You are a health psychologist working in a smoking cessation Essay

You are a health psychologist working in a smoking cessation programme. You are asked to design a research project to promote non-smoking in a group of smokers - Essay Example ished by the National Statistics Online (UK, 2008) it is revealed that ‘in 2006, 68 per cent of smokers who were asked said they wanted to give up; nine in ten mentioned at least one health related reason for doing so’. In accordance with the above, the expansion of smoking as a common daily activity for millions of people cannot be doubted. In fact, smoking has been closely related with all aspects of daily life. For this reason, in the above survey it has been found that ‘in 2006, 59 per cent of smokers felt that it would be difficult to go without smoking for a whole day’ (National Statistics Online, UK, 2008). Although the above statistics refer to Britain, it has to be noticed that smoking is not related with a particular country. In a similar survey conducted in USA it was revealed that in the specific country ‘an estimated  25.9 million men (23.9 percent) and  20.7 million women (18.1 percent) are smokers’ (National Health Interview S urvey (NHIS),  2005, National Center for Health Statistics, in American Health Association, 2008). It is clear from the above statistics that smoking is a severe problem the expansion of which cannot be easily controlled. The specific problem has a series of consequences that are not limited to the damages of health but they can also take the form of the financial damage the person involved (cost of cigarettes – cost of treatment for diseases developed because of smoking). For the countries around the world, smoking has been proved to be a severe problem leading to a continuous increase of the cases handled by the hospitals and other medical treatment providers internationally. As an example, for England the cost of medical treatment provided to smokers has been proved to be extremely high. In a relevant survey it has been found that ‘in England, 364,000 patients are admitted to NHS hospitals each year due to diseases caused by smoking; this translates into 7,000 hosp ital admissions per week, or 1,000 day; for

Fetal Pig Dissection Essay Example for Free

Fetal Pig Dissection Essay -Three pairs of exocrine glands in the mouth that secrete saliva; the parotid, submandibular (sub maxillary), and sublingual glands The parotid is the largest and most easily visible of all the salivary glands. The sunbmaxillary is bean shaped and located under the bigger parotid gland. The submandibular gland lies near the jaw line. Glottis -The opening between the vocal cords at the upper part of the larynx. The epiglottis is what covers the glottis during swallowing, to block food/water form getting in the trachea. Epiglottis -The function of the epiglottis in a pig is to prevent food from going into the trachea. Epiglottis is attached to the entrance of the larynx and is made of elastic cartilage. The epiglottis projects up through the soft palate into a region called the nasopharynx Thymus Gland -Gland located near the heart; produces several hormones which stimulate development of cells important in immmunity Thyroid Gland -Endocrine gland located below the voice box; it produces hormones which control metabolism. The thyroid gland is darker and lies between the posterior ends of the two lobes of the thymus gland. Esophagus -Muscular tube that moves food from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus is dorsal to the trachea. Vocal Chords Lungs -To breathe, oxygenize blood Bronchi At end of trachea, branches for air to enter lungs. Stomach Digests food, breaks it down Small Intestine Finishes digestion, absorbs nutrients, moves food to large intestine Large Intestine Larger tubular structure that receives the liquid waste products of digestion, reabsorbs water and minerals, and forms and stores feces for defecation Rectum A short tube at the end of the large intestine where waste material is compressed into a solid form before being eliminated; straight, posterior part of large intestine Cecum The cecum houses a large number of bacteria that help in digestion of plant materials, mostly cellulose, that remains undigested in the stomach and small intestine. Appendix Evolutionary remains of a larger cecum Anus It allows the pig to release waste Liver Organ that makes bile to break down fats; also filters poisons and drugs out of the blood Pancreas Gland that produces hormones that regulate blood sugar; produces enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids; and produces sodium bicarbonate, a base that neutralizes stomach acid Spleen Organ near the stomach that produces, stores, and eliminates blood cells

Ethan Frome Essay -- Essays Papers

Ethan Frome Ethan Frome written by Edith Wharton in 1905 is a novel about the dilemmas of a poor New England farmer named Ethan Frome, his wife Zeena, and Zeena's cousin, Mattie Silver. The first person narrator, an engineer, comes to the town of Starkfield and becomes curious about the crippled, taciturn Ethan Frome. The tragic consequences of Ethan's unhappy marriage and forbidden love are revealed in a flashback to twenty-four years before the narrators arrival in Starkfield. In 1992, a movie was made of Ethan Frome which kept this plot in tact but included a number of changes in how the story was narrated and in some of the details about the characters and the plot. Some of the changes were effective; others were not so effective. Some of these changes didn't even make that much of an effect on the way the movie was compared with the book. One of these changes would have to be that the narrator was an engineer in the book and in the movie he was a minister. This change was not that big of a deal. This seems like it wouldn't really make that much of a difference. In the movie they didn't go into that much detail about before the accident so it mad no difference if the narrator was an engineer or a minister. Either way it would have made no difference if he was a bartender or an exotic dancer. It may or may not have made the story a little more interesting, but who really cares what the narrator's occupation is. Some of the changes in the book seemed to m...

Discuss potential barriers to effective communication in the workplace

Over the summer I completed a six week internship at BP. Over time I identified different barriers that prevented effective communication. Being able to communicate effectively involves overcoming and conveying a clear and concise message. The communication barrier of effective communication that I faced were cultural differences, background noise, distraction, technical issues, lack of interest, lack of concentration, terminology and spelling and grammar. Cultural Differences On my internship I was working with many different people around the world including people from, Alaska, Trinidad, Africa, Norway and Houston. Although speaking to people from Houston wasn’t a problem because there are major similarities in communication, there were many barriers involving the other places. It became difficult to talk to these people because their first language isn’t English and therefore sometimes words wouldn’t be understood or they couldn’t understand due to different accents. Therefore, due to these issues it became more difficult to communicate effectively. Background Noise Background noise in the workplace became a large barrier of effective communication at BP. We had meetings in the break area which meant that people were talking all around us. Although the meetings were informal it was still difficult to communicate to each other. Loud background noise can cause people to not be heard and would then have to shout to be able for them to hear which an unprofessional way to communicate in the workplace is. This can then cause people not to hear what is being said and won’t be able to understand and work cannot then be completed effectively. Distraction Distractions can cause barriers in effective communication. The distractions can happen when someone comes late to the presentation and them arriving becomes a distraction. Also if phones start ringing or there are people talking in the background it is hard to talk effectively because they are distracting you from your place. Not only does it distract the speaker but it also distracts the audience which then makes it harder to engage them back into the presentation. This happened whilst I was on my internship. As I was presenting there were many distractions like late arrivals which makes it hard to keep track of where you’re talking. Technical Issues A lot of communication at BP was done via the internet through emails or Lync meetings. Technology isn’t always reliable and therefore issues with the computers led to barriers in communication which is frustrating. A lot of the time in Lync calls it would break up and so only certain words were hearable and then they would have to repeat what they said and it becomes to be frustrating because it will take more time that could be spent doing other things. In addition, sometimes it wouldn’t allow people to join the meeting which meant they couldn’t be part of it. Lack of interest The lack of interest can impact effective communication. Lack of interest can happen when talking to a college and they are not listening or paying attention to you and therefore doesn’t know what is being said and cannot use the important information being told in their work. This happened to me, when I was in meetings and they were talking about things I didn’t find interesting I found myself unengaged and focussing on something else. Lack of concentration The lack of concentration has also major impact on the barriers to effective concentration. There may be distractions in the room or the topic that is being spoken about are boring and you are uninterested. Therefore, it is then hard to concentrate on the speaker and take in what they are saying. Terminology In BP acronyms were used constantly. I didn’t understand most of them and therefore the whole conversation didn’t make any sense and I couldn’t contribute or use that information in my work to because I just didn’t understand. Spelling and Grammar When spelling and grammar is incorrect it can have a negative effect on communication. When it comes to written communication, spelling is very important. If there is text that has incorrect spelling then it can be hard to understand what it means, resulting in failed communication. For large text it’s important for grammar to be correct. Bad grammar can make it hard to understand also.

Holland: Personality Types

John Holland's Personality-Type Theory John Holland's model holds that different personality types are best suited to different careers. He proposed six basic personality types and then identified careers they were best suited to enter. Holland's model is a modern trait-factor theory that has been very influential in vocational counseling. It is employed by popular interest inventories such as the Self-Directed Search, Vocational Preference Inventory, and Strong Interest Inventory. Personality Types:Holland's six personality types are arranged along a hexagonal model with opposite work environments across from one another on the hexagon and more closely related work environments next to one another. The Realistic type contrasts most sharply with the Social type, the Investigative with the Enterprising, and the Conventional with the Artistic. |   |Realistic |  |  |Investigative |   | |Conventional |   |  |  |   |Artistic | |   |Enterprising |  |  |Social |   |R ealistic These individuals deal best with an environment that is objective and physical. They like stereotypical masculine, outside and hands-on activities. They are most comfortable in work environments dealing with machines, equipment, tools, nature, athletics and crafts. They tend to dislike Social occupations. Investigative These individuals deal best with an environment that is intellectual. They enjoy working with ideas, words or symbols.They prefer scientific and theoretical pursuits that can largely be pursued through their individual effort. They tend to dislike Enterprising occupations. Social These individuals deal best with an environment that involves working with people in some helping, teaching, or serving capacity. They enjoy social interaction and being around others. They tend to dislike Realistic occupations. Conventional These individuals deal best with an environment that is concrete and predictable.They enjoy structure and routine, and often like office practic es and computational work. They tend to dislike Artistic occupations. Enterprising These individuals deal best with an environment that is adventurous, energizing and challenging. They are extroverted and enjoy power, dominance, and persuasive communication. Business and supervisory occupations are chosen, and they tend to dislike Realistic occupations. Artistic These individuals deal best with an environment that allows for creative self-expression.They like music, drama, literature, fine arts, and other self-expressive activities. They tend to dislike Conventional occupations. The Holland Hexagon |Careers and Six Basic Types | |John Holland, a career specialist, developed a theory that people and careers can be characterized by six basic â€Å"types†. These | |†types†, or Holland Codes, are commonly referred to as RIASEC to reflect the first letter in each of the themes. |   | |R for Realistic | |S for Social | | | |I for Investigative | |E for Enterprisin g | | | |A for Artistic | |C for Conventional | | | | | |Your Holland theme code will generally consist of three letters that correspond to your first, second, and third strongest | |preferences or interests. |   | |The following table describes people and work environments according to Holland's theory of Careers and Basic types: | |PEOPLE AND THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENTS* | |(based on John Holland's Career Theory) | | | |Types | |People | |Work Environments | | | | | |Realistic | | | |Strong mechanical, psychomotor, and athletic abilities; honest; loyal; like the outdoors; prefer working with machines, tools, | |plants, and animals. |   | | | |Structured; clear goals and lines of authority; work with hands, machines, or tools; casual dress; focus on tangible results; | |engineering, military, skilled trades | | | |Investigative | |Strong problem solving and analytical skills; mathematically inclined; like to observe, learn, and evaluate; prefer working | |alone; reserv ed; idea generators | |Nonstructured; research oriented; intellectual; discover, collect, and analyze ideas/data; science, math, medicine, and computer| |related; labs, universities, high tech, hospitals. | | | | |Artistic | | | |Creative; complex; emotional; intuitive; idealistic; flair for communicating ideas; prefer working independently; like to sing; | |write, act, paint, think creatively | | | |Nonstructured; creative; flexible; rewards unconventional and aesthetic values; creation of products and ideas; arts | |organizations, films/TV, publishing, advertising, museums, theater, galleries | | | | | |Social | | | |Friendly; outgoing; find fulfillment in helping others; strong verbal and personal skills; teaching abilities; impulsive | | | |Harmonious; congenial; work on people-related problems/issues; inform train, develop, cure, or enlighten others; team oriented; | |human resources; training, education, social service, hospitality, health care, nonprofit | | | | | |Enterprising | | | |Confident; assertive; sociable; speaking and leadership abilities; like to use influence; strong interpersonal skills; status | |conscious | | | |True business environment; results oriented; driven; high-quality service and product orientation; entrepreneurial; high | |prestige; power focused; sales, management, politics, finance, retail, leadership | | | | |Conventional | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Dependable; disciplined; precise; persistent orderly; efficient; practical; detail oriented; clerical and numerical abilities | |   | | | |Orderly; clear rules and policies; systematized manipulation and organization of data; control and handling of money; high | |income potential; accounting, business, finance, administration | | | | |*   From: Real People Real Jobs, by David H. Montross, Zandy B. Leibowitz, and Christopher J. Shinkman | |   | |One way to identify and probe your career type is illustrated with a hexagon. A hexagon can be used to re present the | |similarities and differences of characteristics among people, among jobs, and between people and jobs. | |Most people’s interests combine several types to some degree. The six types can be arranged around a hexagon. Types that are | |next to one another on the hexagon are most closely related.Types that are opposite one another on the hexagon are the most | |dissimilar. For example, the Realistic and Investigative types are similar, while the Realistic and Social types are often | |dissimilar. | |   | | | | | |Learning what your type is and how the types are related to each other is important to your successful career decision-making | |process. | |d | | |

Omo Kibish (Ethiopia) - Oldest Known Early Modern Human

Omo Kibish (Ethiopia) - Oldest Known Early Modern Human Omo Kibish is the name of an archaeological site in Ethiopia, where was found the earliest examples of our own hominin species, about 195,000 years old. Omo is one of several sites found within the ancient rock formation called Kibish, itself along the Lower Omo River at the base of the Nkalabong Range in southern Ethiopia. Two hundred thousand years ago, the habitat of the lower Omo River basin was similar to what it is today, although moister and less arid away from the river. Vegetation was dense and a regular supply of water created a mix of grassland and woodland vegetation. Omo I Skeleton Omo Kibish I, or simply Omo I, is the partial skeleton found from Kamoya’s Hominid Site (KHS), named after the Kenyan archaeologist who discovered Omo I, Kamoya Kimeu. The human fossils recovered in the 1960s and in the early 21st century include a skull, several pieces from the upper limbs and shoulder bones, several bones of the right hand, the lower end of the right leg, a piece of the left pelvis, fragments of both lower legs and the right foot, and some rib and vertebrae fragments. The body mass for the hominin has been estimated at approximately 70 kilograms (150 pounds), and although it is not certain, most evidence indicates Omo was female. The hominin stood somewhere between 162-182 centimeters (64-72 inches) tallthe leg bones are not sufficiently intact enough to give a closer estimate. The bones suggest Omo was a young adult at the time of her death. Omo is currently classified as anatomically modern human. Artifacts with Omo I Stone and bone artifacts were found in association with Omo I. They included a variety of vertebrate fossils, dominated by birds and bovids. Nearly 300 pieces of flaked stone were found in the vicinity, predominantly fine-grained crypto-crystalline silicate rocks, such as jasper, chalcedony, and chert. The most common artifacts are debris (44%) and flakes and flake fragments (43%). A total of 24 cores was found; half the cores are Levallois cores. Primary stone tool making methods used at KHS produced Levallois flakes, blades, core-trimming elements, and pseudo-Levallois points. There are 20 retouched artifacts, including an ovate handaxe, two basalt hammerstones, sidescrapers, and backed knives. Over the area a total of 27 artifact refits have been found, suggesting a potential slope wash or north-trending sediment slump before the sites burial or some purposeful stone knapping/tool discard behaviors. Excavation History Excavations in the Kibish formation were first conducted by the International Palaeontological Research Expedition to the Omo Valley in the 1960s led by Richard Leakey. They found several ancient anatomically modern human remains, one of them the Omo Kibish skeleton. In the early 21st century, a new international team of researchers returned to Omo and found additional bone fragments, including a femur fragment which conjoined with a piece collected in 1967. This team also conducted Argon isotope dating and modern geological studies that identified the age of the Omo I fossils as 195,000 /- 5,000 years old. The Lower Valley of the Omo was inscribed to the World Heritage List in 1980. Dating Omo The earliest dates on the Omo I skeleton were quite controversialthey were uranium-series age estimates on Etheria freshwater mollusk shells that provided a date of 130,000 years ago, which in the 1960s was deemed too early for Homo sapiens. Serious questions arose in the latter half of the 20th century about the reliability of any dates on mollusks; but in the early 21st century Argon dates on the strata in which Omo lay returned ages between 172,000 and 195,000, with the most likely date nearer 195,000 years ago. A possibility then arose that Omo I had been an intrusive burial into an older layer. Omo I was finally direct-dated by laser ablation elemental Uranium, Thorium, and Uranium-series isotope analysis (Aubert et al. 2012), and that date confirms its age as 195,000/- 5000. In addition, a correlation of the makeup of the KHS volcanic  tuff to the Kulkuletti Tuff in the Ethiopian Rift Valley indicates the skeleton is likely aged 183,000 or older: even that is 20,000 years older than the next oldest AMH representative in the Herto formation also in Ethiopia (154,000-160,000). Sources This definition is part of the About.com Guide to the Middle Paleolithic. Assefa Z, Yirga S, and Reed KE. 2008. The large-mammal fauna from the Kibish Formation. Journal of Human Evolution 55(3):501-512.Aubert M, Pike AWG, Stringer C, Bartsiokas A, Kinsley L, Eggins S, Day M, and Grà ¼n R. 2012. Confirmation of a late middle Pleistocene age for the Omo Kibish 1 cranium by direct uranium-series dating. Journal of Human Evolution 63(5):704-710.Brown FH, McDougall I, and Fleagle JG. 2012. Correlation of the KHS Tuff of the Kibish Formation to volcanic ash layers at other sites, and the age of early Homo sapiens (Omo I and Omo II). Journal of Human Evolution 63(4):577-585.de la Torre I. 2004. Omo Revisited: Evaluating the Technological Skills of Pliocene Hominids. Current Anthropology 45(4):439-466.McDougall I, Brown FH, and Fleagle JG. 2005. Stratigraphic placement and age of modern humans from Kibish, Ethiopia. Nature 433:733-736.McDougall I, Brown FH, and Fleagle JG. 2008. Sapropels and the age of hominins Omo I and II, Kibish, Ethiopia. Journal of Human E volution 55(3):409-420. Pearson OM, Royer DF, Grine FE, and Fleagle JG. 2008. A description of the Omo I postcranial skeleton, including newly discovered fossils. Journal of Human Evolution 55(3):421-437.Rightmire GP. 2008. Homo in the Middle Pleistocene: Hypodigms, variation, and species recognition. Evolutionary Anthropology 17(1):8-21.Shea JJ. 2008. The Middle Stone Age archaeology of the Lower Omo Valley Kibish Formation: excavations, lithic assemblages, and inferred patterns of early Homo sapiens behavior. Journal of Human Evolution 55(3):448-485.Sisk ML, and Shea JJ. 2008. Intrasite spatial variation of the Omo Kibish Middle Stone Age assemblages: Artifact refitting and distribution patterns. Journal of Human Evolution 55(3):486-500.

Descriptive Essay Sample on My Favorite Food What and How to Describe

Descriptive Essay Sample on My Favorite Food What and How to Describe There are many delicious dishes from different cuisines American, Indian, Mexican, Greek, Chinese, etc. Each has its tastes, peculiarities of cooking. But which country has the best food? The question â€Å"What is my favorite food?† may occur to students when they are assigned with essay writing on this topic. Hm†¦ and indeed, what is that? Determining with the favorite food is half the battle. Now, you should start writing about it. It isn’t enough to state, â€Å"My favorite food is †¦ I like it because of †. The descriptive essay writing is meant to be another describing food as concisely and vividly as possible. Describing your favorite food, don’t be afraid of touching on a taste receptor of the reader. So, in this article, you’ll be shown how to write a descriptive essay on â€Å"My Favorite Food†. Moreover, you are given an essay sample to show how it should be done in practice. Follow it and write your own essay! The Dilemma: Which Food Is My Favorite? According to a survey, pasta is the worlds favorite food. Whats yours? Because of a huge variety of food today, it is really challenging to choose the most favorite food to describe in an essay. What not try out a quiz to know what your favorite food is? There are some questions to answer and start writing an essay about the chosen food based on the following points: How often do you eat it? What was the first time when you tasted it? What was your impression? What associations do you have with this food? Where do you like eating it? Have you ever cooked it on your own? By the way, do you know that your favorite food can say about your personality most? For example, if you like hot sauce, you are an adventure-seeker. Like ice cream with a cherry on top? Don’t lose your child-like innocence or a sense of wonder anyway! Rely on interesting facts in your essay to get the readers interested in reading it. Look at an essay sample below to see what you can present in your own essay and in what way. Essay Sample My Favorite Food Is How lucky we are today all delicious food is easily available to us! Sometimes, I wonder how life was in the ancient past when our ancestors did not have easy access to food which we have today. Want to try out the Chinese food? No need to go to China! Just visit any restaurant in the city and get familiar with these hot and salty tastes. Do in the same way when you want to eat an American traditional dish, a burger, for example. Although I can find food of all kinds in stores, there is food that stands out as my favorite one. I easily walk past the pizzas, the fluffy pastries, pies, and cream cakes. But when I sit in the restaurant and see the words oxtail stew with creamed spinach and potatoes, I drool immediately. I remember the moment when a waiter of Waitron placed the crispy warm bread rolls beside me on a white plate. In front of me, there were yellow balls of butter. Next, she placed in front of me a bowl of creamed spinach, dark green finely cut with the white cream and steam coming from it advertising it was freshly cooked. I inhaled the warm aroma unique to spinach. Beside it, there was a bowl with smooth white mashed potato. Rich creamy smooth and firm from the butter and milk that had been beaten into it to add to its flavor and smooth texture. Then the bowl full of oxtail stew came. Its rich dark brown color was set off by the white bowl it was in. The gravy was thick and rich. I could smell the aroma of beef, garlic, and herbs and spices drifting up from it into my nose. Unfortunately, any food has a tendency to get cold. My mouth watered in anticipation to eat it. Now, I took the silver spoon and dipped it into the bowl of potato. It smoothly penetrated the firm fluffy white mound. I lifted the spoon and turned it over on my plate depositing a mound of potato. I repeated this 3 times. Then using another spoon, I scooped up spinach dripping white sauce and put it on the plate beside the potato. The dark green spinach was hot, the white sauce melted and it contrasted with the creamy potato. After a second helping of spinach, I took another larger spoon. I dipped it into the rich brown stew and stirred it. Then I scooped up a chunky slice of oxtail. Several other pieces followed that one onto my plate, the rich brown meat, contrasting with the dark green spinach and creamy white potato. The succulent meat gleaming with a coating of rich gravy and the aroma of gravy, garlic spinach and potato blending in the steam rising from my plate. I scooped up gravy from the bowl and trickled it over the white potato catching the scent of red wine. I broke th e roll and spread butter on it and I was ready to eat. Now the decision where to start, so I bit into the fresh crisp roll and tasted its warm soft texture and the melting butter. By then I had decided to sample the potato with gravy and the spinach. The potato was smooth, with a taste of butter overpowered with the tangy gravy, its garlic and hint of good red wine in it. The spinach was a good foil. Smooth with its vegetable texture and plain white sauce it softened the taste of the gravy. Then I used my fork and removed the succulent meat from the bone. Its soft texture, fatty feeling in the mouth, the spice wine and garlic in the gravy made it perfect. Finally, I sat contented at my table eating as much as I could, and more than I should of my favorite food. Is this essay written in vivid details so that you would like to taste it as well? So it is your main aim in your own descriptive essay to make the reader try out your favorite food. 7 Tips on Writing a Descriptive Essay About Favorite Food: This essay is based on personal views. It describes your personal experience and view of your favorite food. The goal is to create a vivid picture of your favorite food in the reader’s imagination. Brainstorm by using your power of observation and make notes. Carefully choose descriptive words that bring out a vivid picture of what you describe – in this case – your favorite food. Ensure you apply all your senses. The reader must be brought into the picture in his/her imagination use words such as hot, cold, warm, dark, light, sunshine, fragrant, and the like. Describe what emotions and feelings you have while eating this food. Readers are supposed to identify and connect with your emotions as well. Do not lose your focus on proper writing and make sure you organize your paper correctly.

5 Tips on How to Fill a Bubble Sheet

5 Tips on How to Fill a Bubble Sheet Taking a test is hard, and adding a bubble sheet doesnt necessarily make it easier. Make all of your studying count by following these easy tips for taking this type of test. Bring a Good Eraser to the Test   Bubble sheet readers are pretty sensitive, so you have to be very careful about changing your answers. When you erase one bubble and fill in another, you run the risk of getting the question marked wrong because the reader thinks you’ve answered twice. You want to be able to erase the wrong answer as completely as possible. Old, dry erasers don’t work well, so they will cost you valuable points. Follow Instructions   It sounds so simple, yet it proves to be the downfall of many, many students. Every single, solitary time a group of students takes a bubble-in test, there will be a few students who just don’t fill in the bubbles completely! Students also go a little haywire and overfill the bubbles, which means they scribble outside the lines completely and make the response unreadable. This is just as disastrous. Both misdeeds cost you points. Think about it: you sweat over each math question and work so hard to get each one right. Yet you don’t take care to fill in the bubble all the way? It’s plain self-destructive behavior! Make Sure Your Answers Match the Questions The classic bubble sheet mistake is the misalignment booboo. Students get â€Å"off† by a question or two and end up marking question five’s answer in question six’s bubble. If you don’t catch this mistake, you can end up mismarking an entire test booklet. Do a Section at a Time One way to keep yourself on track and avoid the misalignment booboo is to fill in the bubbles for one-page-worth of questions at a time. In other words, start on page one and read each question on that page, and circle or mark the correct answers in your test booklet. Once you get to the last question on a page, then fill in the bubbles for that entire page. This way you are filling in 4 or 5 answers at a time, so you are constantly checking your alignment. Don’t Overthink and Second Guess If you finish a portion of a test and you are sitting there with ten minutes to kill, practice some self-control. Don’t be tempted to re-think every answer. There are two reasons this is a bad idea. First of all, it’s a good idea to stick with your first gut feeling. People who overthink tend to change right answers to wrong answers. The second reason it’s a bad idea goes back to the bubble-erase problem. You can make a mess of your bubble sheet when you start changing your answers.

Compensation and benefits management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Compensation and benefits management - Essay Example Compensation & Benefits Management An effective compensation and benefits plan is one of the most crucial human resource procedures. A well equipped compensation and benefits policy assures effective returns for an organization. There is a famous axiom according to which a person will always have to offer things to people in return for what they acquire from them, in short, give and take. Compensation refers to this trend; however in financial terms. Compensation is the employer’s reaction towards an employee’s effort. It determines the financial worth an organization offers to its workforce in return of their services. Since employees are not motivated to work merely for the money alone, they want ‘extra’. This extra can be termed as the employee benefits. It is also commonly known as the fringe benefits. Employee benefits are non-fiscal compensation suggested in addition to money for the enhancement of employee’s well being (Biswas, 2012). Contribu tion of an effective compensation and benefit system towards organizational effectiveness An effective compensation and benefit program supports to attract, encourage, and maintain talent in an organization. A well planned compensation and benefits philosophy can benefit an organization in a number of ways (Henderson, 2006). Workplace satisfaction: Through effective compensation and benefit management, workers would be content with their occupations and would be motivated to perform better if they are awarded with adequate appraisals and incentives in return of their services. Encouragement: Every individual poses different motivational triggers. Many of them are motivated by money and willing to work for companies which offer higher pay. While some consider self-accomplishments as a greater motivation for themselves and tend to work in an environment where they find greater opportunities of learning, growth and promotion. Thus, a compensation policy that targets employee’s r equirements is more likely to encourage them to work in a desired manner. Lower Absenteeism: Through an effective compensation and benefits management, employees would not want to miss any day of their work. They will be happy with the way they are paid as well as with other incentives they desire. Minimum Turnover: If the compensation and benefit management is effective enough, then the employees least want to shift the organization. Employee’s Well-being: Through offering numerous types of incentives to your employees alleviates them from specific fears. The employees will perform with more confidence (Henderson, 2006). The city’s largest employer, Holland Enterprises after facing a massive turnover rate recently, needs to have an effective compensation system comprising of few major objectives. It has to empower the organization so that it can attract and maintain talented individuals. The compensation and benefits management should encourage employees, nurture a se nse of equity and offers a reward for their efforts. The program must help, interact and strengthen the organization’s culture, norms, and long term competitive strategy. Moreover, the compensation and benefits management should develop a cost structure which determines the organization’s potential to pay its employees. Finally, it has to coordinate with state laws and policies (Idemobi and Onyeizugbe et al., 2011). In order to attain Holland Enterprise

Big Data Executive Briefs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Big Data Executive Briefs - Assignment Example However, it can be said that the lifeline of business organizations all over the world is to cater to demand of the consumers and customers, and hence the customers become the life line of the organizations and businesses. With the increase in competition in the market place, the companies are finding it tough to gain competitive advantage over their rivals, who are targeting the same group of consumers with similar product offerings. The application of Big Data technology helps the companies in a major way in the process of accumulating and analyzing large amounts of data in real time scenario by building various kinds of predictive models that helps the companies to understand the trends and patterns of the multiple variables that might affect the prospects of the business. Talking about this particular company, it has been assumed that the company has mainly product based offerings in its portfolio. Highlighting in these lines, it can be said that because of the company’s g lobal presences in more than 18 countries around the world, which comprises of markets like Asia Pacific, the western and Latin American markets. Hence it can be easily mentioned that the company’s products are often exposed to consumers all around the globe, however, under a different brand and product portfolio. The product portfolio mostly comprises of fast moving consumer goods which are non perishable in the short term. However, it is of utmost importance to mention the fact that the product portfolio for various countries are variable in terms of market to market and region to region, as the product needs to be marketed in order to cater to the needs of the customers of that particular market. So, the application and extent to which the big data can be applied in this product based global company is tremendously wide. In more specific terms, the big data if applied in the process of mining information from the company’s social media marketing forums will result i n the gaining of significant needs and wants of the consumers, which are highly different in nature in regards to the location and region of the market. The implementation of the big data will also benefit the company in the process of increasing automation in the process of supply chain and thereby increasing the efficiency of product deliveries and potentially removing the option of stock outs of fast moving and high selling consumer demanded products. The implementation of the big data will also provide significant improvement in the reduction of lead time and thereby raising the productivity range and scales. On a note of conclusion, it can be said that the company will gain a lot of advantages if they are successful in the implementation of Big Data. Executive Briefing TO: Senior Company Executive FROM: Manager DATE: 11/21/12 SUBJECT: Need for Implementing Big Data in the Business Context The 21st century is the era of globalization. The pace of change of today’s society is so fast that what is new today, becomes old tomorrow and obsolete and redundant the day after. Masses of most of the developing and well established economies around the world are turning towards the virtual world. The tremendous surge

Finance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Finance - Case Study Example It should be noted that the selection of the family members for their respective positions are due to their being the relative of the founder and cannot be credited to their skills or experience in the industry. The current poor financial performance of G-III might be attributed to this set-up. Even though some of the important executives of G-III are not family members, the Goldfarbs are still in the highest ranks which place them in the position of making the final decisions even though some lower level executives disagree or might recommend otherwise. The efficiency of the management team is indicated by the financial position of G-III in comparison to other industry players. The case stated that in general, G-III has expanded market share from 2% to 10% with a compounded increase in revenue of 68% from 1986-1989. The market has grown faster at a rate of compounded 75% making G-III quite slow to respond to market expansion. Financially speaking, most of the company's resources are financed by riskier short term debt instead of long-term ones. As G-III is cash strapped, the company is illiquid and cannot pay its current obligations if they become due immediately. It also becomes apparent that the remedy for this will be from the capital which will be raised from the IPO.

Professional Development Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Professional Development Plan - Research Paper Example In the academic setting, every good and realistic professional development plan must enable the person making it to meet the core goals of education. This involves the creation of important pointers and requirements that will be linked to the direct development of students (Porter, 2004). In other words, the professional development plan should aim at helping students to become responsible adults who can effectively apply the skills and topics that were taught to them by a good professional tutor. This paper is meant to design a Professional Development Plan for an educator who seeks to promote the personal and professional growth of a culturally diverse and academically diverse classroom. The paper will provide a step-by-step approach to the attainment of goals in important elements of the classroom environment. The areas of interest in this plan include: This project is designed to encourage personal growth and professional growth in an imaginary classroom. In this classroom, the main elements that are important and relevant to the design of the project goals and objectives are the academic diversity and the cultural diversity. Academic diversity is examined from two angles. First of all, the students studied from varied academic institutions and are now in a class where they are to be taught and developed according to a standardized set of principles. Secondly, the students are from a culturally diverse background. This means that they have different ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious affiliations. As such, there is a tendency for majority and minority issues that need to be resolved to ensure that teaching and study goes on in a very positive and effective manner. Due to the variations and differences in the backgrounds of the students that the plan is being devised for, there is the need for the goals to relate to

English midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English midterm - Essay Example Greed triggered the people to find their own American dream riches (Hill 2). The Miller novel and movie story emphasizes certain factors affect the successful reaching the hard to pin down American dream. Mr. A. Miller’s novel and movie story correctly pertains to the average person’s elusive attainment of the coveted American dream during the 1940s (Benedek 1951). The novel shows Willy Loman’s difficulties affirm the American Dream is very wrong elusive (Miller 103). The novel shows Willy Loman failed in his wrong American dream to be one of the top sales persons in Brooklyn, New York City. Similarly, Willy failed in his dream to become one of the most sought after and well liked American environment sales persons. Further, the Miller story critically rightfully espouses Charles Darwin’s survival of the fittest animal kingdom concept influences the attainment of the American dream (Nelson 90). The concept states that there are many competitors for the scarce good and customers. Consequently only those who offer the best services and products to the target customers will survive. Those who fail to deliver quality goods and services will drive away current and future customers. This is the essence of the Willy Loman story. Furthermore, the Miller story correctly scrutinizes Mr. Willy Loman’s discussing having to survive in the saturated highly urbanized New York City community. Mr. Loman’s small and impoverished New York is dwarfed by the many bigger modern apartment buildings. The buildings crowd out the sunshine and fresh air from reaching the diminutive Loman home (Miller 8). Willy blames the maddening competition and the overcrowded New York City landscape for his failure to achieve his American dream, being one of North America’s top selling salespersons (Miller 9). Consequently, only the fittest American residents will survive the American’s economic rat race environment. The current and future customers will prefer

Cancer Research and Funding Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cancer and Funding - Research Paper Example cancer’s condition, with which it kills its victims, many organizations have ventured into research to address various aspects pertaining to how it can be controlled. For the past one hundred years, the American Cancer Society has been at the forefront in addressing different issues pertaining to cancer, most especially, on how it can be transformed from being deadly to preventable. Based on this perspective, this paper analyzes the different aspects of cancer with regard to its research and funding. Cancer has very diverse, complex, and least understood causes, and in the current situations in which lifestyles have changed significantly, more causes have actually been attributed to the changed lifestyles among many (Patlak and Sharyl 147). There are a number of elements considered to cause cancer including dietary factors, tobacco, environmental factors, exposure to certain elements such as radiation, and obesity among others. All these cause severe damage to cells in certain instances or even result into mutation of cells to cause cancer in other instances. Because a majority of cancer causes are elements that people interact with on choice, has is indeed preventable. This has been one of the reasons for which research has been established to address the different aspects on the causes and prevention of cancer. Some of the preventive measures against cancer include increased intake of fruits and vegetables in addition to whole grains, less consumption of refined foods, constan t exercising, and little radiation exposure (Langwith 108). Initially, cancer was considered as a condition for the rich but the current trend in which it knows no boundaries has raised concerns and increased the calls for research. The major areas that the research seeks to address include preventive measures and treatment procedures for those already affected. Considering the complexity of cancer in how it occurs, calls for detailed research in order to reach an all-inclusive

English midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English midterm - Essay Example Greed triggered the people to find their own American dream riches (Hill 2). The Miller novel and movie story emphasizes certain factors affect the successful reaching the hard to pin down American dream. Mr. A. Miller’s novel and movie story correctly pertains to the average person’s elusive attainment of the coveted American dream during the 1940s (Benedek 1951). The novel shows Willy Loman’s difficulties affirm the American Dream is very wrong elusive (Miller 103). The novel shows Willy Loman failed in his wrong American dream to be one of the top sales persons in Brooklyn, New York City. Similarly, Willy failed in his dream to become one of the most sought after and well liked American environment sales persons. Further, the Miller story critically rightfully espouses Charles Darwin’s survival of the fittest animal kingdom concept influences the attainment of the American dream (Nelson 90). The concept states that there are many competitors for the scarce good and customers. Consequently only those who offer the best services and products to the target customers will survive. Those who fail to deliver quality goods and services will drive away current and future customers. This is the essence of the Willy Loman story. Furthermore, the Miller story correctly scrutinizes Mr. Willy Loman’s discussing having to survive in the saturated highly urbanized New York City community. Mr. Loman’s small and impoverished New York is dwarfed by the many bigger modern apartment buildings. The buildings crowd out the sunshine and fresh air from reaching the diminutive Loman home (Miller 8). Willy blames the maddening competition and the overcrowded New York City landscape for his failure to achieve his American dream, being one of North America’s top selling salespersons (Miller 9). Consequently, only the fittest American residents will survive the American’s economic rat race environment. The current and future customers will prefer

Investor Relations with Bear Mountain Wind Park or as stated by Review Dissertation

Investor Relations with Bear Mountain Wind Park or as stated by Review Board in my notes to be uploaded - Dissertation Example ......................................................... Anthony Boydell, PhD, Director School of Environment and Sustainability ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY December 2010 Â © Marie Louise Vander Heiden, 2010 Abstract This study addressed the communication efforts of Peace Energy Cooperative (PEC) leading residents of the Peace River region in North Eastern British Columbia to invest in the Bear Mountain Wind Park (BMWP), a renewable, locally-based, environmentally-responsive wind energy project. A survey and subsequent email correspondence further explored local investor interest in renewable energy stakeholder relations. Respondents were motivated and aspired to be a component of environmental change; PEC allowed residents to act through financial investment. This study demonstrates media-based communications acting as a strong diffusion method in driving social networks to invest in renewable energy; however, it does not identify the single ideal method. Understanding significant infl uential factors that draw individuals towards renewable energy investment sources will act positively towards progression to a sustainable planet. Acknowledgements I would like to give thanks to the administrative support I received from PEC and all the members of PEC who kindly participated in my surveys. Great love and appreciation goes out to my kind, helpful and always encouraging husband, Michael. Thank you to my supervisor, Dr. Richard Kool who made my MEEC thesis experience very challenging but worth the sweat and tears. Rick, you pushed me to be better than I thought possible. My highest regards to Royal Roads University and Staff who were always there for me when I needed the support and guidance, especially Dr. Milt McClaren who went far beyond my furthest expectations, you are one-of-a-kind. I acknowledge support of my editor, Dr. Marie-Terese Little, who provided excellent guidance on APA and Royal Roads University-specific formatting and styling, grammar, sentence struc ture, syntax, punctuation and verbosity. Finally, to my lovely daughter Leila, I gave birth to you during this entire thesis process and you not only made it all worth it but you inspired me to be the best Mom and Environmental Educator I can be. Table of Contents Public Interest and Stakeholder Relations 3 Alternatives to Fossil Fuel Energy Sources 4 Purpose of Study 4 Research Questions 5 Research Objectives 7 Chapter 2: Literature Review 9 Climate Change and Global Warming 9 Renewable Energy Sources and Public Interest 10 Wind Energy- Attributes 24 Supply and Demand 25 Research Design and Rationale 26 Participants and Site 29 Data Analysis 31 Early Investors 35 Late Investors 35 No Investors 55 Conclusion 62 List of Abbreviations B.C. British Columbia BMWP Bear Mountain Wind Park EAO Environmental Assessment Office km Kilometre LP Limited Partnership MW Megawatts PEC Peace Energy Cooperative RECs Renewable energy certificates REEEP Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnersh ip RPS Renewable Portfolio Standards Chapter 1: Introduction The Peace Energy Cooperative is an education and investment cooperative that promotes the development of renewable energy and looks for investments to make these developments happen while making a return on investment for their member investors. Their only investment to date has been the Bear Mountain Wind Park, described below, although they are also involved with research and development with several other concerns. PEC boasts 400

Primary goals Essay Example for Free

Primary goals Essay The chosen company is Ingram Micro which operates in a business process of delivering information technology products globally to partner establishments. The main products involve computer parts, peripherals, telecommunication devices and IT solution materials. Â  There are three primary goals which Ingram Micro has set for its business operations. First is to expand its reach over international markets in the distributorship of technology products. Second is to earn the respect of the IT market by implementing the right aspect of customer service. Third is to fabricate ideas and implement them to become the foundation of future innovations in the information technology marketing industry. Overall, the goal of the company is to be regarded as the best channel in distributing technology to the world. Based on the research material about goal setting, Ingram Micro seems to meet the criterions in effective building of goals. One aspect is by setting the performance value instead of outcome. Apparently, goals that are set for the principles of outcome will tend to fail because of uncontrollable factors (Mind Tools, 1995). Ingram Micro’s decision to set its performance based on customer relationship and satisfaction is one proof that it is on the right track. One more factor in goal setting according to the researched article is to set goals just at the right level. In this aspect, Ingram Micro implements an innovation approach on marketing which can provide a not too high expectation of results but is still a feasible procedure in development. In order for Ingram Micro to achieve the goal of broadening its reach globally, it can start by understanding the different economies in which it intends to invest on. This process will provide it a big picture on how stable the economy is in terms of political and investment feasibility. On the other hand, the goal of earning the respect of its clients can be done by ensuring that each customer will be able to get superior customer service even on after-sales matter. The on time and accurate delivery of quality products should also be an important thing to consider. References Ingram Micro. N.D. Vision, Mission, Values. Ingram Micro Corporate Website. Retrieved January 16, 2008 from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=98566p=irol-aboutIMVision. Mind Tools. 1995. Setting Goals Effectively. Mind Tools. Retrieved January 16, 2008 from http://www.mindtools.com/pggoalef.html.

Middle Eastern History Essay -- essays research papers

1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Statecraft and the unity of state and religion The fact that three quarters of the Koran is focused on civil procedure makes us appreciate how important establishing the state was to Muhammad. He embedded in these procedures in the Koran because he wanted no separation between religion and state. For good reason, having no split between these two facets leaves no gray area of rule that conforms to one system and not the other. He did not want the loyalties of his people to clash between their faith and their government. This achievement originated through the Koran’s integration of scriptures and civil guidelines. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Absence of Clergy The absence of clergy within the Islamic faith is attributed to three causes.  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the early days of Islam, Muhammad would preach in the holy city of Mecca. During this time, Mecca was filled with Christians, Jews, and Pagans. The Christian and Jewish clergymen would mock Muhammad day and night; they discouraged and embarrassed him with hopes to break his will. Its safe to assume that from the start, Muhammad has a negative feel towards clergyman.  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Islamic faith is the much more self-serving than any of the other major religions. You convert yourself, marry yourself, & pray yourself. Muhammad did not feel it was essential or even necessary to institute a higher authority in the place of worship.  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before Muhammad become The Prophet, he was very established, and greatly successful as a businessman. And his business intellect led him to the conclusion that it would be a waste of funds to setup a higher authority in the mosques. After all if he were to succeed at spreading Islamic influence into the Persian and Arabian Empires, he would need all the funds he could get.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3) Law Issues a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal procedures The Islamic judicial system has somewhat a resemblance to the American judicial system. The greatest similarity is the practice that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Another likeness is the practice of Habeas Corpus. This provides that no person shall be held against his or her will without being formally charged with a crime. However, a major difference in regards to legal procedure between our two cult... ...nbsp;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Toleration of other religions and traditions Muhammad the statesman felt that it would have been ridiculous and unproductive to be abusive of other religions. After all, Muslim religion was built on Christian and Jewish faith. To attack the foundation, would be undermining the very faith of Islam. Because Islam is both a religion and a state, Muhammad felt it would be easier to run his state welcoming other religions. This principle allowed the great Muslim conquests into the Arabian and Persian territories to be so successful. If communities did not convert, they simply followed the credo of Islamic statehood and kept their religion. 9)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education Before Muhammad was a successful, lucrative businessman, he was a poor, illiterate orphan. In fact, when Muhammad first received revelations from Allah, he wasn’t educated enough to transcribe them on paper. Just as the absence of prejudice amongst genders and classes, the availability of high education to all is also a pillar in the Islam way of life. If you are of Muslim faith, the Koran states that it is a requirement to become educated.

Free Essays On Shakespeares Sonnet 65 :: Sonnet essays

Analysis of Sonnet 65 Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o'ersways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower? Oh how shall summer's honey breath hold out Against the wrackful siege of battering days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout Nor gates of steel so strong but time decays? Oh fearful meditation! where, alack, Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid? Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back? Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid? Oh none, unless this miracle have might- That in black ink my love may still shine bright. This sonnet shares several similarities in imagery as sonnets 63 and 66, and also to the theme of time and Rome as seen in Spencer's translatory sonnet sequence, _Ruins of Rome by: Bellay_. To best understand this sonnet we must realize to what or whom the pronouns refer to. My explication relies on "their" in line 2 referring to both time and ruin, a theme sustained from sonnet 64. 1-2: 'Only depressing mortality can overturn the tyranny of time and ruin, considering that brass, stone, earth or sea cannot prevent it'. Thus, death is an escape from time and the ruin which it imposes. The second quatrain is reminiscent of the thematic imagery of Rome's susception to time in sonnet 9 of _Ruines of Rome_: "Why were not these Romane palaces / Made of some matter no lesse fime and strong? . . . All things which beneath the Moone haue being / Are temporall, and subject to decay." Echoing the elements in the first line of the sonnet, Shakespeare is iterating the inability to avoid and preve nt time. "Battering days" also shares this imagery as "Time's injurious hand crush'd"; which, to note further, appears as "iniurious time" in Spencer's work. Knowing this, he appeals to dreadful and injurious knowledge in line 9: 'where should we hide time's most precious jewel [our youth] from the vault it is held in'. the reason I believe the jewel to be a symbol of youth stems from sonnet 63, in which time steals "away the treasure of his spring." Spring here, and in many other sonnets of Shakespeare, refers to youth and sexual prime.

Different Types of Vietnamese Foods Essay

It is amazing how diverse the various types of culture can be. From country to country, even down to the different states and regions within the same nation. Culture is said to have five basic characteristics; it is learned, it is has symbolic structure, it is shared, and it has the ability to adapt. It is a system consisting of variables that constitute a rational way of life (Vien, 2003). A change in social environments results in a change in culture as well, which is why Vietnam has three different regions. Many times, food is a factor that differentiates cultures from various areas. Within Vietnam are three regions: Bac Bo (the north), Trung Bo (the center) and Nam Bo (the south). Each of these regions not only carries their own culture, but they also speak different dialects and are famous for their own kinds of dishes. One of the common traditions within all three regions is rice. Vietnamese culture always includes rice in every meal. With 70% of the Vietnamese population residing in rural areas containing small-scaled paddy rice farmers, Vietnam the second largest exporter of rice in the world (Rutten, Dijk, Rooij, & Hilderink, 2014). Rice is often served as the main complementary entrà ©e eaten with side dishes. The customary way to eat in The Vietnamese involves a family style dinner. Everyone has their own small bowl of rice, while the center of the table consists of many different types of side dishes and sauces (Countries, 2014). These types of dishes are representative of different regions and their wealth. The wealthier the family, the more protein or dishes are served. Everyone uses the chopsticks (the common Vietnamese utensil) to pick at the center dishes and bring food back to their bowl of rice (Countries, 2014). The traditional drink during mealtime is freshly brewed tea served from a teapot. Although the Vietnamese regions share some common food-related traditions, the dishes can differ in their own unique way. Each region is known to have its own specialty dishes that were influenced by its surrounding environment. Climate plays a huge factor in foods that are popular amongst these areas. Climate affects the food in several ways, such as direct effects production of crops, which leads to food supply (Gregory, Ingram, & Brklacich, 2005). Each of these groups has its own distinctive culture and is associated with a specific environmental setting (Vien, 2003). Also, another factor to consider on the different types of food from each region is the influences from the neighboring countries. The first region is North Vietnam; Bac Bo. China influences many of Bac Bo’s dishes. That’s why many of the dishes tend to be more stir fried and include egg rolls, soy sauce and MSG (Destination, 2014). Their dishes tend to have delicate flavors. The weather in North Vietnam is a bit colder; therefore they cannot grow much herbs and spices (Destinations, 2014). Their dishes have less vegetables, fish and meats compare to other areas in Vietnam (Destinations, 2014). Since they don’t cook with chilies, use black pepper and they use less sugar in their dishes. A popular dish that originated from Bac Bo is Banh Cuon. Banh Cuon is a paper-thin rice pancake rolled with ground pork and mushrooms with a side of dipping sauce with herbs and sausages. Southern Vietnam, Nam Bo, is also hugely influenced by China. However, influences from India, France, and Thai have also made an impact on their food (Destinations, 2014). The Red River Delta, in Southern Vietnam which is ri ght beside the Mekong Delta has the highest level of agricultural service distribute from their regions (Adger, 1999). The warmer weather supports the growth of more crops such as animals, vegetables and fruits (Food, 2014). Nam Bo cuisine tends to be richer in flavor since they use more sugar, fresh herbs and garlic. A popular dish from South Vietnam is Cha Tom. Cha Tom is shrimp wrapped in sugarcane. The Central of Vietnam, Trung Bo, is mostly known for their spicy dishes. This region contains the mountainous environment which produces many spices (Food, 2014). The foods in Trung Bo closely resemble the royal cuisine back in ancient Vietnam, very decorative and colorful for the kings and queens (Food, 2014). A popular  dish in Central Vietnam is Bun Bo Hue. Bun Bo Hue is a spicy soup with rice vermicelli and beef. Vietnamese cuisines are infiltrating into America as well. The popular Vietnamese soup, Pho, beef noodle soup has captured the hearts of America (Loh, 2002). Pho cannot be found everywhere in America yet, but it is likely to become the next mainstream Asian cuisine in America (Loh, 2002 ). There is a couple of states that have Pho restaurant but mostly in California. A Campbell Soup Company has partnered with a Vietnamese American chef to create a refrigeration pho broth to the food service industry (Loh, 2002). Also, Chefs at University of Massachusetts in Amherst started serving Pho once a week in the residential dining halls (Loh, 2002). The school’s director of dining services says, â€Å"If it gets more popular, we’ll make it three times a week.† The This Vietnamese broth is one of a couple of Vietnamese cuisines that influence Americans. Banh Mi, Vietnamese sandwiches is the next big food item that America has adopted. In 1983, the first Lee’s Sandwich was created in San Jose CA (Lee’s, 2014). Lee’s sells a mix of modern and traditional Asian-American cuisines: traditional Vietnamese sandwiches and American sandwiches on baguettes or croissants both can be found on their menu (Lee’s, 2014). With this strategy, Lee’s Sandwich has developed to become one of the fastest growing restaurants chains in the West. Lee’s Sandwich was recognized as one of the Top 50 foodservice bakery in the United states by Modern Baking in 2005 (Lee’s, 2014). Standing today with 55 stores country wide. Lee’s sandwich is another wonderful Vietnamese cuisine that is slowly but surely influencing America. The Vietnamese culture is gradually growing throughout America with the help of Vietnamese-Americans citizens. The U.S. does a good job of upholding our reputation of diversity; it is astonishing to see how this country is so open to trying new and different types of food. The willingness to intertwine with other ethic culture and food continues to make huge progress in this development. References Adger, W. N. (1999). Social Vulnerability To Climate Change And Extremes In Coastal Vietnam. World Development, 27(2), 249-269. Countries and Their Cultures. (n.d.). Culture of Vietnam. Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Vietnam.html Destination Vietnam. (n.d.). Rice, herbs, spices. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.destination-asia.com/vietnam/about/taste/ Food. (n.d.). Inside Vietnam. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.insidevietnamtours.com/vietnamese-culture/food/ Gregory, P., Ingram, J., & Brklacich, M. (2005, October 24). Climate change and food security. Climate change and food security. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/360/1463/2139.full.pdf+html Lee’s Sandwiches Franchise. (n.d.). Costs & Fees. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.thefranchisemall.com/franchises/details/13774-0-lees_sandwiches.htm Loh, L. (2002, May 13). The Next Ethnic Dish of the Day: Vietnamese Pho. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://articles.latimes.com/2002/may/13/business/fi-pho13 Rutten, M., Dijk, M. V., Rooij, W. V., & Hilderink, H. (2014). Land Use Dynamics, Climate Change, and Food Security in Vietnam: A Global-to-local Modeling Approach. World Development, 59, 29-46. Vien, T. D. (2003). Culture, environment, and farming systems in Vietnam’s northern mountain region. Cambridge University Press: Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 41. Vietnamese Cuisine, Food & Recipes. (n.d.). Asian Recipes. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.asian-recipe.com/vietnam

God provides Essay

SEEKING GUIDANCE The discipline of seeking guidance goes to the heart of walking with God. Guidance involves us hearing God’s voice and obeying Him. It is not only seeking His will in a specific matter, but it is a constant way of life. God provides guidance to His people in two ways. One is individual guidance, where God gives each of His children divine instruction through Scripture, reason, circumstances, and through prompting of the Spirit in the individual’s heart. In corporate guidance, God guides groups of people who gather in fellowship to seek the will of God. Both aspects are important to submit to as we seek to live in response to the voice of God. It is also a treatise on the nature of the perception of God and spiritual growth. One must believe in divine guidance. One must believe God will guide you. What God wants from each individual. Why each individual needs to seek God’s guidance. Most often, God sends divine guidance and wisdom through anointed people and not supernatural signs. You need wise counsel. Wisdom is usually gained by successful experience. Everyone has experience but only a few have successful experience. Many live in a continual cycle of action then regret but wisdom either successfully breaks bad cycles or never gets in bad cycles. It is usually far less painful to benefit from the experience of others than having to go through it ourselves. When you successfully go through something, you usually have wisdom. Everybody Knows: You can’t be all things to all people. You can’t do all things at once. You can’t do all things equally well. You can’t do all things better than everyone else. Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s. Therefore:You have to find out who you are, and be that. You have to decide what comes first, and do that. You have to discover your strengths, and use them. You have to learn not to compete with others, Because no one else is in the contest of being you. Then: You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness. You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions. You will have learned to live with your limitations. You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due. And you’ll be a most vital mortal. Dare To Believe: That you are a wonderful, unique person. That you are a once-in-all-history event. That it’s more than a right, it’s your duty, to be who you are. That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish. And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down. Loving ourselves being as compassionate, gentle & loving with ourselves as we would with a best friend can be pretty hard to do. This is especially true for women & survivors of abuse (including neglect). As women & survivors, we’ve been trained to deny our own feelings & needs & to take care of others. And we’re also frequently given messages that tell us not to accept or love ourselves. This is especially true for survivors; it’s so easy for us to take in the hating messages our abusers gave us & to turn that inwards on ourselves. But it is possible to love ourselves or at least to increase our self-love in increments, until we can know, deep to our cores, that we love ourselves & that we’re beautiful. Here are some of the things that have worked for me. I hope you’ll find they work for you, too. Carrying around some form of comfort & having it available right when you need it can help ease anxiety & stress & give you reassurance when you need it. I’ve found that just knowing I have a comfort bag with me is sometimes enough – and other times, I am grateful I have it with me to dip into. You might want to try carrying around some comfort & see if it makes a difference in your life. There are times when we are out in the world & need a little – or a lot – of extra comfort. Times when we are nervous or scared, feeling vulnerable or unsure of ourselves, or just not very confident. A new job, a speech we have to give, a new situation, a group where we don’t feel very welcome, or just when you’re feeling stressed out. Or, for survivors, facing something triggering, frightening, or painful. It’s times like those that portable comfort can come in handy. Portable comfort means bringing something with you on purpose that helps you to feel comforted & reminds you that you are safe & loved. There are many different ways of bringing comfort with you – and they don’t all have to be obvious. I take portable comfort with me whenever I leave the house. I have things already placed in my backpack, the pockets of my coat & sometimes even my jeans, so if I forget to bring something extra with me, I already have something with me. And I always wear the same necklace; it’s always with me. If you have time before you leave for the day, it’s a good idea to associate whatever good feeling you want to remind yourself of (comfort, safety, love) with the object. To do this, take a moment & remember when you felt comforted, safe, or loved. Hold that feeling to you. Now imagine that good feeling flowing into the object. Tell yourself that whenever you see or feel or notice that object in your day, you will be reminded of that good feeling & feel it again.

Crime and Punishment Essay

People will sometimes go to greater extents just because they believe it’s for the better of the people. Mankind may sometimes reside to murdering a person in belief that it will benefit the society because that person is worthless and just takes up space. In Fedor Dosteovsky’s Crime and Punishment, the character Raskolinikov decides to commit a murder or in his eyes, rid society of a worthless person. Sometimes poverty will make a man tip over the edge. It will cause a man to commit a homicide because in their mind they see that person worthless to society. In Doestoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, poverty helps setup the theme of nihilism. â€Å"Life is in ourselves and not in the external,† writes Fyodor Dostoevsky in a letter to his brother dated December 22, 1849. â€Å"To be a human being among human beings, and remain one forever, no matter what misfortunes befall, not to become depressed, and not to falter—this is what life is, herein lies its task.† This passage was written immediately after Dostoevsky underwent the traumatic experience that Tsar Nicholas I ordered for sever prisoners condemned to death for supporting the expression of free thought within the Russian state, a mock execution in Semyonovsky Square, a staged performance so terrifyingly real that it induced insanity within one of the author’s fellow prisoners. The quote is evidence of Dostoevsky’s strength of character; his would be a difficult life living in poverty, he would helplessly watch as many of the people closest to him died from the ailments of the poor. It also exposes the significant flaw common to som e of his characters and tragic heroes through despair, and weakness before the weight of misfortune, they falter, and commit barbaric acts that render them unfit to operate within the context of humanity. This is the case with both Baklushkin and Shishkov from The Hous of the Dead, as well as with Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. Fyodor Dostoevksy was born on October 30, 1821 in Moscow, Russia. He was born into a strict way of life. He lived much of his childhood distanced from his frail mother and officious father. In these formative years, he formed a close bond with his elder brother Mikhail. He was sent to school at an early age, during his years in school Dostoevsky was lonesome, but those lonesome years in school afforded him a release from his father’s stern household. In his solitude he found an interest in Literature and spent most of his time reading. As a young man, Dostoevsky’s father was brutally murdered by his serfs. Though he rarely mentioned his father’s death, the theme of parricide provided the central focus of perhaps his greatest work, The Brothers Karamazov. At his father’s instance, Dostoevsky attended engineering school, but upon graduation he chose to pursue a literary career. His first published work, Eugenie Grandel, was published in a St. Petersburg journal in 1844. Dostoevsky completed his first novel, Poor Folk, in 1845. A naturalistic tale with a clear social message, the novel was acclaimed by the foremost literary critic of the day, Vissarion Belinsky, who stated, â€Å"A new Gogol is born!† the work brought Dostoevsky success and adulation that he was ill-equipped to handle. Dostoevsky became a member of Belinsky’s literary circle, but when Belinsky reacted coldly to Dostoevsky’s subsequent work, a breach developed between them. In 1848, Dostoevsky joined a political group of young intellectuals led by Mikhail Petrashevsky. The reactionary climate of Russia at the time was not receptive to a group which published illegal literature and discussed utopian socialism, and in 1849 the members were arrested and charged with subversion. Dostoevsky, whom the authorities considered the most important member, was imprisoned and sentenced to death. In a scene that was to haunt him all of his life, Dostoevsky and his friends faced a firing squad, but were reprieved when a messenger arrived with the announcement that their sentences had been commuted to four years of hard labor in Siberia and four years of army service. His harrowing near-execution and terrible years of imprisonment made an undeniable impression on his life, converting him to a long life of intense spiritual lifestyle. His prison experiences, as well as his life after prison among the urban poor of Russia, would provide a vivid backdrop for much of his later work. Released from his imprisonment and service by 1858, he began a fourteen-year period of furious writing, in which he published many significant texts. Among these were: The House of the Dead, Notes From The Underground, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and Devils. In 1859 Dostoevsky returned to St. Petersburg were he contributed articles expressing his belief that Russia should develop a social and polit ical system based on the values drawn from the Russian people. He then described his life as a prisoner in the book The House of the Dead, a novel reflecting both an insight into a criminal mind and an understanding of the Russian lower class. His intense study of the New Testament, the only book prisoners were allowed to read, provided a major influence on his later work as he became convinced that redemption was only possible though suffering and faith. In 1862, Dostoevsky and his brother Mikhail created a magazine called The Time, which was later banned in 1863. Due to the Dostoevsky and Mikhail created another magazine called Epoch, which in 1864 published the complex novel Notes From Underground, generally considered the preface to Dostoevsky’s greater novels. In that same year, 1864, both Dostoevsky’s wife and beloved brother died, leaving him saddled with debts and dependents. In an attempt to win money though gambling, Dostoevsky instead buried himself further in debt. With creditors at his heels and with debts around 43,000 rubles, he was able to escape with 175 rubles and a slave contract with book seller F.T. Stellovsky. This agreement stipulated that if Dostoevsky did not produce a novel by November 1, 1866, all rights to Dostoevsky’s past and future works would revert to Stellovsky. Time passed and Dostoevsky, preoccupied with a longer, serialized novel, did not work on the book he promised Stellovsky until at last, on the advice of his friends, he hired the young Anna Grigorievna, Snitkin as his stenographer. He the dictated the Gambler to her, and the manuscript was delivered to Stellovsky on the same day their agreement was to expire.

Gender discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Gender discrimination - Essay Example Traditionally, men had better opportunities in life; but this has changed with modern girls and women having better opportunities albeit with many challenges than women in the past (Girls Inc 1). Feminist advocates have fought against social traditions and cultures that devalue and treat women as lesser human beings, and they have achieved valuable gains all over the world (Chesler 3). Their fight has highlighted some of the challenges and disadvantages women continually face. This has made it possible for the legislation of laws against gender discrimination. In the modern world, prestigious and powerful positions are obtained through quality education and this has traditionally been used to deny women these positions. In the past, education for boys and girls was different with women being predominantly trained on child rearing and housekeeping despite being intelligently at par with men (Deberg 1). This practice still exists in some parts of the world where the girl child is denied education based on worthless religious, social, or cultural norms. Without an education, women are restricted to low paying unskilled positions; and when married become inferior to the male who provide everything. This lack of independence is discriminatory and purely meant to make women submissive to the men. The modern woman, however, is sexually discriminated in employment promotions, benefits and leaves of absence because of her gender with the majority of the populace in the society having entrenched mentalities that women are the weaker sex supposed to be under the dominion of their male counterparts. The society has developed cultures based on the biological differences between men and women with each gender having specific roles, responsibilities, and expectations to be fulfilled (Haeberle 1). These cultural roles are discriminatory to women who are only

Public Relation is the New Propaganda Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Relation is the New Propaganda - Outline Example Public relations refer to the processes, principles, and procedures guiding communication between companies, organizations, individuals with the media and the public. In most cases, public relations focus on the creation and maintenance of a positive image as well as a strong relationship with the target audience (Moloney 2006). Democracy   Democracy refers to a system of governance focusing on vesting the power in the people with the ability to rule directly or under the influence of the elected representatives (Schumpeter 2013). Political Economy of Information  For critical reasons, sociologists, political scientists and communication practitioners have the tendency of evaluating phenomena from the economists’ perspective. The condition makes them develop the aspect of becoming political economists, thus the concept of the political economy of information (Stilwell 2011). Theoretical Perspectives and Models  Various models have focused on illustrations of PR and propa ganda issues in the modern context. This section explores a critical review the most effective and prominent theoretical perceptions with the objective of understanding the research goals and scope effectively.  There are four critical theories in relation to understanding the concept of the public sphere: representative liberal, participatory liberal, discursive, and constructionist theories. Constructionist theory focuses on popular inclusion, empowerment, recognition, narrative creativity, and the eventual avoidance.

University of Strathclyde Marketing Strategy Coursework - 1

University of Strathclyde Marketing Strategy - Coursework Example The University has witnessed a growing number of international students in the recent due to its strategy to globalize the education sector. The report highlights the marketing strategies used by the University of Strathclyde to achieve both academic and marketing excellence in the education sector. The University of Strathclyde has a common goal of attracting high-quality students and recruiting wonderful faculty members and staff. Also, the institution targets at encouraging more alumni to make donations in support of existing school programs, as well as build up the school’s reputation and brand recognition. In order to stand out from the other Universities and Colleges in the UK, the institution focuses more on writing an effective marketing strategy that suits their environment. The institution concentrates its efforts in creating a five to seven-piece communication plan to build and sustain interest in its activities(Morfaw, 2009, p. 126). The flow of marketing information targets to the student population and focuses on the key marketing message to be communicated to its audience. Above all, the University’s marketing strategy pays more attention to the academic outcomes of the institution. The University also builds its communication around marketing specific academic programs and the previous results achieved from the same programs. The results could be based on the graduate and job placement or faculty achievements. Specific tactics used for marketing include the development of print and web collateral that contain adequate information on the programs of interest and their points of difference. Such technics enhance the University’s web presence and result in the development of more compelling pages that highlight the quality of the academic programs offered by the institution. The marketing tools also used include a tuition and scholarship net cost

Construction Economics Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Construction Economics Assignment - Essay Example Many people took out very large mortgages. In 1983, the average new mortgage was approximately 2.1 times annual average earnings. By 1989 this had risen to 3.4 times annual average earnings. House prices were rising uncontrollably and bringing considerable inflationary pressures to bear within the economy. As a result, the government increased rates and reduced government assistance to home ownership. The impact of these measures plus a worsening economic environment drove house prices down and the housing market into a state of recession (Williams and Holmans, 1996). In mid 1989 house prices started a downward trend for the next six years, falling by 12 per cent, before reaching a trough in July 1995.In the years 1990 - 1995 house prices fell by around 12.2%. Many people found themselves in a position of having negative equity on their property because the value of the mortgage now exceeded the property value. This meant many people were unable to move house without taking a loss. Then, in 1996, house prices began to rise again. The UK housing market started to recover with a 7 per cent increase in prices. The low interest rates enjoyed by UK homeowners have reduced mortgage payments as a proportion of gross earnings for the average purchaser from 22 per cent to just 15 per cent. Consequently, mortgage payments account for a smaller share of income than at almost anytime since 1983 and are well below the 36 per cent peak in 1990. Since May 1997, house prices have been on a steady rise. Many factors have contributed to this increase including growing population, rising employment, increasing number of households, limited supply of new housing properties and the emergence of alternatives like buy-to-let. Another important reason is the increase in popularity of real estate as an investment avenue. Fall in the level of confidence in traditional investments and increase in speculative avenues has contributed immensely to this. The fall in long-term real interest rates - the gap between inflation and interest rates on government bonds - has helped support property investments. The most complimenting factor, however, has been the short-term interest rate set by the Bank. The sharp fall in prices at the end of 1980s and early 1990s pushed the interest rates to very low levels in relation to rents and other assets and incomes. This, combined with the realization that lower interest rates were meant to stay, created a strong and steady rise. By 2001, though house prices were still below their long-term trend, the boom had begun to fade. Further to this, there followed a series of global events that ruptured the boom even further. In response to the bursting of the dotcom bubble, September 11 and the start of the Iraq war, the Bank cut rates, taking them all the way down to 3.5% during 2003. Then, however, the Bank switched into tightening mode, raising Bank rate five times between November 2003 and August 2004. The results of this on the housing market were significant, producing the famous 2004-5 pause in prices. Determination of equilibrium price and quantity The determination of price depends on the type of market organization the product belongs to. In a competitive market, the point of intersection of market demand and supply curves determines the

Public School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public School - Essay Example Mr. Bellamy, the magazine's circulation director, brought together those words to be recited by children in celebration of Columbus Day. The pledge was reprinted and sent out to schools across the country, and more than 12 million students joined in that year. Very shortly after that, Mr. Bellamy's composed words became an everyday service in the nation's classrooms. The words "my Flag" were replaced by the phrase "the Flag of the United States of America", in June 1923, at the National Flag Conference in Washington. In 1924 the oath's wording was changed slightly (the original "my flag" became "the flag of the United States of America"). Officially recognized by the government in 1942, the pledge became compulsory in some public schools, but the following year the Supreme Court ruled that recitation could not be required of any individual. It continues, however, to be mandatory or recommended in a majority of the states and is a daily fixture in most American classrooms. The final alteration to the pledge occurred in 1954 when, by a joint order of Congress, the words "under God" were inserted. The change is usually ascribed to a cold-war attempt at differentiating the United States from officially atheistic Communist countries. The addition caused little stir when it was enacted, but in 2002 opposition to it resulted in a federal appeals court ruling that the words are unconstitutional because they violate the First Amendment's prohibition against government endorsement of religion. An appeal of the controversial decision is pending. (W. Baer, 1992) Thesis Statement An allegiance to one's country eventually leads to active civic and political involvement and engagement. Body of the Essay Services, forms and customs of patriotism were first employed in the United States between the Civil War and World War I. At the end of the bloodiest civil war of the 19th century, the combatants left the battlefields for political, economic, and cultural arenas, where the struggle to make a nation continued with renewed intensity. In fact, many of the patriotic denotations and rituals that we now take for granted or think of as timeless were created during this period and emerged not from a harmonious, national consensus, but out of fiercely contested debates, even over the wording of the Pledge. Confronted by the dilemma that Americans are made, not born, educators and organizations, such as the Grand Army of the Republic, Women's Relief Corps, and Daughters of the American Republic, campaigned to transform schools, in George Balch's words, into a "mighty engine for the inculcation of patriotism." The point is not to downplay the value of civic knowledge or the promise of America's democratic commitments to equality and justice; rather, it is to help students use their love of country as a motivation to critically assess what is needed to make it better. Public Schools do not intend to turn students into critics of the United States, such that they do not portray any appreciation for its virtues. At the same time, these schools are not failing to assist the students in recognizing the role critique can play as a way to help make society better. An allegiance to one's country eventually leads to active involvement. This is also evident from the survey in a number of public schools.

Overseas empire Essay Example for Free

Overseas empire Essay Suppression of the Muslim threat in North Africa was less successful though. The area was one of important economic and commercial advantage to Aragon and so seizure of large areas would have been of significance. Perhaps the key reason behind the policy though was the increasing Turkish influence in Naples and Sicily. Ferdinands failure came in an expensive garrisoning project, which held little authority and merely contained the problem. Perhaps the reason behind the lacklustre campaign was his preoccupation with Italy. In 1485 he successfully defended Naples from France and then the Holy Roman Empire. Despite careless disengaging of troops during the illness of Louis XII the policy in Italy was on the whole regarded as a success. Taking advantage of French involvement in the North, Ferdinand reclaimed Rousillon and Cerdagne. Then in 1512 following the death of Germaine de Foixs father, Ferdinand annexed Navarre. Isabellas fortuitous support of Christopher Columbus and hence the involvement in the New World had an increasingly significant impact on the economies of Castile and Aragon. Columbuss discovery opened new trade links and resources. In particular the trade of gold and slavery were of great economic benefit in future years. Furthermore Pope Alexander VI settled the rivalry with Portugal without conflict and expense with the division of the Americas. Isabellas piety determined that the extensive period of convivencia, which existed prior to her reign, would end. Since the pogrom of 1391 there had been sporadic anti-Semitic outbreaks largely born out of a resentment of rich Jewish families. For Isabella however the growing trend of conversos practising Judaism in private was of the greatest concern. Therefore in 1478 an Inquisition into conversos was established in Castile and then one in Aragon in 1481. As a result Jews became confined to ghettos and forced to wear yellow badges. Those suspected of heresy were put on trial and punished. In 1492 conversion was then made compulsory with emigration the only other alternative. Whilst only around 3% of the total population actually emigrated a significant social and economic impact was felt. The commercial welfare of the two Kingdoms was severely damaged and perhaps more crucially the policy disillusioned much of the wider population. The assessment of Isabella and Ferdinands social, economic, religious and foreign success reveals that the period in Spanish history is not as clear cut as contemporary chroniclers have suggested. They failed to curtail the nobility, failed in implementing economic growth and embarked on unwise foreign conquests. In saying this however they also achieved numerous successes such as securing the throne, conquering Granada and increasing the overseas empire.

The Rite Of Nokan Or The Encoffinment Religion Essay

The Rite Of Nokan Or The Encoffinment Religion Essay The rite of Nokan or the encoffinment where the corpse was placed in a casket during the funeral. Traditionally, the ceremony was to relieve the family of their grief by cleansing the dead of all his worldly suffering, while hoping they would have a better life in the afterlife. The specialist handled all the necessary requirements for ease of passage into the afterlife. In early times there were two main traditions practiced Shinto and Buddhist traditions. According to Shinto traditions, the dead as well as the family unit from which he/she came from were considered to be unclean and impure; therefore the corpse had to be washed for purification. Traditional Japanese believed that the dead persons soul remained impure for some period following death before purification through memorials done by the relatives of the dead; thereafter the soul was deindividuated into an ancestor god or goddess. Traditional Japanese opinion that dead people are impure is based on the Kojiki myth, where maggots came out of the rotting body of a god. Traditionally burial gowns were also considered garments for travelling that prepared the dead when travelling to the other world. The encoffinment rite was done by the family members as death was unclean. In modern times, in keeping with this rite, family members wipe the corpse clean with a cotton cloth dipped in alcohol with the assistance funeral specialists. Traditionally Japanese funerals were to serve as prayers for the deceased persons soul while also serving as the familys time for public mourning as it was meant to keep their loved one in their memories. Typically a Japanese funeral follows the sequence: when someone dies, they are placed to rest in their homes. The corpse was placed with the head pointing the North, copying the deathbed of Gautama, and the head of the bed is well decorated. Then the previously mentioned encoffinment process. The first night after ones death is called the Tsuya; and it is for close family and friends to remember their beloved. In the morning, a cleansing meal is served called Okiyome. The funeral is thereafter carried out where the Jukai rite also known as receipt of commandments gives the dead an opportunity to receive the Buddhist commandments, automatically making the dead a disciple of the Buddha, and the dead person is accepted into Buddha hood. After all this, the deceased embarks on the journey to the other world as the coffin is carried out of the house and burnt in a crematorium to ashes. Presently about 99% Japanese are cremated while only about 1% are interred. These changes in preference on the method of sending off the dead have been brought about by the Countrys main religion, changes in dwelling environments and changes in technologies. During the high-growth era of the 1970s, cremation became popular outside of metropolitan areas and crematoriums were built in several places as a matter of national requirement. VIEWS HELD BY JAPANESE ON CORPSES Generally the elderly Japanese do not perceive the body and soul as a duality, that is flesh and spirit. The corpse is considered a very important part and if funeral rites are not carried out, the deceaseds soul will not be mourned. It is very important that the corpse is attended to and the death is mourned by as many people as possible. Additionally the corpse must be well taken care of until all rites have been carried out. The body is not just considered a vehicle or an object or a shell for the soul but it is considered an entity with a will, hopes and rights therefore the family has a responsibility to care for them, respect them and accord them a befitting farewell.. CONTINUATION OF LIFE AND DEATH The Japanese considered death a passageway leading to the continuation of death and life. The Japanese held contradicting ideas concerning the dead. Even though they wish for and hope that the dead resurrect, they live in fear of the spirit and the possible return of the dead founded on the Shintoist principle of impurity, as explained earlier on in the funeral rites. They believe impurity is transmissible and transferrable and that, a house that experienced a death and even those involved in handling the corpse are also impure. Therefore Japanese funerals have a combination of rites to reaffirming death, protect the dead, and prevent bad luck and curses and prevent the dead from resurrecting. Some practices invoke the spirit of the dead from having a feeling of longing; which include Ichizen-meshi a single bowl of rice given to the dead and Matsugo-no-mizu which is water given to the dead at the time of death. There are other contrasting customs like the Sakasa-buton or upside-down futon, whereby the dead persons blanket is placed facing upside-down, and the Sakasa-byobu or upside-down folding of the dead ones screen, where a folding screen is placed upside-down on top of the head of the deceaseds bed, and Sakasa-mizu or upside-down water, where the water for cleaning the corpse is prepared by adding hot water into cold water rather than pouring cold water into hot water as normal. All this is done with the primary aim of separating the scary situation of death from peoples day to day lives and also to prevent pulling others in to death. Other customs were also used traditionally to make it impossible for the departed soul to remain in this life or to make an attempt to return to this life. They included making burial gowns without closed stitches or backstitches , and the practice of turning the coffin three times when taking it out of the house which was done in order to confuse the deceased preventing them from ever coming back home. Similarly the deceaseds bowl of rice is shattered, and the deceased exits the house through an exit that is not the front door. Throwing of salt is also another practice aimed to remove the uncleanness and impurity brought about by the death. Up to now, there is the Kichu custom a 49-day mourning and grieving period, during which the family does not attend any festivities. During this period, since the family was made unclean by the death it is shunned and avoided. There is also Mochu which is a one-year period. A time when the family mourns the death of their member and remembers the departed. Conclusion In conclusion we have discussed in this assignment how traditional Japanese viewed death their traditions and their myths concerning death and all the elaborate preparations they carried out when sending off their dead relatives. Why and how all the rites were practiced. How the deceaseds family had a responsibility to give the dead a befitting burial and respect them because it was assumed that the dead retained their individuality as they had it before their deaths. The idea and belief that death is a station led to a continuation and made it possible for communication between the old and the dead.