Analysis on America’s Ice Age video

â€Å"America's Ice Age† video taught me a lot of things I would not even begin to think about. I would never think that ice helped shape the continents, let alone the world. It also taught me that many of our Earth's past history Is found In deferent forms of core taken from the Earth over years and years. I am simply amused by how these clients and geologist examine rocks, landscape, cores, Ice, air pockets Inside of cores, and temperatures to peel back the layers of our past history here on Earth.When watching the last video, â€Å"Chasing Ice,† I got to see more of an explore side of Ice. With watching â€Å"America's Ice Age† I get to see more of the scientific side of things. How scientist can look at Ice with mysterious marks and see evidence of past floods, or how they can look at mysterious markings In rocks and see the movement and deletion of a past iceberg Is Incredible. It makes you think what every day ordinary people like myself, overlook.I will sa y since I have started this class I look at the trees, the sky, and landscape of my own community differently. I constantly find myself thinking of the unbelievable way our world was formed. I might not completely and Lully understand it all yet, but it is definitely pulling my mind and thoughts in a different direction. It is almost unbelievable that ice had more impact on our Earth's shape and the shape of our continents more than anything. But after watching this video, it all starts to make sense.The overbearing power of the icebergs shifting across the world, moving rocks, and the melting that at some point covered land, separating continents, and eventually shaping our world was something I would never think to of happened. Some of these icebergs and glaciers that distorted the shape of the Earth ere calculated to weigh almost 68,000 trillion ton. Just imagine how heavy and powerful that is. This ice then making up our oceans, lakes, and rivers is all new information to me, an d astonishing new information to say the least.So far, from all the video, reading, and class discussions I am beginning to feel more and more confident when talking about science and geology. My husband Is the smartest and most knowledgeable person I have ever meet. He seriously knows everything,(not that I would ever admit that to him) but to be able to tell him facts on owe our Earths was made and formed, Information that he had never known, just brings a whole new confident person out of me.Like Eve said In previous reflection papers, I have never been able to grasp science and geology but this class Is gang me hope that I can finally understand the power of our Earth. Analysis on America's Ice Age video By Sedation It also taught me that many of our Earth's past history is found in different forms of scientist and geologist examine rocks, landscape, cores, ice, air pockets inside of ice. With watching â€Å"America's Ice Age† I get to see more of the scientific side of t hings.How scientist can look at ice with mysterious marks and see evidence of past floods, or how they can look at mysterious markings in rocks and see the movement and direction of a past iceberg is incredible. It makes you think what every day ordinary more and more confident when talking about science and geology. My husband is the how our Earths was made and formed, information that he had never known, Just brings a whole new confident person out of me. Like Eve said in previous reflection papers, I have never been able to grasp science and geology but this class is giving

Creon’s tragic Downfall Essay

Creon is the tragic hero of the play, Antigone, by Sophocles, and suffers the greatest downfall. It all begins when he maes his public announcment as the new king. He states his message loud and clearly to everyone, that if anyone feels the need to bury the body od Polyneices, they will be going against the law and will be sentenced to death. In this powerful speech, he shows the need for control and order in the way he plans to rule. At the same time, he is showing arrogance in the way he insures all of his choices in judgement are correct. Creon is told that someone has gone against his words and burried the body of Polyneices; he becomes outraged and orders the sentry to find him and turn him over at once. The sentry watches as he sees Antigone come out to bury her brother’s body for a second time. He catches her and she is presented to Creon. Creon questions her, and she does not deny what she has done. He orders her to death. She tells him her reasons for her actions, but they are completely ignored by Creon. Antigone is going to be taken toa vault and left to die. Creon, being stubborn, won’t even listen to the pleas and threats of his own son, but when Teiresias enters, he listens to what will happen if he does not change his decisions. So he takes a drastic turn. He pushed all of his arrogance aside, along with his stobbornness and he asks for help, â€Å"what shall I do?† At this moment he becomes weak in front of his people. Creon the king, asking for help? He is suppose to know it all! He is then told to go quickly and free Antigone from her vault and build a tomb for the body of Polynieces. Creon is ordered to do exactly what he stated was against the law, but in order to save himself, he follows everything that he is told. Immediately he performs a burial for Polynieces and digs out Antigone’s vault, in hopes of saving himself from the proce of paying flesh for flesh. Asking for help is not an easy thing to do, especially when you’re so head strong like Creon, but asking for help in a situation where you know you need it shows incredible courage. If only Creon had done it a little bit  earlier. After doing everything he could to change his stubborn choices, he fails. Mourning over what destruction he had caused, the deaths of his wife, son, and Antigone are his entire fault. He has tragicallu ruined himself, and now instead of dying,je os fprced to live in shame and in great pain in front of the people he ruled for his short time as king.

An Introduction to Personal Responsibility

†¢ Define personal responsibility and what it means to you.†¢Explain the relationship between personal responsibility and college success.†¢Include a preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education.I. Introduction a. personal responsibility :1. Personal responsibility begins inside and moves outward. 2. We have to begin with ourselves and take responsibility for our thoughts, choices, actions and reactions. Then we can be responsible for the circumstances we create in our world. 3. When you believe something or someone else is responsible for your problems and the resulting solutions, that exact thought is the first problem to solve when it comes to taking personal responsibility. b. what it means to me:1. Taking care of my family 2. Taking care of my job 3. Taking care of my studyIl. Primary purpose for educationThe relationship between personal responsibility and college success. a. Personal responsibilities:1. Having something in your care to take care of. It is your responsibility that your kids get taken care of on a daily basis 2. Taking Responsibility for Your Own Actions. b. college success:1. Students have to learn to take responsibility for their education. 2. With college come the skills needed to be successful. 3. Every student who enters into a college level program needs to bring some very useful skills with them.Ill. Adult learning stylePreliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education. 1. Attending college is taking personal responsibility for your education. 2. Time management and proper organization serve not only in planning for education success but also in aspects of life. 3. With and a higher education we have a better salary then without. 4. To be successful in educational endeavors its necessary to act as a personally responsible student. 5. Students are Responsible for Their Own Educational Future.IV. ConclusionAccepting personal responsibility can have life changing affects.

The absolute Separation of Powers is not practical neither achievable Essay

The absolute Separation of Powers is not practical neither achievable. There is always going to be some degree of overlap. Evaluate the above in connection with the UK constitution - Essay Example In essence, the government is unified by many branches and the absolute division of powers is not achievable. If the various branches of the government were to be completely separated from other branches in terms of their functions, it would result in backlog and inefficiencies in all the branches. Additionally, it has been argued that the complete demarcation of powers will yield total confusion resulting from the general inefficiencies created by such a system (Haljan 2013). With regards to the UK constitution, a complete separation of powers, where there is no overlap is non-existent. A closer examination of the three arms of government and their functions, reveals that they are exercised by bodies and or persons who use more than one function of their individual branch. According to the UK constitution, there is a big overlap between the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative arms of government (Leeuwen 2010). The UK Constitution requires that the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers be members of both the Legislature and Executive arms of government. Indeed, there is a close bond between the Judiciary and Executive arms. The cabinet ministers and the PM are members of Parliament and are also counted as constituting the members in the House of Commons. However, the House of Commons Disqualification Act of 1975, limits the number of cabinet ministers who can sit and vote in the House of Commons to 95. Government ministers also determine appeals in disputes resulting from town planning legislation. This means that their functions encompasses not only the executive arm of government, but also the judiciary. There are very many examples of the overlap between the functions of the three arms of government. One of those positions that gives credence to the notion of overlap, is that of the Lord Chancellor. Law Lords sit on the judicial committee relating to the Privy Council, plus

Performance system in Uni Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance system in Uni - Research Paper Example The functionality of the university’s performance is based on the institutional collaboration. All the parties bound to it are expected to play their role, and this aspect is evaluated from time to time in order to monitor progress and success over time. The different faculties in UTS observe common performance development procedures, making it easy for all the persons involved to contribute to an enhanced employee performance. The system acknowledges the role played by other parties that indirectly influence performance practices in the university. This extends to the entire university fraternity and encompasses students and other stakeholders that are not direct participants in the process of evaluating institutional performance but are critical to account for in order to enhance the final outcome of the underlying pursuits. Through this, the academic staff and all other stakeholders in the UTS cooperate thereby realizing an enhanced ground for performance. Rewarding and ack nowledgement of the staff efforts under the performance procedures are undertaken from time to time, and this is meant to motivate the staff (Aguinis, 2008, p. 283). In so doing, the staff morale is boosted by the system in place, and they are also encouraged to achieve even higher for more rewards and acknowledgements. Through the system in palace at UTS, talents are identified and put to use accordingly. The strengths and weaknesses of the university staff are evaluated and matched with the strategic plans of the institution under performance development. The idea is to tap and exploit as many talents as possible while making it possible for the university staff to realize opportunities from their weaknesses, as well as device ways in which those weaknesses can be transformed into beneficial aspects through correcting them. As a result, individual and institutional growth and development is encouraged at the university. While the institution has designed ways to improve the overal l performance of staff and the institution at large, the failure to cooperate and collaborate is a critical stumbling block to the process. In the UTS context, not all performance and development work plans produce the desired results, and the time to time reviews are not always positive (UTS, 2008, p.4). This implies that amid the vibrant programs and processes run by UTS to revolutionize performance in the institution; there are loopholes that are bypassed in the process. These loopholes are information-based where the primary players in the UTS performance system lack an enhanced mode of information and communication flow. The UTS performance cycle fails to identify these loopholes creating informational gaps that constitute a critical limitation to the outcome of the university’s performance. While a UTS’s monitoring program in this line has been implemented, this shortcoming is yet to be addressed. University of Sydney Different institutions formulate and implemen t different performance procedures depending on the specific performance needs to be accounted for. Just like any other institution, University of Sydney has developed performance procedures that are deeply rooted in its organizational goals and objectives. The institution acknowledges the roles and responsibilities of every single party factored in the organizational pursuits. In the context of University of Sydney, institutional performance is primarily rooted in Smart, Measurable, Achievable,

How did the plan to put a man on the moon by 1969 succeed, or was it Research Paper

How did the plan to put a man on the moon by 1969 succeed, or was it the moon landing faked - Research Paper Example Arguments from both sides have led to the dilemma whether man was able to land on the moon with the level of technology back then the manned landing was planned on earth for reasons of fame and power. Most of the conspiracy theories argue that The United States faked the moon landings to beat the Soviet Union and assure Americans that J.F. Kennedy has achieved his long-term goal. It was clear that the moon landing was faked until NASA counter-attacked the critics on behalf of the government. The landing of man on the moons surface was not a hoax. NASA claimed that it had it had carried out various researches on sending astronauts to the moon and the 1969 program was its first successful landing on the moon after the Apollo 1 program failed. According to NASA sources, the first program was not successful due to a fire in the cabin that led to the deaths of all astronauts. Improvements and renovations were made to the Apollo 11 making it possible for humans to land on the moon using the Lunar module (Braeunig). Kennedys administration funded the programs leading to the construction of two space centers, the Kennedy Space Center and the Johnson Space center. Funding of these centers at the time led to advances in technology in NASAs computers, avionics, and telecommunication systems. These technological advancements led to Armstrong and Aldrin landing on the moon on July 20, 1969 (Braeunig). Michael Collins was left at the command spacecraft to ensure departure preparation s for the Lunar Module. To present proof, the astronauts took pictures and recorded videos. They also took rock and soil samples from the moon and Neil Armstrong left the American flag on the surface of the moon (Knight 500). Above all, the Americans were the first to take a man to the moon and were ready to provide proof. Critics emerged as soon as NASA started transmitting the

Research on Utamilla Religion Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On Utamilla Religion - Research Paper Example 98), which acknowledges faith in single creator as well as in the reappearance of the spirit following death, in addition to the pure harmony among individuals and the earth. The actual groups survived through hunting, fishing, collecting other foodstuffs and creating medications. Besides, they participated in trade with other groups that expanded from the â€Å"Pacific shoreline to Great Plains† (Trafzer, p. 122). The Umatilla clan is among the three indigenous American ethnic groups, together with the ‘Cayuse’ and ‘Walla Walla’, which reside on the ‘Umatilla Indiana Reservation’ in United States. The ethnic groups started during 1855 via terms of an agreement with the United States government. During the year 1949, the Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla created a distinct ethnic government. In the present day, there are over 3000 members of the associated ethnic groups of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The Umatilla clan indicates towards the â€Å"Columbia as the Big River† (Trafzer, p. 101) and traditionally shared it with quite a lot of other native clans of individuals, together with those with whom they currently create the associated ethnic groups. The three clans speak the Sahaptin language, despite the fact that there were individual dialects. The Umatilla clan resided on both sides of the Big River and had family unit, business, as well a s financial dealings with the other ethnic groups beside the river. Only during the initial phase of the 21st century, the people of the Umatilla clan discarded the wandering way of life that incorporated travelling for hunting as well as fishing sites in an annual cycle. The conventional foodstuffs of the Umatilla clan were â€Å"salmon, roots, and deer† (Trafzer, p. 139); residing in longhouses, the clan’s â€Å"tent type shelter could be up to 80 feet (24 m) long† (Trafzer, p. 139). The introduction of the horse, which Europeans started in the Americas by the last part of the 15th century, expanded the clans' mobility as well as scope, and enhanced business by growing link with the area’s other clans. Near the start of the 19th century, the encroachment of non-Indian foreigners as â€Å"trappers, missionaries, settlers and U.S. soldiers† (Trafzer, p. 167), transformed the terrain and considerably influenced the clans' life ways. Earlier than the beginning of European power as well as ailments, the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla people were thought to be around 10000. By the 21st century, successors would make up almost one third of that figure. During the year 1855, the ethnic groups as well as the U.S. Government, discussed a contract that let United States to officially claim the terrain and open the gate for pioneers to reside there. The ethnic groups abandoned the majority of their 6.4 million acres for a reserved area of 2.5 million acres. The three ethnic groups as well reserved privileges within the contract that incorporated the right to fish on their usual spots and to hunt as well as collect conventional foods along with medications on ceded terrains. The ethnic groups as well reserved forever, their rights to retain independence. As a result of ‘congressional legislation’ during the last phase of 19th century, the 2.5 million acre reservation was decreased to its existing 172,000 acres (Trafzer, p. 197). The family units of the Umatilla clan were broadened and usually had a large number of relatives, staying in single home. Males were mainly in charge of hunting, creating warheads as well as tools, and taking care of the horses. Females were in charge of food preparation and stitching cloths. Females as

MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

MARKETING - Essay Example Marketing is not necessarily intrusive always. Marketing through a search engine, for instance, does not disrupt the behavior of the client as opposed to the advertisements that throng newspapers and web pages; in fact search engine marketing promotes non-intrusive marketing as it encourages consumers to search for the advertised product only. However, there is a general resentment towards marketing. This mainly stems from the power of advertisements and its manipulation of customers. The purpose of marketing is to improve the company’s performance by advertising its services or products. Marketers often do that cunningly manipulating the target groups into buying the products. Stealth advertising, i.e. tricking people into using a service by product placements in media that people use widely, is disliked by people since it infringes upon the ethical rights of the consumers and fails to protect their interests. This can be broadcasted on the television or through the Internet on websites and by spam mail. One can see that it is not the marketing concept itself that is creating animosities; rather, it is the way through which the model is being executed that is giving rise to intrusive marketing. For marketing to be effective, it needs to have a customer-focused approach. This is achieved by the close collaboration of the top managerial figures. These managers play a role in promoting marketing by removing any cultural factors that impede organizational coherence and in turn affect the customer-focused marketing strategy. An example of the relationship between marketing and the authorities is the organization International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The IEC has a Council Board, made of top executive managers, which oversees and supervises all marketing strategies and regulates quality standards. There is a disparity in marketing theory and in marketing practice today. This is primarily due to the shift in marketing Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words Marketing - Essay Example The address of Coventry Business School is at the William Morris Building in the central campus. â€Å"The building was established in 1916. William Morris bought it in 1923 for manufacturing car engines† (Rhodes et al., May 2004). It has been acquired by the university about a decade ago, its top two floors had been destroyed by a fire explosion in 1964. These were rebuilt and the whole space refurbished to include computer labs, lecture theatres and specialist post-graduate teaching facilities (The Independent, 17 Dec. 2006). Now, it is the largest business school in Europe. The school has over 4,000 students and they come from around 40 countries to study in various programs of the school. â€Å"Coventry Business School was established in 1989 and students prior to this date were studying in the Faculty of Business† (Coventry University Business). The courses offered by the faculty were legal studies, economics, business and management studies. The School initially o ffered courses in economics, business studies, business administration, leisure management and general management. Among the courses offered to various students, the first was the business administration. The present Vice Chancellor of the institution is Professor Madeleine Atkins. Coventry Business School always maintain an excellent communication with different reputed universities of the world and with national and international organization; such as, Ford, Cable and Wireless, Jaguar, Nokia, Peugeot, major banks and the National Health Service etc. and also with different universities in the world. Consequently, students can simultaneously avail both the opportunities of working as well as studying in CBS which is an active member of the Network of International Business Schools. â€Å"The Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) is a group of business schools from around the world which

Cultural Relativism- Critical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cultural Relativism- Critical Analysis - Essay Example Argument in standard form Premises 1. According to cultural relativists, there are no universal moral principles. 2. Each society has its own different codes of conduct 3. Each moral or code of conduct applies only to the society in question. 4. We should adopt an attitude of tolerance towards the custom practices of other cultures Conclusion There is no objective truth in morality; it is nothing more than socially approved customs in a given culture. Discussion Cultural relativism is where each culture or ethnic groups is to be viewed on its customs, behavior on values and norms and not on the basis of those of other cultures or ethnic groups. Cultural relativists see moral norms as a result of culture. They see that many cultures disagree widely on moral norms and values, and there is no way which is clear to solve the differences therein. They, therefore, conclude that there are no accepted objective truths. Cultural relativists see other cultures, not as different not as â€Å"w rong†. According to premise one above, it wrong to say that there are no universal moral principles, according to cultural relativists. ... The Cultural relativism does not conclude that it is not possible to have a universal system of moral values to guide humans from a universal perspective. Rather, it explains that every society has its own moral norms and values to guide members of that society, but these values are of worth to those who abide by them, but they may differ from those of other, different society members (Herskovits 31). This failure to understand the differences between intra and cross cultural relativism is the one which led ethicist like Abraham Edel to write â€Å"If cultural relativism is a sociological truth, then your morality judgment of good and bad, right and wrong) is a function (cause) of your domicile. If moral norms and values assertions are expressive (subjective), it all depends on your feelings†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Edel 27-28). Cultural relativism only has relevance between cultures and not within a specific culture. It is a cross-cultural principle, not an intra-cultural principle. The firs t premise thus does not make the conclusion that morality is nothing more than socially approved customs to be true since it is evident that cultural relativism does not advocate ethical or individual relativism. In premise 4 if we abide by cultural relativism, then we will not be able to judge other cultures. We would no longer see other customs as inferior to our own, judging other societies merely because they are â€Å"different†. This will be good but only in some cases but not in a case where a society is anti-Semitic and waged a war against a Semite society. Cultural relativism would stop us from interfering, and we cannot even judge on the society which tolerant of Semites and one which is anti-Semites it would be

Short proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Short proposal - Essay Example I also do have confidence that my group members will provide me help. Conclusion Parking lots are an important part of institutions but their mismanagement or their use by other customers can make institutional implications. The outcome for this parking dilemma appears as a burden both on community managers and on parking lots. It consumes time, waste energy, enforce financial burdens, and increase the management of traffic. Many customers, students, and passengers have to make their parking after a cumbersome travel in the vicinities of the main parking lots and sometimes, this become a real dilemma. Some vicinity areas are so plagued and there is chance to be obstructed by someone trying to rob passengers. The situation also becomes highly vulnerable for people with disabilities. Students of University of Colorado Denver and Metro State College are really in trouble as they even paid to RTD parking but still can’t get transited through mass transit. I would like to request M rs. Zambon, to provide permission so that we can implement our study design to investigate on the RTD parking issues. The study is very feasible and has instrumented every aspect to make results an invaluable contribution to the community development.

Shrek Media Essay Example for Free

Shrek Media Essay Handsome princes and beautiful princess are things you expect to see in a fairytale. Shrek is a huge exception; it is not your average traditional fairytale. The things that make it unlike any other fairytale are its unique characters, the plot, language and music. Shrek includes plenty of familiar fairy tale faces popping up along the way and even more humour. In this essay I will be discussing how the makers of Shrek use presentational devices to reverse and represent the traditional fairytale. Firstly, the main character of this fairytale is an ogre, Shrek. Shrek, however, is not the usual ugly, smelly, cruel, threatening ogre. Although he may be ugly, and even a bit smelly he is kind, sensitive and has a heart of gold. He is simply misunderstood. The makers of Shrek manage to make Shrek sympathetic and easy to warm to. We see that Shrek is actually lonely and no one will give him a chance because he is ugly and they assume he is this horrendous creature. Another example is Princess Fiona. The usual fairytale princess is beautiful, sweet, kind and gentle. This princess is strong and feisty. Shes assertive and perfectly capable of fighting her own battles. Princesses hang around and wait to be saved, and then let things be done for them. Princess Fiona makes it clear that she is perfectly manageable. Lord Farquaad is another example. A conventional Prince/King is tall, handsome, heroic and kind. This is everything Lord Farquaad isnt, he is lacking in height, scheming and not at all heroic. These characters all go against what a traditional fairy tale would. This is one type of role reversal in the film. Shrek follows a the story of an large but friendly ogre who only wants to lead a peaceful life except he cant because his swamp has been filled with fairy tale creatures that have been banished to there by the short and cruel Lord Farquaad. In order to have all the creatures back where they belong, Shrek must rescue a beautiful young princess who shall become Farquaads bride; in order for him to own the whole kingdom. Shrek agrees to do so, and pairs up with Donkey, a witty mule who talks too much, to complete the quest. All goes well until Shrek begins to fall in love with Princess Fiona. The princess herself turns out to have many hidden talents and secrets. The narrative in itself tells us that this is different from an ordinary fairy tale but also things like exaggeration, incongruity and role reversal tell us this. In the opening scene Shrek is brushing his teeth, he smiles into the mirror and it cracks, he farts in the pond and a dead fish floats up, these are examples of exaggeration.. The language used is not suitable for fairytales, modern language is used and even though there are no rude words actually said, you know they were about to before an interruption. For instance in the opening scene where Shrek flushes the toilet at the same time that he says the word. Parodies make fun of another piece of art by mocking it. The parody is an imitation of the original, but exaggerating it, showing cliches which have been used, to make the original look ridiculous. The scene where Lord Farquaad has to pick which princess he would like to marry via selections put forth by a stolen Magic Mirror is a reference to Dating Game. In one scene, Fiona sings to the birds and accidentally kills one by singing in an extremely high-pitched tone. This is a parody of Disney princesses, who are often shown singing with woodland creatures such as birds. In Shreks swamp, when all the fairytale creatures are there, Papa Bear and Baby Bear are present, and later on we see that she has been turned into a rug. Throughout Shrek, the music is modern rock/pop. The songs used are to be easily recognised by most people. All these things help make Shrek unique, but the computer animations contribute towards the freedom of the cartoons. They are able to anything, therefore imagination and creativity is used well to take advantage of this. In the scene that Shrek, Fiona and Donkey bump into Robin Hood and his men in the woods role reversal is used. Instead of Shrek fighting off the merry men it is Fiona who does all the fighting single-handed. This is also exaggeration, as she takes on all of the men alone. Fiona jumps into the air and freezes in place; the camera hovers around her, giving her time to adjust her hair, before she finishes off two attackers in normal time. This is a reference to the movie The Matrix. This is also an example of incongruity. In this scene, Friar Tuck plays the accordion. When Robin Hood attempts to rescue Princess Fiona the background music changes to a fast jig. When Friar Tuck is knocked out the background music stops immediately. The camera looks down on the merry men from above where Fiona is stood, making them seem smaller and weaker. In conclusion, I think that the makers of Shrek used presentational devises well to reverse the traditional fairytale. Shrek is like the modern day fairytale. It is made unique because the usual stereotypes are reversed; the music is modern, as is the language. Although it is very different from other fairytales it still falls in the category and ends with the familiar happily ever after.

Narrative style of the novel Essay Example for Free

Narrative style of the novel Essay Comment on how the language contributes to the understanding of the character, plots, theme and narrative style of the novel Chapter 6 is presented to the audience entirely in the past with no hindsight. Once again it develops the plot showing the children developing closer to adulthood, yet still not quite there, not understanding the consequences of their actions : was it you two? , I look away. The language from the passage in the hard back page 111 to 113 contributes to the understanding of the characters, plots, themes and narrative style of the novel. The section about the hierarchy in trees only further reinforces the naivety and stupidity to the character Stephen. Stephen has an obvious sense of hierarchy and in this case the sour smell of the elders and its humiliating position at the very bottom of the hierarchy of trees. This continues into the familiar world out here at the end of the Lanes, ie: the hierarchy of humans where the levels convey Stephens actual opinion of the concept of hierarchy and social status. This shows how immature Stephen is and however evident is his naivety. See more: what is a narrative essay In hindsight Frayn exposes the audience to the intentional irony of the sliver framed heroes at the highest to the lowest an old derelict taking refuge who are the same person. Frayn has emphasised this hierarchy from the beginning. Stephen feels in triumph that for once he perceives himself higher than someone else in the human precedence and the language emphatically robusts this. This only reinforces that younger is obsessed with hierarchy only after the discussion of hierarchy is there a sense of realisation. The language in this passage contributes the understanding in the theme of mystery and adventure. Stephen relies on this adventure to prove himself to Keith and in doing so show Keith that hes not the only one who can think of plans and projects. The use of personal pronoun I used more frequently than other times (7) conveys Stephens awareness that at this point in the adventure, wherein he can contribute, is a way he can gain approval of others even at the exploitation of the tramp. The passage for the first time shows an all time low in the adventure and rain blows as deliberate violence. This marks a key turning point in the plot as they have to fine some reason for their expedition as they have lost Mrs Hayward. The language used to describe the old mans feelings are just some of the feelings evoked that explain exactly what the boys have been doing bullying, and in doing so, the language also introduces the theme of memory. Frayn draws attention to this key theme by making older Stephen interrupt his story to remind the audience that the Stephen who was once a victim of bullying is now the perpetrator. This narrative style is a device that suggests implausibly that older Stephen is telling the story and also draws attention to memory as a concept and theme. Not only that, but it helps the reader understand that the reason I (Stephen) throw down my iron bar, is to reflect what Stephen knew at that point in time is that what he was doing was bullying. In this passage Frayns presents the language as a way of children going on to do adult things but without adult hindsight and therefore reminds the audience that they are still developing unable to foresee the consequences of their actions. The language is deceptively simple in style, but the passage in Chapter 6 shows a subtlety in language. From the beginning of the passage Stephen shows this middle class social ranking which leads him into his so called heroism that is particularly associated with middle class values. This duty he is estranged with towards Keith was particularly powerful conception in times of war and for Stephen it shows a development in his character and what he is prepared to do out of duty for Keith. Thus, Frayn cleverly uses linguistic devices and in this case exploits the language in order to contribute to the understanding of the characters, plot, themes and narrative style of the novel.

Smoking During Pregnancy Health Concern

Smoking During Pregnancy Health Concern Erin Chaplin – Term Project Assignment #1 Topic: Tobacco Use  State: Iowa Objective: TU-6 -TU-6 Increase smoking cessation during pregnancy Increase smoking cessation during pregnancy Introduction Maternal smoking during pregnancy is a key public health concern in the United States. There are few instances in which environment has such a large effect on development as during pregnancy, which is considered a critical period.2 Prenatal factors have a large influence on a baby’s growth and development, and can lead to health consequences that affect them for their whole lives.2 Many women still smoke during pregnancy, despite it being well known that it puts the baby at risk of many health problems. There is a significant amount of scientific research proving the adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy, and pregnant women are discouraged from smoking while pregnant.2 However, it is reported that as many as 14% of pregnant women in the US continue smoking during pregnancy.1 Smoking during pregnancy remains the most common cause of infant illness and death, even though effective cessation methods exist.3 Public health is working toward trying to decrease the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy, but historical progress has been slow.3 Implications The period of infant development during pregnancy has arguably the most profound influence on a person’s long term health and quality of life.2 Smoking during pregnancy can negatively influence growth and development to such an extent as to determine future health and behavior of the child.2 There is plenty of evidence proving that the effects of smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of pregnancy complications such as fetal death (spontaneous abortion), fetal growth restriction (reduced birth weight), placental complications, and premature delivery.1,2,3 Smoking also increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) after birth.3 â€Å"In 2002, 5%–8% of preterm deliveries, 13%–19% of term infants with growth restriction, 5%–7% of preterm-related deaths, and 23%–34% of deaths from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were attributable to prenatal smoking in the United States.† 3 Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy also have increased risk for disease, health problems, and behavioral/ psychological issues later in life.2 There is evidence of a dose-response relationship, that increasing amount of cigarette usage is related to increased risk of defects and complications.1,2 It has been shown that nicotine crosses the placenta, and concentrations of nicotine in the baby can be as much as 15% higher than concentrations in the mother.2 There is also evidence that women who smoke during pregnancy have an increased risk of having a baby with two or more defects.1 There are a surprisingly large number of different physical birth defects that have been associated with significantly higher risk in women that smoke during pregnancy. There is a 9% increased risk associated with cardiovascular/heart birth defects.1 There is a 16% increased risk associated with musculoskeletal defects, such a limb reductions/underdevelopment.1 There is a 19% increased risk of facial defects, especially oral/facial clefts, with eye defects alone being greater than 25% increased risk.1 There is also increased risk of gastrointestinal defects and hernias.1 The most significant effects of smoking are seen in the occurrence and increased risk of limb reductions, club foot, oral clefts, eye defects, and hernias.1 There is not sufficient evidence to show an association between maternal smoking and defects of the genitourinary, respiratory, or central nervous systems, though it is possible that smoking may have some effect.1 (See Appendix B for Figure showing associations of specific defects with smoking) In the US there are approximately 120,000 babies born each year with a birth defect, which is 3% incidence per year.1 Smoking while pregnant has been proven to be associated with significantly increased risk for a variety of defects including cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, facial, and more.1 Many of these birth defects are quite serious, result in physical and psychological illness, require several painful and expensive surgical treatments throughout the infant’s lifetime, and may still result in a disability.1 In the US the estimated total expenditures for treating birth defects was approximately $2.1 billion in 2003.1 In 2004 approximately $122 million in healthcare costs for infants were attributed to maternal smoking.3 Thus it is a significant cost on the healthcare system for women to smoke while pregnant. Other studies have found behavioral and psychological associations between smoking during pregnancy and the child’s abilities later in life.2 One study suggests that maternal smoking negatively affects a child’s speech and language development.2 Another study found an association with decreased intelligence in the child at age 4.2 There are also several studies that suggest an association with increased externalizing disorders, such as conduct disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADD/ADHD).2 Cognitive function has been shown to be adversely affected in through decreased attention span, response inhibition, memory, impulsivity, receptive language, verbal learning and design memory, problem solving, speech and language, school performance, and auditory processing.2 It is important to also keep in mind that secondhand smoke after birth also increases a baby or child’s risk for respiratory disease and infections, immune system problems like asthma and allergies, ear infections, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and cancer later in life.2,3 Trends Maternal smoking remains a common problem.2 It is reported that as many as 14% of pregnant women in the US continue smoking during pregnancy.1 For most states the prevalence of smoking hasn’t changed much over time; however from 2000 to 2010 smoking prevalence actually decreased in parts of the US.3 In a subgroup of ten states the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy decreased from 13.3% to 12.3%, and smoking after birth decreased from 18.6% to 17.2% over the 11 year period.3 Sites that showed a significant decrease in maternal smoking from 2000 to 2010 include Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.3 New York City achieved the highest annual percentage decrease.3 Unfortunately in Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, and West Virginia the prevalence of smoking during and after pregnancy actually increased over the time period.3 (See Figures on next page showing maternal smoking prevalence in US by time and location) In 2010 prevalence of smoking before pregnancy ranged from 9.2% in New York City to 46.2% in West Virginia, with an average of 23.2% of women that reported smoking during the 3 months before pregnancy.3 At the time only New York City and Utah had achieved the Healthy People 2020 goal of reducing prevalence of smoking during the 3 months before pregnancy to 14%. 3 Figure 1 from Source 3 Figure 2 from Source 3 In 2010 prevalence of smoking during pregnancy ranged from 2.3% in New York City to 30.5% in West Virginia, with an average of 10.7% of women that reported smoking during the last 3 months of pregnancy.3 At the time none of sites had yet achieved the Healthy People 2020 goal of reducing prenatal smoking prevalence to 1.4%.3 In 2010 the percentage of women that had smoked but quit before the last trimester had increased significantly, especially in Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey.3 Unfortunately in Louisiana the number of women quitting smoking while pregnant actually decreased.3 In 2010 the percentage of women that quit smoking while pregnant ranged from 34.3% in West Virginia to 74.6% in New York City, with an average of 54.3% of women that reported quitting smoking during pregnancy.3 All sites with data available had achieved the Healthy People 2020 goal of increasing smoking cessation during pregnancy to 30%.3 In 2010 the prevalence of smoking after birth had decreased significantly, it ranged from 4.1% in New York City to 37.5% in West Virginia, with an average of 15.9% of women that reported smoking 4 months after delivery.3 In Iowa, from 2007 to 2012 the trend overall has been an average of a 15% decrease in women that have smoked before and during pregnancy.4 Unfortunately, despite this downward trend, there still remain 15% of women in Iowa that smoke during their first trimester, and 12% of women that smoke throughout their entire pregnancy.4 Awareness is helping, and there is now 41% of women in Iowa that smoked before pregnancy but quit while pregnant.4 Disparities Prevalence of smoking during pregnancy varies widely depending on maternal age, ethnicity, education, and health insurance coverage.1,2,3 Priorities can be highlighted based on this demographic information. In the US on average 20% of women less than 25 years old smoke while pregnant, compared with only 9% of women 35 years or older.1 Also 22% of women with less than 12 years of education smoke while pregnant, compared with only 6.5% of women with greater than 12 years of education.1 Some studies have even suggested that the percentage of women under age 20 that are smoking while pregnant has increased.2 Based on the demographic information presented in the Table in Appendix A, groups that need the most assistance are identified. It is easy to see a trend that women age 20-24, that are American Indian/Alaska Native, had 12 or less years of education, and had Medicaid coverage (low income) were more likely to smoke before, during, and after pregnancy.3 Women that were less than 20 years old, Asian/Pacific Islander, had greater than 12 years of education, and had private insurance coverage were all more likely to quit during pregnancy.3 (See Appendix A for Table showing maternal characteristics in prevalence of prenatal smoking) Conclusion Smoking during pregnancy has been a continued problem within the US. Maternal smoking has been proven to increase risk for many birth defects.1 Educational information encouraging women to quit smoking before or during pregnancy needs to be stressed.1 Educational and policy efforts also need to be targeted especially toward women under age 24, with 12 or less years of school, in lower socioeconomic groups, because they are more likely to smoke while pregnant.1,3 Efforts to reduce prevalence have only been mildly successful.3 In 2010 none of the states with data available had achieved the goal of reducing prevalence of prenatal smoking to 1.4%.3 If trends continue at the current slow rate then it could take another 100 years to reach that goal.3 Current tobacco control efforts in most states are probably not adequate to be able to reach national goals in reducing the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy.3 Appendix A Table 2 from Source 3 Appendix B Figure 1 from Source 1- â€Å"Summary of the meta-analyses for maternal smoking in pregnancy and birth defects. The pooled ORs are shown for each body system and specific defects (total number of malformed cases in brackets). CI: confidence interval† 1 References Hackshaw A, Rodeck C, Boniface S. (2011) Maternal smoking in pregnancy and birth defects: a systematic review based on 173 687 malformed cases and 11.7 million controls. Human Reproduction Update 2011; 17:589–604. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmr022; URL: http://humupd.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/07/09/humupd.dmr022.full Knopik VS, Maccani MA, Francazio S, McGeary JE. (2012). The epigenetics of maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and effects on child development. Development and Psychopathology 2012; 24(4):1377-1390. doi: http://dx.doi.org.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/10.1017/S0954579412000776. Tong VT, Dietz PM, Morrow B, D’Angelo DV, Farr SL, Rockhill KM, England LJ. (2013). Trends in Smoking Before, During, and After Pregnancy – Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, United States, 40 Sites, 2000–2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Surveillance Summaries 2013; 62(6):1-19. URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6206.pdf Muldoon, J. (2013) Percent of newborns exposed to maternal smoking, by county. IA Dept. Public Health: Vital Records and Bureau of Family Health, Div. Tobacco Use Prevention Control, IDPH; 2013. URL: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/IDPHChannelsService/file.ashx?file=787F5953-4D70-4563-A885-FCB2C9D3C185

Evil Reaps Darkness in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay examples -- Macbeth

Evil Reaps Darkness in Macbeth       "By their deeds you shall know them" is a Biblical passage which seems to state a lesson reiterated in Shakespeare's Macbeth. We intend to examine closely the dark future which the Macbeths deserved because of their sinful conduct.    A.C. Bradley in Shakespearean Tragedy comments on the darkness within the play:    The vision of the dagger, the murder of Duncan, the murder of Banquo, the sleep-walking of Lady Macbeth, all come in night scenes. The Witches dance in the thick air of a storm or, 'black and midnight hags', receive Macbeth in a cavern. The blackness of night is to the hero a thing of fear, even of horror; and that which he feels becomes the spirit of the play. The faint glimmerings of the western sky at twilight are here menacing: it is the hour when the traveller hastens to reach safety in his inn, and when Banquo rides homeward t meet his assassins; the hour when 'light thickens', when 'night's black agents to their prey do rouse', when the wolf begins to howl, and the owl to scream, and withered murder steals forth to his work. (307)    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson identifies the darkness in the play with evil, hell, devils:    Mr. Kenneth Muir, in his introduction to the play - which does not, by the way, interpret it simply from this point of view - aptly describes the cumulative effect of the imagery: "The contrast between light and darkness [suggested by the imagery] is part of a general antithesis between good and evil, devils and angels, evil and grace, hell and heaven . . . (67-68)    In "Macbeth as the Imitation of an Action" Francis Fergusson states the place of darkness in the action of the pla... ...are: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Knights, L.C. "Macbeth." Shakespeare: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Lamb, Charles. On the Tragedies of Shakespeare. N.p.: n.p.. 1811. Rpt in Shakespearean Tragedy. Bratchell, D. F. New York, NY: Routledge, 1990.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. http://chemicool.com/Shakespeare/macbeth/full.html, no lin.    Warren, Roger. Shakespeare Survey 30.   N.p.: n.p., 1977. Pp. 177-78. Rpt. in Shakespeare in the Theatre: An Anthology of Criticism. Stanley Wells, ed. England: Oxford University Press, 2000.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.

Organic Molecules Challenge :: essays research papers

Organic Molecules Challenge Silicon's Reign as King of Semiconductors There is a revolution fomenting in the semiconductor industry. It may take 30 years or more to reach perfection, but when it does the advance may be so great that today's computers will be little more than calculators compared to what will come after. The revolution is called molecular electronics, and its goal is to depose silicon as king of the computer chip and put carbon in its place. The perpetrators are a few clever chemists trying to use pigment, proteins, polymers, and other organic molecules to carry out the same task that microscopic patterns of silicon and metal do now. For years these researchers worked in secret, mainly at their blackboards, plotting and planning. Now they are beginning to conduct small forays in the laboratory, and their few successes to date lead them to believe they were on the right track. "We have a long way to go before carbon-based electronics replace silicon-based electronics, but we can see now that we hope to revolutionize computer design and performance," said Robert R. Birge, a professor of chemistry, Carnegie- Mellon University, Pittsburgh. "Now it's only a matter of time, hard work, and some luck before molecular electronics start having a noticeable impact." Molecular electronics is so named because it uses molecules to act as the "wires" and "switches" of computer chips. Wires, may someday be replaced by polymers that conduct electricity, such as polyacetylene and polyphenylenesulfide. Another candidate might be organometallic compounds such as porphyrins and phthalocyanines which also conduct electricity. When crystallized, these flat molecules stack like pancakes, and metal ions in their centers line up with one another to form a one-dimensional wire. Many organic molecules can exist in two distinct stable states that differ in some measurable property and are interconvertable. These could be switches of molecular electronics. For example, bacteriorhodpsin, a bacterial pigment, exists in two optical states: one state absorbs green light, the other orange. Shinning green light on the green-absorbing state converts it into the orange state and vice versa. Birge and his coworkers have developed high density memory drives using bacteriorhodopsin. Although the idea of using organic molecules may seem far-fetched, it happens every day throughout nature. "Electron transport in photosynthesis one of the most important energy generating systems in nature, is a real-world example of what we're trying to do," said Phil Seiden, manager of molecular science, IBM, Yorkstown Heights, N.Y. Birge, who heads the Center for Molecular Electronics at Carnegie-Mellon, said two factors are driving this developing revolution, more speed and less space. "Semiconductor chip designers are always trying to cram more electronic

Personal Narrative - My First True Love :: Personal Narratives

My First True Love Teens deal with conflict on a day-to-day basis. This holds true especially for Jared. You could say Jared was your average everyday teenager. He plays the guitar in his free time and has a great number of friends. But as for girlfriends, that’s a different story. It’s not like he isn’t an attractive guy. He has shoulder-length brown hair, dark brown eyes and a smile that was incomparable. His guitar playing skills and singing ability would make a girl go through the roof. And for one special girl, they do. Jared has attended a summer camp for the past four years. During these four years at camp there are at least ten girls who fall for him. Any other guy would see this as great, but not Jared. For three out of the four years he was at camp Jared had Brittany waiting on him at home. Brittany and Jared adored each other. But this summer would be different. Jared attends camp not looking for anyone but ends up meeting Jessi. Jessi lives in Ohio County and this is her second year at the camp. Nothing really happens between them. They just become friends and promise to keep in touch until the next summer. The phone calls are endless with e-mails and online chats even longer. They are really starting to bond. By mid-September Jared’s mom, Kendra decides it’s time for everyone from the camp to meet up again before Halloween. She plans an all weekend sleepover at their house. Friends from all over the state will come and party the whole weekend through. The weekend before the big party, Lorraine, Jared’s best friend from camp comes in and helps his mom get the house ready. During that weekend, Brittany breaks Jared’s heart. She says she still loves him but isn’t in love with him. Jared is devastated. How could this be happening to him? Talking to Jessi on the phone helps because she was going through the same thing. Although Jessi won’t be able to make it to the party the following weekend, she calls often during that time to be there for Jared.

Global Systems Development Corporation Essay

GSDC is a software development firm with sales, marketing, and project offices in major cities of North America. We provide a global project management services, on-site personnel as needed for design, and testing and liaison with teams of developers in India and Eastern Europe. GSDC is known to have extensive experience in website development and have completed several successful websites implementation for institutions of higher education. Background and analysis STI has been working with GSDC to implement the new website, and GSDC views STI as a premier customer. As the project has unfolded, however, cost overruns and delays have occurred. STI claims that GSDC underbid the project and was too optimistic in its bid and project plan. Time has been lost and the project has cost overruns to date of $200,000. Given today’s  date and the need to have the site in place, STI management has clearly articulated that the new website must be up and running within 60 days of the beginning of these negotiations. Proposed goals, objectives, target population and implementation plan Considering the state of the project we are about 75% complete and we can finish the project under tight constraints. GSDC is the most knowledgeable and with only 25% left of the project left to complete we believe that the completion of the project by GSDC would benefit both parties. Both sides can take a â€Å"lessons† learned. Considering the work completed there is not much left of the project to scope and our confident that we can finish out the final pieces and components of the website. The value in continuing the relationships shows that both companies have a level of professionalism and a can do attitude that is admirable in the business world. The most important consideration for GSDC is that we meet our clients’ needs and that the customer is satisfied with the finished product. The must complete the website for the negation to be considered successful. Annual project budget Organization HISTORY, MISSION, Vision and Structures STI Institute is located in the Midwest offering wide ranges of programs in arts and sciences, business, and education programs. The school includes a variety of Master’s Degree programs, and continuing education for the community. The institute Attracts over 6,000 students annually, 5,000 undergraduates, 1,000 graduate students, as well as part-time students in the Midwestern region including local and state. We have been working with GSDC to implement the new website, and we both agree that the project costs are over budget. There has been too much time delay, and we need to come to an agreement to finish within 60 days of beginning negotiations. Proposed goals, objectives, target population and implementation plan Project is almost at completion but with the communications between both parties not being clear on requirements. After reviewing the complaints from GSDC the overall solution will agree upon STI select few to work closely with GSDC personnel to exchange ideas and come to a resolution. We will clarify requirements, support the on-site and remote development teams, and perform timely testing. In order to be 100 % complete within the 60 day period. The value in continuing the relationships shows that both companies have a level of professionalism and a can do attitude that is admirable in the  business world. Once everything is agreed upon we suggest we have are selected personnel to video conference with GSDC on an agreed time to make sure the progress is underway. Therefore if there’s any changes to be made it in constant overview and finished in time.

Samsung Electronics Case

he Samsung Electronics Company has become the largest conglomerate in South Korea over the past decade. Net sales of the Samsung Group totaled $135 billion in 2004 and has 337 overseas operations in 58 countries. Electronic, finance, and trade and services are the three core sectors within the Samsung Group. Semiconductor products are classified into two different categories of chips, which are memory and logic. The net value of Samsung experienced rapid growth from 2000 to 2004, growing from $ 5. 5 billion to $12. 6 billion.We will use Porter’s five forces to analyze the industry structure and performance which will help gauge Samsung’s growth against its competitors. Entry into the semiconductor industry can be very costly and difficult because of high barriers to entry. These barriers include, economies of scale, high entry costs, and the difficulty in obtaining industry knowledge. In addition, firms like Samsung have established a strong reputation for quality and r eliable products which serve as powerful barriers to new firms hoping to enter the industry.The decreased chance of new entrants indicates a less competitive and more profitable industry. There are many buyers within the semiconductor industry, each controlling a relatively small share of the market. Samsung has a huge range of products they produce and can afford to do so at a low cost. Since the buyers control the industry and what is produced they have a significant amount of bargaining power. Furthermore, even though the amount of producers in the industry is fairly low, they offer many of the same products forcing them to compete on price.Samsung has a little above medium bargaining power with its suppliers. The semiconductor industry faces powerful suppliers but because defective memory is difficult and costly to identify, and could potentially destroy the entire value of Samsung’s product, it is very important for Samsung to establish a strong relationship with its sup pliers. In doing so,   Samsung usually pays a 1% price premium to its suppliers to ensure quality giving suppliers increased profit and more bargaining power in the industry.However, Samsung consumes a large volume of sales for its suppliers and can still earn a 5% discount because of this large volume and this discount can offset that 1% price premium. In conclusion, Samsung has a little above medium bargaining power over its supplier. Substitutes in the conductor industry are high for three reasons. First, products in the semiconductor industry are highly standardized. Secondly, other major companies in this industry have the ability to produce a large volume of similar products at average costs.Thirdly, there is the threat of new companies from China. However, these companies from China lack the technology to make high quality and low cost products. Therefore, at this point, Samsung does not need to worry about substitutes from Chinese firms. The semiconductor industry experien ces fierce rivalry between the firms. Similar to substitutes, there are six main rivals within the industry. Also, even though the Chinese companies are young/inexperienced, they are becoming a potential rival.No company has the absolute leading market share or absolute technology to break other major companies within the industry. Even though Chinese companies are inexperienced, these companies are having little or no trouble raising money from local government and they are willing to sacrifice profit in order to fight for market share. Over time, Samsung has established a strong competitive position relative to other firms in the semiconductor industry. Samsung’s emphasis on fast and efficient work has let them complete projects faster than other firms, giving them a competitive edge.An example of this occurred in the mid 1980’s when Samsung was able to complete their first large manufacturing facility, a task that was predicted to take 18 months, in just 6 months by working around the clock. Samsung also has a strength in their location, with Samsung’s main R&D facility and all its fab lines located at a single site they are able to save an estimated 12% on fab construction costs. This advantage of location also allows their engineers to work closely together to quickly solve design and process engineering problems together, furthering their speed and efficiency advantage over their competitors.Samsung has also done a great job of identifying and seizing opportunities before their competitors, and taking risks that other firms may be unwilling to take. An example of this occurred in 1992 when Samsung decided to invest $1 Billion in increasing the size of the wafers used to cut the DRM chips to eight inches. This investment paid off and gave Samsung a distinct cost advantage that allowed them to gain the number one market share in the DRAM industry for 13 years. Samsung also identified and seized he opportunity to gain high profits throu gh product differentiation by customizing and catering to niche markets, offering over 1,200 different variations of DRAM products. In order to understand the internal Environment of the company. VRIO framework will be used to analyse the internal environment and   to help further understand the strategic position in the industry. Relatively low power of suppliers and large production factories allow Samsung to keep their cost low. Their low cost of production will enable them to enter into a price war with any company threatening to enter the market.They have the ability to lower their price to the point where it will become too costly for any other company to enter the market will deter additional entrants. Their low cost production ability also allows them to increase revenues and reinvest more money back into R&D. Additionally, having all of their engineers on site allowed for quicker design times and cut 12% of construction fabrication costs. However, rarity is not really an issue within the industry. There are multiple companies all with similar technology.Once Samsung can keep the low cost production system and reinvest to their R&D, they could achieve sustainable comp etitive advantage in the industry. Most customers are willing to pay a higher value for their products because they perceive Samsung to have better performance and superior design, quality, and service. The brand loyalty, brand reputation and quality(reliable product) are costly for the competitors to acquire or develop. The competitors also face a cost disadvantage in cost structures since Samsung has an outstanding low cost production system.Moreover, Samsung’s major competitors do not have the cutting edge technology to quickly overpass the quality of Samsung’s product. It would be difficult and costly for their competitors to imitate their technology. Samsung does a fairly good job exploiting their capabilities because of them building brand loyalty and a high quality product. With all of those advantages it becomes difficult for their competitors to capture Samsung’s market share. Finally, Samsung invested heavily in its employees more than any other competitor allowing them to focus on innovation and productivity (Include HR policies).Answer to question 1. Samsung employees a hybrid model of business level strategy which consists of cost leadership advantage and product differentiation. Samsung’s operating cost is $8. 90 per unit and it is well below the industry average $10. 3975 per unit. As of year 2003, samsung offers over 1200 different products. With a proper marketing strategy, Samsung built a high reputation and good brand image for its products allowing them to charge a premium price on most of its products. Answer to Question 2: Samsung has implemented their business strategy very well.They were able to become not only the industry cost leader but obtain a large degree of product differentiation. Above, we conducted a VR IO analysis of Samsung and identified their competitive advantages. However, the advantages are only temporary because they are not rare and any company can imitate them by spending a large amount of capital. Until this point though, all of the competitive advantages that Samsung has created have created positive economic profit. These profits can be realized in the large growth in the company from 2000 to 2004.Recommendations: Our recommendations are that Samsung continue to use their additional revenue from their low cost of production and higher margin to invest in R&D. This will ensure that Samsung has the best product on the market and continue to lower their production costs. By doing this, they will continue to make it costlier for new firms to enter the market. Investing into R&D is extremely costly/ high risk and could lead to failure if Samsung begins investing in the wrong type of products. However, if done properly, this investment can cement Samsung as the market leader and ensure high profitability for the future.

Mw Petroleum

Discounted Cash Flow Valuation of Aggregate Reserves Discounted Cash Flow Valuation – Proved Developed Reserves Discounted Cash Flow Valuation – Proved Undeveloped Reserves Discounted Cash Flow Valuation – Probable Reserves Discounted Cash Flow Valuation – Possible Reserves Question 3 To value MW Petroleum we would consider the assets in place and the option bearing assets discretely. The assets in place consist of the proved developed reserves since they are already producing a determinable quantity of oil and natural gas, as well as the non-producing assets as if developed immediately (valued as the NPV of free cash flows). The expenditures associated with the proved developed reserves are also known with some certainty since they consist primarily of maintenance and replacement costs that follow experience based norms. The NPV is subject to commodity price risk due to volatility in oil and gas prices, as well as uncertainty regarding the discount rate. The options consist of the delay in developing proved undeveloped, probable and possible reserves. In the case of these assets, significant development costs must be incurred to monetize the reserves. In the case of the probable and possible reserves, the estimated cash flows are already risk weighted to account for the uncertainty in producible reserves. The options on these reserves are timing options. By incorporating volatility in commodity prices over time, Apache can value the ability to postpone capital expenditures to develop the reserves until volatility in commodity prices returns to historical levels. It is important that Apache have some level of certainty regarding minimum likely commodity prices over time since these are long-lived projects. These options yield a higher value than the DCF valuation (of the aggregate cash flows). Since we are considering these reserves as potential projects in years five through seven, we use the Black-Scholes model to value the options. The option values are inclusive of the project, i. e. not just the option alone. Question 4: The assets underlying the options are quite risky as demonstrated by the rising volatility presented in the case. Since Apache was primarily concerned with the oil assets, we used the highest recent oil price volatility of 50%. Since volatility is such a driver of option value, we also performed a sensitivity analysis to evaluate how the projects plus options would be valued at different revenue levels as well as with differing volatility. Question 5 Based on the value of all the call options derived in question 4, if the sale goes through then Apache Corporation would not exercise any of the options early. In doing so, they would incur significant financial hardship while bearing the risk of highly volatile underlying assets. Given the potential financial strain of this acquisition, as incorporated by the cost of capital, Apache would benefit from observing prices develop over time. Our answer is based on the volatility which is assumed at 50%. Based on the sensitivity analysis it does not appear Apache would attempt to develop the possible reserves within the 5-7 year timeframe.

Into the Nature of Relationships in Different Cultures

Relationships Discuss research into the nature of relationships in different cultures. (9 marks + 16 marks) In Western Cultures, it has been found that relationships are voluntary, temporary and focus on the needs of the individual as due to the predominantly urban settings in which we live in, we are able to (on a daily basis) interact with a large number of people. Western cultures therefore appear to be characterised by a high degree of choice in personal relationships and a greater ‘pool’ of potential relationships.Non-western cultures however, have less choice about whom they interact with on a daily basis, meaning that interaction with strangers are rare and relationships are frequently tied to other factors, such as family or economic resources. In societies with reduced mobility, (predominantly non-western cultures) arranged marriages are common as love is expected to grow due to the fact that it is not seen as necessary for marriage.Arranged marriages seem to wo rk well and make good sense as divorce rates are low and Epstein (2002) found that perhaps about half of them report that they have fallen in love with each other. Myers et al. , (2005) studied individuals in India living in arranged marriages and found no differences in marital satisfaction in comparison to individuals in non-arranged marriages in the US. This is also supported by Gupta and Singh (1982) who studied 100 degree-educated couples living in India, 50 of who had chosen their partners and 50 of who had their marriages arranged for them.The couples were asked to indicate how much they liked/loved their partners and it was found that love and liking was high in love marriages but decreased whereas love increased in arranged marriages and after 10 years exceeded love marriages. However, this study is difficult to generalise as it studies only a small sample and so cannot be generalised to the wider population. It therefore lacks validity. However, in some adapting cultures s uch as China, there has been a noticeable increase in ‘love matches’ as the Chinese are currently attempting to move away from traditional ‘arranged’ marriages.Instances in which parents dominate the process of partner choice in china have declined from 70% prior to 1949, to less than 10% in the 1990s. Xioahe and Whyte (1990) studied women in love marriages and found that they were more satisfied than those in arranged marriages. Western cultures are also seen as individualistic due to their focuses on individuals rather than groups, with individual happiness and pleasure seen as fundamentally important. On the other hand, non-western cultures are seen as collectivist cultures as people are encouraged to be interdependent rather than independent.Moghaddam et al. (1993) claim that the cultural attitudes of individualist cultures, are consistent with the formation of relationships that are based on freedom of choice, whereas collectivism leads to relationship s that may have more to do with the concerns of family or group. Norms and rules act as guidelines for behaviour and influence how we act out any given relationship. One such norm that plays a key part in personal relationships is the norm of reciprocity.Ting-Toomey (1986) found that in individualist cultures, reciprocity in personal relationships tend to be voluntary. In collectivist cultures however, it is more obligatory. In such cultures, failure to return a favour is seen as a failure of one’s moral duty. In Japanese culture, for example, there are specific rules about gift-giving and reciprocating, whereas n such formal norms exist in Western cultures. Argyle et al. ’s cross-cultural comparison of relationship rules in different cultures did find support for some predictions but failed to support others.However, a problem with this research is that the list of rules was formulated in the UK and may have failed to include rules that are specific to a particular cu lture such as Japan. Research on cross-cultural differences in norms and rules is important to be able to conduct cross-cultural relationships successfully. Knowledge of the norms and rules underlying cross-cultural relationships is an important aspect of any attempt to understand and improve relations between different cultural groups within a host country. Finally, relationships are difficult to study scientifically.Laboratory experiments, through the manipulation of isolated variables, are seen as the most rigorous way of establishing cause and effect, and he best way of furthering our understanding of the processes involved in human relationships. However, as Hogg and Vaughan (2008) point out, people do bring their cultural ‘baggage’ into the laboratory. Although cultural background may be seen as a problematic extraneous variable to some researchers, it is clear that culture itself is an important variable that influences the relationship processes being studied.

A Good Man Is Hard To Find - Foreshadowing

A Good Man Is Hard To Find Foreshadowing Essay In A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery OConnor, one is struck by the unexpected violence at the end of the story. However, if one re-reads the story as second time, one will see definite signs of foreshadowing of the ending. In the course of this story, OConnor uses strong imagery to foreshadow the people and the events in this story. There are three significant times she uses this technique. They are the description of the grandmothers dress, the death of the family, and the conversation between the Misfit and the grandmother. The grandmother did not want to go to Florida; she ironically dresses in her Sunday best. She was dressed very nicely with, ;A navy blue dress with a small white dot in the print. Her collars and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet.; (11). A strong foreshadowing imagery can be seen in these lines. Knowing the ending of the story, the grandmothers elaborate dress symbolizes a preparation for her coffin. When a person dies, they are usually dressed in their best outfit, just like the grandmother was dressed in what seemed to be in her Sunday best. A stronger foreshadowing is when OConnor states the reason for the grandmothers beautiful dress, In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady. (11). She herself predicts her own death. Unfortunately, she does not know this yet. Not only does OConnor foreshadow the grandmothers death, she foreshadows the deaths of the rest of the family. The foreshadowing of the familys death is very evident when they ;passed by a cotton field with five or six graves fenced in the middle of it, like a small island.; (12). It is not an accident that the numbers of graves ;five or six; matches the exact number of people in the car. There are 5 people and a baby. Since a baby in not exactly a full person, it is appropriate to say ;five or six.; This foreshadowing image leads into the next one: ;Look at the grave!; the grandmother said, pointing it out. ;That was the old family burying ground. That belonged to the plantation.; ;Wheres the plantation? John Wesley asked. Gone With the Wind, said grandmother. Ha. Ha. (12). The grandmothers reference to the plantation as ;gone with the wind; can be seen as an image foreshadowing and symbolism of the familys state at the end of the story. Their souls are gone with the wind in death. Finally, a foreshadowing image is shown in the Misfit and the grandmothers conversation towards the end. He says ;Does it seem right to you, lady, that one is punished a heap and another aint punished at all? (28). It is known here that the Misfit will kill the grandmother. After all she aint punished; for her crime of hypocrisy, self-centerness, and lying. The Misfit plays God and inflicts punishment where he sees necessary. In conclusion, Flannery OConnor uses strong imagery to foreshadow the ending of A Good Man is Hard to Find. She uses numerous images such as the grandmothers dress, the graveyard, and the conversation with the Misfit to foreshadow the characters future and events. Her foreshadowing images are both strong and difficult, so it does not spoil the end of the story. .

Describe how European colonists' relations with these populations Essay

Describe how European colonists' relations with these populations - Essay Example Since, the 15th and 16th centuries, the western powers were in a scrabble to show dominance either in Europe or in foreign countries by the way of acquiring more territories. As such, they were in a competition for power within European power politics.1 However, even as they did this, they encountered opposition to their plans inform of military resistance and political and diplomatic responses. Ideally, the western powers interacted with the colony populations in through actual colonialism, slave trade, and missionary relations that encompassed religious intrusions. Generally, colonialism involved unequal relationships between the European colonialists’ and the indigenous population. Such relations have been marred with violent acts. This results from the fact that the colonial rulers make fundamental decisions on behalf of the colonies with an aim of fulfilling their interests and denouncing the indigenous people’s interests. This leads to political conflicts and dish armony in the colonies. Additionally, the quest to bring to a centralized control of a vast number of territories jeopardizes the diverse cultures involved and thus the political conflicts. In matters relating to slavery, European colonialists captured and sold Africans to other European traders. This was probably the greatest source of conflict between the colonialists and the indigenous people. The manner in which this process was carried was inhumane and hence the disharmony in their relations. Indeed, the European colonialists looked down on Africa’s rich cultures by mistreating them and subjecting them to slavery. Moreover, they sought to have them denounce their culture and adopt the western culture that did not augur well with the indigenous people hence the continued political conflicts and disharmony. Additionally, even the missionaries contributed a lot to the rise of political conflict between the European

Reducing the Hold of the Underage Credit Card Trap Essay

Reducing the Hold of the Underage Credit Card Trap - Essay Example With their deep pockets and ability to lobby Congress, regulating the credit card companies is not a realistic option. It's incumbent upon the customer base, the young people, to be well informed and make prudent credit decisions. It's also important for society to mandate that any young person that uses credit be licensed to do so, just as they are licensed to drive. Schools need to offer mandatory credit classes that will teach students how to calculate the cost of credit, as well as the long-term implications of credit card debt. They need to know that credit card purchases have a price, and the price may be hidden in the terms that they have failed to read. They need to recognize a misleading and overly aggressive credit card marketing scam when they see it. Most of the material could be integrated into existing Math and English courses. Math class could be used to teach how to calculate the long-term cost of a purchase based on the interest rate, as well as how to figure what the minimum monthly payment would be. English class could be a forum for reading and analyzing the fine print. It would need to offer a vocabulary section to discuss the specialized wording that companies use to mask their true intentions. It would be helpful if users understood the terms "pre-payment penalty", "grace period", and "inactivity fee".

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Case Study Example Mike’s also has its own wash bays and vacuum islands where customers can wash and clean their cars themselves. Secondly, Mike’s has also created an inviting place. Each of its 19 locations is located in a more-than-an-acre property that is highly landscaped, has a well maintained lawn and with its own underground sprinkler system. The buildings look so clean that people sometimes think Mike’s is a restaurant. Third of all, when it comes to its people, Mike’s is extremely fussy on who it hires. For every 50 applicants, only one might qualify for a second interview. Mike’s ensure that it hires only those people who place the customer’s interest above everything else, those who will fit in well with Mike’s principles. Fourth, regarding selling the relationship, Mike’s always think about their customers, especially their repeat customers. In fact, they live and die on repeat business. They are committed to providing 100% satisfactio n to their customers. Fifth, in order to sell their relationship, Mike’s empower their employees to take ownership of their work. These employees are entrusted to create a happy experience for customers, enough to keep these customers to come back for more of Mike’s services, and to become advocates for Mike’s. Sixth, although Mike’s has its own rules, policies and procedures, it likes to keep things simple. In fact, during the trainings for its employees, Mike’s discusses with its employees the latter’s experiences in the outside world in terms of services they had received as employees and turns the discussion towards how the employees can do the same thing to Mike’s customers. Seventh, Mike’s encourages, and even promotes, (friendly) competition among its stores. Mike’s believes that such friendly competition sparks improvements not only in its stores but also in its employees as well. Mike’s conducts meetings with various

Geology of Puerto Rico Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Geology of Puerto Rico - Research Paper Example These rocks are overlain by younger  Oligocene  rocks to recent  carbonates. There are also othersedimentary rocks that are part and parcel of the geology of Puerto Rico. Typically, the Northern Oligocene to the rather recent carbonates is composed of Most of the caverns  and  karst  topography. The geology of Puerto Rico has made it very mountainous from the way the island was formed. There are also seventeen lakes in the island which are all manmade and fifty rivers (Otis, 2005). The island’s formation, topography, hydrography and climate make up Puerto Rico’s current geologic composition harmoniously; showcasing the natural beauty of the island. This paper seeks to analyze the geology of Puerto Rico from concepts of its formation, topography, hydrography and climate. Puerto Rico is strategically placed between the  Caribbean  and  North American plates, just at the boundary. As a result, there is deformation that is occurring to the island ion the present day due to the interactional stress between these plates. The results of these seismic events include geological hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides. Looking into the structure of Puerto Rico, the Jurassic rocks are the oldest rocks (Meyerhoff, 1933). These rocks are mainly found at  Sierra Bermeja  in the southwest part of the island and are about 185 million years old. They are believed to have originated from the Pacific Ocean  realm and constitute the bulk of the oceanic crust. In the Jurassic period, the main body mass (the Pangaea super continent) was split into two. This led to the formation of two land masses. On the North was Laurasia and to the south was Gondwana. As a result, the continental climate was transformed from dry to humid due to the presence of more cost lines. This was the first process of the formation of Puerto Rico. The land masses were pushed from the ocean overlying on top of each other thus forming hilly and mountainous landscape. The

Perspectives in Human Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Perspectives in Human - Research Paper Example I must say, I didn’t understand many principles that my family stood for, but I always tried to reason them out with a positive presumption. I was brought up amongst these ideals, and I was on my way to becoming a helf-decent Paxton myself. But things have changed a lot since my first semester in College. Growing up in the Paxton family, the first thing I was taught was to sing the glory of god and his creations. Not a day passed without my mother reading out a verse from the Bible before I went to bed. Sometimes, these verses would manifest themselves into biblical dreams. The holidays brought the entire family together and it would be a refresher course of all the family ideals. The eldest son always joined the forces. Serving the nation was a family mandate. But in a family full of ex-service men, the true heroes were the war veterans. Like Uncle Avi, who served during Vietnam. I was always convinced that My Brother Franklin would also join the marines and also doubted if h e’d ever return. The very concept of patriotism was now muddled with the hatred I had brewed towards wars and conflicts. The Paxtons also have strong preferences. We never employed Mexicans in our gardens, which meant ours’ was the dullest garden in the neighborhood. ... My family is the dearest thing to me. And I have always aspired to be the ideal Paxton. I am almost certain that for it is the most important thing to me. However, experiences that I have had this semester have completely shaken the very foundations of what I believed. This semester I learned many things. Not all of them were in line with what I always grew up learning. It can be very mind-boggling at times, when your very constitution is challenged by something new. It is like trusting someone all your life and learning one fine day, that the person was a lie. Honestly, I’d have preferred to be in that hypothetical situation than the predicament that I was in a few weeks ago. Mainly because it was my prerogative to understand, accept the latest developments and embrace change. And I have always found change to be the most uncomfortable thing. I guess the seeds were sown deep by my family. One of the things that I learnt this semester was that every human being is born with a set of rights that are inalienable. This means that we are born with some rights which cannot be taken away by anybody. Our Bill of Rights only lists these rights out. It was strange for me to believe that we always had these rights with us. Like an inherent part of our body. I always thought that people spoke, behaved and lived the way their parents did. So if I ever met a person who condemned our Country, I would think badly about his parents or family and wonder why they never disciplined him. Similarly, if someone was a homosexual, I’d wonder why his parents never sent him to the doctor. Now I have become aware that our families, societies and countries are not the reason why we choose to behave or express

Sydney White 2007 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sydney White 2007 - Essay Example It is in this condition that she thinks of how she can plead the sorority of her parents. The young girl works exceptionally hard in school until she secures herself a scholarship. The scholarship lands her into a college where she can follow the footsteps of her mother. Her mother was a woman of dignity and hard work since she had education. In college, Sydney has the assurance that she must go back to where her mother comes from and ask to be taken as one of them. The movie triggers different emotions to different viewers. Some argue that the movie is just one of the must-have because of the way it flows (White). This is true because the plot of the movie has flow and one can be able to track what Sydney does after she is faced with these predicaments. The other thing that the viewers like about the movies is the way it takes to explain different times. This is evident in the way Sydney is goes back to her mothers home to claim that she is her daughter . Her going makes her realize just how times have moved since even the sisters of her mother show no concern to her. The movie is again set in a great scene by the way Sydney keeps changing her location. I agree with the reviewers because the movie revolves around home, campus and the neighborhoods. By watching the movie in this location I agree with the writers that one can never get bored. The movie seeks to explain the different ways in which a young girl has to fight for her rights and reach to the finishing line. It is because of this reason that the viewers say that the movie is not only moving but also thrilling. The other thing that makes the viewers appreciate the movie is the way in which the young girl incorporates comedy into the movie. The main character is talented in that she can be able to act serious issues and yet thrill the crowd. I affirm that the movie is the kind that every person would stay tuned to the end. The movie has credit for being not too short or too long for the viewers. The rev iewers insist that the movie is just the right length and covers all the areas without leaving the viewers in suspense. Other viewers though have different views concerning the movie. The movie has been criticized for not incorporating all the aspects in it. This means that the movie is lacking in such areas as suspense and action (White). In my own opinion, the movie is okay because there is absolutely no movie that can trigger all emotions within a viewer. Different people have different views concerning things and people see things in different perspectives. Other people criticize the movie at a personal level by saying that the main actor does not know how to act. However, this is based on personal interests and opinions and I think that the viewers are just malicious. This explains that different people see things differently and that is okay. Others argue that the movie is just a fairy tale and that it is built on fiction only. This is because it shows actions that are controv ersial to the viewers. Such actions include such things as the young girl living in the community of construction of workers . The critiques argue that this is not just obvious and she cannot live with freshmen as a girl. This is because all this are men and her life would not be in safe hands. The movie revolves around the story of the young girl to the end without deviating. The main character again plays her role with a lot of prowess and tact.  

Public behavior change message Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public behavior change message - Research Paper Example Some of these attempts encourage behavior change while others do not. This entirely depends not only on the content but also on the skills in these messages (Browning & Thomas, 2005). Some of The behaviors are encouraged if constructed in terms of their benefits versus their costs. Other people respond to a message when individualized orshaped in a personal process. Communicating behavior change is different from any other instruction method because it targets groups in the community. The strategy used to communicate behavior varies from one group to another. It is reasonable to consider issues like vulnerability, resources message type when communicating behavior to certain groups. It is crucial to have an extensive research and a clear plan for successful communication of behavior change in a community. Various health problems are caused by risk behaviors such as reckless driving, drug abuse and overreacting. Health behavior research helps to modify and maintain positive health behaviors. Therefore, individuals should put an effort to maintain positive behavior change by self-regulation. Many behavior change programs have been established that focus on individuals and the community. Communicating behavior change is a good strategy for dealing with many problems in a community. It is an effective strategy for mobilizing the community on public health outreach programs (Browning & Thomas, 2005). Improved knowledge on behavior change has reduced transmission of HIV/AIDS in the community. Various health-promoting strategies use the communication as an educative method to the society. High-risk groups such as women, drugs abusers and youth need communication strategies. This article discusses strategies that mass media use in promoting beneficial behavior change among individuals. Mass media can be used to influence public behavior directly or indirectly. This is through directly targeting people suffering from public

Medieval Architecture Essay Example for Free

Medieval Architecture Essay The Middle Ages, also known as the Medieval era, though scarred with a history of violence and war, has given the world some of the most marvelous and beautiful pieces of art, particularly in architecture. The Middle Ages is the name given to the time period from the late 5th century to the 15th century, particular to European history. The construction of these types of buildings was a constant for various cultures for a thousand years. They can be categorized into three phases; Pre-Romanesque, Romanesque and Gothic. The most important buildings during medieval times were religious, defensive and governmental or power related. Figure 1 – Sarcophagus of Abbess Theodechilde in the Abbey of Jouarre. The Pre-Romanesque era started, arguably, with the Merovingian Dynasty of the Franks. Some say that not much was gained, from an architectural point of view, during the rule of the Franks but I believe there are a couple of points worth making. The Merovingian rule lasted from the 5th century, after the fall of the Roman Empire, to the late 8th century. Most of their buildings followed after the Roman basilica style. The Franks, due to religious beliefs, pushed the building of monasteries and included crypts within their structures. (see figure 1) Although there were many monasteries built with crypts, only five remain intact today. One of the noteworthy aspects of Merovingian architecture was that they are credited with being the first to build raised reliquaries of the saint within their monasteries, located behind the altar. Figure 3 – The 9th century Torhalle, or gatehouse, at the Lorsch Abbey in Germany. Figure 2 – Exterior of Corvey Abbey, showing the Westwork. The Carolingian Dynasty, which some say is where Pre-Romanesque architecture began, reigned from the late 8th century into the 10th century. Also deriving from a Frankish noble family, the Carolingians are credited with a couple of key designs that carry forward into the Romanesque and Gothic phases of architecture. The westwork, which was basically the west facing side of the church consisting of two towers with several stories between them, was probably the most significant change in architectural design for churches during the Pre-Romanesque time period. The first church to incorporate this new style was the St. Riquier Abbey completed in 799. The plan included equal emphasis on both the east and west ends, including a complex west facade. This church was later destroyed but the westwork was to be repeated in many Carolingian churches and passed on to Ottonian and Romanesque architecture. The oldest standing example today of this style is the Corvey Abbey built in the late 9th century. (see figure 2) Another piece of the Carolingian architecture is the Torhalle, or gatehouse, built at Lorsch. This gatehouse, built around 800, stands today in perfect condition. (see figure 3) It was built as the formal entrance to the Lorsch Abbey. And though it is small in comparison to the many other buildings at the time, it remains the oldest monument of the Carolingian era. Figure 4 – The Gloucester Cathedral in England. The Romanesque era is where we see a dramatic change in architectural style as well as an increase in the amount of building that takes place. The Romanesque period doesn’t have an exact date range, but most tend to agree that it existed from roughly the 9th century to the 12th century. Although churches remain the number one built structure in the time, we do see a large increase in the number of castles being built. There are many characteristics of Romanesque architecture. New building ideas and techniques were introduced, such as stone vault ceilings, buttresses, semicircular arches as well as barrel, groin and ribbed vaults. As new designs were added, the need for stronger supports systems resulted in massive double shelled walls, large piers and drum columns. (see figure 4) The Romanesque period is known for massive structures and elaborate designs. From this we see a noticeable increase in the skill of the masons during this time as the stone work displays an obvious increase in precision and engineering. Much of the architecture in the Romanesque era evolved into Gothic architecture. The Gothic era ran from the 12th century into the 16th century. There wasn’t necessarily a clean break from Romanesque to Gothic styles of architecture, but rather a gradual shift in design. The main characteristics of Gothic architecture are the pointed ribbed vaults and arches, flying buttresses and, in place of solid walls, a cluster of columns. Due to the vertical emphasis of the design, the archways could be redesigned and stretched or pointed. Four main Figure 5 – The depressed arch supported by fan vaulting at King’s College Chapel, England. ypes of arch designs that are commonly found within Gothic architecture are the lancet arch, which is simply a steeply pointed arch, the equilateral arch, the flamboyant arch and the depressed arch as seen in the King’s College Chapel. (see figure 5) Due to the new design of supporting the weight of the ceiling through the columns and flying buttresses, there was no need for walls made of heavy materials. With all the columns and archways in place, the structure took on a skeletal look. This gave way to expanding the once small openings for windows to an expanse of window space providing plenty of light to the interior of the structure. This space was commonly filled with stained glass. From this, stained glass flourished as an art work to be an essential part of many of the churches in the medieval time. Castles are a huge part of Medieval times and started to grew in number and size during the Romanesque and Gothic eras. The castles were massive and built primarily for defensive purposes. However, some were designed to convey messages of wealth, power and respect as well as fear and domination. Besides a military need, castles were used for administrative purposes as well as a residence. Typical castle residents consisted of the castle’s owner, his family and his military and administrative support staff. Castles were generally made from local materials of stone and wood as well as recycled materials, like Roman bricks and marble. There are, of course, exceptions to this depending on how much money and/or power the person building the castle had. For example, William the Conqueror had the White Tower of The Tower of London built from Caen stone, imported from France. (see figure 6) Figure 6 – The White Tower of the Tower of London. Castles come in all different shapes, sizes and designs depending on the materials available as well as the terrain chosen to build on. Some of the common characteristics of castles are; the motte – an earthen mound created with a flat top for the castle to be built upon; the moat – a large ditch around the castle, typically filled with water; the bailey – fortification that surrounds the keep; the keep – the actual residence of the lord in charge and the most strongly defended part of the castle; the gatehouse – the entrance to the castle; and the curtain wall – a large defensive wall, typically between two bastions. Castle construction would depend on the materials chosen for the building. Earth and timber castles were less expensive to build but could be constructed in most locations due to plentiful resources and most skilled workers had wood working skills. Stone castles cost much more, take longer to complete and require higher skilled masons, and many of them. Not to mention that the location was often relative to the location of the rock quarry. Naturally, stone castles were many times stronger than ones made from timber and, in the eyes of many, were worth the extra cost and time. Depending on the lord in charge and the primary reason for building the castle, the architectural design didn’t stop with just the construction of the building. Many castles maintained beautiful landscapes to compliment their architectural master piece. As seen in figure 7, landscapes play an important role in the overall allure of the entire estate. This particular landscape for the Leeds Castle in England has been maintained since the 13th century. Figure 7 – Panoramic view of the Leeds Castle in England. Throughout the Middle Ages, the key to the many successful pieces of architecture has been the architect. Of course they were not called architects back then, instead they were simply called masons. Often time there were many masons working together on one project. The mason in charge of the design and construction was sometimes referred to as the master mason. Prior to the 13th century, most masons were trained on the job site. From the 13th century onward, the masons took on apprentices and training became more formalized. The masons maintained a constant presence on the job site in smaller structures attached to the building project called lodges. They would store their tools, eat their meals and perform all their inside type work within their lodge. Masonry was one of the few crafts that did not form into a trade guild prior to the 14th century. In later centuries, the masons and their lodge became what we know today as the Freemasons. Architectural design and innovation was not protected and masons often borrowed ideas from one another. In the 14th century, masons were sent to study the design incorporated with the Chateau de Mehun-sur-Yevre in France. This structure was destroyed in the 18th century. Figure 8 shows the ruins today and figure 9 shows what the chateau would have looked like. Figure 9 – Artist rendition of what the Chateau de Mehun-sur-Yevre in France may have looked like. Figure 8 – Current day Chateau de Mehun-sur-Yevre in France. During the estimated thousand years of the Middle Ages, and what we know of it, it is quite evident that architecture played an important part of each society. In religions, in governments and in noble families, the physical structure of the building was just as important to the people as were the traditions and work carried out within. Architecture was not merely a necessary profession but it was a desired form of art work and we are fortunate that so many of these master pieces have been left for us to study and admire.