Independence of Women in Marriage in the Medieval Era Essay

Independence of Women in Marriage in the Medieval Era - Essay Example Furthermore, since a man writes her prologue, we cannot help but think about why he wrote it. This imaginary character gives Chaucer a chance to address several subjects that might have been forbidden during his time. By making use of irony and wittiness, Chaucer is able to construct statements regarding women and how they are dealt with. It is ought to be noted that Chaucer was definitely seeking to embody a woman's voice. Actually, by creating the Wife of Bath, we can presume he wanted to produce a memorable personality in her. In her Prologue as part of "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath offers readers a complex portrait of a medieval woman. On the one hand, The Wife of Bath is shameless about her sexual exploits and the way she uses sexual power to obtain what she wishes. Alternatively, by doing precisely these things she is bearing out unconstructive stereotypes regarding women and showing that women are manipulative and deceiving. Although her performances might at first appear to be uprising against the male-dominated culture in The Canterbury Tales, and more commonly, the medieval era for women, there is very slight that she does that is in fact revolutionary or making powerful women of her time. Based even just on her introduction in "The Canterbury Ta... be seen as a parody of sorts since she embodies a number of negative female characteristics including stupidity and arrogance; deceitfulness, and lewdness. Although she is striking back at men it is not for any deeper reason other than personal profit. It appears that in this section of the prologue to the Wife of Bath's tale, Chaucer wants his readers to laugh at this character rather than admire her for her proto-feminist stances on life and marriage. If the wife character in the Wife of Bath is meant to destroy the label of women, one could visualize that she would employ in intellectual and informed discussion with some of the constituents of her party. As it positions, however, the nearest she comes to this is by presenting her twisted consideration of the Bible. Rather conceitedly she declares in one of the significant quotes from The Canterbury Tales (and The Wife of Bath's Tale particularly), "Men may divine and glosen up and down / But well woot I express withouten lie / God bad us for to wexe and multiplye / That gentil text can I wel understone" (lines 26-30). While it can be found in the Bible that humans should procreate, it is worth noting that she prefaces this statement with a few words about how men sit and interpret the Bible. In her Prologue in the "Canterbury Tales" by Chaucer, the Wife of Bath is claiming that she too is capable of doing this and that the text is not beyond her reach. Yet, the setback with this is that she is not confirming anything about her cleverness; she is simply trying to prove or defend her loose actions along with the word of God. The Wife's symbolic techniques, however unscrupulous, achieve the desired results. The spectators cannot present instantaneous counter-arguments, and if we visualize her in the dramatic condition

From personal experience Essay Example for Free

From personal experience Essay Life is a long journey. We are all bestowed with good and not-so-good moments in our life. As we grow older, we tend to face the hardships of the world. These days, lots of cobwebs have settled around and it feels as if we have totally forgotten the simple pleasures of life. During our stay in MFV Jose Law Office, or Opis as what we call it, we experienced a lot of things some were stressful, but most of the time, it was blissful. We experienced journeying into the unknown parts of the Philippines, from Kalookan, to Fairview, to Malabon, Tondo, and other places we thought we’d never go to. We experienced doing things that was very alien to us like using a Stenographic Typewriter, reading SCRA and SCRI, talking with other lawyers (in English), interviewing clients, and many others. Also the Flexible time, for someone like me, it was really germane. I wonder where I could find another office that has a flexible time and still pays me for a whole day. I also experienced being scolded by a court sheriff for taking pictures inside the court room. It was a very embarrassing experience, albeit a good and funny one. In fact, this is one of the reason I would never forget being in the Opis. Being with great and funny supervisors really made our stay in the Opis very worthwhile; in fact I don’t mind the transportation fee, because when I’m in the Opis, it feels like I’m also at home. And the best thing for me in being in the Opis, is the food. Hunger is not an option when in the office, whenever sir Ferds, or the other lawyers drop by, there’s always a pasalubong. And the best of the best things: we can take-out the rest, whether it’s yellow cab, angels’ pizza, Greenwich, or any food. During our college days, we often face many difficulties, many problems, but unto one side of the stories, there are those people, the people who help shape us into someone better. The reason why we are able to surpass this obstacles. I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank you to our wonderful supervisors, you really deserve to be called ‘supers’.

Soliloquies Essay - A Powerful Soliloquy in Macbeth -- Macbeth essays

A Powerful Soliloquy in Macbeth The play ‘Macbeth’ uses soliloquies with great effect to express the thoughts of individual characters, particularly in the case of the protagonist, Macbeth. In Act V Scene V, strong words from Macbeth convey to the reader two themes of the play.   This soliloquy demonstrates the play's use of irony and the use of the disparity between the great opposition of light and darkness as symbols for both life and death.   This soliloquy is quite significant to the play as a whole since it demonstrates two very important themes as well as leading to a better understanding of Macbeth. Macbeth is talking to an officer, when hearing of his wife's demise his mood suddenly deepens into that of emptiness.   He begins a soliloquy and states a number of ironic things.   He states that life drags on, that it "creeps in this petty pace" when in reality the speed of his actions and the development of the play's plot are taking place at a great speed.   Furthermore he goes on to describe life as a "brief candle," thus communicating that life’s opposite; death must therefore be an eternal darkness.   Throughout the play, the character Macbeth has longed for death, perhaps so that he can be unleashed from his worldly pain and guilt. He goes... ...arkness, pain, and insignificant. Works Cited and Consulted: Biggins, Dennis. "Light and Darkness in Macbeth." Shakespeare Studies VII (1975) Gilligan, Carol. Irony in Macbeth. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1982 Kinney, Arthur F. ed. William Shakpespeare: the Tragedies. Boston: Hall and Company, 1985. Noble, Adrian. "At age 436, His Future is Unlimited." New York Times 23 Apr. 2000, late ed., sec. 2:5. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. Elements of Literature. Sixth ed. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1997. "William Shakespeare." BBC Homepage. Online. Available . 26 Mar. 2004.

Notorious BIG

After freeing themselves from Mongol domination by 1480, the Russians pushed eastward. Russia, with its Byzantine-influenced culture, had been unimportant in world affairs before the fifteenth century Russia's Expansionist Politics under the Tsars. During the fourteenth century, the duchy of Moscow took the lead in liberating Russia from the Mongols. Ivan Ill gave his government a military focus and used a blend of nationalism and the Orthodox Christian religion Creating a large independent state The Need for Revival Mongols had not reshaped basic Russian culture.However, reduced the vigor of cultural and economic life Literacy declined and the economy became purely agricultural and dependent on peasant labor. Ivan Ill restored the tradition of centralized rule, added a sense of imperial mission, and claimed supervision of all Orthodox Churches Russia, asserted Ivan, had succeeded Byzantium as the Third Rome. Ivan IV continued the policy of expansion He increased the power of the tsa r by killing many of the nobility (boyars)†earning the name of Ivan the Terrible Patterns of Expansion. Territorial expansion focused on central Asia.By the sixteenth century, they moved into Western Siberia Peasant adventurers (cossacks) were recruited to occupy the new lands. Loyal nobles and bureaucrats received land grants in the territories The conquests gave Russia increased agricultural regions and labor sources Slavery existed into the eighteenth century Important trading connections opened with Asian neighbors. Russia eliminated independent central Asia as a source of nomadic invasions Russia became a multicultural state. The large Muslim population was not forced to assimilate to Russian culture. Western Contact and Romanov PolicyThe tsars, mindful of the cultural and economic lag occurring under Mongol rule, also began a policy of carefully managed contacts with the West. Ivan Ill dispatched diplomatic missions to leading Western states under Ivan ‘V, British merchants established trading contacts. Italian artists brought in by the tsars built churches and the Kremlin, creating a distinct style of architecture When Ivan IV died without an heir early in the seventeenth century, the Time of Troubles commenced. The boyars tried to control government, while Sweden and Poland seized territory. In 1613, the oyars chose a member of the Romanov family, Michael, as tsar.The Time of Troubles ended without placing lasting constraints on the tsar's power. Michael restored internal order, drove out the foreign invaders, and recommenced imperial expansion. Alexis Romanov increased the tsar's authority by abolishing the because conservative believers resisted changes to their established rituals. The government exiled these â€Å"Old Believers† to Siberia or southern Russia. Russia's First westernization, 1690-1790 Peter l, the Great, continued past policies but added a new interest in changing the conomy and culture through imitation of Western forms.It was the first Westernization effort in history Peter traveled incognito to the West and gained an interest in science and technology Many Western artisans returned with him to Russia. Tsarist Autocracy of Peter the Great Peter was an autocratic ruler; revolts were brutally suppressed. Reforms were initiated through state decrees. Peter increased the power of the state through recruitment of bureaucrats from outside the aristocracy and by forming a Western-type military force A secret police was created to watch over bureaucracy Foreign policy followed existing patterns.A successful war with Sweden gave Russia a window on the Baltic Sea, allowing it to be a major factor in European diplomatic and military affairs Capital moved to Baltic city of St. Petersburg. What Westernization Meant Peter's reforms influenced politics, economics, and cultural change. The bureaucracy and military were reorganized on Western principles. The first Russian naw was created The councils of nob les were eliminated and replaced by advisors under his control Law codes were systematized and the tax system reformed to increase burdens on the peasantry metallurgical and mining industries were expandedCultural reforms aimed at bringing in Western patterns to change old customs. Nobles had to shave their beards and dress in Western style He succeeded in bringing the elite into the Western cultural zone The condition of upper class women improved No attempt was made to form an exporting industrial econom Westernization meant to Peter the encouragement of autocratic rule These changes brought resistance from all classes. Consolidation under Catherine the Great Several decades of weak rule followed Peter's death in 1724.Significant change resumed during the reign of Catherine (1762-1796). She used the Pugachev peasant rebellion as an excuse to extend central government authority Catherine was also a Westernizer and brought Enlightenment ideas to Russia She gave new power over serfs to the nobles in return for their service in the bureaucracy and military Catherine continued patronage of Western art and architecture, Russian expansionist policies continued. By the time of her death, Russia had completed an important transformation.Over three centuries the tsars created a strong central state ruling over the world's greatest land empire. New elements from the West had entered and altered Russia's conomy and culture. Themes in Early Modern Russian History Serfdom and a deep-rooted peasant culture did not mesh with Westernization efforts. The Russian nobility, through state service, maintained a vital position Smaller, incompletely Westernized landowners lived less wealthy lives.Serfdom: The Life of East Europe's Masses Before the Mongol conquest, Russia's peasantry had been relatively free. The government from the sixteenth century encouraged serfdom A 1649 act made serfdom hereditary; other seventeenth and eighteenth century laws tied serfs to the land and augme nted the legal rights of landlords. Serfs were almost slaves; they were bought, sold, and punished by owners. Peasant conditions were similar in Eastern Europe. Peasants labored on large estates to produce grain for sale to the West.Western merchants in return brought the serfs' owners manufactured and luxury items. Peasants did have some rights; village governments regulated many aspects of life Most peasants remained poor and illiterate They paid high taxes and performed extensive labor services in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing Trade and Economic Dependence. There were few large cities in Russia; 95% of the population was rural Artisans also ere few, since most manufacturing was rurally based. Small merchant groups existed, but most trade was handled by Westerners.Peter the Great's reforms increased trade, yet the nobility managed to prevent the emergence of a strong commercial class. Russia's social and economic system had strengths. It produced adequate revenue for the expanding empire, supported the aristocracy, and allowed significant population growth. Commerce was carried on with independent central Asian regions. Agricultural methods remained traditional, and peasants lacked incentives to increase production for the benefit of landlords.Social Unrest By the end of the eighteenth century, Russian reformers were criticizing their nation's backwardness and urging the abolition of serfdom. Peasant discontent was more significant Peasants remained loyal to the tsar, but blamed landlords for the harshness of their lives. Periodic rebellions occurred from the seventeenth century The tsar and nobility triumphed, but peasant discontent remained a problem In Depth: Multinational Empires During the early modern period, Russia created the longest-lasting multinational empire The Mughal Empire ended during the nineteenth centurySpecial characteristics of the Russian Empire were the presence of a large core of ethnic groups prepared to spread widely and es tablish new settlements Russian ability to adopt Western techniques. Such states included minority ethnicities but developed methods to achieve national unity. From the nineteenth century onward, there have been serious clashes between national loyalties and multinational empires Russia and Eastern Europe Regions west of Russia formed a fluctuating borderland between western and eastern European interests In the Ottoman Balkans, trade with the West spread Enlightenment concepts.Poland and the Czech and Slovak areas were a part of the Some Eastern regions were participants in the Protestant Reformation Many of the smaller states lost political autonomy. The largest state, Poland, was linked to the West by shared Roman Catholicism By 1600, Polish aristocrats weakened the central government and exploited peasants Urban centers and a merchant class were lacking The kingdom was partitioned by Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Global Connections: Russia and the World The Russian empire was di fferent from those in the West, but its effect was enormous on two continents in this era.

TED Tallk

In my opinion, all of the videos that I watched was very informative and helpful for a person like me who is still not fully confident when speaking in public, engaging in arguments and when presenting a thesis or a report. Honestly, It's hard to maintain confidence but hearing those strategies on how to face and communicate with people helps me to challenge myself more because I believe that if it doesn't challenge me, it won't change me. In other words, if it doesn't challenge me, it won't improve me. The TEDtallk videos are very inspiring, most of them helped me realize that every one of us is a teacher. Whoever we meet/met has something to do in our lives that can teach and put a big impact on us, especially with those people who are more experienced, with those people who started as an ordinary people to embracing their uniqueness as an individual. I know I'm not the only one who thinks that people who gives advices are the people who fall all over again, life knocked them down so many times but they decided to get up and believes that they must scare their own fears. Why? Because we are bigger than our fears. Look at them, standing in stage, speaking in front of thousands of people because they carry so much lessons that life taught them. This is not from TEDtalk videos but he is one of the best examples on how to embrace our own identity and individuality, his name is Norman King an aeta who graduated from University of the Philippines Manila. I carry some of his words of wisdom in my daily life because I find it powerful and it enlightens me every day, that when you connect to his words you will feel and find the soul of dedicated and a hard-working man who have nothing to lose and who keeps fighting for their rights even though some of aetas have disregarded their culture.

Crash More Than a Collision of Cultures essays

Crash More Than a Collision of Cultures essays If you know someone with strong, conservative political beliefs and who attends evangelical church services and listens to Rush Limbaugh faithfully from Nebraska or perhaps rural Idaho, who has never been to Los Angeles, ask them if they saw Crash and ask what they believe about L.A. now. They might just turn and run away. If they do have the grace to answer your question, compare what they say with what someone says who has actually visited South-Central, or Korea Town, or East LA at night, alone, in recent weeks or months. Granted, life isnt really as bad and people couldnt possibly be as rude, hateful and unbendingly racist as one would believe if taking the film literally. But life is bad, pretty damn bad, for a lot of people who live in greater L.A. or in any sprawling, multicultural urban setting in 2006. Visit Dallas, Chicago, New York, Newark, Miami, and try to tell me those many and diverse cultures and sub-cultures truly love and embrace each other. Ill show you a cow that flies. Ill show you a pizza that solves math problems. Meanwhile, it is the thesis of this paper that while this movie was an eye-popping, jaw-dropping jolt of hideously racist individuals living out various twisted ethnocentric ideologies, it is in broad brushstrokes a gross exaggeration of 21st Century urban life. And yet at the same time, it honestly reflects realities in artistic terms. It is what we see it is, and more: a glut of pilgrims from diverse points of entry, polarized by a political system that borders on fascism, yet in their hearts a love that fights for survival can snuff out the loathing in wink of a jaundiced eye. Crash had to be an exaggeration, otherwise it would not have attracted the attention it did, and people would perhaps still be slumbering, thinking everythings cool on the Western front. And take this to the b...

Characterize Phaedra in terms of her sense of morality essays

Characterize Phaedra in terms of her sense of morality essays We often think of morality in terms of right versus wrong or good versus evil. If a person chooses wisely and makes good decisions, they have morals, but if a person is evil then they have no sense of morality. Phaedras situation is complicated and cannot easily be characterized in terms of good versus evil. While she knows it is wrong to love her stepson and tries to hide these feelings, she makes bad decisions during the course of the play which eventually lead to her death, and the death of Hippolytus. Although Phaedra is a good person and knows right from wrong, her sense of morality does come into question which unfortunately produces a terrible outcome. If a person knows right from wrong, yet still cannot control their urges or impulses, this doesnt necessarily make them evil or lacking morals, as in the case of Phaedra. Phaedra is married to Theseus, yet is in love with his son Hippolytus. Very early on in the play we can see that Phaedra is tormented by this love and knows it is wrong. In order to prevent herself from acting on these feelings, she has Hippolytus banished from their kingdom. O heavy weight of misery! My eyes beheld the son in the fathers countenance. At length I dared to rebel against myself. I spurred my spirit to persecute him, striving thus to banish the enemy I worship by assuming a stepmothers proverbial cruelty. I clamored for his exile till my cries tore my dear enemy from his fathers arms (1473). I have a just abhorrence of my crime; I hate my life, abominate my lust; longing by death to rescue my good name and hide my black love from the light of day (1473). Although banishing Hippolytus from the kingdom is not the act of someone we would consider to have great morals, Phaedra knows this is the only way to hide her secret. She feels she is doing what is best for everyone involved, thus showing that she is not an evil person. When t...

How George Westinghouse Influenced Electricity

How George Westinghouse Influenced Electricity George Westinghouse was a prolific inventor who influenced the course of history by promoting the use of electricity for power and transportation. He enabled the growth of railroads through his inventions. As an industrial manager, Westinghouses influence on history is considerable he formed and directed more than 60 companies to market his and others inventions during his lifetime. His electric company became one of the greatest electric manufacturing organizations in the U.S., and his influence abroad was evidenced by the many companies he founded in other countries. The Early Years Born on October 6, 1846, in Central Bridge, New York, George Westinghouse worked in his fathers shops in Schenectady where they manufactured agricultural machinery. He served as a private in the cavalry for two years during the Civil War before rising to Acting Third Assistant Engineer in the Navy in 1864. He attended college for only 3 months in 1865, dropping out soon after obtaining his first patent on October 31, 1865, for a rotary steam engine. Westinghouse’s Inventions Westinghouse invented an instrument to replace derailed freight cars on train tracks and started a business to manufacture his invention. He obtained a patent for one of his most important inventions, the air brake, in April 1869. This device enabled locomotive engineers to stop trains with fail-safe accuracy for the first time. It was eventually adopted by the majority of the worlds railroads. Train accidents had been frequent before Westinghouse’s invention because brakes had to be applied manually on each car by different brakemen following a signal from the engineer. Seeing potential profit in the invention, Westinghouse organized the Westinghouse Air Brake Company in July 1869, acting as its president. He continued to make changes to his air brake design and later developed the automatic air brake system and the triple valve. Westinghouse then  expanded into the railroad signaling industry in the United States by organizing the Union Switch and Signal Company. His industry grew  as he opened companies in Europe and Canada.  Devices based on his own inventions and the patents of others were designed to control the increased speed and flexibility which was made possible by the invention of the air brake. Westinghouse also developed an apparatus for the safe transmission of natural gas. The Westinghouse Electric Company Westinghouse saw the potential for electricity early on and formed the Westinghouse Electric Company in 1884. It would later be known as the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. He obtained exclusive rights to Nikola Tesla’s patents for a polyphase system of alternating current in 1888, persuading the inventor to join the Westinghouse Electric Company. There was opposition from the public to the development of alternating current electricity. Critics, including Thomas Edison, argued that it was dangerous and a health hazard. This idea was enforced when New York adopted the use of alternating current electrocution for capital crimes. Undeterred, Westinghouse proved its viability by having his company design and provide the lighting system for the entire Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The Niagara Falls Project Westinghouses company took on another industrial challenge when it was awarded a contract with the Cataract Construction Company in 1893 to build three huge generators to harness the energy of the Niagara Falls. Installation on this project began in April 1895. By November, all three generators were completed. Engineers at Buffalo closed the circuits that finally completed the process to bring power from Niagara a year later. The hydroelectric development of Niagara Falls by George Westinghouse in 1896 inaugurated the practice of placing generating stations far from consumption centers. The Niagara plant transmitted massive amounts of power to Buffalo, over 20 miles away. Westinghouse developed a device called a transformer to solve the problem of sending electricity over long distances.   Westinghouse convincingly demonstrated the general superiority of transmitting power with electricity rather than by mechanical means such as the use of ropes, hydraulic pipes, or compressed air, all of which had been proposed. He demonstrated the transmission superiority of alternating current over direct current. Niagara set a contemporary standard for generator size, and it was the first large system supplying electricity from one circuit for multiple end uses such as railway, lighting, and power. The Parsons Steam Turbine Westinghouse made further industrial history by acquiring exclusive rights to manufacture the Parsons steam turbine in America and introducing the first alternating current locomotive in 1905. The first major application of alternating current to railway systems was used in the Manhattan Elevated railways in New York and later in the New York City subway system. The first single-phase railway locomotive was demonstrated in the East Pittsburgh railway yards in 1905. Soon after, the Westinghouse Company began the task of electrifying the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad with the single-phase system between Woodlawn, New York and Stamford, Connecticut. Westinghouse’s Later Years The various Westinghouse companies were worth about $120 million and employed approximately 50,000 workers at the turn of the century. By 1904, Westinghouse owned nine manufacturing companies in the U.S., one in Canada, and five in Europe. Then the financial panic of 1907 caused Westinghouse to lose control of the companies he had founded. He founded his last major project in 1910, the invention of a compressed air spring for taking the shock out of automobile riding. But by 1911, he had severed all ties with his former companies. Spending much of his later life in public service, Westinghouse showed signs of a heart ailment by 1913. He was ordered to rest by doctors. After deteriorating health and illness confined him to a wheelchair, he died on March 12, 1914, with a total of 361 patents to his credit. His last patent was received in 1918, four years after his death.

Organizational Communication Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organizational Communication - Term Paper Example by using images & symbols, vision, mission, objectives, goals, interaction of employees with the technology and amongst themselves, exercising power, values, and how these dynamics in communication helps the organisation to be successful in their endeavour.(U. S. Department of Education, 2007). The importance of the organization communication increases proportionally as the size of the organisation increases in terms of its employee’s strength, diversity and distributed operations across geographies. The process of ensuring smooth communication within organisation becomes further challenging when the employees in the organisation are speaking same content in a different way which to an extreme can be conflicting in nature which not only confuses the recipient of the communication but also put organisation’s image in jeopardy. The conflicting nature of the communication is not limited to organisations which are new in business but are seen to be coming from established o rganisations as well (Paul A. Argenti and Thea S. Haley, 2006). The streamlining of communication from the leaders of the organisation can be a daunting task if not managed properly. The challenge becomes even bigger when the organisation has its branches in various countries and the head of the centre in a particular country speaks differently from his colleagues. There could also be instances where the written/published documents from the organisation might be conflicting in nature. (Cheney, G., 2000) This paper provides the overview of Church’s Content-Processes-Roles (CPR) model of organisational communication (Church, A., 1996) studies the difference in the content of the communication by different organisations especially Walmart and finally provides the recommendations on handling the irony of the two different contents of the communication. The selected organisation is Walmart and the case study is set in October 2005 when Walmart published two documents which were poles apart in

The Meaning of Race in Western Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Meaning of Race in Western Society - Essay Example The south was dependent on cotton plantations and depended solely on agriculture and therefore required cheap labour in the cotton plantations. This prompted slavery in the region as a source of cheap labour. On the other hand, the north depended on industries and turned cotton into finished goods. Urbanization was also rampant due to growth of cities and immigration and did not advocate for slavery. This often brought about conflicts between the north and south prompting the civil war in 1861-1865 (Jones, 1996). The whites were considered a superior race compared to the others. Racial discrimination was therefore evident and continues to plague America in all aspects of life including social, political, economic and cultural areas. The American independence declared all humans as equal and has inalienable right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness and the constitution defended these rights. On this basis, civil rights movements were formed to fight for the rights of the minorities especially segregation and racial discrimination. The movement was particularly powerful in the south where minorities were often mistreated especially due to their conservatism nature and existence of Ku Klux Klan who were resistant to change. This paper discusses and analyzes civil rights movements operations and the varying ideas about how social, political, economic and cultural change could be achieved in the United States. In order to understand the civil rights movements, it is essential to understand the circumstances surrounding the civil war as it formed the basis for the movements. The war had the worst casualties than all the other wars that had been fought in America including the world wars. According to McPherson (1990), America was experiencing rapid growth in population, territory size and economy as a whole.

Ancient Sumer and Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 124

Ancient Sumer and Egypt - Essay Example However, sometimes due to their knowledge especially the scribes, they conflicted with king’s directives. This is because of their critical managerial roles in the entire empire though they revered the highest office’s authority (Hansen & Kenneth 34). Ancient Sumer Empire believed in various family gods, which they attributed with the responsibility of managing nature through each having distinct roles (Hansen & Kenneth 34). Some of these gods embrace Ninhursag, Nunurta, Inanna, Enki, Enlil, and Inanna (Bancroft-Hunt 44). The most powerful deity in Ancient Sumer was the storm god because he had the strength to control floods and storms that affected their livelihood as a farming empire. In addition, the human king played an essential role, which is being an intermediary between the people and the Sumer’s citizens. Sumerians preferred urban life despite the majority of them depending on farming. They also spoke one language, which they used as a form of identifica tion and belonging regardless of emanating from the diverse city-states (Donn, & Don 17). Ancient Egypt’s political authority revolved around the Pharaoh whom the people deemed was a son of Ra (deity of the sun) (Steele 12). Therefore, according to the citizens, Pharaoh was more of god than a mere mortal man in the entire empire (Steele 12). He also assumed the entire empire’s power though he exercised his decrees via the priests and other holy men who belonged to a noble group (Steele 12). Taxation also existed all through the empire whereby citizens gave out their respective portions to the government based on yields or profits they attained (Steele 35). Failure to comply with taxation rules, the government subjected the convicted to forced labor and slavery with the intention of catering for the portions they did not pay.

Personal Leadership statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership - Personal Statement Example By using these skills, characteristics and techniques, there is the ability to work more effectively with others in a company. There are a variety of benefits by looking at skills and characteristics of a transformational leader. If I focus on these attributes, then the openness, communication and the work as a team will be better to work with. This is combined with the ability for transformation to occur with openness and willingness to work with new ideas. With innovation and experimentation, there will be the ability to change the working environment and the approaches which are taken in the workspace. While this openness is important, I also believe it is important to create a sense of leadership by guiding and sticking with the goals and vision of the company. This is able to work as a guide while monitoring what types of innovation are used as well as what maintenance is required for the company. Mediating between these two aspects is one which not only provides transformation, but also offers guidance through various skills and characters that assists and supports the company. Gong, Y, JC Huang, JL Faith. (2009). â€Å"Employee Learning Orientation, Transformational Leadership, and Employee Creativity: The Mediating Role of Employee Creative Self – Efficacy.† The Academy of Management 31. Pieterse, AN, D Knippenberg. (2010). â€Å"Transformational and Transactional Leadership and Innovative Behavior: The Moderating Role of Psychological Empowerment.† Journal of Organizational Management 81

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

Biochemistry - Case Study Example This lactate is normally takes back to liver where it would convert back into pyruvate and glucose through process of gluconeogenesis. This glucose is transferred back again muscle and the cycle is completed. In the process of reconversion of glucose six ATP molecules are consumed and hence there is net loss of 4 ATP’s in one cycle. (Â  Nelson 2005). If this whole process was to occur in muscle only, than there would be excessive loss of energy and muscle wasting just as it was seen with the patient in clinical presentation. There would be net loss of energy instead of production and lactic acid would ultimately start accumulating in the muscle causing lactic acidosis. Moreover, ATP consumption would be faster than its production, some ADP would also be converted into AMP which is ultimately lost in urine and all these are signs of chronic fatigue syndrome or mitochondrial disease. ( Sarah Myhill 2009). A hypothetical defect in pyruvate dehydrogenase or Isocitrate dehydrogenase or ÃŽ ±-Ketoglutarate dehydrogenase can prevent increase in ATP generation because these enzymes produce NADH in citric acid cycle which is equivalent to 2.5ATPs. Moreover, Succinate dehydrogenase deficiency can also cause this defect since it produces FAD which is equal to 1.5ATPs. These enzymes can greatly damage the production of ATP through. The concentration of NAD+ is maintained in body and it is reconverted and regenerated through other biochemical procedures that occur inside the cell like citric acid cycle (Nesbitt V 2011). NADH and FADH2 from citric acid cycle get used in electron transport chain and undergo oxidative phosphorylation where they use oxygen and converted ADP into ATP by using a molecule of phosphate as well. This is how citric acid products are converted into ATP. Coenzyme Q10 plays a central role in oxidative phosphorylation of cell. It has a very unique role in electron transport chain and is basically lipid soluble and maintains the proton

Social media in recruitment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social media in recruitment - Essay Example For organizations, social media recruitment involves the application of social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to hire new staff. For job seekers, social media recruitment also involves the use of social media tools, but to find employment (Hegebarth, 2012:34). Overall, social media means harnessing the power of social media to identify and exploit opportunities in the employment industry. Unlike traditional methods of recruitment, social media introduces a new dynamic that involves virtual interaction. With social media, employers and prospective employees do not have to meet physically until the signing of contracts. This is a marked change when compared to traditional techniques in which physical contact was compulsory (Paik & Navarre-Jackson, 2011:479). Ernst & Young is an example of a company that is using social media to facilitate recruitment. The company has built an employer brand on social networks and successfully positioned itself as the premier place to work. It also uses social media like Skype to conduct interviews for job seekers. Finally, the firm uses its social media presence to update job seekers on latest trends in job searching. Job seekers are probably the biggest beneficiaries of social media. Over the years, they have learnt to exploit the power of social media in their quest to find the right employer (Brown & Swain, 2009:45). Currently, job seekers submit CVs online and interact with companies that have a social media presence. Job seekers take time to monitor pages and handles of companies with a social media presence to get updates on job recruitment, new opportunities, and industry status. It is now common for job seekers to hear about vacancies on social media and then apply, get interviewed (on social media) and start working. Another often underrated use of social media among job seekers is in learning how to conduct themselves in interviews. Of course there are other sources of this information in

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

Biochemistry - Case Study Example This lactate is normally takes back to liver where it would convert back into pyruvate and glucose through process of gluconeogenesis. This glucose is transferred back again muscle and the cycle is completed. In the process of reconversion of glucose six ATP molecules are consumed and hence there is net loss of 4 ATP’s in one cycle. (Â  Nelson 2005). If this whole process was to occur in muscle only, than there would be excessive loss of energy and muscle wasting just as it was seen with the patient in clinical presentation. There would be net loss of energy instead of production and lactic acid would ultimately start accumulating in the muscle causing lactic acidosis. Moreover, ATP consumption would be faster than its production, some ADP would also be converted into AMP which is ultimately lost in urine and all these are signs of chronic fatigue syndrome or mitochondrial disease. ( Sarah Myhill 2009). A hypothetical defect in pyruvate dehydrogenase or Isocitrate dehydrogenase or ÃŽ ±-Ketoglutarate dehydrogenase can prevent increase in ATP generation because these enzymes produce NADH in citric acid cycle which is equivalent to 2.5ATPs. Moreover, Succinate dehydrogenase deficiency can also cause this defect since it produces FAD which is equal to 1.5ATPs. These enzymes can greatly damage the production of ATP through. The concentration of NAD+ is maintained in body and it is reconverted and regenerated through other biochemical procedures that occur inside the cell like citric acid cycle (Nesbitt V 2011). NADH and FADH2 from citric acid cycle get used in electron transport chain and undergo oxidative phosphorylation where they use oxygen and converted ADP into ATP by using a molecule of phosphate as well. This is how citric acid products are converted into ATP. Coenzyme Q10 plays a central role in oxidative phosphorylation of cell. It has a very unique role in electron transport chain and is basically lipid soluble and maintains the proton

Lesson plane(cave) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lesson plane(cave) - Assignment Example 2. Show some graphics / images of caves while explaining its formation and characteristics. Encourage students to justify whether historical accounts about cave dwellers and its practice, i.e. cannibalism were truth or just hearsays. 3. Tell the class some interesting facts on caves like the Russell Cave in Alabama, USA which yielded a sequence of human habitation dating back almost 9,000 years (â€Å"Cave,† 1995) and used to be a place for cannibalism and religious activities. 1. There will be flashcard posted on the board containing 2 – 3 types of caves discussed (i.e. primary cave, fracture cave, glacier cave). Each student will be given a flashcard containing a word, term or an adjective that relates to the types of caves posted on the board. 2. As per instruction, each student should post his or her own flashcard to its corresponding cave in the board (i.e. a student was given a flashcard containing the word â€Å"LIMESTONE† and this should be posted under SOLUTIONAL CAVE. The entire class must accomplish the task in 2 minutes. 3. If there are incongruent terms or there is/are mismatch, the teacher will perform a draw lots and will pick 3 names to re-arrange or organize the terms / description of his assigned cave type. Each has its assigned cave 2. As an instruction, they have to illustrate how we, humans could help to preserve cave structure and its ecosystem, either by drawing or by creating a collage (students must be informed ahead of time that they must bring used magazine, news papers, scratch papers). Each group must have 2 representatives to briefly summarize and discuss the

Background Research Essay Example for Free

Background Research Essay Instructions: For each question, respond in one or more paragraphs of at least four complete sentences. Include supporting facts and details from your research in each response. Provide the sources for your supporting research. Using support from your research materials, identify and explain any political, social, economic, or cultural issues that may shape the story. The Holocaust was going on during this book, and this was a time when many children were vulnerable, and the Nazis killed many young kids, but the chances of survival for Jewish and non-jewish teenagers(13-18) were greater because they could be deployed at forced labor. Source: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005142 http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007820 http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007817 Imagine what it would be like to live in this situation. Using supporting details from your research, discuss the greatest challenges people might face under these circumstances. When some people are asked about something in the past that somebody else went through, they say, â€Å"I can’t imagine†¦..† And in this case, I really can’t imagine how awful it would be to live in this situation. To be sent to a camp where you are stuffed on a train with hundreds of thousands of people, and you don’t know what is going on. You are separated from your family, the only thing you know. You are put into a gas chamber along with millions of other kids who are too young to work for the German’s, and elderly people who are too old to work. To make it easier on the Germans’, they tell you and your family that is going to be used for forced labor that you’re going to take a shower, and you’ll be back later. But, they never, ever, get to see you again. If you live in the ghetto, you are left without shelter and food because you are unproductive and, â€Å"useless eaters.† And finally, it all stopped when the Nazis surrendered, but it was too late for most, they already were gone, or had a important piece of them that was left in the camp chambers. Sources: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005142 http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007820 http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007817 Based on your research, describe how these circumstances would affect a person’s identity development (crisis, commitment, diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, achievement). The personal identities of people who were in the Nazi camps would be much, much more sophisticated than the average person now a days. In Nazi camps, the identity crisis of a lot of people was most likely, ‘how do I stay alive?’ while peoples identity crisis in todays world might be something as little as, ‘who is a good friend?’. Kids and elderly people didn’t have a commitment during this time period, because they didn’t have the chance to decide what they wanted to do. The Nazi’s decided for them. People in the Nazi camps didn’t have identity diffusion because they couldn’t make any decisions on their own, the German’s made them all for them. They didn’t have identity foreclosure either, because they were not able to commit to anything at the camps because they were just ordered to do whatever the German’s wanted. I suppose that some people in the camps could have an identity moratorium, and it might be, ‘Do I run away and risk being killed? Or should I just stay and work until this is over?’. The identity achievement of one in a Nazi camp might be, ‘after struggling to decide he wanted to stay and work, or run away and have the chance of being killed, he decided to wait, and finally when the war was over and the Nazi’s surrendered, he was set free.’ Sources: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005142 http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007820 http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007817

Analysis of Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin Essay -- Mary Reilly Valerie

Analysis of Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin The book Mary Reilly is the sequel to the famous The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, is a stark, ingeniously woven, engaging novel. That tells the disturbing tale of the dual personality of Dr. Jekyll, a physician. A generous and philanthropic man, his is preoccupied with the problems of good and evil and with the possibility of separating them into two distinct personalities. He develops a drug that transforms him into the demonic Mr. Hyde, in whose person he exhausts all the latent evil in his nature. He also creates an antidote that will restore him into his respectable existence as Dr. Jekyll. Gradually, however, the unmitigated evil of his darker self predominates, until finally he performs an atrocious murder. His saner self determines to curtail those alternations of personality, but he discovers that he is losing control over his transformations, that he slips with increasing frequency into the wo rld of evil. Finally, unable to procure one of the ingredients for the mixture of redemption, and on the verge of being discovered, he commits suicide. Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin, is a powerful and moving novel. It takes the story Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde, and gives a fresh take on the distinguished Dr. Henry Jekyll and the nefarious Mr. Edward Hyde. It is told through the psyche of a Victorian servant named Mary Reilly. The book's structure purports to be Mary Reilly's diary. The entries articulate Mary Reilly's feelings and experiences while in service for Dr. Henry Jekyll, and how she often empathizes with Dr. Jekyll on his afflictions which she cannot comprehend. As the book progresses Mary Reilly continuously comments on her Masters every changing state of health. Towards the end of the book her mother passes away leaving Mary in grief. Soon after this personal catastrophe, she encounters Mr. Hyde while looking around out side. In this confrontation Mary is bitten on the shoulder by Hyde and is near death when Hyde abruptly ceases his frenzy. Not long after this the body of Mr. Hyde is found dead in Jekyll's laboratory. Naturally two books related to each other in this way have their similarities and differences in certain areas. Most of the similarities between both books fall in the areas of historical correctness and act... ...g, "The next morning I was washing the front steps when Mr. Poole came out the door and spoke to me very coldly. "The Master has sent for you to come to the drawing room," he said , and I knew he was displeased and suspicious, for Master never pays much attention to servants, and hardly knows their names, or so it seems, though that may be partly due to how determined Mr. Poole is to keep Master from any bother having to do with the house and what a free rein has over everything that goes on, including who is hired and let go." This long excerpt says that Poole monopolizes the master's attention, and has influence over the whole house and every thing in it, except for Master. Mary Reilly explained this sort-of servant dictatorship as if she accepted it, not because she had to, but because she was taught to. This excerpt made me feel badly for Mary Reilly because it showed that Mary was content with her life. This is upsetting to me because I think that Mary had potential to be a successful writer rather then a servant. Each excerpt said a totally different thing about the character Poole. Because of the difference of narrator in the descriptions how the excerpts were said is not

The Case Against Science Essay -- Philosophy Religion Papers

The Case Against Science Science has become an unreliable epistemological resource for several reasons. First, the assumptions of science are suspect. Second, the scientific method exhibits narrow limits to the acquisition of universal knowledge. Third, the conclusions of the scientific community at large are questionable and inadequate. Fourth, the practice of science has developed a particular perspective about its place in the world of knowing that diminishes all other avenues of knowledge, to its detriment. Finally, the practice of science involves a philosophical approach which makes scientism and "pure science" hard to differentiate. Thus, science itself, as an epistemological discipline, has been discovered to be unworthy of the extreme admiration granted it by the present technology-loving world. 1. The assumptions of science are suspect. Historically and philosophically, empiricism has been shown to have clear limitations, since many persons recognize that reality consists of things which can be known through the human senses as well as things which are not known by them. In fact, the very foundational assumptions of science are suspect. Markos indicates that "many of the givens we take for granted (most notably, that the foundation of all true knowledge is material, empirical, and quantifiable) are as recent as they are unproven" [1]. There also appear statements that seem to indicate that scientific assumptions should not be challenged. "No one would today think to ask why the interior angles of a Euclidian triangle sum to precisely 180 degrees. The question is closed because the answer is necessary "[2]. The answer may be necessary but perhaps is not true; perhaps it is only a convention for the use of th... ...rk: New American Library and University of Chicago Press, 1986. Lewis. C.S. Miracles. New York: Macmillan, 1978. Markos, Louis A. "Myth Matters," Christianity Today. Christianity.com, 16 April 2002. Otto, Rudolf. The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the Non- Rational Factor in the Idea of the Divine and Its Relation to the Rational. London: Oxford University Press, 1970. Park, Robert. Voodoo Science. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Schleiermacher, Friedrich. On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers. New York: Harper and Bros, Publ., 1958. Singh, Jagjit. Great Ideas of Modern Mathematics. New York: Dover Publ., Inc., 1959. Trefil, James and Robert M. Hazen. The Sciences: An Integrated Approach. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2000. Trueblood, D. Elton. Philosophy of Religion. New York: Harper and Bros. Publ., 1957.

Hunting Snake and Cockroach

The poems â€Å"Hunting Snake† and â€Å"The Cockroach† are very different but also vastly similar poems. The predominant language feature that is common in both poems is an extended metaphor – this is used in â€Å"Hunting Snake† to represent the colonisation of the Aborigines in Ancient Australia, and in â€Å"The Cockroach† to represent human nature, values and the way we live our lives. The poem â€Å"Hunting Snake† is obviously a poem about a group of people coming across a snake, staring in awe at its beauty and dissimilarity and then moving on. Wright uses a lot of sibilance in this poem, perhaps to emphasise the snake.However if we explore deeper we notice that the poem is not about this at all – in fact it has an exceptionally different meaning. The entire poem is an extended metaphor for the colonisation of the Aborigines in Australia – the snake represents the Aborigines and the persona represents the colonisers. Alth ough the colonisers saw the incredibly beautiful and unique Aborigines, they simply looked at each other and walked on – this is exactly what happens during every colonisation. The colonisers do not think about anyone else’s feelings, just their own personal or monetary gain.Hunting Snake is a poem about ancient beliefs and values, and the way that humans acted many years ago. In comparison, the poem â€Å"The Cockroach† is also one that addresses the issue of human nature and values. Kevin Halligan uses a cockroach to portray a ‘disgusting’ creature, one that many people are eager to kill and get rid of. Cockroaches also have a very nomadic lifestyle – they scurry about from place to place, never settling down and are always â€Å"on the go†. Halligan wishes for us to compare the cockroaches’ lifestyle with our own – the scampering motion of the bug is a reflection of his (and all humans’) nomadic lifestyle.By des cribing these frantic movements he is saying something about how most of us live our lives and our incapability to settle down – we are all in a hurry to move on to the next chapter in our lives, the next milestone, the next day, month, or year. This poem is set in modern day, it is written as if the cockroach is inside a house or a building, not outside like Hunting Snake. This technique helps to give us a better understanding of the poem – we can more easily relate it to human nature and our own lifestyles.

More sports in school Essay

More Sports in School Did you know six of seven of the world population like more than one sport? Our school needs more sports. Some of the students like sports, but we do not have enough sports. Some students want to be a player when they grow up. Sports make your body stronger. We need more sports for the students, so they can become talented. Students can learn about teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship. This can contribute to their development as solid citizens. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry website, in two thousand eight between sixteen percent and thirty three percent of children and teens were considered obese. In organized team sports, students work together to accomplish a task and learn from their mistakes. Nicole M. LaVoi wrote school should have more sports to have fun, mastery, teamwork, and become professionals. There are a lot of sports like soccer, basketball, tennis, football, volleyball, hockey etc. Website: http://blogs. edweek. org/edweek/schooled_in_sports/2013/10/ny_times_hosts_roundtable_ on_ pros_and_cons_of_youth_sports.html Academically weak students are able to excel in sports and are challenged to improve their abilities. Furthermore, D. E. builds teamwork and units thee class as a group, living cultural or social background behind. In doing sport on regular basis, students become fitter and thus. Their self-steam is increased, but most importantly, it is fun. Many students who do not have the opportunity to participate in physical activities outside of school are thankful to do sports in school. If student enjoy sports they are more likely to care about education in general and in doing so improve their schoolwork. Sports only keeps the students healthy, but also gives them a fun break of other schoolwork. That is approximately one in four children who is over the suggested body fat limit for their age. Anyone is able to participate in sports and since a D. E. program in school offer different kind of sports. Some students argue about the fact that school should only be and not fun, because they are two different things. The time should be used to study instead of doing D. E. just the contrary is true. There are schools where students have D. E. lesson every day. org/essay/sports-is-a-necessary-part-of-168936. html Sports can help the students to improve their abilities. Sports are fun and students were exercising while playing sports. Soccer is the most exercised sports, because you have so much running to do. If there are more sports in school, it will be easy for the students to become talented and to be professional players. If student enjoy playing sports their more likely to care about their education. Sports keeps you physically fit, mentally strong, builds characters, and it is a way to take your mind off of school and other things.

Psychological Assesment: IQ Tests Essay

The IQ test I found and tested on the Internet is IQTEST.COM (http://www.iqtest.com/).   It employs a series of 38 multiple-choice questions that prohibits the use of pencil and paper so that only mental thinking and computation will be used by the individual taking the test.   After completing the test, the score is sent to the individual by email.   I got an IQ test score of 125, which is categorized as above average.   An intelligence quotient or IQ is a value that represents an individual’s mental capabilities in relation to other individuals of the same age.   It is understood that each individual has several particular mental capabilities and that specific abilities may be assessed using an efficient method.   There is a strong correlation between an intelligence quotient and the likelihood to succeed in the academe and business worlds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The IQ score was classically employed to evaluate individuals that were thought to be of low intelligence or to assess children who needed special education.   The IQ test was then created as a comparative tool to determine if a child’s mental ability was at par with other children belonging to the same age range.   When a child receives a higher than normal score from the IQ test, the child is considered more intelligent than the average child of that particular age range.   The current IQ tests are used for any age and it now not meant to determine any level of mental retardation.   Newer IQ tests are designed to be free of bias from cultural and religious differences and there is no need for comparison to other individuals of the same age range.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I find that the IQ test offered by IQTEST.COM to be highly credible because it requires mental comprehension of the question and thinking without the use of any peripheral materials such as pencil and paper.   However, it would be better if there were more types of questions than plain abstract topics.   I was thinking that their IQ test would also include visual acuity which is also a good indicator of perception and processing. Reference http://www.iqtest.com/

Discuss the history of violent video games and its effect on crime Essay - 1

Discuss the history of violent video games and its effect on crime (using case studies as examples) - Essay Example This is particularly true of violent video games as there has been a strong association between the playing of violent video games and increase in crime amongst youths. It has been analyzed that the playing of violent video games has resulted in many criminal acts which include robberies as well as murders. This paper will serve to explain the history of these violent video games and their strong association with acts of crime that have taken place owing to the negative impact of these violent video games. There has been a great rise in the popularity of video games and the number of people playing these games has widely increased. It is believed that children of the age group from 8 to 18 years in the United States have an exposure of 40 hours out of seven days to different forms of media. There has been a sharp increase in the exposure to video games by the children and the teenagers. It has been analyzed that children even as young as two years play video games on an average of one hour every day. In the age group of 8 to 13 year old boys, it has been seen that they tend to play video games for more than approximately 7.5 hours in a single week. Another very important aspect that has been highlighted is that a research among teenagers explained the fact that the games that they purchased were not reviewed and analyzed by their parents and hence there is no check on the nature of the video games that are played by these children (Anderson et al 2001). It has been found out that 75 p ercent of the teenagers actually purchase and play video games that are meant for adults and these games have very high content of violence and negativities portrayed in them (Adams, 2010). The extent of the violence exposure has been explained by the statistics in a study which shows that in the United States, the young generation is exposed to 40,000 killings by some form of media by

No specif topic, check assignment criteria for details Essay

No specif topic, check assignment criteria for details - Essay Example Work Motivation Motivation is an organizational behavior concept that has long been studied by various practitioners. Martires & Fule (2000) proffered motivation in the work setting as referring to â€Å"the whole set of drives, needs, and similar forces that prompt a person to act in a certain way or to develop a tendency for specific behavior† (p. 2). Accordingly, motivation has been revealed to be the why and cause of behavior. Motivation energizes behavior and gives it direction. It is the drive and strength toward an action. When managers motivate subordinates, one structures the work environment in such a way that their drives and needs are brought into play, instead of being neglected. This environment is made conducive to the satisfaction of those drives and needs so that workers act in desired ways. There have been enumerable motivational theories and models that were proffered: from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1954), McClelland’s model that foc uses on three motives of achievement, affiliation and power (McClelland, 1961); Alderfer’s existence, relatedness, and existence model (Alderfer, 1969), and Herzberg’s motivation – hygiene theory that suggests two separate factors: hygiene and motivational, as leading to either job satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Herzberg, 1966). More contemporary motivational theories continue to emerge, such as goal-setting, equity theory, and expectancy theory (Campuzano & Flores, n.d.) that aim to determine presently influencing factors that motivate people in the workplace. Leadership Concurrent and closely linked with motivation is leadership in terms of the power that designs and evaluated factors that drive human resources to work towards the accomplishment of defined goals. Bennis averred that â€Å"leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own l eadership potential† (Christian Leadership, n.d., par. 7). It is the process of influencing people so that they will seek defined objectives enthusiastically. Tannenbaum & Massarik describe the relationship between leadership and influence by saying that leadership is †interpersonal influence, exercised in situations and directed, through the communication process, toward the attainment of specified goal or goals. Leadership always involves attempts on the part of a leader (influencer) to affect (influence) the behavior of a follower (influence) or followers in a situation† (Tannenbaum & Massarik, 1957, p. 3). As there are diverse motivational theories, leadership concepts and models likewise abound: McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y that explains the nature of leadership style and assumptions about the nature of people; Fred Fiedler’s contingency model where leadership is seen as contingent on the leader’s style and the situation; as well as Bl anchard’s situational model that suggests that the choice of appropriate leadership style depends on the development level of subordinates (Martires & Fule, 2000, pp. 159, 169 & 173). Likewise, there are contemporary theories that emerge: servant leadership, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, charismatic, and symbolic leadership, among others

Healthcare organization service strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Healthcare organization service strategy - Essay Example It also makes it possible to allow them to feel at home with the strengths and weaknesses which are being continuously highlighted. My organization makes it a must to go out of the way to help the customer become delighted with the kind of service that we shall make it available for him. This will ask him to come back again as per his need and thus bring in more customers with him as well. The service strategy that is being made use of within the organization encourages a positive work environment for employees. This is manifested by their desire to do something new each day of the year. There sense of optimism is derived from the fact that they get hailed for doing something worthwhile, which is a clear indication of many things that are being undertaken by their own selves (Perera, 2011). The environment is given support by the actions and decisions of the higher management who knows it best how to inculcate strength of character and the determination which is needed by them at all times. Also it makes them alert to all situations and circumstances which keep on happening regularly within their folds. A healthy environment is dependent upon the rules and policies which exist and I can safely state that these regulations have been much focused towards the tasks which need to be completed in an amicable fashion by the healthcare organization. The organizational vision and mission statements are the pillars of the healthcare service strategy. Since both the vision and the mission bank on strength of character that is presented to the different audiences which come under the aegis of the healthcare domains, the need is to remain one step ahead and satisfy them wholeheartedly. The vision is to give all-out energy and enthusiasm to the end customers who seek to get fit and healthy through the actions and undertakings of the healthcare realms. The mission is manifested through reaching end goals which would bring success towards the ranks of the business in the

Inflation and the Money Supply Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Inflation and the Money Supply - Essay Example Most of the economists indicate that one of the principal reasons of inflation is the unreasonable growth in money supply. The sources of this theory lie with Monetarist economists. Milton Friedman observed that, "Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon," (Milton Friedman, 1987). The theory of inflation takes up the Quantity Theory of Money to propose that if the amount of money in the economy grows faster than the growth in the level of possible output, then this will affect upon the prices. In other words if the money supply grows too fast there will be inflation. The broad aim of this essay is to bring out the knowledge of the basic theory concerning the relationship between the growth of money supply and inflation in an applied context. This will demonstrate a clear understanding of both narrow and broad measures of the money supply and their linkages with relevant macroeconomic variables. Through analysis of relevant macroeconomics data which is taken from official data sources, a qualified conclusion concerning the relationship between inflation and money supply growth for a country is arrived. The main policy implications of the findings for the conduct of monetary policy are also carried out. The classical theory of monetary policy defines money as a medium of exchange. Money is utilized to carry out the dealings and it is indifferent in its affect on the economy. It cannot manipulate the real variable quantities like income, output and employment. On the other hand, the economy can determine the monetary variables like price level and monetary wages. Consequently the classical economists stated that price level is the function of money supply. This was explained with the help of the quantity theory of money. The level of prices will be double the quantity of money was the conclusion which they derived. Therefore any alterations in supply of money will affect the price proportionately. It is symbolised by the equation of exchange: MV=PY: Where M= supply of money, V= velocity or the number of times money turns over per time in the purchase of final output Y, P= price level of output Y. MV= PY is an identity element and hence can be written as MV= PY. This formula states that the amount of money multiplied by the number of times each unit of money on the average is expended to purchase final output at any given time. It is again multiplied by the price level of those goods and services that is PY. As Y constitutes GNP, P is the price level of the goods and services developed Y, and V is the number of times the money supply is used to purchase goods whose value is PY then GNP = C+I+G= MV= PY. The above theory can also be represented as: MV = PY, where V is the velocity of money. It is alleged to evaluate how often the money stock turns over in each period. It can also be written as: V = nominal GDP/nominal money supply, i.e., V = PY/M. MV = PY is treated as an identity and not an equation, since by the definition of V, it must always true. When there are alterations in M, P, or Y, then V may have to adapt. Empirically, the V in the identity above is not required to be a constant. If we assume that V is a constant, then we have the QTM, which can be tested empirically. The new version of the QTM is

Physical Environment Of South And East Asia Essay

Physical Environment Of South And East Asia - Essay Example The islands have not be left behind as they also boast of rivers such as the Borneo and the Indonesian rivers. Extensive lowland is also another feature that is evident in the region and is separated by the mountain ranges and the forested hills. As a resulted of the physical conditions in the region, the people are taking part in rice planting on the fertile plains. This is seen in places such as Burma and Vietnam. Long coastlines have formed an important physical aspect of the region that promotes trade among the people and movement from one region to another. Another evident physical feature in the region is the presence of the seas that are marked by shallow ends and few deep underground trenches. As a result, they are warm throughout the year and are not saline. These conditions are favorable for the growth and prevalence of sea fish, coral, and seaweeds. The region’s landscape is dominated by mountains whose peaks are below ten thousand feet. The mountains form a very in tegral part of the region as they seem to create political and geographical boundaries. Indian and China are separated by the Northern and Western highlands thus forming a major factor that separates the two regions. Cordilleras in the region are three and seem to run north to south. The cordilleras include a Bilauktaung range that lies between Thailand and Myanmar, the Arakan Yoma range that is located in western part of Myanmar and the Annam Cordillera that marks the boundary between Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Pluto Paper Essay Example for Free

Pluto Paper Essay Ever since grade school you were taught that our solar system has nine planets. Sadly that is no longer the case; in 2006 astronomers have decided that Pluto no longer qualifies as a planet. Pluto is now considered a â€Å"Dwarf Planet† and has caused a lot of controversy among astronomers. A dwarf planet is not even considered to be a planet, and there are projected to be hundreds of them in our galaxy. Pluto is being demoted to what amounts as a third class citizen in our galaxy. Thousands of textbooks will have to be revised and changed in our schools just because of this one change they made to our solar system. According to the new definition for a planet, a full-fledged planet is an object that orbits the sun and is large enough to have become round due to the force of its own gravity. In addition, a planet has to dominate the neighborhood around its orbit. The definition is flawed, relating to â€Å"clear the neighborhood†. Every 228 years Pluto crosses inside of the orbit of Neptune, so technically speaking, it does not clear its neighborhood. But that also means that Neptune does not clear its own neighborhood. Mars and Jupiter don’t clear their neighborhoods as they â€Å"interfere† with the Asteroids, and the Earth actually orbits the Sun with thousands of Asteroids. So the Earth doesn’t clear its own neighborhood either. So if we use the new definition, Pluto, Neptune, Jupiter, Mars, and the Earth, are not planets! Otherwise Pluto fits the definition for a planet; it is from a faulty definition that Pluto is no longer allowed to be a planet. Also, a body’s difficulty in clearing its orbit or the volume of space that it must clear increases dramatically its distance from the sun increases. Clearing is most difficult for Pluto, the furthest â€Å"planet† from the sun. Furthermore, why aren’t â€Å"Dwarf Planets† known as planets? Dwarf Stars are still stars, and Dwarf Galaxies are still galaxies. If it has the word â€Å"planet† in it why is it not a planet? One of the biggest problems with how Pluto got demoted from being a planet was the voting process. Although there are over 10,000 Astronomers in the International Astronomical Union, only 237 of them voted and approved this definition. Only 4% of the astronomer population voted, many of them felt they should have been able to vote electronically. Therefore, there was NOT a majority consensus of what a planet is. If people had to be at only one specific spot every time they voted for something I’m sure even our presidential votes would have changed because no one would want to vote. Hundreds of Astronomers around the world have signed petitions to ignore the new definition and still refer to Pluto as the ninth planet in our Solar System. They believe the definition of a planet is sloppy and needs to be drastically revised. If so many astronomers don’t agree with the decision, what gave them the right to change the definition and make Pluto no longer a planet? The demotion of Pluto is also going to hurt its research funding. No one wants to study it if it’s not important enough to be a planet. Discovered in 1930, Pluto orbits the Sun, has three moons, has an atmosphere, has weather, and even polar caps. It is not that much different than any of the other planets. It has been known as a planet for more than 75 years, and to change its status with a poor definition and process is bad science. Pluto has earned the right to be a planet; it has been for years and for a few men to say it’s not based on a bad definition is wrong. Pluto needs to be considered a planet again, who knows what they might try to change in our solar system next.

The Creation of God and the Universe

The Creation of God and the Universe Does God really exist? How can we know? If God made everything, who made God? In our everyday experience, just about everything seems to have a beginning. In fact, the laws of science show that even things which look the same through our lifetime, like the sun and other stars, are running down. The sun is using up its fuel at millions of tons each second. Since, therefore, it cannot last forever, it had to have a beginning. The same can be shown to be true for the entire universe. So when Christians claim that the God of the Bible created the entire universe, some will ask what seems a logical question, namely â€Å"Where did God come from?† The Bible makes it clear in many places that God is outside of time. He is eternal, with no beginning or end—He is infinite! He also knows all things, being infinitely intelligent. Is this logical? Can modern science allow for such a notion? And how could you recognize the evidence for an intelligent Creator? The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding . The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of Gods existence are: The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason. The a posteriori argument, by which we proceed logically from the facts of experience to causes. These arguments are: The cosmological, by which it is proved that there must be a First Cause of all things, for every effect must have a cause. The teleological, or the argument from design. We see everywhere the operations of an intelligent Cause in nature. The moral argument, called also the anthropological argument, based on the moral consciousness and the history of mankind, which exhibits a moral order and purpose which can only be explained on the supposition of the existence of God. Conscience and human history testify that â€Å"verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.† Matthew G. Easton How to recognize intelligence Scientists get excited about finding stone tools in a cave because these speak of intelligence—a tool maker. They could not have designed themselves. Neither would anyone believe that the carved Presidents heads on Mt. Rushmore were the product of millions of years of chance erosion. We can recognize design—the evidence of the outworkings of intelligence—in the man-made objects all around us. Similarly, in William Paleys famous argument, a watch implies a watchmaker.Today, however, a large proportion of people, including many leading scientists, believe that all plants and animals, including the incredibly complex brains of the people who make watches, motor cars, etc., were not designed by an intelligent God but rather came from an unintelligent evolutionary process. But is this a defensible position? Design in living things Molecular biologist Dr. Michael Denton, writing as an agnostic, concluded: Alongside the level of ingenuity and complexity exhibited by the molecular machinery of life, even our most advanced [twentieth century technology appears] clumsy. It would be an illusion to think that what we are aware of at present is any more than a fraction of the full extent of biological design. In practically every field of fundamental biological research ever-increasing levels of design and complexity are being revealed at an ever-accelerating rate. The world-renowned crusader for Darwinism and atheism, Prof. Richard Dawkins, states: We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully â€Å"designed† to have come into existence by chance. Thus, even the most ardent atheist concedes that design is all around us. To a Christian, the design we see all around us is totally consistent with the Bibles explanation that God created all. However, evolutionists like Dawkins reject the idea of a Designer. He comments (emphasis added): All appearance to the contrary, the only watchmaker in nature is the blind forces of physics, albeit deployed in a very special way. A true watchmaker has foresight: he designs his cogs and springs, and plans their interconnections, with future purpose in his minds eye. Natural selection, the blind, unconscious, automatic process which Darwin discovered, and which we now know is the explanation for the existence and apparently purposeful form of all life, has no purpose in mind†¦ It has no mind†¦ It does not plan for the future†¦ it is the blind watchmaker. Selection and design Life is built on information, contained in that molecule of heredity, DNA. Dawkins believes that natural selectionand mutations (blind, purposeless copying mistakes in this DNA) together provide the mechanism for producing the vast amounts of information responsible for the design in living things. Natural selection is a logical process that can be observed. However, selection can only operate on the information already contained in genes—it does not produce new information.distinct kinds of animals and plants, each to reproduce after its own kind. One can observe great variation in a kind,and see the results of natural selection. For instance, dingoes, wolves and coyotes have developed over time as a result of natural selection operating on the information in the genes of the wolf/dog kind. But no new information was produced—these varieties have resulted from rearrangement, and sorting out, of the information in the original dog kind. One kind has never been observed to change into a totally different kind with new information that previously did not exist! Without a way to increase information, natural selection will not work as a mechanism for evolution. Evolutionists agree with this, but they believe that mutations somehow provide the new information for natural selection to act upon. Can mutations produce new information? Actually, it is now clear that the answer is no! Dr. Lee Spetner, a highly qualified scientist who taught information and communication theory at Johns Hopkins University, makes this abundantly clear in his recent book: In this chapter Ill bring several examples of evolution, [i.e., instances alleged to be examples of evolution] particularly mutations, and show that information is not increased But in all the reading Ive done in the life-sciences literature, Ive never found a mutation that added information. All point mutations that have been studied on the molecular level turn out to reduce the genetic information and not to increase it. The NDT [neo-Darwinian theory] is supposed to explain how the information of life has been built up by evolution. The essential biological difference between a human and a bacterium is in the information they contain. All other biological differences follow from that. The human genome has much more information than does the bacterial genome. Information cannot be built up by mutations that lose it. A business cant make money by losing it a little at a time. Evolutionary scientists have no way around the conclusions that many scientists, including Dr. Spetner, have come to. Mutations do not work as a mechanism to fuel the evolutionary process. [For further information, see: Can genetic mutations produce positive changes in living creatures? Answer] More problems! Scientists have found that within the cell, there are thousands of what can be called biochemical machines. All of their parts have to be in place simultaneously or the cell cant function. Things which were thought to be simple mechanisms, such as being able to sense light and turn it into electrical impulses, are in fact highly complicated. Since life is built on these machines, the idea that natural processes could have made a living system is untenable. Biochemist Dr. Michael Behe uses the term irreducible complexity in describing such biochemical machines. †¦systems of horrendous, irreducible complexity inhabit the cell. The resulting realization that life was designed by an intelligence is a shock to us in the twentieth century who have gotten used to thinking of life as the result of simple natural laws. But other centuries have had their shocks, and there is no reason to suppose that we should escape them. Richard Dawkins recognizes this problem of needing machinery to start with when he states: The theory of the blind watchmaker is extremely powerful given that we are allowed to assume replication and hence cumulative selection. But if replication needs complex machinery, since the only way we know for complex machinery ultimately to come into existence is cumulative selection, we have a problem. A problem indeed! The more we look into the workings of life, the more complicated it gets, and the more we see that life could not arise by itself. Not only is a source of information needed, but the complex machines of the chemistry of life need to be in existence right from the start! A greater problem still! Some still try to insist that the machinery of the first cell could have arisen by pure chance. For instance, they say, by randomly drawing alphabet letters in sequence from a hat, sometimes you will get a simple word like BAT.So given long time periods, why couldnt even more complex information arise by chance? However, what would the word BAT mean to a German or Chinese speaker? The point is that an order of letters is meaningless unless there is a language convention and a translation system in place which makes it meaningful! In a cell, there is such a system (other molecules) that makes the order on the DNA meaningful. DNA without the language/translation system is meaningless, and these systems without the DNA wouldnt work either. The other complication is that the translation machinery which reads the order of the letters in the DNA is itself specified by the DNA! This is another one of those machines that needs to be fully-formed or life wont work. Can information arise from non-information? Dr. Werner Gitt, Director and Professor at the German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology, makes it clear that one of the things we know absolutely for sure from science, is that information cannot arise from disorder by chance. It always takes (greater) information to produce information, and ultimately information is the result of intelligence: A code system is always the result of a mental process (it requires an intelligent origin or inventor) It should be emphasized that matter as such is unable to generate any code. All experiences indicate that a thinking being voluntarily exercising his own free will, cognition, and creativity, is required. There is no known natural law through which matter can give rise to information, neither is any physical process or material phenomenon known that can do this. What is the source of the information? We can therefore deduce that the huge amount of information in living things must originally have come from an intelligence, which had to have been far superior to ours, as scientists are revealing every day. But then, some will say that such a source would have to be caused by something with even greater information/intelligence. However, if they reason like this, one could ask where this greater information/intelligence came from? And then where did that one come from . one could extrapolate to infinity, for ever, unless . Unless there was a source of infinite intelligence, beyond our finite understanding. But isnt this what the Bible indicates when we read, In the beginning God .? The God of the Bible is an infinite being not bound by limitations of time, space, knowledge, or anything else. So which is the logically defensible position?—that matter eternally existed (or came into existence by itself for no reason), and then by itself arranged itself into information systems against everything observed in real science? Or that a being with infinite intelligence,created information systems for life to exist, agreeing with real science? The answer seems obvious, so why dont all intelligent scientists accept this? Michael Behe answers: Many people, including many important and well-respected scientists, just dont want there to be anything beyond nature. They dont want a supernatural being to affect nature, no matter how brief or constructive the interaction may have been. In other words . they bring an a priori philosophical commitment to their science that restricts what kinds of explanations they will accept about the physical world. Sometimes this leads to rather odd behavior. The crux of the matter is this: If one accepts there is a God who created us, then that God also owns us. He thus has a right to set the rules by which we must live. In the Bible, He has revealed to us that we are in rebellion against our Creator. Because of this rebellion called sin, our physical bodies are sentenced to death—but we will live on, either with God, or without Him in a place of judgment. But the good news is that our Creator provided, through the cross of Jesus Christ, a means of deliverance for our sin of rebellion, so that those who come to Him in faith, in repentance for their sin, can receive the forgiveness of a Holy God and spend forever with their Lord. [Watch The HOPE on-line (streaming video)] So who created God? By definition, an infinite, eternal being has always existed—no one created God. He is the self-existing one—the great I am of the Bible.19 He is outside of time; in fact, He created time. You might say, â€Å"But that means I have to accept this by faith, as I cant understand it.† We read in the book of Hebrews, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). But this is not blind faith, as some think. In fact, the evolutionists who deny God have a blind faith—they have to believe something that is against real science—namely, that information can arise from disorder by chance. Can you believe in the existence of something that you cannot see? Have you ever seen your own brain? We all believe in many things that we have never seen. Have you ever seen the wind? Have you seen history? We see the effects of the wind, but the wind is invisible. We have records of history, but it is by faith we believe that certain historical events happened. Television waves are invisible, but an antenna and a receiver can detect their presence. Do you know that you have a receiver? Prior to becoming a child of God, your receiver (your spirit) is dead because of sin (see Ephesians 2:1). You need to be plugged into the life of God, and then you will come alive and be aware of the invisible spiritual realm. Learn more about God and his plan for your life Adapted from author Ray Comfort See these information sources for evidence of God and the accuracy of His Word†¦ The Christian faith is not a blind faith; it is a logically defensible faith. This is why the Bible makes it clear that anyone who does not believe in God is without excuse: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:20). For a more in-depth article, read: Who created God? Who created God? A number of skeptics ask this question. But God by definition is the uncreated creator of the universe, so the question Who created God? is illogical, just like To whom is the bachelor married? So a more sophisticated questioner might ask: If the universe needs a cause, then why doesnt God need a cause? And if God doesnt need a cause, why should the universe need a cause? In reply, Christians should use the following reasoning: Everything which has a beginning has a cause.1 The universe has a beginning. Therefore the universe has a cause. Its important to stress the words in bold type. The universe requires a cause because it had a beginning, as will be shown below. God, unlike the universe, had no beginning, so doesnt need a cause. In addition, Einsteins general relativity, which has much experimental support, shows that time is linked to matter and space. So time itself would have begun along with matter and space. Since God, by definition, is the creator of the whole universe, he is the creator of time. Therefore He is not limited by the time dimension He created, so has no beginning in time God is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity (Isaiah 57:15). Therefore He doesnt have a cause. In contrast, there is good evidence that the universe had a beginning. This can be shown from the Laws of Thermodynamics, the most fundamental laws of the physical sciences. 1st Law: The total amount of mass-energy in the universe is constant. 2nd Law: The amount of energy available for work is running out, or entropy is increasing to a maximum. If the total amount of mass-energy is limited, and the amount of usable energy is decreasing, then the universe cannot have existed forever, otherwise it would already have exhausted all usable energy the heat death of the universe. For example, all radioactive atoms would have decayed, every part of the universe would be the same temperature, and no further work would be possible. So the obvious corollary is that the universe began a finite time ago with a lot of usable energy, and is now running down. Now, what if the questioner accepts that the universe had a beginning, but not that it needs a cause? But it is self-evident that things that begin have a cause no-one really denies it in his heart. All science and history would collapse if this law of cause and effect were denied. So would all law enforcement, if the police didnt think they needed to find a cause for a stabbed body or a burgled house. Also, the universe cannot be self-caused nothing can create itself, because that would mean that it existed before it came into existence, which is a logical absurdity. IN SUMMARY The universe (including time itself) can be shown to have had a beginning. It is unreasonable to believe something could begin to exist without a cause. The universe therefore requires a cause, just as Romans 1:20 teach. God, as creator of time, is outside of time. Since therefore He has no beginning in time, He has always existed, so doesnt need a cause. OBJECTIONS There are only two ways to refute an argument: Show that it is logically invalid Show that at least one of the premises is false. Is the argument valid? A valid argument is one where it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false. Note that validity does not depend on the truth of the premises, but on the form of the argument. The argument in this article is valid; it is of the same form as: All whales have backbones; Moby Dick is a whale; therefore Moby Dick has a backbone. So the only hope for the skeptic is to dispute one or both of the premises. Are the premises true? 1. Does the universe have a beginning? Oscillating universe ideas were popularized by atheists like the late Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov solely to avoid the notion of a beginning, with its implications of a Creator. But as shown above, the Laws of Thermodynamics undercut that argument. Even an oscillating universe cannot overcome those laws. Each one of the hypothetical cycles would exhaust more and more usable energy. This means every cycle would be larger and longer than the previous one, so looking back in time there would be smaller and smaller cycles. So the multicycle model could have an infinite future, but can only have a finite past.2 Also, there are many lines of evidence showing that there is far too little mass for gravity to stop expansion and allow cycling in the first place, i.e., the universe is open. According to the best estimates (even granting old-earth assumptions), the universe still has only about half the mass needed for re-contraction. This includes the combined total of both luminous matter and non-luminous matter (found in galactic halos), as well as any possible contribution of neutrinos to total mass.3 Some recent evidence for an open universe comes from the number of light-bending gravitational lenses in the sky.6 It seems there is only 40-80% of the required matter to cause a big crunch. Incidentally, this low mass is also a major problem for the currently fashionable inflationary version of the big bang theory, as this predicts a mass density just on the threshold of collapse a flat universe. Finally, no known mechanism would allow a bounce back after a hypothetical big crunch.7 As the late Professor Beatrice Tinsley of Yale explained, even though the mathematics say that the universe oscillates, There is no known physical mechanism to reverse a catastrophic big crunch. Off the paper and into the real world of physics, those models start from the Big Bang, expand, collapse, and thats the end. 2. Denial of cause and effect Some physicists assert that quantum mechanics violates this cause/effect principle and can produce something from nothing. For instance, Paul Davies writes: spacetime could appear out of nothingness as a result of a quantum transition. Particles can appear out of nowhere without specific causation Yet the world of quantum mechanics routinely produces something out of nothing.9 But this is a gross misapplication of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics never produces something out of nothing. Davies himself admitted on the previous page that his scenario should not be taken too seriously. Theories that the universe is a quantum fluctuation must presuppose that there was something to fluctuate their quantum vacuum is a lot of matter-antimatter potential not nothing. Also, I have plenty of theoretical and practical experience at quantum mechanics (QM) from my doctoral thesis work. For example, Raman spectroscopy is a QM phenomenon, but from the wavenumber and intensity of the spectral bands, we can work out the masses of the atoms and force constants of the bonds causing the bands. To help the atheist position that the universe came into existence without a cause, one would need to find Raman bands appearing without being caused by transitions in vibrational quantum states, or alpha particles appearing without pre-existing nuclei, etc. If QM was as acausal as some people think, then we should not assume that these phenomena have a cause. Then I may as well burn my Ph.D. thesis, and all the spectroscopy journals should quit, as should any nuclear physics research. Also, if there is no cause, there is no explanation why this particular universe appeared at a particular time, nor why it was a universe and not, say, a banana or cat which appeared. This universe cant have any properties to explain its preferential coming into existence, because it wouldnt have any properties until it actually came into existence. Is creation by God rational? A last desperate tactic by skeptics to avoid a theistic conclusion is to assert that creation in time is incoherent. Davies correctly points out that since time itself began with the beginning of the universe, it is meaningless to talk about what happened before the universe began. But he claims that causes must precede their effects. So if nothing happened before the universe began, then (according to Davies) it is meaningless to discuss the cause of the universes beginning. But the philosopher (and New Testament scholar) William Lane Craig, in a useful critique of Davies,10 pointed out that Davies is deficient in philosophical knowledge. Philosophers have long discussed the notion of simultaneous causation. Immanuel Kant (17241804) gave the example of a weight resting on a cushion simultaneously causing a depression in it. Craig says: The first moment of time is the moment of Gods creative act and of creations simultaneous coming to be. Some skeptics claim that all this analysis is tentative, because that is the nature of science. So this cant be used to prove creation by God. Of course, skeptics cant have it both ways: saying that the Bible is wrong because science has proved it so, but if science appears consistent with the Bible, then well, science is tentative anyway. A final thought The Bible informs us that time is a dimension that God created, into which man was subjected. It even tells us that one day time will no longer exist. That will be called â€Å"eternity.† God Himself dwells outside of the dimension He created (Titus 1:2). He dwells in eternity and is not subject to time. God spoke history before it came into being. He can move through time as a man flips through a history book. Because we live in the dimension of time, it is impossible for us to fully understand anything that does not have a beginning and an end. Simply accept that fact, and believe the concept of Gods eternal nature the same way you believe the concept of space having no beginning and end—by faith—even though such thoughts put a strain on our distinctly insufficient cerebrum. Paul S. Taylor, adapted from author Ray Comfort Further Reading More information can be found in the following works. Unfortunately they are too friendly towards the unscriptural big bang theory with its billions of years of death, suffering and disease before Adams sin. But the above arguments are perfectly consistent with a recent creation in six consecutive normal days, as taught by Scripture. Craig, W.L., Apologetics: An Introduction (Chicago: Moody, 1984). Craig, W.L. online article â€Å"The Existence of God and the Beginning of the Universe† http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth11.html Geisler, N.L., Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 1976). How does archaeology conclusively demonstrate the Bible to be reliable and unique among all the holy books of world religions? Archaeological discoveries verify the historical reliability of the Old and New Testaments. When compared to other religious books, the titles, and events mentioned in the Bible; and the language and literary formats used to compose the Bible. Many scholars today question the validity of Biblical accounts, supposedly based on the findings of archaeology (i.e. misinterpretation of evidence, lack of evidence, or poor scholarship) and not with the Bible. How can archaeology prove helpful to someone seeking for truth to the basic questions about life? The discoveries of archaeology can be helpful in removing doubts that a person might have about the historical trustworthiness of the Bible. The places, and events of the Bible are real. What Gods Word? Any one discovery can be explained away as coincidence, or an alternative interpretation can be given to disassociate it from the Bible. It is the weight of a myriad of discoveries that demonstrates the Bible to be the Word of God. These discoveries fall into three categories: Archaeological evidence demonstrates the historical and cultural accuracy of the Bible. The Bibles message of a salvation stands in sharp contrast to the pagan fertility religions of the ancient world as, revealed by archaeology. Archaeological findings demonstrate that the Biblical prophets accurately predicted events hundreds of years before they occurred—something that lies beyond the capability of mere men. Where did Cain get his wife? We dont even know her name, yet she was discussed at the wife in history? Scripture and, thus, the Christian faith. For instance, at the historic Scopes trial in Tennessee in 1925, William Jennings Bryan, the prosecutor who stood for the Christian faith, failed to answer the question about [3] lawyer Clarence Darrow. The worlds press was focused on this trial, and what they heard has affected Christianity to this day—Christians are seen as unable to defend the biblical record. And skeptics then make the logically fallacious jump of concluding that the biblical record is indefensible! The agnostic Carl Sagan used this same question in his book ContactContact,† which was based on Sagans book, also used it. In the book, the fictional character Ellie could not get answers about [6] Sagan cleverly used common questions—such as â€Å"Who was Cains wife?†Ã¢â‚¬â€questions that are often directed at Christians in an attempt to prove the Bible cannot be defended. Sadly, most Christians probably could not answer these questions! And yet, there are answers. But, since most churches are lacking in the teaching of 1 Peter 3:15). Why is it important? Many skeptics have claimed that, for New Testament doctrines depend. Defenders of the Genesis 4:1-5:5.) Before we answer this question, we will first show how important it is to the meaning of the gospel. The first man Therefore, even as through one man Romans 5:12). We read in God did not start by making a whole group of men. The sin of rebellion, also passed on to all his descendants. Since return to God! Because a man brought Romans 3:23). What is the solution? The Last Adam pay the penalty for sin: â€Å"For since by a man came [8] God. Since the Bible describes all human beings as gospel could not be explained or defended. The Hebrews 2:11-18). Thus, only descendants of the first man saved. All related Thus, there was only one man at the beginning—made from the Genesis 2:7). This also means that Adams descendants. The first woman In Eve—she was the first woman. marriage of one man to one woman. Also, in animals, he could not find a mate—there was no one of his kind. All this makes it obvious that there was only one woman, Eves descendants. If Christians cannot defend that all humans (including gospel and all that it teaches. Cains brothers and sisters Genesis 4:25), were part of the first generation of children ever born on this earth. Even though only these three males are mentioned by name, Genesis 5:3) before Seth was born. During their lives, Adams children, as says the old tradition, was thirty-three sons and twenty-three daughters.† The Genesis 1:28). The wife If we now work totally from Scripture, without any personal prejudices or other extra-biblical ideas, then back at the beginning, when there was only the first generation, brothers would have had to have married sisters or there would be no more generations! We are not told when marriages and children, but we can say for certain that some brothers had to marry their sisters at the beginning of human history. But what about Gods Laws? Many people immediately reject the conclusion that Gods law originally when close relatives (even brothers and sisters) married each other. Remember that Moses laws that forbade such marriages. Biological deformities Today, brothers and sisters (and half-brothers and half-sisters, etc.) are not permitted by law to marry because their children have an unacceptably high risk of being deformed. The more closely the parents are related, the more likely it is that any offspring will be d