buy custom Denial of Service in Computer Communication essay

buy custom Denial of Service in Computer Communication essay Introduction Denial of service (DoS) attack is usually hard to differentiate from other regular activities within a computer network. It can be associated with an observed reduction in response time while accessing information from a website or network that an attack is being undertaken. Denial of service in computer communication is thus defined as the incident whereby a hacker impedes usage of information and services by the rightful users, from a certain website or network. A hacker manages to prevent users from reaching their e-mails, information, online accounts in addition to other services that depend on the affected section of the network. Almost every computer user is vulnerable to these attacks (US-CERT;, 2004). This article will centre on understanding denial of service in a computer network or a website. It will draw out some of the effective ways of preventing such attacks. The most frequent and noticeable form of DoS attack takes place when a hacker fills a computer network with a lot of information, thereby affecting its computational capabilities. What follows is that when a person writes a URL (uniform resource locator) for a certain website into his or her browser, a request is sent to the server to allow the person view information in the site (US-CERT;, 2004). In case the website is overloaded with such request, its response time will be slow or even not be able to process the request at al. This is because the server can only process a definite number of requests at any given time. The user is therefore denied a service from the website. In addition, another common attack that results to denial of service is use of spam email messages. Every individual with an email account is allocated a particular quota, which helps to bind the information capacity that a person can have in his or her email account at any particular time (Abliz, 2011). When the attacker sends many email messages to the account, he utilizes the quota thereby preventing the person from receiving genuine email massages. Due to the recent increase in modern internet viruses, proportionate number of compromised computers and computer networks has ensued. As a result, these computers can be used to attack most of the websites (US-CERT;, 2004). Attackers normally end up extorting legitimate users huge sums of money to cease their attacks. Types of Denial of Service Attacks SYN Attack After a client sends a request to the server in a computer network, a session is established between them using the Transport Control Program (TCP). However, there is a small space that is left to take care of the messages used for initiating the session. They are packets of information which comprise of a SYN field that searches for the order in the swapping over of messages (Abliz, 2011). In this case, what a hacker does is to send a big number of connection prompts then cease from replying to them. As a result, the initial packet is left in the buffer thereby denying other genuine connection requests from being accommodated (Abliz, 2011). Although the packet is eventually dropped, it ends up denying other rightful users from accessing the information in the website. In case this problem occurs, a network administrato can employ local tools to mitigate it. The size of the buffer and the timeout period can be adjusted to minimize chances of its occurrence. Teardrop Attack In this type of attack, a hacker targets the manner in which a relatively large packet of information is handled by a router for fragmentation purposes by the internet protocol (IP). An offset is usually identified at the beginning of the first packet and the fragmented packets are later reassembled on reception (Vacca, 2009). Nevertheless, in case the computer on the receiving end does not have an established plan to handle this situation, the overall system can crash thereby denying its rightful users the required services. Smurf Attack In this type of attack, a hacker sends an Internet Protocol (IP) ping request to the receiving computer network. Consequently, this packet requests to be distributed to various hosts in the local network on the receiving end. This packet also specifies that it is from another website, which is intended to receive denial of service (Vacca, 2009). The target computer is therefore flooded with ping replies which prevent it from differentiating the actual traffic. Distributed denial of service attack This is an incident whereby a hacker uses someone else computer to launch an attack on another computer. The hacker normally takes advantage of the available weaknesses in someone else personal computer. He can use tools and software that forces someone else computer to send spam messages to certain email addresses (Vacca, 2009). This type of attack is known as distributed since it includes many computers and networks to initiate the attack. Handling DoS Attacks Generally, a person or an institution can defend itself from DoS attacks through preparation, detection and reaction stages. Preparation stage comprises coming up with a security policy, development of good and effective security protocols among other methods. This phase also ensures that the most important services are independent and therefore they are separate from each other (Dawson Raghavan, 2011). Furthermore, there is need to create a collaborative plan with the internet service provider in addition to other response plans at the event of an attack. The detection stage is supposed to occur automatically. In order to respond within the shortest time possible, the attack should be detected early enough (Molsa, 2006). The longer it takes for a network administrator to detect an attack, the more the loss incurred and possibilities of counteracting the attack. The other stage is known as the reaction phase. It comprises of two sub-sections, categorization and mitigation. In the categorization stage, the attacked user should authenticate if the attack is actually going on and also be able to evaluate it so as to identify the notable features of the attack. When the nature of the attack is identified, it helps in mitigation stage. For a long time, network administrators have been using labor-intensive procedures to respond to DoS attacks. These procedures are usually labor intensive since they involve tracing the route path of the attack traffic manually so as to identify the source. However, there are more elaborate automatic systems which are used to provide quick response to such attacks (US-CERT;, 2004). It is worth noting that reaction strategies usually centre on ways of mitigating the impacts of the attack. Defense Mechanisms Every host on the internet can be a target to DoS attack no matter how complex its security system is. The safety of computer networks is therefore dependent on how much protection is given to other hosts that are connected to the internet. It is of paramount importance to detect compromised computer devices connected to the internet to aid in protection against DoS attacks (Dawson Raghavan, 2011). The effectiveness in defending against DoS attacks is dependent on how fast attack is detected and counteractive measures employed. When connected to the internet, the following defense options should be employed to eliminate loopholes for DoS attack. Any service that is unnecessary should be done away with. This helps to reduce chances of exploitation by a hacker to access susceptible areas of the network attacks (Dawson Raghavan, 2011). Therefore, any application on a computer that is not in use or relevant, should be removed. Additionally, a firewall should be installed in any computer or network to monitor access to the network. The firewall helps to filter out the general public from accessing information that is shared in a local network. Connections to an ISP (internet service provider) is supposed to be well looked into. Also, access to the wireless Local area networks and other access routes to the internet should also be well monitored against attacks (Dawson Raghavan, 2011). This implies that routers should be well configured to prevent creating points of vulnerability. People should be encouraged to use passwords that are not easy to guess and that cannot be easily cracked by hackers. The passwords can also be changed from time to time. It is very important to use antivirus software that is always up to date. This will help to detect and eliminate viruses effectively (Vacca, 2009). Users should be very careful when accessing attached files and links sent through emails. They should also take caution while installing software on their personal computers (Vacca, 2009). There is need to read and understand the license agreement before software installation. However, most of the time, people do not pay attention to the license agreement requirements which defines the status of the contract between the user and the manufacturer of the software. Sometimes, these agreements allow third parties to access crucial information which can later provide best avenues for DoS attack. Conclusion Denial of service attacks is currently a common problem on the internet. It encourages cyber-terrorism and other related attacks on the internet that demands illegal extortions. It is an activity that can cost legitimate users huge amounts of money. The saddest thing is that there are readily available tools that necessitate execution of these illegal activities (Vacca, 2009). However, when effective defense mechanisms are employed as outlined above, an individual or an organization is safe from these threats. Buy custom Denial of Service in Computer Communication essay

An Early History of Forensic Entomology, 1300-1900

An Early History of Forensic Entomology, 1300-1900 In recent decades, the use of entomology as a tool in forensic investigations has become fairly routine. The field of forensic entomology has a much longer history than you might suspect, dating all the way back to the 13th century. The First Crime Solved by Forensic Entomology The earliest known case of a crime being solved using insect evidence comes from medieval China. In 1247, the Chinese lawyer Sung Tsu wrote a textbook on criminal investigations called The Washing Away of Wrongs. In his book, Tsu recounts the story of a murder near a rice field. The victim had been slashed repeatedly, and investigators suspected the weapon used was a sickle, a common tool used in the rice harvest. How could the murderer be identified, when so many workers carried these tools? The local magistrate brought all the workers together  and told them to lay down their sickles. Though all the tools looked clean, one quickly attracted hordes of flies. The flies could sense the residue of blood and tissue invisible to the human eye. When confronted by this jury of flies, the murderer confessed to the crime. Dispelling the Myth of Spontaneous Generation of Maggots Just as people once thought the world was flat and the Sun revolved around the Earth, people used to think maggots would arise spontaneously out of rotting meat. Italian physician Francesco Redi finally proved the connection between flies and maggots in 1668. Redi compared two groups of meat: the first left exposed to insects, and the second group covered by a barrier of gauze. In the exposed meat, flies laid eggs, which quickly hatched into maggots. On the gauze-covered meat, no maggots appeared, but Redi observed fly eggs on the outer surface of the gauze. Establishing a Relationship Between Cadavers and Arthropods In the 1700 and 1800s, physicians in both France and Germany observed mass exhumations of corpses. The French doctors M. Orfila and C. Lesueur published two handbooks on exhumations, in which they noted the presence of insects on the exhumed cadavers. Some of these arthropods were identified to species in their 1831 publication. This work established a relationship between specific insects and decomposing bodies. Fifty years later, the German doctor Reinhard used a systematic approach to study this relationship. Reinhard exhumed bodies to collect and identify the insects present with the bodies. He specifically noted the presence of phorid flies, which he left to an entomology colleague to identify. Using the Succession of Insects to Determine a Postmortem Interval By the 1800s, scientists knew that certain insects would inhabit decomposing bodies. Interest now turned to the matter of succession. Physicians and legal investigators began questioning which insects would appear first on a cadaver, and what their life cycles could reveal about a crime. In 1855, French doctor Bergeret dArbois was the first to use insect succession to determine the postmortem interval of human remains. A couple remodeling their Paris home uncovered the mummified remains of a child behind the mantelpiece. Suspicion immediately fell on the couple, though they had only recently moved into the house. Bergeret, who autopsied the victim, noted evidence of insect populations on the corpse. Using methods similar to those employed by forensic entomologists today, he concluded that the body had been placed behind the wall years earlier, in 1849. Bergeret used what was known about insect life cycles and successive colonization of a corpse to arrive at this date. His report convinced police to charge the previous tenants of the home, who were subsequently convicted of the murder. French veterinarian Jean Pierre Megnin spent years studying and documenting the predictability of insect colonization in cadavers. In 1894, he published La Faune des Cadavres, the culmination of his medico-legal experience. In it, he outlined eight waves of insect succession that could be applied during investigations of suspicious deaths. Megnin also noted that buried corpses were not susceptible to this same series of colonization. Just two stages of colonization invaded these cadavers. Modern forensic entomology draws on the observations and studies of all these pioneers.

LITERATURE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LITERATURE - Essay Example Marduk is our next hero from Enuma Elish: The Babylonian Creation Epic. Marduk was born in Apsu, the region of fresh water beneath the surface of the earth. Ea, one of the gods created him and Damkina, his lover bore him. He suckled the teats of goddesses; he was powerful from the start. When Anu, his father’s begetter beheld him, he rejoiced. He made his grandson so perfect that his godhead was doubled. For were his eyes, four were his ears. When his lips moved, fire blazed forth. His four ears were enormous and likewise, they eyes. They perceived everything. Highest among the gods, his form was outstanding. His limbs were very long, his height outstanding. Our third hero is Jesus – God made man in The God of Job. In a mysterious manner, he is believed to b e whole god and whole man. His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived him through the power of the Holy Spirit of God the Father Almighty. All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: â€Å"The Virgin shall be with child and give birth through a son and they shall call him Emmanuel†, a name which means â€Å"God is with us† We can see by now that our three heroes of the Creation are all gods. But where as Jesus (Emanuel) is described as being kind and compassionate to his people, Marduk took advantage of his own, and the men of Uruk became anxious. The dramatic action and dialogue of the Babylonian Creation Epic can be compared to epic writing from the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Homeric epics, which treat human conflicts against a background of divine violence. The introduction of Enkidu into the epic of Gilgamesh was for the purpose of taming Gilgamesh, who, conscious of his own power, was taking advantage of the people of Uruk. The valiant Enkidu, a human counterpart of Gilgamesh himself, served as some kind of a check-and –balance so that,

Is Interstellar Space Travel Feasible Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Is Interstellar Space Travel Feasible - Essay Example ose Interstellar space travel has been developed with the help of which the scientists are able to explore the world beyond the realm of the planet Earth. However several questions are now being raised regarding the feasibility of interstellar space travel. In my view interstellar space travel is not a feasible option but on the other hand it is the only option through which the scientists can explore the world. Thus with further development of interstellar space travel the scientists will be able to achieve a feasible way to explore this world. This paper would explain all the aspects of the interstellar space travel and it would come to a conclusion as to if interstellar space is feasible or not. Interstellar space travel can be said to be the use of resources and transports to travel between stars. It can be seen that with the help of several way of transports involved in interstellar space travel one can be able to travel outside the earth and explore the universe. One important way of travelling to the space is by the use of rockets which has proved to be successful in the modern world. It is seen that scientists have been able to discover a lot about the planets and that is not with the help of interstellar space travel but interplanetary travel. In my view interstellar space travel is feasible only with a few changes otherwise it might put risk to several individuals involved in the process of interstellar space travel. It can be seen that travelling through stars is a much more complicated task than to travel from planet to planet. The main problem of travelling between planet to planet and planet to star is the comparative amount of distance between these two. The dis tances of the space are measured in a way through which the speed of a light is first measured. The speed of the light is measured as per the criteria of time so that one can know how much a beam of light can travel for a given set of time. Vacuum can be said to be a space which is devoid of

The Unredeemed Captive Essay Example for Free

The Unredeemed Captive Essay Some are born literary genius, some achieve literary genius, and some have literary success thrust upon them. As for John Demos in his book, ‘The Unredeemed Captive’ seems to be the blend of the last two categories. Through this book,   Demos takes you to the 18th Century, to explain the tension-ridden and violence-prone confrontation   between three communities (segments of a society).They are the puritan settlers of New England, the Roman-Catholic French of New France (currently parts of Canada) and the Native Americans.   It was a peculiar type of confrontation fought for several types’ self-interests. The conflicts, where religion, culture, race and territorial interests are involved. The story takes savage turns and the reading seriously affects the emotions of the readers! The contents of writing are a mixture of fact and fiction. The book has great historical significance. The mentioned communities then did not believe in peaceful negotiations to settle the ‘border disputes.’ They fought for territorial gains and the borders continued to shift and relocate. The mini-Hitlers were out to establish their moral and racial superiority. The animal tendencies in them surfaced forth and they did not hesitate to capture (kidnap) young girls belonging to the enemy camp, as war trophies, eventually for their sexual gratification.   John Demos is a Yale History Professor. His primary intentions and efforts in this book are to provide an objective analysis of the encounters between the mentioned ‘groups’. He has drawn upon the experiences of one family to achieve the objective in view. It is the John Williams family. Williams is a puritan minister. The family was captured in 1704 in their Massachusetts home by a group of Frenchmen and Native Americans. They were marched off to Canada. Of the seven members of the family his wife died en-route, Williams and four children were released later, his daughter Eunice became a convert (forced conversion?) to Catholicism to marry a Native American. Desperate attempts were made by the family for the return of Eunice to Massachusetts, but she came for short visits only to return back, till her death at the age of 95.   The stunning and heart-rending part of the story is that of Eunice. Remember, she was only 7 when she was captured—what values did her captors defend by torturing the mind of an innocent girl child? Religious principles? Cultural traditions? Racial superiority? Human values? Such persons deserve to be the offspring of the Satan. She was converted to Catholicism and married off at the age of 16, for which the perpetrators of such a crime can face severe punishment in the present times. Probably that was the age when male/female married as per the social customs prevailing then. Well, she spent the rest of her life, but what might be the thought-currents circling and torturing her mind within? Her 88 years of silent suffering is difficult for the printed pages to capture, the most sensitive and imaginative writer will not be able to probe the inner layers of her mind. If someone is able to do proper research on this mind, it can as well reveal the history of the century to which she belonged in the correct perspective.   Her life is a great example of the bitter fruits of cross-cultural bloody encounters. It is the saga of the perpetrators of the torture and those who were tortured. That God and destiny were often quoted to justify the cruel happenings shows the macabre and sadistic mind-set of the groups involved in those conflicts. It was an open exhibition of animal tendencies, by the two-legged devils   The Unredeemed Captive is a systematically researched history by John Demos. To sieve through the 300 year old data (the later 1600s) and make out a factual, historically relevant story is a skilled job. Demos has done justice to his job as the Professor of History. He knows the essentials of the history, the requirements of a research student of history. The research pages do make a slow reading, and that is no fault of the author. The narratives sections are quite fascinating. Basically, this book is written by a history man for the history people   In the present times also, people live dangerously in the border areas of a country, especially when the neighbors are unfriendly. This is the situation when civilization has made advancement and there are international laws for protection. Guess, what would have been the conditions 300 years ago, when might was right and jungle laws prevailed? John Demos describes well, with authority and proof, the dangers of living on the American frontiers in the early days of settling America, when the borders shifted constantly.   A tough subject has been chosen for the book and the area covered is vast.   One can not expect the book to make a good reading from page 1 to page 336. The first five chapters are very exciting; the flying start is the highlight of the book. The story and the incidents related to the family of John Williams are interesting and touching. The rest of the book is about facts, customs and traditions. One needs to make efforts to sustain the interest as for this portion of the book. But overall, the book is no drag.   Finally, the important points of the book: The clash of cultures of the diverse communities is well depicted. Through the personal tragedy of a family, the political story of an era has been told. The doomed role of the religion is described well. Eunice’s rejection of her own family is a mysterious psychological drama. But Demos shows the balanced approach in writing this part of the story, and does not blame exclusively any party involved in the conflicts.    References Cited: Demos, John, Book: The Unredeemed Captive. Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (March 28, 1995) ISBN-10: 0679759611 ISBN-13: 978-0679759614

Trip Hop Essay -- Music Philosophy Papers

Trip Hop Lush soundscapes infused with a rich layering of soulful guitar riffs, jazzy horns and atmospheric strings, interwoven with innovative sampling and grounded by a hip-hop beat, slowed to a brooding moody tempo. Words can barely frame the complexity that is Trip Hop music. It is a genre so startlingly refreshing and innovative that the term Trip Hop itself only came into existence in the mid 90s, in an attempt to describe a musical style that defies all known musical categories. Trip Hop is an obscure offshoot of the umbrella term of electronic music. Trip Hop draws from a kaleidoscope of influence of jazz, hip-hop, dub and drum and bass. The essence of Trip Hop is sampling, the remixing of snippets of music from the recordings of other artistes. As such, Trip Hop has often been accused of being merely a hybrid sample which stitches together imitations other genres, and is undeserving of being termed a musical genre in its own right. Should an art form which employs mimicry be discredi ted, as Plato suggests in Republic X? In the part of book X of The Republic, where he deals with the function of Art in the republic, Plato discusses the imitative quality of Art, the appeal of Art and Poetry, and the effects of Poetry and drama. Written in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon, the main thrust of the argument asserts that God is the only one true creator and that all other forms of creativity are but mere imitations of the original idea conceived by God (820). Socrates charges the creative arts for being deceptive and far removed from realityand asserts the argument that creativity opposes logic and reasoning, appealing only to the emotions (828). The dialogue culminates in a call for the banishment of... ... corresponds to what Plato terms as "mimetic art" it surpasses mere plagiarism and elevates sampling to an intellectual art form through the creativity injected by personal interpretation. Works Cited Plato. The Collected Dialogues of Plato, Including the Letters. ed. Edith Hamilton and Hunington Cairns. Princeton:Princeton UP, 1961. Segal, Victoria. "On the Road-Portishead" VOX Feb 1998. PNYC. Portishead -Roseland New York. Portishead & Lemon Films Production. VCD, Polygram Video, 1998. Portishead Dummy. Go! Beat, 1994. Tricky Maxinquaye . Island Records, 1995. Borders-San Francisco Feature- An Electronic Music Primer http://www.borderstores.com/stores/57/hm_feature3.html Ink Blot Magazine's Trip Hop Habitat http://www.big-shot.com/inkbot/trip_hop_badger.htm The Breakbeat Primer http://www.plato.nl/e-primer/breakbeat.htm

Ambition as a Theme in Macbeth

In todays society, different themes such as ambition, good vs. evil, and believing in superstitions are still prevalent. Similar to Macbeth, many people will go great lengths in order to achieve their goals in life. Some are consumed with ambition to the point where it doesn't matter what the consequences are for their actions as long as they are satisfied. An example of this is seen when our economy fell into a deep recession as a result of ambitious business people. Good vs. evil is oftentimes viewed in todays society through our Justice system.It is this constant battle between the police and criminals that keep our society at balance. Superstitions play a big part in some cultures and are still prevalent in todays society. Just like Macbeth, people follow these superstitions that are put into their mind. They believe that there will be a bad outcome so, they follow these superstitions to keep out of danger or bad fortune. When the three witches informed Macbeth about his prophesy he was in shock but felt anxious for it to happen sooner than later.The ambition that made him want to fulfill that prophesy took a lot of wrong doing but he went ahead and did it anyways. The fact that his wife's ambition for Macbeth was even stronger than his own and encourages him even more to make that prophesy come true. In todays society there are many ambitious people out there because without ambition people wouldn't get very far and would Just give up. For high school teenagers their ambition may be wanting to attend a college of their choice and will work hard in order to omplete their goal.Along with ambition, violence is also s recurring theme in Macbeth because there was a murder in basically every act. Throughout the play there is a lot of killing, fighting and blood, which are all results of violence. No matter how much we wish violence wasn't around in todays society it is still present because of the disagreement between two parties. War is a big factor of violence because two countries or whoever cant come to an agreement so they result in violence.

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s Essay

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s. As a genre description, reality TV is widening its usage from ‘news magazine programmes based round emergency service activities’ to ‘talk shows, docusoaps’ and a variety of ‘first-person’ programmes (Creeber, 2001: 135). ‘Reality TV’ with extensive meaning becomes popular to describe ‘any factual programme based on an aesthetic style of apparent â€Å"zero-degree realism† – in other words a direct, unmediated account of events, often associated with the use of video and surveillance-imaging technologies’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). While Barnfield has criticized ‘the loose usage of the term, suggesting that over the last decade such a wide range of productions have been categorized as â€Å"Reality TV† that one wonders if the term is too general to be helpful'(Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 3). It is true that ‘reality TV’ is not explicit enough in meaning. However, it is the best word applicable to all situations and never unilateral. It gives producers more space to innovate new programmes as to prosper this genre. Reality TV evolves with the development of new technologies. New sub-genres emerged as the hybrids of established genres. It challenges traditional documentary and changes the serious content to more entertainment elements. Every format is close to everyday life to convince the audience as ‘real’ programming. In the short history of only two decades, reality TV has evolved into various formats. I will focus on five main forms which have either had a remarkable effect on television history or unprecedented audience ratings with reference to relevant representative programmes of British television. Contested Generic Identification: Definition of Reality TV It seems difficult to issue a particular definition of ‘reality TV’ to attest to debates over it. As Su Holmes and Deborah Jermyn point out: Producing a particular definition of Reality TV is nevertheless complex. This is partly because of the fundamentally hybrid nature of the forms in question. Yet it is also because of the range of programming to which the term ‘Reality TV’ has been applied, as well as the extent to which this has shifted over time with the emergence of further permutations in ‘reality-based’ texts. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 2) Jon Dovey characterised this genre by ‘reference to the dominant and original forms of Reality TV that feature police and emergency service work’ (Dovey, 2000: 80). In his opinion, as form and construction, reality TV should be: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ camcorder, surveillance or observational ‘actuality footage’; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ first-person participant or eye-witness testimony; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ reconstructions that rely upon narrative fiction styles; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ studio or to-camera links and commentary from ‘authoritative’ presenters; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ expert statements from emergency services personnel or psychologists. (Dovey, 2000: 80) These elements are helpful in interpreting the origins of reality programmes and in understanding its sub-genres and new development. Only by bearing these elements in mind can we make reference to relevant programmes when we trace back history to discuss the evolution of reality TV. Is it American Innovation? : Historical Precedent of Reality TV There is no consensus about the first reality programme. Jon Dovey thought that ‘Reality TV is generally historically located as beginning in the US with NBC’s Unsolved Mysteries in 1987’ (Dovey, 2000: 81). While Bradley D. Clissold considered that ‘during the years that it aired, Candid Camera (US, 1948- ), arguably the first ‘Reality TV’ programme, proved itself to be one of US TV’s most memorable, enduring and popular shows’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 33). There is a consensus that the earliest reality programme came out in America. In addition to these mentioned above, other commentators like Richard Kilborn, Chad Raphael and Gareth Palmer all agreed with this conclusion (Kilborn, 2003: 55; Palmer, 2003: 21). In the commercial environment in America, technologies like cable, satellite and digital prospered reality programmes in television market. However, reality TV as a television genre has evolved into ‘a very strong Eurpoean form with regional variations in each country’ (Dovey). In mid-1980s, when surveillance technology such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) became accessible, Britain produced its own reality programmes, which revealed real accidents, crimes and emergencies. By using CCTV footage, these reality programmes departed from traditional documentary and were quickly accepted by the curious audience because of their witness techniques. They were real shows without actors and noted for low-cost which was attractive to most programme-makers. Among these early reality programmes, Crimewatch (BBC, 1984- ) was most influential. Jon Dovey said it ‘has been seen as central to the development of the form, particularly in respect of debates around criminology and the media’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). Deborah Jermyn, who is experienced in studying television crime appeal, commented on Crimewatch: Promoting the growth of crime-appeal programming in Britain – with a format where serious unsolved crimes are reconstructed, police and victims’ families interviewed, images of suspects publicized and the public encouraged to phone in and volunteer information – by this time the series had comfortably established itself as Britain’s foremost crime-appeal programme. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 71) The effectiveness of Crimewatch as a detergent to crimes has been under much debate. It entertained the audience, but it was weak as a warning to the criminals. As Jermyn commented: ‘indeed some criminals have claimed that the poor-quality CCTV footage they witnessed on Crimewatch actually gave them an incentive to commit crime’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 82). ‘The use of CCTV conspicuously enhances the programme’s claims to authenticity and underlines its sense of a privileged relationship with real crime and actuality, qualities which programme-makers evidently believe to be ratings winners’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 83). In this case it is exciting for the audience to see the ‘raw’ footage without caring much about its effect of crime appeal. These early reality programmes about crime appeal, accidents and emergencies formed a new documentary format, which was the precedent of a new genre-reality TV. Later popular factual entertainment programmes are based on these elements to innovate. Their effect is remarkable in a long term. ‘Fly-Off-the-Wall’: Video Diaries Known as Access TV The 1990s was a golden era for the prevalence of reality TV. Jon Dovey points out: ‘it seems that â€Å"ordinary people†, non-professional broadcasters, have never been more present on our screens’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 163). Camera is no longer simply ‘fly-on-the-wall’ to observe and record, but closes to the object to become active ‘fly-off-the-wall’. For a long time, access TV, as new reality television, has been in a great demand. According to Jon Dovey, ‘there are some fundamental principles that identify access programming; they centre around control and power over the programme-making process’, especially ‘the authors should have control over the whole process of representation’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 165). Camcorder and video technology opened up expansive space for access TV. ‘Non-professional broadcasters’ became a leading role in making these programmes. As Patricia Holland commented on this innovative style: The video diary style, in which programmes are made with domestic video equipment by members of the public rather than by television professionals, has introduced a new way of making programmes. Low-tech, with a less polished appearance, they seem to bring the audience even closer to the realities they show. (Holland, 1997: 158) Video Diaries, produced by the BBC Community Programme Unit from 1990-1999, was a representative of access TV. From these series of programmes, Jon Dovey noted: the Unit solicits and researches ideas from potential diarists with a compelling story to tell. Once chosen, the diarist is trained in the use of an S-VHS camera and packed off to shoot their story, with support from the Unit should it be needed. In this way the diarists are given not only editorial control but also control over the means of production. They return with anything up to 200 hours of material and attend all the edit sessions, from an initial assembly which is viewed and discussed at length to the offline and online edit processes. (Dowmunt, 1993: 167) The format of Video Diaries is a development of documentary. Gareth Palmer has explained that it ‘imported the authorizing and legitimizing discourse of documentary into the personal, and in doing so it imported also documentary’s ordering principle into individual lives’ (Palmer, 2003:168). It was popular to the audience and also gained acclaim from the critics because of its flexibility in recording reality. Nevertheless there were debates that the producers had already controlled the programme by selecting the diarists, and there were also problems of quality and legality. New Observational Documentary: Emergence of Docusoap Docusoap is one form of the new observational documentary and one sub-genre of reality TV. It is a hybrid of documentary and soap-opera. It improves from serious documentary to emphasize on entertainment, especially everyday lives. ‘Developed in the UK in the mid-1990s, the docusoap enjoyed unprecedented success for roughly a four-year period (1996-2000)’ (Kilborn, 2003: 87). Docusoap combines documentary and drama. There are elements of narration, interviews and background music, and similar sequences as soap-opera. Each episode has a certain title and focuses on character, personalities, plot or situation. Technological advances promote the development of new observational documentary. New technologies like lightweight cameras, ‘portable sound equipment’ and ‘non-linear editing system’ accelerate editing process with better quality and effect. Besides, financial benefits also attract producers to choose new technologies. ‘As Paul Hamann has commented, docusoaps already cost on average only a third of the price of the equivalent in light entertainment or sitcoms’ (Bruzzi, 2000: 77). The entertainment factor of docusoap makes it popular with audience. Driving School ‘peaked at 12.45 million’ viewers (Bruzzi, 2000: 86). It ‘focused on the trials and tribulations of people preparing for their driving test’ (Kilborn, 2003: 96). Compared to the core character of reality TV, docusoap is blamed to be less factual with aesthetic reconstruction. According to Bruzzi: The sequence most frequently cited is that in which Maureen Rees, on the eve of another attempt at her theory exam, wakes in the middle of the night and asks her husband Dave to test her on the Highway Code. The sequence is a reconstruction, and Jeremy Gibson (head of BBC Television Features, Bristol) and others have gone on record exonerating themselves from blame, commenting that, having gleaned that Maureen did get up at night ghrough panic, it was perfectly legitimate to recreate such a sequence without the film crew having to camp out in her bedroom for an entire night. (Bruzzi, 2000: 87) The producers’ intervention revealed obvious dramatic skills, which aimed at telling a complete story. In any case, under these circumstances one can never expect a totally natural performance from the character with the presence of camera. These factors make docusoap not so ‘real’, but the audience appreciate it for the entertainment value and these factors do not affect their enjoyment. However, by the end of 1990s, this new documentary format had gradually lost its popularity. Critics and executives of TV channels began to complain the similar content with in the same format between series. It was also blamed as a challenge of ‘serious’ documentary. Then new factual programmes emerged and replaced docusoap in TV schedules. Docusoap is remembered as a creative hybrid of documentary and fiction with high ratings in the history of reality TV. Serve the Public: Prevalence of Lifestyle Lifestyle is another sub-genre of reality TV, of which BBC has been one of the biggest providers (Gareth Palmer; Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 173). It originated in the 1990s and is still popular today. It occupies a large part of TV schedule, shown usually in the daytime and prime time. There is ‘a series of choices in dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor (House Invaders [Bazal for BBC1, 1999-2002], Changing Rooms [Bazal for BBC1, 1996- ]), clothes (What Not To Wear [BBC2, 1999- ]) and manner (Would Love To Meet [WLTM, BBC2, 2001-3])’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 174). People now have strong sense that they are citizens and consumers. They are eager to improve their lives. Many are glad to show their private life in front of camera. For habitus, Gareth Palmer commented: ‘Britain is a nation of homeowners clutching close the belief that the home represents a sort of castle. Hence, it makes sense to produce programmes aimed at the house-proud’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 179). For fashion, according to Palmer, ‘in looking at fashion programming we come closer to seeing how the individual should ideally be styled according to the new class of experts’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 181). There is a debate as to whether fashion shows need be bitchy. Palmer has an interesting opinion: ‘fashion without bitchery, like academia without snobbery, is inconceivable’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 184). Bitchery makes fashion programming as amusement. It does happen frequently in our life, which is a factual element of lifestyle. Lifestyle programming is an innovation that television is not only observing people’s life, but also changing people’s way of life. It ‘serves the audience’ by giving instructions, which is the nature of European television, compared to ‘marketing the audience’ of American commercial television (Ang, 1991). Lifestyle is a good illustration how culture affects social life. New Interactive Reality Show: World Success of Big Brother Endemol’s ‘jewel in the crown’, Big Brother was thirty months in development and was the brainchild of co-principal, John de Mol. First broadcast on Veronica in 1999 and an immense ratings success, the programme has been adapted in over eighteen territories in Western Europe, the UK, the US and elsewhere. (Albert Moran, the Global Television Format Trade; Hilmes, 2003: 120) Big Brother, a new reality programme is based on established genres such as game show, quiz show, documentary and soap opera. It is a social experiment, in which we witness the reaction of the participants to their new environment and changing circumstances are often beyond their control. With the feature of game show, Big Brother sets its game rules as: The programme involved ten housemates interned together over a ten-week period in a specially designed hermetically sealed environment. The housemates were supplied with food and drink and had access to all amenities, but were isolated from all contact with the media and the outside world; there were no television sets, radios, newspapers. Every week each housemate had to nominate for eviction two fellow-contestants; the two with the highest number of nominations would then be subject to public voting. It was the role of the public to select, by telephone vote, which of the two was to survive. By the final week there would be only two housemates remaining the winner was decided by the public, and took away a cheque for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½70,000. (Palmer, 2003: 182) From the above description, it is obvious that this programme innovatively uses interactive voting. The audiences have opportunities to join the programme and play a crucial role in deciding the result. In early 1990s, Mike Wayne criticized programmes at that time: ‘broadcasters and programme makers have paid relatively little attention to the way in which people watch television. They have been concerned with how many people see a programme, rather than the way audiences interact with the images on the screen: what they absorb, what they challenge and what they discard’ (Hood, 1994: 43). It seems that Big Brother answers all these criticisms. Compared to the audience, the participants are powerless to control the programme. They are observed at all times and their lives are exposed to the public. ‘We’ve been looking at the housemates through the eyes of thirty-one unforgiving cameras – we have seen them at their best and also at their worst’ (Ritchie, 2001: 279). What they need is just to relax and enjoy their time. ‘For all of them, without exception, it has been an amazing experience. They have learned a great deal about themselves, and the rest of us have learned not just lots about them, but also about human nature in general’ (Ritchie, 2001: 279). However, all the participants are under much pressure exposing their lives to millions of audience. There is probably some negative effect on the psychology of most participants. Gareth Palmer calls the programme ‘a psychological experiment’. Programme experience is not always as wonderful as Ritchie’s comment in the above paragraph. In Sweden there was a suicide of a participant on a similar programme (Palmer, 2003: 185). So in Big Brother ‘a team of mental health professionals will oversee both the selection process and the psychological well being of the participants while they are in the house’ (Palmer, 2003: 185). Big Brother creates a small society for the housemates away from the outside world. There are conflicts and also friendship. The participants are competitors and also partners. As the audience watch the trivia of their daily routine, the voiceover commentary helps them understand the situations. Big Brother, a hybrid of different forms with popular interactive elements, is a new format of reality TV. It is leading a new trend of reality programming. Many independent television production companies are professional and experienced in making these new reality shows. Channel 4 and ITV, such non-mainstream commercial channels have shown many this kind of reality programmes. The audience are looking forward to more innovation of reality TV. BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, R. C. and Hill, A. (2004) the Television Studies Reader, London: Routledge Ang, I. (1991) Desperately Seeking the Audience, London: Roughtledge Bruzzi, S. (2000) New Documentary: A Critical Introduction, London: Routledge Creeber, G., Miller, T. and Tulloch, J. (2001) the Television Genre Book, London: British Film Institute Dovey, J. (2000) Freakshow: First Person Media and Factual Television, London: Pluto Press Dowmunt, T. (1993) Channels of Resistance: Global Television and Local Empowerment, London: British Film Institute Gunter, B. and Svennevig, M. (1987) Behind and in Front of the Screen: Television’s Involvement with Family Life, London: John Libbey Hilmes, M. (2003) the Television History Book, London: British Film Institute Holland, P. (1997) the Television Handbook, London: Routledge Holmes, S. and Jermyn, D. (2004) Understanding Reality Television, London: Routledge Hood, S. (1994) Behind the Screens: the Structure of British Television in the Nineties, London: Lawrence & Wishart Limited Kilborn, R. (2003) Staging the Real: Factual TV Programming in the Age of Big Brother, Manchester: Manchester University Press Ishikawa, S. (1996) Quality Assessment of Television, Luton: John Libbey Media Livingstone, S. and Lunt, P. (1994) Talk on Television: Audience Participation and Public Debate, London: Routledge Macdonald, K. and Cousins, M (1996) Imagining Reality: the Faber Book of Documentary, London: Faber and Faber Limited Palmer, G. (2003) Discipline and Liberty: Television and Governance, Manchester: Manchester University Press Ritchie, J. (2001) Big Brother 2: the Official Unseen Story, London: Channel 4 Books Swallow, N. (1966) Factual Television, London: Focal Press Limited Winston, B. (1995) Claiming the Real: the Documentary Film Revisited, London: British Film Institute

Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essays

Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essays Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essay Employment Law Racial Discrimination Essay Employment Law: Workplace Racial Discrimination October 3, 2011 Employment Law: Workplace Racial Discrimination A number of federal and state laws prohibit racial discrimination. Racial discrimination is the practice of letting a persons race or skin color unfairly become a factor when deciding who receives a job, promotion, or other employment benefit. It most often affects minority individuals who feel they have been unfairly discriminated against in favor of a Caucasian (or white) individual, but there have been recent cases where whites have claimed that reverse discrimination has occurred- that is, the minority received unfairly favorable treatment at the expense of the white individual. Racial discrimination in the workplace has been a challenging issue for the United States since awareness rose in the 1960s. Blacks and other minority workers have faced intimidation, harassment and subtler forms of racism such as the difficulty of landing a job or promotion, even when they have the requisite qualifications. The United States has been actively combating racial discrimination in the workplace for 46 years, yet challenges remain. Many people do not really know much information on how racial discrimination at workplaces may take place, but many concerns can be answered with these following questions: 1. How long has racial discrimination at workplaces been going on for? 2. What are the laws on racial discrimination about? 3. What are some reasons for racial discrimination? 4. What is required to prove a racial discrimination case? This review on Employment Law focuses on these four questions. How long has racial discrimination at workplaces been going on for? Workplace racial discrimination is not something that has just recently started. The truth is, racial discrimination in the workplace has been taken place since the 1960s. In the aftermath of the Civil War, the United States abolished slavery and gave blacks the legal right to join the workforce. However, blacks had little protection from discrimination in employment, education, voting and other realms. Black workers felt they did not receive fair consideration for job openings, or for promotions after joining a business. Instances of outright segregation in the workplace were a means of isolating minorities from fellow workers or customers, as well as from co-workers who intimidated them. What are the laws on racial discrimination about? The main law and act dealing with racial discrimination at the workplace is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 created changes and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was created as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects individuals against employment discrimination based on race and color as well as national origin, sex, or religion. It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regards to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Title VII also prohibits employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about abilities, traits, or the performance of individuals of certain racial groups. Title VII prohibits both intentional discrimination and neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude minorities and that are not job related. Equal employment opportunity cannot be denied because of marriage to or association with an individual of a different race; membership in or association with ethnic based organizations or groups; or attendance or participation in schools or places of worship generally associated with certain minority groups. â€Å"Facts about Race/Color Discrimination†, middle sec. ) Basically, Title VII prohibits any decisions made by an employer if the decision is based on any one of these, because most of these traits are things that employees cannot control. For example, an article titled â€Å"Bias Suit against Del Taco Broadens†; talks about black employees who feel th eir employer are discriminating against blacks who are qualified for a job, instead the employer hires Latinos. Rochelle Manuel, a former cashier who is African American, witnessed a Latina supervisor at a Cypress Del Taco refuse to give job applications to blacks or take completed ones from them. The black applicants were told the restaurant was not hiring, while the Latina manager routinely gave applications and even jobs to Latinos†. (Ballon, 2002, 5th para. ) The suit is still going on, so there is no verdict at this time. Under the Civil Rights Act of 1991, employees who won a case after suing their employer for racial discrimination received punitive monetary damages instead of just monetary damages. The difference between the two are that with punitive monetary damages employees get pain and emotional suffering, future lost benefits and wages, and more, while with monetary damages employees just get lost benefits and wages, attorney fees and any other legal costs for the suit filed. In reality, the employee gets more money. To oversee the federal civil rights legislation, a separate administrative body was created as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, was created to enforce laws that prevent discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, or age when hiring, firing, or promoting employees. Four groups- race, color, sex, and creed- were given protected status under the law, which was to be upheld by the EEOC. The commission is an independent regulatory body that has the power to launch investigations, file lawsuits, and create programs to eliminate discrimination. The EEOC has been a controversial organization throughout its nearly 40-year history. Liberal politicians believe that the agency was long overdue and that it is absolutely imperative that the agency be proactive in identifying and fighting discrimination in the courts, while conservatives believe that the organization is a perfect example of big government that intrudes far too deeply into citizens lives. The agencys strong enforcement of affirmative action policies (which actively seek to promote minorities over equally qualified nonminorities in order to address past discrimination) has been its most controversial action, as many Americans oppose affirmative action. Even with political opposition, the EEOC continues to be effective in fighting racial discrimination. The EEOC establish E-RACE (Eradicating Racism and Colorism from Employment. E-RACE was initiated to improve EEOC’s efforts to make sure workplaces were free of color and race discrimination. What are some reasons for racial discrimination? There are really not any real reasons for racial discrimination. At least, there are not any that would make the situation considered as legit. Some employers may racial discriminate against their employees for the simple fact that do not really care for the employee race or what race the employee associate with, or may not want the employee to work for them because the employer do not like the color of the employee skin, which is illegal under Title VII. â€Å"Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against individuals because of their race†. (â€Å"Race Discrimination in the Workplace†, Browne, 2nd para. As stated earlier, racial discrimination is the practice of letting a persons race or skin color unfairly become a factor when deciding who receives a job, promotion, or other employment benefit. Although most racial discrimination cases are based on minority, this is not necessarily always the case. For example, there is reverse discrimination where whites will sue for racial discrimination instead of the minority. What is required to prove a racial discrimi nation case? A case on racial discrimination cannot just be established by a person saying that they have been mistreated on the job. Evidence is required. Under Title VII for a case to be established against an employer the employee must show that (1) he or she is in a protected class, (2) the employee applied for a position which he or she was qualified for, even though he or she was qualified for the position, the employee did not get the position, (3) the position is still open after the employee did not get hired , and finally (4) the employer still try to find someone to hire when the employer just rejected the qualified employee. In the employer defense of the case, the employer must show that the action he or she took against the employee was for a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason. For example, an article titled Seventh Circuit Holds No â€Å"Token† Exception in Title VII Discrimination Cases, talks about five Hispanic employees at Kraft Foods Global, Inc. feel their non-Hispanic supervisor, Peter Michalec was discriminating against them. The five employees said Michalec had them cleaning the parking lot and sewage during the winter, but non-Hispanic employees did not have to do those things. He also made racial slurs and comments to them. Two of the five employees signed up for an open position within Kraft and later found their names scratched off the sheet and they were not considered for the position. The five employees try to apply for positions within Kraft, but they cannot get the position and are not even considered for the position because of Michalec. One of those five employees ends up getting a sanitation position, but she was assigned to night shift. Night shift was normally given to a male. Therefore, the employee asked Michalec why she had to be on night shift and he said, â€Å"He placed another new-hire into the day shift position because he was white like me and because he had a family to take care of†. (Abrahams, McFetridge, 2011, 3rd para. The five employees sued Kraft for discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Only one won because she had evidence, which she settled out of court while three, tried the case again. After this evidence is shown the employee must demonstrate that the other employees receiving the higher wages perform substantially equal work on jobs requiring equal skill, effort fort, and responsibility. Finally, it m ust be shown the jobs that are being worked are performed under all of the same working conditions. Like this act, any other laws and acts require that there is evidence given to prove that discrimination is actually taken place. Any type of discrimination on the workplace should not be accepted. It is good to have all the laws and acts that prohibit discrimination. Any employer who in an hire up position such as a manager or supervisor should be setting examples to their employees, and shouldn’t engage in discrimination towards anyone that’s working for them. Working in a place with these kinds of things going on could affect the atmosphere at the workplace. Discrimination simply should not have to take place. References Equal Pay and Compensation Discrimination. (n. d. ). US EEOC Home Page. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from eeoc. gov/laws/types/equalcompensation. cfm Hinckley, M. (n. d. ). History of Workplace Discrimination | eHow. com. eHow | How to Videos, Articles More Trusted Advice for the Curious Life | eHow. com. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from ehow. com/about_6637038_history-workplace-discrimination. html Laws Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace. (n. d. ). HRhero. com: Employment Law Resources for HR Managers. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from hrhero. com/topics/discrimination. html

How Neon Lights Work (A Simple Explanation)

How Neon Lights Work (A Simple Explanation) Neon lights are colorful, bright, and reliable, so you see them used in signs, displays, and even airport landing strips. Have you ever wondered how they work and how different colors of light are produced? Key Takeaways: Neon Lights A neon light contains a tiny amount of neon gas under low pressure.Electricity provides energy to strip electrons away from neon atoms, ionizing them. Ions are attracted to terminals of the lamp, completing the electric circuit.Light is produced when neon atoms gain enough energy to become excited. When an atom returns to a lower energy state, it releases a photon (light). How a Neon Light Works A neon light consists of a glass tube filled with a small amount (low pressure) of neon gas. Neon is used because it is one of the noble gases. One characteristic of these elements is that each atom has a filled electron shell, so the atoms dont react with other atoms and it takes a lot of energy to remove an electron.There is an electrode at either end of the tube. A neon light actually works using either AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current), but if DC current is used, the glow is only seen around one electrode. AC current is used for most neon lights you see.When an electric voltage is applied to the terminals (about 15,000 volts), enough energy is supplied to remove an outer electron from the neon atoms. If there is not enough voltage, there will not be enough kinetic energy for the electrons to escape their atoms and nothing will happen. The positively charged neon atoms (cations) are attracted to the negative terminal, while the free electrons are attracted to the pos itive terminal. These charged particles, called plasma, complete the electric circuit of the lamp. So where does the light come from? Atoms in the tube are moving around, hitting each other. They transfer energy to each other, plus a lot of heat is produced. While some electrons escape their atoms, others gain enough energy to become excited. This means they have a higher energy state. Being excited is like climbing a ladder, where an electron can be on a particular rung of the ladder, not just anywhere on its length. The electron can return to its original energy (ground state) by releasing that energy as a photon (light). The color of the light that is produced depends on how far apart the excited energy is from the original energy. Like the distance between rungs of a ladder, this is a set interval. So, each excited electron of an atom releases a characteristic wavelength of photon. In other words, each excited noble gas releases a characteristic color of light. For neon, this is a reddish-orange light. How Other Colors of Light Are Produced You see lots of different colors of signs, so you might wonder how this works. There are two main ways of producing other colors of light besides the orange-red of neon. One way is to use another gas or a mixture of gases to produce colors. As mentioned earlier, each noble gas releases a characteristic color of light. For example, helium glows pink, krypton is green, and argon is blue. If the gases are mixed, intermediate colors can be produced. The other way to produce colors is to coat the glass with a phosphor or other chemical that will glow a certain color when it is energized. Because of the range of coatings available, most modern lights no longer use neon, but are fluorescent lamps that rely on a mercury/argon discharge and a phosphor coating. If you see a clear light glowing in a color, its a noble gas light. Another way to change the color of the light, although its not used in light fixtures, is to control the energy supplied to the light. While you usually see one color per element in a light, there are actually different energy levels available to excited electrons, which correspond to a spectrum of light that element can produce. Brief History of the Neon Light Heinrich Geissler (1857) Geissler is considered the Father of Fluorescent Lamps. His Geissler Tube was a glass tube with electrodes at either end containing a gas at partial vacuum pressure. He experimented arcing current through various gases to produce light. The tube was the basis for the neon light, mercury vapor light, fluorescent light, sodium lamp, and metal halide lamp. William Ramsay Morris W. Travers (1898) Ramsay and Travers made a neon lamp, but neon was extremely rare, so the invention was not cost-effective. Daniel McFarlan Moore (1904) Moore commercially installed the Moore Tube, which ran an electric arc through nitrogen and carbon dioxide to produce light. Georges Claude (1902) While Claude did not invent the neon lamp, he did devise a method to isolate neon from air, making the light affordable. The neon light was demonstrated by Georges Claude in December of 1910 at the Paris Motor Show. Claude initially worked with Moores design, but developed a reliable lamp design of his own and cornered the market for the lights until the 1930s. Make a Fake Neon Sign (no neon required)

A Critical Review of Minnesota State University's Student Painting Essay

A Critical Review of Minnesota State University's Student Painting Exhibit - Essay Example The essay "A Critical Review of Minnesota State University's Student Painting Exhibit" discovers the paintings housed at University of Minnesota. Based on the nature of this exhibit, this essay will comment very little on technical talent in the works displayed, as many of the artists featured in the exhibit are learners, and to simply harp on about technical limitations would be a pointless and probably overly-long personal reaction. Rather, it will seek to identify the underlying choices in the development of the exhibit, and highlight particular pieces that accomplish their goals well within this overriding framework. Upon looking at the collection of paintings housed at University of Minnesota, it superficially appears that there is little coordination between the works of art – and this would make sense, given that the cultivators of the collection probably have a limited pool of art to select from, and the development of themes would be incredibly difficult. A closer ins pection, however, reveals that this collection seems to have gone out of its way to highlight many different forms of painting, and to perhaps display the breadth of opportunity provided by the medium of painting, and the breadth of talent available at the university. It does not, thus, harp on at length on any one subject or theme, but skips around, highlighting as many vastly different subjects and styles as possible. The collection thus houses everything from abstract to the incredibly concrete.