Why School Environment Is Important

What are the New Hampshire state requirements for physical environment of schools? What are the federal requirements for the physical environment of schools? What are some of the best practices for schools about the physical environment? What resources or tools for schools are available on the physical environment? Whom do I contact for more information?The physical environment of school buildings and school grounds is a key factor in the overall health and safety of students, staff, and visitors. School buildings and grounds must be designed and maintained to be free of health and safety hazards, and to promote learning. Studies have shown that student achievement can be affected either positively or negatively by the school environment. Policies and protocols must be in place to ensure food protection, sanitation, safe water supply, healthy air quality, good lighting, safe playgrounds, violence prevention, and emergency response, among other issues that relate to the physical envir onment of schools.What are the New Hampshire state requirements for physical environment of schools? The State Fire Code under RSA 153:5 and the State Building Code under RSA 155 establish the basic requirements for the construction, operation, and maintenance of school buildings. A number of state agencies including the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Environmental Services, Department of Safety, Department of Labor, and others enforce numerous statutes and administrative rules that address topics such as: Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugsFood service. Hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead, mercury, radon, etc. Laboratories and shops. Pesticides. Playgrounds. Safe drinking water. Sanitation and housekeeping. School emergency response plans. Standards for school buildings. Traffic safety.WeaponsWhat are the federal requirements for the physical environment of schools? There are primarily two federal laws pertaining to the physical environment of schools: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) enforced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency There are other federal environmental and public health laws that apply to schools. For the most part these have state equivalents that are administered by the appropriate state agencies. One thing to be noted is that public schools in New Hampshire are not subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Workplace safety for public employees is administered by the NH Department of Labor. What are some of the best practices for schools about the physical environment? 1. Every school should have a health and safety committee comprised of administratorsclassroom teachers parents maintenance personnel school nurse industrial arts, studio art, and family and consumer science teachers laboratory science teachers food service personne l school resource officerThe committee should develop and ensure the implementation of plans for safe, healthy and well-maintained school buildings and grounds. The committee should be empowered to deal with on-going maintenance and repair issues, as well as on-going and emerging health or safety issues related to the physical environment of schools and school grounds. 2. Every school should practice emergency response drills for a variety of likely hazards and situations.Schools should implement programs to maintain good indoor air quality such as the EPA's Tools for Schools program. 4. School maintenance staff should practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and cleaning for  health also known as green cleaning. 5. Schools should use automated systems such as Healthy SEAT and/or a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to record and analyze maintenance issues and trends. This may be done at the district level. 6. Schools should establish procedures for managing chemic als used in science classes to include storage, reordering, and disposal.

Case Study – Dubai Police Department

| Communication Barriers in DUBAI Police Department| Case Study| | | | | Contents CASE STUDY3 Introduction5 Summary6 Key Issues Highlighted7 Key Issues Analysis8 Steps Taken to Resolve the Problem10 Benefits & Drawbacks10 Conclusion10 Recommendations11 References12 CASE STUDY: Communication Barriers in DUBAI Police Department Dubai Police Department is an integral part of the Dubai Police Force. Dubai Police Department was established on 1st June 1956. There are more than fifteen thousand employees working under the Dubai Police Force across Dubai City. The General Department of Administrative Affairs is one of the most appreciated and admired security establishments under the Dubai Police Department. The GDAA is a link between the Dubai Police Headquarters, General Departments, and Police Stations on one hand, and the Federal Ministers; Government Departments and the private sectors on the other hand. The Department offers legal consultations; preparation of statistical and cognitive studies, data collection and analysis, preparation of annual reports, and managing medical and travel services record of Dubai Police Force Employees. One day Mr. Kabir came to work and became furious when he was rebuked by his senior Mr. Abdul for the reason that the receptionist, Miss Ann who is responsible for the centralized communication in the department has miss communicated some information to Mr. Kabir. Mr. Abdul is the General of the GDAA (The General Department of Administrative Affairs) organization under the Dubai Police Department. Mr. Kabir is a 32 year old Deputy in The General Department of Administrative Affairs. He is responsible for supervising and managing all the activities in the department. Kabir tries his best to keep up with the administrative issues in the police department. The present communication system prevailing in the Department is the verbal communication system which takes over the phone. The message is conveyed from the receptionist to the receiver by telephone. If the receiver is not available to attend the calls, the receptionist is responsible for making a note of the information and surpassing the information to the concerned receiver of the calls. Kabir got frustrated and got notion to put in the modern digital system for effective communication across the department. He acquired all the officers’ acceptance for the program. The system was responsible for facilitating the services like electronic transfer of calls, calls recovery, messages recovery, auto answering options etc. Miss Ann was trained and made responsible to supervise and manage the efficient functioning of the digital communication system in the department. In the month – end meeting of the officers of the department, Ann declared that the efficiency of the department had increased due to the increase in accessibility of the information hub which was made possible with the help of the technological integration in the department. The personnel no longer felt the need to depend on the receptionist to access the information required. Moreover the communication between people also improved and the updates could be gathered faster. (Call Express Case Study) Introduction The public administration of any country or region is responsible for the effectiveness in the overall functioning of the governmental departments and agencies. Department of Police (About US) is designated so as to practice the laws and by making legitimized use of force. The Police Services are defined in a legal area of responsibility. The Dubai Police Department is a ell established and admired body within the public administration of the country and is chaired by the ruler – Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. Bearing this in mind, one of the key public administration departments pertains to the maintenance of law and order and ensuring implementation of the law in the region. The General Department of Administrative Affairs (Organi zational Chart) is a department under the Department of Police is responsible for the connection with the Police Headquarters and other Police High Authority Departments encompasses Federal Ministers, Government Departments, and other private sector bodies. The department carries different operational activities such as legal consultations, preparation of statistical studies, data collection and analysis, preparation of reports and other management and administrative tasks. The case pertains to The General Department of the Administrative Affairs of the Dubai Police Department and highlights the problems in the communication channels which existed in the department. The key issue was with the retrieval and access to the messages which had to be accessed through a receptionist. This study will aim at analyzing the issue and the outcome of this issue on the department. The case is focused on the existence of improper channels in the Department which was affecting the effectiveness of the department’s administration. Communication assumes utmost importance in this regard as live updates and information need to be conveyed to the various personnel involved in the department’s activities. Summary: The rationale of the case study is to exemplify the communication system in The General Department of Administrative Affairs of the Dubai Police Department. The case throws light up on the troubles faced by the officers owing to the old and traditional verbal communication system prevailing in the department. The information and messages flow is inappropriate disturbing the operational and administrative flow in the department. The verbal communication system is centralized, one receptionist looking after all the calls and messages flows to the respective receivers in the department. This made the Deputy to think for changing and implementing the new and contemporary digital system in the department. The installation of this digital system ensures the effective and efficient communication by conquering the problems and challenges arising with the Department of Police, Dubai. The new program of communication system resulted in the operational effectiveness along with the improvement in the operational efficiency. Besides, there were many other drawbacks that came into picture by the communication officer Ann, who was the former receptionist in the police department during the review of the communication system, was done by the office associates under the supervision of Mr. Abdul, the General of the department. In the next part of the case study analysis of the Dubai Police Department, the key points will be highlighted together with the examination of its consequences and the action steps taken by the company to conquer the problems. Key Issues Highlighted: This case is focused upon the key issues related to the communication channel existing in the department with respect to the retrieval of information available with the receptionist and dependency on the receptionist for accessing the information that is present with her. The issues pertain to the information which is collected by the receptionist. This information is provided by the people and could either be a complaint or a call for help or intimation about any emergency situations. It could also include personal calls or messages for the people in the department. This information could be accessed only when the receptionist was present and the conveyance of the information over the telephone line meant that the line was kept busy and this was responsible for the callers to deter from providing information which could prove useful for the department. Moreover the personnel often wanted to access the information after their duty hours were over, but this was not made possible as the absence of the receptionist meant that data could not be retrieved until such time till the receptionist returned. These issues pertaining to communication within the department are highlighted in this case study – * Communication channel which existed in the department. * Various flaws associated in the existing communication channel. * Effect of the inefficient communication channel on the administration of the department. Identifying the reasons for the problems which are evident in the communication channel. Key Issues Analysis: 1. Communication Channel – The Communication Channel prevailing in The General Department of Administrative Affairs of the Department of Police is the combination of â€Å"verbal† and â€Å"non verbal† communication system. The communication system is the system which includes the interaction bet ween the people. The communication is established between the sender and the receiver by making use of the sound and language to convey the message to the receiver. The communication is used to express the ideas, desires, concepts and requirements. The verbal communication is therefore significant for the exchange of expressions and gestures between two or more persons. The verbal communication system is an old and traditional system for communication in public administrative organization where one single receptionist is responsible for the transferring of calls and messages along with the retrieval of information. The system is not spirited enough to cope up with the demands of the modern scenario of the public administrations, especially the Police Department where the number of workforce is increasing day by day, thus resulting in the increase of the administration activities. Today, the communication systems widespread in the administrations are faster and easier and are modern and technical systems mostly referred as the non verbal communication system. (Hanes, 2010) 2. Failure of the Communication System – There are various flaws associated with the current communication system or channel prevailing in the department resulting in the failure of the system and giving birth to number of problems in the department when the messages and calls are transferred from the receptionist to the concerned officer in the department. They are – * Misunderstandings. Different Perceptions of the People * Ineffective Communication Techniques * Language Barriers * Subjective Opinions of the Persons (Hanes, Problems in Communication , 2010) 3. Effect of the Communication System – The communication system prevailing in The General Department of Administrative Affairs fails to clinch the success as the system or the channel is centralized and outmoded. T he communication system moves around one single receptionist who is responsible to transfer the calls and messages to the officers in their respective departments. She was also made responsible to retrieve the messages in the absence of any receiver. This is an old and slow process of communication giving room for number of mistakes. This resulted in the miscommunication of the data and information and therefore resulting in the misappropriation of tasks and responsibilities. At times, this fallout in the scolding and admonishments to the officers from the Deputy General of the department. 4. Reasons for the flaws in Communication Channel – There can be many reasons that affect the communication system in the organization. With reference to the case study of the public administration’s Dubai Police Department, there is a centralized communication system. The department makes use of both the verbal as well as the non verbal communication system. They made use of the internet, fax machines, printers, telephones, e-mails as the mode of communication in the department. The working of the centralized communication system revolves around the receptionist of the department who is made responsible for the transfer of calls, messages to the receiver. This is the major fault in the department. Depending on a single receptionist for carrying out the communication system will undoubtedly give room for the mistakes and human errors. The errors and defects would have generated in the communication system certainly. Steps Taken to Resolve the Problem The Deputy of The General Department of Administrative Affairs came to the action plan to resolve the problem of communication system or channel in the department. The Deputy had taken step of installing the new and contemporary digital system for communication in the department. The step was taken by the Deputy as the Department was grappling around the problems of communication. The new digital system was installed in the department with the aim to eradicate all the problems associated with the prevailing communication channel. The receptionist was made the communication officer of the department and was assigned the responsibility of managing the new communication system. The communication officer who was the former receptionist of the department was also accountable to the higher uthorities to provide them the feedback of the new system by keeping the review on the system. The new system installed ensured the faster and effective communication across the department of the administrative affairs under the police department of Dubai. Benefits & Drawbacks Eventually, the new digital system was installed in the department. This resulted in the eradication of the problems due to the different benefits associated with it and they are – (a) New and modern system (b) Communication is possible in a large workforce c) Easy to use (d) Fast and prompt to use (e) Offers indifferent unique add on. Besides this, there are also some drawbacks associated with the Digital System and that pertains to the Information Richness which is passed between the receiver and the sender or any and they are as follows – (a) Lengthy Conversations are difficult with the new system. (b) The Particulars of the messages are missed. (c) Lot of Repetitions is required. (d) Less influential and cannot be used everywhere in all the functions of the department. e) Not everybody in the organization prefers to communicate via digital system of communication. (f) Cannot create impression upon the people or the listeners involved in the communication. Conclusion This case study helped to highlight and evaluate an important administrative tool, i. e. communication. Communication is a crucial aspect of public administration and the evaluation of the case of the Dub ai Police Department in its Department of Administrative Affairs and proved useful in the examination of this aspect of administration and its implications in real time scenarios. The discussions in the case study has proved that how much a proper and systematic communication channel is required in any of the organization to perform various functions in the department. The Case had also focused upon how much is the operational effectiveness of any organization is affecting due to the improper functioning of only one of the system in the organization. Indeed, the Case Study aimed to identify the significance of the proper and friendly communication channels entails in any of the public administration. Recommendations: With reference to the case study, I would like to give my personal recommendations for the improvement of the communication channels and programs in the organization. Several Steps can be taken by the Public Administration Authorities to improve the communication systems in the department. The Recommendations pertaining to the Department of Police are as follows – * An Organized System for Communication should be followed which should be completely formal system. This will provide a solution for the structural and operational problems with respect to the operational concerns. All the elements of the Communication mix should be properly managed during the implementation of the programs and systems. A certain problem is recognized which is referred as the Time Wasting Potential. This should be eradicated by making use of SOP Program used for the development of the overall communication systems and programs in the organization. (Kuhne, 2004) In addition to the above recommendatio ns, I would like to suggest the communication officer of the Dubai Police Department to switch to the upgraded versions of the digital systems of the communication system once the department gets used to it. This will ensure more upgraded and advanced services to carry out the communication services across the department. It provides unique services like – (a) VOIP telephone systems (b) Consultation of the Factory Certified Technicians (c) Loud Speaker Paging System (d) Remote Teleworker Set up (e) Relocation Services (f) Adds, moves and changes Other departments in the Public Administration of Dubai can also make use of such modes of systems of communication within their departments. References 1. About US. (n. d. . Retrieved November 1, 2011, from www. dubaipolice. gov. ae: http://www. dubaipolice. gov. ae/dp/jsps/content/flat-content. do? contentCode=69908 2. Call Express Case Study. (n. d. ). Retrieved November 1, 2011, from www. avst. com: http://www. avst. com/case_study/Dubai_Police_Promote_Community_Outreach_with_AVST_CallXpress .asp 3. Hanes, T. (2010). Problems in Communication . Retrieved November 1, 2011, from www. livestrong. com: http://www. livestrong. com/article/1 58524-problems-in-verbal-communication/ 4. Hanes, T. (2010). What is Verbal Communication. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from www. livestrong. com: http://www. livestrong. com/article/150573-what-is-verbal-communication/ 5. Kuhne, M. (2004). Communication Channels. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from www. ibisassoc. co. uk: www. ibisassoc. co. uk/articles/Article16. doc 6. Organizational Chart. (n. d. ). Retrieved November 1, 2011, from www. dubaipolice. gov. ae: http://www. dubaipolice. gov. ae/dp/jsps/content/flat-content. do? contentCode=orgn13

NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT PAYMENT PROCESS & GROWTH PowerPoint Presentation

NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORT PAYMENT PROCESS & GROWTH - PowerPoint Presentation Example The company has some set objectives, solutions to problems, and set alternatives to better its services to customers. The breakdown is as depicted in the presentation. Destination care aims at providing better quality services to customers to widen its market share and productivity. The need to set objectives and work to achieve them is a key undertaking of the company, aimed at improving the quality of services offered. Destination Care has a vast focus on the expansion of market share, through widening the customer base. The company is consistently generating new ideas to help improve their revenue streams, and simultaneously better their servicing, public image, and productivity. One of the ways of improving their market share is through the introduction of a variety of payment options. Destination Care has experienced a limiting factor, which is offering only two payment options, cash, and checks. It has hindered the growth of the organization since more and more customers opt for other payment methods, such as the electronic methods. Customers prefer much-simplified systems, such as the electronic means, which is much convenient as opposed to checks where one must await their processing. The company also aims to widen its market coverage through social media promotion. The company plans to better its market share through informing potential customers about their services and new systems. Through this methodology, the company will maximize its revenues, initiated by the wider market for services. Destination Care has a major focus on simplifying their systems and making them easier to use. It will help improve their productivity and better their public image. One of the set plans to achieve this is the introduction of various payment options, which will enable customers to pay their bills easily and conveniently. The current payment systems hinder growth of the organization, and they limit its productivity since some of

Report about Greece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Report about Greece - Essay Example This has been the state of affairs affecting Greece. This paper looks at the turnaround experienced by Greece through analysis of the country’s GDP growth and its economic performance of the region. The GDP of Greece since 2008 has been on the rocks according to statistics provided by the World Bank (2014). The nation has experienced a mere 0.46 percent growth since this time with a low of -2.80 percent in 2010 (Tradingecomomics, 2014). Based on this, it is clear that the nation is facing an economic crisis. Despite this there is, the nation is forecasted to do better as it is now picking up from the low it experienced as shown in the graph below. From the above, one can see that the GDP of the state has been taking a downward trend, but has picked up in the last few years. This can be attributed to the reforms placed in the employment sector. According to BBC’s Mark Lowen (2014), through the job cuts and firm restructures, the rate of unemployment has reached an all time high of 28 percent and contrasts the turnaround experienced by the nation in terms of economic growth. Before, at least 50,000 jobs a year were made available to the citizens of the nation and the economy was growing at 5 percent annually. After the crash, the inverse was experienced with the rate of growth plummeting and the unemployment rate increasing rapidly. In accordance with Herbert Grubel (2013), the problem resulted from the instability of prices. That is to say inflation caused by those in government. The problem began when wages were reduced, resulting in the leaders increasing the nominal wages in the public sector. The higher wager resulted in the printing of more money, increasing the deficit experienced by the nation. All this resulted in inflation in the region and led to the collapse of the Greece economy and thus the increased rate of unemployment and the fall in the growth of the GDP. According to N. Roubini (As cited by George Alogoskoufis, 2012),

The Fourteenth Amendment Analysis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Fourteenth Amendment Analysis - Article Example The police took notice of the car, and when they confronted her, she conceded of having cocaine. The issue under contention is whether the anonymous tip amounted to reasonable suspicion. The court was of the opinion that such an act amounts to reasonable suspicion (Engdahl, 2009). The court was of the opinion that the basis of knowledge, reliability, and veracity are the main basis amounting to the definition of reasonable suspicion. The anonymous caller satisfied all these conditions. The stop and Frisk search occurs when a police officer encounters a suspicious person, and to prevent an occurrence of crime, they conduct a frisk search (Engdahl, 2009). A stop amounts to temporary interference with the liberty of an individual. The police can implement this concept, only when they have grounds to be reasonably suspicious of a person. Probable cause is a higher of the belief that is supported by facts and can satisfy the threshold of prosecuting a person to a court of law (Engdahl, 2009). This concept is mostly used when a law enforcement agent applies for a search and an arrest warrant. The agent must prove a probable the existence of a probable cause. The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches, and entry, but gives an exemption when there exists a probable cause to conduct the search. A valid arrest warrant must show probable cause. The Supreme Court in Carol vs. US, 1971 was of the opinion that information under the police custody providing a valid ground to believe that a crime is about to take place is an element of a probable cause (Engdahl, 2009). The warrant must describe the place and person to be searched. Warrants must provide details of the person under investigation, and the place under suspicion. The address of the place and a vivid description of the suspected person is essential for purposes of the person from the crowd. The magistrate who issues the arrest warrant must be impartial. The magistrate must not be a member of the executive branch, as this contravenes this law.

What is the Divine Command Theory and How Might Socrates' Dilemma Be Essay

What is the Divine Command Theory and How Might Socrates' Dilemma Be Supposes to Undermine it - Essay Example In his dilemma, Socrates asks the following questions: Are God’s orders morally superior because they are ethically acceptable? On the other hand, are they ethically righteous because God commands them? It is in response to this question that the DCT comes across intricacy. A supporter of the divine command theory might assert that an act is ethically correct because God orders its existence. Conversely, the inference of this response is that if God commanded something different from what is the norm, doing so would be morally correct. Human beings would be required to act so because God ordered its occurrence. The setback to this response to Socrates’ question, then, is that God’s orders – the fundamentals of morality – result in becoming illogical, which then call for ethically reprehensible actions to become ethically obligatory. Socrates’ assertions, hence, eliminate the rational validity of God being obedient. In addition, the fact that God orders something because it is right and is palpable to Him in His infinite wisdom, evades the arbitrariness of the preceding alternative but introduces a new problem which brings us back to the start. If God commands something because it is right, accepting an argument that has deserted a religious concept of right and wrong is morally acceptable. All these propositions will lead an advocate of the divine command theory into an ethically uncomfortable field. Furthermore, delving into the ED, one could argue that it is a false dichotomy since mean and evil are not independent of each other. God’s ethical commands, then, would be ethically acceptable because God is the objective moral remedy by which everything is measured. Hence, he cannot do an arbitrary act. To clarify, God may even decide that...This view is one that binds morals and religion as one. This often provides a comfort zone for most people as it presents a solution to darned arguments on moral relativism and the detachment of ethics. This theory also asserts that morality is somehow reliant upon God and that moral accountability consists in deference to God’s commands. The clear content of these divine commands differs according to the religion and the precise views of an individual divine command theorist; all versions of the theory hold in common the claim that morality and ethical obligation depends on God in the end. The issue of the probable links between religion and morals is of interest to ethical theorists, as well as those of religion, but it also guides us to regard the function of beliefs in humanity and the nature of moral consideration. Given this, the arguments presented for and against DCT have both hypothetical and realistic significance. This paper starts by vividly defining DCT, looking into Socrates’ refutations of the theory, while also explaining how his dilemma might undermine the DCT and how the theory is still salvageable in spite of Socrates†™ critique. We finally end this with a clear conclusion that gives a summary of the discussion. Some of the renowned religious thinkers such as St. Thomas Aquinas discarded the divine command theory because of the mere rational dilemmas presented here.

Admission to MBA Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Admission to MBA Program - Essay Example This is important in my opinion because the workplace has changed in the last several years and it is more diverse. This calls for people who can understand each others differences while acknowledging that they must come together in order to complete a project. This is one of the places that active listening comes in because each part of the team must listen to the others in order to move foreword with a project. I believe that another strength is compassion that gives me the ability to look understand the needs of people and help them achieve their goals. When I think of weaknesses, my major weakness is that I am a perfectionist. Although many people may think this is a strength, for me it has a tendency to slow me down. As an example, when I work on a project independently I want to make sure that everything is the way I want when it is done. Because of this, I have often taken more time on a project that necessary. I am working to change some of my habits in this area so that I can move through projects faster and easier. The personal qualities I have include enthusiasm, charisma, empathy, keen observation, I am easy going and personable. I find these qualities becoming more important as I grow older and I understand the world of work better. I believe that these qualities also help me when I am working with teams or individuals. The characteristic I would like to develop is public speaking. I am nervous when I stand in front of a group for a presentation because I tend to be more introverted than extroverted. I would like to become more comfortable in front of groups. Finally, my main professional goal is to have an executive position with a Fortune 500 company. I feel that an MBA will put me into a position to find a company that will fit my talents and abilities. I feel that today, many companies are in need of qualified candidates and the MBA will be one way for me to realize my

VOLUME AND REVENUE PROJECT Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

VOLUME AND REVENUE PROJECT - Research Paper Example The costs are divided into fixed and variable costs. The marginal costs or the contribution is calculated by subtracting the variable costs from total revenues per unit. Medical spending with regards to private insurance spending is expected to grow in the year 2014 by an estimated 9.4% (National Health Expenditure Projections 2010-2020). Spending by the government is also expected to grow in Medicare and Medicaid by 6.2 and 300 percent respectively (National Health Expenditure Projections 2010-2020). Based on this estimated for the hospital to be profitable it either has to increase the volume of patients and or increase the revenue received per procedure. conservative figure for the projected revenue of $ 15,694,583, this is by using increments in number of procedures and cost per procedure to reflect the change estimates. The total expenses are estimated to be at $ 3,134,381 Looking at the expenses it could be noted that the physician contract services had a variance of -27.8% which affected the general result of the hospital. Other areas that should be focused on are the salaries and telephone costs. The hospital could consider employing more staff for its operations. National Health Expenditure Projections 2010-2020. 20 October 2013

Chanels Exhibition Compared to Vermibus Essay Example for Free

Chanels Exhibition Compared to Vermibus Essay Two exhibitions, both held during October 2012, will form the bases of this comparative essay. Chanel’s fashion photography exhibition entitled ‘The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited’ held at the Saatchi Gallery 12th October 4th November 2012, and Vermibus’ display of appropriated adverts called ‘Unmasking Kate’ shown at the Moniker Arts Fair 11th -14th October 2012 will be used to explore the links each exhibition has to the themes of advertising and celebrity. ‘The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited’ is a celebration of the ‘timelessness’ (Saatchi, 2012) that is the Chanel jacket first introduced in 1953 (Armstrong, 2012), which Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director for Chanel, has revamped for the twenty-first century. ‘The Chanel jacket is a man’s jacket which has become a typical feminine piece’ (Lagerfeld cited Making of- The Video, 2012), co-writer and photographer for the exhibition Lagerfeld, articulates the versatility of the garment, which is a key theme expressed throughout the show. The exhibition consists of 113 photographs of celebrities modelling (Saatchi, 2012) the jacket to which the entire exhibition is a tribute to (Saatchi, 2012). In contention with the notion of product and brand celebration the Spanish-born artist Vermibus presented his ‘Unmasking Kate’ series at the Moniker Arts Fair, †¦now in its third year, the fair†¦[of] contemporary artists with urban roots†¦[is] an assembly united by a desire to rebel’ (Spence, 2012). Amongst the rebels is street artist and ex-branding photographer turned contemporary artist (lamono, 2012), Vermibus. The principle of his work is the appropriation of designer advertising posters found publically, as a statement against the image of our materialistic consumer driven society (Finucane, 2012). The title of Vermibus’ current series ‘Unmasking Kate’ refers to both his method of appropriating the posters and to his subject, namely the model Kate Moss. Vermibus argues that he uses Moss’s image ‘†¦because she has been the flagship of fashion for the last 20 years’ (Lamono, 2012) and is therefore an easily recognizable icon of modern fashion and consumer society Kate Moss had to construct thousands of masks to hide her fears [she] internalized those masks from the beginning and we bought them all†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(Lamono, 2012) Vermibus reveals his ideas about masks fueled by the advertising industry. He further uses Moss’ image to show, simultaneously, the vulnerability of the human subject and the medias exploitation of the notion of celebrity. This theme parallels the way Andy Warhol used Marilyn Monroe’s image after her death (Modern Masters: Andy Warhol, 2010). Likewise, the Chanel exhibition echoes some Warhol themes, yet using the celebrity image to celebration its brand and product originally from the 1950’s (Modern Masters: Andy Warhol, 2010). The exhibitions work on Warhol themes differently either to criticize or celebrate advertising and product branding (Modern Masters: Andy Warhol, 2010). The title of the exhibition ‘The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s classic revisited’ uses a play on the now clichà ©d notion of ‘the little black dress’ this seemingly playful reference to an item that Coco Chanel arguably made ubiquitous in 1926 (Fritz, 2012) as ‘a uniform for all women of taste’ (Crystal, 2007) carries the suggestion that the redesigning of the Chanel jacket has caused the garment to become as revolutionary and versatile as the little black dress and thus deserves the same universal appeal and fashionable credibility. This is further reflected in the exhibition’s promotional use of words such as ‘classic’ (Armstrong, 2012), ‘iconic’ (Saatchi, 2012) and ‘timeless’ (The Exhibition Opening The Film, 2012), phrases often made in reference to the little black dress, conveying the item as an essential part of both a man and woman’s collection, in this way almost surpassing t he success of the little black dress. Despite their difference, the most prominent connection between both exhibitions is the use of fashion photography. While Vermibus appropriates already publish photographic based adverts, Lagerfeld endeavours to create a series of fashion photographs, seemingly ready for an advertising campaigns (fig:1) sans the alluring taglines and buyer information. However, perhaps text is not necessary in conveying advertising messages: ‘As advertising has become so subject to the influence of photography that in some cases it is nothing other than fashion photography in its pure form.’ (Zahm, 2003 p.267) Lagerfeld’s photography could, therefore, be read as adverts for the Chanel jacket. This is illustrated in the use of a shallow depth of field added to the blank studio backdrop, uniform in all of Lagerfeld’s shots and reminiscent of many advertising campaigns. The technique seems to encourage the viewer to read the model as the main focus of the shot. The positioning of the models, strictly following the rule of thirds in all displayed images, seems actively styled to further accentuate the Chanel jacket as it is after all the subject of the photographic exhibition and perhaps the product to be endorsed. Looking at the images from this angle makes the work seems more sinister; putting the gallery viewer in the position of a consumer. Vermibus’ acquired advertising posters are often comparable in style and content to those featured in the Chanel exhibition. The Vermibus technique involves the systematic removal of layers of gloss and colour from the face of the models (fig:2) using solvents such as white spirit ‘in a unique painting counter-action’ (Open Walls Gallery, 2012) creating gestural, painterly brush marks reminiscent of Lucian Freud ‘s ‘naked’ series (fig:3). This method of working directly on to the photographic image creates an interesting juxtaposition between the flat, glossy, original photographic elements left untouched in the clothe and hair of the advert compared to the textured, painterly brush marks and colours crated by the solvents application on the glossy flesh of the models image (Finucane, 2012). This all helps to convert the adverts ‘flawless and sanitized icons†¦into harrowing and contorted figures evocative of ‘Francis Bacon’s seminal works’ (Finucane, 2012) (fig:4). Through this treatment Vermibus is trying to uncover the essence of the figures by ‘dehumanizes those figures †¦ trying to find the aura of the individual, the personality that was lost†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(Moniker Art Fair, 2012) in the world of advertisement, which seems in direct contention with the image and brand driven concept of the Chanel exhibition. Nonetheless, a form of distortion is also evident in the instillation part of the Chanel exhibition (fig:5), large glass etched version of selected prints create intertextual connections to the work of pop artist Roy Lichtenstein (fig:6) namely in the use of the pixelated bendy dots and primary colours. Through pixelating the benday dots Lagerfeld seems to marry a nostalgic past of image reproduction with modern-day digital innovations. This mirrors the merging of past and present in fashion exhibition. The link to Pop Art is further contextualised as the original Chanel jacket would have debuted around the time that the pop art movement was emerging (Gersh-Nesic, 2012). Unlike many Pop artists and Lagerfeld’s work, Vermibus eradicates branding from his work. Then returns the adverts to their original places in the advertising shelters as ‘gifts for the passers-by’ (Moniker Art Fair, 2012 p.19). As he stats that private companies have taken over these spaces and what I want to do is return them to the public (Lamono, 2012). Chanel’s exhibition in this way also stands in contrast to the notion that a luxury brand ‘buys its way into our public spaces [and it] must be passively accepted as a one-way information flow. (Klein, 2002). This is an argument held and expressed within the work of Vermibus. Instead of following this traditional model of advertising which relies heavily and spend vast amounts of money on limited single-way communication advertising (Jackson, 2009), Chanel arguably used a credible gallery to advertise under the guise of culture enrichment; a ‘more interactive, experiential and customised communication’ (Jackson, 2009, p. 273). However, Anderson (2000) argues that shows like this ‘illustrates [the] approaches taken by those in the commercial sphere, who are completely unfettered by museological traditions’ (Anderson, 2000, p.386). However, the Saatchi gallery; was set up by Charles Saatchi like many ‘high net worth individuals who operate their collections like museums for the public’ (picassomio.com) thus needs not to uphold traditions of the museum and is not duty bound to provide advertisement-free exhibitions. This may seem like devious undercover advertising however visitors will construct their own coherence.which may or may not comply with that of the curator'(Hooper-Greenhill, 2000, p.7) thus the advertising undertones of the exhibition may be passively accepted or rejected by viewers. In this way Chanel opens the flow of communication, although, arguably ‘even the best fashion photography is still an industry in service of industry’ (Zahm, 2003, p.265). Therefore, in blurring the lines between free cultural experiences and marketing gimmicks Chanel is clearly attempting to increase their revenue, as Lagerfeld affirms ‘I am not a commercial person †¦ but the final complement is†¦when you buy [the product]’ (The World of Karl Lagerfeld, c.2010). The fact that Lagerfeld’s creative and corporate elements merge in the exhibition is sinisterly convenient ‘†¦it is undeniable that the motivations of designers to co-operate with curators in having their work displayed in museums are largely about prestige, self-promotion and profit’ (Anderson, 2000, p. 375) marring the impression of such exhibitions as nothing more than an oblique advertising campaign. The ‘anti-publicist’ (Lamono, 2012) Vermibus’ illustrates his distain for the advertising industry which Lagerfelds work seems to represent, the brands goal is to remove the model’s identity†¦the model is not a person any more but an image whose only value is for selling (Finucane, J. 2012). Vermibus’ ideas are reminiscent of the Situationist International’s concepts of the spectacle (Debord, 1957-61) equally, Vermibus’ appropriated posters carry strong connections to their notion of detournement ‘reusing preexisting†¦elements in a new ensemble’ (Debord, 1957-61). Thus Vermibus’ symbolic use of white sprit on adverts, can act as an allegory for reestablishing identity from the spectacle. This notion of brands taking over ones identity is also suggested in the Chanel exhibition video ‘†¦and with each person’s personality the jacket lives through them †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Chloe Moretz cited in ‘The Exhibition Opening -The Film’ 2012) presenting the consumer product as a sort of symbiotic parasite using and replacing the identity of the wearer. This relates further to Williamson’s (1995) argument that ‘people are made to identify themselves with what they consume’ (Williamsons 1995 p.13). People become use brands and styles to project their identity through non-verbal communication thus: ‘Advertisements are selling us something else besides consumer goods†¦in providing us with a structure in which we and those goods are interchangeable, they are selling us ourselves.’ (Williamson, 1995 p13) This would explain why so many of the videos produced by Chanel surrounding the Black Jacket exhibition continuously stress the versatility of the jacket ‘†¦ You can do a lot with it†¦it suits everyone’ (Carine Roitfeld cited in Making of The Video, 2012) conveying almost subliminally that people need to have this item that can fit their already established style; ‘the bohemian look, the Victorian look, the more kinda [sic] fun Kate Moss look†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Chloe Moretz cited in The Exhibition opening -the film’ 2012) further promoting its value and illustrating the ‘cannibalistic’ nature of fashion (Zahm, 2003 p. 266), which feed into the spectacle (Debord,1957-61) by assimilating and reproducing the same items and feeling of desire within society. The Chanel exhibitions use of celebrity images differs to that a Vermibus, as it seems to reflect the wider marketing idea that using celebrity endorsements is a ‘strong marketing plus†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Jackson, 2009 p191). Along side the photographers the behind the scenes film presents testimonials from celebrities ‘I consider it [the Chanel jacket] a prized possession. I feel very lucky’ (Sarah Jessica Parker cited in Making of- The Video, 2012) enticing the viewer to desire the item. Atkin (2010) contend that this is because humans are prehistorically ‘hardwired’ to want to glean information about how to become successful survivors by watching and copying the most successful in our society, i.e. the celebrities (Star Suckers, 2010). advertisers like Chanel are manipulating this evolutionary flaw to give ‘[a] product which initially has no meaning †¦.value by a person†¦who has a value to us†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Williamson, 1995, p.31). In contrast, celebrities are utilized by Vermibus to liberate the human being from the celebrity ‘mask’ evoking sympathy from the audience however, it is not clear how much the celebrity image entices the viewer’s prehistoric urge and interest in Vermibus’ work. In conclusion the two exhibitions on the surface have very different and opposing motivations. However, on inspection both deal with similar themes of fashion photography, advertising and celebrity in different ways. Although it falls beyond the scope of this essay compare every element of the exhibitions it has attempted to demonstrate that Lagerfeld’s approach has strong advertising undertone, while Vermibus’ work is anti-publicist in nature. Therefore, despite displaying work at arts fair, with the purpose of promoting and selling his work, the artist maintains his anti-establishment ethos ‘Being at [an art fair] is another way to attack from within (Lamono, 2012) which conveys the fundamental difference between the two exhibitions; they both exploit the image of celebrities to draw attention to their work but while Vermibus’ ideology remains paramount it would seem that for Lagerfeld the financial gain is the principal purpose of the exhibition. References: Anderson, F (2000) ‘Museum as Fashion Media’, in Bruzzi, S. and Gibson, C. (eds.) Fashion Cultures: Theories, Exploration and Analysis. London : Routledge pp. 371-389. Armstrong, L. (2012) ‘Chanels Little Black Jacket: How Chanel split the fashion atom’, Telegraph [Online] Available at: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9602510/Chanels-Little-Black-Jacket-How-Chanel-split-the-fashion-atom.html (Accessed 3/12/2012 Crystal, (2007) Little Black Dress Quotes. Available at: http://no-white-marks.blogspot.com/2007/10/little-black-dress-quotes.html (Accessed: 3/12/2012) Debord, G. (1957-61) ‘Writings from the Situationist International’ in Harrison,C and Wood, P.J. (eds.) (2002) Art Theory 1900-2000. Oxford:Blackwell. pp.701-707 Finucane, J. (2012) New art New Ideas London: Moniker Arts Fair Fritz, M. (2012) A Short History of the Little Black Dress. [Online]. Available at: http://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/clothing/dresses-skirts/little-black-dress-00000000046948/index.html (Accessed: 29/11/12) Gersh-Nesic, B. (2012) About.com. Available at: http://arthistory.about.com/od/modernarthistory/a/Pop-Art-Art-History-101-Basics.htm (Accessed: 08/11/12) Hooper-Greenhill, E (2000) Museums and Interpretation of Visual Culture London: Routledge Jackson, T. and Shaw, D. (2009), Fashion Marketing Hampshire: Palgrave Klein, N. (2002) No Logos. New York:Picador Lamono (2012) Vermibus, Attack From Within [Online]. Available at: http://lamonomagazine.com/hunter/vermibus-ataque-desde-dentro/ (Accessed 28/11/2012) Making of the video,’ 2012, by Chanel [online] available at: http://thelittleblackjacket.chanel.com/en_GB/makingof (Accessed 16/11/12) Modern Masters: Andy Warhol Documentary Artist, (2010) by Alastair Sooke, UK [Online] available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWU7I6fGpMIfeature=sharelist=LLU15G_d3N4Dd14H85X-eCCg (Accessed: 08/11/12) Moniker Art Fair, (2012) Moniker Art Fair About. [Online] Available at: http://www.monikerartfair.com/2012/ (Accessed: 18/10/12) Open Walls Gallery (2012) Vermibus [Online] Available at: http://www.openwallsgallery.com/artist/vermibus (Accessed 15/11/12) Picassomio, General Art Articles[online]. Available at: http://www.picassomio.com/art-articles/what-is-the-difference-between-a-museum-and-a-gallery.html (Accessed: 28/11/12) Saatchi gallery (2012) The Little Black Jacket. [Online] Available at: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/current/the_little_black_jacket.php (Accessed: 15/11/12) Spence, R. (2012) ‘Go forth and multiply’, The Financial Times [Online] Avalible at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/0a062f4c-1486-11e2-8cf2-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2EEPdaatD (Accessed: 14/11/12) Star Suckers, (2010) by Chris Atkins UK [DVD] The Exhibition Opening The Film, (2012) by Chanel [Online] Available at: http://thelittleblackjacket.chanel.com/en_GB/exhibition/london (Accessed: 16/11/12) The World of Karl Lagerfeld, (c. 2010) by Anjali Rao China [Online] Avalible at: http://youtu.be/m0ljhBgy0Hc (Accessed 20/11/12) Williamsons, J (1995) Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising. London: Marion Boyars Zahm, O. (2003) ‘On the Marked Change in Fashion Photography’, in Welters, L. and Lillethon, A. (eds.) (2007) The Fashion Reader. Oxford: Berg, pp. 263-269.

Inferences for One Population Standard Deviation Essay Example for Free

Inferences for One Population Standard Deviation Essay The Standard deviation is a measure of the variation (or spread) of a data set. For a variable x, the standard deviation of all possible observations for the entire population is called the population standard deviation or standard deviation of the variable x. It is denoted ÏÆ'x or, when no confusion will arise, simply ÏÆ'. Suppose that we want to obtain information about a population standard deviation. If the population is small, we can often determine ÏÆ' exactly by first taking a census and then computing ÏÆ' from the population data. However, if the population is large, which is usually the case, a census is generally not feasible, and we must use inferential methods to obtain the required information about ÏÆ'. In this section, we describe how to perform hypothesis tests and construct confidence intervals for the standard deviation of a normally distributed variable. Such inferences are based on a distribution called the chi-square distribution. Chi is a Greek letter whose lowercase form is χ. A variable has a chi-square distribution if its distribution has the shape of a special type of right-skewed curve, called a chi-square (χ2) curve. Actually, there are infinitely many chi-square distributions, and we identify the chi-square distribution (and χ2-curve) in question by its number of degrees of freedom. Basic Properties of χ2-Curves are: Property 1: The total area under a χ2-curve equals 1. Property 2: A χ2-curve starts at 0 on the horizontal axis and extends indefinitely to the right, approaching, but never touching, the horizontal axis as it does so. Property 3: A χ2-curve is right skewed. Property 4: As the number of degrees of freedom becomes larger, χ2- curves look increasingly like normal curves. Percentages (and probabilities) for a variable having a chi-square distribution are equal to areas under its associated χ2-curve. The one-standard-deviation χ2-test is also known as the χ2-test for one population standard deviation. This test is often formulated in terms of variance instead of standard deviation. Unlike the z-tests and t-tests for one and two population means, the one-standard deviation χ2-test is not robust to moderate violations of the normality assumption. In fact, it is so non robust that many statisticians advice against its use unless there is considerable evidence that the variable under consideration is normally distributed or very nearly so. The non-parametric procedures, which do not require normality, have been developed to perform inferences for a population standard deviation. If you have doubts about the normality of the variable under consideration, you can often use one of those procedures to perform a hypothesis test or find a confidence interval for a population standard deviation. The one-standard-deviation χ2-interval procedure is also known as the χ2-interval procedure for one population standard deviation. This confidence-interval procedure is often formulated in terms of variance instead of standard deviation. Reference: http://classof1.com/homework-help/statistics-homework-help View as multi-pages

Mass Tourism And Damage in Tourism

Mass Tourism And Damage in Tourism Chichen Itza is a famous tourism and archaeological site in Mexico. It is situated in the Yucatan Peninsula state of Mexico. Chichen Itza was built by the Mayas, one of the oldest existing habitations of Mexico and the world. The site was also known Uucyabnal, which means Seven Great Rulers (Henderson,1997). It is located at approximately 25 miles southeast of the city of Merida. It is also known as one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. In year of 1988, it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Since 2007, when Chichen-Itzas El Castillo (Kukulkan Pyramid) was named in the list as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World after a worldwide vote, the number of visiting tourists increased by 75 per cent. Now the Mexican tourism board is expecting to double this tourist number by 2012. Almost 2.5 million tourists visited Chichen ltza in 2009 (Mexico tourism statistics, 2010). The pyramid of Kukulkan, the Feathered Serpent God (also known as Quetzalcoatl to the Toltecs and Aztecs) is the largest and most important ruin structure at Chichen Itza. The old Spaniards (Mexico was ruled by Spain in past) called it El Castillo, which means the Castle. However, the pyramid does not look like a castle and in old times it was used for religious and astronomical purposes. This legendary ninety-foot tall pyramid was built during the 11th to 13th centuries. The basic structure is based upon the previous pyramid (Barkin, 2000). The architecture of the pyramid shows some specific information about the old Mayan calendar, it is directly linked to the solstices and equinoxes. According to equinoxes two times a year there is an illusion of a snake, which is created by the sun, the pyramid has a set of 91 steps each side, which when linked together with the shared step of the stage at the top, total 365 steps which is indicative of the number of days in a year. The core ball court was the biggest ball court of those times, the size of the ball court is 166 x 68 meters and the sides are lined with sculptures of ball players (similar to the game of basketball). El Caracole (the central pyramid), or the Snail, is a round building with a twisting staircase that served as an observatory. The pyramid contained various instruments to help determine important dates and details in the Mayan calendar. Particularly, the equinox and the solstice were important in view of astronomy. An interesting and famous fact by the Mayan calendar is December 21, 2012 as this is the last day of the earth which is also depicted as doomsday (Tencati, 2007). This site is open almost every day of the year during the hours of 8 am to 5 pm. There is a light and sound show performed at 7 pm every day to attract tourists. Research says, this light and sound show is very harmful for Chichen Itza in view of sustainability. Management issues at the site 1. Mass Tourism and Damage 1.1 Current and Future of Mass Tourism Since the late 1930s tourism has grown worldwide. Due to the fact that after World War II western people were crucial in introducing free time and leisure activities to the working class, consequently there is more spending money for holidays (Judd Fainstein, 1999). This phenomenon has been the major cause in the increasing volume of tourism in Mexico. In the book Archaeological Tourism Walker (2009) refers to four Hs of cultural or indigenous tourism: habitat, history, handicrafts and heritage researched by Valene Smith (1996): habitat means the geographic setting and underlying platform for the visit. History implies post-contact relations between Westerners and aboriginal groups. Handicrafts often are created for souvenirs and made from local goods, which are relative to the market demands of tourism. Lastly, heritage refers to the body of knowledge and skills associated with human survival in terms of individual values and beliefs. In this case, the tourism interaction of Chichà ƒ ©n Itzà ¡ offered all of these elements and more. Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ and its dominating features have become the symbol of Mexico for example; the pyramids of Kukulcà ¡n and El Catillo. The achievements of the Mayan Riviera in astronomy are also widely known in the cycles of the heavens namely in the Maya calendar. As a result, there is an influx of visitors to Mexico who are timing their travels, to coincide with astronomical phenomena. Furthermore during the spring and fall equinoxes, the pyramid presents a graphic depiction of darkness and light, symbolizing day and night. The sun of the late afternoon creates the illusion of a snake creeping slowly down the northern staircase (The University of North Carolina, 2011), large crowds of visitors come to the site to view this spectacle. Juan Jose Martà ­ Pacheco, a secretary for the Tourist Promotion of Yucatan has identified the number of visitors to Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ has increased by 75 percent since being named a wonder of the world (New 7 Wonders, 2010). In addition the number of tourists expected to visit Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ will double by 2012 (Lyn M, 2008). In response to this influx of tourists for the near future, the World Heritage Alliance (an international organization which is responsible for supporting World Heritage conservation, sustainable tourism and local economic development for communities in and around UNESCO World Heritage sites). Is working with the Secretary of Tourism for Mexico and the Mexican Tourism Board, along with the founding partners of the World Heritage Alliance, Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) and the United Nations Foundation, have extended more partnership to promote and preserve World Heritage sites especially Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ through 2012 (Consejo de Promocià ³n Turà ­stica de Mà ©xico, 2007). 1.2 Carrying Capacity Management The impact of over tourism is also related to the natural resources in Chichà ©n Itzà ¡. Many archaeologists are concerned about the public consequences of their research and restoration in heritage sites and are making important efforts to provide archaeologically and environmentally responsible, sustainable, and educationally sound contributions to local communities and national governments (Walker, 2009). In particular the responses of local government, the Nature Conservancy and the Rainforest Alliance have been working to build capacity for conservation by working with local communities and promoting sustainable livelihoods that support forest health and biodiversity conservation in the Maya Forest region (Ayen, 2007). On the other hand the planning for the construction of water management in the ancient city of Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ takes into account practical considerations for the needs of a growing population, as well as preventing flooding during the rainy season that may be the cause of architecture collapse (Rocio, Osorio Schmidt, 2009). 1.3 Security in Mass Tourism The security concerns separate into two issues. First is the security of their own material patrimony such as artifacts on display in a museum, monuments and archaeological materials. Second is the safety and comfort of visitors. Breglia (2006) explained that preventive measures at that site included the installation of ropes or chains to assist in climbing certain structures and to prohibit public access to others. The stairs of the structure are narrow footholds and also difficult for visitors to navigate even under dry conditions. Moreover, there is no an official policy to warn visitors against climbing, even when the lightest rains turn climbing into a slippery and dangerous undertaking. Although tourism is the only product where the consumer must go to the source to consume, this is more apparent in the Maya world where major archaeological destinations namely Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ in Mexico, expected in the order of over million visitors a year (Meethan, Anderson Miles, 2009). However, citing concerns over safety after various incidents of death and serious injury that visitors have sustained over the years at Chichà ©n Itzà ¡, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico has closed down most of the popular monuments to solve the tourist traffic problem on the site (Cyark, 2011). For instance, El Castillo, the main pyramid of Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ was closed after a tourist fell to her death in 2006. In addition, the Jaguar Throne room was also closed down in 2007. 2. Vendors The next problem on this site is the local vendors, who try to sell local craft carved stone, cheap price Mexican cloth and food. This site has more than 500 vendors in the corridor of the pyramid. These vendors create some big hassles for tourists and management because they try to up sale their vending items to the tourists. The more important thing is that these vendors have unstructured shops in the protected area of the pyramid. During the season, this number reaches in the thousands. The visual appeal of site is affected by their tables and blankets in the park. Almost every tourist is affected by these vendors and their push selling strategies. The federal government has developed a new plan for these vendors. The director of Regional Programs on site, Juan Carlos Arnau says, There is a project to build a space outside the archaeological zone for the sale of crafts and to offer complementary productive alternatives for the local communities. This plan is in progress with coordination of the state government of Yucatan and diverse local municipal governments. But yet, there is no defined date to start this project but it is targeted to finish by the year 2012. 3. Economic Inequality Tourism in Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is a main source of economic growth in the Yucatà ¡n Peninsula. According to the book Population, Development and Environment on the Yucatà ¡n Lutz, Prieto and Sanderson (2000) identified that the next 20 years of tourism in Yucatà ¡n Peninsula, tourism will be the most dynamic economic activity on Yucatà ¡n peninsula in both the short and medium terms. With the increasing tourism and population, it might be a main factor which affects environmental problems directly. Thus ecotourism should be a right technique to balance both a big amount of tourists and environment. Due to that fact that ecotourism is an accessible Engine of economic growth which without excessively heavy investment can help a country generate foreign exchange and added to this is the hope it will be green and sustainable (Barrow, 2006). Infrastructure Development Improvements have been made in Yucatà ¡n since 1990, for example; the international airport and highway transportation system. The purposes of this practice is to provide a more accessible gateway to the ancient Maya site of Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ and also to the new maquila plants opening around Valladolid (Baklanoff Moseley, 2008). At this time, the main causeway under construction aims to access directly and indirectly to the center of the Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ site, integrated by the Group of the Castle and the Group of the Thousand Columns, both built on top of the Great Leveling (Ruiz, 2009). Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ has become the nexus of this great metropolis, and the strict internal political control that existed through this sophisticated network. 4. Land Ownership Chichen Itza sold (A conflict between property owner and government is finished) It is a great mystery for the millions of visitors around the world who trip to the site each year that, Chichen Itza has been privately owned for the past 500 years. On March 29, 2010, Hans Jurgen Thies Barbachano, owner of the 200 acre property on which some of the worlds most identifiable monuments stand, EL Castillo, the ball court and the temple of warriors, decided to sell his belongings to the state of Yucatan for $220 million Mexican ($17.6 million US). This property war ended after more than a decade of debate between the property owner and the state federal government. Various stakeholders such as the vendors and the local people have been affected by this decision. According to an interview of Barbachano Gomez Rul, brother of the property owner during the years of 2005 and 2006,the owner has received a certain percentage of tourist tickets sold. The owner has his own entrance gate and has developed his own hotel in front of the pyramid named the Maya land resort (Alright, 2000). The owner said in interviews that he was not opposed to selling Chichen Itza, he only wanted a reasonable price, which he estimated at $250 million in US dollars which was a huge amount. According to the director of INAH at the time, Alfonso Maria y Fields, INAH made a formal offer for pyramid and that all archeological zone of $8 million Mexican, but again received no response from the owner. By the end of 2006 the owner was dead and his Chichen Itza property belonged to his grandson, Han Jurgen Thies Barbachano. The new owner had accepted the new deal of the government and Chichen Itza was sold to the state government for $220 million Mexican peso or $17.6 million US dollar, on 29 March 2010. Although, the owner is still waiting to receive the money, the principal parties signed a purchase contract in front of a press conference. Jorge Esma Bazan, director of Yucatans Culture, illustrated a 10-point policy plan for the future of this archeological site. This policy regulation explained future work with cooperation INAH. This contract also has some points to discuss with vendors and try to find out a solution for them. The policy is focused on the creation more opportunities for the local Mayan people. The policy also illustrates future major tasks for the state government in the field of research and restoration of Chichen Itza. Current Management Practices at the site To support the growing tourism of Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ in 2012, the government has to manage the main issue that is mass tourism. Dr. Steven Fly (2011), the author of Plugging Yucatà ¡n into the Tourism Circuit in Yucatà ¡n Living Online Magazine, mentions Plan Maetro Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ (Master plan of Chichà ©n Itzà ¡) 2011 that this Yucatà ¡n tourism project is part of an integrated plan with the archaeological sites, two new attractions (Museum of the Maya World in Merida and Palace of the Maya Civilization) and the circuit of infrastructure. With the large number of tourists predicted for the future, Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ will not be the only place to encounter this fast tourism in the Yucatà ¡n. New attractions have been created for this reason. The Palace of the Maya Civilization is a museum which is proposed in Yaxcaba, located approximately ten kilometers from Chichà ©n Itzà ¡. The museum reveals the origins of the Maya world and includes a 300-seat IMAX theater and gift shop, a courtyard and outdoor amphitheater. Museum of the Maya World in Merida closed to the Siglo XXI convention centre on December 21, the significant date is from the belief of the Maya calendar, which is the end of the world in 2012. Moreover the government is also creating the tourist complex in Rio Largartoes city with government owned resorts and hotels. As well as a tourist intelligence information system offered by the state government will introduce tourists to the new attractions and will assist the state in a part of capacity management. The circuit of infrastructure consists of the network of four features in the peninsula are archaeology, colonial, ecological and coastal circuits. These tourist circuits are redesigned and rebuilt roadways. In part of infrastructure in the Mayan World will be started with improvements and remodeling of the Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ International Airport in Kaua. Next project will be the redesign and renovation of the Malecon in Progreso which is a major port that will have an increase in traffic due to several cruise ship lines each year. Finally, there is the construction of cross peninsular trenes rapidos (fast train) named Bullet Train. The major route will be across the Yucatà ¡n Peninsula, from Mà ©rida to Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ and Valladolid. Recommendations for Sustainable Management The state government should limit the numbers of tourists on the site per day and arrange a timetable by online reservation for group tours and individually. To enhance security on the site, the government has to provide more infrastructures, for examples; the international public signs, the gates surrounding the site and general facilities. Due to the mass tourism, the impact may lead to pollution problems in the future. Thus the government should prepare for waste management. Local government and INAH should support the locality by buying the art works and refuse purchasing products from endangered animals or being offered illegal products. Moreover, most of indigenous products can be value added when displayed in art galleries and art museums. Government should reduce the trading hours of the site. Currently its open 365 days consisting 10 hours each day. Possibly it should be 5 days a week for tourism sustainability. Local government and INAH can buy this art and can sell to tourists in proper art gallery or can show in an art museum which is beneficial for both, vendors and government. Tourist can also enjoy this art in meaningful manner and can enjoy trip without vendors hassle. Local Craft institute can be an option to support this art and vendors to educate the locals and vendors. Conclusion With support and promotion by the Mexican government, Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ has become one of the globally well-known sites as the symbol of Mexico. Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is also faced with many management issues such as mass tourism, vendors, economic inequality and land ownership since being one of Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. As a result, the state government has to invest the budget in infrastructure, new attractions and accommodations to encounter an increasing number of tourists everyday. However, the side-effect of this practice leads to excessive tourism accessing the main attractions. Therefore, the government should start limiting the number of tourists allowed at the site. Due to the fact that uncontrolled tourism will damage existing structures, new infrastructure and nature. As well as the government needs to find the solution for the waste problem from over-visitation in the near future.

Racial Profiling: An American Crisis Essay -- Racism, Prejudice Essays

The concept of racial profiling has been given many different definitions. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, racial profiling refers to â€Å"the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.† Everyday, people fall victim to racial profiling. Some people argue that racial profiling is a necessary and practical form of law enforcement. Others deny its entire existence. Sadly, racial profiling does exist, and it plagues our nation. Unfortunately stopping racial profiling completely is very difficult. Police are people and will fall victim to stereotypes and assumptions. That said, we must acknowledge the fact that racial profiling is unconstitutional. It violates the 4th amendment which guarantees the right to be safe from unreasonable search and seizure without probable cause, and the 14th amendment which requires that all citizens be t reated equally under the law. The practice of racial profiling also contradicts one of the most well known phrases in the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.† Racial profiling has its roots in the older technique of criminal profiling. Criminal profiling became popular in the middle of the twentieth century when it was successfully used by a psychiatrist to find a serial bomber. Then, in the 1960’s and 1970’s, after a rash of airplane hijackings or â€Å"skyjackings†, experts used similar techniques to form a profile for sky jackers. They taught airline personnel to look out for a list of 25 different characteristics; none which were related to a particular race or ethnic group. Unfortunately, the pr... ...reated a law that makes it a state crime to be in the state illegally, allows police to arrest or fine a person who fails to provide U.S. identification, and allows police to detain anyone who they suspect to be an illegal alien. While supporters argue that the law is necessary, critics believe that the new law will open the door for racial profiling. And if this is true, Arizona’s 1.7 million residents of Hispanic or Latino origin are potential victims. Racial profiling doesn’t just exist today, it thrives. It is used by law enforcement everyday even though it is both unjust and unconstitutional. Not only does it violate the core principles of this country, but it can be dangerous. It threatens our national security and, on a deeper level, racial profiling is a threat to racial equality, something that the people of the United States have fought to achieve.

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream :: Literary Analysis, F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby depicts the 1920’s Jazz Age, and how society operates under the influence of the American Dream. Society during this time period consists of huge hopes and dreams for improvement of the self. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream hides behind a mirage of beauty and splendor, buy in reality the corruption and illusions within this dream entice Americans to become drawn into its web of lies, deceit, and greed. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald strongly criticizes the American Dream (Seschachari 1). Fitzgerald shows readers the American Dream in this time period is centered on romanticism, material items, youth, and an emergence of selfishness (Seschachari 2). People value tangible items over strong moral values. A life of extravagance, however, does not always come without repercussions. People in this society live in a pretend world of beauty, but in reality the American Dream is a defective illusion. In the American Dream, equality is an impossible feat and even though Americans have an abundance of opportunities, people will always be suppressed from true achievement (Hearne 191). Meyer Wolfshiem, a corrupt business man, represents how disillusioned the American Dream is. His mannerisms reek of brutality, yet he sits pleasantly in a restaurant while exchanging pleasantries with Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway (Hearne 192). Fitzgerald writes, â€Å"A small, flat-nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril. After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half-darkness† (Fitzgerald 69). (Check how to quote) Also, Wolfsheim boasts his cuff buttons are actual human molars; nevertheless, Wolfshiem is regarded by Jay Gatsby as a pleasant gentlemen. This demonstrates the faà §ade of brutality that Wolfshiem portrays. Wolfshiem ultimately represents corruption in the American Dream (Hearne 192). Fitzgerald’s ultimate goal in writing The Great Gatsby is to shed light on the illusions in the American Dream to the people of America (Hearne 189). If Americans are better informed about the American Dream, they are less likely to fall subject to its evils. (Add too or move) Jay Gatsby, in particular, becomes a strangely unique character in The Great Gatsby. Even though Jay Gatsby strives for the best material items, he does not strive for these items in hopes of attaining any type of dream except a romantic one (Seshachari 2).

Incipient Point of Plasmolysis Lab

Investigation of the point of incipient plasmolysis of onion cells (Allium cepa) using NaCl (Sodium Chloride) concentrations of 0. 1M, 0. 2M, 0. 3M, 0. 4M, 0. 5M, 0. 6M Design Research Question (Aim): The aim of this lab was to determine the point of incipient plasmolysis of onion (Allium cepa) cells using Sodium Chloride (NaCl) concentrations of 0. 1M, 0. 2M, 0. 3M, 0. 4M, 0. 5M, 0. 6M. Hypothesis: When the water concentration of a solution outside the cell is lower than the concentration inside the cell, water will move from the inside to the outside of the cell due to osmosis.As we increase the concentration of the NaCl solutions we have used (0. 1M to 0. 6M), more moles of NaCl are dissolved in the solution. Thus, the solutions increases in solute concentration but decreases in water concentration. We can therefore assume; the higher the concentration of the NaCl solution, the higher the number of plasmolysed cells as water moves outside the cell in order to dilute the NaCl conce ntration. Data Collection and Processing Table 1: The number of plasmolysed onion cells (out of 30)  ±1 for each of the 6 NaCl concentrations (0. 1M, 0. 2M, 0. 3M, 0. 4M, 0. 5M, 0. M) for three trials |Concentration (in M) |Trial 1 (Number of Plasmolysed |Trial 2 (Number of Plasmolysed |Trial 3 (Number of Plasmolysed | | |Cells  ±1) |Cells  ±1) |Cells  ±1) | |0. 1 |0 out of 30 |0 out of 30 |0 out of 30 | |0. 2 |2 out of 30 |0 out of 30 |0 out of 30 | |0. |6 out of 30 |4 out of 30 |3 out of 30 | |0. 4 |6 out of 30 |12 out of 30 |13 out of 30 | |0. 5 |6 out of 30 |16 out of 30 |19 out of 30 | |0. 6 |6 out of 30 |30 out of 30 |30 out of 30 | Qualitative Data:In general, it was hard to keep an overview of the cells one has counted yet and one has not as one only counted the cells at random. To this, it was hard to determine visually whether a cell was plasmolysed or not so that one could have assumed some cells to be plasmolysed although they were not. Finally, as the results of our first trial show, we did not allow enough time for the cells to plasmolyse so that the results became inaccurate. Table 2: The percentage of plasmolysed onion cells  ±3. 33% for all of the six solute concentration (0. 1M, 0. 2M, 0. 3M, 0. 4M, 0. 5M, 0. M) for three trials, including the average percentage of plasmolysed cells for the second and third trial only*, as well as for all three trials together |Concentration (in M) |Trial 1 (Percentage of |Trial 2 (Percentage of |Trial 3 (Percentage of |Average Percentage of |Average Percentage of | | |Plasmolysed Cells |Plasmolysed Cells |Plasmolysed Cells |Plasmolysed Cells for |Plasmolysed Cells for | | | ±3. 33%) | ±3. 33%) | ±3. 33%) |second and third trial |all three trials  ±3. 3%| | | | | | ±3. 33% | | |0. 1 |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% | |0. 2 |6. 67% |0. 00% |0. 00% |2. 22% |0. 00% | |0. 3 |20. 00% |13. 33% |10. 00% |14. 44% |11. 67  % | |0. 4 |20. 00% |40. 00% |43. 3% |34. 44% |41. 67% | |0. 5 |20. 00% |53. 33% |63. 33% |45. 56% |58. 33% | |0. 6 |20. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |73. 33% |100. 00% | * = I have calculated the average for the second and third trial only in addition to the overall average so that I can draw another graph of the averages of the second and third trial only since the results of our first trial seemed to be inaccurate. Sample Calculations:Percentage: In order to determine the percentage of plasmolysed cells for each solute concentration, one can use the following formula; (N:T) x 100, where N stands for the numerical value (in this case the number of plasmolysed cells we have counted) and T stands for the total (in this case 30). For example, if one would want to calculate the percentage of 2 out of 30, this would result in the following formula; (2:30) x 100, since 2 is the numerical value (the number of plasmolysed cells we have counted) and 30 is the total. Average: To calculate the average, one simply adds the values and then divides it by the number of values.One could also use the formula (? x) : n, where x are the individual values of plasmolysed cells for each trial and n is the number of values. For example, if one would want to determine the average for the number of plasmolysed cells for the concentration of 0. 6 M, one would simply add 20, 100 and 100 and then divide it by 3, since the number of plasmolysed cells is the x-values and 3 in this case is the n value. Figure 1: The average percentage of plasmolysed cells  ±3. 33% of all three trials determined for each of the six NaCl concentration. The graph shows a linear trend-line in order to determine the point of incipient plasmolysis. pic] Figure 2: The average percentage of plasmolysed cells  ±3. 33% of only the second and third trial determined for each of the six NaCl concentration. The graph shows a linear trend-line in order to determine the point of incipient plasmolysis. [pic] Conclusion & Evaluation Conclusion: As the NaCl concentration outside is increased , more NaCl molecules are dissolved in the solution causing the solution to have a higher solute concentration but a lower water concentration. The water from the plant cell thus has a higher concentration than the outside diffuses (through osmosis) in order to dilute the NaCl concentration.The turgor pressure that maintains the shape of the cell by pushing the plasma membrane against the cell wall is then lowered causing the cells to shrink. This is known as plasmolysis. Our hypothesis; the higher the concentration of the NaCl solution, the higher the number of plasmolysed cells as water moves outside the cell in order to dilute the NaCl concentration was therefore correct. Furthermore, we have used Figure 2 in order to determine the point of incipient plasmolysis as the results are more representable of the whole since the first trial was not included.Figure 2 indicates that the point of incipient plasmolysis lies at approx. 0. 42M. Supporting my findings, a similar experiment was done however with saccharose solution instead of NaCl. The results show that the point of incipient plasmolysis lies of this experiment lies approx. 0. 38M which is fairly close to my results (Stadelmann, 156). In general, one can assume that the higher the concentration of the outside solution, the higher the number of plasmolysed cells as water moves outside the cell in order to dilute the outside oncentration. Evaluation: |Limitation |Significance |Improvement | |It was hard to determine the number of |As there were generally more than 30 cells |We could have used the method of a | |plasmolysed cells visually as we just counted |visible in the eye piece, it was not too hard |hemocytometer instead so that we could have | |30 visible cells at random and did not have an |to count 30 individual cells.However, we could|counted the number of plasmolysed cells per | |overview of the cells we have already counted. |have still counted one cell twice and assumed |square. | |In addition, i t was hard to determine if a cell|that it was two different cells. This | | |was plasmolysed or not. limitation therefore causes an overall | | | |inaccuracy. Furthermore, we could have assumed | | | |some cells to be plasmolysed although they were| | | |not plasmolysed. | |We only estimated what the point of incipient |This only has a slight significance on the |We should have done the lab with the NaCl | |plasmolysis approximately would approximately |exact accuracy of the point of incipient |concentrations we were given and then determine| |be basing it on our graph (figure 1) and only |plasmolysis. |where the point of incipient plasmolysis | |using concentrations of 0. 1M, 0. 2M, 0. 3M, 0. 4M,| |approximately lies.Then, we could have done | |0. 5M, 0. 6M. | |the experiment with more accurate solutions | | | |such as 0. 45, 0. 475 in order to find the exact | | | |point of incipient plasmolysis. | |For our first trial we did not allow enough |Due to this limitation, our overall a verage was|We should have allowed more time for the cells | |time for the cells to plasmolyse. lowered leading to a higher point of incipient |of the first trial to plasmolyse. We could have| | |plasmolysis. In general, those results were |also simply repeated this trial. | | |outliers which affected the accuracy of our | | | |processed data. | | |We have only done three trials of the |This is very significant in our case as the |Instead, we should have firstly determined | |experiment. results of the first trial therefore had a |where the point of incipient plasmolysis | | |great effect on the accuracy of our processed |approximately lies and then repeated the | | |data. |experiment with these NaCl concentrations at | | | |least 5 times. | |We did not agree on an overall method of the |The more NaCl was used, the more cells were |Agree on an overall amount of drops of NaCl | |amount of drops of NaCl we used. likely to plasmolyze as more water would |such as 1 drop or agree on an am ount such as | | |diffuse outside the cell in order to dilute the|1mL and then use a pipette and a graduated | | |solution. |cylinder in order to measure that amount. | Works Cited Stadelmann, E. J. Methods in Cell Physiology. Ed. David M. Prescott. New York: Academic, 1966. Print.

Page-by-Page Analasis of John Marsden’s “A Prayer for the 21st Century” Essay

This book, entitled â€Å"Prayer for the 21st Century†, is by famous Australian writer, John Marsden. It is an illustrated, poetic ballad, filled with metaphors and complex issues, written to send messages of hope and warning intended for the people of this new century, especially those that will shape it (our children), about the lessons learnt from the past, the importance of today, and the wonders of the future. The font of the text on the front cover, and throughout the book for that matter, is in an untidy scrawl that is both important – in that it is in a bold font and is a demanding colour (either black or white) – and is informal, imperfect, personal and human – in that it is handwritten. These aspects combine to show the picture-book nature of the book; that the text is really part of the art in the illustrations themselves, and that the two cannot be isolated on their own and singled out as visual or written text. This motif is continued throughout the book. The front cover of this book has a spray-patterned, blue background, which has calm connotations. The blue also serves the purpose of increasing the salience of the bright orange picture of the boy in front of it, because the picture contrasts violently with the background, and reducing that of the soft green lines of scrawled writing that fade into the blue of the background (the writing in the background is another example of where the line between visual and written text is unclear). The boy is the clear focal point of the page, and stands out from the rest of the cover, making the lines of the poem hardly noticeable in comparison. This is to make the point that words, like those in the poem, are not nearly as strong as actions – especially the actions of those who, like the child on the cover, will shape the 21st century. The title page has an earthy coloured, frond-patterned background with two hand prints surrounding the text of the title and author’s name. These handprints have aboriginal connotations, and seem to hold some sort of wisdom from past ages. These visual elements combine with the lines in the text to reveal the nature of the poem; that this is not truly a prayer to a god, but a command, request, and message of hope for this new generation. It  is a culmination of wisdom from the past centuries, for this new century, and a reminder to the newer generations to remember the lessons of the past. â€Å"May the road be free for the journey.† These words make up the first line of the poem and introduce us to the first idea of the poem, that life must be free. The idea of freedom being the main message in this first line is emphasised by the word â€Å"free† in large, lowercase font, placed directly above the line of the poem. This is a motif effective at showing the main point of the page, and is repeated throughout the book (the main idea being emphasised by a large fronted keyword place in the background) which is effective in emphasizing the main idea in the text. The background is a gravel-brown colour, emphasising the comparison of life to a dirt road, a free road, a road that could lead anywhere. The picture on the left page continues this idea of an unknown future, by comparing life itself to a river, natural laws to banks, and the individual as someone travelling along a river in a boat. In this stream of life, no one knows what is around the next bend, except that around one of them, eventually, is the sea (death). The picture also continues the theme of abstract metaphors and symbolism, in that the picture is not really boats, just freehand drawings of them. However, whether life is a road or river, the point remains, it must be free. The next page has a very similar layout to the page before it; and indeed to every page in the book, with a line of text, a textured background, and a picture (sometimes more than one) upon a double page spread. The text on this page, â€Å"May it lead where it promised it would†, makes the point that life must deliver the reward it offers. The blue in the background of the second page is associated with hope and promise, and this promising blue is again used in the illustration. In the illustration, is a Queen, symbolising success and all of the glory that was promised to come with it. The theme of promised success and the associated rewards that come as a result is continued in the picture of the map – which appears to be from a time of discovery and conquest of new lands. The various scientific diagrams are there in order to make the point that there will be an answer to all of our  questions if we work hard, further emphasising the idea of effort leading to the mu ch deserved and promised success. Upon the set of pages, two lines instead of one are written. These are; â€Å"May the stars that gave ancient bearings Be seen, still be understood.† These lines urge people to remember the knowledge of the past, and be able to understand it. The picture itself is easy to link to the line (it is a picture of stars) however, due to the fact that it is done in the Aboriginal style, the picture’s full meaning cannot be understood, except by someone whom knows how to interpret and understand the ancient symbolism of Aboriginal art. This introduces the idea that, for the knowledge of the past to be fully realised, it must be understood. The next page now returns to the idea of life as a journey, by calling the individual a traveller, introducing the concept that life should be safe for all, and that the â€Å"safe† people must find those whom have been lost, and help those whom have been forgotten. It does this in the lines, â€Å"May every aircraft fly safely, May every traveller be found,† The concept of safety in life is emphasised by the colour of the background; a calm, soft green. In the illustration, the audience is placed in the point of view of someone inside of a safe aircraft, who is looking out of the window. Directly outside of the window, the sky is a serene blue; but around the window’s red, orange, and yellow – colours with â€Å"danger† connotations – edges, another scene forms. A lonely traveller, who could be anyone due to its ambiguous colour and unknown gender, stands lost and alone, unsafe and helpless upon the aircraft’s wing; surrounded by a da rk sky with the only hope of help being from the person in the plane, who is the viewer of the picture. This calls upon the viewer, as a traveller of life safely within the walls of the aircraft, to help the lost person, to find the traveller; and puts the viewer in the spotlight, making the point that; if you won’t, who will?Upon the next page, the two lines read; â€Å"May sailors in crossing the ocean Not hear the cries of the drowned.† The same layout as before is used, except on this page, two pictures instead of one, are used. The background is blue, which has links to tears (â€Å"cries†), feeling â€Å"blue†, the ocean, and the uniform of a sailor. The first picture appears to be asymbolic representation of someone battling against life’s troubles (i.e. a sailor crossing the ocean), fish call from the sea as spirits of the drowned, the dark sea thrashes and churns, while the yellow sky swirls above a small boat riding the crest of a wave. In the next picture, one of life’s traveller’s has heard the cries of the drowned, and joined them. However, in the background of this picture, there is land, showing that even at the worst times, there is still hope. In both of these, the idea of the individual travelling the ocean or river of life, in a boat, is reintroduced. The main point made by the last two lines of this stanza, and their corresponding illustrations, is that life has ups and downs, and not to succumb and relinquish one’s self to despair at one’s lowest points, because, as was stated on the first page, is restated on this page, and is stated again on the last page, no one can know what the future holds. â€Å"May gardens be wild, like jungles, May nature never be tamed,† are the first lines in the next stanza of the poem. The pages have a yellow, earthy-brown, palm-frond-patterned background, which connotates nature and jungles. The picture, with its complete absence of straight lines, and blurred movement, makes the point that nature is never rigid and constrained, but free to do whatever it wishes. This point is reinforced in the bank less waterfalls, and the rounded cliff faces. The people in the picture exist to draw attention to the relationship between nature and people, and says that the people of the 21st century, like those in the picture whom are neither trying to disrupt or control nature, must harmoniously co-exist with it nature, and not try to tame it, but to acknowledge it’s freedom, and grasp the fact that nature is not for humankind to control, but is untameable, it is wild and free. â€Å"May dangers create of us heroes,† reads the next line. The background of this page is a splattered, cameo green, which, along with the mateship displayed in the picture, connotates war. However not all heroes are born of violence, as is shown in the midshot (inviting the viewer into the scene) picture of a boy jumping off the top of a haystack, and his friends cheering him on. The black and white photography, setting, and attire of the people  in the picture appear to be from an old time, a time of simple values, and simple heroics. At first glance, it appears that the boy in the picture is a hero because he did something that was dangerous, but this is not the case. He is a hero because he made people happy by facing the danger. This goes on to show the true meaning of the line. That we must always have people that go out of their way, or face danger, to help others whom are in need. The boy symbolises that anyone can be a hero. That anyone, and everyone, must help th ose in need. â€Å"May fears always have names† reads the next line of the poem. The keyword in the background (â€Å"fear†) is hidden among tendrils of paint, first introducing the concept that, even though the name of the fear may be hidden, it always exists, fears always have names. The illustration is dark, with soft, runny brushstrokes that seem to obscure true meaning. At first, it appears to be a picture of fears, peeping between the trunks and branches of trees, but upon closer inspection, it is revealed that the fears are not fears at all, but people, experiencing that which we fear. The people in the picture are in agony, some cry at the side of a dead loved one, others just cry out in pure pain. Then, finally, the viewer notices a horseman in between the trees and realises two things. The first is the reference to the Myall Creek Massacre and the next was that the fears were created by people, the fears have names, and their name is the evil of humankind. It asks us to remember our evil, and asks the people of this new century not to repeat the evils past committed, or else, like the symbolic dove upon the picture’s left, peace will flee the world. The next page, and its two lines, â€Å"May the mountains stand to remind us Of what it means to be young†, now talk about the impermanence of youth, and the importance of the wise. There are again two pictures. In the first picture – a firm lined photograph – great mountains, symbolizing the vast importance, knowledge, wisdom and experience of the old, stand in the background with rays of light falling upon them; while in the foreground, a vast plane of rocks, younger, smaller versions of the mountains that dwarf them in comparison, stand to show the true importance of the memories of the old, in comparison to the inexperience of the young. The second picture is a  soft lined painting (symbolizing the impermanence of being young) of two youths embracing and in love. They are shown next to a shell, which puts them on a symbolic scale. It makes the point that, if these two youths are dwarfed by a shell, and a shell will be dwarfed by a rock, such as those seen in the picture on the opposite page, how tiny they are, how fleeting their time as youth if they are to grow into the giant mountains, how petty their memories and experiences in comparison to the mountains. It is through this symbolic scale that the illustrations remind us of what it means to be young. The final lines of this stanza reads; â€Å"May we be outlived by our daughters, May we be outlived by our sons.† This line is different from the rest of the poem in that its meaning is straightforward and obvious, and that this line is actually a prayer for the long and happy lives of our children. The pictures add to the text, in that they are pictures of people from different ethnic groups, and that they join united at the edge of each picture, showing that it refers to the entire people of the 21st century, they are not our children in a literal sense, but are the children of humanity. It prays that, even though there will be hardships in life, as is mentioned many times before and is symbolised by the black and white colour scheme of the older children, the new generation, as with the generations before them, must live through them, and continue – as is symbolised in yellow colour of the background of the page – to shine on like the sun, outliving those befo re us. History’s importance is again brought up in the final stanza, with the opening line being: â€Å"May the bombs rust away in the bunkers, May the doomsday clock not be rewound,† The lines ask the new century not to use mankind’s evil, even though they do and always will exist; they then ask humanity not to repeat past mistakes, even though we will always have the potential to. The background is patterned by gears, and the emphasised keyword this time is â€Å"rewound†, displaying that the main idea of these lines is to make the point that we must never repeat our past mistakes. The gears are also part of the â€Å"doomsday clock†, which is simply referring to time and history itself. The picture shows text from what appears to be newspaper  articles, which refer to injustices throughout history to the indigenous peoples of Australia, which hold some of the greatest evils of this country’s history. The many pictures at the top of the image show the faces of the many sufferers of evil, from a small child, to a grown man. The theme of war is again brought up with the word â€Å"bombs† in the first line, and the image of a man from Picasso’s â€Å"Guernica†, a painting about the suffering of innocents as bombs dropped on their city. For many people, that day was their doomsday. It once again brings up the issue that humankind itself is what causes people the most pain and suffering. Overall, the pages ask the people of the 21st century never to use humankind’s evil again. The next page continues the theme of war, with a reference to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the Second World War. The line reads â€Å"May the solitary scientist working, Remember the holes in the ground† and the single, hand drawn illustration, is of a large and powerful solitary scientist in his own solitary world, admiring and awestruck of his solitary discovery; while behind him his discoveries explode over a desolate plain on which the only survivors are a small, helpless man and woman, silhouetted against the bleak white light thrown across a vast landscape, and upon them from evil inventions that exist to destroy. It asks the people that will shape this new century to remember that every single action has consequences, and that knowledge can just as easily be used for the evil of bombs, as it can be used for the good of curing cancer. It tells people to look into the past, in order to shape the new century’s future for the better. â€Å"May the knife remain in the holder, May the bullet stay in the gun,† These penultimate lines continue the theme expressed in the first stanza, that even though we have the potential and the means to carry out evil, the people of the 21st Century must never do so. The page is extremely straightforward in relation to the pictures – the bullet is being put into the gun and must remain there and the skeleton has been skinned with a knife – however, in the skeleton picture, the body is made up of many different cut up body parts, making the new point that we should not use evil upon anyone, indiscriminate of who they are, or what they believe in. The final lines of this prayer are as follows: â€Å"May those that live in the shadows Be seen by those in the sun†. Upon the pages surrounding these lines, are two pictures, one of footsteps on a beach with a man’s shadow crossing their path; the other of a silhouetted man running along a beach with a beam of sunlight floating on the waves of the sea. Both pictures are in black and white, emphasising the ideas of shadows and sun. The blue background is the same textured blue as at the very first page of the poem, and is sea-spray like in appearance. The theme of these final two pages, is very simple, to help others, and this idea can be seen throughout the illustrations. The picture of the footprints, reminds of the Christian story of how Jesus carried the man over the sand, and through life’s shadows. This makes the point that, sometimes, others need to be carried through hard times. The shadow crossing the path of the footsteps represents a dark time in the l ife of the person that made them but this shadowed part is only a mere fraction of the whole, a symbolic representation that life does have deep darkness, but for the most part, it is light. The next picture across, the one of the runner, continues this idea; and also adds to it. This time, the sea is used s a metaphor for life, and, as first mentioned on the page about sailors, the sea can be in many states. The repetition of the motif of both light and shadows making up life is displayed on the surface of the sea, where the thick beam of light shines and glistens, while at the edges, shadows and darkness can be seen. However, yet again, there is more light in the picture than there is shadow. The illustration of the silhouetted man running along the beach, making his own path in the sand, appears – at first glance – to show that he himself is in a shadowed stage in life. However, on close inspection something appears to be in his arms, if you look very closely, you can see that he is carrying something. This man is not the Christian Messiah; this man is an ordinary person, showing simple, yet powerful heroics as mentioned earlier in this book. He further demonstrates that we all can be heroes, even without obvious physical dangers, just by helping someone. This final line is a hope. It is a hope that maybe, just maybe, in the 21st Century; we can all stand and walk together, in the light of the future. This simple yet honest poem of hope and fear effectively reached out to, and appealed to me, the target audience and a child of the 21st Century. It was deep and complex in some places, yet simple enough to be understood by the intended reader. It is a thought stimulating read to be understood more and more with wisdom and experience. Now it is just a question, first posed in the photograph of the boy on the front cover – one side of his face in darkness, the other in light – as to whether this generation of young rocks will grow up, remember the past, not repeat its mistakes, and one day be tall mountains. Then we will write a new prayer, for a new century. Bibliography: http://www.johnmarsden.com.au/home.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Marsden_(writer)http://www.judyoz.com/ccp0-display/john-marsden-books-tomorrow-ellie-novels-australian-fiction.htmlhttp://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/john-marsden/