Terrorism Can Be Defeated If We Tackle Its Root Causes †Poverty and Injustice

In today’s world, the issue of terrorism has been prevalent. Due to the expanse and connectivity of the Internet, some believe that terrorism is now an entrepreneurial arena with the Internet as its global recruiting station. Poverty and injustice are some of the root causes of terrorism, but these are not the only factors that trigger terrorism. Hence, terrorism may be defeated or abated if we tackle other factors such as religious influence. A minority believes that tackling poverty cannot defeat terrorism. They believe that terrorist groups eschew from recruiting the poor. A high level of educational attainment is seen as signal of one’s commitment to a cause and determination, it also indicates his ability to prepare for an assignment and carry it off. Additionally, terrorist groups may offer more benefits than what one may get in reality; this may also attract more educated but unprincipled individuals into terrorism. For example, well-educated individuals may be eager to participate in terrorist groups if they think that they will assume leadership positions if they succeed. On the other hand, poverty stricken individuals may be targets for the spread of terrorism. Some these individuals are desperate to even stake their lives on immoral acts just to provide financial sustenance for their family. As a result, these individuals become easy prey for terrorist groups. Terrorists groups preach their idea of providing salvation to these troubled people, effectively convincing them to do to their bidding. They promise to reward the victim’s family with money to mitigate their situation of poverty. In most cases, the victim becomes a suicide bomber, a martyr bent on avenging his fate believing that his family will be rewarded for his act of bravery. Many believe that by alleviating poverty, terrorism can be solved. Based on an observation by Gary Becker, a professor at the University of Chicago Business School. He saw that nations or regions that are experiencing rapid growth appear to have lower incidences of terrorism. This led Becker to believe that political activism and violent activity becomes less appealing to individuals when their economic opportunities expand. People are open to more options and are less likely to resort to desperate measures. Hence, terrorism may be reduced if poverty is lessened. Some believe that getting rid of injustices cannot solve terrorism. Though the government may believe that their actions are fair and justified the public and especially extremist groups may not. These extremist groups live by their own ideology, which is seldom paralleled by the government’s actions. Take for example, The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. They are a separatist organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka They sought to create an independent Tamil State in the north and east of Sri Lanka. This campaign spiraled into the Sri Lankan Civil War as the Sri Lankan government refused to agree to their demands. In this case, it is almost impossible to defeat terrorism by righting injustices. However, many argue that by righting injustices, terrorism can be reduced. In some cases, the origin of the intention of terrorism is when injustices take place. When a particular community feels that they are wrongly accused or that the law is unfair some of them take matters into their own hands. They believe that force is the only way to change biased laws. I acknowledge that it is difficult to change the mindset of extremist groups, as they are extremely demanding. However, terrorism can be reduced if we treat everyone with equality. Take for example, when pictures of American soldiers abusing prisoners in Saddam's notorious prison were released. There was a global outcry against these animalistic acts. By reducing these crimes, it reduces the hatred that people might feels towards the Americans. It also lessens the chance of normal civilians becoming terrorists. Hence, by tacking the injustices, fewer civilians would feel mistreated and terrorism can be reduced. I believe that the greatest player in terrorism is religious influence. These religious influences come in the form of extremist views on very sensitive issues. Some feel that religion is used to brainwash terrorists. An example can be seen from the case of Nidal Malik Hasan. He was an Army major and then turned into a mass murderer, fatally shooting twelve people on America’s largest military base. Many believed that Hasan’s path began to take a twist when he attended the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church. Coincidentally, two of the 9/11 hijackers attended this mosque too. Although there was no evidence that the mosque had preached extremist views to Hasan, many argue that he was being brainwashed. It is difficult to stamp out religious influence of this kind as evidence is weak and interference with religious places can lead to conflict. With the large network of the Internet, religious views can be spread through these media networks. There is a plethora of YouTube videos and sermons that can be downloaded from the Internet, leaving the viewer with visions of carnage dancing in their heads. These terrorist groups garner attention via the Internet. This can be seen when Al-Qaeda posted footages of roadside bombings, the decapitation of American hostage Nick Berg, and the kidnapping of Egyptian and Algerian diplomats prior to their execution. The government can be vigilant by actively banning or censoring such websites. Video-sharing such as Youtube should act responsibly and remove these inappropriate videos. By taking down such videos, the outreach of religious influence through the Internet can be tapered. Albeit terrorism is difficult to be defeated by attempting to stamp out the ramification of religious influence, acts of terrorism can be reduced through the Internet. To conclude, I believe that terrorism must be tackled not only from the aspect of injustice and poverty but also the religious aspect. Although terrorism cannot be totally defeated we can reduce the acts of terrorism by holistically solving problems such as injustice, poverty and the spread of extremist views through religious influences.

A contemplation Upon flowers by Henry King and Once Upon A Time by Gabriel Okara

In the poems â€Å"Once upon a Time† by Gabriel Okara and â€Å"A Contemplation Upon Flowers† by Henry King, both speakers yearn for transformation and spiritual renewal of their minds. In the poem â€Å"A Contemplation Upon Flowers† by Henry King the speaker reflects on his character. He compares the life of flowers to human life and how these flowers accept death with open arms, unlike him who fears it. He wishes to be brave like these flowers in the face of death. He also admires the humility of these flowers and wishes to have that quality in him.He years for spiritual transformation because he does not want to spend the rest of his life fearing death but to live it to the fullest. In the poem â€Å"Once Upon A Time† by Gabriel Okara, the speaker also years for spiritual transformation. The speaker, who seems to be a father, compares his life as an innocent child to the complications he now faces as an adult and realizes that he is no longer happy with his life. He years for this spiritual transformation because he wants to learn from his son and no longer be fake and to also have back his old life where everything was done with a good heart.King makes great use of personification to make us have a fair understanding of the poem. An example of this device is â€Å"Brave flowers that I could gallant it like you, and be as little vain. † He uses the word ‘gallant’ to describe the bravery of these flowers and how they are not cowards in the face of death and the phrase ‘little vain’ to show these flowers are humble and gracious and he deeply admires these qualities and years to have them in himself.Okara also makes great use of poetic devices. An example is a simile, â€Å"Most of all, I want to relearn how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs. † This tells us that he knows he is fake just like his friends and does not want to be like this. He years for transformation for this reason because he does not want to be hypocritical anymore and wants to laugh with love and meaning to regain his quality of sincerity.The idea of spiritual transformation was used well in this poem. In both poems , the poets looks at the human conditions, specifically at man’s weakness and they both yearn for change in themselves to become better persons. I personally sympathize with both speakers in these poems because I too have my own weaknesses and fears that I too want to be transformed so that I can get over these and live my life happy and innocent, even when I become an adult.

Levendary Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Levendary Case Study - Essay Example the entry process was not organized, an aspect that made it hard for the restaurant to establish its designs and menu in the market (Bartlet & Han, 2011). Foster should slowly establish Legendary Cafà © without interfering with the operations. This is to ensure that the loyal customers who are accustomed to the old designs are retained. However, the restaurant should first conduct a market research and establish the perception or feeling of the target market towards the proposed changed. This is to ensure that they are not affected, an aspect that can make them to shift their focus towards the competitors (Bartlet & Han, 2011). Mia Foster should give Chen the freedom to run the Chinese outlets. However, she should inform Chen that he must abide to the rules and regulations that have been set by the headquarters (Bartlet & Han, 2011). Therefore, even when he is making critical decisions, he should consider the overall goals of the whole restaurant. This is to ensure that the intervention does not affect Chen momentum in the Chinese market while also the goals of the restaurant in this market are being achieved. The headquarters should decentralize its authority and provides managers of subsidiaries with opportunity to make independent decision depending on the conditions in the market. This is to enable the restaurants serve the interests of the target market which are

CHAPTER 8 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CHAPTER 8 - Coursework Example When carrying out research, it is important to eliminate bias acts in the process. Using a method that freely involves any of the students will reduce biasness in the manner of selecting students for the survey. In probability sampling, there is a previous knowledge of the probability that a student participates in the survey (Maxfield and Earl, 223). The sample collected from the chosen respondents reflects the general feeling of the total population from which the samples originate. Probability sampling has advantages over other methods of survey. The first advantage is that it offers a better representation of the population than the other methods of survey. The manner of choosing the participants allows for proper representation of the people in the population. Through this, therefore, the method avoids biasness that could occur in choosing participants. The second advantage is that probability sampling gives an opportunity for the sampler to estimate the accuracy of the survey. Through drawing conclusions on probability theory, it is possible to estimate success or failure of the method accurately (Maxfield and Earl,

Foreign Exchange Indicator Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Foreign Exchange Indicator - Research Paper Example The report also predicts that the Japanese Yen will be a safe bet for people dabbling in foreign exchange and thus, will be strong in the coming months. Both the US and Japanese governments have adopted a near zero interest rate policy. The Euro and GBP have come under stress and will be showing a bearish trend. With a second set of rescue measures being announced by the government to rescue banks in the UK, global investors are viewing the GBP with skepticism and there is a possibility of its remaining weak. According to another report by Forex Capital Markets, a financial services provider in New York, " The Swiss Franc outperformed all other G10 currencies against the USD in the first quarter of the year, gaining nearly 15% on the troubled Greenback. By comparison, the Euro gained only 9%. Limited direct exposure to the U.S. and a massive liquidation in carry trades has driven the Swiss franc higher in the first quarter. However, the significant downturn in the euro zone has begun to transmit the effects of waning global growth to the Swiss economy. Interest rates are now lower in the U.S. than Switzerland. With the Fed intent on further rate cuts, the yield gap between the two countries is expected to widen, which will drive the USD/CHF lower. The case of the EUR/CHF will be quite different.

Evaluate the effect of Technological change on the Business Case Study

Evaluate the effect of Technological change on the Business Environment of Sony - Case Study Example The present study would focus on the technological change and their effects on the business strategy of organizations. The choice of the topic assumes significance in the present business environment as most of the firms operating in the modern day business environment have been severely affected as a result of the fluctuations in the business environment that has emerged as a result of the recent economic and financial crisis. The organization selected for the study is Sony Electronics. The choice of the organization assumes significance considering the fact that Sony is a market leader across many consumer electronic markets of the world as is known for its excellence in innovation in its product lines. The firm is accredited with numerous innovations in the field of consumer electronics. Products like Sony Walkman have created a revolution in the world. About the Company Sony Corporation was established in the year 1946 at Tokyo, Japan with an initial start up capital of 190,000 Y en (Sony, 2011). The name of the company has been derived from the Latin word ‘Sonus’ which means sound. ... roximately 7,214,000 million Yen as of 2009.The product portfolio of the company consists of Audio, Video, Televisions, Communication and information devices, Semiconductors and various electronic components like batteries, recording systems etc (Sony-b, 2011). The business prospects of Sony Corporation are largely affected due to the fluctuations in the business environment of the firm. The aspect is more important considering the fact that the firm operates in different markets across the globe which have different consumer behaviour. In addition to varying tastes of consumers the firm also faces issues that are related to the macro environmental aspects like exchange rate fluctuations, economic and fiscal policies etc. Presence of competitors also affects the business prospects of the firm as it plays a major role in shaping the future framework of strategies for the organization. The effect of fluctuating business environment can be easily ascertained by analysing the revised bus iness and revenue forecasts (refer annexure 1) of the company for the year 2010. The global economic down turn has also played a major role in the revision of estimated forecasts. This aspect assumes significance since the sales of electronic products are largely linked to the disposable income of the consumers. The global recession has played a major role in the declination of disposable incomes of individuals which has played a major role in the declination of sales volume and profitability of business organizations like Sony Corporation. Exchange rate fluctuations have also led to considerable pressure on the strategists of the organizations to lower their expected revenue margins. In addition the price competition which has started as a result of dip in sales figure corresponding to the

Vacation place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vacation place - Essay Example The setting rests as the best toured by most of the people from all over the world. Additionally, there lies a stately stone manse called Villa Milocer that lie on seaside estate adorned with beautiful olive trees and embraced by the ancient cedar and forests made of pine. Therefore, planning a vacation in Aman Svet Stefan is the best as it offers the beautiful views with pink sandy beaches. The pink sandy beaches receive many people travelling from all over the world bringing aboard the best for those who like to interact with the beautiful women. The place presents the best of its kind as statistics show that more women than men tour the site. It is the most admired by men that would like to check out for the fragrance embodied of the beautiful women the world over. Notwithstanding, this locale has the richest individuals offering the best deals for car hire for the preserve of comfort. Nevertheless, after an enjoyable day, the island provides the best for its visitors to rest, relax, and stay better the next day. It offers an extended selection of suites with collections of dining venues, entertainment, and wellness. In addition, the place has the best hotels that one can spend comfortably. The Sveti Stefan offers the most comfortable areas for sleep that are pocket-friendly while giving the best for the visitors. Thus, the Aman Svet Stefan stands out to be the best place to take your

Customer care trainee report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Customer care trainee report - Essay Example On a simpler note, it is about delighting the customers so that they will continue doing business with the company. Customer service is also defined to be a sequence or even a cycle of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction which is the feeling that a service or a product has met the customer's expectation. Finally, for a customer, it is "a function of how well an organization is able to constantly and consistently exceed the needs of the customers." ("Making A Point of Good Customer Service") Maximizing profit by providing excellent quality service is necessary and crucial. Companies need to know the way to succeed from the combination of customer loyalty, efficiency, and revenue. For most successful firms, they put customers at the core of organization's business system making it the most important aspect for profit generation. What makes companies be at the top of the game at the market place is the commitment to achieving and exceeding customer satisfaction and their continuous self assessment on how well their products and services fulfill the needs and expectations of the clientele. In order to sustain the competition, these companies have to show vision, diligence, and passion to benefit the customers. As a result of this belief, successful firms continuously deliver superior value to customers, at times, regardless of the products conditions. For instance, one's products may appear to be obsolete compared to others; however, top businesses are still able to sell t hese goods because of their ability to build the products' value to the customers on a consistent and continuous basis. Value is created by explaining the benefits of the products or services, addressing concerns, queries, or problems, and uncovering the needs of customers. A company that can present greater advantages to a customer is the frontrunner at the business world. Companies lose so much when they ignore the customers' needs, do not show any distinctive competence or customer empathy. Many products remain to be unsold and even with excessive marketing efforts; it still cannot influence customers to avail of either the products or services. It further irks the customers when they feel that companies are only after their money through alluring advertisements and publicities, and nothing more. The skill to be able to deliver the value to your clients is through excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills and active listening. There are simple rules on how to maintain exceptional quality customer service starting with learning how to listen. It is said that when customers have complaints, it is usually because of something. Companies need to accept complaints positively; first, as a chance to give more details about a concern, second, as a means to learn something. Through this, companies are given the opportunity to better their goods and services at the proposition of the customers. Interrupting a complaining client is never a good way to resolve issues; on the contrary this is the easiest way to drive them away. Remember that one unsatisfied customer tells about twenty people and a business cannot afford to lose clients simply because they cannot patiently listen to customers concerns or that they take things

Picking a stock Essay Example for Free

Picking a stock Essay Picking a stock is not as easy as differentiating NYSE from the Nasdaq. And more importantly, such differences are independent of the quality of the stocks. Both bourses make up the big majority of the US stock market. Easily, these stock exchanges maintain the country’s premiered blue chip stocks; wherein Microsoft is Nasdaq’s â€Å"flagship† stock and General Electric is arguably NYSE’s most well established listed company. The most glaring difference between the two is their own choice of medium to do transactions. â€Å"Nasdaq-listed trades are entirely automated. NYSE trades are still overseen by specialists. While traders have some say in how, when and at what price the trades are crossed, they cant pick the market† (NYSE vs. Nasdaq, (2003), from web site http://www. forbes. com/2003/08/18/cx_aw_0818mondaymatchup. html). Meanwhile, NYSE’s seven (7) specialists act as facilitators with the interest of making a very liquid market in the stock exchange. Nasdaq’s market makers on the other hand, actually act as participants in the buying and selling of shares (electronically, of course). NYSE is a well-know auction’s market wherein â€Å"the highest bidding price will be matched by the lowest asking price† (The Tale of Two Exchanges: NYSE and Nasdaq, from web site http://www. investopedia. com/articles/basics/03/103103. asp). Conversely, Nasdaq is more â€Å"organic† as a dealer’s market where market makers buy and sell from each other against their personal inventories. Lastly, history makes a big contribution to each bourse’s public perception. Whereas the NYSE is viewed as a more established institution (founded in 1792), Nasdaq is perceived as high-growth and highly volatile trading platform and subsequently attracts mostly firms from the IT and Telecom industries. Some first-time participants who are cost-driven prefer Nasdaq’s cheaper listing fee as well. The case of former Worldcom CEO Bernard Ebbers created a ripple effect in the telecommunications industry and severely put its existing form, MCI, into a whirlpool of debt amounting to around $35 billion. Even when Verizon purchased MCI for $7. 6 billion when the latter filed for bankruptcy, the new executive officers had the daunting tasks of regaining public trust while at the same unfolding more antitrust issues and financial window dressing perpetrated by the previous incumbents. Thousands of jobs were lost; creditors and investors alike could not recoup most of their stakes in the company. â€Å"†¦the fall of WorldCom altered the fortunes of a number of telecommunications industry participants, none more so than ATT Corporation† (Romar, Edward J. , Worldcom Case Study Update 2006, (2006), from web site http://www. scu. edu/ethics/dialogue/candc/cases/worldcom-update. html). The demise of Worldcom after the scandal affected the entire industry, especially the other forerunners that put too much reliance on the now bankrupt company as the beacon of industry standards. Bloated projections not only destroyed Worldcom, but it also damaged financially the competitors who reacted aggressively to counter these projections. For example, Worldcom’s former suppliers Nortell and Lucent Technologies took a nosedive via layoffs and below book value share prices because of these overstated figures that were never accomplished anyway.

Student Leaders Assembly Essay Example for Free

Student Leaders Assembly Essay Sunday, August 15 2010, marked the first day of the Student Leader’s Assembly of both the High School and College departments of the different Don Bosco schools who participated in the said event. They were composed of the student council and the different officers of the clubs and organizations of both levels in the different schools. It was a truly wonderful experience for them since it fostered team building and getting to know each other again after a long time. The event was held at Don Bosco Tarlac, since they were selected as the host of the said event. By the time the participants arrived at Don Bosco Tarlac, they were asked to register their names and put their bags in their assigned rooms. After the facilitators mentioned the rules, they already felt at home in the school since it brings an â€Å"aura† per se, of their school, since it the place was also a Don Bosco school. There was a time when the participants were given time to freshen up before they were ordered to go to the gym for the program to take place. The participants were asked to seat at a certain group according to the number designated on their ID’s. The program started with the raising of the Bosconian Insignias in the different Don Bosco schools while having someone who seemed to be a Bosconian â€Å"bunso† sing the song â€Å"Di Ka Nag-iisa†. It was a very breathtaking experience, because the people were astounded at what a Bosconian â€Å"bunso† could do, at such a young age. The raising of the insignias was followed by the singing of the National Anthem and the opening prayer entitled â€Å"The Prayer†, led by the two selected participants representing Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong. The opening ceremonies of the different insignias ended with a basking applause from the participants. The actual program started with the game called â€Å"Blind Barthemeus†, where a leader would be in charge of asking the other participants some questions while the rest are blindfolded. After getting to know each other as a group, the next game called the â€Å"Game of Life†, was initiated shortly. The instructions were given, and a â€Å"map† of some sort was distributed to each group. They were assigned to make a 3-feet tall tower made of the materials they are going to gather at the different places that were designated in the map, from barbecue sticks and chewing gum to popsicle sticks and lumps of clay. Everything was going well, but after a short while, the rain fell down, slowly but surely. The participants didn’t stop, and so did the rain. But when the rain poured down heavily, most of them fled to the nearest building to take cover from the rain. This goes to show that Bosconians won’t be easily discouraged to abandon their duties just because of some minor distractions or disruptions. The rain still poured down heavily and the PA announced that all Bosconians should dry themselves and wash up, since most, if not all the participants, got wet during the game. The game was suspended, but they were asked to hold on to their materials for later use. It was nighttime when the participants finished perking up and eating dinner. They were requested to go to the Big Chapel for the continuation of the program, since the gym was flooded. The program resumed, and at that time, Mr. JC Delos Reyes was the speaker. He talked about the roles of a leader and what leaders should really do and symbolize. After the talk, the different Don Bosco schools presented their dance numbers and presentations. Everyone performed well. One of the performers even performed an impromptu script, because of the delayed performance of the whole group. Nevertheless, it was a â€Å"lo and behold† sight to see, since everyone gave it their best shot in the presentations. After the dance presentations, the students were asked to go outside the chapel for the fireworks display. After a while, numerous flashing and colorful displays of fireworks amazed the participants during that night. Finally, the students were asked to go to their designated rooms and sleep. It was morning when one of the songs of Don Bosco was played to wake the participants up, although some already did way before the PA played the song. Some took a bath, while others washed up to feel fresh. Breakfast was soon served, and the mass was then celebrated afterwards. The music ministry was led by the students of Don Bosco Technical College. After the mass, the principal, Fr. Jay, gave the closing remarks and then dismissed all the students. Of course, the merienda was served before they all left the school. Everyone left knowing that they learned something not only from their school but also from someone from a different setting. It is true that the best teacher that anyone could have is experience, but it really depends on the person. If the person is eager to learn, then he would strive to become successful by learning from his mistakes in the past, therefore making use of his experiences. If the person is unwilling, then his experiences would mean nothing since he did not apply what he had encountered in the past. That goes the same with the participants back then. They not only learned the true meaning of being a leader and what it takes to be one, they also learned the value of experiences through communication and camaraderie.

Effect of the Roman Invasion on Religion

Effect of the Roman Invasion on Religion The Celtic Christianity. Christianity probably came to Britain with the Roman legions, the spread of the faith being certainly helped by the infrastructure of the Roman Empire, resulting in the gradual conversion of the various Celtic people to the Christian faith. Thus a strong and lively Celtic church existed in Britain and Ireland before the Germanic invasions took place. We know that there were British bishops at church councils at Arles, 314 AD, and Rimini, 359 AD. There are records of the martyrdoms of Alban, Julius and Aaron. Such great numbers of Celts were converted that to be British and Celtic meant to be Christian. After the legions left there appear to have been some 150 years of warfare in Britain between the invading Anglo-Saxons and the original Celtic inhabitants. So when Augustine came from Rome in 596 he came into the conflict between the Anglo-Saxon conquerors and an indigenous church among a persecuted people. [literally from the site!] The Celtic Christianity is the first form of Christianity that has been practiced in England and Ireland. (around 400 AD) In the 4th century, it really established itself by mixing the characteristic Celtic features with the religion. Once the Romans withdrew themselves, the Roman and Celtic Christianity started to evolve differently. In the 5th and 6th century a lot of Celts were converted because of missionaries. In Ireland, the Celtic Christianity is characterized by its cloisters. Celtic Christianity is the earliest form of Christianity in Great Britain and Ireland. Christianity reached Britain in the 2nd century, during the Roman occupation. It was not until the second half of the 4th century that the characteristic Celtic elements were mixed properly with the rest of the church. After the Romans had withdrawn from Britain, the Roman and Celtic Christianity had been apart for almost 200 years and had the opportunity to develop separately. The 5th and 6th century were marked by widespread conversions by the arrival of many missionaries. Ireland developed a church structure which was entirely based on monasteries. Because there existed no central authority of the Celtic church, there were many variations occurring in monastic rules and the rules of the liturgy. The Roman and the Celtic church met again in 597, when Augustine of Canterbury led a delegation of clergies to Britain. This meeting showed that there were many differences between the views of the two movements. The big difference between the Roman Catholic and Celtic Christianity led to the Synod of Whitby in 664. The decisions that were taken, were detrimental to the Celts. The Irish monastic rules were replaced with the rules of the Benedictines and strict adherence to Catholic doctrine was enforced. The decree of Whitby had no immediate effect. Especially Devon, Cornwall and Scotland continued to protest against the new form of Christianity. This resulted in the presence of a Celtic monastery on Iona (Scotland) until the 13th century, which then was replaced by a Benedictine abbey. However, Christianity in Britain began to adapt increasingly to the Roman Catholicism. Despite this, Celtic Christianity was passed on orally and there have always remained elements of the former belief in British and Irish churches. After the Reformation of the 16th century the Celtic tradition got offered more and more resistance. Reading the prayers out loud was discouraged and even forbidden, because it was thought that this was a pagan and polytheistic origin. In Scotland a combination of religious persecution and the highland clearances led to the weakening of the Celtic culture. But even this did not lead to the end of the Celtic Christianity. In the early 20th century Celtic prayers were collected in Gaelic and written down due to a resurgence of interest in Celtic literature. Partly because of this there was a growing interest in Celtic Christianity. People protested less against the tradition of pagan elements and more people began to appreciate the religion. Instead of eliminating the ancient Celtic symbols from the religious life, the Christian missionaries took over many customs of the pagan faith. Some of these traditions are still clearly seen in the Christian faith, and not just in Great Britain and Ireland. The old gods were largely held in honour, only now they were depicted as saints. The most famous example is Brighid, who became a saint with the same name after the arrival of Christianity. Jesus, the son of God, took the place of the sun god Lugh. His symbol, the cross, was added to the solar disk and so was the symbol that we know today as the Celtic cross Iona. Many sacred sites were converted to Christian places of significance. Lindisfarne, for example, was a place where the Celts worshiped their gods in the open air. On the island a church was built which became important later. The belief in the Otherworld, ensured that in almost the whole Christian world, the contact between people did not stop after death, but continued in the form of prayers and thoughts. But of course there also are differences between the Celtic Christianity and Roman Catholicism. The Celtic Christian religion is based on smaller groups of believers than the Roman Catholics, who interpret their own religion. This is partly because of the division of Celtic society: the importance of a family or clan was much larger than the importance of a country or a king. Another reason is that they dont care that much about exact rules but want to confess their faith in their own way. The fact that Celtic Christianity is different to Roman Catholicism in several ways, is largely due to the language barrier and the remoteness of the area. One of the most known differences with the Roman Catholicism is the determination of the date of Easter. There are several ways to do this, and those ways have changed and refined through the centuries. After the establishment of the Celtic Church, there was a time where there was relatively little contact with the rest of Europe and when that contact was renewed, it appeared that the Roman Catholic Church had adopted a different system. Several Celtic parishes practiced this system, while others maintained the old system. There is a striking difference in the conception of the original sin. The Catholic saint Augustine argued that the original sin was caused by Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in Paradise, and that this sin was transmitted to their offspring and therefore all people. To get rid of the original sin, people had to live by the Bible and fulfil Gods will. The Celtic monk Pelagius, however, claimed that this original sin did not exist and that a good and sinless life would be enough to go to heaven. A final difference is the experience of God by the Celtic Christians. According to them, God is not separated from his creation and the major example of this is Jesus. Believers see the universe as a body, from which God is the head, and the cosmos the body. The cosmos can perform Gods will, just like the brain tells the fingers what to do. The head joins in the sorrow and the joy of the body. God is also seen as hermaphrodite: both male and female, while Roman Catholicism portrays God as male. That the Catholic doctrine does this, can be explained by the concept of the original sin. Eve, Adams wife, was the first who tasted of the apple and she was the one who encouraged him to eat of the fruit. As Adam didnt pluck the apple himself, but this was encouraged by Eve, she was more sinful than her husband. Partly because of this idea, the role of the woman in the church was kept small. She couldnt fulfil sacred tasks like priests and bishops did. The attitude of the Celtic Christianity was much milder towards women, such as that Irish women could be priests and there was no celibacy. Shortly after the ingestion of Ireland in 1172 the Irish Celtic church was placed under the Roman church and from then there were only men who performed the sacred tasks. The celibacy was introduced shortly after. Constantine I (the Great). Constantine the Great was the son of Constantius Chlorus and Helena, and was a Roman emperor from 306 until his death in 337 AD. He is best known for being the first Christian Roman emperor. He issued the Edict of Milan (313), which proclaimed religious toleration throughout the empire. As the heir when his father died, he soon took possession of Gaul, Spain and Britain. After some victories over Maxentius he also became the master of Italy. In 323 he killed his opponent Linius in battle, and became sole lord of the whole Roman World. A lot of books have been written about the subject. An example of one of those is Constantine, the Miracle of the Flaming Cross by Frank G. Slaughter. According to the stories, Constantine saw a cross in the sky the night before his battle with Maxentius. Accompanied with it were the lines By this thou shalt conquer. Along with the supports of his mother Helena, this should have inspired Constantine to be converted to the Christian belief. The miracle has been defended by several Roman-Catholic historians, but it cannot stand the test of critical examination. It is possible that Constantine has seen something in the skies Constantine was convinced Christianity was on the rise but his conversion was more a change of policy than of character. He retained the office and title of Pontifex Maximus until the very last, a title which nowadays is reserved for the pope as it is represents the highest position in the Church. Furthermore, he wasnt baptised until he felt he was about to die. T his of course so that if there were a Heaven, he would go there, but he didnt have to live a purely Christian life before that. Constantine kept Pagans in the highest positions in his surroundings, and forbade everything which might appear to be an attack of Christianity against Paganism. This is an example of the religious toleration in the Roman empire. Constantine III (usurper) and the end of the Roman reign in Britain. Flavius Claudius Constantinus (Constantine the third), is in Britain also known as Constantine II. He declared himself emperor of the Western Roman Empire in 407 AD and abdicated in 411. On the 31st of December 406 AD, Barbarian invaders attacked the Western Roman Empire near the Rhine. Along with the disunity of the Roman Empire and the tensions around Gaul, this was one of the factors that caused the Roman Western Empire to waver. At the same moment, the provinces in Britain were in revolt, which resulted in the rise of Constantine. Constantine crossed the English Channel, and assumingly took with him all of the British mobile troops. After several battles with Sarus, he secured the Rhine Frontier and positioned his troops on the passes that led from Gaul into Italy. Constantines movement to Gaul in 407 AD is often referred to as the Roman evacuation of Britain. The current Emperor Honorius in Ravenna (Italy) was having great difficulties maintaining his position. Mutinies from the Roman Army and the abandonment of the western army left Honorius with no significant military power. So when Constantine arrived in Ravenna to negotiate in 409 AD, Honorius eagerly accepted Constantine as his co-emperor. However, Constantines success didnt last long. Later that year, the Barbarian invaders that had attacked before near the Rhine, reached Constantines garrisons near Gaul, broke through them and reached the Pyrenees. Meanwhile, general Gerontius rebelled and arrived in Hispania. Constantine was so occupied by these invasions, that he could not defend Britain against the Saxon pirates since he didnt have any troops to spare. The Roman inhabitants of Britain, upset that Constantine could no longer defend them, rebelled and expelled his officers. This is the definite end of the Roman rule over Britain. Roman Britain split into separate kingdoms but the Romano-Celts continued to fight the Saxon raiders. Roman civilisation slowly broke down: Roman towns continued to be inhabited until the mid-5th century, but then most were abandoned. In the 5th century Roman civilisation in the countryside faded away. Julian the Apostate. Flavius Claudius Julianus, also known as Julian the Apostate, was the last ruler of the Constantinian Dynasty, as well as the last non-Christian Roman Emperor. His goal was to bring back the ancient Roman values in the Empire. Julian was the half-brother of Constantine I. He was a successful army leader, even though he had received no military education whatsoever. With the deaths of Constantine I, Constantine II and Constans, Constantius II was left the sole remaining emperor of the Roman Empire. InÂÂ   355 AD, Julian was made Caesar of the west, as Constantius II felt he needed a permanent representative in Gaul. However, Julian did not agree with the role Constantius had in mind for him. Constantius had thought of Julian more as a figurehead rather than an active ruler, but Julian took every opportunity to participate in the events in Gaul. Constantius attempted to keep some control over Julian, by removing one of Julians important advisors Salutius. This was the beginning of a series of struggles between Constantius and Julian. It almost resulted in a civil war, which was only avoided by the death of Constantius in 361. Constantius II recognized Julian as his rightful successor in his last will. Julians last Christian deed was the burial of Constantius in the Church of Apostles, next to Constantine I. JulianÂÂ ´s personal belief was both pagan and philosophical. Though he received a Christian upbringing, Julian preferred the ancient gods with their leader Zeus above the Christian monotheistic view. Once he became the sole emperor, Julian started a religious reformation. He approved the restoration of Hellenic paganism above Christianity as the state religion. His laws were targeted at the wealthy and educated Christians. He did not aim on destroying Christianity as a whole, but tried to drive it out of the classes that came into contact with governing the empire. He restored pagan temples, removed some of the privileges Christian bishops had received from Constantine and reversed many more favors. On the 4th of February 362 AD, Julian declared another edict. This edict was supposed to guarantee freedom of religion. All religions were equal before the law, and the Roman StateÂÂ   was not allowed to constrain a particular religion. This might not seem to be a direct attack against Christianity, but itÂÂ ´s purpose was to restore and increase the toleration of paganism. Since the past had learned that the persecution of Christians only led to a strengthening Christianity, most of JulianÂÂ ´s actions were intended to unable Christians to organize any resistance against the re-establishment of paganism. In the School Edict, Julian demanded that all public teachers were to be approved by the emperor. This would enable Julian to prevent that Christian teachers could use pagan texts for reading purposes rather than studying the religion. In the Tolerance edict (362) Julian ordered the reopening of some pagan temples, the redeeming of temple properties and so on. Remarkably, Julian also ordered a Jewish temple to be rebuild, probably as an attempt to foster any religion but Christianity. However, the rebuilding failed. This has been prescribed to the Galilee Earthquake of 363, but some Christians say it was divine intervention. Julian wanted to make sure that he could count on the support of the entire Roman Empire. To gain this support, he felt that he had to prove himself, and he thought the Persian Campaign was the perfect occasion to do this. However, things did not go as he pictured it, and he had to withdraw his forces. During the withdrawal, Julians forces were attacked several times by Sassanid forces. In one of these attacks on the 26th of June 363, Julian was wounded. He was treated by his personal physician, but on the third day he died as a result of his injuries. Some historians claimed Julian was killed by a Christian saint, while others reported that one of his own men, a Christian soldier, had thrown the spear that ultimately resulted in Julians death. It is said that JulianÂÂ ´s last words were Vicisti, Galilaee (You have won, Galilean), supposedly expressing his recognition that, with his death, Christianity would become the Empires state religion. Was Julian right with his prediction? We can say Julian was right. As from Jovian, Christianity remained the dominant religion in the empire. Jovian was Julians successor. He was one of Julians guard, and though his election was surprising, he had a great influence on the re-establishment of Christianity. Although his reign only lasted 8 months, he revoked all the edicts Julian had issued against Christianity. However, he did not stop there. By September 363, the situation in the empire had totally changed: One could receive the death penalty for worshipping the ancestral gods, and later for participating in either public or private pagan ceremonies. Jovians successor Valentinian is often considered to be the last great emperor. He was the last emperor to have total control over the empire, and according to historians there has been a visible period of improvement under his reign. Valentinian was only slightly more tolerant against other religions, allowing just a few types of rituals, but prohibiting the practicing of m agic. Importance of Roman Emperors and division within Christianity Though Britain was one of the farthest provinces of the Roman Empire, the Roman rule had a great influence on life in Britain. All the Edicts issued by the emperors were of course to be applied in Britain. Great Britain originally can be seen as a mainly pagan country, but in time this changed. Not only did this happen because of the Irish missionaries, but as well because of the attitude of the emperor. If the emperor was a strict Christian, there was a big chance that people converted themselves to Christianity. This was especially the case under the rule of Jovian and Valentinian, who were strong opponents of Paganism. Because Britain was so far away from the rest of the Roman Empire, Christianity had the possibility to develop itself differently here than in the rest of Europe. This resulted in the Celtic Christianity. This differed from the Roman Christianity in a few ways, such as the calculation of Eastern and the penitentials. There were more forms of Christianity that have b een practiced over time. It was not anything extraordinary if the two sons of an emperor had a different belief. This was the case with the sons of Constantine the Great (see figure 1) and in a intensified way with Julian who was a pagan, and his brothers who were Christians. This made it possible that though both emperors or groups of people were Christian, they fought each other and tried to convert other to their particular form of Christianity. Some examples of oppositions were Catholicism vs. The Orthodox Church, (Semi-)Arianism vs Nicene Creed and so on.

Harriet Tubman Essay -- essays research papers

Harriet Tubman was an important African American who ran away from slavery and guided runaway slaves to the north for years. During the Civil War she served as a scout, spy, and nurse for the United States Army. After that, she worked for the rights of blacks and women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harriet Tubman was really named Araminta Ross, but she later adopted her mother’s first name. She was one of eleven children of Harriet Greene and Benjamin Ross. She was five when she worked on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was first a maid, and a children’s nurse before she started working as a field hand when she was twelve. While she was thirteen, her master hit her head with a heavy weight. The hit put permanent neurological damage (she couldn’t learn as well as before), and she passed out without warning throughout the rest of her life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1844 she got permission from her owner to marry a free black man, John Tubman. For the next five years Harriet Tubman lived in a state with only a little slavery. She remained a slave, but her master allowed her to live with her husband. But the death of her master three years after she was married made Tubman’s status uncertain. There were rumors going around the slave houses that the slaves would be sold to settle the estate. Tubman ran away to the north and became a free person. In 1849 he moved to Pennsylvania, but came back to Maryland after about two years hoping that her husband would...

Grapes of Wrath :: Essays Papers

Grapes of Wrath4 In John Steinback’s masterpiece novel, The Grapes of Wrath, the novelist uses Ma as the loving, caring, and physical backbone of the family. She is the prime example of the novel’s theme: in order for survival to be successful, people must join together and form a "we" environment as oppose to an "I" environment. Her strength that she instills throughout the novel, her leadership role that she has to help keep the family together, and her love she nourishes to her family shows the readers the true meaning of Ma as Steinback expresses her. Her outstanding characteristic is the essential need for the family’s unity. As the emotional and physical backbone of the Joad family, Ma demonstrates her leadership skills throughout the journey to California. There were many situations in the story, in which, the family began to drift apart and Ma would shift to a position of active leadership. Ironically, the father is usually the head of the family, but as the days continue in the long journey to California, Ma develops into the role of the father. Some situations in which Ma shows her leadership role is when they are camped at the Colorado River, she wields a skillet when confronting an officer who orders the family to leave. "Ma’s face blackened with anger. She got slowly to her feet. She stooped to the utensil box and picked out the iron skillet." Another situation, where Ma’s control is used, is when they are traveling and Rose of Sharon talk’s about living with Connie in a town. "Well, we talked all about it, me an’ Connie. Ma, we wanna live in a town." After hea ring her story, Ma became in a state of shock, proclaiming "We don’ want you to go ‘way from us. It ain’t good for folks to break up." Ma demonstrates her leadership and love by telling Rose of Sharon that she should stay with the family and not go off with Connie and begin a new life. Although Ma is seen as a leader, it does not mean she is motivated to be one. Her primary desire is to continue nurturing the family and keeping it together. "Twenty families became one family, the group was welded to one thing." Ma’s primary responsibility is to take care of her family and to provide them food, upraise, support, and love.

Do young people enjoy life more than older people do?

Some people may think that older people enjoy life more than young people do. However in opinion, young people enjoy life more than older people do. Young people' passion and energy are enough to enjoy life more than older people do. The reasons of it are that they do not have to be responsible for numerous tasks, that they are much more energetic than the elderly, and that they can get familiar with new technologies even faster than old people. First of all, young people do not have much responsibility compare to older people.For example, older people have responsibility to take care of their children, to earn money, to complete their work, etc. These responsibilities make them limited to enjoy their life. Moreover, whenever they try to do something to enjoy life they prefer their children's favor first, like to travel where, to choose which movie, to come together with my friends and their mother. These all make the life less enjoyable thing. On the other hand, young people do not have these responsibilities; they are free to choose from variety of options to do for enjoying their life.They can meet with their own friends, and they can go most recent and famous movie. These show us that young people enjoy their life more than older people do. Additionally, young people have more energy to do anything. In contrast, older people usually suffer from some disabilities by the time is passing. For example, my friend and I have lived in same apartment for about ten years and usually we tried to come together whenever we found some free time. And every time we went different places, and tried new things. Sometimes, our parents were the ones who planned and scheduled the vacation.Unfortunately, they were less powerful and active than we were, which forced our decision for changing according to our parents’ situation. We had great time, and enjoyed of course. However, our parents were sorry to not be able to do everything that they used to do it before. Hence, w e see that by the time our enjoying life terms will change up to our ages. And we think that we should go, try and see as much as we can do while we are still young, otherwise we will not be in proper health condition to do whatever we want.Lastly, young people enjoy life more than older people because of the reality that they can easily follow the technology compare to the older people. And technology is one of the most enjoyable things in our life. For example, we are using social media, kinds of application to be more connected to our friends. The more connection creates more friendship. And the more friendship means more enjoyable life. However, older people can only connect with their friends with traditional method which is only couple friends.As a result of this, young people can more enjoy life than older people. To sum up, there is a huge difference between young and older people to enjoy their life. Of course, the older people can also enjoy their life according to their n ew age. However in some point, they feel that they are not able to do everything they want, and in this manner they feel little boundary surrounding them. They might not feel fully enjoyed life like in their young age. On the other hand, young people can able to enjoy life by being less responsible, more energetic and more following up new things.

Beyond the printed page

Technology is rapidly changing the nature of the global media. For example, Daniel Czitrom, in his book entitled ‘Media and the American Mind: From Morse to McLuhan’, states that one of three major traditions or persuasions in American thought with regard to the impact of modern mass media, views changes in communications technology as the driving force in the historical changes in such media impacts on society. This is the school of thought of the â€Å"radical media† theorists Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan, who are said to have highlighted the thesis in different ways in their works (Czitrom 1982, p. xii).Not only is the change with regard to the changes in the impacts of mass media on society, it is also in with regard to ownership of mass media, as both technology and economics are credited with driving a convergence of the different forms of media, and implicitly, a convergence on ownership of the different forms of media (Compaine and Gornery 2000, p. xv i). The online books have major advantages compared with print versions.It benefits greatly from the evolution of technology, with the new emerging technologies endowing online books with the ability to dynamically update, hyperlink, provide efficient searching, real-time interactivity and multimedia. All these instruments help the online books deliver materials to readers more efficiently and more diversely, than its print version. Moreover, the online books attract more non-local readers and many younger readers, while the print version mainly focuses on the local or national market. 2. What devices and technologies exist or will soon exist for reading digital books?There are no several devices being manufactured that will soon make the move from printed to digital books. In fact, the move to replace printed books with electronic versions has the stamp of approval of earnest researchers, experts and scientists such that readers are now able to access thousands of books in one port able, mobile and accessible case. For instance, the Sony Reader is a new electronic book device that makes use of the display technology called the electronic ink. It was developed by the E-link in Massachusetts where the display gives a most natural reading experience for the reader, using no backlight.It uses a form of electronic ink including displays on credit cards that do not break when bent. The food labels are able to change prices throughout the day too. How this is done is by plastic films with transparent microscopic liquid-filled spheres, the size of a hair’s diameters where there floats even smaller black and white particles. The black particles are negatively charged while the white particles are positively charged. These now forms ink patterns of black and white depending on how the electric charge is applied to the film.The Sony Reader need not be turned off and just like a printed book, it can just be set aside and the current page remains on the screen witho ut draining any battery power. Studies have even proven that users report increased readability and a minimal eyestrain compared to other electronic book technology. (Scientists develop E-link to Replace Books and Newspapers). 3. How are publishers adapting to digital books? Apart from the interest from readers, on the business side the idea of moving pictures in a newspaper attracts more attention and brings greater business opportunity.More and more advertisers are interested in using online video advertisements and are shifting some of their advertisements from television to the web. New kinds of video ads are becoming popular pre-rolls and post-rolls, video ads that run before or after the news video clip. Meanwhile, web news forecasts give the opportunity for TV-style commercials. In each three-minute News Journal Newscast two fifteen second ad fragments and one thirty second fragment are inserted. This idea was only proposed two months ago, and already more than eighty-five pe rcent of the airtime slices have been sold. (Oxfeld, 2004).Currently, publishers are looking into the digital rights. These issues are inevitable due to the large number of people involved in it. It is also complicated by the fact that these people come from different places. Laws which govern them are different. Yet publishers are quite discouraged. More so, there are not much available treaties or conventions from which rules and guidelines regarding digital rights can be seen. One of main problems with regard to digital rights is the problem on unauthorized copying and transmission of printed books and digital information. This is a problem about rights to intellectual property.Tran (2001) says there are many interlinked communities in the web. As such, sharing different materials can be very convenient. According to him, file types frequently used are MP3s, MPEGs, JPEGs, and PDFs. There is a proliferation of many copies of these kinds of files which are transmitted from two diff erent points. He further elaborates that the problem lies in putting a stop or even delaying the process of the undisturbed exchange rate of copyrighted digital materials. There are a lot of factors that cannot be easily prevented such as the increasing sophistication of technology and the speed of transmission (Tran).The problem is not as easy as it seems but publishers are still keen on the fact that there are still people who would want to have books instead of electronic devices as reading materials. WORKS CITED Compaine, Benjamin M. and Douglas Gomery (2000), ‘Who Owns the Media? : Competition and Concentration in the Mass Media Industry’, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates,Mahwah, NJ, p xvi Czitrom, Daniel J. ‘Media and the American Mind: From Morse to McLuhan’, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC, p. xii (1982), Guard and Nurture your Intellectual Property Rights.Retrieved May 20, 2007 at: http://archives. obs-us. com/obs/german/books/paperl /chap091. htm Oxfeld, Jesse ‘Watching the Newspaper, 2004. Retrieved May 20, 2007 at: http://www. editorandpublisher. com/eandp/columns/newspaper_2point0_display. jsp? vnu_content_id=1000739225 Scientists develop E-link to Replace Books and Newspapers. http://www. aip. org/dbis/HFES/stories/17027. html Tran, N. 2001. â€Å"Digital Right Management†, www. cas. master. ca. Retrieved May 20, 2007 at http://www. cas. mcmaster. ca/~wmfarmer/SE-4C03-01/papers/Tran-DRM-aux. html

Case Studyâ€Baldwin Bicycles Essay

From the article it seemed that Baldwin Bicycle Company competed somewhere between a cost leader and a differentiator. Baldwin had been a bicycle manufacturer for almost 40 years. The article illustrated that Baldwin Bicycle had the image of being above average in quality in price, meaning to say that it was not low cost competitor. Besides, Baldwin had never before distributed its products through department store chains of K-Mart, which is well-known for its low price. However, no obvious evidence showed that Baldwin had targeted a particular market segment as a differentiator. To begin with, the company seemed trying to attract all range of customers—its product line involved 10 models which targeted from small beginners’ model with training wheels to a deluxe 12 speed adult’s model. Moreover, over a long term operation, Baldwin Bicycle seemed not created any superior competitive advantage that could be identified by customers to be apart from its competitors, such as brand loyalty, customer service, product feathers or technology. Above all, Baldwin Bicycle had not clarified its strategic orientation currently. b If Baldwin took up Hi-Valu’s offer, how might this change the way Baldwin competes? In particular, think about the effect on Baldwin’s costs and distribution channels(i.e. the retailers).(45%) If accepting the offer, Baldwin’s strategy may be restructured more like a cost-leader. Before drawing a draft cost analysis, several assumptions should be considered. a) Selling price should remain consistent. b) Variable and fixed costs should remain constant. Direct material and labor costs remained the same in the current range, and no idle time allowed. c) Estimation of that Hi-Value would purchase 25.000 units and Baldwin would lose 3000 units should be accurate. Incremental cost and revenue if accept Hi-Value’s offer Baldwin got capacity to accept the offer since 75% capacity had been used. Total capacity would be 131,721 units so Baldwin was able to produce extra 25,000 units. While sales volume was estimated to be 100,000 units less 3,000 units deduction plus 25,000 units=122,000 units, which quite near to its total capacity, fixed and variable costs level would change. Contribution margin was calculated as $12.47 after tax. Deducting one time added costs per unit of $0.2 , increased working capital $4.33 per unit and margin on lost margin(3,000units loss), total incremental effect would be $2.72. Effect on profit was total $68,000. Although Challenger’s offer could guarantee additional revenue, incremental costs would put burden on Baldwin’s current financial position provided accounts receivables from Hi-Value increased, making Baldwin had no extra money to develop its own product, such as new technology and feathers. As a result, to take the offer made Baldwin’s own products harder going up to the top. Distribution channel Currently Baldwin only distributed its products in speciality bicycle shops. After the offer being accepted, more distribution channels in Hi-Value stores at lower price than well-known bicycle brand such as Trek. Lower price with no significant new feathers or brand image, Challenger seemed more like low cost product. Customer and competitor reactions Accepting the offer would to some extent damage Baldwin’s brand image. Lower price and more discount distribution channel would pull Baldwin down from â€Å"above average in quality and price† speciality bicycle manufacturer to lower price manufacturer, causing a potential loss of customers and sales. Some competitors would follow Baldwin’s step, seeking for new investment or cooperation with department stores like Hi-Values . In the long run, this may share Baldwin’s current estimated sales or even, Hi-Value would cease the contract after 3 years and turn to someone else who offered lower price than Baldwin. By contrast, similar manufacturers may go to the opposite side- develop new technology, add up fresh feathers and advertise as top products to a be differentiators. In this term Baldwin may suffer from such  an embarrassing brand image from long run perspective. Other factors In addition, in terms of break-even point and safety margin, Baldwin was on the edge of losing sales due to the poor economic, resulting in a closer distance of the break-even point. To avoid the risk of making a loss rather than a profit, Baldwin should take the offer. However, before that Baldwin should also think about its cash flow. From the income statement it seemed that Baldwin could not bring out enough cash to the project. Besides, since production would increase, more warehouse space would be required which would incur further costs. Besides, above assumption didn’t include risk of losing more sales .Moreover, based on the current debt equity ratio, high leverage level would happen if Baldwin financed by loan since majority of its loan were short- term rather than long- term. To sum up, before taking the offer, it was essential for Baldwin to clearly define its strategy and consider the effect on it about accepting the offer. c Using Miles and Snow typology, speculate on Baldwin Bicycle Company’s strategic positioning.(45%) From Miles and Snow typology, Baldwin was projected to be a reactor. Since prospector should be highly innovative and analyzer’s domain is a mixture of stable and changing product or market, apparently Baldwin would not be one of those by maintaining in the current market and product line. Problems arose whether Baldwin was a defender or reactor. From strategy’ point of view, Baldwin behaved more like a reactor. Mile and Snow typology defines three reasons for an organization to be a reactor. 1. Top management of Baldwin had not clearly articulated the organization’s strategy. As talked in Question a, over 40 years Baldwin chose to act somewhere in between.  No clear strategy made Baldwin respond only when it was forced to by macro environmental pressures , in this case the poor economy. 2. Management does not fully shape the organization’s structure and processes to fit a chosen strategy. Compared to defender strategy which intends to secure and stable current market by offering a limited range of products, or offer better quality products or customer service, though selling and admiration expense was relevant high, Baldwin just sit there offering all range of  products without improve product quality . No internal reshape had been carried out , but response to external Hi-Value’s offer as it occurred. 3. Tendency for Management to maintain the organization’s current strategy-structure relationship despite overwhelming changes in environmental conditions. Al though risk of losing sales in the current economic situation and consideration of Hi-Value’s offer arose, top management seemed did not intend to restructure their strategy—to a definite cost leader or absolute top product. Above all, Baldwin was speculated to be reactor.

Extended Definition of the Word Religious Essay

When defining a word, a simple step to take is get a dictionary and it will surely help someone whose problem is grasping for the meaning of a particular word. And as one reaches for a dictionary to determine a word’s definition, observation has to be taken with regards to the word’s denotation/s (direct meaning) and connotation/s (meanings which are implied), if ever these are included. In so doing, a proper grasp of the word will be obtained. The same basic rules will be applied by this writer to clarify on the meaning of the word â€Å"religious. † From its first meaning, to how it is being used by many nowadays, to how the Bible uses the word. Dr. Lisa Rowe Fraustino, an editor and a professor at State University of New York, said that the meaning of words changes over time. If one wants to find out what is the exact meaning of a term or an expression in a culture, the person needs to observe carefully how do the speakers/writers use it (Fraustino, 1998). Generally, the word religious is taken to mean of a person who is observant of a religion; a person who devoutly follows certain spiritual teachings of a considered sacred society (http://www. brainyquote. com/words/re/religious211796. html). This kind of definition is what people commonly apply to monks, priests, an ordained minister, and to those who are simply observants of certain religions. In recent years though, the word is acquiring an extended meaning. It can now be applied to just anything that characterizes rigidity. A doctor may advice a patient, who is borderline diabetic to avoid foods high in sugar content, and may tell the patient finally, to follow the advice â€Å"religiously. † This means, because of the urgency of the patient’s need to cut on sugar, to follow the order rigidly. If the person in this case, before being diagnosed as having too much high blood sugar, was naturally a type who has a liking for sweets, this time – as the doctor had given his professional advice – sweet foods must be reduced to tolerable measure, if not totally avoided. This is what the doctor means when he told his patient to keep his advice in a â€Å"religious† manner. Thus, today, the uses of the word religious have extended beyond its original meaning. Although it retains certain aspects of it, like the scrupulous observance of a devout person to his/her religion, the connotations now include anything that suggests strictness, and not necessarily commitment to a spiritual order. The general understanding that is retained by many about â€Å"religious† is most likely taken from the Bible’s portrayal of it in several passages found therein. For example, in the book of Acts 17:22 in the New Testament, Apostle Paul observed the Athenians to be â€Å"very religious. † The Apostle has used the word in its broad meaning, which includes allegiance to certain beliefs which are not necessarily of the same order as that of the apostles and the Jews. As long as there is a belief in the Supreme Being or beings, spiritual realities, and rituals, religion is present and its adherents can be described as religious. And so, the Bible, when speaking of being religious, it does not immediately mean â€Å"being right in practice of piety† before God. The reason for this is not difficult to see in other portions of the Holy Writ. The author of the book of James, which is also found in the New Testament, implied in his statement that there are two kinds of religion in the eyes of God: one is â€Å"useless,† and the other is â€Å"pure and undefiled† (Jas. 1:26-27). Even though the general meaning embraces any religion and religious order, every belief and practice, and it is true that the Bible itself attests to the fact that there many religions as well as different practices that humans observed even in the early times of the history of humankind, the Bible nevertheless distinguishes between true and false religion. There is true, as well as, there is false religion. Given the fact, however, that the word religious has already taken new forms of meaning nowadays, those who use the word loosely must note the differences of usage. Let us observe what the speaker means when he/she uses the word, because now, it can mean many other things. References: 1. Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. 1998. Word Usage (Study Unit), by Thompson Education Direct, 925 Oak Street, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18515. 2. Date Accessed: October 6, 2008. http://www. brainyquote. com/words/re/religious211796. html 3. The Holy Bible, New King James Version. 1982. Thomas Nelson, Inc

Shaping Special Education

Running head: Shaping Special Education From Past to Present: Shaping Special Education Laura Terpstra Grand Canyon University: SPE 523 May 30, 2012 From Past to Present: Shaping Special Education Fundamental Concepts and Philosophies The history of American special education has taken a long, ever-evolving journey to get to the place it is today. Marilyn Friend (2008) discusses how in the early twentieth century students were still not accepted into public schools. Students who had physical or mental disabilities were placed into separate classes, made up entirely of students with disabilities.Throughout the first half of the twentieth century students with a wide range of disabilities were enrolled in special education classes. Over the past century, various court cases have defined how special education has changed. In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education, gave way to questions about whether or not separating special education students from the general education population was ap propriate or not. Some people believed that taking students out of the classroom gave them a label for their disability and therefore was discriminatory towards students, rather than helpful in providing services they needed to make them successful. Friend, 2008, p. 47) Not only did educators become advocators for children’s with disabilities, so did parents. The Mills v. Board of Education (1972) sparked the determination of providing special education services for students. In response to various lawsuits against the Board of Education legislation created mandates to ensure the rights for students with disabilities. Structure of Special Education Parents continued to push for the rights of children, as well as congress.The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 were laws that provided funding to states to assist them in creating and improving programs and services for children with disabilities. The Education for All Handicapped children Act in 1974 was created to a llow full educational opportunities for students with disabilities. In 1986, the federal special education law was changed to include services for infants and young children. (Friend, 2008, p. 49) In 1990, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was changed to Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and more disabilities were added.The most recent change was in 2004 when provisions were added to help resolve disputes between parents, as well as the requirement for student instruction to be taught using evidence-based practices. Federal law forced educators to change their view of special education students and how to best serve their needs in the school environment. Also in 2004, President Bush and Congress wanted IDEA to align with No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 so that schools would be held accountable for making sure students with disabilities achieve high standards (Friend, 2008, p. 68).Jill Hockenbury (2000) pointed out that special education is a key part of the publi c education system but that there are still challenges in special education today. Critical changes that are needed in special education include constructing a defensible philosophy of education, providing effective and intensive instruction, and improving the quality of teacher training. These changes are still being worked on today. The needs of children today are demanding that teachers provide effective instruction, that’s meaningful and allows the teacher to reach all levels of development in one classroom.Trends and Issues Quality teacher training is also one of the biggest challenges facing special education and relates directly to a key topic heard a lot about in special education, which is inclusion. Inclusion centers on the belief that students with a disability should be allowed to be a part of the general education classroom. However, inclusion is difficult because of the requirement of the general education teacher. The general education teacher should be able to meet the needs of the students in his or her classroom, which can be difficult depending on the students needs.However, inclusion states that students should be in the classroom full time, receiving instruction the same as non-disabled peers, and there should be no need for pull-out. In some cases, members of a child’s IEP team may not agree on the appropriate environment for a student. With increased opportunities for teachers to have training with research-based methods and strategies, this area should be able to improve in the future. Researchers have stated that inclusion is beneficial to both students with disabilities, and those without disabilities.A study done investigating perceptions of learning of nearly 5,000 kindergarten students through 12th grade revealed that students with disabilities wanted to learn the same material, use the same books, and enjoy the same homework and grading practices as typical peers. (Friend, 2008, as cited in Klinger and Vaughn 1999) O ther trends in special education include universal design for learning and differentiation. Universal design for learning (UDL) is the instructional approach that students with disabilities should have access to the curriculum.Along with UDL is the use of differentiated instruction (or differentiation) to explore the concepts of UDL further. Differentiation means that within one environment, students with multiple needs will have their needs met through various ways. UDL and differentiation should be utilized by general education teachers to meet the needs of their special education student. (Friend, 2008, p. 77) These trends are all key concepts in the world of special education. They all impact the way special education teachers should teach to meet the needs of all their students.Pat Beckman (2001) reiterated this fact stating that â€Å"improved student learning requires teachers, schools, and districts to give up unproductive traditions and beliefs, replacing them with validat ed practices and a full understanding of the intent of the law. † IDEA requires teachers to use â€Å"programs, interventions, strategies, and activities† that are researched based. (Friend, 2008, p. 63) As the needs of students increase, the resources provided need to increase, which is the responsibility of those providing the education.Special education has come very far since placing disabled students in their own separate classroom, but it still has a long way to go. There is much to be said about meeting the needs of special education students and reaching those administrators, parents, and educators who still do not have a full understanding of inclusion.References Beckman, Pat (2001), Access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://www. cec. sped. org/AM/Template. cfm? Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay. cfm&CONTENTID=5519 Friend, M. 2008). Special education: Co ntemporary perspectives for school professionals. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Hockenbury, J. C. , Kauffman, J. M. , & Hallahan, D. P. (2000). What is right about special education. Exceptionality, 8(1), 3-11. Obiakor, F. E. (2011). Maximizing access, equity, and inclusion in general and special education. Journal Of The International Association Of Special Education, 12(1), 10-16. U. S. Department of Education (2007) â€Å"Thirty Years of Progress in Educating Children With Disabilities Through IDEA†, retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://www2. ed. gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history30. html

Today-Tomorrow Garmin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Today-Tomorrow Garmin - Essay Example At present, the company is considered as the authority in research process, which supports the internet users by defaulting matches relevant to all the words included in the query and handles the search process quite insensitively. Moreover, it offers its services in all the existing major languages of the world, and also suggests similar words, phrases, fields and phrases to make research procedure more effective one. (Quoted in searchtools.com) Hence, the company has revolutionized the research process ad has made research process very fast, simple and easy. AltaVista, Excite and Google have become popular with researchers looking for information on the Web. All of these search engines allow users to enter one or more keywords that would initiate a search of the database of websites for all occurrences of those words. (Lamb et al., 2005) In addition, Google has also rendered exceptional services in the field of advertising, where billions of corporations seek its platform and assis tance as well, for the marketing and advertising of their products or services or both. Though Google Inc. underwent many problems, because some companies tried its advertising methodology at the court of law, blaming it promoting violation of trademark rights, yet there are the people in billions, who have unconditional faith in their favorite search engine i.e. Google Inc. Google Stated Strategic Goals: Like every organization, Google Inc. also aims to expand its business activities in order to increase profit volume. Commenced its corporate activities as a small firm in 1998, Google has successfully extended its network all over the world by articulating market strategy in the pattern of international companies. The most considerable component of its business strategy includes its entering into contract with well-reputed international organizations, which paved the way towards launching joint ventures and working in collaboration with one another. Consequently, almost all

Gerome (Napoleon In Egypt) v.s Manet (Gypsy with Cigarette) Term Paper

Gerome (Napoleon In Egypt) v.s Manet (Gypsy with Cigarette) - Term Paper Example Romanticism and Impressionism were among these artistic movements. The paintings of two major painters of these two movements have been taken for discussion in the paper. The first painter is Jean-Leon Gerome from Romantic Movement, and the second painter is Edouard Manet from impressionist movement. The masterpieces of these two painters we have taken are â€Å"Napoleon in Egypt,† and â€Å"Gypsy with Cigarette.† Before discussing the two masterpieces of these painters from two movements, it is necessary to understand the background of these two movements. Keywords: artistic movement, France, romanticism, impressionism, Napoleon in Egypt, Gypsy with Cigarette Romanticism and impressionism: The period of Romanticism has the element of heroism. This heroic element was combined with revolutionary idealism to produce a style. The painting called â€Å"Napoleon in Egypt,† has the qualities of a typical romantic movement painting. Impressionism or impressionist moveme nt started first in France at the end of 19th Century. The major concern of impressionists was the effect of light on an object rather than the exact presentation of the form. Vivid colours were basically used than the dull or dark colours. This movement is also known as optical realism as it focuses on actual visual experience and effect of light and movement on appearance of object. Equation 1Napoleon in Egypt Napoleon in Egypt Middle East and Northern Africa had been the centre of attraction for many artists from romantic era. The artists such as Delacroix, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824–1904), Theodore Chasseriau (1819–1856), Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps (1803–1860), and William Holman Hunt (1827–1910), travelled to the near East such as Egypt, and other Arab countries. Orientalist painting was the popular form of art and painting in the nineteenth century and it was greatly influenced by artists' direct experience of everyday life in Cairo and other Near Easter n cities and settlements. The genre of the painting is associated with heroism. Jean-Leon Gerome was a French painter as well as sculptor. He strongly opposed the movement of impressionism started by Monet and Manet. He continued to cherish and develop the French Neo-classicism. Like other artists in 19th century Jean- Leon Gerome had attracted towards East. Somewhere the superiority complex of the Western painters reflects in their painting. That might be the reason why Gerome has painted the picture of Napoleon as a warrior. Somewhere the painting represents the obsession of imperialism and establishing complete dominance on East. Jean- Leon Gerome belongs to the romantic era of art and sculpture. Some of the major attributes of Romanticism has been represented by the painting of Napoleon in Egypt. The major characteristics of Romanticism are as follows: Nationalism and Exoticism Subjectivity Vivid and passionate artwork Heroism The painting of Napoleon in Egypt has almost all the characteristics of the romantic era. It represents the nationalism as well as exoticism. Nationalism was one of the important vehicles of Romanticism. It was the era of major political changes in France. Napoleon became the inspiration for the painters like Jean- Leon Gerom. The pride of winning the world is reflected on the face of Napoleon which must be the pride of the painter. While painting Napoleon, Jean- Leon Gerome might have been patriotic. It was because Napoleon belonged to the same country where Jean- Leon Gerome was

Educational infosystems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Educational infosystems - Research Paper Example However, my school district is not ready to meet its responsibilities to comply with the new data reporting demands from both the state and No Child Behind Legislation. It is essential for adult educators to examine the course developments of secondary or high education, in order to identify problems or qualities that are typical of young adults and people. The establishment of adult and youth education can do this by looking at possibilities like, situations, process, and experiences. The software publishers that supply educational systems in the district claim that their products are compliant with SIF (OR SIS), the district has already established that it is not ready to meet its responsibilities to abide by new data reporting demands from NO Child Left Behind legislation. The information student system that exists need replacement and therefore, there is need to evaluate the market software publishers who claims that their products comply with SIF (SIF stands for Schools Interoperability Framework). It is an industry that is concerned with developing an open specification in order to ensure that administrative and instructional applications sof tware works effectively and together. It is not a product but an industry that is supported by K-12 blueprint supported technical software which enables a diverse application to share and interact with data effortlessly, every day and in the future (U. S. Department of Education, 2007). Therefore, in order to determine if the software publishers that supplies educational systems are compliant with SIF, their softwares should be able to define and determine common data formats, as well as high-level rules of architecture and interaction, and not linked with a particular platform or operating system. According to Infed (2007), when educational systems are compliant with SIF, then the information will be transferred, stored, accessed, and updated, thus reducing

Scientific Journals Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Scientific Journals - Term Paper Example BP is British Petroleum (Alexander, 2010). Three months later, the spill oil was blocked and about half of the oil spilled was removed through evaporation, natural dissolution, and human action (Ocean Conservancy, 2010). However, about half of the estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil had already polluted the environment (Ocean Conservancy, 2010). Rather than blaming the BP, a House panel blamed a rig device for failure to cut the oil flow (Doggett, 2010). In May 2010, the BP and the US government jointly estimated that more than 5,000 barrels a day of crude has been leaking into the environment and scientists warned of an environmental damage that could rival the 1989 Exxon spill in Alaska (Ball & Hughes, 2010). Other scientists say, however, that the spill may be more than 10 times the 5,000 barrels-a-day joint estimate of the US government and the BP (Ball & Hughes, 2010). On the month, US scientists estimated that the oil spill â€Å"could cause more of Louisiana’s retreating marshland revert to open water† (Ball and Hughes, 2010, 4th paragraph). U.S. Greenpeace, a leading environmental group, has her own interpretation of the timeline of the BP oil spill disaster (2010). According to the Greenpeace US, as early as 2007, the US Interior Department’s Mineral Management Services (MMS) has acquired data that oil-drilling projects are marked with a history of accidents, fires, and deaths (Greenpeace, 2010). In July 2008, a top agency manager of the MMS was criminally charged for having conflicts of interest with oil companies (Greenpeace, 2010). Yet, however, the MMS was allowed to give BP an exclusion from the US National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirement to prepare an environmental impact statement for BP’s drilling operations (Greenpeace, 2010). Based on the â€Å"timeline† of the Greenpeace (2010), the BP oil spill can be blamed to the lax application of US environmental policies as well as to the congruence of

A Bar at the Folies-Bergre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Bar at the Folies-Bergre - Essay Example There is also a seemingly displaced symmetry of the lights that have been placed on the pillars that are behind the woman. The illusions on the reflection of the woman on the mirror prompt one to change their thoughts great meaning about the woman on the painting. The comparison of the woman’s frontal image and the image of her that is reflected on the mirror that is behind her conveys a certain the painting can be difference and a form of tension. This tension can be interpreted to be the difference between the way that a customer at the bar sees the woman and the way that the painter sees her, or the difference between the illusion of the calm that the woman presents and the reality that is the chaos in her life.. In other words, the woman is not necessarily what she seems. The use of classical iconography in the painting can be studied to provide clues as to whom the woman really is. The roses that are on the painting have been placed in a glass of water have great meaning. The white rose is a symbol of purity while the pink rose is a symbol of divine love. There are also white roses on the woman’s corsage. This is done to present the woman as a representative of ancient deity in modern times. There is also a crystal bowl of tangerines that have been placed on the bar. The tangerines provide color to the painting as they are glossy and are also an iconographic representation. This is because they are often used as a substitute for apples in the Christian iconography.

Japanese Traditional Building Techniques Assignment

Japanese Traditional Building Techniques - Assignment Example Timber and clay are abundantly available in Japan; hence these are the main building materials used in Japanese house construction since the last several hundred years (Figure 1). The framework is constructed with timber, which is walled with the help of clay. By the late 1970s, this traditional method of building Japanese houses gradually decreased. This was mainly because the timber framework was replaced by the North American style panel construction, and the clay wall by timber or steel paneling. However, in some places in Japan such as Toyohashi, the traditional building technique is continued in the present day; though the number of clay-walled houses constructed is declining (Hideo 2003). Carpenters put sills on the concrete foundation, erect posts then using various joints they join the various posts with beams. The contemporary method is to use nails, reinforcing metals and brasses to give more earthquake resistance to the houses according to the Building Regulations. Accord ing to Hideo (2003), after the roof structure has been assembled, a ceremony of ridge raising termed Muneageshiki is performed, in collaboration with the client and the community. Carpenters prepare the frame sections at their workshop from cut timber, and assemble them at the building site. Plasterers set bamboo lath in frame spaces and apply clay to the lath. This Arakabe is generally applied before the onset of winter; and it takes one to two months to dry completely. This is followed by two more applications of clay.

Product Campaign Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Product Campaign Plan - Research Paper Example Over the past two decades, there has been an increased number of Japanese restaurants in the US with the numbers more than doubling and the business environment becoming increasingly competitive. The 2010 Jetro Japanese Restaurants trends have shown that Japanese restaurants in the period 2005 to 2010 have increased by 54.8% (1). Furthermore, Lim (2) in his study acknowledges that increasingly over the past years American customers have come to appreciate Japanese food, and most specifically its famous sushi dishes. Such resign appreciation for the Japanese food and the increasing number of Japanese restaurants implies that Japanese restaurants will have to operate effectively within the growing competitive environment to be profitable. For Miyagi, one of the highly rated Japanese restaurants in Mclean VA, the need to be efficient and competitive in a changing environment is even greater if it is to retain its top spot in the region. Miyagi is a family-owned Japanese restaurant in Mclean VA, with the restaurant having been founded in the late 1980s, according to Lei a waitress in Miyagi, after the family immigrated to the US. The restaurant serves Japanese meals such as sushi, to the widely diverse population in Mclean region. However, based on observation, the ratio of Japanese vs. other residents frequenting the restaurant as compared to the ratio of the Japanese vs. other residents in Mclean VA region is higher. While the population in the region is 38929 residents that have different race backgrounds, Japanese population in the region are 514, presenting only 1.32% of the population and not enough market for the all Japanese restaurants in the region. This, therefore, implies Miyagi needs a campaign strategy that will elevate its prominence in the region as the place to be.

Poetry and Wright Essay Example for Free

Poetry and Wright Essay The poetry of Judith Wright conveys a strong sense of ? Australian Identity. This is evident though Wrights strong connection to the sea, using descriptions and personifications of the sea. Wrights ? Australian Identity is firmly established through poetry with her use of ideas that have become synonymous with the Australian stereotype: what people recognise as being uniquely ? Australian. This includes the description of the stereotypical Australian beach scene and the attitudes shown by the surfer and even the surf in the poem: characteristics recognised as ?  typically Australian. These features of her poetry have established Wright as a truly ? Australian poet. The surf, grey-wolf sea sitting on the whitened pebbles and shells are images that are recognised as Australian and part of the Australian identity. The surfer too is instantly recognisable as typical Aussie character. He is described as brown and he has muscle ? he is the stereotype of the bronzed, muscular surfer. The use of these ideas that have become typically Australian show Judith Wright as an Australian poet which in turn reflects the Australian identity. Judith Wright has a strong connection to the Australian beach, and the ideas she conveys through her poetry are very much steeped in nature. This link to the Australian sea immediately distinguishes Wright as an Australian poet. The Australian connection to the sea and surf is reflected in the repetition of muscle to describe both the surfer and the wave expresses the surfers connection to the wave and to nature. This connection is further emphasised by the personification of the wave through long muscle of water. The bond of both the surfer and Wright to the sea defines Wright as Australian and reflects Australians strong links to the sea. ?Australian traits are not shown only by Wright herself, but by characters in her poems. In The Surfer, Wright uses assonance (those and foam) to describe the wave. This has the effect of creating a long and lazy piece of sound imagery for the reader. The laconic nature of the wave is the same as the typical Australian ? laid back spirit giving Wrights poetry an Australian flavour and such contribute greatly to Wrights recognition as being an Australian poet.

Factors Affecting Organogenesis in Plant Tissue Culture

Factors Affecting Organogenesis in Plant Tissue Culture Organogenesis is the process of forming a specific organ from non-specific mass of meristem or parenchyma cell known as callus. In this experiment, auxin and cytokinin are used to determine the effect of PGR, auxin and cytokinin on the organogenesis in carrots and petunia leaves, in which auxin hormones responsible for growth of roots, phototropism and gravitropism, while, cytokinin helps in inducing the growth of shoots and regulates auxin action. Theoretically, the presence of high cytokinin and low auxin in the media, the shoots will form, meanwhile, in low level of cytokinin and high level of auxin in the media, roots will form. Meanwhile, in the presence of high concentration of both cytokinin and auxin, callus formation will be induced. However, in this experiment, production of the shoots and roots are not compatible with the theory due to improper ratio of auxin and cytokinin and the high toxicity of synthetic cytokinin, kinetin. Introduction Plant tissue culture (PTC) is the techniques used to grow plant from any of the plant segment, tissues or cell in a contaminated free environment media such as MS media (Singh Kumar, 2009). PTC techniques is important plant biotechnology aspect in which it facilitates the production of genetically modified plants and induced rapid multiplication of difficult-to-propagate plant species. Besides that, the ability to produce totipotent plant cell using PTC techniques has significant impact on crop improvement via genetic engineering (Radzan, 2003). There are two different processes, which involve explant differentiation and growth in PTC, which are organogenesis growth and adventititous roots or shoots growth directly from the explants. Organogenesis is the process of forming a specific organ from non-specific mass of meristem or parenchyma cell known as callus. Meanwhile, for formation of adventitious roots or shoots means the roots or shoots structure arise from the explants that have been excised (Pernisova et al., 2009). This situation does not usually happen if the plant sample are cultured in a medium with the same ratio of auxin and cytokinin. The presence of plant growth regulators (PGR) such as auxin, cytokinin, gibberellins, abscisic acid and ethylene has significant impact in the process of plant growth and differentiation. Gibberellins responsible for growth, seed germination and promote fruits growth. As for ethylene helps in controlling of fruit ripening as well as controlling cell division and cell elongation. Meanwhile, abscisic acid act on seed maturation and give the ability to the seeds to response during stress in undergoing dormancy period (Davies, 2010). However, in this experiment only, auxin and cytokinin are involve, in which auxin hormones responsible for growth of roots, phototropism and gravitropism, while, cytokinin helps in inducing the growth of shoots and regulates auxin action (Davies, 2010). In this experiment, NAA will be used as synthetic auxin and kinetin and BAP as synthetic cytokinin. This experiment was conducted in order to determine the effect of PGR, auxin and cytokinin on the organogenesis in carrots and petunia leaves. Materials and methods Plant materials For petunia leaves samples, the leaves were provided by lab technician in Monash University Sunway Campus. Firstly, 18 petunia leaves were collected from the petunia leaves petri dish. Then, the petunia leaves were soaked using 10% (v/v) of sodium hypochlorite for not more than 5 minutes. The leaves were then rinsed using sterile water in a laminar flow cabinet. Then, 2 petunia leaves were added in each petri dish with different ratios of NAA:BAP and NAA:Kinetin. The same methods were implied to the carrot. However, the carrot sample was cut into 27 pieces about 0.5cm thick on the surface of sterile ceramic tile. After soaking the carrot samples in sodium hypochlorite and rinsed for three times, 3 carrot pieces was transferred into petri dish with different ratios of NAA:BAP and NAA:Kinetin. The result recorded based on table 1 and table 2. Tissue culture media MS media supplemented with combination of high cytokinin to low auxin were prepared by the lab technician as follows: NAA:Kinetin ratios (2:0, 0.5:1, 1:0.5, and 0:2) and NAA:BAP ratios (2:0, 0.5:1, 1:0.5, and 0:2). Additional of two control plate with MS media that supplemented with same ratio of auxin and cytokinin were also prepared by the lab technician. Culture condition The transferred petunia leaves and carrot pieces in the 18 petri dishes were incubated for 28days in 25ÂÂÂ ±2ÂÂÂ °C temperature, and photoperiod of 16hours in light 8hours in dark as provided in plant culturing room in Monash University Sunway Campus. In addition, for every 4 days, the tissue cultured was checked to whether there are presents of contamination and to transfer the samples into new MS plates. Results and discussion Effect on carrot slices Based on the result obtained in table 1, it shows that for carrot samples, the formation of callus can be seen all of petri dish with various ratios of either BAP:NAA or Kinetin:NAA. Theoretically, the formation of callus is due to the high concentration of both the cytokinin and auxin in a growth media (Duncan et al., 1985). Since all the plates are containing callus, it can be deduced that the growth of callus can be formed by excision of the plant cell. Meanwhile, for formation of roots, only carrot samples from MS media supplemented with BAP:NAA with ratio of 0.0:2.0 which also shows formation of roots. This is because, according to the theory, in the presence of high cytokinin and low auxin in the media, the shoots will form, meanwhile, in low level of cytokinin and high level of auxin in the media, roots will form. However, in the presence of high concentration of both cytokinin and auxin, callus formation will be induced (Chawla, 2002). However, it can be seen that there is no production of shoots in other plates except in MS media containing 0.0BAP:2.0NAA. This may occur due to unsuitable ratios of cytokinin and auxin in MS media that may not favorable for carrot species to induce formation of shoots. Effect on petunia leaves By referring to table 2, it shows that petunia leaves sample that shows formation of callus, roots and shoots is the MS media supplemented with BAP:NAA with ratio of 0.5:1.0 and the control plate. This occur due to suitable ratio of cytokinin and auxin suplemeted in the MS media. Furthermore, only MS media supplemented with BAP:NAA with ratio of 0.0:2.0 shows the growth of shoots excluding the MS media supplemented with BAP:NAA with ratio of 0.5:1.0 and the control plate. Theoretically, the productions of shoots are triggered by high concentration of cytokinin and low concentration of auxin. However, in the ratio of 0.0BAP:2.0NAA, it is predicted that formation of roots will be induced, instead, shoots are forming. This occur due to presence of zeatin in petunia leaves. Zeatin is a natural cytokinin presence in the most green leaves that undergoing senescence (Singh et al., 1992). The presence of cytokinin in the media may mask the reaction of auxin hormone on the explants presence i n the media (Nakagawa et al., 2006). Therefore, the production shoots are triggered instead of roots. Based on the result in table 2, the production of roots and shoots are low due to due to the excessive amount of alcohol used during the sterilization process. Besides that, shoots and roots only produce in MS media supplemented with BAP:NAA and not in MS plate with Kinetin:NAA. This may occur due to the toxicity of the synthetic kinetin, that are not suitable for the growth of either shoots or roots on petunia leaves. There were also presence of contamination in the cultured plate of carrot sample, which involve MS media supplemented with BAP:NAA with ratio of 2.0:0.0 and MS media supplemented with Kinetin:NAA with ratio of 2.0:0.0. Meanwhile, for petunia leaves sample, the cultured plate that have been contaminated by fungal infection are MS media supplemented with BAP:NAA with ratio of 0.0:2.0 and ratio of 2.0:0.0 as well as MS media supplemented with Kinetin:NAA with ratio of 0.0:2.0 and ratio of 0.5:1.0. This may occur due to experimental error, in which contamination may occur due to improper techniques while doing PTC such as lack of using aseptic techniques to make sure sterile condition during transferring the samples into the MS plate. Conclusion In conclusion, suitable medium supplemented with correct ratio of cytokinin and auxin are the most important key in order to get successful induction of organogenesis in vitro. Besides that, sterile environment is also one of the important factors in determining the successfulness of PTC and in order to obtain expected