CRJS350(5) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CRJS350(5) - Research Paper Example There was a crowd of onlookers a few meters away from the building and the Department store was still swallowed upin flames. Following his initial investigations, the Battalion fire chief informed me of his initial findings as outlined below. According to the Battalion Chief, there were about one hundred people in the group of onlookers around the building. In addition, he reported that he and his team found three cans of gas containers made out of plastic, all of which he presented me with at the scene.These cans each had an equal capacity of three gallons and all of them had remnants of a substance that smelled like gasoline. Furthermore, all of the cans had their spouts attached on them, though none of them was still capped. In this regard, one of my investigators took the three cans as evidence for further investigation. The battalion chief related that the fire had three points of origin. One point of origin is upstairs in the rear warehouse section, one in the upstairs ladiesâ €™clothing department, and one downstairs in the side entrance of the store where the outdoor and garden section is located. It is clearly an arson fire. The battalion chief further informed me that his team was able to contain the fire in about 45 minutes, and he released the scene shortly after that. I was aware, from local media sources that this scene was one of the 6,000 stores in the United States, and they are very successful. TheNevanon Discount Department store was two stories high and has a customer elevator in the front of the store and a freight elevator in the rear. I was also aware that this chain of stores has had employee relationship problems—specifically with gender inequality—and recently laid off 18 women for complaining. Identification and interview of witnesses The actions that can be taken pertaining to the crowd of onlookers that helped identify the offender included interviewing various groups of peopleto get all the necessary background in formation to establish whether the fire was accidental or incendiary (Munday, 1995).  In order to identify and interview the witnesses to the incidents, two actions I took two actions as follows. Firstly, I Contacted the Battalion Chief, identified the first first-in firefighters and responder, as well as documented their observations through interviews. Secondly, I identified the individual who reported the fire, the owner of the building (manager), the last person in the building just before the incident and one person who witnessed the fire, from the onlookers. I interviewed them and got the information from them about what transpired before, during and after the building caught fire, respectively (Quintiere, 1997). Scene security The two areas that I checked to ensure the scene could be searched safely included the normal entry points and the possible entry points for the potential suspect, as well as other ventilation points, including windows. This is because, it was necessa ry to know which points my team and I could use to move in and out of the building without destroying evidence (Hitt, 2000). Secondly, I evaluated the scene for safety hazards like smoke levels and structural collapse. This is because smoke contains carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas, which are very lethal gases and may result into serious respiratory problems, and possibly death, within few minutes after continuous

English commentary creative writing Essay Example for Free

English commentary creative writing Essay I based the beginning of my story on a physical but also mental journey a man goes on while he is on his own hitchhiking home. I felt this was suitable for the topic journeys and pilgrimages which also liked in with the book Chaucer. As it is the beginning of a story the audience could really be any age. As it is a piece to entertain I would say it is suited better for the young. The purpose of my story was to entertain people, but also informing people about how one man is able to hitchhike. In order for me to write a story about hitchhiking I had to do some research into the topic. I found a book called round Ireland with a fridge by Tony Hawks which really inspired me and helped me grasp the language technique to use in order to entertain. To think in with Chaucer and the way he writes I have used stereotypes in my writing, for example I have does the typical blond as being stupid and naive. I have also used the idea about how the people in Chaucer went on a journey. The man I write about goes on a journey by himself from Lancashire back to Bristol, in which he also finds himself and learns a lot more about the world around him. I wanted to portray the man as a typical Bristol lad, with a slight arrogant edge. In order to do this I had to use a slight sarcastic tone of voice which I hoped would also entertain the readers. I also used phonetic lexis to help create an idiolect of the man. I used a Bristol accent and changed words like alright to ite and also ya instead of you. Which changing his dialect to fit his accent I also done this with other characters in the story, for example the Yorkshire girl he meets. For instance when she says Wheor are yee headin creates a sense of her accent to the readers. The language I used was very informal and personal. It was from the point of view from a man writing himself so the tone was very calm but at times comical. The structure was the usual story telling layout, with several small and large paragraphs, with a wide range of short sentences to add emotion and feeling to the man. Okay, maybe not.(after a line about wanting to fulfil his life) is an example of the idiolect I used from him, and shows the way he comes across as a simple man but with a funny entertaining side. I also linked my writing to The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I did this by using the disaster of the father in the road as a starting point of describing the man and his journey hitchhiking with so little and all by himself.

Death as a Major Player in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet

Death as a Major Player Death plays a key role in Romeo and Juliet. During the story, six deaths occur that fashion Shakespeare’s publication into the calamity that’s known around the world. Each death pushes the story forward continuously, leading to the finale where the two lovers die due to love and hate from both feuding families. Mercutio, the joker and comic relief of the play, dies first and foremost. Tybalt spies Romeo at Lord Capulet’s extravaganza and vows to continue his fighting match by saying: â€Å"I will withdraw; but this intrusion shall, Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall† (I, V, 93-95) Determined to duel with Romeo, in Act Three, Scene 1, he challenges the Montague but Romeo declines fighting with his brother-in-law, saying: â€Å"I do protest I never injured thee, But love thee better than thou canst devise† (III, 1,67-68), His statement means he doesn’t want to cause Tybalt any harm but would rather leave the scene. Mercutio steps in for Romeo, Romeo comes between them, and Tybalt’s sword stabs Mercutio when Romeo was holding Mercutio back. As Mercutio lays wounded and waiting for a surgeon, he blames Romeo for his injury saying, â€Å"Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.† (III, I, 103-105) Soon following, Romeo learns that Mercutio is dead by Benvolio who says: â€Å"O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead! That gallant spirit haths aspired the clouds, Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.† (III, I, 118 – 120) Romeo, enraged at the killing of one of his dearest friends, challenges Tybalt to a fight for revenge, saying: â€Å"Now Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio’s soul Is but a little way above our heads, Staying for thine to keep him company. Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.† (III, I, 127 – 131) Tybalt takes up the challenge and the Capulet falls to the ground, dead by Romeo’s sword. Benvolio tells everyone including the Prince what has happened later saying: â€Å"There lies the man, (Tybalt) slain by young Romeo, That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.† (III, I, 146 – 147)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With Romeo banished and Juliet acting as if she was dead in the Capulet family tomb, Paris comes to her grave to mourn the loss of his fiancee. On the path of the family tomb, he spots a torch and puts his own out to listen the stranger, saying:

Economics :: essays papers

Economics2 CLASSICAL THEORY -The classical theory of employment is grounded in Say’s Law, the classical interest rate mechanism, and downwardly flexible prices and wages. -The aggregate supply curve is vertical at the full-employment level of output; the aggregate demand curve is stable if the money supply is constant. -Government macroeconomic policies are unnecessary and counter-productive; automatic, built-in mechanisms provide for full-employment output. KEYNESIAN THEORY -Keynesian analysis unlinks saving and investment plans and discredits downward price-wageflexibility, implying that changes in aggregate spending, output, and employment, are likely. -The aggregate supply curve is horizontal; the aggregate demand curve is unstable largely because of the volatility of investment. -Active macroeconomic policies by government are necessary to mitigate recessions or deppressions. -Say’s Law is the disarming notion that the very act of producing goods generates an amount of income exactly equal to the value of the goods produced. -Supply creates its own demand. -Saving would constitute a leakage in the income-expenditure flows and would undermine the ffective operation of Say’s Law. -Saving is a withdrawal of funds from the income stream which will cause consumption expenditures to fall short of total output. -Investment spending by businesses is a supplement to the income-expenditure stream which may fill any consumption gaparising from saving. -Keynesian economics hold that there ar etwo other sources of funds which can be made available in the money market: 1)the accumulated money balances, 2)lending institutions. -The Keynesian position is that saving and investment plans can be at odds and thereby can result in fluctuations in total output, total income, employment, and the pricelevel. -The amount of goods and service produced and therefore the level of employment depend directly on the level of total or aggregate expenditures. -A consumption schedule indicates the various amounts households plan to consume at various possible levels of disposable income which might prevail at some specific point in time. -Because disposable income equals consumption plus saving (DI=C+S) you need only subtract consumption from disposable income to find the amount saved at each level of DI. -Break-even income is the level at which households consume their entire income. -APC= consumption/ income -APS= saving / income -APC + APS= 1 -MPC= change in consumption/ change in income -MPS= change in saving / change in income -MPC + MPS = 1 -Nonincome determinants of Consumption and Saving are wealth, price level, expectation, consumer indebtedness, taxation. -Consumption spending and saving both rise when disposable income increases; they fall when disposable income decrases. -The average propensity to consume is the fraction of any given level of disposable income which is consumed; the average propensity to save is the fraction of any given level of disposable income which is saved.

Drinking culture in Korea Essay

Despite the economic down turn, Korean consumers are still ardent drinkers. The drinking culture in Korea are favourable towards on-trade channels, as drinking is considered an important social activity. Alcoholic drinks are an important accompaniment to events ranging from orientation program in universities to company dinners and welcoming parties for new employees or farewell parties, as well as birthdays, weddings and funerals. 11 There is a unique and peculiar drinking custom in Korea. When Koreans drink alcohol with someone older than them, they are extremely cautious when pouring the alcohol. It is important not make the senior’s glass over flow, but more importantly It is important to use two hands when you are pouring the alcohol. This shows respect and a token of admiration, and this custom is applied to every case in Korea. For example you should submit you coursework with two hands to your teacher. 12 Koreans on occasion will exchange glasses. When somebody offers liquor with his glass, the drink should be drunk straight away and offer more liquor with the glass. Drinkers tend to serve one another rather than have the drinks poured by a bartender. 13 South Korea has a well-known reputation for having the most dangerous drinking culture in the world. A night out in town with Korean businessmen can entail some serious culture shocks, as Koreans are well known for the alcohol tolerance. Drinking plays a big part in the Korean culture as it helps build trust and deepen relationships. It is believe that alcohol is an invaluable social lubricant. There are also well known drinking games in Korea amongst the young generation. The latest report from by the â€Å"Korean Institutes for Heath and Social Affairs† shows that the average adult male in Korea drinks about 11 days out of the month and women four. 14 This suggests that there is a strong drinking culture in Korea and that it is integrated into every aspect of their lives some way or another. Domestic reports show that in 2002, an average Korean drank 59 bottles of Soju, 86 bottles of beer and 1. 3 bottles of whisky annually. Consumer expenditure on alcoholic drinks had an overall increase throughout the late 1990’s through to the 2003. 2003 started with a gloomy outlook for the South Korean economy. Most economist report low consumer sentiments and affected alcoholic drinks in a varying manner. 29 Whisky imports have fallen by 30%; this may be due to the continuation of Korea’s economic slump. In June Korea imported $15. 76 million (approx i 9. 3) worth of whisky, however in May it imported $20. 7million (approx i 12. 17). It is the first time that whisky imports have marked a double-digit fall since July 2001. According to industry experts, the reduction in imports resulted in a drop in consumption of premium whisky due the slow moving economy. Many companies have instructed their employees not to go to expensive bars when they meet their clients. â€Å"Whisky consumption responds to business fluctuations† an official at the commerce, Industry and energy Ministry Said â€Å"diminishing whisky imports are likely to continue for the time being†. Whisky consumption has fallen over four successive months, from January to April, for the first time since the 1997 financial crisis. 30 As a result there has been an increase in Soju consumption and a decline in whisky consumption. This can be seen from the quantity of whisky actually delivered into Korea, which fell by 50% from March to April. Soju on the other hand increase its sales with 16% during the same period. 32 33 South Korea’s whisky consumption is a barometer of how confident the country’s 48 million people re feeling about their economy. All foods and beverages imported into Korea are subject to inspections by the Ministry of Health and Welfare/food quantitative division. There are two types of food and beverage inspections: a detailed chemical analysis test and visual/document inspection. Korean-language labels must include the following: name of the product; country of origin; type of product; importers name, address and telephone number; business licence number of importer; expiration date; alcohol percentage and volume; name and volume of ingredients by percentage; name of place where the product can be returned or exchanged in case the product is damaged or defective; instructions for storage; name of food additives; the Government’s health warning clause and lot number or manufacturing date. As a result if Glen Sporran is imported into Korea, it must abide with the labelling instructions stated above. 42 9. 3 Price When Pricing Glen Sporran, it should be noted that it is a premium malt whisky and the price should reflect the quality of the product. When pricing Glen Sporran the direct competitors should be considered. The Price should be compared to the other single malt whiskies that are already in the Korean market, as they would have went through similar strategies to make the whisky available. 10. Distribution There is a high consumption of alcoholic beverages through on-trade channels in Korea. There are well-developed on-trade channels in Korea such as restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs especially in Seoul. On- Trade sales continued to account for a significant percentage of sales in the overall alcoholic drinks market in 2003. Even though there is a significant price gap for whisky due to high import tax and high local duties, Glen Sporran can be sold in premium on-trade outlets where consumers do not mind a high price gap as they enjoy the mood and the environment such outlets have to offer.

September Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays

September Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays From the first-known copyright that was granted in Venice in 1486 to the publishing of the first book on the Gutenberg printing press, September is a historically significant month in many ways, including famous birthdays like  Michael Faraday, the inventor of the electric motor. Whether youre looking for what happened on this day in history or trying to find famous figures who share your September birthday, plenty of great things happened in September. Many of the people and inventions on the list below are science and technology-based, but a few influential pop culture icons have been thrown into the mix, too. Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights Explore the patents, trademarks, and copyrights that were granted on each day throughout the month of September to find what famous invention shares your birthday. The candlestick, for instance, was patented on September 8, 1868, by William Hinds while the hand controller video game was patented on September 29, 1998,   September 1 1486: The first known copyright was granted in Venice. September 2 1992: The Southern California Gas Company purchased the first motor vehicles powered by natural gas. September 3 1940: A patent for the production of diuretics was obtained by Bockmuhl, Middendorf, and Fritzsche. September 4 1888:  George Eastman patented the roll film camera for Kodak. September 5 1787: The constitutional clause concerning patents and copyrights was adopted by the Constitutional Convention in 1787. September 6 1988: The Combined Cap and Baseball Mitt Patent Number 4,768,232 was granted. September 7 1948: Patent Number 2,448,908 was granted to Louis Parker for a television receiver. His intercarrier sound system is now used in all television receivers in the world, and without it, TV receivers would not work as well and would be more costly. September 8 1868: William Hinds patented a candlestick.1994: Microsoft gave Windows 95 its new name. Previously, the operating system had been referred to by its code name of Chicago. September 9 1886: Ten countries, not including the U.S., joined the Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic works. September 10 1891: The song Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-Der-E by Henry J. Sayers was registered.1977: Hamida Djandoubi, a Tunisian immigrant and convicted murderer, became the last person to date executed by the guillotine. September 11 1900: A motor vehicle patent was granted to Francis and Freelan Stanley. September 12 1961: Patent Number 3,000,000 was granted to Kenneth Eldredge for an automatic reading system for utilities. September 13 1870: Patent Number 107,304 was granted to Daniel C. Stillson for the improved monkey wrench. September 14 1993: The Simpsons television show was registered by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. September 15 1968:  An Wang obtained a patent for a calculating apparatus, a basic component of computer technology. September 16 1857: The words and music to the famous Christmas song Jingle Bells were registered by Oliver Ditson and Company under the title One Horse Open Sleigh. September 17 1918: Elmer Sperry received a patent for the gyrocompass, essential to modern ship navigation. September 18 1915: Louisa May Alcotts book  Little Women (first published October 3, 1868) was registered.1984: Software Arts and VisiCorp settled their lawsuit over VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program. VisiCalc, invented in 1979, was the first hot-selling software product for the personal computer. September 19 1876: Melville Bissell patented a carpet sweeper. September 20 1938: Patent Number 2,130,948 was granted for synthetic fiber (nylon) to Wallace Carothers. September 21 1993: A patent for Baseball Batting Apparatus, Patent Number 5,246,226, was granted. September 22 1992: The Poolside Basketball Game was granted Patent Number 5,149,086. September 23 1930: Johannes Ostermeier was issued a patent for the flash bulb used in photography. September 24 1877: Fire destroyed many models in the Patent Office, but the important records were saved.1852: A new invention, the dirigible or airship, was first demonstrated. September 25 1959: The song Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music by Rodger and Hammerstein was registered.1956: The first transatlantic telephone cable went into operation. September 26 1961: The patent for an aerial capsule (satellite) emergency separation device was obtained by Maxime Faget and Andre Meyer. September 27 1977: Anacleto Montero Sanchez received a patent for a hypodermic syringe. September 28 1979: The pilot episode of the TV series M*A*S*H was registered. September 29 1998: A hand controller for a video game was patented as Design Patent Number 398,938. September 30 1997: A roller skate was invented by Hui-Chin from Taiwan and received Patent Number 5,671,931.1452: The first book was published in Johann Gutenbergs printing press: The  Bible. September Birthdays From the birth of Ferdinand Porsche to that of the inventor of the first automobile, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot, September is the birth month of many famous scientists, inventors, and artists of all varieties. Find your September birthday twin and discover how their lives works helped change the world. September 1 1856: Sergei Winogradsky was a noted Russian scientist  who pioneered the cycle-of-life concept. September 2 1850: Woldemar Voigt was a noted German physicist  who developed the Voigt transformation in mathematical physics.1853: Wilhelm Ostwald was a German physical chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1909.1877: Frederick Soddy was a British chemist who won the Nobel Prize  for his work on radioactivity due to the transmutation of elements.1936: Andrew Grove was an American computer chip manufacturer. September 3 1875: Ferdinand Porsche was a German car inventor who designed the Porsche and Volkswagen cars.1905: Carl David Anderson was an American physicist who won the 1936 Nobel Prize  for  Physics for his discovery of  positron.1938: Ryoji Noyori was Japanese chemist and a Nobel Prize winner  in 2001 for the study of chirally catalyzed hydrogenations. September 4 1848:  Lewis H. Latimer  was an American inventor who drafted the patent drawings for Alexander Graham Bells application for the telephone, worked for Thomas Edison, and invented an electric lamp.1904:  Julian Hill  was a noted chemist who helped develop nylon.1913: Stanford Moore was an American biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1977.1934: Clive Granger was a Welsh economist and Nobel Prize  winner  for his contributions to non-linear time series. September 5 1787: Franà §ois Sulpice Beudant was a French geologist who studied crystallization. September 6 1732: Johan Wilcke was a noted Swedish physicist.1766: John Dalton was a British physicist who developed the atomic theory of matter.1876: John Macleod was a Canadian physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in 1923.1892: Edward V. Appleton was a noted British physicist who pioneered  radiophysics.1939: Susumu Tonegawa is a Japanese molecular biologist who won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1987 for his discovery of the genetic mechanism that produces antibody diversity.1943: Richard Roberts was a British biochemist who won a Nobel Prize. September 7 1737:  Luigi Galvani  was a noted Italian physicist who made studies of the anatomy.1829: August Kekule von Stradonitz discovered the benzene ring.1836: August Toepler was a noted German physicist who experimented with electrostatics.1914: James Van Allen was an American physicist who discovered the Van Allen radiation belts.1917: John Cornforth was an Australian chemist who won the Nobel Prize. September 8 1888: Louis Zimmer was a famous Flemish  clockmaker.1918: Derek Barton was a British chemist who won a Nobel Prize in 1969. September 9 1941: Dennis Ritchie was a noted American computer scientist who created the  C programming language and the Unix operating system. September 10 1624: Thomas Sydenham was a noted English physician.1892: Arthur Compton was a noted American physicist  who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1927 for his 1923 discovery of the Compton effect of electromagnetic radiation.1898:  Waldo Semon  was an American inventor who invented vinyl.1941:  Gunpei Yokoi  is a Japanese inventor and video game designer for  Nintendo. September  11 1798: Franz Ernst Neumann was a noted German professor of mineralogy and physics who was an early researcher of optics.1816:  Carl Zeiss  was a German scientist and optician known for the lens manufacturing company he founded called Carl Zeiss.1877: Feliks Dzjerzjinski was the Lithuanian founder of the KGB.1894: Carl Shipp Marvel was an American polymer chemist who worked with temperature-resistant polymers called polybenzimidazoles. Marvel won the first ACS Award in Polymer Chemistry in 1964, the Priestley Medal in 1956, and the Perkin Medal in 1965. September 12 1818:  Richard Gatling  was the American inventor of a hand-cranked machine gun.1897: Irene Joliot-Curie was the daughter of Marie Curie, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935 for the synthesis of new radioactive elements. September 13 1755:  Oliver Evans  invented a high-pressure steam engine.1857:  Milton S. Hershey  was a famous chocolate manufacturer who started the Hershey candy company.1886: Sir Robert Robinson won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1947 for his researches in organic chemistry, and he also worked for the Shell Chemical Company.1887: Leopold Ruzicka won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1939 for his studies of natural substances, and he invented many of the scents for various perfumes. September 14 1698: Charles Francois de Cisternay DuFay was a French chemist who studied the force of repulsion, noting that most things could be electrified just by rubbing  them  and that materials conduct better when wet.1849: Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist known for Pavlovian responses; he won the Nobel Prize in 1904.1887: Karl Taylor Compton was an American physicist and atomic bomb scientist. September 15 1852:  Jan Matzeliger  invented the shoe-lacing  machine.1929: Murray Gell-Mann was the first physicist to predict quarks. September 16 1893: Albert Szent-Gyorgyi was a Hungarian physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1937 for discovering vitamin C and the components and reactions of the citric acid cycle. September 17 1857: Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a pioneer in  rocket and space research.1882: Anton H. Blaauw was a Dutch botanist who wrote The Perception of Light. September 18 1907: Edwin M. McMillian won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1951 for discovering plutonium. He also had the idea for phase stability, which led to the development of the  synchrotron  and synchro-cyclotron. September 19 1902: James Van Alen invented the Simplified Scoring System for tennis. September 20 1842: James Dewar was a British chemist and physicist who invented the Dewar flask or thermos (1892) and co-invented a smokeless gunpowder called cordite (1889). September 21 1832: Louis Paul Cailletet was the French physicist and inventor who was the first to liquefy oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and air. September 22 1791:  Michael Faraday  was a British physicist and chemist who is best known for his discoveries of electromagnetic induction and the laws of electrolysis. His biggest breakthrough in electricity was his invention of the electric motor. September 23 1915:  John Sheehan  invented a method for the synthesis of penicillin. September 24 1870:  Georges Claude  was the French inventor of neon light. September 25 1725:  Nicolas Joseph Cugnot  invented the first automobile.1832: William Le Baron Jenney was the American architect considered the father of the skyscraper.1866: Thomas H. Morgan won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1933 for  discoveries  that defined  the role that the chromosome plays in heredity.   September 26 1754: Joseph Louis Proust was a French chemist best known  for his research work on the steadiness of composition of chemical compounds.1886: Archibald B. Hill was an English physiologist and pioneer of biophysics and operations research who won the 1922 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his elucidation of the production of heat and mechanical work in muscles. September 27 1913: Albert Ellis was an American psychologist who invented rational emotive behavior therapy.1925: Patrick Steptoe was the scientist who perfected in vitro fertilization. September 28 1852: Henri Moissan won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1906.1925: Seymour Cray was the inventor of the Cray I  supercomputer. September 29 1925: Paul MacCready was an American engineer who created the first human-powered flying machines and the first solar-powered aircraft to make sustained flights.   September 30 1802: Antoine J.  Ballard  was a French chemist who discovered bromine.1939: Jean-Marie P. Lehn is a French chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1987 for synthesizing cryptands.1943: Johann Deisenhofer is a biochemist who won the Nobel Prize  for  Chemistry in 1988 for determining the first crystal structure of a membrane protein.

A Brief History of the Country of Morocco

A Brief History of the Country of Morocco In the Classical Antiquity era, Morocco experienced waves of invaders included Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, and Byzantines, but with the arrival of Islam, Morocco developed independent states that kept powerful invaders at bay. Berber Dynasties In 702 the Berbers submitted to the armies of Islam and adopted Islam. The first Moroccan states formed during these years, but many were still ruled by outsiders, some of whom were part of the Umayyad Caliphate that controlled most of northern Africa c. 700 CE. In 1056, a Berber empire arose however, under the Almoravid Dynasty, and for the next five hundred years Morocco was governed by Berber dynasties:  the Almoravids (from 1056), Almohads (from 1174), Marinid (from 1296), and Wattasid (from 1465). It was during the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties that Morocco controlled much of North Africa, Spain, and Portugal. In 1238, the Almohad lost control of  the Muslim portion of Spain and Portugal, known then as al-Andalus. The Marinid dynasty attempted to regain it, but never succeeded. Revival of Moroccan Power In the mid-1500s, a powerful state again arose in Morocco, under the leadership of the Saadi dynasty that had taken over southern Morocco in the early 1500s. The Saadi defeated the Wattasid in 1554, and then succeeded in holding off incursions by both the Portuguese and Ottoman Empires. In 1603 a succession dispute led to a period of unrest that did not end until 1671 with the formation of the Awalite Dynasty, which still governs Morocco to this day. During the unrest, Portugal had again gained a foothold in Morocco but was again thrown out by the new leaders. European Colonization By the mid 1800s, at a time when the influence of the Ottoman Empire was in decline, France and Spain began taking a great interest in Morocco. The Algeciras Conference (1906) that followed the First Moroccan Crisis formalized Frances special interest in the region (opposed by Germany), and the Treaty of Fez (1912) made Morocco a French protectorate. Spain gained authority over Ifni (to the south) and Tà ©touan to the north. In the 1920s the Rif Berbers of Morocco, under the leadership of Muhammad Abd el-Krim, rebelled against French and Spanish authority. The short lived Rif republic was crushed by a joint French/Spanish task force in 1926. Independence In 1953 France deposed the nationalist leader and sultan Mohammed V ibn Yusuf, but both nationalist and religious groups called for his return.  France capitulated, and Mohammed V returned in 1955. On the second of March in 1956, French Morocco gained independence. Spanish Morocco, except for the two enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, gained independence in April of 1956. Mohammed V was succeeded by his son, Hasan II ibn Mohammed, upon his death in 1961. Morocco became a constitutional monarchy in 1977. When Hassan II died in 1999 he was succeeded by his thirty-five year old son, Mohammed VI ibn al-Hassan. Dispute over Western Sahara When Spain withdrew from the Spanish Sahara in 1976, Morocco claimed sovereignty in the north. The Spanish portions to the south, known as Western Sahara, were supposed to become independent, but Morocco occupied the region in the Green March. Initially, Morocco divided the territory with Mauritania, but when Mauritania withdrew in 1979, Morocco claimed the whole. The status of the territory is a deeply contentious issue, with many international bodies like the United Nations recognizing it as a non-self-governing territory called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Revised and Expanded by Angela Thompsell Sources: Clancy-Smith, Julia Anne, North Africa, Islam, and the Mediterranean world: from the Almoravids to the Algerian War. (2001). MINURSO Background, United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. (Accessed 18 June 2015).

Henry Ford, Engineer Essays - Culture Of Detroit, Michigan

Henry Ford, Engineer Essays - Culture Of Detroit, Michigan Henry Ford, Engineer Henry Ford, Engineer Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 to William and Mary Ford. He was the first of six children. He grew up in a rich farming household in Dearborn, Michigan. He enjoyed a typical childhood, spending his days in a one-room schoolhouse and doing farm chores. Ever since he was young, he showed an interest for the mechanical aspect of things, and how they worked and functioned. He used to take things apart and put them back together to get an idea of the inner workings of basic mechanical tools. In 1879, at a young age of 16, he left his home to travel to the near by city of Detroit to work as an apprentice for a machinist. He occasionally returned home to work on the farm. He remained an apprentice for three years and then returned to Dearborn. During the next few years, Henry divided his time between operating and repairing steam engines, finding occasional work in Detroit factories, and working on his fathers broken down farm equipment, as well as lending an unwilling hand with other farm work. Henry got married to Clara Bryant in 1888 Henry supported himself and his wife by running a sawmill. In 1891, Henry became an engineer with the Edison Illumination Company. This was an important event in his life because it signified that he had made a conscious career move into industrial pursuits. He was promoted to Chief Engineer in 1893. This gave him enough time and money to devote attention to his personal experiments on internal combustion engines (Lacey 13 - 14). In 1891, Henry became an engineer with the Edison Illumination Company. This was an important event in his life because it signified that he had made a conscious career move into industrial pursuits. He was promoted to Chief Engineer in 1893. This gave him enough time and money to devote attention to his personal experiments on internal combustion engines (Lacey 13 - 14). The high point of this research came with the completion of his own self-propelled vehicle, the Quadricycle. This bike had four wire wheels and was steered with a tiller, like a boat. It had two forward speeds, and no reverse. Although this was not the first self-propelled vehicle, it set Henry Ford as one of the major pioneers whom helped this nation become one of motorists. Ford decided that he wanted to become an automobile manufacturer. After two unsuccessful tries, Ford motor company was finally incorporated in 1903 with Henry Ford as the Vice President and Chief Engineer. When the company first started it was only producing a few cars a day at the Ford factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit. A group of two or three men would work on one car from components made to order by other companies. Ford realized his dream of producing an automobile that was reasonable priced, reliable and efficient with the introduction of the Model T in 1908. This vehicle initiated a new era in personal transportation. It was easy to operate, maintain, and could handle rough roads. It was also very reasonably priced at 850 dollars. The cars sold fast and for the first time, the middle class could afford a car. By 1920, about 4 million Model T's were sold. The model T revolutionized America in many different ways. For example, while the Model T was in production, the assembly line was used on a large scale. The assembly line was a powered chain that brought the chassis of the car to each of its parts. The parts were then attached to the chassis of the car and moved on to the next station. It usually took fourteen hours to build one Model T, and with the assembly line it only took six. Henry built a huge factory based on the assembly line. The assembly line added more jobs and significantly lowered the cost of production. Since the assembly line, Ford was able to produce many more cars than usual, therefore increasing profits. Since the profits were increased, Henry was able to raise the workers' salaries from $2.50 an hour to $5.00 an hour. He also cut the workday to only eight hours a day, making the workers very happy.

Monsters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Monsters - Essay Example The film assumes that artificial life creatures will be more female oriented than male and that technology will wrap itself around this premise. Keywords: dystopia, sexuality, technology, futuristic, robotic double, strata of society, freedom and equality, maschinenmensch, castration anxiety, love story, apathy, vamp, seven deadly sins, purge, male domination. The author of Metropolis, Thea Gabriele von Harbou (1888  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ1954), was the wife of film director and script writer, Fritz Lang (1890-1976), from 1922 till 1933. Von Harbou took two years to write what she started as a book in 1922, but converted into a screenplay in 1924. It did surface as a book also, in 1926. Forrest J. Ackerman (1916-2008), one of the foremost Science Fiction writers of the past century and the creator of the term ‘sci-fi’ (www.mania.com), felt that the book was, by the standards prevailing then, a shade melodramatic, had hints of propaganda, with the themes propounded somewhat naà ¯ve. Still, the novel was a remarkably powerful and forward-thinking dystopia with a striking denouement (ibid). Set in 2026 (www.answers.com), the scene is the futuristic sixty million strong megacity of Metropolis (www.moria.co.nz). In a ‘rich boy meets poor girl’ story, the boy falls in love with her, to the disappointment of his influential father. The boy begs his father to ameliorate the lot of the downtrodden. The villainous father does the opposite and seeks help from the modern-day Merlin, the mad scientist Rotwang, who creates a robotic double of the girl, devoid of empathy, who incites the oppressed to rebel and decimate the city (ibid), thereby forcing a reconciliation of each individual’s true worth. The 1924 script was screened in 1927, as the most expensive film ever made then, even though it was a silent film (www.moria.co.nz). Blazena Urgosà ­kovà ¡, a well-known film critic of that era,

Choose from the list Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Choose from the list - Research Paper Example This paper is focused in arguing the factors that could see India as a potential global superpower. India has been perceived to have the potential of becoming a global super power owning to the fact that it has exhibited a rapid economic growth especially in the industrial sector; which is considered to be the main inductor of the course to global superiority. Nevertheless, this has also been marked with contrary views as analysts look in the situation. As far as many of them support that India can in the near future surpass China and even become the next global Superpower, many of the others are opposed to this observation. This paper will therefore look into both the issues and the ongoing discussion as regards to the potentiality and limits of India becoming the next global Superpower. This paper will also look at the challenges that India is facing that would hinder her from achieving its 21st century goal of becoming the superpower (Mahtaney Pg 104). Introduction Asian countries have shown great potential of becoming superpowers of the 21st century with India proving to be potentially a strong contender in this race. The question that remains however is that will this really happen or is it just a mere speculation that is beyond the reality scopes. For this to happen, it depends deeply in the wisdom, vision and purpose of the Indian leadership. So far, the Indian citizenry have high hopes and are having crossed fingers waiting for this to come to pass. This course can totally fail if India leadership becomes preoccupied with greed for power gaining and simply leading to rhetoric vote fetching at the cost of furthering the course of India’s march to success and prosperity and gaining the status of a global economic superpower. The economic giants of today were worse of at the turn of the 20th century when compared to where India is today (Bhandare Pg 66). But India is not subjected to the same road that the economics giants of today travelled since t here are no similar technological, political, engineering and scientific challenges that existed then. Therefore, with the improvements of these aspects in the contemporary world of today, India is likely to move faster on its road to economic development as compared to the economic superpowers of today. It won’t have to take India six centuries or so in order to attain its state of superpower unless it’s stupid enough to abandon the current industrial status and go back to the past of reinventing the ancient wheels all over again. The United States intelligence has speculated that India would most probably become an economic giant and a superpower by the year 2030 if China slows down (Jaffrelot & Cynthia Pg 107). Why India Can be a Global Power India has a great human resource with nearly 1.1 billion people making it the second most populous country in the world after China. It has a vast are of land huge enough to cater for its population with a lot of natural resour ces that serves its vast population (Lak Pg 53). The Indian economy has had a steady growth of 6% over the last decade and a fabulous 8% economic growth over the last 3 years. India is therefore among the fastest growing economies in the world and currently, it boasts a fast emerging middle class and growing Gross Domestic Products, improving

WHAT ARE PROBLEMS FACED BY ASYLUM SEEKERS, NEWCOMERS AND REFUGEES Assignment

WHAT ARE PROBLEMS FACED BY ASYLUM SEEKERS, NEWCOMERS AND REFUGEES ARTISTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO PRACTICE ART - Assignment Example The document discusses some of the traditions and laws in the UK that the refugees ride upon. In addition, it presents some of the policies and programs on the practice of art, as well as the challenges they face hitherto. Global activities have significantly affected the influx of refugees and asylums into the United Kingdom. For instance, from the years 2001 to 2005, there was an 85% increase in Afghanistan refugees, leading to a total of about 6% in the year 2006. The decrease coincided with the ‘war on terror’. The ‘United Nations High Commission for Refugees’ has reported a constant annual drop from 2002 in asylums seeking refuge in United Kingdom (Home Office, 2008). The UK has been a place of refuge for people escaping from their countries due to family relations, colonial links and the fairness in the UK’s legal system. In addition, the UK has been known to be friendly to newcomers. However, with the recent claims trying to taint its image, the UK has come up with some policies that deny asylum seekers and refugees access to essential services, but, has not restricted the number of people visiting it. The Labour government has come up with laws that give restri ctions to people going to seek for job opportunities in the UK. Nevertheless, the same law does not restrict the number of people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. Mostly, people looking for asylums have gone through traumatic experiences in their mother countries; hence, need to find peace in the host country. However, in the UK, the process of applying for asylum takes quite long, from months to sometimes even years. Bearing in mind the kind of experience they underwent in their country, most of them face psychological and mental issues as they await acceptance into the host country, like the UK. The situation makes asylum seekers different from other immigrants (Merli, 2002:

Managing Communication in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Communication in Business - Essay Example This scenario strengthens the need for effective cross-cultural communication, which would bring synergy among the workers towards the achievement of common goals (Montana & Charnoy 2008). This paper attempts to understand the process of communication as affected by cultural differences, and how the barriers of communication can be tackled in order for the organizational goals to be achieved as planned. The concept of cross-cultural communication is actually nothing new, as stated by LeBaron (2003) in a study, where it is concluded that communication process is basically cultural, considering the ways that each person has learned to speak and to give nonverbal messages, each carrying the essential factors of context, individual personality, and mood that interacts with a variety of internalized cultural influences affecting the various choices in life. This concept is summarized by Edward T. Hall, a known expert of cross-cultural communication, in this statement: â€Å"Culture is communication and communication is culture† (Hall, 1959, p. 186). In an environment of multicultural diversity, it is quite a challenge to ensure proper understanding and smooth communication processes between and among the people who have to work together towards the achievement of common goals. LeBaron (2003) further explains that despite all the good intentions of communicators, miscommunication is always likely to happen, especially at instances where there are significant cultural differences between the communicators. According to Rogers, Hart and Mike (2002), cross-cultural or intercultural communication is an intricate web of several factors affecting each other, but mainly based on cultural differences or idiosyncrasies, thus the eventual serious study of it by communication experts in the late 1960s. Significant aspect of this field of study is the examination of

Impacts of Gangsterism in USA 1919-1929 (History) Coursework

Impacts of Gangsterism in USA 1919-1929 (History) - Coursework Example ce there was widespread anxieties about the fears of the USA losing prospect of its traditional ways in the future.1 Tension heightened due to the epidemic of strikes that rose in the republic at the war’s end, majority of them resulted to high prices and various frustrated union-organization drives. The golden age of gangsterism was caught amidst sprawled shocking crimes. There were lush profits of illegal alcohol leading to mass police bribery. The republic experienced violent wars that broke up in its leading cities between several rival gangs-which were rooted in the immigrant neighborhoods. They were fighting to control the wealthy market of booze. The rival gangs used their sawed-off guns and machineguns to do away with the bootlegging competitors, who had attempted to muscle in on their premises. In 1920, a gang war broke up in Chicago leaving 500 mobsters dead.2 Few arrests were made, and the convictions were even lesser since the button-lipped gangsters took cover for one another with the underworlds policy of silence. Chicago was the most spectacular instance of lawlessness in America during this time. In the year 1925, â€Å"Scarface† Al Capone, who was a grasping and a murderous booze distributor, started six years of gang warfare, which netted him millions of dollars collected from blood-spattering.3 He drove through the streets in an armor-plated car which had bullet proof windows. He was a renowned public enemy number one, but he could not be convicted of the cold-blood massacres that took place in Chicago, on St. Valentine’s Day in 1929. He later served eleven years of detention in a federal penitentiary where he was accused of income tax evasion, and was later released as syphilitic wreck.4 Al Capone had six years of alcohol distribution, and this made him a millionaire. He may have looked like a businessman on vacation, but he had bigger and nastier businesses than most of the businessmen in Chicago. Gangsterism rapidly moved into other

Managing Communication in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Communication in Business - Essay Example This scenario strengthens the need for effective cross-cultural communication, which would bring synergy among the workers towards the achievement of common goals (Montana & Charnoy 2008). This paper attempts to understand the process of communication as affected by cultural differences, and how the barriers of communication can be tackled in order for the organizational goals to be achieved as planned. The concept of cross-cultural communication is actually nothing new, as stated by LeBaron (2003) in a study, where it is concluded that communication process is basically cultural, considering the ways that each person has learned to speak and to give nonverbal messages, each carrying the essential factors of context, individual personality, and mood that interacts with a variety of internalized cultural influences affecting the various choices in life. This concept is summarized by Edward T. Hall, a known expert of cross-cultural communication, in this statement: â€Å"Culture is communication and communication is culture† (Hall, 1959, p. 186). In an environment of multicultural diversity, it is quite a challenge to ensure proper understanding and smooth communication processes between and among the people who have to work together towards the achievement of common goals. LeBaron (2003) further explains that despite all the good intentions of communicators, miscommunication is always likely to happen, especially at instances where there are significant cultural differences between the communicators. According to Rogers, Hart and Mike (2002), cross-cultural or intercultural communication is an intricate web of several factors affecting each other, but mainly based on cultural differences or idiosyncrasies, thus the eventual serious study of it by communication experts in the late 1960s. Significant aspect of this field of study is the examination of

Contemporary Global Marketing ( International Marketing Opportunity Essay

Contemporary Global Marketing ( International Marketing Opportunity Planning Group ) - Essay Example From Jurlique's farm to your skin, the biodynamic practices that used on their farms help create the beauty on your skin. The biodynamic blends that are applied with extreme care and precision to Jurlique's soil and plants lead to greater effectiveness in all of Jurlique skin care products. Jurlique's soil is fertile and their farms are based on a natural cycle of renewal to help keep your skin replenished and alive. Since 1985, Jurlique's biodynamic farming methods have been rooted in their belief in the relationship between health, beauty, the earth and all living things. Jurlique strived to create products that sustain both of restoring and maintaining healthy skin. 2.2 Situation Jurlique innovation Jurlique's mission is to be the global leader and innovator in biodynamic and organic skin care. Today each harvest is still tended with the same care and detailed focus that began on a farm in South Australia over twenty years ago. Jurlique continues to lead the industry and strives t o development of high-performance skin care. As Jurlique’s company continue to lead the industry, the company strives to produce the most effective skin care while meeting the changing of the customer. 3. Issue and Problem 4. Analysis 4.1 Environment Analysis The environment analysis of a business corporation can be done on the basis of the strategic tool PESTEL. The PESTEL stands for the acronym for political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal which are the factors upon which the firm’s external environment would be analyzed. The country chosen for the analysis is United Kingdom where the company focuses to export huge volumes of its natural products. Political Factors The government of United Kingdom is found to render holistic support for the growth of trade of Jurlique skin care products and beauty spas owing to the cause that the products increase the consciousness of protecting the natural environment. This fact helps the business corporati on to gain large amount of support from the government to carry out its expansion drives in competition to another key player Body Shop (Ammenheuser, 2011). Economic Factors It is found that owing to the reasonable price standards of Jurlique skin care products it is highly appreciated by the economy of Australia. The Australian economy truly appreciates the long bonding relationship that it has framed with the reasonably priced and high quality products of the cosmetic company. Thus more number of stores and beauty clinics are coming up in the region for its high social acceptance (Jurlique, 2011). Social Factors Jurlique skin care products earn a high amount of social acceptance for being able to satisfy the necessities of different demographic profiles pertaining to income and age levels. It is found that the herbal cosmetic company tends to produce different products for different age groups of people belonging to either gender and also for kids. Further the company to catch inc reasing consumer consciousness endeavors to produce large number of variants at different price ranges. Still the company to get a larger space in the consumer market need to gain a more favorable social image so as to enhance its brand value in regards to its competitors (Naturisimo, 2011). Technological Factors Jurlique skin care products fully depend on herbal technology for the preparation of different skin care body lotions

Simulating Dialysis Essay Example for Free

Simulating Dialysis Essay Why do you think the urea was not able to diffuse through the 20 MWCO membrane? How well did the results compare with your prediction? __ The molecules were to large to go through. My results matched._ 3.Describe the results of the attempts to diffuse glucose and albumin through the 200 MWCO membrane. How well did the results compare with your prediction? __The albumin was not able to go through and the glucose did. I predicted that neither of them will diffuse, however the glucose was able to go through._ ___ 4.Put the following in order from smallest to largest molecular weight: glucose, sodium chloride, albumin, and urea. _sodium chloride, urea, glucose and albumin__ ___ ACTIVITY 2 Simulated Facilitated Diffusion 1.Explain one way in which facilitated diffusion is the same as simple diffusion and one way in which it differs.__ Both are passive diffusion that are from high concentration gradient to a low concentration gradient. Facilitated differs from simple because it requires a carrier protein to diffuse. _ ___ 2.The larger value obtained when more glucose carriers were present corresponds to an increase in the rate of glucose transport. Explain why the rate increased. How well did the results compare with your prediction? The rate increased because there is more room and surface area increases relative to glucose. ___ 3.Explain your prediction for the effect Na+Cl− might have on glucose transport. In other words, explain why you picked the choice that you did. How well did the results compare with your prediction? _I picked the answer based on the activity. My results matched. ACTIVITY 3 Simulating Osmotic Pressure 1.Explain the effect that increasing the Na+Cl− concentration had on osmotic pressure and why it has this effect. How well did the results compare with your prediction? ___ __ Increasing the NaCl will increase the osmotic pressure because water needs to diffuse to the higher concentration gradient until equilibrium is reached_. My results were the same. 2.Describe one way in which osmosis is similar to simple diffusion and one way in which it is different. ___ _ Both are passive transports of high concentration gradient to low concentration gradient. Osmosis differs because it is the diffusion of water from a high to a low concentration gradient through a selective permeable membrane.__ 3.Solutes are sometimes measured in milliosmoles. Explain the statement, â€Å"Water chases milliosmoles.† ___ __ Osmosis is the diffusion of the solvent, e.g. water. The water in this simulation diffuses to the side of the membrane that has the highest concentration of the solutes. _ 4.The conditions were 9 mM albumin in the left beaker and 10 mM glucose in the right b eaker with the 200 MWCO membrane in place. Explain the results. How well did the results compare with your prediction? the glucose diffuses from the right beaker to the left beaker until equilibrium is reached. The albumin cannot diffuse through the membrane. My results were off. ACTIVITY 4 Simulating Filtration 1.Explain in your own words why increasing the pore size increased the filtration rate. Use an analogy to support your statement. How well did the results compare with your prediction? ___ _ This increase in pore size will increase the filtration rate because if it have more space, they will be able to pass through. If you connect a water hose to spray your grass, the water will come out faster than a device that attaches to water your grass. My results matched.__ 2.Which solute did not appear in the filtrate using any of the membranes? Explain why. ___ _ Powdered Charcoal- It was too large to pass through.__ 3.Why did increasing the pressure increase the filtration rate but not the concentration of solutes? How well did the results compare with your prediction? _ The pressure allows for more movement through the membrane but equilibrium was not reached.__My results were 50/50 ___ ACTIVITY 5 Simulating Active Transport 1.Describe the significance of using 9 mM sodium chloride inside the cell and 6 mM potassium chloride outside the cell, instead of other concentration ratios. _ the Na/K pump allows for 3:2 ratio__ ___ 2.Explain why there was no sodium transport even though ATP was present. How well did the results compare with your prediction? __ In order for the Na+/K+ pump to function, both these ions and ATP must be in place. My results were off._ 3.Explain why the addition of glucose carriers had no effect on sodium or potassium transport. How well did the results compare with your prediction? __ Glucose concentration does not affect the Na/K concentration. My results are off. 4.Do you think glucose is being actively transported or transported by facilitated diffusion in this experiment? Explain your answer. __ It is being transported by facilitated diffusion. Since glucose is a lipid insoluble and too large to pass through the membrane it requires a carrier but not ATP (no energy needed.)_ ___

The GAP: PESTEL, SWOT and Porters Five Analysis

The GAP: PESTEL, SWOT and Porters Five Analysis Elements of Analysis: The GAP Case PESTEL Analysis Utilizing the PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental Legal factors) model, the key drivers and areas of significant impact for the competitive advantage in the GAP case are (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2005, pp. 65, 68): Political – This seems only to be a factor with regards to operational differences between geographic/geopolitical regions, i.e., the US vs. the UK, and social welfare policies that affect actual garment construction. Social – This is a major driver of success as â€Å"fashion† and â€Å"style† would likely fall under this auspice. Specifically, the ability of the firm to generate the perception that its products reflect the fleeting sense of a trend is central to being a leader in retail fashion. Technological – This is a significant factor as the lack of a fully function European e-commerce platform was an opportunity cost that can be measured in lost market share valued in the multi-million pound range. SWOT Analysis Strengths The Gap has existed marketing power and presence and has prime, established retail locations throughout the US and UK. Weaknesses The inability to establish e-commerce on the UK side has lost not only sales opportunities but likely tarnished the image of a company that wants to be seen a ‘hip and trendy’ in a digital age in which competitive parity is ‘bricks and clicks’. Opportunities Through existing resources and brand equity, the Gap has the opportunity to regain one of the top spots in the mind of the consumer for fashionable clothing. One of the chief means of doing so is to quickly replicate the success of the online presence of the US business in the UK. Threats Perhaps the biggest threat is that one of the smaller boutique venues will achieve sufficient success to legitimately chip away at the mindshare of the consumer that Gap currently has on a scale that will be very difficult to reclaim. Porter’s 5 Forces As with the PESTEL framework above, only the most salient factors are indicated (Porter 1980, p. 4): Potential Entrants –The rise of small-scale boutique firms allow profit-taking from firms that do not have the ‘overhead’ of a corporation such as The Gap. This allows for greater flexibility and speed in the delivery of fashion to market. The Threat of Substitute Goods – Similar to â€Å"potential entrants†, there are not only other products that perform the same function but, in times in which economics dictate allocation of scarce consumer resources amongst items that, to some extent, fall under the category of highly discretionary spending. Contrary to this, one might argue that ‘fashion will always be in style’ and thus in-demand, the attractiveness of the industry will attract more entrants. Eventually, a form of homeostasis will be achieved but only at the expense of the exit of some less profitable firms. Industry Rivalry – The combination of the above two factors creates what is arguably a hypercompetitive environment characterized by larger firms seeking to sustain competitive advantage through enduring presence while small, flexible and fast firms seek to take perhaps a temporal portion by capitalizing on that which is most trendy. The Four P’s (Price, Promotion, Place Product) The concept of the marketing mix or â€Å"the 4 P’s† gives tremendous strategic insight into how the firm goes to market with its portfolio of goods and services. Price – Pricey but not so much that they cannot be seen as â€Å"luxurious necessities† for those for whom being ‘cool’ or ‘sexy’ is a real or aspirant lifestyle. Promotion – Consistent with other aspects of the marketing mix, television advertisements feature hip and trendy music, often done by somewhat older (yet still cool) musicians with engaging music. These featuring dancing or at least, rhythmic maneuvers, in which one must assume the clothes worn are as much a part of the causative agent for such behavior as the apparent youthful attraction and attitude of the performance crew. Place – Sold only through Gap stores in mainstream retail locations such as shopping malls and through, at least in the US, Gap-branded online channels. Product – Positioned as perhaps something that could be labeled as [young] ‘sexy casual’, such an offering virtually defines its market as those who are young and view (or want to view) themselves as fashionable and trendy. Products include shirts, jeans, sweaters, accessories and more and all geared at generating such a â€Å"feel† or experience for the wearer. Overall Business Strategy In general, a firm can have one of two broad strategies: cost-leadership or differentiation. With regards to differentiation, a firm may choose to segment based upon the customer by focusing on a niche or specialty market or they may choose product differentiation as by innovation or similar pursuit (Porter 1980, p. 35). Using this general approach, the Gap clearly pursues a strategy of seeking competitive advantage by differentiating product offerings (what it does) to those for whom a sense of ‘urban/sub-urban-esque’ fashionable â€Å"personal style† is very relevant to their lifestyle (the target market) through a combination of exclusive retail locations and a corollary online venue (the where of it’s strategy). Corporate Social Responsibility The idea of corporate social responsibility is best expressed by the notion of, â€Å"†¦ the extent to which an organization exceeds the minimum obligations to stakeholders as specified through regulation and corporate governance† (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2005, p. 191). With regards to the GAP case, such a perspective is evident when they actively seek to position themselves not simply as seeking to establish sustained competitive advantage but the advantages conferred to everyone through sustainable business. Specifically, through their alliance to support AIDS awareness and suffering, they achieve profits and good works. Antithetically, one critique would likely be to question not the outcome but the motive for doing so. The Resource-Based View The essence of the resource-based view of the view establishes the lens of the â€Å"VRIO framework†. That is, for a firm to achieve sustained competitive advantage, its resources must be valuable, rare, inimitable and organizational in nature (Barney 2007, p. 138). With this in mind, it seems to follow that the best sources of such are resources which are intangible rather than tangible. From this perspective, the ability of GAP to attract and retain designers who can consistently replicate and market what is or is about to become â€Å"fashionable† at competitive costs would meet such criteria. Strategic Recommendations The essence of the Gap to maintain/re-establish sustainable competitive advantage is to be able to be both â€Å"big† and â€Å"small† simultaneously. The competition seemingly enjoys the element of first-mover advantage with regards to their ability to operate under the radar only to appear with trendy products in the market that less insightful firms can then attempt to copy. Correspondingly, the ability of the boutique firm to mass-produce and distribute a successful product is far less than that of the Gap with it established manufacturers and well-oiled distribution channels. Thus, the Gap needs to adopt fast, flexible methods of getting fresh and accurate insights into production and into stores. In the classic business decision, the Gap has but two options: make or buy. That is, they can either allocate resources in the form of time, talent or treasure (aka, money) to acquire these abilities or they may choose to outsource these functions to other firms. Perhaps a hybridized solution is to form strategic alliances with such smaller firms that have these resources in abundance but lack the marketing and manufacturing power of the Gap. Such a solution would achieve the goal of the acquisition, even if temporary, that the Gap seems to lack as it seeks to create lasting sources of competitive advantage in the face of the hyper-competitive, mature yet dynamically fickle industry of upscale casual fashion apparel. Mature vs. Dynamic Firm The Gap competes in a arguably mature but changing and constanting renewing industry. A â€Å"mature† industry can be characterized by the following (Barney 2007, p. 94): Slowing growth in total industry demand. The development of experienced repeat customers. A slowdown in the increases in production capacity. A decrease in new product introductions. An increase in the level of international competition. An overall reduction in industry profitability. With these criteria, the retail fashion clothing industry is perhaps somewhat unique in that each year brings something of a second-chance to capture the market. Though the degree of competitiveness and production capacity indicate a mature industry, the new arrivals to the target customer segment in regards to age, affluence and attitudes provide a potentially rich new customer base. These factors lead to the classification of the industry as being â€Å"mature† but yet quite â€Å"dynamic† in the sense that technology and the preferred tastes of an ever-changing consumer segment create a need for the Gap to acquire marketing insights and speed and flexibility in production to bring such high-margin, high-risk products as fashion clothing to market. Key References Barney, J. (2007). Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantage, 3rd edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice-Hall. Johnson, G., K. Scholes, and R. Whittington. (2005). Exploring Corporate Strategy, 7th edition. Harlow, England: Prentice-Hall. Porter, M. (1980). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries Competitors. Boston, Massachusetts: The Free Press.

The Atlantic Slave Trade Essay -- Slavery History Essays

The Atlantic Slave Trade The changes in African life during the slave trade era form an important element in the economic and technological development of Africa. Although the Atlantic slave trade had a negative effect on both the economy and technology, it is important to understand that slavery was not a new concept to Africa. In fact, internal slavery existed in Africa for many years. Slaves included war captives, the kidnapped, adulterers, and other criminals and outcasts. However, the number of persons held in slavery in Africa, was very small, since no economic or social system had developed for exploiting them (Manning 97). The new system-Atlantic slave trade-became quite different from the early African slavery. The influence of the Atlantic slave trade brought radical changes to the economy of Africa. At the time of the Atlantic slave trade, Africa was an area that had far-flung interests based on agriculture, industry, and commerce (Curtin 54). Complex stratified societies based on settled village agriculture were developed throughout the continent. â€Å"Essentially agricultural, the peoples of Africa displayed a remarkable degree of specialization within this ancient economic pursuit,† writes John Hope Franklin, the author of From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans (p. 18). In addition to agriculture, artistry was a significant area of economic community. Even less complex communities included some with various skills. Furtherm...

Gabriela Mistral :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gabriela Mistral was an extraordinary woman. Her life was filled with tragedy but she turned her experiences into beautiful poetry. Her poetry reflected many things about who Gabriela Mistral was and what had happened to her throughout her life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gabriela Mistral was born on April 7, 1889 in Vicuà ±a, Chile. When she was only three years old, her father abandoned her family. She attended a rural primary school and the Vicuà ±a state secondary school. By the age of sixteen, she started to support herself and her mother by working as a teachers aide. Gabriela Mistral is only a pen name for Lucila Godoy Alcayaga. She took the name from her two favorite poets: Gabriele D’Annunzio and Frà ©dà ©ric Mistral. She was the first Latin American to receive the Nobel Prize for literature (1945). After the suicide of her lover, Romelio Ureta, she lived a life of self-described desolation. Although she wanted it, she never experienced motherhood. She did adopt a child but it later died. She taught at Colombia University, and Vassar College. In 1930, she was a visiting professor at Barnard College in New York City. She also became the principal of Santiago High School. Her first text was la Voz de Elqui and Diario Radical de Coqui mbo in 1905. Her second work was called Desolacià ³n. Soon after she accepted her post at Santiago, she was invited to work in Mexico on a plan to reform the libraries and the schools. She lived primarily in France and Italy during 1925 to 1934. She also worked for the League for Intellectual Co-operation of the League of Nations between 1922 and 1938. She was the honorary consult for Brazil, Spain, Portugal and the U.S. In 1933 she entered the Chilean Foreign Service and was appointed by the government of Chile as a sort of ambassador-at-large for the Latin American Culture. During World War two, she became friends with Stefan Zweig and his wife. Later they committed suicide in Rio de Janeiro. Also her nephew, Juan Miguel killed himself. Because of poor health, she was forced to retire to her home in New York. She died on January 10, 1957, at the age of sixty-seven. She died of cancer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like most people, Gabriela Mistral wrote poems about her life experiences or what she holds to be true. In her poem â€Å"Dolor†, which is from the Desolacià ³n collection, she expresses her feelings on the death of her lover.

The Role of Research and Statistics in the Field of Psychology

John B. Watson work on classical behaviorism that paved the way for B. F. Skinner's radical or operant behaviorism which has had a large impact on educational systems. Watson was one of the influential psychologists of the twentieth century. His material is still used in most psychology and educational psychology texts. Watson helped with defining the study of behavior anticipated Skinner's emphasis on operant conditioning and the importance of learning and environmental influences in human development.Watson’s criticized of Sigmund Freud has been given credit for helping to disseminate principles of Freudian psychoanalysis. Watson is known for the Little Albert study and his dozen healthy infants quote. Watson is given credit for popularizing the term behaviorism with the publication of his seminal 1913 article â€Å"Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It. † In the article, Watson argued that psychology had failed in its quest to become a natural science, largely due t o a focus on consciousness and other unseen phenomena.Rather than study these unverifiable ideas, Watson urged the careful scientific study of observable behavior. His view of behaviorism was a reaction to introspection, where each researcher served as their own research subject. The study of consciousness by Freud and Watson believed to be subjective and unscientific. Watson believed that controlled laboratory studies were the most effective way to study learning. In approach manipulation of the learner's environment was the key to fostering development.The approach stands in contrast to techniques that placed the emphasis for learning in the mind of the learner. The 1913 article gives credit for the founding of behaviorism but it had a minor impact after its publication. Watson prepared psychologists and educators for the highly influential work of Skinner and other radical behaviorists in subsequent decades. B. F. Skinner was one of the most influential theorists in modern psycho logy. His work was very important and has been studied by many for years. His theories have helped mankind in many ways.He studied the behavior patterns of many living organisms. His most important work was the study of behaviorism. John B. Watson, behaviorism is one of the most widely studied theories today; Influence in Psychology. B. F. Skinner was one of the most famous of the American psychologists. Skinner was responsible for experiments such as the â€Å"Skinner box†. He wrote some very famous books. One of them was â€Å"The Behavior of Organisms†. This book describes the basic points of his system. Another was Walden Two. This book describes a utopian society that functions on positive reinforcement.Behaviorism is a school of thought in psychology that is interested in observable behavior. Skinner said, â€Å"Behaviorism is not the science of human behavior; it is the philosophy of that science. † There are various types of behavior, such as innate beha vior. Innate behaviors are certain behaviors. B. F. Skinner, in his novel Walden Two, presents many arguments about how he foresees a positive change in the world through manipulation of behavior on the personal level. B. F. Skinner's entire system is based on operant conditioning. This organism is the process of operating on the environment.This operating the organism encounters a special kind of stimulus called a reinforcing stimulus or reinforcer. The special stimulus have the effect of increasing the operant which is the behavior occurring. Operant conditioning the behavior is followed by a consequence or the nature of the consequence modifies the organisms’ tendency to repeat the behavior in the future. Example; you have a cat and the cat just playing around with a ball and when you throw the ball at the cat and the cat catches it and you give him a treat. The cat is starts to catch the ball as you throw it in the air .The operant is the behavior prior to. The cat will s top the trick which you’re were enjoying. This is called extinction of the operant behavior. If you were to start showing the dog treats then likely the cat with start doing the tricks again and more quickly than the cat learned at first. This is because the return of the reinforcer takes place in a reinforcement history that goes all the way back to the first time the cat was reinforced for doing the tricks. Freud and Skinner agree that human behavior is the result of outside barriers that hinder the ideal of free ill. Skinner believes that humans in good environment can live happy while Freud understands that humans are design to live in some degree of anguish or discontent. Skinner uses the example of Walden Two to illustrate his ideas of how human behavior should be formed. Skinner’s argues on how to eliminate what he knows as problematic rests on his prescription of dismissing the notion of individual freedom. Skinner does not only say that the ideal of individual freedom is farce. He takes further and states that the search for it is where society has gone wrong.He wants no part in the quest for individual freedom. If we give up this illusion, says Skinner, we can condition everyone to act in acceptable ways. Skinner has a specific prescription for creating this utopian society. He believe that all that is necessary is to change the conditions which surround man. He believe that by controlling what a person's environment is it is possible to craft a man to behave in any way. Skinner wants to use this notion to create a world without pain and suffering. In Walden Two, he describes what conditions are necessary to create a world of happiness.Skinner proposes that to create his perfect society one need only to come up with the characteristics of what man should be. Edward Chace Tolman was a modern cognitive psychology. He showed that animals in learning mazes acquire organized spatial and temporal information about the maze and about the conse quences of various alternative behaviors. He was combating the dominant views of his time which emphasized the acquisition of conditioned reflexes rather than knowledge about environmental events. Although several short biographies or reviews of Tolman's contributions are (Crutchfield, 1961; Crutchfield et al. 1960; Hilgard, 1980; Innes, 1999, 2000; McFarland, 1993; Ritchie, 1964; Tolman, 1952), it is appropriate that one be included in an encyclopedia of learning and memory because workers in this field today are using ideas that were initiated and developed by Tolman. Tolman's findings and ideal have helped to shape modern understanding of learning, memory and cognition. Tolman was similar to the behaviorists in his ideals on objectivity and measurement. He did not believe reinforcement was necessary for learning to occur. Tolman (1932) proposed five types of learning: pproach learning, escape learning, avoidance learning, choice-point learning, and latent learning. All forms of l earning depend upon means-end readiness, goal-oriented behavior, mediated by expectations, perceptions, representations, and other internal or environmental variables But the problems with his work were that he poorly defined many terms that he used in his fundamental theories, and that is difficult to make predictions from a point of view because of lack of determining the nature and strength of expectations before hand and when or how expectations may change.There are different ways to think about humans and their behaviors. In modern psychology provide researchers a way to approach problems and find ways to explain and predict human behavior. Develop new treatment for problem with behaviors. All three men contributes to psychology even to psychologist are still using their methods in studies. Several area of the human’s behavior is accomplished by Skinner, Watson and Tolman that stand today in modern psychology.These men did not agree on every thing but made a caramel grou nd in studying the human behavior. Also they was studied of animal compare with the human’s behavior which many theory still exist today. These three men remain widely accepted, but all have contributed tremendously to our understanding of human thought and behaviors. The field of psychology has come a long way and these are three men that help paved the way for modern psychology for researchers and student who studied field pertaining to psychology. The Role of Research and Statistics in the Field of Psychology The Role of Research and Statistics in the Field of Psychology Abstract Research and statistics are essential elements within the field of Psychology. Through the evolution of technology, the task of conducting adequate research and statistics methods have become abundant in methodology. Because of such, research collection and experimentation approaches of researchers and Psychologists, greatly vary in specificity. However, one method reigns true and consistent, and that is the Scientific Method; of which will be further explored.This paper will discuss and make sense of the roles in which both research and statistics play in the field of Psychology, and the procedures in which such methods are conducted will be defined. This will include explanations of the validity, importance, and relevance of the above stated procedures, as such are referenced for study. The Role of Research and Statistics in the Field of Psychology Research and statistics play a crucial role in the field of psy chology, both of which are used to ascertain and examine informational data. Such methods are used to greatly increase the effectiveness and success of an organization or field of study.Scientific or logical informational data is typically established through the use of the scientific method. Over the course of research history and study, the scientific method has become known to be the most reliable and consistent method of obtaining dependable knowledge. Such knowledge is then kept and utilized by researchers, either for their own study (primary data), or by a secondary party referencing said data (secondary data). Essentially, the field of Psychology is geared towards ascertaining the truth about people, the mental process, and behaviors that follow.The truth can only truly be found through the above methods. The Scientific Method For as long as the human mind has had thought, human beings have, in one way or another, questioned, observed, and analyzed the world we live in and th e way we proceed to live within it. These human beings, the thinkers, the observers, the analyzers have always been and still remain the scholars of their time period. The phrase â€Å"method of scholars† is an alternative title for the scientific method, for it is the absolute best set of methods in finding the truth, and of course the scholars would know. It has often been said that the greatest discovery in science was the discovery of the scientific method of discovery†: (Feibleman, 1972). This method is an investigation in which a problem is initially identified. With this, observations, experiments, and other relevant data (provided by research) are then used to create or test hypotheses that lead to conclusions about the original problem. The steps involved in this process include: 1) Forming a testable hypothesis. 2) Devising a research plan and method of application. 3) Collecting data and researching. 4) Analyzing the data and reaching possible conclusions abo ut the study. ) Report findings. This research can be characterized as an activity of creative work that is carried out in a systematic way in an effort to increase knowledge and truth. In the field of psychology, this refers to the knowledge of the human mind, human behavior, cultures, and societies. In order to fully understand how researchers, scientists, psychologists, scholars, and students alike reach such conclusions, one needs to recognize the importance of the research process and measures that are applied when conducting the various types of psychological research.With this knowledge, one will not only understand what is involved in reaching conclusions about psychology, but also how to do so oneself. (McLeod, 2008) Primary and Secondary Data. Primary and secondary data are both key components in any piece of information. These two types of data are used within many avenues of life, not just research and science. They can be published or unpublished and in any media presen tation, from print to electronic. Therefore, since Primary and secondary data are quite abundant, yet perhaps undistinguishable from the uneducated eye†¦ What exactly are the differences and characteristics of such?The distinct difference between primary and secondary data is the method of research in which the data was found. While primary data is both researched and utilized by the same source, secondary data comes from the research of a combination of external or secondary sources. An accurate example of primary data is that of personal vital statistics records, for such are accounts that have been personally witnessed and recorded by the source, and then kept by public institutions, as well as the source. Specific examples of personal records would include but are not limited to: birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses.Such examples are vital to the functioning of an individual and the organization (country) of which that individual resides. Additional ly, such documents can be used in genealogical research, and other research projects related to society, culture, and psychology. One stepped removed from the original source of data, would be data that is secondary. A prime example of such would be information found in textbooks and historical documents, which are comprised of information that was borrowed from multiple primary sources.Case in point, when a history book includes computed data regarding a regions birth and death rates for a specific time period, the birth and death certificates would have originally been considered primary data, but when utilized and calculated by an outside source for the purpose of a study shown in the book, that data then becomes secondary. (McLeod, 2008) Statistics in Research. Statistics are a crucial part of research. Without, statistics, it is nearly impossible to attain a definitive conclusion and/or compute data in any research study.Being that the study of statistics is the science of coll ecting, analyzing, and making inferences from data, it quite literally communicates research findings in an effort to give credibility to the research itself. Obviously, it is imperative that researchers understand statistics, however, it is also important that the general population has at least a basic understanding of such. For not only researchers, but the entire population is bombarded by statistics every day, and in one way or another, everyone performs research.Whether the research is nominal, such as comparing prices, or significant, such as proving a ground breaking psychological theory, the point remains that it is all research and all research is comprised of statistics (Aron & Coups, 2009). Conclusion. Arthur Schopenhauer once said, â€Å"Just as the largest library, badly arranged, is not so useful as a very moderate one that is well arranged, so the greatest amount of knowledge, if not elaborated by our own thoughts, is worth much less than a far smaller volume that h as been abundantly and repeatedly thought over. Schopenhauer’s quote is an excellent representation of the importance of research, the scientific method, primary data, secondary data, and the role of statistics in research. Essentially, an abundance of information is only influential and valuable when it has been analyzed and brought to purposeful point. Through the understanding and proper use of the above explored topics, one can surely make a positive impact upon the field of Psychology and research alike. References Aron, A. , Aron, E. N. , & Coups, E. J. (2009). Statistics for psychology (5th ed. ).Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Darwin, Charles. (1859). On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, 428. Retrieved from http://todayinsci. com/QuotationsCategories/P_Cat/Psychology-Quotations. htm Feibleman, Dr. James. (1972). The Scientific Method. Retrieved from http://www. scientificmethod. com/index2. html McLeod, S. A. (2008). Psychology as a S cience. Retrieved from http://www. simplypsychology. org/science-psychology. html Reiff, Harwood, Phillipson. (2002). â€Å"A scientific method based upon research scientists' conceptions of scientific inquiry. (Presentation). Presented at the Annual International Conference of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science. Retrieved from http://cires. colorado. edu/education/outreach/rescipe/collection/inquirystandards. html Sage, Nicole. (2001). â€Å"Steps of the Scientific Method†. Introduction to Research. Retrieved from http://finntrack. co. uk/learners/research. htm Figures The Scientific Method based on Research Scientists’ Conceptions of Scientific Inquiry (Reiff, Harwood, Phillipson , 2002) Standard Steps of the Scientific Method (Sage, 2001)

Descartes vs St Augustine Essay

To examine life, you must first determine existence . I will attempt to determine if their really is existence and then examine two of the most impostant factors in peoples lives; love and religion. Everyone has tried to come to a conclusion on what is love and whether their is a God and people have dedicated their lives to both of these subjects Their are an infinite number of ways of examining love and religion but none of them can be taken as fact and none of them can be guaranteed as false. In this paper, I will examine the ways that Rene Descartes and Saint Augustine examine their lives and what they feel makes their life worth living. In the Meditations, Descartes attempts to doubt everything that is possible to doubt. He is uncertain of the existence of many things from God and himself. Then he goes on to start proving that things do exist by first proving that he exists. After he establishes himself he can go on to establish everything else in the world. Next he goes to prove that the mind is separate then the body. In order to do this he must first prove he has a mind, and then prove that bodily things exist. I do agree with Descartes that the mind is separate from the body. These are the arguments that I agree with Descartes. In his six Meditations, only four contain his argument about corporeal things and establishing himself as a thinking creation. Meditations three and four discuss the existence of God and the matter of true and false. Concerning Meditation three, Descartes proves God’s existence and that He is not a deceiver, thereby allowing us to be sure that we are not deceived when we perceive things clearly and distinctly. The rest of the Meditations deal with him proving himself as a thinking thing and proving that the mind is separate from the body. In Descartes’ first meditation, he goes on to prove that nothing exists. He establishes that knowledge is built upon a foundation; each piece of knowledge rests upon some other part of knowledge. Over the course of ones life, a person establishes one piece of knowledge and builds upon that. Descartes goes on to doubt every particular set of knowledge he has. Descartes says that the most basic set of knowledge we have is our senses. He continues that the senses give us false information. For example, when we look at the sun, we cannot tell how big it is. The same is true for dreams. Senses appear to be real in dreams, but how can one tell whether or not we are dreaming or not. So if we can never determine we are dreaming or awake then we can’t rely on our senses. He believes that a supreme God has created us and has the power to deceive us. If God is perfect then he cannot deceive us. So we must assume that an evil demon is the source of our deceptions. Therefore Descartes has reason to deny the validity of his senses. From this, Descartes assumes if there is a deceiver and he can be deceived then he must exist. In general it will follow from any state of thinking, whether it be imagining, sensing, feeling, or reasoning, that he exists. Since he can only be certain of the existence of himself insofar as he is a thinking thing, then he has knowledge of his existence of only a thinking thing. After he has established himself as a thinking creation, he then goes on to argue that the mind is more certainly known then the body. He goes on to say that it is possible that all knowledge of external objects, including his body, could be false as the result of the actions of an evil demon. It is not, however, possible that he could be deceived about his existence or his nature as a thinking thing. This is true because if he can be deceived about anything, then he can be certain, as he is a thinking thing. Even corporeal objects, such as his body, are known much more distinctly through the mind than through the body. It seems that Descartes finds it necessary to first establish the existence of a non-deceiving God before he can be assured of the existence of anything beyond himself and his mode of thought. He does this by the rationalization that his perception of God is that of a perfect being. In order for a being to be perfect, it must exist. Since he himself is an imperfect being, he cannot conceive the idea of perfection on his own. Therefore, it must have come from some other faculty that must be perfect, which is God. It is after his proof of the existence of God that Descartes comes to accept that clear and distinct ideas can be trusted. Since he proved that God does exist he can says that God can bring anything into existence. But we also seem to know they exist through imagination, which seems to be â€Å"an application of the knowing faculty to a body intimately present to it, hence, a body that exists. † Now he attacks the notion of bodies existing. He says, â€Å"The way of thinking that I call ? sense’ give us a reason to think bodies exist? † Descartes attacks this the answer of this question in three ways: to repeat what was formerly believed and the grounds for them, to consider why they were brought into doubt, and to determine what must now be believed. He relies on the existence of a non-deceiving God to ensure that an external world exists after calling it into doubt by the invocation of the dream argument. In this argument, Descartes suggests the possibility that none of our ideas are caused by external objects and therefore, such objects may not exist. He also raises the idea of a demon that may deceive us and allow us to perceive what is not really there. Although he assures himself of his own existence by his modes of thought, he remains uncertain of the reality of an external world. He doubts whether there is anything of material substance that provokes thought within him rather than it being conceived in his mind completely independent of anything else. Regarding the first point, a long list of beliefs is given: my body, pleasurable effects, appetites, primary and secondary qualities, and different bodies. He then goes on to say that since it seemed impossible that they came from him, it remains that they came from other things, and the only kind that to his mind are those that resemble the ideas themselves. He also says the one’s own body seems in a privileged position, in that one can never separate one’s self from it, and it is the seat of appetites, feelings, pleasure and pain. There is no evident connection between feelings of hunger and the nourishment of bread. He says that he has only been taught by nature. Regarding the second point, Descartes advances the problem of â€Å"perceptual relativity†. That means the judgments of the external senses have deceived him and pains in amputated limbs deceive internal senses. There are two more reasons to consider why the statements in the pervious paragraph may be brought into doubt. He says that dreams fool him about the existence of external objects, waking states might as well. The second on is the he might have been made so as to be deceived. So he concludes that it is possible that there is some faculty in him that produces those perceptions. Regarding the third point, what God can make separately is different from something else. God can make what he clearly and distinctly understands, so if they can be separated in thought, they are distinct. Descartes says he is distinct from him his body because he thinks of himself as distinct from it. His essence is only as a thing that thinks and not as an extended thing. The last thing Descartes goes into is the argument for the distinction of mind and body and the existence of material objects. He starts off with the argument from knowledge. If he clearly and distinctly understands one thing as one thing as distinct from another it is so. He is also certain that he exists as a thinking thing, while he isn’t certain of the existence of his body. Therefore, he is a thinking thing and nothing else. His mind is distinct from his body. He is a thinking thing that thinks and not an extended thing. He has a distinct idea of body as an extended thing. Therefore, his mind is distinct from his body. The body is like a machine. The mind and body are distinct. Only the brain effects the mind, so all signals from the body must travel up into the brain. Signals travel to the brain from the periphery of our body by means of animal spirits, so the system is like a cord running to the brain, which can be pulled at any point along its length. Thus we can get signals in the brain that do not originate in our senses, but which we perceive as doing so. I agree with Descartes proofs of the mind being distinct from the body. He has convinced me with his arguments from above. He has shown that mind operates separately from the body. He proves this point when he talks about the phantom limb. He says that the senses can deceive him with pain from the phantom limb. The senses can deceive him where as his imagination is of intellect and knowledge. He has also stated that he is a thinking thing while he isn’t certain of the existence of the body. The mind and body do interact with the body in some ways. Descartes says that the mind imagines things; you see things in your mind. These things do not just come from anywhere. You get these images from your senses. Say if one sees something with their eyes. Then turns away and closes their eyes. The image is still there. Descartes Meditations does clearly show the distinction of mind and body. He proves himself as a thinking thing. A thinking thing something that can only think and is not associated with corporeal things. Since he knows that one thing is clearly distinct from another, he knows that the mind is clearly distinct form the body. The wax proves this point. Thinking is essence and the body is extension. If you mutate and move your body around it is going to change shape. Essence cannot be changed or mutated in any way. Augustine started out in childhood with a restless heart because he had to live in two different worlds. These worlds consisted of that of his mother’s religious faith, and the world of everything else. These two worlds confused and disturbed Augustine as a child. In his mother’s world, talk consisted of Christ the Savior and about the mighty god who helps us especially to go to heaven. In the other world, talk was about achieving. It seems as if Augustine felt that if he were to live in both of these worlds, his life would turn out to be nothing. He believed he would not accomplish anything he would be remembered for. He became unhappy with the idea of his life amounting to nothing. This is why Augustine turned to love. He felt that love might help him have a direct purpose in life and would help him through his conversion. Love should not be that of evil. Saint Augustine searched for the answer of a question that asked if love reaches out hopelessly and harmfully, how can it turn around to be productive and wholesome to the human soul? Love became a necessity for all people. For Augustine, the answer to this question was love. The first love must be for the love of God in Augustine’s mind. It must come before all other forms of love. Augustine finds many ways in which he can find peace in God. He is genuinely sorry for having turned away from God, the source of peace and happiness. Augustine is extremely thankful for having been given the opportunity to live with God. Augustine uses love as his gate to God’s grace. Throughout The Confessions, love and wisdom, the desire to love and be loved, and his love for his concubine, are all driving forces for Augustine’s desire to find peace in God. The death of his friend upsets him deeply, but also allows him to pursue God to become a faithful Christian. Augustine often experiences darkness, blindness, and confusion while attempting to find rest in God, but he knows that when he eventually finds him his restless heart will be saved. Despite all of the negative aspects of his education on which Augustine focused, it is obvious that his schooling was an essential part of his character. Other than Christianity, his education was the most important factor that shaped his early life. Augustine would have been a different man without this education, and without it his conversion would also have been different. His circuitous route to his final acceptance of God would have been far less significant were it not for this long and difficult intellectual struggle. It is clear that his education in rhetoric provided him with the skills necessary for shaping Confessions into a highly persuasive work. Confessions is not only a self-analysis, but also a testimony to the power of the Lord. Augustine wanted his readers to be fully convinced that the ultimate and only Truth was what he had discovered after his years of conflict between philosophy and faith. â€Å"I believe in order that I may understand,† said much about his attitude towards the relationship between faith and reason. Augustine’s decision of conversion was not easy for him. It came after a long time of thinking and soul searching. When Augustine made the decision to fully convert to Christianity in Book VIII, it was truly a â€Å"leap of faith. † He knew then that he had to leave part of his philosophical pursuits behind and commit himself fully to Christ. â€Å"For I felt that I was still the captive of my sins, and in my misery I kept crying ? How long shall I go on saying, â€Å"tomorrow, tomorrow†? Why not now? Why not make an end of my ugly sins at this moment? ‘† But, adhering to God as love’s priority proved a more extended way than he had imagined. It helped to shape his life, his mind and his beliefs. He never realized until now what a huge difference it makes in one’s life when it is opened up to love and love of Christ. The answer lies in God’s grace for Augustine. These answers are to his utmost difficult questions on life and faith. The subtle and cunning loves of the heart had defined Augustine’s journey from the first. At no time in his life had he been without love, but he had loved in scattered, hidden, and conflicting ways. He had loved Monica. He had loved the image and name of Christ, he even at one point loved evil which scared him. Augustine felt the need to redirect his love and this redirection would lead him in the way and light of God. Augustine seems to be dissatisfied with himself and his need for God. Through The Confessions he leaves himself and his past to praising God and loving him. Augustine hopes to teach others about that love which God placed in him that led him to an eternal relationship with God. All of Augustine’s loves in turn became love of Christ. Although Augustine might not have realized this, it is obviously true. At first he was redirecting his loves directly to Christ, but finally he realized all his love WAS for Christ. Augustine found a place in God that he had never imagined could happen. His guilty restless heart finally found rest in God. Augustine had always believed in God. Yet there is now a love and a passion behind this belief. His love was no longer blind. In fact now it was guided by his newfound feeling of self worth. He finds himself through all of this. His quest to know himself has come to a conclusion. His chooses to forgo the pleasure of sexual relationships and become celibate. Augustine feels that through his celibacy he will show God his efforts to lead a continent life. His love for God has grown and prospered much from his days of youth. Saints are usually looked at as God’s holiest servants, people who have centered their lives around God and the teaching of the Church. Saints are seen as if they are without sin. If these things are true then how does one explain the sainthood of Saint Augustine? Augustine in no way fits the traditional mold of a saint. Quite the contrary, his life was full of sin. People can find it very easy to sympathize with Augustine’s story because of his humanity. He does not place himself above anyone. He shows his life, as it was, a very confused and sinful life. But through his conversion he sets himself apart from the rest. Augustine was affected by many outside factors that lead to his change in a point of view. The outside forces drove Augustine to look inward and see what exactly he was made of. Whether positive or negative his theories of faith were reinforced. The result was a total change in a point of view bringing him closer to God. Friendship played a crucial role throughout all of Augustine’s life. He loved having friends, and he loved being people’s friend. Augustine was always concerned that his friendships were equal in nature. There was always a perfect balance between give and take. His friendships and other love relationships were vital in his conversion and his final evolution.