The Alhambra

After a long time of going back in time to experience first hand the stories behind the world's greatest paintings, I decided to take a break in studying visual art and widen my perspectives a bit. I stayed up all night on which adventure to take next, and the all-night contemplation led me to a decision to take another adventure—to take on Architectural artworks. First stop, the world-famous Alhambra in Granada, Spain. I went back 12 centuries in time, all the way to the ninth century—the reign of the Islamic invasion of Spain.The Zirites, who are the first kings of Granada, had the Alhambra constructed for military reasons. They built their castles on the hill across the Alhambra, making the structure a fortress for forthcoming attacks from anticipated conquerors. Tension was in the air at all times during this point, but it didn't stop me from appreciating the beauty of the structure that is Alhambra. Though still not fully developed, its obvious Arabesque style†”a type of Islamic art with repetitive complex, geometric patterns of interlacing plant, animal, and abstract forms—makes it a sight to behold.I have already read in art and history books that the Alhambra as a fortress would go on until the 13th century, so I decided to skip the boring part and take myself to 1238. It was at this point when the Alhambra was used as a residence of the kings. During this time, it was the Nasrites who ruled the Islamic kingdom in Spain. The Alhambra was later on developed to include a â€Å"alcazaba† (fortress), an â€Å"alcazar† (palace) and a small â€Å"medina† (city), still with Islamic art ruling the entirety of the structures.The old fortress was later on restored; the artworks developed to reach the full potential of its beauty. This, in turn, signified the Golden Age of Islam in Spain. Perhaps it was the overwhelming awe over the legendary architecture of the Alhambra and the chills it gave me just by looking at s ome parts of its structural design which transported me to yet another century. Next thing I know, it was 1492, and Granada was no longer occupied by the Islams.Catholicism was brought back to Spain, and the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabel conquered the city, making the Alhambra a Christian court. Military garrisons and churches were built inside the compound, incorporating Catholicism into the Islamic architecture. For centuries the Alhambra turned into a Catholic city built on Islamic roots, but as years passed, the legendary architectural wonder was left neglected. I was then transported to the 19th century, and it shocked me to find the Alhambra unoccupied, except by thieves, beggars, and homeless people.It struck me so hard that in no time I got back to present time. Now, as I am writing this, the Alhambra is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a strong contender for the New Seven Wonders of the World. The Alhambra being recognized as one of the most important stru ctures and architectural artworks in the entire world makes me so proud that I was part of history when it all happened; though I was nothing but a spectator, I got to experience the rich culture in which the Alhambra was rooted, and the colorful history it had withstood.References Crayon, G. (1832). The Alhambra. London: Samuel Bentley. Lipscomb, K. (2005). Hunter Travel Guides: Spain. New Jersey: Hunter Publishing, Inc. Irwin, Robert. (2004). The Alhambra. London: Butler & Tanner Ltd. Feminism. (n. d. ). In Encyclop? dia Britannica online. Retrieved from http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/724633/feminism Granada, The Alhambra. (n. d. ). In Andalucia Website. Retrieved from http://www. andalucia. com/cities/granada/alhamhistory. htm Arabesque: Art Movement. (n. d. ). In Art Education. Retrieved from

Florence Nightingale Leadership in Nursing Essay

Nursing has never been simple profession and it is not an easy task to quantify the contributions nurses have made in shaping healthcare. Modern nursing is complex, ever changing and multi focused; requiring nurses to evolve personally and professionally as leaders in healthcare. What is leadership? Leadership is defined by what it is, as much as what it is not. Leadership has nothing to do with titles, age, seniority, education or status, but rather associated with the characteristics that define a leader. Per Forbes Magazine (April, 2013) â€Å"Leadership is a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal. An effective leader must inspire the group to follow in their lead, to guide them to accomplish a mutual goal.† Florence Nightingale, the innovative leader and pioneer of modern nursing, is the person I selected as the leader I most admire and one who continues to inspire me to continue to grow professionally. Read more:  The person you admire the most essay Nightingale, who lived from 1820-1910 was a visionary, healer, reformer, environmentalist, feminist, practitioner, scientist, politician and global citizen. Her achievements are astounding considering the Victorian era, and the submissive role of women in her time. Her contributions to nursing theory, research, statistics, public health, and health care reform are invaluable and inspirational. Florence Nightingale demonstrated the characteristics of leadership such as, mission conscious, tenacity, solution oriented and commitment by her ability to establish nursing as professional practice, separate from medicine, while practicing in a male dominated world. Secondly, she was intentional and focused in her efforts as an advocate for the advancement of nursing into leadership positions and not one of just servitude, by fostering an environment of continued education and training for nurses. She formalized an educational program and founded the first nursing school in England that helpe d to formulate standards of practice evident in nursing care today. Florence far reaching visionary concepts of nurses contribution to healthcare ,leadership and the transformational aspects of nursing has continued to propel nurses into the forefront of modern healthcare . According to, Selanders & Crane, (2012) â€Å"Today ANA states that high quality practice includes advocacy as an  integral component of patient safety. Advocacy is now identified both as a component of ethical nursing practice and as a philosophical principle underpinning the nursing profession and helping to assure the rights and safety of the patient.† If the true test of leadership is measured by the outcomes, Florence is a proven leader. It has been my experience that nursing is a transformational experience, it shapes you as much as your values and philosophies shape your practice. Florence Nightingale herself was a true visionary, who was also transformed into a leader by her courage, advocacy, focus and intentional pursuits, in advancing the practice of nursing. Her leadership style is aligned with that of a transformational leader, integrated with some democratic and authoritarian leadership styles of her time. Per Selander & Crane (2012) â€Å"Nightingale understood the value of and the methods for achieving visionary leadership. She repetitively utilized techniques which have been developed as the stair step leadership development model. This paradigm blends the ideas of Nightingale with the current leadership terminology of Burns (1978, 2003), who identified the relative merit of leadership outcomes, with the ‘novice-to-expert’ concept of Benner (2000) which focuses on the necessity of building leadership skills. â€Å"Her ability to empower and inspire others to follow in her path, is the ultimate pinnacle of success for a leader. Florence Nightingale embodies the true characteristics and spirit of leadership, one that has proven the test of time and continues to evolve with time, as nurses forge a path in the 21 century healthcare. Selanders. L, Crane.P, (2012), 17(1).The voice of Florence Nightingale on Advocacy. Online J.of Nursing Issues Kruse. (April, 2013).The Definition of Leadership in the 21 Century, Forbes Magazine.www.forbesmagazine.com

The US-China trade relationship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The US-China trade relationship - Research Paper Example The United States imposed selective controls on trade with China immediately after the communist forces commenced to win the civil war in the early 1949. U.S export controls were then progressively tightened until a whole ban was set in place against China by the U.S following the outbreak of the Korean War (Louis and Bull 127). The United States was fundamental in creating the coordinating Committee on Multinational Export Controls (COCOM). It comprised of representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Japan. It was intended to supervise a ban, which was imposed on China and the U.S. This study reveals that, by 1951, no trade existed between the two countries. In 1971, China recaptured its seat in the UN. President Richard Nixon made a historic visit to China In 1972 and these unfolding events compelled COCOM to loosen the export controls and allowed China to get equal treatment like the Soviet Union (Louis and Bull 124). This forced the US to permit its populace to make purchases from the Republic of China and compensate for them in dollars. The move by COCOM made USA’s exports be under the identical export control precincts as sales made to the Soviet Union. The trend of partial loosening of barriers continued until after nearly twenty years trade between the two countries has been seen growing tremendously (Louis and Bull 124). The total trade between the two nations has expanded from zero to nearly $2.4 billion in the late 1970s. This is the year when the two countries formally established diplomatic relations. The US and China formally signed the Trade Relation Agreement. This agreement was intended to accord each of the two nations the most favoured nation treatment based on the reciprocal trend (Lehmann and Lehmann 158). This study establishes that, this was just the begging of the numerous trade agreements that followed in the subsequent years. Some of them included Agreement on Civil Aviation and Sea Transportation and the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation. In addition, three joint committees on commerce, science and technology and economic affairs were formed. These committees were intended to serve as effective instruments of promoting dialogue between the two nations. As from 1981, China was given relatively higher levels of the USA’s technology than the Soviet Union. COCOM adopted a green line policy toward China in 1985 (Lehmann and Lehmann 159). This policy gave preferential licensing treatment, which enabled China to control up to 27 categories of items for exports to China. China became more advantaged than other countries prescribed under the COCOM. This saw China grow in labour intensive industries, which later became China’s driving force for China’s exports. It is worth noting that, by 1988, China’s exports had reached over $40 billion and total trade topped 480 billion. This study establishes that, the USA imposed broad sanctions against China after the Tiananmen Square incident in the summer 1989. The sanctions included a deferral of authorized and military interactions between the two nations, a ban on the US trade financing and investment insurance for China projects and a prohibition on exports to military and police

Cuban Revolution of 1959 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cuban Revolution of 1959 - Research Paper Example Varadero and Havana were the Rich and Famous’ resort and casinos, gambling as well as prostitution, were commonplace. Most Cubans particularly on the rural areas however lived in an environment of atrocious repression and they experienced extreme poverty, they were uneducated and there were many illnesses among them among them. Cuban dictator Batista was in power during this time and his regime was very cruel and the peasants greatly suffered under this very difficult political situation, which greatly concerned Fidel Castro and he started planning on overthrowing Batista’s dictatorship (Habanera, 1). The Cuban Revolution started with the Moncada Barracks’ failed attack by Fidel Castro together with his brother Raul, on July 26, 1953. Castro expected the soldiers of Batista to be inebriated and stuporous when his revolutionary’s band would surprise them at dawn. He had 160 men and prepared them to attack the barracks’ main post. However, they ex perienced a terrific failure at Moncada and Batista forces either killed or captured almost all of the rebels. Together with the members of his band, Fidel Castro was arrested and they underwent trial and were convicted. During his trial on October 16, 1953, Castro presented a famous speech entitled History Will Absolve Me as a legal defense of himself, which became a major revolutionary document (Faria, 4 ). Faria further explains that the presiding judge specifically sentenced them to be imprisoned in the terrible old fortress prison of La Cabana where they would serve a sentence of fifteen years. However, Ramon Hermida, the Cuban Minister of the Interior, directed that they be sent to the newest Modelo Prison where they were treated favorably as political prisoners. After two years only, Batista pardoned Castro and his conspirators in a general amnesty release as a sign of national reconciliation. His supporters welcomed him as a hero and he organized his followers and formed the 26th of July Movement, in remembrance of Moncada attacks, before running away to Mexico for his safety, where he started training an army in preparation to wage a guerilla war against his rival Batista (Jacob & Wong, 3). During the same time during which the 26th of July Movement was created, various groups also increased their endeavors against the government of Batista – groups such as those connected to the former political parties stepped up their efforts in opposition to the regime of Batista. Additionally, angry at the refusal of Batista to consent to new and just elections in the ‘Civic Dialogue’ that he had held with his democratic rivals, The University Student Federation established the secret Directorio Revolucionario, which would assist them to fight Batista’s government more violently and more directly. In Mexico, Castro and his brother brought together the 26th of July’s supporters and members abroad, who engaged themselves in trainin g, collecting arms as well as raising money in preparation to attack Batista (Babun & Triay, 3). On December 2, 1956, in company with 82 others, Castro landed in Cuba using a small yacht called Granma. This was two days behind the schedule and a fighter plane that a naval frigate had set upon unfortunately spotted them, which forced them to dock at a swamp called Playa los Corolados (Babun & Triay, 4).

Rainwater Harvesting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Rainwater Harvesting - Essay Example Furthermore, the tanks have a 15-year warranty and use up-to-date technology to ensure the water is safe for human consumption (JFC n.p.). The availability of different sizes makes the system ideal for areas without water security. The installation process is cost efficient as the tank can be backfilled with pea-gravel instead of backfill. Furthermore, the assembling of the tank can take place on-site, and the assembly instructions provided eliminating the costs of hiring a crane. The Stormsaver provides high-quality rain harvesting systems at competitive prices. It provides its services for domestic and commercial use. Testimonials from users of the system argue that the installation has halved their water bill, and the installation budget is small. According to John Thorne, the Stormsaver System cost  £2,500 and an extra  £5,000 to install (Stormsaver n.p.). The plant reduces domestic consumption as the water covers toilet flushing and sprinkler systems. Furthermore, the company offers free servicing, maintenance and installation, reducing the cost of purchase and

Social Psychology paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Psychology paper - Essay Example This makes this theory applicable only to higher mammals, including human beings. The theory is especially helpful in understanding the core processes of everyday human interactions. Say, a boss goes out to lunch with a female colleague; this is a typical scenario that falls within the application range of Causal Attribution theory. In this case, the boss orders food for his colleague while not being cognizant of her food allergies. Causal Attribution theory will help us answer such questions as â€Å"How much causal responsibility can we assign to the boss, for this apparent mistake†? etc. The theory is also useful in controlling levels of pain or joy. Since the cognitive mechanism that results in sensations of pain or joy is a matter of anticipation and expectation, painful experiences can be mitigated and joyful experiences amplified if the individual sees events from a favorable perspective. As a result, Causal Attribution theory is also useful for psychotherapists who deal with cases of chronic anxiety and depression. The techniques learned to control levels of pain/joy can also help athletes in managing niggling injuries or competitive pressure when participating in a major sport event like the Olympic Games. A few other phenomena associated with Causal Attribution theory are â€Å"The Self-Serving Bias and The Fundamental Attribution Error† (from the Presentation). Seminal work on these components was done by Jones and Harris in 1967 and by Ross and his team in 1977. Jones and Harris studied Fidel Castro’s public image and the causal mechanisms at play. Ross and his team studied game shows and found that participants â€Å"fail to see the inherent disadvantages in people† (from the Presentation). Daniel Gilbert proposed a precautionary measure to avoid Attribution Errors. He recommended against weighing behavioral and situational information at the same time. The other area where distinction

Report of Collaboration Manager (interview) Essay

Report of Collaboration Manager (interview) - Essay Example Costco world headquarters are located in Washington and Korea home-office is located in Costco Yangpyung location. Costco in Korea also targets lower end customers by selling products at low prices, often at very high volume. Costco is experiencing rapid growth in its Asian business. Ever since Costco entered into Asian market, international outlets has experienced a sales growth of 7% in 2011 and Costco’s best performing store is in Korea. Costco does not provide multiple brands varieties where the item is essentially the same except when it has a house brand to sell, often under the Kirkland trademark label. Their distribution system focuses on a high volume of sales from single vendors, allowing further reductions in price and lower marketing costs. Through the collaborative manager interview report, more research and investigation was held on how Costco Korea implemented its business strategy in Korean market and successfully created the collaborative work environment in t heir distribution channel. In addition, the report focused on their collaborative strategy of how the company communicated with Costco buyers in order to meet local customer demands and requirements. In order to gain visibility into performance at Costco Korea, it was necessary to interview Korean branch of collaborative manager, Sung-Gu Ryu to gain his personal experience and perspectives on overall category of growth trends. Role of the CM in Helping the Organization Achieve Its Strategic Objectives Collaborative manager entails the working together of managers in an organization to achieve the goals and the objectives of the organization. Sung-Gu Ryu outlined the strategic objectives of Costco Corporation which gave directions to his role as the CM. To begin with, Costco Corporation operates on a best value and best price principle. This means that Sung-Gu Ryu has a role of developing and implementing quality assessment tools that aim at investigating the satisfaction of the cust omers with the quality of products being produced by Costco Corporation. Moreover, Sung-Gu Ryu has the role of ensuring that customers are satisfied with the price of commodities being offered compared to its competitors, in bid to offer the best price for its commodities. Acting ethically, is another strategic objective of Costco Corporation and Sung-Gu Ryu as the CM has a great role in ensuring that this strategic objective is achieved. Firstly, he ensures that the managers working in collaboration with him are managers of integrity and have a high moral standard. This ensures that their operations are morally and ethically upright as pertains to how they treat their customers, employees, suppliers and competitors. Moreover, it is the strategic objective of Costco Corporation to never lose sight of the reason why they are in operation. Sung-Gu Ryu being the CM has the duty of en-culturing the staff to this organization culture and ensuring that every employee knows the vision and mission of Costco Corporation. So as never to lose sight of this vision, it is embedded on products developed by the Corporation and Sung-Gu Ryu also comes up with slogans aiding in achievement of Costco Corporation’s strategic objectives. CMs background, Obstacles Faced, Process Used to Develop External Relationships and Achieve Significant Milestones Sung-Gu Ryu, is the manager who is bestowed with