The Fiftieth Gate Essay Example for Free

The Fiftieth Gate Essay The interplay between history and memory is a solipsistic act, where history inevitably relies on memory to maintain its vitality whereas memory relies on history to sustain its immortality. Throughout Mark Baker’s polyphonous non-fiction memoir, †The Fiftieth Gate† and the thread like idea of the images below, memory is depicted as the panacea that enriches history as it provides diverse individual perspectives on the historical event of the holocaust. However, the biography also adduces the complications that memory might suffer, thereby revealing the inadequate omniscience of history. Baker envisages the conception of interweaving memories on elucidating historical evidence. In Gate 38, the fairy tale quality of this gate symbolises how memory can join with historical evidence to provide a more profound range of information. When Baker recites his dream to Genia, he uses the metaphor of â€Å"a river of wine† that has turned to â€Å"blood† representing the connection between an individual’s memory , in this case Baker’s memory of his childhood story, and detailed history of the Holocaust which the adult historian, Baker, had obviously studied. However, Genia recognised Baker’s dream as a childhood story book with a different ending. This representation demonstrates both how individual memories validate each other and how history is revealed through its interplay with memory. Baker further explores how memory provokes and vindicates history in his non-fiction biography. Typical of the whole memoir, gate 39 constitutes a multifarious types of textual forms portraying the ambiguity of history and its inability in unfolding the past’s conundrums without the aid of memory. Baker delineates this notion by examining the prewar historical document, his â€Å"most treasured photograph† of his family taken in 1946 stating that althoughâ€Å"The photograph transcends time. There is nothing to suggest it is 1946† ergo illustrating the obstruction history faces in reaching the absolute truth. Moreover, Baker depicts using rhetorical questions what the historical document failed to answer,† Does not the photographer know that in two months my grandmother’s smile will be erased forever ? † Whereas the impact of incident on his mother’s memory â€Å"it was a holiday because I remember putting on my best dress† deliberately evokes the clarity of particular memories in supplying the answers. Thus, the limitations of history are revealed by delving into one’s memory, as memory provides a more complete portrait of a historical event. On the other hand, despite memory’s contiguous interconnection with histor y in being its nurturing essence, yet it endures multifaceted intricacies which hinder history from absolute truth. This duality of memory is represented by the binary of Genia’s personality; †I am your victim , not your oppressor†. Baker depicts the extremes of Genia’s personality, between depression and exhilaration through ellipsis, †That was me then. Nothing to look at now†¦nothing to see†¦ruins† and in her inversion of cause and effect about her original period of depression: †I remember now. The breakdown, it was because of you. † This dual nature of one’s memory provokes memory’s bewilderment, hence revealing the imperfection of history. Additionally, memory’s failure in passing the test of athanasia manipulates the inadequate omniscience of history. Gate 41 recounts Baker’s attempt to find Benjamin Kogut, a survivor who saved Yossel , Baker’s father, as a means of enhancing historical evidence by the inclusion of Kogut’s memory. Baker uses recount about â€Å"The Search Bureau for Missing Relatives† in Jerusalem to show how historical evidence is sifted. Ultimately, Baker’s discovery of a Kogut family member’s Tel Aviv telephone number reveals that Kogut has died leaving â€Å" one single photograph from after the liberation, but no memories†. Baker’s metaphor of â€Å"peering into memory’s black hole† conveys the tendency of memory to be lost thus relinquishing the concept of â€Å"absolute truth† while revealing history to be only a partial representation of collective memory. In retrospect, the reader sees memory acting as an anecdote since it assists history but fails to achieve history’s â€Å"absolute truth†. This notion is akin to Sir Winston Churchill’s ideology which depicts that â€Å"History is written by victors† as a means of demonstrating the interplay of memory and history where the prejudice of collective memory restrains the candidness of history.

Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Essay -- essays research papers

Landmark Supreme Court Decisions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  About 32 years ago, in December of 1965, a group of adults and students from Des Moines, Iowa gathered to show their dislike towards American involvement in the Vietnam War. They decided to wear black armbands and fast on December 16 and 31 to express there point. When the principals of the Des Moines School System found out their plans, they decided to suspend anyone who took part in this type of protest. On December 16 - 17 three Tinker siblings and several of their friends were suspended for wearing the armbands. All of them did not return to school until after New Years Day. Acting through their parents, the Tinkers and some other students went to the Federal District Court, asking for an injunction to be issued by Iowa. This court refused the idea, forcing them to take the case to the Supreme Court. After hearing their case, the Supreme Court agreed with the Tinkers. They said that wearing black armbands was a silent form of expression and that students do not have to give up their 1st Amendment rights at school. This landmark Supreme Court case was known as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the case of Tinker v. Des Moines Ind. School Board obviously came some conflicting viewpoints about the armbands. The school board said that no one has the absolute right to freedom of expression, where the Tinkers said that only banning armbands and not other political symbols was unconstitutional. The school board said that the armbands were disruptive to the learning environment, where the Tinkers said they were not. Finally, the school board said that order in the classroom, where political controversy should be discussed, is entitled to constitutional protection. The Tinkers believed that the armbands were worn as the students views, and therefore should be constitutionally protected and respected by the school. These were all important arguments in the case.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Personally, I agree with the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the 1st Amendment rights of the students in school. Why shouldn't students have the same rights as other people? If the students wore obscene clothing, ran out of classrooms, or set the school on fire in protest of the war, then yes, I could see disciplinary actio... ...chool districts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In contrast, the time periods in which these cases took place were very different. In the 1960's, the war in Vietnam was going on, and there were a lot of controversial issues and viewpoints facing students at schools. In the 1980's, the war was over and there weren't as many controversial issues surrounding students' rights. One case involved freedom of expression through a school newspaper, the other through articles of clothing, but the major difference between the two cases were the decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court. They agreed with the Tinkers in the belief that freedom of expression through armbands was okay. However, they disagreed with Cathy Kuhlmeier's belief in freedom of expression through a so-called public forum. As a student, I believe that freedom of expression is one of our most important rights. Without this right people won't know who we are; they won't understand our generation. Because of the many different definitions of freedom of expression, people will always be in controversy over them. Let's hope that our school district never faces a problem as big as the ones presented in this paper. Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Essay -- essays research papers Landmark Supreme Court Decisions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  About 32 years ago, in December of 1965, a group of adults and students from Des Moines, Iowa gathered to show their dislike towards American involvement in the Vietnam War. They decided to wear black armbands and fast on December 16 and 31 to express there point. When the principals of the Des Moines School System found out their plans, they decided to suspend anyone who took part in this type of protest. On December 16 - 17 three Tinker siblings and several of their friends were suspended for wearing the armbands. All of them did not return to school until after New Years Day. Acting through their parents, the Tinkers and some other students went to the Federal District Court, asking for an injunction to be issued by Iowa. This court refused the idea, forcing them to take the case to the Supreme Court. After hearing their case, the Supreme Court agreed with the Tinkers. They said that wearing black armbands was a silent form of expression and that students do not have to give up their 1st Amendment rights at school. This landmark Supreme Court case was known as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the case of Tinker v. Des Moines Ind. School Board obviously came some conflicting viewpoints about the armbands. The school board said that no one has the absolute right to freedom of expression, where the Tinkers said that only banning armbands and not other political symbols was unconstitutional. The school board said that the armbands were disruptive to the learning environment, where the Tinkers said they were not. Finally, the school board said that order in the classroom, where political controversy should be discussed, is entitled to constitutional protection. The Tinkers believed that the armbands were worn as the students views, and therefore should be constitutionally protected and respected by the school. These were all important arguments in the case.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Personally, I agree with the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the 1st Amendment rights of the students in school. Why shouldn't students have the same rights as other people? If the students wore obscene clothing, ran out of classrooms, or set the school on fire in protest of the war, then yes, I could see disciplinary actio... ...chool districts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In contrast, the time periods in which these cases took place were very different. In the 1960's, the war in Vietnam was going on, and there were a lot of controversial issues and viewpoints facing students at schools. In the 1980's, the war was over and there weren't as many controversial issues surrounding students' rights. One case involved freedom of expression through a school newspaper, the other through articles of clothing, but the major difference between the two cases were the decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court. They agreed with the Tinkers in the belief that freedom of expression through armbands was okay. However, they disagreed with Cathy Kuhlmeier's belief in freedom of expression through a so-called public forum. As a student, I believe that freedom of expression is one of our most important rights. Without this right people won't know who we are; they won't understand our generation. Because of the many different definitions of freedom of expression, people will always be in controversy over them. Let's hope that our school district never faces a problem as big as the ones presented in this paper.

Cowgirl Chocolates Essay

Marilyn Lysohir and her husband, Ross Coates started Cowgirl Chocolates located on 3rd street in Moscow, Idaho in 1997. Cowgirl Chocolates offered hot and spicy creations in three basic forms: individually wrapped truffles, chocolate bars, and a hot caramel dessert sauce and provided various packaging offers such as gift boxes, collectible tins, plain plastic bags or gold wrappers. Truffles were available in plain chocolate, mint, orange, lime tequila, and espresso and the chocolate bars were available in orange espresso or lime tequila crunch. Despite not paying herself a salary and occasionally bartering her art for services, the small business’s revenues of $30,000 did not come close to covering her $50,000+ in expenses. She just was not sure how to turn her award winning products into a profitable business (Peter/Donnelly, Jr. , pp. 488-491). The following paragraphs are discussion on the relative merits of using a cost-based, demand-based, and competition-based pricing method in reference to Cowgirl Chocolates. Cost-based pricing is a certain amount of everything within the business industry. When deciding on the price of products, a company must first calculate the cost expenses of the production of the items or services. Demand-based pricing represents pricing products by demand flow. When products are in demand then the price of the items can be increased safely. But, if the demand is low then you have to be methodical in your price increase strategy. So it is beneficial to create alternative products just in case is extremely necessary. Demand based pricing is a policy that sets the price of a product according to the perceived amount that customers are willing to pay, rather than according to the production cost (Encarta, 2009). Competition Based pricing compares products in the market to your products and distinguishes whether those products have an advantage over your current products. Four options that Cowgirl Chocolates could consider as far as pricing may be price lining, promotional pricing, premium pricing and demand-based pricing. I would utilize demand based pricing which is a policy that sets the price of a product according to the perceived amount that customers are willing to pay, rather than according to the production cost (Encarta, 2009). It must be recognized also that the effect on profit will be a factor; there may be several factors other than profit influencing the selling price decision. Even taking an iterative approach, it may be unrealistic to expect single demand estimates to be made. Sales demand forecasting is difficult and a range of demand possibilities at each possible selling price may be used to guide management decision making (Coulthurst, 2002). Although I am not usually a chocolate eater, I do have a few recommendations that might have helped Marilyn in her time of decision: †¢ New Market Prospect: Marilyn may want to contact her mentor atâ€Å"Daffins Chocolates† in Sharon, Pennsylvania. She could send him/her a sample of each â€Å"Cowgirl Chocolate† product and ask her mentor’s opinion; if they like the product, then she could ask them if they would be willing to allow her shelf space to market her product. She could capture wholesale and a portion of the retail dollars to dump back into her business. †¢ Repackaging: I originally was going to recommended that she eliminate the multiple colors for the packaging of her products due to the cost but after looking at her website the colors are quite eye catching. I would tell her to capture more capital for her business she should concentrate on the website she has and market that a bit more. The website is more personable and only cost $25. 00 a month and was a third of her product sales; she would also capture the wholesale and retail dollars. Lastly, not everyone likes hot and spicy products so her decision to make a â€Å"mild† line is a great decision and will help her expand her customer base. †¢ Spicy vs. Mild: Cowgirl Chocolates is focused on promoting spicy chocolates, but realistically it should concentrate on a different variety as a back-up plan in the event that demand is low for the spicy version. For Cowgirl Chocolates, most competition in the industry comes from the businesses producing sweet chocolates. Cowgirl Chocolates may have an advantage on packaging and possibly taste for the spicy chocolates but does not have an advantage on sweet chocolates. †¢ Utilize Inventory Wisely: Marilyn needs to cut the labels that she currently has in inventory to fit the tin modifications. She already has $7000 in extra packaging & labels on hand, it is not wise to dump more money into new labels that will cost $395 for a plate/printing die plus $152 for the new labels to be printed. She could offer packaging product in the gift boxes purchased 3 years ago, possibly charging $1. 00 extra to try and capture the $9000 expense. This way at least she can recuperate something for inventory that has proven to be a very bad investment. †¢ Ingredients: They could balance the elements that are contributing to the production costs of the chocolates and then they could balance out with their competitions. This way the company would be able to increase market demand and therefore expect an increase in profit sales as well. For the Cowgirl Chocolates, coming up with a cost-based price would mean decreasing some expenses by modifying packaging or possibly modifying their recipes and/or chocolate ingredients they use. I researched â€Å"Cowgirl Chocolates† and found that they have a great selection; they sell tens of thousands of chocolate a year and double their sales every year. The ingredients stand alone on their own and the sauces are used by several restaurants to cook with. To her credit Marilyn has won two awards in 2010 for her chocolates. The internet and word of mouth keep her business flowing, she receives orders from all over the world including Antarctica! I even joined her email list and intend on trying her chocolates. . Works Cited: J. Paul Peter/James H. Donnelly, Jr, (2008), Marketing Management, Knowledge and Skills Eighth Edition. pp. 489-492, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. J. Paul Peter/James H. Donnelly, Jr, (2008), Marketing Management, Knowledge and Skills Eighth Edition. Retrieved from online. pcdi. com, BM350_Assignment_08; McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. http://online. pcdi. com/ec/crs/cntentItem. learn? CourseID=2901074&47=6493555&dt=8%2F15%2) . Demand-based pricing definition – Dictionary Encarta, 2009 http://encarta. msn. com/dictionary_561538482/demand-based_pricing. html Demand-based pricing definition – Niguel Coulthurst 03 Apr 2002 http://www. accaglobal. com/students/student_accountant/archive/2002/25/404831 Cowgirl Chocolates – 2009 Cowgirl Chocolates http://www. cowgirlchocolates. com/beta/thankyou. shtml

What Is the Boule in Ancient Greece

The boule was an advisory citizen body of the Athenian democracy. Members had to be over 30 and citizens could serve on it twice, which was more than other elected offices. There were either 400 or 500 members of the boule, who were selected by lot in equal number by each of the ten tribes. In Aristotles Constitution of Athens, he attributes to Draco a boule of 401 members, but Solon is generally taken as the one who started the boule, with 400. The boule had its own meeting house, the bouleterion, in the Agora. Origins of the Boule The boule changed its focus over time  so that in the 6th century B.C., the boule was not engaged in civil and criminal legislation, while it was so engaged by the 5th. It is speculated that the boule may have started as an advisory body for the navy or as a judicial body. The Boule and the Prytanies The year was divided into 10 prytanies. During each, all (50) of the councilors from the one tribe (chosen by lot from the ten tribes) served as presidents (or prytaneis). The prytanies were either 36 or 35 days long. Since the tribes were chosen at random, manipulation by the tribes was supposed to be reduced. The tholos was the dining hall in the Agora for the prytaneis. Leader of the Boule Of the 50 presidents, one was selected as chairman each day. (Sometimes he is referred to as the president of the prytaneis) He held the keys to the treasury, the archives, and the state seal. Scrutiny of Candidates One job of the boule was to determine whether candidates were fit for office. The dokimasia scrutiny included questions that may have been about the candidates family, shrines for the gods, tombs, treatment of parents, and tax and military status. The members of the boule themselves were exempt for the year from military service. Pay of the Boule In the 4th century, the councilors of the boule received 5 obols when they attended council meetings. The presidents received an extra obol for meals. The Job of the Boule The main task of the boule was to manage the agenda of the assembly, elect certain officials, and question candidates to determine whether they were fit for office. They may have had some power to imprison Athenians before trial. The boule was involved in public finances. They may also have been responsible for inspecting the cavalry and horses. They also met foreign officials. Source Christopher Blackwell,  The Council of 500: its history, The STOA project