Human Experiences - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 475 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Introduction Human experiences are inevitable and affect people from all corners of the world whether they are wealthy or struggling financially and in a strong or weak relationship. Human experiences are emphasized through the play ‘Ruby Moon’ composed by Matt Cameron where the Human Experience of the loss of a child is addressed to the audience. A similar message is conveyed in the Golden Boy composed by Abigail Tarttelin. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Human Experiences" essay for you Create order This detrimental social concern can have many ramifications on both the families and friends involved, which could lead to them facing the challenge of grief and sorrow as well as paranoia shown concurrently in the play ‘Ruby Moon’ and Golden Boy. The two plays represent a modern day life of individuals and the experiences they have to go through every day. The author of the novel Ruby Moon explores the experience of individuals, loss as well as grief. These are the issues that shape the identity of a person and hence result to impact the relationships with others. The loss of a child may be a great loss to any of the families as it brings grief to the affected. The issue leads to the fear of the unknown as they do not know what will happen with their other children in the future. By having the same fear in the family of Max in the book Golden boy, the family is worried due to the life-changing questions they receive. They also fear of the threat of hunger, the revelations as well as the love life of the boy. There is the fear of him being flawed failing to become the perfect boyfriend for the misfit of Sylvie Clark or even the oddball loner in the entire class. By the loss of the father in the golden boy brings out the issue of grief as the mother is worried about her reputation. This is because many people took her to have lied with a white tourist though this was not the case. The secret of their son being born with forty-six XY chromosomes and forty-six XX chromosomes keeps haunting them. They are therefore having hard time thinking about the future of their intersex son. Max and his family are in a state of confusion as they try to understand the real identity of their son. Ray and Sylvie, in the Ruby moon, are in a state of distress and grief after their daughter got lost on her way to visit her grandmother. The grief leads to a state of fear of the future. With the whole story not giving the link to where the daughter could have ended up in, it is clear that the couple lives a traumatized life. This represents the issue of grief in their lives which brings out the experiences that many families have to go through in their lives every day.

The Importance Of Mindfulness Mental Health Relationship,...

Research around the construct of mindfulness has exploded in the past few decades. Even though mindfulness is increasingly being incorporated in many modern day psychotherapeutic approaches and daily lives, it is still unclear as to how and why it has its many beneficial effects on a range of physical and psychological health variables. This study was undertaken to explore two possible mediators of the mindfulness-mental health relationship, namely decentering and nonattachment. Because of the nascent stage of this research and previous mixed findings obtained in the area, the authors took a more exploratory approach in investigating this mediation. As hypothesized, mindfulness was significantly related to lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress in a population of college students and adults, consistent with a host of previous research (Baer et al., 2006; Brown Ryan, 2003). Decentering means to take an objective perspective of one’s life, as opposed to a subjective one, and to be able to notice the process and context of thinking and gain psychological distance from one’s thoughts, feelings and emotions. In the present study, higher levels of decentering were linked to lower levels of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress), consistent with prior research (Fresco et al., 2007; Hayes-Skelton Graham, 2013; McCracken et al., 2013; Pearson et al., 2014; Sauer Baer, 2010). Nonattachment is the psychological quality of deriving happiness independently of

Contemporary Society and Cultural Equation †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Contemporary Society and Cultural Equation. Answer: Introduction: Islam is a faith which preaches unity and devotion, power and chastity in its own sense. Islam has given conviction to women who are firm in their resolve and have mental strength. But misinterpretation of its religious texts has completely altered the social and cultural equation towards women which has drastically effected their day to day lives and future. In practicing Islam, it is taught that God judges a person by its gender, so there are different laws for males and for females. Muslim men do not allow Muslim women to do tough jobs such as being a military women or to practice their faith openly by going to Masjids. All he important decisions of the family as well as society are taken by men and women do not get any say in those matters. All the religious institutions have men as their leaders and they make policies as per their convenience and fancies which are not challenged by women because their opinion do not matter. In the time of war, women temporarily changed their status to become the decisions makers for few days and for numbered events. But after the time of crisis assed, women were seen to do their previously assigned roles and men who were given encouragement by women during war took their places back by citing some religious texts which was appreciated by all. It is not that Islamic religious texts do not have scriptures written in favor of women, making them equals in the eyes of men. But these verses are not recited at public meeting due to the dominance and fear of men and their retaliation after getting offended. If any woman tries to fight or oppose for their rights and upliftment then they are criticized and threatened for life. Women activists are told that they should be ashamed and are a disgra ce for their families. Women are the weakest link of the Islamic society. They are suppressed, abused and criticized at every point and there are innumerable rules and restrictions for them in economic, political and social context whereas men enjoy all the freedom in the society which creates a huge imbalance of gender equality. Consequences of this bias has crippled many generations of young and sharp Muslim women who have tried to make their mark in the pages of history but were not allowed to achieve anything significant. Driverless cars are one of the most prominent examples of modern day technological innovations. But automated car driving technology is not 100% safe till now and there are many things in a car driving mechanism which needs to be revised. There are many scenarios of accident and safety when a driverless car is on the road. To maintain the safety of the passenger or a bystander the car should follow two philosophical principles given by Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham. According to the philosophy of Kant, the car should apply the duty-bound principle which states that Thou Shalt not Kill. This principle is about the importance of life which explicitly establishes that the car should not kill a human being and the car must be allowed to take the path which may harm more than one humans but not kill anyone. Now, according to Jeremy Bentham the car must follow the principles of utilitarianism. This principle is opposite of Kants theory which states that the car should reduce the harm incurred as much as possible and in doing so even if it kills the passenger or a bystander. This creates a social dilemma where the owner of the car wants to protect the car from any harm and also wants the passengers and bystanders to be completely safe. In the case of driverless cars, prioritizing the safety of the passenger can compromise the safety of the bystander and vice versa. This is known as the tragedy of algorithmic commons. If the perspective of the owner of the car is taken into account then the safety of the passenger will be must even if the bystander on the pedestrians gets killed. To know the views of people in context of this decision making problem related to social dilemma survey was conducted in which people said that if the harm is minimized and passenger safety is compromised then they will not but the car. It was understood that in cases where people face ethical dilemma like this, they tend to protect themselves when such a situation comes. They are not ready to sacrifice and this becomes a social issue where people do trade-offs where they feel comfortable ignoring the social good. Ethics of robots is the key for this decision-making. The Case for Optimism on Climate Change Climate change has been the most talked about topics in recent years. There has been many conferences and meets resulting in climate accords and protocols agreed upon by all the developed countries of the world. Change in climate has negatively impacted the environment of Earth. Green cover of Earth has been diminishing which has reduced the resistance of pollution caused by human actions. Infusion of greenhouse gases has degraded the thin layer of air called the atmosphere to an extent where no further addition is tolerable. Negative impact of greenhouse gases has effected components of environment such as agriculture, population, diet forests, oceans, transportation, permafrost and melting of ice. The root cause of this climate change is the use of carbon-based fuels which is the major source of energy generation. Carbon-based fuels are used to generate 85% of energy all over the globe which is a dirty method of energy production in context of the environment. After the end of World War II emission of these harmful gases has increased. This has resulted in the accumulation of heating components in the atmosphere in the form of greenhouse gases. Warmer months of winter and record breaking temperature hikes in summers are the result of these man made pollution agents. This rise in heat is adversely effecting plants, animals, ecosystem and collectively the entire planet. Ocean life is also depleting as 93% of the entire heat is trapped in it. If recorded data is scrutinized, then it will be observed that heat enhancement has been in last 19 years. Consequently, typhoons and storms have been more frequent and stronger and the average humidity around the world has increased. This results in heavy downpour in selected areas and flood situations. To change the present scenario there are a lot of things organizations of the world are doing. Installation of 30 gigawatts of wind energy, cost of establishing batteries and energy storage has gone down making it cheaper to own and use, solar energy is more popularly being used in many countries of the world. Due to cheaper components of solar panels its penetration is increasing. Many big business players have started to invest in renewable energy as it is the biggest business prospect in the foreseeable future. Introduction of new technology has also leapfrogged and is adopted by countries who cannot use the above mentioned energy resources. Impact of rules and regulations of a country on its citizens is huge. Those rules are made by the culture or religious practices followed in the country. Driving a car for a woman in the country of Saudi Arabia is a social offense opposing the custom of the country and its society. Manal got arrested for driving and his brother was detained twice for giving her the car keys. She had to face social condemnation and outcast and a great amount of humiliation for doing such thing which is a very common thing in other countries of the world. It is the social norms that determines what a person is allowed to do or not and is made law in countries like Saudi Arabia. There is no such law in Saudi Arabia about women not driving a car rather it is a social custom. The reason given for such a restriction by Shura Council is that according to a survey done by UNESCO, women living in countries where women are allowed to drive have more cases of women involved in prostitution, adultery, drug abuse and rape. This custom of based on ultra-conservative belief that women are weak and inferior to men and they are they have to take permission may it be written or verbal from their guardians to do things of common practice. Moreover, women are also issued religious fatwas condemning them from their rightful duties which are derived from wrong interpretation of Sharia Law. To worsen the situation, these codes and converted into laws and their practice makes women believe in the inferiority. Manal has a different perception of her personality and herself which encouraged her to break the taboo of women driving a car in Saudi Arabia. Inspire of all the social condemnation and outcast she feels to be a hero in front of the women who like to break the shackles of inferiority and suppression around the world but is seen as a villain in the society of men and Saudi Arabia. She is also called a traitor and a betrayer of social norms in her country. Due to the efforts of Manal Al- Sharif and her crusade against social taboos Saudi Arabia has started to take small measure towards improving women rights. She is optimistic about liberating women from the shackles of societal evils existing in this modern world. She believes that women are responsible for their own fate and status in the society. Reference Arvanitakis and James. Progress and societies [online].Culturescope, Vol. 101, Aug 2013: 19-21.Availability:https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=877783198551758;res=IELHSSISSN: 1323-191X. [cited 10 Oct 17].

Mass Communications Essays - Sociology Of Culture, Cultural Studies

Mass Communications This is NOT an essay - it is a collection of notes which are the foundation of an 800 word comparison of two articles regarding the place of humanities in university studies, and the roles of mass communication. Part 1 (800 words - 30%) You will be given two short readings by the end of Week 3 of the Semester. Identify the approach or approaches used in each, and with reference to the features and examples of the identified approaches as presented in Subject materials, justify your answer. Andrew Riemer's article, "Cannon or Fodder?" (The Weekend Australian, 16-17 November 1996) can be identified as having both Idealist and Leavisite approaches within the text. This is indicated in several passages of the text: "My colleagues in the Department of English were irresponsible...They were trivialising the discipline...by allowing undergraduates to sidestep the so-called canonical writers...in favour of whatever transient phenomenon or writer of small talent happened to be their latest obsession." "They were reprehensible ... in encouraging their students to impose simple sub-Marxist, sub-feminist templates on complex and mysterious works of literature ... Milton's Eve reduced to a mere victim of the patriarchy." "Alluring though it might be, we cannot recover intellectual integrity by turning back the clock." "Cannon or Fodder?" (The Weekend Australian, 16-17 November 1996) When looking at the approaches as they are presented in the Subject Materials, one is able to identify them as clearly being both Idealistic and Leavisite. Our Subject Book indicates that the Idealistic view of culture has been "conceived in the humanities and in journalism and popular social commentary ... a realm of moral, spiritual and aesthetic values which exist largely independent and above society". Further, this view states Culture was isolated from society - autonomous because it had to be abstracted from one way of life (pre-industrial) and then transmitted and extended to another (allegedly inferior) way of life to'save' that society. The Leavisite concept of culture is still common and is firmly bound up in the theory of mass society and mass culture. Mass communications are seen to hold a crucial and privileged place in mass society, taking over the role of creating and distributing the values and information common to a society. Mass culture, unlike high culture, is unable to transcend its time and place and offer any kind of lasting truth to its audiences and, at worst, positively damages them. Critics of Leavis have questioned the narrowing of 'culture' to literature. ...idealist concept of culture, synonymous with'high' culture, it carries with it its implied opposite - the denigrated 'mass' culture. ...a central assumption of the approach is that there exists a natural hierarchy of high culture and mass culture. This is how the idealist approach deals with differences. "Media vs. Humanities" Simon During The Australian Identified approaches: materialist/Frankfurt School The mainstream perception ... is that universities produce and teach truth through research ... while the media produce and communicate quickly consumable information and opinion. The weird, ill-judged consensus that the culture is "dumbing down", which the media itself has helped to forge, is an important expression of this belief assuming as it does that the media breeds stupidity. ...the notion that the media is shallow and deals in opinion while the universities deal in depth and truth is misguided (though by no means simply false). The media are in unacknowledged competition with the humanities. ...in the interest of truth rather than ideology, they have also undercut the western classics claim on transcendental value to which the mainstream still genuflects. The humanities' old ethical project has been marginalised first by the democratisation of cultural and media consumption, second by the commercialisation of leisure pursuits, and last, by the segmentation of culture into market niches. Reader The central materialist assumption is that it is the material conditions of physical, historical and social being or existence which determine what counts as consciousness. Marx and Engels argued ... that social problems were political and needed solutions that put social interests ahead of private interests. "in direct opposition to idealism" The Frankfurt School's "critical theory", as it is known, consisted of investigations into sociology, ideology and philosophy in which their aim was a Marxist analysis of contemporary society.

Eastern Connecticut State University Admissions

Eastern Connecticut State University Admissions Eastern Connecticut State University Admissions Overview: 58% of applicants are accepted to Eastern Connecticut State University each year, making it an accessible school to many. Applicants will need solid grades and an impressive resume/application to be admitted. To apply, prospective students may use the Common Application, or can visit the schools website for Easterns application form. Additional materials include high school transcripts, letters of recommendations, and (optional) scores from the SAT or ACT. Admissions Data (2016): Eastern Connecticut State Acceptance Rate: 58%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: - / -SAT Math: - / -SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanCompare SAT scores for Connecticut collegesACT Composite: - / -ACT English: - / -ACT Math: - / -Compare ACT scores for Connecticut colleges Eastern Connecticut State University Description: Eastern Connecticut State University, often called simply Eastern, is the designated  public liberal arts college  of the Connecticut State University System. The 182-acre wooded campus is located in Willimantic, about 30 minutes from Hartford and 45 minutes from Providence. Both Boston and New York City are easily accessible. The university has a largely undergraduate focus and takes pride in the broad liberal arts foundation of its academic programs. Undergraduates can choose from 35 majors with business and psychology being most popular. Academics are supported by a 15 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 23. For motivated and self-directed students who want a major that brings together multiple disciplines, Eastern offers a popular individualized major. Life on campus is active with over 60 student clubs and organizations, and on the athletic front the Eastern Warriors compete in the NCAA Division III Little East Conference. The university fields seven me ns and ten womens intercollegiate sports. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 5,362  (5,171 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 44% Male / 56% Female83% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17): Tuition and Fees: $10,500  (in-state); $23,361 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $12,559Other Expenses: $2,251Total Cost: $26,310  (in-state); $39,171 (out-of-state) Eastern Connecticut State University Financial Aid (2015- 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 92%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 77%Loans: 76%Average Amount of AidGrants: $7,111Loans: $7,121 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Art, Biology, Business, Communication, English, General Studies, Individualized Major, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 76%4-Year Graduation Rate: 42%6-Year Graduation Rate: 54% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Soccer, Lacrosse, Basketball, Track and Field, Baseball, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Track and Field, Lacrosse, Softball, Soccer, Volleyball, Swimming, Cross Country, Basketball, Field Hockey   Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Eastern, You May Also Like These Schools: Roger Williams University: ProfileRhode Island College: ProfileAlbertus Magnus College: Profile  Southern Connecticut State University: Profile  Mitchell College: Profile  University of Hartford: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Bridgeport: Profile  Yale University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphEndicott College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Rhode Island: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

Louis Armstrongs Influential Career essays

Louis Armstrongs Influential Career essays Louis Armstrongs Influential Career Louis Armstrong was the most successful and talented jazz musician in history. His influence and expansive career continues to make waves in the jazz world. That is what made him become what he is to many today a legend. Born on August 4, 1901, in the poorest section of New Orleans, Armstrong grew up with his grandparents due to his parents separation. On January 1, 1913 he made a mistake which turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. At a New Years celebration in downtown New Orleans, Louis Armstrong, also known as Satchmo and Satch, fired a pistol into the air and was placed in the Colored Waifs Home. It was there that he was introduced to Peter Davis the brass band leader who taught him how to play the cornet (Brown 17). Soon after he began playing, Armstrong was made leader of the band something he was extremely proud of. In June of 1914, Armstrong was free to leave the Waifs Home. He was hired by various cabarets throughout the city, as well as for picnics, dances, and funerals. It was at one of these places that he was spotted by the famous Joe King Oliver. King Oliver found Armstrong stand-in slots at orchestras and other venues. In 1918, he was offered the vacant seat left by Oliver in the band the Brown Skinned Babies. Kid Ory, leader of the band, once said that after Louis joined them he, ...improved so fast it was amazing. He had a wonderful ear and a wonderful memory. All you had to do was hum or whistle a new tune to him and hed know it right away (Boujut 21). At the end of 1918 Armstrong married Daisy Parker, a prostitute he had met at a dance hall that he played on Saturday nights. The marriage ended only four years later due to her beating him regularly (Bergreen 87). Louis Armstrong was hired in May of 1919 to play on a riverboat that traveled th...

White Collar Crimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

White Collar Crimes - Essay Example White collar crimes are not as simple as robbery or homicide crimes. These usually involved elaborate methods aimed to conceal the fraudulent activities. As such, investigating such types of crimes requires the same high level thinking and critical analysis. From the description provided above, white collar crimes requires an investigation that covers several fields, ranging from economic and financial activities to a clear understanding of the laws of the land. Therefore, white collar investigators must have in-depth knowledge of economics and finance. Also, investigators must know the economic and business laws. In some cases, investigators are also required to have computer systems know-how as certain white collar crimes involved internet fraud and other activities carried out through computers. White collar investigators need to possess the same critical thinking and analysis that all investigators of any type of crime must have. They must be very detailed and must be able to easily detect unscrupulous activities that may signal the act of committing white collar crimes. Furthermore, they must be firm and must be very good interrogators as solving white collar crimes relies heavily on witness accounts.

The Effectiveness of Professional Development in Mathematics Essay

The Effectiveness of Professional Development in Mathematics - Essay Example Numeracy is one of the most important part of pre-school and school learning. "It is our skills in numeracy that allow us to read a bus timetable, estimate the cost of a basket full of groceries, and transfer a 2-dimensional plan into a 3-dimensional reality. In the future, our children are likely to need higher levels of numeracy as adults than we do today" (2). We live in the twenty first century - it is time of globalization, high technologies and great information values, so it is very important children to possess appropriate knowledge of processing information, large part of which are figures, graphs and diagrams. It is necessary for children to develop numeracy skills since childhood - these skills are determined in their further mathematical education and development. 2. The problem is methodological approach to the numeracy strategy teaching in schools and pre-school institutions. "The Archdiocesan Numeracy Strategy focuses on ensuring that children develop their numeracy skills and understandings from the earliest years of schooling and that a love and enjoyment of numeracy is fostered" (2). The first phase of the system focuses on children up to four and their learning of the number system. "Assessment Guided Learning is a key element of the Archdiocesan Numeracy Strategy. Assessment Guided Learning means that teaching and learning is informed by what the child can do" (2). Quality teacher learning is tightly c... The main focus of the review is the teachers' professional development in mathematics and its application in numeracy strategy implementation. The teacher who works with the numeracy strategy must be very competent as he teaches small children, and numeracy skills are determined in children' further mathematical development. The growth of competence and expertise in classroom teaching is clearly crucial for teacher's professional growth and for the effectiveness of the whole Mathematics teaching system. A teacher must know how to teach well. Teaching numeracy, he must develop his own teaching skills such as: knowledge, comprising the teacher's knowledge about Mathematics, pupils, curriculum, teaching methods, the influence of teaching and learning of other factors, and knowledge about the teacher's own teaching skills; decision making, comprising the thinking and decision making which occurs before, during and after a lesson, concerning how best to achieve the educational outcomes intended; action, comprising the overt behaviour by teachers undertaken to foster pupil learning.Using numeracy strategy, lesson planning and pr eparation must take into account the specificity of the subject thought. These skills are involved in selecting the educational aims and learning outcomes intended for a lesson and how best to achieve these. It would be better if a lesson has the following structure: "Introduction - Warm up, revision/questioning, concept and language development, statement of goals and/or outcomes; Middle Phase - Activities in groups or pairs, hands on, extension, graded, levelled or open-ended tasks; Final phase - Sharing, reviewing and consolidating" (3). These phases are very

How Does the Film “the Breakfast Club” (1985) Perpetuate Teen Stereotypes Essay Example for Free

How Does the Film â€Å"the Breakfast Club† (1985) Perpetuate Teen Stereotypes Essay â€Å"The Breakfast Club† shows the typical stereotypes of before, specially the 80s. The snob girl that thinks she shouldn’t be there, the popular sports boy, the rebel that is not understood, the nerd that doesn’t want to be in trouble, the outcast that is ignored, and the teacher that thinks to highly of themselves and thinks that teenager equals problem. In the 80s â€Å"The Breakfast Club† became really popular. This could be because the teenagers that saw it found themselves identified with the characters. It also made adults and teenagers see from the outside what was happening, and that stereotypes did exist. Nowadays these stereotypes still exist in a way, but not as marked as before. Now teenagers could communicate with other people from different groups, not like in the film, were the â€Å"popular† girl doesn’t think the rebel, nerd or outcast should be with her there. She thinks to highly of herself. Internet has also helped people not label others as much. Now people sometimes meet though internet, and this makes the first impression useless in what it refers to appearance. Teenagers get to know each other more, so they don’t fall for the stereotypical appearance of others. I find that what has also changed between the 80s and now, is that studies have become more important. It is true that we still think a lot about our appearance, clothes, etc. but the society has made us more aware of the fact that without studies we maybe wouldn’t be able to go far. More information on TV has also influenced, now people are informed better on what’s happening around the world. Teenagers now know there is more apart from school and friends, and are more worried about their future and world-wide problems, than to belong to a group. We are more understanding on what is around us, we are less narrow minded. Know we know there are people the same as us, so we give more opportunities. However, are stereotypes still giving problems? Many adults stereotype teenagers as being lazy, unmotivated, and undetermined individuals. Loud, obnoxious, rebellious, out of control, and up to no good†¦ Many people in different generations sincerely believe that all teenagers are guaranteed trouble no matter where they are. I am not arguing that teenagers like that don’t exist, because there are plenty of them out there, but it is bothering that one type of teenager has been able to spoil the image of all the others. Things like long or coloured hair, black clothes, heavy make-up, ect. Create a wrong idea of the person. Things like saying that a teenager is bad just because they are trouble makers is wrong, someone could be just having fun and act serious somewhere else. People, specially teachers and parents, think that all teenagers are always ready for the battle, that they are not capable of reasoning, listening, or saying something interesting. In an external point of view, I personally find teenagers more interesting than any other group of ages. We are in the middle of children and adults, our view of the both is split into two and our exposure between them is different, this creates a wider point of view. Therefore, a different opinion. In conclusion, Stereotypes have changed throughout the years, people don’t label as much. However, it’s still there, and is still harmful.

Alexander The Great Essay -- essays research papers

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great was king of the Macedonians and one of the greatest generals in history. As a student of the Greek philosopher Aristotle, Alexander was embedded with lasting interests in philosophy, politics and warfare. As king, he settled problems by immediate action, making quick decisions and taking great risks. His armies overcame these risks by sheer force and by the ingenious tactics instilled in them by Alexander. He and his armies conquered the Persian Empire, which stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to India and formed much of what was then considered the civilized world. Through his conquests, Alexander helped spread Greek ideas, customs and laws throughout Asia and Egypt and adopted a uniform currency system to promote trade and commerce. He thus spread the rich Hellenistic culture enjoyed by the Greeks throughout the world. Alexander had a dream of the brotherhood of mankind where every person shared a common language, currency and loyalty, but he was unable to see his dream through due to an illness that claimed his life at the young age of 33.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alexander was born in 356 B.C. He was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. He was the son of Philip II, king of Macedonia, and of Olympias, a princess of Epirus. At the age of 13, Aristotle was hired to be Alexander’s private tutor. Aristotle inspired interests of politics, other races of people and countries, plants and animals, and a great love for literature in Alexander (“Overview of Alexander the Great.'; 1). He was an outstanding athlete and excelled in every sport of his time (Durant 538). In 338 B.C., at the age of 18, Alexander led the cavalry of his father’s army in the Battle of Chaeronea, which brought Greece under Macedonian control. At the age of 20, Alexander’s father was murdered by one of his bodyguards, and Alexander succeeded the throne as king of Macedonia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Alexander’s father died, some Greek cities under Macedonian rule revolted. In 335 B.C. Alexander attacked the city of Thebes, storming its walls and destroying every building, except the temples and the house of the poet Pindar. His army sold the 30,000 inhabitants of Thebes into slavery or killed them. Alexander’s actions against Thebes discouraged rebellion by the o... ...me seriously ill again. This time, the disease plus the effects of several battle wounds would be enough to claim his life at the age of 32 on June 10. Alexander and his armies conquered the Persian Empire, which stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to India and formed much of what was then considered the civilized world. Through his conquests, Alexander helped spread Greek ideas, customs and laws throughout Asia and Egypt and adopted a uniform currency system to promote trade and commerce. He established cities like Alexandria everywhere he went to help maintain rule and reduce corruption, as well as to promote learning and to encourage commerce and trade throughout the world. He established Greek as the uniform language and brought different cultures together through marriages of his own and others just like his. He brought the world together to promote his idea of the brotherhood of mankind and had plans to reorganize his government and explore the seas around his empire. Alexander the Great accomplished all of this in just 33 years. After his death, the cities of his empire were split between his leading generals who mostly foug ht amongst themselves for control of the empire.

A Border Passage Quotes and Reflections

A Border Passage-Quotes and Reflections â€Å"And I found myself angry also at her sister, my mother and aunts, their eyes swollen and red, receiving condolences in the rooms for women. Why are you crying now? I thought. What’s the point of that? Why did you do nothing to help her all this time, why didn’t you get her out of that marriage? I thought it was their fault, that they could have done something. If they cared enough they could have done something. That is what I thought then. Now I am less categorical. (Ahmed, 120) -I thought this quote was important because it shows the role of women being secondary to men. Aida was stuck in the unhappy marriage because she was a woman and her father would not have her divorcing. From Ahmed’s view, as a child, she is confused, as most would be, as to why the family she trusts so much would not help Aida but continues to grieve for her. She says she is now â€Å"less categorical†.Does that mean she now realizes there is not much the women could have done because they did not have power? â€Å"For one thing, we all automatically assume that those who write and who put their knowledge down in texts have something more valuable to offer than those who simply live their knowledge and use it to inform their lives. And we assume that those who write and interpret texts in writing—in the Muslim context, the sheikhs and ayatollahs, who are the guardians and perpetuators (perpetrators) of this written version of Islam—must have a better, truer, deeper understanding of Islam that the non-specifically trained Muslim. (Ahmed, 128-129) -Ahmed is pointing out that the ones who study and write about Islam are not necessarily the ones who know it best. This can be applied to all religions and even other ideas. Ahmed got a much better, richer understanding of Islam from the women in her family which was much more accessible because it could be applied to decisions in morality of everyday lif e. This idea that not just the well educated men know about religion is something that should not be overlooked.In fact we all have something unique to bring to the table on a subject, especially religion and it would be useful for the men to listen to other’s opinions. -â€Å"What I hanker for now is hearing it live, Arabic music but also other non-Western music, particularly Indian, and not only classical instrumental Indian music but other varieties too—table, dance, mawali (ecstatic song), music of presence and community, and of audience and musicians together, and of being here, now, in body, mind, spirit.Not a music to be appreciated silently, intellectually, privately and then discussed in connoisseurs’ murmurs as we file out. † (Ahmed, 153) – This quote really moved me because it made me think of international music compared to familiar music. The best way to enjoy music is to feel it with family and friends around and join in singing and d ancing. And it made me wonder why don’t I do that more often with family? There’s something about it that seems improper but it shouldn’t be.It is getting old fashioned to be able to dance with a boyfriend or girlfriend (unless inappropriately at a club) and it shouldn’t be, why has this changed? I also like this quote because it expresses something that Ahmed originally tried to reject because it wasn’t what was popular but now longed for because it was part of her culture. -â€Å"Colonialism, we have seen, reshapes, often violently, physical territories, social terrains as well as human identities. As the Caribbean novelist George Lamming, put it, ‘the colonial experience is a live experience is the consciousness of these people’. (Looma, 155) -This quotes help us explain Ahmed’s parent’s identities as shaped by Britain. Specifically Ahmed’s father, who keeps his Muslim religion but is totally emerged in the new sciences and technology of the Western world, finds his identity shaped by colonialism. Ahmed now finds it harder to compose an identity with as much of her Cairo roots she would like. She has not received the same amount of knowledge about the language or history that her parents have and she must struggle to find her own identity.

God’s Foreknowledge and the Problem of Evil Essay

In his essay[1] on the possibility of God’s having middle knowledge of the actions of free agents and the relationship of that knowledge, if it exists, to the problem of evil,[2] RM Adams discusses two questions: firstly, whether middle knowledge is possible, even for God, and secondly, whether God could have made free creatures who would always freely do right. These questions highlight the importance of trying to understand how much God knows about the future and the relationship of the answer to that question with the problem of evil. In the present essay I review four major possible views of God’s foreknowledge and highlight their strengths and weaknesses, paying particular attention to Adams’ arguments on Middle Knowledge which lead to his conclusion that there is reason to doubt its possibility. I then review Adams’ arguments about its impact on the problem of evil and, having concluded, as he does, that, middle knowledge being available or not, permitting some evil in order to allow creatures to have free will may contribute to a theodicy but not complete it, I consider how this situation might be improved by accepting that the future is at least partly open. The problem The problem of evil has been the subject of theological dispute for centuries. If God is, as the traditional Christian view would have it, omniscient, omnipotent and perfectly good, how come there is evil in the world? Such a God, the argument goes, would not only wish to dispel evil from the world, but, since he can do anything, he would have done so. Since he clearly has not, either he is not able to do so or he does not care, or perhaps he doesn’t exist. While arguments such as the above call into doubt the possibility of God’s being at once omnipotent and perfectly good, the problem of evil is also closely related to the issue of his omniscience, in particular to his foreknowledge. If God knows everything about the future, including what choices between good and evil I will make, am I really free to make those choices? But does God actually know everything, particularly about contingent future events? There are many views of the God’s foreknowledge; I will consider four principal ones. The Simple Foreknowledge View. This view holds that God knows all truths and believes no falsehoods, or as Hunt puts it ‘God has complete and infallible knowledge of the future’[3], a simple statement and one which is subject to some serious objections. In the context of this essay the most important objection is that it would appear to negate the possibility of human freedom. As Augustine’s interlocutor, Evodius, says, ‘since God foreknew that he [Adam] was going to sin, his sin necessarily had to happen. How then is the will free when such inescapable necessity is found in it? ’[4] Augustine then argues that ‘God’s foreknowledge does not force the future to happen†¦. God foreknows everything that he causes but does not cause everything that he foreknows†¦ sin is committed by the will not coerced by God’s foreknowledge. ’[5] If God did cause or coerce Adam to sin he would be exempt from blame but, Hunt maintains, following Augustine, the simple fact of God’s knowing in advance what Adam (and more generally, we) will do does not constitute coercion. It is true that God’s foreknowing†¦ leaves Adam with no alternatives†¦ But the mere absence of alternatives is irrelevant†¦ simply knowing what the person will do is not an interference of any sort, and its implications for free agency are benign. ’[6] Hunt’s view is that we should ‘trust our intuition’ that Adam is deprived of alternatives but not free will. For me however, this is not my intuition. This and similar arguments elsewhere appear to be doing little more than restating the problem, and do not provide a satisfactory escape route. The problem is one of logic not theology. If it is inevitable, foreknown infallibly, that I will do A then it is not in reality an option for me not to do A. I might think that I am choosing between A and not-A, but if God knows which I will choose then in reality I am deluded: there is no possibility of my choosing not-A and if I don’t have any choice this also seems to remove any possibility of blame or responsibility for my actions. How can I be held responsible for an action which I could not avoid doing? Worse, since I do things which patently are evil and could have been avoided if I really had free will, it is arguable that God himself is responsible for, or at least knows in advance and allows to happen, the evil that I do. In addition to the free-will problem, proponents of the simple foreknowledge view have to explain what we are doing when we pray. Are we asking God to change the future? And if he does graciously agree to change it, would that not mean that he was wrong when he earlier knew, supposedly infallibly, what the future was to include before he changed it? It is an important part of this view of God that he believes no falsehoods, but if our prayers have any effect, that would seem to entail the falsehood of God’s earlier beliefs about that particular aspect of the future. It should be noted at this point that the simple foreknowledge view is fully compatible with the Christian understanding of God’s being outside time. I will return to this later, but sacrificing or compromising this understanding would be a heavy price to pay for many Christian theologians. These objections taken together seem to me to make simple foreknowledge, without some considerable modification, incompatible with an understanding of humans as responsible agents. The other views I discuss below attempt in different ways to make sufficient modifications to deal with this problem while remaining true to scripture. I should of course consider the possibility that, in coming to this conclusion about the difficulties of the simple foreknowledge view, I have not understood the question. Could it be that what I mean by either ‘free ill’ or ‘knowledge’ is somehow different to what generations of theologians have meant? For myself, I maintain that my action is free if I could do otherwise than what I actually decide to do and, crucially, no-one else knows in advance what I will decide to do, not even God. And knowledge in this context can be taken as ‘justified true belief’ which is just the sort of knowledge that God is supposed to have infallibly. It seems that simple foreknowledge is not to be rescued by recourse to a dictionary. The Augustinian-Calvinist View This view, as expounded by Helm,[7] does indeed depend on a careful compatibilist definition of ‘free will’ which enables him to argue that it is not necessary to accept either a modified, reduced account of omniscience, or that human agents are not responsible for their actions. Here ‘compatibilism’ is the view that free will is compatible with causal determinism, a view that Helm maintains was explicitly held by the later Augustine (probably as a result of further thought compared with his earlier writings) and implicitly by Calvin. The latter is evidenced firstly by the distinction he drew between necessity and compulsion, and secondly by his successors’ taking a similar view of free will, calling it the liberty of rational spontaneity while denying the liberty of indifference. [8] Helm distinguishes three concepts of God’s foreknowledge. One is causal in the sense used by Aquinas: God’s knowledge is the cause of things and on this view there is no distinction between what God causes and permits since God foreknows all events and therefore must cause them all. There is an inference from this that God causes future evil but Aquinas is said to have allowed the concept of divine permission whereby God is said to know of it but not cause it. More on that later. The second sense has God’s foreknowledge logically subsequent to his decree and is simply the knowledge of that decree before it takes effect in time, and the third is the reverse of this, with the foreknowledge logically prior to his decree. His arguments entail one or other of the first two senses, but not the third. Based on these starting points Helm raises three arguments in support of the Augustinian position. First there is the role of God’s grace. The argument between those who believe and those who do not believe that God’s foreknowledge is compatible with human incompatibilism, Helm says, is not about the nature of God or of human freedom but about the relationship between God and humankind. Divine grace and free, incompatibilist choice can only be causally necessary for a person’s coming to faith, but not causally sufficient since, given our libertarian will, we could resist such grace and it would not therefore ensure its intended effect. However, scripture tells us that saving grace is irresistible and, when received, liberating: it alone, according to Augustine, ensures true human freedom,[9] and the inference is that such grace is therefore sufficient. The obvious objection here is that some people clearly do resist God’s saving grace, an objection that Helm does not deal with effectively. Secondly there is an argument based on divine perfection as reflected in his omnipotence and omniscience. Helm asks rhetorically how God knows of the causes of evil actions if he is not the cause of them, and quotes Augustine’s answer that God, for the highest reasons (which are at present unknown to us) knowingly permits particular evil actions. 10] In a rather obscure passage, Helm appears to argue as follows: (1) it is theologically desirable that God’s foreknowledge should be as complete as may reasonably be assumed and we should therefore assume that he does foreknow his free creatures freely willed actions; (2) If compatibilism is true then God can foreknow these actions and therefore (3) compatibilism is true. [11] However, as Hunt points out, this is fallacious and Helm should have argued for (2’) If compatibil ism is not true then God cannot foreknow†¦ but he has not done so. Finally Helm argues that God’s omniscience is logically inconsistent with human incompatibilist freedom. He supposes as an example that God foreknew yesterday the truth of the proposition ‘Jones will freely eat a tuna sandwich tomorrow. ’ That foreknowledge is now in the past and is therefore necessary, not logically but accidentally or historically, and therefore it entails the necessity that Jones will eat the tuna sandwich; that putatively free act cannot therefore be free. In that case divine omniscience is inconsistent with incompatibilist freedom. 12] Helm admits that this argument really only works with the assumption that God is in some fashion inside time for ‘yesterday’ and ‘tomorrow’ to have any force. [13] In summary, Helm believes his arguments have made the broadly Augustinian case that divine foreknowledge and human freedom are consistent, but I am hard-pressed to see that any of my objections to the simple foreknowledge argument are any less forceful in response to Helm. My logical worry and the problem of prayer remain, but these are supplemented by the acknowledged need for God to be temporal, at least for part of the argument to be successful. The Middle-Knowledge View This view is that espoused by Luis de Molina, a 16th century Spanish Jesuit theologian, who drew a distinction between three kinds of knowledge that, in his view, God possesses[14]. Firstly, Molina said, God possesses ‘natural knowledge’, that is a knowledge of all necessarily true propositions, such as ‘two plus two equals four’. Since such truths are necessary, nobody, not even God, can make them false. Secondly, God possesses ‘free knowledge’, that is knowledge of all contingent truths that are within his control, but which could have been false under different conditions,. For example ‘I am interested in philosophy’ is a contingently true proposition but God could have brought it about that it was false. Finally, Molina proposes that God possesses ‘middle knowledge’ (so called because it is in-between God’s natural and free knowledge), that is, knowledge of contingent propositions which are true but beyond his control. The most important items of middle knowledge for the purpose of this discussion are the ‘counterfactuals of freedom’ which describe what people would freely do if placed in various possible situations. This is relevant to the problem of evil because ‘it might seem that if God has middle knowledge, He could have secured creatures sinless but free by just creating those that he knew would not sin if allowed to act freely. ’[15] In his discussion of middle knowledge[16] Craig indicates its power and why it is so attractive in the discussion of free will and the problem of evil. If it is true that God has middle knowledge as described above, this not only makes room for human freedom but it gives God scope to choose which free creatures to create and bring about his ultimate purposes through free creaturely decisions. He adduces three lines of argument in support of it – biblical, theological and philosophical. [17] Biblical arguments: Craig uses the example of David and Saul: [18] David is in the Jewish city of Keilah and asks God through an ephod[19] if Saul will attack him there and whether the men of Keilah would give him up to Saul to save their lives. God answers affirmatively to both questions, whereupon Saul heads for the hills, with the result that Saul does not need to besiege the city and the men of Keilah do not need to betray him to Saul. It is clear, says Craig, that the bible passage shows that God has counterfactual knowledge, although he admits that this does not show conclusively that he has middle knowledge. He goes on to accept that biblical exegesis is not enough to settle the matter. [20] Theological arguments: Craig says that ‘the strongest arguments in support of the Molinist perspective are theological’[21] but gives no direct support for this other than to wax lyrical on the power of middle knowledge in theological argument on a range of issues. This may be correct, given the existence of middle knowledge, but that is what we wish to test. Philosophical arguments: Craig asserts that divine foreknowledge and future contingents are compatible ‘for the simple reason that Scripture teaches both’[23] (a theological rather than philosophical statement of course) and goes on to discuss the basis of such foreknowledge. He builds an argument about freedom of action, concluding that ‘from God’s knowledge that I shall do x, it does not follow that I must do x, only that I shall do x. That is in no way incompatible with my doing x freely. ’[24] This is really just a restatement of the problem of free will and Craig does little more here than reassert its truth. Craig’s final conclusion is that ‘philosophically, omniscience†¦ entails knowledge of all truth and, since counterfactuals of creaturely freedom are true logically prior to god’s creative decree, they must therefore be known by God at that logical moment. Therefore we should affirm that God has middle knowledge. ’

Virgin Essay Example

Virgin Essay Example Virgin Essay Virgin Essay 289 CASE EXAMPLE The Virgin Group Aidan McQuade Introduction The Virgin Group is one of the UK’s largest private companies. The group included, in 2006, 63 businesses as diverse as airlines, health clubs, music stores and trains. The group included Virgin Galactic, which promised to take paying passengers into sub-orbital space. The personal image and personality of the founder, Richard Branson, were highly bound up with those of the company. Branson’s taste for publicity has led him to stunts as diverse as appearing as a cockney street trader in the US comedy Friends, to attempting a non-stop balloon flight around the world. This has certainly contributed to the definition and recognisability of the brand. Research has showed that the Virgin name was associated with words such as ‘fun’, ‘innovative’, ‘daring’ and ‘successful’. In 2006 Branson announced plans to invest $3bn (A2. 4bn; ? 1. 7bn) in renewable energy. Virgin, through its partnership with a cable company NTL, also undertook an expansion into media challenging publicly the way NewsCorp operated in the UK and the effects on British democracy. The nature and scale of both these initiatives suggests that Branson’s taste for his brand of business remains undimmed. Origins and activities Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. In 1986 the company was floated on the stock exchange with a turnover of ? 250m (A362. 5m). However, Branson became tired of the public listing obligations: he resented making presentations in the City to people whom, he believed, did not understand the business. The pressure to create short-term profit, especially as the share price began to fall, was the final straw: Branson decided to take the business back into private ownership and the shares were bought back at the original offer price. The name Virgin was chosen to represent the idea of the company being a virgin in every business it entered. Branson has said that: ‘The brand is the single most important asset that we have; our ultimate objective is to establish it as a major global name. ’ This does not mean that Virgin underestimates the importance of understanding the businesses that it is branding. Referring to his intent to set up a ‘green’ energy company producing ethanol and cellulosic ethanol fuels in competition with the oil industry, he said, ‘We’re a slightly unusual company in that we go into industries we know nothing about and immerse ourselves. Virgin’s expansion had often been through joint ventures whereby Virgin provided the brand and its partner provided the majority of capital. For example, the Virgin Group’s move into clothing and cosmetics required an initial outlay of only ? 1,000, whilst its partner, Victory Corporation, invested ? 20m. Wi th Virgin Mobile, Virgin built a business by forming partnerships with existing wireless operators to sell services under the Virgin brand name. The carriers’ competences lay in network management. Virgin set out to differentiate itself by offering innovative This case was updated and revised by Aidan McQuade, University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business, based upon work by Urmilla Lawson. Photo: Steve Bell/Rex Features 290 CHAPTER 7 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND CORPORATE-LEVEL STRATEGY services. Although it did not operate its own network, Virgin won an award for the best wireless operator in the UK. Virgin Fuels appears to be somewhat different in that Virgin is putting up the capital and using the Virgin brand to attract attention to the issues and possibilities that the technology offers. In 2005 Virgin announced the establishment of a ‘quadruple play’ media company providing television, broadband, fixed-line and mobile communications through the merger of Branson’s UK mobile interests with the UK’s two cable companies. This Virgin company would have 9 million direct customers, 1. 5 million more than BSkyB, and so have the financial capacity to compete with BSkyB for premium content such as sports and movies. 1 Virgin tried to expand this business further by making an offer for ITV. This was rejected as undervaluing the company and then undermined further with the purchase of an 18 per cent share of ITV by BSkyB. This prompted Branson to call on regulators to force BSkyB to reduce or dispose of its stake citing concerns that BSkyB would have material influence over the free-to-air broadcaster. 2 Virgin has been described as a ‘keiretsu’ organisation – a structure of loosely linked, autonomous units run by self-managed teams that use a common brand name. Branson argued that, as he expanded, he would rather sacrifice short-term profits for long-term growth of the various businesses. Some commentators have argued that Virgin had become an endorsement brand that could not always offer real expertise to the businesses with which it was associated. However, Will Whitehorn, Director of Corporate Affairs for Virgin, stated, ‘At Virgin we know what the brand means and when we put our brand name on something we are making a promise. ’ Branson saw Virgin adding value in three main ways, aside from the brand. These were their public relations and marketing skills; its experience with greenfield start-ups; and Virgin’s understanding of the opportunities presented by ‘institutionalised’ markets. Virgin saw an ‘institutionalised’ market as one dominated by few competitors, not giving good value to customers because they had become either inefficient or preoccupied with each other. Virgin believed it did well when it identified such complacency and offered more for less. The entry into fuel and media industries certainly conforms to the model of trying to shake up ‘institutionalised’ markets. Corporate rationale In 2006 Virgin still lacked the trappings of a typical multinational. Branson described the Virgin Group as ‘a branded venture capital house’. 3 There was no ‘group’ as such; financial results were not consolidated either for external examination or, so Virgin claimed, for internal use. Its website described Virgin as a family rather than a hierarchy. Its financial operations were managed from Geneva. In 2006 Branson explained the basis upon which he considered opportunities: they have to be global in scope, enhance the brand, be worth doing and have an expectation of a reasonable return on investment. 4 Each business was ‘ring-fenced’, so that lenders to one company had no rights over the assets of another. The ring-fencing seems also to relate not just to provision of financial protection, but also to a business ethics aspect. In an interview in 2006 Branson cricitised supermarkets for selling cheap CDs. His criticism centred on the supermarkets’ use of loss leading on CDs damaging music retailers rather than fundamentally challenging the way music retailers do business. Branson has made it a central feature of Virgin that it shakes up institutionalised markets by being innovative. Loss leading is not an innovative approach. Virgin has evolved from being almost wholly comprised of private companies to a group where some of the companies are publicly listed. Virgin and Branson Historically, the Virgin Group had been controlled mainly by Branson and his trusted lieutenants, many of whom had stayed with him for more than 20 years. The increasing conformity between personal interest and business initiatives could be discerned in the establishment of Virgin Fuels. In discussing his efforts to establish a ‘green’ fuel company in competition with the oil industry Branson made the geopolitical observation that non-oil-based fuels could ‘avoid another Middle East war one day’; Branson’s opposition to the Second Gulf War is well publicised. In some instances the relationship between personal conviction and business interests is less clear cut. Branson’s comments on the threat to British democracy posed by NewsCorp’s ownership of such a large percentage of the British media could be depicted as either genuine concern from a public figure or sour grapes from a business rival just been beaten out of purchasing ITV. More r ecently Branson has been reported as talking about withdrawing from the business ‘which THE VIRGIN GROUP 291 more or less ran itself now’,6 and hoping that his son Sam might become more of a Virgin figurehead. However, while he was publicly contemplating this withdrawal from business, Branson was also launching his initiatives in media and fuel. Perhaps Branson’s idea of early retirement is somewhat more active than most. Corporate performance By 2006 Virgin had, with mixed results, taken on one established industry after another in an effort to shake up ‘fat and complacent business sectors’. It had further set its sights on the British media sector and the global oil industry. Airlines clearly were an enthusiasm of Branson’s. According to Branson, Virgin Atlantic, which was 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airways, was a company that he would not sell outright: ‘There are some businesses you preserve, which wouldn’t ever be sold, and that’s one. ’ Despite some analysts’ worries that airline success could not be sustained given the ‘cyclical’ nature of the business, Branson maintained a strong interest in the industry, and included airline businesses such as Virgin Express (European), Virgin Blue (Australia) and Virgin Nigeria in the group. Branson’s engagement with the search for ‘greener’ fuels and reducing global warming had not led him to ground his fleets. but rather to prompt a debate on measures to reduce carbon emissions from aeroplanes. At the beginning of the twenty-first century the most public problem faced by Branson was Virgin Trains, whose Cross Country and West Coast lines were ranked 23rd and 24th out of 25 train-operating franchises according to the Strategic Rail Authority’s Review in 2000. By 2002 Virgin Trains was reporting profits and paid its first premium to the British government. xperience with any one of the product lines may shun all the others’. However, Virgin argues that its brand research indicates that people who have had a bad experience will blame that particular Virgin company or product but will be willing to use other Virgin products or services, due to the very diversity of the brand. Such brand confidence helps explain why Virgin should even conte mplate such risky and protracted turnaround challenges as its rail company. Sarah Sands recounts that Branson’s mother ‘once proudly boasted that her son would become Prime Minster’. Sands futher commented that she thought his mother underestimated his ambition. 10 With Virgin’s entry into fuel and media and Branson’s declarations that he is taking on the oil corporations and NewsCorp, Sands may ultimately prove to have been precient in her comment. Notes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Sunday Telegraph, 4 December (2005). Independent, 22 November (2006). Hawkins (2001a, b). PR Newswire Europe, 16 October (2006). Fortune, 6 February (2006). Independent on Sunday, 26 November (2006). Ibid. The Times 1998, quoted in Vignali (2001). Wells (2000). Independent on Sunday, 26 November (2006). Sources: The Economist, ‘Cross his heart’, 5 October (2002); ‘Virgin on the ridiculous’, 29 May (2003); ‘Virgin Rail: tilting too far’, 12 July (2001). P. McCosker, ‘Stretching the brand: a review of the Virgin Group’, European Case Clearing House, 2000. The Times, ‘Virgin push to open up US aviation market’, 5 June (2002); ‘Branson plans $1bn US expansion’, 30 April (2002). Observer, ‘Branson eyes 31bn float for Virgin Mobile’, 18 January (2004). Strategic Direction, ‘Virgin Flies High with Brand Extensions’, vol. 18, no. 10, (October 2002). R. Hawkins, ‘Executive of Virgin Group outlines corporate strategy’ Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News, July 29 (2001a). R. Hawkins, ‘Branson in new dash for cash’, Sunday Business, 29 July (2001b); South China Morning Post, ‘Virgin shapes kangaroo strategy aid liberalisation talks between Hong Kong and Australia will determine carrier’s game-plan’, 28 June (2002). C. Vignali, ‘Virgin Cola’, British Food Journal, vol. 103, no. 2 (2001), pp. 31–139. M. Wells, ‘Red Baron’, Forbes Magazine, vol. 166, no. 1, 7 March (2000). The future The beginning of the twenty-first century also saw further expansion by Virgin, from airlines, spa finance and mobile telecoms in Africa, into telecoms in Europe, and into the USA. The public flotation of individual businesses rather than the group as a whole has become an intrinsic part of the ‘juggling’ of finances that underpins Virgin’s expansion. Some commentators have identified a risk with Virgin’s approach: ‘The greatest threat [is] that . . Virgin brand . . . may become associated with failure. ’8 This point was emphasised by a commentator9 who noted that ‘a customer who has a bad enough Questions 1 What is the corporate rationale of Virgin as a group of companies? 2 Are there any relationships of a strategic nature between businesses within the Virgin portfolio? 3 How does the Virgin Group, as a corporate parent, add value to its businesses? 4 What were the main issues facing the Virgin Group at the end of the case and how should they be tackled?

Why Does My Knee Feel Like It Wants to Pop

Why Does My Knee Feel Like It Wants to Pop SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Does your knee feel like it needs to pop and you can’t get the sensation to go away? What’s causing this feeling, and what can you do about it? In this guide, we explain why your knee feels like it needs to pop, if you should see a doctor about it, the five most common causes behind your knee feeling like it needs to pop, and how to get relief from this problem. Is It Bad If My Knee Feels Like It Needs to Pop? Should I See a Doctor? If your knee feels like it wants to pop is that a sign of a serious medical problem? Should you see a doctor about it? Fortunately, when your knee feels like it wants to pop, the cause is usually not serious. Rest and home remedies are usually enough to make the issue go away. However, there are some cases when a knee that feels like it needs to pop can indicate a more serious problem. See a doctor if you have any of these symptoms and your knee feels like it needs to pop: The issue has been going on for a long time and hasn’t improved The issue has recently gotten worse You can’t complete normal movements (walking, sitting) because of your knee You can’t straighten your leg completely You recently injured your knee You’ve had knee surgery There’s significant pain or swelling As mentioned above, it’s rare for a knee that feels like it needs to pop to be a serious medical condition. In the next section we discuss the most likely causes behind the issue. The Top 5 Reasons Your Knee Feels Like It Wants to Pop Below are the top five reasons your knee feels like it wants to pop, in order of most common to less common. For each one we describe what the condition is, what causes it, what common symptoms are, and how it can be treated. Runner’s Knee (Chondromalacia Patella) Runner’s knee is the most common cause of your knee feeling like it needs to pop. Although it is a common issue among runners, this condition can happen to anyone, especially those who exercise a lot or do work that requires frequent knee-bending. Runner’s knee occurs when the soft cartilage under the kneecap breaks down. This cartilage helps keep the knee joint moving smoothly and also helps strengthen the knee so it can carry your body weight when you walk. Runner’s knee often causes your knee joint to become weaker and less stable. It may also prevent your knee from moving as easily as it did before, so your knee may feel like it wants to pop, or you may actually feel your knee popping into place when you move it. Over time, this issue can cause arthritis in the knee if it isn’t treated. Common symptoms of runner’s knee include: Aching pain in the kneecap, especially during exercise Pain when walking downhill or downstairs Pain when bending your knee Swelling Treatment Rest, ice, and elevation are often enough to alleviate symptoms, but if the problem is serious or doesn’t go away, your doctor may recommend physical therapy or (rarely) surgery. Bursitis A bursa is a sac of fluid that cushions bones and tendons. Your body has multiple bursae, including one under each kneecap. Bursitis of the knee (also known as Housemaid’s Knee) occurs when the bursa becomes inflamed. This may be due to overuse of the knee, especially in the kneeling position. Common symptoms of bursitis include: Pain Redness Tenderness Swelling A popping sensation or noise when kneeling or standing up Treatment Rest, ice, and pain medication are usually enough to reduce the symptoms of bursitis, but if you feel you need more treatment, your doctor may recommend physical therapy, steroid injections, and/or aspiration (draining fluid from the knee). Baker’s Cyst Another potential cause of your knee feeling like it needs to pop is a cyst. A cyst occurs when part of the fluid in a joint is pushed into a sac of tissue. The sac bulges out, creating a cyst. Cysts in the knee are typically Baker’s Cysts, and they usually form behind the knee. These cysts may be caused by injury, arthritis, or an unknown cause. Common symptoms of cysts include: A visible bump around the knee (though not always) Swelling behind the knee Slight pain behind the knee, especially when bending or straightening your leg Tightness or stiffness Treatment A Baker’s cyst itself is usually not a cause for concern, and they often go away on their own. However, if the cyst is causing you pain or discomfort, you can have it drained or surgically removed. Arthritis Many people believe that arthritis is a problem only older people have, but it can occur at any age, especially if you exercise a lot, have a family history of arthritis, or have had an injury. Osteoarthritis of the knee occurs when the cartilage that cushions joints begins to wear away and the surfaces of the two bones begin to rub together. This can lead to pain, stiffness, and a knee that feels like it needs to pop as the joints move together roughly. Common symptoms of arthritis include: Pain that increases when you are active Stiffness in the joint Difficulty fully extending the knee Warmth and swelling in the joint A creaking or crackling sound when you move your knee Treatment There are numerous options for treating arthritis, some of which include physical therapy, wearing a knee brace, taking pain medication, and getting injections of steroids or hyaluronic acid into the knee. ACL Injury The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is one of the four main ligaments in your knee that connects your femur bone to your tibia bone. Your ACL helps keep your knee stable. The ACL is one of the most commonly injured ligaments, and injuries can range from minor tears to the ligament tearing completely away from the bone. ACL injuries usually happen suddenly, often when exercising or playing a sport. You will likely begin to experience pain and other symptoms right away. If you have a serious ACL injury, you probably have much more serious symptoms than a popping knee, such as severe pain and the inability to walk. However, a minor ACL injury can make your knee feel like it needs to pop because the joint isn’t properly stable. Common symptoms of ACL injuries include: Feeling or hearing a pop at the time of injury Pain on the back and outside of knee Swelling Limited knee movement Knee feeling weak or unstable Treatment Physical therapy can be done for minor ACL injuries, but surgery is usually required for serious injuries to the ACL. How to Soothe Your Knee As mentioned above, you can usually stop your knee from feeling like it needs to pop and reduce the chance of it feeling that way again by using home remedies, although a doctor’s visit and/or physical therapy may also be needed. When you have a knee that feels like it needs to pop, the best way to make it feel better isn’t by popping it (which often isn’t possible), but by reducing strain and pressure on the knee. Below are four of the best ways to get relief. Rest The best treatment for your knee is rest. Almost all causes of a knee that feels like it needs to pop are at least some way related to overuse of the knee. Taking a break from whatever physical activities you do that put strain on your knee may be enough to stop it feeling like it needs to pop. If you can’t completely cut out physical activity, try wearing a knee brace to alleviate stress and take frequent breaks. If your exercise regularly, you can also try switching to a lower-impact form of exercise, such as swimming or running on an elliptical. Ice Ice is another way to help your knee recover, and it’s especially effective if you have pain, redness, or swelling in your knee. Ice your knee for 15 minutes at a time, at least twice a day, until the symptoms go away or are reduced. Elevation Elevating your knee can also reduce pain and swelling and stop your knee from feeling like it needs to pop. While laying on your back, prop your foot up so your affected knee is higher than your hips. Do this for at least 1-2 hours a day if possible (it’s good to do while reading or watching TV so you have something to do) to help alleviate your symptoms. Exercises You can also try certain exercises designed to â€Å"pop† your knee or get it to stop feeling like it needs to pop, although these aren’t guaranteed to solve the problem. One option is a quadriceps stretch, where you put one arm out in front of you for balance and use the other arm to grab the ankle of the same-side leg and lift your leg towards your buttocks. Quad muscles help in lifting the knee, so stretching them can help pop the knee or alleviate pressure on it. Another exercise is leg lifts. For these, lie flat on your back with your unaffected leg bent up and your leg with the affected knee flat on the ground. Slowly lift your leg on the ground straight up until your thighs are parallel, hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower it to the ground. Repeat this about 20 times, stopping sooner if you feel pain or discomfort. Conclusion: It Feels Like My Knee Needs to Pop If your knee feels like it wants to pop, you may be worried that it’s the sign of a serious medical condition. Fortunately, the cause is usually overuse of the knee, and it often goes away with rest, although you should see a doctor if your symptoms are severe. If your knee feels like it needs to pop, there are several common causes: Runner’s knee Bursitis Baker’s cyst Arthritis of the knee ACL injury For most of these, home remedies are enough to treat the issue, although you may need physical therapy or surgery for more severe injuries. To help soothe your knee, the most important thing is to rest it to relieve strain and pressure. You can also ice it, elevate it, and try exercises when your knee feels like it needs to pop.

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses - Essay Example The darkness that spread across the world with as the shadow of the Papacy's unremitting reluctance to accept scientific progression turned western civilization from the cradle of knowledge into a place where minds like Aristotle and Galileo were placed into submission behind adherence to religious beliefs at odds with facts and evidence. The importance of Martin Luther to contemporary civilization therefore rests upon the genuinely frightening concept of what the world might look like had he not hammered a nail into the unquestioned authority of the Church. The spark that lit the wick that would result in the explosion known as the Protestant Reformation can be traced back to a single spring day in 1517. What occurred on the day was nothing that had not been duplicated countless times before and after; the manner in which forces converged to implicate the actions of that day with an importance beyond their scope may be taken according to one's own perspective as either a sign of God working in His mysterious ways or as an example of the mystery of social evolution. The entirety of the Protestant Reformation is conventionally attributed to the work of Martin Luther, but the impetus behind why Luther was motivated to nail the 95 theses to the church wall is as mysterious to most people as the causes behind why that spring day in 1517 was so unique. Although Luther may be the figure of vital importance in the story of the Protestant Reformation, he was preceded by other figures that acted as the charge behind his radical awakening. The least well known, but perhaps most influential, figure in the story of Luther's awakening was a Dominican friar named Johann Tetzel. Tetzel began selling indulgences along the border of Saxony. Indulgences were nothing more than pieces of paper in reality, but within the universe of the Catholic Church they represented a promise of the remission of the penance placed upon a sinner by his confessor. The sale of indulgences had spread quickly during the early decades of the 1600s and friars such as Tetzel were anything but an uncommon sight (Mullett 68). What set Tetzel apart from the rest that raised the ire of Martin Luther and set him upon a course that would revolutionize western civilization Another important figure that remains mostly in the shadows on the road leading to the nailing of the 99 Theses is Albert of Hohenzollern. Albert was the younger sibling of the elector of Brandenburg who had gotten himself into debt. By 1513 Albert was paying enormous amounts of cash in order to acquire dispensations from Rome to retain his holdings several bishoprics. At age 23, Albert was not legally old enough to assume the position of bishop in these areas, but that did not stop him from setting his eye on the see of Mainz when the position became vacant. Albert was successfully elected to the position despite the realization that in doing so he would be owing even more money to the Papacy. In order to meet his increasing debt, Albert arranged for financing with the Fuggers Bank before arranging a deal with Leo X in which the pope proclaimed an indulgence in Albert's territories based on the mutual understanding that fully half the money raised would go toward building St. Peter 's Basilica in Rome. The other half would, of course, go straight to Fuggers by way of Albert (Waibel 40) . All

W6D Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

W6D Teams - Essay Example ganizations have preferred this kind of team apparently because of its cost effectiveness in terms of reduced cost of technology, greater use of outsourced and temporary workers, shift towards globalization and many others. Moreover, functional teams are compost of individuals from different departments but with the same task to perform. For example, an individual performing an accounting task in one department team up with another individual performing accounting task in another department. In functional team, the team members try to specialize in their roles as they try to stick to their roles (Jurgen A. (2011). Finally, self-managing teams are teams that are accountable for all the tasks they perform (Manz & Sims 1993). The team members share the work force and the supportive tasks. It is a group that is composed of individuals with a common purpose and the tasks are defined by the members (Stewart & Manz 1995). Team processes are those step-by-step actions that are taken or perform in order to produce a favorite outcome. These team processes sometimes have positive influence or negative influence on the team performance. They include transition, action and interpersonal processes (Garvin2009). All these process can have positive influence on performance. For example, a transition process like creating an action plan can help in prior achievement and organizing for future wants. Action process like assisting other team members performs their task can help promote positive cohesion and timely goal achievement. Also interpersonal process like conflict management can also help in developing some rules that can finally encourage cooperation. On the other hand, an interpersonal process like storming can have negative influence on performance. The questioning of the team’s ability to perform a given task can lead to discouragement of the team members hence not giving their best (Garvin2009 ). In conclusion, teams are important to an organization as they help in

Personal Encounters with Chinese Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Encounters with Chinese Painting - Essay Example Experience of doing Chinese painting is enjoyable especially when applying fine brushwork and it really demands unique understanding of Chinese traditional culture for an excellent application of materials. Doing Chinese painting is indeed very interesting and it concentrates much on the utilization of different materials. I found it unique at the way different materials used determined the style of the painting even if the materials such as mountains and waters have similar delineation and enriched colors. I further realized that even the simplest brush and ink can play a great role in revealing everything although it may mean that a stereotyped routine is not followed. I experienced diverse feeling that come out of every Chinese painting and it is was indeed not easy to turn a blind eye on the artworks. Doing Chinese painting provokes emotions and sentiments because of the materials used that incorporates mental issue more than just the physical appearance of the painting. Doing Ch inese painting equips one with diverse creative methods because of the Chinese rich cultural perspective that drives the painting as well as the availability of room for flexibility purposes. There is also a feeling and experience of honor when bringing forth new ideas in creation and introduction of make-ups and coming up with the contemporary composition. There is also an element of simplicity experienced when doing Chinese painting because of the simple materials that are utilized. Using the materials is an easy.

Descartes vs. Spinoza Essay Example for Free

Descartes vs. Spinoza Essay What I will do in this following paper is to discuss two very interesting philosophers, Rene Descartes and Benedictus de Spinoza. I will discuss each philosopher’s perspectives and insights on their most recognized theories and thoughts. I will then evaluate them and then give my opinion on the given topic. By doing this, I will contrast the similarities and differences between the two genius minds. By the end of the paper I will have discarded some ideas and opinions from each of the two and will have my own judgment that consists of thoughts from Spinoza, Descartes and my self put together. Themes On Descartes: Existence of God- Descartes’ View One of the most famous and debatable theories Descartes had was his proof of the existence of God. He had for steps on the ladder to prove this. 1) Everything including our ideas has a cause. 2) We have an idea of God. 3) Nothing less than God is adequate to be the cause of our idea of God. An lastly 4) Therefore God exists. My View Considering the fact that Descartes was a rationalist and a very religious man, you can see why he would desperately try to make sense of everything, including God. I believe his proof that he has laid out for us that God exists is false. What Descartes is trying to tell us is that our idea of God comes directly from God himself and that we cannot create something in our minds that we have not already witnessed by our senses. But I believe we can implant the idea of God in our minds without God planting it for us. Since man has been on this planet, we have been evolving. I believe our idea of God is a collection of thoughts and ideas that has evolved. Ideas such as security, peace, direction, order, separating good and evil, questions to our existence, comfort, space, answers to questions no one has. It is all these thoughts, ideas and more put together in our minds overtime that create this all mighty powerful being who knows all and is all that we call God. The U-Turn- Descartes’ View One of the aspects Descartes strived to find was â€Å"certainty†, searching for absolute foundation. He felt in order to come across certainty; we must first doubt everything we know. To help people comprehend his idea, he created the U-Turn as a visual reference to understand. As we go down the â€Å"U† we first doubt common sense, then we doubt awake/sleep since he believes we can’t distinguish the difference. We continue to go down the â€Å"U† by doubting mathematics because there could be an â€Å"Evil Genius† that tricks us into believing something untrue. At the bottom of this U we reach the point where nothing is certain except one thing according to Descartes, which is our existence. He says â€Å"I think, therefore I am†, which means the only thing we can be certain about is our own existence. He then stops and says if we exist, then there must be a God, and this is where the U takes its turn and moves upwards. He then says if God exists he would not deceive us because he is all loving and caring, therefore we have no reason to doubt mathematics, followed by ourselves (body/mind) and lastly we can then be certain about the physical world, no need to doubt it. My View I find this to be an interesting concept that Descartes has formulated in his mind, one that is most definitely worth thinking about and taking into consideration. But in my point of view, there is a break in his chain. From the moment he mentions we doubt being awake and asleep is where I think his U-Turn collapses. Descartes says we can not distinguish the difference between the two, but that’s only true to a certain point. As humans we have logic, common sense and we are aware of most of the knowledge we obtain. We know that we live a life every day and that we need rest every night; and we know that sleeping is a form of rest which sometimes includes bizarre, twisted, chaotic scenarios which we call dreams or nightmares. The argument he made on this segment of his U-Turn concept was only half true. He was right on the fact that we can not distinguish the difference when in a dream state but wrong on the idea that same goes for when we are awake. As human begins we may not be able to have any reasoning, logic or understand the fact that we are dreaming but when we are not dreaming we can logically know we are awake and be able to know the difference between awake/sleep which means we don’t have to doubt common sense or mathematics anymore. If this is the case then Descartes U-Turn theory is wrong and the idea that the only thing we can be â€Å"certain† about is our own existence is false. Themes On Spinoza: Conception of God- Spinoza’s’ View Spinoza went on a whole different direction when it came to God. Up to his point in time most people believed in a transcendent God, this meant that they believed in a personal God that was all loving, caring and would not deceive us human beings. People would prey to this personal God for various things like comfort and security, but Spinoza had his own belief. His conception was quite different from that of anyone else. His conception of God was non-personal (Non- Transcendent) and was the totality of everything that is immanent. He explained that our infinite Universe is one that has no outside and is also one big web where everything in it is connected. What he is basically trying to say is that God=Nature, God is the totality of everything that is. My View Spinoza’s conception of God is quite absurd. There may or may not be a God but if there is, it is definitely not the totality of everything that is. The meaning of God is a higher supreme being that would have a higher consciousness than humans. There is a difference between nature and God. I feel nature is more on the lines of what he is trying to say but uses the word â€Å"God†. God can not be everything that is because then that would mean we are part of the make up of God and that is absurd. How can everything in the universe that has no conception of God be a part of God? His thoughts and ideas on this subject don’t add up in the end and don’t seem like an acceptable solution to the questions revolving around â€Å"God†. Ethics: On Interconnected Self- Spinoza’s’ View Spinoza said that freedom of choice is an illusion and that everything that happens is part of a necessary order witch is completely rational. My View If freedom of choice is an illusion and everything is already set to happen before it occurs†¦then why are we making choices in the first place? I believe we do have freedom of choice and that we set our own destiny. Everything will be set but is not set yet. We must make choices and decisions to get to where we want to or do not want to. This can be compared to a video game, the programmer and the player. The programmer sets al these scenarios, levels, obstacles, directions and gives the gamer various choices to make. The player goes through these obstacles, and makes choices where many possibilities are presented to him/her. Ultimately the game will finish one way or the other with the choices that the player makes. All these various different possibilities were laid out (each which had its own outcome) but the player made the decision to get to where he/she is now. Overall Comparison: After taking in everything these two philosophers have presented and evaluating their ideas, I have come up with my own thoughts. I believe Descartes had a much more reasonable and acceptable point of view than Spinoza. Descartes thoughts and concepts were easier to understand and coupe with. I disagree a lot with both of the two but my mind has a greater understanding of Descartes perspective. Spinoza was so special in his own way because of his unique ideas but his concepts on God and ethics seemed to far fetch. Descartes seemed to be on a perfect track until he took a couple things too far like God, trying to prove his existence. If we are to gain knowledge through sense experience then technically we have no knowledge of God, jus a compound of thoughts and ideas to create such a being. Overall I like Descartes philosophical way of thinking more than any other philosopher and feel we can learn a lot from him including helping ourselves to think in a more abstract philosophical manner. Sources Of Information: 1) A History of Western Philosophy : Hobbes to Hume (Second Edition) 2) individual. utoronto. ca/mtlin/god. pdf 3) www. utm. edu/research/iep/s/spinoza. htm 4) http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/Mind/17th. html 5) www. trincoll. edu/depts/phil/philo/phils/descartes. html 6) www. connect. net/ron/descartes. html.

The Cask Of The Amontillado - Revenge :: essays research papers

A Tale of Revenge in The Cask of the Amontillado "The Cask of Amontillado" is a powerful tale of revenge. Montresor, the sinister narrator of this tale, pledges revenge upon Fortunato for an insult. Montresor intends to seek vengeance in support of his family motto: "Nemo me impune lacessit."("No one assails me with impunity.") On the coat of arms, which bears this motto, appears " [a] huge human foot d'or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are embedded in the heel." It is important for Montresor to have his victim know what is happening to him. Montresor will derive pleasure from the fact that "...as Fortunato slowly dies, the thought of his rejected opportunities of escape will sting him with unbearable regret, and as he sobers with terror, the final blow will come from the equalization that his craving for the wine has led him to his doom. "The Cask of Amontillado" is about one man's family revenge on another family. In structure, there can be no doubt, that both Montresor's plan of revenge and Poe's story are carefully crafted to create the desired effect. Poe writes this story from the perspective of Montresor who vows revenge against Fortunato in an effort to support his time-honored family motto: "Nemo me impune lacessit" or "No one assails me with impunity." (No one can attack me without being punished.) Poe does not intend for the reader to sympathize with Montresor because Fortunato has wronged him, but rather to judge him. Telling the story from Montresor's point of view, intensifies the effect of moral shock and horror. Once again, the reader is invited to delve into the inner workings of a sinister mind. This part of the story is very disturbing and emotionally unstable. Fortunato undergoes a change from laughter and thinking a practical joke is being played on him to a groaning realization that he is a dead man. This is the place where we chose to make our project. Although several characters are mentioned in this story, the true focus lies upon Montresor, the diabolical narrator of this tale of horror, who pledges revenge upon Fortunato for an insult.

Corporation and Consolidated Cash Flow Essay

ASC 830-230-55-1: This reference shows how to format and account for cash flows when a company has subsidiaries operating in foreign countries. It gives an example of a consolidated cash flow statement from a US based company and its two subsidiary companies. The reference explains how excess cash should be disclosed. A majority of the reference deals with the local currency and how it should be shown with the parent company, in this case a US company based on the dollar. So for both foreign companies it needs to be formatted with both local and US. b) ASC 926-330-35-1: This references how an entity can evaluate their inventory at the end of a period. Manly to do with products help for sale, meaning items that are in inventory and that your business is going to be selling to clients. The inventory can be evaluated at the net realizable value, meaning the sale of the product minus the cost associated with it. c) ASC 954-440-25-2: This references how a continuing care facility can attain some loss when calculating its cost to its clients. These care facilities are required to show annual their future facility and service cost. They do this to see if there will be any liability that needs to be recognized. d) ASC 505-20-50-1: This references how a stock dividend can be described to the public and the corporation should try to by all means not to describe it as a stock split. It gives an example of how a corporation because of a legal requirement may be able to describe it. e) ASC 710-10-05-6: This section references deferred compensation with regards to a Rabbi Trust for their employee. It gives the three ways through which the trust can be settled, with cash, shares of stock, and with diversified assets.