Political Science

A political essay is a precise text that is aimed at commenting on a particular political issue a theory. Also, a political essay comment on practice. Political essay are common among students taking political science courses. Also, the political essay is common in composition classes. Students find it difficulty to write a political essay. This is because the students make the wrong argument. Most students assume a political essay is an argumentative essay. This in turn affects the quality of the political essay as the students do not know how to present their ideas. The students assume that a political essay should persuade the reader to a specific issue as it an argumentative essay.

A political essay is not necessary an argumentative essay. A political essay can take different forms, but it does not need to be an argument.

For example, a political essay can be an expository essay. Also, a political essay can be an essay that is aimed at informing people about a particular issue. Most students perform poorly because they make assumptions that are not true. Most of the political essay deals with politics in one way or another. But, this  does not mean that  the  political essay is  rooted  on views  of  various  political  parties  or  political  issues. Politics involve issues, topics and practices that are linked to the government and the government culture. This implies that a political essay can be an issue that is common in the political field. For example, capitalism and communism. In addition, a political essay can deal with issues like leadership styles and political agreement. Students should choose the right topic when writing a political essay. The topic of the political essay should be related to the course. For example, students can discuss issues affecting the government in a political science course that focuses on governmental issues. Students have opted to get political essay from companies that offer political essay. A company offering political essay should have the right qualities.

The company offering political essay should have qualified political essay writers. The writers should be able to write political essay that addresses the needs of the student. The political essay should address the needs of the reader. When writing an argumentative essay, the writer should state his or her arguments courtly. An argumentative essay should be written well. The writer should support his or her points using relevant content. Students are supposed to submit quality political essay. The writer should ensure the political essay has no grammatical mistakes. Also the political essay should not be plagiarized. When writing an expository political essay, the writer should include the views of the reader in the essay. The writer should ensure the political essay meets the student’s needs and instructors needs.

In addition, the writer should use the right sources when writing the political essay. For example, the writer should use both secondary and primary sources when writing political essay. Students are supposed to use the right sources when writing political essay. The instructors grade students political essay according to the content of the essay and the sources used. Students who submit low quality political essay get low marks. Also students who submit political essay that are not cited properly get low marks. The company should ensure the student is satisfied with the quality of the political essay before paying for it. Also, the company should have the  right system to  address clients needs. Clients have different needs that need to be addressed.

Are You Politically Incorrect?

Do you wonder if you should open the door for a woman, let them go first, pay for their meal? (Admittedly, this first part is for men, but don't let that stop you women from reading on. )

Why do you wonder? You open the door for someone out of respect. You let someone go ahead of you out of respect. You pay for their meal because you want to. OR - You DON'T. It's that simple.

A successful person once said, "If you follow the crowd, you walk in the crowd's doo doo." Another way of putting it might be, if you do what everyone else does, you might think you're right, but if you're not true to yourself, you are wrong.

Constantly trying to be politically correct is too big of a hassle, don't you think? The rules are always changing. Not only that, but maybe the other person has a different interpretation of what is politically correct.

Who is right?

Good feelings should promote your actions, because good feelings usually promote good actions.

If you are doing something for someone because you think that is what they want, you have a chance of being wrong. We can't always know what the other person wants -- even if you've been with this person for a long time. That person could have changed his or her ways overnight and they didn't tell you. Remember this, most people will respect you more if you do something for them... because you want to do something for them.

You need to find your base. You need to know who you are. You need to know what is acceptable to YOU. In other words, be true to yourself.

If you are intent on being your own person, on being the best you can be, you won't have to wonder what is correct. Stick to your values.

Realize that this game, "If I do this, then you'll do that, and I'll get this, etc." isn't any fun anymore.

Play your own game. A game called, "Is this something I can be proud of?" Or, "Would I want someone to do this for, or to, me?" Determine what's more important -- doing what's right for you, or doing what's politically correct.

Never lose your faith in yourself.

Thanks for reading,
Jan

Achieve Political Success Through A Promotional Product Political Campaign

All political candidates may not agree on political, societal or economic issues, but it is safe to infer political candidates agree that a successful political campaign builds public support and success.Political campaigns, similar to marketing campaigns, must use effective and useful slogans in order to grasp a typically uninterested audience. In order to do so, political candidates need to get up and work for support. How can Barack Obama or Rudy Giuliani accomplish this, you inquire? Well, that is simple - through political promotional products!The single most important thing to accomplish in any campaign, whether it is a marketing campaign or political campaign, is name recognition. A political candidate will never achieve success if no one knows who they are. A simple way for a political candidate to accomplish name recognition is by using promotional products in their political campaign. Two very simple and common ways to do this is through using catchy political signs in yards or bumper stickers on cars. Other promotional products ideal for a political campaign are buttons. These three promotional products can effectively promote any political candidates name at home, while driving and while walking around.Every political candidate wants to ensure their constituents are able to quickly identify the issues their political campaign supports. This may seem easy at the surface, but it is not. The current political campaign for president is filled with multiple potential political candidates. All of these potential political candidates have very different views on a myriad of issues. In order for political candidates to effectively clarify what issues they support, they could consider printing their causes on different colored awareness bracelets. This way, supporters and political candidate alike would be able to quickly identify which issues are important and to whom. Another way issue recognition can be clarified is through political balloons. Balloons have been used in political campaigns for years, but that is because they are easily noticeable, readable and depending on their size, can be seen for miles.Trying to decide what promotional products to give at conventions or election night? A great promotional product that is perfect for outdoor conventions is a hand fan. A politically themed hand fan can allow potential voters to sit in the comfort of a cool breeze while they listen to a political candidate's speech. Looking for a perfect promotional product for election night? Get a plethora of stress balls to hand out to political campaign workers and supporters. A political stress ball can help calm everyone's minds as the voting numbers roll in through the evening.Political campaigns may be stressful and time consuming for political candidate, but through using political promotional products, getting voters attention can be simple.

Politics of Change

I am not only fascinated by politics, but by the politics of change, if there is one unchanging motif that runs through the common history of man, it is that everything changes, except change itself. How we change, and its process tells us more about who we are as nations and individuals and it is that fearful but persistent change that tells us not only who we are, but who we were and perhaps who we might be. I know many have distaste to all things political, because of the common association with corruption and scandal which pervades the political society. It is true that politics unfortunately is inhabited by desperate men and women who abuse the power entrusted to them, and many of them, not all of them are circus elephants.

But does that mean one should despair with and ignore politics?

It does surprise me that when I talk to people who are by their own right apathetic towards politics, they consider it to be some new age phenomenon, or when I speak with devout religious persons who consider that politics as it is today was not apparent in the days of the Moses, Mohammed or Guru Nanak.

When people ask me why I am so interested in politics, I recall my first lesson in Government and Politics when I was 16, my lecturer Mr. McSweeny, broke politics down to "who gets what says who". Who gets what says who in society and on this planet should be a concern of everyman or woman who has a life to lead and a family to feed.

To ignore politics is to test that old French proverb " if you do not do politics, politics will certainly do you". As Aristotle observed, one of the many penalties of refusing to engage in politics is to allow yourself to be ruled be inferior individuals than yourself.

That is why I always pay close attention to the politics of today, simple labels immersed in complex situations always require the closest attention, lest one be girded in the whirlwind of propaganda, where the myths are legion and the truth of the matter very hard to find.

Myths are found in conflicts regional or religious, the global market system, which hitherto stands victorious operates under a pretext of myth or confidence, but of course we must be free to interpret the language we hear and the actions we see, but we must always arm ourselves with how and why although rarely are these two propositions ever satisfied in the hearts of men.

Begin The Plan Early For Political Science College Degree From Popular Universities

Political Science diplomas range from an Associate's Degree program all the way to a Doctoral Level College degree. The world of Political Science is continually changing, which implies that even lifetime individuals should return to university every so often. Hence , many political science schools offer certificate programs allowing specialists can go and become knowledgeable on the most up-to-date ideas of the Political Science world.Its in this phase in a young person's schooling that he/she is subjected to a wide variety of ability , therefore establishing diversity and efficiency. The most essential of these capabilities is one's capability to conduct thorough and reliable research. Whether one is writing reports or thinking of political prospects, reliable research is a critical first step toward fulfilling any task. The newly arrived Information Age requires excellence in oral and written communication skills, which the Political Science degree will offer to any young individual. Being able to communicate with potential voters is absolutely important , whether the young person is a politician, attorney, or political pundit. Poli-Sci majors also develop a comprehensive analysis of government systems. Young people of this program master to view politics through the global eye, evaluating how worldwide and native standards interact with each other. This is essential as understanding the global community's law regulations and, by extension, their societies will ensure peaceful and prosperous relations of all the world's nations.It is not a new major; it's been around since the Ancient Greek and Roman government authorities. Thus, government has and will normally be a part of the Earth's cultures, which ensures certain work in a wide range of fields to the graduating Political Science majors from top political science schools. Beginning Political Scientists usually work as analysts, supplying a political applicant with the important information for a speech or debate. Teachers will probably be required to train the material both at the high university and school level. Judges, attorneys, and press secretaries all develop from the completion of a Political Science degree program. Numerous select not to hold office. Instead, they become political commentators who write best-selling books or run talk shows in order to strengthen politics viewpoints to prospective voters who may be unenlightened about different governmental candidates.To conclude, this major is the many helpful for a young person to take for a profession in the future because nation-wide politics will continue to have a place in all the world's cultures, ensuring a place of work for the masters. ability taught during training will serve the young individual through school, work, and life.

Career in political science

After completing the senior secondary schooling, a student is always very worried about his career and looks for the career options, which suits him the best. There are many opportunities, which a student can choose and opt as his career. The interest of the student and the availability of seat in the college also make a difference to what a student ends up in choosing his career as. The colleges in India provide a number of courses, to students for pursuing their career in, but there is limited number of seats in every college, which again confines the admission of students into their desired college. There are three basic fields, which sub divides into many and further provide a vast number of career opportunities to students. Among all the fields of science, commerce and arts, Arts is the field, which is supposed to be the easiest in terms of education. The field of arts, are generally based on the study of the human behaviour in different situations, and has subjects like social science, political science, economics, etc. Other than the subjects relating to communications, management, social sciences, students these days have been seen taking interest in the political structure of the society. Political science is the study of the political behaviour, system and the political structure of the country or an organisation. The need of youngsters and their innovative ideas in shaping and refining the political situation of the country has motivated more of the students to opt political sciences as their subjects for college education. There are undergraduate as well as post graduate courses available in the subject of political science. There are many colleges in India, which provide corresponding courses in political science. It's not only the government or the political parties, where a student can work after doing a course in political sciences. The students with degrees in political science are called political scientists and have a huge scope in both the government and the private sectors of the country.The colleges in India, focuses on all the modern aspects of the study with respect to political science. Starting from the old structure or the phenomenon, the students are taught the ongoing developments, plus what changes are required to keep the country growing, with a better prospect and redefining its political structure. The students are given classes on human rights, intellectual property rights, social laws, etc, which are highly important for the succession of the country in the right direction. Few of the colleges in India, which provide political science course, are: Delhi College of Arts and Commerce St, Xavier's College, Kolkata Bhavan's College, Andheri West, Mumbai  College of Fine Arts, Thiruvanandapuram  Presidency College, Kolkata Lady Sri Ram College for Women, New Delhi Garden City College, Bangalore:  Hans Raj College, New Delhi Madras Christian College, Chennai Ramjas College, New Delhi Fergusson College, PuneThe aspirants for the career in political sciences, should have great general knowledge, plus should be able to interpret and perceive things well. Thinking in a positive manner and for the benefits of the citizens is the top most priority of the people involved in the political lead of the country. Other than the political field of the country, students can also have a flourishing career with the organisations like banks, consultancies, law firms, social research work organisations, embassies, colleges and institutes, etc. The career scope of the students with political science as their subject is quite bright, and the students must possess the values of truthfulness and loyalty. Also, the students, should be able to bond well with people and should have an optimistic approach towards the works assigned to them and should always think about the betterment of the society.

Indian Politics

The Indian political system has come a long way since it got independence in 1947. Forming a constitution in itself was a great achievement and the first step to development. Though India is still developing, but it can be said that she has come a long way since independence.

She is standing tall on her feet after being a crippled colony for over a century by building the constitution, forming central and state governments and building the whole concept of administration and economy starting from zilch, which is a great achievement. Sadly though, the current state of politics has nullified the effect of these initial steps and the people of India itself abhor the administration phenomena altogether.

From Indians standing united against the British rule we have come to a point where we are now nothing more than some communist standing only for grouped sections of society.

It wouldn't be wrong if I replace the 'way' in the above sentence with 'wrong way'.

Indian politics is now not only synonymic with corruption, red tape-ism, and opportunist leaders, there is more to it. There are leaders still, who do their bit religiously and not for the benefit of some sect. The government today stands on support of many hands, that for some is a disadvantage, and in some cases it is so, but in others, doesn't it simply means joining hands for the betterment of the country?

The Indian politics has attained such a pessimist's attitude lately that it has become hard for the Indian public to believe in this republic and her leaders!

Indians just don't see anything positive in the steps taken and reforms adopted. Maybe it's just a bitter effect of the bad experiences in the past! But I think that Indians should not give up hope.

We are equally responsible for the current state of India as much as the leaders.

We don't act in responsible ways.

We don't vote.

We don't protest against things they think are wrong.

We don't behave responsibly and litter around anywhere that they possibly can.

We don't treat public property properly!

If I go on in this fashion, the list would be endless but the punch that I want to make here is not the complaining that we all can do, but the effort.

Lets all stand tall to remove all the loopholes!!

5 Tips To Make Your Guitar Mixes Rock!

Now I know there are thousands of variables involved as well as opinionated ways of doing this, that's why I'm going to tell you 5 tips I use to make my guitars stand out to help make my mixes sound huge!

1. Double Track Your Rhythm Guitars:

You can easily thicken up the sound of your mixes by doubling your guitar tracks. Yes I know this is not really a 'mixing' tip but when you use both guitars in the mix it can beef up your guitar tracks. PRO TIP: You can even play around with changing the tone slightly on the second track to add even more emphases on certain characteristics of the playing. Say you want one to be more beefy and use another for note clarity. Just one of many ways you can use that to your benefit.

2. Pan Those Tracks:

The next step is to pan those rhythm guitars you tracked. I like to start at hard panning them both, one left one right. If they are sounding too separate bring them more to the middle, 70-80 is a good area where I like to put my guitars, especially for the slower parts. Faster more intricate playing can benefit from going all the way left or right. Panning these guitars helps separate the sound and clear up the middle for other instruments (i.e. kick drum, bass guitar) that need to be there. Turn that pan knob and immediately hear the results.

3. High Pass Filter Your Guitars:

OK yes, I know this is situational depending on the tone/style of guitar you are tracking. But in most times I mix I like to roll off some of those lows to clear up the bottom section and help your guitars not 'fight' so much with the bass and kick drum. I like to start in the 100,200k area and roll it off accordingly to the mix. Let your ears do the work, roll it off as you listen to a section and when you hear the guitars start to'thin out' back off a hair and Voila! You now have cutting clear guitar.

4. Did Someone say Plug-ins?

Yes you read that correctly. But dude, I thought you are always preaching 'crap in crap out, get it right from the source and you wont have to fix anything come mix time??!' Yes you are correct. I do live by that, but remember music and mixing is an art form. There are rules, but there are not. Weird right? I like to look at using plug-in's like using salt when cooking. You don't want to add too much because it will taste bad, but using just enough will make whatever your eating taste much better! Don't be afraid to add a little compression, or tube saturation/distortion to give your tracks get a little more omph! Experiment, you might find something you really like!

5. EQ Subtraction

The last tip here is my all time favorite, and yes it does play off of tip number 3. Subtracting EQ in certain bands is an ideal way to let other instruments in your mix cut through in return making everything (including your guitar tracks) sound bigger, cleaner and overall better. Especially with high gain guitar tracks cutting some of the lower (or) higher mids out is a good way to tone it down and get your guitars working in cohesion with other primary instruments. Don't be afraid to get the scalpel out and start cutting EQ like your a mad surgeon. Just remember to do it while you are listening to your mix, never solo your guitars and start cutting that would not be pretty.

The Oath of the Horatii

The Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David is both an excellent example of French Neoclassical painting (click to read more on Neoclassicism from the Met) and of a very strong composition within a painting.  David chose this subject for his first royal commission.  Neoclassical themes had been popular since the Renaissance and in the mid-18th century
Neoclassical art is defined as a style that was strongly influenced by the art and history of ancient Greece and Rome.  While at the French Academy David won the Prix-de-Rome and spent several years in the city during which time he was strongly influenced by Ancient Roman art and architecture.


The Oath of the Horatii is an interesting story, the battle between the Roman Horatii family and the Curiatii family from a neighboring city was told by the Ancient Roman author known as Livy.  The Horatii brothers are swearing allegiance to Rome on the swords that their father is holding up.  All are ready to die to defend their country.

The Oath of the Horatii, Jacques-Louis David, 1784, Louvre, Paris

This is an enormous painting measuring nearly 11 feet high by 14 feet long and the figures were shown as life sized. The focal point for the viewer is the raised hands and swords of the oath, even if the viewer doesn't know the story it can be easily inferred that this is a dramatic event. 

The setting is very sparse and the sparseness works well in framing the events and not detracting from the figures.  To the right we can see the women of the story, their mother and sisters, who are obviously in despair.  This foreshadows the events to come and serves as an interesting counter balance to the strength of the brothers.  One of the sisters was engaged to a man from the rival family and she knows that someone she cares about will most certainly die in the battle.

Why would such an ancient story, one that wasn't a frequent theme be painted in late 18th century France? 

There were several reasons that Neoclassicism became popular at this time.  Visually it was quite a contrast with the frivolous Rococo style that had currently been in fashion.  It was favored by royalty as Neoclassical work reflected the power of the Roman Empire.  It was equally favored by both the American and French Revolutionaries as it tied into themes of self sacrifice and the Roman Republican period.

The ruins of Pompeii were rediscovered in the mid 1700's and in the following years the site was excavated; this led to a new understanding of and enthusiasm for Roman culture.  The 18th century is commonly referred to as "The Age of Enlightenment" and many of the great intellectuals and philosophers were influenced by the rational philosophies of their Classical counterparts.

The Tennis Court Oath, Jacques-Louis David, c-1791, Louvre, Paris
pen drawing with sepia ink wash

While The Oath of the Horatii was commissioned by the French King, David was actually very much on the side of the revolutionaries in the 18th century.  He created the above drawing of the Tennis Court Oath, where nearly 600 members of society gathered less than a month prior to the storming of the Bastille and vowed to remain together until a French Constitution was written.

David was clearly influenced by his earlier composition for this sketch, which he later turned into a painting.  The raised arms created another strong central focal point for the viewer.  Even without knowing the history behind the work the viewer can discern that an emotionally charges and dramatic event is unfolding.  Just as in the other work a symmetrical architectural background frames the scene.

The Oath of the Horatii, Armand-Charles Caraffe, 1791
Pushkin Museum, Moscow

 Armand-Charles Caraffe was a student of David's and he also painted a version of this theme.

Compare the two paintings, by looking at the two very different ways that the artists chose to arrange the figures we can see that the David painting is much more dynamic.  The theme of the Oath that the Horatii family took wasn't a common one and Caraffe would certainly have been influenced by David.  However by reversing the direction of the brother's hands the composition doesn't have as strong of a focal point.  Dramatic tension was also created in the earlier version by the use of chiaroscuro (modeling form with strong darks and lights).

Caraffe does a good job of depicting this and created an interesting work, but Jacques-Louis David's version has remained one of the most iconic images of Neoclassical French painting.

Europe, Politics, and Religion

The face of Europe has been defined by countless wars due to religion and politics. They are the most significant factors that form the contours of the continent ever since its political history started. Wars cloaked in the name of religion were waged numerous times resulting to millions of murder cases. On top of this great loss of human life, grief, suffering, and material loss were part of the general destruction brought about by European religion and politics. Some of the most glaring cases of such conflicts were Hitler's Final Solution which massacred about 6 million Jews, and the crusade for the Holy Grail which left millions affected, including hundreds of thousands of people killed and wounded. Although the two World Wars, which also resulted to several millions of people greatly affected, were not directly products of religion and politics mixing, they were said to be the start of weakening of religion. The era of industrialization in the past century brought gradual decline to the influence of religion in Europe's political sphere. Or so most people thought. Religion has always been an inherent aspect in the life of everyone in the continent; it has even become an even potent force that can engineer political changes in Europe at the start of the 21st century.Examples of conflicts due to religion and politics The Irish Civil War is one of the best examples of a conflict due to the mix of politics and religion. This decades-long war was waged between Catholics and Protestants, with each side claiming they are on good side. Affecting millions of lives, the Irish civil war is just one of the many conflicts around the world between Protestants and Catholics. Another influential factor that still resonates in the bullrings of many European states even today was the catastrophic anti-Jewish activism initiated by Hitler before and during the Second World War. The effect of Hitler's fervent anti-Semitism was the mass murder of 6 million Jews. The cause was Nazism, viewed almost as a religion, but fortunately a failed one, in Germany and its occupied states at the height of Hitler's reign. Both sad incidents all stem from a basic problem of religion spilling over the influence of politics in the continent. The religious unrest in Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia also resulted to a number of genocide cases, instability to the region for several years, and Balkanization or the birth of smaller Balkan states.Today's form of religious and political unrest The present issue on terrorism actually comes from religious matters that overlap into the political sphere. Islam fundamentalism is the manifestation of incompatibility of religion and politics. This problem has grown to such extreme that no country in the world today is spared from it. The growing animosity between Islam and other major religions affects other aspects of life. Personal religious differences can sometimes spark into bigger conflicts ranging from simple street fights to country-wide inter-religious upheavals.As a personal note, there should always be a clear-cut boundary between politics and religion. Although this is easier said than done, governments must ensure that civic activities such as the Australian Federal Election, or any other national elections in countries should be properly defined to minimize religious and political mix.

Portraits for Political Figures

 

Portrait artists are some of the most award artists that are around today. Some of the certain types of portraits commission with portrait artists are political portraits. In fact there are many famous portrait artists who specialize in on doing certain types of portraits. For portrait artists to be commissioned to do that particular type of art, they would have to be very experienced and come highly recommend by some very influential people.

There are so many more names to choose from, these are just some to show that if you are able to get just one break you too could be painting political portraits and making yourself famous. Some of the well known people that have had paintings completed by portrait artists from American politics are the honorable Ms Hillary Clinton, Lawrence Eagleburger & James A. Baker, the then president Bill Clinton, President Gerald Ford, and the then Secretary of State Colin Powell.

It is said that you can spend days in the building just walking around looking at the portraits of all the past presidents. With so many influential people who have been in the white house, they have dedicated a special room just for portraits; they say that there are several portraits of previous presidents throughout the building and home.

Although presidents and major political people have lots of memories and material things that they can take with them, there is something very special about hand painted family portraits. It doesn't matter where you move to, or who you are it is very special to have a family heirloom such as a portrait to hand down to your children and eventually your grandchildren. Family portraits can capture what was going on in your life at that time and they have the ability to capture private intimate moments that are kept out of prying eyes. Most of the presidents and their families have had at least two portraits taken and will have the best piece of memorabilia to take with them when they do leave the white house.

Most people take their privacy and freedom for granted, if you are a political figure, as we have all read at one time or another there is no such thing as privacy and there is very little private time that you can share with your family. How nice would that be for political families that get to have very few private moments?

 

Watch Politics of Love movie Online Free

Politics of Love is a comedy romance inspired by the slew of publicly documented election love stories that sprung up during Obama's Presidential push. The plot follows the fortunes of a campaign team caught up in a whirlwind of euphoric romances.Politics makes strange bedfellows, but never stranger than when a month before the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, a beautiful, idealistic local Obama volunteer coordinator reluctantly falls for her Republican counterpart: a , savvy, African American conservative.Sparks fly, tempers flares, heads turn, and romance blossoms for this mismatched pair of campaigners in the frantic and intoxicating days leading up to Election Day. Can the politics of love conquer all?A comedy romance inspired by the slew of publicly documented election love stories that sprung up during Obama's Presidential push. The plot follows the fortunes of a campaign team caught up in a whirlwind of euphoric romances. The world's hottest election just got much hotter… Politics has never been this … She was swift-boated by -tape! - Politics makes strange bedfellows, but never stranger than when, a month before the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, Kyle Franklin, a , savvy, African American conservative falls for his Democrat counterpart, Aretha Gupta, a beautiful, idealistic local Obama volunteer coordinator. Sparks fly, tempers flares, heads turn, and romance blossoms for this mismatched pair of campaigners in the frantic and intoxicating days leading up to Election Day. Can the politics of love conquer all?POLITICS OF LOVE via Video On Demand (VOD) beginning September 1, 2011. This platform provides film properties with a unique means to capture massive viewing audiences in more than 100 million homes. The film will be in the VOD space for a two week window before heading to DVD on September 20, 2011.As the U.S. election campaigns get underway, POLITICS OF LOVE is a whimsical reminder of the historic 2008 season in which Barack Obama and John McCain faced off in a heated battle for the hearts and minds of America. Watch Politics of Love Movie OnlineWildly popular Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat shines as Aretha Gupta, an Indian- American woman returning home to work in her parents' restaurant after a career disappointment, only to find herself caught up in the fervor of a local Obama campaign. A staunch Democrat, she finds herself falling for handsome campaign manager Kyle Franklin (Brian White, Stomp the Yard, TNT's Men of a Certain Age) with just as much passion for the election as she does. The catch? He is the leader of the local Republican Party. As she reconciles her beliefs with her heart, the social and cultural debate rages around her and her family.POLITICS OF LOVE also features the luminous Ruby Dee (American Gangster), and Loretta Devine (Jumping the Broom) as Aretha's loving and outspoken step-mother and grandmother.Netwebsite.In Is A Free Movies Website Where You Can Watch_ Politics_of_Love _movie_OnlinePolitics makes strange bedfellows, but never stranger than when a beautiful Indian-American Obama campaign volunteer reluctantly falls for her Republican counterpart, a , savvy, African- American conservative. Sparks fly, tempers flare, heads turn, and romance blossoms for this mismatched pair of lovers in the frantic and intoxicating days leading up to Election Day. Can the politics of love conquer all?

The Intrigues of Political Debate

If you've ever entered into a political debate, you should understand that politics is always intriguing, complicated but never easy. It is far too simplistic to try and categorize individuals as being on the political left or political right.If you've ever entered into a political debate, you will know that politics is usually intriguing, confusing but never simple. It's far too simplistic to try to categorize persons as being on the political left or political right. If you ask ten folks to state what being a Democrat means probably you will get 10 different answers. The same goes for Republicans. Even within the political parties you'll get a variety of thoughts veering from the far left to moderate and perhaps even far right on some issues. This has lead to some people suggesting that a third party is required.A political debate needs to be an opportunity for folks to place their opinions across and argue, politely, with their opponents. The winner of the debate is the one with the most convincing argument. That's the theory. The fact is a little different. When you have two people involved in a public debate, the person who is seen as the winner is usually the one having more charm and charisma. They're better able to put their point across and are able to present their views in the language of the listener. They may even look better. It is noted that President Obama's natural good looks and charm didn't do him any harm in the political field. It is a fact of human nature that we often side on the part of the person who seems the best instead of the opinions they hold.Watching a political debate can be enjoyable and educational when it is held in the proper format and is properly controlled. Unfortunately nearly always they result in a shouting match between the two candidates/parties with verbal private attacks featuring very frequently. If you are associated with a discussion about politics always keep your composure and pay attention to the views of the other side. You never know but they might have some thing remarkable to talk about.

Confusing Politics With Religion

Much is made these days about the threat of "Radical Islam," and the fact that the Jihadists often seem bent on killing as many Westerners---particularly Americans---as they can. This has led some to adopt a posture of "political protectionism," akin to the trade protectionists we see in some circles, warning of the dangers posed by "radical Muslims" throughout the world. But at the risk of being thought "politically correct" (an epithet I regard as among the worst things you can call anyone who postures as a "thinker"), I think we need to be cautious about confusing politics and religion.

Properly understood, all of the world's great religions speak to the best in us, not the worst. At the same time, all of them suffer from the handicap of human imperfection, and many of the "mystic" religions---those that assume the existence of an all-powerful God, as opposed to philosophy-based creeds, such as Confucianism---seem to have a thread of evangelicalism in them, seeking to "spread the word" and convert everyone to what they suppose is the "one true" path to salvation.

Unfortunately, this latter aspect also appeals to the worst in us---the facet of human nature that divides the world into "us" versus "them," and strives for ways to prove ourselves "superior" in some ways to the rest.

It was that aspect of Christianity that took Europe on the Crusades...had otherwise sane people burning accused heretics and witches alive at the stake...and is still echoing around our own culture in some of the more extreme fundamentalist sects. And yet we, ourselves, seem perfectly able to separate out the "nuts" among us, who view religion as a way to feel superior to others, from those who view their religion as a source of peace and strength, and who view the philosophy of Christianity (and Judaism) as one of tolerance and brotherhood.

Before we begin lumping all Muslims together, we need to understand the vast differences between them---differences that are every bit as caverous as those between the Unitarians, the Fundamentalists, and the Polygamists in Utah.

Properly understood, many of the differences spring not from the teachings of the Christian religion, but from the political views---and, on occasion, the personal lifestyle preferences---of different religious leaders...some of whom are intoxicated by notions of their own self-worth, and all of whom suffer from human imperfections of their own. Similarly, I suspect that much of the mistrust and hatred that spills across cultures stems not from the core values of the various religions, but from the obvious excesses of each religion's particular strains of crackpots---those who pervert or distort those core values for their own particular ends.

To look at a non-religious analogy from American history, we need only examine our dealings with the natives, which any student of history must admit are not shining examples of honesty or integrity. There were many American Indian tribes who were peaceful, wanted nothing except to be left alone, and who agreed to treaty after treaty, trusting that we would live up to our word. There were also many bands of renegade Indians, who were outraged by what all the white settlers were doing, and would attack along the frontier (though never in the numbers we see in the movies). Our reaction was to lump all of them together...and we had an appalling tendency to attack peaceful tribes in retaliation---the attack on Black Kettle's tribe in the Sand Creek Massacre being among among the most appalling examples. (We also had a tendency to violate any treaty we found inconvenient, another aspect of settling the west that history books often ignore).

If we are going to try to get along in this world, all people of good must be able to recognize and distinguish others of like mind in different cultures from the "crackpots" that inhabit other parts of the world---and, unfortunately, dominate many of the headlines. Whatever the culture, I think that most people (well...at least those who aren't raised in a climate of hate) are well-intentioned and honorable, and are more than willing to enjoy the blessings we share on this planet. Unfortunately, while we can all recognize and dismiss our own culture's lunatics, we aren't always successful at doing so across cultural borders. This seems to be the source of much of the mistrust in the world---and the breeding ground for much of the hatred that perpetuates so many of the continuing conflicts that we seem to see around us.

On the other hand...we do have reason for optimism: the advent of the internet does make it possible to communicate directly with people all over the world. If it does nothing but make us realize that there are thinking souls on the other side of the world who are just as eager to help make the world a better place...if not for ourselves, then for our children and grandchildren...then that may well prove to be the biggest step toward true peace the human race has ever taken.

Of course, this does not, mean that our current notions of moral relativism, so prevalent among the "politically correct thinkers" of our day, should be mistaken for actual thought, rather than its absence. In the recent novel, The Star Dancers, a non-human diplomat observes that "Whatever the language, the voice of reason sounds much the same." Most people of good will probably agree, personally...though I might add the caveat that "reason'" does seem to imply at least a modicum of "thought," as well.

The Relationship between Business and Politics

How powerful is politics in business? The connection between the two is often hard to explain, but somehow they are closely connected. Did you ever happen to lose a job or a promotion in favor of a person who hadn't worked harder than you, or made more significant contributions that you? Was it that person's character that got him/her the job, the fact that he/she knew everyone around there, or could it be that you simply did not understand the politics going on around that business? When we hear the word 'politics', we naturally think of politicians, political parties, political strategies, and so forth. But have you ever considered the term 'politics' from a business point of view? When it comes to politics in business, the former means the difference between failure and success in the latter. And, more often than not, politics can define one's personal career. You can enjoy benefits or suffer penalties as a result of the way politics influences every business. If you happen to be among the most appreciated employees, decisions may go your way, but if you are 'invisible' to your bosses or they have nothing but ill feelings for you, some penalties may be coming your way. When it comes to business decisions or work environments, we often hear expressions such as 'it was nothing but politics' or 'that place is very political'. What do these expressions mean? And how can you be part of the game, and know how to play your politics? When you have managed to build a strong relationship with your customers, you understand the business thoroughly, and you are respected throughout the organization, but your superiors still think that you're not doing well enough, this could be a clear example of people using politics to drive their own personal agenda. It's only fair to say that there's no business without politics, and that its level of sophistication depends on the size of the organization. It's understandable that the complexity of politics is proportional with the size of the company, because, after all, politics means power, and the more players are involved in the game, the more there is at stake. Like everywhere else, we can speak of bad politics and good politics in business. Good politics refer to building strong networks at all the levels of that company or organization, spending time with employees from all levels, having a solid understanding of the keys to the success of the organization, and so forth. Good politics in business is about sharing information and encouraging other people to do the same thing. Bad politics refers to exactly the opposite. In the end it all comes down to driving your own agenda, as mentioned before. However, deft leadership should not be confused with bad politics in business. The two are very different. Unfortunately, it seems that bad politics has got its share of businesses, and we see more of that than of good politics, because there are more bad politicians than there are good, and the former still continue to make the rule. But, in the end, it is up to you how you play the game.

Trompe-l’oeil in art

In January of 2010 I saw a really interesting exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence: Art & Illusions: Masterpieces of Trompe-l'œil from Antiquity to the Present.  That exhibit got me to start thinking of the role of  trompe-l’oeil in art.  “Trompe-l’oeil” is French for to trick the eye, it is more than just a realistic work of art but it is something created to fool the viewer or at least make the viewer question what they are seeing.  It is a work which creates an optical illusion, however the term “Trompe-l’oeil” is used to describe a variety of illusions in art.  Some are entertaining and some create quite sophisticated illusions.

There have been many examples throughout time: Ancient Roman, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque as well as modern and contemporary examples.  Let's look at a few of them to compare.

Still life with glass bowl of fruit and vase, wall painting, Pompeian painter c- 70 AD,

The National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy

In the wall paintings uncovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum there are many examples of trompe-l’oeil.  The most typical were similar to the example above showing still-life objects sitting on a "shelf" they were created to show off the skill of the artist and to amuse the viewer.  There were also several mosaic floors created as a trompe-l’oeil showing discarded fish bones.  This skillful works also alluded to the wealth of the owner of the home.

It was said in Ancient Greece that there was a contest between two painters, Zeuxis and Parrhasius.  Zeuxis painted grapes that were so realistic they fooled birds into trying to eat them.  However Parrhasius won the contest as he even fooled the other artist; he had painted a pair of curtains and Zeuxis thought that his painting lay behind the curtains.

I don't know if the story is real, but regardless it demonstrates that trompe-l’oeil has been a part of art for centuries.

Painting of a false dome, Andrea Pozzo, 1685, Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio, Rome, Italy
photo- © Jean-Christophe BENOIST/ public domain, via Wikimedia Commons  

Painter Andrea Pozzo cleverly created a false dome within the church of Sant'Ignazio in Rome.  The illusion works perfectly if the viewer is standing in a certain area, they would look up and see a "dome" which is in fact a flat surface with a fake dome painted in.  It is clever as no one would be expecting this type of trompe-l’oeil in a church.  However if the viewer is standing in another area the trick doesn't work.

Architectural trompe-l'oeil gallery, Francesco Borromini, Palazzo Spada, Rome, 1638 

Trompe-l’oeil in art can also be found in sculpture and architecture such as this example by Borromini done earlier in the century. This gallery is a tour de force of trompe-l’oeil in which shrinking rows of columns and a rising floor create the illusion that the gallery is four times longer than it is.  The illusion is made through the use of light, spacing of the columns and the fact that the two archways are vastly different heights.

At first glance Borromini’s gallery is quite long, leading to a statue at the end.  The statue is about three-quarters the height of the distant doorway.  However when I visited a guide walked from one end to the next to show our group of students the illusion; at the far end she was the same height as the statue, but as she walked along the path we saw she was only about a quarter of the height of the first archway.

This can be explained when you realize that the two doorways are of different heights.  However since Borromini constructed this with seemingly perfect perspective, the false perspective tricks you into believing that both doorways are of the same height if you walked from one to the other.

The Staircase Group (Portrait of Raphaelle Peale and Titian Ramsay Peale), Charles Willson Peale, 1795,

oil on canvas, Philadelphia Museum of Art; The George W. Elkins Collection

 In this work early American painter Charles Willson Peale creates a trompe-l’oeil by painting life size portraits.

“To enhance the illusion, he installed the painting within a doorframe in his studio, with a real step in front. Rembrandt Peale, another son, recalled that his father's friend George Washington, misled by Peale's artifice, tipped his hat and greeted the two young men as he walked by.”*

*Darrel Sewell, from Philadelphia Museum of Art: Handbook of the Collections (1995), p. 267.

Again the Art & Illusions: Masterpieces of Trompe-l'œil exhibit was one of the most interesting art exhibits I have seen: 150 objects related to illusion. Examples really did “trick the eye” into thinking surfaces weren’t flat, objects were coming off the canvas, the canvas was  a piece of wood, or a cabinet with open doors, or something was sculpted rather than painted.  Some  were truly remarkable and I wanted to reach out and touch them as the illusion was so convincing.  

I actually did get tricked with a Duane Hanson sculpture. Hanson was a late 20th century American “hyper-realist” who sculpted people and used real objects in his sculptures, in that exhibit it was a mom pushing a stroller. I didn’t really look at “her” I thought it was a mom pushing a stroller until the person next to me got so close they set off an alarm and then everyone turned to stare and I was truly startled that they weren’t real.  They had her set up as if she was a spectator looking at a painting, which added to the illusion.

That is probably why trompe-l’oeil has worked well and has endured to the present day, because so many examples really do fool the viewer.

The Deeper Side of Political Humor Cartoon

Quite a few can draw but only a handful can come up having a no nonsense political humor cartoon. Why? Not all artists are interested in politics and only a handful can add humor in to the boring subject of politics. When undertaking hilarious political cartoon, you must bear in mind that the emphasis really should be on the humor. Anything you make that is in negative taste won't come off as funny and that could turn out to be a undesirable mark on your profession as a political cartoonist. It doesn't matter if you're working as a cartoonist for the local paper or if you're submitting your drawings to political satire syndicates. It's essential that you keep points in the proper point of view when making political cartoons.Do not forget that you're out to offer off fun out of your political humor cartoon. Whenever you do it right, even the person you are depicting in the cartoon would get a great laugh from your drawings. Once you attain this objective, it indicates that you're doing your cartoons right and it exhibits that you are not going overboard. There's a deeper calling to becoming a political cartoonist. Generally, you ought to understand what's going on in politics and you need to keep track on each and every twist and turn of political stories. Your cartoons just don't have to be funny; it need to also capture the actual score behind the news. Understand that it is your job to entertain your viewers but concurrently it is also your job to feed them the news they ought to understand. There are number of locations where it is possible to place your cartoons. Political humor cartoons are usually noticed at the editorial page of the newspaper. It also finds its way on internet sites of political satire organizations where jokes, caricatures and satire on existing occasions are posted. As outrageous and even irreverent satire may be, it is in no way mean-spirited. You'll be able to get an excellent dose of that once you look at samples of political satire that well-known syndicates have. Whether or not you're drawing for an organization or you're sharing your drawings to the world through your personal website, the emphasis need to be to supply good clean fun in your political humor cartoon.

Home Panel Solar Politics

After recently reading a New York Times article, we started thinking about home panel solar politics. You see, although solar power is gaining popularity as a renewable energy solution for home, it will never become mainstream without the backing from the federal government.

A poll by the Nuclear Power Industry revealed that the number one choice for generating power was not from nuclear, coal or natural gas, but from solar energy. However, at the time the poll was taken solar only provided for about 0.01 percent of America's power supply. Solar power is popular, but there's not enough investment!

In Washington, where the energy policies are signed, solar power lobbyists generally work with small budgets in the tens of thousands of dollars. Now when you compare it to the tens of millions of dollars that nuclear, coal, gas and oil lobbyists have available, you can only guess which energy policies gain approval by our beloved politicians.

But when you look at countries like Germany and Japan, their government policies have increased solar power implementation beyond what was thought possible.

With the support from government not only have the manufacturing costs decreased because of economies of scale, but solar technologies have also rapidly advanced.

We know government regulation is not very popular in America, where many of us believe our capitalists markets should be left alone. But according to Vinod Khosla, a partner at one of the world's biggest venture capitalist firms - VC Firm and major investor in green technologies:

"...Market-driven improvements are not happening fast enough to put solar technology beyond much more than a boutique investment".

We agree with Mr Khosla.

Until the American solar industry gets backing from the federal government, our solar power costs and technology will always lag behind the rest of the world. And as long as that happens, solar power will never gain mass-market appeal in the US.

However, with the new change of government there are 3 distinct factors taking place that give us assurance that home panel solar power is about to take off in America.

1 - The new president-elect Obama and his administration is putting big coal and oil aside, and giving green technologies higher priority. Furthermore, their new laws will help limit the power and influence wealthy lobbyists have on new energy policies.

2 - Some states, such as California and Hawaii are not waiting for Washington to pass the new energy policies. Instead they are taking initiative. Governor Schwarzenegger's "Million Roof" campaign will not only create a new industry, but also lower global warming and create thousands of jobs.

3 - And lastly, we, the home panel solar power users have the biggest role to play. All the energy policies and campaigns would be useless if the population did not embrace solar power at home. But, from the poll and what was said by Mr Khosla, that is not a problem. The America people are not only very interested in solar power, but are also supporting it with investment.

And although it can take years to pay off the solar power cost, people still invest. And when cost is a concern some are so interested in getting involved that they learn to make and install their own home panel solar power. So, let us continue moving towards solar and supporting the politicians and corporations who promote green technologies.

Should Politics Be Kept out of Business

Do politics and business ever meet? Of course they do, because there is a reciprocal need between the two in every democracy. Politics equals power, but it is nothing without the money it needs to realize it; any business is mainly about money, but it also demands a secure presence, which actually means consorting with power, and thus with politics. Another similarity between the two is that they both require the presence of the citizen, either as customer or as voter. Theoretically, the citizen's freedom of choice is nearly perfect. But in practice, both business and politics resort to all sorts of techniques to draw their voters or customers, such as the media, celebrity endorsements, movie starts, appeals to passion, sentiment and psychology, and so on, and so forth. Whether we are talking about marketing, or about electioneering, we can refer to both of them in terms of campaigns. In both business and politics, the battle exceeds any metaphorical level, and the amount of money spent in either of them is rising every year. And all that, just to convince us, voters and customers, that they are worth our attention. When a business tries to promote a product or a model at a national level, it encounters the same problems and difficulties that a party comes against when attempting to capture several regions. Scale is extremely important, by definition, but that naturally comes with a demand for standardization. A business that needs security cannot separate itself from politics, because that's where the power is. Some businesses find it in their own interest to sustain rather close working relationships with politics, because separating the two is almost impossible when you are faced with a reactive situation. Many countries have both public and private traders, which means that keeping your business away from politics is virtually impossible if you want to keep doing business with that country. And the economical prospects and financial benefits are so appealing that the connection between politics and business just doesn't seem to have any importance. In the sensitive political regions, the marketplace is subjected to change daily. In fact, the entire international marketplace can change very quickly, from year to year, or even from week to week, which is why companies have to learn how to stay alert to change and have flexible attitudes and approaches. But above that, they have to ensure security for themselves, and what better way to that than to become involved with politics, which ultimately is about power?On the international marketplace, relationship between politics and business is critically important, and its importance increases as time goes by. As much as any business would like to be poisoned away from politics, this is simply impossible, because behind each government there are political drivers, and the 'mines' that appear in front of a certain company or organization are far more numerous and powerful, should it try to detach itself completely from political affairs. Business and politics interact, whether we like it or not, and they can influence each other in many ways, not all of them bad. For instance, a bad political climate can seriously influence economic growth, but fortunately the process can go the other way, too.

Continuous Narrative in Art

What is meant by the "Continuous Narrative" in art?  Many artworks contain a "narrative" or representation of an event.  The continuous narrative is a way to tell an entire story within one artwork, the same characters show up repeatedly in order to give a timeline of events in the story.  Often the same groups of characters are shown right next to each other in the same painting or sculptural frieze. 


These side by side scenes can be thought of as pre-cursors to modern day comic strips.  They weren’t shown in different panels, but this would have been understood by contemporary audiences to be telling a story.

Column of Marcus Aurelius, detail, bottom three bands of helical relief 
Emperor's campaigns against the Germans and the Sarmatians. 180-185 A.D., Rome

photo- © Simone Ramella / public domain, via Wikimedia Commons  

This was used as far back as ancient Assyrian and Babylonian art and remained popular throughout much of art history to depict an entire event from start to finish.  The Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome has one long sculptural frieze that winds up the entire length of the column.  The column shaft measures nearly 100 feet (29.62 meters) long.

It is nearly impossible for a viewer on the ground to look up and see the entire story and know what is going on.  The sculptors took this into account and made each band slightly wider as it wound up the column.  The heads of the figures were also shown slightly larger than proportionally correct so that they could be recognized from below.

As this column shows several military battles where the Romans were triumphant, the same soldiers and military commanders are shown over and over again.  Objects such as trees, rivers, horses and architecture help separate and frame each scene.

Column of Marcus Aurelius, c-193 A.D., Rome

photo- © Matthias Kabel / public domain, via Wikimedia Commons  

The technique of continuous narrative was used frequently in Renaissance painting.  A good example of this can also  be found in the large devotional panel by Gentile da Fabriano which shows the adoration (seen below).  

 Adoration of the Magi, Gentile da Fabriano, 1423, Uffizi Gallery, Florence

egg tempera and gold leaf on wood panel

The main scene shows the three Magi (or three wise men) as they have come to give gifts to the newborn Christ child.  However the Magi are shown in miniature in the scenes above, from the first time they see the Star of Bethlehem to the entire journey they make.  We can see the star several times as well and it ends up glowing like a golden orb over St. Joseph's head in the central scene.

In the detail (below) we can see a close up of the left arch of the painting and can make out the three Magi seeing the Star of Bethlehem for the first time.  In each of the other two arches the viewer can follow along with their journey.

Adoration of the Magi, Gentile da Fabriano, 1423, Uffizi Gallery, Florence

detail of the central upper register of the panel 

St. Peter is seen three times in the fresco below.  This fresco by Masaccio is especially interesting as the story does not occur from left to right as in most examples, but jumps from the center to the left and then to the right.  This biblical story was very well known, so the contemporary viewer would not have been confused by this.  The story begins in the central portion of the frame when the tax collector asks for the temple tax and Christ tells his apostles that they need to find money to pay the temple tax, he turns to Peter and tells him to look in the mouth of a fish in order to find the coin.  This event of course is a miraculous one.

Part two of the story takes place just to the left of the main action, St. Peter is wearing the same blue robe but has set his golden sash aside for a moment while he looks for a fish in the sea.  Then part three of the story jumps over to the right hand side where after finding the coin as Christ has said, St. Peter pays the tax.  Again to help the viewer keep track of St. Peter, he is shown wearing his blue robe and gold sash and the tax collector is the only person wearing a short tunic.

The Tribute Money, Masaccio, 1425, fresco, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence

In his famous fresco cycle in Santa Maria Novella the artist Ghirlandaio has also used continuous narrative.  Remember from earlier blog posts that Ghirlandaio was in fact the teacher of Michelangelo.  Michelangelo was a student in his workshop during the time that these frescoes were being painted, so he would have worked on these as well.

In the panel showing the birth of the Virgin Mary, the birth is concentrated in the lower right hand portion of the frame.  However the Immaculate Conception (which refers to the fact that Mary's mother St. Anne was impregnated by just a kiss from her husband Joachim) is shown to us in the top left hand portion.  Therefore St. Anne is shown twice in the same room.  However that was understood by all to have occurred at two different times within the same story; even though each event took place nine months apart.

Immaculate Conception and Birth of the Virgin Mary, Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1485-90
Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella, Florence

In our final example (below) we are seeing the Rest on the Flight Into Egypt.  The artist David shows us that this is his theme rather than a typical portrait of the Virgin and Child by showing the holy family in the background in the woods.  By seeing two versions of Jesus and the Madonna, one in the foreground and one in the background, the viewer understands that they are both scenes in the same story.  The riding of the donkey is always understood in Renaissance painting as being part of the flight into Egypt from the Biblical story.

The use of the same figures in one panel, which David employs quite subtly in this work, is yet another example of the continuous narrative in art.

Rest on the Flight into Egypt, Gerard David, 1512-15

oil on wood panel, Museo del Prado, Madrid

Now that you have learned about the use of the continuous narrative in art you will certainly notice many other examples.

Three Challenges Defining Social-Political Sustainability

Jackson KernThe subtle difference between pure social development and social-political sustainability is very central to the pursuit of sustainable development. Just as economic development accomplishes little if the achievements heralded are unsustainable, so too must social enrichment go hand in hand with a concerted effort to ensure its persistent viability.Open, contested political arenas offer the only means to this end—arenas that are contested by you. These three phenomena endanger the sustainability of our social-political processes; they beg our devoted attention.1. The most insidious danger of all is that of prevalent political apathy. If the population at large cannot be convinced that its fate is sufficiently at stake to engage itself actively, then all hope surely is lost. The causes of apathy are many; clearly the simplest is inner-focused individuals who are more concerned with personal than societal enrichment, or who believe that the benefits derived from social engagement will not be commensurate with the time and resources invested. This phenomenon can be likened to game theory and political science notions of the "tragedy of the commons". A related cause of political apathy is blind faith in social and political institutions. But we must remember Sartre's espousal of the one who "is loyal to a political and social ensemble, and who never ceases to contest it". There is no contradiction in believing that a nation's social and political processes are the best ever conceived by mankind, and still rising every morning to challenge them. Indeed, this is the very essence of democracy.2. The existence of social inertia is different from apathy. We human beings are creatures of habit. Even when informed and acknowledging of specific problems, we can be resistant to the specter of addressing them aggressively via political mechanisms if so doing entails a rupture with time-honored cultural tradition. In a 2006 poll, eighty-five percent of Americans indicated their belief that global warming is "probably happening", while half asserted that the issue of global warming is "extremely important" to them. Yet the ubiquity of single-occupant vehicles on America's highways remains undiminished.3. When the general populace is involved and engaged, this can often pose problems of social-political inefficiency. This issue can be particularly acute in nations which are large in population and geography. An inability to reach consensus can sometimes lead to paralysis. Under an autocratic establishment, the government can execute changes to social-political institutions with an alacrity that is sometimes enviable. But this, of course, is not consultative; sustainability of the social-political dimension is only ensured in the long run if it is reflective of the collective will. A different sort of social-political inefficiency arises when there is no obstruction to consensus but when channels for initiating change (particularly in the judiciary) are constrained, convoluted or overloaded.Political apathy and social inertia can only be combated in ongoing daily efforts to inform, arouse and provoke. Happily, social-political inefficiency can be addressed more methodically. Governments, businesses, non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations alter and influence the state of our social and natural environment every day. Actors which seek to bridge the gap between these entities and the general populace and to facilitate their interaction, aided by extraordinary new technologies of participation, have a grand role to play in the future of social-political sustainability.An evocation of these challenges would not be complete without a consideration of the dynamic interactions the social-political domain engenders with other elements of sustainable development. Economics is the science of resource allocation, the study of the ways in which we satisfy human wants and needs. No human need is more fundamental than that of nourishment. In a revealing illustration of the interdependence of sustainable development's three constituent parts, rising world food prices now pose a grave threat to social-political sustainability around the globe. One need only turn to recent social unrest and political instability in Haiti, Egypt and the Philippines to be assured of that. These rising prices stem from uncertainties regarding the sustainability of our agricultural processes. To be specific, some have very explicitly cited efforts in the West to subsidize and encourage biofuels production as a leading inflationary factor (though burgeoning middle classes in India and China seem surely to be responsible for other upward price pressures). And all this as the viability of biofuels falls under a penetrating scrutiny.These challenges of social-political sustainability will remain inextricably bound to the future of sustainability as an enterprise.

Songwriting - Understanding the Purposes of Verses, Choruses and Every Other Section of a Song

It's important to understand that each section of a song typically has a role to fulfill. If you know the purpose of each section in your song, you'll be better prepared to write a great song. Of course, most songs won't use all of the sections listed below, but knowing the purpose of your sections is crucial to understanding how to put together a solid song.

Verse

Lyrically, the verses of your song will move your story forward. The chorus or refrain is likely to have the same words each time, so the verse is your chance to keep your ideas moving along.

Chorus

Think of your chorus as the big idea for what your song's all about. That's partly why your title is most likely to show up in your chorus. Your title also sums up what the song's about. Melodically, the chorus will be the catchiest part of your song. This is what people will have stuck in their head long after your song is over. That's another reason it's good to have your title in the chorus. When people get your chorus stuck in their head, they'll easily know what your song is called and can find it later when they want to hear it again.

Pre-Chorus

The pre-chorus is an add-on before the chorus. It usually repeats the same lyrics each time, the same way a chorus does. Musically, a lot of times it creates a nice build up to what's coming in the chorus. Katy Perry's "Firework" was a good example of that, as you saw above.

Bridge

The bridge is a departure from what we've heard in a song, previously. This goes for both the lyrics and the music. Lyrically, it's an opportunity for a new perspective. Musically, it's a chance to offer the listener something they haven't heard before to keep the song interesting.

Refrain

In the verse / verse / bridge / verse song structure, the refrain is the line that draws all the attention in your verses. It's usually at the beginning or end of each verse and is often the title of the song.

Hook

The hook doesn't necessarily refer to a specific section of a song, except to say it's the catchiest part of a song. Most of the time, it will be your chorus, if your song has one. If your song doesn't have a chorus your hook will most likely be your refrain. As hit songwriter, Clay Drayton, says "A fish knows the hook... Once it's in you, it's hard to get it out."