Platos Three Waves Essays - Socratic Dialogues, Dialogues Of Plato

Plato's Three Waves The Three Waves In the Republic, Plato, through his character of Socrates, is searching for the definition of justice. During his search he creates a theoretical city of the kallipolis. This city is to be the ideal, good city. After he establishes this city in his mind he realizes that this city goes against some of the major common thought of his time, and for the city to work it must get passed these obstacles. These obstacles, or waves as Socrates calls them, are vital to the city's success. The city of the kallipolis that Socrates discusses is an ideal city and everything must work according to his plan. Socrates feels that the best way to establish a just city would be to create a city that has three classes of people. The three classes are the guardians (rulers), guardians (auxiliaries), and producers (everybody else). Socrates feels that in order for this city to work the best people, or golden people, would be on top as rulers. Then the auxiliary guardians/soldiers, or silver people, would be educated to believe that this is this best city so they will not revolt against the city. These silver people would also be censored in the things they learned, so they would act in accordance to what they learned, i.e. the rulers would not allow the soldiers to read stories of revolution. Finally, the producers, or bronze and iron people, would follow and listen to the guardians above them because of the noble falsehoods that have been told to them. They will believe that the land is mother and that they should be the producers, because that is the way this society is run, they are born into different classes and metals, and they cannot change that. The second noble falsehood Socrates explains is that the people will think that they all have equal opportunity to mate and produce offspring, when in actuality they do not. Instead the strongest males and females, or the most intelligent, moral and most beautiful are chosen to mate in an attempt to breed the best offspring. This will be accomplished through a fixed lottery. Because of the lottery and the myth of the land, the people will agree and continue to live in this fashion and the city will get stronger. Even though Socrates puts this city together well, there are still three waves that the city must get passed. The first wave is common tasks for both men and women, or equality of the sexes. This wave goes against the common thought of Socrates' time because the majority of people felt men should do more than women should. Even Socrates acknowledges that women are weaker than men are, but in this city it is not the strength of the people that count. This city needs intelligent and moral people. If a woman has the qualities to be a guardian she must then be educated the same as the men in the city. Socrates proves this through the following quote ?So one woman may have a guardian nature and another not? Therefore, men and women are by nature the same with respect to guarding the city? Then women of this sort must be chosen along with men of the same sort to live with them and share their guardianship? it isn't against nature to assign an education in music, poetry, and physical traini ng to the wives of the guardians? It's rather the way things are at present that seems to be against nature.? This equality allows for the most intelligent, and moral people to be in the higher classes in this city, and for these people to breed strong offspring in this sense through the fixed lottery. It is to the benefit of the state to allow this, and to its disadvantage to hold women inferior to men. The second wave, although one of the hardest to embrace, is probably one of the most important for Socrates' city to have success. The second wave is women and children are to be held in common. This means that there cannot be marriage and what we see as family. Instead there will be mating of the best men and women so that

The Colossal Heads of the Olmec

The Colossal Heads of the Olmec The Olmec civilization, which thrived along Mexicos Gulf Coast from about 1200 to 400 B.C., was the first major Mesoamerican culture. The Olmec were extremely talented artists, and their most lasting artistic contribution is without a doubt the enormous sculpted heads they created. These sculptures have been found at a handful of archaeological sites, including La Venta and San Lorenzo. Originally thought to depict gods or ballplayers, most archaeologists now say they believe they are likenesses of long-dead Olmec rulers. The Olmec Civilization The Olmec culture developed cities defined as population centers with political and cultural significance and influence as early as 1200 B.C. They were talented traders and artists, and their influence is quite clearly seen in later cultures like the Aztec and the Maya. Their sphere of influence was along Mexicos Gulf Coast particularly in the present-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco and major Olmec cities included San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Tres Zapotes. By 400 B.C. or so their civilization had gone into steep decline and had all but disappeared. The Olmec Colossal Heads The Olmecs colossal sculpted heads show the head and face of a helmeted man with distinctly indigenous features. Several of the heads are taller than an average adult human male. The largest colossal head was discovered at La Cobata. It stands about 10 feet tall and weighs an estimated 40 tons. The heads are generally flattened at the back and not carved all the way around they are meant to be viewed from the front and sides. Some traces of plaster and pigments on one of the San Lorenzo heads indicate that they may have once been painted. Seventeen Olmec colossal heads have been found: 10 at San Lorenzo, four at La Venta, two at Tres Zapotes and one at La Cobata. Creating the Colossal Heads The creation of these heads was a significant undertaking. The basalt boulders and blocks used to carve the heads were located as much as 50 miles away. Archaeologists suggest a laborious process of slowly moving the stones, using a   combination of raw manpower, sledges and, when possible, rafts on rivers. This process was so difficult that there are several examples of pieces being carved from earlier works; two of the San Lorenzo heads were carved out of an earlier throne. Once the stones reached a workshop, they were carved using only crude tools such as stone hammers. The Olmec did not have metal tools, which makes the sculptures all the more remarkable. Once the heads were ready, they were moved into position, although it is possible that they were occasionally moved around to create scenes along with other Olmec sculptures. Meaning The exact meaning of the colossal heads has been lost to time, but over the years there have been several theories. Their sheer size and majesty immediately suggest that they represent gods, but this theory has been discounted because in general, Mesoamerican gods are depicted as more gruesome than humans, and the faces are obviously human. The helmet/headdress worn by each of the heads suggests ballplayers, but most archaeologists today say they think they represented rulers. Part of the evidence for this is the fact that each of the faces has a distinct look and personality, suggesting individuals of great power and importance. If the heads had any religious significance to the Olmec, it has been lost to time, although many modern researchers say they think that the ruling class might have claimed a link to their gods. Dating It is almost impossible to pinpoint the exact dates when the colossal heads were made. The San Lorenzo heads were almost certainly all completed before 900 B.C. because the city went into steep decline at that time. Others are even more difficult to date; the one at La Cobata might be unfinished, and the ones at Tres Zapotes were removed from their original locations before their historical context could be documented. Importance The Olmec left behind many stone carvings that include reliefs, thrones, and statues. There is also a handful of surviving wooden busts and some cave paintings in nearby mountains. Nevertheless, the most striking examples of Olmec art are the colossal heads. The Olmec colossal heads are important historically and culturally to modern Mexicans. The heads have taught researchers much about the culture of the ancient Olmec. Their greatest value today, however, is probably artistic. The sculptures are truly amazing and inspirational and a popular attraction at the museums where they are housed. Most of them are in regional museums close to where they were found, while two are in Mexico City. Their beauty is such that several replicas have been made and can be seen around the world.

Analysis of Respiratory Physiology Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Respiratory Physiology - Lab Report Example   The necessity of breathing is well established in science. The significance of this act is well known to all. Without it any person is unable to live. This underlines the importance of the study of the respiratory physiology. Every medical professional, whether he is involved in internal medicine, surgery or even psychiatry has to have the basics of respiratory physiology. From the basic concept of gas exchange and its movement into the blood to the complex aerobic metabolism in the mitochondria and the excretion of the metabolic by-products, all of these hold an importance for a physician providing clinical care to patients. Respiratory physiology revolves around the respiratory system mainly, especially the lungs and bronchus. However without the support of musculoskeletal and nervous system lungs are unable to carry their function. The control of this process depends on a variety of factors which are spread out across different specialties (Schwartzstein & Parker, 2005). Diffe rent authors have reported different factors in different books and research articles. As Guyton and Hall, (2010) explain in their book that the different factors regulate each and every step of breathing which in turn are further regulated by the higher centers. Neural and chemical control is the highlight of this control. Breathing rate itself depends on the partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Along with this the rate at which the alveolar air is removed from the lungs also affects the rate of breathing. On the other hand separate factors affect the diffusion of gas across respiratory membrane. These factors include the thickness and the surface area of the membrane and the diffusion coefficient of the gas. Among these factors there are some factors which can be controlled. However some factors are fixed and variability isn’t possible. Secondly the measurement of lung volume is also very significant. The lung volume has different components which need to be addre ssed. Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), tidal volume (TV), residual volume (RV), inspiratory vital capacity (ITC), functional residual capacity (FRC), inspiratory capacity (IC) and total lung capacity (TLC) are the different static lung volumes (shown in figure -1). Their main use lies in the detection, characterization and quantification of the severity of any respiratory disease (Wanger et al., 2005). They also play an important part in the assessment of the prognosis and treatment of a respiratory disorder. TV = 0.644 L IRV = 1.615 L ERV = 1.079 L IC = 2.259 L FRC = 2.279 L VC = 3.338 L TLC = 4.538 L Figure – 1: Subdivisions of static lung capacity This lab report comprises of three different experiments, all done with the intention of investigating about respiratory physiology. The aim of the study revolves around the quest of the finding of different factors which regulate breathing, their respective effects, and their significance.  Ã‚  

Modern China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern China - Essay Example When Europeans and Americans started to recognize the Chinese people, the traditional intellectual Chinese started to take part in the political and economic systems of China. The most significant evidence was that Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Qing rule and established the Republic of China. 2.What are your ideologies? Why are they suitable for 1905s China and better than your rivals? My ideologies are about reforms. Being a reformer in Chinas 1905s during the Qing dynasty would mean overcoming the bureaucratic structures of the government. As a reformer, I would recommend and implement various reforms in the military, administrative, and fiscal systems to eliminate bureaucracies and encourage coordination and representation in all decision-making activities of the government. Like in the Boxer Protocol, reforms would include improvement in the tax systems, subsidies, and benefits offered by the government. The tax reforms would include enforcement and collection of land taxes to reduce inefficiencies and conflicts in the lenient approach of landowning. The revenue received from taxation would be used to improve various sectors of the economy including irrigation, roads, schools, and charities and benefits to needy members of the society such as old people and people living with disabilities. There should also be reforms in the electoral system in which the people would have more power and independence to choose their leaders. The reforms also involved changes in the legal code and abolition of the examination system.

What Specific Problems Could Be Created By the Permanent Assignment of Essay

What Specific Problems Could Be Created By the Permanent Assignment of a Judge to the Juvenile Division - Essay Example The researcher states that now the court administration is contemplating on whether or not it will be a wise decision to permanently assign a judge to the juvenile division. For a while, this idea might appear to be a sensible solution to the problem of increasing workload. By assigning a judge permanently to the juvenile division, the current hybrid approach of the court can be controlled considerably. Hence, the risk of increased ambiguity on the part of the court staffs will be lessened. Moreover, the efficiency of the different categories of the justice system can be increased if specialist judges are given permanent assignments to their respective area of specialization. However, every legal expect would not agree with the idea of permanent assignment. The permanent assignment may be theoretically a rewarding idea. Nevertheless, a judge who has to handle a permanent assignment is repeatedly exposed to the same type of cases. According to Baum, short term and long term specializa tions are the two most prominent categories of specialization in law. Hence, specialist judges are better trained in handling special courts and cases. Nevertheless, when some judges are given â€Å"permanent assignments to particular types of cases, including, by definition, judges who serve on specialized courts†, they face high psychological stress. This psychological stress results from repeated hearing of the same sort of cases. And if the court administrator starts to give a selected judge (particularly one who has been serving in a hybrid court system) similar cases constantly, he/she may be overwhelmed. Of course, the judge has to see the same sort of crimes, face the same sort of questions, and deal with the same branch of law (here, it is the juvenile code) all the time. In fact, when a judge is aware that he/she will have to hear the same kind of cases for a long period of time, this very reality may affect the way he/she thinks.

Effects on Vietnams economy: Hospitality and tourism

Effects on Vietnams economy: Hospitality and tourism Tourism which plays an important part in the economy of Vietnam creates lots of jobs and export value. Nevertheless, there are still many difficulties that Vietnam has to overcome in order to make our dream becoming one of countries which is famous for tourism come true. Vietnam is one of members of Southeast Asia, which has a lot of exciting economic activities in general and tourism in particular. Vietnam has a lot of advantages to develop tourism. Therefore, to make Vietnam an ideal tourism destination, our country should have specific strategies for this goal. First, one strategy for Vietnam tourism development is international cooperation. In order to stimulate sustainable tourism growth, the Vietnam government should increase the cooperation with many countries around the world, especially Asian ones. For example, many events were held for the friendship and solidarity of Vietnam and Laos in 2012. To mark the 50-year anniversary of 2 countries’ diplomatic relations and the 35-year signing of friendship and cooperation treaty, Vietnam organized the third Vietnam-Laos friendship festival. In addition, Vietnam has cooperated with Japan tourism authority and will receive 1 million Japanese arrivals to Vietnam in 2015. The 40th day of remembrance of bilateral relationship between Viet Nam and Japan in 2013 in culture, sports and tourism activities is an important landmark for the bilateral tourism cooperation. From these examples, we can see that to improve tourist industry, Vietnam should boost international tourism cooperation with o ther countries and international organizations, and links our tourism market with regional and world tourism ones. Moreover, Vietnam should expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation relationship to gain the support of other countries and international organizations, accelerate Vietnam’s tourism development and integration, and increase the image and status of Vietnam’s tourism in the international arena. The second strategy to improve tourism industry is infrastructure development in line with environmental protection. For a sustainable tourism development, it is extremely necessary that the tourism infrastructure system should be invested appropriately. Vietnam opened its door to the world in 1994. Vietnam has a lot of tourism potentials. Vietnam is changing to make tourism better. Vietnam should pay attention to the number of air transport of passengers when the country becomes the favorite destination for international visitors. We should upgrade and expand the system of international airports, increase the well-equipped planes, open new routes to many cities in the world, and increase the quality of the flights to meet the needs of tourists. For example, Vietnam is planning to build Long Thanh international airport with a large amount of capital investment to serve more foreign tourists. In recent years, Vung Tau has been a specific example of developing infrastructure in line wi th environmental protection. Vung Tau city has measures to conserve the environment. Many hotels in Vung Tau have met criteria on the environmental protection and contributed to saving energy. Furthermore, many tourism areas and hotels in Vietnam should focus attention on investing in standard systems of treating sewage and garbage, clearing beaches, cultivating trees, looking after gardens, and creatingclean environment and beautiful scenery to serve tourists. The next is human resource development for tourism. Vietnam needs to have some plans to develop human resources for tourism industry both in terms of quality and quantity. The tourism human resources in Vietnam should learn occupational skills and knowledge. They are directly influencing service’s quality, tourist’s satisfaction and the professionalism of the tourism sector. Schools and universities specializing in tourism should develop a network of strong tourism training establishments with modern technical and teaching equipment. The purpose of this training is to build the professional tourism labor force having practical skills and experience to please the tourists coming to Vietnam. Vietnam should diversify tourism professions that will help to increase the tourism workforce and competition with other countries. Reinforcing foreign language for people who work in tourism is a necessary factor to help Vietnam integrate with the world’s tourism industry. In the past, many tour guides couldn’t speak English and other languages, or they only used body language with simple words to express what they wanted to talk about. In a competing environment with other countries, Vietnam should invest in training labor force with ability of communicating with foreigners fluently. Our countries should have many programs about sponsoring the excellent or well-qualified students to study overseas to widen their mind about tourism, which is very helpful for Vietnam. After they have experience of tourism business from many countries, they will contribute what they learn to the construction of nation. According to the travel recommendation, Vietnam is facing many challenges, fierce competition with countries in the region such as Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia. On the other hand, the neighbors have very huge marketing investment campaigns in order to increase the attractiveness of tourism market, so the ability to attract tourists in Vietnam becomes more difficult. On July 11th 2012, group of international experts came to Vietnam to assist our country make a tourism marketing scheme and a plan for tourism growth in the future. The experts aided the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) to develop advertising schemes in 3 terms: short, medium, and long. In addition, they helped VNAT analyze information from 7 important markets. From experts’ report on trademark concepts, communication channels, marketing instruments and action strategies. Vietnam acknowledged that advertisement was a key point in developing tourism and increasing the competition in international ar ena. Vietnam’s tourism industry should have a strategy and clear developing target for marketing activities, and effectively advertise about the diversity of tourism products offered and main tourism areas, prolong the time of visitors’ temporary residence to attract tourists back. Moreover, we should have tourism websites introducing destinations, and expand the system of foreign travel offices to make the marketing better. Vietnam pressingly needs to use many new trademarks and contemporary advertising tools to highlight its tourism image. With the coastline of over 3000 km, 2700 small and large islands, many beautiful beaches and famous bays, Vietnam has a lot of opportunities for sea tourism development such as Vung Tau, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ha Long, Phu Quoc, Phan Thiet†¦ From now then on, Vietnam should push beach-island tourism effectively. Sea tourism is considered as a scheme and a strong point in Vietnam tourism. One of well-known destinations that attracts a large number of international tourists is Ha Long bay belonging to Quang Ninh province, and widely known by the beautiful landscape of limestone. Besides, Nha Trang and Da Nang are places having charming beaches on the world. The sea tourism industry attracts approximately 70% of international visitors, 50% of domestic tourists annually, and accounts for 70% of turnovers for the whole tourism. Moreover, Vietnam should focus on building many standardized hotels in coastal regions. It is necessary to organize the sea tourism fair at national and internat ional levels to develop brand and affirm position of Viet Nam sea tourism. Organization of the Viet Nam international sea tourism fair will contribute to promotion of sea tourism in Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa in particular and Viet Nam in general. The growth of sea tourism not only helps people living near the beaches have jobs but also stimulates economic development. In addition, sea tourism of Vietnam should connect with national protection, security, and establish marine tourism areas to be able to compete with other countries. In the past, Vietnam was a nation having a long period of time in preventing invasion from strong enemy such as China, French, USA; therefore, nowadays, it becomes an interesting places which foreign visitors are curious to discover about its people, custom and culture. This is a good opportunity for Vietnam to develop cultural tourism. We should open many tours to famous destinations that still keep historic landmarks (Cu Chi tunnel, palace of independence) or cities having ancient features ( Hanoi capital, Thang Long citadel, Hue old capital). In addition, many traditional festivals should be encouraged to contribute to introducing the beauty of friendly culture to international friends. In conclusion, it is forecasted that in the next 10 years, Vietnam tourism industry will continue to grow rapidly. Nevertheless, to encourage the tourism potential of the country, we should know to take advantage of development chances and make good our shortcomings in coming years, which makes tourism play an important part in the national economy. .

Krashen’s Hypotheses of Second Language Acquisition Essay -- Foreign L

Krashen’s Hypotheses of Second Language Acquisition For decades, foreign language teachers wandered in a scientific abyss. Until 1983, there had been little real research dealing with the ways in which someone acquires a second language. Teachers mostly used the audiolingual classroom model that had been in place for the past twenty years (or, even worse, the literally ancient grammatical translation model that had been used by civilizations millennia old). Clearly, language teaching methodology was in a poor situation. In 1983, however, Krashen published the results of an unprecedented body of research and paved the way for a revolution in our field. His five-point hypothesis focused on the difference between the acquisition of and the learning of a second language. Krashen has his detractors, of course, not the least of whom are American school districts, which have been reluctant to implement his teachings. Most experts agree, however, that his ideas are the most meritorious of the theories in circulation now, an d schools that refuse to incorporate them are doing their students a disservice. The first of Krashen’s hypotheses is the learning-acquisition hypothesis, which differentiates the two titular terms. According to Krashen, â€Å"acquisition† refers to the implicit knowledge we have of a language, whereas â€Å"learning† refers to explicit knowledge about a language. Implicit knowledge refers to command of a language as if it were one’s native language; explicit knowledge is what we unfortunately gain in most foreign language classes. One good example of this in Spanish is the phrase â€Å"me llamo,† which literally means â€Å"I call myself† but is usually translated by Spanish teachers as â€Å"my name is.... ... on teachers to find objective methods of evaluating students, which can be extremely difficult to do if they heed Krashen’s advice. The price that students pay for steady grading is, unfortunately, genuine competence in their chosen language, and it is far too high. The pending change in second-language teaching is often called an â€Å"incomplete revolution† because the educational establishment refuses to implement the system despite its acknowledged merits, choosing instead to languish in the mediocrity we face today. WORKS CITED Krashen, Stephen. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. New York: Pergamon Press. 1982 Omaggio, Alice C. Teaching Language in Context. Proficiency Oriented Instruction. Boston: Heinle and Heinle. 1986 Sole, Yolanda Russino. â€Å"The input hypothesis and the bilingual learner.† Bilingual Review 19:2. 99-100.

“Life of Pi” Characters Essay

As the final chapter of Part Two comes to an end, Pi breaks into tears, crying the following words: â€Å"Richard Parker, a companion of my torment, awful, fierce thing that kept me alive, moved forward and disappeared forever from my life.† In the world today where civilization exists, the idea of an innocent sixteen-year-old boy surviving his ordeal with a feral Bengal tiger lies beyond our concept of reality. However, it cannot be denied that the relation between Bengal tiger and Pi is depicted with great amount of detail that makes it consistent and plausible, due to the author’s awareness that the intricate relationship will serve as an important role throughout the story in literary aspects. In the novel Life of Pi written by Canadian author Yann Martel, a relationship develops between a Bengal tiger and Pi, who are stranded on a lifeboat after a horrific shipwreck Richard Parker and Pi seem to be full of opposites as the ordeal at sea begins. Nevertheless, there are specific intentions of the author in placing these two living beings on the lifeboat which become apparent as the story progresses. The developments in the relationship are significant to the novel as a whole, as they effectively convey the author’s message and themes, and contain symbolism that has great importance. The gradual development in the relationship between Richard Parker and Pi implies the most noteworthy themes of the novel. In the beginning, when Pi realizes himself and the Bengal tiger are stranded in the ocean, he feels enormous fear towards Richard Parker. However, ironically, when Pi admits his death is inevitable, he stops worrying about the future; he can instead be soothed by knowing what will happen, regardless of how horrible the fate is. To his surprise, Pi finds out the tiger’s willingness to negotiate by the unexpected snort of prusten, which is a tiger’s way of stating that he has no malicious intentions. Consequently, Pi is distracted from his horrible loss of family, by training the tiger. â€Å"This was the way to tame him!† an exhilarated Pi exclaims as he finds a possible way of cohabiting safely with the tiger. Thus, their physical distance lessens, and this movement toward one another becomes notable. They share an interdependent relationship , which is shown through examples such as Pi catching food for both himself and Richard Parker, and the tiger protecting Pi from the attack of the French man. This cooperation in the most primal of animals indicates  the close similarities in the behavior of man and animal, under an adverse situation where civilization does not exist. It is here that the author implies what a relationship between man and beast should be. Although Richard Parker is undeniably seen as a danger, Pi’s experience provides a sense of connection with the animal world; Pi has a sense of respect and love for Richard Parker as well as many other creatures he encounters. From another degree of interpretation, Richard Parker and Pi–characters who possess two completely different personalities–getting along well may bring the theme of both human’s and animal’s will to survive into the novel. Moreover, it is noteworthy that the tiger bears a man’s full name, while Pi is reminiscent of the word Pisces. Martel has built an apparent zoomorphic ambiguity into their names, pointing out the gray between the black and white, which means that Life of Pi refuses a simplistic attitude regarding human and animal relations. As the author suggests, animals are not absolutely lovable or monstrous creatures, or dangerous beasts, but they are closely related to humanity, and the same applies to Richard Parker. In this novel, the relationship between the two characters symbolizes Pi’s animalistic instinct, and therefore holds significance. To the narrator, Richard Parker is not merely his simple companion and a wild animal, but at a deeper level of analysis, it is a mirror of Pi, himself. On the lifeboat Pi shows two different sides of himself. He becomes as savage as Richard Parker after he abandons his lifelong vegetarian personality and performs actions to sustain himself that would have been inconceivable in his former life as a religious teenager. As time progresses, he is unafraid of killing the living creatures even in brutish ways. He tears apart birds and greedily stuffs them into his mouth, similar to the behavior of Richard Parker. Furthermore, in the second story he told to the Japanese investigators in part three, Pi is portrayed as Richard Parker who takes revenge upon his mother’s murderer by killing him. From one point of view, Pi invents Parker as an allegorical figure of himself, because in this way, the story becomes more pleasant and acceptable to the readers. It is arguable that the brutality of his mother’s death and his own shocking act of revenge are too much for Pi to deal with, and he finds it easier to imagine a tiger as the killer, rather than himself in that role. Richard Parker therefore can be  concluded as the primitive side of Pi. The magical spell between Richard Parker and Pi eventually breaks once the two characters land on the shore of Mexico, and they no longer need to maintain their interdependent relationship for survival. Both animals part and adapt to their new environments. During their predicament, their animal and human aspects have been mingled the whole time; nevertheless, once they return to civilization, they move on to their own roles. Pi becomes part of a community again, and Richard Parker departs into the wild. Despite the fact that they both have made it through the most difficult of trials by being the lifeline for each other, Richard Parker leaves Pi unceremoniously and disappears into the jungle. The purpose of the author in making this choice is to voice the message that the force of nature in our lives is beyond human control. This relationship between the two reflects how humans and animals interact in the real world that lies in contrast to the world where rules do not exist. The relationship between Pi and Richard undergoes a number of notable changes. To Pi, Richard Parker changes from a source of fear to a light of hope, a companion, the only living creature he puts his emotions into for 277 days. They display interdependent relations through the story. Most importantly, there are numerous significance aspects to their relationship that makes it an essential part of the novel and that deserves to be focused on, as the interactions between them in a number of ways imply the true central ideas that are meant to be the intention of Martel’s writing Life of Pi certainly is a survival literature of the modern times that holds significance in various aspects. Bibliography www.sparknotes.com/lit/lifeofpi/context.html

Balance Sheet and Tax Basis

Week 5 Problem Solution Set Accounting/547 October 5th, 2012 Chapter 15, #83 a) Significant tax issues or concerns that may differ across entity types are: * The business structure’s flexibility * Protection of the liability * The time and cost of organizing the entity Significant non-tax issues or concerns that may differ across entity types are: * Lowering of self-employment and FICA taxes * Flexibility of special allocations * Adding new owners b) My recommendation for forming CCS is LLC.I chose LLC because the organizing business members may reduce their individual tax liabilities by operating as a LLC. CCS should be concerned about FICA and self-employment taxes. LLCs must pay self-employment taxes. As the business grows past 3-4 years, I recommend CCS to look at the possibility of switching to and S Corporation. At this point, compensation needs may have reduced and the members would wish to fully benefit from self-employment tax removal. Chapter 19, #39 A. What amount o f gain or loss does Zhang realize on the transfer of the property to her corporation?Loss Realized = FMV(Stock Received)+Mortgage Assumed–AdjustedTaxBasis = $300,000 + $100,000 – $410,000 Loss Realized= ($10,000) B. What amount of gain or loss does Zhang recognize on the transfer of the property to corporation. No loss is recognized on this transfer because of the requirements of Section 351. C. What is Zhang’s tax basis in the stock she receives in the exchange? Tax Basis = Substituted Basis of the Assets Transferred – Assumed Mortgage = $410,000 – $100,000 Tax Basis= $310,000 D. What is the corporation’s tax-adjusted basis in each of the assets received in the exchange?The corporation’s carryover basis is $400,000; the value of assets received minus the aggregate loss on the assets transferred applied to land. Inventory = $10,000, Building = $100,000, and Land = $290,000. Assume the corporation assumed a mortgage of $500,000 attache d to the building and land. Assume the fair market value of the building is now $250,000 and the fair market value of the land is $530,000. The fair market value of the stock remains $300,000. E. How much, if any, gain or loss does Zhang recognize on the exchange assuming the revised facts?Realized Gain: $300K Stock FMV + $500K Mortgage – $410K Aggregate Tax Basis = $390,000 Realized Gain Tax Basis of Property: $500K – $410K = $90,000 Zhang would recognize a gain of $90,000 on the transfer under the new conditions since the assumed liability is greater than the total tax basis of the transferred property. F. What is Zhang’s tax basis in the stock she receives in the exchange? Tax Basis of Stock Received = Tax Adjusted Property Basis Transferred + Exchange Gain Recognized – Mortgage Assumed $410,000 + $90,000 – $500,000 = 0, Zhang can defer recognition of the $300,000 in stock. G. What is the corporation’s tax-adjusted basis in each of the as sets received in the exchange? Inventory = $10,000 + ($20,000/$800,000 x $90,000) = $12,250 Building = $100,000 + ($250,000 / $800,000 x $90,000)= $128,125 Land= $300,000 + ($530,000 / $800,000 x $90,000) = $359,625 Total= Inventory + Building + Land = $12,250 + $128,125 + $359,625 Total = $500,000 The corporation’s total tax basis is the $410,000 carryover basis plus the gain recognized on the exchange.

Effects of the Mongol Empire on Europe

Effects of the Mongol Empire on Europe In 1211, Genghis Khan (1167-1227) and his nomadic armies burst out from Mongolia and swiftly conquered most of Eurasia. The Great Khan died in 1227, but his sons and grandsons continued the expansion of the Mongol Empire across Central Asia, China, the Middle East, and into Europe.   Key Takeaways: Genghis Khan's Impact on Europe The spread of the bubonic plague from Central Asia into Europe decimated the populations but increased opportunities for the survivors.  Ã‚  An enormous variety of new consumer goods, agriculture, weaponry, religion, and medical science became available in Europe.  New diplomatic channels between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East were opened.  Russia became unified for the first time.   Starting in 1236, Genghis Khans third son, Ogodei, decided to conquer as much of Europe as he could. By 1240, the Mongols had control of what is now Russia and Ukraine, seizing Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary over the next few years. The Mongols also tried to capture Poland and Germany, but Ogodeis death in 1241 and the succession struggle that followed distracted them from this mission. In the end, the Mongols Golden Horde ruled over a vast swath of eastern Europe, and rumors of their approach terrified western Europe, but they went no farther west than Hungary. At their height, the rulers of the Mongol Empire conquered, occupied, and controlled more than twice the amount of land and twice the population as any other family in human history.   Shepherd, William. Historical Atlas. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1911/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain The Mongol Invasion of Europe Reports of the Mongol attacks terrified Europe. The Mongols increased their empire using swift and decisive attacks with an armed and disciplined cavalry. They wiped out the populations of some entire towns that resisted, as was their usual policy, depopulating some regions and confiscating the crops and livestock from others. This type of total warfare spread panic even among Europeans not directly affected by the Mongol onslaught and sent refugees fleeing westward. Perhaps even more importantly, the Mongol conquest of central Asia and eastern Europe allowed a deadly disease - the bubonic plague - to travel from its home range in western China and Mongolia to Europe along newly-restored trade routes. The bubonic plague was endemic to fleas that live on marmots in the steppes of eastern central Asia, and the Mongol hordes inadvertently brought those fleas across the continent, unleashing the plague on Europe. Between 1300 and 1400, the Black Death killed about 35 percent of Chinas people, its population dropping from 115 million to 75 million. In Europe, an estimated 25 percent of the people died, decreased the population from an estimated 79 million to 60 million.   Positive Effects of the Mongols Although the Mongol invasion of Europe sparked terror and disease, in the long run, it had enormous positive impacts.  The foremost was what historians call the Pax Mongolica, a century of peace (circa 1280-1360) among neighboring peoples who were all under Mongol rule. This peace allowed for the reopening of the Silk Road trading routes between China and Europe, increasing cultural exchange and wealth all along the trade paths. Central Asia was a region that had always been important to overland trade between China and the West. As the region became stable under the Pax Mongolica, trade became less risky under the various empires, and as cross-cultural interactions became more and more intensive and extensive, more and more goods were traded.   Spread of Technology Within the Pax Mongolica, the sharing of knowledge, information, and cultural identity was encouraged. Citizens could legally become followers of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, or anything else - as long as their practice didnt interfere with the political ambitions of the Khan. The Pax Mongolica also allowed monks, missionaries, traders, and explorers to travel along the trade routes. One famous example is the Venetian trader and explorer Marco Polo, who traveled to the court of Genghis Khans grandson Kublai Khan (Quibilai) at Xanadu in China.   Some of the most fundamental ideas and technologies in the world - papermaking, printing, and gunpowder manufacturing, among many others - made their way across Asia via the Silk Road. Migrants, merchants, explorers, pilgrims, refugees, and soldiers brought along with them their disparate religious and cultural ideas and domesticated animals, plants, flowers, vegetables, and fruit as they joined this gigantic cross-continental exchange. As historian Ma Debin describes it, the Silk Road was the original melting pot, the lifeline of the Eurasian continent. Effects of the Mongol Conquest Before the Mongol Empire, Europeans and Chinese were largely unaware of the others existence. Trade established along the Silk Road in the first centuries B.C.E. had become rare, dangerous, and unpredictable. Long-distance trade, human migration, and imperial expansion actively engaged people in different societies in significant cross-cultural interactions. Afterward, interactions between the two were not only possible but encouraged.  Ã‚   Diplomatic contacts and religious missions were established over vast distances. Islamic merchants helped gain a footing for their faith at the extreme ends of the Eastern Hemisphere, spreading from southeast Asia and west Africa and across northern India and Anatolia.   Alarmed, western Europeans and the Mongol rulers of China sought a diplomatic alliance with one another against the Muslims in southwest Asia. Europeans sought to convert Mongols to Christianity and establish a Christian community in China. The Mongols saw the spread as a threat. Neither of these initiatives was successful, but the opening of political channels made a substantive difference.   Transfer of Scientific Knowledge The entire overland route of the Silk Road witnessed a vigorous revival under the Pax Mongolica. Its rulers actively worked to ensure the safety of the trade routes, building effective post stations and rest stops, introducing the use of paper money and eliminating artificial trade barriers. By 1257, Chinese raw silk appeared in the silk-producing area of Italy, and in the 1330s, a single merchant sold thousands of pounds of silk in Genoa.   The Mongolians absorbed scientific knowledge from Persia, India, China, and Arabia. Medicine became one of the many areas of life and culture that flourished under Mongol rule. Keeping an army healthy was vital, so they created hospitals and training centers to encourage the exchange and expansion of medical knowledge. As a result, China employed doctors from India and the Middle East, all of which was communicated to European centers. Kublai Khan founded an institution for the study of Western medicine. The Persian historian Rashid al-Din (1247-1318) published the first known book on Chinese medicine outside China in 1313. Unification of Russia The Golden Hordes occupation of eastern Europe also unified Russia. Prior to the period of Mongol rule, the Russian people were organized into a series of small self-governing city-states, the most notable being Kiev. In order to throw off the Mongol yoke, the Russian-speaking peoples of the region had to unite. In 1480, the Russians - led by the Grand Duchy of Moscow (Muscovy) - managed to defeat and expel the Mongols. Although Russia has since been invaded several times by the likes of Napoleon Bonaparte and the German Nazis, it has never again been conquered. The Beginnings of Modern Fighting Tactics One final contribution that the Mongols made to Europe is difficult to categorize as good or bad. The Mongols introduced two deadly Chinese inventions - guns and gunpowder - to the West. The new weaponry sparked a revolution in European fighting tactics, and the many warring states of Europe all strove over the following centuries to improve their firearms technology. It was a constant, multisided arms race, which heralded the end of knightly combat and the beginning of modern standing armies. In the centuries to come, European states would muster their new and improved guns first for piracy, to seize control over parts of the oceangoing silk and spices trade, and then eventually to impose European colonial rule over much of the world. Ironically, the Russians used their superior firepower in the 19th and 20th centuries to conquer many of the lands that had been part of the Mongol Empire, including outer Mongolia where Genghis Khan was born. Sources   Bentley, Jerry H. Cross-Cultural Interaction and Periodization in World History. The American Historical Review, Vol. 101, No. 3, Oxford University Press, JSTOR, June 1996. Davis-Kimball, Jeannine. Asia, Central, Steppes. Encyclopedia of Archaeology, Academic Press, ScienceDirect, 2008. Di Cosmo, Nicola. Black Sea Emporia and the Mongol Empire: A Reassessment of the Pax Mongolica. Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, Volume 53: Issue 1-2, Brill, January 1, 2009. Flynn, Dennis O. (Editor). Pacific Centuries: Pacific and Pacific Rim Economic History since the 16th Century. Routledge Explorations in Economic History, Lionel Frost (Editor), A.J.H. Latham (Editor), 1st Edition, Routledge, February 10, 1999. Ma, Debin. The Great Silk Exchange: How the World Was Connected and Developed. CiteSeer, The College of Information Sciences and Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, 2019. Pederson, Neil. Pluvials, droughts, the Mongol Empire, and modern Mongolia. Amy E. Hessl, Nachin Baatarbileg, et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, March 25, 2014. Perdue, Peter C. Boundaries, Maps, and Movement: Chinese, Russian, and Mongolian Empires in Early Modern Central Eurasia. Volume 20, 1998 - Issue 2, The International History Review, Informa UK Limited, December 1, 2010. Safavi-Abbasi, S. The fate of medical knowledge and the neurosciences during the time of Genghis Khan and the Mongolian Empire. Neurosurg Focus, Brasiliense LB, Workman RK, et al., National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2007, Bethesda MD.

Drugs and Alcohol on campus ( I DONT WANT ALCOHOL ON CAMPUS) Research Paper

Drugs and Alcohol on campus ( I DONT WANT ALCOHOL ON CAMPUS) - Research Paper Example Though seemingly obvious, it has caused havoc among institutions’ leadership, governments, and policy makers. Despite the enormous knowledge gained from campus on the great discoveries in the world, American history and quantum physics, most of them do not comprehend the looming health problems that are associated with alcohol and other drugs use. In fact, some students consider this behavior as a show of might and fame. As a campus student, I know the problem is wide spread in campuses, or at least in my campus, as close to 88% of my fellow students use alcohol and other drugs. It goes for other campuses across the country, and the globe at large. Applying simple arithmetic calculations, this estimate translates to 9 out of ten campus students being users of alcohol and other drugs. Now, these figures are shocking if we consider the risks involved with alcoholism and substance abuse like road accidents to social crime like rape, all resulting from intoxicated minds. In extreme circumstances, health conditions like cirrhosis and a variety of cancer may be the result. Adding pain to injury, most of the alcohol products and drugs are available within the campus environment! I have witnessed several colleagues of mine in campus publically drinking and smoking in their â€Å"hide zones† that are apparently not so hidden. From a personal sober point of view, alcohol and drugs use should be banned from campuses considering the fact that these are the institutions that the society has confidence in molding the future leaders. I envision walking inside campus environment without the somewhat ugly scenes of drunken students, or students getting high on drugs before attending lectures. I believe this is achievable with a well-organized plan, which would be to ban all the suppliers and cartels that avail these products within the campus environment. Campus administration should also design, implement, and enforce a set of

Choose a country, which underwent a recession, and where fiscal and Essay

Choose a country, which underwent a recession, and where fiscal and monetary policies were used to overcome the recession - Essay Example It is said to be integral in a free trade economy. The United Kingdom recession of 1981 was a result of the monetary strength which in turn affected manufacturing and by the government’s policy to reduce its past inflation of 27%; they enforced a stringent monetary policy by impeding their borrowing. Taxes were increased and the consumer’s purchasing power was diminished resulting to a downfall in spending. After a decade, in 1991 a ‘boom and bust’ of the UK economy ensued. Growth was seen at rapid growth that became unsustainable that inflation rose to 10%. Again, government set in and imposed interest rates to halt the people’s spending. These interests had a domino effect as it affected mortgage consequential to foreclosure of housing loans or sell thereof (EconomicsHelp, n.p.). Recession is a phase of the business cycle usually following a peak. It is a period characterized by a decline in the total output, income, employment and trade. This econ omic downturn is also marked by the widespread contraction of business activity in many sectors of the economy. But because many prices are downwardly inflexible, the general price level is more likely to fall only if the recession is severe and prolonged. If an economy fails to recover from a recession, then a depression occurs (McConnell and Brue, 134). The economy of the United Kingdom is no exception for these economic recessions as they already experienced and recovered from recessions several times. What is apparent in today’s economy is that it has a global characteristic which has a worldwide effect among interdependent countries. Many believe that a plummet in Real GDP will ultimately affect employment. In the Great Depression of the 1930s which included the UK, the famous economist Keynes debunked this concept and contended that negative output over a period will not necessarily clear out on its own as was regarded by the notion of the self-correcting aspect of a fr ee economy. He cited that there are four reasons for this; first, â€Å"Firms should cut wages to reflect lower prices but in reality workers are very resistant to cuts in nominal wages,† second, â€Å"2. If wages were cut in response to unemployment workers would have less spending power therefore AD would continue to fall,† and third, â€Å"In a recession people have low confidence and therefore spend less. Keynes said this was the â€Å"Paradox of Thrift† (EconomicsHelp, n.p.). In typical years, gross investment or all the country’s investment goods - both that replace machinery, equipment, and buildings that were used up or worn out or just made obsolete in producing the current year’s output and any net additions to the economy’s stock of capital exceeds depreciation or the amount used up over the course of a year (McConnell and Brue, 116). During these years, the net investment is positive and there will a recorded rise in nation†™s stock of capital. However, if gross investment is less than depreciation, net investment will be negative. This means that the economy is disinvesting because it is using up more capital than it is producing. When this happens, the nation’s stock of capital will shrink. When capital shrinks, the economic activities will also decline or slow down. This is what happened in the Great Depression of 1930s and its effects were felt by all countries across the world. Banks play important role in an economy. They act as intermediary between the producing and the consuming units. Banks take in leakages in