Information and knowledge management for managers Term Paper

Information and knowledge management for managers - Term Paper Example Goals and Objectives The organization aims to provide high quality solutions at the most cost effective prices for its clients, so that it establishes a distinct image in the market. Type and Range of Products Initially, Web Windows specialized in print advertising and radio advertising, but now, it has diversified into online advertising also. Web Windows specializes in display as well as social media. Knowledge Management Vision The clients have the option to choose for advertising in specific sectors such as radio, social media or display or decide for a combination of marketing mix to reach their advertising goals. At present, there are several clients who opt for an advertising mix that spans across various mediums and there are some other clients who are keen on focusing on one particular avenue. Each of the client accounts are assigned to an account management team who work very closely with the clients are deliver what they require. This team consists of various experts in di fferent avenues such as print advertising expert and online advertising experts. The team also has industry analysts who played a key role in providing market and industry inputs to the team. Apart from advertising experts, each account management team also has Client relationship managers who deal directly with the clients and serve as point of contacts. Therefore, it is clear that the organization operates at multiple levels because numerous roles and experts have to come together to meet a common goal. The knowledge is highly tacit in nature because of the dynamic set up of the advertising industry. With attrition as well as internal transfers, effective knowledge transfer, including transfer of tacit knowledge becomes really important. [THIS PARA... Across industry, the level of competition has become very high during the past decade. This has increased the importance of effective knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer. As organizations have moved ahead to bring about a system that is effective, they have unearthed some processes that are barriers from being knowledge management effective (McDermott and O'Dell, 2001). These factors are mostly unique to particular organizations, but some of the most common factors are inadequacy of organizational structures, cultures that do not encourage information sharing, denominational segregation, lack of proper framework and so on (Riege, 2005). Additionally, it is also important to consider whether employees are motivated enough to share the information or not (Groff and Jones, 2003).   There are different schools of thought that center around knowledge transfer. The techno-centric school of thought primarily focuses on how knowledge related to technology is transferred where as the o rganizational school of thought focuses more on how an entire organization can adapt to knowledge transfer (Hislop, 2003). Ecological school of thought has a high focus on understanding how people interact, and how knowledge transfer is in fact a complex adaptive system (Jashapara, 2003).The concept of knowledge transfer or information management itself is not very new in many organizations. In most instances, this information transfer happens only in cases of explicit knowledge. For example, an employee passing.

Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Public Health - Essay Example Its objective is to offer conditions in which citizens can be fit and its focal point is one the complete populations (Chin, 2000). Therefore, public wellbeing is concerned with the whole organization and not only the abolition of particular illnesses. Mission: the task of the public wellbeing scheme comprises its objective at every point in moments and how, at the theoretical stage, these goals are prepared. At the start of the 21st era, the duty of community wellbeing is to guarantee situations that populaces can be fit. This task is conceptualized as being approved via the recital of the core purposes of evaluation, policy growth, and the declaration (Rugglero, 2007). The functions have come to symbolize the universal conducts in which civic wellbeing difficulties are known and tackled via planned, communal labors. Structure: the structural ability of the public welfare organization is the increasing capital and relations essential to take the vital processes of community fitness. Structural capacity comprises of the following basics: organizational resources, information resources, fiscal, human and physical resources. Process: the practice of community fitness can be considered in terms of primary processes via which practitioners look for to identify, prioritize, and address society heath difficulties. Also, it seeks to recognize resources and productivity of the basic operations, policies, public health involvements, services, programs, and regulations. The means of general fitness are those that recognize and tackle health difficulties. In addition, the methods also identify and attend to agendas and services reliable to community priorities and mandates (Chin, 2000). Outcome: an organization’s outcomes are the immediate and lasting change knowledgeable by communities, families, providers, inhabitants and individuals. It is also the cumulative consequence of the contact of the communal wellbeing system’s process and structural capacity given

The Life Of Edvard Grieg Music Essay

The Life Of Edvard Grieg Music Essay When thinking of the great musical traditions that abound in Europe, it could probably be expected that the main influential cultures that have contributed to these musical traditions are the Germans, Italians, French, and English. From Bach to Brahms and everyone in between, these four cultures seemed to have generated the greatest of composers. Thus, it wouldnt be expected that a man from Norway, a country not at all noted for their musical prowess or persuasion, would produce a composer of the highest quality. But from Norway, a man named Edvard Grieg proved that other parts and cultures of Europe could also fashion composers of the highest quality and contribute to Europes great musical traditions. Born on June 15, 1843, Edvard Grieg was born into a successful merchant family who traded dried fish and lobster across the North Sea. His father helped run the family business and his mother was regarded as the best piano teacher in their hometown of Bergen. Since he was not the eldest son, he had the ability to pursue his interests in music and not worry about carrying on the family business as much as his older brother did. From early on, he displayed much interest in music, with his mother teaching him to play the piano from age six. Grieg would explore different tunes on his own for hours on the piano, though not always the most disciplined of students. He much preferred exploring and improvising his own sounds on the instrument than sticking to the regimented piano method set by his mother. However, despite the certain amount of reluctance, he excelled in his music studies and continued on the path that he was truly destined to become an artist. Studying music may have been a chore for the young musician, but he had a greater disdain for his other studies in school. When he was ten years old, Grieg was enrolled at the Tanks School, one of the leading schools at the time with strict and demanding expectations. He would try to find any and every excuse to avoid going to school. During the summer, the family would go to their estate far out in the countryside, which made the daily travel to school even farther. Grieg would sometimes also have to trek in rainy weather, something that he learned to embrace rather than dislike. Students who showed up wet to class were often dismissed so they could return home to change. Its been said that Grieg, in an attempt to avoid school, would sometimes stand under a gutter so as to become much more wet in a lot less time. The trick initially proved effective until the teacher realized that one student was always more wet than the others especially when there hardly was any rain. Generally, his grades were less than satisfactory. However, when the teacher had asked one time who had composed a work called Requiem, the young Grieg immediately answered, Mozart. The class was astounded that this student, who rarely spoke up in class, knew the answer that no one else even heard of, earning him the nickname Mosak. It was obvious where his interests were. At the familys countryside estate during the summer of 1858, Grieg met the Norwegian violin virtuoso Ole Bull, who was close friends and actually a relative by marriage to Griegs parents. During the visit, Grieg performed for the violinist which included some pieces the young composer wrote. At the conclusion of the performance, Ole Bulls expression turned serious and went to speak with Griegs parents. When he returned, Ole Bull was thrilled to announce to Grieg that his parents agreed to allow the youngster to attend the Leipzig Conservatory. This moment, Grieg later recalled, was the single most important event in his life. In the autumn of 1858, Edvard Grieg, then only 15 years old, ended his education in Norway and went to the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany to study music. The Conservatory was founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelsohn, and was reckoned to be the best and most modern conservatory in Europe. Even though Grieg had always aspired to become an artist, he had to adapt to this new environment especially coming from a small city like Bergen to a European metropolis with narrow streets, tall buildings and crowds of people. Due to homesickness and language-problems, Grieg initially had some difficulties adjusting to his new home, but eventually, he became very comfortable in this new place. His teachers were among the most eminent in Europe: Ignaz Moscheles in piano (also the director of the Conservatory at the time), Carl Reinecke in composition, and Moritz Hauptmann, whom Edvard Grieg had the greatest respect for. During his stay in Leipzig, Edvard Grieg came in contact with the best of Europes music traditions. He first studied the works of Mozart and Beethoven, but also the compositions of contemporary composers such as Mendelsohn, Schumann, and Wagner. Grieg enjoyed the numerous concerts and recitals given in Leipzig. He disliked the discipline of the Conservatory course of study, yet he still achieved very good grades in most areas, an exception being the organ, which was mandatory for piano students. In the spring of 1860, he contracted pleuritt, a form of tuberculosis, which affected him for the rest of his life. His left lung collapsed, which made his back bend and greatly reduced his lung-capacity. Nevertheless, the following year, on August 18, 1861, he made his debut as a concert pianist, in Karlshamn, Sweden. He graduated from the Conservatory with excellent marks in 1862 and left as a full-fledged musician and composer. His first concert after graduating was held in his home town of Bergen, which included a performance of Beethovens Pathà ©tique Sonata. Among other works performed at this concert was his String Quartet in D-minor, a work that has disappeared without a trace. Griegs goal was to compose Norwegian music, but as a realist, he knew that he had to go abroad to get in contact with an environment that could aide him in developing as a composer. In the years up to 1866, Grieg lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, the only Scandinavian city with a rich cultural life on an international level, leaving it only to make brief study trips. In Copenhagen, there were other composers like Niels W. Gade, Emil Hornemann, Winding, and Mathison-Hansen. Probably the most inspirational to Grieg was Niels W. Gade. After having composed his only piano sonata and his first violin sonata, he took them to Gade for his opinion. Its been said that when Gade was really inspired, he drank great amounts of water. That day, the old maestro emptied four huge decanters. Gade encouraged Grieg to compose a symphony. The work was performed several times, but Grieg later refused to acknowledge it. Never to be performed, were the words he wrote on the score. However, it eventually was rediscovered in the twentieth century and performed again, and it was even recorded. This fruit of Griegs early years was certainly nothing to be ashamed of, and it provides todays listeners with a broader view of the composers artistic and musical development. The symphony displays Griegs considerable technical skill, and new works naturally poured forth from his creativity. Griegs style was based on the German romantic tradition of music, but eventually, national awareness developed within him, coupled with a growing need to create a typical Norwegian style of music. This further developed through his friendships and discussions with other young composers from Norway. While in Copenhagen, Grieg met another Norwegian composer named Rikard Nordraak, who had a huge impact on Griegs evolution towards becoming a composer of Norwegian music. Nordraak is probably best remembered as being the composer of Norways national anthem. As a composer, he had not attained Griegs level, but he had strong views on how to create music based on the old folk melodies. Even though Grieg was the one with the most solid background from a Conservatory, he looked up to Nordraak as his idol. Nordraaks enthusiasm for everything Norwegian was passed on to Grieg. Grieg later said about Nordraak: He opened my eyes for the importance in music that isnt music. Nordraak died in 1866, and Grieg composed a funeral march in his honor. Grieg met several other people in Copenhagen that became his lifelong friends, the most important being his first cousin, Nina Hagerup. They had grown up together in Bergen, but Nina moved with her family to Copenhagen when she was eight years. Nina was an excellent pianist, but it was her beautiful voice that truly captivated Grieg. Ninas mother was an instructor at the theatre and may perhaps be one of the reasons why Nina became famous for the interpretation and performance of texts instead of being purely technical. The couple fell in love and was secretly engaged in 1864. This engagement was not well received by either family. Griegs father warned his son against the commitments of starting a family. He felt Grieg couldnt support a wife and family when his income came from conducting, performing, and composing. Ninas mother was much harsher. She said Grieg had nothing, cannot do anything, and makes music nobody cares to listen to. In the spring of 1865, they officially announced their engagement, and on this occasion, Grieg presented to his fiancà ©e four songs he composed for her with texts by their good friend, Hans Christian Andersen (Melodies of the Heart, Op. 5). In spite of the true love between Edvard and Nina, both of their parents were not present at the couples wedding on the June 11, 1867. The Griegs went from Copenhagen to Kristiania (known today as Oslo) in order to participate in the building of a Norwegian environment for music in the Norwegian capital. During this time, Grieg was influenced by the composer Otto Winter-Hjelm. Winter-Hjelm saw clearly how the elements of folk music could be used to create a national type of music along more impressive lines. Another influential composer was Ludvig Mathias Lindeman, whose collection of Norwegian folk melodies formed an important basis for Griegs further development. Later, Grieg went in search of folk music in its native environment. The written notes of folk music could not reproduce the special atmosphere and the almost magical rhythms and harmonies that the folk musicians created live from their instruments. Their time in Kristiania (known today as Oslo) also became a period of hard labor, both concerning the establishing of a Norwegian musical life and concerning their daily income. The familys income came from the various jobs Grieg took as a conductor and piano teacher. Also, their daughter Alexandra was born on the April 10, 1868. The same year, Grieg composed his brilliant Piano Concerto in A Minor, during a stay in Denmark. With the passing of time, the Piano Concerto has become almost synonymous with Norway. It has become part of the piano music repertoire and is frequently performed throughout the world. The concerto has the ability to call to mind strong associations with Norway in both performers and the audience. Though patterned to some extent on European models, Grieg has succeeded in bringing these together with elements of Norwegian folk music and his own personal conceptions of Norwegian nature and the Norwegian character. His musical style has become identical to the Norwegian intonation. This masterpiece became Griegs final breakthrough as a composer, and after this performance, he was considered as one of the greatest composers in his time. The concerto was first performed in the Casino Theater in Copenhagen on April 3, 1869, with Edmund Neupert as pianist and Holger Simon Pauli as conductor. Grieg himself was unable to be there due to conducting commitments in Kristiania. The joy of the success as a composer was short-lived when on May 21, 1869, their daughter Alexandra died from meningitis while visiting their family in Bergen. The fact that they no longer had a child could be the main reason why Edvard and Nina did not become a normal couple. Instead, they ended up as a two artists that travelled around Europe without a stable home. This situation became more apparent in 1875 when Griegs parents died. They now did not even have a home in Bergen to return to. In addition to this, Grieg felt that he had stagnated artistically. The situation reached a critical point in 1883 when Grieg left his wife. It was Griegs friend, Frants Beyer, who persuaded Grieg to reconcile with Nina, and they went to Rome in order to start the reconciling process. Frants Beyer also convinced Grieg that he needed a stable home, something to come home to after long tours abroad. Beyer helped Grieg to buy a place at Hop, in the outskirts of his hometown Bergen, and in 1885, Edv ard and Nina Grieg moved into their villa at Troldhaugen. In 1868, Franz Liszt, who had not yet met Grieg, wrote a testimonial for him to the Norwegian Ministry of Education, which led to Grieg obtaining a travel grant. The two men met in Rome in 1870. On Griegs first visit, they went over Griegs Violin Sonata No. 1, which Liszt immensely enjoyed. On his second visit, in April, Grieg brought with him the manuscript of his Piano Concerto, which Liszt proceeded to sightread (including the orchestral arrangement). Liszts rendition impressed his audience, although Grieg gently pointed out to him that he played the first movement too quickly. Liszt also gave Grieg some advice on orchestration, for example, to give the melody of the second theme in the first movement to a solo trumpet. His encounter with Franz Liszt and the artistic circles in Rome gave him fresh inspiration and self-confidence. Fired with new energy and enthusiasm he returned to Kristiania in 1870, where he initiated a productive cooperation with Bjornstjerne Bjornson, who for many years had been waiting for a composer that could write Norwegian music brought life his poems and dramas. In 1871, the poem Before a Southern Convent (for soprano, contralto, ladies choir and orchestra) was the first fruit of this collaboration. Inspired by its success, Bjornson, in the same year, started on the dramatic poem Bergliot, which, with its rugged realism, inspired Grieg to attempt a far more daring musical language than previously. In the spring of 1872, Bjornson and Grieg presented the result of yet another cooperation, the scenic drama Sigurd Jorsalfar. The conscious search for national roots and identity in Nordic antiquity was continued in Olav Trygvason. The idea was to create a monumental musical drama, but Bjornson never completed more than the first three acts. The work remained a fragment, but Griegs music gives us some idea of what a magnificent national opera, and as well as perhaps a major opera composer, were lost. The project was abandoned, but Griegs dramatic talents were put to a new test when the playwright, Henrik Ibsen, asked him to write the incidental music to the play Peer Gynt. Edvard Grieg met Henrik Ibsen for the first time in Rome in 1866. Ibsen immediately felt that Edvard Grieg was an artist with unusual musical and intellectual capacities. He and Grieg had the same views on Ibsens famous drama Brand. This was one of the reasons Grieg was chosen when in 1874, Ibsen planned a staging of of the story of Peer Gynt with music. Grieg accepted the task and started immediately with great enthusiasm. But setting music to Peer Gynt was not as easy as he had thought it would be. On the February 24, 1876, the play was performed for the first time in the Kristiania Theater in Oslo and was an immediate success. Alongside the work with Peer Gynt, Grieg also set music to six poems by Ibsen (Op. 25). In 1888 and in 1893, Grieg published respectively the Peer Gynt Suite I and II, which contained the most popular melodies from the play Peer Gynt. These two suites are among the most played orchestral pieces in our time. Griegs later life brought him fame. In 1874, the Norwegian government awarded him a pension, and he could support himself without needing to teach or to conduct. He returned to his home town of Bergen. The framework now seemed ideal for a productive period in his life. Instead, it was a time of both personal and artistic crisis. A period of depression, and Griegs struggle to overcome it led, nevertheless, to the creation of profound and gripping works of a high quality. The ambitious Ballad in G minor for piano and string quartet reflects the turmoil in his soul and his struggle to perfect both form and content. On his many journeys in Europe, he met, and became a good friend of, other composers like Peter Tchaikovsky, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Frederic Delius, Camille Saint-Saens, Julius Rà ¶ntgen, Edward MacDowell, and more. He influenced other composers, such as Bela Bartok, Maurice Ravel, and Claude Debussy. In the spring 1903, Grieg made nine 78-rpm gramophone recordings of his piano music in Paris, which are still accessible today. Grieg also help to create live-recording player piano music rolls for the Welte-Mignon reproducing system, all of which survive today and can be heard. In 1906, he met the composer and pianist Percy Grainger in London. Grainger was a great admirer of Griegs music and a strong empathy was quickly established. In a 1907 interview, Grieg stated: I have written Norwegian Peasant Dances that no one in my country can play, and here comes this Australian who plays them as they ought to be played! He is a genius that we Scandinavians cannot do other than love. One September 4, 1907, at the age of 64 years old, Edvard Grieg died in Bergen after a long period of illness. His final words were said to be, Well, if it must be so. The funeral drew between 30,000 and 40,000 people out on the streets of his home town to honor him. Following his wish, his own Funeral March in memory of Rikard Nordraak was played in an orchestration by his friend Johan Halvorsen. In addition, the Funeral March movement from Chopins Piano Sonata No. 2 was played. His and his wifes ashes are entombed in a mountain crypt near his house, Troldhaugen. Griegs piano works are incredible teaching literature, and had maintained their prominent place in piano teaching throughout the entire first half of the 20th century. The encounter with Grieg for piano students can prove to be a strong and intense experience because to them, Griegs music is a new musical discovery. At Troldhaugen, a concert hall and museum was constructed in the composers honor. In the course of a single morning during the summer months, as many as 4,000 people from all over the world come to Troldhaugen, brought here by the desire to experience the music of Norways greatest composer. Concert performances of Griegs music have become an important part of Troldhaugen museums offerings to the public. The music of Grieg continues to captivate and inspire listeners around the world. His music has been infused in popular culture as well as in classical music halls. His unique blend of Norwegian folk song with the broader musical styles of Europe creates melodies and harmonies unlikely any other. Indeed, from Norway, a man named Edvard Grieg proved that other parts and cultures of Europe could in fact fashion composers of the highest quality. He truly was a composer of the highest quality and a first-class musician, forever to be remembered.

Saint Sernin Of Toulouse And Notre Dame Of Paris Essay -- Architecture

Saint Sernin of Toulouse and Notre Dame of Paris   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When one thinks of St. Sernin and Notre Dame, one tends to think of two beautiful cathedrals, not to churches that portray two totally different styles of architecture. Those two styles are, of course, Romanesque in St. Sernin and the Gothic style of Notre Dame. Some characteristics that these two buildings share include quest for height, basic floor plan, and artistic flair. The period of Romanesque architecture, which lasted roughly from 1050 A.D. to 1150 A.D., concentrated mainly on achieving massive proportions, rounded vaulted bays, the round arch, the wall buttress, cylindrical apse and chapels, and towers. Early Gothic architecture, which began in 1144 with the dedication of Saint Denis, concentrated more on mastering the idea of an obscenely high ceiling, as well as ribbed and pointed vaults, the relationship between the structure and its appearance, and perhaps, most importantly the use of light.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most enjoyable things about comparing the two structures of St. Sernin and Notre Dame is that there are so many differences as far as the particulars go, but in general the two cathedrals are very, very much alike. Through the years, enough architectural and engineering advances had been made to raise the ceiling to staggering new heights of over one hundred feet. The materials remained the same as they had for years before, stone and mortar. The basic floor plan remained the same,... Saint Sernin Of Toulouse And Notre Dame Of Paris Essay -- Architecture Saint Sernin of Toulouse and Notre Dame of Paris   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When one thinks of St. Sernin and Notre Dame, one tends to think of two beautiful cathedrals, not to churches that portray two totally different styles of architecture. Those two styles are, of course, Romanesque in St. Sernin and the Gothic style of Notre Dame. Some characteristics that these two buildings share include quest for height, basic floor plan, and artistic flair. The period of Romanesque architecture, which lasted roughly from 1050 A.D. to 1150 A.D., concentrated mainly on achieving massive proportions, rounded vaulted bays, the round arch, the wall buttress, cylindrical apse and chapels, and towers. Early Gothic architecture, which began in 1144 with the dedication of Saint Denis, concentrated more on mastering the idea of an obscenely high ceiling, as well as ribbed and pointed vaults, the relationship between the structure and its appearance, and perhaps, most importantly the use of light.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most enjoyable things about comparing the two structures of St. Sernin and Notre Dame is that there are so many differences as far as the particulars go, but in general the two cathedrals are very, very much alike. Through the years, enough architectural and engineering advances had been made to raise the ceiling to staggering new heights of over one hundred feet. The materials remained the same as they had for years before, stone and mortar. The basic floor plan remained the same,...

Obesity in America Essay

Did you know that between 1980 and the year 2000, the obesity rates had doubled among adults in America ? About 30% of the adult population in America is suffering from obesity . Since 1980 , overweight rates have doubled among children and adults . Most people still do not practice healthy behaviors that can prevent obesity because they are lazy. More than 50% of American adults do not get the recommended amount of physical activity to provide health benefits . More than a third of young people in grades nine – twelve do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity . If more people in America would get out and do physical activities then this could reduce the amount of obese people and they could live happier and healthier . If people do not eat healthy and lack physical activity , then they may get diabetes and become obese . One cause of people in America becoming obese is because they do not eat healthy . If they would eat healthy then they would not have such high cholesterol and they would live a little longer . People should start eating more healthy foods such as fruits , vegetables , and non-artificial foods . These foods can be purchased at the local grocery store , gas station , and even at food market . These foods are normally cheaper than the other fatty foods and fast food restaurants , such as McDonald’s , Burger King , and artificial foods that contain grease . Fast food restaurants are one of the main causes of obesity because people love it and are addicted to it . People can get addicted to these restaurants very easy because it is quick , easy , taste good , and they do not have to do dishes . What these people don’t realize is what this food is doing to their bodies until they take a look at a scale and see that they have put on a massive amount of wait due to all the calories they have taken in . While these products might look appealing and tasty , they contain a wealth of hidden health hazards which are not only dangerous if eaten in large quantities but are a major cause of obesity , especially in children . For example , Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by Morgan Spurlock . Spurlock’s film follows a 30 day period from February 1 to March 2 , 2003 during which he eats only McDonald’s food . The film documents this lifestyle’s drastic effect on Spulock’s physical and psychological well being , and explores the fast food industry’s corporate influence , including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit . Spurlock dined at McDonald’s restaurants three times per day , eating every item on the chain’s menu . Spulock consumed an average of 9 Big Macs per day during the experiment . As a result , the 32 year old man gained 24  ½ lbs , and a cholesterol level of 230 . He experienced mood swings , sexual dysfunction , and fat accumulation in his liver . It took Spulock fourteen months to lose the weight gained from his experiment using a vegan diet supervised by his future wife , a chef who specializes in gourmet vegan dishes . The reason for Spulock’s investigation was the increasing spread of obesity throughout U . S society , which the Surgeon General has declared â€Å"epidemic† and the corresponding lawsuit brought against McDonald’s , it was alleged , became obese as a result of eating McDonald’s food Spurlock points out that although the lawsuit against McDonald’s failed . Subsequently many state legislatures have legislated against product liability actions against producers and distributors of â€Å"fast food †. Much of the same criticism leveled against tobacco companies applies to fast food franchises whose product is both physiologically addictive and physical harmful . Eating fast food can be very harmful to the human body . Fast food is a horrible choice to go and can be extremely dangerous if you don’t watch what , and how much you eat . Another cause of obesity can lack of physical exercise . Not exercising can be a reason why people put on weight because they do not burn any of the fat that they gain . People are so lazy now days and are addicted to electronics such as televison , video games , radio , computers , and etc . These electronics are killing Americans slowly because they forget all about going outdoors and doing something physical . Since the year 2000 , they have developed so much electronics and robots for our society that we do not have to do any work which leads us to laziness . Both diet and physical activity play a critical role in controlling your weight . You gain weight with the calories you burn , including those burned during physical activity, less than calories you eat or drink . When it comes to weight management , people vary greatly in how much physical activity they need . You may need to be more active than others to achieve or maintain a healthy weight . Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health . For example , you don’t have to spend much time with teenagers to know that the average adolescent would rather devote an afternoon to sitting in front of the tv , computes , or video games console than working out . In recent years , as physical education classes have been progressively cut from cash strapped public school curriculums , teens have had even more time to lounge , slouch , hangout , or do anything but break a sweat . In simple terms , body weight is a reflection of the balance between two variables : the calories a body takes in and the calories it burn off . As fa as the average U . S teen is concerned , the study suggests , the culprit behind weight gain is not decease in exercise but an increase consumption . Of course , that doesn’t mean teens are getting adequate exercise . Analyzed data from nearly 16,000 high school students between ages of fifteen and eighteen , who took part in the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention ‘s longitudinal Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey , about their physical . He and his team found that in 2007 , only 34.7% of teens met federal physical activity recommendations , which call for activity strenuous enough to cause heavy breathing for a total of an hour a day for five or more days a week . An effect of eating fast food and lack of physical activities is getting diabetes . Diabetes is a disease where your treatment plan may need to be adjusted over time . For people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is uncontrolled , adding insulin replaces what your body isn’t adequately making to help control blood sugar . Regardless of how you feel about your diabetes , its important to get your blood sugar under good control . Along with a program of diet , exercise and other diabetes medicine . Insulin may help you improve you blood sugar control . There are two types of this disease , type one and type two , which is also called onset diabetes . The first type , type one diabetes , cant be prevented because people who have this type are born with a compromised pancreas . These people have to rely on insulin injections throughout their life to maintain reasonably favorable health . People with type two diabetes develop this condition over time and have to rely on oral medication and in some cases insulin injections . People with adult onset diabetes were born with a healthy pancreas but they were either born with a susceptibility to the disease o other factors played a role in the development of the problem. The primary reason why people with a healthy pancreas develop this disease is poor diet , being overweight and sedentary lifestyle . These are all factors a person can control and limit his or her chance of developing this condition . The main reason people develop type two diabetes is because they become overweight . People who do not exercise and lead sedentary lifestyle are prone to developing type two . There is some evidence that adult onset type can be reversed , or at least controlled . Another effect of not eating healthy and lack of physical activity is becoming obese . Becoming obese is not a very good thing because there are many types of dangerous things that can happen any given moment . People that become obese also miss out on a lot of events and fun activities . They are limited of what they can do because they are so overweight that they cant move fast , they need help getting things and showering . They also may no longer eat certain foods anymore because it contains too much sugar . People should watch their weight and what they eat before they become overweight and have to live this way and trust me this is not the way to live . Just ask 43 year old , Shannon Cooper . Shannon Cooper had been living a normal life with her children of three . She had been so lazy and didn’t want to do anything because she had forced her three children to do all the chores around the house . Well 3 years later Shannon had to pay the price for all this because little did she know , she had a low metabolism and put on an enormous amount of weight . She had been eating McDonald’s almost every day and didn’t find anything wrong with eating all this fast food . All the food had went straight to her body and she is now bed bound and can’t shower own her own , get up and move around , or even use the restroom by herself . She now has her three kids feeding her , bathing her , and she has to urinate into a plastic bag mounted on the side of her heavy duty bed . Reporters say that Shannon will never live the same life as she had before unless she has liposuction done and that is something she cant afford . She is also unemployed because her leg structure cant support all of her massive weight she has gained to get up and maneuver around . Reporters asked her if she could go back three years , would she do it all over again and she said no . Shannon says it’s not worth all of the stress and embarrassment to her and her children . This story is hash so it should change anybody’s mind about their diet and what they eat . People may get diabetes and become obese if they do not get enough exercise or physical activity . People in America should watch what they eat if they do not want to end up like some of these people and be bed bound for possibly the rest of their lives . They do not only hurt themselves by doing this to their body , but they hurt their loved ones and the people around them , because they cant spend time with t hey family and friends . They are always worried that maybe you will seriously injure yourself someday or possibly loose you by death . If our society really care about the people around them then they will not only help themselves watch their health , but they would help other people on their diet and persuade them to get more exercise in by running or going to the gym . It is amazing by how the slightest things can change a person life by taking a little walk around the block once a day or even once a week . Just always remember that exercise and a little more vegetables or fruit can change ones life for them and others around them . Work Cited 1) http:/www./imdb.com/title/tt0390521 2)http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/activity.htm 3)http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/overview.html 4)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/obesity_in_america 5)http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/dimtext/kin/people/heavie.htm

The Purple Rose of Cairo

Film has captured and enchanted audiences since its origination with the Lumiere Brothers; and, as it developed, it began to be used to convey messages and ideas. Film started to become a creative outlet that then turned to a catalyst of philosophical thought. Film theorist Sergei Einstein expressed that film â€Å"as a work of art, understood dynamically, is just the process of arranging images in the feelings and mind of the spectator†.Thus, directors began to realize that audience manipulation was possible through the images and sounds they delivered, as well as through the way these images and sounds were presented– it all has an effect of how viewers thought of and interpreted the films. This is especially clear in the German film, Triumph of Will, directed by Leni Reifenstahl. While the film is brilliantly made, with moving cameras, the utilization of long focus lenses, aerial photography, and a revolutionary approach to musical accompaniment, the film was also in credibly propagandistic and manipulative at the time of it’s release.The entire film is a vehicle to promote the ideologies of Hitler; beginning with Germany’s near-destruction in World War I and depicting Hitler as a messiah, descending from the skies to greet his vehement followers. In the opening minutes of the film, there are close-up and over-the-shoulder shots of Hitler, making him seem rather personable, adored, and somewhat noble. There are also shots of children approaching him, showing that the ideas of innocence and purity are to be seen as parallel to the views and goals Hitler himself.Aesthetically, the entire film is superbly done, and politically its manipulative powers are astonishing. By showing Germany as unified under the divine rule of Hitler, it brought the nation together and created one of the most destructive and powerful nations in the 1940s. While film can be used as propaganda, like in Nazi Germany, it can also be used to provoke thought, rat her than control it, manipulate it, or deceive it. In Woody Allen’s film The Purple Rose of Cairo, the audience is pushed to move beyond the appearance of things and consider other worlds, other perspectives.For the heroine, Cecilia, film is an escape and an impossible inspiration. According to the fictitious movie (The Purple Rose of Cairo), the purple rose itself is supposed to grow in a pharaoh’s tomb– the expression of a perfect love. However, no flower can grow without light making it an impossible inspiration. According to Plato, and to partially to Allen, our relationship with truth is rather grim. When we attend movies we are much like Plato’s captives, chained facing a cave wall, only seeing a world of shadows– our reality is suspended.But another point is made; although we can be deceived by shadows, we are also capable of understanding and questioning anything, shadows included. Yes, film is an escape from reality and the idea of being a ble to truly escape a somewhat horrid life is unimaginably wonderful, but thats just it– it is an idea. Change has to be brought on by oneself, not an unreliable outside source, and perfection is an illusion. I as a viewer absolutely love how Allen presents these ideologies in The Purple Rose of Cairo.He gives it an unconventional point of view, setting up a series of contrasts between perfection and imperfection, reality and illusion, loving someone and being in love with someone, that forces us to think about film as well as the actual content of the film. And this all ties back to Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave†; our life is veiled and we must aspire to leave and become less dependent on the shadow world. What is interesting is that, in the film, Allen makes the audience unsure of which world is the shadow world and which is the illusion.The perfect world becomes the film world and the false one is the desired reality. As entertainment, the film is greatà ¢â‚¬â€œ a nonsensical romantic comedy with a less-than-happy ending; but philosophically it goes much deeper than that, provoking audiences to think about reality and the importance of imperfection. While on the subject of imperfection, a third film demands some attention. Alejandro Amenabar’s The Sea Inside presents a whole new perspective on what perfection in life is. Many people see suicide as a selfish act– removing yourself from the lives of your loved ones far earlier than they would have liked.However, the question of who is more selfish is posed. Is it the people who remove themselves when they feel no more connection to life; or the people who expect those who want to leave to stay, regardless of their misery or feelings of lacking true connection to the vibrancy of life? Thus are the questions presented to audiences upon viewing this film. In my mind, everyone should have the freedom to choose the life they want to live, or not live; and to choose what meani ng they take out of said life. In Clendine’s â€Å"The Good Short Life†, it is said that we speak of living life, but never of death.That â€Å"we act as if facing death weren’t one of life’s greatest, most absorbing thrills and challenges† and that being incoherent and immobile until one only sees friends and family as â€Å"a passing cloud†. Both Clendine and Ramon didn’t want to put their loved ones through that, and taking one’s life seemed to be the best solution. Both were â€Å"vital to the end, and knew when to leave†. In my opinion, if someone has legitimate, justifiable reasons to want to leave this earth (such as a degenerative disease), that they have a right to do so.And if they cannot on their own accord due to that degenerative disease, I think that others (physicians, family members, friends) should be legally permitted to assist them. They shouldn’t be obligated to assist, but if they give consent and are willing to aid, I think they should be permitted. Mark from Breathing Lessons and Ramon were also similar on a few levels, but Mark had more hope and determination to live with dignity. Unlike Ramon who saw his life as undignified, Mark viewed it more as excessively challenging. Mark still desired life– though considered suicide, but â€Å"chickened out†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ showing that he did truly still want to live.Ramon, however, was lost in his melancholy and nostalgia for the past, choosing to disregard the possibilities the future could bring. I think that it is a personal choice and that each individual should be given the liberty of making that choice. The phrase â€Å"dying with dignity† always reminds me of greek mythology when humiliated warriors would throw themselves on their swords for an honorable death, rather than live life in humility. I think Ramon saw his life as more humiliating and therefore wanted to throw himself on his sword, so to speak.W ith this, I think that the US should have a â€Å"death with dignity† law. Everyone has a right to life, as well as a right to death. Film is one of the most influential and powerful media. It’s capabilities to provoke, cultivate, and manipulate audience thought is incredible and worth studying. The innovations that film itself has gone through– the amount of genres it contains, special effects, and advancements in sound– all contribute to film as a whole, and all contribute to the beauty of how film is created and suspends the reality of viewers if only for an hour or two.

Frigate USS United States Navy Ship Overview

Frigate USS United States Navy Ship Overview With the United States separation from Great Britain after the American Revolution, American shipping no longer enjoyed the protection of the Royal Navy when at sea. As a result, it became an easy target for pirates and other raiders such as the Barbary corsairs. Aware that a permanent navy would need to be formed, Secretary of War Henry Knox requested American shipbuilders submit plans for six frigates in late 1792. Concerned about cost, debate raged in Congress for over a year until funding was finally obtained through the Naval Act of 1794. Calling for the building of four 44-gun and two 36-gun frigates, the act was put into effect and construction delegated to various cities. The designs selected by Knox were those of renowned naval architect Joshua Humphreys. Understanding that the United States could not hope to build a navy of equivalent strength to Britain or France, Humphreys created large frigates that could best any similar vessel but were fast enough to escape enemy ships-of-the-line. The resulting vessels were long, with wider than usual beams and possessed diagonal riders in their framing to increase strength and prevent hogging. Utilizing heavy planking and making extensive use of live oak in the framing, Humphreys ships were exceptionally strong. One of the 44-gun frigates, to be named United States, was assigned to Philadelphia and construction soon began. The work progressed slowly and briefly came to a halt in early 1796 after peace was established with the Dey of Algiers. This triggered a clause of the Naval Act which stipulated that construction would halt in the event of peace. After some debate, President George Washington convinced Congress to fund construction of the three ships closest to completion. As United States was one of these vessels, work resumed. On February 22, 1797, John Barry, a naval hero of the American Revolution, was summoned by Washington and given a commission as the senior officer in the new US Navy. Assigned to oversee the completion of United States, he superintended its launching on May 10, 1797. The first of the six frigates launched, work moved quickly through the rest of the year and spring 1798 to complete the ship. As tensions increased with France leading to the undeclared Quasi-War, Commodore Barry received orders to put to sea on July 3, 1798. Quasi-War Ship Departing Philadelphia, United States sailed north with USS Delaware (20 guns) to rendezvous with additional warships at Boston. Impressed with the ships performance, Barry soon found that the expected consorts at Boston were not ready for sea. Unwilling to wait, he turned south for the Caribbean. During this maiden cruise, United States captured the French privateers Sans Pareil (10) and Jalouse (8) on August 22 and September 4. Sailing north, the frigate became separated from the others during a gale off Cape Hatteras and arrived in the Delaware River alone on September 18. After an abortive cruise in October, Barry and United States returned to the Caribbean in December to lead an American squadron. Coordinating American efforts in the region, Barry continued to hunt for French privateers. After sinking LAmour de la Patrie (6) on February 3, 1799, he re-captured the American merchantman Cicero on the 26th and captured La Tartueffe a month later. Relieved by Commodore Thomas Truxtun, Barry took United States back to Philadelphia in April. Refitting, Barry put to sea again in July but was forced to put into Hampton Roads due to storm damage. Making repairs, he patrolled the East Coast before putting into Newport, RI in September. Embarking peace commissioners, United States sailed for France on November 3, 1799. Delivering its diplomatic cargo, the frigate encountered severe storms in the Bay of Biscay and required several months of repairs at New York. Finally ready for active service in the fall of 1800, United States sailed to the Caribbean to again lead the American squadron but was soon recalled as peace had been made with the French. Returning north, the ship arrived at Chester, PA before being laid up at Washington, DC on June 6, 1801. The War of 1812 The frigate remained in ordinary until 1809 when orders were issued to ready it for sea. Command was given to Captain Stephen Decatur, who had earlier served aboard the frigate as a midshipman. Sailing down the Potomac in June 1810, Decatur arrived at Norfolk, VA for refitting. While there he encountered Captain James Carden of the new frigate HMS Macedonian (38). Meeting with Carden, Decatur wagered the British captain a beaver hat if the two should ever meet in battle. With the outbreak of the War of 1812 on June 19, 1812, United States traveled to New York to join Commodore John Rodgers squadron. After a brief cruise on the East Coast, Rodgers took his ships to sea on October 8. Departing Boston, they captured Mandarin on October 11 and United States soon parted company. Sailing east, Decatur moved south of the Azores. At dawn on October 25, a British frigate was spotted twelve miles to windward. Soon recognizing the ship as Macedonian, Decatur cleared for action. While Carden hoped to close on a parallel course, Decatur planned to engage the enemy from long-range with his heavier 24-pdr guns before closing in to finish the battle. Opening fire around 9:20 AM, United States quickly succeeded in destroying Macedonians mizzen topmast. With the advantage of maneuver, Decatur proceeded to pound the British ship into submission. Shortly after noon, Carden was forced to surrender with his ship dismasted and having taken 104 casualties to Decaturs twelve. After remaining in place for two weeks while Macedonian was repaired, United States and its prize sailed for New York where they received a heros welcome. Putting to sea with a small squadron on May 24, 1813, Decatur was chased into New London, CT by a strong British force. United States remained blockaded in that port for the rest of the war. Post-War/Later Career With the end of the war, United States was fitted out to join an expedition to deal with the resurgent Barbary pirates. Under the command of Captain John Shaw, the frigate crossed the Atlantic but soon learned that an earlier squadron under Decatur had forced peace with Algiers. Remaining in the Mediterranean, the ship ensured an American presence in the area. Returning home in 1819, United States was laid up for five years before joining the Pacific Squadron. Thoroughly modernized between 1830 and 1832, the ship continued regular peacetime assignments in the Pacific, Mediterranean, and off Africa through the 1840s. Returning to Norfolk, it was laid up on February 24, 1849. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the rotted hulk of United States was captured at Norfolk by the Confederacy. Recommissioned CSS United States, it served as a blockship and later was sunk as an obstacle in the Elizabeth River. Raised by Union forces, the wreck was broken up in 1865-1866. USS United States Quick Facts and Figures Nation:Â  United StatesBuilder:Â  Philadelphia, PAAuthorized:Â  March 27, 1794Launched:Â  May 10, 1797Commissioned:Â  July 11, 1797Decommissioned:Â  February 1849Fate:Â  Broken up at Norfolk 1865/6 Specifications Ship Type:Â  FrigateDisplacement:Â  1,576 tonsLength:Â  175 ft.Beam:Â  43.5 ft.Draft:Â  20 ft. - 23.5 ft.Complement:Â  364Speed:Â  13.5 knots Armament (War of 1812) 32 x 24-pdrs24 x 42-pdr carronades Sources Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships: USS United States (1797)NavSource: USS United States ImagesHistory of War: USS United States vs. HMS Macedonian