Short and long term returns on overseas market Essay

Short and long term returns on overseas market - Essay Example Many firms, like large oil or chemical companies, operate in industries with large economies of scale and their operations spill across national boundaries simply to be competitive. Cost considerations (e.g. transport) are important in choosing whether to increase exports or invest overseas. Equally tariff barriers to trade can encourage direct investment, but non-tariff barriers are also important. Many services are not exportable in any direct sense and have to be delivered in the overseas market through direct investment. They need to respond to the changing demand considerations of overseas markets - especially where product specifications are different from the home market. This may make it sensible to locate closer to the main centres of demand, to enable easier adaptation without disruption to production in the domestic market. Other disincentives to direct trade could be that competition takes place on grounds other than price and quality of output. For example, competition in some product markets may be mainly in terms of after sales service. Most direct investment, as with trade, occurs between similar industrial countries. direct investments will take place without displacing trade. They may even encourage greater trade flows, because intermediate inputs of production will need to be exported to support the overseas plants. In this instance, as in some others, direct investment is complementary to trade. On other occasions, it may substitute for it. Another explanation for overseas investment with parallels in trade theory is a version of the "product cycle" theory. Here production initially begins in the domestic country where the product was developed, with good access to the skilled designers and technicians responsible for "inventing" the product. As the product matures, these inputs become less important and production shifts to a country with a cost advantage in the production of the now standard good. Production overseas is cheaper and goods are exported back into the domestic economy. A further explanation for firms' investment in a foreign market rather than exporting goods to it is that there are external benefits (or spillovers) from overseas investment. These are most likely to stem from location in markets which set trends in demand, or are the "centers of excellence" in terms of production techniques, design, marketing or organization. Why overseas investment The prime motivation for investment in the international market must be that the stream of earnings is expected to exceed that which could be earned in the domestic markets. This could often be attributed to lower production costs in other countries. This investment will ultimately benefit the economy as a whole. The stream of income from overseas investments changes the composition of the current account of the balance of payments. Most directly, it does so by increasing the economy's earnings from abroad. But it may also indirectly promote a net trade improvement. Portfolio Investment In portfolio investment, there is no attempt by portfolio investors to actively control the management of a firm, rather it aims to seek out

Legal Environment Of Colombia Politics Essay

Legal Environment Of Colombia Politics Essay History Colombia is one of three countries that emerged following the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830. Francisco de Paula Santander became the president of the new state. Colombias name has changed many times since its independence from Gran Colombia, starting with the Republic of New Granada, then the Granadine Confederation, then the United States of Colombia, and finally the current Republic of Colombia. Colombias history is filled with violent conflicts between the conservative and liberal political parties. The most notable of these conflicts was a civil war occurring between 1899 and 1903, known as The War of a Thousand Days. The war led to approximately 100,000 deaths. Colombia also lost part of its northern territory in the conflict, which ultimately became what is currently Panama. Tension increased and conflict continued through 1958. From 1948 to 1957, Colombia experienced its worst political conflicts it what is now coined la violencia. The violence began after the assassination of the liberal leader, Jorge Elià ©cer Gaità ¡n. It is estimated this turmoil resulted in at least 200,000 deaths. During this period, Colombia was ruled by two successive dictators, Laureano Gà ³mez and Gustavo Rojas Pinalla. The conflicts and violence finally ended with an agreement between the conservatives and liberals in 1958. They formed a coalition government, known as the National Front government. The idea behind this type of government was that each party would hold the presidency and all other government and civil positions on an equal, rotating basis. This lasted for sixteen years and let to better economic conditions. Beginning in 1974, Colombia began to have legitimate elections between the two political parties. While political violence declined as a result of these elections, Colombia has been plagued with other issues. In 1985 a dormant volcano erupted outside of Bogotà ¡ killing nearly 20,000 people in the town of Armero. In 1999, another volcano resulted in significant loss of life in the town of Armenia. In addition to these natural disasters, Colombia was plagued by increased terrorist and drug activity. The Minister of Justice was assassinated in 1984 by drug barons working to protect the extremely profitable drug trade. Less than a year later, Guerrillas raided the Palace of Justice in Bogotà ¡ in 1985 taking a number of hostages until the Colombian troops stormed in. The incident resulted in nearly 100 deaths including several Supreme Court judges. The Marxist guerrillas terrorist activities still continue and have gained in strength since they partnered with the drug cartels for weapons. These guerrillas, known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), reside in the south part of the country and have approximately 20,000 members. From this remote region, the guerrillas plan attacks on the Colombian military and police and protect their cocaine plantations. The estimated number of deaths in the 1990s from this conflict is 35,000 and has resulted in a number of military personnel being held hostage. Andrà ©s Pastrana became President in 1998 and unveiled a plan to combat the violence and drug problems, known as Plan Colombia. The goals of the plan were to increase peace throughout the country, combat the drug industry, revive the economy, improve protection of human rights, and reduce social inequalities. The United States provided a $1.3 billion assistance package mostly to help build-up the military and counternarcotics initiatives. In 2002, à lvaro Uribe was elected President and released the Democratic Security and Defense Policy. This plan focused attention on the security and military components of Colombia, but also worked to improve the social and economic issues. Uribe was reelected in 2006. (Gascoigne, 2001) Most recently, in June 2010 Juan Manuel Santos Calderà ³n was elected President of Colombia. (President of Colombia, 2010) He is believed to want to continue Uribes market-based economic reforms. (The world in figures: Countries, 2010) Background Facts All facts and statistics below were taken from the CIA World Factbook, unless indicated otherwise. (The World Factbook, 2010) Colombia is located in South America. It is over 1 million square kilometers, which is slightly less than twice the size of Texas, ranking it 26th in the world in terms of size. The major natural resources of Colombia are petroleum, natural gas, coal, and other minerals. Current issues facing the Colombian environment are deforestation, soil and water damage from the overuse of pesticides, and air pollution. The population of Colombia as of July 2010 was 44,205,293, with an annual growth rate of approximately 1.184 percent. A majority of this population is between 15 and 64 years old (66 percent), a relatively smaller percentage is under 14 (28 percent), and even smaller still is the percentage of the population over 65 years old (6 percent). Just about two-thirds of the population lives in urban areas. An indicator of social and economic conditions in the country, the infant mortality rate is 16.97 deaths per 1,000 live births and the life expectancy at birth is 74. Only about 170,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS, constituting only .6 percent of the population. The official language of Colombia is Spanish. The dominant religion is Roman Catholic at about 90 percent of the population. The government spends approximately 3.9 percent of GDP on educational expenditures, ranking 111 in the world. Over 90 percent of the population over the age of 15 is literate and students are expected to remain in school on average for 13 years. These statistics indicate a successful educational system. Military service is required of 18-24 year olds for 18 months. The military expenditures are 3.4 percent of GDP, ranking 35th in the world. Colombia ranks first in murders per capita in the world. (Crime Statistics) Predominant Economic Model The predominant economic model in Colombia is a market-based mixed economy. (Financial Standards Foundation, 2009) Both privately owned enterprises and the government play an important role. The market-based aspect of their economy focuses on private businesses producing goods and services and individuals consuming those goods and services. Ownership rights are important in protecting the private enterprises from governmental power. The economy is believed to be more efficient in a market economy as supply and demand are used to determine the production and pricing of goods and services. The mixed economy aspect means Colombia allows certain limitations to be placed on free enterprise through government regulations. Some services are better provided by the government than through a free market system. (U.S. Department of State) In 2005, over half of the total investment in Colombia was from government enterprises and government investments. This leans Colombia to more of a mixed economy. A process of economic liberalization was started in 1990 by removing restrictions on imports and foreign investment, privatizing more services, and easing government regulations. More recent reports show the liberalization is effective. The 2008 index of Economic Freedom reported the Colombian governments total expenditures were only 31 percent of gross domestic product. (Financial Standards Foundation, 2009) The National Administrative Department of Statistics states that the Colombian gross domestic product growth rates were approximately 7 percent in 2006 and 8 percent in 2007. The U.S. State Department reports there are a few factors that are contributing to the stable growth in Colombia: an increase in domestic security, monetary policy that maintains low inflation and a stable exchange rate, a rise in petroleum prices and exports in response to their economic liberalization, and various trade agreements. In 2008, the growth rate fell mostly due to a worldwide economic downturn, continuing to decline to 2.4 percent in 2010. (Financial Standards Foundation, 2009) Of some concern to the International Monetary Fund is the large deficit Colombia faces. The deficit is mostly financed by foreign investment, which can be risky due to an uncertain international economic environment. (Financial Standards Foundation, 2009) In summary, the Colombian economy exhibits characteristics of both a market-based economy and a mixed economy. The economic liberalization effort has already and will continue to move Colombia more toward a market-based economy that features less government regulation and a greater focus on privatization and international trade and investment. Legal Environment The Colombian government is made up a three branch system, similar to that in the United States. It consists of an executive branch, headed by the President, a judicial branch, and a legislative branch, consisting of a bicameral Congress. (The World Factbook, 2010) A new constitution was ratified in 1991 and brought about major changes in the political institutions. The new constitution maintained the three-branch system of government. It created new positions such as the Inspector General, a Human Rights Ombudsman, a Constitutional Court, a Superior Judicial Council, and Vice President. Significant social changes were implemented such as civil divorce, dual nationality and most importantly a legal means to appeal government decisions affecting constitutional rights. The constitution also implemented an accusatory system of criminal justice. Finally, an amendment in 2005 allows presidents to hold two consecutive four year terms, as opposed to just one. (Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, 2010) The Index of Economic Freedom measures the property rights index. The index measures the degree to which private property rights are protected by a countrys laws. It also indicates the likelihood private property will be seized by the government, how independent the judiciary is, and the enforceability of contracts. Scores range from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate a better protection of property rights. Colombia scored a 50. (Property Rights Index, 2010) The constitution explicitly protects private property and contracts are generally enforced. Compensation is required in expropriation cases. Intellectual property rights are not always guaranteed. There are commonly infringements on intellectual property, especially trademarks. In terrorist territories property rights are not guaranteed. (Heritage Foundation, 2010) Corruption is a significant problem in Colombia. There are concerns about the influence of criminal organizations on the police, military and other judicial services. (Heritage Foundation, 2010) Drug trafficking and terrorist activity is still a major issue in Colombia. With the assistance of the United States, Colombia has been able to weaken the drug trafficking organizations, reduce the supply of drugs to the United States, and establish a military presence in conflict regions. The involvement of terrorist groups in drug trafficking increases the difficulty of cutting down the problem. With the help of the United States alternative development programs have cultivated over 650,000 hectares of agricultural and forestry lands. Colombia has instituted social infrastructure projects to entice communities to remain illicit-crop free. (Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, 2010)

Outline on John Bede Polding :: Catholic Figures Bishops Science Essays

Outline on John Bede Polding John Bede Polding- John Bede Polding was born at Liverpool on the 18th of October 1794 and died at Sydney, 16 March 1877. During his life he contributed in many ways to the growth of Catholicism in Australia through many different events. He was the first Catholic Archbishop in Australia, although he was ordained in England. He came to Australia in 1835  ¡Ã‚ ¨and at once set to work to organize his vast diocese. He found only three priests in New South Wales and one in Tasmania; these with the three or four Benedictine monks whom he had brought with him constituted the entire force at his disposal. Then, and for many years afterwards, he worked like one of his priests, saying Mass daily in various stations, often in the convict prisons, teaching the Catechism, hearing the confessions of multitudes, and attending the sick and dying. He obtained permission to give retreats in the prison establishments, and between 1836 and 1841 no less than 7000 convicts made at least ten days' retre at under his guidance. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Because of his good work the authorities began to bring every new shipload of Christian convicts to him, and he assisted all of them personally and attempted to help them before they were sent off to different places throughout Australia, showing his remarkable patience and acceptance for all people.  ¡Ã‚ §In 1841 Bishop Polding revisited England and thence went on to Rome to report on his vicariate and petition for the establishment of a hierarchy, which was granted in 1842, the vicar Apostolic becoming first Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of all Australia. During this visit he was sent on a special diplomatic mission to Malta, and in recognition of his success therein was made a Count of the Holy Roman Empire and an assistant at the pontifical throne. In 1843 he returned to Sydney, taking with him a band of Christian Brothers, four Passionists, and some Benedictines. His return as archbishop aroused a violent storm among the Church of England par ty in the colony, but his gentleness and tact disarmed all opponents. ¡Ã‚ ¨ This displays some of the ways that Polding contributed to the forming of Christianity in Australia during its early stages. He also contributed to the founding of the benedict nuns in Australia. He brought the two founding Nuns, Scholastica Gregory and Magdalen le Clerc, to Australia, where they began Benedictine Monastic life for women on February 2nd, 1849.

Managing a Foreign Subsidiary

Outline 1. Introduction The objective of the research is to manage the subsidiary of Metersbonwe in Brazil and Russia. Metersbonwe is a Chinese local clothing brand. Metersbonwe was founded in 1994, and it specializes in casual wear. The reasons why I choose this brand is that I’m a young man, and I think the design of Metersbonwe is very suitable for the young people. Also, Metersbonwe is a popular brand with low price, so, the developing country like Russia and Brazil could adapt the price.However, to manage a subsidiary in a foreign country is full of challenge, and the one of the important factor to make it success is The Five Dimensions of National Culture. Power Distance (PDI): the extent to the power distribution is unequally in the less powerful member. Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV): the extent to the individuals integrates into the group. Masculinity Femininity (MAS): the degree of the sexism in the culture. Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI): how this culture trea t the uncertainty and ambiguity.Long-Term Orientation (LTO): the Long-term cultures value thrift and perseverance, but, the short-term cultures value tradition, the fulfillment of social obligations and protecting honors. The other factor is the leadership style. There 3 different leadership styles is Authoritarian Style, Democratic Style, Laissez-Faire Style respectively. I think my leadership style is Democratic Style, because I will not be authoritarian to make the company all listen to me, A man's wisdom is limited, so, I need group’s wisdom to help the company become stronger.I will also not be Laissez-Faire Style, as a subsidiary company’s leader, I have a responsibility to carry the company. The research is anticipated to manage Metersbonwe in Russia and Brazil. The most important elements to manage the subsidiary in Russia and Brazil are local culture, people’s cloth wearing habit and the weather. 2. Methods The only data collection method used in the re search is Internet research, because, it’s limited by the source around.But the amount of the information on the internet was plenty, also, is easy to get the useful information on the internet, although the data collect by internet research may have less authenticity and accuracy, it is enough for this research. The internet research provided lot background knowledge, relatively official information about the company, many culture conventions in the Russia and Brazil and the Unilever’s business model in Russia and Brazil to locate the research, the internet research method helps a lot in this research. . Findings 2. 1. Examine the cultural conventions influencing business In Russia and Brazil Russia: Normal business hours are 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. Mondays to Fridays, and It is not unusual for Russians to renegotiate a contract. Brazil: Schedule the business meeting at least 2 weeks. Use casual conversation to start a business meeting or negotiation. 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 4. 2. Determine Unilever’s business model in Russia and Brazil Russia: * Focused on special development program * Building leadership in large categories Using employees from 11 different nationalities Brazil: * have a local structure * top notch infrastructure * 10 major categories to sustained market leadership 2. Discussion 3. 2. Interpret the findings in light of thesis statement 3. 3. 1. Advantage for Metersbowe in Russia Diversity staff to build up the company’s culture exchange 3. 3. 2. Disadvantage for Metersbonwe in Russia Need long time to reconcile the cross culture staff 3. 3. 3. Advantage for Metersbonwe in Brazil Is not emphasize the culture convention . 3. 4. Disadvantage for Metersbonwe in Brazil 3. 3. Assess the effectiveness of the research * Not enough information to locate the Unilever’s business model in Russia and Brazil * Only internet research to fulfill the report, no other reliable source of data 3. Conclusions 4. 4. Identify and justify the Metersbonwe in Brazil * the country I choose to manage Metersbonwe is Brazil * Metersbonwe as a new brand access in Brazil clothing market 4. 5. Suggestion * More source of data provide * Confirm the accuracy of the data

Abortion: One of the Most Argumentative Topics

One of the most argumentative topics with our court today is the topic of abortion. Abortion has been practiced in the United States since the founding of the Republic according to You debate. It all began when married woman moved to lower their fertility rates after 1830. it became a widespread practice held in the United States. According to You debate, doctor’s estimated that in the 1960’s through the 1970’, there was at least one abortion every four birth’s. One common worry that congress had was the safety of the mother’s during the abortion progress. Before 1973, â€Å" abortions were preformed illegally, and in unskilled ways, many woman died from the awful infections and intense bleeding. Hangers and other sharp objects were one of many objects used for illegal abortions† (you debate, 2). There are numerous reasons as to why someone would be for abortions, or against abortions. In my own personal opinion, I believe that a woman has a right to decide what she would like to do. This essay will consist of both pro’s and con’s of abortion. Also, it will include certain cases that been brought to the congress’s attention. Abortion is a topic that several Americans have expressed their concerns with. People have the right to their own opinion whether they are pro or con for abortion. There are several reasons for pro-choice. One according to WCLA, is that â€Å" we support reproductive freedom† which means that an individual woman should be able to make her own choice whether or not she is going to give birth to the child. Also, laws have never stopped abortion. When illegal abortion was the leading killer of woman in the United States, there was no right to life choice. Most people in the United States believe that abortion may be the morally right choice under certain circumstances. Some of those circumstances are for example when a woman is rapped. If a woman gets rapped, I believe that is she is pregnant by the man, that she does have a right whether or not to birth the child because of the circumstances. According to WLCA, â€Å" Many people who are personally opposed to abortion for religious or moral reasons also believe that it’s wrong to impulse their values by civil law on everyone. You don’t have to like abortion to respect the right of choice. Another argument that congress has had to face is whether the baby is considered a alive, or is not. According to WLCA, â€Å"The fetus is totally dependent on the body of the woman for it’s life support. The health of the fetus is directly related to the health of the pregnant woman. Only at birth are they separated. † A woman named Margaret Sanger said, â€Å" No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her own body. † Almost all legislatures who oppose abortion rights also support the death penalty. One might ask if they think that people who are are convicted of murder are no longer human. According to the WLCA, The Constitution protects various rights that are not specifically mentioned. The constitutional right of privacy has been interpreted repeatedly to include matters of marriage, sex, and family, specifically â€Å"the right to be free from unwarranted governmental intrusion into matters so fundamentally affecting a person as the decision whether to bear a child or beget a child. † The agreement among the people of the United States has grown in support. In 1982, an NBC poll showed that 77% agreed to abortion should be between the woman and the doctor only. Another poll showed that 5. 4% of rape victims become pregnant. This poll proved that people are becoming more sympathetic towards women who are being rapped and getting pregnant. Also, most medications are not completely 100% effective for getting pregnant. Because of this, abortion should not be a problem because all medications are not 100% effective. Also, some people cannot afford to pay for medications. Therefore, abortion would be necessary. According to WLCA, â€Å"The increase in teen sex has complex society causes, including sexually orientated such as TV, movies, and ads. Birth control and abortion don’t cause sex. † The Supreme Court, in 1976, reaffirmed that the privacy allows woman to be free of governmental interference in decisions about childbearing. The court struck down the law that the father of the child does not have a say so in the decision of his unborn child. The court came to the conclusion that the person who is physically bearing the child is more affected by the pregnancy. Another reason for abortion is that most unwanted babies are usually battered or even killed by the immature parents are not ready to raise a child. The parents may not want the baby, so there fore they do not show or give the baby the love that he or she needs. Most abortions are done for health reason. When is a woman is with child, there are several cases in which the mother could in fact become in danger is the mother does decide to bear the child. In some cases, the babies that are being aborted are unhealthy babies. The parents can try again for a healthy baby. Also if we have abortion clinics, there will be a less percent of â€Å"abortion mills†. These are places in which woman have high risks of being hurt by the people actually doing the procedure. One last reason according to WLCA, why abortions should be accepted in the United States is that when a child is in the wound, the brain and sensory waves do not develop until the 30th week. Most abortions do not accrue usually after the 24th week. There are several reasons as to why people do not accept abortion in the Untied States. People believe that human life begins when there is conception of a child. Therefore, it would be calling abortion murder. According to WLCA, â€Å"abortion is morally wrong. † wrong. † They believe that if you think abortion is morally wrong, you are obligated to work to make abortion illegal. People also believe that it is a sense of â€Å"decay† towards Americans. People believe that the fetus is not just part of the mother, but actually another separate human being. The argument that argues a woman’s rights to her own body are argued with the statement, â€Å"The right of the unborn to live supersedes any right of a woman to control her own body† (WLCA, 1 ). Abortion could also be wrong because it is described as taking a human life. Also, if abortion is not mentioned in the Constitution, then why is it considered a constitutional right? People in the United States declare that we add an amendment that describes it as the human life amendment. This would consist of declaring a fetus a full person. Also, abortion should not be legal because of a rape situation. They believe this because the percent of woman who get pregnant after being rapped are very low. The question will always remain â€Å"If you are having sex, you should be able to pay for consequences. † Most Americans feel that if a woman is old enough to have sex, then she is able to take care of a child if she is aware of the idea of getting pregnant. According to DEBATE, â€Å"Teenagers are being les and less capable of saying no. Having the option of abortion increases the sexual experiences of teenagers. † People think that the teenager who is considering having an abortion, to consult their parents first. They believe that the parent will be able to help guide the teenager’s decision to a more moral outcome. Another argument is that most parents, who do not want the child at the time, want the child later on in life. There are several other negative effects of abortion such as woman who have died from legal abortion verses those who have died from illegal abortions. Study shows that if a woman has an abortion, then it could possibly affect her pregnancy later on in life. Adoption affects are also a strong case in congress with the subject of abortion. They want people to know that they could give birth to the child, and then give it up for adoption. There has also been a shortage is adoptive children because of the high numbers of abortion each year. In conclusion, there are several opinions on whether a woman has the right to carry her pregnancy to full term. There are several pros and cons about the topic abortion. In the United States, people battle with abortion everyday. This is a topic that may take several years to finally resolve with the Supreme Court. Is it that we are murdering a human being? Does a woman have the right whether to bear and have her child? Should the Supreme Court be for or against it? Both sides have very strong points of view about the positive and negative affects. With the case of Madsen V. Woman’s Health Center, the people protesting do have the right to their freedom of speech because it was not trespassing. But will it do any good or have any affect on the woman going in and out of the clinic? Who knows? This is a difficult decision that the Congress will have to decide. We may never be alive when this conflict is resolved.

Jfk Assassination Essays (1448 words) - Lee Harvey Oswald

Jfk Assassination Essays (1448 words) - Lee Harvey Oswald Jfk Assassination FCA: Matt Motta Organization- /30 4/3/00 Support- /40 Block H Documentation- /30 JFK Assassination John F Kennedy was shot down unlawfully in his prime. That is a pin that has been in the nations back since it happened back on November 22, 1963. A theory that has lead the race of who killed JFK was the Lone Gunman theory of Lee Harvey Oswald. Since this theory has been so inconclusive, other theories have appeared and are catching up to Lee Harvey Oswald. Some of these theories are just ridiculous but on the other hand ,some are very possible. The most plausible theory is that Lee Harvey Oswald shot John F Kennedy during his drive through Dallas, there is not enough evidence to convict Oswald, so other theories have come about. On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy took a trip to Dallas, Texas to mend some old news with the democrats and to gain votes for the upcoming 1964 election. In Dallas, JFK was greeted by over 200,000 spectators through the uptown and downtown Dallas area. A motorcade had driven them to the Dallas Trade Mart where JFK was to make a speech, later on that day. JFK, along with his wife Jackie, traveled with Texas Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie drove to Dallas Love Field, where they arrived at 11:37 A.M. The motorcade then took a right from Harwood St., onto Main Street, headed towards Dealey Plaza, a park built to celebrate the birthplace of Dallas. The car then made a right turn onto Houston Street. Nellie Connolly, at this point turned to President Kennedy , and said you cant say Dallas doesnt love you.(Moore NP) Then the gunshot fired that woke up the world. At 12:30 P.M., on November 22, 1963, shots rang out in Dealey Plaza. To some of the witnesses on the scene, the first sounded like a firecracker. (Kritzberg 63) President Kennedy had wounds on his back, his throat, and numerous shots to the head. Governor Connally suffered a wound in his back, his chest, two wounds in his right wrist, and a wound in his left thigh. Fortunately, these wounds were not fatal for the Governor. (Donnelly 116-120) A bystander named James Tague was wounded on his cheek by a bullet and/or concrete fragments caused by a missed shot. (Kritzberg 63) Witnesses at the scene heard anywhere from 2 shots to 7 shots. It was concluded these shots came out a rifle. The rifle was later found hidden behind some boxes as well as three empty cartridge cases in the same room as the suspected shooting, in the Texas School Book Depository Building. The police were later accused of planting the rifle and cartridge cases. President Kennedy was pronounced dead at 1 p.m., central standard time. (Donnelly 69) The most suspected shooter was Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald belonged to the Marine Corp for most of his life. Oswald was trained in radar electronics, and had a background in security clearance. Oswald had experience with rifles, contacts in the CIA, possibly the Soviet Union and the KGB. The government claims that Oswald was just someone off the street who had a grudge against Kennedy. (Benson 190-193) Oswald was a communist, which would mean the Oswald believed that the president was no better than any other man. His beliefs made him an instant suspect for the CIA. (Benson 147) A major point in the discussion if Oswald did it or not is that the parade was running 6 minutes late. This means Oswald wouldnt have known, which he means he was waiting at the window for at least 6 minutes which he wasnt. Throughout the assassination Oswald was said to have been in the lunch room , however , no one could provide proof that they had seen him in the room where the shots were fired. Police swarmed the Texas School Book Depository Building believing the shots came from the third floor. On their way, they found Oswald sitting in the Lunch Room composed and quietly eating his lunch. (Kritzberg 60, 61, 69)Officer Baley was the police officer who entered the building after the shots were fired. When he did , he found Oswald in the Lunch Room. This created a problem in the timing element of the assassination. If Oswald were the shooter, then he would have needed to run four floors to the window where the shots were fired, then run back in 90 seconds to the lunch room. Oswalds arrest seems suspicious at this point because had he fired 4 shots and ran four floors as well

Definition of Being a Man

Definition of Being a Man There Is no Single Viewpoint Every male in the world tries to define being a man at least once in his life. Some researchers state that the first attempt takes place at the age of three in the majority of cases when a boy learns about certain peculiarities of his body. Of course, men try to understand what it is like to be a man much later. It goes without saying that men have different viewpoints on the matter. However, in the majority of cases they contemplate similar categories.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Definition of Being a Man specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, it is possible to draw a universal definition of being a man when these categories are analyzed. Though, such category as physical features (e.g. strength) should be taken into account, it cannot be the principal one. There are more important categories that make a man ‘man’. These major categories to analyze are as follows: s ocial role, relationships in a family (interaction with females) and ethnic identity. Social Roles In the first place, it can be important to look at the way men identify themselves in the society. Interestingly, there are certain stereotypes concerning men in this respect. For instance, men often try to hold leading positions. They try to fit the image of a tough guy who can reach his aims and who can reach the top. Therefore, men often try to measure their ‘masculinity’ (or other male’s ‘masculinity’) with the help of this category. The higher post a man holds, the more manlike he seems. It is also important to note that many often think that men have no right to be sentimental when reaching their aims. However, these are only stereotypes. Now men are not expected to be sharks in the human society. Though, masculinity is still associated with a high social position, men are not expected to make their way over corpses. Now such feature as responsibi lity is more important. Men are regarded as human beings who are responsible when it comes to making decisions. Being a man presupposes being responsible for various projects and for various people involved. Now this is the most important measurement for males. It is also important to state that masculinity has always been associated with competitiveness. Thus, men have always tried to prove they are ‘tough’. Now this competitiveness is also associated with responsibility. Men do not simply try to win the race; they are supposed to be responsible. Men cannot lose self-control. Thus, masculinity presupposes responsibility, competitiveness and self-control.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Relationships with Females Admittedly, there are loads of stereotypes when it comes to relationships between men and women. Historically, males were supposed to dominate fem ales. Several centuries ago males were regarded as superior creatures. They could suppress their women and their children. Being a man could be synonymous to being cruel to a woman. Husbands were regarded as masters of their wives and their kids. Therefore, masculinity was measured by the level of his woman’s obedience. This stereotype is still prevailing in many societies. However, many understand that this stereotype is outdated. Nowadays men do not need to show how strict they are with women. Marriage has transformed into the institution of two equal partners who take care of their children. Of course, it is important to note that these partners have a bit different roles. Thus, masculinity is not synonymous to superiority now. Men do not try to suppress their wives (or partners). Now an ideal husband is supportive and caring. He is also responsible. Notably, responsibility is important in this category as well. Being a man presupposes being responsible. Men should care ab out close people. They still should be strongholds of their families. Masculinity is now traced in the ability to be strong enough to admit that women are equal to men. Remarkably, this ability can be traced in men’s attitude towards feminist movements or even feminist ideas. Now many people understand that only weak and unconfident men try to prove that women should fulfill tasks that they have been carrying out throughout centuries. Such men do not want to let women hold high positions in the society. These men think that the institution of masculinity is in danger if women become in charge of men. On the contrary, really tough guys accept the changes which took place. They welcome women who can successfully hold the high position. Competitiveness is one of the most common features of masculinity. Real men welcome a deserving competitor, even if it is a female competitor. Therefore, responsibility is one of the most important features of masculinity when it comes to relatio nships with females, too. Ethnic Identity Ethnic identity is also one of the most important categories to analyze. Being a man means to be responsible for the entire group of people. This category is a bit similar to the previous one. Men often associate themselves with the entire nation. They feel ties between members of the group.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Definition of Being a Man specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is possible to state that they also feel responsible for the future of the entire nation. Admittedly, this can be compared to one of the basic instincts which make people continue their race. Likewise, men are supposed to be strongholds of their families. Thus, responsibility appears in the category of ethnic identity, too. Universal Definition On balance, it is possible to state that men have different viewpoints on masculinity. Likewise, there are many definitions of being a man. Nonetheless, it is still possible to come up with the universal definition. Thus, being a man means being committed and responsible for those who are dependent. Being a man also presupposes ‘healthy’ competitiveness which leads to development of the society Finally, being a man means being able to accept equality. Of course, it is important to note that this universal definition touches upon the major features of the real man. There are many other qualities that make a man â€Å"man†. Nonetheless, if a male is not characterized by such features as responsibility and ‘healthy’ competitiveness, he cannot be called the real man.

Full Review of Every SAT Test Date 2018-2019

Full Review of Every SAT Test Date 2018-2019 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There are multiple SAT test dates a year, and choosing the best one can be tricky. If you choose a test date too early, you may not be fully prepared, but if you choose one too late, your scores may not arrive in time for college application deadlines. You also need to take your own schedule into account as well. Will there be certain times of the year when you’re extra busy with a sport or club, or times when you’ll be too busy studying for your classes?The SAT is already difficult enough, and you don’t want to make things harder on yourself by choosing a test date that doesn’t fit your schedule. Fortunately, we’re here to help you choose the best SAT test date for you. This guide covers all the SAT test dates for the 2018/2019 testing year, and we offer specific advice on each test date for sophomore, juniors, and seniors, so you’ll be able to decide exactly when to take the SAT. 2018 SAT Test Dates The fall 2018 SAT test dates are generally best for juniors taking the SAT for the first time and seniors getting in one last SAT before college application deadlines. We don’t recommend current high school sophomores take the SAT on one of these dates because it’ll likely be too early in your high school career for you to score your best. August 25, 2018 Registration Deadline: July 27, 2018 Late Registration Deadline: August 15, 2018 Sophomores This exam date is too early for sophomores. At this point, the beginning of your sophomore year, you’ll only be about halfway through high school, and you won’t have studied many of the concepts tested by the SAT yet. Juniors This is a great test date for juniors to take the SAT for the first time. You’ll have all summer to study so you can be well prepared on test day, and if you’re not happy with your score, you’ll still have plenty of time for retakes.Many students end up taking the SAT more than once in order to get their desired score, and taking your first SAT early on in your junior year puts you in a great spot to do this. Seniors If you’re a senior and you’re still not happy with your SAT score, this is a good test date to give it one last shot. By taking the SAT on this date, you’ll still get your scores back in time for college application deadlines, including early action and early decision deadlines (which are usually in October or November). Also, by taking the SAT early on in your senior year, you’ll avoid trying to balance studying for the SAT at the same time you’re trying to complete college applications, and you’ll have all summer to study for the test. October 6, 2018 Registration Deadline: September 7, 2018 Late Registration Deadline: September 26, 2018 Sophomores This test date is still too early for sophomores. However, if you want to get in some testing practice, you can take the PSAT which will be offered on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.Only juniors who take the PSAT are eligible for National Merit awards and scholarships, but taking the PSAT as a sophomore can help you be more prepared for both the PSAT and the SAT in the future. You’ll get an idea of what the tests will be like and what areas you should focus on in your future studying. Juniors As a junior, you have the chance to take the PSAT this year and compete for National Merit scholarships. The PSAT is on October 10th, so if you’re already putting in a lot of prep for the PSAT, it may make sense for you to take the SAT just a few days before it, since the two tests are very similar. Even if you aren’t taking the PSAT, this test date is still another good choice for you to take the SAT for the first time and still have plenty of time for a retake. Seniors If you’re a senior, you can take the SAT on this test date and still be able to send your scores by the regular application deadline of most colleges (typically January 1).If you’re applying early action or early decision, this test date will still likely be OK for getting your scores in for those deadlines, but double check your application deadlines first to make sure. Also note that this is the absolutely last SAT test date for getting your scores in by those early deadlines. November 3, 2018 Registration Deadline: October 5, 2018 Late Registration Deadline: October 24, 2018 Sophomores This test is still too early for sophomores to be well prepared to take the SAT, but if you’re really interested in seeing what the test is like (or you’ve taken the PSAT and want to start SAT studying), you can take some SAT practice tests to get a sense of how you’re doing and where you need to make improvements. If you’re unhappy with your practice test scores, remember that you still have plenty of time to get more studying done, and with an efficient study plan, you can make big jumps in your SAT score. Juniors This another solid test date for juniors, and if you’ve just taken the PSAT, you can keep your studying going for just a few more weeks and take this November SAT test date. Seniors This test date is too late if you’re applying early action or early decision, but your scores will be back in time for most regular decision deadlines.Just remember that, if you plan on taking the SAT on this date, you’ll likely be working on college applications at the same time and will have to juggle SAT studying, applying to colleges, and regular schoolwork at the same time, so you may not get in as much SAT study time as you were hoping. December 1, 2018 Registration Deadline: November 2, 2018 Late Registration Deadline: November 20, 2018 Sophomores While we still don’t recommend sophomores take the SAT this early, you can begin prepping for the PSAT 10, if you’ll be taking it.The PSAT 10 is a version of the PSAT designed specifically for sophomores, and, if your school administers it, you’ll take it sometime between the end of February and the end of April. The PSAT 10 is somewhat easier than the SAT (since it’s for younger students), but the two tests are still quite similar in terms of format and content tested. This means that studying for one test can help you do well on the other. Juniors You’ll likely be studying for finals around this time, so we don’t recommend this SAT test date for juniors as much as the other ones offered during the 2018/2019 school year.You can definitely still take the SAT on this date, but make sure you won’t be overloading yourself between your SAT study plan and your regular schoolwork. Seniors For most seniors, this is the absolute last date you can take the SAT and still get your scores in time for college application deadlines. For some schools, it may actually be too late, so be sure to check the deadlines of each of the schools you’re applying to in order to make sure you don’t miss a key deadline! And remember, if you’re unhappy with your SAT score, there won’t be another chance for you to do a retake. Even if this date still works with your college deadlines, you’ll likely be studying for finals and putting the finishing touches on your college applications during this time. For most seniors, we recommend choosing an earlier test date so you have enough time to devote to studying before the SAT. 2019 SAT Test Dates These 2019 SAT exam dates will be too late for seniors, but they can be good options for sophomores or juniors. March 9, 2019 Registration Deadline: February 8, 2019 Late Registration Deadline: February 27, 2019 Sophomores You may have taken or be taking the PSAT 10 around this time, but you can also take the SAT on this date if you want to. This is still pretty early in your high school career to be taking the actual SAT, so if you do decide to take it, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get a great score, especially on Math, where you may not have covered some of the concepts yet. Juniors This is another solid test date for juniors to take the SAT for the first or even second time if you took it in the fall and have been able to put in a solid amount of studying since then.By now you’ll know most or all of the concepts tested on the SAT, and you won’t be studying for finals at this time. Seniors This exam date is too late for seniors planning to attend college in the fall. May 4, 2019 Registration Deadline: April 5, 2019 Late Registration Deadline: April 24, 2019 Sophomores High-achieving sophomores can take the SAT on this date since by now you will have covered many of the subjects tested on the SAT.However, it’s rare to reach your SAT goal score this early in your high school career; so don’t worry too much about a top score right now. Instead, if you take the SAT on this date, use this score as a baseline to figure out how much you need to improve and in which areas.If you have finals around this time though, you may want to choose a different test date so you aren’t taking on too much, especially if this is your first time taking the SAT. Juniors If you haven’t taken the SAT yet, we recommend you take it on this dateso that, if you want to retake the test, you have the entire summer to study and several test dates during your senior year for potential retakes.However, this test date may conflict with your finals, and if it does the March or June dates will likely work better for you. Seniors This exam date is too late for seniors planning to attend college in the fall. June 1, 2019 Registration Deadline: May 3, 2019 Late Registration Deadline: May 22, 2019 Sophomores This is another good test date for high-achieving sophomores, especially if the May test date conflicted with your finals. With this test date, you’ll still get your scores back by mid-summer and can get in a lot of studying before school starts again so you’re well prepared to take the SAT again in the fall of your junior year. Juniors By taking the SAT on this date, you’ll get your scores back in mid-summer so you’ll have several weeks to study and be well prepared if you need to take the SAT again early in your senior year. However, again, make sure this SAT test date doesn’t conflict with your school finals before you register for it. Seniors This exam date is too late for seniors planning to attend college in the fall. Review: SAT Test Dates 2018 - 2019 There are seven SAT test dates for the 2018/2019 testing year: August 25, 2018 October 6, 2018 November 3, 2018 December 1, 2018 March 9, 2019 May 4, 2019 June 1, 2019 For sophomores, the best test dates are those at the end of the school year: May and June.These later test dates will give you the best chance of knowing most of the information tested on the SAT. However, just make sure you don’t choose a date that conflicts with your finals. For other SAT preparation, you can take the PSAT 10 and/or the PSAT. For juniors, pretty much any test date will work. We recommend taking your first SAT in the fall of your junior year and doing a possible retake in the spring.This gives you plenty of time to study for your retake and possibly take the SAT again in the fall of your senior year if you need to. You can also take the PSAT in October as additional SAT practice and to compete for National Merit. For seniors, we recommend taking your final SAT in the late summer or early fall: August or October.You can study for the SAT over the summer so it doesn’t conflict with filling out college applications, and you’ll be able to meet school deadlines, even early action/decision deadlines, with either of these dates.If absolutely necessary, seniors can also take the November or December test dates, but be aware that you may not get your scores back in time for all your college applications if you choose one of these dates. What's Next? Now that you've chosen an SAT test date, the next step is toregister for the SAT.Our detailed guide offerseasy-to-follow instructions to helpwalk you smoothly through the registration process. Hoping for a top SAT score?Check out our in-depth guide to getting a 1600 on the SAT, written by an expert full scorer! Are you also thinking about taking the ACT?Check outour complete guide to choosing ACT dates for 2018 and 2019! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

A Scientometric Analysis Of Nuclear Medicine Technology Dissertation

A Scientometric Analysis Of Nuclear Medicine Technology - Dissertation Example Both diagnostic medical sonography and the nuclear medicine technology are similar to one another in the sense that both sonography and nuclear technology are used in the study of medicine as a tool for diagnosing and screening of various diseases (i.e. signs of malignant bone lesions, bone infections, or any kind of stress that can causes pain on the patients (Archive, 2015), appendicitis (Gjelsteen et al., 2008), pelvic pain, suspected for adnexal masses, or the presence of ectopic pregnancy (Busse, 2010; Gjelsteen et al., 2008), and various cancer diseases such as breast cancer, (vans & Bates, 2005), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (Gao et al., 2014), large hepatocelluclar carcinoma or malignant hepatoma (Hill & Hill, 2014), and ovarian cancer. The only difference between diagnostic medical sonography and the nuclear medicine technology is that diagnostic medical sonography is using a special type of technology that emits no ionizing radiation that could harm the patients’ current health condition. Based on the term nuclear, the nuclear medicine technology emits different kind of ionizing radiation which could negatively affect the patients’ health condition when excessively exposed to radiation (i.e. 131I, 90Y, 18F, and 67Ga, etc.) (Eckerman & Endo, 2008; European Pharmacopoeia, 2005). characteristics of the past and current studies published online. Often times, a scientometric analysis can be performed as a way to evaluate the work performance of a specific research group or universities, a country, and a group of researcher or scientist (Dutton and Jeffreys, 2010, p. 45). In line with this, the main idea of my dissertation is to conduct a scientometric analysis of scholarly productivity in diagnostic medical sonography vs. nuclear medicine technology. In general, a scientometric analysis can be performed to analyze and measure the usage of journal publications, its credibility and current position as a research institute (Reber & Brossard, 2013).

Toy store investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Toy store investigation - Essay Example There was another aisle called â€Å"Little Mommy†, which consisted primarily of baby dolls, stroller, baby bottles and fake diapers. The final aisle was called â€Å"Princess and Meâ€Å". This was my favorite aisle, because it was so fascinating and eye catching. It was filled with princess crowns that are covered in fake jewels. It also had adorable shoes with heels, as well as fairy tale wings, tutus and ballerina shoes. There were many things I found very disturbing about this section. The first thing was the way they portrayed a woman’s role to these young girls, particularly at this age because their brains are like sponges. I feel this is just teaching them when they grow up they have to cook, clean and take care of their children while looking fabulous. I was also shocked by the career choices that are given to young girls as well. Motherhood was the number one role that was illustrated in this section. They also expect the girl to be friendlier and less viol ent because of the language used on the packages. They frequently uses words like ‘pretty‘, ‘lovely‘, ‘friends‘, and ‘together‘. These words are displayed in a round smooth lettering. The boys’ section was directly across from the girls’ section, decorated all in blue. This section was also categorized by different themes.

Integrative Research Project ( Samsung Co. ) Research proposal and

Integrative Project ( Samsung Co. ) and Plan - Research Proposal Example The research finding will be analysed using various tools like excel and SPSS and further compared to Secondary data finding related to our study topic. The research will therefore source for detail information on financial management issues that multi-national companies like Samsung experience. Budgeting for huge companies like Samsung is challenging and sometime the expenditure surpasses the intended budget or the budget fails to consider some aspect that are necessary within that fiscal year. Secondly the report will investigate how much investment the company has done on internal control system to curb various malpractices. Does the business observe the five fundamentals of the internal control system which are: management integrity, competent personnel, segregation of duties, record maintenance and safeguarding of the company assets? The last case is the investigating the company use of financial statement analysis to its benefit. Documents such as income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and retained earnings are important in making various financial decisions that can break or make the company. Therefore it a stud y that will help in the business evaluate the business risk involved, the company performance, the financial health of the company and finally the future prospect of business development. Such issues related to internal control system, financial analysis and Budgeting can only be done competently if the company owner ensures that: management integrity is achieved, improved communication and decision making, competent employees are assigned strategically to oversee operations. Other possible solution ways of solving the performance problem is proper record keeping and duty segregation. Therefore to carry competent and conclusive research the researcher is requesting any willing stakeholder or other interested bodies to fund the

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 16

Research paper - Essay Example Generational issues may bring either positive or negative outcomes in the workplace. For instance, one of the most innovative generations is the millennial (Agan). The main reason why they are innovative is that they do not prefer following already established routines but instead develop better and more effective ones. This is the reason why this generation has been referred to as the generation why. This may lead to an improvement in the organization. At times, due to generational differences, conflicts are bound to happen between the young and the older generations, which may lead to negative outcomes since organizations require healthy relationships to be developed between various employees for optimal coordination and the subsequent performance. Participation is also different for these generations. The baby boomer generation mostly prefer working individually while the millennial generation likes working in groups. Therefore, with regard to participation rates, the millennial generation is more participating and prefers to have a flat organization where they do not take much interest in the hierarchy structure of an organization (Schawbel). On the other hand, the participation rate of the baby boomers is low. As was the case with their periods, participation was not a key aspect of the organization and they have carried this issue forward the modern organization, which is highly conflicting when considering the preferences of the millennial generation (Hammill). With respect to the future, the millennial generation will have a higher participation rate as compared to the baby boomers. However, since the performance of an organization depends on the coordination that is inherent in the organization as well as the relationsh ips established in the organization, it is of critical importance that these generations get along

A bio that captures the readers attention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A bio that captures the readers attention - Essay Example By delivering an approachable plan, Gabriel Trigo assists the clients clarify the path of their goals for financial freedom. Gabriel Trigo’s motto is â€Å"Sound financial and investment advice begets a brighter future full of financial freedom†. Trigo pursues the motto, and he is dedicated to assisting the clients achieve the financial freedom by offering high-quality advice, as well as, integrated wealth management solutions that enhance and simplify the quality of the lives of the clients. It is tremendously fulfilling to assist the clients to devise excellent decisions for their goals and circumstances. Gabriel Trigo knows he is successful when clients return with positive feedback highlighting how the investment advice has become a positive influence in their lives. He has a fiduciary duty to individual clients, and he needs to help them to the best of his ability to get them to where they want to go. The clients’ success is Gabriel’s happiness. Seek Gabriel’s advice and you will never be

Writing assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Writing - Assignment Example At the same time, it hit a 15-month high when it was weighed against the British pound. On the same scale, it was two-year high against the euro. The surge has raised arguments as to whether Fed should increase the rates and when it is appropriate to do so. The dollar has gained significantly against the euro and has since posed far-reaching implications to the economies beyond the United States. The paper reports that this performance may create economic vulnerabilities because many firms in emerging markets have liabilities that are attributed to large US dollar. If any currency depreciates against the dollar, it reduces the ability of many firms to borrow. Thus, this inability may impose worse financial conditions (WSJ: Dec. 8, 2014). This heat may be felt by currencies in the greater Latin America â€Å"if the market gets ahead of itself.† Changes in the Fed are likely to affect other economies. WSJ added that assistance from OPEC, there will be a higher possibility of an oversupplied market in 2015. When this is coupled with the increasing strength of the dollar, there is higher likelihood of a downside risk. This implies that virtually all world economies depend on the performance of the dollar and underscores the centrality of the Fed in shaping the world’s economic

A bio that captures the readers attention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A bio that captures the readers attention - Essay Example By delivering an approachable plan, Gabriel Trigo assists the clients clarify the path of their goals for financial freedom. Gabriel Trigo’s motto is â€Å"Sound financial and investment advice begets a brighter future full of financial freedom†. Trigo pursues the motto, and he is dedicated to assisting the clients achieve the financial freedom by offering high-quality advice, as well as, integrated wealth management solutions that enhance and simplify the quality of the lives of the clients. It is tremendously fulfilling to assist the clients to devise excellent decisions for their goals and circumstances. Gabriel Trigo knows he is successful when clients return with positive feedback highlighting how the investment advice has become a positive influence in their lives. He has a fiduciary duty to individual clients, and he needs to help them to the best of his ability to get them to where they want to go. The clients’ success is Gabriel’s happiness. Seek Gabriel’s advice and you will never be

Financial Regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Regulation - Essay Example This essay is organized as follows. Section 2 discusses the origin of global financial crisis and its cases in general as well as in the case of UK in particular. Sections 3 and 4 discuss the different dimensions of financial regulation in UK and the reasons for their failure. Section 5 concludes the report. The financial crisis had its origin in USA with the sudden boom in housing prices creating high optimism among investors and lenders between 1990 to 2006.This resulted in the creation of many mortgages and finally as the hosing price boom came to an end in 2006, subprime1 defaults started rising. Since the households became unable to repay their debts, the leading financial institutions worldwide had to write off their investments since August 2007. This deteriorated their balance sheet positions, which ultimately resulted in a tightening of supply of credit to households and firms to finance their consumption. Thus, the financial crisis led to economic crisis which spreaded all over the world (Agarwal et al, 2008; Vyuev, 2008; Gwimmer and Sanders, 2008). Financial market regulation is mainly aimed at correcting market imperfection and ensuring allocative efficiency of resources (Giorgio et al, 2000). However, one major reason for financial crisis has been cited as the failure of regulatory system to cop up with the financial innovation that resulted in the crisis (Pan, 2009). The rising indebtedness of the US households and financial institutions during the years before the financial crisis increased their vulnerability to crisis. The complexity of highly sophisticated financial instruments like derivatives helped in spreading the financial crisis to countries all over the world. The inaccurate measurement of risk associated with the financial innovation also resulted in creating the financial crisis. The other main reasons for the financial crisis are identified in the literature as weakened lending practices,

Causes of Dyslexia

Causes of Dyslexia Possible Causes of Dyslexia Dyslexia is a learning disability that causes reading and language difficulties, in terms of spoken or written. Today, there are many researches actively taking place regarding the fundamental causes of dyslexia (Temple, 2002; Ramus 2001; 2003) and a number of possibilities are beginning to emerge but the specific cause is yet to be discovered. However, there are several theories proposed by specialist doctors and researchers and also some evidence which can help in clarifying the origin of this condition and they believed that these are the possible causes which are genetic inheritance, neurological differences, phonological disorder and last but not least, hearing problem. Genetic Inheritance Dyslexia is inherited in families, and is often accompanied by left-handedness which believed by most of the researchers. However, it also cannot be generalized that all dyslexic parent will have a dyslexic child or a left-handed child will have dyslexia, yet according to them, it can identified that between a third and a half of children who have learning difficulties’ history and more than half who have a family member who is left-handed are dyslexic people. That inherited genes run in the family have a defect that will cause a problem with the development of a particular kind of nerve cell in the brain. The defects in that genes which associated with problems in reading performance are known as DCDC2. It was found by a team at the Yale School of Medicine which also reported that this defective gene appears to interact with KIAA0319, a second dyslexia gene. In the journal Dyslexia, Dutch scientists reported that dyslexia is a highly heritable learning disorder that has a complex genetic architecture. They also added that they can identified several candidate genes which related to the reading performance that may contribute to dyslexia susceptibility. Fortunately, there are many researches are carried out in the recent years due to the advancement of technology in brain-scanning. With that, they are able to examine and compare the brain of dyslexic and non-dyslexic children. For comparison, the researchers have detected that bunch of cells are found beneath the surface of dyslexic children’s brain which lie on the surface in the brain of non-dyslexic children. These cells are supposedly moving when the brain was developing in the foetus which is to the surface of the brain but they failed and these defected cells are known as ectopic cells (like an ectopic pregnancy, where the egg fails to reach the womb and is fertilized in the Fallopian tube). They can be found mostly in the front and left area of the brain which are very important for reading and writing ability. Besides that, they also traced that an area of the brain named magno-cellular system is smaller where it deals with the ability to see moving images. Due to thi s, dyslexic children will have difficulties in reading process, where the brain has to interpret the different letters and words at a faster rate as they scan words and sentences with their eyes. Neurological Differences Neurological or brain differences is the cause of dyslexia where right hemisphere of the brain is larger than non-dyslexic children and they are having strong activity in the right side of their brain. Due to that, dyslexic children are always known to have significant strengths in areas which controlled by the right side of the brain such as musical talent, artistic, athletic and many more. Because of that, they are engaging this area frequently while performing language tasks. However, language tasks are known to be most efficiently performed in the left side of the brain. These differences lead to dyslexia which consists of structural and functional brain differences. Firstly, in structural, the brain is made up mainly of two types of material which are gray matter and white matter. Gray matter can be found at the lower part of the brain whereas white matter is within the deeper parts of the brain. Gray and white matter are composed of nerve cells and connective fibers covered in myelin, the coating designed to facilitate communication between nerves respectively. The primary function of gray matter is processing information while white matter is responsible for transferring information around the brain. According to Booth and Burman (2001), they found that children with dyslexia have less gray matter in the left parietotemporal area than non-dyslexic individuals. This could lead to problems processing of the sound structure of language (phonological awareness). Furthermore, it can be said that dyslexic children who have less white matter in this same area, which is important as more white matter is correlated with increased reading skill (Deutsch, Dougherty, Bammer, Siok, Gabrieli, Wandell, 2005). If the white matter is less, the ability or efficiency of the regions of the brain to communicate with one another is less as well. In functional brain differences, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is known as a method that measures physiological signs of neural activation using a strong magnet to pinpoint blood flow. This technique is called functional because participants perform tasks while in (or under) the magnet, allowing measurement of the functioning brain rather than the activity of the brain at rest. Several studies using functional imaging techniques that compared the brain activation patterns of readers with and without dyslexia show potentially important patterns of differences. For example, a research is carried out by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Boston Childrens’ Hospital where 40 children had their brains’ scanned using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). They also had their pre-reading skills assessed. The children are at the age where they are the beginners in reading process. The brain scans were looking at the arcuate fasciculus (a junction that connects the areas of the brain responsible for written and spoken language). From the study, it can be identified that the more robust this brain section in children, the more likely they are to perform well on the pre-reading test of phonological awareness. Phonological Disorder Usually, for regular children, they have the ability to understand spoken language which can be acquired easily and naturally from a very early age. Regular children are able to recognize the letters that make up a word, and then use them to identify the phonemes, and put them together to make sense of the word in terms of reading and writing. However, according to theNational Health Service, reading and writing is difficult for dyslexic children because of phonological processing impairment. They have troubles in recognizing phonemes and therefore, they have to struggle in order to connect the sound and the letter symbol for that sound and also to blend sounds into words. It is most prominent in their native languages with a great deal of irregularity of spelling, such as Malay, English and others. For example, the word ‘dog’ can be broken down into three phonemes. This is, of course, a three letter word made up of three phonemes. However the word ‘read’ is a four letter word that only has three phonemes. This creates confusion when dealing with the smallest units of speech sound (phonemes). Moreover, dyslexic children mostly have poor short term verbal memory which is a very common cognitive difficulty. Usually, regular children use verbal memory to blend sounds in words together when reading them for the first time. This is why an inability to read non-words (made up words) is one of the strongest signs of phonological dyslexia. Problems with short term verbal memory naturally lead to difficulties with long-term verbal memory. For example, dyslexics may often forget the names of people they have met before or the words that they learned in two days before. This shown that short-term memory also influences their phonological processing. Besides that, it can be seen that for a children with dyslexia, it takes them a lot of time to sound out a word. They are typically have trouble in spelling and expressing themselves in writing and even speaking. The phonological disorder theory is one of explanation for possible cause of dyslexia. The fact that the majority of dyslexic children have problems with verbal short term memory adds weight to the theory of phonological disorder. Indeed, they are struggling in phonological processing. Hearing Problem Hearing problem is one of the least possible causes of dyslexia. The researchers believed that if a child suffers frequent colds and throat infections during their early age, range from 1 to 5 year, the ears will be blocked from time to time and eventually it leads to hearing problem. This condition is known as glue ear or conductive hearing loss. The parents of the child should take this into account as it will affect the developing brain that links the sound it hears. At this point, the learning of sounds and words are essential in developing their ability to handle and link the sound to language and text as well. If they cannot hear clearly, they will be unable to hear the difference between words like pin and thin, or fan and van. The lack of clear hearing will also delay the childs phonemic awareness the ability to hear that words are made up of smaller sounds and syllables, like c-a-t, or in-ter-est-ing. Therefore, to be safe, a corrective action should be taken at a very early age to prevent the phonemic problem of their children as it causes lifelong difficulties which may lead to dyslexia. Conclusion In this research study, it can be concluded that working memory skills affect dyslexic children in terms of reading, writing and spelling as there is research that stated children who have problem in reading may have severe working memory deficits. They are unable to store the informations for a long time but for dyslexic children, they may forget about it the next day. However, teaching methods or strategies are employed by the educator in Pacific Speech Therapy and Learning Centre in order to attract their attentions such as playing games, reading from books, guessing based on pictures, constructing sentences and recognizing syllables. The children are also taught individually which is between the teacher and the student only. The instructions for students with learning differences are to be explicit, systematic, structured and multisensory. There are many researches carried out by specialist doctors and researchers regarding dyslexia which lead to possible causes of dyslexia. There are four possible causes where they believed that these are the famous and found by most of the researchers which are genetic inheritance, neurological differences, phonological disorder and last but not least, hearing problem. These are connected to each other as the genetic inheritance are the root of the cause as it plays an important role of brain development and it goes on and on to hearing problem which is certainly true. However, the specific cause is yet to be discovered and still remains unclear. Regarding to the effects of dyslexia, it may varies according to the severity of dyslexia and success of the therapy followed by them. There is no cure for dyslexia as it is a specific learning disorder which need supports from educational institutes to improve on their reading, learning and spelling skills, it can be done in a special educations lessons and with the right and appropriate therapeutic methods bound with differences of each dyslexic individual, the difficulties faced by them can be reduced. References Kaufman, Lorna N., PH.D., and Pamela Hook, PH.D.,The Dyslexia Puzzle: Putting The Pieces Together, Newton, Mass. International Dyslexia Society, New England branch, 1998. Carrion-Castillo, A., Franke, B. and Fisher, S. E. (2013), Molecular Genetics of Dyslexia: An Overview. Dyslexia, 19:214–240. Snowling, M. J. (2000).Dyslexia. Blackwell Publishing. http://www.solasbt7.com/Causes-of-Dyslexia-6809.html Appendix Figure 1 Figure 2

Asymmetric Epoxidation Of Dihydronaphthalene With A Synthesized Jacobs :: essays research papers

Asymmetric Epoxidation of Dihydronaphthalene with a Synthesized Jacobsen's Catalyst Abstract. 1,2 diaminocyclohexane was reacted with L-(+)-tartaric acid to yield (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane mono-(+)-tartrate salt. The tartrate salt was then reacted with potassium carbonate and 3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldehyde to yield (R,R)-N,N'-Bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine, which was then reacted with Mn(OAc)2*4H2O and LiCl to form Jacobsen's catalyst. The synthesized Jacobsen's catalyst was used to catalyze the epoxidation of dihydronaphthalene. The products of this reaction were isolated, and it was found that the product yielded 1,2-epoxydihydronaphthalene as well as naphthalene. Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1990, professor E.N. Jacobsen reported that chiral manganese complexes had the ability to catalyze the asymmetric epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkenes, providing enantiomeric excesses that regularly reaching 90% and sometimes exceeding 98% . The chiral manganese complex Jacobsen utilized was [(R,R)-N,N'-Bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2- cyclohexanediaminato-(2-)]-manganese (III) chloride (Jacobsen's Catalyst). (R,R) Jacobsen's Catalyst Jacobsen's catalyst opens up short pathways to enantiomerically pure pharmacological and industrial products via the synthetically versatile epoxy function .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this paper, a synthesis of Jacobsen's catalyst is performed (Scheme 1). The synthesized catalyst is then reacted with an unfunctional alkene (dihydronaphthalene) to form an epoxide that is highly enantiomerically enriched, as well as an oxidized byproduct.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jacobsen's work is important because it presents both a reagent and a method to selectively guide an enantiomeric catalytic reaction of industrial and pharmacological importance. Very few reagents, let alone methods, are known to be able to perform such a function, which indicates the truly groundbreaking importance of Jacobsen's work. Experimental Section   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Protocol. 99% L-(+)- Tartaric Acid, ethanol, dihydronaphthalene and glacial acetic acid were obtained from the Aldrich Chemical Company. 1,2 diaminocyclohexane (98% mix of cis/trans isomers) and heptane were obtained from the Acros Chemical Company. Dichloromethane and potassium carbonate were obtained from the EM Science division of EM Industries, Inc. Manganese acetate was obtained from the Matheson, Coleman and Bell Manufacturing Chemists. Lithium chloride was obtained form the JT Baker Chemical Co. Refluxes were carried out using a 100 V heating mantle (Glas-Col Apparatus Co. 100 mL, 90 V) and 130 V Variac (General Radio Company). Vacuum filtrations were performed using a Cole Parmer Instrument Co. Model 7049-00 aspirator pump with a Bà ¼chner funnel. For Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) analysis, precoated Kodak chromatogram sheets (silica gel 13181 with fluorescent indicator) were used in an ethyl acetate/hexane (1:4) eluent. TLC's were visualized using a UVP Inc. Model UVG-11 Mineralight Lamp (Short-wave UV-254 nm, 15 V, 60 Hz, 0.16 A). Masses were taken on a Mettler AE 100. Rotary evaporations were performed on a Bà ¼chi Rotovapor-R. Melting points were determined using a Mel-Temp (Laboratory Devices, USA) equipped with a Fluke 51 digital thermometer (John Fluke Manufacturing Company, Inc.). Optical rotations ([a]D) were measured on a Dr. Steeg and Renter 6mbH, Engel/VTG 10 polarimeter.

Review Of Platoon :: essays research papers

I wasn’t expecting it, I just looked up and there it was: the disgusting, bloody, mauled body of a dead soldier. The shot was brief and I do not remember if he was strung up on a tree, if he was hanging, or what not. I was not in class the day prior due to a sleepless night led to sickness, so I was not able to watch the first part of the movie. I remembered that our class was supposed to watch a war movie; Ms. Klein was deciding between â€Å"Born on the Fourth of July† and â€Å"Platoon†. I vaguely remember her saying something about one of the movies being a slight bit, well, gruesomely horrifying. Due to a number of things that were due in my classes that day, when I walked into my English room, I was not thinking about the warnings that I was given. Then I looked up. Shocked I guess you could say was my first reaction. I was a little too surprised to be disgusted. Don’t sound so disappointed, I became sick to my stomach all too soon. It was hard for me to concentrate on a lot of â€Å"Platoon† during the first day of class. I looked at the screen only half of the time; I buried my head in current work so as to hide my eyes from the disasters on TV. I would occasionally look up and sure enough, each time I proceeded to lift my head, I squealed, and put it back down. I remember scenes of teenage boys being tortures with bullets, old women and men being killed, girls being raped, and children being put in front of a firing squad. That night, I couldn’t control the terrible scenes that flooded my head as I tried to sleep. The next day, I had learned to deal with the violence a little more than the previous day. I watched almost all of it, having to turn away only occasionally. The emotions that the violence expressed held me taut; it no longer turned me away from the screen, but drew me in, showing me further the horrible nature of war. Even though director Oliver Stone may have exaggerated situations in the war, he presented Vietnam like no one before. War is not shown as an event worthy of glory or praise, we are no longer shown as a brave force of victims. Review Of Platoon :: essays research papers I wasn’t expecting it, I just looked up and there it was: the disgusting, bloody, mauled body of a dead soldier. The shot was brief and I do not remember if he was strung up on a tree, if he was hanging, or what not. I was not in class the day prior due to a sleepless night led to sickness, so I was not able to watch the first part of the movie. I remembered that our class was supposed to watch a war movie; Ms. Klein was deciding between â€Å"Born on the Fourth of July† and â€Å"Platoon†. I vaguely remember her saying something about one of the movies being a slight bit, well, gruesomely horrifying. Due to a number of things that were due in my classes that day, when I walked into my English room, I was not thinking about the warnings that I was given. Then I looked up. Shocked I guess you could say was my first reaction. I was a little too surprised to be disgusted. Don’t sound so disappointed, I became sick to my stomach all too soon. It was hard for me to concentrate on a lot of â€Å"Platoon† during the first day of class. I looked at the screen only half of the time; I buried my head in current work so as to hide my eyes from the disasters on TV. I would occasionally look up and sure enough, each time I proceeded to lift my head, I squealed, and put it back down. I remember scenes of teenage boys being tortures with bullets, old women and men being killed, girls being raped, and children being put in front of a firing squad. That night, I couldn’t control the terrible scenes that flooded my head as I tried to sleep. The next day, I had learned to deal with the violence a little more than the previous day. I watched almost all of it, having to turn away only occasionally. The emotions that the violence expressed held me taut; it no longer turned me away from the screen, but drew me in, showing me further the horrible nature of war. Even though director Oliver Stone may have exaggerated situations in the war, he presented Vietnam like no one before. War is not shown as an event worthy of glory or praise, we are no longer shown as a brave force of victims.

Definition of Terms Essay

A pre-Socratic Greek materialist philosopher. Democritus was a student of Leucippus and co-originator of the belief that all matter is made up of various imperishable, indivisible elements which he called atoma or â€Å"indivisible units†, from which we get the English word atom. Mesopotamia A cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. Sumer in southern Mesopotamia is commonly regarded as the world’s earliest civilization. Cities in Mesopotamia later served as capitals of the Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Mitanni, Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, Parthian, Sassanid and Abbasid empires. Idea A concept or abstraction formed and existing in the mind. Human capability to contemplate ideas is associated with the ability of reasoning, self-reflection, and the ability to acquire and apply intellect. Further, ideas give rise to actual concepts, or mind generalizations, which are the basis for any kind of knowledge whether science or philosophy. Humbaba A monstrous giant of immemorial age raised by Utu, the Sun. Humbaba orHuwawa was also the guardian of the Cedar Forest where the gods lived. Anubis The Greek name for the ancient jackal-headed god of the dead in Egyptian mythology whose hieroglyphic version is more accurately spelled Anpu. He is also known as Sekhem Em Pet. Prayers to Anubis have been found carved on the most ancient tombs in Egypt; indeed, the Unas text (line 70) associates him with the Eye of Horus. He serves as both a guide of the recently departed and a guardian of the dead. Kumarbi Kumarbi bit off the genitals of Anu and spat out three new gods. This is related in the Hittite myth Kingship in Heaven: Alalu was overthrown by Anu who was in turn overthrown by Kumarbi. When Anu tried to escape Kumarbi bites off his genitals. Anu tells his son that he is now pregnant with the Teshub, Tigris and Tasmisu. Upon hearing this Kumarbi spit the semen upon the ground and it became impregnated with two children. Kumarbi becomes pregnant and is cut open to deliver Tesub. Together, Anu and Teshub depose Kumarbi Tammuz Tammuz was established in honor of the eponymous god Tammuz, who originated as a Sumerian shepherd-god, Dumuzid or Dumuzi, the consort of Inanna and, in his Akkadian form, the parallel consort of Ishtar. The Syrian Adonis (â€Å"lord†), who was drawn into the Greek pantheon, is another counterpart of Tammuz,son and consort. The Aramaic name â€Å"Tammuz† seems to have been derived from the Akkadian form Tammuzi, based on early Sumerian Damu-zid. Oligarchy A form of government where political power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society (whether distinguished by wealth, family or military powers). The word oligarchy is from the Greek words for â€Å"few†. Aton Aton was the focus of Akhenaten’s religion, but viewing Aton as Akhenaten’s god is a simplification. Aton is the name given to represent the solar disc. The term Aton was used to designate a disc, and since the sun was a disc, gradually became associated with solar deities. Aton expresses indirectly the life-giving force of light. Babylon A city of ancient Mesopotamia, the ruins of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers (55 mi) south of Baghdad. It was the â€Å"holy city† of Babylonia from around 2300 BC, and the seat of the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 612 BC. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Iliad The poem concerns events during the tenth and final year in the siege of the city of Ilion, or Troy, by the Greeks (See Trojan War). The word Iliad means â€Å"pertaining to Ilion† (in Latin, Ilium), the city proper, as opposed to Troy (in Greek, , Troia; in Latin, Troia), the state centered around Ilium, over which Priam reigned. The names Ilium and Troy are often used interchangeably. Hyksos An Asiatic people who invaded the eastern Nile Delta, initiating the Second Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt. They rose to power in the 17th century BC, (according to the traditional chronology) and ruled Lower and Middle Egypt for 108 years, forming the Fifteenth and possibly the Sixteenth Dynasties of Egypt, (c. 1648–1540 BC). [1] This 108-year period follows the Turin Canon, which gives the six kings of the Hyksos 15th Dynasty a total reign length of 108 years. [2] Epimetheus Epimetheus (â€Å"hindsight†, literally â€Å"hind-thought†) was the brother of Prometheus (â€Å"foresight†, literally â€Å"fore-thought†), a pair of Titans who â€Å"acted as representatives of mankind† (Kerenyi 1951, p 207). They were the inseparable sons of Iapetus, who in other contexts was the father of Atlas. While Prometheus is characterized as ingenious and clever, Epimetheus is depicted as foolish. Attica A periphery (subdivision) in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece. Attica is subdivided into the prefectures of Athens, Piraeus, East Attica and West Attica. Enki A deity in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Babylonian mythology, originally chief god of the city of Eridu. He was the deity of crafts . The exact meaning of his name is uncertain: the common translation is â€Å"Lord of the Earth†: the Sumerian en is translated as a title equivalent to â€Å"lord† Nebuchadnezzar II A ruler of Babylon in the Chaldean Dynasty, who reigned c. 605 BC-562 BC. He is famous for his monumental building within his capital of Babylon, his role in the Book of Daniel, and his construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and known among Christians and Jews for his conquests of Judah and Jerusalem. Ionians One of the four main ancient Greek phyla or tribes, linked by their use of the Ionic dialect of the Greek language whose settlements were located principally on the Islands between Greece and Anatolia—but whose peoples settled on both coasts as well (giving rise to the eponymously named region of Ionia), which migrations includes only the southern areas of the Greek mainland including Athens. Akhenaten Meaning Effective spirit of Aten, first known as Amenhotep IV (sometimes read as Amenophis IV and meaning Amun is Satisfied) before his first year, was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt. He is especially noted for attempting to compel the Egyptian population in the monotheistic worship of Aten, although there are doubts as to how successful he was at this. Inanna The goddess of love and war, if Inanna wasn’t strapping on her battle sandals,she was seen swaggering around the streets of her home town, dragging young men out of the taverns to have sex with her. Despite her association with mating and fertility of humans and animals, Inanna was not a mother goddess, and is rarely associated with childbirth. Inanna was also associated with rain and storms and with the planet Venus.. Boundless It is symbolized by the infinity sign which is like an inverted number 8. Ii manifests the eternal powers of a god-king which is limitless. Annunaki A group of Sumerian and Akkadian deities related to, and in some cases overlapping with, the Annuna (the ‘Fifty Great Gods’) and the Igigi (minor gods). The name is variously written â€Å"da-nuna†, â€Å"da-nuna-ke4-ne†, or â€Å"da-nun-na†, meaning something to the effect of ‘those of royal blood’ or ‘princely offspring or â€Å"heaven and earth† (Anu-na-ki) The Annunaki appear in the Babylonian creation myth, Enuma Elish. Shamash Means â€Å"sun†. Both in early and in late inscriptions Sha-mash is designated as the â€Å"offspring of Nannar,† i. e. of the moon-god, and since, in an enumeration of the pantheon, Sin generally takes precedence of Shamash, it is in relationship, presumably, to the moon-god that the sun-god appears as the dependent power. Academy An institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership. The name traces back to Plato’s school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, north of Athens. Sparta A Dorian Greek military city-state, originally centered in Laconia. Sparta emphasized military training, and after achieving notable victories over the Athenian and Persian Empires, regarded itself as the natural protector of Greece. The Kings of Sparta were believed to be the direct descendants of Hercules. [ Hephaestus The Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan; he was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals and metallurgy, and fire. He was worshipped in all the manufacturing and industrial centers of Greece, especially Athens identified by Greek colonists in southern Italy with the volcano gods Adranus of Mount Etna and Vulcanus of the Lipara islands, and his forge moved here by the poets. Uruk An ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, some 30 km east of As-Samawah, Al-Muthanna, Iraq. Octavian The name Gaius Octavius. His father, of the same name, came from a respectable but undistinguished family of the equestrian order and had been governor of Macedonia. After Octavius’ birth, his father gave him the cognomen of Thurinus, possibly to commemorate his victory at Thurii over a rebellious band of slaves. [ Dialectics A controversy, that is, the exchange of arguments and counter-arguments respectively advocating propositions (theses) and counter-propositions (antitheses). The outcome of the exercise might not simply be the refutation of one of the relevant points of view, but a synthesis or combination of the opposing assertions. Gaea The Greek goddess personifying the Earth. Her Roman equivalent was Terra . derives from the Greek words Ge ( ) = Earth (Pelasgian), and *aia = grandmother (PIE The Republic A Socratic dialogue by Plato, written approximately 360 BC. It is an influential work of philosophy and political theory, and perhaps Plato’s best known work. Minotaur A creature that was part man and part bull. â€Å"Minotaur† is Greek for â€Å"Bull of Minos†. It dwelt at the center of the Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction built for King Minos of Crete and designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus who were ordered to build it to hold the Minotaur. The Minotaur was eventually killed by Theseus Utnapishtim In the eleventh tablet of the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim â€Å"the faraway† is the wise king of the Sumerian city state of Shuruppak who, along with his unnamed wife, survived a great flood sent by Enlil to drown every living thing on Earth. Kadesh An ancient city of the Levant, located on the Orontes River, probably identical to the remains at Tell Nebi Mend,about 24 km southwest of Hims ,in what is now western Syria . Kadesh is first noted as one of two Canaanite cities (the other being Megiddo) that led a coalition of city-states opposing the conquest of the Levant by Thutmose III Neanderthals A species of the Homo genus (Homo neanderthalensis or Homo sapiens neanderthalensis) that inhabited Europe and parts of western Asia. The first proto-Neanderthal traits appeared in Europe as early as 350,000 years ago. Stela A stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living—inscribed, carved in relief (bas-relief, sunken-relief, high-relief, etc), or painted onto the slab. Pandora The first woman, Each god helped create by giving her unique gifts. Zeus ordered her creation as a punishment for mankind, in retaliation for Prometheus’ having stolen fire and then giving it to humans for their use. She is most famous for carrying a jar (pithos) (or box) containing all the world’s evils. She releases these evils, but closes the lid before Hope can escape. Knossos The largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, probably the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization and culture. The city of Knossos remained important through the Classical and Roman periods Pax Romana The latin term for â€Å"the Roman peace† (sometimes Pax Augusta), was the long period of relative peace and minimal expansion by military force experienced by the Roman Empire between 27 BC and 180 AD. Augustus Caesar led Rome into the moderation of Pax Romana, and his successors for the most part imitated his policy. This period ended with the death of Marcus Aurelius, which is considered the start of the decline of the Roman Empire. Xerxes A king of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC) of the Achaemenid dynasty. Xerxes ( ) is the Greek form of the Old Persian throne name Xsayarsa, meaning â€Å"Ruler of heroes†. Xerxes was victorious during the initial battles. At the Battle of Thermopylae, a small force of warriors, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, resisted the much larger Persian forces, but were ultimately defeated, after a Greek man called Ephialtes betrayed his country by telling the Persians of another pass around the Hot Gates Mountains to corner them. Thebes A city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. Thebes played an important role in the fabric of Greek myth, being the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus.