International Marketplace Essays - Offshoring, Canada,

International Marketplace Jason Racki English 123 Ms. Gigliotti Term paper The Everyday Effects of the International Marketplace American is increasingly connected to the rest of theworld as a global economy becomes more important. We participate in the international marketplace both as providers of goods and as consumers. How we buy and sell affects us both in terms of what goods we can choose from, but also what jobs are available, and what kinds of industries will come to dominate our economy. One of the most important changes in recent years in our place in the global economy is the dropping of trade barriers with such political moves as the approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This has had an impact on our economy which has filtered down to the everyday lives of our people, both as workers and as consumers. On the one hand, NAFTA has been good in that it has caused the dropping of tariffs by Mexico and Canada, making U. S. goods more affordable in those countries. This has helped to stimulate some areas of the American economy by opening up new markets to sell our products abroad. In urging the passage of NAFTA, the Clinton Administration publications said that NAFTA would increase high wage jobs, boost U.S. growth, and expand the base from which U.S. firms and workers could compete in a world-wide market. It predicted job gains of approximately a million due to increased Mexican exports, and suggested that by 1995 there would be approximately 200,000 more high wage jobs created due to the opening of free markets. The industries most expected to benefit were those dealing in computer technology, machine tools, aerospace equipment, telecommunications equipment, electronics, and medical devices -- all areas where wages were already 12 per cent higher than the national average (Expanding (1993), 3-5). Such growth in jobs would have an effect on the workers and their communities, giving a boost to both individual wealth and the community itself. These benefits spread outward to other areas of the economy, helping people who have jobs in retail, construction, and o ther areas where workers spend their paychecks. However, there is another effect. As a result of the cheaper labor in Mexico, participation in this part of the international marketplace has led to the loss of many American jobs in certain industries, such as the garment and textile industries. After four years of stability, apparel industry jobs plunged suddenly last year, falling more than ten percent from 945,000 at the end of 1994 to 346,000 in 1995. In addition, 42,000 jobs vanished in the fabrics industry for at total shrinkage of 141,000 jobs. These jobs represented 40 percent of all manufacturing jobs lost in the United States last year (Squeezing (1996), D1). Carl Priestland, an economist for the American Apparel Manufacturers Association, predicted that this year another America will likely lose up to another 50,000 jobs in the industry (Squeezing (1996), D1). These losses especially affect workers in small towns like Pisgah, Alabama, and Granger, Texas. The approximate 100 people let go in Pisgah this year were emotionally devastated. Not only are they seeing their specific jobs disappear, they are also faced with seeing the entire industry vanish from their area, taking their opportunities with it. One example, Martha Smith, who lost her job sewing children's clothes, is now enrolled in a state-sponsored program to learn clerical skills. She is thereby trading a blue-collar position for one which is in a low-paying and overcrowded field. In fact a great many of the over 650 people who lost sewing jobs in Alabama this year are women struggling to support their families (Squeezing (1996), D1). They face a market where they have few skills and little to offer. Given the largely female makeup of the sewing industry, it is unfeasible to try to fit all these displaced workers in the clerical field. And on top of that, when a plant such as the one in Pisgah closes, the entire town and region suffer. Many such towns are dependent on one employer. When that employer leaves for cheaper labor in Mexico, the local economy cannot easily recover. Local merchants lose their customer base; suppliers to the mills lose their markets. In the textile

Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford - Tudor Lady-in-Waiting

Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford - Tudor Lady-in-Waiting Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford, born Jane Parker (circa 1505 - February 13, 1542), was a noblewoman and a courtier at the court of Henry VIII of England. She married into the Boleyn/Howard family and spent the rest of her life embroiled in their intrigues. Early Life Jane was born in Norfolk, though the year is not recorded: record-keeping was imperfect at the time, and a daughters birth was not significant enough. Her parents were Henry Parker, 10th Baron  Morley, and his wife Alice (nee Alice St. John). Like most girls of noble birth, she was likely educated at home; records are scarce. She was sent to court sometime before her fifteenth birthday to join the court of Katherine of Aragon. The first record of Jane being noted at court came in 1520, where she was part of the royal party that traveled to France for the Field of the Cloth of Gold meeting between Henry and Francis I of France. Jane was also recorded as participating in a court masquerade pageant in 1522, which indicates she was likely considered very pretty, although no confirmed portraits of her survive. Joining The Boleyns   Her family arranged her marriage to George Boleyn in 1525. At the time, Georges sister Anne Boleyn was a leader in court society, but had not yet caught the kings eye; her sister Mary had recently been Henrys mistress.  As a respected member of a powerful family, George earned a wedding present from the king: Grimston Manor, a house in Norfolk. By 1526 or 1527, Annes power had increased, and with it the fortunes of all the Boleyns. George Boleyn was given the title Viscount Rochford in 1529 as a mark of royal favor, and Jane became known as Viscountess Rochford (Lady Rochford was the appropriate form of direct address). Despite all these material gains, Janes marriage was probably an unhappy one. George was unfaithful, and historians have debated the exact nature of his debauchery: whether he was promiscuous, gay, violent, or some combination thereof. Nevertheless, the marriage did not result in any children. Boleyn Rise and Fall In 1532, when Henry VIII entertained the French king Francis I at Calais, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Boleyn appeared together. Henry finally divorced Katherine, and Anne married Henry in 1533, at which time Jane was a lady of the bedchamber to Anne. The nature of her relationship with Anne is not recorded. Some speculate that the two were not close and that Jane was jealous of Anne, but Jane did risk temporary exile from court to help Anne banish one of Henrys younger mistresses. Annes marriage to Henry began to fail, however, and Henrys attentions began to turn to other women. Anne miscarried in 1534 and had discovered that Henry was having an affair. Somewhere along the line, Janes loyalties shifted away from the faltering queen. By 1535, Jane had definitely sided against Anne, when Jane was part of a Greenwich demonstration protesting that Mary Tudor, not Annes daughter Elizabeth, was the true heir. This incident led to a stay in the Tower for Jane and for Annes aunt, Lady William Howard. In May 1536, the Boleyns fell. George was arrested and accused of incest and treason, and Anne was accused of witchcraft, adultery, treason, and incest. Some have concluded that the idea that Anne and her brother George were committing incest may have been spread by Jane. While this is unknown, Janes testimony was likely key evidence used in Thomas Cromwells case against Anne.  Another charge against Anne at her trial, though it was not spoken in court, was that Anne had told Jane that the king was impotent - a piece of information Cromwell had obtained from Jane.   George Boleyn was executed on May 17, 1536, and Anne on May 19.  Janes motivations in this betrayal are lost to history: she may have been terrified by Henrys vengeance, but the reputation she gained in history was as a jealous harpy who schemed against her in-laws. Lady To Later Queens After her husbands death, Jane Boleyn retired to the country. She was in serious financial trouble and obtained some help from her father-in-law. Apparently, Thomas Cromwell was also helpful to the woman who had been helpful to him in making the case against Anne, and she was allowed to continue using her aristocratic title. Jane became a lady of the bedchamber to Jane Seymour and was selected to bear the train of the Princess Mary at the queens funeral. She was lady of the bedchamber to the next two queens, as well. When Henry VIII wanted a quick divorce from his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, Jane Boleyn provided evidence, saying that Anne had confided in her in a roundabout way that the marriage had not actually been consummated. This report was included in the divorce proceedings. Now firmly with a reputation for eavesdropping and meddling, Jane became a crucial figure in the household of Henry VIIIs young, new wife, Catherine Howard  - a cousin of Anne Boleyn.  In that role, she was found to have been a go-between arranging visits between Catherine and her love Thomas Culpeper, finding them meeting places and hiding their meetings. She may even have instigated or at least encouraged their affair, for reasons unknown. Downfall and Depictions When Catherine was accused of the affair, which amounted to treason against the king, Jane  first denied knowledge of it. The interrogation of Jane over this matter caused her to lose her sanity, raising questions whether shed be well enough to be executed. A letter to Culpeper was produced in Catherines handwriting, in which was found the sentence, Come when my Lady Rochford is here, for then I shall be at leisure to be at your commandment. Jane Boleyn was charged, tried, and found guilty. Her execution took place on Tower Green on February 3, 1542, after Jane made a prayer for the king and alleged she had falsely testified against her husband. She was buried at the Tower of London, near Catherine, George, and Anne.   After her death, the image of Jane as the jealous accuser and manipulator firmly took hold and was accepted as fact for centuries. Most fictional portrayals of her have depicted a jealous, unstable, vicious woman at worst and an easily manipulated tool of powerful men at best. In recent years, however, biographers and historians have revisited her legacy and questioned whether or not Jane simply did the best she could to survive one of the most dangerous courts in history. Jane Boleyn Fast Facts Full Name:  Jane Boleyn, Viscountess RochfordBorn:  circa 1505 in Norfolk, EnglandDied:  February 13, 1542 on Tower Green, LondonSpouse: George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford (m. 1525 - 1536)Occupation:  English nobility; lady of the bedchamber for four queensKnown for:  Sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn who may have testified in her downfall; lady-in-waiting to five of Henry VIIIs queens Sources Fox, Julia.  Jane Boleyn: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford.  London, Weidenfeld Nicolson, 2007.Weir, Alison. The Six Wives of Henry VIII.  New York, Grove Press, 1991.

Mexicos Geographic Potential

Mexicos Geographic Potential Geography can have a profound influence on a countrys economy. States that are landlocked are nautically disadvantaged in global trade compared to coastal states. Countries located in the mid-latitudes will have greater agricultural potential than those in the high latitudes, and lowland areas encourage industrial development more so than highland areas. It is widely believed that Western Europes financial success is a fundamental result of the continents superior geography. However, despite its influence, there remain cases in which a country with good geography could still experience economic distress. Mexico is an example of such a case. The Geography of Mexico The country is also rich in natural resources. Gold mines are scattered throughout its southern regions, and silver, copper, iron, lead, and zinc ores can be found virtually anywhere within its interior. There is an abundance of petroleum along Mexicos Atlantic coast, and gas and coal fields are dispersed throughout the region near the Texas border. In 2010, Mexico was the third largest oil exporter to the United States (7.5%), behind only Canada and Saudi Arabia. With approximately half of the country located south of the Tropic of Cancer, Mexico has the ability to grow tropical fruits and vegetables nearly year-round. Much of its soil is fertile and the consistent tropical rainfall help provide natural irrigation. The countrys rainforest is also home to some of the worlds most diverse species of fauna and flora. This biodiversity has great potential for biomedical research and supply. Mexicos geography also provides great tourism possibilities. The crystal blue waters of the Gulf illuminate its white sand beaches, while ancient Aztec and Mayan ruins present visitors with an enriching historical experience. The volcanic mountains and forested jungle terrain provide an avenue for hikers and adventure seekers. Enclosed resorts in Tijuana and Cancun are perfect places for couples, honeymooners, and families on vacation. Of course, Mexico City, with its beautiful Spanish and Mestizo architecture and cultural life, attracts visitors of all demographics. Mexico's Economic Struggles In the last three decades, Mexicos economic geography has progressed somewhat. Thanks to NAFTA, northern states such as Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, and Baja California have seen great industrial development and income expansion. However, the country southern states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero continue to struggle. Mexicos infrastructure, already inadequate, serves the south far less well than the north. The south also lags in education, public utilities, and transportation. This contrast is leading to a great deal of social and political strife. In 1994, a radical group of Amerindian peasants formed a group called the Zapatista National Liberation Army (ZNLA), who consistently rages guerrilla warfare on the country. Another major obstacle to Mexicos economic advancement is the drug cartels. Over the past decade, drug cartels from Colombia established new bases in northern Mexico. These drug barons have been murdering law enforcement officers, civilians, and competitors by the thousands. They are well armed, organized, and they have begun to undermine the government. In 2010, the Zetas drug cartel siphoned more than $1 billion dollars worth of oil from Mexicos pipelines, and their influence continues to grow. The future of the country depends on the governments effort to close the gap between rich and poor in order to reduce regional inequalities. Mexico needs to invest in infrastructure development and education, all while pursuing strong trade policies with neighboring states. They need to find a way to abolish the drug cartels and create an environment that is secure for citizens and tourists. Most importantly, Mexico needs  to expand industrial avenues that can benefit from their good geography, such as the development of a dry canal across the narrowest part of the country to compete with the Panama Canal. With some proper reforms, Mexico has the great potential for economic prosperity. Sources: De Blij, Harm. The World Today: Concepts and Regions in Geography 5th Edition. Carlisle, Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons Publishing, 2011

Managing operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing operations - Essay Example The notion includes the process of delivering the services to the customers with the products. With the changing time the aspects covered are increasing, the process now also includes R&D, value creation, marketing management, sales activities, accounting and finance. Most of the physical assets remain unchanged. These include buildings, land, manufacturing plants, warehouses etc. Planning, operating and controlling are the important constituents of transformation process. The improvement in the system is also an important aim of the model. Outputs consist of products and services and may even be information, such as that provided by a consulting organisation. (Koontz and Weihrich, 1994; p 633, 634) Time network analysis is a logical extension of the famous Gantt chart. Often referred to as the program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) an in its essentials as the Critical Path Method (CPM), this technique of planning and control has wide potential use in many applications. But PERT and its various refinements, like PERT/COST, have considerable potential for use in many aspects of planning and controlling operations. (Koontz and Weihrich, 1994; p.648) A product can be improved and its cost lowered through value engineering, which consists of analysing the operations of the product or service, estimating the value of each operation, and attempting to improve that operation by trying to keep costs low at each step or part. The following specific steps are suggested: Work methods can be improved through work simplification, which is the process of obtaining the participation of workers in simplifying their work. Training sessions are conducted to teach concepts and principles of techniques such as time and motion studies, workflow analyses, and the layout of the work situation. (Koontz and Weihrich, 1994; p.648) A quality control circle, or simply quality circle (QC); is a group of people from the same organisational area who meet regularly

International Marketing Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Marketing Mix - Essay Example In case of the consumer base enjoyed by the company, there is a sharp segmentation in terms of the target group. The basic target group of the company includes people in the upper income group starting from the age of 30 and above. Further, the people who have retired and are in the age group of 50 and above, serve as a major source of profitability. Another important source of income for the product is the Internet. Therefore, the important element in the application of the entry point strategy for Tutbury’s is to recognise the age and income groups that predominantly define the demographics in India, before going on to carry out segmentation and reach suitability in terms of the marketing mix. In this case, the entry point strategy may be used as a preliminary process that will help develop the marketing mix. This entry point strategy has been defined throughout the paper in the various elements of the marketing mix so as to find a suitable base for segmentation and subseque nt brand positioning.Entry Point StrategyIn terms of the suitable model to be used for the development of a relevant marketing plan and strategy, we have made use of the International Market Entry Mode Strategy for this company. This strategy is ideal for those companies that wish to diversify geographically. (Walter et al, 1988) This strategy along with others that have to do with market segmentation and brand positioning for maximum customer satisfaction will be used in order to evolve a strategy that is best suited for the purpose.... This is the reason for choosing India as the country where a suitable marketing mix for a brand like Tutbury's will be suggested. Also, in this regard, the paper will carry out a discussion of Tutubury's current marketing and segmentation strategy in order to arrive on the aspects where the entry mode strategy can be introduced and defined to suit the consumer preference in India. About Tutbury's: Born and marketed during the 1920s to the 1960s, Tutbury's was named Thomas, Webb and Corbett to start with until it was known by its present name in 1984, owing to the spot of it factory which was in a 15th century village named Tutbury. 2006 saw a strategic move on Tutbury's part where its factory chose to be based at Stroke - on - Trent, instead of Tutbury's. The branding of Tutubry's has been largely based on norms that revolve around exclusivity and a certain amount of mystery with the nitty gritties of the company. The basic finding that this paper will work on is that Tutbury's has c apitalised on the lifestyles of a certain section of people so as to form a brand identity of its won. As far as the actual product is concerned, it is imperative to identify where its unique features lie. In this regard, Tutbury's is a product that works on the highest quality of glass which is produced primarily from a high standard of full lead crystal. This crystal has a crystal element that can be estimated at over 30%. In case of the consumer base enjoyed by the company, there is a sharp segmentation in terms of the target group. The basic target group of the company includes people in the upper income group starting from the age of 30 and above. Further, the people who have retired and are in the age group of 50 and above, serve as a major source of

The Virginal Conception of Christ Essay Example for Free

The Virginal Conception of Christ Essay The Virginal Conception is a vital aspects in Christian faith, this is also held by Muslims (Qur’an 3.47). Virginal conception is a miraculous, non-sexual manner. The Holy Spirit caused Mary to conceive God Incarnate without the help of a man. For some believers they believed that   Mary also gave birth to Jesus miraculously; He passed through her without wounding her or spoiling her physical virginity, But for some He passed through her in natural way- thus breaking her hymen and went thru birth pains. When talking of virgin birth, it means also, Virginal Conception (Virginitas ante partum), i.e. that Christ, one of the person in the Deity Incarnate, had no human biological father. The biblical basis of virginal conception of Jesus was prophesied in Genesis 3:15 and Isaiah 7:14. It came true in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:34-35. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7) However, the possibility of a virgin birth is often questioned for the fact that, from a biological viewpoint, it is impossible for a human being to be born without a biological father and a mother. Also, some Christians do not believe in the Virgin Birth. Research by many groups, including Christian researchers, indicates that among both the clergy and the laity (in all branches of Christianity) a belief in central tenets of the faith such as Virgin Birth or bodily Resurrection is highly variable. Although they believe in the Virgin Birth, Muslims do not call Jesus Son of God, rather Servant of God. In the Quran, Jesus (Isa in Arabic) is consistently termed Isa ibn Maryam a matronymic- because, in Muslim belief, he had no biological father. Philosophical controversy In the wider sense, arguments for and against the Virgin Birth depend on fundamental philosophical assumptions: if one believes God does not exist, or if God exists but does not perform miracles, the Virgin Birth cannot have taken place in any traditionally accepted sense. While parthogenesis, a type of virgin birth where a female gives birth without the intervention of the male material, is known in nature, the resulting offspring must be female since the mother has no Y chromosome to pass on. Also, the process has never been observed in mammals. The Virgin Birth not only violates a naturalist philosophy, but also science based upon methodological naturalism. Alleged late appearance in the New Testament There are explicit references to the virgin birth in only two places in the New Testament: the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which are believed by many scholars to be amongst the later written parts of the New Testament. The apparently older Gospel of Mark, on which Matthew and Luke are believed to be partly based, does not mention the virgin birth, and some scholars also argue from grammar and style that the first two chapters of Luke, describing the virgin birth, were a later addition to the Gospel, which may originally have begun at 3:1: 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. 3:1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. At 3:1 there is an abrupt change of subject and the story begins again. Nevertheless, this is characteristic of many stories in the Gospels and the author of Luke may simply be beginning a new segment of his narrative. Arguments regarding the addition of material to a narrative (Redaction and Form criticism), especially when the material in question is present in the earliest manuscripts, have received significant criticism in the last 20 years and are now regarded as dubious by some textual critics. Double attestation The Virgin conception and birth is a tradition that fits within the criterion of multiple attestation, that is, the same event appears in two independent traditions (most scholars argue that the authors of Matthew and Luke worked independent of one another). For many historians, independent testimony is a significant evidence for the historical validity of a said event. Matthew and Luke are testifying to an event, the birth, about which there was a tradition, namely, that it resulted from a miraculous conception. That the conception itself was indeed miraculous appears to rest on a single attestation, that of the Virgin Mary. The attestation of the Angel to St. Joseph on the miraculous nature of the conception would not be accepted by many scholars as historiographically valid. Critics of the double attestation argument cite many inconsistencies between the accounts of Matthew and Luke regarding Jesus birth. According to Matthew, Joseph was forewarned of the virgin birth by an unnamed angel; in Luke it is Mary who is notified of this by the angel Gabriel. Matthew tells us that Joseph and Mary were residents of Bethlehem who moved to Nazareth after Jesus birth in order to avoid living under Archelaus: according to the better-known story in Luke the couple lived in Nazareth and only traveled to Bethlehem in order to comply with a Roman census. Luke mentions that Mary was the sister of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, has the new-born Jesus visited by shepherds, and mentions several long hymns uttered by various characters, such as Marys Magnificat. None of this is mentioned by Matthew, who instead tells us of the visit of the Magi, the massacre of the innocents by Herod, and the flight into Egypt. There are thus two rival explanations for the double attestation of Matthew and Luke regarding the virgin birth of Jesus: The virgin birth was a historical event, and the stories of Matthew and Luke are based on different aspects and witnesses accounts of it. Matthew and Luke both wanted to make Jesus fit prophecies from Hebrew scripture. Both authors were aware of the prophecies concerning virgin birth and Bethlehem, and therefore these elements of their stories match. But each author wove these prophecies into the overall narrative in a different way. For example, both authors had to explain how Jesus was born in Bethlehem when he was known to be from Nazareth (as mentioned in Marks gospel) and each came up with a totally different explanation. The double attestation shows only that the two witnesses are independent, although, there are some inconsistencies but it does not disqualify the truth of the case. Dispute regarding Isaiah 7:14 In the past two millennia, there has been controversy among scholars about the translation and the meaning of a small section of Isaiah. For many scholars, the crux of the matter is the translation of the word  : × ¢Ã—Å"מה, `almah which has been translated as young woman and as virgin. In Isaiah the word for virgin here is almah. Some liberals1 and Orthodox Jews claim that the word really means young woman, and this is reflected in Bible translations such as the NEB, RSV, NRSV, and GNB. Such people fail to explain why a young womans bearing a son should be a sign it happens all the time. The Septuagint translates it as (parthenos), the normal word for virgin.2 Later Jews, such as Trypho,3 Justin Martyrs (c. 160) dialog opponent, and Rashi4 (11th Cent.) have claimed that the Septuagint was wrong. Trypho claimed that almah should have been translated neanis (young girl) rather than parthenos.5 However, even Rashi admitted that the word could mean virgin in Song of Sol. 1:3 and 6:8. In the KJV, the word is translated virgin in Gen. 24:43 (Rebekah before her marriage), maid in Ex. 2:8 (Miriam as a girl) and Prov. 30:19, and damsels in Ps. 68:25. These verses contain all the occurrences of almah in the OT, and in none can it be shown that a non-virgin is meant. In English, maid and maiden are often treated as synonyms for virgin (e.g. maiden voyage). Vine et al. note that the other word for virgin, betà »lah, emphasizes virility more than virginity (although it is used with both emphases, too).6 It is qualified by a statement neither had any man known her in Gn. 24:16, and is used of a widow in Joel 1:8. Further evidence comes from clay tablets found in 1929 in Ugarit in Syria. Here, in Aramaic, a word similar to `almah is used of an unmarried woman, while on certain Aramaic incantation bowls, the Aramaic counterpart of betà »lah is used of a married woman.37 The Encyclopedia Judaica, while criticising the translation of almah in Is. 7:14 as virgin, also points out that btlt was used of the goddess Anath who had frenzied sex with Baal.8 In the King James Virsion of The Bible, a traditional Protestant translation, the verses in question run like this: 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. Some newer translations also use the word virgin: The New King James, The English Standard Version, The Contemporary English Version, Youngs Literal Translation, among others. Many modern translations concede that the word in the Hebrew does not mean virgin, including The Revised Standard Version, The New Jerusalem Bible, The Revised English Bible, The Good News Bible, The New Revised Standard Version, among others. This demonstrates that some Christian scholars, both Protestant and Catholic, prefer the traditional translation of the Hebrew in the context of Isaiah 7:14, while others do not. Skeptics argue that this is not a very clear prophecy of the birth of Jesus. In addition to the objection that Jesus was not in fact named Immanuel there are other problems: for example, (1) what does the butter and honey refer to? (One possible response to the butter and honey problem: it is a reference to one who, metaphorically, has eaten good meat his entire life in order to spit out the bad meat if it ever touched his lips. Note that the butter and honey reference is immediately followed by the comment on an ability to choose between good and evil; this may suggest that they are related.) (2) Why is Jesus, who was sinless from birth in the traditional Christian understanding, described as having to learn to refuse the evil and choose the good? and (3) This passage within the latter translations states clearly that the young woman within this prophecy is already pregnant with a child. This makes this prophecy about the coming Messiah Jesus very difficult to explain as the prophecy would have already been fulfilled during Isaiahs time. Some Christian aplogists have attempted to explain this problem of temporal context as: a) the latter translations are in error, and b) the latter translations are correct, but that the prophecy has a double-application for both Isaiahs time and the first century. Thomas Paine argued in the second part of The Age of Reason that Isaiahs prophesy (7:16) turned out to be false. He based his conclusion on the 2nd Chronicles (chapter 28) account of heavy defeat of Ahaz. Skeptics raise even greater questions about the translation of the first verse in this passage: 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, × ¢Ã—Å"מה (a `almah) shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Christian apologists respond that the passage is a double reference— a sign both to Ahaz that the alliance against him would be destroyed, and to the house of David as a whole that was threatened with extinction. This is shown by the Hebrew which uses singular you for the former and plural you for the latter. With the former, Isaiah reassures Ahaz that the alliance would be destroyed before his own son Shear Jashub, who was present (v. 3), would learn to refuse the evil and choose the good. Finally, there is archaeological evidence that Jewish speakers of Greek used the word parthenos elastically; Jewish catacombs in Rome identify married men and women as virgins, and some have suggested that in this case the word was used to call attention to the fact that the deceased was someones first spouse (although it is notable that this usage is from several centuries before the translation of the Septuagint [citation  needed]). Certainly, Jews stopped using the more explicit Septuagint translation as Christianity spread, and post-Christian Jewish translations into Greek use ÃŽ ½ÃŽ µÃŽ ±ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¹Ãâ€š, neanis, meaning young (juvenile) woman, rather than parthenos. Possible borrowing from Paganism Some have argued that the Virgin Birth is a Christian borrowing from paganism The impregnation of mortal women by gods is common in pagan mythology. However, this is not technically virginal conception, since virginity is lost by definition when the sex act is initiated. Christian writers have noted that the obvious sex of the pagan myths is missing in the Gospels: Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Luke 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. A pagan myth of virgin birth may also underlie the disputed verses from Isaiah: It all boils down to this: the distinctive Hebrew word for virgin is betulah, whereas `almah means a young woman who may be a virgin, but is not necessarily so. The aim of this note is rather to call attention to a source that has not yet been brought into the discussion. From Ugarit of around 1400 B.C. comes a text celebrating the marriage of the male and female lunar deities. It is there predicted that the goddess will bear a son The terminology is remarkably close to that in Isaiah 7:14. However, the Ugaritic statement that the bride will bear a son is fortunately given in parallelistic form; in 77:7 she is called by the exact etymological counterpart of Hebrew `almah young woman; in 77:5 she is called by the exact etymological counterpart of Hebrew betulah virgin. Therefore, the New Testament rendering of `almah as virgin for Isaiah 7:14 rests on the older Jewish interpretation, which in turn is now borne out for precisely this annunciation formula by a text that is not only pre-Isaianic but is pre-Mosaic in the form that we now have it on a clay tablet. (Feinberg, BibSac, July 62; the citation to Gordon is: C. H. Gordon, `Almah in Isaiah 7:14, Journal of Bible and Religion, XXI, 2 (April, 1953), p. 106.) This philological reasoning seems to raise four possibilities: virgin birth is a pagan concept that Christianity has 1) taken from contemporary paganism; 2) taken from pre-Mosaic paganism through Isaiah; 3) taken from contemporary paganism and justified from Isaiah, who took it from pre-Mosaic paganism; 4) produced independently of all forms of paganism, though sharing similar vocabulary. If pre-Mosaic paganism supports Isaiah, and Isaiah supports Matthew and Mark, paganism has anticipated Christianity, perhaps because God was preparing the way for Christianity or because, as some Church Fathers argued, the Devil was blasphemously imitating Christianity. On the other hand, if paganism does not underlie Isaiah, there are several possibilities. Perhaps virgin birth was invented separately, first in paganism, then in Christianity. Perhaps the idea of asexual conception was so different from the idea of conception through sexual intercourse with a deity that there was little or no borrowing in either direction. Or perhaps, despite the earlier date of the Ugaritic text, virgin birth existed first in Judaism, without any other instances than this one, and was borrowed by paganism. The obvious difficulty with this idea is that virgin birth was much more prominent in paganism, where it occurs in many myths in many different areas, than it was in Judaism, where it occurs (if at all) in a single verse late in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the argument that virgin birth was a Jewish concept first borrowed by paganism and later incorporated into Christianity was first made by Justin Martyr in The First Apology of Justin, written in the second century. Justin also made this argument in his Dialog with Trypho, in which he debates with a Jew called Trypho: Be well assured, then, Trypho, I continued, that I am established in the knowledge of and faith in the Scriptures by those counterfeits which he who is called the Devil is said to have performed among the Greeks; just as some were wrought by the Magi in Egypt, and others by the false prophets in Elijahs days. For when they tell that Bacchus, son of Jupiter, was begotten by Jupiters intercourse with Semele, and that he was the discoverer of the vine; and when they relate, that being torn in pieces, and having died, he rose again, and ascended to heaven; and when they introduce wine into his mysteries, do I not perceive that the Devil has imitated the prophecy announced by the patriarch Jacob, and recorded by Moses? Justin was clearly not referring to any Ugaritic texts, as these texts were not known in his day; he was referring to Greek paganism. That the Devil is responsible for the similarities between paganism and Judaism is not generally accepted by modern scholars, partly because the Devils influence would be impossible to disprove. The Devil could not, for example, imitate Christianity or Judaism before either existed, without violating the generally accepted historical rule that a culture cannot be influenced by a culture that does not yet exist; even though in point of fact it is likely that if the patriarch Jacob existed, he was contemporary with the inscriptions at Ugarit. In a similar vein, it might also be argued that God had chosen to out-do these earlier human myths, all as part of his Plan. Christian writers point out that if in fact the writer of Isaiah intended to borrow the idea of a virgin birth from an older pagan tradition, we might expect to find Isaiah using more explicit language to indicate that a virgin was meant. However, if Isaiah had borrowed the story from pagans, he might be expected to speak in the same way as the pagans, and that is what he does, according to the scholar quoted, who notes the remarkable similarity of the Ugaritic and the Hebrew. However, Isaiah may speak the same way as the pagans simply because he came from a similar sociological and semantic context. If Isaiah received a new prophecy direct from God, on the other hand, he had no tradition to conform to, and he could have expanded the meaning to make it completely unambiguous. That he did not choose to make it unambiguous is thus an apparent difficulty for the Christian interpretation of the text, though the ambiguity could be seen as being intended, if one supposes that God had a dual purpose for the text (i.e., to serve one function in Isaiahs time and another function later). Isaiahs prophecy departs from the Ugaritic version of the virgin birth by having the female be entirely human, whereas in the Ugaritic culture, the virgin was another deity, on par with the male; but this is exactly what might be expected if the myth were borrowed from paganism, since Judaism has only one male deity; a female deity in a borrowed myth might thus conceivably become a female human. According to Origen and Tertullian, the Christian doctrine of the Virgin birth met with lively opposition and mockery from pagan groups. This testimony would seem to discount the suggestion of those modern revisionists who have posited that the pagan religions had a similar or identical tradition. The doctrine of the Virgin Birth is frequently confused with the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The latter, taught by the Roman Catholic Church states that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin. Mary, however, unlike many peoples views of Jesus, was conceived in the ordinary way: i.e. she had a human father as well as a human mother (whose names, according to Catholic and Orthodox tradition, were Joachim and Anna/Anne or Jehoiakim and Hannah in Hebrew). Whilst Protestant denominations adhere to the doctrine of the Virgin Birth, they do not adhere to the idea of Marys immaculate conception, nor of her perpetual virginity. References: Hagner, Donald-Matthew 2 Vols. (Biblical Commentary) Dallas; Word, 1993,1995. Luz, Ulrich. Matthew 1-7 Minneapolis; Augsburg Fortress, 1989. Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1997. Keener Craig, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1999. Nolland, John, The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 2005 Raymond E. Brown, The Virginal Conception and Bodily Resurrection of Jesus, New York: Paulist, 1973 (pp. 21-68) Marshall, I. Howard. Commentary on Luke, Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1978 Fitzmyer, Joseph. The Gospel According to Kuke I-IX (Anchor Bible) Garden City. Doubleday. 1981

one flew over the cucoos nest Essay -- essays research papers

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST Q3 One of the main themes throughout the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is ‘societal repression over the individual’. The book is written by Ken Kesey and based around patients’ lives within a mental institution. Kesey uses the novel to voice his opinion concerning the oppressive nature of control those who enforce the control. Such a repressive feeling is amplified by the setting of the institution, the patients and Kesey’s tone throughout the novel. The setting of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a mental institution, in the countryside of Oregon during the 1960’s. At this time young Americans began to challenge conformity and live their lives around peace, love and drugs. LSD was a drug used both during the political uprising and in the novel as treatment for mental disorders. Kesey discusses how the world within the ward mirrors the world outside. ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ contains examples of behaviour and attitudes displayed by characters within the clinical environment of the psychiatric ward, which can be compared to behaviour found within contemporary American society. Notions of leadership and hierarchy within a class, sexism, and crime and punishment play a vital role in the telling of the story. Chief Bromden, the book’s narrator, darkly and fearfully portrays the institution. Within the walls of the harsh, bleak institution are several authority figures known as the & quot;Combine" to the Chief. They control, direct, and manipulate every aspect of the lives of the patients. Nurse Ratched, who controls the Chief's ward, is the ultimate authority figure--a menacing, cold, callous, larger-than-life authoritarian who will stop at nothing to make sure the "Combine" maintains firmly in power. Kesey, through the Chief's narrative, creates a gloomy, hopeless world; a world where the facility's patients have nothing to look forward to except the inexorable clutches of insanity. The patients are exposed to painful treatments enforced by Nurse Ratched. The electroshock therapy table is shaped like a cross, with straps across the wrists and over the head. Ellis, Ruckly, and Taber who are classified as Acutes has their lives destroyed by electroshock therapy. It serves as a reminder to the rest of the ward what happens to those who rebel against the ruling powers. If the patients are not se... ...ically "castrated" him. He is accused of being homosexual and having nothing between his legs but "a patch of hair". He is constantly trying to hide his hands, which are white and beautiful. His final victory over the Nurse and women in general is when he walks out of the hospital against medical advice and has his wife pick him up, showing that he now controls his own life rather than being controlled by the women that surround him. Ken Kesey has written the novel in a very intelligent and contrasting way. The hospital is presented as a metaphor for the oppressive society of the late 1950s. The novel celebrates the expression of sexuality as the ultimate goal and denounces repression as based on fear and hate. Bromden’s slightly paranoid account may be the equivalent of Keseys. The tone of the patients compared with that of the Nurse is obvious. The Nurse is confident and well educated, taking full advantage of the ward patients. The patients are uneducated and easily manipulated. They are referred to as animals by Nurse Ratched immediately taking away their dignity and self-respect and treating them in an inhuman way. JARED THORNQUEST Word count = 1008

Restaurant Industry Analysis

Executive Summary This report will show that this industry can greatly benefit from the services our company offers. It will highlight many aspects of the restaurant industry and the changes that the industry is currently facing. With the state of the economy and the pressure on restaurants to offer healthy options to consumers, there have been many changes recently. This report will address those changes and the reasoning behind them. It will also address the importance of the restaurant industry to the economy as well as the history of the restaurant industry and ethical issues surrounding the business.This report will begin with a discussion of the largest industry trade association for the restaurant industry which is the NRA. It will then discuss the current focus in the restaurant industry on healthy eating and low calorie menu options. Socially, it is extremely important for the restaurants to offer these low calorie menu options to please customers who are watching their weig ht, or working to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is also a focus in the legal and ethics categories of this paper, and continues to be one of the main focuses of the industry currently.The state of the economy will be another main discussion in this report. This is a problem that is affecting everyone, and every industry. It has caused restaurants to start relying on coupons and discounts to bring in consumers. Without these coupons and discounts, customers do not feel they can justify going to restaurants. The industry is expected to financially turn around within the next few years and recover from the great losses it, and many other industries have suffered.It is very apparent that the restaurant industry is extremely competitive; a consumer is offered many different choices in each category of cuisine, which makes it even more important for restaurants to offer what the customer wants, as well as to run specials and promotions to draw the customer in. Overall, the restaurant industry is currently being affected by all of the social and economic factors that are happening in the world around us, but by staying on top of the competition, offering coupons, deals, and options for every type of consumer, the industry should continue to grow and continue to be successful.Purpose The purpose of this report is to show the team that this industry could benefit from the services that are offered at the agency and to ensure that each agent has a full understanding of the restaurant industry and the patterns that it follows. It is extremely important that when working to acquire new business, each member of the team has a full understanding of the industry, from its history, to its legal troubles. The purpose of this report is also to show the company that there will be gains for both parties involved if the business is gained.Due to the downturn in the economy, it may be assumed that now would not be a good time to invest in a new industry; however this report wi ll show that the restaurant industry has a way of maintaining itself, and there are always new opportunities to be considered. This report will use an environmental scan to show the importance of understanding the industry, and understanding the how trends in our society today affect the industry. Trade Association An industry trade association that is affiliated with the restaurant industry is the National Restaurant Association (NRA).The NRA is located at 1200 17th St.  NW Washington DC 20036 (â€Å"National Restaurant,† 2011). The phone number is (202)331-5900 (â€Å"National Restaurant,† 2011). The NRA can also be found at www. restaurant. org. The NRA represents 380,000 of the 960,000 restaurant, restaurant supply, and nonprofit locations in the country (â€Å"National Restaurant,† 2011). They work to provide these locations with the resources necessary to be successful in an extremely fast paced industry. The NRA hosts multiple events each week in effort s to keep the restaurant community together. Environmental Scan This portion of the report will discuss the forces and trends that are currently affecting the industry.This information will assist with marketing strategies and presentations. Social One of the largest factors currently facing today’s restaurants is the focus on healthy eating and offering low calorie menu options. Fast food restaurants have begun heavily advertising their salads, as well as their other low calorie or natural options. With the current number of obese American’s on the rise, restaurants have certainly felt the pressure from their customers as well as from the government to ensure that their menus include healthy options that are still appetizing and that will sell well.One of the strategies that has been put in place by many restaurants is adding calorie counts to their menus. This strategy has been approved by many obesity experts, and has been shown to improve %15 of patron’s mea l choices (Jessen, 2011). Another social factor that is currently affecting the industry is the need for restaurants to stay open late or twenty four hours to better serve the communities. Denny’s and Ihop have been familiar â€Å"24 hour† restaurants for some time now, but back in 2000, Wendy’s began offering late night hours to their consumers.They realized that they were missing a great part of the market, and by extending their hours, intended to scoop it up. Currently, 80% of fast food drive thru’s offer late night hours, at least until midnight (Robinson, 2005). This market is growing stronger and stronger due to the consumer’s need for a late night snack combined with the laziness of not wanting to hit their own refrigerators. Economic Over the past few years, all American’s have become painfully aware of the distress that our economy is facing, and the restaurant industry was certainly not excluded in this awareness.The industry has been forced to take matters into their own hands and has begun offering more promotions, deals, and coupons to draw consumers into their businesses. According to USA Today, this is not supposed to be the time of year for coupons, as the holiday season approaches, restaurants are typically getting busier and busier, and the need to offer freebies decreases greatly (Horovitz, 2007). This year, that will not be the case. Consumers are feeling the pressure to save money wherever they can, and going out to eat is one of the first cuts that is going to be made.Coupons will dictate the dining decisions of many people as long as the economy continues its downward spiral. Many restaurants are offering deals that do not even need a coupon, these deals include promotions like â€Å"2 for 20† or â€Å"$6. 95 all you can eat soup and salad†. Companies have found that these marketing strategies increase their daily number of patron’s a great deal. Technological As the importa nce of technology in the daily lives of American’s grows, the importance of technology in the restaurant industry grows as well. The current fastest growing technological trend in the industry is the development of the online ordering system.It begun as a system that was put in place by a majority of large pizza delivery companies, but has continued to grow into a service that is now being offered by many chain restaurants to accompany their curbside carryout service (â€Å"OLO,† 2011) . This is purely a consumer convenience that has worked very well for companies so far. Companies are also utilizing the current social media craze to draw in more customers by offering special coupons and deals on their Facebook pages as well as adding their menu’s which is also a convenience for the consumer. CompetitiveIt does not take much more than a drive around a well populated city to understand the magnitude of the competition in the restaurant industry. As far as the fas t food industry goes, it is easy to see who the biggest competitors are, as they are the ones that we repeatedly see. The casual dining restaurant industry is a little bit harder to decipher. The two biggest companies in the casual dining spectrum are Darden (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Capital Grille) and the Outback Corporation (Outback, Carrabba’s, Flemings, Roy’s, and Bonefish Grille) (â€Å"Restaurants & Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s,† n.d).As big as these two companies are, the top fifty companies in the restaurant industry hold just 20% of the market (â€Å"Restaurants & Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s,† n. d). This figure shows the importance of remaining on top of the competition and of remaining innovative and fresh. With the economy in its current state, restaurants are being forced to come up with crazy promo’s to draw out the customers. Ruth’s Steak House is mailing out $25 gift certificates to members of their rewards p rogram, Cold  Stone Creamery is partnering with Rocky Mountain Chocolates to create a shop that offers specialty ice cream and specialty chocolates.Carrabba’s is offering $10 off any bottle of wine on Wednesdays (â€Å"Restaurants dream,† 2008). These are just some examples of the promotions that are being put into place in order to keep restaurants in line with their competition. Legal As previously discussed, obesity is on the rise, which makes the government take more notice of the actions that restaurants are taking to ensure the best options for their patrons.The FDA is cracking down on the amount of calories in restaurant menu options. They are expected to introduce new national laws by the end of the year that requires any chain with twenty or more locations to include calories on their menu for all of their items (Bernstein, 2011). It is expected that companies that make changes as quickly as possible will fare the best with the FDA. This is not the first tim e that the food and drug administration has cracked down on calories. A few years ago, they required a few large chain restaurants to remove menu items that were over 1500 calories.Market Segmentation The restaurant industry can be split into a market segmentation of fast food, buffets, casual dining, and fine dining. It is important to know this information due to the fact that each segment will need to me marketed differently. Each segment sees a different demographic as far as age, financial status, and even gender. Many restaurants have begun marketing to senior citizens with early bird specials and deals because they realize that the baby boom generation is good part of the American stomach (Hayes, 2005).Demographic and economic statistics help to show the sales potential of the industry which is extremely important to marketers. When a new restaurant is looking to open its doors, there are certain demographic categories that must be looked at. These categories include: populat ion, median age, gender, ethnic groups, household income, marital status, households with children, and education. All of these categories must be analyzed in order for a restaurant to ensure success in the area in which they are opening.Information on these categories can be found using the most recent census, as well as state data agencies. Industry History Surprisingly, the restaurant is a relatively recent phenomenon. Until the near 1800’s, people dined at taverns, inns, and cabarets, and the idea of a restaurant was still an idea of the future (Dorf, 1992). In America, the restaurant became popular in the nineteenth century during the Industrial revolution. These restaurants were originally created to serve the workers during the industrial revolution (Lundberg, 1994).They included â€Å"white tablecloth† service and restaurants that resembled more of a mess hall to fit as many people as possible. Since then, the idea has very obviously taken off, and remains stro ng even through our rough economic times. Financial Forecast The light at the end of the tunnel has not yet been spotted as far our economy goes, but it appears that American’s have decided that it is okay to begin venturing out in restaurants again. Total restaurant sales for 2011 have been up 3. 6% over sales in 2010, and this is expected to continue into 2012 (Weisberg, 2010).This is great news for the industry, however it has been reported that despite the rise in sales, 2 out of every five adults in America are still not using restaurant services as much as they would like in their daily lives (Weisberg, 2010). With The expected rise in sales, the importance of offering coupons and deals is still a big factor. If the industry would like to keep sales on the rise, it is important to continue advertising and drawing consumers into the restaurants. Ethical Issues Currently, the major ethical issue that the restaurant industry is dealing with is the obesity factor.If the att empts to create a healthy menu and healthier options continue, the industry should stay out of hot water. It is important to realize that the promotion of healthy choices can draw customers as well as keep a specific restaurant in good standing with the American public. Ethically, it should be extremely important for the industry to maintain as healthy a menu as possible. With many Americans struggling with obesity every day, the healthy menu options could really make a difference in their lives. One of the biggest ethical issues that each and every restaurant in the industry faces each day is the issue of safety.There is a lot of focus on safety not only for the customer, but also for the employees. Food recalls have been a major issue in the past few years, as they have become more and more frequent due to new diseases and viruses that are developing. If food that is recalled is not immediately removed, it could be very dangerous to the customer, which could in turn lead to a pote ntial closing of a restaurant. Discussion The restaurant industry is significant in many ways. It is an industry that will never completely die if they continue to change and offer new and exciting things to their consumers.It is important that trends are followed and the proper advertising is done to reach specific demographics. The industry is also significant because people pay attention to activity going on in the restaurant industry because a great majority of American’s eat some sort of restaurant food at least once a week. I recommend that our company pursue a potential business opportunity with the restaurant industry because I believe that the company could have a great impact on the industry by using prevalent industry information to create a marketing campaign that will boost sales and bring in more lifelong customers.Conclusion In conclusion, I recommend that our company make a bid for the business in the restaurant industry because it is an industry that is extre mely capable of growth, and I believe that our company could greatly assist in this growth. Together, we could create an excellent advertising campaign that would not only increase sales, but also improve the opinion of the industry in the public eye. I have always said that everyone has to eat, why not make it at a restaurant tonight?

European learning institutions in the Middle Ages Essay

The Monastic schools provided the basis for the universities. The main purpose for the establishment of schools was to develop literacy in the society. Through the schools people were educated and hence became wiser. These schools led to the formation of universities as many individuals begun to pursue deeper meanings, verbal clarity and places for doing analysis. During the scholasticism period, the need for a place where intellectuals could do their studies increased greatly as the number of scholars and philosophers rose. Scholars started to analyze books and other information sources through reason and argumentation. Individuals who had gone through schooling had no place to further their studies and their number was increasing. This therefore led to the rise of universities as they provided a place for further studies. During the scholastic period there were many discoveries which were meant to enhance learning. The universities came up because of the need to have intellectuals together so that they can share ideas and opinions thereby leading to more discoveries. The university was a good place to do research and for individuals to learn from others. Additionally, individuals wanted to understand the Bible better and thus get closer to its truth. The university provided a good place where people could study the Bible and hence understand it better. Background of the students During this period, education was the privilege of the members of the upper classes and thus most of the students were from the upper classes in the society. There were few students from the lower classes who had the opportunity to have formal education. This could be attributed to insufficient educational resources thereby making them expensive and thus not affordable to the lower class members. Curriculum The schools curriculum was divided into two trivium and quadrivium. Trivium was composed of grammar, dialectic and rhetoric while qaudrivium contained geometry, arithmetic, astronomy and music. In grammar, texts written by the Priscian who was a Latin grammarian were studied and applied. In dialectic, the works done by Aristotle were read while in rhetoric, the works of Cicero were studied. Arithmetic involved the study of multiplication and division, and in addition to that abacus and chronology were learned. Geometry mainly involved the study of Euclid while Astronomy involved studying the works of Bede and Pliny who was a Roman writer. In Music, the students were taught proportion, scale, ‘music of the spheres’ and the harmony of the universe. During the Charlemagne period education was mainly based on written texts (Cunningham & Reich, 2006). During the scholasticism period, learning was based on reasoning and argumentation. Books were chosen, read and subjected to investigation. Points of disagreements between books and other sources of information were written down and subjected to analysis using dialectics. Through the dialectics a common ground was found. During this period universities were formed and the curriculum of most universities primarily involved the study of philosophy, science, ancient culture and mathematics. In addition to studying the students were allowed to do research in their field of preference. The effects of formal educational institutions on the European society These institutions increased the gap between the rich and the poor people in the society. This can be attributed to background of the most students. Education was primarily the privilege of the upper class members and thus most of the lower class member never had the opportunity to have formal education. However, in spite of the gap in the society, the formal educational institutions provided the basis for more discoveries and developments in the European society. Through the institutions literacy in the society increased as more people improved their knowledge and skills. Additionally, the institutions reconciled different societies as translators and intermediaries were required. For instance, in translating Greek to English Muslims and Jews were utilized as translators and intermediaries. This therefore led to reconciliation between different religions as they dependent on each in enhancing learning. Furthermore, the learning institutions led to change in character as individuals begun to see things differently. This led to changes in the political scene as authoritative governments collapsed paving way for the democratic ones. Powers of the monasteries were reduced as democratic governments came into power. This is because more individuals understood their rights and hence started to fight for their rights. Word count: 717. Reference list Cunningham L. S. and J. Reich, (2006). Culture and values. Edition: 6. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. p. 199.

Irish Politics essays

Irish Politics essays Irish Politics Today was written by Neil Collins and Frank McCann. This book was written in 1989 so is a little out of date. This book gives a very good outline of the history of Ireland, from when Ireland got its independence to the present day government. The book was very interesting and kept you attention the whole way through. The book covered every aspect of Ireland in a very general manner. There were not very many specific names other than the Presidents and the Taoiseach. Chapter one looks at the history of Ireland starting with its two jurisdictions Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Ireland got its independence in 1922. The book refers to the Republic of Ireland as the Republic. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. When the republic got its independence the island was divided into thirty-two counties. The Republic controlled twenty-six of those counties. France and America had a huge influence on the people of Ireland resisting the British. The first attempt to gain independence was in 1798. Wolfe Tone attempted to overthrow the British, but he failed both militarily and politically. The Great Famine between 1845 and 1851 killed one million people. This famine was a result of a failure in the potato crop. Around this time is when many Irish people came to America for new hope. In 1918 the parliament was formed called Dail Eireann by Sinn Fein the party that won the majority of seats in the 1918 election. The two major political parties today are Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. The Irish constitution was formed in 1937. This was when De Valera was the leader of Fianna Fail and the Taoiseach or Prime Minister. Ireland in the World economy is in the semi-periphery or intermediate in status. Industry is locally owned and financed. Their economy in 1900 was dependent on agriculture, and is weak because of their lack of raw materials. Irelands main export was live cattle to...

Best Websites to Learn English

Best Websites to Learn English Best Websites to Learn English Best Websites to Learn English By Sharon Whether you are learning English as a second language or trying to polish your already adequate grammar and style skills, the seven websites below can help. 1. Memrise Memrise is an online flashcard website where people can upload their own flashcard stacks. You can find a range of topics ranging from Geography to Electronics to Fashion. These flashcards are great if you want to learn English vocabulary for specific topics, as the majority of flashcards come with pictures and sounds to aid your learning. Even if you know English very well, Memrise can help you learn higher-level English, with flashcards covering SAT and GRE English, and more. 2. Duolingo If your first language is not English, and you are confused about where to go first, I suggest Duolingo. Duolingo is a language-learning website that transforms the language-learning process into a game. You are given tasks like matching words to flashcards, picking the most appropriate word for a sentence, writing what you hear, and more, all in your native language. Duolingo will help you take your English abilities in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, to a basic conversational level once you finish the course. From there, you can take the reverse course, translating from English into your native language. The learning never stops at Duolingo. I often find myself redoing the courses to solidify my abilities. 3. Dictionary.com Everyone, at one time or another, needs a dictionary. There are hundreds of thousands of words in the English language and not many people know them all. Everyone, from the most basic of beginners to the more advanced speakers of the English language, should bookmark Dictionary.com for future reference. You never know when you will need to learn what a word means, like hesperidium. Use that in a sentence! 4. Readable.io Sometimes, the best learning happens when we teach ourselves. It is one thing to learn from others, but we can really solidify the lessons learnt by going over our own mistakes, and correcting them. Readable.io checks your typed text for you, highlighting your ease and ability at writing. Using readability scores, text analytics, keyword densities, and sentiment analysis, you can learn where your writing skills are lacking, and how to correct them. This website can be a very valuable tool for the self-taught writer. I used it all throughout school on academic paper drafts. 5. Purdue Online Writing Lab Run by Purdue University, the Purdue Online Writing Lab can teach you how to form grammatically-perfect sentences. Although the website is meant for university-level students, anyone can improve their grammar and abilities in English via the site. You can learn how to improve your general writing abilities, perform better research and cite that research, and more. There is even a section on English as a Second Language. Regardless of your English abilities, you should use this resource if you are performing research of any kind. From grade-school assignments to masters-level citations, any student can benefit from the Purdue Online Writing Lab. 6. Grammarly Sometimes, you just want to check your grammar, sentence by sentence. Grammarly will provide suggestions based on your written input. You can use this website to increase your vocabulary range and your written skills. There are many words in the English language that can confuse even the most ardent of English speakers. I still meet adults today who misuse â€Å"two,† â€Å"too,† and â€Å"to.† Understanding the differences that words can make in the meanings of sentences is vital to improving your English. While Grammarly is not free, it is worth every penny. 7. Upwork While Upwork is not exactly a website where you can learn English, it can help you improve your reading, writing, and speaking abilities by helping you hire a tutor. Upwork is an online marketplace where you can hire individuals to help you with a variety of things. Rates are affordable and each person offering a service has a complete profile with ratings and review from previous clients. For a reasonable price, you can contract an English tutor to speak with you online and help you with your English. They can help improve your conversational English abilities, grade your written English, teach you new concepts in the English language and more. Due to the versatility, affordability, and accessibility of online marketplaces like Upwork, this resource can be one of the most valuable ones you use as you learn English online. Good luck. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and TimesOne Fell SwoopHow Long Should a Synopsis Be?

Use of Digital Media within Organisations Case Study

Use of Digital Media within Organisations - Case Study Example In the recent years, facing stiff competition in industries and the high need to cut costs while still maintaining efficiency in businesses has seen the rapid growth and development of digital solutions for businesses. A key area in which digital media has greatly been used by the various businesses is communication. Communication is a critical success factor in the business world and hence the development and improvement of digital media such as web videos, availability of e-books and social media have been key turnaround factors for business organisations. In the above mentioned case study involving virgin media, it is demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that the use of digital media has a positive rather than negative impact on the performance of an organisation depending on the overall objective for the incorporation of digital media was. Here, the objectives of the study were to raise awareness of Virgin Media HD football packages through online mobile marketing and this was sp ecifically targeting the users of iPhones. The brand basically wanted to use a new, innovative and creative mobile marketing form in a bid to get the attention of football fans browsing the Guardian mobile internet website. Virgin media was working I partnership with an advertising agency, 4th street advertising. The main objective that was to be achieved was to get the information on virgin media HD football channels to a specific target audience which was football fans who owned iPhones. This was done through the execution of a well laid out strategy that involved exposing the target audience to the advertising message and a clear action that encouraged the recipients to learn more about the products and services offered by virgin media. Additionally, the advertisement campaign provided value addition with a calendar sync option that enabled the users with a fixture list of all games to be televised of the English Premier League. The intended purpose was to improve customer loyalt y and give then pride in being virgin customers. The banner bearing the campaign on the website was easy to use and access and it provided users with two calls-to-action. â€Å"Find out more about Virgin Media Football Packages† and â€Å"Sync televised games with calendar†. The call to action that allowed the audience to find out more about various other packages offered allowed the organisation to put across all or other products that the potential clients may not have been well aware of. The results obtained from the implementation of digital media in communicating to the target audience produced splendid results for Virgin Media. The creative execution drove high interactivity with the brand from the target audience. During the quarter to December after the launch of the digitized media in August, Virgin added over 100,000 Sky premium subscribers to reach a total of 725,000. As depicted clearly, clear and simple messages via digital media are a really positive way to communicate to potential customers. I chose to break down the in depth analysis of the effect of digital communication in this above briefly introduced scenario within in topics that depict every step of the process. Goal of Organisation The goal of Virgin media, according to the scenario, was to raise awareness of Virgin Media HD football packages that were in store for avid football fans via mobile advertising and targeting specifically iPhone users. The brand aimed to employ innovative