Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Sport success in qatar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sport success in qatar - Essay Example s success in sports improve as it started by building sports city, creating a national day for sports in its calendar, apart from hosting the world cup football and the Doha athletic world championship. The Federation for International Football Association (FIFA), is the international governing body of football, with headquarters based in Zurich (Simon, 2013). The foundation was founded in 1904 under the Swiss law. It has a total of 209 member association, of which, Qatar is one among the number. One of its goals is to constantly improve football through sponsorship, promotion, and organization. The body employs over 305 people from more than 35 nations, and it is composed of the Congress, Executive Committee, General Secretariat, and the committees in charge of assisting the executive body. Through its executive committee, FIFA carries out world cup hosting biddings in accordance with the FIFA Provisions and Statutes. Four years ago, FIFAs Executive Committee announced Qatar the winner of the 2022 world cup hosting, a competition that was highly contended. The Executive Committee, however, confirmed that the exact date for this hosting will be discussed in their meeting in March 2015. While awaiting that decision, the task force responsible for the international match calendar of 2018-2022 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatars team, chaired by the President of the AFC Shk. Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa will hold a prior meeting in Doha, in February of 2015 (FIFA.com, 2014). The FIFA Executive Committee confirmed to strongly support the creating of an independent body that will oversee the process of implementation of the reform program in Qatar regarding the issues of labor rights. This will take place in support of the recommendation put across by the DLA Piper report. This report also gave mandate to the FIFA President Blatter, with Dr. Theo Swanziger to go ahead with and discuss this issue with the political authorities of Qatar and be sure that the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Jury Trial Analysis Essay Example for Free

Jury Trial Analysis Essay Jury trial refers to a legal proceeding, whereby a panel of adjudicators makes decisions that are put into practice by the judges. A jury decides upon dubious issues of fact that can either be in a criminal or civil trial. It is a constitutional right for those charged with criminal and civil offenses to face trial by jury. However, in civil trials the defender and the offender can have a consensus of having a bench trial before a judge. Therefore, it is evidenced that jury trial takes place only in those situations where one side in a civil case, or the accused in a criminal case, have a belief that it is in their best interest. It also has an effect on the ruling of cases that never go to trial. In jury trial, there are five main steps that are keenly followed. The first step involves the selection of a jury. In this step prospective jurors show up in a courtroom. The defensive and prosecution lawyers together with the attorneys, interview them through a process called voir dire which means to speak the truth. This procedure is aimed at authenticating whether any of the jurors has a secretive interest in the case, a chauvinism or bias that may negatively influence him or her as a juror. For instance, the defensive lawyer can request to have the juror excused if he or she is afraid of guns. There are two main challenges faced at this stage, challenge for cause and authoritative challenge. Each of the side has the ability to discard a juror capriciously (Denver Criminal Attorney, 2009). Jury selection is completed and an oath is administered for those chosen in a particular case. However, they are lawyers who are specialized in jury selection and they will do excellent in this part of trial. Secondly, both sides in the case participate in an opening statement. First, the prosecutor gives a brief summary of what the trial is about, the offense that the defendant is being accused of and how they will prove his guilt. Thereafter, defensive attorney gives his opening statement in order to summarize how he will demonstrate his client is above suspicion. However, opening statements are not evidence but are only anticipation of what each side waits for the evidence to prove. The third step involves presentation of evidence and testimony of witnesses. The prosecutor takes the first step of professing witnesses and presenting various physical facts such as weapons and documents to evidence the defendant’s guilt. There is cross-examination of his witnesses by the defensive lawyers. After the prosecution is done with his presentation, the defense gets the floor and also presents its own witnesses and evidence. The prosecution gets an opportunity to cross-examine defense witnesses too. Finally, both sides ‘’respite ‘’their case. The fourth step entails closing arguments and presentation of jury instructions. The defense firstly, confirms how the prosecution did not prove its case. The prosecution goes last winding up its case. It is substantiated that the prosecution has the’’ burden of proof’’ and therefore it goes first and also last. The judge interprets the instructions of law to the jurors, defines their responsibilities, what evidence to consider and the law that governs the case. The final step in a jury trial is deliberation. The jury goes to the deliberation room to judge the case and arrive at a verdict. A foreperson is identified to ensure that every juror is given a fair opportunity to participate. In case of any need for clarification, it is written down and the bailiff presents it to the judge (Morrocco). Finally, when a judgment has been attained, jurors agree to it and sign a form then they alert the bailiff. It is then read by the clerk and the judge discharge the jurors. In a jury trial, the constitution allows for fair and impartial treatment of the accused. There are several constitutional rights of a defendant during a jury trial. For instance, the defendant has a right to remain silent, confront witnesses, represented by an attorney and also has a right to adequate and sufficient representation. This is mainly practiced in criminal prosecutions. Jury trial is in deed one of the better systems of judgment of single or a panel of judges who have a lot of bias. Every party in a jury trial is mandated to enjoy the right to a detached jury of the center where the crime shall have been committed. The legal system must use the proper and accurate means of obtaining information and evidence against a suspect (Jury Service). So as to ensure selection of unbiased jury, each of the prospective jurors is ordered an oath to speak the truth. Usually, twelve jurors are selected having two of them being chosen as alternates. Stringent instructions are given as a way to ensure fairness and impartiality as a jury. To maintain the highest standards of fairness in a jury trial, an independent jury must be appointed each year to appraise the application and also select participating juror.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

A Scope Of Microsoft Essay -- essays research papers

There are many factors that must be considered when â€Å"scoping† out a company for a potential merger or acquisition. I being the CEO of a major competitive software manufacturing company look for many things. Things such as strategic planning, financial performance, technological advances and marketing opportunities are just some of the factors that must be looked at when considering another company for acquisition. In this case, Microsoft Corporation is our target. I will be examining the above-mentioned factors before making my decision on whether or not an acquisition will be feasible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 by William H. Gates III. The company, which was inspired by Gates, had a vision of computers powered by software developed by the company being a way of life. The goal was to integrate computers into people’s everyday lives. The company started out in Gates’ garage with primitive technology and unlimited aspiration. Today the company has grown to be the world’s number one software developer and manufacturer. The company offers a very diverse line of products ranging from home user applications to high tech business software. Microsoft develops and manufactures a full line of games, web publishing, and most importantly, it’s number one piece of software, Windows 2000 and ever-popular Office 2000. The world basically runs on Microsoft software. The software is shipped with 70% of the world’s computers giving Microsoft a total of over 19 billion dollars in revenues for 1999. Microsoft has re cently emerged in the world of Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to become a competitor of the well-known America Online. The Microsoft Network (MSN) as it is known offers users the same advantages of the leading ISP’s while incorporating its own technology to make the online experience more user friendly and technologically advanced than the others. MSN allows users to interface their online work with their regular operating software to allow for easier web publishing, more advanced multimedia presentations, and quicker processing time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There have been many issues concerning Microsoft’s strategies. Many say that the company is only in the market to take over and monopolize. As a matter of fact, the United States Government is currently in a civil anti-trust case against the company. Evid... ... and manufacturer that will occupy every sector of the software industry. Our manufacturing plants can be consolidated and re-structured to cut costs, wile adapting to manufacture the new software line that my company would introduce. Our management team can be re-structured as well so that strategic planning and decision-making will better implement our new ideas and technological advances. Finally, our market share will be greatly increased because of the ability to be exposed to countries that we are not currently involved in. I feel that a combination of our companies would be probably the most beneficial event that could occur in my company. Microsoft has proven itself to be the number one software company in the world; together we would be unstoppable. One problem with this joint venture would be the matter with the pending Anti-Trust case, which would probably be further fueled by this joint venture. Whatever the outcome of the case, which by the way seems to be nearing a settlement, I feel that the newly formed company will be the best thing that has happened in software since 1975. **All factual and financial information was taken from Microsoft’s 1999 Financial Report.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Environmental Factors the Affect the Marketing Procedures of Coca Cola International Essay

Coca Cola is an international business company that needs international advertising as well. Businesses spend billions of advertising dollars every year because they know that viewers are influenced by what they see and hear. They don’t spend that money because they think advertising might work; they know it works. It sells their products. In 2004, The Coca-Cola Company spent 2. 2 billion dollars advertising its products worldwide in print, on the radio, and on television. Was the investment worthwhile? The company made nearly 22 billion dollars in profits for that year. Advertisers realize that one ad may not affect behavior. Instead, they rely on the cumulative impact of years of indoctrination. The truth is, with just a minute’s airing of an advertisement, some thousands of consumers are rather attracted to buy the products shown on TV. With this fact in mind, it could be noted that advertising is rather considered as one of the major procedures of marketing that any type of company could invest upon. However, the question is how sure are the advertisers that their products would sell up through the presentation that they make through advertising? What are the factors that contribute to the said effects of advertising marketing to the consumers? This is what is considered within the discussion of how the environmental factors actually affect the impact of advertising towards the target consumers. The Marketing Strategy’s Effective Placement As noted earlier, Coca Cola is an international beverage company that actually handles the production of drinks that are likely to soothe the drinking needs of the consumers. However, selling beverages may not appear to be as easy as it looks. Most people would consider the beverages presented by Coca Cola to the society are likely for hot times only. How then is the company coping up with its sales during cold season? It is undeniable that Coca Cola, upon observation, tries to make the best out of the time that they are given. It could be noted that even during the cold seasons, the said company is able to attract consumers that are likely fond of the beverages that they offer no matter what weather there may be. December is likely the winter time which usually caters hot beverages and their promotions to the buying public. However, Coca Cola managed to use the said environmental change in terms of weather for their own advantage. Coca Cola’s advertisement of Santa Claus holding Coke Beverages is indeed an attractive approach, whereas the company paved the way to a more appreciated matter of the season than that of the cold weather itself. It was a rather creative approach that has given this advertisement a major difference from that of the other marketing strategies used by the same company. Obviously, their approach to the situation has placed them in a better edge against their competitors in the industry thus giving the company better gains than the others for annual productivity for the entire business organization. Conclusion Weather is just one particular factor in the advertising and marketing word that actually affects the approach of product promotion in the field of consumer-producer relationship. It is undeniable through that weather, single as it is, has a great effect on the presentation of advertisements during specific seasons as suggested by the environment itself. Coca Cola on the other hand has been able to take responsible consideration of these unavoidable changes in the environment for the their own good that actually outlines the possibility that they are then given the rightful share of their own creativity in presenting their marketing approach in the field of advertising. As a result, the said company was able to get the best out of the possible changes of the environment. Their gains and the edge against their competitors that they were able to accomplish through the said approached saved their values for service and profit well. True, environment itself may present challenges to different companies with regards the launching of the different products that they present to the society, however, effective utilization of the said situations for the benefit of the organization could make the strategy of marketing more apprehended and efficient for international advertising approaches.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Ashlyfive point linguistic star Essay

We’ve allowed a natural approach to language instruction to dominate our schools, hoping our English learners â€Å"will just figure it out. † (SCOE, 2009) This approach suggested by Kevin Clark proposes that teachers explicitly teach ELL by giving them a set of skills. Teacher will have to teach students not just vocabulary, but the sound system of language, the words and their word parts and meanings, and also rules for structuring sentences grammatically. Teaching students from this perspective can support a deeper understanding of the language. When the  concept is thoroughly supported by background knowledge, explanation as to why, activities that strengthen skills, and consistency in lesson structure that follows this pattern, students are more likely to understand the concept and create a platform from which to launch higher level thinking and conclusions on following concepts and content area. Students learn more efficiently when they have prior knowledge on a presented concept. If the student can link content to a concept that they gained from previous knowledge on from their own unique background or culture, it  will inevitably spark interest in that subject area. By sparking interest the teacher is now adding value to the lesson. Since students synonymize interest with value, the teacher would prove effective. Now a sense of purpose has now been infused into the lesson, and the student/students may begin to contribute more. (NCREL, 1990) This approach is rather intriguing, and teachers should be trained in linguistics prior to teaching ELLs. I would learn the subparts of linguistics via a course: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. By learning each subpart in-depth, I can better compose lesson plans and activities that explore those areas for the ELLs to better benefit. Understanding the mechanics of a language is just as important as understanding the language itself, for both teachers and students. The concept of prior knowledge should not be limited to the students but 2 LINGUISTIC APPROACH teachers should utilize this concept for their own effective instruction. If teachers have prior knowledge of the subparts of the English language, as well as knowledge of the diverse cultures  he/she is instructing can help the teacher create and blend a comprehensive and student-inclusive lesson plan and curriculum. Prior knowledge influences how the teacher and students interact with the learning materials as both individuals and a group. (Kujawa and Huske, 1995) Prior knowledge assists in segue of appropriate instruction and retention, because it is a foundation from which to build from and facilitates the idea of making sense of the educational experience. As the students are learning from the linguistic perspective, especially under syntax and  semantics, students would be primed for grammatical instruction, also. As they learn how, where and when to use appropriate vocabulary, I will insert instruction on main grammatical principles and rules and branch off into further instruction where applicable. I would try to make sound non-confusing connections with the native language grammatical principles, so there is a prior knowledge foundation established in that arena as well. I would also have a grammar day in the middle of the week to review prior concepts and morph new grammar lessons into the lesson  plan and utilize formative assessment strategies to see what needs to be reviewed and further defined. 3 LINGUISTIC APPROACH References Kujawa, S. , & Huske, L. (1995). The Strategic Teaching and Reading Project guidebook (Rev. ed. ). Oak Brook, IL: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Restructuring to promote learning in America’s schools, videoconference #2: The thinking curriculum. (1990). Oak Brook, IL: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Sonoma County Office of Education. (2009) Structuring language instruction to advance stalled English learners. Aiming High Resource. Retrieved September 16 2014. 4

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Analysis of Paranoia by Shirley Jackson.

Analysis of Paranoia by Shirley Jackson. Shirley Jackson is an American author most remembered for her chilling and controversial short story The Lottery, about a violent undercurrent in a small American town. Paranoia was first published in the August 5, 2013, issue of The New Yorker, long after the authors death in 1965. Jacksons children found the story in her papers in the Library of Congress. If you missed the story on the newsstand, it is available for free on The New Yorkers website. And of course, you can very likely find a copy at your local library. Plot Mr. Halloran Beresford, a businessman in New York, leaves his office quite pleased with himself for remembering his wifes birthday. He stops to buy chocolates on the way home and plans to take his wife to dinner and a show. But his commute home becomes fraught with panic and danger as he realizes someone is stalking him. No matter where he turns, the stalker is there. In the end, he does make it home, but after a brief moment of relief, the reader realizes Mr. Beresford still might not be safe after all. Real or Imagined? Your opinion of this story will depend almost entirely on what you make of the title, Paranoia. On first reading, I felt the title seemed to dismiss Mr. Beresfords troubles as nothing but a fantasy. I also felt it over-explained the story and left no room for interpretation. But on further reflection, I realized I hadnt given Jackson enough credit. Shes not offering any easy answers. Almost every frightening incident in the story can be explained as both a real threat and an imagined one, which creates a constant sense of uncertainty. For example, when an unusually aggressive shopkeeper tries to block Mr. Beresfords exit from his store, its hard to say whether hes up to something sinister or just wants to make a sale. When a bus driver refuses to stop at the appropriate stops, instead just saying, Report me, he could be plotting against Mr. Beresford, or he could simply be lousy at his job. The story leaves the reader on the fence about whether Mr. Beresfords paranoia is justified, thus leaving the reader - rather poetically - a bit paranoid herself. Some Historical Context According to Jacksons son, Laurence Jackson Hyman, in an interview with The New Yorker, the story was most likely written in the early 1940s, during World War II. So there would have been a constant sense of danger and distrust in the air, both in relation to foreign countries and in relation to the U.S. governments attempts to uncover espionage at home. This sense of distrust is obvious as Mr. Beresford scans the other passengers on the bus, looking for someone who might help him. He sees a man who looks as though he might be a foreigner. Foreigner, Mr. Beresford thought, while he looked at the man, foreigner, foreign plot, spies. Better not rely on any foreigner †¦ In a completely different vein, its hard not to read Jacksons story without thinking of Sloan Wilsons 1955 novel about conformity, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, which was later made into a movie starring Gregory Peck. Jackson writes: There were twenty small-size gray suits like Mr. Beresfords on every New York block, fifty men still clean-shaven and pressed after a day in an air-cooled office, a hundred small men, perhaps, pleased with themselves for remembering their wives birthdays. Though the stalker is distinguished by a small mustache (as opposed to the standard clean-shaven faces that surround Mr. Beresford) and a light hat (which must have been unusual enough to grab Mr. Beresfords attention), Mr. Beresford rarely seems to get a clear view of him after the initial sighting. This raises the possibility that Mr. Beresford is not seeing the same man over and over, but rather different men all dressed similarly. Though Mr. Beresford seems happy with his life, I think it would be possible to develop an interpretation of this story in which it is the sameness all around him that is what actually unnerves him. Entertainment Value Lest I wring all the life out of this story by over-analyzing it, let me finish by saying that no matter how you interpret the story, it is a heart-pumping, mind-bending, terrific read. If you believe Mr. Beresford is being stalked, youll fear his stalker - and in fact, like Mr. Beresford, youll fear everybody else, too. If you believe the stalking is all in Mr. Beresfords head, youll fear whatever misguided action hes about to take in response to the perceived stalking.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Bond, James Bond Essays

Bond, James Bond Essays Bond, James Bond Essay Bond, James Bond Essay Essay Topic: Film Bond films are still popular with cinema audiences, around the world after 35 years. Why? There have been 18 films (all blockbusters) and 6 different Bonds and the same simple plot. How have all these elements kept audiences glued to the screens? Well the simple plot is one of the most important elements of the film. The reason this has kept audiences glued to the screen is because its easy to follow; but doesnt it mean its predictable? Yes it does, but for some people thats whats made the Bond films good. Would a Bond film be a Bond film if there werent a car chase or without Bond defeating the bad guy? If you compare two Bond films the plot is very similar. For example compare Tomorrow never dies and You only live twice. The basic plot of each film is: You only live twice: In this film Bond is shot at the beginning and is said to be dead. This is printed in all the papers across the world. Of course he isnt dead and does a huge stunt to get down to an undercover submarine. The main plot of the film is that the bad guy wants to start a war between Russia and America. How he does this, is to take their space ships and keeps their pilots captive. Bonds mission is to stop him and of course he does. This all takes place in China and a small island off the coast. Tomorrow never dies In this film Bond is trying to stop a man who wants to take control over all the media in the world. He does this by trying to start a war between Britain and China by sinking their ships and submarines, etc. Bonds mission is to stop him. Bond does this by first disguising himself as an employee of the Bad guy. After that has been uncovered he joins up with another agent, who turns out to be the Bond girl, but before that they both nearly die. After theyve joined forces they head for the Bad guys headquarters and destroy it and him. The six Bonds are the next important element of the Bond films. Bond is clever, funny, good looking, classy and British. There have been six Bonds and they were: 1.Sean Connery 2.David Niven 3.George Lazenby 4.Roger Moore 5.Timothy Dalton 6.Pierce Brosnan Sean Connery was the very first Bond to hit the screens in the 1960s. The current Bond is Pierce Brosnan. Each actor who is chosen to play Bond is privileged because hes one of the most popular characters in film. Over the years each Bond has brought new characteristics to the character. Making Bond more intellectual, and better looking! Bond is one of the only characters men want to be and women want to be with. Ian Fleming wrote the Bond stories, but when he died writers such as Roald Dahl took over and wrote Bond scripts. This shows how the Bond stories have kept alive and with different writers writing scripts the stories always had different elements to the main stories. What is it about the Bond films that make them appeal to so many people? Bond films appeal to so many people because theyre not just one genre theyre a mix. A Bond films has aspects of each genre; theres romance with the Bond girl, theres action all through the film with the fight to beat the bad guy, theres adventure in the mission and also theres a bit of sci-fi in the gadgets. How do the films appeal to both men and women? The films appeal to men with the use of action and the beautiful women. How does the film appeal to women? Is it that the James Bond character is so attractive, or the plot? It can be a combination of both. The plot is easy to follow so it will appeal to about anyone and the attraction to Bond is why women want to see the films. Over the years Bond films have changed to suit the changes in society and technology. The special effects, gadgets and camera techniques have changed theyve become bigger, better and more exciting. This is shown when you compare an earlier Bond film to a more recent one. For example in You only live twice the effects arent as clever and technical as they are in Tomorrow never dies. Also the gadgets, which are given to Bond, reflect the technical advantage of the time. For example in the earlier film You only live twice the gadget of the film was a small helicopter, which had a machine gun on the front. In the later film Tomorrow never dies there is more than one gadget. Theres the mobile phone, which can electrocute people, drive Bonds car and track things. There is also the car, which is one of the main gadgets. The car is usually the latest model and always has some concealed weapons and a high Tec security system. As well as the effects and gadgets theres the camera techniques, which have developed. The camera techniques have become quicker, stronger and sharper. Also in each of the shots the mise en scene has become more intense and there have been more elements. Also the stunts have become much more exciting and thrilling. This is to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Although in the films we expect some sort of chase and Bond always escaping from the Bad guy, the stunts used in these have evolved over the years to become more dangerous and life threatening. Is sexism still present in the Bond films? Sexism has been present in all Bond films but now its not acceptable in our society. In the earlier Bond films the women were more like objects than have anything to do but stand and look pretty. They didnt appear as much in the earlier films but now, because sexism isnt acceptable, they appear a lot more. For example in these two films one in the early 1960s and the other in the late 1990s the role of women is very different, but they still end up being with Bond. In the earlier film with Sean Connery in ( You only live twice), the women in the film have hardly any part in it. The men do the bulk of the acting and the only part the women play is the sex interest between them and Bond. Also the way Bond treats women in the film shows that Bond doesnt think much of them. You can see this in how hes always with one woman after another and how he always flirts with every women especially Miss Moneypenny. Now in the later film with Pierce Brosnan (Tomorrow never dies), the women have more of a part in the film. For example the Bond girl is now an agent instead of just a regular girl. Also M is now a woman, which shows that the films are keeping up with society. There is still some sexism in the film though, because the villain is still a strong, powerful man, and even though 30 years have passed the Bond girl is still a strong element of the film. All the Bond films seem to have the same simple plot. They also have the same aspects in each one as well. For example Bond is now always getting a new and improved car, which has just been or is going to be released in the market. The main elements of the plot in every Bond film are the same. They are: * Traditional theme, logo, single gunshot, with blood. * Bond is almost killed. * Briefing of mission. * New gadgets. * After the Bad guy. * Casino gamble/ game of skill. * Fight with Bad guys henchmen * Bond girl introduced. * Help for Bond (e.g. FBI). * Enemy spots Bond. * Chase * Fallen comrade. * Bad guys headquarters found. * Bond and company captured. * Left to die. * Bond saves self and company. * Final combat. * Bond gets girl. * The end! Also in the films the Bad guy always seems to be from another country, never from England, is that a hint of racism? I am now going to compare the beginning sequences of both films. In the beginning sequence of You only live twice there was minimal effects only a spacecraft, and there were no gadgets, and the opening credits were traditional to Bond films. In the beginning of Tomorrow never dies There was more effects fights, planes, bombs, explosions, missiles and fights in the air. There were also a lot of gadgets CCTV, computers, mini grenades, and data files. The music for the beginning sequences of the films is written especially for the films. It includes the title of the song and hints at the plot of the movie. In all Bond films there is the traditional opening credits in which there are silhouettes of women prancing around the screen. During this the theme song is being played. The opening sequences catch the eye of the audience because it shows you a glimpse of the action and plot of the story. Also if it doesnt catch the eye of the audience they wont want to stay and watch the rest of the film. I have come to the conclusion that James Bond still appeals to cinema audiences because of the way it has evolved over the years. The stunts have become more exciting and the camera techniques, special effects, and gadgets have become bigger and better. Also as different actors play Bond as the years pass he keeps up with society. Also as merchandise is being sold Bond is becoming a brand name. There have been magazines, cards and play sets, secret agent sets, etc. This keeps audiences interested even when there isnt a film out. So as the technologies evolve, the films evolve with it and therefore keeping the audiences interest.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Biography of El Cid, Medieval Spanish Hero

Biography of El Cid, Medieval Spanish Hero El Cid (1045–July 10, 1099), whose birth name was Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar (or Bibar), is a Spanish national hero, a mercenary soldier who fought for the Spanish king Alfonso VII to liberate parts of Spain from the Almoravid dynasty and eventually captured the Muslim caliphate of Valencia and ruled his own kingdom. Fast Facts: El Cid Known For: National hero of Spain, mercenary soldier against Christian and Muslims, ruler of ValenciaBirth Name: Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar (or Bibar)Born: c. 1045 near Burgos, SpainParents: Diego Lainez and a daughter of Rodrigo AlvarezDied: July 10, 1099 in Valencia, SpainEducation: Trained in the Castilian court of Sancho IISpouse: Jimena (m. July 1074)Children: Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodriguez Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar was born into a chaotic period in Spanish history when much of the southern two-thirds of the Iberian peninsula had been conquered by Islamic forces during the Arab conquest beginning in the 8th century CE. In 1009, the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate collapsed and disintegrated into competing city-states, called taifa. The northern third of the peninsula was broken into principalities- Leà ³n, Castile, Navarre, Barcelona, Asturia, Galacia, and others- who fought each other and their Arab conquistadors.  Islamic rule in Iberia varied from place to place, as did the borders of the principalities, but the last city to be liberated by the Christian Reconquista was the Emirate of Granada in 1492.   Early Life El Cid was born Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar or Ruy Dà ­az de Vivar in the town of Vivar in the Castilian principality near Burgos, Spain in about 1045. His father was Diego Lainez, a soldier in the battle at Atapuerco in 1054, which was fought between the brothers King Ferdinand I of Leà ³n (Ferdinand the Great, ruled 1038–1065) and King Garcà ­a Snchez III of Navarre (r. 1012–1054). Some sources report that Diego was a descendant of Lain Calvo, a legendary duumvir (magistrate) in the Court of Ordoà ±o II (King of Galacia, ruled 914–924). Although her name is not known, Diegos mother was a niece of the Castilian diplomat Nuà ±o Alvarez de Carazo (1028–1054) and his wife Doà ±a Godo; she named her son after her father, Rodrigo Alvarez. Diego Laniez died in 1058, and Rodrigo was sent to be the ward of Ferdinands son Sancho who resided at his fathers court in Castile, then part of Leà ³n. There Rodrigo likely received formal schooling in the schools which had been built by Ferdinand, learning how to read and write, as well as training in the use of arms, horsemanship, and the art of the chase. He may have been trained to arms by Pedro Ansurez, a Castilian count (1037–1119), known to have been in residence at Ferdinands court at the time. Military Career In 1065, Ferdinand died and his kingdom was divided up between his sons. The eldest, Sancho received Castile; the second, Alfonso, Leà ³n; and the region of Galicia was carved out of the northwest corner to create a separate state for Garcà ­a. The three brothers proceeded to fight one another for the entire kingdom of Ferdinand: Sancho and Alfonso together fended off Garcia and then fought each other. El Cids first military appointment was as standard-bearer and commander of troops for Sancho. Sancho emerged victoriously and reunited their fathers possessions under his control in 1072. Sancho died childless in 1072, and his brother Alfonso VI (ruled 1072–1109) inherited the kingdom. Having fought for Sancho, Rodrigo now found himself in an awkward situation with the Alfonso administration. According to some records, the breach between Rodrigo and Alfonso was healed when Rodrigo married a woman named Jimena (or Ximena), a member of a high-ranking Asturian family in the mid-1070s; some reports say she was Alfonsos niece. A 14th-century romance written about El Cid said he killed Jimenas father the Count of Gomez de Gormaz in battle, after which she went to Ferdinand to beg for redress. When Ferdinand refused to pay, she demanded Rodrigos hand in marriage which he willingly gave. El Cids main biographer, Ramà ³n Menà ©ndez Pidal, thinks that is unlikely since Ferdinand died in 1065. Whoever she was and however their marriage came about, Ximena and Rodrigo had three children: Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodriguez, all of whom married into royalty. Diego was killed at the battle of Consuega in 1097. Despite his presence serving as a magnet for Alfonsos opponents, Dà ­az served Ferdinand loyally for several years, while Ferdinand waged war against Almoravid invaders. Then, after leading an unauthorized military raid campaign into the Muslim-controlled taifa Toledo, which was a tributary kingdom of Leon-Castile, Dà ­az was exiled. Fighting for Saragossa Upon exile, Diaz went to the Muslim taifa Saragossa (also spelled Zaragoza) in the valley of the Ebro, where he served as a mercenary captain with considerable distinction. Saragossa was an independent Arab Muslim state in Al-Andalus, which at the time (1038–1110) was ruled by the Banu Hud.  He fought for the Huddid dynasty for almost ten years, scoring significant victories against both Muslim and Christian foes. Famous battles which El Cid is known for were the defeat of Count Berenguer Ramon II of Barcelona in 1082, and of King Sancho Ramirez of Aragon in 1084. When the Berber Almoravids invaded the peninsula in 1086, Alfonso recalled Diaz from exile. El Cid willingly returned and was instrumental in the defeat at Sagrajas in 1086. He stayed in favor with Alfonso for only a brief time: in 1089 he was exiled again. Rodrigo gained his nickname El Cid at some point during his military career, perhaps after his battles at Saragossa. The name El Cid is a Spanish dialect version of the Arabic word sidi, meaning lord or sir. He was also known as Rodrigo el  Campeador, the Battler. Valencia and Death After being exiled from Alfonsos court for the second time, El Cid left the capital to became an independent commander in the eastern part of the Iberian peninsula. He fought and extracted enormous amounts of tribute from the Muslim taifas, and, on June 15, 1094, he captured the city of Valencia. He successfully fought off two Almoravid armies who attempted to dislodge him in 1094 and 1097. He established himself as an independent prince in the region based at Valencia. Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar ruled Valencia until his death on July 10, 1099. The Almoravids recaptured Valencia three years later. El Cids Legends There are four documents which were written about El Cid during his lifetime or shortly thereafter. Two are Islamic, and three are Christian; none are likely to be unprejudiced. Ibn Alcama was a Moor from Valencia, who witnessed and wrote a detailed account of the loss of that province to El Cid called Eloquent Evidence of the Great Calamity. Ibn Bassam wrote a Treasury of the Excellences of the Spaniards, written in Seville in 1109. The Historia Roderici was written in Latin by a Catholic cleric sometime before 1110. The poem Carmen, written in Latin about 1090, extols the battle between Rodrigo and the Count of Barcelona; and the Poema del Cid, was written in Spanish about 1150. Later documents written long after El Cids life are even more likely to be fabulous legends rather than biographical sketches. Sources Barton, Simon. El Cid, Cluny and the Medieval Spanish Reconquista. The English Historical Review 126.520 (2011): 517–43.Barton, Simon and Richard Fletcher. The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000.Fletcher, Richard A. The Quest for El Cid. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.Pidal, Ramà ³n Menà ©ndez. La Espaà ±a Del Cid. Trans. Murray, John and Frank Cass. Abington, England: Routledge, 2016.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Cases reslution of one organaizations in the UAE Essay

Cases reslution of one organaizations in the UAE - Essay Example The commercial and sales strategy of Mubadala revolves around the creation of long-term investments that yield credible returns. It also prioritizes capital-intensive projects with high-risk factors. Al Yah Satellite Communications has enjoyed plenty of successes since its incorporation in late 2007. The company has undertaken broad research programs so as to create a multipurpose satellite network. This system comprises of two satellites supported by an intricate network of infrastructure. Meaningful interactions with consumers have also contributed to making this the first multipurpose satellite system within the United Arab Emirates. Al Yah Satellite Communications has developed an in-depth understanding of specific requirements of the Middle Eastern market (Staff, 2011). Therefore, it has been able to create workable solutions not only for the surrounding region, but also for continental territories. Moreover, the company has satisfied the satellite needs of the Abu Dhabi government. Al Yah Satellite Communications is a pioneer in the field of satellite communications. Therefore, it is expected that the corporation will have issues at law concerning copyrights. These legal matters would be geared towards either defending their exclusive blueprints or patenting their unique productions. Whenever there is an alleged problem, the complaint is addressed either to the company directly or through the customer service section. The company lawyers are contacted so as to handle the matter in a manner that limits the liability of the enterprise. In the event where a favorable settlement cannot be obtained, the company takes the issue to court (Staff, 2011). The company lawyers are instructed to file charges only as a last resort. From that time forward, the court system is responsible to conduct conclusive investigations so as to examine the merits of the complaint. The courts issue a ruling once all deliberations have been made. If punitive measures are

Evaluate the main energy options currently available in the UK Essay

Evaluate the main energy options currently available in the UK - Essay Example In order to effectively source energy from the available means, machineries or end-use equipments such as turbines, motors and hydro-machineries among others are used at huge quantities. Contextually, in a majority of instances, a substantial quantity of primary energy is reported to be wasted due to inefficient design of machineries or equipments utilised to generate energy. From a general perspective, energy sources can be categorised in two broad sections, i.e., the primary or non-renewable sources of energy (such as natural gas, oil, coal and conventional nuclear power) and renewable sources of energy (such as wood, plants, geothermal sources, tidal wind and wave energy) (Crown, 2009). Notably, the United Kingdom is considered as one of the leading nations constituted with a large variety of renewable energy sources. The UK is also considered as a major production house of offshore wind energy where more than 700 wind turbines have been already launched (Committee on Climate Chan ge, 2011). Based on this context, the paper will aim at identifying and discussing the various energy options currently available in the UK. The Main Energy Options in the UK Wind Energy In the year 2011, the UK installed wind power of about 5.7 gigawatts. The nation is considered as one of the leading producers of wind power all over the world. In the UK, wind power sources are continuously developing in terms of its production capacity, which is further expected to increase by more than 2 gigawatts in the next five years. To be specific, wind power is considered as the second largest source of energy within the UK. In the year 2010, the UK wind industry was reported to have already installed several types of on-shore as well as off-shore wind energy production turbines. For instance, medium-sized UK wind-energy production companies such as Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm, Robin Rigg Wind Farm and Thanet Off-shore Wind Farms among others have been deemed eligible for government g rants. It has further enhanced their financial capabilities to install advanced technologies in order to generate more than 1.1 gigawatts of electricity per day. It is worth mentioning in this context that the wind-energy producing farms in the UK distribute electric power primarily to the manufacturing industries. In the next five years, the government of the UK is expecting to obtain 960 gigawatts of electricity on a yearly basis from this energy source (DONG Energy Power, n.d.; E.ON UK plc, 2012; GL Group, 2010). Energy Obtainable Through Tidal-Waves Apart from the wind-energy sources, the UK also has the capability to produce electricity from ocean waves by utilising the tidal power. In February 2007, the UK had established its first wave farm which was categorised as one of the world’s leading producers of electric energy from tidal currents of the ocean. In the UK, on a yearly basis, it has been observed that this particular energy source can generate more than 3 megawa tts of electricity through its four different types of Pelamis machines. In the UK, ocean currents are used to produce energy principally in two regions i.e. England as

Friday, October 18, 2019

Race and Your Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Race and Your Community - Essay Example I could see and identify everything around me and it seemed everything was just a copy of yesterday’s, which was a copy of the day before yesterday, and so on. And I guess would be same tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. People are the same, rushing towards the same definite directions as yesterday. They live by the minute and worry much of what happens the next hour. It is the same with the big cities in the country I came from, but much different from the town I was born and grew up. People in my hometown live by the day instead of by the minute and anxious of what might happen the next year instead of the next hour. Time is pretty slow and lenghty. The last turn towards my apartment building detached me from the bumper to bumper drive. I park just few meters away from the building door. People I have just passed by gave me, as usual, a how-in-the-world-he-is-driving such make of car. My car is not a luxury one, not even that expensive. But what make them give me that look as if I carnapped it is because I am driving a car of their country’s make and that their look seems telling me that I should be driving my own country’s make instead. Why? Don’t they race use Toyota, Hyundai, BMW, or Mercedes? Cars not their own country’s make? They are nice enough not calling 911 for a suspected carnapped car being driven by a member of the visible minority like me. Though not so many people give me such look; there are just a bunch of them. I heave my other bag to my shoulder from the passenger’s fron seat and go off the car. The same disrespectful schoolchildren that have just got out from their school service shout something at me again. I am not sure if they deliberately using an incomprehensible accent for me not to understand what they are yelling at me almost every day. Their school service dump them in front of the same apartment

New styles and techniques of art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New styles and techniques of art - Essay Example The transition was as a result of scientific information availability, technology advancement and the increased appetite for practical examination that changed the styles and techniques used to create art forms. Art movements and techniques that came up resulted to the following resulted to Modernism, impressionism, realism, divisionalism, futurism amongst others. Modernism can be traced to the early 19th century as a result of industrial revolution. Art at this point used techniques like rewriting, revision, recapitulation, reprise and incorporation which distinguished it from the basic traditional art methods (Kuspit 82). This was seen as the best medium to illuminate the livelihood of working classes in the urban setting against the expanding industrial platform in Great Britain. Manet was a great artist that revolutionized modernism because he clearly brought about the element of realism in his works.in France impressionism was under modernism involved a change in focus by a group of new age artist that concentrated on the outdoors as opposed to indoors bring the aspect that human beings see more than mere objects. A good example is Pablo Picasso’s piece of ‘les demoiselle’s d’avignon’ in 1907. Divisionism is a clear form of art technique used to describe the change in 19th to the 20th century. The method was employed by impressionists and realists, an example of a well renowned artist by the name George Seurat (Kuspit 110). The technique entails putting colors in their fundamental forms or elements, using small dots platform to paint. This gives a luminous effect that is rich in color especially if observed from a distance. A good example of this technique is Seurat’s own work of ‘island of la grande jatte -early nineteenth century’. Realism is an art context or concept is the attempt to place a subject or object in its right position with minimum to absolutely no artificial interference and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

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

Global operations management - Essay Example To increase its influence and reach more customers in various parts of the world, Huawei has also entered into partnerships with numerous companies. Theories of Internalisation The term internationalisation is descriptive of the methods that are used by business organisations to adapt their numerous operations, in regards to company policies, resources and organisational structure, to suit foreign environments (Dunning 2006). Before embarking on the process of internationalisation, business organisations have to take into account factors such as the geographic distance of the overseas market being considered, the different company associated operations that the company will engage in the foreign branch, and the level to which the company would like to integrate corporate activities (Mitgwe 2006). There are different theories that seek to explain the ways through which internationalisation may occur. ... Dunning’s Theory in the Internationalisation of Huawei According to Dunning’s OLI model, foreign subsidiaries usually demonstrate higher productivity rates than their local counterparts due to the existence of ownership competitive advantages (Dunning 2006). Dunning’s eclectic (OLI) model stipulates that there are three critical elements that are evident in any firm that invests in a foreign branch or subsidiary. The three factors are location advantages, ownership advantages, and internalisation advantages (Dunning 2009). Ownership advantages have to do with the existing conditions that accompany of foreign direct investment (Contractor 2007). For example, to be successful in foreign investment, a firm has to have comparative advantages over other foreign corporations before it determines that a branch will be set up in a foreign nation. Location advantages have to do with the extent to which foreign business-related conditions are favourable to the company in q uestion (Sethi, Guisinger, Phelan, and Berg 2003). Internalisation factors, on the other hand, have to do with how well the multinational corporation can internalise ownership advantages in order to prevent the escalation of transaction costs which are naturally incurred in the course of international production. The Huawei Technological Corporation is a firm that was launched long after other telecommunications corporations had already been launched in the Western nations (Dunning 2009). Huawei therefore focused more on meeting particular objectives in order to realise its internationalisation. Huawei has traditionally used low cost as a technique to enter markets in both developing and developed nations. Huawei also invests in developed nations mainly to realise the adoption of new technologies.

Business across the globe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business across the globe - Essay Example Thus, advertisements through myriad media have become critical factors for creating awareness about the products. In the current times, the firms are using innovative approach to advertise their merchandize as it provides them with greater leverage to reach larger customer segment. While sponsorship of events have become hugely attractive, other media channels, especially unconventional mode of publicity like use of public transport, street plays etc are being used on a regular basis by the firms. The exemplary example of British Airways is a case in point which has used underground tubes and local trains. The soft music that plays in the trains and underground tubes is sponsored by the British Airways. In America, the train tickets and bus tickets are used by different companies as advertisement platform. These types of new channels are not only cost effective but they are also able to create awareness about the company and its products across huge database of prospective customers. The wide scope of alternative media has therefore, huge potential to penetrate and create a credible and long term market position for the goods and services of the firms.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

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

Global operations management - Essay Example To increase its influence and reach more customers in various parts of the world, Huawei has also entered into partnerships with numerous companies. Theories of Internalisation The term internationalisation is descriptive of the methods that are used by business organisations to adapt their numerous operations, in regards to company policies, resources and organisational structure, to suit foreign environments (Dunning 2006). Before embarking on the process of internationalisation, business organisations have to take into account factors such as the geographic distance of the overseas market being considered, the different company associated operations that the company will engage in the foreign branch, and the level to which the company would like to integrate corporate activities (Mitgwe 2006). There are different theories that seek to explain the ways through which internationalisation may occur. ... Dunning’s Theory in the Internationalisation of Huawei According to Dunning’s OLI model, foreign subsidiaries usually demonstrate higher productivity rates than their local counterparts due to the existence of ownership competitive advantages (Dunning 2006). Dunning’s eclectic (OLI) model stipulates that there are three critical elements that are evident in any firm that invests in a foreign branch or subsidiary. The three factors are location advantages, ownership advantages, and internalisation advantages (Dunning 2009). Ownership advantages have to do with the existing conditions that accompany of foreign direct investment (Contractor 2007). For example, to be successful in foreign investment, a firm has to have comparative advantages over other foreign corporations before it determines that a branch will be set up in a foreign nation. Location advantages have to do with the extent to which foreign business-related conditions are favourable to the company in q uestion (Sethi, Guisinger, Phelan, and Berg 2003). Internalisation factors, on the other hand, have to do with how well the multinational corporation can internalise ownership advantages in order to prevent the escalation of transaction costs which are naturally incurred in the course of international production. The Huawei Technological Corporation is a firm that was launched long after other telecommunications corporations had already been launched in the Western nations (Dunning 2009). Huawei therefore focused more on meeting particular objectives in order to realise its internationalisation. Huawei has traditionally used low cost as a technique to enter markets in both developing and developed nations. Huawei also invests in developed nations mainly to realise the adoption of new technologies.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Wl-Mrt Expnsion to Chinese mrket Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Wl-Mrt Expnsion to Chinese mrket - Assignment Example The choice of the mrket entry will depend on mny fctors such s politicl, economic, technologicl, nd socio-culturl. With this in mind, the reserch discusses ech of those fctors while conducting PEST nlysis. Expnsion to Chin is gret opportunity for Wl-Mrt to gin profits nd dditionl mrket shre on the world mrket of retil. Opertion in Chin brings $1 billion in sles nnully. It is through Wl-Mrt Chin's 46 stores tht result in 450,000 trnsctions dy tht such high profit is possible (Hoopes, 2006). Expnsion into Chin is n opportunity tht Wl-Mrt cn not fford to miss. Chinese mrket is one of the biggest in the world nd the need to expnd beyond its 46 stores is logicl strtegic step the Wl-Mrt should undertke. Strong competition with Crrefour, the biggest retil in Frnce nd second biggest retil store in the world, is thret for the compny to stop being the first on the mrket. The need to expnd to Chin is wy to sty the leder in the world mrket s it hs been for long time of the retil store history. Wl-Mrt is excited bout Chin becuse it considers the size of the economy of this country, t the consistent growth over 20 yers, nd t the increse in individul nd fmily income nd spending power. s Beth Keck, Wl-Mrt director of interntionl corporte ffirs, sid in n interview. "In the lst 10 yers, you've seen the development of [forml] retil. So it's gret opportunity" (Nelson, 2006). By contrst to the second lrgest supermrket in the world, Crrefour, Wl-Mrt is Chin's 19th-lrgest retiler. Wl-Mrt Chin's SuperCenters lg their U.S. counterprts in revenues, generting on verge $35 million nnully, compred with $80 million to $120 million in the U.S. So there re lot of opportunities to expnd to Chinese mrket, more of which will be discussed lter in this pper long with mrketing nlysis of the compny (Hoopes, 2006). II. SWOT nlysis This nlysis is wy of looking t the Wl-Mrt s business, where the strengths nd weknesses of the orgnistion cn be contrsted with the threts nd opportunities of the outside business environment. The identifiction of the mjority of the SWOT fctors re intended to be derived through the erlier use of PEST nlysis s prt of the overll situtionl nlysis process. Tble1 SWOT nlysis Internl Strengths Weknesses Good loction of stores Trined stuff to operte the stores Estimted rise of revenues Chep lbor costs on Chinese mrket Good service nd employee pckge Very low number of trnsctions on the comprtively lrge territory Shky infrstructure in mny plces Development of rods, wter nd sewge brely keeps up in cities exploding with growth. Externl Opportunities Threts Further expnsion into Chinese mrket Possibilities of high benefits from Chinese mrket Mintining the growth on Chinese mrket Intensive competition from Frnce's Crrefour Competition from locl supermrkets Gtrengths Good loction of stores Wal-Mart China has a very good location t 12 Fenghung Rod which is in the hert of Shenzhen, Chin. Here people come just for a walk, a meeting at the corner restaurant or to see a movie in the cinema located not far. In this neighborhood of high-rise prtments, most customers rrive on foot or by bicycle. bout 12,000 shoppers visit this SuperCenter ech dy,

Monday, October 14, 2019

Human Growth and Development Essay Example for Free

Human Growth and Development Essay The average child begins to walk between? (C) 11and12months Source: page 85 5. According to Piaget, adaptation is made up of the two processes called? E) Accommodation and assimilation Source: internet 6. The fact that parents will provide less direction to a child who begins to show competence on a task, supports the theory of? (D) Vygotsky Source: chapter 7 7. According to the information- processing approach, children’s memories improve with age m because? (A) They get better at organizing information Source: page 26 8. Jane digs a hole in the sandbox while Jim, who is sitting next to her, fills his bucket with sand they share the shovels in the sandbox and talk about school they are engaged in? Associative play Source: internet 9. Which of the following research methods is most often used to study rare or unique situations or behavior? (B) Psychosocial Source: page 33 10. Which of the following theories describes stages of development? (C) Discontinuity Source: page 269 11. Which of the following is an example of instrumental aggression? (A) Sara pushes Joy out of the way so she can get a toy she wants to play with first Source: page 269 12. According to statistics, which group commits most of the child abuse in our country? Which theoretical perspective assumes there is a bidirectional relationship between the person and the environment? C. psychobiological Source: internet 14. A problem with longitudinal research is? C. subject to drop out Source: page 36 15. Students who have developed a mastery orientation would attribute a good grade on a test to their ability; and a bad grade on a test to? (D) Lack of effort Source: internet 16. According to recent research, which of the following has shown a correlation with age, but is NOT found only in older people? E. wisdom Source: internet 17. Compared to peer groups in middle childhood, adolescent peer groups? C. are more structured and exclusive Source: page 332 18. Which of the following indicates the -presence of empathy? C. Mollie laughs when she sees something funny on television Source: internet 19. among the parenting styles that have been studied by Baumrind, which of the following is associated with the most negative impact on development? B. authoritarian Source: page 253 20. Which of the following statements about physical growth is true? A. Physical growth is rapid during infancy, slows during early and middle childhood, and then rapid again during adulthood. Research on the growth hormone (GH) has shown that? E. vitamin C can simulate GH productivity in the body Source: internet 22. Researchers have studied the impact of late versus early maturation on adolescents ‘adjustment. Which of the pairs below have been shown to have the best adjustment outcomes? C. late maturing boys and early maturing girls Source: internet 23. One theory of biological aging suggests aging is inevitable and is caused by? C. wear and tear from normal use Source: page 538 24. An effective treatment for the side effects of menopause is? The type of hearing loss associated with aging is loss of sensitivity for C. high frequency sounds Source: page 545 34. One reason older adults experience declining eye sight is? B. a decrease in the size of the retina Source: page 543 35. Which of the following statements represents the learning approach to language development? C. Children learn language by formulating and testing hypotheses about the meaning of words and the rules of their combination. Source: internet 36. Which of the following is an example of over regularization in language development? D. We, Mommy and I went to the store. † Source: internet 37. Billy sees a beach ball and says â€Å"ball. † He sees a basketball and says â€Å"bait† He sees a soccer ball and says â€Å"baL† Finally he sees a globe on a desk and says â€Å"ball† Calling the globe a ball is referred to as? A. Categorization Source: internet 38. Noam Chomsky argued that the ability to learn language? C. is positively correlated with intelligence Source: internet 39. The first stage of language development is B. babbling Source: internet 40. An indication that we are born prepared to acquire a language is the fact that A. nfants can discriminate among all of the speech sounds used in all of the world’s languages even better than adults Source: internet 41. Studies of intelligence in adulthood have shown A. while there is some decline in information processing, there is some stability in fluid and crystallized interference Source: internet 42. Sibling rivalry tends to be worse during B. early childhood Source: page 259 43. Compared with children who have siblings, only children D. does better academically Source: page 261 44. Although the rate of divorce is high, the rate of remarriage is also high. This leads to a large number of reconstituted families referred to as B. blended families Source: page 607 45. A sexual offender is more likely to target A, an early maturing child Source: internet 46. one way to help children adjust to divorce is to? A) minimize the conflict between parents after the divorce Source: page 261 47. Researchers examining cultural influences on self esteem have found that (A) Chinese and Japanese children score lower in self-esteem than American children Source: internet 48. Children display learned helplessness if their parents C) set high standards of achievement for them, but also communicate e belief that the child is not very capable

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Achievements Or Successes Of Both Eu And Iasc Iasb Accounting Essay

The Achievements Or Successes Of Both Eu And Iasc Iasb Accounting Essay Introduction Growth in international trade has been on the increase over the years necessitating several organisations to be involved in the efforts to harmonise accounting practices either regionally or internationally. Among those, leading in this effort were the European Union (EU) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) (formerly International Accounting Standards Committee, IASC). This essay will look at background and harmonisation process of the two organisations and evaluate their achievements to date. It is considered that harmonisation maybe defined as a means by which differences are reduced hence harmonisation of financial practices will be regarded as the process by which the differences in accounting practices across countries are reduced ultimately resulting in a set that is comparable (Nobes and Parker, 2010). Background and Objectives The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 member countries located in Europe. The EU was established on 1 January 1958 following the Treaty of Rome 1957 (Nobes and Parker, 2010). The objective of Treaty had established rules to encourage free movement of persons, products and services, and capital. This establishment drives the needs of harmonization of accounting and financial reporting. Thus, the most important objective of EU is to create a common market for the member countries. Uniformed accounting standards are required regionally in all parts of EU to encourage the flow of capital, enhance the protection of the shareholders and other stakeholders, and increase the reliability and comparability of companies financial information. The EU shows a contribution to regionally harmonizing accounting practices by established Directives and Regulations which are the two main instruments to harmonize company law and accounting standards (Nobes and Parker, 2010). As as an economic and political union, the EU have issued and established many directives to harmonize accounting practice in regional term. However, in international scope, the IASC is one of bodies are effecting on harmonization of accounting rules and disclosure and it reported a number of international standards (Nobes and Parker 2010). IASC was founded in June 1973, and the Board of IASC was constituted simultaneously by main accountancy bodies in nine different countries such as Canada, France, Germany, UK, and USA etc. The IASC was established to harmonize international accounting standards. IASC has received board range of support for its effort to harmonize international accounting, which has been considered as leading force to harmonization (Larson, 1999). The harmonization of accounting is also supported by IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions), large public accounting firms, trading unions and most national public accountancy bodies. The basic objective of IASC is considered as publishing accounting standards to be observed in the financial statement preparation and encourage their acceptance and observance globally (Nobes and Parker, 2010). In 2001, the IASC restructured and renamed to the IASB. The new organization has shown new more comprehensive objectives compared to the IASC. To be able to understand the objectives of IASB, the conceptual frameworks should be explained. The IASCs conceptual framework included the objectives and the qualitative characteristics. The following table 1 shows the detailed objectives of IASB under the IFRS Foundation Constitution. Table : IASBs objectives IASBs Objectives To develop high quality and understandable international accounting standards to guide high quality, transparent and comparable information in financial reporting. Thus accounting standards will help the global capital market participants and other users decision making. To encourage the use and rigorous application of standards To fulfill the (a) and (b), and take account the interest of small, medium size entities and emerging economic account appropriately. Give high quality solutions about convergence of national and International accounting standards. Source: IFRS Foundation Constitution (ias.com, 2010). The qualitative characteristics of financial statements made by IASC followed the FASB. In order to forecast the risk, the accounting information must include all these three characteristics: relevance, reliability and comparability. The motives of harmonizing accounting practices by these organizations: One is tempted to consider harmonisation objective as having shifted from reducing differences to coming out with a standard or model for uniformity. The motives of the two most influential international bodies involved in the process of harmonisation of the different national accounting systems, therefore (as stated on their web sites), seems to suggest that they aim to develop or create a single set of high quality, understandable and enforceable global accounting standards, (Elliott and Elliott, 2009). It is more of standardization than harmonization as it is less flexible. This therefore raises suspicion as to the true purpose of their efforts especially when we consider their respective current compositions, history, their headquarters and the majority of stakeholders who are likely to benefit. Perera (1989) as quoted in Deegan and Unerman (2006) argued that the accounting standards themselves tend to reflect the circumstances and patterns of thinking of the representatives that makes the committees. Already, IASB seems to have noted similar criticism and Nobes and Parker (2010) states that the trustees will gradually increase the Board membership to include members from Europe, North America, Asia/Oceania, Africa and South America by 2012. Similar concerns were once echoed by Gray, et al (1981) while commenting on the proposal to introduce standards specifically for MNCs and the question seems to be still valid. He submitted that the term standard could be used broadly to mean a set of statements which may include reference to disclosure or measurement issues for the benefit of Multinational Companies. He found such statements to have a different meaning from that intended to achieve strict uniformity to those capable of more flexible interpretation; from those derived from statutory authority, to those which are effectively advisory. However, he relented that the fact that they exist as guidelines or criteria against which MNCs accountability is assessed, qualified such statements to be described as standards. Whittington (2005) stated that the motivation for the creation of the IASC was due to the need for a common international language of accounting to serve capital markets. He highlighted that a common set of accounting standards increased the comparability of companies in different countries and facilitated the easy consolidation of group of companies based in different countries. Although IASB sets standards after close scrutiny from different national standard setters, it is evident that it is involved more with convergence than harmonisation. This may in a way also support the sentiments expressed by UK finance directors during a survey that IFRSs undermined UK (and obviously of all other countries) reporting integrity, (Elliott and Elliott, 2009). Countries still need to maintain their national pride as they exhibit substantial economic and cultural differences. On another hand, it is important to note that we now have more of a global economy hence the development of international standards makes it easier to raise cross-border finance and to compare performance of companies by users who include prospective investors, (Elliott and Elliott, 2009). To summary, Epstein and Mirza (2001) and Choi et al.(2002) gave reasons for the harmonization process of accounting practices in the preparers and user perspectives, they stated that harmonization created huge advantages as listed in the following tables: Table : Advantages of harmonization Preparers Users Better comparison between group company and subsidiaries in preparing consolidation of financial statement Higher quality and comparable information among companies to decision making and Better communications in internal reporting system Reduce the risk for financial institutions MNCs do not have to change their statements to conform to each countrys rules when listing on exchange stock Lead to a well-developed and good functioning capital market, and its a pre-condition for a good economy and development Process of harmonization on IASC/IASB and EU The IASC and its successor are considered to be the most successful body that evolved in harmonization of accounting practices (Nobes and Parker, 2010). The harmonization efforts of IASC can be classified in three phases. Simultaneously, the IOSCO and IFAC have supported to the IASC/IASB and EU. First phase: 1973 to 1988 This period of time is called the first stage of development of IASC. During this period, the IASC set up most of its standards which covered major accounting topics like accounting for inventory (Epstein and Mirza, 2001). IASC focused on achieving compatibility between the existing standards and IAS and giving a lowest-common denominator approach cross the countries. At the same time, the strategy of IASC allowed multiple methods that used in various countries. IOSCO accepted that IASs for financial statement of foreign companies that listed in their stock exchange market (Larson, 2011). Additionally, the IFAC was founded in 1983 to develop the areas which were uncovered by the IASC, such as auditing and management accounting (Nobes and Parker, 2010). The following table shows the detail information of process: Table : Harmonization Process from 1973 to 1988 Harmonization Process 1973-1988 Context 1973 The IASC was founded. 1976 The Economic Cooperation and Development published an announcement on investment in MNCs to develop guidelines on disclosure of information (Choi et al., 2002) 1977 A Report about IASs for transitional corporations was issued by an expert group of United Nations (Choi et al., 2002). 1981 In order to set IAS widely, the IASC had forums with other organizations. 1983 Foundation of IFAC helped IASC to get a closer relationship with other bodies (Nobes and Parker, 2010). 1984 The London Stock Exchange issued a number of incorporated companies to follow IAS in the UK or Ireland (Choi et al., 2002). Second phase: 1989 to 1993 During this period IASC started to cooperate with IOSCO, and made agreement with IFRS for cross-border securities offerings (Nobes and Parker, 2010). However, the IASC was decreasing the choices under the IAS and the IASC needed more capital market so that the IOSCO would accept it in the period between 1989 and 1993 (Fritz and LÃ ¤mmle, 2003). IASC published a framework to prepare financial statement in 1989 and Comparability/Improvement Project was carried out to narrow the alternative accounting treatment in this period. Furthermore, 10 standards was revised in 1993 (Nobes and Parker, 2010). Table 4 shows the processes in this period. Table : Harmonization Process from 1989 to 1993 Harmonisation Process 1989-1993 Context 1989 Exposure Draft 32 was issued by IASC Third phase: 1993-2001 IASC started agreement with IOSCO and IOSCO supported 30 core standards that were developed or revised by IASC. From 2001, IASB started to improve existing International Accounting Standards, deal with the problem that IASC havent addressed and enhance quality of financial report. IASB also involves in reducing the international differences in standards with FASB (USA) (Nobes and Parker, 2010). Table : Harmonization Process from 1993 to 2001 Harmonization Process 1993-2001 Context 1995 The European Commission planned to support the IASC to make IAS link with EU accounting requirements. 1996 The SEC manifested that it supports the IASCÂ ´s objective to develop, as expeditiously as possible, Accounting Standards that could be used for preparing financial statements that could be used in cross-border offerings. (Choi et al., 2002:296) 1998 The IOSCO published an announcement International Disclosure Standards for Cross Border Offerings and Initial Listings by Foreign Issuers (Choi et al., 2002:296); the IASC began to explore a new strategy and organization structure. 2000 The IOSCO accepted the IAS, especially for foreign registers (Nobes and Parker, 2010). 2001 IASB was set up by supporting from the IOSCO and SEC (Nobes and Parker, 2010). The fundamental of EU accounting harmonization is a harmonization of company law which is aim to create a uniform business environment (Mueller, 1997). Harmonization of company law taken by EU is directives, which have publicized 12 directives. Moreover, the forth and the seventh directives made the contribution to the accounting harmonization process in the Europe (Hulle, 2001). In details, the fourth directive in 1978 combines Member States provision and provide a guideline of the presentation and content of annual accounts, valuation methods and the publication. The Directive also pointed out that the annual report must include a fair review of firms financial position and the true and fair view brought from UK was firstly mentioned in mandatory term. Also, the seventh Company Law Directive in 1983 combines National laws on consolidation accounting and the fourth directive together, and sets out the methods of preparing consolidated accounts. Choi (2002) suggested that IASs as the new accounting standards are the preferred choice for EU countries by European Union. In terms of international harmonization of accounting standards, the policy stated by European Commission in 1995 pointed out that it was more efficient to associate EU with IASC and IOSCO than amend existing directives (Epstein and Mirza, 2001). In 2000, a further step in harmonization process was made by EU, which required enterprises on a regulated market to prepare their consolidated accounts under IAS (Fritz and LÃ ¤mmle, 2003). The important obstacles faced by EU and IASC are differing accounting practice, which caused by different countries, nationalism, as well as lack of strong professional bodies and international enforcement agency. Also, the difference in regulatory sources is the challenge for EU and IASC (Houssain,nd). IASC is broadly focused on removing unnecessary differences in accounting principles and practice around the whole world (McComb, 1982). That A lack of synchronization between release of standards in different countries and the formulation of standards by IASC will be an obstacle for harmonization (Rivera, 1989). Furthermore, lack of the professional bodies takes a challenge to implement IASs. It is said that IASC can only implement its accounting standards by its member bodies, not through the own authority. Taking France and Germany as examples, the professional accounting bodies in these two countries have rarely influence setting of accounting rules than setting by the government and governmental bodies, so that IASs can only promoted by persuasion (Nobes, 1995). In terms of nationalism, there is an unwillingness to change accounting practice by accepting compromises. Nationalism may be brought out when attempting to maintain independence of sovereignty. It can be observed that some countries did not make a reaction to attempts of harmonization by IASC (Nobes and Parker, 2002). Another challenge is the economic consequences of a particular country. Various in economic consequences of standards could result in de-harmonization unless considered by those who set the standards (Nobes and Parker, 2002). The international accounting firms are also worried about the increasing interest of outsiders in the profession and the wish the standard setting process to be kept outside of the hands of the government (Samuels and Piper,1985). The achievements or successes of both EU and IASC/IASB in harmonising accounting practices: In order to decide whether EU and the IASC were successful, it is important to review the objectives of these 2 organizations. First of all, the achievements of EU would be evaluated. In the past, countries in European used control of bookkeeping system instead of the financial statements which were lack of law and format. The EU set two main directives to improve financial reporting practices and brought about some harmonisation. These directives approached rapidly throughout Europe and nowadays most countries in the continental Europe followed the EUs accounting system rather than Anglo-American type. The Table 6 describes the extent of harmonization that has been achieved in descending order. Table : Extent of harmonisation achieved between 8 EU countries in descending order The balance sheet translation Differences in translation treatment Value of inventory The income statement translation The way to approach depreciation Examination and improvement Value of Fixed Asset Goodwill Approach for cost of inventory Source: Herrmann Thomas, 1995, p264 Besides those successes, EU had some failures. Montagna (1986) stated that weak regulations, general and vague disclosure made European accounts be the same. In addition, Blake and Amat (1994) concluded that because of no direction for foreign currency translation, deferred taxation and accounting for lease commitments, the EUs directives was failed itself. Some countries have explained the directives paralleling with the national accounting tradition. Some individual companies might refuse to agree to the rules given by EU. For example, 90% of German companies failed to publish their accounts. The EU harmonization also failed at the material level of actual accounting practices. The Table 6 shown above have presented 9 material harmonisation completed by 8 European countries. Some of these areas are not concealed by the EU legislation. Secondly, we will determine whether IASC succeeded. The term issuing standards is clearly successful. IASC released forty-one standards coming along with conceptual framework. However, because of that the standards were criticized for allowing many options. Another objective which should be considered is promotion and observance of standards. We have to study four types of country: developing countries, emerging nations, continental Western Europe and Japan, and capital market countries in order to decide IASCs success. In developing countries type, Saudagaran and Diga (2003) achieved that the harmonization in ASEAN countries would go on and be based on IASBs standard. In addition, IASC had advantages as a global standard-setter to be a major impact in some emerging nations which moved from communist to capitalist economics. In the continental Western Europe and Japan type, IASC has achieved limited success. Some countries considered IASC as a Trojan horse trying to inflict the accou nting standard in EU. Some companies in Switzerland chose IASs for their financial statements, and until 1994 IASs were used by several large companies all over Europe. The last type of countries including United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and Netherlands seems influence the IASC. Furthermore, IASC could be considered as a successful organization as it had a support from IOSCO and EU commission in 2000. Nevertheless, IASC has accomplished their objectives. CONCLUSION References IASB (2011) History of International Accounting Standards Board http://archive.iasb.org.uk/about/history.asp IAS.COM (2010) What is IASB? The objectives of IASB, http://www.iasplus.com/restruct/whatis.htm Larson, Robert K, Kenny, Sara York (1999) Harmonization of International Accounting Standards: Progress in the 1990s, Multinational Business Review, spring 1999. Nobes, C. and Parker, R. (2000) Comparative international accounting, 6th edition, Harlow: Pearson Education.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Last Full Measure :: essays research papers

The Last Full Measure is a vividly detailed account of the events that took place in the Civil War after the Battle of Gettysburg. In the novel, the author tells the story of the war after July of 1863 from several points of view. He uses three main characters to depict these points: Ulysses S. Grant, General of the U.S. Army, Robert E. Lee, General of the Confederate Army, and Joshua L. Chamberlain, a simple professor from Maine. The reader can gain a detailed understanding of the war by seeing it through Grant and Lee’s eyes. The reader can experience a more firsthand account of war by seeing it from Chamberlain’s point of view, who is not a professional solder. After reading this novel, the reader begins to realize what war actually means. To Lee, it is fighting for a way of life, while for Grant, it is the value of the Union and it’s dwindling future. The reader also realizes the hardships that come from war. For Lee, it would be not being able to see his family grow, while for Grant, it would be his struggle with alcoholism and depression. Also while reading the book, the reader is able to pick up two sides to almost every situation, the sides of Lee and Grant. In the foreword, Shaara states that his objective is to tell the reader the feelings of the men of the Civil War, which he achieves by using an immense collection of knowledge to probe into the lives of the soldiers. Shaara gives the audience an objective novel that shows the hardships in one of the greatest wars ever fought. Toward the end, Shaara takes a clear, anti-war stand. It is obvious that he realizes why wars are fought, but cannot understand why we have never learned from our mistakes. The novel is ended eloquently by showing the war’s effects on each of the main characters and what has become of them in the time after the war. Lee tries to make up lost time with his family, while Grant serves two terms as President and later enjoys retirement. Chamberlain was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and later became a governor. Both Lee and Grant eventually publish their memoirs at the end of the novel and look back on the war, which is told by Shaara to be a key event in The Last Full

Friday, October 11, 2019

Discuss potential barriers to effective communication in the workplace

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

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Christian vocation coursework Essay

Describe how a Christian may follow the call to discipleship through daily life and work Vocation is the idea that people get a call from god to do a certain job this can also be said about being called into Christianity by god, it may not be an actual call or a big flash of light but just s feeling that you have created by god. ‘Vocation’ comes from the Latin word meaning ‘to be called’. Some Christians may say that they were called to Christianity and so were all Christians. For example Jesus was called by god, he heard his voice when he was baptised by John. Discipleship is another term used my Christians used to mean following Jesus like his disciples did, living a Christian lifestyle and helping others also apply to discipleship. Christians follow Jesus by following his examples like his love, service and compassion towards others. Someone who has chosen to follow Jesus should be living a caring helpful life, possibly in a caring profession such as a doctor, nurse or teacher. Any job can be a vocation, some Christians say god has a plan for everyone and he may call you to a job that isn’t related to Christianity at all. St. Paul said in Colossians 3:23 â€Å"whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the lord, not for men.† Possibly meaning that god has called everyone to their jobs because he knows its right for them so work for him and do the job well. A Christian may choose his or her job just simply because they want to do the job although this want or urge to do a job could be put down to god. I don’t think there are any jobs unsuitable for Christians, Jesus loved everyone anyway even if they were a sinner he did not commend what they did but he still loved them. I do not think your religion should constrain your job opportunities. A Christian may serve god in an ordinary job by obeying the 10 commandments in their job and generally being caring and helpful. Christians can put Christian teachings into their family lives by following Paul’s teachings and the 10 commandments. Paul’s teachings say, â€Å"A wife, must put her husband first. This is her duty as a follower of the lord. A husband must love his wife and not abuse her. Children must always obey their parents. This pleases the lord. Parents, don’t be hard on your children. If you are, they might give up. (a)(ii) Explain why some Christians join communities and take vows or poverty, chastity and obedience. Christian communities are a group of Christians who live together. A convent is where a group of female Christians would live also known as nuns and male Christians or monks would live in a monastery. A contemplative order is focusing your life on god, in prayer and everyday life. An example of a contemplative community is the poor clares. The normal day in the poor clares community may consist of many things, gardening, housework, cooking, cleaning, helping the elderly and sick, praying or working in the shop; making candles, encaustic wax cards, as well as cards created and printed on a computer, turning wood and knitting garment on their knitting machine. The nuns do this type of work involving their hands because it leaves their minds free to focus on god and pray. Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 how â€Å"no one can serve two masters†, â€Å"you cannot serve both god any money† so the nuns in the poor clare community decide to â€Å"serve god† and his people and help them rather than work for money. An active order is doing something about what you believe in, for example if you want to be one of Jesus’ disciples you would follow in his footsteps and his examples and help people maybe by helping out at a hospital or a school. People or monasteries and convents today are living like the first Christians as recorded in the book of acts because the first Christians lived out alone in the desert, Christians live in s slightly similar way today. They have no possessions, they cannot have sex and they dedicate their time to thinking if they are contemplative, as you would alone in a desert, or doing things to help others. Living in a Christian community would help a Christian to follow their call to discipleship because of the vows they take when they join, they have to do things in a similar way to Jesus therefore helping to follow their call to discipleship. Some Christians may say joining a Christian community is a vocation because whatever they do as a job or joining a community is a vocation. God has a plan for them and they follow it via vocation. Some Christians believe that god want them to live in a religious community rather than an ordinary one because its better for them and other who they would be helping. A vow is an oath or promise you make. Nuns and monks take vows when they join a religious community; they take a vow of poverty so they are not tied down by possessions and money and can focus on god. Christ was poor to make us rich so they follow in his footsteps and enforce discipleship. They also take a vow of chastity, which means they must remain celibate so they can devote themselves to god as Jesus did. Also a relationship with someone from the opposite sex will get in the way of god and praying; St. Paul advises Christians to be celibate so they can â€Å"be devoted to the lord†. Obedience is the third vow they take, by this vow they give to God their freewill. They must be obedient to their abbot or abbess. Again showing their discipleship, because Jesus was obedient until the point of death on the cross for god. It is important for Christians to make these vows in front of a community because then there is witnesses so you cant get out of the commitment and also if you are doubtful they can remind you about them. (a)(iii) Explain the purpose and practice of one particular religious community. The poor Clares are a religious community for women who want to dedicate their lives to god. They originated in 1212 by St Francis and St Clare in Assisi in Italy. The poor clares are a contemplative community. The contemplative community of nuns started as a way of being united with god and to follow Jesus. The aims of the poor Clare community are mostly â€Å"to pray for the world and the Church†, to live a life through their prayers, dedicated to god and â€Å"to live out the Gospel command of love† which means to live their lives as god wanted helping others and loving them. The normal day in the poor clares community may consist of many things, gardening, housework, cooking, cleaning, helping the elderly and sick, praying or working in the shop; making candles, encaustic wax cards, as well as cards created and printed on a computer, turning wood and knitting garment on their knitting machine. The nuns do this type of work involving their hands because it leaves their minds free to focus on god and pray. Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 how â€Å"no one can serve two masters†, â€Å"you cannot serve both god any money† so the nuns in the poor clare community decide to â€Å"serve god† and his people and help them rather than work for money. Their timetable is shown below 5.00 Rise 5.45 Readings – a morning invitation to prayer composed of some psalms and two readings, one from Scripture and one from a Christian teacher or saint. These nourish our spirits for the day ahead. A quick breakfast followed by time for personal prayer, reading, study until 7.30 7.30 Morning Prayer, the Prayer of Praise to God followed by Spiritual reading 8.30 Holy Mass followed by a short Office and then work until 11.50 11.50 A short Prayer written by Francis of Assisi and Scripture reading 12.30 Dinner; some free time until 2.15 2.15 back to work with a tea break at 3.30 and a short prayer together in the refectory at 4.00 to sanctify our work 5.50 Evening prayer 6.30 Supper followed by an hour of personal prayer time until 8.15 8.15 Compline or Night Prayer, which closes the day. The poor clares take three vows as a sign of their commitment and consecration to God. The vow of chastity allows the nuns to focus their love on god, they give god their bodies and souls and their right to marry. They also take the vow of poverty so they are not tied down by possessions and money and can focus on god. Christ was poor to make us rich so they follow in his footsteps and enforce discipleship. Obedience is the third vow they take, by this vow they give to God their freewill. Again showing their discipleship, because Jesus was obedient until the point of death on the cross for god. (b) â€Å"Christians should lead active rather than contemplative lives.† Contemplative means to life your life dedicated to god through prayer, to live a contemplative life. An example of a contemplative community is the poor clares. a day in the poor clares community may consist of things such as , gardening, housework, cooking, cleaning, helping the elderly and sick, praying or working in the shop; making candles, encaustic wax cards, as well as cards created and printed on a computer, turning wood and knitting garment on their knitting machine. The nuns do this type of work involving their hands because it leaves their minds free to focus on god and pray. Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 how â€Å"no one can serve two masters†, â€Å"you cannot serve both god any money† so the nuns in the poor clare community decide to â€Å"serve god† and his people and help them rather than work for money. Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk; he took a vow of silence amongst other vows his writings have had a big influence on many Christians. He took part in many social protests even though he had to be silent; he took part in such protests as the struggle for racial equality in the USA and the struggle against nuclear weapons in the Vietnam War. An active life for a Christian is doing something about what you believe in, for example a Christian can help follow their path to discipleship by following Jesus and helping others by helping people at hospitals, nursing homes, schools etc. ‘ordinary’ Christians can lead active lives by living in a Christian lifestyle and helping others also apply to discipleship. Christians follow Jesus by following his examples like his love, service and compassion towards others so do this in your everyday life and work and you will be living an active life. ‘Extra-ordinary’ Christian could do many great things for example Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was one of the main leaders of the American civil rights movement he was a Baptist minister, and had a huge impact on the people of America. his most influential and well-known speech is the â€Å"I Have A Dream† speech. In 1964, he became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. he spoke out against injustices against black people of america, they were not allowed to vote, not allowed in the same places as white people and got half the pay. Martin luther king changed this Another example of a ‘extra-ordinary’ active christian was Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997), she was born a roman catholic nun, she won the nobel peace prize in 1979. she was fascinated by stories of the lives of missionaries and their service. By the early 1970s, Mother Teresa had become an international celebrity. Her fame can be partly attributed to the 1969 documentary ‘Something Beautiful for God’. In 1982, at the height of the siege in Beirut, Mother Teresa rescued 37 children trapped in a front line hospital by negotioating a temporary cease-fire between the Israeli army and Palestinian guerillas. Mother Teresa inspired a wide variety of commemorations. Besides receiving numerous honors during her lifetime, she has also been memorialized through museums, been named patroness of various churches, and had various structures and roads named after her. In conclusion living an active life is far more beneficial to others and is more noticeable, living a contemplative life is good if you believe prayers work and they really were helping. Christians serve god in many different ways some more subtle than others. However it is to be taken into consideration that active Christians do pray and contemplate and contemplative Christians do work and help others. In my opinion active Christians are making a more valuable contribution to the world because I do not believe that prayers do anything and even if god doesn’t exist active Christians are still doing something good for the world