Azure shackles Review Essay Example

Azure shackles Review Paper Essay on Azure shackles I decided to write a review of this book in order to give an example of the worst books of all that I have read:) I strongly doubt that this site will have another reader of this opus, although there are several such accidents among my friends:) There are many different books, by type of origin. Books completely fictional book based on real events, biographies and autobiographies, memoirs There are even books written on the basis of the movie! You never read Star Wars? 🙂 I am here ever. And by the way, is not so bad For what I told all this? To bring the latest and the most questionable, in my view, a method of making books books based on games. Netzdes course also come across a decent option, but for this raw material has to be endowed with a fair sense and plot. We will write a custom essay sample on Azure shackles Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Azure shackles Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Azure shackles Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In this case, it lays the basis for a very primitive RPG scenario. In this book, bad everything. Stupid language (and in the original too) stupid dialogue, a naive stupidity to plot, flat characters You can continue for a long time. Already on that cursed movies toys Doom and Wing Commander, but this is simply a masterpiece compared to the Cote dfetters (Curse of Azure Bonds in the original). When I read this book, I was tormented by the question why did it wrote:) And now you have certainly raised the question why did he read it? 🙂 The fact is that as a child I used to play this toy And when he saw a link to the text somewhere on the Internet, nostalgia gripped my throat iron grip I simply had no choice : ( on the other hand, thanks to this book, I still completely get rid of this nostalgia Hence morality read books, they always benefit !!

Using Tree Anatomy and Physiology for Identification

Using Tree Anatomy and Physiology for Identification Trees are among the earths most useful and beautiful products of nature. Trees have been crucial to mankinds survival. The oxygen we breath is released by trees and other plants; trees prevent erosion; trees provide food, shelter, and material for animals and man. Worldwide, the number of tree species may exceed 50,000. With this said, I would like to point you in a direction that will help you identify and name the 100 most common of 700 tree species that are native to North America. A bit ambitious, maybe, but this is one small step toward using the Internet to learn about trees and their names. Oh, and you just might want to consider making a leaf collection as you study this identification guide. A leaf collection will become a permanent field guide to trees you have identified. Learn How To Make a Tree Leaf Collection and use it as your personal reference for future identifications. What is a tree? Lets start with the definition of a tree. A tree is a woody plant with a single erect perennial trunk at least 3 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH). Most trees have definitely formed crowns of foliage and attains heights in excess of 13 feet. In contrast, a shrub is a small, low growing woody plant with multiple stems. A vine is a woody plant that depends on an erect substrate to grow on. Just knowing a plant is a tree, as opposed to a vine or a shrub, is the first step in its identification. Identification is really quite simple if you use these next three helps: Find out what your tree and its parts look like.Find out if your tree will or wont grow in a particular region. Find a key . Tips: Collecting a branch and/or leaf and/or fruit will help you in the next discussions. If you are really industrious, you need to make a collection of wax paper leaf pressings. Here is How to Make a Wax Paper Leaf Pressing. If you have a common leaf but dont know the tree - use this Tree Finder! If you have a common leaf with an average silhouette - use this Leaf Silhouette Image Gallery! If you dont have a leaf and dont know the tree - use this dormant Winter Tree Finder! Using Tree Parts and Natural Ranges for Species Identification Help #1 - Find out what your tree and its parts look like. Tree botanical parts like leaves , flowers , bark , twigs , shape , and fruit are all used to identify tree species. These markers are unique - and in combination - can make quick work of identifying a tree. Colors, textures, smells, and even taste will also help in finding the name of a particular tree. You will find reference to all of these identification markers in the links I have provided. You might also want to use my Tree ID Glossary for terms used to describe the markers. See Parts of a Tree Help #2 - Find out if your tree will or wont grow in a particular area. Tree species are not distributed at random but are associated with unique habitats. This is another way to help you discern a trees name. You can possibly (but not always) eliminate trees that dont normally live wild in the forest where your tree lives. There are unique timber types located throughout North America. The northern coniferous forests of spruces and firs extend across Canada and into the northeastern United States and down the Appalachian Mountains. You will find unique hardwood species in the eastern deciduous forests , pine in the forests of the South, Tamarack in the bogs of Canada, the Jack pine in the Great Lakes region , the Doug Fir of the Pacific Northwest , the Ponderosa Pine forests of the southern Rockies. Help #3 - Find a key. Many sources of identification use a key. A dichotomous key is a tool that allows the user to determine the identity of items in the natural world, such as trees, wildflowers, mammals, reptiles, rocks, and fish. Keys consist of a series of choices that lead the user to the correct name of a given item. Dichotomous means divided into two parts. Therefore, dichotomous keys always give two choices in each step.My Tree Finder is a leaf key. Find yourself a tree, collect or photograph a leaf or needle and use this simple key style finder to identify the tree. This tree finder is designed to help you identify most common North American trees at least to the genus level. I am confident you can also select the exact species with the links provided and a little research. Here is another great tree key you can use from Virginia Tech: A Twig Key - used during tree dormancy when leaves are not available... Online Tree Identification You now have real information to help identify and name nearly any tree in North America. The problem is finding a specific source describing a specific tree. The good news is that I have found sites that help in identifying specific trees. Review these sites for more information on tree identification. If you have a particular tree that needs a name, start right here: A Tree Leaf KeyAn identification field guide that helps you quickly and easily identify 50 major conifers and hardwoods using their leaves. Top 100 North American TreesA heavily linked guide to conifers and hardwoods. VT Dendrology Home PageVirginia Techs excellent site. Gymnosperm Database at Conifers.orgA great site on conifers by Christopher J. Earl.

AQR vi.d.9 assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

AQR vi.d.9 - Assignment Example In this analysis, the number of times a company pays a dividend was considered. Also, price to earnings ratio was considered. Consequently, the two approaches resulted to the selection criterion whereby the firms with a high price to earnings ratio and paid dividends four times a year were preferred. Finally, technical analysis was conducted. Under this analysis, the main consideration was the price activity on the stock chart. As such, the firms with a relatively stable trend were preferred. The combination of the three forms on analysis was used to arrive at the selected stocks and the amount of stocks that were invested in each. The beta value of the portfolio is -25.15180862 against a benchmark of -32.701. The figure is computed by summing the change in value of the portfolio and dividing the figure by the summation of changes in value of the benchmark. Therefore, the portfolio Beta beat the market value Beta since -25.1518062% is greater than -32.701%. However, in the two cases, Beta is negative implying that the general trend is opposite to that of the market. The game serves as an eye opener on the importance of computing individual beta value. The reason is that having an individually computed Beta value eliminates the limitation that may be found with the S & P 500 benchmark due to its generalization. As a result, one can have precise Beta value for a portfolio which specifically focuses on the stocks themselves. The approach improves the accuracy in one’s ability to predict the

Adolescent Suicide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Adolescent Suicide - Essay Example First three things explain the 100% increase in suicides since 1960. However since 1997, despite the proliferation of guns, less parental attachment and more access to alcohol and drugs, the suicide rates are coming down. The anti-depressant medicine is considered responsible for this improvement (Berger). Similarly, a combination of medicine and cognitive-behavioral therapy has been found to be most effective for combating suicidal tendency (Berger). The availability of guns increases chances of fatal injuries/ completed suicides. This fact has been corroborated by the fact that about 52% of all suicides were with firearms (Jason, 2011). It should however be noted that guns may not be considered responsible for creating suicidal tendencies. Firearms are just instruments which are used for suicide. As long as there is the desire to commit suicide, more and more ways will become available. Despite the proliferation of guns over time, the suicide rates have been coming down since 1997 (McIntosh, 2011). The mix of suicidal ideation and availability of drugs is the most fatal combination as the suicidal ideation might lead to the use of drugs and the use of drugs might precipitate the suicidal tendencies. Malcolm Lowry (1909-1957), the British novelist and short-story writer was left by his parents at the mercy of â€Å"sadistic nannies or indifferent foster-parents† during his early childhood and later he developed emotional problems as a result of which he became alcoholic by age 13 (Day, 1973). A combination of factors precipitated his suicidal tendency resulting in his finally shooting himself (Shulman, 2011). The inappropriate or absence of parental supervision precipitates the desire to commit suicide. The fractured married life of the parents of John Berryman, the American poet, led to Berryman’s father shoot himself. While still a child, Berryman used to ask his mother as to why his father

Public vs private management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public vs private management - Research Paper Example The first difference is on the ownership of the organization where the public sectors are run and financed by the government, and the private sector is operated and owned by the corporation or the private owners. In the public sector, all employees including the managers work for the governments while the employees in the private sector work for the organization (Dresang, 2009). The other difference between the two sectors is that public sectors are established by law. This fact discourages managers from changing the laws depending on the changing conditions. On the other hand, directors in a private sector can change the objective when necessary. The output of a private sector can be valued by the paying customers. This is easily captured on the organization’s objectives, missions and decision criteria. However, it may not be easy for the market forces to dictate the gains of a public sector entity (Mgbeke, 2009). Therefore, private sectors have the responsibility to generate satisfactory returns on their investment and private investors get more motivation to put more investments. Contrary to this, public sectors still have the assumption that their capital is free, and the need to gain massive profits are ignored (Dresang, 2009). Skills One skill a public manager should develop is the ability to communicate with the public. The communication with the pubic and other outsiders is a paramount and effective skill for the public manager.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Cobalt Carboxylates Environmental Sciences Essay

Synthesis And Characterization Of Cobalt Carboxylates Environmental Sciences Essay Plastics are commonly added with certain additives for developing its better characteristics. Recent decades, some kinds of additives which are known as prodegradant additives are being developed for plastics film. Prodegradant additives can result in accelerating plastics degradation. It is important to develop prodegradant additives since plastic waste is viewed as a serious worldwide environmental and health concern as its character of being non-degradable. Many pro-degradant additives, composed of transmetal-organic acid salts, have been investigated in many researches as photodegradable additives for plastics. Cobalt carboxylates, namely cobalt laurate, cobalt palmitate, cobalt stearate, are kinds of which have been applied for LDPE films. In the previous method, cobalt carboxylates were synthesized by reacting sodium carboxylates and cobalt acetate. This paper reports a new method of cobalt carboxylates synthesis. The new method involve reaction between molten carboxylic acid w ith sodium hydroxide solution to produce sodium carboxylate, and continued by reacting sodium carboxylate with chloride salt of cobalt. First reaction conducted at 80Â °C and under perfect agitation. Second reaction took place well in the low concentration of cobalt chloride, about 0.2 M or less and temperature 80Â °C. Cobalt carboxylates (cobalt laurate, cobalt palmitate, cobalt stearate) densities are 0.615, 0.391, 0.364 g/cm3 respectively. Their melting points are 107.83, 109.10, 114.40 Â °C respectively, obtained by DSC test. Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) test have been done on cobalt carboxylates to investigate their thermal stabilities. All cobalt carboxylates start to degrade over 300Â °C, as shown in TGA test result. TGA studies indicate that cobalt carboxylates have stability at compounding and film blowing/casting temperature of polyethylene, 180-200Â °C. Keywords :Prodegradant additives, cobalt carboxylates, characteristics 1. Introduction Plastics production systematically increases, thus, also plastics waste amount grows. People rely to plastics in everyday activities, such as jugs, clothes, computer, etc [1,2]. Recently, the usage of plastics increases significantly. USs plastics production in 2000 amounted to more 45,000,000 metric tons [2]. Total resin consumption in Malaysia increased by 8% from 1.6 million MT in 2004 to 1.72 million MT in 2005, of which about 65% were polyolefins (PE PP) [3]. The municipal solid waste stream in the U.S. totals nearly 160 metric tons per year and consists of about 7-11% by weight of post-consumer plastics [4]. Plastics is now being viewed as a serious worldwide environmental and health concern, especially for disposable application such as carrier and garbage bags [2]. Its character of being non-degradable, is resulting in river pollution, choking in landfill [4]. The growing environmental concern has made plastics a target of much criticism due to their lack of degradability [5]. Therefore degradable plastics will be important issue to reduce plastics waste amount. Many researches have been done to obtain methods which can improve degradability of plastics. Some methods are used to accelerate the degradation process are the addition of transition metal pro-oxidants or carbon monoxide polymer, both of which are designed to catalyse photodegradation and thermal degradation [6]. The studies on utilizations of some additives have been performed by several researchers to obtain photodegradable plastics. The effect of a series transition metal (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) stearates on the photodegradation of a high-density polyethylene have been examined. The role of metallic compounds on the photodegradation of polyethylene has been extensively studied by several authors [7]. The effect of cobalt stearate on accelerated aging of LDPE has been studied. Cobalt stearate has been proven to have significant effect on accelerated aging of LDPE [8]. The effect of cobalt carboxylates namely cobalt laurate, cobalt palmitate, cobalt stearate, on the photo-oxidative degradation of low density polyethylene also have been investigated [9]. Cobalt carboxylates have been synthesized through double decomposition by reacting sodium carboxylates and cobalt acetate [9,10]. This paper report the study of new synthesis method of cobalt carboxyates through double decomposition method by reacting sodium carboxylates and cobalt chloride. This paper also attempt to investigate characteristics of cobalt carboxylates. 2. Experimental 2.1 Materials Cobalt chloride hexahydrate (Fluka), sodium hydroxide, lauric acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid (Merck) were used without any treatments. Deionized water was used for all processes. 2.2 Synthesis of cobalt carboxylates Cobalt carboxylates, namely cobalt laurate, cobalt palmitate, and cobalt stearate, were synthesized through two steps of reactions. First step, carboxylic acids (lauric acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid) were reacted with sodium hydroxide to produce sodium carboxylates (sodium laurate, sodium palmitate, and sodium stearate). The second step, sodium carboxylates (sodium laurate, sodium palmitate, and sodium stearate) were reacted with cobalt chloride to produce cobalt carboxylates (cobalt laurate, cobalt palmitate, and cobalt stearate) in solid phase . The solids were filtered and washed with hot water to separate sodium chloride. Finally, the solids were dried in the oven at 60 Â °C for 2 hours. 2.3 Characterization of cobalt carboxylates The characterization comprises density, melting point, and degradation temperature. Melting points were investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) Q1000 from TA Instruments, in N2 atmosphere, in temperature range 30-200 Â °C, at heating rate 10 Â °C/min. Evaluation of degradation temperatures were done using Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) Q500 from TA Instruments, in N2 atmosphere, ramp method, heating rate 20 Â °C/min, final temperature 1000 Â °C. 3. Result and Discussion 3.1 Synthesis of cobalt carboxylates Synthesis of cobalt carboxylates comprises two steps of reactions. The first step, producing sodium carboxylates through reaction below. These reactions took place in liquid phase at 80 Â °C. Carboxylic acids were melted and added gradually with sodium hydroxide 0.25 M under agitation for one hour. The amount of carboxylic acids and sodium hydroxide were reacted in stoichiometric ratio. Perfect agitation was needed to reach a complete reaction. The second step, synthesis of cobalt carboxylates, was conducted by adding cobalt chloride hexahydrate solution 0.20 M into the product of first step reaction which contain sodium carboxylates. Cobalt chloride solution was added gradually. The reaction temperature was maintained at 80 Â °C, with continuous stirring. The second reaction could be written as follow: In the second reaction, cobalt carboxylates, which were produced in solid phase, would form suspension and became hard to be stirred. The low concentration of cobalt chloride was favored since reaction would take place well in low concentration. The low concentration of cobalt carboxylates would produce few solids of cobalt carboxylates. It mean that mixing process would run well and complete reaction could be reached. 3.2 Characterization of cobalt carboxylates Density Densities of cobalt carboxylates can be seen in Table 1. All of cobalt carboxylates are in the form of powder and have low density. Melting Point Tests have been done using Differential Scanning Calorimeters (DSC) to determine melting point of cobalt carboxylates. The DSC test results can be seen in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, and Fig. 3. The melting point of cobalt laurate, cobalt palmitate, and cobalt stearate was determined from the peak of endothermic melting transition. Melting points of cobalt carboxylates can be summarized as listed in Table 2 below. There are two endothermic peaks in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Two endothermic peaks are sometimes found in DSC test result. First peak indicate unstable melting process. The second peak represent stable melting process [11]. Melting points of cobalt carboxylates increase with increasing carbon chain length of carboxylates. Melting point of cobalt stearate which has 18 C is higher than melting point of cobalt palmitate which has 16 C. Melting point of cobalt palmitate is higher than melting point of cobalt laurate which has 12 C. Thermal stability Thermal stability was investigated using Thermogravimetric Analyzers (TGA). Degradation temperature (initial and final temperature of degradation) was determined from high decrease of weight during heating. It was shown by steep slope of the curve in TGA test result. Cobalt carboxylates lost more than 80% of their weight during degradation process. The final weight remained was around 10 % of initial weight. The degradation temperature increase from cobalt laurate, cobalt palmitate, and cobalt stearate respectively. All of cobalt carboxylates start to degrade at temperature over 300 Â °C. It means, cobalt carboxylates have good thermal stability since the temperature of blending/compounding of polyethylene is 180-200 Â °C. Cobalt carboxylates will not degrade at temperature of compounding and film blowing/casting of polyethylene. 4. Conclusion Synthesis of cobalt carboxylates could be conducted through reaction of sodium carboxylates and cobalt chloride in liquid phase. The melting point of cobalt carboxylates increased with increasing the length of carbon chain. Thermal stability also increased with increasing the length of carbon chain, as indicated by temperature of degradation. Cobalt carboxylates also had thermal stability at temperature of polyethylene processing.

An Ounce Of Cure :: essays research papers

As the old saying goes, â€Å"an ounce of cure is worth a pound of prevention†. I believe that this is what the author thought of when choosing the title for this story. There is a lot of wisdom found in these words that is usually only realized after the fact. This reminds me of another old saying that I think also applies to this story – â€Å"Hindsight is twenty-twenty†. How many times have we thought, â€Å"if only I knew then what I know now†? Would we have made the same choices? This question is difficult to answer since we cannot change the past. This story is about a teenage girl, whose first heartbreak leads to some rather unfortunate events. She tells us about her first love and her first kiss. â€Å"Two months, and a few amatory stages later, he dropped† her for a girl who was performing opposite him in a school play. Watching him with the other girl was more than she could bear and the night she went to see the play was â€Å"the beginning of months of real, if more or less self-inflicted, misery† for her. While baby-sitting one night, she made the fatal mistake of getting drunk. She then calls her best friend, who shows up with another girl and several boys, to help her with her situation. Before she was able to cover up the ill-fated events, the couple returned home unexpectedly. She then had to explain what happened to her mother. Her mother then buys a bottle of Scotch and goes to see the couple to discuss her daughter’s actions. She was forbidden to date again until she turned sixteen and she ha d to pay for the bottle out of her baby-sitting money. Her reputation suffered greatly until the fall, when another girl did something even more scandalous and people forgot about her. In the end, she discovered that she was completely over the boy and she learned a valuable lesson about how actions have consequences. I found this story very enjoyable to read. I felt that the story was well written and conveyed a realistic insight into what some teenage girls experience. I, having once been a teenager, can relate to the girl in the story. Although I didn’t get drunk, I still recall my first love and the crushing heartache I felt when he broke up with me. People deal with rejection and disappointment in different ways, and sometimes we can use poor judgment. An Ounce Of Cure :: essays research papers As the old saying goes, â€Å"an ounce of cure is worth a pound of prevention†. I believe that this is what the author thought of when choosing the title for this story. There is a lot of wisdom found in these words that is usually only realized after the fact. This reminds me of another old saying that I think also applies to this story – â€Å"Hindsight is twenty-twenty†. How many times have we thought, â€Å"if only I knew then what I know now†? Would we have made the same choices? This question is difficult to answer since we cannot change the past. This story is about a teenage girl, whose first heartbreak leads to some rather unfortunate events. She tells us about her first love and her first kiss. â€Å"Two months, and a few amatory stages later, he dropped† her for a girl who was performing opposite him in a school play. Watching him with the other girl was more than she could bear and the night she went to see the play was â€Å"the beginning of months of real, if more or less self-inflicted, misery† for her. While baby-sitting one night, she made the fatal mistake of getting drunk. She then calls her best friend, who shows up with another girl and several boys, to help her with her situation. Before she was able to cover up the ill-fated events, the couple returned home unexpectedly. She then had to explain what happened to her mother. Her mother then buys a bottle of Scotch and goes to see the couple to discuss her daughter’s actions. She was forbidden to date again until she turned sixteen and she ha d to pay for the bottle out of her baby-sitting money. Her reputation suffered greatly until the fall, when another girl did something even more scandalous and people forgot about her. In the end, she discovered that she was completely over the boy and she learned a valuable lesson about how actions have consequences. I found this story very enjoyable to read. I felt that the story was well written and conveyed a realistic insight into what some teenage girls experience. I, having once been a teenager, can relate to the girl in the story. Although I didn’t get drunk, I still recall my first love and the crushing heartache I felt when he broke up with me. People deal with rejection and disappointment in different ways, and sometimes we can use poor judgment.

How it Relates to Greek Religion and Culture Essay

Ancient Greeks believed in a series of myths, which explained nature, set the moral code for the Greek people, and some were just entertaining stories. These myths turned the Greek world from a world of fear into a world of wondrous beauty. Many of these gods and goddesses were associated with a particular task or activity (Buxton). The Greek people believed that the gods were incorporated into every aspect of their lives. The Ancient Greeks, being a polytheistic culture, created many extravagant myths regarding 12 gods and goddesses that they believed to rule all aspects of their lives. These myths were an early science. They were the result of the Greeks trying to explain the world around them. The Greek people created their gods in their own image, naturally making heaven an enjoyable and familiar place (Hamilton). In Greek mythology the Gods did not create the universe, but instead, the universe created the gods. The mythology of the people of Greece begins with Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. It is in these epic poems that Homer tells the stories of the many gods and hero’s of Greece. We now know who and what the Greek gods were, but how are they relevant to the Greek Religion? It is important to know that the Greeks did not have a word for religion. Also they did not have any written text or scripture. When we talk about Greek religion we mean their ritual behaviors and their beliefs in sacred items, beings, and places (Cline). We also must remember that Greek mythology is not the same as Greek religion, though they are closely intertwined. The only requirement of the Greeks for their religion was to believe in the gods and perform sacrifices to them. These sacred acts, sacrifice and festivals, were the root of the Greek religion (Buxton). This seems to be a rather relaxing way to carry on in life, but not so. The Greeks attributed anything good happening to the gods being happy with them, also when something bad happened, for example, an earthquake, famine, or the loss of a battle, it was attributed to the gods being displeased with the Greeks (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The Ancient Greeks were an extremely religious people, who spent their lives trying to please the gods through their sacrifice, festivals, and unwavering belief in them. Sacrifice was one of the most important ways to please the gods; they were thought to be gifts to the gods. The people of Greece would give a sacrifice not only of animals, but also bloodless sacrifices, such as food, grasses, grains, and incense (Christman). Each city had a temple erected to their patron god. In Athens they had built the Acropolis, with its main temple being the Parthenon, which was dedicated to Athena (which whom Athens was named after). Athena was Zeus’s daughter, and it is said in the myths that she was born from his head. Athena is known as the Goddess of war and the defender of the towns. She is usually shown in art dressed in full armor. Also associated with her is Nike the symbol of victory (Hamilton). These temples were not for worship, but they were believed to house the gods for which the temple was built. The only people who were allowed inside were the priests and priestesses, and that was only to keep it clean and take care of the god’s statue (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The focus of the temple was no only the god or goddess but the sacrificial alter. Each temple had an alter outside for the worshipers to place their offerings. The sacrifices the Greeks made to their gods were their way of ensuring that they would be allowed to lead a normal happy life. The Greeks also took part in religious festivals and for further reassurance of their pleasing the gods went to oracles. We know that the Greek people participated in many religious festivals, but the details of these festivals are unknown. The main festival that the Greeks partook in was the Olympic games, in honor of Zeus. Zeus was the most powerful of all the gods, his power alone was greater than all of the other gods combined. He was the God of the Sky, bearing his thunderbolt, at which he would throw to earth striking anywhere he wished. His faults, however, entertain the idea that he is a man. Zeus is portrayed as falling in love with many women and trying to hide his infidelity from his wife Hera (Hamilton). The Olympic game festival occurred every fourth summer. Throughout Greece a truce was proclaimed so that all Greek citizens could come and participate (â€Å"Greek Religion†). The exception to this was women, they not only could not participate, but they could not even watch (Buxton). The Olympic games were held at the Stadium of Olympia, and the main event was the pentathlon, where the participants competed in five different events. This arena was also the very first monument of Greek Classical art (Kleiner). Another part of the Greek religion was the oracles. The most famous oracle was the Oracle of Delphi. The oracles were believed to be the messengers of the gods. But not any normal person could understand their messages, only the priests and priestesses could. The Greeks believed that the gods spoke in riddles, because the gods were more complex than the humans, and so the could not reply as the humans did (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The festivals and the oracles were an important part of the Greek life. The Greek gods even found a place in the everyday life of a Greek citizen. Hestia, Zeus’s sister. She plays no part in the myths but was very important to the Greeks. She was the Goddess of the Hearth. Every home in Greece had a hearth dedicated to her where the fire was not allowed out go out, along with each city (Hunt). When a new town was founded the people would light a torch from the mother town and carry its fire to the hearth in the new town. Sound familiar; this is the proposed beginning of the Olympic torch. Also, when a child was born the family had to walk the newborn baby around the hearth before it was to be accepted into the family (Hamilton). Also, according to Hunt, boys were trained to have healthy strong bodies, not only to fight in the armies, but to be strong competitors in the Olympic games. Boys and girls were taught from very early ages about the gods and goddesses. They were taught how to respect and please them in their daily lives (â€Å"The Ancient Greeks†). Also most Greeks made some sort of sacrifice to the gods daily. This was to try and keep the gods happy and bring good fortune to themselves. There were many different ways that the people of Greece tried to keep the thought of their gods present in their daily lives. Religion impinged on the warfare of the city-states in a number of ways. The commanders frequently saw themselves as walking in the footsteps of their gods and heroic predecessors (Buxton). No where in the Greek city-states did they go into battle without first sacrificing. To do this was unthinkable. The soldiers of Greece usually sacrificed to either Ares or Athena. Ares was the God of War, but isn’t mentioned much in the myths. He has no distinctive attributes and is difficult to identify in art. Hamilton says this is probably because the Greeks thought of him as â€Å"hateful†. Again, Athena is known as the Goddess of war and the defender of the towns. But then on the opposite end was the honoring of Aphrodite, who was the Goddess of Love and Beauty, but also revered for pleasure and procreation. Women of the towns and city-states would honor and sacrifice to Aphrodite, to ensure the safe delivery of a baby, or to be pleasing to their future husbands (Atsma). I Greece all marriages were arranged to keep or raise a family’s social status, so many brides did not ever meet their husbands-to-be until the wedding day. Whatever men or women did in their daily activities was relevant to the influence of the gods. The Greek mythology played an important role in the every day lives of the Greek people, and even more important one in the development of their religion. Greek mythology was a way for the people of Greece to explain the â€Å"why’s† and â€Å"how’s† of their world. Their religion and their mythology were very closely intertwined. This was shown through their various ways of honoring their gods through festivals, sacrifice, and using the oracles. Also through the passing of the beliefs from one generation to the next. The importance of the gods was shown in their magnificent temples also. These Myths for the Greeks changed their world from the unknown to kind and beautiful. Works Cited â€Å"Ancient Greece. † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008. Sept. 14, 2008. . Atsma, Aaron J. â€Å"Theoi Greek Mythology: Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature and Art. † The Theoi Project. 2008. Sept. 14, 2008. . Buxton, Richard. Ancient Greece. Ed. Paul Cartledge. United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press, 1998. Christman, Zachary and Alfred Hanssen. â€Å"Greek Religion: Religion and Death. † 2002. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Sept. 14, 2008. . Cline, Austin. â€Å"Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art† Sept. 14, 2008. . â€Å"Greek Religion. † Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Sept. 21, 2008. . Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York. Back Bay Books, 1942. Hunt, Dr. Patricia. â€Å"Roles of Men, Women, and Children. † Richmond University. Sept. 16, 2008. . Kleiner, Fred and Christian Mamiya. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. 12th ed. volume 1. California. Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2005. â€Å"The Ancient Greeks. † 2002. Sept. 16, 2008. . Wilkinson, Philip. Dictionary of Mythology. New York. DK Publishing, 1998.

Free Essays on Geography

WHEN we trace the parts of which this terrestrial system is composed, and when we view the general connection of those several parts, the whole presents a machine of a peculiar construction by which it is adapted to a certain end. We perceive a fabric, erected in wisdom, to obtain a purpose worthy of the power that is apparent in the production of it. WE know little of the earth's internal parts, or of the materials which compose it at any considerable depth below the surface. But upon the surface of this globe, the more inert matter is replenished with plants, and with animals and intellectual beings. WHERE so many living creatures are to ply their respective powers, in pursuing the end for which they were intended, we are not to look for nature in a quiescent state; matter itself must be in motion, and the scenes of life a continued or repeated series of agitations and events. THIS globe of the earth is a habitable world; and on its fitness for this purpose, our sense of wisdom in its formation must depend. To judge of this point, we must keep in view, not only the end, but the means also by which that end is obtained. These are, the form of the whole, the materials of which it is composed, and the several powers which concur, counter-act, or balance one another, in procuring the general result. THE form and constitution of the mass are not more evidently calculated for the purpose of this earth as a habitable world, than are the various substances of which that complicated body is composed. Soft and hard parts variously combine, to form a medium consistence adapted to the use of plants and animals; wet and dry are properly mixed for nutrition, or the support of those growing bodies; and hot and cold produce a temperature or climate no less required that a soil. Insomuch, that there is not any particular, respecting either the qualities of the materials, or the construction of the machine, more obvious to our perception, t... Free Essays on Geography Free Essays on Geography I. What is Geography? Geography is the study of the earth, including human-environment interaction, places, people, and the natural environment. The study of the interaction between all physical and human phenomena at certain places and how interactions among places form patterns and organize space, contribute to the geographical method. The Core Areas of Geography are physical geography, human geography, cultural geography, and cartography, or geographic information systems. II. The Five Fundamental Themes of Geography 1. Location: Position on the Earth's Surface Absolute and relative location are two ways of describing the position of places on earth’s surface. In many situations it is important to identify absolute locations as precise points on the earth’s surface. 2. Place: Physical and Human Characteristics All places on the earth have distinct physical and human characteristics that give them the meaning and distinguish them from other places. The physical characteristics derive from the geological, hydrological, atmospheric, and biological processes that produce landforms, water bodies, climate, soils, natural vegetation, and animal life. Human ideas and actions also shape the character of places. Places differ in their population size and density, as well as in their settlement patterns, architecture, kinds of economic and recreational activities, transportation, and communication networks. Places can be distinguished from each other by the ideologies and philosophical or religious beliefs of people who live there, by their languages, and by their forms of economic, social, and political organization. Taken together, the physical and human characteristics of places provide keys to identifying and interpreting both and complex interrelations between people and their environments, an d between different groups of people. 3. Relationships within Places: Humans and Environment All places on earth have advan... Free Essays on Geography WHEN we trace the parts of which this terrestrial system is composed, and when we view the general connection of those several parts, the whole presents a machine of a peculiar construction by which it is adapted to a certain end. We perceive a fabric, erected in wisdom, to obtain a purpose worthy of the power that is apparent in the production of it. WE know little of the earth's internal parts, or of the materials which compose it at any considerable depth below the surface. But upon the surface of this globe, the more inert matter is replenished with plants, and with animals and intellectual beings. WHERE so many living creatures are to ply their respective powers, in pursuing the end for which they were intended, we are not to look for nature in a quiescent state; matter itself must be in motion, and the scenes of life a continued or repeated series of agitations and events. THIS globe of the earth is a habitable world; and on its fitness for this purpose, our sense of wisdom in its formation must depend. To judge of this point, we must keep in view, not only the end, but the means also by which that end is obtained. These are, the form of the whole, the materials of which it is composed, and the several powers which concur, counter-act, or balance one another, in procuring the general result. THE form and constitution of the mass are not more evidently calculated for the purpose of this earth as a habitable world, than are the various substances of which that complicated body is composed. Soft and hard parts variously combine, to form a medium consistence adapted to the use of plants and animals; wet and dry are properly mixed for nutrition, or the support of those growing bodies; and hot and cold produce a temperature or climate no less required that a soil. Insomuch, that there is not any particular, respecting either the qualities of the materials, or the construction of the machine, more obvious to our perception, t...

Balancing Expectations of Superiors and Subordinates

Balancing Expectations of Superiors and Subordinates Introduction The measure of expectancy theory depends on attitude of employees as the only measure for their relationships (DuBrin, 388, 2008). Every person has a different perception of achieving firm’s set targets/goals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Balancing Expectations of Superiors and Subordinates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They also have various personal targets such as the anticipate goals set during their elevated efforts in performances. The expectancy theory is one of the standardized measures of how people make their own business decisions depending on the differences of behavioural patterns, which determine the alternatives they are likely to choose. These behavioural patterns are known as the motivational forces (MF) over tasks, actions or business conducts, which determines performance (DuBrin, 388, 2008). According DuBrin (388, 2008), Vroom’s Expectancy theory presents the motiv ational force as a measure that depends on three factors namely, Valence, expectancy and instrumentality. Motivational force is thus a product of the three factors. MF= Valence * Expectancy * Instrumentality Reference of the Expectancy theory The emotional point of reference that each employee has towards satisfactory achievement of personal goals refers to valence. One needs to place some motivating goals such as the rewards they anticipate at the end of the contract. These rewards can be needs, goals or personal values such as better remuneration packages, promotion, and engagement into a program. From the case study, Andrew’s valence was the promised nomination for the firm’s management course, which would provide opportunity for possible posting as a future executive. Andrew anticipated higher income was indirect since his primary concern was possibility of getting promotion to a management position after the firm’s managerial studies. The program sponsored by the company is highly respected since upon completion, successful learners have high possibilities of becoming executives in the firm. Andrew hard and long input hours were in the aim of securing a place at the program.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Valence depends on one’s expectations of satisfaction. It is a force that makes people to react differently for a given situation for instance, the position one get appointed to may be having situations that cause a lot of anxiety but one can give in all other aspirations, to achieve the goals amidst crisis. It is individual’s attitude towards determining the motivational levels. These personal perceptions are subject to intrinsic beliefs for instance, a person might shy away from a task or role due to value for personal peace of mind, while those with greater value for money will work towards the goa ls to enhance their pays. Valence is therefore not the final product or satisfaction that one gets after attaining a goal, but the expectations for some personal goals (DuBrin, 389, 2008). This means that employees who lack motivating factors have zero valences. They have negative point of reference or find no need of attaining goals. Contrary David felt that Andrew had not attained the require competence to get a nomination for a position to the graduates ‘management training program due to the reports about his performance on the assigned tasks, and this injured his further prospects in the firm. According to DuBrin (389, 2008), Expectancy Theory indicates that expectancy is a personal conviction over ability or strength to meet firm or self-set targets/goals. It is personal desire to achieve expected levels, especially those set by the management. The desire makes one to have a strong conviction over personal ability to deliver, therefore one is able to place expectancy bas ed on prior analysis of efforts and performance on similar tasks. At the attachment and casual levels, Andrew had the submissive and agreeing personality that went well with the supervisors as well as the customers. This good quality made him a good sales person and presented him as an amiable personality among his clients who had become regular customers. His advice to clients enhanced his relationship with supervisors since it was crucial for their decision-making and need to return to the store. His reputation at the store during internship and casual programs was excellent and the relationship with the store manager caused his recall after his six-month certificate course to serve as the assistant manager. David was sure that Andrew would meet the expectancy levels based on his prior performances.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Balancing Expectations of Superiors and Subordinates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The recall also boosted Andrew’s confidence and therefore all along he expected that his efforts would lead to anticipated performance. He was sure that positive interactions with others and hard work would improve customer experiences, and consequently improve sales. Andrew was a self-proclaimed achiever as indicated by his actions. He was immensely confident of achieving the set objective of enhancing employees- customers’ relationship and gain a subsequent accomplishment of his set-objective, to win nomination for the prestigious company’s managerial course. Contrary, when an employee feels that the efforts may fail to meet the set targets, their probable expectations are lower. The level of confidence determines the employees’ expectancy and eventually boosts motivational levels. In accordance with McShane et al (331, 2010) Expectancy Theory indicates that when the employee is confidence enough, the managements are ready to live up to the end of the bargain since his involvement is a good deal. This influential or convincing level is termed as instrumentality. European clubs bargain for good international athletes and are often ready to pay highly since they eventually anticipate better results and consequently better financial benefits for their clubs. Instrumentality is therefore the probability that a certain engagement will deliver better outcomes based on the relationship between prior perceived performances and offered rewards. It is a personal believe that ability to meet performance levels translates to better or hefty rewards. In most firms people believe that better performances such as better production leads to bigger rises in salary or levels of command. Various companies offer commission for achievement of certain levels of performances. In such a situation, employees will be motivated to achieve the set level for the material gains. The companies therefore fail to establish a better, constant method of motivatio n. The extra gain is the valence since it creates satisfaction. The set target is achievable, but it depends on one’s confidence over ability. In such a case, the valence and personal expectancy of higher compensation are very instrumental in determining possibilities of working hard to realize the set target. In line with Gitman and McDaniel (246, 2008), â€Å"The product between perceived levels of satisfaction, the personal confidence of achieving the level and the rewards that one hopes to achieve makes up a motivated person.† â€Å"Valence* Expectancy* Instrumentality = Motivation†. Since motivation forces is a product of the three factors, if any of them is zero, then there is lack of a motivating force.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During the call up, Andrew was assigned role of restructuring the employee’s relationships with clients across the entire city store. His confidence emerged due to fact that most colleagues liked him even better than they liked their manager. They were free to discuss with him various business challenges and follow his guidance. This was a boost on his expectancy probability and his confidence that his efforts would deliver required results. Andrew’s confidence strengthened his instrumental probability to meet the set expectations and therefore receive the promised reward. The reward was his immediate valence to win nomination for the prestigious management-training program. Equity Theory of employees’ Motivation According to Gitman and McDaniel (247, 2008), equity theory of employees motivation determines the relationship between the drudgery of an employee and the fairness of the management’s actions against their work. Berating staff due to failure to meet achievements is common in many organizations or firms. There is a great correlation between an employee’s perception of supervisors’ treatments and efforts required for the task. This relationship determines the motivational level and any future decisions. Equity theory enables employees to find a balance between their input to a job/task and output (Gitman and McDaniel, 247, 2008). The employees unconsciously place values for their contributions such as time factor (amount of time lost), qualifications, contributed experience, strength and capabilities. The output values are often promotion (status or power gains), recommendation, monetary gains, work flexibility, variety and perquisites, some of which one is able to gain after a promotion. Andrew perceived David’s decision to nominate a colleague instead for the management course as unfair and considered a quit would be better than another year’s wait. His efforts were enormous since he had follow- up programs for the employees and worked extra hours due to the expectancy probability of winning the nomination. Although the efforts were great, he lacked strategy and evaluation procedures. Lengthy sessions were devoted to training and solving individual problems to perfect their presentations. He forgot that the performance analysis, mainly analysis of company’s income from sales would be the key determinant of performance and not the employees’ abilities. At one time, Andrew considered the performance analysis to be David’s task and confidently thought that his strategies would deliver better results. This was a clear indication that achievement depends on performance of various people in the organization; therefore, cooperation and guidance are key aspects of performance. Comparison of Case to Expectancy Theory According to DuBrin (289, 2008), on expectancy theory, a highly motivated person is one who is able to achieve his/her valence, but achievement is also measurable in terms of whether the rewards are measurable to the efforts. Fair treatment therefore comes in when the remuneration is equivalent or close to the work input. Although fair treatment is essential, employees should not be treated equally, despite others measuring up better in terms of their contributions to the firm. In line with DuBrin, (289, 2008), over rewarded employees perform better and have better produce compared to the under-rewarded employees. David’s failure to nominate Andrew was a clear indication that there existed conflict over their valence. Andrew worked towards achieving the nomination from his supervisor, while David focused on his bonus gains after enormous sales volumes. However, there is negligence from both since Andrew would have found some means of determining his performances other than basing on possibility of performing better as per the employee’s responses. David on the other hand should have been involved in evaluation pr ocedures and thus offer guidance early enough to avoid poor outcomes that were converse to expectations. Andrew deserved better treatment and encouragement even when he failed to meet the sales levels. He had achieved the set goal of improving customer experiences but in a different manner, which failed to be productive enough. Andrew felt the urge to quit and find something different such as enrol for the commerce degree elsewhere because his instrumental probability in line with expectancy theory has failed thus killing his motivating factor (Gitman and McDaniel, 247, 2008). His output as the assistant manager at city store was in vain, since it was the only bridge for the managerial course and consequently long-term prosperity at Myer Company. Andrew was being compelled by consequences. According to Gitman and McDaniel (246, 2008), reinforcement theory states that behaviour exists as a meaning of one’s consequences. The manager’s decision not to nominate him shutter s Andrew’s self-confidence. Instead of just indicating his intentions of nominating one of Andrew’s colleagues for the program, David would have taken time to review Andrew’s performance together with him and point out the problems that caused failure. Providing alternative offered would also not shutter his motivation to a point of forfeiting his job for a different option. Clarification and alternative rewards encourage employees to work smarter or work on the same tasks/situations, since their instrumental probability is still in existence although lowered. Poor relationship between managers and subordinates creates discouragement and feeling of failure among the subordinates. They often cannot question the responsibility of the manager and thus endure the whole burden solemnly. Conclusion Good Working Relationships It is important to have good working relationships between managers and subordinates. The work relationship between David and Andrew must have go ne wrong considering that David had initially promised Andrew direct nomination into the management program, as long as he performed well as assistant manager during his first six months of service. Placing personal needs ahead of others destroys performances since there are high possibilities of obliterating any existing motivation among subordinates. David had a slow and hierarchical career progress, where he worked very hard in various companies to progress to the next level. He did not have job mentors and considered his experience as an essential business learning procedure. Due to his prior business-performance relationship with Andrew at Myre, David believed in Andrew’s excellence and knew that by engaging him as assistant manager, he would improve the aspect of customer courtesy across the entire store. This would eventually improve the store’s performances and he would gain better bonuses. On the other hand, having been awarded team responsibility in various s ections of the store, Andrew found this to be an opportunity to prove and market his leadership skills among them for a possible senior management position in the future. They were both acting selfishly for some personal gains or relating to personal prior experiences. Bibliography DuBrin, A. J. (2008). Essentials of Management. Ohio, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning Publishers. Gitman, L. J. McDaniel, C. (2008). The Future of Business: The Essentials. Ohio, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning Publishers. McShane, S., Olekalns, M. and Travaglione, T. (2010). Organisational Behaviour on  the Pacific Rim. 3rd Edition. North Ryde: McGraw-Hill Australia.

Discuss whether supermarkets are beneficial to the society they Essay - 1

Discuss whether supermarkets are beneficial to the society they operate within in the United Kingdom - Essay Example Clarence Saunders, founder of the Piggly Wiggly chain of supermarkets (USPTO: 1917). However it was not long until the self serving store was found across the North American continent and made its way to the UK. The initial success of the supermarket was the ability of customers to inspect products for themselves before making a purchase. In the past it was the case that products were kept behind counters and were only accessed by shop keepers. Building on this idea, the supermarket concept also brought with it the ability to shop for a variety of goods in different departments. It was the case that in the past customers had to purchase meat from butchers, bread from bakers, fruits and vegetables from green-grocers, canned and dried goods from a dry goods shop and sweets from confectioners. Naturally, if one were to accomplish all of the family shopping it would be a very long excursion however with the ability to accomplish all of this shopping in one location more time would be free for other activities. According to the Times Online the big four supermarket retailers in the UK are Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons which control about 75% of the UK grocery retail market (Judge, 2008). Anybody familiar with the grocery market would be able to identify that there are a number of other major competitors such as ALDI, Lidl, Spar, and Costco to name a few. It is the case that most residents in the UK do the majority of their shopping at supermarkets with only a small percentage doing their shopping at other locations such as specialty shops, boutiques, farmers markets etc. As mentioned in the discussion of the origins of supermarkets it was the case that one of the original benefits of the supermarket model was that it was a one-stop destination for all food (And many non-food) items. With the advent of many other modern conveniences such as

Business Opportunities in Brunei Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Opportunities in Brunei - Essay Example Brunei is a members of ASEAN, United Nations Organization and the Organization of Islamic Conference. In spite of great political changes, Brunei is still a sultanate headed by Hassanal Bolkiah. The official language is Malay but business companies and organization understand English and Chinese. The currency of the country is Brunei dollar (Brunei. Brunei Country Reports 2008). The uniqueness of Brunei business culture is that it is influenced by Hinduism and Islam. Similar to other Asian coulters, Brunei culture has no clearly defined division between religion, philosophy and business. Faith and philosophy are lived every day as a way of life. To understand the Brunei businessmen, for example in the context of business leadership, it is important to understand the principles by which they live and to what extent the teachings of their philosophers are still applicable today (Brunei. The World Factbook 2008). They are extremely good at exploiting opportunities and at deal-making; they are masters of financial, in particular cash, management; in short, they are a result of a long series of opportunistic tactical moves. They are persistent, enduring and may survive in business for a long time by simply accumulating slim short-term gains. Historically, one characteristic of the Brunei business leaders is that their power rests on high flexibility, adaptabilit y and political pragmatism.