Archaeological Hearths - Features With Benefits

A hearth is an archaeological feature that represents the remnants of a purposeful fire. Hearths can be extremely valuable elements of an archaeological site, as they are indicators of a whole range of human behaviors and provide an opportunity for obtaining radiocarbon dates for the period that people used them. Hearths are typically used to cook food, but may also have been used to heat-treat lithics, burn pottery and/or a variety of social reasons such a beacon to let others know where you are, a way to keep predators away, or simply provide a warm and inviting gathering place. The purposes of a hearth are often discernible within the remnants: and those purposes are key to understanding the human behaviors of the people who used it. Types of Hearths Over the millennia of human history, there have been a wide variety of intentionally-built fires: some were simply piles of wood stacked on the ground, some were excavated into the ground and covered to provide steam heat, some were built up with adobe brick for use as earth ovens, and some were stacked upwards with a mix of fired brick and potsherds to act as ad hoc pottery kilns. A typical archaeological hearth falls in the middle range of this continuum, a bowl-shaped soil discoloration, within which is evidence that the contents have been exposed to temperatures between 300-800 degrees centigrade. How do archaeologists identify a hearth with this range of shapes and sizes? There are three crucial elements to a hearth: inorganic material used to shape the feature; organic material burned in the feature; and evidence of that combustion. Shaping the Feature: Fire-Cracked Rock In places in the world where rock is readily available, the defining characteristic of a hearth is often plenty of fire-cracked rock, or FCR, the technical term for rock thats been cracked by exposure to high temperatures. FCR is differentiated from other broken rock because it has been discolored and thermally altered, and although often the pieces can be refit together, there is no evidence of impact damage or deliberate stone working. However, not all FCR is discolored and cracked. Experiments recreating the processes that make fire-cracked rock have revealed that the presence of discoloration (reddening and/or blackening) and spalling of larger specimens depends both on the kind of rock being used (quartzite, sandstone, granite, etc.) and the kind of fuel (wood, peat, animal dung) used in the fire. Both of those drive the temperatures of a fire, as does the length of time the fire is lit. Well-fed campfires can easily create temperatures up to 400-500 degrees centigrade; long-sustained fires can get to 800 degrees or more. When hearths have been exposed to the weather or agricultural processes, disturbed by animals or humans, they can still be identified as scatters of fire-cracked rock. Burned Bone and Plant Parts If a hearth was used to cook dinner, the leftovers of what was processed in the hearth may include animal bone and plant matter, which can be preserved if turned to charcoal. Bone which was buried under fire becomes carbonized and black, but bones on the surface of a fire are often calcined and white. Both types of carbonized bone can be radiocarbon-dated; if the bone is large enough, it can be identified to species, and if it is well-preserved, often cut-marks resulting from butchery practices can be found. Cut-marks themselves can be very useful keys to understanding human behaviors. Plant parts can also be found in hearth contexts. Burned seeds are often preserved in hearth conditions, and microscopic plant residues such as starch grains, opal phytoliths and pollen may also be preserved if conditions are right. Some fires are too hot and will damage the shapes of plant parts; but on occasion, these will survive and in an identifiable form. Combustion The presence of burned sediments, burnt patches of earth identified by discoloration and exposure to heat, is not always macroscopically apparent, but can be identified by micromorphological analysis, when microscopically thin slices of earth are examined to identify tiny fragments of ashed plant material and burnt bone fragments. Finally, non-structured hearths--hearths that either were placed on the surface and were weathered by long-term wind exposure and rain/frost weathering, made without large stones or the stones were deliberately removed later and are not marked by burned soils--have still been identified at sites, based on the presence of concentrations of large quantities of burnt stone (or heat-treated) artifacts. Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Archaeology Features, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Backhouse PN, and Johnson E. 2007. Where were the hearths: an experimental investigation of the archaeological signature of prehistoric fire technology in the alluvial gravels of the Southern Plains. Journal of Archaeological Science 34(9):1367-1378. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2006.10.027Bentsen SE. 2014. Using Pyrotechnology: Fire-related features and activities with a focus on the African Middle Stone Age. Journal of Archaeological Research 22(2):141-175.Fernà ¡ndez Peris J, Gonzà ¡lez VB, Blasco R, Cuartero F, Fluck H, Saà ±udo P, and Verdasco C. 2012. The earliest evidence of hearths in Southern Europe: The case of Bolomor Cave (Valencia, Spain). Quaternary International 247(0):267-277. Goldberg P, Miller C, Schiegl S, Ligouis B, Berna F, Conard N, and Wadley L. 2009.Bedding, hearths, and site maintenance in the Middle Stone Age of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 1(2):95-122. Gowlett JAJ, and Wrangham RW. 2013. Earliest fire in Afr ica: towards the convergence of archaeological evidence and the cooking hypothesis. Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa 48(1):5-30.Karkanas P, Koumouzelis M, Kozlowski JK, Sitlivy V, Sobczyk K, Berna F, and Weiner S. 2004. The earliest evidence for clay hearths: Aurignacian features in Klisoura Cave 1, southern Greece. Antiquity 78(301):513–525.Marquer L, Otto T, Nespoulet R, and Chiotti L. 2010. A new approach to study the fuel used in hearths by hunter-gatherers at the Upper Palaeolithic site of Abri Pataud (Dordogne, France). Journal of Archaeological Science 37(11):2735-2746. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2010.06.009Sergant J, Crombe P, and Perdaen Y. 2006. The ‘invisible’ hearths: a contribution to the discernment of Mesolithic non-structured surface hearths. Journal of Archaeological Science 33:999-1007.

Steve Jobs Technological Revolutionist - 916 Words

Steve Jobs: Technological Revolutionist Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former CEO of Apple and majority shareholder of Pixar, was an extremely innovative visionary who left his mark on the world. He was a strong leader, entrepreneur, and inventor. Job’s was a technological revolutionist, creating legendary hardware and software advancements which significantly impacted: science, how we communicate and interact; as well as literature, music, and media. Steve Jobs greatest impact worldwide was on science, specifically computer science. In 1997 he created the first fully assembled desktop computer, the Apple II, which was known for its expandability. Schools used the Apple II to teach programming, integrating computer science into the†¦show more content†¦This next generation operating system appealed to windows users, persuading them to begin switching to apple computers. Sales soared in 2006 for Apple when they switched from PowerPC processors to Intel’s core Duo chips, creating the Intel Macbook Pro. The Macbook Pro was Apple’s first laptop with an intel CPU, enhancing the average clock speeds. â€Å"The world’s thinnest notebook,† the Macbook Air was created in 2008. The air is thin, light, and lacks an optical drive; implementing the feature to beam data over wifi. The software, function, and design of Apple computers is accredited to Job’s until 2016, as he prepared for technological advancements to be released five years following his death in 2011. Steve Job’s innovation of the computer throughout his lifetime has influenced how humans connect and work today. Although Steve Jobs has passed, he continues to impact how we communicate and interact today, both personally and professionally. The hardware and software he created expanded the ways in which humans are able to communicate. Thanks to various wireless providers, devices such as Apple computers, iPhone, ipad, and even the latest iPod enable us to communicate. The iPhone revolutionized how the 94 Million people communicate; they can communicate wirelessly over the phone, text, iMessage, and facetime. The use of iMessage and facetime is not limited to the iPhone, these forms of communication are also accessible on apple computers, iPads, and

An Inspector Calls/Of Mice and Men Comparison free essay sample

Shows women are only for recreation (brothel houses present in both the books) and procreation (a married woman). If a woman is not married she is seen as a an object (a luxury possession to the them and have no status) Frequent visits to the Brothel houses from the Ranch workers. Biblical Allusions- Eve (Curley’s Wife) deters the men from acquiring their Eden (Hopes and Dreams) OMAM- HC- Flappers- Women started to dress more provocatively. More disposable income before crash. Later on, they were shunned away as money was not widely available. IC – HC- Working class single women of the time were completely at the clemency (kindness) of wealthy and powerful members of the society. Eva Smith referred to as Eve to tempt Gerald away from his Eden- (his marriage to Sheila) Actual- Suffragettes- Desperate Women (Work) did desperate things to survive. (Exploitation of the rich) Morality- â€Å"They will be taught in blood, fire and anguish†- Will lead to man’s fa ll of paradise into hell if perceptions of society do not change. We will write a custom essay sample on An Inspector Calls/Of Mice and Men Comparison or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Always women’s fault. Lead on to Darwinian Theory â€Å"Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl† Shows class systems of how a male dominated naturalist society conduct what happens and everybody avoids her as they do not want to get in trouble with the second highest character- Curley since his wife is his possession. A Woman has no place in society- married (Curley’s Wife) or unmarried (Brothel house workers) Oppression and Hostility Faced due to her Gender HC- Economic Crash- Fluid movement of working men, women were expected to stay at home while the men earn money and in this transient working environment, women did not have a place and led to an isolation†¦ Inspector Calls Girls of that class (Said by Mrs Birling- Directed to Eva Smith) Thinks she is socially and morally superior. â€Å"That† suggests abhorrence of the working class  Without Mr Birling, Mrs Birling solidarity of her status could not be exercised. (Shunning away from helping Eva Smith) Sheila uses her status and authority to get Eva sacked from her job at Milwards. How status can affect a person’s life- Just by â€Å"Verbal Command† Sheila can destruct a person’s dreams and ambitions with just a will. For a raise in pay, Eva Smith (Perpetrated as the ring leader to protest about poor pay is made redundant by her action) Big Idea Darwinian Theory- Man’s Predatory Instinctive Nature causes class divide to sustain and sometimes elongate. Curley exercises power over Wife and cannot tolerate her independence. Crude imagery- Curley = Master, Dog= Curley’s Wife. (Cannot tolerate dog being off the leash.) Status is important in IC as marrying into same class is considered the norm and preferably into higher class therefore status divide keeps increasing. Welfare of workers is overlooked just for wealth. Historical Context- War and Working Class Women – Only if you were poor, expected to work. Rich women just had to get married. Point 3- Dreams and Work Of Mice and Men â€Å"Coulda been in the movies. Had nice clothes† – Curley’s Wife’s American Dream relates to the dreams of many other Americans in 1930s America during the Great Depression. It never materialises into an actual reality. Standing on your own two feet independently- AMERICAN DREAM IDEOLOGY

The Ethics of Academic Freedom free essay sample

Truly dangerous if it is not respected and handled with care. And nowhere is that most apparent, than on the campuses and in the classrooms of this nations institutions Of higher education. Even on the most tolerant of campuses, there exist individuals who are opinionated, biased, and judgmental of others perspectives. That is to be expected. But what happens when the professors and educators (or those who have put themselves in the role as educator) have taken their freedoms for granted and base everything that they say has merit given his or her First Amendment right? Academic FreedomAcademic Freedom exists. .In order that society will have the benefit of honest judgment and independent criticism which might (otherwise) be withheld because of fear of offending a dominant social group or transient social attitude (Kumara, 1993). Its a regulation to help make sure that professors and students alike have a voice on campus. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethics of Academic Freedom or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The American Association of University Professors is a national organization committed solely to college and university faculty members. It defends academic freedom and tenure, advocates collegial governance, and develops policies ensuring due process (Sledded,2004).They have been extremely vocal in the assurance of academic freedom in academe. One current section on academic freedom reads as follows: Freedom of thought and expression is essential to any institution of higher learning. Universities and colleges exist not only to transmit knowledge. Equally, they interpret, explore, and expand that knowledge by testing the old and proposing the new. This mission guides learning outside the classroom quite as much as in class, and often inspires vigorous debate on those social, economic, and political issues that arouse the strongest passions. In the process, views will be expressed that may seem to many wrong, distasteful, or offensive. Such is the nature of freedom to sift and winnow ideas. On a campus that is free and open, no idea can be banned or forbidden. No viewpoint or message may be deemed so hateful or disturbing that it may not be expressed. Paps Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure, June 1992. Academic freedom is not equivalent to the same freedoms promised us by the First Amendment. If one were to assume that, then any professor could go into a classroom and espouse his or her personal beliefs as law (which, Daly enough, some professors do). By having academic freedom, it should not excuse anyone from being held responsible for what he or she might say. Taken from the 1940 statement of academic freedom, Point B reads as: Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subject. Limitations of academic freedom because of religious or other aims of the institution should be clearly stated in writing at the time of the appointment. AUP, 1940However, US regulations had this definition of academic freedom: The function of the university is to seek to transmit knowledge and to train students in the process whereby truth is to be mane known. To convert, or to make converts, is alien and hostile to this dispassionate duty. Where it becomes necessary, in performing this function Of a university, to consider political, social, or sectarian movements, they are to be dissected and examine d, not taught, and the conclusion left, with no tipping of the scales, to the logic and the facts. University of California University Regulations (Revised No. 5), 1 934This seemed like a very sound foundation in which to run an institution of higher learning. After all, these regulations for the US System had been in effect since 1934. However, in the aftermath of September 1 lath, many professors began to teach by way of indoctrinating instead of educating. Even US Berkeley president wanted to change the rules of academic freedom to to reflect the modern university and its faculty (Atkinson, R. , 2003). But why should we now change the rules to suit or behavior? Academic Bill of Rights Conservative author, David Horopito believes that with a new Academic Bill ofRights, we can get the liberal thinking colleges and universities back on track with what the academic freedom rules outline. He believes that there have been too many instances of liberal professors trying to indoctrinate political ideals and beliefs on students, and that if a student disagrees with the professors belief, he or she will be penalized by presumably receiving a fail ing grade. Horopito gives as an example the case of a Leistering of Northern Colorado student who had received a failing grade on a paper that reportedly refused to address the question of Why President Bush is a war rimming? (SAP, 2003). This new Bill of Rights reads simply enough and it sounds fair to all parties involved. For example; All faculty shall be hired, fired, promoted and granted tenure on the basis of their competence and appropriate knowledge in the field Of their expertise NO faculty shall be hired or fired or denied promotion or tenure on the basis of his or her political or religious beliefs; also, Students will be graded solely on the basis of their reasoned answers and appropriate knowledge not on the basis of their political or religious beliefs (SARA, 2003).But even with this type of wording, as politically correct as it may seem, there is, of course, a hidden agenda surrounding Horopito draft (at least, according to some). Right-Winged Conservatives According to Horopito , his bill has some heavy supporters; The American Council on Education; the National Coalition Against Censorship; the Association for Extrajudicial Affairs; the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education; and various college and university professors and educators.Along with Horopito, these groups believe that by having the academic bill of rights, college campuses will become more intellectually diverse (Jacobson, 005). Horopito has taken it upon himself to create this bill to allow the more conservative students a voice when working with their (seem ingle) more liberal professors viewpoints. It is to provide an educational environment where students feel comfortable expressing their opinions free from the worry of discrimination based on political beliefs (Winters, 2005).Part of the bill reads as follows: Faculty and instructors shall be free to pursue and discuss their own findings and perspectives in presenting their views, but they shall make their students aware of serious scholarly viewpoints other than their own through classroom discussion or dissemination of written materials, and they shall encourage intellectual honesty, civil debate and the critical analysis of ideas in the pursuit of knowledge and truth (Horopito, 2003). Leftist Liberals Other groups arent as accepting of this new bill being implemented throughout college campuses.Some of these heavy hitters include; the American Federation of Teachers; The C A-Academic Association of University Professors; the National JAPE; the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAR); and various college and university professors and educators. These groups see the Academic Bill of Rights not to provide students with rights, but to institute State monitoring of universities, to impose specific points of view on instructors 0 in many cases, points of view that have been intellectually discredited and ultimately to silence dissenting voices by punishing universities that protect them (Misaims, 2005).They feel that by allowing the bill, it would place uncomfortable restrictions on what can and cannot be taught in the classroom (Winters, 2005). At a senate meeting in Ohio, CARR charges: The bill forces the board of rustles, of both public and private schools, to adopt policies about what can and cannot be taught (CARR, 2005). They call the bill an Academic bill of Restrictions. Even the AUP has said that the bill is an infringement of the free speech rights of professors (Horopito, 2005).The Middle of the Road Having read so much material relating to academic freedom, the academic bill of rights, and even political correctness, find that I am now a little more cynical than I was before began researching this topic. One problem I have with the pros and cons of this particular topic is that can understand what OTOH sides are arguing. And if agree with any one side, I will be labeled a liberal or a conservative.Its very interesting to me, someone who always considered herself a liberal; take such a shady, hazy, blurry view of what (on the surface) seems pretty cut and dry. Because I can agree with some of the things that Horopito is professing shouldnt make me any more a conservative than Jesse Jackson; and because can certainly get behind the liberals in their fight to keep Big brother out of the classroom doesnt make me a tree-hugging hippie, either. Perhaps Gill Troy had the best idea when he wrote to keep the classroom as political as possible, in his article on academic freedom he wrote: You need not be a pajama-wearing fire-breathing, Bush-loving flogger to protest the chilling effects of leftist politickings bullying academic freedom, along with government excesses and conservative histrionics (Troy, 2005).He believes that as professors; We fail when students perceive us as doctrinaire, we distort when we only engage one side of an issue, we oversimplify when we reduce everything to a political equation, we cheat when we only hire intellectual clones, we betray ourselves when we befriend only those who agree with us. (Troy, 2005). Doreen Kumara not only wants her students to disagree with her, but also wants to upset them. I have taught ATA university for over 25 years, and I hope that in that time I have offended many students; in the sense that have suggested ideas to them that they had not entertained before and which the y therefore found disturbing (Kumara, 1993). Us m Mary From the most liberal of institutions in California, to the most prestigious Ivy ague academies, professors and students have a lot of knowledge. Some of the knowledge may be self taught, or obtained through experiences, while there types of knowledge may be studied and researched over many years. In either case, these two groups have the ability to teach and learn from each other.

Navajo code essays

Navajo code essays The Navajo Indian Code was used in the military, specifically the Navy and Marines. It was introduced for World War 2. The person who introduced the Navajo language as a code was a man named Philip Johnston. He was the son of a Navajo missionary and was one of the estimated thirty non-Navajos to fluently speak the language. Johnston showed the value to Major General Clayton B. Vogel by testing the code under combat situations. The code is also a lot quicker than any other code machine up to that date. The Navajos could actually transmit a 3-line English message in about 20 seconds, compared to the machine with took about 30 minutes. The code is actually just a Indian language that was impossible to figure out. They would use the Navajo tribes people to relay messages from one station to another. They would have one Navajo on one radio and another Navajo on the other side of the radio. The military personal would tell them what to say, then the Navajo would translate it over the radio, and the other Navajo would re-translate it to the other military personal. The Navajo Indian code was so effective because it wasnt like any other language used. The only people who spoke it were the Navajos and the very rare white person. It also doesnt have routes, like English or Italian do to Latin. Also there are many different dialects of the language, so it make it so complex and so impossible to decipher them. So it was very hard to figure out, and thats why they were able to use it without it being broken. During the war about 400 of the 50,000 Navajo Indians were code talkers with about another 100 working in other contributions. Before the Navajos could go out to the military units, they had to complete a training course. The training course taught them military terms to communicate with. After their training was over they were assigned a unit and performed their duty as a transmitter. Even after the war...

Electoral College Pros and Cons

Electoral College Pros and Cons The Electoral College system, long a source of controversy, came under especially heavy criticism after the 2016 presidential election when Republican Donald Trump lost the nationwide popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton by over 2.8 million votes but won the Electoral College- and thus the presidency- by 74 electoral votes. Electoral College Pros and Cons Pros:Gives the smaller states an equal voice.Prevents disputed outcomes ensuring a peaceful transition of powerReduces the costs of national presidential campaigns.Cons:Can disregard the will of the majority.Gives too few states too much electoral power.Reduces voter participation by creating a â€Å"my vote doesn’t matter† feeling. By its very nature, the Electoral College system is confusing. When you vote for a presidential candidate, you are actually voting for a group of electors from your state who have all â€Å"pledged† to vote for your candidate. Each state is allowed one elector for each of its Representatives and Senators in Congress. There are currently 538 electors, and to be elected, a candidate must get the votes of at least 270 electors. The Obsolescence Debate The Electoral College system was established by Article II of the U.S. Constitution in 1788. The Founding Fathers chose it as a compromise between allowing Congress to choose the president and having the president elected directly by the popular vote of the people. The Founders believed that most common citizens of the day were poorly educated and uninformed on political issues. Consequently, they decided that using the â€Å"proxy† votes of the well-informed electors would lessen the risk of â€Å"tyranny of the majority,† in which the voices of the minority are drowned out by those of the masses. Additionally, the Founders reasoned that the system would prevent states with larger populations from having an unequal influence on the election. Critics, however, argue that Founder’s reasoning is no longer relevant as today’s voters are better-educated and have virtually unlimited access to information and to the candidates’ stances on the issues. In addition, while the Founders considered the electors as being â€Å"free from any sinister bias† in 1788, electors today are selected by the political parties and are usually â€Å"pledged† to vote for the party’s candidate regardless of their own beliefs. Today, opinions on the future of the Electoral College range from protecting it as the basis of American democracy to abolishing it completely as an ineffective and obsolete system that may not accurately reflect the will of the people. What are some of the main advantages and disadvantages of the Electoral College? Advantages of the Electoral College   Promotes fair regional representation: The Electoral College gives the small states an equal voice. If the president was elected by the popular vote alone, candidates would mold their platforms to cater to the more populous states. Candidates would have no desire to consider, for example, the needs of farmers in Iowa or commercial fishermen in Maine.Provides a clean-cut outcome: Thanks to the Electoral College, presidential elections usually come to a clear and undisputed end. There is no need for wildly expensive nationwide vote recounts. If a state has significant voting irregularities, that state alone can do a recount. In addition, the fact that a candidate must gain the support of voters in several different geographic regions promotes the national cohesion needed to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.Makes campaigns less costly: Candidates rarely spend much time- or money- campaigning in states that traditionally vote for their party’s candidates. For example, Democrats rarely campaign in liberal-leaning California, just as Republicans tend to skip the more conservative Texas. Abolishing the Electoral College could make America’s many campaign financing problems even worse.  Ã‚   Disadvantages of the Electoral College   Can override the popular vote: In five presidential elections so far- 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016- a candidate lost the nationwide popular vote but was elected president by winning the Electoral College vote. This potential to override the â€Å"will of the majority† is often cited as the main reason to abolish the Electoral College.Gives the swing states too much power: The needs and issues of voters in the 14 swing states- those that have historically voted for both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates- get a higher level of consideration than voters in other states. The candidates rarely visit the predictable non-swing states, like Texas or California. Voters in the non-swing states will see fewer campaign ads and be polled for their opinions less often voters in the swing states. As a result, the swing states, which may not necessarily represent the entire nation, hold too much electoral power.Makes people feel their vote doesn’t matter: Under the Electoral College system, while it counts, not every vote â€Å"matters.† For example, a Democrat’s vote in liberal-leaning California has far less effect on the election’s final outcome that it would in one of the less predictable swing states like Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio. The resulting lack of interest in non-swing states contributes to America’s traditionally low voter turnout rate. The Bottom Line Abolishing the Electoral College would require a constitutional amendment, a lengthy and often unsuccessful process. However, there are proposals to â€Å"reform† the Electoral College without abolishing it. One such movement, the National Popular Vote plan would ensure that the winner of the popular vote would also win at least enough Electoral College votes to be elected president. Another movement is attempting to convince states to split their electoral vote based on the percentage of the state’s popular vote for each candidate. Eliminating the winner-take-all requirement of the Electoral College at the state level would lessen the tendency for the swing states to dominate the electoral process. Sources and Further Reference â€Å"From Bullets to Ballots: The Election of 1800 and the First Peaceful Transfer of Political Power.† TeachingAmericanHistory.org.Hamilton, Alexander. â€Å".†The Federalist Papers: No. 68 (The Mode of Electing the President) congress.gov, Mar. 14, 1788Meko, Tim. â€Å".†How Trump won the presidency with razor-thin margins in swing states Washington Post (Nov. 11, 2016).

Mission Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mission Statements - Essay Example This definition will be a guiding point in the evaluation of the mission statements of McDonald and Dell, Incorporated. McDonald's mission statement can be classified one of the best examples in the global corporate arena. The mission statement clearly defines what the company is and what it wants to accomplish-"to be the world's best quick restaurant experience." This future goal is backed by the strategies which the company will employ-"outstanding quality, service, cleanliness and value." Furthermore, the mission statement is crafted with the company's stakeholders in mind. McDonald emphasizes that it wants that it will be looking after its employees, customers, and shareholders. Written in clear and simple language, the message that McDonalds want to communicate is clearly delivered and is understood by any individual. The mission statement is clear, precise, simple and is very suitable for the world's largest fast food chain. In comparison, Dell's mission statement is more inclined in the company's future than on what it is. It should be noted that Dell's mission statement can be applied to any computer manufacturer.

Accounting Cycle Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accounting Cycle Description - Essay Example The AIS or the accounting Information system used within the organization must be well equipped to understand the unique requirements of the revenue cycle which puts an overall effect on the generated revenues through production and etc. The maintenance of the revenue cycle is a complex procedure, because of which getting complete repayment of your cash is not possible with conventional techniques. In order to collect 100% out of revenue cycle an organization must use an integrated accounting information system that effectively includes people, monetary processes, and technology. The benefits of integrated revenue cycle helps in maintaining internal controls (misappropriation etc.). Use of weak or disintegrated information system with in the organization can also be a cause of trouble in several ways. It could be a disrupting aspect in the revenue cycle that could affect the over all cash flow of the organization. (Avisena, 2009) Information systems are continually altering and developing as skill and technology persists to develop. There is various information systems used within an organization which helps it to run the daily business accurately. The various types include transaction processing systems (TPS) which is a system that gathers, accumulates, adapts and recovers the transactions of a project. Decision Support Systems (DSS) is a system that chains dealings and managerial decision-making actions. A well-designed DSS is a software-based scheme projected to help decision makers accumulate helpful information from untreated data, individual knowledge, documents, and business representations to recognize and resolve problems and take decisions. Expert system is software that efforts to imitate the presentation of one or more human specialists, most frequently for a specific problem area, and is a

Managerial Finance Essay Example for Free

Managerial Finance Essay You have been at your job with East Coast Yachts for a week now and have decided you need to sign up for the company’s 401(k) plan. Even after your discussion with Sarah Brown, the Bledsoe Financial Services representative, you are still unsure as to which investment option you should choose. Recall that the options available to you are stock in East Coast Yachts, the Bledsoe SP 500 Index Fund, the Bledsoe Small-Cap Fund, the Bledsoe Large-Company Stock Fund, the Bledsoe Bond Fund, and the Bledsoe Money Market Fund. You have decided that you should invest in a diversified portfolio, with 70 percent of your investment in equity, 25 percent in bonds, and 5 percent in the money market fund. You have also decided to focus your equity investment on large-cap stocks, but you are debating whether to select the SP 500 Index Fund or the Large-Company Stock Fund. In thinking it over, you understand the basic difference in the two funds. One is a purely passive fund that replicates a widely followed large-cap index, the SP 500, and has low fees. The other is actively managed with the intention that the skill of the portfolio manager will result in improved performance relative to an index. Fees are higher in the latter fund. You’re just not certain on which way to go, so you ask Dan Ervin, who works in the company’s finance area, for advice. After discussing your concerns, Dan gives you some information comparing the performance of equity mutual funds and the Vanguard 500 Index Fund. The Vanguard 500 is the world’s largest equity index mutual fund. It replicates the SP 500, and its return is only negligibly different from the SP 500. Fees are very low. As a result, the Vanguard 500 is essentially identical to the Bledsoe SP 500 Index Fund offered in the 401(k) plan, but it has been in existence for much longer, so you can study its track record for over two decades. The graph below summarizes Dan’s comments by showing the percentage of equity mutual funds that outperformed the Vanguard 500 Fund over the previous ten years. So for example, from January 1977 to December 1986, almost 70 percent of equity mutual funds outperformed the Vanguard 500. Dan suggests that you study the graph and answer the following questions: 1. What implications do you draw from the graph for mutual fund investors? If I was to draw any implications from the graph for mutual fund investors it would be an expectation that the investors will outperform the market. As with any business the high performers will continue performing and the low performers will be let go. If we were looking at the level of market efficiency it would be expected that mutual funds would outperform the market. It is expected that half of all investors will outperform the market. 2. Is the graph consistent or inconsistent with market efficiency? Explain carefully. I believe that the graph shows consistency with market efficiency, but even the most efficient of markets must be willing to spend on research to outperform the market and even then many investors do not outperform the market. The graph is consistent with market efficiency because if even the highest performers are not outperforming the market, even with high financing, then as would be expected average investors will not be outperforming the market. 3. What investment decision would you make for the equity portion of your 401(k) account? Why? If I was to make an investment decision based on the equity portion of this 401K plan I would choose to invest in the SP 500 index. There should also be investments made in small cap funds as this will help diversify the portfolio. Small cap funds however are not available as an option so the SP 500 would be the best choice as an investment decision.

The Shift from Realism to Impressionism Essay -- Realism, Impressionis

Both Realism and Impressionism began in France with both art periods lending to the world unique techniques, aesthetic approaches and subjects in painting. While Impressionism stemmed from Realism, it can be argued Impressionism ultimately lead to continued individual expression in art through out the historical art periods to follow. The art period of Realism from 1845 to 1900, has roots which trail back to mid 1800s France and developed as a reaction to the often exaggerated emotionalism of the former art period of Romanticism. Realist artists instead strove to depict the seriousness of every day life. To show subjects or scenes just as they were without involvement of religion, mythology or history. McDowall (1918) pointed â€Å"At the bottom of realism, in all its variations, seems to be the sense of actual existence; an acute awareness of it, and a vision of things under that form. It is a thoroughly natural feeling, it is, in fact, the primitive attitude of man† (p. 3). In painting, film and literature artists aimed to present things as they appear. A major social condition that contributed to the emergence of Realism was the Industrial Revolution. With its mass machinery production of products, the Industrial Revolution not only created an explosion of railroads and cities but also an explosion of wealthy middle class and poor working class. The discovery of photography in 1839 by Daguerre and others also resulted in a growing trend to copy everyday life, which in turn sprouted the appeal of realism in art. Buser (2006) noted that during the Industrial Revolution the rules of life were the fundamental ideas of technology, science and practical business sense. Buser (2006) further theorized â€Å"Since progress in these... ...rowther (2005) reflects â€Å"One can draw a direct line from the Impressionist, through the Post-Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists, to the Fauves, the Cubists, the Symbolists and ultimately to Abstract Expressionists†. Artists through the ages continued to experiment with new technique allowing modern art to evolve and take shape.  References Bingham, J. (2009). Impressionism. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library. Buser, T. (2006). Experiencing art around us. USA: Thompson Wadsworth. Crowther, J. (2005). Impressionism: more than meets the eye. Retrieved from http://www.artist-perspectives.com/articles/impressionism.htm Janaro, R.P., & Altshuler, T.C. (2009). The art of being human: the humanities as a technique for living. Pearson Education, Inc. McDowall, A.S. (1918). Realism: a study in art and thought. London: Constable and Company LTD.

Logitech and China

Logitech can be considered as a practical example of success in International trade. Logitech, with a well managed strategy could take advantage during these past few years of the globalization of production within different markets. First by outsourcing in Taiwan, then in China, Logitech has demonstrated a real capacity of adaptation to the fast moving actual business world. The company followed a strategy of continuous improvement based on reducing production costs, and focusing on innovation. By buying specific parts of its activities from suppliers in strategic locations, Logitech could benefits of cheap production cost making the brand to become more competitive in the market. Logitech obviously took the right decisions at the right time. When deciding to shift to Taiwan, because they needed more capacity of production, the company decided to adapt its needs to the opportunities offered by the global market. It can be imagined that Logitech’s strategies are carried by a really efficient team, making careful and updated environment analyses, examining all the possible opportunities for the company, at a particular moment, considering the actual position of the brand, the demand for the products, and focusing on the future of the company in a fast-changing environment. By deciding to outsource part of its activities in the US, Switzerland and Ireland for specific activities, Logitech demonstrated again a force of strategy. The global strategy of Logitech is very impressive and we can apply it to most of the Trade Theories studied on the chapter to illustrate the decisions which make Logitech’s strategy so successful.

A Study of Najdi Arabic & Arabic Language (Saudi Arabia)

If you ask a question to a Saudi Arabian, an Egyptian, an Algerian and a Syrian that which thing makes you an Arab? They will answer in just a second that speaking Arabic makes us an Arab. This language makes the Arab world and it binds the whole Arab world from Morocco to Kuwait.This language gives identity to the Arab society and makes them aware about the history of the Arab. Since the inception of Islam Arabic is the speaking language of the Islamic world. Islamic holy book the Qur’an was initially written in Arabic.There is a great religious significance of this language in the Islamic world. According to Muslims – if you want to understand properly the messages of Qur’an, you should read it in Arabic language. That’s why Arabic is not only the language of Arab world. (Seikaly, 2001)Arabic language is not only official language of Saudi Arabia, but it is also considered as an official language in more than forty five countries and dialect of Arabic is being spoken by 200,000,000 people all around the world. Main part of this population lives in the Arabic countries, but a considerable number of Arabic Speakers live in some parts of Africa. Arabic is treated as a biggest member of the Semitic branch and it is some what same as Hebrew and Aramaic.Arabic is studied widely in the Islamic world. Since 6th century Arabic is being taught as a literary language and many words of other languages had been taken from Arabic such as English and Spanish. Some words like sugar, cotton and magazine had been derived from Arabic. In Arabic these words are pronounced like sukkar, quá ¹ ­Ã… «n, maá ¸ «Ã„ zin. Some other words like alcohol, algebra and zenith came from Arabic language. (Shah, 2007)There are many verities of Arabic language. In this paper we will discuss those varieties in brief. We will mainly focus on the Najdi (A variety of Arabic language). Najdi Arabic speakers oppose the theory of generative phonology. We will move step by step and in an arranged manner.  The First Word of ArabicThe first word of Arabic, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, is iqra (means â€Å"recite†).   According to literature the meaning of Qur’an is recitation. Muslims say that it was the command, which was given to the Muhammad by god, when the Prophet began to receive the revelation and this finally got converted into the Qur’an. The word Qur’an is based on the three letters, those are Q, R and A and the word iqra contains these 3 letter root. (Seikaly, 2001)Forms of ArabicArabic language can be divided in the three forms- classical, modern standard, and colloquial. The Arabic, which has been used in the Qur’an, is considered as classical Arabic. The Arabic used in Qur’an is treated as the perfect Arabic and is a stander for written form of Arabic.The modern standard Arabic is derived from the Classical Arabic and is used in the formal communication such as in literature, in news, in offices and in print media. Colloquial Arabic is locally spoken Arabic language and it varies from nation to nation and area to area. Many varieties of the Colloquial Arabic have been found in the Arab World and Najdi is one of them. In religious and social functions the oral Arabic is used for writing also because the written and spoken forms of Arabic language are highly interconnected.Modern Standard Arabic is not used at such moments. It is used in television and radio news broadcasts. Modern Standard Arabic plays an important role to bind the whole Arab world because the Arabic speakers from Lebanon and Morocco cannot easily understand one-another’s Arabic language due to their local dialects. But they can talk in Modern Standard Arabic easily.That’s why Modern Standard Arabic is used in formal meetings and occasions. Many local and regional variations have taken place in spoken Arabic and written Arabic has also been changed since 7th century. Many forei gn words are being used in Spoken Arabic such as computer, telephone, television, and radio.On the other hand lots of words have been borrowed from Arabic by the many Western languages like English, Spanish and Portuguese. In the earlier time, the Arab world was known for medicine mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy. Name of many stars are based on the Arabic language such as Betelgeuse, Rigel, Deneb, Altair, and Aldebaran. (Seikaly, 2001)The Arabic script had been taken from Nabataean Aramaic script. Originally, Arabic language had been used since 4th century but there is no solid evidence for it. Generally 6th century is treated as the starting era for Arabic language. Initially Aramaic language was there in use, but there are fewer consonants in this language. Hence in the 7th century new Arabic letters had been created with the help of dots. Then vowels came into the picture. . (Omniglot writing systems & languages of the world, 2010)Classification of varietiesThe Arabic scri pt had been taken from Nabataean Aramaic script. Originally, Arabic language had been used since 4th century but there is no solid evidence for it. Generally 6th century is treated as the starting era for Arabic language.Initially Aramaic language was there in use, but there are fewer consonants in this language. Hence in the 7th century new Arabic letters had been created with the help of dots. Then vowels came into the picture. Nowadays Arabic is spoken in many different ways in different areas. (Omniglot writing systems & languages of the world, 2010)

Understanding Relative Frequency Histograms

Understanding Relative Frequency Histograms In statistics, there are many terms that have subtle distinctions between them. One example of this is the difference between frequency and relative frequency. Although there are many uses for relative frequencies, there is one in particular that involves a relative frequency histogram. This is a type of graph that has connections to other topics in statistics and mathematical statistics. Definition Histograms are statistical graphs that look like bar graphs. Typically, however, the term histogram is reserved for quantitative variables. The horizontal axis of a histogram is a number line containing classes or bins of uniform length. These bins are intervals of a number line where data can fall and can consist of a single number (typically for discrete data sets that are relatively small) or a range of values (for larger discrete data sets and continuous data). For example, we may be interested in considering the distribution of scores on a 50 point quiz for a class of students. One possible way to construct the bins would be to have a different bin for every 10 points. The vertical axis of a histogram represents the count or frequency that a data value occurs in each of the bins. The higher the bar is, the more data values fall into this range of bin values. To return to our example, if we there are five students who scored more than 40 points on the quiz, then the bar corresponding to the 40 to 50 bin will be five units high. Frequency Histogram Comparison A relative frequency histogram is a minor modification of a typical frequency histogram. Rather than using a vertical axis for the count of data values that fall into a given bin, we use this axis to represent the overall proportion of data values that fall into this bin. Since 100% 1, all bars must have a height from 0 to 1. Furthermore, the heights of all of the bars in our relative frequency histogram must sum to 1. Thus, in the running example that we have been looking at, suppose that there are 25 students in our class and five have scored more than 40 points. Rather than constructing a bar of height five for this bin, we would have a bar of height 5/25 0.2. Comparing a histogram to a relative frequency histogram, each with the same bins, we will notice something. The overall shape of the histograms will be identical. A relative frequency histogram does not emphasize the overall counts in each bin.  Instead, this type of graph focuses on how the number of data values in the bin relates to the other bins.  The way that it shows this relationship is by percentages of the total number of data values. Probability Mass Functions We may wonder what the point is in defining a relative frequency histogram. One key application pertains to discrete random variables where our bins are of width one and are centered about each nonnegative integer. In this case, we can define a piecewise function with values corresponding to the vertical heights of the bars in our relative frequency histogram. This type of function is called a probability mass function. The reason for constructing the function in this way is that the curve that is defined by the function has a direct connection to probability. The area underneath the curve from the values a to b is the probability that the random variable has a value from a to b. The connection between probability and area under the curve is one that shows up repeatedly in mathematical statistics. Using a probability mass function to model a relative frequency histogram is another such connection.

Printable Chemistry Quiz - Atom Basics

Printable Chemistry Quiz - Atom Basics This is a multiple choice chemistry quiz on atoms that you may take online or print. You may wish to review atomic theory before taking this quiz. A self-grading online version of this quiz is available, too. TIP:To view this exercise without ads, click on print this page. The three basic components of an atom are:(a) protons, neutrons, and ions(b) protons, neutrons, and electrons(c) protons, neutrinos, and ions(d) protium, deuterium, and tritiumAn element is determined by the number of:(a) atoms(b) electrons(c) neutrons(d) protonsThe nucleus of an atom consists of:(a) electrons(b) neutrons(c) protons and neutrons(d) protons, neutrons, and electronsA single proton has what electrical charge?(a) no charge(b) positive charge(c) negative charge(d) either a positive or negative chargeWhich particles have approximately the same size and mass as each other?(a) neutrons and electrons(b) electrons and protons(c) protons and neutrons(d) none - they are all very different in size and massWhich two particles would be attracted to each other?(a) electrons and neutrons(b) electrons and protons(c) protons and neutrons(d) all particles are attracted to each otherThe atomic number of an atom is:(a) the number of electrons(b) the number of neutrons(c) the number of pro tons(d) the number of protons plus the number of neutrons Changing the number of neutrons of an atom changes its:(a) isotope(b) element(c) ion(d) chargeWhen you change the number of electrons on an atom, you produce a different:(a) isotope(b) ion(c) element(d) atomic massAccording to atomic theory, electrons are usually found:(a) in the atomic nucleus(b) outside the nucleus, yet very near it because they are attracted to the protons(c) outside the nucleus and often far from it - most of an atoms volume is its electron cloud(d) either in the nucleus or around it - electrons are readily found anywhere in an atom Answers: 1 b, 2 d, 3 c, 4 b, 5 c, 6 b, 7 c, 8 a, 9 b, 10 c

Economics 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Economics 4 - Essay Example The context of this study is to address the following issues: The country identified for possible expansion of Country A in Asia is South Korea because this country has established relations with the United States, the home country of County A. South Korea also imports machinery and equipment from the United States and exports motor vehicles to the same country. As such, it is assumed that there will be a need for the product of Country A by Korean manufacturers. Company A should take cognizance of the cultural issues in South Korea in designing its marketing strategy of doing business in Korea. According to World business culture.com, it is very important to keep in mind that the quality of developed relations is the key to the success in dealing business in South Korea and it is developed by knowing the following cultural issues: South Koreans observe hierarchical business structure that recognizes major decisions coming from the top and transmitted down for implementation. Company A will find that much of the companies in South Korea are family-run companies wherein much of the power and ownership is with the founder’s family. Aside from the formal hierarchy, Koreans also gives importance to informal hierarchy based on personal and loyalty relations. Thus, Company A should know somebody or need a referral to establish business conncectons. Korean approach of management is holistic such that they take care of the well-being of their employees including their personal life. Initial meetings with Koreans should be polite and intended only for relation building, and most of all, do not show impatience during meetings. Koreans are particular about respect so that the delegation should be balanced, a senior officer should also meet a senior officer. (Worldbusiness.com) Company A’s vision is to double its size within the next four years. The marketing strategy identified to support this vision is to expand business in Asia. Tactics in doing

Early years in the uk context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Early years in the uk context - Essay Example (Shaw, 2010) The article tries to find the factors which are responsible for these choices and how the choices of working class parents differ from middle class parents. The authors have used interviews as the research methodology in trying to answer this question. The authors believe that the way in which choices are made by the working class and middle class parents make choices further produces inequities. (Carol Vincent, 2010)They also differentiate in the way these choices are made and the factors which are considered before making the choices. In conclusion the authors claim that working class families give importance to the known , familiar and trusted sources for choosing childcare whereas middle class families were more open to childcare centres which may be lesser known to them. The overarching concern for the working class parents is shown as safety for their kids whereas the middle class parents do not care much about the safety -they consider it as a given. Their main fo cus is on the environment the child is provided with and his personal development. The authors also show how economic status of the families makes them perceive and experience the child care markets in a different way. (Carol Vincent, 2010) The very first analysis which comes to the mind of this article is the research methodology which is used. ... This may have left out a large section of the population which may not indulge in such a large amount of research to choose childcare as is shown in the article. (Kumar, 2008) Thus general assumptions about middle class and working class attitudes to childcare cannot be made from such an unrepresentative sample. The second problem is that of false responses. (Kumar, 2008) It is a well known fact that what people actually do differs a lot from what they say in interviews. The results would be much more reliable if interviews were followed by observations of behaviour. The third problem is acknowledged by the authors but they fail to mention how they countered it. This is the problem of interviewer bias. As interview was conducted by white middle class females; the responses of working class mothers could suffer from a bias towards the interviewer. Also the interviewer may have interpreted the response in a way which is completely different from what the working class parents intended to. (Patel, 1964) The authors claim in their article that middle class parents are the more informed consumers in the child care market. They research a large number of options before settling on the childcare. As opposed to this working class parents are shown to be less aware and less informed about the options that they have. However the authors do not stop at telling the behaviour but also try to identify the reason for the behaviour and the reason that they have identified is spot on and absolutely right. The choices in childcare market are available only to those who have money to shell out. (Leach, 2009) .Although the problem of expensive child

Organizational culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organizational culture - Essay Example It also focuses on ways of implementing the concept of organisational culture in its operations so as to ensure optimal performance of the organisation. Recommendations will also be given at the end so as to suggest the best possible ways that can be implemented to ensure that there is compliance between the organisational culture and its stated goals. MSD is a multinational pharmaceutical company with headquarters in USA but it operates in more than 100 countries across the globe. Particular attention is given to MSD in the Arabian Gulf region where I am currently working in the sales field. The company has more than 150  000 employees around the globe and it operates in different areas with people from different cultural backgrounds. In my own country, there are more than 300 employees and of interest is that the organisation has more than 80 years in business now. However, as going to be outlined, the organisational culture needs to be constantly refined in order to meet the changing demands of the environment. There is also need for flexibility where the workers need to be developed and trained to play a part in decision making in areas that affect them and their work. According to Brown (1998), research suggests that strong, adaptable cultures which value stakeholders and leadership, and which have a strong sense of mission are likely to be associated with high performance over a long period of time. Basically, organisational culture is a system that tries to make a distinction between one organisation from the other and there are various definitions of organisational culture that have been developed over the years. â€Å"Organisational culture refers to a system of shared assumptions held by members which distinguishes one organisation from the other,† (Werner 2003: 25). In the case of MSD, it can be noted that there are no espoused values that are clearly stated by the

Art To Bring Us Closer To The Truth Philosophy Essay

Art To Bring Us Closer To The Truth Philosophy Essay Art is a lie which brings us closer to the truth- Pablo Picasso Ever since I can remember I have always loved art in one way or another. I remember, on numerous occasions, sitting my father down at the kitchen table and begging him to draw me a family of horses, this consisted of mum and dad and babies running along behind trying to catch up. For a long time I practically worshipped these pictures and let the horses run free in my imagination making them go on big adventures with one another. As I got older the pictures stayed with me, but I grew out of the way they looked. They no longer burst out of the page and came to life; they just did not look like real horses anymore. Life had disappeared from them. I suppose I fell into the trap in which many people fall into. This trap could be called ignorance. Many people believe that skill is the most important feature in a piece of art. They think that paintings or drawings that look-real must be the best because they have required the most attention from the artist. Some people say that these pieces are the true meaning of art. Of course this is something to admire about a piece of work, but does this mean that paintings or drawings with fewer detail are less good? Who is to say that these detailed pictures are the truth? Who is to say what the truth is? In order to put this theory into practice I have taken two pieces of art work. Albrecht Durers Crab made in 1495 and Rembrandt van Rijns Two Studies of a Bird of Paradise. It is obvious how much detail and time Durers watercolour of the Crab has taken but who was to say that the birds are less good and required less skill? Rembrandts Birds do an incredible job of portraying the texture and character of the Birds with merely a few simple lines. He grasps their curiousness and profound features of their faces along with the softness and majestic element of their bodies. The piece may not look as realistic but it portrays the birds characteristics much better, something which could be seen as portraying the true nature of the birds as opposed to a real life drawing. Another example of this are the Disney characters. Mickey Mouse looks nothing like a real mouse but the artist, Walt Disney, knew it would be better to distort or change the way the real thing looked. This could have been to make him seem more like a mouse because of his added characteristics and more pleasurable to watch for a younger audience. By making him less mousy he has made him even more mouse-like. Even though Mickeys appearance is unlike a real mouse at all, a distortion of the truth, you do not see people complaining about it. This is because when watching a film or studying this particular art, people are not worried about art as a work or piece, only a source of entertainment or pleasure. This could also be because Walt Disney is a respected and admired man who is seen as a classical artist whose work has been carried on for generations. Yet, if a modern artist were to draw something in his own personal way, just like Walt Disney once did, he would most likely be frowned upon and thought untalented. This leads us onto another piece. Pablo Picassos work of a hen and her chicks is an interpretation of a mothers caring nature towards her children. They way her body is bent towards them and her soft gaze shows that she is focused entirely on her chicks and their wellbeing. It really is a work that many people would find hard to criticise. However, when Picasso created his piece Cockerel he was not satisfied with giving a life-like aspect to the picture as he had done with the hen and her chicks piece. Instead, he wanted to grasp the birds belligerent and foolish nature. Picasso has taken a cockerel and changed it into something even more chickeny than the real thing. All of the cockerels characteristics are portrayed in the piece so that the onlooker can almost see, touch, hear and feel what the bird would be like in real life. This is where the statement Art is a lie which brings us closer to truth comes into account. The piece Cockerel is a lie because of its distortion of nature, it looks nothing like what a real cockerel looks like. However, it brings us closer to truth, closer to what a real cockerel behaves and acts like by its exaggerated features and comedic charms. In this work we can almost hear exactly what the bird would sound like, when interpreting the piece; one would suggest his voice would be loud, frantic and desperate. This is due to his bulging eyes, elongated neck, his mouth opened to a massive size and his small sharp tongue sticking out. The birds franticness and clumsiness is suggested from his outstretched wings and bowlegge d feet. His toes suggest a thought of scratching around and quick movement showing that he is all over the place. From Picasso portraying the cockerel to be like this, we can see the cockerel to be more like a real cockerel than if Picasso just drew one from life. We humans have a habit suggesting that nature must always look like what is considered, by us, to be normal in paintings. It must always look like what we are used to in our everyday life; we are almost forced from a very young age only to accept plain and predictable shapes and colours as the correct ones. An example of this is how we draw when we are younger. We are led to believe that a tree has one large straight trunk and a round bushy ball of leaves stuck on the top. We all know that no real tree looks like this, but if it were drawn any different, it would be thought unusual. Another example is how children perceive stars. Stars are not star-shaped at all as believed but every child will draw a star like this. This is also when art is a lie which brings us closer to the truth comes into account as well. Even though a star is not shaped like this, it still gives a clear outline that the small star gives off light; the stars hands acting like rays of light being given off. Altho ugh this exaggeration is not necessarily a bad thing, it would be better if everyone disconnected themselves from this trap and we look at things afresh, without interference. In fact, many artists are able to disconnect themselves from this and look at the world and the natural surroundings as if they have never seen them before. This means that they would be seeing everything for the first time. Who is to say that the sky is blue and clouds are white? In fact, we would probably find things in the most astonishing colours and forms. If every person was to think like this and every artist was not persuaded or affected by society, art would never be considered a lie. For me, a lie can be different for each individual person, we as humans have created lies. A lie is seen as something which is not the truth, not normal. Therefore, a piece of art which does not portray the normality of the world is therefore considered a lie. Yet, if there was no such thing as normality, there would never be such thing as a lie. Then we come back to the question; who is to say what the truth is, and what a lie is? I suppose the answer to this question is everyone. We all have different opinions on what is the truth and what is not, but if we all look at things outside of the box and with open eyes, surely we will be able to accept completely different things to what we are used to, to be normal. To conclude, I believe that skill is not the most important aspect in a painting or drawing. If an artist portrays what he or she wants to portray, it cannot be considered a lie. Furthermore, a lie is something which changes according to each individual. Some may believe something to be the truth, while others may believe it is not. No one really knows for sure what is the correct way of drawing or painting a certain object or form. And if they insist that they do and state that people draw it wrongly because it is not like that in normality, it just means that they have been persuaded by society and the people around them, as well as the banality of our own sense perception. An example of this is how children draw hearts in heart-shaped form. Hearts are not really shaped like this at all, but it is how everyone knows a heart to be drawn and is not considered a lie, yet it brings us closer to the truth by showing us that a heart has two sides; a left and a right side. This leads to b iological explanation of what each side does, the right side pumps blood to the lungs to be oxygenised and the left side pumps the oxygenated blood all around the body. The fact that the heart shape shows a left and right side would not be evident if it was just drawn as an oval-like shape. This is how art can bring us closer to the truth even if it is a lie. TOK ESSAY Art is a lie which brings us nearer to the truth (Pablo Picasso). Evaluate this claim in relation to a specific art form (for example visual arts, literature, theatre). Alice Elphinstone Centre number: 002351 Candidate Number: 026 Word Count: 1668

Critiques of Frederick Douglass Work, from The Narrative to the North

Critiques of Frederick Douglass' Work, from The Narrative to the North Star "Right is of no sex-Truth is of no color-God is the Father of us all, And all we are brethren." A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Some historical criticisms of Douglass' Narrative New criticisms of Douglass' work Frederick Douglass Links See the First edition of The North Star, Douglass's newspaper A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was born into the institution of slavery in 1817, in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Frederick Douglass did not know the exact date of his birth so he adopted February 14th, because his mother used to call him her "little valentine." Douglass knew very little about his mother since she was a field hand on the plantation some twelve miles away, and tragically she died when he was a very young boy. Douglass did not know who his father was, but it was rumored he was the son of his white slave master, Aaron Anthony. As a child, some cruel slaveholders mistreated him. At times, to keep from starving, he competed with his master's dog for table scraps and bones. In 1825, he was sent to serve as a houseboy in the home of Hugh and Sophia Auld in Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Auld grew fond of Douglass and decided to teach him how to read and write. When Mr. Auld discovered this, he soon put a stop to it; however, Douglass had already acquired enough to carry on by himself. In 1832, Douglass went back to the harsh life on the plantation in Tuckahoe. For years later, along with several other slaves, Douglass attempted to escape, however the attempt was unsuccessful because one of the slaves revealed their plan. Viewed as a "bad slave," Douglass was sent to Mr. Covey's plantation. Covey was ... ...eated. Douglass made poignant points about manhood, Christianity and literacy that helped the freedom bells ring for all mankind. He did so in a peaceful and Christian manner that was exemplary and repeated in later years by civil rights activist Martin Luther King. Douglass opened the eyes for many both black and white to the shadows and indignities that slavery cast on all that were involved with it. Through his hard work, dedication and sacrifice he helped bring an end to the demon of slavery. Bibliography Almanac, Afro-American, "Biography of Frederick Douglass."(1996): 7 paragraphs.[On-line] Available: www.toptags.com/aama/bio/men/freddoug.htm File:bio Davis, Charles T., Henry Louis Gates Jr. The Slaves Narrative.London:Oxford Press Sundquist, Eric J., ed. Frederick Douglass: New Literacy and Historical Essays. Boston: Cambridge Press, 1990. Critiques of Frederick Douglass' Work, from The Narrative to the North Critiques of Frederick Douglass' Work, from The Narrative to the North Star "Right is of no sex-Truth is of no color-God is the Father of us all, And all we are brethren." A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Some historical criticisms of Douglass' Narrative New criticisms of Douglass' work Frederick Douglass Links See the First edition of The North Star, Douglass's newspaper A brief biography of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was born into the institution of slavery in 1817, in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Frederick Douglass did not know the exact date of his birth so he adopted February 14th, because his mother used to call him her "little valentine." Douglass knew very little about his mother since she was a field hand on the plantation some twelve miles away, and tragically she died when he was a very young boy. Douglass did not know who his father was, but it was rumored he was the son of his white slave master, Aaron Anthony. As a child, some cruel slaveholders mistreated him. At times, to keep from starving, he competed with his master's dog for table scraps and bones. In 1825, he was sent to serve as a houseboy in the home of Hugh and Sophia Auld in Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Auld grew fond of Douglass and decided to teach him how to read and write. When Mr. Auld discovered this, he soon put a stop to it; however, Douglass had already acquired enough to carry on by himself. In 1832, Douglass went back to the harsh life on the plantation in Tuckahoe. For years later, along with several other slaves, Douglass attempted to escape, however the attempt was unsuccessful because one of the slaves revealed their plan. Viewed as a "bad slave," Douglass was sent to Mr. Covey's plantation. Covey was ... ...eated. Douglass made poignant points about manhood, Christianity and literacy that helped the freedom bells ring for all mankind. He did so in a peaceful and Christian manner that was exemplary and repeated in later years by civil rights activist Martin Luther King. Douglass opened the eyes for many both black and white to the shadows and indignities that slavery cast on all that were involved with it. Through his hard work, dedication and sacrifice he helped bring an end to the demon of slavery. Bibliography Almanac, Afro-American, "Biography of Frederick Douglass."(1996): 7 paragraphs.[On-line] Available: www.toptags.com/aama/bio/men/freddoug.htm File:bio Davis, Charles T., Henry Louis Gates Jr. The Slaves Narrative.London:Oxford Press Sundquist, Eric J., ed. Frederick Douglass: New Literacy and Historical Essays. Boston: Cambridge Press, 1990.

Review of Related Studies Essay

A lot has been written about what supply management is, and how it relates not only to similar terms and to concept like purchasing, procuring, and sourcing, but also to concepts like management, logistics, and supply chain management. Most authors differentiate purchasing, procurement, sourcing, and supply management as follows: they start by stating that purchasing includes operational activities that are carried out more or less exclusively by one department, namely the purchasing department. The sequence of activities here usually starts with the need identification and ends with the tracking of purchasing activities. Procurement is then defined as being broader in scope and including some activities of strategic relevance. According to Dobler/Burt (1996), procurement includes not only purchasing but also tasks that are strategic in nature. The same logic is then applied to supply management as figure 1 shows. See on page 38 for the figure. Monczka/Trent/Handfield(1998) use the terms purchasing and procurement interchangeable throughout their book. In their view, purchasing and procurement are functional activities that â€Å"most often refer to day-to-day management of material flows and information†. They also define sourcing â€Å"a cross functional process that involves member of the firm other than those who work in the purchasing department, the sourcing management team may include members from engineering, quality, design, manufacturing, marketing, accounting, strategic planning, and other department† Kaufmann (1995) describe sourcing; â€Å"an integrative management approach to designing all supplier relations in the sense of a total relationship management† Arnold (1997) uses the term supply management as an umbrella term for the concept of procurement, materials management, and logistics. According to him, the latter includes inbound logistics, and internal logistics, as well as outbound logistics. Tempelmeier (1995) defines purchasing as contract-centered (as opposed to logistical activities implying the physical movement of goods). He defines procurement as all activities aiming at supplying the company with needed inputs. Corsten (1995) the process of purchasing denotes the act of acquiring the property right of the procurement goods. He defines procurement in a similar way as Tempelmeier. Sourcing is the process of planning and handling outside sources. He defines supply management as procurement with a strategic focus that acts proactively and contributes significantly to company performance. Koppelmann (1995) uses the term Procurement Marketing for nearly exactly the same set of activities as Dobler/Burt do for supply management. There is also some discussion about the types of purchases that fall under each of the definitions. International authors like Dobler/Burt (1996), Monczka/Trent/Handfield (1998), and van Weele (1995) restrict the scope of purchasing, procurement, sourcing or supply management to materials, services, and capital equipment. They do not include the supply of the company with financial resources or personnel. German authors like Arnold (1997), Fieten (1986), Pieper/Pfohl (1993), Tempelmeier (1995) argue differently: They say that from a theoretical standpoint all inputs have to be considered. Some of them like Arnold and Pieper/Pfohl however, pragmatically restrict the scope of purchasing, procurement, or supply management to materials.

Dinner With Friends

Within the field of psychology there are branches that explore different types of human behaviour. Some of those branches turn their attention to hidden aspects of the human nature, like for example research into our linguistic faculties, other deal with modeling of various situations to better investigate our individual or group modes of action.But perhaps one of the fields of psychology that deals with the realm of human life which is most familiar to us in our everyday goings-on is the branch investigating interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication can be most generally defined as our communication with another person or within a group of persons. However, this overall description hides the true complexity and variety of the forms that interpersonal communication can take.Indeed, to this aspect of our social life we can attribute such fundamental elements of out interaction with people as ability to initiate and maintain conversations or arguments, to listen, to spea k privately and publicly, to generate and interpret patterns of nonverbal communication, manifest our unconscious modes of communication, and any other skills that actually enable us to be active members of society. At this point, considering the proximity of the phenomenon of interpersonal communication to our everyday life, we may wonder what are the proper ways of study of forms of interpersonal communication?Of course, psychology as a strict science has its own standards and methods of investigation. But at the same time I think that we can find a lot of examples of interpersonal communication happening on a regular basis right before our eyes. To see this we may turn to the film â€Å"Dinner With Friends† (2001) directed by Norman Jewison, which provides a lot of interesting aspects relevant to the theory of interpersonal communication. Let us take a closer look and discuss such aspects.The film â€Å"Dinner With Friends† tells a story of two married couples †“ Gabe and Karen, and Beth and Tom – that have been close friends for 12 years, and were spending their time over dinners discussing their relationships, their children, and other matters and interests that friends can share. However, when unexpectedly for Gabe and Karen Beth declares that she and Tom had decided to separate, this event inflicts a profound change in the pattern of their relationships.As both couples undergo emotional turmoils it turns out that, ironically, their mutual love of cooking may be the only thing that remains between them, while their former friendship is gone. â€Å"Dinner with Friends† is mostly built upon conversations as the vehicle to unfold the story. The personages talk a lot about different things, from their love of food to their ideas about the meaning of life, and the director managed to make dialogues in the film very life-like, akin to those that we would expect from really good friends.In this way, touching upon the theme of t he complexity of human relations that is familiar and important to most of us, the film provides very subtle insights into the nuances of friendship, marriage as a very delicate union between people, and divorce as a force that can have profound impact on lives of people. Now, speaking about interpersonal communication we may immediately begin to find examples of it in the film.Being the direct and the most personal form of interaction, interpersonal communication helps people learn about each other in an intimate way. We can see this in the film, which depicts communication between two people, also called dyadic communication. Dyadic communication occurs in privacy between Gabe and Karen, and Beth and Tom, and also between Karen and Beth, and Tom and Gabe, when due to the break-up of their traditional relations tensions develop between these women and men.In this regard, it is interesting to point out that as Gabe and Karen perceived their friendship with Beth and Tom as a close on e, after learning about the alleged betrayal of Beth by Tom Karen is angry that she had been unaware of the brewing troubles in their marriage. Thus, the previous apparent intimacy of relations between the couples was not completely true, and it could hardly be such. As Karen bitterly says, one can spend the whole life with another person, and in the end it may turn out that the person you fully entrusted your fate to is an impostor.To this, Gabe thoughtfully responds: â€Å"But it can`t be as simple as that†. Indeed, in accordance with the developmental view of interpersonal communication, with time communicators get to know more details about each another, develop ability to partly predict their behavior, and create their own rules of communication. But in the case of the couples from the movie, it seems that their established rules of communication at some point began to lag behind the changing nature of relationships within couples themselves, as most notably was the case with Beth and Tom.At the same time, being influenced and disturbed by the divorce of friends Gabe and Karen also had to reevaluate their seemingly healthy marriage. This fact hints about another quality of interpersonal communication, which lies in its effect on formation of our self-concepts through confirmation and gradual transformation of our identities. In application to the characters from the film, this can be evidenced by the belief of Gabe and Karen that they knew their friends very well, while in reality this was not the case.And when tensions between couples develop, Beth reevaluates the nature of gifts that Karen, who considered Beth to be â€Å"a mess†, had presented to her. In the scene where Beth declares that she has a new lover and Karen advises her to slow down, Beth observes: â€Å". . . you love it when I'm a mess. Every Karen needs a Beth. † It is not wonder that such aggressive stance of the person who had been your close friend can surely influe nce our self-perception. We also may interpret the interrelations between the characters of the film as representative of the small group communication aspect of interpersonal communication.While it is somewhat difficult to define a small group, some researches propose to consider as small such a group in which each participant can immediately sense and remember the presence of other participants. This definition suits the situations of the personages of the film â€Å"Dinner With Friends† very well. Judging from this viewpoint, small group communication between the couples can be interpreted as a dynamical process of receiving inputs, processing the information, and outputting certain behavioral modes.Input factors are present even before a group forms, and in our case it is the mutual background of the two couples, as Beth and Tom were in the first place introduced to each other by Gabe and Karen; process factors are developments that emerge in the process of communication within group, as exemplified in the film by rapid change of the format of individual relations between the personages themselves, and, consequently, between the couples in the aftermath of the break-up between Beth and Tom; finally, output factors are end results of the communication, and for Gabe, Karen, Beth, and Tom the end results were different, but in all cases prominent.For Beth and Tom the divorce meant the transformation of their lives, and for Gabe and Karen the separation of their friends from their small group serves as an impetus to come to conscious conclusion that â€Å"practical matters outweigh abandon† when it comes to their own family chores. On ground of what we have discussed, we can see that in the end of the film all its personages are deeply affected by the changes in the disposition of their dyadic relations and relations within their small group. In this way, it becomes clear that interpersonal communication has a very important role for all of us be cause it can influence the most important aspects of our life, friendship and marriage among them.