Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Combahee River Collective in the 1970s

Combahee River Collective in the 1970s The Combahee River Collective, a Boston-based organization active 1974 to 1980, was a collective of black feminists, including many lesbians, critical of white feminism.  Their statement has been a key influence on black feminism and on a social theory about race.  They examined the interplay of sexism, racism, economics, and heterosexism. As  black feminists and lesbians, we know that we have a very definite revolutionary task to perform and we are ready for the lifetime of work and struggles before us. History The Combahee River Collective first met in 1974. During â€Å"second-wave† feminism, many black feminists felt that the Women’s Liberation Movement was defined by and paid exclusive attention to white, middle-class women. The Combahee River Collective was a group of black feminists who wanted to clarify their place in the politics of feminism and to create a space apart from white women and black men. The Combahee River Collective held meetings and retreats throughout the 1970s. They attempted to develop a black feminist ideology and explore the shortcomings of â€Å"mainstream† feminism’s focus on sex and gender oppression above all other types of discrimination, while also examining sexism in the black community.  They also looked at lesbian analysis, particularly that of black lesbians, and Marxist and other anti-capitalist economic analyses.  They were critical of essentialist ideas about race, class, sex, and sexuality. They used techniques of consciousness-raising as well as research and discussion, and the retreats were also meant to be spiritually refreshing. Their approach looked at a simultaneity of oppressions rather than ranking and separating the oppressions at work, and in their work is rooted much of later work on intersectionality.  The term identity politics came out of the Combahee River Collectives work. Influences The name of the Collective comes from the Combahee River Raid of June 1863, which was led by Harriet Tubman and freed hundreds of slaves. The 1970s black feminists commemorated a significant historical event and a black feminist leader by selecting this name.  Barbara Smith is credited with suggesting the name. The Combahee River Collective has been  compared to the philosophy of Frances E.W. Harper, a highly educated 19th-century feminist who insisted on defining herself as black first and a woman second. The Combahee River Collective Statement The Combahee River Collective Statement was issued in 1982. The statement is an important piece of feminist theory and description of black feminism.  A key emphasis was on black womens liberation: Black women are inherently valuable.... The statement includes the following points: The Combahee River Collective is committed to fighting race, sex, and class oppression, and also recognized oppression based on sexuality.  These were analyzed not just as separate forces, but interacting forces. The synthesis of these oppressions creates the conditions of our lives.As black feminists, members struggle alongside black men to fight racism, but against black men to fight sexism.If black women were free, everyone would be free, because that would mean all systems of oppression had been destroyed.The Collective would continue to examine politics, including racism in white women’s feminism.  But eliminating racism in white feminism, they said, was the work and accountability of white women.The members believe in the organization of work to benefit workers instead of bosses. The statement recognized many forerunners, including Harriet Tubman, whose military raid on the Combahee River was the basis of the name of the collective, Sojourner Truth, Frances E. W. Harper, Mary Church Terrell, and Ida B. Wells-Barnett - and many generations of unnamed and unknown women.  The statement highlighted that much of their work was forgotten because of the racism and elitism of the white feminists who dominated the feminist movement through history to that point. The statement recognized that, under the oppression of racism, the black community often valued traditional sex and economic roles as a stabilizing force, and expressed understanding of those black women who could only risk the struggle against racism. Combahee River Background The Combahee river is a short river in South Carolina, named for the Combahee tribe of Native Americans who preceded the Europeans in the area. The Combahee River area was the site of battles between the Native Americans and Europeans from 1715 to 1717. During the Revolutionary War, American troops fought foraging British soldiers there, in one of the last battles of the war. During the period before the Civil War, the river provided irrigation for rice fields of local plantations.  The Union Army occupied a nearby territory, and Harriet Tubman was asked to organize a raid to free slaves to strike at the local economy. She led the armed raid - a guerilla action, in later terms - which led to 750 escaping enslavement and becoming contraband, freed by the Union Army.  It was, until recent times, the only military campaign in American history planned and headed by a woman. Quote From the Statement The most general statement of our politics at the present time would be that we are actively committed to struggling against racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression, and see as our particular task the development of integrated analysis and practice based upon the fact that the major systems of oppression are interlocking. The synthesis of these oppressions creates the conditions of our lives. As Black women, we see Black feminism as the logical political movement to combat the manifold and simultaneous oppressions that all women of color face.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Persian is a Lovely Word

Persian is a Lovely Word Persian is a Lovely Word Persian is a Lovely Word By Maeve Maddox Amir Bahmanyari raises a question about the use of the word Farsi in English: . . . there is a well defined word Persian in English which refers to the language of the Iranian people. Why is it that the Arabic word Farsi [is] used in daily communications by the English speaking people instead of the English word Persian? I suspect that political correctness may have something to do with it. Since many immigrants from the Middle East refer to the language as Farsi, it may be that journalists and others think theyre being ethnically respectful by doing the same. Until fairly recently the word Farsi was little known to English speakers. Even though the country formerly known as Persia took on its international identity as Iran in 1935, the language spoken there continued to be known as Persian. As Amir points out in the rest of his comment, Farsi is an Arabic version of the original word Parsi in which the letter P was replaced with an F by the Arabic speaking people. . . there is no letter P in Arabic . . . Although the people of Iran have always called their country Iran, English speakers and most other outsiders referred to it as Persia until 1935. The change came at the suggestion of the Persian diplomatic delegation in Berlin. The suggestion may have been prompted by the fact that the word Iran means land of the Aryans and the word Aryan was very popular in Germany at that time. In English the words Persia and Persian have connotations of exotic beauty. The words suggest Persian carpets, Persian cats and Persian literature. The name Iran has less romantic connotations Referring to the Persian language as Farsi is a recent development that not all speakers of Persian are happy with. According to the ruling body for the language, The Academy of the Persian Language and Literature (Farhangestan), the term Farsi is an incorrect term for the Persian Language; an analogy would be requesting that the German language be called Deutsch by those who speak English. Wikipedia Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†English Grammar 101: Verb Mood45 Idioms with "Roll"

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Rembrandts Work in the Light of Contemporary Artists Case Study

Rembrandts Work in the Light of Contemporary Artists - Case Study Example Many contemporary writers have written on Rembrandt; however, Gary Schwartz’s work stands out. The Rembrandt Book, which was published in honour of the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt’s birth, the book gives the reader an opportunity to comprehend his life as it was. One familiarizes themselves through the book with Rembrandt’s family, friends, patrons, and European civilization and present day culture. Each chapter of the book allows one to have a sneak peek into Rembrandt’s creative thought process. Gary Schwartz has used contemporary sources to assimilate information in the book on Rembrandt. Rembrandt received a thorough grounding in classical and biblical studies. In 1629, Rembrandt painted a self-portrait which is regarded as first of the many that would follow. Rembrandt’s life wasn’t devoid of difficulties and problems. In fact, he led a plain tans life for the longest time. In spite of getting married by 1634, he had an illegitimate d aughter, Cornelia. Eventually, when Rembrandt is reported to be in deep financial trouble and declared him as an insolvent in 1656, the authorities in Amsterdam compiled a minutely detailed inventory of his possessions. Many documents were compiled out of which, one document is said to state the providence of a list with two plaster casts of children, one plaster head, five works by other artists and four of his own paintings and one shoe. Rembrandt led an extremely colourful life rich with drama and suspense and thrilling in its own right.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Ethics in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethics in the Workplace - Essay Example The various rights of the employees within the workplace definitely include privacy as a major tenet within it since the top management knows that if the subordinates, middle management and the lower management is not at ease (in terms of mind and heart) at the workplace, then it is very much impossible to extract the best possible work out of them and this is for sure that the efficiency levels will drop as a result of the same. Employee motivation at workplace works to the advantage of the firm and the people at the helm of it since they know for sure that their employees would give in their best no matter how trying or tough the circumstances are. This means that they are assured of their commitment levels and the intensity of the hard work that they will put in, even under the most strenuous of routines. But this raises an interesting proposition, a stance which needs to be discussed by all and sundry. Over work can reduce employee motivation as well as add to the stress on the part of the employees’ physical and mental domains. What needs to be done is to gauge the exact amount of work that they can handle within a time period as well as give them enough incentives so that they remain loyal to the cause of the organization. [Williams, 1992, pp. 151] If there is no privacy for the employees, they would not feel motivated to do their tasks and activities in an effective and efficient manner and it is ultimately the firm which will lose out on the productivity angle nonetheless. My personal experience tells me that the females who used to work in my office did not have a separate room for them where they could sit and talk amongst themselves. This is usually the ladies room which was missing from our organizational set up. What this did was to make sure that the men pestered around the females at all odd times, when they used

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Who Killed the Electric Car Essay Example for Free

Who Killed the Electric Car Essay The electric car introduced in 1996 and was popular in California. The car was quiet small and produced no exhaust; it was a product that was loved by consumers and eco-friendly. This idea of the electric car was not one that was recent in implementing; about 100 years ago there were more electric cars than there were gas cars and they ran really well and quiet. The problem was that after long term use the car would get slower while the gas car was fine as long as there was enough gas in it and they were fast. Over time the air in California is very toxic due to over use of gas cars; 1 out of 4 from the ages of 15-25 have respiratory Issues in Los Angeles; there were 41 stage 1 smog alerts and 19 pounds of Carbon Dioxide was in their atmosphere. Car companies needed a change and wanted to be the first to revolutionize the car industry and introduce the electric car. In 1987 General Motors won the world’s solar race in Australia and started to do research on building a car model for everyday uses. To encourage the advancement in the car industry the state of California passed the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate in 1990. The mandate states that if dealers want to sell cars in California some of the cars had to produce no exhaust. This was hard to do because the electric cars were so expensive and many people had to lease the cars because they weren’t up for sale. The car was extremely popular to people who were eco-friendly however the car had very little advertisement and supports started to lose interest. In a survey taken 4000 people said they would try the electric car but when those 4000 were called only 50 ended up signing a lease for the car. The electric car wasn’t doing too good in the sales department. Because the demand seemed to be very low for electric cars GM suffered in sales and because the car was so expensive to produce it was hard to keep on the market. Things changed in 2003 when the government joined the Car Industry to improve the environment. Their involvement didn’t stop the car from being taken off the market and in the early 2000s the Mandate was revoked. At this time all electric car users had to return their car or face legal action and this incredible idea was gone. Nobody knew what was happening to their cars and one day on Californian Green it was shown that the EV was being shredded. It turned out that all these cars faced the same fate. Activist found another location where a few EV electric cars were located and they raised 1. 9 million dollars to buy the cars but there attempts were futile, they had been declined by GM losing their electric cars for good. I think that there was a combination of consumers, GM, and the government who killed the electric car. Consumers could have shone more interest in the vehicle by leasing more of the car and even though the car was expensive it was worth the investment in the long run and had people given the EV a change they would have known that. GM was not very big on advertising for the car and they didn’t really enjoy losing money but it seems as if they didn’t even want to support the EV and go the extra mile to promote it. And finally the government, they should be taking control of the car industry and focus more on producing eco-friendly, environmentally safe vehicles just like they take control of economic regulation. They work hard for everything but the environment. The EV the first efficient electric car was not only a work of art but a step into the future and had consumers, GM, and the government took more interest it wouldn’t have died so many years ago.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Self-Determination in Arab Society :: Arabic Culture Cultural Essays

Self-Determination in Arab Society Since World War Two, much of the developing world has been in transition. One such idea that saw a re-birth was that of self-determination-- be it on the national level or on the personal level. Self-determination on a national level means the independence of a country; on a personal level, it is the determination of one own fate. This can be seen in various ways with our five women characters, Maha, Um Saad, Nadia, Yusra and Suad. In the forward of Daughters of Abraham, Karen Armstrong notes that Islam is "adamantly opposed to the subjection of one human being by another," "insist that men and women were created by God image" and "both sexes have equal rights and responsibilities before God." Strong and resourceful women have played a key role in history and yet Islam has pushed women into an inferior and marginal position, excluding them from full participation in the social, cultural and religious life of the community. Even though figures such as the prophet Muhammad had a positive view of women, relied on them, and treated them as valued equals, some of the most respected sages and theologians have preached outright misogyny. In Rethinking Women and Islam, Amira Sonbol remarks that while the "vision of equality has been one of the mainsprings and central teachings of Islam," it is not extended to women. Rather the numerous Quranic references to equality between man and woman are commonly disregarded, "as the man is given superior moral and physical role as guardian over his wife." It is this type of understanding that is rooted into Arab culture whether or not Arab women have experienced great changes in modernization and industrialization. Therefore, it is imperative that women stand up for themselves and have a sense of self-determination. Self Determination Women were among the first converts to Islam, and the Koran gave women rights of inheritance and divorce that Western women did not receive until the nineteenth century. The Koran does not describe the wearing of the veil of all women as well as seclusion. However, Karen Armstrong notes that three of four generations after the prophet death, Muslims imitated the customs of the Greeks and the Persians in their empire who had long treated their women in this way. Moreover, in her view, Muslims also picked up some of the Christian misogyny and pre-modern legal codes like the Shariah "reduced women to the rank of second-class citizens even though the ideal of the equality of all believers was crucial to the Quran message.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Explain the Main Difficulties That are Faced During Overseas Study Essay

As Australian universities have obtained popularity in the worldwide zone, the number of overseas students has been increased progressively. Accompanying with the overseas study trend, numerous difficulties that are faced during the overseas study appeared. To be specified, the term â€Å"overseas study† in this essay can be defined as students from those non-English speaking countries, especially Asian countries, receive the tertiary education in Australian universities. There are many difficulties can be encountered during the overseas study, some of which are the barrier of language, the new mode of education and the difference of culture. Firstly, the general problem in the overseas study is the language barrier. Although the language abilities of overseas students have been tested and verified by the language tests such as IELTS or TOEFL, there are still some obstacles in the English usage for academic purpose and daily communication. For instance, on campus lectures, tutorials, consultations and discussions are normally conducted in English, so there can be a huge number of technical terms that have never been heard by those international students. It may cause inaccurate understanding of some certain problems. The fast-talking and the use of slang during off campus everyday life such as the purchase of food, clothes and other necessities can also make a confusing. Therefore, academic or special usage of English can lead to some trouble in understanding as the incomprehension of English usage of those overseas students. The second difficulty that can be faced during the overseas study is completely different mode of learning. As differences of education widely exist among countries and also the gap between elementary education and tertiary education is generally concerned, overseas students will face two huge changes while receiving education abroad. To give an example, in many Asian countries, the study style before college is more like being driven or in another word, passive, whereas the tertiary education undertaken in Australian universities is more inclined to an independent process. As a consequence, the lack of motivation and automaticity can be shown on some overseas students that the education of those students may not be continued. Thirdly, the difference of culture is considered as one of the main difficulties that can be faced during overseas study. Culture varies from country to country, and the culture difference between Asian countries and Australia is tremendous. The hard adaption of culture difference should be made. For example, the food culture, the clothing culture and the religious culture can be quite different. A lot of Asian students used to have lunch as the main meal, however, in Australia, supper is regarded as the main meal. Hence, overseas study can be hard when spending time and energy on making adaption of these differences. In conclusion, the three main difficulties that are faced during the overseas study are the barrier of language due to the incomprehension of some specific terms and usage in English; the entirely different way of learning which depends on the independence; the huge difference of disparate culture which can be hard to be adapted. Of the three difficulties, the culture difference is the toughest because it is hard for an international student to adjust himself from a background to a wholly unlike one.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Should we negotiate with terrorists?

Terrorism is a worldwide problem that has devastating effects.   It deprives people of the freedom to travel and enjoy themselves for fear of terrorist attacks.   It subjects innocent people to assaults, kidnappings and murders as they are used as pawns in deadly political games. The question of whether a government should negotiate with terrorists has been widely debated.   Some think it is beneficial.  Ã‚   Others think it does more harm than good.   This paper will explore some arguments both for supporting and against negotiation with terrorists. Arguments supporting negotiation with terrorists Saving lives The most obvious and immediate advantage of negotiating with terrorists is the saving of lives.   If terrorists hold many innocent people hostage in exchange for the fulfilment of their demands, then negotiating with them would most likely result in the expeditious saving of those people. This view supports the idea that everything should be done to save a life. Enables communication, learning and understanding of terrorists. Negotiating enables communication with the terrorists and can therefore lead to a greater understanding of them, as well as a greater capacity to influence them, which may help resolve the conflicts between the terrorists and the government and may even open the way for peace.   Communication with terrorists can also aid in acquiring valuable intelligence that can be later used against them. Al Qaeda appears to be open to negotiation Some experts have argued that Jihad is a defensive doctrine, and the attacks against the West should be understood as retaliatory, provoked attacks which would cease if the West gives in to their demands of reduced military presence in Islamic countries, political and military aid to Israel, and aid to other Middle Eastern countries (Zalman 2007). Ayman Al Zawahiri, Al Qaeda’s deputy leader, has said words that suggest a willingness to negotiate.   He stated in December 2006 that the United States will be negotiating and failing in Iraq, until it is ‘forced to return to negotiate with the real powers’ (Zalman 2007). All solutions must be tried before terrorist groups obtain nuclear weapons An argument for negotiation is that it can put a halt to terrorists before they obtain nuclear weapons. There are constant indications that Osama Bin Laden is searching for nuclear materials (Zalman 2007), and it can be argued that everything should be done, including negotiating, to stop the threat of nuclear war which of course would result in an enormous amount of innocent deaths. Arguments against negotiation with terrorists. More lives are saved in the long-run The biggest reason to not negotiate with terrorists is that it serves as an incentive for terrorists to keep making demands, in this way encouraging more terrorist activity. In the long run, if terrorists know that governments will not negotiate with them, they are unlikely to keep making demands.   For example, during the terrorist school siege in Beslan, Russia did not negotiate with the terrorists.   It can be argued that the people who died in Beslan would not have died if Russia had negotiated with the terrorists and had given them what they wanted.   However, in the long run, Russia disencouraged terrorists from holding schools ransom or trying similar stunts by showing them that such attempts to negotiate are unsuccessful. Negotiation is ineffective and a sign of weakness Terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda are considered to be radical Islamic extremists who seek the destruction of all negotiations with the United States and its allies (Zalman 2007).   Therefore, negotiating with them would be ineffective.   Moreover, it will be seen as a sign of weakness and would encourage them to exploit it. Negotiating with terrorists rewards terrorist activity and destabilizes honest political systems By negotiating with terrorists, a government can be argued to be rewarding terrorists for their violent behaviour, something which should never be done.   If terrorists are given what they want, they will come back and ask for more. Furthermore, negotiating with terrorists erodes and weakens the value of non -violent and pacifist means of achieving political change (Zalman 2007).   Negotiation with terrorists destabilizes political systems by encouraging terrorists to keep making demands, and establishes a dangerous precedent (Zalman 2007). Terrorists may not honor the terms of their demands Terrorists cannot be trusted to comply with the terms of a negotiation.   Truces with terrorist groups don’t always hold, as has been the case with Israel and Hamas, and with Spain and ETA (Zalman 2007). Furthermore, even a truce with a terrorist leader, for example Osama Bin Laden, does not guarantee that the entire worldwide Al Qaeda terrorist group will honor the terms of the truce.   This makes negotiating harder and less effective. Bibliography Zalman, A. (2007). Why Not Negotiate with Terrorists- -Pros and Cons of Talking to Al Qaeda. (Online) Retrieved April 2 2007. http://terrorism.about.com/od/globalwaronterror/i/NegotiateQaeda.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The 11 Best Performing Arts Colleges in the US

The 11 Best Performing Arts Colleges in the US SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Attending a performing arts college is a big decision- you’re committing to focusing exclusively on your art for four years. Once you’ve made this choice, you need to find a school that'll allow you to accomplish your career goals. In order to help you find the right school for you, I’ve compiled a list of the best performing arts colleges in the US.Keep reading to see what these are! How Is "Performing Arts College" Defined for This List? This list includesschools that exclusively offer drama and dance degrees.Since music schools tend to differ dramatically (I’m so punny) from drama and dance schools, I’ve left themout of this article; if you want to read more about the best music schools in the US, here is place to find that information. Furthermore,I’ve focused on schools where drama and/or dance is a priority.These schools only offer performing arts degrees or have specialized performing arts schools at the larger university. Going to a performing arts college has many advantages for students. You will be surrounded by like-minded artists who will inspire you, help you with your creative pursuits, and also likely be your colleagues when you graduate.Additionally, you’ll be at a school that doesn’t view your art as a mere extracurricular activity. Althoughit's possible toget a performing arts degrees from other colleges,this list of best performing arts colleges is focused on students who know 100% they exclusively want to study acting or dance and are looking for an environment that fully supports them in their ambitions. How Did I Decide on These Top Performing Arts Colleges? Don’t ever take rankings of the top performing arts colleges as absolute fact- not even those from Backstage or The Hollywood Reporter. Instead, you should use these articles as a starting point for your own research.Whenever you look at a list of the best performing arts colleges, try to see how the rankings were determined. Here, I’ll explain how I came up with this unscientific list of schools.I started by limiting my search to schools that prioritize dance and drama by only offering performing arts degrees or by having a specialized program within the larger university. I then took the following three criteria into consideration: Ranking:I used a variety of ranking lists from respected industry sources such as Backstage and The Hollywood Reporter as a starting point for my research. On-Campus Off-Campus Extracurricular Opportunities:It’s important as a performer to have the chance to actually perform. Does the school provide opportunities? Do you have the option to intern off-campus with a local theatre or dance group? Can you study abroad at premier programs? Do you get to perform in an industry showcase? Notable Alumni:How many alumni have risen to the top of their fields? If there are a lot of notable alumni, the program they attended likely contributed to their success, either by providing them with superior skills or superior resources (such as internships, industry connections, etc.). I split this list into tiers instead of rankings since rankings are usually not that meaningful. Tier 1 schools are the cream-of-the-crop performing arts colleges; they provide students with the most extracurricular opportunities and have the longest lists of notable alumni.Tier 2 schools are still excellent but don’t have the same opportunities or as many notable alumni as the Tier 1 schools do. Note that not all of these schools are excellent for both dance and drama.Actually, some of these schools only offer a dance or a drama program.Within each school description, I’ve noted whether it’s a top school for dance, drama, or both. At Tier 1 schools, you can perform in first-rate productions. Best Performing Arts Colleges: Tier 1 We'll start our list with the Tier 1 schools, orthe best performing arts colleges in the country. The Juilliard School- Drama and Dance Always listed near the top of both drama and dance rankings,Juilliard boasts an unbelievably long list of notable alumni who altogether have won more than 105 Grammy Awards, 62 Tony Awards, 47 Emmy Awards, 26 Bessie Awards, 24 Academy Awards, 16 Pulitzer Prizes, and 12 National Medals for the Arts. The school is extremely exclusive, selecting only eight to 10 students for the BFA Acting Program, eight to 10 students for the MFA Acting Program, and about 24 students for the BFA Dance Program. Outside the classroom, the dance program holds 15 public performance each year, and the drama program puts on many plays and senior showcases in both New York and Los Angeles for industry professionals such as casting directors, agents, and managers. NYU Tisch School of the Arts- Drama and Dance Like Juilliard,NYU Tischis also always near the top of the rankingsfor both drama and dance. And for good reason: the school hasa long list of notable alumni, many of whom have performed on Broadway, at Radio City Music Hall, and in movies and on TV. Tisch offers incredible extracurricular opportunities, such as dancing in the Jack Crystal in front of live audiences. The school takes advantage of its NYC environment by partnering drama students with professional acting studios where they canperform in a wide array of productions led by world-famous theatre artists and faculty. Tisch allows drama students to specialize in either Theatre or Musical Theatre. Carnegie Mellon University- Drama Carnegie Mellon is a drama powerhouse with a faculty of working theater professionals and well-known alumni, including Holly Hunter, Ted Danson, and Zachary Quinto. This school offers separate acting and musical theatre degrees as well, giving students the option to specialize. There are 20 shows per year, allowing for many performance opportunities. Additionally, the school cancels classes for a week each year to let students engage in performances of any kind (such as original works or adaptations of movies). Seniors get to perform in showcases in New York, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh in front of industry professionals. Theatre schoolhas fun costumes! Boston Conservatory- Dance One of the top dance programs in the US, the Boston Conservatory boasts a faculty of world-class artistswho have worked with notable choreographerssuchas Antony Tudor, Robert Joffrey,Josà © Limà ³n, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, and Agnes de Mille, and with dance companies such as Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet of New York, and Limà ³n Dance Company. There are many performance opportunities throughout the year,the most prestigious being the ability to perform as a member of the Boston Conservatory Dance Theater.Alumni perform with dance companies around the globe as well as on Broadway. Yale University- Drama (MFA) No best performing arts colleges list would be complete without the Yale School of Drama. This school isworld renowned for its MFA Acting program; however, I'd advise against doing the more general BA program,which doesn’t give you access to the same faculty or performance opportunities. The MFA program boasts a long list of famous alumni, including Meryl Streep and Lupita Nyong’o. In the final year, students act in showcases in both New York and Los Angeles in front of industry professionals. In the past 10 years, 100% of graduates have landed agents or managers within the first month out of school. Express yourself. Best Performing Arts Colleges: Tier 2 In this section, we take a look at other great performing arts colleges that I've classified as Tier 2. Northwestern University- Drama Northwestern is one of the few drama schools that doesn’t require an audition for admission. However, getting accepted is tough because drama students are held to high academic standards, and the current university acceptance rate is around 8%. Students have many opportunities to perform in both school-sponsored and student-run shows. Seniors are invited to participate in showcases in New York and Chicago in front of industry professionals. The school also has a handful of famous alumni, including David Schwimmer, Stephen Colbert, Anna Gunn, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Zach Braff. UNC School of the Arts- Drama and Dance UNCSAis home to exceptional drama and dance programs. Alumni of the dance program have gone on to perform with the American Ballet Theatre, the New York City Ballet, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Martha Graham Ensemble. Others have danced with performers such as Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, and Beyoncà ©. Drama and dance students at UNCSA have many performance opportunities including a senior showcase for industry professionals in New York. Drama students also perform their showcase in Los Angeles.In 2013, 17 out of 25 UNCSA drama students signed with an agent or manager after the showcase.Notable drama alumni include Mary-Louise Parker and Dane DeHaan. California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)- Drama and Dance CalArts is considered thebest dance school on the West Coast and one of the top drama schools in the country. The School of Dance boasts distinguished faculty and guest artists (as well as choreographer alum Jacques Heim). Meanwhile, the drama school offers several performance opportunities, such as in American College Dance Festivals; it also has an International Exchange program with the London Contemporary Dance Center. The drama school is a great choice for actors who know they want to pursue film or TV acting since,during the final year, students enroll in Acting Studio for the Camera. This course specifically trains students foracting and auditioning for film and TV.Additionally, at the end of the final semester, students get to perform in an industry showcase in Los Angeles.The drama school has a bunch of famous alumni including Don Cheadle, Ed Harris, and Alison Brie. Take the leap and apply to a performing arts school! Rutgers University- Drama and Dance Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts has world-class drama and dance programs. Thanks to its proximity to New York City, the dance program offers students opportunities for master classes and workshops in world dance forms with international artists. It alsohas two tremendous programs abroad, DanceJerusalem in Israel and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. Rutgers' drama program is unique and well rounded.Classes run the gamut from Shakespeare to modern TV.Students spend their third year at the Rutgers Conservatory at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, which culminates with a performance on the Globe stage.The final semester is focused on an effective transition into the professional acting world with classes in On-Camera Technique, Auditioning, and Introduction to the Life of a Working Actor.The drama program has some famous alumni, including Kristen Davis and Calista Flockhart. Fordham University- Dance Known primarily for its partnership with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Fordham offers students a liberal arts education and collaboration with a world-famous dance company. Additionally, the program and company call Lincoln Center home,which is pretty amazing. Many alumni continue to perform with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater after graduation, while others have gone on to dance for prestigious companies and on Broadway. Syracuse University- Drama Syracuse offers separate degrees in acting or musical theatre, allowing students to specialize in a particular field.Students have the opportunity to study "abroad" in New York, Los Angeles, and London. They can also perform with the Syracuse Stage, an outstanding Equity theater company, and gain Equity points while still in school. Some well-known alumni include Aaron Sorkin, Frank Langella, and Taye Diggs. So many schools, but where should YOU apply? Which of the Top Performing Arts Colleges Is Best for You? Just because Juilliard is an incredible school doesn't mean you should want to go there. It’s a tiny school with a very intense program; that might not be the best fit for all students. Here are some questions to ask yourself when trying to pick one of these bestperforming arts colleges. What Do You Want to Specialize In? If you’re interested in dance, do you want to do ballet or contemporary?If you’re interested in acting, do you want to perform in plays, musicals, or TV and movies? Look into the programs and see what courses are offered.Try to avoid picking a school specializing in ballet if you want to do contemporary dance. Similarly, avoid picking a musical theatre program if you want to act in TV (and vice versa). Hip-hop is awesome. What Opportunities Are There Outside the Classroom? I touched on this above, but be sure togo to a performing arts school where the opportunities align with your interests. For example, if you want to do Shakespeare, then Rutgers, which offers a year abroad in London working at the Globe Theatre, might be a better fit for you than CalArts or Northwestern would be. Extracurriculars are where you get your experience, so make sure you’ll be getting experience in your chosen specialty. What’s the School Like? Is it a big school or a small school? Is it a conservatory or is it at a larger university?If you hate large schools, just don’t choose one.You don’t want to dread being surrounded by tons of students or being forced into cheering for the basketball team. If you get overwhelmed by intensity, a conservatory, such as Juilliard or the Boston Conservatory, might not be a great choice for you, since they're both very small programs where competition is fierce and there's no break from your art since you're surrounded exclusively by other artists. On the other hand, at a school like Syracuse, you could take breaks from your theatre community by hanging out with otherstudents whoare majoring in journalism, engineering, pre-med, etc. In short, pick a school where you will be most comfortable so that you can thrive. What’s Next? Are you interested in pursuing a performing arts degree in a specific region? Check out our lists ofperforming arts colleges in New York and performing arts colleges in California. Most of the schools above require ACT or SAT scores with your application. Get help studying for these tests with our ultimate SAT/ACT study guides. Taking the ACT or SAT really soon?Then take a look atour guide to cramming for the SAT or our guide to cramming for the ACT.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Latent Semantic Indexing What Marketers Need To Know

Latent Semantic Indexing What Marketers Need To Know Whats the first thing you think of when you hear latent semantic indexing? The  answer is probably, uh, what? Its  okay if thats the case. Fortunately, its a simple concept to get a grip of (scary-sounding technical language aside). In fact, youre probably familiar with the concept, even if youve never heard of the term. So, what is  LSI, exactly? In simple terms, it describes the algorithmic process search engines use to identify related words. Understanding how it works is essential to conducting smart keyword research and crafting an effective SEO strategy. The more you get it right, the easier it is to  create content  that  ranks higher for long tail keywords  and drives more traffic to your content. Assuming your  content is good, that could even mean more revenue for your business. Interested in learning more? Then get ready.  Were about to go full-nerd here. How To Improve Your Keyword Research With Latent Semantic Indexing What Is Latent Semantic Indexing? Let's start with the technical explanation first. According to SEMPO, latent semantic indexing "uses word associations to help search engines know more accurately what a page is about." It's essentially an algorithmic principle built into search engines to  process synonyms and understand topical relationships between words. LSI is built into search engines to process synonyms topical relationships between words.That's about as much as we marketers need to know. We could go more in-depth. However, we don't want anyone to feel like this: Why Is LSI Necessary? Say you're talking to a friend about marketing. You start discussing how content calendars work. Throughout the discussion, you also use the term editorial calendar interchangeably. Since you're intelligent human beings, you can understand that when someone says "content calendar," they might also mean "editorial calendar." If one of you had  mentioned , you might understand that's a content calendar solution. The same would apply if someone said they use a "printable calendar template." You know those are all semantically related terms, connected to the same topic. Search engines aren't humans. They can't naturally process language like you and your friend in the example above. Search engines aren’t humans. They can’t naturally process language like humans can.That's where latent semantic indexing comes in. It's what helps them attempt to interpret relationships approximately the same way real people would.  By connecting  related terms and interpreting the search intent behind them, search engines can offer up results that more closely match what people are looking for (even if the search terms they use aren't exactly the same  keywords used on the  web page). What Are LSI Keywords? These are the actual terms and phrases that are semantically related to one another. This means words that refer to the same topic (or drill deeper within a topic). For example, "Tesla Motors" is semantically related to "electric cars," since the company makes electric vehicles. LSI keywords are  actual terms and phrases that are semantically related to one another.It may be easiest to think of LSI keywords  as secondary keyword phrases that relate to your primary keyword. For example, let's say you're writing a piece of content about electric cars. "Electric cars" might be your primary keyword. Then, you might reference different models of electric vehicles (like the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Spark, and so on). Recommended Reading: How To Make An SEO Strategy That Will Improve Your #1-3 Results By 248% Benefits Of LSI-Driven Keyword Research This is where LSI starts to matter for you, the intrepid content marketer. Incorporating LSI keywords can  help your content rank for a wider variety of search terms. This means more visibility in search results, and more traffic back to your blog or website. They can also help you create content that more thoroughly satisfies what searchers are looking for. It's important to remember that LSI keywords aren't just limited to synonyms for your primary keyword. For example, a post targeting "classic Chevy motors" might also rank for "classic Chevrolet engines" because Chevy and Chevrolet are the same, as are motors and engines).  If you were to include sections for engines from specific Chevy models, you might rank for those terms as well.   Not using LSI keywords? You're missing out on ranking higher and getting more traffic.5 Ways To  Find LSI Keywords You need to know how to find LSI keywords before you can use them. Fortunately, this isn't difficult. You can even use a lot of the keyword research tools you're probably already familiar with. 1. Use The LSI Keyword Generator One quick tactic is to use a tool called the LSI Keyword Generator. Just type in a keyword or topic, and it'll instantly generate a list of related terms. Best of all, it's completely free. 2. Look At Related Searches In Google This tactic is great because  it leverages actual search terms. These are also terms Google can clearly see are related. Just try searching a given keyword, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. You now have eight different LSI variations to inspire your keyword research. 3. Use The Google Keyword Planner 1. Access the Keyword Planner and select the first option shown below. 2. Once you've entered a handful of keyword terms, you'll see more related keyword groupings under the Ad Group Ideas tab. 3. Clicking into any of these keyword groupings will show you related keywords. 4. Use The New-And-Improved Ubersuggest Try using Ubersuggest. This classic keyword tool (which pulls in Google autocomplete data) recently received an overhaul. It's now better than ever, and this nifty video will show you how it works. 5. Use the SERPs Keyword Database Formerly known as Keywordini, this free keyword tool is useful for finding keywords related to a given topic and fast. Just enter a keyword, click the button, and you're on your way in seconds. Here's an easy way to supercharge your #keyword #researchRecommended Reading: An SEO Driven Approach To Content Marketing: The Complete Guide How to Select The Right LSI Terms Once you've generated a list of possible phrases, it's time to narrow down best options you'll use. The goal is to find terms that are most directly related and have a decent amount of search volume. It’s important that the LSI terms you use align with the search intent of your primary keyword.Step 1: Understand the Searcher Intent Behind Keywords It's important that the LSI terms you use align with  the search intent of your primary keyword. This requires developing an understanding of what people are looking for when they search the keywords you're targeting. You don't want to guess at this. You want to know, as best you can, what your audience needs from your content. This will give you a good idea of what your own content needs to address the topic. Step 2:  Narrow Your Options Through Process Of Elimination Start by weeding out terms that obviously don't fit. These are terms that aren't quite directly related to the topic of your post. Ideal LSI keywords should essentially fit underneath your primary keyword. They need to help further explain your topic in deeper detail.  They should not be distinctly different topics. For example, if you were writing a post about "Chevy engine maintenance," you wouldn't want to load your post with pictures of "classic Chevy cars".  In this case, keywords that go deeper into the specifics of Chevy engine maintenance would make better choices. In this case, you'd eliminate anything that isn't directly related to some facet of working on Chevrolet engines. Ideal LSI keywords should essentially fit underneath your primary keyword.Step 3: Choose The Best Options From What's Left Next, copy and paste what's left into  the keyword tool of your choice.  Pick terms that have a decent amount of search volume (but not more than your primary keyword).  If you uncover keywords that get searched more than your main topic, that may be a sign you should be targeting that term instead. It's also important to make sure your selected LSI keywords directly fit your topic. Free Template: Keep your keywords organized using this free LSI keyword organization template. Since it's a public Google Sheet you can make a copy of it for your own use. Recommended Reading: How To Write Headlines That Drive Traffics, Shares, And Search Results How To Implement LSI Keywords  Into Your Content Once you've selected your LSI keywords, it's time to determine where they'll go in your post. Start by  identifying your blog post topic and a good primary keyword to focus on. Then, identify other keywords that relate to sub-points beneath that topic. For example, if you were writing a post about the different styles of restaurants (this is really generic, we know, but it's just an example), your main keyword might be something like, "styles of restaurants." Then, each LSI keyword might be a specific style of restaurant. For another example, "pepperoni pizza" and "cheese pizza" are related terms (both are different types of pizza). If a web page were all about pizza, and pizza was the primary keyword, then specific types of pizza could be used as LSI terms. Then, the page could have a sub-section for each type of pizza. Your post might then look something like this: Headline: 10 Styles Of Restaurants You Need To Try Now [Insert Body Text Here] [First Subheading: Italian Restaurants] [Insert Body Text Here] [Second Subheading: Buffets] [Insert More Body Text Here] [Third Subheading: Fast-Food Restaurants] This isn't a great example, but you should get the point. LSI keywords aren’t just important for search engines. #blogging #SEOLSI Keywords Help Google And People Understand Your Content LSI keywords aren't just important for search engines. Readers want to be able to skim and see that your post covers deeper details about the topic they're searching. This makes incorporating LSI terms  particularly effective when included in subheadings, where they're easy for readers to pick out, and are given greater weight to search engines. Pro Tip:  When you're writing your blog post outline, try including LSI keywords to label your subheadings. Ultimately, the goal is to create a post that targets a complete (yet focused) topic, rather than just dumping a keyword essay onto a page and hoping it will rank.  This approach works best if your secondary keywords relate to specific details about your main topic. 3 Keyword Targeting Pitfalls To Avoid Do you know which traps to avoid when picking #LSI #keywords?There are some traps to avoid when picking LSI keywords to target in your content. Here's how to dodge them and swing  your way to victory. Recommended Reading: How To Boost Traffic With 27 Important SEO Tips You Need To Know (+ Free Checklist) Avoid Blending Unrelated Topics Let's say your main keyword is "car maintenance". However, you also notice "motorcycle maintenance" also gets a lot of search volume. You then decide to write a post titled something like, "10 Awesome Car Motorcycle Maintenance Tips." Something like this might work. However,  it's more likely that searchers looking for "car maintenance" and "motorcycle maintenance" are really only looking for one or the other. In this case, you'd better serve your readers by writing one post on each topic. Then, you'd have two super-focused posts on your blog that nail the specific needs of each audience. Pro Tip: It's best to choose LSI keywords that drill down into one topic. Not two keywords that address two different topics. Avoid Diluting Your Keyword Targeting It's important to remember your content should only target one primary keyword. For example, if you're writing a blog post about "easy car maintenance," you probably don't need to add a section about "the history of cars." Even if both terms get a high search traffic, the history of automobiles isn't directly related to car maintenance. It'd be better to focus on keywords related to the different car maintenance tasks your post would cover, like: engine maintenance, tire maintenance, and so forth (note: this is a strictly hypothetical example). The key takeaway here is to make sure your posts stay focused in on one topic (and that you choose LSI keywords that drill deeper into that one topic). Make sure your blog posts stay focused in on one topic.Avoid  Keyword Stuffing Use LSI keywords judiciously. This means incorporating those terms tastefully to make  your content more complete.  Avoid shoehorning terminology into your content  merely for the sake of it. If there isn't an editorial purpose for incorporating a section around a given term, then leave it out. Recommended Reading: The Simple 10-Step Guide To Better Search Engine Ranking For Writers Have Questions About Latent Semantic Indexing? By now, you should understand what LSI means. You also know how it impacts best practices for keyword research.  However, this is a complex topic. We're sure you probably have some questions, and if so, we want to hear them. Drop us a line below and help us get the conversation started.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The causes of the Korean War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The causes of the Korean War - Essay Example On the other hand, South Korea was being led by Syngman Rhee, a nationalist and was receiving by members of the United Nations and the United States of America. Since the Korean War ended in a truce, there is a presence of the US soldiers in South Korea. This is because, officially, officially, North and South Korea are still at war and thus, there is need to ensure that the US soldiers can make timely military intervention, in the event that North Korea makes an invasion on South Korea. The same truce ensures that South and North Korea remain divided by the 38h parallel. In light of the gravity of the Korean War, the causes of the Korean War must have also been not only serious, but also cutting across socio-economic and political issues, as shall be seen in the discussion which ensues forthwith. There are scholars such as Brune1 who point out that the historical relationship of the two states also served as a strong run-up to the Korean War. As provisional governments, the North an d South divisions competed vigorously over the control of the Korean Peninsula. This always made the major surrounding players in international politics [Russia, China and Japan] to yield to the temptation of interfering with the political situation in the Korean Peninsula. ... Specifically, Kim II-Sung had made efforts to create a Stalinist empire which was built on communist ideals. This regime came complete, having a well established army known as the North Korean People’s Army (NKPA). NKPA was more than adequately stocked with Russian guns, tanks and artillery. On the other hand, South Korea had an unstable political situation. However, the political and economic situation in the United States began to change when the United States began to support Syngman Rhee as the head of the South Korean state. In the mind of the Soviet Republic, if America was going to continuously fund Rhee and South Korea, then it (Russia) was going to lose its grip on the North. This is because, with the large amount of money that the US had and was ready to spend on its allies, pressure would mount in the north to develop a friendlier outlook towards the United States. Thus, the Soviet Union sought to strengthen its hold on North Korea as hard as possible. This state of affairs continued to worsen the state of antagonism between the US and the Soviet Union over the affairs of the Korean peninsula. Later, tension and the competitive spirit between the Soviet Union and the US continued to mount when the political leaders who were being backed by the two political rivals ascended the seat of the head of the executive. On 10 May, 1948, the south held its general elections which saw Syngman Rhee become president. In response, the Soviet Union supported Kim II-Sung politically so that he was declared Prime Minister of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 19 September, 1948. These events made it clear for the two political rivals that

Friday, November 1, 2019

Recommendations to Manage Employee Behaviour Essay

Recommendations to Manage Employee Behaviour - Essay Example According to the discussion, a happy workforce is better equipped to contribute constructively to the shared goals of the organization for higher work performance as psychological well-being is associated with the psychological well-being of the employees. Dowling, Festing & Engle assert that each worker is unique with feelings, emotions, expectations and frames of references that is distinct to him/her. Consequently, individuals or employees require constant reassessment, evaluation and capacity building within the work context in order to meet the new challenges of time. Scholars reveal that within work environment, workers experience different physical, social and psychological influences that impact their work place behavior and subsequently their performance. The issues have to be addressed with innovative approach that considerably enhances their work satisfaction. Case study of Stockington branch of Superbrand, a leading retail organization of UK is undertaken to analyse facto rs that influence employees’ behaviour. It is one of the leading chains of supermarket in UK with focus on food items. It has more than 1000 medium and large supermarkets and around 450 convenience stores. It has wide range of products ranging from exclusive to low cost products to meet the requirements of different demographic segment. It is renowned for excellent customer service and quality products. The Stockington branch is facing some difficulties for the last nine to twelve months. A new supermarket in the town has put pressure on the sale. Currently it employs 31 managers supervising 500 strong workforce including permanent, part-time and temporary workers to meet the demands of fluctuating numbers of customers. It has weekly turnover of  £1m. It has 6 departments with checkouts department having maximum numbers of employees, high absenteeism and lowest satisfaction level.Â