A Broken Taboo

Several weeks ago the news about tragic death of a famous talented Hollywood actor of Australian origin Heath Ledger shook the world up. The 28-year-old actor is widely known for many roles, including his work in a controversial movie Brokeback Mountain, directed by a Far Eastern filmmaker Ang Lee.This movie became a milestone motion picture in the whole history of Hollywood, which sparked a lot of criticism and public debates. For the first time in cinema art male homosexual relationships were shown with a great frankness and openness, and there are certain concerns that breaking this taboo can have some far-reaching negative ethical consequences in the nearest future.The plot of the movie is based on complex and unorthodox love affair between two young cowboys, who were hired by a Wyoming ranch owner as herds, so they had to spend several months in isolation on the Mountain of Brokeback. Within this time a special bond was developed between the two men, which eventually evolved int o a deep emotional and physical relationship.After finishing their job, the cowboys separated and started living their lives, had families, but the unique feelings they shared on the Brokeback Mountain were left as scars on their hearts to be carried on to the rest of their lives.Certainly, it was not the first motion picture featuring male homosexuality. Such movie stars as Antonio Banderas, Jason Alexander or Tom Hanks have portrayed homosexual characters before. But it is hardly possible to disagree that Brokeback Mountain demonstrated more frank and intimate sides of gay relationships which have been never shown on cinema screens to general public before. In my opinion, the movie with its several scenes involving affectionate embraces, a kiss, and so on, had too close focus on physical aspects of gay relationships, which were always skipped in modern media, especially in cinema art.That is why public reaction on Brokeback Mountain was absolutely contradictive. While many liberal critics and art specialists in America and Europe were pleased with the depth of the plot, good acting, music and high-quality production, many social activists from Christian fundamentalist or Family-oriented social groups expressed their concern about possible negative effects (especially on teenagers and youth) of publicizing male homosexual relations.Moreover, since homosexuality is a terrible irremissible crime in Islam, in more conservative and religious countries of the Middle and Far East, including the director’s homeland Taiwan, the film was banned or censored.Undoubtedly, Brokeback Mountain was not a cheap â€Å"B† movie. Many were fascinated with convictive acting of young Hollywood performers, and numerous awards received by the cast are the best recognition of this work. Besides, the movie teaches being tolerant and respectful to the feelings of other people.Nevertheless, with its too forthright covering of homosexual relationships, this motion picture c an become the first step on the way to more frequent and freer employment of gay themes in modern cinema, as well as to more open popularization of the idea of male homosexual love. Certainly, it will affect our moral principles and aesthetic sensibility to a great extent.Brokeback Mountain is a multifaceted, unusual and quite difficult movie which evokes strong emotions and makes the viewers empathize. But the question remaining after viewing this screen version of a tragic story about gay cowboys is: whether our society is really ready to enjoy watching such relationship or not?Will the majority of us find beauty in male homosexual intimacy? In my opinion, the answer is not clear enough, because certain moral stereotypes and traditional values are still very strong in our modern society, even in such open-minded country as the U.S.Works Cited:Harris, Paul. â€Å"Hollywood to Break Last Taboo with Gay Cowboys.† The Guardian. Guardian Unlimited. 18 Jan. 2004. 11 Feb. 2008 .

Edgar Degas Research

Edgar Degas was both a man and an artist of contradictions. The French artist, paint err, and sculptor Edgar Degas was born on July 19, 1834 in Paris, France. Degas died September 27, 1917 in Paris, France. Degas is associated historically with the Impressionists because of his concentration on scenes of contemporary life and he never painted outdoors and rarely depicted landscape and also his desire to capture the transitory moment. Degas surpassed other impressionists in compositional sense; his use of vibrant expressive color became his primary concern in his late works. Degas was one of the first to understand and creatively use the new pictorial possibilities offered by photography and Japanese prints. With that being said, in describing the physical characteristics of one of Degas’s most famous still life paintings, was titled â€Å"Woman with Chrysanthemums†, painted in the year 1865. The medium used was oil on canvas and the scale was 29†x 361/2†. The subject is a female figure depicted sitting at the right side of a table with a bouquet of flowers in the center and also a glass pitcher of water with gloves placed beside the glass pitcher. The painting is objective, and it is because the huge bouquet of flowers opens the viewer’s eye and draws one into the still life painting dominating almost overshadowing the figure. As an artist Degas utilized several major elements of art in his still life famous painting, â€Å"Woman with Chrysanthemums†, therefore, one of the major elements utilized was use Lines. Degas utilized lines in his painting of the table and the open window at the right side of the painting. A second element of art utilized in this painting was the use Color. Degas uses bright spots of color in the bouquet, yellow, red, and specifically white, mostly the general coloring of the painting was subdued, with shades of brown being the predominate coloring. Degas utilized a third element of art being Space. Degas captured the look of Japanese prints and influenced Degas’s painting, as Japanese also is the shallowness of the space, accented by the flowered wallpaper to the left of the picture. A fourth major element utilized in Degas’s â€Å"Woman with Chrysanthemums† described is use Mass. The artist utilized mass with the fullness of the massive bouquet of flowers. Degas utilized the element of texture brilliantly in his rendering of the colorful bouquet of mums. In describing how Degas organized the elements with the principles of design, firstly, unity and variety is utilized with the consistency of color throughout the painting. The mass bouquet of flowers dominates the center, the flowered wall paper behind the table and the flowers that are seen through the open window on the right of the painting. Utilizing another one of the elements of art and principles of design, Degas utilized Balance in this particular painting. Degas placed the woman figure at the far right where she occupies less than a third of the composition, her body cut in half by the picture’s edge. The mass of flowers dominates the center, and the glass pitcher and the lady’s gloves casually tossed on the table, help to balance the composition, which in turn acts as a visual foil to the figure. Emphasis is utilized in the painting as Degas captured the visual appearance, an impression of the inner mood of the woman staring off in to space, her cheek resting on her hand, looking as though she is lost in reflection and unaware of the encroaching bouquet of Chrysanthemums. Directional Forces utilized are using the implied lines for the viewer’s eye to follow the beautiful colors throughout the painting. Also, another way the artist utilized elements with the principles would be through Contrast. The difference between the artist’s use of light and dark throughout his painting. In describing how Degas organized the elements with the principles of design, Repetition and Rhythm with the vivid colors of the flowers flow through and gives the composition unity. Moving along describing the organized elements with the principles of design, scale and proportion, in which the figure of the woman compared to the enormous still life. Degas was influenced by the Impressionist during his time, and also he had formed some friendships. Most importantly Edgar Degas was highly influenced by the Japanese prints and photography. He also carried over the Japanese influence and used the symbolic flower of Japan, once known as The Land of Chrysanthemums in his paintings. Furthermore, Degas created many daring compositional innovations. His study of Japanese prints led him to experiment with unusual visual lines and asymmetrical compositions. His subjects would often seem cropped at the edges, or seemed to appear to be accidental cutoff views and off-centered subjects, as in Woman with Chrysanthemums. Moreover, Degas’s content and meaning of the selection was the woman in the painting staring off into space, her cheek resting on her hand, lost in deep thought unaware of the dominating bouquet of Chrysanthemums. In conclusion, Edgar Degas’s painting of â€Å"Woman with Chrysanthemums† was chosen because of its unusual and unique composition. Also, the unusually unbalanced painting made curiosity prevail. The asymmetrical principle of design and accidental cutoff views were intriguing as to why Edgar Degas painted as he once did long ago. Personally liking Chrysanthemums and beautiful bouquets of flowers made the painting easy to choose for the essay. Edgar Degas truly was both a man and an artist of contradictions.

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 20

Sociology - Essay Example I did use instances from the movie to elaborate the effects on individual and society. Whereas, the effects on the multinational companies I gathered from general knowledge. Ethnocentrism is used to define the cultural biased approach when viewing or judging other cultures and ethical systems. The world is wide and constitutes of a number of cultures and belief systems that vary from one another to a smaller or greater extent. Some actions considered normal in one culture may be viewed as offensive or unacceptable by the other one. For example, in Arab countries it is mandatory for all females to cover their head otherwise they face punishment. Now, such custom may be viewed as offensive to women belonging to other cultures and countries. Different ethnic groups can be defined on the basis of caste, religion, language, customs and value system or geopolitical boundaries. So, an ethnocentric person would consider one particular culture most important and superior than others and would measure all other cultures using his preferred culture as benchmark. More often than not the individuals consider their own culture as the most important. Hence, ethnocentr ism can be viewed as an attitude that shows lack of acceptance of other cultures, and a feeling of contempt for people belonging to other cultures. All individuals who grow up in certain society with its own unique belief system tend to view their values as the right one and the highest one. They tend to identify with those set of values and customs and may fiercely resist any attempt to devise any changes in such ideals. As, it amounts to altering their identity of which every human tends to be

The Importance of Sales Force for Promoting the Business Activities Assignment - 2

The Importance of Sales Force for Promoting the Business Activities - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that Saxon Plumbing Services London Ltd (SPSL) is a plumbing service providing company established in the year 2000. The business operations of the company are directed by two brothers who are Peter Blair and Harvey Blair. There are around 40 employees working for the company. It is located in South London offering plumbing services to small as well as medium-sized retailers, insurance companies and manufacturers. The company possesses a better image and provides superior quality products or services in the market segments. In this respect, it has been observed that the gross profit of the company is around  £1.2 million.   SPSL with its new office in Manchester is required to adopt certain promotional techniques with the objective of executing its business activities in an efficient manner. Moreover, the company has adopted promotional tools such as website, newspaper and word-of-mouth communication. In this regard, the company has pro posed to adopt business-to-business (B2B) marketing with the intention of developing the healthier relationship with its customers. Moreover, the company has planned to acquire B2B with the aim of building the better relationship with its clients and customers. In future, the company also might decide to acquire Business-to-Consumer (B2C) marketing with the intention of improving the effectiveness of their business activities. SPSL with the utilization of the sales force will be able to develop the better relationship with clients or customers. The company with the assistance of sales force will be effective in conveying the message of the company as well as in building an enhanced image in the market segments. The incorporation of the sales force will assist the company in communicating with customers as well as acquiring important information in relation to their attitude towards the products or services of the company. The sales force will enable SPSL in developing and maintainin g a healthier relationship with customers.

Hospitality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Hospitality Management - Essay Example Scientific Management is not hard to be noted in the modern workplace. It is founded on four principles. The first of these principles is to replace the â€Å"rule of thumb† or the simple common sense and simple habit, working techniques with methods that are founded on a scientific study of the task. This principle is still relevant in the workplace today. It involves managing by first breaking every job into individual tasks (Carol, 4). This above is to be able to know the steps that are not needed in the end product. For example, where the workers in the industry have to walk a long distance, the layout of the workplace has been redesigned to reduce the walking distance and thus lower the hours of the working day (Mentzer, 3). The second principle states that in the scientific selection of the workers in an organization ought to be: select, train, teach and develop the person who is most suitable for every job scientifically, instead of leaving the workers to train themselves. This principle of Taylor’s Scientific Management is applied in the hospitality industry workplace today. In most organizations, managers take the responsibility of selecting the right individuals for every job and overseeing their training. They also make sure that training is carried out successfully (Mentzer, 3). In most workplaces today, following the job process and workers have been put in place, the managers continue to be involved and supervise every worker to make sure that the work is carried out in a manner that fulfills the goals of the organization. This fulfils the third principle of Taylor’s Scientific Management. According to the last principle of Scientific Management, work ought to be divided between the workers and the managers. The managers in most modern workplaces in the hospitality industry plan and supervise the work, while the workers perform the

Military and the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Military and the Media - Essay Example This paper will analyze the various factors that influence main stream media and its reporting of the military activities happening under the guise of freedom or otherwise. Human society has always been influenced and commandeered by Militarism until recently. As a matter of fact even the present has not moved out of such imbroglio. The powerful have always played key roles in deciding the way history took its turns. Since the days of feudalism in Europe until today militarism was used to amass wealth. Whether it is the Mongols who overran Asia Minor and Europe or the English who laid siege to the Chinese Ports to sell Opium in their country, military might was invariably used for the wrong purpose (Taylor et al, 1992). The same has happened with the US when they wanted to sell arms and military equipment, creating war became a necessity. Again military might came in handy every time, when the US businesses wanted to make more money. Human society throughout the world has experienced this skewed thought process at one time or the other. In order to get the best deals for their business, whether it is the English or the French or Spanish or for that matter any colonizing country has made use of the military might. And the maxim, might is right has been right. History is replete with incidents that were portrait to the advantage of the victor and almost always to the disadvantage of the loser or to the person who does not have the required clout with the media. 3. Media and the Chomsky Propaganda model Chomsky's Propaganda model states five different causes that affect the media coverage and propaganda. Its five filters in the following, 1, Ownership: Ownership of every media through a multitude of its shareholder population is greatly influential on the performance of the media and its output. Chomsky and Herman argue that 'all mainstream media outlets are embodied in large corporations', which are normally a part of much larger conglomerates that are pretty influential on the performance of the media. With the profit centered market economy in place, it is necessary for the media to perform in line with the thoughts of their owners. 2, Funding: Mainstream media is dependent on advertising for its survival and the revenue that flows from it is very essential for the media. Before any news is printed on the media, it goes through this filter to ensure that it does not hurt any of the funding agencies or advertisers. This becomes a necessity for the media for its very survival and t herefore, the media needs to be more lenient to the funding agency and cannot bend itself to hurt people there. Moreover, the media is expected to popularize the current trend of incorporating advertisements as part of the story that is run by the media. 3, Sourcing: The information source for the media is from major companies or governmental sources. These need to be kept happy in order to get continuous and on going information. For instance, a crime magazine needs the help of the police for continuous news to keep their magazine interesting and accurate. This is also needed for timely

Free Market System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Free Market System - Essay Example This is more of a hypothetical situation as no economy in the world is in a total Laissez-faire state. As opposed to planned economy, the free-market economy allows households and private firms and businesses to own land and other resources and use them to invest in any part or sector of the economy which seems lucrative and profitable to them (Rao, 1998). In order to understand the benefits of free-market economy, one needs to understand how the planned economy works. In a planned economy, also known as command economy, all the resources are state owned. Its’ allocation is decided by the government in order to maximize the society’s welfare regardless of the profit motive. This means that even if the venture does not earn profit for the government and if the venture is good for the society’s welfare, the state would continue to allocate its resources to the latter. For example, if a government sets up a state-funded hospital in a remote are with state-of-the-art facilities, it cannot expect a fair return of revenue from its investment. However, this venture would increase the life expectancy of the people in the area and improve their standard of living. The government, operating in a command economy will not withdraw the investment. Likewise, operating a state-owned Postal Service in a remote area would incur losses as there would hardly be enough posts to break-even. Despite a venture’s disability to earn profit, a planned economy would continue to invest if a venture is maximizing the society’s welfare. Examples include building roads, infrastructure, merit and public goods etc. As there is no profit motive, the government will not invest as per market forces and the demand of the consumers. For example, if there is a high demand of luxury goods in the metropolitan city of an economy, the government would rather invest in those areas which would satisfy basic necessities of people in different parts of the country. Likewis e, the government would not be interested to produce variants of any category. For example, there would be a limited range of cars produced in the economy. Some critiques argue that this economic system maximizes the society’s welfare and there is more even distribution of income in the economy as opposed to free market system. This is true to some extent however, like the case of Laissez-faire, there is no economy in the world which is entirely command economy. There is some level of international trade or some or some level of production in an economy which is driven by profit motive. However just for the sake of argument, planned economies fail to meet the consumers’ demand in an economy. Besides this, as there is no profit motive, the workers get de-motivated and as they are not allowed to own assets or factors of production, the economy’s GDP would be restricted to what a free-economy could otherwise have achieved. Besides this, the resources tend to be mis allocated as they will not be yielding a fair return which it otherwise would have if the respective end product had a demand. The government would just be injecting more resources with no return as reimbursement at the expense of other people who would deserve a fair return for their taxes in the form of a diverse range of commodities to choose from (Rao, 1998). In a free-market economy, the resources are not just state-owned. Individuals and firms have the liberty to invest in whatever which is in demand. The market-forces would move in to stabilize the prices automatically and bridge the gap between demand and supply. Market forces will only come into play when the resources have some mobility and the consumers are free to choose from a range of products. Besides this, in the free market economy, there is a

The United Nations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The United Nations - Research Paper Example The United Nation was based on the theory that all nations are equal according to international law despite variations in demographics. The United Nations has come to be recognized as a figure of peace and of order where Nations can come together to resolve issues or conflicts among them. Membership includes nearly two hundred different nations and often negotiations between Nations which involve economics, security and democracy are the focus of UN assembly’s. Each member of the United Nations has one vote in these assembly’s; the United States having one vote when assemblies meet to decide on issues and actions or responses to international threats or areas of interest such as global warming which has an effect on every nation. It is thought that the United States uses it financial power and influence to dictate to Countries considered third world or disadvantaged. At times when these Countries have used the United Nations to present their cases against the United States publicly the United States has retaliated with refusal to pay United Nations dues. With the United States being the largest financial contributor to the United Nations dues easily reach over 1 billion dollars. Disagreements caused the US to withdraw from UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Many operational programs were begun by the UN and operational programs have continued to be developed (Sharp, 1965). The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, was given status as a permanent UN program in 1953. It is the oldest and the most recognized of the UN programs. UNICEF focuses on key areas in various locations, meeting the needs of children nationwide. UNICEF provides a global platform to stop preventable deaths among children using interventions such as access to health care, vaccinations, antibiotics, and protections methods from carries of diseases such as Malaria, education in good hygiene practices and the promotion of

HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

HRM - Essay Example Recruitment is the process of attracting, evaluating and hiring employees and includes job analysis, sourcing, employee screening and selection and induction process. Job analysis aims at determining the different roles in the job and includes specifying the job requirements through outlining the job description and job specification (Torrington, 2011). The job description identifies the functions of the job within the organization, employment terms and reporting relationships of the job holder while the job specification sets out the education, skills, attributes and experience that successful candidates for the job should posses (McKenna & Beech, 2008). Google is constantly looking for graduate-level job entrants to join their teams and uses both online and off-line advertisement media to attract suitable job candidates for the position. Google uses various sources in its recruitment and some include Google recruitment events such as Google Games, Google Code Jam competition, Campu s recruitment and Google Ambassador Program. The job adverts are placed in notice boards, company magazines, newspapers and company website. The company shortlists suitable candidates who meet the minimum criteria and invites them for a series of interviews that aim at assessing the candidate’s job knowledge, skills, and behaviors (Redman & Wilkinson, 2009). According to the company website, the hiring process is simple and involves first conversation with the ‘recruiter, a phone interview and onsite interview at the company offices’. The hiring process aims at increasing communication with the prospective candidates. The panel interview aims at discovering the leadership skills, role-related knowledge, conceptual and analytic skills and ‘Googleyness’ (Sutherland, 2012). According to the company website, they are looking to hire the ‘next

Factors to consider when designing a web site Essay Example for Free

Factors to consider when designing a web site Essay Due to the high rate of competition and technology advance, any website creating company aims at giving its costumers a product they will enjoy using. Lafleur trading company a website developing company is not left behind i doing so. In their quest to satisfy their customers they needed to upgrade their way of developing website. To enable them do this lafleur reflected on factors to consider when designing a website. To start with, the company realised they need to find out if they are designing a particular website who was their immediate users, what they would expect to find in that particular web site and the easiness of getting what they want. This will be determined by the interphase of the website that is what colours to use, how easy is it to navigate between lafleur website and any related website that might contain contact information about a product advertised in their website (Vu Proctor, 2011). Designing a unique product is an important point to consider. In order to get attention of many audience give them a different product than what they are used to but one that serves the purpose better than the previous one. This can be achieved by use of different colours but attractive ones ( a page should not contain more than three colours) use of graphics and relevant pictures of what you are advertising also will make the web site more user friendly The most important point to put inconsideration is to test your website for errors. Website should be consistent to use and error prone. Contact information pertaining the website should provided so that customers are able to access online information when they so require. Lastly feedback methods to get customers views should be put in place to get customers potion about websites designed by Lafleur Company. Reference Vu, K.-P. L., Proctor, R. W. (2011). Handbook of human factors in Web design. Boca Raton: CRC Press Source document

Interpreting Indigenous Culture in Art: A History

Interpreting Indigenous Culture in Art: A History Mahealani Subad Abstract Art has been a historical connection for many cultures, such as Indigenous culture, as they protect the history of communities and allows for the new generation of the community to learn of their past through artwork and documentaries. However, due to misrepresentations from artwork such as paintings, sculptures, films, Indigenous identity can be represented by stereotypes created by non-Indigenous artists who interpreted indigenous culture into their own artworks, which they presented to society. Although with the misrepresentations are still present in todays society, modern indigenous artists have emerged, for which they presented Indigenous art that represents Indigenous identity where the art is themed based on Indigenous cultural values, such as family, and the realities Indigenous people face within society. Within this research paper, it will discuss how modern indigenous artist can diminish the stereotypes that have been produced by non-Indigenous artists through their inter pretation of Indigenous culture. Introduction Throughout history, art has been a historical connection in many cultures as it allows for those in the community to protect their cultural identity within history and to create a connection between the old and new generation to learn about their heritage. However, Indigenous art has been known to show misinterpretations of Indigenous people made by non-Indigenous artists who presented their perspectives of Indigenous culture and shown it to society without any prior knowledge of Indigenous culture. Now, within modern day society, Indigenous art still holds a fascination with Western culture, but presents Indigenous art in a new perspective as Indigenous artists are emerging representing their culture to society. These modern contemporary Indigenous art pieces are based on Indigenous cultural themes and values such as family, connections to their land territory, and to present the realities Indigenous people confront with in todays society. Within this research paper, it will discuss the differences of Indigenous artwork throughout history, for which it will answer the question of how modern contemporary Indigenous artwork, such as paintings and films, has diminished the stereotypes of Indigenous people which had been produced through Indigenous artwork done by non-Indigenous people. Examples, such as Emily Carr who was mostly known for her work in Group of Seven, was one of the artists that had been inspired by Indigenous culture and produced indigenous art to display to society with the belief that indigenous culture was vanishing (Morra, 2005). With perspectives of Indigenous culture such as Emily Carrs many indigenous artworks that were produced in the past may have contributed to the stereotypes that many see in society today. Background Indigenous culture has always been a fascination between Western culture throughout history, for which many artists looked upon Indigenous communities as inspiration for their artwork. Non-Indigenous artists, such as Emily Carr, have been known for their Indigenous artwork within Canada as they created their art pieces within Indigenous communities to recreate authentic representations of Indigenous culture. Famous for her work in the Canadian artist group, Group of Seven, Emily Carr focused on landscape artwork throughout the duration of her career. Although known for her work in the Group of Seven, Emily Carr was also known for her Indigenous artwork that focused on Indigenous material culture (Morra, 2005). Upon working on her indigenous art pieces, Carr often focused her inspirations on native villages, totem poles, and poetry (Halkes, 2006). As Carr took inspiration of Indigenous culture for her art work, she believed that her work served as a purpose to preserve Indigenous cult ure through her work (Morra, 2005). While visiting indigenous communities to capture their culture through her work, Carr had the belief that by showcasing Indigenous material within her art it would bring awareness to Western society that Indigenous communities that were vanishing (Morra, 2005). Although Carr had the notion that by documenting Indigenous culture through her artwork, Hollywood films began to emerge, but with a dominant culture portraying as the heroes (Stoddard, Marcus, Hicks, 2014, p.9). In case study, it analyzed two Indigenous films that were prominently made by non-Indigenous filmmakers, in which, they found both used white male characters to narrate the film and the main target audience for the films are white and middle-class (Stoddard, Marcus, Hicks, 2014, p.15-16). Majority of these films cater to these audiences as Hollywood films choose to represent those who are apart of Western society, which they present them as the dominant society within these films (Stoddard, Marcus, Hicks, 2014, p.17). Nonetheless, with Indigenous films made by non-Indigenous filmmakers are prone to cater to white audiences with a white male character as the main role, this also presents itself to younger generations such as students, where they may be subjected into belie ving that the representation of Indigenous people within the films are realistic, therefore adding on to the stereotyping Indigenous identity through films. Comparison to Emily Carrs work, modern contemporary Indigenous art work creates a more prominent view of Indigenous cultures as it expands to different sources of media such ass paintings, sculptures, and films. At the National Gallery of Canada, they hosted an exhibition called Sakahan, International Indigenous Art which showcased Indigenous artwork done by Indigenous artists from around the world (Davidge, 2013, p.83). With the art exhibition being the first exhibition devoted indigenous contemporary art from around the world, it attempts to broaden the views of Indigenous culture as it seeks to expand the meaning of indigenous, setting indigenous culture into a global perspective, and to demonstrate that the Indigenous artists are among the leading contemporary artists in the world (Davidge, 2013, p.83). Along with the Sakahan exhibit, Kristen Dowell (2006) discusses the intake of modern Indigenous arts as indigenous filmmakers are receiving recognition for their work. In 2005, th e leading art galleries in the U.S hosted several international indigenous filmmakers to present their work to highlight international cinemas (Dowell, 2006, p.376). The productions that indigenous filmmakers present feature documentation of indigenous cultural traditions and opposing of misrepresentation of Indigenous people (Dowell. 2006, p.376). Indigenous films such as Smoke Signals (Eyre et al. 1998), opposed the misrepresentations of Indigenous people as it comically follows the family life within an indigenous reserve focusing the father and son relationship within the film (Dowell, 2006, p.378). Discussion The differences between the time periods of Indigenous art, such as of Emily Carrs time and of modern day society, they are dependent on the artists interpretation and the perspective of Indigenous culture. During Emily Carrs time period, majority of society had not been exposed to Indigenous culture, for which made the culture very appealing to artists such as Emily Carr, who chose to look at Indigenous communities as a rarity due to colonialism. Carr viewed indigenous communities and the artefacts she found as a formal art of intense ritualistic formalism, (Stacton, 1950, p.500). With Carr observing Indigenous culture with only the perspective of the formal art they have created, Carrs art does not portray a credible representation of how Indigenous communities live. By having a non-Indigenous artist present art work that is inspired by Indigenous culture to a society who has no knowledge of Indigenous communities, it promotes a stereotype to society that is maintained today due to these types of art pieces as the majority of society are not educated or aware about Indigenous culture. This notion that without prior knowledge of indigenous culture creates indigenous stereotypes is also inclusive with Indigenous films made by non-Indigenous filmmakers as the majority of their target audiences is toward a white and middle-class audiences (Stoddard, Marcus, Hicks, 2014, p.15-16). With producing a film that misrepresents Indigenous people and their culture, it reflects a persona that society will identify Indigenous culture with as majority of the films present this type of representation frequently. As for modern contemporary indigenous art, it can be seen as a revelation as more indigenous artists are gaining the recognition by various art organizations for their work. Majority of Indigenous artwork has been done by Indigenous people as the film, Smoke Signals (Eyre et al., 1998), was the first film to feature an all Indigenous cast and crew, in which, Indigenous people wrote, directed, and starred in the film (Dowell, 2006). It is also noted that the Sakahan exhibit that was held in the National Gallery of Canada was the first exhibition to be devoted to contemporary art created by indigenous people from around the world (Davidge, 2013). Todays modern contemporary artists allow for indigenous representation to be reliable as the artwork portrays the artists culture, for which many of the indigenous filmmakers include themes within their work that represent indigeneity such as family values, traditional stories, the realities indigenous people face within society, and the conne ction of land and territories for indigenous communities (Dowell, 2006, p.377). Although many misrepresentations of Indigenous people are still active today, modern Indigenous artists, make attempts to diminish the stereotypes of Indigenous people made by those in the past who were attempting to share Indigenous culture with society during that time period. During that period, modern Indigenous artists have made progress on establishing Indigenous identity within society as many have created artwork such as films, painting, and sculptures, to showcase Indigenous culture or to bring awareness to realities indigenous people face within todays society. Conclusion With the initial question of trying to answer if modern indigenous artists diminish the stereotypes of Indigenous people, which was formed by previous indigenous art work done in the past, it can be considered that modern Indigenous artist have made progress with trying to diminish the stereotype, but more needs to be done to gain a true representation of indigenous culture and identity. Although there has been progressed made to diminish the stereotypes of Indigenous identity, many non-indigenous filmmakers are still producing misrepresentations of Indigenous culture. In trying to prevent the misrepresentation of Indigenous culture, prior to filming or starting an art project, the consultation of Indigenous people must be included when creating a project or film inspired or based on Indigenous culture to respectful of indigenous communities they are basing their artworks on. References Davidge, M. (2013). Sakahà  n, international indigenous art. Border Crossings,32 (4), 83-85 Dowell, K. (2006). Indigenous media gone global: Strengthening indigenous identity onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and offscreen at the First Nations/first features film showcase. American Anthropologist, 108 (2), 376-384. Eyre, C. (Director), Eyre, C., Alexie, S., Rosenfelt, S., Estes, L., Skinner, D., Bressler, C., . . . Bornia, C. (Producers), Alexie, S., Capener, B., Berdan, B., Smith, B., Otis, R., Brown, R., . . . OSullivan, P. (Writers). (1998). Smoke signals [Video file]. Halkes, P. (2006). Emily Carr. Border Crossings, 25 (4), 91-93 Morra, L. (2005). Canadian art according to Emily Carr: The search for indigenous expression. Canadian Literature, (185), 43 Stacton, D.D. (1950). The art of Emily Carr. Queens Quarterly,57, 499-509. Stoddard, J., Marcus, A., Hicks, D. (2014), The burden of historical representation: The case of/for indigenous film. History Teacher, 48(1), 9-36

Comparing Setting and Narrative Style in the Works of Edgar Allen Poe :: Biography Biographies Essays

Setting and Narrative Style in Pit and the Pendulum, House of Usher, Black Cat, and Cask of Amontillado    The focus of this essay is the setting and narrative style used in the works of Edgar Allen Poe.   Although many critics have different views on Poe's writing style, perhaps Harold Bloom summed it up best when he said, "Poe has an uncanny talent for exposing our common nightmares and hysteria lurking beneath our carefully structured lives. " ( 7)   In many of Poe's works, setting is used to paint a dark and gloomy picture in our minds.   I think that this was done deliberatly by Poe so that the reader can make a connection between darkness and death.   For example, in the "Pit and the Pendulum", the setting is originally pitch black.   As the story unfolds, we see how the setting begins to play an important role in how the narrator discovers the many ways he may die.   Although he must rely on his senses alone to feel his surroundings, he knows that somewhere in this dark, gloomy room, that death awaits him.   Richard Wilbur tells us how fitting the chamber in "The Pit and the Pendulum" actually was.   "Though he lives on the brink of the pit, on the very verge of the plunge into unconciousness, he is still unable to disengage himself from the physical and temperal world.   The physical oppreses him in the shape of lurid graveyard visions; the temporal oppreses him in the shape of an enormous and deadly pendulum.à ‚   It is altogether appropriate, then, that this chamber should be constricting and cruelly angular" (63).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Setting is also an important characteristic is Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher".   The images he gives us such as how both the Usher family and the Usher mansion are crumbling from inside waiting to collapse, help us to connect the background with the story.   Vincent Buranelli says that   "Poe is able to sysatin an atomosphere which is dark and dull.   This is one of the tricks which he laregely derived from the tradition of the Gothic tale" (79).   The whole setting in the story provides us with a feeling of melancholy.   The Usher mansion appears vacant and barren.   The same is true for the narrator.   As we picture in our minds the extreme decay and decomposistion, we can feelas though the life around it is also crumbling.

The Magnetism of the Good and Ethical Realism Essay -- Philosophy Good

The Magnetism of the Good and Ethical Realism ABSTRACT: Ethical antirealists believe the words ‘good’ and ‘bad’, and ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, do not signify properties that objects and actions have or might have. They believe that when a person calls pain or any other event ‘bad’ and adultery or any other action ‘wrong’, he does not report some fact about that object or action. J. L. Mackie defends ethical anti-realism in part by appealing to an ontological queerness he believes value properties would have if they existed. "If there were objective values," Mackie writes, "they would be entities or qualities or relations of a very strange sort, utterly different from anything else in the universe." (1) Goodness would have a queer magnetic power. "Something's being good both tells the person who knows this to pursue it and makes him pursue it. An objective good would be sought by anyone who was acquainted with it, not because of any contingent fact that this person, or every person, is so constituted that he desires this end, but just because the end has to-be-pursuedness somehow built into it," Mackie says. If there were a property of the sort we conceive of good as being, it would be a queer property—one we cannot reasonably believe exists, Mackie argues. "Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim." Aristotle "To the rational animal the same act is according to nature and according to reason." Marcus Aurelius In this paper I address and overturn the above argument from ontological queerness against value-realism that Mackie uses in the quoted passage. I argue as follows: thou... ...inted with good properties of those objects is contingent on some fact about the nature of people. Thus there are two parts to the explanation of why people want and seek pleasure and other goods. First, it is the nature of an object’s being good that the object has a property which, when people are aware of it, provides them, in certain circumstances, reason to desire, seek and choose that object. Second, members of intelligent species are disposed by nature to form desires in response to reason and to act for reasons. A person’s intelligence consists in part in a disposition to form desires for, and to seek, objects that have properties that provide him with reason to desire and seek that object. A person’s intelligence directs him toward what there is reason to desire. Notes (1) Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1977) p. 38.

Film and Television Criticisms: Similarities and Differences of Male Characters Essay

Male portrayals on televisions have greatly evolved from the standard hero stereotypical illustration of primary male characters. During the entry of 21st century, masculinity among male roles have expanded and included variety of multicultural forms. In fact, the current illustration of masculinity has adapted to the liberal trends of society and even considered various facets of sexual considerations than the common romanticized absolute hero-portrayal of males. In addition, the male sexual domination against feminism is now becoming less frequent compared to the males roles of the 20th to early 21st century. Background of the Problem During the entrance of 21st century, various cultural modifications in various countries worldwide have occurred due to globalization, western influences and the decline of the concept on gender discrimination. Due to the vast liberalization on gender and influences of globalize and liberalized environment, communities, especially in United States, are now evolving the gender portrayals from conventional to a more equalized stature. As for these socio-cultural modifications, gender roles in media and entertainment are also being influenced by the shifting of idealism. In terms of male roles in entertainment, the common hero stereotypic roles implicating absolute masculinity have already diverted in accordance to the prevailing trends of the society. Since the public is now open to different variations of sexualities, male behavioral patterns and the society’s awareness on multi-gender variations, roles portrayed by males in variety of television programs have been modified to more multi-faceted and diverse forms. In an effort to illustrate these conditions, three movies with different genre and cultural implications have been selected are analyzed based on the similarities and differences of male roles in the television programs of the 21st century. Discussion The Male Characters of Prison Break Prison Break (2005) is an action, thriller and drama- based television series created by Paul Scheuring with the primary characters, Michael Scofield (portrayed by Wentworth Miller) and Lincoln Burrows (portrayed by Dominic Purcell). The two main protagonists play the role of brothers who aimed at escaping the prison penalty before Lincoln faces his trial of execution penalty due to the false accusation of murdering the vice-president, Terence Steadman. The two characters are hindered by the antagonist group called, The Company; although, despite of the trials and obstacles beneath the prison walls of Fox River State Penitentiary, the brothers are able to save themselves from the grasps of the covert agents of the said group. Prison Break is one of the best male role portrayals in the television series as of 21st century. From the given overview, the brothers are confronted by the issues of their past and the accusations made against Scofield’s brother, Lincoln. Three of the most notable strengths of the brothers are (1) brotherly bond to each other, (2) Scofield’s expertise in construction engineering and Lincoln’s genius skills, and (3) their comrades who are also escapees of the prison. Meanwhile, most weaknesses observed among the brothers are sometimes (1) their immediate concern to their comrades ending to self-risks, and (2) frequent conflicting plans and misunderstandings. Despite of these strengths and weaknesses, the brothers are motivated to escape the prison and live the free status that they are supposed to possess. Schofield already considers the little or zero possibility of uplifting the verdict to his brother; hence, both of them hope to escape the grasps of their chasers and live out of the claws of their enemies. The roles of the two characters are portrayed in a masculine sense where the sensitive attachments as brothers are very much evident. From the physical features and role portrayed by the brothers, each role manifests a sense of interdependency with each other. The Male Characters of Dante’s Cove Dante’s Cove (2005) is another film oriented to a horror and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) genres created by Michael Costanza with gay couple, Gregory Michael and Charlie David, as the primary characters of the series. The television program is another face of the male role portrayals that are liberally being introduced to the public in the 21st century. The gay sexual orientation of males is one of the considerations to the vastly evolving male culturalism in the film industry, which essentially provide a different course depiction of male portrayal. In the story, Kevin (portrayed by Gregory Michael) is a formerly discreet bisexual who happened to fall in love with his seasonal buddy, Toby (Charlie David) who actually works as a bartender in a haunted hotel at Dante’s Cove. During the middle section of the first season, Kevin is able to realize what he wants and decides to leave his prosperous life with his mother and discriminating father-in-law to live in with Toby at Dante’s Cove. Upon Kevin’s arrival to the area, he is confronted by various premonitions from the warlock antagonists, Ambrosius Vallin (portrayed by William Gregory Lee). In the story, Kevin has accidentally freed the warlock by a simple kiss from the prison-enchantments of another antagonizing character, Grace Neville (portrayed by Tracy Scoggins) – the witch of Dante’s cove. By freeing Ambrosius from his prison, he sets out to hunt his so-called destined lover in the persona of Kevin. Meanwhile, being the former lover of Ambrosius, Grace hunts the love of Ambrosius (Kevin) in order to avenge herself from the warlock’s betrayal of her love 50 years ago. The couple is now confronted by the immense witchcraft of the two members of high-orders. The task of the Kevin and Toby is to maintain their emotions to each other despite of the efforts of the two antagonists in breaking their relationship apart. From the given overview, the strengths of the primary characters present in the film are the (1) emotional bonds to each other despite of gender issues and (2) the aid coming from their comrades from the cove. However, certain weaknesses observed in their male portrayal are (1) their fragility against lies, (2) gays’ stereotypes of polygamous nature, and (3) the emotional set backs that occur between the two. Meanwhile, some of the observed motivational behaviors present in the two primary characters are their attachments to one another and the supporting atmosphere they obtain from their bisexual and lesbian friends. Throughout the film, Toby and Kevin hope to finally obtain peace with their ideal form of gay relationship; however, the greatest fear confronting the two is their separation from one another. Despite of their gender similarities and the moral-culturally considered taboo, the couple has evidently established their ideal perspective of gay relationship while maintaining the external nature of their masculine behaviors. The Male Characters of Heroes Heroes (September 25, 2006) is a drama, science fiction television series created by Tim Kring with his primary character, Peter Petrelli (portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia). The story revolves in the discreet existence of evolved human beings capable of using unnatural powers inherent within their genetic structures. Each evolved superhuman possess either destructive or supportive form of unique abilities. The main antagonist, Sylar (portrayed by Zachary Quinto), is an evolved form capable of absorbing the powers of other superhumans by actually devouring their brains. Sylar moves with his intent of capturing the key to his immortality with the power of the Cheerleader, Claire Bennet (portrayed by Hayden Panettiere). Unlike Sylar, Peter Petrelli possesses the unique ability of absorbing one’s power by simply getting near towards these people. Unfortunately, he enters in without recognition in his skill and unable to manipulate the absorbed powers at his will. Peter is confronted by the complex task of saving his kind from the deadly virus released by a group of individuals who wants their kind annihilated. The science fiction film revolves in the lives of various complicating lives of different characters of the film; however, the concentration of tasks and the primary role as the hero is vested in the character of Peter Petrelli. In terms of his strengths as the male role of the film, he possesses (1) distinct and non-replicable skill of obtaining one’s ability in the simplest way, and (2) comrades that are also equipped with unique abilities. Meanwhile, despite of the heroic character of Peter, his identity in the film is surrounded by critical weaknesses that serve as his primary obstacles prior to achieving his goal of defeating his antagonists. Some of these identified weaknesses are (1) his incapacity to control his powers and abilities at his will, (2) his fragile emotions when it comes to his brother Nathan Petrelli and his loved ones, (3) unable to recognize his own potential, and (4) his fear towards his own abilities. Meanwhile, despite of the weaknesses of his character, Peter is motivated by lost of his brother, Nathan, the death of his loved ones, and the abduction of his girl during his travel in the future. Out of these obstacles and discouragements, Peter still hopes to rescue his girl and his brother from their circumstances; however, he is still confronted by the fear of the destruction he can cause and fear of loosing his love ones in his own hands. Conclusion: Analysis of the Three Chosen T. V Programs In analysis of the male character portrayals from the three chosen television programs, particularly Prison Break, Dante’s Cove and Heroes, there are certain similarities and differences observed among the characters of the said programs. In consideration of similarities, Prison Break’s brothers – Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows – depict the anti-heroic roles in terms of the storyline’s plot. The masculine sides of the brothers are further exemplified by their complex relationships involving a different sense of heroic act compared to the conventional heroic roles of male portrayals in the past. Meanwhile, Dante’s cove similarities in Prison Break is its ironic male roles of anti-masculine portrayal in terms of sexual orientations in the film wherein Kevin and Toby are confronted by the issues of saving their queer relationship being confronted by the horrifying witchcraft of the antagonists. Lastly, Peter Petrelli of Heroes is more similar to Prison Break’s brotherly linkage as with his brother, Nathan Petrelli, who is very much emphasized in the plot of Peter’s journey. In terms of the character similarities, the primary male roles of the said three television programs have already diverted to a different heroic stereotype common in the 20th century film plots. Meanwhile, in terms of the differences showed by the three primary male roles, each possesses differences in relation to the use of multi-culturalism components, gender portrayals, and defining characters of masculinity. As for Prison Break, the brothers are confronted by the emerging complexities of brotherly conditions. In a cultural sense, Prison Break illustrates the conventional role of brotherly affection; however, gender concerns might suggest the questionable bonds of brothers. In addition to cultural components, the nature of their role as prison breakers even distort the 20th century heroic male roles, such as the romanticism influenced-heroes. In Dante’s Cove, the male roles of Kevin and Toby are confronted by issues of cultural liberalization in terms of their illustration of free manly affection, which is actually considered non-manly by cultural norms. However, as for the film and the definition of masculinity, Dante’s Cove is able to raise the concept of manliness in a more behavioral sense than with sexual choices or preferences. Obviously different from the two male portrayals of Prison Break’s brothers and Heroes Peter Petrelli, Dante’s Cove couples have altered the components off masculinity by portraying it outside the common stereotypes of male film roles. Lastly, the character of Peter Petrelli in his diverse heroic role in Heroes has actually portrayed a fragile heroic role. Initially with his low self-compliance and belief in his capacities, his masculinity is confronted by a weaker illustration of identity, which is another diversion from the usual romanticism heroic view. In conclusion, as of 21st century, male roles in television programs have indeed evolved to more complex and diverse heroic portrayals.

The Social Fuction of Sports

This report, presented to the Helsinki European Council on 11 and 12 December 1999, is the result of the mandate given to the Commission by the Vienna European Council on 11 and 12 December 1998. 2. Sport is one of the areas of activity that most concerns and brings together the citizens of the European Union, irrespective of age and social origin. More than half of them regularly practice a sport, either in one of the 700 000 clubs that exist in the Union or outside these clubs. Almost two million teachers, instructors and voluntary workers spend their working or leisure time organising sporting activities. These people play an essential role of education and social integration, at a time when our societies are experiencing major problems of social cohesion and cultural identity. 3. This social function of sport, which is in the general interest, has for some years been affected by the emergence of new phenomena of a different nature which sometimes call into question the ethics of sport and the principles on which it is organised: phenomena such as violence in the stadiums, corruption, the spread of doping, the exploitation of young sportsmen and women, and the search for quick profits to the detriment of a more balanced development of sport. 4. In spite of certain differences between the Member States, there are many common features in the ways in which sport is practised and organised in the Union, and it is therefore possible to talk of a European approach to sport. For several years, the European approach to sport has been affected by several phenomena:  · the rise in the popularity of sport in terms of the numbers of practitioners and spectators;  · the internationalisation of sport, with the increase in the number of international competitions;  · the unprecedented development of the economic dimension of sport, with the spectacular increase in television rights. 5. These phenomena provide certain advantages for sport and society. For example, the number of jobs created directly or indirectly by the sport industry has risen by 60% in the past ten years to reach nearly 2 million. It has to be recognised, however, that these phenomena may also strain, or even contradict, certain basic principles of sport:  · the overloading of sporting calendars may be considered to be one of the causes of the expansion of doping;  · the increase in the number of lucrative sporting events, which may end up promoting the commercial approach, to the detriment of sporting principles and the social function of sport;  · the temptation for certain sporting operators and certain large clubs to leave the federations in order to derive the maximum benefit from the economic potential of sport for themselves alone. This tendency may jeopardise the principle of financial solidarity between professional and amateur sport and the system of promotion and relegation common to most federations;  · the hazardous future facing young people who are being led into top-level competitive sport at an increasingly early age, often with no other vocational training, with the resulting risks for their physical and mental health and their future integration into other employment;  · the search for quick profits (effects of over-commercialisation), linked to the internationalisation of sport, may lead to inequalities for certain smaller or less populous countries whose top-level sportsmen and women choose to go abroad to exercise their talents, thereby weakening the level of sport in these countries. Strengthening the educational and social role of sport 6. The Declaration on sport annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty â€Å"emphasises the social significance of sport, in particular its role in forging identity and bringing people together†. Sporting activities therefore need to have a place in the education system of each Member State. 7. The values that sporting activities represent (equal opportunities, fair play, solidarity, etc.) must also be passed on by sports associations, which make a key contribution to education and training of young people and to democratic life and to the life of society. This is because sport has become one of the most important mass phenomena in our societies. It affects all social classes and age groups and is an essential tool for social integration and education. 8. With this in mind, Community action could focus on the following objectives:  · improving the position of sport and physical education at school through the Community programmes;  · promoting the retraining and future integration into the labour market of sportsmen and women;  · promoting convergence between the training systems for sports workers in each Member State. Better defining the legal environment 9. The development of positive measures to preserve the social function of sport must go hand in hand with the creation of a more certain and more stable legal environment, so that this social and educational function can be reconciled with the increase in the economic dimension of sport. This new approach should be founded on the reaffirmed and updated principles of sporting ethics and the Olympic ideal and should clarify the legal framework for sports operators. The European Union has an essential part to play in implementing this new approach, given the increasing number of conflicts in the world of sport and the divergent responses, notably through court proceedings. 10. The increase in the number of court proceedings is the sign of growing tension: for example, the Bosman judgment, delivered by the Court of Justice in December 1995 on the basis of the principle of freedom of movement for workers, has had major repercussions on the organisation of sport in Europe. It has done much to eliminate certain abuses and to promote the mobility of sportsmen and women. However, it has affected the economic balance between clubs and players and has caused problems for the training of young people in clubs. Certain clubs which had established training centres for professional sportsmen and women have seen their best people leave, without the clubs being able to obtain any compensation for the investment they have made in training. Principles for partnership between the European Institutions, the Member Sates and the sports organisations 11. There is a need for a new partnership between the European institutions and Member States on the one hand, and the sports organisations on the other, in order to encourage the promotion of sport in European society, respect for sporting values and safeguarding of the autonomy of sports organisations and the principle of subsidiarity. 12. This partnership will be based on the following principles:  · the European Union recognises the eminent role played by sport in European society and attaches the greatest importance to the maintenance of its functions of social integration, education and contributing to public health and to the general interest function performed by the federations;  · the integrity and autonomy of sport must be preserved. The purchase of sports clubs by commercial bodies (media groups, etc.) must, if permitted, be governed by clear rules, out of concern for the preservation of sporting structures and ethics;  · the system of promotion and relegation is one of the characteristics of European sport. This system gives small or medium-sized clubs a better chance and rewards sporting merit;  · doping and sport are diametrically opposed. There can be no tolerance in the fight against doping;  · the â€Å"trade† in young sportsmen and women must be combated. Each young sportsman or woman trained by a club for top-level competition must receive vocational training in addition to sports training. The absence of coordination between the sports protagonists (federations, Member States and the European Community), all of them working in isolation, could thwart the efforts to achieve these common principles. In contrast, the convergent efforts of the European Community, the Member States and the sports federations could make an effective contribution to the promotion in Europe of sport in a form that remains true to its social role, while enabling its organisational aspects to take account of the new economic order.

Descriptive essay Essay

I turn the key and hear the old engine turn over a few times, struggling to get going. Eventually it starts. The engine sounds rough when cold, but with a few quick revs, it starts to sound a little better. The â€Å"check† light flashes at me until I press the brake pedal to let the car test the brake lights, or press the â€Å"check† button on the roof near the sunroof adjustment switch, between the two visors. When I press the â€Å"check† button, seven small, red, LED lights brighten to show me that they are functioning properly. They are there to warn me of low oil, or low coolant, or to let me know if any brake lights, taillights, or headlights are not working. Clicking the sunroof button reclines the glass above my head. The sun beams into the interior and heats the leather. From the front seats, the pealing and fading grayish-silver paint on the hood is visible. The dark brown dashboard has several cracks, is dusty, and feels smooth to the touch. The tan glove box is protected by lock and secured with all the important documents. The modern stereo was installed improperly and sometimes different speakers fade in and out, and the stereo needs a nudge to get the sound to play in those speakers again. The dashboard lights are very dim at night, and can hardly be seen. The center console contains the dark-brown gear shifter, and around that are four window switches that correspond to the two power windows. Sitting upright in the driver seat gets the sweet smell of food. Fries, Burgers, spilled sour patches, and beef jerky (luckily it only the smell that fills the air, and not the actual food products). Once it starts rolling, the windows go down and the only smell that’s present is the scent of New Jersey pollution. Gas from the vehicle in front of me drips off and skims my tires. The smoke that people are blowing out from cigarettes ahead fills my surroundings with remembrance of death. The car sounds old, and it seems the engine makes a lugging noise while accelerating. The brakes squeal while braking, and sometimes the dark-brown leather steering wheel vibrates. After long trips, the car smells like burnt oil, but when fresh, the car smells like aged leather. If the heat is turned on, the car can become quite warm when fully warmed up, but the air conditioning does not work, so it’s never colder in the car than it is outside. The car tastes like †¦ well I actually don’t know because I don’t lick my car.

The Joy Luck Club

joyHigh-context Cultures and Low-context Cultures The Joy Luck Club  explores the clash between Chinese culture and American culture. One way of understanding the difference is to look at communication in these cultures. Chinese culture can be classified as a high-context culture and American culture as a low-context culture. First I will define these terms, then explain the significance of these two categories, and finally apply them to The Joy Luck Club. * Culture  is the way of living which a group of people has developed and transmitsfrom one generation to the next.It includes concepts, skills, habits of thinking and acting, arts, institutions, ways of relating to the world, and agreement on what is significant and necessary to know. Race, ethnicity, class, and gender are cultural creations; they derive their meanings from the culture. * Context  is the whole situation, background, or environment connected to an event, a situation, or an individual. * A  high-context cult ure  is a culture in which the individual has internalized meaning and information, so that little is explicitly stated in written or spoken messages.In conversation, the listener knows what is meant; because the speaker and listener share the same knowledge and assumptions, the listener can piece together the speaker's meaning. China is a high-context culture. * A  low-context culture  is one in which information and meanings are explicitly stated in the message or communication. Individuals in a low-context culture expect explanations when statements or situations are unclear, as they often are. Information and meaning are not internalized by the individual but are derived from context, e. . , from the situation or an event. The United States is a low-context culture. High-context Cultures In a high-context culture, the individual acquires cultural information and meaning from obedience to authority, through observation and by imitation. To acquire knowledge in this way and to internalize it, children must be carefully trained. High-context cultures are highly stable and slow to change, for they are rooted in the past; one example is the Chinese practice of ancestor worship. They are also unified and cohesive cultures.In such cultures, the individual must know what is meant at the covert or unexpressed level; the individual is supposed to know and to react appropriately. Others are expected to understand without explanation or specific details. Explanations are insulting, as if the speaker regards the listener as not knowledgeable or socialized enough to understand. To members of a low-context culture, speakers in a high-context culture seem to talk around a subject and never to get to the point. The bonds among people are very strong in a high-context culture.People in authority are personally and literally responsible for the actions of subordinates, whether in government, in business, or in the family. (In the U. S. , on the other hand, the general practice is to find a â€Å"fall guy† or scapegoat who takes the blame for those with more power and status. ) In a high-context culture, the forms (conventional ways of behaving) are important; the individual who does not observe the forms is perceived negatively; the negative judgments for an individual's bad behavior may extend to the entire family.In embarrassing or awkward situations, people act as though nothing happened. Individuality, minor disagreements, and personality clashes are ignored, so that no action has to be taken. Taking action tends to be taken seriously, because once started an action must generally be completed. Individuals can't stop an action because they change their minds, because they develop another interest, because unforeseen consequences arise, or because something better comes along.Consequently there is greater caution or even reluctance to initiate an undertaking or to give a promise. Chinese parents may overlook a child's behavior, because they expect that the strong family tradition, which is based on ancestors, will cause the child ultimately to behave properly. The Clash of Low-context and High-context Cultures in  The Joy Luck Club In a low-context culture, as Edward T. Hall explains, â€Å"Most of the information must be in the transmitted message in order to make up for what is missing in the context (both internal and external). In a low-context culture change is rapid and easy; bonds between people are looser; action is undertaken easily and can be changed or stopped once initiated. The mothers in  The Joy Luck Club  expect their daughters to obey their elders and so learn by obedience, by observation and by imitation, as they did in China. Their elders did not explain. Because the mothers internalized values and knowledge, they seem to assume that knowledge is innate and that it is present in their daughters and only has to be brought out or activated.The internalization is so psychologically complete and so much a part of the mothers' identities that they speak of it as physical. Am-mei, for instance, sees in her mother â€Å"my own true nature. What was beneath my skin. Inside my bones† (p. 40); to her, connection to her mother or filial respect is â€Å"so deep it is in your bones† (p. 41). But in this country, the mothers' warnings, instructions, and example are not supported by the context of American culture, and so their daughters do not understand. They resent and misinterpret their mothers' alien Chinese ways and beliefs.Similarly, the mothers do not understand why they do not have the kind of relationships with their daughters that they had with their mothers in China. The Joy Luck mothers were so close to their own mothers that they saw themselves as continuations of their mothers, like stairs. The communication problems that arise when one speaker is from a high-context culture and the other is from a low-context culture can be seen in the conversations of June and Suyuen, â€Å"My mother and I never really understood one another.We translated each other's meanings and I seemed to hear less than what was said, while my mother heard more† (p. 27). June looks for meaning in what is stated and does not understand that her mother omits important information because she assumes her daughter knows it and can infer it; her mother, on the other hand, looks for meaning in what has not been stated and so adds to what has been stated explicitly and comes up with meanings that surprise her daughter.The difficulties of growing up in a family from a high-context culture and living in a low-context culture appear in other Asian-American writers. The narrator of Maxine Hong Kingston's  The Woman Warrior  is unable to decide whether figures she sees are real persons or ghosts, whether stories she is told are true or fiction, what the meaning of those stories is, why she is told the stories, and whether an event really happens or is imagi ned. The Talk Story One way of maintaining and instructing children in traditional ways which Chinese immigrants adopted is the traditional Chinese talk story.According to Linda Ching Sledge, the talk story â€Å"served to redefine an embattled immigrant culture by providing its members immediate, ceremonial access to ancient lore†; it also â€Å"retained the structure of Chinese oral wisdom (parables, proverbs, formulaic description, heroic biography, casuistical dialogue). † In the talk-story the narrator expects the listener to grasp the point, which is often not stated (unlike the Western  Aesop's Fables). Tan adopts the Chinese talk story in the mothers' warning stories to their daughters.The talk story serves another function in this novel; E. D. Huntley explains, Talk story enables women who have been socialized into silence for most of their lives–the  Joy Luck  mothers, for instance–to reconfigure the events of those lives into acceptable p ublic utterances: painful experiences are recast in the language of folk tale; cautionary reminders become gnomic phrases; real life takes on the contours of myth. More significantly, the act of performing talk story allows the storyteller to retain a comfortable distance between herself and her audience.Thus, the storyteller manages in some fashion to maintain the silence to which she is accustomed, as well as to speak out and share with others the important stories that have shaped her into the person that she is. An issue for both mothers and daughters is finding a voice, that is, finding a way to express the essential self. Themes in  The Joy Luck Club Identity. The stories tell of events which shape the identities of the mothers and daughters and give direction to their lives.Though David Denby is speaking of the movie, his description applies equally well to the novel, â€Å"each story centers on a moment of creation or self-destruction in a woman's life, the moment when he r identity becomes fixed forever. † The mothers do not question their identities, having come from a stable culture into which their families were integrated. Their daughters, however, are confused about their identities. Communication between American daughters and Chinese mothers.The mothers see their duty as encouraging and, if necessary, pushing their daughters to succeed; therefore, they feel they have a right to share in their success (the Chinese view). The daughters see the mothers as trying to live through them and thereby preventing them from developing as separate individuals and from leading independent lives (the American view). The link of the Chinese mothers and Chinese daughters. The Chinese mothers form a continuity with their mothers in China, a connection which they want to establish with their American daughters.Love, loss, and redemption. Throughout there exists what David Gates calls a â€Å"ferocious love between mother and daughter† both in China and in this country. But the women also suffer loss, which ranges from separation to abandonment to rejection, in the mother-daughter relationship and in the male-female relationship. Sometimes the loss is overcome and the love re-established. Connection of the past and the present. The mothers' past lives in China affect their daughters' lives in this country, just as the daughters' childhood experiences affect their identities and adult lives.Power of language. Without proficiency in a common language, the Chinese mothers and American daughters cannot communicate. St. Clair cannot communicate with his wife, and so he changes her name and her birth date, taking away her identity as a tiger. Lena St. Clair mistranslates for her father and for her mother. Also, words have great power. Expectation and reality. The mothers have great hopes for their daughters; their expectations for their daughters include not just success but also freedom.They do not want their daughters' lives to be determined by a rigid society and convention, as in an arranged marriage, and made unhappy as theirs were. The American reality fulfilled their expectations in unanticipated and unacceptable ways. Another way of expressing this theme is The American Dream and its fulfillment. Chinese culture versus American culture. This conflict appears throughout the novel, from the struggles of the mothers and daughters to Lena St. Clair's Chinese eyes and American appearance and Lindo Jong's Chinese face and her American face.

Ethical language is meaningless Essay

Ethics is concerned with what is right and what is wrong. Meta-ethics however looks at the language, it asks â€Å"What does it mean to say that something is right or wrong†. In the words of Pojman, â€Å"normative ethics is a philosophical examination of morality, meta-ethics is philosophising about ethics -that is, about the very terms and structure of ethical theories.† I aim to explore the claim that all ethical language is meaningless by looking at some of the common statements used in the ethical language and what they actually mean. Firstly let me take the question itself- what exactly is ethical language? Dr Richard Paul defines ethics as â€Å"a set of concepts and principles that guide us in determining what behaviour helps or harms sentient creatures†. Paul also states that most people confuse ethics with behaving in accordance with people’s religious beliefs and the law, and don’t treat ethics as a stand-alone concept. However, according to the dictionary ethics is defined as the â€Å"study of morality’s effect on conduct: the study of moral standards and how they affect conduct†. With people defining ‘ethics’ in different ways, ethical statements would have contrasting meanings depending on how you viewed the actual term ‘ethical’. This idea of looking into the language of a statement before determining whether the outcome/notion would be right or wrong is called meta-ethics. This view of language limits its meaning to something that can be verified by sense experience (i.e. proven true or false). This view can be found in the works of Wittgenstein in ‘Tractatus’ (1921). This initial view went on to influence a group of philosophers known as the ‘Vienna Circle’ who developed the idea of ‘positivism’. This then influenced A J Ayer who claimed in his publication of ‘Language, Truth and Logic’ that there are only two kinds of proposition being the truths known by definition, and the truths known by reference to sense experience. For example, to Ayer ‘all bachelors are unmarried’ would be known as a tautology because this is correct by definition and thus claims nothing. However, ‘That man is a bachelor’ can be either proven false or true by using external facts (i.e. does he wear a wedding ring etc.). To  Ayer both these statements would be meaningful as they can be proven true. However, an ethical statement such as ‘abortion is wrong’ cannot be verified analytically or synthetically (like the examples before could be) and so aren’t meaningful. On the other hand, F H Bradley argued that the supreme good for mankind was self-realisation, meaning that we choose to go one way or another in life, so that we can join the wider community. Morality to Bradley is about the actions you take which express the character that you are. This is known as metaphysical ethics and is often referred to as depending on two abstract ideas. The first being the world as a whole and the second being self-realisation. Neither of these ideas can be reduced to the sort of empirical evidence that the logical positivists such as Ayer would say, can determine whether it has meaning. Therefore Bradley would say that ethical statements are meaningful. I agree with Bradley in that I can see how you can investigate the world as a whole and individual people’s inner characters I have to disagree with the overall opinion that for a statement to have meaning it must fit into one of two categories. Not everything can be proven through science or experien ce, but that is not to say it does not have meaning to some people. R M Hare agreed with my thoughts as he put forward his approach of ‘Prescriptivism’. He argued that an ethical statement ‘prescribes’ a course of action and tells you what one ought to do. It is stronger than just a suggestion of how to behave, but at the same time is more than a command because commands are related to specific things at specific times, i.e. ‘you should tidy your room’ would have meaning. An ethical statement is a general command of how to behave, making it both prescriptive and universalisable. Therefore one can apply logic to the statement and can deduce whether they should follow the statement or not. Hare would not make the decision so black and white that the statement is either ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ but would instead say ‘yes I think I agree with the statement and I intend to follow what it says’. Therefore these statements are full of meaning as they prescribe how one should act. Having said that, many people would not be happy with the above outcome as it is down to the individual and could arguably make excuses for actions that people may do. By following Ayer’s argument it is much simpler and universal as it is not down to the individual, it is either right or wrong through science and facts. Ayer, an emotivist, also felt that ethical statements are not just expressions of the individual person’s emotion but also of their attitude towards the situation. A good example to use- if I say capital punishment is wrong, it’s because I have an attitude opposed to capital punishment which is formed due to my beliefs. Therefore Ayer compared these ethical statements to the ‘laughs’ and ‘boos and hisses’ the ‘cheers’ and the ‘screams’ that people may voice in the audience of a debate. The statements are meaningless and add no weight to the situation. For example, saying that charity is good you are saying â€Å"hoorah for charity work† and nothing more. We would simply be expressing our attitude towards that topic or situation, and in the words of Ayer â€Å"I am not making any factual statement†¦ I am merely expressing certain moral sentiments.† Moral and ethical arguments serve no real purpose as everyone has their own opinion but who are we to say which opinion is right? We cannot know from people’s own expressions whether a moral statement is right or wrong, and therefore will come to no outcome so all ethical statements are meaningless. C.L Stevenson took this further and developed Ayer’s emotivism. Stevenson felt that whilst People’s subjective opinions are often based on objective facts so meaningful ethical discourse could take place. For example; if I say war is wrong it is my opinion and purely subjective. However if we say that war is wrong because 10000 people were killed innocently that is objective and factual evidence as to why so many people believe war is wrong. Therefore ethical statements can be meaningful. Ethical statements also include a persuasive element, which encourages other people to adopt the same attitudes/beliefs as us. Here Stevenson bridges both prescriptivism and emotivism together, and believes that ethical statements are meaningful. My opinion, however, would be that most people in society would be able to recognise that an ethical statement such as â€Å"It is wrong to murder† is prescribing a course of action that will benefit the rest of society. I  agree with R M Hare that an ethical statement is meaningful as it provides a guide as to how you should go about your daily lives. Language in general can have several meanings, but this still means each has a meaning. Ethical statements are made up of language, therefore each statement in my opinion is meaningful. You cannot make the decision of whether ethical language has meaning purely based on logic and evidence through experience- some things cannot be reduced to these categories, but that does not mean some people don’t consider this language as meaningless.

Police should be trained to properly respond to those individuals who Essay

Police should be trained to properly respond to those individuals who are considered mentally disturbed or mentally challenged - Essay Example A number of factors have led to the increasing interaction between police and persons with mental illness. One is that sufficient funding which is needed to grow proportionally to the increased need of these individuals is not being withheld by community support systems. Furthermore, existing crisis response services are limited in scope and are often not well-integrated. Reductions in hospital beds and services result in hospital admission only for those in acute situation, and even then, only for very short periods of time. Moreover in some situations, several police respond to a person in mental health crisis as they are trained to respond to a usual criminal emergency situation, and with a show of force and authority they may in fact escalate the trouble to a point of risking injury or death unfortunately, most often to a person having mental health problem. ("Study in Blue and Grey: Police Interventions with People with Mental Illness," 2003) Thus, this shift from institutionali zed care to community-based care and the general lack of understanding and awareness to these issues have resulted in more persons with mental dysfunction in the community to come in contact with the police. Due to the lack of comprehensive, ongoing training of police officers in the recognition of mental illness and in mental health crisis intervention as well as the absence of contact and aid from mental health and emergency services, this study is made. This essay will provide step by step solutions to make the police officers properly responsive when dealing with people with mental incapacity. New Models for Police Response Several communities have realized that the usual orders must change, and that new models should be developed that would go well with the identified needs and assets in a certain community. Some of these would be based in the mental health system, some in the police system, some are a true collaboration, and some are based in the community itself. Following are examples of models which have met success in specific communities: Police/Mental Health Team This model encompasses a specialized mental health crisis intervention team, in which plain-clothed police and mental health professionals take action in unmarked police cars. These men defuses the situation, and ensures that the person with mental illness is dealt with properly with either the provision of an appropriate medical/psychiatric care, civil certification and hospitalization or appropriate arrest and detention with psychiatric evaluation. The team is sustained by psychiatric nurses on a mental health crisis line. These nurses are called by vets when team response or on-call support to regular officers is in need. Assistance from psychiatrists are as well necessary when providing on-call advice and attending on-the-spot certifications when necessary. Example: Vancouver's Car 87.(Canadian Mental Health Association [CMHA], 2005) Reception Centre With this model, the person which is recognized to have signs of mental illness is transported to a reception centre where specially trained police or mental health professionals conduct a more thorough assessment of the patient. If necessary, they refer that person to mental health services. Examples: Knoxville, Tennessee; Los Angeles, California. ("Study in

Eminent Domain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eminent Domain - Case Study Example As a result, cities now have wide power to demolish residences for projects such as malls, arenas, hotels and other massive structures in order to generate tax revenue. Justice John Paul Stevens said local officials rather than federal judges, know best in deciding whether a development project will benefit the community. Try explaining that to the poor man who sits on the wrong side of the local official. Stevens further ruled that "states are within their rights to pass additional laws restricting condemnations if residents are overly burdened." Sounds generous, but whom is to decide what constitutes overly burdened How does a single citizen stop the arbitrary and capricious act of the local government Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the only rational justice stated in her dissent that this ruling was nothing more than well heeled people enjoying "disproportionate influence and power". Applying this decision to the activist justice, means that the justices have no power to make a fair and impartial decision - the very thing that they are elected to do! Anyone can bring a temporary restraining order against the local city or town, but their burden is tremendous, and all that the city need do is demonstrate that the person seeking to keep their home is not overly burdened. What is the judicial threshold What consti

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 32

Response - Essay Example instead, took advantage of it to create perspective and to intensify and stress the dramatic subjects, which is the artistry of science fiction in the author’s opinion. I agree with the author’s claim that we are currently living in a world where there is a blur between the past, present, and future. But such reality is still hidden to many of us. As stated by the author â€Å"†¦these shows were important to a degree and achieved cult status but it never encapsulated reality or capture a single theme or idea that made a show prestigious to a wider audience† (Gasoline Sky para 2). The author is clearly criticizing viewers for taking for granted the larger themes of science fiction shows like BSG. In general, the article is enlightening, interesting, and informative. It also offers a somewhat objective analysis of the political (e.g. terrorism) and religious (e.g. polytheism vs. monotheism) aspects in the thematic agenda of the

Individuals That Did Not Pull the Trigger Article

Individuals That Did Not Pull the Trigger - Article Example Four suspects have been accused of the murder of Max Gadau; a seventeen year old son to Atricia Gadau. Dzevad Avdic who is the fourth suspect planned for robbery. He did not have the intention to shoot or kill anyone in the scene. The initial cause of the murder was the stealing of marijuana. This means that the fourth suspect initialized events that led to the murder of Max. The suspect is guilty of murder. Another suspect is Ly, he aided in the identification of an easy target. He identified the girl as a weak point and suggested that she would corporate at gunpoint. He appeared on the scene of the murder making him guilty of murder. Ly’s case is a conspiracy issue only that he appeared in the murder scene. Had the girl corporated as expected by Ly, none of the shooting would occur.  Four suspects have been accused of the murder of Max Gadau; a seventeen year old son to Atricia Gadau. Dzevad Avdic who is the fourth suspect planned for robbery. He did not have the intention to shoot or kill anyone in the scene. The initial cause of the murder was the stealing of marijuana. This means that the fourth suspect initialized events that led to the murder of Max. The suspect is guilty of murder. Another suspect is Ly, he aided in the identification of an easy target. He identified the girl as a weak point and suggested that she would corporate at gunpoint. He appeared on the scene of the murder making him guilty of murder. Ly’s case is a conspiracy issue only that he appeared in the murder scene. Had the girl corporated as expected by Ly, none of the shooting would occur.   Myles Hughes was another suspect that did not pull the trigger. He only went inside the car with the rest of the suspects. He sat next to the fifth suspect, who pulled the trigger. His charge is that of conspiracy, as he did not expect the fifth suspect to pull the trigger. The shot girl would identify him as the person that acted as an accomplice to the theft. Nicholas Smith was the suspect who cooperated with the police at the time of the murder. The individual had the knowledge that the stealing of the marijuana was the only plot of the robbery. He had no plan of being involved in the robbery, happened to appear in the murder scene. There is no murder charge against him, because he did not have initiative to participate in the robbery.  

Relationships between climate and river flow in the Alps Essay

Relationships between climate and river flow in the Alps - Essay Example annual totals of river flow (discharge) in the Massa, which drains from Grosser Aletschgletscher, measured at Blatten-bei-Naters, for the same months ( x 106 m3 )(C). Annual totals of river flow in the Gornera, which drains from Gornergletscher, measured 0.75 km from the glacier terminus, for the months June through September( x 106 m3 )(D), and annual totals of precipitation (mm) between October (year-1) through May of the given year at Grà ¤chen (E), often called P10-5. Both of the glaciers are in tributary valleys of the upper Rhone basin in Kanton Wallis, Switzerland hence are likely to have had very much the same pattern of climatic events over the 30-year period. Hence, runoff from the two basins is likely to be strongly correlated. The Swiss Alps lie within Switzerland and the north is drained by Inn, Rhine and Rhone rivers, which empty into Black and Mediterranean seas whereas the south is drained by Ticno River, which empties into Adriatic Sea. The pattern for Gornera river flow is uniform over the 30 years period with the highest flow being at around 1993. The flow for river Massa is however not keeps changing at quite big margins over the period. Both rivers however have the highest flow at around the same period, which is in 1993. (5) Calculate the Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient between the two series. [Choose an empty cell on the spreadsheet – say G1 – and clickthere. In the text bar type = and then select CORREL from the drop down menu. Correlation coefficients are usually reported to two decimal places. Format cell number, decimal places 2, enters]. How well are the two series correlated? Are there any periods when the series are not moving in tandem? The Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient shows the correlation between two variables. (6) Summer discharge from glacierised basins is likely to fairly strongly influenced by energy availability for melting snow and ice. Plot the xyscattergrams

Dante And Virgil Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dante And Virgil - Research Paper Example This is made clear in Canto IV where Dante and Virgil meet the great Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Lucan. These philosophers are in the first level of hell which is really more like a purgatory. Because they were born before the birth of Christianity, they did not have the opportunity to recognize Christ as their Lord and Savior so they live in a state of Limbo. When alive, they dedicated their lives to wisdom and thought rather than religion and did not have the foresight that the patriarchs of the Old Testament had in embracing faith that one day He would come. As a result, their afterlife is a world in which reason provides some illumination, but the atmosphere is mostly dark without God’s light. However, the souls are comfortable and content in being able to share human ideas and thoughts with other great thinkers. This section of the Comedy firmly establishes Dante’s ideas that the only way to receive God’s blessing is through Christian faith. Even though the ancient philosophers were highly respected thinkers who led very virtuous, ethical and moral lives, they are still trapped in Limbo because they never even considered the possibility that Jesus would one day come to redeem them all. This is made clear when Virgil tells him that a person â€Å"in power crowned† came to Hell and took away all the Old Patriarchs who believed that the Messiah would come even though they died before he appeared. Thus it doesn’t even matter if you have lived the kind of life prescribed in the Bible, you still can’t get into heaven unless you were willing to have