Wednesday, April 22, 2020

The Proposal Cover Letter †Your Chance to Brag a Bit - The Writers For Hire

THE PROPOSAL COVER LETTER – YOUR CHANCE TO BRAG A BIT The proposal is done. You’ve addressed all the requirements of the RFP, filled in the forms, and attached appendices. Now the only thing left to do is the cover letter. Yes, it’s best to leave it to last, allowing time to reflect back on your proposal and why you are responding to the RFP. Unlike for the RFP itself, there may be no instructions for what to include in the cover letter. This final task may seem a little intimidating – especially if it’s your first proposal. But you can consider this your opportunity to show your enthusiasm for your organization and the bid you hope to win. Here are a few tips for writing a cover letter that stands out. First, the heading and other mandatory stuff. Use company letterhead stationery.Include your phone number, email, and mailing address if they are not part of the letterhead.Include a reference line with the RFP title and number.Make sure you address the letter to the contact person identified in the RFP.Have the head of the organization sign the letter over their title.Keep it to one page. Now, on to the creative part. Think of the letter in three sections. The Introduction First, write a few sentences that express your appreciation for the opportunity to submit a proposal. Let the reader know you understand the RFP and have complied with the requirements. The Heart Use the second paragraph to brag about your organization. What’s your story? Are you the third generation of a family business or a start up with a few stellar projects under your belt? Are you an organization with an ongoing mission or one newly formed to address a critical need? What makes you stand out among your competitors? Looking Ahead Finish with a few forward looking sentences that communicate how much you are looking forward to working with the potential client. Include the name, phone number, and email of the contact person for the proposal, if it is not the person who is signing the letter. Now that you have a feel what to include, here’s a sample letter and an article from Bizfluent that covers some of these same suggestions as well as some additional pointers that may be more appropriate for your proposal. [BEGIN LETTER] Date Your Organization Address Email Phone Number Requestor Address RE: [Name and Number of RFP] [Addressee] [Your organization] is pleased to present our proposal for [Name of RFP]. Thank you for the opportunity to do business with [Requestor]. Our staff has the training and experience to [mention one, two, or three requirements]. [Who?] established [your organization] in [when?] to [your mission/goal/objective?]. Since then, we have grown to [specific activities]. We are proudest of our latest [product/achievement/recognition]. Our reputation as a [your distinction] sets us apart from our competition in [your field] . We are excited about the potential to work with [Requestor] on this and future projects. Our contact for this proposal is [name, title, email, phone number] . Sincerely, [Title of Head of Your Organization] [END LETTER] Good luck!

Monday, March 16, 2020

Battle of Carillon in the French and Indian War

Battle of Carillon in the French and Indian War The Battle of Carillon was fought July 8, 1758, during the French Indian War (1754-1763). Forces Commanders British Major General James AbercrombieBrigadier General Lord George Howe15,000-16,000 men French Major General Louis-Joseph de MontcalmChevalier de Levis3,600 men Background Having suffered numerous defeats in North America in 1757, including the capture and destruction of Fort William Henry, the British sought to renew their efforts the following year. Under the guidance of William Pitt, a new strategy was developed which called for attacks against Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, Fort Duquesne at the forks of the Ohio, and Fort Carillon on Lake Champlain. To lead this last campaign, Pitt desired to appoint Lord George Howe. This move was blocked due to political considerations and Major General James Abercrombie was given command with Howe as brigadier general (Map). Assembling a force of around 15,000 regulars and provincials, Abercrombie established a base at the southern end of Lake George near the former site of Fort William Henry. Opposing the British efforts was Fort Carillons garrison of 3,500 men led by Colonel Franà §ois-Charles de Bourlamaque. On June 30, he was joined by the overall French commander in North America, Marquis Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. Arriving at Carillon, Montcalm found the garrison insufficient to protect the area around the fort and possessing food for only nine days. To aid the situation, Montcalm requested reinforcements from Montreal. Fort Carillon Construction on Fort Carillon had begun in 1755 in response to the French defeat at the Battle of Lake George. Built on Lake Champlain, near the northern point of Lake George, Fort Carillon was situated on a low point with the La Chute River to the south. This location was dominated by Rattlesnake Hill (Mount Defiance) across the river and by Mount Independence across the lake. Any guns emplaced on the former would be in position to bombard the fort with impunity. As the La Chute was not navigable, a portage road ran south from a sawmill at Carillon to the head of Lake George. The British Advance On July 5, 1758, the British embarked and began moving over Lake George. Led by the industrious Howe, the British advance guard consisted of elements of Major Robert Rogers rangers and light infantry led by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gage. As the British approached on the morning of July 6, they were shadowed by 350 men under Captain Trà ©pezet. Receiving reports from Trà ©pezet regarding the size of the British force, Montcalm withdrew the bulk of his forces to Fort Carillon and began building a line of defenses on a rise o to the northwest. Beginning with entrenchments fronted by thick abatis, the French line was later strengthened to include a wooden breastwork. By noon on July 6, the bulk of Abercrombies army had landed at the northern edge of Lake George. While Rogers men were detailed to take a set of heights near the landing beach, Howe began advancing up the west side of the La Chute with Gages light infantry and other units. As they pushed through the wood, they collided with Trà ©pezets retreating command. In the sharp firefight that ensued, the French were driven off, but Howe was killed. Abercrombies Plan With Howes death, British morale began to suffer and the campaign lost momentum. Having lost his energetic subordinate, Abercrombie took two days to advance on Fort Carillon, which normally would have been a two-hour march. Shifting to the portage road, the British established a camp near the sawmill. Determining his plan of action, Abercrombie received intelligence that Montcalm possessed 6,000 men around the fort and that the Chevalier de Là ©vis was approaching with 3,000 more. Là ©vis was approaching, but with only 400 men. His command joined Montcalm late on July 7. On July 7, Abercrombie dispatched engineer Lieutenant Matthew Clerk and an aide to scout the French position. They returned reporting that it was incomplete and could be easily carried without artillery support. Despite a suggestion from Clerk that guns should be emplaced atop and at the base of Rattlesnake Hill, Abercrombie, lacking imagination or an eye for terrain, set upon a frontal assault for the next day. That evening, he held a council of war, but only asked whether they should advance in ranks of three or four. To support the operation, 20 bateaux would float guns to the base of the hill. The Battle of Carillon Clerk again scouted the French lines on the morning of July 8 and reported that they could be taken by storm. Leaving the majority of the armys artillery at the landing site, Abercrombie ordered his infantry to form with eight regiments of regulars in the front supported by six regiments of provincials. This was completed around noon and Abercrombie intended to attack at 1:00 PM. Around 12:30, fighting began when New York troops began engaging the enemy. This led a ripple effect where individual units began fighting on their fronts. As a result, the British attack was piecemeal rather than coordinated. Fighting forward, the British were met by heavy fire from Montcalms men. Taking severe losses as they approached, the attackers were hampered by the abatis and cut down by the French. By 2:00 PM, the first assaults had failed. While Montcalm was actively leading his men, sources are unclear as to whether Abercrombie ever left the sawmill. Around 2:00 PM, a second attack went forward. About this time, the bateaux carrying guns to Rattlesnake Hill came under fire from the French left and the fort. Rather than push forward, they withdrew. As the second assault went in, it met with a similar fate. Fighting raged until around 5:00 PM, with the 42nd Regiment (Black Watch) reaching the base of the French wall before being repulsed. Realizing the scope of the defeat, Abercrombie ordered his men to fall back and a confused retreat ensued to the landing site. By the next morning, the British army was withdrawing south across Lake George. Aftermath In the assaults at Fort Carillon, the British lost 551 killed, 1,356 wounded, and 37 missing against French casualties of 106 killed and 266 wounded. The defeat was one of the bloodiest battles of the conflict in North America and marked the only major British loss of 1758 as both Louisbourg and Fort Duquesne were captured. The fort would be captured the British the following year when Lieutenant General Jeffrey Amhersts advancing army claimed it from the retreating French. Following its capture, it was renamed Fort Ticonderoga.

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Blue Ocean Strategy

Blue ocean strategy is a book of business strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renà ©e Mauborgne. The blue ocean strategy explains how to move your business into new markets with less competition and greater profitability. The book is basically divided into three main parts. The first part covers some important concepts of blue ocean strategy such as value innovation, differentiation and low cost and key analytical tools and frameworks used in this strategy. The second part explains the four steps of blue ocean strategy formulation. The main idea behind this book is to present an organized framework for identifying and implementing out of the box and never been thought before blue ocean strategies. If one is capable of thinking out of the box, something other than a traditional strategy then it will enable us in formulating a blue ocean. The basic idea of blue ocean strategy is to reconstruct market boundaries to break from the competition and create blue oceans. The main idea behind consisted of two parts: first was to discover whether systematic patterns existed in reconstructing market boundaries and secondly whether r not these applied to all kinds of businesses and industry sectors. The researchers found six basic approaches also called six paths framework for reconstructing market boundaries. These six approaches challenge the traditional six assumptions involved in formulating strategies which lead to creating red oceans. They proceed by emphasizing on the fact that the companies should break out of these boundaries which they define by themselves on how to compete. Path One: Look across alternative industries The first path for a company is not only to compete with firms in its own industry but it should also consider the firms in alternative industries offering such products and services which have different functions and forms but serve the same purpose. One such example is that of Net Jets which came up with the idea of fractional jet ownership. Net Jets created a multi billion dollar Blue Ocean of private jets and commercial travel which offered low variable and fixed costs as compared to commercial airline travelling and thus it created a entirely new market and was the only  survivor and market leader of all the 57 new entrants. Similar example is that of NTT DoCoMo which broke out of Red Ocean of intense competition by breaking the tradeoff between the alternatives. Path Two: Look across different strategic groups within industries The second path given by Blue Ocean is to get out of the competition by looking across different strategic groups. In this context the different companies in an industry working on a similar strategy fall under one strategic group and others in different strategic groups. And in this highly intense and competitive market the key to creating a Blue Ocean across different strategic groups is to break out of these by creating a better understanding of the factors that determine customers’ decision to trade up or down from one group to another. A very good example given here is that of Curves which is a women fitness company, broke out of the completion by building on the advantages of both the traditional health clubs and the home exercise programs. Other examples are that of Ralph Lauren, Toyota Lexus, Sony Walkman and Champion Enterprises which created Blue Oceans by breaking out of their strategic groups by offering the advantages of both the strategic groups of their industries that resulted in their success. Path Three: Look across Chain of Buyers In most of the industries it has been a trend to target only a single type of buyer. However there is a chain of buyers which includes the purchasers, the actual users and some times also the influencers. Each of these three groups of buyers may seem similar to the seller but actually they are different as they provide different value. Conventionally different industries focus only on a single customer segment and think that they are the only possible target customers, however it is a wrong approach and they need to think out of the box which can lead to creating new Blue Oceans. Novo Nordisk a Danish insulin producing company created a Blue Ocean in the insulin industry. Previously Nordisk like all other pharmaceuticals focused only on doctors which are the influencers. But Novo Nordisk came up with the idea of Novo Pen which was easy to use and was targeted directly at the end users that is the diabetes patients. This helped them in creating a blue ocean and continuous improvement and advancement in their offering resulted in  maintaining their Blue Ocean success. Path Four: Look across complementary product and service offerings This path explains that the importance of complementary products and services should never be overlooked as the untapped value is often hidden in them. Providing the facilities of baby sitting and car parking are complementary to movie theatres. NABI made use of the fiberglass instead of steel body buses and had a huge impact on lowering the maintenance and other costs and created a Blue Ocean in the bus industry. Philips created the kettle with a mouth filter and Barns and Noble came up with knowledgeable staff in their lounging were such complementary products and service which were revolutionary. Path Five: Look across functional or emotional appeal to buyers There are different types of appealing strategies that are adopted by companies to appeal the customers. Some of these are functional while others are emotional. The different examples discussed in this case are the Cemex (Mexican Cement Company) and QB house (Japanese Barber shop) which created Blue Oceans by appealing their customers through different functional and emotional offerings. Path Six: Look across time This path illustrates that how important it is to have foresight and keep in mind the changes that are to take place with passage of time. This can be done by looking across the time in terms of the value a market delivers today to the value it may deliver tomorrow. Apple capitalized on the changing trend in the music industry and came up with ITunes music store for its IPod which also helped it in stopping illegal selling of music and creating a Blue Ocean. Cisco Systems also looked ahead of time and accounted for the growing demand of high speed data exchange with its routers, switches and other networking devices. 2. Focus on the Big Picture, Not the Numbers Traditionally what most of the strategies lack is that they don’t think out of the box and thus lack the view of the big picture and thus they key is to create a strategy canvas to arrive at a Blue Ocean. Drawing Your Strategy Canvas Drawing a strategy canvas has never been an easy to do job. It involves  identifying the key factors of competition which can be done by assessing that to what extent your company and its competitors offer the most competing factors and what are the actions that are being taken by you and your competitors. This process after the implementation of six step model involves steps in visualizing strategy which are as follows: Step One: Visual Awakening The process of visual awakening is very important to change the mind set of such people especially the executives who are resistant to change and like the status quo. However this problem can be overcome by asking such people to draw the value curve of their company’s strategy which will trigger the need for change in their minds and thus they will be inclined towards change and will come up with new and different strategies. Step Two: Visual Exploration The wakeup call was just the first step. The next step is to send team it to field, putting managers face to face with customers and experiencing by themselves what problems they have with their products and services and what are their perceptions. This task should not be outsourced as it is very important to see these things by your self rather than letting others do the work of your eyes. They should observe their customers (existing, lost and new ones) as well the customers of their competitors and then come back and analyze their strategies. Step Three: Visual Strategy fair In the third step of visualizing strategy the teams are asked to draw six new curves of strategy and create a compelling tagline which can emphasize the strategy in a better way. After that the teams are asked to present them and on the basis of feedback and discussion the new curves for strategy are formulated. Step Four: Visual Communication The last step is to communicate the newly formulated future strategy to employees in an easy and understandable manner. This can be done by distributing one pager showing old and the new strategies to the employees and then can be discussed with every one. 3. Reach beyond Existing Demand The third principle for creating Blue Ocean is to reach beyond the existing demand. This to increase the demand for a new offering and two strategies are followed by companies to achieve this goal. One is to focus on existing markets and customers and the other is to target finer markets or customer segments to accommodate buyer differences. Another important concept explained here is to maximize the size of Blue Ocean, which says that once the Blue Ocean has been created the next step is to maximize its size. For this purpose companies instead of focusing on their customers try to focus on the non-customers by taking the reverse approach which allows the companies to unlock mass of customers and demand which did not exist before. Callaway Golf is one such company which created demand for its offering by focusing on its non-customers. The Three Tiers of Non-Customers According to Blue Ocean strategy there are three different tiers of non-customers that can be converted in to customers which are as follows: i. The first tier of non-customers is closest to market sitting on its edge waiting to jump ship and shift to another industry as soon as the opportunity knocks. ii. The second tier is of customers who refuse to use you offerings. These are buyers who have used your industry offerings just as an option to fulfill their needs but have often voted against them. iii. The third tier is of non-customers who are farthest from your market and have never thought or considered of using you industry offerings as an option and can only be attracted by focusing on commonalities. 4. Get the Strategic Sequence Right The fourth principle of formulating the Blue Ocean strategy is to get the strategic sequence right. This principle focuses on building robust business models to ensure healthy profits based on Blue Ocean strategy.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Business Proposal - Gym Cafeteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Proposal - Gym Cafeteria - Essay Example Although this business proposal has higher potential for growth, the marketer needs to face a sequence of challenges whiling going on with this project. Firstly, the marketer has to identify target groups. For this purpose; referring to Cant et al (2006), one must conduct an extensive market research to get a detailed view of the people’s health perception (pp.158-159). Traditionally, young males are the only group who visit GYM centres. However, this situation has been changing for the past two decades and it is observed that all categories of people including women and children are visiting GYMs to keep themselves stronger (Healthkicker, 2010). According to Hanc (2010), the practice of aged people visiting GYM centres is on the rise. Hence, the marketer must focus on all types of people without gender and/or age based disparities. Zikumund & Babin (2007) indicate that the market research process is helpful in accurately identifying main target market and its special characte ristics (p.20). Under this business, it is necessary to consider tastes and preferences of individual customers since health concerns may be different from person to person. In the opinion of Stephenson & Thurman (2007), the market research strategy would benefit the venture developer to create customer profiles and thereby customise service offerings (p.13). Mohr et al (2009) suggest that traditional questionnaires, online surveys and automated call surveys can be deployed to conduct the market research programme (pp.190-191). ... According to Hanc (2010), the practice of aged people visiting GYM centres is on the rise. Hence, the marketer must focus on all types of people without gender and/or age based disparities. Zikumund & Babin (2007) indicate that the market research process is helpful in accurately identifying main target market and its special characteristics (p.20). Under this business, it is necessary to consider tastes and preferences of individual customers since health concerns may be different from person to person. In the opinion of Stephenson & Thurman (2007), the market research strategy would benefit the venture developer to create customer profiles and thereby customise service offerings (p.13). Mohr et al (2009) suggest that traditional questionnaires, online surveys and automated call surveys can be deployed to conduct the market research programme (pp.190-191). The marketer must also consider historical statistical data to assess changing trends in GYM business. Referring to Chaturvedi & Chaturvedi (2009), after identifying the main target market, it is strongly recommendable for the marketer to develop proper and effective communication channels to interact with his clients (p.37). According to Guffey and Almonte (2010); in the modern business environment, online communication channels including company websites and emails and telephone communications are strongly suggestible (p.34). As per the idea put forward by Miletsky (2009); to promote the business venture, the marketer may use infinite scope of internet, especially social networking sites such as facebook and twitter (p.54). It is advisable to create GYM demonstration videos and

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Aviation Safety Reporting Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aviation Safety Reporting Systems - Essay Example Correct analysis of this data would enable people to catch a problem before it actually happens, and be proactive in their respective area of work. It also works in two additional dimensions which are very crucial. The ASRS finds out the problems that are there in the MAS, and then it gives recommendations for future procedures, operations, facilities, and equipment. This is by far the most important role of any reporting system, which would not just end up as a datasheet at the end of the day, but would also prove to be the foundation for future policies. Since the advent of industrialization, nobody has liked inspections. However, in order to ensure the safety of both man and machine, this is mandatory. The Air Safety Week (2004) presents the view that rigorous inspections are actually costing lots of time, effort and of course, money to the companies. But then again, this is considered to be an inevitable requirement by the regulation authorities these days. With security and safety being paramount for both customers and the companies, this is a cost that has to be paid. There are three major areas which the FAA feels need to have a consistent and continuous inspection for best standards of safety and quality. Firstly, the Electrical system safety has to be ensured. ... 3. Training programs regarding aviation safety Mech (2004) explains the requirement for a transformation change in aviation safety concepts and understanding. It is elaborated, that no matter how much and how many aviation safety training programs are conducted for the personnel, the actual difference will be made only when the philosophy about this is changed in the minds of the people who matter. It is the time for a change in the culture of how we look at safety. Safety should not be merely prevention from accidents. Safety is an intrinsic value, which comes naturally to human beings and needs not be taught as such. What needs to be ingrained is the value for scientific systems of safety to be in place, where reports, inspection and investigations are respected as the need of the system, without which effective safety will not be possible for the wellbeing of the personnel. This change shall be possible only through the change in leadership style of the people at the helm of affairs. Aviation safety workshops have concluded overwhelmingly, that the administration is the only element in the system that can bring about and sustain a cultural change. This cultural change is the backbone of all aviation safety training that is to be conducted in the future. 4. A recent air transport investigation that is still in progress This is about a most recent crash, which had three fatalities, including the commercial pilot and two passengers. This is as reported by NTSB on 'Landings.com' (2007). On April 15, 2007, at 1210, a Beech BE 35-B33, N9556Y, impacted the terrain while on a low approach while landing towards Sedona Airport, Sedona, Arizona. All three humans in the flight received

Thursday, January 23, 2020

The Costs of Racism Essay -- Essays Papers

The Costs of Racism The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines racism as â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.† Racism is one of the deepest stains on the pages of American history. What began as feelings among whites of being superior to blacks turned into possibly the worst phenomenon the United States ever dealt with. Even 100 years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, many white people were still treating blacks atrociously. It took many decades before blacks were granted truly equal rights that white Americans were given. In Anne Moody’s autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi, she discusses growing up in Mississippi. She writes about her memories of childhood, high school, college, and finally her courageous work in the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Moody offers readers a startling and remarkable story of he r life. She also gives great insight into the effects of racism on the victims of it, on those who practice it, and the effects on American society. The effects of racism on the victims differed depending on age and whether or not a person would withstand the abuse. Moody makes these connections in her book by realizing that when the civil rights movement picked up in the 1960s, older blacks usually remained dormant and never stood up for themselves by speaking out against the abuse they received. In contrast, younger black Americans, notably teenagers, were more likely to be fearless and take part in the Movement. This theme can be seen throughout the whole book, from when Anne was a young girl and never understood why her mother co... ...any whites could have believed so strongly that blacks were inferior to them, so mediocre that they would treat them like animals and murder them in cold blood. But this is a problem that still occurs today, though in a lesser form, and it is important to study our past in effort to keep from repeating the mistakes of our ancestors. By reading things such as Anne Moody’s autobiography, we can get an inside view into what really took place in the South, and we can be inspired by people like Moody who stood up to it. The negativities of racism against blacks taught us important lessons about ethics and how humans should treat each other because we can see the effects it had on people less than 50 years ago. And if we learn from the mistakes of our ancestors and move away from their supremacist ideals, then as the freedom song in Coming of Age goes, â€Å"we shall overcome.†

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

The Artist as a Critic

Oscar Wilder's The Artist as Critic revolves around a debate Gilbert and Ernest discuss over art criticism and analysis. Ernest argues â€Å"that in the best days of art there we no art critics. † (Wilder 346). Whereas Gilbert reasons that â€Å"it (art criticism) treats the work of art simply as a starting-point for a new creation† (Wilder 367). Sadly, Ernest's blatant ignorance is unable to comprehend that without art criticism, there would be no art to truly value.Wilde's quote means that in order to hold art of all fields at a high prestige, we need critical structure and recognition of historical/political context to support art in order to admire the pure beauty within its relative expertise. â€Å"To know the principles of the highest art is to know the principles of the arts† (Wilder 354). Therefore, the cruciality of art criticism responds to the interpretation of meaning and focus on the current culture and time period, overall helping viewers perceive and analyze artworks to gain further knowledge and respect for such creations. Without the critical faculty, there is no artistic creation at all, worthy of name†¦ and no one who does not possess this critical faculty can create anything at all in art. † (Wilder 355) Gilbert sais this to Ernest arguing over the use of art criticism from the Greeks. Gilbert means that without a basic structure of skills and fundamental elements relevant to the expertise, there is no precision of craft. What makes fine art beautiful, worth listening and compelling is highly contingent upon the mastery of key skills and artistic components.If an opera singer didn't know how to differentiate their use of breath during lyric or coloratura repertoire, they would not be able to get through any piece or art song. Instead, they would sound breathy and toneless throughout the phrases, who wants to hear that? Likewise, if a writer has no sense of plot flow, character development, or interesting them es within a story, there is no point in wasting your time reading through a painful piece of literature.All art forms are developed under a certain skill which require dedicated competence and applied faculty. Art critics simply keep artists in check by maintaining a certain level expectation to reach for and continue to advance artistic creations. Negative art criticism does not always apply to the lack of faculty skills. In Amiri Baraka's poem Somebody Blew Up America, released a year after the anniversary of 9/11, he executed a highly controversial piece of writing that was a accused of racism and hatred against Jews, Israelis, and American leaders.The bigoted public treated his work as a literal translation of his opinions and beliefs, when his intentions were to create an ultimate allegoric poem to open the eyes of our country that was unaware of political schemes and inhumane manipulation of our government that was thought to have led to the events of 9/11. Despite such a disp ute perhaps liable from governmental course of action, 9/11 was still a fresh wound upon our country that was no where close to recovery due to such loss and tragic deaths.Baraka's poem hit too close to home at the time, people did not want to listen to his radical accusations and unpatriotic rambling about our country getting bombed. â€Å"The public's inability to see the poem for what it really is, a high rhetorical statement expressing the writer's ideological investments, signifies a profound lack of understanding of the nature of poetic art—a lack which can be explained by any number of cultural, historical, and institutional factors. (Gwiazda 16) Baraka's Somebody Blew Up America was a powerful poem that should be praised for its thunderous diction and expertise of faculty. Instead he was removed from the national position as the Poet Laureate of New Jersey because the people of country could not comprehend such controversial context within his poem, they took his wor ds too literally instead of a representation of political activist art. â€Å"The sheer multitude of these questions might indeed produce in the reader the suspicion of a global conspiracy of oppressors against oppressed, privileged against unprivileged, have against have-nots.Through its relentless accumulation of imperialist wrongs â€Å"Somebody Blew up America† achieves a compelling rhetorical effect. † (Gwiazda 10) Such an example of Baraka's failure of a poem provides the essential requirement to utilize analytical techniques within political and cultural contexts to ensure further comprehension and appreciation of a valid work of art. Reading the poems in class by Chrystos instilled an influential awareness I e about how the power of poetry can reach people and activate mindsets through a strategic voice of force. As graphic as her poems are, they do not serve as aesthetic platforms that deliver you to your happy place, her work of art leaves a prominent message that is conducive towards delivering a strong testimony about her cultural and spiritual hardships. She opens the mind of the reader and draws a raw picture of her experiences and torments as a native in this intolerant country we call America.Such art that tears at the soul and depicts unpleasant imagery is a powerful form of activist art by bringing awareness to the people about violence and inequities upon Natives, often been covered up by white supremacist governmental officials. Art does not have to be beautiful to convey an influential message, in fact, art in its most vulnerable and raw form reaches the audience by leaving an relevant feeling emotional, effectively capturing a great amount of attention. The ethical effect of art, its importance to culture, and its place in the formation of character, had been done once for all by Plato; but here we have art treated, not from moral, but from the purely aesthetic point of view. † (Wilder 352) Understanding the elements t hat create such dramatic pieces of art enable the art critic to take in historical and political contexts to further establish an opinionated analysis of the work.Unlike Baraka's hostile reviews of â€Å"Somebody Blew Up America†, Chrystos poems were well received, less radical and primarily focused on revolving themes of oppression and discrimination. In conclusion, critical faculty and fundamental elements are essential to analyzing a work of art. The world needs art criticism in order to truly value a mastery of skills relevant to the field. With the foundation of art criticism we can further the creations of great art to aspire to and behold its greatness.