Cameron Auto Parts Essay Example

Cameron Auto Parts Essay 1. Do you agree with Cameron’s decision to grant McTaggart a license? Do you agree with the way Alex went about it? What other options were available to Cameron? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? The business potential of flexible coupling was evident to Alex. The salespeople were looking for 35$-40$ million during 2004. He realized that the plant cant hold both lines (OEM and flexible coupling). The costs of expansion were too high and required many of the companys resources. The companys cash flow couldnt support a plant expansion. The flexible coupling industry is different than the auto industry. Every dollar of flexible coupling sales requires an investment in inventory and receivables of about 30 cents. Furthermore, in the flexible coupling industry you have to manufacture to inventory, as a result you dont see revenue right away. Alex saw the potential in the European market; however he didnt know the foreign market that well. Exporting to the European market meant that the European costumer pays about 20 percent more (because of taxes, insurance etc). An opportunity to penetrate the European market was offered to him in his visit to Scotland. By granting McTaggart a license, Alex ensured a quick, almost risk-free penetration to the U. K market. Along with the advantages of licensing, granting license to McTaggart, means sharing not only profits, but the unique knowledge, which is Cameron’s intellectual property. Considering the companys financial situation, the costs and risks of penetrating to new market, I think Alex did the right thing in granting McTaggart a license. Although it was a good opportunity, I believe he didnt handle that appropriately. He signed the contract with McTaggart without consulting with his financial, operational and legal advisers. We will write a custom essay sample on Cameron Auto Parts specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Cameron Auto Parts specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Cameron Auto Parts specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He didnt fully take under consideration all other options before closing the deal. A comparison between his options: | Advantages| Disadvantages| Exporting| * Economies of scale in the long run * Independence * quality control through own responsibility| * Lack of capacity * Currency risks * High Investments * No specific market knowledge * Transport risks * Trade barriers| Licensing| * Quick market entry * Low investment costs * Reduced financial risk * Economies of scope| * No control over local business * Risk of image loss * Communication gaps * Loss of flexibility (because of the commitment to he licensee) * Shared profits| New plant| * Keeping the IP – low risk of knowledge leeks * High margins| * High initial investment (building the new plat)| Joint Venture| * Benefit from local partner’s knowledge. * Shared costs/risks with partner. * More profitable than royalty| * Less profitable than producing in house * Risk giving control of technology to partner. * Shared ownership can lead to conflict. | 2. Was McTaggart a good choice for a licensee? What should Alex have done upon hearing Sandys offer for a licensing agreement? According to exhibit 3, I think McTaggart was a good choice for a licensee. It was an old and stable company with excellent credit record. It had vast market coverage in 3 continents. This widespread and stability is important when picking a licensee, in order to penetrate new markets. Furthermore, the license to McTaggart was given to 5 years only, not a long term commitment. In that period Cameron can learn about the European market and improve its cash flow, and by the end of that period can decide whether to continue with the licensing or go on its own. . Was the royalty rate reasonable? What does reasonable mean? (Hint: Based on what you know about Cameron’s outlays for developing the product how much does Cameron need to recoup over what period? Cameron expects that $12 million in assets will generate $30 million in flexible coupling sales and a profit of $5 million. ) According to exhibit 1: Assets: $12M Profit: $5M Assuming that the debit interest is 7% and the licensi ng will last 5 years. According to NPV – there is profit of ~7. 9M$, which is IRR = 30%. As shown in the table below, 3% royalty out of sales makes 9. 1% out of profits: The 25% Rule suggests that a licensor should receive 25% of the extra profit derived from the licensees use of the licensed technology. According to that, 9. 1% licensors share of the profit is too low. In order to get the 25% of the extra profit the royalty should be around 10%, according to the table below: Conclusion: Current royalty of 3% 2% is too low. 4. What conflicts do you foresee in the relationship between Cameron and McTaggart assuming that sales in Europe will increase? How can the two partners address these potential conflicts at this point? Should they? Assuming the sales in Europe will increase, each company may come the conclusion that it is better off on its own than to be restricted to the contract. After a short while, Camerons managers may think that they know everything there is to know about the European market, and may seek other partners or even try operate on its own. Furthermore, as mentioned in question 3, the royalty rate of Cameron from the agreement is lower than it should be. As a result I think the company will surely try to find a way to increase its royalty rate or cancel the agreement. I think both companies should establish a JV or some sort of an alliance, using Camerons product and McTaggarts capabilities in the European market. This will be a win-win situation for both companies: Cameron will get more significant part of the profits and won’t be frighten by McTaggart’s exclusivity. McTaggart, on the other hand, although it will split the profits, will grow and penetrate outside the U. K. boarders to other European countries.

A Personal Style of Helping Leads to Good Patient Care Essay Example

A Personal Style of Helping Leads to Good Patient Care Essay Example A Personal Style of Helping Leads to Good Patient Care Paper A Personal Style of Helping Leads to Good Patient Care Paper It is vital in all nursing situations to have a personal style of helping that is effective and leads to good patient care. When a patient receives first-rate care, they are likely to better adjust to their illness than if poor care was given. It is imperative that a variety of helping styles be available in a nursing environment because not all patients respond the same to all helping techniques. Fortunately, every nurse has a different personal style of helping, and as such, many different types of nursing theories have developed to compliment their individual style. If nurses can understand and identify with a theory, they can then better understand their personal style of nursing, and in turn, better apply this individual style when helping a patient. Therefore, this understanding translates to better patient care, better patient compliance, and higher spirits throughout the entire nursing environment. Before nurses can apply theory to practice, they must first explore their own set of values and beliefs which strongly influence their particular style of helping. Without this personal understanding of themselves, the nurse would have a hard time deciding which theory best describes her and secondly, a difficult time implementing this theory. A persons individual set of beliefs and values have a great effect on all of their actions and their decision making process in general. I have found that in exploring my own values and beliefs, that I am able to recognize many that are central to my life and nursing style. First of all, and perhaps most importantly, I believe respect is an essential aspect of any relationship. When respect is not a cornerstone of a relationship, one will not tolerate or appreciate the others differences in values. Without a mutual respect between individuals, a relationship between them would be impossible. Along with respect comes honesty and trust. Honesty and trust help to build respect for another human being. If either of these two values were absent from a relationship, then it follows that respect would no longer be present either. This is solely because if you cannot trust someone, they are not being honest and therefore the respect that could grow between the individuals is blocked by the honesty and distrust between the two. However, even with distrust and no respect in a relationship compassion should still be felt toward that individual. Compassion, unlike respect is unconditional in the fact that despite how you feel about the individual, you still feel an overall concern and kindness towards them as another living human being. Equality is a value that is essential to nursing because it ensures all patients receive care that is essentially fair and evenly distributed. This provides an environment where no individual feels slighted or preferred compared to others. As a nurse, even if a patient has treated you with disrespect, and possibly given you justification for unequal treatment, it is still vital that you, as the nurse, provide fair unwavering care to everyone. Commitment is yet another vital value essential to building and maintaining working relationships. Without commitment, no one would feel compelled to follow pursuits which although may be difficult are the just and right things to do. For example, many times in life it is much easier to ignore and disregard a situation in which the proper thing to do is act, but commitment to my values and beliefs compels me to make the needed effort and act on the situation. In this very way, nurses are committed to the care of their patients as many times it is easier to remain emotionally uninvolved, for example, but the nurse’s dedication to their patient’s well-being requires this emotional bond. When exploring an individual’s values and beliefs, it is useful to reflect on past experiences that challenged them. One such instance is from a clinical experience I had at Marian Villa. I was caring for an elderly man with end stage Alzheimer’s disease, as well as prostate cancer. This man had many other health issues, as well as a language barrier. I worked with him for the duration of the eight week placement, and found myself constantly coming into conflict with my values and beliefs with the staff when it came to this gentleman. Mr. S. was a very kind and gentle man, with a warm laugh and a warm heart. He was an introverted individual who, besides going to the dining room for meals, spent most of the day in his room. I was responsible for doing all of his morning care as well as feeding him and ensuring he didn’t go through his day lonely. When I first arrived on the floor, I was told that I would need to feed him, as he wouldn’t eat if I was to leave him. After the first day on the unit, I decided to see what he could do for himself without me intervening. It amazed me what a little space can do for a person. This man had no feeding deficit, as well, he could dress and toilet himself independently. When I spoke to the health care worker who was assigned to him that day, I was astonished to learn that Mr. S. was not able to feed himself independently normally because the staff found him to be a slow eater and the kitchen staff wanted meals to be done by a certain time so they could prepare for the next meal. A few weeks later, I ran into another problem with staff related to Mr. S. After arriving on the floor, I went to his room to see if he was awake and ready for breakfast. When I entered the room, I found him still lying in bed. I inquired as to why this was, as breakfast was to be served in ten minutes. He confided in me that he was having a lot of pain in the heel of his foot. As a care giver, I offered to look at his foot which appeared to be slightly swollen. I attempted to help him out of bed to get dressed, but he could not weight bear on his foot. This man usually used a walker to move around, so I offered a wheelchair to him to go to breakfast. He responded that he thought a day of rest would clear things up, and I agreed to let him rest and brought breakfast to his room. After this incident I spoke with the head nurse on the floor and discussed Mr. S’s condition. The nurse and I agreed to Mr. S. resting for the day. The health care worker though, insisted that Mr. S. get out of bed and dressed for the day. As an advocate for this man, I insisted that she let him rest as his foot was quite sore. The worker conveyed to me that all residents had to be up and dressed every day. At this point my values were being challenged. I recalled a speaker that had come to speak to the clinical group when we first arrived at Marian Villa. He was very clear to say that ‘this place is their home’. If this is so, why do they have to wake up at 0730 when they would rather sleep until 0830? Why is it that they only have half and hour to start and finish meals? Why can they only shower once a week? I stood my ground with the worker, and explained bluntly that he was not getting up. I was proud of myself for standing up for my beliefs, and I respected the health care worker for standing up for her beliefs as well. Nursing theories have a lot to do with the way a nurse develops his/her own style of helping. Once a nurse has explored their own values and beliefs, they may then look into theories that correspond to their value and belief system. Theories are a good way of supporting what one finds to be true. For instance, Imogene M. King believes that â€Å"Goals, needs, and values of nurse and client influence the interaction process† (George, 1995). I, as a nurse, also believe this to be true, but to have a theory to back up my perception is superior to having this belief alone. As different nurses have different beliefs, there are many theorists to support those beliefs. For me, my values and beliefs are complimentary to the theories of Jean Watson, a needs/problem-oriented theorist, as well as Imogene M. King, an interaction-oriented theorist. King has the same view of patent nurse interaction as I have. Ie. King believes that individuals have a right to participate in the decision making process that would influence their own life and health (George). As well, King believes that individuals have the right to accept or refuse any type of health care. These views of King fit well with my views of the nurse-client relationship. Jean Watson has the same view of nursing as I do as well. For instance, Watson believes that caring promotes health and growth (be it individual or family) (Talento, 1995). Also, Watson believes that â€Å"caring can be effectively demonstrated and practiced only interpersonally (Talento). It is vital in all nursing situations to have a personal style of helping that is effective and leads to good patient care. When a patient receives first-rate care, they are likely to better adjust to their illness than if poor care was given. It is imperative that a variety of helping styles be available in a nursing environment, such as compassion, respect and trust. Every nurse has a different personal style of helping, and as such, many different types of nursing theories have developed to compliment their individual style, such as Jean Watson and Imogene M. King for instance. Once nurses understand and identify with a theory, they can then better understand their personal style of nursing, and in turn, are able to apply this individual style when helping a patient. Bibliography : References George, J. B. (1995) Imogene M. King. George, J. B (ed. ) Nursing theories: The base for professional nursing practice 4th ed. , 209-228, Norwalk, Connecticut: Appleton Lange. Talento, B. (1995) Jean Watson. George, J. B (ed. ) Nursing theories: The base for pro

Sex in Contemporary China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sex in Contemporary China - Essay Example Exposure has led to the emergence of certain practices in the world that never existed in the ancient world. The Chinese people are revered for their rich store of culture. Rich cultural histories have made it possible to analyze and make comparisons between cultures in different ages, and their perceptions on sexuality. On the subject of sex and desire, the Chinese culture adopted a range of views that shaped their beliefs. The topic of sexuality was viewed differently in the ancient times than in the modern times. The various changes in Chinese sexual culture, in modern China, were influenced by reforms that begun in the early 1980s. These reforms introduced a different perception of sexuality. With the reforms, the Chinese government continuously lost its grip on the restrictions that it had imposed on the people, which limited sexual practices. However, the government also allowed for the continuation of certain sexual practices that have continued to the modern world, and had profound influences on the people’s sexual culture. The modern Chinese culture is rife with sexual practices that have their roots to the ancient cultures allowed during the Mao Zedong era. However, the practices changed during the reign of the Qing dynasty more than three thousand years ago. China has been characterized by changes in the patterns of sexual desire. The modern china is characterized by the prevalence of same-sex sexual desire. The same sex desire has taken the path of lesbianism and homosexuality. Lesbianism has had a long but hidden history. This practice existed in ancient times, when parents allowed their daughters to engage in latent lesbian activities to avoid public embarrassment of the family in case they got pregnant. Modernity has paved way for the increase in this practice because several arguments have been advanced to support the practice. Firstly, lesbianism in china is seen as more spiritual and less sexual. The prevalence of lesbianism can be traced back to the ancient times when the ancient leaders prom oted homosexuality. This led to neglect of women in pursuance of sexual pleasure that resulted to women looking for other sources of sexual pleasure. The only resort was to unite with other females who shared the circumstances in a bid to satisfy their sexual desires. This practice was carried on to the modern world and has become more prevalent in china (Vosburg, 130). Secondly, the increase in number of same-sex relations has been followed by constant activism and lobbied for recognition. Coupled with the free world as a result of technological advancements, the Chinese culture has been under a lot of pleasure allowing for formal recognition of such practices. Although the Chinese laws prohibit Lesbianism, this sexual preference has been allowed a lot of freedom in China. The major cities in China are flooded with lesbian bars, cafes that give evidence for the prevalence of this practice. Thirdly, lesbianism has also been rampant in modern China because of independence among women . Access to education has made women attract well paying jobs, which has led to financial independence, a crucial role that was played by men in society (Vosburg, 133). Non dependence on men for the provision of basic needs has given women the freedom and will to choose their own path in life, including their sexual preference. The pressures of work give women limited time for interaction with their men. This has killed the desire

The Old Kingdom in Kemetic (Egyptian) History Essay

The Old Kingdom in Kemetic (Egyptian) History - Essay Example Afterwards, the name Misri replaced the name Kemet and the name continues to be in use by the Egyptians until today. The word Misri simply means a country. From then, Egypt prospered for many years as an autonomous country with a culture that is very famous for the great cultural developments in each and every section of human acquaintance right from arts, science, technology and even religion. The great monuments that still Egyptians celebrate influenced numerous early civilizations with a good example being both Greece and Rome (Mark 1). The Sahara desert, which is found in the Northern part of Africa nearly dividing the continent into two, is a good proof of overgrazing of cattle in the area. The Sahara desert, together with the discovery of many artifacts is a good evidence of the ancient agricultural civilization in the area at the time. Well organized agricultural activities both animal keeping and crop growing began in the area around 5000 BCE and the Badari community began to advance along the river Nile. The Amratian, Gerzean and Naqada communities later on joined the Badar and all together contributed to the development of the Egypt early civilization. At some time between 5000 BCE and 3200 BCE the written background of the land began with the development of Hieroglyphic characters by the culture of Naqada. The practice of mummifying the dead body was in place in the city of Hierakonpolis by 3500 BCE. Just like in all other cultures in the history of the world, the diminutive agrarian societies in ancient Eg ypt advanced into big urban areas (Mark 1). The unification of the Northern and the Southern kingdoms by Pharaoh Manes is the common event that took place between 3150 and 2686 BCE. Menes, who originated from the North successfully conquered south and joined it to the North to make one larger kingdom. This account came from Manetho who either lived

Tourism individual report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tourism individual report - Essay Example This means a lot more has to be done in different areas to achieve this dream. This report is going to analyze the economic, social and political contexts in the development of Hong Kong as a tourist destination, evaluate and come up with recommendations as to the future opportunities and challenges facing Hong Kong. The report will include the manner in which Hong Kong has responded to impacts of the named development factors and the policies in has put in place. Table of Context 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................4 2. Literature Review................................................................................................7 3. SWOT Analysis .................................................................................................10 a. Strengths and Weaknesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦..10 b. Challenges and Opportunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 4. Future of Hong Kong...........................................................................................13 5. Conclusion............................................................................................................14 1. ... The overall visitors flocking into the city was over 36 million in 2010. Of this number, long-haul arrivals were approximated to be 4.8 million and mainland arrivals to be 8.2 million. The destination has witnessed a string growth when it comes to the number of visitors from the Mainland as well as both the short and long-haul markets which have doubled over the years. The long-haul visitors mainly come from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East making Hong Kong the leading performing market. Hong Kong has been facing stiff competition from Macau and other Mainland cities and the Hong Kong Tourism Board has reacted to this by working close with the trade and authorities to ensure that Hong Kong remains a multi-itineraries destination. It intraregional tourism has witnessed a rapid increase over the years as it has been receiving more regional short-haul tourists. In addition, the rapprochement between China and Taiwan as well as the China’s economy that has been booming over the years have led to desirable changes in the visitor’s arrivals composition to the destination. However, the political environment and the switch in sovereignty to China from Britain have impacted its current markets and are expected to continue impacting its future strategies and position. Travel and Tourism is now considered as a strategic industry in Hong Kong and is being developed to become a socialist’s market economy. The current situation at Hong Kong has taken more than two decades of development and has yielded hard lesions and positive experiences. Hong Kong is still searching for better strategies of coming up with a strong tourism industry that will be able to successfully compete in both global and regional markets. Hong Kong has faced many challenges and

How can humans produce knowledge?

How can humans produce knowledge? There are only two ways in which humankind can produce knowledge: through passive observation or through active experiment.† To what extent do you agree with this statement? What is knowledge? Knowledge from what we understand is a thick concept as it is the understanding of or information about a subject that you get by experience or study, either known by one person or people genrally dictionary.cambridge.org(add citation). Though in the T.O.K text by Richard van de Lagemaat knowledge can be said to be â€Å"justified true belief† and hence if something is observed, an idea that is believed, that it is true and if justified then that is knowledge. These two meanings can both can be said to be correct definitions of knowledge. Though how do we gain this understanding or belief in the first place? The tittle of this TOK essay it states that â€Å"there are only two ways in which humankind can produce knowledge: through passive observation and active experimentation.† Active experimentation can be seen as an act where there is voluntary cognisant engagement on the activity at hand while passive observation be seen as proccesses that are more fixed by environmental forces and therefore involuntary. Though knowledge questions based of this deduction on what are passive observation and active experimentation are; is it ever possible for a cognisant mind to be in a passive state? And are there forms of knowledge production in addition to passive observation and active experimentation? In both scientific and behavoural experiments is it ever possible for a cognisant mind to be in a passive state? Experiments such as the bobo doll experiment could be brought into question in this case as well as certain simple highschool science experiments. A bobo is an inflatable toy that is approximately five feet tall and usually made of a soft durable vinyl or plastic. This experiment was headed and created by Albert Bandura in 1961 and 1963 in which he studied the behaviour of children. This experiment involved two different observational rooms both would have a bobo doll, adult role model, a child and the same toys. In one room the adult role model acted in a violent manner towards the doll verbally abusing it and acting aggresive physically using the toys or his/her fists. While in another room the adult role model simply played by his or herself showing no direct signs of aggresion after a small period of time both adult role models left the room. The room which contained t he violent role model the child acted violently towards the bobo doll while in the room with the adult that did not show aggresion the child would either keep doing what he was doing or played in friendly with the bobo doll. It was seen by Bandura that through the passive observation of the children they learned how to act towards an object or person. The child was not able to control the environment he/she was is it was fixed. Though is it possible to say that all these children did not have a cognisant mind when it came to behaviour? What had not been taken into account in the experiment where the experiences that the child had gone through at his/her home with their respective parents what had effected them emotionally. Say for example in the case a home where parents had been violent to each other and so this child would have percieved what to do when he/she saw violence, to act back with violence. Would it be a lie to say that this child’s mind is not congnisant in this case? I believe so. At this point he/she actively experiments the position of his/her mother or father by acting violently based on what he/she had percieved, this could be the case with some of the children who acted violently towards the bobo doll and hence the child’s cognisant mind would be not in a passive state this also brought in the ways of knowing both perception and emotion affecting each childs reponse in the experiment. In a situation I was forced against my will to swing a bung tied to a string around in a circle and keep it going in a circular motion. It is not possible for me to passively observe as I know the mechanics behind it learnt though my physics class at school hence I am able to deduce that a certain force is required to keep the bung swinging in a uniformly circular motion and as such I do not need to apply a larger force than what is needed. Therefore the velocity of the bung will not make it more difficult to hold the string and apply the force and it won’t stop or go out of control suddenly. Though another question remains. Are there forms of knowledge production in addition to passive observation and active experimentation. As innate knowledge comes in to question, and so does the knowledge given to us by authority. It is hard to judge if the evidence is sufficient enough for many new things such as theories or if this is knowledge that has been produced through this active experimentation during this time due our explosive growth of knowledge, over that last hundred years, a short time when compared to the creation of the universe, expert opinion’s changed the ways we think of things such as Isaac newton who came out of nowhere one day and uprooted the laws of physics, but it is rare for that to happen again in this millennia since Albert Einstein. Experts are human beings and therefore imperfect so we can also say that they can be wrong, just because they might specialize in a certain field and they have been in that field for years doesn’t mean that everything they state is â€Å"just ified true belief† or correct information. This knowledge was brought on by a transition from a passive observation to an active experimentation for the authorities but given to us as second hand information so do we say that it is through passive observation that we learned this or active experimentation or does it fall under both? As expert’s opinions tend help shape the world so does the news media, stating what is currently happening in the world; bad news, extraordinary news or relevant news. As they can be seen as authority giving knowledge to persons who watch or read about what is reported. In the case of innate knowledge it tends to be a mystery as to when did it begin? Was the only reason that it had been passed down was that it was necessary for life? Innate knowledge is produced through a species evolution. Can other knowledge that is not nessecary for life be transmitted down through the DNA, from a Father to a son? As baby birds hatch they function the same as almost every animal in terms of eating and excreting. Though the only reason as to why the nest does not fill with excrement is innate knowledge that was in their DNA, no one or thing had tought them do to such a thing they just knew they had to do it. Other cases include a babies knowledge that they can suckle at their mother’s breast in order obtain nutrients or satisfy their hunger. So due to this knowledge that is innate is possible to say that it was produced through evolution or through the DNA? Another example of innate knowledge is the swimming reflex for small toddlers, stated when face down in water that covers their face’s they instictively paddle and or kick in a swimming motion. These reflexes were neither gained through passive observation nor active experiment but what are some examples of such knowledge producing situations in which there was either passive observation or active experiment. In basic physics we learn of the law of gravity and hence in an experiment to test the law you would release an object from your hand such as a ball we would have prior knowledge and expect the ball to drop due to the force of gravity. If your hear the sound of rain drops outside hitting the pavement or objects which are outside we can passively deduce that it is raining. Or for when you are outside in the middle of the day when the sun is supposed to be out though there dark gray clouds blocking the sun’s rays of light then it rains now knowledge is produced where the person knows that with dark gray clouds rain follows soon after. These three situations are one active experiment and two passive observations in which knowledge was produced. I agree to an extent seeing as how most knowledge is usually produced through passive observation or active experimentation. Through both obeservation and active experiment we use many ways of knowing such as perception, emotion, intuition and memory. Though these are not the only ways that humankind can produce knowledge. As innate knowledge that is passed down through the DNA whether learned through the passive observation of someone dying before them or a near death experience which etched into their very DNA. I believe that the roots of all knowledge production stems from either passive observation or active experimentation. What is American Exceptionalism? What is American Exceptionalism? American Exceptionalism Definition American exceptionalism is a concept which depicts that the United States is unique and different from the rest of the world. According to various research conducted over the years, it can be deduced that most Americans believe the United States is an exceptional nation (Onuf, 2012: 1). The question now remains- what makes it unique? Is being different really a good thing? Based on the above definitions, it can be considered more on the positive view since it is portrayed as having predominance over others. On the contrary, exceptionalism tends to come with its own disadvantages, for instance the United States has been particularly exposed with negative qualities like racism, discrimination, violence and so forth. Even though, Americans had a different aim or purpose, which is to uphold human rights and display liberty and democracy. Thanks to Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, in 1948 the United States started the process of becoming a United Nations by writing a universal declaration of human rights (Ignatieff 2005: 1). This decision made America to be at the top in international level. If being exceptional means that Americans believe their country is special, then there is nothing special about this exception since all nations treasure their national myth. If this  means that the U.S. is very benevolent, gifted, dedicated to civil and religious freedom, equality, justice, prosperity, social mobility, peace and harmony with all countries, and then plays by the book, then it is very contradictory to the facts because the United States has time without number fallen so short from these ideals. On the other hand, American exceptionalism refers to its strength, values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and indispensable status, and the United States are exempt from the rules of conduct and implementation of other countries, the enemy, neutral, and allies must be pushed back (Hodgson 2009: 14). For these reasons, the exception becomes a burden, may be even more dangerous than it is worth. American exceptionalism is indeed a complex topic and shall need not to explore all the twist of it, from a historian point of view says that the United States of America can be exceptional in the sense that they know where they are coming from and the development they have gone through without associating it with ethnical involvement. OVERVIEW OF EXCEPTIONALISM Throughout American history, idealists and materialists have changed the theme of exceptionalism. Their different interpretation relative importance of the nationalist intention ideological and material interests dominance of foreign policy historians obsessed republican principles and national interest. They served as or disguised export and universal focus. At one extreme, a materialist view that, in the United Kingdom the United States is unique in facts on the ground never is replicated elsewhere: Patriot propaganda of the role is remind fellow colonists to the interests endangered and arouses them in their defence. After series of terrorist attacks in the Iraq war, American exceptionalism has become one of the dominant issues discussed. This abstraction is not just a popular idea, but, on the hostile, a concept common in the United States. These deep historical roots can be traced back to its origin and development of the main characteristics and influence. On one hand, freedom and equality of the highest priority. However, many U.S. citizens feel proud to consider their way of life is superior to other countries, and actively seek to share on the basis of the Constitution, which often is not logically consistent with equality and freedom. The term American exceptionalism was actually founded from the brilliant work of Alexis de Tocqueville which stands for qualitatively different from all other western countries. One of the important reasons of this exceptionalism was the freeing of the United States from the British. Exceptionalism itself was sought out from colonial period up to 1776 when American became a separate independent country from the British. Since then, the concept became more popular and replaced the idea of apparent destiny. The essence of uniqueness went back to 16th century, when John Winthrop expressed his opinion to his peer Puritans, that there will be a city upon a hill were they would never have to experience the bad things they had gone through in old Europe. One of the main factors that influenced the National identity of America at that time was that they had vast pool of resources, which Europe didnt have at that moment. America now as a nation which supports human rights can refer to the fact that the first people who populated North America were usually eager seekers of a new destiny, better living and the dominant encouragement for their risky location was basically land and the possibility of recognition of their own values and ideas. So now North America was called new world and this cut the eyes of those who were against the old world. The illustration regarding society, liberties, wealth, government and God were polished to create a better place for surviving than old Europe. Now the question is what makes a country to be exceptional? For a country to be exceptional is has to have these four qualities. Firstly, is to have the eagerness to stand on its own to face variety of issues, along with the perceived liberty to withstand the pressures and strong evaluation of others. Secondly, it also believes that its national values and routine are widely known and its policy positions are right, not just beneficial. Thirdly, is to have strong ability to visualize things inwards, domestic political study and development, being persuasive in international meetings. Lastly, but not the least is the national policy which states that makers and legislators are not obligated to follow their nations interest and acting through multilateral institution is just an option. It is a well-known fact that, exceptionalism is not only in the United States, but what makes it different from others is the wideness and magnitude of American power, with the interest it has are without prior, they influenced ideology and idealism with deep efforts, and also they are sharpened by political system, established by the separation of powers and by prejudiced difference over foreign policies. Now for many Americans exceptionalism has been a part of their perspective, values and national character which receives only questions and comments. As earlier mentioned, many countries are considered exceptional but in the case of Americas position its shows its exceptionalism in the real world not only in some international meetings. So till this date no other country has come close to America in international power and for the past few years the gap is just been increasing wider (luck 2003: 4). However, the concept of exceptionalism change as time goes on. Although out of the United States during the colonial era, the United States was considered as a symbol of opportunity, wealth and political weight, the border was closed to many outsiders as to their origin, racial reasons, and practical considerations. At this point, the exception means power and protectionism. However, in the contemporary context, what is known as American exceptionalism can be seen in the current policy and ideology, ignoring any difference between the past and present, the reasons and opportunities resulting in symbolic values, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and the principle of contradiction and controversy. Exception tend to maintain a positive view of the past, present and future, which is an essential element of the social doctrine and propaganda (Shafer 1991: 1) THE TYPES OF EXCEPTIONALISM Exceptionalism can be distinguished into two forms which are the substantive and methodological exceptionalism. In contradiction to substantive exceptionalism and methodological exceptionalism are very different in approach, even if it is the court or by the legislative bodies in finding solution to freedom of expression arguments. In some countries like Canada, South Africa and Europe it is admitted that the American methodology has a deeply different acceptance of structure of freedom of expression judgement. besides the substantive view, it is mostly considered in some liberal democracies that the united states is an outlier not only with respect to freedom of expression opinion and policies, but with respect to freedom of expression methodology as well. Unlike substantive exceptionalism in which more is needed to be explained the methodological exceptionalism is more briefly explainable in terms of natural course of rights complexification- where simply understandable rights beco me into a more elaborate ones as a problem of policy makers face a greater value perception mode in this array, making rules, principles and presumptions necessary for them to handle that larger array (Ignatieff 2005: 31). IDEALISM AND REALISM Americans have been fighting over the relative importance of ideas and the definition of interests of the meaning of the United States. Idealists and materialists may not agree about human nature, but they provide complementary national narrative that supports exceptionalism. An idealist now looks idealists to celebrate the revolution in the past Patriot they waved the principle of self-determination is a universally applicable Equal World. Their self-understanding converted to American ideology an inspiring new concept of states role in the history of the world. This was significantly expressed by  Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. While on the other hand materialism points out realistic story to articulate the interests even more than the ideas, but also to be devoted to the basic principles of self-determination. Paying attention to the first settlers to conquer the wilderness, they celebrate history of elf management, self-sufficiency and continuous improvement. The empire of British has been an empty shell, not mandatory act, serious damage to the vital interests of rights awareness settlers population. Patriots challenge is to remind his fellow citizens internal threats and overcome habitual loyalty gently jurisdiction the aggressive theme better things to do: Our ancestors, Jefferson wrote in 1774, are farmers, rather than the lawyer. moment of lawyers, such as Jefferson Empire crisis. They talk about common sense. the principle of self-evident to a mobilization of people, causing them sleeping and a new sense of collective strength. (Onuf, 2012: 83) EQAULITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY The idea of equality in America back then might be imaginary for others. Equality meant a personal identity, free arbitrary class distinctions. There is equally disorientation because of the breakup of cultural diversity. Still the quality of interpretation of free exceptionalism is very strange, in some respects, because the centre of attention and analysis of the historical tradition to support this argument. The argument essentially is that the United States began to open political culture and everyone thought at this time to continue to shape the political debate and public policy. Such an interpretation can visually quite attractive. However, if we begin to consider by analysing the logic, such an explanation, we must question the mechanism, it is said to work here. What is the mechanism of dissemination and continuation of the political culture? Culturalism is not, of course, to say simply, each generation to the next through a fixed set of beliefs. Their argument is significan tly more complex. Cultural theory in one of the most interesting attempts to defend the charges that is too static (Ekstein, 1988: 791) Proposed this explanation is that, in an attractive and suspicious continuity. It is reasonable to expect that these basic interpretive filter through multiple generations handed down, is not to adjust to change, even to fundamentally change the course of history. The culture will change, but also shows a mechanism, which should make us rethink the rest mass of the exceptions to the free parameters. He told us that substituting learning is clearly important, but a persons world view is not dependent on exactly what their elders to teach them, but to shape their entire life experience, sometimes the formation of the younger generation of experience and profound from previous generations The point here is that the values, culture, and the concept of change and experience. Therefore, we cannot say that the United States is a nation built on the set of the value of freedom, and therefore, we believe that these values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹today. A certain extent, we found a strong liberal / principle of individualism in American political culture in the late twentieth century, need more than their origins explained. We also need to understand that it is what the American experience, and encourage Americans to reinterpret these values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹into anti-statist policy preferences. (Inglehart, 1990: 4) POLITICAL UNSTABILITY All the promising difficulties of religion and politics have been resolved by refusing that religious thought has had a very big impact in the political field. From a point of politics, business and government in the United States is like no other country, whose sates have made an important impact in the modernization process. Now because other countries were not influenced by business attraction than in the United States, so this made foreign government to push their workers to be in unions and they actually did it before the United States (Jacoby, 1987: 9) The citizens of America have actually pointed out that in the survey that was carried out it persistently favours a non-united government and weak states. Most of the times when some majority of the populations are asked by the survey takers of their opinion in whether they want the President houses of congress to be commanded by one single party or dividend between two, in this case they select the last minute feedback by massive majority. In addition to that, they always show a difference for small governmental units to larger ones. A very interesting and clever article written by J.P. Nett The state as a conceptual variable This article explains the huge difference between the American and the European conception of the state. He also pointed out that the latter is distinguished by the relative statelessness. Now the thing is that in the United States only their law is dominant. So what makes America and its people exceptional is the unique power their lawyers have (Shafer 1991:8) You see what made American exceptionalism different is that it is unlike what we have in Europe and Britain, in the United States I could say that the most influential factor that affect the political and social change are the lawyers and its experts. As we can see several times they have been the master mind for bringing it about. So these have opened a bigger argumentative guarantee of human right and civil liberties than the rest of the world. (Shafer 1991:9) Clinical Psychology: History, Applications and Research Clinical Psychology: History, Applications and Research Clinical Psychology What is clinical psychology? Clinical psychology is the â€Å"discipline that utilizes what is recognized in relation to the human behavior principles to assist people with their several concerns and troubles they incidence throughout the path of life in their emotions, relationships, and physical selves† (Plante, 2011). The paper will talk about the history and budding nature of clinical psychology and how psychology is yet overtime changing. Next, the paper will talk about the functions that research and statistics participate into clinical psychology. Lastly, the paper will comprise the differences amid clinical psychology and additional health professions types, such as psychiatry versus clinical psychology, social work versus clinical psychology, and school psychology versus clinically psychology. History and Evolving Nature of Clinical Psychology Clinical psychology has transformed above the last 25 years. To begin with the DSM-III was published in addition to the standards of APA were revised. The American Psychological Society was founded, in addition to the APA published the Presidential Task force findingsfor evidence-practice. Two of the major approaches evolved would be the Approach of Cognitive-Behavioral in addition to the Humanistic Approach. In the 1970s the Approach of Cognitive-Behavioral was well-liked and they were utilized for depression in addition to â€Å"treatment spotlighting on feeling, changing thinking, and expectations become as significant as the objective of changing explicit actions† (Plante, 2011). The Humanistic Approach was further founded off of theory and the philosophy that humans can develop from understanding behaviors and experiences. The humanistic approach supposed in considering compassion in addition to positive unconditional reinforcement. With regards to evolving of psychology, â€Å"subsequent World War II, above 40,000 veterans was hospitalized for psychiatric reasons in VA hospitals. The irresistible want for services of clinical for these men effected in a enormous enhancement in clinical psychologists offering a complete variety of inclusive psychological services, as well as psychotherapy, psychological testing, consultation, and research† (Plante, 2011). Subsequent that, above 4,000 psychologists was occupied in the course of the VA. In the 1950s throughout 1970s, there were considered approaches of intervention that made psychotherapy an preservative in services in â€Å"behavioral, the family systems, cognitive-behavioral, and humanistic approaches to intervention materialized as popular and compelling alternatives to the additional customary interventions and theories† (Plante, 2011). This demonstrated a huge influence on clinical psychology. Finally, in the biopsychosocial approach in the 1970s was deemed the most excellent approa ch to understanding psychological illnesses. In addition, it was decisive that all illness shoot from an fundamental problem such as, psychological, biological,or social issues. Role of Research and Statistics in Clinical Psychology Research is â€Å"activity of clinical psychology use of the scientific method to counter questions of interest to society and researchers† (Plante, 2011). â€Å"The broad objective of research in clinical psychology is to obtain knowledge regarding human behavior and to employ these facts to help advance the lives of families, individuals, and groups. The scientific method is a set of procedures and rules that explain, clarify, and forecast a exacting phenomenon† (Plante, 2011). Consecutively to recognize totally how clinical psychologists discover research, there requires being a hypothesis, in a few cases requires to alter hypotheses and to recognize new data that will be assembled and examined. The primary stage of research is that psychologists have got to affirm a phenomenon. A device that is usually utilized is the DSM-IV-TR which was circulated by the American Psychiatric Association. â€Å"The instruction manual explains several clinical syndromes and catalogs extremely precise criteria of diagnostic for every psychiatric problem, consequently enable researchers to superiorly make certain that the similar criterion are used to describe each population researched† (Plante, 2011). The research will then slim down precise features that contract with emotions, thoughts, and behavior that are connected with the definite syndrome that was initially assessed hypothetically. â€Å"Once a cautious explanation is constructed, a hypothesis has got to be extended and tested to sufficiently enlighten the behavior of interest. For instance, researchers might be interested in learning additional regarding changes in the sexual response incidence by patients using Prozac versus Elavil, two extremely diverse antidepressants† (Plante, 2011). Sometimes In regards to research, there might be additional pressing issues that can be influence cognitive functions. Just the once the hypothesis is concluded, then it is tested to perceive if there is correctness or even inconsistent and consistent findings. â€Å"Precisely forecasting behavior founded on hypotheses turn out to be an index representing that individual hypotheses are certainly valid. Several diverse types of research investigations and experiments are utilized to check hypotheses† (Plante, 2011). Differences Between Clinical Psychology and Other Mental Health Professions Clinical Psychology Versus Social Work Social work is â€Å"in general a discipline of master’s-level that has traditionally centered on patient advocacy, patient case management, and a link to finest social service benefits and agencies† (Plante, 2011). Clinical psychology is utilized on a daily basis in social work. The Social Work Practice Research Module applies to the training of social work from courses of clinical psychology. â€Å"Examples of execution of a Practice Research Module at diverse training levels (e.g., practicing clinical social workers, master’s level students, and doctoral students) are provided. It is concluded that the want for a PRM is expected to add to experience of social work practitioners pressure to account for their efficiency in clinical psychology† (Turnbull Dietz-Uhler, 1995). Clinical Psychology versus Psychiatry Psychiatry is a â€Å"medical area of expertise that spotlights on abnormal behaviors† (Plante, 2011). Psychiatry and Clinical psychology are two major disciplines in psychological study and health. In regards to researching both clinical psychology and psychiatry â€Å"journals of psychiatry tended to have superior influence than journals of clinical psychology, and their effect was uneven: journals of clinical psychology quoted psychiatry journals at a a great deal superior rate than the reverse† (Haslam Lusher, 2011). With regards to clinical journals, â€Å"journals of clinical psychology were lesser assimilated than journals of psychiatry, and health psychology/behavioral medicine and clusters of neuropsychology were comparatively marginal to the network† (Haslam Lusher, 2011). Clinical Psychology Versus School Psychology School psychologists are â€Å"experts who utilize knowledge regarding human behavior and affect that knowledge in a setting of school† (Plante, 2011). Many high schools about the world, have either a school counselor or a school psychologist to assist children with listening, counsel and a fit way to liberate internal feelings. In a latest study to observe if college undergraduates recognize the distinction amid clinical and school psychology, the results were equally surprising low in knowledge and disciplines. â€Å"Undergraduates used diverse sources of information to study of school psychology and clinical as a graduate choice school. Additional, psychology majors rated clinical psychologists as being additional engaged in individual therapy, consultation, assessment, and research than school psychologists† (Gilman Handwerk, 2001). Conclusion This paper In conclusion, has conversed the history and evolution about clinical psychology that to this day, psychology is varying every moment. It also discussed how research and statistics are essential to understanding clinical psychology. Lastly, the paper discussed distinctions amid clinical psychology and diverse mental health professions types. References Haslam, N. N., Lusher, D. D. (2011). The structure of mental health research: networks of influence among psychiatry and clinical psychology journals. Psychological Medicine, 41(12), 2661-2668. doi:10.1017/S0033291711000821

Les Miserables :: essays research papers

Les Miserables known in English as â€Å"The Terrible† is a musical portrayal of the French Revolution. It is a musical tragedy, which served as a major powerhouse competitor for Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals in the early eighties and nineties. When first debuting on Broadway in 1987 it traveled a long hard road to compete with musicals of the decade. However, in time many well-known performers were proud to associate themselves with this wonderful work of art. The musical play begins with its lead character named Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean was released on parole after 19 years on the chain gang. In this initial scene the audience can almost immediately feel the tonality of the play with the constant reference to the number 24601. 24601 were the prison number that became Jean Valjean’s identity for 19 years. The dark and dreary ambiance set the tone for the first song of the libretto, â€Å"Look Down. The lyrics to look down coincide with the chain gang, overseen by brutal wanders, working in the hot sun. It is this series of songs in Act one that take the audience through many turns of feelings and emotions. These emotional songs are used to portray poor men and women working in low class factories, women selling their bodies and more importantly a class of people struggling to scrape by. The most vivid songs used to identify the various themes of poverty and prostitution are Lovely Ladies, A Heart Full of Love, and Master of The House. Moreover, it is a song titled Do You Hear the People Sing? That prepares th e audience for the ending of Act one. Most if not all of Act one uses song, tonality, character, pitch and tone to depict the various themes of the play while the story is beginning to unravel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the second and final act the musical content within the play acts as a story of it’s own through theme and variation. Each separate song represents a feeling and or mood and is enhanced as it is varied throughout the act. Like the first act, the songs are used to portray poverty, suffering, hardships, and even death. However, unlike the first act, there is also a theme of love and happiness. Closure is brought about with a sense of warmth and this is often heard through the display of the tempo. When the times were tough the tempo decreased and was often slow and morbid like. Les Miserables :: essays research papers Les Miserables known in English as â€Å"The Terrible† is a musical portrayal of the French Revolution. It is a musical tragedy, which served as a major powerhouse competitor for Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals in the early eighties and nineties. When first debuting on Broadway in 1987 it traveled a long hard road to compete with musicals of the decade. However, in time many well-known performers were proud to associate themselves with this wonderful work of art. The musical play begins with its lead character named Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean was released on parole after 19 years on the chain gang. In this initial scene the audience can almost immediately feel the tonality of the play with the constant reference to the number 24601. 24601 were the prison number that became Jean Valjean’s identity for 19 years. The dark and dreary ambiance set the tone for the first song of the libretto, â€Å"Look Down. The lyrics to look down coincide with the chain gang, overseen by brutal wanders, working in the hot sun. It is this series of songs in Act one that take the audience through many turns of feelings and emotions. These emotional songs are used to portray poor men and women working in low class factories, women selling their bodies and more importantly a class of people struggling to scrape by. The most vivid songs used to identify the various themes of poverty and prostitution are Lovely Ladies, A Heart Full of Love, and Master of The House. Moreover, it is a song titled Do You Hear the People Sing? That prepares th e audience for the ending of Act one. Most if not all of Act one uses song, tonality, character, pitch and tone to depict the various themes of the play while the story is beginning to unravel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the second and final act the musical content within the play acts as a story of it’s own through theme and variation. Each separate song represents a feeling and or mood and is enhanced as it is varied throughout the act. Like the first act, the songs are used to portray poverty, suffering, hardships, and even death. However, unlike the first act, there is also a theme of love and happiness. Closure is brought about with a sense of warmth and this is often heard through the display of the tempo. When the times were tough the tempo decreased and was often slow and morbid like.

Certificate program & education

My employment in the field of education may be coincidental but is probably attributable to my quest for learning and advancing knowledge in all aspects of my life. Additionally, I believe in the notion that no matter what a businessman’s product is, this person is definitely in the education business.To succeed, the individual must constantly educate his customers on the many advantages of doing business with him, train them on how to use the product efficiently as well as effectively and therefore make never-ending improvement in their lives. It is against this background that I would wish to apply for an admission to University of Colorado to pursue a Certificate in Leadership Studies.My decision to settle for this certificate program was mainly informed by several reasons. Firstly, a teacher is definitely a leader and the program would help me expand my knowledge in leadership skills. This knowledge, I believe, would be helpful in my Junior Reserve Officer’s Trainin g Corps (JROTC) classes.The certificate would complement the values of citizenship, service to my country, personal responsibility as well as accomplishments, the very virtues that the JROTC program wishes to instill into every American through teaching which is my career.Additionally, I believe in the process of continuous evaluation, improving on my weak areas and carrying on the desirable virtues for the sake of my country and humanity at large, which I in turn pass over to my students. With the dynamic nature of education, I take it as my responsibility to be abreast with the most current knowledge.Leadership Studies and other related courses such as Conflict Resolution Management are therefore becoming increasingly important, more so for those in social responsibilities. In this bid, the University of Colorado’s Certificate Program would make me a better teacher by equipping me with more knowledge and leadership skills that are inclined towards my career as a teacher.Tho ugh I have a degree in Business Administration, I must say that the future looks bright although I have not reached the epic. I would wish to purse a Masters in Education after this certificate. This would career-wise place me in a better position and I would even be better equipped to serve humanity at a position which is much higher.In addition, it would ensure an increased remuneration and package that would transform both to my personal growth as well as that of my family. As such, a certificate in Leadership Studies would form a good foundation for a Masters as all are inclined towards the field of education and would also be part of my greater continuous improvement personal policy.My decision for a certificate in Leadership Studies at Colorado University was further informed by a critical analysis based on accruing costs and benefits. Apart from the great reputation that the University of Colorado holds in the world of Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, I was loo king a local university that could offer me a Certificate that carries international recognition, and at a pocket friendly price.Whether on distance learning mode or otherwise, to me, Colorado university appeared as the most viable option, more so for a veteran like me.Moreover, I consider education as the asset that does not build dreams but also ensures their realization. It is the asset that that rekindles hope, as through it, a bright future is foreseen. Irrespective of age, education turns a weak person to an energetic one while confidence within an individual is built through educational accomplishments. Through education, one not only understands themselves but also discovers their potential, grabs opportunities and is therefore able to pursue success into its greatest heights.  As a conclusion, I wish to make a worthy contribution to my life and humanity at large, and only through education can I secure the chance to do so. It also bears noting that through this certificat e, I wish to open up my mind and expand my horizons in all aspects, and this remains my objective as I place my application for consideration into admission to Colorado University.

Dante

The Medieval Church played a far greater role in every person's life than it does today. Medieval people believed that God, Heaven and Hell all existed and from the very earliest of ages, they were taught that the only way they could get to Heaven was if the Roman Catholic Church let them. Everybody would have been terrified of Hell and the people would have been told of the sheer horrors awaiting for them in Hell in the weekly services they attended. The control the Church had over the people was total. Peasants worked for free on Church land. This proved difficult for peasants as the time they spent working on Church land, could have been better spent working on their own plots of land producing food for their families. They paid 10% of what they earned in a year to the Church (this tax was called tithes). Tithes could be paid in either money or in goods produced by the peasant farmers. As peasants had little money, they almost always had to pay in seeds, harvested grain, animals etc. This usually caused a peasant a lot of hardship as seeds, for example, would be needed to feed a family the following year. What the Church got in tithes was kept in huge tithe barns; a lot of the stored grain would have been eaten by rats or poisoned by their urine. A failure to pay tithes, so the peasants were told by the Church, would lead to their souls going to Hell after they had died. This is one reason why the Church was so wealthy. Henry VIII dissolved the Church to get hold of the Catholic Church's money. People were too scared not to pay tithes despite the difficulties it meant for them. You also had to pay for baptisms (if you were not baptised you could not go to Heaven when you died), marriages (there were no couples living together in Medieval times as the Church taught that this equaled sin) and burials - you had to be buried on holy land if your soul was to get to heaven. Whichever way you looked, ... Dante Free Essays on Medieval Church/Dante The Medieval Church played a far greater role in every person's life than it does today. Medieval people believed that God, Heaven and Hell all existed and from the very earliest of ages, they were taught that the only way they could get to Heaven was if the Roman Catholic Church let them. Everybody would have been terrified of Hell and the people would have been told of the sheer horrors awaiting for them in Hell in the weekly services they attended. The control the Church had over the people was total. Peasants worked for free on Church land. This proved difficult for peasants as the time they spent working on Church land, could have been better spent working on their own plots of land producing food for their families. They paid 10% of what they earned in a year to the Church (this tax was called tithes). Tithes could be paid in either money or in goods produced by the peasant farmers. As peasants had little money, they almost always had to pay in seeds, harvested grain, animals etc. This usually caused a peasant a lot of hardship as seeds, for example, would be needed to feed a family the following year. What the Church got in tithes was kept in huge tithe barns; a lot of the stored grain would have been eaten by rats or poisoned by their urine. A failure to pay tithes, so the peasants were told by the Church, would lead to their souls going to Hell after they had died. This is one reason why the Church was so wealthy. Henry VIII dissolved the Church to get hold of the Catholic Church's money. People were too scared not to pay tithes despite the difficulties it meant for them. You also had to pay for baptisms (if you were not baptised you could not go to Heaven when you died), marriages (there were no couples living together in Medieval times as the Church taught that this equaled sin) and burials - you had to be buried on holy land if your soul was to get to heaven. Whichever way you looked, ...

Mithridates and the Mithridatic Wars

Mithridates and the Mithridatic Wars While still a child, Mithridates, later King Mithridates VI of Pontus, official friend of Rome, developed a reputation that included matricide and a paranoid fear of being poisoned. Roman Treaties - Information on What Is Meant by a Friend of Rome During the Roman Republic, competing military leaders Sulla and Marius wanted the honor of disposing of the greatest challenge to Roman supremacy since the Punic War general Hannibal Barca. From the end of the second to the middle of the first century B.C, this was the long-lived Mithridates VI of Pontus (132-63 B.C.), a thorn in Romes side for 40 years. The rivalry between the two Roman generals led to the  loss of blood at home, but only one of them, Sulla, confronted Mithridates abroad. Despite the great battlefield competence of Sulla and Marius  and their personal confidence in their ability to check the Eastern despot, it was neither Sulla nor Marius who put an end to the Mithridatic problem. Instead, it was Pompey the Great, who earned his honorific in the process. Location of Pontus - Home of Mithridates The mountainous district of Pontus lay on the eastern side of the Black Sea, beyond the province of Asia and Bithynia, north of Galatia and Cappadocia, west of Armenia, and south of Colchis. [See Map of Asia Minor.] It was founded by King Mithridates I Ktistes (301-266 B.C.). In the Third Punic War (149 - 146 B.C.), King Mithridates V Euergetes (r. 150-120) who claimed descent from the Persian King Darius, helped Rome. Rome gave him Phrygia Major in gratitude. He was the most powerful king in Asia Minor. By the time Rome had annexed Pergamum to create the province of Asia (129 B.C.), the kings of Pontus had moved from their capital in Amasia to rule from the Black Sea port city of Sinope. Mithridates - Youth and Poison In 120 B.C., while still a child, Mithridates (Mithradates) Eupator (132-83 B.C.) became king of the area of Asia Minor known as Pontus. His mother may have assassinated her husband, Mithridates V, in order to take power, since she served as regent and ruled in her young sons stead. Afraid his mother would try to kill him, Mithridates went into hiding. During this time, Mithridates started ingesting small doses of various poisons in order to develop an immunity. When Mithridates returned (c. 115-111), he took command, imprisoned his mother (and, possibly, ordered her execution), and started to extend his dominion.After Mithridates acquired Greek towns in Colchis and whats now the Crimea, he developed a strong fleet to hold his territories. But that wasnt all. Since the Greek towns hed overtaken proved so lucrative, providing resources in the form of revenue, officers, and mercenary soldiers, Mithridates wanted to increase his Greek holdings. Next page Mithridates expands his empire Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Print SourcesH. H. Scullards revised version of F.B. Marshs Roman World 146-30 B.C.Cambridge Ancient History Vol. IX, 1994. Also on this site Gaius Julius CaesarGaius MariusSullaTimeline of the Late Roman Republic Previous Articles -I tell the tale that I heard told.Mithridates, he died old.From A.E. Housman Terence, this is stupid stuff

Innovation & Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Innovation & Change - Essay Example On the other hand, it is wrong to say that Wright brothers discovered aeroplane or Charles Babbage discovered computer. These things were not existed in the world earlier and these scientists were able to make entirely new things with the help of existing resources. An invention is a private property till the inventor decides to make it public. Since innovation is an entirely new thing, it may bring change. For example, when computer was innovated, it brought revolutionary changes in the human life. This paper briefly analyses the importance of innovation and subsequent changes in the human life. â€Å"Any time you change the world, you create risks† (FREUDENHEIM). As mentioned earlier, innovation often results in huge changes in the world which may change the activities of the natural world. For example, the introduction of automobiles brought many revolutionary changes in the world. Many people considered the invention of automobiles as one of the greatest innovations of all time; however, currently we are aware of the environmental problems caused by the automobiles. In other words, even though innovations often change the human life it is not necessary that these changes may affect the human life positively alone. The Industrial Revolution is a story of great inventions. In fact it is difficult for the business or industrial people to stay in the market with conventional products alone. Innovations change the human life drastically and the business people should adapt themselves to these changes in order to stay in the market. For example when Apple, introduced the innovative touch screen mobile phone (iphone) in to the market, Nokia and other competitors also started to introduce similar products in the market. This is because of the fact that iphone has changed the traditional concepts about mobile phones among the consumers. â€Å"Radical innovation is crucial

Conflict Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Conflict - Coursework Example He loves Sri Lankan culture due to its multilingual, multi-religions and multicultural neighborhood. Paranoia theory shows the intolerable internal feelings of the Tamil Tigers who have killed many innocent souls and exploited the children rights by using them as soldiers and there antics go unreported because of the fear of being assassinated. Religious fundamentalism, because of its ability to serve identity needs, and the feeling that globalization, secularization, and Westernization will erode the good social fabric of society leads to the conflict between the government and the Tamil Tigers. Murder are rampant because the terrorist consider those siding with the government as impediment to their course (Rubin,123).Though a cease fire has been declared by the government, the Tamil ruled area is reluctant to the move due to the distrust it has to the government. They doubt whether democracy will prevail in the region that was formerly in their control if the government seized power thus denying the people room to exercise their democratic rights. The rational choice theory derives its meaning from economic and behavioral proclivity. It is evident in the policies set by the government and conflicting groups. Poverty and lack of education is the main reason for suicide attacks in the region. However, it is noted that every mortal man is bound to live in this world for a short time hence the need to co-exist peacefully with our neighbors. There should be no segregations basing on ethnicity, religion and political views. This is because every human being has the right for life (Bongar, 345). Many suicide bombers are driven in their barbaric acts by the desperations that they undergo in life. Moreover, war and violence takes toll on the overall growth of generations. Many suicide missions are carried out by women a figure estimated at 30% in Sri Lanka. This is because of too much sadness they experience when they grow up they give their lives to