The Statements by the ARCIC and BEM on Eucharist Essay

The Statements by the ARCIC and BEM on Eucharist - Essay Example Such changes can be indentified in the subsequent revisions of the order of masses, the change in common catholic and Anglican traditional and custom practices as well as the liberty and freedom of religion and worship that has changed over time (Miller, 2002). It is through such changes that the common doctrines have changed and so the connection and relationship of the conventional catholic and Anglican Church to the original church that was left when Christ ascended have changed too (Jeanes, 2008). Following the consecration of one Robison, a homosexual by the Anglican Church as a bishop, and the ordination of women as to participate in Anglican Communion, the sexuality issue became a significant point of contention between the two churches (Miller, 2002 p302). Whether the sacrifice of Eucharist should be administered to the dead was another point of disagreement (WCC, 1982). While according to the historical traditions of the Catholic Church, it can be administered while the Angl ican Church held a different viewpoint. Adoration of the Eucharist by Christians as a custom of the Catholic Church seemed unpopular with the Anglican Church (Dennis, 1998). ... The statements served to clear and iron out these differences and create a commonality on the religious ground of the two churches. The doctrines and practices observed by the two churches have ever since the provision of these statements changed. The doctrines and practices that were harmonised include the art of baptism, the relevance of Holy Mary in the lives of individual Christians and the art of administration of the Eucharist and the Holy Communion (Miller, 2002 p121). This has seen many changes being effected to accommodate the practices of the Anglican Church in Catholicism. A good illustration being the proposal that the Anglican church can rejoin and get united with the Catholic church, while preserving their structures (Bradshaw, 2004). The Anglican Church priests were allowed to join the Catholic Church and still maintain their marriage status, very contrary to the Catholic doctrines that requires that priests should observe the fundamental principle of celibacy. Another way in which the provision of these statements transformed the history of theology is the observance of the conversion of bread and wine as a symbolic representation of the body of Jesus Christ (Jeanes, 2008 p32). This is because, the Anglican Church used to administer the Eucharist but not observe the bread and wine as the body and blood of Jesus. While the Anglican doctrines did not recognize the role of the pope, the provision of the statements through agreements by both churches, causing the call for a reunion of the churches means that that the Anglican Church has to recognize the pope as the head of the Church. The Anglicans theological history was changed to accommodate the role of mother Mary in the prayer life of the Christians (Miller, 2002 p315). On the side of the Catholic

Analysis of the Macro Environment of Barcelona Football Club Essay

Analysis of the Macro Environment of Barcelona Football Club - Essay Example The main objective of Nunez as the president of the club was to make Barcelona as world-class club. To accomplish this goal, Nunez gave the club stability on the pitch and off the pitch. He had some strict attitudes in himself as the president of the club that intensely affected the image of the club. He held to a stringent policy regarding wages and discipline of the players and the team’s support staffs that actually helped the club to achieve its success. He did not meet demands of players like Maradona, Romario and Ronaldo for the sake of the club. During his era, UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, Copa del Rey Cup, European Super Cup and many more. His presidency lasted for 22 years as resigned in 2000 after the loss to Real Madrid in the champions League (Hamil, Walters & Watson, 2010, pp. 477-480). PESTEL Analysis of Nunez’s era: The PESTEL analysis discusses the Political factors, Economic factors, Social factors, Technological factors, Environmental factors and Lega l Factors. During the era of Nunez, all these factors led to remarkable changes. This paper discusses on the political and the economic factors. By the start of the era of Nunez, the club and the country came out of the rule of the fascist dictator General Franco (Vincent, 2007, p. 93). He deteriorated the membership model of ownership at the club, reduced club members’ rights and eroded the democracy within the club statutes. Apart from this the degree of government intervention was very low during Nunez’s presidency due to Spain’s transition to democracy (Casals, 2011, p. 112). During his era, there was a lack of transparency regarding the choice of assembly members. During the Nunez era, the emphasis was on the maximization of the club’s economic potential. There was a lack of transparency regarding the accounting procedure, setting and monitoring of the annual budget. The economic situation of the club was not satisfactory during this era. And this le d the club to face almost the problem of bankruptcy at the end of 2003 (Hamil, Walters & Watson, 2010, pp. 477-480) (see Table 1 in the Appendix). The era since Joan La Porta (2003-present): The era of Joan La Porta (2003-2010): Politically and economically weak situation of the FCB was recovered in the era of Joan La Porta. He opposed the former president Nunez and elected as the president of the club on June 15, 2003 (History of FC Barcelona, 2011). And his era lasts to June 30, 2010 (History of FC Barcelona, 2011). He was the most victorious president in terms of prizes won by the club. During his era the arrival of Frank Rijkaard, as the manager of the club and Ronaldinho, as the superstar footballer of the club led to the success of the club. The new style of his management of eventually helped the club to achieve an unbelievable success. His initial era as the president did not start with success. During the starting season of his presidency, the club could not manage to win a single trophy. But he requested players and fans to have faith on the team management and the team ultimately started playing fantastic and fascinating football after the signing of some of the greatest domestic, such as Puyol, Xavi, Valdes, Presas etc. and international footballers, such as Deco, Eto’o, Edmilson etc. His era also underwent from some of criticisms too. Some of the members of his team management thought that he always tried to use his

Conflict Between Staff And Management Management Essay

Conflict Between Staff And Management Management Essay Within corporations one of the most common forms of conflict occurs between management and staff. This conflict arises when both groups are trying to fulfill the same desire, self-interest. If both parties are concerned with the overall result, it could be presumptuous to think that no conflict or controversy could arise in the given situation. However, for management to improve the company position and consequently, their own position, they need to maximize profit. Often the methods used by companies to undergo such a change would include: a lower distribution of wages, less benefits for the employee, and less funding towards safety training. These methods are in direct opposition to workers, who attempt to increase their own wages and benefits in a safe environment. Due to these incompatible ideals, conflict often occurs. As a result, negotiation is required. This report outlines the reasons behind the conflict within the Aliant company in 2004, as well as the costs, attempted solu tions, and the final result. The example of Aliant is provided to give a firsthand account of the origin of conflict, possible solutions to conflict as well as issues surrounding conflict. Aliant Inc, is the Atlantic sub division of Bell Aliant, which is the largest telecommunications company in Canada. Bell Aliant was forged when Ontario and Quebecs regional wire lines were connected (Our Focus, 2010). The company boasts its integrity in accordance with social, economic, and green issues that affect our globe on a daily basis, seeking new options, innovative programs and trying to define customer service with their impressive communication systems. (About us, 2010) A list of exceptional accomplishments of Bell Aliant includes the companys new status as of 2000, as the innovative local telephone company in North America (A history of Bell Aliant, 2010). As stated in Bell Aliants timeline of their history, in 2002, one of every five Canadians was choosing Aliant telecom call service. Bell Aliant is a socially responsible company, as well as an understanding company. It is also mentioned that in 2005, when devastating news broke of the tsunami, the company provided free long distance for calls made to the countries compromised. In 2006, Aliant announced that it would be a proud sponsor of the Vancouver Olympics Games in 2010. In the following year the company worked with the Barenaked Ladies to support and fund the Winter Games. In 2007, Aliant was the first to offer unlimited, unrestricted long distance calling across Atlantic Canada. In 2008 Aliant won the gold medal at the worldwide contact center competition. And finally in 2009 the company wo n the international award for marketing innovation (A History of Bell Aliant, 2010). Bell Aliant has been a successful company in supporting its customers and their needs. Up until 2004 the company had little dispute between executive administration and the labour force. However, in the late spring of 2004 a strike broke out. The Strike took place in Nova Scotia among the union and communication representatives. They worked and trudged through a four month long strike. The terms of the employees and executive members were negotiated and mostly resolved (A History of Bell Aliant, 2010). The terms of the conflict, and the process of resolution that Bell Aliant used to eradicate the strike will be discussed in the following section. Regardless of the chemistry of a workplace, there will always be conflicting issues. These issues can arise from clashing personalities, responsibility misunderstandings and limited resources (Rau- Roster, 2000). In the case of Aliant, limited resources were the cause of the conflict, as the Aliant employees wanted a more desirable pension (Ottawa Appoints Mediator in Aliant Strike, para. 7). Pension and the rate of pay have always been a significant factor in conflict as well as with the creation of strikes. Strikes encourage employers to listen to their subordinates and resolve conflict through negotiation. Communication problems are one of the top reasons why conflict occurs. As more employees are hired by an organization, communication weakens. This is because more employees are dependent on others, and not all employees have the same knowledge capital. Conflict can also occur when two employees with different personalities work together, this is the result of the employees not h aving the motivation or incentive to correlate ideas and information, as well as the possibility of the employees having conflicting views with regard to the task at hand. We can see both causes of conflict in the Conflict Process Model. The model shows how incompatible goals, differentiation, interdependence, scarce resources, ambiguous rules and poor communication all lead to conflict in the workplace. To resolve conflict employers must choose a conflict handling style. These include using problem solving, and compromising to negotiate what the employees would like to see change in the workplace. It is recommended that employers avoid the forcing, avoiding or yielding styles. (McShane Steen, 2009) These styles could lead to further conflict because they do not resolve what the employees want. In order for conflict to be resolved in the workplace, employees must feel as if they have been acknowledged. They must also recognize their employers compromises made in negotiation. As see n with Aliant, there can be conflict in any workplace. Employees will not always get along or they may depend too much on each other. Employer and employee conflict is also very frequent, as employees always want more from their jobs. As supported by McShane and Steen (2009) the Model of Conflict Process includes sources of conflict, conflict perceptions and emotions, manifest conflict, conflict escalation and conflict outcomes (p. 261). According to CBC News Staff (2004) the employees source of conflict at Aliant was job security, pay, hours of work and benefits. They also want[ed] better health-care and pension benefits as well as limits on contracting out (Talks Resume in Contracting Out, para. 9). Evan Cronk, union negotiator, stated that he thought that they à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦went over backwards this week to get a deal but the end result was the company tabled an offer this morning that took most of what we were prepared to do but offered nothing in return (As cited by CTV News Staff, 2004, Aliant Telecommunications Workers go on strike, para. 8). Evan Cronks statement reveals his conflict perception. According to McShane and Steen (2009), conflict perceptions and emotions manifest themselves in the decisions an d behaviours of one party toward the other (p. 261). This decision on behalf of Cronk to believe that the company was offering nothing to union workers further escalated the conflict and forced the strike to carry on for months longer than (Aliant)was prepared for. McShane and Steen (2009) call these visible changes in behaviour conflict episodes (p. 261). The perception that Aliant was not willing to provide their employees with what they wanted seemed to start a visible conflict as seen through the conflict style of both Aliant and their employees. Both parties seem to have been using what McShane and Steen describe as the win-lose orientation [which is] the belief that conflicting parties are drawing from a fixed pie, so the more one party receives, the less the other party will receive (p. 264). With both parties using this style of conflict it was extremely hard for them to reach an agreement that would end the strike and save the company from losing millions of dollars. There were many negative outcomes as a result of the conflicting styles of negotiation used by both parties. The service of Aliant deteriorated greatly over the length of the strike. CTV News Staff (2004) found that Over the course of the dispute, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) which regulates Canadas phone industry received an increasing number of complaints over the deteriorating quality of service (Taking a Toll section, para. 5). The situation of Aliant employees deteriorated so much that one employee had been à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦evicted from his home, and othersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦found themselves having to use community food banks (CTV news staff, 2004, Taking a Toll section, para. 6). Whilst union workers were on strike About 2,200 managers did the workOne manager in New Brunswick was injured after falling while working on a power pole. However, Aliant wouldnt provide any details on such incidents (CTV news staff, 2004, Taking a Toll Section, para. 7 ). As reported by CBC news staff (2004), The strike also caused numerous problems for people needing phone service and there were also allegations of union sabotage in June when vandals knocked out service to 250,000 people in Newfoundland and 5,000 in Nova Scotia (Deal Reached in Aliant Strike, para. 8). The low performance of workers, high stress and low morale of the company are all categorized as conflict outcomes in the Model of the Conflict Process (McShane Steen, 2009). According to the CTV News Staff (2004) the four month long Aliant strike was unsuccessful for both parties. When the employees went on strike in late April their hopes, as with most strikes, were to increase wages and benefits as well as job security(1). CBC News Staff (2004) reported that employer loses were significant. In the affected quarters over a 20 million dollar decrease in revenue was reported when compared to the same period of time in the previous year. (Ottawa Appoints Mediator in Aliant Strike, para. 2). As reported by CTV News Staff (2004) this is due, no doubt, to the fact that the companys customers thoroughly felt the impact of the strike. The customers were affected by the quality of service they received. {1} To satisfy company needs, the company was forced to train over 2000 managers to do basic duties that were usually performed by employees. This training cost the company money. The managers, who are paid higher wages, caused higher wage costs allocated to basi c customer service. Many of the employees were not ready for a strike, especially one that would last five months. They began to notice dramatic lifestyle changes as they had not seen a pay cheque for months. The union also reported that some employees were in such financial trouble because of the strike that their houses had been foreclosed on. (Ottawa Appoints Mediator in Aliant Strike, para. 2) It is clear that both management and employees view this strike as a severe failure. http://autos.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20040423/aliant_strike040423?s_name=Autosno_ads http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/08/27/aliant_040827.html McShane and Steen (2009) name communication problems as one of the main sources of conflict within organizations (p. 262). They state that conflict often occurs due to the lack of opportunity, ability, or motivation to communicate effectively (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 264). Ellen Malcolmson, Senior Vice-President- Operations, Bell Canada stated that their à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦industry has changed significantly and permanently and the union must recognize thisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In such an environment, there are limits to how far the company can go and remain competitive (As cited by France Poulin, 2004, Bell Receives 72 Hours Strike Notice, para. 5). These limits, however, are somewhat ambiguous. The striking union members did not seem to know how far the company was able to go in regards to negotiations while they were à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦demanding greater job security and better pension and benefit packages (CBC News Staff, 2004, Deal Reached in Aliant Strike, para. 7) Had these limits been define d earlier in the negotiation process, it is possible that the strike would not have escalated to the magnitude it reached. Negotiation is defined as the process whereby two or more conflicting parties attempt to resolve their divergent goals by redefining the terms of their interdependence (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 269). In the case of Aliant, Federal Labour Minister Joe Fontanaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦appointed a mediator in the four-month-old strike (CBC News Staff, 2004, Ottawa Appoints Mediator in Aliant Strike, para. 1) A mediators à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦main purpose is to manage the process and context of interaction between the disputing partiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[they] have little or no control over the conflict resolution decision (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 272). This intervention worked and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦agreement [came] after five days of negotiations conducted by two federally appointed mediators (CBC News Staff, 2004, Deal Reached in Aliant Strike, para. 4) As mentioned earlier, the conflict handling style used by Aliant and union workers during the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦four-monthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦strike by 4,300 workers at Aliantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (CBC News Staff, 2004, Deal Reached in Aliant Strike, para. 1) can be compared to McShane and Steens (2004) win-lose orientation (p. 264). The win-lose orientation is affiliated with the forcing style which occurs when one side of the bargaining process tries to gain something at the expense of their opposition (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 264). Forcing is the conflict handling style with the highest risk of relationship conflict (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 266). From comparing the five conflict handling styles it can be seen that compromising may have been a better tactic during the negotiations between Aliant and their unionized workers. Aliant needed their unionized workers in order to maintain the same profit level that they had been used to, and the unionized workers needed the cooperation of Aliant in o rder to gain the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦greater job security and better pension and benefit packages (CBC News Cast, 2004, Deal Reached in Aliant Strike, para. 8) that they were seeking. Thus, it would be fair to say that both parties had fairly equal bargaining power. Compromising [is the] preferred style when parties have equal power, time pressure to solve the conflict [and when] parties lack trust/ openness for problem solving (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 266). From July 30 [alone]: the strike has cost [Aliant] $21M (CBC News Staff, 2004, Ottawa Appoints Mediator in Aliant Strike, para. 2). The time pressure component was certainly present throughout the Aliant strike as seen through the continually decreasing profits and poor living conditions of unionized workers. We rarely know for certain that mutual gains are not available, so entering into a conflict with the compromising style may cause the parties to overlook better solutions. (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 267) Even if the forcing styl e seemed most appropriate during the beginning of the conflict, due to thoughts that the other party would take advantage of more cooperative strategies (McShane Steen, 2009, p 267), it should have been noted sooner than four months that forcing was inappropriate. One of the oldest recommendations for resolving conflict is to seek out and find common goals (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 267). How could Aliant and their union workers possibly have common goals when The company and the unions are trying to reach their first contract since the phone companies of Atlantic Canada merged to form Aliant in 1999 [?]. Thats meant trying to transform nine collective agreements into one (CTV News Staff, 2004, Aliant Telecommunication Workers go on Strike, para. 13). Common goals generally increase employees commitment to the organization and reduce conflicting goals within different segments of the company, which in turn could make employees happier and reduce the risk of strikes while increasing the ability to compromise effectively (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 267). Aliant should have made a more concerted effort to establish common goals within the organization so that employees would feel a sense of unity with the company. This may have decreased aggressiven ess between management and their subordinates. Time Passage and Deadlines are mentioned as being an important situational influence on negotiations. (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 271) One problem is that time pressure inhibits a problem-solving conflict management style, because the parties have less time to exchange information or present flexible offers (McShane Steen, 2009, p.271). Both parties in the Aliant dispute felt a great pressure to settle the negotiations in a timely fashion. This pressure may have resulted in less concessions being made during the offering process. McShane and Steen (2009) believe that parties taking place in negotiations under time constraints usually do not have the ability to process information as well as they would under other circumstances (p. 271). The union leaders had a strict notion that the company was going to take advantage of them. This may have had an impact on the way that they viewed offers made by Aliant. The time constraint would have further enabled this conception by forcing them to think quickly and rely on their initial perceptions (McShane Steen, 2009, p. 271). Aliant could have started negotiations of a contract much earlier when they were formed in 1999, thus reducing the time constraint and the chance of a strike. As shown in the Aliant case, conflicts which arise within companies often have a much greater effect than would be thought initially. In this case, not only did the company lose money but the staff suffered financially, mentally and emotionally as they were required to rely on others such as food banks despite having a job. Management also suffered because of Aliants financial loss because of the physical and mental strain they undertook as they tried to do both their own job as well as that of their subordinates. Customers suffered because the overall quality of service dropped. Finally, all parties suffered a significant loss of trust. In order to resolve this problem the two parties were forced to enter into binding arbitration. Binding arbitration was used because other avenues of negotiation failed. These included talks with and without a mediator. The final solution was one that satisfied no one and left the chance of future conflict. Conflict exists now as it always has and it will continue to do so. People will always search for different ways to resolve conflict. Negotiation is a tool commonly used today. However, negotiation has evolved and will continue to do so. Nevertheless negotiation will always be reliant on communication. Conversation, barter, mediation, arbitration are all tools which can prevent and solve conflicts by allowing people to surpass differences in order to reach understanding.

Ruhling Manufacturing Company Essay -- Business Management

1. Why might negotiation be favored over competitive bidding in certain procurement situations? Based on the textbook and my understanding, whenever there are negotiations between a procurer and a supplier regarding a competitive bidding, the first thing that might be favored is the scope of the project, meaning both will sit down and discuss the entire project prior the work begins. Meanwhile, during the negotiations, evaluation criteria should be clear, and stated and defined. As the evaluation is based on the criteria stated and the procurer can request or ask the supplier’s opinions on certain specifications and where things can be improved. There are two characteristics to be considered when negotiating over competitive bidding: a) Must be flexible and allow changes to make and specify the designs of the projects. b) Knowledge is very important because if a project is based or awarded on competitive bidding then a contractor may not know the information about possible design flaws, submit a low bid, and recoup profits when changes are required. 2. Considerations of Epsilon's alternative proposal: a. What is the applicability of a requirements contract from Ruhling’s point of view? Assume that Epsilon will still make a profit resulting from economics of long runs and learning curves From Ruhling's point of views, the applicable of a requirements contract are both legal and mutually satisfactory, as long as performance is met and buyer's requirements exist, it gives certain protection against price increases, and the possibility of a market predictable. b. Assuming Ruhling is now interested in a requirements contract, how should Ruhling proceed with the bidding/award process? Ruhling should start a ... ...anged innumerable times over the project's life. Continual rework and time delays had hampered progress. Bolger had reported design errors that necessitated the refitting of complex equipment and rework of the aluminum welding. Materials requirements included the use of welded aluminum. Bolger normally employed only steel welders; aluminum welders were in short supply and impatient during work stoppages. The Bolger contract was cost based plus a fixed fee. A particularly disturbing problem was Bolger's cost reporting system. Bolger contract negotiators waited for up to three weeks for cost data. Works Cited http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/equip08.pdf http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/stadelis/aucvsneg07_15_07.pdf http://www.nextlevelpurchasing.com/articles/dual-source.html http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/employees/omcontracts/pdfs/section12.pdf

Islamic Influences On The Renaissance

Islamic Influences On The Renaissance BY Ashley Islamic Influences on the Renaissance Islam is a religion that is almost as old as Christianity itself. The two are very closely related, with only a few differences; the two key differences concern the Godhead being a single being rather than a Trig-Un entity like the Christians believe, and who exactly was the Chosen Prophet of God. As these differences are tantamount in each faith and are conflicting, it is natural to assume that both faiths would be at constant odds with one another.History offers more than enough material to back up that lain, but the focus of this paper will not be the conflict of the faiths. Instead it will focus on the Islamic influences on the Renaissance period of Europe. However, the two faiths don't want to coexist with each other, so when one gains power, they eliminate the other's influence to the best of their ability. There are two key factors in which Islam left a very lasting mark that cannot be ignore d and discarded, no matter the effort put into doing so.Education and architecture are two aspects of culture in which Islam left an influence on cultures and faiths all across the globe, including Christianity. To understand why Islam played such a big role in the fields of education and architecture, it must first be understood what Islam is and where it came from. Islam is a faith that traces its origin to Abraham, who is said to have established the original covenant with his God. This God is placed at the center of all Abraham religions. Therefore, God is the center of Islamic practices and beliefs.The major beliefs, as mentioned above, are that God is only one being, a complete, all- powerful, single deity. There are several other aspects to Islam than those that have been described here, but none of which are important. The only attribute of Islam that is relevant to this discussion is the fact the faith and reason go hand-in-hand in Islam. Muslims were encouraged to pursue k nowledge of the natural world around them. This helped them gain an appreciation for the intricate and harmonious nature that can be found in God, or as He is known in Islam, Allah.There is a period in time in which the Islamic world experienced something akin to the Renaissance of the 14th – 17th centuries. This period is known as the Islamic Golden Age. While the Renaissance was a time of cultural growth in the fields of the humanities by taking lassie aspects from history and building off of them -imitating and innovating, the Islamic Golden Age was also a time of cultural growth in every sense of the religion – particularly in the fields of academia.The movement can be seen in establishments such as the House of Wisdom that the Muslims built in Baghdad. The Muslims quest for knowledge was not only limited to their own discoveries and libraries; they sought to bring all the knowledge of the world under one roof. Baghdad was not the only city to become such a great c enter for learning; cities throughout the Islamic empire allowed suit and became centers for learning for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Cities that rivaled Baghdad were the city of Egypt and the city of CORBA in Al- Andalusia (â€Å"Islamic Golden Age. Www. Electroluminescent. Com). For five centuries, the Islamic empire as a whole enjoyed phenomenal growth in every aspect of culture. The Islamic people not only developed the academic side of their culture, they developed the humanitarian side as well. Most of the areas in the humanities will have little effect on the main idea of this paper except for one; the only area of once is the architectural style that the Islamic people developed that would influence the Renaissance period that comes to mind in the Western World.To better understand how Islam played a part in Renaissance architecture, Gothic architecture must be discussed and understood. The architecture style that was imitated and innovated in the Renaissance was the Got hic style. The features that define this architectural style are the ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and mostly notably the point arch. Each of these features made it possible for architects to design and build taller buildings than the Romanesque style allowed. The definitions for each of the elements of Gothic architecture will come from the Encyclopedia Britannica website.A ribbed vault is defined as follows: â€Å"arching and intersecting stone ribs support a vaulted ceiling surface that is composed of mere thin stone panels, which greatly reduced the weight the vault's weight. † (â€Å"Gothic Art. † Encyclopedia Britannica. ). The next feature of Gothic architecture to be defined in the Encyclopedia Britannica is the flying buttress. â€Å"A structure consisting of an inclined bar carried on a half arch that extends, or â€Å"flies,† from the upper part of a wall to a pier some distance away and aeries the thrust of a roof or vault.A pinnacle often crown s the pier, adding weight and enhancing stability. The design increased the supporting power of the buttress and allowed for the creation of the high-ceiling churches. † (â€Å"Gothic Art. † Encyclopedia Britannica. ). The third, and most important, feature of the architectural style to be defined is the pointed arch. The importance and significance of this feature is pointed out by many scholars and architects. At About. Com Architecture, there is an article specifically about pointed arches, and we can see this claim manifested.During the Gothic era, builders discovered that pointed arches would give structures amazing strength and stability. They experimented with varying steepness, and â€Å"experience had shown them that pointed arches thrust out less than circular arches,† says famed architect and engineer Mario Salvador. â€Å"The main difference between Romanesque and Gothic arches lies in the pointed shape of the latter, which, besides introducing a new aesthetic dimension, has the important consequence of reducing the arch thrusts by as much as fifty percent. In Gothic buildings, the weight of the roof was supported by the arches rather than the walls. This meant that walls could be thinner. † (â€Å"Gothic Style Architecture. † About. Com. ). This is where some scholars argue that the Islamic world had an influence on the Western architectural style. Some believe that this feature came from all the conquests of Islamic cities and towns, such as the Crusades. But there is strong evidence that the pointed arch was being employed in Islamic architecture before it became to be part of the Western styles, such as the Gothic architectural style.Examples of this claim are the Lazar of Seville and the True Cathedral in Spain. By these two examples, we can see that the Islamic influence in Western Europe from the seventh century onward played a crucial role in the influencing of the development of the Gothic architectural st yle. It is through these early influences that the Islam Empire managed to leave their mark on the Christian Renaissance that would come a few centuries later. The Renaissance took the Gothic architecture style and built its own style using the Gothic one as a base.The style that came out of Renaissance Italy came to be known as the Renaissance architectural style. The innovation that the Renaissance style made upon its Gothic base was to go back to the roots of antiquity. Referring to the Metropolitan Museum of Art weeping, an article on renaissance architecture provides a definition of what the Renaissance architectural style emphasized; â€Å"Classical orders and architectural elements such as columns, pilasters, pediments, interrelates, arches, and domes form the vocabulary of Renaissance buildings†¦As in the Classical world, Renaissance architecture is characterized by harmonious form, mathematical proportion, and a unit of measurement based on the human scale. † (à ¢â‚¬Å"Architecture in Renaissance Italy. Muteness. Org. ). This was the first form of an architectural style from the Renaissance period that used the Gothic style as its base. Another style to innovate on the Gothic architectural style came in the later part of the sixteenth century that was very widely used in Spain during the Spanish Golden Age, which is alternatively known as the Spanish Renaissance.The Baroque style evolved from the Gothic style and was widely favored by the architects in Spain. The Baroque style, as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica weeping, emphasizes: â€Å"Complex architectural plan shapes, often based on the oval, ND the dynamic opposition and interpenetration of spaces were favored to heighten the feeling of motion and sensuality. Other characteristic qualities include grandeur, drama and contrast (especially in lighting), courageousness, and an often dizzying array of rich surface treatments, twisting elements, and gilded statuary.Architects unabas hedly applied bright colors and illusory, vividly painted ceilings. † (â€Å"Baroque Architecture. † Encyclopedia Britannica. ). Even this style, however, found itself being innovated upon during the Spanish Golden Age. There were two styles that came room the Baroque style, the Hearing style and the Churchgoers style. The Hearing style is defined as being â€Å"extremely sober, naked, and particularly accomplished in the use of granite ashlars work. † (â€Å"Hearing. † Boundless. Mom) The later style to come from the Baroque style, the Churchgoers style, was much more preferred to the former due to the sociopolitical application of it. The Churchgoers style is defined in the Encyclopedia Britannica as follows; â€Å"In addition to a plethora of compressed ornament, surfaces bristle with such devices as broken pediments, undulating ironies, reversed volutes, balustrades, stucco shells, and garlands. Restraint was totally abandoned in a conscious effort to overwhelm the spectator. (â€Å"Churlishness Architecture. † Encyclopedia Britannica. ). The reason the Churlishness style was preferred is that it allowed the patron, which was the church in most cases, to design and build buildings that were extravagant and grand. These were seen as symbols of the patron's status and power in society. A good example of Just how the Churlishness was used can be seen in the Cathedral of Santiago De Composites. A picture of this building can be found in the appendix of this paper.The reason that all of this discussion of the many architectural styles to come out of the Renaissance period is that even the last to be discussed, the Churlishness style, still incorporates the pointed arches of the Islamic-influenced Gothic style. The feature that can be dated back to the seventh century has lasted throughout the centuries and found itself still being implemented a thousand years later. The reason being is that the arch was based upon extensive st udy of architecture by the Muslims. Studying the world around them is what the Muslims did, and did well, for several reasons.The Muslims studied much more than Just architecture, they studied all the subjects; science, art, ethics, etc. It is through their academic studies that Muslims and the Islamic Empire continued to influence the Renaissance. During the Islamic Golden Age, scholars had to have many skills to be an effective and contributory part of society and solve whatever problems that arose. These men who had a wide range of skills to draw from are known as Polymaths, or Renaissance Men as they have been introduced in class.These Renaissance Men, or as they were called in the Islamic world, Hakes, had backgrounds and working knowledge bases for various fields of art and academia. As an interesting side note, in the research material I have gathered there is special mention of Leonardo dad Vinci when explaining what a Polymath is. This must go to show how much respect Leona rdo dad Vinci gained all around the world, and not Just within Christian circles and history books. Getting back to the topic at hand, Hakes were held in higher regard for their efforts of trying to further man's understanding of the world around them.This was particularly done through the fields of science. In science, Muslims had managed to make leaps and bounds over the Christian portion of the world. One ay that Muslims had left their mark in this area of study was in the field of optics. According to the website Collaborationist's. Com; â€Å"Bin al-Hath (Lazed) wrote the Book of Optics, in which he significantly reformed the field of optics, empirically proved that vision occurred because of light rays entering the eye, and invented the camera obscure to demonstrate the physical nature of light rays. (â€Å"Islamic Golden Age -Science. † â€Å"Collaborationist's. Com. ). In the same section he is described as the â€Å"first scientist† for his scientific method , in which he had shifted focus from human perception to empirical evidence. â€Å"Islamic Golden Age -Science. † â€Å"Collaborationist's. Com. ). A version of the scientific method based off of Bin al- Hatchway's would soon be realized in the Christian world when they Renaissance would come about. In that quote from the website, there was mention of a device that is known as the camera obscure.This device was one of many to come from the Islamic Golden Age. For a short comprehensive list of technological advances to come from the Islamic Golden Age include: â€Å"†¦ The camera obscure, coffee, soap bar, tooth paste, shampoo, distilled alcohol, uric acid, nitric acid, alembic, valve, reciprocating action piston pump, mechanized water clocks, quilting, surgical catgut, vertical-axle windmill, inoculation, cryptanalysis, frequency analysis, three-course meal, stained glass and quartz glass, Persian carpet, and celestial globe. â€Å"Islamic Golden Age – Technolo gy. † â€Å"Collaborationist's. Com. ). There are several other inventions that were adopted and implemented by the West before the Renaissance came to be, such as the modernized astrolabe and the hybrid Utrecht. These technologies were around from before the Islamic Empire, but the Muslims innovated upon them ND made them much more effective and easier to use. It is safe to say at this point that the Islamic Golden Age could very well be called the Islamic Renaissance if they had wanted to revive the memories and themes of the past.Fortunately, all they saw was the need to move forward and give the people of the world a better understanding of the world around them. When it comes to science they didn't take the field lightly. That is why they improved on the astrolabe, so that this little tool can provide a better understanding of the cosmos. The field of astronomy in the time of the Islamic Golden Age was based upon the eccentric model, in which the earth was the center of the universe.The technological advances made in the time period and the brilliant minds from different cultures all over the world help dispel some of the possible misconceptions that the field of astronomy had at the time. Ptolemy studies and models were taken gathered by the Hakes and corrected. New fields on astronomy were also introduced, such as the field of astrophysics and celestial mechanics. Several notable Hakes were instrumental in the advancement of the field of astronomy. The evidence for these claims will be cited from Collaborationist's. Mom; † †¦ After Japer Muhammad bin MÃ'Ëœs ¤ bin SSH ¤Kirk discovered that the heavenly bodies and celestial spheres were subject to the same physical laws as Earth, the first elaborate experiments related to astronomical phenomena, the use of exacting empirical observations and experimental techniques, the discovery that the celestial spheres are not solid and that the heavens are less dense than the air by Bin al-Hath, the separation of natural philosophy from astronomy by Bin al-Hath and Bin al- Shasta, the first non-Ptolemaic models by Bin al-Hath and Maddeningly Urdu, he rejection of the Ptolemaic model on empirical rather than philosophical grounds by Bin al-Shasta, the first empirical observational evidence of the Earth's rotation by Nanas al-Din al-TÃ'Ëœis and All Squish, and al-Birdbrain's early hypothesis on â€Å"circular inertia. † . (â€Å"Islamic Golden Age -Astronomy. † â€Å"Collaborationist's. Com. ). These individuals are part of a movement that may be called the, â€Å"Scientific Revolution before the Renaissance,† as it is claimed on the Collaborationist's. Com website. Other names for this movement are based upon the school that these scholars originated from, the Marsha School. Other advancements that came from this school deal with the theory of heliocentric vs.. Geocentricism. While there was never any general consensus about which theory was â€Å"cor rect,† there were experiments done in which the results that were produced supported the theory of heliocentric.This theory was later reinforced by the experiments of Galileo and other astronomers of the Renaissance period. These claims, however, were shunned by society for religious reasons. In order for the field of astronomy to be better understood, there had to be advancements in the mathematical formulas and equations to better explain the phenomena that astronomy presented. The field of mathematics was greatly influence by Islam. The most important of all the advancements made by the Muslims was the development of algebra. There were several other advancements made in terms of the calculus, trigonometry, geometry, and other aspects of mathematics, and each of them in turn were innovated upon by mathematicians during the Renaissance period.Mathematicians from here focused more on the practical application of math than the theory that the Muslims had focused on. These can be seen in the addition mathematical operators such as plus and minus, as well as new grouping structures such as the cube and square roots of numbers. Algebra however, became a cornerstone for the mathematical field ever since its development in the Islamic Empire. Without it, the other areas of math, like trigonometry and geometry, would have had to base their operations in a different model. Other ways to use mathematics other than in the field of astronomy is in the field of medicine. Medicine is largely dependent upon the culture in the ancient times.When the Muslims introduced science into the field, it became more universal across the ultras of the world. Before Islamic influence, there were physicians whose sole responsibility was to oversee the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. The methods employed by these physicians largely depended upon the physician himself. With Islamic influence, treatments of physicians were given more specific quantity and type of medicine to tr eat a specific illness. This revolutionized the medical world by leaps and bounds all across the world. These mathematical applications also allowed for timeliness to be given to illnesses to better determine the stage of an illness based upon the symptoms displayed at the time of diagnosis.One aspect of the medical field that was improved upon by the Muslims and improved upon again by Renaissance men, women and scholars was surgery. The Muslims improved surgery by introducing the practice of dissecting bodies that had recently passed to determine what the cause of death was, the autopsy. Another practice the Muslims had introduces was quarantine. This could have come in handy in the later Middle Ages when the bubonic plague ran rampant across the region. Muslims were also very good at drawing elementary diagrams of carious bodily functions and systems, such as the circulatory system of the human body. One Renaissance scholar managed to use this information and build upon it.Miguel Server was the first person in recorded history to describe pulmonary circulation of the human body. To explain such a thing, the physician would most likely have a working knowledge base of the field of physics. Physics in itself is a universal subject, but in pre-Renaissance times it largely depended upon the accepted social views and on their understanding of natural philosophy. Islam managed to separate the two in a much more effective way than previous attempts had done. The experimental methods that were used by the Hakes allowed for a much more structured and detailed look into the mechanics behind the physical world. One Hacked in particular was fundamental in advancing the field of physics during the Islamic Golden Age.Bin al-Hath (mentioned earlier who revolutionized the field of optics) is the key player in the advancement of physics. His early version of the empirical scientific method was crucial in moving forward. Bin al-Hath, along with several other Hakes, had formed crude theories of the laws of the physical world, which Isaac Newton would finalize and come known for. Muslims are also known for their contributions to the arts, but unfortunately the Christian and Islamic view of the arts and humanities varied and often conflicted. In Christianity, the creation and possession of symbols and depictions of God and other Holy things is perfectly acceptable, and at some points in time actually encouraged and enforced.In Islam, it is almost forbidden for there to be any visual interpretation of God and His realm. The Islamic way to portray God in art was by way of calligraphy and the dome that is present on every Islamic mosque. It is because of this conflict, both in traditions and in beliefs, that one will have a very difficult time trying to make any connections during a specific period in time. During the Renaissance period, it is almost nonexistent. Islam definitely had influence on earlier artwork due to the heavy Islamic presence throughout th e Iberian Peninsula, northern Africa, and Spanish regions. As far as the Renaissance goes, they wanted to go back to the roots of antiquity, not the recent past.Islamic art did actively influence the Renaissance through architecture by way of the pointed arch however. Muslims also made huge advancements in the areas of scientific study, particularly those of astronomy, mathematics, medicine, and physics. These advancements were built upon and innovated even more when the Renaissance men and women came to their own conclusions on the subjects; Galileo on astronomy, Copernicus in mathematics, Server in medicine, and Newton in physics. These Renaissance men are but a few of the many influential figures who were a part of the Renaissance. It is through the fields of academia that Islam had the biggest influence of the Renaissance, and it is a fact that needs to be more widely known.

Discovering Las Vegas’ Vibrance and Orlando’s Magic

Life can be so dreary if you just wallow in work all the time. For all you know, you might be burnt out and this has caused you to be irritable and looking stressed because of the drudgeries of daily routine. Being burned out is more than just a feeling; it is a condition. Being burned out implies that one is totally exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and that rest, recuperation, or vacation can be a key to ease you out of it. Actually, we need not to go far to have a vacation. Las Vegas and Orlando are two of the most visited cities to have a vacation. Thus, we will try to evaluate the ups and downs of having a vacation in Las Vegas and Orlando by browsing through articles that feature these cities. Anyone might have known Las Vegas because it is constantly represented in movies as a site for gambling and shotgun weddings. In addition to what Las Vegas is known for, it is also city renowned for its desert resort getaways. When a visitor wants get into the city’s hub, â€Å"The Strip† is the answer. â€Å"The Strip† is lined with dazzling luxury hotels, casinos, and nightclubs that offer not just gambling, but also exotic entertainment. In fact, when anyone visits â€Å"The Strip†, it would summon memories of movie scenes as it stretches along part of Las Vegas Boulevard South, where buildings are known for its dazzling neon signs, psychedelic electronic billboards and spectacular interiors (Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online, 2007). Sanchez (1999) shared that there are two parts to the state and Las Vegas. There’s the Old West, with its morals and values: you shoot a burglar. If he falls inside your home, you’re okay; if he falls on your lawn, you’re in trouble. The other part is the casinos. Las Vegas is totally about money. The streets are truly paved with gold. They [the usual â€Å"they†, the people who run things] only want people to know about the Strip. Off the Strip, there’s nothing to do. They want people to drop ten thousand dollars and come back later trying to win it back. Casino profits go up and up. They showed us the records at school. There's never a dip. But it’s a camouflage. Without casinos, Las Vegas will be like Austin, Texas. We’d be lame, but a town, a community. We’d be a little town in the desert. But the Las Vegas mentality is â€Å"We’re the whole state†. Clark County became our state, and we let the casinos take care of us (Sanchez, 1999, p. 92). But there’s more to casinos and weddings in Las Vegas, according to Rosenthal and Renaud (October 2005) in Shape magazine, one can visit an oasis in the luxurious Green Valley Ranch Resort, Casino ; Spa. They suggested that the stay there is â€Å"all about understated elegance†. The resort is a â€Å"full-fledged Las Vegas-style casino hotel without the over-the-top theme-park decor, it’s an easy 10-minute cab or shuttle ride to action on The Strip†. However, Rosenthal and Renaud (October 2005) assured travelers that they will be tempted to â€Å"stay put and enjoy the array of restaurants, gaming action and luxury treatments and activities at the spa and fitness center†. For health buffs, Rosenthal and Renaud (October 2005) warned that although self-control can be challenging amidst the flashing neon signs that are tempting you toward â€Å"all-you-can-eat buffets and free drinks†, both authors suggested that they could visit the Little Buddha at the Palms Casino Resort, located at 4321 W. Flamingo Road. According to Rosenthal and Renaud (October 2005), â€Å"the restaurant is done up in sexy shades of red†, and â€Å"the dà ©cor is opulent, with massive Buddha statues and velvet stools lining the restaurant’s glowing bar†. On weekends, visitors can â€Å"feast upon light yet flavorful sushi and other pan-Asian treats while a DJ spins world music†. Another place that Rosenthal and Renaud (October 2005) recommended is the Red Rock Canyon. Situated accessibly in a 25-minute drive west of the neon glares of â€Å"The Strip†, they described Red Rock Canyon as a â€Å"Mojave Desert conservation area where petrified dunes, arches and cliffs come in a stunning palette of colors†. According to Rosenthal and Renaud (October 2005), â€Å"there are more than 30 miles of hiking trails† and they recommended to trek the â€Å"moderate six-mile White Rock loop past trickling springs and rock formations†. They also advised that to watch out for some desert tortoises, wild burros and red-tailed hawks that could be encountered in the trail. Of course, visitors are advised to bring ample amount of water when visitors decide to choose this kind of adventure. On the other hand, the mention of Orlando invites us to think of one word: Disney. Anyone might not be surprised that the Disney complex alone covers 47 square miles (122 square km). Several large resorts are not the only exciting attractions that Disney offers, any visitor would marvel at â€Å"the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom†. Also in the greater Orlando area are â€Å"Universal Orlando (with the Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks), Sea World of Florida (a marine-animal park), and Wet ‘n Wild (a large water park)†. In addition, Lack Haven Park contains art, science, and history museums. Gatorland, just to the south, is home to alligators and crocodiles (Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online, 2007). In Hagaman’s article (1998) about Orlando in the PSA Journal, she suggested that aside from Disney, any visitor can also experience the glamor of Hollywood while staying at the doorstep near Universal Studios, Florida, where they could stand at awe with the likes of Jaws, King Kong, Woody and Winny Woodpecker and other characters â€Å"just waiting to give you a thrill and photo opportunities†. Hagaman (1998) also recommended having fun beneath â€Å"swaying palm trees in the heart of America’s vacation fantasy land† because â€Å"visitors always enjoy Orlando’s splendid weather and natural beauty†. Hagaman (1998) cited that the opening of Cypress Gardens in 1936 marked the beginning of a new era in Central Florida, where any visitor can marvel at the new Birdwalk Aviary, composed of five new animal habitats. The list goes on as Hagaman (1998) cited other places of interest like the Butterfly Conservatory, European acrobatic acts, floral festivals, and a new fast-paced and thrilling water ski show†. The Cypress Gardens is situated 22 miles south of I-4 be tween Orlando and Tampa. Hagaman (1998) also prided that Orlando has treats for history lovers. She assured visitors will bask in a â€Å"magical evening in a medieval castle at King Henry’s Feast†. King Henry’s Feast features a banquet and show that compose of â€Å"a bountiful four-course dinner while special royal entertainment and amazing death-defying feats are performed right before your eyes. Tankards of beer, wine and soft drinks are included with dinner†. Hagaman (1998) informed that King Henry’s Feast is in Orlando.   Another recommended attraction by Hagaman (1998) is located near Kissimmee, where visitors would have the feel of traveling back to the days of yore at Medieval Times. Hagaman (1998) revealed that this is Central Florida’s number one 1 dinner attraction located on Highway 92 near Disney. Visitors will definitely have fun feasting on a â€Å"regal banquet inside the 11th-century European style castle and cheer for knights on horseback jousting and sword fighting†. Hagaman (1998) also included in her list of attractions the Pointe Orlando, which is â€Å"a 450,000 square foot Lifestyle Entertainment Center located across from the Convention Center, featuring FAO Schwartz, multi-screen cinema, and a 3-D IMAX theater†. In this entertainment center, nightclubs, outstanding restaurants, and the finest collection of 60 unique retailers will surely make visitors busy while in Orlando. Moreover, visitors should also delight the Oriental magic of Splendid China. Hagaman (1998) described it as â€Å"a 76-acre attraction featuring 5,000 years of authentic Chinese culture†. In here, Hagaman (1998) described that visitors will see a replica of China’s historical sites and landmarks, like the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Leshan Budda and many others. Hagaman (1998)   also mentioned â€Å"The Mysterious Kingdom of the Orient†, which is â€Å"a pulsating and visually majestic presentation of 70 talented acrobats, dancers and actors†. Lastly, Hagaman (1998) invited visitors to discover Chinatown for its â€Å"excellent dining and unique shopping†. Both locations have their unique features, the casinos and desert resorts in Las Vegas and the theme parks in Orlando. What’s best is that both cities offer different features and landmarks for different interests. Las Vegas discovered that shopping, dining, and entertainment could attract non-gamblers and also serve as secondary activities for all but the most dedicated gamblers. The Forum shopping mall at Caesars in Las Vegas provides continuous entertainment and a great variety of restaurants, making the retail sales areas some of the most costly and desirable to rent in North America. Today, the top attraction in Las Vegas is shopping, not gambling. However, I feel that there are more things to do in Orlando than in Las Vegas. I believe that tourist markets should be dynamic and a marketing information system should come in important. Destinations need to closely monitor the relative popularity of their various attractions by determining the number and type of tourists attracted to each and I think Orlando is more publicized in this arena. References Hagaman, C. L. (1998, February). Orlando: Never Outgrow the Magic. PSA Journal, 64, 16-18. Las Vegas. (2007). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica.   Retrieved February 14, 2007, from Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online: http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9047243. Orlando. (2007). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica.   Retrieved February 14, 2007, from Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online: http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-9057392. Rosenthal, J. and Renaud, L. (2005, October). Sin-City Shapeovers. Shape, 25(2): 38. Sanchez, M. (1999). Growing Up in Las Vegas. In The Real Las Vegas: Life beyond the Strip, Littlejohn, D. (Ed.) (pp. 75-96). Oxford: Oxford University Press.