Ball Playing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ball Playing - Research Paper Example Girls usually played at home, in a room or in an inner courtyard. Therefore, they had to play rather calmly. Boys played ball sports as part of their physical education in the gymnasium. The most popular kind of ball was a soft, filled, small ball but also bouncing balls existed. In ancient Rome, several obscure references exist that suggest children and adults played a game with a ball around a circle. Furthermore, there are mentions of Romans playing a ball game in which there were â€Å"a circle of players standing by and waiting.† Greek children played a game in a circle in which they caught a ball that was thrown or bounced â€Å"into the sky†. This may or may not have been the same game called â€Å"Hop-ball† by the Romans. It may also be one of the ancient Egyptian games represented on the walls of Beni-Hasssan. (Crowther, 22) The Spartans played a game that involved a circular field surrounded by a moat, called Platanistas, but apparently without a ball. The Greek game of Phainindia may have been played around a circle (Crowther, 24). A version of â€Å"Monkey i n the Middle† was played around a circle, unlike the modern version played across two sides. Clearly the geometric perfection of the circle had some influence on playing fields of ancient games, whereas in modern games only rectangles are employed. The game called ourania, also known as sky-ball, by the Greeks was likely also played by the Romans. According to research, the ball was thrown up in the air and the objective was for the players to catch it. In addition, there would be a circle within which the players would stand. However, if the ball came down within the circle it seems impossible for anyone not to catch it. Conversely, if the ball was thrown far outside the circle it would seem impossible that anyone could catch it at all. A thrown ball seems most improbable. Latin term for propelling a ball, expulsim, could apply

There is an expected growth of Rice consumption in the global market Essay

There is an expected growth of Rice consumption in the global market of up to 2.7%. How can Thailand take a comparative advantage in the International Market - Essay Example Thailand, despite being ranked as the 6th largest global producer of rice, is ranked as the world’s largest exporter of rise (Rice today, 2006). Comparative advantage is a term used to define the ‘advantage’ that a country has over the others in terms of its efficacy in producing a particular product, and Thailand definitely has a comparative advantage when referred to rice crops, as visible from the fact that despite being the 6th largest producer, it is ranked as the largest rice exporter (Pugel, 2004). Holding such a comparative advantage, the question arising, as addressed in this research, is that how Thailand can take most advantage out of this rising demand position. For developing a conclusion on how Thailand can develop a comparative advantage based on the projected rise in consumption of rice globally, both primary research and secondary researches have been used. Secondary research would constitute literature review in the next section, and primary research would be discussed in the section posterior to that. For secondary research, various literatures available on the given topics such as articles, news updates, analytics, and other text has been referred, while for primary research, unstructured and open ended questions have been prepared and respondents where individuals matching the profile of a rice importer and those individuals who coordinate rice export activities being in export promotion bureau or have clearing-and-forwarding establishments. Unstructured interviews have been chosen as primary research mechanism because (1) it gives the respondent the freedom to express their opinion, rather than restricting them to the pre-defined answers (2) even with lesser number of respondents, it gives a deeper insight involving opinions and statistics (3) often this form gives clues for research that cannot be determined via

The Role Of Saudi Women In Leadership

The Role Of Saudi Women In Leadership Saudi Arabia is a desert country that runs over 8,000 square miles. There are big cities, like Riyadh, Makah, Medina, Dhahran and Jeddah; residents in these areas enjoy the amenities of well-planned modern metropolitan cities. Saudi Arabia is a monarchy, headed by the Al Saud royal family, with a council of ministers. Saudi Arabias strong root in religious and tribal history has made it what it has become today. By the 1970s Saudi Arabia had become dominant in the realm of international finance and a significant political power in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia occupies the larger part of the Arabian Peninsula and is the worlds leading oil producer and exporter. The kingdom is the center of the major places of importance for Muslims from all over the world. Plight of Saudi women There are very few (if any) well known women leaders in Saudi Arabia; this is as a result of the vast gender discrimination against the girl child. There are laws that are restrictive to women and hinder them from getting leadership roles. This study aims to explore the discriminative judicial and government systems in the country towards women. It will also describe the leadership roles of women in the Saudi society. The various aspects of leadership and gender discrimination against Saudi women will be discussed. Women are more than the men in the population of Saudi Arabia; its therefore very ironical that they had not been allowed to work. It is in the last ten years that women have been accepted as part of the working community. This demonstrates the lack of working sectors open to Saudi women. In fact transport sector discriminates women, in that a woman would not travel unaccompanied by a male companion. The society still looks down upon employed women. Â   Jobs available for Saudi women are very limited and are mostly in education, health, and administration. Women can work and attain jobs in any setting as long as there is no exposure to men. Because of this cultural and religious rule, women need to have their own independent social and educational organizations. Society allows women to fill top administrative positions in womens colleges in order to manage the college effectively. Despite these achievements education for Saudi women is still regarded secondary to taking care of the household and family. For a long time, womens education was subject to negotiation with religious and social traditions. Women in Saudi Arabia were officially allowed to get formal education about forty years ago while the men started way before the women. Consequently, there are very few jobs available for well-qualified women in Saudi Arabia. The women in Saudi Arabia are now more than ever in pursuit in order to empower themselves through education in readiness of leadership positions that may come their way . Position of women in the society There are many different aspects that one encounters while trying to understand and explore the Saudi Arabian culture. The role and status of the women is key in understanding the position of a woman in this culture. In Saudi Arabia, women do not have much to do outside their homes. Girls, from an early age, obtain a domestic role that befits them. For a young girl in Saudi Arabia, becoming a mother is the norm and is the biggest goal in life. She is raised to believe that she should aim to be a good mother and that it is her responsibility to devote her time to her husband and children. However, this is gradually changing; the government now supports education of the girl child. Womens rights groups in Saudi Arabia are not functional for instance, women are still not allowed to drive or ride on motor vehicles with strangers, and one should either be accompanied by a close relative, an employee or the employer (Helen, 2007). This law denies women a vital right; freedom of independent movement (Colin, 2005). A Saudi woman cannot be admitted into any hospital without the consent of a male family member. Despite all these, women are finding other means of maneuvering through these restrictive rules in order to pursue business this is through the intensive use of the internet (Anders, 1998). Legal, social and religious controls combine to limit a womans freedom of movement in the country. From the government perspective, this is aimed at protecting the women, but most women perceive the law as a way of accelerating and empowering the men and their dominance in the society, (Helen, 2007). Women of the Middle East have long been viewed as an oppressed group. From the desert sands of Saudi Arabia to the mountainous lands of Afghanistan, Arab women have faced many hardships in their society. While the role of a woman is meant to be nurturing and domestic, many women have moved on to a more modern view, and have taken on the role as educators and laborers. Arab women threaten the traditional family structure by doing so; however, for many it is a sacrifice they are willing to make, as they have seen that the world has more to offer than just household chores and childbearing. Rights of women in the past, today and the future The Saudi system is set up in a form known as the Sunni-Islam state version, which is a conservative form of government; this version is characterized by incorporating the interpretation of the Muslim faith and using it to formulate law. The Islamic law is interpreted in such a way that it enhances gender inequality; the women are subjected to strict and tight legal regulations on their personal behavior while the men are exempted from the rules (Colin, 2005). There is no equality for women despite Article 8 of the Saudi law which states that, Government in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is based on the premise of justice, consultation, and equality in accordance with the shariah law (Sameena, 2005). However, the individual interpretations favor men rather than women resulting in a hierarchy system that also privileges notables and good connections over ordinary citizens and outsiders. This system in itself creates a biased and self-centered form of society associated with misinterpreta tion of religious scripture. Foreigners are treated differently depending on the country of origin and the race, too (Kathleen, 1991). Women cannot act as lawyers, and for women to access justice she hires a male lawyer wand she is forced to offer up most of her confidential information regarding financial and family matters to the lawyer and the judges. A single mans testimony in the court is the same as for two women (Sameena, 2005). In most cases, the women rely on their husbands and this denies the women personal justice and the ability to access power and leadership positions since one cannot experience power without justice. There are vast cases of gender discrimination in the employment sector in Saudi Arabia, this is attributed to the fact that most of the people are religious and have interpreted Islamic teachings in a particular way (Anders, 1998). For women, access to employment activities is very limited, with minimal enjoyment of the full benefits of citizenship or adulthood. Gender discrimination against women has exacerbated reformers to proactively advocate for democracy and empowerment of women in the country. The international community is also working in close collaboration with the reformers to help in the administration of justice and the equality of gender in Saudi Arabia (Sameena, 2005). Consequently, Saudi Arabia has made some progress in womens education and employment. Saudi women and the education sector Education is a central aspect of family and community life. There is a close link between home and school and they further correlate with the way the structure and community is shaped. The education of Arab women started long ago, dating back almost 1500 years, when the wife of Prophet Muhammad, Khadija, owned her own caravan and was her own employer; a successful one at that. However, after the Prophets death, the status of women slowly began to decline, and by the early 1900s, Arab womens status had been dwindled down to that of oppression and non-education. Because of this, several feminist women movements arose in the 1930s and 1940s, the most famous one led by Huda Sharawi in Egypt (Ahmed, 1992). Even though these feminist movements helped encourage Arab women to get back on the rise in society, only a handful were able to achieve that, as many countries such as Saudi Arabia were still not into empowering women. Womens education in Saudi Arabia started informally with the Kuttab schools that taught the fundamentals of Islam and the basics of writing, reading, and arithmetic. By 1945, King Abdul Aziz, the countrys founder, had initiated an extensive program to establish schools in the Kingdom. Six years later, in 1951, the country had 226 schools with 29,887 students (Collins, 2005). In 1954, the Ministry of Education was established headed by then Prince Fahd as the first Minister of Education. The first ever university in Saudi Arabia was opened in Riyadh in early 1957. In 1943, the first private girls school was established in Makkah by a group of people in the private sector who wanted to teach their daughters basic reading, writing and mathematics (Al Salloom, 1989). When public elementary education for girls began in 1960, there were only 15 school buildings, with a total of 127 classrooms and 518 female students. Public education at the intermediate and secondary levels for girls followed in 1963 with four school buildings for the intermediate level, and one for the secondary level (Al Salloom, 1989). As Saudi families started to realize that educating their daughters posed no threat to family life and in the traditional role of women in society, the attitude towards females education changed. Female students enrolled at all educational levels and more schools were opened. From 1970 to 1990 the number of female students enrolled in higher education expanded from 400 students to 48,000 (Kathleen, 1991). With the rapid expansion of educational facilities and enrollment, a high number of teachers and school principals were female. Today, Saudi Arabias nationwide educational system comprises many universities and colleges, including thousands of primary and secondary schools. Open to every citizen, the system provides students with free education, books and health services. To complement their studies in universities in the Kingdom, Saudi students have the opportunity to pursue graduate and post-graduate degrees in specialized fields abroad. Supported by the government scholarships, thousands of Saudi students are enrolled in universities outside the Kingdom, mainly in the United States. The beginning of womens higher education was similar in Saudi Arabia and the United States, in that both countries, at one point, denied women access to higher education and women were considered as comparative newcomers to equity of opportunity in education. This brings light to addressing another issue involving higher education and the Saudi woman: women dont have the right to make decisions and set policies concerning their higher education. To some extent, they may manage and organize their day-to-day departments, operations and resources but all major decisions affecting them-such as hiring, planning and evaluating are still made by men. What makes this problem more complicated is the lack of communication, face to face between men who are high in administered hierarchy and women who occupy lower administrative levels. For the graduate female students, there are minimal chances for them to advance in the job markets and this hinders the women from rising up into a leadership position in the education sector. There are a few women who have been lucky to get leadership positions in the education .These women play an important role, they champion for more women to be incorporated into leadership positions, however, their sentiments are always ignored (Helen, 2007).The nature of female leadership roles in Saudi Arabia cannot be compared to other countries, these women are segregated and marginalized and thus they are denied educational leadership roles (Anders, 1998). Cultural factors influencing Saudi women The shaping of societies in general is dependent on cultural and traditional factors, as well as economic and political systems. In Saudi Arabia, society culture and traditions play a major role. Culture predominantly influences womens roles in Muslim society, because of the emphasis placed on womens status and acceptable behavior as outlined in the Quran. Ahmed (1992) believes that no matter what form the political system takes, no matter what level of education women attain, no matter what traditional values govern employment, Saudi women would not play major leadership roles in modern day economics because cultural factors have impeded their development. There are a number of factors that have impacted the Saudi womens status and their position in society. The economy, the importance of the family unit, the educational opportunities available, the degree of encouragement women encounter in their pursuit of education and work, and the degree of urbanization attained are all importa nt factors that shape a society and mold many of its beliefs and values (Pinter, 1984). Saudi Arabias culture and traditions are different from the United States and are used as a basis of comparison for two reasons: first, Saudi Arabia and the United States are young wealthy countries that continue to progress (Al-Dawood, 1995); and second, to see if Saudi Arabian secondary school teachers levels of job satisfaction are different from that of secondary school teachers in the United States. Limited information on Saudi female teachers job satisfaction and principal leadership behavior in Saudi Arabia is available, thus it is necessary to also look at research conducted about male teachers. Beck Keddie (1978) indicated that men have reported a higher degree of job satisfaction than women, but more recently differences have diminished, due in part to more equal opportunities for the employment and advancement of women. A Study carried out in Qatar (a country that borders Saudi Arabia) reveals that there is no significant difference in the levels of job satisfaction between men and women (Moshaikeh, 1981). Al-Salom (1996) reports that a similar study was carried out in the United States and also found no significant difference in the level of job satisfaction between male and female teachers. The Quran advocates for stable family life, at no point does it state that women are not equal to men and that they should not mix freely in their places of work (Al-Sallom, 1989).This is not usually the case and people still misinterpret religion and use the Quran as a basis for isolating women. The differences between women in the Middle East and the ones in the western countries like United States may are due to cultural factors. Despite growing acceptance of womens education in Saudi Arabia, education for women still faces conservative attitudes from many Saudi citizens. Such conservative thinking focuses on women building the traditional roles of wives and mothers and may cause fear that education may weaken these roles. These conservative attitudes towards womens education are not related to the influences of Islam, but may be part of the traditions of the Saudi Society (Christopher, 1993). In addition, women receive fewer formal courses in school administration and in-service training than men (Abdel, 1997). Women administrators receive inadequate training; as a result, female school principals are less qualified in leadership behaviors and supervision than their male counterparts are. Teachers should have a chance to use what they have learned in education courses. They also should be involved in the planning and decision-making process regarding curriculum, time use, classroom instructions, method of instructions, resource allocation, and procedures for students evaluation. Including them as active participants would be an excellent first step in enhancing their job satisfaction. Power of women in the past, today and the future Economic empowerment of women One of the major factors that have shaped the Saudi Society is the economic situation. However, Kathleen, (1991) disagrees with the notion that a modern capitalist economy and its extension to almost all areas have resulted in many positive changes for women in Saudi Arabia. She argues that pre-capitalist urban occupations were already open to Saudi women of all classes, from midwifery and entertainment to holders of important real estate. Economic changes of the modern period did not improve or raise the levels of womens participation in public life. In the Saudi culture, serious life begins with marriage, which can be for many, an escape from family pressures and economic difficulty. Because males are seen as the protectors and supporters of women and are, therefore, considered indispensable, families pull all their resources together (material and emotional) to ensure that their young daughters marry appropriately. Women of Saudi nationality are not allowed to access benefits from the government. In the case where a Saudi woman marries a non-Saudi, she then cannot pass the nationality to her children. Consequently, in 2002, women had no right to obtain the national identity card without the order from the mahram, but they appeared as nationals from the state records that included her as a member of a particular family only (Kathleen, 1991). When this was the norm, widowed and single women had a hard time gaining leadership of their families and also in obtaining other benefits of their own and from the state subsidies (Cordesman, 2003). Saudi women do not have the right to the sign contracts or to control financial assets and in this instance, women are made to lick the boots of the males. As a result, women are denied the economic leadership and mainly depend on their husbands for economical support. The women cannot be integrated in the development processes and this greatly impacts them due to their reduced influence in policy making and changes in legislation (Colin, 2005). In a way, the Saudi law ensures gender equity to men and women related to each other. Consider for example, the case where the daughters retain half as much inheritance as the sons and when such women get married then they under the care of their husbands (Colin, 2005) .Women retain property after marriage and in this case, the husbands have the right to protect the woman and hence the women have no obligation to spend their acquired wealth on the mens behalf. The married men have the full responsibility for their family needs. And in case a woman conducts herself in an immoral manner, the man of closest relation is punished on her behalf (Helen, 2007). The role of women in Saudi Arabia is becoming more significant in both political and economic terms as more and more women hold positions of leadership and civic prominence. The educational levels of the women who have made significant contributions on leadership hold positions as founders of organizations and range in their education: from holding bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees. Some of these women hold voluntary positions and others hold paid positions that entail career commitments. The Saudi Arabia government has given higher education, there are new educational policies put in place. The government established the Ministry of Higher Education in 1975 whose long term vision is to provide highly trained manpower necessary to run the countrys increasingly sophisticated economy. The primary objective of this ministry is to establish new institutions of higher learning throughout the country. The Kingdom has given priority to quantity and quality expansion of education in the last five to seven-years among other development plans. Despite the low percentage of Saudi women working in the labor force in the Kingdom compared to advanced countries, it is the unavailability of working sectors open for Saudi women usually limited to education and medicine which has caused some saturation in these sectors. The Saudi government is planning to undertake a study of the role of women in the countrys economy (Al-Mohamed, (2007). There are policies set by the government in order to support women who want to work. The main aim of these policies is to lower t unemployment rate among women in Saudi Arabian women. In line with this objective, the government and private organizations provide counseling services to women in stressful environments of employment. The Saudi government plan is beyond employment and aims to empower women with entrepreneurial and investing. Saudi Arabia might h ave to revise some policies that a restrict women from participating in the economy of the country. Women and political leadership The participation of women in the public domain, including the political arena, is very limited in Saudi Arabia. Unlike other women in the western world, Saudi women have no social or political rights. They still have to obtain consent of male counterparts in order to fulfill basic things, like obtaining a passport and travel. The hierarchical system of the Saudi government does not allow for democratic voting. Saudi Arabian political leaders are, therefore, hiding behind false religious pretexts by withholding many rights from women. It is a violation of their religious beliefs and practices. Other Islamic countries, such as Egypt, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, allow women to vote and still maintain their traditional and religious practices. The country does not contain any political parties, thus the absence of elections. Women are becoming more active in reform but their efforts are marginalized. The extent of reform is determined by the ruling family (Cordesman, 2003). Al-Mohamed (2007) attributes the lack of a political role for Saudi women to educational decisions; he goes on and gives an example where women do not major in Political Science in their higher learning. For example, Princess Dr. al-Jawaharlal bint Fahd al-Saud was undersecretary of education for womens colleges for 10 years before becoming president of Riyadh University for Women in April 2007, yet she had no power to make decisions even though she had the power (Al-Mohamed, 2007). The country lacks the basic freedoms for even the civil society to take part in the leadership. It is very hard to start new organizations and even more so the women groups, due to their co-option by the government. I would recommend the existence of political parties in the country with free elections since this would foster democratic growth in the country (Anders, 1998). The media should be free to express their ideas and women rights agencies should be supported to help in the equality of gender, promote the growth of the economy and the active participation of women in the exercising of political power (Kathleen, 1991). Role of religion in empowering women To better understand a Saudi womans position, one must learn a great deal about the culture and religion. One should also understand Islam, its history and culture. In a Muslim community, the people are to follow Gods commands and live a moral life. Saudi women who are working and serve society should be careful to follow an Islamic way of life. In the modern society, wearing a hijab, which may cover a womans head or her whole body, remains part of Muslim culture in Saudi Arabia and also worldwide. Most Muslim women dress modestly and in Muslim countries even the most successful business women will cover themselves with the hijab. Many of the women welcome this practice as they feel it prevents them from being bothered by co-workers or strangers. Some modern Muslims in non-Muslims cultures, however, choose not to cover to attract less attention rather than deal with discouragement about it. Whichever the case, the wearing of a hijab should be intended to please God and should not be done in a mandatory or pressurized manner (Cordesman, 2003). Before Islam, women in the Arab world had no rights to own any property, inherit, divorce, or even choose their marriage partner; the father was usually the one to decide or a male relative. With the advent of Islam, women were given the aforementioned rights and their status changed to that of a dignified human being, deserving of respect and honor. The Islamic view about women is that men and women are equal in their origin and their rights. According to the history of Islam, women have political rights, can participate in public affairs, run a business, choose their husbands and even inherit properly. In regard of womens education, a woman in Islam is not required to contribute financially to the family, which may explain why some Saudis consider education to be worthwhile and necessary for males and less for women. The Quran, which is the source of Islamic jurisprudence, contains no verse that deprives woman the right to be educated In fact, the word Quran is derived from the wor d reading and the first verse of the Quran calls on the devoted to read and write. There are no barriers to women acquiring knowledge in the Islamic faith as long as there is no mixing between the two genders. Most people that profess the Muslim faith do not believe that that men and women are equal in matters of religion (Kathleen, 1991). The role of women in the family and upbringing of children play a major part consequently, the women are allowed to worship at home as the men and the boys worship at the mosque. Despite the active role of women in religion, Saudi women are denied access to any management roles and leadership positions in the countrys religious institutions (Kathleen, 1991). There are still some conservative people who do not want to embrace The New World Order, where women work and are independent, religion is still the excuse of this people. There is as an ideological conflict between culture and religion, Islam allows women the right to education and work. As a result Arab women continue to seek education and work, societys expectations hover over them, giving them more strength to those who oppose empowering women. Conclusion The purpose of this study was to examine the family and societal factors that affect Saudi women in their pursuit of leadership positions in a Muslim society, such as that found in Saudi Arabia. Another area of interest was the impact of Islam on the Saudi women and their pursuit of leadership roles in public life. It is true that the law and the male dominated society and does not provide a good environment for leadership positions of women. The women now more than ever are willing to take the risk and empower themselves, sooner than later women from these part of the world will catch up with other countries that have overcome gender discrimination. Studies show that Saudi women are getting more attention due to the current interest in multiculturalism and global awareness. There are many women in Saudi Arabia who have attained leadership roles on a smaller scale, such as in remote villages and rural areas. The number of Saudi women who have leadership positions may not be large in comparison to the number of women with leadership positions in Western nations or even in neighboring countries but it is a great step considering the position of Arab women and their role and treatment under Islamic culture. Women who have leadership roles in Arab societies are an important resource for information that can help bridge the gap between preconceived notions about the Arab world and the reality of the conditions encountered by women in that part of the world. For instance , in America there are great women who have revolutionized leadership like Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice while in Germany Angela Merkel is the Chancellor. In the M iddle East the most common figure was Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan who was a potential political leader but was assassinated. These women in leadership ar role models to other women all over the world and soon the Arab world is going to embrace women leadership. However, the level of leadership and the participation of women in various positions in Saudi are faced with mainly two interrelated issues. First, the effects of the constitutional rights on women and secondly, is the status of women and their position in reference to Islamic laws. Reform is urgently needed in both educational and employment sectors to provide greater equality for women. Previous trends of females in educational development indicate an ever expanding access of education by women to where they may outnumber men. However, gender segregation and inferiorities in curriculum differentiation is still experienced. There should be more awareness campaigns for women to be informed on the importance of pursuing education to a higher level and diversification of courses to be studied. The diversification of the countrys economy and the expansion of the services in the various sectors may result in the liberalization of the scope of occupation and enroll women in leadership roles. This change would be due to the shortage of labor and the increased participation of women in the education facilities and curriculums. This would help move women up in public visibility and allow them to participate in the decision making of the country.

Analyse the relationship between the mother and her son in The Sons Es

Analyse the relationship between the mother and her son in The Son's Veto by Thomas Hardy showing how their behaviour and attitudes were affected by society. "The Son's Veto" is a short story that focuses on a woman, Sophy, who is torn between two conflicting social classes. Sophy is an uneducated parlour maid who marries a man above her class to secure her future. The son that is the outcome of the marriage is arrogant and self centred. He acts as thought he is superior to his mother because of his higher education and who he socialises with. The relationship between Sophy and her son, Randolph, is poor because they grew up in different classes. The thing that held their relationship together was the father and husband. When he dies it is as though the mother and son have nothing in common anymore. Social attitudes have affected heir relationship because the mother cannot be accepted into the son's class and the son will not be accepted into the mother class because it will ruin his reputation. At the beginning of the story, Hardy shows the social detachment between Spohy and her son through the language he uses, "Has, dear mother - not have!, exclaimed the public schoolboy". Hardy uses very impersonal phrases to describe how Sophy is being treated as if she is an object, "She was conducted out of the gardens and passed along the pavements". There is an expectation of how Sophy would be treated as a disabled woman. She noticed how people were interested in her but she did not mind, "did not mind gratifying their curiosity". Sophy is seen as the barter of the male and not as an individual. This means society treats her differently because of this as well as being disabled. When Sophy is the par... ... son. It is Randolph's insecurities and shame over his mother that leads him to control her life. In this way, as long as he is there to supervise her actions, he can take those extra precautions to prevent any social embarrassment that may be inflicted upon him by his mother. Sophy does not necessarily recognize this fact, but is only willing to put his needs and wants before her own. She also feels a sense of duty and obligation towards Randolph and therefore accepts what he says as being final. Ultimately, Sophy believes it is his happiness she needs to ensure and secure, not her own. This, sadly, is how she leads her life. Hardy analyses the flaws existing in society today and gives a fantastic example in showing how the "standards" set up by the public, as well as the selfishness that prevails among the citizens in society, destroyed Sophy's life.

An Episode of My Life- Life of a Grade 8 Student Essay

I woke up in the middle of the night after the weird noise coming from my brother Jake’s room. It was his alarm that made such noise. He has an important high school exam today. Apparently he thought that having a fire drill sound as his alarm tune would surely wake him up, it did but it woke all of us up. After finally being able to sleep again, I woke up around eight o’clock. I was thirty minute later from the time when I usually wake up. It is Wednesday, June 27th. The weather was extremely beautiful and warm, a typical June weather in L.A. After having breakfast and a nice cup of ice tea, I got ready for school. Today was the last day of school so I wanted to enjoy it. I put on an over- sized sweatshirt and paired it with ripped skinny jeans while grabbing a pair of sneakers. I was never allowed to wear such kind of cloths in school, apparently my school is private and only accepts proper dress code. My dad’s driver drove me to school today because I was going to be late. Usually I just walk to school since it only takes me ten minutes. Around nine thirty, I arrived at school. I entered through the front door and saw the crowd surrounding a seventh grader that was being bullied by a bully. This actually happened a lot after he arrived to our school. His name is Thomas Thomson and had been called names ever since last year. He was a show off and had a bad attitude. The bully was Joe Kinderson. He always bullies younger graders and was expelled twice in one year. The only reason he is still here is because of his dad, the president of Kinderson Company. His dad’s company founded our school and that is why our school’s name is Roy Kinderson Academy. Being in a private school had never been what I wanted. If I hadn’t fail grade five, I would still be in Rosemary public school that can give me at least freedom. That was not bad enough, because I got a D on two of my subjects for the past two semesters, I will have to be sent to a boarding school in England and live with my aunt Frowny after summer break. Aunt Frowny’s actual name is Juliana Frowren Williams. My brother and I gave her the nickname â€Å"Frowny† since she barely smiles to us. First period was supposed to be French but Ms. Lewis our homeroom teacher decided to change it into science so she can give us a review quiz on what we learned this year. Our French teacher Madam Garcia was one of the nicest teachers in grade eight due to the fact that she barely gave us any homework and that she always has a big bright smile on her face. Since today was the last day of school, we only had to stay in school until after lunch. We had recess after first period. My two best friends Trina and Elisa were with me along some other girls. They think that going to school in England will be a fairy tale but for me its definitely not. Lunch was pizza and fruit salad. We had to help clean out the classroom before lunch. Around one o’clock we were about to leave. I knew it would be the last time I ever see my friends and teachers so I left early. I didn’t want to get emotional since I was known as a girl who never cries. I will really miss my school but I can still contact people from my school using Facebook. I got home a quarter to two. Took a shower and watched TV until my mom went home. She made me to go shopping with her and buy new cloths for tomorrow. Tomorrow is our family â€Å"Frienbely† day. It was a unique holiday my parents thought about when I was five. They wanted to celebrate the coming of summer break by hanging out with Jake and I as friends for a whole day. We thought it was cool at that time but that was because we were young. As we were on our way to the mall, I had to tell my mom how my day went. I told her about the practice fire drill we had today and the whole morning of cleaning. She asked me if I took memorable pictures with any of my teachers and friends but I said I would still visit them in the summer. The afternoon turned to be a disaster to me. I accidently went off to the wrong escalator and ended up bumping into the set where they were shooting a music video. The camera caught me spilling coffee onto my pants by accident and broadcasted it on the big screen in the mall. The embarrassing thing wasn’t this but my mom. She shopped at my favorite store and bought the exact same cloth I was wearing. She though it would be fun and would be perfect for tomorrow’s â€Å"Frienbely† day. Because my mom withdrawn five of her credit cards last week without knowing, my brother Jake had to come over to pay for her bills. He laughed so hard at both of us and laughed even harder when he saw the big screen playing over my coffee spilling moment. Around seven thirty in the afternoon, my family went out for dinner after my dad returned from work. We had dinner at a famous Spanish restaurant since my mom is half Spanish. The restaurant wasn’t famous because of its extraordinary taste but by its reasonable price and its interesting arrangement of tables. Dad bought cloths for the â€Å"frienbely† day as well. He told his secretary to get the same outfit that matched with the cloths Jake bought last week. I was going to laugh at Jake to get back at him, but I thought I would save it for the next time he makes fun of me. After we got home just before eleven o’clock, I found Jake’s new girlfriend waiting for him by the back door of our house. Jake didn’t tell mom and dad about his new girlfriend because he just broke up with his ex- girlfriend last week and their relationship only lasted for two days. I didn’t tell mom and dad about Jake’s new girl friend because they promised me to buy me a new CD that mom banned me from listening to. They were going to sing at the karaoke club with a bunch of friends to have fun and relax after their two months of studying. I went to bed at two AM in the morning. The new video game I bought last week kept me from sleeping early. After five minute, I slept soundly with a dream that led me to the uncertainness of tomorrow.

Lakeland Wonders Case Study Essay

1. How will the new CEO’s vision transform the Lakeland Wonders organisation? †¢ Change of brand image- no longer ‘Handcrafted with pride in the USA’. †¢ Change of organisational culture with the proposed expansion. †¢ Create new revenue streams with expansion into new markets. †¢ Departure from the traditional style of the company. 2. What are the main concerns of the stakeholders who do not agree with her vision? †¢ Loss of Lakeland Wonders image and ‘94 year tradition’. †¢ Expanding too quickly could damage the company, concern over speed of change. †¢ Potential logistics issues with outsourcing. †¢ Concern over quality control and possible damage to brand image. †¢ Local, long term partners would be lost. †¢ New CEO’s lack of clear brand strategy for proposed new products. †¢ Union issues- threatened by outsourcing, not consulted earlier on, etc. †¢ New CEO’s plan to bring in new people (Cecil, Pat) will make long term employees feel threatened and insecure. 3. Does your group think the proposed strategy is a good strategic move for Lakeland Wonders? If yes, why? If not, why not? We think that the proposed strategy is a good move for the following reasons: †¢ Increased growth potential, increased profits- enabling the company to grow in line with targets set by board. †¢ Expansion into growing market-mid non-electric market only segment predicted for double digit growth. †¢ Ensures the company remains competitive over the long term. †¢ Cost effective.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ New staff, new ideas and fresh growth- overall improvement for the company. However there are also some negatives: †¢ The overall planning is needs to be effective and complete otherwise it could be damaging to the company. †¢ CEO’s push to force through the changes is causing divisions within the company. †¢ Potential loss of the core quality of the company (traditional, made in USA, etc.) †¢ Risk alienating current customers.

A Countrys Tourniquet

A Countrys Tourniquet Free Online Research Papers Many countries have previously invested or are still investing in a Communist government and economy. Communism is defined as â€Å"A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members.† If a country decides to go on the path of Communism, it is a dark and dank road that can lead to turmoil, famine, and poverty. Human nature causes those in control to become power hungry, which is destructive to the country’s society. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that your country will be different, but that is often only the first mistake on a downward spiral of poor decisions made by the leaders of the country as well as those inhabiting it. Many often ask the question, â€Å"Well why didn’t the people just overthrow the government?†, but what they don’t realize is that when an entire country has been oppressed in that manner, it’s nearly impossible to recover without help from a good leader in your governmental system or outside forces. Capitalism, on the other hand, is much more liberal, although it is far from perfect as well. It is defined as â€Å"An economic system based on a free market, open competition, profit motive and private ownership of the means of production†. First, Communism squashes any form of religious freedom, whereas Capitalism allows any religion to be practiced freely. The state is not separate from the church; therefore, most Communist countries have a majority of Buddhist or Atheist people. This can lead to the downfall of any country, being that it rids them of any moral ethics or sense of right and wrong and it completely and utterly depletes any fairness the country may still pertain as well as dismantles the justice system. This lack of standard and belief is never helpful to anything or anyone, particularly an entire country. Second, although Communism is supposedly meant to ‘better the economy’, it actually weakens it. If everyone and every business make the same profit, they have no motivation or competition whatsoever. Due to the ways of human nature, this leads to low quality goods, laziness, and poor work ethics. People see that there is no reason to produce quality work, and so they do not. Capitalism encourages people to do well and compete against other businesses to be the top seller of their products. Also, Communism can be very depressing to the people of the country. It is often presented as â€Å"Socialism† or a â€Å"Republic of the People†, but it is really a cruel and harsh dictatorship. Rulers believe in using violence and invoking their military forces in order to squash revolts or simply to discipline even minor offences against the government. There is no freedom of speech, press or right to assemble. It takes away any free thinking and all anti-government thoughts must be kept to oneself or they may even lose their life for it. For instance, in 1989 students gathered in Tiananmen Square to protest and the government sent in tanks to crush their spirits-and many of their bodies. An estimated 3,000 were killed. So even though Communism may look good in theory, when presented as a perfect and equal society, all aspects of it have led to the destruction of countries that have experienced it, or at least the unhappiness of the people, such as in China’s case. The country’s economy will plummet, all religion will be destroyed, and the people will become depressed. Research Papers on A Country's TourniquetAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeQuebec and CanadaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NicePETSTEL analysis of IndiaDefinition of Export QuotasAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 219 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCapital PunishmentComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

Candid Christmas Essays

Candid Christmas Essays Candid Christmas Essay Candid Christmas Essay Essay Topic: A Christmas Carol It would be disconcerting to many to hear that Charles Dickens famous novella, A Christmas Carol, is primarily responsible for Christmas as we know it today. At the time it was published, 1843, Christmas celebrations had waned. When we view or hear an adaptation of the famous story today, we assume we are witnessing an authentic 19th century English Christmas. This was certainly not the case. Dickens did not reiterate Christmas: he recreated it.For example, today it is standard fare for businesses to be closed on Christmas Day, but during this time, this was simply not the case. The treatment seems cruel to us today, but was ordinary life then. What many people do not notice from the work, is the absence of the baby Jesus birth. The only religious element found is when the characters retell their day and mention going to church. Forbes points out that what Dickens was able to do was push the spirit of Christmas.He professed a message that both the religious and secular populations could endorse. Spread goodwill and selflessness and especially remember the less fortunate; this is the basis of the Christmas Spirit that we have come to know. In this concise volume, Forbes presents age-old questions about Christmas and attempts to shed some light on them in a forthright way. He takes us from the pagan roots of Christmas to the significance of what it has become today. He uses a snowball to illustrate the eclectic nature of Christmas.As with any tradition, different cultures, societies, and periods in time have all added their own interpretations and opinions to the holiday that we know today. Being a pious man as well as an instructor, Forbes investigates the festivities thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned. He recognizes the religious importance but understands the secular influences as well. The book is informative yet entertaining. A compliment to both the craziness and serenity that is Christmas, Forbes definitely did the holiday justice.

Abu Sayyaf Terrorist Group

The 11th of September will always be remembered in the history of the world. Not only because of the remarkable terrorist attack but because of the changes it has created in the world’s view of terrorism. Terrorism has long been related to bombing of public places or government buildings, kidnapping, and other acts of attacking innocent people. However, the notable 9/11 terrorist attack changed everything. It altered the meaning of terrorism in different contexts. The even also changed the world’s view of security. According to the US government, terrorism is â€Å"a means predominated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub national groups or clandestine agents† (About.com, 2008). Another accepted definition on terrorism is   câ€Å"the calculated use of violence or threats of violence to attain goals that are political, religious, or ideological in naturethrough intimidation, coercion, or instilling fear† (Chomsky and Otero, 2003, p.301). In all the definition constructed, it only denotes that terrorism is an act of killing while gravely threatening the innocent people. Around the world, there are various organized groups associated with carrying out terrorism. In the international community, the Al Qaeda is the well known terrorist that designed and executed the 9/11 terrorist attack. The Al Qaeda group was also declared as the notorious enemy of the world. However, aside from Al Qaeda, there are various organizations in different nations operating and employing acts that are causing strife to their government and to the people as well. The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is one of the branded enemies of the international world (Leifer, 2001, p. 48). The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is functioning in the Philippines and had been concluded to have link with the Al Qaeda terrorist group. Origin and objective of the Islamic Separatist Groups The geographic territory of the Philippines is composed mainly of three islands namely; Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao (Brunner, 1999, p.283). The main seat of the government of the Republic of the Philippines is situated in Luzon, particularly in its capital city Manila (Brunner, 1999, p.283). Majority of the Filipino people are Christians. Most Christians occupied Luzon and Visayas while most Muslims occupied the southern part of the country, Mindanao. The government of the Republic of the Philippines had been bothered by the Muslims group seeking for autonomy from the central government. The reason for autonomy was brought by the belief of the Muslims that the economic and humanitarian assistance afforded to them by the central government was not enough. In addition, they believed that the Muslims are given lesser priority in the political participation. For these reasons, Mindanao was never quieted from gun firings and cases of death because the government’s effort to pacify the place was not successful. War against the group and the government was prevalent in Mindanao until the 21st century. At present, Mindanao has been developed and more Christian people are living with Muslims. The group that instigated the separation of the Mindanao from the central government was the Moro national Liberation Front (MNLF) which was established and headed by Nur Misuari in 1971 (Liss). The fundamental objective of the group was the establishment of a separate Moro country. Such country would exist with a democratic form of government which is free and intolerable of being exploited and oppressed by outside force or influence. Minor objective includes the preservation of the culture of the Islamic and the indigenous people. The group was not as strong as expected because another group was formed out of MNLF. Due to internal misunderstanding, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) deviated from the group of Misuari (Liss). The MILF was headed by Hashim Salamat, an Islamic scholar (Liss). The objective of the MILF was to stress Islamic ideology in their effort to self- determination. However, the two groups employed arms in pursuing their causes that eventually led to several internal wars in Mindanao. The Creation of Abu Sayyaff (ASG) In 1990, another group separated from the MNLF which was named as Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) (Leifer, 2001, p.49). The ASG was founded by Abduragak Abubakar Janjalani with the aim of fighting the government is a more fundamentalist manner (Public Broadcasting Service, 2008). The group also demands that the seas of Sulu and Celebes be closed against foreign fishermen. In addition, the group objective is the inclusion of Islam in Philippine schools. According to record, Janjalani was trained as a mujahedin and previously studied in Libya and in Saudi Arabia (Public Broadcasting Service, 2008). In addition, he had been fighting against Soviet forces during their occupation in Afghanistan (Public Broadcasting Service, 2008). Notably, the name Abu Sayyaf is an Arabic word which means â€Å"Bearer of Sword† (Leifer, 2001, p.49). The group was able to survive through financial support from Mohammed Jamal Khalifa (Center on Foreign Relations, 2008). Khalifa is a businessman from Suadi Arabia and is the brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden. While the Abu Sayyaf was starting, the group was already recruiting Muslim members. Through Khalifa’s money, Islamic universities and charities were established (Center for Defense Information, 2008). The fundamental teachings were influenced by extremist’s doctrine. One of the known foundation of Khalifa and the Abu Sayyaf group is the International Islamic Relief Organization which is based in Zamboanga (Center for Defense Information, 2008). The underground trainings, guns, basic necessities were all supplied by Khalifa. Eventually the group grew bigger, recruiting even children and women who believed in the Abu Sayyaf’s ideology. Some of its members were a graduate from Mazar-e Sharif, a training ground in Afghanistan. When the group has accumulated strength, they began executing their plots which includes the assassination of the visiting Pope and blowing up airliners containing 12 US civilians (Center for Defense Information, 2008).

Masters in Business Administration, Executive Program at Loyola Univer Essay

Masters in Business Administration, Executive Program at Loyola University - Essay Example I have had close to a decade of experiences in this area using my talents as an engineer and administrator and I have had to make decisions that have been crucial to realizing successful business transactions. By obtaining an MBA at Loyola University, will give me ample information gathered by national and international experts and it will give me the opportunity to make decisions based on others ´ experiences that have lead to positive and negative results. In doing so, I will be in a position to apply strategies and methodologies learnt from academia to make successful business transactions. I see myself collaborating with others to make these business transactions a fruitful benefit for all of those involved in the business transactions. I want to be part of the MBA program at Loyola University and become actively involved in working independently and working as part of a team to research cases and brainstorm ideas of why some businesses failed while others succeeded. Having this opportunity will give me a chance to work positively on projects, continue the networking processes with classmates, professors, and future corporations and make contributions that will help them acquire successful business results. At this point in my life, I am interested in advancing to the next level of my career. At the moment I am a Project Engineer. I want to continue managing projects that are related to engineering and administration on a national and international basis. I have strategically planned my life’s goals and objectives and this is one more I wish to accomplish. I plan to pursue projects that are demanding in essence and will make changes in the way they have been operating in the present, using my experiences and the knowledge that I will obtain from the Executive Program. I realize that an MBA from Loyola University will give me the skills I will need to become a successful engineer as an executive. It will give me the necessary tools for communication and the necessary leadership skills to succeed in my life endeavours.  

Ch 41 dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ch 41 dis - Essay Example ence liable for payment of USD 473, 790.18 towards response costs out of the total response costs amounted to USD 1,302,290.18 (Antitrust Division 2003). The share of response payment cost towards Alcan was only 5% of the defendant pool. Furthermore, it seems that Alcans share of liability is distributed on a contributory basis (Antitrust Division 2003). The court further observed that determination of harm is indivisible and it will not frustrate the right of a defendant to seek fair share of response cost from other defendants, as the contribution proceeds is on equitable footing. The court permitted to allocate response cost amongst the responsible where the court has no discretion to determine division of response cost (Antitrust Division 2003). Antitrust Division. United States v. Alcan Inc., Alcan Aluminum Corp., Pechiney, S.A., and Pechiney Rolled Products, LLC; Complaint, Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement. Federal Registrar, 2003. Accessed 7 July 2012.

Marks & Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marks & Spencer - Essay Example Long after its competitors had started sourcing cheaper goods, M&S adhered to its ‘buy British’ policy (Mellahi, Jackson and Sparks, 2002). They believed that this was what its customers preferred. They also did not believe in any form of marketing. They only engaged in announcing new stores opening and never promoted the brand or its products. When a product range was not successful they merely sold it a discount. They did not accept credit cards for long time and launched its own in-house store card. They even did not venture into out-of-town retailing. Even when stuck with crisis, the management did not scan the environment and respond effectively to the environment. All their actions and decisions demonstrate that they wanted to remain isolated from the rest of the world, from the retail trends and from consumer expectations. M&S has also been criticized and faces legal issues for its attitude and behaviour towards its workers. The stores have a drab ambience and the ir product range has not been able to keep up with the trends. The retailer has not been able to keep to with the trends and hence competitors have very easily taken over this retailer (Ruddick, 2012). They have been stocking items that have been popular in the past without evaluating the current customer preferences. They have not been able to find the right formula that would appeal to its core customers as well as to the wider demographic in the UK. In addition, the retailer is experiencing stock management mistakes as a result of which the best items remain out of stock. All these have resulted in loss of market share in women’s wear. Its expenditure on marketing has also reduced. Another issue at M&S appears to be unclear organizational capability. A lot of new recruits have been taken in who have yet to familiarize themselves with what the M&S customers want. In addition, M&S has poor online and multichannel capability and a complex and inflexible supply chain (Ruddick, 2012). These factors suggest that M&S had become complacent and believed that customer loyalty that it enjoyed in the past would be sufficient to see them through tough times. However, it has been a lesson for other retailers as well, that with times retail trend has to change. The external environment has to be considered in all decisions to not merely survive but also to gain competitive advantage. Besides, the management must have the capability to evaluate situations and take corrective actions. What use does this organisation make of technology? Where do you think there may be a chance to improve in this area? M&S is making investments in technology to enhance its customer service delivery. For instance, it is investing ?100 million in in-store technology such as iPads for customer assistants and ?150 million on a new website (Ruddick, 2012), and ?2.4 billion on online offering (Ruddick, 2012a). The intention behind equipping the customer assistance with tablets is to improve its customer service, better integrate its customer service and also enable the customers to have access to a wider range of products (Baker, 2012). This would enable them to help customers buy products online that may not be available in-store. In addition, their free apps for iPads allows customers to shop for everything for home (M&S, 2013). M&S is also upgrading its RFID platform to include home good such as bedding, accessories and kitchenware (Violino, 2013). They will

Portfolio Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Portfolio Assessment - Assignment Example It first involves determining the actual existent state of a company of business. External and internal audits should be carried out to clearly bring out an understanding of an organization’s actual competency and the existing competitive environment. It will then become necessary to determine the most important goals for the company (Porter 2008, p. 89). Priorities should be set at this stage and it should be ensured that the strategic plan focuses on these priorities. Objectives should then be set in order to address any priority issues that may be existent. Accountabilities should then set so that communication becomes easier and the objectives are addressed at individual levels. The plan should then be reviewed over and over again due to the dynamic nature of the market. Strategic tools are the essential and most applied business solution tools that companies apply so as to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Innovations and new developments only become successful if the resulting products and services can sell well. These tools are instrumental in analyzing the existing market, be it a niche, so as to create opportunities for serving clients with a wide variety of products that are more competitive and adapted to a dynamic market development as compared to the other competitors. Some of these tools include Porter’s 5 forces Model, The BCG Matrix, The SWOT Matrix, and The 4 P’s of the Marketing mix, Life Cycle Analysis, Ansoff Matrix, Maslow’s Pyramid and the 7-S McKinsey method. All these strategies are aimed at analyzing different aspects and levels of existence in an organization (Simerson 2011, p. 123). As such, not all these tools are applicable to any situations, thereby their effectiveness is limited to specific si tuations. The political factors of analysis involve government controls and rules in the effort of the company to keep up with the Environmental and Corporate Social

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 15

Case Study Example First, the target to achieve higher scores in already flooded market by using the slogan ‘I will’. Creation of better products with continued innovation that accommodate variety of people enables the brand to stand out. Use of media and retail presentation also account for part of marketing strategy. Main distribution channels for the company have been through regional and national sporting whole sales, special stores, chain stores and institutions. Additionally, sales directly to customers also take place through factory stores in Asia and North America. Third parties produce fine fabrication for company and this production undergoes through collaborative check. Thus, the company ensures usage of only high quality fabrication in manufacturing of their products. Most of the products the company uses are advance technologically through the third parties or on short term to limited sources, which get them from limited suppliers. The third parties provide the company with technologically advanced fabrication used in production. These supplies take place through short term only from limited suppliers. Manufacturing of the products takes place through unaffiliated 14 companies in 65% of the products.Locations of the manufacturing companies are in Philippines, China, Malaysia, Jordan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia Nicaragua and Mexico. Management of the company inventory is through consideration of various factors, which include current orders, sales expectations and delivery requirement by the customers. By December 31 2013, the company had 117 factory houses and 6 brand stores in North America. Meeting customers’ demands form the basic strategy in inventory management that is a continuous process. System in inventory management enables the company to forecast and planning supply process. During the start of the company, funding for its operation came from the owner but growth and expansion of the business

Personal Philosophy of Student sucess Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Philosophy of Student sucess - Essay Example order to ensure that I earn more than a sheet of paper with a degree printed on it upon college graduation, I have set up some important guidelines so that my education, career, and life are set on the right track and a solid foundation. If a student sets off to college expecting professors to set his or her life’s course − whether we are talking values, career direction, or other goals − that student is playing a game of Russian roulette. Fortunately, I have been counseled at an early age to be accountable for my actions, and this is consistent with scholarly guidance being offered to college students today, which emphasizes that accepting personal responsibility for one’s actions is critical to achieving college success, (Downing 1). From this core value stem the ability to self-motivate, master self-management of one’s time and obligations, and establish interdependence – where one learns to give and receive essential information from others. Also, the power of choice to make wise decisions must be utilized (Downing 3), as one must use his or her cognitive skills to collect, organize, rehearse, and then evaluate information (Downing 16) before acting out. One barometer that I personally employ to gauge my personal choices is the Bible, which teaches me to â€Å"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil,† (The NIV Study Bible, Prov. 3.5-7). I can always fall back on wise teachings such as this in order to stay grounded on a moral track and rely on the timeless discernment that has shaped this nation for centuries − and the world for millennia. When striving to set more specific and short-term goals, I find it beneficial to focus on positive ways to adapt well to academic demands and campus life. Impeccable attendance in class is always a top priority of mine − there is a direct

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 15

Case Study Example First, the target to achieve higher scores in already flooded market by using the slogan ‘I will’. Creation of better products with continued innovation that accommodate variety of people enables the brand to stand out. Use of media and retail presentation also account for part of marketing strategy. Main distribution channels for the company have been through regional and national sporting whole sales, special stores, chain stores and institutions. Additionally, sales directly to customers also take place through factory stores in Asia and North America. Third parties produce fine fabrication for company and this production undergoes through collaborative check. Thus, the company ensures usage of only high quality fabrication in manufacturing of their products. Most of the products the company uses are advance technologically through the third parties or on short term to limited sources, which get them from limited suppliers. The third parties provide the company with technologically advanced fabrication used in production. These supplies take place through short term only from limited suppliers. Manufacturing of the products takes place through unaffiliated 14 companies in 65% of the products.Locations of the manufacturing companies are in Philippines, China, Malaysia, Jordan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia Nicaragua and Mexico. Management of the company inventory is through consideration of various factors, which include current orders, sales expectations and delivery requirement by the customers. By December 31 2013, the company had 117 factory houses and 6 brand stores in North America. Meeting customers’ demands form the basic strategy in inventory management that is a continuous process. System in inventory management enables the company to forecast and planning supply process. During the start of the company, funding for its operation came from the owner but growth and expansion of the business

Research Indicates Essay Example for Free

Research Indicates Essay Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any experiences we may have in our life. Every people in our life born with some parametrics, like health, mental power and another ones. Some people think that the initial characteristics influence on our development and personality. I agree with it, but I think that any experience in our life have more impact too. Let us consider it. First of all, people learn anything during whole life. When people born they learn how to eat, how to move, how to read, write and another. All of these depend on our life experience, not on our characteristics. Secondly, each time when we make mistake, we try to analyze why it happened and how to prevent mistakes like this. We are developing according our mistakes. Also, parents have greatest influence on their children personality as from the early ages they teach children every aspects of life. Parents explain to their children what is right, what is wrong. According to this, children develop their positive or negative worldview. Also person who has good characteristics will study, work hard and develop his experience it will influence his development in life. In conclusion, I believe that the life experience has a great influence on our character and the man is never too old to learn. Is your memory changing with age? People who believe they have a poor memory are usually no worse at remembering than whose who believe they have a good memory. One theory for this is that people are influenced by their general beliefs about how memory changes with age. If you believe your memory will get worse as you grow older, you will pay more attention to memory failures and each bout of forgetfulness will reinforce your belief that your memory is getting worse. Common everyday memory failures tend to be judged more harshly when these failures belong to an older person. A large scale study over a ten year period found that cognitive decline is not a normal part of aging for most elderly people. 70% of the adults in the study showed no decline in memory. What has been found is that there are factors that may affect memory in older adults. These are high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. Is your memory changing with age?

Benefits of Nanotechnology on Health and the Environment

Benefits of Nanotechnology on Health and the Environment Aleksandar Banic Abstract Nanotechnology is concerned with manipulating matter to near atomic scales between one and 100nm (nanometers-1 billionth of a meter). This technology has recently gained popularity due to its potential in altering the behaviour of individual molecules and has opened the door to new applications. Many researchers have pinpointed the potential risk of nanotechnology on the environment and on human health. This is due to the fact that the extremely small nanoparticles can penetrate into human cells. This paper aims at determining ways in which this new technology can benefit the environment and the state of people’s health. Typical expectations of functional paints and coatings include: durability, reproducibility, easy application and cost effectiveness, tailored surface morphology and environmental friendliness. Through the use of nanotechnology, these properties can be achieved; therefore inflicting less environmental damage and cost. Discussion As shown in figure 1 (refer to appendix), the list of benefits for paints containing nanoparticles is extensive. It is also apparent that nano titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the most common nanoparticles in both the paint and lacquer industries. The primary reason for this is its ability to make the paint more durable (refer to figure 2 for following references). The wavelength of the visible light spectrum ranges between 400 and 700nm, whereas TiO2 is much shorter (200-350nm). This property renders the coating transparent and more aesthetically pleasing whilst also allowing UV absorption smaller wavelength means more energy. Therefore, when moving from left to right in figure 2, the different types of radiation become increasingly destructive. During UV radiation, UV photons can cause ionization, where electrons break away from atoms and this vacancy affects chemical properties. As a result, the paint could begin to flake, otherwise known as ‘chalking’ where it is th en washed away into the environment (1)(2)(3). Nano TiO2 coating serves to prevent this and is therefore considered to be an advantage to the environment. As durability is increased, the longevity of the paint does likewise and therefore, the rate of production is lowered. This means that energy and resource outputs are decreased, thus benefiting the environment once more. Figure 2: electromagnetic spectrum image displaying frequency and wavelength. Also highlights visible spectrum (3) One of the most advantageous characteristics of nanoparticle paints and coatings is their self-cleansing property. Nano scale titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the most often employed nanoparticle that exhibits this property. As TiO2 is photo catalytic, when illuminated with an ultraviolet (UV) source (e.g. sunlight) in the presence of water, valence electrons are transferred into the conduction band of TiO2 and then react with oxygen. Super oxide radicals result. These photo-produced radicals are powerful oxidizing species and can cause the deterioration of organic contaminants or microbial pieces on the particle surface. Furthermore, nano TiO2 is super-hydrophilic, i.e. the entire surface attracts and spreads water out into a thin film (4). Therefore, water and rainfall easily wash away contaminants when the coating is applied on an exterior surface. Figure 3: Hydrophilic coating (right) with TiO2on float glass for comparative purposes. Notice how right side is spread out thinly to cover as much surface as possible. This allows for a more consistent cleaning (4). Self-cleaning surfaces can decrease the amount of cleaning required. In the case of industrial cleaning in particular it can reduce labour costs and extend a materials durability. Lower energy costs and less use of cleaning detergents are expected to be the primary environmental benefits (5). In fact, nano TiO2 was proven to achieve the following: Reduction in re-paint material consumption by over 75% Reduction in labour and energy costs by 50% In summary, the photo catalytic and hydrophilic features of nano T (Environmental Protection Agency , 2015)iO2 result in the benefit of self-cleaning. When compared to that of standard paints, this is also beneficial to the environment whilst also being more cost effective. In addition, paints coated in nano TiO2 have also managed to reduce surface pollution. Paint which photocleans the air of automobile-produced nitrogen oxides (NOx) is currently under heavy promotion. NOx are formed during the combustion process when nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) are present at elevated temperatures. They also serve as key precursors for ozone and this can lead to numerous health effects as outlined in the figure below. Figure 4: The relationship between the severity of the effect and the proportion of the population experiencing the effect can be presented as a pyramid. Many individuals experience the least serious, most common effects shown at the bottom. Fewer individuals experience the more severe effects such as hospitalization or death; however, they are still possibilities especially after prior health issues or prolonged exposure (6). In the presence of sunlight, TiO2 nanoparticles in the paint, form hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals, which then react with NOx in the air to produce nitric acid. This reacts further with calcium carbonate in the paint matrix to generate minute quantities of calcium nitrate, water, and carbon dioxide (CO2). Calcium nitrate is especially useful as a fertilizer; therefore it is not harmful to the environment. And although CO2 is considered a greenhouse gas, it is nontoxic (7)(8). Figure 5: graph compares the surface area covered by anatase (one of the three forms of TiO2) to the % of NOx removed from that vicinity. Eventually it will plateau as the production of NOx will be no longer be able to reduce by more than is being created (7) In an experiment, a 4,100m2 wall was subjected to paint containing TiO2 nanoparticles. Results showed that each square meter could remove 80g of NOx from the atmosphere per year. Furthermore, NOx levels in the vicinity of the wall were compared to that of other areas of the city and a 57% decrease was found. It can be concluded from this information that health effects would also be lowered proportionally (8). As the effects of nano TiO2 particles in paint are evidently advantageous, it supports the statement that in general, the positives of nanoparticles outweigh the negatives. If nanoparticles are firmly imbedded within a coating matrix, current risk assessments conclude that the probability of a harmful impact on the environment is very low. However, nanoparticles may be released as a result of weathering on the coating matrix. An investigation conducted in 2010, has shown that very small amounts of TiO2 (between 20 and 300nm in size) are released by house paints due to weathering. They can then enter the soil via rainwater drains. As stated previously, the photocatalytic activities of TiO2 are able to produce oxygen radicals. They are in fact toxic for aquatic organisms. However, the release of nanoparticles into the environment can be reduced or prevented if nanomaterials and coatings are designed accordingly. Regardless of the fact that surface coatings which contain firmly embedded nanoparticles currently pose a minute risk to the health of users and consumers, special attention is required for those that manufacture nanoparticulate raw materials. (4) (9) (Chang)Nevertheless, there are currently no known long-term health effects as a result of nanoparticle paint, and the short-term effects are easily reduced or prevented when safety measures are taken accordingly. Although possible health and environmental effects may exist, they are unsupported and easily outweighed by the positives of nanoparticle paints. Conclusion Several advantages for nanoparticles used in paint and lacquer have been focused on throughout this paper. Although many more are possible as outlined in figure 1 (appendix), it is evident from the properties of UV absorption, self-cleansing and NOx reduction alone, that it overcomes the unfounded negative impacts. In fact, the only undesirable aspect is the danger that nanoparticles could inflict upon the appliers and manufacturers. However, there is very little supporting evidence and can therefore not be used as a counter argument for the use of nanoparticle paints. It is important that the public understands how beneficial this technology is they would be doing themselves and the environment a great disservice. Bibliography Wick, P. (2012). Nanoparticles in paints: A new strategy to protect faà §ades and surfaces? . International Conferences on Safe Production and Use of Nanomaterials , 10. Popov, A. (2008). TiO2 NANOPARTICLES AS UV PROTECTORS. UNIVERSITATIS OULUENSIS. OULUN YLIOPISTO. New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Electromagnetic Spectrum. Retrieved May 4, 2015, from New World Encyclopedia: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Electromagnetic_spectrum Nanotechnology solutions for self-cleaning, dirt and water-repellent coatings . (2011, January 11). Retrieved May 4, 2015, from Nano Werk: http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=19644.php Environmental Protection Agency . (2015, January 31). Health Effects of Ozone in the General Population. Retrieved May 5, 2015, from Ozone and Your Patients Health Training for Health Care Providers: http://www.epa.gov/apti/ozonehealth/population.html Dalton, J. (2002). Photocatalytic oxidation of NOx gases using TiO2: a surface spectroscopic approach. Elsevier . Bendak, S. (2010). Potential Environmental and Health Benefits of Nanotechnology. Journal of Materials Science and Engineering , 4 (1), 2. Joseph, R. (2011). Nanotechnology-A New Prospective in Organic Coating Review. International Journal of Chemical Engineering and Applications , 2 (4). Chang, X. Health effects of exposure to nano-TiO2: a meta-analysis of experimental studies. Nanjing : Springer . Appendix Figure 1: above table states the various advantages of nanoparticle paints and coatings along with their respective nanomaterial and industrial branch (1) Bibliography (Popov, 2008) (New World Encyclopedia) (Nanotechnology solutions for self-cleaning, dirt and water-repellent coatings Read more: Nanotechnology solutions for self-cleaning, dirt and water-repellent coatings , 2011) (Wick, 2012)

E-Retailing: Selling Products on the Web :: Expository Essays Research Papers

E-Retailing: Selling Products on the Web Retail is one of the more visible market sectors on the Web. In retail, merchants sell products and services directly to a buyer. E-retail, also called e-tail, occurs when retailers use the Web to sell their products and services (Sanchez 16). E-retailers constantly challenge the old ways of conducting business as they bring new products and services to market. All e-retailers, however, operate in a similar manner. A customer (consumer) visits an online business at the Web equivalent of a showroom: the electronic storefront. An electronic storefront, also called an online catalog is the Web site where an e-retailer displays its products. 1[1] It contains descriptions, graphics, and sometimes product reviews. After browsing through the merchandise, the customer makes a selection. This activates a second area of the store known as the shopping cart. The shopping cart is a software component on the Web that allows the customer to collect purchases. Items in the cart can be added, deleted, or even saved for a future visit. When ready to complete the sale, the customer proceeds to the checkout. At this time, the customer enters personal and financial data through a secure Internet connection. Then, the e-retailer processes the order and sends it to the fulfillment center where it is packaged and shipped. The e-retailer notifies the bank of the shipment; and payment is sent via electronic channels to the e-retailer. Inventory systems are updated. Shipping information is posted on the Web, so the customer can track the order. The customer typically receives the order a few days after the purchase. (Microsoft Word 2002 Project). E-retailing presents a new way to shop. The store is open 24 hours a day. With a few clicks of the mouse, consumers can compare prices easily. The key rule for purchasing online is the same as for traditional purchases. That is, the best consumer is the best-informed consumer.

Feminist Criticism of Vice-presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech

Feminist Criticism of Vice-presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech Women began taking on political roles over a century ago as they fought for the right to be recognized within the governmental system in the United States. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was added to the Constitution which gave women the right to vote. Since then, women have made leaps and bounds within the political sphere. However, these expansive steps were not taken easily. Constant negotiation is necessary for women in political positions. Women must negotiate between identities, values, and ideologies in order to achieve political status. Women are constantly negotiating identities between spaces and battling stereotypes based on â€Å"a presupposed particular set of social arrangements respecting male and female sexual and reproductive relations which was assumed to be ‘natural’† (Clark 168). This division creates a public and private sphere â€Å"by articulating one set of rules for the private sphere and another set, quite different, for the public sphere (168). Traditionally, the public sphere is viewed as the sphere for men and the private is where women belong (Wischermann 185). Gender dichotomies cause the â€Å"marking of the private sphere as ‘woman’s realm,’ in which work is performed out of love, and [reflect] on the way boundaries between the private and public are drawn in the context of patriarchal power structures† (185). Women, therefore, have been limited to the private sphere which focuses on family and home. This limitation for women often dictates their behavior and frequently dictates the political platforms of women who enter politics (185). Throughout the Women’s Movement, women strived â€Å"to characterize the private as also... ...therhoos and Political Involvement: The Construction of Gender and Political Identities.† Feminism and Psychology. 2000: 486-491. Clark, Lorenne M. G. â€Å"Women and the State: Critical Theory- Oasis or Desert Island?.† Canadian Journal of Women and the Law. 1992: 166-. Coletti, Elisabetta. â€Å"Geraldine Ferraro.† Christian Science Monitor. September 1999: 23-. English, Leona M. â€Å"Negotiations in Third Space.† The Journal of the Britain and Ireland School of Feminist Theology. September 2004. 97-. Farrell, Thomas J. â€Å"The Female and Male Modes of Rhetoric.† College English. April 1979: 909-921. Fox, Richard L. and Schuhmann, Robert A. â€Å"Gender and the Role of the City Manager.† Social Science Quarterly. June 2000: 605-. Wischermann, Ulla. â€Å"Feminist Theories on the Separation of the Private and the Public: Looking Back, Looking Forward.† Women in German. 2004: 184-.

Culture and Love Essay

The concept of love is perhaps of the widely defined and yet loosely given that concrete meaning. This is due to the fact that there are many ways that people define what love is in as much as there are many ways that people can show love. One of the strongest influences on love is culture. The way we show love can depend on our culture so that how we reciprocate love is also dictated by culture. Indeed, love and culture has defined meaning to each other and have, in many ways certain connectivity that adds meaning to each other. This is the reason why, the culture of love in many countries differ from each other. There would always be distinct features of love and of culture that define love in these countries. For example, in an article by Nevitt entitled, â€Å"Art and Culture of Love in Seventeenth-Century Holland†, he defined how the culture of love was during the seventeenth century in Holland by examining texts and artworks that described how love was manifested during that time, including courtship and how love is manifested. The concept of courtship is perhaps one that differs from one culture to the other. This is true because as one culture believes in the concept and importance of courtship, others simply do not. Nevitt interpreted these works which according to him show â€Å"how they both reflect and shaped the experience of love†. The thing portrayed in the paintings for example, is taken in the â€Å"context of the contemporary culture of love which manifested itself in the social practices of courtship and in a variety of amatory texts† (Nevitt). These paintings are very significant as it would have no inspiration for its contents if there would be no true meaning to it as shown and seen in the community that shower each other with love. Work Cited Nevitt, Rodney. â€Å"Art and the Culture of Love in Seventeenth-Century Holland. † 24 June 2009 .

Milliron’s Privacy was Invaded by Face Recognition Technology

Rob Milliron, a construction worker, was enjoying his lunch in an entertainment area of Tampa, Florida, when a government camera equipped with face recognition technology took his photograph. The photo was used without Milliron’s consent in an article published in the U. S. News & World Report. When a woman in Oklahoma misidentified Milliron after seeing that photo and contacted the police department to have him arrested on child neglect charges, the man in the picture was forced to explain his innocence to law enforcement agencies. He told a newspaper once his explanation had been accepted: â€Å"They made me feel like a criminal† (Alexander & Richert-Boe). This case raises ethical concerns regarding governmental use of facial recognition surveillance. Although common use of this technology is yet to be realized in the United States, its future in areas of security and public safety appears rather promising. However, as Milliron’s case shows, there is an issue of legality that federal statutes have not yet addressed with reference to face recognition surveillance. In order to understand the legality of face recognition technology, we have to bring into consideration the Fourth Amendment (Bennett, 2001). The United States Supreme Court held in Katz v. United States that the Fourth Amendment would afford constitutional protection in those areas in which an individual reasonably expects privacy. For a private or public space to be recognized as one that is outside the bounds of search, both the individual occupying the space as well society must recognize privacy interest in the space in question. Courts allow the use of video surveillance only in places where people do not have reasonable expectations of privacy. These places may include sidewalks as well as public streets, workplaces in addition to entertainment areas (Bennett). Because Milliron should not have expected privacy in the public area he occupied, the fact that government cameras took his photograph cannot be considered unethical. Benett writes that â€Å"[c]ourts have found repeatedly that warrantless video surveillance of public areas does not violate the Fourth Amendment, and it seems likely that courts will take the same approach toward public surveillance systems incorporating facial recognition software† (164). This is true despite the fact that facial recognition technology is marked by an unreasonable privacy invasion, and â€Å"all individuals in the camera’s path are subject to a police lineup† (Kasindorf, 2001). Bennett’s claim that face recognition technology would not have a conflict with the Fourth Amendment is based on the fact that the new technology does not involve the kind of physical intrusion, such as the drawing of blood or the taking of urine samples that the Fourth Amendment’s searches involve. Moreover, the Supreme Court has maintained that new technological devices that enhance the senses of law enforcement are entirely constitutional. The Supreme Court has further held that observations using technologies such as biometrics are made in areas where the police have a clear right to be present. Such observations are a part of plain view surveillance that may also be performed without the technology in question. Finally, it has been maintained that no technology may be considered an intrusion where the lack of the technology poses a threat to the security of the people (Bennett). Although this line of reasoning is entirely acceptable, the fact remains that Milliron’s photograph was used without his consent. His subsequent experience with the photo was uncomfortable enough to refer to the publishing of the photo as misuse of information on the part of the government. It was an invasion of Milliron’s privacy to publish the photo without his consent. So, even though the government is correct to use face recognition surveillance in public places for security reasons, it should vow never to misuse the information it gathers thus for security reasons alone. Milliron and other members of the general public should be asked whether they would agree to have their photos published with the caption, â€Å"You can’t hide those lying eyes in Tampa,† as did Milliron’s photo in the U. S. News & World Report (Alexander & Richert-Boe). Clearly, the government should be held as a lawbreaker if it takes photographs for security reasons and publishes them for other reasons.

Melencolia I

Finkelstein’s â€Å"The relativity of Albrecht Dà ¼rer† offers an intensely scientific, geometric, linguistic and analytical interpretation of the engraving Melencolia I. With the help of research done earlier by such scholars as Erwin Panofsky and Frances Yates, Finkelstein explores the hidden dimensions of a piece of artwork and uncovers ideas that had before hardly been considered. Drawing on the fact that Dà ¼rer was a mathematician as well as an artist, Finkelstein makes several predictions about the content of the work and systematically offers rather logical progressions that identify the predictions as plausible. He makes one disclaimer: â€Å"We do not look for deep philosophical secrets in this engraving as much as for insights into Dà ¼rer’smind and times† (2005, p. 4). This demonstrates Finkelstein’s knowledge that his analysis of the work of a dead artist can amount only to very convincing conjecture. He is cognizant that such a work can offer only insight rather than uncovering of secrets that can be said to have been definitively hidden by the artist. The insight apparently gained by Finkelstein is itself manifold, but primarily demonstrates the idea of relativism within this art by denoting the importance of perspective to an artist and especially to one who was also as much a scientist as Dà ¼rer. Secondarily, Finkelstein sets out to identify the Melencolia I as a portrait of the Dà ¼rer family. Finkelstein does find a great deal of cogent evidence indicating that Dà ¼rer indeed intended meaning beyond the mere surface of the etching. The mysterious aspect of the work, he reveals, is explained by the necessity during that time to be secretive in displaying anything that had to do with the â€Å"new† sciences or with hermetics. Within the image of the polyhedron Finkelstein notes the presence of two faces. These are hidden from immediate view, and the presence of hidden faces in other works by Dà ¼rer indicates that this vision is not imagination. The visions are of a woman and man, and closely fit the images of previous works done by Dà ¼rer of his father and mother. The significance of his parents in an etching ostensibly about melancholy appears odd, yet an even more obscure hidden figure found by Finkelstein points to Dà ¼rer himself. These three figures together appear to make Melencolia I the bearer of a family portrait. The idea of Dà ¼rer’s family being a large part of the subject matter of the work is revealed again in the presence of two rebuses in the Dà ¼rer coat-of-arms and another in the engraving itself. The initials A.D. appear under the year 1514—which seems to be a play on the Anno Domini interpretation of that initialism. The Durer coat-of-arms is itself an overt reference to his family and it contains at its centre a picture of an open gate sitting on a cloud. Cross-referencing between the Latin root for burin (a chisel and a figure seen in the coat-of-arms) uncovers a connection between the ideas â€Å"I chisel† and â€Å"heaven.† Finkelstein reads this (along with the picture of the open gates) as Limen Caelo or â€Å"gateway to heaven† (2005, p. 8). This nomenclature is connected to his families name via some linguistic changes that render Dà ¼rer a German representation of door or gate. Further investigation leads to the interpretation of a magic square (which can be seen in the engraving) as a further reference to a member of the Dà ¼rer family, namely the artist himself. Finkelstein relies on the phenomenon of the Greek alphabet that renders to each letter a corresponding number. The name Albrecht Dà ¼rer contains letters (numbers) that sum to 135, whereas the magic square contains numbers that sum to 136. This, Finkelstein notices, might be taken to mean 135 + 1—with the numeral 1 being in reference to God (not an unusual reference at the time). Upon looking further at the magic square, the numeral 1 does seem set off from the others by being unquestionably larger. Other messages are uncovered in this work by Finkelstein. He uncovers meanings in the images of the bat, the putto (cherub), the angel, the ladder et cetera. One striking message is in the title of the piece itself—which seems to refer to melancholy, yet spells the word incorrectly in every known language. Previous study of the bat done by Finkelstein had discredited any idea that Dà ¼rer considered melancholy a worthy topic—and it might be seen that the â€Å"gates of heaven† ideas uncovered before are far from melancholy. Finkelstein considers â€Å"melencolia† to be an anagram for Limen Caelo, and this can be easily verified. The research paper points out very detailed aspects of Melencolia I that indicate it indeed possible that the work is a portrait of the Dà ¼rer family. The fact that the idea of the bat can be turned to mean that Albrecht Dà ¼rer discredits melancholy proves to be a small and negligible idea. However, when coupled with Finkelstein’s other numerological and linguistic manipulations, the evidence seems alarmingly convincing. It seems hardly likely that a magic square that has been concocted to add to 34 would also spontaneously find all its numbers adding to 135 + 1. However, two questions arise: How could Dà ¼rer have made such a square fulfil so many requirements at once? What could the number 34 mean? Finkelstein does not address the meaning of 34—an omission that serves somewhat to undermine his work’s accuracy, as it demonstrates a lack of thoroughness. However, his position might be restored if it is considered that perhaps 34 actually means nothing at all and that the numbers of Jupiter’s Table were manipulated specifically and solely for the purpose of coming up with the 135 + 1 total on Dà ¼rer’s Table. These ideas render believable again the ideas presented by Finkelstein that the etching represents Dà ¼rer’s family portrait. Finkelstein also asserts the theory that Dà ¼rer’s etching is a symbolic reference to relativism. First Finkelstein establishes the relativistic condition that his own perspective of viewing the piece had changed, as he no longer sees it as an expression of melancholy. Finkelstein then demonstrates that his perspective does render the meaning of the painting as malleable as speed does time. The fact that Finkelstein is able to attach such an impressively argued alternate interpretation of the piece is a strong point in favour of the idea of relativism. For example, he analyses the angel within the engraving, and this analysis does well at undergirding the idea of relativity. Though many before have taken the serious countenance of the angel to mean that she represents melancholy, Finkelstein’s scrutiny points out (among other things) that the angle at which the angels eyes are inclined indicates that her own â€Å"perspective† does not lead her toward melancholic thoughts. Nor can her melancholy be considered the creative type, Finkelstein continues, as she is not involved in any creative activity. Rather, her eyes lead toward the realm of the heavens—focused on nothing within the frame itself, but beyond. Finkelstein’s analysis seems plausible, and again this is especially true because of his earlier discovery of multiple references to the gateway of heaven. It is also quite noteworthy that the angel is looking out (that is, appears contemplative rather than sad). References to the contemporary division of â€Å"the world under God into three concentric spheres, roughly Terrestrial, Celestial, and Intellectual,† as well as to three spheres of thought, unites contemplation with the heavens (Finkelstein, 2005, p. 10). Therefore, Finkelstein sets the stage for making a convincing case for the angel to be contemplative rather than depressed. However, Finkelstein’s position that the angel could not be experiencing creative melancholy seems a little precarious. He bases it on an assumption that she is far from her creative tools—yet she does seem to be holding something that could be a pencil or other writing apparatus. Plus, execution of art cannot be the only stage in which creativity takes place, as the thoughts that give rise to this execution are perhaps the nuclei of such artistic creativity. Therefore, despite the angle of her eyes, the angel could very well still be in a creatively melancholic mood. Finkelstein emphasises polymorphism also as evidence of relativity within Dà ¼rer’s work. He shows this polymorphism to be evident in many of the images within the piece, and brings out their alternative meaning through connections to physics. The images of the potto and the angel, for instance, flank the image of a scale. This instrument touches each lightly with apparently the same amount of force and is balanced between them. The potto might represent the artisan (mere craftsman) whose works is corporeal, and the angel represent the artistic or heavenly quality of the artist. In pointing out that the scale touches them equally, Finkelstein identifies the idea that the physical and intellectual aspects of art are equal. However, he makes the point more strongly in his reference to the works of other artists, researchers, and scientists of the past. These works strengthen his own by asserting also â€Å"a balance between the worlds above and below, the Intellectual and Terrestrial spheres represented by the angel and the putto† (Finkelstein, 2005, p. 16). Then Finkelstein caps this idea with a reference to earlier interpretations of the equation e = mc2, which likens energy to the â€Å"immaterial realm of forces† while mass represents â€Å"the material realm of bodies† (Finkelstein, 2005, p. 16). Though the paper was extremely well researched, a few areas exist in which it might have been more convincing. The explanation of the meaning of the magic square might have included an acknowledgement of the areas in which the author had no interpretation for some of its variables. This is especially true for the number 34, which does represent the most important number of that particular magic square, according to the established method for interpreting such a square. Other parts of the interpretations appear to be very far-fetched and exaggerated, such as the existence of facial images in the polyhedron, which I have not been able to see. Another reference is to a nebulous union of the Star of David (seen within the polyhedron) and Dà ¼rer’s supposed incorporation of a Jewish theme. Why Finkelstein includes this is unclear, as any connection between the star and Jews would be (as he admits) anachronistic. Plus, the significance of Judaism to the painting is not made very clear. It would perhaps have been better to have omitted this or to have made the connections clearer. David R. Finkelstein’s critique and interpretation of Dà ¼rer’s Melencolia I does present a very cogent (albeit philosophical) view of the etching as a representation of art’s relativity. Even if Finkelstein has not succeeded in proving conclusively that Durer’s intention was to portray this idea, the methods and approaches that Finkelstein uses to interpret the engraving strongly corroborate this idea. He does succeed in demonstrating that the etchings might be viewed as a portrait of the Dà ¼rer family, and his other efforts (in which he utilizes scientific, linguistic, and other analytical devices) at interpreting the different images within the whole work help to make Finkelstein’s critique an interesting and convincing one. Despite this, he does present some far-fetched theories that serve to undermine the cogency (and indeed the scientific reliability) of his argument. However, considering the subject matter (art), what Finkelstein does accomplish is impressive. Reference Finkelstein, David R. (2005). The Relativity of Albrecht Dà ¼rer. School of Physics, Georgia   Institute of Technology. Atlanta.