced. Many ports were also opened including the introduction of the first modern machinery – called the sugar refinery. This started to improve the lives of the inquilinos or tenants in the haciendas as their families started to acquire wealth. They became the middle class, a group below the aristocratic Spanish officials and religious orders but higher or above the poor and uneducated Indios. 5. Explain how the opening of the Suez Canal affected the educated Filipinos. With the opening of the Suez Canal, travel from Manila to Spain was shortened. Because of this, there was an influx of progressive books and periodicals that circulated in the country, thus bringing in modern technology. Also, many Spaniards with progressive ideas migrated to the country influencing the educated Filipinos with their subversive ideas and activities who now clamored for changes in the administration of the colony. 6. What was the effect of the migration of liberal Spaniards on the educated Filipinos and mestizos? With the migration of the liberal Spaniards, the educated Filipinos were exposed to their subversive ideas and activities. And later on they were encouraged to go to Europe to continue their studies and prove that they were the equal of the Spaniards. 7. How did the Spanish Revolution of 1868 affect the events in the Philippines? The Spanish Revolution of 1868 affected the events in the Philippines by putting into practice the liberal principles of the revolutionists of Spain. 8. What were the reforms of Governor-General Carlos Maria de la Torre that endeared him to the educated Filipinos? The reforms of Governor-General Carlos Maria de la Torre that endeared him to the educated Filipinos were the abolishment of censorship of the press, removal of flogging as punishment and solving the problem of agrarian unrest in Cavite. 9. Why was liberalism in the Philippines short-lived? Why was a reactionary governor-general sent to the Philippines? Liberalism was short-lived in the Philippines when the Republic of Spain ended and the monarchy was restored. Governor-General Rafael de Izquierdo was sent in order to bring back autocratic rule, thus censorship of the press and restrictions on freedom of speech were restored. All those who favored Governor-General de la Torre were considered suspects that were spied upon. 10. Explain what is meant by secularization. How did this lead to Filipinization? Secularization was a campaign meant for Filipinos, Spanish mestizos or Chinese mestizos the right to administer the parishes. The secular priests felt that the position as parish head was denied to them because they were not Spaniards. This was eventually called Filipinization because of its racial overtone. 11. Why do you think the Spanish authorities called the Cavite mutiny a rebellion? The government believed it was a rebellion because some Spanish soldiers and officers were killed by the mutineers who were mosty Indios, mestizos , and criollos. 12. Explain the importance or significance of the execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora? The execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora made the people feel the need to unite being Filipinos and not as Ilocanos, Visayan or some other race. Chapter 9 1. Explain the nature of the reform movement. What did it stand for? The Reform Movement was created to introduce changes in the Philippines. There was discontentment not only among the poor but also among the educated and well-to-do Filipinos. The Reform Movement was the start for wealthy and educated Filipinos to air their complaints through peaceful means such as writings, speeches, organized societies and artworks. 2. Name the foremost reformists who went to Spain. Describe each of them. The important reformists who went to Spain were: Dr. Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena and Marcelo H. Del Pilar. Dr Jose Rizal observed early in life how the Spanish authorities maltreated the Filipinos which made him swore to work the freedom of the country. He went to Spain for further studies in Medicine and learned several languages. His important novels – Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo talked on the abuses and defects of the Spanish government which led to his death. Graciano Lopez studied in a seminary to become a priest and later on shifted to Medicine. Like Dr. Jose Rizal he observed the cruelty and immorality of the friars and government officials. He was a good writer and founded La Solidaridad, a newspaper intended to be the propaganda arm of the Filipino reformists. Marcelo H. Del Pilar, was the greatest journalist produced by the purely Filipino race. He finished Law Studies and starte d campaigning against the abuses of the friars and the civil officials. He founded Diariong Tagalog, a Tagalog-Spanish newspaper that talked on how to improve the administration of the government. Marcelo H. Del Pilar, like Dr. Jose Rizal wrote many books but unlike them, he wrote in the vernacular so he could reach the masses which were truly enjoyed and understood. 3. What did the reformist want? The reformist had several demands. First was to be represented in the Spanish Court, the right to vote, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly of the press, freedom of commerce, the removal of the friars from the Philippines because they were obstacle to progress, education of the people, reforms in the jails of the country and abolition of the diezmos prediales or the tithe consisting of one tenth of the produce of the land. 4. What is meant by assimilation? In what way or ways would it benefit the Filipinos? Explain your answer. Assimilation was one of the ideas included in the Reform Movement which aimed to make the Philippines a province of Spain thereby granting Spanish citizenship to Filipinos. If this idea was only accepted by the Spanish government, the Filipinos will enjoy the rights and benefits of being a Spanish citizen, ending cruelty and maltreatment of the Filipinos. 5. What were the aims of La Solidaridad? Why was it founded? The La Solidaridad was founded to become the propaganda arm of the reformists. It was aimed to fight reaction, to stop all efforts to keep the Philippines a backward country, to extol liberal ideas, and to defend progress. 6. In what way was Marcelo H. Del Pilar different from Rizal? As propagandist of the Filipino cause, who between the two was more effective? Explain your answer. Marcelo H. Del Pilar was different from Rizal in the sense that he wrote most of his books and articles in Tagalog so the Filipinos can truly understand its contents . For me Marcelo H. Del Pilar was more effective as a propagandist because his writings in Tagalog reached everyone from the poorest to the educated Filipinos. But because of lack of funds and his death, he was not able to continue this. Dr Jose Rizal, on the other hand wrote in Spanish which can only be read by the Spanish officials and friars and the educated Filipinos. It was only through his death that the masses came to understand his undertakings. 7. What role did the Pro-Filipino societies play? Why did they fail? The Pro-Filipino Societies were created as the starting ground for the reformists so they could find help from Spaniards with liberal ideas. The society was organized to propagate reforms in the Philippines in the form of a newspaper but then it was short-lived due to lack of funds and lack of leadership. 8. Explain how Masonry helped in the campaign for reforms. Name at least 2 Masonic Lodges in the Philippines during the Spanish period which helped propagate the cause of the Filipinos. How significant was Masonry for the Filipino women? Masonry is for the liberal-minded that’s why many Filipino reformists joined this. The aim of Masonry was the same with that of the reformists that’s why the two groups were actually hitting one bird with two stones. The Nilad and the WALANA were just two of Masonic Lodges established in Manila. The WALANA Masonic Lodge was composed of women. Through this the women were able to contribute their time to help propagate reforms. 9. Why did Rizal found the La Liga Filipina? What were its aims? Why was it not successful? In your opinion, was the La Liga a reformist or a revolutionary organization? Explain your answer. Rizal founded the La Liga Filipina as a civic society. Its aims were to unite the whole archipelago into one strong body; to give mutual protection of all members in case of necessity; to encourage agriculture, commerce, and education; to defend members against any kind of violence and injustice; and to study and apply reforms. It was not successful because the Spanish authorities felt it was dangerous which led to the arrest of Dr. Jose Rizal, instantly killing the Liga. For me the Liga was a reformist organization because its intentions were only to help improve the lives of Filipinos which was only a temporary solution. 10. Explain why the reform movement failed? The reform movement failed because: 1) The High Spanish officials in Spain were too busy attending to their own internal problems to bother the problems of a colony. 2) The reformists in the Philippines and in Spain did not have the necessary funds to make their campaign effective. 3) The reformists were not united because of jealousy among themselves. 4) He friars in the Philippines had influential friends and supporters in Spain who opposed the introduction of reforms. Chapter 10: 1. Explain why Marcelo H. Del Pilar shifted to the idea of revolution. What made him think in terms of revolution? Marcelo H. Del Pilar shifted to the idea of revolution because the reform movement which aims to secure the remedies for their problems in peaceful means was not effective.The Spanish government ignored the plight of the people that’s why Del Pilar decided that revolution is the only way to achieve their goal. 2. What was the immediate cause of the founding of the Katipunan? What caused Bonifacio to change tactics and strategy? Was he right to make such a change? The immediate cause of the founding of the Katipunan was to recruit Filipinos to become members through the method called the triangle system which aimed to minimize the danger of discovery by the Spanish authorities. But Bonifacio realized that the method was very slow in recruiting its members so he decided to adopt the system used by Masonry in enlisting its members which was a good idea because it was faster than the triangle method. 3. Explain briefly the â€Å"triangle method.† How successful was it in recruiting members for the Katipunan? The triangle method of enlisting members of the Katipunan started with a member recruiting 2 new members who did not know each other and the 2 new members will do the same.It was not that successful because they were able to enlist few members. This method was very slow in its process that’s why they just decided to get as many new members as they could. 4. What were the aims of the Katipunan? In what ways was the Katipunan different from La Liga Filipina? The aims of the Katipunan were based on civic, political and moral objectives.Civic objective was based on the principle of self-help and the defense of the weak and the poor. Political objective was the separation of the Philippines from Spain and lastly moral objective focused on the teaching of good manners, hygiene, and good moral character. The La Liga worked for radical reforms using peaceful means while the Katipunan on the hand aimed to regain the Philippines and be freed from slavery through revolutionary means. 5. In what way did the Katipunan government resemble or differ from the Spanish colonial government? The Katipunan stood as a real government like that of Spain because it was governed by a Supreme Council as it was a King for Spain. They also had the Sangguniang Hukuman which was the Spanish Cortes.But the Katipunan was more nationalistic in nature because they had teachings called the Decalogue that must be the guide of the members. And most of all every activity of the Katipunan government was done in secrecy so as not to de discovered by the Spanish authorities. 6. When Bonifacio worked for the replacement of Deodato Arellano and Roman Basa as supremo of the Katipunan, what trait or character did he show? Was Bonifacio right in replacing Arellano and Basa? Give your reasons. Bonifacio was a very perfectionist man. He saw that Arellano and Basa were not good in doing their jobs that’s why he decided on his own to work for their replacement. He proved himself to be a better leader but the means of replacing Basa and Arellano was based on his influence. But on the other hand, the lack of leadership of Arellano and Basa wasted the time of the Katupunan. 7. Name the grades of membership of the katipunan and their respective passwords. What do you notice about the passwords, particularly the use of Rizal for the highest member? The first grade was the catipon with their password – Anak ng Bayan, the second was kawal with their password GOM-BUR-ZA and lastly, Bayani with password RIZAL. The highest member being the leader and founder of the Katipunan used Rizal as password being their ultimate source of inspiration in their fight for freedom. 8. Explain why Bonifacio invented the Katipunan secret codes. How would you characterize Bonifacio for inventing such codes? Bonifacio invented the codes to avoid being discovered by the Spaniards.He had shown his ingenuity knowing this would protect the Katipunan by making it difficult for the Spaniards to read letters or any written communication. 9. Why were the Katipunan members called the sons of the people? Explain this very carefully. They were called the sons of the people because their ultimate goal was to free the Philippines from Spain and to protect the rights of the people. In The Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Anak ng Bayan which was written by Bonifacio, stated that love of God is also love of country and this too is love of one’s fellowmen. By this statement alone the Katipuneros proved themselves to be guardian of the Filipino people that,s why they were the sons of the people. 10. Why was a Katipunan branch for women founded? Who were its members? Andres Bonifacio wanted to involve the women in the Katipunan that’s why a branch for women was founded. The members were limited only to the Katipuneros’ spouses, sisters, daughters and other selected women. 11. In what way did the Kalayaan help propagate the revolutionary ideas of Bonifacio and Jacinto? The Kalayaan contained articles written by Bonifacio, Jacinto and Valenzuela. The newspaper reached the farthest provinces influencing many Filipinos to become members of th Katipunan. 12. Identify and comment on the following code names: Madlang-Away; Agapito Babumbayan; and Pingkian. Madlang-Away was the code name of Pio Valenzuela stood for the fight of the masses for freedom. Agapito Bagumbayan, the pen name of Bonifacio, stood the death of Rizal in Luneta or Bgumbayan.

Fashion Blogs for College Students

Fashion Blogs for College Students College is a special time for young women (and men) when they’ve flown the coop and are on their own for the first time. Being in a different city surrounded by people from all over the country, it’s one of the most influential times for fashion changes in your life. Of course you want to make an impression on your peers and make a statement about who you are as you enter this new world. These blogs can give you the inspiration you’re seeking to explore new trends and find your fashion niche. And, of course, how to do all of that on a student’s budget†¦ College Fashion For the fashion conscious college student who wants to keep up with the latest trends in campus style, this blog will show you how to pull off a pair of pom pom shorts for both day and evening wear, how to make a plaid skirt cool and feed your fashion inspiration with pop culture images from Game of Thrones to Jean-Michel Basquiat. collegefashion.net A Beautiful Mess This is the perfect blog for the craftsy, DIY college student. For those who want to make their dorm room not only the place they sleep, but their home away from home, you’ll find lots of tips on budget home dà ©cor such as a home-made tassle rug or wall hanging using only a ball of yarn. In their fashion section a host of DIY fashion tips to set you apart from your classmates. You’ll be the envy of campus with your home-made feather block dress. Missing your pet dog or cat from home? Learn how to make a pair of personalized pajamas with their image on them. abeautifulmess.com Kendi Everyday Want to know how to wear this season’s hottest colors? How about what to wear on your first date with a new beau? And how to double up on denim with a blouse and jeans. Fashionista Kendi brings you her own personal shopping and fashion tips for you to devour at will. Feast on it! kendieveryday.com Love, Lenore Another personal blog for the young and fashionable, this blog shows you how to get the best styles from shops like Anthropologie, Forever 21, HM and Nordstroms. She offers tips for every kind of fashion situation including weddings, travel and holiday. Her curated wish list will have you saving up for your next shopping experience. lovelenore.com Millennielle This blog by fashion expert Coco caters to the tastes of college students and millenials. What to wear to music festivals, how to get the best looks on a student’s budget and the brands with the most enduring fashion status. You can address her with your fashion emergencies and read her tips on how to make the most of modern life. millennielle.com The Houndstooth Straight out of DC, this blog is dedicated to showing off the Capital’s street fashion. One of the few fashion sites for both boys and girls, you’ll get your inspiration from real people who turn heads on the streets of Washington. thehoundstoothblog.com Necessary Proper This is almost the fashion blog equivalent of the show Mad Men, with photos and articles that promote the high life of successful men and women. You’ll learn how to rub elbows with high society at polo matches and how to mix the perfect cocktail, all while looking your absolute best next to your beau in khakis (or a tartan) and you in your grandmother’s pearls. necessary-and-proper.com I Spy DIY If you live to create your own look with DIY projects, this is the blog for you. Lots of inspiration on how to personalize your denim jacket to how to make the perfect spring dress, to how to make versatile earrings for any outfit. Get inspiration for looks you can’t buy in a store. ispydiy.com The Budget Babe As promised by the blog title, this site will show you how to find the look you want without having to drop the cash you don’t have. You’ll learn how to find discount versions of big label trends, where to shop and how to throw together a complete look for less. thebudgetbabe.com Whether your style inspiration comes from the Hamptons or the streets of DC, whether you like brand names or prefer to DIY, this list of blogs has it all for today’s college student. Happy shopping!

Dental Anesthesia essays

Dental Anesthesia essays The Discovery and Controversy over the First Use of Surgical Anesthesi Dennis Brindell Fradin wrote in We Have Conquered Pain: The Discovery of Anesthesia, We take it for granted that we can sleep through operations without feeling any pain. But until about 150 years ago, the operating room was a virtual torture chamber because surgeons had no way to prevent the pain caused by their healing knives. Fradin is right. Since several analyses of archaic human bones have proven that people have suffered from disease and pain since the beginning of their existence, one can only assume the tremendous pain humans had to endure before the discovery of anesthesia. The four brilliant men who ended mankinds suffering also had to endure immense anguish after the discovery; their involvement erupted into a maelstrom of controversy, which contributed to early deaths and insanity, even though the discovery of surgical anesthesia has had such a positive effect on humanity.1 Prior to the discovery, surgeons would tie, strap, or hold down their patients to keep them from running off during surgery. Many times, the surgeon would give alcohol or narcotics to patients in order for the patient to better face the indescribable pain. However, those that actually survived the surgery (chances are, they didnt) swore they would have preferred death instead of the excruciating pain they had to endure.2 Even Dr. John Collins Warren, a senior surgeon before the discovery of anesthesia at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, agreed that patients would rather die than have surgery. After Dr. Warren finished an amputation in 1844, before the discovery of anesthetics, he told himself, The knife that heals must first give pain.3 To have fully conscious, screaming patients during an operation even made surgeons not want to perform surgery. However, the discovery of surgical anesthesia changed the way most, i...

Technology and Leadership

Technology and Leadership Introduction Instructional design is the usage of a methodical style to provide a solution to an instructional challenge. It starts with the identification of the challenges facing learners and then establishes whether an instructional method provides the most efficient solution (Wagner, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Technology and Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Such solutions apply appropriate technology and theoretical approach to learning. This essay undertakes an evaluation of the role of instructional design principles and theory on the ability to make rational decisions regarding leadership and learning. The Influence of Instructional Design Principles and Theory Leadership is geared towards the conception of ideas for the future, formation of calculated priorities and building an atmosphere of trust between and inside organizations. Good leadership is a progressive development and require s inspirational influence and the ability to attract a loyal following. Implementation of technology in education, particularly the use of computers and related technology has witnessed rapid growth. The use of such material penetrates all aspects of human life (Wagner Ice, 2012). Instructional design principles provide model leadership and education due to their capacity to combine practical and abstract skills as the learners work in cooperation. When presented in several media and viewpoints, information on instruction is likely to last longer. The instructional designers play an important role in curriculum development as they have the necessary skill-set in educational theory and strategy. The designers of instructional materials offer institutions with an opportunity for consistency and continuity in the enhancement of courses. An instructional design program aids in the creation of relevant online courses.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we ca n help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Research outlook moved from investigating the constitution of course resources to establishing the cognitive status of the student (Reinventing society in the wake of big data, 2012). Today’s education is more interested in developing what the student already knows than the makeup of the curriculum. Consequently, technology bridges individual knowledge and formal instruction. Technology ought to be adequately accommodating to adjust to the learners’ current instructional requirements. Therefore, an effective educator is capable of recognizing and correcting the misconstruction and confusion of his students. In case of challenges to learning, instruction founded on technology ought to be accommodating and should adjust to the knowledge and life of students. In a classical sense, learning demands that students devote substantial effort in their undertaking (Reinventing society in the wake of big dat a, 2012). Since the use of technology improves interaction, this form of instruction boosts learning. An instructional design system enables learners to reclaim knowledge and acquire new information using interesting and varying instruments. A student who embraces this form of learning system can conduct research and create original material. In this way, instructional design systems create academic independence and multiple approaches when solving problems. Leadership roles demand that a person should be able to employ quick, critical thinking (Paul Elder, 2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Technology and Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When faced with a dilemma that requires fast and responsible action, a leader must take the first initiative to lead the rest in seeking a solution. Thinking that entails scrutiny, assessment, creativeness and reflection is the forte of instructional design system o f learning. The capacity to provide solutions to difficult problems is an essential requirement of effective leadership. Since leaders face frequent moral dilemmas, effective leaders serve as role models in their behavior. Effective learning systems ought to enable learners to make good decisions based on critical thinking since issues of morality are all about choice of action. A good learning model, therefore, should build a sense of moral responsibility in learners. The following is a sample material I generated to reflect how instructional design works. Its color and design help attract and retain the learner’s attention. Conclusion Educational institutions and stakeholders should join forces to encourage a culture of effective learning and leadership since technology perpetually alters teaching and learning. Educational stakeholders are expected to improve the value of education and methods of teaching using instructional design systems to provide an alternative way of teaching and learning that is efficient and fun.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Reinventing society in the wake of big data. (2012). Web. Paul, R., Elder, L. (2006). Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your learning and your life (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Wagner, E. (2011). Essay: In search of the secret handshakes of ID. The Journal of Applied Instructional Design, 1(1), 33-37. Wagner, E., Ice, P. (2012). Data changes everything: Delivering on the promise of learning analytics in higher education. Educause Review, 33-42.

NBA- National Basketball Association Research Paper

NBA- National Basketball Association - Research Paper Example Not only is the NBA among the four main North American professional sports leagues but its players are also the world’s most lucratively paid sportsmen, going by the average annual salary per player. Many attribute the success of the NBA to its culture and the manner in which it has managed to integrate its culture to its operations and goals, as will be seen in the discussion which ensues forthwith. First, it is important to consider the fact that the NBA has a wide culture, with this wideness taking on both formal and informal aspects. The formal culture of the NBA has mainly been consistent with the organizational policies, while the informal one has mainly been subject to socio-cultural preferences. According to Maymin, Maymin, and Shen (2011), to show for the similarity between NBA and business culture, NBA has also used creations and mergers to extend itself. Having been founded in 1946, the Basketball Association of America merged with NBL on August 3rd, 1949. This deve lopment culminated into the creation of the National Basketball Association. To extend its interests further, NBA has used franchising as its business culture. NBA in 1949 had 17 franchises that at the time were located in large and small cities, and large and small arenas. Through the 1950s, NBA consolidated its 11 franchises. In a closely related wavelength, it is important to note that NBA has also used contraction to move its franchises that had been located in smaller cities to get to larger cities. For instance, it is against this backdrop that the Hawks moved from Quad Cities to Milwaukee, then to Missouri, St. Louis, while the Royals moved from Rochester, New York, to Cincinnati. In the same respect, Pistons moved from Indiana (Fort Wayne) to Detroit in 1957. The culture of merging, franchising and contraction started from the need to expand. The growth of NBA into national and regional importance and the global recognition of NBA as the principal basketball league in the Un ited States underscore the success of these management cultures- franchising, merging and contracting. One of the informal cultures of NBA is its identification with the African American and hip hop culture. The fact that rappers such as Sean Carter and Cornell Iral Hayness Jr. are major stakeholders in NBA teams (namely, Charlotte Bobcats and Brooklyn Nets respectively), underscore this. In like manner, a number of artists have managed to wear NBA throwback jerseys in their music videos. Likewise, NBA plays hip hop and rap music in basketball arenas during games. As if this is not enough, NBA video games NBA Live, ABC-ESPN and NBA 2K use hip hop music in their soundtracks and coverage. Some of the players in NBA have rapped or tried to rap, with Shaquille O’Neal, Tony parker, Kobe Bryant, Chris Webber, Allen Iverson and Metta World Peace serving as examples of these basketball-players-cum-rappers. It is also not at all uncommon to find several NBA players who act or dress in ways that are consistent with rap and hip hop culture. It is for this same reason that many NBA players and members wear jewelry and spot tattoos, both inside and outside basketball courts. A. Maymin, P. Maymin, and Shen (2011) contend that the close affiliation between the NBA and hip hop culture dates back to the late 1970s. This development follows the fact that the 1970s fall within the Cold

Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example I.e. what are the specific OB related issues? There are some basic reasons that have brought about the problems in the MOB department. The problems stem from the lack of communication and collaboration among the members. Since the members comprise of a mix of senior and junior faculty, this increases the need for communication and interaction in order to understand each other's mind sets and point of view. One of the fundamental reasons for the success of the Accounting department was due to the comradeship of the members and their regular meetings. The personality of the organization is called it's the organizational culture. It can be described as the set of shared norms, values, beliefs and expectations that govern the way employees within an organization interact with each other, think about and act on problems and opportunities and work together towards the objectives of the organization. The components of organizational culture include Behavior and artifacts, Values and, Assump tions and beliefs. In the MOB department, there is a deviation in the culture and the representation of it. The divergence of the senior and junior faculty expectation has created a gap between their objectives and this leads to a lack of direction for the department. Now that you have analyzed the problems, what are the goals you think Vese needs to accomplish? List these in priority order. Increase communication by organizing regular meetings Encourage discussion in order to understand the various point of views and reach a common ground as to which area should the department focus upon Inculcate a common objective and a uniform culture within the department that is coherent with the overall goals of the university. Base performance evaluation by taking into consideration present as well as past performances of faculty. Conduct evaluations and communicate important information in an organized manner in order to avoid complains from faculty as they had these issues with the former department chair. Partner Senior faculty members with junior members in order to mentor them and collaborate in research Encourage spending more time working in university rather than from home Make a time schedule showing how Vese should use the hours of each day of his first week. For each entry, state the purpose of the listing, who is to be present (if anyone), what approach you will use, and why. Day 1: Conduct an induction meeting to introduce himself, his credibility and achievements. The meeting would accomplish his short term goals and how he would bring change in the department. This would involve a short meeting with all the members of the department. In order to make an appropriate change in the organization it is important to analyze its feasibility and how it should be carried out. The systematic process of congregation and analysis of data on certain ongoing system is called organizational diagnosis. Organizational diagnosis helps in forming a suitable direction towar ds making the change. Vese could conduct an organizational diagnosis of the department based on collection of data through questionnaires, interviews, observation

Bioterrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bioterrorism - Essay Example This primitive way of introducing deadly microorganisms in the society is now modernized by the advancement of science and technology which allows scientists to create strains of germs and viruses that can harm the society either by causing diseases or making the human immune system more susceptible to diseases. One of the most recent examples of bioterrorism attack is the 2001 case of anthrax in the United States which caused a global stir by killing five people and infecting 17 others. The adverse effects of bioterrorism can never be overstated. It should be noted that these attacks are often aimed at creating mass panic and disruption in the community. Diseases which are often incurable propagate chaos and bring in more problems in the social and political arena. Bioterrorists attacks like the foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom did not directly harm human being but had been very detrimental to its economy particularly in the produce of livestock.

What Does It Mean to Be a Member of Your Generation Essay

What Does It Mean to Be a Member of Your Generation - Essay Example According to Nouwen (26- 28), this generation lacks warmth and trust. Also, this generation will be known for its inwardness, fatherlessness, and convulsiveness by its successors. Too many social triggers stirring instability, religions, dominating figures from media, politics, religion, and society, have made this generation face emotional uncertainty. This confusion makes us, the millennials, withdraw from our social bonds and relations and look out for self-sufficiency. This is precisely the reason why single parents and individuals not looking for serious and legitimate relationships are more common as compared to an earlier generation. It can be seen that this self-centered attitude has made this generation more materialistic that focuses on meeting imminent personal needs only. Also, this need to have self-sufficient support has given rise to a generation that is demanding of its employers the way our predecessors used to be of their caregivers. They only attempt to stay in emp loyment where they are valued and praised by their employers and lack of this amicable relationship makes them look for alternative employment more rapidly as compared to earlier generations. This attitude is also another indication of social restlessness. Another major trait of this generation will be a rejection of the legitimate authority of social key figures as well as institutions. Being a member of this generation makes one more cynical towards social phenomenon and susceptible towards peer pressure. This generation faces anxiety in the pursuit of meeting social standards set by superficial criteria like compliance to current fashion trends and technological advancements. This pre-occupancy with temporary and always changing social criteria has made this generation more susceptible to seeking refuge in the virtual world and shunning regular social contact.

Creativity and Innovation at Gunstones Bakery Essay

Creativity and Innovation at Gunstones Bakery - Essay Example Creativity is defined by Steve Jobs as â€Å"Creativity is just connecting things† (Wolf, 2011). But the question is: Is creativity so simple to be defined as â€Å"connecting things† that has been defined by the greatest innovator of the time, Steve Jobs, or there is any complex method behind the innovation and creativity. The incidental perception of creativity is also questioned for not being intentional. The assignment elaborates the concept of innovation and creativity to the groups and individuals in Gunstones and what does these exactly means in terms of Gunstones competitive abilities to develop and expand. The assignment’s standpoint will be from a worker’s view who is currently working in Gunstones bakery and who happens to be my brother Jabaar Khan. As I lack in work experience I could not fulfil the criteria to complete the assessment and thus I took help of my brother as the source of my assignment. The advantage of using my brother’s e xperience has helped in preparing a bias free assignment (Adair, 2007). Thus the third party perception on my brother’s experience and his organisation will permit me to inspect into the detailed picture of the organisation and how the worker and the organisation work hand in hand with prejudice (Arnold, 1956). My brother works in the Gunstones Bakery factory which supplies packed food for Marks & Spencer’s. His experience over there and the background of the company (See Appendix 1) can be recorded by ‘The Cultural Web’ (Johnson and Scholes, 1999) representing the factory’s routine process which is known as the ‘taken-for-granted assumptions’ (Johnson and Scholes, 1999). Before proceeding towards the assessment, creativity and innovation should be defined. But it can be seen that all the definitions of creativity has two aspects which are either process oriented (Dewett, 2004) or outcome oriented (Amabile, 1996). Creativity is defined as the production of novel and resourceful ideas in any of the domain. Amabile has said that a creative idea or a product is something that is not done before but it fulfils the desired purpose. Amabile has also defined innovation as the â€Å"successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization† and these definition has been accepted by Cook who has found the linkage between the two as the ideas (creativity) must be proficient enough (Cook, 1998) to be converted into successful actions (innovation). OPPORTUNITIES AND INHIBITORS OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION ALSO THEIR IMPACT ON ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCES COMPONENTIAL MODEL The ‘Componential Model’ which is given in Figure 1 consists of the 3 major influential factors of the opportunity that is important for creativity. The factors are expertise, creative thinking and the intrinsic task motivation which are in built in teams and individual. Figure 1: Componential Model Source: (Amabile, 1996) EXPEPT ISE OPPORTUNITY ‘Expertise factor’ consists of foundation of factual knowledge, proficiencies

What Does It Mean to Be a Member of Your Generation Essay

What Does It Mean to Be a Member of Your Generation - Essay Example According to Nouwen (26- 28), this generation lacks warmth and trust. Also, this generation will be known for its inwardness, fatherlessness, and convulsiveness by its successors. Too many social triggers stirring instability, religions, dominating figures from media, politics, religion, and society, have made this generation face emotional uncertainty. This confusion makes us, the millennials, withdraw from our social bonds and relations and look out for self-sufficiency. This is precisely the reason why single parents and individuals not looking for serious and legitimate relationships are more common as compared to an earlier generation. It can be seen that this self-centered attitude has made this generation more materialistic that focuses on meeting imminent personal needs only. Also, this need to have self-sufficient support has given rise to a generation that is demanding of its employers the way our predecessors used to be of their caregivers. They only attempt to stay in emp loyment where they are valued and praised by their employers and lack of this amicable relationship makes them look for alternative employment more rapidly as compared to earlier generations. This attitude is also another indication of social restlessness. Another major trait of this generation will be a rejection of the legitimate authority of social key figures as well as institutions. Being a member of this generation makes one more cynical towards social phenomenon and susceptible towards peer pressure. This generation faces anxiety in the pursuit of meeting social standards set by superficial criteria like compliance to current fashion trends and technological advancements. This pre-occupancy with temporary and always changing social criteria has made this generation more susceptible to seeking refuge in the virtual world and shunning regular social contact.

Business ethic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Business ethic - Essay Example In conclusion, the challenge was on both AWB and oil protocol. The main stakeholders in the case study are Iraq government and the international community including the US and Australia. Likewise, the primary interest of Australia was to obtain oil while offering food support to help in the recovery of the war torn Iraq after the desert storm. The primary interest of the Iraq government led by Saddam Hussein focused on protection of personal interest and development of the weapons of mass destruction. The ethical framework theories such as the teleological ethics can apply to the situation because it is based on the end result of the action. For instance, the food for oil, programs main aim was to ensure the Iraqis do not die of hunger after the operation desert storm which leads to loss of food reserves. However, the end result of the program was massive corruption making the idea wrong based on the teleological ethics theory. The consequence of the approach of the makes it a wrong approach in Iraq because of massive corruption and strengthening of the incumbent government which latter stocked itself with banned weapons including biological weapons of mass destruction. Utilitarianism ethical theory focuses on the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people. For instance, the attack of Iraq because of the existence of the biological weapons was considered a best option because it would benefit the whole world. Therefore, the theory supports the invasion of Iraq by the inter national community. The decision to open case against the eleven executive members of the AWB board is end product of unethical approach in problem solving for the Iraq case. The best approach was to ensure that the Iraq government pays for the goods and service provided instead of working on the Oil for Food strategy which failed miserable and led to empowerment of the incumbent government. In a good strategy in solving strategy ensures that

Letter to Movie Director Essay Example for Free

Letter to Movie Director Essay I liked it how you connected medieval time with also the modern times. How you used medieval Crops, Setting, Characters and the modern music, clothes, language and make-up. How all the elements symbiotically connect it altogether that made our emotions and mind get lost in the imaginary world. As I teenager myself I find that most teenagers like comedy,romance,action and thriller in the usual movie s. You started off your movie with a popular song called We Will Rock You, it gave the movie a extra dimension to it. The setting was set back in the Middle Ages that made is realistic but had a modern music twist to it. It intrigued us to watch more with the excitement of the crowd in the jousting stadium clapping and singing with the music. It was nicely set out with the Wealthy people high in the stands with chairs and the poor people standing up below. The costumes were very real as well with the wealthy wearing colourful clean clothes and the peasant with dirty plain clothes. At the very beginning there is humour display when Wat bites William and says now you see how bloody hungry I am. It set the spark off. We mainly focused on the last final jousting event which was the highlight of the whole story. Sir William Thatcher fighting for his love and to change his stars against Count Ademar the bad knight trying to get the same girl as Sir William Thatcher. At the point there was different camera technique used. Extreme close-up zooming into the horses eyes with the background noise of the horse to built up more tension because you dont no whats happening but you just hear the horses getting louder and louder. t draws you in, to make you get hyped up and try and figure out what happening. Also The had a extreme close up on Sir Williams face to his eyes so you could see what his reaction was. You could tell he was thinking and planning out things while on the other hand you see Count Ademar and he seems lie his skimming. we read all this off just by looking at there faces. Wide angle was used to see them both, so that we could see there emotion. Extreme close -up was us ed just before there were going to joust. They used the extreme close-up so you could see the tension in each others eyes. There was low dramatic music and a close up angle on the second times they jousted again so show how much they want it and how much they hate each other. They both still lost so in the final round they used the zooming camera technique. It zooms as a wide shot all the way to extreme shot so you can try and see what they are thinking and feeling. The camera technique was really good and it made it seem like you were looking through the same eyes as Count Ademar , then you just here the sound of Sir Williams approaching you and his voice saying William. This fragment of the scene was a very powerful suspenseful scene. We as the audience thought that Sir William wouldnt win after Count Ademar hit him with the lance really hurt and the end stabbed into William. It caused us to want to watch more and more and see what happens. all of us sitting in our seats hoping Sir William wins but doubting that he will. At the last second Sir William goes for the final and at-last joust with Count Ademar for the tournament his blind dad and the women of his dreams Lady Joselyn his hopes rise up . He thought of when he told his dad that he would change his stars one day. The very little strength he had left in him and gave it to Count Ademar. Through all the pain he went through he finally won all 4 his Lady Joselyn, his dad,his stars and the tournament. Then it finishes with him and his lady kissing. And they lived happily ever after, the perfect ending to a story. But I do have so say I think with Lady Joselyn with some of her outfits and make-up and hairstyles were unrealistic for the middle ages. Bright coloured make-up and wavy,straight,colour hair would have not occurred back then. Apart from the I think that all the other characters dressed appropriately for the movie. I feel like this movie would entertain a teenager of the medieval period, even though its not the most accurate information it shows clearly who were the peasant and noble people and there role and real places in the world. IT showed great humour and romance and action in this movie and I believe teenagers would definitely want to watch this movie again. Thank-you for giving up your time to read this letter I hope to see an other great movie from you in the futureYours sincerely,

The Changing Direction Of Hip Hop Music Essay

The Changing Direction Of Hip Hop Music Essay Popular culture abounds in gender stereotypes. In the mass media, women have often been trivialized, marginalized and presented as inferior to men. Nearly always media depictions of women have relied on the opposition of good vs. bad. Taking into consideration popular music, it has been argued that the naÃÆ' ¯ve portrayal of women that prevailed decades ago has now given way to greater diversity, more complexity, and dramatically mixed messages about the individual female persona and womens roles in society. Despite this, it is still very unlikely for women to be presented as independent, intelligent, or superior to men. Moreover, the sexism is more prevalent and more extreme in some types of media or music genres than in others. One of the most popular hip hop genres, rap music, seems to be expanding the bar of its popularity by presenting extremely misogynistic portrayal of women. In this chapter I will focus on the reasons why this troubling trend have been closely related to h ip hop and what response it have received from the media and various social and political organizations. As indicated in the first and the second chapter many instances of rap songs present a myriad of violent and misogynistic messages. As long as hip hop music grows in popularity its lyrical content can no longer be ignored. Many critics have recently taken a critical look at hip hop phenomenon and the messages rap music conveys. Some, as bell hooks, would argue that rap music can be considered as a backlash on feminism and an attempt to reinforce male supremacy. Others would claim that this music serves to present men superiority over women as a natural and normal hierarchy. According to Patricia Hill Collins, rap can be perceived as one of the controlling images and used as a tool to subordinate black women. It is also argued that raps misogynistic lyrics may serve to justify violent behavior toward black women. Nowadays hip hop is a phenomenon which is spread worldwide. It is produced by giant production companies for mass distribution and consumption targeted to youth. Messages and images presented in this type of music catch attention of all racial groups. That is why the pursuit to impose superiority over black women may be extended to women in general. Images perpetuated in rap music contribute to gendered socialization and may be responsible for reinforcing gender inequality. Glen Ford, the executive editor of the Black Agenda Report electronic journal, claims that the industry executives and producers in order to take the full advantage of the popularity of hip hop and increase sales encourage artists to use provocative, explicit lyrics. Aspiring rappers are being used as raw material for the final product that sells. The whole marketing strategy is usually tailored long before the given rapper signs the contract. The artists image and behavior is adjusted to the current market demands. The rappers persona and the song seem to be just a final touch to the whole marketing process. On the other hand, those artists who do not comply with such a controversial strategy are being marginalized. As a result, rappers often abandon political and social messages and focus on money and sexual exploitative motifs, in response to corporate control. The issue of the music industry being a responsible party for setting disturbing trends in contemporary hip hop is well documented in Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Byron Hurt. An avid hip hop fan and director of this well acclaimed documentary challenges the big record labels to take responsibility for the destructive sexist images perpetuated in rap hits. The movie consists of numerous revealing discussions with aspiring as well as successful male rappers and hip hop moguls. During one interview, the director asks an aspiring rapper why he would rather turn to violent and misogynistic messages in his songs than political or social issues. The rapper answers that they the industry do not want to hear nor accept that: They usually dont give us deals when we speak righteously. To support this statement, a former president of pioneering hip hop recording company Def Jam Records Carmen Ashhurst, suggests that the emergence of a controversial genre, gangsta rap, was preceded by buying out the minor independent labels which would focus on more ambitious issues in the produced rap songs. Ashhurst states: At the time that we were able to get a bigger place in the record stores, and a bigger presence because of this major marketing capacity, the music became less and less conscious. Nowadays a few entertainment corporations in liaison with corporate dominated radio have gained a total control of the market. Independent labels have little share in the existing market and the most successful ones usually serve as subcontractors to the major labels. They also depend on bigger companies in terms of record distribution and business survival. Tricia Rose, in one of the interviews, claims that young people nowadays are under enormous marketing pressure. Instead of finding the way how to express what they really feel, they are being encouraged how to see their creativity through the marketing logic and how to sell it. They are forced to fit their products into existing marketing demands. Moreover, she claims that in case of black youth this is even more complicated as the corporate spaces for their expression are narrower. The diversity of their representation in music is limited. The industry dictates what can be considered as being real black. This statement seems to be true as in case of white artists it is easy to find them in every category of music, whereas black artists are nearly always associated only with hip hop genres as soul, RB, or rap. Moreover, as Rose claims, white artists are able to perform their individual self, while black artist manifest their blackness in the first place. Such a limited access to avai lable ways of presenting their black identity has led to perpetuation of negative stereotypes that haunt black community. Through the marketing perspective, rap has turned out to be a success but its artistic value has diminished. Yet, in case of sexism hip hop cannot be exclusively held responsible, as this problem pertains not only to the black society. But it is important to note that exploitation of women has become almost a requirement in order to establish rappers identity of a successful, respectable black male artist. Black female rappers in order to fit into the creative spaces available to them are forced to silently agree upon such terms. This is particularly troubling for black females who have been struggling for a long time to refute the image sexualized and exploited by white patriarchal supremacist society. Tricia Rose claims that the rappers cannot be blamed for the oppression of their female counterparts. They only act as the middle men and the prominent music executives are to be blamed for making profits on the negative representation of black society, and predominantly its female part. As stated before, what makes hip hop so appealing is not only the music and beats but mainly its powerful lyrics. According to publicist and political activist, Kevin Powell, the most salient point of the record companies marketing strategy is to make radio stations play the song nationwide over and over again. He notes that many listeners of hip hop would not only buy the popular single or record heard on the radio but they will also grasp the subliminal message conveyed by the lyrics. Powell, by judging the popular male rap lyrics, concludes that the only way one can be a real black man is to act like a hard gangster, women and homosexual hating thug. Objectification of women, as noted in the first chapter, occurs in a great share of top rap hits. The hits that have reached the top charts and sold in millions of copies. This suggests that denigrating women is a successful marketing tool for music industry executives, but in fact the consumers contribute to the selling process. Deni grating portrayal of women together with vicissitudes of the life in the hood partly occur as a response to a supposed consumer demand for symbolic, stereotypical representation of the ghetto and its inhabitants. It is important to note that the fans of rap music are not only young blacks from the ghetto. Many of avid listeners are white youth, who may have little firsthand experience of living in disadvantaged areas. For them hip hop songs may serve as a source of information. One of the white hip hop fans, interviewed by Hurt, admitted that for a representative of upper middle-class white suburban area, rap serves as a means of experiencing completely different culture. The question arises whether rap music can be treated as a reliable basis for evaluation of black culture or those are the industry forces merely responsible for the content of the music. Watkins in his article on black nationalism claims that explicit and misogynistic rap lyrics have revived common beliefs about black social pathology and deviance. The interviewed white hip hop fan also confirmed that in his opinion rap music reinforces racial stereotypes held by many whites. As mentioned before, rap music initially developed out of the experiences of youth in disadvantaged black neighborhoods of the Bronx and aspired to be a real voice of the ghetto. Thus, theoretically speaking, the messages conveyed by rap songs should have mirrored the real life of Americas inner cities. Contemporary hip hop phenomenon is still marketed by the same strategy, as being a reflection of the urban life on the streets. Keith Negus in his article broadly presented how the music industry agents work on their productions to reflect the cultural phenomenon of hip hop. He states that one of the strategy to grasp the real street experience is that the music industry sends its agents into the streets, clubs and other public places of disadvantaged neighborhoods in order to gather information about the newest trends and prevailing issues. Gender relations and violence constitute one of the pervasive concerns of the ghetto context. The harsh conditions of the ghetto may put its residents in sharp mutual conflict and make them turn to unconventional, illegal sources of gaining self-esteem. As argued in the first chapter, economic success and violence are considered one of the ways to gain respect in the ghetto. One of the studies of disadvantaged African-American neighborhoods of the late sixties indicates how crucial it was for the black unpriviliged men to be perceived as superior to women, despite the fact that in some cases such behavior was far from reality. More recent research of Miller and White shows that also today degradation of women shapes gender relations of the inner cities. It is argued that such a way of conduct stems from the set of rules that regulate life in the ghetto. For young men in such neighborhoods, the street code praises sexual achievements, promiscuity, and the exploitation of women: Because of the implications sex has for their local social status and esteem, the young men are ready to be regaled with graphic tales of one anothers sexual exploits. . . . Status goes to the winner, and sex is prized as a testament not of love but of control over another human being. The goal of the sexual conquests is to make a fool of the young woman. . . .[The male] incurs sanctions [from his peers] for allowing a girl to rule him or gain positive reinforcement for keeping her in line. . . . In many cases the more the young man seems to exploit the young woman, the higher is his regard within the peer group. Due to the poor socioeconomic conditions African American men are said to be deprived of the traditional traces of dignity. The street code favors celebration of material success and life of a women-exploiting pimp. Concluding findings listed above, it may be argued that both neighborhood and the industry influences rap lyrical content. As the corporations have been usurping the black mass culture for decades, hip hop seems to be an another product line. The issues as objectification of women have become a troubling global trend. In order to change it, not only the misogynistic nature of hip hop music needs to be revised but also the mass expectation for the product reshaped. As the author of Pimps Up, Hos Down: Hip Hops Hold on Young Black Women, Tracy Sharpley-Whiting claims, nowadays hip hop is only more explicit form in articulating mens conflicted relations with women. The problem boils down to the question of the ideas about masculinity and the role which men have to perform in American culture. She claims that contemporary men and boys feel displaced, as they compete with alpha women and girls in every aspect of life in ways that their fathers and grandfathers did not. Concurrently, she notes that men are in conflict with American ideals concerning manhood and a patriarchal society. Supposedly the only area t hat men feel able to exert power and dominance is in the field of sexuality and violent strength. Physical and sexual degrading attitude towards women, presumably, aims to bring back the balance in the female dominated world. Sharpley-Whiting notes that as much as hip hop have become a rawer form of expression the customers tastes also coarsened. The multi-billion generating music industry caters for these tastes as many rap consumers find degrading women entertaining. Similar point of view is presented by a hip hop culture researcher, Darren Rhym, in his study on gangsta rap and misogyny. He shares the same idea that hatred toward women is triggered by men who struggle to empower themselves.   Gangsta rappers who are notorious for misogynistic and, supposedly, men empowering lyrics, use rap music to define themselves, their lifestyle and outlook on life in general. Gangsta rappers share self-centered views of their community and the world.  Ã‚  They search for the way how to assure themselves as men, same as white men when they become successful.   That is why rappers usually present themselves as being greatly misunderstood victims of the establishment and apply a me against the world approach. By doing so they can claim innocence and adopt power position which enables them to view black women as objects and reasons for their failures. Even though, as it has been stated before, misogyny toward black women is present in the code of the stree t, restructured content of rap music can be used as a powerful tool to rejuvenate gender relations in the ghettos. As it is rather a hard and long-term process to change the socioeconomic conditions under which hip hop is created, it seems to be easier for the media and various institutions to influence the music executives to promote more affirmative content of hip hop songs. Especially that, as Rhymes notes, the most successful rappers who acquired enormous wealth somewhat lose their ghetto credibility. Gangsta rappers commonly identify with the inner-city black community and the hardship of the urban life. However, once a rapper achieves a material success he is no longer a part of the world he raps about.  Frustrated rappers may then look for various topics that will keep them real and connected with the ghetto. The motif of degrading women commonly seen in many rap songs, may be used as a strategy to regain credibility or acceptance of the home community. Needless to say, thi s is a wrong and disturbing technique. There are other topics to rap about that rappers may choose and still remain genuine. They may use their from-rags-to-riches life experience and share it with their underachieving counterparts. Not only will they sound authentic serving as a role model but also inspire pursuit of better life and lifelong dreams among the inhabitants of the inner-cities. It can be noted recently that hip hop is facing an increasing backlash. Such an attitude towards rap in particular has been preceded by many infamous events. The 2005 Academy Award for best original song in a feature film went to Three 6 Mafias controversial Its Hard Out Here For a Pimp from the film Hustle and Flow. The song performed at the Oscars, provoked a strong criticism of hip hop for perpetuation of the exploitation of women. In 2001, white rapper Eminem was awarded a Grammy for his album, The Marshall Mathers LP. As examined in the first chapter, the lyrics in this album contained extreme hostile and misogynistic messages toward women and homosexuals. The award was greatly condemned by many womens social groups. The most shocking and turning point in the rap popularity was the release of infamous video Tip Drill, by a male rapper Nelly. It caused a major havoc when it was first aired in 2003 on the late night show BET Uncut The BET Uncut Show was a television program aired by Black Entertainment Television (BET) during the early 2000. The aim of the show was to promote cheap, overtly sexual and nearly pornographic rap music videos. The videos were made by well-known hip hop artists, as well as by lesser-known artists who would seek for broader recognition. Due to the nature of the shows content it was broadcasted at 3 in the morning. The content and imagery was strictly adult and this surely contributed to the popularity of the show. Despite its appeal the BET Uncut Show was considered by many viewers poor in taste. Many complained the show promoted depiction of women as sex objects. This came to a boil when Nelly released the most infamous video in BET Uncut history. The video, Tip Drill, presented a raunchy, half naked women who danced suggestively with other women and men and pretended to engage in a sexual intercourse. The most controversial part was the moment when Nelly slid his credit card down a womans buttocks. This video hit the height of controversy ever presented in hip hop. Nelly initially had been scheduled to appear during a charity event at Spelman female college in Atlanta, Georgia, to promote bone marrow awareness. When this video aired, he was confronted with a statement from student groups from predominantly black Spelman college that they could have no longer continued to support rappers who presented women as hypersexual objects. Students representatives claimed this attack was not directly aimed at Nelly but they would have rather presented their opposition to the troubling direction into which hip hop was shifting. After hearing the concert would have been boycotted, Nelly canceled his appearance during the event. At the beginning of 2005, the African American womens magazine ESSENCE started a campaign against sexism in rap music. The magazine targeted black women, launched massive critique of the music industry for creating songs and videos that portrayed black women as sex objects. ESSENCE shed light on many instances how the music affected young black girls. The magazine not only expressed its disapproval with the depiction of black women in rap but also requested feedback from readers on ways to challenge it. It also promoted positive hip-hop artists and sponsored public discussions with rap artists. In 2006, Spelman College and ESSENCE magazine joined forces to launch a program Take Back the Music. One of the organized panel sessions hosted scholars as Dr. Tarshia Stanley, assistant professor of English at Spelman; Kevin Powell, author and activist; as well as representatives of the music industry: Michael Lewellen, a vice president of public relations, BET; Brian Leach, a vice president of AR, TVT Records; hip hop artist and actress MC Lyte and the editor of ESSENCE magazine Michaela Angela Davis. The panelists attempted to seek for answers to the questions such as: Where Are We Now? How Did We Get Here? Where Are We Going? The gathering also aimed to examine the visual and lyrical depiction of African American women and the impact that these images had on global community. The main goal was to start a dialog in order to initiate a positive change in hip hop. The discussion was concluded with the statement that producing lyrics and images that counter balance the misogyny could be a step all involved parties could take. The Take Back the Music meeting initiated by ESSENCE inspired discussion on the increasingly popular musical genre at various levels. Soon after the program had been launched more institutions brought up the issue of healing the hip hop from misogyny. In 2006 Berkley College of Music also took the effort and joined the movement encouraging new directions for rap. The school included in its curriculum the class that would be devoted to critical thinking and social impact of black music. The change in the curriculum turned out to be a success as the classes filled up immediately. The college also aimed to provide summer program scholarships to the winners of ESSENCEs hip-hop songwriting contest. Cynthia Gordy, an assistant editor of the magazine, found the contest important as the young college artists are the future of hip hop. The initiative has been also endorsed by a range of the underground artists and organizations as the Boston Hip-Hop Alliance, a group that supports positive hi p-hop artists and community organizations. Although the positive hip hop movement have been successfully ignited the real change still needs to be executed by the big record companies who dictate what is being produced. There are many popular and talented rappers whose lyrics depart from misogynistic messages. Tracy Sharpley-Whiting names a few as: Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Brother Ali, Zion I, Mr. Lif or Lupe Fiasco. These rappers in their songs avoid messages about violence, misogyny or importance of material success. Through their rhyming skills, they would rather call for unity and activism of the black American society. As Sharpley-Whitng rightly claims, what we hear on the radio is not the only hip hop available. These artists do not produce as many records as 50 Cent, or Eminem and that says more about the consumers than it does about the rappers. According to Scherazade Daravulla King, a director of Bostons Project: Think Different a group focused on production of positive hip-hop ESSENCE as a media organization cannot create a movement: The media needs to be connected to grass-roots efforts working to promote positive images and positive messages, and I think thats where its kind of missing the boat. There are still plenty of hip-hop artists that are true to their roots and the history of the genre. We just need to work to amplify those records. Thomas F. DeFrantz, an associate professor of music and theater arts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, finds the critiques of hip hop as essential. Concurrently, he points out the fact that the music industry is not the only responsible party for passing the negative message through hip-hop.   He claims that there must be something more than just chasing the financial profits as: People love having sex and talking about sex. There were also instances where the program launched by ESSENCE faced less optimistic and tougher audience. Such scenario happened during a heated debate titled Images of Women in Hip Hop at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York in 2005. The panelists included rapper Remy Ma, underground emcee Jean Grae, author and radio personality Karen Hunter, ESSENCE editor Akiba Solomon and DJ Beverly Bond. The program ended up shortly after it had started as panelists and audience members fiercely struggled to articulate their opinions. Over 300 attendees listened nervously to the panelists debated on hip-hops approach toward women before loudly voicing their own ideas. Interestingly, the audience seemed to be equally divided. Younger people would tend to claim that hip-hops depiction of women accurately reflects the behavior of many females, while older attendees, who may have remembered what hip hop used to mean, blamed the contemporary raps content for negative effects on the behav ior of both young men and women. Unfortunately, the panel ended up without mutual consensus, leaving many listeners disappointed. The conclusion drawn from the meeting may be that the community does not ignore the fact that women are being presented in negative light and feel the need to discuss the issue in details. Looking back at the history, the critical approach to hip hop seems to be nothing new. In the beginning, rap was considered by many not a real music but just a noisy behavior. But the criticism rarely came from the youthful audience itself whose identity was defined by this genre like no other. Nowadays hip hop faces an unprecedented backlash. Although the turning point is hard to be clearly identified, after 30 years of growing popularity, rap music is now battling with an alarming sales decline and growing criticism about the cultures negative effect on society. The popular rapper Nas, challenged the condition of rap by giving a thought provoking title to his latest album Hip-Hop is Dead. According to recent statistics, this title may be closer to the truth than ever. Music sales are down in general, but rap sales slid an alarming 21 percent from 2005 to 2006. For the first time in 12 years no rap album was among the top 10 sellers of the year. The author of Hip Hop Generation, Bakari Kitwana says that it is a natural consequence as the members of hip hop generation grow older and are less eager to defend it.. The study conducted by the Black Youth Project in 2006 indicated that a majority of youth thought rap consisted of too many aggressive images. In the same year, a poll of black Americans by The Associated Press and AOL-Black Voices, showed that 50 percent of respondents said hip-hop was a negative force in American society. This radical shift may have been partially caused by the lack of balance and consistency in presented images. The avid listeners may have had enough of the dark side of hip hop. Another point why black community is turning its back on hip hop may be, as noted by Baltimore Sun pop critic Rashod D. Ollison: The music, dances and images in the video are clearly reminiscent of the era when pop culture reduced blacks to caricatures: lazy coons, grinning pickaninnies, sexually super-charged bucks. Howeve r, it is hard to predict whether the dropping sales trend continues in a long run as, according to Ollison, America is sick and loves violence and sex. It may seem that the only instances of hip hop being discussed broadly in the media are its misogynistic, violent lyrics and explicit videos. However, some critics see the positive sides in hip hop. Bakari Kitwana in his book The Hip Hop Generation compares hip hop cultural phenomenon to the civil rights movement and proves its great potential to impact social change. He enumerates great public events that have shown how hip hop can extend its impact beyond popular culture and influence on the politics serving as a strong unifying tool. For instance, in 1997 the rap group The Fugees held a fund and awareness raising concert on behalf of Haitian charity organizations. Another example of how strong hip hop can talk to the minds of young people is the case of Mumia Abu Jamals fight for justice. He was sentenced to death in 1982 for killing a white policeman who engaged in confrontation with Jamals brother. Jamals supporters claimed that the fact he was a former Black Panther made him re ceive an unfair trial. He did not admit to having committed the crime, and claimed he had been set up for his political past. His rally for justice was supported by many rappers. Their songs permeated with critical opinions of penal system and reached the minds of their fans. By giving this example Kitwana argues that rap may serve as an informative tool and influence many young peoples opinions regarding the death penalty and racial inconsistencies of American justice. Nevertheless, hip hop is still more likely to be geared at controversy and money making by the executive moguls and rap artists themselves. Kitwana states that the hip hop generation, comprised of African Americans born in 1965-1984, need a national organization, one that would not only take advantage of the great economic power of the hip-hop industry but also focus on issues of education, employment, injustice and crime. To support this claim, Kitwana, in one of the interviews, underlines the success of Russell Sim mons Hip-Hop Summit Action Network which helped the United Federation of Teachers and the Alliance for Quality Education gather nearly 100,000 people to protest against New York Mayor Mike Bloombergs $358 million cut in education subsidy. The protest was personally supported by hip hop stars such as Sean P. Diddy Combs, Alicia Keys and LL Cool J. The event was not only recognized by the press but also brought about a feasible effect. The demonstration made Mayor Bloomberg restore $298 million to his initial budget proposal. Although the importance of this event is significant, there is still a lot to do for hip hop generation to catch on politics according to Kitwana. He claims that hip hop cultural phenomenon, if wisely led, can surpass the achievements of the civil rights movement. Indeed, the whole hip hop generation stands on the solid foundation grounded by the success of civil rights and Black Power activists. Yet, hip hop seems to be a more active and rebellious way of expres sion. It may become a political movement as its greatest power is the ability to spread the word quickly and influence the masses. It provides the most relevant outlook on the present issues of the inner cities. In the early beginnings it may have been considered just a meaningless noisy trend. However, the past twenty years have revealed how powerful and long-lasting this trend is. Not only has it become acknowledged in the mainstream America but also has had a massive impact at an international level. This phenomenon may provide new black leaders with an access to unparalleled force of economic power and broad audience of followers which hip hop culture has generated. On the other hand, according to Kitwana, the major problem is that the work of black political activists of this generation is still undermined by the celebrity culture. He claims that the synergy of politics and hip hop should not be about rappers becoming political leaders. The rappers can act as a stimulus force a s in case of the Million Man March, where many black men appeared partly because rappers made it fashionable to support black causes. The rappers should not be leaders but their appearance during such events may help to catch the medias attention on important, troubling issues of black society. Kitwana hopes that perhaps then the media will divert the perception of hip hop as being just violent and misogynistic: Poor black people, especially young blacks of this generation, have not had a voice until the emergence of rap. If you can get past pimps and hos, hip-hop conveys the message of poor people not having jobs and having inadequate education . . . but that other message of pimps and hos is overshadowing that. Kitwana admits that there are two sides to hip hop. He is not defending it, nor accusing of being violent or misogynistic. Although he also sees the negative impact of it in terms of anti-black images or glorification of material success, he is more focused on stressing the positive impact of hip hop. He outlines the possibilities this phenomenon can provide to rejuvenate black society. He rightly notes that the music is contradictory but so are the messages the society is exposing its people to. He claims that young people have turned to music and films in order to look for answers on how to be young and black. That is why these media should be used wisely in order to fill the young minds with right answers for their troubling questions. Conclusion Rap is not just music, it is a part of African-American culture.  It has also proven to be a very inspirational phenomenon for young people. Initially it has developed to reflect the real life of the American inner-cities. Along with growing popularity of the beats and rhymes

Shakespeares Macbeth is a Tragic Hero Essay -- GCSE English Literatur

Macbeth is a Tragic Hero In many respects Macbeth, of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is the least admirable tragic hero of literature. Typical tragic heroes have at least a few admirable character traits. One may, or may not like the hero, but there is something in their characters or their situation on which one can hang some sympathy, even if there is not enough for us to rationalize away their actions. But Macbeth is a mass murderer, who does away with friends, colleagues, women and children, often for no apparent reason other than his own desires. Why should Macbeth be considered a tragic hero?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The answer, has to do with the quality of his mind, his horrible determination to see the entire evil business through. Having, with the murder of Duncan, taken charge of the events which shape his life, he is not now going to relinquish the responsibility for securing his desires. The most remarkable quality of the man in this process is the clear-eyed awareness of what is happening to him personally. He is suffering horribly throughout, but he will not crack or seek any other remedy than what he alone can deliver. If that means damning himself even further, then so be it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This stance certainly does not make Macbeth likable or (from our perspective) in many respects admirable. But it does confer a heroic quality upon his tragic course of action. He simply will not compromise with the world, and he will pay whatever price that decision exacts from him, even though as his murderous career continues he becomes increasingly aware of what it is costing him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It seems clear that what his murder has cost him is the very thing that made him great in the first place. For no soon... ...use he has any desire to win but because wants to take charge of the final event, his own death. The life he has created for himself leaves him with nothing else to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This last point about Macbeth's bringing about his own death is an important element in his tragedy. Having set himself above all conventional morality and prudence to tackle life on his own terms in answer to his desires, Macbeth will remain in charge until the end. Like so many other great tragic heroes (Oedipus, King Lear, Othello), he self-destructs. He has come to the full recognition of what taking full charge of his own life, without any concessions to his community, really means. And that realization fills him with a sense of bitterness, futility, and meaninglessness. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. Macbeth, ed. Carroll, W. C., Boston, MA: Bedford/ St.Martin's, 1999.