Cartel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cartel - Essay Example A cartel includes a secretive agreement between competing parties on total industry output levels, price fixing, credit conditions, and division of profits, bid rigging, discounts, customers, and areas to receive the supply, market shares, and/or businesses to win contracts (â€Å"Office of Fair Trading† 1). The main objectives of a cartel agreement are to inflate prices, increase individual profitability, and reduce competition in the industry. Cartels have adverse effects on the industry as they reduce choices, inflate market prices, and inhibit the overall economy (â€Å"Australian Competition and Consumer Commission† 1). As such, cartels are illegal in most countries and take place in secrecy where it is not easy to establish their existence. However, a cartel has less influence on an industry than a monopoly. A cartel can be local, national or international where ion the recent times cartels steal billions of dollars from the vulnerable customers every year ( "Australian Competition and Consumer Commission† 1). We can classify cartels into public and private cartels. The government takes place in a public cartel where it implements the cartel agreement and defends the cartel from any liability as it seeks to benefits all the citizens. On the other hand, a private cartel is illegal under the antitrust laws as it seeks to benefit only the parties in the cartel agreement to the disadvantage of everybody else. As such, the Competition Act, Article 101 TFEU of the EC Treaty, the Enterprise Act (â€Å"Office of Fair Trading† 1), and EU competition law prohibit cartels that allows for price fixing, market sharing, limitation of production or supply or bid rigging (â€Å"European Commission† 1). Nevertheless, we still have cartels in the world, which include the controversial Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which is the world's largest cartel under the protection of U.S. foreign trade laws. As such, base d on my understanding of a cartel, we can experience a cartel in different industries. This is because cartels can actually occur in almost any industry where it involves good or services at the manufacturing, distribution, or marketing levels. However, some industries are more prone to cartels compared to others because of their mode of operations or their organizational structure. Ideally, industries with few competitors, where the products have similar characteristics, where communication channels between competitors are already established, or where the industry is suffering from over supply are prone to cartels (â€Å"Office of Fair Trading† 1). More specifically, cartels usually take place in an oligopolistic industry where there are few sellers, barriers to entry, and homogeneous products. Like in most European nations, cartels are illegal in the United States of America. However, although many consider the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)as a carte l, the U.S. foreign trade laws protects it claiming it is an global organization with a legal, long-term, and significant objective. Nevertheless, cartels like drug cartels and all naked cartels are illegal in U.S. Notably, various agencies and legislations like the Competition and Consumer Act prohibits cartels under civil law and makes it a criminal offence for individuals and

Science and PE Division Essay Example for Free

Science and PE Division Essay Introductory Chemistry 1405 for non-science majors is designed to meet the needs of students with no background in Chemistry or who are in need of additional preparation before taking Chemistry 1411. This course is concerned with the study of matter presented at an introductory level. The prerequisite for this course is DMAT 0091. Topics covered include: chemistry and measurements, matter and energy, atoms and elements, compounds and their bonds, chemical calculations, gas laws, solutions, acids and bases and nuclear reactions. This syllabus is your legal contract for this course.   The first requirement is that you read it entirely. You are responsible for all of the readings and assignments as defined. Questions or issues requiring clarification are welcomed at any time. REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED MATERIALS (ISBN FOR TEXTBOOK): Required textbook:Introductory Chemistry for Non-Science Majors, the pearson custom edition for Eastfield College, by Timberlake. This book can be ordered from the bookstore http://follett.com/. ISBN#: 1256414824. It is bundled with Eastfield custom edition lab manual for first part of the laboratory and homework code for Mastering Chemistry. Lab Supplies: You must order a lab kit CK-EF. Order your LabPaq online at http://www.labpaq.com. once you are sure to continue the class, as the returned policy is strict. For labPaq order call 866-206-0773 x 114. OR, go to www.labpaq.com/order here, and enter Log in ID: C 000091, Password, labpaq (all lower case) and Choose CK-EF. You can obtain any digital balance with an accuracy of 0.1 grams. Recommended digital weight balance from NorthShore Care Supply ( http://www.northshorecare.com) is Triton T2 digital precision handheld scale, Item # 7400 ($19.95). Other required materials:Laboratory Safety Goggles (may be purchased at campus bookstore ) Scientific Calculator STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: 1. Demonstrate understanding of the subatomic particles and types of matter 2. Use the Periodic Table to identify metals, non-metals and metalloids 3. Make calculations using the metric system of measurements and significant figures. COURSE OBJECTIVES The course is to demonstrate a general knowledge of the basic concepts in chemistry, and to prepare the student for Chemistry 1411. CORE CURRICULUM COURSE OBJECTIVES: I. INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCIES: 1. Reading: The ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials such as book, documents and articles written at a level above the 12th grade level 2. Writing: The ability to produce clear, correct and  coherent prose adapted to a purpose, occasion and audience at a level above the 12th grade level 3. Speaking: Ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent and persuasive language appropriate to a purpose, occasion and audience at a level above the 12th grade level 4. Listening: Analyze and interpret various forms of spoken and visual communication at a level above the 12th grade level 5. Critical Thinking: Think and analyze at a critical level 6. Computer Literacy: Understand our technological society, use computer-based technology in communication, problem solving, and acquiring information II. EXEMPLARY EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 1. To understand and apply method and appropriate technology to the study of natural sciences 2. To recognize scientific and quantitative methods and the differences between these approaches and the other methods of inquiry, and to communicate findings, analyses, and interpretation both orally and in writing 3. To demonstrate knowledge of the major issues and problems facing modern science, including issues that touch on ethics, values, and public policy 4. To demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and technology, and their influence on and contributions to, modern culture MEANS OF ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES The course learning outcomes are assigned in more detail for each chapter in various learning objectives. These objectives will be assessed by exam questions, terminology, study area quiz, assignment from mastering chemistry and written laboratory report. It is encouraged to start your weekly activities by understanding â€Å"terminology†, which will be followed by reading corresponding units in the textbook. You will continue working on â€Å"Study Area† quiz and Review Questions, and homework assignments from mastering chemistry. Finally, you will perform the lab experiments. These steps are written in order under â€Å"Things to do† in all the weekly activities. EVALUATION PROCEDURE: 1. Lab Grades: This online course of Chem 1405 uses the â€Å"Wet Lab† experiences from Hands-on  lab, Inc. For the first five labs, students use the basic laboratory conceptual practice using Pearson published laboratory manual. After completion of five labs from Pearson published lab manual, students will use their purchased lab kits for the â€Å"Wet Lab† experiences and perform real chemical experiments using chemicals and standard techniques, in the convenience of their house. To ensure the credibility of the lab portion of this course, students will be asked to submit their picture showing their face at one or two specific steps of each experiment along with the data as reflected in their report. The specific steps where they need to submit their picture are well- written in the attached report form in the corresponding experiment on eCampus. Lab grades will be earned from their completed lab reports. These reports have to be typed in Microsoft office word and upload on ecampus in order to be graded, unless otherwise specified (Hand Written lab Report Will not be Accepted). You must use the report attached on ecampus under the folder â€Å"Lab #† of each week activities, and not the one that comes on the CD from LabPaq. You will get ZERO SCORE if you won’t use REPORT FORMAT UPLOADED on ecampus under the â€Å"Lab #†. However, to synthesize the conclusion and discussion of your result in the report, you can use â€Å"Lab Report Assistant† that comes in the CD with the CK-1 kit from Labpaq. The â€Å"Lab Report Assistant† can also be found on ecampus under â€Å"Start Here† button. The CD also has the introduction, safety enforcement agreement and the procedure to perform the lab. You have to sign; scan, and upload the safety agreement in the first week of the semester. Students have to upload the report on ecampus after the completion. The instructions on â€Å"how to upload† the report can be found in eCampus menu under the â€Å"Start Here† button. Students can purchase the lab kit, LabPaq CK-EF, from Hands-on Labs, Inc. Please log on to http://www.labpaq.com/ to order the kit. The lab kits also contain the manual of the experiments on CD. Students CANNOT PASS this course with a failing lab grade. A score of 70% or better and completion of 8/11 labs (cannot miss more than 3 labs) is required to pass the lab portion of this course. The lab reports has to be uploaded on eCampus by 11.30 pm on the specific due date found on the course calendar. Late lab reports will be accepted but they will drop by 25% for each day the reports are late. Students are encouraged to read the helpful suggestions after they read the procedures on the CD and before they do the experiments.  Similarly, it is advised them to complete the lab as early as the y can and do not wait until the last minute. The lab schedules are found under the weekly activity for each week. 2. Weekly Activities: These are located under â€Å"Course Contents† button in eCampus. Every week the learning items are placed in the following order. 1. Things to do: Helps to figure out the things to do quickly 2. Learning Objectives: Helps to focus on the goals to learn units of the chapter 3. Powerpoint: Gives you the main direction of concepts for each chapter 4. Terminology: It is a quick guide to know the definition and brief concepts of the topics 5. Study Area Quiz 1 2 (www.masteringchemistry.com/study area) Key Concept 6. Assignment (www.masteringchemistry.com/study area) 7. Lab report: Attached on the†Lab #† folder. The lab manual is CK-EF from www.LabPaq.com 8. DO NOT BEG FOR THE EXTENSION OF DUE DATES! 2.1. Terminology: These are copyright materials and should not be altered. These terms help you to understand the concepts and to prepare for the exam. Download the list of terms from eCampus on the folder â€Å"Terminology #† under â€Å"Week of #† from the ecampus menu†. Study the terminologies, read the corresponding section in the book and answer them concisely with examples. You can try this as many times as you want, and upload your final version on ecampus with the file name â€Å"Terminology #† (NOTE: Please see â€Å"How to load a document on ecampus under â€Å"Start Here† button) 2.2 Study Area These are self check activities and students can attempt as many times as they want. It helps to understand the concepts as well as to prepare for the exam 2.2.1 Quiz 1 2 After log on to www.masteringchemistry.com/study area, answer the multiple choice questions. These are self check activities and you can try this as many times as you want, scroll down and email the final trial to yourself. Repeat this step for quiz #2. Copy and paste both the quiz 1 2 score and  answers of all the questions in a new file called as â€Å"Study Area # 1† for chapter 1. Upload the â€Å"Study Area #† on eCampus. Follow the same procedure for all the chapters. (DO NOT EMAIL TO THE INSTRUCTOR) 2.2.2 Review Questions To complete this activity, please follow the same procedure as in 2.2.1. However, create a file name â€Å"Study #† where # is replaced by 1, 2, 3, and etc. for the corresponding chapter. 2.3 HOMEWORK (ASSIGNMENT) You will use Mastering Chemistry for the online homework tutorial. This will help you to understand the various concepts and to prepare for the exam. You can go directly to mastering chemistry without going to eCampus, by log on to http:// www. masteringchemistry.com/site. Many of the problems come from the back of the book to help you figure out the right answer. Do not attempt the homework without preparing yourself. You have to study the practice problems and worked out examples related to various units before to attempt the homework questions. . Your COURSE ID is for this course is MCADHIKARI89707 It is advised to complete the assignments in preparation for the tests. Late homework will worth’s 50% of the total possible points. Homework due dates will be shown in Mastering chemistry web site. It is recommended to do the homework questions little by little, rather than solving all the problems at one sitting. Once you have completed the homework assignments, you can revisit them even after the due dates during the preparation for the exam. The total score of the homework from all the chapters will be posted on your ecampus grade book at the end of the semester. DO NOT LOOK THE ANSWER before you solved the problems, if you do so, you will GET ZERO SCORE on that problem. Students have to take full responsibility of THEIR SCORE REPORTED correctly on the website. If you have doubt on any technical issue contact the technical support at 1-877-672-6877. You will get ZERO SCORE IF YOU EMAIL the answer of the ASSIGNEMENT to the instructors’ email. You must answer the assignment on the website. Syllabus Quiz: A quiz over syllabus material will be taken on eCampus. The quiz worths 10 points. It will be used to determine if students have read the syllabus material. You may use your syllabus on the quiz. You may take it as many times as you like until the deadline. I advise you to take it until you score a perfect 10 points. The quiz can be found on eCampus under the syllabus quiz section. DISCUSSION BOARDS Participation in the thee Discussion Boards (DB) is required. The discussion boards are worth 5 points each for a total of 15 points. DISCUSSION BOARD ETIQUETTE This science course is based on scientific fact alone, not personal opinions. Please refrain from using the discussion board to express political viewpoints, as a dating service, to advertise any and all types of solicitation, from expressing religious viewpoints or quoting Biblical passages, or giving personal opinions. Please refrain from using any inappropriate language in the discussion boards. Please do not â€Å"sign† discussion boards. The discussion board will automatically be posted with your name. ***Failure to adhere to discussion board etiquette may result in the student being blocked from using the discussion board and a loss of points. EMAIL ETIQUETTE When sending an email message to an instructor there are a few guidelines to follow: 1. Address the instructor as Mr., Ms., Mrs. or Professor, and in subject line please mention your class and section number 2. Always include your name, course, and section number in the email. 3. Never use foul, vulgar, inappropriate, discriminatory, rude, or otherwise unprofessional language in the email. 4. Remember, the relationship between the student and the instructor is a professional relationship not a friendship; therefore, be sure not to include instructors in your forwarded emails to friends, chat rooms, or personal updates. 5. Email between the instructor and student is to relate to course, campus, or educational matters INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES: Withdrawal Policy (with drop date): STOP BEFORE YOU DROP For students who enrolled in college level courses for the first time in the fall of 2007, Texas Education Code 51.907 limits the number of courses a student may drop. You may drop no more than 6 courses during your entire undergraduate career unless the drop qualifies as an exception. Your campus counseling/advising center will give you more information on the allowable exceptions. Remember that once you have accumulated 6 non-exempt drops, you cannot drop any other courses with a â€Å"W†. Therefore, please exercise caution when dropping courses in any Texas public institution of higher learning, including all seven of the Dallas County Community Colleges. For more information, you may access: https://www1.dcccd.edu/coursedrops If you are unable to complete this course, it is your responsibility to withdraw formally. The withdrawal request must be received in the Registrar’s Office by Januay 06, 2014. Failure to do so will result in your receiving a performance grade, usually an F. If you drop a class or withdraw from the college before the official drop/withdrawal deadline, you will receive a W (Withdraw) in each class dropped. Repeating This Course: Effective for Fall Semester 2005, the Dallas County Community Colleges will charge additional tuition to students registering the third or subsequent time for a course. This class may not be repeated for the third or subsequent time without paying the additional tuition. Third attempts include courses taken at any of the Dallas County Community Colleges since the Fall 2002 semester. More information is available at: https://www1.dcccd.edu/cat0506/ss/oep/third_attempt.cfm . Financial Aid: Students who are receiving any form of financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from classes. Withdrawals may affect your eligibility to receive further aid and could cause you to be in a position of repayment for the current semester. Students who fail to attend or participate after the drop date are also subject to this policy. The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a statewide program designed to ensure that students enrolled in Texas public colleges and universities have the basic academic skills needed to be successful in college-level course work. The TSI requires assessment, remediation (if necessary), and advising of students who attend a public college or university in the state of Texas. The program assesses a students basic academic skills in reading, writing, and math. Passing the assessment is a prerequisite for enrollment in many college level classes. Students who do not meet assessment standards may complete prerequisite requirements by taking developmental courses in the deficient area and passing them with a grade of C or higher. Additional information is available at https://www1.dcccd.edu/cat0506/admiss/tsi_requirements.cfm . Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is expected, and integrity is valued in the Dallas County Community Colleges. Scholastic dishonesty is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. As a college student, you are considered a responsible adult. Your enrollment indicates acceptance of  the DCCCD Code of Student Conduct published in the DCCCD Catalog. More information is available at https://www1.dcccd.edu/cat0406/ss/code.cfm . Academic Dishonesty Course Contract: Academic dishonesty is defined in the District Catalog includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a quiz, a test, or assignment or lab work; plagiarism (including the internet); copying another student’s lab or lecture work; or allowing another student (even lab partners) to copy all or any portion of an assignment. All written assignments are to be in the students’ own words. Written assignments for both the lab and lecture works are to be completed solely by the student, not in collaboration with other students unless otherwise noted in the assignment or instructed by instructor in exceptional cases. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any student found to be violating any portion of the academic dishonesty policy will automatically receive a zero (without exception or discussion). Students repeating the course are not permitted to use any old assignments or graded materials. All written assignments must be new, not just modifications of old assignments. When working in partners or groups, each student is expected to turn in his or her original work in their own words. Exact (or overwhelmingly similar as per the instructors discretion) duplication of an assignment (in any form), from any group or partner set, will not be accepted, and a grade of zero will be given. If further clarification of this policy or explanation of actions that will be taken for any and all violations is necessary, please see the instructor. ADA Statement: If you are a student with a disability and/or special needs who requires accommodations, please contact the college Disability Services Office. Religious Holidays: Absences for observance of a religious holy day are excused. A student whose absence is excused to observe a religious holy day is allowed to take a make-up examination or complete an assignment within a reasonable time after the absence. Students must notify the instructor of any religious holiday that will impact his/her time in this course by no later than the certification date. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the College may release information classified as â€Å"directory information† to the general public without the written consent of the student. Directory information includes: (1) student name, (2) student address, (3) telephone numbers, (4) date and place of birth, (5) weight and height of members of athletic teams, (6) participation in officially recognized activities and sports, (7) dates of attendance, (8) educational institution most recently attended, and (9) other similar information, including major field of student and degrees and awards received. Students may protect their directory information at any time during the academic year. If no request is filed, directory information is released upon written inquiry. No telephone inquiries are acknowledged. No transcript or academic record is released without written consent from the student, except as specified by law. The institution strives to protect an environment most conducive to teaching and learning for all enrolled students. Children who are taking part in organized scheduled activities or who are enrolled in specific classes are welcomed. Minor children, however, should not be brought to the institution unless closely supervised by their parent. Minor children should not be brought into classrooms, laboratories or other facilities of the college. This practice is disruptive to the learning process. In the case of an emergency where the student-parent has no alternative but to bring the child to campus, classroom faculty or the administrative heads of other units have  full discretion as to whether a child may be allowed to quietly stay in the location. These individuals may require that children be removed by the student-parent from the setting if, in their opinion, the presence of the child is deemed to be disruptive to the learning process. For reasons of security and child welfare the institution will not permit unattended children to be left anywhere on the premises. Parents who have problems with childcare should visit the Counseling and/or Advisement Center to receive referrals to childcare services in the area. Final Grade Reports are no longer mailed. Convenient access is available online at www.econnect.dcccd.edu. Use your identification number when you log onto eConnect, an online system developed by the DCCCD to provide you with timely information regarding your college record. Your grades will also be printed on your Student Advising Report, which is available in the Admissions Office.

Cold Pasteurization can Change the World :: science

The preservation of food is essential to maintain life and growth. Its daily intakes nourish our bodies, providing enzymes, in turn giving us energy. The ability of matter exerts radiation in its domain by means of energy in selected foods. Such rationale debates whether a development of technology creates an effective way to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases, while treating a variety of potential problems in our food supply. An effective method of research in food irradiation illustrates substantial evidence in its safety, nutritional adequacy, and social-economic global effects. Irradiation is capable of improving the safety and quality of many foods. It is the process that emits high-energy rays passing through [food] products, virtually killing all harmful bacteria and parasites in or on the food (OCA, 1998). Yet, the food remains raw and undergoes only minor chemical changes. Foods are treated with ionizing radiation to accomplish many different goals, one being the delivery of raw meats and sprouts. There is no guarantee that raw ground beef or sprouts will be free of certain harmful bacteria. These foods provide a favourable environment for bacterial growth, whereas, the production process does not include a step to reduce these bacteria, such as cooking or pasteurization. For these foods, irradiation provides a bacteria-killing step. However, one association disagrees the issue and claims that irradiation only covers up problems that the meat and poultry industry should solve, increasing the fecal contamination that results from speeded up slaughter and decreased federal inspection. Irradiation is a ‘magic bullet’ that will enable [the company] to say that the product was ‘clean’ when it left the packing plant (OCA, 2001). The claim, more rather, lacks the key source in evidence, for even the best sanitation and standard antibacterial treatments cannot ensure safety in foods. In addition, irradiation cannot occur properly if the food is too heavily contaminated, preventing industries from using this practice as a substitution for good sanitation practices. Irradiation is not harmful in producing resistant strains of bacteria, nor does it make food radioactive. It simply reduces the amounts of bacteria in foods that may become potential illnesses in humans. Accordingly, food irradiation advocates 40 years of research showing the process to be safe, however, evidence for this assertion is missing. An article in the Nation’s Restaurant News states that detractors of irradiation paint the process as a potential health risk that has n ot been studied sufficiently (Liddle, 2001, p 60, 3p, 4c).

Generations of Computer Essay

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers. A chip is a small piece of semi conducting material(usually silicon) on which an integrated circuit is embedded. A typical chip is less than  ¼-square inches and can contain millions of electronic components(transistors). Computers consist of many chips placed on electronic boards called printed circuit boards. There are different types of chips. For example, CPU chips (also called microprocessors) contain an entire processing unit, whereas memory chips contain blank memory. Computer chips, both for CPU and memory, are composed of semiconductor materials. Semiconductors make it possible to miniaturize electronic components, such as transistors. Not only does miniaturization mean that the components take up less space, it also means that they are faster and require less energy. Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors. Fourth Generation – 1971-Present: Microprocessors The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits we rebuilt onto a single silicon chip. A silicon chip that contains a CPU. In the world of personal computers, the terms microprocessor and CPU are used interchangeably. At the heart of all personal computers and most workstations sits a microprocessor. Microprocessors also control the logic of almost all digital devices, from clock radios to fuel-injection systems for automobiles. Three basic characteristics differentiate microprocessors: * Instruction Set: The set of instructions that the microprocessor can execute. * Bandwidth: The number of bits processed in a single instruction. * Clock Speed: Given in megahertz (MHz), the clock speed determines how many instructions per second the processor can execute. In both cases, the higher the value, the more powerful the CPU. For example, a 32-bit microprocessor that runs at 50MHz is more powerful than a 16-bitmicroprocessor that runs at 25MHz. The CPU is the brains of the computer. Sometimes referred to simply as the processor or central processor, the CPU is where most calculations take place. In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer system. On large machines, CPUs require one or more printed circuit boards. On personal computers and small workstations, the CPU is housed in a single chip called a microprocessor. Two typical components of a CPU are: * The arithmetic logic unit (ALU), which performs arithmetic and logical operations. * The control unit, which extracts instructions from memory and decodes and executes them, calling on the ALU when necessary. In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors. As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUI’s, the mouse and handheld devices. Fifth Generation – Present and Beyond: Artificial Intelligence Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. Artificial Intelligence is the branch of computer science concerned with making computers behave like humans. The term was coined in 1956 by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Artificial intelligence includes: * Games Playing: programming computers to play games such as chess and checkers * Expert Systems: programming computers to make decisions in real-life situations (for example, some expert systems help doctors diagnose diseases based on symptoms) * Natural Language: programming computers to understand natural human languages * Neural Networks: Systems that simulate intelligence by attempting to reproduce the types of physical connections that occur in animal brains * Robotics: programming computers to see and hear and react to other sensory stimuli Currently, no computers exhibit full artificial intelligence (that is, are able to simulate human behavior). The greatest advances have occurred in the field of games playing. The best computer chess programs are now capable of beating humans. In May, 1997, an IBM super-computer called Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a chess match. In the area of robotics, computers are now widely used in assembly plants, but they are capable only of very limited tasks. Robots have great difficulty identifying objects based on appearance or feel, and they still move and handle objects clumsily. Natural-language processing offers the greatest potential rewards because it would allow people to interact with computers without needing any specialized knowledge. You could simply walk up to a computer and talk to it. Unfortunately, programming computers to understand natural languages has proved to be more difficult than originally thought. Some rudimentary translation systems that translate from one human language to another are in existence, but they are not nearly as good as human translators. There are also voice recognition systems that can convert spoken sounds into written words, but they do not understand what they are writing; they simply take dictation. Even these systems are quite limited — you must speak slowly and distinctly. Today, the hottest area of artificial intelligence is neural networks, which are proving successful in a number of disciplines such as voice recognition and artificial intelligence.

Isc English for 11 and 12 Std

In â€Å"Church Going†, the poet expresses the same disrespectfulness towards church as â€Å"In Westminster Abbey. † The Church, also known as the house of God, is seen by the poet as a current building and all being alike, â€Å"another church: matting, seats, and stone†¦ † some brass and stuff† which gives the reader a very dismissive attitude fromthe poet. He agrees with Betjeman that the church disserves no believe or respect â€Å"Hatless, I take off my cycle-clips in awkward reverence. Instead of commenting on the beauty of the church, he looks at the roof asking himself if it is â€Å"cleaned, or restored†Ã¢â‚¬  It seems that the poet is even more disrespectful than Betjeman donating an Irish sixpence and then further emphasizing, â€Å"reflect the place was not worth stopping for. † The poet is for sure that churches will fall down except for some, which will be kept as a chronic symbol where women will bring their children to touch a particular stone believing that they will work as a spell. His opinion is that â€Å"superstition, like belief, must die. This supposes a strong blow againstthe church and towards believe. Philip Larkin asks himself who will be the last to see the church before it deteriorates completely â€Å"some ruin-bibber† some â€Å"Christmas-addict† someone obsessed with church or someone just like him who has no believe or sympathy withthe church. For the poet, the church is the place of marriage, birth and death and believes that that causes people to become fanatic towards church because they see it as the place that marks the most important points of life. Larkin also sees the church trying to make people see natural things of life such as birth and having children as being in their destiny and that people will always look for the spiritual side. In conclusion, I would say that the poets are conscious of the poetic diction they use in order to bring through their feelings about the church. They do not see any reason or need for which religion and believe exist and want superstition to be gotten rid of. They see the Church as a place, which manipulates people for their own benefit. The use of less poetic devices such as â€Å"oh bomb the Germans† in â€Å"In Westminster Abbey† or â€Å"bored, uniformed, knowing the ghostly silt† in â€Å"Church Going† does not suggest that this in any way makes the poems less â€Å"poetic† in any sense at all. John Betjeman and Philip Larkin seem to be wanting the readers to be aware of the church and protect them from it. Summary: Wilfred Owen's poem â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† is typical of Owen's abrupt, straightforward, and abrasive approach to describing war. Owen states in the poem's beginning that soldiers die on the battlefield as cattle in a slaughterhouse; with little meaning, and with no loved ones there to comfort them. The end of the poem is more sentimental; while no funeral takes place on the battlefield, all individuals have something resembling a funeral, even if it takes the form only of their loved ones weeping. The poem's overall tone indicates that Owen resents promoters of war who do not consider the full magnitude of war and pities the soldiers who know not what may happen to them. {draw:rect} Known for his abrasive and heart-wrenching depictions of war, Wilfred Owen is known for going right to the heart of the reader through his poetry to evoke his or her raw emotions. In the poem, â€Å"Anthem For Doomed Youth†, Owen once again finds the shortest and most abrupt and straight-forward descriptions he possibly can to describe soldiers being slaughtered on the battlefield. Not only is Owen describing their deaths, but he is describing, how they die: with indifference among them. There is no separate emotion for each man, they die all the same, like cattle going off to the slaughterhouse. The poet appears to be portraying war as a situation that one should avoid, because although one is dying for their country, initially, their death is one of little meaning. They are not among family and†¦..

The Legality of Use of Force against Iraq in 1991 and 2003 The WritePass Journal

The Legality of Use of Force against Iraq in 1991 and 2003 Abstract The Legality of Use of Force against Iraq in 1991 and 2003 . Jervis Ray ‘Cooperation under Security Dilemma’ (1978) 30 World Politics 167 Lublan Derrick‘Preventive War’ (2004) 32(3) Philosophy and Public Affairs 230 Michael Reisman‘Assessing Claims to Revise the Law of War’ (2010) 97 Murphy, Sean, ‘Assessing the Legality of Invading Iraq’ (2003) 4 Georgetown Law Journal 4 Nicholas Kralev, ‘Russia Vows Pre-emptive Terror Hits’ (2004)The Washington Times

Why Sports Are an Important Part of High School Life

Why Sports Are an Important Part of High School Life Sports Are an Important Part of High School Life"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." Sam Ewig explains the way many people react to hard work. These habits begin to appear in many of our lives when we are young and introduced to sports such as soccer and football which challenge our physical and mental abilities. Every teenager has a sport that fits him and his personality. For instance, if a teen were the quiet, not so active type, then maybe golf would be a good sport for him. If there is an active, competitive, and more talkative teen, then football may be the perfect sport. Every sport betters anyone in or out of high school physically and mentally. Playing a high school sport betters teens all around inside and out. High School sports benefit students by helping them do well in school as well as helping them "fit in", they also benefit the community.High School John Shelley TimSports keep teens well behaved at school and in class. Sports reduce the number of fights, and bad classroom behavior. In order to play any sport in high school, the students must maintain good grades. If they fail to make the grades, they are either dismissed from the team, or they must take a study hall before each practice for at least 30 minutes, sometimes even for the whole practice until his or her grade comes up to a passing grade. In most high schools, there are problems with attendance from the students. If a player does not come to school, then they may not go to practice or attend the game that day. In almost every organized high school sport, if a student is absent so many...

Every IB Math Past Paper Available Free and Official

Every IB Math Past Paper Available Free and Official SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips No matter which IB Math you take, the test can be stressful.For many students, achieving a 6 or better is necessary to get you out of college math requirements. Even if you are not aiming for a 6 or above, you need to pass to better your chances of getting your IB Diploma.You have spent years studying for this moment. To ensure you are prepared, I highly recommend sitting for at least one practice test using IB Math past papers. In this article, I will let you know where you can find free and paid IB Math practice materialsfor Mathematical Studies SL, Mathematics SL, Mathematics HL, and Further Mathematics HL. Also, I will give you advice on how to get the most out of your practice so you can hit your target score on test day. Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. Where to Find Free IB Math Practice Questions Unfortunately, there are far fewer practice resources for IB exams compared to many other standardized tests like AP, SAT or ACT. Below are two free resources for IB Math practice. The first resource is official, and the second is unofficial. You can often find other official IB Math past papers online. We can't legally link to these, since they've been uploaded without the IBO's permission, but you can Google phrases like "official past IB math papers" and see if you can find any. Many times students on IB forums will upload past exams they have used. IBO Past Paper This past Mathematical Studies SL paper is the only free and official math paper IBO has made available. It contains five questions, each with multiple parts. You should definitely at least give it a look over, even if you're not taking Mathematics SL, just to get an idea of what an official IB math paper will look like. Practice Quiz SL Mathematics This site contains 76 free practice questions for the IB Mathematics SL exam. The questions aren't exactly like official IB Math questions (they're somewhat shorter and simpler), but this is still a decent resource to use if you're looking for free practice resources. Where to Find Paid IB Math Practice Questions There are also paid IB Math exams and practice questions. Again, official materials from the IBO are always your best bet, but there are some good unofficial resources available too. IBO Math Exams You can purchase official practice IB Math exams through the Follett IB Store. This is the only way to legally buy official past papers. The IBO used to have its own site where it'd sell IB exams, but they recently moved the store to Follett, and, unfortunately, the site can be difficult to navigate. We're unable to link to specific exams, but to find them, go to the Follet IB Store site, click on the search bar at the top of the page, and type "[course name] paper." So if you're taking Mathematics SL, you'd type "Mathematics SL paper." You'll see a number of search results. The ones you're interested in are those with "exam paper" or "markscheme" (also known as the answer key) in their title. For some reason, the exams and their answer keys are each sold separately. Each costs 3 USD.A complete IB Math test (with all papers and mark schemes) will cost you 12 USD(for two papers and two answer keys).The IB Math subjects have exams from multiple years, and although we recommend buying more than one test if you can afford it, only buy those published in the last few years (about 2015 onward) as these will be the ones closest to the exam you'll be taking. Study Nova This site includes multiple resources for the SL Mathematics exam, including dozens of video tutorials and practice questions. You can purchase all the resources for about 200 USD, or purchase materials in specific subjects, like statistics or vectors, for 29 USD each. Practice exams can also be purchased for 29 USD each. This site can get pretty pricey to use, so we only recommend it if you're really struggling with the material and think you need more in-depth explanations of subject material and how to answer certain questions. Revision Village This website has various quizzes (organized by category) and exams for both SL and HL Mathematics. There are about 20 quizzes available and ten exams, some of which are organized by difficulty. A few of the resources are available for free, but for most you'll need to pay for a membership. Membership costs range from 99 to 250 USD depending on which materials you want access to and how long you want access to them. This is quite a financial investment, but if you need more study resources it's an option to consider. How to Use These Practice Materials A full practice test will take you between three and five hours depending on your Math class, so you need to get the most out of each one. Keep these tips in mind: Tip #1: Take Each Paper a Different Day The papers are split among two days for Mathematical Studies SL, Mathematics SL, and Further Mathematics HL and three days for Mathematics HL. Don’t take the practice test in one day. In your practice, take the test over two or three days, so that you get used to the schedule for your exam. Tip #2: Keep Exact Time You need to familiarize yourself with the timing of this test. On each paper, you have: Mathematical Studies SL Paper 1- 1 hour 30 minutes Paper 2- 1 hour 30 minutes Mathematics SL Paper 1- 1 hour 30 minutes Paper 2- 1 hour 30 minutes Mathematics HL Paper 1- 2 hours Paper 2- 2 hours Paper 3- 1 hour Further Mathematics HL Paper 1- 2 hours 30 minutes Paper 2- 2 hours 30 minutes In your practice, don't allow yourself even an extra second. If you give yourself more time, you won’t get used to the timing pressures of the real test and will likely score higher in your practice then you will the day of the test. These practice test should be accurate representations of your eventual test score. Tip #3: Check Your Mistakes Against the Mark Scheme Once you finish your full test, you must review your mistakes. If you do not, you won’t learn from your mistakes, and you'll keep getting the same questions wrong. Spend a minimum of an hour on this step. This may seem like a lot of time, but you want quality practice, not quantity. Taking one practice exam with detailed review is better than taking five tests with no review. What’s Next? Learn more about IB Math: IB Math Study Guide Learn more about IB: When Do IB Results and Scores Come Out? The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes Which IB Courses Can I Take Online? Can I Get an Online IB Diploma? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Course Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Course Review - Essay Example In another wavelength, this methodology also remains very important, given that its standards of evidence and indicators that the program uses helps in comparing the system’s performance to its peer institutions. These indicators help in making these comparisons, so as to uphold the highest of standards. The changes that have been proposed are very recommendable on several grounds. First, it is through these proposed PLO systems that important values relevant to the discipline can be inculcated. Skills, knowledge and competence are some of these values that are bound to be deeply entrenched, should PLO systems be implemented. Likewise, it is only by adopting the PLO system that professional and disciplinary standards that certain disciplines try to advance are bolstered. The newly proposed system is also worthy of recommendation since it ensures the maintenance of desired standards by comparing its performance indicators to its peer institutions. This comparison ensures that areas that have not been adequately administered, taught or effected are identified, and then followed through with correctional measures. This smoothens and facilitates effective and tenable transition. The PLO curriculum can be said to be very appropriate, given that they reflect current trends, debates, technology and developments that are taking shape in the discipline. Similarly, the PLO system involves the use of curriculum maps which support learners’ achievement and thereby helping in sustaining the required breadth and depth of the study. The same also helps capture the flow, courses, coherence and the sequencing of opportunities for these learners. This thereby helps these learners to achieve the aims of PLOs. As Wang advances, the PLO curriculum will be very instrumental in helping to keep up with the changing times. This is because the PLO curriculum considers and adopts the latest technology, developments and trends

Mann Ltd Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mann Ltd - Coursework Example This is supported by the above given ratios. Return on capital employed has dropped to 19.8% in 2010 as compared to 31% in 2009. This downward shift is attributed to a sharp descent in net profits. The rise in assets has failed to show an increase in income of the company. Sales of the company has shown an increase but factors associated with sales like operating profit margin and gross profit margin has shown an inverse trend. Operating profit margin has declined from 19.8% in 2010 to 13.9% in 2010. Adding to the misery is declining gross profit margins, a substantial decline from 42% in 2009 to 37.5% in 2010. Sales figure has shown an increase but the company has failed to maintain gross and operating profit margin due to increasing costs. Company’s liquidity position has shown a slight decline from 2009. Current asset ratio has dropped from 4.8 times in 2009 to 4.6 times in 2010. The company’s liquidity in terms of current asset ratio is appropriate and should do wel l in years to come. However, acid tests shows a sharp decline. It has dropped to 3.6 in 2010 in comparison to 4.2 in the previous year. This is due to a disproportionate increase in current asset and liabilities. Furthermore, inventory holds a major share in the current asset in 2010.Trade settlement period is of particular interest to a manager in Mann Ltd. The time period has deteriorated in the current year. High volumes of sales have been on credit in the recent year, which is evident figures that have grown from 306 in 2009 to 468 in 2010.

Who Owns History The Texas Textbook Controversy Essay - 1

Who Owns History The Texas Textbook Controversy - Essay Example The question on how history should be taught was brought to the limelight by the state of Texas. The Texas State Board of Education, in charge of the state’s curriculum, approved several controversial changes to be made to the textbooks in schools. The changes were included in the economic, social studies and history textbooks. These ‘improvements’ made by the education board emphasizes the Christianitys influence in the founding of America (Hutchins et. al. 652). The changes downplay the role of liberals and highlight the influence of conservative groups in American history. These changes, for the Texan board, seem minimal with no consequences on the American history, but the opposite is true. These small changes and tweaks in their curriculum seek to re-write the American history significantly for the students in Texas. Furthermore, the state of Texas is among the country’s biggest purchasers of History textbooks. This means that the changes in the Texan curriculum will slowly reflect in all schools throughout the country. They exclude the influence and existence of Thomas Jefferson, one of the country’s founding fathers. The Texan board excludes his influence on the Declaration of Independence and other vital legislation (Hutchins et. al. 653). Jefferson is not the only culprit of the Texan board; they further scrap off presidential runs of Ralph Nader and Ross Perot in their history books. There is a complete exclusion of the roles of Latinos and other races in America History. The changes implemented in the Texan History textbooks are endless, but it is heavily characterized by the conservative Christian influences. By changing and rewriting history of the state of Texas, the Texan board rewrote the world’s history. These changes made by the Texan board question the legitimacy of history and the appropriate way of teaching the subject. It is a universally accepted

Sphere of Business Activity at Google by Jessica E. Vascellaro Literature review

Sphere of Business Activity at Google by Jessica E. Vascellaro - Literature review Example Having this type of partnership with Emmis was thought that the online-advertising brainpower would make a change into the old-fashioned way of people performing business. Chad and Ryan Steelberg were teamed up with Google and Chad, in 2006, thought that because they had a technology for transmitting, scheduling, and tracking radio ads, they were going to conquer the radio. This, however, was not the case. Google pulled the plug on the multibillion-dollar business of off-line ad sales. Google misjudged the capacity of doing business without the human touch. Radio stations did not want to delve into performing business with set prices that were lower than their own prices and advertisers steered away from this endeavor. This does not mean that Google was a failure. It meant that it failed in this venture. Google, according to Vascellaro (2009), sells approximately one-third of all online ads in the U.S., by dollar amount. The radio venture was a small venture since they wanted to extend themselves to developing a successful model for selling ads linked to Internet searches through traditional media: print and television. It also retrieved from the newspaper ad-sales. It remains with the traditional media effort to sell television ads. Google claimed that they had "devoted substantial resources" to developing the radio and print ads but the impact was not as expected. Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt stated that the efforts failed because Google did not come up w ith a good way to measure listener response. He stated that although the math was performed well on the computer, the sound had very little to desire. Some of the customers did not like the fact that Google had its limitations, such as not being able to track down if the ads were driving sales. The Steelberg brothers did not measure up with Google's engineer-heavy corporate culture. Google and DMarc did not agree upon using the human touch element. This was a terrible decision from Google's part. When humans are involved, automation does not necessarily fit the spectrum to approach and service the customers. Google erred in both instances, in the strategy formulation and the strategy implementation. Had Google delved into using the human element and approached the prospective customers using a personalized approach, different would have been the results. This would have resulted in a new approach of seeking customers by using technology and the human touch.

Lincoln Electric Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lincoln Electric - Case Study Example As the discussion stresses  one of the major contributing factors towards the success of Lincoln Electric is its flexibility. The company does not believe in maintaining an official organization chart in order to offer high flexibility. The company’s easy and less complicated policy support s employees to go to anyone whom they think to be proficient enough in providing solutions to their problems offering a flexible organizational structure. Flexibility is considered to be an important factor for the success of any organization. Employees or workers should be given enough flexibility to work according to their own ways and convenience in order to be productive ensuring the superiority of the end products.This paper highlights that  an easy and less complex policy would remove the barriers among the workers and the executives and would facilitate smooth communication. Communication is quite important in organizations so that the problems can be communicated to the concerne d person and measures can be immediately taken to find a solution without largely hampering the manufacturing functions.  The company does not have any special policies or perks for the executives which promotes a sense of equality among the employees and in turn encourages a sense of responsibility in them.  The company handed over the control of management to various teams which facilitate them with the right to take decisions when necessary. This ensures a smooth flow of work, as employees need not wait for others to take decisions and then having to act accordingly. This triggers in them a sense of responsibility to perform better (Willcoxson, 2011). Another important factor is that employees are entitled to profit sharing as well as stock options based on individual as well as team performance (McGee & Et. Al., 2006). Employees are influenced to bring forward innovative ideas by the management which would enhance their productivity. The company constantly invests on trainin g as well as educating the employees to make certain effectual contributions towards business performance. The responsibilities given to the employees are also considered as significant factor. They include pay cuts and penalties in case of absenteeism which instill a sense of responsibility, the workers related to production needs to provide assurance regarding the quality of individual piece produced by them or else no payment is made against it and finally there are only few supervisors owing to which team work is promoted without any detailed supervision. Thus, the above mentioned factors can be considered as the major contributing factors for the company’s superior performance (Lussier, 2008). Understanding of the Factors Responsible for High Performance The high performance of Lincoln Electric is reliant on many external as well as internal factors. Flexibility, communication, incentive structure, policies, sense of equality and responsibility are the most important contributing

Should affirmative action for colleges and universities be continued Research Paper

Should affirmative action for colleges and universities be continued - Research Paper Example The evolution of cultural perceptions relies on concepts being widely accepted, a progression that doesn’t appear to happen naturally without the assistance of affirmative action policies. Since its beginning, affirmative action has proved successful in balancing the scale of educational access equality. The quota system instituted by a school usually reflects the region’s ethnic demographics therefore allowing for actual educational opportunity that are not discriminatory towards any specific race. Although some in the majority racial group, Caucasians, may now perceive they are not being treated justly, the scale of justice is only now adjusted back toward to the middle thanks chiefly to the utilization of affirmative action which underscores the need for this system to continue. The U.S. government began affirmative action measures during the Civil Rights era of the 1960’s, in an effort to eliminate institutional racial discrimination. Starting with an executi ve order authored in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, these programs were sanctioned in an effort to equalize racial inequality. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) â€Å"prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin† (US Equal Employment Opportunity, 1997). The Supreme Court held in the 2003 University of Michigan case that â€Å"the University of Michigan’s use of race among other factors in its law school admissions program was constitutional† (History of Affirmative Action, 2003). This decision was a significant milestone in shaping the way we, as a society, will development. From its beginnings in the mid 1960’s, affirmative action has helped many thousands of formerly disadvantaged persons who, because of the law, have since earned previously denied access to a higher education. This includes persons of color, other types of minorities and women who were previously denied educational opportunities or were not given opportunities for advancement within the institution after given access. These advances have led to noticeable changes not only in the individual person’s life but in the significance society values the concept of justice for all. Affirmative action agendas do not have the capability to eliminate racist attitudes, but it mitigates some of the effects caused by it. The concept of affirmative action has suffered its critics and its implementation has not been without issues, but to eradicate this guiding principle of equal treatment would be to reverse the hard fought advancements of the Civil Rights Movement and turn back the time to the regretful days of overt racism prior to the mid-1960’s U.S. Arguments involving affirmative action policies are well more far reaching than the legal matter alone. It is the ethical responsibility of every person and institution in this nation to use all strategies of ending racial discrimination. However there is a s egment of society who does not acknowledge and have passionately challenged affirmative action on both legal grounds and as a social cure for bigotry. They say that affirmative action is a case in point where two wrongs do not make a right and claiming reverse discrimination has actually been the eventual result. Of course this faction does not challenge traditional means of discriminatory practices and

Lincoln Electric Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lincoln Electric - Case Study Example As the discussion stresses  one of the major contributing factors towards the success of Lincoln Electric is its flexibility. The company does not believe in maintaining an official organization chart in order to offer high flexibility. The company’s easy and less complicated policy support s employees to go to anyone whom they think to be proficient enough in providing solutions to their problems offering a flexible organizational structure. Flexibility is considered to be an important factor for the success of any organization. Employees or workers should be given enough flexibility to work according to their own ways and convenience in order to be productive ensuring the superiority of the end products.This paper highlights that  an easy and less complex policy would remove the barriers among the workers and the executives and would facilitate smooth communication. Communication is quite important in organizations so that the problems can be communicated to the concerne d person and measures can be immediately taken to find a solution without largely hampering the manufacturing functions.  The company does not have any special policies or perks for the executives which promotes a sense of equality among the employees and in turn encourages a sense of responsibility in them.  The company handed over the control of management to various teams which facilitate them with the right to take decisions when necessary. This ensures a smooth flow of work, as employees need not wait for others to take decisions and then having to act accordingly. This triggers in them a sense of responsibility to perform better (Willcoxson, 2011). Another important factor is that employees are entitled to profit sharing as well as stock options based on individual as well as team performance (McGee & Et. Al., 2006). Employees are influenced to bring forward innovative ideas by the management which would enhance their productivity. The company constantly invests on trainin g as well as educating the employees to make certain effectual contributions towards business performance. The responsibilities given to the employees are also considered as significant factor. They include pay cuts and penalties in case of absenteeism which instill a sense of responsibility, the workers related to production needs to provide assurance regarding the quality of individual piece produced by them or else no payment is made against it and finally there are only few supervisors owing to which team work is promoted without any detailed supervision. Thus, the above mentioned factors can be considered as the major contributing factors for the company’s superior performance (Lussier, 2008). Understanding of the Factors Responsible for High Performance The high performance of Lincoln Electric is reliant on many external as well as internal factors. Flexibility, communication, incentive structure, policies, sense of equality and responsibility are the most important contributing

Deforestation and the effects on the environment with philosophical Essay

Deforestation and the effects on the environment with philosophical theoretical issues - Essay Example Current paper focuses on the expansion of deforestation as a critical environmental problem in countries internationally. Emphasis is given on the potential explanation of deforestation using appropriate philosophical approaches. As already noted, deforestation affects all aspects of life; its evaluation could be therefore initiated using philosophy, which has highly contributed in the explanation of critical social phenomena, such as the response of individuals to environmental threats. It is made clear that deforestation can be explained using philosophy, but the assumptions made can be differentiated under the influence of the local social ethics and beliefs but also the level of the willingness of the local government to guarantee the protection of natural environment. In any case, it seems that the expansion of deforestation is difficult to be controlled, even if appropriate initiatives are developed for urging individuals to respond dynamically to the particular problem. In acc ordance with a relevant study, ‘between the years 1950 and 1982 tropical forests worldwide shrank by between 25% and 40%’ (Babin 2004, p.63). ... This is the economic aspect of deforestation. It seems that the most important effects of deforestation are not related to the market. Indeed, forests can secure biodiversity and help towards ‘the regulation of climate’ (Montagnini 2005, p.115). At the same time, forests are valuable in controlling floods and keeping carbon at low levels (Montagnini 2005). In the study of Goudie (2006) reference is made to the role of forests in controlling the flow of river water, keeping the temperature of the water at a specific level and affecting the ingredients of stream water. Indeed, in accordance with the above researcher, forests help in the development of a chemistry process through which the ingredients of stream water are secured, at the level that the forests are ‘important sources of nutrients’ (Goudie 2006, p.152). The aesthetic aspect of forests cannot be ignored. At the same time, forests are used as areas of leisure, enhancing the relationship between the humans and the natural environment. However, their value is often disregarded. Strong financial interests promote deforestation with no prior planning, leading, among other consequences, to severe turbulences on climate worldwide. As Montagnini (2005) notes the development of deforestation internationally reveals the inability of governments to introduce effective plans in regard to sustainability and management of natural resources. Moreover, the expansion of deforestation indicates the lack of willingness to control economic interests of multinationals, which hold the major responsibility for the radical increase of deforestation the last decade. From this point of view, deforestation cannot

President of Venezuel Essay Example for Free

President of Venezuel Essay The current president of Venezuela named Hugo Rafael Chavez was born in Venezuela’s western grassland region on July 28, 1954. Socialism, Latin American integration and anti imperialism are promoted by the president because he was also leading the Bolivarian Revolution. Neo-liberal globalization and U. S. foreign policy were the main critics of the president. His parents were schoolteacher which is not a lucrative profession by any mean in Venezuela. He was belong to a poor family besides this in Venezuela dark skinned dark skin people faces strong racial divisions and white skinned people are elite. When he was seventeen years old he enrolled at Venezuela â€Å"Academy of Military Sciences† and studied engineering. After completion of acidic career he joined he joint military for several months. Chavez was immediately popular with his fellow students, he and his fellow students developed a left nationalist doctrine that they termed Bolivarianism inspired by his real hero Simon Bolivar, the father of Venezuelan independence and a figure of legendary dimensions. He was an excellent player of baseball and he played a lot for team called the Criollitos de Venezuela. Moreover, upon completion of his studies, Chavez entered the active military service. His military career lasted for 17 years, during this time he held variety of posts, seniorities and commands. He was also the part of the lectureship and was famous for his fiercy lecturing style and radical critique of Venezuelan government and society. With his natural charisma, he brings closer soldiers to his ideas, and built a network of supporters within the army. In 1983 he established MBR 200, the revolutionary Bolivarian movement (Movimiento Bolivariano Revolucionario 200), 1983 being the 200th anniversary of Simon Bolivars birth. Simon Bolivar: Influent Al Person in Hugo Chavezs Life Major influence on Chavez came from Simon Bolivar, from where Bolivarian movement was developed. The memory of Simon Bolivar has yet kept alive in Venezuela, the revolution of 19th century which led the sub continent independence battle against Spain. Simon Bolivar was born in Spain and many of his followers were native of Venezuela. Nonetheless, Simon Bolivar remained to be a significant and founding myth for the Venezuela institute. Particularly, his arm forces helped him a lot to bind them together even though of political instability. Chavez when he was a school child during the periods of 1950’s and 1960’s in the school studied a lot Bolivar’s feats against the Spaniards. The defining event in his life came when in 1989 the economy was devastated by rising oil prices which led President Carlos Andres Perez to a serious of tough measures. As a result of rising oil prices, buses fares were increased which led to protests by poor people and the army was sent to suppress the protestors. Chavez belong that part of the group that was deployed and he was enraged when he listen the order shoot all the citizens who he believes had a legitimate grievances. This was the motivation which led to his army coup that he organized against the same president some three years later. MBR 200. Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 The MBR 200 was the social and political movement that Hugo Chavez founded in 1983. Chavez established MBR 200 setting as its political goals the realization of Bolivars ideals by means of a Bolivar resolution, which refers to a mass social and political movement in Venezuela aimed at eradication of corruption and emphasized on redistributive social justice and economic and political sovereignty. Some important points of Chavezs Bolivarianism are: †¢ Political participation of the masses by votes, referendum and councils †¢ Political and economic sovereignty †¢ Economic self – sufficiency †¢ Building in people nationality and patriotism †¢ Eradication of corruption †¢ Equal distribution of oil revenues of his land 1992 Coup Chavez was working as a lieutenant colonel during his late 30s. In addition, he was also working as a committed left wing activist, mixing with left wing group outside the army and conspiring in the institution for the sake of coup d’etat. So, after an extended period of dissatisfaction and economic decline under the administration of President Perez, Chavez and his fellow conspirators launched a military coup in Feb 1992. Although the coup was not entirely successful Chavez came to national prominence due to a abruptly speech made shortly after his arrest, the Venezuelan government allowed him forty five second speech in order to tell his co-conspirators to lay down the arm. It was a mistake made on the government part and Chavez made the most of it. Chavez in Power When Chavez spent his 2 year life in Jail during the period of 1990s economy of Venezuela was went on to bear the huge burden of oil prices. Support for the two of main political parties decline in elections of 1994, Chavez found the population increasingly receptive to its critique of the two party models and its associated corruption. Chavez organized a new party called the â€Å"fifth republic movement† During 1996 97 his support gradually increased in polls and he scored a comfortable majority and took power in 1998, his first political office with 56 percent of votes. Chavez Is Moving Venezuela from A Democracy To A Totalitarian State â€Å"Chavez supporters assert that, in fact, it is the current administration which is successfully steering Venezuela away from its statist and authoritarian past. They refer to the introduction of the new constitution at the beginning of Chavez’s term, which provides numerous opportunities for citizens to become directly involved in participatory politics, including making provisions for the current recall drive. Civil society groups can, for example, participate indirectly in the selection of judicial officials as well for as the national electoral commission. Furthermore, Chavez’s standing with his own people seems to be improving, which reflects an economy which once again shows promises. Even though the middle-class led last year end’s strike cost the economy $10 billion, unemployment has slowly dropped to 15%. The Bloomberg News Service credits the Venezuela Stock Exchange with one of the two best performances of the 59 exchanges it monitors worldwide. With Chavez’s personal popularity, he has climbed back to 40% after dipping to 30% a number of months ago†. Authoritarian Vs Democratic (Democracy Vs Totalitarian State) There has been a continuous debate whether Chavez has released from corruption accusation or he himself damaged the country’s own foundation of democracy. Authoritarian Some believe that the Hugo Chavez have more power than any president should have. Chavezs new constitution has been seen as authoritarian. Although there are detailed sections involving human rights, but some believe that the power given to the highest branch of government can easily lead to human rights violations. The new constitution also allows the president to be in the office considerably, which some suggests leads to authoritarianism. Scholars also criticized the way Chavez gained power and his conduct afterwards. The motivation behind his recent constituent assembly has been seen as to settle the score with Venezuelans traditional opposition parties and remove them from all positions of influence. One scholar suggested that Chavez himself overthrown the government in 1992 as similar to the corruption of the traditional parties of Venezuela, which clutched power by the military inventions in 1945 and misbalanced Venezuela’s supreme court and congress. Democratic Stance On the other way, some believe that the Chavez protected the democracy. In their point of views, â€Å"Chavezs government does emphasize the mobilization of the masses and confrontational speeches, Chavez cannot be equated to fascism since his ideology is left wing. Others are more pronounced in their view that Chavez is a benefit to democracy. These people believe that Chavez simply frees Venezuela from the corruption and he stands for a much needed transformation in Venezuelan society† Since Chavez does not belong to any party, and he came from the grass roots and has seen all the hardships, therefore he is more capable to meet the interest of the Venezuelans. Some opponent of Chavez equates him with Fujiori but his comparison is not correct because unlike Fujimori Chavez has an self-governing foreign military, a revolutionary disclosure and he did not endorse huge privatization. Economic Policies Venezuela is the 5th largest oil producer, which remains the key of Venezuelan economy. Chavez has gained a reputation as a price hawk in OPEC. At a meeting of OPEC in July 2006, Venezuela was the only country calling for lowered production to drive oil prices higher. Some critics say that under the President Chavez regime the output of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) which is a state owned company, has been reduced by 25% and Venezuela cannot meets it current quota. However Forbes argues that the political and other influence have an effect on numbers. Nonetheless, Chavez has attempted to broaden Venezuelas customer base by getting into joint ventures with other developing countries including China, Brazil, Argentina and India. Although the record oil prices have meant more funding for the social and development plans, but it has also left the economy dependent on oil sector, private sector role has diminished. â€Å"February 6, 2006 Chavez announced a 15% increase in the minimum wage and a new model for Venezuela’s national health-care system, with US$449 million allocated to upgrade 43 hospitals. Implementing a measure of the constitution that recognises housework as an economic activity, the government will also provide wages to 200,000 poor homemakers. January 30, 2006 Chavez launched 12 new state-run Social Production Enterprises (EPS) in key industries, with the aim of substituting for the many products Venezuela currently imports. This is a key part of overcoming Venezuela’s underdevelopment and achieving genuine sovereignty. The EPS follow a new economic model oriented towards human need rather than private profits. February 7, 2006 Chavez announced his government would provide $1 billion in funding to community planning councils. These elected councils aim to greatly deepen participatory democracy by allowing people to directly control public policy†. Unemployment is down â€Å"Venezuela is experiencing a period of economic growth which has moved the formal employment sector (businesses with five or more employees) past the 50 percent mark. When businesses with less than five employees are taken into account the informal sector is much lower (perhaps 35 percent) — unusual for Latin America, which suffers from chronic unemployment and underemployment. I happened on a long line in a downtown shopping district and asked some ladies if they were waiting for the internet cafe to open. No, mi amor, la tienda de zapatos. â€Å"The finest shoes added another. The National Institute of Statistics is preparing a study that will measure the standard of living, not only wages as the World Bank does. Taking the social programs into account — especially the 15,000 Cuban doctors and more money invested in the Social Security hospitals — the standard of living should show more improvement than wages alone show. The institutes president says free education at all levels has drastically reduced dropout rates. This will undoubtedly raise standards of living in the long run as more students go on to higher education†. Highlight of Key Statistical Data Per Capital GDP: During Chavezs presidency per capital GDP dropped 1% 2%. GDP Growth Rates: 18% in 2004, 9% in 2005 and 9% in the first half of 2006. Non-Petroleum Sectors: From 2004 to the first half of 2006, Non Petroleum Sectors showed a growth of greater than 10% Poverty Figures: Dropped by 10% officially. Unemployment: Dropped by 7. 7% since the start of Chavezs presidency. Inflation: Dropped from 29. 9% to 14. 4%

computer graphics :: essays research papers

Computer Graphics When I think of art I think of great artists of the past. Artists that have spent practically all their lives to produce visually stunning pieces of work. Artists such as Michelangelo, who spent 15 years of his life to finalize a painting on the ceiling of the St. Peter’s Cathedral. When I think of art, I think of the legendary sculptures of the classical era. Artists then envisioned a final work from a block of stone. However, It is very difficult for me to consider a person who sits in front of a computer and plays with a pre-programmed software as an artist. As narrow as that statement may sound, In my opinion, it seems true and to the point.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My sophmore year at Seton Hall I assumed an art class, Art of the Western World. I took the class because like most classes at the University, I needed it fulfill my requirements. However, by the end of the semester I was amazed about art, more so then I ever was. In fact, I have never cared about art before in my life. But the class acquired my eyes to appreciate artistic objects around me. I began to realize that art is a long and difficult process. A skill that requires great determination and perfection. Early painters had to face the difficulties of paint drying too fast or the paper fading. Besides that, I witnessed how the great sculptures imagined the final work before it was even begun. Initially, they started from a block of stone or marble, having to carve out each and every layer. I was amazed, I could not imagine how long or difficult this could be. How long it must have took to create certain final works was incredible and for what, the mere satisfac tion and thrill?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maybe it is because artists of the past did not have breakthrough technology like we do today. Because if they did, then it is possible they would have taken easier routes to complete their work. But, today’s computer graphic designers have it much easier in my opinion. Granted, they too have to spend long hours learning the functions of a program. However, the software has been premade by other programmers. So how can u consider yourself an artist when you are using someone else’s program in which you are limited to what the programmer has installed.

Soil Erosion and The Erosion of Civilizations :: Soil Erosion

Soil erosion began with the dawn of agriculture, when people abandoned their hunter-gatherer lifestyles and began using the land for intensive agriculture, thus removing the protective vegetation cover and growing food crops on disturbed soil surfaces. For many civilizations, it is believed that surface wash erosion, that can occur unnoticed until it is too late, was a main contributing factor for their demise. Soil erosion and other degradative processes have destroyed, over the millennia, as much arable land as is now cultivated. The Phoenicians, the Roman Empire, Mesopotamia, and ancient peoples of present-day Syria and Lebanon are all believed to have collapsed as a result of deforestation, erosion, and salination in the Middle East. In the Indus valley civilizations have suffered the same fate. The collapse of a 1700-year-old Mayan civilization in Guatemala around 900 A.D. is also attributed to accelerated soil erosion. Mollisols developed on limestone bedrock were easily eroded when the forest was cleared. As the population increased, soil depletion set in and the Maya culture rapidly declined. Soils of south and Central America supported thriving civilization long before the European settlers discovered the â€Å"new world†. Incas conserved soil and water by constructing stone-walled bench terraces such as those at Machu Picchu, Peru. The thin topsoil was rapidly washed away, however, once maintenance of the terrace system was neglected. Much of Latin America’s export-oriented economy was imposed by violence at the time of conquest.

What Happened to Kmart

Case Study – What Happened to Kmart? 1. Evaluate Kmart using the value chain and competitive forces models. What was Kmart's business model and business strategy? Kmart has numerous problems with its value chain. This is evident from the suppliers sending items that the suppliers want to sell, shelves remaining unstocked, the â€Å"hand shifting† reordering process for popular items, products being allocated by central planners and not based on individual store demand, excess inventory stored in 15,000 truck-trailers behind its stores, shrinkage, and having to choose to either ship toothpaste or Christmas trees.Since its entrance as the first discount store in the 1960s, Kmart has not been able to ward off new entrants into the discount chain business. The new entrants, such as Wal-Mart and Target, have come on strong and surpassed Kmart. Kmart's suppliers seem to be calling the shots with the retailer, since they are promoting the items that they can sell and not helpi ng Kmart address its mounting problems. Kmart's customers are voting with their pocketbooks and shopping at its competitors' stores.Kmart uses a promotions-drive business model. The company uses advertising circulars to promote its â€Å"blue-light† specials. 2. What was the relationship of information systems to Kmart's business processes and business strategy? How well did its systems support its strategy? Kmart's information systems and its business processes and business strategy were not in alignment. As an example, the information systems could collect data, but the data were not available for analysis and decision-making purposes.As the case mentions, forecasting decisions were based on management's judgment, not on the data. Kmart's systems did not support its strategy. One of the problems mentioned in the case is that its supply chain management system could not easily accommodate the sharp increases and decreases in demand. The distribution center's outdated technol ogy led to supplies sitting on pallets for 24 hours until they were recorded in the central tracking system. When reordering popular products, the employees would hand sift through previous purchasing receipts. . What management, organization, and technology factors contributed to Kmart's problems? From the case, it appears that Kmart management is inconsistent with its implementation of the company's strategy. Management is unable to use data to forecast demand; it has lost sight of its core competencies, and is unable to change Kmart's image. Although management wanted to restructure its supply chain, it continued to expand its product offerings, as opposed to focusing on the fastest selling items. Mr.Conaway's plan to restructure Kmart has obviously not worked out. Although Mr. Conaway wanted the local stores to make their own stocking decisions, the stocking decisions were still being made by the central planners. When the new system was installed, Mr. Buzek made the comment tha t â€Å"the information would be useless because management just didn't believe in the system. † Although the company uses a promotions-driven strategy, the company reduced its advertising circulars. As the case points out, no other alternative for achieving the strategy was provided.Although Kmart wanted to reinvent its supply chain, management was unwilling to unify the distribution system's two computers because the project was too expensive. From an organizational perspective, the suppliers, central planners, business processes, individual stores, warehouses, and distribution center have definite communication problems and are not sharing data as efficiently as possible. One could argue that very little data sharing is going on. Central planners are making the stocking decisions for the individual stores, but what needs to be stocked at each store is not being effectively communicated.From a technology perspective, outdated technology and incompatible systems were in plac e. The new i2 project did not succeed for a variety of reasons, including the need for more hardware, the inability of the project to connect the point-of-sale systems and inventory systems to the distribution systems, and not being robust enough to handle a large number of SKUs. 4. How important was supply chain management in contributing to Kmart's problems? Evaluate Conaway's decision to use i2 software to improve Kmart's supply chain management.Supply chain management was very important to Kmart. Kmart has been unable to successfully manage its inbound logistics, operations, sales and marketing, service, and outbound logistics. Unfortunately, the company's inability to effectively manage its supply chain led to ineffective advertising, lots of items being overstocked, popular items being understocked, a large product offering, poor communication with suppliers and its business units, items sitting on pallets waiting to be entered into the central tracking system, and shipping pr oblems.The goals for the i2 project were commendable, since the project was supposed to improve Kmart's sales forecasting, inventory sourcing, logistics, and reporting. The project was supposed to facilitate micromarketing, supplier product tracking, order execution, shipment scheduling, and delivery tracking. It is interesting that Mr. Conaway chose i2 Technologies for the new supply chain management project, since i2 Technologies had â€Å"only recent and limited experience in the retail sector. The decision to use i2 Technologies was not a good decision, since the system was not designed to work with the large number of SKUs, Kmart (according to some) wrote off and abandoned some of its i2 software, the project fell behind schedule, and the inability to connect the point-of-sale systems and inventory systems to the distribution systems. 5. Were those blaming software for the collapse of Kmart correct? Explain your answer. Actually, there is enough blame to go around. 2 Technolog ies did a very poor job analyzing and designing the system for Kmart. It also appears that Kmart's management did not get behind the project and was also unwilling to transform its core business processes. 6. It has been said that â€Å"Wal-Mart uses their IT strategically, and they fully integrate it into their operating model. † Does this statement apply to Kmart? Explain your response. This statement does not apply to Kmart.Kmart is using an outdated business model and has been unwilling to change its model. Its unwillingness to change is one of the reasons why Wal-Mart and Target have been able to successfully compete against Kmart and why Kmart is in bankruptcy. 7. List the problems Conaway faced when he took over Kmart, and then describe the short- and long-range policies you would have followed had you been in his place. When Mr. Conaway took over Kmart, he faced several problems, including stiff competition from Wal-Mart and Target.The company was using an outdated bu siness model, spending more money than the competition to get its goods into its stores, its information systems were collecting data but not using it effectively, it had significant problems with its entire value chain, it had a frumpy reputation, its shelves were often empty, it offered a wide range of products, it provided poor customer service, and it did not care about the competition. Students will provide a variety of short- and long-range policy recommendations.

The Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey In recent centuries, China has been subject to many foreign powers even on its own soil. In times of low national pride, martial art masters such as Ye Wen and Huo Yuanjia became national heroes, inspiring the Chinese people to prove their worth to visiting foreigners and preserve their sovereignty. Through a comparative study of heroic martial artists in the recent Chinese films Ip Man( ) and Jet Li’s Fearless ( ), this paper will explore how the stories that they tell relate to and critically reflect the â€Å"Hero’s Journey† narrative pattern identified by American Scholar Joseph Campbell.Campbell’s 2008 book The Hero With a Thousand Faces provides a theoretical frame for this paper. We will study how these martial artists’ personal stories inspire their community and the nation to overcome great hardship and how the filmic representation of their images represents the self-image of China as a nation. Drawing a parallel between these heroic images and China’s own journey toward self-reliance and national regeneration, this paper will argue that the narrative pattern of â€Å"A Hero’s Journey† could also project a meaningful reading of China’s own trajectory of social and economic growth as a nation.The first film that this paper studies, Jet Li’s Fearless takes place in the early 1900’s, half a century after the Opium Wars have resulted in China giving up territory to Western powers as well as diminished their rule over foreigners in Chinese cities. In this historical period, Western powers look down on the Chinese as the weak men of Asia. Likewise, despite his father being a martial arts master, Huo Yuanjia is not permitted by his father to practice wushu because of his asthma.After his father’s death, Yuanjia is able to practice wushu openly and begins to build his reputation as the â€Å"best of Tianjin. † Huo Yuanjia’s call to adven ture comes after tragedy strikes his family. Yuanjia is led by one of his disciples to believe that another martial artist, Master Qin, has beaten him without provocation. In the ensuing confusion, Yuanjia kills Master Qin and Master Qin’s nephew in turn kills Yuanjia’s wife and daughter. This personal tragedy can be contextualized in the historical period knows as the Boxer Rebellion.China’s reluctance to accept western ideals, specifically its rejection of Christianity, led to irrevocable conflict across the country in which many innocent people lose their lives. As portrayed by the film, one of China’s major weaknesses was its inability to adapt as the world around it modernizes and westernizes. A hero is not without mentors and ultimately must work to gain a treasure, which can then be used to transform the world. Huo Yuanjia is humbled by the tragedy that struck his life and learns to accept guidance from many around him.In a small mountain village h e is taught how to live in harmony with nature. Upon returning to Tianjin, he visits his old friend Nong Jinsun with a changed heart. Yuanjia knows that China’s image is in desperate need of refreshing and asks his friend to pay his way to challenge O’Brien, the US boxing champion, in Shanghai. Huo Yuanjia then undergoes many tests, finding allies and enemies along the way. He is invited to dinner and tea on occasion. The first invitation comes, again, from his friend Nong Jinsun.The two agree that China must realize the gravity of their situation and reunite to take back their sovereignty. Jinsun knows that Yuanjia can unify the country through martial arts and is so dedicated to the idea that he sells his successful restaurant in order to help open the Jingwu Sports Federation. Later, Yuanjia has tea with an arranged challenger, Anno Tanaka. Tanaka is prideful of his knowledge and taste for differentiating various grades of tea. In perhaps the deepest line of the fil m, Yuanjia explains to Tanaka that the tea does not judge itself, but people judge it, placing one above the other.In contrast, Yuanjia believes that the all tea is made equal by nature and the taste of the tea will reflect the attitude of the drinker. As for martial arts, there isn’t one superior style, but varying degrees of skill in each style. This explains China’s endangered situation at the time of the movie. The Chinese style of government and nationalism simply couldn’t withstand the pressure of outside forces. Finally, the hero Huo Yuanjia must  be severely tested in order to be purified by a last sacrifice.According to the film Fearless, Yuanjia’s sacrifice is literal. In a contest against four opponents, he is poisoned, even as he is near victory. China has its own internal conflict. Although the internal struggle was largely put on hold during the Second World War, the Chinese Communist and Nationalist Parties divided China one more time bef ore it could finally be united under Mao Zedong’s communist government. Tanaka declares Yuanjia the victor as he dies and becomes a hero behind which the Chinese can unite to fight the foreign influence.Resonating the theme of heroism and nationalism, the movie Ip Man is a great tribute to Ip Man, a great leader of China by example of his determination to achieve justice. This story takes place in Foshan, Guangdong region before and during the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s. This invasion leaves a lot of Chinese people to be wrongly treated and also have an inappropriate and improper view of the actuality in strength that China has as a whole especially in numbers. What good can a high amount of people be if they aren’t all governed by the same organized and directive laws?The importance of effective and self-sufficient leadership is great and can be shown through the life of heroes like the martial artist Ip Man, a visionary leader of the Chinese people, who was able to bring hope, direction and most importantly greater unity to the local Chinese community Ip Man was a very important and influential master of Kong Fu in the history of China. Taking his heroic life and comparing it with the â€Å"Hero’s Journey† will allow readers to perceive what affects a Heroic figure had on a historical nation such as China.According to Joseph Campbell, there are various stages in the narrative pattern of â€Å"A Hero’s Journey. † The most important are: one, â€Å"The Ordinary World†; two, â€Å"The Call To Adventure†; three, â€Å"Refusal of The Call†; four, â€Å"Meeting with the mentor†; five, â€Å"Tests, Allies and Enemies†; six â€Å"The Ordeal†; seven, â€Å"The Road Back†; and lastly, eight, â€Å"Return With The Elixir†. In Ip Man, the first stage, â€Å"The Ordinary World†, is presented as the earlier life of Ip Man. He is extremely accomplished in t raditional Chinese martial arts and lives a quite life.As an ordinary person, he has no desire to become a master and teach others. Corresponding to Stage two, â€Å"The Call To Adventure,† Ip Man is brought to pass as the Japanese are introduced as invading China, which caused numerous Chinese to live in perilous conditions. Ip Man, as well, lost his home and many personal belongings. In a scene of the film, a Japanese General invites Chinese locals to challenge Japanese martial artists using their own styles of Kong Fu to judge which national martial arts are more powerful.The intersection between personal and national crisis is escalated in the third stage, corresponding to Campbell’s narrative pattern â€Å"Refusal of the Call†, when Ip Man chooses to fight against 10 Japanese fighters at once due to the very recent murder of his close friend. He triumphs at last, conquering his challengers. When he reviews this experience with his wife, he comments that his Kong Fu has no use in this current unfortunate situation for his country-men and friends since the whole nation is in a larger, much more dangerous and critical condition.Later a Chinese officer who later works as the interpreter for the Japanese brings the Japanese military to find Ip Man. This is when the fifth stage is visible, â€Å"Tests, Allies and Enemies†. Ip Man could see the apparent intentions that one Japanese officer had towards his wife. To save himself and his family from danger, Ip Man fights against all the soldiers and finally manages to flee. The story later progresses into stage six â€Å"The Ordeal†, when Ip Man dares to face the Japanese General in a fight to see whose Kong Fu can prevail.At this time Ip Man understands that whether he wins or loses, he is doomed to be unfairly killed. However, he knows that the dignity and glory of his nation rests on him and is dependent on his victory. Ip man then greatly triumphed in this match up, and the la rge crowd mostly consisting of Chinese locals cheered and chanted, â€Å"Ip Man, Ip Man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but then out of nowhere a Japanese Colonel shot Ip Man, and seemed to have killed him, but luckily he lived on.Finally, corresponding to Stage seven, â€Å"The Road Back†, the film shows Ip Man willingly sacrificing himself to protect the workers in the cotton factory, when revealing his genuine care for them, his countrymen. Lastly, stage eight, â€Å"Return with the elixir† is that Ip Man finally establishes his belief that Chinese martial arts is founded in Confucian spirit, the essence of which is benevolence. This corresponds to the eighth stage in the Campbell narrative pattern, the return with the elixir, which to Ip Man, is this spirit of benevolence. This, the elixir is a treasure that the Hero brings back from his journey.It can be physical or an idea. In most wushu films, the elixir can best be compared to attaining a zen-like state where the hero gains int ernal peace and harmony with the world around him. To conclude, as a part of the Hero’s Journey, the hero must obtain some form of treasure or elixir. For Huo Yuanjia, the treasure was discovering the essence of wushu. Before his journey, Yuanjia was certainly a strong martial artist, but through his journey, he realized that the true power in martial arts is the ability to avert conflict and better oneself.For Ip Man, the true lesson that he obtained was that you must cherish your abilities using them for good and that even one person can accomplish great things as an example to others, causing many people to unite and become great. As a nation with dramatic changes in the recent decades, China has recently learned this lesson power in unity and good leadership as well. In 1971, The People’s Republic of China gained a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Since then, China has worked peacefully to become a world power, with an average annual GDP growth rate of ne arly 10 percent in the last 20 years.And finally, Beijing had the honor of hosting the world’s athletes in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. China has grown into a world power, and as any hero knows, with great power comes great responsibility. Through this process that is found through a hero’s journey, the audience are also invited to explore the importance of these heroes and their entire process of becoming real heroes and draw lessons from them. The same is true for China as a nation that may grow and progress by learning from the empowering examples of heroes on screen such as Ip Man and Huo Yuanjia. .