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A Speech on the Significant Influences that Helped Shape My Life

Have you ever taken a moment to reflect on the people, things and experiences that have molded you into the person you are today? Well, I do it all the time. Come to think of it; it is mind-blowing to think about how the people, places and encounters that I have gone through have shaped me into the being I am today. I believe that we all have a special purpose that we should fulfill during our time on earth, and fulfilling it would not be possible if one does not allow their environment around them and experiences to shape them. Some of my experiences were positive, while some were negative. All in all, I would not be who I am today had it not been for the people and experiences in my life. Today, I am taking this opportunity to talk to you about the life influences that have shaped me into the being I am today. As I proceed with my speech, I will talk about my mother, the church and life-threatening surgery as the factors that have significantly influenced my life.

To begin with, I would like to talk to you about the most important person in my life, my mother. Without a doubt, she has had the biggest influence on my life. I admire her for various reasons. I hope to turn out as half the woman she is in the future. She is my source of inspiration and hope. She has molded me into a diligent person, and for that, I hold her as a treasure close in my heart. One of the reasons why I admire her is her strength. My mother is the strongest person I know. Growing up, life was not always easy for us. She single-handedly ensured that my siblings had everything we needed despite all the shortcomings. Although we did not have the best things that money could buy, she ensured we lived comfortably. As a single mother, she had to put in twice the effort to provide for us. I remember her working three or four jobs at times to give us everything we needed. She put us through college education and has supported my siblings and me in all our endeavors. I have so much respect for her. In due time, I plan to repay her by buying her a house and providing her with everything she needs. She is my source of inspiration and she truly deserves the best things that life can offer. Additionally, my mother has instilled in me the values of honesty, hard work, faith, and love. She set an excellent example for my siblings and me. She led by example. She is a true leader and she has taught me to believe in myself. To date, she still encourages me to be self-confident and reminds me that I am a work in progress. She also taught me to be content with what I have and to live fearlessly.

Next, I will talk about the places I feel have contributed most to the person I am today. I could think of half a dozen places that have been precious to me, including our family home, high school, and my auntie’s home. However, I feel that the church has had the most influence on me had has shaped me into who I am today. I would not describe myself as a very religious person but I am certainly a believer. I was raised by my mother, who is a Christian. I was baptized at an early age, and since then, my mother has always ensured that we attended mass every Sunday. I was always interested in church activities growing up. I was the kind of child that volunteered to give people a hand during church sermons. I would help usher people into the church and help them locate seats. I feel the church honed me into the person I am today as it instilled in me the virtues of patience, faith, honesty, prayerfulness, and dedication. I was very close to the Reverend in the church I attended growing up. She eventually became my mentor and has taught me a lot do with life. Whenever I had a personal problem, I would always talk to her and she would advise me on how to handle the matter. Even today, whenever I feel discouraged or face a life problem, I always turn to God for assistance. Because of my background in the church, I am prayerful to date and I firmly believe that God is the answer to most of the problems we face in society.

Finally, I will talk about an encounter that changed my life completely. When I was thirteen years old, I was involved in a road accident. I must say that this was the most devastating point of my life as I had to undergo life-threatening surgery to rectify my limb. In the accident, my leg was severely injured. At some point, the doctor recommended that the leg be amputated, but my mother stood with me and ensured I got the necessary surgery. At this point, I was scared for my life; I thought I would die. I am different because of this experience as I learned the value of life. I realized how fragile life could be and I am just grateful that I overcame the darkest moment of my life. One person lost their life during the accident and I was among the lucky few that survived. I am grateful to God for saving me on that day. I learned to live life to the fullest and appreciate the little things that matter most. For me, family is everything. I appreciate my family for standing by my side and always being with me through thick and thin.

In closing, today, I have opened up about the significant influences in my life. I mentioned how my mother has honed me into the person I am today and taught me various values, including hard work and self-confidence. We also discussed how the church contributed to the spiritual being I am today and how undergoing a life-threatening surgery changed my life for the better. Looking back at all the people, things and experiences that have shaped my life, I cannot help but wonder what the future has in store for me. I cannot wait to meet new people, explore, and hopefully experience positive life-changing experiences that will shape me as a person even further.

Book Review: Tried by War

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Book Review: Tried by War

James M. McPherson’s “Tried by War” is a book that outlines the life of Abraham Lincoln as it unfolded when he was the commander in Chief of the army despite lacking prior military experience. The book is written clearly as evidenced by feelings of battle while reading. The book addresses various themes while answering some questions as he delved into the life of Abraham Lincoln on military perspective. Lincoln encountered countless battles during the Civil war and with most notable George McClellan. He had to learn to be the commander in chief while on the job and with little support from those in command. Lincoln led the United States to victory through mobilization of the public opinion in addition to his diplomatic and leadership policies.

McPherson notes that the issue of secession threatened to destroy the fabric upon which the nation was built if conscious steps had not been taken by the president of the time – Abraham Lincoln. The war was different in that it was not a war between states or people with different vested interests but a war that had its foundation on treason and rebellion. The United States Constitution outlines that the constitution was for uniting the people as opposes to the belief that people had that it was for the states. It was the responsibility of the people to follow what was outlined in the constitution to the latter. Upholding and making it supreme was to be their undisputed role as citizens and individuals in general. Despite the states of Confederacy being temporarily under the control of rebel governments, they still formed part of the Union and were to adhere to its objectives and constitutional responsibility.

Since Lincoln was responsible for shaping and defining national policy, contrary events were aimed at dividing the nation of which Lincoln would not allow. The United States was a democratic state where the majority had their say.

McPherson notes that politics was the objective of going to war. The war was therefore not something that came up autonomously but as an instrument through which the objectives and purposes of some individuals would be passed across. The aim of the author in addressing the issue of secession and the ensuing conflicts is to reinforce the idea that the identity of a nation as one is more important and it can only be achieved by going to war. War was a means to an end. He also shows the character trait of Lincoln as a man who would not entertain any thoughts for dissolution or dismemberment. He was a man who was astute in his decisions through a thorough study of war and military strategy. “Tried by war” is a great book that analyses how Abraham Lincoln successfully stopped the secession program by halting all the attempts by the eleven Southern States. The author notes that Lincoln could not ignore the political context that his decisions that his military strategies had on the military strategy. The two were interconnected by a cord that only Lincoln was aware of.

Another major theme as addressed by McPherson is the military and national strategy. Military strategy is the plans that are developed by the military to win a war. National Strategy, on the other hand, is the activities which are aimed at mobilizing all the resources to achieve the aims of the war. The resources in this perspective are the political, economic, diplomatic and psychological resources. Just like the ordinary soldiers who volunteered in the army lacked knowledge of military affairs, Lincoln was similar like them. As McPherson writes, “Lincoln faced a steep learning curve.” The skill and acumen of Lincoln were strengths that allowed him to maneuver and manipulate the law to formulate strategies for the good of the nation as he thought. Democracy was threatened by a few elements that were not pleased with how the running of affairs was being done. Lincoln ensured that mass mobilization of people took place for them to join the Union Army which had a deficit. Eventually, the army grew to over half a million men.

Due to cross-border emancipation programs and the issue of the Southern antislavery majority, Lincoln decided to change the national strategy to his advantage. He decided to activate the Northern Antislavery majority by proclaiming the freedom of slaves in some states which were considered rebellious. As noted by McPherson, decisive and extreme measures had to be undertaken to tackle the problem as fast as possible. Freeing the slaves was one way of ensuring they were not subdued by their adversaries. Lincoln believed that the sight of drilled black soldiers would end the rebellion at once when they went to war at the banks of Mississippi. To add on that the author notes that Lincoln was not left behind when efforts to shape the military strategy took precedence. His lack of experience in the war forced him to explore the suggestions of the General in Chief. He was however disappointed by the General due to his poor decision-making skills. Lincoln was forced to read widely on military strategy in addition to various discussions. He planned on how he would plan an attack on the enemy by attacking from all sides. The plan was architected perfectly due to the reaction of Johnston who feared it. His plan was objectively orchestrated to force the enemy further away in order r to lengthen the line of Union Supply. Noticing errors in military planning by his subjects, Lincoln advised them that the best way to win the war was by fighting the enemy rather than maneuvering and sieging which were significantly fruitless. The author convincingly points out the issue of military strategy by noting the significant role that Lincoln played. On a broader picture, he was tried by the war.

Another major theme that the author addresses is the theme of national policy formulation. The role of shaping the national policy was vested on Lincoln gave his position as the commander in chief and the leader of the party. Therefore, McPherson notes that the war was an instrument of furthering the national policy to serve the purpose. In some of the appointments for the position of generals, politics played a big part where the appointments were politically instigated. However, most of these generals made more blunders than their counterparts who had prior military experience. They had mediocre military records. The book convincingly depicts how Lincoln matched his nation to victory by formulating national policies in addition to mobilizing public opinion for the betterment of nature. His policies in the army were generally about volunteering and persistence. McPherson notes that the aim of policies passed by Lincoln was to preserve the support of the general public despite receiving backlash and underperformance from the military. McPherson convincingly dedicated the first half of the book to document the first two years of the war. In this way, the leadership style of Lincoln comes out clearly as a man dedicated to action. As a self-taught strategist, Abraham Lincoln ensured victory was in sight by ensuring the policies always favored the victory side despite lacking in military experience.

In conclusion, the book has a lot of relevance today. The book documented the life of one of the most important figures in the history of the United States. The book provided an excellent examination of Lincoln’s Life and the many challenges he faced as a wartime president. The book lacked one most important element in documenting the life of Lincoln. The book would be more relevant if the author touched on the biography of Lincoln to pre-president years. It does not provide the explicit cradle to grave life encounter of Abraham Lincoln. The book is relevant today in issues that are prevalent in the book. For instance, it provides insights on the best actions to take as a leader during times of war. The book makes a connection to the present and future by addressing themes that are common in a country. The link however vague, succeeds in providing a glimpse of approaching some things in the society. For instance, the mobilization of public opinion and national strategy can be used by leaders to develop strategies towards revival and development in general. The nature of how circumstances shape a leader to act unilaterally is also a glimpse of decisions to take by a leader in case war breaks unprecedented.

References

McPherson, J. M. (2008). Tried by war: Abraham Lincoln as commander in chief. Penguin.

SCI

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is very serious because it can mean the loss of sensation and function in the parts of the body below the site of the injury. SCI’s are caused in many different ways. Some of the most common ways a person may obtain a SCI are- motor vehicle accidents, bullet or stab wound, diving accidents, electric shock, awkward positioning of the body, falls, sports injuries (such as football or diving), industrial accidents, assault and gunshot wounds. Polio, Spina Bifida and Friedreich’s Ataxia are some of the frequent diseases that cause SCI. SCI may also be know in other names such as spinal cord compression (SCC) and spinal cord trauma (SCT).

According to an article in , SCI’s occur in approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people per year in the U.S. About 10,000 of these people are permanently paralyzed, and many of the rest die as a result of their injuries. Most spinal cord trauma occurs to young, healthy individuals. Males between the ages of 15 and 35 are most commonly affected.

The spinal cord is about 18 inches long and extends from the base of the brain, down the middle of the back, to about the waist. It is composed of 33 bones called vertebrae, 31 pairs of nerves, 40 muscles and numerous connecting tendons and ligaments running from the base of the skull to the tailbone. Between the vertebrae are fibrous, elastic cartilage called discs. These absorb shock and keep your spine flexible and cushion the hard vertebrae as it moves. The nerves that lie within the spinal cord are upper motor neurons (UMN’s) and their function is to carry the messages back and forth from the brain to the spinal nerves along the spinal tract. The spinal nerves that branch out from the spinal cord to the other parts of the body are called lower motor neurons (LMN’s). These spinal nerves exit and enter at each vertebral level and communicate with specific areas of the body. The sensory portions of the LMN carry messages about sensation from the skin and other body parts and organs to the brain. The motor portions of the LMN send messages from the brain to the various body parts to begin actions such as muscle movement. The brain and the spinal cord both make up the Central Nervous System. Motor and sensory nerves outside the central nervous system make up the Peripheral Nervous System and another diffuse system of nerves that control involuntary functions such as blood pressure and temperature regulation are the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems. Rings of bone called vertebra surround the spinal cord, and these bones make up the spinal column or backbones. Most often, the higher in the spinal column the injury occurs, the more dysfunction a person will experience. The vertebras are named according to their location. The 8 vertebra in the neck are called the Cervical Vertebra. The top vertebra is called C-1; the next is C-2, and etc. Cervical SCI’s usually cause loss of function in the arms and legs, resulting in quadriplegia. The 12 vertebra in the chest are called the Thoracic Vertebra. The first is called the T-1 and it’s where the top rib attaches. Injuries to this region usually affect the chest and the legs and result in paraplegia. The vertebra in the lower back between the thoracic and the pelvis, are called the Lumbar Vertebra. The sacral vertebras run from the pelvis to the end of the spinal column. Injuries to the 5 Lumbar vertebra and similarly to the 5 sacral vertebra generally result in some loss of functioning in the hips and legs. The effects of SCI depend on the type of injury and the level of the injury. SCI can be divided into two types of injury- complete and incomplete. A complete injury means that there is no function below the level of the injury, no sensation and no voluntary movement. Both sides of the body are equally affected. An incomplete injury means that there is some functioning below the primary level of injury. A person with an incomplete injury may be able to move one limb more than another, may be able to feel parts of the body that cannot be moved, or may have more functioning on one side of the body than the other. With the advances in treatment of SCI, incomplete injuries are becoming more common. The level of injury is very helpful in predicting what parts of the body paralysis and loss of function might affect. Injuries above the C-4 level may require a ventilator for the person to breathe. C-5 injuries often result in shoulder and biceps control, but no control at the wrist or hand. C-6 injuries generally affect wrist control, but no hand function. Individuals with C-7 and T-1 injuries can straighten their arms but still may have problems with the hand and fingers. At T-1 to T-8 there is most often control of the hands, but poor trunk control as the result of lack of abdominal muscle control. T-9 to T-12 injuries allows good trunk and good abdominal muscle control. Individuals with SCI also experience other changes. They may have dysfunction of the bowel and bladder. Sexual functioning is frequently with SCI. Men have their fertility affected, while women’s fertility is not affected. Other affects of SCI include low blood pressure, inability to regulate blood pressure effectively, reduced control of body temperature, inability to sweat below the level of injury and chronic pain. SCI may also bring other possible complications like Skin Breakdown (also termed as “decubitus ulcers” or “pressure sores”), which occurs as a result of excessive pressure over the bones of the buttock. Osteoporosis and Fractures occurs when muscle activity is decreased or eliminated and the legs no longer bear the body’s weight and begin to lose calcium and phosphorus which makes them become weak and brittle. Usually occurring 2 years after the initial SCI. Pneumonia, Atelectasis and Aspiration are the injuries above the T-4 level of injury that are at risk of developing restriction in respiratory functions 5-10 years after the SCI. Heterotopic Ossification happens within 12-18 months, occurs when the joints stiffen and fusion. Safety practices during work and recreation can prevent many SCI’s. Use proper protective equipment if an injury is possible, and practice appropriate safety measures. Always check the depth of water before diving, and look for rocks or other possible obstructions. Football and sledding injuries often involve sharp blows or abnormal twisting and bending of the back or neck and can result in SCT. Use caution when sledding and inspect the area for obstacles. Use appropriate techniques and equipment when playing football or other contact sports. Falls while climbing at work or during recreational activities may cause serious SCI’s. Always use defensive driving practices and improved vehicular design may prevent many automobile accidents, and the use of seat belts will greatly reduce the risk of serious injury if there is an automobile accident. Using and remembering these tips will always reduce your chances of ever encountering a situation where you could be the victim of a spinal cord injury.

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Main Lines Of Debate Between Teleological Arguments And Theory Of Evolution

Debate has been rife for several centuries regarding logical explanation for the existence of the universe, particularly with regard to existence of life. Teleological arguments and evolution theory have widely been studied to offer some of the most acceptable reasoning perspectives for the debate. Explanation has been sought to validate the position held by proponents of the debate, which fall on the opposing side. The main lines of debate can be discussed as follows.

Teleology Lines

First, temporal orderliness of the universe acts as one of the main support points of the teleological proponents of the debate (Swinburne, 154). According to the author, the universe happens to follow some form of order which cannot be assumed to occur just by chance. Guided by positions held by great theologians such as Thomas of Aquinas, the author is of the opinion that such happenings can only be explained by existence of “someone with awareness…we call God,” (Swinburne, 155). It is clear that the apparent orderliness that exists in the universe must be under the control of some being, a comparison of which mush be a deity. This position finds easy acceptance into the debate, perhaps better than any other.

Another argument is the probability of existence of the high orderliness in both universes, Godly and Godless which shows that there is a high probability that the laws of nature that the universe follows must be set out by some being (160). The author states that objects in nature follow some predictable behavior only in a Godly universe as Humean theory explains. We can draw an inference from this theory that the universe is under directions from a deity.

In addition, spatial order, a fact of the universe can be argued only in a perspective that recognizes regularity therein. Co-presence as well as succession can not be explained in exclusion of God (167). These regularity perspectives that denote a well ordered universe complement a Godly universe argument with all respect. Alternatively, beauty of the universe that complements its orderliness is more reasonable when an explanation is sought from Godly presence (190). Using the spectacular regularity depicted by the universe, it is logical to attach a deity to the best explanation sought on its beauty.

Consciousness and mentality analysis gives an array of arguments that strongly support the position that were it not for the existence of God in the Universe, certain innate features of the universe would not exist (198). It is certainly possible to lose meaning of morality in human beings without telos, which explains the position held by God in the universe (Fahlbusch, 328).

Evolution Lines

Linnaean Taxonomy appears to solve the problem of the structure of life forms into a family tree. It is easily possible to trace the origin of life forms due to the universe’s incredible consistency in organizing life into the family tree. It is possible to practically demonstrate the origin of life forms from a common ancestor using the family tree (Wong, 1)

Methamphetamine addiction

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Methamphetamine is a commonly abused drug in the United States. It goes by several street names such as crystal, speed, zoom, and crank. It is often combined with other drugs to increase the stimulant effect. The article talks about the history of the substance in America, the epidemiology of consumption, the effects of meth use, the manufacture of the drug, the short and long-term effects of meth addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and treatment. The author is very keen to highlight the issues with this substance of abuse in a straightforward approach. The site hopes to reach out to addicts by informing them of the risks associated with this substance use. It uses figures for etiology to illustrate how bad the situation is in the country.

The approach of this site is captivating to any audience that can read. It gives a brief history of the discovery of the drug. According to the site, both amphetamine and methamphetamine use can be traced to more than a century ago when the ephedrine was isolated from Ephedra spp. Unlike ephedrine, both of them were predominately stimulants and found less use in the medical field. Amphetamine is clinically used in narcolepsy and ADHD. Its counterpart, methamphetamine is less useful clinically due to its high stimulant effects. It is 2-3 times more stimulating than amphetamine. Its effects also lasting longer. It is also easier to make at home labs and industries. During world war 2, the soldiers utilized this substance to increase their morale and combat fatigue. Later, the US FDA restricted the prescription of the drugs and classified it under schedule 2 of controlled substances. In the US, methamphetamine is rarely prescribed.

Methamphetamine is a powerful, addicting substance prevalent among youths. It is a common drug in parties and clubs. In 2015, NIDA stated that approximately 6% of the American people aged 12 years and above had tried it at least once in their life. It is often available either in powder form or crystal meth. The author points out that the substance is frequently smoked, injected, swallowed, or snorted. Injecting the drug has the most rapid onset of action followed by smoking and snorting, and lastly swallowing, whose onset is 15-20 minutes. The users seek it for its fast CNS stimulant effects. The reward process stimulates high levels of dopamine in the brain that lead to addiction. The drug causes the user to feel energized, alert, and sleepless. However, once the effects wear off, the person crushes, which is characterized by anxiety, anger, hunger, and aggression. Hence, users often take the drug in a binge pattern, where the substance is taken in small amounts over a long period. Tolerance is an imminent effect of this frequency of dosing. Eventually, a person cannot do without the drug, which occurs along with withdrawal symptoms. Drug dependence ensues.

Addiction is characterized by a range of social, emotional, physical, and behavioral signs and symptoms. For example, the person is anorexic, psychotic, irritable, depressed, nervous, confused, paranoid, xerostomia, hyperthermia, and aggressive. The individual is also likely to be socially withdrawn. Also, the grades in school drop, become irresponsible, and performs poorly at the workplace. Long-term effects include damage to the nerve terminals, which predisposes them to Parkinson’s disease. Other long-term adverse effects include birth-defects, weight loss, and cardiovascular complications.

Withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, depression, insomnia, and strong cravings are immensely intense. They are the chief cause of rebound consumption of the drug. Meth addiction is treated using both physical and psychological methods. Medical detoxification and cognitive therapies are essential to the management of addicts. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) emphasizes the impact of the substance on the addicts. CBT seeks to provide coping skills to these persons to avoid addiction relapse. Prognosis is better in those who seek medical intervention early. A 90-day treatment program gives the best prognosis.

References

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/meth-treatment/factshttps://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine

METHOD.

The section entails the research methodologies utilized, an explanation on the study population as well, as the sampling techniques and how data will be collected and managed. The research study design to be used is a cross-sectional study design used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. The study design is preferred because it is relatively cheap and has the capacity to collect a wide range of data within short period of time as well as analyzing the cause-effect relationships in the study population.

The participants are willing college students both male and female who are 18years and above and currently enrolled in college. The final convenience sample constitutes of 121 college students. The questionnaire was developed after a thorough literature review was conducted and will be utilized as data collection tool. The tool will also be tested and reviewed for validity by the peers. The demographics will assist in obtaining information on the specifics. The subsequent statements relating to the research questions will be asked in a bid to obtain information regarding the eating habits of the college students and their level of knowledge on the nutritional requirements for health. The study will consist of five demographic and twenty survey statements. The statements 1-12 will make use of the frequency scale Never (1), rarely (2), everyday (3) and more than once a day(4). The other questions 13-20 will address the level of knowledge on nutrition and the factors that influence the nutrition and diet of college students and the agreement scale will be utilized in this instance.

Permission to conduct the survey in college was obtained from the college. The participants will also be free to partake of the study before or after meals. it is the responsibility of the data collectors to ensure the participant is given a well explanation on the informed consent and they should append a signature before filling the survey questions. The information will be kept confidential and hence there will be no writing of names on the questionnaire.

The filled questionnaires will be checked for completeness and follow-up will be made to ensure questions will be answered in an appropriate manner. Upon completion, the data collected will be systematically arranged in codes of the questionnaires to ensure the data analysis process takes off seamlessly.

Title: Main theories of Le Corbusier and Adolf Loos

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Date: 26/05/2010

Introduction

This paper in parallel covers the essays, written works and architectural works of Le Corbusier and Adolf Loos, some of the chief initiators and inventors of theories used in architectural design today. These two were known mainly because of the essays they wrote. These essays, though loaded with creativity, were faced with ridicule, contention and opposition. With time, however, their theories sold and became accepted globally when they patiently made known their theories and ideas undeterred. This essay discusses the influence that these theories have architectural design today, and mainly focuses on the application of these theories in two building examples; the Villa Savoye and the Moller House. The critiques of their theories are also discussed.

The theories and written works of Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier, who is from Switzerland, was raised in Jura near the Jura Mountains, a place where his ancestors are said to have fled to because of war. His family as a whole had a liking for fine art including music, and they loved the features of the Jura Mountains. As a result of influence by the family, Le Corbusier studied art and was taught by Charles L’Eplattenieer, a teacher whom he referred to as “My Master.” Though the initial dream of Le Corbusier was to become a painter and a matchmaker, L’Eplattenieer encouraged Le Corbusier not only to specialize in art but also in architecture and he even went further to make his admission to the school of architecture and design possible.

Le Corbusier mainly designed villas, which basically comprised of a structural skeleton made from concrete which was toughened for mechanical strength. He believed that this was affordable and beautiful, yet strong. Such villas were made with horizontal planar slabs that acted as floors, and from them there were no externally visible beams. The pillars used to support the structure were simply plain and straight, and they were placed at the edges of the structure. This design, he argued, did not exert any strain on both the internal walls and the exterior facets.

“Après le cubisme” is the first book that was written by Le Corbusier, and it was based on a drive that he had begun jointly with Ozenfant. This drive, by the name ‘Purism’, campaigned for the restitution of the meaning and significance of the items of mass production made under art. Le Corbusier and Ozenfant were among those who wrote the journal by the name “I’Esprit Nouveau”, in which there was a plan for a new form of architectural design which could both meet the structural requirements set by the government and the monumental value that the designers of ancient buildings sought after.

At some point in time, Le Corbusier’s and Ozenfant’s painting profession was at jeopardy, because people viewed them more as reviewers of art and writers of suppositions. There also grew some form of insecurity between the two, and they started contending over issues about whom credit for the work they had done together was due to. They therefore parted ways, and Le Corbusier joined efforts with his cousin to continue with the work that he had already begun. This time, he was more cautious because of how he and his former partner had ended up, and he ensured that his cousin would only do the basic work of compiling the particulars and the plans that were given to him by Le Corbusier.

In 1923, at the age of thirty six, Le Corbusier compiled the second journal which was called “Vers une architecture” which was more or less a combination of some pieces of writing he had done in his first journal, “I’Esprit Nouveau.” In it, he had commended the various designs of machines and items of mass production. He also culminated the article with the encouragement that people must “look upon the house as a machine for living or as a tool”. It made a best seller. Another milestone for Le Corbusier was that he was allowed to openly sell his ideas to the community at large.

One of the things that made his ideas to sell was because they brought about a major transformation to the society. In his argument, he hypothesized that “The machine that we live in is an old coach…. There is no … link between our daily activities at the factory, the office, which are healthy … and our activities in…. the family… handicapped at every turn.” Therefore, he believed that architectural design was supposed to restore the society to the position in which it was before it was distorted, and that it would be achieved without having to undergo a revolution.

His theory was met with the challenge from people who said that there was scarcity of good building materials like steel and concrete that was reinforced with iron. What these people had not understood was that his main idea was to have people adapt the idea of residing in houses that resembled each other- this challenge was to his advantage, and it explained why he had written an article that commended mass production of items. He argued that houses with walls painted in white would bring a sense of oneness, and this was part of his mission to put back to its original position the society.

The theories and written works of Adolf Loos

Adolf Loos, an Austrian pioneer of architecture, was renowned for his works of interior design which, though simple and without much detail, were of much beauty. His emphasis in design was to eliminate what he described as “an excess of decoration in both traditional Viennese design and in the more recent products of the Vienna Secession and the Wiener Werkstatte”. To most people, this theory was found unacceptable and it therefore became unpopular, and it faced much opposition. However, he was determined to make his point understood and absorbed into the system of design then.

Wittingly, he ensured that in his argument he would not be straight forward and plain when tackling the subject of structural and interior design. He argued that what propelled the need for excessive decoration was the hunger the society had for a makeover, and this hunger was mainly brought about by the evils that existed therein. The excessive use of ornaments, he argued, had made the cultural significance that the ornaments once represented to wither and lack meaning. This argument, which made him known globally, gave him a platform to make his theory known far and wide.

In his pursuit for simplicity of design, Adolf Loos wrote an essay in 1908 with the title ‘Ornament and Crime’. In this essay, he regarded excessive ornamentation as a ‘crime’, the reason being that it was not economical because it required a lot of labor and it also consumed a lot of materials. To him, a plain, simple and undecorated architecture was what he termed as ‘a sign of spiritual strength’. It is because of being renowned globally that this essay penetrated many nations, most of which accepted and adapted it into their design system.

Adolf Loos also argued that the excessive use of ornaments in decoration of the exterior robbed off the originality and beauty of the materials that were used in building. He believed that any one who beheld a building from the outside had to appreciate the beauty as well as the functionality of the original materials used in building the structure. He therefore wrote another essay with the title “Principles of Building”, in which the main idea was that the exterior any piece of architecture should be “dumb”. On the contrary, Adolf Loos compensated for the plain exterior with interiors that were extravagantly finished.

The third main article written by Adolf Loos bears the title “Architecture”. This essay explained the various opposites found in architecture: aesthetics and functionality, memorial value and residential value and the peripheral look and the internal look. He argued that any piece of architecture should not only be artistic but it should serve a purpose as well. He found no reason for something to be beautiful yet meaningless. In his argument, Adolf Loos argued that artistic works are meant to give aesthetic pleasure to all beholders, but architectural works do not have to, because they are not only vital but also of great utility.

Architectural works of Le Corbusier and Adolf Loos

Some of the great buildings designed by Le Corbusier include: Villa Savoye, Villa Jeanneret, the Swiss House, Carpenter Center, Notre-Dame-du-Haut, Curutchet House, United Nations Headquarters, Pavillon Suisse, Convent of La Tourette, Maisons Jaoul, and the Villa Pallet among others. Some of the great buildings designed by Adolf Loos include: Cafe Museum, Karntner Bar Vienna, Looshaus, Steiner House, Scheu House, American Bar, Bojko House, Semler House and Villa Stross among hundreds of others. These two also left tens of thousands of written plans and architectural designs, which have been of great use to contemporary structural design.

The Villa Savoye

The Villa Savoye, which was completed in 1929, is located at Poissy in Paris. The building represented what Le Corbusier stated that his work must have- “The Five Points” namely: the pilotis, which are the pillars which give support to the structure. They also act as stands on which the building is suspended above the ground. The second point is the roof that resembles a flat porch, whose main purpose was to leave space for uses other than accommodating the structure itself. An example of such uses is planting a kitchen garden.

The third point is the open plan, where the interior partitioning walls were not put uniformly on all floors, but they were put according to the purpose and the size needed for each room. The fourth of the ‘Five Points’ is windows that open horizontally as opposed to the conventional longitudinal ones. These were meant to ensure uniform and better aeration and lighting. The final point is that the front part of the building should have slender walls and that it should bear an open design.

His notion that people must “look upon the house as a machine for living or as a tool” is fulfilled in the Villa Savoye. The interior of this building is full of features that help save time and energy, thus making a residential house to be far from what he hypothesized about people’s residential homes, that:

“… that we live in is an old coach…. There’s no… link between our daily activities at the factory, the office… which are healthy… and productive, and our activities in… the family which are handicapped at every turn’’.

This design ensured that there was that ‘link’ between offices and homes by ensuring that the residential house also has features of convenience like most offices do. The reason why he believed that the evils in the society were on the rise was simply because many people preferred staying for longer in their offices than at their houses, because their houses were far from convenient in terms of the facilities and features in them. This was both a direct and an indirect cause for families breaking apart because of instances of office-related extra marital affairs and families drifting apart because of not spending quality time together at home.

The kitchen of the Villa Savoye had a white color that was homely, elegant and inviting. On the contrary, the villa’s bathroom bore brilliant aqua blue terrazzo and china. Generally, the walls of the interior were warped in a way that was so appealing to the eye of the resident of the house that he or she could not help but be glued to the rooms. The window frames were put so strategically with the landscape outside that one would think that it was a wall painting of a landscape. This beautified the walls of every room more, and gave the rooms a homely and peaceful atmosphere. The eyes of the inhabitant of the room were tied to the scenery outside the frame.

Instead of the conventional way of putting stairs to connect one floor to the other, Le Corbusier put inclines with no steps. Such ramps were very convenient for toddlers, the elderly and the sick because one would comfortably use wheel chairs, crutches and other similar facilities. The roof of the Villa Savoye served a dual purpose; beauty and utility-beauty because it did not have the traditional way of roofing, and utility because it could be used as a meeting place, a resting place and a playground.

This design, however, failed because the roof was reported to have leaked; this made Le Corbusier to be sued, but unfortunately World War II came when the court case was midway, and the villa was destroyed before any investigations to the matter could be done. The large windows in the villa were also a cause of complaint especially when the weather was cold. The use of heaters in the house during cold seasons became inefficient and uneconomical, because these windows caused great loss of warmth by radiation.

The Moller House

Completion of the Moller House happened around the same time as that of the Villa Savoye, and it was a perfect representative of what Adolf Loos had said an ideal building should be: “The building should be dumb outside and only reveal wealth inside”. The exterior of the flat roofed Moller House resembled a simple cube. The simplicity that Adolf Loos emphasized in his writing was brought out by the brilliant white painting finish. The windows of the building, which lacked much detail, were painted yellow and they were non-uniformly placed on the walls of the exterior. This is all there was on the facade of the Moller house.

The interior, whose style and elegance was far from simple, was a total opposite of what was on the outside. The materials used for the interior finishing were more conventional than contemporary, and this gave the interior a homely and welcoming look. Adolf Loos, in his literature, wrote about an ideal building having what he called a “Raumplan”. He believed that the Moller House gave perfect relevance to his theory:

“My architecture is not conceived by drawings, but by spaces. I do not draw plans… For me…..floors do not exist… There are only interconnected continual spaces… Each space needs a different height… spaces are connected so that ascent and descent are not only unnoticeable, but at the same time functional”.

Marbles and smoothly sanded wooden furniture gave a traditional finish to his “Raumplan” design, and the fabric that was mainly used for draperies in the Moller House was pure silk. There were different floor levels in the building, and Loos gave all the levels different finishes-non resembled the other. The lowest level was finished with colors that were dark for a bold statement, which was neutralized by the next room’s “friendlier” colors. The mini-staircase that led to the next sub level is described as a “modest staircase that takes the visitor round a right-angle bend, emerging dramatically between marble pillars into the double-height, open-plan sitting room”.

The windows of the rooms in higher levels were strategically placed to let in the beautiful scenery outside, in such a way that these windows resembled wall hangings or paintings of nature. The window that enclosed the most beautiful view happened to be the open one on a wall at one edge of the roof patio.However, many argued that this project was not cost effective, and they even doubted the stability of the house because of the way the subsequent walls at different levels of the Moller House had no continuity.

Conclusion

The Le Corbusier’s theory that stated that a residential house must be viewed as a “machine in which we live” was found applicable in his building, the Villa Savoye. The villa carried everything his theory campaigned for, and living in the villa was more enjoyable. Tools and facilities of convenience were made available in the villa, so that one would not see a wide gap between the office and the home. Also, the Moller House, designed and built by Adolf Loos who termed excessive use of ornaments as a “crime”, is a physical manifestation of what he theoretically represented on paper. The building has the plain and “dumb” look on the outside, which he compensates for with a magnificent, luxurious and homely interior. He maintained the simplicity he aims at when he says that “the building’s facade should speak for itself”, as seen in his theory.

References:

Cohen, Jean-Louis (2004). Le Corbusier, 1887-1965: the lyricism of architecture in the machine age. London: Taschen.

Glynn, Simon. Villa Müller, Prague. Retrieved on 26th May, 2010 from HYPERLINK “http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/villamueller/index.htm”http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/villamueller/index.htm, 2006

Gronberg, Tag. Designs on modernity: exhibiting the city in 1920s Paris. London: Manchester University Press, 2004

Tournikiotis, Panayotis. Adolf Loos. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2002

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Book Review

Margot Lee Shetterly wrote the book “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race” in 2016. It revolves around the lives of three black women in the United States in the 1930s and 60s. These women worked as human computers for NASA. The Jim Crow laws were still in force in the South, and this is what makes women’s achievements particularly significant.

Most mathematicians at the time were women. They were referred to as computers, because of racial discrimination; blacks had their office in the west area while the white computers had theirs on the east end. At that time the war was still going on, and as part of the war effort, the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in Hampton sought to hire physicists and mathematicians.

The laboratory hired Dorothy Vaughan in 1942. She was working as a math teacher and in the military laundry as well. Although the job as a mathematician for the National Authority Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) required her to move away from her family, she accepted it. Dorothy is a strong and determined woman eager to advocate for equality of women at a time when women were considered to be inferior to men, and black people inferior to whites (Shetterly).

The second woman, Katherine Coleman, learned about the opportunity at NACA from a friend after dropping out of West Virginia where she was a mathematics major. She was moved from the computing division into Flight Research Division. Although she was promoted, her salary was not raised, and Vaughan stepped in to fight for Katherine to get a raise. Katherine solved the cause of a small propeller crashing and makes discovery on the effects of turbulence in one place can affect another plane. She was quite brilliant, and this gained her acceptance among her white peers.

Mary Jackson is the third main character in the book, a black woman at NACA. She had to fight to get more education to become an engineer at the time of racial discrimination. Her son makes history as the first African American child to win the local soap box derby race. Although there is still a lot of discrimination based on gender, Mary Jackson appreciates that the racial barrier has at least been broken (Shetterly).

The book’s timeline spans many important historical events such as the ban on racial segregation in schools made in 1954. Such advances met fierce resistance especially in the South but eventually succeeded. Social conditions for the black people and women looked up. Technological advancements took place such as the use of computers and launching of the first satellite, Sputnik, into space.

Several themes run through the book, the most obvious of which is racism and hard work. Virginia was NACA’s home location, and it was also a state in which racism and racial prejudice were quite prevalent (Allen 70). Despite the fact that women of color were among the most brilliant mathematicians, they were made to sit in a different office, and use separate bathrooms from their white peers. The state of affairs was no better outside work in restaurants, schools, parks, and other social amenities. Even though the United States actively fought oppression and injustices abroad, the same ills went on unchecked in its soil. Discrimination at NACA kept black employees from doing their best. The instance where Katherine greeted a white man who walked away showed just how bad the situation was (Shetterly).

A second theme is hard work and persistence. The black women had to overcome a lot of obstacles including racism and gender-based discrimination. Katherine Johnson made a lot of contribution to aviation but was still forbidden from sitting in editorial meetings. She did not give up but kept asking many questions and eventually broke through. The author also emphasizes that hard work coupled with luck will ultimately lead to success; this is described as serendipity (Allen 71). Vaughan did the same. She taught herself how to code when she felt that computers would take over her job. The women were lucky to secure employment at NACA, not because they were not qualified but because of the segregation at the time. Gloria Champine put to clinch a job as Technical Assistant to the Division Chief of Space Systems. This position had previously held only by men, and she had to be interviewed severally but excelled each time. All these women put themselves in a position to succeed.

The events in the book happen during World War II at a time of contrasting advances in technology but contrastingly reluctant reforms in the social situation. Countries such as the Soviet Union and the United States carried out research geared towards landing the first man in the moon, a feat which they accomplished (Allen 70). However, the United States was quite reluctant to make similar efforts towards achieving equality in terms of gender and race.

Hidden Figures is an enthralling story about black women who rose when all the odds were stacked up against them. The author tells a story of perseverance, hard work, persistence, and luck. It is an inspiring story that helps other women in difficult and overwhelming situations to never give up. It also teaches us about our country’s history and how hard people had to fight for the equality and freedom that we now enjoy. It inspires the reader to never give up hope even when they feel they have no chance of success.

Works Cited

Allen, Kera Jones. “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly.” IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 39.3 (2017): 70-71.

Shetterly, Margot Lee. Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race. William Morrow, 2016.

HYPERLINK “javascript:HighlightAll(‘form1.report’)” A Space Odyssey – Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite – set

The film segment chosen was the final scene from Stanley Kubrik’s 2001 – A Space Odyssey made in 1968. As the name would suggest, the film is set almost entirely in the future. Already having projected itself over 30 years into the future, it would be safe to assume that this motion picture offers a wealth of imagery and futuristic vision. It does. It is towards the end of the film, however, that Kubrik offers this to us on a much greater scale. In these few minutes, we are presented with the dawn of a new era: a near incomprehensible evolution of humanity. Through many complex design devices, the set design successfully achieves a vision for the future that is neither dystopian, nor entirely utopian, yet extraordinarily positive on a revolutionary scale.

Kubrik himself has never publicly discussed the ending to 2001 and admits that this was a very subjective film, while many people claim not to have understood it at all. Many interpretations have been made as to the real meaning of this scene, many incredibly different and most equally plausible. Despite their differences, however, all have one thing in common: an overwhelmingly optimistic vision for the future.

A few example interpretations include alien intervention: an idea that alien technology has helped man progress to the ‘next level’ of consciousness; to an understanding beyond the physical realm. Others adopt the idea of the emergence of man as pure thought completely of his own accord.

It is for this reason that the futuristic vision expressed in this scene cannot be labeled simply utopian. What viewers are offered during this scene spans far beyond an idealistic version of the world we live in today: various connotations found in the scene stretch the bounds and horizons of humanity itself.

The problem faced by Kubrik, and indeed the set designer was how to portray a near incomprehensible, purely conceptual journey on film. One theory sits with the idea of a metaphorical shift of entities: the room we see is a metaphor for the human body and respectively, Dave Bowman, the main character, becomes a metaphor for the human mind.

One of the elements that makes this scene appear to be ambiguous is the absence of dialogue and meaningful audio accompaniment. This absence draws additional attention to the visual elements of the scene. Furthermore, very little screen movement encourages us to study Dave’s surroundings, in this case an elaborately decorated room.

Though the set is not intended to be a physical rendition of the future itself, it does play a large role in channeling our thoughts and emotions while we are offered these fantastic, conceptual, futuristic ideas.

The set quickly becomes an overwhelming feature of the scene for one main reason: the uncomfortable feeling of incomprehension encourages us to look to physical features for familiarity; something solid to grasp onto. Kubrik does not offer us this. Instead, we are greeted with what appears to be an elaborately decorated hotel room void of doors and windows, complete with renaissance-like artwork and glowing floor tiles. This ambiguity heightens our sense of curiosity.

What we are first presented with is a somewhat illogical mix of objects: a space pod sitting in the middle of a bright white room with geometric space-aged glowing floor tiling and furniture, artwork and wall decorations that appear to be centuries old. This immediately communicates a mix of ideas including artistic creativity, high technology, cleanliness and calculated precision spanning centuries and continents. In all, these are elements which can be attributed to major triumphs and accomplishments of mankind over the physical domain; factors which distinguish the human race from the rest of the animal kingdom. Already the viewer has received a universally positive statement, whether or not they are aware of it on a conscious level.

The fact that this room is void of doors and windows reinforces the idea that it could exist merely as a container, as we have no idea what exists beyond it; where or when this object exists in time. The room appears to exist independent of these factors: it transcends time and space, and for this reason, one can begin to question its authenticity. Could this be a metaphor for the container of the human mind? Is this a tangible representation of our ability, as a human race, to manipulate the world around us? Once again, this is an personally subjective issue which was intended to be dealt with on an individual scale. In this way, the set design encourages the viewer to open their minds, to consider abstract concepts and relative impossibilities.

The glowing tiles which line the floor of the room are symbolic of technology, the future and humanity’s yearn for innovation. The combination of geometric lines, the definition of the x, y and z planes and bright white light give an impression of calculation, purity and precision: elements that are synonymous with high technology. It is known that bright cross lighting, used throughout this scene, can be incredibly revealing and in most cases can expose blemishes and imperfections in the set. In combination with the white walls, ceiling and floor, it can be seen that this set achieves nothing short of perfection, another reason to suspect a shift of reality.

The glowing tiles also serve as a source of high contrast to the artworks and old furniture situated throughout the room. Here the viewer is introduced to the featured colour: green. Green universally represents harmony with nature and the environment. The choice of green as a featured colour softens the intensity of the geometry of the floor tiles. If, for example, were blue used as a substitute, the room could risk appearing overly clinical, perhaps too futuristic, which would emphasize a reliance on technology. The furniture itself appears to be sophisticated and stylised, as though it came direct from an upper class nineteenth century western European home. This furniture implicitly suggests the idea of human sentimentality and an appreciation for the old and the aesthetic. The artworks which appear to be in the renaissance style put forth this idea also.

Countless explanations have been offered as to the reason for Dave’s rapid aging, the meaning of the monolith and the star child. Despite their differences, all share the idea of eternal optimism and divinity. This can be attributed largely to the set design and its role in channeling our thoughts and emotions during these bizarre encounters. This scene was a successful rendition of an intangible journey on a tangible, viewable scale.

Kubrik has been renowned for producing controversial films, 2001 being no exception. Unlike his other films, however, 2001 offers us an optimistic twist – a euphoric, revolutionary concept: that mankind will eventually rise above the physical realm to a level of existence incomprehensible to us at the present point in time.

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Appendix I

Brief outline of Entity Shift Interpretation (base for semiotic analysis)

In an effort to portray a spiritual evolution on a tangible scale, we witness a shift in entities. Dave’s environment, the decorated white room, becomes a metaphor for the human body. The body, Dave Bowman, becomes a metaphor for the human mind.

At the beginning of the scene, as Dave taps into a new level of consciousness, he is initially shocked. This can be seen by the alarming contrast between the red space suit Dave initially wears and the near pure white background. As Dave begins to accept his surroundings, we can see his body ‘age’ rapidly: the mind is maturing. On a different level, this also offers to us the idea that the mind is the only constant throughout life: while the tangible body ages and decays, the spirit remains the common denominator that makes each and every one of us an individual. It has been suggested that this is the essence of humanity.

The room, which remains completely static and has no windows or doors can be seen as a container, and in this way likens itself to the human body, the container of the human mind throughout life. The room itself appears highly constructed and artificial, an indicator of physicality. In some cases this can be seen to represent pretentiousness and vanity. On the other hand, the elements, namely the artwork, tiles and furniture, that make up the contents of the room appear to indicate a myriad of human achievements spanning centuries. Technology, a yearn for innovation, human creativity, classical architecture and high art are just a few elements that spring to mind.

Once Bowman accepts the mental transition, he begins to indulge himself. On one level we can see Dave begin to eat, on another he begins to consider his place in evolution, thinking, examining, progressing, evolving, and spiritually maturing.

When Dave’s wine glass smashes we see that it is time to move on. This action has been likened to the Jewish tradition of breaking glass at a wedding ceremony: a symbol of great change occurring. Stanley Kubrik himself is Jewish, which makes this parallel plausible. Aware of the Jewish tradition or not, the sight and sound of broken glass alone in the controlled environment holds enough contrast to shock us into thinking that change is about to occur. Dave is thereby about to enter the new level of conscious existence.

As we see Dave age once more, he appears to be near the end of his ‘life’. We see mankind reach out to the monolith for the final time in the film (the first time being when apes learned to use tools, the second time to make mankind aware of the happenings at Jupiter, some believe this was a call to announce Earth’s human race to the rest of the universe).

With a new camera shot, we are introduced to the star child: Dave has reached complete divinity, the sublime. Far more significant than visually aging, Dave has been reborn. He has outlived his physical body and has evolved to the beginning new level, hence we see the fetus-like object. This, followed by the realignment of the Earth, moon and sun; the discipline of space; a mystical frontier, represents a cosmic acceptance, a coming together of entities.

This was Kubrik’s vision for the future – a euphoric, revolutionary concept: that mankind would eventually rise above the physical realm to a level of existence incomprehensible to us at the present point in time.

the New York Times is known for it’s liberal bias