Economics of electronics commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics of electronics commerce - Essay Example Traditional cost accounting is structure-oriented whereas ABC is process-oriented (Emblemsvag, 2006). 2a. Operating leverage is the highest in e-commerce companies. E-commerce companies have very low variable costs but high initial up-front development cost. For example, Amazon.com initially had a fixed up-front development cost of over $60 million but no per transaction cost (Economics of Electronics Commerce, n.d.). Operating leverage is the lowest in merchandizing companies. Such companies mainly engage in the buying and selling of goods. Their fixed costs include mainly storage and selling costs. A higher proportion of their costs is variable costs such as packaging of goods and transportation costs. In between, service companies have a higher proportion of fixed costs and hence higher operating leverage than manufacturing companies. Service companies, such as hair salons, incur a fixed amount of rent, staff salary, and facility and equipment cost regardless of whether there are any customers. Variable costs, such as shampoo, are a very low proportion. Manufacturing companies ha ve a lower operating leverage than service companies and e-commerce companies but higher operating leverage than merchandizing companies. Their fixed costs include land, equipment, machinery, plants, and facilities.

Essay Essay Example for Free

Essay Essay There are many things in our life that we can compare and contrast to one another, but one subject that stands out to me would be the differences between male and female friends. We all have friends that are male and female in our life. Although, we do not really notice it sometimes but there are many similarities and differences between having male and female friends. Therefore, in this paper I will be explaining the similarities and differences in having male and female friends. When talking about female friends, most people think about emotions. Female friends love to talk to each other about emotions, which draws them closer as friends. They talk about the deepest problems and never hold back how they feel to one another. Female friends will also show physical contact by hugging one another and kissing each other’s cheek. They also are more comfortable around each other. For example, females are not scared to change clothes around each other and tell each other how they are really feeling. Although, having a female friend is more capable to put drama in our life. Drama is something most girls strive for; they love to have a lot of drama in their life. This addiction for females can cause a lot of problems for themselves as well as their closest friends. Having a female friend can also be an advantage for other females because; they will let their friends borrow each other’s items. Therefore, if someone needs a new dress for a party they can j ust look into their friends closet and simply take it for the night. Female friends are good to have although male friends are completely different than the female friends in our life. Although when we talk about male friends, most people think loyalty. Unlike female friends male friends do not like to talk about emotions. Males like to talk about other things as in, basketball games, different girls they think are cute, or how life is going in general. Male friends also do not show physical contact like female friends do. Male friends do not like to  usually hug or touch their female or male friends unless it is their significant other. They also do not hide anything; they will tell us the truth no matter how bad it will hurt us. Unlike female friends they do not like nor carry drama. Male friends do not like drama at all, they stand as far away as possible from it. The advantage of having a male friend is they do not strive for drama like females, so we will not be pulled into their problems. Also unlike female friends, males do not let other friends borrow their clothes, they rarely let anyone touch or wear their clothes but themselves. These many differences between male and female friends that I have mentioned also have similarities. No matter how many differences male and female friends have, there are also many similarities. Having both male and female friends give us many options on who we can go and talk to about anything. No matter if they are a female or male friend, we know that they will always be here to protect us and listen to every problem we have. Both types of friends also make us feel wanted and loved. Even if we are having a bad day we have both genders of friends to cheer us up not matter the circumstances. In conclusion, female and male friends are similar and different in many ways. We need to be friends with both female and male to make a good balance in our friendships. No matter how much female or male friends we have they all benefit us in many ways. Although, there are many differences in the gender of friends, they are always here for us no matter the differences or similarities.

Capital Punishment :: essays research papers

Capital Punishment Thesis One: In principle a case can be made on moral grounds both supporting and opposing capital punishment. Thesis two: Concretely and in practice, compelling arguments against capital punishment can be made on the basis of its actual administration in our society. Two different cases can be made. One is based on justice and the nature of a moral community. This leads to a defense of capital punishment. The second is based on love and the nature of an ideal spiritual community. This leads to a rejection of capital punishment. JUSTICE AND THE NATURE OF MORAL COMMUNITY A central principle of a just society is that every person has an equal right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Within that framework, an argument for capital punishment can be formulated along the following lines: some acts are so vile and so destructive of community that they invalidate the right of the perpetrator to membership and even to life. A community founded on moral principles has certain requirements. The right to belong to a community is not unconditional. The privilege of living and pursuing the good life in society is not absolute. It may be negated by behavior that undermines the nature of a moral community. The essential basis on which community is built requires each citizen to honor the rightful claims of others. The utter and deliberate denial of life and opportunity to others forfeits ones own claim to continued membership in the community, whose standards have been so flagrantly violated. The preservation of moral community demands that the shattering of the foundation of its existence must be taken with utmost seriousness. The preciousness of life in a moral community must be so highly honored that those who do not honor the life of others make null and void their own right to membership. Those who violate the personhood of others, especially if this is done persistently as a habit must pay the ultimate penalty. This punishment must be inflicted for the sake of maintaining the community whose foundation has been violated. We can debate whether some non-lethal alternative is a fitting substitute for the death penalty. But the standard of judgment is whether the punishment fits the crime and sufficiently honors the nature of moral community. LOVE AND AN IDEAL SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY Agape, Christian love, is unconditional. It does not depend on the worthiness or merit of those to whom it is directed. It is persistent in seeking the good of others regardless of whether they return the favor or even deserve to be treated well on the basis of their own incessant wrongdoing.

Research Paper Rough Essay

When reading a book, do you ever feel like you have already read a plot like this before? Do you sometimes wonder if you have even read this book already? There are very similar patterns in writing books and producing movies. There are also very similar characters in these books and movies. One type of storyline in particular is the bildungsroman plot. This is the coming to age novel. Bildungsroman books trace back to Germany in the early 1900’s (Cengage). A bildungsroman story generally contains a protagonist who learns and grows as time progresses. This growth can be physical or moral. There are many stories containing this plot. An author tries to send a message out to the reader about life and how you can change. The question is, do all bildungsroman novels have the same outcome? I think that protagonists in bildungsroman stories all have a similar, successful turnout at the end of the story. In this growth novel, there are many things that affect the protagonist. The main character is generally affected most by peers. The people around them can change the way they act, think, and appear. An example of that would be Joe Dirt. This comedy is about a young boy (David Spade) searching for his parents that left him in the Grand Canyon when he was little. During his search, he comes across a wide variety of people that help him along the way. After the long journey, he comes to realize that his family isn’t missing, but they are right there in front of him. He learns that his friends are the ones that truly care for him. One emotion that can heavily affect growth in a bildungsroman novel is love. Love is present in some form in almost every bildungsroman book or movie. Forrest Gump is a great example of how love can direct the outcome of a movie. When Forrest was young, he met a young girl on a bus to school named Jenny. As soon as he met her he said, â€Å"She was the most beautiful girl I ever did saw† (Groom). As time progressed, He and Jenny are separated by war, fame, fortune, drugs, and political movements of the 60’s. All this still could not keep them apart because of the love they shared for each other. Gump’s decisions in many parts of the movie are motivated by his passion for Jenny. He soon reunites with Jenny and marries her. This shows that love can almost take over the character and form it to work with the person he or she loves. The antagonist can also form the main character. Generally, the antagonist is trying to stop the protagonist from growing in a bildungsroman novel. A fine example of this would be Harry Potter. Harry is a young wizard who is notoriously known for surviving a deadly spell casted by the most evil wizard ever. Harry lives his whole life trying to discover more and more about Voldemort. As he learns more, he starts dealing with issues that lead him up to killing Voldemort. Voldemort tries to kill Harry in several different attempts. He uses trickery, persuasion, and built up rage in Harry. Harry learns many things along his journey at Hogwarts. He builds his beliefs and values around his constant battle between good and evil. This shows how strong an antagonist can affect a bildungsroman plot. Lastly, setting can affect the way a character will think or act. Huck Finn was a young boy who lived in the South in a time of slavery among African Americans. He is a true red neck who floats up the Mississippi River on a raft. He comes across all types of people on his journey. The setting affects this book so much because the fact the he lives in the south during the slave era shows how he treats black people along the way. He is faced with many problems, and uses his knowledge of his surroundings to get him out of them. My first example for a bildungsroman story is Ender’s Game. Ender is a young boy who joins a school that train young children to fight. He is training to fight against a group of aliens that look almost like insects. Ender was taken in, and he was supposedly the chosen one. He had constant arguments with the people in his battalion, and he even got into a few fights. Ender was bullied when he was the â€Å"new guy† (Maximus), and then slowly became more respected as he became a hardened soldier. The way Ender learned was very different from a lot of archetypal bildungsroman characters. Generally, the protagonist will learn from other people. Ender learned from other people, but developed his own style based on trial and error. Ender proved to be very smart and was rewarded highly for it. He made his own moves for combat and were proven very effective on the battlefield. This book was very different because it didn’t use a common plot for bildungsroman. It focused less on character development, and more on character outcome. A bildungsroman book generally focuses more on development. At the end of the book, Ender finds out that the acclaimed killer of an enemy is actually harmless. They are being attacked without reason, and all of Ender’s practice sessions were actually real battles. It turns out the antagonist wasn’t truly a bad species. They were just looking for a place to survive. Ender learns a lot from the fighting and why he is doing it. This book is a good example of peers affecting the main character in the sense that they were falsely leading him. Ender was lead to kill when killing wasn’t necessary. Although he did form himself through lies made by the government, he still learned about life and what war is truly about. The next book I want to focus on is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by legendary author Mark Twain. Mark Twain is a realist writer who shows how it really was back in a time of corruption and slavery (Pool 1). Many people condemn Twain calling him a racist and a bigot, but little do they know he is trying to convey a message from a realistic point of view, rather than a romanticized point of view. Huck Finn is a country boy who gets fed up with life at home and decides to run away and live life on the Mississippi. He takes his friend Jim along with him. The complicated thing about it is the fact that Jim is black. If someone spots Jim, they will turn him in as a runaway or even kill him. Huck uses his skills of being a great con artist to get him out of many situations. Huck learns from the way people act, the way they look, and where they are from to work them. This all has to do with setting. For example, when he meets the Grangerfords, he knows the are way classier and richer than him. He uses this to assume they don’t have much street smarts. He comes across all sorts of people, and he has to retain information about the people, the land, and the personalities to continue on with his journey. The antagonist in this novel is really a person in particular. It is more a group of people throughout the book. Anyone that remains a threat to Huck and Jim would be considered an antagonist. The outcome of this book kind of lets the reader continue the story. They drop it off and make it sound like Huck runs away again. We can assume that he ran away again for more adventures in his travels. My third example for a bildungsroman novel is Great Expectations. Great Expectations would probably be considered a canon for bildungsroman novels. The intricate writing and detailed storyline makes it a great novel for character development (Kogan). This book is about a young boy named Pip who goes from a lower class family to learn how to become a true gentleman in a high end English family. Pip meets nearly sixty people along his journey, and learns from everyone. The characters he meet are very interesting because some of them he learns from in a positive way, and others in a negative. Dickens focused on peers rather than setting and love, although they both play there respective parts in this book. Setting is shown when contrasting the poor lifestyle to that of the rich English lifestyle. Pip must learn to cope from on both spectrums of housing. Love also plays a key role because he develops feelings for a girl he is housing with. Although he likes her, love doesn’t steer his decision making like it does for most protagonists. The antagonist in this book is being held down by society and not making a name for himself. He learns to break free of the bonds of society and become a gentleman. At the end of this book, Pip is much older and now a hard working gentleman who is in the mercantile firm. All the people in his life ended up impacting his life greatly and for the better of things. My next example is the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. This is a very predominant series read by millions of people. It is one of the most famous series of the twenty-first century. Although it is highly recognized as a critically acclaimed series, it is often over looked as a true character development novel. Harry is a young boy who learns he is a wizard and enrolls in a wizard school. What Harry does not know tis the fact that he is one of the most famous wizards ever. He is the only person to ever survive an unforgivable curse. As Harry goes through school at Hogwarts, he uncovers some of the most dark and horrible secrets about the past. He finds out about his family, his enemy, and his school and there dark pasts. Harry tries to break free of this unknown past but keeps coming back in grueling ways. Harry comes face to face with Voldemort many times, and he becomes enslaved to the battle between the two. Harry learns from all the trials and tribulations that lead up to the killing of Voldemort. Unlike Ender’s Game, Harry Potter is focused more on journey than destiny. My last and favorite example is Forrest Gump. This movie is widely considered the greatest work of character development. This book expresses all the themes of a bildungsroman plot into one movie. It shows how love, setting, and antagonist can all affect the outcome of a person. Forrest Gump is a mentally challenged boy who experiences more difficulties than the average human. He plays All-American Football, he fights in Vietnam, He meets the president multiple times, he deals with racism, he owns a multi-million dollar company and more. Love directs Forrest in a way like no other. His path goes off course multiple times in search of his true love, Jenny. Setting plays a big role because of the problems in the 60’s. Things like the drug movement, the sex revolution, racism, war, and an economic crisis made Forrest Gump a true American. The antagonist of this movie is not a person. The antagonist is merely separation. Separation from Jenny is the whole point of Forrest’s great journey. Through this journey we can understand what being alive is all about and living in the pursuit of happiness. With all these in mind, we can draw conclusions that bildungsroman novels have not really veered from the path since they were invented. They all have similar plots and outcomes. They all have to do with pursuit of happiness and reaching the goal. All of the examples I have mentioned all reached their goals. It is a trend for bildungsroman novels to reach their goals and to succeed in the end. Although, this is a trend, it does not mean it is true for all of them. Some books leave a failure at the end in an attempt to show the reader maybe life isn’t all about searching. Protagonists basically all have the same flawed characteristics that make them possible to develop. If they were perfect, they wouldn’t have any goals to reach. They wouldn’t search for a purpose in life. I think as readers we enjoy a flawed character because it is easier for us to relate to them. We enjoy reading these types of books because they almost help us decide how we want to carry out our lives and live as an individual. Works Cited â€Å"The Bildungsroman in Nineteenth-Century Literature.† Enotes.com. Enotes.com. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. . â€Å"Forrest Gump’s Amazing And Colorful Tale.† Orlando Sentinel. 22 Dec. 1996. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. . â€Å"A Great `Expectations`.† Chicago Tribune. 07 July 1989. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. . â€Å"The Little-known Dark Side Of Ender’s Game.† Fabius Maximus. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. . Pool, Bob. â€Å"Commercialism Sold Huck Finn Character down the River, Twain Scholar Says.† Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2010. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. .

Rebellion and Social Norms Among Youth Essay

Young people have a tendency not to comply with any laws when it’s come to their wellbeing. Young people always try to express their opinions and restrain from obeying their leaders which sometimes lead to a disaster result of their poor decisions in life. According to Gary Schwartz book, explain what happens in Sammy’s mind and what causes the reaction of quitting his job at the end (Schwartz 55). Therefore, the issue of young people is rebellion against their social norms is the central theme of the â€Å"A&P† john Updike story. At the beginning of the story, Sammy is fully within his place in society as a whole (Saldana 95). Meaning that he is just an average teenager with an average job in a small town where everyone knows each other. At that time, Sammy was a cashier at a supermarket named A&P in a small town north of Boston in 1961. There begins Sammy’s rebellion when the trio of girls enter the supermarket with bathing suits on and barefoot. After the girls enter the Supermarket and walk in every department to look for the item they need. Lengel the manager of the supermarket approaches the girls and lectures them on what they are wearing on them inside of the supermarket. After the girls walk away, Sammy gets mad and decides to quit his job at this point. Sammy unleashes an impression identity style behavior against Lengel (Schwartz 35). Which mean Sammy feels for the first time in his life that he has to let go his timidity and confront Lengel without thinking of his action to get Queenie attention. The way Lengel undresses the girls with his eyes make Sammy sick to his stomach. That is what triggers Sammy’s anger to react as if he does not care of what happens to him. As long he receives Queenie’s attention, it’s enough for him. Today, young people wear any kind of clothes that attract people’s attention. Sometimes the way they dress can be very provocative. Even though Sammy is gloomy at the beginning of the story, he begins to feel his happiness at the end but not the way he has plan it would be for his action. Sammy has gone from being judgmental to a hero Fritz 2 and then he starts regretting his decisions (Saldana 96). He experiences a transformation; he knows that life will be harder for him hereafter. That is why an old priest of Haiti said â€Å"one must never act in conformity with society and should be willing to take risks†. Meaning a wrong move at any time can make the society reject you. Social class structures have a significant role in this story and can be viewed as one of the norms that Sammy is rebelling against (Schwartz 45). Perhaps in Lengel mind, he thinks that they come from a low class family that does not teach them how to act in public. When Lengel makes it his business to reprimand Queenie and the other girls, she maintains her stubborn comportment and explains that she is here to pick up an item that her mother requests her to buy. In response to this, Lengel takes a step further by first repeating himself and then explains to the girls, â€Å"We want you decently dressed when you come in here† (Updike). According to Sammy, Lengel is a heart cold person, whose interpretation of the ideal person in this society: God fearing, church people who know their place and not go against their will. It is at this point in the story that Queenie loses her bearing for the first time. Sammy’s response to this predicts that his decision to defy Lengel and the supermarket rules will be signified by his exposing his own shoulders, and that is precisely what occurs. Rebellion and social norms appear to have an impact among young people this day. Most of the time, they stand up for what they feel is right and neglect the consequences. Sammy was able to bring attention to him, but it did not work the way that he had planned it would be. The girls most likely didn’t even know that Sammy even quit his job. He tried very hard to get Queenie to see him and accept him, but that didn’t work either. That is why people can never sympathize with Sammy’s action because it results to an act of rebellion against his social norms.

Kamikaze! essays

Kamikaze! essays After conquering nearly all of Asia and most of Western Europe, the Mongols, led by Kublai Khan, set their hungry eyes on Japan. Years before, the Mongols had fought the Koreans for control of the Kingdom of Koryu. After many decades of fighting, the Koreans finally gave up and became a vassal state for the Mongol Empire. The Koryu leader, King Kojong, sent his crown prince to the court of Kublai Khan as a hostage. When Kojong died in 1274, Kublai gave one of his many daughters to the prince as a wife and King Chung-ryol returned to Koryu to take his recently deceased fathers place. Kublais interest in Japan was spurred nine years earlier when Cho Yi, a Koryu courtesan, told him that Japan was an easy victory. The next year, he sent two messengers, He De and Yin Hong to Japan for a peaceful takeover of Japan. Shogun Bakufu in Kamakura insulted by the offer and sent the envoys home without an answer. One reason he did so was that the letter the Khan sent to him was addressed to the Ki ng of Japan. While the shogun is cool and calm, the emperor is terrified. He had heard stories of the Mongols and their skill in combat. Knowing that his peaceful takeover was rejected, Kublai Khan and his warriors prepare for what would become a hostile invasion of Japan, an interlude, and a second, larger invasion. Kublai Khan starts to organize at fleet for the invasion in Korea. Weakened and impoverished by the decades of warring with the Mongols, it takes years to build enough ships and accumulate the men and supplies for the invasion. A Mongol army of 20,000 led by Hol Don marched down to Korea. A Korean army of 5,000 led by Kim Bang-gyong then joined it. By October of 1274, the invasion force is ready. The force leaves in a fleet of 900 ships manned by 6,700 Korean sailors on October 3, 1274. The invaders land on Tsushima and Iki Island two days later and capture them both. They establish garrisons on the islands and ready ...

SHAW Surname Meaning and Family History

SHAW Surname Meaning and Family History The Shaw surname means thicket, small wood, or clearing in the trees from the Middle English s(c)hage, s(c)hawe (Old English sceaga). It is also an English or Scottish topographic surname for someone who lived near a copse or thicket. Shaw may also have derived as an English form of any of the Gaelic surnames derived from the personal name Sitheach, meaning wolf, or similar sounding Irish surnames such as OShea or Shee. Surname Origin: English,  Scottish Alternate Surname Spellings:  SHEACH Famous People with the SHAW  Surname George Bernard Shaw – Irish author and playwrightArtie Shaw  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  American songwriter, best known as a 1930s and 1940s jazz bandleader and clarinetistSam Shaw  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  American photographer; best known for his iconic images of stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Marlon BrandoAnna Howard Shaw  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Born in England,  Anna Howard Shaw was the first female minister in the Methodist Protestant Church and very active in womens suffrage.Robert Shaw –  American conductor Where Is the SHAW  Surname Most Common? The Shaw surname, according to surname distribution information from Forebears, is the 820th most common surname in the world. It is most prevalent today in India, but is used by the greatest percentage of the population in countries such as England (ranked 63rd), New Zealand (62nd), Scotland (91st), and Australia (93rd). WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates the Shaw surname is especially common in the United Kingdom, found most frequently in the northern England regions of North West, East Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside. It is also fairly common in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Within North America, individuals named Shaw are found most commonly in Maine and Nova Scotia.   Genealogy Resources for the Surname SHAW Shaw Surname DNA Project: Over 300 members have joined this Y-DNA project to work together to use DNA testing along with traditional genealogy research to help determine Shaw origins and distinguish between various Shaw lines.SHAW  Family Genealogy Forum: This free message board is focused on descendants of Shaw  ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Shaw ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries.  FamilySearch - SHAW Genealogy: Explore over 4.4 million  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Shaw surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.GeneaNet - Shaw Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Shaw  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. Resources and Further Reading Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

The 4 Best Free VIN Check Sites

The 4 Best Free VIN Check Sites SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Imagine this: You’ve been saving up to buy a new car for months. You finally find the perfect vehicle and drive it home, only to get a call a few days later. The car was stolen, and you now need to deal with a police investigation. Obviously, this scenario is extreme, but it’s not unheard of for consumers to have issues purchasing new or used cars. One way to cut down on potential problems when purchasing a car is to run a VIN report to check out the vehicle’s history before you buy it. In this article, I’ll explain what a VIN number is, why it’s important, and how to run a free VIN check through the National Insurance Crime Bureau. I’ll also review other options for free VIN reports and discuss whether or not you should pay money for a more detailed VIN report when purchasing a car. What’s a VIN Number? A VIN number is an identifying code that’s associated with a specific automobile. A VIN number is made up of 17 characters (numbers and letters) that act as the vehicle’s fingerprint. No two automobiles have the same VIN number, so you can use a VIN number to track a specific vehicle’s history, registrations, and more. You can find a car’s VIN number by looking on the driver’s side of the vehicle, either at the corner of the vehicle where the windshield meets the dashboard or on the doorpost of the driver’s side front door. You can also find a VIN number on a vehicle’s insurance card, title, and registration. Why Should I Check the VIN Number When Buying a Car? If you’re planning to buy a car (new or used), it’s important to run at least a free VIN report on the car’s VIN number to get a better understanding of its history. Running a free VIN check on the car will pull up its basic history, including information on previous claims of theft and/or accidents. You’ll want to run a VIN check when purchasing a car to make sure that the car is legally available for purchase and that it’s in good enough condition to drive. A VIN check will pull up any significant claims that have been made about the car. These include information about if the car was ever stolen and if it was ever subject to serious damage, such as flood, fire, or accident damage. Reputable car dealerships will often provide you with a copy of the VIN report for the car you’re looking to purchase, free of charge. Your salesman will likely review the report with you, noting the number of owners, any accidents or claims reported on the car, and any other issues of note, such as recalls or leftover warranties. If you’re buying a car from a dealership that doesn’t offer a free VIN check, or purchasing from a private party, you’ll want to run a free VIN report on your own to check for theft records and major accidents. Depending on the circumstances, you may also want to pay for a more detailed VIN report. I’ll discuss when to purchase a detailed VIN report in a later section. How to Use the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s Free VIN Check The National Insurance Crime Bureau is a great resource for running a free VIN lookup search to check for theft and total loss records. In this section, I’ll talk you through how to use the NICB as a resource to check the history of an automobile. The first thing you need to run a free VIN lookup at NCIB is the VIN number of the vehicle you’re looking up. As I mentioned earlier, you can find a vehicle’s VIN number on the driver’s side of the car, either where the dashboard meets the window, or in the driver’s side door. After you have the VIN number in question, go to the NICB VinCheck page and enter the VIN number where it says â€Å"Step 1.† Check the box to agree to the terms and conditions of use in â€Å"Step 2.† Enter the verification code that appears in the box for â€Å"Step 3,† then hit â€Å"search.† You’ll be taken to a page that displays the results of your free VIN lookup. You’ll receive information about the vehicle’s theft and total loss records. A theft record indicates that the car has been marked as stolen at some point in its history, while a total loss record means that the car has been damaged and marked as a loss in an accident, flood, or fire. If your VIN number shows that the vehicle has not been identified, as shown in the above screenshot, that means that the vehicle has never been stolen or had any significant damage that would signify a total loss, e.g., the car's been declared totaled. The vehicle will only be listed in this database if theft or loss records have been generated. If your vehicle shows that there’s a record for either theft or total loss, you’ll want to do more research to find out the exact details of the situation to determine if the vehicle is suitable for purchase. Other Free VIN Check Options You can get a free VIN check from a number of other sites as well. In general, these sites offer more detailed VIN reports than that of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. You can also pay at each of these sites to upgrade your VIN check and receive more information about the car you're purchasing. #1: CarFax CarFax is known as a leader in provided detailed VIN reports to consumers. In fact, many car dealerships will show you the CarFax report for the vehicle you’re looking to purchase. While the most detailed CarFax reports cost money, you can get a basic VIN report on used cars listed on CarFax’s website for free. These reports show accidents reported, owner history, usage information, and service history. #2: Research.com Research.com provides the most comprehensive free VIN report, offering extensive details about the vehicle’s inspection and performance records, safety ratings, warranty, and more. It will also tell you when and where the vehicle has been listed for sale, as well as its sale price. #3: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a VIN lookup that gives you information about the car’s make and model, so you can know if it’s under any recall orders. Knowing about recall orders will help you decide if the car is safe to drive and if it’s facing any lengthy or costly repairs. Should You Pay for a More Detailed VIN Report? When should you pay for a more detailed VIN report? Well, a lot of it depends on how much detail you want to know about your car’s history. In general, it’s a good idea to purchase a detailed VIN report if you’re buying a used car and you can’t get one for free from the dealership or individual you’re working with. More detailed VIN reports are fairly cheap - $39.99 to check a single VIN number on CarFax, or $59.99 if you want to check a bundle of five different VIN numbers. Detailed VIN reports go into much more depth about the overall condition of the vehicle. For instance, CarFax’s detailed VIN reports offer comprehensive information about recalls, repairs, dates and times of servicing, and an overall evaluation of the vehicle’s condition. Knowing the vehicle’s condition is important for two reasons. First, it helps ensure that you’re purchasing a car that’ll actually run for you. Second, it lets you know if you’re paying a fair price for the car. Learning about a previous owner’s service records is important as well, as it shows that the car has been properly maintained. Likewise, learning about recalls and warranty information can save you money on repairs and routine service in the long run. If you’re purchasing a new car, you probably don’t need a detailed VIN report, as it won’t tell you much information about the car, since a new car won’t have any ownership or accident records. Review: How to Check a VIN Number for Free A VIN number is like a car’s fingerprint- you can look it up to learn about the car’s history. When purchasing a car, it’s important to run at least a free VIN check to lookup the car’s history and ensure that it doesn’t have any open theft or total loss records. You can also pay for more detailed VIN reports that offer information on a car’s service and ownership history, as well as detailed information about the car’s value.

Why Do Firms Voluntarily Disclosure Information Essay

Why Do Firms Voluntarily Disclosure Information - Essay Example Economic theories propose that it is better for firms to provide additional information to investors and financial analysts, because the voluntary disclosure assists investors and shareholders to analyse the firm and thereby to estimate future rate of returns on their investment. This paper will discuss why modern firms voluntarily disclose their information. Voluntary disclosure of information While analysing modern corporate culture, it seems that organisations voluntarily disclose more information in their annual reports than what is actually required to comply with the basic financial and accounting regulations. Firms voluntarily disclose three types of information such as strategic, non-financial, and financial information. As per the logical conclusions made by Kim, better informed shareholders were satisfied with less disclosure whereas uninformed shareholders preferred more disclosure (as cited in Cataldo, 2003, p.68). Thus, Kim linked voluntarily disclosure of information wi th shareholder interests. According to Williams (2008), nowadays firms engage in operations that are not captured by accounting process but have an impact on the firm’s profitability; therefore, such activities of firms have considerable significance in the sense that they may cause changes to investment decisions. Hence, firms make voluntary disclosures so as to overcome these troubles. It is relevant to use normative and positive accounting theories to explain the reasons for firms’ voluntary disclosure of information. The normative accounting theory justifies the feasibility of an accounting treatment whereas the positive accounting theory scientifically shows the truth of an accounting phenomenon. More simply, the former approach illustrates accounting taxonomies as an art while the latter represents accounting as a science of economy. The normative theories deal with intangibles and corporate, social, and environmental reporting while the positive theories represe nt social and environmental disclosures. Normative theories The normative approaches reflect the direct economic benefits of information disclosures. Economists identify that the major portion of the real value of a company is based on intangibles assets including goodwill and brand loyalty; a firm’s value of intangible assets is represented by the difference between market value and book value of the firm (Lecture 4, slide 7). In addition, the real value of a firm also embraces the intellectual capital of the firm including patents, computer programs, customer relationship, and trademarks (Lecture 4, slide 11). Traditional accounting systems do not provide investors with adequate information about intangible assets and intellectual capital. Hence, investors find difficulty in estimating the real value of the company. This is one of the main reasons why firms voluntarily disclose their information. Since modern societies give great emphasis on environment safety and public we lfare, organisations cannot vie with the market competition unless they maintain effective corporate responsibility policies. As Deegan (2002) reports, nowadays majority of the multinational corporations prepare an annual sustainability report in order to promote their social responsibility policies. Even though firms set different goals while initiating corporate sustainability reporting, their main focus is to enhance the firms’ international operations and to convince investors. Healy and Palepu (2001) argue that corporate disclosure is essential for the effective functioning of capital market. In total, normative theories

Business Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business - Statistics Project Example ategy refers to an operation that an organization conducts to converse information concerning services and products to potential customers in order to induce them to purchase such products (Tellis 1). In contemporary organizations, the main aim of advertising strategy is to increase awareness of organizations’ services and products, upsurge total customers and competitors and finally, to fosters the business image of an organization. For any business entity interested in succeeding, advertisement is very vital because through it, an organization is capable of getting new customers as it increases its total consumer base. Secondly, advertisement is important as it retains the organizations’ customers thus avoiding their diversion to other products. Thirdly, advertisement escalates the total company sales because when a company advertises definite commodity, it will explain to individuals why that commodity is better than its substitute hence enhancing many people to prefer their commodity. Finally, advertisement leads to fortunate change in a company’s’ products hence increasing its total sales (Tellis 3). The main objective of carrying out this business proposal is to determine the role that advertisement plays in an organization. Secondly, the proposal intends to investigate the effect of advertisement to consumers’ consumption of goods and services (Tellis 4). My business research will entail ten business organizations in U.S that advertise their goods and services together with other ten business organizations that do not advertise their products. I will conduct random sampling from a list of both organizations that advertise their products and those that do not. I will select ten organizations from each list and collect information concerning my research questions from these organizations before concluding on my hypothesis. In collecting my research data, I will apply dissimilar data collection methods, which include; use of questionnaire and

Assignment for Shareholder Wealth Maximization Essay

Assignment for Shareholder Wealth Maximization - Essay Example Shareholder Wealth Maximization The management of a company finds it tough when they are considering that what should be their goal- profit maximization of the company or the wealth maximization of the shareholders. The profit maximization objective can be pursued by the company management for the short term period. The company should has the objective to gain as much as profit by using the resources effectively and optimally. At the other side the company should take the long term objective of the stockholders’ wealth maximization. The stockholders of the company are interested for getting the returns for the long term as well as short term. The wealth maximization objective should be undertaken by the company management for the long term as it considers the following factors. The risk or uncertainty associated with the performance and the return associated with the company performance. The wealth of the company for the long term is analyzed as the company has to plan for pro viding the long term return. The timing of providing the returns is also considered (Shim and Siegel, p.2). If the company takes the long term objective then they can also fill their short their objective. If they are meeting the stockholder’s objective then the stockholders also invests in the company, as a result the investment will increase and the performance of the company would be better if they utilize those resources effectively. From the researcher point of view shareholder’s wealthy maximization should be the ultimate goal of the company. Goals and Objectives of the Management For analyzing the goals and objectives of a company the researcher has selected Coca-Cola Company which is listed in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (MSN Money, â€Å"Coca-Cola Co†). The goals and objectives of the company are as follows. The company’s objective is to start at least one program related to physical activity in the countries where they are operating by th e end of 2015. Reducing the carbon emission from the manufacturing unit of the company. For the development of the communities they are associating with the management has planned to return 1% of the operating income to the communities. Packaging material efficiency improvement. Improvement of the water efficiency. The wastewater treatment improvement is among the main goals of the company (The Coca-Cola Company, â€Å"Global Sustainability- Select Goals and Targets†). The goals of the vision 2020 package of Coca-Cola is to make the profit margin double from now, enhance their portfolio They work with 300 bottling partners and are working for the growth target in terms of the operating income and unit cases of volume (The Coca-Cola Company, p.2-33). Among these goals the strategic objectives of the company like increasing the operating income, increase the unit case of volume, enhancing the portfolio or improving the packaging material efficiency improvement support the share holders’ wealth maximization goals when the company is also maintaining the corporate social responsibility. They have the goals of developing the communities in the countries they are operating; also they are working for being environmental friendly through their projects. Analysis and Recommendation Coca-Cola Company has a sustainable long term

MGT302 - Org. Behavior and Teamwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MGT302 - Org. Behavior and Teamwork - Essay Example Here in the case of assembling a team of members from two places like rural Beaverton and urban New Yorkers, these forms of issues are very likely to occur. Here there will be issues and challenges in understanding each other and this is not only in terms of the language but also in terms of finesse with which it is used. The native speakers tend to be more experienced and fluent with the language and also are able to converse much more naturally as compared to people who have learnt the language in class. Apart from the language a common issue is the difference in style of working and also the work habits. There are a number of different norms for every culture and each country follows their own rules and regulations in terms of the work day, breaks, and also acceptable times of work. For instance, in China, the country is literally closed on Chinese New Year. Hence similarly every individual in the teams will have a different incentive based on the country they originate from (Roem bke). Also in terms of the timelines, it is crucial to note that different cultures have a different perspective and importance to meeting of timelines. In some cultures the timeline is not as much as an issue as the accuracy in terms of the quality. Hence in a multicultural team, this can cause major drifts among the team members and can also put a lot of strain on the group as a whole. This can lead t communication breakdowns and also lead to conflicts remaining unresolved among the team members as well (Halverson and Tirmiz). Hence here use of computers proves to be very beneficial as it helps reduce the communication breakdowns and also helps in keeping the discussions clear and straight forward. In addition, in many ways the multicultural team could be a bonus in that each segment of the team brings a different viewpoint to the puzzle of marketing a shoe in Brazil. Completion of tasks is also an important element of the business and hence it is important that all tasks are brok en up and sent out to the appropriate individuals and also fixed deadlines are set for the tasks. This will help get the work accomplished effectively without creating a drift within the company. Using a virtual work team can prove to also be difficult as there is a difference in terms of the time spent by every individual in the trying to get to know each other when all these are done virtually. In a few manners the virtual work environment can prove to be challenging however it helps in reducing the issues of personality conflicts (Ubell). However in the virtual teams there is the issue of possible pre – judging that is possible based on the individual’s nationality or accent. Another possible drawback of the virtual teams can be the lack of synergy among the team members. This however can be resolved by means of brainstorming and also by assignment of tasks to the strengths of each individual. Also here there is also a number of opportunities present despite the dif ferences. Hence it is important to accept the differences and capitalise on the opportunities (Kottolli). The main benefits of the virtual teams are that these teams can be developed irrespective of where the members of the team are. Also, the team has a clear mission and also clear expectations from the others within the team. Here this allows better communication, creative thinking, innovation and also collaboration among the members. With the increase in the globalisation and the increase in t

Sandin v. Conner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sandin v. Conner - Essay Example In said action, the District Court granted the officials summary judgement, which was however reversed by the Court of Appeals. The CA ruled that Conner had a liberty interest to be free from disciplinary segregation, for which reason there was a question of fact whether he had been denied due process, under Wolff v. McDonnell (418 US 539). 1. According to the decision in Wolff, states may in certain circumstances create liberty interests that are protected by the Due Process Clause. Those interests, however, will mostly be in the nature of freedom from restraint, in the sense that the punishment imposes an atypical and significant hardship on the inmate in relation to the ordinary and usual conditions of prison life. 3. The punitive measure taken against Conner, which is disciplinary segregation, is not the atypical, significant hardship in which a State might conceivably create a liberty interest. Aside from the fact that Conner’s record was subsequently expunged, segregation was administered as a usual condition of prison life, not more burdensome than similar measures imposed upon inmates in administrative segregation and protective custody. Conner’s discipline did not exceed similar but totally discretionary confinement, in either duration or degree of restriction. This writer agrees with the decision. It is true that prisoners do not shed all constitutional rights at the prison gate, (Wolff, 418 U.S. at 555), but it must be remembered that â€Å"lawful incarceration brings about the necessary withdrawal or limitation of many privileges and rights, a retraction justified by the considerations underlying our penal system† (Price v. Johnston, 334 U.S. 266, 285 (1948)). The court has determined that while the case involves a punitive measure imposed on Conner, it is not a â€Å"dramatic departure† from the basic conditions of his sentence. Within bounds of reason and where abuse is absent, the

MGT302 - Org. Behavior and Teamwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MGT302 - Org. Behavior and Teamwork - Essay Example Here in the case of assembling a team of members from two places like rural Beaverton and urban New Yorkers, these forms of issues are very likely to occur. Here there will be issues and challenges in understanding each other and this is not only in terms of the language but also in terms of finesse with which it is used. The native speakers tend to be more experienced and fluent with the language and also are able to converse much more naturally as compared to people who have learnt the language in class. Apart from the language a common issue is the difference in style of working and also the work habits. There are a number of different norms for every culture and each country follows their own rules and regulations in terms of the work day, breaks, and also acceptable times of work. For instance, in China, the country is literally closed on Chinese New Year. Hence similarly every individual in the teams will have a different incentive based on the country they originate from (Roem bke). Also in terms of the timelines, it is crucial to note that different cultures have a different perspective and importance to meeting of timelines. In some cultures the timeline is not as much as an issue as the accuracy in terms of the quality. Hence in a multicultural team, this can cause major drifts among the team members and can also put a lot of strain on the group as a whole. This can lead t communication breakdowns and also lead to conflicts remaining unresolved among the team members as well (Halverson and Tirmiz). Hence here use of computers proves to be very beneficial as it helps reduce the communication breakdowns and also helps in keeping the discussions clear and straight forward. In addition, in many ways the multicultural team could be a bonus in that each segment of the team brings a different viewpoint to the puzzle of marketing a shoe in Brazil. Completion of tasks is also an important element of the business and hence it is important that all tasks are brok en up and sent out to the appropriate individuals and also fixed deadlines are set for the tasks. This will help get the work accomplished effectively without creating a drift within the company. Using a virtual work team can prove to also be difficult as there is a difference in terms of the time spent by every individual in the trying to get to know each other when all these are done virtually. In a few manners the virtual work environment can prove to be challenging however it helps in reducing the issues of personality conflicts (Ubell). However in the virtual teams there is the issue of possible pre – judging that is possible based on the individual’s nationality or accent. Another possible drawback of the virtual teams can be the lack of synergy among the team members. This however can be resolved by means of brainstorming and also by assignment of tasks to the strengths of each individual. Also here there is also a number of opportunities present despite the dif ferences. Hence it is important to accept the differences and capitalise on the opportunities (Kottolli). The main benefits of the virtual teams are that these teams can be developed irrespective of where the members of the team are. Also, the team has a clear mission and also clear expectations from the others within the team. Here this allows better communication, creative thinking, innovation and also collaboration among the members. With the increase in the globalisation and the increase in t

France domestic policy and international relation Essay

France domestic policy and international relation - Essay Example ce to 6.9 million by the year 2030, the largest group being the Sunni Muslims who form a significant percentage of Muslims in France (Pew Research Centers Religion & Public Life Project, 2011). Muslim domination in France dates back to the 9th century when the Muslims captured the cities of Southern France (Greenfield, 2014). In 1543, the Muslims expelled Christians from Toulon and converted Toulon Cathedral into a mosque (Gemie, 2010). France regained the city of Toulon briefly afterwards. Due to this growing population of Muslims and the rise in incidences of terrorist attacks associated with Muslims, France alongside most Western Europe countries have come up with policies to restrict the continued trend of increasing Muslim immigrants (Euro-islam.info, 2014). In 1872, France passed a law that prohibits the collection of information on race and beliefs as part of its population census (Cosgrove, 2011). This law ensured the coexistence of various religions and races in the country without fear of intimidation or domination (Therrien, 2007). The law gave assurance of the state’s impartiality and lack of keenness on religious practices. In 1901, France passed the law on association, the Laicite concept of the state’s involvement in religion started to come up (Unaoc.org, 2014). An enactment for the lack of involvement of spiritual affairs in government matters, and the lack of involvement of the state departments in religious issues. In 1905, France passed a law on the distinction of religion from the state, in order for France to adopt the policy of French Secularity. Adoption of Laicite is a core element of the constitution of France, which states meticulously that France is a secular state (Kuru, 2009). According to Presiden t Sarkozy, this issue of secularism made it a taboo to allow aspects of religion in state affairs (Christian Today, 2008). The president refers to this as negative secularism, referring to Islam in Riyadh as one of the most adorable

Alcohol Abuse Essay Example for Free

Alcohol Abuse Essay Drinking is: fun, makes me more sociable, makes me more relaxed, helps me forget all my problems and lastly, everyone drinks (attention). More than likely a lot of you have heard someone say these thing or even say these things yourself when it comes to drinking (connection). When in fact there is a lot more to drinking alcohol than you think (importance). Growing up I was surrounded by someone who did heavy drinking in my home, and for the past week of researching my topic I now know the toll alcohol take on people first hand (credibility). That is why after my presentation, I want my audience to know three main disadvantages of alcohol abuse which are: impairs judgment, harm the body, and may cause death (thesis). Body: According to drugfreeworld.org, â€Å"Alcohol is best understood as a drug that reduces a person’s ability to think rationally and distorts his or her judgment† (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2006–2013). In other words, Alcohol can make a person do things, and take chances they normally wouldn’t while sober (you factor). An example of this would be: becoming violent, experimenting with drugs, having unprotected sex, or drinking and driving. In a community- based study, Pernanen found that, â€Å"42 percent of violent crimes reported to the police involved alcohol† (statistic). In the Chicago tribune there was an article about a Lombard man Adam B. Hearn, 33, he was sentenced 6  ½ years for aggravated battery. His toxic reported stated that he was heavily intoxicated. Hearn said. â€Å"I made a horrible decision and I’m sick about it† (Ward, 2012). Now that I have talked about how alcohol abuse impairs your judgment, Listen to the ways alcohol abuse harms the body (signpost). Studies stated from Jack E. Henningfield, states that â€Å"when someone has an alcoholic drink, the stomach absorbs about 20 percent of the alcohol, and the remaining 80 percent is absorbed by the small intestine† (Henning field, 2008). In other words majority of alcohol is absorbed in your small intestine. (You factor). After being absorbed the alcohol enters the blood stream, where the liver breaks down 90 percent of the alcohol in a process called oxidation. Once all the alcohol is broken down it passes directly from the digestive tract to the brain. By Alcohol being a depressant it blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain from neurons. Such as: altering a person perception, movement, vision, hearing, and emotions. This is why people who over use alcohol may stagger, lose coordination, or slur speech. Alcohol can also have harm on your outer appearance. Alcohol abuse can: cause ageneses to skin, brittle hair, crackled lips, increase the outbreak of acne and increase the blood flow to skin as well, making someone sweat and look fused. Alcohol can also cause the reduction of blood flow to the muscles. This can cause server muscles cramps. Alcohol abuse does not just harm outer appearances it can also harm you internally. The liver is known to suffering the most damage, since it is the foundation in the alcoholic elimination process. The main condition is Cirrhosis of the liver. Heartburn and stomach ulcers can also result in alcohol abuse. Other links have been made that it can cause cancer of the mouth, stomach and intestines. A much known condition to the body that alcohol abuse forms is alcohol poising. Alcohol poisoning can cause the body to violently vomit, experience extreme sleepiness, go unconscious, difficulty breathing, low blood sugar, and seizure. Furthermore, it is important to know the harm alcohol does to the body, to prevent more serious conditions that can lead to death (sign post). As indicated by Jack E. Henningfield in his book Alcohol Addiction: Not Worth the Buzz, â€Å"Each year, approximately 100,000 deaths can be attributed to drinking-either directly or indirectly† (Henningfield, 2008). This does not simply mean that 100,000 died just from taking a drink but from the poor decision that come from being drunk and from the harm that alcohol causes to the body (you factor). It is a fact that more than half of car accidents and twenty five percent of suicides are somehow linked to the use of alcohol (Henningfield, 2008). When you think about it these are all deaths that are avoidable if people would have chosen to drink less. Every year people die from alcohol abuse; many do not know the disadvantages of drinking alcohol and that is why I chose to do this research. Conclusion: Today I informed you all of the three main disadvantages of drinking too much alcohol which are: impairs your judgment, harms your body, and may cause death (summary). Now that you all know more about the disadvantages of drinking alcohol please take them into consideration (action). So the next time you are having a drink, or getting in the car with a drunk driver, ask yourselves, who is in control (ending)?

The battle of Uhud

The battle of Uhud The Battle Of Uhud In The Name Of ALLAH The Beneficent The Merciful In this essay I will be looking at the underlying factors which led to the Battle of Uhud, the main events which occurred, including my own analysis as well as looking at the result of the battle. The Battle of Uhud was a follow up to the Battle of Badr, the opening clash between the Muslims and the pagans of Makkah. The Makkans had suffered a surprise loss against the Muslims with many noblemen being killed. After this defeat there was outrage in Makkah. There was a lot of pressure on Abu Sufyan now that he was leader of Quraish. Abu Sufyan had avoided showing up at Badr, choosing instead to save the caravan[1]. He was even under pressure in his own home from his wife, Hind, who had lost her father, uncle, brother and son[2] at Badr. Her relatives were killed by a combination of Hamzah and Ali[3] so she had an insatiable thirst for revenge especially against Hamzah as described later. To Abu Sufyans credit, he showed a great desire for revenge himself, pledging the entire proceeds from the caravan in order to raise funds for another battle against the Muslims. He managed to assemble an army of 3000 with 700 armoured with 3000 camels and 200 horses. The army marched towards Madinah arriving there on 6th Shawwal 3 AH[4][5]. The Prophet (SAW)[6] was already aware of the threat having received an urgent letter[7] from Makkah[8]. The Prophet (SAW) held a council of war the following morning. It was decided that the Muslims would go out and meet the enemy. The Muslim army consisted of 1000 men with only 100 armoured and no cavalry. The army reached a place called Ash-Shaikhan where they camped for the night. The following morning, the Muslims had moved to within sight of the enemy. The hypocrites decided to return to Madinah led by Abdullah Bin Ubayy. 300 men withdrew and left the Muslims with 700. It is obvious the hypocrites did not wish to fight so this looks to be a carefully devised plan by Abdullah and his followers in order to weaken the Muslims both in physical strength as well as their morale. The moment of withdrawal was deliberately chosen so close to the start of the battle and within sight of the enemy so that they could see this occurrence and therefore receive fresh encouragement[9]. The Prophet (SAW) moved his army again and positioned them so that the enemy was between them and Madinah. This shows the incredible military leadership of the Prophet (SAW), having arrived at the battlefield after the enemy he took up a better position which would restrict the numerical advantage of the Makkans as well as being protected on all sides apart from one which would lead the pagans to expose the Muslim rear[10]. To deal with this he placed 50 archers under the command of Abdullah Bin Jabir on a mountain with explicit instructions not to vacate the position no matter whether the Muslims were winning or losing. The battle began with the most ferocious fighting centring on the Bani Abdu-Dar who were charged by the Qurarish to be the standard bearers. Bani Abdu-Dar fought courageously with each family member picking up the standard after the previous one was slaughtered and until all 10 members of the family are dead[11]. Then their huge Abyssinian slave takes the standard and continues to fight until he too is slain[12]. After this there was no one left to carry the standard. Hamzah, one of the heroes of Badr was again fighting bravely. It has already been mentioned that Hind wanted revenge so she hired an Abyssinian slave called Wahshi, who was an expert in the use of a javelin, to assassinate Hamzah in return for his freedom. Hamzah had just killed his third opponent, when Wahshi, who until that point had been hiding behind trees and rocks trying to get within range of his target, took aim and struck Hamzah straight through the stomach. Wahshi then waited for Hamzah to die before removing the javelin and then returned to the Quraish camp. However Hind was still not satisfied and after the battle she mutilated his body including cutting open his stomach and taking a bite out of his liver[13]. Despite the great loss of the uncle of the Prophet (SAW), the Muslims pushed forward and seized the advantage, the bulk of the Quraish army turning and fleeing with the Muslims in hot pursuit. The Muslims managed to raid the Quraish camp and started plundering the booty. This should have been the end of the battle and another clear cut victory for the Muslims. Unfortunately, this is where the biggest controversy of the Battle of Uhud occurs. The archers, who until now had managed to hold off the advance of the pagan cavalry, decided to join the plunder and disobey the direct command of the Prophet (SAW) as mentioned earlier. Abdullah Bin Jabir, repeatedly called his men to return to their posts but his cries fell on deaf ears as the archers continued towards the Quraish camp intent on a share of the spoils. Khalid Bin Waleed had managed to keep his men under control amidst the chaos surrounding them. Khalid was keeping an eye on the developments taking place amongst the archers and was looking to exploit just such an opportunity that had presented itself. It was at this moment Khalid made his move and pulled off a masterstroke. The remaining archers were very valiant and determined to follow the Prophet (SAW)s instructions down to the last letter. All of them became shaheed[14] whilst defending the position given to them by the Prophet (SAW). Khalid had attempted to pull of this manoeuvre a few times earlier but was prevented by the archers but had finally succeeded in doing so due to the archers abandonment of their occupied position. This signalled a reversal in fortunes for the Muslims. The bulk of Quraish who had previously being fleeing, seeing the sudden developments, returned to battle. The Muslims were trapped and under attack on two fronts which led to mass confusion and panic even resulting in Muslim killing Muslim albeit accidently[15]. The Prophet (SAW) was left in an exposed and vulnerable position with only a small group of Sahabah[16] with him and the remainder of the army too far for him to control[17]. The Prophet (SAW) was a courageous man and tried to rectify the situation by putting his own life on the line. He called the Muslims towards him although the idolaters recognised his voice and were closer to him therefore reached him first[18]. The battle now centred on the Prophet (SAW) and this has to be the most difficult trying and testing moment of his life surpassing the day of Taif[19]. More pagans left the main battle and charged towards the Prophet (SAW). This small group of Sahabah performed many heroics in order to defend their leader who they loved more than their own lives. They were under severe pressure but they fought ferociously. Many of them became shaheed. The Prophet (SAW) was pelted by stones and received injuries including broken lower font teeth. After this there was a lull in the fighting, while the Makkans were regrouping, Abu Ubaidah used his teeth to remove the rings stuck in the Prophet (SAW)s cheek breaking his own teeth in the process[20]. Ubayy Bin Khalf rode towards the Prophet (SAW) on horseback. The Prophet (SAW) told the Sahabah to allow him to approach. This man had a personal dual to settle with the Prophet (SAW). The Sahabah moved out the way, the Prophet (SAW) picked up a spear and launched it at him. It hit Ubayy between his collarbone and neck and he fell of his horse and ran back to the Quraish camp[21]. The fighting resumed once again with greater intensity and purpose. The Prophet (SAW) had a human shield[22] protecting him from arrows[23]. Ibn Qamiah managed to strike him with his sword on the shoulder resulting in the Prophet (SAW) falling behind in to a ditch dug as a trap by the enemy. Ibn Qamiah then raced back to declare the death of the Prophet (SAW). The rumour spread quickly. The main army of Muslims were heartbroken. Some fled to the mountains, some toward the desert, some toward Madinah while the rest only wanted to fight till the end. The Quraish then commit the same mistake as the Muslims, thinking they had completed their objective they started plundering after the booty. The Quraishi women then began mutilating the bodies of the deceased. By now the majority of the Muslim army had dispersed. The Prophet (SAW) began to make a planned withdrawal with the remaining Sahabah who were mostly injured, some more severe than others, were joined by another group of Muslims as they retreated to Mount Uhud. Khalid had spotted this withdrawal and raced after them with some of his men but was unable to catch them before they reached Uhud. Khalid realised the situation was not in his favour as he was on horseback on mountainous terrain. Khalid then informed Abu Sufyan who was looking for the body of the Prophet (SAW) that he was up in the mountain. Abu Sufyan approached hoping that the rumour was still true, thereby had an interesting conversation with Omar[24]. The Muslims started gathering at where the Prophet (SAW) was resting. The Muslim women[25] were tending to the injured. Once the enemy had vacated the battlefield the Muslims went to inspect the dead and wounded. The Janaazah[26] was performed. The Muslims returned to Madinah[27]. The Muslims had lost 70 men whilst the idolaters had lost 22. The pagans spent the night celebrating. Meanwhile, in Madinah, the Muslims were counting their scars but on the orders of the Prophet (SAW) they went after the Quraish the following morning. Abu Sufyan was satisfied with the result and felt Badr had been avenged by Uhud. Even Hind was pleased. Khalid was one of those who wished to finish the Muslims while they were weakened and destroy Islam once and for all. He believed they had achieved nothing which was indeed correct because the Prophet (SAW) and the most prominent Sahabah were still alive and the Islamic State was still intact. Abu Sufyan feared the 300 who had withdrawn would return in the event of another battle although the Prophet (SAW) only asked those who had participated the previous day to return. On hearing the news of the approaching Muslim army, the panic stricken Quraish fled. My opinion is that the result of the battle is a win for the Muslims albeit not as clear cut as the Battle of Badr. In boxing terms, it was a split decision to the Muslims. Although in terms of casualties it is agreed the Muslims suffered the heavier losses but this is a superficial way of looking at the result of the battle. The best way to judge the battle is to look at the aims and objectives of both sides. Bringing such a large army and having spent such a large amount of money, my opinion is the Quraish undoubtedly wished to kill the Prophet (SAW), wipe out Islam completely and destroy the Islamic State at Madinah. None of these were achieved. Before Abu Sufyan left the battlefield he knew the Prophet (SAW) was alive, he chose not pursue the Muslims up the mountain and chose not to raid Madinah. It must not be forgotten that Quraish army was 3 times larger than the Muslims[28] and yet they only managed to kill 70 Muslims and having had the advantage they did not seize it. It loo ked to be a comfortable victory for the Muslims. The turning point was certainly the disobedience of the archers and the great manoeuvre of Khalid. A victorious army would not have fled the following morning. There are many lessons to be learned from Uhud such as do not disobey the Prophet (SAW). The Quran contains over 60 verses regarding Uhud[29] I would like to end with one such verse: Allah verily made good His promise to you when you routed them by His permission, until (the moment) when your courage failed you, and you disagreed about the order and you disobeyed, after He had shown you that for which you long. Some of you desired the world, and some of you desired the Hereafter. Therefore He made you flee from them, that He might try you. Yet now He has forgiven you. Allah is a Lord of Kindness to believers.[30] Bibliography Akkad, M. (Director) (1976) The Message [Film] Libya: Filmco International Productions Akram, A.I. (2007) Khalid Bin Waleed Sword Of ALLAH Birmingham: Maktabah Mubarakpuri, S.R. (2002) The Sealed Nectar London: Darussalam Subhani, J. (2000) The Message Qum: Ansaryian Publications Watt, W.M. (1961) Muhammad Prophet Statesman Oxford: Oxford University Press [1] This caravan contained the property and wealth of the emigrants who sacrificed everything to go to Madinah. The caravan had safely made it to Syria and was on the return journey to Makkah. [2] Also Abu Sufyans son [3] Khalid Bin Waleed P:18 [4] Late March 625 [5] The Sealed Nectar P:294 [6] Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam = May the peace and blessings of ALLAH be upon him [7] From his uncle Abbas who was a Muslim yet to declare his faith and still living in Makkah. [8] The Sealed Nectar P:293 [9] The Sealed Nectar P:298 [10] Khalid Bin Waleed P:23 [11] The Sealed Nectar P:306 [12] The Sealed Nectar P:307 [13] Khalid Bin Waleed P:39 [14] Martyrs [15] Khalid Bin Waleed P:30 [16] Companions [17] Khalid Bin Waleed P:32 [18] The Sealed Nectar P:313 [19] When the Prophet (SAW) went to Taif to preach Islam but was ridiculed by the chiefs and stoned by the towns children. [20] The Sealed Nectar P:321 [21] When he came to Madinah to ransom his son after Badr, he said he would kill the Prophet (SAW) but the Prophet (SAW) promised to kill him instead. Indeed the prophecy came true. It is reported the wound was only superficial however he was adamant he would die causing hysteria among the pagans. He died after the battle on the way back to Makkah. [22] Abu Dujanah [23] Khalid Bin Waleed P:33 [24] AS: Is Mohammed among you? Is Abu Bakr among you? Is Omar among you? (no response)AS: These 3 are dead. They will trouble us no more O: You lie O enemy of ALLAH! Those 3 are still alive and there are enough of us left to punish you severely! AS: May ALLAH protect you O son of Khattab! Is Mohammed really alive? O: By my Lord Yes! Even now he hears what you say AS: You are more truthful than Ibn Qamiah AS: Glory to Hubal! O[now repeating the words of the Prophet (SAW)]: Glory Be To ALLAH! AS: We have Uzza. You have no Uzza O: ALLAH is our Lord. You have no Lord AS: This is our day for your day of Badr. It is equal O: they are not equal. Our dead are in Paradise while your dead are in the fire! AS: we shall meet again at Badr next year. O: You have our pledge. It is an appointment. AS: You will find among your dead some who have been mutilated. I neither ordered this nor approved of it. Do not blame for this. [25] Including the Prophet (SAW)s daughter Fatimah and his wife Aisha [26] Funeral Prayer [27] The Sealed Nectar P:334 [28] 4x after withdrawal of hypocrites [29] Mainly in Surah Ali Imran [30] 3:152

The Plausibility of Artificial Intelligence Essay -- Science Scientifi

The Plausibility of Artificial Intelligence Can mankind create intelligence? Can the dream of artificial intelligence ever be realized? Is it possible to formulate intelligence out of inorganic matter? In this paper, I intend to show that artificial intelligence is indeed attainable, that it is within the capacity of human intelligence to fashion intelligence out of non-living materials. Let me begin with one of the major theories concerning the philosophy of artificial intelligence: The Church-Turing thesis. The Church-Turing thesis is the brainchild of Alan Turing and Alonzo Church. It concerns the concepts of â€Å"effective† and â€Å"mechanical† in logic and mathematics. Both Turing and Church reached the hypothesis independently and in different forms. But both forms confront similar issues and the general form is known as the ‘Church-Turing thesis’. In general, the thesis asserts that a machine can execute all processes that are ‘mechanical’[1]. Clearly, there is some ambiguity in this statement. What is meant by mechanical? What is meant by machine? ‘Mechanical’ (or ‘effective’ as Turing sometimes uses) is used in a very strict sense. A process that is mechanical must satisfy the following four properties. First, it must be set out in terms of a finite number of exact instructions. Each instruction must in turn contain a finite number of symbols. Second, if carried out properly, it must produce the desired result in a finite number of steps (a finite amount of time). Third, in practice or in principle, it must be able to be carried out by a human being unaided by any machinery (except paper, pencil, etc.). And finally, it must not demand any insight or ingenuity on the part of the human bei... ...l> (visited 06 Dec. 2002) [4] P. Millican and A. Clark, ed. The Legacy of Alan Turing [5] Herken, Rolf, ed. The Universal Turing Machine: a half-century survey [6] P. Millican and A. Clark, ed. The Legacy of Alan Turing [7] Hofstadter, Douglas. Godel, Escher, Bach: and eternal golden braid. (pg 561) [8] see Hofstadter (pg. 18, 438, 561, 738-739) [9] Hofstadter (pg. 561) [10] Garson, James. â€Å"Connectionism† Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 19 Aug. 2002. < http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/connectionism/> (visited 06 Dec. 2002) [11] Garson, James. â€Å"Connectionism† Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy [12] Srinivasa Rao, K. Srinivasa Ramanujan : a mathematical (East West Books, c1998) [13] Miller, Leon K., Musical savants : exceptional skill in the mentally retarded. (Hillsdale, N.J : L. Erlbaum, 1989.)

Why society is unfair with teen male?

The way in which my son is branded and spoken of is very exaggerated and unfair. Through the past month he experienced a difficult time going through a split with his fellow peer. He tried to reach for help through his teachers and a social worker, hoping to find a way to cope and instead he was abused with statements such as â€Å"this young man Is experiencing significant mental health Issues. † This all occurred because he dared to cry and show sorrow when he was told by the peer that she felt uncomfortable talking to him.Furthermore, after this incident that occurred on March 24, 2014, the peer contacted my son first on the same day. Approximately two weeks after, I was phoned at work by the principal, informing me that she would call the police if I was not able to come and pick up my son after school. I asked her to wait for me around 5-10 minutes, and moments after we had finished our conversation, she called the police nonetheless. She had also told my son that she wou ld not call the police unless he left the school.He did not leave and the police was still called. My son was escorted by the police to the RE per the principals statement that my son was having a â€Å"suicidal crisis. The principal came to this conclusion based on a Faceable conversation between my son and the peer which was shown to the principal by the peer. Recently, I read the messages In which my son stated â€Å"I'm always going to be there for you. † These words obviously show no intentions to commit suicide. My son was assessed by the RE team by DRP.Doe, a psychiatrist at H ¶tell-Died Grace Hospital where he was escorted by the police. He was released in the same night from the hospital as the RE team claimed that he was not in a crisis. The psychiatrist had not considered he needed any follow-up appointments or medication. He was not diagnosed with ant mental health illness. I communicated all of the results to the principal; however, she didn't accept my son to go back to school for a week now, though he was not suspended.During the ten school years of his life, I never once heard a complaint from any of his teachers regarding his behavior. His average mark Is over 90%. He has won numerous awards for his academic success and he was only ever praised by his teachers. Please help me rehabilitate my son's reputation at school and gain fair treatment by his principal and social worker at school. This incident was a small part of his school fife and his great sorrow was misinterpreted as a mental illness.Based on this event we cannot throw away and ignore all his years of hard work, and great behavior. Why society is unfair with teen male? By conspire â€Å"this young man is experiencing significant mental health issues. † This all occurred was shown to the principal by the peer. Recently, I read the messages in which my intentions to commit suicide. My son was assessed by the RE team by DRP. Doe,a communicated all of the results to the principal; however, she didn't accept my son to regarding his behavior. His average mark is over 90%. He has won numerous

Education in Pakistan Essay

Education in Pakistan is overseen by the government’s Ministry of Education and the provincial governments, whereas the federal government mostly assists in curriculum development, accreditation and in the financing of research. The article 25-A of Constitution of Pakistan obligates the state to provide free and compulsory quality education to children of the age group 5 to 16 years. â€Å"The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such a manner as may be determined by law†. [3] The education system in Pakistan is generally divided into five levels: primary (grades one through five); middle (grades six through eight); high(grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate or SSC); intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary (School) Certificate or HSC); and university programs leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees. [4] The literacy rate ranges from 87% in Islamabad to 20% in the Kohlu District. [5] Between 2000—2004, Pakistanis in the age group 55–64 had a literacy rate of almost 30%, those aged between 45–54 had a literacy rate of nearly 40%, those between 25–34 had a literacy rate of 50%, and those aged 15–24 had a literacy rate of 60%. [6] Literacy rates vary regionally, particularly by sex. In tribal areas female literacy is 7. 5%. [7]Moreover, English is fast spreading in Pakistan, with 18 million Pakistanis[8] (11% of the population)[8] having a command over the English language, which makes it the 9th Largest English Speaking Nation[9] in the world and the 3rd largest in Asia. [8] On top of that, Pakistan produces about 445,000 university graduates and 10,000 computer science graduates per year. [10] Despite these statistics, Pakistan still has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world. [11] Education Expenditure as Percentage of GDP Public expenditure on education lies on the fringes of 2 percent of GDP. However, the government recently approved the new national education policy, which stipulates that education expenditure will be increased to 7% of GDP,[22] an idea that was first suggested by the Punjab government. [23] Author of an article, which reviews the history of education spending in Pakistan since 1972, argues that this policy target raises a fundamental question: What extraordinary things are going to happen that would enable Pakistan to achieve within six years what it has been unable to lay a hand on in the past six decades? The policy document is blank on this question and does not discuss the assumptions that form the basis of this target. Calculations of the author show that during the past 37 years, the highest public expenditure on education was 2. 80 percent of GDP in 1987-88. Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was actually reduced in 16 years and maintained in 5 years between 1972–73 and 2008-09. Thus, out of total 37 years since 1972, public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP either decreased or remained stagnant for 21 years. The author argues if linear trend were maintained since 1972, Pakistan could have touched 4 percent of GDP well before 2015. However, it is unlikely to happen because the levels of spending have had remained significantly unpredictable and unsteady in the past. Given this disappointing trajectory, increasing public expenditure on education to 7 percent of GDP would be nothing less than a miracle but it is not going to be of godly nature. Instead, it is going to be the one of political nature because it has to be â€Å"invented† by those who are at the helm of affairs. The author suggests that little success can be made unless Pakistan adopts an â€Å"unconventional† approach to education. That is to say, education sector should be treated as a special sector by immunizing budgetary allocations for it from fiscal stresses and political and economic instabilities. Allocations for education should not be affected by squeezed fiscal space or surge in military expenditure or debts. At the same time, there is a need to debate others options about how Pakistan can â€Å"invent† the miracle of raising education expenditure to 7 percent of GDP by 2015. [24]

Outliers Essay

In the book Outliers author Malcolm Greenwell talks about a variety of topics that deal with how success is obtained by individuals who are blessed to have many different opportunities. They range from a school designed for students to excel, to being financially wealthy, or even being in the right place at the right time. Many different types of examples of people who found success through opportunities laid out in front of them are discussed in Outliers. From a man who was Jewish and just happened to be born in a location where lawyers were scarce, to hockey players who were born just after the cut off dates, Gladwell describes types of advantages and how these opportunities sparked success for these people. He also talks about how success is also derived from hard work and putting in the time to master a particular trade or skill. A theory of putting in ten thousand hours is discussed as the way to become an expert. This way of thinking is actually a very intelligent one due to the fact that to achieve greatness at the highest level it only makes sense that one would have to work the hardest. As Gladwell states, â€Å"The people at the top don’t work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder† (Gladwell 39). This is a great statement that shows how while luck and good fortune is never a bad thing, hard work and taking advantage of opportunities is what separates the ordinary from the extraordinary. While outworking the competition is a very important aspect, having and taking advantage of opportunities is just as important to achieving success. Today, people all around the world pay attention to many famous stars or athletes and are always inspired by stories of struggle or hardship that they may have dealt with. Josh Hamilton, a famous baseball player, is one of these examples. His story is one that has been heard by many that deals with a guy who had everything he needed in life and threw it all away when he fell into the proverbial grasp of alcohol and drugs. Then when all hope seemed lost he was able to escape the adversity in his life and turn it around and become the clean, Christian man that he is today. Josh Hamilton’s struggles and self-imposed obstacles played a major part in the early years of his major league career. He fought through and became a very successful player through the opportunities that he had and was given on his way back to the top. Josh Hamilton was a multi-talented person from the time he was very young. He could hit and throw harder than anyone his age and had all the skills that a coach would look for in a young child. At the age of eight he could out play most of the kids in the thirteen year old league. He was what most would call a protege. Many of the parents were scared with Josh’s ability and raised concern about Josh hurting their children who were not nearly as talented. He amazed anybody who watched him and he even talked about people being stunned after watching him take a round of batting practice. He states, â€Å"I enjoyed watching other players’ reactions when I took batting practice. Everyone was stunned of how hard the ball came off of my bat† (Hamilton, 181). He had a true talent that was unlike any that most had ever seen from a kid that age which was a God-given gift without a doubt. Throughout his teenage years he worked his butt off to be the best he could be by hitting and throwing just about every day, as well as lifting and staying in shape. Hamilton had everything to be a superstar, he just needed to keep his head straight and he was destined to become a millionaire straight out of high school if all went well. Hamilton grew up in an excellent household with two parents who loved him deeply and ones that supported everything he wanted to do. They did well financially and he received several opportunities to excel due to this financial stability. From all-star teams to personal coaches, Josh had it all laid out in front of him. He had a desire to be the best unmatched by most kids his age. He had a unique understanding of what it takes to be â€Å"big-time† that few adults every completely grasp. He talked to many pro scouts during his early years of high school and he was preparing to be drafted and continue his fast track to fame. Everything that Gladwell describes as keys to success Hamilton was provided. The only thing to keep him from this would end up being himself. Josh was drafted in the 1999 draft as the number one overall pick by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and signed a $3. 96 million dollar bonus straight out of high school (Hamilton, 187). He was playing ball and doing extremely well. He had his family support and was growing into quite the individual. Eventually, however, when a few incidents were placed upon him, he folded and turned to a terrible place to find happiness. He did things he never thought of doing before from drinking to smoking weed and eventually becoming a major crack addict. He got in with the wrong crowd and could not get out of the hold it had on him and was on his way to ruining everything. He spent all his money on drugs and alcohol and was very close to killing himself from the drugs he was taking. He had a family at the time and he distanced himself from them to a point where his wife wanted nothing to do with him. Life was falling apart for the once nationally renowned phenomena. It wasn’t until he was pushed to the brink that he began trying to get to rehab and fix his addictions. He talks about his problems regarding the extent of his issues in his book, Beyond Belief. He says, â€Å"My journey to the depths of human depravity- to a place where a single-minded desire to alter my consciousness was my only goal- defies logic† (Hamilton, 187). This helps bring his story full-circle to show how he went from such a high point to a low, and then back up again. It is a true story of opportunity and fight which Gladwell talks about in his book. Hamilton’s struggles fit in well with Gladwell’s success theories because Gladwell talks about how opportunity leads to success and Hamilton had every opportunity to excel. He was provided everything he needed and he obtained everything until he messed it up with bad decisions. He had many people help him as he worked back and thanks to these people he was able to make it, from the rehab people, to his teammates, to the baseball organization, and especially from his parents. This follows suit with Gladwell’s point of how opportunities can lead to success when all hope seems lost. When Hamilton came back he was better than ever. Surprisingly he was away from the game for over two years, but when he returned he had not lost anything. His swing was still solid and his arm was still what it always was. He was a much better person and he was blessed for his chance to come back. He found the Lord and ended all his struggles by putting his focus in much more important things such as family, faith, and ball. He now has exceled to become the league Most Valuable Player in 2010 and has lead the Texas Rangers to two consecutive World Series appearances. The writer of the Josh Hamilton biography talks about his physical attributes, especially his hitting ability when he says, â€Å"Josh has one of baseball’s most magnificent swings. It is smooth and powerful. His knowledge of the strike zone helps make him a great hitter, and he can clear any fence in the majors. In other words, he is a pitchers worst nightmare† (JockBio). Society can learn many things from Josh Hamilton’s story. It can learn that even with hard work and all the things that Hamilton had going for him, messing up and ruining it can happen. But through anything if a person has opportunities to come back, they can succeed. Malcolm Gladwell has many examples of how success can be obtained through opportunity and hard work and Josh Hamilton is an excellent example of this. He struggled and was in a terrible situation but with an excellent supporting staff behind him, he was able to come back better than ever and do things that everyone thought he could do in the first place. Josh Hamilton is a true testament to success and a great figure to look up to.

Mormon Church Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mormon Church - Essay Example In the 1800’s a man named Joseph Smith was told to dig up these records and to translate them. That is where the Book of Mormon comes from. The Mormon Church is becoming a powerful church all over the world. They actively try to get people to visit their church and to join. There are missionaries all over the world doing this right now. Mitt Romney is trying to get elected as the President of the United States. This has raised interest in the Mormon Church because Mitt Romney is a Mormon. Attending two services of the Mormon Church seemed like the best way to learn about this culture and to understand how Mormons think and view the world. Setting Both of my meetings were held on a Sunday morning. The meetings were actually arranged into a three-hour block of time. The first meeting is referred to as Sacrament Meeting, the second hour is devoted to Sunday School, and the third meeting for men is called Priesthood Meeting while women attend Relief Society. The Chapel was a large , spacious building that was clean and tidy. There was very little ornamentation in the chapel. Typical symbols of Christianity such as a crucifix or statues of Jesus were conspicuously absent from the sanctuary. The building had a very utilitarian feel to it. The sanctuary was no more ornate than the simple classrooms that lined the halls. There were nicely framed paintings on the walls. I was unfamiliar with most of the themes and There was a children’s area and a space referred to as the Cultural Hall that included a basketball court and a stage. The meetings began at 9:00 AM and ended at 12:00 PM. There was a 5-10 minute break that appeared to exist mainly for socializing between each class period. Everything about the setting suggested order and efficiency, from the way the building was constructed and designed, to the way the various meetings were conducted. Participants The people in the congregation were mainly Caucasians. There were a few individuals that appeared to be of Latino descent and only one African American. There were approximately 220 participants in the Sacrament Meeting portion of the worship service. The group that seemed to most dominate the demographics of the congregation was families with children. There were many families with at least three small children and several that appeared to have more than five. Families appeared to sit together for most of the Sacrament Meeting time. There were some elderly women, but only one elderly man was in the congregation. Ethnically and demographically, the congregation was very homogenous. Sacrament Meeting The first meeting of the block each week is Sacrament Meeting. This is the most sacred service for Mormons because they pass bread and water to remember that Jesus died for their sins by giving his body and his blood. The blood is represented by water. The body is represented by bread. The meeting begins with a greeting by a man with the title of Bishop. He is the local leader of the c ongregation. He started the meeting by announcing changes in the Ward staffing assignments. A Ward is a geographic references to the area assigned to a particular congregation. In the Mormon Church, you are encouraged to attend the Ward that your town or community has been assigned to. Church staffing is all voluntary. The Bishop, the teachers and other participants receive no money for their time and efforts so there is no paid clergy in the Mormon Church. The Bishop