Leonardo Da Vinnci essays

Leonardo Da Vinnci essays Leonardo Da Vinci was born on April 14, 1452 in the town of Vinci near Florence Italy. He kept the name of his town for his last name. He lived during the fifteenth century, a period when the people of Europe were becoming interested in art. This period of time was known as the Renaissance period. Leonardo Da Vinci was very talented. He was a great artist, but he became famous because he was able to do so many other things. He was an architect, a musician, inventor, sculptor, scientist, and mathematician. His artistic talent revealed its self early in his life. When he was about 15 years old Leonardo's father took him to Florence Italy, to train as a painter and sculptor in the studio of Andrea del Verroccho. He studied with this master until the age of twenty five. At this point, he set up his own business and was famous for being a painter and a man of science. As a scientist, he observed everything he could in nature. Leonardo used what he learned from nature and science to make his paintings look real. He drew and took many notes of what he observed. His notes were written backwards, probably because he didn't want people to read about his discoveries and observations. In order to read Leonardo's notes, one has to hold them up to a mirror. In 1472 he entered a painters' guild. His earliest extensive works date back to this time. In 1482 Da Vinci worked for Duke Lodovico Sforza in Milan for 18 years. He fulfilled the position as court artist, but also worked as an engineer and architect. While in Milan Leonardo developed more theories about painting. Leonardo believed that knowledge should be based on observation. He believed that observation led to understanding, and artists had an obligation to record this understanding by painting accurate images. He made sketches of everything around him. This caused him to make a master plan, his plan was to record the structure of every building in the world. He believed...

Why Your Job Board Applications Aren’t Working

Why Your Job Board Applications Aren’t Working Are you a talented professional with amazing accomplishments, but who is getting nowhere applying for jobs through job boards?   If so, you are not alone, and you are fighting an uphill battle.   The fact is, job seekers get only a 1-3% response rate from the major job boards.   That means you might have to send out 100 resumes to get just one response! There is a trick to getting a higher response from the job boards, which I talk about in detail in How to Write a Resume that Beats the Computers.You also need some other strategies. There are plenty of jobs out there that are not posted on job boards, and that even your networking contacts dont know about. The company itself might not even know they want someone like you until you show up!  Ã‚   Mary Elizabeth Bradford, who won a Career Innovator Award at the 2011 Career Directors International conference, has packaged a Job Search Success System that will help you present yourself powerfully to find those hidden jobs. The basic premise of Mary Elizabeth’s system if that you need strategies to connect directly with companies.   You cut out the â€Å"middle man† (recruiters, HR, job boards, etc.). Most companies go through  at least five steps to fill a position  before they will post the position to a major job board. They get on the phone to a few trusted colleagues. They look to see if anyone internal is qualified to be promoted. They alert their staff to refer someone they might know. They launch an intimate campaign to try to fill the position waaaay before the general public is notified. And if after a few weeks, the position is still not filled, perhaps they contact a related association to post the job on their â€Å"Members Only job† or they contract a recruiter.   Job boards are a last resort. Can you break through to the Hidden Market? Mary Elizabeth emphasizes, â€Å"ANYONE (and I mean even if you are right out of college) can enjoy the benefits of the hidden job market. These jobs are available on all levels and in virtually all industries.   The trick is to hone your focus so you actually achieve the results you want.† What are the advantages to you of connecting to the hidden job market?   You get more job opportunities, more market leverage, less competition, a shorter interview process and bigger offers.   You still might want to send resumes out via the internet as part of your strategy; but why would you focus there exclusively when you can have so much more control over your next career move?! You might be wondering precisely how to tap into the unadvertised job market. There are three strategies recommended by the Job Search Success System that help you focus on and find great jobs that will never see a major job board. Tip #1: Have a plan Launch a proactive job search. Know precisely what you are looking for, then reach out to get it. Know your primary target market(s), primary positions sought, geographic parameters, and timeline. Tip #2: Pick three main job search strategies for tapping into your market Here are two examples of techniques you can utilize: Offer your skills to growing or changing companies: Companies that are expanding, merging, acquiring other companies, rolling out new products or services, or moving are likely to be seeking new employees to help them with their transition. Make direct company contact: Contacting a company directly is a great way to take leadership and control over your job search. Are you interested in looking at the higher education market in your state or the top organic food manufacturers in the US? Or maybe the fastest growing healthcare oriented businesses in your city? All of these â€Å"lists† are accessible to you and allow you to tap right into your market of focus. Tip #3: Manage your job search like a marketing campaign Make a simple plan to move forward. Pick the hours and days each week that you plan to invest in your next career move. Block out those times and stick to them! Honor your commitment to your job search just like you would honor your commitment to your present employer to show up on time each day. During your job search, keep things simple and focus on your actions, not their immediate results! This way you can celebrate your initial â€Å"successes†    the completions of your daily and weekly goals. The results will unfold elegantly and abundantly and you will enjoy the satisfaction of success whether you are investing in marketing yourself or basking in the warm glow of landing your third or fourth interview! How are job boards sounding now?   If you are ready to try a new strategy, I highly encourage you to look into Mary Elizabeth’s award-winning Job Search Success System. And please report your success to both Mary Elizabeth and me.   I love success stories and look forward to hearing yours! Category:Job SearchBy Brenda BernsteinNovember 14, 2011 1 Comment William Dufour says: May 10, 2017 at 8:14 am Thanks for the information. Log in to Reply

Community assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Community assigment - Assignment Example Such drugs generally cause the victim to experience illusions and destabilize their mental capacities making them vulnerable to carry out acts that can be seen as immoral or even illegal. In most cases, the community and the family members of the drug addict are the ones most hit. Drug addict parents have been known to subject their children to verbal or even physical abuse. Furthermore, the children might not be able to have that parental connection to their parents that they so much need as they grow up (Cheperon, 2010). There is even a greater potential problem that is bound to happen; kids who grow up in families where parents or guardians abuse drugs are likely to take up substance abuse since they learn to see it as a normal thing to do. The community where such people with substance abuse issues live in will not develop. The development of the communities we live in depends on a number of aspects ranging from moral stands, education, and innovative skills (Cheperon, 2010). All these aspects need one to be able to be in the right mindset, which can be hard if they abuse drugs. Among the problems we face today globally, many of them can be traced back to substance abuse as their root causes. Unwanted teenage pregnancies, new HIV infections, domestic violence and abuse against children are just but a few of these problems. It all goes down to mental incapacitation that is brought about by psychoactive substances. When a teenager smokes marijuana, for instance, their perception of what is around them becomes disoriented; eventually they will lack a physical coordination and make unthoughtful judgments. All this makes them become easy targets for rape, or they might even engage in unprotected sexual interactions, which can lead to either unwanted pregnancies or infection of HIV, and in most cases both (Ann, 2012). Domestic violence and child abuse falls in a more parental level since it

Internal Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Internal Control - Essay Example Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act states that all annual financial reports must include an internal control report stating that management is responsible for an adequate internal control structure and an assessment by management of the effectiveness of the control structure (Sarbanes-oxley-101, 2015). The creation of SOX established new standards for internal controls that corporations must abide to, while at the same time ensuring that upper management became accountable for the actions of the company. The new internal control requirements must be monitored by upper management including the CEO and CFO who must personally sign the report making them liable in case these internal controls fail (Kmpg, 2004). This raises their accountability by 100% in comparison with the past. The act also requires a statement from the public company that audited the financial statement that it has issued an attestation report on managements assessment of the internal control of the company (Sec, 2008). Peavler, R. (2015). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Enron Scandal – Why are they Important. Retrieved January 6, 2015 from http://bizfinance.about.com/od/smallbusinessfinancefaqs/a/sarbanes-oxley-act-and-enron-scandal.htm Sec.gov (2008). Final Rule: Managements Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and Certification of Disclosure in Exchange Act Periodic Reports. Retrieved January 6, 2015 from

Ininternet Addiction and How It Affects Educational Success Essay Example for Free

Ininternet Addiction and How It Affects Educational Success Essay Many people carry out most of their daily activities using the internet, for example, banking, paying bills and trading which has led to a marked dependence on the internet. According to the Center for On-Line Addiction (1998), there are several types of internet addiction: The first is Cyber-sexual Addiction where people get addicted to pornography on the internet. The second is Cyber-relationship Addiction where people make on-line friends in chatrooms and soon the online friends replace life friends and family. The third is Net- Compulsions where people engage in different compulsive behaviors such as gambling, auctions and excessive online trading. People develop an internet addiction for different reasons. Some people become addicted to the Internet because of the social connections they make online. This is because they develop emotional attachments to the online friends they ‘meet ’on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. The internet offers anonymity where people can talk about issues that they would not feel free to talk to close friends or family about. The internet also provides a wide array of activities which keeps people online in search of new and exciting forms of entertainment The internet has both positive and negative affects on education. Internet addiction negatively affects the social life of students; it leads to an inability to communicate in the ‘real world’. Lack of communication skills it makes it hard for students to form healthy relationships with their peers at school. The internet can also be very distracting. There are a lot of fun activities on the internet like games and social networks which distracts students from doing their school work. Internet addicts spend a lot of time on the internet which leads to exhaustion due to lack of sleep which in turn leads to a lack of concentration at school. Internet addiction continues to be a major problem in today’s society and measures should be taken to ensure that students who are addicted to the internet receive help in order to continue with their studies. Students should be made aware of the reality of internet addiction and its negative effects on their academic performance. Teachers and parents should also limit the time spent by students on the internet to enable them to achieve better academic excellence. References Centre for Internet Addiction (2011). A Growing Epidemic. Retrieved 5, 2013 from http://www. netaddiction. com Young K. S. (1998). Caught in the net: how to recognize the signs of Internet addiction-and a winning strategy for recovery. New York: J. Wiley.

harry potter and lord of the rings :: essays research papers

The Hero Quest Pattern in Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter The authors of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter each use the hero quest pattern as a scheduled backdrop of action. The two protagonists, Frodo Baggins and Harry Potter have very similar beginnings. They are introduced as normal boys who find out that they are going to undertake something very great. The two protagonists however, are not alone in their quests. They both have very similar mentors in Gandalf and Dumbledore respectively. Even greater guidance comes from their friends, who are there every step of the way. Each novel uses a reoccurring symbol to show the presence of evil. The two journeys are so epic due in part to the dark and powerful villains that each hero has to battle. The two hero’s Harry Potter and Frodo Baggins are two very ordinary people before discovering what lay in store for them. Harry lived with his aunt and uncle in terrible conditions after his parents were murdered and Frodo lived with his uncle after his parents drowned. Harry learns of his true powers when he is twelve, he someone tells him that he was the one who killed Voldemort "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived"(Rowling). Harry’s parents were murdered but there love for him protected him, and when Voldemort tried to kill him, his spell backfired and nearly killed him. Harry doesn’t find this out until he is twelve years old, old enough to go to wizardry school. In the Lord of the Rings, middle earth can not agree on what to do with the ring. They finally decide to destroy it, but now can not decide who will carry it. Frodo volunteers to carry the ring when all the other races can not agree who will take it. harry potter and lord of the rings :: essays research papers The Hero Quest Pattern in Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter The authors of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter each use the hero quest pattern as a scheduled backdrop of action. The two protagonists, Frodo Baggins and Harry Potter have very similar beginnings. They are introduced as normal boys who find out that they are going to undertake something very great. The two protagonists however, are not alone in their quests. They both have very similar mentors in Gandalf and Dumbledore respectively. Even greater guidance comes from their friends, who are there every step of the way. Each novel uses a reoccurring symbol to show the presence of evil. The two journeys are so epic due in part to the dark and powerful villains that each hero has to battle. The two hero’s Harry Potter and Frodo Baggins are two very ordinary people before discovering what lay in store for them. Harry lived with his aunt and uncle in terrible conditions after his parents were murdered and Frodo lived with his uncle after his parents drowned. Harry learns of his true powers when he is twelve, he someone tells him that he was the one who killed Voldemort "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived"(Rowling). Harry’s parents were murdered but there love for him protected him, and when Voldemort tried to kill him, his spell backfired and nearly killed him. Harry doesn’t find this out until he is twelve years old, old enough to go to wizardry school. In the Lord of the Rings, middle earth can not agree on what to do with the ring. They finally decide to destroy it, but now can not decide who will carry it. Frodo volunteers to carry the ring when all the other races can not agree who will take it.

Brand Onions The Crying Game: Article analysis

The crying game, Martin Well. Article Analysis The article from Martin Well Is calling Into question the use of models for brand- perception management. Brand-marketing models may create barriers in the development of brands. By following strict rules, the way for creativity is not accessible. To better understand the article we will mentioned the main statement from the author, to then better analyze it.Processes in marketing lock the values of companies in a strict way (like in a box), and it doses ‘t promote the creativity and the action. Employees will not think out of the box, being locked in those concepts. Then any messages, Ideas, options, alternatives, solutions or opinion that do not have a direct link to the â€Å"rules† are automatically rejected. This Is quite â€Å"Nazi† and does not promote Innovation. The brand will not take any risk. Its messages will be very simple. There won't be evolution over the time.The company stays stacked with its values, and launch messages around it, but probably this is not what its customer or target is expecting, and believe in. Or it is not well done (the message) and the target group does understand a different meaning of it. In the article, Nikkei is mentioned as an example, and Nine's slogan â€Å"Just Do It† Is probably Included In employee's minds. This motto Is part of the values of the firm. In this case this value Is very motivating, pushing for creation and action.Also It does encourage the employee to think out of the box. A call to action and creatively should always be part of any company' s values. Furthermore, these tools do not give much opportunity to adapt to national market, where values and messages could be improved in many cases. Of course it is useful as a base to help you understand (as a company), who you are, hat you want to achieve, where you are going and why? This is kind of a raisin d' ©tree, witch helps the business and its employees to stay focus, knowin g why they are waking up every morning.Any tool should be adapted, changed or only be used as a remembered over the time. Studies, trough tests directly taking place on the market, analyzing reactions of people). To understand if the message is perceived as we want it to be perceived, or even if it is the right one. Does the target group really want to be associated to those values? Is there any improvement to be done? Should we stick on our firm-values anyway? Or are we capable to adapt, to evolve, being smarter?I would like to conclude by this post from Erg Manses, witch commented the article: â€Å"we spend most of our time trying to post-rationalize the decisions we make by instinct†. The brain has two different parts that are (thanks god) connected between each other, meaning that our instinct might not be that instinct, but a fast connection inside our brain is probably made. Models we are using in order to plan a brand strategy should not be followed like science, but they should be used as different tools to orient ourselves.

Philosophy and Critical Thinking Skills

What Is Your Philosophy Georgette Duropan PHL/215 April 11,2012 Ryan Shriver What Is Your Philosophy? According to â€Å"Merriam Webster† (2012), Epistemology is the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge, especially with reference to its limits and validity. In my essay I will give you a description about the approaches to philosophical questions for each of the major philosophical areas of inquiry, and explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought.I will also give an explanation of why the selected philosophy best describes my identification of cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy. The Divisions of Philosophy falls into four areas, such as Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics (moral philosophy, social philosophy, political philosophy, and aesthetics), and Logic. Metaphysics has more to do with being or existence. Epistemology is the theory of knowledge and wants to know the truth. Ethics covers four differ ent areas. Moral philosophy is the study of moral judgments.Social philosophy is the study of society and its institutions. Political philosophy focuses on the state and seeks to determine, proper organization. Aesthetics, study of art, and of value judgment. Making a statement to me will get me to use my critical thinking skills. I for one do one believe everything I am told until sold proof, facts, or reasoning have been proven. This falls into the same perspective on how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought. How people choose to use their words when trying to explain something to me makes a big difference.Often times I can mistakenly misinterpret what the speaker is trying to say. In other words, something cannot be a true fact and a false fact in a sentence. I call this contradicting. However, two people coming from two different backgrounds or from two different cultures might say the same thing but mean the opposite. Using your critical thinking skills on how explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought needs to be dug into and come out with solid proof, facts, or reasoning behind the statement.The major philosophical area of inquiry that best describes me is Epistemology. As I have mentioned above I am the kind of person where I need to have solid proof, facts, or reasoning before I believe something someone is trying to tell me. Because Epistemology is the theory of knowledge questions related to Epistemology are What is truth? and Is it possible to know anything with absolute certainty? The more you know, the more you are able to learn and grow.Knowledge is power. Epistemology has to do a lot on how one thinks. When I think I like to go deep into though, therefore; I rely on my own experiences as a reference. If I had none the only way to find out the truth is to experience it for my self. Some cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy specifically Epistemology is the Japanese cultural. For the New Year’s Japanese believes that consuming noodles will give you a long live because the noodles are longs.Although this is not a proven factor I do see a lot of older Japanese people consuming noodles. These people look healthy and strong therefore I just believed that noodles does give you along life. Another cultural factor that influenced my choice is the Filipino culture. My husband is pure Filipino and is originally from the Philippines. His mother, my mother in law told me that saving the first washing of the rice and use that first washing of the rice water to water the orchids will help sustain the life of the orchid plant.Because I am the kind of person that needs to have things proven to me I asked my mother in law to water one orchid with regular water and another orchid with the first washing of the rice water. Both orchids were of the same family of orchid types. After two months the orchid that was watered with the first washing of the rice produce two times as much more flowers then the regular watered orchid and the flowers from the first washing of the rice lasted about two times longer.Some may think that this is coincidence, however; after continuously watering the orchids with the first washing of the rice water versus regular results have spoken for itself. In conclusion, I discussed the definition of Epistemology, the approaches to philosophical questions for each of the major philosophical areas of inquiry, and explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought.And I also gave an explanation of why the selected philosophy best describes my identification of cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy. Wanting to have solid proof, facts, or reasoning behind a question that is given is not a bad thing. This just shows that you obtaining answering behind a question will give you more knowledge. Knowledge is power! References Merriam webster. (2012). Retrieved from http:/ /www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/epistemology

Following the Steps of Christabel Do You Believe in Vampires

Following the Steps of Christabel Do You Believe in Vampires The Story Untold: Coleridge and his Creation The story of pride and pain, the story told with the stifled sobbing and interrupted too fast, the piece created by Coleridge leaves much more mysteries than a reader can handle.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Following the Steps of Christabel: Do You Believe in Vampires? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the power of his imagination Coleridge makes the reader see the despair which the poem is shot through, yet he leaves very much to the imagination, leaving the real facts behind and telling only what lies on the surface. In spite of the fact that the poem was never completed, and despite Coleridge’s passion for talking mysteries, one can see the outlines of people and events on this beautiful canvas of poem. With no end and with tangled beginning, the poem needs explanation of the author, which Coleridge realized well enough. In addition, the female chara cter placed in the center of the story raised a number of debates among critics, which added to the mystery about the poem. As Kroeber recalled, †Often when Coleridge discusses Christabel, his poem becomes a lady whose character needs protecting or explaining.† (204). Indeed, unfinished and filled with various mysteries, the poem offers much food for the reader’s fantasy, yet it answers none of the questions the latter asks. Among the contradictory and debatable issues of the poem, its characters are one of the most complicated issues to discuss. In spite of the fact that their number is not great, the complicacy of their natures offers many grounds for discussion. The two most contradictory and controversal ones, Christabel and Geraldine, fill the entire poem with the air of grief and compassion. To lift the veil of mystery over the two maids’ faces, Feeding Vampires: Mother and Her Daughter No matter how petrifying that might sound, Christabel and Geraldi ne can be positioned as a mother and her child. Draining the energy from her new friend’s veins, the Lamia of the XVII century England is a child hungry for warmth and feelings. It is obvious that this bloodthirsty child of the parents sunken in vice needs the energy of her victim as a baby needs its mother’s milk. Surprisingly, this idea proves right if considering the characters closer. In spite of the fact that the terrifying lamia drains the soul of her new victim, leaving an empty shell of Geraldine, she does not treat the latter merely as a source of energy – on the contrary, Christabel displays keen interest in Geraldine’s life and becomes indignant with the people who brought suffer and sorrow to poor Geraldine.Advertising Looking for term paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As Hollinger argues, When we envision the vampire feeding, we see the victim and pr edator, seduced and seducer: why not Madonna and the child? Is the vampire’s lust for blood an extension of a more natural desire for sustenance and is its quest for victims and for others of its kind really a search fro mother and family? (Hollinger 45) Terrified himself o the terrible parallel drawn between motherhood and the vampire’s desire to be fed and warmed, Coleridge depicts the actions of Christabel as if observing the dreadful mischief from a secret lair. In spite of all the terror of the situation, the poet realizes that there is certain petrifying beauty in this scene – the beauty of a baby sucking its mother’s breast: And lo! the worker of these harms, That holds the maiden in her arms, Seems to slumber still and mild, As a mother with her child. (57) Drawing the Line between a Victim and a Seducer Expecting that the poet placed each tile of the story into its own place, the reader would be surprised to know that there are a number of ways t o interpret the poem. Although it seems obvious at first that it was insinuating Christabel who managed to subdue poor Geraldine to her will, further on it becomes evident that the problem is more than skin deep. Looking hurt and innocent, the girl found in the forest proves much more dangerous a guest than the family could have imagined. Considering Hoffmeister’s point of view, one can suppose that it was Geraldine who became the seducer of the daughter and her father: In describing how Geraldine first seduced the daughter and then the father, the narrator reveals several subtle shifts in sexual roles: Christabel as bridegroom carrying Geraldine over the threshold; Geraldine embracing Christabel â€Å"as a mother with her child†; Sir Leonile embracing as a young bride â€Å"the wrong daughter of his friend† and resenting his own daughter’s â€Å"jealousy† (49)Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Following the Steps of Ch ristabel: Do You Believe in Vampires? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Who was the lamia, then? On the one hand, it seems that in the given situation Hoffmesiter sees what he wants to see in the poem, making it thus even more complicated – if this is actually possible, for Coleridge already tangled it to the hilt – and sees hidden implications where there is nothing to be concealed? It is obvious that Hoffmeister considers the description of passing through the gates of the castle and Geraldine’ fainting as the main proof that the girl is a lamia: The lady sank, belike through pain, And Christabel with might and main Lifted her up, a weary weight, Over the threshold of the gate: Then the lady rose again, And moved, as she were not in pain. (Coleridge 47) Still it seems that the hint is far too subtle. Even though Coleridge could mean that there was something wrong about Geraldine, he would have showed it in a more explic it way, judging from the manner in which he depicted Geraldine’s woes. A Witch or a Child? Of course, there is that certain piece of witchery in every woman – yet it seems that Coleridge’s character comprises the traits of both the most virtuous and the most sinful woman ever. Christabel, the angel that dragged Geraldine out of the depth of her despair, becomes suddenly filled with mysterious fire burning her from within – that does somehow remind of auto-da-fes of the Inquisition epoch. However, Coleridge is far too delicate to mention this in his poem. Despite all the implications and the underlying idea of witchery, he mentions the very word only once, seemingly not connected to the idea of the poem. However, as the word is sounded, it gains certain shape and becomes one of the leitmotifs of the poem: In Langdale Pike and Witchs Lair, And Dungeon-ghyll so foully rent, With ropes of rock and bells of air Three sinful sextons ghosts are pent (Coleridge 6 0) Gaining even darker shades of mystery closer to the abrupt ending of the story, this idea of witchery becomes increasingly evident. Who could have thought that vice can take shapes of the most virtuous things and people? As Christabel breathes in the virus of sin, she is practically turning into a witch. As Twitchel marked,Advertising Looking for term paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The lamia myth takes on special importance in the scene where Geraldine and Christabel spend night together. For although there is no mention of any sexual act of bloodletting, we do see the results of some energy flow between them. (45) Compared to Christabel, Geraldine is a lost and lonesome child. Her soul is restless, and she is looking for a shoulder to cry on and find oblivion in someone as strong as her. However, she does not see that her new friend is rather a monster in disguise, a witch to beware. Conclusion Although the story of Geraldine and Christabel is way too blurred to decide which of the maidens was a real monster in disguise and if any was at all, one still can read a piece of truth between the lines of the poem. Mysterious and weird, it drags the reader to the bottom of endless sorrow to see what compassion and sympathy is. With help of the controversial plot, the poet asks another important question: what is virtue and what is it worth? While the story unwinds in front of the reader’s eyes, a number of various relationships start to structure, among them the ones between a mother and a daughter, a victim and a seducer, a witch and an innocent child. In his peculiar manner, Coleridge does not preach, but paints the pictures of his visions to show the reader, which is even more impressive than moralizing. Leaving the pleasure of wandering in the twists of the poem labyrinth to the reader, Coleridge creates the parallel world where the wildest and the most frightening fantasies become true for a moment – to prove that virtue is one of the most precious gifts. Coleridge, Samuel T. The Poetical Works of S. T. Coleridge, Including Dramas of  Wallenstein, Remorse and Zapolya, in Three Volumes. Vol. 2. London, UK: W. Pickering, 1828. Print. Hoffmesiter, Gerhart. European Romanticism: Literary Cross-Currents, Modes, and  Models. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 1990. Print. Hollinger, Veronica. Blood Read: The Vampire as Metaphor in Contemporary  Culture. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1997. Print. Kroeber, Karl and Gene W. Ruoff. Romantic Poetry: Recent Revisionary Criticism.  Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1993. Print. Twitchel, James B. The Living Dead: A Study of the Vampire in Romantic Literature.  Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1981. Print.

Pochteca - Elite Long Distance Traders of Mesoamerica

Pochteca - Elite Long Distance Traders of Mesoamerica The Pochteca (pronounced pohsh-TAY-kah) were long-distance, professional Aztec merchants and traders who provided the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and other major Aztec city-states with luxury and exotic items from faraway lands. The pochteca also worked as information agents for the Aztec empire, keeping tabs on their far-flung client states and uneasy neighbors such as Tlaxcallan. Long Distance Trade in Mesoamerica The Aztec pochteca were not the only merchants in Mesoamerica: there were many regional-based commercial actors who distributed fish, maize, chile and cotton; their activities provided the backbone of the economic society in the regions. The pochteca were a special guild of these merchants, based in the valley of Mexico, who traded in exotic goods throughout Mesoamerica and acted as a social and economic connection between the various regions. They interacted with the regional merchants, who in turn acted as middlemen for the pochtecas wider networks. Pochteca is sometimes used as a generic word for all Mesoamerican long-distance traders; but the word is a Nahua (Aztec) word, and we know much more about the Aztec pochteca because we have written recordsthe codexessupporting their history. Long distance trade began in Mesoamerica at least as long ago as the Formative period (2500-900 BC), in societies such as the Olmec; and the classic period Maya. Long distance traders in Maya communities were called ppolom; compared to the Aztec pochteca, the ppolom were loosely confederated and did not join guilds. Pochteca Social Organization The pochteca held a special status in Aztec society. They were not nobles, but their position was higher than any other non-noble person. They were organized into guilds and lived in their own neighborhoods in the capital cities. The guilds were restricted, highly controlled and hereditary. They kept their trade secrets about routes, exotic goods sources and connections across the region restricted to the guild membership. Only a few cities in the Aztec empire could claim to have a leader of a pochteca guild in residence. The pochteca had special ceremonies, laws and their own god, Yacatecuhtli (pronounced ya-ka-tay-coo-tli), who was the patron of commerce. Even if their position provided them with wealth and prestige, the Pochteca were not allowed to show it in public, in order not to offend the nobles. However, they could invest their wealth in the ceremonies for their patron god, organizing rich feasts and carrying out sophisticated rituals. Evidence of the effects of long distance trade by pochteca is found at Paquime (Casas Grandes) in Northern Mexico, where trade in exotic birds such as scarlet macaws  and quetzal birds, marine shell and polychrome pottery was based, and extended into societies of New Mexico and Arizona. Scholars such as Jacob van Etten have suggested the pochteca traders are responsible for the diversity of precolumbian maize, transporting seeds throughout the region. The Pochteca and the Aztec Empire The pochteca had the freedom to travel all over the empire even in lands not subjected to the Mexica emperor. That put them in a terrific position to work as spies or informants for the Aztec state. This also meant that political elites deeply mistrusted the pochteca, who wielded their economic prowess to establish and guard their trade routes and secrets. In order to obtain precious and exotic items such as jaguar pelts, jade, quetzal plumes, cocoa, and metals, pochteca had special permission to travel across foreign lands and were often escorted by armies along with servants and carriers. They were also trained as warriors since they often suffered attacks from the population who saw in the Pochteca another aspect of the yoke of the Aztec empire. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to the Aztec Civilization and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Berdan FF. 1980. Aztec Merchants and Markets: Local-Level Economic Activity in a Non-Industrial Empire. Mexicon 2(3):37-41. Drennan RD. 1984. Long-distance movement of goods in the Mesoamerican formative and classic. American Antiquity 49(1):27-43. Grimstead DN, Pailes MC, Dungan KA, Dettman DL, Tagà ¼eà ±a NM, and Clark AE. 2013. Identifying the origin of southwestern shell: a geochemical application to Mogollon Rim archaeomolluscs. American Antiquity 78(4):640-661. Malville NJ. 2001. Long distance transport of bulk goods in the pre-hispanic American southwest. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 20(2):230-443. Oka R, and Kusimba CM. 2008. The Archaeology of Trading Systems, Part 1: Towards a New Trade Synthesis. Journal of Archaeological Research 16(4):339-395. Somerville AD, Nelson BA, and Knudson KJ. 2010. Isotopic investigation of pre-Hispanic macaw breeding in Northwest Mexico. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 29(1):125-135. van Etten J. 2006. Molding maize: the shaping of a crop diversity landscape in the western highlands of Guatemala. Journal of Historical Geography 32(4):689-711. Whalen M. 2013. Wealth, Status, Ritual, and Marine Shell at Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico. American Antiquity 78(4):624-639. Whalen ME, and Minnis PE. 2003. The Local and the Distant in the Origin of Casas Grandes, Chichuahua, Mexico. American Antiquity 68(2):314-332. White NM, and Weinstein RA. 2008. The Mexican Connection and the Far West of the U.S. Southeast. American Antiquity 73(2):227-278. Updated by K. Kris Hirst

Discuss the impact of the Broken Window Theory and how it directly Essay

Discuss the impact of the Broken Window Theory and how it directly impacts the Criminal Justice System today - Essay Example This theory was proposed by George Kelling and James Wilson. It suggests that a subset of society or society that seems and appears to be lawless may ultimately breed lawlessness (Kelling and Coles 11). It is a criminological theory of the signaling effect and norm setting of urban vandalism and disorder on additional anti-social behavior and criminal activities. The theory holds that maintaining and monitoring urban environments in a condition that is well ordered can further stop escalation of minor and serious crime (Lilly, Cullen, and Richard 9). This paper will discuss the impact of the Broken Window Theory and how it has directly impacted on the Criminal Justice System in modern times. Since the Broken Window Theory was introduced by James Wilson and George Kelling in 1982, it has been a subject of huge public debate within the public sphere and in the social sciences. As a result, it has been used as a methodology and motivation for various reforms in the criminal justice system (Keizer 1681). In explaining the theory, Wilson and Kelling use the example of a building that has a broken window which remains unrepaired. The theory argues that crime is not caused by broken down neighborhoods, necessarily, but they become magnets for delinquent behavior and crime because of their disorganization. Residents may tend to become slacker in their civility and delinquents and criminals may then be drawn to lawlessness areas. The theory explains that the state of the urban environment may affect crime and delinquency due to the following three factors: signal crime and social signaling; the lack or presence of routine monitoring; and conformity and social norms (Sampson 320) . Under this theory, a clean and ordered environment and one which is maintained signals that the area is well-monitored and delinquent and criminal behavior is not tolerated. On the contrary,