Hector Berlioz Essays - Symphonie Fantastique, Music, Cyclic Form

Hector Berlioz Hector Berlioz wrote the Symphonie fantastique at the age of 27. He based the program on his own impassioned life and transferred his memoirs into his best- known program symphony. The story is about a love sick, depressed young artist, while in his despair poisons himself with opium. His beloved is represented throughout the symphony by the symbolic idee fixe. There are five movements throughout symphony. The program begins with the 1st movement: Reveries, Passions symbolizing the artist's life prior to meeting his beloved. This is represented as a mundaness and indefinable searching or yearning, until suddenly, he meets her and his longing abruptly ceases and is replaced by volcanic love. The soaring melody becomes the Idee fixe and is introduced in this section. The 2nd movement: A Ball. This movement is representative of the gala ball where he once again sees his beloved. This section is a dance movement in three-part form. The Idee fixe reappears in waltz time. The 3rd movement: Scene in the Fields. This section represents a tranquil interval. It is a summer evening in the country and he hears two shepherds piping. The tranquil moment of the quiet summer evening alone with the pastoral duet fills his heart with an unfamiliar calm. Suddenly she appears and her appearance causes an emotional response of sorrowful loneliness. The 4th movement: March To the Scaffold. He dreams that he has killed his beloved, he is condemned to die and is being lead to the scaffold. At the end of this movement the Idee fixe reappears for a short instance and the reappearance becomes symbolic of the last thought of love that is interrupted by the axe. The 5th movement: Dream of a Witch's Sabbath. He imagines himself at a witch's Sabbath surround by ghastly spirits who have gathered for his funeral. The frightful sounds of groans, shrieks, and shrill laughter echo in his ears. Then, suddenly again the Idee fixe appears. It is his beloved. But the familiar Idee fixe is no longer the reserved and noble melody of the prior movements. The Idee fixe has now taken on new form and has become vulgar and grotesque. She has come to this diabolical orgy. The witches greet her with howling joy and she joins them in the demonic dance; Bells toll for the Dead. Listening Guide 25 is the 4th movement, March To the Scaffold: The diabolical march is in minor and the Idee fixe is heard in the last part of this movement. The clarinet is the instrument that represents the Idee fixe and at the very end it is cut off by a grievous fortissimo chord and then ends in a hadean quintessence. Structure The medium is a large orchestra, (flute, piccolo, 2 clarinets, 4 french horns, 4 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 2 cornets, 3 trombones, 2 ophideiodes, 2 timpani, bass drum, bells, strings). The form is loose tenary (A-B-A). The movement is in 6 sections. It begins with the introduction of ominous drumbeats and muted brass. The introduction ends with an exploding crescendo of a base drum which immediately introduces the 2nd section of theme A of low strings in a slow cautious tempo, and is picked up by violins. Theme B brass and woodwinds enter and picks up the tempo of diabolical march tune. The opening section is then repeated. The 3rd or mid section is the development section. The tenary (B-A-B-A) Begins with theme B in brass, then theme A pizzicato strings, alternating again to B in Brass then Theme A. The 5th section is Theme A in full orchestra in original form, then inverted, (ascending scale). The 6th section, the melody Idee fixe in clarinet, ("a last thought of love"), in "dolce assai e passionato", followed by loud chord that cuts off melody, significant of ("the fall of the axe"). The introduction begins with the distant sound of a steady beating drum that seems to become louder. The steady beat is a march It has a serious tone with a non changing beat. The melody of the march is flat and gives a sense of impending dume. The brass bursts in on the monotone drum beat and suddenly takes over the melody and soars in an ascending sound, reaching an apex and creschendos and then subsides with low strings carrying the melody in a decending scale . There is a recapulation of this ascending and descending sound and then the viola and bassoon unassumingly enter and slowly begin to form there own quick little melody , totally unrelated to

The History of Jell-O

The History of Jell-O Jell-O: It’s now as American as apple pie. Once a twice-failed processed food made from a mash-up of animal parts, it managed to become a hit dessert and the go-to food for generations of sick children.   Who Invented Jell-O? in 1845, New York industrialist Peter Cooper patented a method for the manufacture of gelatin, a tasteless, odorless gelling agent made of out animal by-products. Cooper’s product failed to catch on, but in 1897, Pearle Wait, a carpenter turned cough syrup manufacturer in LeRoy, a town in upstate New York was experimenting with gelatin and concocted a fruit-flavored dessert. His wife, May David Wait, dubbed it Jell-O.   Woodward Buys Jell-O Wait lacked the funding to market and distribute his new product. In 1899 he sold it to Frank Woodward, a school dropout who by the age of 20 had his own business, Genesee Pure Food Company. Woodward bought the rights to Jell-O for $450 from Wait. Once again, sales lagged. Woodward, who sold a number of patent medicines, Raccoon Corn Plasters, and a roasted coffee substitute called Grain-O, grew impatient with the dessert. Sales were still slow, so Woodward offered to sell the rights to Jell-O ® to his plant superintendent for $35. However, before the final sale, Woodward’s intensive advertising efforts, which called for distribution of recipes and samples and paid off. By 1906, sales reached $1 million.   Making Jell-O a National Staple The company doubled down on marketing. They sent out nattily dressed salesmen to demonstrate Jell-O. The also distributed 15 million copies of a Jell-O recipe book containing celebrity favorites and illustrations by beloved American artists, including Maxfield Parrish and Norman Rockwell. The dessert’s popularity rose. Woodward’s Genesee Pure Food Company was renamed Jell-O Company in 1923. Two years later it later merged with Postum Cereal, and eventually, that company became the behemoth known as the General Foods Corporation, which is now called Kraft/General Foods. The gelatinous aspect of the food made it a popular choice among mothers when their children were suffering from diarrhea. In fact, doctors still recommend serving Jell-O water- that is, unhardened Jello-O- to children suffering from loose stools.

UK Commercial Law Scenarios and Questions Essay

UK Commercial Law Scenarios and Questions - Essay Example An implied agency under the agency by estoppel was created between Tom and Jerry since it was a verbal appointment. 1 An agency by estoppel states that whereas an agency can in general arise by the will of the principal, he may nevertheless so conduct himself leading another to believe that someone is his agent and he is then estopped from denying this fact. For instant, if a person is allows another to order goods on his behalf and always pays for them, then he will be estopped from denying the authority to a third person who relied on the appearance. (Emerson, 2003) This agency by estoppel is as effective as an agency intentionally created. The rule of estoppel is based on the principle of holding out and is not confined to contracts of employment only. (Jertz and Miller, 2004) Since there existed an agency relationship between Tom and Jerry, Tom need to be advised that Jerry might bring a case against him for refusing to accept the Land Rover he bought on his behalf knowing very well that Tom would be very happy with the purchase. Since Jerry was engaged to act as an agent by Tom (principal) whereby he ordered and paid for animal feed on his behalf we can say that Tom acted for undisclosed principal. When he was ordering the animal feed for Tom, he would not have disclosed that he was an agent engaged by Tom since they would not have sold the animal feeds for them because Tom had been banned from their premises. Tom on the other hand needs to be aware that, since his goat had ran amok causing a lot damages to the animal feeds supplier, a case can be brought against him. The animal feed supplier may sue him for trespass by cattle under the law of tort. A trespass by cattle of a person we usually treated as if he has committed it himself. If a man's cattle, poultry, sheep or goats trespass on another's land, the owner of such animals becomes liable for trespass and must pay damages for the damages caused to the plaintiff's crops or property. If the cattle trespassed without causing any damage, the owner is still liable to pay damages because trespass is actionable per se. 4 A relevant case studied under trespass by cattle is that of:- Anderson v. Buckton of 1815 In this case, the defendant's cattle affected by contagious disease trespassed on an adjoining pasture and infected the plaintiff's cattle. It was held that the defendant was liable for damage arising from the spread

A Reflective Report on the Leadership of a Training Day for Classroom Essay

A Reflective Report on the Leadership of a Training Day for Classroom Assistants and Teachers - Essay Example The first part will focus on providing the readers with a clear description on how the leadership activity was conducted. Before describing the process on how the student went through the leadership activity, the student will first explain the activity’s main purpose, objectives, and success criteria. The second part of the study will provide a brief description of the evaluation technique used in the project in terms of measuring the student’s ability to meet the main purpose and objectives of the leadership activity aside from how the project has affected the leadership skills of the entire staff members as an organization and as a person. For the third part of the study, the student will reflect upon the leadership activity process and its outcome based on the theoretical frameworks and concepts that were tackled under the course E849 Leading and Managing for Effective Education. Eventually, the student will discuss her own preferred leadership strategy and style in terms of some issues related to the importance of teamwork as well as the organizational effectiveness and improvements. Using the student’s preferred leadership style, ways in which she could effectively influence the school organization regardless of the internal and external pressures will be thoroughly discussed. The last part of this paper will critically assess the significance of the first three parts of this study towards the student’s own leadership and management thinking and practice aside from its impact on my colleagues’ perception on effective leadership and management style.

What is the best way to motivate employees to perform better Essay

What is the best way to motivate employees to perform better - Essay Example The other school of thought is that workers are motivated to perform better by internal motivating factors, such as achievement, enjoyment, a sense of competence, and personal loyalty to employees, which are factors that drive employees to work better or harder (intrinsic motivation) (Linder, 1998: p6). What all have in common, however, is that whether external or internal, rewards play an essential role in job satisfaction for the employee. When examining the internal factors that motivate employees, it has been found that the behaviour of employees is linked to attitudes and that the motivation for employees is not solely dependent on money (Lindner, 1998: p7). Internal factors of motivation consist of variables that are directly associated with the work of team members with such dimensions as challenging work environments, autonomy, and responsibility being closely linked with intrinsic motivation of employees. Indeed, interesting work has been identified as one of the most important internal factors of motivation, while having a sense of ownership concerning the work and output also acts as a major motivating factor. There is no clear agreement on where the responsibility for providing these set of motivating factors comes from, however. This is in line with Lindners (1998: p7) idea that these motivating factors differ within the organizational context that the employee works in. Under a ‘rewards’ system, it is clear that it is up to the management to provide motivation for employees. Longenecker (2011: p11) states that managers are responsible for motivating employees to use their talents and energy more willingly by encouraging ownership through maintenance of productive relationships and developing trust with individual employees. Lindner (1998: p) also identifies managers as being responsible for motivating their employees, noting that they should ensure that the work

Controversy In South Park Film Studies Essay

Controversy In South Park Film Studies Essay South Park is an icon of modern satire and humor in America.  Ã‚  This sitcom is a source of thousands of winged phrases culprit billion settlement on all sorts of topics covered in it. It ridicules many celebrities, religion, individual nations and a lot of things that are part of our lives. Series  «South Park » is a cruel satire of American society produced by the Comedy Central over ten years.  During this time the series had gained popularity, received awards, was on the verge of closing and again reborn.   Anime as a genre, can reduce everything to a joke, and, even if it differs with black humor, violates ethical rules, ridicules the ideals of decent Americans. South Park mocks and parodies, drops and mixes with the mud all that is possible and all that is impossible. To describe the series definitely is quite a challenge: comments on it differ immensely from the exclamations of delight, to the requirements of the immediate closure. The basis of action is an exaggeration or an understatement of some events: sometimes of household trifles, sometimes of the worlds problems.  This is a blow to the stereotyped thinking. The television is not taken to reflect on what is considered politically incorrect, especially about how the Americans think about Jews, Canadian, Russian, blacks, people of different faiths, but  «South Park » ridicules almost all religions and nationalities. In the South Park, that violates at the events of reality, can not appear so-called guest stars.  Mostly they look like cartoon with a head carved out of this photo: in particular in the series satirically played on Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe, Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez.  «South Park » in 2006 won Peabody Award, a prestigious award for journalists, established by the University of Georgia.  Jury awards noted South Park as the most vivid, politically incorrect TV program. (Mansour, 2005) In its own way  «South Park » is unique.  Perhaps the main idea of the series is that we must be able to laugh at themselves, and perhaps to appreciate life.  In any case, it is not so superficial and vulgar as it first seems, because of the rudeness and swearing discuss important issues.  A conspicuous obscenity is a speaking out against censorship, in which TV is entangled. South Park as a ridicule of American life South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone.  The plot is based on adventures of four boys and their friends living in the small town of South Park, Colorado.  Series ridicules the shortcomings of American culture and current world events, and criticized a lot of deep convictions and taboos, through parody and black humor. The series always involves controversial subjects and all sorts of taboos.  Obscene language is used to make fun of religion and cults, such issues as sexuality and global warming. The series covers and ridicules practically all topics and points of view, absolutely all things can become subject of jokes and ridicules.  According to Tony Fox, one of the leaders of Comedy Central, creators of South Park make an attempt to make people laugh, not offend anyone.  () Main characters are the portraits of certain people in the modern world, images of certain characters.The main heroes of the cartoon are five students of American elementary school.   Eric Theodore Cartman the prototype of this hero was Archie Bunker, a fictional character in the once popular U.S. comedy series The whole family.  Eric is often the instigator of the conflict and asks a series of problems.  He is vulgar, offensive, has an unhealthy sadistic, intolerant of anything alien, spoiled, rude, hostile and obese.  He is a racist, so constantly insults Kyle and considers his idol Hitler, even his name is very similar to the name of best air ace of the Third Reich Erich Hartmann.  Sometimes he laughs on poverty.  At the same time, his flashy and sociopathic behavior often play a trick on him, pitting him against the others.  In many parts Cartman openly opposed to the other three characters.  However, Cartman has repeatedly demonstrated his supernatural ability to conduct business and leadership: he can easily make money or incites others to action that helped him to achieve own goals.  However, he has a lot of complexes: for example, Eric ex plains his overweight as wide bones and a strong constitution, because that is what my mother told him.  Cartman is the only anti-hero of all four children, but he from the very first season is attracting more attention of the spectators than the remaining trio. Cartman entered the list of VH1 greatest icons of pop culture, the list of TV Guide 50 greatest cartoon characters, and in 2005 was in the list of the channel Bravo 100 greatest TV characters.() Stanley (Stan) Marsh good-natured and clear-headed man, who usually tries to get out of scandalous situations by finding a logical solution.  Stan is a moralist, and often utters morality of the whole series, for his age he has a very profound views on many issues. Stan lives with his mom, dad, sister and grandfather, his family is often used as an example of the archetypal American family. Kyle Broflovski is a sensitive skeptic, at times self-satisfied and pliable, but always sincerely trying to learn.  By origin he is a Jew.  Like Stan, Kyle often provides a reasonable estimate of the abnormal behavior of the adults around them, but more emotional and subjective.  Kyle, unlike Eric Cartman, always ponders over his actions, and tries to correct his mistakes, he is very careful to expensive to own people friends, parents, brother.  Perhaps it is a cartoonish character of a typical Jew. Kenneth (Kenny) McCormick: during the first five seasons Kenny serves as a perpetual victim is killed in many ways.  This is because the series in the series, with few exceptions, accompanied by remarks obychnosmert Kenny Stan: Oh my God!  They killed Kenny!   You Bustards!.  Cause permanent resurrections Kenny revealed in one of the series his parents give birth to every episode of a new son, absolutely indistinguishable from the dead last.  At the end of the fifth season of Kenny dies for real, so for 6 seasons friends must search for his replacement. The basis of character, as a rule, is a typical template a primitive-drawn body, a circle for a head, big eyes.  If a character is a prototype of a real life, sometimes instead of a drawing or photograph a person using a few, so you can change facial expressions.  Sometimes, for extra comic effect a more complex animation is used.  Instead of fire, cut from colored paper, is now using realistic graphics bombings, against the backdrop of primitive graphics core landscape creates an additional humorous effect. Sometimes with the help of special effects certain films, series, or whole genres are parodied.  For example, a series called Good Times with Weapons was made in style of anime, Make Love, Not Warcraft contains numerous videos from Warcraft; in addition there are a lot of episodes in the parody style of animation of Scooby-Doo, The Simpsons, Family Guy  , cartoon Heavy Metal . Also there are fragments with documentary footage, for example in a series of Tweek vs. Craig, Cat Orgy and New Trend Snatch Mr. Garrison. (South Park Studios FAQ, 2001) The primitive style of animation in the South Park is completely on purpose, the use for such animation editors Maya and Corel Draw Parker and Stone describe as an example of self-irony. (Jones, 2008) South Park very often shows business and media stars, although only few of them (in particular,  «Radiohead »,  «Korn », Robert Smith of  «The Cure ») voiced themselves.  In most cases the ratio of creators to the characters of celebrities is extremely humiliating, all their negative traits are maximized, sometimes even mockery has no real motive. Paris Hilton.  In episode 812 she opens in South Park a shop Dull spoiled whore, she also used obscene language.  In the comments creators emphasized that usually do not make fun of a particular celebrity, but the idea of celebrity in principle, and in this case they had quite specific desire to show that girls must not become such as Peris is. Barbara Streisand.  Creators of the series really hate Barbra Streisand for her self-love and is constantly laughing at her: in the episode Mecha-Streisand she tries to take over the world in the form of a huge robot dinosaur, in the episode terrible fish her face is always on the screen to the viewer  was terrible.  And in the movie South Park: Bigger, Longer Uncut her name is used as a curse, but in the episode Osama Bin Laden Has Farty Pants plaque with her picture represents an extreme degree of stupidity. Ben Affleck.  In episode 510, he is the son of people with ass instead of head, and all are aware that Ben Affleck is quite obvious also sick of this disease.  In the 705th episode, Ben Affleck falls in love with Cartmans hand, imagines himself the new Jennifer Lopez.  This infuriates the real Jennifer Lopez, who arranges for Cartmans hand, hunting for what eventually sentenced to occupational therapy. Sally Struthers.  She is a well-known on television stout woman, engaged in charity, so in episode 109 she eats cupcakes and is intended for humanitarian aid.  In episode 311 she is shown in the image of a giant worm Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars.   Russell Crowe.  In episode 604, Russell Crowe is shown as idiot, who leads his own show on beating people around the world.  In particular, Russell Crowe beat the Chinese, children and cancer patients. Mel Gibson.  In episode 804, when Stan and Kenny come to the Gibson home, he is shown as a lunatic, who paints his face like his hero in the movie Braveheart and the chase in his shorts for boys, laughing, mad, and cries of torture me! Until the South  Park.  At the end of the episode, Kyle, which is developing a complex about the film The Passion of the Christ, says I am that all this time agonizes over this movie nerd? (Jones, 2008) Typically, a celebrity does not react to ridicule in the South Park.  Nevertheless, we know that Bob Saget, David Blaine, Tina Yozers and Patrick Duffy commended their appearance in the series, considering it was funny.  But there are a lot of counter-examples: as sharply responded negatively about the series Barbra Streisand. Also in one of the most controversial episodes called Trapped in the Closet Tom Cruise is for a long time trying to come out the closet, which is a typical expression meaning to confess to his own homosexuality.  Although Cruz said that he didnt care about these jokes. (Jones, 2008) The main topics of mockeries in the South Park One of the most characteristic features of the plot of South park is the presence of many series of parodic debriefing and moralization, when heroes Stan and Kyle speak to other characters: I learnt something today.  In different series it can be portrayed in different ways: sometimes with the help of the rotation (at least in those cases when, after a standard phrase uttered truly significant word) actually supplied some kind of morality and suggests that belong to Parker and Stone  .  In other cases, however, it serves as a simply humorous admission, when the heroes have to make some of their goals or get rid of those they harm.   (Broman, et.al,2007) A characteristic feature of the series, which can be observed in many series, is the constant mockery of all kinds of stereotypes of our modern life.  The set of characters and situations are hyperbolizing in series to limit expressions of certain stereotypes prevailing in America or around the world.  On the other hand, often in the South Park primitive stereotypes unexpectedly found to be completely accurate.  The complex, ironic play around stereotypes, by which to know the plot twist is practically impossible, is a striking feature of the series. (Heffernan, 2005) The most common stereotypes are about nationalities and their characters, about modern society and modern style of life. For example, there are a lot of mockeries about Canadians.  All Canadians on the show, since appearing in episode 101 of Ike, are shown much coarser than the American characters: they have small eyes, the upper half of the head twitches during a conversation.  Primitivity of image of Canadians is emphasized: for example, a person with an ugly face is depicted in the same way as any other.  Deliberate ugliness of Canadians, compared with the usual characters, is a clear mockery of the American stereotypes of Canadians as inferior human beings. In the FAQ on the official website of the series was told that Stone and Parker are trying to portray the most realistic of Canadians.  (Johnson-Woods, 2007)     In the song  «Blame Canada » and anticanadian campaign in the movie South Park: Bigger Longer Uncut also a mockery of American stereotypes about their neighbors are marked.  Ã‚  However, in 2005 Matt Stone made clear that the characteristic for the series image of Canadians is no more than a satire.  (Johnson-Woods, 2007) Also the South park has a lot of jokes about the Japanese.  American stereotype of spirituality and machining process of Japanese is reflected in episode 904, when one of the archangels of Heaven resembles another that the Japanese have no souls.  The stereotype of the Japanese as enemies of America is ridiculed in a series 310, when the Emperor of Japan with his assistants hipnotizes children again to attack Pearl Harbor. It is necessary to mention also certain jokes about the Chinese.  In a series 611 Chinese restaurant owner Tuong Lu Kims is requested to build the city wall, as he is the only Chinese in the city, but the Chinese do have the ability to build the wall.  Chinese outraged, but nevertheless built a huge wall, quite comparable to the Great Chinese Wall, and later he tried to defend it from Mongols who tried to destroy it. Also in the series The China Probrem Cartman decides that the Chinese want to conquer the world, and they along with Butters depict the Chinese to learn from one of the Chinese families about plans to seize the world. Speaking about the topics of jokes and mockeries it is necessary to point out the questions of religions: Islam, Catholicism and SÑ ientology. For example a series Trapped in the Closet is ridiculing the Church of Scientology and its famous followers, Tom Cruise and John Travolta.  In this episode, Scientologists declare Stans new incarnation of L. Ron Hubbard , and Tom Cruise is locked in a closet because Stan did not praise his acting skills.  Also, Scientology is parodied in the series Super Best Friends and Return of Chef, but just the name of religion is not called.  In Super Best Friends appear fictional cult of Bleyntology, that is taking money from the faithful, who claims to tax benefits and compels ordinary people consider themselves unhappy, and in The Return of Chef author returns to the events surrounding the Trapped in the Closet. ( Jones, 2008) The South Park has repeatedly derided Judaism and Mormonism.  Kyle is a Jew, Cartman is an anti-Semite, so that attacks on Judaism are frequent phenomenon for South Park, while these jokes are mostly from negative characters.  Series  «The Passion of the Jew » illuminates the contradictions surrounding the movie by Mel Gibsons Passion of the Christ: Kyle, a Jew, after viewing the film decides that his nation is truly blamed for the sufferings of Christ, and tries to make the synagogue in South Park to bring apologies.  However, to the final series it turns out that Gibson is an insane fanatic weirdo, and even Cartman is disappointed in him, though The Passion of the Christ is one of the pillars of his anti-Semitism. (Heffernan, 2004) Mormons are subjects of a series All about the Mormons, in which their religion is ridiculed in every way and is provided as very silly and controversial.  Repeatedly in the series it was shown that only Mormons will appear in Heavens and thus illustrated the absurdity of the problem of choosing between different versions of Christianity.  Nevertheless, in the episode All About Mormons the boy-Mormon Gary said he felt that if people who believe in something, are happy, the intelligent man should be capable to understand and respect it.  (Heffernan, 2004) South Park demonstrates the support of advocates for the rights of sexual minorities and is criticizing their opponents in the standard for South Park grotesque style.  The irony is that the chief opponent of gays in the series Mr. Harrison- is an open homosexual, and then a transsexual by the name Mrs. Harrison.  Eventually, Mrs. Harrison becomes a lesbian, and then, after understanding the impossibility to bear children again a man.  In Watch the eggs! the same-sex marriages are declared as too offensive, but the school experiment proves that same-sex couples can raise children, despite all the efforts of Mrs. Harrison.  As a result, according to the plot of the cartoon, a single-sex marriage is allowed in Colorado.  In the episode Cripple Fight states that Boy Scouts of America did not have to hire homosexuals, but also did not have to try to dismiss homosexuals. South Park is regularly referred to or making fun of different political ideas, political figures.  In it has repeatedly appeared the U.S. Presidents: twice it was Bill Clinton, eight times George W. Bush, and single episode (About Last Night) was devoted to Americas presidential election in 2008, which also parodied the main contenders for the post,  including the current president Barack Obama.   In a series of Free Willzyx the second president of Russia Vladimir Putin was parodied, and the members of the Russian government of that time.  In the episode Mandombe Queen Elizabeth II was shown, and in the final of the series she killed herself after an unsuccessful attempt to capture the U.S. with the help of the British Navy.  Also many world leaders have been parodied in a series of Derby pine forest. (Heffernan, 2004) One more topic that is criticized is the hype around the issue of global warming. For example, in a series of 1999 activist-environmentalist, who is voiced by Jennifer Aniston, falls into the jungle and finds out that she did not like nature at all. In a series of 2001 Terrance and Phillip: Behind the group of ecologists are trying to wash peoples brains, so that they began to care about the environment.  They take Kenni in hostage and begin to chop off pieces of him to make friends to organize a speech at the festival in support of the environment. In a series of 2005, Two days before the day after tomorrow the assumption that the cause of hurricanes is global warming is ridiculed.  The entire series is a parody of the movie The Day After Tomorrow . In a series of 2006 The threat of complacency! Owners of hybrid cars are so proud of themselves, that a result they themselves begin to exude dangerous fumes.  Nevertheless, in the series was noted the importance of using hybrid cars.  The episode ManBearPig is dedicated to Albert Gore and his fight against global warming.  Gore is shown as insane rogue, trying to catch the imaginary ManBearPig to attract attention to himself. South (Park Studios FAQ, 2001) Also in the cartoon repeatedly appears Humane Society of PETA.  In the episode Douche and Turd members of the organization are represented as natural freaks who marry animals (a hybrid of man and the ostrich is moaning Kill me) and contemptuous of their fellows. Conclusion During its existence, the South Park has become not only a successful show, but a kind of pop-culture phenomenon, and its characters like Cartman, Kenny, Timmy, as well as many phrases, parts and fragments of the episodes have become an essential part of pop culture.   Effect of South Park, according to assistant of show producer Mike McMahon, one can often see in things that have no relationship to pop culture or animation. (South Park Studios FAQ, 2001) In 1999 came a full-length animated film South Park: Bigger, Longer Uncut.  The film combines the elements of a musical (the film is actively parodying the Disney musicals), political satire and dark, obscene and wicked humor, it has a hard R rating due to the large amount of violence, obscene language and obscenity  .  The film revolves around the ban by parents of Terrance and Phillip movie, and the growth of hatred of Americans to Canada, and around the attempts of Satan and Saddam Hussein to capture the world. The film has achieved considerable critical success, both qualitative and interesting example of political satire. In the whole both series and film ridicule the shortcomings of American culture and current world events, and criticized a lot of deep convictions and taboos, through parody and black humor. South Park ridicules modern celebrities, religious ideas, modern stereotypes and views about nations and nationalities, and a lot of things that are part of todays life in America. So all this make South Park a modern icon of satire and humor in America.

Following the Sweet Path of Honey :: Bees Beehives Papers

Following the Sweet Path of Honey A bee alights upon a flower, having been attracted to it by the sweet smell of nectar. Knowing of the plant's readiness to release nectar, the bee begins to extract the sugary substance and stores it away in a stomach pouch along with the other nectar it has collected for the day. This is only the first step in a complex process that brings honey to our tables. In fact, it will take over two hundred days and trips to over eight hundred thousand flowers to produce a 35 ounce pot of honey. Honey is one of the few foods for which we still rely on a natural process, and it is the only one which relies on an insect. In a time when most foods are processed and produced in labs, the honey industry still revolves around the unique alchemy and ability of the honeybee. The path from flower to table connects nature to modern production. It is a simple product with complex connections and a fascinating process. It all begins in a manmade beehive; a multilevel contraption of boxes and screens that recreates the environment of a hive, but is designed to make removing excess honeycomb a more efficient procedure. A set of hives in the field looks more like abandoned dresser drawers than the site of mass production. Despite its uncomplicated aesthetics though, the beehive is a very efficient factory. Honeybees are perfect models for division of labor. Within their society there are three very distinct categories, each with specific duties and functions. The Worker Bees are the active force behind the hive. These female honeybees gather the nectar and pollen, feed the larvae and pupae, supply water, secrete beeswax, build comb, and complete many other necessary tasks. In its lifetime this Worker Bee will produce only half a teaspoon of honey, but it will travel fifty-five thousand miles to do so (Dadant1). The Drone is the most expendable member of the colony. These males bees only exist to impregnate the Queen Bee. In the winter months when the hive thins out due to the ceasing of honey production, it is mostly the Drones who are forced to leave and soon perish (Dadant 2). The center of reproduction in the colony is the Queen Bee.

Innovation

CREATIVITY REATIVITY Report produced for the EC funded project INNOREGIO: dissemination of innovation and knowledge management techniques by Dr Eleni Sefertzi J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 0 CREATIVITY 1 Contents 1 Description 1. 1 1. 2 1. 3 1. 4 1. 5 What is Creativity Objectives of Creativity Description /structure of the methodology /alternative solutions Expected results /benefits Characteristics of providers 2 Application 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 2. 4 Where Creativity development has been applied Types of firms /organisations concerned Implementation cost Conditions for implementation Implementation Brainstorming Story boarding Lotus Blossom Checklists Morphological Analysis Mapping Process The Excursion Technique Computer-based creativity techniques Artificial Intelligence models of creativity Idea processors software Visualisation and graphical systems Spatial representation tools 4 Bibliographic references Annexes Table 1: Stimulus to extend perspective to approach a problem Table 2: Brainstormi ng Phases Table 3: Osborn’s Checklist Figure 1: Lotus Blossom sample INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 1 1. 1 DESCRIPTION What is Creativity There are many definitions of creativity. A number of them suggest that creativity is the generation of imaginative new ideas (Newell and Shaw 1972), involving a radical newness innovation or solution to a problem, and a radical reformulation of problems. Other definitions propose that a creative solution can simply integrate existing knowledge in a different way. A third set of definitions proposes that a creative solution, either new or recombined, must have value (Higgins 1999).A novel idea is not a creative idea unless it is valuable or it implies positive evaluation. Also, according to dt ogilvie (1998), imagination, which involves the generation of ideas not previously available as well as the generation of different ways of seeing events, is important to achieve creative actions. To combine this variety of definitions, w e can say that creativity involves the generation of new ideas or the recombination of known elements into something new, providing valuable solutions to a problem.It also involves motivation and emotion. Creativity â€Å"is a fundamental feature of human intelligence in general. It is grounded in everyday capacities such as the association of ideas, reminding, perception, analogical thinking, searching a structured problem-space, and reflecting self-criticism. It involves not only a cognitive dimension (the generation of new ideas) but also motivation and emotion, and is closely linked to cultural context and personality factors. † (Boden 1998).According to Boden (1998), there are three main types of creativity, involving different ways of generating the novel ideas: a) The â€Å"combinational† creativity that involves new combinations of familiar ideas. b) The â€Å"exploratory† creativity that involves the generation of new ideas by the exploration of structu red concepts. c) The â€Å"transformational† creativity that involves the transformation of some dimension of the structure, so that new structures can be generated. Creative thinking in a disciplined manner can play a real role in innovation. Creativity and innovation are normally complementary activities, since creativity generates the basis of innovation, which, in its development, raises difficulties that must be solved once again, with creativity†¦It is not possible to conceive innovation without creative ideas, as these are the starting point. † (European Commission 1998). Innovation results when creativity occurs within the right organisational culture. The right organisational culture is one that provides through creativity processes (creative techniques) the possibilities for the development of personal and group creativity skills.We can define creativity IMT as the establishment of skills by implementing creativity generation techniques. 1. 2 Objectives o f Creativity Main objectives of a creative thinking process is to think beyond existing boundaries, to awake curiosity, to break away from rational, conventional ideas and formalised procedures, to rely on the imagination, the divergent, the random and to consider multiple solutions and alternatives (Candy 1997, Schlange and Juttner 1997). INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 3 The result of the creative thinking process is especially important for businesses.Managers and managerial decisions and actions, confronted with fast-changing and ambiguous environments in business, need to develop creative solutions and creative action-based strategies to solve problems, as they allow to increase understanding of problematic situations, to find multiple problems, to produce new combinations, to generate multiple solutions that are different from the past, to consider possible alternatives in various situations that could occur in the future and â€Å"to expand the opportunity horizo n and competence base of firms† (dt ogilvie 1998). . 3 Description / structure of the methodology / alternative solutions Creativity is not an innate quality of only a few selected people. Creativity is present in everyone. It can be learned, practised and developed by the use of proven techniques which, enhancing and stimulating the creative abilities, ideas and creative results, help people to move out of their normal problem-solving mode, to enable them to consider a wide range of alternatives and to improve productivity and quality of work. Creativity is thus constructed as a learned ability that enables us to define new relationships between concepts or events, which seemed apparently unconnected before, and which results in a new entity of knowledge† (European Commission 1998). Knowledge and information are the basis for creativity. The scientific research is recently oriented towards the development of creativity as an educational process. Many studies show that c reative abilities can be developed by the implementation of creativity techniques (see Mansfield, Busse and Krepelka 1978, Parnes and Brunelle 1967, Rose and Lin 1984, Taylor 1972).Concrete creativity supporting techniques, including also computer-based support tools (artificial intelligence models, computer software idea processors, information systems, etc. ), are developed to promote and generate creativity, to break fixed ideas, to stimulate imagination, as well as to define the conditions in which creativity takes place (the creative environment or climate). Using such techniques, a company aims to â€Å"incorporate the employees’ potential of creativity into the process of performance creation† (Bullinger 1999).There are numerous creative techniques, which are also classified in many ways (Higgins 1994). In general, a certain type of question or a certain area of application (such as marketing, product or service development, strategic and decision planning, desi gn, quality management, etc. ) often calls for a certain type or a certain group of creativity techniques. The description of some well-known and basic techniques and their implementation procedure is presented in session 3.A classification for these techniques can be made between analytical techniques and intuitive techniques. Analytical techniques follow a linear pattern of thought or sequence of steps, such as the â€Å"5 Ws and H† technique (it asks the questions who, what, when, where, why, and how) and have better application for very specific, analytical questions (Higgins 1999). They stimulate different ways of organising known information and help approach problems from new angles (Miller 1987). Intuitive techniques are less structured techniques.They tend to skip steps in a sequence and tend to provide a whole answer all at once, such as the â€Å"wishful thinking† technique (based on ideal possibilities and solutions), and they are more appropriate for ill-d efined questions (Higgins 1999). INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 4 Another classification can be made between techniques that are more appropriate to generate creativity in individuals, and techniques, which generate creativity in groups undertaken within work groups. Improving personal creativity for individuals involves enhancing the individual’s use of intuition and reducing mental blocks creativity, such as fear of failure. At the group level it requires team building and other efforts to enhance the use of group dynamics to achieve creativity and innovation† (Higgins 1996). However, this classification is not rigorous, since many group idea generation techniques can also be used by individuals. On the other hand, the individual and the group are two main agents that always interact in the process of creativity in business and industrial innovation. Creativity is an attribute of the individual, though generally it can only be developed efficiently when i t is tackled within a group of team. For this reason, most creative techniques are proposed and undertaken within the framework of specific work groups, within companies or other organisations† (European Commission 1998). A third classification might be between creative techniques that rely upon divergent thinking and techniques that rely upon convergent thinking.Divergent thinking is the generation and the free flow of ideas and it demands considerable discipline, which is aided by the introduction of rigorous techniques forcing divergence toward many alternatives. Convergent thinking, on the contrast, demands techniques of filtering and focus to identify the ideas that have a truly innovative value, to converge on an acceptable solution (Hall 1996). Divergent and convergent thinking are complementary phases of a procedure, since divergence helps forcing towards many alternatives and possible options before convergence on an appropriate solution.Fundamental concepts for all c reative techniques are: †¢ The suspension of premature judgement and the lack of filtering of ideas. †¢ Use the intermediate impossible. †¢ Create analogies and metaphors, through symbols, etc. , by finding similarities between the situation, which we wish to understand and another situation, which we already understand. †¢ Build imaginative and ideal situations (invent the ideal vision). †¢ Find ways to make the ideal vision happen. †¢ Relate things or ideas which were previously unrelated. †¢ Generate multiple solutions to a problem.Main points to increase or encourage creativity in a company are: †¢ to be happy, to have fun †¢ keep channels of communication open †¢ trust, failure accepted †¢ contacts with external sources of information †¢ independence, initiatives taken †¢ support participatory decision-making and employees’ contribution †¢ experiment with new ideas 1. 4 Expected results / benefits Crea tivity, through the generation of ideas with value, is needed in order to solve concrete problems, ease the adaptation to change, optimise the performance of the organisation and best practice manufacturing, and change the attitude of the staff of theINNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 5 organisation. Creative thought processes are also important at all stages in the R&D process. Some expected results of the creativity process are: †¢ innovation through new product and process ideas †¢ continuous improvement of products or services †¢ productivity increase †¢ efficiency †¢ rapidity †¢ flexibility †¢ quality of products or services †¢ high performance 1. 5 Characteristics of providers The implementation of creative techniques within work groups, requires the assistance and advise of external consultants.One or two consultants, experts in creative techniques, is normally enough to undertake the implementation process in a company. His/he rs job normally consists of presenting the different techniques and their application method, defining the problem to be studied for the participants, initiating and clarifying the rules of the technique, gathering the necessary data and information to approach the problem, stimulating the generation of ideas of participants, and evaluating the ideas before proceeding to put them in practice.Training of management staff by experts may also be very useful. Management staff must be trained to stimulate creativity in employees, to provide motivation, to facilitate a creative climate and to encourage the use of creative techniques. Managers can also be trained to implement creative techniques by themselves. 2 APPLICATION Creativity processes are used regularly by many private and public sector organisations of all sorts in manufacturing, services, banking, or construction companies.Big firms such as Xerox, AT&T, Frito-Lay, as well as car manufacturing firms, software development firms, railroad pharmaceutical firms etc. , use creativity techniques to increase efficiency and quality, especially in their research, strategic planning and marketing departments. Small firms and innovative R&D organisations, such as biotechnology companies (Arlington 1997), are also becoming to implement creative techniques in order to solve problems and to improve the use of skills, techniques and processes.Creativity techniques may be applied in almost any functional area of the company: strategic planning, corporate business strategy, product development, improvement of services, functional strategy, finance, human resources, marketing, management of collection of information, product design, software design, quality management, etc. 2. 1 Where Creativity development has been applied INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 6 Nearly all innovation management techniques that can be applied in companies (BPR, benchmarking, TQM, MRP II, employee involvement, marketing of innovation, etc. require also the implementation of creativity techniques. For example, in the Innovation Programme of DG XII of European Commission, besides other innovation management techniques, creativity techniques have been applied in the following IMT projects (see European Commission 1998): -INVENT (Pro. 006) – Implementation of a Method for Targeted Economic-Oriented Research in SME Invention Management. – IMPACQT (Pro. 008) – PARTNERS (Pro 010) – Promotion of Innovation Management Techniques in the field of Sub-Contracting. IDEAS (PRO 017 – Integrated Product Development Expertise Applied to SMEs. – PRIISME (Pro 029) – Promoting of IMTs in ISRAELI SMEs. – Programme to Create New Activities in SMEs (Pro 045). – MARKPRO (Pro 050) – Implementation of Market Oriented Product Innovation in Danish SMEs 2. 2 Types of firms / organisations concerned Creativity techniques can be implemented by all firms and public organisati ons that confront with problem solving and focus on innovation in processes, products or services.In case where the implementation of creative techniques is focused on the support of personal creativity, such as to support individual designers work for new product development, or to support individual scientists work in the laboratory, very small firms or a person can implement creative techniques for individuals. In case where the company focus is to increase group creativity and to create environments where a collaborating team work creatively together, the firm must have at least 20 employees, including 3 members as management staff. 2. 3 Implementation costThe application of creativity techniques is a continuum process. Sessions of creativity within work groups normally take place at company facilities during normal hours and working conditions. The implementation of a creative technique includes the following costs: †¢ The fee of an external consultant for 4-7 days work fo r undertaking a session of creativity (preparation, application, evaluation). †¢ The cost of software packages developed for personal computers or workstations (if necessary). Hardware and equipment must permit to deal with network communications. Training cost (2-4 days) (if necessary). Cost: from 3000 to 7000 Euro. 2. 4 Conditions for implementation Concerning the implementation of creative techniques, some of them are easy to apply, while others need some infrastructure, experts, work teams, training, collection of INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 7 information, resources, etc. In this case, the assistance of an external consultant is required. Besides the support of external consultants, the company itself must encourage creative environment.This implies the participation of all workers in the concerns of the company, and an open and flexible attitude on the part of management. According to Higgins (1999) factors to encouraging the creative work climate are: â₠¬ ¢ A secure environment with minimal administrative interference. †¢ An organisational culture that makes it attractive and easy for people to discover and solve problems. †¢ Rewards for employee performance and enhancement of intrinsic motivation. †¢ Managerial willingness to take risks for creativity and innovation, as well as an open and flexible attitude on the part of management. Providing people with formal and informal training to enhance creativity. Important conditions for implementation of creative techniques within work groups in a company are also the existence of well-trained human resources, a clear strategic definition of the company and to focus on the core competencies of the company (European Commission 1998). For solving complex problems requiring input by many areas, i. e. marketing, engineering, design, the company would preferably be one employing multidisciplinary teams. 3 IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDUREAs mentioned before, there is numerous creativit y supporting techniques. The description, in an illustrative manner, of some well-known creative techniques for problem solving will be presented here. See also Annex, Table 1, the use of some stimulus that can extend perspectives to approach a problem. Brainstorming This is one of the best known and most used in the business world group based creativity process for problem solving. It is a method of getting a large number of ideas from a group of people in a short time.It can be used for generating a large number of ideas or solutions for well-defined strategic or operational problems, such as for engineering design processes. It forms also a basic framework or constitutes the initial phase for the implementation of many other groups based on creative techniques. Brainstorming sessions take place in a group of 6-10 people. The presence of a leader is necessary to stimulate the generation of ideas, as well as a preparation phase to gather the necessary data and information to approa ch the problem. A recorder writes the problem statement and the idea generated by the group on a white board.Several guidelines for brainstorming are available, such as suspend judgement, free wheel, quantity, and crossfertilise. The whole process takes normally one hour and can be conducted through several stages. The session begins with stating the problem and calling for solutions by the leader. The following stages can be: restate the problem in the form of â€Å"How to†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , select a basic restatement and write it down as â€Å"In how many ways can we†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , warm-up session, brainstorming, and identify wildest idea. An evaluation method is additionally used for to identify the ideas that have a value for implementation.The four basic rules of brainstorming are: a) no criticism and no prior judgement of any idea, b) all ideas, INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 8 even the absurd, are welcome, c) quantity has value, the more ideas the better, if a larg e quantity of ideas is generated, then the idea pool very likely would contain high-quality ideas, d) sharing and combining ideas, and constructing ideas based on those developed by other members of the group for producing new ideas. See: Osborne (1963), Rawlinson (1981), Chen (1998), Higgins (1996), European Commission (1998).See also Annex, Table 2: Brainstorming phases. A special type of brainstorming tool is PMI in which the participants are directed to brainstorm the Plus points, then the Minus points and finally the Interesting points (De Bono 1992, 1993). Related to brainstorming, which is characterised by verbal communication, is also the hand-written communication as a brain-writing technique. The process is that ideas generated by individuals are written down on a piece of paper, and then exchanged and combined with those of the other individuals in the group.Written ideas are circulated and read by the other participants in the group each of whom, in turn, write down new ideas. A variation of this hand-written communication is the 6-3-5 method in which each of the 6 participants in the group generates and writes 3 ideas related to the problem on a piece of paper in 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, each participant passes the piece of paper to the person on the right, who reads it and adds 3 new ideas in 5 minutes. The process continues until each participant gets the original piece of paper back (European Commission 1998).Electronic brainstorming is also a hand-written communication technique, which employ computerised programs to achieve brainstorming. Story boarding It is a creativity technique for strategic and scenario planning based on brainstorming and used mainly by groups. It requires a leader, a secretary and takes place in a group of 8-12 people. The leader arranges the ideas generated by brainstorming in a logical order on a white board creating a story. This technique allows identify the interconnections of ideas and how all the pieces fit to gether.It can be used to identify issues, problems, solve a complex problem and determine ways to implement solutions. The story boarding process includes four phases: a) planning, b) ideas, c) organisation and d) communication. Each phase includes a creative session (it takes 45 minutes) and a critical session, in which participants critique their story board. †¢ The planning phase begins with the problem definition or the issue being examined the topic header. Purpose header, a miscellaneous column and other, normally 1012, headers (column titles) are laced and brainstormed in order to give Ideas and then items, which are listed under the headers (the purpose header is listed first). †¢ The second phase – the ideas board, is to take one column from the planning board, which becomes the topic header and the items of that column become headers of new ideas. †¢ In the third phase – the organisation board, participants identify who is responsible for imple menting chosen solutions, what has to happen, and when. †¢ In the last phase – the communication board, participants identify who must communicate with for all of the events identified in the organisation board to take place.Through the process, visual graphics to summarise or present relevant points are presented by the leader. These might be strategic models, places or things (Higgins 1996). INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 9 Lotus Blossom This technique can also be used in scenario planning and is very useful for forecasting strategic scenarios. It is designed for groups and is used to provide a more in-depth look at various solutions to problems. It begins with a central core idea surrounded by eight empty boxes or circles. Using brainstorming, eight additional ideas (solutions or issues) are written in these boxes.In the next step, each of these eight ideas becomes the core of another set of eight surrounding empty boxes, which are filled in by new ideas using brainstorming. The process continues until a satisfactory solution or a sufficient number of ideas have emerged (Higgins 1996). See Annex, Figure 1: Lotus blossom sample. Checklists This creative technique is used mainly for product improvement or modification. It involves applying a series of words, verbs, adjectives or phrases contained in checklists or tables to an existing product or service or its attributes.Osborn’s Checklist is the best known and includes the verbs: put to other uses, adapt, modify, magnify, minify, substitute, rearrange, reverse and combine. Each verb contains also an expanded definition in the form of questions. For example, the description of the verb substitute is: Who else instead? What else instead? Other ingredient? Other material? Other process? Other power? Other place? Other approach? Other tone of voice? (Osborn 1963). The method is to apply each of the verbs and its expanded description to a product or service. See Annex:, Table 3: Os born’s checklist).Another checklist technique is Van Gundy’s PICL (product improvement checklist). Used in the same way as Osborn’s list, gives many options containing 792 words, both standard and unique, that can be applied to existing products or services, and 102 stimulation questions (Van Gundy 1988, 1993). Morphological Analysis This method is another product improvement technique, permitting the in-depth analysis of products or processes. It involves applying a set of words to an item another set of words. Normally, one set of words is verbs and the other set are attributes of the product.Another way is that one set of words would be components of the product (breaking the product down into its parts) and the other set of words would be alternative solutions. The method is to combine each word of one set with each word of the other set. These two sets of words result in a two-dimensional matrix. A three dimensional matrix can be created by adding a third l ist of factors. The difficulty of this technique is the large number of ideas deriving of the multiple combinations that can be made (Higgins 1996, European Commission 1998).Mapping Process The use of maps is particularly useful in strategic management thinking in organisations, helping to organise discontinuities, contradictions or differences, and bring pattern, order and sense to a confusing situation, acting as a spatial representation of a perspective. There are many forms of mapping, including computer-based tools to support mapping: †¢ Mind Mapping It is an individual brainstorming mapping technique designed by Tony Buzan. It begins with a central focal point, a problem, an object, a name or issue, written inINNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 10 the centre of a piece of paper with a circle around it. Each major facet of the problem or the solution to the problem originating from the central idea is then brainstorming in order to generate new ideas. Each of those ideas are then written on lines drowned outward from the circle. The next step is to brainstorm those ideas in order to identify issues related to the problem, or solutions that are written on smaller lines that are drowned on the prime lines forming a branch.Additional perspectives such as implementation factors or further definition of the solutions could go on those lines. One branch may also be chosen in order to develop a whole new mind map based on that branch. When a mind map is completed, its possible interrelations and possible multiple appearances of issues, and its overall meaning in the context of the problem must be examined (Buzan 1983). †¢ Mapping for generate collective creativity The use of maps to support collective creativity is a more complicate process.It is necessary to introduce appropriate maps into a suitable type of organisation that would preferably be one employing multidisciplinary teams. It is also important that the participants find the maps use ful for organising and planning their work. The mapping process usually involves three phases: 1st phase starts with a brainstorming exercise in order to initiate a discussion around the problem or the product. Normally, the participants are asked to mention all aspects they regard as relevant to the problem to be dealt with.During this process a large number of visual references are used to elicit the perspectives of the members with regard to the potential new concept. It is emphasised to the participants that the maps are intended to enrich the conversation, and should not be perceived as representations of the concept itself, but more as the semantic terrain or space, which covers all potential strategies. The knowledge elicited is discussed, and in about 2 hours is organised and structured by the participants into a map that intuitively understand.This map is the initial cognitive map, which describes all the problematic areas in brief outlines. In the 2nd phase of the process, which serves to expose the individual participants’ perspective both to themselves and to the other members of the group, the participants discuss the values that they associate with a very large range of objects and images. A number of these images are then selected that are considered to metaphorically represent potential aspects of the product strategy.In the 3rd phase, these images and appropriate annotations are arranged in a twodimensional space, positioning the images depending upon how the values of these objects relate to one another. In doing this, the group is mapping out a terrain constituted by the differences between the images, expressing the range of different product strategies open to the group (Fentem, Dumas & McDonnell 1998). For creating maps, many software applications are available (see further down in computer-based creativity techniques).The Excursion Technique Is a very useful technique for forcing a group to have new thought patterns to formulate s trategies. The process involves five steps (see Higgins 1996): In the 1st step – the excursion – the consultant asks participants to take an imaginary excursion to a physical location (a museum, a jungle, a city, another planet, etc. ), which INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 11 has nothing to do with the real problem. After the excursion each participant writes down 8-10 images, which he/she saw during the journey (things, people, places or items) in the 1st of 3 columns.In the 2nd step, the consultant asks participants to draw analogies or express relationships between what they saw on the excursion and the problem as defined, and to write them in the column 2 next to each of the items identified in the first column. In the 3rd step, participants are asked to determine what solutions to their problems are suggested by the analogies or the relationships in column 2, and write them in column 3 beside the items and analogies identified in the other columns. In the 4th step, participants share their xperiences from the excursion: what they saw, their analogies and their solutions. In the 5th step, as with brainstorming, participants may discuss on each other’s ideas. Eventually the leader helps the group come to a common solution or a set of solutions to the problem. Computer-based creativity techniques Computer-based supporting techniques to stimulate the human creative process have an immediate and pragmatic aim, which is the implementation of computational models (computer software) for generate and organise ideas for creative work.They are used more frequently in research planning, product design, knowledge acquisition, decisionmaking, motivation, etc. We can distinguish groups of computerised creativity techniques, such as AI models, Idea Processors systems and visualisation and graphical systems. AI (artificial intelligence) models of creativity AI deals with solving non-quantified, unstructured problems. Its task is about kn owledge representation and reasoning and to built intelligent, rational, and autonomous agents. Current AI models of creativity involve different types and appropriate techniques of supporting the generation of new ideas.According to Margaret Boden (1998), in respect to the three types of creativity, there are also three main types of computer models that involve: a) The stimulation of the combination of ideas, mainly by using analogies in the sense that associated ideas shares some inherent conceptual structure. b) The exploration of structured concepts, so that novel and unexpected ideas result. It requires considerable domain-expertise and analytical power to define the conceptual space and to specify procedures that enable its potential to be explored. ) The transformation of a problem, so that new structures can be generated which could not have arisen before. New solutions to a problem can be created with transforming a problem into a new problem, solve the new problem and the n adapting the solution back to the original problem. AI employs symbolic approaches for creative problem solving and includes stimulus such as heuristics, search, weak methods, knowledge representation and reasoning to facilitate problem structuring and idea generation. The focus of AI creativity techniques in the form of computerised programs, is to help users to take a fresh look at roblems by guiding what may be a user’s otherwise undisciplined intuition through a series of INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 12 problem-solving exercises, and to think in non-linear et non-logical ways. The main advantage of computerised, guided problem solving is that the programs prompt a user for ideas in a thorough manner. Recent programs of AI include also knowledge-based approaches, using large-scale databases and narrative systems (Chen 1998). AI researches have also developed efficient search algorithms for problem solving.Some AI programs of creativity are: – The Co pycat program that looks for analogies between alphabetic letter-strings (Hofstadter, FARG 1995, Mitchell 1993). – The EURISKO program a transformational system with also an exploratory process that can be applied to a wide range of domains. – The AARON program for exploring line drawing in particular styles and colouring (McCorduck 1991). – The BACON program of exploratory AI-creativity designed to model scientific discovery (Langley, Simon, Bradshaw and Zytkow 1987).Idea Processors software Idea processors have a close relationship with artificial intelligence and use many artificial intelligence techniques. Idea processors are normally software packages developed for personal computers or workstations. They are used for idea generation and organisation in some specific stages of problem solving acting as knowledge-support systems (Chen 1998). In order to assist the human thinking, idea processors usually perform extensive search in large databases, knowledge bases, or text bases. For many idea processors the electronic brainstorming is the most important technique to generate ideas.The use of computer programs helps to de-structure and then to restructure thinking in a different way. The Idea Generator Plus program provide seven components to the user, that permit to go through a step-by-step problem analysis and solution finding process: examine similar situations, examine metaphors, examine other perspectives, focus on goals, reverse the goals, focus on the people involved, and make the most of the ideas (Nirenberg 1985). In another program, the IdeaFisher, using hypertext databases from Fisher Idea Systems Inc. , all entries in the database are cross-referenced by concept and association.It uses a giant cross-referenced text base of words and phrases representing concepts and images enhanced by a series of questions (see also spatial hypertext systems). The program also allows to generate new ideas based on combination of words by cr eating a list of people, animals, verbs, adjectives and phrases that are associated with the combination of two words that a user choose. Some other programs related to an idea processor are: The Ideatree system with an exploratory focus, linking laterally or hierarchically concepts that exist into the idea-boxes of the program.The Emergent Media Environment (EME), an interactive computer system that integrates facilities for supporting the generation, collection, organisation and presentation of ideas and advises about the divergence and convergence of the ideas. The GENI (GENerating Ideas) experimental system incorporates a variety of techniques to assist in making different types of connections: internal connections (between elements of the focal problem itself) and external connections (between the focal problem and external factors). INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 13There are also many idea processors programmes available on the Internet (most of them are commercia l products) including the following: http:/ideaprocessor. citi. doc. ca http:/www. maxthink. com http:/www. ozemail. com. au http:/www. inspiration. com http:/www. signet. com. sg/axon2000 Visualisation and graphical systems Computer support methods, such as visualisation of data and graphical techniques for marking up visual phenomena and expressing knowledge about data in rule form, are also available. Visualisation of data and graphical techniques are very important to support creativity.They involve working with visual data such as images, drawings, sketches, diagrams, charts, graphs, graphical objects, that are specific to the domain, and they take the form of expressing ideas and concepts through sketching, annotation and examining multiple or alternative views of the same data, all of which varies according to the domain of interest. There are many such systems giving various opportunities to the users. A visualisation system, the Inspiration (from Inspiration Inc. ) provides a blank canvas in which the user can quickly record and arrange ideas as they occur and allows a visual approach to organising thoughts.The system can also change the relationship between ideas and connect related ideas by dragging kinks between them to create a graphical map of the users thinking. Another visualisation system is Axon 200 used for creating complex flowcharts or concept diagrams and describes how different factors or events influence each other. It uses checklists and visual attributes such as colour, shape, size, scale position, depth, link and icon. It also creates relationship diagrams, which allow the user to represent multiple relationships between various visual objects on the screen (Chen 1998).Visualisation systems are also very important in design such as the Speech Knowledge Interface (SKI) system that support rapid graphical interaction with visual images, the Vehicle Packager Knowledge Support System (VPKSS) that aids designers at the conceptual stage of the design process (Candy 1997). Spatial representation tools In relation with visualisation systems, there are also computer-based tools, such as computer-based information and communication systems, for supporting representations and creating cognitive maps in two-dimensional spaces.Some representations use a specific notation, others use spatial proximity to indicate the relationship between objects (usually words relating to concepts) in the spaces, and others, used in marketing and design departments called â€Å"mood boards†, use collections of images as metaphors that reflect the quality aspects of the product strategy (Fentem, Dumas and Mcdonnell 1998). †¢ Kelly Repertory Grid technique is a knowledge elicitation tool used in the marketing, management and expert systems development. It analyses data using principal components analysis (PCA) software and produces a map by plotting the INNOREGIO project Dr E. SefertziCREATIVITY 14 first two components. The map pro duces a spatial positioning of text with respect to dimensions that are significant or correspond to the personal constructs that the participant member uses to categorise and evaluate the world (Kelly 1955). An Internet version of this tool is Webgrid. Available at http://www. cpsc. ucalgary. ca/ †¢ Spatial Information Systems These systems have been designed to support creativity by mapping objects (concepts, text objects, design requirements and parameters) into two-dimensional spaces, using various combinations of ‘knowledge processing’ and multivariate statistical analysis techniques.Users can also select an area of this space and to create a new space by reprocessing using principal components analysis (PCA) only the data associated with the objects lying within this subspace (Fentem, Dumas and Mcdonnell 1998). For example, one of these systems searches research papers for the frequency of certain keywords and uses a type of PCA to analyse the results of this search and represent these keywords and the papers within a common twodimensional space (Sugimoto, Hori, Ohsuga 1996). Another system named En Passant 2 stores researcher’s notes and triggers to recall and to reconsider.The users can browse their notes and view relations among them interactively (Aihara, Hori 1998). Spatial hypertext systems These systems have been designed for the â€Å"exploration of alternative structures for content, and applications in which the domain structure is not well understood at the outset, or changes during the course of a task†. In spatial hypertext, the links between nodes are conveyed implicitly by arranging the nodes in the space. â€Å"Nodes appear in different contexts through multiple spatial references to the same underling content† (Marshall and Shipman 1995).The users are presented with a window that acts as a work- space in which they organise their material. The nodes arranged in the space represent links to familiar objects such as documents, images, comments, and links to WWW hypertext pages, plus more unique structures known as ‘composites’ and ‘collections’. Marshall and Shipman’s VIKI spatial hypertext system, for example, was designed to support new product development, helping teams to make sense of the many diverse kinds of business-related material relevant to the new product, by assisting them in arranging it spatially. †¢ 4BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES (1) Aihara, K. , Hori, K. (1998), â€Å"Enhancing creativity through reorganising mental space concealed in a research notes stack†, Knowledge-Based Systems, No. 11, pp. 469-478. Arlington, S. (1997), â€Å"Accelerating drug discovery: creating the right environment†, Drug Discovery Today, Vol. 2, No. 12, pp. 547-553. Boden, M. A. (1998), â€Å"Creativity and artificial intelligence†, Artificial Intelligence, No. 103, pp. 347-356. Bullinger, H. J. (1999), â€Å"Turbulent times requi re creative thinking: new European concepts in production management†, Int. J. Production Economics, No. 0-81, pp. 9-27. Buzan, T. (1983) Use Both Sides of Your Brain, Dutton, New York. (2) (3) (4) (5) INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 15 (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) Candy, L. (1997), â€Å"Computers and creativity support: knowledge, visualisation and collaboration†, Knowledge-Based Systems, No. 10, pp. 3-13. Chen, Z. (1998), â€Å"Toward a better understanding of idea processors†, Information and Software Technology, No. 40, pp. 541-553. De Bono, E. (1992), Serious Creativity, Harper Collins, London. De Bono, E. (1993), De Bono’s Thinking Course, Facts and on File, New York. t ogilvie (1998), â€Å"Creative action as a dynamic strategy: using imagination to improve strategic solutions in unstable environments†, Journal of Business Research, No. 41, pp. 49-56. European Commission (1998), Innovation Management Techniques i n Operation, European Commission, Luxembourg. Fentem, A. C. , Dumas, A. , McDonnell, J. (1998), Knowledge-Based Systems, No. 11, pp. 417-428. Hall, D. J. (1996), â€Å"The role of creativity within best practice manufacturing†, Technovation, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 115-121. Higgins, J. M. (1996), â€Å"Innovate or evaporate: creative techniques for strategists†, Long Range Planning, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 370-380. Higgins, J. M. (1994), 101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques: the Handbook of New Ideas for Business, The New Management Publishing Company, Florida. (16) Higgins, L. F. (1999), â€Å"Applying principles of creativity management to marketing research efforts in high-technology markets†, Industrial Marketing Management, No. 28, pp. 305-317. (17) Hofstadter, D. R. , FARG (1995), Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought, Basic Books, New York. (18) Kelly, G. A. (1955), The Psychology of Personal Constructs, Norton. (19) Langley, P. , Simon, H.A. , Bradshaw, G. L. and Zytkow, J. M. (1987), Scientific Discovery: Computational Explorations of the Creative Process, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. (20) McCorduck, P. (1991), Aaron’s Code, W. H. Freeman, San Francisco, CA. (21) Mansfield, R. S. , Busse, T. V. and Krepelka, E. G. (1978), â€Å"The effectiveness of creative training† Review of Educational Research, Vol. 48, No 4, pp. 517-536. (22) Marshall, C. C. , Shipman, F. M. (1995), â€Å"Spatial hypertext: designing for change†, Communication of the ACM, Vol. 38, No. 8, pp. 88-97. (23) Miller, W. (1986), The Creative Edge, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA. (24) Mitchell, M. 1993), Analogy-Making as Perception, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. (25) Newell, A. and Shaw, J. C. (1972), â€Å"The process of creative thinking†, in A. Newell and H. A. Simon (eds), Human Problem Solving, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp. 144-174. (26) Nirenberg, G. (1985), The Idea Generator, Ex perience in Software, Berkeley, CA. (27) Osborne, A. F. (1963), Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Creative Thinking, 3rd ed. , Scribner, New York. (28) Parnes, S. J. and Brunelle, E. A. (1967), â€Å"The literature of creativity†, Journal of Creative Behavior, Vol. 1, No 1, pp. 52-104. (29) Rose, L. H. and Lin, H. T. 1984), â€Å"A meta-analysis of long-term creativity training programs†, Journal of Creative Behavior, Vol. 18, No 1, pp. 11-22. (30) Rawlinson, J. G. (1981) Creative Thinking and Brainstorming, Gower, UK. (31) Schlange, L. E. , and Juttner, U. (1997), â€Å"Helping managers to identify the key strategic issues†, Long Range Planning, Vol. 30, No. 5, pp. 777-786. INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 16 (32) Sugimoto, M. , Hori, K. , Ohsuga, S. (1996) â€Å"A system to visualise different viewpoints for supporting researches’ creativity†, Knowledge-Based Systems, No. 9, pp. 369-376. (33) Taylor, C. W. (1972), †Å"Can organisations be creative, too? , in C. W. Taylor (ed. ), Climates for Creativity, Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 1-15. (34) Van Gundy, Jr. A. B. (1988), â€Å"Product improvement check list†, New Product Development Newsletter, New Jersay. (35) Van Gundy, A. B. Jr. (1993), Techniques of Structured Problem Solving, Chapman & Hall, London. INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 17 Annexes Table 1: Stimulus to extend perspectives to approach a problem †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ List the elements that would bring on success. List the elements that we visualise as failure. Visualise success seen from the viewpoint of fifty years from now.Visualise success seen from the perspective of one hundred years ago. Look for impossible and desirable ideas. Create analogies with other things that have been successful. Imagine and write down ideas that are wild, illegal, crazy, etc. Insert the problem from its present scenario to a totally different scenario. Return from the fantasy scenario to the present scenario and try to associate the ideas generated in the fantasy scenario, with ideas that might apply to the real problem. Imagine what people we admire would say. Search for pairs of ideas that are apparently unconnected and that can be associated by a third.Imagine that everything exists and all we have to do is find it. Change the level on which the problem is approached. Source: European Commission, Innovation Management Techniques in Operation, European Commission, DG XIII, Luxembourg, 1998. Table 2: Brainstorming Phases Phase Orientation Preparation Warm-up Production of ideas Application Define the problem to be studied for the participants, clarify the rules of the game. Gather data and information necessary to approach the problem in an efficient manner. Carry -out the exercise: redefine a problem different from the one to be studied, experiment with it for a few minutes. Generate the maximum of ideas without prior judgement – always ask â€Å"what else† – quantity of ideas is quality – no limits – no criticise – modify other’s ideas to produce new ones. Let the subconscious work. Gather the ideas generated – analyse them – work with logical thinking. Evaluate the ideas gathered and analysed – develop and combine them before proceeding to put them in practice. Incubation Syntheses Evaluation Source: European Commission, Innovation Management Techniques in Operation, European Commission, DG XIII, Luxembourg, 1998. INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 18 Table 3: Osborn’s Checklist Question Put to other uses?Adapt? Description New ways to use as is? Other uses if modified? What else is like this? What other idea does this suggest? Does past offer parallel? What could I copy? Whom could I emulate? New twist? Change meaning, colour, motion, sound, odour, form, shape? Othe r changes? What to add? More time? Greater frequency? Stronger? Higher? Longer? Thicker? Extra value? Plus ingredient? Duplicate? Multiply? Exaggerate? What to subtract? Smaller? Condensed? Miniature? Lower? Shorter? Lighter? Omit? Streamline? Split up? Understate? Who else instead? What else instead? Other ingredient? Other Material? Other process? Other power?Other place? Other approach? Other tone of voice? Interchange components? Other pattern? Other layout? Other sequence? Transpose cause and effect? Change pace? Change schedule? Transpose positive and negative? How about opposites? Turn it backward? Turn it upside down? Reverse role? Change shoes? Turn tables? Turn other cheek? How about a blend, an alloy, an assortment, an ensemble? Combine units? Combine purposes? Combine appeals? Combine ideas? Modify? Magnify? Minify? Substitute? Rearrange? Reverse? Combine? Source: J. M. Higgins, â€Å"Innovate or evaporate: creative techniques for strategists†, Long Range Planning , Vol. 9, No 3, pp. 370-380, 1996 (reprinted from Alex Osborn, Applied Imagination, Charles Scribner’s & Sons, Inc. , New York). Figure 1: Lotus blossom sample INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi CREATIVITY 19 1 by packaging 4 smaller / bigger 6 other material 2 by design A product differenti ation 7 change color 3 other uses 5 plus ingredient 8 change meaning A product differentiati on D lower cost F supply flexibility B product quality core idea: increase product consumption G product credibility C customer needs E service quality H competitors product strategies B C D E F G H INNOREGIO project Dr E. Sefertzi

The Incas Essay

The Incas Essay The Incas Essay The Incas The Incas were Native Americans from South America. The Incas were very creative in using their resources to make their daily lives easier. The Incas would use anything they could find to help them in their daily lives. The Incas ruled the largest and richest empire of all time. The empire covered all of modern-day Peru, as well as Ecuador, northwest Argentina, Columbia, northern Chile, and southern Bolivia. The empire was 2500 miles long from top to bottom and was bigger than modern day Peru. The emperor of the Inca Empire ruled their land through a very complex political system. The emperor would rule over the military forces and then the military forces would take leadership of smaller regions. After the Spanish conquest, the emperor had to rule all of the empire all by himself. The Incas secretly divided themselves into tribes, so the emperor would not have as much work to do. There were eventually thirty one tribes. The main belief of the Incas was the sun god. The sun god’s name was Inti. Inti was believed to be the son of Viracocha. The sun was perhaps the most important aspect the Inca’s life because it provided warmth and light. Inti was also known as the Giver of all Life. He was worshiped by all people who relied on the sun. Although he was the second most worshipped god after Viracocha, his father, he received the greatest number of offerings. The emperor, as ruler of the people, claimed divine and direct descent from the Sun; he was the living son of Inti. They believed the sun god made the whole world and everything in it. The sun was used on many flags including Argentina and Uruguay.The symbol of the sun god was the emperor, who the Incas believed to descend from the sun. Almost all of the Incas worked on a farm or for a farmer to provide food for their families. The reason most of the Incas worked on a farm was because there was really good soil in the Inca Empire, so they took advantage of the good soil. The only tools the Incas would use were a simple hoe and a knife. The farmers would grow most of the food for their families and neighbors. Most of the crops that were grown were quinoa, maize, peanuts, beans, and squash. The Incas would also raise animals for meat, milk, and cheese. The Inca’s cities were laid out very well organized as all of the buildings were in a grid formation. All cities had to have a city plaza for meetings. Plazas were

Brown essays

Brown essays A selection group consists of a test and two sets of one or more operations (statements). The test must be stated so that it yields a true or false result. One set of statements is performed when the outcome of the test is true. The other set is performed when the outcome is false. The flowchart in Figure 5-1 illustrates the flow of control through a selection group. The two sets of statements are mutually exclusive; that is, only one is performed. The next statement to be performed is then the statement following the selection group. There is a special case of the selection group in which the false case is null-that is, contains no statements. When the false case is null, a false result simply causes an exit from the selection group, and no statements are executed. This type of selection group is illustrated in Figure 5-2. The key words if, then, and else are used for selection. End if is placed at end (bottom) of the selection group. The general structure is shown in Figure 5-3. It is very important that the Figure 5-1 Flowchart of the general from of the selection group. Statement in the THEN and ELSE sets be indented under their corresponding key words so that each that each stands out clearly from the other. Figure 5-2. Flowchart of a selection group having a null false case. If the ELSE set is null, it is simply omitted, as shown in figure 5-4 Figure 5-3 General form of the selection group in pseudocode. The boxes represent sets of one or more statements. Figure 5-4 General form of the selection group in pseudocode when the else case is null. The box represents sets of one or more statements. (Solutions precede the exercises at the end of the chapter.) 5-1. Construct an If- then-else that instructs the computer to print the message There is no sales tax if the tax code is zero and The sales tax is 4% otherwise. 5-2. Construct an if-then-else that instructs the computer to add 1 to freshman counter if classif...

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD USE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY INSTEAD OF NUCLEAR Thesis Proposal

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD USE GEOTHERMAL ENERGY INSTEAD OF NUCLEAR ENERGY - Thesis Proposal Example Geothermal power, as an energy alternative, is safer than nuclear power and offers solutions to Japan’s energy dilemma. Japan is a nation that has for thousands of years experienced volcanic eruptions and earthquakes which are of a large scale. Ironically, it is also a country that has for a long time been lamenting on its deficiency in natural resources. The questions arising are why Japan is not tapping into its huge potential for geothermal energy capacities and whether the country will eventually start to look into the possibility of tapping into such resources in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, nuclear crisis and tsunami. In spite of the fact that Japan is located above the third largest reserve of geothermal energy in the world, less than one per cent of its energy output is presently obtained from geothermal power. Even though the investment in nuclear energy has been high ever since the 1970s oil crisis, the Japanese government has continued to import its gas, coal and oil from overseas for a long time. Nuclear power accounted for 30% of the country’s electrical supplies at the time of the March 11 disaster and there were plans in place to increase this to 50% by 2050 (Bortz 24). Since the disaster, a shadow has been cast over the country’s nuclear plans by the government’s on-going stress testing of existing plants plus the ever growing hostile reactions by the public against nuclear energy. The government has therefore made a promise to renew energy policies of the country with a slow change towards more renewable natural energy sources such as geothermal energy. Industry leaders from Japan like Mitsubishi and Toshiba control 70% market share of geothermal technology. On the other hand, Fuji Electric had a hand in the making of the largest geothermal plant in the world last year in New Zealand, a country not its homeland. This raising the question of why Japanese companies are not investing in their home

Criminal Law 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminal Law 2 - Essay Example A battery is when a person intentionally and recklessly applies unlawful force to another2. Section 39 assaults are dealt with as a summary offence and carry a maximum of six months imprisonment. This can include a fine of up to  £5,000 or the sentence can be replaced by a fine on its own. On some occasions a common assault can be counted as an indictment if the requirements laid down by section 40 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 are met. If the courts are satisfied that the assault fits the criteria for a battery then the correct charge would be assault by beating3. The difference between a section 39 assault and a section 474 assault is in the degree of injury that results from the attack. In terms of sentencing the courts can issue higher sentences for a section 47 assault. The Code for Crown Prosecutors is aware that there will be factors that will influence the decision whether to charge at the highest level or whether a lesser charge is more appropriate. In general terms grazes, scratches, abrasions and minor bruising as well as swellings, reddening of the skin, superficial cuts and a black eye will fall under the remit of a section 39 assault. When the prosecutors are deciding on the charge they will consider the degree of injury first. There are also a few cases where the degree of injury would usually amount to a common assault but because there are aggravating features to the attack the more serious charge may be appropriate. Aggravating features can include the use of a weapon, biting, gouging or kicking of a victim whilst on the grou nd, or strangulation which is for more than a fleeting moment and which caused rea; fear to the victim. Other aggravating features can include the vulnerability of the victim such as the age of the victim or any disability the victim might have. The Domestic Violence, Crime and Disorder Act 2004 s11 makes common assault an alternative to more serious offences of assault even if the count has not been