Thursday, October 31, 2019

A short story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A short story - Essay Example In those days messages were received and delivered through telegram. Joe learns that his wife is very ill and would not be able to make it till the end of the day. On receiving another telegram he refuses to open it. He later tears the telegram off without reading it because he is afraid to receive bad news. He wants his wife to stay alive. Such is the emotional torture of the short story The Little Wife. Set in an imaginary place in Alabama called Reedyville, The Little Wife, is a lyrical account of the human afflictions. It is reasonably a thespian start when Joe learns of his wife’s sickness. When he receives the telegram and is told that it was waiting for him for two hours, he is not only unable to overcome the news of his wife’s ill-health but also the fact that he was laughing away sharing old stories with the buyer when it must have been waiting for him. This disbelief creates a sense of guilt even in the reader but with an aspect of accusation for Joe. March describes the moment of the arrival of the second telegram rather dramatically. Joe feels â€Å"weak and slightly nauseated† while the unopened telegram is clenched in his hand (March, 1935). The suspense gets on the readers nerves while March allows Joe’s situation to settle in. He hides his fears but he is noticeable by the brakeman who inquires if he is doing fine. March’s candid sty le and the illusory precision of theme give the story an edge over any other writer of his time. He is capable of reflecting the emotions of a heart-wrenched man who is resisting discovering the truth knowing that it may be a strong possibility. As he sees Mrs. Thompkins dressed in black on the other side of the fence, he is still in the denial phase. He waves at her vivaciously acting against his will, trying his best to win cards with nature. March portrays a one-sided picture of a man struggling to reach out to his soul mate who is

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

On Native Soil video write up Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

On Native Soil video write up - Movie Review Example The documentary also depicts that none of the personnel involved in ensuring safety of the people has owned up to give a vivid explanation of what security loophole that existed or even apologize for the systemic failure to curb the incidence. However, after the incidence, the US government has continuously beefed security system in efforts to keep at bay any incidence of the kind. In the quest of the survivors and their families, they have requested for a transparent performance of the task force given the mandate to report the untold stories of the attack. The performance management though has been faced with several obstacles that have delayed the release of a concrete report regarding the attack and pessimism is taking precedence that the information will never come out. The documentary also depicts the ineffectiveness of the commission in giving concrete report of the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The planning of change in an Organization

The planning of change in an Organization In this assignment background to organisational change will be discussed as well as the model of change and intervention techniques. Furthermore, needs and factors leading toward change will be discussed for chosen organisation and in the third part process to involve stakeholder in change will be described, in the last model of change will be developed to explain internal and external environment of organisation. For this task learner has chosen a company named Thomas cook which is Tourism Company. Thomas Cook group is a very vast group which deals in holidays planning, flights, cruises and flights. They organise all kind of holidays for all kind of people from all fields of life. They are one of the largest groups in the world through their mergers and partnerships. Thomas cook was just small firm who organise small tour but through the different changes they have become one the giants in the tourism market. Thomas cook first tour was organised way back in 5th July 1841 which was only 12 miles of train tour and now Thomas cook is second largest tourism group in UK and Ireland with around 19000 employees part of the company. Thomas cook group is not only tour operator but they 27 hotels in different part of the world and at the same time they have launched Thomas cook airline in U.K (Thomas Cook Plc, 2010). 1.1 MODELS OF CHANGE 1.1.1 ADKAR PROSCIS FIVE BUILDING BLOCKS ADKAR model consists of five steps. This is model which involves change which is directly related to the individual and to bring change in any organisation it is important to change individual thoughts. AWARENESS This is very important phase of the change in any organisation that how someone creates the awareness in the individual and communicate the information to everyone. Understanding why change is necessary is the first key aspect of the successful change. This step explains explain reasoning and thoughts that underlies a required change. Planned communication is communication is essential. When this step is fully completed then individual will understand why change is necessary (Change management coach, 2011). DESIRE Once the awareness among the staff is created for change it will bring desire among them to support and be part of the change. Desire to support can be achieved through giving individual incentives. KNOWLEDGE Knowledge about change can be achieved through coaching, normal training methods and education of employees. Through this employees can be informed and trained how to change and once the changed happened how to implement. ABILITY Ability to implement required skills and behaviours to change is very vital. In those theories which are learned in previous blocks needs to implemented in action. This can take some time so individual need support and couching to achieve objectives. REINFORCEMENT This is very important block of this model because once change is happened it is essential to sustain it so employees do not revert back to old structure and style of working and this can be achieved through monitoring and positive feedbacks. 1.1.2 KURT LEWIN (Unfreeze, Change, Freeze) UNFREEZE: The most important factor or phase of change is to understand the need of change and the right time for the change. As said earlier it is the difficult phase of change as most of individual do not like to change the way they are working. To change motivation plays very important role if motivation is high it is easy to bring change if the motivation is low then people resist changing. CHANGE Once it is understood that change is required then the next part of process is change because during this process people fear about their future and they are very cautious to go toward new way of work or new style of management, furthermore as this is not easy time people need time to adjust to new condition and style of working and they need time and space and guidance to achieve the require goals(Change management coach, 2011). FREEZE Last stage of Kurt Levin change model is freeze this is stage is all about maintaining all the changes which were made during previous stages and this can be achieve through monitoring and keep close look on all the matters regarding organisation. If close monitoring is not properly done then there are chances of people going back to old way of working (Change management coach, 2011). 1.1.3 McKINSEYS MODLE OF 7S Strategy Plan for organisation to reach their target and goal is called strategy. It is very important part of this model as it defines the future objectives for organisation. Structure Structure is another important part for organisation as it covers all part of the organisation and it is vital for organisation to have strong structure to develop and achieve their goal and objectives. System The procedure and way to do organisational routine work which needs to be done on daily basis. Skills It is qualities and abilities of an individual or organisation Staff Staffs are the people who work for organisation one agenda or objectives Style It is very important part for any organisation because style of working directly affects outcome of the organisation. 1.2: RELEVANCE OF THE CHANGE MODEL IN THOMAS COOK IN THE CURRENT ECONOMY Current economic situation is affecting every business of the world and most of the businesses are suffering and are unable to achieve their objectives. Under the current economic situation it is very important for Thomas Cook to understand the need of the change to keep growing and get further success and if they do not able to understand the need of current economic situation and need of change it will be hard Thomas Cook to sustain the success they achieved. There are lot of change model which can give guidance to organisations to bring change and formulate strategy. According to current economic situation and current position of Thomas cook ADKAR model of change can bring lot of benefit and improvement in the business of Thomas cook. It is very important for the management of Thomas Cook to create awareness to their employees about the current situation of economy and awareness should be given to them how change is essential for organisation and employees. Also, desire for something plays vital role and Thomas Cook wants to bring change to it is important for them to tell their employees about benefits and incentive of change so desire can be created in the employees that change will not only bring benefit for organisation but also them. Once desire is being created it is very important for Thomas Cook to arrange some programme for training and education which can help their employees to deal with upcoming changes and challenges. In this stage management of Thomas Cook needs to support the employees to enhance their ability achieve objectives. In the last stage it is essential for Thomas Cook to have very close monitoring of the employees behaviour and working style so that they can revert to old ways of working. 1.3 VALUE OF STRATEGIC INVERVENTION TECHNIQUES Strategic intervention techniques plays central role in applying change in an organisation. Through strategic intervention techniques awareness and knowledge can be given about change it gives the better understanding of change to a person. In the case of Thomas Cook, for the planned change to materialize, there is a need for the management to constantly have a teambuilding consensus to encourage individuals to participate in all the activities concerning the operation. Everyone must know that working as a team and fighting the crisis together will help them beat the challenge of the economic downturn. Thomas Cook must minimize the leadership style of being autocratic; hence, a need to exercise more being participative is essential to motivate employees in performing well. In this way, staffs are given the privilege to bring out their ideas for the accomplishment of an objective. Human Process Intervention is also advantageous in implementing changes in Thomas Cook as every individual needs coaching and development. Good interpersonal relationship is very essential in every organization. Because Thomas Cook is a large company, team building is needed for the employees to enhance their skills in mingling with one another so as to excel in developing their marketing skills needed in the business. Problem solving must be given focus so that the organization will have an excellent working environment. As Thomas Cook is a travel and tourist company, external environment will always be taken into consideration. The competition in the market, the present economic situation and the climate in every place will have a great effect in the business. Therefore, to plan for any changes, analysis concerning to external factors of the business must be undergone so as not to waste resources. For instance, fortuitous events like recent massive ashes in Iceland which have caused so much delay in the Europe flights, the threat of terrorist attacks in some countries and the continuous high increase of the cost in travel. These circumstances will have a tremendous effect in the tourism industry because people will tend to stay to their own country for their safety. Strategic intervention techniques are important for the organization to have guidelines on why they do, what they do, and how they are going to do to fulfil the organizations objective. 2. ISSUE RELATING TO STRATEGIC CHANGE IN THOMAS COOK: World is changing rapidly and at the same time demand, need and interest of people are changing with it, world has become a global village so if something happens in one part of the world it affects the other part of the world too. There are current economic issues, political and environmental issues which are the major cause for the change. It is vital for organisation to understand what is happening around them to compete and keep growing, furthermore many organisation doing mergers, acquisition, forming new partnerships in the world which may affect organisations because they are now more linked then compare to past because of globalisation. 2.1 NEEDS FOR CHANGE IN THOMAS COOK Thomas cook is organisation which deals in tourism and hospitality. During the last few years Thomas cook is unable to meet their targets which were set by them; it is becoming very hard for Thomas cook to maintain the success they had for years. Current economic situation is major issue as most of people are struggling with their finance and it is affecting on their way spending too. Those people who were used to go for holidays often now not going for it as it would put extra pressure on them and on their budget. So compare to the previous years Thomas cook is not getting same amount of revenue. Globally tourism has gone down in last couple of years and most of people now do not go for expensive holidays as it is becoming difficult for them. Furthermore some political changes in the world are directly affecting the business of Thomas Cook, for example current political situation in Egypt is disturbing the planning of Thomas Cook as in last few years they have concentrated heavily on Egypt for their tourism business but the current volatile situation is putting off lot of tourist from traveling to Egypt which is putting more burden on the financial status of Thomas Cook. 2.2 FACTORS DRIVING THE CHANGE IN THOMAS COOK: Change is the demand of the time for Thomas Cook because there are so many issues which are demanding change. Major factor which faced by most of the organisation in all kind of field is economic meltdown which is putting lot of pressure on organisation budget as most of them are unable to meet their financial target. So Thomas Cook needs to review their strategy to attract more tourists toward them, furthermore political situation of many countries are damaging the business of Thomas Cook, as they have invested a lot in partnership with different hotel in Egypt for tourist but as the political situation of Egypt is very much shaky and dangerous for the tourist because of this many who in the past like to go places like this but now they are avoiding Egypt, so it is important for Thomas cook to address this issue as it is proving quite destructive for the organisation. It is imperative for Thomas Cook to bring change to address all the issue internally and externally. They need to bring change as current situation in Egypt is affecting them and their investment, so they need to look toward some other market which are more safe and stable politically and economically and where they can attract more tourist for example places like China, Russia they are the places which not only can be hot tourist spots but it can bring lot tourist as well. The change involves a corporate strategy focused on new market, service and new ways of doing business (Tichy, 1983) 2.3 RESOURCE IMPLICATION FOR THOMAS COOK: Resources are most important factor in the growth of the organisation any organisation, without right resources it is hard for organisation to go further to develop and bring changes according to the demand of market and customers. Thomas Cook has to consider resources which may be hurdle for them to bring change in their organisational policies. 2.3.1 FINANCIAL RESOURCES Finance is the biggest issue regarding change in the Thomas cook, as Thomas Cook as put lot of investment in Egypt in hotel industry to attract more tourist toward Egypt but as Egypt internal situation is not very good for tourism so it could be very hard for Thomas cook to invest money in some other project. So at this time it can be one big issue for Thomas Cook if they want to bring change in the policies of organisation, further more in last few years because of economic down fall tourism industry is badly affected and with this situation Thomas Cook is already in bad financial situation so financial resources can be main barrier for Thomas Cook if they want to bring change in the organisation (Thomas Cook Plc, 2010). 2.3.2 HUMAN RESOURCES: To bring change employees have to play vital role in that process but sometime employees do not accept the change as they do not like to change the way they work. First of all as Thomas cook need to give better training to its employees because it is essential for their employees to get further training of marketing to present better but in this case some employees may not like it as some do not like to accept that they are lacking skills and they will not change. Second thing is as Thomas Cook is struggling with finance so they have to consider releasing some pressure from their budget so for that they need to do downsizing in the organisation but again it will not be easy as employees resist again any step like this. 3. TO LEAD STAKEHOLDER IN DEVOPING A STRATEGY FOR CHANGE: It is important to bring involvement of the stakeholders in the overall change process as they are the one who are directly affected by the changes in the organisation. 3.1 SYSTEM TO INVOLVE THE STAKEHOLDER IN PLANNING CHANGE It is very important to understand the how stakeholder should be involved in the change process and this totally depends on the organisation and the way it works. As they are mainly two types of stakeholders internal stakeholders and external stakeholders and involvement of them is very important as they are the one who are linked with organisation. Organisation should consider the suggestion and opinion of the stakeholders and give value to what they think and what is their demand regarding change in the organisation. 3.1.1 INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS INVOVLEMENT IN PLANNING To bring and involve all internal stakeholders in planning the first step is to create awareness about the change and Thomas Cook should provide proper information to its stakeholder about the change and then based on the information it is important to get feedback and suggestion from the stakeholders. Through this process internal stakeholders will be comfortable and will believe they are the part of the organisation and its planning. For this purpose Thomas Cook should make open forum on their website where all employees can go and provide their feedback and they can discuss with each about the planning and change for Thomas Cook, this way it will be easy for employees to say what they want to say and it can help Thomas Cook to get better understanding of employees opinion. 3.1.2 EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER INVOLVMENT IN PLANNING: External stakeholders are customers who are also affected by the change in the organisation so it is crucial for organisation to get customers involvement in the overall change in the Thomas Cook as whatever change will be planned should be for customers benefit and to provide them better services. To involve them in the process Thomas Cook must conduct survey and get feedback about the organisation from customers and they should be ask what they want to see in the Thomas Cook and what are their demands regarding the organisation. Through this organisation can understand what their external stakeholders want and how they can achieve their satisfaction. 3.2 CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY WITH STAKEHOLDERS: Internal stakeholders are they main player in transforming change in organisation. As currently Thomas Cook is going through tough phase for the reasons which were mentioned earlier so it is important that employees of the Thomas cook should be given more training regarding presentation and marketing of product. This kind of training will help employees to enhance their skills and it will help Thomas cook to get more customers in this tough economic period. External stakeholders are those who get service from the Thomas cook and customers are most important for any organisation. So it is vital that Thomas Cook should keep very close relationship with its customer and they should inform and give proper awareness to the customer about what is organisation going through and what is happening? As in current economic situation it is hard for customer to afford expensive holidays trips so Thomas cook should get feedback from its customer to understand what is right price and affordability for them in this situation, through this it will be easy for them to get change which will help organisation to get better business. 3.3 EVALUATION OF SYSTEM USED TO INVOLVE STAKEHOLDERS: It is very important phase for the Thomas Cook to involve the stakeholder in the change management policies and it will affect the performance of the employees. Through involvement system employees will feel more interested toward their work and it will give them the feel of responsibility toward the organisation, furthermore participation in the management decision can bring lot of motivation among the employees and other stakeholders which make them perform better for the Thomas Cook in this difficult phase of economy, furthermore to involve customer in the system it can be more beneficial for company and opinion of stake holder not only support organisation to understand the need and demand but also gives better understanding of issue and problem regarding performance. 3.4 STRATEGY TO MANAGE RESISTANCE Resistance against change always come, no matter how well prepared and systemized is change, there are always people who will resist against change and bring hurdle against and will take long to accept it, No matter how well designed and planned your change program is, not everyone will be singing its praises (Business Performance, 2011). It is very important for Thomas cook that how they will plan against any sort of resistance and how they will manage it. It is job of management to provide wide range of incentive to those people who will perform well in new condition and announce bonus and promotion for those people who achieve their targets and objectives for Thomas cook, through this way resistance can be reduced among the employees. In some way force and authority can be utilized to implement change in the organisation and message should be given clearly to the employees what Thomas cook will not tolerate anything which is against the company polices. Another way is to explain to all stakeholders how the current situation is not benefiting anyone and tell them if change is not done everybody will suffer and at the same time it is the job of the management to make it crystal clear to everyone that how change will bring improve everyones career. Finally it is the job of the management if any resistance come they should find the reason for that and management should be flexible to listen and talk to those people who are unwilling to accept change, further through this management can understand grass root of the resistance and can handle it better way. 4. PLAN TO IMPLEMENT MODELS FOR ONGOING CHANGE 4.1 APPROPRIATE MODEL FOR CHANGE IN THOMAS COOK Once an organisation is going through a change process it is very critical to use appropriate model of change to keep the process running and on right track because there is possibility of organisation losing their way in the middle of process and it can be a reason for failure of objectives. So for this purpose Kotters 8 step model of change will be used during the change process of Thomas Cook, furthermore it is important for Thomas Cook to establish sense of urgency to keep all stakeholders interest in it and it is important to create vision, look for short term goals, empowering people, developing a strong coalition and stick with the change process. If Thomas Cook can implement kotters 8 step model of change it will be able to guide them through this process of the change and organisation can make progress to achieve set targets and objectives. 4.2 PLAN TO IMPLEMENT MODEL FOR CHANGE It is very important to have right planning and model to bring change in organisation and for this purpose Kotters 8 step of change model will be used to implement change in Thomas cook. 4.2.1 Establish a sense of urgency Establishing a sense of urgency is necessary in gaining the cooperation whis is essential to drive an important change effort. Most organizations dont mind this step, in fact almost 50% of the organizations that fail to implement needed change incur mistakes at the start. Organisation may undermined how hard it is to manoeuvre people out of their comfort zones, or misjudge how fruitfully they have previously performed so, or merely patience are not enough to enhance proper urgency .( Kotter international, 2011) So it is very important for Thomas Cook to understand the need of urgency for establish permanent change in organisation. As current situation of economy is not good and tourist are not coming out to spend, so it is important for vital for Thomas cook to establish sense of urgency in their marketing and should look for different destination for tourist which could bring interest back in tourists. 4.2.2 Creating Powerful Guiding Coalition No one person, no matter how competent, is capable of single handedly developing the right vision, communicating it to vast numbers of people, eliminating all of the key obstacles, generating short term wins, leading and managing dozens of change projects and anchoring new approaches deep in an organizations culture.   The right group of people is necessary to form coalition in leading a change for the organization to succeed. That coalition must have the appropriate components, an important degree of being trustworthy, and a shared objective. ( Kotter international, 2011) Thomas cook should form a strong team of individual from different department who can work together. 4.2.3 Creating the change vision Clear vision serves three significant purposes.   First, it makes complicated decisions into a simpler one.  Next is to encourage individuals to perform in the appropriate direction even though pain has been experienced already on the first step. Subsequently, it aids to synchronize the actions of various people in an outstanding quick and effective means ( Kotter international, 2011). Thomas Cook needs to provide clear path to all its employees about their plan regarding change in the organisation policies. 4.2.4 Communicating the vision To acquire understanding and commitment to a fresh direction is a difficult task most importantly in complex companies and it entails a lots of inconsistency ( Kotter international, 2011). It is essential for Thomas cook to establish good communication through seminars, meeting and internet forums to provide awareness to everyone about vision of the Thomas Cook. 4.2.5 Empowering others to remove obstacles When there is a change there will be obstacles so it is vital for Thomas Cook to understand this issue that during change there will be many hurdles and obstacle will occur and to deal with them it is necessary for them to empower employees to implement the vision of the organisation. These people can motivate other to do better to achieve same kind of incentive and promotion in organisation. During the change process Thomas cook needs to give those employees promotion and incentive that performed better in this process and gives them authority to lead other in change process. 4.2.6 Short -term wins For Thomas Cook in the middle of a long-term change effort, short-term wins are essential.   According to Kotter International, running a change effort without attention to short-term performance is extremely risky. Therefore, getting some targets achieved in early phase of change are very crucial and it gives more encouragement to the staff and the member of the staff. Thomas needs to increase their booking quarterly in location like Russia and china. .   4.2.7 Consolidate Improvement and produce more changes As stated in Kotter International, resistance is often waiting in the wings to reaffirm itself and even if you are successful in the beginning, you may just power resistors underground where they hang around for an opportunity to exist when its not being expected. This is the most critical phase of change when early success is achieved and sometime organisation tend to relax but it is important to understand that relaxation may lead toward failure so its necessary to carry on for further change. After achieving short term objectives it is important for Thomas Cook need to monitor all that process and look for new opportunities to keep on the change process. 4.2.8 Make Change Permanent New practices must grow deep roots in order to remain firmly planted in the culture.   Culture is composed of norms of behaviour and shared values. These social forces are incredibly strong.   Every individual that joins an organization is inculcated into its culture, generally without even realizing it. It is important for Thomas cook to keep very close eye on the system and monitor everything to not let employees to go back to old ways of working; through this changes will become permanent in the organisation. 4.3 APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO MONITOR PROGRESS OF CHANGE: After entering in a change process the main thing is to monitor and measure the progress of the Thomas Cook, Thomas cook need to have system through they can check performance of everyone on short terms and on the basis of this process Thomas Cook will be able to get right judgement of every employee, furthermore after this they can provide further guidance to those who are behind in the process and it can be done through further training and mentoring. On the other hand Thomas cook management must be informed about every step take about the process. 5. CONCLUSION: Thomas cook is being affected by current economic situation and Egypt political condition so to bring change in the company they need to address few issues regarding finance and to achieve their target they need to look for merger and partnerships in other markets. In the current status quo, ADKAR model is advantageous for the business to as it is focused on individual change. On the other hand, for the implementation of the formulated change to Thomas Cook in line with the needs of the company, Kotters 8 steps to successful change is advantageous. Thus, it tackles every aspect of the organization necessary for the desired change.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Shramik Bharti Essay --

Sharmik Bharti is a nonprofit organization registered on the 15th of Oct. 1986, under Societies Registration Act of 1860. It is situated in Vikas Nagar of Lakhanpur, Kanpur and works for both urban and rural communities. It believes in building a true democratic society. Eradication of poverty, empowerment of women, welfare of children and community’s capacity building are its main goals. The organization now has more than 90 full time professionals and 150 community based volunteers striving hard for the betterment of 125 slums and 11 blocks of Kanpur and Dehat districts of Kanpur. The early years of its inception were very genuinely spent in identifying the problems of the community and their root causes. Right from 1986, the organization was working along with the people and for the people to better understand their priorities and the needs of the community. Based on these findings, there emerged Self Help Groups for the empowerment of people. These groups became one of the core strengths of Shramik Bharti and worked for the slums of both rural and urban areas of Kanpur. Importance was given to the creation of sanitation infrastructure and the introduction of health care facilities in these areas. From then onwards, there is no look back for Shramik Bharati. It had taken up many useful activities for the betterment of the people and the community. To cite a few, reclamation of waste land for generation of livelihood, establishing partnerships with support organizations to cater to the needs of the society, respecting people’s choices and assisting them to improve upon those areas etc. To achieve their objectives and goals Shramik Bharti focuses on three core areas... ... This program of the Shramik Bharti is the charity based and is supported by Helpage. Under this project, till now more than 51 senior citizens who don’t have proper livelihood and shelter are taken care of. Shramik Bharti appointed a five member committee to support such people and fulfill their basic day today needs. Grassroot Democracy: Our country is still facing certain socio economic challenges. To overcome these, community based organizations need to go hand in hand with the public organizations both at rural and urban levels. Shramik Bharti strongly believes in this principle and working hard to attend the challenges at grass root level. Thus, Shramik Bharti as a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization is striving hard to build a strong community where there are no traces of poverty and women are empowered to handle their own lives with immense confidence.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Northern Renaissance Paper

In the middle of the fourteenth century a cultural transformation took place, this transformation was initiated by Italy and was called Renaissance. It separated the Middle Ages from the New Modern Age and is where Humanism and Reformation blossomed. Portraiture became a huge part of the Renaissance Era and artists became intrigued in trying new and unique styles. During most of the fourteenth century, only royalty had portraits made because they required status and wealth. A portrait is typically defined as a representation of a specific individual.A portrait does not merely record someone’s features, but something about whom he or she is, offering a sense of a real person’s presence. Royal Portraiture is especially unique because it has to show the status and wealth of the ruler and appeal to many. The traditions of portraiture extend back to ancient Greece and Rome, but change every century to new styles by being tweaked slightly every so often. New artists are alway s testing out new ways to spice up an old style of art and were willing to try slightly new and tweaked styles of painting.Portraits of Rulers became popular to assert their majesty in places from which they were absent. Many rulers ruled more than one area of land and had a broad area of land that they looked after and could not be everywhere at once. Most rulers would travel around their land constantly, but there was always still an absence when they were not around. Portraits became a way of allowing these rulers to show that they are present even if they are not physically there. Many churches would have paintings or sculptures so that even when the rulers were not around, the community could see an image of their ruler.In addition to recording appearance, portraits had social and practical functions as well. Portraiture was a way for the royals to show their lavishness, which in turn showed their dignity as a ruler. Royals had a way of wanting to flaunt their status and were a ble to do this through portraiture. The Portrait of John the Good by Girard d’Orleans, was important because it showed the significance of having a portrait made. This was the first profile in Northern Renaissance Art and signified a rebirth beginning. The side profile for a portrait was typical of Antique coins and medals.This new style of portrait painting emphasized the empirical. John the Good resembles Jesus in his portrait and has a â€Å"God-Like† feature. Hans Holbein did a considerable amount of Travelling throughout Europe. He was primarily a court painter, and was employed by Henry VIII and did many portraits for him. He paid special attention to portraying likeness, which was very important for royalty. His work is rich in detail. Part of why portraiture was so appealing to royals was because it could do more than show what a person looked like. It could show how a person looks powerful and unapproachable which is shown in Henry VII.It could also show vulne rability or a way to be relatable to the viewer. Showing that a ruler was scholarly along with worldly was important and in Ghent’s Duke Federigo of Urbino and his son Guidobaldo the importance is shown. Federigo the scholar, is reading from a manuscript displaying his worldly success. His military prowess is evident with his armor showing. Frontal portraiture was more common and traditional among artists for portraits. One example of this is Jean Fouquet’s portrait Charles VII. This portrait is interesting because the bust of Charles is abnormally large compared to his face.His bust is actually life-size, but the rest of his body seems as though it isn’t proportional. Charles seems stern and sad, which is not typically what a royal portrait looks like. Royalty typically want to give off the impression that they are powerful, tough and wealthy but Charles show a sad and vulnerable side, yet still showing sternness with his bust pushed out and large. Royalty art showed a lot of realism. Many rulers were not afraid to show themselves just the way they were. The art was extravagant and showed the rulers status, but kept them very real.In Jean Malouel’s Portrait of Philip the Bold, there is a sense of descriptive realism. The portrait is not beautiful, it shows warts and all, but at the same time it shows the exquisite detail of the fur and of the jewels, which was so important for rulers to show in order to show their status and wealth Hans Holbein the Younger did a variety of portraits for Henry VIII. All are beautiful and extravagant portraits. Henry VIII has beautiful vivid colors and the hat and cloaks show status and wealth. The attention to detail and realism of the painting is common in royalty art.The portrait is close and has little room for anything but Henry VIII. He is the center of attention and is the only thing to look at in the portrait. The broadness of his chest and the size of his forearms are a show of power and str ength. Henry VIII is the only thing to look at it. He is confronting you and making it so that he is the only thing to look at, there is no way to ignore him. This occurs again in other portraits in the past and the future. Another Hans Holbein portrait shows Edward VI as a Child in the same bright rich clothing that his father Henry VIII is wearing in his portraits.Edward takes up a majority of the image and this portrait most likely had a great significance to Henry VIII. The bottom of the portrait has writing saying how great Edward will be when he grows up. This portrait was most likely a gift to Henry VIII that he cherished. It shows the wealth and status of his young boy whom he loved and waited with great anticipation to watch him grow. The significance of the degree of the face looking at the viewer changed frequently. There were times that the side profile gave the idea that Royals were â€Å"Holy† or spiritual.At times, the full frontal portrait gave the look of pow er and sternness, something rulers wanted to portray. There was also the forty-five degree angle portrait. This angle is a worldly and thoughtful portrait. It gives off the impression that the ruler in the portrait is in thought and is not looking directly at someone else, nor are they looking directly at the viewer. An example of the forty-five degree angle portrait is Bernard van Orley’s Portrait of Charles. This, along with Jean Perreal’s Portrait of Louis XII are examples of this portraiture.Both rulers are neither looking at someone else, nor the viewer which is the introduction to a new style of portraiture. The few tapestries in the exhibit show the royals in their lives. Attention to detail in these tapestries is exquisite. Vivid deep colors in these exhibits show the status of the royals, a commonality between all royal Art. The deep gold colors are a way of showing wealth. All of the colors in the exhibits are so deep and vivid, with attention to the shading in the background and the outline in some of the different portraits. The attention to detail in every royal renaissance art is beautiful.Realism and Humanism in the portraits is very clear with how realistic the rulers look. The details down to the hair, fur, and jewels are extremely fine, never leaving even a single detail out to ensure that it has the quality of looking at someone in person. Overall, Royalty in Northern Renaissance Art is broad and unique. Some rulers wanted to be depicted as strong, powerful and unapproachable. Others wanted to be seen as spiritual and almost â€Å"God-like†. Some rulers only have portraits done of their upper body, some of only their face, and some rulers had their entire bodies painted into their portraits.All of these rulers and their artists felt that the way they were painted would be how they were depicted by the world and chose the style accordingly. 1. Girard d’Orleans Portrait of John the Good Before 1356, Musee du Louvre, Paris. John the Good had a court painter, Girard d’Orleans who accompanied him during his travels and time in England. This artist painted the King’s portrait on a canvas type panel. This painting is a clear indication of a new type of painting at the time, the profile portrait. The importance of this portrait is the outlining of John the Good’s face.It is questioned whether or not it was intended to give the king a magical or spiritual essence. John the Good’s portrait looks like it could be a portrait of Jesus. It is also argued that it is just the first example in a long line of portraits that had a state function. 2. Jean de Liege Charles V, 1375-80. Musee de Louvre, Paris. 3. Nicolas Bataille King Arthur, Tapestry Series of the Nine Worthies 1385. The metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 4. Jean Malouel Portrait of Philip the Bold, 1400. Musee National du Chateau de Versailles. . Dieric Bouts Justice of Emperor Otto III 1470-75. Koninklijke Musea v oor Schone Kunsten van Belgie, Brussels. After Dieric Bouts was appointed city painter in 1468, he received two important commissions. One of those was the Justice of Emperor Otto III. Bouts’ advisor ordered this rather gruesome example of justice. Take note how many of the bystanders in the painting appear to be portraits. These small portraits within a painting show the beginning of group portraiture that was then followed by Netherlandish painters for two centuries.Bouts combined a rigid and mechanical regimentation of single portraits placed to the side of the narrative scene. Members of Bouts’ workshop finished this panel after he died. 6. Joos Van Ghent Duke Federigo of Urbino and his Son Guidobaldo 1475. Galleria della Marche, Urbino. Duke Federigo aspired to be understood as well as a powerful leader. In this portrait, the duke of Urbino is clothed in armor and his ducal mantle. Federigo’s son is at his side, which shows that Federigo is advancing him as his rightful successor. This portrait displays Federigo’s military prowess, his political authority and his humanist learning.Although most portraits are frontal to imply hierarchical power, this portrait however is not frontal because when he was young he lost an eye and nose. To conceal this disfigurement, Duke Federigo was always show in his left profile. 7. Jean Fouquet Portrait of Charles VII After 1451. Musee du Louvre, Paris. In the Portrait of Charles VII, the bust on Charles appears to be life-size. His heavy doublet is dark claret with fur trim. Fur and fancy clothing is a way of showing your social class, only the wealthy and essentially only the royals can afford the furs and typically show them off in portraits.Charles is tawny and ruddy in complexion and with a sad expression on his face, not exactly what you would expect a royal to show in a portrait. It is generally assumed that the portrait commemorates the Treaty of Arras as a victory of the monarchy. 8. Mo nument to Philippe Pot 1480. Musee du Louvre, Paris. This monument is a part of the tradition of Burgundian funeral art. Philippe Pot was a Lord of Burgundy. The detail of the tomb is a way of showing the status of the Lord. The realism of the ceremonial spectable is vividly presented to the viewers with the hooded figures, life size, and marching in solemn procession.These figures whose heads are hidden and are inclined in prayer show the mourning of their Lord. The mourners can only be identified by the coat of arms on their habits. The traditions of the past are being reshaped for another age in French art. 9. Jean Perreal, Portrait of Louis XII 1512-1514. Royal Collections, Windsor Castle. 10. Albrecht Durer Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony 1496. Gemaldegalerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin. 11. Lucas Cranach the Elder Duke Henry the Pious of Saxony 1514. Gemaldegalerie, Staatliche Kunstmuseam, Dresden.Duke Henry stands proudly in this portrait with arms akimbo and his leg tur ned out awkwardly. His wealth and status shows with what he is wearing. He is in a stunning costume with a bright red suit and stockings under a dark green cloak, both garments are slashed to reveal the rich gold lining. The Duke is giving the viewer a stern state as he grasps his long sword showing his symbol of power and rank. It is interesting that this is a full body portrait. You will notice that is resembles the Arnolfini Wedding. This panel goes along with the Duchess Catherine of Saxony. 12.Lucas Cranach the Elder Duchess Catherine of Saxony 1514. Gemaldegalerie, Staatliche Kunstmuseam, Dresden. 13. Hans Burgkmair Emperor Maximilian on Horseback 1508. Clarence Buckingham Collection, Art Institute, Chicago. Burgkmair had a ready patron in the Emperor because Emperor Maximilian sought to have his likeness and politics circulated in visual form throughout the Holy Roman Empire. This print of Maximilian was the first major print experiment in colored printmaking. Maximilian was willing to experiment because of is urge to get his name and likeness out to everyone that he could.This ceremonial picture shows a strong profile image of the mounted emperor on an ideal horse underneath a well-understood triumphal arch, redolent of both the military success and the Roman imperial rank claimed by the commander. 14. Hans Holbein the Younger Henry VIII 1539-40. Galleria Nazionale, Rome. 15. Hans Holbein the Younger Henry VIII, His Father Henry VII, and Their Wives 1537. National Portrait Gallery, London. 16. Hans Holbein the Younger Edward VI as a Child 1538. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C. Edward VI was Henry’s prized son.Holbein executed at least two portraits of him for Henry while Henry watched Edward grow with great anticipation. In this portrait Edward is only about two years old but looks healthy and resembles his fat-faced father. This was most likely a present for Henry. The inscription on the portrait most likely greatly pleased Henry. It says that if Edward imitates Henry he can be the heir of the throne. It says that you only equal the acts of your parent and that if you surpass your father, then you have surpassed all the kings of the world and then none will ever surpass you. 17. Lucas Horenbout Henry VIII 1525-36.Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. This portrait is unique because it is showing Henry VIII in a three-quarter pose and beardless, which was not typical for Henry VIII. It is also just a shoulder-length portrait against a plain blue background, there is no special shading or dark background to show status. Its diminutive size and polished technique on a vellum support soon became hallmarks of this pictorial genre. This type of genre was quickly adopted by Holbein and also took deep root in England, home to generations of specialist miniature painters well into the nineteenth century. 18. Bernard van Orley Portrait of Charles V 1516.Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest. 19. 18th century copy. John the Good and Clem ent VI or Urban, Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. 20. Parisian miniaturist of the late 14th century. The Banquet of Charles IV of France in Paris, from Les Grandes Chroniques de France. 1375-79. Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. 21. Antonis Mor. Fernando Alvarez de Toledo. 1549. Hispanic Society of America, New York. This portrait is a splendid example of Antonis Mor’s achievements in aristocratic portraiture. Mor created his own type of court portraiture, which became widely imitated in the second half of the half-century.Mor painted with unflinching objectivity, but the noblemen that he painted like Fernando are more than very important people. These portraits were not meant for our eyes but instead for the eyes of Fernando’s peers at court. This portrait is a statement of high status as cultivated products. Mor’s portraits display a singular superiority among men, but they still remain distinct individuals and don’t become idealized types. 22. Antonis Mor. Portrait of Mary Tudor. 1554. The Prado, Madrid. 23. Rogier van der Weyden. Isabel of Portugal. Mid 1400s. J. Paul Getty Museum. 24. Antonis Mor. Catherine of Austria. 1552.Prado, Madrid. 25. Jean Bondol. Portrait of Louis II, Duke of Anjou. 1412-15. Cabinet des Estampes, Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Charles M. Rosenberg, The Court Cities of Northern Italy. New York, NY. 2010. 334-337. [ 2 ]. Richard Vaughan, Philip the Bold. Longman, London and New York. 1962. 188-208. [ 3 ]. Alison Weir, Henry VIII: The king and his Court. New York, NY. 2001. 260-264 [ 4 ]. Greg Walker, The Private Life of Henry VIII. London and New York. 2003. 11-26. [ 5 ]. John Oliver Hand and Martha Wolff, Early Netherlandish Painting. Washington D. C. 1986. 216-218

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

First Day on Earth Pro and Antagonist Essay

In the novel â€Å"First Day on Earth†, the protagonist is a boy named Mal whom believes he is an alien and is being tracked. He thinks he doesn’t belong on Earth and is needed in outerspace. Mal’s Father left his mother when he was a kid and now lives with his mother whom is often drunk. He often goes to an abductee support group where he meets people with other worldly secrets of their own which they share at this group. Also,Mal meets a guy named Hooper who seems to be somewhat like Mal. Hooper says he is an alien and Mal thinks that some day these aliens will find him and he is going to be free. Mal is very different from everyone else. He is bullied by all the popular kids and is often ignored. He never likes to share his thoughts in class about anything because he thinks they are stupid and everyone will laugh at him. Mal is the kid with greasy hair, slumped in the last row of seats in class. The kid whom everyone is afraid to talk to. He is full of secreats. Years ago, he disappeared in for three days. weather it was a breakdown or an alien abduction, even Mal isn’t sure. In my opinion, the song â€Å"Fireworks† by Katy Perry describes the character of Mal very well. This is because the quote â€Å"baby your a firework, come and let your colours burst† means that don’t be afraid of what others think of you, just do what you think is right. In this novel, Mal’s character is exactly like this verse from the song because he believes he is an alien and doesn’t care what others think of him. he keeps stuff to himself and doesn’t mind anyone else’s business or what they think about him. Mal is a very loving and caring kind of person. He has only two friends, Mark and Sameer whom don’t sit with him at lunch because Mal likes the outdoors and they dont. All the popular kids ignore him except for a girl named Posey. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her,she’s just always nice to Mal and is always willing to help out. Mal likes animals and can’t see them in trouble, so whenever he finds lost or hurt animals, he brings them to a shelter where Posey’s mother works. That way, the animals are taken care of very well, and Mal gets a chance to get closer to people. When Mal goes with Hooper to send him back home, Mal tells him he wants to go with him and how he doesn’t like it being on Earth. Hooper tells him that he is his only friend and doesn’t want any harm for him, so he refuses. When Hooper leaves into the distance, Mal, Posey and Darwyn go back into the car and go on their way back home, when Mal decides to make a U-Turn and goes back into the place where he left Hooper. Mal decides to go and follow where hooper had left and ended up in space. He then made a really tough decision of staying in Earth because of the people whom need him such as his drunk mother, friends and most importantly, Earth. Antagonist In this novel, the antagonist is a boy named Hooper. Mal meets him at an abductee support group where people share their stories of what they think happened to them. As Hooper shares his story, Mal gets really interested and gets confidence to share his own. As everyone heard Mal’s story, they reacted like nothing happened so Hooper gave him a thumbs-up to show him it went fine.Almost everyone in the group was older than Mal except for Hooper. He was the only person at the abductee support group who was almost the same age as Mal/looked like it. As Mal and Hooper get to know each other a bit more, Hooper tells Mal that he is an alien and doesn’t belong at Earth,which is exactly what Mal thinks about himself. As Mal was driving, he saw a dog and decided to follow it so he can give it to the shelter. The dog ran and went to Hooper whom was living in a box. Mal was shocked and wanted to talk to him about it so he took him to a Burrito place and said it was his treat because he wasn’t sure if he had any money. He told him to take his belongings with him so he can take him to a shelter home. In my opinion, the song â€Å"E.T† by Katy Perry describes the character of Hooper very well. This is because it describes how Hooper is an alien and is different/ has different ways to do things. The verse â€Å"They say, be afraid,your not like the others†¦Ã¢â‚¬  means that people say to be afraid but your not like others so there is no need to be afraid. I believe this is Hooper’s character because he isn’t afraid of humans even though he is an alien and doesn’t know much about humans. Hooper is a very straingt forward kind of person. He says everything direct of whatever he thinks. Outside of the support group, he regularly meets Mal except after he went to the shelter home. After the day Mal took him for the treat to Burrito’s, Hooper’s favourite food became Burrito’s. He would go there almost everyda. One day when Mal and Hooper met, Hooper treated Mal to eat Burrito’s. Mal talked to hooper of how he believes he is an alien and wanted him to take him to outerspace. Hooper starts to laugh and says he is his only friend, and doesn’t want anything to happen to him, and refuses. When Hooper and Mal get very close to eachother, Hooper shows Mal the star chart and tells him how he is an extraterrestril. He also lets Mal keep the chart, but Mal refuses because he thinks he will loose it , so Hooper decides to give him a copy of the chart instead. Near the ending of the novel, Hooper tells Mal that he needs to go to his actual home because it is now or never.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Advertisement Essay Example

Advertisement Essay Example Advertisement Essay Advertisement Essay However, my favorite magazine of all time, and the only magazine that I regularly read is Mens Health magazine. In the united States, Mens Health magazine is known as the worlds largest mens magazine brand. It covers a lot of topics such as mens lifestyle, fitness, nutrition, fashion and even sexuality. As usual, I went to C.V. last Sunday and bought my magazine. As I read along, I found an advertisement about mens socks from Gold Toe. This advertisement caught my eye not only because of its beautiful design but also its meaningful text. I also want to bring up the target audience to whom the company wants to sell and how the advertiser uses both the mirror and window effects to persuade people to buy their products. First, lets talk about the Gold Toes fantastic design. When I first looked at the Gold Toe advertisement, my eyes were caught by Its colorful design. When I look at the picture In the bottom of the advertisement, my thought was who would wear those mind of socks which are so bright and colorful? . However, when I looked up, I saw a picture of two legs of a man wearing classic Jeans with a pair of black leather shoes. In the picture, this man is wearing socks from Gold Toe which are shown between the gap of the Jean and the leather shoes. Despite the fact that the socks are colorful and too bright, they are the highlight of the bottom part of the mans outfit. There are five colors combined together whic h are blue, dark blue, green, cream and black. These colors emphasize the fashion of the man, and they also help the man catch others attention easily. In addition, the strategies that the company uses to persuade people to buy their Lulu 2 products are also very interesting. There is a picture that takes almost half of the page only showing the legs of man and women. Based on their styles, I could guess they are around twenty five to thirty years old. I could only see the legs but whenever I look at the picture, I can imagine that they are doing some kind of flirting, having playful conversation or even making out. The woman is wearing a blue dress with high heels shoes. Her knees are touching the mans legs which are very close, and I an tell that the woman is totally attracted to this man. In the picture, the socks stand out the most because of the colors, so I think the reason that the woman is attracted to this man Is because of his own fashion which Is highlighted by his socks. That catches my attention the most is, Women Come. Women Go. But Great Socks Stick Around. In this quote, the advertiser lets people know the power of their products. Men and Women are always a perfect combination. However, in this particular advertisement, the socks seem to be more loyal than women because women come and then they may stay or leave, but socks always stay. The socks make men look different and can show their own styles with their socks. There is also a quote from a small paragraph below the banner that says: Looking for true love? Get a pair of Gold Toe socks. The advertiser wants to compare their socks with mens true love which is women. In this situation, the company wants to show men that the socks will do better than the women. They will help men show their styles everywhere they go. The socks are always there when the men need them,and not every women could do the same thing. In the same paragraph, the company also states that For more than 80 years, men eave been smitten with their exceptional durability. We knit each pair to last, with specially reinforced heels and toes. Flattened toe seam make them extra comfortable. In only three Lulu 3 sentences, the company shows how sophisticated they are to make such a good pair of socks. Men have been looking for the best quality of socks for a very long time. With Gold Toe, the socks are high quality. They are designed to fit the shape of entire foot. What makes the socks special is the revolutionary of design that can make mens toes feel comfortable all the time. It is evident that the message that the company rises to send to their customers is simple but it contains a lot of deeper meanings when they compare their socks with women and true love. They also show their remarkable design that makes the socks totally comfortable on mens feet and help them stay fashionable. I think the target audience the advertisement aims for is men of ages from twenty to fifty years old. In my opinion, these kind of socks are totally appropriate for all men. For example, for men that are still young of ages between twenty to twenty five years old, they could wear their Jeans and sneakers with Gold Toe socks. With those lord, they will help those men look very energetic because of the dynamic colors of the socks. For men with ages of thirty to fifty years old, Gold Toe socks will still look good on them because these men tend to wear suits a lot and their styles are totally different than the young men. However, leather shoes always go with the suit, and Gold Toe socks are perfect for this type of shoes, based on the picture. Therefore, we can see that Gold Toe socks can be used in every age and style. Lastly, the advertisers also create the mirror effects when they make me think about myself in those socks as soon as I look at the picture. The mens outfit in the picture is so cool that I Just want to try those socks on right away with the exact Jeans and leather shoes. This is not my style, but I would still buy a pair of Gold Toe socks very soon. The company also creates the window effect as well. I can imagine that when I wear those socks, they will help me have my own style wherever I go. They will help me shine, and the most importantly is Lulu 4 In conclusion, I want to state that Gold Toe company is very good on how they advertise the socks and successfully persuade people to buy their products. They try to catch peoples attention with the design and color. Then, they convey a message to people using a lot of strong quotes with interesting comparisons. They also have a remarkable design which helps mens toes feel more comfortable. The do not stop there, they also create their products to be appropriate at every age which I think is a smart step. Finally, they did a perfect Job on creating mirror and window effects for the advertisement. Last but not least, I already bought a pair for my own!

Monday, October 21, 2019

SOAP Notes Coursework

SOAP Notes Coursework Coursework on Soap Notes for New Patient: S: subjective O: objective A: assessment P: plan (S) SUBJECTIVE CC): Chief Complaint: Runny Nose John O’Shea is a 32 year-old single white male. He presents a â€Å"Persistent head ache for 5 days† and â€Å"Sore throat for the last 2 to 3 days.† He also complains of â€Å"Right facial pain† which he aan over the counter â€Å"Tylenol† which gave him some relief but the running nose persisted. History of present illness (HPI) This 32 Year old man presents with a chief complaint of a runny nose for six days with accompanying head ache and sore throat. Patient has been experiencing severe headache for over 5 days on the sides of the head, right behind the eyes. The first onset of the pain was five days ago, after the pt retired home from work with a fleet of sneezes and runny nose. Pain was relieved with painkillers (ibuprofen) for the best part of the night only for the pt to wake up with a serious purulent drainage through the nasal passages. The drainage subsided by itself after the pt had taken breakfast and plenty of water only to appear again within a matter of hours. The runny nose is aggravated by any form of dust and coldness. Pt reports slight pain above cheekbones which he uses over the counter Tylenol which offers some relief to the pain. Pt would sometimes experience mild pain behind their eyes when they strain their sight or when they try to roll their eyes sideways. Running nose is intense du ring the night and in the mornings. Pt has experienced nausea especially during the day. With nausea, pt denies vomiting. For 2 days now, pt has had a bad sore throat accompanied by fever. Pt also denies skin rashes or hives, abdominal pains, pain above cheekbones, joint pains or coughing. The mild pain above the cheekbones subsided upon use of OTC Tylenol. Allergies: Pt reports Allergic rhinitis – Headache, diarrhea, frequented urination, sneezing, runny, stuffy nose, itchiness and difficult breathing. Food allergy for meat and fish Generalized rashes, abdominal, diarrhea, skin itching, vomiting, cramps, swelling of soft tissues and the lips, and breathing complications. Denies allergies to latex and medication. The patient reports Acute Sinusitis. Current Medication Patient reports taking a dosage of 1 gram of Excedrin by mouth in duration of 5 to 6 hours up to 4 grams daily for 3 days, as it has been prescribed over the counter by a pharmacist. The patient has also been taking OTCs; pseudoephedrine nasal decongestant in form of tablets by mouth for 2 days. A total of 12 tablets had been taken so far following the pharmacist’s prescription of â€Å"a total of 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours without exceeding a max of 8 tabs in 24 hrs. The patient had labels for both medications as noted. Pt denies any alternative or complementary treatment and Vitamins with similar specifics. The patient also reports oral tablets o Tylenol 6 tablets a day or the last 3 days. PMH / PSH Past Medical History (PMH): Pt reports history of hypothyroidism and HTN. Pt also reports history of allergic rhinitis and Acute Sinusitis Past Surgical History (PSH): Pt reports appendectomy, 1994; TA, 2005. Fam Hx (Family History) Patient reports family history of HTN (Father diagnosed with HTN at the age of 39); CAD (mother with stent at age 43); hypothyroidism (sister). Denies family history of nasal allergies, and Migraine headache. Family history therefore is non-contributory and not useful for Chief Complaint (CC). Soc Hx (Social History) Work History: The patient has worked as a coal miner for 15 yrs. currently unemployed. Pt. single, lives alone in a rented flat house, never married. Pt. reports a history of cigarette smoking 1 PPD for 15 YRS. Cessation 2009. Pt. reports a history of consuming a pack of beer over the weekends for 15 yrs. Reports 1 beer weekly since March, 2011. Pt. denies current use or history of illicit drugs. ROS (Review of Systems) CS (constitutional systems): Reports fever. Pt. denies weight loss, night sweats, lethargy/fatigue, and change in appetite, rash or itch. Eyes: Report headache and pain beneath the eyes. Pt. denies visual changes, double vision, and eye pain, floaters or blind spots (scotomas). Neuro: Pt. denies weakness, dizziness, numbness or changes in mood, sleep or memory. Ears, nose, mouth and throat (ENT): Reports runny nose, sinus pain, pain with swallowing, sore throat. Pt. denies stuffy or painful ears, toothache. Cardiovascular: Pt. denies shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, oedema, chest pains or palpitations. Respiratory: Reports cough. Pt. denies haemoptysis, exercise intolerance, wheezing, sputum or Trouble with breathing. States asthma is well-controlled. Lungs are not clear to auscultation and are not resonant to percussion. Abd: Pt denies abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, N/V, or changes in stool pattern. (O) OBJECTIVE PE (Physical examination) VS: P 85, B/P 127/82, HR 69, RR 18, height 6’5’’, Weight 182lb: pt is overweight, VS seems to be fine. General: Alert oriented x3, well nourished, well groomed, appropriate affect, in no acute distress (NAD), responds appropriately to interview and questions. HEENT (head, eyes, ears, neck and throat): Normal Skin: Dry and warm, no rashes or skin lesions, Lungs are CTA bilaterally. Cardiovascular: Femoral pulses 2+, RRR having S1, S2, no murmurs, gallops or rubs. Respiratory: Bilateral breath sounds (BBS) clear to auscultation, absence of adventitious breath noises. Abdomen: BS present x 4 quads, normoactive, soft, non-distended, non-tender. Neuro: Cranial Nerves Intact and functioning well. Neck: Supple, no lmphadenopathy, no bruits, and trace evidence of thyromegaly. Lab/Xray/Procedures Recent labs, X-ray, procedure and special test results Ex: Na+ 136, K+ 4.2, BUN 9, Cr 0.8, glucose 82 (17/7/2011); Normal screening colonoscopy (10/05/2011); Abdominal ultrasound (18/6/2011) – single 10mm gallstone. No supportive treatments. Pt advised to use hand wash regularly to avoid transmission of germs in future infections. (A) ASSESSMENT Allergic rhinitis Tearing or runny nose not accounted for sinuses or cold symptoms. Early hypothyroidism and HTN Tympanic membranes pearly grey with a sharp reflex of light. Right maxillary tenderness. Acute Sinusitis Preventive care should be observed. Pt should use hand wash and clean handkerchief all the time. Patient should avoid alcohol or any other drugs when under medication. Pt should keep a clean environment within the house. Avoid dust and other allergens. Always use prescription drugs and avoid over the counter medicines. (P) PLAN This is a plan based on all the symptomatic conditions presented by the patient. Examine nasal secretions to determine allergic or infectious infections. Repeat labs, X-ray and tests for Ex, K+, BUN, Cr Gluc Allergies: Give dosages for allergy antihistamines (Beclomethasone, cromolyn, or triamcinolone) + cough suppressants as well as oral decongestants (tablets). For antihistamines consider tabs or injection. Apply fluticasone nose spray allergy symptoms when noticed. Runny Nose: Cough suppressants + decongestants to be taken by mouth following the right prescription. Treat with Amoxicillin 500 mg per day three times and a decongestants for a whole week. Follow up if symptoms persist. Sore throat: mild antibiotics will be given to the patient. Supportive treatment to pt such as taking plenty of fluids and having a good rest should also be incorporated. Advice pt regarding preventive measures for runny nose in adults e.g. frequent hand wash to cleanse germs which may cause cold flu, avoidance of nose, eye and mouth touch. Pt is advised to avoid allergens whenever possible. Provide pt with referrals and consultation contact information incase of any issues that may arise from worsening condition and reaction on medication; this could be allergy or intolerance. In this case, signed pharmacy student name and contact information. Pt follow up will have to take place in three days to assess the progress of the prescribed medication on the condition. Narrative The patient is a 32 Year old man who presents with a chief complaint of a runny nose for six days with accompanying head ache and sore throat. Pt has been experiencing severe headache for over 5 days on the sides of the head, right behind the eyes. Based on my assessment of the patient’s condition and response to the previous modes of treatment, my advice to the pt would be to take the prescribed doses of allergy antihistamines. I will also offer a cough suppressant and tablets for oral decongestion. For the case of the antihistamines there is a choice between tabs and injection. The pt is also advised to keep off alcohol and any other drugs not prescribed for the period of treatment. Pt must also ensure clean house environment free of dust and other allergens that might aggravate his situation. Pt advised to install window screens and vacuum clean house always. Pt should avoid outdoors in the woods when its sunny or windy. I urge the pt to take plenty of fluids and rest. Avoid touching the nose, eyes and mouth as this could lead to infection with germs which cause cold flu. Alternatively you can be sure to use hand wash regularly to cleanse germs capable of causing such infections. The pt is also advised to seek medical follow up if symptoms persist. If the pt agrees to this mode of treatment, he is on a sure path to recovery.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Pepperoni in Italian Is Not the Same as in English

Pepperoni in Italian Is Not the Same as in English Its one of the most common mistakes Americans make when referring to food in Italy. The New York Times article, Savoring Tuscany a Glass at a Time, opens with this (un)appetizing line: If the idea of wandering through a village dating back to Etruscan times before stopping off at a family-run restaurant for a plate of pollo con pepperoni (chicken with peppers) and a glass of Chianti sounds good to you. Heres the Twist Well, no, in fact, that doesnt sound right at all! Pepperoni is a spicy Italian-American variety of dry salami usually made of pork and beef and is frequently used as a pizza topping in American pizzerias. Peperoni, on the other hand, is what Americans recognize as peppers, and what the recipe calls for. Chicken surrounded by those large circles of pepperoni one normally associates with take-out pizza on a Friday night? No thanks! The plate should read pollo  con peperoni, with one P. The Best Advice For those traveling to Italy who want to sample authentic pepperoni, ask for salame piccante, salamino piccante (spicy salami, generally typical of Calabria), or salsiccia Napoletana piccante, a spicy dry sausage from Naples.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Invention of printing press Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Invention of printing press - Essay Example The most common form of printing technology is offset lithography that consists of separate towers for every color of ink for printing. Others are gravure printing dependent on the small depressions on the printing plate surface, pad printing, screen printing, and relief printing. The invention of the printing press depended on already available printing technologies that were in use in various regions, such as ink, paper, and block printing invention that was quite common in China, before moving out to revolutionize Europe through Gutenberg works. Industrial Printing Presses Printing presses have evolved enormously over time, shifting from manual to mechanical structures which are less tedious, easier to produce, and with much reduced chances of injuries. Since ancient times, the transformations from wooden to metal built devices are evident, changing the face of printing from Egyptian wooden block printing, all the way to lithography, offset printing, 19th century hot stamping type setting, phototypesetting, to modern 3D printing and digital press. Stanhope printing press invented the first book press using cast iron, followed by Columbian press, which was a drift from Gutenberg print press, even if they employed most of the features and operation procedures from previous Gutenberg’s work (utexas.edu, n.d). All these former industrial press have been serving as the foundations of the succeeding printing presses in the modern society. Mechanized printing press. The difference that arises between the press and Gutenberg’s are the speed of press to make an impression on the paper. While Gutenberg print press compositors put type together by hand to assemble about 2000 characters per... The increase in print works allowed the spread of Christianity across the globe, which was one major practice that preceded European settlement in different continents. Bible translation into native languages was possible, enhancing spread of the gospel to different communities in their backyards. According to Eisenstein, â€Å"between the invention of the printing press and 1520, one hundred and fifty six Latin edition of the Bible had been published, together with seventeen German translation† (1979, p. 330). People had to learn to read and write, to read the word been spread, and acquire timely information and knowledge for their benefit. The number of people who attended church teachings reduced, since the word was more available to everyone, and as the result many could criticize some religious doctrines, creating conflicts among Christian religious denominations.How Printing Press Changed CommunicationCommunication comes differently to convey a message to the society. To day you find people using signs languages, either in body or pictorial forms to mean something. No longer is the human presence important as the agent of message delivery, but the message could be printed out and authorized to clarify and assure its origin to the sender. The culture of public communication has been influenced by the changing printing press technologies, such that it goes beyond providing learning, reasoning, and meaning of the message, to ensure people easier and reliable access of information, and its control when need be.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Statistics for Managers Class Discussion wk5 Essay

Statistics for Managers Class Discussion wk5 - Essay Example In business the population mean can be applied on a study using a focus group as a parameter of the whole population. He focus group can be used to sample new products and get reactions from the consumers. The population mean represents the true opinion of the entire population. During elections most opinion poll the voters predict the winning candidate this has been done for the major media houses to make consumers glued to their channels during heated campaign periods. Thus during the period the media houses make their money on adverts as the candidates use the polls advertise themselves on the weaker area of electorate. Most drug and pharmaceuticals company test their drugs on a certain focus group to test the curative and side effects of vaccine, cure drugs and cosmetics. Most recently GlaxoSmithKline and NewLinkGenetics were conducting focus group trials on Ebola virus; as a result of outbreak in West Africa (Daniel Flynn, 2014). Most consumer goods have a warranty, the risk of return of the product is calculated from the margin of error of producing a defective product. Daniel Flynn, R.-J. B. (2014, November 14). Exclusive: MSF should have called for Ebola vaccine earlier. Retrieved from Reuters:

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

Management Accounting - Essay Example The facts discussed above give rise to the importance of employing an accounting method which takes into account the full costs of operation. Consequently, full cost accounting allows managers to give an appropriate cost to the companys products and services to include a fair share of overheads to each unit produced. This paper will take a look at the presently used costing methods in business organizations namely traditional and activity based costing. The next section will discuss how cost accounting was traditionally conducted. Next, it will focus on the recently recognized activity based costing and how it is utilized. Lastly, this report will compare the two methods and apply them to real world examples to asses their relative efficiency. Traditionally, all costs were orinally fixed. In fact, cost comes from a Latin word which means â€Å"to stand.† However, developments were made as managers recognized the efficiency of categorizing costs into either fixed or variable. As we now know, fixed costs refer to administrative expenses which remain â€Å"fixed† in either busy or slack seasons. On the other hand, variable costs are those which significantly varies with the number of output produced and are dependent on business productivity. Variable costs are those which naturally â€Å"rise† or â€Å"fall† with business activity (Cost Accounting 2006). Traditional costing is one of the simplest way of costing products and services. In this system, it is assumed that costs are directly associated with the volume of production as a single cost is given to all products and services. Hence, this costing method presupposes that as the level of production goes up, so does cost. Traditional costing essentially uses unit-based costing which alloates manufacturing overhead based on the unit of products manufactured (ABC Concepts 2000). Accordingly, the traditional approach to

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Role of a Military Officer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Role of a Military Officer - Essay Example The paper tells that although work in the military is perilous, stressful, demanding and a non-lucrative occupation, nevertheless, there is no better reward than to be regarded as someone of service to the community wherein we and our loved ones are living in. That objective alone establishes a sufficient motivation for me to go through this challenge. He is aware that being a Military Officer carries with it a great responsibility and requires utmost devotion and determination. It is his aspiration to gain knowledge and expertise in this field to be of efficient service. He believes that every man has his own destiny. And in his heart, this is what he is committed to pursue. As a Military Officer, he is expected to possess the necessary qualifications to fulfill this delicate function. Society must be assured that he has a keen understanding and appreciation of the true nature and significance of the military profession and have a thorough awareness of the social responsibilities it entails. It is important to be trained to be an effective leader in all aspects of army life and to be responsible for a team of soldiers and other personnel under my command. Aside from possessing high degrees of self-discipline and excellent physical and mental fitness, he is required of expertise, broad liberal education and technical knowledge to effectively apply military force in an orderly manner. Society expects that its Military Officers are committed, competent and capable of taking any mission whose objective is to protect and defend the country.

Landscape design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Landscape design - Essay Example We have civilization because we are able to distort the natural environment for our benefit. Functional landscapes are those that necessitate few resources in order to be maintained. The landscaping boom of the twentieth century in rural and urban environments altered the land through the use of supplementary resources. "Currently, we frequently select plants that are not highly adapted to dry climate regions and need regular care and attention to perform well" (ATTN). Since the onset of Conservation campaigns of the 1980s, we are quickly finding that the most functional landscapes are those whose native state has remained intact. The native species and their particular interactions with water, light, and soil in Mediterranean climates are those that landscape architects are returning to now, for their inherent ability to succeed in arid or semi-arid environments with relatively little rainfall. The ability to design functional landscapes around the parameters of native environments is the landscaper's role in sustainability. In order to be considered functional and sustainable, design concepts in both rural and urban areas should be guided by bioregionalism. Bioregionalism is the idea that life species native to specific regions or microclimates are those suited to the given environment. The coupling of those life systems and its environment creates a self-sustaining ecosystem and necessitates no use of additional resources. The scientific concept of bioregionalism is used in practice for landscape architects and known as green landscape design. Green landscape design is a sub-discipline of landscape design. Like green building, it is setting a new, more environmentally friendly standard for its parent field. The field generally emphasizes the use of native plants to restore or maintain natural habitats and the healthy functioning of ecosystems. (Kravitz 2006) The methods taken at the initial planning stages determine the forthcoming sustainability of the areas altered. Responsible techniques taken at the design stage will ensure that while alterations in landscape take place, it is with little or no detriment to the land's natural state. During this architectural conception, the landscaper must endeavor to maintain the integrity of the natural ecosystem. A benefit of returning landscapes to their natural states is that few natural resources are needed. Watering and supplemented nutrients like mulch and fertilizers are kept to a minimum. This principle encompasses a landscape designer's use of xeriscaping, turfgrasses, hardscaping, plant location, and plant selection. Soil nutrition and water conservation are part of the bioregion to consider. Designers reconstruct landscapes using their natural biology. The ability to maintain constructed landscapes with minimal additional resources is the concept of a sustainable/functional environment. Xeriscaping Xeriscaping is an ideal technique within Mediterranean climates and its microclimates. The process is carried out by using drought tolerant plants. The potential in xeriscaping evolves from the choice of flora. The use of drought tolerant plants conserves water; these are often the native species that occur within the arid Mediterranean climate. In this, xeriscaping is dually advantageous. Less water is needed for

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Workplace Counselling Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Workplace Counselling - Case Study Example Also in (managing trauma and stress) it is noted that "Workplace counseling provides measurable benefits by offering staff solution focused counseling to assist in resolving issues of stress, trauma and personal problems which have a negative effect on both the employee and the workplace alike, costing businesses many millions of pounds every year." (Valentine Sean) added more information on the subject matter where he says "Employment counseling is commonly used in companies to assist employees with various personal and professional challenges that are confronted in the workplace. Such guidance could affect the degree to which employees believe a company proactively supports an ethical orientation." The Value of counseling in the work place: Motivating all the workers. There is need at any working place to motivate workers in order to encourage them on what they are employed for. Counseling in a workplace thus explains to management the great need for that. "Keep rules and policies to a minimum. ... yment counseling is commonly used in companies to assist employees with various personal and professional challenges that are confronted in the workplace. Such guidance could affect the degree to which employees believe a company proactively supports an ethical orientation." The Value of counseling in the work place: Motivating all the workers. There is need at any working place to motivate workers in order to encourage them on what they are employed for. Counseling in a workplace thus explains to management the great need for that. (The guidelines for motivating workers) states that: "Keep rules and policies to a minimum. Rules are there to protect your business and create organization, if a rule does not serve that purpose only, then you will need to consider retiring that particular policy. After the rules are established, it is essential that all employees know what is expected of them. Make sure that the rules and/or policies are published and posted in a manner in which all employees are aware. Create a code of conduct. Make this a collaborative effort which involves all or most of the employees that work with you. Use this to identify values that should be held on high in your organization. Follow the rules. As a manager it is your job to be sure that not only the employees are following the rules, but that you are as well. All members of management should follow the rules that have been established. The employees should notice a sense of consistency from the management team rather than employees knowing which managers will let them "get away" with things while others will not. Management should recognize and address inappropriate behaviors on an as-needed basis rather than picking and/or "waiting" for someone to mess up. Use counseling or a progressive

Landscape design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Landscape design - Essay Example We have civilization because we are able to distort the natural environment for our benefit. Functional landscapes are those that necessitate few resources in order to be maintained. The landscaping boom of the twentieth century in rural and urban environments altered the land through the use of supplementary resources. "Currently, we frequently select plants that are not highly adapted to dry climate regions and need regular care and attention to perform well" (ATTN). Since the onset of Conservation campaigns of the 1980s, we are quickly finding that the most functional landscapes are those whose native state has remained intact. The native species and their particular interactions with water, light, and soil in Mediterranean climates are those that landscape architects are returning to now, for their inherent ability to succeed in arid or semi-arid environments with relatively little rainfall. The ability to design functional landscapes around the parameters of native environments is the landscaper's role in sustainability. In order to be considered functional and sustainable, design concepts in both rural and urban areas should be guided by bioregionalism. Bioregionalism is the idea that life species native to specific regions or microclimates are those suited to the given environment. The coupling of those life systems and its environment creates a self-sustaining ecosystem and necessitates no use of additional resources. The scientific concept of bioregionalism is used in practice for landscape architects and known as green landscape design. Green landscape design is a sub-discipline of landscape design. Like green building, it is setting a new, more environmentally friendly standard for its parent field. The field generally emphasizes the use of native plants to restore or maintain natural habitats and the healthy functioning of ecosystems. (Kravitz 2006) The methods taken at the initial planning stages determine the forthcoming sustainability of the areas altered. Responsible techniques taken at the design stage will ensure that while alterations in landscape take place, it is with little or no detriment to the land's natural state. During this architectural conception, the landscaper must endeavor to maintain the integrity of the natural ecosystem. A benefit of returning landscapes to their natural states is that few natural resources are needed. Watering and supplemented nutrients like mulch and fertilizers are kept to a minimum. This principle encompasses a landscape designer's use of xeriscaping, turfgrasses, hardscaping, plant location, and plant selection. Soil nutrition and water conservation are part of the bioregion to consider. Designers reconstruct landscapes using their natural biology. The ability to maintain constructed landscapes with minimal additional resources is the concept of a sustainable/functional environment. Xeriscaping Xeriscaping is an ideal technique within Mediterranean climates and its microclimates. The process is carried out by using drought tolerant plants. The potential in xeriscaping evolves from the choice of flora. The use of drought tolerant plants conserves water; these are often the native species that occur within the arid Mediterranean climate. In this, xeriscaping is dually advantageous. Less water is needed for

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Structure of proposal, summarise major components of research Essay Example for Free

Structure of proposal, summarise major components of research Essay The objective of this research is to assess the impact of food garden projects on the livelihoods of communities on household and community levels. Also, to assess the impact of the food garden initiatives, in the reduction of food insecurity and poverty. The objectives are also to describe and evaluate the impact of Government and various role players, assistance in the sustainability of the food garden projects in various regions. The study will be conducted in various regions in the Western Cape, where various departments and role players launched projects on world food day. In the year 2014 Suurbrak was the community identified by the Department of Agriculture the theme/aim for the year was Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth. In the year 2015 Pella was the community identified by various role players the theme for 2015 was â€Å"Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the cycle of rural poverty†. The year 2016 Graafwater was identified as the community and launched on World Food Day. Numerous people across the globe live in extreme poverty and are faced with food insecurity. Food insecurity is a major issue especially in rural communities, that rely directly on resources at their disposal. Safety Nets are usually an aid to sooth or assist in reducing food insecurity in rural communities, through Governmental projects implemented. In the Western Cape province, rural communities rely on support programmes form NGOs or Government projects to reduce food insecurity and to Sustain their Livelihoods. The Western Cape Province also experience elevated levels of food insecurity and malnutrition due to extreme poverty conditions that occur in rural communities. Key Words: Food insecurity, Food Security, Poverty reduction, Sustainable Livelihoods, Food garden initiatives, Title: Assessing Food garden initiatives/projects to alleviate food insecurity and assessing the impact of the projects on the Livelihoods of communities: A Case Study in the Western Cape Background to the Research: The numerous Food garden projects was launched by various role players to eliminate poverty and to increase food security. Problem Statement: Primary focus of the Research, Question format Problem Statement 1.1 The City of Cape Town, like any other cities in South Africa, faces high rates of poverty and inequality. Poverty remains a real and alarming problem. It is estimated that 22.1% of residents live in poverty. 1.2 Poverty is multi-dimensional and manifests in many ways. One of the key manifestations for people who are poor is a lack of access to basic services such as, food, water, electricity and sanitation which improves quality of life. Access to basic services significantly affects the lives of women and girls who are often tasked with household chores. Although, the 2011 Census reports that 87.28% of people living in Cape Town have access to piped water, 90.20% to a toilet facility, 93.98% to electricity and 94.94% to refuse removal services, challenges exist in providing quality services that are sufficient, efficient, affordable and appropriate to meet the needs of communities. 1.3 Poverty is both a cause and result of marginalisation. Many vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities are overrepresented amongst the poor and they face a range of complex social, economic, cultural and physical barriers in getting out of poverty. 1.4 Food security is generally viewed as closely related to poverty. Research in Khayelitsha, Philippi and Ocean View1 indicated that four out of ten households in Cape Town’s poor areas go without food at least once a week because they cannot afford to buy it. Poverty disproportionately affects female-headed households and makes them especially vulnerable to food insecurity. 1.5 Poverty and food insecurity are linked to poor health and it also severely affects the healthy development of children. Food insecurity may result in malnutrition which has long-term physical and developmental effects. 1.6 The City of Cape Town is committed to addressing poverty and improving the quality of life of all people living in the city, particularity people who are poor, vulnerable or marginalised. The Social Development Strategy sets out how the City plans to do this. However, there is a need to articulate the interventions aimed at meeting the needs of the poor who may be helped through food garden initiatives amongst other interventions 1.7 The City needs to coordinate its efforts aimed at alleviating the plight of the most vulnerable with the work that is done at a national and provincial level. Provincial Government fund and implements a number of programmes aimed at addressing poverty through sustainable livelihood programmes or projects. There is a need to ensure that the work done by all spheres of government in the city is strategic and has the maximum impact. Key Research Questions Detailed Literature Review: Importance of the Research: Methodology: Timescale/ Research Planning: Hypothesis: List of Reference

Monday, October 14, 2019

Michel Foucault And Judith Butler Influencing Queerness Film Studies Essay

Michel Foucault And Judith Butler Influencing Queerness Film Studies Essay In this essay I will be looking at the work of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler seeing how their work has influence queerness. I will start the essay by looking at the man, Michel Foucault, followed by studying his work on sexuality and homosexuality. I will then look at Judith Butler and her work on gender performances. I will also be giving contemporary examples of homosexuals in the modern day by looking at three different homosexual television presenters to show how the construction of homosexual figures has taken place in recent years. I will also be looking at how gender performances take place in these examples of homosexuals. Michel Foucault The Background Michel Foucault was born in France in 1926. He was known as a philosopher, sociologist and a historian. In all three of these areas he was very influential, pioneering many different concepts that helped revolutionise their certain fields. Foucault continues to be one of the most important figures in critical theory. Foucault is best known for his critical studies on social institutions such as the prison system, medicine, the human sciences and for his work on the history of human sexuality which I will be discussing later. His theories have been largely concerned with the concepts of power and the relationship among power, knowledge and discourse, and his influence is clear in a great deal of post-structuralism, post-modernist, feminist, post-Marxist and post-colonial theorising (Mills 2003). Foucault suffered from depression and attempted suicide on many different occasions. This could be as Mills says due to the great difficulty at the time about being openly homosexual, but it does suggest that his pronounced interest in psychology stemmed from elements in his own life (Eribon 1991: 27). All though Foucault died of AIDS in 1984, his ideas have and still cause much debate. His ideas have never been simply accommodated by theorists around the world. This is due to the iconoclastic and challenging nature of Foucaults theoretical work (Mills 2003). Michel Foucault The History of Sexuality During Foucaults life, he wrote three volumes of The History of Sexuality. In this essay I will be focusing on his ideas on sexuality and society. The first Volume of Michel Foucaults book History of Sexuality was published in 1978, which was written near the end of a period of time called the sexual revolution in the western culture (Spargo 1999). The sexual revolution was a time where peoples thoughts and opinions shifted in regards to how they viewed sexuality throughout the western world. The book presents a powerful counter narrative to the established story about Victorian sexual repression giving way to progressive liberation and enlightenment in the 20th century (Spargo 1999). For example, Foucault describes how in the 17th century onwards sexuality was hidden from view. People were subjected to a power of repression. But as Spargo describes, this all changed in the 20th century. Sexuality was still there, simmering under the prim surface of 19th century bourgeois respectability, but it was stifled by prohibitions and repressions. Until, that is, it, and we, were liberated in the age of the mini-skirt and the analyst, revealing our legs and our innermost desires, bringing it all out into the open (Spargo 1999). This was easier for some but not quite as easy for others. Some struggled with the free expression they were able to give to their sexual desires. People turned to therapists and counsellors to help gain freedom for the years of prohibitions. Did this mean that sexuality was always waiting for us to free it? In Foucaults opinion no. His view was that sexuality wasnt waiting to be freed or repressed but rather sexuality was and is produced in culture and society. Foucault rejected this repression hypothesis and claimed evidence pointed not to a prohibition on speaking about sexuality but to a remarkable proliferation of discourses about sexuality (Spargo 1999). He didnt want people to assume that the repression from the 17th-19th century was effective. He believed that the repression increased the desire of people to express and discuss their sexuality in ways which were seen as violating the taboos of society. If sex is repressed, that is condemned to prohibition, non-existence and silence, then the mere fact that one is speaking about it has the appearance of a deliberate transgression. A person who holds forth in such language upsets established law and he/she somehow anticipates the coming freedom (Foucault 1986). He didnt believe that sexuality was natural or a normal aspect of life but rather a construction of experiences which has historical, social and cultural beginnings. As I have already discussed Foucault described how the process of restriction had created an increased excitement about sexuality, but he believed that the effect of the repressive discourse seemingly encouraged perverse forms of sexuality and made them more attractive types of behaviour. The construction of homosexuality was one of Foucaults most thought provoking assertions. He believed that the category of homosexuality was created out of a particular context in the 1870s and that it should be viewed as a form of knowledge rather than a discovered identity. Foucault wasnt saying that same sex practises werent accruing before the 19th century but, during this time it was seen as shameful rather than in the 19th century where people embraced same sex relationships and the term homosexual. Foucault said, Homosexuality appeared as one of the forms of sexuality when it was transposed from the practice of sodomy onto a kind of interior androgyny, a hermaphrodism of the soul. The sodomite had been a temporary aberration; the homosexual was seen as being totally suffused with sexuality (Foucault 1978). Since the construction of homosexuality in the 19th century, there has been an explosion of homosexual figures in the 20th century. The media have seemed to of caught the homosexual vibe with television in particular employing homosexuals to present different programmes. These programmes which are hosted by homosexuals are often quite particular programme genres. For example, you would often see a homosexual presenter on entertainment, pop culture and lifestyle programmes rather than documentaries, political shows, or on the news. This shows us that homosexuals are possibly seen as a joke, people who make us laugh by there actions, stories or vulgarity and possibly lack the intelligence or the seriousness to host programmes that require composure and a serious minded attitude towards the subject at hand. Here are three contemporary examples of homosexual TV presenters. The first is guy a called Alan Carr. He has worked on some of the biggest television programmes in the 20th century such as, Friday Night Project, Alan Carrs Celebrity Ding Dong and Alan Carr Chatty Man. Carr is famous for being camp, over the top and having a very unusual laugh that cant help but make you laugh. Despite being openly gay he doesnt consider his sexuality to be a focal part of his act. What am I meant to do? Do I go down the Julian Clary route and talk about fisting and poppers? I dont talk about being gay and I think what better equality for gays than that? (Observer online 2008). Unlike many performers, Carr shies away from unnecessary cruelty, instead relying on his own authenticity to win over his audience. His on-stage persona is simply an extension of his own and therein lies the source of both his charm and his talent. Philosopher, Judith Butler who I will be speaking about later believes that we all put on gender performances and that gender, like sexuality, isnt a vital truth that has come from the bodys materiality but rather a regulatory fiction. The second man is called Dale Winton. Winton has been on television since 1987 and has feature in many different types of television programmes. He is most famous for a programme called Supermarket Sweep which ran from 1993-2001. He was seen as the typical homosexual television presenter, very camp and over the top which is very much a trend in homosexual television hosts. During his time he was iconic for being overtly camp, tanned and often touchy feely with his guests, but he was never as he says a banner waving gay. Im not a banner-waving gay guy, because I actually dont believe its important. People never say vehement heterosexual Michael Parkinson, but it will say camp gay entertainer Graham Norton, or Dale Winton since Ive officially come out. (Times online 2008) The third and final television presenter I will be looking at is Graham Norton. He is arguably one of the most well known television presenters in recent years. Again he has many of the homosexual traits and he describes himself on the channel 4 website as a shiny Irish proof. It does not take long to work out that his sexuality has played a large part in his appeal and success. His exceedingly camp style gives him the licence to be exceedingly rude without being offensive, and his quick wit, put-downs and one-liners have made him a homosexual icon. He has been criticised for being too camp and taking the gay stereotype to an extreme. Some gay men have said he is reinforcing the idea that a gay TV star has to be over-the-top and in the mould of like Kenneth Williams or Frankie Howerd. (BBC website, 2001) All three of these television presenters are examples of the 20th century homosexual. They all share similar traits such as the in your face campness, being over the top and also being drama queens. The homosexual has grown and changed over time since its creation in the 19th century and will continue to change as time goes on. Foucault work on the analysis of sexuality has helped in challenging the preconceived ideas of sexual characteristics. He argues that his study wasnt designed to be a history of sexual behaviours nor a history of representation, but a history of sexuality. Judith Butler The theorist most prominently associated with queerness and queer theory is American post-structuralist philosopher Judith Butler. Butler followed the work of Michel Foucault and used his work so she could investigate models of gender and heterosexuality. Butler argues that gender, like sexuality, isnt a vital truth that has come from the bodys materiality but rather a regulatory fiction. Gender is the repeated stylization of the body, a set of repeated acts within a highly rigid regulatory frame that congeal over time to produce the appearance of substance, of a natural sort of being (Butler 1990, p. 33) Butler argues that the sex you are i.e. Male or female is seen to cause a gender type i.e. masculine or feminine which is then seen to create a desire towards the other gender. This is seen as a continuous series that is constantly reproducing itself. Inspired by Foucault, Butlers approach is to destroy the links between that series so desire and gender are allowed to be flexible and not made to be steady factors. Butler argues that we all put on gender performances, and she says its not a question of whether this will take place, but in what form will this performance take. She believes that by choosing to be different, we might be able to change gender norms and the understanding of masculinity and femininity. Butler says: There is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; identity is performatively constituted by the very expressions that are said to be its results. (Butler 1990, p.25). In other words, gender is a performance; its what you  do  at particular times, rather than a universal  who you are. This approach of gender is very similar to that of sexuality. Butler, Foucault and Queer theory all believe that your identity is not fixed but constructed at certain times or in certain situations. Foucault argued that sexuality was produced which overlaps on what Butler says about gender being performed/produced. This idea of identity as free floating and not connected to a real meaning but rather a performance, is one of the key ideas in the creation of queer theory Modern day examples of Butlers theory regarding gender performances are clear to see. The three examples of homosexual figures in television are examples of what Butler calls gender performances. All three of the television presenters that I have mention Alan Carr, Dale Winton and Graham Norton have created a performance of their gender at particular times. All three man perform their gender in different ways with Alan Carr using his over the top campness as a way of engaging with the audience, Dale Winton using his touchy feely sensual approach to his audience and Graham Norton using his homosexuality as a way of making jokes and putting others down without any consequences. The way in which all three act is a performance of some kind to either feel accepted or to gain a reaction from their audiences. Conclusion In this essay I have looked at the work of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler, both of who have influenced the work of queerness in different ways. I have looked at Foucaults work on the repression in the Victorian age and his work on homosexuality. I also looked at the modern day explosion of homosexuals on TV using the examples of three different TV presenters. I then went on to study Judith Butlers work which was influenced by Foucault on gender performances. I discussed how Butler believed that we all go through gender performances but that it isnt who we are, rather a time to time experience. On the back of this I took the example of the three homosexual television presenters and linked their characters to gender performances. Both these theorists have looked at themes in sexuality, gender and society, with some of there ideas overlapping, with both Foucault and Butler looking at sexuality and gender as constructed and performed by individuals. Foucault also looked at the construction of the homosexual figure and I have taken his work on further by looking at the characteristics of the homosexual figure as exemplified by modern day TV presenters.