The world of classical art Essay Example

The world of classical art Essay Example The world of classical art Essay The world of classical art Essay Essay Topic: Classical Orlando In a city known for artifice and family-friendly pleasure seeking, it seems to make sense that the world of classical art would collide with the world of the strangely fantastic.   While there are some that claim buildings such as the ones in Las Vegas, with its full-size replicas of pyramids and Venetian waterways, are devoid of artistic value or significance.   To a large degree, this perception is true, for there is little artistic value in simply copying the work of another for mass marketing purposes.   However, the building that houses Wonderworks in Orlando, Florida is far more than a mass marketed copy.   It is an original structure used to pique interest in science, and its building surely reflects its function.Walking down the tourist strip in Orlando is always an interesting thing to do, to see all the shops, restaurants, and various other attractions designed to pull the eye and the money of entertainment seekers.   While many think that Orlando is nothing but a n ode to Disney, the strip on International Drive is touristy, but largely free of the Disney magic.   However, there is a little magic on the strip, and it was on a trip down this stretch of artificial structures that I saw the most original structure of all in the form of the building created as the educational/recreational playground known as Wonderworks.Amongst the many other cookie-cutter tourist traps on the strip, Wonderworks sticks out like a sore, but highly interesting, thumb.   It is not meant to harmonize with its surroundings at all, but rather seeks to call attention to itself and the types of things that go on inside its walls.   The structure itself is situated right along the road, a multistory plantation-style white building, complete with four columns in the front and large arched windows.   It looks similar to the White House, and its tight symmetry suggests a heavy neoclassical influence.   A few special touches are the few palm trees positioned in the front and along the sides that give it a tropical feel so indicative of its Florida home, with all eyes drawn to the top of the building, which also just so happens to be its bottom.The building for Wonderworks is made to look like a giant colonial mansion dropped at a canted angle on top of a smaller, one-story brick warehouse from the 1930s.   The entrance to the main building is ground level, and cut into the top of the upside-down building.   Artistic embellishments such as cracks in the columns and the face of the building, along with a few feet of foundation at the top of the building make it seem as if it were just uprooted and slammed down.   The palm trees hang from this upside-down foundation, as well as lampposts near the upside-down door.   Real palm trees and manicured grass surround the entire structure, which faces one corner of the intersection, while the warehouse faces the other.   The fact that it is a perfectly normal-looking building that may be nothi ng more than a striking, old mansion on the strip is completely turned on its head, just like the building.   The result is something similar to the wonder that its name suggests, and the fact that it is so different is part of its disharmonious appeal.The nature of the Wonderworks building, as well as its location in the middle of tourist heaven, suggests that it was designed most likely by an anonymous designer working for a large firm sometime in the past few decades.   As there are a few other Wonderworks buildings scattered across the country, the design suggests that its form was consciously designed to echo the many scientific and interesting things that happened within its walls.   It is an example of form perfectly matching function, and makes the view question not only the creativity and architectural science that went into it, but also the line between art and homogenized culture.   Indeed, Wonderworks can be argued to be art or lowbrow entertainment, but the natu re of what it tries to accomplish can only be respected in its ideals, and therefore the building itself becomes far more credible and charming than any of the buildings by Vegas or Disney, as impressive as both locales are.Inside the Wonderworks building, there are many things, scientific and entertaining, that kids and adults will find interesting and educational.   The interior of the main building is also upside-down, and adds to the overall feeling of eccentricity and whimsy.   There are exhibits inside that allow a person to make giant bubbles, lay on a bed of nails, wear an astronaut suit, and scores of other interesting activities.   The unusual design of the building compliments perfectly its unique position the most offbeat attraction on the tourist strip, as well as the strange information it provides through its exhibits, like the number of teeth a mosquito has.   Though the building for Wonderworks was built in 1998, it recalls the classical style, and then turn s it upside-down in a post-modern way.   The fictional story behind the building is that it was once a top-secret lab from the Bermuda Triangle brought by a tornado to its final spot on top of the brick building.   While the story may be fictional, the impact the building has on those who see it is very real.Seeing the upside-down building immediately makes people feel happy when they see it, young and old, and it is difficult not to try to figure out exactly how they built it.   Because the attraction is in the middle of the touristiest part of Orlando, Florida, it is surrounded by a plethora of other attractions, including the many famous amusement parks only short drives down the highway.   However, the building for Wonderworks provides an experience that makes it one of the hidden gems of the area.   It is hard to visit Wonderworks and not come out feeling gratified that the day was spent exploring its interesting exhibits and architecture.Not only does the building in side and out echo its true purpose, but the nature of the building itself echoes its location in the middle of a city known for artifice, special effects, and entertainment.   But, still, Wonderworks manages to become something far more than another amusement for tourists, almost in the way a poem takes on different meanings to different readers.   Some may see it as an amusement park, a fake building, a mass-produced symbol of homogenized entertainment, while some may see it as an allegorical about American society.   And, even still, some may just see it as an interesting place to visit.

Review of the movie The Graduate essays

Review of the movie The Graduate essays I watched post-pool scene and thought the splicing of Ben and Mrs. Robinsons sex escapade was incredible. It not only showed how Ben was living his life throughout the last couple of days (leisure in the day and sex at night) but it also revealed Bens thoughts. I also thought the scene when his mother walked into the bathroom and it was steamy was a cool effect, symbolizing Bens new life via Mrs. Robinson. I stopped watching the movie after that scene but I am sure Ben goes on to change into a man instead of a sheltered child under his parents. Pre-pool scene did a good job of establishing how Bens life was before Mrs. Robinson. The captains voice on the airplane was monotone, the conveyor symbolized his life (tedious), and his parents were blocking Ben from being free. The clown picture and his room revealed how Ben was still just a kid because of how his parents treated him, and how he let them treat him. Finally, Mrs. Robinson was constantly draped in animal clothing fur coat, lion clothes, and leopard underwear to show how she was wild and uninhibited. The party scene revealed to the audience Bens friends, aka his parents associates, and how he disliked everything about his surroundings. He is constantly ignoring people and frequently uninterested with everyone, until Mrs. Robinson. I am not sure what the absolute symbolism of Mrs. Robinson is, but I am sure its significant. ...

Corporate Compliance Plan Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Corporate Compliance Plan Paper - Essay Example These risks include financial malpractice, product liability amongst others. This is the reason why this company needs a control plan to ensure that it has sound business objectives and can manage its risks effectively and in accordance with the laws. This document is going to describe the control plan of Riordan Manufacturing Company. The control plan is in line with the principles that were identified by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The control components that Riordan will use are also included in this control plan and are in accordance with the ones identified by the above commission. A company of Riordan’s status is bound to experience enterprise risks of varying magnitude, and that is the reason that the enterprise risk management plan of this company will be provided. It is important to identify the roles that will be played by various personnel in the company as far as the implementation of this control plan is concerned. These responsibilities will be identified. The limitations and weaknesses of enterprise risk management will also be included in the paper. A control plan has to take into consideration the enterprise risk management that is particular to that company. These are the methods and processes that are employed by any organization in order to deal with risks that are detrimental to the achievement of the company’s objectives and goals (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission [COSO], 2004). Not only does the company use these methods to manage the risks particular to it, but it also uses it to take advantage of opportunities that avail themselves to it. This is because every risk has the potential of hindering the achievement of a particular goal or presenting an opportunity to the company. The process of risk management is adopted by the directors of the company. It is used by

Environmental Archaeology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environmental Archaeology - Essay Example There are two broad categories of dating used in assessing the age of archaeological remains these two broad categories are namely absolute methods, and relative methods. The absolute dating methods depend on using several physical properties of a sample or object to compute its age. Relative dating methods inform only on the relative difference in age between two samples (Branch, 2005). On the contrary, absolute dating methods give an actual date in terms of years. Several absolute dating methods make use of radioactive decay. This is whereby a radioactive structure of an element is transformed into a new non-radioactive product or radioactive isotope at a standard rate (Wilkinson and Stevens, 2003). Others like cation-ratio dating and amino acid racimization are founded on chemical transforms in the inorganic or organic composition of a model. In contemporary years, a number of these techniques have experienced continual improvement as scientists endeavor to develop the perfect dat ing methods possible (O'Connor and Evans, 2008). Examples of absolute methods include: a) Dendrochronology. b) Radiocarbon dating. c) Optical dating or optically motivated luminescence. d) Thermoluminescence dating. e) Potassium-argon dating. f) Archaeomagnetic dating. g) Numismatics. h) Magnetic Properties of Lead. i) Obsidian hydration dating j) Amino acid dating. k) Rehydroxylation dating Relative Techniques Indirect or relative methods tend to utilize associations assembled from archaeological bodies of data. An illustration is seriation. Fundamentally, relative dating depends on attaching into absolute dating with regard to the present. One case in point of this is dendrochronology which employs a method of attaching floating chronologies of tree rings collectively through cross referencing a work body (Albarella, 2001). In practice a number of diverse dating techniques ought to be applied in various circumstances, consequently dating evidence for a large amount of an archaeolo gical sequence documented in the course of an excavation necessitates matching data from identified absolute or a number of related steps, with a vigilant study of stratigraphic interactions. What Is Paleoethnobotany and What Types of Evidence (Data Sources) Does This Research Specialization Use to Examine These Relationships? What are some of the Strengths and Limitations of This Specialization? Paleoethnobotany, also referred to as archaeobotany, is the study of human-plant correlations. Paleoethnobotany is a vital constituent of a wide-ranging study of every archaeological site, as well as lithic,  ceramic or faunal analysis. Classification,  analysis, as well as interpretation  of the plants obtained from an archaeological site  may present insight into  historical subsistence, environment, and economy (Branch, 2005). There are several types of data sources that are employed in this research specialization in order to examine these relationships. Types of Data Sources The central bodies of conjecture for the life sciences encompass evolution and genetics in a broad sense. Taxonomy which is the presumption of formal categorization and systematics is fundamental to identification and

Riordan Amended IT Budget Essay Example for Free

Riordan Amended IT Budget Essay Amended Riordan Manufacturing IT Budget The executive board for Riordan has tasked Information Technology with reducing their overall budget by two percent, while providing an increase of four percent to hardware line item, software line item, and outside IT support services. There are many lines within the budget that can be cut immediately to provide the necessary budget cuts, but it is important to make sure that none of the services being provided to staff will suffer with the adjustment to the budget. This paper will discuss the current budget, the increased made to the requested line items and the overall budget decrease. The paper will also justify the changes made to the budget. CURRENT BUDGET Riordans current IT budget consists of $1,567,750 being spent on salaries, benefits and bonuses. Another $333,500 is being spent on Operating costs. The total IT budget is $1,901,300. In order to meet the expected two percent decrease, IT will need to cut $38,026 from their budget. The hardware line item has a total budget of $8,500 and the four percent increase totals an additional $340. The software portion of the budget has a total of $45,000 when you include the line items for software licenses and maintenance. The four percent increase for this line item will cost Riordan an additional $1,800. The outside IT support services has a budget of $93,600 when you included the contracts and the leased lines line items. The increase for this portion of the budget totals $3,744. The total amount needed to increase each of the requested line items by four percent is $5,884. WHERE TO CUT BUDGET After increasing the specified line items as requested by the executive board, the IT department is left with the need to cut nearly $39,000 to meet the two percent budget reduction. This would bring the total IT budget down from $1.91 million to 1.87 million. The first places to look for reductions are any miscellaneous projects or non-essential spending within the budget. The first line item to reduce would be the entertainment portion. Currently, the IT department is spending $1,400 for entertainment. I would adjust the budget and allow $200 to be spent every four months, which will total up to $600 dollars a year. While I understand the need to entertain or reward the IT department for a job well done, it is not necessary to entertain them nearly every month of the year. Quarterly job well done or entertainment is enough to keep team members motivated, but not enough to become an expectation. By reducing the amount of entertainment, the IT department will recognize a cost savings of $800. This leaves a balance of $38,200 in order to meet the reduction goal. The next place I would check for reduction is in the travel budget. Now I do understand that Riordan has three locations worldwide and sometimes it may be necessary to travel to a location, but there is no need to travel every month of the year. Travel could occur twice a year, February and June. The rest of the months would be cut out. The IT department can set up Skype accounts, or WebEx accounts to allow the managers to communicate about projects and to take care of the issues that were normally handled with the travel budget. Skype allows users to communicate face to face while the WebEx account allows the users to see each others screen and collaborate. The travel budget would go from $22,000 to $7,000. This is a cost savings of $15,000 and now only leaves a balance of $23,200 that must be reduced from the budget. The last place where I would adjust the budget would be the special projects line item. This line item has $150,000 allocated to it, but no specific projects tied to it. I would reduce the budget to $126,800 which would take  care of the remaining shortfall to reduce the overall budget by two percent. This final reduction will take the total IT budget to $1,862,300. NEW BUDGET I was able to reduce the IT budget without losing staff. This allows Riordan to continue with the plans to move the China location to Shanghai. The new budget also allows for the IT Department to continue their hardware purchases, software licenses and IT support services. The new budget is as follows: The highlighted sections include the reductions made to meet the requested two percent decrease. SUMMARY OF CHANGES To meet the requested two percent budget reduction, there were three line items that were reduced. The first group was the travel line item. This line item was reduced to $7,000 and was reduced because staff members can have video conferences using Skype and can collaborate via WebEx on projects. While some travel is necessary and reflected with a budget of $7,000 some work can be completed from their local offices and thereby eliminating the monthly trips between the three locations. The next reduction made was to the entertainment line item of the budget. While there is a need to keep the staff happy by providing entertainment or rewards for a good job, the rewards can be better received by making them an expectation. I dont see a benefit in completely removing the entertainment budget, but there was a benefit in reducing the amount spent on entertainment/rewards. The budget was reduced to allow for entertainment/rewards quarterly. This can motivate employees to work harder to be one of those chosen to receive a reward every quarter. The entertainment budget was reduced to a total of $600. The last change made was a reduction to the special projects line item. The  special projects line item was reduced to $126,800. The reason for the reduction was there were no special projects tied to the line item. Because there were no special projects tied to the line item, it is easier for IT to adjust to the reduction before planning any special projects. CONCLUSION The IT department was tasked with increasing the following line items by four percent: software, hardware and IT support services. But the overall budget also had to be decreased by two percent. This was done by first increasing the requested line items and then decreasing the budget to the requested levels. It was only necessary to reduce three line items, the entertainment section, travel section and special projects. The reduction of these three line items do not have a huge impact on the IT department but allows the department to meet the budget reduction request.

Chemicals That Fix the Brain :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Chemicals That Fix the Brain The discovery of how the brain heals itself began, as discoveries often do, with a question: Why do children who suffer brain damage often recover fully, while adults with the same kind of damage are permanently incapacitated? University of Wisconsin neurobiologist Ronald Kalil was among those who pursued the question (15). His studies in young cats showed that entire networks of brain cells could be routed around damaged areas. Young animals whose primary vision centers were destroyed could still learn to see normally, he found, because cells in another part of their brains took up the job of processing vision. Yet, adult animals suffering the same destruction had no such luck (7). What was the difference? Kalil finally determined that young animal brains are awash in chemicals called growth factors, while adult brains have far lower levels (11). He surmised that the abundance of growth factors helps the new brains organize themselves. When damage occurs, the growth factors simply start over and rebuild damaged networks. Adults have fewer growth factors because their brains, although they constantly undergo changes, are, for the most part, completed. All of which led to another question: Would adding extra growth factors prevent permanent damage in adult brains? Soaking tiny sponges with a variety of growth factors, Kalil placed them inside newly damaged brain areas of adult cats. He and his colleagues found that these adult brains acted more like infant brains: Instead of suffering permanent damage, the adult brains repaired themselves. This ability of the brain to rewire itself, grow new parts for damaged cells, and even make new cells-its "plasticity," was thought to be impossible only a few years ago (4). Brain cells, medical students were taught, were hardwired like so many computer transistors. Once they burned out, that was the end. Brain cells certainly could not sprout new communications lines to take over the jobs of nonfunctioning cells, it was said. Nor could they regenerate themselves after being hurt. Moreover, they absolutely could not divide to replenish the brain with new cells. All those "truths" are being tossed out as brain research undergoes a revolution fueled by molecular biology's remarkable ability to reveal the secrets of cells. Scientists now can hunt down and copy genes that govern cell reassembly and harness them for use in repairing damaged brains (3). The power of these tools was stunningly demonstrated with the discovery of a gene called NeuroD, which plays an essential role in the embryonic development of the brain and nervous system (6).

Origin of the Kingdom of Kush’s Religion Essay

Kushite religion was a combination of ancient Egyptian religious traditions and gods with traditional Nubian customs and beliefs. Archaeological evidence shows that ram cults held a great amount of importance for the Nubians prior to the Egyptian defeat. In order to validate their claim over Nubia, the Egyptians associated their god Amun with the Nubian ram cults. Centuries later, the Napatans reversed the roles and used Amun to claim superiority over Egypt. The ram-headed Amun was worshipped all over Nubia during the New Kingdom and Kushite periods. Amun, the god who granted kingship was deemed the most important in the Kushite pantheon, however, he was not the only Egyptian god worshipped. During the Meroitic period, local Nubian gods took their righteous place in the pantheon. Apedemak, the lion headed god of war was the most celebrated. Until the Meroitic language is deciphered, very little can be understood of their religion and gods other than that they were worshipped in a man ner similar to those of Egypt, attended by priests in extravagant temples. Origin of the Kingdom of Kush’s Religion Kushite religion was a combination of ancient Egyptian religious traditions and gods with traditional Nubian customs and beliefs. Archaeological evidence shows that ram cults held a great amount of importance for the Nubians prior to the Egyptian defeat. In order to validate their claim over Nubia, the Egyptians associated their god Amun with the Nubian ram cults. Centuries later, the Napatans reversed the roles and used Amun to claim superiority over Egypt. The ram-headed Amun was worshipped all over Nubia during the New Kingdom and Kushite periods. Amun, the god who granted kingship was deemed the most important in the Kushite pantheon, however, he was not the only Egyptian god worshipped. During the Meroitic period, local Nubian gods took their righteous place in the pantheon. Apedemak, the lion headed god of war was the most celebrated. Until the Meroitic language is deciphered, very little can be understood of their religion and gods other than that they were worshipped in a manner similar to those of Egypt, attended by priests in extravagant temples.