The Highland charge was a battlefield tactic used by the clans of the Scottish Highlands in the 17th and 18th century. It was developed as a response to the evolution of firearms. Previously, Highlanders had fought in tight formations, led by a heavily armoured warrior elite, that carried heavy battle-axes or two handed broadswords known as claidheamh mor or "claymores" -meaning "great sword" in Scottish Gaelic. However, with the widespread use of muskets and cannon, such formations became vulnerable. As a result, in the 17th century, Highlanders developed a lighter, one handed claymore with a hilt that protected the hand. This was generally used with a shield or "targe" strapped to the body and a "dirk" or biotag (long knife) held in the other hand.
From the 1640s onwards Highlanders in battle would launch rapid charges, firing their own muskets at close range, before closing with their enemy hand to hand. This became known as the "Highland charge." Its advantage was that it allowed the Highlanders to cover the range of the enemy muskets quickly, before the enemy could inflict many casualties. The Highlanders could then exploit their skills in hand to hand fighting. In this way, they could overwhelm regular troops who were better armed and more conventionally trained.
In practice, the Highland charge proved so effective as much because of its psychological impact as its physical one. Regular troops, when faced with a tide of screaming Highlanders, often lost their heads, fired off an un-aimed volley and began to run away. They would then face the charge not as a disciplined unit, but as a mass of panicked individuals, whom the Highlanders would cut down with impunity. This happened at such battles as Tippermuir and Falkirk. However when, as at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, well trained regular troops kept their composure, the Highland charge was raked with musket volley fire, then faced with an unbroken line of bayonets and beaten off with heavy losses. Cannon firing grapeshot also helped beat off the Highland Charge at Culloden.
The Highland charge was used widely during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and the Jacobite Risings. The Historian David Stephenson has credited its invention to Alasdair MacColla, who pioneered its use in Ireland and Scotland during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Other historians have questioned this, and suggest that the charge was evolved gradually, to meet a particular set of battlefield challenges. They point out that conventional armies of this era also sometimes used rapid charges with swords, pikes and bayonets when the situation demanded. In the contemporary French army, this was known as an "a prest" attack.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Development Economics
FROM THE DESK OF,
MR.MATHIEU TRAORE.
DIRECTOR AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT,
BANK OF AFRICA.(BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU -BURKIN
private email:mathieu_traore@myway.com,
Phone: + 226 76 38 87 74.
VERY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL.
Dear Friend?
This message might meet you in utmost surprise, however,it's just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction.
I am a banker by profession from Burkina faso in west Africa and currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the bank.
I have the opportunity of transfering the left over funds $7.7m ( one million seven hundred million u.s dollar.)of one of my bank clients who died along with his entire family on 31 july 2000 in a plane crash.You can confirm the genuiness of the deceased death by clicking on
this web site http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Hence,i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be sharedbetween us in the ratio of 60/30 while 10% will be mapped out for expenses.If you agree to my business proposal.further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as i receive your return mail.
have a great day.
Your Faithfully
Mrmathieu traore:
Phone + 226 76 38 87 74
NB, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS YOUR TOP SECRECT AND MAKE IT CONFIDENTIAL TILL WE RECEIVES THE FUND INTO THE ACCOUNT THAT YOU WILL PROVIDE TO THE BANK. DONT DISCLOSE IT TO ANY BODY "PLEASE", BECAUSE THE SECRECY OF THIS TRANSACTION IS AS WELL AS THE SUCCESS OF IT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sur Windows Live Ideas, découvrez en exclusivité de nouveaux services en ligne... si nouveaux qu'ils ne sont pas encore sortis officiellement sur le marché ! Essayez-le !
Maybe we really do need extra government spending on public goods so that people like these won't mistake $7.7m for one million seven hundred million us dollar
MR.MATHIEU TRAORE.
DIRECTOR AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT,
BANK OF AFRICA.(BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU -BURKIN
private email:mathieu_traore@myway.com,
Phone: + 226 76 38 87 74.
VERY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL.
Dear Friend?
This message might meet you in utmost surprise, however,it's just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction.
I am a banker by profession from Burkina faso in west Africa and currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the bank.
I have the opportunity of transfering the left over funds $7.7m ( one million seven hundred million u.s dollar.)of one of my bank clients who died along with his entire family on 31 july 2000 in a plane crash.You can confirm the genuiness of the deceased death by clicking on
this web site http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Hence,i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be sharedbetween us in the ratio of 60/30 while 10% will be mapped out for expenses.If you agree to my business proposal.further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as i receive your return mail.
have a great day.
Your Faithfully
Mrmathieu traore:
Phone + 226 76 38 87 74
NB, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS YOUR TOP SECRECT AND MAKE IT CONFIDENTIAL TILL WE RECEIVES THE FUND INTO THE ACCOUNT THAT YOU WILL PROVIDE TO THE BANK. DONT DISCLOSE IT TO ANY BODY "PLEASE", BECAUSE THE SECRECY OF THIS TRANSACTION IS AS WELL AS THE SUCCESS OF IT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sur Windows Live Ideas, découvrez en exclusivité de nouveaux services en ligne... si nouveaux qu'ils ne sont pas encore sortis officiellement sur le marché ! Essayez-le !
Maybe we really do need extra government spending on public goods so that people like these won't mistake $7.7m for one million seven hundred million us dollar
Some things about China
CHINA
Social Indicators
Poverty Line: Official- 680 yuan (US$85) per capita net income a year
International- 2920 yuan (US$365) per capita net income a year
Number of people below poverty line: Official- 23.65 million people (1.81%)
Estimated- 120-130 million people (9.2-9.9%)
Income Inequality: Gini Coefficient: 0.496 (On a scale of 0 to 1)
Infant Mortality Rate: 22.12 (est., per 1000 live births)
Nutrition Rate: 12% (about 156,444,120 people)
Literacy Rate: 90.9% of total population
95.1% of males
86.5% of females
Economic Indicators
Population Growth Rate: 0.606%
Dependency Ratio: 1:2.5, or 40% (2.5 people in the labour force supporting 1 not in the labour force)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% in urban areas(Official figures)
Substantial rural unemployment and underemployment
Resources Endowment: coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world’s largest)
Colonial history: The Germans were the first to establish a sphere of influence in 1898 and militarily occupied China, resulting in foreign intervention in China’s policies. This later led to the Boxer Rebellion which was ultimately suppressed. Later, both Japan and the United Kingdom colonially ruled parts of China.
Growth Rates: China’s GDP averaged a 6.4% annual increase in the last ten years.
Per capita GDP: US$7,700 per capita
Population Size: 1,321,851,888 (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 20.4% (male 143,527,634/female 126,607,344)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 487,079,770/female 460,596,384)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 49,683,856/female 54,356,900)
Structure of industry:
Type of Industry %
Primary industry 12.5
Secondary industry 47.3
Tertiary industry 40.3
Obstacles to Growth
Provision of healthcare and education: The provision of healthcare in China is becoming more and more privatised today. As such, workers in the rural areas are less medically catered to, and because there is a high prevalence of infectious diseases in poor rural and urban areas in China, this creates an obstacle in the further expansion of large-scale capitalist development. As of now, the health status of this 15% of the total population is similar to that of the least developed nations.
Banking and Financial Services: Banking in China is currently inefficient and ill-equipped to handle the country's emerging complex market system, due to an insolvent banking system which has bad loans totalling 25 to 30% of the gross GDP; however, it is in the middle of a transition from Chinese to Western style banking, and banking reforms are currently being conducted by the People’s Bank of China to improve this situation. As China has had a historical reliance on banking rather than financial markets, the lack of a good banking structure significantly impedes growth.
Legal System: China’s legal system is currently subject to the China Communist’s Party’s (CCP) total control. This results in a lack of accountability which leads to many mistrials at the district level. As convictions are obtained in a large part on the basis of confessions, the use of torture on innocents in order to extract confessions is not uncommon. Ultimately, the lack of trust in the judicial system has caused many protests against the legal system, with many calling for legal reforms.
Political Stability: The CCP, as a political regime, faces weak political opposition domestically, and possesses relative elite cohesion as a political party (in contrast to previous power struggles at the top). This promotes it as a formidable force in power (the last political crisis faced was in 1989, when leaders promised but failed to deliver political reform). However, they are now facing a narrower base of support, an absence of effective institutions to resolve conflicts within the state (lack of federalism) and weak institutional channels of resolving state-society conflict, resulting in many more protests to express public grievances. It can be concluded that the CCP possess short term, but not long term political stability.
Corruption: Rising levels of corruption in the higher echelons of the CCP have created public distrust of the government in China. News about official actions can be classified a state secret. Local party officials have immense power they often abuse. Unless China adopts a political system with transparency and real checks and balances, maximum growth cannot truly have been achieved.
International Trade Barriers and Capital Flight: China is currently facing a large inflow of capital as opposed to human capital flight; this is brought on by worldwide recognition of its status as an emerging global superpower. However, an enormous amount of trade barriers in China prevent trade with the rest of the superpowers in the world, including the US and European Union. Effectively, this allows China to retain domestic monopolies over industries such as the aviation, steel, and telecommunications industry. This causes China to have a trade surplus, which has fueled complains that the yuan is intentionally being undervalued so as to provide exporters with an unfair price advantage. However, on the national level, industrialization has allowed China to manufacture many various goods at low prices, and this is essentially allowed it to overcome any possible disadvantages of not trading with others, as it can produce a large range of goods at extremely low prices.
Social Indicators
Poverty Line: Official- 680 yuan (US$85) per capita net income a year
International- 2920 yuan (US$365) per capita net income a year
Number of people below poverty line: Official- 23.65 million people (1.81%)
Estimated- 120-130 million people (9.2-9.9%)
Income Inequality: Gini Coefficient: 0.496 (On a scale of 0 to 1)
Infant Mortality Rate: 22.12 (est., per 1000 live births)
Nutrition Rate: 12% (about 156,444,120 people)
Literacy Rate: 90.9% of total population
95.1% of males
86.5% of females
Economic Indicators
Population Growth Rate: 0.606%
Dependency Ratio: 1:2.5, or 40% (2.5 people in the labour force supporting 1 not in the labour force)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% in urban areas(Official figures)
Substantial rural unemployment and underemployment
Resources Endowment: coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world’s largest)
Colonial history: The Germans were the first to establish a sphere of influence in 1898 and militarily occupied China, resulting in foreign intervention in China’s policies. This later led to the Boxer Rebellion which was ultimately suppressed. Later, both Japan and the United Kingdom colonially ruled parts of China.
Growth Rates: China’s GDP averaged a 6.4% annual increase in the last ten years.
Per capita GDP: US$7,700 per capita
Population Size: 1,321,851,888 (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 20.4% (male 143,527,634/female 126,607,344)
15-64 years: 71.7% (male 487,079,770/female 460,596,384)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 49,683,856/female 54,356,900)
Structure of industry:
Type of Industry %
Primary industry 12.5
Secondary industry 47.3
Tertiary industry 40.3
Obstacles to Growth
Provision of healthcare and education: The provision of healthcare in China is becoming more and more privatised today. As such, workers in the rural areas are less medically catered to, and because there is a high prevalence of infectious diseases in poor rural and urban areas in China, this creates an obstacle in the further expansion of large-scale capitalist development. As of now, the health status of this 15% of the total population is similar to that of the least developed nations.
Banking and Financial Services: Banking in China is currently inefficient and ill-equipped to handle the country's emerging complex market system, due to an insolvent banking system which has bad loans totalling 25 to 30% of the gross GDP; however, it is in the middle of a transition from Chinese to Western style banking, and banking reforms are currently being conducted by the People’s Bank of China to improve this situation. As China has had a historical reliance on banking rather than financial markets, the lack of a good banking structure significantly impedes growth.
Legal System: China’s legal system is currently subject to the China Communist’s Party’s (CCP) total control. This results in a lack of accountability which leads to many mistrials at the district level. As convictions are obtained in a large part on the basis of confessions, the use of torture on innocents in order to extract confessions is not uncommon. Ultimately, the lack of trust in the judicial system has caused many protests against the legal system, with many calling for legal reforms.
Political Stability: The CCP, as a political regime, faces weak political opposition domestically, and possesses relative elite cohesion as a political party (in contrast to previous power struggles at the top). This promotes it as a formidable force in power (the last political crisis faced was in 1989, when leaders promised but failed to deliver political reform). However, they are now facing a narrower base of support, an absence of effective institutions to resolve conflicts within the state (lack of federalism) and weak institutional channels of resolving state-society conflict, resulting in many more protests to express public grievances. It can be concluded that the CCP possess short term, but not long term political stability.
Corruption: Rising levels of corruption in the higher echelons of the CCP have created public distrust of the government in China. News about official actions can be classified a state secret. Local party officials have immense power they often abuse. Unless China adopts a political system with transparency and real checks and balances, maximum growth cannot truly have been achieved.
International Trade Barriers and Capital Flight: China is currently facing a large inflow of capital as opposed to human capital flight; this is brought on by worldwide recognition of its status as an emerging global superpower. However, an enormous amount of trade barriers in China prevent trade with the rest of the superpowers in the world, including the US and European Union. Effectively, this allows China to retain domestic monopolies over industries such as the aviation, steel, and telecommunications industry. This causes China to have a trade surplus, which has fueled complains that the yuan is intentionally being undervalued so as to provide exporters with an unfair price advantage. However, on the national level, industrialization has allowed China to manufacture many various goods at low prices, and this is essentially allowed it to overcome any possible disadvantages of not trading with others, as it can produce a large range of goods at extremely low prices.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Numismatics
The antoninianus was a coin used during the Roman Empire thought to have been valued at 2 denarii. It was initially silver, but was slowly debased to bronze. The coin was introduced by Caracalla in early 215 and was a silver coin similar to the denarius except that it was slightly larger and featured the emperor wearing a radiate crown, indicating that it was valued at twice as much. Antoniniani depicting females (usually the emperor's wife), featured the bust resting upon a crescent moon.
But even at its introduction its silver content was only equal to 1.5 denarii. This helped create inflation - people rapidly hoarded the denarii, while both buyers and sellers recognised the new coin had a lower intrinsic value and elevated their prices to compensate. Silver bullion supplies were running short since the Roman Empire was no longer conquering new territory, and because a series of soldier emperors and rebels needed coin to pay their troops to buy loyalty. So each new issue of the antoninianus had less silver in it than the last, and each contributed to inflation. By the late third century the coins were almost entirely made of bronze or orichalcum from melted down old coins like the sestertius. Vast quantities were being produced, with a large proportion of the stocks being contemporary forgeries, often with blundered legends and designs. Individual coins were by then practically worthless and were lost or discarded in their millions. Today the coins are extremely common finds. The situation was not unlike the hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic in 1920s Germany when paper money was printed in reckless abundance. The coin ceased to be used by the end of the third century when a series of coinage reforms attempted to arrest the decline by issuing new types.
Modern numismatists use this name for the coin because we do not know what it was called in antiquity. The name was given to it because an ancient Roman document called the Historia Augusta (of generally low reliability) refers to silver coins named after an Antoninus on several occasions (several Roman emperors in the late second and early third centuries bore this name among others). Because Caracalla's silver coin was a new issue, an association was made with it, and although the association is certainly false, the name has stuck.
But even at its introduction its silver content was only equal to 1.5 denarii. This helped create inflation - people rapidly hoarded the denarii, while both buyers and sellers recognised the new coin had a lower intrinsic value and elevated their prices to compensate. Silver bullion supplies were running short since the Roman Empire was no longer conquering new territory, and because a series of soldier emperors and rebels needed coin to pay their troops to buy loyalty. So each new issue of the antoninianus had less silver in it than the last, and each contributed to inflation. By the late third century the coins were almost entirely made of bronze or orichalcum from melted down old coins like the sestertius. Vast quantities were being produced, with a large proportion of the stocks being contemporary forgeries, often with blundered legends and designs. Individual coins were by then practically worthless and were lost or discarded in their millions. Today the coins are extremely common finds. The situation was not unlike the hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic in 1920s Germany when paper money was printed in reckless abundance. The coin ceased to be used by the end of the third century when a series of coinage reforms attempted to arrest the decline by issuing new types.
Modern numismatists use this name for the coin because we do not know what it was called in antiquity. The name was given to it because an ancient Roman document called the Historia Augusta (of generally low reliability) refers to silver coins named after an Antoninus on several occasions (several Roman emperors in the late second and early third centuries bore this name among others). Because Caracalla's silver coin was a new issue, an association was made with it, and although the association is certainly false, the name has stuck.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Wow, what a quiz
Post your answers to Oracle_163@yahoo.com.sg if you really want to know how you did
1. When did Kofi Annan begin his first term as the Secretary-General of UN?
A. 1996
B. 1997
C. 1998
D. 1999
2. What is atheism?
A. Lack of belief in all deities for any reason
B. Strong belief in science
C. Belief in God as a concept but not to any particular God
D. Strong belief in the existence of God
3. Who came up with the idea of Keynesian economics?
A. Peter Maynard Keynes
B. John Mayned Keynes
C. John Maynard Keynes
D. Peter Mayned Keynes
4. Who was the author of the famous storybook ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’?
A. Rudyard Kipling
B. John Keats
C. Lewis Carroll
D. H.G. Wells
5. Scientists from a particular country had managed to bred three pigs that can ‘glow in
the dark’. What country is that?
A. China
B. Taiwan
C. New Zealand
D. United States of America
6. Excluding Timor Leste, which country in Southeast Asia is the last to achieve full
sovereignty from colonialism or other forms of foreign rule?
A. Indonesia
B. Brunei
C. Singapore
D. Laos
7. Where was Plato born in?
A. Israel
B. Persia
C. Greeece
D. Italy
8. Which of the following actresses had a lead role in the movie ‘Monster’?
A. Kiera Knightley
B. Julia Roberts
C. Sandra Bullock
D. Charlize Theron
9. Which country recently experienced an increase in the hijacking of cargo ships, thus
threatening humanitarian aid?
A. Nigeria
B. Somalia
C. Iraq
D. Afghanistan
10. What does ‘Agnus Dei’ mean in Latin?
A. Lamb of God
B. Jesus Christ
C. Ram of God
D. Our Holy Father
11. Which of these international organisations was created first?
A. The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
B. The World Bank
C. The Group of Seven (G7)
D. The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
12. In which century were Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales written?
A. 14th century
B. 15th century
C. 16th century
D. 17th century
13. Who discovered platinum?
A. Julius Scaliger
B. James W. Marshall
C. Pierre Janssen
D. William Ramsay
14. Former US President Bill Clinton was only the second President in US history to
Undergo an impeachment trial during his term of office. Who was the first?
A. Jimmy Carter
B. Richard Nixon
C. Andrew Johnson
D. Lyndon Johnson
15. Who wrote The First Meditation and The Second Meditation?
A. Descartes
B. J.S. Mills
C. Socrates
D. Plato
16. Russell Crowe won a Golden Globe in 2002 for his role in this movie. What is this
movie?
A. Cinderella Man
B. Master and Commander
C. A Beautiful Mind
D. Gladiator
17. Who was recently voted the most powerful person in Britain by radio listeners?
A. Jose Manuel Barroso
B. Elton John
C. David Beckham
D. Richard Young
18. In Singapore, most Buddhists are of the _________ school of thought.
A. Mahayana
B. Theravada
C. Nirvana
D. Budajahaya
19. The most rapid move towards the free market in Latin America began in 1989 in
which country?
A. Venezuela
B. Columbia
C. Uruguay
D. Mexico
20. Name the book which opens with the line ‘All children, except one grows up’.
A. The Railway Children
B. Winnie the Pooh
C. Jungle Book
D. Peter Pan
21. Other that oxygen, which is the most common element on Earth?
A. Carbon
B. Iron
C. Plutonium
D. Silicon
22. When the Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901, it only considered achievements
in five categories. Which category in the present day Nobel Prizes is not part of the
original five?
A. Economics
B. Peace
C. Physics
D. Physiology
23. Who wrote the 1762 Social Contract?
A. Jean- Jacques Rousseau
B. John Locke
C. Rene Descartes
D. Voltaire
24. ‘Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrope’ was released in
Singapore on which of the following dates?
A. 23 Dec 2005
B. 24 Dec 2005
C. 25 Dec 2005
D. 27 Dec 2005
25. Who wrote the book ‘Clash of Civilization’?
A. Samuel P. Huntington
B. Jackson M. Goldington
C. Daniella O’ Connor
D. Hank Pith
26. Most of the Hindu temples have their shrines facing the _________.
A. North
B. South
C. East
D. West
27. Which of the following aims does the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) seek to encourage?
A. a common internal tariff
B. elimination of exchange controls
C. free movement of capital
D. multilateral free trade
28. In which country does the story ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ take place?
A. Austria
B. Germany
C. New Zealand
D. France
29. Who first developed the periodic table of elements?
A. Dmitry I. Mendeleyec
B. Johann Dobereiner
C. Henry Moseley
D. John Dalton
30. Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, was first conquered by Sir Edmund
Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norkay, on 29th May 1953. Which country
was Sir Edmund from?
A. New Zealand
B. United Kingdom
C. Canada
D. Australia
31. One term that is heavily used in Philosophy is that of ‘Logos’. What does the word
mean?
A. Reason
B. Persuasion
C. Argument
D. Distortion
32. In the 2006 Golden Globes, ‘Desperate Housewives’ won in which category?
A. Best Series Drama
B. Best Series Musical or Drama
C. Best Picture Award
D. Best Screen Play
33. What is the latest addiction present US President Bush hopes to kick for his country?
A. Addiction to fast food
B. Addiction to smoking
C. Addiction to drugs
D. Addiction to oil
34. Who is the current Pope?
A. John Paul II
B. John Paul I
C. Benedict XVI
D. Benedict XIV
35. The charging of different prices for a product is referred to as price discrimination
if it is based on ______________.
A. cost of production
B. order sizes
C. quality of output
D. incomes of customers
36. In which of Shakespeare’s plays does the line ‘A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a
horse’ appear?
A. Romeo and Juliet
B. Hamlet
C. Richard III
D. Much ado about nothing
37. Who discovered the structure of DNA?
A. John Kendrew and Max Perutz
B. James Watson and John Kendrew
C. Max Perutz and James Crick
D. Francis Crick and James Watson
38. This Communist leader has remained in power longer than that of any other
Communist leader of the 20th century. Who is he?
A. Mao Zedong
B. Leonid Brezhnev
C. Ho Chi Minh
D. Fidel Castro
39. In Plato’s Euthyphro, the main concern dealt with is?
A. Ethics
B. Emotions
C. Justice
D. Virtue
40. Who won American Idol II?
A. Fantasia Borrino
B. Clay Aiken
C. Ruben Studdard
D. Kelly Clarkson
41. Name the Italian artist who was sued by the parents of a 15-year-old school girl from
Turin for decorating their daughter with a tattoo without their permission?
A. Carmela Vecchio
B. Widianti Ruleti
C. Gorgiani Belantu
D. Antoninus Jeffe
42. When was the Great Depression?
A. 1900s/1910s
B. 1920s/1930s
C. 1940s/1950s
D. 1880s/1890s
43. How many languages has ‘ The Diary of Anne Frank’ been translated into?
A. 10
B. 35
C. 61
D. 55
44. Where was wine first enjoyed?
A. Mesopotamia
B. Rome
C. Persia
D. Greece
45. Various Arab-Israel wars have been fought since Israel came into existence in 1948.
In which year was there no major Arab-Israel confrontation?
A. 1956
B. 1967
C. 1974
D. 1980
46. What period was Lao Zi born in?
A. Pre 500 BC
B. Between 500 BC and 1 AD
C. Between 1 AD and 500 AD
D. Between 500 AD and 1000 AD
47. Where is Borobudur located in?
A. Malaysia
B. Thailand
C. Indonesia
D. Vietnam
48. Who won Survivor 1?
A. Susan Hawks
B. Richard Hatch
C. Sean Kenniff
D. Kelly Wiglesworth
49. This year’s FIFA World Cup will be held in Germany. When was the last time
Germany (be it West or East Germany) hosted this international competition?
A. 1954
B. 1962
C. 1974
D. 1990
50. The 2006 edition of the Asian Games will be held in which Middle Eastern country?
A. Saudi Arabia
B. United Arab Emirates
C. Bahrain
D. Qatar
1. When did Kofi Annan begin his first term as the Secretary-General of UN?
A. 1996
B. 1997
C. 1998
D. 1999
2. What is atheism?
A. Lack of belief in all deities for any reason
B. Strong belief in science
C. Belief in God as a concept but not to any particular God
D. Strong belief in the existence of God
3. Who came up with the idea of Keynesian economics?
A. Peter Maynard Keynes
B. John Mayned Keynes
C. John Maynard Keynes
D. Peter Mayned Keynes
4. Who was the author of the famous storybook ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’?
A. Rudyard Kipling
B. John Keats
C. Lewis Carroll
D. H.G. Wells
5. Scientists from a particular country had managed to bred three pigs that can ‘glow in
the dark’. What country is that?
A. China
B. Taiwan
C. New Zealand
D. United States of America
6. Excluding Timor Leste, which country in Southeast Asia is the last to achieve full
sovereignty from colonialism or other forms of foreign rule?
A. Indonesia
B. Brunei
C. Singapore
D. Laos
7. Where was Plato born in?
A. Israel
B. Persia
C. Greeece
D. Italy
8. Which of the following actresses had a lead role in the movie ‘Monster’?
A. Kiera Knightley
B. Julia Roberts
C. Sandra Bullock
D. Charlize Theron
9. Which country recently experienced an increase in the hijacking of cargo ships, thus
threatening humanitarian aid?
A. Nigeria
B. Somalia
C. Iraq
D. Afghanistan
10. What does ‘Agnus Dei’ mean in Latin?
A. Lamb of God
B. Jesus Christ
C. Ram of God
D. Our Holy Father
11. Which of these international organisations was created first?
A. The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
B. The World Bank
C. The Group of Seven (G7)
D. The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
12. In which century were Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales written?
A. 14th century
B. 15th century
C. 16th century
D. 17th century
13. Who discovered platinum?
A. Julius Scaliger
B. James W. Marshall
C. Pierre Janssen
D. William Ramsay
14. Former US President Bill Clinton was only the second President in US history to
Undergo an impeachment trial during his term of office. Who was the first?
A. Jimmy Carter
B. Richard Nixon
C. Andrew Johnson
D. Lyndon Johnson
15. Who wrote The First Meditation and The Second Meditation?
A. Descartes
B. J.S. Mills
C. Socrates
D. Plato
16. Russell Crowe won a Golden Globe in 2002 for his role in this movie. What is this
movie?
A. Cinderella Man
B. Master and Commander
C. A Beautiful Mind
D. Gladiator
17. Who was recently voted the most powerful person in Britain by radio listeners?
A. Jose Manuel Barroso
B. Elton John
C. David Beckham
D. Richard Young
18. In Singapore, most Buddhists are of the _________ school of thought.
A. Mahayana
B. Theravada
C. Nirvana
D. Budajahaya
19. The most rapid move towards the free market in Latin America began in 1989 in
which country?
A. Venezuela
B. Columbia
C. Uruguay
D. Mexico
20. Name the book which opens with the line ‘All children, except one grows up’.
A. The Railway Children
B. Winnie the Pooh
C. Jungle Book
D. Peter Pan
21. Other that oxygen, which is the most common element on Earth?
A. Carbon
B. Iron
C. Plutonium
D. Silicon
22. When the Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901, it only considered achievements
in five categories. Which category in the present day Nobel Prizes is not part of the
original five?
A. Economics
B. Peace
C. Physics
D. Physiology
23. Who wrote the 1762 Social Contract?
A. Jean- Jacques Rousseau
B. John Locke
C. Rene Descartes
D. Voltaire
24. ‘Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrope’ was released in
Singapore on which of the following dates?
A. 23 Dec 2005
B. 24 Dec 2005
C. 25 Dec 2005
D. 27 Dec 2005
25. Who wrote the book ‘Clash of Civilization’?
A. Samuel P. Huntington
B. Jackson M. Goldington
C. Daniella O’ Connor
D. Hank Pith
26. Most of the Hindu temples have their shrines facing the _________.
A. North
B. South
C. East
D. West
27. Which of the following aims does the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) seek to encourage?
A. a common internal tariff
B. elimination of exchange controls
C. free movement of capital
D. multilateral free trade
28. In which country does the story ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ take place?
A. Austria
B. Germany
C. New Zealand
D. France
29. Who first developed the periodic table of elements?
A. Dmitry I. Mendeleyec
B. Johann Dobereiner
C. Henry Moseley
D. John Dalton
30. Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, was first conquered by Sir Edmund
Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norkay, on 29th May 1953. Which country
was Sir Edmund from?
A. New Zealand
B. United Kingdom
C. Canada
D. Australia
31. One term that is heavily used in Philosophy is that of ‘Logos’. What does the word
mean?
A. Reason
B. Persuasion
C. Argument
D. Distortion
32. In the 2006 Golden Globes, ‘Desperate Housewives’ won in which category?
A. Best Series Drama
B. Best Series Musical or Drama
C. Best Picture Award
D. Best Screen Play
33. What is the latest addiction present US President Bush hopes to kick for his country?
A. Addiction to fast food
B. Addiction to smoking
C. Addiction to drugs
D. Addiction to oil
34. Who is the current Pope?
A. John Paul II
B. John Paul I
C. Benedict XVI
D. Benedict XIV
35. The charging of different prices for a product is referred to as price discrimination
if it is based on ______________.
A. cost of production
B. order sizes
C. quality of output
D. incomes of customers
36. In which of Shakespeare’s plays does the line ‘A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a
horse’ appear?
A. Romeo and Juliet
B. Hamlet
C. Richard III
D. Much ado about nothing
37. Who discovered the structure of DNA?
A. John Kendrew and Max Perutz
B. James Watson and John Kendrew
C. Max Perutz and James Crick
D. Francis Crick and James Watson
38. This Communist leader has remained in power longer than that of any other
Communist leader of the 20th century. Who is he?
A. Mao Zedong
B. Leonid Brezhnev
C. Ho Chi Minh
D. Fidel Castro
39. In Plato’s Euthyphro, the main concern dealt with is?
A. Ethics
B. Emotions
C. Justice
D. Virtue
40. Who won American Idol II?
A. Fantasia Borrino
B. Clay Aiken
C. Ruben Studdard
D. Kelly Clarkson
41. Name the Italian artist who was sued by the parents of a 15-year-old school girl from
Turin for decorating their daughter with a tattoo without their permission?
A. Carmela Vecchio
B. Widianti Ruleti
C. Gorgiani Belantu
D. Antoninus Jeffe
42. When was the Great Depression?
A. 1900s/1910s
B. 1920s/1930s
C. 1940s/1950s
D. 1880s/1890s
43. How many languages has ‘ The Diary of Anne Frank’ been translated into?
A. 10
B. 35
C. 61
D. 55
44. Where was wine first enjoyed?
A. Mesopotamia
B. Rome
C. Persia
D. Greece
45. Various Arab-Israel wars have been fought since Israel came into existence in 1948.
In which year was there no major Arab-Israel confrontation?
A. 1956
B. 1967
C. 1974
D. 1980
46. What period was Lao Zi born in?
A. Pre 500 BC
B. Between 500 BC and 1 AD
C. Between 1 AD and 500 AD
D. Between 500 AD and 1000 AD
47. Where is Borobudur located in?
A. Malaysia
B. Thailand
C. Indonesia
D. Vietnam
48. Who won Survivor 1?
A. Susan Hawks
B. Richard Hatch
C. Sean Kenniff
D. Kelly Wiglesworth
49. This year’s FIFA World Cup will be held in Germany. When was the last time
Germany (be it West or East Germany) hosted this international competition?
A. 1954
B. 1962
C. 1974
D. 1990
50. The 2006 edition of the Asian Games will be held in which Middle Eastern country?
A. Saudi Arabia
B. United Arab Emirates
C. Bahrain
D. Qatar
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Trivia for today
Krak des Chevaliers, wikipedia.com
Krak des Chevaliers, also transliterated Crac des Chevaliers, is a Crusader fortress in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval military architectures in the world. In Arabic, the fortress is called Qal'at al-Ḥiṣn (Arabic: قلعة الحصن), the word Krak coming from the Syriac karak, meaning fortress. It is located 65 km west of the city of Homs, close to the border of Lebanon, and is administratively part of the Homs Governorate.
Krak des Chevaliers was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades. It was expanded between 1150 and 1250 and eventually housed a garrison of 2,000. The fortress has outer walls which are 100 feet thick, with seven guard towers 30 feet in diameter.[1]
King Edward I of England, while on the Ninth Crusade in 1272, saw the fortress and used it as an example for his own castles in England and Wales. The fortress was described as “perhaps the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world” by T.E. Lawrence.[1][2] This fortress was made a World Heritage Site, along with Qal’at Salah El-Din, in 2006[3] and is owned by the Syrian government. The fortress is one of the few sites where Crusader art (in the form of frescoes) has been preserved.
Location
The castle is located east of Tripoli, Lebanon in the Homs Gap, atop a 650-meter-high hill along the only route from Antioch to Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of many fortresses that were part of a defensive network along the border of the old Crusader states. The fortress controlled the road to the Mediterranean, and from this base, the Hospitallers could exert some influence over Lake Homs to the east to control the fishing industry and watch for Muslim armies gathering in Syria.
Ancient history
The Middle East was always a meeting place for many different civilizations, notably the Babylonians, Egyptians, Hittites, Hebrews, Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Kurds, Ottomans, Seljuk Turks, and Franks. Such a vast array of different cultures led to the creation of the unique architecture preserved in the Krak des Chevaliers.
Many conflicts were fought out between different nations in the general area surrounding the Crac, including the famous Battle of Kadesh. The Romans, and then the Byzantine Empire following the East-West Schism, constructed many different fortresses of Hellenic design to resist Persian military pressure in that area, which led to the architectural design used by the Islamic armies after their conquest of the area from 634 to 639.
Islamic conquest
Under the rule of the Umayyad dynasty, builders took advantage of the previous Byzantine structures and their barrage and aqueduct of the Orontes River to turn them into magnificient palaces with gardens in the middle of the desert. Construction continued under the new rule of the Abbasid empire in 750, although it steadily declined under army control, as the primarily Turkish forces did not make as much use of the fortifications.
Crusades
The original fortress at the location had been built in 1031 for the emir of Aleppo.
During the First Crusade in 1099, it was captured by Raymond IV of Toulouse, but then abandoned when the Crusaders continued their march towards Jerusalem. It was reoccupied again by Tancred, Prince of Galilee, in 1110. In 1144, it was given by Raymond II, count of Tripoli, to the Hospitallers, contemporaries of the Knights Templar.
The Hospitallers rebuilt it and expanded it into the largest Crusader fortress in the Holy Land, adding an outer wall three meters thick with seven guard towers eight to ten meters thick, to create a concentric castle. The Grand Master of the Hospitallers lived in one of the towers, and the fortress may have held about 50-60 Hospitallers plus up to 2,000 other foot soldiers. In the 12th century, the fortress had a moat covered by a drawbridge, leading to postern gates.
Between the inner and outer gates was a courtyard, leading to the inner buildings, which were rebuilt by the Hospitallers in a Gothic style. These buildings included a meeting hall, a chapel, a 120-meter-long storage facility, and two vaulted, stone stables which could have held up to a thousand horses. Other storage facilities were dug into the cliff below the fortress, and it is estimated that the Hospitallers could have withstood a siege for five years.
In 1163, the fortress was unsuccessfully besieged by Nur ad-Din, after which the Hospitallers became an essentially independent force on the Tripolitanian frontier. By 1170, the Hospitallers' modifications were complete. In the late 12th and early 13th century numerous earthquakes caused some damage and required further rebuilding.
Another failed siege was made by Saladin in 1188, during which the castellan was captured and taken by Saladin's men to the castle gates where he was told to order the gates opened. He reportedly spoke a dual message, first telling his men in Arabic, the language of his captors, to surrender the castle, but then in French telling them to hold the castle to the last man.
In 1217, during the Fifth Crusade, the Hungarian king Andrew II strengthened the outer walls and financed the guarding troops.
In 1271, the fortress was recaptured by Baibars on April 8, 1271, after they had tricked the Hospitallers into believing the count of Tripoli had instructed them to surrender. Baibars refortified it and used it as a base against Tripoli. He also converted the Hospitaller chapel to a mosque.
The Mameluks later used it to attack Acre in 1291.
Trivia for today
The Great Fire of Rome, wikipedia.com
According to the historian Tacitus, the Great Fire of Rome started on the night of 18 July in the year 64, among the shops clustered around the Circus Maximus.[1] As many Romans lived in wooden houses without masonry, the fire spread quickly through these areas.[1] The fire was almost contained after five days before regaining strength.[2] Suetonius claims the fire burned for six days and seven nights in total.[3] The fire completely destroyed four of fourteen Roman districts and severely damaged seven.[4] Also destroyed were Nero's palace, Temple of Jupiter Stator and the hearth in the Temple of Vesta.[5]
The Great Fire of Rome erupted on the night of July 18 to July 19, 64. The fire started at the southeastern end of the Circus Maximus in shops selling flammable goods.[1]
The actual size of the fire is the subject of some debate. According to Tacitus, who was nine years old at the time of the fire, it spread quickly and burnt for five days.[6] It completely destroyed four of fourteen Roman districts and severely damaged seven.[6] The only other historian who lived through the period and mentioned the fire is Pliny the Elder who wrote about it in passing.[7] Other historians who lived through the period (including Josephus, Dio Chrysostom, Plutarch, and Epictetus) make no mention of it. The only other account on the size of fire is an interpolation in a forged Christian letter from Seneca to Paul: "A hundred and thirty-two houses and four blocks have been burnt in six days; the seventh brought a pause".[8] This account implies less than a tenth of the city was burnt. Rome contained about 1,700 private houses and 47,000 apartment blocks.
It was said by Suetonius and Cassius Dio that Nero sang the "Sack of Ilium" in stage costume while the city burned.[9] However, Tacitus' account has Nero in Antium at the time of the fire.[10] Tacitus said that Nero playing his lyre and singing while the city burned was only rumor.[10] Popular legend remembers Nero "fiddling" while Rome burned, but this is an anachronism as the fiddle had not yet been invented, and would not be for over 1,000 years.[11]
According to Tacitus, upon hearing news of the fire, Nero rushed back to Rome to organize a relief effort, which he paid for from his own funds.[10] After the fire, Nero opened his palaces to provide shelter for the homeless, and arranged for food supplies to be delivered in order to prevent starvation among the survivors.[10] In the wake of the fire, he made a new urban development plan. Houses after the fire were spaced out, built in brick, and faced by porticos on wide roads.[12] Nero also built a new palace complex known as the Domus Aurea in an area cleared by the fire.[13] This was a 300 acre palatial complex that featured the Colossus Neronis, a 37-meter-high bronze statue of Nero placed just outside of the entrance. [14][15] To find the necessary funds for the reconstruction, tributes were imposed on the provinces of the empire.[16]
It is uncertain who or what actually caused the fire. Tacitus says that Nero had Christians arrested and condemned "not so much for incendiarism as for their hatred of the human race".[17] Christians confessed to the crime, but it is not known whether these were false confessions induced by torture.[17] Suetonius and Cassius Dio favor Nero as the arsonist with an insane desire to destroy the city as his motive.[18] However, major accidentally started fires were common in ancient Rome. In fact, Rome burned again under Vitellius in 69[19] and under Titus in 80.[20]
According to Tacitus, the population searched for a scapegoat and rumors held Nero responsible.[17] To diffuse blame, Nero targeted a sect called the Christians.[17] He ordered Christians to be thrown to dogs, while others were crucified and burned.[17]
Tacitus described the event:
Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.[17]
According to the historian Tacitus, the Great Fire of Rome started on the night of 18 July in the year 64, among the shops clustered around the Circus Maximus.[1] As many Romans lived in wooden houses without masonry, the fire spread quickly through these areas.[1] The fire was almost contained after five days before regaining strength.[2] Suetonius claims the fire burned for six days and seven nights in total.[3] The fire completely destroyed four of fourteen Roman districts and severely damaged seven.[4] Also destroyed were Nero's palace, Temple of Jupiter Stator and the hearth in the Temple of Vesta.[5]
The Great Fire of Rome erupted on the night of July 18 to July 19, 64. The fire started at the southeastern end of the Circus Maximus in shops selling flammable goods.[1]
The actual size of the fire is the subject of some debate. According to Tacitus, who was nine years old at the time of the fire, it spread quickly and burnt for five days.[6] It completely destroyed four of fourteen Roman districts and severely damaged seven.[6] The only other historian who lived through the period and mentioned the fire is Pliny the Elder who wrote about it in passing.[7] Other historians who lived through the period (including Josephus, Dio Chrysostom, Plutarch, and Epictetus) make no mention of it. The only other account on the size of fire is an interpolation in a forged Christian letter from Seneca to Paul: "A hundred and thirty-two houses and four blocks have been burnt in six days; the seventh brought a pause".[8] This account implies less than a tenth of the city was burnt. Rome contained about 1,700 private houses and 47,000 apartment blocks.
It was said by Suetonius and Cassius Dio that Nero sang the "Sack of Ilium" in stage costume while the city burned.[9] However, Tacitus' account has Nero in Antium at the time of the fire.[10] Tacitus said that Nero playing his lyre and singing while the city burned was only rumor.[10] Popular legend remembers Nero "fiddling" while Rome burned, but this is an anachronism as the fiddle had not yet been invented, and would not be for over 1,000 years.[11]
According to Tacitus, upon hearing news of the fire, Nero rushed back to Rome to organize a relief effort, which he paid for from his own funds.[10] After the fire, Nero opened his palaces to provide shelter for the homeless, and arranged for food supplies to be delivered in order to prevent starvation among the survivors.[10] In the wake of the fire, he made a new urban development plan. Houses after the fire were spaced out, built in brick, and faced by porticos on wide roads.[12] Nero also built a new palace complex known as the Domus Aurea in an area cleared by the fire.[13] This was a 300 acre palatial complex that featured the Colossus Neronis, a 37-meter-high bronze statue of Nero placed just outside of the entrance. [14][15] To find the necessary funds for the reconstruction, tributes were imposed on the provinces of the empire.[16]
It is uncertain who or what actually caused the fire. Tacitus says that Nero had Christians arrested and condemned "not so much for incendiarism as for their hatred of the human race".[17] Christians confessed to the crime, but it is not known whether these were false confessions induced by torture.[17] Suetonius and Cassius Dio favor Nero as the arsonist with an insane desire to destroy the city as his motive.[18] However, major accidentally started fires were common in ancient Rome. In fact, Rome burned again under Vitellius in 69[19] and under Titus in 80.[20]
According to Tacitus, the population searched for a scapegoat and rumors held Nero responsible.[17] To diffuse blame, Nero targeted a sect called the Christians.[17] He ordered Christians to be thrown to dogs, while others were crucified and burned.[17]
Tacitus described the event:
Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.[17]
Sunday, July 15, 2007
One more trivia
Castellan, wikipedia.com
A castellan was the governor or caretaker of a castle or keep. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum 'castle'.
Usually, a castellan combined the duties of both a majordomo (responsible for a castle's domestic staff) and a military administrator (responsible for maintaining defences and protecting the castle's lands). This was particularly the case if there was no lord resident at the castle, or if the resident lord was frequently absent.
In France, castellans (known in French as Châtelains) who governed castles without resident nobles acquired considerable powers, and the position actually became a hereditary fiefdom. At times, there was a castellan among the Officers of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
In the Kingdom of Poland and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the castellans (Polish: kasztelan) were often considered to be subordinates of voivodes (with the exception of the Castellan of Cracow as Cracow was the Commonwealth capital until 1596). Castellans were in charge of a part of the voivodeship called castellany until the 15th century and from that time on their domain was divided into provinces for Greater Castellans and powiats for Minor Castellans. Chancellors were district officials and had the right to attend sessions of the Polish parliament, the Sejm.
I will post the krak des chevaliers later
A castellan was the governor or caretaker of a castle or keep. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum 'castle'.
Usually, a castellan combined the duties of both a majordomo (responsible for a castle's domestic staff) and a military administrator (responsible for maintaining defences and protecting the castle's lands). This was particularly the case if there was no lord resident at the castle, or if the resident lord was frequently absent.
In France, castellans (known in French as Châtelains) who governed castles without resident nobles acquired considerable powers, and the position actually became a hereditary fiefdom. At times, there was a castellan among the Officers of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
In the Kingdom of Poland and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the castellans (Polish: kasztelan) were often considered to be subordinates of voivodes (with the exception of the Castellan of Cracow as Cracow was the Commonwealth capital until 1596). Castellans were in charge of a part of the voivodeship called castellany until the 15th century and from that time on their domain was divided into provinces for Greater Castellans and powiats for Minor Castellans. Chancellors were district officials and had the right to attend sessions of the Polish parliament, the Sejm.
I will post the krak des chevaliers later
Trivia for today
How many of you know the Alhambra? Wikipedia.com
The Alhambra (Arabic: الحمراء = Al-Ħamrā'; literally "the red") is a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish monarchs of Granada, in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed), occupying a hilly terrace on the south-eastern border of the city of Granada. It was the residence of the Muslim kings of Granada and their court, but is currently a museum exhibiting exquisite Islamic architecture. A Renaissance palace was also inserted by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The name Alhambra, signifying in Arabic the red (Al Hamra الحمراء), derives from the colour of the red clay of the surroundings of which the fort is made. The buildings of the Alhambra were originally whitewashed; however, the buildings now seen today are reddish. The first reference to the Qal’at al Hamra was during the battles between the Arabs and the Muladies during the rule of the Abdallah (who reigned from 888-912). In one particularly fierce and bloody skirmish, the Muladies soundly defeated the Arabs who were then forced to take shelter in a primitive red castle located in the province of Elvira, nowadays located in Granada. According to surviving documents from the era, the red castle was quite small and its walls were not capable of deterring army intent on conquering. The castle was then largely ignored until the eleventh century when its ruins were renovated and rebuilt by Samuel ibn Naghralla, vizier to the King Bādīs of the Zirid Dynasty, in an attempt to preserve the small Jewish settlement also located on the Sabikah hill. However, evidence from Arab texts indicates that the fortress was easily penetrated and that the actual Alhambra that survives today was built during the Nasrid Dynasty.
Ibn Nasr, the founder of the Nasrid Dynasty, was forced to flee to Granada in order to avoid persecution by King Ferdinand and his supporters during attempts to rid Spain of Moorish Dominion. After retreating to Granada, Ibn-Nasr took up residence at the Palace of Bādis in the Alhambra. A few months later, he embarked on the construction of a new Alhambra fit for the residence of a king. According to an Arab manuscript published as the Anónimo de Granada y Copenhague, “This year 1238 Abdallah ibn al-Ahmar climbed to the place called ‘the Alhambra inspected it, laid out the foundations of a castle and left someone in charge of its construction…” The design included plans for six palaces, five of which were grouped in the northeast quadrant forming a royal quarter, two circuit towers, and numerous bathhouses. Over the reign of Nasrid Dynasty, the Alhambra was transformed into a palatine city complete with an irrigation system composed of acequias for the lush and beautiful gardens of the Generalife located outside the fortress. Previously, the old Alhambra structure had been dependent upon rainwater collected from a cistern and from what could be brought up from the Albaicín. The creation of the “Sultan’s Canal” solidified the identity of the Alhambra as a sumptuous palace-city rather than a defensive and ascetic structure.
Trivia for today
Citadel, from wikipedia.com
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle.[1] The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen.
Citadels are most often used to protect a garrison or political power from the inhabitants of the town it is defending. They were designed to ensure loyalty from the town which they defended.
For example Barcelona had a great citadel built in 1714 to intimidate the Catalans against repeating their mid 17th and early 18th century rebellions against the Spanish central government. In the 19th century, as soon as the political climate had liberalised enough to permit it, the people of Barcelona had the citadel torn down, and replaced it with the city's main central park, the Parc de la Ciutadella. A similar example is the Citadella in Budapest, Hungary. The Citadelle of Quebec still survives, as the largest citadel still in official military operation in North America, after more than two hundred years of existence.
In ancient Greece, the citadel, placed on a commanding eminence, was important in the life of the people, serving as a refuge and stronghold in peril and containing military and food supplies, the shrine of the god and a royal palace. In the Middle Ages the citadel was the last defense of a besieged army, often held after the town had been conquered, and affording retreat to the people living in the areas around the town.
In a fortification with bastions, the citadel is the strongest part of the system, sometimes well inside the outer walls and bastions, but often forming part of the outer wall for the sake of economy. It is positioned to be the last line of defense should the enemy breach the other components of the fortification system.
gracias, su excelencia!
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle.[1] The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen.
Citadels are most often used to protect a garrison or political power from the inhabitants of the town it is defending. They were designed to ensure loyalty from the town which they defended.
For example Barcelona had a great citadel built in 1714 to intimidate the Catalans against repeating their mid 17th and early 18th century rebellions against the Spanish central government. In the 19th century, as soon as the political climate had liberalised enough to permit it, the people of Barcelona had the citadel torn down, and replaced it with the city's main central park, the Parc de la Ciutadella. A similar example is the Citadella in Budapest, Hungary. The Citadelle of Quebec still survives, as the largest citadel still in official military operation in North America, after more than two hundred years of existence.
In ancient Greece, the citadel, placed on a commanding eminence, was important in the life of the people, serving as a refuge and stronghold in peril and containing military and food supplies, the shrine of the god and a royal palace. In the Middle Ages the citadel was the last defense of a besieged army, often held after the town had been conquered, and affording retreat to the people living in the areas around the town.
In a fortification with bastions, the citadel is the strongest part of the system, sometimes well inside the outer walls and bastions, but often forming part of the outer wall for the sake of economy. It is positioned to be the last line of defense should the enemy breach the other components of the fortification system.
gracias, su excelencia!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Trivia for today
Starets, from Wikipedia.com
A starets (Russian старец) is an elder of a Russian Orthodox monastery who functions as venerated adviser and teacher. Startsy are charismatic spiritual leaders whose wisdom stems from intuition rather than experience. It is believed that through ascetic struggle and prayer (Hesychasm), and the leading of a virtuous life, the Holy Spirit bestows special gifts onto the starets including the ability to heal, prophesy, and most importantly, give effective spiritual guidance and direction. Startsy are looked upon as being an inspiration to believers, an example of saintly virtue, steadfast faith, and spiritual peace.
Startsy are not appointed by any authority, they are simply recognized by the faithful as being people "of the Spirit". A starets, when not in prayer or in voluntary seclusion, receives visitors (some who travel very far) and spends time conversing with them, offering a blessing (if the starets is an ordained cleric) and confession, and praying. People often petition the starets for intercessionary prayers, believing that the prayer of a starets is particularly effective.
Personal confessions to startsy are encouraged, although not all of them are formally ordained to priesthood. Many of them have a reputation amidst believers of being able to know the secrets of a person's heart without having ever previously met the visitor, and having the ability to discern God's plan for a person's life. This, as all of the startsy's gifts, is believed to come from the Holy Spirit acting through the starets.
The institution may be traced to the beginnings of the Christian monasticism in the 4th century. The original Greek term geron was rendered by the Russian word "starets", derived from the Slavic adjective for "old". Sergius of Radonezh and Nil Sorsky were two most venerated startsy of Old Muscovy. The revival of staretsdom is associated with the name of Paisius Velichkovsky (1722-94), who produced the Russian translation of the Philokalia. The most famous starets of the early 19th century was Seraphim of Sarov (1759-1833), who went on to become one of the most revered Orthodox saints.
The Optina Pustyn near Kozelsk used to be celebrated for its startsy. Such writers as Nikolay Gogol, Aleksey Khomyakov, Leo Tolstoy, and Konstantin Leontyev sought advice from the elders of this monastery. They also inspired the figure of Zosima in Dostoyevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov. Grigori Rasputin was styled starets by his followers, although he was not generally recognised as one. A more modern example of a starets is Archimandrite Ioann Krestiankin (1910-2006) of the Pskov Monastery of the Caves who was popularly recognized as such by many Orthodox living in Russia.
The concept of the starets may be familiar to many Western readers through J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey. In the novel, one of the characters refers to the 19th century anonymous Russian work, The Way of a Pilgrim. The title character of The Way of a Pilgrim (ostensibly, the author) is advised in the progress of his spiritual life by a starets, who uses the Jesus Prayer as a starting point for spiritual discipline.
A starets (Russian старец) is an elder of a Russian Orthodox monastery who functions as venerated adviser and teacher. Startsy are charismatic spiritual leaders whose wisdom stems from intuition rather than experience. It is believed that through ascetic struggle and prayer (Hesychasm), and the leading of a virtuous life, the Holy Spirit bestows special gifts onto the starets including the ability to heal, prophesy, and most importantly, give effective spiritual guidance and direction. Startsy are looked upon as being an inspiration to believers, an example of saintly virtue, steadfast faith, and spiritual peace.
Startsy are not appointed by any authority, they are simply recognized by the faithful as being people "of the Spirit". A starets, when not in prayer or in voluntary seclusion, receives visitors (some who travel very far) and spends time conversing with them, offering a blessing (if the starets is an ordained cleric) and confession, and praying. People often petition the starets for intercessionary prayers, believing that the prayer of a starets is particularly effective.
Personal confessions to startsy are encouraged, although not all of them are formally ordained to priesthood. Many of them have a reputation amidst believers of being able to know the secrets of a person's heart without having ever previously met the visitor, and having the ability to discern God's plan for a person's life. This, as all of the startsy's gifts, is believed to come from the Holy Spirit acting through the starets.
The institution may be traced to the beginnings of the Christian monasticism in the 4th century. The original Greek term geron was rendered by the Russian word "starets", derived from the Slavic adjective for "old". Sergius of Radonezh and Nil Sorsky were two most venerated startsy of Old Muscovy. The revival of staretsdom is associated with the name of Paisius Velichkovsky (1722-94), who produced the Russian translation of the Philokalia. The most famous starets of the early 19th century was Seraphim of Sarov (1759-1833), who went on to become one of the most revered Orthodox saints.
The Optina Pustyn near Kozelsk used to be celebrated for its startsy. Such writers as Nikolay Gogol, Aleksey Khomyakov, Leo Tolstoy, and Konstantin Leontyev sought advice from the elders of this monastery. They also inspired the figure of Zosima in Dostoyevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov. Grigori Rasputin was styled starets by his followers, although he was not generally recognised as one. A more modern example of a starets is Archimandrite Ioann Krestiankin (1910-2006) of the Pskov Monastery of the Caves who was popularly recognized as such by many Orthodox living in Russia.
The concept of the starets may be familiar to many Western readers through J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey. In the novel, one of the characters refers to the 19th century anonymous Russian work, The Way of a Pilgrim. The title character of The Way of a Pilgrim (ostensibly, the author) is advised in the progress of his spiritual life by a starets, who uses the Jesus Prayer as a starting point for spiritual discipline.
The brise soleil on Santiago Calatrava's Quadracci Pavilion of the Milwaukee Art Museum in the open position. French for "sun break", a brise soleil serves to provide shade from the sun. Calatrava's brise soleil opens up for a wingspan of 217 feet (66.1 m) during the day, folding over the tall, arched structure at night or during inclement weather.
Wikipedia.com
Friday, July 13, 2007
Trivia for today
Lorica Hamata, wikipedia.com
The lorica hamata is a type of mail armour used during the Roman Republic at late periods as a standard-issue armour for the secondary troops (Auxilia). They were mostly manufactured out of bronze or iron. It alternated with rows of closed washer-like rings, and riveted rings running horizontally, this produced a very flexible, reliable and strong armour. Each ring had an inside diameter of about 5 mm, and an outside diameter of about 7 mm. The shoulders of the lorica hamata had flaps that were similar to the Greek 'Linothorax' which ran from about mid-back to the front of the torso, and were connected by brass or iron hooks which connected to studs riveted through the ends of the flaps. Several thousand rings would have gone into one lorica hamata.
The knowledge on the manufacturing of mail may have come from the Celts. There were several versions of this type of armour, specialized for different military duties such as skirmishers, cavalry and spearmen.
Although labor-intensive to manufacture, it is thought that, with good maintenance, they could be continually used for several decades.
Around 5 A.D., the lorica hamata was still common amongst the Legionary soldiers. The lorica hamata remained standard issue for all soldiers, including auxilia. Later versions had sleeves and expanded to the knees unlike the earlier lorica hamata.
The lorica hamata is a type of mail armour used during the Roman Republic at late periods as a standard-issue armour for the secondary troops (Auxilia). They were mostly manufactured out of bronze or iron. It alternated with rows of closed washer-like rings, and riveted rings running horizontally, this produced a very flexible, reliable and strong armour. Each ring had an inside diameter of about 5 mm, and an outside diameter of about 7 mm. The shoulders of the lorica hamata had flaps that were similar to the Greek 'Linothorax' which ran from about mid-back to the front of the torso, and were connected by brass or iron hooks which connected to studs riveted through the ends of the flaps. Several thousand rings would have gone into one lorica hamata.
The knowledge on the manufacturing of mail may have come from the Celts. There were several versions of this type of armour, specialized for different military duties such as skirmishers, cavalry and spearmen.
Although labor-intensive to manufacture, it is thought that, with good maintenance, they could be continually used for several decades.
Around 5 A.D., the lorica hamata was still common amongst the Legionary soldiers. The lorica hamata remained standard issue for all soldiers, including auxilia. Later versions had sleeves and expanded to the knees unlike the earlier lorica hamata.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Trivia for today
The Meta Sudans, from Wikipedia.com
The Meta Sudans (Latin: "sweating meta") was a large monumental conical fountain in ancient Rome.
The Meta Sudans was built some time between 89 and 96 under the Flavian emperors, a few years after the completion of the nearby Colosseum. It was built between the Colosseum and the Temple of Venus and Roma, close to the later Arch of Constantine, at the juncture of four regions of ancient Rome: regions I, III, IV, X (and perhaps II).
A meta was a tall conical object in a Roman circus that stood at either end of the central spina, around which racing chariots would turn. The Meta Sudans had the same shape, and also functioned as a similar kind of turning point, in that it marked the spot where a Roman triumphal procession would turn left from the via Triumphalis along the east side of the Palatine onto the via Sacra and into the Forum Romanum itself.
The Meta Sudans was built of a brick and concrete core, faced with marble. It seems to have "sweated" the water, rather than jetting it out the top. This may mean that it oozed out the top, or perhaps that water came from holes in its side. The monument is estimated to have stood up to 17m high; until the 20th century, its concrete core was still over 9m high. It had a base pool 16m wide and 1.4m deep.
The fountain was obviously damaged in the Middle Ages because it already appears as a ruin in early views of the Colosseum. Photos from the end of the 19th century show a conical heap of bricks next to the Arch of Constantine. The ruins of Meta Sudans survived until the 20th century. In 1936, Mussolini had its remains demolished and paved over to make room for the new traffic circle around the Colosseum. A commemorative plaque was set in the road. Although the above-ground structure is gone, its foundations were later re-excavated, revealing the extensive substructure. After another excavation in 1997-98 the traffic circle was closed and the area became a pedestrian district.
The Meta Sudans (Latin: "sweating meta") was a large monumental conical fountain in ancient Rome.
The Meta Sudans was built some time between 89 and 96 under the Flavian emperors, a few years after the completion of the nearby Colosseum. It was built between the Colosseum and the Temple of Venus and Roma, close to the later Arch of Constantine, at the juncture of four regions of ancient Rome: regions I, III, IV, X (and perhaps II).
A meta was a tall conical object in a Roman circus that stood at either end of the central spina, around which racing chariots would turn. The Meta Sudans had the same shape, and also functioned as a similar kind of turning point, in that it marked the spot where a Roman triumphal procession would turn left from the via Triumphalis along the east side of the Palatine onto the via Sacra and into the Forum Romanum itself.
The Meta Sudans was built of a brick and concrete core, faced with marble. It seems to have "sweated" the water, rather than jetting it out the top. This may mean that it oozed out the top, or perhaps that water came from holes in its side. The monument is estimated to have stood up to 17m high; until the 20th century, its concrete core was still over 9m high. It had a base pool 16m wide and 1.4m deep.
The fountain was obviously damaged in the Middle Ages because it already appears as a ruin in early views of the Colosseum. Photos from the end of the 19th century show a conical heap of bricks next to the Arch of Constantine. The ruins of Meta Sudans survived until the 20th century. In 1936, Mussolini had its remains demolished and paved over to make room for the new traffic circle around the Colosseum. A commemorative plaque was set in the road. Although the above-ground structure is gone, its foundations were later re-excavated, revealing the extensive substructure. After another excavation in 1997-98 the traffic circle was closed and the area became a pedestrian district.
PC on "The Road Not Taken"
Prac Crit on "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
Contributed by Augustin Chiam, 6.7
This poem can be taken on a metaphorical or literal level. It is very typically a Frost poem as it explores the human psychology in making decisions and the emotions involved in the decision-making process. The major theme in this poem is the choices one has to make in one's life, using nature as a backdrop to put his message across. Many critics say that the context of this poem should be the many walks in the forest that Robert Frost took with his friend, Thomas Edwards. In these walks, his friend would always have to choose one path over the other and would often sigh at the end and wondering whether the other path not taken could have been better. Many, therefore, believed that
The title itself is very significant because it could mean different things depending on the interpretation. “The Road Not Taken” could refer to the choice that society didn't normally take and the one that was different from social norms, the road which the persona took, or it could also mean the road that the persona didn't take, hence the road not taken. Objectively speaking, this poem is about both roads, the choice to choose one of them and the process of choosing.
Frost starts the poem by telling us that there are “two roads”. This is significant because it tells us that Frost feels that there are only two distinctive choice in life, black or white and no shades of gray. This adds an element of determinism into the poem and shows that in the first place, the choices that are presented before us are limited, a theme that is repeated throughout the poem. Yellow is a color that represents autumn, a transition period between summer and winter, and in this case represents a cross roads and transition period in life. Wood represents life and is a symbol of the complexities and “denseness” of life. The repetition of “And” at the beginning of line two to four in the first stanza is used to emphasize the often long and tedious process of decision-making. “I could not travel both and be one traveler,” means that the choice that one makes will alter one's life irreversibly and that once decided, the persona cannot retrace his steps and still be the same person to choose all over again. This again adds an element of determinism and Frost reminds us that each decision we make is important and final, it changes us as a person forever and it is therefore of utmost important to consider our decisions thoroughly. To look down one path as far as possible and still be blocked by “undergrowth”, tells us that circumstances often block us from seeing the long-term consequences of our decision to take certain paths. This inability to see the full impact of our decisions even though they affect us irreversibly is lamentable but still we have to make the decision. In the first stanza, Frost emphasizes the very limited choices and situation that we are placed in and the many boundaries that we have to work with when making a decision, making the decision-making process long and painful and leaving the decision-maker helpless. The idea that even though we are supposed to be autonomous and sentient creatures yet the choices we make are still subject to externalities and the forces of nature, forces us to think twice about whether we really have a choice and how significant the human factor is when it comes to making decisions in life.
Frost uses the second stanza to enforce the idea that both paths are really the same after all and explores the reasons behind taking one over the “other”. The “other” path is described as “just as fair” which tells us that both paths are similar in nature. Frost goes on, however, to suggest that the “other” path was taken because it has “perhaps the better claim”. “Perhaps” indicates to us that there is uncertainty and it implies that we can never be fully certain about the decisions we make, an idea that is repeated throughout the poem. The word “grassy” in line eight refers to the saying “the grass is always greener on the other side”. It shows us how shallow our decision-making is and that most decisions are made based merely on perception, by what we perceive using our senses especially our sense of sight. Still, Frost reminds us that beyond that, the paths are “really about the same” as time passes.
The third stanza is like a culmination of the ideas in the first and second stanza, the deterministic nature of making decisions and the reasons behind our choices. The first two lines of the third stanza reinforces and reiterates the fact that both paths are almost the same and that they “equally lay”. Frost tells us that each path has no merits and advantages that places it above and makes it more favorable than the “other”. “Black” is significant as the other color other than “yellow” mentioned in the poem. “Black” represents the demerits and evils, any kind of disadvantage or attribute that will put us off or make us choose another path. The fact that the paths had not been “trodden black” tells us that this is not the case, there are no demerits that warrants that another path be given preference over the other. “Oh, I kept the first for another day!” seems naive and impulsive. As if one can have one's cake and eat it, that one can have the best of both world. Frost, however, immediate dispels that notion by again adding in the deterministic element into the poem again. He tells us that “way leads to way” which means that each decision is like a chain reaction that will lead to many other decisions. We are forever altered by our choices because “way leads to way”, there is no returning back as clearly stated by the persona's doubt over whether he “should ever come back”.The fact is clear that there is indeed no such choice anymore, there is no going back the way we came from after we make the decision. There is a definite choice to make when we come to a crossroads and each choice will affect our future decisions and is irreversible. Again this begets the question whether we actually have free will to make our decisions if the decision we make now will affect the choices we have and the decisions we will make in the future. Frost clearly presents to us the puzzling question of whether we truly have the autonomy and the free will that makes us superior to animals.
The last stanza is by far the most controversial stanza of the entire poem. There are many different interpretations of this stanza as it is the conclusion of the whole matter and is a final piece to the subtly complex poem. It determines the whole theme and direction that the poem takes. Many critics disagree what the actual connotation of the word “sigh” is. It could be a “sigh of relief”, a “sigh of disappointment” or even a “sigh of resignation” and each of these meanings presents a different perspective to the entire poem. Some believe that the last stanza is one of relief where Frost expresses relief after finally making a decision , whether right or wrong, after the long drawn-out and tedious process of decision making and considering that there was not much choice anyway because of the circumstances that restrict us. That we even decide on one particular path or stick to one decision is what “made all the difference”. Others believe that he was disappointed with the decision that he made, yet he cannot do anything about it because of the running theme of determinism in the entire poem that tells us that externalities prevent us from exercising our free will. The only thing that we should do is to tell others about our experience, in this case, “telling this with a sigh” is what “made all the difference”. Still others believe that he was resigned to his fate but was still glad that he chose a path that was not conforming to the society's norms and that has “made all the difference”. This view tells us that one should not merely conform to society's view and make your own decision, so far as to even go against what society expects and find your own unique individuality.
So whether be it the message that one should be a conformist and follow social norm, the message that we do not have choices in life even though there may seem to be or even that we often make decisions that are very superficial and based on perceptions, Frost lets the reader decide. Many of Frost poems have so many meanings and interpretation and that is characteristic of Robert Frost's poems as he believed that subtlety is very important in poetry and that a meaningful poem should have many meanings. “The Road Not Taken” is a classic example of Robert Frost's idea of a meaningful poem.
Contributed by Augustin Chiam, 6.7
This poem can be taken on a metaphorical or literal level. It is very typically a Frost poem as it explores the human psychology in making decisions and the emotions involved in the decision-making process. The major theme in this poem is the choices one has to make in one's life, using nature as a backdrop to put his message across. Many critics say that the context of this poem should be the many walks in the forest that Robert Frost took with his friend, Thomas Edwards. In these walks, his friend would always have to choose one path over the other and would often sigh at the end and wondering whether the other path not taken could have been better. Many, therefore, believed that
The title itself is very significant because it could mean different things depending on the interpretation. “The Road Not Taken” could refer to the choice that society didn't normally take and the one that was different from social norms, the road which the persona took, or it could also mean the road that the persona didn't take, hence the road not taken. Objectively speaking, this poem is about both roads, the choice to choose one of them and the process of choosing.
Frost starts the poem by telling us that there are “two roads”. This is significant because it tells us that Frost feels that there are only two distinctive choice in life, black or white and no shades of gray. This adds an element of determinism into the poem and shows that in the first place, the choices that are presented before us are limited, a theme that is repeated throughout the poem. Yellow is a color that represents autumn, a transition period between summer and winter, and in this case represents a cross roads and transition period in life. Wood represents life and is a symbol of the complexities and “denseness” of life. The repetition of “And” at the beginning of line two to four in the first stanza is used to emphasize the often long and tedious process of decision-making. “I could not travel both and be one traveler,” means that the choice that one makes will alter one's life irreversibly and that once decided, the persona cannot retrace his steps and still be the same person to choose all over again. This again adds an element of determinism and Frost reminds us that each decision we make is important and final, it changes us as a person forever and it is therefore of utmost important to consider our decisions thoroughly. To look down one path as far as possible and still be blocked by “undergrowth”, tells us that circumstances often block us from seeing the long-term consequences of our decision to take certain paths. This inability to see the full impact of our decisions even though they affect us irreversibly is lamentable but still we have to make the decision. In the first stanza, Frost emphasizes the very limited choices and situation that we are placed in and the many boundaries that we have to work with when making a decision, making the decision-making process long and painful and leaving the decision-maker helpless. The idea that even though we are supposed to be autonomous and sentient creatures yet the choices we make are still subject to externalities and the forces of nature, forces us to think twice about whether we really have a choice and how significant the human factor is when it comes to making decisions in life.
Frost uses the second stanza to enforce the idea that both paths are really the same after all and explores the reasons behind taking one over the “other”. The “other” path is described as “just as fair” which tells us that both paths are similar in nature. Frost goes on, however, to suggest that the “other” path was taken because it has “perhaps the better claim”. “Perhaps” indicates to us that there is uncertainty and it implies that we can never be fully certain about the decisions we make, an idea that is repeated throughout the poem. The word “grassy” in line eight refers to the saying “the grass is always greener on the other side”. It shows us how shallow our decision-making is and that most decisions are made based merely on perception, by what we perceive using our senses especially our sense of sight. Still, Frost reminds us that beyond that, the paths are “really about the same” as time passes.
The third stanza is like a culmination of the ideas in the first and second stanza, the deterministic nature of making decisions and the reasons behind our choices. The first two lines of the third stanza reinforces and reiterates the fact that both paths are almost the same and that they “equally lay”. Frost tells us that each path has no merits and advantages that places it above and makes it more favorable than the “other”. “Black” is significant as the other color other than “yellow” mentioned in the poem. “Black” represents the demerits and evils, any kind of disadvantage or attribute that will put us off or make us choose another path. The fact that the paths had not been “trodden black” tells us that this is not the case, there are no demerits that warrants that another path be given preference over the other. “Oh, I kept the first for another day!” seems naive and impulsive. As if one can have one's cake and eat it, that one can have the best of both world. Frost, however, immediate dispels that notion by again adding in the deterministic element into the poem again. He tells us that “way leads to way” which means that each decision is like a chain reaction that will lead to many other decisions. We are forever altered by our choices because “way leads to way”, there is no returning back as clearly stated by the persona's doubt over whether he “should ever come back”.The fact is clear that there is indeed no such choice anymore, there is no going back the way we came from after we make the decision. There is a definite choice to make when we come to a crossroads and each choice will affect our future decisions and is irreversible. Again this begets the question whether we actually have free will to make our decisions if the decision we make now will affect the choices we have and the decisions we will make in the future. Frost clearly presents to us the puzzling question of whether we truly have the autonomy and the free will that makes us superior to animals.
The last stanza is by far the most controversial stanza of the entire poem. There are many different interpretations of this stanza as it is the conclusion of the whole matter and is a final piece to the subtly complex poem. It determines the whole theme and direction that the poem takes. Many critics disagree what the actual connotation of the word “sigh” is. It could be a “sigh of relief”, a “sigh of disappointment” or even a “sigh of resignation” and each of these meanings presents a different perspective to the entire poem. Some believe that the last stanza is one of relief where Frost expresses relief after finally making a decision , whether right or wrong, after the long drawn-out and tedious process of decision making and considering that there was not much choice anyway because of the circumstances that restrict us. That we even decide on one particular path or stick to one decision is what “made all the difference”. Others believe that he was disappointed with the decision that he made, yet he cannot do anything about it because of the running theme of determinism in the entire poem that tells us that externalities prevent us from exercising our free will. The only thing that we should do is to tell others about our experience, in this case, “telling this with a sigh” is what “made all the difference”. Still others believe that he was resigned to his fate but was still glad that he chose a path that was not conforming to the society's norms and that has “made all the difference”. This view tells us that one should not merely conform to society's view and make your own decision, so far as to even go against what society expects and find your own unique individuality.
So whether be it the message that one should be a conformist and follow social norm, the message that we do not have choices in life even though there may seem to be or even that we often make decisions that are very superficial and based on perceptions, Frost lets the reader decide. Many of Frost poems have so many meanings and interpretation and that is characteristic of Robert Frost's poems as he believed that subtlety is very important in poetry and that a meaningful poem should have many meanings. “The Road Not Taken” is a classic example of Robert Frost's idea of a meaningful poem.
PC on After Apple Picking
A Prac Crit on "After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost
contributed by Augustin Chiam, 6.7
There are several major themes in “After Apple-Picking” that Robert Frost portrays. These themes are sleep, work, illusion versus reality and the choices that we make in life. Frost uses different kinds of vivid imagery to bring out the different themes in his poem.
The first major theme is sleep. The whole poem is presented in a very dream-like state. This dreamy state is introduced in the first two lines where the persona sees his “two-pointed ladder” reaching out “toward heaven still”. This is a reference to the biblical story of Jacob's dream where Jacob saw in his dream a ladder reaching out to heaven. Immediately, the reader is able to see that the persona is experiencing a vision or is dreaming. There are three different kinds of sleep that Frost seeks to portray; nature's sleep, animal sleep and human sleep. Nature's sleep represents the continuous cycle of seasons where leaves fall off and plants wilt in the cold of winter only to be revived again when spring arrives. Frost uses the image of “winter sleep” to show the drowsiness of the persona. This is an effective use of imagery because cold temperatures cause people to be lethargic and drowsy so we can tell that this is not just any kind of sleep but a “winter sleep” that slows down all forms of activity in the persona's life. The phrase “stem end and blossom end” also depicts this seasonal change that causes the apple to fall off the tree only to grow again when the flowers blossom in spring. Here we can see that the “winter sleep” is not a permanent state but rather there is a hope of revival and renewal after the persona awakes from this “winter sleep”. There is further evidence of the sub-theme of renewal and revival with the imagery of the “cider-apple heap”. Apples that go to the cider-apple heap can be reused again to make cider thus showing the aspect of rebirth and a renewal of purpose after the persona awakes from his “winter sleep.” Animal sleep is portrayed in the imagery of a “long sleep” or hibernation like in the case of a “woodchuck”. The concept of hibernation like nature's sleep is not a permanent sleep but rather is a conservation of energy during winter only to awake in spring. Perhaps, this is indicative of Frost's own desire to rest from his work so as to take a break before writing again. Human sleep, in contrast, refers to a permanent state of rest which is death. The fact that the poem ends with the phrase, “or just some human sleep”, shows that human sleep brings about a finality unlike the woodchuck's “long sleep” or the “winter sleep” of nature. I feel that it is Frost's intention to portray “human sleep” as not just a finality but also an effective escape, more effective than merely the “long sleep” or the “winter sleep”, from the heavy burden of work and the troubles that the persona faces by leaving it as his last thought in the poem.
The next major theme that is prevalent in the poem is the nature of work. Frost argues that it is difficult to rest from one's labor. Linked to this is another biblical story relating to work. The Bible records that after the fall of man, God declared that man, from that day forth, cannot fest from his toil. Work and toil are but inevitable processes in a man's life which one cannot escape from. The depiction of falling apples is an allusion to the fall of man as depicted in the Bible. The persona in the poem clearly wants to escape from work because he is “overtired” and “done with apple-picking”. Even so, the tone of the persona is one of resignation because he cannot escape from apple-picking even in his sleep and dreams. The imagery of “magnified apples” appearing and disappearing is a manifestation of his inner desire and it shows that his work continues to haunt him even in his sleep. This indicates that, perhaps, there is no rest from work and that work is inevitable. Even in his dreams, he feels the “ache” and the “pressure of a ladder-round”. He cannot escape from the getting tired physically and mentally because of his work. He still feels the weariness and stress even when he sleeps. The “load on load of apples coming in” is further proof that in his dreams, the work and labor continue to pour in and his burden is not lifted but instead increased. Frost portrays work as a never-ending process that man cannot escape from. There is also a sub-theme of perfection where the persona desires perfection from his work. The persona talks about the “barrel” that he “didn't fill”, which implies that there is a desire to continue working until perfection is achieved by filling the barrel. This theme of perfection is further shown in line 28 where the persona talks about the “great harvest” he desired. The perfection is seen in the fact that he would “cherish in hand, lift down , and not let fall” any of the apples. In contrast, he let the sheet of ice fall and break in line 13 which shows the persona's struggle with the idea of perfection. The thought of apples that he “didn't pick” and a barrel he “didn't fill” is the evidence of the struggle for perfection, the repetition of “didn't” emphasizes the struggle. The conflict arises when perfection is not achieved and cannot be achieved especially when tiredness and weariness sets in because of work.
Illusion versus reality is a recurring theme in the entire poem. Frost uses present, past and present continuous tense in a random fashion which confuses the reader and make it hard to guess when the persona is sleeping and when he is not. This makes it hard to differentiate illusion from the reality. The best example of this theme is found from line 7 to line 17. “Essence of winter sleep is on the night, the scent of apples” shows that there is a mix of sleep and smell, an interesting combination when the different sensations begin to blend and the reader cannot tell apart one from the other. The word “strangeness” adds confusion to the poem because even the persona himself cannot fully comprehend the situation. The “pane of glass” that he holds up is actually a sheet of ice which is suppose to make things clearer yet the grass looks “hoary” or gray which shows that it is instead still very much an illusion rather than reality. The interesting thing to note in line 17 is that the persona claims to know the “form” in which his “dreaming was about to take”. This shows a clarity of thought and yet it is hard to believe that he can have a clarity of thought when the next moment he sees “magnified apples appear and disappear”. This uncertainty that Frost intentionally creates emphasizes the theme of illusion versus reality.
Lastly, the theme of choices is a theme that is also in Road Not Taken, another poem written by Robert Frost. In this poem, apples can be taken as a symbol of the choices that we make. The “two-pointed ladder” represents Frost's view that everything in life has only two shades, its either yes or no, black or white, there are no in-betweens. The apples that he “didn't pick” are representative of the choices he did not take, a variation of the same theme in Road Not Taken, when he chose one path over another. Like in Road Not Taken where there is a struggle to make the right decision, the “load on load of apples” is an unwelcome barrage of decisions which have to be made. The phrase “ten thousand thousand fruit” is a hyperbole to emphasize the sheer number of decisions one has to make in life. Frost shows how decision-making can be a struggle and though we often desire to “cherish” each decision and not let each one “fall”, inevitably there will be those decisions that we abandon for better decisions, hence the imagery of apples that “struck the earth.”
In conclusion, Frost successfully portrays the struggle man has to keep up with perfection in work and the inevitable hardships that one has to endure. Sleep is ultimately not not necessarily the solution as even in one's sleep, the troubles of work can permeate in many different forms. The choices that one has to make in life is also another inevitable struggle of man. It is possible that Frost wrote this poem with the intention of showing his tiredness and weariness in writing and needs a well-deserved break. Whatever the case, the poem shows how work can sometimes be too overwhelming to handle and rest is needed, like the hibernation of the woodchuck, before working again.
contributed by Augustin Chiam, 6.7
There are several major themes in “After Apple-Picking” that Robert Frost portrays. These themes are sleep, work, illusion versus reality and the choices that we make in life. Frost uses different kinds of vivid imagery to bring out the different themes in his poem.
The first major theme is sleep. The whole poem is presented in a very dream-like state. This dreamy state is introduced in the first two lines where the persona sees his “two-pointed ladder” reaching out “toward heaven still”. This is a reference to the biblical story of Jacob's dream where Jacob saw in his dream a ladder reaching out to heaven. Immediately, the reader is able to see that the persona is experiencing a vision or is dreaming. There are three different kinds of sleep that Frost seeks to portray; nature's sleep, animal sleep and human sleep. Nature's sleep represents the continuous cycle of seasons where leaves fall off and plants wilt in the cold of winter only to be revived again when spring arrives. Frost uses the image of “winter sleep” to show the drowsiness of the persona. This is an effective use of imagery because cold temperatures cause people to be lethargic and drowsy so we can tell that this is not just any kind of sleep but a “winter sleep” that slows down all forms of activity in the persona's life. The phrase “stem end and blossom end” also depicts this seasonal change that causes the apple to fall off the tree only to grow again when the flowers blossom in spring. Here we can see that the “winter sleep” is not a permanent state but rather there is a hope of revival and renewal after the persona awakes from this “winter sleep”. There is further evidence of the sub-theme of renewal and revival with the imagery of the “cider-apple heap”. Apples that go to the cider-apple heap can be reused again to make cider thus showing the aspect of rebirth and a renewal of purpose after the persona awakes from his “winter sleep.” Animal sleep is portrayed in the imagery of a “long sleep” or hibernation like in the case of a “woodchuck”. The concept of hibernation like nature's sleep is not a permanent sleep but rather is a conservation of energy during winter only to awake in spring. Perhaps, this is indicative of Frost's own desire to rest from his work so as to take a break before writing again. Human sleep, in contrast, refers to a permanent state of rest which is death. The fact that the poem ends with the phrase, “or just some human sleep”, shows that human sleep brings about a finality unlike the woodchuck's “long sleep” or the “winter sleep” of nature. I feel that it is Frost's intention to portray “human sleep” as not just a finality but also an effective escape, more effective than merely the “long sleep” or the “winter sleep”, from the heavy burden of work and the troubles that the persona faces by leaving it as his last thought in the poem.
The next major theme that is prevalent in the poem is the nature of work. Frost argues that it is difficult to rest from one's labor. Linked to this is another biblical story relating to work. The Bible records that after the fall of man, God declared that man, from that day forth, cannot fest from his toil. Work and toil are but inevitable processes in a man's life which one cannot escape from. The depiction of falling apples is an allusion to the fall of man as depicted in the Bible. The persona in the poem clearly wants to escape from work because he is “overtired” and “done with apple-picking”. Even so, the tone of the persona is one of resignation because he cannot escape from apple-picking even in his sleep and dreams. The imagery of “magnified apples” appearing and disappearing is a manifestation of his inner desire and it shows that his work continues to haunt him even in his sleep. This indicates that, perhaps, there is no rest from work and that work is inevitable. Even in his dreams, he feels the “ache” and the “pressure of a ladder-round”. He cannot escape from the getting tired physically and mentally because of his work. He still feels the weariness and stress even when he sleeps. The “load on load of apples coming in” is further proof that in his dreams, the work and labor continue to pour in and his burden is not lifted but instead increased. Frost portrays work as a never-ending process that man cannot escape from. There is also a sub-theme of perfection where the persona desires perfection from his work. The persona talks about the “barrel” that he “didn't fill”, which implies that there is a desire to continue working until perfection is achieved by filling the barrel. This theme of perfection is further shown in line 28 where the persona talks about the “great harvest” he desired. The perfection is seen in the fact that he would “cherish in hand, lift down , and not let fall” any of the apples. In contrast, he let the sheet of ice fall and break in line 13 which shows the persona's struggle with the idea of perfection. The thought of apples that he “didn't pick” and a barrel he “didn't fill” is the evidence of the struggle for perfection, the repetition of “didn't” emphasizes the struggle. The conflict arises when perfection is not achieved and cannot be achieved especially when tiredness and weariness sets in because of work.
Illusion versus reality is a recurring theme in the entire poem. Frost uses present, past and present continuous tense in a random fashion which confuses the reader and make it hard to guess when the persona is sleeping and when he is not. This makes it hard to differentiate illusion from the reality. The best example of this theme is found from line 7 to line 17. “Essence of winter sleep is on the night, the scent of apples” shows that there is a mix of sleep and smell, an interesting combination when the different sensations begin to blend and the reader cannot tell apart one from the other. The word “strangeness” adds confusion to the poem because even the persona himself cannot fully comprehend the situation. The “pane of glass” that he holds up is actually a sheet of ice which is suppose to make things clearer yet the grass looks “hoary” or gray which shows that it is instead still very much an illusion rather than reality. The interesting thing to note in line 17 is that the persona claims to know the “form” in which his “dreaming was about to take”. This shows a clarity of thought and yet it is hard to believe that he can have a clarity of thought when the next moment he sees “magnified apples appear and disappear”. This uncertainty that Frost intentionally creates emphasizes the theme of illusion versus reality.
Lastly, the theme of choices is a theme that is also in Road Not Taken, another poem written by Robert Frost. In this poem, apples can be taken as a symbol of the choices that we make. The “two-pointed ladder” represents Frost's view that everything in life has only two shades, its either yes or no, black or white, there are no in-betweens. The apples that he “didn't pick” are representative of the choices he did not take, a variation of the same theme in Road Not Taken, when he chose one path over another. Like in Road Not Taken where there is a struggle to make the right decision, the “load on load of apples” is an unwelcome barrage of decisions which have to be made. The phrase “ten thousand thousand fruit” is a hyperbole to emphasize the sheer number of decisions one has to make in life. Frost shows how decision-making can be a struggle and though we often desire to “cherish” each decision and not let each one “fall”, inevitably there will be those decisions that we abandon for better decisions, hence the imagery of apples that “struck the earth.”
In conclusion, Frost successfully portrays the struggle man has to keep up with perfection in work and the inevitable hardships that one has to endure. Sleep is ultimately not not necessarily the solution as even in one's sleep, the troubles of work can permeate in many different forms. The choices that one has to make in life is also another inevitable struggle of man. It is possible that Frost wrote this poem with the intention of showing his tiredness and weariness in writing and needs a well-deserved break. Whatever the case, the poem shows how work can sometimes be too overwhelming to handle and rest is needed, like the hibernation of the woodchuck, before working again.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Trivia for today
The Gemonian Stairs (Latin: Scalae Gemoniae) were located in the central part of Ancient Rome, leading from the Capitoline Hill down to the Roman Forum and Tiber River. Nicknamed the "Stairs of Mourning," the stairs are infamous in Roman history as a place of execution.
The stairs were built some time before the reign of Tiberius and were not mentioned by name in any ancient texts that predate his reign. Their first use as a place of execution is thus associated with the paranoid excesses of his later reign.
The condemned were slain on the stairs either by sword, or more famously, by being bound and thrown down the stairs. Occasionally the corpses of the executed were transferred here for display from other places of execution in Rome. Corpses were usually left to rot on the staircase for extended periods of time in full view of the Forum, scavenged by dogs or other carrion animals, until eventually being thrown into the Tiber.
Death on the stairs was considered extremely dishonourable and dreadful, yet several senators and even an emperor (Vitellius) met their demise here.
From wikipedia.com
The stairs were built some time before the reign of Tiberius and were not mentioned by name in any ancient texts that predate his reign. Their first use as a place of execution is thus associated with the paranoid excesses of his later reign.
The condemned were slain on the stairs either by sword, or more famously, by being bound and thrown down the stairs. Occasionally the corpses of the executed were transferred here for display from other places of execution in Rome. Corpses were usually left to rot on the staircase for extended periods of time in full view of the Forum, scavenged by dogs or other carrion animals, until eventually being thrown into the Tiber.
Death on the stairs was considered extremely dishonourable and dreadful, yet several senators and even an emperor (Vitellius) met their demise here.
From wikipedia.com
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Trivia for today
From wiki:
The Gaesatae (Greek Γαισάται) were a group of Gaulish warriors who lived in the Alps near the river Rhône and fought against the Roman Republic in the Battle of Telamon of 224 BC. The Greek historian Polybius says their name meant "mercenaries",[1] although some modern scholars, by comparison with the Old Irish word gáe (spear, javelin),[2] contend that it may in fact have meant "spearmen", and compare them with the medieval Irish fianna, who were small warbands of landless young men operating independently of any kingdom.[3]
According to Polybius' account, the Boii and Insubres of Cisalpine Gaul paid the Gaesatae, under their leaders Concolitanus and Aneroëstes, large sums of money to fight against the Romans, in response to the Roman colonisation of the former Gallic territory of Picenum. The Gauls overran and defeated a Roman army on the approach to Rome,[4] but when the consul Lucius Aemilius Papus with his troops, the Gauls followed Aneroëstes' advice to withdraw with their booty. Papus pursued them, and the other consul Gaius Atilius Regulus cut them off at Telamon in Etruria.[5]
Polybius describes how the Gaesatae fought at the front, and unlike their Gallic allies who fought in trousers and light cloaks, they went into battle naked, both because of their great confidence and their desire not to get their clothes caught in the brambles.[6] Diodorus Siculus also reports that some Gauls fought naked, trusting in the protection of nature.[7] The appearance of these well-built naked warriors, and the noise of their trumpets and war-cries, intimidated the Romans, but their small shields offered little protection against Roman javelins, and the Gaesatae were driven back and their allies slaughtered.[8] Concolitanus was captured. Aneroëstes escaped with a few followers and took his own life.[9] In 222 BC the Gaesatae were hired again, but the Gallic forces were defeated by the Roman cavalry at Clastidium in the territory of the Insubres.[10]
1^ Polybius, Histories 2:22.1
2^ Dictionary of the Irish Language, Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, p. 352
3^ James MacKillop, Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Oxford University Press, 1998, pp. 217-218
4^ Polybius, Histories 2.:5
5^ Polybius, Histories 2:26-27
6^ Polybius, Histories 2:28.3-7
7^ Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library 5.30
8^ Polybius, Histories 2:29.5-30.9
9^ Polybius, Histories 2:31.1-2
10^ Polybius, Histories 2.34; Plutarch, Marcellus 6-7
The Gaesatae (Greek Γαισάται) were a group of Gaulish warriors who lived in the Alps near the river Rhône and fought against the Roman Republic in the Battle of Telamon of 224 BC. The Greek historian Polybius says their name meant "mercenaries",[1] although some modern scholars, by comparison with the Old Irish word gáe (spear, javelin),[2] contend that it may in fact have meant "spearmen", and compare them with the medieval Irish fianna, who were small warbands of landless young men operating independently of any kingdom.[3]
According to Polybius' account, the Boii and Insubres of Cisalpine Gaul paid the Gaesatae, under their leaders Concolitanus and Aneroëstes, large sums of money to fight against the Romans, in response to the Roman colonisation of the former Gallic territory of Picenum. The Gauls overran and defeated a Roman army on the approach to Rome,[4] but when the consul Lucius Aemilius Papus with his troops, the Gauls followed Aneroëstes' advice to withdraw with their booty. Papus pursued them, and the other consul Gaius Atilius Regulus cut them off at Telamon in Etruria.[5]
Polybius describes how the Gaesatae fought at the front, and unlike their Gallic allies who fought in trousers and light cloaks, they went into battle naked, both because of their great confidence and their desire not to get their clothes caught in the brambles.[6] Diodorus Siculus also reports that some Gauls fought naked, trusting in the protection of nature.[7] The appearance of these well-built naked warriors, and the noise of their trumpets and war-cries, intimidated the Romans, but their small shields offered little protection against Roman javelins, and the Gaesatae were driven back and their allies slaughtered.[8] Concolitanus was captured. Aneroëstes escaped with a few followers and took his own life.[9] In 222 BC the Gaesatae were hired again, but the Gallic forces were defeated by the Roman cavalry at Clastidium in the territory of the Insubres.[10]
1^ Polybius, Histories 2:22.1
2^ Dictionary of the Irish Language, Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, p. 352
3^ James MacKillop, Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Oxford University Press, 1998, pp. 217-218
4^ Polybius, Histories 2.:5
5^ Polybius, Histories 2:26-27
6^ Polybius, Histories 2:28.3-7
7^ Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library 5.30
8^ Polybius, Histories 2:29.5-30.9
9^ Polybius, Histories 2:31.1-2
10^ Polybius, Histories 2.34; Plutarch, Marcellus 6-7
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Prac Crit on "The Getting of Wisdom"
This analysis of a prose passage for SL English was sent in by "Suzumiya Haruhi"; the passage is an extract taken from a text called "The Getting of Wisdom". Thanks for submitting!
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The passage describes the incidents in a classroom after the discovery of a theft from the point of view of the protagonist, Laura. Through her eyes we are presented with a rather innocent, unadulterated view of the happenings around her which are in contrast to the views of the adult figure, the principal. This brings forth the idea of how children, in their innocence, may sometimes see situations with more clarity.
The passage begins by introducing the setting – a rather old classroom, as seen from the “blackened, ink-scored, dusty desks, with eternally dry ink-wells.” The humble setting makes the theft, which occurs later, all the more poignant since the girl appears to be comparatively poor, even to others who are not likely to be that well off themselves.
The fact that the passage is seen through Laura’s eyes again is significant as Laura does not appear to be that similar to the other children, being on the “tiptoe of expectation” whereas the rest “only whispered and wondered”. She appears to be full of childlike curiosity even as she “[thrusts] her fingers, in and out” in expectation. Her behavior is in contrast to the principal’s, who perhaps personifies the idea of adulthood, as he carries himself to impress others, as shown through the “low impressive tone” and vivid “oratory” on the girl’s crime. However, while this is so, he does not appear to possess the childlike sense of empathy that Laura is able to have for the thief in this case, perhaps revealing a gap between childhood and adulthood, in terms of being “human”.
Indeed, his main purpose in reprimanding the child appears to be to condemn her, not to help her. This is shown through the description of the “unhappy culprit [rising], then to be cast down and [remain] glued to the floor”. There is an obvious contrast between the image of rising up and the idea of being “cast down” and this emphasizes the perhaps overzealous view of justice the principal appears to take. The fact that the culprit is prepared to remain “glued to the ground” shows the immense lack of sympathy from the principal.
The culprit, on the other hand, is given a highly unflattering description from the author, and from Laura. She is not only “pale and silly-looking”, but is also a “very ugly girl”. This description, probably reflecting the mindset of Laura, emphasizes that Laura’s empathy for the culprit is genuine, not bases on any physical redeeming qualities the culprit may have. In this ugly girl the reader is presented with an almost stereotypical situation, one in which the ugliest is also the one with the “worst” character, in this case being a thief. Normally, this would lead us to immediate condemnation and disgust but Laura’s insights allow us as the readers to empathize and perhaps see things as they really are.
From the passage however, we can see that Laura appears to appreciate the principal a lot. She appears to “[hang] on to his lips, [appreciate] his points and the skillful way he worked up his climaxes”. The author reveals to us that the principal is likely to be a rather educated person with notable oratorical skills. He appears to be the symbol of perfection in adulthood that even Laura appears to appreciate. However, his speech reflects the fact that he perceives the situation to be a “textbook” situation. He begins with “introductory remarks”, moves on from “general” discussion to details, and generally works his points as if giving a grand speech. However, impressive this may be, the author makes it feel rather mechanical, without feeling, by giving perhaps and ideal speech on crime and punishment. This could be an attempt by the author to use the principal as a figure of “perfection” that should not be achieved. His condescending remarks about the “motor impulse of thefts” being because a “lolly shop had stretched out its octopus arms to you” reflects a general disdain for childishness. However, the principal fails to realize that every situation does have external factors, all of which serve to complicate the situation. Through him the author suggests that perhaps the wisdom, as reflected by the title, is not going by the book, but in fact understanding each situation for what it is.
Laura understands the difference between the “needs” of “tram-fare on a rainy morning” and “wants” of lollipops from a “lolly shop”. Through this, the author appears to give a social commentary regarding the theme of general prosperity as compared to the austere situation faced by Annie Johns. Laura’s thoughts reveal the difference between theft out of need and theft because “a lolly shop had stretched out its arms to you”. This rather comical statement used by the principal not only dehumanizes the situation but also reveals the social divide between the privileged class who have all they need, and possibly want, and the proletariats who have nothing, and, in Annie John’s case, not even looks.
The author uses the main characters Laura and the principal to bring across the theme of innocence versus experience; only in this case, it is the younger one, who would otherwise be perceived to be more innocent, that is the more experienced one. Laura knows “what it is to be poor”. This is her experience, and, can be contrasted to the principal’s, whose perception of being poor is simply not having enough money to buy a “lolly”. Through this the author presents the idea that age is not a barrier when it comes to being more experienced. That it is the experiences which make one more experienced. This is shown particularly through her realization that Annie Johns stole little not to “avoid detection”, as Mr. Strachey had supposed, but rather because she felt that “a few odd coins could not matter”. This statement led myself as a reader to sympathize with Annie Johns and strengthened my view of her character.
Laura’s views throughout the passage represent feelings we all had but perhaps did not express, such as how she is “thrilled” by Miss Zielinski’s tears, even as seeing one spectator at a play moved to tears “intensifies his neighbors’ enjoyment”. Her myriad of feelings are in contrast to the general feelings of the adults who have mostly “stolid” faces, thus expressing their lack of feeling. This is interesting when we compare it to Annie John who is also hiding behind a stony mask of a face. The lack of explicit emotions expressed on either side could perhaps represent a lack of feeling to which Annie Johns is also being driven to due to her being reprimanded.
In the passage we may note that other than Mr. Strachey and Miss Annie Johns, most of the characters given names are those with dissenting viewpoints, who are not perhaps as unfeeling. These characters include Bertha and Miss Zielinski, the latter who sympathizes strongly enough to be moved to “tears”. Interestingly, her tears are not likely to be the product of Mr. Strachey’s speech but instead of her realization of the true circumstances. By glorifying the deviant voices such as Laura’s in the passage, the author appears to appeal to us as readers to judge situations, and people, not by our “adult” viewpoints but from a childlike “human” perspective whereby we are able to sympathize with others.
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The passage describes the incidents in a classroom after the discovery of a theft from the point of view of the protagonist, Laura. Through her eyes we are presented with a rather innocent, unadulterated view of the happenings around her which are in contrast to the views of the adult figure, the principal. This brings forth the idea of how children, in their innocence, may sometimes see situations with more clarity.
The passage begins by introducing the setting – a rather old classroom, as seen from the “blackened, ink-scored, dusty desks, with eternally dry ink-wells.” The humble setting makes the theft, which occurs later, all the more poignant since the girl appears to be comparatively poor, even to others who are not likely to be that well off themselves.
The fact that the passage is seen through Laura’s eyes again is significant as Laura does not appear to be that similar to the other children, being on the “tiptoe of expectation” whereas the rest “only whispered and wondered”. She appears to be full of childlike curiosity even as she “[thrusts] her fingers, in and out” in expectation. Her behavior is in contrast to the principal’s, who perhaps personifies the idea of adulthood, as he carries himself to impress others, as shown through the “low impressive tone” and vivid “oratory” on the girl’s crime. However, while this is so, he does not appear to possess the childlike sense of empathy that Laura is able to have for the thief in this case, perhaps revealing a gap between childhood and adulthood, in terms of being “human”.
Indeed, his main purpose in reprimanding the child appears to be to condemn her, not to help her. This is shown through the description of the “unhappy culprit [rising], then to be cast down and [remain] glued to the floor”. There is an obvious contrast between the image of rising up and the idea of being “cast down” and this emphasizes the perhaps overzealous view of justice the principal appears to take. The fact that the culprit is prepared to remain “glued to the ground” shows the immense lack of sympathy from the principal.
The culprit, on the other hand, is given a highly unflattering description from the author, and from Laura. She is not only “pale and silly-looking”, but is also a “very ugly girl”. This description, probably reflecting the mindset of Laura, emphasizes that Laura’s empathy for the culprit is genuine, not bases on any physical redeeming qualities the culprit may have. In this ugly girl the reader is presented with an almost stereotypical situation, one in which the ugliest is also the one with the “worst” character, in this case being a thief. Normally, this would lead us to immediate condemnation and disgust but Laura’s insights allow us as the readers to empathize and perhaps see things as they really are.
From the passage however, we can see that Laura appears to appreciate the principal a lot. She appears to “[hang] on to his lips, [appreciate] his points and the skillful way he worked up his climaxes”. The author reveals to us that the principal is likely to be a rather educated person with notable oratorical skills. He appears to be the symbol of perfection in adulthood that even Laura appears to appreciate. However, his speech reflects the fact that he perceives the situation to be a “textbook” situation. He begins with “introductory remarks”, moves on from “general” discussion to details, and generally works his points as if giving a grand speech. However, impressive this may be, the author makes it feel rather mechanical, without feeling, by giving perhaps and ideal speech on crime and punishment. This could be an attempt by the author to use the principal as a figure of “perfection” that should not be achieved. His condescending remarks about the “motor impulse of thefts” being because a “lolly shop had stretched out its octopus arms to you” reflects a general disdain for childishness. However, the principal fails to realize that every situation does have external factors, all of which serve to complicate the situation. Through him the author suggests that perhaps the wisdom, as reflected by the title, is not going by the book, but in fact understanding each situation for what it is.
Laura understands the difference between the “needs” of “tram-fare on a rainy morning” and “wants” of lollipops from a “lolly shop”. Through this, the author appears to give a social commentary regarding the theme of general prosperity as compared to the austere situation faced by Annie Johns. Laura’s thoughts reveal the difference between theft out of need and theft because “a lolly shop had stretched out its arms to you”. This rather comical statement used by the principal not only dehumanizes the situation but also reveals the social divide between the privileged class who have all they need, and possibly want, and the proletariats who have nothing, and, in Annie John’s case, not even looks.
The author uses the main characters Laura and the principal to bring across the theme of innocence versus experience; only in this case, it is the younger one, who would otherwise be perceived to be more innocent, that is the more experienced one. Laura knows “what it is to be poor”. This is her experience, and, can be contrasted to the principal’s, whose perception of being poor is simply not having enough money to buy a “lolly”. Through this the author presents the idea that age is not a barrier when it comes to being more experienced. That it is the experiences which make one more experienced. This is shown particularly through her realization that Annie Johns stole little not to “avoid detection”, as Mr. Strachey had supposed, but rather because she felt that “a few odd coins could not matter”. This statement led myself as a reader to sympathize with Annie Johns and strengthened my view of her character.
Laura’s views throughout the passage represent feelings we all had but perhaps did not express, such as how she is “thrilled” by Miss Zielinski’s tears, even as seeing one spectator at a play moved to tears “intensifies his neighbors’ enjoyment”. Her myriad of feelings are in contrast to the general feelings of the adults who have mostly “stolid” faces, thus expressing their lack of feeling. This is interesting when we compare it to Annie John who is also hiding behind a stony mask of a face. The lack of explicit emotions expressed on either side could perhaps represent a lack of feeling to which Annie Johns is also being driven to due to her being reprimanded.
In the passage we may note that other than Mr. Strachey and Miss Annie Johns, most of the characters given names are those with dissenting viewpoints, who are not perhaps as unfeeling. These characters include Bertha and Miss Zielinski, the latter who sympathizes strongly enough to be moved to “tears”. Interestingly, her tears are not likely to be the product of Mr. Strachey’s speech but instead of her realization of the true circumstances. By glorifying the deviant voices such as Laura’s in the passage, the author appears to appeal to us as readers to judge situations, and people, not by our “adult” viewpoints but from a childlike “human” perspective whereby we are able to sympathize with others.
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