W2 Assign Human Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

W2 Assign Human Capital - Essay Example ess, then changing the procedure or process to enhance the output, boost efficiency and also the efficiency of the procedure or process (Cokins, 2009). The link between PM and improvement of performance is that their main goals of are to boost organisational efficiency and effectiveness to enhance the ability of the company to deliver services and/or goods. Another area, at times, targeted for both PM and improvement of performance is organisational efficacy, which concerns the process of setting organisational objectives and goals (Cokins, 2009). Performance management and improvement normally concern processes like statistical quality management and other softer forms of assessment like customer satisfaction surveys that are applied in obtaining qualitative information on performance from the stance of customers (Cokins, 2009). Traditional HR measurement systems mainly center on efficiency, but in order to transform this into strategic human capital management, they should attention paid to efficiency and effectiveness by measuring turnover, bench strength and attitudes (Merkle, 2011). Rarely do human resource leaders think about the impact and relative effect of diverse talent pools on organisational performance (Merkle, 2011). More significant, traditional HR measurements are hardly ever directed particularly to where they are most prone to have the utmost impact–on key/vital talent. Traditional HR management systems need to pay more concern to nonfinancial impacts, as well as sustainability needs to be improved, and strategic human resource management can persuade these, as well (Merkle, 2011). The key activities that HR managers need to participate in to be successful have to do with how corporate strategies associate with human capital management. Studying the organisations keenness to implemen t diverse strategies and supporting the execution of the corporate strategy should be activities that are conducted much more often by efficient HR functions

Public Schools Segregation Essay Example for Free

Public Schools Segregation Essay I was recently struck by one of the political cartoons in the SacramentoBee newspaper, which presented an image comparison of drinking fountains in two schools. It quickly reminded me of the racist Jim Crow laws from the 1880s-1960s and how racial segregation existed almost everywhere in the United States at that time. However, I realize that this cartoon doesn’t portray the concept of racial segregation with a Jim Crow joke, but it makes a commentary on social segregation among public schools in the United States today. I slowly realized that all American public schools are not the same due to funding. The huge difference exists in the public school system because their funding is associated with local property taxes. If a school is located in an affluent area with wealthier residents who pay high property taxes, schools will receive more funding (School Funding 1). Do you think this system is fair? If I ask affluent parents, they probably would answer that they pay high property taxes, so their money should go straight to nourish public schools in their areas. Meanwhile, if I were to ask parents in low socioeconomic areas, they would say that funds should be distributed from the state and not by the county, which would help in reducing the inequality between schools. Although sharing funds is not fair for many affluent people who pay more taxes, we should encourage state governments to aid the poorer schools more because it helps to reduce poverty and prevent crimes in lower income neighborhoods. The first reason that poorer schools should get more funds is to reduce poverty. People in low-income areas might not get the direct effect from school funding, but in the future, their kids will be benefited greatly. For those in the low income bracket, education can be a legitimate way to help them climb out of poverty. However, in reality, most of these poorer schools today are still not treated equally as their richer counterparts. Lisa Black, Chicago Tribune reporter reviewed the vast difference between two public schools in the Chicago area to illustrate this point. The first school, Taft Elementary School in Lockport can’t offer students any arts, language or technology classes because of the limited budget available. Meanwhile, Rondout Elementary School, near Lake Forest, offers language programs such as Spanish in every grade including kindergarten. Most students use laptops in the class, and they can enjoy band and chorus classes. They can choose to study various art, drama and dance as well (Black 1). If poor children had the same opportunity as their counterparts, imagine the growth it could represent to them educational. If they enjoyed studying, they could move on to obtain higher education by attending to colleges, meaning better-paying jobs. Therefore, funds should be available for all people. Young minds deserve the opportunity to choose the programs that they want to study. They should be able to study art and any other subject, as they desire to, regardless of how much property tax their parents pay. In general, I believe that a good education is the foundation that can pave the way to a better quality of life. Aside from reducing poverty, preventing crimes is another reason that poorer schools should receive more funds. Crimes in lower income areas derive from being unable to sustain a decent living. These types of crimes can be directly connected to a lack of education and opportunity. Geoffrey Wodtke, a sociologist at the University of Michigan, mentions in his article that kids in poor neighborhood have less chance to graduate from high school (Wodtke 1). He also states: Poor neighborhoods are isolated and racially segregated, with none of the quality schools, day care, grocery stores, pharmacies, and parks that can help promote a child’s development and academic achievement; and they are disproportionately smoggy, crime-ridden and dilapidated. All of these factors, the researchers note, have been linked to poor performance in school, often culminating in dropouts. (1) Wodtke claims that poor neighborhoods affect school performance, and this can impact a child’s learning directly. Some children quit the schools because they have no interest in schooling. Dropping out is and having no high school diploma will limit a job opportunities. When they are not qualified for many jobs, they can’t escape the pitfalls of poverty. Therefore, some of them end up finding illegal ways to make money while others affiliate themselves with gangs (Wodtke 2). This is the reason why school is so important, because it is a good place to start children on equal footing educationally with the chance to better themselves in the future. However, schools in low-income areas still need more funds to afford having a variety of programs such as language, art and sports. Schools also need to be able to hire and retain qualified teachers. Moreover, every school should be able to afford sport programs, which is a good physical outlet for youthful energy and encourages good health and teamwork. Art programs should also be available because they provide an outlet to express creativity. A wider variety of activities and educational alternatives can create brighter and more promising futures if given the opportunities. These children can become doctors, football players or artists in the future as long as they get a fair amount of support from the beginning. It’s difficult to change the living environment in poorer neighborhoods, but we can start by improving the school system to reshape the future of that community. Some people think that pouring money into poor schools is wasteful. They believe the reason schools become poorly performing ones is because they are full of under-achieving students who lack interest in the curriculum. Even if some schools get more funds, it will not change anything. It’s like treating symptoms, but not starting at the root of the problem. They believe that the government should provide more funding to schools with higher achieving students who potentially will become successful contributing members of the community. In other words, the state government should invest in the right schools and students. However, I believe this thought to be completely wrong. People who believe this will never know the potential of students in lower-income schools unless they are given a fair and equal opportunity to succeed. If poorer schools receive more funding, they will be able to provide better facilities and a stronger variety in the curriculum. These factors would increase the chances that we see more students grow into productive and successful adults despite coming from lower class surroundings. When every school has the same resources and variety of programs available to their youths, political cartoons like this one will be a thing of the past because the educational system’s inequalities will no longer be a joke. We should call for action on the funding to reform poorer schools because education can help in reducing poverty and crimes in these neighborhoods. Although affluent parents who work harder and pay more property taxes might oppose an idea of distributed funding to poor schools, they should think about economic consequences. If a gap between rich schools and poor schools is still expanding, how can the children of today become responsible adults in the future? If this country is the land of freedom and opportunity for everyone, I should hope that schools would be the first place to start by giving equal opportunities to all children. Poorer schools should receive equal opportunities like those of the children in wealthier communities. Schools should be a sacred place where all children of any social standing are afforded the same opportunities of unlimited educational growth. The more we see children shine in their youth, the more likely they will rise up to become successful in the future and this will help strengthen the future of the United States’ socially and economically.

groth of the self :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unfortunately I was not able to make it to our last site visit and to our group meeting. I had a terrible cold and needed rest. However, I emailed one of my group members so that she could up date me. I also made sure to call my students and apologize for my absence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today, Monday I went back to site and we had overhead presentation. The students were really involved and eager to participate. In the overhead pictures of different people were shown and the students were asked to describe the person. Many of the students commented that the people in the picture looked like drug dealers, rapist and so on. Most of their comments were negative towards what the individuals in the picture looked like. The students were really shocked to find out that all of those people in the picture were university students and really successful. This was our introduction and then we broke into groups and discussed the prejudice article.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was really happy that both my students were really eager to express their opinion and to share their experiences with prejudice. They were really trying to analyze the negative and positive effects of prejudice. I have a wonderful group and I can see that they are becoming more and more involved each time. What would you do if you really loved the student?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that because I live the students and because I have opened up to them they are becoming more interested and involved. I really enjoy listening to my students responses to their ways of thinking and seeing things. Therefore, to show them my love I respect their ideas and I encourage them to think and to question everything. We were really working on our analytical skills and I hope to improve my own analytical skills through them. I am really happy with my students but I wished they took the homework a bit more serious. I think that because they have a week until we meet again they postpone the homework for so long that they eventually forget to do it or they just loose the assignment. But since I car for my students I have decided to make it my responsibility to remind them at least two days before. I plan to call them at and inquire on their week and end the call with a quick reminder to do their reading assignment and written note and questions for our n ext discussion.

Why Aliens Are Real

All around the world, there's one topic a lot of people talk about. Some people talk about economics, some talk about pop culture. The topic I'm going to be addressing is why I think Aliens are real. Throughout time, there has been many things that make us believe they are real, like the Roswell Incident. A quick recap of what happened was that what is thought to be a UFO crashed near a ranch in Roswell, New Mexico. The U. S. overnment then took the UFO and told everyone that what the rash was Just debris from the crash of an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to what was then a classified (top secret) program named Mogul. This may seem unlikely and unrealistic, as if coming from a movie, but that is because this inspired many alien movies to prop up. This might be one of or maybe the most famous alien incidents ever reported, but there is a more believable one and that is â€Å"The Wow Signal†. In 1977, The Big Ear radio telescope in Ohio State Universi ty picked up an unusual signal.The Big Ear used number and letters to identify the strength of a signal, O being nothing, Z being a strong radio signal. One time, a signal came in reading ‘6EQUJ5' from what seemed to be an empty spot in space. Dr. Jerry R. Ehman recognized this and was completely shocked, so he circled the signal in the data sheet and wrote next to it â€Å"Wow! â€Å", giving the signal it's name. The closest star to where the signal came from was 220 million light years away, meaning the signal came from out of no where.It is believed that this signal was ransmitted by aliens, but we still have no actual proof it is. Now, the bible does say we are the only planet with living beings, but think about this, how big is space? We have no clue of how big it is because it is that big. Being that big, wouldn't there be a possibility that there is a world that has living beings in it? What if the society on that planet is more advanced in technology than ours and t he reason they were able to send the signal was because of a super strong radio signal they aimed at us from some machine they made? at possibility is there and i honestly believe that is the truth. I feel like we are aliens to them and they are trying to communicate with us. Space is so enormous, we can't make decisions of what is out there yet. It is like reading the beginning of a novel and declaring you know exactly what the story is about without reading it. We still have a lot to explore about space, so until we examine every single star, moon, planet, galaxy, anything that is out there, you cant say aliens don't exist because they very well could.

Charles Booth Essay

The social history of 19th century London can only be deduced through the remaining surveys and various documents left from that time period. Charles Booth was an innovative surveyor and social investigator in the late 1800s and formed surveys of the life and labor of the 19th century London population. Charles Booth took initiative to look into the various areas of poverty, but also examined the possible reasons for poverty. Past surveyors did not use accurate methods to create statistics or charts. Most social investigators used observation for their respective purpose. Booth used scientific methods and created better detailed censuses and surveys of London. Booth was the first to make connections and implications of poverty from the areas in which the people lived, living conditions, religious life, and occupation. His methodologies were complex and his conclusions were based upon empirical data. Charles Booth used innovated research methods such as: detailed questionnaires, personal interviews, and visual observations to investigate the cause of poverty. Certain areas in London, for example the East End, were infamously known for its poverty and unfortunate crimes. Many knew only of the conditions in the East End because of authors such as Charles Dickens and George Moore that â€Å"often set their works in poorer parts of town. † The conditions were overly exaggerated and were only representative of a small section of the East End. Inwood describes the situation accurately with his statement, â€Å"how many people lived in squalor and malnutrition was not known, although some writers tried to quantify London poverty, on the basis of inadequate evidence. Mayhew produced many pages of statistics, but most of them referred to the ‘street folk’, beggars, hawkers, scavengers, and entertainers, a tiny proportion of the London poor. † There were other social surveys conducted before Charles Booth started his social investigation, however none were as detailed and representative of the entire London population as Booth. â€Å"Investigative journalist, Henry Mayhew, reported on their interviews with the poor, while a few intrepid social explorers dressed as tramps and experienced at first-hand a night in the casual ward of a workhouse. Nonetheless, there were still no in-depth and comprehensive surveys conducted until Charles Booth. Charles Booth was commissioned by the Lord Mayor of London’s Relief Fund in 1885 to analyze the census responses. Booth felt that the census was disorganized and not an adequate indication of the social problems in London. Therefore, he took it upon himself to fix and reorganize the cen sus. The first meeting was held on April 17, 1886 for the reconstruction of the census. From 1886-1903, Booth continued to use his methodologies to gather data and research the cause of the social problems in London, specifically poverty. Charles Booth studied the integral parts of the city by examining the background information of the citizens of every street in London. He focused his efforts into three main areas: the exploration of poverty, the occupations of Londoners, and the religious influence. Poverty was a major social concern during the Victorian era, as well as a continual struggle with even the most sophisticated societies in the 21st century. Booth found the social problem of poverty an important issue to explore. Poverty maps of Charles Booth were the first color-coded maps during the late 19th century. Booth created a map that encompassed the levels of poverty and wealth with different colors ranging from black to yellow to indicate a specific level of poverty that was placed directly to the London address of the household. There were eight poverty levels labeled A-H; with the lowest class labeled with the letter A and increasing in wealth with the wealthiest class labeled with the letter H. The hierarchal poverty classification system starts at the bottom with letter A and color black, which includes the criminals, street sellers, occasional laborers, and loafers. Letter B is the color dark blue and includes the very poor, casual earners that work no more than 3 days a week, and the persons that are â€Å"mentally, morally, or physically incapable of work. † Letter C includes the persons of â€Å"intermittent earnings† and an income of â€Å"18-21s for a moderate household,† laborers with irregular work,† and the â€Å"poor artisans. Letter D includes the â€Å"small regular earners,† poor, and â€Å"struggle to make ends meet† but are â€Å"decent steady men, paying their way and bringing up their children respectably. Letter C and D are represented by a light blue color and sometimes as purple if grouped with Letter E. Letter E includes the â€Å"regular earners earning 22-30s a week,† wives normally do not take trade, and boys and girls who normally do work. Letter F includes the â€Å"highest paid artisans,† â€Å"high class labor† that makes more than 30s a week. Letter E and F are represented by the color pink. Letter G includes the â€Å"lower middle class† described as â€Å"hardworking sober energetic men. † Letter G is signified by the color red. The wealthiest class, Letter H includes the â€Å"upper middle class† that keep servants. Letter H is represented by the color yellow. All of these poverty levels are placed onto the corresponding street on the map of the household described. In order to make the poverty map, Booth enlists others to help him gather his research. Booth instructed the â€Å"School Board visitors† to visit each individual home with children that were registered with the school district and collect information. The â€Å"School Board visitors† were to collect detailed information on the house address, number of rooms that the family inhabited, rent, occupations’ of the head of the household and the wife, and number of children in the household. Then the â€Å"School Board visitors† were to categorize the household into the poverty level according to the eight levels and then to assign the household to the corresponding color for the map. Due to the number of households in London, it became evident that taking a survey of every household would be too time-consuming. Therefore, a general survey of the street was also taken in addition to a small number of households on the street. The â€Å"School Board visitors† were instructed to write down notes on the street name, surveyed houses and the color associated, street condition, number of children between the ages of 3-13, and the color the street is associated with the poverty map. The end result is a color coded map of the levels of poverty specific from street to street. To inspect the social reasons for poverty, Charles Booth looked into the occupations that various household members held. Charles Booth saw industry as a major contributor to the level of poverty associated with a household. For that reason, he requested surveys and interviewed persons with particular occupations about their personal experiences to gain insight into the possible associations with poverty. Booth broke down the occupations into 18 categories and 89 subcategories with each industry given an occupation survey.

Play Analysis - Sample Essay of Man and Superman

Play Analysis - Sample Essay of Man and Superman The comedy Man and Superman depicts a microcosm of English convention in the early 20th century. It is an adaptation of the Don Juan epic touching on the philosophy of Nietzsche’s ubermensch. The play’s social commentary is strongly influenced by these topics, but it contains undertones that speak to a more specific topic on the implementation of social revolution. Framed in this way, the play is a platform for concepts embodied in the socialist rhetoric of the Fabian Society. During the late 19th Century and Early 20th century, George Bernard Shaw was an active member often using his dramatic works as a vessel by which he could communicate his political views. In the setting of Man and Superman, Shaw uses the metamorphosis of the protagonist as a metaphor for the type of social revolution sought by the Fabian Society. The Character Jack Tanner Jack Tanner is an unconventional character at a time when convention dictated action. He is wealthy, middle-aged, and unattached. As a confirmed bachelor, he preaches free love and constantly decries the institution of marriage. Most notably he is the author of The Revolutionist’s Handbook. This book details opinions on many controversial topics from the overthrowing of governments to the role of women in the daily life. The type of person that he represents is not readily accepted by his peers. In the eyes of Roebuck Ramsden, Jack Tanner is initially viewed in a negative light. Ramsden describes Tanner’s book as â€Å"the most infamous, the most scandalous, the most mischievous, the most black guardly book that ever escaped burning at the hands of the common hangman† (337). Ramsdens views are significant. He is an older gentleman that holds an important position in society. He is introduced as, â€Å"more than a highly respectable man: he is marked out as a president of highly respectable men† (333). It is therefore not unreasonable to think that the views of Ramsden might also be the views held by other important gentlemen in society. Ramsden’s views are shared by like-minded characters in the play. After defending Violet for the circumstances in which she is having a child, Tanner finds himself apologizing to her. Violet says, â€Å"I hope you will be more careful in the future about the things you say. Of course one does not take them seriously; but they are very disagreeable, and rather in bad taste† (376). Regardless of her own motivations at that time, she wanted nothing to do with Tanner’s support. This is in stark contrast to the reception one typically gets as a lone defender. How Tanner Views Himself These reactions to Tanner are generated from the way in which Tanner views himself. He says to Ann, â€Å"I have become a reformer, and like all reformers, an iconoclast. I no longer break cucumber frames and burn gorse bushes: I shatter creeds and demolish idols† (367). This is an extreme stance from which to approach life. It is understandable then that people might be offended, or even threatened, by what he represents. Tanner is unrealistic in his ideas on how to change society. In order to affect these changes in a direct manner, one would truly have to be a superman. Were Tanner to be an ubermensch by the definition of Nietzsche, it is conceivable that he might have been able to pull off a social revolution without subtlety. The main characteristic of the ubermensch is that he/she acts in accordance with his or her desires. However, he repeatedly demonstrates that this is not the case. He is conflicted over his feelings for Ann. Even though he claims that he disliked her, he somehow always attends to her. He claims to be an intellectual but is corrected by his chauffer when quoting Beaumarchais. He freely admits he is a slave to the car and his chauffeur by extension. He admits that he is intimidated by women and needs protection from at least one, namely Ann. Though he gives a long-winded diatribe to Ramsden that claims is almost without shame and almost never regrets his actions, he clearly contradicts himself. Tanner Dreams He Is Don Juan In the third act, Tanner dreams he is Don Juan, choosing whether he belongs in heaven or hell. Of course, this is the Shaw version of Heaven and hell rather than the traditional version in which the Devil punishes the wicked. Don Juan describes Heaven as a place in which â€Å"you live and work instead of playing and pretending. You face things as they are; you escape nothing but glamour, and your steadfastness and your peril are your glory† (436). If hell is a place in which you don’t face reality, then that has a clear connection to the state Jack Tanner finds himself in at the beginning of the third act. He is shirking responsibility in his personal life as well as avoiding the feelings he has for Ann. Choosing the Life Hes Been Avoiding In choosing to go to heaven at the end of the third act, Jack Tanner subconsciously chooses the life he has been avoiding. This is the life that accepts Ann. This is also the life that does not avoid convention but embraces it. Heaven is a place where one contemplates the true nature of the universe. In this case, Jack chooses to contemplate the true nature of his world rather than live an existence only concerned with self-gratification. Here again, Ramsden’s view of Tanner is significant. When Tanner has professed his love for Ann at the end of the play, Ramsden is congratulatory. He says, â€Å"you are a happy man, Jack Tanner, I envy you† (506). This is the first such supportive remark offered by Ramsden. Until this point, they had remained at odds with each other. Tanner’s engagement to Ann probably suggests he has a reasonable nature. Since Ramsden is an influential person, this changed view of Tanner will extend to Ramsden’s sphere of influence. In this light, Tanner has the opportunity to be a much more influential person. We have a clear example of the effectiveness of this kind of man in Ramsden. Ramsden was appalled to hear that Tanner considered him, â€Å"an old man with obsolete ideas† (341), but Ramsden was just like Tanner in his youth. He says to Octavius, â€Å"I have stood for equality and liberty of conscience while they were trucking to the Church and to the aristocracy. Whitefield and I lost chance after chance through our advanced opinions† (339). In his day, his opinions were advanced enough to lose him favor in eyes of his contemporaries. Mendoza, an acquaintance they met in Spain, reported that Ramsden, â€Å"used to supper with several different ladies† (471). This is something Ramsden staunchly disagreed with in Tanner’s personal life. It is clear that a change occurred in Ramsden. It must also be true that a change occurred in society in order for a man with such radical opinions to become a man of honor. This suggests that Tanner evolved in the same way that Ramsden did. Their views became milder as did their lifestyles. This is similar to the method of affecting change that was espoused by the Fabian Society. The Fabian Society was and still is a socialist organization that encourages the advancement of socialist principles through gradual rather than revolutionary means. Here, it is implied that Ramsden and now Tanner became more effective at advancing their own principles after adopting their milder lifestyles. Construction Cumbers the Ground... When he says, â€Å"construction cumbers the ground with institutions made by busybodies. Destruction clears it and gives us breather space and liberty† (367), Tanner did not realize that these words would apply to his own circumstance. His old life, which he thought was liberated, was actually holding him back. It was only in the destruction of that life that he was able to liberate himself. The taming of his radical nature caused his influence to expand. The Fabian Society believed that the destruction of state-created national, political, and moral character. Tanner’s change is a metaphor for this creation of a character. Tanner believed he had strong moral passion, but this passion was undirected. Instead, he had the foundation for a strong moral character. In submitting to Ann and accepting the traditional Victorian lifestyle, he gained a springboard from which to extend his social ideas. In so doing, he developed a stronger moral fiber, the moral fiber of a leader rather than an eccentric.

What Hiring Managers Really Think of Tattoos in the Workplace

What Hiring Managers Really Think of Tattoos in the Workplace Approximately 14% of the American population have at least one tattoo.  Tattoo culture is on the rise  and the trend has finally made it’s way into mainstream society. Despite this new found popularity, there still seems to be a stigma regarding tattoos in the workplace. According to Skinfo.com, People with tattoos are more likely to have limited career potential and are less likely to get hired. In fact, there are no laws in place protecting people with tattoos from discrimination. And it’s not just hiring managers either. Skinfo also found that 43% of people feel that visible tattoos in the workplace are inappropriate.Luckily, large companies such as IKEA, Target, Google, and UPS are more tattoo friendly.So if you have tattoos, how do you go about finding and keeping a job? Skinfo has compiled an infographic on everything you need to know about tattoos in the workplace. You can use this to plan for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Good luck!Source:[BusinessInsider ]

Hochdeutsch - How Germans Came to Speak One Language

Hochdeutsch - How Germans Came to Speak One Language Like many countries, Germany contains numerous dialects or even languages within its different states and regions. And just as many Scandinavians claim, the Danes can’t even understand their own language, many Germans have had similar experiences. When you are from Schleswig-Holstein and visit a small village in deep Bavaria, it is more than likely that you will not understand what the indigenous people are trying to tell you. The reason is that a lot of what we now call dialects actually derive from separate languages. And the circumstance that Germans have one fundamentally uniform written language is a big help in our communication. There actually is one man we have to thank for that circumstance: Martin Luther. One Bible for All Believers – One Language for Everyone As you will know, Luther kicked off the Reformation in Germany, making him one of the central figures of the movement in the whole of Europe. One of the focal points of his clerical belief as opposed to the classic Catholic view was that every participant of a church service should be able to understand what the priest read or quoted from the Bible. Up to that point, Catholic services were usually held in Latin, a language most of the people (especially people who didnt belong to the upper class) did not understand. In protest against widespread corruption within the Catholic Church, Luther drafted ninety-five theses that named many of the wrongdoings Luther had identified. They were translated into understandable German and spread all over the German territories. This is usually seen as the trigger of the Reformation movement. Luther was declared an outlaw, and only the patchwork fabric of the German territories provided an environment in which he could hide and live relatively safe ly. He then began to translate the New Testament into German. To be more specific: He translated the Latin original into a mixture of East Central German (his own language) and Upper German dialects. His goal was to keep the text as comprehensible as possible. His choice put speakers of Northern German dialects at a disadvantage, but it seems that this was, language-wise, a general tendency at the time. The â€Å"Lutherbibel† wasn’t the first German Bible. There had been others, none of which could create as much of a fuss, and all of which had been forbidden by the Catholic Church. The reach of Luther’s Bible also benefited from the rapidly expatiating printing presses. Martin Luther had to mediate between translating the â€Å"Word of God† (a highly delicate task) and translating it into a language everyone could grasp. The key to his success was that he stuck to spoken language, which he changed where he deemed it necessary in order to maintain high readability. Luther himself said  that he was trying to write â€Å"living German.† Luther’s German But the importance of the translated bible for the German language rested more in the marketing aspects of the work. The immense reach of the book made it a standardizing factor. Just as we still use some of Shakespeare’s invented words when we speak English, German speakers still use some of Luther’s creations. The fundamental secret of the success of Luther’s language was the length of the clerical controversies his arguments and translations sparked. His opponents soon felt forced to argue in the language that he composed to counter his statements. Exactly because the disputes went so deep and took so long, Luther’s German was dragged all over Germany, making it a common ground for everyone to communicate in. Luther’s German became the single model for the tradition of â€Å"Hochdeutsch† (High German).

Applying Alpro herd management system (information system) to a small Term Paper

Applying Alpro herd management system (information system) to a small dairy farm - Term Paper Example The system has also assisted dairy farmers to monitor and keep the health of their herds. The system has been designed to be user-friendly and to fit in with the routines of dairy farmers all year round. The system also impressively withstands the aggressive gasses and the high humidity that is usually present in the dairy unit environment. A dairy ranch with a herd size of approximately 150, one manager, and two skilled laborers can be managed using the ALPRO System. The side opening milking parlor used here may be organized to allow the 80 milking cows to exit or cross over to a single return lane on one side. Using a single return lane reduces the cost of parlor and the facilities used when catching or sorting the cows leaving the parlor. The single return lane allows the cows to be released individually after milking. For a six-stall side opening milking parlor, the ALPRO system is efficient and comfortable. It shortens the udder to milker distance making it easy to see and reach the cows during milking and avoid the sideways twitching related to udder inspection or cluster attachment. The layout allows for smooth movement between the cows and complete view of the cow in monitoring feeding during and after milking. It also allows easy separation of cows that need special individual attention. The system adapts to v arious cow traffic patterns, and milking routines for it is versatile. It widens the choice of building a suitable layout and makes the utilization of an existing farm building more practical. The ALPRO System incorporates simple electronic photocells that track the progress of the milking cows through the side opening milking parlor and transmits the information to an ALPRO controller. After a cow leaves a particular milking stall, the system automatically closes the gate behind the cow and opens the entry gate for another cow to enter thus preventing traffic in the milking parlor. Similarly, the automation reduces the need

Inventory Management Systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Inventory Management Systems - Assignment Example Other equipment required in the inventory is the barcode printer and scanner. The scanner will be used to read and identify the product. It looks up the information it present about the product (Bernard, 2002). The printer will print a receipt showing summary of the product purchased and total price of the product. New computer set of more than 2 GB RAM, 2.3 Gigahertz duo core processor and more than 250 GB hard disk will be required to install the software and database for keeping information of the entire inventory. External hard disk will also be required for backups. Barcode readers and printers can also be purchase with their user manuals and drivers ( Manthou & Vlachopoulou 2001). The hardware includes the computer set with correct operating system, Ink jet printers with its drivers and the external hard disk. Maintenance of the inventory system is modifying it after delivery to correct faults, make it more users friendly, and improve its performance and many other attributes. This will ensure that the defects in the system are fixed and make it more interactive. Maintenance required includes the following; Perfective maintenance involves implementing changed or new user requirements that will improve the performance of the inventory system and ensure that it meets up to date requirements of the business. Preventive maintenance ensures that the inventory system is reliable and prevents any future problems. Proper maintenance of the system will ensure that the system works efficiently and effectively all the time and cannot slow down any business process. Manthou, V., & Vlachopoulou, M. (2001). Bar-code technology for inventory and marketing management systems: A model for its development and implementation. International Journal Of Production Economics, 71(1),

Letters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Letters - Assignment Example When I attempt to toast a bagel or any other type of food, the toasting units only become mildly hot. Rather than glowing red as they typically do, the toaster is unable to even moderately toast the thinnest slice of bread. Although this is a major inconvenience, it also represents a unique safety hazard due to the fact that it requires me to hold down the toasting apparatus until such a time that the pieces of bread or bagel are sufficiently toasted. Accordingly, I tried to return this unit to Target only to be told that I should contact the original manufacturer as a means of attaining a repair or a replacement. I’m perfectly willing for your firm to either repair or replace the toaster, however, I do not want to be responsible for the necessary shipping and handling fees this might incur. Accordingly it is my hope that you will be able to fix this situation in the shortest timeframe possible. Sincerely, James Smith 123 Main Street Anytown USA April 28, 2013 Mark Witte Human Resources Department CKLB Radio Station 111 Bush River Road Columbia, SC 29201 Dear Mr Witte It is come to my attention that there is recently been posting for position of market research analyst for CKLB Radio station. Accordingly, I would like to express my interest in this position and briefly introduce myself as a highly qualified candidate who could appropriately fill such a position. Currently, I’m employed with TV6 as a lead researcher and their marketing department. I’ve been working in this position for a period of around three years and have gained a valuable network of individuals within the local community that I believe would be helpful within the position that you are currently advertising. Ultimately, the position that you described appears to be of mutual benefit both for myself and for your firm. I represent an individual who is talented, motivated, and highly dedicated. My references will be attached to this letter should you have need of conferring upon any professional sources to a test to my level of dedication to work. Although I’m satisfied with the current level of work that I’m performing, the job opportunity that you have recently posted is attractive and represents a unique opportunity for me to branch out and seek to leverage some of my talents with regards to publishing the tasks that would necessarily be part of the job. I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration this matter and look forward to your response in the near future. Sincerely Tom Jones March 15, 2001 Mr. John Smith, Director of Operations SomeGroup Group SomeStreet Drive Sometown, GA 30815 Dear Mr. Smith I am writing with regards to a bicycle purchase that took place from Maritime Sports Equipment on April 1st of 2013. Although I have enjoyed the bicycle exceptionally, the reason that this prompted me to write this letter is with regards to an overcharge that took place when the order was placed. When I made the decision to purchase the bicycle, the list price was $185 plus $25 shipping and handling fee. Accordingly, this represents the total expenditure of $210. However, when I received my bike and my bill from Maritime Sports Equipment, it came to my attention that I was being charged $22.10 in addition to the $210 which has already been noted. Upon examining my receipt to a closer degree, I have been unable to determine what the origin of this additional charge might be. Accordingly, I would kindly request that your firm honor the original agreement that existed via

Sustainable Management Futures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Sustainable Management Futures - Essay Example It is normally because of a risk or illegality, which arms others The employee has received no satisfactory reason from their immediate supervisors and he has exhausted all the channels available within the company, including going to the board of directors (GJALT & JOB, 2008). The employee has documented evidence that would convince a reasonable, impartial observer and that his or her concern for public safety is correct and the company product or action is likely to cause serious and considerable public harm (GJALT & JOB, 2008). Loyalty according to similes dictionary is the act of binding yourself intellectually or emotionally to a course of action while integrity is the quality of always behaving according to the moral principles that you believe in so that people respect and trust you or behaving according to the rules and standards of your job (ROSS, 2008). Loyalty to clients or to one’s own integrity versus loyalty to the organization, the general public, professional standards, and family and friends may prove to conflict and bring tension between the need to prevent abuses and preserve trust of an individual. Trust is a vital tension point in whistle blowing and a key source of ambiguity (ROSS, 2008). However, at times, loyalty to peers and the organization can be blind or misplace, and thus ceases to be a virtue because harm, rather than good can come from it. The Public Disclosure Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that protects whistleblowers from detrimental treatment by their employer (HOBBY, 2010). Influenced by various financial scandals and accidents, along with the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the bill was introduced to Parliament by Richard Shepherd and given government support, on the condition that it become an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 (HOBBY, 2010). After receiving the Royal Assent on

Choose the topic based on the description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Choose the topic based on the description - Essay Example The official website of the project emphasizes on the economic opportunity that the project can bring about. It says the British Columbians, Albertans, Canadians, aboriginals, communities and landowners are benefited from it. It provides with education and training opportunities and also improves the safety and integrity of gas transport and operations in the country (Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeilines, n.d). An in-depth analysis will show that the claims made by the government and the company behind the pipeline are nowhere near facts. A vast portion in the proposed route of the pipeline is passing through the traditional lands of many aboriginal groups like Yinka Dene. This also turns out as a menace for the natural habitat of wild salmon. Enbridge is trying to tackle the situation by offering a 10 percent equity stake for aboriginal groups in 80 kilometres of the line. But this can only be regarded as a business minded approach to secure the first nations’ support. Such an offering cannot make up for the loss that the proposed project can bring about. Robyn Allan, an economist and CEO of former Insurance Corporation of BC, in a report specifies that the proposed pipeline can adversely affect non-oil industries. Continual increments in oil prices are inevitable for the success of the project, and therefore it will be a blow for the common man in the country. Family purchasing power will decline; production cost in oil based industries will increase, and the eventual outcome will be abatement in GDP. Enbridge’s history in installation and maintenance of gas pipelines is not worth in giving it a ‘trustworthy’ label. Many NGOs (as cited in Financial Post, 2012) point out incidents of gas leakages and oil spills in pipelines built by them; and 190,000 litres of oil spilled in Wisconsin in July, 2012. As per reports (Financial Post, 2012), there was a 230,000

Sustainable Management Futures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Sustainable Management Futures - Essay Example It is normally because of a risk or illegality, which arms others The employee has received no satisfactory reason from their immediate supervisors and he has exhausted all the channels available within the company, including going to the board of directors (GJALT & JOB, 2008). The employee has documented evidence that would convince a reasonable, impartial observer and that his or her concern for public safety is correct and the company product or action is likely to cause serious and considerable public harm (GJALT & JOB, 2008). Loyalty according to similes dictionary is the act of binding yourself intellectually or emotionally to a course of action while integrity is the quality of always behaving according to the moral principles that you believe in so that people respect and trust you or behaving according to the rules and standards of your job (ROSS, 2008). Loyalty to clients or to one’s own integrity versus loyalty to the organization, the general public, professional standards, and family and friends may prove to conflict and bring tension between the need to prevent abuses and preserve trust of an individual. Trust is a vital tension point in whistle blowing and a key source of ambiguity (ROSS, 2008). However, at times, loyalty to peers and the organization can be blind or misplace, and thus ceases to be a virtue because harm, rather than good can come from it. The Public Disclosure Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that protects whistleblowers from detrimental treatment by their employer (HOBBY, 2010). Influenced by various financial scandals and accidents, along with the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the bill was introduced to Parliament by Richard Shepherd and given government support, on the condition that it become an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 (HOBBY, 2010). After receiving the Royal Assent on

American History Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

American History Master - Essay Example I shall also highlight how the new world order was disrupted by America. Law on the international level is dependent on a state's acceptance to be subjected to the enforcement of laws. States must be willing to subject themselves into the international legal process. In international law, there is no single enforcement mechanism, which sometimes causes individuals to question the validity of international law. They question whether international law is a fundamental requirement of a modern, increasingly independent, global system of states and non-state actors. They question whether international law stops them from pursuing their self-interest (Damrosch etal 2001 p 14). In modern times, because of globalism, international law is a fundamental requirement for international relations. In the last 100 years, history has shown us that the absence of such laws can have detrimental consequences on the entire world. The Bush administration has insisted on its right to unilaterally attack Iraq. To justify this end, the administration either ignored or conveniently reinterpreted UN articles or resolutions. It is no wonder that the vast majority of the international community did not support the Bush administration's conclusions. International opinion was that the attack on Iraq was illegal under the international laws of the UN. (http://www.123helpme.com/view.aspid=18686) The United States has clearly defined their foreign po... Foreign Policy The United States has clearly defined their foreign policy's objectives and goals. While some groups claim that the United States acts as an isolationist body, the government works to improve the international community through negotiation and cooperation The United States maintains relations with nearly every nation state in the international system. The US also conducts frequent relations with many international organizations for a lot of different reasons While the United States has hundreds of goals and objectives of the foreign policy, it's most important goals currently are internationalism and multilateralism, national security, and limiting weapons of mass destruction (Walter 2001 p 2). A divided government within the United States sometimes makes it difficult to create clear strategies both domestically and internationally, nevertheless both groups are willing to compromise in order to deal effectively with any problems Traditional and current foreign policy objectives determine current relationships between the United States and other countries and various international actors. Traditional objectives of international security and trade have always shaped relations in the international system. Today, issues of terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and Middle East peace also help shape relationships with the US abroad. The current policy objectives shape US international relations. Foreign policy activity and the decision making process have two driving motivations- an external, and a domestic or internal. The external motivation includes foreign activities, politics and policies that have an effect on US foreign policy. For example, external threats such as the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Cold War,

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn touches upon controversial racial issues that many people believe are not appropriate for young children. Understanding the novel’s satirical aspects requires a certain amount of intellectual maturity. Students below this level of aptitude may misconstrue the novel’s vulgar comments as racist, rather than an ironic portrayal of slavery. Some people feel that the elementary and secondary school students that read the book will only recognize the prominent issues of the novel and will overlook Mark Twain’s depiction that slavery is morally wrong. It is a fallacy that junior high students would be blind to Twain’s underlying references. The renowned literary work should be used as a way to educate students about the cruelty that occurred in our nation’s past. Confronting these deep racial issues could enlighten students and ease existing race relations. Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school to familiarize students with important social issues. Those that oppose Huckleberry Finn’s presence in elementary and secondary school curricula claim that its advanced material is not suitable for children of those ages. At this point, they argue, students have not matured enough to form their own views and are susceptible to negative influences. Reading Huckleberry Finn would expose students to acts of prejudice and belittlement of the black population. For example, the repeated use of the word â€Å"nigger† is disrespectful and students should not hear it used so frivolously. This word not only has a negative connotation, but it is a reminder of the inequality that once existed and alienates blacks. Furthermore, Jim, the black protagonist of the novel, is ridiculed and reduced to less than human by the novel’s conclusion. Jim’s character starts out as an enslaved black man oppressed by the white population. As he and Huck travel down the river, Jim gains confidence and the reader sees his true intelligence and compassion for Huck. Only shortly later, Jim gets drawn into Tom Sawyer’s extravagant plan to â€Å"free† him, where he is once again at the mercy of others’ cruelty. This vicious degradation of a human being far too advanced for young children to comprehend. Black students specifically may find this material embarrassing and discomforting. Young students of other ethnicities may have not yet had experiences that teach them the effects of this chauvinistic mentality and may see this behavior as acceptable. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn uses language that is offensive and contains subject matter that illuminates the separation between races. Twain purposely shares these truths in order to denounce and ironize the entire institution of slavery. The belief that elementary and secondary school students cannot understand Twain’s underlying intentions completely underestimates their mental capacity. Discussing these issues could shape students’ ideas and thwart any preconceived derogatory notions. Leslie Fiedler, an advocate of Huck Finn praises the novel for, â€Å"enabling us finally—without denying our horror and guilt—to laugh therapeutically at the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery† (Fiedler, 1984, Huckleberry Finn: The Book We Love to Hate, p. 6). He sees the novel as a way to objectively address slavery and free our nation of its lasting burden. In a classroom setting with the help of an instructor, every element of the story would be explained. Teachers are important mentors that can guide each student to an understanding of the evolution and importance of human rights. Descriptive Outline Proposition: Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. Plan: Present the argument. Take a position. Provide a concession to my position. Confirm my position with specific reasons. Paragraph 1: Says: Huckleberry Finn is a complex novel, yet young children would be able to understand and benefit from reading it in a classroom setting. Does: Sentences 1 introduces the topic. Sentences 2 and 3 further develop the issue. Sentence 4 gives one view of the argument. Sentence 5 disproves the previous sentence. Sentences 6 and 7 support the latter side of the argument. Sentence 8 is the proposition of the essay. Paragraph 2: Says: Elementary and secondary school students will misinterpret the purpose of the racial slurs in Huckleberry Finn. Does: Sentence 1 states the topic of the paragraph. Sentence 2 supports clarifies the preceding sentence. Sentences 3 says the ultimate reason for this position. Sentences 4 and 5 state one reason that backs up this claim. Sentences 6, 7 and 8 state another reason for this claim with specific evidence from the novel. Sentence 9 connects these reasons to the proposition. Sentences 10 and 11 explain further the effects of this side of the argument. Paragraph 3: Says: Students are entirely capable and should read Huckleberry Finn in schools at an age before high school. Does: Sentences 1 and 2 acknowledges the opinion in the former paragraph as a transition into the opposing view point. Sentence 3 challenges the concession in the preceding paragraph. Sentence 4 gives a general reason supporting the first sentence. Sentence 5 is a direct quote from an advocate of Huck Finn that supports the proposition. Sentence 6 explains the quotation. Sentences 7 and 8 state two benefits of adhering to the proposition. Kaila McDonnell Concession Essay Second Draft February 19, 2010 Moral Education through Literature The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn touches upon controversial racial issues that many people believe are not appropriate for young children. Understanding the satirical aspects of the novel require a certain level of intellectual maturity. While the book is read in many elementary and secondary school classrooms, some people feel that these students will only recognize the prominent issues of the novel and will overlook the inherent moral value that Mark Twain wishes to convey. If only the immediate context of the novel is interpreted, the book could be perceived as a sanction of racism. Students should be aware of the cruelty that occurred in our nation’s past. It is a fallacy that students in junior high would be blind to Twain’s underlying references that denounce slavery and discrimination. Confronting these deep racial issues could enlighten students and ease existing race relations. Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it educates students about important social issues. Those that oppose Huckleberry Finn’s presence in elementary and secondary school curricula claim that the advanced material in the novel is not suitable for children of those ages. At this point, students have not matured enough to form their own views and are susceptible to negative influences. Reading Huckleberry Finn would expose students to acts of prejudice and belittlement of the black population. For example, the repeated use of the word â€Å"nigger† is disrespectful and is not something students should hear used so frivolously. This word not only beholds a negative connotation, but it is representative of blacks’ entire brutal struggle with inequality. Further, Jim, the black protagonist of the novel, is ridiculed and reduced to less than human by the end of the novel. Jim’s character starts out as a typical enslaved black man oppressed by the white population. As he and Huck travel down the river, Jim loses his slave persona as he gains confidence and the reader sees his true intelligence and compassion for Huck. Shortly after, Jim is involved in Tom Sawyer’s extravagant plan to â€Å"free† him, where he is once again at the mercy of others’ cruelty. This vicious degradation of a human being is far too advanced for children of a young age to comprehend. Black students specifically may find this material embarrassing and discomforting. Young students of other races may have not yet had experiences that taught them the effects of this chauvinistic mentality and may see this behavior as acceptable. The belief that students in elementary and secondary schools cannot handle the messages present in Huckleberry Finn is a complete underestimation of their mental capacity. Discussing these issues could shape students’ ideas and thwart any preconceived derogatory notions. Leslie Fiedler, an advocate of Huck Finn praises the novel for, â€Å"enabling us finally—without denying our horror and guilt—to laugh therapeutically at the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery† (Fiedler, 1984, Huckleberry Finn: The Book We Love to Hate, p. 6). He sees the novel as a way to objectively address slavery and free our nation of its lasting burden. In a classroom setting with the help of an instructor, every element of the story would be explained. Teachers are important mentors with their guidance each student could reach a full understanding of the evolution and importance of human rights. Descriptive Outline PROPOSITION: Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. PLAN: Present the argument. Take a position. Provide a concession to my position. Confirm my position with specific reasons. PARAGRAPH 1: Says: Huckleberry Finn is a complex novel, yet young children would be able to understand and benefit from reading it in a classroom setting. Does: Sentences 1 and 2 introduce the topic. Sentences 3 and 4 give one view of the argument. Sentence 5 serves as the link to the next idea. Sentences 6 and 7 state the other side of the argument. Sentence 8 is the proposition of the essay. PARAGRAPH 2: Says: Some believe that students are not mature enough at an elementary or secondary school level to see Huckleberry Finn for what it’s worth. Does: Sentence 1 states the topic of the paragraph. Sentence 2 supports clarifies the preceding sentence. Sentences 3 says the ultimate reason for this position. Sentences 4 and 5 state one reason that backs up this claim. Sentences 6, 7 and 8 state another reason for this claim with specific evidence from the novel. Sentence 9 connects these reasons to the proposition. Sentences 10 and 11 explain further the effects of this side of the argument. PARAGRAPH 3: Says: Students are entirely capable and should read Huckleberry Finn in schools at an age before high school. Does: Sentence 1 disproves the concession in the preceding paragraph. Sentence 2 gives a general reason supporting the first sentence. Sentence 3 is a direct quote from an advocate of Huck Finn that supports the proposition. Sentence 4 explains the quotation. Sentences 5 and 6 say exactly why the proposition is true. Kaila McDonnell Concession Essay Draft February 16, 2010 Moral Education through Literature The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn touches upon many racial issues that many people believe is not appropriate for young children. Understanding the satirical aspects of the novel require a certain level of intellectual maturity. While the book is read in many elementary and secondary school classrooms, some people feel that these students will only recognize the prominent issues of the novel and will overlook the inherent subject matter that Mark Twain wishes to convey. If only the immediate context of the novel is interpreted, the book could be perceived as a sanction of racism. However, now over a century since the first emancipation of slaves, the enactment of slavery should not be forgotten. Students should be aware of the cruelty that occurred in our nation’s past. It is a fallacy that students in junior high would be blind to Twain’s underlying references that denounce slavery and discrimination. Confronting these deep racial issues could enlighten students and ease existing race relations. Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. Those that oppose Huckleberry Finn’s presence in elementary and secondary school curriculums claim that the advanced material in the novel is not suitable for children of those ages. At this point, students have not matured enough to form their own views and are still susceptible to negative influences. Reading Huckleberry Finn would expose students to situations that are prejudice and belittling to the black population; for example, the repeated use of the word â€Å"nigger† in reference to blacks. This word not only beholds a negative connotation, but it is representative of blacks’ entire brutal struggle with inequality. Further, Jim, the symbol of the black community in the novel, is ridiculed and reduced to less than human by the end of the novel. This subject matter is far too advanced for children of a young age to understand its significance. Black students specifically may find this material embarrassing and discomforting, while students of other races may see this chauvinistic behavior as acceptable. The belief that students in elementary and secondary schools cannot handle the messages present in Huckleberry Finn is a complete underestimation of their mental capacity. At a young age, students should not learn to be blind to important issues, such as race relations. Leslie Fiedler, an advocate of Huck Finn says that he would have parents, â€Å"prize Twain’s dangerous and equivocal novel not in spite of its use of that wicked epithet, but for the way in which he manages to ironize it; enabling us finally—without denying our horror and guilt—to laugh therapeutically at the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery. † Prior to high school is when students are developing their own opinions and need to be guided to proper moral judgment. Huckleberry Finn addresses many relevant moral issues. In a classroom setting with the help of an instructor, every element of the story would be explained and each student could reach a full understanding of the evolution and importance of human rights. Descriptive Outline PROPOSITION: Huckleberry Finn should be read in schools prior to high school because it is informative about important social issues. PLAN: Present the argument. Take a position. Provide a concession to my position. Confirm my position with specific reasons. PARAGRAPH 1: Says: Huckleberry Finn is a complex novel, yet young children would be able to understand and benefit from reading it in a classroom setting. Does: Sentences 1 and 2 introduce the topic. Sentences 3 and 4 give one view of the argument. Sentence 5 serves as the link to the next idea. Sentence 6 states the other side of the argument. Sentences 7 and 8 state and verify the proposition of the essay. PARAGRAPH 2: Says: Some believe that students are not mature enough at an elementary or secondary school level to see Huckleberry Finn for what its worth. Does: Sentence 1 states the topic of the paragraph. Sentence 2 supports clarifies the preceding sentence. Sentences 3, 4 and 5 say why this position is plausible with specific evidence from the novel. Sentences 6 and 7 state the importance and relevance of the prior examples. PARAGRAPH 3: Says: Students are entirely capable and should read Huckleberry Finn in schools at an age before high school. Does: Sentence 1 disproves the concession in the preceding paragraph. Sentence 2 expands upon the first sentence. Sentence 3 is a direct quote from an advocate of Huck Finn that supports the proposition. Sentences 4, 5, and 6 say why in fact the proposition is true.

Impact of the financial crisis globally and in Mauritius

Impact of the financial crisis globally and in Mauritius Like almost all economies worldwide, the Mauritian economy has not been spared form the effect of the global financial crisis and subsequently to the recent European crisis. The former is considered to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. This was mainly due to the falling home prices in the United State which consequently spread to all other major economies and those which are dependent on the US economy. The Global Financial Crisis has led to the crisis of public debt in the Eurozone starting with Greece at the end of 2009. Due to the linkage of member countries in the Eurozone and the use of a single currency, the crisis faced by Greece started to spread to other member countries and this became known as the Eurozone crisis. It is obvious that although the measures that would be analyzed have had great effectiveness on mitigating the impact of the two crises, it has not been inevitable to prevent them from affecting the key sectors of the Mauritia n economy. One reason is because of its openness and financial integration to the world economy and the other being the fact that Mauritius has longed been and is still very Eurocentric. The Global Financial Crisis (2007-2009) Its Origin and Impact on the World Economy The Global Financial Crisis started when home prices began to fall dramatically in the US Real Estate market at the end of 2006. One of the reasons for the falling prices is because of the housing bubble which peaked in approximately 2005-2006. As a result people who have taken home loans started to default on their repayments as they find it cheaper to buy a house rather than to continue paying for the home loan. Due to the financial linkage and the globalization process, the declining home prices started to spread to other countries. More and more foreclosures and defaults led to banks financial position to deteriorate rapidly around the world. Investors worldwide started to lose confidence in the US economy and other major economies of the Eurozone. As such stock markets were deeply affected leading to huge loses for investors. Consumption, which is the main component of aggregate demand for many countries and US, started to decline which resulted in many quarters of negative grow th in the US and other major economies. The financial crisis led to a prolonged worldwide recession in 2008. Governments and Central Banks were forced to take necessary actions to fix the crisis. Capital injection and interest rate cuts were common to help borrowers to repay their loans. The low consumer confidence and investors confidence in the world economy resulted in many firms and financial institutions filed for bankruptcy such as the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Stimulus packages were implemented in many countries to help boosting economic activity. These stimulus packages helped companies which employ thousands of workers not to file for bankruptcy so as not to increase unemployment, for example, the US government agreed to help giant car companies Ford and Crysler in order to prevent them from closing down and laying down workers. The Global Financial Crisis did not only affected rich countries but also emerging economies and developing countries. Countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China (BRIC) and many other emerging economies experienced significantly high economic growth prior to the crisis but with the global economic downturn they had seen a slowdown in their level of economic activity. The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Mauritian Economy With the impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the world economy and the deterioration of banks financial position, investors in Mauritius started to react in September 2008 by massively selling their shares. Not surprisingly, companies whose prices declined the most were those in the banking and financial sector such as the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) and the State Bank of Mauritius (SBM). As a result, the SEMDEX, the share price index of shares quoted on the Official Market of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius, started to decline to its lowest level. This indicated the level of pessimism among investors in the Mauritian economy. The Global Financial Crisis affected all key sectors of the Mauritian economy, such as the textile industry, the tourism industry, the sugar industry, the financial services sector, and the construction industry. This was mainly due to the trade liberalization of Mauritius to the world economy. As such, even though Mauritius is not related to the origin of the financial crisis, the effects of the crisis crossed the Mauritian border uninvited. This is the danger of globalization on small states like Mauritius. Among all the sectors of the Mauritian economy, the textile and tourism was most affected. Many firms closed down. Low level of tourist arrivals, due to the increasing level of unemployment in key markets, affected the tourism industry deeply. The construction industry experienced a slowdown in its economic activity. Foreign Direct Investment fell significantly during the crisis. Finally, during the same period the sugar industry had to undertake reforms because of the end of the European Union Sugar Protocol in 2006. Rising unemployment was not inevitable and the economic growth rate was declining. However, it should be noted that Mauritius did not register negative output growth during the global economic downturn. Measures by the government and the Bank of Mauritius successfully prevented the Mauritian economy from entering into a recession. Policy measures taken to mitigate the Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Mauritian Economy. Since the beginning of the Global Financial Crisis and its impact on the Mauritian economy there has been huge policy coordination between the government and the Bank of Mauritius (BOM). Keynesianism was on the rise and expansionary monetary policies were followed. The government adopted expansionary fiscal policies to boost productivity. The BOM followed the same policy actions as other Central Banks worldwide, easing monetary policies. In the last quarter of 2008, through its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), the BOM decided to slash the Key Repo rate by 150 basis points and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) was brought down from 6 percent to 5 percent, thus freeing some Rs2.5 Billion for commercial banks to be able to increase loans to the private sector and in turn increasing the level of economic activity. On the government side, although the economic growth projection was still positive at 5.5 percent for the year ending 2008, expansionary fiscal policies were adopted. The budget deficit was increased but for the benefit of increased productivity. Like the BOM, the government also followed the same course of actions taken by other countries to fight the global financial crisis. An Additional Stimulus Package (ASP) equivalent to 3.8 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or Rs6 Billion was put in place. The ASP was aimed at expanding the airport of Mauritius and to create six funds that would make Mauritius more resilient and thus limiting the impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Mauritian Economy. These Funds include: The Maurice Ile Durable (MID) Fund. Food Security Fund. The Human Resource, Knowledge, and Arts Development Fund. The Local Infrastructure Fund. The Social Housing Development Fund. The Manufacturing Adjustment and SME Development Fund. The Implementation of the Additional Stimulus Package in its effort to fight the Global Financial Crisis. The six funds created under the ASP are detailed below: The MID Fund would include a solar water heater scheme, energy saving lamps, replacing street lighting lamps, mobilize foreign expertise for sustainable development support for a wind farm project, and financing the Waste Energy Project. All these schemes would help in building the vision of a Green Mauritius and protect the Mauritian Economy from high price volatility for non-renewable energy. Under the Food Security Fund land would be prepared and provided with irrigation facilities for small farmers. The land resource mobilization would result in the production of some 5000 tons of additional food commodities between 2009 and 2011. The aim of this fund is to increase the food supply for the population and reduce the dependence on imported food supplies. The Human Resource, Knowledge, and Arts Development Fund would make provisions for scholarships to needy students. A Student Loan Guarantee Scheme and the construction of new campuses for tertiary education are also financed under this fund. The aim of this fund is to provide education for all children and help in eradicating poverty and also to widen the circle of opportunities. The Local Infrastructure Fund would provide resources in a wide range of areas including multi-purpose complexes, fish landing stations, market fairs, waterfront, crematorium, and tartan track. The aim of this fund is to improve areas where people visit regularly and increase security for the people. The Social Housing Development Fund would include the rehabilitation of NHDC estates and infrastructures for social housing and support for affordable housing to bring down the cost of mortgage. This fund would help more people to own a home. The Manufacturing Adjustment and SME Development Fund would facilitate the work undertaken by the Enterprise Mauritius, SEHDA, and the National Women Entrepreneur Council. Another important scheme that was created under the ASP was the Mechanism for Transitional Support to the Private Sector (MTSP). This mechanism makes provision for a Financial Rescue Package (FRP) to help enterprises in financial difficulties. The MTSP covered all sizes of enterprises whether small, medium, or large. The facilities favored enterprises which have used all available financial tools provided by banks and other financial institutions and still cannot overcome their financial distress. It also applies to those where banks and other financial institutions do not agree to help them. The 2009 budget also aimed at making provision for a range of actions in light of the global economic crisis. The National Empowerment Foundation (NEF) was created from this budget. Its main aim was to fight the remnants of poverty in Mauritius and the eradication of poverty. The NEF also put an obligation on large companies to give at least 2 percent of their operating profit as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The NEF enhanced its efforts on re-skilling, retraining, and returning retrenched workers to productive employment. The Euro Crisis (2010) Its Origin and Impact on the Eurozone economies. The Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 forced many countries to seek help to restructure their economies, especially the Eurozone economies. After the financial crisis another problem was emerged, the public debt or sovereign debt crisis which later became known as the Eurozone Crisis. It started with Greece at the end of 2009 and then spread to other Eurozone member countries such as Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. A sovereign debt arises when a country issue government bonds denominated in its own currencies but sold to investors abroad. The problem with Greece was that the cost of financing the debt became so large that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Central Bank (ECB) agreed on a à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬110 Billion loan for Greece. Soon after other countries started to have the same problem as Greece and bail outs was necessary. Ireland has also been bailed out with à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬85 Billion. However, these loans are conditional on the implementatio n of harsh austerity measures. Austerity measures being cuts in government spending and increased taxes. One of the main impact of the Euro Crisis was the depreciation of the Euro vis-à  -vis other currencies. There was high financial instability in Eurozone economies which consequently led to uncertainty and falling investors confidence. On 9 May 2010 the 27 member states of the European Union agreed to create the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), a legal instrument aiming at preserving financial stability in Europe by providing financial assistance to Eurozone states in difficulty. The Impact of the Eurozone Crisis on the Mauritian Economy. Mauritius is highly dependent on the Eurozone and it is obvious that a depreciating Euro would have serious consequences on the economy. The crisis impacted on all key sectors of the Mauritian economy including export, financial services industry, domestic oriented industries, and other emerging sectors. Most of our exports are billed in Euro while most imports are in US dollars term. Since the beginning of 2010, the Euro has depreciated by around 8 percent while the US dollar has appreciated by around 3 percent against the rupee. Therefore, it is clear that exports revenues are declining while costs are rising for local firms. This is very crucial for domestic firms and this present a threat for their survival and consequently employment. The Central Statistical Office (CSO) downgraded the real GDP forecast for 2010 from 4.6 percent to 4.2 percent after the unfolding of the Euro Crisis. Furthermore, the CSO predicted an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent in 2010 from 7.3 percent in 2009. On the other hand, the inflation rate was declining. Analysts expect the austerity measures to impact negatively on the growth performance of Eurozone economies. This can result in a drop in demand for our exports and lower tourist arrivals. Moreover, some analysts believe that the Eurozone crisis will last for 5 to 7 years. Policy Response to the Eurozone Crisis and to limit its impact on the Mauritian Economy. The Mauritian economy is faced with a depreciating Euro which is having serious consequences in terms of low tourist arrivals and low demand for our exports. Furthermore, the Euro crisis is expected to last for 5 to 7 years. There is therefore a compelling need to restructure the Mauritian economy and to diversify from the Eurozone countries to other emerging countries such as the BRIC. Below is an extract from Facing the Eurozone Crisis and Restructuring for Long Term Resilience which was presented by the Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Pravind Jugnauth in 2010. Thus, The seven pillars of our response to the euro crisis and to the larger challenge of global economic rebalancing are: Industry and enterprise restructuring Deleveraging Supporting the creation of new financing instrument Fast re-skilling and re-employment of retrenched workers, with a focus on retrenched women workers Acceleration of public infrastructure Protecting consumers Modernizing regulations to improve competitiveness In order to implement all of the seven policies response mentioned above, many measures was taken, these includes: The implementation of an Economic Restructuring and Competitiveness Programme (ERCP). This will support firms in the export sectors, especially the textile and clothing industry to help them overcome their financial difficulties. Support for the SMEs to help them better manages their finance and thus being resilient to external shocks. Supporting small planters in the sugar industry which are squeezed between reform into the sugar industry and a depreciating Euro. Help to restructure the tourism sector in diversifying into non-euro based markets. Help the retrenched workers by providing them support and ensuring their re-employment. Ensuring that consumers can benefit in the depreciating Euro. Restructuring the public sector enterprises. Accelerate public infrastructure projects that are vital to the economic restructuring. Improving competitiveness by reviewing the regulatory framework. Setting up a committee to endure the proper implementation of the policy response package and ensure its effectiveness. Mobilizing the necessary resources to finance the package. The Mechanism for Transitional Support to the Private sector (MTSP) which was put in place to help firms in difficulties during the Global Financial Crisis was replaced by the ERCP. The ERCP is much more than a financial rescue package. The main features and process of the ERCP is outlined in the next section. The Economic Restructuring and Competitiveness Package The main processes of the ERCP are as follows: A diagnosis will be carried on the company applying for support under the ERCP to determine its viability. If the company is found viable, it will be granted all support under the ERCP provided that it takes a serious commitment to restructure and deleverage. An Independent Financial Analyst will be drawn to prepare a restructuring plan for the company. The restructuring plan will include market diversification, product improvement, efficiency, and productivity. If the restructuring process requires the laying off of workers, a retrenchment plan should be submitted to the ERCP and the Support Unit for Re-employment of Employees (SURE) for approval. The deleverage plan will define actions the company needs to take to bring down its gearing ratio to the benchmark established by the ERCP committee. Inefficient, poorly managed, highly geared companies will not be granted support under the ERCP. Measures were also taken by the BOM to manage the euro/rupee exchange rate. The Key Repo rate was cut by 100 basis points to 4.75 percent on the 27th September 2010. Conclusion Up to now the Mauritian economy has demonstrated a considerable degree of resilience to external shocks. The Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 was the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s and it has dampened the world economy significantly. Mauritius being a small emerging economy was also hit by Global Financial Crisis due to its openness n financial integration to the world economy. However, policy coordination by the government and the Bank of Mauritius in adopting expansionary fiscal and monetary policies has prevented the Global Financial Crisis from damaging the economy further. The effects of the Eurozone crisis on the Mauritian economy were also very high. These were inevitable since Mauritius has always had high dependence of its exports such as tourism, textile and sugar on markets in Europe but the policy response such as reducing the Key Repo rate to 4.75 percent by the BOM and the implementation of the ERCP by the government will ensure that the Mauritian economy has a long term resilience to external shocks

How Miller Uses Reverend Hale in The Crucible Essay -- Arthur Miller T

How Miller Uses Reverend Hale in The Crucible Arthur Miller describes Reverend Hale as nearing forty, a tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual. An intellectual is usually thought of as someone with his head in the clouds, who spends so much time thinking great thoughts that he's inept in the real world of human emotions. There is some truth in this image of John Hale. He knows a lot about witchcraft; but he knows almost nothing about the people of Salem or the contention that is wracking the town. How pompous and arrogant he must sound when he says, â€Å"Have no fear now--we shall find [the Devil] out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face!† And yet he has every reason to be confident. To Hale, demonology is an exact science, for he has spent his whole life in the study of it. â€Å"We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise.† But he is not just a bookworm, he is a minister of God. His goal is light, goodness and its preservation, and he is excited by being called upon to face what may be a bloody fight with the Fiend himself. All his years of preparation may now finally be put to the test. He fails, and the evil that follows his first appearance totally overwhelms him. Is the fault in his character? Is he not as smart as he thinks he is? Is he a fool, whose meddling lit the fuse to the bomb that blew up the town? Much of the play supports this answer. What looks like success at the end of Act I soon carries Hale out of his depth, and every time he appears after that he is less sure of himself. At the end of the play he has been completely crushed: he, a minister of the light, has come to do the Devil's work. â€Å"I come to counsel Christians they should be... ...ocence. In October 1692 someone accused his wife of witchcraft and where Hale had been rather forward in the prosecution of the supposed witches he now came to believe that spectral evidence was not enough to convict on. He then began to argue against the trials. The effects of Hale’s character and action helped progressed the play and spark off the witch trials. By his arrogance in the beginning of Act 1 where â€Å"he feels the pride of the specialists whose unique knowledge has at last been publicly called for. This also goes to show that Hale has one of the tragic hero’s flaws, which is arrogance. Hale does try to redeem himself by changing his view about witchcraft. Hale tried to save John Proctor’s life giving him advice and reasoning him, but to avail. Proctor was hung. Hale became the audience’s voice in the end saying the witch trials were wrong. How Miller Uses Reverend Hale in The Crucible Essay -- Arthur Miller T How Miller Uses Reverend Hale in The Crucible Arthur Miller describes Reverend Hale as nearing forty, a tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual. An intellectual is usually thought of as someone with his head in the clouds, who spends so much time thinking great thoughts that he's inept in the real world of human emotions. There is some truth in this image of John Hale. He knows a lot about witchcraft; but he knows almost nothing about the people of Salem or the contention that is wracking the town. How pompous and arrogant he must sound when he says, â€Å"Have no fear now--we shall find [the Devil] out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face!† And yet he has every reason to be confident. To Hale, demonology is an exact science, for he has spent his whole life in the study of it. â€Å"We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise.† But he is not just a bookworm, he is a minister of God. His goal is light, goodness and its preservation, and he is excited by being called upon to face what may be a bloody fight with the Fiend himself. All his years of preparation may now finally be put to the test. He fails, and the evil that follows his first appearance totally overwhelms him. Is the fault in his character? Is he not as smart as he thinks he is? Is he a fool, whose meddling lit the fuse to the bomb that blew up the town? Much of the play supports this answer. What looks like success at the end of Act I soon carries Hale out of his depth, and every time he appears after that he is less sure of himself. At the end of the play he has been completely crushed: he, a minister of the light, has come to do the Devil's work. â€Å"I come to counsel Christians they should be... ...ocence. In October 1692 someone accused his wife of witchcraft and where Hale had been rather forward in the prosecution of the supposed witches he now came to believe that spectral evidence was not enough to convict on. He then began to argue against the trials. The effects of Hale’s character and action helped progressed the play and spark off the witch trials. By his arrogance in the beginning of Act 1 where â€Å"he feels the pride of the specialists whose unique knowledge has at last been publicly called for. This also goes to show that Hale has one of the tragic hero’s flaws, which is arrogance. Hale does try to redeem himself by changing his view about witchcraft. Hale tried to save John Proctor’s life giving him advice and reasoning him, but to avail. Proctor was hung. Hale became the audience’s voice in the end saying the witch trials were wrong.

Thesis Title

How to Make a Good Thesis Title A thesis title is the first thing a reader will encounter upon picking up your paper. It should provide a concise view of the topic your paper will address, as well as give a sense of what angle you are approaching the issue from. Titles will need to be crafted very carefully and might change many times over the course of writing a thesis paper, as the focus of your writing shifts and you tease out different nuances of the subject.Give yourself a chance to make a positive first impression with your title by making it descriptive representative of your overall work. Instructions: 1. Your thesis title most importantly should not be a bland statement on the topic your paper covers, no matter how specific. Thesis titles should generally be as carefully worded as the arguments and researched contained in your paper. Make an effort to come up with multiple possible titles that reflect your work. 2. Make sure you have the exact format required for your work o r assignment.The most basic format for a thesis title includes a shorter main title that generally describes the work and a longer subtitle that explains the finer details of your research; these are often separated by a colon. If the guidelines for your thesis call for the title to be organized differently, follow them as closely as possible. 3. Conduct a survey using your possible titles to determine which one is the best. Present your classmates and teachers with a short list of your three favorite titles and ask them which appeals to them most.Once you have a clear choice, go back through your paper to make sure that your title is consistent with the tone and point of view of your thesis. 4. If your paper deals specifically with a time period, make sure to mention this in the title. Include the dates or years at the end of the subtitle, following a colon. As an example, if your thesis addressed the last years of World War II, your title might read â€Å"Ending the Conflict: War fare in Central Europe, 1943-1945. † Tips & Warnings †¢Look through professional journals and college essays to see which titles rab your attention while still giving you a good idea of what to expect in the paper. †¢Do not attempt to write a thesis title before you have at least a rough outline of what the body of your paper is about. A thesis that is not targeted to the information in your work will leave the reader confused as to what your paper is about. In addition, do not simply write a dry description of your essay and assume it will work as a title. Titles should be informative, but including a bit of humor or levity (depending on the subject) can help your paper's appeal expand.

Fast Foods vs. Home Made Foods

These days, most people prefer fast food rather than home-made food. People are alike in needing food in order to survive, but they differ in choosing the kind of food they're having. Fast food and home-made food have considerable dissimilarities in preparation time, convenience, and quality. Despite the health risks that come with fast food consumption, people continue to eat it because many people have no time to select and prepare food at home. However, fast food need not be as unhealthy as its reputation. One advantage of home-made meals over fast food is its cheaper cost.However, because you also spend on seasoning, condiments and gas and electricity whenever you cook at home, the cost difference is quite possibly not as large as many believe. In addition, home-made meals generally take more time to prepare and require you to have cooking skills. On the other hand, the taste of home-made meals is generally better, because you are able to select fresh ingredients. You are also ab le to ensure the ingredients that go into your food are clean and free of contaminants. Nowadays, fast food attracts people more than home-made food does. It's known as the food that you don't have to prepare.Fast food is more common because people are always busy, and in a hurry, so they head towards fast food restaurants to save their time. For example, if a worker works for a long time and doesn't have enough time to cook a meal, (he/she) will definitely consume a fast food meal. Fast food is also common because it's convenient and people can find fast food restaurants in all places. In conclusion, both fast food and home-made food have significant divergence in preparation time, convenience and quality. Fast food might be better in saving time and being more convenient, while home-made food might be better in quality.

Chinese Artifacts Essay

The artist of this calligraphy scroll, Zhao Mengfu, was highly praised by the Yuan emperor Renzong as unrivaled traditional Chinese polymath (for a lack of a better word). It is said that the emperor admired him for possessing the following seven outstanding qualities: wide learning, Song royal ancestry, elegant and charismatic appearance, pure character and righteous conduct, literary accomplishment, mastery of calligraphy and painting skills, and profound knowledge of Buddhist and Daoist teachings. As an leading and influential calligraphy during his era, Zhao was able to successfully advocate and promote many of the views that he had on Chinese calligraphy. Zhao supported a return to the ancient models, which integrated the Jin (265 – 420AD) and Tang (618 – 906AD) dynasty styles to synthesize a new norm for standard and cursive scripts. In later eras, many printed texts were modeled after the standard script that he helped create. Furthermore, the cursive style script, depicted in this scroll titled Four Anecdotes from the Life of Wang Xizhi, became the foundations of the informal calligraphic styles of those how succeeded him. One of the four anecdotes from the â€Å"Life of Wang Xizhi† tells the story of a time when Xizhi, a ‘calligraphic’ sage, was extremely fond of the [graceful appearance of] geese. In Shanyin there was a Daoist monk who had raised a flock of more than ten fine geese. One morning Wang decided to take a small boat and go there. He was delighted with the geese and wanted to buy them, but the monk refused to sell. Wang tried in vain to persuade him. Finally, the monk told Wang that he loved Daoist philosophy and had always wanted a transcription of Laozi’s Daodejing with its commentary by Heshanggong. He had already prepared the silk, but no one was qualified to write it. He asked if Wang would condescend to transcribe two chapters each from the Dao and De sections, for which he would give Wang the whole flock. Wang stayed for half a day to write out the chapters, then he caged the geese and returned home. (Citation) In many ways, this story possesses many aspects of traditional Daoist philosophies. Firstly, the events and interactions between the Monk and Xizhi is highly reflective of the ‘interdependence’ between beings. Furthermore, the fact that the Monk refuse to trade his geese through monetary means underlines Daoist de-emphasis of material objects, especially something as superficial as money. Rather, the Monk was willing to give up his geese for an implementation Xizhi’s skill and mastery of calligraphy. In a way, this reveals belief that an individual should play the role of what he or she was ‘meant’. In other words, the Monk’s offer of his geese for calligraphy mirrors some sort of a natural guidance for Xizhi to walk in accordance to the Way. In summary, the story told through the calligraphy of this scroll is highly relavent to the Daoist themes that were studied throughout the course. Object : Buddhist stele, Tang dynasty (618–906), ca. 700 Origins: China Material: Black limestone Size: H. 64 1/2 in. (163. 7 cm) This relic originates from the temple in the Xinxiang County in the central Chinese province of Henan. A stele is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief or painted onto the slab. In this case, the Buddhist stele is made of black limestone and is curved to give the outline of the figure of Guanyin. In this stele, we see many of the symbolism commonly studied in the Chinese Buddhism. Firstly, the graceful of stance the pair of bodhisattvas implicates a noble yet welcoming gesture which is reflective of the characters theor sage-hood. Secondly, judging by the small objects inscribed on the crown – a figure of the Buddha – they represent Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara), one of the principal bodhisattvas associated with the Pure Land cult. Despite the damages accumulated over time, the gentle S-shape swing of the bodhisattvas’ bodies gives an essence of individuality to each of the figures. The Western Pure Land sect, derived from the teachings of the Buddha Amitabha, was the sect that attracted the largest number of followers. As we have discussed in class, this was most likely due to the motivation that salvation awaits each and every devotee in a paradise situated in the western realm of Buddhist cosmology. The ability of Buddhism to discuss subjects like the afterlife was one of the largest sources of its popularity. This black limestone stele is one of the best examples of Buddhist devotional art in the Tang period of Chinese history. Object: Central watchtower, architectural model, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220), 1st–early 3rd century Origin: China Material: Earthenware with green lead glaze Size: H. 41 in. (104. 1 cm) The Han dynasty (206 B. C. –220 A. D. ) is deemed to be one of the most important and inflectional dynasties in pre-modern China due to it lasting effects in imperial structure and formation of a national consciousness. Chinese people, until today, still refer to themselves as ‘Han Chinese†. Furthermore, the architecture styles that were established during the Han period layed the ground works for the architecture of the eras to follow. Han architecture was a grand improvement to the architecture of those that precede them; it includes vast palatial complexes, towered gateways, and city walls were built as symbols of power and prestige as well as for defense. This model art piece embodies many of the essential features of Han architecture: the overhanging tiles supported by the roof, the four sided style infrastructure and the stacking effect. In many ways, this specific model, less a few details, is reminiscent of the temple building the class visited for the lecture on Buddhism. In relation to our studies, a great variety of these architectural models were used in the decoration of the tomb in the Han era to show the status of the person being buried. Object: Spouted ritual wine vessel (guang), Shang dynasty, early Anyang period (ca. 1300–1050 b. c. ), 13th century b. c. Origin: Possibly Anyang, Henan Province, China Material: Bronze Size: W. 13 in. (33 cm) This artifact, a bronze casted vessel, dates back to the late Shang era (ca. 1300–1050 B. C. ). The shape of the wine vessel is said to be loosely based on a figure of a bird; this is identifiable through the hooked beak feature and glaring eyes effect from the face on view. As we have studied, the Shang people had many beliefs about the spiritual world. This vessel is believed to have been used to pour wine and other beverages in ceremonies involving Shang ruler and their ancestors and supernatural forces. Other feature on the vessel includes coiled serpents emerging from the wings, roaring tiger-dragons prowling along the sides, horned bird that serves as a handle. This existence an artifact of this age gives us insights into the superior technology of casting in ancient China. The complicated multilayered designs are unparalleled by other cultures of the time. It is believed that the technique used for this the bronze casting is through a ceramic mold and the usage of an interior clay core. Motel bronze is then poured into filled the empty space between the intricate design and the core. Once the clay core was emptied out, the result is the astonishing bronzed vessel with complex designed as described. Again, such artifacts can be used to validate the hypotheses and speculations about the technologies and lifestyle during an ancient civilization like the Shang.