Art Essay

The urban vernacular landscape is built from corrugated GI sheets and concrete; its architectural philosophy, expressed by maximizing minimal spaces and improvising. Luis Santos takes the visual language of the streets into the gallery with Structures, his fourth solo exhibition. Born from his interest in random abstract forms, the show is a riff on patterns found in mechanically created assemblies. The starting point of Structures is a galvanized iron (GI) sheet—a ubiquitous roofing material in developing countries—that Santos has distorted, warped, and bent to his will. Four twisted sheets lie on the gallery floor at the feet of a diptych, two square canvases that have been tilted and angled as a reference to construction poster boards, prefabricated tin tabernacles, and provisional lean-to shelters. The strength of Santos’s technique is evident in the three-dimensional quality of his work: the texture, metallic sheen, and rippling surface of the GI sheets are depicted in high fidelity. Each crumple and crease is rendered in minute detail with utter care and attention. In this regard, Santos is comparable to a 15th-century artist obsessed with draped fabrics and communicating the physical properties of cloth—how it folds and falls over a human subject—on canvas. In Structures, the industrial polish of galvanized iron replaces the delicacy of silk and the rich heft of velvet. Structures meditates on many things: the unexpected tessellations arising rom mundane, overlooked objects; the improvisational ingenuity of urban vernacular architecture; and the expanded definition of painting beyond oil and canvas. My Feedback/Insight : For me when i say this work of art i was supprised and stunned cause i always see stuff like this when i go out of the house. So i was interested to know why he did it and what he thought about the artwork that he made. Other people may think his art is made up only by a plain metal sheet and and wooden chairs but for me it offers a macroscopic view of the immense ocean of steel that rolls through the city, and captures the beauty of landlocked waves undulating and glinting under the sun. This piece of artwork is effortless but can go through the hearts of alot of people. For me it shows the hard life of the non wealthy people it reminds me of people who live near the bridges in paranaque and people who have no pemanent home and just build their houses or shelters using plain metal sheets. It reminds me that alot of people struggle because of lack of money but also gives me the impression that even though alot of filipino’s are having a hard time living and even though they just have a small house to live in, even though its just made of plain metal sheets and wooded planks alot of families are still together yes some go seperate ways but most of them stay together cause thats what they have their family. If i put it to simple words, This work of art symbolizes the life of the penniless and their hard times as a poverty stricken person. The texture of the art work is just metallic the shape of it a square actually its just a corrugated metal sheets mounted on wooden panel, the artwork is also shiny and curved like the usual roof you see in low class houses in the phillippines. I find it beautiful and misunderstood at the same time. The artwork puts alot of things in my mind and reminds me of the houses in the philippines. The color of the are just gray and fills me with sadness and reminds me of hard times. The lines of the artwork are curvy there is no space movement. It does not have to much color so the art work is just monochrome.

othello essay essays

othello essay essays In Shakespeare's Othello, the character Iago, Othello's lieutenant, is the cause of all the tragedy which comes to pass as the play progresses. Iago is the antagonist of the play, but rather than being the direct opponent to the tragic hero, Iago is a manipulator, opposing Othello not directly but through other characters whom he tricks into acting for him. In the first scene of the play, Iago gives the audience warning that he is not all that he seems when he says, "I am not what I am." (I,i,65) He is first seen in this scene appearing to help Roderigo, a suitor to Desdemona, who has run off with Othello, the Moorish general of the Venician army. Iago hates Othello for another reason. Instead of choosing him to be his lieutenant, Othello chose Cassio, another foreigner, and relegated Iago to the position of his ancient. When Roderigo asks why Iago continues to serve Othello, in spite of how the general has treated him, Iago replies, "I follow him to serve my turn upon him." (I,i,42) He goes on to give an example of how he intends to serve him, by acting like the perfect servant, while secretly enriching himself, and later says, "In following him, I follow but myself." (I,i,58) From this, one might think that he is still fairly straightforward in his plans, that he merely intends to betray Othello at some later date. However, in the third scene, he shows the audience his ability to manipulate people, when he convinces Roderigo to follow him to Cyprus and to bring all of his money, presumably to win back Desdemona. After Roderigo has left to do what Iago has suggested, Iago says, "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse." (I,iii,37 y9) Later, in Act IV, we find that Roderigo has been giving jewels to Iago to give to Desdemona, which Iago, it is implied, has sold for his own uses. Thus, it is seen that Iago is merely using Roderigo to further his own ends, just as he said he was only serving Othello to serve himself. ...

Explore and Evaluate Your Writing Process

Explore and Evaluate Your Writing Process Once youve made the decision to work on improving your writing, you need to think about exactly what youll be working on. In other words, you need to consider how to handle the various steps involved in the process of writing: from discovering ideas for a topic, through successive drafts, to a final revision and proofreading. Examples Lets look at how three students have described the steps they typically follow when writing a paper: Before doing anything, I make sure Ive got a quiet room and a clear head. When I feel ready to work, I sit in front of my laptop and begin tapping out whatever comes to mind. Then, after taking a short walk, I read over what Ive written and pick out the things that strike me as worth keepingkey ideas and interesting details. After this, I usually go on to compose a rough draft pretty quickly. Then (maybe in a day or two, if Ive gotten an early start) I read the draft and add explanations and ideas and make some grammatical changes. Then I write it over again, making more changes as I go. Sometimes I complete the whole process in an hour or two. Sometimes it takes a week or more. I like to do my first draft on paperthat is, after Ive daydreamed for an hour or two, raided the refrigerator, and made a fresh pot of coffee. I specialize in procrastination. After running out of ways to distract myself, I start to scribble down everything I can think of. And I mean scribblewrite fast, make a mess. When I figure out what Ive scrawled, I try to fix it up into an orderly, halfway-decent essay. Then I put it aside (after making another trip to the refrigerator) and start all over again. When Im done, I compare both papers and combine them by taking some things out and putting other things in. Then I read my draft out loud. If it sounds okay, I go to the computer and type it up. In trying to put together a paper, I go through four phases. First, theres the idea phase, where I get this bright idea. Then there is the productive phase, where Im really smoking, and I start thinking about the Pulitzer Prize. After that, of course, comes the block phase, and all those prize-winning dreams turn into nightmares of this big, six-foot guy jammed into a first-graders desk and being made to print the alphabet over and over again. Eventually (hours, sometimes days later), I hit the deadline phase: I realize that this sucker has got to be written, and so I start burning it out again. This phase often doesnt start until ten minutes before a paper is due, which doesnt leave a lot of time to proofreada phase I never seem to get around to. As these examples show, no single method of writing is followed by all writers in all circumstances. Four Steps Each of us has to discover the approach that works best on any particular occasion. We can, however, identify a few basic steps that most successful writers follow in one way or another: Discovering (also known as invention): finding a topic and coming up with something to say about it. A few of the discovery strategies that can help you get started are freewriting, probing, listing, and brainstorming.Drafting: putting ideas down in some rough form. A first draft is generally messy and repetitive and full of mistakesand thats just fine. The purpose of a rough draft is to capture ideas and supporting details, not compose a perfect paragraph or essay on the first attempt.Revising: changing and rewriting a draft to make it better. In this step, you try to anticipate the needs of your readers by rearranging ideas and reshaping sentences to make clearer connections.Editing and Proofreading: carefully examining a paper to see that it contains no errors of grammar, spelling, or punctuation. The four stages overlap, and at times you may have to back up and repeat a stage, but that doesnt mean you have to focus on all four stages at the same time. In fact, trying to do too much at one time is likely to create frustration, not make the writing go faster or easier. Writing Suggestion: Describe Your Writing Process In a paragraph or two, describe your own writing processthe steps that you ordinarily follow when composing a paper. How do you get started? Do you write several drafts or just one? If you revise, what sort of things do you look for and what sort of changes do you tend to make? How do you edit and proofread, and what types of errors do you most often find? Hold on to this description, and then look at it again in a month or so to see what changes you have made in the way you write.

Multiple Regression Empirical Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Multiple Regression Empirical Project - Essay Example A billion dollar increase in net exports holding consumption and direct foreign investments constant leads to 0.47 billion dollar increase in GDP. Considering consumption alone, it was found out that a billion dollar increase in consumption leads to 1.43 billion dollars increase in GDP and that consumption levels explains 99.84% of the total variations in GDP [r2 (60) = 0.9984]. Further, taking foreign direct investments alone, it was found that a billion dollar increase in foreign direct investment leads to 5.33 billion dollars increase in GDP. This model was found to be significant at 5% level of significance and that FDI explains 96.39% of the total variations in GDP Lastly, a billion dollar increase in net exports led to 17.47 billion dollars decrease in GDP and the model with NE alone was found to be significant at 5% level of significance and that NE explains 54.41% of the total variations in GDP. This study aimed at determining the impact of responsible consumption, foreign direct investments and net exports and employed the use of secondary data to proof the objectives. Different writers have argued that consumptions and investments are the key variables on which the GDP depends most. However, other variables like irresponsible consumptions, political un-rests, environmental degradation, and lack of government priorities translate to irresponsible spending are some other factors which should be taken care of for GDP to grow. GDP is the cumulative amount of goods/services which a country produces within a given year (Hall and Mishkin 1982; Hill 1992). When GDP changes, then a country is said to have experienced economic growth (if positive change) and economic melt-down (if negative growth-previous year’s performance is better than current year’s). Factors like level of consumption, direct foreign investments and net exports are some of the factors which contribute to positive GDP growth, hence economic growth (Haron 2005). High direct foreign

Fruit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fruit - Essay Example Sit tight, this is going to be one intellectually enlightening experience. According to Rakesh Mohan Hallen (â€Å"Taste and Smell†) the chemical composition of fruits dictate the flavor that we taste within it. He further explains that: â€Å"During the process of the ripening of a fruit or roasting or frying a papad the chemical substances present in them undergo some chemical changes, which transforms the structure of some of the molecules that elicit a particular taste.(Allen,Rakesh, Mohan, â€Å"Taste and Smell†). This would mean that the level of fructose, glucose, acid, and citric aid within fruits dictate the final sweetness or sourness of the ripened fruit (Mawuli, 2011). Seed dispersal is actually an interesting topic of which very little is known. What we do know however, is that the ripening of a fruit helps in seed dispersal because the seed pods of over ripened fruits tend to burst open thus scattering the seeds into the wind for depositing over vast land areas. Humans have also helped in propagating seed dispersal because of our tendency to carry fruit trees and plants that we consider decorative when we migrate from one place to another thus allowing for the spread of fruit and vegetable crops throughout various territories. (Hodag, 2011). However, considering that human beings tend to create fecal matter that is not deposited back into the soil but rather in sewer systems and land fills, human beings tend to disrupt the balance when it comes to seed dispersal because the seeds do not get back into the soil as a fertilizer as it would normally do when consumed by wild animals and the like. Now as we all know, polysaccharides, also known as starch, is a molecule that is not easily digested in its original form. It must be broken down into simpler forms such as fructose, which is a monosaccharide, in order to metabolize it. In fruits, these

Ause and Effect on Rhabdomyosarcoma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ause and Effect on Rhabdomyosarcoma - Essay Example Such genetic problems cause very quick development of the new cells and also cause the old cells to live for a very long period. The number of cells keeps increasing as a result of this, thus creating tumors. Certain genetic disorders can also cause damage to the DNA. However, in a vast majority of cases, doctors are unaware of the exact causes of abnormalities of the DNA which cause rhabdomyosarcoma in an individual. â€Å"There are no known lifestyle-related or environmental causes of RMS, so it is important to know that there is nothing these children or their parents could have done to prevent these cancers† (â€Å"Rhabdomyosarcoma† a). Risk Factors Although there is a lot of subjectivity about the real causes of rhabdomyosarcoma, yet there are certain risk factors that increase an individual’s susceptibility to acquiring rhabdomyosarcoma. These risk factors include but are not limited to age, gender, and inherited conditions. The population that is most freq uently affected by rhabdomyosarcoma is of children below ten years of age, though rhabdomyosarcoma may also be observed in adolescents, teenagers, and adults. Rhabdomyosarcoma is more frequently seen in boys or men as compared to girls or women. People inherit their risk to fall prey to different kinds of cancer. The DNA inherited by an individual from the parents may have some changes to cause this tendency. The risk of rhabdomyosarcoma is increased by some inherited conditions, though they are generally very rare. For example, people with a family history of Li-Fraumeni syndrome have increased risk of acquiring different kinds of sacromas including rhabdomyosarcoma. Patients of Beckwith-Wierdemann syndrome are at great risk of development of the Wilms tumor. Effects There are a lot of effects of rhabdomyosarcoma, some of which are discussed here. Rhabdomyosarcoma creates a mass inside the body which at times is painful while at other times, is not painful. Rhabdomyosarcoma causes development of tumors in the throat or nose. The development of tumors is accompanied with the symptoms of congestion, bleeding. Or neurological problems upon extension into brain. In some cases, the patient may experience problems in the process of swallowing. Sometimes, rhabdomyosarcoma in the patient causes the development of tumors around the eyes which can cause such harmful effects as the eye’s bulging, and swelling. In a vast majority of cases when this happens, the individual experiences problems with vision. Rhabdomyosarcoma causes development of tumors inside the ears due to which, the patient suffers from a loss of hearing ability and also experiences swelling inside the ear. Rhabdomyosarcoma also causes the tumors to develop inside the vagina, and they may be visible from the vagina’s opening. Tumors in such regions as vagina and bladder not only decline an individual’s control over urine, but also affect the sexual life of the individual. Tumors in the muscles are also a great source of pain. Owing to this, many patients interpret the muscle tumors as injuries. Treatment Treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma is complicated. It requires mutual effort of several nurses, doctors, and physicians. The most effective treatment option is worked out jointly by the pediatric oncologists, oncology nurses, surgeons, and radiation oncologists. â€Å"

Christmas and Chinese New Year Festival | Comparison

Christmas and Chinese New Year Festival | Comparison After researching both Christmas and the Chinese New Year Festival, interesting similarities between the two unique celebrations came into fruition. For instance, both contain traditional meals, presents, feasts, decorations, songs, poems, God(s), folk lore, and are family oriented occasions. When discovering similarities, there were also perceptible differences between the two, such as the time of year, and the significance of the occasion within their respective cultures. This paper will be showcasing both Christmas, and the Chinese New Year Festival in terms of their origins, as well as the similarities and differences they both share. Christmas is a religious celebratory holiday, which embraces the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve takes place on December 24th, the day before Jesus Christ is born. This is the day where family members gather for a festive meal, which in North America, usually consists of a large turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, gravy and wine. It is significant to know that different cultures may eat different meals. According to Wikipedia.org, â€Å"In Poland, traditional Christmas Eve meals include one or more of the following foods: Golabki filled with Kasza, Pierogi, Borscht, fish soup, carp, and pickled Herring. Krupnik is sometimes drunk after dinner,†[1] and â€Å"In the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, a coin is concealed in a bread loaf and the host breaks a piece of the loaf at the dinner table for each member of the household: it is believed that the one who gets the piece of bread with the coin will be fortunate in the forthcoming year. The dinner is accordin g to the rules of fasting: fish, baked beans, sauerkraut, walnuts and red wine are common. The dessert may consist of apples and dried fruits: plums, dates, figs. The table is usually not cleared after the dinner and until the next morning, to leave some food for the holly spirits a custom which probably comes from pagan pre-Christian times.†[2] Also, there are many families whom may attend mass or choose to â€Å"divine fast†[3]on this day, as a means to celebrate on the night before Jesus birth. It is important to know that non-religious individuals may also celebrate Christmas as well, whom primarily focus on the family, feasting, and gift giving aspect of Christmas. Some may view Santa Claus, a mythological figure, to be more important than Jesus Christ. Santa Claus is known for travelling across the world on December 24th, from the North Pole, delivering presents to the â€Å"nice† children, while the â€Å"naughty† children receive a lump of coal. H ence, Santas list for delivering gifts to children is called the â€Å"naughty or nice list.† Santa Clause originates from â€Å"St. Nicholas, whom tried to help others while inspiring his virtues. Legends of his unselfish giving spread all over Northern Europe, and accounts of his heroic deeds blended with regional folklore. Eventually, the image of the stately saint was transformed onto an almost mystical being, one known for rewarding the good and punishing the bad.†[4] How Santa Clauss name came to be in North America was due to Dutch immigrants whom â€Å"presented Sinterklaas (meaning St. Nicholas) to the colonies. In their excitement, many English-speaking children uttered the name so quickly that Sinterklaas sounded like Santy Claus. After years of mispronunciation, the name evolved into Santa Claus.†[5] December 25th is the day where Jesus Christ, known to many Christians as their savior, is born. This is the day where a few individuals will put up nume rous decorations, although many will decorate in advance. Examples of decorations used for Christmas are; miniature size nativity scene figures, stockings, wreaths, ornaments, candles, mistletoes, garlands, poinsettias, Christmas lights and most importantly, the Christmas tree. â€Å"The origin of the tree is credited to Saint Boniface (circa 722) who stopped a child from becoming a human sacrifice to a pagan god by striking down the oak tree destined for use as the stake. A fir tree sprang up in its place and he declared it a holy tree and instructed the faithful to carry one to their homes and surround it with love and gifts.†[6] Ultimately, the blending of numerous cultures is how Santa Claus, as well as the numerous traditions on Christmas Eve and Day, came to be. The Chinese New Year Festival is a major holiday, which has been celebrated in mainland China for many centuries, taking place on â€Å"the second New Moon after the winter solstice.†[7] It is significant to know that this festival is also celebrated in other countries by its Chinese inhabitants, while various foreigners have been known to participate in the festivities as well. During this coming year, 2010, the Chinese will be celebrating the year of the tiger, the first day being on February 14th. â€Å"According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nien (Chinese: ?;pinyin: nià ¡n). Nien would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year.†[8] The Chinese not only used food as a means to protect themselves from Nian, but they al so released firecrackers, and wore red attire. Hence, the color red is strongly used throughout the festival, such as clothing, decorations, envelopes, sweets, gifts, etc. When families come together, they will feast on meat, noodles, rice, dumplings, mandarin oranges, sweets, and so forth. Before the feast, which takes place on the Eve of Chinese New Year, red envelopes with money inside and gifts should have already been distributed amongst family members, and children. The Chinese New Year consists of fifteen days, with the majority of the days each signifying different customs and actions. For instance, â€Å"The first day of the Lunar New Year is â€Å"the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth.† Many people abstain from meat on the first day of the new year because it is believed that this will ensure long and happy lives for them,†[9] â€Å"The fifth day is called Po Woo. On that day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits families and friends on the fifth day because it will bring both parties bad luck,†[10] â€Å"the seventh day of the New Year is the day for farmers to display their produce. These farmers make a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate the occasion. The seventh day is also considered the birthday of human beings. Noodles are eaten to promote longevity and raw fish for success,†[11] and on â€Å"the 10th through the 12th are days that friends and relatives should be invited for dinner. After so much rich food, on the 13th day you should have simple rice congee and mustard greens (choi sum) to cleanse the system.†[12] These are just a few of the customs that the Chinese celebrate throughout their New Year Festival. â€Å"It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of â €Å"happiness†, â€Å"wealth†, and â€Å"longevity†.†[13] Decorations are usually red, consisting of pictures, greetings, and Chinese idioms. On the fifteenth and final day of the Chinese New Year Festival, the Lantern Festival takes place. During this period, numerous individuals decorate the streets with Lanterns they have lit, which are primarily red. Some people may add their own unique individuality to a lantern, by adding a song or a poem to it. The Chinese New Year Festival is a high-spirited, content time where family and friends come together in order to celebrate years of tradition, such as feasts, decorations, gifts, envelopes, mythology, fortune gods, national pride, etc. It is also an influential festival that has spread across the world, blending in with copious cultures. It is fascinating to learn that Christmas and the Chinese New Year have actual similarities, with slight variations to them. For instance, the use of flowers is strongly used in both celebrations, although the Chinese convention for flowers has a more significant meaning within their culture. A certain flower can symbolize different connotations, for instance, longevity, luck, prosperity, tranquility, health, etc. The Chinese are known for using many different flowers for the Chinese New Year Festival, such as pussy willows, plum blossoms, water lilies, bamboo, and so forth. For example, the reason for using pussy willows for the Chinese New Year is â€Å"In Cantonese, â€Å"Yin Liu† sounds like â€Å"Yin Lou† which is similar to â€Å"Yin Liang† (money). Therefore, having this plant around during Chinese New Year would represent the invitation of abundant luck and prosperity into homes.†[14] As for western cultures, when celebrating Christmas, individuals use flowers mostly as decorations. It is principal to know, that there is an origin story of how the poinsettia became the official flower for Christmas. â€Å"The poinsettia is a shrub that features green leaves combined with red, white, or pink leaves surrounding tiny yellow flowers. Used by the Aztecs as a dye and medicine, it is native to Mexico and Central America where it is known as â€Å"Flores de Noche Buena† (Flower of the Holy Night) and was used in these areas by Franciscan friars in Nativity processions as early as the 17th century.†[15] In terms of sweets and baked goods, sticky cake and Christmas cake closely resemble one another. Sticky cake, also known as Neen Gow, is a fruitcake that can be either steamed or baked. This particular cake is made in appreciation for the kitchen god. The Christmas cake started out as porridge from the English, evolving over the past couple of centuries into a fruit cake. The ingredients usually consist of eggs, flour, su gar, butter, marzipan, spices, dried fruit, spices, and whisky. â€Å"All Christmas cakes are made in advance. Many make them in November, keeping the cake upside down in an airtight container. A small amount of brandy, sherry or whisky is poured into holes in the cake every week until Christmas. This process is called â€Å"feeding† the cake.†[16]Both celebrations are also known for the process of giving and receiving gifts to friends and/or relatives. For instance, during the Chinese New Year, individuals will give gifts, which â€Å"are usually brought when visiting friends or relatives at their homes. Common gifts include fruits (typically oranges, and never pears), cakes, biscuits, chocolates, candies, or some other small gift.†[17] Christmas gifts are also distributed, and some gifts can be similar to those that are given on the Chinese New Year, but Christmas gifts usually consist from a large variety of options. For example, food, alcohol, jewelry, elect ronics, toys, household appliances, automobiles, etc. Christmas and the Chinese New Year are both important celebratory occasions, which can bring joy and anticipation amongst those whom celebrate these events. These are times when family, friends and even complete strangers, can come together in harmonious enthusiasm. Both events contain similarities, such as, folk lore, feasts, decorations, gifts, traditions, songs, poems, flowers, God(s), games, etc. Christmas, a westernized occasion, may contain different significance and symbolic meanings to those whom celebrate it rather than those whom celebrate the Chinese New Year. But, the most important thing about these two occasions, even with their differences, is they bring people together, and are both accepting towards all cultures and beliefs. Works Cited Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.wikipedia.org/chinesesnewyear Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.ci.lenoir.nc.us/index.asp?Type=B_EVSEC=%7BF083A2AC-A24E-4B3B-8944-F912226F078D%7DDE=%7B817E6FA1-42C1-4B01-8A28-F0EF2477494F%7D Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.htm (December.2, 2001)The Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 (February.8, 2007) Popular Chinese New Year Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Davis, John K. (November.10, 2009)The Origins of Traditional Holiday Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve References Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.wikipedia.org/chinesesnewyear Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.ci.lenoir.nc.us/index.asp?Type=B_EVSEC=%7BF083A2AC-A24E-4B3B-8944-F912226F078D%7DDE=%7B817E6FA1-42C1-4B01-8A28-F0EF2477494F%7D Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.htm (December.2, 2001)The Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 (February.8, 2007) Popular Chinese New Year Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Davis, John K. (November.10, 2009)The Origins of Traditional Holiday Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November 27,2009 from http://www.calendar-updates.com/info/holidays/us/christmaseve.aspx Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://www.ornamentshop.com/history_story/part1.asp Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.northpolesantaclaus.com/santahistory.htm (December.2, 2001)The Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A665949 Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.wikipedia.org/chinesesnewyear Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.ci.lenoir.nc.us/index.asp?Type=B_EVSEC=%7BF083A2AC-A24E-4B3B-8944-F912226F078D%7DDE=%7B817E6FA1-42C1-4B01-8A28-F0EF2477494F%7D (February.8, 2007) Popular Chinese New Year Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/blogs/garden_voices/index.php/2007/02/08/popular-chinese-new-year-plants/ Davis, John K. (November.10, 2009)The Origins of Traditional Holiday Plants. Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_origins_of_traditional_christmas_plants Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.htm Retrieved November.28, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year Gulf of Tonkin Incident: Military Investigation Gulf of Tonkin Incident: Military Investigation Military Intelligence Organizations Military Intelligence is a division of military the purpose of which is to exploit the number of information collected and analysis techniques in order to provide guidance and directions to commanders in support of the crucial decisions made by them. They do it by performing an analysis and assessment of the available data which they gathers from wide range of sources, guiding and directing the commanders to make decisions or respond to focused questions as part of their operational campaign. The collected information is first identified and then incorporated into the process of intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination. Military Intelligence Organizations have played their role in resolving conflicts in any nation. Discusses here is the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the role of U.S. Military Intelligence Organizations to resolve it. The incident took place on August 2 4 1964 (Kim, 1999). This was the incident that helped the America’s involvement in Vietnam War. Gulf of Tonkin Incident Overview When President Lyndon b. took over charge of the country after the death of President John F. Kennedy, he became worried about the South Vietnam’s ability to keep away the Communist Viet Cong guerillas that were actively operating at that time in the country. In order to follow the established policy of containment, the Secretary of Defense at that time Robert McNamara started to increase the military aid to South Vietnam (Trueman, 2000). Many Norwegian built fast patrol boats (PTFs) were purchased and sent to South Vietnam. These PTFs helped in conducting a series of attacks on coastal areas of South Vietnam as part of Operation 34A. 34A was originally began by Central Intelligence Agency in 1961, it was a extremely classified program of the covert operations against North Vietnam. Due to several early failed attacks, in 1964 it was transferred to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, and the focus of it was shifted towards maritime operations. In due course of time, U.S. Navy was also instructed to conduct Desoto patrols off the North Vietnam. The Desoto Patrols consisted of the American warships cruising in international waters in order to conduct electronic surveillance operations (Shane, 2001). As a result of 34A and the Desoto Patrols, the ships offshore were made able to collect important information about the North Vietnamese Military capabilities. The First Attack On July 31, 1964 the destroyer USS Maddox conducted the Desoto Patrol off North Vietnam (Paterson, 2008). Under the operational command of Captain John J. Herrick, it steamed through the Gulf of Tonkin collecting intelligence information. This mission was accompanied by several 34A attacks including many big attacks on two islands of North Vietnam. The Government of North Vietnam decided to strike the USS Maddox and on August 2, three Soviet built P-4 Motor torpedo boats were dispatched to attack the destroyer. About twenty-eight miles cruising in international waters, the torpedo caught the USS Maddox. In the meanwhile, Herrick requested for air support from the U.S. Air Force. The request was granted and the four F-8 Crusaders were sent towards the Maddox position. Herrick also ordered to fire the three warning shots if the torpedo reaches a range of 10,000 yards of ship. These warning shots were fired and the P-4s launched their first torpedo attack. The Maddox scored fire on P-4s and was just being hit by one 14.5 millimeter machine gun bullet. Soon after fifteen minutes, the F- crusades arrived to rescue the Maddox and started hitting the targeted fires on North Vietnamese boats, damaging the two and leaving the third one dead in the waters. The attack was retreated and the Maddox returned to join its friends but the Desoto mission was continued as per orders of the commander in the Pacific. The Second Attack On August 4, the American radars, sonar and radio signals were received of another North Vietnam attacks. Taking evasive action, the U.S. Maddox fired on numerous radar signals targets. After this incident (Parados, 2004), Herrick was not sure that his ship was attacked by the North Vietnam. Reporting at 1:27 AM Washington times that due to freak weather, the radar and sonar signals did report some of the enemy ships but nothing has been visualized by the Maddox. After suggesting the complete evaluation of the affair conducted by the U.S military intelligence, Herrick radioed a request asking for a complete reconnaissance in daylight by the aircrafts. But the American aircrafts flying over the area failed to find out any North Vietnam ship. Although there were doubts about the second attack, those present on Maddox were convinced that the attack did happen. This along with the flawed signals intelligence from the National Security Agency led the forces to attack retaliatory airstrikes against North Vietnam. On August 5, the Operation Pierce Arrow saw aircrafts from USS Ticonderoga and USS Constellation strike and attack about thirty North Vietnam vessels. Although the subsequent research and records prove that the second attack didn’t happen. This was also reinforced by the statements from the retired Vietnamese Defense Minister who admitted the August 2 attack but denied the second attack. After ordering the airstrikes, soon Johnson went on to address the nation on television regarding the incident. He in his address requested the passage of a resolution, which expresses the unity and determination of the United States in support of their freedom and in the hope to protect peace in the Southeast Asia (Cohen Solomon, 1994). He also argued that he didn’t want a wider war, and said that United States would continue to protect its national interests. As approved on August 6, 1964, the Southeast Asia (Gulf of Tonkin) Resolution, gave Johnson the power to use military intelligence and force in the region without requiring a declaration of war. Later on over the next few years, Johnson used this resolution to rapidly escalate the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Intelligence has fulfilled the wider ranging and very important functions in different section including security, diplomacy and statecraft (Augustin, 2009). However in past few years, the role of military intelligence in resolution of conflicts has expanded and broadened its range and now it forms the core element of conflict management policies and procedures. Ancient Greece is the first democracy in the world. It has established several institutions that served as intelligence services. Proxenia were the upper class citizens of Greece who served as top class agents. They used to collect information and even executed the assassinations if required. The Heralds collected the public and private information. Both were protected by the Law of Greece and only the Heralds used to get the rewards of bringing good news back to the nation. Greece impressive political and military achievements really lacked the true intelligence system like today. Although they didn’t have the proper intelligence system like today but still they had the intelligence cycle existed in their military endeavors. The two major requirements of intelligence services are democratic control and the effectiveness of the actions and activities (Augustin, 2009). African countries always had difficulties in managing and creating the solid intelligence systems. The territory of the Sahara Dessert is always problematic so the military intelligence related to that area is restricted. In 1997, the African countries created a security sector reform whose purpose was to try and narrow the challenges and constraints of developing a proper military intelligence system in the area. The main challenges that African countries are facing these days include the legacy of the African socialism and colonialism, autocratic military and security services and the unknown and informal activities of the military intelligence services. Gambia established the National Intelligence Agency in order to protect the regime. The unsuccessful attempts of Eisenhower and Kennedy to remove Castro from the power are considered as the failed military intelligence actions (Augustin, 2009). According to them the biggest threat to democracy is the communism. In Cuba, the America supported the Batista leading anti-communist government. After Castro being elected to power, he started quickly eliminating his enemies. And started to nationalize the economy and created knots with the USSR. His actions made it clear by 1960 that he was following the communism path for the Cuba. Eisenhower tried to remove the Castro from power by training Anti-Castro forces and sneaking them into Cuba. They began to target the Cuban sugar fields and the CIA developed an assassination program to eliminate Castro. Although such attempts were failed again and again, Kennedy tried to invade the Cuba by the Bay of Pigs operation but that was again a failure. This was all due to the strong military intelligence of Castro which saved him from all the American attacks. The Shah of Iran has a weak legitimacy and had lot of enemies (Augustin, 2009), ], so to overcome them in 1957, he formed the SAVAK, a national intelligence and security organization. The SAVAK served a tool to torture and eliminated anyone who could prove as a threat to the Shah and his dynasty. No open opposition was allowed against the institution in Iran during Shah Regime, but with the passage of time the resistance of people became worst. Khomeini got exiled to Iraq and then to France because of his increasing popularity and threat to his life. In 1977, censorship law was introduced in Iran in order to retain the Shah’s power but due to his detachment from the public, the public dismissed him and Khomeini came to power after the over throw of the Shah of Iran .In 1980 under the rule of Reagan (Augustin, 2009), The U.S. Intelligence Community realized a need for more intense intervention in Central America in order to stop the communist expansion. El Salvador’s mil itary government was the only potential barrier against the communism in the Central America. The DIA also tried to help the government of El Salvador to assist them fight against the leftist group called as FMLN. The DIA worked and operated with the direct military intelligence information sharing and between 1987 to 1989 a guerilla attack was made by the FMLN which surprised the El Salvador and the American armies. This also showed that how little the U.S support helped. Over all the defense of the El Salvador is considered as the failure in the history of the U.S. military intelligence. Intelligence is basically the sociological phenomenon that is used for the information gathering and to ensure the prevention of hostility (Augustin, 2009). It is important to differentiate between the intelligence that has been existed in any nation and the intelligence that is established as a result of state concept. Intelligence cycle, covert actions and counter intelligence are all the components necessary for decision making process. Intelligence focuses on the hostility both in democracies and non-democracies tenures. Intelligence in democratic system must have strong relations with the citizens and must work under a legal framework. The functions and scope of working of intelligence agencies must be clarified and their methods of working and sources of information must be protected. However intelligence in the non-democratic system concentrates more on internal opposition rather than external threats. So the intelligence is outside of the scope of legal framework in non-democ ratic system while intelligence in democracies should only be used to measure level of democracy in the country. In 1960, the Egyptian forces entered in Sinai which was a big surprise to Israel (Augustin, 2009). The IDF couldn’t respond in time and it lead to the result that intelligence was needed for an earlier warning of possible Egyptian attack. The methods or tools for an earlier warning were HUMINT, the SIGINT and the VISINT. The 1960 rotten affair and the 1973 Vom Kippur war failure show failure of the intelligence system and a need for strong intelligence system. References [1] Sankt Augustin (2009), Intelligence and Democracies in Conflict and Peace, retrieved from,  http://www.kas.de/israel/en/publications/18450/ [2] Tom Kim (1999), The Gulf of Tonkin Incident 1964, retrieved from,  http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/usa/GulfTonkin.html [3] Chris Trueman (2000), Gulf of Tonkin 1964, retrieved from  http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/gulf_tonkin_1964.htm [4] Scot Shane (2001), The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, retrieved from  http://911review.com/precedent/century/tonkin.html [5] Lieutenant Commander Pat Paterson, U.S. Navy (2008), The Truth about Tonkin, retrieved from  http://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2008-02/truth-about-tonkin [6]  John Parados (2004), The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 40 Years later, retrieved from  http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/ [7] Jeff Cohen and Norman Solomon (1994), 30-Years anniversary, Tonkin Gulf Lie Launched Vietnam War, retrieved from  http://fair.org/media-beat-column/30-year-anniversary-tonkin-gulf-lie-launched-vietnam-war/