12 Famous Artists on What Art Means to Them

12 Famous Artists on What Art Means to Them For an artist, the canvas is a mouthpiece. The artist speaks with vibrant colors, bold strokes, and fine lines. She whispers her secrets, shares her passion, expresses her anguish, and taunts your sensibilities. Are you ready to hear the language of art? Art inspires people. Consider the works of Michelangelo, Picasso, or Leonardo da Vinci. People throng to museums to admire their work. Their paintings, murals, and sculptures are subjects of deep academic interest. These great artists lived several centuries ago, yet their work continues to inspire new generations of artists. Famous Artists and What They Say About Art These quotes from 12 famous artists provide insight into the art world. Their words infuse a new surge of creativity. They urge you to get inspired to pick up your paintbrush and palette. Brett WhiteleyAustralian avant-garde artist Brett Whiteley continues to spur the creativity of artists, and common people, across the world. He won Australia’s most respected award, Archibald, the Wynne, and Sulman, twice. Whiteley created his art in Italy, England, Fiji, and the U.S. Art should astonish, transmute, transfix. One must work at the tissue between truth and paranoia. Edward HopperAmerican realist painter and printmaker Edward Hopper was famous for oil paintings, but he also made his mark as a watercolorist and etchings. Regular American life and the people were two of Hopper’s muses.   If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint. Francis BaconIrish-British figurative painter Francis Bacon is best known for the boldness of his art. The imagery that he used was raw and evocative. He is best known for his works, Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion (1944), Study for Self-Portrait (1982), and Study for a Self Portrait - Triptych (1985-86). The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery. Picasso is the reason why I paint. He is the father figure who gave me the wish to paint. MichelangeloOne of the best-known painters and artists from the Renaissance age, Michelangelo and his works have shaped western art. The Italian sculptor, painter, poet, architect, and engineer is famous for painting the scenes from Genesis on the ceiling and depicting The Last Judgment on the wall of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. He was also the architect of St. Peter’s Basilica. If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldnt seem so wonderful at all. Pablo PicassoSpanish artist Pablo Picasso has been one of the most powerful artists of the 20th century. He co-pioneered the Cubist movement and is most well-known for works such as proto-Cubist Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) and Guernica (1937).   As a child, I drew like Raphael but it has taken me a lifetime to draw like a child. Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. Paul GardnerScottish painter Paul Gardner espouses European and Scottish artistic conventions through this art. Buddhism and Eastern philosophy have been his major influences. A painting is never finished - it simply stops in interesting places. Paul GauguinFrench post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin received true recognition only posthumously. His style of experimenting with colors made him stand apart from Impressionists. Gauguin was an important member of the Symbolist movement, and it led to the creation of the Synthetist style, Primitivism, and return to pastoral styles.   I shut my eyes in order to see. Rachel WolfRachel Wolf is an American artist and freelance editor. She has edited numerous books on painting such as Keys to Painting: Fur and Feathers, Watercolor Secrets, Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing, among others. Color is fun, color is just plain gorgeous, a gourmet meal for the eye, the window of the soul. Frank ZappaAmerican musician Frank Zappa made music for over three decades. He played rock, jazz, and other kinds of music while also directing films and music videos. Zappa was feted with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.   Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Lucian FreudGerman-born British painter Lucian Freud was celebrated for his impasto portrait and figure paintings. His art has a psychological angle and often explores the uncomfortable connection between the artist and the model. The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real. Paul CezannePaul Cezanne was a French artist and post-Impressionist painter. Paul Cezanne is responsible for providing a link between the 19th century Impressionism and 20th century Cubism. Cezanne’s charm lay in the fact that even though critics trashed him, younger artists revered him during his lifetime. There is a logic of colors, and it is with this alone, and not with the logic of the brain, that the painter should conform. Robert DelaunayFrench artist Robert Delaunay started the Orphism art movement along with his wife, Sonia. His art used symmetrical shapes, and in later life became more abstract. Painting is by nature a luminous language.

The Origin of Samuel Clemens as Mark Twain

The Origin of Samuel Clemens as Mark Twain Author Samuel Langhorne Clemens used the pen name Mark Twain and a couple other pseudonyms during his writing career. Pen names have been used by authors throughout the centuries for purposes such as disguising their gender, shielding their personal anonymity and family associations, or even to cover up past legal troubles. However, Samuel Clemens didnt appear to choose Mark Twain for any of those reasons. Origin of Mark Twain In Life on the Mississippi,  Mark Twain writes about Captain Isaiah Sellers, a riverboat pilot who wrote under the pseudonym Mark Twain, The old gentleman was not of literary turn or capacity, but he used to jot down brief paragraphs of plain practical information about the river, and sign them MARK TWAIN, and give them to the New Orleans Picayune.  They related to the stage and condition of the river, and were accurate and valuable; and thus far, they contained no poison. The term mark twain is for a measured river depth of 12 feet or two fathoms, the depth that was safe for a steamboat to pass. Sounding the river for depth was essential as an unseen obstruction could result in tearing a hole in the vessel and sinking it. Clemens aspired to be a river pilot, which was a well-paying position. He paid $500 to study for two years as an apprentice steamboat pilot and earned his pilots license. He worked as a pilot until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. How Samuel Clemens Decided to Use the Pen Name After a brief two weeks as a Confederate enlistee, he joined his brother Orion in Nevada Territory where Orion served as secretary to the governor. He tried mining but failed and instead took up as a journalist for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise. This is when he began to use the pen name of Mark Twain. The original user of the pseudonym died in 1869. In Life on the Mississippi,  Mark Twain says: I was a fresh new journalist, and needed a nom de guerre; so I confiscated the ancient mariners discarded one, and have done my best to make it remain what it was in his hands- a sign and symbol and warrant that whatever is found in its company may be gambled on as being the petrified truth; how I have succeeded, it would not be modest in me to say. Further, in his autobiography, Clemens noted that he wrote several satires of the original pilots postings that were published and caused embarrassment. As a result, Isaiah Sellers stopped publishing his reports. Clemens was penitent for this later in life. Other Pen Names and Pseudonyms Before 1862, Clemens signed humorous sketches as Josh. Samuel Clemens used the name Sieur Louis de Conte for Joan of Arc (1896). He also used the pseudonym Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass for three humorous pieces he contributed to Keokuk Post. Sources Fatout, Paul. â€Å"Mark Twains Nom de Plume.† American Literature, vol. 34, no. 1, 1962, p. 1., doi:10.2307/2922241.Twain, Mark, et al. Autobiography of Mark Twain. University of California Press, 2010.Twain, Mark. Life on the Mississippi. Tauchnitz, 1883.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Human Resource Management - Essay Example In a holistic picture, performance management strives to improve overall processes; achieve continually improving results; and continuously develop resources and effective leadership; it also aims at sustaining employee motivation and commitment. As Cooper (2004) explains, performance measurement can help organisations to demonstrate their value to many types of stakeholders, including the clients and customers, employees and shareholders. The results from performance measurement can help in improving performance further, thereby meeting and even exceeding customer expectations, generating more revenue and profit for the organisation, improving employee satisfaction and morale. However, Colbran Medical Institute does not seem to emphasize customer satisfaction or employee motivation in the real sense. A few effective performance management practices based on theory have been evaluated with respect to situation at Colbran Medical Institute. Benchmarking: Performance measurement is a r ecurring activity, and an essential aspect of performance management. ... The performance appraisal forms at Colbran do not give much evidence of work on benchmarking performance metrics, which further rules out possibilities of effective performance measurement. If performance measurement is only internally focused, then such measurement cannot produce competitive position for the organisation irrespective of its level of performance. Therefore, benchmarking ensures that performance establishes competitiveness and best practice through doing the right things, right first time in the eyes of the end customer (Zaiiri & Leonard, 1994; 81). Performance indicators: At Colbran Medical Institute, performance seems to be measured based on number of goods produced. This is a very generalized approach and tends to ignore many issues that could have occurred during the production process. This process needs to be streamlined in order to provide accurate performance measurement as well as address the issues so that overall productivity can also be improvised. All goa ls that have been benchmarked need to be measurable. For this, the goals need to be converted to measurable indicators. Hatry (2006) asserts that measurement and improvement can be gauged based on specific indicators, and not based on the outcomes. Production units cannot wait until the output is achieved in order to assess performance; in doing so, significant time, effort and money will be lost. Moreover, performance measurement based on outcomes will not consider the gaps or issues that had risen during the production. Therefore, to address these issues, specific outcome indicators or performance indicators need to be assigned to every intended outcome or goal. Performance appraisal system: Performance

Franchise law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Franchise law - Essay Example Therefore, each of the renewal terms raised by Joe must be examined in terms of whether or not, the proposed conditions and terms constitute good faith and fair dealing grounds for refusing renewal of the expiring franchise contract. In general, Joe takes issue with the requirement to purchase meat and cheese from Hoagie Land in Philadelphia when it is more convenient for him to purchase the same from Hoagie Land in New York, the payment of what Joe considers an excessive legal fee, the payment of a renewal fee, the installation of a point of sales systems, adoption of a new sign and remodelling. The question for consideration is whether or not each of these terms and conditions can be characterized as inconsistent with the concept of fair dealing and good faith. The concept of fair dealing and good faith was considered in the case of Payne v McDonald’s Corp. In this case, the franchisor’s renewal was conditional upon the franchisee’s consent to rebuild the resta urant. The court held however, that the requirement for rebuilding was not inconsistent with the concept of good faith and fair dealing (Payne v McDonald’s Corp.). However, the facts of Joe’s case can be distinguished from the facts of Payne v McDonald’s Corp. ... The ruled in Payne that since there was no express right to renewal, the franchisor was not under a duty to renew the franchise and in deciding to do so could condition renewal on requirements that suited its business ends (Payne v McDonald’s Corp.). Some guidance is found in the case of Bresler’s 33 Flavors Franchising Corp. v Woksin. In the case, the court ruled that in order to satisfy a claim that a refusal to renew on terms and conditions that were inconsistent with the concept of fair dealing and good faith, the claimant must show that the terms and conditions were only applied to the claimant and not to any other franchisor. Specifically, when the renewal term was for remodelling, the claimant must also show that to the satisfaction of the court that remodelling would have a negative impact on profitability (Bresler’s 33 Flavors Franchising Corp. v Woksin). I would therefore advise Joe to provide as much evidence as possible demonstrating that remodelling would negatively impact profitability and that purchasing meat and cheese from Philadelphia rather than from New York would negatively impact profitability. In looking at the requirement to purchase meat from Philadelphia as opposed to New York, it is unlikely that Joe can excise this term as it appears to be applicable to all franchisees and is stated to be for quality control and for economies of scale. To begin with, it may be argued that purchasing from the Philadelphia suppliers may be more convenient for Joe since his restaurant is located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey which is nearer to Philadelphia than it is to New York. Moreover, the requirement to purchase meat and cheese from the Philadelphia supplier applies to all franchisees and does not discriminate

Assess the view that factors and processes within the school Essay Example for Free

Assess the view that factors and processes within the school Essay Many sociologists argue that â€Å"factors and processes within school are the main cause of difference† These factors include gender, class and ethnicity. All of these things can lead to certain stereotypes and labels being forced upon pupils. The idea that Teachers have certain expectations of different social and ethnic groups means that self-fulfilling prophecy can lead to pupils living out positive and negative labels. The role of gender in educational achievement is that in past times it has been that boys have achieved less than girls in school, this could be that boys have a history of ‘laddish’ behaviour and have had a negative attitude to learning. This had also led to teachers expectations of ‘lads’ to be low which has caused negative stereotypes and labels. All of these things have in turn caused many anti-school subcultures. Jackson did a study about how this ‘laddish’ behaviour is now being seen in some girls which could in fact mean that it is not only boys that have these negative labels but also girls. Another factor that may influence the achievement of girls is that girls now have a lot of higher role models and more opportunities in the future; this can lead to them working harder because they can see themselves being successful in the future. Another In-school factor would be ethnicity, different ethnic groups achieve better than others in education, for example the highest achieving ethnic group is British Chinese and the lowest would be black African Caribbean boys. The reasons for these differences in achievement could be linked to family morals and attitudes to school. Teachers also have expectations of different ethnic groups which again, like gender can lead to positive and negative labels and stereotypes. The curriculum in schools could also lead to this due to it being ethnocentric. Differences in class an play a crucial role in the achievement between different classes, for example working class children do not have as much cultural capital as middle class children and this can play a vital part in how they achieve at school, due to teachers expectations of how they behave and achieve. The idea of the hidden curriculum means that schools are preparing students for middle class jobs with middle class ideas. Also the idea that middle class teachers get on better with idle class students also reinforces the idea of teacher’s expectations which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy and students either over or under achieving. One more in-school factor would be pupil subcultures and how streaming and setting can lead to both anti and pro school subcultures, This again links to the idea of self-fulfilling prophecy and that students may either reject their labels or follow them. The organisation of the school can also be closely linked to class and how students may be put into lower streams or sets due to their social background and how teachers perceive them. Home backgrounds of students also contribute to a large part of their achievement. The differences in class can lead to many home disadvantages such as material deprivation which means that students do not have enough money for resources such as private tutors, laptops, trips or uniforms; this will give them a disadvantage compared to middle class students. Working class students may also have other responsibilities to attend to such as looking after siblings or even disabled parents; this means that they do not have as much time to spend on studying. Parent’s attitudes towards school and education can also prove to be an impact, if a parent has a negative attitude to school and learning then the child will not have as much pressure or ambition to do as well. This idea of parent expectations links closely with ethnicity and how different ethnic groups view educarion. In conclusion there are many in school processes that can influence the achievement of children such as gender and how girls and boys are perceived and what teachers expect of them. Another would be Class and how working and middle class students achieve differently due to aspects of school life like the hidden curriculum. Also ethnicity and the expectations and ideas about certain groups like the British Chinese. There are also a lot of out of school factors such as home background, material deprivation and parents’ expectations. Overall I believe that the both in school factors and out of school factors contribute to the differences in educational achievement of different social groups.

Philosophy: Bertrand Russell vs William James Essay -- essays research

Bertrand Russell discussed certain problems he found with philosophy. Russell was concerned about how much did we really know. There is the stuff we know with our mind when we have a particular idea, and stuff we know through actually experiencing it which would justify it. But how do we know if it is real, or even there, for that matter? Russell says, â€Å"For if we cannot be sure of the independent existence of object, we cannot be sure of the independent existence of other people’s bodies, and therefore still less of other peoples minds, since we have no grounds for believing in their minds except such as are derived from observing their bodies† (Russell, 47). How can Farmer Brown be sure that the dairyman just didn’t have an idea that the cow was there. Farmer Brown wants more than just an idea in order to feel safe that his prize cow is still there. Another problem Russell would have with the cow in the field is the nature of the matter. Russell says we have knowledge of truth and knowledge of things. Knowledge of truth is propositional knowledge or what we’re most certain in through direct experience. Russell says, â€Å"But we cannot hope to be acquainted directly with the quality in the physical objects which makes it blue or red. Science tells us this quality is a certain sort of wave motion, and this sounds familiar, because we think of wave motions in the space we see† (Russell, 52). What he is saying that the dairy man has had direct experience with the cow, he know... Philosophy: Bertrand Russell vs William James Essay -- essays research Bertrand Russell discussed certain problems he found with philosophy. Russell was concerned about how much did we really know. There is the stuff we know with our mind when we have a particular idea, and stuff we know through actually experiencing it which would justify it. But how do we know if it is real, or even there, for that matter? Russell says, â€Å"For if we cannot be sure of the independent existence of object, we cannot be sure of the independent existence of other people’s bodies, and therefore still less of other peoples minds, since we have no grounds for believing in their minds except such as are derived from observing their bodies† (Russell, 47). How can Farmer Brown be sure that the dairyman just didn’t have an idea that the cow was there. Farmer Brown wants more than just an idea in order to feel safe that his prize cow is still there. Another problem Russell would have with the cow in the field is the nature of the matter. Russell says we have knowledge of truth and knowledge of things. Knowledge of truth is propositional knowledge or what we’re most certain in through direct experience. Russell says, â€Å"But we cannot hope to be acquainted directly with the quality in the physical objects which makes it blue or red. Science tells us this quality is a certain sort of wave motion, and this sounds familiar, because we think of wave motions in the space we see† (Russell, 52). What he is saying that the dairy man has had direct experience with the cow, he know...

Life Philosophy Essay

The meaning of life is to give life meaning Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. Life Philosophy of John Wooden Even a fool knows you can’t reach the stars, but that doesn’t stop a wise man from trying. â€Å"You can’t make someone Else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours. † Life Philosophy of Gen. Colin Powell Man is not the creature of circumstances, circumstances are the creatures of men. We are free agents, and man is more powerful than matter. Life Philosophy of Benjamin Disraeli When an affliction happens to you, you either let it defeat you, or you defeat it†¦ Life Philosophy of Rosalind Russell A life lived in fear is a life half lived. To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. â€Å"It is better to be hated for what you are then to be loved for what your not† There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it’s easy. Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. Life Philosophy of Zig Ziglar You will never achieve what you never begin†¦ The measure of a man is the way he bears up under misfortune. Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it. Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore. Philosophy of Life by Andre Gide If one seeks advice, give them direction, not correction. Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can. Philosophy of Life by Richard Bach Do the things you know, and you shall learn the truth you need to know. Philosophy of Life by George Macdonald Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen. Philosophy of Life by Peter Marshall It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. Don’t take life too seriously. no one gets out alive, anyways. Before you talk about what you want – appreciate what you have. A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away. Life Philosophy from Gene Roddenberry You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action. Life Philosophy from Anthony Robbins If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won’t, you most assuredly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad. Life Philosophy from Denis Waitley You can do what you think you can do and you cannot do what you think you cannot Life Philosophy from Ben Stein Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Life Philosophy from Harvey Mackay You can do what you want to do. You can be what you want to be. Life Philosophy from R. David Thomas Philosophies in Life PHILOSOPHY may be defined as the study and pursuit of facts which deal with the ultimate reality or causes of things as they affect life. The philosophy of a country like the Philippines is made up of the intricate and composite interrelationship of the life histories of its people; in other word, the philosophy of our nation would be strange and undefinable if we do not delve into the past tied up with the notable life experiences of the representative personalities of our nation. Being one of the prominent representatives of Filipino personalities, Jose Rizal is a fit subject whose life philosophy deserves to be recognized. Having been a victim of Spanish brutality early in his life in Calamba, Rizal had thus already formed the nucleus of an unfavorable opinion of Castillian imperialistic administration of his country and people. Pitiful social conditions existed in the Philippines as late as three centuries after his conquest in Spain, with agriculture, commerce, communications and education languishing under its most backward state. It was because of this social malady that social evils like inferiority complex, cowardice, timidity and false pride pervaded nationally and contributed to the decay of social life. This stimulated and shaped Rizal’s life phylosophy to be to contain if not eliminate these social ills. Educational Philosophy Rizal’s concept of the importance of education is clearly enunciated in his work entitled Instruction wherein he sought improvements in the schools and in the methods of teaching. He maintained that the backwardness of his country during the Spanish ear was not due to the Filipinos’ indifference, apathy or indolence as claimed by the rulers, but to the neglect of the Spanish authorities in the islands. For Rizal, the mission of education is to elevate the country to the highest seat of glory and to develop the people’s mentality. Since education is the foundation of society and a prerequisite for social progress, Rizal claimed that only through education could the country be saved from domination. Rizal’s philosophy of education, therefore, centers on the provision of proper motivation in order to bolster the great social forces that make education a success, to create in the youth an innate desire to cultivate his intelligence and give him life eternal. Religious Philosophy Rizal grew up nurtured by a closely-knit Catholic family, was educated in the foremost Catholic schools of the period in the elementary, secondary and college levels; logically, therefore, he should have been a propagator of strictly Catholic traditions. However, in later life, he developed a life philosophy of a different nature, a philosophy of a different Catholic practice intermingled with the use of Truth and Reason. Why the change? It could have been the result of contemporary contact, companionship, observation, research and the possession of an independent spirit. Being a critical observer, a profound thinker and a zealous reformer, Rizal did not agree with the prevailing Christian propagation of the Faith by fire and sword. This is shown in his Annotation of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas. Rizal did not believe in the Catholic dogma that salvation was only for Catholics and that outside Christianity, salvation was not possible even if Catholics composed only a small minority of the world’s religious groups. Nor did he believe in the Catholic observation of fasting as a sacrifice, nor in the sale of such religious items as the cross, medals, rosaries and the like in order to propagate the Faith and raise church funds. He also lambasted the superstitious beliefs propagated by the priests in the church and in the schools. All of these and a lot more are evidences of Rizal’s religious philosophy. Political Philosophy In Rizal’s political view, a conquered country like the Philippines should not be taken advantage of but rather should be developed, civilized, educated and trained in the science of self-government. He bitterly assailed and criticized in publications the apparent backwardness of the Spanish ruler’s method of governing the country which resulted in: 1. the bondage and slavery of the conquered ; 2. the Spanish government’s requirement of forced labor and force military service upon the n natives; 3. the abuse of power by means of exploitation; 4. the government ruling that any complaint against the authorities was criminal; and 5. Making the people ignorant, destitute and fanatic, thus discouraging the formation of a national sentiment. Rizal’s guiding political philosophy proved to be the study and application of reforms, the extension of human rights, the training for self government and the arousing of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality, inhumanity, sensitiveness and self love. Ethical Philosophy The study of human behavior as to whether it is good or bad or whether it is right or wrong is that science upon which Rizal’s ethical philosophy was based. The fact that the Philippines was under Spanish domination during Rizal’s time led him to subordinate his philosophy to moral problems. This trend was much more needed at that time because the Spaniards and the Filipinos had different and sometimes conflicting morals. The moral status of the Philippines during this period was one with a lack of freedom, one with predominance of foreign masters, one with an imposition of foreign religious worship, devotion, homage and racial habits. This led to moral confusion among the people, what with justice being stifled, limited or curtailed and the people not enjoying any individual rights. To bolster his ethical philosophy, Dr. Rizal had recognized not only the forces of good and evil, but also the tendencies towards good and evil. As a result, he made use of the practical method of appealing to the better nature of the conquerors and of offering useful methods of solving the moral problems of the conquered. To support his ethical philosophy in life, Rizal: 1. censured the friars for abusing the advantage of their position as spiritual leaders and the ignorance and fanaticism of the natives; 2.counseled the Filipinos not to resent a defect attributed to them but to accept same as reasonable and just; 3. advised the masses that the object of marriage was the happiness and love of the couple and not financial gain; 4. censured the priests who preached greed and wrong morality; and 5. advised every one that love and respect for parents must be strictly observed. Social Philosophy That body of knowledge relating to society including the wisdom which man’s experience in society has taught him is social philosophy. The facts dealt with are principles involved in nation building and not individual social problems. The subject matter of this social philosophy covers the problems of the whole race, with every problem having a distinct solution to bolster the people’s social knowledge. Rizal’s social philosophy dealt with; 1. man in society; 2. influential factors in human life; 3. racial problems; 4. social constant; 5. social justice; 6. social ideal; 7. poverty and wealth; 8. reforms; 9. youth and greatness; 10. history and progress; 11. future Philippines. The above dealt with man’s evolution and his environment, explaining for the most part human behavior and capacities like his will to live; his desire to possess happiness; the change of his mentality; the role of virtuous women in the guidance of great men; the need for elevating and inspiring mission; the duties and dictates of man’s conscience; man’s need of practicing gratitude; the necessity for consulting reliable people; his need for experience; his ability to deny; the importance of deliberation; the voluntary offer of man’s abilities and possibilities; the ability to think, aspire and strive to rise; and the proper use of hearth, brain and spirit-all of these combining to enhance the intricacies, beauty and values of human nature. All of the above served as Rizal’s guide in his continuous effort to make over his beloved Philippines.

A Long Way Gone

Ishmael Beah’s work â€Å"A Long Way Gone† captures the essence of the situation in war-stricken Sierra Leone. It tells us how a young boy was forced to become a soldier to preserve his life and live to tell his story. Although Beah was from an underdeveloped nation, he had the dreams and thoughts of any normal teenager from the West.He speaks about his family, his friends, his rap band and his love for music. All these things tell us that no matter how far apart we live and how different we believe we are, we are all essentially the same at the core of our beings.It is heartbreaking to learn that such dreams of millions of children like Beah are crushed down and ripped apart by the institution of war. Beah, after being captured, was trained to kill without any regrets. His circumstances also forced him to be addicted to drugs at a tender age. His mind was made so numb that he could no longer consider the value of human life. It took him a lot of courage, determination and several years of his life to become a normal person, while being forced to undergo the trauma of being doubted and feared by the people around him.Beah’s book gives voice to the innumerable number of children around the world that have been reduced to weapons of war. It makes us further realize that war not only kills human life, but also crushes the soul of the surviving. He was eventually rehabilitated by the UNICEF, but the plight of several other Beahs around the world still trapped in wars sends an uneasy, chilling feeling down my spine. We all go through childhood only once, which happens to the most unadulterated and exciting part of our lives. Nothing that the Governments around the world and welfare agencies do will restore the childhood of thousands of children like Beah.Although many experts might not consider it as accurate history, I feel that Beah’s work portrays the rape of childhood innocence. Many of these critics are from developed countries that have had secure childhoods and have no idea whatsoever of being in the middle of a war zone. Beah mentions that he himself had no idea of the scope of horrendousness that war could bring, when people from nearby towns told him about it. Hence, it is naturally hard for a person who has just seen war on television to understand Beah’s situation in its entirety.Some critics question Beah’s integrity as they feel that is impossible for a grown-up to remember his past in great detail. However, I feel difficult and painful incidents in one’s life can leave behind a deep, lasting scar for life. Hence, it is my opinion that Beah could have very well remembered his dark past vividly, even if he had tried hard to forget it. I perceive Beah’s story as a tribute to many innocent children whose stories are seldom heard It is my opinion that it is extremely insensitive to disregard the tears of another human being, which goes to show the cynical nature of our lives tod ay.If we ourselves cannot have empathy for a child deeply tortured by war, we are not so different from the tyrants mentioned in Beah’s narrative. Moreover, no work of history can be completely accurate and does suffer from unconscious bias of the historian. Hence, I consider Beah’s book as a reasonably accurate time capsule that depicts the how war makes good people do bad things and also reminds us of the fact that ‘war has no winners’. Reference: Beah, I. (2007). A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Five Tips to Promote Yourself as a Newbie Freelance Writer

Five Tips to Promote Yourself as a Newbie Freelance Writer It can get hard to get off the ground while starting your freelance writing business. This is especially true if you have quit your day job and youre yet to get your first assignment. The pressure can be extremely agonizing. All you need to do is leave your worries aside and get down to business. Here are five ways you can promote yourself as a freelance writer and get a regular stream of work: Create a Portfolio   A portfolio would help you to showcase your work to your clients with a quick link. The first step to create one is to get published on some of the existing blogs or magazines as a guest author. Once you have a bunch of published articles and client work, (including websites, and newsletter content, etc.) you can make use of portfolio sites like Contently and Clippings.me to put up your published clippings. I created my portfolio on Contently before I quit my full-time job to get into freelance writing. Throw up a Website A website is a great way to promote yourself as a freelance writer. You can create a site on a free platform like Tumblr or WordPress. You can create one to help fellow writers or choose a specific niche. As a writer specializing in the content marketing niche, I created this website:  http://prolificcontentmarketing.club. I try publishing at least once every month to help get more readers and visibility. Sign Up on Medium Medium is a haven for writers. Its a place to create a blog and start writing just about anything you like. Youll find a host of publications where you can submit your work and present your writing to bigger groups. You can interact with fellow writers in popular publications like The Creative Cafe, The Writing Cooperative, Curiosity Never Killed the Writer and many more. Youll also find publications like Better Humans that pay writers up to $500 for accepted submissions. The Medium partner program is another great avenue to get paid while you publish on this vibrant platform. Promote Yourself on LinkedIn LinkedIn is an excellent place for professional networking and publishing. The platform helps you to connect with potential clients display your work and grab new assignments. You can publish articles and post updates to get visibility among connections. I often use the search feature to look for people and content related to terms like hiring writers or hiring B2B writers. I have often used the professional network to pitch and win new clients through direct messages. Write a Book   Another way to showcase your work as a writer is to self-publish a book. There are a host of options to publish your book for less ($200-$300) and if you decide to publish online then its almost free. Your book would earn you a passive income and a favorable reputation. Most successful freelance writers have published books that either help fellow writers or a niche audience. Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer, Get Started and Get Going It can feel like a daunting task to market yourself as a freelance writer. But the initial effort will surely reap long-term benefits in terms of regular and well-paying clients. Author

Shogatsu - Japanese New Year

Shogatsu - Japanese New Year Although Shogatsu means January, it is celebrated for the first 3 days or the first week of January. These days are considered the most important holidays for the Japanese. One could equate it with the celebration of Christmas in the west. During this time, businesses and schools close for one to two weeks. It is also a time for people to return to their families, which leads to the inevitable backlog of travelers. The Japanese decorate their houses, but before the decorations start to be put up, a general house cleaning is done. The most common New Years decorations are pine and bamboo, sacred straw festoons, and oval-shaped rice cakes. On New Years eve, bells (joya no kane) are rung at the local temples to speed out the old year. The New Year is welcomed in by the eating of year-crossing noodles (toshikoshi-soba). Casual western style clothing is replaced with kimono on New Years day as people go for their first temple or shrine visit of the New Year (hatsumoude). At the temples, they pray for health and happiness in the coming year. The reading New Years cards (nengajou) and the giving of gifts (otoshidama) to young children are also a part of the New Year celebrations. Food, of course, is also a big part of Japanese New Years celebrations. Osechi-ryori are special dishes eaten on the first three days of the New Year. Grilled and vinegary dishes are served in multi-layered lacquered boxes (juubako). The dishes are designed to be pleasant to look at and keep for days so that the mother is free from having to cook for three days. There are some regional differences but the osechi dishes are basically the same nationwide. Each of the food types in the boxes represents a wish for the future. Sea Bream (tai) is auspicious (medetai). Herring roe (kazunoko) is the prosperity of ones descendants. Sea tangle roll (kobumaki) is Happiness (yorokobu). Related How to Say Happy New Year in Japanese

Incentive Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Incentive Plan - Research Paper Example Difficulties can serve to make the team members closer and more loyal to one another; group motivation – the driving force that pushes the group forward to accomplish goals; group recognition – acknowledging the group for accomplishing goals; and group cooperation – when the individual group members combine efforts to achieve a common goal (Shepard, 2010). An important aspect of the Humanistic Era is the theorists that worked to find mechanisms within the organization to engage and reward employees for their work in accomplishing organizational goals, leading compensation and incentive programs to become popular during that time. The employee incentive program has remained an important tool to drive employee performance to leverage organizational goals. The Employee Incentive Program is described in a summary and a PDF found on the Boeing website (Boeing, 2011a; Boeing, 2011b). The official Plan document is the final â€Å"controlling document† when a read er may be in doubt as to a reference (Boeing, 2011b, para. 1). Only plan participants are legally entitled to a copy of the plan document.

Hakim's Preference Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Hakim's Preference Theory - Essay Example She describes women into three groups of which only a minority is focused on having a professional career. She estimates that this minority stands somewhere between a tenth to the third of all the women in the workforce. A similar number of women are focused on their families and give preference to their children and their homes over their work (Jenkins, 2004). The remaining majority which could be anywhere from half the women in the workforce to 80% of women in the workforce try to adapt their work to their lives outside the office or they may try to work around their lives with their families. By splitting women into these three groups, Hakim also pointed out predictors for their employment patterns and they're marital as well as fertility rates. The results of the study she conducted to test her theory supported her ideas and she showed that the majority of women who focused on their work were employed on a full-time basis, had not married and had low rates in terms of fertility (Arndt, 2003). On the other hand, her research also showed that women who were focused on their homes and their families were more likely to be married with more than twice the number of children as compared to women who focused on their work. The numbers for fertility and marriage rates of women who adapted their professional careers to their family situation remained in the middle of work centered and family-centered women. With these ideas, Hakim dismisses years of feminist thought as myths (Jenkins, 2004). This has become the primary reason why Hakim’s Preference Theory has attracted so much attention because it is quite provocative.