Popular culture Essay

The idea of popular culture can be epitomized in many mediums nowadays whether it is in films, books, songs or photographs. This paper discusses the way that the `ghetto culture’ is portrayed within various mediums. The first part of this paper will deal with the popular movie `Boyz in the Hood (1991)’ written and directed by John Singleton. Music is known as the avenue where contemporary culture exists – this paper will look at the lyrics in the Crompton’s Most Wanted (CMW) song Growing up in the Hood. It is clear to see the similarities that exist between the two mediums and how ghetto life is expressed. The third medium that will be analyzed in this discussion is that of African American poetry. The poem to be analyzed here is Ghetto Child by Langston Hughes. This poem can be seen to be in line with the other two artifacts that are analyzed this paper. When as an active audience people view these forms of media together we can see how powerful different forms of literature can be on the human soul. Boyz in the Hood known as a groundbreaking movie for its hard-hitting realism and its â€Å"street’’ outlook. This realism made the film so popular and the reason it had so much interest to both black and white audiences. It is a rare instance when a film about one socio economic group can apply to everyone, however John Singleton was successful in doing this in this piece of work. It has been said that the realism of the film and the fact that there was such a human element to the characters that made the characters seem so real and so close to home (as though Tre or Ricky could be one of your neighbors). The film also brought black ghetto culture into mainstream movie theatres (this was not the case prior to this where very little is known about African American films before Boyz in the Hood such as Sweet Sweetback’s Badassess Song (1971) – in the past 10 or more years since this film was made it is clear to see that the African American film industry has become more visible. This is a good thing as African American Culture is no longer hidden behind closed doors – people have the chance to see what life is like in the black ghetto culture of the United States. Singleton wrote and directed a movie that appeals to many different audiences. Critics have praised this film time and time again for the way that it portrays the realistic elements of African American life. A point that is of interest to note that creates a point of difference to a number of films produced prior to Boyz in the Hood was in the way that women are portrayed. Typically, in other films that deal with African American life we (the audience) see women portrayed as servants, prostitutes and welfare mothers. This film is the exception where the stereotype of the black women being unemployed does not exist. We see a glimpse of it at the start of the film when the teacher was speaking to Tre’s mother on the phone and the teacher insinuated that the mother did not work. However, this stereotype came to a pass quickly. The women who play the main characters especially Tre’s mother are seen as strong educated and successful women. Even at the end of the film Tre’s girlfriend ends up going to college (this is a different action to one that people would expect in such a film). Another way we can look at the way that powerful black women are portrayed in this film is so look at Tre’s mother and see how she carries herself and the way she dresses. In comparison to many other films where the African American woman is in a lead role we see her struggling in the African American world, however in this film we see Reva (Tre’s mother) as the strong female living in a white world where it is not important whether you are black or white. Another theme/ idea portrayed in this film in relation to the `ghetto culture’ pertains to the way that Tre’s father (Furious) is adamant that he does not want Tre to turn out like the other boys from the ghetto – he wants him to make something of his life and not be one of the kids committing robberies and loitering around liquor stores. This is a strong and powerful message that Furious portrays throughout the film and one the many reasons why this film was such a success in portraying what life is really like in the `ghetto’. Another theme/ idea that is evident throughout the film is the idea of having a positive role model when growing up in the ghetto. Throughout the film Furious tries to teach Tre what is right and what is wrong. In the early part of the film we see Furious teaching Tre his very first lesson in the scene where Furious shoots at a burglar and talks to Tre about it after wards sitting on the porch waiting for the police to arrive. Furious: Somebody must have been praying for that fool, cause I swear I aimed right for his head. Tre Age 10: You should have blew it off. Furious: Don’t say that. Don’t say that. Just would’ve contributed to killing another brother. This being a contributing factor to killing another brother is another theme that permeates throughout the film. However, it is the final part of the film when Ricky is chased and murdered that we understand what this whole idea of killing another brother is like and how fragile and fleeting life is if you live in the ghetto. All Ricky did was annoy a guy the night before which led to his untimely death when he walked down to the corner store to pick up some oatmeal. The audience learns in the final scene that what goes around comes around if you kill one of your `brothers` you in turn will be killed. The shooting scene further indicates the powerful influence that Furious has had on Tre in making the man that he grew up to be. Despite, being so angry with the person that shot Ricky, Tre had a permanent voice in his head that told him that he could not be involved with Doughboy in shooting down the perpetrator responsible for Ricky’s death. Tre understood that everything his father taught him was for a reason and to protect his son. This is indicative in the credits as two weeks after Ricky was buried Dough boy was murdered and so the `circle of death’ continues. Because Tre lived his life in the image of his father he went to college and escaped from the `hood’ to create a better life for himself. In today’s society music is one of the major forms of expression and because of this it is clear to see how the lyrics in songs come to mean certain things in popular culture. In looking at the lyrics in Crompton’s Most Wanted (CMW) song Growing up in the Hood we can understand how the artist feels about growing up in the hood and can understand the words in a song in much the same way that you understand an underlying message when you watch a film. In looking at just the one song is it interesting how many different themes and ideas are permeated in a three-minute recording. In this song the artist has made it clear that living in the hood is violent and because of this you constantly live a dangerous lifestyle and are constantly running away from people so that they do not hurt you or try to kill you. Quick up the stairs so little sucker stop looking Stagger up to the house so I can collect my whooping But watch out ‘cause a little nigga’s up to no good Growin’ up in the hood. The lyrics in this song further describe the fear that exists when one lives in the hood that if you stay in the hood you will die in the hood. The lyrics above indicate the fear that men living in the hood have to come to terms with in everyday of their lives. The song also suggests that when young boys grow up in the hood they are not always aware of what lies ahead. â€Å"Growing up in the hood, yea boy, 1984 Was the year my peers didn’t know what was in store. â€Å" Another idea that is permeated in this song and that is an issue for African Americans living in the ghetto is that of the police. Police are awful to those people who live in the hood – they make them feel as they are dirt and they do not have the right to exist. Police sweat my tip and keep harassing Trying to lock me up ’cause I keep on blasting Community trying to shut me out Through song lyrics it is almost as if the listener feels the pain that the rapper is going through in terms of the way that the police treat him. Music is a powerful way where one person can express how they feel and how deep they feel. Throughout mainstream media it is clear to see the negative relationship that exists between those in the hood and that of the police. It is indicative in the lyrics to the above song and in the way that the brutality of the police force was described in Boyz in the Hood and in other mainstream films that dealt with the hood culture. Another theme that is expressed through the lyrics in this rap deals with the singers feeling towards his own violence where he feels that because he has existed in that environment for so long that he has become violent to and cannot seem to escape from the violent behavior. Throughout out the rap, the listen understand that life in the hood is all about women (â€Å"bitches’’) and money – those are the man thing that a mans life revolves around in the end. An image of frustration seems to be permeated throughout the rap at the same time and certain lyrics further create this image – â€Å"I got hard times and realize †¦ sometimes I wonder†¦ but it just seems that the hood took me under. ’’ It is interesting to note that in ghetto culture that women do not like to be referred to as `bitches`, `hoes` etc they like to be thought of as women and to be called a women. By referring to women as `bitches’ and the circle will continue – children learn from their parents. In Boyz in the Hood the young men do not seem to respect women and refer to them in derogatory ways and views women as `bitches’ and `hoes’. Doughboy was the character that permeated this stereotype. In the scene where all the young people were at the community barbeque and Tre said to the boys that the women should be the first to eat (he was being polite and being a gentleman). Doughboy was not however. Doughboy: Ho’s gotta eat too. Shalika: Who you callin’ a ho’, I ain’t no ho’. Doughboy: Oops, I’m sorry, bitch. It is clear to see that throughout the movie that Doughboy has no respect for women/ has grown up speaking to women and referring to them in a particular way. Doughboy: Don’t go to college to be talkin’ to no bitches. Your black ass ‘posed to be learnin’ somethin’. Can’t learn shit talkin’ to no stupid ass bitch. It is through the power of words that we as individuals learn what life is like for others and what life means to a particular person. The last cultural artefact that will be analysed in this paper pertains to that of African American poetry. The piece of poetry to be analysed here is apiece by C. Highsmith-Hooks called Ghetto Child. Even from the title of the piece we can come to an understanding of what the poem will be about and the fact that the poem is going to feed deep into your soul once you read the poem. This poem is found in the famous collection by C. Highsmith-Hooks called The Soul of a Black Woman. There were a number of reasons why I chose to analyze this poem and relate it to the other two cultural artefacts but the main reason was because this is a poem written by a woman and the other two mediums analyzed were written by men. Ghetto Child tells the story of a child from the `hood’ whose senseless death is mourned by his mother only. This poem was interesting because it pertained to the very essence of what was conveyed in the other two mediums analyzed that a life in the hood leads to death no matter what way one looks at it. In Boyz in the Hood both Ricky and Doughboy were murdered in the hood. This poem helps the audience understand what it is like for a woman in the `hood’ when she looses a child. This notion was briefly shown in Boyz in the Hood when Ricky was murdered and his mother broke down. It is always said that it is better reading a book before you see a film. In this same sense it is important to understand that reading a poem is much better than watching a film as you get to understand and create your own imagery and understand the character in your own mind. In Conclusion, it is clear that there are similarities in the way that the `hood culture` is conveyed in the three cultural artefacts – film, music and poetry that were analyzed in this paper. The major themes explored in these cultural artefacts were that of the permenant violence that surrounds life in the hood – especially for young males. It is a dog eat dog world in the hood and as a young man you need to make a choice about whether or not you will be using a gun because if you do you surely will get killed in the end. Another point that is of interest and has produced ideologies in all three cultural artefacts was how women are viewed in the ghetto. Males seem to have little respect for women with the except being the character of Tre in Boyz in the Hood where he was taught from an early age how to be a good man and in turn respect women. The other characters in the film had little respect for women and often referred to women as â€Å"bitches’’ or â€Å"hoes’’. References: Film: Boyz in the Hood (1991) : Written and directed by John Singleton. Lyrics: Growing up in the Hood – CMW Poem: C. Highsmith-Hooks â€Å"Ghetto Child’’ in The Soul of a Black Woman: From a Whisper to a Shout (2002).

My Most Unforgettable Character

He is a tall, thin man with a hunched back. His dark, suntanned face with its countless wrinkles and creases, reminds you of a prune. He has sunken cheeks and you will know why when he gives you a broad smile-only one golden tooth is left on his upper gum. He looks around ninety years old. But when you ask him how old he is, he will shake his head and say he was born on the day the Japanese invaded Malaya. It is left to your historical knowledge to count the number of years he has been around. I first met him when I was collecting seashells along the seashore. My parents had always wanted a house by the sea and their dream came true when they inherited some money from a rich uncle. I was walking along the seashore when I saw this old man. He was stooping and picking up something and throwing it into sea. When I drew near, I saw that he was throwing the bright starfish that were washed up along the shore by the high tide. I told him that he was being silly as he could not possibly save all the starfish, as there were countless ones gasping for breath along the seashore. He told me that although he could not change the destiny of all the starfish, he could surely save some, and that made a difference. He said that we were born on this earth to make a difference. It was up to us to choose whether we wanted to or not to contribute towards a better world. From that day on, I became his shadow. I would meet him in the morning and help him throw as many starfish as I could into the sea. It was only when I was much older that I understood the joy of throwing those sea creatures back into the sea. It has been five years since I met Embon Mat. We have become inseparable. I have learnt t appreciate the man with a heart of gold, who leads a simple and humble life. When I approach him in an angry mood he will be quiet until I pour out all my troubles to him. Then, he will advise me. My acquaintance with him has changed my perspective towards life. He has taught me that honesty, diligence and determination are important for success. He tells me not to let success go to my head. â€Å"A courteous, generous, kind and caring nature will attract true friends to us,† he tells me. â€Å"Always speak the truth,† he advises if I ever complained that I was treated unfairly by someone. He is my mentor, my patient listener and my counselor. He gives his advice freely and does not hesitate to scold me when I am in the wrong. Now that I am working in a busy cosmopolitan city, I look forward to the opportunity to drive down to my seaside haven to be with my mentor. I will recognize him from afar-the hunched figure stooping low to pick another starfish and throw it back into the sea. He will not turn to look at me for he knows that I will soon join him in changing the destiny of some starfish. I am truly blessed to have known him.

Adolescence Paper Essay

Adolescence is a period of socialization where children develop relationships outside of the family.   These relationships further fuel or enhance their perceptions of the world, their bonding with surrounding society members and their view of human interactions.   In an environment where there is a distant mother or absent father, where the child is found to have problems acting socially normal with other people, the person is defined as a deviant.   Not everyone who has been subjected to the above findings will go on to become a self-mutilator, but these types of adolescent girls are or have been defined by these terms. It becomes apparent then, that early childhood development is essential to creating an identity and furthermore to creating a sound human being who is not prone to acts of aggression.   In the theme of this paper, the concept of transgenderism will be discussed.   Although the theory of socialization is a very strong indicator of moral values and actions, it does not indicate sexual disposition.   The theories of biology are more aptly considered to be the reason for sexual persuasion, and in the argument for this paper, transgenderism will be proven to be biological, not psychological, or sociological. See more:  Capital budgeting essay The purpose in the role of a transgendered person is in the definition of identity.   It is any person’s right to discover their true self and to present that self to society.   The problem that society has with a transgendered person is that society is often times eluded by this identity.   Anything or anyone who defies definition, that cannot be exactly categorized, becomes a ‘problem’ in society.   However, where the discussion of this paper is concerned such a ‘problem’ is beyond its scope, thus, the issue of identity and the rejection of that identity by society will be discussed. First, a transgendered person is a person who defies a specific gender role.   Men are conditioned by society to not be a sissy, to be superior and tough.   As Tucker-Ladd states in his book Psychological Self-Help, â€Å"And, what makes a woman a â€Å"great catch?† What makes women sexy? A pretty face and a great body! Women compete on the basis of their looks. This may interfere with women’s motivation to achieve and be successful. Oprah recently asked young people which they would rather be: attractive or intelligent? An amazing percentage said attractive. What counts in this culture is how attractive you are, especially if you are a woman.† (2000). Thus, it would seem that a transgendered person would have the benefits of either gender, but this is not the case. Going back to the idea of identity, a transgendered person is both genders.   This does not however classify that person as a hermaphrodite which is being born with both sexes functional sexual organs.   A transgendered person has attributes of either sex, as their biological make-up pertaining to psychological contexts designs behavior.   Often times such an individual is a man who has, or who desires to be female, or vice versa. Although society has many sexual deviants in its subcultures, a transgendered person is not a transsexual, which is a specified gender dressing in the other gender’s clothes.   Instead, a transgendered identity pertains to defying or including to a smaller extent the gender assigned to them at birth.   Thus, the dualistic nature and the confusion of this, is the make-up of the transgender definition. Therefore, by the above stated definition of a transgendered person, they should be considered social deviants inasmuch as society fails to define this subculture.   The thesis of this paper rests upon the fact that a transgendered person does not choose that they are transgendered but instead, their psychological make-up adheres to one sex’s societal role definition more than the biological make-up.   Thus, although transgender is a defiance of biology, it is also a deviance of societal norms, as Sandy Stone states, Transgender is a term whose exact meaning is still in dispute, and I consider that a very healthy sign. The most widely accepted definition is that transgender includes everything not covered by our culture’s narrow terms â€Å"man† and â€Å"woman†. A partial list of persons who might include themselves in such a definition includes transsexuals (pre, post, and no-op); transvestites; cross dressers; persons with ambiguous genitalia; persons who have chosen to perform ambiguous social genders; and persons who have chosen to perform no gender at all (Stone, paragraph One). Against this idea that transgendered people are transgender due to psychology is the fact that often times the transgender definition includes (as stated by Stone) other social deviants whose identity is not guided by psychology but biology such as ambiguous genitals, or the people who choose a certain lifestyle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The argument of this paper is that choice is not a factor in determining transgendered people.   Instead, it is inherent in them, and is not under the guise of socialization, or biology.   The concept of choice is one which defies the rules of constructed psychology.   Along the same lines that a schizophrenic cannot choose their dementia or a serial killer their disposition to kill, so does the definition of a transgendered person escape choice. Thus, although Stone’s definition of a transgendered person is inclusive, it should not be so inclusive as to apply to these various subgroups of social deviants.   There is a difference between a transgendered person and a transsexual, transvestite, etc.   While some have to do with choice (transsexual), others have to do with complete changing of their sex (as in a transsexual).   A transgendered person is biologically one sex, and yet performs attitudes, functions, reactions and thoughts according to social definitions of the other gender’s role.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although culture has implications on the role of gender, the technicalities of which cannot be aptly portrayed in this essay.  Ã‚   It is however in this scope of this essay to mention that while biology caters to the transsexual, psychology is the format by which a transgendered person obtains their social role.   Although some contest to the fact of biology being a main component in transgender identity as Stone states, Social constructivists believe that both sex and gender arise in social interaction and have no existence independent of social interaction; i.e., they are not grounded in â€Å"nature†, the meaning of which is itself socially determined. The â€Å"constructedness† of sex and gender is made invisible by the normal workings of social life, so that they appear natural rather than artificial. Recent constructivist theory also points out that the idea of two absolute chromosomal sexes is also a social construction. Recall the film Alien 3, in which the inhabitants of the prison colony are all double-Y chromosomal; thus although they possess many of the secondary sexual characteristics of males, genetically they are not male, nor are they any other category for which we currently have a socially understood name (Stone, paragraph Six). The fact remains that a transgender person is born with appropriate body functions, and their chemical make-up is no different than other person’s with the same gender.   Therefore the reliance on psychology, not the function of sociology and the socialization of gender through cultural awareness, but the psychological components which determine if a person is a genius, serial killer, etc. are the same for finding the reason behind transgendered people. Work Cited Stone, S.   Transgender.   Online.   Accessed:   May 11, 2007.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://sandystone.com/trans.html> Tucker-Ladd, Clayton, E.   Psychological Self-Help.   2000.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

American Military Bands up to the Civil War Era Essay

American Military Bands up to the Civil War Era - Essay Example Both the Union and Confederate soldiers often engaged in recreation with songs and musical instruments. Indeed whereas songs and music that were played on the battlefields were usually intended to boost the morale of the soldiers, those that were played at night or at leisure were meant for recreation. Music as the Embodiments of Cultures and Political Ideals Both the Union and the Confederate soldiers had their own favorite music and tunes that were harmonious with their political and cultural ideals. Yet some music was enjoyed by both parties alike. One of these commonly cherished music and songs was the "I Wish I Was in Dixie" or "Dixie's Land". Though during the Civil War the song was the unofficial anthem of the Confederacy, it became commonly popular across the United States because of its unique dealings with the black people’s slavery in the country. The music won the heart of the pro-slavery southerners by its pictorial quality of presenting the black people as lazy, ignorant, superstitious, buffoonish, joyous, and musical; but for the same reason for the Northerners’ the â€Å"Dixie† was a marvelous example of proslavery culture of the Old South, offensive to a free American Identity (Silber 97). Official Approval of Military Bands Appreciating the inspirational value of music in wars, the War Department of the United States officially allocated a brass band of 24 members for every infantry and artillery regiment, and a band of 16 members for the cavalry regiments. The Confederate Army also had at least two musicians for each regiment. A survey shows that during the Civil War, about seventy five percent of the Union Army regiments had a band group and the total number of the musicians in the army was about 28,000 musicians in 618 bands. Musicians were not only meant for the entertainment of the soldiers but also for maintaining discipline and orderliness among them. Military musicians especially the buglers and drummers had to lea rn about forty nine different calls including the battle commands as well as the call for the meal. Like the buglers the drummers needed to learn about â€Å"39 different beats: fourteen for general use and 24 for marching cadence† (Miller 58). Music as an Inspiration for Soldiers in the Battlefield Though in July 1861 the role of the musicians in war was ignored and dismantled under the crushing pressure of war-situation, both music and musicians played a great part in determining the fate of the war. In a letter to George F. Root Lincoln wrote a letter, "You have done more than a hundred generals and a thousand orators" (Branham 97). Union general Phillip Sheridan believed that â€Å"Music has done its share, and more than its share, in winning this war† (Lanning 46). Both in the battlefield and camp, musicians’ influence were enormous. The surviving soldiers of bloody battlefield of Pickett’s Charge returned singing the song â€Å"Nearer My God to The e† that served a spiritual compensation for the exhausted and heavily-suffering the soldiers. At the battlefield of Five Forks, Union musicians sacrificed their lives while playing â€Å"Nelly Bly† as a peace message at the front line of the battle under General Sheridan’s order. Seeing the agents of peace being shot at the front line infuriated the union soldiers and helped them to become morally revamped. At the Battle of Williamsburg, Commander Samuel P. Heintzman ordered the military band to play anything that could boost

Gasland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gasland - Essay Example This film has created a new awareness in the public concerning the devastating environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing, which is one of the means through which natural gas is extracted in the mainland United States. This means of gas extraction, also known as fracking, is done through the injection of chemicals and massive quantities of water at high pressures with the intention of cracking open the rocks deep beneath the surface and as a result releasing the natural gas. This method has helped in the emergence of the natural gas boom across the United States, but as the film shows, there has developed proof that this method of gas extraction is leading to the contamination of water as well as leaking into homes. The film works towards the establishment of means through which these issues concerning the conservation of the American environment can be discussed and viable solutions for the environmental problems caused by these activities by oil and gas companies can be found. I t can further be said that this film deals with the preservation, the development, and the return of the American natural environment to the state in which it was previously. ... In the film, it is stated that previously, the main method that was used for the extraction of natural gas was through the drilling into the ground until a pocket of gas was hit and this gas was captured as it rose. The director states that one of the reasons why he started making the film is because he started to wonder how it was that all of a sudden his family and their neighbours were in a gas drilling area when prior to this, their area had never had any kind of industrial development. In the film, the fact that the fracking method is causing environmental damage is worrisome and disturbing and it is because of the use of these methods by the various gas companies that the beautiful, scenic and amazing landscape of the United States is being destroyed. The director of the film, who also serves as the narrator, states that at least fifty percent the state of New York as well as sixty percent the state of Pennsylvania is being leased to gas companies for the purpose of drilling fo r gas using the fracking method. Throughout the film, it is seen that the land in the United States is being handed over to gas prospecting companies at an alarming rate with many of the individuals doing so, mostly farmers, not realising that doing so is resulting in the destruction of their natural environment (Fox). One would say that the film is mostly made up of a series of interviews and it can be considered to be one which shows profound respect for the people from different places across the United States that are interviewed. It can further be said that because of the respect that is displayed by the film’s director that the individuals who are interviewed are so forthcoming with the information that they have to give concerning the

Looking for Parity in the Gender Pay Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Looking for Parity in the Gender Pay Gap - Essay Example The gender pay gap remains a major hindrance to gender equality. There are a number of theoretical explanations of this phenomenon that help identify the various forces contributing to the gender segregation process. These theories can be classified into three: institutional, structural, and individual. This essay discusses these three theories, but it is the contention of the author that no particular explanation is adequate to completely give explanation for the presence of gender segregation. Every theory provides a distinctive explanation of how gender segregation works. The first section briefly discusses the historical roots of gender pay gap, particularly in the UK. The discussion then focuses on the theories, the supply- and demand-side. Basically, this essay critically assesses the argument that gender pay gap is fair in that it reflects the differing work and care priorities of men and women. Historical Roots of Gender Pay Gap In the 1940s, the post-war welfare state in the UK was rooted in the idea that men are the breadwinner while women are the housekeepers. Both the occupational system and the benefit system relied on this idea of a male breadwinner. Nevertheless, the idea was subjected to heavy scrutiny in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by the evolving labour market conditions and by the demands of the Women’s Movement (Bagilhole, 2009, p. 11).... The differences between the occupational profile of men and women, the comparative gap between full-time and part-time employment, and the level of participation of women in the labour market are commonly emphasised as having a considerable effect on the GPG (Grimshaw & Rubery, 2007; Blau & Kahn, 2001). The discourse on the importance of individual objectives against structural limitations has an extensive history in the social sciences. This section discusses two theories of gender wage inequality: Hakim’s Preference theory/Rational Choice and the Human Capital theory. Hakim disputes what she believes is the prevailing feminist perspective on the patterns of female employment. She believes that part-time employment or career breaks are decisions made by women willingly because of their obligations at home and the inadequate availability of childcare services (Davis, Evans, & Lorber, 2006). Instead, the underprivileged position of women in the labour market manifests the conse quences of their changing work preferences. Hakim explains that both men and women are the driving forces in their own lives, hence â€Å"self-classification as a primary earner or secondary earner is determined by chosen identities, rather than imposed by external circumstance or particular jobs† (Davis et al., 2006, p. 255). Basically, the core assumption of Hakim is that the employment experiences of women are mostly the outcome of these women’s decisions. Hakim illustrates, more accurately, that part-time employment is preferred by women, referred to as ‘grateful slaves’, mostly committed to their domestic obligations. On the contrary, ‘self-made women’,

Operatiom management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Operatiom management - Essay Example There is need to analyze the concept of organizational communication by making an assessment on a chosen case. This will include the creation of a case and analyze the case. Once the case has been created and analyzed, the paper will highlight an assessment on the case and its analysis. The following case is based on a personal experience in an organization that was embracing the Maori culture. I worked as a junior employee at Tikanga Maori Consulting, Inc. since its incorporation the company was based on the culture of the Maori community found in New Zealand. The operations of the company were based on values and beliefs of the Maori culture. The founding members of the organization were determined to protect the Maori culture and made every efforts towards making sure that any stakeholders in the company respected the values and customs of the company that were based on the Maori culture. This was evident in the way the company had designed its vision statement. The company‘s vision statement purely focused on Maori norms and values. The company communicated these values in the Maori language in efforts aimed at reinforcing the approach of communicating the organization’s culture to the stakeholders. The company developed over a long period of time and grew into a big organization with approximately over 100 employees. The growth of an organization often represents a difficult situation in terms of managing the number of employees. However, the organization was able to manage its large number of employees because it had also grown to develop its culture. Employees were in unity with the company management because the company had made a point to always communicate to the employees about the different values of the company. The philosophy of the company was based on developing and preserving the Maori culture. The

Islam's Cultural Unity and Political Diversity Essay

Islam's Cultural Unity and Political Diversity - Essay Example Contrary to the verse’s context that only God, His angels and specific personalities on whom the knowledge of God’s divinity, power, and wisdom has been bestowed should be witnesses to this message, there have emerged communities of false teachers who mislead the faithful on the knowledge about God. One of the reasons for their false teachings could be lack of divine conviction to testify God’s words, in truth, and from revelations. The verse is also significant and relevant to our time that has many cults. The cults offer contrary teachings to the verse’s provisions and may mislead people and convert them to wrong faiths. Creating awareness of the verse will however strengthen people’s faith against the cult’s teachings. Contemporary problems that face people in trials and tribulations may also weaken a person’s faith and lead to doubts that God is not as powerful as He is thought to be. The verse, within this context, encourages peop le that God remains to be the only god, and he is still powerful regardless of what people experience in the contemporary world (Indstate 1). Indstate. â€Å"Twenty selected sets of verses from the Quran.† Indiana State University. N.d. Web. February 14, 2012.

Stem Cell Research - Stem cell research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stem Cell Research - Stem cell research - Essay Example There are a number of sources for obtaining human stem cells. The first is IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) treatment, where surplus embryos (and unfertilized eggs for creating embryos) are donated for research with the consent of the donor rather than being destroyed following treatment. The second source is aborted tissues, which are used as stem cells taken from the aborted foetus. Another is umbilical cord blood, rich in stem cells. These cells are harvested following the baby's birth. The most controversial is perhaps therapeutic cloning, where cells are created for research that is genetically identical to the donor (patient). This is done by removing the nucleus of an egg and fusing this egg with any enucleated cell from the donor. This will create an embryo genetically identical to the donor. Cells can then be harvested from this embryo for treatment. Being an exact replica, there is potentially less chance of rejection following transplantation. The US President's Council on Bioethics recently published a whole white paper on Alternate Sources of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (www.bioethics.gov). Sometimes these cells could be taken from the recipient patients themselves, avoiding any immune-rejection difficulties. At other times they are taken from donors. There are even proposals to create new non-embryonic organisms which can produce human stem-cells. What all these 'adult' stem-cells have in common is that they are derived from people without harming anyone. Umbilical cord blood, the placenta and even the amniotic fluid have in fact been found to be rich in stem-cells (McGuckin et al 245-255). Stem-cells have also been found in all the tissues found in our bodies such as the brain, pancreas, liver, skin, fat, muscle, blood, bone marrow, lungs, nose and tooth pulp. There is substantial opposition from various religious groups on the ethical issues. One of the most important concerns is that embryonic stem-cells are taken from human embryos. It basically involves killing the embryos which is destined to become a complete human being if it is allowed to. These embryos are taken in the very early stages of their development and hence are very small, having only developed to the stage of 120 cells or so since their creation by IVF or, more recently, by cloning. They are still young-approximately 5 to 6 days old-and grown in a culture in some Petri dish; they might even be a few years old, having been stored in some freezer soon after their manufacture (Fisher 2005). The main area of controversy surrounding this research arises from the harvesting of cells for research. The most flexible stem cells are obtained from embryos owing to their ability to become any type of tissue cell in the body. In fact it is a proven fact that adult stem cells also have similar possibilities. An embryonic stem cell is derived as follows- A fertilized egg forms a blastocyst 4 days after conception. This blastocyst has two types of cells; an outer layer (which becomes the placenta and other supporting tissues needed for foetal development) and an inner cell mass (the stem cells). In order to harvest these cells, they are removed from the blastocyst, a

Audience Ethnography. Commentary and observations on TV viewing Assignment

Audience Ethnography. Commentary and observations on TV viewing behaviour - Assignment Example The youngest child usually chose cartoons or adventure TV shows. Choice TV shows also differed for the males and females, with the males gravitating towards action movies and violent TV shows and the females opting for romantic movies, entertainment shows, and reality shows. The older adults were often observed watching documentaries. Common shows watched in the family included the early evening news. Watching TV news channels is generally considered a social activity for the family because most members of the family watch it even if the younger audiences sometimes may not understand it (Gauntlet and Hill, 1999). When watching the news, the parents often expressed their opinions about the news with their older children. The eight year old boy was usually not paying attention to the news and was often seen doing his homework or playing games on the tablet device. The older children sometimes shared opinions about the news, but in general, they simply agreed with their parents. At times, they expressed their sadness about the news, especially if the news involved accidents or young people like them. The watching of the news also coincided with family dinner times and the family usually watched the news while eating their dinner. After watching the news, the members of the family had different viewing preferences, but as a family, they already acknowledged that there were times when it was someone’s turn to watch something on the TV. After the news on a Monday evening, they knew that their father liked to watch Mythbusters and on a Tuesday evening, the family knew that the older children liked to watch their favourite TV series. On Saturday mornings, the family also allowed the youngest member of the family to watch cartoons. On Saturday afternoons, their father, grandfather, and middle child usually watched the replay of the Rugby match. On Saturdays at 8 pm, the family usually put on a movie from their DVD selection, one which all of them could watch. The TV viewing logs indicate that television means different things to different viewers. Some individuals value it for its entertainment value and others believe that it is an important source of information into the bigger world. As such, it is more than entertaining, and it is also informative and absorbing (Gillespie, 1998, in Gauntlett and Hill, 1998). The family enjoyed the time where they can watc h together as a family because it meant that they could interact and socialize with each other and were together even for only an hour or two in a day. They also enjoyed Saturday evenings when they could watch a movie on the DVD player because it also meant that they could share in the TV experience. The rest of the time, they knew that they all had different tastes in films and TV shows and would also be busy with their own personal concerns. Watching DVDs was a way of bringing them all together regardless of their preferences in TV shows and watch a film as a family (Wilson, 2004). It was noted that the DVD player was used regularly by the different members of the family. Some used it to fill in their free time, to entertain themselves, to watch pre-recorded shows, and to simply recall favourite shows and movies (Gauntlett and Hill, 1999). Technology has now allowed for the pre-recording of programs to watch at a

Project management maturity model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Project management maturity model - Assignment Example Project management principles that need application and support are included in this level. These principles are related to methodologies applied by the company. III. Level 3 Singular Methodology: A company is in a position to integrate all corporate methodologies into one with a focus on project management. These effects termed as synergistic effects simplifies process control in combination with single methodology rather than multiple methodologies. IV. Level 4 Benchmarking: at this level, competitive advantage is enjoyed by a company. Process improvement is the focus of management so that the company maintains this advantage. This level is performed regularly and continuously. Decisions made at this level look at whom and what to benchmark. V. Level 5 Continuous improvement: all information from benchmarking are important for success in project management. This information is used in benchmarking followed by a decision whether the information will empower singular methodology. The se levels of maturity are not only accomplished by companies’ in a consequential manner but may overlap in one manner or the other (Kerzner 2001, pp.41-44). Ferris HealthCare, Inc. ... The need for project managers in career path position with a structure to accommodate project management was seen a priority in making the organization prosper. A project management training program was conducted by a consultant in the organization. One twelfth of the organization’s employees participated in the training program. The fifty trained officials held several meetings in the next two months to set out models to use for the firm. Finally, three stage gates were identified although dictated by personal interests. The models were information systems, new products portfolio and corporate clients. The models developed had several similarities since they had rigid policies and procedures. After a year of implementation of the models, a problem in decision making about the right project manager for a specific project emerged. Project managers were obliged to understand the three models. The only option available was assigning project managers who understood particular meth odology. Later, the company consolidated the methodologies into one, with a focus on guidelines rather than policies and procedures. The new model received support from most employees. The company organized another training session for untrained employees on project management with a focus on the new method. Unfortunately, there was no success in future projects. Questions a. What difficulty did the management face to initiate one methodology from the start? b. Why did the three methods based on policies and procedures? c. Why do you think the company was forced to seek for single methodology? d. Why did the company decide that the methodology rely on guidelines rather than policies

Ultrasonic Metal Testing Essay Example for Free

Ultrasonic Metal Testing Essay Ultrasonic testing refers to the use of sound energy of high frequency â€Å"to conduct examinations and make measurements (â€Å"Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing†). † This form of inspection may be applied in the detection and evaluation of metal flaws; measurement of dimensions; and classification of materials among other things (â€Å"Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing†). It was in the year 1928 that a famous Soviet scientist by the name of Sergei Y. Sokolov proposed and demonstrated at the V. I. Ulvanov Electrotechnical Institute a â€Å"through-transmission technique† for detecting flaws in metals (Early History of Metal Flaw Detectors). Although necessary technology was nonexistent at the time, Sokolov proposed that this technique could be applied in the detection of irregularities in solids. In Germany during the early 1930s, Sokolov’s proposal was taken seriously enough to begin extensive experimentation on the detection of flaws in metals. O Muhlhauser, in the year 1933, patented a method for the transmission of ultrasonic energy into the solid or metal being tested. This system allowed ultrasonic energy to examine the solid or metal using two transducers (Early History of Metal Flaw Detectors). Ultrasonic metal testing has been useful in industrial applications since the 1940s. Based on the laws of physics governing the spread of sound waves of high frequencies through solids, ultrasonic metal testing helps in the detection of cracks that may be hidden, in addition to porosity, voids and other kinds of â€Å"internal discontinuities† in metals (â€Å"General Introduction to Ultrasonic Testing†). Ceramics, plastics, and composites may be similarly tested using ultrasonic systems. Ultrasonic testing also allows easy measurement of thickness as well analysis of material properties.Most importantly, ultrasonic metal testing is entirely safe and nondestructive (â€Å"General Introduction to Ultrasonic Testing†). References Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing. NDT Resource Center. Retrieved Dec 14, 2007, from http://www. ndt-ed. org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Ultrasonics/Introduction/description. htm. Early History of Metal Flaw Detectors. Retrieved Dec 14, 2007, from http://www. ob- ultrasound. net/ndt. html. General Introduction to Ultrasonic Testing. Olympus. Retrieved Dec 14, 2007, from http://www. olympusndt. com/en/ndt-tutorials/intro/ut/.

Experiences and Suppression of Intrusive Thoughts

Experiences and Suppression of Intrusive Thoughts A Mixed Methods Research on the Experience and Suppression of Intrusive Thoughts and other ways of Thought-Control in the Non-Clinical Mauritian Adult Population ‘’The mind is its own place, and in itself can make heaven of Hell, a hell of heaven.’’ Milton The experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts, and the use of other thought-control strategies by normal or non-clinical individuals, are some of those complex cognitive phenomena, which are gradually gaining increasing thorough scientific attention in the world of Psychology. Significantly Wegner Pennebaker (1993) view the experience of intrusive thinking as a remarkably common clinical and normative phenomenon. Hence, it would be wise to underline that intrusive thoughts occur universally. Indeed research on intrusive thoughts always accompanies research on thought control especially thought suppression. Definition Because intrusive thinking is studied alongside manifold psychological disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD), General-Anxiety Disorder (GAD), depression, phobias, eating disorders and even Substance-Use disorder, there are bound to be major differences in the definition of the term ’intrusive thought’. Notably Clark and Purdon (1995; Purdon Clark, 1999) underlined the construct validity problems of some measures utilised in studies about intrusive thoughts in non-clinical populations just because of the broad definitional problem of the term. These researchers have also suggested that both the cognitive characteristics (intrusiveness, thought-control difficulty) and the content of intrusive thoughts have to be considered while defining them. For the purposes of this research, which focuses on the experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts, and the use of other thought-control strategies by the non-clinical Ma uritian adult population, we would preferably agree with Rachman’s definition of intrusive thoughts as ‘cognitions that are spontaneous, disruptive, and difficult to control and unwanted’ (Rachman, 1981). Similarly, Clark Rhyno (2005,p.4) define the experience of intrusive thought as ‘any distinct, identifiable cognitive event that is unwanted, unintended, and recurrent’. The focus of this research is on negative intrusive thoughts which are unwelcome, involuntary and distressing. People generally approach these negative thoughts in a myriad of ways. Our next point is that people have different coping or appraisal styles in their approach to unwanted negative thoughts. Many people try to control their intrusive thoughts using different thought control strategies which reflect their appraisal styles. Appraisal is the way in which meaning is attached to intrusive thoughts (OCCWG,1997). It cannot be denied that when some negative intrusive thoughts int erfere with concentration and emotional equilibrium, they become unpleasant and distressing and many people try to banish these thoughts from their awareness. Notably, Sigmund Freud (1915,1957) explained the role of suppression and repression that keep unwanted, unpleasant and distressing thoughts out of awareness. The modern view, as supported by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association; APA, 2000) uses the concepts automatic (unconscious) and voluntary (conscious) processes to refer to the Freudian defence mechanisms: repression and suppression. Ever since Wegner et al (1987) started their White Bear experiments in an attempt to study suppression of intrusive thoughts, many other studies have been gradually carried out, which present thought suppression as an inadequate, counterproductive mental control strategy (Beevers et al, 1999; Bodenhausen Macrae, 1996; Monteith et al, 1998a; Purdon Clark 1999; Wegner 1989, 1992; Wegner et al 1994a; Wegner Wenzlaff 1996). Significant studies have also analysed other thought-control strategies like distraction, punishment, re-appraisal, worry and social control in an attempt to understand how individuals approach their intrusive thoughts (Wells Davies, 1994). Aim of Research The primary aim of this study is to review the research done on the experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts in the normal population and analyse the experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts in the normal or non-clinical Mauritian adult population, by shedding light specifically on the different thought-control strategies employed by normal people while coping with intrusive thoughts and most significantly, by analysing suppression as a maladaptive control strategy. Clinical Approach to Intrusive Thoughts and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Initial research on intrusive thoughts started with the analysis of the experience of intrusive thinking in the clinical context and it has verily been observed that intrusive thoughts characterize several clinical disorders, for example, GAD, OCD, Depression, PTSD (Brewin, 1998; Green, 2003; Langlois, Freeston, Ladouceur, 2000a,b; Pudon, 1999; Watkins, 2004). It has also been stated that as well as being symptoms of these disorders, intrusive thoughts also contribute to the maintenance of these disorders (Brett Ostroff, 1985; Brewin, Watson, McCarthy, Hyman Dayson, 1998). There is indubitably a significant relationship between intrusive thinking and OCD. The DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association; APA, 2000) refers to recurrent, intrusive thoughts, images or impulses that are experienced as ego-dystonic (totally inconsistent with the self) and extremely distressing, as partly characterizing OCD. More specifically, many researchers have scrutinized the experience of intrusive tho ughts among OCD patients and have demonstrated that these patients feel compelled to perform compulsive rituals (for instance, neutralizing behaviours etc.) in an attempt to escape from the distressing intrusive thoughts. For them, the performance of these rituals is aimed at the reduction of anxiety and the prevention of a feared outcome from occurring. However these compulsive rituals increase intrusive thinking and therefore, maintain the disorder. Notably, research has demonstrated that OCD patients show deficiencies in cognitive inhibition and when they fail to suppress their thoughts, they make internal attributions of their suppression failures (Tolin et al., 2002). The Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group (2005) have denoted the relationship of OCD with several specific appraisal styles such as responsibility/overestimated threat, intolerance of uncertainty/perfectionism and importance/control of thoughts. In his cognitive model of OCD, Salkovskis underlines the centrality of responsibility. Rachman (1997) argues that as these intrusive thoughts are ego-dystonic (that is, they perfectly contrast what the self really wants),OCD patients often interpret these thoughts as having personal negative significance and having potentially severe consequences and predicting undesirable outcomes. Furthermore, emphasizing the importance of metacognitions (that is, thinking about thoughts), Wells, Gwilliam and Cartwright-Hatton (2001) elucidate the role of thought-fusion beliefs in the maintenance of the disorder. More concisely, these are: thought-event fusion (the belief that thoughts can change the course of events); thought-action fusion (the be lief that thinking about something means a possibility to act on the thought) and thought-object fusion (the belief that thoughts can be fused into objects). Responsibility beliefs and thought-action fusion beliefs are stronger in people with OCD than those without (Coles, Mennin Heimberg, 2001). Additionally recent cognitive-behavioural theories about OCD have assumed that obsessive thoughts have their roots in some of the thoughts currently experienced by normal individuals (Pudon Clark, 1999; Salkovskis, 1985, 1989). Intrusive thoughts in non-clinical population Ever since Rachman and de Silva (1978) scientifically found that intrusive thoughts are a common non-clinical phenomenon, a plethora of research, especially questionnaire studies have tried to replicate Rachman and de Silva’s research. Using the questionnaire of Rachman and de Silva, Salkovskis and Harrison (1984) confirmed that 88% of a sample of non-clinical individuals experienced at least one intrusive though t. Additionally, according to several other studies, around 79-99% of people in non-clinical samples experience intrusive thoughts similar in nature to those experienced by people suffering from OCD (Freeston, Ladouceur, Thibodeau Gagnon, 1991; Julien, O’Connor Aaredma, 2009; Rachman de Silva, 1978; Salkovskis Harrison, 1984). The real prevalence of intrusive thoughts in non-clinical populations is likely to be on the higher ends of these estimates, as research participants may have underreported their experience of intrusive thoughts due to embarrassment, hesitation and shame. Moreover Pudon and Clark (1993) and Belloch, Morillo, Lucero, Cabedo, and Carrio (2004) also found that 99% of their non-clinical samples (n=293, n=336 respectively) reported having experienced at least one intrusive thought listed in the Obsessive Intrusions Inventory (OII/ROII). But it should be underlined that these researchers also found a slight difference in contents of intrusive thoughts exp erienced by OCD patients and non-clinical samples. OCD patients reported thoughts of dirt, disease and contamination among others. However normal people mainly reported thoughts of unacceptable sex, harm to self, aggression towards others and accidents amongst others. But it might be that the normal people do not consider thoughts about disease, dirt and contamination distressing, thus they are underreported. A Severity Continuum from Normality to Clinical Obsessions The intrusive thoughts reported by normal individuals are considered the ‘normal’ analogues to clinical obsessions and their study allows for better comprehension of the nature of intrusive thoughts. Instead of the normality versus psychopathology breakdown, the modern view discusses the continuity from normality to clinical obsessions. Clark elaborates more on this continuum of intrusive thoughts, by placing clinical obsessions at the extreme end, stating that the difference between clinical and non-clinical cognitive intrusions is ‘one of degree, rather than kind’(Clark,2005, p.11). Similarly Rachman and de Silva (1978) denote a similarity between the content of intrusive thoughts experienced by normal people and people with OCD. The researchers even postulate that psychologists and psychiatrists, who only have the knowledge about the content of the thoughts, have difficulty distinguishing between clinical and non-clinical obsessions. However the same researchers identified a quantitative difference between normal intrusions and clinical obsessions. The difference lies in the intensity and frequency with which these thoughts are experienced. Other studies highlight differences in other variables such as the associated unpleasantness and the level of anxiety occasioned by obsessions, the difficulty in controlling them or freeing the mind from the thoughts, the extent to which people perform neutralizing behaviours or rituals to reduce discomfort and ease anxiety, and the ultimate consequences that result from these intrusive thoughts, because clinical intrusive t houghts interfere remarkably with the daily functioning and life of people suffering from them (Oltmanns Gibbs, 1995; Parkinson ranchman, 1981; Rachman de Silva,1978; Salkovskis Harrison, 1984). Freeston and Ladouceur ( 1997) found that among all the other variables, unpleasantness associated with intrusive thoughts is immensely clinically significant because the assessment of this variable can provide insight to therapists on whether clinical change has occurred or not. Hence this variable can be used to assess therapeutic effectiveness. Theoretical Explanations of Intrusive Thinking Various theorists have attempted to approach intrusive thinking in manifold ways using different approaches like the biological, psychodynamic, behavioural and cognitive approaches. A full discussion of all the approaches is beyond the scope of this thesis. Hence, our analysis will focus on the cognitive and metacognitive approaches. If intrusive thinking is initially a normal phenomenon, then why does it develop into obsessive thinking in a minority? Research has underlined the role of cognitive and behavioural variables in the transition from normality to pathology (Clark Purdon, 1993; Freeston et al, 1991,1992; Niler Beck, 1989; OCCWG, 1997; Purdon Clark, 1994a, 1994b; Rachman,1993). More concisely, cognitive variables are related to the evaluative process (cognitive appraisal) and meaning that an individual attach to his or her negative thought. In clinical cases the meaning assigned to intrusive thoughts might be immensely threatening and disturbing. The behavioural variables are related to the covert and overt actions that the individual performs in response to his or her negative thoughts in an attempt to feel better by decreasing anxiety and discomfort. Salkovskis (1989) highlights the neutralising responses to intrusive thoughts as the key element in the ultimate development of obsessions. Hence the c ontents of normal intrusions and clinical obsessions are basically similar; it’s only the mental and behavioural processing of the negative thoughts that put them on either end of the continuum. Rachman’s (1997) Cognitive Theory of Obsessions According to Rachman (1978), the transformation of normal intrusions into clinical obsessions occurs when the individual considers his thoughts as catastrophic and threatening by viewing them as being personally significant. In an attempt to explain the origins of intrusive thoughts, Rachman (1978) argues that exposure to stressful events occasions the occurrence of intrusive thoughts. Rachman and de Silva (1978) further highlight that external cues trigger the occurrence of normal intrusive thoughts (characterized as being less intense and less distressing) and even clinical obsessions (characterized as being more intense and distressing). This view gained support by the experimental research carried out by Horowitz (1985), Horow itz and Becker (1971), and Horowitz, Becker, Moslowitz and Rashid (1975) which summarized that patients and non- patients experienced increased intrusive thoughts when they were exposed to stressful films. A Metacognitive Approach Metacognitions refer to the beliefs and knowledge about thinking and also the strategies used in the regulation and control of thinking processes (Flavell, 1979). Indeed, metacognitions are responsible for the shaping of the attention we pay to things, thoughts and so on, and they also determine the appraisal and the strategies we employ to regulate our thoughts. Adrian Wells (1997) developed the metacognitive therapy by positing that people experience emotional disturbance, distress and anxiety because of the Cognitive Attentional Syndrome (CAS) which consists of the perseverative thinking style including worry, rumination, attention focused on threat, thought suppression, ineffective self-regulating strategies and maladaptive coping behaviours. The CAS i s a maladaptive style of responding to thoughts and feelings and it enhances negative emotions and the occurrence of intrusive thoughts. The author highlights the presence of a higher degree of this syndrome in clinical patients suffering from depression and other anxiety disorders. He also differentiates between the ‘object mode’ and ‘metacognitive mode’ of mental processing.

Very Large Telescope and NACO Instrumentation

Very Large Telescope and NACO Instrumentation This report describes the Very Large Telescope array in Chile, the VLT consists of four Unit Telescopes with main mirrors of 8.2m diameter and four movable Auxiliary Telescopes with main mirrors of 1.8m diameter. One of the Unit Telescopes, UT 4, is discussed in more detail, specifically its location, mounting, optics, the range and focus locations and the available instruments. The last part of the report is an example of an observation planning to image the Becklin-Neugebauer (BN) object with the NACO S13 camera and K band filter. Introduction The Very Large Telescope array (VLT) is at this moment the worlds most advanced optical instrument (1), the VLT is located on the Paranal Observatory, see Figure 1, in the Atacama desert Northern Chile (70 ° 24 11 West; 24 °3731 South). The Paranal mountain is probably the best site for astronomical observations in the southern hemisphere, with e.g a humidity of 5-20% and a maximum rainfall of about 100 mm per year. The observatory is divided into two areas, a telescope platform at the top of the mountain at an altitude of 2635 meters. and a base camp at the foot at an altitude of 2360 m. The observations take place at the telescope platform, the base camp contains staff quarters, maintenance facilities, including a visitorscentre for the public. Overview of the VLT The VLT consists of four identical Unit Telescopes (UT) with main mirrors of 8.2m diameter and four movable 1.8m diameter Auxiliary Telescopes, located on the telescope platform, see Figure 2 . The Unit Telescopes are Ritchey-Chrà ©tien telescopes, they can operate in Cassegrain, Nasmyth or Coudà © focus. The four Unit Telescope have an altitude-azimuth (alt-az) mounting (2). The Unit Telescopes have fixed locations, the Auxiliary Telescopes can be repositioned on 30 different stations, the UT and AT telescopes can be used in several different modes: independent telescope mode combined coherent mode or VLT interferometer (VLTI) combined incoherent mode In the independent telescope mode each UT is used separately, in the combined coherent mode the UT and AT telescopes work together, in groups of two or three, to form a giant interferometer giving an angular resolution equivalent to a telescope with a diameter of 200 meters and in the combined incoherent mode the four UTs are combined providing the total light collecting power of a 16-metre single telescope. For the four Unit Telescopes, names of objects in the sky in the Mapuche language were chosen and they are now known as Antu (UT1, The Sun ), Kuyen (UT2, The Moon ), Melipal (UT3, The Southern Cross ), and Yepun (UT4, Venus as evening star). Unit Telescope 4 (Yepun), see Figure 3 is discussed in more detail in the next section The VLT instruments includes large-field imagers, adaptive optics corrected cameras and spectrographs, high-resolution and multi-object spectrographs operating at wavelengths ranging from deep ultraviolet (0.3 nm) to mid-infrared (24  µm). With these instruments important data can be collected for a large range of research topics such as: formation and evolution of galaxies search for extra-solar planetary systems distances to galactic Cepheids circumstellar disks around young stellar objects active galactic nuclei stellar evolution fundamental parameters of the Universe Unit Telescope 4 Optical set-up Unit Telescope 4 can operate in four foci two Nasmyth, one Cassegrain and one Coudà © focus (2), for the optical lay-out, including the eight mirrors (M1 to M8) and the main dimensions see Figure 4. Light is collected by the primary mirror M1 and concentrated by the secondary mirror M2 either to the Cassegrain focus below the primary mirror or to one of the two Nasmyth foci, at the side of the telescope. In the Nasmyth configuration the optical layout is of the Ritchey-Chrà ©tien type, the Cassegrain focus however is not of the Ritchey-Chrà ©tien type, changing between the two foci means repositioning of the secondary mirror and changing the curvature of the primary mirror. By transferring one Nasmyth focus to another location in the telescope basement the Coudà © focus is obtained (mirror M4 to M8), from the Coudà © focus the light can be sent to the combination mode focus or to the interferometric focus. The Coudà © focus is located below the main telescope structure. The primary mirror (M1) The 8.2 m primary mirror of UT4 is made of Zerodur and is 175 mm thick the shape is actively controlled by means of 150 axial forces actuators, the mirror has a central hole of about 1.0 m. .Zerodur is a glass-ceramic made by Schott Glaswerke AG (Mainz, Germany). The secondary mirror (M2) The secondary mirror is a convex hyperbolic mirror made of Beryllium with an external diameter of 1.12 metres and a thickness of 50 mm. By changing the position and orientation of the mirror it is possible to correct some optical aberration of the telescope (defocus and decentring coma) and to change the pointing . The secondary mirror is supported by the M2 Unit at the top of the telescope and reflects the light from the M1 mirror towards the M3 plane mirror The optical quality depends on the mode of the mirror, if the mirror is in the active mode (active optics correction in operation) , the Central Intensity Ratio is larger than or equal to 0.98, with an atmospheric coherence length of 250 mm at a wavelength 500 nm. In the passive mode, active optics correction not in operation, the root mean square (RMS) slope error of the surface of the mirror is less than 0.7 arcsec. The tertiary mirror (M3) The tertiary mirror is flat and elliptically shaped (890x1260mm2), the mirror is made of Zerodur and produced by Schott Glaswerke AG. In Nasmyth configuration, see Figure 5, the M3 mirror deflects the light beams towards the scientific instruments located at one or the other Nasmyth focus. In Cassegrain configuration, Figure 5, the M3 mirror assembly is remotely flipped in towed position, parallel to the axis of M3 Tower. Mirror M4 to M8 ( the Coudà © train) The Coudà © Train is based on a combination of cylindrical and spherical mirrors, the light is sent to the Coudà © Train by mirror 4 (M4) a concave cylindrical mirror in front of the Nasmyth adapter. Relay optics provide an image of the sky at the Coudà © focus, the relay optics consists of the following mirrors: M5 a concave spherical mirror (R = 8975 mm) M6 a concave cylindrical mirror (R = 290,000 mm) , the cylinder direction is rotated by 90 ° with respect to M4 M7 a concave spherical mirror ( R = 5176.2mm) M8 a flat mirror. Technical description The telescope mounting of Unit Telescope 4 (3) is altitude-azimuth (alt-az), the telescope tube moves around a horizontal axis (the altitude axis ), the two bearings which support the telescope tube are mounted on a fork rotating around a vertical axis (the azimuth axis) The telescope tube is a steel structure, supporting at the bottom the primary mirror (M1) , and at the top the M2 Unit, with the secondary mirror, by metallic beams (spiders). Unit Telescope 4 is protected by an enclosure, this enclosure also provides access for operation and maintenance to certain areas of the telescope and a protection against the wind during observations. The telescope is mounted on a concrete foundation, the telescope pier. The geographical coordinates of UT4 are: latitude 24 ° 37 31.000 South and longitude 70  ° 24 08.000 West The structure of Unit Telescope 4 consists of a large number subassemblies and parts see Figure 6 , some of the main assemblies are: the tube structure with the M2 spiders which hold the M2 unit . the fork structure with two Nasmyth platforms that support the Nasmyth instyruments. the Coudà © tube that provides the interface to the Coudà © mirror units. azimuth tracks which support the fork structure. an azimuth platform which provides access for the Cassegrain instrument. Specifications Adaptive and active optics UT4 has adaptive optics (AO) correction both at Nasmyth and at Cassegrain foci, UT4 is also equipped with a sodium laser guide star facility for active optics. For the non-AO telescope operation the Central Intensity Ratio (CIR) quantifies the image quality. A high CIR implies high signal throughput, high contrast and small image size. The peak signal in the long-exposure point spread function is given by (4): Equation where is ta the transmissivity of the atmosphere, r0 the coherent wave-front size, tt the transmissivity of the telescope optics, D the diameter of the telescope and CIR the Central Intensity Ratio. The Central Intensity Ratio defined by : Equation where y0 is the Strehl ratio of the telescope. (Strehl ratio is the ratio of peak diffraction intensities of an aberrated wavefront versus a perfect wavefront). The optical quality specification is that the Central Intensity Ratio CIR = 0.82 with a coherent wave-front of size r0 = 500 mm (seeing angle 0.2 arcsec) at = 500 nm. Field of view The total field of view (FOV) for UT4 in the Cassegrain focus is 15 arcmin, in the Nasmyth focus 30 arcmin and in the Coudà © focus 1 arcmin. Atmospheric dispersion The atmospheric dispersion is corrected up to zenith angles of 50 ° for instruments requiring high image and spectrophotometric quality. Pointing and tracking UT4 is able to get any target to within 70 ° zenith distance in less than 3 minutes. Offset pointing of 45 ° and 60 ° in altitude and azimuth respectively is possible within 35 seconds, to within 0.1 arcsec accuracy. UT4 tracks better than 0.05 arcsec RMS over a period of 15 seconds without using guide-star position information, and over a one hour period when using guide-star tracking. Zenith distance The UT4 can operate at zenith distances ranging from 0.5 ° to 70 °, obstruction by adjacent enclosures is limited to zenith angles larger than 60 °. Instrumentation The instruments that are mounted on Unit Telescope 4 are shown in table 1. HAWK-I HAWK-I is a near-infrared (0,85 2.5 µm) wide-field imager installed at the Nasmyth A focus of UT4 , the operating temperature of the instrument is 120 K, operating temperature of the detectors is of 80 K (3). HAWK-I has 10 observing filters placed in two filter wheels: Y, J, H, Ks , 6 narrow-band filters Brg, CH4, H2 and three cosmological filters at 1.061, 1.187, and 2.090  µm. SINFONI SINFONI is a near-infrared (1-2.5  µm) integral field spectrograph installed at the Cassegrain focus of UT4. The spectrograph works with 4 gratings J, H, K, H+K with spectral resolutions of R is 2000, 3000 and 4000, corresponding to the J, H and K gratings respectively, and R is1500 with the H+K grating. The resolution power R of a spectrograph is given by : Equation where c is the velocity of light and dv the radial velocity . NACO (NAOS + CONICA) The Nasmyth Adaptive Optics System (NAOS) and the High Resolution Near IR Camera (CONICA) are installed at the Nasmyth B focus of UT4. NACO provides adaptive-optics corrected imaging, polarimetry, spectroscopy, and coronagraphy in the 1-5 ÃŽÂ ¼m range. The NACO instrumentation will be discussed in more detail in the next section. Laser Guide Star The Laser Guide Star is an artificial source, a 4W CW Sodium Laser (589 nm) will be used for this. The laser beam is focussed at an altitude of 90 km, at that height an atomic sodium layer is present which backscatters the spot image, producing an artificial star with a magnitude range from 11 mag. to 14 mag. NACO instrumentation Instrument characteristics NAOS NAOS is an adaptive optics (AO) system that has been designed to work with natural guide stars (NGS) and moderately extended sources , NAOS can also use the laser guide star facility (LGSF) and a natural tip-tilt source (TTS) to provide adaptive optics correction (3). NAOS gives a turbulence corrected f/15 beam and a 2 arcmin field of view to CONICA. Two off-axis parabolas re-image the telescope pupil on the deformable mirror and the Nasmyth focal plane on the entrance focal plane of CONICA. A dichroic-filter splits the light between CONICA and the wave front sensor, a field selector is placed after the wave front sensor input focus to select the reference object for wave front sensing, see Figure 7. NAOS has two wavefront sensors one visible light and one near-IR sensor , the two sensors are of the Shack-Hartmann type. It is possible to select an off-axis natural guide star within a 110 arcsec diameter field of view (FOV). NAOS allows wave front sensing with faint natural guide stars and extended objects, observations of very bright objects are possible with the visible wave front sensor using neutral density filters. CONICA CONICA is an infra-red (IR) (1 5 ÃŽÂ ¼m) imager and spectrograph which is fed by NAOS. CONICA is capable of imaging, long slit spectroscopy, simultaneous differential imaging (SDI), coronagraphy, polarimetry , with a large range of plate scales, filters and masks. The CONICA detector is a InSb Aladdin 3 array, the parameters of the array are: format 1026 ´1024 pixels pixel size 27 µm dark current 0.05-0.15 ADUs-1 pixel-1 wavelength range 0.8-5.5  µm Quantum efficiency 80-90 % The detector has three readout modes and four detector modes .The readout modes refer to the way the array is read out, the read our modes are : Uncorr The array is reset and then read once, used for situations when the background is high. The minimum detector integration time (DIT) is 0.1750 seconds. Double_RdRstRd The array is read, reset and read again, used for situations when the background is intermediate between high and low. The minimum DIT is 0.3454 seconds. FowlerNsamp The array is reset, read four times at the beginning of the integration ramp and four times again at the end of the integration ramp. Each time a pixel is addressed, it is read four times. This is used for situations when the background is low. The minimum DIT is 1.7927 seconds. The detector mode refers to the setting of the array bias voltage, four modes have been defined: HighSensitivity, HighDynamic, HighWellDepth and HighBackground. HighSensitivity has the fewest hot pixels, but it has the smallest well depth, this mode is used for long integrations in low background situations. HighBackground has the largest well depth but has many more hot pixels, this mode is used in high background situations . S13 camera CONICA is equipped with several cameras such as S13, S27, S54, the characteristics of camera S13 are; scale 13.221 ± 0.017 mas/pixel, field of view (FoV)14 ´14 arcsec and spectral range 1.0-2.5  µm. Available filters for the S13 camera are broad- and narrowband filters in the 1-2.5  µm region, Information on the broadband filters can be found in table 1. Unit Telescope 4 parameters Example observation planning The observation planning contains the next subjects (5): target scientific goal visibility period of target required observing conditions seeing atmospheric transparency lunar illumination required observing time list of required instruments, modes and configurations Target The chosen observation target is the Becklin-Neugebauer (BN) object located in the Orion Nebula Cluster, coordinates; right ascension (RA) 05h 35 m 14s.117 and declination (D) -05 ° 2222.90, epoch 2000.0, Scientific goal The Becklin-Neugebauer object was discovered as a bright 2 ÃŽÂ ¼m infra-red source (10) by Becklin and Neugebauer in 1967 (11), about 45 in projection from the Trapezium stars of the Orion Nebula Cluster, at a distance of ~ 450 pc. The Becklin-Neugebauer object together with the Kleinmann-Low nebula (KL) is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud 1 (OMC-1) region, a high-mass star formation region in the Orion constellation. In 2004 Shuping, Morris and Bally (8) discovered, at 12.5 µm, an arc of emission associated with the BN object, the so-called BN SW arc. The nature of this SW arc is still unknown, it may be externally heated gas or dust by UV radiation or is possibly a compressed shell created by an outflow or jet from BN. The BN SW arc is an interesting feature that needs further investigations both imaging and spectroscopy at other wavelengths to determine its true nature. Required observing conditions Seeing/airmass Seeing is defined as the image full width half maximum (FWHM )in arcsec ,the seeing values are 0.8and 1.2 at Zenith. Airmass quantifies the effects of all atmospheric processes, these atmospheric effects will be minimum when radiation travels vertically through the atmosphere, in this case z = 1. During the observation period the airmass ranges between z = 1.0 and z = 1.5 see table A, appendix 1, average airmass z = ~1,2. Atmospheric transparency During the observation period there should be no visible clouds and the transparency variations should be less than 2%. Lunar illumination Lunar illumination (FLI) is defined as the fraction of the lunar disk that is illuminated at local (Chile) civil midnight, where 1.0 is fully illuminated. Dark time corresponds to moon illumination less than 0.4, so the best time to observe the target is when the moon is new, see subsection 7.4. Visibility period of target To calculate the visibility of the target I have used the local sidereal time equation: Equation where LST = local sidereal, HA = hour angle and RA = right ascension. RA of BN-object = 05h 35 m 14s.117 = 5.587 hr. , on 21 March RA = 12hr is on the meridian at local midnight. RA = 5.587 hr will be on the meridian at local midnight about (5.587-12.0)ÃÆ'-30/2 = ~ 96 days =~ 3 months earlier . Thus the target will be well placed in November 2011 and December 2011. New Moon is on 25 November 2011 and 24 December 2011, so the best dates to observe the BN- object will be 22-27 November and 22-26 December 2011, see table B, appendix 2. The chosen observation period is the night of 24/25 December 2011, between 22hr and 2hr local time. Required observing time Angular resolution The theoretical angular limit of resolution is given by: Equation where l = wavelength, D = aperature diameter The wavelength of the K-filter is l = 2.18  µm, so the resolution is The resolution however is limited by atmospheric turbulence to where r0 is the Fried parameter. The Fried parameter is directly linked to the strength of the turbulence and it depends on the wavelength as: Equation for average observing conditions, r0 is about 0.6 m at 2.2 ÃŽÂ ¼m. Seeing disk The angular diameter of the seeing disk is Equation so for l = 2.18  µm and r0 = 0.6 m Area of seeing disk: Exposure time Exposure time Equation where: t = integration time r = signal to noise ratio f = flux transmitted by atmosphere fsky = sky background flux a = area of seeing disc A = effective area of telescope UT4 Q = quantum efficiency l = flux of the BN object l = wavelength = 5.510-7 m h = Plancks constant = 6.6310-34 J c = velocity of light = 3.0108 ms-1 The adopted signal to noise ratio S/N = r = 5. The flux transmitted by the atmosphere f = 1.0, see figure 3.2 NACO User Manual (3) The liming sky background magnitude is 13.0 mag (3), the sky background flux Equation Area of seeing disk a = 0.442 arcsec Effective area of UT4 Quantum efficiency Q = 0.85 The magnitude of the BN object corrected for extinction mv = 5.2 mag (11), the extinction in the V passband Av = ~18 mag. (8) so the apparent magnitude of the BN object m = 23.2 mag. Flux /magnitude conversion Equation The flux of the BN object is The exposure time for the BN object is: t = 639 sec. The exposure time calculated with ETC is 122,320 seconds !? , see appendix 4 table D. List of required instruments, modes and configurations The required telescope to observe the BN object is UT4 with the NACOS instrumentation. The NAOS with natural guide star, the CONICA imager with camera S13 and broadband filter K (2.18 mm). The chosen detector readout mode is FowlerNsamp and not Double_RdRstRd because the intergration time is larger than 60 seconds. Guide star id. 0477400932, RA 05hr 35m 16s.41, Dec -05 ° 23 23.0 magnitude 5.00 see table C, appendix 3, Conclusion The Very Large Telescope array is at this moment the most advanced optical instrument and the most productive individual ground-based observatory in the world. The instrumentation programme is the most ambitious programme for a single observatory and because of to the outstanding angular resolution and the use of adaptive optics VLT opens a new era of discoveries. Bibliography/References ESO http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal Giacconi R. The VLT White Book ESO http://www.eso.org/public/products/books/vlt_whitebook/ Girard J. et al. Very Large Telescope NACO Users Manual Do. No.: VLT-MAN-ESO-14200-2761 Date 12-02-2010 http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/instruments/naco/doc/VLT-MAN-ESO-14200-2761_v86.0.pdf Dierickx P., et al The VLT primary mirrors: mirror production and measured performance http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/telescopes/ut/m1unit.html de Zeeuw T. Call for Proposals ESO Period 87 30 August 2010 http://www.eso.org/sci/observing/proposals/CfP87.pdf Moorwood A. Astronomical News Report on the Conference Science with the VLT in the ELT Era Held in Garching, Germany 8-12 October 2007 Minchin N.R. et al Near-infrared imaging polarimetry of bipolar Nebulae-I. The BN-KL region of OMC-1 Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc.(1991) 248,715-729 Shuping R. Y., Morris M. and Bally J. A new mid-infra red map of the BN/KL  Region using the Keck telscope  The Astronomical Journal, 128:363-374, 2004 July Sansom A. UVOIR Astronomy AA2053  University of Central Lancashire , 2010 Tan J. The Becklin-Neugebauer Object as runaway B star  ejected 4000 years ago from the q1C system. The Astrophysical Journal Letters  11-12-2001  http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0401552v2 Robberto M. et al The Orion Nebula in the mid-infrared  The Astronomical Journal, 129:000-000  2005 March Becklin E.E., Neugebauer G. Observations of an infrared star in the Orion  Nebula  California Institute of Technology  Pasadena, California  September 12,1966 http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1967ApJ147..799B Testor G. et al VLT/NACO near-infrared imaging and  spectroscopy of N159-5 in the LMC HII complex N159  Astronomy Astrophysics  469, 459-469 (2007) Appendices Appendix 1 Hourly airmasses for 05 35 14.12 -05 22 22.90 Paranal Observatory (VLT) Sat, December 24, 2011 *** Hourly airmass for Target *** Epoch 2000.00: RA 5 35 14.1, dec -5 22 23 Epoch 2011.98: RA 5 35 49.5, dec -5 21 57 At midnight: UT date 2011 Dec 25, Moon 0.00 illum, 151 degr from obj Local UT LMST HA secz par.angl. SunAlt MoonAlt HelCorr 22 00 1 00 2 31 -3 05 1.502 -118.5 -4.27 22 30 1 30 3 01 -2 35 1.341 -121.5 -4.32 23 00 2 00 3 31 -2 04 1.229 -126.1 -4.38 23 30 2 30 4 01 -1 34 1.152 -132.8 -4.43 0 00 3 00 4 32 -1 04 1.101 -142.9 -4.50 0 30 3 30 5 02 -0 34 1.071 -157.8 -4.56 1 00 4 00 5 32 -0 04 1.059 -177.2 -4.62 1 30 4 30 6 02 0 26 1.066 162.7 -4.69 2 00 5 00 6 32 0 56 1.090 146.5 -4.75 Table A: Hourly airmasss during observation period. SkyCalc provided by courtesy of John Thorstensen, Dartmouth College. [emailprotected] http://www.eso.org/sci/observing/tools/calendar/observability.html Appendix 2 Observability for 05 35 14.117 -05 22 22.90 Paranal Observatory (VLT) RA dec: 5 35 14.1, -5 22 23, epoch 2000.0 Site longlat: +4 41 36.8 (h.m.s) West, -24 37 30 North. Shown: local eve. date, moon phase, hr ang and sec.z at (1) eve. twilight, (2) natural center of night, and (3) morning twilight; then comes number of nighttime hours during which object is at sec.z less than 3, 2, and 1.5. Night (and twilight) is defined by sun altitude Date (eve) moon eve cent morn night [emailprotected]: HA sec.z HA sec.z HA sec.z 2011 Oct 11 F -8 54 down -4 28 2.5 -0 02 1.1 4.7 3.9 3.0 2011 Oct 26 N -7 45 down -3 31 1.7 +0 42 1.1 5.4 4.6 3.8 2011 Nov 10 F -6 33 down -2 32 1.3 +1 29 1.1 6.2 5.4 4.5 2011 Nov 24 N -5 25 5.7 -1 34 1.2 +2 17 1.3 7.0 6.2 5.3 2011 Dec 9 F -4 13 2.2 -0 29 1.1 +3 15 1.6 7.4 7.2 6.1 2011 Dec 24 N -3 05 1.5 +0 37 1.1 +4 19 2.4 7.4 7.0 6.1 2012 Jan 8 F -2 02 1.2 +1 44 1.2 +5 30 6.3 6.8 6.0 5.1 Table B: Observability of Becklin-Neugebauer object SkyCalc provided by courtesy of John Thorstensen, Dartmouth College. [emailprotected] http://www.eso.org/sci/observing/tools/calendar/observability.html Appendix 3 ESO GSC Online Server Query Result Center: RA: 05:35:14.117 DEC: -05:22:22.90 Search radius: 20 arcminutes nr gsc_id ra (2000) dec mag mu d pa 1 0477400932 05 35 16.41 -05 23 23.0 5.00 F; 1.15 150 2 0477400931 05 35 16.47 -05 23 22.8 5.09 F; 1.16 150 3 0477400933 05 35 22.83 -05 24 57.8 5.09 F; 3.37 140 4 0477400871 05 35 17.10 -05 23 40.6 5.51 F; 1.49 150 5 0477400934 05 35 26.27 -05 24 58.2 6.40 F; 3.98 131 6 0477400930 05 35 17.16 -05 23 12.7 6.69 F; 1.12 138 7 0477801369 05 35 54.09 -05 37 43.2 7.09 T; 18.28 147 8 0477400906 05 35 31.37 -05 16 02.7 7.19 T; 7.65 34 9 0477400906 05 35 31.26 -05 16 02.0 7.58 T; 7.65 34 10 0477801369 05 35 53.99 -05 37 42.1 7.74 T; 18.25 147 11 0477400935 05 35 31.33 -05 25 14.1 8.18 F; 5.15 124 12 0477400915 05 35 06.10 -05 12 15.5 8.28 F; 10.32 349 13 0477400809 05 34 46.89 -05 34 14.3 8.30 F; 13.66 210 14 0477400849 05 35 09.73 -05 27 52.6 8.53 F; 5.60 191 15 0477400823 05 34 55.20 -05 30 21.7 9.04 F; 9.27 211 16 0477400867 05 35 58.44 -05 22 31.0 9.11 F; 11.03 91 17 0477400855 05 36 27.09 -05 24 31.0 9.28 F; 18.29 97 18 0477400792 05 34 42.19 -05 07 14.2 9.39 T; 17.10 332 19 0477400894 05 35 34.18 -05 06 20.9 9.45 F; 16.79 17 20 0477400830 05 35 18.12 -05 03 54.5 9.48 F; 18.50 3 21 0477400792 05 34 42.19 -05 07 14.3 9.55 T; 17.10 332 22 0477400890 05 35 31.28 -05 33 08.5 9.74 F; 11.58 158 23 0477400829 05 35 35.71 -05 12 20.5 9.78 F; 11.39 28 24 0477400877 05 35 21.17 -05 09 15.7 9.79 F; 13.24 8 25 0477400812 05 35 00.05 -05 25 15.7 9.85 F; 4.53 231 26 0477400878 05 34 52.14 -05 33 08.1 9.96 F; 12.06 207 27 0477400810 05 34 49.89 -05 18 44.4 9.96 F; 7.04 301 gsc 1.0 25/Sep/1995. ESO/ST-ECF Archive| ESO| ST-ECF| Help| Search Send comments to HYPERLINK http://archive.eso.org/comments/[emailprotected]/Page:/cgi-bin/gsc. Table C: Guide stars Becklin-Neugebauer object

Othello - Values And Attitudes :: essays research papers

"If Othello didn’t begin as a play about race, history has made it one." The Venetian society that Othello is set in is representative of the writers context. The attitudes and values that Shakespeare reveals through the text are those same attitudes and values of Elizabethan society in England in the sixteenth-century. Although Othello is set in Venice and Cyprus, the attitudes and values shared in the text are probably reflective of the attitudes and values of Shakespeare's own society. It is difficult to assess the attitudes and values of people in sixteenth-century Britain to the relatively few blacks living amongst them. We are given an insight into those attitudes and values through the representation of race and gender in the text of Othello.These attitudes and values are indicative of what a culture believes in and supports. By the time Othello was written the English were becoming more and more aware of the existence of other races in the world besides themselves. There had been a lot of travelling and blacks were beginning to be used in Europe for the slave trade. During the time the play was written, the Queen of England had banned all blacks from entering the city. She spoke of them as "Negars and Moors which are crept into the realm, of which kind of people there are already here too many". It seems that Shakespeare is almost mocking the Queen by characterising Othello as a black man who has a high ranking position in the Army and who marries a white aristocratic women, against her fathers will. Ruth Cowlig suggests that the presentation of Othello as the hero must have been startling for Elizabethan audiences. This may have been the case, but through the representation of Othello we are able to see that some members of society such as the Duke, looked over his colour to assign him his position whereas, others such as Iago, look on his colour as a way to mock him. Hostility is shown to Othello by characters such as Iago and Roderigo. This attitude may have been encouraged by the widespread belief in the legend that blacks were descendants of Ham in the Genesis story, punished for sexual excess by their blackness. The Elizabethan's discussed at length whether this skin colour was due to life in a hot climate or whether it was a punishment for sin. To the Elizabethan's, who thought hierarchically, fair skin was the epitome of beauty and therefore dark skin ranked below it.

One Life Aquatic :: essays research papers

One Life Aquatic Steve Zissou is a world known, and partially renowned oceanographic explorer. He has been depicted through his documentary films as a larger than life character, yet it seems that each unsuccessful film shows more and more of his humanity. The film introduces us to Steve Zissou when he is at an all time low in his career, having just lost his best friend and crewmate Esteban. Steve is now searching for something more amazing than anything he has ever done, just to reaffirm his place in life. In the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2004), parallelism can be found between two very similar scenes. By contrasting the second film premiere to the first, the transformation of Steve Zissou can be seen through his departure down the red carpet. The crew of the Belafonte starts their stroll down the red carpet; red knit caps shaping their heads, clad in their finest suits. Classical music fills the air, ringing the delicate atmosphere. The ragtag team exits their film premiere; their half cocked smiles tell us more than an interview ever could. A heckler from the crowd shouts toward the most somber of them all, Steve Zissou; a middle-aged oceanographer carrying a â€Å"crayon seahorse† he just received from a crewmate’s nephew, named Werner. Steve stands unassuming for a second, and then rushes the man, only to be punched in the face seconds later. He suddenly realizes the bag containing the seahorse has been punctured by the fight. He grabs a passerby’s wine glass and pours the seahorse in. The scene finalizes as Steve Zissou flees the film premiere. He makes his way through the crowd as the only visible part of him is the raised wine glass. While exiting his film premiere, Steve is looking for reassurance of his film’s credibility. The only comfort offered comes in the form of a â€Å"crayon seahorse† from Werner, a crewmate’s pre-pubescent nephew. As Steve leaves he is surrounded by his friends and colleagues; and though their proximity is close, their demeanor shows some distance in their relationships. After the ensuing fight, Steve exits by himself, blending into the crowd except for the raised wine glass containing the seahorse. The raised wine glass represents an obvious conflict of disposition in Steve Zissou. Though the film has shown him to be imperfect in many ways, he attempts to adapt to the persona of a very confident and brash person, much like a person who raises his wine glass to propose a toast. One Life Aquatic :: essays research papers One Life Aquatic Steve Zissou is a world known, and partially renowned oceanographic explorer. He has been depicted through his documentary films as a larger than life character, yet it seems that each unsuccessful film shows more and more of his humanity. The film introduces us to Steve Zissou when he is at an all time low in his career, having just lost his best friend and crewmate Esteban. Steve is now searching for something more amazing than anything he has ever done, just to reaffirm his place in life. In the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson, 2004), parallelism can be found between two very similar scenes. By contrasting the second film premiere to the first, the transformation of Steve Zissou can be seen through his departure down the red carpet. The crew of the Belafonte starts their stroll down the red carpet; red knit caps shaping their heads, clad in their finest suits. Classical music fills the air, ringing the delicate atmosphere. The ragtag team exits their film premiere; their half cocked smiles tell us more than an interview ever could. A heckler from the crowd shouts toward the most somber of them all, Steve Zissou; a middle-aged oceanographer carrying a â€Å"crayon seahorse† he just received from a crewmate’s nephew, named Werner. Steve stands unassuming for a second, and then rushes the man, only to be punched in the face seconds later. He suddenly realizes the bag containing the seahorse has been punctured by the fight. He grabs a passerby’s wine glass and pours the seahorse in. The scene finalizes as Steve Zissou flees the film premiere. He makes his way through the crowd as the only visible part of him is the raised wine glass. While exiting his film premiere, Steve is looking for reassurance of his film’s credibility. The only comfort offered comes in the form of a â€Å"crayon seahorse† from Werner, a crewmate’s pre-pubescent nephew. As Steve leaves he is surrounded by his friends and colleagues; and though their proximity is close, their demeanor shows some distance in their relationships. After the ensuing fight, Steve exits by himself, blending into the crowd except for the raised wine glass containing the seahorse. The raised wine glass represents an obvious conflict of disposition in Steve Zissou. Though the film has shown him to be imperfect in many ways, he attempts to adapt to the persona of a very confident and brash person, much like a person who raises his wine glass to propose a toast.