Turkey's membership of EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Turkey's membership of EU - Essay Example This of course leaves the very prominent case of the nation of Turkey. Although not technically a part of â€Å"Europe† proper, Turkey has been highly desirous of EU membership for quite some time now and has been a valuable trading partner as well as maintaining a definitively close political and economic connection with both France and Germany; arguably the two most prominent members of the European Union. Within this context and considering this particular reality, this analysis will seek to discuss some of the major issues that currently serve as an impediment to this taking place as well as analyzing some of the key factors that serve to encourage the inclusion of Turkey as a future member of the European Union. Firstly, from the geographic standpoint, those that argue against Turkish inclusion in the European Union would be quick to point out that 97% of the entire nation of Turkey is not within the continent of Europe (Simpson, 2013). However, as history has noted time and again, Turkey serves as a valuable bridge between Europe and Asia/Mid-East and the inclusion of such a partner would definitively strengthen the ties that these regions could express in terms of trade and economic resilience. Secondly, from the perspective of economics, those that are against Turkish inclusion in the European Union might point to the fact that the GDP of the average Turkish citizen is nearly ? of what the GDP of the average EU citizen enjoys (Jameson, 2013). However, the fact of the matter is that Turkey’s economy has experienced stellar and rapid growth over the past few decades and stands in a very good position to overtake some of the EU’s weaker members in terms of GDP output per citizen within the next several years. Thirdly, from the political standpoint, naysayers would argue that the politics of Turkey are not advanced enough as compared to the mature European style democracies that are invariably evidenced within the other member states of the EU (Hancock, 2012). Although it is true that the nation of Turkey does not have a long history of democratic process as compared to the nations of Europe, it has managed to strike a pluralistic balance between elements of Islamic forces, the military, and a league of social democrats; exhibiting the very epitome of what a democracy should promote – understandings and cooperation between disparate groups of people. Ultimately, if given the chance to decide whether or not Turkey should be admitted into the European Union, it would be the decision of this author that this should indeed take place. The rational for this is nuanced. Firstly, it is clear that Europe has lost a great deal of skilled and unskilled manufacturing jobs over the past several decades to the developing nations in Asia and elsewhere. As a result of this, inclusion of a nation that is currently rapidly industrializing will bolster the overall economic strength that Europe can bring to bear on the intern ational level. Secondly, whereas the population of â€Å"old Europe† has continued to decline, and is on course for even further decline in the future, Turkey’s influx of 140 million people could help remedy the coming collapse of European productivity with regards to gaps in the labor market that are certain to take place. Finally, with regards to the political ramifications of

Master of Business Administration Essay Example for Free

Master of Business Administration Essay Pricing policy refers to the policy of setting the price of the product or products and services by the management after taking into account of various internal and external factors, forces and its own business objectives. Pricing Policy basically depends on price theory that is the corner stone of economic theory. Pricing is considered as one of the basic and central problems of economic theory in a modern economy. Fixing prices are the most important aspect of managerial decision making because market price charged by the company affects the present and future production plans, pattern of distribution, nature of marketing etc. Generally speaking, in economic theory, we take into account of only two parties, i. e. , buyers and sellers while fixing the prices. However, in practice many parties are associated with pricing of a product. They are rival competitors, potential rivals, middlemen, wholesalers, retailers, commission agents and above all the Govt. Hence, we should give due consideration to the influence exerted by these parties in the process of price determination. Broadly speaking, the various factors and forces that affect the price are divided into two categories. They are as follows: I External Factors (Outside factors) 1. Demand, supply and their determinants. 2. Elasticity of demand and supply. 3. Degree of competition in the market. 4. Size of the market. 5. Good will, name, fame and reputation of a firm in the market. 6. Trends in the market. 7. Purchasing power of the buyers. 8. Bargaining power of customers 9. Buyers behavior in respect of particular product II. Internal Factors (Inside Factors) 1. Objectives of the firm. 2. Production Costs. 3. Quality of the product and its characteristics. 4. Scale of production. 5. Efficient management of resources. 6. Policy towards percentage of profits and dividend distribution. 7. Advertising and sales promotion policies. 8. Wage policy and sales turn over policy etc. 9. The stages of the product on the product life cycle. 10. Use pattern of the product. Objectives of the Price Policy: A firm has multiple objectives today. In spite of several objectives, the ultimate aim of every business concern is to maximize its profits. This is possible when the returns exceed costs. In this context, setting an ideal price for a product assumes greater importance. Pricing objectives has to be established by top management to ensure not only that the company’s profitability is adequate but also that pricing is complementary to the total strategy of the organization. While formulating the pricing policy, a firm has to consider various economic, social, political and other factors. The Following objectives are to be considered while fixing the prices of the product. 1. Profit maximization in the short term The primary objective of the firm is to maximize its profits. Pricing policy as an instrument to achieve this objective should be formulated in such a way as to maximize the sales revenue and profit. Maximum profit refers to the highest possible of profit. In the short run, a firm not only should be able to recover its total costs, but also should get excess revenue over costs. This will build the morale of the firm and instill the spirit of confidence in its operations. 2. Profit optimization in the long run The traditional profit maximization hypothesis may not prove beneficial in the long run. With the sole motive of profit making a firm may resort to several kinds of unethical practices like charging exorbitant prices, follow Monopoly Trade Practices (MTP), Restrictive Trade Practices (RTP) and Unfair Trade Practices (UTP) etc. This may lead to opposition from the people. In order to over- come these evils, a firm instead of profit maximization, and aims at profit optimization. Optimum profit refers to the most ideal or desirable level of profit. Hence, earning the most reasonable or optimum profit has become a part and parcel of a sound pricing policy of a firm in recent years. 3. Price Stabilization Price stabilization over a period of time is another objective. The prices as far as possible should not fluctuate too often. Price instability creates uncertain atmosphere in business circles. Sales plan becomes difficult under such circumstances. Hence, price stability is one of the pre requisite conditions for steady and persistent growth of a firm. A stable price policy only can win the confidence of customers and may add to the good will of the concern. It builds up the reputation and image of the firm. 4. Facing competitive situation One of the objectives of the pricing policy is to face the competitive situations in the market. In many cases, this policy has been merely influenced by the market share psychology. Wherever companies are aware of specific competitive products, they try to match the prices of their products with those of their rivals to expand the volume of their business. Most of the firms are not merely interested in meeting competition but are keen to prevent it. Hence, a firm is always busy with its counter business strategy. 5. Maintenance of market share Market share refers to the share of a firm’s sales of a particular product in the total sales of all firms in the market. The economic strength and success of a firm is measured in terms of its market share. In a competitive world, each firm makes a successful attempt to expand its market share. If it is impossible, it has to maintain its existing market share. Any decline in market share is a symptom of the poor performance of a firm. Hence, the pricing policy has to assist a firm to maintain its market share at any cost. Ques2. Explain the important features of long run AC curve. Ans: Long run AC curves Long run is defined as a period of time where adjustments to changed conditions are complete. It is actually a period during which the quantities of all factors, variable as well as fixed factors can be adjusted. Hence, there are no fixed costs in the long run. In the short run, a firm has to carry on its production within the existing plant capacity, but in the long run it is not tied up to a particular plant capacity. If demand for the product increases, it can expand output by enlarging its plant capacity. It can construct new buildings or hire them, install new machines, employ administrative and other permanent staff. It can make use of the existing as well as new staff in the most efficient way and there is lot of scope for making indivisible factors to become divisible factors. On the other hand, if demand for the product declines, a firm can cut down its production permanently. The size of the plant can also be reduced and other expenditure can be minimized. Hence, production cost comes down to a greater extent in the long run. As all costs are variable in the long run, the total of these costs is total cost of production. Hence, the distinction between fixed and variables costs in the total cost of production will disappear in the long run. In the long run only the average total cost is important and considered in taking long term output decisions. Important features of long run AC curve 1. Tangent curve Different SAC curves represent different operational capacities of different plants in the short run. LAC curve is locus of all these points of tangency. The SAC curve can never cut a LAC curve though they are tangential to each other. This implies that for any given level of output, no SAC curve can ever be below the LAC curve. Hence, SAC cannot be lower than the LAC in the ling run. Thus, LAC curve is tangential to various SAC curves. 2. Envelope curve It is known as Envelope curve because it envelopes a group of SAC curves appropriate to different levels of output. 3. Flatter Unshaped or dish-shaped curve. The LAC curve is also U shaped or dish shaped cost curve. But It is less pronounced and much flatter in nature. LAC gradually falls and rises due to economies and diseconomies of scale. 4. Planning curve. The LAC cure is described as the Planning Curve of the firm because it represents the least cost of producing each possible level of output. This helps in producing optimum level of output at the minimum LAC. This is possible when the entrepreneur is selecting the optimum scale plant. Optimum scale plant is that size where the minimum point of SAC is tangent to the minimum point of LAC. . Minimum point of LAC curve should be always lower than the minimum point of SAC curve. This is because LAC can never be higher than SAC or SAC can never be lower than LAC. The LAC curve will touch the optimum plant SAC curve at its minimum point. A rational entrepreneur would select the optimum scale plant. Optimum scale plant is that size at which SAC is tangent to LAC, such that both the curves h ave the minimum point of tangency. In the diagram, OM2 is regarded as the optimum scale of output, as it has the least per unit cost. At OM2 output LAC = SAC.

Essays --

Multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis interrupts the transmission of nerve impulses, resulting in a wide range of symptoms and decreased function. Comprehensive patient education about the nature and treatment of the disease can make a big difference for these patients. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a persistent autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which the immune system erroneously attacks the myelin sheath that protects nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This process, which is called demyelization, leads to diminished or lost CNS function, muscle weakness, complexity with synchronization and balance, visual disturbances, exhaustion, cognitive impairments, and an array of associated symptoms. (Bornstein M. Miller A, Slagle S, et al. Clinical experience with COP-1 in multiple sclerosis. Neurology 1988; 33 (suppl 2): 66-69). It obliterates the fatty myelin sheath that insulates your nerve cells. Devoid of this insulation, nerve communication is interr upted. The body then makes this worse by repairing it, and congestion the area with scar tissue. Signals going from your brain and brain stem, such as muscle synchronization signals or visual sensation signals, are slowed greatly, or just blocked off. Thus, a person afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis can experience any number of symptoms. Researchers are not sure yet as to the cause of Multiple Sclerosis. There is a type of deadlock among scientists and doctors whether it's or an amalgamation of the two, with the disease being inherited, but with a viral trigger, or just a simple chemical imbalance in the resistant system. One thing is certain, though. Several kind of defect in the immune system causes white blood cells to attack and destroy the myel... ...nical experience with COP-1 in multiple sclerosis. Neurology 1988; 33(suppl 2):66-69. Ellison G, Myers LW, Mickey MR, et al. Clinical experience with azathioprine: the pros. Neurology 1988; 38(suppl 2):20-23. Silberberg DH. Azathioprine in multiple sclerosis: the cons. Neurology 1988; 38(suppl 2): 24-26. Hauser SL, Dawson DM, Lehrich Jr, et al. Intensive immunosuppression in progress multiple sclerosis: a randomized, three-arm study of high-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide, plasma exchange and ACTH. N Engl J Med 1983; 308: 173-180. Likosky WH. Experience with cyclophosphamide in multiple sclerosis: the cons. Neurology 1988; 38(suppl 2): 14-18. Weiner HL, Mackin GA, Orva EJ, et al. Intermittent cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in progressive multiple sclerosis: final report of the Northeast Cooperative Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Group. Neurology 1991: 41: 1047.

Hilton Customer Service Case Study

Customer Service in Travel and Tourism Hilton Hotels Case Study [pic] The ‘Understanding Travel and Tourism’ case study provides useful background information about Hilton Hotels. The first three sections of this case study are based on two presentations on the theme of ‘Reach Beyond’ given to employees of Hilton Hotels UK and Ireland as part of a major staff training programme. Benefits of Good Customer Service Guests tend to leave or defect from Hilton because: †¢ they become dissatisfied or †¢ a competitor is thought to be better or because a guest simply doesn’t care (in every market there are people who just don’t care about brand choice) or †¢ the guest has no choice e. g. the location is not right for the traveller or, for business travellers, because company policy is to use another hotel chain. What satisfies guests? Every guest is different, however research by Hilton Hotels has identified some ‘drivers’ th at influence whether a guest is satisfied with the stay or not. Drivers of Guest Satisfaction – UK Relative Impact on Overall Satisfaction [pic] The Importance of LoyaltyGuest survey research by Hilton suggests that in a typical year only 5% of existing customers remain loyal, however loyal customers tend to spend more and they account for 10% of revenue. Loyalty is important because satisfied and loyal guests: †¢ will make an effort to do business with Hilton †¢ give 80% or more of their business to Hilton †¢ ignore competitive offers, advertising and discounts †¢ tend to be willing to accept higher pricing structures †¢ remain with Hilton 8-10 times longer than unloyal guests †¢ are worth 100 times more than unloyal guests, in the long termIt is worth noting that the importance of loyal guests is recognised by most travel and tourism organisations, and many often carry out promotions aimed directly at repeat customers. One way Hilton Hotels rew ards loyalty and encourages repeat bookings is through the Hilton HHonors membership scheme, through which customers can receive points and other benefits. The more a customer uses Hilton Hotels, the bigger the rewards. Handling Complaints If no action is taken following a complaint, 52% of guests making a complaint are likely NOT to return.Once a complaint has been handled satisfactorily, 94% of customers making a complaint will return. This is almost the same percentage of customers likely to return when there is no problem and no complaint. This slide gives more detail about Hilton Hotels’ findings from research into the handling of problems and complaints. How may I help you? [pic]Source: VisualMedia Online ICT and Customer Service Hilton Hotels uses ICT in many ways. Just a few examples are: Hilton Hotels’ e-learning training programme that can be accessed by all staff members †¢ the use of powerful software programmes for analysing the results of research in to customer satisfaction levels †¢ providing excellent ICT amenities for business travellers †¢ making it easier to book the Hilton brand by improvements to websites and computerised reservations systems, and ‘fair deal’ agreements with external booking agencies. In 2002/3 Hilton developed a local language website for Hilton International in the UK – www. hilton. co. uk.The re-designed site featured lots more information. It was localised to make sure the offers were relevant and attractive for UK customers. The details on each hotel are updated at the hotel, rather than centrally, as is common practice. This ensures that the customer is getting all the most up-to-date and relevant details about the hotel and its offers as soon as possible. As part of the successful launch, the website www. hiltongroup. com promoted the new-look website www. hilton. co. uk. This included some examples of different types of potential customer and how they would use the n ew website.Below is the example of a customer travelling for leisure. Quality Here is a summary of the message to staff taking part in the Hilton ‘Reach Beyond’ training scheme: ———————– Importance of complaint handling No complaintComplaint (64%) (36%) Not reported Reported (8%) (28%) No actionAction Taken (8%) Not satisfied Satisfied (9%) (11%) Why is satisfaction important? Guest stays at HiltonNot satisfiedDefects to the competition Guest stays at HiltonSatisfiedVisits againBecomes loyal For further information about Hilton Hotels see: www. iltongroup. com or www. hilton. co. uk The Leisure Traveller â€Å"Whenever I go away I always stay in a Hilton,† says Rachel Martin â€Å"I love the fact that I always get the same high service standards no matter where I go in the world. † Rachel, a public relations consultant and a keen traveller, has been visiting Hilton hotels for over 10 years, and has be en to hotels all over the world, from the Middle East to Japan. â€Å"I've always wanted to book on the web, but I never felt comfortable with the old hilton. com site – it always felt too American, and a little impersonal. The new www. hilton. co. uk site, however, suits Rachel down to the ground. â€Å"All the special offers on the front page are priced in UK pounds, so I can directly see that I'm getting the best value I can from Hilton. I've also become aware of holiday packages I didn't know about before. † Rachel has just booked her 2003 summer holiday using the website â€Å"I'm looking forward to my next holiday – in the Hilton in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt – where I'm going to learn to dive, something I've always wanted to try, but didn't even know Hilton offered until I used www. ilton. co. uk. † 95%77%52%62% 94% Likelihood to return How can YOU influence satisfaction? Top 5 factors that influence guest satisfaction: 1. Have a positive †˜can do’ attitude 2. Overall quality of room 3. Staff efficiency 4. Staff friendliness 5. Comfort of room Hilton Reach Beyond Consistent, Quality Customer Service delivers the Brand Promise and recruits and keeps LOYAL Guests

Equal Distribution of Income Essay

The fair distribution of income may be the most value-laden of all economic goals; it is certainly the most controversial. When it comes to dividing the total national output, there can be many interpretations of what makes for a fair division of wealth, as there are people. The issue of income equalization is further complicated by regional differences, as identified in the article. The equalization program, which is funded through general tax revenue collected from all Canadians, transfers dollars to poorer provinces so they can offer programs and services reasonably comparable to those offered in the wealthier provinces, at similar levels of taxation. There is a controversial overhaul of transfer payments under study by federal government. The six â€Å"have-not† provinces are splitting $15. 4 billion in equalization payments in 2012-13: Quebec ($7. billion), Ontario ($3. 3 billion), Manitoba ($1. 7 billion), New Brunswick ($1. 5 billion), Nova Scotia ($1. 3 billion) and Prince Edward Island ($337 million). The other four provinces (B. C. , Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador) are considered to have greater revenue-generating capacity and don’t currently qualify for equalization. The Conservative government has been examining substantial changes to the $15. -billion federal equalization program that could dramatically affect transfers sent to provinces and their ability to pay for programs and services. The concern in this article is the proposal, if implemented, could have multibillion-dollar consequences on hydro-producing provinces such as Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, and possibly Newfoundland and Labrador. Any reforms to how hydroelectricity is calculated in equalization would almost certainly prove to be one of the most contentious issues, especially in the hydro-producing provinces. The current equalization program calculates 50 per cent of a province’s natural resource revenues in determining its revenue-generating ability — or â€Å"fiscal capacity† — and whether it deserves an annual equalization payment. But, the economic value of hydroelectricity isn’t necessarily calculated the same as oil and gas, partly because of the difficulty in determining the value of hydro power due to a lack of a competitive market in Canada. However, any changes to how hydroelectricity is calculated in equalization could have a â€Å"huge impact† on how much — if any — a province receives from Ottawa in equalization. For example, some studies have suggested Quebec could lose billions of dollars in equalization payments if the true value of hydroelectricity were calculated in the program. If the true economic value of the hydroelectricity were calculated, it would amount to a larger fiscal capacity for equalization-receiving provinces such as Quebec and Manitoba and possibly mean billions of dollars less in federal payments sent to those provinces in the coming years. I feel that the issue of equalization payments with regard to hydroelectricity generating provinces is a controversial one. Although, my opinion on such is that these â€Å"have† provinces (Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador) which are producing the hydroelectricity should be compensated for such. Due to the fact that hydroelectricity isn’t calculated like another resource doesn’t mean these hydroelectricity providing provinces should suffer. Currently, the equalization program takes into account differences in revenue-generating capacity among the provinces, but not the varying costs of providing services in each of the jurisdictions. Considering the revenues from hydro generation account for less than 20 per cent of total natural resource revenues across the country. However, hydro makes up nearly 80 per cent of natural resource revenues of equalization-receiving provinces, making it particularly important for distribution of equalization. Regardless if one province would suffer dramatically, I feel it is important to focus energy on this matter as the other â€Å"have† provinces could also benefit.

Top 8 Jobs for Cat Lovers

Top 8 Jobs for Cat Lovers are you a cat person? cats are much more independent than dogs. cat lovers tend to be open-minded, and respectful of cats’ ability to think for themselves. cat lovers are often introverted, sensitive and intelligent. their jobs should allow them to work independently. of course, finding a perfect career isn’t as easy as picking a side on the dog person or cat person debate. but if you are a cat lover and would rather hang out with cats than people, consider these occupations:1. cat sitter[via imgur.com]people love their cats and they want the best cat sitter to look after their cats. it is not easy to find a good cat sitter. many pet sitters aren’t cat people and thus don’t understand cat’s little quirks. if you love spending time with cats, and want to be your own boss, consider starting your own cat sitting business.to become a responsible and professional cat sitter, you should definitely look into taking first aid and cpr courses. get liability insurance and bond if that’s a requirement in your state.make yourself visible in the community, spread the words. it is especially effective if you start sitting your friends and family cats, build up your resume. you could also post flyers at local veterinary offices, animal rescue centers, and pet stores. you can also start your social media channels. cats and pet lovers are all over instagram, facebook and pinterest.2. cat writer or bloggerif writing is your thing and you obviously love cats, become a cat writer or blogger! start your own blog, write about cat food, cat health or cat fun. you can also reach out to established pet blogs and offer to write for them. you never know where it might take you.kate benjamin started her blog, moderncat.com, in 2008 to share her favorite design finds for cat lovers. she has expanded her blog to include a design studio, a distribution business and an online magazine for design conscious cat people.check out cat writer association if you are interested in starting your career as a cat writer.3. cat cafà © ownerthe cat cafà © is finally trending in europe and the united states. the first cat cafà © opened in taiwan in 1998. cat lovers who cannot have their own cat can visit cat cafà ©. usually, it is so popular among locals and tourists, and it is usually fully booked a month or so in advance.people visit cat cafà © to play and relax with cats. playing with cats can be such a stress reliever, it is especially popular in dense cities. in addition to making a profit from food and drinks, you can also charge adminission fee. you can even turn your cafà © into a cat shop.4. catnip sellera catnip bag costs around $2, and you can make a huge profit from selling toys filled with catnip. catnip sellers are known as the drug dealer of the cat world! you can sell these on amazon, etsy or even start your own online store. you can get your supply from your local pet shop.5. professional cat catcheryou can actually mak e up to $80 – $100 an hour catching cats. if you trust your cat instinct and can catch a cat, then start your own cat-catching business. start by reading jordana’s serebrenik’s book.6. veterinaryveterinary is one of the most rewarding career choice for animal lovers. to become a veterinarian, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree that’s heavy in science and then go to a veterinary school to complete a 4 year doctorate of veterinary medicine.although it’s a long process before becoming a veterinarian, there’s plenty of opportunities after school. u.s. department of labor reports that veterinarian jobs are expected to grow by 36% from 2010 to 2020.7. veterinary technician / veterinary assistantif you don’t fancy school, then maybe become a veterinary technician or veterinary assistant. both jobs give you the same opportunity to work closely with cats.to become a veterinary technician, you’ll need to finish a postsecondary program in veterinary technology, which is usually 2 years. you’ll also need to be registered and licensed, depending on the state you want to practice in.if 2 years is still too long for you, you can become a veterinary assistant. many college offer comprehensive training programs that can be completed in under a year, and sometimes, employers offer on the job training, so you can skip school altogether.8. thinking outside of the cat boxif you don’t like any of the traditional career paths listed above, no worries, start thinking outside of the kitty box for ways to earn your living as a cat lover. your ideal cat profession might not exist yet. your purrfect cat career is just around the corner and your cat instinct might be your best career guide.

How to Get Students to Talk in Your Class

How to Get Students to Talk in Your Class Most elementary students like to talk, so it usually isnt a problem when you ask a question that you will have a lot of hands go up into the air. However, most activities in an elementary classroom are teacher-directed, which means the teachers does most of the talking. While this traditional way of teaching has been a staple in classrooms for decades, todays teachers are trying to steer away from these methods and do more student-directed activities. Here are a few suggestions and strategies to get your students talking more, and you talking less. Give Students Time to Think When you ask a question, dont expect an immediate answer. Give your students some time to gather their thoughts and really think about their answer. Students can even write down their thoughts on a graphic organizer or they can use the think-pair-share cooperative learning method to discuss their thoughts and hear the views of their peers. Sometimes, all you need to do to get students talking more is just let it be silent for a few extra minutes so they can just think. Use Active Learning Strategies Active learning strategies like the one mentioned above is a great way to get students talking more in class. Cooperative learning groups offer students the opportunity to work together with their peers and discuss what they are learning, rather than having to take notes and listen to the teacher lecture. Try using the Jigsaw method where each student is responsible for learning part of the task, but must discuss what they learned within their group. Other techniques are round robin, numbered heads, and team-pair-solo. Use Tactical Body Language Think about the way students see you when you are in front of them. When they are talking, do you have your arms folded or are you looking away and are distracted? Your body language will determine how comfortable the student is and how long they will talk. Make sure that you are looking at them when they speak and that your arms are not folded. Nod your head when you agree and do not interrupt them. Think about Your Questions Take some time to form the questions that you ask students. If you are always asking rhetorical, or yes or no questions then how can you expect your students to talk more? Try having students debate an issue. Formulate a question so that students will have to choose a side. Divide students into two teams and have them debate and discuss their views.   Instead of telling a student to look over their answer because it may be incorrect, try asking them how they came to get their answer. This will not only give them a chance to self-correct and figure out what they did wrong, but it will also give them the opportunity to talk with you. Create a Student-Led Forum Share your authority by having students pose questions. Ask students what they want to learn about the subject that you are teaching, then ask them to submit a few questions for classroom discussions. When you have a student-led forum students will feel more free to talk and discuss because the questions were posed from themselves, as well as their peers.

Top SAT Test Day Tips

Top SAT Test Day Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips For many students, the SAT represents the most nerve-racking day of their young lives. Fortunately, this short list of tips covers everything you’ll need to do to get in and out and score your highest. Some readers may be excited to know, however, that once test day is over, you pretty much never think about it again. So the goal is to get in and out with as little stress as possible, in order to give your brain the chance to work its magic on those little bubbles. Bring These Things...Or Else! In order to get into your seat, you’ll need your Admission Ticket (printable from the College Board website once you register and pay) and a photo ID. In order to take the test, you’ll need to bring your own #2 pencils and an SAT-approved calculator. Be on Time or a Little Early (But Only a Little) The test starts at 8 a.m., so be there at 8 a.m. or a bit earlier. If the test center is your high school and you go there every day, you know exactly how long it’s going to take to get there and when to set your alarm. If you’ve never been to the test center, you might want to give yourself a 15-minute cushion on top of your estimate of the travel time. Here in Boston and other high-traffic places, depending on how far you have to go, you might want an even larger cushion. You don’t want to be late, of course, but if you get there at 8:05, they’ll probably let you take the test. Being an hour early, on the other hand, cuts into your extremely valuable sleep time- and can result in you sitting in the car for 45 minutes working yourself into a nervous frenzy. Keep Yourself Comfortable Each person has his or her own little things that create individual comfort. Some students can’t think straight if they’re hungry, while others might not be able to concentrate if their underwear doesn’t fit right or their socks are itchy. You know what makes you comfortable (and uncomfortable), so plan ahead! Some things that typically affect students’ test-taking comfort are: Height and size of desk: you may have no choice in the matter, but if there are more than one kind of desk in the room, try to grab one that looks the most comfortable for you. Keep in mind that some desk-and-chair combinations are for left-handed people, with support for your writing arm only on the left. Righties, beware! Clothes: you probably already know to dress in layers to be able to adjust to the temperature in the room. But you might not be thinking about other things: how those boots you like so much hurt your feet when you’re sitting down for too long, for instance, or how your jeans fit when you’re hunched over a desk. It’s not fun for anyone to sit in one place for four hours, much less in the wrong clothes. Don’t bother trying to look cute if it compromises your comfort. In five years, when you’re graduating from college on the Dean’s List with a great job waiting for you, nobody’s going to know or care what you wore to the SAT. Time: Some of us really, really like to know what time it is during tests. There will most likely be a working clock in the room where you’re testing, but it never hurts to have a backup. If you like to keep an eye on the time, bring a watch (phones aren’t allowed to be turned on). Food Water: You get two breaks during the test, and most people use this to get a snack. Your brain uses about 20% of the energy your body creates, so it’s important to make sure that energy keeps flowing through the whole test. Especially if you’ve been drinking coffee, make sure to get a little water during the break. The only thing not to do, besides starve, is bring a snack made entirely of sugar and refined carbohydrates (say, a doughnut or a chocolate chip muffin) because the energy those provide is short-term, followed by a crash. If you eat some protein or complex carbohydrates in your snack, you’re much more likely to get sustained, consistent energy for the whole test. Most Importantly: Trust Yourself The nature of a huge test like the SAT is that it makes you nervous, unsure of yourself, and inevitably worried about failure. But excessive worrying is counterproductive- it makes your reasoning shaky and messes with the calm that is crucial to acing the SAT. The best way to avoid excessive worry on test day? Prepare thoroughly and trust yourself. If you’re interested, check out our article on Mindfulness and the SAT. The human mind is an amazing, powerful tool, and you’ve got your very own brain with only 16 or 17 years on it. Train it to jump through the SAT hoops with solid SAT prep (PrepScholar, for example), and on test day just relax and let it do its thing. If you’re interested, below are some resources that elaborate on this post, and to keep up with our blog, hit us with your email address at right- we’d love to have you.

NPD exam notes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

NPD exam notes - Essay Example Woolworths registered a profit of 7.5 million pounds, equity of 287.4 million pounds, total assets of 442.9 million pounds and net assets of 287.4 million pounds based on the Annual Report of 2008. Second, the company has a strong corporate social responsibility program. Woolworths was a finalist in Retail Bulletin’s People in Retail Award 2007 for its Potential Group programme.The company gave training for emloyees in Woolworths Group Asia on personal development, and communication. Third, consumer spending in the UK has increased consistently thereby increasing Woolworths’ market share. Fourth, the worlwide recession makes British consumers price-sensitive favors Woolworths store operations. Weaknesses –The called up share capital is only 182.4 million pounds. There is a need for foreign investors to come in and pump fresh capital. The company faces heavy debt servicing at 126.8 million pounds. The company needs to retire a huge portion of its debt so as not to affect operations. First, Woolworths need to link up with more British food producers in regional areas in order to assure a 100% British food supply for the consumers. Second, Woolworths need to refurbish its stores in order to have a stronger local presence. Third, Woolworths need to link with international suppliers to offer a wider variety of food and grocery items. Opportunities Woolworths has a strong cash flow at 40.1 million pounds for February 2008. This high figure means that the company will meet its obligations. First, the technology solutions offered by many companies will allow Woolworths to be sensitive in meeting their customers daily shopping needs. Woolworth can create merchandise plans that optimize the range and inventory at the store level and fit it to the exact space available. Second, Woolworths has more store outlets which translates to higher revenues. Third, Woolworth has close relations with

History 1949-1960 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History 1949-1960 - Essay Example This was used in the observation of outer space, including galaxies and distant planets. In the same year, an American banker, John Biggins invented credit cards, which initiated the use of plastic money for expenditures. Later, the transistor, a device used to switch electronic signals, was invented in 1947 by John Bardeen and Walter Brattain. In the same year, a number of tests led to the invention of a supersonic aircraft. This increased the speeds of airplanes from transonic to supersonic. Still in 1948, cable television came into being from the diligence of John and Margaret Walson. The year 1952 saw the origination of airbags as safety gadgets in automobiles. Barcodes and artificial hearts were also technological improvements in the same year. In the computer world, the hard disk drive was discovered in 1952. This appreciably augmented the memory capacity of computers. These and many more hundreds of inventions market the high-tech innovations in America between the year 1946 a nd 1960. Naturally, technological advancements had substantial effects on America. America’s economy grew considerably because it was able to process superior goods through a short and efficient production process (Saul, 1970). New ways of production were initiated, and new products produced. Consumers were able to get low-cost high quality goods. Technological developments also led to urbanization as people moved into America from the outside world to take up the new jobs that were accessible. There was also an extraordinary migration from the rural to urban areas as people looked for jobs, according to Saul (1970). Cities began to enlarge because they had to accommodate the large incursion of people immigrating into the city. In addition, technological advancement also enhanced substructure. Transportation was upgraded as better roads, and faster rail came to place (Mollenkopf, 1983). The improvement of air transport also meant that people could travel to other continents

Explain the advantages and disadvantages for collecting abandoned DNA Essay

Explain the advantages and disadvantages for collecting abandoned DNA to law students - Essay Example Whenever these DNA materials are in such a state, it is referred to as abandoned DNA from a legal perspective. On the other hand, the legal Scholars suggest that, the free for all standing of the abandoned DNA poses an instantaneous threat to a person’s privacy. Nonetheless, abandoned DNA collection may be both advantageous and disadvantageous to law students (Schmalleger 312). The purpose of collecting the abandoned DNA determines whether it will be beneficial or not to the law student involved. Collecting DNA for a suspect secretly could be an unorthodox approach in solving any form of crime. However, prosecutors articulate that it crosses no legal boundary. From this reasoning, it’s not a crime to collect an abandoned DNA in a public place. Therefore, this advantage provides a platform for student lawyers to gather evidence especially if the suspect committed a criminal offense. For some States such as Florida and Washington, the act of collecting abandoned DNA has been under scrutiny especially after it raised questions (Healy 176). Important information that would facilitate the justice process can be obtained from a public place through skin flakes, saliva, or strands of hair. In the process of obtaining justice in the case of a crime case, DNA forms the basis of providing the bio-information that is an essential tool for identifying criminal offenders. However, compelling people to give their DNA to the police have raised lots of concerns. These concerns relate to informed approval, individual and family solitude, genetic information usage in the criminal justice scheme, and the preservation and DNA samples and profile use. Since DNA is unique to every person, things like blood, carpet fibers, blood, and hair can be examined even after decades. Individuals DNA is, therefore, an important tool used by law enforcers (Krimsky 109). In any criminal justice system, evidence is an important

Customer Relationship Management in the Business-to-Business Market in Assignment

Customer Relationship Management in the Business-to-Business Market in Brazil - Assignment Example Research has identified that development of trust in B2B marketing is imperative, especially when there is a cultural or geographical disparity between both partners (Moment 2001; Burkert 1994). Trust is the most critical value-added constituent in this business relationship. Companies that engage in B2B marketing, especially when working with international partners, must focus on establishing conviction and reliance in order to progress forward and experience the long-run synergies provided by successful partnership development. This report focuses on business-to-business marketing in Brazil, a country in which there are established hierarchies of business relationship development that actually do take into consideration the dynamics of interpersonal relationship development in order to build the necessary trust between partners. The report also focuses on the tangibles of customer relationship with Pfizer, an international pharmaceutical company operating in B2B environments. Pfizer believes that value-added activities are critical to establishing an appropriate customer relationship management system to ensure long-run sustainability of the marketing relationship. The majority of these activities include reliance on technology to support interactivity between trading partners. Vendors that have been pre-approved are granted access to Pfizer’s technology systems, allowing them to track their own invoice movements and also submit orders through Pfizer’s e-business website (Pfizer 2013). This not only adds convenience but sets the foundation for the vital trust required. According to Starnes, Truhon and McCarthy (2010) trust is only established over time and building this relationship is a cyclical process of reciprocal acts.  

Quality Insurance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Quality Insurance - Research Paper Example Loading of the testing software†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 c. The data to be in use†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7 d. The specific systems to be in use†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7 e. Test environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 VII. Description of techniques that should be employed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 VIII. Description of the tools that should be used to conduct the tests†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 IX. Summary of how defects will be documented and how they will be resolved...9 X. Requirements traceability mapping†¦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‚¬ ¦9 XI. List of testing roles, responsibilities, and timeline†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 XII. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 XIII. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.12 Introduction Quality insurance is the process of testing the functionality, effectiveness, and detection of any defects of a computer software. The quality insurance is extremely essential for the attainment of an effective project. Thus before the project applied, it ought to undergo through testing. The document explains the measures and procedures that the software tools should follow to perform its fu nctions effectively, for instance the function of copying and also the imaging of the hard disk drives. The software is for the forensic investigation procedure when retrieving data from the hard disk drive in a computer. The software tool is called forensic software testing support tools (FS- TST). This is software that aids in testing the hard disk imaging tools during forensic investigation (Gavrila & Fong, 2004). Overview of the Document Content The following is a test plan for the project on the development of hard disk drive. The document contains a summary of the quality insurance objectives as well as the quality metrics that will be in application in this project. The document also tackles the summary on the areas of the application that will be undergoing testing. There is also the documentation of brief description of the artifacts that will be in use during the testing process. Some of the artifacts include load testing software, specific systems, test cases, and the dat a to be in use. There is also the description of the techniques that is in use during the testing process. The document further contains the description of the tools that ought to be in use during the conduction of the testing process. Furthermore, there is a brief summary of how the defects will be put in documentation and the resolution of these defects. The document also contains the requirements traceability that shows how this test validates and further verifies these functional requirements. Finally, the document provides a list of roles of the testing as well as the responsibilities and the tests timelines (Gavrila & Fong, 2004). Quality Objectives for the Application and Quality Metrics The quality objective for the application of the quality metrics on the hard disk drive is extremely important. The following test plan for the software of forensic software testing support tools, FS-TST, has to fulfill the objective of detailing the main activities that is necessary for the preparation and for conducting the testing of the FS-TST. Another

Paper for the legal environment of business and online commerce Essay

Paper for the legal environment of business and online commerce - Essay Example Legal and illegal migrants are around 2.2 million people. It attracts a small percentage of expatriates or emigrants from Western developed countries. Thailand is a devout, Buddhist country. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism, practiced by over 94.7% of the people in Thai. Muslims consist of 4.6% of the population. The final 0.7% of religious practices belongs to other religions. India influences the culture and traditions in Thailand, Burma, Laos, and Cambodia. Thailand’s international disputes have forced border closures because of the separatist violence in predominately Muslim, southern provinces. The disputes are strengthened with control over Malaysia to stem terrorist activities. Thailand is a Constitutional Monarchy with a Monarch acting as the head of state. The government style is written or codified, unwritten or un-codified, and a blended constitution. Thailand’s Constitutional Monarchy Government is dissimilar from an Absolute Monarchy, the sole source of political power in the state. It is not legally bound by another constitution. The Chief of State is King Phumiphon Adunyadet, reigning since June 9, 1946. His advisor is the Privy Council. The Prime Minister is Abhisit Wetchachiwa, reigning since December 17, 2008. The Deputy Prime Ministers are Korbsak Saphawasu, Sanan Kachornprasat, and Suthep Thueaksuban. They have been the deputy prime ministers since December 22, 2008 (Saphawasu), February 7, 2008 (Kachornparsart), and December 22, 2008 (Thueaksuban). The elections of the monarch are hereditary. The selection of the prime minister is from the members of the House of Representatives. The king appoints the prime minister based on the leader of the party who organized the majority coalition. The term limit is for two four-year terms. The Bi-Cameral National Assembly, known as Rathasapha, consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha with 150 seats.

Quality Insurance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Quality Insurance - Research Paper Example Loading of the testing software†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 c. The data to be in use†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7 d. The specific systems to be in use†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7 e. Test environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 VII. Description of techniques that should be employed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 VIII. Description of the tools that should be used to conduct the tests†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 IX. Summary of how defects will be documented and how they will be resolved...9 X. Requirements traceability mapping†¦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‚¬ ¦9 XI. List of testing roles, responsibilities, and timeline†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 XII. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 XIII. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.12 Introduction Quality insurance is the process of testing the functionality, effectiveness, and detection of any defects of a computer software. The quality insurance is extremely essential for the attainment of an effective project. Thus before the project applied, it ought to undergo through testing. The document explains the measures and procedures that the software tools should follow to perform its fu nctions effectively, for instance the function of copying and also the imaging of the hard disk drives. The software is for the forensic investigation procedure when retrieving data from the hard disk drive in a computer. The software tool is called forensic software testing support tools (FS- TST). This is software that aids in testing the hard disk imaging tools during forensic investigation (Gavrila & Fong, 2004). Overview of the Document Content The following is a test plan for the project on the development of hard disk drive. The document contains a summary of the quality insurance objectives as well as the quality metrics that will be in application in this project. The document also tackles the summary on the areas of the application that will be undergoing testing. There is also the documentation of brief description of the artifacts that will be in use during the testing process. Some of the artifacts include load testing software, specific systems, test cases, and the dat a to be in use. There is also the description of the techniques that is in use during the testing process. The document further contains the description of the tools that ought to be in use during the conduction of the testing process. Furthermore, there is a brief summary of how the defects will be put in documentation and the resolution of these defects. The document also contains the requirements traceability that shows how this test validates and further verifies these functional requirements. Finally, the document provides a list of roles of the testing as well as the responsibilities and the tests timelines (Gavrila & Fong, 2004). Quality Objectives for the Application and Quality Metrics The quality objective for the application of the quality metrics on the hard disk drive is extremely important. The following test plan for the software of forensic software testing support tools, FS-TST, has to fulfill the objective of detailing the main activities that is necessary for the preparation and for conducting the testing of the FS-TST. Another

Spanish and Flemish Baroque Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Spanish and Flemish Baroque - Assignment Example Many regard Diego Velazquez' monumental "Las Meninas" as one of the greatest paintings of the world that it puzzles its viewers. Though one is capable of interpreting the painting in his own way, one can attribute different imaginative coloring to it. It is because of this feature it attracted the attention of many and the words of the art historian Enriqueta Harris makes clear when he says, "superb color values and draftsmanship, showing unique skill in merging color, light, space, rhythm and mass in such a way that all have equal value."(Atlee, 2003). A critical analysis of the painting raises the questions of reality and illusion. The scene depicted in the picture is a momentary incident in the palace of Philip IV of Spain that one may feel it as a snapshot. It is the blending of aesthetic mastery, fusion of form and content. Critics like Michel Foucault have commented that one can find a paradoxical relationship between reality and representation in Velazquez' painting. Foucault attributes a triangular relationship between the painter, the mirror image, and the shadowy man in the background. One is thunderstruck regarding the relationship between these three elements. Velazquez has successfully portrayed the painter and his canvas, with Infanta surrounded by her maids. The mirror on the background reflects the image of king and the queen, though some scholars argue that it is the reflection of the portrait on the left side of the picture. The painter has selected a theme contrastive to the representations.

New and Distinctive Set of Values Essay Example for Free

New and Distinctive Set of Values Essay To what extent and for what reasons did New Labour succeed in introducing a new and distinctive set of values to the conduct of Britain’s external relations between 1997 and 2010? Introduction As John Rentoul has observed in his biography of Tony Blair, â€Å"Prime Ministers always run their own foreign policy† (Rentoul, 2001: 420). This was certainly true of Tony Blair and New Labour. That itself is a reason why Britain’s external relations in the shape of New Labour’s foreign policy can only be properly understood by reference to the foreign policy philosophy espoused by Blair and his response to world events during his leadership over three terms in office. In New Labour’s third term (2005-10) the interventionist policy that dominated the previous two terms qwas an important hangover even to Gordon Brown’s premiership, although, ultimately Brown’s period as leader was dominated by the global finical crisis. On the eve of the Labour party’s 1997 election victory John Major’s Conservative government had little credibility with the Clinton administration in Washington or with European governments (Wallace, 2005: 54). This was a position that the new Prime Minister, Tony Blair wanted to address. At the Lord Mayor’s Banquet on 10 November 1997 Blair set out five guiding lights on Europe including being a leading partner in Europe. He postulated that the single currency would be â€Å"good for the EU† (Lord Mayors Banquet, 1997). For Blair, British foreign policy should aim to be â€Å"strong in Europe and strong with the US†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and that Britain was â€Å"the bridge between the US and Europe† (Lord Mayors Banquet, 1997). At the same venue, on 22 November 1999, Blair implicitly invoked Winston Churchill’s â€Å"three circles† doctrine that conjured up Britain’s relationship with the Commonwealth, the special relationship with the United States and the European dimension. According to Churchill Britain was the pivot around whom these relationships were to exist. Blair, accepting that the British Commonwealth was a â€Å"lost† Empire argued that Britain’s role was that of a pivotal power, as a power that was at â€Å"the crux of the alliances and  international politics which shape the world and its future† (Lord Mayors Banquet, 1997). The intention in this essay is to focus on certain fundamental aspects of New Labour foreign policy that impacted on British relationships with Europe and the World at large. The primary focus will be on the so-called â€Å"Blair Effect† simply because, as Prime Minister, he was pivotal to the New Labour philosophy. Europe As Anne Deighton has observed both the Labour and Conservative parties at various times have suffered internal dissension over the European Union (EU) (Deighton, 2007: 307). The focus of the Labour 1997 general election campaign on Europe was one where the Labour manifesto promised to â€Å"give Britain the leadership in Europe which Britain and Europe need† (Labour-party, 1997). It was important for the Labour party to highlight its commitment to Europe, in contrast to the tensions within the Conservative party. Europe apart, however, the 1997 election campaign did not highlight significant differences between the Labour and Conservative parties. There was an expectation that there would be â€Å"considerable continuity† in foreign affairs in the event of a change of government (Wickham-Jones, 2000: 8). Subsequently, in the course of New Labour’s first term in office Blair made regular pronouncements about Britain’s role in Europe. There was action as well as rhetoric. Shortly after taking office Britain ended its opt-out from the social chapter of the Maastricht Treaty and signed up to the increased EU powers enshrined in the Amsterdam Treaty. British presidency of the EU provided a ready platform for Britain to pursue an enlargement agenda. The St Malo summit in December 1998 provided Blair with a platform to collaborate with President Jacques Chirac of France to promote an Anglo-French initiative on European defence (fco.gov, 1998). This European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) has been described as part of â€Å"arguably the most pro-active upstream period of the Labour government’s utilitarian supranationalism† (Bulmer, 2008: 602). Notwithstanding Blair’s pivotal role  in the creation of the ESDP, it has been argued that, in comparison to Conservative policy on European Security and Defence, the Blair approach was less a seismic shift in British policy, and more of a change of strategy† (Dryburgh, 2010: 271). The essential change, in comparison to the Conservative party approach was one where Blair was prepared to adopt a leadership role in contrast to the former John Major government’s focus of diverting attention away from EU initiatives, and in the case of defence, a focus on the strengthening of NATO (Dryburgh, 2010: 267-268). The relationship between Blair and Gordon Brown was also relevant to the New Labour approach to Europe. On 27 October 1997 Gordon Brown announced the government’s policy on the Euro. This consisted on a three pronged policy that supported (a) a successful single currency, (b) that was constitutionally acceptable but (c) had to satisfy five economic tests (hm-treasury, 2008). This approach was allied to a commitment to hold a referendum on membership of the Euro. The â€Å"key determinant† (Bulmer, 2008: 601) of this policy was the economic tests that included whether joining the Euro would be good for employment. In the event, during Labour’s second term, on 9 June 2003 Gordon Brown announced that only one test was met that relating to a beneficial impact on UK financial services – a result that removed joining the Euro from the political agenda and, in a real sense, reduced New Labour’s pronouncements on the Euro as posturing and meaningless rheto ric. The reality of New Labour’s European strategy was not to alienate the support base that ultimately mattered – the British electorate. The UK was a Euro-sceptic member state of the EU and a UK government’s EU policy could not put at risk a parliamentary majority. The decoupling of the single currency allied to the promise of a referendum in that first term became a legacy of New Labour that has now achieved a degree of permanence that has survived through and beyond the 2010 election. The Blair and New Labour momentum on Europe stalled after the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers. The focus on the war on terror and the transatlantic alliance that was nurtured by the 9/11 attacks became an all encompassing distraction with the result that â€Å"Europe has been a central failure of his (Blair’s) premiership† (Riddell, 2005: 383). Ethical foreign policy On 12 May 1997 the then Foreign Secretary Robin Cook declared that â€Å"†¦foreign policy must have an ethical dimension and must support the demands of other people for the democratic rights on which we insist for ourselves† (Rentoul, 2001: 421). Cook denied ever using the phrase â€Å"ethical foreign policy† or that there would be an ethical foreign policy (Wickam-Jones, 2000: 29). What is undeniable is that New Labour, through Cook, viewed human rights as a central plank of foreign policy because human rights were rights â€Å"we claim for ourselves and which we therefore have a duty to defend for those who do not get to enjoy them† (Wickham-Jones, 2000: 11). This ethical dimension served to identify â€Å"clear blue water† between New Labour’s foreign policy and previous administrations, including previous Labour governments (Little, 2000: 4). Furthermore, although the concept of an â€Å"ethical dimension† was articulated by Cook, it chimed with Blair’s â€Å"third way† in the sense that globalisation demanded an approach to the modern world that was â€Å"qualitatively different from the past† (Williams, 2010: 54). The â€Å"ethical dimension,† however, was converted by media sources into an â€Å"ethical foreign policy† and served to create the sense that New Labour â€Å"were introducing ethics to a sphere of government that was previously devoid of ethical commitments† (Williams, 2010:57). Such a lofty ambition was impossible to achieve in the real political world. This philosophy created a platform on which criticism could be levelled to contrast the reality with the aspiration, for example, in connection with the arms trade where New Labour continued a policy that was a â€Å"highly permissive approach to exports† (Cooper, 2001: 73). The ethical dimension strategy became a â€Å"millstone† (Williams, 2010: 61) around the Foreign Secretary’s neck. It is worthy of note that the New Labour manifesto for the 2001 general election with its foreign policy focus on â€Å"Britain strong in the world† (REF) was designed to herald a change in focus. Kosovo and beyond. Blair’s Chicago speech (number-10.gov, 1999) on 22 April 1999 was an important landmark in New Labour’s external relationships. It represented a key moment in â€Å"the history of liberal interventionist discourse†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Daddow, 2009: 549). Active involvement in other people’s conflicts was justified if five considerations were satisfied, including exhausting all diplomatic options and being sure of the case for intervention. This interventionist approach relied on the notion that there was a moral dimension to international action that did not depend on the norms of international law. The backdrop to the speech was what Blair described as â€Å"a just war† in Kosovo that was â€Å"based not on any territorial ambitions but on values.† Blair’s vision of success whereby an international force would enter Kosvo and allow refugees to return to their homes was ultimately realised. His strident crusade to provoke NATO and the US President Clinton into action was seen as a triumph that â€Å"earned him great respect with so many of the world leaders† (Rentoul, 2001). Following the September 11 attacks Blair reinforced his interventionist stance at the Labour Party Conference (2001) by declaring that, along with the United States, Britain had a â€Å"duty† to protect the rights of citizens of other states, including those of the Afghan people. On this approach, the carpet-bombing of Afghanistan could be claimed to be â€Å"an action undertaken on behalf of Afghan citizens† (Chandler, 2003: 307). What this policy omits is any real engagement with the Afghan people themselves and, at its crudest, becomes a recipe for innocent collateral loss of life. Iraq became the yardstick against which New Labour’s foreign policy particularly during its second term and the Blair legacy has come to be judged. Iraq was inextricably tied in with the so-called special relationship between Britain and the US and the humanitarian interventionist policy. The special relationship was not new and even today the special relationship has a â€Å"political and ideological superstructure and an embedded military and intelligence structure† (Wallace, 2009: 263). Yet under Blair there was unconditional support for the Bush administration’s desire to invade Iraq. Although the so-called â€Å"Poodle Theory† might be â€Å"simplistic and  at best, overstated† (Azubuike, 2005: 137) Blair was prepared to join Bush in pursuing a disastrous and illegal campaign (Azubuike, 2005: 137). Robin Cook perhaps best summarised the flaw in Blair’s approach – in explaining that by becoming a â€Å"trusty partner of the most reactionary US Administration in modern time† such an â€Å"unlikely alliance† would cause disruption in his own party (Cook, 2003: 2). The New Labour interventionist approach to conflict justified by humanitarian concerns that had proved successful in the past left a legacy that â€Å"turned to ashes† the Blair/New Labour vision of Britain that visualised â€Å"spreading good around the world† (Toynbee and Walker, 2005: p194). Gordon Brown as Prime Minister had to maintain the line that Blair’s foreign policy initiatives were justified because, as a central figure in New Labour he could not detach himself from the major foreign policy goals pursued by New Labour and Blair. Iraq and Afghanistan required to be managed. Conclusion The blueprint for New Labour external relations with a focus on leadership in Europe and an ethical dimension to world events in New Labour’s first term promised much, but by the third term was transformed into one where Europe became an intractable problem clouded by immigration and euro-scepticism. Furthermore, in Europe the New Labour policy of stringent economic tests became an agenda for non-entry to the euro. The New Labour policy of interventionism overlooked the fundamental truth that when it really mattered in Iraq and Afghanistan winning the war in a military sense became irrelevant if peace could not be secured thereafter. A humanitarian agenda without a secure peace becomes an agenda that lacks real morality. New Labour began with a positive external relations agenda that promised much but ultimately failed to deliver. Bibliography Azubuike, J. 2005. The â€Å"Poodle Theory† and the Anglo-American â€Å"Special Relationship†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ International studies, 42(2), pp. 123-139. Bulmer, S. 2008. New Labour, New European Policy? Blair, Brown and Utilitarian Supranationalism, Parliamentary Affairs, 61(4), pp. 597-620. Chandler, D. 2003. Rhetoric without responsibility: the attraction of ‘ethical’ foreign policy, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 5(3), pp. 295-316. Cook, R. 2004. The Point of Departure, Diaries from the Front Bench. London: Simon and Schuster UK Ltd. Cooper, N. 2000, Arms Exports New Labour and the Pariah Agenda, Contemporary Security Policy, 21(3), pp. 54-77. Daddow, O. 2009. Tony’s war? Blair, Kosovo and the interventionist impulse in British foreign policy, International Affairs, 85(3), pp. 547-560. Deighton, A. 2001. European Union Policy. In: A Seldon, ed. 2001. The Blair London: Little, Brown and Company. Ch.15. Dryburgh, L. 2010. Blair’s First Government (1997-2001) and European Security and Defence Policy: Seismic Shift or Adaptation?, The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 12(2), pp. 257-273 Labour party manifesto, 1997. Archive of Labour Party Manifestos. [online]. Available at: http://www.labour-party.org.uk/manifestos/1997/1997-labour-manifesto.shtml [Accessed on 7 December 2014]. Rentoul, J., 2001. Tony Blair, Prime Minister London: Little, Brown and Company. Riddell, P. 2005. Europe. In: A. Seldon and D. Kavanagh, ed. 2005. The Blair Effect 2001-5, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ch.16. Wallace, W. 2005. The collapse of British foreign policy, International Affairs, 82(1), pp. 53-68. Wallace, W. and Phillips, C. 2009. Reassessing the special relationship, International Affairs, 85(2), pp. 263-284. Whitman, G. R. The Clam After the Storm? Foreign and Security Policy from Blair to Brown, Parliamentary Affairs, 63(4), pp. 834-848. Wickham-Jones, M. 2000. Labour’s trajectory in foreign affairs: the moral crusade of a pivotal power? In: R. Little and M. Wickham-Jones, ed. 2000. New Labours Foreign Policy, Manchester: Manchester University Press. Ch.1. Williams, P. 2010. The Rise and Fall of the ‘Ethical Dimension’: Presentation and Practice in New Labour’s Foreign Policy, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 15(1), pp. 53-63.

Medicinal Herbs and Pharmaceutical Drugs :: Health, Medication

A herb-drug interaction is defined as any pharmacological modification caused by a herbal substance(s) to another exogenous-chemical (e.g. a prescription medication) in the diagnostic, therapeutic or other action of a drug in or on the body (Brazier and Levine, 2003). This relates to drug-drug interactions, herb-herb interaction or drug-food interaction. A herb can potentially mimic, magnify or reduce the effects of co-administered drugs and the consequences of these interactions can be beneficial, undesirable or harmful effects (Fugh and Ernst, 2001). It should be pointed out that both the putative active ingredient(s) and other constituents present in that herbal mixture have the potential to interact with various classes of drugs (Miller, 1998). Many medicinal herbs and pharmaceutical drugs are therapeutically active at one dose and toxic at another. Interaction between herbs and drugs may increase or decrease the pharmacological or toxicological effects of either component. Synergistic and therapeutic effects may complicate the dosing of long-term medication. e.g. herbs traditionally used to decrease glucose concentrations in diabetes could therapeutically precipitate hypoglycemia if taken in combination with conventional drugs (Fugh, 2000). Plausible cases of herb-drug interactions include: bleeding when warfarin is combined with ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), garlic (Allium sativum), danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) and decreased bioavailability of digoxin, theophylline, and cyclosporine when they are combined with St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) etc.,(Shu-feng et al., 2007). Health–care practitioners should caution patients against mixing herbs and pharmaceutical drugs (Fugh, 2000). Cardiovascular diseases particularly myocardial toxicity is one of the leading causes of mortality. Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are many, like hypertension, atherosclerosis, drugs like doxorubicin & catecholamines like isoproterenol, isoprenaline etc (Gupta et al., 2004). Doxorubicin/Adriamycin (Dox) is a powerful, well established and highly efficacious drug in the fight against many kinds of cancers like solid tumors, leukemia’s, soft tissue sarcoma, breast cancer, small cell carcinoma of the lung and esophageal carcinomas. But its clinical usefulness is still restricted due to its specific toxicities to cardiac tissues (Zhon et al., 2001). Congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and electrocardiographic changes were demonstrated after cumulative Dox administration (Lenaz and Page, 1976). The possible mechanisms proposed for myocardial toxic effects of Dox include free radical induced myocardial injury, lipid peroxidation (Myers et al.

Politics Paper :: essays research papers

One of the first things we have learned about politics this semester is that there is a constant struggle over the true definition, especially in how broad or narrow the definition is. When Thomas Jefferson wrote that â€Å"Politics are such torment that I would advise everyone I love not to mix with them.† it is understood that he is referring to the electoral and governmental aspects of politics. If Dr. Michael Rivage-Seul and Leslie Cagan were to read this quote, they would argue that Jefferson has an extremely narrow view of politics and that if one were to desire a more accurate definition, they would have to look further than the restrictive culturally accepted definition. Martin Luther King, Jr. would also disagree with this definition but he I think he would have a bigger problem with the advice that Jefferson is giving. All three of the authors that we have looked at would, in one way or another, be forced to disagree with Jefferson based on the principles that they try to uphold and emphasize in their writings and speeches.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Dr. Michael Rivage-Seul, we are living in a world full of deceit and human frailty. He stresses this particular point in his essay â€Å"Taking Risks in Plato‘s Cave† which helps to illustrate that not everything we know to be true is actually true. He also believes that, just as in the parable, we have an obligation to ourselves to look at all aspects and trey to understand all observed viewpoints. His words enforce this belief when he says â€Å"We can’t begin our escape from ignorance without the intervention of an outsider, without listening to others.† (Rivage-Seul, 6). In his teachings, Rivage-Seul tries to highlight the importance of thinking for ourselves and always being weary of a socially accepted truth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If Leslie Cagan, author of the essay â€Å"What is Politics?† was asked to comment on Jeffersons’ quote, I would imagine that she would probably scorn him for his narrow minded view of politics. I am also led to believe that she would say that Jefferson was no more politically aware than the rest of the general public because of the common ignorant definition they share. Cagan would argue that politics has to do with just about everything in the world and he stresses the complexity and immeasurable depth in the word when he says â€Å"How we understand (and therefore act out of that understanding) â€Å"politics† and â€Å"political struggle† is no small matter.

Traffic: Road and Public Transport

?Traffic congestion in many cities around the world is severe. One possible solution to this problem is to impose heavy taxes on car drivers and use this money to make public transport better. This essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of such a measure. One of the first benefits of such a measure is that the heavy taxes would discourage car owners from using their cars because it would become very expensive to drive. This would mean that they would begin to make use of public transport instead, thus reducing traffic problems and pollution as well.Another benefit would be that much more use would be made of public transport if it was improved. It is often the case that public transport in cities is very poor. For example, we often see old buses and trains that people would rather not use. High taxes would generate enough money to make the necessary changes. Nevertheless, there are drawbacks to such a solution. First and foremost, this would be a heavy burden on the car driver s.At present, taxes are already high for a lot of people, and so further taxes would only mean less money at the end of the month for most people who may have no choice but to drive every day. In addition, this type of tax would likely be set at a fixed amount. This would mean that it would hit those with less money harder, whilst the rich could likely afford it. It is therefore not a fair tax. To conclude, this solution is worth considering to improve the current situation, but there are advantages and disadvantages of introducing such a policy.In modern life we have to face with many problems one of which is traffic congestion becoming more serious day after day. It is said that the high volume of vehicles, the inadequate infrastructure and the irrational distribution of the develpoment are main reasons for increasing traffic jam The major cause leading to traffic congestion is the high number of vehicle which was caused by the population and the development of economy. To solve t his problem, the government should encourage people to use public transport or vehicles with small size such as bicycles or make tax on private vehicles.Particularly, in some Asia countries such as Viet Nam, the local authorities passed law restricting to the number of vehicles for each family. The methods mentioned above is indeed effective in fact. That the inadequate infrastructure cannot handle the issue of traffic is also an crucial reason. The public transport such as bus, subway or train is not available and its quality is very bad, especially in the developing countries. Besides, the highway and road network is incapable of meeting the requirement of increasing number of vehicle.Coping with these difficulties, the government should make an investment in the traffic facilties, namely, the publc transport need improving to become more modern and convenient. In addition, it is useful to build overpasses and more lanes in the streets. Apparently, the irrational distribution and the lack of conscience make the traffic worse and worse. The head offices, the univeristies or hospitals often locate in the centre of city attracting a heavy flow of people in rush hour.To handle this situation, the government should allocate suitably , for instance some unviersity or office will be moved to the outskirt of city. It is necessary to encourage poeple obey the traffic rules which will make greatly change the problem of traffic. Finally, it's high time we were aware of the disadvatages as well as the solutions to the traffic congestion. With great effort from each individualist and government, our society will be definitely cleaner and well i organized

Philosophy The New Testament Essay

It is a well known fact that the Bible is at the head of the list of the most widely read books in the whole world. Moreover, it seems that with time the Bible only expands its range of influence as this text is being constantly examined by representatives of various religious groups, by historians, by philosophers, and by many other people. In this regard, what makes the Bible such a prolific and unique religious and historical text is its wide scope of significance and various patters of meaning in it which, depending on the employed analytical tools, can contain different messages within the same parts of the text. Let us on the example of the excerpt from the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament try to find out how meaning and significance are encoded in the Biblical texts, and what approaches readers can use to extract messages contained in these writings. The larger context of the chapter with the passage devoted to the question about the resurrection The excerpt that we are about to explain in a systematic way is tentatively called â€Å"The Question about the Resurrection† in the book of Kurt Aland â€Å"Synopsis of the Four Gospels†. Indeed, this part of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark is dealing with the question that at first might seem to undermine the very idea of resurrection, and is giving the answer of Jesus Christ to that apparent dilemma. However, before going into the details of the polemics between Christ and Sadducees, it would be helpful to consider the general content of the chapter, so that we could better appreciate the context in which the question about the resurrection is discussed. The excerpt about the resurrection issue is preceded by the mentioning that Jesus had started speaking in parables. In accordance with this, in the first part of the twelfth chapter the parable of the tenants is given, then a famous answer of Christ about paying of taxes to Caesar follows, then goes the question about the resurrection, and before its end the chapter also includes several other important teachings of Christ. What unites all of these sub-parts of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark is that most of them, including the question about the resurrection, give account of the immediate instances of communication of Christ with people who are integral participants of dialogs, so that their questions and answers shape the way Christ responds and teaches. Meaning conveyed by the form of the passage devoted to the question about the resurrection With this larger context of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in mind, we can start the analysis of the excerpt devoted to the issue of the resurrection. The excerpt begins with the description of the provoking behavior of Sadducees, who, similarly to those who just before them had tried to provoke Jesus by asking about payment of taxes to Caesar, compose a sophisticated case against the plausibility of the resurrection. That Sadducees are characterized as those â€Å"who say that there is no resurrection† (Mark 12. 8) instantly suggests that their intent in not an honest inquiry, but a hidden desire to disprove the teaching of Jesus. Besides, the strict succession and logical structure of the formulation of their question makes us think that it had been prepared well in advance, maybe even specifically for this encounter with Christ. For example, the question as voiced by Sadducees begins with the phrase: â€Å". . . Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if . . . † (Mark 12. 18). In this way, while formally appealing to the wisdom of Christ as the teacher, Sadducees actually advance their own vision of things, and so, along with Pharisees and Herodians, are on one hand presented as tempters of Christ, and on the other hand may be viewed as representatives of the limited earthly wisdom. This impression is also bolstered by the artificiality of the case of a woman who had married seven brothers, which seems to be a very unlikely occasion, or at least the one extremely rare. Ironically, for the purpose of the argumentation Sadducees might well deal only with the example of two brothers and one wife, so the fact that they went as far as mentioning the seventh brother may be interpreted as bespeaking their blind striving for their self-assertion as intellectually superior to others, including Jesus Christ. In reality, it is exactly this type of arrogance that is often reproached by the Bible, and this part of the passage about the resurrection offers perhaps one of the best instances of such hidden criticism. However, for those who might omit this implicit negative stance towards the arrogance of Sadducees, an open criticism of their quasi-intellectualism voiced by Christ quickly follows. In his answer to Sadducees Christ does not allow them to draw him into the format of the discussion that Sadducees had striven to create to achieve their own aim of confusing Jesus, but rather outright rejects the very premises of their line of argumentation as the ones completely ignorant of the subject of the discussion. In this way, Christ is actually shown by the text to masterfully possess skills of argumentative dialogue as he is able to change the form of the dialogue, which is persuasively shown by the observation later in the text of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark that says: â€Å". . . And after that no one [including Sadducees] dared to ask him any question. . . † (Mark 12. 34). So, to summarize on this point, the changes in the form of the passage about the resurrection from what starts as an instance of communication presumably controlled by Sadducees into the one ultimately controlled by Christ carries in it the wider meaning directed at the instigation of readers to think by analogy, and to compare the form of the dialog between Sadducees and Christ with other passages in the Bible, and with instances from our everyday life. Significance of the content of the passage devoted to the question about the resurrection Aside from its instructive form, the passage about the resurrection is very important in terms of the significance of its content. In fact, this excerpt is devoted to one of the key notions of the very Christian religion in which the miracle of resurrection serves as the manifestation of the power of God to defeat even death. Therefore, any passage in the Bible that clarifies this conception is significant, not to mention excerpts akin to the one we are examining that directly deal with the matter of the resurrection. In this respect, the peculiarity of the contribution that the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark makes to this issue is not so much that it tells us what is the resurrection, but that it rather provides Chirst`s explanation of what the resurrection is not. In the context of the question of Sadducees, Christ explains that it is wrong to apply to those who are dead the familiar earthly notion of marriage, because â€Å". . . when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage. . . † (Mark 12. 25). In the line 27 Christ also points out that God is â€Å". . . not God the dead, but of the living. . . † (Mark 12. 27). It is this powerful denial of superficial views on the resurrection held by Sadducees that is the essence of Christ`s indignant response to the question about the resurrection and of his attempt to show that it is fundamentally ill-formulated. Moreover, in the studied passage we also can find some hints as to what the resurrection is like. Jesus briefly comments that after the dead are risen they â€Å"are like angels in heaven† (Mark 12. 25). Still, it seems that this characterization is simultaneously equally used to further bolster the description of what the resurrection is not, as the comparison of people who have been risen with angels carries the theme of the discussion away from the material world on which Sadducees seem to be overly focused. Thus, readers who seek explanations for some crucial religious ideas may view the studied passage that examines the question about the resurrection as primarily one of those parts of the Bible that provide the firsthand account of the theological aspects of teachings of Jesus Christ. Conclusion As we can see, the Bible, being the text that pretends to give an account of historical events and at the same time to send universal and timeless messages, indeed works on many levels that coexist within the same biblical texts, and mutually reinforce one another by enhancing their significance and by highlighting various patters of meaning that they contain. More specifically, in the passage devoted to the question of the resurrection the form of the text as if works to copy the conversational and emotional aspects of what might have been an actual argumentative tug of war between Sadducees and Christ in which Jesus had the final word. So, in this regard the Bible has the function of a historical document. At the same time, the content of this passage, which sheds light on the phenomenon of the resurrection, has the life of its own because this excerpt also has the function of a religious text that elucidates important elements of the Christian doctrine.

How to Forget Someone You Love Essay

How do we forget someone that has been a part of our lives for a quite some time? We find it hard at times when we actually want to forget them but still can’t because they’ve been â€Å"something† to us. Some get depressed, and some get stressed out with the things around them some get drunk and put their selves to trouble just to forget the hurt that they feel. But where do they end up? Some in the jail for their stupidity, some are stuck in the past and don’t know how to get out and move out of the box that they are in, and some still can’t stand up tall and say†¦ â€Å"I’ve finally moved on. Well, here are some effective tips for you†¦ Step one: Set aside all the things that can make you remember this person! How do you do it? In a big box, you put everything there. Pictures, stuff toys, or whatever this person gave you. After, you can put them away and put in the balcony or somewhere you won’t be able to see it for a lo ng period of time. Just be sure you will not go to that place and check everything out. Also, start removing and forgetting all the contact numbers you have connecting to this person. If possible, delete them in your personal accounts too like Facebook, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Live, Skype and all other social sites where you can see his or her updates. Step two: Be strong! Show this person that you can do it without them! Get all the confidence you could before you meet him the second time around after they leave you. Show him/her that it’s their lost, not yours! There’s going to be a big difference with the way they will treat you. Step three: Get busy! — Focus yourself on other things like studies, friends, family and other happy things. Go on a party with your awesome buddies†¦ HAVE FUN! Drink if it’s going to ease the pain but remember not to get wasted. It’s going to bring back all the pain and let you drag yourself down! Step four: Life must go on! Not just because this someone special left you, you lose hope with everything. Remember: The most revengeful thing that you can do to the person who left you is to be happy. P ut a big smile on your face and tell the world you can do it! Step five: Think of happy thoughts! Never let yourself down with the memories that will melt your heart and cry. Think of the stuffs that make you happy even if you’re all alone. Have yourself a treat at the mall or go on a shopping that will make you happy. Do the things that will make you happy even without accompany of others. NEVER watch romantic movies! You’ll just hurt yourself twice as much as you can remember. Step six: Stand up tall with chin up! Prove the people around you that you survived everything you’ve been through. When you see this person, walk in front of them with all the confidence you have! If they’ll notice you, say â€Å"hi† or â€Å"hello† for them not to feel that you were very affected with what they did to hurt you. After all that was said here, it’s still you who’s going to decide on what to do. This might help, but everything is still up to you. It’s going to be easy and yet, difficult. Just like math, X and Y are there but you still have to calculate it properly to get the answers correctly. Everything worth having is worth waiting.

History of visual communication (graphic design) Essay

History of visual communication (graphic design) - Essay Example The development of visual communication did not originate from the WIMP (Windows Icon Mouse Pointer) interface which is most commonly seen system for controlling computers. Rather, the origins of the communication style come from cave paintings and drawing made in prehistoric times where certain ideas and concepts had been shared by the original dwellers of the caves to individuals who came after them. Even though the people who inhabited the caves and we are separated by a few thousand years we can still understand the basic message which is being conveyed by the image (Solymar, 1999). The message and pictures themselves become complicated as time goes by and the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt contain pictographic writings on the walls of the monuments they created to the clay tablets used for record keeping. In time, the medium changed along with the form of the message and things like animal skins, bone fragments, vellum, tree bark and papyrus began to be used as means for recording information. Even though the ancients had refined paper to a great extent, they did not have the ability to duplicate the same information hundreds of times with ease (Solymar, 1999). With the advent of Christianity, knowledge became a premium requirement for many people and the demand for documents that contained religious information was increased. Books and notes were copied in hand with a significant amount of labor involved in the process but that labor could be carried out by anyone even if they were illiterate as long as they could see and copy characters. On the other hand, it was far easier to transfer knowledge through visual images and the use of color in various pictures that explain certain stories (Ivins, 1969). The medieval ages perhaps represent the golden age of visual imagery since every image had several layers of meaning for the story connected to the image and even the individual colors of the persons portrayed in the pictures had one

Black Holes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Black Holes - Essay Example Based on this concept of black hole, scientists have tried to describe unseen surface of the black hole as ‘event sphere’ that at a conflict, does not allow any particle or object to return and thus scientists explain event sphere as the point of no return. The scientists named black hole as black because of its properties that mainly include absorbing everything that comes into its reach resulting in everything disappearing, thus black. Quantum physics and mechanics have contributed significantly in understanding of black holes that indicate that although black holes absorb everything that comes in its reach, however, there have been observations of a very weak emission from the black holes that has a temperature, which is inversely proportional to the mass of the black hole (Taylor & Wheeler, 2000). Scientists believe that every galaxy has these black holes at their cores, which absorb all the left-out energies of these galaxies and thus they are denser and heavier than even the sun, which is a theoretical assumption and thus, has been criticised by many experts in the field who even do not believe in the existence of black holes. However, scientists who believe in black holes indicate that with their characteristic of absorbing everything, the black hole creates a spinning disk that confine nearby particles in the space. Few scientists have been successful in observing this accumulation-spinning disk on radio, x-ray, and gamma ray bands since emissions of black holes often become very warm and thus, come on the x-ray bands (Susskind & Lindesay, 2004). With these observations, a huge number of scientists have now proofs of real black hole at the core of Milky Way galaxy that is heavier than the four million solar masses, and it is assumed that this black hole has maintained its gravitational field and absorbing everything that comes in its vicinity. Due to this ability of black