Definition and Examples of the Historical Present Tense

Definition and Examples of the Historical Present Tense In English grammar, the historical present is the use of a verb phrase in the present tense to refer to an event that took place in the past. In narratives, the historical present may be used to create an effect of immediacy. Also called the  historic present, dramatic present, and narrative present. In rhetoric, the use of the present tense to report on events from the past is called translatio temporum (transfer of times). The term translation is particularly interesting, notes German English literature educator Heinrich Plett, because it is also the Latin word for metaphor. It clearly shows that the historical present only exists as an intended tropical deviation of the past tense. (Plett, Henrich. Rhetoric and Renaissance Culture, Walter de Gruyter GmbH Co., 2004.) Examples and Observations It is a bright summer day in 1947. My father, a fat, funny man with beautiful eyes and a subversive wit, is trying to decide which of his eight children he will take with him to the county fair. My mother, of course, will not go. She is knocked out from getting most of us ready: I hold my neck stiff against the pressure of her knuckles as she hastily completes the braiding and the beribboning of my hair. ... (Walker,  Alice. Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self. In Search of Our Mothers Gardens: Womanist Prose, Harcourt Brace, 1983.) There is a famous story of President Abraham Lincoln, taking a vote at a cabinet meeting on whether to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. All his cabinet secretaries vote nay, whereupon Lincoln raises his right hand and declares: The ayes have it. (Rodman, Peter W.  Presidential Command, Vintage, 2010.) Verbs in the historic present describe something that happened in the past. The present tense is used because the facts are listed as a summary, and the present tense provides a sense of urgency. This historic present tense is also found in news bulletins. The announcer may say at the start, Fire hits a city center building, the government defends the new minister, and in football City, United lose. (Language Notes, BBC World Service.) If you introduce things which are past as present and now taking place, you will make your story no longer a narration but an actuality. (Longinus,  On the Sublime, quoted by Chris Anderson in  Style as Argument: Contemporary American Nonfiction, Southern Illinois University Press, 1987.) An Example of the Historical Present in an EssayI’m nine years old, in bed, in the dark. The detail in the room is perfectly clear. I am lying on my back. I have a greeny-gold quilted eiderdown covering me. I have just calculated that I will be 50 years old in 1997. ‘Fifty’ and ‘1997’ don’t mean a thing to me, aside from being an answer to an arithmetic question I set myself. I try it differently. ‘I will be 50 in 1997.’ 1997 doesn’t matter. ‘I will be 50.’ The statement is absurd. I am nine. ‘I will be ten’ makes sense. ‘I will be 13’ has a dreamlike maturity about it. ‘I will be 50’ is simply a paraphrase of another senseless statement I make to myself at night: ‘I will be dead one day.’ ‘One day I won’t be.’ I have a great determination to feel the sentence as a reality. But it always escapes me. ‘I will be dead’ comes with a picture of a dead body on a bed. But it’s mine, a nine-year-old body. When I make it old, it becomes someone else. I can’t imagine myself dead. I can’t imagine myself dying. Either the effort or the failure to do so makes me feel panicky. ... (Diski, Jenny. Diary,  London Review of Books, October 15, 1998. Report title At Fifty in  The Art of the Essay: The Best of 1999, edited by Phillip Lopate, Anchor Books, 1999.) An Example of the Historical Present in a Memoir  My first conscious direct memory of anything outside myself is not of Duckmore and its estates but of the street. I am adventuring out of our front gate and into the great world beyond. Its a summers day - perhaps this is the very first summer after we moved in when Im not yet three. I walk along the pavement, and on into the endless distances of the street - past the gate of No. 4 - on and bravely on until I find myself in a strange new landscape with its own exotic flora, a mass of sunlit pink blossom on a tangled rambler rose hanging over a garden fence. I have got almost as far as the garden gate of No. 5. At this point, I somehow become aware of how far I am from home and abruptly lose all my taste for exploration. I turn and run back to No. 3. (Frayn, Michael. My Fathers Fortune: A Life, Metropolitan Books, 2010.) The You-Are-There IllusionWhen the reference point of the narration is not the present moment but some point in the past, we have the historical present, in which a writer tries to parachute the reader into the midst of an unfolding story (Genevieve lies awake in bed. A floorboard creaks ... ). The historical present is also often used in the setup of a joke, as in A guy walks into a bar with a duck on his head. ... Though the you-are-there illusion forced by the historical present can be an effective narrative device, it can also feel manipulative. Recently a Canadian columnist complained about a CBC Radio news program that seemed to him to overuse the present tense, as in UN forces open fire on protesters. The director explained to him that the show is supposed to sound less analytic, less reflective and more dynamic, more hot than the flagship nightly news show. (Pinker, Steven.  The Stuff of Thought, Viking, 2007.) A Warning From the PastAvoid the use of the historical present unless the narrative is sufficiently vivid to make the use spontaneous. The historical present is one of the boldest of figures and, as is the case with all figures, its overuse makes a style cheap and ridiculous. (Royster, James Finch and Stith Thompson,  Guide to Composition, Scott Foresman and Company, 1919.)

Convert Temperatures From Kelvin to Celsius

Convert Temperatures From Kelvin to Celsius Kelvin  and Celsius are two temperature scales. The size of the degree for each scale is the same magnitude, but the Kelvin scale starts at absolute zero (the lowest temperature theoretically attainable), while the Celsius scale sets its zero point at the triple point of water (the point at which water can exist in solid, liquid, or gaseous states, or 32.01 °F). Because Kelvin is an absolute scale, no degree symbol is used following a measurement. Otherwise, the two scales are alike. Converting between them only requires basic arithmetic. Key Takeaways: Kelvin to Celsius Temperature Conversion The equation to convert between Kelvin and Celsius is:  °C K - 273.15Celsius temperature have a degree symbol while those reported in Kelvin do not.While the size of the degree is the same between Kelvin and Celsius, there is no point at which the two scales are equal. A Celsius temperature will always be higher than Kelvin.Celsius temperatures can be negative. Kelvin goes down to absolute zero (no negative temperature). Conversion Formula Here is the formula to convert Kelvin into Celsius:  °C K - 273.15 All that is needed to convert Kelvin to Celsius is one simple step. Take your Kelvin temperature and subtract 273.15. Your answer will be in Celsius.  While there is no degree symbol for Kelvin, you need to add the symbol to report a Celsius temperature. Example How many degrees Celsius is 500K?  °C K - 273.15 °C 500 - 273.15 °C 226.85 ° For another example, convert normal body temperature from Kelvin to Celsius. Human body temperature is 310.15 K. Put the value into the equation to solve for degrees Celsius:  °C K - 273.15 °C 310.15 - 273.15human body temperature 37 °C Reverse Conversion: Celsius to Kelvin Similarly, its easy to convert a Celsius temperature to the Kelvin scale. You can either use the formula given above or use: K   Ã‚ °C 273.15 For example, convert the boiling point of water to Kelvin. The boiling point of water is 100 °C. Plug the value into the formula: K 100 273.15 (drop the degree)K 373.15 About Absolute Zero While typical temperatures experienced in daily life are often expressed in Celsius or Fahrenheit, many phenomena are described more easily using an absolute temperature scale. The Kelvin scale starts at absolute zero (the coldest temperature attainable) and is based on energy measurement (the movement of molecules). Kelvin in the international standard for scientific temperature measurement, and is used in many fields including astronomy and physics. While its perfectly normal to get negative values for Celsius temperature, the Kelvin scale only goes down to zero. 0K is also known as  absolute zero. It is the point at which no further heat can be removed from a system because there is no molecular movement, so there is no lower temperature possible. Similarly, this means the lowest possible Celsius temperature you can ever get is -273.15  °C. If you ever perform a calculation that gives you a value lower than that, its time to go back and check your work. You either have an error or else there is some other problem.

Apartheid System and its impact on Education in South Africa Essay

Apartheid System and its impact on Education in South Africa - Essay Example The population of the country is talented and hard working. In spite of these factors, the country faces hard core racism. The oppression of the white population over the blacks resulted in forced slavery and exploitation of land and human beings (Abdi, 2002, p. vii). The apartheid period continued for over four decades in South Africa and in that period race discrimination was ruthlessly implemented in schools and they were highly effective. It is a monumental task for the government to undo the effects of apartheid from the education system (Fiske and Ladd, 2005, p.14). This paper focuses on the apartheid system in South Africa and its impact on the education policies. Background History of Apartheid in South Africa In the seventeenth century the Dutch descendants who were knows as Boers or Afrikaners were dominated by the English. This was followed by establishment by the Dutch of new colonies like Orange Free State and Transvaal. In the year1900, diamonds were excavated in these regions. This led to the Boer war when the English invaded these lands. The conflict centering on power sharing between the English and the Boers remained till the 1940s when the Afrikaners National Party became stronger. To control the economic and social system, the National party invented the apartheid system. Initially the goal of apartheid was to maintain the minority rule of the white and curtailing the rights of the black population. Racial discrimination was given a formal shape when the apartheid laws were enacted in 1948. In 1950, the South African people were classified into three racial groups which were white, black (African) or colored (mixed decent). The colored group mainly contained the Indians and the Asians. Apartheid laws led to segregation of every aspect of social life which included education and medical care. Public services provided to the black people were inferior to those provided to the white people. Marriage was prohibited between the whites and the non -white groups. Residential areas were segregated by forceful removal of the black population. These laws were strongly implemented and anyone who did not abide by the laws was given harsh punishments. The Blacks were required to carry identity proof to enter into the non-black areas (The History of Apartheid in South Africa, n.d.). In 1953, Bantu Education Act was passed to segregate the education system of South Africa by which the Blacks were denied education leading to certain positions in the society. The Blacks were prepared to lead the lives of labour class (O’Malley, n.d.). Analysis Impact of Apartheid system on Education One of the most oppressive laws of apartheid was the Bantu Education Act of 1953. Before the Act was implemented most schools in Africa were missionary schools and were partly funded by the State. Under this Act education system was segregated and most schools began to be controlled by the government. Governments began to put forward conditions to sch ools to start racially discriminatory curriculum before agreeing to provide financial aid. As protest many missionary schools did not allow extension of apartheid system in their education system and chose to close down. This system of bringing all schools under the control of the new government was faced opposition from school organisers, parents and students. The major subject of the protests was to ban the separate education system for the Black and promote a common education system for the entire population of South Africa. The government which was controlled by the whites declared that the structure of Bantu education was such that the blacks will be trained to become labours ignoring what other abilities

Ang Lees Eat Drink Man Woman and Cultural Values of Contemporary Chin Essay

Ang Lees Eat Drink Man Woman and Cultural Values of Contemporary China - Essay Example The inclusion of the fast food restaurant demonstrates the film’s thematic concern with Western influence in Eastern culture, as fast food has primary been identified as a Western entity. This theme is also developed with the inclusion of the Christian sermon. The film explores the Eastern/Western dichotomy through the perspectives of two of the sisters. The more liberal sister is more accepting of Western values and perspectives and has a relationship with a man who had lived in the United States. The conservative sister, by contrast, refused to follow her love interest after graduation to the United States and her life has been lived in opposition to this decision since. Food is a central concern of the film and is used for a number of symbolic purposes. Indeed, director Lee himself even indicated that he incorporated food as a central metaphor (Berry 2005). In one scene the father encounters the young girl while jogging and asks her why she is eating breakfast at the bus stop and she tells him she doesn’t have time for breakfast. As she enters the bus one sees the distress in the father’s eyes as a result of the conflicting new world values embodied in the time constraints of a modern society that eliminate the opportunity to sit and eat breakfast. Another significant thematic concern is the nature of love and social relations. The film explores an old world vs. new world dichotomy. These contrasting values are embodied in the perspectives of the sisters. One sister who is moving out has embraced a more liberal sensibility that understands relations to be based on a more open, and ever-changing foundation where being with multiple partners is permitted and leaving someone when the relationship has soured is acceptable. The other sister embraces a conservative sensibility and believes that a relationship should be long term. They two differ on the  nature of their parent's relationship, with their argument indicating the clash of these value systems.  

Weighted Average Cost of Capital and Wide Hurdle Rate Essay Example for Free

Weighted Average Cost of Capital and Wide Hurdle Rate Essay

Ethical Analysis of A Beautiful Mind Essay example -- Film Review, Eth

Ethical Analysis of â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† â€Å"A Beautiful mind† is a story based on the life of John Forbes Nash, who is a famous mathematician. Unfortunately, he is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia that majorly affects his personal and social life. Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder in which the patient’s ability to function is impaired by severely distorted beliefs, perceptions, and thought processes (Hockenbury, 2010). John Nash, the main character, faces many challenges in his professional life as well as in his personal life. His friends who later become his colleagues think that he is just plain crazy. They also find him entertaining. However, they cannot resist looking down on him for his strange behavior, difficulties with deadlines, and hardship with women. John is often distracted by visual hallucinations, experiences involuntary movements, and has issues communicating with others appropriately. Despite his illness, John Nash proves the Brouwer’s fixed point theorem while he is still attending Princeton University, and he finally earns his peers’ and his professor’s respect. He marries a graduate student, Alicia. She does not have any knowledge of John’s mental disorder until his condition begins to worsen and he becomes institutionalized and diagnosed with schizophrenia. She loves him and feels obligated to take care of him even though John endangers her and th eir baby’s life as well. She realizes that staying with Nash is a major responsibility; nevertheless, she decides to care for him and to deal with the consequences. Unfortunately, schizophrenia is a complex and misunderstood mental condition, sometimes resulting in society’s intolerance for those suffering from this illness, including John Nash. Societ... ...least advantaged because he relies on the welfare of others--his wife, his friends, and his psychiatrist. Fortunately, because Alicia has strong moral values she agrees to keep John away from the psychiatric clinic. She supports and understands him in every aspect. Even though John is mentally ill and the least advantaged, he still manages to live a meaningful life with the help of family and friends. Works Cited Grazer, B. (Producer), & Howard, R. (Director). (2001). A beautiful mind [Motion picture]. U.S.: Universal Pictures. Hockenbury, H. D., & Hunenbury, E. S. (2010). Discovering Psychology (5th ed.).New York: Worth. Jones, J. (2010). Medical Problems in Schizophrenia Can Be Prevented. Psych Central. Retrieved on December 7, 2011, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/07/26/medical-problems-in-schizophrenia-can-be-prevented/16004.html

India Country Essay

Below is a free essay on â€Å"India† from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. 1.What is the climate for doing business in India? Is it supportive of foreign investment? oThe climate for doing business in India is continuously evolving. Today, the Indian economy is characterized by a liberalized foreign investment and trade policy, the extensive role played by the private sector and deregulation. India is extremely supportive of foreign investment and in fact in recent years, the government has been relaxing its bureaucratic rules particularly those relating to foreign investments. 2.How important is a highly educated human resource pool for MNCs wanting to invest in India? Is it more important for some businesses more than for others? oIt’s very important for MNCs wanting to invest in India to have a highly educated human resource pool because it is very important for them to understand what they are getting into (specifically language & cultural barriers) and for them to adapt to the changes that come along with the corporation investing internationally. It’s evident that as India continues to grow and evolve so will the demand for well educated people. The more successful and competitive India becomes, the more critical human resource management will be. Luckily, companies are beginning to see that an investment in human resource processes & outsourcing services that can help make the successful is a good way to gain competitive advantage for their organizations future. It is more important for some businesses than for others depending on the industry they are in and the level of technology they use. Some MNCs use advanced technology to help them communicate, produce, and deliver their goods and services internationally which has ultimately led to some experts predicting that in the future, technology has the potential to displace employees in all industries. 3.Given the low per capita income of the country, why would you still argue for India to be an excellent place to do business in the coming years? oI will still argue†¦

Philosophical Context in Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis

Intro Kafka never fully embraced Zionism, and he remained ambivalent toward Judaism. He was more openly interested in anarchism and socialism, but was not committed to either philosophy because he refused to completely align himself with an established worldview. Modernism -Kafka was exposed to Modernism. -Modernism was a movement during the late 19th century and early twentieth century of scientific, technological and industrial development. Modernists shared a desire to create literature that was new and different. Their belief was to capture the reality of modern life and that rapid change cause uncertainty, disjointedness, and alienation. Kafka wrote about the absurdity of existence, the alienating experience of modern life, and the cruelty of authoritarian power. -The word Kafkaesque has passed into the literature to describe an unsettling, disorienting, nightmarish world that is at once both fearful and menacing in its ambiguity and complexity. Kafka's views on Humanity Speakin g with his friend Max Brod, Kafka once explained that he thought human beings were trapped in a hopeless world. This belief never leaves Kafka's writing, and it is present in The Metamorphosis, where Gregor's only option, in the end, is to die. Ironically, the story ends on an optimistic note, as the family puts itself back together. Existentialism -Kafka never studied philosophy but he was friends with several intellectuals and read works by famous philosophers. -Several people think of Kafka as an existentialist. -Existentialism is a 20th-century philosophical movement, which assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves. -The early 19th century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard is regarded as the father of existentialism. -Franz Kafka was an important literary author in existentialism. His story, which is surreal, is one of many modernist literary works that was influenced by existentialist philosophy. -The Metamorphosis advances the existential view of the responsibility of the individual to maintain a balance between work and leisure. If one chooses to devote their life entirely to work, they are no more than droning insects, yet if they devote their lives to leisure, they are no better off. -Gregor initially chooses society over himself, which in turn transformed him into the working drone he was. After his physical transformation, he is forced reassert his focus to himself, and society abandons him. Nietzche and Kierkgaard -Kierkegaard and Nietzsche considered the role of making free choices,  Kierkegaard's  knight of faith  and Nietzsche's  Ubermensch  are representative of people who exhibit  Freedom and define the nature of their own existence. -Nietzsche's ideal individual invents his or her own values and creates the terms under which they excel. -Gregor's monstrous insect form represents Gregor's radical refusal to submit to society's values like Nietzschean Ubermensch. Martin Buber -Kafka was friends with philosopher and existentialist Martin Buber. They would send each other letters and these letters were later published in Bubers The letters of Martin Buber: a life of dialogue. Together they discussed existentialism and were part of a literary circle. They were both jewish and anarchists. -Shared existentialist rejection of achieving real satisfaction in life. Characters in Kafka’s tales are left wanting something, needing a connection to the world that can never be made complete. Sigmund Freud -Kafka was familiar with the newly published works of Sigmund Freud. -However, he was no Freudian disciple and wrote negatively of psychoanalytic theory. But Gregor's conflict with his father and the dream-like quality of the story realtes to Freud's analysis of dreams and the Oedipal complex: – A subconscious sexual desire in a child, especially a male child, for the parent of the opposite sex, usually accompanied by hostility to the parent of the same sex. – All sons feel they are in competition with their father and often feel in a battle against the father. Father vs. Son in Metamorphosis -Gregor seems to have a difficult relationship with his father. His family rejects him, and his main enemy is his father, who wants to kill him. When Gregors father sees Gregor in his insect form, he shakes his fist at him and glares at him fiercely. Later he attacks him with a newspaper and a walking stick, and, bombards him with apples, causing him serious injury. -He is also makes sarcastic comments, suggesting for instance that Gregor's room is untidy. -It also turns out that he has deceived Gregor about the family finances, thus extending the length of Gregor's employment at the hateful traveling salesman's job. -He also does not seem particularly appreciative of the money Gregor has been bringing in. Gregor's disappointment over the lack of appreciation is one of the few critical thoughts he thinks about his father. -He also thinks briefly that the money his father hid from him could have been used to free him from his job sooner, but he quickly dismisses the thought by saying that no doubt his father knew best. -Basically Gregors father abuses him, but he suppresses his angry responses and accepts his downtrodden state. Marx and Kafka -Karl Marx believed alienation is a result of capitalism. – Kafka was influenced by his political philosophy of Marxism. A Marxist would read Gregor's inability to work as a protest against the dehumanizing and alienating effects of working in a capitalistic society. -Gregor Samsa, the protagonist, signifies the proletariat, or the working class, and his unnamed manager represents the bourgeoisie. -The conflict that arises between the two after Gregor's metamorphosis, which leaves him unable to work, represents the dehumanizing structure of class relations. -Finally, the results of Gregors inability to work is abandonment by his family and death. -The words he chooses to describe his job, â€Å"torture,† â€Å"worrying,† and â€Å"miserable† show his discontent with his job. He says, â€Å"If I didn't hold back for my parents' sake, I would have quit long ago†. It is only economic necessity that keeps him going to work everyday. Historical Context -In 1912, when Kafka was writing â€Å"The Metamorphosis,† Prague was a city of ethnic tensions, primarily between Czechs and Germans and between Czechs and Jews. -Economically, the late nineteenth century marked the climax of the Industrial Revolution in Europe. -Industrial development within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was not as advanced as in Europe but Prague was one of the most advanced and prosperous cities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, along with the prosperity created by the new industrialism came dislocation and disruption of the old ways, largely as a result of the shift of large numbers of people from the countryside to the city. Industrialization also meant the appearance of large numbers of jobs, for both factory and office workers, which was hardwork. And the school syst em enforced a system of routine learning that seemed relentlessly joyless—at least it seemed joyless to young Kafka, who hated school, just as he hated his first full? time job. Long hours at boring jobs create alienation. And oppressive employers like Gregor's were normal.

Product Design and Modernism

Product Design and Modernism The principles of modernism affected many areas of human activities, including product design. It is necessary to focus on the following important distinctions of this style, namely:Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Product Design and Modernism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More the absence of ornamental elements and minimalism; pure geometrical forms; the use of new materials; the suitability of the modernist designs for mass production (Greenhalph 1990). At the beginning of the twentieth century, these features were very innovative and only few designers were willing to adopt this approach. This is why they can be called modern, at least if one speaks about the design which existed at that time. Yet, nowadays there techniques are viewed as something conventional and very widespread. This is one of the main issues that should not be overlooked. Overall, it is possible to argue that the principles of modernism are of great relevance to contemporary designers who attach importance to such criteria as utility, aestheticism, and cost-effectiveness. These are the main questions that should be examined in this essay. They are vital for describing the principles of modernism. In order to discuss the innovative aspects of modernist product design, one should first mention that the aesthetics of this movement which mostly rejected those elements which did not serve any practical purposes. This approach is described as minimalism or functionalism which means that every element of design should perform a certain function (Bertens 1997, p. 92).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In contrast, purely decorative components are considered to be redundant by the supporters of the modernist movement (Bertens 1997, p. 92). These principles were particularly applicable to architecture and interior design . Yet, this idea also appealed to many manufacturers of that period because they wanted to make the products available to a great number of clients (Bertens 1997, p. 92). This background information can throw light on the influence of modernism on product design. This is one of the main aspects that should be taken into account. Overall, the absence of ornamental elements can be best illustrated by looking at the piece of furniture that was created during this period. For example, the following photograph exemplifies the principles of minimalism and functionalism: Figure 1: The armchair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Raizman, 2003, p. 189) On the whole, this armchair highlights the way in the idea of functionality influenced the work of designers who tried to combine utility with aestheticism. In their view, these elements could be reconciled with one another. There are virtually no decorative components.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Product Desi gn and Modernism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is one of the main distinctions that explain the principles of modernism and its influence on design. One should mention that this approach to design differed dramatically from the techniques that were used during the earlier periods. For example, the furniture, made by the supporters of the Art Nouveau Movement, could contain tracery, carvings or the use of acrylic painting. In most cases, these components did not play any functional goal and their utility was usually minimal. In contrast, modernist designers did not want to include these components because in their opinion, decorations were superfluous. This is one of the main points that should be considered. The design of furniture was not the only area that was transformed by modernism. There are many other fields of product design that were changed by this aesthetic movement. For example, one can speak about the design of dinnerwar e created in the early fifties Figure 2: Dinnerware designed by Trude Petri (Raizman, 2003, p. 189)Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Again, it is important to remember dinnerware created in the pre-modernist period usually created a great number of decorative elements. Furthermore, one should focus on the use of pure geometric forms such triangles, spheres, or squares. On the whole, this technique enabled the designers to emphasize the minimalism or austerity of their products. Moreover, in this way, the designers could illustrate the novelty of their work and its difference from previous artistic styles and movements. As it has been said before, many critics and buyers could not readily accept this style because these forms were deemed to be very unconventional (Bertens 1997). This is main peculiarity that should not be disregarded when examining the forms that are associated with modernism. It is possible to look at the photograph taken in 1930. To a great extent, this picture was aimed at popularizing the new approach to the product design. Figure 2: A Model for the New Living Style (Greenhalph 1990, p. 98) T his picture indicates that that modern designers preferred clear surfaces and pure geometric forms that have no irregularities. One should take into account that in the first half of the twentieth century, this technique was perceived as something very innovative because the majority of architects and designers avoided the use of pure geometric forms. In their opinion, this technique was too simplistic or even crude (Greenhalph 1990). Moreover, this form was not readily accepted by buyers who were accustomed to the presence of decorative elements. However, the development of modernist design popularized the new methods of production and aesthetic styles. Therefore, it is possible to say that the principles of modernism are no longer regarded as something very innovative. This is one of the main peculiarities which should be taken into account by people who study the role of modernism. Additionally, it is important to pay close attention to the use of materials that became very popul ar during the age of modernist design. Among the most popular materials that were applied in the pre-modernist era, one can distinguish wood, glass, and metal (Raizman 2003). However, the situation began to change at the beginning of the twentieth century when scientific changes widened the opportunities that were available to designers. One should focus on such materials as polyester, stainless steel, polypropylene, heat-resistant glass, aluminum, and even silicon (Raizman 2003; Ross 2008, p. 132). They could be employed for the production of furniture, home appliances, vehicles, and many other products. One can also say that they greatly contributed to the rise of mass production (Cresswell Lambert 2003, p. 122). It should be kept in mind that the development of modernism reflected the increasing industrializations of the society. The materials that have been mentioned facilitated the work of manufacturers that were oriented to the needs of mass consumer market. Thus, this aspect of modernist turned out to be very useful to them. Moreover, at that time, this approach was perceived as something very innovative because people preferred to buy products made of glass, metal, or wood. This is one of the main details that should be identified since it is vital for examining the effects of modernism on product design. Furthermore, there is another detail which suggests that modernism revolutionized the principles of product design. Such principles as minimalism, the reliance on geometric forms, and the use of innovative material enabled businesses to launch mass production of products (Raizman 2009, p. 189). To some degree, the adoption of the modernist principles helped companies increase the volume of production. Moreover, modernist approach to product design facilitated the standardization of items that had to be manufactured (Raizman 2009, p. 189). This peculiarity was of great use to many manufacturers that were producing large quantities goods at the beginni ng of the twentieth century (Raizman 2003, p. 189; Parsons 2009, p. 110). One can say that these techniques are now widely used by many companies which rely on assembly line. This aspect is also critical for understanding the novelty of modernism and its role in the course of history. Overall, these cases suggest modernism played an important role in the product design. In this case, one can speak about minimalist aesthetics, functionalism, pure geometric forms, the use of innovative materials, and orientation toward mass production. Nowadays, the innovation brought by modernism are now taken for granted, but at the modernism emerged these changes were regarded as a breakthrough. To a great extent, the principles of the modernist movement opened a new era in product design and their effects are palpable nowadays. This aesthetic movement increased the availability of many goods. Finally, it is possible to say that product design is one of those areas in which modernist principles con tinue to play a vital role. This is one of the main arguments that can be put forward. References Bertens, H 1997, International Postmodernism: Theory and Literary Practice, John Benjamins Publishing, Boston. Cresswell, L Lambert, B 2003 Product design: resistant materials technology, Heinemanin, New York. Greenhalph, P 1990, Modernism in design, Reaktion Books, Boston. Parsons, T 2009, Thinking: Objects: Contemporary Approaches to Product Design, AVA Publishing, London. Raizman, D 2003, History of Modern Design: Graphics and Products Since the Industrial Revolution, Laurence King Publishing, New York. Ross, S 2008, Modernism and Theory: A Critical Debate, Routledge, New York.

Static vs Dynamic DLL Loading With Delphi

Static vs Dynamic DLL Loading With Delphi A DLL (Dynamic Link Library) acts as a shared library of functions that can be called upon by numerous applications and other DLLs. Delphi lets you create and use DLLs so that you can call these functions at will. However, you must import these routines before you can call them. Functions exported from a DLL can be imported in two ways- either by declaring an external procedure or function (static) or by direct calls to DLL specific API functions (dynamic). Lets consider a simple DLL. Below is the code for circle.dll exporting one function, called CircleArea, which calculates the area of a circle using the given radius: Once you have the circle.dll, you can use the exported CircleArea function from your application. Static Loading The simplest way to import a procedure or function is to declare it using the external directive: If you include this declaration in the interface part of a unit, circle.dll is loaded once when the program starts. Throughout execution of the program, the function CircleArea is available to all units that use the unit where the above declaration is. Dynamic Loading You can access routines in a library through direct calls to Win32 APIs, including LoadLibrary, FreeLibrary, and GetProcAddress. These functions are declared in Windows.pas. Heres how to call the CircleArea function using dynamic loading: When importing using dynamic loading, the DLL is not loaded until the call to LoadLibrary. The library is unloaded by the call to FreeLibrary. With static loading, the DLL is loaded and its initialization sections execute before the calling applications initialization sections are executed. This is reversed with dynamic loading. Should You Use Static or Dynamic? Heres a simple look at the advantages and disadvantages of both static and dynamic DLL loading: Static Loading Pros: Easier for a beginner developer; no ugly API calls.DLLs are loaded just once, when the program starts. Cons: The application will not start if any DLLs are missing or can not be found. An error message like this will appear: This application has failed to start because missing.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem. By design, the DLL search order with static linking includes the directory from which the application loaded, the system directory, the Windows directory, and directories listed in the PATH environment variable. Note also that the search order might be different for various Windows versions. Always expect to have all the DLLs in the directory where the calling application is.More memory is used since all DLLs are loaded even if you wont use some of the .functions Dynamic Loading Pros: You can run your program even when some of the libraries it uses are not present.Smaller memory consumption since the DLLs are used only when needed.You can specify the full path to the DLL.Could be used for modular applications. The application only exposes (loads) modules (DLLs) approved for the user.The ability to load and unload library dynamically, is the foundation of a plug-in system that allow a developer to add extra functionality to programs.Backwards compatibility with older Windows versions in which system DLLs might not support the same functions or be supported in the same way. Detecting the Windows version first, then dynamically linking based on what your app is running on, allows you to support more versions of Windows and provide workarounds for older OSs (or at the very least, gracefully disabling features you cant support.) Cons: Requires more code, which isnt always easy for a beginner developer.

Analysis and apply the various theories and schools of thought for Essay

Analysis and apply the various theories and schools of thought for California Lutheran University - Essay Example In its policy, CLU offers equal opportunities to all qualified individuals regardless of their color, race, gender, origin, or disability. The classical theories The classical theories were developed by different scholars, whose main assumptions were largely based on the relations between the management and employees (Helrich, 2012). This is attained through structures, which are formally made to enable smooth communication process, established accountability, and official practices and procedures to prevent any kind of disputes. In the California Lutheran University, the management includes the University administrators and the directors, while lecturers and other subordinate staff are the employees. They have formally made procedures to be followed such as timetables of lectures and other schedules to ensure that there is no conflict between them and the students. Workers are treated as economic individuals whose motivation is money. However, they are regarded as products of means of production. Henry Fayol came up with fourteen principles of an organization, such as division of work, authority and responsibility, discipline, and unity of command. In this university, all these principles have been applied on both the faculties and the students. The workers are dedicated to working with small numbers of graduate and undergraduate students who are disciplined, and open-minded about everybody, about ideas, and about their faith. Each student is seeking to grow as an individual while pursuing his or her passion and discover his purpose. The bureaucratic Theory of Management initiated by Max Weber helps an organization achieve objectives and goals. To him, an organization is efficient if has a continuous organization of formal functions interconnected by regulations, a hierarchy in administration, and rules to regulate office conducts. The institution has formal hierarchies from the University president down to the students. The governing bodies include the Convoc ation, Regents’ Board, the Cabinet of the President, and the Faculty. The executive cabinet provides leadership for the Programs Board and the senate to ensure that policies are executed and implemented. The Programs Board on the other hand officially represents the interests and wishes of all the students enrolled in the University. This hierarchy of roles runs down from the president of the institution to the students’ body to ensure that there is proper definition in tasks for a proper operations and order. The Human Resources management Human relations and schools of thought The Human Resource part of California Lutheran University has several departments, which work collectively to ensure that administrative roles and other responsibilities are achieved as desired. For instance, the senior Human Resource Administrator of the University administers all institutional compensation programs. He works with the HR Director on most of the scheduled projects such as analy sis, implementation, design, yearly salary programs, and budgeting. He assists the director with termination or disciplinary issues and general relations with the employees. The Director of Adult Degree Evening Program oversees faculty-student relations and recruitment and leads enrolment goal achievement, retention strategies, and excellence in student activities. The central aspect of the Human Relations school of thought is that when workers work

Strategic Management for Real Chocolate Company Research Paper

Strategic Management for Real Chocolate Company - Research Paper Example Political: Decrease in over all market demand due to unstable political situation. Economic: The Economic downturn being experienced in the whole world can be lethal for the demand of chocolates. Socio-cultural: The population of U.S is getting more conscious about the problems related to health. Any product accused of effecting health of the people can lead to the loss of market share. The changing demographics of US are also affecting the demand patterns. Technological: Increased innovation and technological improvement in manufacturing and services resulting in shape of economies to scale. Legal: Improved laws regarding the health affecting food products. Environmental: The industry can face environmental threat because of the Agro-terrorism. a) Segments (main market segments): The main market segments are the B2b customers getting the franchise of the company. b) Differentiation opportunities: Artisan chocolates are creating marketing Niches. The company can also experiment with exotic flavors and ingredients mixes as experimented with big chocolates in past. Godiva Chocolatier and Russell Stover, Company's largest competitors, hold a larger share of the global market in sales of chocolates. This likely was an outcome of being a publicly traded company and maintaining the capital required for large-scale marketing ventures. Regardless, Real Chocolate Company only maintains between eight and 12 percent of the entire market, which is insufficient for their growth requirements. Market Penetration: The revenue of the company can be increased by the introduction of new franchising schemes as this can be a low cost and high revenue option. The...This likely was an outcome of being a publicly traded company and maintaining the capital required for large-scale marketing ventures. Regardless, Real Chocolate Company only maintains between eight and 12 percent of the entire market, which is insufficient for their growth requirements. The revenue of the company can be increased by the introduction of new franchising schemes as this can be a low cost and high revenue option. The company should also keep its share in the annual sales of its franchised stores and outlets. The new product to be marketed to our existing customers can be the Dark Chocolate. This will be an innovative product for the loyal customers of the Company. The Company should also introduce new franchising programs with different offers for franchisees. The Real Chocolate Company is currently working in a market where sales are being affected by competitor activities and the external environment. There are several opportunities available for Real Chocolate Company to shift its position as a follower in the sales market and emerge a leader. The company reported the revenues of $ 31.6 million which was 12 % more than the previous year.