Ilya Repins Volga boatmen Essay Example for Free

Ilya Repins Volga boatmen Essay â€Å"Painting is a branch of the visual arts, in which color is applied to various surfaces to create a representational or abstract picture or design† (Vishny, 2003). A painting can represent an artist’s ideas or reflect the condition of a society. Some of the great masterpieces in art history include Peter Rubens’ The Battle of the Amazons, Frederic Church’s Heart of the Andes and Ilya Repins Volga boatmen. The Battle of the Amazons was painted by Peter Rubens during the Baroque epoch in 1616-1618. The painting employed the Flemish Baroque Style while the theme represented a battle scene from Greek mythology. It showed a violent struggle between Theseus (King of Athens) defense force and a group of women warriors commonly known as Amazons. In this graphical depiction of Rubens, he made use of strong dark colors of red, black and yellow that exemplified belligerence. â€Å"The glowing color and light that flickers across limbs and draperies gave a sense of movement and tactile strength† (Davison, 2006). For me, this piece of art showed that in a game of war nobody wins and everybody looses. No matter what the motivation or the cause of the conflict, war can’t still be justified because in reality lives are being taken and that is contradictory to human’s purpose which is to live. On the other hand, Frederic Church’s Heart of the Andes is a pleasant landscape illustration of a scenic view in Ecuador along the Andes Mountains. His delicate fusions of water, light and air and his seemingly infinite vistas emphasized an accurate depiction of an unspoiled and picturesque environment. This painting gave many Americans during the late 19th century their first glimpse of the tropics, which is rendered as exotic and as an underdeveloped terrain (Smith, 1989, pp-1-2). I think that the â€Å"Heart of Andes† reflected the artist’s love for nature. Meanwhile, Ilya Repins Volga Boatmen is a painting about bargemen which were called â€Å"burlaki† harnessed together along the shoreline of Volga River in Russia. Repin was able to convincingly depict the status of the working class during that period. He treated the main elements of his painting with dark colors to represent weariness, melancholiness and captivity which is contrasted by the light yellow and blue hues that showed nature’s beauty. Furthermore, Volga Boatmen became the model for mid-20th-century Soviet socialist realism that honestly and realistically demonstrated the social condition of Russia during that period (Davison, 2006). These three art works are representational paintings. The Battle of the Amazons, Heart of the Andes and Volga Boatmen represented a particular event, a definite place and a specific social condition. Ruben, Church and Repin used the same medium but they pointed out three different views. In the case of Ruben, he gave a glimpse of the Greek mythology, which is a commonly used theme in the Renaissance era, to his viewers. Beneath the nudes, animals and mythological creatures, issues on the effects of war and subordination of women were raised. For Church, he used his artistry to showcase an unspoiled landscape and stressed that places like this do exist outside their own backyard. The natural effect of the painting gave its viewers an organic feeling which is in opposite with Ruben’s somber depiction of the Battle of the Amazons and Repin’s gloomy rendition of the Volga Boatmen. Meanwhile, Repin showed in his painting his advocacy for socialist realism. He depicted a social scene with a realistic detail to impart to his viewers his social conviction. Overall, these paintings may differ in subject matter, color or styles but the only common thing in these masterpieces is that these are not only art works but are also considered as historical documents that tell a story of a certain period or time. More so, these paintings exude a serious mood with the common theme of battle. It is seen mostly in the small detailed elements that were carefully placed by the artists in their respective paintings. In the Battle of the Amazon, the use of dead nudes dramatizes the plight of women against the Greek men. The painting emphasized the social status of women as inferior to men but the battle scene depicted the attempts of the amazons to prove to the Greeks that they are not weak. Meanwhile, in the Heart of the Andes, it shows a different kind of battle. The presence of the white cross and open-root tree on the riverbank suggests the vulnerability of the environment. Church intended this element to show the fight to preserve and protect the pristine beauty of nature from the opportunist hands of man. As for Repins Volga Boatmen, the sea elements on the shoreline accentuates the barrenness of the place that heightens the unfavorable condition of the boatmen. This painting represents the conflict between workers and the upper class. It shows the class struggle of the masses against the privilege. References Davison, B. (2006). A Painting Critique: The Battle of the Amazons, Heart of the Andes, and Volga Boatmen. Associated Content Inc, pp. 1-2. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from http://www.associatedcontent. com/article/93533/a_painting_critique_the_battle_of_the. html. Lerkins Global Ltd. (2003). Rubens, Peter Paul The Battle of the Amazons. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from http://oldmasterpiece. com/rubens,peter,paul,the,battle,of,the,amazons,738. html? PHPSESSID=ed5695e80ea4b61861f84e53e04b9c7a Smith, R. 1989 October 30. Review/Art: Poetry and Showmanship of Frederic Church. New York Times, pp. 1-2. Vishny, M. (2003). Painting. Microsoft Encarta Reference Library. Microsoft Corporation.

Energy Star :: Environment Environmental Papers Fossils

Energy Star An analysis of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita for 1989 in United States Dollars compared to the 1991 total energy consumed per capita in equivalent barrels of oil for several countries, found the United States and Canada guilty for having the largest oil consumption per capita at fifty-five barrels while producing a third less than the leading country, Switzerland, in GDP per capita. Switzerland, the poster boy, of efficiency manages to produce more than the United States per capita while consuming half the amount of oil. (Ristinen and Kraushaar, 1999, 6) These astonishing figures present the United States as a wasteful nation plagued by inefficiency. Therefore, it was no surprise when in 1992 the Environmental Protection Agency began a program called Energy Star whose goal was and still is to promote and identify energy efficient products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The idea behind Energy Star was to reduce United States consumption of fossil fuels, while also making the change economically sound to Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public, thereby increasing United States overall efficiency. The program started out small, targeting electronic devices such as computers and monitors, and then snowballed into undertaking household appliances, lighting, and even businesses and homes. The mechanism on which Energy Star operates is based on an Energy Star label that is placed on appliances, devices, and anything approved by the program. This label lets consumers know that the product meets certain Energy Star efficiency guidelines that vary based on the category. However, the Energy Star program was and still is purely voluntary, meaning manufacturers have the option whether or not to generate products that meet Energy Star efficiency guidelines. Some of the first devices that carried the Energy Star label were televisions, VCRs, and audio equipment. These devices along with a hoax of others such as copy machines, fax machines, DVD players, printers, and computers, consume energy while they are not in use or in standby mode. For the purposes of this paper, the term standby mode will be defined as the state of any electronic device that is plugged into a household power source, but has its power function turned off. Therefore, in an effort to increase efficiency, any electronic device that carries the Energy Star label will consume less energy during its standby mode. For example, in the case of a television that normally consumes six watts of electricity in standby, an Energy Star labeled television will consume fewer than three watts of electricity in its standby mode, which cuts its energy consumption in half during non-working hours.

Format for the Celebration Speech

Format for the Celebration Speech Introduction: I. Attention GetterAn attention grabbing statement to get the audience interested in learning about your process II. Connection to the AudienceTell them why they should listen to you (i. e. how does learning this process benefit them personally) III. Central Idea/ Thesis StatementA one sentence summary and preview of the entire speech, i. e. What are you teaching them? Body: * Transition Statement * I. Body Area Main IdeaA one sentence summary of the first body areaA. Supporting MaterialInformation that confirms, illustrates, explains, etc. the main idea for the body area B. Supporting MaterialInformation that confirms, illustrates, explains, etc. the main idea for the body area * Transition Statement* II. Body Area Main IdeaA one sentence summary of the second body area A. Supporting MaterialInformation that confirms, illustrates, explains, etc. the main idea for the body area B. Supporting MaterialInformation that confirms, illustrate s, explains, etc. he main idea for the body area * Transition Statement* III. Body Area Main IdeaA one sentence summary of the third body area A. Supporting MaterialInformation that confirms, illustrates, explains, etc. the main idea for the body area B. Supporting MaterialInformation that confirms, illustrates, explains, etc. the main idea for the body area * Transition Statement* Conclusion: I. Central IdeaRestate the central idea to review the main point of the speech II. Reconnect the Attention GetterReiterate your attention getter. This makes your speech feel â€Å"complete†) Note: You have some leeway with how to format the body areas for this speech. A Celebration speech or an Informative speech is organized depending upon the information you are sharing about your topic. You should focus on interesting facts, uses, etc. about your topic and should NOT do a recounting of the chronological information about the topic. Audiences quickly become bored with this approach.

Principles of Farm Animal Husbandry – Intensive and Extensive Farming

The terms intensive and extensive within farm animal husbandry refer to the methods animals are raised and processed. Intensive farming – Generally referred to as industrial and factory farming, this method is used to aid mass production of meats and dairy. Farm animals are kept in specially built units all year round in order to better control feeding and management. Examples of these can be found in battery cages to house chickens to aid egg collection, and farrowing crates to restrict sows within breeding units. Animals can be fed, watered and cleaned by automatic systems such as feed hoppers and drinkers. Extensive farming – Can also be linked with free-range, animals are able to freely move around and graze outdoors. This method is usually utilised in regions with a lesser demand, such as more open rural areas. There are some cases where animals can be part intensive and extensively farmed. For example, a sheep may spend the majority of it's time outdoors, but will be brought indoors and intensively farmed during lambing season. One of the negative impacts created by intensive farming is the increase in manure. Before intensive farming was introduced, farmers would ordinarily spread livestock manure onto fields for the crops benefit. However, some farmers have begun specialising in areas, crop growing or livestock, which means intensive livestock farmers have to store slurry, which can emit methane, and then travel to areas where this can be disposed of. However, this can be argued as a benefit to farmers who still produce crops as well as manage livestock as the slurry is readily available in great quantity to aid growth of their crops. Another problem appears to be the welfare of the farm animals. Instead of being able to display natural behaviours such as grazing, social and maternal instincts outdoors as with extensive farming, these animals are kept in confined spaces, which can cause signs of discomfort, lameness and even aggression. That being said, intensive farming is essential in order to keep supplying food to an ever growing population. The Five Freedoms The original concept first appeared within the Report of the Technical Committee to Enquire into the Welfare of Animals kept under Intensive Livestock Husbandry Systems, the Brambell Report, December 1965 (HMSO London, ISBN 0 10 850286 4). This acknowledged the need for farm animals to have freedom â€Å"to stand up, lie down, turn around, groom themselves and stretch their limbs† â€Å"The Five Freedoms are: 1. Freedom from hunger and thirst – By ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour;† Ensure troughs, nipple drinkers and any other feeding instruments are at an appropriate location and height for animals, and that these instruments are cleaned and checked for blockages on a daily basis. All cattle require that sufficient roughage be readily available. Sheep require fresh, clean water be available at all times. â€Å"2. Freedom from discomfort – By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area;† Ensuring there is enough space for the animal to move freely and have fresh, clean bedding appropriate to that species, such as straw. A pigs resting area should remain dry, which can be achieved by being on a slightly higher level than its dunging area. â€Å"3. Freedom from pain injury or disease – By prevention or by rapid diagnosis and treatment;† Livestock housed intensively should be kept in buildings with an effective ventilation system and kept out of draughts to minimise respiratory problems. Monitoring for signs of disease, stress, illness, infestation and lameness is essential to ensure this can be dealt with appropriately and promptly. Ensuring all farm animals have appropriate vaccinations against diseases, such as bluetongue in cattle. Procedures should be in place to isolate and treat any injured or sick animal. Any animals should be humanely killed if found to be incurable. â€Å"4. Freedom to express most normal behaviour – By providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animals own kind;† Farmers should determine space allowance according to animal, class, age, and size. For example, DEFRA provide this table as an example of good practise within housed sheep – (1) Normal social interaction is important too, for example, pigs housed indoors are kept in groups after weaning, usually separated by gender. Toys, like footballs, can also help with the enrichment of the animal. â€Å"5. Freedom from fear and distress – By ensuring conditions and treatment to avoid mental suffering.† (2) Ensuring stock-keepers are fully trained and have the knowledge and skills to carefully manage any farm animal sympathetically, from being able to handle and herd the animals effectively, to providing accurate injury or illness care. Environment and Housing Requirements for Pigs The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2003 states there are different requirements, in terms of space and temperature, dependant on the stage, size and class of pig. Though, some factors have to be taken into account throughout all types, such as comfortable and dry bedding, which can be seen in all the below images, as the college farm uses clean, fresh straw throughout. (3) (4) Farrowing Sows and Piglets – The image directly below shows a sow with ten piglets within the farrowing village in the college farm. This shows the sow and piglets have enough space to stand up and manoeuvre, inside and out of the arc. The above images show a drinker, providing clean fresh water, and a feeding trough providing pellets. Weaner and Rearing Pigs – The same regulations state the minimum unobstructed floor area available to each weaner and rearing pig should be at least – (5) The above picture shows the colleges pigs in first stage. Weaners and rearer pigs should have adequate space in order to exercise, feed and for all pigs to lie flat on their side simultaneously, which the above pictures demonstrate. The images also show feeding troughs are raised and at an accessible height for the pigs to feed comfortably and separately from resting areas. Dry Sows and Gilts – (6) (2) As well as being able to move around freely, the pigs resting area requires to be elevated in comparison to its dunging area to ensure their resting area remains clean and dry. Concrete slatted floors are used within the pig unit as this proves to be smooth and easy to keep hygienic and also not slippery which could lead to accidents and injury. Lighting, ventilation and temperature control is also vital to promote pig health. The college pig units provide natural lighting and ventilation within the roofs, the latter of which help remove noxious gases and control temperatures. Controlling the pig's feeds and bedding also helps maintain the appropriate temperature. As mentioned previously, the recommended temperature varies dependant on the category of pig, the table above shows this. Livestock Health and Welfare There are two main factors to be taken into account whilst discussing health and welfare, those being mental and physical. In terms of livestock mental health and welfare, one of the factors to take into account would be the animal's stimulus. This could be objects the animal can entertain itself with, such as a ball, or even just animals of the same species to interact with. An animal may suffer mentally or become stressed if it is left segregated without anything to aid mental enrichment. On the physical side, illnesses common within certain farm animals may be a problem if not properly vaccinated against, illnesses such and foot and mouth among pigs and cattle. Respiratory problems can occur if housing for farm animals does not have the required ventilation measures in place. Issues could occur during the transportation of livestock; whether this is physical in that the animal is mishandled or if the transportations flooring is not so as to prevent slipping, or mentally in that the animal may become stressed, especially if force is used within the process. All these aspects and more all come down to one main factor, stockmanship. Providing stock-keepers have the acquired knowledge and skills from onsite training and relevant courses, these factors should all be well manageable. From handling skills and care, to preventing and treating illnesses and parasites, and other general maintenance required to ensure health and welfare is upheld.

Weather and Season Vocabulary in Chinese

Weather and Season Vocabulary in Chinese Talking about the weather is a great way to start a casual conversation. With these new  vocabulary words, youll be able to ask about the weather and describe seasons in Chinese.  Audio clips  to help with listening comprehension and pronunciation are marked with ââ€" º. Seasons in Chinese As you already know, there are four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Lets learn the Mandarin Chinese names for these seasons. First off, we need to learn how to say season: seasonsââ€" ºjà ¬ jià ©Ã¢â‚¬â€¹(trad) Ã¥ ­ £Ã§ ¯â‚¬(simp) Ã¥ ­ £Ã¨Å â€š Lets move on to season names: springæ˜ ¥Ã¥ ¤ © ââ€" ºchÃ… «n tiÄ nsummerÃ¥ ¤ Ã¥ ¤ © ââ€" ºxi tiÄ nautumnç §â€¹Ã¥ ¤ © ââ€" ºqiÃ… « tiÄ nwinterå† ¬Ã¥ ¤ © ââ€" ºdÃ… ng tiÄ n Weather Vocabulary Now lets get more specific and talk about day-to-day weather. While reading through this vocabulary list, think about how you can apply these new words. What is the weather usually like in ç §â€¹Ã¥ ¤ © (qiÃ… « tiÄ n)? What about  Ã¥ ¤ Ã¥ ¤ © (xi tiÄ n)? What is the weather like for you today? weather(trad) Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦ ° £ / (simp) Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦ °â€ ââ€" ºtiÄ n qà ¬goodÃ¥ ¥ ½ ââ€" ºhÇŽosunnyæ™ ´Ã¦Å"â€" ââ€" ºqà ­ng lÇŽngovercast(trad) Ã¥ ¤Å¡Ã©â€º ²/ (simp) Ã¥ ¤Å¡Ã¤ ºâ€˜ ââ€" ºduÃ…  yà ºnrainingä ¸â€¹Ã©â€º ¨ ââ€" ºxi yÇ”snowingä ¸â€¹Ã©â€º ª ââ€" ºxi xuÄ›coldå† · ââ€" ºlÄ›nghot(trad) ç† ± /  (simp) çÆ' ­ ââ€" ºrà ¨warmæ º «Ã¦Å¡â€" ââ€" ºwÄ“n nuÇŽncoolæ ¶ ¼Ã§Ë† ½ ââ€" ºling shuÇŽng Sentence Examples About Weather Now that you have a basis in describing the weather, put it to use by incorporating this new vocabulary into a sentence.   Whats the weather like?ââ€" ºtiÄ n qà ¬ zÄ›n me yng?(trad) Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦ ° £Ã¦â‚¬Å½Ã© º ¼Ã¦ ¨ £?(simp) Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦ °â€Ã¦â‚¬Å½Ã¤ ¹Ë†Ã¦   ·?Its cold.ââ€" ºhÄ›n lÄ›ngÃ¥ ¾Ë†Ã¥â€  ·Its raining.ââ€" ºxi yÇ”ä ¸â€¹Ã©â€º ¨The weathers not good.ââ€" ºtiÄ n qà ¬ bà ¹ hÇŽo(trad) Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦ ° £Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥ ¥ ½(simp) Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦ °â€Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥ ¥ ½Its good.ââ€" ºhÄ›n hÇŽoÃ¥ ¾Ë†Ã¥ ¥ ½Its hot.ââ€" ºhÄ›n rà ¨(trad) Ã¥ ¾Ë†Ã§â€  ±(simp) Ã¥ ¾Ë†Ã§Æ' ­

Marx and the War essays

Marx and the War essays The United States invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, and the world- wide protests against these actions provides fertile material for sociological analysis, specifically from the perspective of conflict theory. Recent media attention given to the March 20th protests here in the United States and around the world, specifically an article by CNN will provide a template for a critical sociological analysis. As critical theory depends so much on the foundation laid by Karl Marx I will focus my analysis on, first a Classical Marxist analysis, then explain how it is inadequate and turn to a Neo-Marxist Perspective, then finishing with a Post- Marxist explanation of the war, occupation and the protest movements and the theoretical issues they raise The article I chose is entitled Americans Demonstrate For, Against War. It summarizes protests in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC and Los Angeles and reports on both the pro-war and anti war-activists. According to the article more than 200,000 people marched in New York City, and reported policed violence through the use of pepper spray and violent activist behavior. The article also focused on the pro-war marchers in Chicago, and their support for the troops and President Bushs policies. The protest in Washington, like the protest in New York City took place within a sanctioned barricade and reports that the police in Washington DC and the protesters had a stand off when the demonstrators departed from the route set out in their parade permit. CNN also reported that many of the protesters, specifically in Los Angeles protested the media coverage of the war. Participants carried signs reading CNN Weapons of mass deception and CNN-Censorship Cable Network. I will highlight the protests as outlined in the article as a communicative action, as well as the concerns of a delineate...

Understanding Political Process Theory

Understanding Political Process Theory Also known as political opportunity theory, political process theory offers an explanation of the conditions, mindset, and actions that make a social movement successful in achieving its goals. According to this theory, political opportunities for change must first be present before a movement can achieve its objectives. Following that, the movement ultimately attempts to make change through the existing political structure and processes. Overview Political process theory (PPT) is considered the core theory of social movements and how they mobilize (work to create change). It was developed by  sociologists in the U.S. during the 1970s and 80s, in response to the Civil Rights, anti-war, and student movements of the 1960s. Sociologist Douglas McAdam, now a professor at Stanford University, is credited with first developing this theory via his study of the Black Civil Rights movement (see his book  Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, 1930-1970, published in 1982). Prior to the development of this theory, social scientists viewed members of social movements as irrational and crazed and framed them as deviants rather than political actors. Developed through careful research, political process theory disrupted that view and exposed its troubling elitist, racist, and patriarchal roots. Resource mobilization theory similarly offers an alternative view to this classical one. Since McAdam published his book outlining the theory, revisions to it have been made by him and other sociologists, so today it differs from McAdams original articulation.  As sociologist Neal Caren describes in his entry on the theory in the  Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, political process theory outlines five key components that determine the success or failure of a social movement: political opportunities, mobilizing structures, framing processes,  protest cycles, and contentious repertoires. Political opportunities  are the most important aspect of PPT, because according to the theory, without them, success for a social movement is impossible. Political opportunitiesor opportunities for intervention and change within the existing political systemexist when the system experiences vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities in the system can arise for a variety of reasons but hinge on a crisis of legitimacy wherein the populace no longer supports the social and economic conditions fostered or maintained by the system. Opportunities might be driven by  the broadening of political enfranchisement to those previously excluded (like women and people of color, historically speaking), divisions among leaders, increasing diversity within political bodies and the electorate, and a loosening of repressive structures that previously kept people from demanding change.Mobilizing structures  refer to the  already existing organizations (political or otherwise) that are present among the c ommunity that wants change. These organizations serve as mobilizing structures for a social movement by providing membership, leadership, and communication and social networks to the budding movement. Examples include churches, community and nonprofit organizations, and student groups and schools, to name a few. Framing processes are carried out by leaders of an organization in order to allow the group or movement to  clearly and persuasively describe the existing problems, articulate why change is necessary, what changes are desired, and how one can go about achieving them. Framing processes foster the ideological buy-in among movement members, members of the political establishment, and the public at large that is necessary for a social movement to seize political opportunities and make change. McAdam and colleagues describe framing as conscious strategic efforts by groups of people to fashion shared understandings of the world and of themselves that legitimate and motivate collective action (see Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements: Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framing  [1996]).Protest cycles  are another important aspect of social movement success according to PPT. A protest cycle is a prolonged  period of time when opposition to the politi cal system and acts of protest are in a heightened state. Within this theoretical perspective, protests are important expressions of the views and demands of the mobilizing structures connected to the movement and are vehicles to express the ideological frames connected to the framing process. As such, protests serve to strengthen solidarity within the movement, to raise awareness among the general public about the issues targeted by the movement, and also serve to help recruit new members. The fifth and final aspect of PPT is contentious repertoires, which refers to the set of means through which the movement makes its claims. These typically include strikes, demonstrations (protests), and  petitions. According to PPT, when all of these elements are present, it is possible that a social movement will be able to make changes within the existing political system that will reflect the desired outcome. Key Figures There are many sociologists who study social movements, but key figures who helped create and refine PPT include Charles Tilly,  Peter Eisinger, Sidney Tarrow, David Snow, David Meyer, and Douglas McAdam. Recommended Reading To learn more about PPT see the following resources: From Mobilization to Revolution  (1978), by Charles Tilly.Political Process Theory,  Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, by Neal Caren (2007).Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency,  (1982) by Douglas McAdam.Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements: Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framing  (1996), by Douglas McAdam and colleagues. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.