Monday, September 30, 2019

Concepts of leadership and management Essay

Describe how the concepts of leadership and management differ from each other. In what areas do they overlap? Explain how the goals of management and leadership may sometimes overlap. As a nurse leader, do you believe you can expand your influence to create change by taking advantage of this overlap? Explain your answer. Management includes organization, planning, staffing, directing, and controlling. Management must optimize patient care and be fiscally responsible. Leader’s may not have an official role of authority, but may have the power through their ability to influence others. Leaders focus on interpersonal relationships, and may be known as mentors, coaches, advocates, or role models (Grand Canyon University, 2015). Both roles need to be able to influence through their motivation, morals, and values. Both need to be visionary thinkers. They need to need to have good conflict resolution skills and cope with multiple priorities. One way to expand influence as a leader is to do the right thing and doing things right. As a nurse leader it is important to implement critical thinking skills, active listening skills, and good coping skills. These skills are essential in the high stress high paced environments in the acute settings. Some ways to make a difference in our profession are to become politically aware and active, read professional journals, and attend continuing education offerings relevant to our practice (Nursestogether.com, 2015). References: Grand Canyon University, 2015. GCU Lecture notes: Theories and Concepts in Leadership and Management. Retrieved from: https://lc-ugrad1.gcu.edu/learningPlatform/user/users.html?token=P%2fA5aEkSE%2btyPV%2b9QYwh7V2uGjVT%2bkYk3HRqY4ZFPI4zSL5kU8MwEz45uvAbV6%2b5&operation=home&classId=1611349#/learningPlatform/loudBooks/loudbooks.html?currentTopicname=Theories and Concepts in Leadership and Management&viewPage=current&operation=innerPage&topicMaterialId=4fd5f5a2-d5db-4281-9424-cc584e89432c&contentId=64b5ef5b-8ad6-4e5d-a9fd-426a40c2b7d6&

Sunday, September 29, 2019

“Art for Heart’s Sake” by Reuben Lucius Essay

â€Å"Art for Heart’s Sake† is a short story written by Reuben Lucius â€Å"Rube† Goldberg, an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor, who lived between 1883 and 1970. He is best known as a cartoonist and a founding member of America’s National Cartoonists Society. Collins P. Ellsworth is a wealthy 76-year-old businessman who is being treated for a form of compulsive buying disorder, otherwise known as oniomania: His uncontrollable buying habits—he can hardly suppress the urge to purchase businesses and property such as grocery stores and railroads—have precipitated a host of mental and physical problems. Dr. Caswell, his doctor, convinces him to try art therapy sessions with Frank Swain, a young art student. As the treatment progresses, Ellsworth turns his interest to painting and to the operations of art galleries. He then paints an amateurish picture, which he exhibits at the Lathrop Gallery. A letter soon arrives, revealing that the First Prize of the Lathrop Show has been awarded to none other than Ellsworth; it turns out that the old businessman has recently purchased the Lathrop Gallery. Written in a combination of third-person narrative and direct speech, the story brings Ellsworth and his experiment with art therapy into focus, reaching its climax when the old man, almost improbably, decides to exhibit his third-rate painting at the Lathrop Gallery (â€Å"He was going to exhibit it . . . !†). The story may be divided into five sections, each of which recounts a different stage of Ellsworth’s progress: from his background as a compulsive property buyer, to Dr. Caswell’s treatment suggestion, to the art therapy sessions with Frank Swain, to the Lathrop exhibition, and finally, to the startling revelation of Ellsworth’s purchase of the gallery. [Possible section titles: Enter a Cranky Property Addict, Cajoled into Rehab, Art is Medicine, Practice Doesn’t Always Make Perfect, A Relapse.] The story is told in a humorous and, to an extent, ironic tone. We would be hard-pressed to deny the situational humor of a snappy and petulant, albeit very wealthy, 76-year-old in a hospital-like establishment. The epithets â€Å"a loud, raucous splash on the wall† and â€Å"a god-awful smudge,† along with the metaphor â€Å"gob of salad dressing,† are teasingly said in reference to Ellsworth’s weak painting skills. His personified dislike of the pineapple juice prescribed by Dr. Caswell (â€Å". . . old pineapple juice comes back.†) is likewise worth a smile. By using zeugma (â€Å"All his purchases of recent years had to be liquidated at a great sacrifice both to his health and his pocketbook.†), Goldberg forges a link of irony between Ellsworth’s health and his money: the more money the old man spends on compulsive property purchases, the more his condition deteriorates. The ultimate irony, however, is that a treatment designed to alleviate Ellsworth’s oniomania serves only to aggravate it. The character of Collins P. Ellsworth is portrayed, mostly indirectly, as crabby, materialistic, and petulant. From the very first lines, we can hear him retorting with the informal nope and brandishing dated colloquial pejoratives (e.g., bosh, rot, poppycock). The simile â€Å"like a child playing with his picture book† brings out Ellsworth’s childishness, while his impatience is highlighted by his frequent use of the interjection umph. Vain and impatient, he â€Å"snaps† and â€Å"grunts with satisfaction† at his feeble attempts at painting. His belief that money—as opposed to talent—can buy one anything may not be the best philosophy to live by, for it is money and his uncontrollable urges to spend it that have undermined Ellsworth’s health. Dr. Caswell is driven by professionalism (â€Å". . . with his usual professional calm . . .†), logic (â€Å"He had done some constructive thinking . . . .†), and compassion, alway s acting with Ellsworth’s best interests at heart. The fact that he recommends Frank Swain as tutor to the often intolerable Ellsworth, thereby helping Swain pay his tuition, also speaks positively of Dr. Caswell. Frank Swain is similarly patient and attentive, which is evident, for example, when he brings the grumpy old man watercolors and oils, or when he politely (â€Å"Not bad, sir.†) comments on Ellsworth’s risible picture, although there is no certain way of establishing whether the remark was or was not used somewhat sarcastically. The character of Koppel, the male nurse, does nothing but fetch pineapple juice and therefore plays only a subsidiary role in the story—perhaps that of helping fuel Ellsworth’s grumpiness and of functioning as a sort of human prop in the final â€Å"surprise† scene of the story. As noted above, apart from largely neural vocabulary, the story features a number of dated informal words (as above, e.g., bosh, rot, poppycock), phrases (by gum), and colloquialisms (kinda), which all serve the purpose of portraying Ellsworth as an old, grumpy, and childish man. Vocabulary pertaining to painting—such as water-colors, oils, picture book, gallery, exhibit, and numerous others—helps establish the setting and reinforces the image of Ellsworth as a grown-up baby â€Å"[fooling] around with chalk and crayons.† At the syntactic level, brisk, simple sentences account for the majority of the sentences found in the story. If not too simple, the syntax, on the whole, is rather uncomplicated, with a significant number of elliptical (â€Å"Not bad.† â€Å"Fine.†) and exclamatory (â€Å"Nope!† â€Å"Bosh!† â€Å"Umph!†) sentences. Such sentences, in conjunction with the straightforward syntax, strengthen the impression of Ellsworth’s awkwardness. Through repetition (â€Å"See, see . . .†) and aposiopesis (â€Å"But, but—well, now . . . .†), Goldberg imitates the way many people would react in moments of overwhelming surprise. This story is interesting in that it portrays a complex man—old, rich, petulant like a child, and in a precarious state of mental and physical health. As we watch his ostensible passion for art develop, we may find ourselves inspired by his progress and, not infrequently, even amused by his caustic remarks. But when we learn about his regression at the end of the story, we are bound for disappointment—we begin to view Ellsworth as a childish and materialistic person not worthy of our sympathy. Is he such a man? That is precisely why this story is so interesting: While humorous and ironic on the surface, it poses the deep question of whether Ellsworth is really in control of himself when he decides to purchase the Lathrop Gallery, or whether he is a victim of a mentall illness none of us would ever wish on our worst enemies. Should we be amused at his regression, or should we pity him?

Saturday, September 28, 2019

As I have used special colours and finishes for th Essays

As I have used special colours and finishes for the examples stated here, the cost is a lot higher than it would be if I was using one basic colour design. Although the more I produce of a graphic product, the price goes up, the price for each individual unit is cheaper with the more I produce.Cost and availability of materialsWhen designing a graphic product, there are many different sizes, colours, weights of paper and inks for the graphic designer to choose from. Paper is the most versatile of all printing materials as s it is available in a great range of thicknesses, colours, types, textures and sizes. Paper is sold in weights, gram per square (gsm). An expensive publication would use about 150 gsm for the front cover and 85 gsm for the inside pages. This would have a more glossy appearance to attract customers, where as newspapers are cheaper in value and the quality of the paper is much poorer, absorbent, off white colour. The most common sized paper is A4 this is usually found in most offices and schools. Cost in paper rises with size, thickness, texture and size. Coloured papers are useful for backgrounds and are available in an extensive range of colours and textures. It is possible to find an exact match of colours similar to those of the printer, designers can produce visuals for the client with confidence that the finished colour will be identical. Systems and controlSystemA system is central to the management and operation of many industrial and commercial organisations, it is important to identify their structure and the changes that take place when one or more of the parts are altered. Designing a system is useful to ensure the process will operate successfully as the processes of the system change. All systems have inputs and outputs; the main purpose of a system is to change or transform the inputs into outputs. For different products the outputs and inputs will usually differ too. Most processes (or transformations) are used to maintain the balance of the system, or to improve the quality and quantity of the outputs.Feedback and ControlWhen working with systems in a graphic project you might discover that the quantity and quality of the outputs are unsatisfactory, for example, lack of profit or a printing fault. If this occurs it is possible to change the inputs of processes of the original system, this is known as feedback. Control is the way which the inputs or processes are changed. To judge how well a system has performed you can see how well it transforms the inputs and outputs and how successful the final product is judging from the outputs.Examples of systemsIn the printing process of a system, these are the 4 colours used:Optical mixing is using little dots of colour to create different shades and varieties. For example, the more black dots you add the darker the colour gets and if you put yellow and red dots together the result will be a orange colour. Some of the students from my year at school went to a printing factory and brought back these samples of optical mixing. Lithography was introduced in the 17th century but only dominated the trade in late 20th century.The diagram on this page shows off set litho, a term referring to the method of transferring ink from the plate to a rubber blanket and then onto paper. This process is designed so there is no contact between paper and plate and this prolongs the working life of the plate while preventing paper from getting damp from the water used in the offset litho process. The process relies on the fact that the oil and grease do not mix with the water. This method is ideal for use of newspapers, magazines, books, posters, letterheads and packaging and is a widely used process, which provides good quality printing. It is also ideal for mass-producing up to a million copies of a graphic product. The process can be expensive for short runs, but ideal for long runs and either single or multiple colour products. One way to check the quality of my finished graphic product is to inspect it/them and ensure they are all satisfactory. The alternative is a more

Friday, September 27, 2019

Consumer Culture in Modern Europe Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consumer Culture in Modern Europe - Term Paper Example The author reveals that German press insisted that French women adopted in Germany were a disguise to German female morals. This was a very unethical way of treating women in Germany because there is freedom of dressing all over the globe. Consumer culture that involves buying and selling existed in Berlin. Berlin was a heart of profitable garment business and Frankfurt wanted to emulate it. Berlin sold expertly tailored finished clothing and accessories for all sexes in Europe. On top of this, Berlin housed some of successful fashion ventures such as saloons and luxurious shops. German fashion industry wanted to surpass the French one when the World War 2 was over. This was a move to dominate the world of fashion with stylish, noble, and self-respecting outfits. Germany kept the move to dominate fashion industry as a secret. Fashion industry in Germany did not disclose any information about the shapes, textures, colors, and method of making their clothes. In order to achieve this no ble step towards dominance in fashion industry, Germany founded organizations that to united fashion businesses. The aim of unification of fashion business was to give German a winning force in its endeavor to dominate stylish industry (Guenther 290). Some groups wanted Germany to utilize art academies, which to offer training in fashion designing. In order to win domestic purchasing power, German forced violently Jews out of their fashion industry. Likewise, Nazi occupiers’ restricted French fashion exports in the international markets although few exceptions made. Germany’s rivals, who were real and imagined, in the fashion world eventually vanquished (Guenther 162-166). Although German rivals had gone, Nazi government made little... Consumer culture that involves buying and selling existed in Berlin. Berlin was a heart of profitable garment business and Frankfurt wanted to emulate it. Berlin sold expertly tailored finished clothing and accessories for all sexes in Europe. On top of this, Berlin housed some of successful fashion ventures such as saloons and luxurious shops. German fashion industry wanted to surpass the French one when the World War 2 was over. This was a move to dominate the world of fashion with stylish, noble, and self-respecting outfits. Germany kept the move to dominate fashion industry as a secret. Fashion industry in Germany did not disclose any information about the shapes, textures, colors, and method of making their clothes. In order to achieve this noble step towards dominance in fashion industry, Germany founded organizations that to united fashion businesses. The aim of unification of fashion business was to give German a winning force in its endeavor to dominate stylish industry (Gue nther 290). Some groups wanted Germany to utilize art academies, which to offer training in fashion designing. In order to win domestic purchasing power, German forced violently Jews out of their fashion industry. Likewise, Nazi occupiers’ restricted French fashion exports in the international markets although few exceptions made. Germany’s rivals, who were real and imagined, in the fashion world eventually vanquished. Although German rivals had gone, Nazi government made little advancement in developing a unique German fashion.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Leadership and Organisational Development Style Essay

Leadership and Organisational Development Style - Essay Example This culture has been described by Hofstede (1983) as akin to a "mental programming" is shared among persons from similar backgrounds. Hofstede has shown that cultures differ in the way they view and interpret the world. Therefore, the management of persons within these cultures can often differ as well. In fact, Hofstede further points out that one should not take for granted that management and leadership methods that work in one cultural arena will do as well in another (1983). In a multicultural society, it is necessary that managers and leaders become aware of the different dimensions of employees and/or followers that exist. It is also necessary that they study the different theories of management and leadership in order to gain insight into how to deal with the different personalities and cultures that are (or might be) represented in their leadership arena (2005). The study of each method of management therefore adds to the repertoire of options a manager and leader possesses to aid in dealing with different situations that may arise. He or she may not use all the knowledge at once, but the acquisition of this knowledge leaves the manager or leader more equipped to deal with situations as employees, followers, and their situations as they change with time. Overview of Oprah Winfrey's Style The leadership style of Oprah Winfrey has demonstrated that these theories and models of leadership often put forth such well-defined characteristics of leadership that few (if any) persons could fit into any one model. Winfrey owns and manages Harpo Productions Inc., a conglomerate that contains her own talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, as well as Dr. Phil and other television movies. Among other ventures, she also manages the publishing of the successful magazine O and is part-owner of the Oxygen Media, which houses, among other things, a cable network (Sellers, 2002). As manager of so many different business entities, she acts a leader to her hundreds of employees. This queen of talk shows and businesswoman extraordinaire evinces a style of leadership that comes closest to the Transformational Leadership Model, as this model is expressed through combination of the traits of several other theories. Yet, certain transitional periods of her tenure as leader of Harpo Productions have caused her to demonstrate traces of many of the other theories of leadership. This study will provide an analysis of her leadership style within the framework of the different sectors of her conglomerate. Analysis of Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Style: Transformational Theory Trait Theories The Transformational Theory of leadership is known to mix some aspects of Trait Theory with the behavioural theories. Alimo-Metcalfe and Alban-Metcalfe (2005) reviewed the leadership styles of over 3,500 leaders at varying levels of the corporate hierarchy. These researchers found that a model emerged that at once supported and went beyond the Transformation model and led to the development of a "360-degree" Transformational Leadership instrument (questionnaire). The instrument was found

The Man Who Was Almost a Man Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Man Who Was Almost a Man - Term Paper Example Throughout the story, Dave is seen to be a frustrated young adult since people never took him as a man as he wanted and acquiring a gun was a way of getting power and would demand respect using it even if it would mean killing a man. â€Å"The first movement he made the following morning was to reach under his pillow for the gun; in the gray light of dawn he held it loosely, feeling a sense of power could kill a man with a gun like this (Wright 75).† â€Å"Kill anybody, black or white, and if he were holding his gun in his hand, nobody could run over him; they would respect him (Wright 75).† However, instead of gaining the respect he was demanding, possession of the gun led him into more trouble and ruined his respect greatly. Some of the factors that were making Dave feel less of a man was the fact that his mom was waking him up every morning in order for him to go and work in the plow fields. To make the matter worse, she would go ahead and keep Dave’s money for him for she still felt that Dave was an immature young boy. Moreover, Dave is seen to be uncomfortable with the treatment he was getting at the field, claiming that he was not being respected as a man. All these factors pushed him to purchase a gun, which he bought from the olds man Hawkins’ store (Wright para20-23). However, Dave had to beg his mom like a little baby so as to be given some money to buy the gun, to a point of deceiving her that the gun would be for his father. Finally, the mother gave in on the conditions that Dave would be bring it straight back to her immediately he buys it as well as ensure that he return it to her every night before going to bed. A critical analysis of this story shows a complete failure by Dave to make himself recognized by the society as a man. A man is a male individual who possess qualities like strength, courage, fortitude and most importantly honor or respect among other

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Maritime Logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Maritime Logistics - Essay Example This has made business to come together through multilateral and bilateral trade agreements, to integrate their maritime logistics operations in a more efficient and effective manner (Wisner, Tan and Leong, 2011). The term maritime logistics can not be separated from supply chain management because both concepts have got some underlying commonalities on areas of their operations (Song and Panayides, 2012). Whereby, supply chain management encompasses bringing together business operations through coordinated activities to ensure that there is flow of input from supplies to manufacturers till goods and services reaches to the final consumer (Wisner, Tan and Leong, 2011). Therefore, this assessment focuses on providing a sharp insight on the principles of third party logistics, advantages and disadvantages of third party logistics and suggested improvement that could be implemented at Hitachi Company(selected company for assessment) to make maritime logistics more effective and efficient. `. Third party logistics refers to a company or an organization that focuses on providing outsourced logistic services to other firms (Neubauer, 2010). For example, Hatachi Company was selected as one of third party logistic companies for this assessment (Schoenfeldt, 2008). The principle of third party logistics involves complementing logistic supply chain management by offering outsourced logistic services to their customers (Goldsby and Martichenko, 2005). Whereby, third party logistic providers have extended their services by acting as forwarders and hauliers. Recently, third party logistic firms not only provide physical logistic services but also additional services such as forwarding (Goldsby and Martichenko, 2005). Third party logistic providers have expanded their services to incorporate consumption services (Schoenfeldt, 2008). This expansion has made customers

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Statement for Applying Leadership Award Personal

For Applying Leadership Award - Personal Statement Example To elucidate in greater detail, since 2006 I have been a designated outreach executive for Cuts For Cancer, an annual event in which students are given the unique opportunity to help ease the suffering of children and cancer sufferers. In this capacity I have spearheaded numerous fundraising initiatives for those suffering from long-term hair loss stemming from the effects of cancer treatment. Locks of hair are sent to a company which turn them into wigs, and this in combination with cash donations result in synergistic benefits for our recipients. Last year alone we successfully raised $15,000 , including an encouraging total of 196 hair donations. As an outreach executive my responsibilities included the promotion of our organization, utilizing local media channels including major broadsheets, television, and radio stations. I also have a marked interest in health-care related issues, volunteering at the emergency waiting area of St. Paul's Hospital during the summer of last year. During my short tenure I tended to the immediate needs of the patients, doing my best to lift their spirits and boost their morale. In addition, I am also currently a group leader for the In-Sight mentoring program, helping freshmen do well academically as well as making sure that they are engaged in well-meaning, worthwhile activities.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Integrated assessment on case study for Choc Deluxe Assignment

Integrated assessment on case study for Choc Deluxe - Assignment Example Management decisions in times of business crisis are very crucial for the success of the firm and continuity through the crisis. Choc-Deluxe is facing a shortage of its main raw material, chocolate. Unfortunately for the company, its chocolate forms its competitive advantage in the market since customers are willing to pay more for the chocolate. This implies that the firm had to devise ways to overcome the pending problem. The management decided to sort the pending orders through a substitute product carob. The product is believed to have similar taste to cacao and thus could be used to make chocolate bars for the Christmas season. The plan backfired as the customers lodge complaints and legal suits about the low quality chocolate. Consequently, the firm did not disclose accurate information about the contents of its chocolate as required by law. The situation in the cocoa market is that there is more demand for raw cocoa than supply. The situation is that more cocoa is being consumed that it is actually grown. This had led to decline in the supplies of cocoa. According to the laws of demand and supply, prices shoot up when demand exceeds supply (Arnold 2010, p.87). Increased demand in fast developing countries such as India, China and Brazil among other markets, leave cocoa dependent firms in a dilemma on substitute raw material (Müller 2011, p.8). Cocoa plants take around 5 years to mature. This implies that there is an urgent need to address the prevailing problem otherwise firms would go bankrupt before new plants mature. This is due to the high cost of obtaining pure cocoa and more firms willing to pay more for the product. Shortage of cocoa can be attributed to increased globalization that leads to the emergence of many firms that use cocoa as raw material (Dand 2011 p.79-87). The commodity became very valuable and

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Ultra Mobile PC’s Essay Example for Free

Ultra Mobile PC’s Essay Standard application This study asserts that UMPC’s can use any software integrated within the device and more especially when it comes to Windows XP and Vista. For example, businessmen can use Windows word, excel and power point application effectively without any problems. On the other hand, those users who are not able to use the available QWERTY keyboard can use the avainble USB port to connect to an external keyboard. UMPCs also have a touch sensitive screen, which can allow the use to fingers to prompt for information or even use pen calibration. In this manner, the user is able to keep a fast track of events may at class, in a business meeting or in cases of medics previewing patients and making quick notes on the touch screen. With the integration of various technologies which can integrate with windows XP and Vista software like Tablet Enhancements for Outlook (TEO) UMPC’s are able to maximize the use of captured data (Eisten technologies, 2004). The use of TEO allows, users to even edit their information with ease for increased efficiency. According to Eistein technologies the integration of TEO allows the users of UMPC’s to have; †¢ Convenient and more accurate handwriting recognition, which allows minimal mistakes if any. On the other hand one is able to convert their text when they want to according to their convenience. †¢ In using TEO, applications like PDA are easily recognized and applicable in UMPC’s. †¢ The use of TEO allows preview text to prompt the user of any unrecognized texts so that they can be corrected on time. †¢ TEO allows one to improve correction interfaces without much challenges compared to earlier versions. (Eisten technologies, 2004) With the use of TEO technology, the use of UMPC’s becomes more interesting and organized in all categories. For example, TEO can be applied in note taking and ensuring organized forms of data storage and accessibility (Eisten technologies, 2004). Interfacing to the Internet UMPC’s have higher compatibility of Internet interfacing. For example, users can apply the use of the available USB’s to connect to the Internet effectively. UMPC’s are modified for use with various forms of broadband technologies, which can allow people from different to interact through the Internet. On the other hand, businessmen can make connections through the Internet and save time and energy wasted in covering long distances by their clients. In many instances what matters with Internet interface in UMPC’s is the type of Internet subscriber used, and the effectiveness in service delivery. Studies show that one important feature in UMP’s comprise of their ability to have strong bases for browsing the internet (K. -W. Chin, et al, 2002). Conclusions and future predictions The following are some of the future predictions of this study; †¢ More studies should be carried to ensure more enhancements are made to UMPC’s †¢ Companies dealing with the UMPC technologies should come together and work in harmony for better results in modifying the existing forms of UMPC’s †¢ The target markets for UMPC’s should be the main drivers of modifications made in the UMPC devices so that companies can be able to make consumer quality goods in order to gain a competitive edge †¢ UMPC’s stand to be the next solution for commercial use and hence the need to ensure that they are treated with the seriousness that they deserve in the corporate and commercial world. Conclusion This study found out that UMPCs market and usability has greatly increased over the decades. UMPCs are currently viewed as the noble solutions to most challenges faced in commercial business for instance companies and hospital use. The effectiveness in information storage makes it easier even for hospitals to be able to store patient’s information and walk around with it, referring to it when the need arises. The medical sector which was most affected in terms of mobility of medical information stands to benefit greatly from the current use of the UMPC’s technologies. This study recommends that, mobile companies to come up with more significant milestones in the UMPC’s world should carry out more studies. Reference list Appear Networks. (2008). Appear Announces Support for Intel UMPC Devices. Retrieved on 27th December 2008 from www. appearnetworks. com/Appear-Announces-Support-for-Intel. html C. Barrett et al. (2002). â€Å"Characterizing the Interaction Between Routing and MAC Protocols in Ad-hoc Networks,† Proc. MobiHoc 2002 , pp. 92-103 C. Elliott B. Heile (2000) â€Å"Self-Organizing, Self-Healing Wireless Networks,† Proc. 2000 IEEE Intl Conf. on Personal Wireless Comm. , pp. 355-362. Eisten technologies. (2004). Tablet Enhancements for Outlook 2. 0. Retrieved on 27th December 2008 from http://www. tabletpcpost. com/modules. php? op=modloadname=Downloadsfile=indexreq=viewdownloaddetailslid=9ttitle=Tablet_Enhancements_for_Outlook_2.  0 J. Broch et al. (1998) â€Å"A Performance Comparison of Multi-Hop Wireless Ad Hoc Network Routing Protocols,† Proc. Mobicom 98. D. Cavin et al. (2002) â€Å"On the accuracy of MANET simulators,† Proc. ACM Workshop on Princ. Mobile Computing (POMC02), Oct. 2002, pp. 38-43. online K. -W. Chin, et al. (2002). â€Å"Implementation Experience with MANET Routing Protocols,† ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communications Review, Nov. 2002, pp. 49-59. Available online. M. S. Corson et al. (1999) â€Å"Internet-Based Mobile Ad Hoc Networking,† IEEE Internet Computing, pp. 63-70.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Main advantages of unstructured methods

Main advantages of unstructured methods Unstructured method This method makes use of a rational compilation of elements to load up the domain, because the engagements of elements have no visible pattern, the mesh is called unstructured. This type of grids in general makes use of triangles in 2D and tetrahedral in 3D. With structured method, the elements are capable of twisted and stretched to well the domain. This method has the skill to be automated to a large degree. Known good CAD model, a good meshing student or person can without human intervention place triangles on the surface and tetrahedral in the volume with very small effort from the user. The automatic meshing algorithm characteristically involves meshing the boundary and then also adding elements touching the boundary or adding points in the interior and reconnecting the Delaunay elements. Main advantage of unstructured method Advantages of unstructured method is with the aim of they are very programmed and, as a result, require small user time effort but the user no need to worry about lay out block structure or relations. In addition the unstructured methods are well suitable to inexperienced users because they require small user input and will generate a suitable mesh under most circumstances. Unstructured method and its applications Triangle mesh generator makes use of 2D problems, and it produces an unstructured triangular mesh. Tetrahedral meshing is appropriate for uses in viscous flow simulations are wished-for. The approach which is chase consists of the initial generation of a number of unstructured layers of highly rigid elements Structured method This method of mesh generation starts with basic geometry and tensor analysis previous to moving on to identify the variety of approaches that can be employed in the generation of structured meshing. In addition structured method makes use of quadrilateral elements in 2D and hexahedral elements in 3D in a computational rectangular selection. Main advantage of structured method Advantages of structured mesh method is their simplicity, ease of use code and is suitable for multi-mesh, it is very complicated to generate a structured mesh for complex construction of body, such as a complete aircraft. Structured method and its applications Structured mesh, in particular multi-block structured mesh, is one of the main productions CFD tools. Multi-block means that the block topology can be from multiply connected blocks and each block is composed of 3D hexahedral, 2D quadrilateral and 1D linear or quadratic element set up in rows and columns, but this blocks can be removed, deleted or glued to others parts and also the multi-block structured mesh gives CFD user more control over the design of their meshing and make sure that quality is maintained all the way through their design and achieves the results. Multi-block topology A multi-block topology is used to build a meshing for the same geometry and this mesh is build in 6 blocks and deleting the top 2 corner blocks to complete a meshing with right aspect ratio. Hybrid method Hybrid mesh method is designed to obtain advantage of the positive aspects of both unstructured and structured mesh. Hybrid mesh makes use of some form of structured mesh in local regions while using unstructured mesh in the size of the domain. In addition the hybrid mesh contain tetrahedral, hexahedral and pyramid elements in 3D and quadrilaterals in 2D. But hexahedral elements are excellent close to solid boundaries and can afford the user of CFD a high degree of control. Main advantage and disadvantage of hybrid method Hybrid mesh advantages method is when we can make use of the positive properties of structured mesh elements in the regions which require them the most and use automatic unstructured mesh techniques where is not much happen in the flow field. Prismatic or hexahedral layers close to wall surfaces show good clustering capability characteristic of structured meshing approaches. Another advantage is that the use of tetrahedral mesh to fill the rest of the domain permit single-block generation for particularly complex geometries since the tetrahedral is the simplex element in 3D. Hybrid mesh disadvantage method is difficult to use and involve user of CFD expertise in put out the various structured mesh properties and locations to obtain the best results. The hybrid method is less strong the unstructured mesh methods. Hybrid method and its applications Hybrid method, in particular prismatic mesh generation makes use of the visibility condition, namely, the node normal vector is able to be seen from all the triangles sharing the node. A simple and general method is included to treat walls, concaves and narrow gaps. Tetrahedral and pyramids are integrated naturally by treating them as exceptional cases of prismatic cells and the methods is successfully applied for a entire aircraft configuration and partially slotted flap. To describe key features of ALL existing meshing options in Ansys Mesh module and discuss their applications (please refer to build-in documentation in the software).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay On Poems :: essays research papers

Essay on 3 Things The three sources I have selected are all based on females. They are all of change and transformation. Two of my selections, "The Friday Everything Changed" by Anne Hart, and "Women and World War II " By Dr. Sharon, are about women’s rites of passage. The third choice, "The sun is Burning Gases (Loss of a Good Friend)" by Cathleen McFarland is about a girl growing up. The first selection of mine was a short story called "The Friday Everything Changed" by Anne Hart. The changes in this story are good in a woman’s point of view. The author Anne Hart talks about her school years in this short story. She talks about how a girl in her class asked a question that changed their lives forever. The question her friend Niles asked was "Why can’t girls go for the water, too?"1. In those days getting the water for the class was a boy’s job. To go out every Friday, to fill the bucket up with water, and bring it back to class. This showed that you were strong, and you also got to have some fun missing half an hour of class. Because the boy’s felt threatened by this question, they started bugging and picking on the girls to make them change their minds. But the girls didn’t, and that is what changed their lives. At the end the teacher did let the girls go for the water, and that was a big change for the girls in those days. To show that they can do what the boys can do. Now the girls also get to miss class getting the water and not only the boys. This short story had a humorous tone to it. For example when the author say’s "are you trying to be saucy , alma?"2 and "Alma threw a bombshell of her own,"3 etc. The second selection of mine was an essay named "Women and World War II " by Dr. Sharon. There were two different changes in this essay that the war created for the women of America, there was a bad change and a good change. The bad change in this essay is that most of the women were left to take care of their families by themselves. They had to find jobs to provide for their families. The good change was that it widened the horizons of American women.

Essay --

The article is a great contribution because of the evidences it provides contrary to the self-interest assumption. The authors discovered that there is a great chance for individuals to voluntarily cooperate by treating everyone fairly and punishing individuals who do not cooperate. They termed it behavioral propensity ‘strong reciprocity’. Empirically, this can contribute in the bringing up of universal cooperation. If purely self-interested behavior would dominate, it can cause breakdown to the cooperation. In addition to this, they showed that the people are willing to punish individuals who act unfairly towards a third person. This then only shows that strong reciprocity is an influencing factor in the enforcement of social norms and norms that suggest participation in collective actions. For an individual to be a strong reciprocator it needs to sacrifice resources to be kind to those who are being good (strong positive reciprocity) and punish those who are not (stro ng negative reciprocity). The very feature of this strong reciprocity is the willingness of these individuals to sa...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essays --

CONTENT Bil Topic Page 1. Introduction 2 2. The Technology Application 3 3. Data Communication Concept 4 4. Technology Capabilities 5 5. Example 6 6. Advantages and Disadvantages 7 7. Conclusion 8 8. References 9 Introduction Metro E is also know as Metropolitan-area Ethernet, Ethernet MAN or metro Ethernet. It is a network that use in the metropolitan area and it is based on the Ethernet standards. This services is commonly used to connect user or network to a larger service or the internet. The user that own a business can use this system to connect they office to one and another. The user commonly use this system because it is cheaper than SONET/SDH(Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) or PDH (Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy) that have an interface of the same bandwidth. SONET/SDH is known as a standard protocol that transfer a multiple digital bit streams over optical fibre using a laser or highly coherent light. PDH is a technology use in telecommunication network to transport a large quantity of that also use optical fibre and also microwave radio system. The Technology Application Metro E is commonly use in metropolitan city. It being use for businessman to connect their office to one and another. Many Ethernet services allow the user to network their business in ways that either more complex or impossible with the alternative services. As an example , a single Ethernet service interface can connect multiple enterprise location for their Intranet VPNs , connect business partner or suppliers via Extranet VPNs and provide a high speed Internet connection to an Internet Service Provider. When use this Ethernet subscribe, user will be able to add or change bandwidth using the other access network service within... ... commonly use for the large business. It is use to connect the business people with other branch, connect business people with their customer. It is use widely in overseas for their business. The Metro E that can transmit large data that make it being use for large company. It will transmit large data in a less amount of time. It will less the time for the company to develop and the business will have the benefits as the amount to buy it is less. Metro E is a easy application as it is wireless and can carry everywhere at anytime. It also can be use to use that just connect to each other. References http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/SONET.html http://metroethernetforum.org/ http://www.centurylink.com/business/data/metro-optical-ethernet.html http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/solutions/Enterprise/Data_Center/HA_Clusters/HClusters/HA_ME3_6.pdf

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Difference Between Domestic and International Marketing

Difference between international marketing and domestic marketing First, International marketing is facing a more complex market environment . Domestic marketing is conducted in this country and so faced corresponding structure of the market environment is relatively simple ,which consists of those factors that are more familiar to companies — the domestic political, economic, legal, cultural and so on. However, International marketing is facing a more complex environment, it's a market with multi-level structure.This is because those companies who engage in international marketing , will inevitably be subjected to the world market environment. Which requires companies to face the world market environment, including the world's political, military, economic, technological and other aspects. Second, International marketing is facing more Uncertainties factors The contradiction between subjective understanding and objective reality, coupled with the volatility of the objective p rocess, international marketing facd more uncertainties factors for the companies .Compared with domestic marketing, it's more difficult to make sure the total demand, purchasers and competitors and more difficult to investigate and predict wholesale segment, retail structure, buying habits in international marketing. Third, International marketing is facing more diverse selection of marketing programs Companies in the domestic market, although also need to deal with different regions and different programs for different target markets, different strategies, and even the use of different promotions, but the overall program is the same however. he international market is a market composed of different countries . Enterprises in the international marketing, its marketing programs are of diversity, Enterprises in different country markets to sell their products, not unified marketing program, and must host country market, different scenarios were developed.Four, Marketing in internatio nal marketing is more difficult   Besides the complex environment and the uncertain factors ,diverse selection programs, international marketing have more risks and meet more fierce competition. The risks are added by the changing international political situation and the fluctuate exchange rate . Competitor's brilliant competitive strategy in price, promotion and products made the international market more and more narrow. Difference Between Domestic and International Marketing Difference between international marketing and domestic marketing First, International marketing is facing a more complex market environment . Domestic marketing is conducted in this country and so faced corresponding structure of the market environment is relatively simple ,which consists of those factors that are more familiar to companies — the domestic political, economic, legal, cultural and so on. However, International marketing is facing a more complex environment, it's a market with multi-level structure.This is because those companies who engage in international marketing , will inevitably be subjected to the world market environment. Which requires companies to face the world market environment, including the world's political, military, economic, technological and other aspects. Second, International marketing is facing more Uncertainties factors The contradiction between subjective understanding and objective reality, coupled with the volatility of the objective p rocess, international marketing facd more uncertainties factors for the companies .Compared with domestic marketing, it's more difficult to make sure the total demand, purchasers and competitors and more difficult to investigate and predict wholesale segment, retail structure, buying habits in international marketing. Third, International marketing is facing more diverse selection of marketing programs Companies in the domestic market, although also need to deal with different regions and different programs for different target markets, different strategies, and even the use of different promotions, but the overall program is the same however. he international market is a market composed of different countries . Enterprises in the international marketing, its marketing programs are of diversity, Enterprises in different country markets to sell their products, not unified marketing program, and must host country market, different scenarios were developed.Four, Marketing in internatio nal marketing is more difficult   Besides the complex environment and the uncertain factors ,diverse selection programs, international marketing have more risks and meet more fierce competition. The risks are added by the changing international political situation and the fluctuate exchange rate . Competitor's brilliant competitive strategy in price, promotion and products made the international market more and more narrow.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Physics Unit Notes

Single disturbance is called a pulse A series of pulses is called a wave In the case of the impatient student, his disturbance was parallel to the direction of the wave itself. Also called a Longitudinal Wave WAVES Waves can transmit two things O Can transmit energy 0 Ex. Light waves from the sun heat the earth O Can transmit information 0 Ex. Radio wave When the motion of the particles is perpendicular to the motion of the wave, it is called a traverse wave Pointing down Acceleration downWave We see the motion of the medium Soundwaves air Lightwaves = electromagnetic waves Stadium waves people Water waves -> water Light waves no medium Pointing up Acceleration up Without tension, there can be no traverse waves in a medium. -> Do not occur inside liquids and gases can occur on surface of water though Inner core of earth has a liquid core, because traverse waves do not got through Earthquakes can produce traverse, longitudinal, or a combination of the two. ongitudinal = compression, t ravel fast, primary (happen first) traverse = aves†, secondary (happen second) -> longer delay between S and P waves, means greater distance from the epicenter B) C) D) Crest Trough Amplitude Wavelenght Cycle one complete wavelength Amplitude half the distance from crest and trough Wavelength -> distance of one complete cycle (Sl units = meters) Period (T) time for one wavelength to pass (Sl Units = seconds) Frequency (f) number of cycles that pass by per time interval = Cycles per second = 1 Hertz (Hz) and Ex. f=2 Hz = T=. 5 seconds Swing?Applied force at a regular interval, causes you to go higher, high amplitude All object will vibrate of oscillate at a certain frequency called the natural frequency A pendulum (or swing) will swing back and forth at a natural frequency that depends only on it's lenght When a system is driven at it's natural frequency (forces applied in rhythm with the natural frequency), Physics Unit 4 Page 1 The shorter the stick, the higher the Natural fr equency. natural frequency), the oscillations will get bigger. This s termed resonance. If two things have the same natural frequency, And you hit one, the second will also begin to vibrate Energy Transfer

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Creativity Makes Advertising Effective Essay

This essay aims at exploring the impact of creativity in advertising and how creative advertisements are more effective in communicating to a target audience. It looks at how creative ads have more impact and how consumers react when the message is delivered in a unique and new way. It particularly focuses on the value that a creative ad can imply for a brand or a product and how it can contribute to strengthen corporate brand image. How a creative ad can build consumer brand loyalty and change his or her mentality towards the firm and strengthen brand loyalty. The first part of essay talks about creativity in advertising. What is creativity in advertising and how does it impact the corporation and how it impacts a consumer. The second part of the essay deals with the investment strategies that different corporations employ in making a creative commercial. the different approaches and marketing strategies employed with the funds available . We also try and understand if it is justified if the clients need to invest their resources and faith in the creation of a â€Å"Big Idea‘ . Does a creative ad guarantee success of a product and how it affects sales of a product or brand. Lastly the negative implications of creativity in advertising as to how it sometimes can be misinterpreted and mis communicated. Creativity in advertising In the advertising industry, the use of creativity is to define a solution to a problem, being new and relevant with your ideas. It is a tool to develop a message which will influence the attitudes and behavior in a persuasive or imaginative way (Bell J, International Journal of Advertising 1992). Creativity in advertising makes advertising more presentable to a consumer. It is a more approachable method of getting the message across to the consumer. On a day to day basis the consumer is bombarded with communication messages throughout the day. Most of the advertising gets filtered out or ignored as they do not communicate the message in a persuasive manner. Its mainly happens when the advertising is mainly used as a tool to educate the consumer about the product. An audio or visual form of media is used to explain about the product, the product features and promotions. When the advertising is not presented in a exciting form to the consumer it is obvious that the consumer will not be excited about the product. This leads to a stagnation of commercials as most of them deliver the same message for similar products and that ends up being presented as a clutter effect to the viewer. Impact of creativity Communicating in a unique message, is virtually impossible, as markets are crowded with the similar products therefore execution and use of creativity become powerful marketing signals. As most brands in a product line would have similar characteristics and product features it becomes very important to present the brand in a new and different manner. Creativity makes advertising more powerful that’s results in immediate effects on brand perceptions (Dahlen M , Rosengren S and Torn F, Journal of Advertising Research 2008) . Creative advertising makes the brand more interesting and exciting, which enhances the consumers perceptions of brand quality (Stockholm School of Economics, Dahlen M , Rosengren S and Torn F, Journal of Advertising Research 2008). It can be argued that creativity differs from person to person and depends on , the individuals lifestyle , mentality and perceptions . Therefore for a commercial to be creative it has to firstly be original or novel and the second fact is that creativity has to be multifaceted The degree of creativity that is expressed in the ad builds the image of the brand in the minds of the consumer (Koslow S , Sasser S , Riordan E , Perceptions in Advertising Agencies , 2003 ) . Often the most provocative and controversial commercials can catch the attention of the consumer and makes the consumer inquisitive about the product or the service and would be influenced by the social critique to experience the brand . Unless the commercial has a unique presentation the consumer will not invest time in completing the commercial. The visual representation of the brand in a advertisement expresses one form of emotion by which consumer is influenced pre purchase and can associate with the brand post purchase . It builds brand equity among consumers which provides a physiological value to customers by enhancing their interpretation about the product and influences future purchase decisions and satisfaction . Creative advertising campaigns provide international brands to sustain market strength and internationality. Creative ads give imagination and substance to the product. Often there is a tug of war between the clients and creative’s with the use of creativity in a commercial. As clients make huge investments for a campaign they expect the commercials to be educative and persuasive. As there is no real form or method of measuring the degree of creativity or the impact of creativity most clients which have limited budgets set for a campaign do not expect the agency to make a creative and innovative ad(Charnock W, The End of ‘Think Global, Act Local’: Big Ideas Are Global , 2007) . As not all corporations or brands can afford to make huge investments in advertising by constantly using media forms to build brand retention and awareness among their consumers therefore it is vital that there is line drawn as to what kind of creativity sells and what does not . As the flipside of an creative ad is that it may not make any sense to the consumer. The commercial may not have a connection between the creative idea and the utility and features of the product. A international master brand like Coke cola had a annual budget of $2. 6 billion in the year 2006 (Coke-Cola Company ,2010) . They have the liberty to bombard consumers with commercials to sustain brand retention and loyalty throughout the year whereas the same cannot be said for a smaller organization which would have a limited budget for marketing and advertising purposes. Smaller agencies who work with clients with limited budgets or clients that are under the radar are the ones who can work on creative ideas as taking risks is acceptable when compared to other competitors in the market . They have a need to influence the consumer in building apperception about the product or service. Creativity can also become unfashionable when the reliance on novelty and originality at the expense of relevance makes the advertisement vulnerable to perceptual filtering of the message, which may actually reduce effectiveness (Bottomley P , Heath R , Nairn A, How Effective is Creativity?  Emotive Content in TV Advertising Does Not Increase Attention, 2009 ) . Especially for international campaign creativity has to be restrained and controlled as different regions with different cultural and religious backgrounds may not interpret the message in a similar way . As advertising plays with people’s emotions and perceptions, advertisers must be very shrude not to hurt the sentiments of the consumer. Also at times the creative team in a advertising agency tries to be too clever by making commercials where the message and connection towards the product is either irrelevant or makes no sense at all. This can have a negative impact on the brand and the corporate image of the organization. Conclusion Creativity does not ensure the success of the product in terms of sales and neither does it add any value to the product. However creativity is a powerful tool to entice consumers and mould a positive attitude and mentality towards a brand or a service. Very often it’s not the message, but the way that the message is delivered makes a lasting impact on the viewer which affects his perceptions and beliefs towards the Brand. From an agency’s perspective creativity is advertising is beneficial to both the client and the consumer . Creative advertising helps build brand loyalty , a positive perspective in the minds of the consumer towards the organization . Creativity enhances the utility and value of a product in the eyes of a consumer. Most creative commercials influence the consumers’ mentality to make emotional responses compared to a rational approach when evaluating a product. This is vital for any brand to grow, sustain itself for a period of time and also influence new target audiences. Not too many clients approach ad agencies with a open mind about the use of creativity in advertising. The more the use of creativity in advertising the more value we get as advertising professionals. The more the use of creativity in commercial the better the results in adding value to the product and building a brand . Creativity gives product a brand image, a sense of uniqueness. The choice offered to consumers in terms of brands for a product is endless; therefore it is essential that your brand or product stands apart from the competition. This can only be achieved by using creativity in advertising.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Our Decisions Determine Our Destiny

Our whole life is based on the decisions we make, whether it is big decisions like if we choose to go to college, get married, or have kids, or even smaller decisions such as If we decide to turn left or right on a walk. All of these decisions that we make In life can change our future, and of course we all want to make the right decisions so that we have a good future. God is so wonderful that he equipped us with moral law, which provides ways to tell the difference between a good act and a bad act.Through our conscience, God is speaking to us from the core of our being, indicating acts that are good and warns us of acts that are evil. An amazing poem by an anonymous author highlights the importance of keeping a good Catholic morality: Watch your thoughts, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, It becomes your destiny. The first line of the p oem states â€Å"Watch your thoughts, they become your words. â€Å"Every thing that comes out of our mouths comes from a thought- whether consciously or unconsciously. If we never think of anything, then we wont do anything. Usually, a kind, happy thought precedes kind, happy words. It can also go the other way in terms of kind thoughts. The poem reminds us to â€Å"watch† our thoughts because part of having goods morals means being kind. We don't want to say anything that we will regret saying or that makes us seem like a bad person. The next line adds on to the poem by stating â€Å"Watch your words, they become your actions.Our bodies instinctively follow the words we are saying- whether they are sour or sweet. If we say things enough, then we will actually do them. For example, someone can think that they don't like their unrecognized room and want to clean It. That person then tells their mother that they are going to clean It. Over time and countless comments regard ing them cleaning their room, they finally do clean their room. Another example could be If someone wants to show off to his or her friends.Thinking that throwing water balloons at a stranger's car would make them cooler,† they say that they will, and eventually they do. The third line of the poems continues this trend by stating â€Å"Watch your actions, they become your habits. Believe it or not, it only takes 21 times for the mind to recognize something as a habit. If we continue to do something, over and over, it becomes a habit to us. For example, every morning for school I wake up at 6:00. This becomes a routine, or habit for me. Sometimes we can develop bad habits that deflect from our true beings.We need to remember to make good actions so that hey become good habits. â€Å"Watch your habits, they become your character. † This Is a very strong statement and Is true. The decisions we make can depend greatly on the values and Inclinations that we have Internalize d over the years. Character refers to those features and attributes that make up our individuality. Good character results when we cultivate good qualities, habits, and patterns of behavior- that incline us to make good moral decisions. Catholicism identifies essential virtues- faith, hope, and love, known as the theological virtues.They are gifts from God that help us develop a better relationship with God. By living faithfully, hopefully, and lovingly, we cooperate with God's gifts of faith, hope, and love. God also gives us the cardinal virtues of prudence, Justice, fortitude, and temperance. We strive to have these personal character strengths that direct us toward Christ-like behavior and provide discipline for our passions and emotions. The final line of the poem states â€Å"Watch your character, it becomes your destiny. † Our destiny is our lot in life, the future or our fate.However you're perceived, the way n which your behavior toward others is received will become the shape and rhythm of your days. We as humans have the power to changer our destiny, Just by what we think, say, and do. Everything revolves around the choices we make, using our conscience. God has given us many gifts, but one of the most wonderful gifts of all is our conscience because it directs us to use all our gifts for the good of the community, the common good. The decisions we make decide who we are and our destiny. Used correctly, our conscience can lead us to ultimate happiness with God.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Essay questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Essay questions - Assignment Example Constitution were universal and should be shared with everyone. By the end of the 19th century, the Monroe Doctrine was to come into full effect in a war with the Spanish. Not only would the Americans take control of Spanish possessions in the Caribbean such as Cuba, Puerto Rica, and other islands, but as the war expanded so would the remit of the Monroe Doctrine. The United States would gain control of the Philippines, far from its own shore, and attempt to remake the Spanish colonialism political system in its own image. The result would be a bloody conflict fought with Filipino insurgents that would take America many years to quell. Following the American victory over Spain and the taking of the Philippines, there was a great deal of tension between the U.S. and the locals. This came to a head in 1899 when American soldiers shot some Filipinos. Things quickly got out of hand with both sides raising armies and fighting conventional wars. The Americans rapidly defeated the convention Filipino forces, killing two of their best generals and pacifying many of the urban areas. During this period, the President appointed distinguished Americans to investigate conditions in the Philippines and report back on ways to improve the administration of the country. The first Commission’s report was a rejoinder to those who argued America had no place in Southeast Asia: Should our power by any fatality be withdrawn, the commission believe that the government of the Philippines would speedily lapse into anarchy, which would excuse, if it did not necessitate, the intervention of other powers and the eventual division of the islands among them. Only through American occupation, therefore, is the idea of a free, self-governing, and united Philippine commonwealth at all conceivable. And the indispensable need from the Filipino point of view of maintaining American sovereignty over the archipelago is recognized by all intelligent Filipinos and

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Pathway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pathway - Essay Example ed on the study of Global and Cultural Environment of Business and how this is created a cross a level of study options that defines improved communication strategy in more than 100 operating firms globally. Accordingly therefore I was able to learn and conclusively gather knowledge in international business process that reflects improved performances which also feature Anderson and Neary, (1) and specific indicators that healthier work places are motivated by a universal link that is operationally rolled to increase productivity. Ideally, I learnt from Anderson, (2) that the relevance of global environment is identified through a well connected system that involves marketers, management and the global financial models. In order to develop this position, a number of stages are put into consideration. The attributes of these stages illustrate that a positive phenomenon would truly encourage need for change. As a consequence therefore, the effectiveness of the international trade factors as explored by Baldwin, (6) offer strategic market approaches that create a comprehensive consumer attraction. I also learnt that the marketing strategies provide an analytical platform necessary to set core the global market designs which help to enhance market competence and create an overhaul in brand management. My studies also focused on Bahrman, (4) and how his focus on the linking patterns of consumers are established by personal traits, reflecting the changing consumer behavior in an environment that value preferences, elegance and the global market . The theoretical assumptions of Anderson and Neary, (1) gave me a personalized illustration of purchase intentions reflected among consumers. The extensive international market development which formed a larger part of my study gives a positive convergence where the consumers make selections which reflect their personal intentions, and equally typic ally make specific advantageous product search. The global market characteristics

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Answer essay question Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer question - Essay Example Loving one’s self is inherent in most people. It is a human tendency to always look out for oneself and be self-centered in terms of gaining advantages and avoiding negative consequences. However, the bible commands to love one’s neighbor as one’s self. This means that individuals should look out for each other the way they look out for their own selves. Husbands, should love their wives the way they love their own selves, and even put their welfare over their own. The New Testament advocates for mutual submission and mutual service among married couples Implying that one is not in a position higher than the other and are equal in all ways. However, traditional gender roles of men and women indicate that men are more superior than women and women should bow to their husbands’ wishes. Men go out to seek livelihood to sustain the family while women stay home to care for the home and render service to their husbands and children. In contemporary times, gender roles are shifting to be more equitable for both genders, as women are now more empowered to assert themselves as capable of doing men’s roles and doing even men’s jobs. Due to these changes, there is an going battle between keeping traditional roles or adopting more modern gender roles, and in both, it loses the biblical essence of mutual submission and service. Lawler depicts human marriage as one based on a strong foundation of loyalty, service and obedience to one’s spouse and not only based on deep affection for him or her. It goes deeper than mere emotions towards another human being, and goes on to enact the love by serving the other and being steadfastly faithful. One should emulate how Christ loves his Church or people, as he not only serves them but has an unwavering faithfulness for them. The New Testament teaches that love in a Christian marriage entails fidelity and faithfulness to each other. It should be exclusive and permanent, therefore, indissoluble. This implies that

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Character Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Character Analysis - Assignment Example The first words spoken by the girl of his dream was also about ‘Araby’, giving the reader the assumption that it will be a mythological place that he can escape from reality and his harsh environment. The story of ‘Araby’ highlights the contradiction between reality and illusion through illustration of the transformation of innocence to the path of realization and disillusionment as a phenomenon that occurs in a child’s boyhood. The protagonist of the story is the matured boy who had once been the innocent boy depicted in the story. The story opens with the lines â€Å"North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers' School set the boys free†. Paradoxically, even though they were free from school, even their play did not give them the desired pleasure, for it was an equally dull world, where not even play brought any stimulant for the children. All these descriptions of dullness actually cre ate the backdrop against which the boy takes resort to an imagination larger than life and hence encounters a surprising disillusionment. In â€Å"Araby†, the author focuses on character rather than on plot to expose the ironical evidences present in self-deception. On one hand, "Araby" is a story of a boy’s search for excellence or his dream. The search is in vain but gives way to an inner self-realization and an initial step into manhood. From another facet, the story encompasses a grown up man's experience. While the boy's first hand experience relates to his meet with the first love it is also a portrayal of an unrelenting problem of human life – the incongruity between what one wishes to be or have and what destiny actually has in store for us. This opposition experienced by the boy sets up the theatrical background of a story of first love as narrated by the author who has used some consequential symbolic metaphors and irony to reveal the meaning of the st ory. Symbolic images portray the boy as a lonely individual who is aware of the bleakness of the surroundings – the dullness that he rejects silently to find solace in his world of fantasy. During the first reading, the story might seem to be about the love story or first crush of a young boy who craves to gain the attention of the girl, ‘Mangan’s sister’ whom he adores in his mind - â€Å"Her dress swung as she moved her body, and the soft rope of her hair tossed from side to side† (Joyce, 539). The boy simply cannot get her out of her mind – â€Å"At night in my bedroom and by day in the classroom her image came between me and the page I strove to read.† After the time when the girl speaks to him asking him to visit ‘Araby’, it is as if â€Å"The syllables of the word ‘Araby’ were called to me through the silence in which my soul luxuriated and cast an Eastern enchantment over me† (Joyce, 540). The bo y has now grown up into a man who is already aware of the reality and talks about his childhood innocence that led him to find a strange solace in fantasizing to describe which he says, â€Å"soul luxuriated†. The idea of casting an enchantment somewhat prepares the contrast image that is eventually revealed in the end to make the boy realize the truth about the world where he lived. The presence of the girl’

Monday, September 9, 2019

Economic of race and gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic of race and gender - Essay Example Question One Emergence of changing gender roles and family in the modern society and women are advancing in their career and taking even more challenging roles at work that were believed to be men oriented. One of the factors that have contributed a lot to the shift to the joint conjugal roles is the mobility with respect to work and career (Kirby, 54). Most of the families with one couple being challenged physically may have the man performing the housework and childcare tasks. This is because those who are disabled may not fully perform these tasks or even go to work hence the other partner will have no choice but to do these duties. However, in certain modern families, there are women going to work while the man remain in the homes to take care of the children and do the housework (Kirby, 55).. By default assumption some family set ups and communities believe that the women are supposed to perform the housework and take care of the children while the men are supposed to work and p rovide; food, shelter and clothing to the family (Blundell & McNeill, 65). Question Two Lack of employment in most developing countries is also a major contributor to the inequalities in the pay. Low economic growth rate accompanied by bad governance is the source of unemployment and low paid jobs in most African countries compared to Europe (Clegg 23). He also argues that there are so many people looking for few jobs and in some cases the jobs are not even there. Corruption which is rooted in these countries also denies the right persons of the opportunities in the public sector thereby leaving most skilled labor. Some of which are exported to other countries which have their own legislative restrictions and therefore they encounter discrimination in those jobs. Question Three Discrimination against the tribes and races also contributes to the differences in the pay even if two different people working in different nations or in the same nation have the same qualifications (Blau & Winkler, 243). It is common to find that international companies which have gone global in terms of their operations do not provide similar work conditions for their employees. You find that a marketing manager for the Coca-Cola Company is paid higher in the United States of America than in South Africa. Even though the differences may be attributed to by the kind of profits that is realized and the size of the market that one has to capture as a manager, the differences are relatively not realistic. The variation in the pay is seen across all the nations across the world. However, there is a pattern for the relatively low pay for women in all the nations. Question Four Family serves as an economic unit since it constitutes members who determine the highest level of satisfaction that they can derive from different activities. The family provides the education and other important services in the process of raising the members of the society. It is therefore noticeable that the family plays an important role in determining the structure of employment in the overall economy. Discrimination in the pay that begins from the family persists in the society. The traditional roles of women and other discrimination with respect to the education of

Essay 2, Comparative Politics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2, Comparative Politics - Essay Example The IRGC in iran has incredible influence through military, political and economic power. They have the right to refuse government contracts, and the level of corruption is incredible. Their tax-exempt foundations have monopolized much of the economy, and freedom of expression is extremely limited. The government controls all televsion and radio broadcasts, satellite dishes are illegal, as anyone caught in ownership of one faces confiscation and huge fines. Authorities have successfully hammed dissident satellite stations, and have banned Persian channels. They also cut communication lines to prevent â€Å"illegal international contacts.† Freedom of the press is severely limited. Any publication of books and the distribution of foreign books must be inspected and approved by the Ministry of Culture first. The Press Court has pervasive power over the prosecution of journalists, editors and publishers for â€Å"insulting Islam† or â€Å"damaging the foundations of the Is lamic Republic.† according to Ahmadinejad, the media is to support the government through reporting, not commenting. The penalites for inference is so severe that there is little public criticism of the president and any source that criticizes the government cannot be used in journalism. The Association of Iranian Jounralists (AIJ) was accused by the labor minister as being an illegal organization in 2008. Jopurnalists who supported women’s rights, suspicion of international connections or speak against the government can potentially face the death penalty. Internet use has exploded in iran, thus causing the government to intervene and block immoral or politically charged sites. This occurrence has also moved he parliament to allow the death penalty for â€Å"the creation of web logs and websites promoting corruption, prostitution and apostasy.† Religious freedoms are limited, and anyone perceived as straying from the â€Å"official† interpretation of Isla m face dire consequences. Academic pursuits are also restricted. Scholars are often arrested for voicing their political opinions, students who protest are attacked and arrested as well. According to the 1979 constitution, public demonstration that â€Å"violate the principles of Islam† are used to justify the violence that disbands assemblies. Similarly, the government is also allowed to disband private assemblies, under the facade of â€Å"countering immoral behavior†. the only organizations that are allowed are those that do not violate â€Å"freedom, sovereignty and national unity†. The judicial system is dependent, and in practive trials are closed, and there is no legal council. The penal code is based on Sharia law and allows flogging, stoning, amputation and hanging, depending on the social or political offense. Arbitrary detention is a common method of silencing dissidents, although the laws call for equal rights. Freedom of movement is also highly rest ricted. Political activists are not allowed to leave the country, and often, people who are retruning are often interrogated upon their return. Women are especially targeted in their freedoms. They cannot get a passport without her husband’s permission, her court testimony is only given half the weight of a man’s, and any blood money giben to a dead woman’s family are also half of a man’

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Critical paper for the film Whatever Works by woody Allen Essay

Critical paper for the film Whatever Works by woody Allen - Essay Example His most reoccurring theme in this movie is hard and painful life experienced by many Americans. He further manages to bring out the uncertainty of life. Through these issues, we as humans can reflect on our lives and learn to appreciate our time on earth due to the inevitability of death. His work provides an insight into the philosophy of life to the current and future generation. Like Boris, the present and future generations will realize that harsh realities of life and sufferings impact them enormously, as well as their works. With proper planning and wise decisions, people can easily evade misfortunes and lead better lives, not like the one led by Boris. What I find interesting is that Boris continually insults people, but despite this, people still love him. He does this in a humorous, innovative, and creative way. He adopts impressive and witty lines to inform the people of their foolishness and stupidity in the movie. It is evident when he is accused of hitting a young child with a chessboard, but he defends himself by stating, â€Å"I did not hit with it, I picked it up and dumped the piece on his head as an object lesson, to shake him out of his vegetable torpor†. It is interesting to learn that Boris does not come across as sour and unpleasant to the people he always insults. Majority of the people like and appreciate him since he is uniformly funny especially when delivering his insults. However, Allen appears to be provocative in his movie. I find the scenes in his film depicting majority of Americans as conservative and sexually repressed provocative. To him, any American citizen outside New York is ignorant and unenlightened on the current lifestyle. In addition, he says that they are homosexuals who do not find opposite sex attractive, but would rather make love to sheep. This movie provokes the rest of Americans. It creates bad blood between the rest of America and New York. Such words can cause

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Mythology Greek Drama Agamemnon Sophocles' Oedipus Essay

Mythology Greek Drama Agamemnon Sophocles' Oedipus - Essay Example From then on, he has assumed the throne and has led the kingdom successfully until the plagues came. Since there was no way to decipher what causes the indignation of the gods, the Thebeans along with the king's consent sought the help of the prophet Tiresias. Though a little hesitant, the sage boldly revealed the truth that it was King Oedipus's crime that brought the curse on the land of Thebes. His ego is hurt when Tiresias told him that he is the cause of all the ill events in the kingdom by killing Laius and marrying Jocasta who happen to be his parents. This humiliation leads to anger, not only towards Tiresias but also to Creon, his uncle turned brother-in-law. He suspects that Tiresias was in connivance with Creon in putting an end to his reign as king of Thebes. Publicly he denies the crime and admits his innocence. His anger leads to his suspicion that the two men are in to overthrow his throne. However, his abilities and intelligence did not spare him from the destiny that the gods have fated on him. At birth, his parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta were told that their son would kill his father and marry his own mother. Even if he was sent away, the prophecy did not escape him. The reason why he left his foster parents is to escape his tragic destiny because it was revealed to him also. But it is something that only the gods can control. It is beyond human intervention and power. His hubris or excessive pride brings him to his own destruction for upon realizing that he has actually killed his own father at the crossing of the three roads and has married his own mother, he blinded his own eyes and decides to be banished from the kingdom of Thebes. ... sive pride brings him to his own destruction for upon realizing that he has actually killed his own father at the crossing of the three roads and has married his own mother, he blinded his own eyes and decides to be banished from the kingdom of Thebes. He stood by his own words that the culprit must be severely punished. However, throughout his life even when he was at Colonus, he firmly opines that all that happened to his life and his loved ones were not his own doing but that of the gods who controlled his destiny. He claims that he was not entirely responsible for all that happened to him and the kingdom of Thebes but that he was only a victim of fate. Prophetic, blind yet knowledgeable Tiresias The man who outlived the two kings is not a political leader but a sage and a seer. He is often consulted when the people and the king want to find explanation and solution to certain phenomena which are beyond human comprehension. Greek mythology tells us that Tiresias lost his eyesight when Hera struck him for he sided with Zeus. Since Zeus cannot undo what Hera did, he chose to bless Tiresias with the gift of knowledge of future events, thus he became a prophet. In this trilogy, he paradoxically is physically blind, but his vision goes beyond the material into the spiritual realms. In Oedipus the King, he humbly accepts Oedipus' insults and accusations but he remains true to his prophecy even if the truth hurt so much and even if it was the king he was addressing. He is not afraid of Oedipus when he reveals to him that Oedipus is the cause of the plagues in Thebes. In reality, he is often proven right in the end. His physical blindness may be symbolic of his impartial and objective revelation of the truth. He sees beyond what human eyes can perceive: the will and

Friday, September 6, 2019

Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Essay Topic Sentence: Who, in your opinion, is most to blame for this tragedy? One of Shakespeare’s most known plays is the love story between Romeo and Juliet, which ends up as a tragedy. There are many different reasons and causes to why this tragedy occurred between the two young lovers, Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurance, their parents and also the element of fate. Romeo and Juliet are two young lovers who seem to rush the love between each other by becoming married to after only a matter of hours of knowing each other. Friar Laurence who should have been smarter in his actions by marry the two which ending up causing this tragedy, also both Romeo and Juliets have a role that ended up causing their children a tragic end. . Finally, the element of fate comes into play we realise that their tragic deaths may have been predetermined and would be unchanged even if they decided to act differently to what they did. Romeo and Juliet contribute to their tragic end. Both Romeo and Juliet are two young teenagers who rush there love between each other and make important decisions without proper thought to what the consequence might be. Romeo and Juliet are both too naive and do not realise nor think about their actions before actually doing them. ‘ Had I ever loved before? ’ Romeo says this when he first lays eyes on Juliet, without even properly meeting her he is already madly in love with her. This is simple naivety, which causes both Romeo and Juliet not to think about their actions and results in the ultimate sacrifise, their own lives. As for Juliet who has never felt love before, shows how naive she really is by just thinking that she is in love without experiencing it before meeting Romeo. Due to Romeo and Juliet’s naivety and lack of thought, contribute massively to the tragedy that they both suffer. The Montague’s (Romeo’s family) and The Capulet’s (Juliet’s family) have been feuding for decades and has become as bad as them trying to kill each other when they see each other on the streets. This relationship between the two families cause a major problem between Romeo and Juliet when they first realise who their families are. Both Romeo and Juliet realise that they can not tell anyone that they were madly in love with each other because they knew that both of their families would not allow the relationship and they could not be away from each other. So in result of the feud between the two families Romeo and Juliet have to keep their love secret when it would of help their relationship if they could talk to their parents and receive advise to reconsider how fast they were rushing into things. Both Romeo and Juliet did not have this advice and it ended up causing a tragedy. Friar Laurence has a major of role in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Friar Laurence ends up making four fatal mistakes, he gave a poison to Juliet, he trusted someone else with a letter of great significance to deliver to Romeo, he married the two and he fled when Juliet was in the most danger at the tomb. His biggest mistake was the horrible advice and decision making that he made when he first found out about Romeo and Juliet’s secret love for each other. Both Romeo and Juliet were too naive to understand the full extent of the situation, however Friar Laurence being a much older man with much more wisdom and knowledge acted in a way that ended up causing the tragedy to occur. If he had been wiser and gave both Romeo and Juliet advice that they needed and not gone along with their plan to un-thought plan, the end up result would have been different. Fate is a major element in the play Romeo and Juliet. The element of fate is a power that predetermines events in your life and is unchangeable or is certain destiny. It is irreversible. From the first page of the play we hear about fate, Romeo and Juliet are mentioned as `star-crossed lovers meaning that fate will bring them together. It also says that their love is `death markd which means that their fate will be tragic. This suggest to us that the end up result was always going to be the same no matter of what different actions Romeo and Juliet made. The Fate of Romeo and Juliet’s love could also be questioned as unlucky and coincidental. The Montague boys are accidently invited to the Capulet’s â€Å"feast† were Romeo and Juliet meet. Friar Laurences second letter is never sent to Romeo because Romeos cousin reaches Romeo before the letter ever has a chance. Romeo arrives at the tomb just before Romeo sees Juliet waking up and kills himself think she is dead, which results in Juliet killing herself. In conclusion I believe that Friar Laurence is mainly to blame for this tragedy between Romeo and Juliet. Both Romeo and Juliet were just too naive to think about their actions full effect, when Friar Laurence who is a much older and should have been much wiser did not think of the consequences when he really should of and gave them both horrible advice. That is why a believe Romeo and Juliet’s tragedy is to be blamed on Friar Laurence’s actions.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Role Of Climate In The Classic Maya Collapse History Essay

Role Of Climate In The Classic Maya Collapse History Essay In this paper, the impacts of climate change on the Maya will be examined. It is likely that a number of factors combined to produce the collapse for which the civilisation is well known. With this in mind, the extent to which climate itself played a role will be particularly looked into. Defining the Collapse Before the role of climate can be looked into, it first needs to be established what the Maya collapse actually was. Popular media has often portrayed the collapse as something that happened simultaneously across the Mayan region, resulting in the abrupt and complete destruction of the entire Mayan civilisation. However this was not the case. The collapse mainly refers to the drastic decline of the cities of the southern Maya Lowlands. Many of these cities had been extremely powerful in the Classic period (AD 250-900), the so called pinnacle of Mayan civilisation, and had dominated the entire Maya region (Sharer and Traxler 2006: 287). It is the fall of these city states that defines the Terminal Classic (AD 790-900), but this period also saw many sites, particularly in the north and east, continue to flourish and in some cases even grow, supporting large populations into the Postclassic (AD 900- c.1542) long after the collapse. Sharer and Traxler therefore define the collapse as a p rocess of transformation that saw the end of Classic states and the rise of new states that dominated the Postclassic period (2006: 503). Identifying the Collapse It has been seen that the collapse of Classic Maya sites was focussed within the southern Maya Lowlands, but what were the changes in the archaeological record that signal collapse in this region? A major factor suggesting collapse was the decrease in the number of carved stone stelae and altars dedicated over the course of the 9th century, with the last known dated stela having been erected at Tonina in AD 909. The cessation of erecting monuments varied between sites, with inscribed stelae ceasing at Dos Pilas as early as AD 760 and Tikal at AD 889, suggesting that the collapse was not a sudden, simultaneous event, but was an ongoing process that affected different cities at different times; although ultimately the outcome was the same (Chase and Chase 2006: 169). Drastic depopulation of the region is also identifiable. This can be seen in a decline of domestic activity in palaces and common houses alike. The cities of Tikal, Calakmul, Copan and Palenque, among others, had reached peak population in the Late Classic and so their subsequent decline is particularly noticeable (Sharer and Traxler 2006: 500). There have been various estimates as to the maximum population of the southern and central Lowlands during the Classic period, ranging from 3 to 14 million people, but it is seemingly agreed that this had dropped to around only 1 million by the start of the Postclassic. This suggests a depopulation rate in the range of 53-90%, a level unprecedented prior to European arrival in the New World (Gill 2000: 351). So although limited to the Maya Lowlands, the collapse was a significant event, leaving once powerful cities deserted within the space of 150 years. What made the Mayan civilisation different from others that suffered a drastic collapse was that it was not a single, unified society, but was instead a collection of individual city states and their hinterlands, each controlled by a king. This would seem to suggest that there must have been external pressures that, at the very least, triggered and compounded existing problems within these city states, rather than internal problems that somehow all resulted in collapse. So what had caused these once great cities to be abandoned? Causes of the Collapse Many different arguments have been put forward to explain the Maya collapse. In the past a single cause had been sought, and natural disasters such as earthquakes or hurricanes were considered. It is now generally agreed however, that there was likely no single cause, but an interplay of factors (McNeil et al. 2010: 1017). For the purpose of this paper however I shall focus on drought and warfare, which are two of the most commonly debated theories. Drought Fluctuation in rainfall was common to the Maya area and there was precedent for drought, although evidence suggests that the Classic droughts lasted longer and were more intense than any previously experienced by the Maya (Gill et al. 2007). Lake sediment cores from Lake Chichancanab in the Eastern Yucatan Peninsula show that there was a period of drought lasting around 150-200 years, with three peak phases of severe drought within this. This is supported by evidence from marine sediments of the Cariaco Basin off the coast of Venezuela, which show that, in this particular region, the drought lasted from AD 760-930. Four periods of intense drought are identifiable from these samples, centring on the years AD760, 810, 860 and 910 (Gill et al. 2007). The correlation between the periods of severe drought and the collapse of Classic Maya civilisation in the Lowlands, surely suggests it had a critical impact on those polities, such as Tikal, Calakmul, Naranjo and Palenque, that were not we ll served by rivers. Lucero suggests that the Classic Maya elite based their power on the control of water. Many of the regional centres of the Maya Lowlands did not have access to natural water sources and relied on artificial reservoirs which were under the control of the rulers. As a result they were dependent on seasonal rainfall for water, and Maya royalty would have also used their special connections to the gods, specifically Chac the rain god, to guarantee enough water through rituals and ceremonies. It was upon this basis that Maya rulers exacted tribute and labour from their subjects (Lucero 2002). Decreasing rainfall and long term drought would have undermined the foundation on which the Mayan elite drew their power, resulting in political collapse. The diminishing power of the elite can be seen archaeologically through a reduction in the manufacture and distribution of prestige and ritual goods at many centres during the Terminal Classic (Sharer and Traxler 2006: 499-500). The production of p olychrome pottery and ornately carved items of jade, wood, bone and shell, was controlled by the elite and used to reinforce status (Demarest 2004: 213). The increasing absence of such items in the archaeological record therefore suggests rulers no longer had the same level of support from their subjects. Their power was waning, as also reflected in fewer dynastic stelae, used to legitimise power, and the end of monumental construction projects such as ball courts, temples and causeways. The decline of the elite and, as a result, centralised political organisation was a major feature of the Mayan collapse. It is Luceros argument that drought was the main reason behind this. It was only able to inflict such damaging change because water control was inherent to the institution of Kingship within Mayan society. Drought would have also had the obvious consequences of a lack of drinking water and severe decrease in agricultural production. Warfare Conversely it has also been suggested that rather than drought, it was endemic warfare and competition amongst the various city states that led to the weaker polities being overpowered, causing the breakdown of dynastic power in these defeated polities. The cities of the Petexbatun region of present day Guatemala, in particular, are argued to have collapsed while trapped in a state of siege and fortification warfare (Demarest et al. 1997). This constant state of war is believed to have destabilised the political and economic structures, resulting in political devolution and eventual failure in the early 9th century. Interestingly the Petexbatun region had good river access, making it unlikely that drought was a major factor in the collapse of this area (Sharer and Traxler 2006: 515-17). It is on this basis that Demarest disputes an ecological model, pointing out that political disintegration had already begun in the Petexbatun by the time drought occurred, the last inscription at the earliest known city to fall, Dos Pilas, dated to AD760 (Demarest cited in McKillop 2004: 99). Zooarchaeological evidence from this region also suggests there was no danger of famine, or nutritional stress through protein deficiency, in the Classic or Terminal Classic (Emery cited in Demarest 2006: 105). The violence prevalent in this region was seemingly independent of an environmental impetus. Common Ground? There is a convincing amount of evidence in support of each of both drought and warfare, suggesting that they both likely played some role. The nature of Maya society however, being a collection of city states, means that evidence of warfare in one region, for instance, does not necessarily mean that it can be inferred elsewhere. As mentioned, it was in the cities of the Petexbatun where evidence shows endemic violence caused the abandonment of the region. It has often been the mistake to imply that this then must surely have been the cause for collapse across the entire Maya lowlands, or at least present in a wider area, but the evidence does not support this. The same goes for drought. Although this may have been noticeable over much of the Maya lowlands, the affects were surely most closely felt by those cities without access to natural water sources and dependent on rainfall for agriculture. Instead the evidence appears to suggest that different regions likely had a different trigger cause or combination of causes (Sharer and Traxler 2006: 514). It seems hard to believe that such catastrophic events could have occurred within a similar timeframe, yet independently of each other, but have the same result. This does suggest however that Mayan civilisation had reached a point where it was extremely vulnerable to the slightest variation, with location playing a large part in deciding the factor that would tip a particular city over the edge, towards collapse. Manmade or Natural Occurrence? Drought appears to have played a relatively large, although joint, role in the collapse of the Classic Mayan civilisation. But was this environmental change anthropogenic or a natural occurrence? The answer to this relates closely to the argument over the level of deforestation carried out by the Maya. It has long been argued by many of those supporting the theory that drought was at least in part responsible for the Maya collapse, that the Maya themselves were to blame for the environmental degradation, due to deforestation. Shaw believes that the varying fate of the different city states during the Terminal Classic was a result of the level of deforestation in their particular region. She argues that, as deforestation raises temperatures and decreases evapotranspiration at a local or regional level only, the varying extent of tree removal explains the irregularity that the North and East of the Yucatan Peninsula continued to support a thriving population, while the heartland collapsed under severe drought (Shaw 2003). Studies into 20th century droughts in the United States and Mexico, however, show that over large areas they are hardly ever uniform, and so it is actually normal for certain areas to be affected more, or less at different times (Gill et al. 2007: 287). This provide s another explanation for the asymmetrical effects of drought in the Maya area, disputing the idea that deforestation was responsible for the irregularities. The Maya would have cleared sections of forest to make room for farming and agriculture. Wood was also used as domestic fuel, and was needed for the high temperature fires used to make lime mortar from limestone, a key component in Maya construction (Demarest 2004: 145). That the Maya made use of their forest environment is therefore known, but it is Shaws argument that they exploited it through conscious overuse (Shaw 2003). Diamond is another advocate of the deforestation model as a cause of collapse, arguing that deforestation would have made the soil much less fertile at a time when more agricultural land was needed, due to population pressure. He also agrees with Shaw that another of the consequences would have been manmade drought, and he uses the example of Copan, in present day Honduras, in particular (Diamond 2005: 168-70). That deforestation was widespread, and a human induced cause of drought, is a plausible theory, and in Copan, is supported by a core sample from Petapilla Swamp, a peat bog 4.5km north of the city itself (Rue 1987). Pollen retrieved from the core showed a much lower representation of tropical and deciduous forest trees than previously known, and less variation in the palynoflora. The cores showed no suggestion of significant climatic change from the palynological evidence, and led Rue to conclude that the vegetational changes were human induced through deforestation, with increased activity in the Late Classic (Rue 1987). New evidence has recently been put forward however, that disputes deforestation as the cause of environmental degradation. This new research particularly focuses on the polity of Copan where, as touched on above, it had previously been asserted that by AD800, not a single tree remained from the deciduous, or pine forest on the slope above the city (Abrams and Rue 1988, Diamond 2005: 169). McNeill et al. argue that Rues Petapilla Swamp core, upon which much of the deforestation theory has been based, only dates back to AD1010 with its oldest sediment, 100 years after Copans collapse (2010). Therefore it could not possibly have bearing on the Classic period population and their affect on the environment. The new data comes from another core from the same swamp, of which the earliest sediments this time date to 900-790 cal BC, providing data over a much longer range. It provided an interesting pollen profile, with the most pronounced deforestation apparent at the earliest stage of 900-7 90BC, with another later surge in the 5th century AD. Very much in contrast to the earlier core, it also shows an increase in arboreal pollen in the Late Classic, particularly that of pine. This data allowed McNeill et al. to surmise that: At the close of the citys Classic period, the hills above Copan were more densely forested than when the Maya first built their polity centre. (2010: 1021) This therefore suggests that rather than destroying their environment, the Maya were actually managing and cultivating it. Even though Copan was situated on a river, it received much less rainfall than other river centres at around 130 centimetres a year; so was likely at the mercy of changing rainfall patterns and drought. But if drought in this region was not caused by deforestation as the latest evidence suggests, then climate change was likely behind it. Palaeoclimatic records from North America, Europe and the Arctic indicate that the 9th and 10th centuries AD were as cold as during the Little Ice Age. Tree rings from the White Mountains of California show a steep decline in temperatures from AD790-950 and glacial advances in Alaska have been dated to AD700-900. In Sweden also, a number of glacial advances are known from this period, dated to AD800-910 (Gill 2000: 287-88, 385). Severe cold in the Northern Hemisphere can indicate a south-westward displacement of the North Atlantic High and a southward shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which would have caused summer rains to fail in the Maya Lowlands. The failure of the ITCZ to move north in the summer at this time, is evidenced by a drop in sea surface salinity in a marine sediment core from the north-eastern Caribbean, coinciding with the period of collapse (AD 760-930) (Gill et al. 2007). As a result, all this evidence points to the climatic conditions as having been conducive of drought at the time of the Maya collapse. Avoidable Climate Change? It seems apparent that climate change was responsible for the drought that affected much of the Maya Lowlands. In some places this may have been exacerbated by deforestation, but on the whole it seems more likely that it was not anthropogenic. As discussed previously, drought was one of the main factors to influence and perhaps even trigger the Maya collapse in some regions. If the drought was not induced by human action or inaction, is it possible to learn from the mistakes of the Maya as Diamond asserts in his book? Diamond bases much, if not all, of his argument on the belief that the Maya had a choice, but their refusal to change led to their downfall. He more or less suggests that the Maya of Copan, which he uses as an example, stood back and watched as the last tree fell. But his argument is based on flawed evidence. This is easy to say with hindsight, in the light of recent publications, but he also ignored existing evidence, seemingly because it did not support his position. He comments: Maya kings sought to outdo each other with more and more impressive temples, covered with thicker and thicker plaster- reminiscent in turn of the extravagant conspicuous consumption by modern American CEOs. (Diamond 2005: 177) As previously mentioned, lime plaster required extreme heat to create and for this reason much wood was required in its production. If deforestation was causing problems for their society, which is now believed to be false in any case, then to continue to create vast quantities of plaster for nothing but aesthetic reasons would have been ignorant and stupid. This is seemingly what Diamond is suggesting, despite research published in 1996 that showed that sculptures dating to the Late Classic at Copan used much thinner layers of plaster than those of an earlier date. Implying the Maya were taking measures to prevent unnecessary tree loss (Fash and Fash 1996). Diamond focuses on the implications for our present society, which is a good reason for studying past collapse, but he seems to oversimplify the problems of the Maya. Under the heading The Maya Message he identifies the various strands that he believes led to the collapse, but in a way that makes it seem like they are a checklist to avoid if we do not want our present society to fail. He does not give the Maya any credit for having attempted to change their society in any way. But he would likely not have wished to do so; acknowledging that the Maya understood the precarious ecological situation they found themselves in and made attempts to counter this, but still failed, does not bode well for our current society, where short term benefit, at seemingly any cost, is most often preferred over long term solutions. Conclusion To come to the conclusion that the Maya did not shape their own downfall, in as much they did not create drought through deforestation, apparently leaves the almost equally unwelcoming alternative that borders on environmental determinism. This argument implies that the Lowlands were not conducive to complex and advanced civilisation; the Mayan cities were destined to collapse, it was an inevitable event that could only be put off not overcome. I feel there is, however, a middle ground between the two. I would agree that the drought was likely not the result of the Maya being irresponsible and overusing their natural resources. On the contrary it seems more likely that the Maya, at least at Copan, had become well adapted to their environment and were using it sustainably. They were at their peak florescence in the Classic period, when both environmental and climatic conditions were relatively constant. As a result of this stability though, they were increasingly becoming part of a ri gidity trap, mastering their environment of relatively low level, but predictable rainfall by growing water-efficient maize, and utilising reservoirs in order to build cities on fertile land far from a permanent water source. They had made themselves highly vulnerable to drought and in the terminal classic were faced with the worst droughts the region had seen for 7000 years. It was not the carrying capacity of the region however, but the nature of Mayan society that reduced their ability to change, as it must also be remembered that warfare was as important a cause of the collapse as drought in some regions. Although the Maya showed some adaptability at Copan in maintaining the forest, factors other than land use were much harder to change. Another society without a ruling system based on the control of water for example, would perhaps have fared better in the same circumstances, as drought would likely not have brought down their political system as easily. But this method of control was inherent to Mayan society, allowing for such things as monumental construction and the exacting of tribute. The Maya way of life had evolved to meet their circumstances and their environment, but in the end they had become fixed in these ways and were unable to modify their society enough when their situation changed. Even if the elite had foreseen drought and wished to change the basis of their power, it is unlikely they could have even done so without collapse remaining the end result; it was such a fundamental component of their society. It can therefore be seen that the Maya collapse was an extremely complex event that was the result of multiple factors, of which warfare and drought were dominant. In an attempt to focus more on the role of climate, I have neglected some of the other factors such as weakening economy through loss of trade and overpopulation among others, but have attempted to emphasize the multi faceted nature of the collapse in the hope of avoiding oversimplification. Climate change and the resulting drought played a large, albeit joint role in the collapse of the Lowland Classic Maya. A long period of relative stability had made the Maya culture fragile and inflexible, so that when faced by changes to this constancy, a precarious balance between the various elements of their society was revealed; ultimately they proved unsuccessful in maintaining this in a time of stress.