Joshua Bearmans story Art of the Steal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Joshua Bearmans story Art of the Steal - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Gerald Blanchard always prepared to make his heist by investigating flaws in the security system akin to an individual’s identification of dry leaves on a tree. Effectively, proper planning and a thorough investigation always ensured Gerald’s stealing activities were an enormous success. It is pertinent to note that, Gerald started his exploits at a young age. In this regard, he had managed to become a local criminal mastermind in his neighborhood while in high school. The story Art of the Steal elucidates the escalation of his sophistication based on his shrewdness in technology formed over time from an early age. Thus, the story gives his exploits from parachuting in, changing jewels secured by a weighted alarm, and many more intriguing stories including well-organized getaways. On the other hand, his flaunty nature was a contrast to a mastermind of some of the most sophisticated crimes committed. Eventually, this behavior eventually led to a mistake that led to his arrest and consequent sentencing whereby he served a jail term. Despite the book being about acts that are criminal in nature, there are many positive lessons that individuals can draw from Gerald’s epic tales and apply them in life. First, good cognitive skills are one of the factors that contributed to Gerald’s success during his exploits regardless of the security mechanisms in the places he targeted. Cognitive skills are crucial in our daily lives to make the decisions. For example, Gerald parachuted onto the roof of the Vienesse Castle on his way to steal the Sisi Star. During the tour of the castle, Gerald realized that â€Å"There was an armed guard stationed at every entrance and patrolling the halls but the roof was unguarded†. In this case, it would take an individual with a good perception, quick learning, and reasoning to formulate the only easy way to get into the castle. Evidently, Gerald had these important skills since he figured out the easy way to get into the building and carry out the heist was through parachuting onto the unguarded roof of the castle.

Transit oriented design architectural analysis planning and policies. Comparative study of Mauritius and Singapore Essay Example for Free

Transit oriented design architectural analysis planning and policies. Comparative study of Mauritius and Singapore Essay Transit-oriented design, architectural analysis, planning and policies. Comparative study of Mauritius and Singapore Introduction The world needs a more viable and sustainable mode of connection. It must be incorporated with other regions to ensure that there is the kind of connection that leads to efficient movement using train services. This kind of mobility, which brings connection to several parts of the world must involve the mixed use of residential and commercial areas. It brings out the issue of new urbanism and smart transport as some of the important tool in the world as a whole. Due to its importance, the development of transit-oriented design systems is one area that requires comprehensive plans and policies that take into account individual architectural structures of different regions. However, policy regarding the regional land planning involve a wide range of people. This means that the process must incorporate all groups regardless of profession, economic class and age. This study seeks to identify transit-oriented design policy issue in Mauritius in relation to the need to develop an MRT similar to that which was built in Singapore. It provides a detailed analysis of on the differences that will hinder Mauritius from adopting some of the policies and procedures that were adopted by Singapore. Although a number of them might be helpful, there are those that will require improvement or elimination for successful implementation of the project. It will thus include the performance of a keen environmental study. This is intended to help the policy experts and lawmakers in the country of Mauritius be able to diagnose the cause of these transport policy issues and suggest valid solutions which will better the transport area in the country of Mauritius. Many countries make attempts to emulate other countries that have been successful in the development of a number of projects. The transport system is one of the common fields where such practices are conducted. However, the problem is usually posed in the sense that not all previous strategies can be employed from one state to the other. Several varied characteristics play a role in this. This research paper makes attempts to analyze whether all the policies that were applied in Singapore during the construction of the MRT system can be applied in the strategic plan of an MRT system in Mauritius. Therefore, how can the country consider its architectural structures to implement the Singaporean policies in order to make the region benefit from the transit-oriented development? Therefore, how can they be appropriately applied to ensure that the public transport system in Mauritius is maximized? As such, this paper is aimed at providing a meaningful comparison in relation to the planning systems in Mauritius against those of one of the best practice examples in the world; Singapore (Smart Growth America 2014). Significance of the research Transport is an important part of any community across the globe; the impacts of transport are felt in all corners of any economy from political, economic and even social aspects of community lives. However, it is not enough for any government or country to offer just mere transport but must ensure it is quality and meets all the local and international standards (Handy 2005, 147). Development of good transport needs good management that can be achieved by the proper planning of the present structures. This requires that a country considers the best options in relation to the architecture of the region. As much as a country may wish to adopt success strategies used previously by a different country, it is necessary that they consider their unique architectural elements (Handy 2005, 147). It is expected that Mauritius will implement a light rail transit in the near future. Although there is already an MRT system in Singapore, both of these countries possess similar conditions that have been developed in their transport systems over time. As such, the Mauritian government can benefit greatly from the incentive and success story of Singapore (Susan 2011, 828). The community can use it as their guideline towards the implementation of the new plan. However, Singapore has completely different architectural characteristics and aspect from Mauritius. These have to be put into consideration during the implementation plan. In order to develop an effective transit design plan, there is a need to incorporate most of the features that encourage transit ridership (Venketasawmy 1998, p. 58). The starting point of the solutions to traffic congestion must ensure mobility of people from home to work places. The ability of people to move from home to work and back has been hindered very much by traffic congestions. Nonetheless, it is vital for the policy makers to improve on commuting with regard to the traditional home-to-work trip through proper transit-oriented programs (About Smart Growth n.d.). Theoretical framework Proper transit-oriented development provides all the necessary benefits associated with livable communities. It comes in the form of a mix of application that makes it possible to move around without the need of a car while at the same time enjoying the greater mix of different types of houses. This study will be conducted upon the consideration that people have a wide range of transportation choices to select. With this, there is an increased sense of community among the members of the community and an enhanced sense of place. This kind of development bears numerous other kinds of benefits. As such, it requires proper planning of the various structures. In turn, it needs appropriate budgeting strategies to assist in its attainment. Many of the countries that are making plans to attain transit-oriented designs should understand these factors when making their plans. They should additionally use the plans that were previous used by countries that have been successful in such developme nts (Sustainable Development Commission of the United Kingdom n.d.). Mauritius is considered one of the countries with a small economy. It is a little island found in the Indian Ocean and possesses about 1.2 million inhabitants. Since 1980s, it has grown tremendously in its economy. During the last decade, both the public and private sectors have indicated the need to perform mega urban developments. Among these is the development of the MRT system similar to that which was developed in Singapore. Unlike in Singapore the designing and development of Mega urban projects such as the impending MRT requires much planning and consideration to avoid failure. As such, this paper will explore the characteristic small and vulnerable economy of Mauritius and the affordability of the mega urban projects in relation to the unique architectural features. They will be compared and related to Singapore, which is among the countries with an advanced economy and societies that are highly developed (Federal Transit Administration n.d.). Key Objectives To investigate the needs of the Mauritian community in relation to transportation To assess the elements that led to the successful implementation of MRT in Singapore To perform a comparison on the similar architectural conditions between Mauritius and Singapore Analysis of how the procedures that were used in Singapore can be incorporated in the Mauritian plan To find out what the unique aspects are in Mauritius to enable the achievement of success Consideration of the factors in Mauritius that can hinder the success of the strategies applied in Singapore. Methodology This paper will compare the varied land uses and practices in Mauritius and Singapore. Since Mauritius plans to develop their MRT in the near future, the study will analyze the already existing programs that are well known and diverse. This will be compared to the approaches that led to the implementation of MRT in Singapore (Enoch 2003, 298). Owing to the varied architectural designs in the two countries, only the appropriate strategies will be considered for use in Mauritius. Literature review was used to identify potential programs, practices and case studies. Both academic and professional literature was reviewed to identify already implemented plans, or that is currently underway. Information from departments of transportation (DOTs) and state governor’s office. Peer reviewed journals from fields of city planning, urban affairs, transportation and housing were also analyzed. Analysis was also carried out on websites of academic, nonprofit organizations, and professional o rganizations. However, the main analysis was to be performed between the documents that were used in the implementation plans in Singapore and related to the uses of land in Mauritius to ascertain whether most of those policies can be incorporated (Enoch 2003, 298). Site/case studies Mega urban developments in Mauritius In the past, the urban sector in Mauritius has dealt with a number of mega urban developments. Most of these have had their ups and downs that have led to different rates of success and failure. There have been several of such mega urban developments that have failed owing to the lack of proper planning. The current idea to develop a transit-oriented design system is among the mega urban developments. It thus call for serious planning and implementation of policies and structures that are highly suitable. In comparison to other areas, there are numerous regions that have attempted to develop the transit-oriented designs. One of the most proper examples is Singapore. It is the most commonly known reference point. It is thus the best case to be used by any city that is developing or making plans to improve its transport planning and systems. Data analysis and synthesis Plan for land use The MRT in Singapore was constructed with a main focus on the need for land use. This was considered in 2013 when there was a need to develop a new plan to accommodate the increasing population. It was assumed that by 2030 the population would be around 6.7 million. Land reclamation from the sea would be necessary in order to get additional 766 square kilometres of land. They would be done mainly in the islands of Tekong and Taus. Therefore the land use plan related to the development of the transit-oriented design system would include the expansion of Tampine North, and other areas such as Bidadari and Tengah. Building of 100, 000 HBD flats was part of the plan and a future creation of a Southern Waterfront City. Additionally, new towns like Western Water Catchment will be built. They also include high density towns with numerous amenities. Therefore, from 52%, 60% of the land in Singapore will be reserved for industry, housing and community facilities. This means that more housing units will be built, rail networks doubled and more people will live close to parks (Xinhua, 2013, par. 1-10). Various kinds of art of architectural designs adorn the landscape of MRT in Singapore.   They are award winning features that create ease of accessibility and efficient models. They are composed of colourful murals and sculptures. They speak largely about the history and culture in Singapore. These were however, incorporated during the later stages. Earlier less attention was given to the design of the station with much emphasis being put on its functionality than on its aesthetics. It is evident that the Mauritian community has been faced by a number of challenges during the implementation of the previous mega urban projects in the area. As such, there is need to take into account the architectural structures that include the use of land before the establishment of an MRT in the region. In order to ensure that they achieve high levels of success similar to the Singaporean government, they will need to adopt some of their schemes. Findings It is evident that the planning papers that were used in Singapore were highly effective. The documents that were used in the effort to make the city attain a transit-oriented design made use of proper policy arrangements. In this relation, Singapore is considered one of the countries that made use of comparative approaches to plan their transport system. In order to attain this, they engaged in best planning practices that involved a number of aspects. These are setting of clear objectives, targets towards ambitious performance, benchmarking and effective implementation. In addition, it openly declared its objective to achieve the best performance levels in the world in transport in comparison to some of the benchmark cities in the world. For this reason, most of them can be incorporated in the Mauritian plan to develop an MRT system. Therefore, some of the major activities to be performed will include: Linking land use with transportation The successful transportation policy cannot be achieved without linking transportation matters with land. Land forms an important element of transportation since all transit systems and any other movements are based on land. Land is an important effect to both economy and political aspect of the country; this therefore means that the issues of land must take center stage when discussing transportation matters in any country or country around the world (Enoch 2003, 298). The political experts must approve the use any space in the country of Mauritius before any undertaking. The policies to be implemented should put into consideration the comparison between other successful legislation in other countries such as Singapore. (Khadaroo and Seetanah 2007, 1153). Some of the important areas to be compared will include the parameters involved in transport performance, the key phases involved in the projects, implementations and investments, the approach that is used by the cities in relation to the integration of a public transport system as well as the relationships and policies associated with transit-oriented systems and land use. They will help to alleviate some of the common problems that are experienced in Mauritius. The main one is traffic congestion   One of the major problems that are presented by the current state of Mauritian transport is the level of congestion. The transit-oriented design development in Singapore was done in a great deal of success. It was able to set the pace for most of the other countries that include Mauritius. Traffic congestion has been proven beyond doubts to be among the key indicators of the failures in the transportation policy of the country of Mauritius. This is in addition to the fact that there are narrow streets, which are filled with numerous buildings. Some of these are factories that emit harmful and dangerous gases to the atmosphere (Boopen 2011, p. 827). The traffic congestion Mauritius is of a major concern. In various studies carried out has confirmed that Mauritian as a country incurs numerous losses due to the delays in its highways. Looking at the negative impacts associated with traffic congestions, a valid solution is important to eradicate this kind of situation a country of Ma uritius’s stature. The solutions to this problem must be narrow but must open wide consultation avenues due the magnitude of the impacts of traffic congestion. This presents a number of concerns that are essential for policymakers to understand so as to overcome the real diversity of transportation challenges being faced by Mauritius (Boopen 2011, 827). They need to act according to the best practices of transit-oriented development. With this, land uses are expected to be incorporated into an urban system that is legible and dense since it emanates from the central transport hubs. In order to help in the appropriate selection of policies and practices to enable the Mauritian community to develop a transport system that is transit-oriented its success rate in coming up with other similar mega projects will be analysed. Its similarities in structure with Singapore will also be evaluated. As such, the successful policies that were implemented by Singapore will also be incorporated in the recommendation efforts (Khadaroo and Seetanah 2007, 1153). The policies deployed must involve the use technology, because the same technology has caused a lot of changes in both work and investment patterns. It is suggested by policy makers in Mauritius that the country should invest much on the electric trains to help decongest the highways. This is believed to a technological advancement of great importance to the country’s economy. In these electric trains the investment family should also be given distinct wagons to help faster ferrying of goods (Enoch 2003, 298). The use of electric train is an avenue to provide more public transit modes, the country of Mauritius requires more public transit mode due the fact that over a third of its population are not licensed this imply that the country must provide, good public transit mode to improve on other areas like road safety too. In this case, the implementation of these measures will help to convert a car oriented society such as Mauritius into a transit-oriented society like that experienced in Singapore. It is because Mauritius will be able to complete a project that is based on the need for World class public transportation that is made up of light rail transit. It will be in the possession of an LRT system that includes bus-rail interchanges, road works and local stations. Revisiting and critiquing the theoretical framework based on the findings   The Mauritian community is making effort to attain a transit-oriented developed neighbourhood where there is a station or a stop that is surrounded by relative high-density developments and emerging low density developments that tend to spread from the outer part towards the centre. Thus, if Mauritius applies the above mentioned policies that were used by Singapore, it will be possible to transform the region into communities that are more transient. Besides helping Mauritius, they will also be beneficial for most of the other countries that are facing serious challenges in the effort to improve their transport systems into more transit-oriented design systems. A major feature of this system is that the transport features will run across the capital and main cities hence presenting an ease of movement. Conclusion Current transport systems require that they are combined into forms that provide more benefits to the community than the basic ability to move around the town. Individuals would like to see the emission of harmful gases reduced, solving environmental problems and reducing the prices of fuel. Although not all of the policies that were implemented by Singapore can be applied, there is a basic requirement to enlighten the numerous approaches in transport planning and make good use of urban planning tools. In essence, the country will have to deliver a strong project and planning in a natural way. References About Smart Growth. Smart Growth Network, n.d. http://www.smartgrowth.org/about/default.asp (accessed October 19, 2014). (About Smart Growth n.d.)Enoch, Marcus P. Transport practice and policy in Mauritius. Journal of Transport Geography 11, no. 4 (2003): 297-306. (Enoch 2003, 298) Federal Transit Administration, â€Å"Introduction to New Starts,† http://www.fta.dot.gov/ planning/newstarts/planning_environment_2608.html (accessed October 19, 2014). (Federal Transit Administration n.d.)Handy, â€Å"Smart Growth,† 156. (Handy n.d., 156) Khadaroo, A. J., and B. Seetanah. Assessing the contribution of land, sea and air transport capital to the economic performance of the small island state of Mauritius. Applied Economics Letters 14, no. 15 (2007): 1151-1155. (Khadaroo and Seetanah 2007, 1153).Seetanah, Boopen. â€Å"Optimal endowments of transport investment: an empirical analysis for Mauritius.† Empirical Economics 40, no. 3 (2011): 827-838. (Boopen 2011, 827).Smart Growth Funding Resource Guide, Smart Growth Network, June 2007. http://www.smartgrowth.org/pdf/funding_resources.pdf (accessed October 19, 2014). (Smart Growth Funding Resource Guide 2007).Smart Growth Network. Smart Growth Network. http://www.smartgrowth.org/sgn/default.asp (accessed October 19, 2014). (Smart Growth Network n.d.)Susan Handy. â€Å"Smart Growth and the Transportation–Land Use Connection: What Does the Research Tell Us?† International Regional Science Review 28, no. 2 (April 4, 2005): 147. (Susan 2005,147). Sustainable Development Commission of the United Kingdom, â€Å"About Sustainable Development,† http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/aboutsd.html (accessed October 19, 2014). Venketasawmy, Rudhy Raj. Analysis for a new mass transit system in Mauritius and design of an inter-modal terminal. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Praeger, 1998. (Venketasawmy 1998).Xinhua, 2013. Singapore plans to increase land area by over 7 pct by reclamation. Retrieved October 29, 2014. Source document

Efficiency of photovoltaic cells

Efficiency of photovoltaic cells This years Nobel Prize has been awarded to an American physicist and chemist whose work paved the way to built efficient and low-cost polymer photovoltaic cells. Professor A. J. Heeger of University of California at Santa Barbara, US received the prestigious Nobel Prize for his research on polymer photovoltaic solar cells over the past two decades. In 1995 Heeger published a paper (science 270 1789), in which he proposed a new approach to fabricate photovoltaic devices, which led to the development of efficient solar cells. This enabled to fabricate renewable, sustainable, and recyclable, low cost photovoltaic devices which are used to convert light energy into electric current. This approach is enhanced and widely used in commercial applications to produce flexible organic solar cells. The increasing demand for energy has created a need for low cost and eco-friendly energy source. Solar power, which is a renewable energy source holds good for producing energy at low cost. Breakthrough Efficiency of Photovoltaic cells depends on the energy conversion and charge collection of the device, which are high in inorganic based photovoltaic device, however organic photovoltaic devices have major advantages over inorganic photovoltaic devices i.e., low-cost fabrication, mechanical flexibility and disposability. This led many researches to focus on polymer photovoltaic cells, hence several approaches have been proposed for fabricating photovoltaic cells like mono and bilayered organic solar cells by using photo induced electron transfer in composites of conducting polymers as donors(D) and Buckminsterfullerene and its derivatives as acceptors(A). However the conversion efficiency is limited by the carrier collection efficiency at the D-A interface. A major breakthrough in the field of organic photovoltaic cells is achieved by overcoming the limitation of the efficiency in the bilayer heterojunction, which is proposed by Heeger. A high interfacial area is achieved within a bu lk material by carefully controlling the morphology of the phase separation into an interpenetrating bicontinuous D-A network, which yields efficient photo induced charge separation, this obtained interfacial area is known as Bulk D-A heterojunction. Even though the bulk heterojunction is previously proposed by Hiramoto et al, [J. Appl. Phys. 72, 3781, 1992] but the fabrication of solar cells is far more difficult than that of Heeger approach. Heeger used composite film of poly (2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1, 4-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) and soluble derivatives of buckminsterfullerene namely [6,6]PCBM and [5,6]PCBM to form a polymer blend. To overcome the limited solubility of C60, a series of soluble C60 derivatives are used, this concept of soluble C60 derivatives enabled to realize new device concept. The structure of bulk heterojunction consists of metal electrode contacts (Ca or Al) of different work function to optimise the efficiency of carrier collection of holes from donor phase and electrons from acceptor phase. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is used as anode and Ca or Al is used as anode which automatically extracts electrons and holes from the polymer blend. The performance of bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells depends on the phase separation in polymer blend devices; so much of the research is concentrated on the precise control of the phase separation. The film formation has to be very fast, in order to obtain fine structures i.e., Phase separation has to be arrested earlier, which results in smaller domains than exciton diffusion length. This can be achieved [Adv. Mater. 12, 498, 2000] by spin coating on a heated substrate, so that the solvent evaporates faster. The quantum efficiency (percentage of photos hitting the photo reactive surface that will produce electron-hole pair) of up to 2.9% is achieved by Heeger, which is further enhanced by using different low molecular weight materials [Adv. Mater. 12, 1270, 2000]. Quantum efficiency can be improved up to 10% by using different materials. Evolution A wide range of research is carried out based on bulk heterojunction approach, which resulted in efficient photovoltaic cells; however organic solar cells degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light, which effects the life time of the cells. Energy conversion efficiency is also low when compared to its inorganic counterparts. Fig 1 shows the efficiency achieved by different research groups in the last decade. 7.9% efficiency is achieved by Solarmer Company, which is certified by National renewable energy laboratory (NREL). Whereas Heeger achieved a quantum efficiency of 2.9%, this indicates a rapid development in this field over a decade. Solarmer produce photovoltaic commercial products using bulk heterojunction approach. Another company named Konarka which is founded by Heeger also manufactures plastic electronics and solar cells with bulk heterojunction. Konarka offer conventional products like sensors, portable battery charging for PDA, mobiles and other small devices, microelectronics, portable power, remote power, building integrated photovoltaic. Plextronics is another company developing and selling pre-formulated inks as well as the know-how to print them, which are extensively tested for outdoor lifetime. Device using these products have high lifetimes of the order of years. However the efficiency of polymer photovoltaic cells is low when compared to the silicon based photovoltaic devices. In order to compete with other available technologies, the efficiency of polymer photovoltaic cells should be increased to 15% with a lifetime of 15-20 years [Solar energy, 2009, 1224]. Heeger made a significant contribution to polymer solar cells field by proposing the bulk Heterojunction approach, which has many potential applications in renewable energy.

Wise Children Essay -- English Literature

Wise Children Essay Angela Carter uses a variety of methods and techniques to present events and characters in an interesting way in chapter 1. By using Dora’s voice she is able to express the character’s viewpoint and introduce the reader to the story at a pace and style that not only establishes other characters but from how language is used the reader can create a personality for Dora also. The novel starts with a question to slowly introduce the reader into the idea of the legitimacy and illegitimacy. ‘WHY is London like Budapest? A. Because it two cities divided by a river. Dora uses London to immediately explain how her and Dora live on the ‘bastard side of Old Father Thames’, not just literally but as illegitimate children it is a metaphor for their situation. Carter uses these parallels of the North and South divide to explain how Nora and Dora are from ‘the wrong side of the tracks.’ and can also help the reader to relate and empathise with Dora and Nora’s position. The novel does not follow a chronological timeline, but is a non-linear narrative jumping back and forth between what is happening on the twin’s 75th birthday and events that have taken place in the past. The first main event in the novel is the arrival of the invitation to Melchior Hazards birthday party, not only does it introduce some action, but also other characters into the play and allows Carter to tell the reader some information on Dora’s situation, that Melchior Hazard is her father and who ‘Wheelchair’ is. Carter uses plot very effectively in the first chapter; she offers part of the story and then holds back, when Tristram is showing the video recording, ‘Freeze –frame’. This allows Carter to explain the famil... ...llen’, Dora is mocking the demise of the Hazard family, the once great Shakespearian act reduced to a host on a tacky game show. Dora pours scorn on the idea that the Hazard family are the height of respectability and legitimacy: ‘Speaking of illegitimacy, there was more than a hint of romantic, nay, melodramatic illegitimacy in the Hazard family long before Nora and myself took our first bows’, she breaks down the social barriers between the two families, lowering them to her status by revealing that even families of good reputation hide dark secrets. By the end of chapter 1 different questions gave been raised for the reader that now need answering, these questions create tensions that encourage the reader to find out more. The plot development within the first chapter portray not only the events, but as they are seen through Dora shape her character.

Mobile phones: blessing or curse? Essay

Nowadays mobile phones are everywhere: their bleeping ringtones go off behind you in the train; gormless-looking zombies stand around on the street â€Å"texting† illiterate messages to each other, while even children see them as an indispensable accessory. Clearly, mobile phones have come to be a normal and accepted part of most people’s lives, but does this necessarily mean they are a boon? I would say that while mobiles are potentially helpful in some situations, they generally have an adverse effect on one’s quality of life. The strongest argument for owning a mobile phone is that it can prove useful in an emergency or make you feel secure when walking down a dark street, for example. However, you should not forget that mobiles actually cause emergencies when people drive and talk simultaneously, and get into accidents. Furthermore, mobiles are one of the items muggers are most interested in, which means that carrying a mobile actually increases your chances of being attacked. see more:mobile boon or bane essay On the face of things, mobiles make life more convenient. They allow you to be much more flexible or spontaneous when making arrangements with friends, so that you can ring ahead, for example, if your train has come to a standstill. They also mean that you can stay in touch with work colleagues even when you are travelling and do not have access to a landline. There is a flipside to these arguments though. If people can be more spontaneous then they are more likely to wriggle out of arrangements, or let others know at the last minute, which can be far from convenient. Moreover, if you are always contactable, particularly by people from work, then you are enslaved in a sense. Employers are able to encroach on your leisure time and make demands of you, wherever you happen to be. Mobile phones are also anti-social in some ways, and encourage unpleasant behaviour. We have all heard the loud salespeople on trains boasting about their latest deal, or passengers who broadcast the finer details of their tedious social life. Equally rude are friends who start texting someone else while you are in the middle of a conversation with them.

The Family Album: Questioning Memory.

The Family Album: Questioning Memory. â€Å"After 17 years I’m back in Shanghai and all along, my memory has been playing tricks† (Otsuka, 2006:33). Why do we take images for family albums? We take them to remember people as they were. Traditionally in portrait photography, it has been a point of argument whether a photograph can or cannot reveal the true sense of a person, their personality or inner self. To me the photograph is merely surface – a likeness -, it is what the photographer or archivist wants to be seen, and holds no deeper resonance.In addition, not only do we want to remember, we want to acknowledge our existence, and in the future, be ourselves remembered as an essential part of the family unit. It is not only about belonging, but about leaving a trace of ourselves that will be around long after we are gone: photographs are tokens of immortality. The family album both represents what has to be continued and perpetuates the myth of the ‘happ y family’, which can be construed in multiple ways depending on the viewer and their motives.The portrayal of the ‘happy family’ is dependent on the various stages of editing – the photographer decides who is included or left out, tells the subjects where to stand or sit, and when to say â€Å"Cheese! † The collator then decides which photographs are worthy of going into the album and which will be left in a box, or thrown away. The editing and archiving follow perceived ideologies of family history, reflecting the editor’s own purpose and personal viewpoint. Claire Grey believes that history is always a personal account (Holland Spence, 1991: 108).But do these photos help us remember or do they alter or replace the real memories of what happened and who the people in the photos really were? In this essay, I will attempt to explain why I believe that the memories imbedded in the family album are constructs, falsehoods. I am going to look at i mages from six photographers as well as my own family albums to ascertain the accuracy of memory generated by image. In looking at a family album, do I take other people’s and family member’s recollections and apply them to my own history?Collective memory can twist the truth and often construct altered variations. As stories pass from one generation to the next, they are prone to fabrication and exaggeration. Lorie Novak states, â€Å"Our own images are often tied up in family legend with conversations about family photographs frequently accompanied by embellishment and invention. Photographs and the narratives they inspire can become substitutes for memories of actual events† (Hirsch, 1999: 26-27).She also wondered whether the information omitted from her own family album shaped her memories and studied this concept in her work (Hirsch, 1999: 15). Maybe this is the same for Ingrid Hesling, who, at the age of 16, found out that she was adopted – I wonder if this new information changed her memories or merely her perception of her memories: it would appear those that were once fond became bitter. She questioned her entire childhood leading her to create work using a combination of old family photos, text and her own contemporary images.Her work is an investigation into how memory can be altered depending on how you relate to the history behind it and the images documenting it. Analysing Numbers (Figure 1), the eye is drawn immediately to the smiling child clutching her toys, an image taken from the family album, then to the accompanying photo, and finally to its contents, the numbers – which symbolically do not reach 16 – and the text. The emptiness behind the child and the distance between her and the numbers – enhanced by the strong horizontals – metaphorically represents the separation from the truth.The child and toys have connotations of family, comfort and home, whereas, the numbers suggest conformi ty, lack of individuality and belonging, – being a number without identity. The subject matter is not immediately obvious until the text (both within and out of the image) is included. The initial impression of happiness is underscored and then submerged by a sense of unease, of anger and of betrayal. The original photo should evoke happiness but the viewer becomes disturbed when the opposite occurs. Is this family image therefore a fabrication, just because the way we see the memory has changed?Were things left out of the Hesling family album images in order to conceal the truth from her? In my own work, I use the family album aesthetic frequently. I seek out, analyse old family photographs, and try to apply them to my work. It fascinates me when I find images of myself as a child that I have never encountered before. I automatically try to locate any memories associated with the image, despite the fact that they do not exist for me, as I was too young, and attempt to rememb er stories I may have been told about the photograph.But this is not a true memory – it is assimilated from my family’s collective memory. Jo Spence said that searching for memories within family photographs, was impossible (Holland Spence, 1991:203). Trish Morrissey is a photographer who looks at ‘the family album as fiction’, carefully constructing the conventions and cliches of the domestic snap shot; thus, courting reality by the act of staging. In this way she has created a generic family album, to which anyone can relate: her family album has become everybody’s family album and countless others now share the memories.Anne McNeill states in her essay on Morrissey’s work that the images in the ‘shoe box’ are not the ‘official’ history of the family, but â€Å"the ones that got away† (Morrissey, 2004:23). This is an interesting concept, in that the family deem some images more important than others: ‘ proper’ images are displayed on top of the TV or framed for the wall, whereas the pictures that could be perceived as being more ‘real’, of everyday life, are put away in a box or packet to be perused at times of reminiscence.I am attracted to Morrissey’s work because of the questioning nature of her images. In September 20th, 1985 (Figure 2), with her sister in the other role, she meticulously recreates the original connection between the subjects as well as the peripheral details. However, in contrast to most family photos, the people in her images rarely smile, forcing the viewer to concentrate on the gestures and body language and use them to interpret and reveal hidden tensions between family members. Such underlying tensions tell more of the history and context than smiling faces.Staging allows the viewer to witness Morrissey in the act of constructing photographic meaning. Colour draws the eye to the teenage subject, her expression, and then to the contrasting expression of the older woman. The title includes the date – confirmed by the style and fashion – however as it is known that the images are reconstructed and were taken more recently than the title states, this inclusion generates more questions than answers. She questions the truth of the family album. Her images constructed as generic examples, using, and according to, her memories and the original photos.But how accurately can these be recreated when personal memory and current emotions are present? The reconstruction becomes a new history of her and her sister. Then we realise it is, and always has been, about her relationship with her sister, and this in turn, makes the viewer question the validity of all family album images: the allusion to unacknowledged family tension and the fallacy of the ‘happy family’. She questions the legitimacy of the entire tradition of the family album. Tim Roda is another artist who recreates personal histori es using his memories.Roda uses his family to recreate definitive life-changing memories and moments from his life: his son assumes his childhood role and he becomes his father. This strikes a chord with me as my current work revolves around the ideas of role reversal – child becoming adult and vice versa. Roda’s Untitled (Figure 3) initially caused me confusion and distress, as if a still from a horror film: it is dark, shadowy, and menacing. It is obviously and unapologetically staged, but why? It makes me ask questions. What is it about?It is a narrative, but is it fact or fiction? The camera is used to record a moment in time that balances between memories and constructed commentaries, yet it is a documentation of real events for the people taking part in the image making. Although his family are the immediate subjects, the work is filled with metaphorical reverberations of family history and childhood memories. Initially the composition leads the viewer to the man . What is he doing? Then the attention is drawn to the child with sharp shears, then to the birds hanging from the ceiling.These birds give a context to the image and place it somewhere that is recognisable. The man appears to have been hunting and is subsequently preparing the animal for cooking. The scene suggests that that they are country people, perhaps poor and living off the land: the father now teaching the boy by passing on traditions and skills. But is this a true memory or a corrupt, idealised memory? How much of it has been exaggerated or changed from the reality of the past? How would we know? Miyako Ishiuchi, in contrast, photographed her late mother’s belongings.She never got on with her mother but was distraught at her death, leading her to create a series of images as a memorial and tribute: a catalogue of personal belongings, objectified in the images, but subjectified in the photographer’s mind. In this way Ishiuchi sought to create an emotional conn ection, a sense of personal closeness and history, she never had when her mother was alive. The image is slightly off centre: does this reflect the true relationship? Despite this, the images remain clinical and objective: the daughter becoming the photographer and archivist of her mother’s possessions, using them to create a pseudo family album.Although Figure 4, an image from the Mother’s’ Series, is skeletal and ghostly, its forensic detail alluding to death, it is very simple and beautiful, with connotations of family love and loss – in some ways a memento mori. It is aesthetically pleasing, like still life, but ‘still death’. The image is deeply personal and yet it holds universal meaning. She strives to seize a point of contact between the past and present. The meaning of this single image is not obvious when viewed on its own, however becomes clearer when viewed with the others in the series.It is a highly emotive collection of images, reminding me of my own mother’s death, my relationship with her and how I dealt with her possessions and my memories of her after she died. One of my favourite photographers of the moment is Chino Otsuka. She has approached the questioning of the family album image in a new and unique way. At first glance, 1976 and 2005, Kakamura, Japan (Figure 8) appears to be an actual family album photograph, perhaps of a mother and daughter, maybe a holiday snap. However, once you are made aware of the digital alteration, it becomes much more interesting and poses many questions about the context.Otsuka includes verses in her book, which help to explain her intentions: â€Å"One by one, I retrieve fragments of memories and paste them all together† (Otsuka, 2006:37). This has double meaning: the ‘pasting’ both psychological as well as physical. The final image is a construct both as a photograph and as a memory. At first glance, she could be taken for the child’ s mother, sister, or aunt. It makes me question familial roles and place within the family. She has created time travel: â€Å"Past becomes present, the present becomes the future, back and forth, travelling in time† (Otsuka, 006:31). This makes us question, if we could go back, what would we do, say or change? In actuality Otsuka photographed herself in 2005, replicating the correct light conditions, and then digitally compositing the new image next to herself as a child. The original image was perfectly symmetrical, with the child in the centre. The addition of the adult shifts the balance. But what balance has changed? Is it merely the symmetry or is it rather the balance of power and control? Here because the adult and child are the same person, the family album becomes a mockery.She speaks of memory, â€Å"Until I look for it, it will hide forever [†¦] Just when I have forgotten it, it comes into sight and when I finally catch it I realise how much of it has escape d† (Otsuka, 2006:39). She is questioning her own memory and realising her memory lies to her. Even the recreation of the memory will eventually be corrupted. Here she categorically states that nothing can be received at face value. The apparent truth may in fact be corrupt, but to accentuate her belief in this dishonesty she has tainted it further.She may in fact remember the original memory but has replaced it with a falsehood. This event never happened, could never happen, it is an impossibility: a visual paradox. As my attention is drawn first to the child, then the woman, then the shadows, I seem to be searching for a reason to disprove the truth of this image. Why is the knowledge that it is fake not enough? Am I still so programmed to accept the photograph as truth, that I must find proof that the photograph is a lie? How then do these photographers’ interpretations of the family album reflect in my response to the images in my own?Through family photos, I place m yself within my family’s history. If they, as I believe, mean nothing, then how does that in turn affect how I view my history and my memories? ‘Christmas’ (Figure 9) was taken at my father’s parents flat in Glasgow, in1972. It is not unusual in any way. It does not differ greatly from other family album images. In fact, the majority of families have very similar images in their collections. I, at three years old, stand between my grandparents, seemingly being presented to the camera, with my mother and father (and the dog) at the back.My father, an amateur photographer, would have proudly taken the photo using the self-timer, explaining the not-quite perfect stance of the subjects. I assume it is an individual image, and not part of a series, although through the nature of editing – as spoken about previously -, other images, taken at the same time, may have been discarded or lost. This means that I am unable to build a picture of the whole holiday : it is merely a captured moment in time. My eye is first drawn to myself, perhaps looking for recognition, then to my Grandparents and my mother – all three of whom are now dead -, then to my father.The image was taken in the tradition of family portraiture to commemorate the family being together (our family lived abroad and only visited Scotland occasionally). You would expect this to be a happy time, however, my grandfather and I – who reputedly enjoyed and sought out being photographed – are noticeably uncomfortable. On closer inspection, I can see that we are not in fact the happy family my father wished to depict. It reminds me of Trish Morrissey’s work, where the tensions between family members are apparent despite the fake smiles attempting to cover up the real feelings.However, this image was intended only for family viewing, so why the faking? All the people in this picture will have been aware of the reality. Who are they faking for? I presume it can only be the tradition of smiling for the camera and a subconscious conveyance to future generations of family and friends that we were the archetypal ‘happy family’. Certain things in the image trigger my sensory memory, such as the material of the seat, the curtains and carpet, but I have no visual memory of this time.Roland Barthes wrote about his sensory memory being triggered by an image: â€Å"[my mother] is hugging me, a child, against her; I can waken in myself the rumpled softness of her crepe de chine and the perfume of her rice powder† (Barthes, 1982: 65). I found an image of myself aged six that I had previously not seen, and although I do not remember the photograph being taken, I do recall the texture, colour and smell of my dress, and associated images of my Mother leaning over the sewing machine making it. Are all these fake memories?Even if I cross-referenced with someone else that was there, their memory would be different as it is as per sonal to them as my memories are to me. To me this is the truth, as it is all I have. Is it better to have some believed memory, no matter how untruthful, than no memory at all? Looking to my own, more recent, family album images I have noticed that the family album has recently begun to change in style and content, partially due to the onset of digital cameras and computers. It is no longer merely portraiture but also has a documentary style. Gone are the formal (or informal) posed portraits of individuals and family groups.People now take more pictures of their friends and family candidly, when the subject is unaware of the image being taken. These may not be intended for the ‘official’ family album, but are most family’s more personal ‘shoe box’ pictures. This raises the question of whether the memories associated with these images are related to differently by both the photographer and the subject. Are these recalled memories more ‘realâ₠¬â„¢ than formal, posed images? As photography changes in our digital and computer based society, so does the way we take, edit and construct images for the family album.There are now fewer mistakes made when taking images. Only a few years ago, films were shot and printed, and all the images were kept, even the mistakes (cut off heads, fingers in shot, badly exposed, etc), whereas, now, with digital technology, the editing is done in camera. The ‘bad’ or unacceptable shots are deleted and re-shot before printing (if they are printed at all). There is now also a mass profusion of images, whereas before, due to cost of film and printing, families were more selective with their image taking, and consequently saved every image, however ‘bad’.Images now, are more likely to be kept on disc, losing the tactile quality we associate with photographs. The family album is becoming no longer a literal book of images. They are spread throughout cyberspace on social net working sites. Has this given the family album less value? Certainly the extended family can now have instant access to the family album, but are they really interested in any other images but their own? Why do we insist on sharing our most personal family moments with anyone and everyone?Again, I think it is about portraying the ‘perfect, happy family’ as well as spreading our immortality as far and wide as possible before we die. These modern methods of image dissemination negate the importance and relevance of the family album as a historical document, and we cynically become blase about images in general. In Umberto Eco’s book, The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, the protagonist is struck with almost complete memory loss, and in attempting to reconstruct his personal history, he comes to realise that he cannot rely on other people’s remembrances.He is shown a photograph of his parents, and states, â€Å"You tell me that these two were my parents, so now I know, but it’s a memory that you have given me. I’ll remember the photo from now on, but not them† (Eco, 2005: 24). He then retreats to his old family home and spends all his time in the attic, attempting to regain his memories, but only discovers that memory once lost cannot be regained, merely re-learnt: â€Å"Our memory is never fully ‘ours’, nor are the pictures ever unmediated representations of our past. [†¦ we both construct a fantastic past and set out on a detective trail to find other versions of a ‘real’ one† (Hirsch, 1997: 14). Similarly, Mier Joel Wigoder speaks of placing this photograph (Figure 12) of his father and grandfather on his desk, in place of an image of himself and his father that never existed. It is not his memory as he was not there, but it is a memory he wishes he had. He has invented a memory (or a fantasy? ) for himself based on a photograph taken before he was born. However, it is possib le that all memories are created in this way.I have looked at other people’s family photos and used them to prompt my own memories of similar times, places and people. As Heather Cameron says, â€Å"Our memory [†¦ ] is a constant process of writing and rewriting, crossing out, overlapping images and distortion. It shifts and flows and moves without a fixed foundation† (Cameron, 2002:6). Nan Goldin believed that by taking photos of her friends and family, she would be able to retain her own memories of them and not be influenced by the memories of others (Goldin, 1986:9), but even in her candid style that seems impossible. Annette Kuhn states, â€Å"Family photographs are supposed [†¦ to evoke memories that might have little or nothing to do with what is actually in the picture. The photograph is a prop, a prompt, a pre-text [†¦ ] but if a photograph is somewhat contingent in the process of memory production, what is the status of the memories actually p roduced? † (Kuhn, 2002: 13). When I recall some memory or look at old photos of myself when I was young, I could just as easily be remembering a particular thing because my Mother had related it to me when she was alive. However, I may be seeing these memories through rose tinted glasses, editing out the bad times before I can recall them.Personal family photos are not the only ones to generate an emotional response, and photographers such as Morrissey use this to effect. September 20th, 1985 (Figure 2) elicits an emotional response in me, making me laugh by triggering my own personal memories, remembrance of my own family album images and experiences: creating a transferrable memory. Everyone has some images similar to this in their collection. It makes us reassess our own memories and question them. The family album forms the basis of a pictorially gilded game of Chinese Whispers, as family stories and histories are passed down the generations.Memory is ever changing depende nt on the viewer or narrator’s state of mind and intentions, and these stories, intentionally or not, become distorted, exaggerated or even fabricated. This is not memory – it is learning, and the learning gradually replaces the real memory until, finally, it is completely lost in the past and the faked history becomes legend. Everything is not always as it seems in the family album. Smiles are often faked (even in unhappy, tense situations), and everyday tensions and power struggles between family members are hidden, the very act of taking a posed photograph is essentially faking the memory at its conception.Thus family albums can be seen as fiction, a subjective story rather than, if there is such a thing, an objective history. The photograph can merely show what was in front of it at a specific moment in time, but the mind takes this information and runs with it, creating stories around the image – â€Å"In short, to remember is to reconstruct, in part on th e basis of what we have learned or said since† (Eco, 2005: 25). ———————– Figure 2: Morrissey, T. 2004. September 20th, 1985. Figure 3: RODA, T. 2004. Untitled.Figure 4: ISHIUCHI, M. 2002. (‘Mother’s’ Series). Figure 7: ISHIUCHI, M. 2002. Mother’s #24. Figure 8: OTSUKA, C. 2005. 1976 and 2005, Kakamura, Japan. Figure 9: PIPE FAMILY ALBUM. 1972. Christmas Figure 12: WIGODER FAMILY ALBUM. 1942. Louis and Geoffrey Wigoder walking down Westmoreland St, Dublin, 1942. Figure 1: HESLING, I. 2000. Numbers. Figure 11: BEST FAMILY ALBUM. 2008. Untitled. Figure 6: ISHIUCHI, M. 2002. Mother’s #33 Figure 5: ISHIUCHI, M. 2001. Mother’s #55 Figure 10: BEST FAMILY ALBUM. 2007. Untitled. ———————– 3