Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Generational Names in the United States

Generational Names in the United States Generations in the United States are defined as social groups of people born around the same time who share similar cultural traits, values, and preferences. In the U.S. today, many people readily identify themselves as Millennials, Xers, or Boomers. But these generational names are a fairly recent cultural phenomenon and they vary depending on the source. The History of Naming Generations Historians generally agree that the naming of generations began in the 20th-century. Gertrude Stein is considered the first to have done so. She bestowed the title of Lost Generation on those who had been born around the turn of the century and bore the brunt of service during World War I. In the epigram to Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926, Stein wrote, You are all a lost generation. Generational theorists Neil Howe and William Strauss are generally credited with identifying and naming the 20th-century generations in the U.S. with their 1991 study Generations. In it, they identified the generation that fought World War II as the G.I. (for Government Issue) Generation. But less than a decade later, Tom Brokaw published The Greatest Generation, a best-selling cultural history of the Great Depression and World War II, and that namesake stuck. Canadian author Douglas Coupland, born in 1961 at the tail end of the Baby Boom, is credited with naming the generation that followed him. Couplands 1991 book Generation X: Tales For an Accelerated Culture, and later works chronicled the lives of 20-somethings and came to be seen by some as defining that eras young. Did You Know? Generational theorists Neil Howe and William Strauss suggested the name Thirteeners (for the 13th generation born since the American Revolution) for Generation X, but the term never caught on. Credit for naming the generations that followed Generation X is less clear. In the early 1990s, the children following Generation X were often referred to as Generation Y by media outlets like Advertising Age, which is credited with first using the term in 1993. But by the mid-90s, as buzz about the turn of the century grew, this generation was more often referred to as Millennials, a term Howe and Strauss first used in their book. The name for the most recent generation varies even more. Some prefer Generation Z, continuing the alphabetical trend begun with Generation X, while others prefer buzzier titles like Centennials or the iGeneration. Generation Names While some generations are known by one name only, such as the Baby Boomers, names for other generations is a matter of some dispute among experts.   Neil Howe and William Strauss define recent generational cohorts in the U.S. this way: 2000 to present: New Silent Generation or Generation Z1980 to 2000: Millennials or Generation Y1965 to 1979: Thirteeners or Generation X1946 to 1964:  Baby Boomers1925 to 1945: Silent Generation1900 to 1924: G.I. Generation The Population Reference Bureau  provides an alternate listing and chronology of generational names in the United States: 1983 to 2001: New Boomers1965 to 1982: Generation X1946 to 1964: Baby Boomers1929 to 1945: Lucky Few1909 to 1928: Good Warriors1890 to 1908: Hard Timers1871 to 1889: New Worlders The Center for Generational Kinetics lists the following five generations who are currently active in Americas economy and workforce: 1996 to present: Gen Z,  iGen, or Centennials1977 to 1995:  Millennials  or Gen Y1965 to 1976: Generation X1946 to 1964: Baby Boomers1945 and before: Traditionalists or Silent Generation Naming Generations Outside the United States Its worth remembering that the concept of social generations like these is largely a Western notion and that generational names are often influenced by local or regional events. In South Africa, for example, people born after the end of apartheid in 1994 are referred to as the Born-Free Generation. Romanians born after the collapse of communism in 1989 are sometimes called the Revolution Generation.   Sources Brokaw, Tom. The Greatest Generation. 1st Edition, Kindle Edition, Random House, February 23, 2000. Carlson, Elwood. 20th-Century U.S. Generations. Population Reference Bureau, March 4, 2009. Coupland, Douglas. Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. Paperback, St. Martins Griffin, March 15, 1991. Generational Breakdown: Info About All of the Generations. The Center for Generational Kinetics, 2016. Hemingway, Ernest. The Sun Also Rises. Hemingway Library Edition, Reprint Edition, Kindle Edition, Scribner, July 25, 2002. Howe, Neil. Generations: The History of Americas Future, 1584 to 2069. William Strauss, Paperback, Reprint edition, Quill, September 30, 1992.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

15 Promising Seasonal Jobs to Apply for this Fall and Winter

15 Promising Seasonal Jobs to Apply for this Fall and Winter Need to make a few extra dollars this season? While there’s always the option to get a gig as Santa’s Little Helper at the mall, there are lots of other options too. Here are 15 promising and interesting seasonal opportunities- all of them temporary and with flexible schedules.1. Election ClerkNeedless to say, it’s a big year for elections. Starting in November, there are lots of jobs for clerks to oversee the election process.2. Family Programs SupervisorLots of families hold events in the holiday season. Get a job as a staff member or event organizer, depending on your skills.3. Fly Casting InstructorHave a fly casting hobby? Turn that hobby into a part-time job teaching what you like best to those who want to know.4. Forms DeveloperForms are always floating around out there. Help make sure they comply with local, state, and federal specifications by helping to compare and mark-up forms needing to be changed.5. HR AdministratorHR departments always need assista nts- even (and sometimes especially) on a part-time or seasonal basis.6. IT Support Center CoordinatorThere are almost always short-term support jobs offered in the fall and winter in IT centers.7. PerformerAgain, many families and companies host events or parties. Many of these will be entertainment. You have a talent or skill you could use to perform at some of these?8. Print Quality Design ArchitectThere are lots of extra holiday print jobs out there. Companies will have opportunities for those qualified to help with the extra work load.9. Production DesignSome companies might need extra help with production design- processing, proofreading, and typesetting, etc.10. Admissions ReaderInstitutions and organizations with admissions processes always need preliminary readers.11. Sales AssociateRetail has its biggest time of the year over the holiday season. There are more shoppers and more opportunities for temporary sales work.12. Christmas Support ElfSanta needs help! If you’ re up for it, don your elf costume and go help the big man out!13. Retail Visual MerchandiserRetail pumps up their game for the holidays. Put your creative/aesthetic mind to work helping them show off their merchandise with a seasonal gig.14. Senior Tax AssociateReliable tax accountants are always in demand, particularly as we round the corner into the new year and inch closer to tax time.15. Ski InstructorLove to ski? Why not make money teaching new skiers to love your hobby too?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Literary Analysis by Amy Hempel's. In the cemetery where AL Jolson's Essay

Literary Analysis by Amy Hempel's. In the cemetery where AL Jolson's Buried - Essay Example The narrator recalls how her only visit to the hospital was to see her best friend, who wore a surgical mask as a result of her condition and she had to do the same. Her visit had taken a quite some time because she was largely procrastinating, as the narrator did not have the courage to see her friend in such a state. From the very beginning the narrator and her friend talk about inconsequential things and then the plot sheds light on all the other fears the friend fears, such as fear of flying and fear of earthquakes; however, the main fear that the narrator is experiencing is largely the fear of losing her best friend. The story intertwines many complex human feelings such as love, attachment, communication, death and dying, and the process of grieving for the loss of loved ones. It could be deduced that despite being an aviophobe, she flies all the way to a hospital near the California coast; which is also one of the most earthquake prone areas in the United States. Thus, her wis h to see her friend during her last moment, is not only about the narrator finally confronting her friend’s imminent death but also facing all the other stimuli in her life that caused her to become increasingly fearful. (Henderson, 2001) Furthermore, the fact the narrator used to drink Canadian ginger ale and pretend that they were in Canada, is a brilliant allegory used by the author to describe the narrator’s mindset that how she uses her imagination in order to bend reality. The communication between the two friends actually the demonstrate the closeness between the two. The stories they share and the light-hearted humor that brings to the story is clearly an example of how one becomes avoidant at a crucial stage like this. The stories they share shed light in to the emotional conflict the narrator is experiencing, for instance when the narrator speaks about the first chimp was taught to speak , also lied. This shows that human beings are very similar when it comes to embracing the truth. They would lie not only for some dubious reason but the lies are in fact intended to protect them from the harshness of the truth. Therefore, out of the five stages of grief outlined by Kubler-Ross the origin of denial largely stems from the fact that the individual refuses to be honest with him or herself. The aforementioned ideas clearly demonstrate that the narrator’s fluency in the language of grief. Ideas like â€Å"the smarter knows when to disobey†¦Ã¢â‚¬ is actually another parallel that the author drew in order to underline the narrator’s for her sincerity towards her friend but at the same time, she must abandon in order to hide from the pain of watching her friend die in front of her. There are a number of other metaphors in the story that is not only appropriate to describe the narrator’s ordeal but is true for every human being. The narrator states: â€Å"So I hadn’t dared to look any closer. But now I’m doing it – and hoping that I will live through it† No one has the nerve to see eye to eye with their worst fears but certain circumstances may cause an individual to face his or her fears; even though, it may seem like their fear is so excessive that it might kill them but is obviously not necessarily so. The narrator was afraid beyond her wits, every time the thought occurred to her that her friend may die and she was close to abandoning her but yet somehow circumstances do not allow her. She believes

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

SLP 4 MGT 491 INTERNATIONAL HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SLP 4 MGT 491 INTERNATIONAL HRM - Essay Example This topic is very important to me and to every human resource manager who has an ambition of working in a big institution. This topic will provide insight on the negative effects of downsizing and layoff. It will also try to provide the solution to the effects that are generated. Downsizing is a strategy used in business; it is intended to improve the economic standing of an organization by either reducing its structure or changing the structure of the human resource so as to reduce operational costs (Mirabal & DeYoung, 2005). It is a word that has come into being due to its popular usage and not precise theoretical construction. It can be interpreted as simply a reduction in the organisation size on the surface. If this surface definition is taken into consideration, it might be confused with the concept of organizationl decline or just a mere decrease in the size of an organizational. Important difference, however, do exist, that differentiates downsizing and decline as different managerial processes (Davison, 2002). Downsizing is not a phenomena that just happens to an organization as an organization decline would, but rather it is undertaken by the management on purpose, this also brings out the differences between downsizing and reduction in the share o f the market or loss of workforce that are attributes of organizational decline. It is also important to note here that downsizing has the aim of improving the effectiveness of the organization and it is not just a mere lack of funds to pay the employees. It can happen a proactive measure or a reactive action to contain the costs or to enhance the revenue of the organization. Downsizing can therefore also be defined as the planned and intended elimination of departmental positions or jobs and is therefore expected to yield rapid economic benefits. People costs often exceed 40 percent of a company’s total budget (Davison, 2002). As a result, cutting

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Why Water Is Precious Essay Example for Free

Why Water Is Precious Essay How does it work? Each year, the UPU International Bureau chooses a theme. Participating countries organize the competition at the national level through the post with the support of education authorities and the media. All entries must be submitted through the national Post. Each country chooses a national winner and submits one entry for the UPU international competition. Entries must reach the UPU International Bureau no later than 30 April each year. The theme of the 2013 competition is: Write someone a letter explaining why water is a precious resource The 2013 theme ties in with the International Decade for Action Water for Life 2005–2015. Water serves a multitude of different purposes, and it is vital that we preserve this precious natural resource. Access to water is essential to ensuring the health and well-being of humans and the protection of nature. The United Nations recently announced that the world had achieved the Millennium Development Goal by half, the proportion of the population which is without sustainable access to safe drinking water. Eighty-nine percent of the world population, or 6.1 billion people, now have access to an improved drinking water source. But 11% still does not. 2012 Prize Winners National winner Limpopo Mpumalanga North West KZN Western Cape Free State Eastern Cape Northern Cape Gauteng Tasneem Mahomed, Park Primary School, Lenasia Dipuo Nthane, Taxila Sec School, Polokwane Prudence Lubisi, Mjokwane Sec School, Komatiepoort Seipei Kekana, Maggies Millenium School, Mafikeng Trinity Z. Maphosa, Bayabonga Primary School, Dundee Zara Wichman, Star of the Sea Convent School, St James Lerato Magagula, Laerskool Sentraal, Bloemfontein Siphokazi Ndamase, Butterworth High School, Butterworth Ronaldo Giko, Concordia High School, Springbok Tasneem Mahomed, Park Primary School, Lenasia Rules to enter are as follows: †¢ The competition is open to all South African learners up to 15 years. †¢ It must be presented in a form of a letter of 500 to 1000 words. †¢ The letter must depict and stick to the theme. †¢ The letter should refrain from promoting any political, gender bias or religious opinions †¢ Use proper quality paper and ink not pencil. †¢ The letter can be hand-written or typed †¢ The work must be clean and neat. †¢ The entry form should be attached at the back of the letter for identification. †¢ The entry form can be hand-written, typed or photocopied †¢ One letter one envelope and send by post.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Factors that Affect Profitability Essay -- Business, Exporting, Forei

Procedures that you need to follow when exporting After establishing that South Korea is an economy with an increasingly more liberal economy, there are some problems for foreign direct investment, mainly through non-transparency and burdensome regulations (Heritage Foundation). In order to take it a step further and to perform a complete analysis of the business environment, it is necessary to compare the business procedures when doing business. As an industry, the imports of foreign goods procedure will be analyzed and contrasted with neighboring countries in order to have a complete snapshot of the business environment. Firstly, The country of interest: South Korea. In what the import of foreign goods is concerned, South Korea has a relatively quick and easy process. Importing procedures are estimated to take 7 days, (2 days for each: preparation of documents, port handling and inland handling and approximately 1 day for customs clearance). The cost of the procedures for the 7 days is estimated to be $790 (World Bank Doing Business, 2011). This information, at first glance seems positive. The procedures are fairly quick and the $790 cost is not an absurd amount of money paid in order to import goods. The bureaucracy is simple. The documents needed are: the bill of lading, customs import declaration and terminal handling receipts (World Bank Doing Business, 2011). Corruption Perception Index The latest corruption perception index by transparency international in 2008 includes five sets of data. These include: the 2008 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score, the amount of surveys used, the standard deviation, the high low range and the confidence range. Before the analysis of the data, it is important to understand what ea... ...). The Heritage Foundation has ranked South Korea with a very low score of 55 out of 100, which might imply that corruption is widespread and there is still a long way to go to have a positive rating. (Heritage Foundation, 2011) 10) Labor Freedom Labor freedom has the lowest score of 46.5 out of 100. This shows that there are various problems regarding labor, a clear example is the very high cost of firing an employee whilst the non salary cost of employing a worker are moderate (Heritage, 2011). In conclusion, the overall freedom of the country is relatively positive. The ratings of the Heritage Foundation are fairly high, above the world average for the most part. Additionally, the government involvement in business is quite low compared to other countries and at least it is not widespread to a degree to which investors would be fearful to engage in business.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Ginger as hair loss treatment Essay

Doctors mostly recommended that Good circulation is the key to healthy hair since ginger for hair loss activates nutrients circulating the body to reach the hair follicles. Twenty years ago people were wrongly being advised to stand on their head so that a topsy-turvy stance would raise the blood flow to the scalp. However, the fact is far from those ‘blurred’ beliefs and if you try it, you will be under a serious headache.However,you should try the natural ginger for hair loss. Recent studies show that almost 94% of the world’s population has no concept on the power of ginger for hair loss but they only have a clue in its use as a spice ingredient. Among these people only a few have a concept that ginger is used for ailment treatment but don’t have a clue on the use of ginger for hair loss treatments. If you are under this category,don’t worry you’ll discover one of the ‘top secrets’ of ginger right now! Ginger is popular in traditional Chinese medicine and in homeopathy and due to its anti-inflammatory and circulatory properties; it alone has a natural stimulating property that makes ginger for hair loss the best solution for hair treatments. From the view of hair growth elements, ginger has natural property which makes the hair grow mainly on its laxative, tonic antiseptic and anti-inflammatory attributes. Even though there are hundreds of Herbal supplements for hair treatments, no herb can effectively treat a head without hair except Ginger. Prior to ginger for hair loss treatment, be aware that using ginger juice on a regularly basis may lighten your hair slightly and tend to darken your hair a bit if you use it with sesame oil. Other than that nothing serious happens. So let’s come to the main point. Ginger improves the rate of Scalp blood circulation. The rise of blood flow to the scalp boosts hair growth rate to the peak point. This is due to the fact that blood actively flows to the scalp and provides nutrients to the hair follicle that is responsible for hair growth and adequate supply of oxygen to the follicles. You can prepare ginger for hair loss treatment by slicing ginger root and add it to brandy. Massage the scalp with the mixture to promote hair growth. You should use this mixture two or three times weekly to see new hair growth within a few weeks’ time. If you don’t see any results, you shouldn’t stop using ginger for hair loss treatment since each case is different for every individual so that you’ll definitely see progressive results ahead. Note that you should refrigerate any leftovers for your next treatment. Due to ginger’s potency loss after few days, always juice and use up what you need. As a reminder, don’t leave the ginger mix for a long period of time. Ginger is also used against hair thinning premature grey hair and Dandruff since ginger root contains essential fatty acids that helps to re-grow your hair to the old times and fights most plaguing scalp disorders facing individuals today. You should note that direct rubbing ginger on your head is not recommended and not applicable since male hair loss is caused by the effects of a chemical by-product produced by your body known as DHT. This DHT rate cannot be minimized by direct dubbing rather it needs a series of steps for the preparation of ginger root. To prepare this ginger for hair loss treatment, start grating a ginger root by evenly mixing it with sesame, olive or jojoba oil. Note that you shouldn’t use directly after you mix but wait for at least 10 minutes. After that, add lemon juice to the mixture and mix it thoroughly. Then rub the mixture on your scalp and smoothly massage in a circular move and leave it on for 30-35 minutes. After half an hour, rinse off using h air soup or shampoo your hair. You can also prepare ginger for hair loss juice by mixing six ounces of ginger root with 1/4 cup of water. After you successfully blend the mix, strain it by squeezing it through the cloth into a bowl. Then separate the pulp from the juice and smoothly massage the ginger juice into your scalp in a circular movement and then pat the pulp atop the treated area. Finally leave it on for 10-15 minutes before washing your head so that you make ginger for hair loss treatment successfully.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Kabuki Theatre: Japan’s National Treasure

Aliya Crochetiere Mrs. Crass Theater History April 11, 2011 Kabuki Theatre: Japan’s National Treasure Kabuki Theater has captured the hearts and minds of the Japanese audience from its beginnings over four centuries ago to the present day. In Kabuki wild spectacles of song and dance transpire, different from anything familiar to the Western observer. Its color, drama, and richness of costumes and characters contrast wildly with the simplicity and functionality of which the Japanese people live their lives. Kabuki Theater seen today has been shaped by historical tensions about women, religious influences in Japanese society, and is considered to be the people’s theater filled with unique styles and ideas. In order to understand this wild spectacle and its unique techniques of staging and characters, one must look behind the make-up and understand the drama’s widespread roots deeply intertwined in Japan’s popular culture. The word kabuki, as shown in the history of name, is a type of acting based on the arts of singing and dancing (Miyake 11). However, mixed in this display is a variety of hidden aspects such as make-up, costumes, and special effects that make a Kabuki performance unlike any other. Kabuki is a very complicated, highly refined art involving stylized movement to the sounds of instruments such as the Tsuke that takes many years to master (National Theater of Japan). Unlike Noh Theater it does not use masks, but incorporates a vast variety of styles and effects, from the realistic to the grandiosely extravagant through cosmetics (Leiter 18-22). The colors used have symbolic meanings. For example, blue usually indicates evil and red is used to express strength or virtue. Wigs are utilized to inform the audience about the characters age, occupation, and social status and are worn by all characters in Kabuki (The British Museum). In the theater, each character has a defining moment, called a Mie. The Mie displays the characters personality. The actor assumes a position significant to his character and experiences his climatic moment (Binnie and Wanczura). It usually involves a movement of the head, a crossing of eyes in a powerful glare, and shaking. In this artistic spectacle there are two main styles of acting involved, Aragoto and Wagoto. Aragoto, the rough style, contains heroes who are physically strong, impulsive, fierce, and martial (Brandon). This is reflected in the actors' dramatic, stylized make-up and costumes, and in their exaggerated poses. In contrary, Wagoto features softer, young playboys in more friendly stories. The main manner of Wagoto acting is tender, romantic, or humorous (Encyclop? dia Britannica). Although the styles differ, Kabuki will always be a form of theater that requires a mastery of technique, especially when playing a woman. Unlike Western Theater, Kabuki in the present day features no females on the stage. One feature that sets Kabuki apart from other theater is the Onnagata, a male actor who plays the parts of women. Kabuki was founded in 1603 by Izumo no Okuni, a Japanese princess, with her troop consisting of mostly females (Spencer). The women entertainers, many of whom were prostitutes, performed exotic dances and risque skits causing an instant sensation in Japan with the common people (The British Museum). The idea of women exploiting themselves while creating public messages was preposterous and as its popularity grew, the government was quick to take control of the situation (Lombard, Allen, and Unwin). The prostitution within the theater was believed to be corrupting society and from the 1620's onward, the government attempted to bring them under control. In 1692, women performers were banned from the stage. It soon became necessary for males to take the part of the females and the art of the Onnagata was formed. The Onnagata does not aim to imitate the behavior of a real woman. Rather, he becomes an artificial and idealized symbol of female characteristics as seen from a man's interpretation (Binnie and Wanczura). Those who have mastered the art of the Onnagata have the ability to transform a potentially grotesque situation into an emotionally moving truth. The Onnagata does not rely on facial beauty but the talent and skill to make a room full of people believe the authenticity of a teenage girl played by a 70 year-old man. Today, as a result of issues of women corrupting society and the upper class, females have yet to re-appear on the stage. However, because Kabuki is directed at the common people of Japan, it is believed that women will once again grace the stages of Kabuki (Matsuda). Though Kabuki today is generally more accepted as a National Theater of Japan, it originated from the middle class, the common people of Japan, as a way to express their suppressed feelings under restrictive social conditions (Lombard, Allen, and Unwin). At the time when Kabuki was developed, distinction between the commoners and the upper class was more rigid than ever before, so Kabuki acted as a safe means of protest against dramatic and social conventions. Multiple times it was banned from the inner cities because it threatened with dangerous thought and popular freedom (Lombard, Allen, and Unwin). Kabuki was charged with undermining the morals of the warrior class, yet the government was unable to outlaw the theater completely. It had made its way into the social lives of the Japanese people as it developed eclectically from other art forms. As the people’s theater, Kabuki has a very unique relationship between the actors and the audience. The most celebrated feature of the Kabuki stage is the hanamichi, a long extension from the back of the audience to the stage (Scott 18). This symbolizes the close connections that the actors have with the viewers. A continuous interplay of shouts from the audience and reactions from the actors take place in the Kabuki Theater. The show is often interrupted for an actor to address the crowd, which is responded to with praise and encouragement (Encyclop? dia Britannica). The audience hollers the name of their favorite actor, showing a much closer connection to the actors than the directors (Matsuda). For the first time, the actor is in a position of control of his own actions and originality. Because Kabuki programs run from dusk till dawn, in the theater one can find restaurants, lunchboxes, and snack shops. The audience will eat, drink, and talk all during the performance, treating it much more like a social gathering than a trip to the theater (Miyake 25). Unlike western theater a trip to Kabuki is supposed to a social gathering. The audience enjoys the whole day’s event, not just the individual performances. This is in sharp contrast to Noh Theater, a much more serious and formal theater of Japan that incorporates slow, meditational movements under extremely rigid rules (Matsuda). The Noh performance is in slow motion and is much more popular with the military class than the common people of Japan (Mitchell and Watanabe 1-5). Buddhism, Shintoism, and Confucianism have all had a weighty effect on Japanese philosophies of life. This in turn is reflected in Kabuki drama in an innumerable number of ways. Action in Kabuki plays usually revolves around Confucian notions of filial piety duty and obligation, and the Buddhist traditions such as the impermanence of things or the law of retributive justice (Scott 28). The religious part of the drama is expressed through actions and characters, such as the komuso, who wears a large basket-like head covering and plays a flute (Scott 28). The komuso, who appears in multiple plays, is a religious figure in Buddhism, a priest of the Buddhist sect seen preaching about the religion with his flute. During the Edo period when Kabuki was developed, Confucian philosophy defining the hierarchy of social relations was recognized as official thought and caused an uprising of the common townspeople expressed in Kabuki Theater (Ernst 14). A favorite Kabuki technique is to have a dying man recall and regret all past misconducts and return to his innocent state by time of death (Scott 28). This extends to the Buddhist philosophy that man is fundamentally good and all sins committed during his lifetime are purged upon death. This as well as many other examples shows strong Buddhist influences in Kabuki. Shintoism shines through the drama as well. As one of the most common religions in Japan, Shintoism was also the religion of Kabuki’s founder (Spencer). Many religious ideas and themes are apparent in both historical and domestic Kabuki plays. Kabuki Theater, flamboyant and spectacular, has evolved into one of Japan’s cultural treasures. The drama has developed from controversial ideas of women in society, the religious influences of Buddhism and Confucianism, and from the heart of Japan, the common people, as a free way to express themselves. Although some may argue that Kabuki has lost some of its connection to the general public, Kabuki drama is an irreplaceable aspect of Japanese society that will continue to entertain audiences and influence contemporary drama and Japanese history for years to come. The flashy, colorful spectacle filled with music, movement, and emotion has the ability to take the audience on a journey to a new world. Works Cited Binnie, Paul, and Dieter Wanczura, eds. â€Å"Kabuki Theater. † Artelino. N. p. , 2009. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. ;http://www. artelino. com/? articles/? kabuki_theater. asp;. Brandon, James R. â€Å"Myth and Reality: A Story of ‘Kabuki’ during American Censorship, 1945-1949. † Asian Theatre Journal 23. 1 (2006): 1-110 . JSTOR. Web. 11 Apr. 2011.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

That Is vs. Which Is

That Is vs. Which Is That Is vs. Which Is That Is vs. Which Is By Mark Nichol This generation, like every one before it and every one to follow, has the dubious pleasure of seeing evolution of language in action. The changes are obvious to careful writers, as they notice with distressingly increasing frequency the erosion of a distinction between words with similar but divergent meanings (for example, anxious versus eager) or a relaxing of a grammatical rule. One example of the latter that is near or at its tipping point (in this case, the point at which a grammatical error becomes so ubiquitous as to widely be deemed acceptable) is the distinction between restrictive and nonrestrictive, or essential and nonessential, clauses. Throughout the modern era, at least in American English, careful writers have honored a distinction between the use of â€Å"that is† and â€Å"which is† and, universally, the insertion or omission of punctuation to begin or bracket a subordinate clause. For example, the sentences â€Å"The dog that has a bone is well trained† and â€Å"The dog, which has a bone, is well trained† have distinct meanings signaled not only by the difference of a word but also the use of parenthetical punctuation in the latter sentence. For the sake of promoting unambiguous communication, such statements as â€Å"The dog which has a bone is well trained† is avoided (though such usage is common in British English). The phrase â€Å"that has a bone† in â€Å"The dog that has a bone is well trained† provides essential information: More than one dog is visible to the speaker or writer and the observer or reader, and the person making the statement is providing an additional detail to direct the other person to one dog in particular. By contrast, â€Å"The dog, which has a bone, is well trained† likely refers to a scenario in which only one dog is present. The sentence does not specify whether one or more other dogs are in the vicinity, because such information is irrelevant. The phrase â€Å"which has a bone† is providing additional, nonessential information to the base sentence â€Å"The dog is well trained.† Unfortunately, writers often fail to observe the distinction, and even more unfortunately, many of these writers are paid to write; their content is published online and in printed publications that many other people read, and many of these other people see the erroneous content, accept it (it’s published, after all, so it must be correct- right?), and consciously or unconsciously imitate it. Eventually, the tipping point is reached, and (for better or worse) wrong becomes right. A case in point, with not one but two identical grammatical violations: One writer said of two much-anticipated films, â€Å"Before giving us his upcoming Blade Runner sequel that’s shrouded in mystery, director Denis Villeneuve has the sci-fi movie Arrival that is getting incredible  word of mouth.† By including the phrases â€Å"that’s shrouded in mystery† and â€Å"that is getting incredible word of mouth†- with that in place of which and without parenthetical punctuation- the writer creates the impression that the phrases are essential. Evidently, more than one Blade Runner sequel is imminent, and one of them, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is shrouded in mystery. (Presumably, the other is not- or the others are not.) In addition, of two or more movies titled Arrival, one is getting incredible word of mouth. (Presumably, the other is not- or the others are not.) What the writer should have written is â€Å"Before giving us his upcoming Blade Runner sequel, which is shrouded in mystery, director Denis Villeneuve has the sci-fi movie Arrival, which is getting incredible  word of mouth.† This sentence describes two unique films, one of which is shrouded in mystery and one of which is getting incredible word of mouth. The phrases that provide those additional details are bracketed by commas to signal that the details are not necessary for one to understand the basic fact that two films directed by the same man are being released in sequence. (The additional information is potentially intriguing but not essential.) I’ve noticed the lack of distinction between essential and nonessential clauses more and more often over the years, not because I’m more observant than before but because the erosion is more common than it used to be. I know that such evolution is inevitable, but as with any change, one can accept the inevitability yet still resist it. More than that, it is the responsibility of all careful writers to do so. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesDisappointed + PrepositionWhile vs. Whilst

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Third Punic War and Carthago Delenda Est

The Third Punic War and Carthago Delenda Est By the end of the Second Punic War (the war where Hannibal and his elephants crossed the Alps), Roma (Rome) so hated Carthage that she wanted to destroy the north African urban center. The story is told that when the Romans finally got to take revenge, after they won the Third Punic War, they salted the fields so the Carthaginians could no longer live there. This is an example of urbicide.   Carthago Delenda Est! By 201 B.C., the end of the Second Punic War, Carthage no longer had its empire, but it was still a shrewd trading nation. By the middle of the second century, Carthage was thriving and it was hurting the trade of those Romans who had investments in North Africa. Marcus Cato, a respected Roman senator, began to clamor Carthago delenda est! Carthage must be destroyed! Carthage Breaks the Peace Treaty Meanwhile, African tribes neighboring Carthage knew that according to the peace treaty between Carthage and Rome that had concluded the Second Punic War, if Carthage overstepped the line drawn in the sand, Rome would interpret the move as an act of aggression. This offered daring African neighbors some impunity. These neighbors took advantage of this reason to feel secure and made hasty raids into the Carthaginian territory, knowing their victims couldnt pursue them. Eventually, Carthage became fed up. In 149 B.C., Carthage got back into armor and went after the Numidians. Rome declared war on the grounds that Carthage had broken the treaty. Although Carthage didnt stand a chance, the war was drawn out for three years. Eventually, a descendant of Scipio Africanus, Scipio Aemilianus, defeated the starved citizens of the besieged city of Carthage. After killing or selling all the inhabitants into slavery, the Romans razed (possibly salting the land) and burned the city. No one was allowed to live there. Carthage had been destroyed: Catos chant had been carried out. Primary Sources on the Third Punic War Polybius 2.1, 13, 36; 3.6-15, 17, 20-35, 39-56; 4.37. Livy 21. 1-21.Dio Cassius 12.48, 13.Diodorus Siculus 24.1-16.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Baby Boomer Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Baby Boomer Generation - Essay Example Furthermore, this paper aims to elaborate on the impact of the generation on American culture and future prospects for baby boomers. The baby boomer generation is defined as a legion composed of those who were born between the years of 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boom" was coined as this period is characterized by the dramatic escalation of population in the United States (US) and in other countries as well (Gianoulis). To illustrate this, the chart below exhibits how the number of infants born skyrocketed within this era. The escalation in birth rate is attributed to economic prosperity experienced after World War II as the US became a major exporter of goods required for rebuilding war-torn countries. As such, the US posted robust economic growth within the period (Gillon). Aside from this, the rise in population is also ascribed to the uncertainties resulting from the war that impelled many young couples to take advantage of the opportunity to get married and build families (Gianoulis). The baby boomer stereotype is depicted as someone white belonging to the middle-class, who grew up in the suburbs (Gianoulis). Given the suburban life led by these white, middle-class baby boomers, which is labeled as dull, conventional and secure, many resorted to rebellion. This attitude that stems from the secure predictability of suburban life and hypocrisy of the perfect family myth painted by society became a trademark of the baby boomers. They have been taught to think critically by questioning. In line with this, they perceived themselves as the generation built not to obey the rules of society, instead they exist to justify and push for change on prevailing socio-political structures. ("Boomer Generation") This led to the flourishing of movements aiming for improvements. For instance, the civil rights movement of African Americans Headed by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. gained ground in the early 1960s as baby boomers regardless of race rallied for justice and equal rights for black minority. This resulted in the enactment of the Civil Rights Act, as proposed by President John F. Kennedy before his assassination, which prohibited segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in education and employment. ("Boomer Generation") To further prove their rebellious nature, the baby boomers also protested against the Vietnam War. Similarly, thousands of baby boomers passionately rallied against the war since it was them who were of draft age. Many of them refused to go to battle in an unknown land for an ambiguous cause. With this, students held demonstrations and took over buildings at school campuses to protest the unjustness of the war. Draft cards were also burned to express rage over forced conscription. (Gianoulis) Due to the prevailing gender discrimination in the society then, women's liberation movement was also launched. In the same way, gay liberation movements were organized to protest the social stigma homosexuals are subjected to. (Gianoulis) It should be highlighted that although there is a common characteristic binding the generation, there are also myriad differences among them that render making generalizations about this generation very difficult. To account for the difference, the baby boomer population is divided into two groups, namely the Boomers and Shadow Boomers. The former

Friday, November 1, 2019

Aristotle on the weakness of the will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aristotle on the weakness of the will - Essay Example However, the theory of Aristotle is more profound. He does not agree with Plato and Socrates in their views on the weaknesses of the will. In contrast to Socrates, Aristotle does not think that people will act in the right way in case they know what is good and what is bad. He also does not agree with Plato, who states that in order to follow ethical principles, people should receive corresponding education. Aristotle is sure that every person may understand what is good and what is bad in everyday behavior not depending on his/her education or position. However, not every person chooses to follow the principles even if he/she understands and knows them. Speaking about the weaknesses of the will we should mention akrasia, a state that makes people act in the wrong way. Every philosopher understands it differently. According to Socrates, akrasia prevents people from proper self-development. For him akrasia is something illogical as he states in Protagoras â€Å"No one goes willingly toward the bad (Protagoras 358d)†. Socrates is sure that if a person analyses the situation and decides the best way to act, he/ she will definitely follow this way. Thus, Socrates denies the possibility of illogical action (akrasia). In Protagoras Plato also denies akrasia, but in later works he acknowledges its possibility. He analyses a soul in state of akrasia and comes to the conclusion that if people decides that to act akratically is the best way for them, they will act akratically. It does not mean that a person who acts akratically has no virtues, but when he/she acts akratically, at least one of the virtues is lost. In contrast to Socrates, Aristotle acknowledges the state of akrasia and in contrast to Plato, he considers akrasia to be the one of the states that should be avoided. He associates the state of akrasia with the state of weakness, when a person knows that he acts in a bad way, but he/she is too weak to act differently. According to Socrates, people do wro ng when they lack some knowledge. The philosopher states that people can become wiser. Those people, who do not think that they know everything, continue self-development and become wiser: "I know that I know nothing  noble and good" (Apology 21d). Those who think that they know everything, do not develop further and do not become wiser, thus they can do wrong. Aristotle agrees with Socrates that wrongdoing may be a consequence of ignorance. But, according to Aristotle, ignorance may serve as an excuse only in some cases (Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII). The strength of Aristotle’s view is in his understanding that people do not always act in the right way even if they know that they do wrong. Socrates values virtues very high and is sure that knowledge is the main source of virtue, and those who possess knowledge will not act irrationally or akratically. This is the weakness of the philosophy of Socrates. The weakness of the philosophy of Plato is that he states that people should receive education in order to follow ethical principles. Aristotle is right assuming that even those who possess knowledge can do wrong. He states that virtue does not depend on corresponding education and it is not necessary to be educated in order to possess virtues. Every person should know how to behave in everyday life and most of the people possess corresponding virtues, but not all the people act in accordance with the virtues they possess. Sometimes when deciding how to act people act in the way that would benefit them most. In this case the virtue can be ignored deliberately. Such situation is frequently met in our life. Another case, when people may act in the wrong way, is the case of ignoring virtues, because of the lack of knowledge how to apply it. It is not