Desperation By Stepen King essays

Desperation By Stepen King essays Desperation, a recent Stephen King novel, is not just a book, but an experience that leaves the reader frightened, paranoid, and questioning his moral beliefs. Picture, if you will, a lone, crazed Nevada policeman who pulls over vehicles on a lonely desert highway and forcefully takes away their occupants. Whichever of them he doesnt kill immediately, he locks up in the jail of the small desolate town of Desperation. Among those captured are the vacationing Carver family, whose car is sabotaged on its way to Arizona. Already incarcerated is Tom Billingsley, a once well-known member of the now slaughtered community of Desperation. They are soon joined by formerly famous, currently old and overweight writer, Johnny Marinville, who is riding across the country on his Harley-Davidson gathering material for a book of short stories. How to escape Desperation isnt the only unanswered question, though. How could and why would one man single-handedly murder the population of an entire town? H ow does he have such control over the minds of the animals? Why are they locked up when he could have killed them like every one else? Whatever it is that possesses the body of officer Collie Entraigan cant last forever, though. After several days his body is falling apart at the seams, and he is bleeding from every orifice. Weirder yet, he is growing several inches a day and is bound to burst soon. Will he? Or are the occupants of the local Desperation jail just backup bodies that the possessor will use when it wears out its current one? If so then what is it? More importantly, whos next? An intriguing aspect of this book is that there is no real protagonist. King leaves the reader in constant suspense. Frequently changing views, the story follows one character or group of characters for one chapter and then in the next chapter, follows another, often intertwining the time sequences. The overlapping action is interrupted only by f...

When Should I Take the SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test

When Should I Take the SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you planning to take the Math II SAT Subject Test for your college applications? As you know, the Math 2 subject test covers more advanced math concepts than the Math I. Because of this, you want to make sure you're taking it at the right time to achieve a high score. This article will help you figure out exactly when is the best time for you take this test. First, let's quickly review what's on the Math 2 SAT Subject Test. What's On the Math Level II Subject Test? Like the Math I Subject Test, the Math II test covers algebra and geometry. Additionally, it tests trigonometry and elementary functions, which describe a relationship between an input and output. A simple function question may ask you to solve for x, while othersmay ask you to definea function's range or domain or to graph it. I'll show some example problems of function questions that appear on the Math II test below. First, here'sthe breakdown of what percentage of the test covers each content area. As you can see, algebra and geometry make up a significantly larger portion of the questions than number / operations and data analysis / probability. Math Concept Approximate Percentage On Test Number and operations 10-14% Algebra and functions 48-52% Geometry and measurement (coordinate, three-dimensional, and trigonometry) 28-32% Data analysis, statistics, and probability 8-12% Some of these concepts appear on the math section of the general SAT, while others, like trigonometry, elementary functions, and graphing, are more advanced and specific to the SAT Math 2Subject Test. The following areexamples of function and graphing questions you might see on the Math II Subject Test. The SAT Math Level 2test contains questions that ask you to definethe range or domain of a function. Function questions may also present you with a graph or, like in the question below, ask you to draw or visualize your own graph and manipulate it to reflect changes in a function. The answers to these questions are D, D, and B, respectively. Studying with lots of official practice questions, along with excelingin your school math courses,isthe best way to prepare yourself for the Math II Subject Test. Like all the SAT Subject Tests, the Math Level 2test is 60 minutes long. In this hour, it asks you to answer 50 questions. Now that we've reviewed what's on the Math Level 2test, when's the best time for you to take it? When Should You Take the SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test? What Year Should You Take the Test? College Board recommends that you should take more than three years of college prep math before you take the Math II Subject Test. These years should include two classes inalgebra and one classin geometry, at least. A class in trigonometry and/or precalculus is very helpful, too. So if you takealgebra in eighth grade, geometry in 9th, algebra again in 10th, and trigonometry/precalculus in 11th, then you would probably be in the best position to take the Math II Subject Test at the end of 11th grade. If you are taking trigonometry/precalculus as a sophomore, then you may be in a good position to take the Subject Test at the end of sophomore year. Usually you want to take Math II, and any other Subject Test, at the end of your school year when the course content is freshest in your mind. That being said, which Subject Test dates coincide with the end of the academic year? What Test Date Should You Choose? The Math Level 2 test is offered at various dates throughout the year. June may be the best time to take it, with May as a close runner up. Math II is offered on May 5 and June 2. Its tentative spring dates for 2020 are May 2 and June 6. Sign up by about a monthin advance, if not sooner, just like the SAT. If you're taking the general SAT in the same year as the Subject Test, which one should you schedule first? What About All Your Other Tests, like the SAT/ACT and APs? A smart way to schedule your Subject Test is to sign up for it after you take the general SAT. You'll likely study a lot for the math section of the general SAT, and this studying could overlap with your Subject Test prep. If you're taking both testsin the same year, you could take the general SAT in March (or May), and the Subject Test in May or June. Remember, you can't take the Subject Test on the same day as the general SAT, but you can take up to three Subject Tests on one date. While SAT prep can be helpful for the Math II test, aligning these tests should be a secondary concern. The most important consideration is subject mastery. So if you've taken trigonometry and precalculus as a sophomore, then you'll probably be best served taking the Subject Test at the end of your sophomore year (which may be a year earlier than you're taking the general SAT). This could also be a good way to spread out your tests and have less on your plate in the spring of junior year. While the Subject Test may or may not coincide with your studying for the SAT, it may overlap with a class final or even AP test. This could further help you know the math concepts inside and out, so you can achieve a strong Subject Test score for your college applications. To Sum Up... A high score on the Math II Subject Test is impressive to any college, and especially to selective technical and engineering schools like MIT and CalTech! By planning your study schedule and choosing the best test date, you'll be in the best position to score high on this competitive and impressive Subject Test. What's Next? You might be familiar with what's a good score for the general SAT, but what's a good test score for the SAT Subject Tests? Good scores actually differ by each Subject Test. Learn all about the averages and good scores for each test here. Are you a math whiz aiming for a perfect score on the SAT math? Read all about how to get an 800 in math by a perfect scorer on the SAT. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

Triple entry accounting and financial statements Assignment

Triple entry accounting and financial statements - Assignment Example Today many companies often use statements from previous periods or years in order to project the likely outcomes of current finances. This method is not always accurate. Triple-entry accounting is intended to provide predictive accounting that is more accurate than basing results solely on previous outcomes.(Henke)The process of triple-entry accounting is a complex process. It is believed that these methods may be able to predict the future of the business and, even allow, for unforeseen expenditures and happenings. The intention of the triple-entry accounting is to give businesses a clearer view of financial earnings based on an equation that takes into consideration the past, present and future; not just historical data.(Henke)This could be considered a great improvement over current financial statement methodology. Essentially the articulation of the four relevant financial statements simply means that the numbers in the statements among all the statements provided are in agreement with one another. However, there is a lot that goes along with that simple definition The four statements that need to articulate properly are the balance sheet, income statement, Statement of Stockholder Equity, and the Statement of Cash Flow. The balance sheet, is divided into three sections: assets, liabilities, and stockholders’ equity, provides the information concerning the available resources the resources to management and any claims against those resources by present creditors and shareholders. ("Cambridge Publications") All the gains and losses are recorded and then transferred to the income sheet as necessary. The Stockholders Equity reflects the all of the financing provided by the company’s owners. The stockholders hold a claim on residual interest which is accrued via, common stock, prefe rred stock, treasury stock, retained earnings, additional paid capital, any other accumulated income or loss. the statement of cash flows provides

Working Capital and Financial Environment Case Study

Working Capital and Financial Environment - Case Study Example in this case, the most important elements in the environment are the other actors involved either directly or indirectly with a production process. In assessing the internal environment, the professionals try to identify all the relevant actors paying attention to stated goals and strategies. Abbott and Merck requires huge financial resources on research and development and financial internal control helps to evaluate and analyze financial situation and investments risks. In 2006, Abbott has $24.11 billion revenue while Merck has $23.34 billion. Merck operating margin is 24.48% while in Abbott operating margin is 17.84% (Abbott Laboratories 2007; Merck and Co. 2007). Internal control suggests that all activities are reasonably under control from the perspective of costs. Cost variances can be controlled by establishing a good change control process and sticking to it. First, all requests for changes are documented. The requests describe the impact of the change on costs, the schedule , the technical integrity of the deliverable, and other work being carried out. Once they are properly formulated, they are reviewed by a panel of players who are charged with overseeing progress on the activities.

Romeo & Juliet Essay Example for Free

Romeo Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet is true story written as a play, by William Shakespeare in the Elizabethan time in the 17th Century. This was the period when young girls which was classed as young women and the roles of women was limited, especially those that were rich was never seen outdoors, when venturing outside it was a lot more limited, had private tutoring, educating them to a very high standard and everything would be brought to them, as Juliet in the play is to confined to protect her virginity. This was when woman were owned by fathers then suitable husbands, which were expected to accept. The tradition was Courtney Love, when a man, often a knight, had to woo (gently persuade) a lady to be his love. This sometimes meant singing to her beneath her balcony. She was supposed to play it very cool for a while, as Juliet says she ought to in this scene. It was all sort of a game. The play is about a boy and a girl who fall in love, but remains to keep it secret of their family feud. There is a lot of use of imagery language in the play, one of the example is the balcony scene, where Romeo comes to find Juliet after the party and find her in her balcony. This is at night, where the darkness makes them feel safe, somewhere they can truly be alone. At the balcony scene where Romeo meets Juliet for the second time, he talks about how Juliet is so pretty she is and how she is beautiful than the moon itself the envious moon, this is a simile because he is saying the moon is jealous as it is a symbol of chastity. By saying that it gives us an image of Juliet more beautiful than the moon, so Juliet must seem to be glowing making the night light and bright. The balcony scene is when the audience is shown that the live is real and eternal. Another image of light and darkness is Juliets sun, people cant live without the sun so Romeo cant live without Juliet , so metaphorically Romeo is saying she lightens up the world for Romeo. I think the two images are very powerful, but to be used after only knowing each other after somewhat of couple hours is rather extreme and exaggeration, so at this point I dont find this convincing at all towards the idea of the two are in love. The images of love are as strong as those of light and dark, the first is, Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love And Ill no longer be a Capulet Juliet claims that she will lose her identity if he swears to lobe her, she here gives us an imagery of a big sacrifice because they loves each other, but this to me, I wonder if it is really is that simple? I think the couple dont need to worry about the name; it shouldnt matter if they love each other. A name would be perfectly insignificant, Juliet denies the reality of the situation which is she will never be allowed to marry Romeo because of the feud of the two families, so Romeo and Juliet love must remain secret, so the imagery she uses shows us that thus live cannot and does not survive on earth, which all turns the situation into somewhat of a fairytale. They do die soon later in the play, so this scene shows the audience that it is a special love. Another imagery of love is when Romeo goes on to claim that love can help him to perform such features as climbing tall walls-With loves light wing did I operch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out. This again is a metaphor, which is very unrealistic, a feeling cannot give you power to fly, but it is aright for the couples in love. Their love goes beyond the earth, almost heavenly. However, Romeo is flirting with her, not giving her direct truthful responses. Later he uses the word love four times. He talks of love as a actual person. He believes their love to b strong that he personifies it. As if he has brought them together. When asked how he found the garden, he actually describes the personified love as someone hes in partnership with. He gives love extra power. With loves live wings did I oeroperch these walls, For stony limits cannot hols love out; And what love can do, that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me. Juliet declares in line 133, that her bounty is as boundless as the sea, this is metaphorical term, saying about her generosity. The love she has to give him is so great, not even the sea can obstruct it, the term giving Juliets live somewhat of a infinite quality and eternal. This is off course is unrealistic, but it is similar to Elizabethan voyage of discovery to the new world, to seek out the worlds end, this is yet not found therefore Juliets love is the same, boundless Other images are of birds, Shakespeare the, changes mood when Juliet talks of birds and captivity. We now see interesting images, shown by Juliet, Hist, Romeo, hist! O for a falconers voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again. Juliet trying to get Romeo to come back to her, she uses the language of falconry, which was an extremely popular sport with the Elizabethan nobility. A tassel was a high-prized male peregrine, this suggest that she feels confident as falconer to her very own, tassel-gentle, Romeo, it is unusual to see her like this in her age. Juliet is dominating the situation. She changes in two days from a little girl to a women, it shows her strength of character, her determination and her love. So I think this is very successful in making the audience realise the two are in love. On the other hand , we have an image of a spoilt child possessing a pet-And yet no farther than a wantons bird, Who lets it hop a little from her hand, Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gives, This gives us and image of Juliet holding Romeo by a string, and she has control of him, as she can pluck him back whenever she wishes, and gyves are prisoner with ropes and chain, this is the case that Juliet is a controlling female, could be of the high standard of her rich life, who is obsessed with Romeo and enjoys having him, whenever she favours, in a little fantasy of hers. For conclusion, I think in the balcony scene, many different images were shown although there were few actual images, which was effective in convincing the audience that the two are in love. There were only few realistic images, whereas unrealistic images present us with unlikely ideas such as Juliets sun, where the audience was given the idea that she was the light to the world. The image of angels might have been used to symbolise that the couple is not meant to be in earth, a little hint from Shakespeare, but overall I think there was enough images and idea given to back up the love of Romeo and Juliet.

The Importance of Language in Richard Wright’s Novel, Black Boy :: Wright Black Boy Essays

The Importance of Language in Richard Wright’s Novel, Black Boy Words are powerful things. They can be used to construct or destruct. In the novel Black Boy, Richard Wright discovers this fact after reading inspirational works written by a man named Mencken. It is at this point in his life where he understands the importance of words. Wright qualifies the idea that language is an important key to identity and social acceptance using figures of speech and warrants. A rhetorical technique used by Wright is this passage is that of metaphors. For example, when describing Mencken’s effectiveness he uses phrases such as â€Å"he was using words as a weapon.† This simile conveys to the reader just how powerful the new experience was for Wright. Richard wondered if he would ever be able to create something so significant. Although the idea seemed frightening at first, Wright was able to fight using his words in the end. In addition, to extend the metaphor of words being weapons, the language on the page is so full of disgust that Wright imagines Mencken had â€Å"slash[ed] [it] with his pen.† This image gives convincing evidence that Mencken was extremely irate with his society. His sword is the pen and his words are the blow. Those who are witness to this ‘duel’ are those who are effected by its cuts. Readers begin to realize just how important language is to identity and beliefs. Richard Wright utilizes evidence to create an ethos appeal for his readers. For instance, he doubts his literary choice once he reads the title of the book given to him: Prejudices. In his personal experience those that had spoken this word were not entirely right, according to him. He toys with the idea that this man (Mencken) is mistaken; he, himself, looked to have been mistaken. Wright made an unjustified conclusion about this writer judging by the single word on the cover of a book. If one word could bring up such emotion from this boy, imagine what a whole slew of these words would create in their wake. Mencken was not accepted by his race due, impart, to his beliefs.

Personal Ethical Communication Statement

Having a strong character, I also have a predisposition to optimism that influences positively my communication. I use these personality characteristics to encourage others, but I have realized that my communication needs to be improved due to societal roles that affect my perceptions. Since the world is made up of different categories of people, cultures, and races with which I have to interact, I have the obligation to watch how my perceptions are formed and influenced. I always believe that the success is the fruit of a hard work or a higher education as a dominant perception; but when reading the text book â€Å"Human Communication in society, I have discovered that the opposite site should be taken into consideration. Focusing on hard work and education was blocking my sight to see what others people are trying. As inference, I thought that some people are living in poverty because they did not go to school or did not want to work hard. This is a wrong inference which I have decided to reject. I recognize that some people did not have the opportunity to go to school despite their willingness to do so. Being from Africa and black, I used to think that due to racial discrimination, the United States would never be led by a black person. The opposite side of my thoughts was proven since president Obama was elected in 2008. That thought was based on my individual experience and the historical time period that showed that among 43 presidents who led the U. S since it has been a country, there was no African American person. This has helped me understand that it is not a good idea to rely on experience or time period. Personally, I realized that I have been experiencing ethnocentrism to some degree because I thought that only my culture was giving more importance to marriage; and all other groups were negligent in the matter. Also, I was stereotyping a group of people according to what I heard about them that most of them were thieves or liars. This has led me to experience prejudice to one of my co-workers who belonged to that specific group. It affected our communication because I could not trust her or believe in what she could say. As a mother, I thought that I knew better than my children so that I could choose for them the kind and colors of their clothes, their fields of studies, their food and so on. To improve my communication with my children, I have decided to discuss with them about everything before letting them making their own choices.

Mesoamerican civilization

In the civilization of the North and South America people, farming started later than the Afroeurasian. But the American civilization started on its own as opposed to the dependence of lending and borrowing of ideas from one community as was witnessed in the Afroeurasian civilization.The argument about the Mesoamerican civilization has been as a result of single culture (known as ‘mother culture’), while others claim that it was through learning and copying from others that the civilization developed, i.e. ‘sister culture’. The civilization arguments has to a larger extend been linked to the Olmec influence.   This is because the Olmec has been considered as the earliest civilization groups in the Mesoamerica.Hence some of its earliest civilization practices can only be found within the heartland of Olmec while others are beyond the heartland of Olmec. Some of the artifacts that are only found in the heartland of Olmec include colosal heads, earthen platfo rm and monolith alters.   There have also been cases where other Olmec style artifacts have been found in other different areas.There are objects that have been considered to be of Olmec – traditions in areas that are out side the heartland of Olmec appearing together with the traditional objects of that place.   For instance, at Las Socas, objects created in local tradition contain Olmec iconography (Reilly, p 371).This indicates that the traditional of Olmec was flowing from the Olmec heartland towards other areas and not vice versa.   In this case the argument of Olmec to be of the â€Å"mother culture† arises.   Michael D Doe is one of the proponents who argue that the Olmecs had a mother culture. â€Å"There is now little doubt that all later civilization †¦ whether Mexican or Maya, ultimately rest on an Olmec base,† (Coe, 2002, pp 62).Those advocating for ‘sister culture’ feel that the Olmec civilization took place simultaneously with the other places.   The argument is based on the fact that Olmec was only among the earliest equal civilizers.   Flannery and Marcus have agued that it is only through competitive interactive that civilization can take place.   â€Å"It is adoptive autonomy and frequ3ent competitive interaction of such chiefdoms that speed up evolution and eventually make useful technologies and sociopolitical strategic available to all regions†, (Flannery & Marcus, 2000. pp. 33).Therefore, looking at both the arguments of the mother culture and sister culture, it is not right to agree that the Olmecs civilization was a mother culture.   For instance, according to Pool (N.d),The Olmecs of San Lorenzo were only a handful of societies in the Americas that had achieved comparable degree of social and political integration by the end of the second millennium B.C. On the other hand, sociopolitical complexity varied among Olmec societies within the Gulf coast region, the intensity and effects of interaction with the Olmecs varied across Mesoamerica, and other Formative societies made significant contribution to the developemtn of a distinctively Mesoamerica civilization tradition, (Pp 2).The use of the term formative (preclassic) was developed by Gordon Wiley and & Philip Philips (1955, 1958), â€Å"Where it indicated the village agricultural threshold and/or sedentary life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Pool, Pp.8).The formative period has various prehispanic historical changes taking place.   Before 200 B.C. most of the inhabitants lived in small bands that were characterized by several mobility and their main activity being hunting and gathering.   Then came the development of a lot of urban centers by 300 A.D.   These urban centers came about because with time, the mobility was reduced and the group settled into larger groups and thus staying at one place for longer period than before.The increased settlement was influenced by the fact that people have increased domes tication of crops and had also indicated the storage facilities.   â€Å"In the initial formative period (2000-2500 B.C.)†¦The processes of domestication and sedentarization combined to foster the spread of settled farming villages over much of the area that was becoming Mesoamerica,† (Pool, pp.8).The early societies of America shared the hunting and gathering activities with the other societies across the boarders.   These behaviors changed among the communities, as they become more settled and avoided movements.   This lead to the emergence of social hierarchies, centralized governments, and various religious concepts.   Their neighbours adopted the practices that emerged from one culture to another, including the OlmecsLike all other complex societies of the America, the Olmecs also depended on this hunting & gathering, domestication of food and animal as well as fishing for their daily needs.   These activities enabled them to build strong social and politi cal hierarchies that integrated many other small communities.Mesoamerican ReligionIn pre classical periods of the Mesoamerican people religion developed due to the influence of the seasonal cycles, â€Å"In their world –view, the development of the corn plant was one of the principle archetypes.   Another intrinsically tied to the former was the archetype of the alternating powers of fire and water, derived from the division of the year into two seasons, then dry and rainy seasons†, (Obafemi & Olupona, 2004, Pp 199).The Mayan community of the Mesoamerica developed their religion because of the belief that there was a relationship that existed between the human being and the supernatural power.   They nurtured and developed this belief to the extend of giving human sacrifices to the gods.   High priests of the Mayan religion performed the human sacrifices.   The key aspect of this religion was the great importance it gave to the agriculture and the time timeless of the harvests. â€Å"The Mayan religious calendar Ezolkin comprised of only 200 days and two cycles each comprises of weeks spanning 30 days and 20 days.   Another calendar called tun comprised of 360 days and five added unlucky days†The Mayan believed in the cycles of rails and to the harvest of the produce.   They considered the agriculture product to be a gift from God.   To the Mayans, human beings were supposed to be attuned to the cyclical changes so that they can obtain more benefits from them.The offering of sacrifices, of both human and animal was meant to appease the gods.   Songs and dances as well as competitions accompanied the sacrifices.   There was no separation of civil and religious life. Therefore, the kings acted as both rulers and principal intermediaries between human beings and gods. The other reason that was behind sacrifices was that, many gods needed human support which if was not forthcoming; they may weaken and eventually die.Life afte r death was determined by the position that a person held before the demise. Therefore if a person held a high status position on earth, that position will still be held even after death. While those with lower positions held again the same positions.About the universe, the Mayas believed that the universe would continue to be created and destroyed continuously.   The cycle for the destruction would be taking place after a period of about 5000 years.   The destruction and creation would be the exact duplicate of the previous one.   They perceived the earth to be the back of the giant caiman that was floating in the pool, with the exposed part being flat with four comers.   Above the earth, was the human with 13 levels (7 going up, and 6 going down), (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580499_2/Pre-Columbian_Religions.html). This was of the same oscillation as the rising setting of the sun.The Maya gods and goddesses formed a family (pantheon), each having four color aspe cts.   The religious followers believed in deities in heaven, but also having counterparts on earth and vice versa.   The deities also comprised of counterparts of the opposite sex.   â€Å"For example the supreme celestial god Itzama, the aged patron of culture and learning.   Kinich Ahau, the sun god, may have been a youthful aspect of Itzama in addition to being his son†, (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580499_2/Pre-Columbian_Religions.html).Like the Mayan, the Aztec believed in the destruction and creation of the universe, but that had multiple differences. They believed to be living in the fifth and final universe, which they considered to be the fifth sun. In this case, they believed that there would be no sixth universe after the fifth destruction, and that there was escape or avoiding of this destruction but it could only have been delayed. The sun was considered to be a warrior that fought a continuous unending war against darkness. Therefore, as long as the sun was still fighting, the fifth universe could not be destroyed. To make sure that the sun continued with the fights, they offered blood it through sacrifices. The sacrifices were especially of human who were war captives.Befitting their central role as allies of the sun, the Aztecs thought they lived at the center of the universe. Their earth was divided into four quadrants, each with typical Mesoamerica color-direction symbolism, though the specific pairings of colors and directions were different from those of the Mayas. The four quarters met at the main temple (Templo Mayor) of Tenochtitlan the Aztec capital. This temple was also the point where supernatural forces from the heavens and the underworld came together. The heavens were composed of 13 ascending levels. The sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars traveled through the lower levels. The upper levels were the homes of winds, storms, colors, and remote gods. The underworld contained 9 levels, all descending, u npleasant, and dangerous, (http://www.angelfire.com/realm/shades/nativeamericans/precolumbionrel4.htm).The pantheon of the gods and goddesses of the Aztec were more complex and performing different overlapping functions at different ceremonial functions. The gods were related to different practices. For instance, the Tlaloc was the rain god. There were also the gods that were related to the agricultural produce and deities related to fertility.BibliographyCoe, M.D (2002): Mexico: from the Olmecs to the Aztecs, London, Thames and Hudson.Flannery, K. & Marcus, J. (2000); A Formative Mexico Chiefdoms and the myth of theMother culture; a Journal of Anthropological Archeology, Vols. 19. Issues 1.History of Religion Manna Religion Retrieved on 2nd Nov. 2007 fromhttp://www.clearleadinc.com/site/religion.htmlObafemi J. & Olupona K. (2004):   Beyond Primitivism Indigenous Religious Traditions andModernity, Routledge, ISBN 041527 320X.Pool A. Christopher (N.d):   Olmec Archeology and Earl y Mesoamerica, Retrieved on 2nd Nov2007 from  http://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/88823/excerpt/9780521788823_excerpt.pdfReilly III, F. Kent, (N.d) â€Å"Art, Cultures and Relationship in the Olmec world in AmericansCivilization of Mesoamerican: A Recorder, Blackwell publishing Ltd..

Bartelby essays

Bartelby essays Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance. (13) This is so because there is nothing a rational person can do to combat a passive message. Should a group of people decide not to eat until their government complies with their demands, the government will feel the need to comply from a humanitarian stand point. There is nothing else that the government can do to prevent the death of its citizens and that would simply be unacceptable in the global spectrum of sociological science. The problem with passive resistance, however, is its failure to be recognized. Melvilles Bartleby has a purpose rooted deeply in this as its main character attempts to enlighten the working population to the indefinite strife of low level employees. Bartleby the man is opposing the monotony of life in a work place where production equals success. Essentially a talking Xerox machine, the scrivener uses passive means of resistance to make his main and is fellow subordinates understand the faults in their way of life. Melville does this by taking the downfalls of what was then modern day Wall Street and challenge them with title characters actions. As an employee whose only responsibilities included copying the narrators documents and checking them for errors, there would seem to be no room for any kind of resistance due to the cut and dry nature of his employment. By using passive means, Bartleby wins over part of the narrator and makes his seemingly invalid argument suddenly explode with legitimacy. Even in death, when Bartleby becomes an unknown! martyr, his message is carried on. This narrative could be called the legend of Bartleby, as his message continues to be read and discussed over a century after it was written. Also, to understand Bartleby the man is to understand his environment. Melville created a small social order in this text located on Wall Street in a small but effective law of...

René Descartes Proofs of Gods Existence

Renà © Descartes Proofs of Gods Existence Renà © Descartes (1596-1650) Proofs of Gods Existence is a series of arguments that he posits in his 1641 treatise (formal philosophical observation) Meditations on First Philosophy, first appearing in Meditation III. of God: that He exists. and discussed in more depth in Meditation V: Of the essence of material things, and, again, of God, that He exists. Descartes  is known for these original arguments that hope to prove Gods existence, but later philosophers have often critiqued his proofs as being too narrow and relying on a very suspect premise (Hobbes) that an image of God exists within mankind. In any case, understanding them is essential to understanding Descartes later work Principles of Philosophy (1644) and his Theory of Ideas. The structure of Meditations on First Philosophy - whos translated subtitle reads in which the existence of God and the immortality of the soul are demonstrated - is fairly straightforward. It begins with a letter of dedication to The Sacred Faculty of Theology in Paris, where he submitted it originally in 1641, a preface to the reader, and finally a synopsis of the six meditations that would follow. The rest of the treatise is meant to be read as if each Meditation takes place a day after the one prior. Dedication and Preface In the dedication, Descartes  implores the University of Paris (Sacred Faculty of Theology) to protect and keep his treatise and posit the method he hopes to ascribe to assert the claim of Gods existence philosophically rather than theologically. In order to do this, Descartes  posits he must make an argument that avoids critics accusations that the proof relies on circular reasoning. In proving the existence of God from a philosophical level, he would be able to appeal to non-believers as well. The other half of the method relies on his ability to demonstrate that man is sufficient to discover God on his own, which is indicated in the Bible and other such religious scriptures as well. Fundaments of the Argument In preparation of the main claim, Descartes discerns thoughts could be divided into three kinds of operations of thought: will, passions and judgment. The first two cannot be said to be true or false, as they do not pretend to represent the way things are. Only among judgments, then, can we find those sorts of thoughts representing something as existing outside of us. Descartes examines his thoughts again to discover which are components of judgment, narrowing his ideas into three types: innate, adventitious (coming from the outside) and fictional (produced internally). Now, adventitious ideas could have been created by Descartes himself. Although they do not depend on his will, he might have a faculty producing them, like the faculty that produces dreams. That is, of those ideas that are adventitious, it might be that we produce them even if we do not do so willingly, as it happens when we are dreaming. Fictional ideas, too, could have clearly been created by Descartes himself. For Descartes, all ideas had a formal and objective reality and consisted of three  metaphysical principles. The first, nothing comes  from nothing, holds that in order for something to exist, something else must have created it. The second holds very much the same concept around formal versus objective reality, stating that more cannot come from less. However, the third principle states that more objective reality cannot come from less formal reality, limiting the objectivity of the self  from affecting the formal reality of others Finally, he posits that there is a hierarchy of beings that can be divided into four categories: material bodies, humans, angels, and God. The only perfect being, in this hierarchy, is God with angels being of pure spirit yet imperfect, humans being a mix of material bodies and spirit, which are imperfect, and material bodies, which are simply called imperfect. Proof of Gods Existence With those preliminary theses at hand, Descartes dives into examining the philosophical possibility of Gods existence in his Third Meditation. He breaks this evidence down into two umbrella categories, called proofs, whose logic is relatively easy to follow. In the first proof, Descartes argues that, by evidence,  he is an imperfect being who has an objective reality including the notion that perfection exists and therefore has a distinct idea of a perfect being (God, for example). Further, Descartes realizes that he is less formally real than the objective reality of perfection and therefore there has to be a perfect being existing formally from whom his innate idea of a perfect being derives wherein he could have created the ideas of all substances, but not the one of God. The second proof then goes on to question who it is then that keeps him - having an idea of a perfect being - in existence, eliminating the possibility that he himself would be able to do. He proves this by saying that he would owe it to himself, if he were his own existence maker, to have given himself all sorts of perfections. The very fact that he is not perfect means he would not bear his own existence. Similarly, his parents, who are also imperfect beings, could not be the cause of his existence since they could not have created the idea of perfection within him. That leaves only a perfect being, God, that would have had to exist to create and be constantly recreating him.   Essentially, Descartes proofs  rely on the belief that by existing, and being born an imperfect being (but with a soul or spirit), one must, therefore, accept that something of more formal reality than ourselves must have created us. Basically, because we exist and are able to think ideas, something must have created us.

Finance For Managers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 1

Finance For Managers - Assignment Example The management of any firm is faced with the task of dealing not only with the short term challenges faced by the business, but they must also have a long term vision for the company. Each company has its own internal advantages called Strengths that enable it to do better than some others in the industry. Likewise, each company also has its own internal deficiencies called Weaknesses that prevent it from making full use of its resources and abilities. Like it or not, all firms operating within a particular industry are similarly faced with uniform challenges from the external environment like the legal, social, economic and technological changes that may emerge as Opportunities for the industry if they give it an advantage, or Threats for an industry if they challenge its well being and continuity in the business environment. Jools Furniture Industries Ltd. likewise has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and is also faced with opportunities and threats from the external enviro nment. It is clear that it must take some action to offset these internal and external challenges if it is to survive and prosper as a continuing business enterprise. This paper is divided into three parts. ... In Part III, we shall assess the proposal for an ?1.8 million loan to be taken by the Kitchens Division of the business, based on the current gearing and ROI criteria as traditionally maintained by the company, and also suggest two other alternatives in this regard. PART I Brief Analysis of the Present Position of the Furniture Business Looking at the industry scenario given in the case, it appears that the furniture industry in the UK is highly specialized and moving towards maturity. In this stage of the product life cycle, there are a whole lot of producers and manufacturers of a product and the competition is intense, hence every firm is looking at ways to enlarge its business and increase its capacity in different areas. Jools Furniture Industries Ltd. has also done the same over the years and has managed to create four different divisions, each dealing in a different type of product or delivering to a different market. We have the Kitchens Division, the Quality Division, the Be drooms Division and the Office Division. The marketplace can also be classified into the Domestic, the Office and the Contract market. The domestic market is geared towards serving the public, mainly through retail outlets and making products for household use. The domestic market constitutes 58 percent or the major chunk of the market demand. On the other hand, the office market deals mainly with products concerning desking, seating, tables, cabinets and other items for the office environment. The office market consists of 13 percent of the total market demand. The contract market caters to the needs of furniture for public areas such as hotels, schools, residential accommodation and airports. The contract market constitutes 29 percent or little less