Steven Holl – Ideas on Architecture

Steven Hold: Thoughts and Ideas on Architecture As I sit and listen to the rainfall, I can't help but wonder about the changing of seasons. Winter to spring, Spring to summer, summer to fall, fall back to winter. While each droplet of rain must have Journeyed long and far before it descended upon me, now it's Just a pool of droplets. The best part about spring is the rain showers. Without the spring rain we would have no summer flowers, no gardens, not leaves or grass. Spring marks the direction of a new change. One with more life, a new beginning of sorts.A precedent for the following months; a metamorphosis from en season to the next. Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclites found fascination with change in its most simple form. He believed that all is flux, and nothing stays still. But what if he was wrong†¦? If flux could be stopped what would happen? I could walk out into this storm and not be wet, for the droplets of rain are still and the clouds stationary. In the moment, I f ind tranquility in the storm. Peacefulness rests among the stillness of earth. Not a splash of water made, not a scour in the trees, not even a whistle to the wind.I think to myself, ‘The serenity of nature is unlike anything else in this world. All of a sudden, CLASH!! Lightning strikes followed by a violent boom of thunder. A nearby tree creaks like an old door opening as it falls to the ground; unexpectedly I became drenched by the rainfall. I sought shelter under a roof, but it seemed as if the world was at ease. Almost as if earth made a treaty with itself to remain motionless for the rest of time. Nevertheless, it wasn't because if nothing changed then storms wouldn't occur, seasons couldn't transpire, and life would be lifeless.This earth we live on is one of a kind and distinct from anything else. Earth speaks for itself and Heraclites states this excellently, â€Å"Not l, but the world says it all: All is one. And yet everything comes in season. † In comparison to the precedent of spring to the rest of the seasons, a person's early life can shape the following years in their life. Steven Holly's career was foreshadowed by his earliest years when he and his brother built a 3-story tree house and also an underground clubhouse. This was not only outlined in his childhood, but also in his years of education.While growing up in Beaverton, Washington, he developed the desire to make things, sculpt, draw, and build. After high school, Hold went to study architecture at the University of Washington. His Junior year he left the states and engulfed himself in the great city of Rome, moving from Beaverton, a shipyard city with little architectural density, to Rome, the pinnacle of architectural history. 5 While in Rome, the Vietnam War was taking place so, Hold, instead of developing his thoughts and ideas on architecture, wrote a conscientious objection on philosophical rather religious grounds.After receiving a reply, he was dismissed due to †Å"physical deformity' and never had an actual physical examination. Hold obsessed over his objection because he didn't want them to falsify his opposition, and consequently left Rome with no projects. Upon returning to Washington, he had difficulties finding a firm to hire him. After a year at a small firm outside of Seattle, Hold left to go to San Francisco, where he formed a union with William Stout and Bill Zimmerman; they called themselves â€Å"Opus 411 . † Together they entered competitions and wrote declarations of architecture, but all ended too soon, for Hold was broke and needed a job.In search of a Job and possible graduate school, Hold was accepted at Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, and on top of that hired at Louis Khan's office in Philadelphia. He made the decision to take the Job and decline the schools. Confusion descended once Hold received word of Khan's death. He declined acceptance to graduate schools for a Job that was no longer possible. Fortunately in 197 6, Hold was offered to study, tuition free, at the Architectural Association in London by a man named Alvin Boyar. 5 For that reason, Hold made another life-changing decision and packed his bags to go to London.During that time he traveled to every possible building to experience them first hand and to sketch hem. Living as a vagabond in the streets of London, by some meaner, Hold managed to find a client from Paris. His new client was upset with his noisy and crowded vacation home so Hold made large pencil drawings of a new retreat house offset from the shore. In one of the drawings he sketched a man on a boat headed to his refuge home, his back to the home and face to the shore. Hold comments, â€Å"The character in the rowboat illustrates the way that all of us must work. He cannot see where he is going, only where he has been.Progress is tempered by a sense of mystery, of doubt. â€Å"5 A couple years later, Hold made more elaborate pencil drawings of a project for the South B ronx called Gymnasium-Bridge. This project won a Progressive Architecture Award in 1978. Upset by the way his work was presented in Progressive Architecture, he called his colleague Bill Stout, who had opened a bookstore back in San Francisco to make a publication of manifestos and single projects. This was the inception of what would be known as â€Å"Pamphlet Architecture. † Hold set specific guidelines for him and his colleagues to follow for this publication.This was an avian-garden idea at the mime and gave new and unusual ways of looking at architecture. These anthologies feature groundbreaking works by forward thinkers of today's most well-known architects, including Steven Hold, Living Timidity, Lubbers Woods, and Gaza Had. 6/7 Holly's excerpts from Pamphlet Architecture are very much concerned with typology and morphology, that is, a study based on classification and also a study on building forms. â€Å"Pamphlet Architecture #5 The Alphabetical City' speaks on the nature of urban buildings during the first half of the 20th century.Hold inscribes, â€Å"†¦ The notorious portions of cities that evolved on gridiron plans – certain letter-like buildings recurred. The â€Å"L†, or the â€Å"l† type depend on their adjoining structures for meaning. They become â€Å"dead letters† when left stranded as free- standing buildings. â€Å"6 You can see here Hold had been analyzing buildings and then classifying certain buildings by the letter in the alphabet they resembled. The forms of these buildings from the generation before him caused him to questions the idea of architecture from that time.Holly's current language of architecture wasn't uncovered until he came across the arks of French philosopher Maurice Merle-Pointy in 1984. 1 This was a time when Hold radically changed his methods for making and understanding architecture. Subsequent to the discovery of Merle-Pointy, Hold brought light to the idea of deriving p rojects from concepts outside of architecture. Over the years, he harnessed this method and played with it as a departure for his work. From there on out, Hold became preoccupied with the idea of experience.Merle-Pointy expresses, â€Å"We know not through our intellect but through our experience. â€Å"3 The phenomenology that Merle-Pointy writes about is what Hold achieves in his architecture. While most architects work outside-in, Hold takes an opposite stance and works inside-out because he affirms that, â€Å"space is the incredible media of architecture. â€Å"8 It is an extraordinary responsibility to be an architect because the buildings we make are for people to use. Hold understands this and attempts to make people perceive space differently, to make something visible that they normally wouldn't.A work of his that exemplifies this is the Chapel of SST. Igniting in Seattle, Washington. In this project, Hold starts with the concept, ‘Seven Bottles of Light in a Sto ne Box. ‘ Each of the openings for light allow the sunlight to reflect off colored walls in a way that causes a conversion to colored-light. You can imagine being in the space that funnels colors at you making light ever more noticeable. This making of architecture relates building, site, and situation with body, space, time, light, and movement. 4 Holly's buildings really execute the interaction between architecture and phenomenology.It doesn't come as a surprise that Holly's major preoccupation is the phenomena of light. We live in a world that we know through vision, which can only be possible with the help of light. The dynamic of light defines several of Holly's works including: Writing With Light House, Porosity House, Sun Slice House, Kinsman Museum of Contemporary Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Addition, Chapel of SST. Igniting, Museum of the City, and NYU School of Philosophy. 2 However, these projects epitomize his thoughts on light, all of his works constitute and deal with light.Specifically in Writing with Light House, Hold inscribes light in such a way that celebrates light and, its counterpart, shadow. Strips of white light coat the interior in accord with the time of day and season. Shadows then become the strokes on the reface causing an ornament of pattern. This strategy shapes light that really gives it meaning and insight. It's not only the approach on light that makes his architecture original, but also his ability to take familiar ideas and transform them into something new. It wasn't until the ass's when Hold started consistently getting things built.Part of the struggle in his career was becoming famous. This can be challenging because of cruel criticisms or lack of attention towards your work. For Hold, it wasn't until after his Pace Collection Showroom in New York, that he received a world-known status. He was given a huge amount of critical attention in New York, Europe, and Asia for his new and fresh take on modernism. It to ok a couple decades but he now has work in Italy, Germany, France, Japan, Finland, Switzerland, Norway, The Netherlands, Denmark, and China.Holly's originality that is known throughout the world is, in part, due to his way of thinking and developing ideas. It is not necessarily theories of architecture that shaped this, but phenomenology and science that have shaped his beliefs and ideas. Ideas are very important to Hold and this is where he derives his inspiration. He is fearless when it comes to addressing the world at large for inspiration in his projects. Many shy away because of the criticisms one will face for fear of comparison to larger ideas, nevertheless Hold is audacious.Audacity is exactly what Hold advocates. He encourages students to question everything and this is one reason he, himself, has become such a success. 8 One part of being an architect is that you must be able to fluently articulate your personal thoughts and ideas, rather than simply following the ideas of someone else. It then becomes a push for what you think should happen. Holly's character is tested when working with clients because he must be uncompromising and demanding if he wants to pursue the realization of his concepts. His self-assurance comes from the knowledge of himself.He has never had any doubts on who he is and what he wants to accomplish, and this has lead to his triumph. Even though he must be adamant and resolute, he has sought criticism from respected colleagues and peers of his designs over the years. 2 Hold discusses their commentary and evaluation with them after overcoming his incredulity. This is a testament of his respect for other people's opinions and ideas. It also reveals his wisdom in seeking out honest and tough critiques. This may be the reason he is able to keep his knife so sharp.Without the help of others, he would become dull, thereby making his architecture banal. This essay ends with a glimpse of the way Steven Hold sees architecture for the 21 st Century. Hold was born in 1947. He lived in latter half of the 20th Century; he saw and helped change the way architecture is defined today. He truly sees how architecture has been grounded by the physical aspects of having limited resources in the past, to the increasing technological ways in which we can now build. The constructive ramification into modern life and new ways of seeing are vital traits he believes today's architects must have.Hold elaborates, â€Å"Any architect caught up with the current speed of globalization of today's architecture realizes that this is an unprecedented time in the history of architecture: requiring an unprecedented philosophical commitment. † He continues, â€Å"†¦ The challenge of extremely diverse lands, cultures, and climates and their urban conditions set unparalleled obligations for architecture today†¦ A theory reversing specific to universal – a black swan theory – suggests an aim for larger, more comple x building types.A twenty-first century position that strives to airframe the inherited dualism of the last century's suffixes might spark a new paradigm shift toward a new focus on architecture's potential to shape experience, interrelating body, brain and world. â€Å"3 A new generation will emerge after the passing of Steven Hold, one inspired by the books and buildings he bequeathed to humanity. For now, Hold will continue to be a leading architect in the world. It's a great field to be apart of with myriad possibilities, and it is my hope to one day be given the chance to make a richer environment and Join the field of architecture.

Peer Event Management

Peer Events Management Head: Saadaan Peerzada Brief Introduction: A leading event management company of Pakistan, Peer Events Management has promoted the products of numerous top Multi-National Companies through non-media communication across Pakistan. Peer Events Management's creative approach is complemented by the largest inventory of sound and light equipment and trained personnel.We have solid experience in organizing diverse commercial events like product launches and re-launches, branded activities in schools, clubs, restaurants, road shows and in-house company programs. We at the Peer Events Management are confident of our capacity to create the extravaganza. We have the credentials to manage all aspects of creative conceptualization along with efficient execution and organization on mass-scale. Peer Events Management can offer you, the client, one project management team, one cohesive focus.We are unique in the industry since we can provide full event management services thr ough our extensive in-house capabilities and our proven network of strategic partners. From the development of initial logistical and creative requirements, through the actual production and management of events, we are the only partner you will need Peer Event Management utilizes state-of-the art equipment and techniques and its professionally staffed.Peer Events Management is Pakistan’s leader in specialist state, set, fabrication, product launches, road shows, concerts, fashion shows, annual conferences, Peer Event Management and creativity and innovation, deliver the talent and take care of the full production, from high tech sound and lighting systems to cleanup and gives a special blend of experience, technical expertise and creative energy. History: With over 25 years of experience in the art of science of building sets for touring road shows, cinema , television, music videos, mega events all over Pakistan.Our reputation as been earned by turning some of the most adve nturous stage set concepts into practical and economical realities. The diverse list of nation wide clients proves that there is an ever increasing motion control technology. Members: Salmaan Peerzada: Salmaan Peerzada studied History, Economics and Philosophy at the University of the Punjab and also appeared in some highly successful productions of the Government College Dramatic club. He directed plays and gained much distinction for his work which included â€Å"A Midsummer Nights Dream†, â€Å"Blood Wedding†, â€Å"Biography† and â€Å"Picnic†.He entered the film industry as a Camera Assistant, but then turned to acting. He went to England in 1964 and throughout the sixties and seventies he played a number of prominent roles in UK Films and television series and plays. Most notable amongst these were the popular TV series â€Å"Emergency Ward 10† and â€Å"Twisted Nerves†, a Boulting Brothers film in which he co-starred with Hailey Mills and â€Å"A Private Enterprise†, a highly successful feature film directed by Peter Smith in which Salmaan played the lead. On the death of his father he returned to Pakistan and founded the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop in his memory.He directed several highly successful productions for the workshop including plays of Rafi Peer. He played the lead role in â€Å"Blood of Hussain† winner of the Prize of the Nations at Taormina, and shortly afterwards wrote and directed â€Å"Maila† for channel 4 television UK. He has just finished a major international feature film â€Å"Zargul† which he wrote and directed and which is now on international release. Producer Usmaan Peerzada: Executive ProducerUsmaan was a Student at Government College Lahore 1967 – 74, Secretary, Government College Dramatic Society, Master in English Literature.Awarded best actor of the year 1971 at the Najam-ud-Din Drama Festival, Kinnaird College, Lahore. Organized and acted in the U SIS Repertory Theatre Company, 1974. During the 1975-76, he played the lead in the 1st Pakistani English language film produced and directed by Senator Javaid Jabbar â€Å"Beyond the Last Mountain†. Starred in the 1st Pakistani co-production with Sri Lanka 1976-77 â€Å"Sazish†. Starred in a Sri Lanka/Italian/French co- production â€Å"Seeta Devi†, an international film and shot on location in Sri Lanka, Maldives and Australia.During the period 1977-79, he worked in Pakistan Film Industry as an actor. Usmaan is one of the top billing stars on Pakistan TV and is also a documentary filmmaker. He also worked on UNICEF projects in advisory capacity as a film journalist. In 1985, 1st Peer Films film â€Å"Nazdikian† was produced. â€Å" Nazdikian† was a new concept of low budget film in Pakistan. Film bagged over 17 awards and 4 national film awards including the Best Film of the year 1986. In 1989, he wrote, directed and produced a mega star Punjabi f ilm called â€Å"Gori Dyan Jhanjran† which did remarkable business on box office. Gori Dyan Jhanjaran† won 6 national awards given by the Government of Pakistan including the Best Film of the year 1990, which is an all time record in the history of the National Awards. Since 1990, he has been involved in creating a modern video/film studio with latest technology. He wrote, produced, directed and acted in one of the most commercially successful Tele-drama 13 part serial â€Å"SOFIA† for TV. In 1997 he directed â€Å"QARZ† which got 14 nominations for national film award. He is also involved in producing and directing 90 minute Tele-films. Imraan Peerzada:Imraan Peerzada is a graduate of the Punjab University and has studied design at National College of the Arts for 2 years. He was studied fashion and product photography at Parsons Schools of Art, New York (U. S. A). Imraan is presently doing his Masters in Cinematography and Video from U. C. L. A. , Califo rnia, U. S. A. He has also been very active on stage and produced, directed and acted in many plays during the period 1981-88. He has contributed as a writer by writing 25 plays for children which have been staged and also produced as television serials.Produced 25 audio cassettes of folk tales for children and has written columns for different newspapers on various subjects and also worked as photo journalist. Photographed covers and major fashion spreads for all leading Karachi magazines (1985-90). He is an Associate Member of the Multiracial Theatre in Washington D. C. He has worked extensively as an actor for televison, radio and stage and acted as the leading star in â€Å"ZARGUL† a Peer Films feature film. Imraan Peerzada is presently working on various stage projects and 90 minutes independent televison dramas.Saadaan Peerzada: Producer Puppeteer, Mime Artist, Producer, Executive Director of Peer Group, chairman of the International Puppet Festival Pakistan, Strategist in various Departments of the company i. e. Finance Management, Administration, Strategic Marketing and Human Resource Management Saadaan is the master-mind providing the structure on which dreams are woven. Currently he is involved in creating a private production of puppet programs for television. Other than his artistic prowess, Saadaan Peerzada is the driving force behind Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop.The success of Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop is to a large extent due to the business acumen, energy and foresight of Saadaan Peerzada who is its Executive Director. Saadaan Peerzada is also the founder/creator of the Puppet Theatre Division of Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop, which today has the distinction of being not only among the first but also the best of the puppet theatre groups in Pakistan. As a puppet manipulator par excellence and with much sensitivity Saadaan has played several dozen characters on stage with Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop. His main experience is in art developing pr ojects.Right from inception, he designs, organizes and structures. He has prepared several outstanding concepts and conducted them very successfully. He designed and performed in a solo Clown and Magic Show and toured with puppets all over Pakistan. This was over a period of several years and the show was very successful with more than two thousand productions. Faizaan Peerzada: Producer and director Born in Lahore, Pakistan, The son of Pakistan’s foremost playwright Rafi Peer, Faizaan began his career at Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop in 1977, which he now heads as its Artistic Director.He has experience in organizing cross-cultural events that the company has arranged with over a thousand different programs for children as well as adults all over the country. Some of these shows are pioneering efforts in the upcoming history of the performing arts in Pakistan. Faizaan Peerzada has worked with dedication for several years designing programs to develop children's minds by making them aware of the visual arts, as well as providing opportunities for them to participate in the performing arts.These programs include child art festivals, art workshops, and live art demonstrations with children. He specially designed programs to celebrate the International Year of the Child in 1979 spread over the entire year, including three major art festivals in which at least 35,000 children participated in a span of six months. Faizaan Peerzada is a puppeteer with distinction and has been awarded the President’s medal for the Pride of Performance. He has performed regularly in all the major towns of Pakistan and in many cities abroad.The puppets have also given a sense of achievement to Faizaan as an artist both for stage and television. He has created more than 2500 puppets for an assortment of puppet plays, and has produced over one hundred TV puppet shows as a director as well as the stage and puppet designer. He has also traveled internationally on over 7 major in ternational tours and festivals with various productions. Another major step in the development of the puppetry art form is the setting of the museum of puppets in Lahore, of which Faizaan is the Project Director. This museum will be the first of its kind across South Asia.Faizaan has been the integral driving force in creating fifteen International Festivals of Puppets, Theatre, Music, and Dance beginning in 1992. These Festivals have had participation from 56 countries, with over 3000 artists representing over 300 groups. The Fourth International Puppet Festival 1998 held in Lahore was declared internationally as the biggest international puppet festival in the world. He now heads The World Performing Arts Festival Pakistan with its latest session planned for October 2003. Faizaan has also been a founding member for UNIMA Pakistan.He is presently the president of UNIMA in Pakistan, which was setup on the 15th February, 1993 in PakistanIn 1976 he held his first painting exhibition at the American Cultural Centre, Karachi and then followed that with approximately forty painting exhibitions in Pakistan, and twenty six solo art exhibitions in the United States and Europe. He is a modern expressionistic painter who is presently dedicated to working with puppets and large faces. Faizaan’s fascination for lights over the last two decades has now given him the status of a household name as a lighting designer.He has designed stages and lights for several programs in Pakistan including festivals and several instillations for events abroad. Visual media has always fascinated Faizaan and this has resulted in ‘Laatoo’, his first documentary with co-director Alix Phillippon. The documentary covers all aspects and problems faced by dancers in Pakistan. It also looks at the popular forms of dance which are officially permitted by the Government; the Vulgar Dances in the movies, the Heera Mandi influence, and the commercial stage.In addition, it looks at how the true dance form has suffered and how the cheep commercial dance has mushroomed, eventually twisting the place of dance in our culture giving it its dire image and taboo status . It finally looks at the hypocrisy that has been forcefully imposed on the dancers and the public, making everyone lose. Film has now given Faizaan a new dimension to express himself and he intends to continue in it. Currently he is filming a project delineated into three major documentaries on the Sufi Shrines of Pakistan.The project takes an in depth look at, and analyzes, over 800 diverse shrines all across the country, while the individual films are separated into studies focusing on the Architectural, Spiritual, and the Poetic elements of the Shrines. Tasneem Peerzada: Executive Director Tasneem Peerzada has had a varied and diverse professional career –it spans the entire spectrum from beginning as a primary and secondary school teacher, to a journalist, a playwright, a lyricist, a press and public relations coordinator, and last, but not least, a poet.After her professional origins in the educational establishment, Tasneem moved onto a more potent public forum by joining â€Å"The Daily Jung† as a journalist. At this leading Urdu language newspaper she worked in both the capacities of an editor and a featured columnist, incorporating all forms of current social and political issues in her writing. She covered Television, Film, Theatre, and political personalities under human interest, reported on social and political dilemmas for awareness, and also covered fashion for the front pages of the media and entertainment sections.Tasneem later wove all these fundamental elements into a singular vocational focus when she joined the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop as a company director. Here she wrote scripts for TV shows, awareness productions (whether on anti-narcotics or children’s education), theatre skits, as well as lyrics and songs for product anthems, cor porate launches, and Television jingles. She also became an ardent media and press coordinator for the Peer Group and its sister companies as well as a director in the companies numerous internationally acclaimed national and international performing arts festivals.Currently Tasneem Peerzada is working on her first novel and a poetry publication slated to be published soon. The services: Peer event management utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and techniques and it’s professionally staffed. Peer events management is Pakistan’s leader in specialist state, set, fabrication, product launched, road shows, concerts, fashion show, annual conferences, Peer Event Management and creativity and innovation, deliver the talent and take care of the full production, from high tech sound and lighting systems to cleanup and gives a special blend of experience, technical expertise and creative energy.

Autobiography †original writing Essay

I had five months to sort out my work experience placement and thought that I had more than enough time in which to do so. Before long, however, I was called to Mr Williams’s office, the man in charge of finalising the work experience. I had just found out that I had overnight to get a placement somewhere, otherwise I’ll be stuck in school with year 9 for the week. My ideal placement would be something to do with sports because that’s my favourite subject in school but I knew I couldn’t find somewhere and get a reply all in one night. The only placement I knew I could go without having to wait for a reply was with my mother! My mother works at Cardiff University in the Biochemistry Unit. I’m still not sure exactly what she does, but I think it’s something along the lines of teaching and researching into cells. Before I knew it work experience had almost arrived. It was very tense around the house; I suppose I was excited because I didn’t have a clue what I was going to be doing and also a little scared for the same reason. The first morning was pretty easy because I had no dress code, and as my mother is her own boss, I had no strict hours either. Also I didn’t have to be polite around my mother, so I could just be my self. I was sort of expecting it to be boring working with my mother but nothing could prepare me for what I did on my first day. My first chore of the day was to fill, empty, sterilise and prepare bottles for other people. This wasn’t very challenging, so I got bored quickly. In the afternoon my mum noticed I was bored, so let me do the jobs she hates. Firstly, she made me sort out the bookshelves in her office. This included sorting out a 6ft long shelf full of catalogues, into alphabetical order and to date. The earliest being from 1992. After finishing that, she put my keyboard skills to good use by making me type out the register on the computer for four of her classes. At the end of my first day I was disappointed for not having had a fun day. I also felt worried in case my whole week would be this boring. The second day was a little bit more challenging. In the morning I had to draw pictures on a computer for my mother’s poster. This was irritating because nothing was perfect enough for her. She kept on making me change the smallest details, and I realised that day that she was the fussiest person I knew, but the finished product managed to satisfy her. In the afternoon I worked with my mother’s friend, Mike Turner, who works in the Electro Microscopy Unit in the university. This is where they take pictures with really big powerful microscopes. At first I was quite shy because I’ve never met him before. I suppose I was expecting him to be a shy brainy man that wouldn’t really talk to me. On the contrary, he would not stop talking and make jokes. I felt like I could talk to him easy and that made me feel comfortable beeing there. He sat me down by one of the microscopes and made me look at bugs and flowers through it. This was different and I enjoyed it more than my mother’s office, although it got boring after a while sitting in front of a screen just looking at bugs. On the third day, I met another of my mother’s friends, Guy Pitt. He is a photographer and developer in the university. I wasn’t that nervous because my older sister did the same for her work experience and told me he was the best man to work with, and he was by far the best person who looked after me that week because he thought about what I might like to do. He gave me an expensive camera and sent me around town to take photos of anything. I took pictures of Cardiff Castle and animals like birds and squirrels. In the afternoon I met Mike Turner again and took pictures of cells with his microscope camera. Although he was enthusiastic about the cells I didn’t find them that interesting and just pretended to like the pictures I took. The fourth day was the best day of the week. I was in Guy’s hands for the day. I met him in the morning and he gave me the camera with a new film and sent me to town again and told me to return at two o’clock. In town I met a lot of my friends and went shopping and took pictures of a burnt building that was in ruins. When I returned we changed the films into negatives in the dark room by using all sorts of chemicals, and let them dry for Friday. On Friday, Guy and I changed the negatives into real pictures. He was very impressed with the pictures I took of the burnt building and asked if he could keep some. This made me feel good of my self and made me consider a career in photography, maybe sport photography. We finished by eleven o’clock so he gave me the afternoon off and I went home. I enjoyed the experience despite having doubts about it at the beginning of the week. The best part of the week was working with Guy, he really made me think about my career.

Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics - Assignment Example The design is well thought of, appropriately organized and attractive enough for various viewers who are in the delicate situation of encountering some dilemma on the abovementioned health and ethical issues. The colors used (blue, orange, gray in a white background) is highly professional and apt. The writers and advocates of Planned Parenthood aimed â€Å"to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual† (Planned Parenthood: Mission, 2010, par. 2). In this regard, this medium is effective in terms of stipulating critical information on controversial health issues (abortion, sexual orientation) without necessarily compromising confidentiality concerns. The page provides additional windows for locating a health center by providing one’s zip code or state. Teenagers, who could benefit most from learning through this site, are given opportunities to ask experts or to watch relevant videos on diverse topics. This is the most effective medium for adolescents who are afraid or embarrassed to ask adults on the subject of sex education. It also provided tools for both parents and educators faced with issues on human sexuality and the dilemma of searchin g for ways and means to share critical information to the children. The page design is holistic in its approach for information dissemination and provision for assistance. However, the site is rarely advertised and since the title is Planned Parenthood, adolescents might not tap or access the website without being given enough promotion. In this regard, the writers and advocates of the program can give flyers and brochures to schools and even in shopping malls where teenagers usually gather. It is necessary for both promoters and viewers of the site to be vigilant and concerned in strictly complying with ethical standards to monitor adherence to an ethical

Communication management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communication management - Case Study Example Being a cross-cultural undertaking involving a management team with widely varied backgrounds, the visiting team must be hosted in a manner that will not jeopardize the partnership before it even kicks off. This paper will design an action plan to implement the partnership whose objectives will include being aligned with corporate, community and personal values in a realistic, cost effective and socially acceptable context. A business merger or partnership can only be considered when the involved companies have a vision of benefiting from the combined business operations and consequently contributing to increased value for shareholders. It must be assumed that the idea of the partnership was hatched with the full knowledge of the rampant practice of software piracy in China. The first major task of the marketer would be to formulate an agenda for the merger to convince the market and the new partners of the commitment to alleviate such thoughts. Given the amount of revenue UR Softwar e Inc. has managed to generate within five years, it can safely be thought to be performing well and has a stable customer base. Linking up with ECVIC is advantageous because of their thorough knowledge of the Far East territory. Using their own history of success and ECVIC’s strength, the new partnership can give a guarantee of the genuine nature of their products. An effective marketing strategy targeting the Far East market would be based on websites, taking advantage of the over 550 million users of the internet in China in 2013. The marketer at UR Software Inc. needs to show the new partners how they will convert stocks from the respective individual firms to the resultant combined company. The action plan must be characterized by UR Software Inc.’s intention to reduce anxieties, eliminate fears and raise two firms’ levels of mutual trust. This requires an exhibition of the awareness of China’s adopted anti-monopoly law that was enacted in 2007, wher e competition authorities in China stepped up the enforcement of practices against competitiveness and mergers. The action plan needs to enhance the concepts of China’s Ministry of Commerce that heavily relies on behavioral remedies that underlie cases of mergers as well as those proposed by the European Commission that favor structural remedies. It is worth noting that China emphasizes on antitrust laws. In doing business in the Canadian and North American markets, the action plan will allow public interest to play roles only in clearly defined and exceptional circumstances. Since the merger is expected to affect prudential rules, media plurality, and public security, public interests must be considered in all the countries of potential operation as a long term agenda. Antitrust authorities must be allowed to follow transparent and explicit procedures. To maintain competitive levels in markets that may otherwise become too concentrated after the partnership, structural remed ies will have to de-invest in some of both the partners’ assets in favor of potential or actual competitors. The short term action plan would emphasize on behavioral remedies committed to engaging in particular conduct that will preserve conditions of competition immediately following the partnership. For instance, both partners will specify

Baby talk Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Baby talk - Research Paper Example This paper presents an analysis of Baby talk. In particular, it presents 15 baby talk words from a chosen child named Firas who is aged 2 years and 5 months. Additionally, this paper presents a morphological, phonological and syntactic analysis of the baby talk words in the data list. This section of the research paper is structured with reference to Jones (1986), pages 178 to 180 in the East Cree Baby talk file. Finally, this paper presents a conclusion of the findings with reference to the chapter 11, First language acquisition, of the text book. Firas is Arabic, and is brought up with Arabian parents and caretaker in the Middle East. This baby talk represents the Arabic language which has been applied from the 19th century. The Arabic language is characterised with numerous examples of baby talk items that display pharyngeal spirants. However, these are commonly seen as elements that are acquired late in Arabic. For example, labial categorical are present in Arabic baby talk and could be the primary categorical to be acquired by the Arabic young children. This is regardless of the fact that they are insignificant at the adult stage. Phonology - entails the study of speech construction in a language, which includes the trend of fundamental speech elements and the established rules of how to pronounce words identified as phonology. The least element of sounds that compose a language is referred to phonemes. In particular, the word â€Å"Mbuwa† which is Firas’s Arabic baby talk word that stands for drink, consists of five phonemes, the â€Å"mb† stands for one phoneme /mb/, the â€Å"u† maps to the short sound/Ã… ­/, the â€Å"w† stands for /w/ and finally, â€Å"a† to its fundamental sound /ÄÆ'/. Morphology - is the advanced stage of language that entails the study of tiny elements of meaning –morphemes. Morphemes entail foundational words, such as, â€Å"Food†, â€Å"dog†

Analysis of Protecting the Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Protecting the Environment - Essay Example   Protecting the environment is crucial to healthy living in the society and since humanity is the principal user of nature, it is vitally important to ensure our environment is protected well enough, to conserve our natural resources, and to control various hazards that may have adverse impacts on all living things. The conservation of our natural resources and curtailing of environmental degradation is crucially important to promote a healthy lifestyle for people in any society. This research paper attempts to discuss the importance of environmental conservation, cleanliness of habitats, and protection against environmentally caused diseases, creating awareness about the environment and methods used to safeguard against environmental degradation. ... In this review, we would be discussing the following salient features to ensure a better understanding towards protecting our environment. Problems of Air Pollution – Air pollution has always been a hazard where health is concerned because it has a great impact on all living things. (NRDC, Natural Resources Defence Council) Bernstein J.A. (2004) in his journal on ‘Health Effects of Air Pollution’ sheds light on the subject, defining air pollution to be ‘the emission of particulate toxic elements into the atmosphere by natural anthropogenic sources.’ (Zell, et al., 2010.) According to the author, pollution density is characterized by the escalating amounts of emission pollutants through sources which are man-made. These pollutant emissions come from motorized traffic, factories and from the burning of fuels. The WHO gives us the top ten causes of death by air pollution in their Fact Sheet No. 310 discussing the impact of air pollution on human health a nd the environment. (WHO, Fact Sheet, The Top 10 Causes of Death.) a) Problems of Water Pollution Water pollution is a human problem and one that needs to be streamlined. In his article on water pollution, Chris Woodford highlights the fact that water pollution has become worse, ever since the Industrial Revolution and this has impacted upon the water resources on our planet. (Chris Woodford, 2013.) In his article, he discusses the various types of water pollution and its harmful effects on all living things because of the harmful substances present in it. Woodford (2013) also states that it is vital to know if a source of water is polluted or not and this can be carried out through chemical and biological  indicators. (Chris Woodford, 2013) The other topics to be discussed in water pollution would be – a) Harmful substances that contaminate water, b) Cleanliness and Hygiene of our surroundings, c) Waste disposal and d) Planting of trees.

Organization of nazarene Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organization of nazarene - Essay Example nternational headquarters was in Kansas City, Missouri, since 2008 the location of Global Ministry Center is Prairie Star Parkway, Lenexa, Kansas (Ingersol 65). The Church puts together congregational and Episcopal policies to come up with the ‘representative’ government. The feature that is silent in this structure is the power that is shared between the clergy and the people as well as between the denomination and the local church. The Assembly acts as the supreme doctrine creating, lawmaking, and one with the elective authority according to the constitution of the church (Ingersol 87). It is made up with representatives from denomination’s district worldwide. General Superintendent is the highest elected office. The local church is the basic unit of organization and it can either be church type mission or an organized church. Local congregations are divided administratively into geographical districts. The Church is usually associated with higher education; it provides college/university (students), faculty leadership, administrative, and spiritual and financial support. The church college/university is an important part of the church and a fraction of every local church’s and district budget is put towards Nazarene higher

Stock Market for the Win Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Stock Market for the Win - Research Paper Example It is time for the investment world to reap the benefits that we have seen transform and improve the rest of our world. (Kimmel and Hirsch, 2009, p. xiv). The time has come for those individuals who have yet to plunge into the welcoming waters of the stock market to do so. This paper will outline four principle benefits: financial return, the security of diversification, and the sense of control over one's financial future. The principal reason for investing in stocks flows from the likelihood of financial returns that are higher than one might earn through some other investment strategy. Investing in the stock market offers one the opportunity to take the money that they've earned and allow that money to work for them beyond the point of its acquisition. The stock market constitutes the most enduring system for assessing and contributing to the larger financial system, and provides one of the principle ways for informed consumers to earn a higher rate of return than would be possibl e through other investment or savings strategies. With an average return on one's investment of over 9% over 25 years (Observations 2009), the stock market makes even high fund money market accounts seem the choice of cowards or simpletons. Consider this particular case. A decade ago, a struggling computer manufacturer stood on the brink of bankruptcy, its stock price falling to historical lows. So real was the chance that the company would fold that its arch rival injected capital to keep them afloat, so worried was this rival about suits alleging monopoly control of the industry. The rescued company's stock price hit bottom at under fifteen dollars (Yahoo Finance 2001). Investors fled, but not all of them. Some committed themselves. Some bought in. These investors thought different. Today, that company, Apple, Inc., boasts a stock price of 570 dollars (Wall Street Journal 2012), the largest market capitalization of any company in history, and the more capital reserves than the U.S . federal government. For the investors that stuck with Apple, or who recognized opportunity in the collapse of their stock price and purchased new stock, the rewards have been substantial. Of course, one could lose money instead of making it. As with any investment, the possibility exists that the return will be negative and that the best laid investment plans will be more those of mice than of men, and that one's money will vanish on the next margin call. It would be a disservice to pretend as if this chance did not exist, precisely because it is the chance of failure that makes the reward for success so substantial. Indeed, some might describe the stock market as a â€Å"gamble† with your money, a sort of DOW and NASDAQ checkered roulette wheel. Dismissing stocks as a gamble would also be a disservice, for it misconstrues the structure of the stock market in order to stretch a metaphor to uncomfortable lengths. In a casino, for example, one gambles on games of chance, stru ctured such that the house always wins. But here the house, if one is to follow the dictates of the metaphor, are the composite of the companies themselves, and if investment dollars flow in, then the eventual likelihood of dividends flowing out increases in the aggregate. In addition, unlike games of chance, with stocks one can make an informed and researched opinion. The odds are not in the house's favor,

How has McDonald's change in the last 5 years in UK Essay

How has McDonald's change in the last 5 years in UK - Essay Example The major success of McDonalds is based on this franchisee business model. Approximately 70% of McDonald's worldwide restaurant businesses are owned and operated by independent businessmen and women, our franchisees. McDonald's first restaurant in UK was opened in 1974 in the province of Woolwich. This was owned and managed by the company directly. It was in 1986 that McDonalds started franchise model of business by opening franchise restaurant. Since then number of franchise restaurants in UK has been on steady rise. In this paper, we analyze how the structure of the McDonald's business model and how has it changed in UK. Today Big Business has a strength is the market. McDonald was able to make use this big branding image in UK market. It is natural that large business corporations account for major shares of output, employment, investment and trade. This article reviews five aspects of McDonalds during the last five years from 2001-2006. The major points we are going to discuss are 1. role of the large corporation as a feature of the UK economy 2. role of its business leaders 3. the managerial revolution 4. existing business environment and the size of Britain's large companies relative to other parts of the country. The beginning of this period is marked by a real testing periods for many corporates. Companies need to look for new business models to survive in this context. Understanding the managerial practice of McDonald, it will be meaningful to understand the objectives and concepts of re tailing. In the McDonald's franchise business model they will be supported by the world famous McDonald's system, in the areas of operations, training, advertising, and marketing to name but a few. McDonald's franchises restaurants to individuals only. Never to companies, partnerships, family groups or passive investors. Franchisees run their restaurant(s) as an independent business. They are responsible for driving the business forward and all normal business functions i.e. recruiting, marketing, accounting and administration and managing and representing the brand in the local community. Independent companies supply all raw materials, goods and services to each restaurant. All products used in the restaurant should have approval of the parent group. McDonald's Franchise Agreement is for twenty years. The competition in the food retail sector in UK is growing and the future of foodstuff trade belongs most likely to the retail chains. The retail chains in UK are fairly developed, as they do not differ much from the corresponding developing retail formats. The competition has increased with the entry for retail chains. The share of retail chains of the whole retail trade is at the moment estimated to be around seventy percent, they are taking over the markets at a rapid pace at the expense of unorganised forms of trade. The presence of large retail chains has an impact on the production side also. In the food production sector the competition is fierce, as big UK and foreign producers want to ensure their piece of the huge demand potential. Thus the largest producers are relentlessly utilising their size: they invest in big marketing campaigns and are willing to pay high entry fees to retail chains in order to secure a place on the store shelves and build a strong brand also in UK. Information on

HL7 vs. Meaningful Usage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HL7 vs. Meaningful Usage - Essay Example ngful Use and therefore have a great role to play in supporting Meaningful Use requirements in the future (Meaningful Use - Wyoming Electronic Health Record Incentive, 2012). According to HL7 Overview - A Comprehensive Guide to HL7, HL7 is a standardized syntax involve in formatting and passing data via a message between computer systems. A medical concept is only achieved through the combination of the HL7 model and standardized medical vocabulary. The objectives of the HL7 model are easily identifiable. However, the objectives of the Meaningful Use are not straight forward and may even seem arbitrary. The only way to analyze their objectives and use to the healthcare system is by viewing the parts as a whole and as a single part (HL7 Overview - A Comprehensive Guide to HL7, 2008). HL7 functional models have a lot to offer in terms of offering support to solutions. They are used to improve the abilities of the HIE interface, improve storage and data collection standards, enhance data transfer abilities and enhance reporting and extraction of core measures. On the other hand, the reasons for improving Meaningful Use are mainly centered on figuring how electronic health records can be beneficial to patients and healthcare providers. They include- providing accurate and sufficient information that is easily accessible to the healthcare providers, providing improved access to information through sharing vital clinical information and empowering the patient so that he/she can be more involved in the health status of his/her family

Minimum Wage Essay Example for Free

Minimum Wage Essay The minimum wage is the lowest rate at which a worker can be played. There she minimum wage laws pegged to hourly, daily and even monthly rates, although U. S. law is pegged to an hourly wage. Also, a minimum wage law usually makes it illegal for a person to sell his labor for less than the minimum wage rate The general purpose of the minimum wage is to guarantee a living wage to all workers who work a standard period of time, whatever that might be. In theory, any labor who works 40 houses a week on minimum wage should be at or above the poverty level line. However, the minimum wage has not kept up pace with the inflation in the United States and the cost of living increases more than the wage increases that are given and that way behind the standards Minimum wage laws were first started in Australia and New Zealand in the 1890s. The first minimum wage to be law was in Massachusetts in the 1912 but it only applied to children and women. The federal minimum wage was established in 1938 by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Initially set at 25 cents an hour, the wage has been raised periodically to reflect changes in inflation and productivity. That the mimic wages often involve protracted political battles, Did you know that one in five Americans worked in the poverty levels by the guide lines of the federal government,† Paul Oysterman, an economist at the M. I. T. Sloan School of Management wrote in a recent New York Times editorial. He says the current minimum wage is lower, in inflation-adjusted terms, than it was in 1968. Currently, 6 percent of all hourly workers make no more than the federal minimum wage of $7. 25, TIME. com In theory it sounds like a good idea to give everybody a raise, but at what expense? By raising minimum wage it was supposed to make it where people would be able to support themselves and get off of government assistance. Well, they did get a raise and are still on government assist. So my question is: what do you think they should make to be able to totally take care of themselves and their family? Do you think raising minimum wage is the answer? Do you realize that the businesses must be able to meet a payroll? When you raise minimum wage it causes a business to have to raise their prices if all possible which in turns makes their customer base upset, which in turn could cause layoff and less businesses hiring, which in turn means the business will not be properly taken care of because you cannot afford to staff it properly because you cannot afford to pay the higher wages. I own a restaurant which hires people 16 years and older. Now when you hire a person in and they start off earning top wages and there is no bottom, then there is no reason from them to try and do better because you cannot afford to give them raises. I feel like the government is wanting business to be the new welfare system and we cannot afford to be. Please stop this and let the business decide how much an employee is worth. Minimum wage was created to be a starting point in people lives not a living. Our government doesnt want good paying jobs so they are trying to make minimum wage work for the people and it will not! Restaurants and other businesses that pay minimum wage are for a reason. We do not charge a lot for our products, therefore, we cannot afford to pay a lot for our help and you do not need a college education to work at a minimum wage job. Stop this before there are even fewer jobs. Right now I have to raise my prices due to Ohio raising their minimum wage again. Let me decide who gets the raise not the government! Twenty percent of those living on the minimum wage the last time it was raised in 1991 were in poverty, and an additional 13% were near poverty. In 1993, the President expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which raised income for 15 million families, helping many working families move above the poverty line. Yet to complete the goal of insuring that full-time working families are out of poverty, we need to raise the minimum wage. Recent analysis by the Economic Policy Institute and preliminary work by the Department of Health and Human Services suggests that 300,000 people would be lifted out of poverty if the minimum wage was raised to $5. 15 per hour. This figure includes 100,000 children who are currently living in poverty. But the debate has been muddied by several myths that anti-minimum wage forces repeat at every opportunity. Myth: The only Americans working for the minimum wage are teenagers. Reality: 63 percent of minimum-wage workers are adults age 20 or over. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) Myth: Minimum wage workers dont support families. Reality: The last time the federal minimum wage was increased, the average minimum wage worker brought home 51 percent of his or her familys weekly earnings. (Source: Analysis of Census Bureaus Current Population Survey by Professors David Card and Alan Krueger) Myth: Raising the minimum wage hurts the poor by causing job loss. Reality: Nearly 10 million working Americans would get a pay raise if the minimum wage is increased to $5. l5 per hour. As Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert Solow said, [T]his evidence of job loss is weak. And the fact that the evidence is weak suggests that the impact on jobs is small. (Source: New York Times, January 12, 1995) Myth: The only study showing that raising the minimum wage does not cost jobs was a study funded by the U. S. Labor Department. Reality: One major study conducted in 1992 and financed by Princeton University and the University of Wisconsin was published by two Princeton University economists. One of those economists later joined the Labor Department. (Source: Washington Post, January 11, 1995) Furthermore, a similar conclusion has been reached by at least ten other independent studies. Myth: Raising the minimum wage will have a negligible impact on peoples lives. Reality: A 90-cent per hour increase in the minimum wage means an additional $l,800 for a minimum wage earner who works full-time, year round as much as the average family spends on groceries in more than 7 months. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) Myth: Increasing the minimum wage has always been a bitter, partisan issue that only Democrats have supported. Reality: In 1989, the last time the minimum wage was increased, the House of Representatives vote in favor of the the current poverty line for a family of 4 is $15,600. A family of 4 with one worker earning $4. 5 an hour and working full-time year round ($8,500) would receive a tax credit of $3,400 under the 1996 provisions of the EITC, will collect food stamps worth $3,5l6, and will pay $650 in payroll taxes. This family would end up $834 below the poverty line. On the other hand, for a family of 4 with one worker earning $l0,300 (a full-time year round worker at $5. l5 per hour), the EITC would provide the maximum tax credit ($3,560), food stamps would provide $2,876, and they would pay $788 in payroll taxes. The increase in the minimum wage along with EITC and food stamps would lift this family out of poverty. Overtime Federal law requires that employees who are not exempt receive overtime pay for any time worked beyond forty hours in any one workweek. The rate of overtime pay is one and one-half times the employees regular rate of pay, and must be paid in wages, not in goods or time off. A workweek is defined as one period of 168 hours, or seven consecutive twenty-four hour periods. The workweek may start at any time, or on any day, as long as the starting day and time are applied consistently. Employees who are eligible for overtime pay may not waive their right to receive overtime

Causes and Effects of the Air France 447 Crash

Causes and Effects of the Air France 447 Crash Air France Flight 447 was an international, long-haul passenger flight, from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. On 1st June 2009 the aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean killing everybody on board. The aircraft is thought to have crashed due to temporary inconsistencies between airspeed measurements, caused by the aircrafts pitot tubes being blocked by ice crystals. Ultimately, the autopilot disconnecting and the crew reacting incorrectly, led the aircraft to an aerodynamic stall from which they did not recover (BEA, 2012). The accident resulted from a combination of factors relating to both the technology of the aircraft and the training of the crew (BEA, 2012). The technological failures were: poor feedback mechanisms, unclear display of airspeed readings, confusing stall warnings, absence of visual information and poor indications by the Flight Director. Failures in training resulted in the crew; not responding to the stall warning, not being trained in icing of the Pitot tubes and lacking practical training in manually handling the aircraft. Moreover, incomprehension of the situation and poor management of emotions weakened the task sharing ability of the co-pilots. This accident has highlighted a number of human automation issues in aviation. Automated flight-control functions can remove some danger from aviation, however it also changes the activities, workloads, situation awareness and skill levels of the operators, which can cause problems (Hodgson, Siemieniuch Hubbard, 2013). The first problem highlighted by this accident is the crew’s change of role from operator to monitor. Flight deck automation uses the crew’s ability to perform a passive monitoring role, rather than an active operating role. One problem associated with this is a drop in vigilance (Mackworth, 1948), which is exacerbated when a system is highly reliable (Parasuraman, Molloy Singh, 1993). However, these accidents are not human operator errors, they are automation system design errors. More importantly, the crash of Flight 447 was partly attributed due to loss of situation awareness, possibly due to pilots having to perform a passive monitoring role. Monitoring roles can reduce the situation awareness of the current â€Å"flying state† of the aircraft, as well as the awareness of its predicted future behaviour (Sarter Woods, 1995). Lack of situation awareness can also be an outcome of complex automation, such as a having a complicated flight automation system which can result in pilot confusion due to poor interface design. In the case of Flight 447 the BEA (2010) report shows that a poor Human Computer Interface played a main part in the crash. There were a number of reasons for this: the Flight Director display was inaccurate, therefore accounting for most of the wrong pitch-up inputs due to an altimeter error. Airspeed inconsistencies that had been identified by computers were not clearly displayed. Failure messages were generated but only showed the consequences not the origin of the problem. There was no indication of a blocked pitot tube on the flight displays. There was also an absence of Angle of Attack information, which is important in identifying and preventing a stall. This information was sent to on-board computers but there were no displays to convey this information. Furthermore, as the level and complexity of automation increases, the levels of experience and skill needed to be able to recover from a failure or unexpected situation have increased (Hodgson, Siemieniuch Hubbard, 2013). This is because there is less time for the operator to become aware of and correct developing problems. For example in Flight 447 the crew had less than three minutes to find the problem and take action. Additionally, in the case of aircraft, the ability to recover from a failure or unexpected situation relies on the crews manual flying abilities too. However, with highly automated aircrafts there is a loss of manual flying skills experienced by pilots (Wood, 2004). Fanjoy and Young (2005) found that training and airline policies on automation, often lead to a lack of opportunities to practice resulting in pilot complacency as well as the deterioration of flying skills. Furthermore, Young, Fanjoy and Suckow (2006) found that crews who used the most flight deck automation had poorer manual flying skills than others. This has implications when there is an abnormal situation in which the automation system disengages without prior warning, as the crews will rely on their manual flying skills. Furthermore, automation will maintain stability until it is no longer possible, resulting in the aircraft going out of control as the flight crew take over, meaning crews need to have good manual fl ying skills. A further problem with this is that automation increases mental workload during high-load periods (Funk et al, 1999). This workload problem increases when there are situations that need further mental workload during an already high workload time. When the crew’s workload is high, developing failures of the automation system are more likely to be allowed to develop into a critical situation. For example, if damage has occurred or instrumentation has failed, the Flight Management System advice is often misleading or incorrect, and flight crews can be overloaded with a vast amount of information and alarms, making it difficult to identify what the problem is. For example, the crew of the A447 were faced with more than 50 simultaneous alarms.One alarm after another lit up the cockpit monitors. One after another, the autopilot, the automatic engine control system, and the flight computers shut themselves off (Traufetter, 2010). This lead to them not being able to understand or ide ntify what the problem was before it turned into a critical situation, ultimately ending in disaster. The above problem could be due automation being an inadequate crew member. Automation can act as a poorly trained, incommunicative member of the system’s crew. There is often poor interaction between crews and automation systems (Norman, 1990), yet there is a need for multisensory feedback to crews (Sarter 1999). In order for a crew to achieve a safe level of shared situation awareness, the automated system must become part of the crew. It needs to do this by communicating its adjustments in order to maintain shared situation awareness. Current automated systems may indicate adjustments on a dial or screen, but they do not typically draw attention to them because they lack situation awareness of the â€Å"bigger picture.† Clear communication can prevent accidents. For example in Flight 447 if there would have been clear communication that the pitot tube was frozen then this would have stopped the chain of events from unfolding. To improve automation it is proposed that aircraft should be made into more effective team players. A human–automation team should be defined as â€Å"the dynamic, interdependent coupling between one or more human operators and one or more automated systems requiring collaboration and coordination to achieve successful task completion† (Cuevas, Fiore, Caldwell Strater, 2007). Current automation systems perform as very inadequate team members, leaving the human operators or crew unprepared when failure occurs or unusual events arise. (Hodgson, Siemieniuch Hubbard, 2013). To improve human-automation interaction, systems should be able to trade and share control so that interacting with a system is more like interacting with a teammate (Scerbo, 2007). Future systems, such as Free Flight, are envisioned to have human–automation teams sharing and trading tasks (Inagaki, 2003) as situational demands change (van Dongen van Maanen, 2005). Such dynamic situations creat e occasions where human–automation teams can implicitly coordinate (Rico, Sanchez-Manzanares, Gil Gibson, 2008) on an almost exclusively cognitive basis (Hoc, 2001). This would enable automation systems to become good team players. Furthermore, good team players make their activities observable for fellow team players, and are easy to direct (Christofferson Woods, 2002). To be observable, automation activities should be presented in ways that capitalise on human strengths (Klein 1998). For example; they should be: Event-based: representations need to highlight changes and events, Future-oriented: Human operators in dynamic systems need support for anticipating changes and knowing what to expect and where to look next and Pattern-based: operators must be able to quickly scan displays and pick up possible abnormalities without having to engage in difficult cognitive work. By relying on pattern-based representations, automation can change difficult mental tasks into straightfo rward perceptual ones. Overall, changes in workload, reduced situation awareness, reduced operator skills, automation failures and unexpected behaviours have caused many accidents over the past three decades, including flight 447. As a result of these factors, manual recovery when the automation system fails is often compromised. These issues may have been exacerbated by having a tightly coupled system. Tight coupling reduces the ability to recover from small failures before they expand into large ones. Tighter coupling between parts spreads effects throughout the system more rapidly. This means that problems have greater and more complex effects that can spread quickly. When automated partners are strong, silent, clumsy and difficult to direct, then handling these demands becomes more difficult. The result is coordination failures and new forms of system failure. Currently it is argued that aircraft systems are only moderately tightly coupled. However, airlines, for financial reasons, are pressing for a r eduction of flight crews from three (pilot, co-pilot, and engineer) to two (pilot and co-pilot) on the grounds that computers and other devices reduce the engineering load. More automation in its system and reducing the number of controllers will lead to much tighter coupling resulting in less resources for recovery from incidents (Perrow, 2011). Now the problems with the automation in Flight 447 have been identified, it is important to understand how safety models contributed to the understanding of the accident and what the implications are for managing safety in the future, to prevent history from repeating itself. The first safety model and safety management strategy is known as Safety-I. According to Safety-I, things go wrong due to technical, human and organisational causes such as failures and malfunctions, with humans being viewed as a main hazard. The safety management principle is to react when something goes wrong; by investigating and identifying the causes of the accident and then trying to eliminate the causes or improve barriers. This results in safety being a condition where the number of adverse outcomes is as low as possible. The principles of safety-1 have been expressed by many different accident models; the best known accident model being the Swiss cheese model (Reason, 1990). This model posits that accidents occur due to multiple factors jointly. These factors align creating a possible trajectory for an accident. These can either be latent conditions, such as problems with the organisation due to its design or management, which are present in the organisation long before an incident is triggered. Active failures are mistakes made by human operators, which when combined with the latent failures, result in an accident. It states that that no one failure, human or technical, is sufficient to cause an accident. Rather, it happens due to the unlikely and often unforeseeable event of several contributing factors arising from different levels of the system. In the case of Flight 447 the model would allow each contributing factor to be identified. For example the technical faults would be: the Human Computer Interface, pitot tubes, controls not being linked between pilots, misleading stall warnings. Human faults would be the Co-pilot pulling back on stick, poor management of startle effect, poor communication and the captain leaving the room. Organisational faults would be poor training, delayed installing new pitot tubes, poor design of HCI. When put together all of these factors played a part in causing the accident. Looking for human errors after an event is a â€Å"safe† choice, as they can always be found in hindsight. Looking and finding human errors makes it easier to find who should be held accountable and where preventative measures should be aimed. However, when â€Å"the cause† has been attributed to individual error, the preventative measures are usually misaimed. Accidents occur from a combination of many factors and by blaming the individual, people often assume that the system is safe, as soon as it can get rid of the â€Å"bad apples†. However more recently, a proactive model of safety has been suggested. Proactive safety management is part of the aim of Safety-II, which argues that focusing on cases of failure does not show how to improve safety and that instead of looking at what goes wrong, there should be a focus on looking at what goes right in order to understand how that happens. In hindsight after an accident, many weaknesses existing in organisations are usually revealed. For example, detect the â€Å"deviations† from rules and regulation and find the â€Å"cause†. However, the fact that something did deviate from a prescribed rule is not necessarily a contributor to an accident or even an abnormal event. On the contrary, adaptations are often a norm rather than an exception (Reimana Rollenhagen, 2011). It should be acknowledged that the everyday performance variability needed to respond to varying conditions is the reason why things go right. Humans are consequently seen as a resource neces sary for system flexibility and resilience. The safety management principle is continuously to anticipate developments and events. When something goes wrong, we should begin by understanding how it usually goes right, instead of searching for specific causes that only explain the failure. This strategy posits that accidents are not resultant but emergent. In consequence of this, the definition of safety should be changed from ‘avoiding that something goes wrong’ to ‘ensuring that everything goes right’. The basis for safety and safety management must therefore be an understanding of why things go right, which means understanding everyday activities. Safety management must be proactive, so that interventions are made before something happens. In the case of Flight 447 safety management needs to ask: What could have been done before that flight to minimise the possible risks associated with it? (McDonald Ydalus, 2010) The risks were built into the operational situation before take-off. Routine measures in advance could not just prevent this accident happening again but provide a more general preventive shield against a wide range of system accidents. This has been explained in a FRAM analysis model (Hollagenel, 2004). In this model there is a need to understand the essential system functions, their variability and how these can resonate, in order to identify barriers for safety. Furthermore, another way to understand why an accident occurred is to determine why the control structure was ineffective (Leveson, 2004). Preventing future accidents requires designing a control structure that will enforce the necessary constraints. In systems theory, systems are seen as hierarchical structures, where each level puts constraints on the activity of the level below. This means that constraints or a lack of constraints at a higher level allow or control behaviour at a lower level (Checkland, 1981). The cause of an accident is viewed as the result of a lack of constraints due to inadequate enforcement of constraints on behaviour at each level of a socio-technical system. The model has two basic hierarchical control structures; one for system development and one for system operation, with interactions between them. Between the hierarchical levels of each control structure, good communication channels are needed. A downward reference channel provides the information needed to apply constraints on the level below and an upward measuring channel provides feedback about how effectively the constraints were applied. At each level, inadequate control may result from missing constraints, inadequately communicated constraints, or from constraints that are not enforced correctly at a lower level. (Leveson, 2011). Therefore, understanding why an accident occurred requires determining why the control structure was ineffective and preventing future accidents requires designing a control structure that will enforce the necessary constraints. Therefore the implications for managing safety are that by combining safety-I and safety-II techniques, so that there is a proactive focus looking at how everyday activities go right, then accidents could be prevented by being able to identify the organisational and societal problems, which can then be changed before an accident happens, for example by making sure the right constraints are in place. Overall, pilots are part of a complex human-automation system that can both increase and reduce the probability of an accident. Training, automation systems, and cockpit procedures can be changed so that certain mistakes will not be made again. However, it could be that with the inclusion of the humans and their variability, there will always be the possibility of an accident. However turning automation systems into effective team players may transform aviation, preventing avoidable catastrophes. Furthermore, safety management strategies should focus on how to be proactive in order to identify potential accidents before they happen, focusing on how variability and adjustments are a part of what goes right in everyday performance, which may prevent accidents from happening.

Starbucks International Expansion Company

Starbucks International Expansion Company Starbucks Corporation is a Seattle, Washington-based coffee company. It was the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 50 countries. Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, snacks, and items such as mugs and coffee beans. Starbucks is the world leader in the premium coffee market and has an amazing success story. Starbucks sells not only coffee; it sells the Starbucks experience. The company is successful to convey its vision to the customers. It has successfully convinced customers paying more for high-quality products and a new life style. Starbucks reached its goal to establish and leverage its powerhouse premium brand through rapid expansion of retail operations, introduction of new products and store concepts, as well as development of new distribution channels. Starbucks has revolutionized the coffee business. History The first Starbucks was opened in Seattle, Washington, on March 30, 1971 by three partners: English teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev Siegl, and writer Gordon Bowker. The three were inspired by entrepreneur Alfred Peet (whom they knew personally) to sell high-quality coffee beans and equipment. Entrepreneur Howard Schultz joined the company in 1982 as Director of Retail Operations and Marketing, and after a trip to Milan, Italy, advised that the company should sell coffee and espresso drinks as well as beans. Starbucks began providing coffee to restaurants and espresso bars. In 1987, with the backing of local investors, Giornale acquired Starbucks assets and changed its name to Starbucks Corporation. The company also opened stores in Chicago and Vancouver. A year later Starbucks introduced a mail order catalog with service to all 50 US states. Expansion strategy In year 1992, Starbucks developed an expansion strategy based on targeting areas with favorable demographic profiles together with the companys infrastructure to support and service them. For each region, a large city was selected to serve as a hub where a team would support the goal of opening at least 20 stores in the first two years. One of the key success factors in this operation was to recruit professionals with marketing and operating experience in chain-store retailing as area manager. This strategy built upon the growing reputation of the Starbucks brand, which, in some instances, had reached new markets even before stores opened. The main marketing strategy is to represent Starbucks store as a third place between work and home. The company could increase the market share in existing markets and open stores in new markets rapidly. Additionally, Starbucks always tries to expand its products portfolio. The company cooperates with other companies to develop and distribute new products. In 1991, the company had formed a team to manage store development based on a six-month opening plan. Every store has to be varied in size and shape, but must be able to deliver appropriate vision and value, contributing to strengthen the companys reputation and image throughout the regions being expanded into. Cost reduction was achieved by centralized buying, by standard contracts development and fixed fees for certain items, and by consolidated work under contractors with good cost-control practices. Starbucks product supply was also a key in a successful expansion. As another differentiating factor, the company buys coffee on arrangement basis at a significant premium above normal price; this allowed for Starbucks to build trust with producers and obtain top-notch coffee beans from producing countries. In order to secure an adequate supply, the company entered into fixed-price purchase commitments when available, and preorder coffee to ensure price protection. By this approach, Starbucks able to control costs and avoid price rising in the stores that would have a devastating effect on the companys image. Starbucks expansion strategy also relied on a limited number of licensing agreements for areas where it did not have the ability to open its own outlets. Licensees like Marriot Host International and Aramark allowed Starbucks opening stores respectively in airports and university campuses. Others like Horizon Airlines and United Airlines had Starbucks coffees served on commercial flights, while agreements with Nordstroms, Barnes and Noble and Well Fargo opened even more opportunities. In 1997, the specialty sales division of Starbucks generated sales equal to 12.2% of total revenues. International Expansion The companys international expansion started in 1995, and was based on two strategies: to provide licenses or to create a joint venture with branded local company in the target host country. Starbucks Coffee International (SCI) was created in 1995 to coordinate the international expansion, which started in Japan, Hawaii, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan and Korea. Starbucks expansion strategy was well thought: the offensive was to take place in the Pacific Rim in order to gain momentum and strength, far away from Europe and Latin America where coffee shops competition is very strong. In April 2003, Starbucks completed the purchase of Seattles Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia from AFC Enterprises, make the Starbucks store around the world became more than 6,400. On September 14, 2006, Starbucks rival Diedrich Coffee has announced that it would sell most of its company-owned retail stores to Starbucks. In 2008, Starbucks continued its expansion, settling in Argentina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Portugal. In Buenos Aires, the biggest Starbucks store in Latin America was opened. In April 2009, Starbucks entered Poland. New stores will be opened in Algeria. Building a Unique Culture While Starbucks execute almost enthusiastic standards about coffee quality and service, the personnel policy at Starbucks for employee is free and supportive. Employees are encouraged to put themselves in the position business partners. Management do believes that cheerful employees are the key to remain competitiveness and develop. Multiple Channels of Distribution Besides its stand-alone stores, Starbucks has set up cafes and carts in banks, hospitals, buildings shopping centers, supermarkets and office buildings. Further distribution contract have included hotels, airlines and office coffee supplier. Office coffee is a large segment of the coffee market. Associated Services (an office coffee supplier) provides Starbucks coffee exclusively to thousands of businesses round the United States. Conclusion Despite the fact that Starbucks is the largest and well known coffeehouse chains and its existence is very obvious in civic areas, the firms research stated that only a small percentage (around 7%) of the US population has tried Starbucks product. Through additional distribution contract and new product joint venture, Starbucks hopes to seize more of the US market.

Ginsberg and Roth Choosing Their Own Judaism :: Allen Ginsberg

Ginsberg and Roth Choosing Their Own Judaism      Ã‚  Ã‚   I take these things for granted. Tradition and cultural awareness to me is another thing I can shrug off like too much homework. To my generation it's fashionable to embrace other traditions: mendhi tattoos for the Italians, matzo ball soup for the Pakistanis, McDonald's for the Nigerians. When did we learn to borrow from everyone else? When did I learn to come to terms with my own identity? The Civil Rights movement started it all. In quick succession, Asians demanded recognition, Native Americans wanted to carve a place back into their country, women wanted to burn their bras. Why not the Jews in America? Allen Ginsberg used his own tradition and his mother's death to establish that identity, while Philip Roth used a fictional narrative to tell the story of a Jewish family in America. Why compare these works at all? Both are creative accounts of Jewish American culture, one through poetry and one through a fictionalized self. Both use Judaism to express feeling to eith er tradition or memory. Both are literary works in the 1960s that deal with Jewish self-identity rather than black, white, or other identities. But I'm getting ahead of myself... Allen Ginsberg says his own work "Kaddish" is "finally, completely free composition, the long line breaking up within itself into short staccato breath units - notations of one spontaneous phrase after another..." (Allen 417). "Kaddish" is a prayer of atonement, making its point through rhythm, repetition and incantation. Ginsberg uses "Kaddish" to express his understanding of his own identity, and also to put that identity into the framework of Judaism. Ginsberg's mother Naomi went through a series of mental hospitals and psychological outbreaks from Ginsberg's childhood, eventually receiving a lobotomy and dying shortly thereafter. The Ginsberg family never held a traditional "Kaddish" because too few men were present to do so. Two years later, Ginsberg performed the ceremony with then friend Zev Putterman, and later wrote his own version of "Kaddish" (Asher). He starts his "Kaddish" incanting the spirit of Naomi by pulling up memories of her and her identity. "I walk toward the / Lower East Side - where you walked fifty years ago, little / girl - from Russia, eating the first poisonous tomatoes of / America - frightened on the dock" (Allen 195). In Part IV, Ginsberg then goes on to chant to his mother with the phrases "O mother," "with your," and "with your eyes.

Ramses the Great :: Ancient Egypt Egyptian History

Ramses the Great In the Egyptian pyramids of Giza, Ramses the Great ruled as the greatest pharaoh of all times. Ramses the Great, also known as Ramses II, or just Ramses, was born in 1304 B.C., and was given the name the Justice of Ray is Powerful. He had the knowledge of the kingdom, and became the focus of the court at an early age. Ramses and his father spent most of their time together, and at age ten, Ramses became heir to the thrown. He took the thrown in the year of 1292 B.C. The pharaoh lived over all other people in the kingdom. According to historians, the Nile river was the source of life to the Egyptians. The Nile river provided the Egyptian people with water, fish, and fertile soil to grow crops on. The peasant folk in Egypt lived on a diet of wheat bread, fish, and corn. Also, the death rates there were said to be very high. When Ramses became pharaoh, he got many riches. For example, Ramses had as many women as his heart desired. The women did everything for Ramses, which includes dancing for him. Ramses II was the most powerful king in all of ancient Egypt, and his Queens were his greatest supporters. Ramses had many wives, but he loved one particular wife the most of all of them. Ramses the Great was also known for his fighting. In 1275 B.C., he went into battle with about 2,000 men. It was about noon on a spring day, and Ramses II was encamped with his army near the city of Kadesh in Syria. He and his army were planning a surprise attack on the Hittites. While Ramses was waiting for his army to assemble, Hittite chariots showed up out of nowhere and attacked. Frightened, the Egyptian forces fled and left Ramses the Great to face the enemy alone. Luckily, he escaped with his life. Later, Ramses II had scenes from the battle carved on temple was all over Egypt. According to the carvings, Ramses prayed to Amon, the chief Egyptian god, to save him. He said, "My soldiers and charioteers have forsaken me, but I call and find that Amon is worth more to me than millions of foot soldiers and hundreds of thousands of chariots." After that, the carvings show that he rallied his forces and had victory over the Hittites.

Television and Media Essay - Daytime Talk TV -- Media Argumentative Pe

Daytime Talk Television      Ã‚   Daytime talk television is certainly controversial. There are those who find these types of shows informative and helpful. There are others who view these shows as pointless and inappropriate. I agree with the latter. Daytime talk television is pointless and it presents material that should not appear on television. I believe that some talk shows need to be removed from the airwaves and not seen again.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When looking at daytime talk television, once can see that there are two main styles, which are apparent when looking at the content and manner at which they are presented. There are show like Ricki Lake, Jenny Jones, and the infamous Jerry Springer who bring guests out onto the stage and exploit their problems and in no way try to help the guest through whatever is bothering them. These hosts have shows whose topics range from cheating spouses to homosexual crushes. Jenny Jones hosted a show in which a homosexual man confessed his interest in a heterosexual man. This turned out to be a homicide case, a couple days after the show. The conflict is rarely resolved and most of the times the situation is made worse and more complicated, as in the case of the homosexual's murder. These shows simply parade people with little shame for their behavior. These shows are out to be wild and crazy and make money, with no regard for those who help them achieve this . The other talk shows that appear on television, however, tend to be very positive and are working to some goal. These shows deal with people's feelings, conflicts and experiences and present them to the audience to help council them or guide them through common struggles that other people are dealing with . Oprah... ...It turns out that Oprah is one of the few positive talk shows on television. I believe that Oprah is trying to make life better for others and so I approve of her work. On the other hand, daytime talk television is only entertainment and a display of dirty values. It should not be allowed to portray several of the ideas that it does. As Merry Thomas states, "I would love to see new shows on television which are wholesome and appropriate for viewers of all ages." This is an excellent idea because we can all learn good things from good values.    Works Cited Gaines, Donna. "How Jenny Jones Saved my Life." The Village Voice 1995. Greene, Leonard. "Talk Shows Need to Take Responsibility for Content." The Boston Herald. October 30, 1995. Thomas, Merry. Telephone Interview. 27 Feb. 2002 Thomas, Rhett. Telephone Interview. 27 Feb. 2002   

Does the Art of Science Vitiate the Science of Art? Essay

INTRODUCTION   Why there would be ripples in the modern art world, if a 17th century artist is found to have used an instrument to perfect his art? It all started when David Hockney, a British artist, started his research on artists, mainly of the Renaissance Period, when observed some ‘suspicious details’ in the works of Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), an artist of Holland, who, like many of his contemporaries had failed to make his rank in his time and thus struggled all along, before getting recognized and appreciated posthumously. The fact that he could master only 30 paintings indicates about the roadblocks he had before him.   However, he has been ‘rediscovered’ presently and his works are now lauded for its wonderful details, which are found to be one up in his time, mainly for their precision. The Situation It was that precision, which caught the fancy of David the researcher. Stunned by the perfect perspectives and light distortions in Vermeer’s paintings. David delved deep into matter and came out with a conclusion that Vermeer might have used a refracting device, such as a ‘Camera Obscura’, to achieve that incredible degree of precision in the details in his paintings. Camera Obscura It is one of the early optical instruments, presumed to have been invented in the late Renaissance period, around the time Galileo, the inventor of Telescope. However, Hockney`s new evidence seems to suggest that the usage of magnifying tools like Camera Obscura were there well before that. That’s a good finding. The Art of Science Camera Obscura is a light-tight box with a small whole on one side, through which an image of an outside object can be projected onto a wall or piece of paper. The resulting image will be projected upside down. This is due to the fact that the reflected rays of light, which enter the box, do not spread out but traverse and reorganize, before reappearing as an upside down reflection. The size of the pinhole determines the sharpness of the reflected image, as well as the degree of diffraction and the level of light sensitivity. The narrower the passage of light, the lesser sensitive is the image. Moreover, narrow holes result in sharper projections and a better image resolution – since the resulting circle of confusion, the distortion of bright areas caused by the shape of the pinhole, will be smaller. This situation also calls to define the resultant diffraction from a particularly small pinhole, which causes a rather unfocused projection of the image. This phenomenon can be explained by the wave theory of light, which states that light behaves like a wave. Diffraction, in this case, refers to the dispersion of waves (light) when passing through the pinhole, which produces a hologram effect. The smaller and closer to the lights’ wavelength the hole is, larger the proportion is in the diffraction pattern, compared to a larger opening. To further increase the brightness and focus of the image, artists started to use a lens instead of the pinhole. It is really heartening to imagine that some of the artists of the Renaissance Period experimented on such nuances of diffraction towards gaining unbelievably realistic, almost photographic paintings. Vermeer’s Endeavor Situations indeed indicate that Vermeer might have used a Camera Obscura to enhance his paintings. Firstly, Vermeer didn’t seem to have used any sort of sketches or preparatory drawings while on his way towards producing paintings with incredibly realistic details and perspective in them. That couldn’t have happened if such works were done manually. His work, â€Å"Soldier and Laughing Girl†, where an amazingly detailed map can be seen hanging on the wall in the background, consolidates this assumption – even after zooming, the map seems to be an exact replication of a map at the time. How could he achieve such precision at one go, if he didn’t use any instrument? Another indication is the presence of bright, round reflections on reflective surfaces. Almost all the reflections in Vermeer’s paintings have an unusually circular shape. We now believe that these round reflections are circles of confusion, which are caused by the imperfection of the lens through which the image is reflected or can occur when the lens is not focused. Such unusually round reflections are distortions of bright areas caused by the shape of the pinhole of the Camera Obscura. One of the most famous examples of such a circle of confusion is the reflection in the girl’s earring in Vermeer`s masterpiece â€Å"The girl with the pearl earring.† Thirdly most of his paintings seem to take place in the same room. A reason for this could have been the size and weight of the apparatus. It might have been too laborious and time consuming to move the optic device in those days. Furthermore, in his painting â€Å"The Music Lesson†, there is a mirror on top of the piano, which reflects the leg of an object, which could have been a Camera Obscura. Science of Art Even though the indications point towards Vermeer’s using of optical instruments, that should be seen as a bold, and nonetheless creative endeavor, which aligns with the intellectual movements of that period – considering the treatise and texts about optics circulated then – only substantiates Vermeer’s contemporary approach towards his work, when people of 17th century had been exploring the possibilities of mirrors and lenses – it was then, even with low quality lenses and bad resolution, Vermeer and his colleagues would have been able to create incredibly detailed pictures. Lastly, the use of such instrument at that time could not have lessened the value of the art. It is assumed, that the painters using a Camera Obscura, merely used the projection of the image as a foundation, a sketch, on which they would paint. Since the projection of the image would be like a movie in color and every movement of the object would distort the artist drawing, only certain features of the object could be taken down on paper, leaving the rest to be done by the artist him/herself. CONCLUSION Artists of 17th century could not be totally dependent on Camera Obscura – they had to add in their own imagination, creativity and hard, manual labor. Attaining precision was just a part of their whole aim, and the attempt to achieve that by using an instrument cannot be hyped as something demeaning in the approach of the artists who did that. It is clear that those artists simply used Camera Obscura to increase precision or shorten the sketching time. There is nothing more in this useless debate, as the choice and combination of colors, the brush strokes, the shading, the technique and much more that take to make a great image, were done all by the artists themselves. To quote Hockney – â€Å"The lens can’t draw a line, only the hand can do that†, would be enough to block this controversy for once and all. Therefore this has nothing to do with any useless debate on the ethical violation of the creative processes involved in painting. It could have been so, if Vermeer did his works with blood, or stole or plagiarize someone else’s idea.