Gudea statues Essay -- essays research papers fc

Discovery of Statues in Lagash Lagash was one of the oldest cities in Sumer and Babylonia. Today it is represented by a long line of ruin mounds, which are rather low, now known as Tello al-Hiba in Iraq. Located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and east of the ancient city of Uruk, it is positioned on the dry bed of an ancient canal, approximately 10 miles north of the modern town of Shatra.# The ruins of Lagash were discovered in 1877 by Ernest de Sarzec, a Frenchman, who was allowed by the Montefich chief, Nasir Pasha, to excavate the site at his pleasure in the territories under the governing of Nasir Pasha. Ernest de Sarzec continued excavations at this site with various interludes, at first on his own account and later as a representative of the French government, until his death in 1901. The smaller mounds had apparently been comprised mostly of storage houses, in which vessels, weapons, sculptures, and other objects that were used by the administration of palace and temple. However, the primary excavations were made in two larger mounds, which later were found to be the site of the temple known as E-Ninnu, a shrine to the patron god of Lagash, Nin-girsu. The temple had long been destroyed and a fortification was built on what remained of the temple, during the Seleucid period. It was underneath this fortification that numerous statues of Gudea were discovered, which make up the heart of the Babylonian collection at the Louvre Museum#. Overall the statues had been damaged, some decapitated and others broken in various ways, having been put into the foundation of the new fortification. Also in this section came a mixture of fragments of basic artifacts including various objects made from bronze and stone, of high artistic excellence. Some of these objects have been dated to the earliest Sumerian period enabling historians to trace Babylonian art and it’s history to a date some hundreds years prior. Excavations in the other mound resulted in the uncovering of the remains of various buildings. In these outlying buildings de Sarzec discovered about thirty thousand inscribed clay tablets, the record archives of the temple. The tablets contained the business records, the nature of its property, the methods used to cultivate the land, methods on herding its animals, and its commercial and industrial dealings. The ancie... ... A shaped frame. Works cited: Cooper, Jerrold. Reviews of Gudea and His Dynasty by Dietz Otto Edzard. The Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 119, No. 4. (Oct-Dec 1999): pg 699-701. Edzard, Dietz Otto. Gudea and His Dynasty. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1997. Hallo, William W. and Simpson, William Kelly. The Ancient Near East: A History. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc., 1971. Hansen, Donald P. “New Votive Plaques from Nippur,'; in the Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 22, No. 3. (Jul., 1963). pg 145-166. Howorth, Henry H. “The Later Rulers of Shirpurla or Lagash,'; in The English Historical Review, Vol. 17, No. 66. pg. 209-234. England, 1902 Olmstead, A. T. “The Babylonian Empire,'; in the American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Jan., 1919). pg 65-100 Unknown. “A photogrammatic study of three Gudea statues,'; in The Journal of the American Oriental Society. pg 660. 1990 Encyclopedia.org Lagash. Louvre Museum. Seated statue of Gudea, prince of Lagash. UMBC of Maryland. Gudea and the Kritios Boy Wikipedia. Lagash. WorldHistory.com. Gudea and Statues of Gudea.

Analysis of Newspaper Research Report Results Essay

A study recently published in the San Jose Mercury News suggests the parents of obese children do not perceive their children as obese. An analysis of this study, its methods, and its findings is an important exercise in understanding the meaning and relevance of all research. The ability to read research critically and understand how it was generated allows us to identify possible design flaws or to realize the validity of its conclusions and make appropriate use of the data. The study was conducted through an internet research firm for the University of Michigan. Its goal was to determine the percentage of parents who realized their children are obese and to compare it to the percentage of parents that do not realize their children are obese. The participants were selected by simple random sampling and were considered a representative sample of American parents. The sample included 2060 respondents (Runk, 2007). The data appeared to be collected through internet surveys. The study was observational and measured continuous data sets including the height, weight, age, and gender of the participant’s children (Bennett, Briggs, & Triola, 2003). A body mass index greater than or equal to the 95th percentile in comparison to children the same age and gender was the criteria used for obesity in this study. The data from these children was then compared the national percentage of children considered obese by the same standards. Qualitative data pertaining to whether or not the parents thought their children were â€Å"slightly overweight, very overweight, or about right† was also collected (Runk, 2007). Although it was not specifically stated, I hypothesize the children studied were broken down into bins by age and gender. The first bin comprised of obese girls six to 11 years old and the second bin obese boys six to11 years old. For the 12 to 17 year old group the first bin included obese girls 12 to 17 years old and the second bin included obese boys 12 to 17 years old. I further hypothesize the parents of children in each group were binned according to their response to the qualitative assessment of their child’s weight. For each age group the first bin included parents who answered †Ã‚  very overweight,† the second bin included parents who answered â€Å"slightly overweight,† and the third bin included parents who answered â€Å"about normal† (Bennett, Briggs, & Triola, 2003). The findings in the six to 11 year old group revealed 15% of the children in this age group met the criteria for obesity. This finding was not significantly different from the national figure which reports 17% of all children in the United States are obese by the standard of this study. Thirteen percent of the parents of obese children in this age group categorized their children as â€Å"very overweight,† 37% classified their children as â€Å"slightly overweight,† and 43% reported their children were about right† (Runk, 2007). The findings in the 12 to 17 year old group revealed 10% of children in this age group met the criteria for obesity. This finding is significantly lower than the national figure for obese children. Thirty one percent of the parents of obese children in this age group reported their children as being â€Å"very overweight,† 56% reported their children as â€Å"slightly overweight,† and 11% reported their children were â€Å"about right† (Runk, 2007). Researchers concluded both age groups under reported the incidence and severity of obesity when compared to the national statistic stating 17% of all children meet the criteria for obesity outlined in this study (Runk, 2007). I agree the severity of obesity was greatly under reported in both groups. However, I disagree with the assertion the incidence of obesity was under reported in the six to 11 year old group. I believe the difference between 15% and 17% could easily be a coincidence. It may also have resulted because the internet was used to collect data and poor children are more likely to be obese and less likely to have internet access (Vieweg, Johnston, Fernandez & Pandurangi, 2007). I do agree that obesity seemed to be considerably under reported in the 12 to 17 year old group. A statistically significant difference (about 7%) occurred between that age groups 10% incidence and the 17% national incidence of childhood obesity (Runk, 2007). Such a large difference is unlikely to be a coincidence and supports the theory that obesity was under reported in this age group or  confounding was present (Bennett, Briggs, & Triola, 2003). Critical analysis of this data reveals many strengths and a few significant weaknesses in the design and implementation of this study. The goal is clearly stated, to determine the percentage of parents who realized their children are obese and to compare it to the percentage of parents that do not realize their children are obese. This goal was clearly accomplished for all the study participants. The source of the study is the University of Michigan which can be considered a reliable, neutral source. The sampling is sufficiently large, but whether or not it is representative of childhood obesity in this country is questionable. A serious problem with the sample exists as a result of using the internet as the setting. High proportions of obese children are socioeconomically disadvantaged and may not have internet access. The internet setting is likely to account for the apparent under reporting of obese children noted in this study and as such is a probable source of confounding. The criterion for obesity is well defined and could be easily measured in all the subjects, but I remain concerned a significant portion of obese children may have been inadvertently omitted from consideration. In the end, however, I find there is a strong practical use for this data. Healthcare providers are made conscious of the fact that the parents are, more often than not, genuinely unaware their child is obese. This data supports the decision to open a dialogue with parents and offer teaching about the dangers and prevention of childhood obesity the clear course of action. References: Bennett, J., Briggs, W., & Triola, M. (2003). Statistical Reasoning for EverydayLife, Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison Wesley. RetrievedDecember 5, 2007, from University of Phoenix rEsource HCS 438. Runk, D. (2007, December 24). Parents don’t realize their kids are fat. MercuryNews (San Jose). Retrieved December 28, 2007, fromhttp://www.mercurynews.com/healthandscience/ci_7799918?nclick_check=1. Vieweg, V., Johnston, Fernandez, A., & Pandurangi. A. (2007). Correlation between high risk obesity groups and low socioeconomic status in school children. Southern Medical Association. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from University of Phoenix library [EBSCOhost].

Auschwitz Facts

Auschwitz, the largest and deadliest camp in the Nazi concentration and death camp system, was located in and around the small town of Oswiecim, Poland (37 miles west of Krakow).  The complex consisted of three large camps and 45 smaller sub-camps.   The Main Camp, also known as Auschwitz I, was established in April 1940 and was primarily used to house prisoners who were forced laborers.   Auschwitz-Birkenau, also known as Auschwitz II, was located less than two miles away.  It was established in October 1941 and was used as both a concentration and death camp.   Buna-Monowitz, also known as Auschwitz III and â€Å"Buna,† was established in October 1942.  Its purpose was to house laborers for neighboring industrial facilities.   In total, it is estimated that 1.1 million of the 1.3 million individuals deported to Auschwitz were killed.  The Soviet Army liberated the Auschwitz complex on January 27, 1945. Auschwitz I – Main Camp The initial environs where the camp was created had formerly been a Polish army barracks.The first prisoners were primarily Germans, transferred from the Sachsenhausen Camp (near Berlin) and Polish political prisoners transferred from Dachau and Tarnow.Auschwitz I had a single gas chamber and crematorium; however, it was not heavily utilized.  After Auschwitz-Birkenau became operational, the facility was turned into a bomb shelter for Nazi officials who were located in offices in the vicinity.At its peak, Auschwitz I contained over 18,000 prisoners – mostly men.Prisoners in all of the Auschwitz camps were forced to wear striped attire and have their heads shaved.  The latter was presumably for sanitation but also served the purpose of dehumanizing the victims.  As the Eastern Front came closer, the striped uniforms often fell by the wayside and other attire was substituted.All of the Auschwitz camps implemented a tattoo system for prisoners who remained in the camp syste m.  This differed from other camps which often required the number on the uniform only.Block 10 was known as the â€Å"Krankenbau† or hospital barrack.  It had blacked out windows on the first floor to hide evidence of medical experiments that were being performed on prisoners within the building by doctors such as Josef Mengele and Carl Clauberg.Block 11 was the camp prison.  The basement contained the first experimental gas chamber, which was tested on Soviet prisoners of war.  Between Blocks 10 and 11, a closed courtyard contained an execution wall (the â€Å"Black Wall†), where prisoners were shot.The infamous â€Å"Arbeit Macht Frei† (â€Å"Work Shall Set You Free†) gate stands at the entrance of Auschwitz I.Camp Commandant Rudolf Hoess was hanged just outside Auschwitz I on April 16, 1947. Auschwitz II -- Auschwitz Birkenau Built in an open, swampy field less than two miles from Auschwitz I and across the main set of railroad tracks.Construction on the camp initially began in October 1941 with the initial intended purpose of being a camp for 125,000 prisoners of war.Birkenau had approximately 1.1 million people pass through its gates during its nearly three-year existence.When individuals arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau, they were forced to undergo a Selektion, or sorting process, in which healthy adult persons who were desired for work were permitted to live while the remaining elderly, children and ill people were taken directly to the gas chambers.90% of all individuals who entered Birkenau perished – an estimated 1 million people total.9 out of every 10 people killed in Birkenau were Jewish.Over 50,000 Polish prisoners died in Birkenau and nearly 20,000 Gypsies.Separate camps were established within Birkenau for Jews from Theresienstadt and Gypsies.  The former was established in the event of a Red Cross visit but was liquidated in July 1944 when it was evident that this visit would not occur.In May 1944, a train spur was built into the camp to aid with the processing of the Hungarian Jews.  Prior to this point, victims were unloaded at a rail station between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II.Birkenau contained four, large, gas chambers, each of which could kill up to 6,000 individuals per day. These gas chambers were attached to crematoriums that would burn the masses of dead bodies. The gas chambers were disguised as shower facilities to deceive the victims in order to keep them calm and cooperative throughout the process.The gas chambers utilized pruissic acid, trade name â€Å"Zyklon B.†Ã‚  This gas was commonly known as a pesticide in orchards and for prisoner clothing.A portion of the camp, â€Å"F Lager,† was a medical facility that was used for experiments as well as limited medical treatment of camp prisoners.  It was staffed by Jewish prisoner-doc tors and staff, as well as Nazi medical staff.  The latter was primarily focused on experimentation.Prisoners in the camp often named sections of the camp themselves.  For example, the warehousing portion of the camp was known as â€Å"Kanada.†Ã‚  An area slated for camp expansion that was swampy and mosquito-ridden was called â€Å"Mexico.†An uprising occurred in Birkenau in October 1944.  Two of the crematoriums were destroyed during the uprising.  It was staged largely by members of Sonderkommando in Crematoriums 2 and 4.  (The Sonderkommando were groups of prisoners, mainly Jewish, who were forced to staff the gas chambers and crematoriums.  They received better food and treatment in return, but the gruesome, heartbreaking work caused them to have a four-month turnover rate, on average, before meeting the same fate as the victims they processed.) Auschwitz III -- Buna-Monowitz Located several miles from the main complex, Auschwitz III bordered the town of Monowice, home of the Buna synthetic rubber works.The initial purpose for the camp’s establishment in October 1942 was to house laborers who were leased out to the rubber works.  Much of its initial construction was funded by IG Farben, a company that benefited from this slave labor.Also contained a special Labor Education Department to reeducate non-Jewish prisoners who did not follow camp structure and policy.Monowitz, like Auschwitz I and Birkenau, was surrounded by electrified barbed wire.Elie Wiesel spent time in this camp after being processed through Birkenau with his father. The Auschwitz complex was the most notorious in the Nazi camp system.  Today, it is a museum and educational center that hosts over 1 million visitors annually.

Neural Systems Controlling Emotions Have Influence On...

Research Objectives The research completed by Shiv et al (2004), was to identify whether or not dysfunctions in neural systems controlling emotions could influence and promote individual’s gambling abilities. Emotions can be either beneficial or detrimental to one’s behaviour; it depends on what task is on hand and the individual differences. As previous research in neuroscience has highlighted the positive roles of emotions in everyday decision making, Shiv et al (2004) wanted to test out if individuals with dysfunctional emotional reactions could actually make better decisions than normal individuals. A specific scenario that brought curiosity to the researchers was how a patient with ventromedial prefrontal damage, an area responsible for fear, responded accurately to hazardous road conditions. Instead of becoming fearful and stepping on the breaks during icy roads, this individual lacked fear so the patient assessed the situation and responded properly. This patient with ventromedial p refrontal cortex damage handled the hazardous situation logically rather than emotionally, allowed him to react properly. Shiv et al (2004) are specifically looking at how dysfunctions in neural systems controlling emotions could affect gambling abilities. As normal individuals usually display a myopic loss aversion, high levels of risk aversion towards gambling, this study wants to detect if individuals with injuries with emotional brain circuitry systems would also have myopic lossShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagespublishing as Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions DepartmentRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 PagesRESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, information storage and retrieval systems, or in any other manner—without the written permission of the publisher. Thomson Higher Education 10 Davis Drive Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA For more information about our products, contact us at: Thomson Learning Academic Resource Center 1-800-423-0563

Essay on Scarlet Letter Study Guide - 1628 Words

English 11 The Scarlett Letter, Nathanial Hawthorne Chapters I and II 1. What two necessities, according to Hawthorne, must the founders of a new colony provide immediately? - Prison and a cemetery 2. Under whose footsteps was the rose-bush outside the prison supposed to have sprung up? Sainted Anne Hutchinson 3. What kind of spectacle have the townspeople of Boston gathered to witness? The public humiliation of Hester Prynne 4. What is the significance of the scarlet letter A which is embroidered on Hester’s gown? Show that she was an adulteress 5. What conclusion can you draw from the fact that every new colony must provide a prison and cemetery at once? People will commit crimes or die 6. How do most of the townspeople†¦show more content†¦How would you describe what the young minister is probably feeling at this moment? Because he was nervous because he might say the name (that he is the father) Chapter IV 1. Where is Roger Chillingworth, the stranger of Chapter III, to lodge while the authorities work out his ransom with the Indians? Prison 2. What two kinds of experience equip Chillingworth to be a physician? His previous studies in alchemy (changing one thing to another) and what he has learned from the natives when he has been captured 3. Why does Hester at first resist Chillingworth’s attempts to give the baby medicine? That he was going to poison the baby. 4. What promise does Chillingworth exact from Hester? That she won’t tell the towns people that he is her husband. 5. At what point are you certain that Chillingworth is Hester’s husband? Cite the passage that confirms your suspicions. They talk about their wedding day. Pages 24 and 25 6. Why does Chillingworth say that he seeks no vengeance against Hester? Because he knows that she is young and pretty and without a husband for years and she is already being punished. 7. What do you think Chillingworth means when he says of the father of her child â€Å"I shall read (the letter of infamy) on his heart? The lie will eat away at you. Your disposition changes 8. At the end of the chapter, Chillingworth says, â€Å"Not thy soul†¦ No not thine!† Which words would he have emphasized as he saidShow MoreRelatedscarlet letter study guide4403 Words   |  18 PagesReading Guide Questions Chapters I and II Identifying Facts 1. What two necessities, according to Hawthorne. must the founders of a new colony provide immediately? 2. Under whose footsteps was the rose-bush outside the prison supposed to have sprung up? 3. What is the significance of the scarlet letter A which is embroidered on Hester’s gown? Interpreting Meanings 5. What conclusion can you draw from the fact that every new colony must provide a prison and a cemetery at onceRead MoreScarlet Letter Study Guide Answers3151 Words   |  13 Pagescolony are a cemetery and a prison. 2. The rose bush outside the prison sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson. 3. The town people have gathered to witness the punishment of Hester Prynne. 4. The scarlet letter on her bodice is meant as punishment for her sin. The letter A stands for adultery. 5. Every new colony is quick in building a cemetery and prison because they know that misbehavior and death are inevitable. 6. Many of the town people regard Hester’s punishment as too lenientRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1631 Words   |  7 Pagesdeveloped the theme for his most renowned literary novel, The Scarlet Letter. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne emphasized the impact that societal isolation can have on individuals. Several of the victims inflicted with isolation throughout the novel were ultimately met with their inevitable downfalls. One particular character, Hester Prynne, was selected to undergo a struggle comparable to Hawthorne’s own. Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter centered its characters on a theme of both physical andRead MoreScarlet Letter Analysic- Form, Plot, Tone, Essay607 Words   |  3 PagesScarlet Letter Analysis Form, Structure and Plot: The structure that Hawthorne puts the Scarlet Letter is very tight, and is in essentially three parts, each revolving around the scaffold. The first scaffold scene, Hester confesses her sin of adultery to the crowd in the light of day. The second scaffold scene takes place in the middle of the book at night; it is the climax of the plot. Dimmesdale climbs onto the scaffold, and asks for Hester and Pearl to join him. This is not a confession, as thereRead MoreSummary Of The Scarlet Letter 1329 Words   |  6 PagesMelanie Showers Mrs. Voshell Honors English 10 8 January 2016 Morality in The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne describes many defining instances of different characters’ morality. Some of the characters’ opinions are very different, but the people of the town have a general morality that leads Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale to deal with their sins differently in public, than in private. First, Hester’s morality, is not very defined at the beginning. She seems as though sheRead MoreArthur Dimmesdales Guilt and Hypocrisy Essay829 Words   |  4 Pagesgripping tale, The Scarlet Letter, a revered Puritan minister suffers from cowardly guilt and hypocrisy after he commits adultery in this novel staged in the seventeenth century. Arthur Dimmesdale, who hides himself in the shame of his lover, Hester Prynne, protects his reputation among the Puritan people. The scaffold, a public symbol of disgrace, contrasts with the pastor’s silent sin of adultery. When Hester became a symbol of sin among the people and wore the scarlet letter as punishment, DimmesdaleRead MoreThats What1831 Words   |  6 Pagesprovide a prison and a cemetery in The Scarlet Letter draws the conclusion that even in a Utopia, there will always be sin, and sin leads ... Scarlet letter - Pastebin.com pastebin.com/i7QvSd6w Sep 23, 2012 - What conclusion can you draw from the fact that every new colony ... Too lenient and that she should be hanged ... What clues to the identity of the stranger does Hawthorn provide in the first three paragraphs of Chapter III? Scarlet Letter Study Guide - College Essay - Canoness www.studymodeRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter1456 Words   |  6 Pagesa Christ figure in The Scarlet Letter. She displays self-sacrifice, saintlike features, and exemplifies some biblical teachings throughout the book. The first, which is self-sacrifice, is shown when Hester is standing on the scaffold in front of the whole town and will not uncover the other participant in the adultery. Reverend Wilson questions her of this man that helped commit this crime, â€Å"Speak out thy name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast† (60), withRead MoreIntense Character Transformations in The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne965 Words   |  4 PagesIn The Scarlet Letter, readers witness Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale undergo intense character transformations as a direct result of their isolation from society. The isolation that the two characters experience changes them both into different people—Hester for the better and Dimmesdale for the worse. It is revealed that the reason for their isolation is that Hester and Dimmesdale had an affair, and Hester later gave birth to their child, Pearl. Hester never exposes Dimmesdale as Pearl’s fatherRead MoreAnalysis of Sin in The Scarlet Letter1393 Words   |  6 Pagesuniversally. The range of acts and thoughts covered by sin is vast; Hawthorne critically explores the strict, inflexible Puritanical approach to sin and its implication for individuals and society. Hawthorne investigates the intent behind sin in The Scarlet Letter using Dimmesdale and Chillingworth in order to criticize the Puritan Code and to demonstrate the ramifications intent can have on the sinner’s ability to earn forgiveness and gain redemption. Dimmesdale’s and Hester’s sin of adultery serves

Policies National Government Has Undertaken-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Policies National Government Has Undertaken? Answer: Introducation New Zealand The national economy of New Zealand ranks 53rd and 68th global positions in terms of nominal GDP and Purchasing Power Parity. The country is highly globalised and linked with Australian economy showing a GDP growth rate of 3.5%. The greater contribution to the GDP (almost 63%) comes from service sector followed by large scale manufacturing sector (16.5%) and primary sector (6.5%) which dominates the agricultural export of the country (Afonso and Sousa 2012). The country resides at the top of the world in terms of providing basic needs and opportunity of human creating foundation for general wellbeing. Recently the Great Financial Crisis of 2008 impacted and intensified the economy of New Zealand which is evident in its increased cost of credits and lower availability of them, falling price of houses and housing crisis most vivaciously (Clemens and Miran 2012). The government dealt with this recessionary impact on the economic activity by adopting policies and strategies to bring out the stability overall. The report aims to discuss such policies of fiscal and monetary importance as have been adopted by the national government. It intends to analyze the efficacy and impact of the policies on the overall economic indicators determining overview of economic performance and stability. Role Of Fiscal And Monetary Policies: Any country broadly consists of two types of marketing, goods market and money k. The economic performance of the country depends on the simultaneous equilibrium of both the markets. Whenever the economy is found not to be in, equilibrium it implies the country is has not arrived at its stability. To push the economic operation towards stability that is to boost the national GDP consistent with full employment level, the government undertakes macroeconomic policies (DeLong and Summers 2012). These policies are implemented through two sets of channel: Fiscal Monetary Policies. While the monetary policy take care of the level of money supply in the economy fiscal policies plays instrumental role to influence economic activity carried out by government expenditure. The level of money supply is pivotal element to determine the rate of interest and price level operating in the economy (Keynes 2016). Based on the economic situations, government adopts expansionary or contractionalry monetary policies by buying bonds and assets or selling them respectively. More money supply implies low interest rate that boosts investment and production that further boosts consumption. To influence overall economy the fiscal policy plays important role that helps economy reach its full employment equilibrium if it is away from it (Kanwal and Nadeem 2013). Government expenditure in forms of initiation of any public project or application or removal of tax are the important instruments of fiscal policies that impacts the overall income and consumption level further. Economic Issues In New Zealand: In terms of nominal GDP the country performs pretty well and has remarkable reputation for social progression maintained through enormous opportunities and beneficial provisions for mass wellbeing. The country has few core economic problems that are sustaining longer over period. Income level of the country used to be higher compared to western European countries, which fell and persisted to be low after the economic crisis of 1970. This resulted into growth in poverty level over time with rising income inequality (Gertler, Kiyotaki and Queralto 2012). Another major issue with the economy of New Zealand is current account deficit that has been persistent for a long time since the earlier period of 1970s with reaching all time higher -7.8% but fell to -2.6% of GDP in 2006 (Klemm and Van Parys 2012). This has not increased public debt much higher keeping the amount at 38.4% of the GDP as per the estimation made in 2013 (Storm and Naastepad 2012). The global financial crisis and consequent recession in 2008and 2009 had contractionary and adverse impact on the economic outcome of the country affecting confidence of the consumers This not only impacted the consumption decision but also the saving decisions made by them. One of the striking outcomes has been continuous fall in the housing price leading to crisis n the sector. The country has been kept away from accessing the global capital market due to the dominant uncertainty in the world economy. This combined with national fund crisis led to increased cost of credit making investments luxury. The impact on GDP was evidently adverse as the real GDP fell by 2.8% between these years. Recent Issues: As per the responses made by the citizen about the major economic issues of the country, majority of the people mentioned about the housing crisis faced severely even in the larger cities of the country like Auckland. The residents of Auckland mentions about increasing house price of affordability issue (20%), housing shortage and homeless issue consists of 12% of the problem. The unemployment rate of the country is unacceptably high over years and recorded to be 5.7% as per the estimations made in 2016 (Mertens and Ravn 2012). The unemployment indicates the economy is not at stable equilibrium yet that exhausts the employability of the nation. The money supply has been following a random pattern rising and falling time to time and such movement is highly linked with economic performance and market operations. Macroeconomic Policies Adopted (2106-2017): The LM curve explains, L(r, y) = M/P Money market equilibrium is dependent on the level of real money supply. The increase in OCR reduces the money supply n the economy shifting the LM upward toward left decreasing the money market equilibrium. In the year 2016-17, the primary focus of monetary policy was to ascertain price stability. For that, the Ministry of Finance carrying al the necessary specifications about how to maintain price stability and keep the inflation within the range of 1-3% n the medium term and maintaining an average inflation of 2% in the near future has set out a Policy Target Agreement. The government lowered the official cash rate as the measure adopted to fight the recessionary impact caused by global downturn (Corsetti et al. 2013). However, as the recovery started the OCR has been increasing over time in order to keep the money supply level monitored. Post Canterbury earthquake rebuild programmers created much demand pressure within domestic economy increasing consumption expenditure. To tackle this situation tight monetary policy was adopted by the government in order to counteract the expected increase in inflation (Mountford and Uhlig 2012). OCR was increased up to 3.5% to contract the supply o f fund in the market. Source: (Author) Fiscal: The long-term objectives of fiscal policies are the objectives revolving around debt, operating expenditure, revenue and balance along with maintaining net worth of them. The current account deficit and consequent rise in the public debt leads to higher rate of net debt, which was decided to be brought down at 20% of GDP by 2020 (Mertens and Ravn 2013). Deficit can be improved by increasing government revenues (Baker, Bloom and Davis 2016). Imposition of tax has been pivotal instrument for the government. Another policy to drive down the budget deficit is to cut back expenditure as share of GDP. The Canterbury earthquake caused much instability in the expenditure pattern. During the earthquake in 2011 the spending was much higher at 4.4% and over time was brought down to 0.3% of GDP in the FY 2015-16. The objective was to maintain operating balance in for of surplus to serve net capital requirement of the government. Source: (Author) The IS curve in an economy captures the impact of fiscal policies and effects of changes in the good market equilibrium reflects into national equilibrium as well. IS equation explains, Y(r, y) = C[y-t(y)]+I(r)+G+NX(y) When government imposes tax or increases tax levy, the disposable income reduces further cutting back consumption. Moreover government trying to cut its expenditure implies fall in G. as a result the IS curve shifts downward. Impact On National Economic Performance: The successful adoption of fiscal policies led to low public debt, which over time reduced the deficit pressure on the budget and pushing it towards balanced budget. Strong economic growth is on the cards due to boom in tourism sector and higher inward immigration. The housing shortage was met by increasing more construction, which not only targeted the crisis but also boosted economic activity within nation that increased demand and consumption expenditure (Auerbach and Gorodnichenko 2012). The shortage of household led to higher price of it that further increased household debt of the consumers calling for higher financial risk in the economy. The employment of the country has recorded a shift toward high skilled occupation. With increase in expenditure on education and technical learning the country has higher sources of skills but there has been an allocate issue due to mismatch between jobs and qualifications or skills (Ilzetzki, Mendoza and Vgh 2013).The country faces long-term challenges of low growth in productivity and transforming labor market. Source: (Author) The reserve Bank has been able to maintain price stability that further brings the financial stability by keeping the inflation around 2% with higher terms of trade, interest rate operating in the economy promoting good health of the money market in the country (Aschauer and Greenwood 2013). The country has been able to boost the employment rate that let the unemployment level to fall to 5% from 7.5%, which is still higher compared to other OECD countries. However, there has been increase in the labor force of the economy, which is positive sign for the economic stability to be achieved with increased outcome. Conclusion The above discussion helped us to have a quick snapshot of economy of New Zealand and the existent economic issues operating in the country. It has been found that the country has been responsive to the global downturn of 2007 as evident in the shabby economic performance of the nation during 2008 and 2009. However, with time the government came up with proper fiscal and monetary policies to deal with unstable economic condition. Rising price level due to higher money supply has been correctly monitored and checked from creating inflationary pressure on the economy. As a result, the nation was able to maintain a inflation rate as low as of 2%. The rising unemployment, public debt and budget deficit has been well managed by the specificity of adopted fiscal policies in order to maintain macroeconomic stability. Reference Afonso, A. and Sousa, R.M., 2012. The macroeconomic effects of fiscal policy.Applied Economics,44(34), pp.4439-4454. Aschauer, D.A. and Greenwood, J., 2013, January. Macroeconomic effects of fiscal policy. InCarnegie-Rochester Conference Series on Public Policy(Vol. 23, pp. 91-138). North-Holland. Auerbach, A.J. and Gorodnichenko, Y., 2012. management the output responses to fiscal policy.American Economic Journal: Economic Policy,4(2), pp.1-27. Baker, S.R., Bloom, N. and Davis, S.J., 2016. Measuring economic policy uncertainty.The Quarterly Journal of Economics,131(4), pp.1593-1636. Clemens, J. and Miran, S., 2012. Fiscal policy multipliers on subnational government spending.American Economic Journal: Economic Policy,4(2), pp.46-68. Corsetti, G., Kuester, K., Meier, A. and Mller, G.J., 2013. Sovereign risk, fiscal policy, and macroeconomic stability.The Economic Journal,123(566). DeLong, J.B. and Summers, L.H., 2012. Fiscal policy in a depressed economy.Brookings Papers on Economic Activity,2012(1), pp.233-297. Gertler, M., Kiyotaki, N. and Queralto, A., 2012. Financial crises, bank risk exposure and government financial policy.Journal of Monetary Economics,59, pp.S17-S34. Ilzetzki, E., Mendoza, E.G. and Vgh, C.A., 2013. How big (small?) are fiscal multipliers?.Journal of monetary economics,60(2), pp.239-254. Kanwal, S. and Nadeem, M., 2013. The impact of macroeconomic variables on the profitability of listed commercial banks in Pakistan.European journal of business and social sciences,2(9), pp.186-201. Keynes, J.M., 2016.General theory of employment, interest and money. Atlantic Publishers Dist. Klemm, A. and Van Parys, S., 2012. Empirical evidence on the effects of tax incentives.International Tax and Public Finance,19(3), pp.393-423. Mertens, K. and Ravn, M.O., 2012. Empirical evidence on the aggregate effects of anticipated and unanticipated US tax policy shocks.American Economic Journal: Economic Policy,4(2), pp.145-181. Mertens, K. and Ravn, M.O., 2013. The dynamic effects of personal and corporate income tax changes in the United States.The American Economic Review,103(4), pp.1212-1247. Mountford, A. and Uhlig, H., 2012. What are the effects of fiscal policy shocks?.Journal of applied econometrics,24(6), pp.960-992. Storm, S. and Naastepad, C.W.M., 2012. Macroeconomics beyond the NAIRU. Economics Books.

Special Qualities of Japanese Woodblock Prints Essay Example

Special Qualities of Japanese Woodblock Prints Paper Woodblock prints are an integral part of Japanese art and culture in the centuries gone past. In many ways, the techniques of craft and reproduction that were pioneered and mastered by the Japanese were more advanced than what their European contemporaries were able to achieve. Although woodblock prints were in circulation as early as the eighth century A.D., it was only since the 17th century that they reached their peak creative expression. Woodblock prints spanning the entire millennia have served a crucial cultural purpose in Japan, as they were second only to the oral tradition in propagating folklore, history and customs of the people. Not only were the woodblock prints a source of entertainment and enchantment, they were also vital to the propagation of Buddhist philosophy and art. (Priest, 1959) As a consequence, the evolution of Zen Buddhism in Japan is neatly documented in this medium of art. The rest of this essay will analyze two Japanese woodblock prints – taken o ne each from The Seattle Museum of Asian Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art respectively – and study their similarities and differences in the backdrop of the evolution of the technique. The two woodblock prints chosen for this essay are – Crow and Heron (Young Lovers Walking Under an Umbrella in a Snowstorm, ca. 1769) and Two Ladies Looking Through a Telescope (Hokusai, 19th century) – from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Seattle Museum of Asian Art respectively. The Crow and Heron was created by Suzuki Harunobu and is made of woodcut print on paper. This print carries many typical characteristics of the art and cultural sensibilities of the period. Firstly, chivalry being a cherished virtue in high Japanese society, the man is shown to hold the umbrella for his lover. The demureness and shyness of the lady is complemented by the glitter and passion in the eyes of her beloved. The robes worn by the lovers further accentuate this complementariness. The dark brown shades of the man’s robes align and merge with the soft white robe of the lady. The tresses and folding of their robes form a unified pattern. (Meech, 1982) We will write a custom essay sample on Special Qualities of Japanese Woodblock Prints specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Special Qualities of Japanese Woodblock Prints specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Special Qualities of Japanese Woodblock Prints specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Japanese woodblock prints reveal much information about the social structures and cultural norms of corresponding eras. They also show the signature styles of various artists. The Crow and Heron print shows the â€Å"rise of the wealthy chonin and their interest in elegant clothes, pleasurable pastimes, and the arts, especially woodblock prints. Harunobu depicted beautiful women being slender and graceful. He did not individualize his figures, but presented them as idealized images without unique features†. (http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/JP2453, 2006) It is interesting to note that the flourishing of woodprint art during the Edo period is largely due to the patronage of the aristocratic class. Indeed, the â€Å"pleasure quarters and the sophisticated entertainments they offered exerted an enormous impact on the culture of the Edo period.† (http://www.metmuseum.org, 2003) In this light, it is a paradox that the Buddhist message of austerity and detachment was propagated in equal measure through the art form. For instance, one prominent feature of this Buddhist ethos is that of ukiyo, which stands for the transitory nature of life. Both the works in discussion exhibit this quality in terms of their impressions. Hence, the revelry of Japanese high society went hand in hand with the simplicity of Buddhist philosophy in shaping the rules and aesthetics of woodprint art. This contra-direction is exemplified in the upturning of the meaning of ukiyo from ‘transitory’ to that of ‘joie de vivre’. This â€Å"hedonistic culture that glorified life in the ‘floating world’ was particularly well expressed in the production of woodblock prints, which made available to anyone with a bit of extra cash captivating images of seductive courtesans, exciting kabuki actors, and famous romantic vistas. For the first time, artists were inspired by and responded to the interests and preferences of the general public†. (http://www.metmuseum.org, 2004) The print Two Ladies Looking Through a Telescope is a beautiful work from the woodblock tradition. Created by artist Hokusai during the 19th century, it has similarities to the Two Lovers painting, in that the feminine is portrayed as sensuous, delicate and demure. The fine attention given to the robes, accessories and other ornamentation is a treat to the eyes. The two women in the painting are most likely courtesans or entertainers living in their palatial abode. The use of the Telescope and its tilt downwards suggests their vantage position – both physically and socio-economically. The significance of the Telescope is that it is imported equipment from Western Europe. It indicates the cultural and commercial exchange that began to consolidate during the 19th century. It is only apt that this work of art is featured under ‘Japan Envisions the West’ gallery in the Settle Art Museum. Again, what is common between the two works in discussion, as well as the larger body of woodblock prints is their utility as historical documents, depicting the lifestyles, social structures and dressing styles of various generations of Japanese. They also showcase the unique aspects of Japanese art, particularly with respect to the woodprint production technique, which was quite advanced compared to the evolvement of art production techniques in Europe. References: Department of Asian Art. â€Å"Woodblock Prints in the Ukiyo-e Style†. InHeilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ukiy/hd_ukiy.htm (October 2003) Department of Asian Art. â€Å"Art of the Pleasure Quarters and the Ukiyo-e Style†. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/plea/hd_plea.htm (October 2004) Meech, Julia. â€Å"Early Collections of Japanese Prints and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.† Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 17 (1982). Priest, Alan. â€Å"An Aristocracy of Robes.† Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New ser., v. 18, no. 4 (December, 1959) â€Å"Suzuki Harunobu: Crow and Heron, or Young Lovers Walking Together under an Umbrella in a Snowstorm (JP2453). In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000 – http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/JP2453 (October 2006)