Abstract This paper presents a history of the Volkswagen (VW) Beetle including its vehicles, its employees and its relationship with the Nazi regime. Additionally, the paper discusses Hitler's concept of a people's car" and post- WWII VW cars.
Tags: VW, Volkswagon, Beetle, war manufacturing, Bug, Van, carbriolet
Abstract This paper attempts to understand the Scarab of Wah through examination and by comparison to the Heart Scarab of Hatnofer which are both currently housed in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. It discusses how both scarabs are likenesses of the scarab beetle and how these likenesses are found in abundance in Egyptian archaeology and in ancient myths and cultures.
Table of contents: The History of The Scarab in Ancient pre-Egyptian Cultures
The Scarab in Mythology
Symbolism of the Scarab in Egypt
An Overview of Scarab ArtifactsThe Scarab of Wah
The Heart Scarab of Hatnofer
Discussion
Endnotes
Bibliography
From the Paper "In the culture of he Chaco Indians, in South America, they believe that the scarab modeled man and Woman from Clay [4]. The scarab is known as the "potter" for this reason. This same symbolism is found in Egyptian culture as well. Ancient Greek legends say that the beetle plunged down into the original liquid "chaos" and brought back life to the surface. This myth is also prevalent among people from India and Southeast Asia [5].The Sumatran Toba believed that the big beetle brought a ball of matter from the sky and formed the world. The Egyptian and Greeks believed that the dung beetle could fly while carrying a dung ball. However this is physically impossible in reality."
Tags:beetle, egyptian, Maya, Metropolitan, Museum, of, Art
Abstract This paper conducts a semiotic analysis of a single television advertisement -- a Volkswagen Beetle commercial. It considers the ways the images and sounds are photographed, placed in the frames, edited and combined to produce the effects seen in the advertisement. Additionally, this analysis breaks the advertisement down, considering the connotations of the images and/or sounds. The ideological functions, as well as "myths" that are being represented (or perhaps challenged) by the ad are also discussed. Ultimately, this paper reveals the advertisement's "hidden meaning" through analysis.
Abstract This paper looks at Volkswagen from its inception by Adolf Hitler through to its modern day challenges as a car manufacturer. It discusses how Volkswagen was innovative when it produced millions of Beetles for over fifty years, producing a car that everyone could afford and maintain and how, today, it is striving for the same principle, but geared toward the demand of the twenty-first century.
From the Paper "Volkswagen and Beetle production was not limited to Germany. In 1953, Volkswagen introduced a number of other countries including Brazil. The factory in Brazil was the second largest Volkswagen factory. Production of the Beetle continued in Brazil until 1986, when it ceased. Predating its factory in Brazil was the one opened in 1951 in South Africa. Beetle production continued in South Africa until 1979. "Nigeria, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries assembled Beetles from kits supplied by other VW factories, primarily Brazil. Mexico saw first production of the Beetle in 1964 and continued to supply the European market until 1986." In Mexico on May 15, 1981, the 20th Million Beetle was produced. Mexico is the only country presently manufacturing the Beetle in the world."
Abstract This paper examines how Wittgenstein explains the connection between thought and language and investigates the occasions where he claims that thought comes before language and where he seems to contradict this idea. It also looks at Wittgenstein's picture theory of relations, one of the main themes of his "Tractatus" in order to understand how exactly Wittgenstein conceives the relation of thought and language.
Outline
Picture Theory
Contradiction
Expressing Thoughts
Wittgenstein's Beetle Conclusion
From the Paper "For a sentence to be totally logical and understandable, there needs to be propositions, names and objects. This suggests to us that everything in a sentence is linked in such a way that it can only describe the circumstances or situation it is describing. Much like the picture theory shows through its structure, what exactly it is. The problem is that sentences cannot be totally unique in that way; there will always be ambiguity, due to the nature of language. While the thought remains in our minds it's meaning can be straight to the point and sharp, but when we transfer it into language to express it, the sharpness becomes lost in translation. "
Abstract This paper provides an in depth study on the life of Jimi Hendrix. His musical styles and influences are discussed in detail. The focus is to see why he was regarded as one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time.
From the Paper "Jimi Hendrix is arguably the most innovative electric guitarist of all time, combining blues, hard rock, modern jazz, and soul to create his own distinct sound. Jimi began playing at the age of twelve, when his father bought him an old guitar in which Jimi turned upside down and restrung. He first learned the blues from greats such as B.B. King and Muddy Waters. When Jimi was seventeen, he joined the armed forces, where he met future bassist, Billy Cox. The two enhanced their skills as they played for troops around the camp. When Hendrix was discharged from the army, he began to tour the Chitlin Circuit with different artists such as Little Richard and the Isley Brothers. Eventually Hendrix was discovered by Chas Chandler of the Animals, and took Jimi to England and made him a star. When Jimi came back to America and performed at the Monterey Pop Festival, he became an instant success. Over the next few years, Jimi put out some of the most popular, creative and innovative music that is still emulated today. The focus of this paper is to show how Hendrix created his own style of music that was heavily based on the blues and other musical styles and scenes."
Tags: guitar, history, music, rock, sixties, singer, song, beetles
Abstract In his short story ?Metamorphosis,? Kafka goes beyond the morphing of the protagonist Gregor Samsa from human to insect-a huge dung beetle. While the story is an existential commentary on the family and society this essay concentrates on Gregor's relationships with his family. It also explains how and why "Metamorphosis" is quasi-autobiographical - of all Kafka's stories, this is the one that most mirrors his life-at least symbolically.
From the Paper "In a nutshell, the story of Gregor Samsa a hard working salesperson finds that he has metamorphosed into a disgusting insect akin to a bug"complete with a carapace. (Yolen, 1978) Despite this fantastic misfortune, he continues to live and survive clinging to modicums of optimism and dignity. The physical metamorphosis also results in the gradual eroding of his standing in the family. His father always reacts with horror and wishes physical harm (even death if the father can help it). Gregor's mother, forever subservient to the father cannot rid herself of her maternal feelings. She is protective of Gregor, but is ineffectual in what she might want for her son"or at least the creature that used to once be her son. In Grete, his sister, Gregor feels a protective kinship; he is successful in drawing out of Grete the most active sympathy. Grete cares for Gregor as much as she can until she cannot help herself. Her rejection of Gregor is the final blow. The injury (caused by the father) and the heart break of rejection results in Gregor's death. In a final affront to his dignity, Gregor is not even given a decent burial. He is left to the cleaning lady to sweep his remains up with the rest of the trash."
Abstract This paper evaluates and compares the Toyota Echo, the Ford Focus, and the Volkswagen Beetle car models in terms of their safety, reliability, and price. The paper concludes with a recommendation of the car that best meets the comparison and evaluation criteria.
From the Paper "Few topics are as near and dear to the hearts of Americans as their modes of transportation. No product is as fondly remembered from one's adolescence, perhaps, as is one's first automobile. Popular cultural mythology often casts the role of "My First Automobile" as a beat-up, second hand old Dodge. But the current volume of driving miles traveled by most young Americans who do not live in cities with adequate public transportation systems demands, if at all possible, the safety and reliability of a new car. In a system of roads littered with SUVs, one does not want to be in a car that is overly fragile if hit nor one that is prone to breakdowns. Few college students can afford to have a mechanic on speed dial, as is supposedly typical of the average Mercedes owner. However, this combination of safety and reliability must come at an affordable price."
Abstract This paper explains that, although he died in a plane crash at the age of 22, Buddy Holly accomplished what some might only achieve in a lifetime; he is one of the greatest America musicians. The author relates that having met Elvis Presley in 1955, Buddy started writing songs like Elvis', Buddy started recording "Rock n' Roll", the new craze; his first hit was "That'll Be the Day", followed by the even bigger hit, "Peggy Sue". The paper concludes that, even in his short life, Buddy had written and sung over a 120 songs and influenced the British Music Invasion including the Beatles and the Hollies who sang his songs and copied his singing style.
From the Paper "Charles Hardin Holley was born on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas. His parents thought that it was too long a name for a child, so they nicknamed him Buddy. Buddy's interest in music started early at the age of eight when he started playing the violin, however, like his nine-month piano career this affliction did not last long. It was not until late the ninth year of his life that he took up the guitar, which he eventually played for the rest of his life. With his talent forming for the guitar at the age of thirteen, he moved to a new school and met Bob Montgomery in the fall of 1949. Bob Montgomery had a lot of the same interests that Buddy did, including music and they began a country and blues band."
Abstract This paper explains that over the past century, authors, artists and musicians have experimented, abused and overdosed on drugs: Artists such as Andy Warhol experimented with drugs because it gave them a different perspective on life with every trip, which leads to a new unique piece of art work every time. The author points out that contribution of drugs to the artistic world can be found in the form of novels, poems and short stories by their experimenting authors such as authors Allen Ginsberg and William Burrough. The paper relates that the influence of drugs on artistic creativity is found especially during the psychedelic 1960s era with the lyrics and riffs of Jimi Hendrix in "Purple Haze", The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd; many popular songs drug references are disguised, in order to sneak lyrics past censors such as The Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".
From the Paper "Rap moguls where brought up on the streets whose economy revolves around the drug distribution. Many of these individuals were at one time or another directly involved with cannabis, and or cocaine, which is vividly expressed in their artistic creations. This type of music is also highly censored, just as the rock and roll world's fore-fathers where censored 40 years ago. The explicit use of drugs by the lyricists is one of the driving forces for censorship of this type of music. Yet, more subtle music makes it way easily to main stream pop-culture despite its drug influence. Lead singer of the Dave Mathews Band, Dave Mathews embeds his music with his experiences and success over cocaine and marijuana."
Abstract This paper discusses how, although they accomplish the task in vastly different ways, both Franz Kafka and Marcel Proust in the stories considered here exposit the conflict between their protagonists' internal and external realities. It shows how Kafka's Gregor Samsa is human on the inside, as it were, but externally and to those who have no access to the world of his thoughts, he is but a beetle. For Proust, it is more important that Madame de Breyves' subjective world was more real to her than the objective world. Though it remains true that none but Francoise has access to her thoughts, Proust implies that his title character does not care.
From the Paper "Gregor Samsa is not only an insect, but he is suddenly an insect, and he discovers this after having awoken from dreams. One asks, upon reading this, what sort of reality would allow one to suddenly turn into an insect, and furthermore, Gregor was only just dreaming, so isn't it possible that he is just imagining his new shape-that it is in fact just a remnant of some bizarre dream? By contrast, even as Proust mentions the possibility that Fran"oise Breyves is hallucinating, it is not immediately clear that this will be central to his story. These tendencies continue as the two stories develop; Kafka fully explores the disconnect between Gregor's noumenal and phenomenal worlds, whereas Proust develops this theme largely by allusion and implication. This is fitting, for Gregor's thoughts about the aforementioned disconnect are central to "The Metamorphosis," whereas Fran"oise Breyves is interested only in her subjective reality, with no interest for the outside world."
Abstract The paper discusses fireflies, soft-bodied insects who inhabit temperate and tropical environments. The paper describes their characteristics, how they produce light and how this bioluminescence has an important role in the male beetles.
From the Paper "Fireflies are soft-bodied insects inhabiting temperate and tropical environments. They belong to the Lampyridae family. Today more than 2000 species of fireflies have been described. The elytra, or shard, on fireflies is more leathery than on other species of beetles. The size of fireflies is small to medium and there are different coloured species in existence. Fireflies' larvae can usually be found in wooded areas and around ponds, marshes or other bodies of water."
Abstract This paper explains that Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" illustrates the idea that the love of arts is looked down upon and those that see art as important are ranked no higher than a beetle. The author points out thow the character of Gregor is seen as a parallel to Kafka's own life especially in that Kafka's father disapproved of Kafka's work in literature. The paper compares Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" to Ovid's "Metamorphoses" in that many of the characters undergo a similar transformation giving up their human form. In both works, the characters suffer a punishment at the hands of loving art by caring something so much that such a ordinary place has no choice but to punish them until they can fly above this ordinary pursuing world.
From the Paper "What Gregor's society, and Kafka's father as well, fail to understand is the beauty and relevance within the artistic disciplines. Just by recognizing this fact and wanting to hold on to it so much makes Gregor, Kafka and characters belonging to Ovid beautiful, even if those around them dehumanize them, literally or physically. The want for art and something more than money leads to Gregor's transformation into a lesser being just as Ovid's characters such as Pyramus and Thisbe transform from beings of the realm of the living to the realm of the un-living."
Tags: expressionism, vermin, father, beautiful, love
Abstract This paper examines Volkswagen (VW), one of the premiere automobile manufacturers in the world. The competitive advantages that VW has in America and its reputation for making luxury cars at mainstream prices is discussed as well as the major disadvantages of VW and its major competitors. The paper also discusses strategic changes, marketing schemes and the financial standing of the company.
From the Paper "The company's major distribution channels lie in Europe and North America, with a significant base in Asia (though currently, it is decreasing due to foreign competitors). Like most global automobile entities, VW has a goal to become the major world supplier of vehicles. Volkswagen also shares a close relationship with Porsche, whose first model shared many of the same components of the Volkswagen beetle. Similarly, the Porsche Cayenne (2002) and Touareg share many of the same parts and was built in the same VW factory. In 2007, Porsche took a 30% stake in the company, suggesting the company's intent to takeover Volkswagen."
"The company also distributes a significant number of vehicles to South Africa and South America. However, Volkswagen remains the top seller in Europe. Major competitors like Toyota and Honda are also distributed internationally. Recently, Europeans have found a growing predilection for these Asian cars, as Americans have. Toyota's revenues in the European market have been increasingly steady."
