Ralph Waldo Emerson Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ralph Waldo Emerson - Research Paper Example With that said, a close look will be taken into Emerson’s essay, Nature, to define Emerson’s use of the metaphor to highlight the importance of nature as an ideology for finding faith within a stressful and rigid reality and to explain why Emerson’s work is a fundamental example of pastoral transcendence and should be read by anyone who wants to achieve a deeper understanding of the world around them. To begin with, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote Nature as an anonymous ploy to show the beauty he discovered; a beauty that man had only to look around him to find as well. He believed that â€Å"no power of genius†¦has ever yet had the smallest success in explaining existence. The perfect enigma remains† (Woodberry 109). In this, Emerson had achieved the impossible. For Emerson, it was clear that he had found a source of divinity within the beauty that nature holds, one that he believed most men were unable to see, and one that he believed most men needed to s ee and understand if they were to get the most out of their lives. More, that this level of attainment is so important to the life of man because not only do most men miss out on nature, but nature has so much to give if only men were to take one moment and view the true beauty that it holds. In Nature, Emerson â€Å"conceives existence as energy; uncircumscribed and formless it is God, conditioned and in the finite it is the soul within and Nature without† (Woodberry 109). In any other time in history, Emerson would probably have been called a heretic for his words, and even today his ideology that through nature man can find faith and divinity within the arms of nature may be unsettling for some. However, while his words may be taken in offence by some of the more church-based religions, Emerson brings up a unique point that man has the ability to find the warmth of God and faith just by walking alone in nature. This alone makes reading Emerson a worthwhile experience. So m any ‘classic’ works, or works considered part of the literary cannon, highlight an essential function of human life and give the reader something to chew on. What Emerson offers is more. A reader can take his words for what they are—taking in only the beauty of his prose; or, a reader can reach a level of transcendence through understanding that Emerson has opened up a world of deep meaning and rich exploration. A world where God is everywhere and a touch of faith can be as accessible as the light breeze on a sunny day. More, what Emerson is illuminating is not to start a new religion or to have man misinterpret his metaphor as anything other than as a way for man to ultimately find God; and nature is simply that pathway. Now, Emerson is not defining God, either. It seems clear that he intends every man to have their own faith in whichever manner that they choose, it is mostly that he wants to offer man an avenue for finding the inner peace and solace that holdin g the faith of a divinity represents. And, getting there means that man has to let go of some of the hectic business of life and take a moment of silence to open up his very soul to the prospect of solace through the beauty of nature. This alone is like getting valuable advice from an unexpected place. Emerson is clever, by making man out to be a relatable version of everyman. His words make it clear that no man has to choose a religion to find the peace of faith and enlightenment, and he makes it accessible to seek a pathway to solace of the soul. In many ways, it is a

WTO And Environmental Protection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

WTO And Environmental Protection - Essay Example This essay stresses that WTO plays as a protector and promoter of free trade while at the same time respecting the necessity for environmental protection and the rights of individual nations to set their standards. There main environmental debate that WTO is involved in revolve around two issues – one whether WTO should be concerned with disputes and litigations concerning environmental protection at all and the other that WTO is actually used as tool by nations to by-pass environmental concerns and indulge in rapid and unsustainable development. This paper makes a conclusion that it is seen in several cases that were brought to the WTO that accuses nations were employing domestic environment related laws to mete out discriminatory treatment to different countries. In the cases of the US embargo on imports on shrimps from India and other Asian countries and of the US embargo on tuna from Mexico it was seen that US used its domestic laws in a discriminatory manner. Similarly, in the case of Venezuela gasoline imports, the US appeared to be favoring its domestic gasoline refineries over the imports under the guise of its Clean Air Act. In all the three circumstances, WTO took the trade perspective that US should not be allowed to use environmental protection laws as a ruse for benefiting some favored nations and discriminating against others or in order to provide benefits to domestic producers.

Interpersonal communication and the internet Research Paper

Interpersonal communication and the internet - Research Paper Example People relying solely on social media for interpersonal communication may judge their relationship partners on the basis of limited information. There is a probability of electronic transmission of threats making college life complicated for some students. Facebook is the cause of distraction and often plays the role of a life savior for otherwise socially awkward students. Internet, sometimes, promotes racism and hatred making interpersonal communication among the people of different beliefs almost improbable. Schools, colleges and universities should allocate some time and resources to equip students with the basic ethics of online communication. Interpersonal Communication and the Internet The most significant characteristic of a man is his ability to communicate with his fellow human beings to achieve the desired outcomes. Man has always struggled to develop and expand the means of communication available to him. In recent years, internet and online social networks including Face book, Twitter, MySpace, and Tumblr have revolutionized the field of communication. People have become so reliant on technology that those who tend to disconnect themselves from it seem odd to the rest of the people. Internet provides a medium to vent frustration and social anxiety and is an easier way to communicate. But the controlling influence of social media, increasing reliance on internet leading to a decline in interpersonal communications, probability of electronic transmission of threats and promotion of racism and hatred often outweigh its advantages. The internet has no doubt transformed the world into a global village. However, at the same time, the yawning gaps between people in their interpersonal relationship seem to get bigger day by day. Women, in earlier times, used to gather at the river to wash their clothes. This provided them with an opportunity to mingle with the people living in the same locality. With the introduction of new technologies and easier ways to w ash, a decrease in interpersonal communication is apparent as the people in general and women in particular no longer gather at the river. The same explanation can be presented to explain the decline in interpersonal relationships due to the creation of innovative and technologically advanced communication tools including the internet and the social media. People have become less interdependent and more self-governing. Even the advertising campaigns seem to promote it. As far as the impact of internet is concerned, millions of emails are sent by people to their friends, relatives and colleagues every day making it tremendously unproblematic to communicate. Internet, on one hand, has a number of advantages. Conversely, on the other hand, it has dramatically reduced the exchange of information among the masses. Those who use these forms of communication may evaluate their relationship partners on the basis of inadequate information. Internet, indeed, encourages the growth in interpers onal communication. However, those who entirely rely on online means encounter difficulties in face to face communications (Riqdon). Studies suggest that students use internet mainly for finding people, seeking, distraction, coping and E-mail. The availability of internet on the college campuses, provision of free email addresses to the students and high speed broadband connection-equipped

FORTH ROAD BRIDGE MAINTENANCE Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

FORTH ROAD BRIDGE MAINTENANCE - Coursework Example This paper examines maintenance/upgrading/repair of the bridge’s crucial members, with particular emphasis on the main cables. This, in the context of identification of the faults associated with the cables, and the methodology adopted in repair or remedy of the observed damages. The techniques involved/applied in the maintenance of this bridge will also be discussed. Recommendations will be made, and where appropriate, alternative repair methods would be suggested. The methodology entails a critical assessment based on literature research, hence references will be made to available studies on the subject, and where necessary, other relevant material would be cited. The maintenance of the Forth Road bridge is multi-dimensional in nature. Generally, there could be a categorisation into two broad classes: (a) small to medium-sized maintenance operations, and (b) major operations. The first category serves the general purpose of simply keeping the bridge usable, while the second category serves the more vital purpose of enhancing, improving or elevating the serviceability of the structure to a higher level. It is noteworthy that training of staff, risk assessments and method statements are carried out prior to any task, to ensure that work is carried out as safely as possible. This can perhaps be described as yet another dimension of these maintenance operations, impacting on quality of the procedures involved, in the context of safety. A number of simple or basic operations have been identified in connection with maintenance of this bridge. There are, for instance, routine tasks during the summer months involving the washing of the steelwork of the suspended span truss with freshwater to remove surface salts and guano. There are, and have been, small to medium-sized maintenance works carried out since the Forth Road Bridge commenced service, and, in this context, these

Instructional Design Skills and Competencies Dissertation

Instructional Design Skills and Competencies - Dissertation Example This includes internal training courses, formal and informal mentoring, certification programs, and externally run training courses. Unfortunately, this is not the case for all faculty. Although these numbers have increased nationwide, when analyzing data from individual schools, there are many faculty who do not receive this training. The specific topic for this research is the skills that are needed for faculty who are involved in online course development, and the training that is needed to assist in this development. 1.4 Research Problem Write a brief statement that fully describes the problem being addressed. Present this in one sentence or no more than one clear concise paragraph. Through the past decade, the number of higher education institutions that offer online courses has increased, and there has been an increase of enrollment in these courses (Allen and Seaman, 2011). In specific colleges and universities, faculty members are faced with developing these courses without f ormal training in many cases. This lack of knowledge indicates a need for increased knowledge and skill building for all teachers developing and teaching online course. According to Allen and Seaman (2011), 65% of institutions surveyed indicated that online course delivery is critical to an institution’s long-term plans. Also, there has been an increase in acceptance of online courses (Carliner & Driscoll, 2009). Faculty is often responsible for creation, development, and management of online classes (Carliner & Driscoll, 2009), without formal training. Devries (2007) states that there is an assumption that ready-made software automates part of course development processes, leaving only the contributions of subject matter experts (SMEs), who are the faculty-designers. This usually is not true in practice. Although the software may use templates and other tools, faculty may lack understanding of how to use them (De Vries, 2007). Faculty-designers are often met with the tasks o f developing and managing course content, facilitating and recording student activity, providing consultation sessions for students with questions and concerns and developing meaningful learning activities (Ally, 2008). The need for faculty training in these areas is well documented (Ally, 2008; De Vries, 2007) and an effective training program to enhance the skills needed must be found. 1.5 Research Purpose Write a brief statement that fully describes the intent of the study or the reason for conducting the study. Present this in one sentence or no more than one clear concise paragraph. The purpose of this study is to understand the needs of faculty designers who teach and design online courses. The findings from this study will provide insight into instructional design skills currently used by faculty-designers of online higher education courses. It will also provide information about skills required to develop and manage online courses from the faculty-designer perspective. The f uture purpose of this research is to design a training program for a higher education institution where faculty need training. 1.6 Research Question(s) (What do you really want to know? The rest of this form derives from and should constantly be

American-Spanish War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American-Spanish War - Essay Example In the history of the United States, the Spanish-American War (SAW) is one of the most important foreign wars. The result of the war was the victory for the United States, and this victory became possible due to the hard work and efforts of far-sighted Americans, particularly known as â€Å"Navalists†. The contemporary world would have looked quite different today, if the United States had not won this war. The United States was able to defeat Spain so easily because some far-sighted Americans, such as Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge, were able to develop a strong American fleet. Creating a strong navy was one of the most important ways to protect the national interest and sovereignty of the United States. The navy was to be the backbone of the American power for years to come . The U.S. was able to defeat Spain at considerably low cost as it got prepared better both military and psychologically, to a large extent The background of the war actually propelled the United States to embark on the policy of revenge, and to take wide public opinion. On February 15, 1898, an explosion occurred in the USS Maine, in the Havana Harbor, which led to the war. Another reason was the idea of freeing Cuba from Spanish domination. However, the USA was able to rapidly gain control, and build an empire effectively. After it had drive Spain from Cuba, the United States was able to gain control of Puerto Rico, and eventually Samoa, Guam, Wake Island, Philippines, and then eventually Hawaii . The war only lasted around 3 months, and resulted in very few casualties, around 400 killed and wounded. In fact, the anti-Spanish press was able to raise the public against Spain, which led to mass support, which is essential in wars. Such anti-Spanish press included the â€Å"Yellow Journalism†. ... It was also because of the misrule by Spanish in Cuba, and the misery that it had caused, which led to huge nationalistic outburst.6 The fact that the United States was so strong militarily also paved the way for the swift and relatively easy victory. The U.S did not have to protect any colonies abroad. Additionally, the strong navy was built, which was encouraged by both business and government leaders. A modernization program had been started back in 1881, which had included innovations, which included new ships having steel hulls, large, rifled guns and steam engines. The strong U.S navy was able to defeat Spain easily, because Spain could not compete with the all-steel and steam navy, which had ranked one of the top five navies in the world at that particular period. The Spanish navy was easily defeated. 7 Additionally, the government policies, as well as the high quality of leadership also made Spanish defeat extremely easy. Theodore Roosevelt had a policy, which was summarized â€Å"Speak softly but carry a big stick† showed that there were masterminds behind the development of this plan. The building up of the navy, and the subsequent annexations that the U.S pursued ensured that Spain no longer stood a chance. 8 The Monroe Doctrine also stated that the New World would not be part of foreign colonization, which is why American leadership did not want Spanish presence in Cuba. The leadership eventually turned against Spain, and America’s policies and strength diverted to driving out Spain. Additionally, as historians have examined, Spain was an old and weak country, while the United States was vigorous, new and energetic. It had new strategies.9 As Barrett wrote: â€Å"When Dewey’s squadron sailed out from Mires

Two radio and two television genres Essay Example for Free

Two radio and two television genres Essay In at least one point in the day, every-one finds themselves tuned into one broadcast station or another, be it radio or television Be it for entertainment, relaxation, to be informed or merely a means of escapism. For whichever reasons it is, radio and television play an active role in our everyday life whether we are aware of it or not. Using South African examples, this assignment seeks to discuss two radio and two television genres. It is virtually impossible to discuss the issue genre before defining this term. Both the Oxford dictionary as well as Creeber (2001), defines genre as type or kind. Genres allow for the types or kinds of things to be categorised. For example in radio broadcasting, there are various different programs aired, such as talk shows, music shows, news broadcasts, drama shows and so on. Each of these shows are categorised into a particular genre based on their characteristics. The two radio genres that will be discussed are talk shows and music shows. The phenomenon of genre is not exclusive to radio and television alone. In fact according to Greeber, it [genre] has played an important role in the study of literature, theatre, film, television and other art and media forms (Creeber, G: 2001 pg.1). Radio-Talk Genre Radio stations like SAFM and 702 are almost entirely dedicated to the genre of talk show however almost every radio station incorporates this genre if not at least for a few minutes. The success of talk shows lie in participation by the audience. The audience is urged to call into the radio station and either view their opinion on the topic of discussion or pose questions to either an officiator or a panel. On SAFM for example, there was a program entitled The Life and Times of Dr. Bayers Nordea. The show was as the title implies, discussing and talking about Dr. Nordeas life. The show hosted family, colleagues and friends, who spoke about his life. Listeners also got the opportunity to add their comments, thoughts, as well as pose questions to the panel. The show was also officiated by the host or disk jockey (D.J) of the show, who not only directed most of the discussion, but also made sure that the show, ran smoothly. The nature of talk shows is such that the audience phones in either agreeing or disagreeing to the topic or question being discussed. This opens the door for others to voice their opinions. According to Barnard (2000), phone-in encourages a free flow of opinion and conversation within the safety of an artificially created community (Barnard, S: 2000). With out this element, the talk show would be deemed unsuccessful. Talk shows do not follow a particular protocol, meaning that any topic can be addressed. The mere action of a D.J. posing a question relating to any topic and receiving feedback from the audience constitutes the genre of talk show to be exercised. As any topic makes way for talk shows, it is common to find small inserts of talk show, even within a primarily music radio station. Highfeld Stereo is an example of a South African music radio station. It is common to find a situation where a D.J. poses a question and opens the lines to receive feedback. The D.J is thus officiating a talk show, within a music show. Listeners of talk shows however, are required to concentrate on the discussion if they are to understand what is being discussed, thus ones attention cannot divert from one thing to another. For example, one cannot talk to a friend on the phone, as well as remain focused on the discussion. Radio-Music Genre Although there is audience participation in the music genre, it differs from that of the talk genre. Regarding music radio, the audience is urged to call in to send dedications to friends or loved ones, choose songs they wish to hear, or vote for their favourite song rather than voice their opinions on a matter. Music as a genre is not so clear-cut like talk shows. Within the music genres, there are sub-genres, where by music is categorised according to style. Rock, rave, hip-hop and pop would all be examples of sub-genres of the music genre. The music genre requires less attention from the listener to be focused on the show. Namely, the listener can do various other activities without loosing out on the entertainment. For example, while driving a car and focusing on the road, or while working at ones desk, one can continue to listen to his or her favourite song and not be side tracked. Unlike the talk genre where if one was driving a car and focusing on the road they would more than likely loose track of what was being discussed-alternatively, they would possibly have an accident. As the genre implies, the emphasis in music shows is in fact music. Therefore it is common to find very little talking by the D.J. and more music being played. The show usually consists of popular songs in the specific sub-genre being aired. This genre also usually has a top 40 show, where the 40 most popular songs are aired. This is commonly known as contempory hit radio (Tomaselli/de Villiers: 1998). 5FM radio station for example has the Coca-Cola Top 40 music show which is aired every Sunday morning from 10:00- 14:00. Other radio stations like East Coast Radio host the Top 10 at 10 show, which airs the 10 most popular songs every Tuesday night at 22:00. These songs which make it onto the top 10 or top 40 lists, are songs which have been voted for by the public. Jacaranda FM in contrast to the mainstream radio stations of say 5FM for example would air music of a different sub-genre, however one would still find the most popular tracks of that specific sub-genre being aired, as well as top 10 shows occurring. In the music genre, the D.Js primary job is to play music and possible talk a little bit about the artist of the track, rather than being an officiator or a mediator of discussion, as is found in talk radio. Television-Documentary Genre As the term documentary implies, these shows are usually fact based and require research to be done on the particular topic being showed. Events are documented by a team of researchers and aired to the public. An example of a documentary would be found in the SABC 2 show 50/50. This is a documentary program that focuses on various aspects of the wild life. Documentaries however could focus on a variety of topics, including an event, person or idea. As the emphasis of documentaries is on information, enlightenment and facts, viewers usually watch documentaries as a means of being informed, rather than being entertained. The nature of documentaries is such that each episode is fully formed and has a definite conclusion even if left as an enquiry for the viewer to think about what they have just viewed. This allows the viewer to evaluate their knowledge of the topic against that of the show. Documentaries are also not usually serial form, as would be the case in a sitcom for example. Rather, they tend to be self-contained episodes with definite endings. Documentaries usually also adopt a narrative structure psychological relationship of the viewers to the program. The viewer is often addressed directly, in order to persuade the actual person watching at home that he or she is the you to whom the addresser is speaking (Allen,C: 1992 pg. 118). This also keeps the viewer interested in the show as well making them feel as if they actively involved in what is going on. Due to the fact that documentaries are not entertainment focused and are rather a means of transferring information, events, people or animals being documented are portrayed as realistically as possible. Animals, which are filmed in the 50/50 program, for example are filmed in their natural environments, rather than in zoos, in order to give the viewer the most realistic experience. As they are based on real occurrences, documentaries, unlike entertainment programmes such as sitcoms, do not focus as much on a specific plot. Television-Soap Opera As soap operas were originally targeted at the female audience (Brown, M: 1994), it is not surprising to find that many of the central characters within this genre are women. More importantly, they are strong, powerful and influential characters, rather than the stereotype housewife women. SABC 3 airs the soap opera Isidingo. Charel de Villiers and Leigh Haynes are two examples of strong, powerful and ambitious characters that play central roles in the show. It is important for these kinds of characters to exist, in order for the audience to which the show is targeted at to be able to relate. They [women] recognise some of there own identity in this product created by the media (Brown, M: 1994). People watch soap operas for a number of reasons. The fact that they are entertaining, allows the viewer to unwind, relax or escape from the stresses from every day life, for the duration of the show, as the audience get lost in the reality of the program (Anderson, M: 2004). Viewers could also be using the decision-making techniques and outcomes of the soap opera to work through their own issues (Anderson, M: 2004). Isidingo is an example of a program that deals with AIDS-an issue that the whole of South Africa is facing; it also provides solutions in the form of Nandipe-a married women infected with HIV. Her positive attitude allows her to live a productive life. Viewers may see Nandipe as a role model. Those viewers infected with HIV may in fact even echo her actions in order to try and increase productivity in their own lives. Characters in soap operas are usually found in the form of multiple characters (Brown, M: 1994) meaning that characters emphasize the group over the individual (Brown, M: 1994 pg 53), thus many people can relate to one specific character. This also makes way for viewers to find similarities between themselves and various other characters rather than one particular character. Brown believes that rather than relating to characters in soap operas, viewers implicate themselves to various characters, meaning that the viewer will see similarities between a particular character, or even characters, but when the character acts in a way that the viewer does not agree with, or feel comfortable with, the viewer will distance him or herself from the character (Brown, M: 1994). Soap operas adopt a visualization style, which gets the viewer to focus and identify with a specific character (Brown, M: 1994 pg. 53). On a radio talk show for example, a TV viewer called in with the opinion that the Isidingo villianess, Cherel de Villiers should be punished, as if the viewer could not differentiate between reality fiction. (Anderson, M: 2004). Apparently actors who play villainous characters are shunned offset by the public (Anderson, M: 2004). It is not only the relatable characters and entertaining style of soap operas that keep the audience hooked. It is also the continuous open-ended nature of episodes, set in the present and containing a number of alternating story lines which gives the audience sense of continuous pleasure (Brown, M: 1994, pg. 58). The fact that soap operas resists narrative closure, meaning that the story is continuous and never ending, means there is always hope for the future (Anderson, M: 2004). Thus viewers will continue to watch future episodes in order to come closer to seeing what will happen at the end (which never really comes). John Davies (1984)suggests about soap opera viewers that once hooked, they vacillate between their need to know, or the pleasure of anticipation that keeps viewers watching (Brown, M: 1994). In discussing two radio and two television genres with reference to two South African examples, it is evident that the complexities and intricacies of various broadcasts and genres are not as simple as one would imagine. As seen above, various genres and broadcasts draw in different audiences, and evoke various different responses in the viewer or listener. As technology continues to move forward, where will these broadcasts find themselves in the future? For now though, radio and television will continue to play an active part in almost all of our lives. BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Robert C. 1992. Televisions modes of address the social context of T.V. viewing. In Channels of Discourse, reassembled. 2nd ed. Edited by Robert C. Allen. London: Routledge. Anderson, Muff. Soapies mirror SAs soul. Mail Guardian. 24 March 2004. Barnard, S. 2000. Studying Radio. New York: Arnold Hodder. Brown, Mary Ellen. 1994.Ch. 3: Soap opera and womens talk: The pleasure of resistance. Thousand Oaks: Sage. Creeber, G. (ed.). 2001. Introduction: What is genre? In Creeber, G (ed),The television genre book. London: British Film Institute, 1-7. Teer-Tomaselli, R and de Villiers, C. 1998. Radio: Theatre of the Mind. In De Beer, A (ed). Mass media toward the Millennium. Pretoria: Van Schaik, 147-175.