Monday, September 30, 2019

Research paper on carnival Essay

Mardi gras Just the name Mardi gras conjures up images of drunken, bead-wearing revelers dancing through the streets of New Orleans. But how, and when, did this huge mid-winter party get started? Here’s a look at the history of Mardi gras throughout the ages and across the nations. Herman states, Historians tell us that the ancient Romans probably kicked off the Mardi gras celebrations. (pg. 115)Their mid-February festival known as Lupercalia honored the god Lupercus, alternately known as the god of fertility and the god of agriculture and pastoral shepherds. In either case, his party definitely had Mardi Gras-like qualities, including days of feasting and drinking. And a little enjoying the â€Å"pleasures of the flesh†, probably, too — in fact, the term Carnival, often synonymous with Mardi gras, is derived from the Latin expression meaning â€Å"farewell to the flesh.† Like most of the ancient Roman and Greek festivals, Lupercalia was adopted and adapted by the Ch urch as a way of subtly converting the local pagans to Christianity. The carnival-like celebration of Lupercalia thus morphed into a last â€Å"fling† before the beginning of the Lenten period. Lent refers to the 40 days of pertinence and purification celebrated between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During Lent, the religiously faithful refrain from a number of indulgences of the â€Å"flesh†, including eating meat. (pg. 220) What began as a Roman-based celebration quickly spread across the European continent. By medieval times, lords were hosting carnivals prior to Lent in honor of the conscription of their new knights. Each region and country celebrated their own traditions, but all were indulgent. [pic] In France, this period of revelry before Lent was especially raucous. In fact, the term Mardi gras is a French expression meaning â€Å"Fat Tuesday† — likely referring to the indulgent nature of the pre-Lenten celebration. The name may have been more than just allegorical, however. Ancient pagans often marked their fertility ritual by parading a fattened ox through the town before sacrificing it. (lent pg. 101) It was also the French who brought the celebration to America. Many historians believe the party crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1699, on the ship of a French explorer named Sieur d’Iberville. The Frenchman landed in what is today Louisiana, just south of New Orleans, the heart of America’s modern-day Mardi Gras celebrations. In fact, his landing is believed to have coincided with the French celebration of Mardi gras, explaining his choice of name for his point of entry: Point du Mardi Gras. However, dispute the d’Iberville connection, contending that it was the early French settlers to Louisiana who introduced Mardi gras to America. Regardless of the precise origin, Mardi gras can clearly be attributed to a Franco-influence. By the mid 1820s, Mardi gras was firmly rooted in the New Orleans culture. Lent later states that Today, the city’s celebrations are considered one of America’s biggest parties, with towns and cities throughout the Gulf Coast Region getting in on the fun. (112) Zulu (krewe of Mardi gras) Early in 1909, a group of laborers who had organized a club named â€Å"The Tramps,† went to the Pythian Theater to see a musical comedy performed by the Smart Set. The comedy included a skit entitled, â€Å"There Never Was and Never Will Be a King like Me,† about the Zulu Tribe. (herman pg. 201) The earliest signs of organization came from the fact that the majority of these men belonged to a Benevolent Aid Society. Benevolent Societies were the first forms of insurance in the Black community where, for a small amount of dues, members received financial help when sick or financial aid when burying deceased members. Conversations and interviews with older members also indicate that in that era the city was divided into wards and each ward had its own group or â€Å"Club.† The Tramps were one such group. After seeing the skit, they retired to their meeting place (a room in the rear of a restaurant/bar in the 1100 block of Perdido Street), and emerged as Zulus. (pg 210). According to herman, This group was probably made up of members from the Tramps, the Benevolent Aid Society and other ward-based groups. While the â€Å"Group† marched in Mardi gras as early as 1901, their first appearance as Zulus came in 1909, with William Story as King. The group wore raggedy pants, and had a Jubilee-singing quartet in front of and behind King Story. His costume of â€Å"lard can† crown and â€Å"banana stalk† scepter has been well documented. The Kings following William Story, (William Crawford – 1910, Peter Williams – 1912, and Henry Harris – 1914), were similarly attired. (pg. 214). 1915 heralded the first use of floats, constructed on a spring wagon, using dry good boxes. The float was decorated with palmetto leaves and moss and carried four Dukes along with the King. That humble beginning gave rise to the lavish floats we see in the Zulu parade today. On September 20, 1916, in the notorial office of Gabriel Fernandez, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club were incorporated. Twenty-two of the organization’s officers and members signed the first official document. The Geddes and Moss Funeral Home, located on Washington Avenue, played an integral part in Zulu’s beginning, and have continued to do so throughout the years. The first official toast of King Zulu and his Queen is held at this establishment each year. Zulus were not without their controversies, either. In the 1960’s during the height of Black awareness, it was unpopular to be a Zulu. Dressing in a grass skirt and donning a black face were seen as being demeaning. Large numbers of black organizations protested against the Zulu organization, and its membership dwindled to approximately 16 men. James Russell, a long-time member, served as president in this period, and is credited with holding the organization together and slowly bringing Zulu back to the forefront. (pg. 220) In 1968, Zulu’s route took them on two major streets; namely, St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, for the first time in the modern era to see the Zulu parade, you had to travel the so-called â €Å"back streets† of the Black neighborhoods. The segregation laws of this period contributed to this, and Zulu tradition also played a part. In those days, neighborhood bars sponsored certain floats and, consequently, the floats were obligated to pass those bars. Passing meant stopping, as the bars advertised that the â€Å"Zulus will stop here!† Once stopped at a sponsoring bar, it was often difficult to get the riders out of the establishment, so the other floats took off in different directions to fulfill their obligations. Zulu has grown tremendously over the years. This continual growth is credited to the members for their love, loyalty and dedication to this organization. In 1978, the organization opened its doors to their new home, a two-story frame building houses a lounge downstairs for members and guests to enjoy themselves. Of all the throws to rain down from the many floats in the parades during carnival, the Zulu coconut or â€Å"Golden Nugget† is the most sought after. The earliest reference to the coconut appears to be about 1910 when the coconuts were given from the floats in their natural â€Å"hairy† state. Some years later there is a reference to Lloyd Lucus, â€Å"the sign painter,† scraping and painting the coconuts. This was the forerunner to the beautifully decorated coconuts we see today. (pg. 229) With the proliferation of lawsuits from people alleging injury from thrown coconuts, the organization was unable to get insurance coverage in 1987. So that year, the honored tradition was suspended. After much lobbying, the Louisiana Legislature passed SB188, aptly dubbed the â€Å"Coconut Bill,† which excluded the coconut from liability for alleged injuries arising from the coconuts handed from the floats. On July 8, 1988, then-governor Edwards signed the bill into law. (pg. 233) Carnival in the Caribbean Hundreds of years ago followers of the Catholic religion in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before Lent. Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, ‘carnevale’-which means â€Å"to put away meat.† (internet site: â€Å"caribbean carnival†)As time passed, carnivals in Italy became quite famous. The practice spread to France, Spain and Portugal. As these Catholic countries began to take control of the Americas and other parts of the world, they brought with them their tradition of celebrating Carnival. In many parts of the world, where Catholic Europeans set up colonies and entered into slave trade, carnival took root. Today Carnival celebrations are found throughout the Caribbean. Traditions of the cultures have come together and especially African dance and music traditions transformed the early European carnival traditions in the Americas. Important to the Caribbean festival arts are the ancient African traditions of parading and moving in circles through villages in costumes and masks. These traditions were believed to bring good fortune, to heal problems and chill out angry spirits. Caribbean carnival traditions also borrow from the African culture the tradition of creating pieces of sculpture, masks and costumes. For the Caribbean people carnival became an important way to express their rich cultural traditions. It takes many months of coming up with a theme or overall concept and developing costumes for the dancers. Lots of creativity, energy and patience is put into work such as welding, painting, sewing, gluing, applying feathers, sequins and glitter. Carnival groups, entertained by music orchestras, parade and dance wearing costumes depicting a common theme. When Carnival first began it was celebrated from December 26 until Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). Nowadays Carnival festivities and activities are being held year-round in the Caribbean. The dates on which Carnival celebrations such as; music competitions, festivals, concerts, street ‘jump-up’s’, beauty pageants, balls, parades etc. take place may vary from country to country, from island to island. For days, sometimes weeks, the people of the Caribbean express themselves socially and artistically and sheer joy with visitors from all over the world. (internet sit â€Å"Caribbean carnival†)Everyone, including the spectators, is part of the celebrations. Antigua and Bermuda The festivities reveal the many influences that formed the Antiguan society, cultural, social and political. Over the years cultural elements from countries like Venezuela, Brazil, Holland, Colombia and the United States have slipped into the Antiguan community and blended with and into the unique world famous carnival celebration with its typical characteristics of creativity and rhythm, dance happiness, Flamboyant costumes, Beauty pageants, Talent shows, and Great music. All these and more define a fantastic celebration of happiness that is the Antigua Carnival. In retrospect, the Antigua Carnival dates back in August 1 of 1834 when slavery was entirely abolished. In 1666, it was ravaged by French inhabitants but was soon conquered by the British and was formally restored to them by the Treaty of Breda. It all started when the local natives immediately went to the streets to express their joyful celebration of freedom. As the years passed by, it continued not until in 1957 where it was declared an official Antigua Carnival. (oduber pg. 97) Since then, the Antigua Carnival has developed into ten days packed with revelry in a glitzy manner of dance to the beat of the Calypso. It includes marches, jump-ups and shows which always took place around the last week of July up to the first week of August. The Antigua Carnival is undeniably the best time for tourists to immerse with the culture of this Caribbean island. If you head to the city, you are fortunate to witness the Pan Ban, a steel orchestra, practicing for the event.(oduber pg. 99) They go by troupes as they set up a Mas Camp, a base where their intricate wardrobes are made. It is also the starting point as they walk to the metropolis to open the Antigua Carnival. The lively event culminates by a massive road party called J’ouvert, which means â€Å"day break†. Everybody is literally on their feet as they sway to the beat of the dr ums from the young night until the middle morning. Barbados (Crop over) Masquerading was an old African tradition, where they paraded in masks and costumes through the villages to bring good luck and to remove evil spirits. Originally materials for costumes were natural things such as; grass, beads, bones, etc. Head-pieces and Masks were made of feathers to symbolize that people can spiritually rise above anything. Most European colonies within the Caribbean who were part of the slave trade have Carnival or Carnival-like celebrations. (praiser pg. 23)Now in large countries like USA, Canada and England, where they are Caribbean communities you will find Carnival celebrations. The History of Crop Over The end of the sugar cane harvest, or Crop Over as it is almost always referred to, has long been the occasion for celebration. In what seems to be the earliest reference to the Crop Over festival, we find the manager of Newton Plantation writing in 1788 to the estate’s owner in England, telling him that he had held a â€Å"dinner and sober dance† for the slaves, saying: â€Å"twas a celebration of Harvest Time after the crop.† (housman pg. 304) Many aspects of plantation life in Barbados carried on unchanged after the end of slavery, and the Crop Over festival likewise continued. Never the less there must have been an important difference in the way in which the festival was perceived. Before emancipation, the planter had no choice but to support his slaves, well or badly as the case might have been, all year round. After 1838, for most people Crop Over meant not just the end of a period of hard work, but also the beginning of a period of less work and lower wag es. For many the interval between two crops would indeed have been â€Å"hard times†, and the symbol of these, perhaps not invented until after Emancipation, was the figure of a man stuffed with trash (the dried leaves of the sugar cane plant) which was known as â€Å"Mr. Harding†. (pg. 311) Mr. Harding was formally introduced to the manager of the plantation, and, according to some accounts, later burnt as part of the celebrations which must have had a tinge of desperation to them as people strove to enjoy themselves while they could. The festival was apparently fairly common at the beginning of the present century, by which time the name Crop Over seems to have ousted that of Harvest Time. A procession of carts would bring the last canes to the plantation yard, the draught animals being decorated with flamboyant, frangipani and other flowers, whilst brightly colored kerchiefs would be tied like flags to the canes. The laborers would parade around the yard, and it was at this point that that they would introduce Mr. Harding to the manager, after which they would adjourn for a dance, for the manager or the owner of the estate would normally contribute some salt meat and rum. Even by 1940 Crop Over was being described as a â€Å"custom which has very nearly died out†, according to Housman (pg. 316), and the continuing decline of sugar and the growing availability of other sources of employment had put an end to much of traditional plantation life. The modern Crop Over, revived by the Board of Tourism in 1974 and now administered by the National Cultural Foundation, pays tribute to the fact that sugar is still important in Barbados and the immense influence which it has had on our history. The present day festival is very different from the old time Crop Over, but it continues as a tradition by offering a thrilling celebration of many aspects of Bajan Culture, old and new. CROP-OVER CARNIVAL Crop-over has become the centerpiece of Barbados culture, a process enriched by much history, a savvy visitor promotional sense, and the great nearby pre-Lenten Carnival of Trinidad & Tobago. Conga-line from April 22 – May 01 begins with the longest Conga line in the Caribbean and features a series of concerts at the Malibu Conga line Village. May 1 is the finale, where bands, floats and Carnival goers take part in the May Day Parade, The Caribbean’s largest summer Carnival begins on the first Saturday with the Decorated cart and float opening and Gala crop-over opening. (praiser pg.31) This parade begins at Bridgetown Independence Square in the early afternoon and finishes at the National Stadium. Here, the opening ceremony takes place with the ceremonial delivery of the last canes and the crowning of the king and queen of the festival followed by an excellent night of entertainment and socializing. The festival, revived in 1974 following a 30-year hiatus, continues to grow and evolve with the culture. Unlike most Carnivals whose roots are in spring, Crop-over is a harvest festival dating back centuries to the end of the sugar cane season. The end to all the grueling and arduous work was marked by the final delivery of canes to the mill. Surely a cause for song, dance and general jubilation, as such, the workers would begin the festivities by boisterously telling each other â€Å"CROP OVER.† Folk Concerts celebrating the emancipation from slavery are popular events during the Carnival season the last Carnival weekend features the most important Carnival events. On Friday, there will be the Pic-O-De-Crop Finals at the National Stadium. The next night in the wee hours of Sunday morn, the Fore-Day morning jump-up will go down from 2am till dawn. Before this special event is the steelpan competition. Cohobblopot is a huge carnival-like show where the most popular calypsonians and bands perform on Carnival Sunday night. The Calypso Contest is one of the world’s best even though it features primarily local talent. Before the best singer/songwriters of the season are chosen, the talent will perform their new compositions at many venues or tents. These tents, with names like Super Gladiators, Conquerors, House of Soca, Pioneers and Stray Cats, play an important role in deciding who will win the title of Party Monarch, Road March Monarch and the Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch. The King and Queen of the bands competition is also an important part of the Cohobblopot Sunday show. Get tickets in advance since the National Stadium can sell out, particularly with all the talk about not allowing it to be broadcast on free TV. (pg. 37) All this buildup makes for a memorable Grand Finale, or as they say at Barbados Crop-over, the Grand Kadooment. Here, over two dozen large costumed bands will go dancing down de road inviting everyone to jump up with them as they make their way to the ocean surf. (pg. 42) Tuk: Indigenous to Barbados, it’s a combination of African and British military rhythms with the musicians dressed in minstrel like costumes creating music from kettledrums, bass drums and whistles. They play sounds like marching band music, old-time waltzes and almost always end with an African beat. According to praier, This is a great spectacle to see. ( pg. 51) The musicians are as serious about their music as any steelband man. Although a part of the old era, it is still very alive and a part of the modern day celebrations with completions staged during Crop Over. Calypso & Soca: Although calypso is indigenous to Trinidad, it now holds a very prominent place in the Crop over Celebration. Like Trinidad Carnival, it has all the trimmings, the Tents, parties, semi-finals judging and then to the Calypso Monarch finals, which take place just before Grand Kadooment. The Bajan artistes are holding their own with this art form and have even created new forms like Ringband and Ragga-soca, a definite invention of the Bajan calypsonians. (pg. 55) Steelband: Borrowed from Trinidad, the Bajans have taken it, and now the popularity and growth of the steelband in Barbados is phenomenal, states praiser. (pg. 68) with every year seeing the improvement of the sound and quality of the music to the extent that steelband has now taken a place on the curriculum of many of the schools on the island. Grand Kadooment: The grand finale, a parade of the costumed bands for the final competition for â€Å"Designer of the Year† Crown. The revelers are dressed in elaborate costumes depicting various themes dancing to music playing from the most popular bandstands, with disc jockeys winding their way down to Spring Garden where they would be judged for this coveted crown. (pg. 73) St. Vincent and the Grenadines (â€Å"vincy mas†) History Hugh Ragguette, a name that is synonymous with Carnival in St. Vincent explained to The Vincentian that the historic roots of Carnival lie in deep antiquity: since at the dawn of history, man celebrated several festivals of which Carnival was one. The Kalinagos and other indigenous peoples who inhabited St. Vincent had their festivals. With the introduction of slavery, the Africans with their varying cultures and rich variety added to those expressions. Although the practice of wearing â€Å"mas'† came from Africa and was subsequently adopted by the Greek and Romans, it was actually the French who celebrated carnival in the Caribbean as the highlight of the year. After the British supplanted the French, the practice continued. The wearing of Mas’ in carnival was introduced by the Pope in Rome in 1494 and then spread throughout Europe. (Sutty pg. 37) Naturally, the slaves participated in these festivals at a different level. â€Å"The slaves would have noted and partici pated in the festival, albeit at a different level. Naturally, they were not invited to the mas’ balls and dances.† stated however, when chattel slavery ended, the freed slaves embraced carnival and turned it into a â€Å"callaloo pot†, adding elements of the respective cultures.(pg 38) They took to the streets and displayed the theatrical spectacle they had created and to vent their subdued creative abilities. These street marches took place on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Unable to chain the hands and feet of the slaves any longer, in 1892, he related, the colonial Governor banned the festival claiming that the revellers were lashing out at each other and observers with whips. Ragguette held another opinion, â€Å"The main reason was to suppress the people’s culture and their peculiar African expressions. The coloniser could not understand these expressions and wanted to stifle them.† The fire that burnt within slavery was reduced to mere embers and in 1879, fuelled by the unchainabl e African spirit it leapt into flames again. In 1899, the people decided that come what may, ban or no ban, which they were going to celebrate. They began the celebrations as early as the Friday preceding Ash Wednesday. As a result, the colonisers brought out what was termed â€Å"the armed might of the Empire†. (pg 44) The people resisted and a riot broke out, writing the Carnival Riots of the 11th and 12th February into this country’s history books. From then on, Carnival has been a part of St.Vincent’s culture. Four years later, â€Å"carnival fever† spread to Trinidad in the south where the festival had been banned resulting in the Comboule Riots. throughout the years people have built on and experimented with the components of Carnival; to the extent Trinidadians have invented a musical instrument in the form of the steel pan to provide accompanying music to its calypso. ( pg. 47). By 1973, it was virtually impossible to hold all the Carnival shows during the Wednesday and Tuesday period. â€Å"Our pan, our calypso, and particularly our Mas’ has reached a level of development that it needed to spread its wings outside the Catholic Christian Carnival to a more embracing festival,† Ragguette commented. (pg. 49) Since the festival was held so soon after Christmas and the length of time available for shows coupled with the fact the Trinidad and Tobago, whom Ragguette stated â€Å"had run away with title of king of Carnival in the world and boasted of having the greatest show on earth,† held its Carnival around the same time, it was necessary to move the festival to another season. The June-July period was decided as most suitable. (pg. 50) With more time to work, the CDC wanted to introduce a Caribbean component into its programme. Antigua and Barbuda already had a Caribbean Calypso Competition and the organisation could not get beyond the logistics of a Caribbean Pan or King and Queen of the Bands competition. sutty explained that it was felt that a show should be organised to showcase â€Å"the beauty and profound intelligence of our Caribbean women†. (pg. 53). This resulted in the birth of Miss Caribbean Carnival – Miss Carnival. Trinidad Carnival’s principal components are calypso, steelpan and playing mas (masquerade). In the historic capital City of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, these elements are harmoniously structured to form a five day ritual pageant beginning with the King & Queen Contest (Friday), Panorama (Saturday), Dimanche Gras (Sunday), J’Ouvert (Monday) and the Parade of the Bands (Tuesday). (green pg 57) These main events and countless others build to an unforgettable epiphany of beauty and stunning display of the irrepressible human spirit before concluding and allowing the quiet first day of Lent and reflection known as Ash Wednesday to be admitted to consciousness. [pic]The genesis of this â€Å"world’s greatest† Carnival has been attributed to the many cultures of Trinidad and their interaction. While the African influence is predominant, the Carnival carries an overriding theme of unity, a central part of this unique culture’s mythology. Trinidad’s namesake, the holy Trinity is blessed as the unifying principle. This is the country’s well known motto, resting at the base of the ubiquitous and striking T&T Coat of Arms reads, â€Å"Together we Aspire, Together we achieve.† (pg 59).Yet the wisdom lies in paradox for there is no Carnival with more intense competition than Trinidad’s. [pic]Today Trinidad’s model for public celebration is the most widely imitated festival art form in the world. Many Trinidadian Carnival artists are able to work year round performing throughout North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. J’ouvert Jab Jab – The name of this mas is derived from the French patois for ‘Diable Diable†. It is pretty devil mas. The costume consists of a Kandal or satin knickers, and satin shirt with points of cloth at the waist, from which bells hang. On the chest, there is a shaped cloth panel which is decorated with swansdown, rhinestones and mirrors. Stockings and alpagatas are worn on the feet, while the headdress consists of a hood with stuffed cloth horns. The costume can come in alternating colors and be divided into front and back panels. (pg 61) The Jab Jab has a thick whip of plaited hemp which he swings and cracks threateningly. These whips can reduce the costumes of other Jab Jabs to threads. It is not to be confused with Jab Molassie. JAB MOLASSIE – Jab is the French patois for ‘Diable’ (Devil), and Molassie is the French patois for Mà ©lasse (Molasses). (pg 62)The Jab Molassie is one of several varieties of devil mas played in Trinidad and Tobago carnival. The costume consists of short pants or pants cut off at the knee, and a mask and horns. The jab malassie would carry chains, and wear locks and keys around his waist, and carry a pitch fork. He may smear his body with grease, tar, mud or colored dyes (red, green or blue). The jab molassie â€Å"wines† or gyrates to a rhythmic beat that is played on tins or pans by his imps. While some of his imps supply the music, others hold his chain, seemingly restraining him as he pulls against them in his wild dance. The differences among the various forms of devil mas were once distinct, but have become blurred over time. Trinidad’s carnival is a gorgeous paradigm of how carnival can connect the entire world. In this Trinidad little nation, the lifestyle and customs of various cultures come collectively for a short five days every year, the entire country stops thinking about their dissimilarities to celebrate life! Similar to many other countries under colonial rule, the history of Native Americans and African people in Trinidad is atrocious and a sad story. At different times England and Spain both maintained Trinidad as their colonies. Around 1785, Carnival was introduced to Trinidad. The French settlers started to arrive. The custom caught on rapidly, and fancy balls were held where the rich planters pretend masks, and beautiful dresses, wigs, and dance the whole night. The employ of masks had particular meaning for the slaves, as for several African peoples, masking is usually used in their rituals for the dead. Evidently banned from the masked balls of the French, the slaves would grasp their own tiny carnivals in their gardens — using their folklore and own rituals. However they also imitate their masters’ manners at the masked balls. Carnival has turned out to be a way to convey their authority as individuals for African people, and also for their rich cultural traditions. (pg. 102) The slavery was eradicated after 1838, the Africans were freed and started to host their individual carnival celebrations in Trinidad streets. This carnival developed progressively and sophisticated and rapidly became trendier than the balls. Nowadays, Trinidad carnival is like a mirror that reflects the faces the many immigrant nations from Africa, India, China and Europe. Carnival is such a significant aspect of life in Trinidad, as many schools trust that funding/ sponsoring a carnival band is a way to train youngsters about their culture and roots. According to green, Hundreds of schools and community organizations contribute in Trinidad’s Kiddies Carnival. In this fashion, communities’ works as one to build up strong friendships and good respect for the various cultures that make up Trinidad. (pg. 59) Bibliography â€Å"Caribbean carnival† Caribseek.comhttp://www.caribseek.com/adventure_and_entertainment/carnivals/caribbean-carnival.shtml. â€Å"Carnival in Trinidad.† Mustard.org.early 1985 carnival in Trinidad†¦evolution and symbolic menaing.21 February 2008 http://www.mustard.org.uk/articles/trinidad.htm. Cowley, John. Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso: Traditions in the Making. Trinidad: Macmillan Caribbean May 4, 1988 Green, Garth L. Trinidad Carnival: The Cultural Politics of a Transnational Festival. Massasetucheuts: Harper smith, 2005 Herman, Wouk. Don’t stop the carnival. USA: Doubleday, 1965 Housman, Gerald â€Å"The kebra nagast: the lost bible of Rastafarian wisdom and faith from Ethiopia and Jamaica.† (July 1979): 299-671 Lent, A John. Caribbean popular culture. Michigan: bowling green state university popular press, 2006. Pariser, Harry S. Explore Barbados. Manatee Press: 3 edition October 2007 Razak, Victoria M. Carnival in Antigua. Boston: Cenda Pub; 1 edition May 1, 1998 Riggio, Milla Co. Carnival: Culture in Action — The Trinidad Experience (Worlds of Performance). Routt ledge: Pablo Delano, 2004: Sutty, Lesley. St Vincent and the Grenadines. Caribbean: 2 edition September 2002 Oduber, Vanja. Antigua carnival. New York: Chauvenheid Graphic Group 1996

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Answers for Wooldridge

MULTIPLE REGRESSION After completing this chapter, you should be able to: understand model building using multiple regression analysis apply multiple regression analysis to business decision-making situations analyze and interpret the computer output for a multiple regression model test the significance of the independent variables in a multiple regression model use variable transformations to model nonlinear relationships recognize potential problems in multiple regression analysis and take the steps to correct the problems. ncorporate qualitative variables into the regression model by using dummy variables. Multiple Regression Assumptions The errors are normally distributed The mean of the errors is zero Errors have a constant variance The model errors are independent Model Specification Decide what you want to do and select the dependent variable Determine the potential independent variables for your model Gather sample data (observations) for all variables The Correlation Matrix Correlation between the dependent variable and selected independent variables can be found using Excel:Tools / Data Analysis†¦ / Correlation Can check for statistical significance of correlation with a t test Example A distributor of frozen desert pies wants to evaluate factors thought to influence demand Dependent variable: Pie sales (units per week) Independent variables: Price (in $) Advertising ($100’s) Data is collected for 15 weeks Pie Sales Model Sales = b0 + b1 (Price) + b2 (Advertising) Interpretation of Estimated Coefficients Slope (bi) Estimates that the average value of y changes by bi units for each 1 unit increase in Xi holding all other variables constantExample: if b1 = -20, then sales (y) is expected to decrease by an estimated 20 pies per week for each $1 increase in selling price (x1), net of the effects of changes due to advertising (x2) y-intercept (b0) The estimated average value of y when all xi = 0 (assuming all xi = 0 is within the range of obser ved values) Pie Sales Correlation Matrix Price vs. Sales : r = -0. 44327 There is a negative association between price and sales Advertising vs. Sales : r = 0. 55632 There is a positive association between advertising and sales Scatter DiagramsComputer software is generally used to generate the coefficients and measures of goodness of fit for multiple regression Excel: Tools / Data Analysis†¦ / Regression Multiple Regression Output The Multiple Regression Equation Using The Model to Make Predictions Input values Multiple Coefficient of Determination Reports the proportion of total variation in y explained by all x variables taken together Multiple Coefficient of Determination Adjusted R2 R2 never decreases when a new x variable is added to the model This can be a disadvantage when comparing modelsWhat is the net effect of adding a new variable? We lose a degree of freedom when a new x variable is added Did the new x variable add enough explanatory power to offset the loss of on e degree of freedom? Shows the proportion of variation in y explained by all x variables adjusted for the number of x variables used (where n = sample size, k = number of independent variables) Penalize excessive use of unimportant independent variables Smaller than R2 Useful in comparing among models Multiple Coefficient of Determination Is the Model Significant? F-Test for Overall Significance of the ModelShows if there is a linear relationship between all of the x variables considered together and y Use F test statistic Hypotheses: H0: ? 1 = ? 2 = †¦ = ? k = 0 (no linear relationship) HA: at least one ? i ? 0 (at least one independent variable affects y) F-Test for Overall Significance Test statistic: where F has (numerator) D1 = k and (denominator) D2 = (n – k – 1) degrees of freedom H0: ? 1 = ? 2 = 0 HA: ? 1 and ? 2 not both zero ( = . 05 df1= 2 df2 = 12 Are Individual Variables Significant? Use t-tests of individual variable slopes Shows if there is a linear relationship between the variable xi and yHypotheses: H0: ? i = 0 (no linear relationship) HA: ? i ? 0 (linear relationship does exist between xi and y) H0: ? i = 0 (no linear relationship) HA: ? i ? 0 (linear relationship does exist between xi and y) t Test Statistic: (df = n – k – 1) Inferences about the Slope: t Test Example H0: ? i = 0 HA: ? i ? 0 Confidence Interval Estimate for the Slope Standard Deviation of the Regression Model The estimate of the standard deviation of the regression model is: Standard Deviation of the Regression Model The standard deviation of the regression model is 47. 46 A rough prediction range for pie sales in a given week isPie sales in the sample were in the 300 to 500 per week range, so this range is probably too large to be acceptable. The analyst may want to look for additional variables that can explain more of the variation in weekly sales OUTLIERS If an observation exceeds UP=Q3+1. 5*IQR or if an observation is smaller than LO=Q1 -1. 5*IQR where Q1 and Q3 are quartiles and IQR=Q3-Q1 What to do if there are outliers? Sometimes it is appropriate to delete the entire observation containing the oulier. This will generally increase the R2 and F test statistic values Multicollinearity Multicollinearity: High correlation exists between two independent variablesThis means the two variables contribute redundant information to the multiple regression model Including two highly correlated independent variables can adversely affect the regression results No new information provided Can lead to unstable coefficients (large standard error and low t-values) Coefficient signs may not match prior expectations Some Indications of Severe Multicollinearity Incorrect signs on the coefficients Large change in the value of a previous coefficient when a new variable is added to the model A previously significant variable becomes insignificant when a new independent variable is addedThe estimate of the standard deviation of the mode l increases when a variable is added to the model Output for the pie sales example: Since there are only two explanatory variables, only one VIF is reported VIF is < 5 There is no evidence of collinearity between Price and Advertising Qualitative (Dummy) Variables Categorical explanatory variable (dummy variable) with two or more levels: yes or no, on or off, male or female coded as 0 or 1 Regression intercepts are different if the variable is significant Assumes equal slopes for other variables The number of dummy variables needed is (number of levels – 1)Dummy-Variable Model Example (with 2 Levels) Interpretation of the Dummy Variable Coefficient Dummy-Variable Models (more than 2 Levels) The number of dummy variables is one less than the number of levels Example: y = house price ; x1 = square feet The style of the house is also thought to matter: Style = ranch, split level, condo Dummy-Variable Models (more than 2 Levels) Interpreting the Dummy Variable Coefficients (with 3 Levels) Nonlinear Relationships The relationship between the dependent variable and an independent variable may not be linear Useful when scatter diagram indicates non-linear relationshipExample: Quadratic model The second independent variable is the square of the first variable Polynomial Regression Model where: ?0 = Population regression constant ?i = Population regression coefficient for variable xj : j = 1, 2, †¦k p = Order of the polynomial (i = Model error Linear vs. Nonlinear Fit Quadratic Regression Model Testing for Significance: Quadratic Model Test for Overall Relationship F test statistic = Testing the Quadratic Effect Compare quadratic model with the linear model Hypotheses (No 2nd order polynomial term) (2nd order polynomial term is needed) Higher Order Models Interaction EffectsHypothesizes interaction between pairs of x variables Response to one x variable varies at different levels of another x variable Contains two-way cross product terms Effect of Interacti on Without interaction term, effect of x1 on y is measured by ? 1 With interaction term, effect of x1 on y is measured by ? 1 + ? 3 x2 Effect changes as x2 increases Interaction Example Hypothesize interaction between pairs of independent variables Hypotheses: H0: ? 3 = 0 (no interaction between x1 and x2) HA: ? 3 ? 0 (x1 interacts with x2) Model Building Goal is to develop a model with the best set of independent variablesEasier to interpret if unimportant variables are removed Lower probability of collinearity Stepwise regression procedure Provide evaluation of alternative models as variables are added Best-subset approach Try all combinations and select the best using the highest adjusted R2 and lowest s? Idea: develop the least squares regression equation in steps, either through forward selection, backward elimination, or through standard stepwise regression The coefficient of partial determination is the measure of the marginal contribution of each independent variable, given that other independent variables are in the modelBest Subsets Regression Idea: estimate all possible regression equations using all possible combinations of independent variables Choose the best fit by looking for the highest adjusted R2 and lowest standard error s? Aptness of the Model Diagnostic checks on the model include verifying the assumptions of multiple regression: Each xi is linearly related to y Errors have constant variance Errors are independent Error are normally distributed Residual Analysis The Normality Assumption Errors are assumed to be normally distributed Standardized residuals can be calculated by computerExamine a histogram or a normal probability plot of the standardized residuals to check for normality Chapter Summary Developed the multiple regression model Tested the significance of the multiple regression model Developed adjusted R2 Tested individual regression coefficients Used dummy variables Examined interaction in a multiple regression model Described nonlinear regression models Described multicollinearity Discussed model building Stepwise regression Best subsets regression Examined residual plots to check model assumptions

Saturday, September 28, 2019

4 Anthropological Concepts Applied

Anthropologists believe that we learn to interact by picking up cultural codes of conduct starting from infancy; hence human behavior isn’t biologically acquired, but shaped by a guider. For example, in the documentary â€Å"Acting like a thief† by Kerim Friedman and Shashwati Talukdar,the â€Å"Chharas† were brought up in a nomadic lifestyle,where stealing was the norm. Dakxin’s grandmother admits that â€Å"people saw them as artists as well as thieves†. In 1871, they were labeled as a â€Å"criminal tribe† and were sent to prison camps by the British. Here the government kept strict checks on them, to the extent of following the women to the bathrooms, while men were forced to work or were beaten up. The social stigma that developed as a result of the people being labeled â€Å"born criminals† was internalized by their own grandparents, and the children let it define who they were as they grew up. This is evident by the response of one of the children, Vivek after he saw his mother getting beaten up on a street because she was caught in a burglary was that, â€Å"I don’t have a problem saying that my mother used to be a thief. Since I live in a society of born criminals, so of course I am a son of a thief, not a government official. † The idea that the guider shapes the identity of the community is also exemplified by the fact that even if the children wanted to get rid of the criminal stigma attached to them, it wasn’t an option. They weren’t given the opportunity to get jobs and hence had to resort to the illegal brewing of liquor as their only source of income. As is evident in this documentary, we can see that the behaviors and culture of a person is influenced by the culture of the society or group that he was born in. The concept of racism developed in the 19th century when colonialism was at its height and anthropologists tried to understand the many diverse people they encountered. They tried to evaluate the differences, classifying the world according to biological aspects like skin colorant important part of the social practices of racism is Ethnocentrism, which is the â€Å"belief that the moral standards,manners,attitudes and so forth of ones own culture are superior to those of other cultures† (Bailey,Garrik and James 15). This helped people justify the systematic violence and oppression on people of one society by another on the basis of factors like ethnicity and caste. At that time, on top of the framework of evolution was the western European civilization. The British believed themselves to be the pinnacle of evolution, the most culturally, physically and socially evolved (Bailey, Garrik and James 68). This thought process was a big part in the colonial apparatus and was also one of the reasons the British were able to label the people of chhranagar as â€Å"Born criminals. This label attached the stigma of a criminal community to the Chharas even after they got de-notified after India gained independence. Therfore, it allowed the police to get the power that they had accumulated and abused. According to Kalpana, â€Å"the police used to take the women back to the station after bail, tie them to a tree, beat them and give them electric shocks. †Innocent people were forced to admit to crimes , and if they refused they were beaten to death-as in the case of Buddhan. The injustice of such acts was apparent but so was the fact that â€Å"the police could do anything they want to. According to Dakxin, even the proof of a man’s innocence was rendered â€Å"useless. † Based on their ideas of being morally and culturally superior, the police had taken away the Chharas basic rights to freedom of speech and expression. â€Å"Rites of passage are a specialized set of rituals associated with the life cycle of individuals; the culturally defined age categories through which a person passes between birth and death. It is a public ceremony or ritual that marks a change in social status, usually brought about or related to increasing age† (Bailey, Garrik and James 201). People from various religions have different kinds of rituals with varying meanings attached to them. In Hinduism, an important event in the life cycle is marked by invoking the presence of the warrior goddess; Durga. This ritual is called a Jagrata. In Cat Viberts documentary, â€Å"a Rajasthani Jagrata, we see how Rathore takes his first born child to the â€Å"village of his heritage† for a ceremonial head shaving on his second birthday. Vibert described her experience of the ritual at the temple, â€Å"mediums gathered around a drum and began collectively chanting. A man stood up and began to lurch and yell. After sometime his eyes rolled back into his head, he ran into the temple and rang the bell. He was being possessed by the Goddess and the embodied deity sealed herself in the temple and the villagers went in one by one to ask her questions. † Besides the ritual, there is a lot of singing and dancing and the hair cutting ceremony to welcome the child in the family as he turns two. Gender Classification is one example of cultural knowledge. Cultural Knowledge involves shared knowledge about how we behave in ways that are meaningful and acceptable. It guides behavior such that the people can survive, reproduce and transmit their culture. † Every individual has a different social identity and expectations attached to them. Women typically are expected to stay in their homes and fulfill their domestic duties, whereas men take care of the responsibilities outside the house. During the whole trip that Vibert took for the ceremony, we saw the responsibility of the women to overlook the children, make the chapattis and do the domestic chores. Even during the ritual, the women were seated at the back whereas the men stayed in front. Moreover, the fact that the barber performing the ritual was a man and that the goddess possessed a man, shows how men had a more elevated stand in society. An anthropologist views different societies from an insider’s perspective and tries to understand human nature and behavior. Through their ethnographies and documentaries, they give people a voice to express their point of view and rid themselves of generalizations that put them at a disadvantage.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Reflection on strategy management tasks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reflection on strategy management tasks - Essay Example First of all, I made an approach to understand each and every aspects of the task. Then several secondary researches were executed in order to collect suitable information and data within a quick period of time. The PEST analysis was easy to implement in this study. The recent political, economical, technological and economical scenarios of the industry can be obtained easily from text books or other academic journals. These sources helped to provide reliable data and information of the specific industry. Horizon scanning was the most difficult part in this task. It is very much difficult for a manager to estimate future threat and opportunities. Inadequate detection of early signs can affect the financial stability of the firm. On the other hand, the economic and political situation is changing constantly. Therefore, this part of the task has created several initial problems. I learned several significant and important things while completing the first task. Industry analysis and Ho rizon scanning were the two most interesting parts of this task. Through the industry analysis, an analyst can gain important knowledge about the situation of external environment. On the other hand, effective Horizon scanning can increase the future estimation and analytical skill that can increase the productivity of a manager. The second task is all about the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Industrial Relations Integrated Project (Human resource) Essay

Industrial Relations Integrated Project (Human resource) - Essay Example The report then gives recommendations that could be applied to improve industrial relations especially in the context of employee disciplinary policies and termination of employee services. Danway electrical and mechanical engineering has been in the engineering industry since 1976, the firm provides engineering services in a variety of professional in engineering, industrial and construction sectors. The company offers a variety of engineering services ranging from mechanical, electrical and instrumentation works. The company also offers quality services in infrastructure construction, maintenance and upgrade, and is involved in projects from designing to completion of quality structures (Danway, n.d). Danway guarantees the delivery of high quality services to client, a mission they have achieved enabled by a highly skilled staff, effective project management that ensures timely completion of projects while still ensuring the safety during and after the project. Projects are very la bor intensive; require the coordination of professional engineers, architects, project managers, skilled and semiskilled workers participating in planning and erection of projects. There is need for precision in attending to the projects and constructions since errors in this field would be fatal for users of any faulty facilities put up. To achieve this there are a set of policies and procedures set up to monitor activities within the company. Usually the adherence to these regulations is closely monitored by operations manager and the human resource manager. Importance of discipline procedures Operations in every organization are governed by a set of guidelines and policies to ensure efficient delivery of quality products and services. Jex and Britt (2008), show the need to establish a code of conduct which creates a favorable environment for performance of duties for both the employee and the employer. The employer through the coordination of the human resource manager and the op erations manager has the responsibility of constant and timely communication with their employees. It is essential to keep them updated on their responsibilities, for motivation and correction whenever duties are not well attended. It is the responsibility of every manager to ensure that both the employer and the employee understand the rules on which the organization runs. Ambiguous rules are often subject to misinterpretations and can cause a great difference between the parties involved (Jex and Britt 2008). To achieve this every organization has a set of disciplinary policies which guide operations of human resources in factory operations. These policies are well communicated by the human resource management (Bjorkman and Stahl 2006). It is important for every employer to establish good disciplinary policies for their organization. These are meant to ensure efficiency in operations while still protecting the rights of the employee. With the knowledge of their duties and proper c ode of conduct expected from them, employees are expected to responsibly perform duties and deliver in their positions with precision to ensure the achievement of the organization’s mission and vision. According to Bates (2002), a good disciplinary

Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Statement Example Family background influences the career choice of one, especially in traditional societies like China. For example, a doctor’s children tend to study medicine; a bureaucrat’s children opt for civil service qualifications; a carpenter’s son learns carpentry from childhood, and so on. My father runs a factory-supported business enterprise, and it was but natural for me to pursue education and training courses, which would help me in future to participate in managing the family business. Quite honestly, I am as much responsible for this decision as my parents have been, since that is how it is in my country – the elders exert considerable influence in matters of education. Fortunately, my own positive inclination towards economics as the major subject sealed the issue. Our factory in China employing nearly 600 persons produces a wide variety of stainless steel cookware items. This is a fairly large business and it inevitably creeps into our everyday Shen 2 li ves, all the time. Family discussions or little talks around the dining table or even while on holidays always end up in business matters, and I was thus exposed to the affairs of our business since childhood. This has kindled an interest in me – first in general factory affairs, and later as I grew up, in the nitty-gritty of running a profitable business venture. I was often to be seen at my father’s office and factory, observing at firsthand how he handled his routine work, how he interacted with his staff and workers, and how he dealt with his clients. It is an invaluable experience for me to become aware of the practical world of business, and for my father’s staff and workmen to recognize me as one among them. This was my informal internship and background to my choosing economics as the academic option. Since completing high school studies, I have been attending working in my father’s office and factory more formally. I do this even now, whenever, I travel home on vacation. I have been assigned work in different departments, under the guidance of senior staff. I have worked in the factory assisting the manager and learning the production processes, staff deployment, order processing and dispatches; in office duties, I have done document preparation and presentation, raising bills and follow up for collecting payments; in the human resource department, I have come to know of staff management, salary administration and training; in the finance department, I was exposed to the different aspects of the relationship between a business and the banks like capital investments, working capital and stock/bills hypothecation, cash flow issues etc. All in all, I should say that I have just begun to appreciate the intricacies of business management and felt the need for a proper professional qualification for a fuller understanding of the processes, especially relating to the economics and financing of a running business. As a first step i n this direction, I have selected the subjects of macro and micro-economics, statistics, Shen 3 social sciences and business for my major at the SBCC. I have begun to enjoy solving problems in the economics subject. After completing my graduation/post-graduation in University of California, I wish to return to China and play an important role in the development of our enterprise. 2. What character or attitude

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Analysis of how Theories of Learning and Teaching have Impacted on Essay

Analysis of how Theories of Learning and Teaching have Impacted on Current Educational Practice - Essay Example In most cases, learning theories are based on two functions: (1) the first serves as a framework that provides people a specific set of vocabulary as a means to interpret observations; and (2) implications as to how one can find elucidation to realistic problems. It is important to note that these theoretical assumptions do not provide solutions to the complex process of learning, rather, it focuses on the key principles in which people must concentrate on and analyze as a means of identifying resolutions (Harlen, 2007). Learning Theories On the perspective of the academe, learning theories can be categorized into three groups, namely: behaviorist; humanistic; and cognitive. Learning theories classified under the behaviorist perspective tackles a personification of positivistic method towards learning that can be characterized as scientific or systemic. It mainly focuses on the objective approach in regards to the discernible facets of learning (Harlen, 2006). On the other hand, the humanistic approach is in accordance with one’s values, which serves as the driver that empowers and liberates an individual. The third type is cognitive, which can be considered as the staple form of learning through utilizing one’s mind (Vosniadou, 2001). ... The learning theory of constructivism lies between the humanistic and cognitive approach, as it involves the learner to generate new thoughts and concepts based on the information available (Hart, Dixon, Drummond & MacIntyre, 2004). Behaviorism This theory has been formulated by B.F. Skinner, elaborating on three principles in the aspect of learning which are as follows: (1) learning is associated with behavior modifications; (2) environment molds one’s behavior; and (3) learning is based on contiguity and reinforcement, basically focusing on the difference between the period of two conditions in order for a learning process to be established (Kim & Axelrod, 2005). The latter pertains to the events or actions that would increase the probability that a situation would happen again. In essence, this type of learning theory focuses on the premise that learning is the process of acquiring new behavior through the process of habituation or conditioning. Habituation can be classifie d into two types, which are (1) classical conditioning and (2) operant conditioning (Gibbons, 2004). The context of classical conditioning follows the premise that an individual’s behavior is a spontaneous effect to a stimulus. A stimulus triggers a specific response, and once this trigger is often repeated, it forms learning. An example of classical conditioning is the experiment carried out in regards to Pavlov’s dogs, wherein Pavlov identified that triggered the dog’s drooling (Harlen, 2006).Through assessing the correlation of the dog’s responses with specific factors, it was found that the dogs drooled when they knew that they were about to eat- which were initially triggered by the coat worn

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

War On Drugs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

War On Drugs - Research Paper Example As a result, approaches were put in place through legislative support from congress to enhance resource allocation to drug abuse control agencies. However, some of the approaches that have been adopted in the war on drugs have been criticized for being counterproductive and instead limiting the rehabilitation of the victims. In this paper, the war on drugs as adopted in the United States since the 70s will be discussed to demonstrate the level of commitment of the federal government in stamping out the vice. The paper wills also high some of the weaknesses of these approaches and how they have failed to eliminate this vice from the society permanently effectively. The categorization of drugs in the United States into legal and illegal has never been based on any scientific findings or study, but rather on racial stereotypes. For example, opium was the first substance to be declared an illegal drug in 1870 due to the fact that the Chinese immigrants would extensively use it. Anti-cocaine law also followed in the same direction when the south declared it illegal as a result of its preferred use among the black community. Marijuana was associated with Mexican and Latino immigrants in the early 1910s and this led to its categorization as an illegal and harmful substance (Fulkerson and Fida 60). However, the Nixon administration during the 1970s as youth rebellion, political dissent and social disorder continued to rise initiated the modern war on drugs, as we know it today. The administration associated the erosion in social fabric to continued use of such drugs by the youths and this led to the legislative decisions that were made during this period. By declaring the war on drugs, Nixon increased the number of agencies and their financial resource allocation to empower them and increase their ability to address the drug menace. Marijuana was, for the first time, placed in schedule one by the administration of Nixon, sounding a more

Monday, September 23, 2019

Designing The User Interface Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Designing The User Interface - Essay Example hich were exclusively available to computer users initially, are now easily accessible through mobile devices and cell phones to billions of users, thus assisting individuals with low incomes, low literacy or disabilities to make use of the available technology advancements, for example the Apple’s iTunes interface found on [http://www.apple.com/itunes/ (Shneiderman and Plaisant,7). All this is possible since the User-interface designers and researchers have harnessed advanced technology to serve human needs. Through User-interface design, many business success stories have been produced, notably in international partnerships and mega-mergers through increased decision-support and information sharing arising from the interface designs. Such partnerships and mergers include, for example, the partnership between YouTube found at [http://www.youtube.com/] and PlayStation3 (Shneiderman and Plaisant, 9). Nevertheless, User-interface design produces intense competition among business and individuals, as well as resulting to the infringement of copyrights and intellectual property legal battles, such as the ones between advanced cell phone and computer companies (Shneiderman and Plaisant, 12). Further controversies surrounding User-interface design includes the inadequacies of the user-interfaces, which have in turn resulted in violations of the issues of national defense, personal identification, crime fighting and personal electronic health records (Shneiderman and Plaisant, 5). At a personal level, user-interfaces have changed people lives, through assisting individuals and professionals to effectively accomplish their tasks, such as assisting doctors to undertake successful diagnosis or assisting pilots to fly planes safely (Shneiderman and Plaisant, 6). Nevertheless, there are various shortcomings associated with user-interfaces, such as the frustrations that users often have do encounter, in regards to the complexity of the interface menus, terminologies that

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Law and Morality Essay Example for Free

Law and Morality Essay It is not an everyday occurrence that someone must decide the fate of anothers life. The dilemma of making a decision that someone must die in order for the others to survive, can obviously be troubling. The process in which the termination of ones life may be easy to make, but to justify that decision is the most difficult one. This paper is given a situation in which a decision of taking ones life is essential. The situation is that a nuclear war has occurred, which has destroyed most of the centres of civilization. There are five people that are that have escaped death by finding their way to a nuclear bunker. These five people consist of a pregnant woman; an old man, who is a retired judge; two teenagers a fourteen-year-old boy and a sixteen-year-old girl; and a young and healthy woman who is a doctor. They all have been there for fifteen days and they must remain there for an additional fifteen days before they can be rescued. The problem is that although there are five of them in the bunker, there is only enough food for four people to survive for the remaining fifteen days. Rationing the food will not be of any use, because all will die with such a plan. The only way for most of the survivors to live for the next fifteen days is for one to die. Somehow they have contacted an outside source to advise them on the questions of Who shall die? , and How should the decision of choosing the person be carried out? These are all very difficult questions to answer, but something must be done. It is unlikely that someone will voluntarily allow someone to kill them so that the others may live, that is why another form of decision making must be allowed. The best way to do so is probably by that outside aid to suggest that they try drawing lots. For example whoever pulls the shortest straw is the one who dies. With no time to procrastinate, this would seem the most time efficient and fairest way to choose who will die. Of course a reason must be provided to the person who had drawn the shortest straw, and that is the objective of this paper. This essay will explain how the decision will be made that will ultimately take one of the survivors lives to save the remaining four people. From that explanation of the decision made, it will attempt to justify it. This paper proposes to explain and justify the decision by using legal tools such as Law and Morality, the Meta Rule, and The Doctrine of Necessity. The advice provided on how to carry out the unfortunate death of an innocent person may not be a right one, but perhaps it will be legally and morally justified. Law and morality play a large role here, mainly because there is a legal issue and a moral issue associated with the predicament. The reason law has a part in the situation is that after the decision is made, it will be examined legally and must be accountable for its consequences. Morality has its place too, because many will find it morally wrong to take ones life despite any justification. . there is some connection between law and morality, but the two are clearly not identical. First, morality is only concerned with right or wrong, with the good and evil; law is concerned with lots of things on which there is no right and wrong procedures for land registration, incorporation and so on. Second, morality is to some extent uncertain and a matter for each individual, law tries to be objective, written down in black and white and there for all to see. Third, morality often leaves things vague and subject to general principle, law goes into specifics. 1 From that description of law and morality, it is obvious how they relate to the issue here. When the time comes for one of the five people in the bunker eventually to die, it must be legally justified. The reason for this is that murder is illegal, unless legally justified. 2 On the other hand, reasons for the killing must be provided to put to ease those who question the dilemma in accordance to morality. Since law and morality are equally important and both are evenly delicate when dealing with this issue, advising the survivors on what to do will not be easy. Pleasing everybody is impossible, whether it is examined from a legal viewpoint or a moral one. However, if the situation is analysed with both the law and morality issues in mind, there may be a chance that many will see some sort of vindication behind the decision to kill someone. One example that can probably create a good foundation to better explain the complexity of the given situation, is that of the case of R. v. Dudley and Stephens. A basic summary of the case is as follows: Thomas Dudley, Edward Stephens, another man by the name of Brooks, and Richard Parker, who was a boy in his late teens, were the crew of an English yacht. All four of them were cast away in a storm 1,600 miles away from the Cape of Good hope. This boat was not supplied with any water or any food, except a few canned vegetables that lasted them a duration of three days. Being lost at sea, with no food or water, they needed to find someway to keep themselves alive so that they could live long enough for them to be rescued. Many days went by, and within that time they had not eaten or drank anything. Both Dudley and Stephens suggested to Brooks that someone be sacrificed to save the rest, Brooks disagreed, and they never told the boy of the idea. The next suggestion by Dudley and Stephens was that they should draw lots to see who should sacrifice their life to save the others, again Brooks refused and they did not let the boy in on the plan. Eventually the decision that if no vessel were to come around the next day, they should kill the boy. This decision, yet again, came from Dudley and Stephens. Again Brooks disagreed and the boy was never consulted. A day passed and no vessel was in sight. Dudley went to the boy, who was sleeping, and killed him. They fed upon the body of the boy and drank his blood for the following four days when they were finally rescued. After being returned to shore Dudley and Stephens were brought to court, put on trial, and lastly sentenced to death by the court. This decision was eventually brought down to life imprisonment, but then they released Dudley and Stephens after six months. 3 The case of R v. Dudley and Stephens is very similar to that of the one being looked at in this essay. In both cases, each group of people do not have enough or any food to survive long enough to be rescued, someone must die in order for the rest to survive, and both situations have legal and moral repercussions. Both Dudley and Stephens had understandable reasons to kill the young boy in order to survive, and could have escaped being sentenced to death if they had done one thing, consulted the boy. By not consulting the boy, an argument can be formulated to prove that they should have never released Dudley and Stephens from their first sentence of death. The boy never consented to his life being taken away from him, but if he were consulted and provided a reason to why he must be killed then perhaps Dudley and Stephens could have avoided any type of punishment. It is probably safe to assume that the boy would have not wanted his life to be taken away from him, and Brooks obviously rejected all of Dudley and Stephens suggestions, therefore it is apparent that some method of solving disputes was in order. So is the case with the five people in the bunker. Although they are in a dilemma of who and how someone should be chosen to die. Unlike Dudley and Stephens, these five people were able to reach an outside source to aid them with their problem. First of all, this outside source can offer them a method of solving their disputes by administering the Meta Rule. The way in which the Meta Rule operates is as follows, Disputes are resolved by the decision of one or more persons, once arguments from each side of the issue have been put. 4 An outside aid is ideal in such a predicament, because they can offer an objective review of the situation and listen to all the arguments made by those in the bunker; this a process that is called Audialteramparten, which in Latin means to hear both sides. It is important that the decision-maker hear both sides and that the decision-maker also be a generalist. 5 The reason for this, is that by listening to both sides they can know all the concerns that the people in the bunker have, and by being a generalist they can be impartial to the situation, thereby making a rational and fair decision. By imposing the Meta Rule, this outside source can make a decision, and according to the Meta Rule, this must be carried out. Whether or not the decision is wrong does not matter, it is imperative and necessary that one be made to resolve the dispute of who, how, and why someone must die. The doctrine of necessity is a very important notion to this case, because it is necessary that someone die in order for the remaining four survive. ? Necessity knows no law, it is often said. In other words, you cant be held legally liable for an act you had to do. 6 This is what the people in the bunker must remember, and this will legally justify the decision to kill someone. Morally, whether the decision was right or wrong, can be argued till the end of time, but there is no time to accommodate a moral debate. All that is left to do now, is to draw lots and find out who is going to have to die for the others to live. When the selection has been made by lots, the victim yields of course to their fate; or if they resist, force may be employed to coerce division. 7 As harsh as it may sound, if necessity has no legal standing in this situation, it should not stand in any other case. In other words, necessity has been used as an argument to justify ones actions in other cases and is accordingly justifiable in this circumstance. Making a decision on the situation without examining it with knowledge of law and morality, the Meta Rule, and the doctrine of necessity would make it even more difficult to find a rational reason why one of the five people in the bunker should die, let alone justify it. Law and morality illustrated how sensitive a situation such as this can be, and how difficult it is to make a pure legal decision when morals are a large part of everyones lives. The Meta Rule showed that even when the courts are not present to facilitate a case, there is always another method of resolving disputes legally. Finally, the doctrine of necessity explained why some forms of action are necessary and must be taken and applied to a given condition. It is unfortunate that there are cases in which people, whether or not they know each other, must kill someone else to save their own life. It must be even more disturbing, rather than unfortunate, for a person to sacrifice their life for the welfare of another, nevertheless it is noble. Perhaps this goes to show that when it is absolutely necessary to kill someone in order to preserve ones own life, murder is always justifiable. Works Cited 1 Patrick Fitzgerald and King Mc Shane. Looking at Law: Canadas Legal System. 4th ed. (Ottawa: Tri-Graphic Printing Ltd. ) 1994. Pg. 3. 2 Carleton Dept. Of Law Casebook Group. Introduction to Legal Studies 2nd ed.. (North York: Captus Press Inc. ) 1995. Pg. 24. 3 Carleton Dept. Of Law Casebook Group. Introduction to Legal Studies 2nd ed. . (North York: Captus Press Inc. ) 1995. Pgs. 19-24. 4 Fraser, D. Fall Term Law Notes for 51. 100A. (Carleton University) 1996. 5 Fraser, D. Fall Term Law Notes for 51. 100A. (Carleton University) 1996. 6 Carleton Dept. Of Law Casebook Group. Introduction to Legal Studies 2nd ed. . (North York: Captus Press Inc. ) 1995. Pg. 25. 7 Fraser, D. Fall Term Law Notes for 51. 100A. (Carleton University) 1996.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Linear architecture

Linear architecture Michael Cintron   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first structure explained in our text is Linear. A linear architecture displays a storyboard-type layout that links to a webpage before and a webpage after the current page. This type of layout is basically like reading a book where you can only turn one page before or one page after the current page you are reading. The benefit to this type of layout is that it is good for reading sequentially. A drawback is that it is impossible to jump ahead or jump back multiple pages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second structure is known as the Hierarchal structure. This type of structure varies from linear in that instead of jumping forward or backwards, you are going to subpages or higher pages in the structure. This type of structure is good for generic webpages that do not need to be read sequentially. A company webpage with services they offer is a good example of when hierarchal structure should be used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The final structure is the Mixed, or Hybrid, structure. The mixed structure is a combination of both linear and hierarchal structures. Sometimes a webpage does not fit into either structure above and could benefit from both so they are combined into one and it fits the needs perfectly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My preferred structure is the mixed structure because it has so many uses. On my personal webpage, I use the Hierarchal structure because I do not have a need for anything linear, but I still prefer the mixed structure. My first example is iFixit. iFixit has a hierarchy, as seen across the top, and each article has a linear structure where each product they tear down has multiple pages. (http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nexus-One-Teardown/1654/1) Another example of a website that uses the mixed structure is How Stuff Works. They also have a general breakdown navigation bar across the top, then you can drill down to the topic you are interested in. Once you find the article, the article itself is a linear structure that links to the next and previous pages. This page also lists all pages near the top of the article, making it simple to jump to a different part of the article. (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cascading Style Sheets are a great tool when creating and maintaining webpages. CSS uses a central file that contains the instructions for displaying a website and all of its pages. When a webpage references the CSS file, it looks at its class and grabs the instructions for displaying the data. For example, if a hyperlink on a page references the class link, then the page looks for the class link in the CSS file and displays it as directed. As long as all hyperlinks use the class link, it is possible to change the color, size, or font of all hyperlinks on a website just by changing the CSS file.