Compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Compare and contrast - Essay Example As this is a new induction in the particular market of the geographic domain so the word ‘Introduction’ has been written in a bold type so as to make people aware that the car is a new one and must be looked at by all and sundry. Also the advertisement shows the car with a man (human element) at the top portion of the advertisement while the body copy is fitted in the bottom half where one smaller photograph of the said car is pasted. In the body copy of the advertisement, the car’s features have been detailed so as to make a reader get noticed about them. The background of the whole advertisement has been kept as black and on that the font color for both the tag line and the copy is white with shades of bold type in the heading portions. The name of Renault with its model ‘Le Car’ has also been put at the very bottom of the print advertisement so that the balance is retained within the advertisement and a person is made aware of the company when he t ries to exit his mind and eye from the print advertisement. The body copy has discussed the car’s different features, its performance, fantastic ride, its being the city car as well as its price thus offering the potential customers of the car a complete package in the whole print advertisement. This second advertisement is of Alpine car audio systems in which a $125,000 Lamborghini has been shown in the center of the print advertisement. This is also a magazine advertisement as the body copy is more than in a usual newspaper advertisement, which relies more on artwork and slogan (the tag line) than anything else. The advertisement has detailed the body copy at the bottom in a two-column format where its details have been provided but the font size is too small for an on-looker to see from a distance and comprehend. It is only when a person closely reads the advertisement that he gets the point that what is there in the advertisement for him or her. As the

Jung vs Freud Essay Example for Free

Jung vs Freud Essay Sigmund Freud was known as a medical doctor, psychologist and one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. His ideas attracted Carl Jung to come under the teachings of Freud. As time grew on, Jung began to reject some of Freud’s original ideas. The two share some central ideas, but the differences between them are recognizable. The religion, unconscious complex, and the therapist practices is the biggest distinction between the two scholars. Freud’s dream is retrospective, meaning that it mainly deals with past events from childhood usually sexual ideas, while Jung’s dreams were more prospective, showing what the dreamer can grow into. Freuds’s dreams usually were regarded as a manifestation of the repressed sexual urges of the unconscious. As Freud cited â€Å"Many men dream of having sexual relations with their mothers and speak of the fact with indignation and astonishment. †(pg. 475) For example, if a patient dreamt about a long object, Freud would most likely say that it represents the phallus and ultimately sex, while Jung may say that it has nothing to do with the desire to have sex at all but rather the phallic object could refer to strength or fertility. This is where Jung and Freud had their greatest difference. Jung didn’t believe that everything was based so much on sexuality while Freud did. Jung cited â€Å"The dreams are obviously reiterating the conscious standpoint minus the conscious criticism. †(pg. 491) However, this disconnect is not surprising as ultimately, all of Freud’s students and most of his fellow peers didn’t agree with his strong emphasis on sexuality ruling everything. Jung and Freud especially differ in that Jung makes humans seem like beings that can advance and grow together, while Freud makes human seem largely like barbaric beings whose only/main motivation is sex. Even though Jung and Freud had there differences, they still had the same central idea of philosophies and mind process. It was a plus for mankind that Jung began to explore the world and create ideas for himself rather than just listening to the teachings of Freud. Jung offered new thought process for people to agree on rather than everyone just following the masses.

Peter Rabbit and Voices in the Park Essay example -- Literary Analysi

The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Voices in the Park were published at either end of the twentieth century, a period which witnessed the creation of the modern picturebook for children. They are both extremely prestigious examples of picturebooks of their type, the one very traditional, the other surrealist and postmodern. The definition of ‘picturebook’ used here is Bader’s: ‘an art form [which] hinges on the interdependence of pictures and words, on the simultaneous display of two facing pages, and on the drama of the turning of the page’ (Bader, quoted in Montgomery, 2009, p. 211). In contrast with a simple illustrated book, the picturebook can use all of the technology available to it to produce an indistinguishable whole, the meaning and value of which is dependent on the interplay between all or any of these aspects. Moebius’s claim that they can ‘portray the intangible and invisible[†¦], ideas that escape easy definition in picture s or words’ is particularly relevant to these two works. Potter’s book is, beneath its didactic Victorian narrative, remarkably subtle and subversive in its attitudes towards childhood, and its message to its child readers. Browne’s Voices in the Park, on the other hand, dispenses with any textual narrative; by his use of the devices of postmodernism, visual intertextuality and metaphor, he creates a work of infinite interpretation, in which the active involvement of the reader is key. Although The Tale of Peter Rabbit is not a ‘modern’ picturebook, and was written to a different concept of childhood than Voices in the Park, it certainly falls within Bader’s description. Susan Hill has described the events of the book as reflecting ‘the world of the Victorian nursery†¦ Naughtiness may be understood... ...h the message is conveyed. Potter’s juxtaposition of picture and word also rewards the reader for trusting the evidence of his or her eyes, rather than simply submitting to the authoritative voice. In comparison, Voices in the Park is infinitely complex and layered with meaning and symbol, wherever the reader should choose to find it. Moebius’s statement is fully realised here as Browne combines all of the technology of his medium - the words as text and picture, use of symbol, intertextuality and space - to portray ideas that remain intangible, and concepts that are infinitely open to definition. In this he displays the complexity of his and his readers’ experience, in the way that Potter, in her own way, did of hers.

Matching Dell

The Matching Dell Business case by (Rivkin. J & Porter, M) defines the personal computer industry and outlines its history and development, with focus on Dell Computers. This paper will analyze the case study by means of the Strategic Situation Analysis and Planning Method (SSAP), by portraying and comparing Dell with its main competitors, namely: IBM, Compaq, Hewllet-Packard and Gateway. Approaching the strategic situation from SSAP method’s step number one, Financial Analysis, step number two, External Business Environment Analysis and step number three, Business and Corporate Strategy Analysis, an external analyst perspective will be drawn based on past , present and future trends that will be used to give recommendations of investments to potential investors. The Personal Computer Industry From its inception the computer industry was mainly composed of large corporations such as IBM and DEC and unaffordable, heavy hardware such as mainframe computers. Having a personal computer at home was a mere aspiration those days. Between 1975 and 1981 many discoveries occurred that gained popularity with electronic hobbyists, when pre-assembled personal computers entered the market. These computers were pioneered by firms such as Apple Computers, MITS and smaller ones such as Tandy/RadioShack and Commodore. Almost immediately, other major electronic firms entered the market of personal computers. These companies focused their business on other electronic industries before this. The pioneer of the first personal computer was IBM in 1981 and its success translated to a market share of 42% of the market two years later. Although, IBM produced most of the components for its mainframes computers, for PCs it purchased from others the required parts and then assembled the machines. The operating software for IBM’s first PC was custom-made by Microsoft, which was then just a start-up software firm. The microprocessor for the operating system (OS) was designed by Intel, another corporation that benefited from the partnership with IBM. Microsoft’s first operating system to IBM is the backbone structure for all the current versions of operating systems (OS) implemented by Microsoft. A proprietary system developed by Apple, held 20% of the market by 1983. In 1982, another firm named Compaq entered the market with a low-priced portable clone and had $100 million in revenues during its first year, which turned out to be the fastest growing company in American history. By 1984, Dell Computer Corporation entered the market and transformed the way PCs were assembled and distributed. Historically, what has really revolutionized the PC industry was the establishment by IBM of an open architecture for their first PC, making its operating system and other proprietary information available to encourage software developers to write programs for the IBM PC and to motivate other firms to make compatible peripherals. Moreover, the unforeseen business strategy at IBM caused the company to become vulnerable to other market entrants and lost their sustainable competitive advantage, since many other IBM clones were manufactured. This cased the company to lose market share to competitors. Step One – Financial Analysis Financial Position Dell's financial history, like most company's, changes over different periods. These changes can be attributed to changes in the demand of the product, technological advancements, manufacturing costs, competition, and economic conditions. In 1999, the approximate cost of manufacturing a basic personal computer was between $800 and $900 (Kwak & Yoffie 1999). Dell sold computers directly, and through retail distributors. In 1994, Dell actually lost money on retail sales. When comparing Dell's direct sales to the retail channel it shows that there was a 5. % operating income through the direct sales, and a -3. 0% operating income in retail sales. Dell's market share increases from 1. 0 in 1990 to 13. 2 in 1998. Direct sales of Dell' personal computers through telephone, mail, and internet helped increase their market share. The total market size for the personal computer industry is $74. 6 million. Exhibit 4: Portion of Sales Through Each Channel by Region from the Matching Dell Case shows the highest channels in which personal computers are distributed in different geographic areas. In the Americas, the most popular channel is distributor/reseller which accounts for 41. 2% of sales, second is the direct channel which accounts for 29. 7% of sales, and third is the retail channel which accounts for 21. 7% of the sales. These three channels are the top channels world wide, and distributor/reseller is the channel with the highest percentage of sales across the board. Income Statements Dell and its competitors Compaq, Gateway, and HP all have had their revenues increase over the period between 1991 and 1998. The companies differ when the net income is compared from the same time period. In the Appendix, Table 4: Profit as a Percentage of Sales shows a comparison between 1991 and 1998. Profit as a percentage of sales is a note worthy calculation because it shows a ratio of profits to sales. If a company has high sales it does not necessarily mean that it will have high profits. In Table 4, you see that in 1998 Dell has the highest profit as a percentage of sales. Since Compaq has a negative net income in this year, its data is skewed. Dell percentage of sale has grown by 2. % in this seven year period. Using the calculation (This Year)/Base Year x 100 and data from 1991, to 1998 Dell sales increased 20. 5% and net income increased 28. 63%. This shows that profits increased more than sales in the same time period. This means that Dell became more efficient in production which yielded greater profits. Net income increasing more than sales shows Dell's efficiency in production and distribution. It cut costs of making and selling its computers to have a greater profit. In the appendix, Table 1 shows the year on year percent changes for Dell's sales. This table shows that Dell's sales continue to grow each year. Price Comparison Exhibit 9 in the Matching Dell Case shows Ratings of High-end Desktop PCs by Consumer Reports(1998). It is shown on the table that Dell's product sells for $2400, HP's product sells for $2200, Gateway's product sells for $2647, and Compaq's product sells for $2950. Data on the same table rates these computers on price, speed, quality, and other things customers value in computers with a scale of 1 being excellent and 5 being poor. When the customer ratings are averaged Gateway has a rating of 1. , Dell and HP have a rating of 2. 4, and Compaq has a rating of 2. 7. Dell is the lowest in price and second highest in rating. This shows that customers are satisfied with the dell computer, more so than some of the more expensive brands. Company Profitability Exhibit 11 from the case compares Major PC Manufactures and their financial data. Return on Equity(ROE) is calculated in this table and the major players can be compared. The ROE shows the profitability of a corporation because it shows how much profit is generated from the money the shareholders have invested. Dell has a ROE of 62. %, Gateway has a ROE of 25. 7%, HP has a ROE of 17. 4%, and Compaq has a ROE of -24. 2%. HP and Compaq have substantially more revenue than Dell. Compaq does not have a higher net income, but HP does. At first glance you would think that HP is a better company in regards to personal computers but when you look at the ROE you notice a difference. Out of all the major competitors in the personal computer industry Dell has the highest ROE. Therefore it is the most successful company in this market. It would be recommended that investors invest in Dell to achieve the most out of their investment. Revenues Dell's company became more successful when it withdrew from retail in 1994. It was losing money by distributing its computers in this channel and learned from its mistakes. In 1996 it started its website which provided another opportunity for customers to order from them directly. Exhibit 11 also shows that Dell keeps its cost structure lower than its competitors. When something is not benefiting the company, Dell does not wait, it acts on it and tries to continue to make Dell a successful corporation. Compaq has very, very high revenues but there are obviously major problems with the company. Its net income and ROE are negative numbers, which shows that the company is not profitable in 1998. Compaq only has 4. 4% of sales from direct sales, where Dell has 86. 6%. This is a major advantage to Dell because there is no middle man and Dell can obtain all profits. In ratings of PC Vendors by Corporate Managers with PC buying Responsibility (Exhibit 8), Dell Ranks high in user satisfaction, extremely high in raw technology, second highest in pricing, and moderately high in service and support. Compaq ranks high in pricing but low in user satisfaction, raw technology, and all customer relations. Having quality customer services gives Dell an advantage over Compaq. Financial Conclusion The financial performance of Dell, Compaq, HP, Gateway and other companies in the PC industry we see that high revenues do not always translate into a profitable company. Shareholders and investors are looking for high returns on the amount they invest in their respected companies. Dell is the most profitable company as of 1998 with the highest return on investment. The most valued aspect of Dell's company at this time is the use of the direct sales channel. Also, Dell sells its computers at a cheaper price than its competitors but still ranks high in customer satisfaction surveys. Dell can offer a lower price by keeping its manufacturing and selling costs down. This way it can still make a profit and keep and attract customers. Dell started out as a small operation in a college dorm room and it continues to grow significantly on a yearly basis. Step Two – External Business Environment Analysis The market for computer systems and services is subject to intense price competition. In addition to several large branded companies, there are other branded and generic competitors. Dell competes primarily based on its technology, direct customer relationships, value, performance, customer service, quality, and reliability. Its main competitors are Compaq, and Gateway, both business are 90% PC dependent. However, due to Compaq’s low financial performance, HP was Dell’s primary competitor followed by Gateway in 1998. The main stakeholders group are: customers, competitors, suppliers, shareholders, employees and the government. In Table 6 in the Appendix theTarget [Customer-or-Client] – [Product-or-Service Connections] is shown. The PC competitive environment can be distinguished between its geographic and its customer categories. The geographic market for the PC industry is segmented by worldwide and U. S basis market share, while the customer category is segmented into: Large business, small & midsize business, home and small office, government and educational institutions. Based on the information from Exhibit 11 in the Matching Dell case, Compaq leads the U.  S and the worldwide market with 16. 4% and 16. 6% of PC shares respectively. Dell comes in second place with 10. 4% in the worldwide market share and 15. 1% in the U. S. PC market share. Gateway follows in behind both companies with a 4. 2% worldwide share and 8. 1% in the U. S. By comparing the major players we can see that Compaq is a leader in the market, however these market leadership if compared with the company’s financial information is not translated into profits, since it has a negative profit marking and a negative return on equity (ROE). ROE is one of the best measures of a corporation’s profitability, since it shows investors and stakeholders how much profit the company generates with the money shareholders have invested and for Compaq a negative ROE could be an indication that even if it has the greater market share amongst the PC industry there are problems with the bottom line net income and management issues. The customer group of Large Business is dominated by Dell Computers with 33. 6% market share followed by Compaq with 27. 5%. In the case of Small & Midsize business, Dell has a 37% against a 32. % market share held by Compaq. Moreover, in the Home & Small office PC sales customer category, Gateway has the leadership by large from its closest competitor HP with a 58. 2% share against a 33. 3% held by HP and Compaq comes next with a 28. 5% stake of the market. In addition, Gateway also has a leadership in the Education segment of the market, with a 8. 2% market share trailed by Compaq with 5. 3%. The government sectors is mostly equally divided amongst the PC industry competitors, with shares ranging from 5. 1% to 6. %, leveraging a very close competition. Growth rates and the percentage changes help to analyze and understand the companies being assessed. The overall performance of the PC industry has been assessed from 1989 to 1998 and the results are as follows: (Conclusions from Exhibit 2) Dell’s growth rate on average was 50. 5% for the period 1989 to 1998, while Compaq grew an average of 17. 9%. If this percentage change had not being analyzed in depth, one could think that Gateway had a greater growth than Dell Computers; from its inception it had an 87. % growth rate. However, if the first two years of operation were removed from the calculations, we can see that the actual growth rate for Gateway’s would only be 19. 5%, which would place it behind Dell. Compaq had and average growth of 17. 9% in the same period. Five forces competitive analysis and industry value chain (Diagram 1). Dell manufactures most of the products it sells and has manufacturing locations worldwide to service its global customer base. Dell believes that its manufacturing processes and supply-chain management techniques provide it a distinct competitive advantage. Its build-to-order manufacturing process is designed to allow Dell to significantly reduce cost while simultaneously providing customers the ability to customize their product purchases. In addition, Dell purchases some of its products from third-party original equipment manufacturers and resells them under the Dell name. Dell’s manufacturing process consists of assembly, software installation, functional testing, and quality control. Testing and quality control processes are also applied to components, parts, and subassemblies obtained from third-party suppliers. Quality control is maintained through the testing of components, subassemblies, and systems at various stages in the manufacturing process. Quality control also includes a burn-in period for completed units after assembly, on-going production reliability audits, failure tracking for early identification of production and component problems, and information from Dell’s customers obtained through services and support programs.

Ancient Egyptians

Table of Contents Thesis Statement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 Time period†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Geography/Location†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Political Characteristics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Economy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Religious Beliefs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 Social Structure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 Achievements/Accomplishments†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦18 Decline of Ancient Egypt†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦20 Personal Observations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 22 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 23 Thesis Statement Ancient Egypt has made incredible achievements at all aspects of a civilization. Over the years, Ancient Egypt has had many cultural accomplishments in art, architecture, and different philosophies which are still cherished today. Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east. Religiously speaking the ancient Egyptians are polytheistic and believe in multiple deities or gods. They overall believe that there are divine forces that rule the Earth and the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians have gone through a long and interesting line of rulers. In our modern time period today, we can look back, learn and cherish the ancient Egyptians. Time Period †¢3100 BC – Hieroglyphics developed and King Menes united the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. †¢2700 BC – Pyramid building began, also the beginning of the Old Kingdom †¢2200 BC – The collapse of the Sixth Dynasty and the Old Kingdom; beginning of the Middle Kingdom †¢1700 BC – Earliest evidence of diagnostic medicine in Egypt and foreign invaders occupied the delta region; the fall of the Middle Kingdom †¢1550 BC – The rise of the New Kingdom 1503 BC – Woman ruler exercised all the rights of a pharaoh †¢1200 BC – Ramses became the most powerful pharaoh †¢1100 BC – The collapse of the New Kingdom †¢670 BC – The Assyrians attacked Egypt †¢525 BC – The Persians conquered Egypt †¢330 BC – Alexander the Great conquered Egypt †¢30 BC – The Romans conquered Egypt The ancient Egyptians went through many turning points from the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. The most important events were when the Egyptians were getting invaded and taken over by many different people, including the Persians, Alexander the Great and his men, and for the longest period of time, The Romans. During these times ancient Egypt was stripped down from some of their freedoms and traditions and also some cultural diffusion was forced upon them. 2 Geography/Location As you read in the â€Å"Thesis Statement†, Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east. The Egyptians most important natural resource was the Nile River, which flows from the Mediterranean Sea. They believed that they were blessed by the Nile and believed that the river was a gift from the Gods. The ancient Egyptians geographically ivided their land into two types, the â€Å"black land† and the â€Å"red land†. The â€Å"black land† was considered the fertile land on the banks of the Nile. Ancient Egyptians used this land for growing crops. This was the only land in Egypt that could be farmed because a layer of rich, black silt was spread on the land every year after the Nile flooded. The â€Å"red lan d† was the barren desert that protected Egypt on two sides. These deserts 3 protected ancient Egypt from nearby countries and invading armies. They also provided the ancient Egyptians with a source for different kinds of metals and stones. Egypt’s proximity to the Nile River enabled the Egyptians the trade, farm, make clothing, and ultimately use the river to its fullest. The ancient Egyptians use to sing a hymn of praise to the Nile for nourishing their land, these are the lyrics†¦ â€Å"If the Nile smiles, the Earth is joyous, Every stomach is full of rejoicing, Every spine is happy, Every jawbone crushes its food†. 4 Political Characteristics The Ancient Egyptian Government was dominated by a single man, the Pharaoh. The Egyptians believed that the ruler was more a man, but that he was a god. This gave the Pharaoh absolute control over affairs of the Empire and its people. Ancient Egypt was also considered as a theocracy, which was controlled by the clergy. The Pharaoh’s advisors and ministers were almost all priests, who were considered the only ones worthy and able to carry out the god-king’s commands. In most of the religious ancient societies, priest has a special status above the rest of the citizens. The governmental officials included the prime minister, the chief treasurer, the tax collector, the minister of public works, and the army commander. These officials were directly responsible to the Pharaoh. The land itself was divided up into provinces called nomes. Each nome had a governor, and was appointed by the Pharaoh, and responsible to the prime minister. Taxes were paid in goods and labor. Citizens were drafted into the army and forced labor for periods of time to pay the labor tax. Slaves, mercenaries, and draftees were often used in the army. It is believed, 5 however, that Egyptian slaves were not used to construct sacred monuments, such as the Pyramids. Egyptologist were led to this conclusion by recent finding of worker burial grounds near such monuments. The workers received proper Egyptian burials, where as slaves did not. The majority of Egyptian people were peasants who worked he land along the fertile Nile flood basin. These people had no voice in the government, and accepted the fact because it was backed by their religion. This aspect of the Egyptian’s religion helped keep Egypt so powerful and centralized during its high points. One of the most powerful rulers of ancient Egypt was the mighty Ramses II. Ramses was very ambitious and looked to expand the Egyptian empire northward as far as Syria. He constructed many temples and monuments and boasted of his conquest. In a battle against the Hittites, Ramses had outstanding bravery and prevented himself from a crushing defeat. Ramses was well respected and went in history for his achievements. His tomb is located in the Valley of the Kings, and his mummy is thought to be one of the most best-preserved mummies ever found. 6 Another greatly respected pharaoh of Egypt was King Menes. Menes was actually known as the first true leader of Egypt. He accomplished much, including the unification of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms of early Egypt. After Menes united the Kingdoms the Egyptian monarchy lasted in a recognizable form for over three thousand years. 7 Economy There were many aspects to the Ancient Egyptian economy. The Egyptians traded, educated, and farmed. The Egyptians had a large range of resources at their disposal varying from food and cloth, to metals and gems. Some of Egypt’s agricultural products were grain, vegetables, fruit, fish, attle, goats, pigs and fowl which were the primary food resources and flax was also grown to be spun into linen. A large proportion of grain was used for beer production. In ancient Egypt there was a good variety of metals, but only a small number were used including copper, bronze, and iron. Gems for the upper classes and the pharaoh and much stone were used for the construction of temples and of course the pyramids. The majority of the population more than nine tenths lived on the land in mostly village 8 communities. The land they worked in belonged in theory to the gods and in particularly the gods â€Å"Osiris† and â€Å"Horus† and his earthly incarnation or â€Å"avatar†, the pharaoh. The ancient Egyptian economic system was called a â€Å"command economy†. Administrators, priests, traders, and craftsmen lived mostly in the cities along the Nile. Some of the most commercial cities or capitals of ancient Egypt were Zawiyet el-Mayitin, Abydos, Naqada, el-Kula, Edfu, Seila and the island of Elephantine in the Nile River at modern Aswan. These provincial capitals were popular religious and economic centers serving the surrounding countryside. In ancient Egypt, a major part of the taxes imposed on the 9 people were used to keep the society running smoothly. Grain was one of the most taxed resources as it could be stored relatively easy and was very vital in years of bad harvests. Three thousand years of development pointed out just how effective this economy was. With the help from transportation by the Nile River, the Egyptians sold their products sold on the market. The Egyptians set up trade routes to reach distant countries. They often visited the countries along the Mediterranean Sea and the near the Upper Nile River because they were immediately adjacent to Egypt and contained materials that the Egyptians desired. These visited countries included Cyprus, Crete, Greece, Syro-Palestine, Punt, and Nubia. Some of the items that the Egyptians would bring back to Egypt would be leopard skins, giraffe tails, monkeys, cattle, ivory, ostrich feathers/eggs, and gold. When the Egyptians visited Punt, there a major source for incense, also Syro-Palestine provided ceder, oils, unguents, and horses. Horses were originally used in 10 ancient Egypt, and then the domesticated camel was introduced at around 500 BC. The economy in ancient Egypt was overall mainly very stable and structured over the years. 11 Religious Beliefs Religion was very important to the Ancient Egyptians. Their religion was strongly influenced by tradition, which caused them to resist change. Egyptians did not question the beliefs which had been handed down to them; they did not desire change in their society. Their main aim throughout their history was to emulate the conditions which they believed had existed at the dawn of creation. The Egyptians were polytheistic people that believed in multiple gods/deities. The god represented various forces of nature, thought patterns and power, and expressed by the means of complex and varied archetypes. These deities were worshipped with offerings and prayers in local household shrines, as well as in formal temples managed by priests. Different gods were prominent at different periods of Egyptian history, and the myths associated with them hanged over time, so Egypt never had a coherent 12 hierarchy of deities or a unified mythology. The religion of the Egyptians, however, contained many overarching beliefs. Among these were the divinity of the pharaoh, which helped to politically unify the country, and the complex beliefs about an afterlife, which gave the Egyptians’ elaborate burial customs concluding the process of mummification. Ancient Egyptians had many deities, here are some examples of the most important and famous ones.. Amun – The Egyptians believed that this god created himself in the beginning of time. They also believed him to be the father of the pharaohs. This god looks like a man with a beard, feathered crown, and shown as a ram or a ram-headed man. His name means the hidden one. Geb – Geb was a bearded god with a goose on his head. He was known as the healer and provider of crops. The Egyptians believed that when that Geb laughed that’s what caused the earthquakes. Egyptians had feared he might imprison the dead. 13 Mut – Mut is Egyptian goddess, also known as the mother of all living things. Her hieroglyphic symbol is the vulture. She is a woman wearing a vulture headdress sometimes. She also sometimes wears a double crown to represent lower and upper Egypt. Osiris – Orsiris was a strong element in Egyptian mythology. He was one of the five children born from the god of earth and the goddess of skies. He was inherirted to the throne of Egypt. Ra – The God Ra is the Egyptian god of the sun, light, heat, and the supreme judge. Also he was known as â€Å"Re- Horakhty†, which means Horus of the Horizon. A god with a sun disk around his head, he is worshipped all along Egypt. Egyptians believed he created the world, and the rising sun is the symbol of creation. The sun rising and setting meant renewal. He is ultimately known as the master of life. 14 Social Structure In the ancient times of Egypt the top of the social importance was the pharaoh, then the government officials such as the nobles priests, next were the soldiers, then scribes, merchants, artisans, farmers, and lastly slaves/ servants. The pyramid has been used as a visual metaphor to describe the social structures of ancient Egypt. The position of an individual in the social pyramid was determined by birth circumstances such as class, gender, race, and the relationship among social groups were determined by their occupations. Ancient Egypt was ruled by a very small rich upper class who enjoyed power and wealth while the large masses of Egyptian workers and peasants struggles to subsist. The ruling class depending on a social system of administrators, who organized the work force, managed resourced and taxed the surplus production. For their services, these government officials received favors and could rise to the highest ranks in the administration. 15 The upper class of Egypt despised the lower classes as inferiors, and many instances of abuse were committed, but peasant and farmers were not slaves. They had property rights and servants could inherit their master’s possessions when is they died without children. Other members of the working class, artisans, were their own masters. They owned property and land, and could freely buy and sell their products in the market. Education in ancient Egypt was not very advanced. At a young age children were mainly taught by their parents. Most parents would try to instill in their kids various educational principles, moral attitudes, and views of life from a tender age. For girls, they would always stay with their mothers. Very few careers were open to most women. While most woman trained for motherhood and how to be a good wife, some girls could train to be dancers, entertainers, weavers, or bakers. Only the daughters of wealthy nobles received an education in reading or writing. The boys were mainly raised by their fathers. Son usually followed the same trade that their fathers practices. Some of the boys at this time attended a general village school while others attended a school 16 designed for a specific career such as a priest or a noble. Schools taught writing, reading, math, and sports as well as morals and manors. At the age of fourteen, the sons of farmers or craftsmen joined their dads in their profession. Those children whose parents had higher status careers continued their education at special school usually attached to temples or government centers. The educational experiences in ancient Egypt had both similarities and differences compared to the present education in the U. S. A. It was similar because most parents like in ancient Egypt teach their kids moral values and educational principles. Unlike Egypt, in America it is a law that all American children must go to school and get an education. The selective school in Egypt taught similar subjects to the children, but it America present time , there is a lot more variety and opportunities for the future. 17 Achievements/Accomplishments There were many achievements of the ancient Egyptians including the quarrying, surveying and constructional techniques that facilitated the building of monumental pyramids, temple, and obelisks. They also established a system of mathematics, a practical and effective system of medicine, irrigation systems and agricultural production techniques. They had the first known ships, Egyptian faience and glass technology, new forms of literature, and the earliest known peace treaty. Egypt truly left a lasting legacy. Their art and architecture were widely copied, and sent around the world today. Egypt’s monumental ruins have inspired the imaginations of travelers and writers for centuries. In the mathematical area, Egyptians used a numbering system based on ten. They used vertical tally marks to represent the numbers one through nine, then they used symbols for larger numbers. For example, a heel stood for 10, a crook was 100, a flower was 1000, a finger was a 10,000, and a tadpole represented 100,000. 18 In the science department, the Egyptians believed that â€Å"Thoth†, in the form of an ibis, was the inventor of astrology and mathematics, he was known as the god of wisdom and magic. The Egyptians had many outstanding cultural achievements concluding mainly art and architecture. The Egyptian art was highly symbolic and a painting or sculpture was not meant to be a record of as the result of subtle changes, not as altered conception of arts or its role in society. The pyramids of Egypt are the most famous and mind-blowing structures built by the Egyptians. The Egyptian also had some literature mostly written on papyrus, also contains elements of art. The writings included hymns to the gods, mythological and magical texts, and mortuary texts. 19 Decline Egypt was once one of the most powerful civilizations on the planet. The decline of Egypt started at around 1000 BC when there was struggle for power by priests and nobles and the country started to spilt up. Rich people wanted to take over Egypt and hired men to conquer certain areas of Egypt. As there was a struggle for power, enemies from other countries invaded Egypt. The Cushites ruled Egypt from about 767 BC until they were defeated by the Assyrians in 671 BC and then Egypt took back their country in 525 BC. In 343 BC, the Persians took over Egypt as a part of their conquest. Later, a man named Alexander the Great conquered most of Europe and Africa including Egypt. Alexander became the Pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire and he was loved by the Egyptian people. He was committed to the well being of people so he chose not to change their ways. After Alexander died, his generals each ruled areas he conquered, this period of Alexander lasted for 20 300 years until the Romans took it over. The Romans ruled Egypt for seven centuries, Egypt was a great source of wealth to the Romans. The Romans brought Christianity to Egypt. The Roman period of Egypt was peaceful even though the ancient religion of Egypt was taken over by the fast spread of Christianity. The period of ancient Egypt lasted from 3000 BC – 639 AD, was at the end when Arabs brought the religion of Islam to Egypt. The fall of this rich civilization is probably one of the most interesting parts, in not just Egyptian history, but ancient history in general, since Egypt was the most powerful civilization in the world at the time. 21 Personal Observations I truly think Egypt is one of the most amazing ancient civilizations of all time. I choose Egypt for my research paper because I believe that they have so much unique culture and mind-blowing accomplishments. From this research paper I have learned many new things about ancient Egypt that I never knew before. I thought that all the monuments and pyramids were very impressive. Also the architectural design of the Egyptians is truly creative and inspiring. I hope that people in our modern time can learn how to appreciate the integrity of the Egyptians, and hopefully by reading this research paper it well help. 22 Bibliography Books – The school textbook of world history, â€Å"Egyptian art† by Cryril Aldred, â€Å"Egypt† by DK Publishing Websites – www. wsu. edu, www. ancientegypt. co. uk, www. kingtutone. com, www. reshafim, www. ancient-egypt. org 23

Whickham,the forgotten essays

Whickham,the forgotten essays Wickham, the forgotten influence of the story Pride and Prejudice was written by the famous Jane Austen in 1813. It was first called First Impression. The reason for its name was pretty obvious after reading the novel. The main character, Elizabeth, often judged others by the first impression. As the novel proceeded, these characters slowly revealed their true personalities, which were totally contrary to the first impression. There was an obvious misjudgment between many characters especially Elizabeth and Darcy. However, these misjudgment were essential in shaping the outcome of the story. Pride and Prejudice tells the story about five sisters of the Bennet family and their different belief towards life. The five sisters are Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. They lived at Longbourn in Hertfordshire. Without any male heir, the family would have to give up their property to their closest male relative, William Collins. He worked as a rector of the Lady Catherine de Bourgh. One day Charles Bingley, a wealthy young man, rented Netherfield, a house near Longbourn. Accompanied him was his two sisters and his friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Charles Bingley and Jane soon began to develop a relationship. Darcy was fond of Elizabeth, but her feelings towards him were the exact opposite. She disliked him for his coldness and arrogance. Her hatred mounted when she thought Darcy misjudged George Wickham, young militia officer. Moreover, she learned that Darcy took part in the separation of Bingley and Jane. In the meantime, Mr. Collins came to Longbourn for a visit. Encouraged by Lady Catherine and his concern for the Bennet family, he proposed to Elizabeth. She rejected him. He then proposed to Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeths best friend, which she eagerly accepted. Elizabeth went to visit the newly wed where she again encountered Darcy. On his prior visit, Darcy had expressed hi ...

Future-in-the-Past Tense in English Grammar

Future-in-the-Past Tense in English Grammar In English grammar, the future-in-the-past is the use of would or was/were going to to refer to the future from the perspective of some point in the past. As illustrated below, other verbs in the past progressive can also be used to convey this future-in-the-past perspective. Also known as: Prediction in the past Examples and Observations: Matilda stretched herself out, feeling her bones getting longer and longer. In a little while she would be taller than Frances, maybe one day even taller than Elizabeth. Maybe one day she would be the tallest woman in the world and she could join a circus.She was sure that Boyne would never come back, that he had gone out of her sight as completely as if Death itself had waited that day on the threshold.He had not believed her when she said they would meet only once.Fred Ballard, a local playwright friend of my mother, told her that I should go to his alma mater, Harvard and that he would make inquiries on my behalf, which he did without success. Use of Be Going to [T]he future-in-the-past...  is used where the speaker wishes to refer to a past time at which a particular event was still in the future, even though now, at the moment of speaking, it is past. This particular combination frequently makes use of the semi-modal expression be going to since this is readily marked for the past. It is frequently used where some anticipated event does not occur or an expectation is canceled. Consider these examples: I was going to tell him, but he didnt give me a chance.I thought we were going to eat out tonight.She was going to qualify next year, but now it will take longer. Use of the Past Progressive When an arranged-future-in-the-past (or rather arranged-future-from-the-past, as it is a future relative to the time of a past arrangement) concerns a personal arrangement, we normally use the progressive form of the past tense. This parallels the use of the present progressive for arranged post-present situations. [Mary and Bill were stuffing a goose.] They were having guests that evening.[There was no point in inviting the Robinsons, as] they were leaving the day before the party.[The man was very nervous.] He was getting married that morning.[I didnt call him up to tell him the news because] I was going to his office the next day. The use of the progressive past is possible even if the context makes it clear that the action planned was not actually performed. Relative Tenses Relative tenses represent deictic tenses. . . . Thus had sung is the past-in-the-past, has sung the past-in-the-present, and will-have-sung the past-in-the-future. Similarly, would sing is the future-in-the-past, is (about) to sing the future-in-the-present, and will be (about) to sing the future-in-the-future. Coincident (relatively present) tenses are ignored by many contemporary theorists, though Lo Cascio (1982: 42) writes of the imperfect, which is considered in traditional grammar a present-in-the-past, as a past coincident tense. Sources Robert I. Binnick, Temporality and Aspectuality.  Language Typology and Language Universals: An International Handbook, ed. by Martin Haspelmath. Walter de Gruyter, 2001.Joseph L. Cacibauda,  After Laughing, Comes Crying: Sicilian Immigrants on Louisiana Plantations. Legas, 2009.Renaat Declerck, Susan Reed, and Bert Cappelle,  The Grammar of the English Tense System: A Comprehensive Analysis. Walter de Gruyter, 2006Ursula Dubosarsky,  The Red Shoe. Roaring Book Press, 2006.Martin J.  Endley,  Linguistic Perspectives on English Grammar. Information Age, 2010Ted Sorensen,  Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History. Harper, 2008.Edith Wharton, Afterward, 1910.

Marie Curie - Mother of Modern Physics

Marie Curie - Mother of Modern Physics Marie Curie was the first truly famous woman scientist in the modern world.  She was known as the  Mother of Modern Physics for her pioneer work in research about radioactivity, a word she coined. She was the first woman awarded a Ph.D. in research science in Europe  and the first woman professor at the Sorbonne. Curie discovered and isolated polonium and radium, and established the nature of radiation and beta rays. She won Nobel Prizes in  1903 (Physics) and 1911 (Chemistry) and was the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize, and the first person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific disciplines. Fast Facts: Marie Curie Known For: Research in radioactivity and discovery of polonium and radium. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (Physics in 1903), and the first person to win a second Nobel Prize (Chemistry in 1911)Also Known As: Maria SklodowskaBorn: November 7, 1867 in Warsaw, PolandDied: July 4, 1934 in Passy, FranceSpouse: Pierre Curie (m. 1896-1906)Children: Irà ¨ne and ÈveInteresting Fact: Marie Curies daughter, Irà ¨ne, also won a Nobel Prize (Chemistry in 1935) Early Life and Education Marie Curie was born in Warsaw, the youngest of five children. Her father was a physics teacher, her mother, who died when Curie was 11, was also an educator. After graduating with high honors in her early schooling, Marie Curie found herself, as a woman, without options in Poland for higher education. She spent some time as a governess, and in 1891 followed her sister, already a gynecologist, to Paris. In Paris, Marie Curie enrolled at the Sorbonne. She graduated in first place in physics (1893), then, on a scholarship, returned for a degree in mathematics in which she took second place (1894). Her plan was to return to teach in Poland. Research and Marriage She began to work as a researcher in Paris. Through  her work, she met a French scientist, Pierre Curie, in 1894 when he was 35. They were married on July 26, 1895, in a civil marriage. Their first child, Irà ¨ne, was born in 1897. Marie Curie continued to work on her research and began work as a physics lecturer at a girls school. Radioactivity Inspired by work on radioactivity in uranium by Henri Becquerel, Marie Curie began research on Becquerel rays to see if other elements also had this quality. First, she discovered radioactivity in thorium, then demonstrated that the radioactivity is not a property of an interaction between elements but is an atomic property, a property of the interior of the atom rather than how it is arranged in a molecule. On April 12, 1898, she published her hypothesis of a still-unknown radioactive element, and worked with pitchblende and chalcocite, both uranium ores, to isolate this element. Pierre joined her in this research. Marie Curie and Pierre Curie thus discovered first polonium (named for her native Poland) and then radium. They announced these elements in 1898. Polonium and radium were present in very small amounts in pitchblende, along with larger quantities of uranium. Isolating the very small amounts of the new elements took years of work. On January 12, 1902, Marie Curie isolated pure radium, and her 1903 dissertation resulted in the first advanced scientific research degree to be awarded to a woman in France- the first doctorate in science awarded to a woman in all of Europe. In 1903, for their work, Marie Curie, her husband Pierre, and Henry Becquerel, were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. The Nobel Prize committee reportedly first considered giving the award to Pierre Curie and Henry Becquerel, and Pierre worked behind the scenes to ensure that Marie Curie won appropriate recognition by being included. It was also in 1903 that Marie and Pierre lost a child, born prematurely. Radiation poisoning from working with radioactive substances had begun to take a toll, though the Curies did not know it or were in denial of that. They were both too sickly to attend the 1903 Nobel ceremony in Stockholm. In 1904, Pierre was given a professorship at the Sorbonne for his work. The professorship established more financial security for the Curie family- Pierres father had moved in to help care for the children. Marie was given a small salary and a title as Chief of the Laboratory. That same year, the Curies established the use of radiation therapy for cancer and lupus, and their second daughter, Ève, was born. Ève would later write a biography of her mother. In 1905, the Curies finally traveled to Stockholm, and Pierre gave the Nobel Lecture. Marie was annoyed by the attention to their romance rather than to their scientific work. From Wife to Professor But security was short-lived, as Pierre was killed suddenly in 1906 when he was run over by a horse-drawn carriage on a Paris street. This left Marie Curie a widow with responsibility for raising her two young daughters. Marie Curie was offered a national pension, but turned it down. A month after Pierres death, she was offered his chair at the Sorbonne, and she accepted. Two years later she was elected a full professor- the first woman to hold a chair at the Sorbonne. Further Work Marie Curie spent the next years organizing her research, supervising the research of others, and raising funds. Her Treatise on Radioactivity was published in 1910. Early in 1911, Marie Curie was denied election to the French Academy of Sciences by one vote. Emile Hilaire Amagat said of the vote, Women cannot be part of the Institute of France. Marie Curie refused to have her name resubmitted for nomination and refused to allow the Academy to publish any of her work for ten years.  The press attacked her for her candidacy. Nevertheless, that same year she was appointed director of the Marie Curie Laboratory, part of the Radium Institute of the University of Paris, and of the Institute for Radioactivity in Warsaw, and she was awarded a second Nobel Prize. Tempering her successes that year was a scandal: a newspaper editor alleged an affair between Marie Curie and a married scientist. He denied the charges, and the controversy ended when the editor and scientist arranged a duel, but neither fired. Years later, Marie and Pierres granddaughter married the grandson of the scientist which whom she may have had the affair. During World War I, Marie Curie chose to support the French war effort actively. She put her prize winnings into war bonds and fitted ambulances with portable x-ray equipment for medical purposes, driving the vehicles to the front lines. She established two hundred permanent x-ray installations in France and Belgium. After the war, her daughter Irene joined Marie Curie as an assistant at the laboratory. The Curie Foundation was established in 1920 to work on medical applications for radium. Marie Curie took an important trip to the United States in 1921 to accept the generous gift of a gram of pure radium for research. In 1924, she published her biography of her husband. Illness and Death The work of Marie Curie, her husband, and colleagues with radioactivity was done in ignorance of its effect on human health. Marie Curie and her daughter Irene contracted leukemia, apparently induced by exposure to high levels of radioactivity. The notebooks of Marie Curie are still so radioactive that they cannot be handled. Marie Curies health was declining seriously by the end of the 1920s. Cataracts contributed to failing vision. Marie Curie retired to a sanatorium, with her daughter Eve as her companion. She died of pernicious anemia, also most likely an effect of the radioactivity in her work, in 1934.

Audience analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Audience analysis - Research Paper Example PSAs that emphasize how people crashed cars under the influence of marijuana, for example, are not only blatant guilt trips likely to turn off teenagers, but in any respect are bad arguments, since many people clearly use marijuana without crashing their cars and in any respect alcohol is legal despite the risk of drunk driving. Children and teenagers in general need to be respected, not coddled: The idea that they are empty vessels just waiting to be filled by whatever comes along is totally absurd. Kids are more like clay: They can be molded to a shape, but they have their own give and push, and someone who thinks it's easy to control their behavior will struggle just as much as someone who doesn't know how to sculpt. My emphasis will be on harm reduction. People who are already smoking pot or are at risk to have far too many factors pushing towards marijuana use for a simple abstinence message to make any sense. Instead, I will talk to kids about why reducing their abuse and facin g up to the source of their problems could make it easier to get a job, make real relationships, find ways of enjoying themselves without smoking, and resolve some of the real issues that might be leading them to use pot as an escape.

Commerce Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Commerce Education - Essay Example I think that Commerce assist form the foundations youthful people need to make sound decisions on monetary, commerce, legal and service issues because it supply practical knowledge, skills, sympathetic and values. Having information regarding these concepts and how to apply them is helpful for young adults to study early. "With changing times, the need to give young people a grip on money management has increased... More than a third of school students' work, and two-thirds of 15 to 19-year-olds earn up to $200 a week. Not all know how to handle that income" (Russell, 2004; Age). Furthermore, Commerce offers students with "and understanding of the relations between consumers, trade and governments in the in general economy" (Board of Studies, NSW, 2003). These are subjects that they may not unavoidably think regarding, even though they previously earning and spending currency. If we analyzed then we come to know that Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) conducted investigation last year to find out how customer education is taught in Australia and abroad in order to assist design a program to get better financial literacy amongst teenagers. "Young Australians stand for a $4 billion a year profitable market. Through more spending power then preceding generations, youthful children and adolescents are increasingly the target group for different forms of marketing practices and commercial pressures" (CAV, 2004). It is significant that adolescent adults are conscious of their rights and farm duties as consumers because they are previously purchasing products such as mobile phones and cars that frequently comprise multifaceted contracts. A key finding from the research was that lots of students do not take delivery of consumer education at school. I feel that Commerce education is generally delivering the right kind of educational experiences for the current generation. I do although agree that young adults would most definitely benefit if the curriculum added a more in-depth unit on financial literacy and consumer education. We are living in a constantly changing world and society must provide our children with education that will prepare them for a life of revelation. No doubt, this literature suggests that in the prospect "the curriculum will be justified in terms of its capacity to help children acquire skills for work and life" (Collins, 2002, pg 45). So the financial system and society of the future have to be taken into account when developing commerce prospectus. The main concepts urbanized in the Economy and society thread include: Civics and communal organization, Citizenship, Economic organization and decision-making, Employment,

Financial Markets and Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Markets and Institutions - Essay Example Financial intermediaries have played a major role the development and growth of the world’s economy. The financial institutions such as banks and other financial institutions such as microfinance institutions, investment ventures, and Sacco’s provide funds for the development of businesses operations. The Financial intermediaries help investors to save to improve their living conditions. For example, finance institutions give loans to small enterprises and individuals who make take less risky loans but give high returns in terms of interest rates. These returns are used to provide loans for other investors. Banks and credit unions take money that has been saved and use the money to give loans to investors; mutual funds take contributions from a group of investors and invest in a high investment requiring assets which individual investors would not have been able to invest in alone thereby spreading the risk. Financial intermediaries that encourage savings include retire ment benefits institutions, housing finance institutions, insurance companies, and mutual funds where members of the public are encouraged to save for their old ages, investment purposes, and better housing. In a country where a culture of savings and borrowing is encouraged there is a significant change in the living standards of the citizens leading to development and growth of the country’s economy in general. The financial institutions encourage savings while using those savings to lend out to the individuals or the organizations that want to borrow money to invest. Financial intermediaries receiving capital from those willing to invest and in turn disbursing it to those willing to borrow capital achieve this. Allen and Santomero (1999, pp. 1-42) reported that financial intermediaries play a role in providing an avenue for organizations to access the financial markets. Financial intermediaries have been known to undertake underwriting and acting as agents to the stock exc hange. When financial intermediaries undertake underwriting they are able to market the shares and other instruments on behalf of their clients as well as advise their clients on the best offer that they can attain maximum capital. The Financial intermediaries provide a channel to the financial market to their clients through underwriting. Financial intermediaries also play a role in providing credible information to their clients. The Financial intermediaries are able to represent their clients in the market by providing consultative services about the stock market. Most banks in the twenty first century have formed a different department that deals with stock market consultative services. The financial intermediary investigates for the best possible investment venture for its clients both individuals and organizations. This accrues a fee to the clients who pays the financial intermediary for the services offered (Allen & Santomero 1999, pp. 1-42). Consequently, Allen and Santomero (1999, pp. 1-42) documented that financial intermediaries reduce the lending risks upon utilizing its lending services. There are many syndicates and pyramids in the economy who want to exploit individuals and organizations by providing loans at very high rates. The financial intermediaries have been created by law and are governed by the government through the central bank. The law ensures that all financial intermediaries use a lending rate that does not exploit the members of

Mesoamerican culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mesoamerican culture - Essay Example Over countless years, the Mesoamericans designed their beliefs and customs of life. This accumulation of millennia of proficiencies could be what permits Mesoamerican concepts to live on today. This paper will explain the aspects of Mesoamerica still manifest in present say Mexico Culture. One of the major aspects of the Mesoamerican culture that has been retained is the calendrical system. Some of the different types of the calendars that have been maintained is 260-day cycle, 360 and 365 days cycles of the year. Names that are given to different months, and years emanates from animals, flowers or even heavenly bodies. In addition, another aspect of Mesoamerican culture that exists up-to-date is Mesoamerican script. These include logosyllabic which is the combination of logograms and syllabary. The scripts are referred to as hieroglyphic. People can learn about the environment via Mesoamerican language. The observable fact of ethnic blend and de-Indianization is not happening homoge neously all over Mexico and the communal organization has permitted Indian personalities to keep art in particular zones, and has resulted in preservation of culture. Hence, the continuance of biological indigenous qualities permits for continuance of Mesoamerican tradition and culture through language (Coe 16). Mexico does not bear an assorted mode of life. Diverse regions have dissimilar values, and much further, cultures in any area cannot be oversimplified; Indians still subsist and some have been chased out of Mexico. Non-Indian communities are not standardized either. Â  Country peasant communities are in existence and bear an Indian culture, however they lost the distinctiveness that runs with it. Farming ideas, philosophies about the ecological realm and Indian systems of eating and designing they still manifest in Mexico. Nevertheless, communal association in the farming world is somewhat altered. The farmers still execute matters in the Indian manner; nevertheless, they n o longer see themselves as Indians Coe 46). The essence of community inside the Oaxacan hamlet of San Andres is incredibly striking. The community functions together in countless distinct ways. A structure of titled 'tequio' runs as a consolidating body. Every family in the community has a responsibility to aid work and give a fee to the tequio. The tequio convenes monthly to perform stated developments that help the village or a commune member. It strengthens unity and functions as the community authority. Due to reliance on one another, the Chicahuaxtla community remains strong. Additional activity that fortifies the commune goes down annually- the entire community marches around the frontiers of the village. This aids to evade conflicts with neighboring communities by commencing peaceful relations. The Tequio structure, annual feasts and collective dances, ceremonies all add to and refurbish the distinctiveness of the communal. Various affiliates of the communal might not be cons cious of the implication of their everyday actions in the culture conservation. Actions are simply understood as rewarding a pledge or entertainment (Dierhl 45). Conclusively, most Mexicans are pondered believed to be Catholic however, in Mexico Catholicism assumes a distinctive custom different from the

Video Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video Reaction Paper - Essay Example The lightness and â€Å"breaking of the dawn† emotion of the second movement, Venus The Bringer of Peace, is contrasted amongst the heavens of this suite. It is light and airy and I like really liked it although not as much as the first piece. The 3rd movement, Mercury The Winged Messenger, uses the greek mythology to create a flighty almost lyrical piece in which the dominance of Mars is reheard in certain momentary sections, yet the air of Mercury prevails. In contrast to the militaristic 5/4 pulse of Mars, the  ¾ time of Mercury is delightful and joyous and pleasant to listen to as well. Jupiter is a piece which rests on traditional english folk themes and enhanced orchestration elements to create sonority without being bogged down by military motifs seen in Mars. Jupiter brings to mind certain English hymns and is emotionally uplifting. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age, lives up to its title and is plodding and almost mechanical. The theme element is haunting and uncomplicated using elongation over movement in its undercurrent. My least favorite of the movements, its rather plodding nature is almost sleep inducing. In stark and violent contrast, Uranus The Magician, evokes the images of dark magic while echoing the thematic elements of Paul Dukas Sorcerer and even Dvorak Slovakian Dances. Along with Mars, this movement engages the listener to pay close attention to the enlarged orchestra and its powerful sound. In the terminal movement, Neptune the Mystic, evokes the tonality of distance and finality and the end of all things. Not content with evoking leaving everyone happy, the composer leaves with the distant voices of the female choir in dissonant tones evoking the far away planet that is Neptune. In addition to the usual large orchestra elements, the ENTIRE piece adds organ, 2 extra flutes (Piccolo and bass Flute),

Mesoamerican culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mesoamerican culture - Essay Example Over countless years, the Mesoamericans designed their beliefs and customs of life. This accumulation of millennia of proficiencies could be what permits Mesoamerican concepts to live on today. This paper will explain the aspects of Mesoamerica still manifest in present say Mexico Culture. One of the major aspects of the Mesoamerican culture that has been retained is the calendrical system. Some of the different types of the calendars that have been maintained is 260-day cycle, 360 and 365 days cycles of the year. Names that are given to different months, and years emanates from animals, flowers or even heavenly bodies. In addition, another aspect of Mesoamerican culture that exists up-to-date is Mesoamerican script. These include logosyllabic which is the combination of logograms and syllabary. The scripts are referred to as hieroglyphic. People can learn about the environment via Mesoamerican language. The observable fact of ethnic blend and de-Indianization is not happening homoge neously all over Mexico and the communal organization has permitted Indian personalities to keep art in particular zones, and has resulted in preservation of culture. Hence, the continuance of biological indigenous qualities permits for continuance of Mesoamerican tradition and culture through language (Coe 16). Mexico does not bear an assorted mode of life. Diverse regions have dissimilar values, and much further, cultures in any area cannot be oversimplified; Indians still subsist and some have been chased out of Mexico. Non-Indian communities are not standardized either. Â  Country peasant communities are in existence and bear an Indian culture, however they lost the distinctiveness that runs with it. Farming ideas, philosophies about the ecological realm and Indian systems of eating and designing they still manifest in Mexico. Nevertheless, communal association in the farming world is somewhat altered. The farmers still execute matters in the Indian manner; nevertheless, they n o longer see themselves as Indians Coe 46). The essence of community inside the Oaxacan hamlet of San Andres is incredibly striking. The community functions together in countless distinct ways. A structure of titled 'tequio' runs as a consolidating body. Every family in the community has a responsibility to aid work and give a fee to the tequio. The tequio convenes monthly to perform stated developments that help the village or a commune member. It strengthens unity and functions as the community authority. Due to reliance on one another, the Chicahuaxtla community remains strong. Additional activity that fortifies the commune goes down annually- the entire community marches around the frontiers of the village. This aids to evade conflicts with neighboring communities by commencing peaceful relations. The Tequio structure, annual feasts and collective dances, ceremonies all add to and refurbish the distinctiveness of the communal. Various affiliates of the communal might not be cons cious of the implication of their everyday actions in the culture conservation. Actions are simply understood as rewarding a pledge or entertainment (Dierhl 45). Conclusively, most Mexicans are pondered believed to be Catholic however, in Mexico Catholicism assumes a distinctive custom different from the

My High School Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

My High School Experience - Essay Example    But I was a persevering student who mostly kept to himself. I did not feel that I was on par with my classmates in the economic aspect of life which is why I did my best to stay out of their way. Unfortunately, coming from a lower income bracket than the rest of my peers meant that I wore a target on my back. If the guys in gym class needed someone to pick on, that would be me.   After gym class one day, my classmates found a way to get into my gym locker and take my clothes. So there I stood in the middle of the gym, being heckled and teased by my classmates. They picked on everything from my skin color to the size of my male anatomy. I was so angry with them. I wanted to hit them but I did not want to get suspended from school for fighting.   Our coach asked me to report to the guidance office after class for some counseling. He said that I needed to discuss what had happened to me so that I could get over the humiliation of what happened and I would understand that what h appened was not my fault. Counseling helped me understand that bullies were only powerful because I allowed them to have power over me. I was just as to blame for what was happening to me as were the bullies because I chose to let it happen. I did not have to get violent to make the bullying end, I had options, and thanks to counseling, I finally knew what those options where.   It was because of the sound counseling of our school guidance counselor that I finally took stock of the things that were happening to me in high school.

Helicopter Experiment Essay Example for Free

Helicopter Experiment Essay Prediction: As the mass on the helicopter’s copters increases, the speed taken for the rotors to spin down faster, this is because there will be more downward pull from gravity, as the terminal velocity for a paper helicopter is low. Variables: Independent variable will be the mass that we change throughout the experiment. The dependant variable will be the time that we measure for the helicopter to reach the floor. Finally the controlled variables include, the helicopter itself. As well as the height from which the helicopter is released. Apparatus: Paper, Scotch tape, Scissors, Ruler Method: Create a helicopters rotors using take and paper use the diagram to help you Apparatus: 2 meter rulers, one stop watch, one balance, 3 paper clips, pencil. Method: 1) Using both the meter rulers and a pencil make a mark on the wall. 2) Weigh the helicopter then record its weight 3) Hold the paper helicopter parallel to the mark on the wall 4) At the same time release the helicopter and start the stopwatch 5) Stop the stop watch when the helicopter touches the ground 6) Weigh the first paper clip and record its weight 7) Attach the paper clip to helicopter and repeat the experiment 8) Weigh the second paper clip and record its weight 9) Attach the paper clip to helicopter and repeat the experiment 10) Weigh the final paper clip and record its weight 11) Attach the paper clip to helicopter and repeat the experiment Conclusion and Evaluation: In this experiment my prediction was right, therefore proving that the helicopter may reach its terminal velocity faster with higher mass meaning that the speed is greater therefore it allows the helicopter to reach the  ground faster if there is more mass. There are two major flaws in this experiment, the first being the height from which the helicopter is dropped, as it is held away from the mark of 2m therefore it would have inaccuracies of around 10cm this causes the experiment results to vary. Another flaw being the human reaction time, which is pretty slow and inconsistent, this therefore allows us to stop the stopwatches at the wrong time making the experiment inaccurate. If more time was available, a string could have been hung from the ceiling as a mark of height therefore allowing us to accurately drop the helicopter from the same height, rather than dropping it from an *estimated* 2m. The solution for the wrong human reaction time could be easily solved by the use of light gates. The liht gates could be placed on the floor, and when the helicopter lands, the light will be disrupted therefore allowing the sensor to accurately measure the time taken for the helicopter to reach the ground. The graph is showing us that the speed and mass of a helicopter are directly proportional as when mass increases so does speed. However the graph had not been a perfect straight line, this could have been caused by the two inaccuracies pointed out from the experiment

Patients With and Without Varicocele: Biochemical Markers

Patients With and Without Varicocele: Biochemical Markers Differences in Biochemical Markers and Body Mass Index Between Patients With and Without Varicocele Background: Varicocele is characterized by abnormal tortuosity and dilatation of the veins of the pampiniform plexus within the spermatic cord and is one of the causes of male infertility. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in bio- chemical markers and body mass index (BMI) between patients with and without varicocele. Methods: Between January 2004 and June 2009, 102 patients with varicocele (Group A) were evaluated. Ninety-five age-matched male patients who did not have varicocele were selected as controls (Group B). Varicocele was diagnosed by physical examination and confirmed by Doppler ultrasonography. The range of ages was between 18 and 50 years old. BMI, testosterone, serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium, lactic dehydrogenase, inorganic phosphate, ÃŽ ³-glutamine transpeptidase, uric acid, albumin, iron, cholesterol, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotrans- ferase levels were measured for all the subjects. Results: The mean age was 35.4 years in group A and 36.5 years in group B. Of the 102 patients in group A, 20 were grade 1 varicocele, 55 were grade 2 and 27 were grade 3. The BMI (mean  ± SD) of patients with varicocele (22.8  ± 3.2) was significantly lower than that of patients without varicocele (24.9  ± 4.1). Patients with varicocele had significantly lower serum levels of cholesterol than patients without varicocele (176.5  ± 31.1 vs. 187.7  ± 42.1 mg/dL). There were no significant differences for the other biochemical markers between the groups. Patients with grade 3 varicocele had a lower BMI than patients with grades 1 and 2 varicocele, but this was not significant. No significant differences were found for the other biochemical markers among the patients with grade 1, 2 or 3 varicocele. Conclusion: Patients with varicocele had significantly lower serum levels of cholesterol than those without varicocele. In addition, the prevalence of varicocele was higher in patients with a lower BMI. Our findings suggest that patients with a greater BMI may have advantages in relieving the nutcracker phenomenon, which causes significant varicoceles. [J Chin Med Assoc 2010;73(4):194–198] Key Words: biochemical markers, body mass index, testosterone, varicocele Introduction Varicocele is characterized by abnormal tortuosity and dilatation of the veins of the pampiniform plexus within the spermatic cord and is one of the causes of male infertility. The prevalence of varicocele is approxi- mately 15–20% in the general population and 30–40% in infertile men.1 Furthermore, approximately 69–81% of men with secondary infertility have varicocele.2,3 Levinger et al proposed that varicocele prevalence is increased over time and the risk of incidence is approx- imately 10% for each decade of life.4 The definite eti- ology of varicocele is still unknown. Kumanov et al suggested that weight and body mass index (BMI) have a protective role, and height, penile length and penile circumference were negative factors in the *Correspondence to: Dr William J. Huang, Division of Urology, Depar tment of Surger y, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, R.O.C. E-mail: [emailprotected] à ¢-  Received: October 16, 2009 à ¢-  Accepted: Januar y 21, 2010 194 J Chin Med Assoc †¢ April 2010 †¢ Vol 73 †¢ No 4  © 2010 Elsevier Taiwan LLC and the Chinese Medical Association. All rights reserved. development of varicocele in 6,200 boys aged 0–19 years.5 Delaney et al demonstrated that patients with varicocele are significantly taller and heavier than age- matched controls.6 Nielsen et al reported that varico- celes are less likely to be diagnosed among obese men.7 The role of testosterone in the pathophysiology of varicocele is not established and testosterone might induce relaxation of the human internal spermatic vein.8 Sheriff showed that there was increased choles- terol and glyceride in the testes of patients with bilateral varicocele compared with those in controls.9 Odabas et al suggested that the levels of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were higher in the spermatic vein than those in the peripheral vein.10 Other than findings on age, BMI and testosterone levels, there is limited information about the correla- tion between biochemical markers and varicocele. Therefore, we conducted this prospective study to evaluate differences between patients with and with- out varicocele with regard to BMI, testosterone levels and serum biochemical markers including hemoglo- bin, alkaline phosphatase (Alk-p), calcium, LDH, inor- ganic phosphate, ÃŽ ³-glutamine transpeptidase, uric acid, albumin, iron, cholesterol (Cho), triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotrans- ferase levels. We also wished to determine possible risk factors in the pathogenesis of varicocele. Methods Patients From January 2004 to June 2009, 102 patients with varicocele (Group A) were included for evaluation for this study. Ninety-five male patients who did not have varicocele were selected as controls (Group B). All of the 197 patients were normal, healthy young to middle-aged males. They were from the outpatient Department of Urology or had received a regular physi- cal check-up at the hospital. Varicocele was diagnosed by physical examination and confirmed by Doppler ultra- sonography. Varicocele grades were defined as: grade 1, palpable only with the Valsalva maneuver; grade 2, palpable without the Valsalva maneuver; and grade 3, visible from a distance.11 Patients with subclinical vari- cocele were excluded from the study. The range of ages was between 18 and 50 years old. BMI, and testos- terone, Alk-p, calcium, LDH, inorganic phosphate, glu- tamine transpeptidase, uric acid, albumin, iron, Cho, TG, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotrans- ferase and hemoglobin levels were mea sured in all of the patients (normal ranges: BMI testosterone, 241–827 ng/dL; Alk-p, 100–280 U/L; calcium, 8.1–10.7 mg/dL; LDH, 95–213 U/L; inor- ganic phosphate, 2.1–4.7 mg/dL; glutamine transpepti- dase, 8–60 U/L; uric acid, 2.5–7.2 mg/dL; albumin, 3.7– 5.3 g/dL; iron, 35–200 ÃŽ ¼g/dL; Cho, 125–240 mg/dL; TG, 20–200 mg/dL; alanine aminotransferase, 0–40 U/L; aspartate aminotransferase, 5–45 U/L; hemo- globin, 12–16 g/dL). Patients with poor control of diabetes mellitus, hypertension or other systemic dis- ease or BMI 40 were excluded from the study. Patients were examined in a warm room while standing up and the scrotum was inspected and pal- pated. All the patients received Doppler ultrasonogra- phy of the scrotum. All the patients signed informed consent, and the study was approved by the Institu- tional Review Board of Taipei City Hospital. Statistical analysis The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis, with p Results The mean age was 35.4 years in group A and 36.5 years old in group B. Data for age, BMI, testosterone levels and biochemical markers for patients in both groups, and different grades of varicocele are shown in Tables 1 and 2. There were no significant differences in age between the patients of groups A and B and among the patients with different grades of varicocele (grades 1, 2 and 3). Of the 102 patients in group A, 19.6% were grade 1, 53.9% were grade 2 and 26.5% were grade 3. The BMI of patients with varicocele was significantly lower (p = 0.03) than that in patients without varicocele (Table 1). Patients with varicocele had lower serum levels of Cho, TG and testosterone and higher serum levels of LDH and Alk-p than patients without varicocele, but only Cho was significantly dif- ferent (p = 0.03, Table 1). There were no significant differences in the other biochemical markers between the patients of groups A and B (Table 1). Patients with grade 3 varicocele had a lower BMI than patients with grades 1 and 2 varicocele, but this was not significantly different (Table 2). Patients with grade 3 varicocele had lower serum levels of Cho and testosterone and higher serum levels of LDH and Alk-p than patients with low grade varicocele (grades 1 and 2), but this was not significant. There were no signifi- cant differences in any of the other biochemical markers among the patients with grades 1, 2, and 3 varicocele (Table 2). Table 1. Age, serum biochemical markers, testosterone and BMI in groups A and B* A (n = 102) B (n = 95) p†  *Data presented as mean  ± standard deviation; † statistical analysis by Mann-Whitney U test. A = group A, with varicocele; B = group B, without varicocele; Alk-p = alkaline phosphatase; LDH = lactic dehydrogenase; IP = inorganic phosphate; g-GT = g-glutamine transpeptidase; ALT = alanine aminotransferase; AST = aspartate aminotransferase; BMI = body mass index. Table 2. Age, serum biochemical markers, testosterone and BMI according to different grades of varicocele* Grade 1 (n = 20) Grade 2 (n = 55) Grade 3 (n = 27) p†  *Data presented as mean  ± standard deviation; † statistical analysis by Kruskal-Wallis test. Alk-p = alkaline phosphatase; LDH = lactic dehydrogenase; IP = inorganic phosphate; g-GT = g-glutamine transpeptidase; ALT = alanine aminotransferase; AST = aspartate aminotransferase; BMI = body mass index. Discussion Tsao et al showed that the prevalence and severity of varicoceles is inversely correlated with obesity, which indicates that obesity may result in a decreased nut- cracker effect.12 Handel et al reported that the preva- lence of varicocele decreases with increasing BMI, and the reason for this is that increased adipose tissue decreases compression of the left renal vein and pre- vents detection due to adipose tissue in the spermatic cord.13 In the present study, patients with varicocele had a lower BMI than normal age-matched controls, but patients with grade 3 varicocele did not have a sig- nificantly lower BMI than patients with lower-grade varicocele. The different etiology between our study and that of Tsao et al may be because patients in the previous study were young males serving in the army, which was different from our patients, but the etiol- ogy needs further evaluation. We found that obese or overweight (BMI ≠¥ 25) patients might have higher serum levels of Cho and TG than normal subjects (BMI Kumanov et al demonstrated that gynecomastia is negatively correlated with BMI.15 Low serum follicle- stimulating hormone and high testosterone are good prognostic factors for varicocelectomy.16 Ishikawa and Fujisawa showed that the vasodilatory effect of testosterone is decreased in high grade varicocele and they suggested that serum free testosterone will be in- creased after varicocele repair.17 Ghosh and York have reported that testosterone levels are lower and Alk-p levels are higher in the testis of varicocele-created rats.18 In our study, patients with varicocele had lower serum levels of testosterone and higher serum levels of Alk-p than patients without varicocele. In addition, patients with grade 3 varicocele had lower serum levels of testosterone and higher serum levels of Alk-p than patients with low grade varicocele. Both parameters did not reach statistical significance, and the reason might be due to a large standard deviation for testo- sterone and Alk-p levels. Therefore, the role of testo- sterone and Alk-p in patients with varicocele needs further evaluation; however, we did not measure folli- cle-stimulating hormone in this study. Our previous study showed that more free radicals might be gener- ated in varicocele veins than in the corresponding peripheral veins in patients with varicocele, because 8-hydroxy-2 -deoxyguanosine levels of leukocyte DNA in spermatic veins are higher than in the correspond- ing peripheral veins in these patients.19 Yesilli et al showed that LDH and malondialdehyde levels are greater in the sperm of infertile men with varicocele, but the levels of LDH and malondialdehyde does not decrease after varicocelectomy.20 In the present study, serum levels of LDH were higher in patients with varic- ocele than in patients without varicocele. Further- more, higher serum levels of LDH were found in patients with high-grade varicocele than in patients with lower-grade varicocele. Neither of these findings was statistically significant. Therefore, the effect of LDH in patients with varicocele needs further evaluation. Our findings suggest that an increase in body fat might be associated with relieving the nutcracker phe- nomenon of the superior mesenteric artery to the left renal vein. However, this study had some limitations. First, we did not compare the change in severity of varicocele in the same individual as BMI changed over time. Second, we did not use other imaging studies, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, to demonstrate the relationship between vis- ceral fat and the region of the superior mesenteric artery, left renal vein and aorta. Third, the case numbers were small from an epidemiological view, because all of the subjects needed to have data for biochemical mark- ers, which restricted the patient numbers. Therefore, we need to include more cases in future studies. In conclusion, patients with varicocele might have significantly lower serum levels of cholesterol than patients without varicocele. In addition, our findings support the hypothesis that patients with a greater BMI may have advantages in relieving the nutcracker phe- nomenon causing significant varicoceles, but further studies are required to clarify this issue. References 1. Jarrow JP. Effects of varicocele on male infertility. Hum Reprod Update 2001;7:59–64. 2. Witt MA, Lipshultz LI. Varicocele: a progressive or static lesion? Urology 1993;42:541–3. 3. Gorelick JI, Goldstein M. Loss of fertility in men with varicocele. Fertil Steril 1993;59:613–6. 4. Levinger U, Gornish M, Gat Y, Bachar GN. Is varicocele preva- lence increasing with age? Andrologia 2007;39:77–80. 5. Kumanov P, Robeva RN, Tomova A. Adolescent varicocele: who is at risk? Pediatrics 2008;121:53–7. 6. Delaney DP, Carr MC, Kolon TF, Snyder HM, Zderic SA. The physical characteristics of young males with varicocele. BJU Int 2004;94:624–6. 7. Nielsen ME, Zderic S, Freedland SJ, Jarrow JP. Insight on patho- genesis of varicocele: relationship of varicocele and body mass index. Urology 2006;68:392–6. 8. Irkilata HC, Yildiz O, Yildirim I, Seyrek M, Basal S, Dayanc M, Ulku C. The vasodilator effect of testosterone on the human internal spermatic vein and its relation to varicocele grade. J Urol 2008;180:772–6. 9. Sheriff DS. The lipid composition of human testis in patients with bilateral varicocele as cause of infertility. Andrologia 1982;14: 150–3. 10. Odabas O, Yilmaz Y, Atilla MK, Tarakcioglu M, Aydin S. Can LDH activity in spermatic vein indicate testicular damage? A preliminary report. Int Urol Nephrol 1998;30:599–601. 11. Dubin L, Amelar RD. Varicocelectomy: 986 cases in a twelve- year study. Urology 1977;10:446–9. 12. Tsao CW, Hsu CY, Chou YC, Wu ST, Sun GH, Yu DS, Fan PL, et al. The relationship between varicoceles and obesity in a young adult population. Int J Androl 2009;32:385–90. 13. Handel LN, Shetty R, Sigman M. The relationship between varicoceles and obesity. J Urol 2006;176:2138–40. 14. Sultan Sheriff D. Further studies on testicular lipids and glyco- gen in human patients with unilateral varicocele. Andrologia 1984;16:442–5. 15. Kumanov P, Deepinder F, Robeva R, Tomova A, Li J, Agarwal A. Relationship of adolescent gynecomastia with varicocele and somatometric parameters: a cross-sectional study in 6200 healthy boys. J Adolesc Health 2007;41:126–31. 16. Kondo Y, Ishikawa T, Yamaguchi K, Fujisawa M. Predictors of improved seminal characteristics by varicocele repair. Andrologia 2009;41:20–3. 17. Ishikawa T, Fujisawa M. Varicocele ligation on free testosterone levels in infertile men with varicocele. Arch Androl 2004;50:443–8. 18. Ghosh PK, York JP. Changes in testicular testosterone and acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in testis and accessory sex organs after induction of varicocele in Noble rats. J Surg Res 1994;56:271–6. 19. Chen SS, Huang WJ, Chang LS, Wei YH. 8-Hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine in leukocyte DNA of spermatic vein as a bio- marker of oxidative stress in patients with varicocele. J Urol 2004;172:1418–21. 20. Yesilli C, Mungan G, Seckiner I, Akduman B, Acikgoz S, Altan K, Mungan A. Effect of varicocelectomy on sperm creatine kinase, HspA2 chaperone protein, LDH, LDH-X, and lipid peroxidation product levels in infertile men with varicocele. Urology 2005;66:610–5.

good versus evil :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the chapter titled Rebellion (or his book title), Feodor Dostoevski’s character, Ivan Karamazov, demonstrates that his angry and resentful attitude is the by-product of his very choosing. The fundamental principal of our own humanity is God’s acknowledgment of our expression of free will. Found between the boundaries of man’s ownership of worldly acts and thoughts, which can lead him to an eternity of joy or damnation, is that critical choice of what attitude we will wrap ourselves in for our finite time here. The extreme, and perhaps somewhat all too common, result of this human choice between simple joy and compounding suffering is presented in Ivan. As highlighted in Genesis account of Gods’ pure joy and pleasure of man, and His authoritative command for man’s dominion over all of His creations, it is impossible to imagine our Creator desiring our willing choice for suffering.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  God’s divine plan for man starts and ends upon love. God provides overflowing and unconditional love so we can grasp the extent of His love for the purpose of developing our own love of self. The evolvement of our personal faith instills in us the divine sense of worth and desire, we some how come to â€Å"know† originates from our Creator. Ivan has neither grasped nor developed this love, let alone experienced this instilment. Genesis states God said, â€Å"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness† (KJV Gen 5:26). In the shared likeness of God Himself, we must assume we all have the full capacity to experience and share God’s innate love and joy. God’s sending of His son in order to redeem us, His children, is the ultimate act of both heavenly and earthly love. Through His written word and through His son, God explicitly teaches us that love and joy are the nature of His being. Man, in God’s likeness, must activel y counter this nature in order to derive an attitude of suffering, through the denial of natural joy and love. Ivan is a clear example of this suffering activism, as he clearly stands against most issues rather than necessarily in agreement or support of any higher principal. In Feodor Dostoevski’s book The Brothers Karamazov, this excerpted chapter is appropriately titled â€Å"Rebellion†. Rebellion is defined as the willful resistance or defiance of an established principal or authority. In our definition of activism, Ivan’s rebellion would be considered the most aggressive and destructive form of activism.

A Case Study of Google Recruiting

A Case Study of Google Recruiting Google’s recruitment process is famously difficult, with candidates having to face multiple interviews (we've heard stories of ‘double figures') while those with sound work experience have been turned down due to having less than perfect college grades. As the company continues its rapid expansion, it has been forced to streamline this process, with Google co-founder Sergey Brin acknowledging last year that the company's high bar for hiring was holding back its expansion. Google has increased its workforce by an average of 16 people daily, from 1,628 at the end of 2003 to 3,021 in 2004 and 5,680 at the end of last year. Candidates have had to endure interviews with various different Google staff, as well as facing aptitude tests like this one. The average number of interviews for those offered a job at Google dropped from 6. 2 at the beginning of the year to 5. 1 in June. The company is said to be considering speeding up the process to prevent candidates accepting other jobs while waiting for a reply from Google. Candidates shouldn’t expect an easy ride though. According to the  Wall Street Journal, Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said in July that the company was â€Å"able to now in fact increase the standards by which we select and hire new people†. Google is said to place high importance on college grades, which can be frustrating for older candidates with a wealth of work experience

Obeserving bacteris and blood Essay

Objectives: There were two major goals of the â€Å"Observing Bacteria and Blood† experiment. The first was to establish a familiarity with the proper techniques for using a microscope. The experiment focused on both the basic components of a microscope (i.e. how to adjust the knobs and levers for the desired result) as well as how do decide the proper objective to use for observing a specimen. The second goal major goal of this experiment was to practice observing live specimens (yogurt and blood). Procedures: Exercise 1: Observation of prepared slides using the microscope. The observation of the 8 prepared slides was performed by making adjustments to the microscope (focus, condenser, light) in order to establish a clear image of the specimen. The slide was viewed through the 10x, 40x, and 100x objectives and all observations were recorded in the tables below. Exercise 2&3: Observationof yogurt and blood. The yogurt and blood slides were prepared as described in the Labpaq manual. The slides were observed using the 10x, 40x, and 100x objectives and all observations were recorded in the tables below. Observations/Results: Exercise 1 SampleObservations Part 1Part 2 150x600x1500x (Oil Immersion) Amoeba proteus Anabaena Ascaris Eggs â€Å"e† slide Paramecium Penicillium w/conidia Yeast Yogurt bacteria Exercise 2 & 3 SampleObservations 150X600x1500x Ex 2: Fresh Yogurt Ex 3: Blood Smear Photos/Drawings: (Insert and label images here. If image file (JPEG or GIF) sizes are too large they may be uploaded separately.) Analysis/Interpretation: Based on the observations detailed above, it can be concluded that the microscope is a powerful tool in the observation of organisms that are small in size. It was important to have a number of objectives of different magnifying power in order to be able to discern the level of magnification needed to best study a sample. In addition, the examination of the yogurt sample allowed for the observation of the varying shapes and arrangement of bacterial cells. The use of a microscope to observe the blood smear highlighted the many important components of human blood that are not evident by the naked eye. Application: In performing this experiment I have learned many important aspects of microbiology that apply to healthcare. First, there is plenty of information that can be discovered by looking at a sample under the microscope †¦ size, arrangement, number of organism. For example, this information can be utilized in making an initial identification on a patient sample in a hospital laboratory. Second, some microorganisms can be  beneficial such as those bacteria that can be cultured from yogurt. Furthermore, these microorganisms can also be used to build back a healthy population of intestinal bacteria in patients who have recently been taking antibiotics. Answers to the LabPaq Questions 1) Questions A. Identifythe following parts of the microscope and describe the functionof each. a. Ocular- eyepiece transmits and magnifies the image form the objective lens to the eye. b.Body/tube-holds the eyepiece at proper distance from the objective lens and blocks light. c.Nosepiece- rotating mount that hold objective lens. d.Objective Lens- gathers light for the specimen. e.Mechanical Stage- holds the specimen. f.Apeture diaphragm control/disc- alters the amount of light that reaches the condenser. g.Lamp- produces the light. h.Coarse focus knob-brings objects into focal point of the objective lens. i.Fine focus knob- makes fine adjustments to focus the image. j.Arm-holds all of the optical parts at a distance and aligns them. k.Clips-hold the specimen still on the stage. l.Base- supports the weight of all the microscope parts. Define the following microscopy terms: Focus: positions the objective lens at the proper distance from the specimen. Resolution: Ability for the lens to show fine details of the object being observed. Contrast: The darkness of the back ground relative to the specimen. B. What is the purpose of immersion oil? To direct the light from the microscope directly to the slide and stop it from refracting. It creats a finer resolution and brightness. Exercise 2: Observing Bacteria Cultures in Yogurt Questions A. Describe your observations of the fresh yogurt slide. B. Were there observable differences between your fresh yogurt slide and the prepared yogurt slide? If so, explain. C. Describe the four main bacterial shapes. Cocci – oval or spherical shaped. Bacillus – are rod shaped. Spirillum – are thick, rigid spirals. Vibrio – are curved or a comma shaped rod. D. What are the common arrangements of bacteria? Diplo – oval shaped, found in pairs. Strepto – are cocci that arange into chains. Staphylo – are cocci that are arranged into irregular clusters, similar to grapes. E. Were you able to identify specific bacterial morphologies on either yogurt slide? If so, which types? Exercise 3: Preparing andObservingaBloodSlide Questions A. Describe the cells you were able to see in the blood smear. B. Are the cells you observed in your blood smear different than the bacterial cells you have observed? Why or why not?