Biography of Childrens Author Tomie dePaola

Biography of Children's Author Tomie dePaola Tomie dePaola  is acclaimed as an award-winning childrens author and illustrator, with more than  200  books  to his credit. In addition to illustrating all of these books, dePaola is also the author of more than a quarter of them. In his art, his stories, and his interviews, Tomie dePaola comes across as a man filled with a love of humanity and joie de vivre. Early Life By the age of four, Tomie dePaola  knew he wanted to be an artist. At the age of 31, dePaola illustrated his first picture book. Since 1965, he has published at least one book a year, and  generally four to six books annually. Much of what we know about Tomie dePaolas early life comes from the authors own books. In fact, he his series of beginning chapter books is based on his childhood. Known as 26 Fairmount Avenue books, they include 26 Fairmount Avenue, which received a 2000 Newbery Honor Award, Here We All Are, and On My Way. Tomie came from a loving family of Irish and Italian background. He had an older brother and two younger sisters. His grandmothers were an important part of his life. Tomies parents supported his desire to be an artist and to perform on stage. Education and Training When Tomie expressed an interest in taking dance lessons, he was immediately enrolled, even though it was unusual for a young boy to take dance lessons at that time. In his picture book Oliver Button is a Sissy, dePaola uses the bullying that he experienced because of the lessons as the basis for the story. The emphasis in Tomies family was on enjoying home, school, family and friends, and embracing personal interests and talents. dePaola received a BFA from Pratt Institute and an MFA from the California College of Arts Crafts. Between college and graduate school, he spent a brief time in a Benedictine monastery. DePaola taught art and/or theater design at the college level from 1962 through 1978 before devoting himself full time to childrens literature. Literary Awards and Accomplishments Tomie dePaolas work has been recognized with numerous awards, including a 1976 Caldecott Honor Book Award for his picture book Strega Nona. The title character, whose name means Grandma Witch is apparently very loosely based on Tomies Italian grandmother. DePaola received the New Hampshire Governors Arts Award as the 1999 Living Treasure for the entire body of his work. A number of American colleges have awarded dePaola honorary degrees. He has also received several awards from the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota, and awards from the Catholic Library Association and the Smithsonian Institution, among others. His books are frequently used in the classroom. Writing Influences DePaolas picture books cover a number of themes/topics. Some of these include  his own life, Christmas and other holidays (religious and secular), folktales, Bible stories, Mother Goose rhymes, and books about Strega Nona. Tomie dePaola has also written a number of informational books like ​Charlie Needs a Cloak, which is the story of the creation of a wool cloak, from shearing a sheep to spinning the wool, weaving the cloth, and sewing the garment. dePaolas collections include Mother Goose rhymes, scary stories, seasonal stories, and nursery tales. He is also the author of Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland. His books are characterized by humor and light-hearted illustrations, many in a folk art style. DePaola creates his artwork in a combination of watercolor, tempera, and acrylic. A Full and Accomplished Life   Today, Tomie dePaola lives in New Hampshire. His art studio is in a large barn. He travels to events and makes personal appearances regularly. DePaola continues to write books based on his own life and interests, as well as illustrating books for other authors. To learn more about this extraordinary man, read Tomie dePaola: His Art and His Stories, which was written by Barbara Elleman and published by G.P. Putnams Sons in 1999.

Free Essays on Siddhartha

In Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, Unity is a reflecting theme of this novel and in life. Unity is â€Å"the state of being one or a unit; harmony, agreement in feelings or ideas or aims, etc.† Unity is first introduced by means of the river and by the mystical word â€Å"Om.† Direct commentary from Siddhartha and the narrator also introduces the theme. Frequent allusions to the river correspond w/ Siddhartha’s infinite thoughts of Unity and his initial plans to strive for it. Siddhartha has a number of specific goals during the course of this novel, but in no way does this detract from the bare nature of his ultimate goal. The accomplishment of specific goals was an important part of the progression approaching his absolute state of Unity. Siddhartha see things united and somehow entangled in a seemingly endless and meaningless circular chain of events. Allusions frequently show Siddhartha’s conditions by means of clever imagery suggesting circular motion and an immobile state. Siddhartha is first compared to a potter’s wheel that slowly revolves and comes to a stop. From here, Siddhartha meets the elegant and beautiful, Kamala, gets caught â€Å"off track† and entangles himself in a â€Å"senseless cycle† of acquiring and squandering wealth. In the final chapters, Siddhartha proves that achieving or over-coming obstacles do lead to better Unity. Prior to making a leap forward in reaching his goal, Siddhartha finds himself in despair. He speaks to Vasudeva, the ferryman. The ferryman smiles and says very little, allowing the River to speak for him. Siddhartha listens as the River reveals its first true, complete message. â€Å"Om.† Siddhartha hears. His â€Å"wounds† heal, losing the attachment he had for his son. Siddhartha merges into Unity; he attains his ultimate goal. The River is essential in helping Siddhartha come to an important realization of Unity. He hears the river laugh at him, making him realize that he is ac... Free Essays on Siddhartha Free Essays on Siddhartha In Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, Unity is a reflecting theme of this novel and in life. Unity is â€Å"the state of being one or a unit; harmony, agreement in feelings or ideas or aims, etc.† Unity is first introduced by means of the river and by the mystical word â€Å"Om.† Direct commentary from Siddhartha and the narrator also introduces the theme. Frequent allusions to the river correspond w/ Siddhartha’s infinite thoughts of Unity and his initial plans to strive for it. Siddhartha has a number of specific goals during the course of this novel, but in no way does this detract from the bare nature of his ultimate goal. The accomplishment of specific goals was an important part of the progression approaching his absolute state of Unity. Siddhartha see things united and somehow entangled in a seemingly endless and meaningless circular chain of events. Allusions frequently show Siddhartha’s conditions by means of clever imagery suggesting circular motion and an immobile state. Siddhartha is first compared to a potter’s wheel that slowly revolves and comes to a stop. From here, Siddhartha meets the elegant and beautiful, Kamala, gets caught â€Å"off track† and entangles himself in a â€Å"senseless cycle† of acquiring and squandering wealth. In the final chapters, Siddhartha proves that achieving or over-coming obstacles do lead to better Unity. Prior to making a leap forward in reaching his goal, Siddhartha finds himself in despair. He speaks to Vasudeva, the ferryman. The ferryman smiles and says very little, allowing the River to speak for him. Siddhartha listens as the River reveals its first true, complete message. â€Å"Om.† Siddhartha hears. His â€Å"wounds† heal, losing the attachment he had for his son. Siddhartha merges into Unity; he attains his ultimate goal. The River is essential in helping Siddhartha come to an important realization of Unity. He hears the river laugh at him, making him realize that he is ac... Free Essays on Siddhartha AP Themes Siddhartha Response Paper In â€Å"By the River†, why did Siddhartha wish so much for oblivion and death? What does this suggest about his growth? The chapter â€Å"By the River† illustrates the overwhelming of Siddhartha by the worldly pleasures he had previously set out to explore. After the bitter realization that his life was engrossed in the endless cycle of Samsara, he yearns for the peace of death or any oblivion where he would not have to dwell on the â€Å"sins† which has contaminated his body and soul. As Siddhartha reflects on the errors which he has committed, he laments the convolution of his life’s goals. â€Å"Why should he go further, where, and for what purpose? There was no more purpose; there was nothing more than a deep, painful longing to shake off this whole confused dream†¦to make an end to this bitter, painful life† (88) Through his uncontrolled exploring of the life of materialism, Siddhartha has now lost all sense of purpose in life; or more to the point, true purpose. He had delved too deeply into the life of the â€Å"ordinary† and ceased to realize his true goal of enlightenment which rests outside of the cycle of Samsara. In addition to the loss of his goal, Siddhartha had also lost the qualities which made him distinct from those caught within the cycle of materialism, namely, the abilities to fast, think, and meditate. This represents a loss of identity, where Siddhartha, believing that he was in full control, gradually becomes caught within the lifestyle which he once so despised; eventually experiencing a character change into a person living for the pleasures of the world, instead of his previous goal which strived toward the metaphysical. This â€Å"humbling† of Siddhartha is an essential component of his growth toward enlightenment. Siddhartha’s growth is characterized by the experiences he has, not so much the physical experiences as the emotional. Whereas he has been so self-assur... Free Essays on Siddhartha Society’s youth today reflects much of what is said and portrayed in Siddhartha’s life. Siddhartha had to make many decisions in his life that affected him forever. Teens, such as myself, also make decisions involving the future, high school, friends, and other activities. Siddhartha’s main goal is finding a place and destiny in life. It seems awkward to say that teens are finding a ‘destiny’, but in reality, high school students are trying to find a place in which they fit in, in other words, a â€Å"clique.† There are many conflicting ideas and misunderstanding viewpoints between adults and teens. This is shown with Siddhartha as well. Siddhartha rebelled against his fathers’ wants by leaving his house. After being persistent of leaving his house, Siddhartha’s father reluctantly allowed him to move on; however, conflict did occur. Future is a huge question that is related to Siddhartha and youth today. It is something I face almost every day. Siddhartha was uncertain of his future and what path he wanted to take, either the samana way, to become an â€Å"enlightened one,† or the luxurious game life. I am debating whether to stay in the IB program, what college I would like to attend, and what leisure activities I choose to engage in. Reading the novel, Siddhartha has actually helped and encouraged me in many ways. It forced me to look at questions involving the future, adults, friends, and rebellion and owing this handy book will be useful even when I go off to college. Siddhartha, like many teens share similar problems when choosing their â€Å"path of life,† but in reality, everyone has lived through such situations, others just realizing it more.... Free Essays on Siddhartha Siddhartha Siddhartha written by Hermann Hesse is a colorful and rich novel about the search for self-knowledge. Siddhartha, the handsome son of a Brahmin, was on the journey â€Å"to find the way to himself,† and obtain nirvana. Siddhartha take many paths before he reaches enlightenment. In the beginning of the novel he separates from his family to go live in the woods with the Samanas. There he learned three noble and invincible arts: fasting, waiting, and thinking. Through these arts Siddhartha and Govinda, his best friend and follower, were able to meditate, and aquire self-knowledge. After living with the Samanas the two men traveled to see the Buddah, and learn from his teaching of how to â€Å"find salvation.† Govinda stayed with Gautma to become a follower and a monk. Siddartha did not gain much from Gautma’s teachings so he departed reflecting â€Å"deeply as he went on his way.† Siddhartha â€Å"realized that he was no longer a youth; he was now a man.† He was seeking Brahman, Atman, he wished to destroy himself in order to find in the unknown innermost, the nucleus of all things, Atman, Life, the Divine, the Absolute. Siddhartha learned something new on every step of his path. He came across a grove where he meet the beautiful Kamala. She told the Samana that, â€Å"he was not yet good enough. He must have cloths, fine cloths, and shoes, fine shoes, and plenty of money I in his purse and presents for Kamala.† To accommodate Kamala, Siddhartha went and received a job from one of the most respected merchants. While he was satisfying Kamala he learned the art of love, but he lost his self confidence because he was converting himself into a self-centered society. â€Å"His heart became full of misery, he felt he could no longer endure it.† At the same time Siddhartha had a dream that the Kamala’s songbird lay stiff on the floor of i ts cage. The bird is symbolic of Siddhartha, who had been caged by the requests of Kamala. In ...

Nutrition assessment (food record) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nutrition assessment (food record) - Essay Example Make dough balls and leave for 10 minutes. Roll the dough balls into circles 5 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Bake each circle in oven preheated to 5000F for 4 minutes until it puffs up. Turn over and bake for an additional 2 minutes. over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 90 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and meatballs and simmer 30 minutes more. Serve. Wash and cook the rice with coconut oil. Fry the lam beat in a pan until it turns golden brown. Add the onions and all the spices. Mix and fry again for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Serve with diet coke and green salad. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, occasionally stirring occasionally. Add the flour and cook for cook for a minute. Add the half-and-half and cook until thickened. Add the chicken broth and cook until thickened again. Add the salt, the thyme, parsley, remaining spices, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi. Simmer until the mixture is well-cooked Preheat the oven to 450Â °F for at least 30 minutes. Make the dough into a ball and then work it to form flat dough. Add the tomatoes, cheese and grilled chicken (as toppings). Bake the pizza for 15 minutes, or until it is browned and the cheese is

Analyse the development of British policies towards the Middle East Essay

Analyse the development of British policies towards the Middle East from 1945 to 1967 - Essay Example Britain emerged from the Second World War in a precarious position both domestically and internationally. It faced repayment of a staggering 3.75 billion dollar loan from the United States, a convertibility crisis in 1947, a devaluation in 1949 and a balance of payment crisis in 1947. During this time there was prolonged public debate on the proper use of Britain's economic and military resources. The Labor government, committed to the eradication of Imperialism, believed foreign policy aims could be achieved in the long run by dealing with the peoples of the newly liberated nations as equals. Britain played an integral role in the Middle East since the close of World War I, and faced many difficulties in the region during the inter-war years. In large part these problems were brought on when they reneged on the pledge of independence they made to various Ethnic groups during their campaign against the Ottoman Turks. In addition, the parceling out land and creation of artificial states and borders resulted in various uprisings, most noticeably that in Iraq in 1920. Finally, their handling of the Palestine issue was not well met by Arab nations. The handling of the Palestine issue in the War's aftermath was a foreshadowing of Britain's coming impotence in the region. Unable to resolve the issue, Britain gave administration of Palestine to the United Nations in 1946. On Nov 29th 1947, the UN put forth a resolution calling for the partitioning of Palestine into two parts, one Jewish, one Arab. The results were not favorable to the Palestinians: three states, including the Soviet Union and the United States said yes, thirteen said no-mostly Arab and Muslim states-and ten abstained, among them Britain. Blackwell (1993) believes that the failure to hold Palestine, coupled with Britain's economic weakness and financial dependence on the United States all contributed to the undermining of British views on its world role at the end of the war (p.107). Despite the policy slump of the years following the war, in the 1950's there was a resurgence of foreign policy aims, most noticeably in the Middle East. Almog and Watt (2003) believe that this was due largely to Britain's interest in the Suez Canal. They claim, "The Suez Canal still remained a vital route of communication to Britain's interests in the Far East, e.g. Malaya and the empire in East Africa and Australia. In addition, in was an important link to British oil interests, largely those in Iran; in 1939, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company was one of Britain's most important economic assets (Olmag and Watt, 2003, p. 1). Changing views by the British government on foreign policy were, to a large extent, an impetuous for policy expansion. Young (1997, p. 147) states, "By 1951 the Labour Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevin, a former trades union leader of lowly background but forceful personality, had abandoned all idea of isolationism and led Britain into a peacetime, permanent alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)." In 1952 Sir John Harding defined two fundamental principles that were to govern British initiatives and most importantly requirements for bases, in the Middle East. Cohen (2004) states, These principles marked the recognition that the UK could no longer aspire on its own to provide an effective defence of

How Women Are Portrayed in Lynx and Cosmo Essay Example for Free

How Women Are Portrayed in Lynx and Cosmo Essay ‘Men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at’ – John Berger, ‘Ways of seeing’. For my research investigation I intend to explore to what extent specific media products use similar representations of women to appeal to their target audiences. The examples I have chosen to focus on are the iconic, international women’s fashion and lifestyle magazine ‘Cosmopolitan’ and Lynx’s controversial ‘beach campaign’. I will therefore be exploring what similarities and differences they embed due to their oppositional target audiences and content. Throughout my research the main theory I will be linking to my texts is that of Laura Mulvey, her theory explores ideas of sexism and male gaze within the media industry. Hearst the publisher of Cosmopolitan describes the magazine’s target audience as ‘Fun, Fearless Females’, the alliteration of the ‘F’ sound connotes a sense of attitude and fierce behaviour. Alongside the brand proposition ‘celebrates†¦a passion for life and inspires young women to be the best they can be’ consciously supporting women by portraying a sense of empowerment and ambition. In contrast, Unilever, owners of the Lynx brand state their brand prospect is that all their products are ‘designed to give our customers the edge in the mating game’ establishing itself as ‘UK’s leading male grooming brand!’. Cosmopolitan are iconic for telling their audience about two main topics; lifestyle and sex. Just by looking at the magazine covers, it is clear that these two topics dominate. I researched the April 2012 cover of Cosmopolitan, it follows the generic conventions of a typical magazine format for a women’s fashion and lifestyle magazine. In terms of the colour scheme the pink fonts and neutral clothing convey a sense of femininity and perhaps the everyday domestic lifestyle of women, although the lifestyle aspect of the magazine seems overpowered by the topic of sex. The cover features an attractive women – in this case the iconic Megan Fox, posing some mildly alluring body language, showing a lot of skin, all whilst looking directly at the camera (audience) with a sexy, serious facial expression with the eyebrow promiscuously raised, and suggestive parted lips. Although the model is simply posing the latest fashion, the low cut, tightly fitting dress connotes an over sexualised view of the celebrity who is universally known as a sex symbol in the media world, taking her place in FHM’s sexiest women each year and continuously playing the role of the sexy female in various popular films. It is clear that Cosmopolitan use bold sexual connotations surrounding women, although argue that their intentions are in fact to empower women through their sexuality. Notice the models strong body language , the hand on hip look used alongside taglines such as ‘Naughty or nice? You decide†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, and sexual puns are even added in regarding none sexual subjects such as career advice ‘You on top’, these are bold sexual connotations implying that woman should dominate to get what they want, mostly regarding the topic of sex. Perhaps fighting the controversial debate of sexism towards women in media by surprisingly embracing La ura Mulvey’s theory of ‘male gaze’. Cosmo put across the idea that if men find women attractive then it should accredit them by making them feel good about themselves, knowing that they look sexy and attractive. The magazine are conscious to do this in a sophisticated manor, opposed to other trashy and over sexualised magazines. Mediaknowall.com state that ‘Women’s magazines have moved on and offer visions of independence and confidence as well as beauty and domestic concerns, yet women are still encouraged to look good’. Body image and size have become a growing issue in society in result of magazine content. The overuse of petite, photo shopped models throughout magazines has resulted in these images becoming the dominant ideology. Over the years images printed in women’s magazines have contributed to this universal feeling to look good and be a certain size. Lynx are known for their voyeuristic product advertisement, this element of the company is what attracts their buyers, yet is also their downfall. Lynx have been publicly criticized for their overuse of objectifying women, using sexualized and provocative imagery and overall blunt sexism. The BBC news state that ‘in 2011 six of Lynx’s advertising campaigns were banned after mass numbers of complains were made’ they added that ‘the 113 complaints said it was sexually suggestive and demeaning to women’. I researched Lynx’s recent TV advertisement and accompanying print advert titled ‘The cleaner you are, the dirtier you get’. Although I believe this is one of Lynx’s milder sexualised adverts even the title itself contains a sexual pun, suggesting the promise of sex if you shower with the product. The girl on the print advertisement is no doubt an attractive young female, fitting the iconic ‘blonde bombshell’ look. The girl’s enticing facial expression creates the impression she is inviting the audience (male) into the shower with her. Although the girl’s expressions look confident, there is a contrast between this and her body language. For example the way she has to cup her bikini top to stop it from falling. This vulnerability of the woman standing half nude for a male audience completely visually depicting her as a female, making her a passive object of male visual pleasure. A comment by Jean Killbourne (a popular media activist) backs up my point by stating that ‘women’s bodies are often dismembered into legs, breasts or thighs, reinforcing the message that women are objects rather than whole human beings’. Killbourne suggests that women have become dehumanised into erotic objects for male pleasure. One element of Lynx’s campaigns which continues throughout is the idea of fake portrayal. In each advert the male role is played by your everyday, not overly-attractive man, contrasted with the female role being a desirable, young beauty. In an everyday world the changes of the male role attracting that type of woman are very slim. Despite this the main message that Lynx put across to their audience throughout their advertisements is that if men wear the product – women will find them irresistible – False portrayal. Of course this element adds humour to the advertisements, although all at the expense of objectifying women in the process and promoting the gender role of the dominant male. Bibliography Websites: www.mediaknowall.com Hearst, http.//www.hearst.co.uk/magazines/Cosmpolitan/5-about.htm Cosmopolitan, http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/exclusive/megan-fox-april-cover-cosmopolitan Exploring the media: representations and responses

The Dredd Scott Case Essay -- Supreme Court American History Slavery E

The Dredd Scott Case The Dredd Scott case involved a landmark decision in the history of the Supreme Court, in the history of the United States the decision in this case was one of the most damaging statements in the history of the Supreme Court, involving the citizenship of a black person in the United States, and the constitutionality of the Missouri Compromise in 1820. The history of a black man named Dredd Scott states that he was a slave originally owed by a family by the name of Blow, which ended up selling him in 1833 to an army surgeon by the name of Dr. John Emerson of St. Luis. Due to his involvement as an army surgeon, Emerson was transferred to numerous places such as Rock Island, Illinois, Fort Snelling in the Wisconsin Territory then back to St. Louis in the end of 1838. Scott had accompanied Emerson throughout this period. Emerson had taken Scott to places that forbidden slavery according to the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and Scott was even allowed to marry during this! time period on fre e territory, his companion being a woman who was also a slave owned by Emerson. As Emerson and Scott had returned to St. Louis, a territory where slavery was legal, Emerson died and Scott was left to his widow, who eventually gave Scott back to his original owners, the Blows. Henry Blow, Scott’s original master, was opposed to the extension of slavery into the Western territories, and Blow lent Scott’s residence on free soil in Illinois and Wisconsin Territory had made him a free man. In 1846, Dredd Scott brought suit in the state court on the grounds that residence in a free territory released him from slavery. A lower state court had found to be in favor of Scott, but in 1852, the Supreme Court of Missouri ruled that upon his return to territory where slavery was legal, the status of slavery was reattached to him and therefore he had no standing before the court. The case was brought before the federal circuit court, which took jurisdiction, but held against Scott. The case was taken on appeal to the Supreme Court, where it was argued at length in 1855 and 1856 and finally decided in 1857. The decision handed down by a majority of the vote of the court was that there was no power in the in the existing form of government to make citizens slave or free, ! and at the time of the formation of the US Constitution they were not and could not be citi... ...than presiding over a session of the circuit court), Taney on the 28th of May, 1861, declared Merryman entitled to his freedom on the grounds that he was illegally detained. In an unusual move, he filed and opinion condemning Merryman’s arrest as an arbitrary and illegal denial of civil liberty. Taney stated that military detention of civilians like Merryman was unconstitutional because only congress had authority to suspend the writ of Habeas Corpus. Taney described the president as a mere administrative officer charged with faithful enforcement of the laws. according to the Chief Justice this amounted to a constitutional duty not to execute the laws "as they are expanded and adjudged by the co-ordinate branch of the government, to which that duty is assigned by the constitution." Taney sent a copy of his opinion to Lincoln. President Lincoln justified his action in a message to Congress in July 1861. He reasoned further that the framers did not intend that in an emergency no action should be taken to protect the public safety by suspending Habeas Corpus until Congress should be assembled. More importantly he ignored Taney’s opinion. Merryman, however, was later released.

Harvard Business School Essay

August 8, 1995 had taken an unexpected turn for Netscape Communications Corporation’s board of directors. Earlier that morning, the day before the company’s scheduled initial public offering (IPO), Netscape’s lead underwriters proposed to the board a 100% increase in the original offering price from $14 to $28 per share. This recommendation came in response to the remarkable oversubscription for Netscape’s shares, which had already prompted the underwriters to increase the number of shares to be offered from 3.5 million to 5 million. Under the current proposal, a company with a net book value of just over $16 million that had yet to turn a profit, was suddenly valued at over $1 billion. The Board faced a pricing dilemma within the context of an extremely unpredictable industry. While its members wanted to be responsive to Wall Street’s current zeal, they also wanted to make sure that the fundamentals of Netscape justified such a dramatic increase in valuation. Netscape Communications Founded in April 1994, Netscape Communications Corporation provided a comprehensive line of client, server, and integrated applications software  for communications and commerce on the Internet and private Internet Protocol (IP) networks. These products enabled the growing network of servers on the World Wide Web to communicate through multimedia, including graphics, video and sound. Designed with enhanced security code, these software products provided the confidentiality required to execute financial transactions and to sell advertisements on the Internet and private IP networks. The company’s most popular product, Netscape Navigator, was the leading client software program that allowed individual personal computer (PC) users to exchange information and conduct commerce on the Internet. Navigator featured a click-and-point graphical user interface that enabled users to navigate the Internet by manipulating icons and windows rather than by using text commands. With the user-friendly interface as a guide, Navigator offered a variety of Internet functions including Web browsing, file transfers, news group communications, and e-mail. Initially shipped in December 1994, Netscape Navigator generated 49% and 65% of total revenues for the quarters ended March 31, 1995, and June 30, 1995, respectively. Netscape’s server software provided enterprises with the basic capabilities necessary for creating and operating Web server â€Å"sites,† or places on the Web which browsers could visit. Research Associate Kendall H. Backstrand wrote this case under the supervision of Professor W. Carl Kester as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright  © 1996 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685 or write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. Incorporating both browser and server functions, the company’s integrated applications software programs were designed to provide enterprises with the capability to manage large-scale commercial sites on the Internet. Such applications enabled these enterprises to conduct full-scale electronic commerce through a seamless system. Together, server and integrated applications software accounted for 36% of total revenues in the first quarter of 1995, and 28% of total revenues in the second. Of these revenues, the majority were generated by one of Netscape’s three server products, Netscape Commerce Server .1 Revenues from Netscape’s server and integrated applications products were expected to increase as a percentage of overall revenues in the future. In addition to product revenues, Netscape generated service revenues, which were attributable to fees from consulting, maintenance, and support services. These revenues amounted to approximately 5% and 7% of total revenues for the quarters ended March 31, 1995 and June 30, 1995, respectively. Financial Performance Netscape had incurred total losses of $4.3 million on total revenues of $16.6 million for its first two operating quarters ended June 30, 1995. The company expected to continue to operate at a loss for the foreseeable future. Exhibits 1 and 2 provide Netscape’s financial statements since its incorporation in April 1994. Operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 1995 had generated $7.3 million in cash. Cash flows from financing activities of $20.5 million were primarily attributable to the net proceeds of $17.3 million from the issuance of Series C Preferred Stock and borrowings of $2.2 million under a debt facility agreement. Cash used in investment activities of $22.1 million related to $16.6 in short-term investments and $5 million in capital expenditures. At the end of the second quarter of 1995, Netscape’s principal sources of liquidity were $8.9 million in cash and the $16.6 million in shortterm investments. The company expected total capital expenditures for 1995 of approximately $12 million. Industry Background The demand for Netscape’s products had evolved out of the development of the Internet in the late 1960s. The Internet was a global network designed to facilitate communication between some 35,000 computer networks using the enabling code termed Internet Protocol. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), in mid-1995 there were approximately 57 million Internet users. Of those 57 million users, IDC estimated that approximately 8 million were accessing information on the World Wide Web. Engineered in the early 1990s, the Web was a technology that linked one bit of information on the Internet with another so that users could share â€Å"webs† of ideas. The Web consisted of a network of Web servers that posted information in a common format described by the Hypertext Markup Language (â€Å"HTML†). Internet users were able to access information on the Web by implementing the appropriate Hypertext Transfer Protocol (â€Å"HTTP†). Because it necessitated complex coding, the Web had remained largely undiscovered by nontechnical users who simply wanted to browse, a popular pastime which came to be dubbed â€Å"surfing the Net.† 1Bundled packages of Netscape Navigator and Netscape Commerce Server accounted for about 10% of total revenues in the first quarter, while its contribution in the second quarter was immaterial. 2 Netscape’s Initial Public Offering Netscape’s Entrance Meanwhile at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a group of computer science students working at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) developed the graphical software program that gave rise to the notion of â€Å"surfing.† Named NCSA Mosaic, the software program enabled nontechnical users to access and retrieve information on the Web. The Mosaic code organized Web information into neat collections of graphical electronic menus on which users could simply click-and-point to browse their contents. In April 1993, the founders of Mosaic, under the leadership of then senior Marc Andreessen, began distributing the software for free to anyone who had the technical means to fetch it electronically. The superb results of this strategy—two million Mosaic users within one year—made for more than cocktail conversation among high-tech gurus in California’s Silicon Valley. Jim Clark, the founder of Silicon Graphics, Inc. (known for its workstations that turned data into 3-D computer images), was among those who were impressed not only by Mosaic itself but by the broader vision of its creator, Andreessen. After hearing that Andreessen had moved to Silicon Valley in early 1994, Clark sent him an email asking if they might meet to discuss the future of  Mosaic. This exchange and subsequent discussions formed the launching pad for Mosaic Communications, which was shortly renamed Netscape Communications Corporation. In addition to dropping the Mosaic name, Netscape paid Spyglass (the company that had engaged in an exclusive licensing arrangement with the University of Illinois) a one-time $2.4 million fee for the rights to certain Mosaic code. With the original code, Clark’s management experience and $3 million in seed money, and Andreessen’s vision and technical expertise, Netscape made its entrance into the highly dynamic Internet market.

Capital punishment in the Islamic Republic of Iran

In recent years, many Muslims have come to accept the notion of democracy but there is a variety of opinion as to its precise meaning. They have sought to delineate Islamic forms of democracy, or popular political participation, seeking to provide an Islamic rationale whose legitimacy finds its roots in tradition. The Islamification of democracy has been based on a modern process of reinterpretation of the traditional Islamic concepts of political deliberation or consultation, community consensus, and personal interpretation or reinterpretation to support notions of parliamentary democracy; this also extends to include representative elections, and religious reform. Islamic organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhoods in Egypt and Jordan, Algeria’s Islamic Salvation Front, Indonesia’s Muhammadiya and Nahdatual Ulama ostensibly have advocated the principle of democratic elections and, have participated in parliamentary elections (Common Dreams NewsCenter, 2005) As with the interpretation of Islam, notions of democracy and the structuring of administration of justice take on different forms in different Muslim countries with different experience. Throughout the Islamic world, governments have adopted varying degrees of self-representation in response to unique historical circumstances. Turkey, for example, is a parliamentary, secular democracy. Indonesia is one of the world's largest republics, but an uncertain one as the nation still struggles to evolve a representative political system after decades of repressive authoritarian rule. Iraq is currently a case study in nation-building in the aftermath of the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein and Iran is a theocratic republic with a growing democratic reform movement. Whilst many Islamic states have moved closer to democracy, the aforementioned groups and States along with several other Islamic States, particularly in the Middle East, advocate the death penalty as a capital punishment for many different types of crimes. It has been claimed that Iran’s execution rate is second in the world only to that of China. However, this assertion has also been variously dismissed by the regime as exaggeration of the facts (Gelbart, 2010). Nevertheless, the death penalty is legal and permitted for certain crimes in Iran. Capital punishment can be administered for the crimes such as treason, rape, sodomy, terrorism, murder, the trafficking of drugs, paedophilia, kidnap and armed robbery (FIDH, 2011). The present Iranian regime has been a subject of controversy and stringent criticism in the West for some time now. The current central disputes focus predominantly around the research and manufacture of nuclear weapons although it has also received controversy for its policy on execution and capital punishment, perhaps the most controversial occurring over the execution of those under 18, considered by law as not yet adult (minors). These State-legitimised executions have been raised as issues because they directly violate the Convention of the Rights of the Child, a treaty signed by Iran which protects children from execution (EMINE, 2012). Iran has attempted to defray these allegations by claiming dispensation in these cases (and some others) because certain sections of the Convention have been deemed incompatible with ‘Islamic jurisprudence’ (DN. SE, 2008). The Iranian regime has also received criticism for the alleged use of stoning as a means of exacting the death penalty, although these allegations have been denied by the Iranian judiciary as Western propaganda, along with the allegations of the execution of minors (BBC NEWS, 2005). In February 2012 a new penal code was adopted by Iran which officially legislated against the administration of the death penalty to minors (those under the age of 18) and those of who are subject to diminished mental development. In some rare instances the death penalty can still be applied to minors who commit murder between the ages of 15 and 18 years old but only if the judge is completely confident that the crime was entirely and absolutely premeditated and that the perpetrators in question are as mentally developed as adults (Bozorgmehr, 2010). The issue of Iranian executions carried out against minors has also been a salient point in the campaigns of numerous human rights groups. These groups claim that in spite of Iran’s signing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child they are actually the largest executor of minors in the world. This may be due to the disparity of definition regarding children in Iran. The Islamic Penal Code (Article 49) defines a child in Iran, as stipulated by Islamic law, as ‘someone who has not reached the age of bulugh (puberty)’ (Human Rights Watch, 2008). This discrepancy may be due to Iran’s use of the lunar Islamic calendar for the determination of criminal responsibility, as opposed to the standard solar calendar, which is longer. This means that in some cases a criminal who faced the death penalty Iran would be tired as an18 year old in accordance with Islamic years but only be 17 years old in the Western standard solar calendar (O’Toole, 2007). As Marx (1843) famously asserted ‘Religion is the opium of the masses’. Throughout all history, religion has played the starring role in much of human conflict, with philosophical, political, sociological, as well as physical repercussions. Most of religions profess and share positive life philosophies and values, although it is commonly recognised that some religious entities and States have used their power to realise crimes against humanity. Some religious regimes have also used the respective doctrine of their associated religions, to carry out perceivably draconian brutality against their people, be it for political disagreement or legal dissent. It is difficult to foresee how Islamic societies can realise their tremendous potential without genuine political reform. Evidently, it is not Islam that is the greatest obstacle to serious democratisation and reform against the death penalty. On the contrary, the most important impediment is the continuing resistance of established political regimes, whose leaders espouse the language of democracy but rarely permit political liberalisation beyond that which they can orchestrate and control. Mona Yacoubian (Gelbart, 2010) makes a persuasive case for greater international involvement in urging the Iranian government toward greater reform. The key to the success of democratisation and reformation of the death penalty in Islamic societies is imposition of more freedom, expanding freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, and freedom to form independent organisations. The process may be long and slow but it must be real, sustainable, and measures should be taken to prevent the reversal of it. History shows that many governments in the Muslim world have become adept at promising democratic reforms only to fail on their promises ad deliver more oppression. In this regard, the international community needs to exert sustained pressure on the existing governments to sue for liberalisation, democratisation and extension of civil liberties: only through such routes can true societal freedom be attained. Real and genuine reforms are needed; liberal and moderate voices cannot be heard in an environment of fear and repression. The United States and European countries should stop implicitly and explicitly supporting all Middle Eastern dictatorships and oppressive regimes (rather than just those who operate in accordance with their political machinations); this they should do in the name of stability and to promote peace and strengthen the voices of liberal Islam, rather than propagating sometimes spurious propaganda in order to exercise military power and at the same time undermining their own arguments. Muslim countries must also gain experience with democratic institutions and practices. Nonetheless, the success to the development of democracy will necessarily be dependent on the success of the citizens to ultimately resolve their inner crisis, but this situation in turn will always be hampered unless the general unrest and political instability either plateaus or resolves of its own volition.

Sedimentation

Sedimentation SedimentationAbstractSedimentation is the process of separating a liquid mixture of suspended particles into clear supernatant liquid and denser slurry having a higher concentration of solids. This is usually accomplished by allowing the particles to settle through the force of gravity, mechanically using centrifugal force, or electrostatically using an electric current. Continuous sedimentation tanks are usually used in wastewater treatment facilities to separate suspended particles from wastewater.This experiment aims to determine the effect of initial concentration and initial height of the slurry on its settling characteristics. Using a set of data obtained from the experiment, a continuous thickener or clarifier must then be designed. The batch sedimentation experiment was accomplished by measuring the height of the clear liquid interface at two-minute intervals using initial concentrations of 25, 50, and 75 grams per liter and initial volumes (convertible to height) of 1000, 90 0, and 800 milliliters. Two trials were conducted for each matrix.Figure 1From the data, it was observed that as the initial concentration of slurry is increased, the initial settling velocities decrease. The initial height has no effect on the initial settling velocity but can affect the rate at which solids compact. However, it was found that how the height affects compaction can be unpredictable. For the design of a thickener using batch sedimentation data, the required area was calculated using the Coe and Clevenger, and the Talmadge and Fitch methods. The results were 1.3112 m2 and 2.2714 m2, respectively.During the course of the experiment, various problems were encountered that may have lead to slight errors. These problems were usually problems of measurement. Using masking tape can cause slight errors if not applied to the cylinder properly. There were slight difficulties during the initial stirring of the slurry because of the lack of long stirring rods. Furthermore,

When to Turn Down a Job Offer Even Though Youre Unemployed

When to Turn Down a Job Offer Even Though Youre Unemployed People have always been reluctant to turn down a job offer, especially after spending long periods of time pouring through classified job ads. However, there are many reasons to turn down an offer that isn’t suitable even when you are unemployed. Learning some of these reasons may help keep a job hunter from getting stuck with a really terrible position. You Get Bad VibesThere are several ways you can get bad vibes when applying for a job. After you’ve soared through your interview on the wings of eagles and go in to meet your potential new boss and the other employees, something just doesn’t seem right. The office environment doesn’t feel warm and friendly, and the boss and employees are standoffish. Maybe your questions don’t get answered the way you think they should, or the staff appears unprofessional and lacks the seriousness you want in a work environment. Any of these red flags should signal you to think twice about taking that job.You Donâ €™t Believe in the CompanyBelieving in the company you are working for helps to ensure you’ll do your best. However, if you don’t like the company, taking a job there can be a bad move. For example, say you are a widget salesman and believed strongly that the widgets sold by your former company were the best on the market. Going to work for another widget company when you believe the product is inferior does a disservice to the company and to yourself because you won’t perform your best.The Financial Offer Doesn’t WorkYou’ve done your research and have a ballpark figure on what you should be earning in a similar position with your education and experience. However, the job offer comes in with a salary well under what you think should be offered. You can try to negotiate your salary upwards, but a really lowball offer isn’t likely to go up enough to pay you what you merit. Another reason is that you realize you can’t live on the sa lary offered, even though you like the job. In this case, you may want to keep looking.The Company Has a High Turnover RateOne red flag is when a company has a high turnover rate in employees. Happy people stay where they are, so something is afoot when people leave their positions in droves. Think twice before taking a job with this type of company.You’re Getting Limited Job OffersWhen you’ve been unemployed for awhile, you can become more desperate to take any job that comes along. When you have multiple jobs to interview for, accepting the first offer that comes along can be a mistake. At least give yourself enough leeway to think and perhaps go on other interviews before accepting a position.Taking a Dead End JobYou’ve been offered a decently paying job, but you don’t see any opportunities to advance your career or build on your skillset. This can turn into a downward spiral of plodding from one day to the next and never getting anywhere or realizing your dreams. You would be better off looking for positions that can challenge you, offer opportunities to learn new skills and have advancement opportunities.Be Careful of the Personal CostSay, for example, you’ve been offered a great job with a good salary, but it requires a lot of time on the road or away from the family, something for which you were not prepared. Ask yourself if your family is going to find it difficult for you to be away from home for long periods. If you see it straining your personal relationships, this might be a good time to turn down the job.Finding New Ways to Job HuntFinding an easier way to job hunt can give you more opportunities than searching job ads, so you don’t become tempted to take a job that offers you no satisfaction. TheJobNetwork is a great way to find a job, while all you have to do is list your qualifications and job interests. We work around the clock to find you the latest job openings and send them to you in the form of ema il alerts. This way, you can apply right away and not waste time applying to job ads. Sign up with TheJobNetwork to get started.

Music in Arts Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Music in Arts Education - Research Paper Example Everywhere you look, someone is listening to music. In today’s day and age, children starting at the young ripe age of six, all the way to nineteen have ear buds permanently glued to their ears. Parents can hardly get a word in because they know their son or daughter is lost in their own world of music. Music varies, and it varies because children have different tastes. Each child has its own perception of what music should look, feel, sound, taste, and even smell like. For many, music brings back memories. Some of them are good, but much too often, bad. Without music, children feel that their world is being invaded. So they may use music as a safety net; a way to connect with their inner souls, and with people around them. Music is a window into the next dimension. Each child adapts to their own style, genre, and even musical essence. A lot of music is used to depict feeling, sensory connection, and telling of a story. Without music today, young children, preteens, and adoles cents feel disconnected from the world. We educators and adults may not understand why students are hooked on music, but if we take time to reflect, we too will remember the importance of our own quiet times we spent being enthralled with the newest album, CD, or cassette tape featuring our favorite group; boy, girl or singles band. All we must do is reminisce and we too will be transported back to what we now may see is â€Å"foreign† and not as important. When music is taught in the classroom, it can at times be considered boring, redundant and trite. Students lose heart because teachers are lacking the connection. Many times students are told what instrument they will play, when they will play it or how. But, when does the creativity begin to flow? When can students create their own rules when learning about music? Music is often taught via a textbook. Students learn about the baroque time, the neo-classical time, and the more prominent times that seem to be less pertinent to students today. Teachers stay away from time periods they are unfamiliar with mainly because they were not taught it in â€Å"teacher† college. But they are missing the connection with students. They fail to bridge the gap between music from the past and music today. If we want our students to appreciate music for what it is worth, it is important for us to start becoming more relevant for the students. Instead of focusing so much on standards and benchmarks required, maybe think about branching out and having a little bit of fun. National testing and school performance tables have been focusing so much on the core subjects that they have left out other subjects that seem less important such a music and the arts. Just because students are not tested on these things, does not mean they are less important. Unless of course a school is only focused on scores. When students study music, they learn about many different cultures. An appreciation for diversity comes to the foref ront and students learn to get along in a more harmonious manner. Students don’t only learn to get along but they learn self-discipline which is a very hard thing to do today because of the amount of overly stimulating activities students are involved in on a daily basis. Take T.V. for example. When kids watch TV, they do just that; watch. They do not interact with the television; they become complacent and are fed information. They are

The Adolescent Development Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Adolescent Development - Article Example It is said that 1 out of every 5 students enrolled in the public education system of the United States came from an immigrant family. This number is believed to be ever-increasing so much so that it is projected that by 2020 the ratio will be 1 out of 3. The subject of immigration comes along with a number of other debates that is indispensable when discussing the subject. The issue, no matter the stance is a different discussion altogether. Immigration is considered as the secondary reason for a nation’s increase in the population other than natural means. But the question on the other hand of the diversity in the development of adolescents belonging to this background is a concern that is not tackled as explicitly. The importance of understanding how they adapt and develop base on their varied personal history creates a necessity for the study thereof. How do the people around them respond to the different needs they require? In the same way that the query of how do these adolescents interact and differ from those who are around them, both in the question of their relations with peers and others, vary? Studies such as ‘Beyond the Family: Contexts of Immigrant Children's Development, New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development’ edited by Hirokazu Yoshikawa. Charles A. Ellwood’s ‘Sociology and Modern Social Problems’ will also be valuable in assessing the inherent sociological diversity at play in an adolescent’s life. Studies on adolescent development and immigration issues that go along with it available on www.cciserver.ums.maine.edu may also prove to be contributory for this research. â€Å"Do Undocumented Students Play by the Rules?† a journal article by Julian Jefferies will also be at hand as it contains information regarding the educational process of immigrant adolescents. Other related literature will also be reviewed for this study.