Saturday, August 22, 2020

Apple vs. Samsung Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Apple versus Samsung - Essay Example Apple and Samsung are world pioneers in cell phones and tablets, the two quickest developing shopper hardware advertise over the globe. Consequently, the achievement of Apple’s claim might have worldwide repercussions despite the fact that the decision just applies to the American market. A potential situation that could play out is for Apple to seek after different rivals in the US †with numerous examiners seeing the Android Operating System as the fundamental objective. In any case, given that we don't see Apple’s claim prevailing in different wards, this would fragment the worldwide buyer hardware industry into the US and the remainder of the world. This would seclude the US buyer hardware industry from worldwide rivalry. This could be helpful for the Apple in the short-run however over the long haul the absence of rivalry could in the long run make the US shopper hardware industry to go the method of the US car industry. There are three inquiries that I see emerging from this article. In the first place, connection configuration is a central segment of customer hardware. Is it moral to give restrictive rights to crucial segments that advance the development of the business? Besides, when taking a gander at such patent-encroachment fights is the impact on customers said something or just the interests of organizations are considered? What is more noteworthy's benefit? Banks, T. (2012, August 28). Apple versus Samsung - I don't get it's meaning for structure? Plan Week. Recovered September 11, 2012, from

Friday, August 21, 2020

Keep Holy the Month of IAP For It Is a Time of Rest

Keep Holy the Month of IAP For It Is a Time of Rest (title taken from The Cathedral of Our Lady of the All-Night Tool) I keep a list in my head of what topics I want to blog about. But I think of it as a stack, as opposed to a queue so I cover things that happened more recently first. So obviously, I need to cover what I did over IAP, and then maybe I can make it as far back as last semester. Fortunately for me (and those of you who want to hear about 6.111 and my other adventures in EE), I didnt do much this IAP, so I should be able to just knock this out and move on. Last IAP I spent almost all of the month working on 6.270. It was fun the robots are really cool. But it was also stresful. I didnt get much sleep during the last week of IAP (or during the rest of IAP, for that matter). So I decided that this year I was going to be on campus, but not have any formalized activities taking up all of IAP. I was going to rest and recuperate so that I could go into the spring term well rested and just generally enjoy myself. I think I more or less accomplished that, with a few exceptions. So, what I did for IAP is a fairly short list. One of the bigger things I did was teaching an introductory class in Python for SIPB. SIPB (the Student Information Processing Board) is a student group that focuses on improving computing, both in general and specifically at MIT. Theyre responsible for things like debathena, which is forming the basis for the new release of the Athena system, and scripts.mit.edu, a web hosting service for the MIT community. Additionally, they run a series of IAP classes, covering everything from how to hack Facebook Javascript to the Caffeinated Crash Courses, which attempt to cover everything you really need to know about a topic (usually a programming language) in 3 hours. They also have a series of decaffeinated introductory courses in a whole host of languages. I taught the one in Python. It was 4 classes that were 3 hours each, and covered both the basics of the Python language and some applications such as web development. It was a good experience, and I had 40-50 students. That being said, I learned some very valuable lessons: Teaching is hard Teaching for 3 hours straight is really hard Its hard to prepare enough material to teach for 3 hours straight If you do have enough material, it probably took you at least 6 hours to get it together I certainly have a lot more respect for the work that good teachers must put into their preparations, because I know that Im certainly not a great teacher, and the preparation took me a really long time. On the other hand, it was a really good experience, and I really hope that I get a chance to teach this again next year. Other than that, I basically spent all of IAP doing unimportant things cleaning my room (although not too much), setting up a better backup solution (although its still not there yet), and lots and lots of sleeping. Anyway, thats all for now, but Monday is the Ring Premiere, when all of the sophomores get to see what our Brass Rat looks like for the first time. Lots of people think that Ring Premiere isnt that interesting, but Im personally excited.

Keep Holy the Month of IAP For It Is a Time of Rest

Keep Holy the Month of IAP For It Is a Time of Rest (title taken from The Cathedral of Our Lady of the All-Night Tool) I keep a list in my head of what topics I want to blog about. But I think of it as a stack, as opposed to a queue so I cover things that happened more recently first. So obviously, I need to cover what I did over IAP, and then maybe I can make it as far back as last semester. Fortunately for me (and those of you who want to hear about 6.111 and my other adventures in EE), I didnt do much this IAP, so I should be able to just knock this out and move on. Last IAP I spent almost all of the month working on 6.270. It was fun the robots are really cool. But it was also stresful. I didnt get much sleep during the last week of IAP (or during the rest of IAP, for that matter). So I decided that this year I was going to be on campus, but not have any formalized activities taking up all of IAP. I was going to rest and recuperate so that I could go into the spring term well rested and just generally enjoy myself. I think I more or less accomplished that, with a few exceptions. So, what I did for IAP is a fairly short list. One of the bigger things I did was teaching an introductory class in Python for SIPB. SIPB (the Student Information Processing Board) is a student group that focuses on improving computing, both in general and specifically at MIT. Theyre responsible for things like debathena, which is forming the basis for the new release of the Athena system, and scripts.mit.edu, a web hosting service for the MIT community. Additionally, they run a series of IAP classes, covering everything from how to hack Facebook Javascript to the Caffeinated Crash Courses, which attempt to cover everything you really need to know about a topic (usually a programming language) in 3 hours. They also have a series of decaffeinated introductory courses in a whole host of languages. I taught the one in Python. It was 4 classes that were 3 hours each, and covered both the basics of the Python language and some applications such as web development. It was a good experience, and I had 40-50 students. That being said, I learned some very valuable lessons: Teaching is hard Teaching for 3 hours straight is really hard Its hard to prepare enough material to teach for 3 hours straight If you do have enough material, it probably took you at least 6 hours to get it together I certainly have a lot more respect for the work that good teachers must put into their preparations, because I know that Im certainly not a great teacher, and the preparation took me a really long time. On the other hand, it was a really good experience, and I really hope that I get a chance to teach this again next year. Other than that, I basically spent all of IAP doing unimportant things cleaning my room (although not too much), setting up a better backup solution (although its still not there yet), and lots and lots of sleeping. Anyway, thats all for now, but Monday is the Ring Premiere, when all of the sophomores get to see what our Brass Rat looks like for the first time. Lots of people think that Ring Premiere isnt that interesting, but Im personally excited.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

The Culture Behind The Roman Empire, 43-306 C.E. Essay

The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the Roman Empire and the culture within that civilization from 43-306 C.E. Centrally located in the Mediterranean lies Italy, one of the three great peninsulas that can be seen from the south of Europe. The Roman Empire and its civilization has always been one to be admired by people and leaders all around the world. When the thought of this illustrious empire comes to an individual’s mind, one might assume that they may think of the great Julius Caesar and his tragic death, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, or even the great philosophers that flourished during this time. Thousands of years later the romans are still being praised for their advances in the sciences, philosophy, and government.†¦show more content†¦Octavian engaged in conquest to secure the borders and promote the arts of government within them. Octavian was ultimately setting the bar for future leaders that would follow his reign. (Cassar, 2005:176). The Roman Empire was a slave owning society, one fourth of their population was made up of slaves. The Romans accrued slaves through piracy, trade, and warfare. Accounting for most of the labor force, slaves performed household tasks, and the grueling and tiresome work of mining and farming. Slavery in Rome was a way for them to assimilate new people into their society. Individuals could be released from slavery by either being bought out or after paying their debt to their owner (Ivanovitch, 1957: 26). Just like today and in many other empires all over, the Roman Empire had class systems and they were the Patricians and Plebeians. Patrician class was the upper-class and consisted of nobility and wealthy land owners. Opposite of the patricians were the plebeians, the social group that consisted of everyone else in Rome. This group ranged from the tradesman all the way to the very poor. Later these groups would transform into the other social classes known as the populares and the optimates. The Populares were a mixture of plebeians and patricians who favored the common people and were for the extension of citizenship to all people of the empire, the eliminationShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesSouthern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History EricRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pages22/10/2007 11:54 Page 600 600 Guide to the main focus of cases in the book Introduction to strategy Business environment: general Five forces analysis Capability analysis Corporate governance Stakeholder expectations Social responsibility Culture Competitive strategy Strategic options: directions Corporate-level strategy International strategy Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategic options: methods Strategy evaluation Strategic management process Organising Resourcing Managing change StrategicRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pagesof the book’s structure 1 Introduction 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Learning objectives The nature of marketing The management process Strategic decisions and the nature of strategy The marketing/strategy interface Summary xi xiii 1 3 3 7 11 19 37 41 43 45 45 50 53 70 71 75 77 79 79 80 81 86 88 89 101 102 104 107 109 Stage One: Where are we now? Strategic and marketing analysis 2 Marketing auditing and the analysis of capability 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Learning objectives Introduction Reviewing

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Aed 200 Classroom Mgmt Paper - 1027 Words

Assignment: Classroom Management Paper June 6, 2010 Aaronita J Morgan AED/200 Instructor: Junett Johnston The principles of behaviorism can be useful in facilitating learning within the classroom. Behaviorism offers a particular perspective on how learning occurs and how teaching impacts that process. B.F. Skinner argued that, â€Å"A behavior is more likely to reoccur if it has been reinforced or rewarded. Thus reinforcement can be used to strengthen existing behaviors, as well as learn new ones. Principles of behaviorism can be used for classroom management.† (The Office for Teaching and Learning Newsletter December 2002, Volume 7, No. 2). Behaviorist theory of education has proven to be the most effective†¦show more content†¦It is my opinion that a behaviorist theory of education will work best with the age group that I desire to teach, my goal is to become an teacher in early childhood development. After observation, research, and analyzing, I feel that younger children need organization in their education. The constructivist theory of education will not be as effective in this area. REFERENCES: Constructivism in Teacher Education: Considerations for Those Who Would Link Practice to Theory. ERIC Digest. (MacKinnon Scarff-Seatter, 1997). Retrieved June 6, 2010 from http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-3/theory.htm Psychology of learning for instruction (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Retrieved June 6, 2010 from http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/academic/product/0,,0205375197,00+en- USS_01DBC.html Prevention and Remediation of Classroom Behavior Problems, Alberto and Troutman, 2003. Retrieved June 6, 2010 from http://www.coe.uga.edu/syllabus/epsy/EPSY4310_6310_mlease_sp05.pdf The Office for Teaching and Learning Newsletter December 2002, (Volume 7, No. 2). Retrieved June 6,

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Effects Of Divorce On Children s Development

Family is an important structure within society. The word family may be defined in various ways: you may define it as a group of close friends who you genuinely care for and trust, or as a group of people who are related by the blood which runs through their veins. In this country, we see all types of families. The traditional nuclear family consists of – a father, mother, and children. However, currently this is not always the case. Divorce rates have risen over the years, breaking the nuclear family; unfortunately, this event can affect children’s development. Gary Peterson and Kevin Bush mention the conclusion of – children benefiting from two-parent families rather than single-parent families (499). This can be proven when we notice†¦show more content†¦They tend to internalize and sometimes externalize their feelings. Some common immediate reactions are: fear, anger, sadness, fear of abandonment, denial, and imaging reconciliation between parents (M cwhorter 12). An example of this can be found on the first page of the article ‘Preparation and a Gift Help the Transition,’ when it states â€Å"Children often misinterpret and blame themselves for stressful situations.† Divorce can be a very stressful meanwhile young children tend to blame themselves for the whole situation; most of them believe that it’s their fault that their parents were fighting. Of course, this is not true in many divorce cases, yet it is commonly seen because they try to find someone to blame. This can be a way of coping with the idea of their parents divorce. We can study the short terms effects divorce has better when we observe younger children. This term, younger children, can be broken down into two different categories: preschool age, toddlers, and school age.Common short term effect we see in preschool children, are: the tendency to have behavioral and withdrawal problems. For school-age children are frequently seen as hav ing academic problems and experience feelings of fear, worries, sadness, and lost (Clarke-Stewart Brentano 130). There are more differences between the children’s reactions. Preschool children are usually very young and sometimes can’t remember what has happened before the divorce, but

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Sample on Market Structure In Australian Banking Industry

Question: Discuss about the Market Structure in Australian Banking Industry. Answer: Introduction: Market structure is the nature of competition that exists between the firms in an industry. Oligopoly and monopolistic competition are the most common market structures that exist in the Australian market. Banking is one of the most important industries in Australia and oligopoly exists in this industry with only four big firms dominating the industry. Oligopoly is a market structure where a small number of firms have a larger share of the market and hence they dominate the market. This makes entry and exit of firms really difficult in such type of a market structure. Oligopoly is very similar to monopoly except that instead of only one firm; two or three firms dominate the market. The products produced in an oligopoly market could be homogeneous or differentiated. The banking industry in Australia is a very good example of oligopoly market structure. There are four major institutions which account for 85% of the total banking industry and include National Australian Bank (NAB), Commonwealth Bank (CBA), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) and Westpac (WBC). The total market capitalization of these institutions is 5 times the market cap of the remaining banks, mutual funds and other institutions of the industry. (KPMG, 2011) Cartel Arrangement in Australian Banks The big four financial institutions have formed kind of a cartel arrangement. This is because the majority shareholders of all the four banks are the same and hence they have common interests in all four banks. The aim of a shareholder is to maximise profit which is possible if the banks act as a monopoly but since here there are four banks, a cartel type of arrangement will be made to maximise the shareholder profits. (Varian, 2010). The major shareholding in these banks constitute of HSBC, Citibank and JP Morgan Chase. As a result of this cartel arrangement, there are barriers to entry in the banking industry, in fact Australian banking industry is known to have the highest barriers to entry and it is impossible for a new entrant to compete with the bigger players without a minimum cost and risk. Due to the cartel arrangement, there is very low competition pressure which is evident from the fact that the banks could easily escape the passing of interest rate cuts in full to the borrowers in 2012. Also these banks have wider interest margins and have lower costs which make them even more profitable. The banks enjoy support from the government and hence are able to dominate the industry on regulations basis. (Yeates, 2013) Market Concentration Competitiveness in a market can be determined by a method called HHI (Herfindhal- Hirschman Index. HHI measures a firms size in relation to the industry and the competition between those firms. The HHI ranges from 0 to 1. A higher HHI indicates concentration of power and less competition and vice versa. A market with a HHI of 0.18 or more is considered highly concentrated and a HHI of 0.1 or more as concentrated. (Bikker, Haaf, 2002). The Australian banking industry had HHI between 1000- 1500 till 2010 and as such can be regarded as concentrated. The market concentration has increased over the years due to acquisition activities undertaken by big banks including CBA and Westpac. (Harms, 2010) Effects of Market Concentration Market concentration has effects on various aspects of the economy which include the profitability of the bank, the economic efficiency, financial and economic stability of the country. The effects of an increased market concentration are that there is decrease in competition which results in market inefficiencies. Due to absence of competition among the big banks, a dead weight loss occurs. Due to concentration, the firms behave more like a monopoly where all four firms act as one and charge similar interest rates. This leads to creation of more producer surplus than consumer surplus and hence is not good for the society. These banks had increased the lending rates particularly for housing loans more than RBAs official cut rate in 2010 as a result of this dominance and the customers accepted the same because they have no other banks to go to. The four banks have also adopted a four pillar policy according to which there is restriction of merger or acquisition of banks by each other. The four pillar policy along with the monopolistic nature of competition further leads to reduced competition among the four firms and as such there is a greater dead weight loss that the society suffers. The profitability of the banks also increases due to market concentration. All the consumers of Australia blindly have faith in the big four banks and thus would accept low interest rates on their deposits and increased interest rates on loans. This increases the interest spread and hence banks profitability. During end of 2007 when global financial crisis had hit the world, the Australian economy could pass as a stable economy due to the policy regulations of these big 4 banks, the financial stability was maintained. This is also one of the reasons why market concentration has been accepted by the government of Australia. However, in order to eliminate the market inefficiencies which is a direct loss to the consumer, it is necessary an external pressure is applied to these banks to increase consumer surplus by increasing competition between these firms. The external pressure can be applied by the government, mutual banks or credit unions. Conclusion Regulation of big banks by the external forces is one way to increase economic efficiencies. Another could be to reduce the market concentration. This is not possible with the existing domestic banks as they are too small in size to compete with the big banks; however entry of global banks which are bigger in size could reduce the market concentration as they will not be bonded by the four pillars policy. However, the government should address one issue i.e. the protection of the Australian consumers in case these foreign banks fail. (Davis, 2007) Also the big banks should compete for price where they would compete to get a larger market share and higher profits, in such case pareteo efficiency will be achieved. References KPMG, (2011), Building Societies and Credit Unions, KPMG Varian, R. (2010), Intermediate Microeconomics, 8th edition, New York: W.W. Norton and Company Yeates, C., (2013), Banks Make $71 Million Profit a Day, The Sydney Morning Herald, accessed online on 8thAugust,2016,available at https://www.smh.com.au/business/banks-make-71-million-profit--a-day-20130623-2oqrw.html Harms, S.K., (2010), Market Concentration in the Banking Sector- Household Loans, Parliament of Australia, accessed online on 8th August, 2016, available at https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2010/November/Market_concentration_in_the_banking_sector_-_household_loans Bikker, J.A., Haaf, K., (2002), Measures of Competition and Concentration in the Banking Industry: A Review of the Literature, Economic Financial Modelling, summer 2002 Davis, K., (2007), Banking Concentration, Financial Stability and Public Policy, Reserve Bank of Australia Conference, August 2007

Friday, April 3, 2020

Australia and World War 2 essays

Australia and World War 2 essays Before World War Two, Australia had a strong relationship with Britain and a satisfactory relationship with America but during World War 2 both relationships changed considerably. Britain being a mother country to Australia, Australia had always looked toward Britain for knowledge and advice, so when Britain declared war upon Germany Australia was sure to follow. In Robert Menziess war speech, he proudly acknowledged that he believed that Britain was righteous and that they are supported by the unconquerable spirit of man himself and that the rights of independent people to live their own lives, honest dealing, peaceful settlement of differences and honouring of international obligations were all at stake. Australian troops were sent to Africa to train almost immediately, for 8 months Australian troops had not encountered any battles but Australia had done little to improve their situations for they believed in Britain and what she told them to do. Eventually Britain called upon Australia to defend and to drive back the opposing forces. Australias relationship with Britain was still strong. The first major change between Britain and Australias relationship took place in 1942. Japan with its intentions to expand and the majority of the worlds power occupied in the European war began its campaign, expanding south into the pacific Japan encountered the naval base of Singapore because the base of Singapore was under Britains control, Australia did not fear the Japanese and felt that it was sufficient enough not to recall its troops to defend Singapore, instead Singapore was supported by the remainder of the Australian troops. With the Australian supporting the British who were defending Singapore, Australians believed Singapore was invincible, so when Singapore fell to the Japanese; Australians awakened to a rude shock; Britain was not a strong as Australian believed to be. The realiza ...

Sunday, March 8, 2020

IFRS vs GAAP †Equity Accounts Essays

IFRS vs GAAP – Equity Accounts Essays IFRS vs GAAP – Equity Accounts Essay IFRS vs GAAP – Equity Accounts Essay In discoursing Equity Accounting criterions of GAAP and IFRS we specifically look at Stockholders’ equity in respect to corporations. Of class there are many differences in linguistic communication ; nevertheless. we will reexamine some major differences in accounting criterions with regard to Equity histories. There is a glowering difference in the two methods with respects to Distributions to Owners. Under US GAAP. ignoring dividends paid on unallocated portions ( Employee Stock Ownership Plans ) . revenue enhancement benefits can be received. It follows that the revenue enhancement disbursal is reduced and no allotment is made in shareholders equity. The IFRS impose regulations where entities must cut down equity histories for the sum of any distribution. cyberspace of revenue enhancement benefits. To lucubrate. a company under GAAP pays 1 million dollars into pensions and 200 1000 would be the nonexempt sum. It would cut down the stock holder’s equity by 1 million ; the 200 1000 would recognition the revenue enhancement disbursal. A company under IFRS would describe 800 thousand as a debit to the equity history. with no revenue enhancement liability. A broader subject is the issue of equity instruments which includes stock. Minor differences related to stock are discernible in linguistics. or history rubrics. GAAP histories are labelled Common Stock and IFRS histories are labeled Share Capital. One important difference in accounting methods occurs in the presentation of increasing equity. specifically in respect to publishing stock. An IFRS entity may describe Par value and nominal value individually in its equity history. There are some other differences in the accounting patterns of IFRS and GAAP to do note of in respect to equity histories. One difference is the recording of alterations in equity. The IFRS implements a fiscal statement for this specific known as the. Statement of alterations in Equity. The statement shows more than merely alterations. First. the statement reports net incomes or loss ; what follows are incomes or disbursal titled other comprehensive income. Last. the statement shows alterations in accounting policies and the fiscal effects incurred as a consequence. It’s used for conformity with IFRS accounting policies. estimations and mistake regulations. US GAAP does non necessitate a separate fiscal statement and can enter alterations merely in the notes of fiscal statements.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Article analysis summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article analysis summary - Essay Example How can health services be efficiently financed in the USA? What are the best practices in health services management in the USA? The research study will apply quantitative techniques. Data is collected through questionnaires, interviews, and secondary sources like health journals. Data recording was done in tables, and voice recorders. Data analysis was conducted through statistical measures, charts and graphs. Presentation of findings was done through presentations and reports. The sampling was conducted through random sampling method. 30 states were selected, and 10 health facilities were selected in each of the states, at random. Representatives of both private and public sector were included; each state had 5 private health facilities and 5 public health facilities. Therefore, the sample size is 300 health facilities spread across the USA. Data analysis leads to several results. 65% of the healthcare financing is got from programs like Medicare, Veterans Health Association, Medicaid and TRICARE. Health insurance by public employees is catered for by the government. Other segments of population have private health insurance providers, and some are uninsured. The main strength of this article is that it analyzes health care provision in both the private sector and the public sector. This ensures easy comparison of health care effectiveness in both sectors. The main weakness of this research article is that the sample size is small. 300 health facilities represent a very small proportion of the population; total number of hospitals in the USA. Healthcare facilities in the USA are mostly owned and managed by the private sector. 62% of the health centers are non-profit. 20% of the centres are owned by the government, public. 18% of the health centers are for profit (Mahar,

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Labor Law group project individual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Labor Law group project individual - Essay Example This has led to the awareness of rights and equality among all citizens of America. Seemingly, the employers are also careful when it comes to treatment and opportunity for individuals with disabilities. One evident case where ADA was implied is the Bates v. UPS case. According to the case and implication of ADA law, UPS was charged with $5.8 million dollar. The reason behind it was UPS was not able to work to remove the barriers in terms of communication among deaf people. Secondly, the information regarding bonus and funds was not shared with the individuals having disabilities. With the help of ADA law, the workers with deaf and hearing problems took actions against the UPS (Shrock and Coscarelli). Another case which makes the effects of ADA to be more effective was the case between Paralyzed Veterans of America (or "PVA") v. Ellerbe Becket Architects and Engineers where the Ellerbe Becket were not able to provide the wheelchair facilities to the event design (Preiser and

Monday, January 27, 2020

Yann Martels Life Of Pi 2001 Literature Essay

Yann Martels Life Of Pi 2001 Literature Essay Yann Martels Booker-Prize winning novel Life of Pi (2001) narrates the nine months odyssey of Piscine Patel on the Pacific Ocean. Far from being only a fascinating adventurous tale, this novel addresses important issues such as faith, identity, universalism, religion, and areas of cultural contact. Although the plot may seem to revolve mainly around Pi and Richard Parker, Life of Pi deals extensively with the great human project of trying to live together. By using Pi as his trans-cultural hero, Martel seems to insist on the need to constructively reformulate the human mind in relation to cosmopolitanism, absolute truth and religious identity. This papers aim is to bring out the cosmopolitan message that Martel seeks to transmit to his readers and to show how the latter focuses on that part of our common human identity that links us, instead of stressing on those identities that only partially define and differentiate us. A cross-reference is also going to be made to Homers The Odyss ey so as to highlight the idea of the equal treatment of all human beings, regardless of religion, culture, ethnicity and values, as prescribed by cosmopolitanism. Life of Pi is a novel which can be read in many different ways; as an adventurous story, as an allegory of power, as a reflection on the superiority of imagination over reason, as an explanation of the intricate and complex life of humans and animals, and, of utmost importance to this essay, as a spiritual journey or a quest for identity and as a metaphor of the cultural and religious conflicts that characterize every known human society. Culture and identity play a key role in many contemporary wars. Many philosophers and cultural theorists argue that the resolution of protracted ethnic and religious conflicts lies in the fostering and nurturing of cosmopolitan identities. First of all, what makes Life of Pi an interesting platform for exploring trans-cultural and interfaith relationships is not merely Martels cosmopolitan background, but also the novels portrayal of the protagonists life before and after the shipwreck. Pi Patel grows up in Pondicherry, a former French territory on the Indian subcontinent, where Eastern and Western cultures inevitably exist in close contact. To the dismay of grownups, particularly the representatives of different religions, the wise men as they are almost satirically referred to in the novel, Pi shows devotion to Hinduism, embraces and practices Christianity and Islam simultaneously. After his nine months in the lifeboat, he is hospitalized in Mexico and the author finally encounters him as an Indian immigrant in Toronto. Pis hybrid, multiple faiths and open-mindedness not only help him survive emotionally and physically but are also strengthened after the events. His house in Canada can be used as a proof to support this statement; the author describes the devotional articles that he finds in the protagonists house, ranging from a framed picture of Ganesha, a plain wooden cross, a small framed picture of the virgin Mary of Guadalupe, to a framed photo of the black-robed Kaaba, holiest sanctum of Islam. Pi is therefore presented as a cosmopolitan, a citizen of the world, as he not only practices three religions but is also at home in the worlds of science and theology, having achieved university degrees in both fields. Martel juxtaposes the young Pi Patels receptiveness to other cultures and religions to the intolerance of the three religious figures encountered on the beach; the priest, the imam and the pandit, each convinced of the singular truth of the path he taught. Each of them apoplectically try to impose the superiority and validity of their respective faiths after discovering that Pi shows devotion to three different, opposing, and often conflicting religions; The priest looked askance at both of them. Piscine, he nearly whispered, there is salvation only in Jesus. Balderdash! Christians know nothing about religion, said the pandit. They strayed long ago from Gods path, said the imam. Wheres God in your religion? snapped the priest. You dont have a single miracle to show for it. What kind of religion is that, without miracles? It isnt a circus with dead people jumping out of tombs all the time, thats what! We Muslims stick to the essential miracle of existence. Birds flying, rain falling, crops growing-these are miracles enough for us. Feathers and rain are all very nice, but we like to know that God is truly with us. Is that so? Well, a whole lot of good it did God to be with you-you tried to kill him! You banged him to a cross with great big nails. Is that a civilized way to treat a prophet? The prophet Muhammad-peace be upon him-brought us the word of God without any undignified nonsense and died at a ripe old age. The word of God? To that illiterate merchant of yours in the middle of the desert? Those were drooling epileptic fits brought on by the swaying of his camel, not divine revelation. That, or the sun frying his brains! Whereas Pi just [wants] to love God, the three religious leaders represent those who insist on believing in one, absolute truth. This situation of world-wide coalition of cultures as Claude Levi- Strauss termed it, can be further elaborated using Richard Burtons famous words; All Faith is false, all Faith is true; Truth is the shattered mirror strown In myriad bits; while each believes His little bit the whole to own. Like Burton, Martel implies that absolute truth is inaccessible to human beings, who will probably never be able to understand it fully. Therefore, adhering slavishly and blindly to one faith without taking an interest in the practices and beliefs of others only contributes to [obstruct] empathy and [makes] ethnocentrism inescapable. The problem with most human beings and civilizations, as highlighted in Life of Pi and as extensively discussed by Appiah, appears to be that everyone believes that their particular faith is the all-comprehending and absolute truth. Everyone seems to be holding their little bit of their shattered mirror, guarding it protectively (almost jealously) from others and trying to see as much as they can in it. Gilroy describes such a situation as being one in which we are all sealed up inside our frozen cultural habits and where there is no workable precedent for adopting a more generous and creative view of how human beings might communicate or act in concert across racial, ethnic, or civilizational divisions. What Appiah in turn proposes to cultural and religious differences reflects Pis own ideologies. For Appiah therefore, there is no agreed-upon answer- and the point is there doesnt need to be. He urges that it is of central importance for the benefit of humanity that we all learn about people in other places, take an interest in their civilizations, not because that will bring us to agreement, but because it will help us get used to one another. In this sense, Pis behavior towards Richard Parker can be read as a metaphor used to promote or idealize a cosmopolitan ideology among human beings. Appiah also carefully points out that we can perfectly live together without agreeing on what the values are that make it good to live together. If the world could share their myriad bits, human beings would have definitely been able to see a lot more clearly. Similarly, there exists no singular truth. There are many truths, depending on our moralities and experience. As Pi reproaches to Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba twice at the end of the novel; Tigers exist, lifeboats exist, oceans exist. Because the three have never come together in your narrow, limited experience, you refuse to believe that they might. Yet the plain fact is that the Tsimtsum brought them together and then sank. And at some later point in the same conversation, Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your problem with hard to believe? Pi here implies that openness and the taking of interest in others lives and experiences are more enriching to human beings rather than further entombing themselves in what they believe is the absolute truth, thereby turning their own lives into yeastless factuality. Inspite of all his misadventures though, Pi not only remains faithful to all three religions but also admires the religious as well as the irreligious. Readers cannot disagree therefore with Pis statement that to choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation. Similarly, closing ourselves into our set of beliefs and closing all doors to the appreciation of other cultures, civilizations and people is akin to living without any enriching human and cultural progress. Sharing a lifeboat with a tiger for 227 days is considered as quasi-impossible both to believe and as a thing likely to occur. However, Martel beautifully uses imagination over reason to drag his readers in a kind of magical realism tour which requires a strong yet willing suspension of disbelief so as to show that such a thing is plausible and was actually experienced by the hero of his novel. Pi renounces to the initial idea of murdering Richard Parker because he realizes that if he does so, he will have no one to provide for, no one to depend on him and no reason at all to live. Thereupon, the tiger shifts from being a source of fear and a mortally threatening creature to a source of peace, purposeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ even wholeness. What Pi does therefore is that he uses his understanding of animals, acquired at the zoo, so as to establish a peaceful cohabitation between himself and Richard. According to June Dwyer, Pis success lies in the fact that he respects the Others instincts, n eeds and values and gives him equal consideration; it is acceptance of the Other without imposing change on him.Since Richard has already claimed his part in the lifeboat, Pi decides to negotiate. So, instead of killing, he shares and instead of giving up his authority he makes it clear to the tiger what is his by also urinating on his territory. The tiger in turn, much to Pis surprise, reacts positively to the latters whistle-blows. What Martel is trying to show here is that the human and the tiger are capable of living together (even in a lifeboat with limited space) as long as each respects the others space. If two completely different creatures are able to live together peacefully, by making compromises and respecting each other, then it becomes very much possible for cosmopolitanism among humans to be completely disregarded as a mere set of utopian ideals, as is often claimed by many,or, put in simpler terms, to be seen as a realistic utopia, as Nancy Fraser puts it. Likewise, Homers most enduring hero, Odysseus, celebrates someone seeking adventure and valuing the unfamiliar and the strange.According to one definition, cosmopolitanism represents the attempt to exhibit a familiarity with, or appreciation of many parts and peoples of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This definition aptly applies to both Life of Pi and The Odyssey. Much like Pi himself, Odysseus is also shipwrecked, which leads him to encounter different people, civilizations, cultures and languages. We witness for example his admiration for the Phaiakians at some point in the book, and we see how he admires the latters polity. The simple swineherd Eumaeus, remarkable for his apparent striking similarity to Odysseus, also helps to better understand the shared human condition at that time. According to Patrick Deneen, Eumaeuss understanding of the situation of humanity relative to the gods is similar to that of Odysseus himself. This understanding leads to his realization that the human con dition leads one to recognize that the parts of our human identity that link us outnumber those identities that differentiate us. As he says to Odysseus, whom he meets as a begger, upon their first encounter, Stranger, I have no right to deny the stranger, not even if one came to me who was meaner than you. All vagabonds and strangers are under Zeus, and the gift is a light and dear oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Readers are thus able to see how Eumaeus, as well as Odysseus, recognize the protection that Zeus accords to all human beings, even to the most desperate ones. Since readers are able to travel through different civilizations, cultures, mindsets and values in The Odyssey, comparisons between those who show kindness to strangers and those who do not (such as in the case of Polyphemus, Poseidons son) are made possible. In this sense, Telemachuss meetings with Nestor and Menelaus also allow Homer to explore the Greek code of xenia, or hospitality. As Bernard Knox argues in the introduction to Robert Fagless translation of The Odyssey, the obligation of attending to and entertaining travelers is the closest The Odyssey comes to affirming an absolute moral principle. This also reminds of Nussbaums most explicit description of the duties or obligations of any citizen of the world; Our task as citizens of the world, and as educators who prepare people to be citizens of the world, will be to draw the circles somehow toward the center, making all human beings like our fellow city dwellers. In other words, we need not give up our special affections and affiliations and identifications, whether national or ethnic or religious; but we should work to make all human beings part of our community of dialogue and concern, showing respect for the human wherever it occurs, and allowing that respect to constrain our national and local politics. Likewise, the social code of ancient Greek necessitated that one expresses kindness to strangers in foreign regions by receiving them into ones home. This social expectation of hospitality was so culturally crucial and significant that it was believed to be implemented by Zeus, the king of the gods. Both hosts offer their guest a warm welcome even before they learn Telemachuss identity. Furthermore, this adherence and respect for the social norms enforced by the gods sharply demarcates Penelopes careless wooers plundering of Telemachuss home in Ithaca from Telemachus and Odysseus. Homer sets the right against the wrong by portraying the latter as hero and the suitors as villains. Although it is set in 700 BC, The Odyssey certainly sheds light on contemporary debates about cosmopolitanism. Martel on the other hand beautifully uses Pi as the hero of his novel, so as to transmit the innocent yet strong cosmopolitan and universal visions of a child, thereby providing more hope for a cosm opolitan future for the new generations. On a conclusive note, it can be noted that what Martel in a way wants his readers to know is that the persistent barriers of doubt, fear of the Other, ignorance, close-mindedness, racism and imaginative, long- held stereotypes are only vicious obstacles to the creation of a cosmopolitan world and fruitful human relations. In order for the human experience to progress therefore, these constant obstacles have to be destroyed. Indeed this book seems to suggest that the most appropriate and beneficial perspective to be adopted in the 21st century is one of cosmopolitanism.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Angelic Overview :: social issues

Angelic Overview ANGELIC OVERVIEW: "Angels are spirits," proclaimed St. Augustine! St. Thomas Aquinas believed that angels were pure spirit, having no matter or mass, and taking up no space; but Thomas believed angels could assume bodies at will. The purpose of angels is the same as mankind: to love and serve the Lord. However, being that angels are not material beings, and possibly from a different dimension, they can serve the Lord in many different ways. Angels have far greater will and intellect than we have. Whereas mankind must sift through and experiment with natural laws, angels can grasp all natural laws with a single thought. Eventually we find that angels cannot work miracles per se, but they can perform many special effects that appear miraculous, such as protecting Daniel from the lions in Daniel 6. When angels appear to man, they usually appear with wings, but the wings are not the method of loco- motion. The angels seem to slip in and out of the fourth dimension; thus travel is more or less instantaneous. If you have access to a Catholic Bible (it MUST be Catholic), check out Daniel ch. 14, to read how the prophet Habakkuk was instantly carried, via angel, from Judea to Babylon, a distance of 600 miles. The primary general duty of angels is as messengers of God. (The word "angel" means messenger in Greek.) But angels can do God's chores, such as busting Peter out of jail in Acts 5, or destroying Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. But some angels obey only the devil, and those angels are known as "demons", as is Satan himself. Satan had been an angel, but decided to do his own thing. Angels can see all aspects of a situation instantly, since they are so very wise. Angels, and the dimensions they live in, were apparently created before our visible world and universe. (The Bible tells us in Genesis ch.1-2 that mankind was created (or evolved) last.) The number of angels are countless. One reason they are count- less is that the Bible holds that each person who is or has lived, in the universe, has a guardian angel (Matthew 18:10). Additionally, some people who have died may have been transformed into lower angels. Many people witness "small miracles", and attribute them to God, when, in fact, angels may likely author the event. Speaking of miracles, some people believe that the reason more asteroids don't hit and damage planets is because each planet also has a guardian

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Distillation Experiment

SUMMARY The aim is to observe distillation process of ethanol-water solution and to measure the alcohol content after process in this experiment. 500 ml of solution with an alcohol content of 32% (v/v) is used for this experiment. Temperature values are recorded for every 10 ml alcohol obtained in the flask. The process is repeated in our experiment and for the first process, the data collection process continues until the distillate reaches to 200 ml. The concentration of alcohol is measured for first process by hydrometer.For the second process, approximately 200 ml of distillate containing 70% alcohol is used and data collection continues until the distillate reaches 150 ml. Finally, the concentration of alcohol is also measured after 2nd process as 82%. INTRODUCTION The objective of this experiment is to distillate the alcohol-water solution into ethanol and water. Distillation is a process of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liq uid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction.The basic requirement of distillation is that the components of the liquid solution must have different boiling points. There are some types of distillation methods which are flash distillation, simple batch distillation, simple steam distillation, continuous distillation, vacuum distillation, etc. : Flash distillation It is a single stage process which liquid mixture is vaporized. The vapor and the liquid are come to equilibrium, and these phases are separated. Simple steam distillation This is a separation process at lower temperatures.This process is often used to separate a high boiling component from small amounts of nonvolatile impurities. Continuous distillation This is a process in which a liquid mixture is continuously fed into the process and separated fractions are removed continuously. Vacuum distillation It is used for some compounds having very high boiling poin ts. Instead of the increasing the temperature too much, lowering the pressure is preferred in this distillation type. In this experiment we used simple batch distillation in order to distillate alcohol-water mixture.Simple batch distillation This is a separation process which the liquid charge is boiled slowly and the vapors are withdrawn as quickly as vapors form to condenser, where the distillate, condensed vapor, is collected. The first portion of vapor condensed will be the richest in the more volatile component. Vapor-liquid equilibria take an important role in distillation process. Vapor-Liquid-Equilibria (VLE) Constant pressure VLE data is obtained from boiling point diagrams. VLE data of binary mixtures is often presented as a plot, as shown in the figure below.The curved line is called the equilibrium line and describes the compositions of the liquid and vapour in equilibrium at some fixed pressure. Distillation experiment is applied to two miscible liquids which are ethano l-water, soluble in each other in all ratios. Mixtures of ethanol and water form an azeotrope. Azeotropic mixture: Azeotropic mixture is a solution that forms a vapor with the same concentration as the solution, distilling without a change in concentration. The composition of the liquid phase at the boiling point is identical to hat of the vapor in equilibrium with it, and azeotropes form constant-boiling solutions. The exact composition of the azeotrope changes if the boiling point is altered by a change in the external pressure. Ethyl alcohol and water form an azeotrope of 95. 6% at 78. 1 Â °C. Azeotropic systems give rise to VLE plots where the equilibrium curves crosses the diagonals. METHODS AND MATERIALS -Distillation apparatus -Alcoholmeter -Graduated cylinder -500 ml of 30% (v/v) water-ethanol mixture Source: Retrieved from http://www. baruch. cuny. edu/wsas/academics/natural_science/chm_1000/6_wine. df The distillation apparatus is for the separation of two miscible liquid s by taking advantage of their boiling point differences. The mixture is put in the distillation flask, and a thermometer is located in there. The heater has a knob that is used to adjust the heating. Cold tap water is circulated in the condenser to condense the vapor. First, the ethanol – water mixture was poured into the distillation flask, and boiling chips were used to prevent over bubbling. Then the heater was turned on at a moderate level to prevent fast heating and better separation of the liquids.After the first drop of the distillate was obtained, the temperature was recorded. Every 10 milliliters, the temperature in the flask was recorded. At the end of the distillation, an alcoholmeter was used to measure the alcohol content of the distillate. 200 milliliters of distillate was distillated again in the same manner to obtain a higher alcohol percentage in the final product. DATA & CALCULATION Notations used: A: Ethanol B: Water XA ? Mole fraction of ethanol in liquid YA ? Mole fraction of ethanol in vapor XB? Mole fraction of water in liquid YB ?Mole fraction of water in vapor Assumptions: – Pressure is 101,32kPa – Constant physical properties – Condensed fluid drops on the wall of still are neglected Initial data: – 500 mL of ethanol-water mixture is used for the first distillation. – 200 mL of ethanol-water mixture is used for the second distillation. Calculation: XA & YA values can be calculated from the Raoult’s law equation; ? A + ? B = P PA* XA + PB* XB = P ? Since XA + XB = 1 PA* XA + PB* (1- XA)= P XA = (P – PB)/( PA – PB) The PA & PB values were obtained according to the temperature data. (Acland,T. 2011) 1st DISTILLATION: T(? C)PBPAXAYAXBYB 7843,5100,11,0015551,0032540,000,00 78,544,4102,10,9864820,9940760,0135180,005924 7945,3104,10,9527210,9788620,0472790,021138 79,245,7104,90,9395270,9727240,0604730,027276 79,345,9105,30,9329970,9696460,0670030,030354 79,546,3106,20,9185310,96 27710,0814690,037229 8047,2108,30,8857610,9467820,1142390,053218 80,548,2110,40,8540190,9305540,1459810,069446 8149,2112,60,8220820,9136050,1779180,086395 81,550,2114,80,7913310,8966130,2086690,103387 8251,21170,7617020,8795810,2382980,120419 82,552,2119,30,7320420,8619480,2679580,138052 353,3121,60,7030750,8438010,2969250,156199 8455,4126,30,6476730,8073540,3523270,192646 8557,7131,20,5934690,7684880,4065310,231512 85,558,8133,70,567690,7491140,432310,250886 8762,4141,50,4920350,687160,5079650,31284 8864,8146,90,4448230,6449320,5551770,355068 88,566,1149,60,4217960,6227870,5782040,377213 9070158,10,3555050,5547310,6444950,445269 The average composition of total material distilled, Yav was measured by using hydrometer as 70%. So the final composition of remaining liquid,X2, can be obtained by material balance using Rayleigh equation: L1X1 = L2X2+ (L1 – L2)Yav 00(0,32) = 300 X2 + 200(0,7) ? X2 = 0,067 That means, 6,7 % of ethanol remained in the distillation still. 2nd DISTILL ATION: T(? C)PBPAXAYAXBYB 78,544,4102,10,9864820,9940760,0135180,005924 79,546,3106,20,9185310,9627710,0814690,037229 8047,2108,30,8857610,9467820,1142390,053218 8149,2112,60,8220820,9136050,1779180,086395 8251,21170,7617020,8795810,2382980,120419 8455,4126,30,6476730,8073540,3523270,192646 8864,8146,90,4448230,6449320,5551770,355068 9070158,10,3555050,5547310,6444950,445269 The average composition of total material distilled, Yav was measured by using hydrometer as 82%.So the final composition of remaining liquid,X2, can be obtained by material balance using Rayleigh equation: L1X1 = L2X2+ (L1 – L2)Yav 200(0,7) = 50 X2 + 150(0,82) ? X2 = 0,34 That means, 34 % of ethanol remained in the distillation still. DISCUSSION In first distillation, according to data obtained boiling point diagram is drawn. This graph can be seen as incomplete because some data is missing in order to complete graph since high temperature is not reached. Moreover, azeotropic point cannot be seen because we are not able to change pressure, so we cannot see that point and forward.In boiling point diagram graph for second distillation, we omit some of data because fraction is found negative, which is not possible. There may be error due to experimental condition or reflux. CONCLUSION In this experiment, our aim is to learn basic distillation concept and how to take and evaluate our data. We also learnt how to put data into boiling point diagram. In first distillation it is obtained 70% alcohol water solution and in the second distillation it is obtained 78% alcohol water solution.However, because of negative fraction values, we are not able to put all the data into boiling point diagram. REFERENCES Ackland, T. (2011). Home distillation of alcohol. Retrieved from http://homedistiller. org/ Geankoplis, C. J. (2003). Transport processes and separation process principles. Prentice Hall. Seperation Process. Distillation. Retrieved from http://www. separationprocesses. com/ Distillation/DT _Chp05. htm Wikipedia. Distillation. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Distillation Wikipedia. Azeotropic Distillation. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Social Studies Curriculum in Alberta, Canada Free Essay Example, 2000 words

The Social Studies Curriculum in Alberta, Canada Introduction Social study is a branch of academics related to inter-human interactions. According toa definition by Wesley â€Å"social study is the social science simplified for pedagogical purposes† a second definition is given as â€Å"unitary field comprised of materials from various disciplines, regardless of discipline boundaries, which is centered on the needs of students and society. † (Alahwiti 2007). In Alberta Province of Canada it was considered that social studies curriculum in schools was not written and taught on modern basis, in line with requirements of twentyfirst century. The method of teaching was also old and required major review. The old program only stressed on teaching and listing facts, figures and diagrams in chronological order without considering linkages with students being educated. Thus a deep analysis was done at provincial level to revise the curriculum and the way it is taught. Dramatic Change In The Social Studies Curriculum Of Alberta With respect to Canadian – Alberta framework of citizenship a social studies program or curriculum should explore, quantify and strengthen Canadian identity of students. We will write a custom essay sample on The Social Studies Curriculum in Alberta, Canada or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Within Alberta citizenship framework a social study program should reflect translate Aboriginal and Francophone perspective as well which is close to ground realities. In a nutshell the program or curriculum should promote multicultural, multiethnic, democratic and truly Canadian social and cultural values. Vision of Alberta social studies program should be based on appreciating pluralistic Canadian society and associated diverse realities. Since year 2005 onwards the curriculum has been revised as well as the methods of teaching. The major change brought about is start of program basing on concrete philosophy which stresses to develop skills with a purpose of transforming students into responsible and productive citizens in a democratic country. The program envisions needs of twenty first century while focusing Canadian identity and citizenship. The program includes many facets like including realities of Aboriginal, Francophone, multicultural, mul tilingual and multiethnic society. The program endeavors to connect students, with what is being taught, which is the most promising aspect. Canadian society is diverse and pluralistic in nature due to huge population of immigrants. Multiple factors shape the Canadian Society like people come from different religions, societies, social and cultural values, countries and languages.