Monday, December 30, 2019

Foreign Exchange Risk And International Business Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 818 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? The first things come to the mind when we read the word foreign exchange is, it must be related to international business. And in a way it is true. When companies or individuals get themselves into such activity that involves cash flow in different currencies, the value relationship between those currencies becomes important. This relation is known as foreign exchange rate. The rate at which currencies can be exchanged today (in real time) is known as spot rate of exchange. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Foreign Exchange Risk And International Business Finance Essay" essay for you Create order The rate on which agreed today, but exchange happens in future is referred as forward rate of exchange. The table below goes sample spot and forward exchange rates as of November 7, 2000 4 Table Exchange Rates as of November 7, 2000 (Quoted as Currency per U S Dollar) Spot Forward Forward forward British Pound 0.6972 0.6968 0.6959 0.6948 French Franc 7.6225 7.6115 7.5908 7.5658 German Mark 2.2728 2.2695 2.2633 2.2559 Japanese Yen 106.99 106.40 105.33 103.77 Thus, a company wanting to convert 10,000,000 French francs into U.S. dollars on a spot basis would receive, FFI0, 000,000- 7 6225FF/$ = $1,311,905 54 Exchanging in the other direction, a company wanting to convert $5,000,000 to British pounds on a spot basis would generate $5,000,000 x 0 6972 /$ = 3,486,000 (Both of these examples ignore any transactions fees or other expenses. The use of forward rates would be illustrated later) Types of Exchange Rate Risks Forex trading has attracted a lot of attention, and many people try their luck trading currencies for profit. Exchange Rate Risk The most widely appreciated risk associated with the foreign exchange market is the risk that an exchange rate will rise or fall unexpectedly. Interest Rate Risk Interest rate risk refers to the uncertainty associated with the interest rates of assets denominated in different currencies. Investors buy currencies with higher interest rates and sell currencies with lower rates, pursuing higher yields. Interest rates largely depend on the central banks short-term interest rates, which commercial banks use as a benchmark for setting their own rates. Settlement Risk Another risk in the foreign exchange market is the settlement riska risk that your counterparty or broker will not be able to honor his contractual commitments on agreed currency transactions. Sovereign Risk Sovereign risk refers to the risks associated with political, legal or other uncertainties associated with a cross-border foreign exchange transaction. (Ref: https://www.ehow.com/list_6682299_types-risk-foreign-exchange.html ) The level of FX risk has increased significantly in last few decades. Specifically with regard to foreign exchange rates, the breakdown of the Bretton Woods Agreement s in the early 1970s led to a more volatile environment m which different currencies often fluctuate sometimes significantly relate to one another Combined with increased volatility m other financial variables. Exposure to foreign exchange risk can take several different forms. Transaction exposure arises from transactions involving future cash flows which are denominated in a currency different felon the home currency This type of risk occurs when the relevant exchange rate changes between the dates a transaction agreement ts entered into and the date the transaction is financially consummated. Examples of such exposures might include: The purchase and financing of assets m another currency A classic example (mentioned m both Smithson (1998) and Campbell and Krakaw (1993)) revolves the now-defunct Laker Alrhnes In the late 1970s, the U S dollar was weak relative to the British pound, and thus there was significant demand among the British for vacations in the U S In response to this demand, Laker Airline purchased several additional planes, financing them m U S dollars When, m the next few years, the dollar strengthened relative to the pound, Laker Airline had a double problem (1) Its revenues were in pounds and its debt largely in dollars (a mismatch which, because of the strengthened dollar, affected the company adversely), and (2) The demand for U S vacations among the British fell (due to the no longer favorable exchange rate) The first problem resulted from a transaction exposure, the second resulted from an operating exposure Laker Airlines went bankrupt in 1982. Translation exposure an accounting-based exposure resulting from a company has to convert asset and/or hardly ~terms from one currency to another for financial statement purposes. This can occur, for example, when a U K parent company must restate the (foreign-denominated) assets and liabilities of a foreign subsidiary in U S dollars for the Parents financial statements. The degree of this risk depends upon the specific accounting rules pertaining to the exchange rate movements and the financial ~terms involved. Operating exposure an exposure associated with the potential impact of changes in exchange rates on the future cash flows of the company. This can also be referred to as economics exposure, since the economic value of a companys a function of the firms future cash flows the above-mentioned second problem experienced by Laker Airlines the change m demand for vacations and the resulting diminished revenue stream due to the strengthened dollars an example of this type of exposure. (Ref: https://ideas.repec.org/p/imf/imfwpa/06-255.html )

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Eu And Uk s Trade - 1234 Words

WORD COUNT: 1028 words Assignment 2016†¨ The EU and UK are undeniably close trade partners seeing as the EU makes for a large proportion of trade deficit with the UK as of 2014. Nonetheless, strong economic growth in many non-EU emerging economies has resulted in important trade activity with these non-EU countries, eating into proportion accounted for by EU since 1999, despite the value of EU trade increasing. The sheer growth in UK’s trade volume is reflected in the downward trend in Graphs 1, 2, 3 below. Considering the total current account balance (Graph 1), UK’s trade deficit has been in decline from 1999 to 2014, with exceptional peaks in 2001, 2006, and 2011. The same pattern is observed in UK’s total trade in goods with the EU (Graph 2). Faster growth in the UK’s terms of trade with the EU deteriorated UK’s overall trade balance with the EU, and significantly widened trade deficits (ONS, 2015). The inference is the high proportion of UK-EU trade is strongly reflected in the current account balance and hence has huge contributions to UK’s trade balance on the whole. The peaks which can be accounted for by neoliberal policies and weakening of the sterling (Pimlott, 2009 and Cadman, 2015) were followed by severe worsening in deficits. This says something about the effectiveness and sustainability of fiscal and monetary policies to improving terms of trade. In spite of that, UK’s improving balance of total trade in goods with the rest of the world somewhat cushionsShow MoreRelatedThe Pros And Cons Of Leaving The European Union1599 Words   |  7 Pages If the UK suddenly lost trade ties to the EU, their balance of payments would surely decrease further. The negotiations to withdrawal from the EU originated from a referendum in June of 2016. 71.8% of the British population voted on the June referendum regarding whether Britain should leave the European Union, and leaving the European Union won by a slim margin. Leaving the European Union only beat out the opposition by 4%. Currently, the UK is starting to feel the effects of enacting on articleRead MoreThe Uk Should Leave The European Union1593 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout this essay I am going to be exploring the current issues surrounding the decision of whether or not the UK should leave the European Union. I will be researching and looking at the major issues for those in favour of Britain leaving the EU as well as the issues for those who oppose the decision. Another factor I will be examining is the potential gainers and losers if the UK were to opt out of the European Union, and the economic impact of these. 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This essay will analyse macroeconomic affect on the UK from long-term and short-term two sides, that organized by different varieties of situations and elements, including: Britain GDP, short –term economic growth, long-term economic growth, the influence of Britain trade deals (import and export), currency exchange rate, domestic investment, attractiveness for FDI (foreign direct investment), risks for UK PLC (public limited company) government expenditure, consumption, unemploymentRead MoreA Report On The European Union1646 Words   |  7 PagesThe European Union contains just 7% of the world’s population, but produces 1/3 of the world’s Gross National Product (Delegation of the EU to the US). A single market merges all 28 countries of the EU into one economic free-trade zone with no trade tariffs imposed on one another. The EU accounts for 51% of all trade that the UK conducts with the world (The Data Team 2). Since its admittance to the Union in 1973, Britain’s economy has grown from 326 million Euros per capita to 6,116 million EurosRead MoreThe European Union ( Eu )1223 Words   |  5 PagesThe European Union(EU) contains just 7% of the world’s population, but produces 1/3 of the world’s Gross National Product (Delegation of the EU to the US). A single market merges all 28 countries of the EU into one economic free-trade zone with no trade tariffs imposed on one another. The EU accounts for 51% of all trade that the United Kingdom (UK) conducts with the world (The Data Team 2). Since its admittance to the Union in 1973, Brita in’s economy has grown from 326 million Euros per capita toRead MoreThe Ideas Of Creating A Unified Europe1735 Words   |  7 PagesFrench author) who wrote in 1849: A day will arrive, where all nations of this continent will come together closely and create a higher community and big European brotherhood and there will be no other battlefields than the markets, which open for trade. However, On the 9 May 1950 after the Second World War, the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, upon advice of his advisor Jean Monnet, proposed integrating the coal and steel industries of Western Europe to make another world war impossible alsoRead MoreImpact of International Trade and European Union on the British Companies1429 Words   |  6 PagesInternational Trade and European Union on the British Companies Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Findings 2 2.1. Benefits of International Trade 2 2.1.1. Adoption of technologies 2 2.1.2. Access to raw materials 2 2.1.3. Lesser dependency on one market 2 2.2. Relation of British Companies to the World Economy 2 2.3. The impact of European Union policies on British manufacturing organizations 2 2.4. Policies Impacting Decisions for Export within the EU 3 3. ConclusionsRead MoreThe Impact Of Effect On Macroeconomic On The Uk1540 Words   |  7 Pages The Brexit impact on Macroeconomic in the Uk Student Number : 0010896606 Group : DW Date : 13 March INTRODUCTION: This report will explain the meaning of Brexit and introduce the influence of Brexit on macroeconomic in Britain. The definition of Brexit is that the Unite Kingdom (UK) will exit from European Union (EU), which raising concern around the world. Brexit has drawn greater worldwide attention, then the increasing number of questions which about the damaging of British macroeconomic

Saturday, December 14, 2019

An Overview of Project Finance and Infrastructure Free Essays

In the United States s alone, firms financed d S 19 billion o of capital expo punctures using project finance loans and bonds in n 2009, down n from $39 billion in 2008 and $47 billion n in 2007. The he economic crisis, which h began as a housing h crisis in the U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on An Overview of Project Finance and Infrastructure or any similar topic only for you Order Now In n 2007 and SP bread globally y in 2008 and d 2009, froze g global capita al markets, cue retailed bank k lending, and d dramatically reduced p project finance lending. Of or this reason n, it makes sense to look k back at 2007, when thee credit mark sets were pop pen and liquid did, to understand the relative import once of project finance. In the U. S. , firm ms financed $447 billion of capital expense indentures using g project final once in 2007-?much less the Han the $1 , 1 266 billion corp. orate bond m market, the $9 44 billion MO Ortega-backed security market, the $8898 billion asset-backed security market, and the $3 359 billion tax x-free municipal bond ma racket. Yet com marred to fin Nanning much humanism for new or start-u up companies, the $47 billion invested in project companies w was larger the Han the $46 b raised d through initial public offerings (IPSO) and the $332 billion NV vested in new w firms by venture al funds. Private-sector firms have historically used project fin nuance for mind distrust projects such as m mines, pipelines, and oil fields. Begin inning in the early asses, h however, privy ate firms also began financing infrastructure projects such ass toll roads, power plants, and telecoms immunization NSA systems. B More recently, in the 20 Coos, private firms have begun to fin nuance soci al infrastructure projects us such as shoo Owls, hospitals, and prisons. Studies on economic development find d that infrastructure investment is associated with as much as one-for-one percentage increases in g gross domestic product (G GAP), though GHz recent stud dies indicate that every dollar d of increased infrastructure spend ending generates an a Information on some e of these and other projects ca n be found in Benjamin C. Zesty, Modern Project Finance: A C Casebook (New Jersey: Wiley, 200 04). B The infrastructure sector includes WA eater, transportation, electricity, n natural gas, and d telecommunications projects. In n these types of o projects the users of the project or the buyers off the output or eservice are typically individuals rather than companies. Professor or Benjamin C. Est. y and Senior Researcher Aledo Asses off the Global Research Group prepared this note as the basis for class discussion. Copying get 2010, 2011 President and Fellow was of Harvard College. To order copies or request perm session to reproduce materials, call 1-?800-5457685, write Harvard Busing news School Publish hinge, Boston, MA 021 63, or go to www www. Hubs. Harvard. Deed/educators. The his publication may y not be digitized d, photocopied, or otherwise reproduce cued, posted, or trans insisted, without the permission Of H Harvard Business S School. This document is authorized for use only by Bogie Ghana in Financial Management taught by Seward, at University of Wisconsin – Madison from January 201 5 to July 2015. 210-061 An Overview of Project Finance and Infrastructure Finance-? 2009 update increase of $1. 59 in GAP. Country-specific studies of development find that inadequate infrastructure severely hinders economic growth. For example, insufficient or irregular power supply reduces GAP by 1% to 2% in India, Pakistan, Colombia, and Uganda. 3 Despite the growing demand and opportunities for private-sector involvement in building infrastructure, private firms still provide only a small fraction of the total amount invested, which is a small fraction of the total project demand. Indeed, many governments have announced multimillion-dollar stimulus packages with a heavy emphasis on infrastructure spending as a way to stimulate growth during the current lobar recession. How to cite An Overview of Project Finance and Infrastructure, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Samsung Electronics Company Global Marketing Operations free essay sample

Samsung Electronics Company, created in 1969, was first considered as a low-cost third-tier commodity brand with a little product differentiation. By exploring marketing strategies, market research and analysis, Samsung has easily change into a major player in the electronic products and home appliances market. The company has climbed up the rank in the past decade and was in 2003 at the 25th position of the world’s most valuable brand. The goal is now to reach the top 10 by 2005. For that, the brand needs to achieve high level of awareness and to become a truly preferred brand. We will see thought this document what are the ingredients of SEC’s corporate turnaround strategy, which are the individual actions taken by Samsung to build a strong brand and finally determined if Samsung can pass Sony and become a top ten global brand. There were two major ingredients to Samsung corporate turnaround strategy. The first one is when the chairman, Kun Hee Lee, launched the â€Å"new management initiative†, which set out to remake Samsung as a global business leader. We will write a custom essay sample on Samsung Electronics Company: Global Marketing Operations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Throughout the 1990s, Lee demanded the rethinking of key fundamentals and set the stage for long-term commitment to investment in innovative, premium products and brand value. For that, Samsung viewed vertical integration and investment in manufacturing facilities and research and development as a source of flexibility and control over the entire product process. Samsung invested in many different factories and was also flexible in its choice of plant locations to keep cost low. On the other hand, Samsung offer the possibility to customized some products and as a result Samsung’s average prices were 17% above industry level. The second ingredient was when Samsung transitioned from analogue to a digital technology manufacturer. Its 17 000 scientists, engineers and designers were engaged and thanks to the speedier decision-making processes Samsung could refresh its product line twice as often. The investment in digital technologies through attracting and retaining top scientific talent paved the way for Samsung’s focus on premium high quality products.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Case for Technical Grammar Skills

A Case for Technical Grammar Skills A Case for Technical Grammar Skills A Case for Technical Grammar Skills By Mark Nichol While I was studying English in college (I later opted for a more practical course of study, and graduated with a degree in theater arts), one of the classes I took dealt with grammar. The professor’s pedagogical approach? Pass out mimeographed copies of his manuscript for a grammar textbook do you care to carbon-date the year I took this class? and spend most of each session plodding through a few pages, asking students to identify the part of speech of each word not in occasional exercises, because there weren’t any, but in the instructional text itself. This was a monumentally boring exercise for me (I never polled classmates about their opinion), and the rote teaching strategy was somewhat surprising, too, because the instructor was an engaging fellow who was also a leading actor with a prominent regional theater company. On reflection, though, it might seem the ideal approach to someone accustomed to painstakingly memorizing lines in preparation for essaying a role. (For me, who later spent considerable time doing the same, it had a perverse logic to it.) It didn’t work for me, though. I passed the class, but with only a tenuous grasp of grammar, and years later, well along in my editorial career, I was still shaky on the difference between adjectives and adverbs. Does that really matter? Is a command of parts of speech essential for writers and editors? Yes, and no. Some DailyWritingTips.com visitors praise me for writing posts about grammar. Others castigate me for boring them with the same entries. By the same token, my professor’s thespian approach to learning must have seemed ideal to some of my classmates, even as I sat there glumly disengaged, getting some parts of speech right but, as I recall, missing more than I hit. So, even though I have relied throughout my career on a more holistic approach to shaping or reshaping my prose and that of others, trusting my instincts to know whether something reads well or requires (or is at least improved by) revision, I have also acquired a great deal of technical knowledge about grammar, and have benefited from this store of lore. Another issue in the variety of responses to my posts about technical matters is that some site visitors are more experienced than others; a recent critic identified himself as a former instructor of college-level English. But for every retired academician, many readers are budding writers, would-be editors, and those for whom English is not their first language. With this disparity in mind, I try to not only cover a wide variety of topics (grammar, usage, style, technique, careers, etc.) but also discuss subjects with varying degrees of complexity. In other words, I try to please some of the people some of the time, which I think is the best I can do. And the tip for the day? Even though I do not remember my grammar class fondly, I do think it had a latent effect on my desire to understand the mechanics of language, which I had never considered before (except in isolation, when completing a worksheet in a precollegiate English class). So, even if you think of yourself as a holistic learner, rather than a technically inclined one, know your grammar vocabulary (like the difference between a dangling modifier and a misplaced modifier), and endeavor to visualize sentences as machines whose components can usually be arranged in more than way but are often discovered, in one’s writing or reading experiences, broken and awaiting repair (or doomed, on the printed page, to a perpetual state of disarray). Rely on your Zen approach to crafting or reshaping prose if it works for you, but know your tools as well. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?Cannot or Can Not?Sit vs. Set

Monday, November 25, 2019

Should You Go to a College With Greek Life Pros and Cons

Should You Go to a College With Greek Life Pros and Cons SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Most people have ideas about Greek life that are based on pop culture stereotypes of fraternities and sororities. However, Greek life isn’t supposed to be about wild parties, â€Å"bro culture,† and superficial judgments (although those things can come into play). Fraternities and sororities are often great communities where you’ll make lifelong friends. In this article, I’ll give you an overview of what Greek life is, its pluses and minuses, and whether you should go to a school with fraternities and sororities. What Is Greek Life? A Brief History Greek life got its namebecause fraternities and sororities are named with Greek letters.This tradition began with the formation of the first Greek-letter student society, Phi Beta Kappa Society, at the College of William and Mary in 1776.The society was more of an academic group that fostered literary debates than anything else, but it was an early model for later organizations. The first fraternity in the modern sense, Kappa Alpha Society at Union College, was founded in 1825.Kappa Alpha tried to emulate Phi Beta Kappa while also focusing on the development of friendships amongits members.After this time, more fraternities began to emerge on various college campuses.Some would become national organizations with chapters at different colleges. Sororities started up in the 1850s as more and more women began to attend college and challenge the male-dominated academic and social scene.To date, there are 123 fraternities and sororities in the US and Canada with 750,000 undergraduate members in 12,000 chapters on over 800 college campuses. Some campuses have a marginal Greek scene, with students involved in these organizations being in the extreme minority, while others have a very dominant Greek population. This leads to varying levels of Greek influence on campus culture as a whole.At Washington and Lee University, about 80 percent of undergraduates are involved in Greek life. Since Washington and Lee only has around 2,300 students total, this makes for an extremely strong impact on the social scene. At the University of Georgia, about 23 percent of students are involved in Greek life within a population of over 27,000 undergraduates. Especially at such a large school, the Greek minority may hold less sway over the dynamics of campus culture. Washington and Lee University: It's almost all Greek to me Why Is Greek Life Popular? What’s It All About? The missions of fraternities and sororities vary from chapter to chapter, but some characteristics are relatively consistent.Fraternities and sororities look to develop strong bonds between their members and encourage personal growth and development.These organizations often have special traditions that bring members together and promote loyalty, friendship, community service, intellectual achievements, and leadership. Traditions usually include weekly meetings, retreats, and participation in service-related events. Many fraternities and sororities have specific organizations or causes that they partner with for community service initiatives.My sorority at Dartmouth had a partnership with an organization called WISE, which works in the local area to help victims of domestic abuse.Most Greek organizations are serious about academics as well.GPA requirements for membership are common, and many sororities and fraternities take great pride in the academic accomplishments of their members. To join a fraternity or sorority, you will most likely have to go through the â€Å"rush† process, which is a recruitment period where you get to know the members and mutually decide whether your personality is a good match for the character of the group.Usually, fraternities and sororities have their own houses where they host meetings and parties, and many members live in the houses. Your membership in a Greek organization will extend past your time as an undergraduate.You'll be a sister or brother for life once you join! In the next couple of sections, I’ll go over some pros and cons of joining a fraternity or sororityto give you a better idea of what it’s like. One of us. One of us. Academic and Financial Pros and Cons of Greek Life These pros and cons are factors that relate to the explicit policies and structure of sororities and fraternitiesand how they might affect your academic and professional success as well as your college experience overall. Pros Access to Connections With the Alumni Network This is one of the main reasons that many people join sororities and fraternities.Once you join, you will be able to communicate with a large alumni network (especially if you end up being in a national organization) that is usually very enthusiastic about helping fellow members.This can be awesome for your career prospects after college. Great Leadership Opportunities If you join a Greek organization, you might end up becoming a part of the governing body of the sorority or fraternity.Most of these organizations elect presidents, vice presidents, treasurers, social chairpeople, and other representatives.It can be a nice way to get leadership experience in a friendly context. This experience will carry over into the professional world after college. If you were the president of your Greek organization, it's a strong indication that you will perform well in a leadership role at your job. Employers may see it as a sign pointing to your potential within the company and be more likely to hire you. Your potential employers will imagine you as a featureless shape wearing a tie, and they will imagine all the other candidates as featureless shapes that didn't even bother to dress up. Livingin a House Instead of a Dorm Another great thing about being in a sorority or fraternity is that you’ll probably have the opportunity to live in the house as an upperclassman.This can be a really fun experience, especially if you’re close with the other people living in the house.You can hang out or study with people in a more relaxed, comfortable environment than a dorm or the library.You can also get support from friends easily at any time. Cons Damage to Your Academic Record (and Mental Health) If You Become Too Invested At many fraternities and sororities, you’re considered a â€Å"pledge† when your first join, and you’ll have to go through initiation to become a full member.I knew people who joined fraternities at Dartmouth and took fewer classes during their â€Å"pledge term† so that they could handle all the things they had to do for the fraternity. This included lots of beer-fueled meetings and special events that left them tired and hungover. During pledge term, some new members areâ€Å"hazed† or put through degrading rituals as rites of passage, which is a very problematic aspect of fraternity culture (and sorority culture, but less so). I definitely heard about people in fraternities having to eat gross things (or the same thing in the dining hall day after day, which almost seems more sadistic) or chug alcohol until they puked. These rituals are technically optional, but the pressure to do them to earn your place in the group is often very strong. Members will often take pride in the fact that they survived pledge term without quitting.If you end up spending too much time partying or trying to show that you’re the most dedicated pledge, you may lose sight of your academic and personal goals. I'm not saying pledgingwill involve fire-eating, but I'm also not saying it won't. Monetary Costs Members of Greek organizations usually have to pay dues, which go towards the maintenance of the house and funding for social events.An extra financial strain is the last thing that most students are looking for in college.This is part of what contributes to the stereotype of the privileged frat boy or sorority girl. Fees and other costs associated with membership can sometimes reach over $10,000 a year. I want to stress that this isn't the case in everyfraternity andsorority, and it absolutely wasn't my experience.There were people in my sorority who didn’t pay dues because they simply couldn’t afford it, and that was fine. Most of the members paid around $75 a term for social dues and less than $200 a term for house dues (less than $1,000 per year). Because we were a local sorority, we had a lot more control over how much we charged people for dues. National sororities have less flexibility in their policies and may not have the ability to be as lenient in granting financial aid. You can also take your chances and hope that a cashnado tears through your sleepy college town, ripping the roofs off houses and replacing them with solid gold. Social Pros and Cons of Greek Life These pros and cons deal with characteristics of fraternities and sororitiesthat will affect your social life and interactions in college. Pros Meeting Lots of Cool New People and Gaining Upperclassman Mentors When you join a fraternity or sorority, you’ll meet a big group of people who you might not have interacted with otherwise.It can introduce you to all kinds of varying perspectives and lead to amazing friendships.You will also most likely be assigned an upperclassman mentor in your sorority or fraternity, called a Big Sister or Big Brother.This person will introduce you to the organization and be a helpful resource for navigating college in general. Invitationsto Tons of Fun Events and Parties If you’re in a fraternity or sorority, you’ll get lots of invitations to parties and events with other Greek organizations and internally.There will probably be an event going on almost every night of the week, so you’ll have the opportunity to socialize or hang out whenever you want. My sorority had weekly wine and cheese and movie nights, themed meetings, and get-togethers with other fraternities and sororities on the weekends.Sororities and fraternities also have formals, which are fancy parties at the end of the semester where everyone dresses up nicely.It’s kind of like prom but less ridiculously overhyped, less expensive, and more fun. This was pretty much what wine and cheese night was like at my sorority except instead of fancy bread we had Wheat Thins and instead of utensils we had no utensils. ABuilt-In Support System for the Rest of College (and Your Life!) This is one of the best things about being in a fraternity or sorority.You’re surrounded by a group of people who you can always ask for help or encouragement if you need it.Even if you are confused about college policy or need to ask a question about how to declare a major or sign up for a certain class (or whether a certain professor is good or not), you can easily get great advice from people who have been there.When you’re in one of these organizations, you’ll never feel totally alone or isolated.Someone will always be willing to hang out with you and watch a movie or just grab a meal between marathon study sessions to cheer you up. If you have to chop a bunch of onions, metaphorically speaking (or even literally speaking), you'll get lots of support. Cons Rush Is Superficial (and You Could End Up in the Wrong Place) Superficiality is a major criticism of the recruitment process, especially in sororities.Different colleges do rush differently, but commonly it’s a process that happens over a short period of time where you briefly visit each house and have mini-conversations with the members.This doesn’t give anyone a great chance to get to know you, and if you’re not good with small talk, it can be a nightmare. Judgments based on appearances and initial impressions tend to happen.This often leads to disappointment if you’re rejected by a house where you feel you belong or unhappiness if you join a sorority or fraternity that ultimately isn't a good fit on a deeper level. Many Greek organizations hold events before formal rush to give you the opportunity to get to know the members better, but if you’re shy the whole thing is a difficult process. (I say this from personal experience.) Accurate representation of how awkward I felt during rush... Divisiveness and Stereotypes Run Rampant Most sororities or fraternities have certain reputations, and this can cloud judgments about where you should join and what members are like.People will sometimes make assumptions about a student based on which fraternity or sorority he or she is in that are totally inaccurate. This can lead to fears about what people will think about you if you join X sorority or fraternity, which might mean that you end up somewhere you don’t belong to avoid being judged.Some sororities and fraternities have mentalities about only associating with certain other Greek organizations or keeping themselves insular from the general population of the school. These types of boundariesmay stunt your social life even while you are participating in lots of events within the Greek system. Other Problematic Aspects of Greek Culture I mentioned hazing above, which is an issue that affects members internally.There are also problems with the climate the Greek system can create on campus. Particularly with strong fraternity systems, power dynamics are often skewed in favor of the brothers who host parties at their houses.This can lead to situations where other students are victimized and objectified. When Greek life has a strong hold on the social scene, some people get a little wrapped up in their egos about being in a certain house and holding the keys to the best parties (and alcohol).They might try and show off to their friends in the fraternity (or sorority, although it happens less often) by bragging about how much they can drink or how much they’ve slept around.This culture can sometimes turn otherwise decent but insecure people into jerks. Bunch of Drunken, Obnoxious Frat Boys by Clinton Steeds, used under CC 2.0Unfortunately, there is some truth to the stereotypes. Should You Go to a College with Greek Life? Many colleges have fraternities and sororities, and their existence will not necessarily make or break your experience there.Even at campuses with a strong Greek system, other social outlets exist, and there are still students who decide to remain unaffiliated.However, your personality may make you more or less comfortable in a campus environment with Greek life. You Should Consider Going to a College With Greek Life If: You like being around people most of the time, and you need to talk things out with others before you make decisions. You enjoyed being a part of a close-knit group with shared interests in high school, such as a sports team, and you’re looking for a way to find the same type of camaraderie in college. Socializing is an important part of college to you; you know you’re there to learn, but meeting new people is also very high on your priority list. Colleges With Greek Life Might Not Be a Good Fit for You If: You are extremely academically oriented, and the college party culture doesn’t appeal to you. You are a very independent person, and you like to have a lot of alone time to do your own thing. You prefer to have just a couple close friends and are a little overwhelmed by meeting lots of new people. Then again, the characteristics on the second list could describe me, and I ended up joining a (very nerdy) sorority, so don’t discount Greek life completely even if it doesn’t seem like it would appeal to you. You should also check what percentage of students actually join Greek organizations at the schools that interest you. Then you can determine whether you need to factor this into your decision. If only a very small minority of undergraduates go Greek, then you might not have to interact with the system at all. If the majority of students go Greek, then you'll probably be more exposed to Greek life (especially if it's a relatively small school). Remember that every college is different, and so is each sorority andfraternity! Greek life has its overall pluses and minuses, but if you end up joining a house that you really click with, it can be an awesome experience. What's Next? Worried about the costs of sorority and fraternity dues and college in general? Read our practical guide on how to save money for college. For more tips on figuring out the right college for your needs, take a look at my guide to choosing a college and my step-by-step breakdown of the college research process. One of the most major differences you'll see between colleges is the size of their undergraduate enrollments. Find out whether a big or small college is the right choice for you.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Quality of Construction Sector in the Middle East Essay

The Quality of Construction Sector in the Middle East - Essay Example Currently the Gulf alone has at least two trillion worth of active building projects. Leisure oriented construction is taking place as most of the Middle East countries develop a strategy of becoming major holiday destinations for the developed economies. The Middle East construction industry spending is projected to reach five trillion dollars in the next ten years, which translates to an eighty percent growth rate. The huge budgetary allocations and investments done by the United Arab Emirates government in the construction industry is commendable and this results to a huge number of construction jobs in the country. Due to the huge investments in the construction industry, construction companies in the Middle East are adequately preparing to deal with the skills shortage in the industry and thus fill in the positions of structural specialists, environmental consultants, quantity surveyors, cost-engineering supervisors, planning engineers and concrete framework designer among other s (Gorgenlander, 2011). In 2010, the Saudi Arabia government allocated one hundred and forty- seven billion dollars for to the construction sector. Due to such huge budgetary allocations, Saudi Arabia is the largest construction market in the Middle East. Being the largest non-oil economic sector, the construction sector in Saudi Arabia is driven by, new mortgage laws that favor investment, high population growth, an increased demand by the foreign investors, high liquidity and low-interest financing (Iqbal, 2001). The government regulations in Saudi Arabia that ease the process of residential mortgages has ensured progressive development within the Middle East region. The potential for construction projects has been strengthened by the development of finance support to the consumer market. Qatar has committed more than one hundred billion US dollars to be used in the construction industry (Sayed, 1997). Construction professionals around the world have caught the attention of the ic onic structures in the Middle East such as the Burj Arab and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The growing population in the Middle East is seeking high quality, cost-effective living and amenities in the region. This rapid growth in the construction sector in the Middle East is echoed by the seventy-three huge construction projects such as Burj Khalifa, Al Reem Island, Dubai Metro, Dubai Mall and Meydan Race Course that Malaysia is undertaking across Middle East (Kazi, 2005). Several countries in the Middle East such as Iran have developed large-scale construction industry. This is attributed to the war that resulted to the destruction of many of the country’s structures and social amenities hence the need for restructuring and rebuilding. The success in the construction sector in the Middle East has been attributed to the privatization of the sector. The construction industry in the Middle East is strengthened by oil rich countries in the region especially in the United Arab Emira tes, the rise in oil income, the growth of non-oil sector, the tax-free environment and attractive salaries especially to the imported work force. However, the restart of Iran’s nuclear weapon program, the continued conflicts in the Gulf Cooperation Council region hence the worsening of security and the worsening of the international financial risks have greatly influenced negatively on the construction industry in the Middle East (Chiang, Raftery, & Anson, 2005). Poor construction

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Sustainable Management Futures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sustainable Management Futures - Essay Example The same was the case in 2007 when banks started providing home mortgage loans while knowing that the borrowers were not eligible or qualified – a major fact that was ignored so that the bank may later charge huge fees and seize the possession of property in case the customer is unable to pay off mortgage and can be termed a debtor. Previous example of similar frauds came on the surface in early 2000 also with Enron, Tyco and WorldCom being the players for stuffing their top management with millions of dollars and ripping the shareholders wealth down by billions. This is exactly what David Cameron declares regarding the current system. Though both the parties more or less stay firm on their stands for generating wealth and profits for the country to make it withstand the upcoming crisis, but the difference prevails relating to the actions and strategies for overcoming such issues that requires shaking the core. Primarily, the objective here should be to hit the basics. Adam Sm ith, the father of capitalism, had certain ethical values over which the philosophy of the free economy system is standing. In his first book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, he postulated that keeping the self-interest exposed to moral justice based on justice and fair policy, the resultant would be in the best interest of the society, while the invisible hand playing its part in the background. But solely what is missing in decision making process of the current scenario is the absence of ethical decision making. What needs to be kept in the loop is the following set of important questions while making strategic decisions, spanning decades to come and potentially affecting millions of people: 1. What are the rights of the stakeholders and shareholders? 2. What are the obligations, defined and undefined both, of CEO and the board towards these parties? 3. In certain cases, how, the top management walking away with millions of bucks, in the best interest of the shareholders? Despite of both parties claiming to have measures taken in the past and also presenting their future convictions in terms of regulations and plans for the modification of the free economic system, not much has been there to discuss as success for overcoming the downside of the system which is more than just that. The system’s nature calls for the urgency of departing from the uncontrolled, so called, self-dealing for society’s good. The terms ‘prodigals’ and ‘projectors’ were given by Smith to promoters of excessive risk. The terms may be best illustrated by credit swap insurance promoters and those of mortgages in the recent years. Yet government regulations may only provide a short term survival in this high tide scenario. The financial reengineering requires for more creative attempts towards its designing for favourable outcomes in favour of greater number. COMMON CRITICISMS This can be argued that greed may not have been in Smith’s mind w hile framing the word ‘Sentiments’ for his book. The bottom line is that ethical behaviour is not something that can be legislated. Possessing the desire of doing the right for the society and not acting as per self-interests is what comes from within. Following are few criticisms that remain valid since the inception of this system, yet remain unanswered and not catered to a good extent. Power and coercion: Selfish materialism: The free market system encourages this phenomenon in the sense that it marks no

Monday, November 18, 2019

Possible Relationship Between Crime, Race and SES CJ403 WK 7 Research Paper

Possible Relationship Between Crime, Race and SES CJ403 WK 7 - Research Paper Example ese findings however cannot be used as measures in profiling for potential white collar offenders because white collar crimes and crimes by race are different. Most common white-collar crimes are fraud, bankruptcy, bribery, insider trading, embezzlement, computer crime, medical crime, public corruption, identity theft, environmental crime, pension fund crime, fraud, occupational crime, securities fraud, financial crimes, RICO and forgery; while Crimes committed by race, according to the Bureau of Justice as categorized by circumstances are felony/murder/ sex, drug and gang related, argument and workplace; and uses guns, poisons and arsons as weapons. White collar crimes are high end, uses advanced technology, connections, and power. One cannot easily identify a potential white collar offender because he is shown as someone to be in the middle age, respectable, with high social status, living in an affluent community (Sutherland defined in Strader, J.Kelly, 2001), and therefore profiling is difficult. As Sutherland defined † white collar criminals are opportunists who learn to take advantage of their position over time to accumulate financial gain. If this reasoning is to be followed, then poverty, social economic status and race cannot be the sole reasons for crime. White collar offenders, according to Strader includes those who are professionals or semi professionals and those who possess special skills as they can easily make false claims. Crime could also be seen in people who came from a good family, living in a good surrounding and in any other ethnic backgrounds. Piquero et al. added another perspective that touches human behavior as a predictor of corporate offending, but due to immeasurability, th is cannot be easily used as a predictor. Profiling is therefore like making a landscape of criminals that joins various pieces of theories to make a picture of a potential white collar criminal. It is more difficult to make for a potential white

Friday, November 15, 2019

Effects Of Television Programmes And Cartoons On Children Media Essay

Effects Of Television Programmes And Cartoons On Children Media Essay Word of media plural of word of medium which comes from Latin and it means as well as a device, environment and kind of media tool which we use when we communicate. On the other hand, we use the word of media in Turkish language and that sounds unkind than other versions but at the same time we use mass communication medium conception. However, the word is not a Turkish word but created a close relation with the meaning and usage of the word. Nevertheless, the words of media concept or mediums kind of wrong usages shows us that how impractical of the concept and that word has entered our language as well as creating confusion. (Halil Nalà §aoÄÅ ¸lu , 2003, Medya ve Toplum, Ips Ä °letiÃ…Å ¸im VakfÄ ± YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, Ä °stanbul) After all commited researches, we saw that mass communications tools was investigating effects of delivered messages on upon the targets from the beginnings to date. For that reason, receivers of messages in other words audiance or listeners situations were carried an important weight and it was aroused more attention than other components of communication. The audience understand the message of the acceptance of active or passive, the research found likely to be correct, however, dubious, questionable, problematic parts formed. (Ã…Å ¾ahinde Yavuz, 2005, Medya ve Ä °zleyici, Bitmeyen TartÄ ±Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸ma, Vadi YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, Ankara) Today on the role of media influence and a lot of research has been done. Researchers, the event continues today, according to the liberal pluralist approach, especially the visual media presentation and a principled understanding of the task falls on the way up was needed. To give a presentation of the message by the principles of ethical norms on the one hand, and how the presentation of the message transmitted limits on the other hand, also sets the line between social media and are defending the thesis. (AyÃ…Å ¸e Ä °nal, 2003, Medya ve Toplum, Ips Ä °letiÃ…Å ¸im VakfÄ ± YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, Ä °stanbul) IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT In a study showed that the most enjoyable period of childhood, developmental psychologist and expert pedagogues by Before Transaction between the ages of 4-7 is called the period. Increases childrens imagination at this stage, games and toys become the most important part of life. Children are very much is egocentric. On the basis of the world as they experience the feeling that the world spins around them and they are the only human beings. One of the most characteristic feature of this universe of inanimate objects human characteristics is they believe that lifeless objects can be alive. In kids world, any change in terms of cognitive development may be having full faith. For example; Gadgets like the fairy tale Puss in Boots camel can turn into cats or mice. At times like this kind of thinking goes, is sometimes startling. In fact, these kind of fantastic games, movies, stories and fun stuff are tools to enhance creativity of our children, us and that enrich our relationship. To a chieve this positive goal, what we need to do is have some mandatory approaches. And this approach results in what direction the research is going to be a case and that will be examined in accordance with references of the researches. A study of violence in television programs and cartoons to the elements and their activities were examined and children were observed to behave differently after watching violent content on television cartoons. The pre-school children used in this study and 100 children were observed before and after watching TV. One group was watching violent cartoons, while the other group, no aggression, non-line of the content of movies are provided. Children who were watching violent movies were observed to fight with other children more and go against to their parents and be more impatient of their behaviours examined by the researchers. Educators and pedagogues are also identified by the new generation that childrens programs and cartoons are no different than an adult programmes and shows on television. That shows feels a little girl like a teenage girl and boys who feels like the cartoon heroes subjects unsuitable topics according to childrens age and subjects do not conform to the developmental characteristics of children. That puts at risk of these young children mental health. (Sevil Gà ¼mà ¼Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸, Pedagogue, Istanbul, 2010) When we consider all these things and we get these results that creativity and thinking system of a child is effecting when watching cartoons on the line up of films including the development of systems that are affected by some negative elements. To prevent these adverse effects from the world of cartoons for children with different solutions, rather than depriving them much easier to navigate and that will be effective results obtained by experts and research results are positive according to the data that we have. THE AIM OF THE STUDY Television has an important role in an adults life as well as a childs. Today, as a major entertainment and recreational vehicle of television programs adopted, watched and consumed by the children as much as adults. Programme-makers are aware of the diversity of the audience, and according to different age groups and educational programs are designed in order to their targets. Cartoons are among these programmes and fundamentally children are the main target for these productions. Primary school age children in the period preceding its relationship with television are identical for the purposes of discovery. Television programs, especially the bright, vibrant and fast-changing elements, moving characters, strongly the sound or light gets childrens attention and affects them. Pre-school children meet with violence watching TV cartoons and that makes them become ready for violence watching these unreal but lively and brighter images. Especially share of cartoons has a big responsibility in that. School-age is a very important period for children as they tend to be more violence and shows aggressive behaviours in terms of their impacts of behaviours because their age. During this period, a child develops increased attention. They have an ability to understand and follow the continuity in the stories. The described events as implicit in their conclusions and approves the actions or movements of the characters and its mimics. The trend in this period and violence in children varies and changes if they watch violent programs. Especially those who follow such programs which reflects the real world of violence and those children who believed himself a hero shows aggressive behavior in real life is seen to increase. During the adolescent period, affected by television charactersor identity formation is less than younger ages. But this young teenage children are more convinient to copy violence the in the television or criminal behavior by mimicking, shows us a rebel behaviour of traditional authority challenged behavior can be exposed. (Josephson, W.L.,1995, Television violence: A review of the effects on chÄ ±ldren of dÄ ±fferent ages. Canadian Heritage.) Cartoons colorful, exaggerated and full of fun world, impresses kids big time and at the same time entertains their world. Because of the level of creativity and thinking system of the children are very different from adults as children watchs cartoons and feels themselves part of what the watch and that develops their creativity. The cartoons and events they watch and follow in a way thats much easier to adopt and internalize for them. Therefore, cartoons has important activity during childrens internalization period and that learning and observing creates different worlds in childs thinking system. But the cartoons can be adversely affected in many elements on children especially discernment wise submits and shows us that the ones who did not reach the level of understanding and judging could be way more affected. Because watching the cartoons, childrens world slowly begins to become a part of it. If the necessary intervention is not made a child makes himself part of that fantasy world and cuts the reality between that world and real life. That affects negatively childrens development. They start losing adaptation of the real world and ignore what happening around them. They start becoming some other character which does not exist in real world. (Ä °dil Seda AK, 2010, Çocuk GeliÃ…Å ¸imi UzmanÄ ±, Istanbul) The most affected social groups of the television broadcasts are today, children. The broadcasts influences their personality development and socialization who are at the stage of development also well known by the community. To protect children from negative effects of television broadcasts for both national and international levels, the various arrangements being made every day and joint operations are conducted. Those programs particularly interested by the children and can cause series of physical, mental and moral development damages. The world authorities are working on them not to be too violent and kind of measures taken in the direction of interest is still being investigated as we are not sure if we are on the right direction. (Dr. A.Zahid Akman, RTÃÅ"K, 2006, Ä °lkà ¶Ãƒâ€žÃ… ¸retim ÇaÄÅ ¸Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±ndaki ÇocuklarÄ ±n Televizyon Ä °zleme AlÄ ±Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸kanlÄ ±klarÄ ± Kamuoyu AraÃ…Å ¸tÄ ±rmasÄ ±, Istanbul) RESOURCES Tà ¼rkiyede Karikatà ¼r, Çizgi Roman Ve Çizgi Film, Ä °letiÃ…Å ¸im YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, 1994 Television violence: A review of the effects on children of different ages. Josephson, W.L Canadian Heritage, 1995 Children and Television, The Annals of The American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, Sage Publications, Inc, Philadelphia, USA, 1998 Impact of media on children and adolescents: A 10-year review of the research, Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 2001 Televizyon ve Çocuk, www.medyaokuryazarligi.org.tr, RTÃÅ"K AraÃ…Å ¸tÄ ±rmalarÄ ±, 2003, Tà ¼rkiye Medya ve Toplum, Medya ve Toplum Ä °liÃ…Å ¸kisini Anlamak ÃÅ"zere Bir Çerà §eve, IPS Ä °letiÃ…Å ¸im Vakfi YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, Ä °stanbul, 2003 Medya ve Ä °zleyici, Bitmeyen TartÄ ±Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸ma, Vadi YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, Ankara, 2005 Ä °lkà ¶Ãƒâ€žÃ… ¸retim ÇaÄÅ ¸Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ± ÇocuklarÄ ± Ä °Ãƒ §in TV Ä °zleme AraÃ…Å ¸tÄ ±rmasÄ ±, RTÃÅ"K AraÃ…Å ¸tÄ ±rmalarÄ ±, 2005-2006, Tà ¼rkiye Medya Ã…Å ¾iddet Toplum, Anadolu ÃÅ"niversitesi YayÄ ±nlarÄ ±, EskiÃ…Å ¸ehir, 2007 Çocuklar ve Çizgi Filmler, www.bebek.com Ä °dil Seda AK, Çocuk GeliÃ…Å ¸imi UzmanÄ ±, Ä °stanbul, 2010 Çocuk ve Çizgi Filmler, www.saglik.net Sevil Gà ¼mà ¼Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸, Pedagog, Ä °stanbul, 2010

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

JFK Interview Essay -- essays research papers

The JFK Assassination   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This interview was conducted with my friend’s father on the assassination of JFK, and the impact it had on life in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q: How old were you when JFK was assassinated?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A: I was only 15 at the time, but I can vividly recall it   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q: What was your very first reaction?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A: Well, I was shocked I really couldn’t believe it. I mean, you hear about the Lincoln’s assassination but it never seemed real. Now JFK was assassinated and it seemed like it could never happen, it was just like a dream.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q: How did your parents react?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A: They seemed more upset than sad. They couldn’t believe that this could happen, they were upset that such a man as JFK could be dead, just like that. He did so much to change the way people think, act, and feel in this country and he’d never be back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q: What was the general mood?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A: At the time we lived in a very tight neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Around that neighborhood you could see things change. Morale was lower than I could ever remember, everybody was sad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Q: Did they play the video back on TV?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A: I don’t ever really remember seeing it replayed over and over on TV, they really didn...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Informative Essay on Hpv

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Testing What is the Human Papillomavirus? Commonly known as HPV, it is an infection that spreads through sexual contact. There are over one hundred different types of HPV; several types cause genital warts, while other high risk strands can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, vagina, and penis. Because HPV is often asymptomatic, many people are unaware of their infection status, and thus, their potential for transmitting the virus to a sexual partner.The significance of the Human Papillomavirus is that fifty percent of Americans who are sexually active will contract it within their lives, and at any given point there are twenty million Americans already infected with it (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). Infection with HPV is a significant public health burden in the United States because of the costs for screening and treatment for cervical abnormalities, as well as costs associated with treating benign genital warts. There is a vaccine known as Gardasil that will prevent strands of HPV. The vaccine, FDA approved, is effective towards different types of HPV.Human Papillomavirus vaccines should be administered to females, who are sexually active, to fight against certain strains of the virus, such as genital warts and most importantly cervical cancer. Genital warts is a skin infection caused by the sexually transmitted disease, the Human Papillomavirus. HPV types associated with genital infections are transmitted sexually, primarily through skin to skin contact during sexual activity. Warts are extremely common. Statistics show that â€Å"each year 250,000-500, 000 Americans develop genital warts† (â€Å"By the Numbers: HPV†).All are benign. In women, warts occur in or around the vagina, on the cervix or around the anus. In men, genital warts are less common but might occur on the top of the penis. There are currently several different strains of HPV that cause both external and internal warts. In the United St ates, about 1. 4 million people have genital warts, which cause HPV (Board, A. D. A. M. Editorial). According to researchers, â€Å"vaccines for the Human Papillomavirus are available to protect against the two types of HPV† (types 6 and 11) that cause about 80% of genital warts (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†).The Human Papillomavirus vaccine has been recommended for females nine to twenty-six years old; it should be administered before the onset of sexual activity, but the girls and women who are sexually active should be vaccinated as well (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Most infections go away within 1 to 2 years, but some persevere. Persistent infection can increase the risk of certain types of cancers. Nearly two decades ago, experts discovered a relationship between infection with HPV and cervical cancer. Since then, these experts have learned much more about what HPV can lead to (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†).The Human Papillomavirus can cause ch anges in a woman’s cervix. If the body clears the infection, the cervical cells go back to normal, but if they do not and the infection continues, the cells will abnormally change. The American Cancer society says â€Å"about 12,170 women will find out they have cervical cancer in the U. S. this year† (â€Å"By the Numbers: HPV Issues†). Many women in the United States get Pap smear tests, and if they have abnormal cells, they have them removed before they become benign. The high strands of HPV cause Pap smear tests to show that the cells are abnormal.According to Statistics â€Å"researchers say that virtually all cervical cancers, more than 99%, are caused by these high-risk HPV viruses† (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†). The most common of the high-strains of the Human Papillomavirus are types 16 and 18, which cause seventy percent of all cervical cancers (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Cervical cancer has an effect on women not only in a health manner. The emotional cost from HPV is a further burden as it may include fear of cervical cancer, apprehension, and the stigma associated with a sexually transmitted infection.HPV is so common that drug companies long sought to develop a vaccine against it. In June 2006, Gardasil, a Human Papillomavirus vaccine made by Merck & Co. , was licensed for use and brought to the market (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Gardasil, which is given into a series of three injections, targets the main types of HPV. The types targeted are HPV 6, HPV 11, HPV 16 and HPV 18, which cause ninety percent of the genital warts and are the leading causes of cervical cancer (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†). Brought to the attention by researchers â€Å"combined, those strains affect an estimated 3 million women in the U.S† (â€Å"HPV Vaccine†). Since HPV is so common in the United States, the makers of Gardasil are trying to get a law approved that wil l make the shots mandatory. In 2006, Upon Gardasil’s release, Merck & Co. launches an intensive lobbying effort to convince state lawmakers to make the vaccine mandatory for girls entering middle school. Approximately two dozen states consider adopting such a law in the first few months after Gardasil’s debut. â€Å"Key Events in the History of HPV† Women are not aware of the causes or effects of HPV. They lack knowledge of the infection and are more at risk.Circumstances are worsened when accompanied by a lack of knowledge about the transmission of the virus and its association with genital warts and cervical cancer. Doctors are recommending Gardasil to their patients to prevent genital warts and cancers. â€Å"I’m a Pediatrician, and in Pediatrics, we do routinely recommend Gardasil to both boys and girls,† says Dr. Marney Gundlach (â€Å"Undernews†). Dr. Alvin Bay Lin also quotes, â€Å"As a family physician, I recommend Gardasil to all appropriate patients, boys & girls 9-26yo, to prevent cervical and other genital cancers, anal cancer, and genital warts.There is some evidence that it may even be useful in women 27-45yo† (â€Å"Undernews†). In today’s generation, girls begin having sex as young as nine years old, and that is causing the risk of HPV to increase. Recently, Gardasil has been approved for males, in order to decrease the risk for spreading infections and to primarily lowering the results of spreading it to women (â€Å"HPV Infection in Men: Symptoms, Treatments, Causes. †). Note that the vaccines are not an HPV cure. Gardasil has been shown to provide protection for five years. The Human Papillomavirus vaccination does not mean women can skip their Pap smear test.Gardasil is slowly becoming known in order to enhance the awareness of its prevention against HPV. Should girls and young women receive the Human Papillomavirus vaccine? Yes. The vaccine is nearly one hundred effecti ve in preventing diseases caused by high-risk strains of HPV (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). HPV is so common within the United States that at any given point there are twenty million people that have it (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). The Human Papillomavirus causes skin infections, also known as genital warts. They occur in both men and women, in or around the genital areas.There are over one million people in the United States that have contracted genital warts (â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments†). If infections are not cleared up, they may lead to cervical cancer. Approximately, 3,700 women die each year from cervical cancer (â€Å"By the numbers: HPV Vaccine†). There is a vaccine out that has been Federal Drug Association, and Center for Disease Control approved to help prevent strains of HPV. Gardasil helps target the four main types of HPV. It is administered into a series of three shots, is effective to work up to five years. The shots may be presented to both men and women, in order to reduce etting high risk strains of HPV. Doctors are recommending Gardasil to their adult patients as well as their adolescent patients in order to create awareness against HPV. Due to lack of knowledge of how severe HPV can be, Gardasil should be administered to both men and women to decrease the number of HPV infections a year and the number of deaths of cervical cancer. Statistics show the vast number of Americans who have contracted HPV, and how they are rising every year. Gardasil may be the safest choice in protection for women, in order to slowly decrease future numbers. Works Citied Board, A.D. A. M. Editorial. â€Å"Causes, Incidence, and Risk Factors. † Cervical Cancer. U. S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. â€Å"By the Numbers: HPV Vaccine. † Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 18 Sept. 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. â€Å"Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments. † WebMD. WebMD. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. â€Å"HPV and Cervical Cancer. † WebMD. WebMD, 10 Jan. 0000. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. â€Å"HPV Infection in Men: Symptoms, Treatments, Causes. † WebMD. WebMD. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. . HPV Vaccine. † Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 18 Sept. 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. â€Å"Key Events in the History of the HPV Vaccine. † Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 18 Sept. 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. â€Å"Undernews. † : Gardasil: A Case Study of What Can Happen When Pharma Hustling Goes Wild. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. | | | competency| 50|   37| clear maintained position| 10|   9| analysis/synthesis| 15|   14| use of sources| 15|   14| distinctive presentation| 10|   7| grade|   | 81|

Friday, November 8, 2019

Bloody Chamber Commentary Essays

Bloody Chamber Commentary Essays Bloody Chamber Commentary Essay Bloody Chamber Commentary Essay Essay Topic: Jaws There Will Be Blood It is late evening, the child runs out onto the moonlit green, searching for something in the lean grass, she had only the light of the moon to guide her as she gazes into the ground in melancholy. She swore she had it on her earlier, she swore to look after it, she swore she wouldnt lose it, but, as whenever we promise ourselves something, the worst always seems to happen. It started with a doll, a petite wooden doll her late mother had given her. The feel of it against her skin did nothing to bring back the warm embrace of her. A dress of embroidered orange silk, the stitching on it as fine and golden as a thread of Rapunzels hair or the spun gold of that millers daughter who had given her word in exchange for a name, her tiny painted face relentlessly smiling in sympathy. Since then she had never managed to hold onto anything for long. Each precious gift would go missing in time, no matter how extensively she clung to it, as a spider clings its sticky, furred, legs to a painted wall. Someone had taken it, it had been there and now it was gone, she remembered it clear as day, even though the dim night had already crept in, had muted the daylight. Innocence has flushed from her cheeks into a guilty crimson. There was no end to her excuses. After that it was an antique music box, the lid engraved with her initials in the cursive script of an antique bible or a medieval tapestry. It played a sweet tune as the tiny figure turned and swirled and spiralled, it had sent chills down her thin frame whenever she heard it. After its elusive disappearance she had heard the merry tune again, this time sinister, at night, but only ever when her eyes were tightly closed. She would reach out for it in longing, almost touching, her fingertips longing for the touch of the bitter, reassuring metal. Then it was gone. It started with a doll and it finished with a tiny golden ball. Perhaps it had fallen down the well. She remembered throwing it into the air yesterday morning, while she sat and hummed a tune at the edge of the black hole. She had peered in, hoping to see the splash of a tiny water snake she had seen once before, but the well was low, the black liquid could not be seen, and only a dropping pebble would reveal the true depth. A call from the house had prompted her to leave; perhaps she had left it there, perched on the side, peering into the abyss. Morning, the sun shone down, touching her ashen skin with its golden tendrils. Her father knew nothing about her missing gift; she knew it would break his ruby heart to hear of its disappearance. Shed searched and hunted all night with no luck. Maybe the vivid morning sun would cast its glow into the direction of her golden orb. Id do anything to get it back. She looked into the horizon, scanning her tired eyes across the emerald green earth. She could see the jagged form of something, developing in detail as it edged toward her. Movement, his thin body swerving and slithering towards her, his eyes as green as the ground he slipped across. His skin so smooth. His smile melted her. You are looking for something, he whispered, his red tongue caressing the soft flesh of his inner cheek as he spoke, looking for something I have. An unravelled palm looked like a spring bud opening to the sun, and there it was, growing and shrinking in his fleshy hold, the light ebbing and flowing off of it like the scales of an iridescent water-snake stirring below the surface of azure settled waters. Take it. She was Eve and he was the serpent, the orb a polished scarlet apple. A snake charmer humming an enchanting refrain. Take it. Green omniscient eyes embraced her body, her breathing slows, her blood feels as though it is trickling through her body like th e fresh, cool stream that ran beside her. She reached out, just as she had in her dreams, the same soft fingertips, the same enchanting melody, the same cool touch. His lips met hers. Inhaling the warm breath from her lungs. The blood drained from her eyes. She hugged the floor, her fingernails gripping to the hard earth, the world was spinning, she was falling, the gravity pulled her further down. A single tear flew from her eye into the sky. Then, she slept. He curled his body around her, jaws wide. The scales of his cracked skin rubbed against hers. A glow of a beady eye. A flick of a red tongue. A flash of those white-hot raw teeth, jagged and roughen. He engulfed her. And slinked away. Commentary Angela Carters stories have several very distinct elements. She often subverts characters traditional roles and values, teamed with rich description and imagery. The incredibly stereotypical characters in fairytales make it perfect for Angela Carter to take a different twist on. In my piece, the first Carter style technique I have used is the switching of tenses. While the story starts in the present tense, with It is late evening, very different to common narrative, it soon switches to past tense. It also switches between events that have happened recently or are happening to something that has happened long before, for example in the switch from the first paragraph being in the present tense and the second paragraph switching to a past event or story. This is similar to the way The Bloody Chamber changes between the current events and much earlier in the story. This makes the reader feel more involved in the story, as the present tense really puts them in the position of what is going on around them. As well as this technique, I used the technique of directly addressing the reader, which again involves them in the story more with the phrase whenever we promise ourselves something, the worst always seems to happen. This makes the reader think of their own personal issues helps them find a similarity with the main character. I also used a similar juxtapositioning of words, which help create a contrast. I described the feel of the music box as bitter, reassuring metal. This contrast creates a different image of the seemingly innocent item and makes it more complex to the reader, whilst also adding a sense of darkness. Because the image took place during a dream, I thought this phrase helped to encapsulate the overwhelming feelings of the dream/nightmare in a way that all readers can relate too but is difficult to express. In most typical fairytales the male characters are usually strong and desirable, and the evil characters are often female, ugly and cruel characters. In my piece I have created the villain as a man to subvert this. The villain, despite being oddly enchanting, has a strong negative side in description. I have portrayed him as a character that seems unnaturally charming but also someone to be wary of. This is a strong change from the normal fairytale males, usually obviously handsome and safe, yet my character still has some of the typical dominant male qualities, his eyes as green as the ground he slipped across. His skin so smooth., this phrase is not necessarily negative but strongly reinforces the idea of the true identity of the male. I also included a variety of different sentence lengths. Minor sentences have more impact and stand out; sentences such as There was no end to her excuses. In this case, the short sentence emphasises the situation of the character. I combined the power of three along with these minor sentences in the description A glow of a beady eye. A flick of a red tongue. A flash of those white-hot raw teeth. This style is similar to the way a person may take in the characteristics of a person they have met, a list of their most prominent features. I mixed some other myths and fairytales into the story when I said golden as a thread of Rapunzels hair or the spun gold of that millers daughter. This slightly sets the time and place of the story, as the character would have to have heard the stories to reference them. However, because of the lack of detail there is still some mystery in the time and setting. This is similar to the phrase in The Bloody Chamber when the main character describes the glass box telling the story of Bluebeard. When describing the male character, I wanted to portray an element of mystery to the form the character appeared in, as in many of Carters stories, the actual form of the character only becomes apparent near the end of the story, or sometimes not at all. In my story the form of the character at the end is rather obvious, with phrases like The scales of his cracked skin, although when previously describing him I tried to give him the serpentine elements but in a way so they could have been used to describe a real human being. This technique is very apparent in Carters Wolf-Alice and I wanted to achieve the same mystery as this with my story. The general tone of the story starts off fairly innocent, but as the story develops the darkness appears, perhaps with the introduction of the male figure. Also, the temptation of the female character was another common feature in most fairytales, and I imitated this in my piece. The way in which Carter shows dialogue makes the reader again feel involved. In my story, all the dialogue occurred during descriptions. I thought this flow of dialogue included the reader in the situation in the same way. Most common fairytales all have some kind of moral. Usually these morals are intended to teach children what not to do. For example, be careful what you wish for or things dont always appear as they seem. In my story I have played with this idea, as my piece is loosely based on the Frog Prince I have looked into the moral things are not always what they seem. In the original Frog Prince, the ugly frog turns out to be a handsome Prince. However, in my story I decided to make a significant twist. Infact the moral of my story was that sometimes things are what they seem, and sometimes people who appear suspicious are exactly what you think of them. Another point I tried to add was the idea of the enchantment being similar to that of Eve and the Serpent in the garden of Eden. The male characters charm is similar to that of the serpent in convincing Eve to take the apple. The golden orb also represents the apple of the story. This religious aspect of the story strongly relates back to the traditional fairytales which combined magic realism with strong religious views. In many traditional fairytale the replacement of a mother with a step-mother, or no mother at all, is very apparent. In my story I made reference to the lack of a mother figure when I said a petite wooden doll her late mother had given her. The feel of it against her skin did nothing to bring back the warm embrace of her. This is a common fairytale feature. In conclusion, I think my story showed many of the similar stylised techniques as Carters stories. The overall values of common fairytales were clearly apparent, but along with several elements that are similar to Carters own style.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Six Things Your Ghostwriting Client Should Expect From You

Six Things Your Ghostwriting Client Should Expect From You Could you cut off your own arm in order to save your life? That was the first question one of my ghostwriting clients asked, because that was the position in which hed found himself a few years earlier. He had been forced to cut off his own arm when he became trapped in a flaming piece of farm equipment and the subsequent international attention was the reason he wanted to write a book. The result: Unthinkable Choice: The Story of Sampson Parker. Even so, it wasnt my answer to his first question that landed me the assignment (my answer was I hope I dont ever have to find out). It was the answer to questions he had asked others about me prior to our meeting. Then it was the answers to questions we dealt with as the writing process progressed that reaffirmed his contention that I was the writer for the job. That being said, there are six things your client should expect from you when they hire you as a ghostwriter:  ·         Trust  ·         Flexibility  ·         Experience  ·         Authentic voice  ·         Clear communication  ·         Confidentiality These six attributes will (not can) make or break your career. Lets take a look at why thats true. Trust. Your client must be assured of your character, your ability, and the truth in your words and actions. They need to know that their faith in you and your abilities is well founded and well placed. Flexibility. It is essential that you are able to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements. To paraphrase a popular saying, stuff happens, and as a ghostwriter one of your greatest assets will be your ability to go with the flow. Experience. Is this your first rodeo or have you done similar jobs before? How long have you been writing and how long have you been writing professionally? Theres a difference, and your client deserves an honest answer. Authentic voice. This is the quality that makes your writing unique. But as a ghostwriter, you also need the ability to write in a way that sounds like your client. You must be able to hear and reproduce your clients unique cadence and rhythm on every page. For example, after I turned in the first draft of the book Unthinkable Choice, Sampsons wife called me after she read it and said, I cant believe it. The book sounds exactly like him. Clear communication. There should be no gray areas when it comes to what you expect from the client and what they should expect from you. So, spell it out in a contract, because it will protect both of you. For example: my clients have final say over most content, but I have the final say in matters of style. Period. Additionally, every stage of the project delivery and all financial arrangements are spelled out in detail. Confidentiality. While this should be fairly obvious, lets be crystal clear. If they cant trust you to keep some things to yourself, they shouldnt hire you. Not everything you hear is for public consumption, though it might be vital as a way for you to better understand your client. In short, your client needs to know the person they have hired has both the ability and the character to develop the project. Meet those criteria, and you will create a steady demand for your services. Sidebar: Where do you find ghostwriting projects? Check sites like: = Craigslist.org (be careful here because in addition to really good leads there are a lot of scams and content mills listed) = JournalismJobs.com = Freelancedaily.net = Mediabistro.com = Freelancejobopenings.com. You can also search phrases such as ghostwriter and ghostwriter wanted on SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com. Book packagers are always looking for dependable ghostwriters and The American Book Producers Association is a great place to start your search for projects (abpaonline.org).

Monday, November 4, 2019

The War on drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

The War on drugs - Essay Example The article uses seven explanatory variables which include the Drug Enforcement Agency and suggests that the incarceration of drug offenders merely causes a crowding-out effect in prisons, releasing the non-drug offenders and thus, potentially increasing, rather than decreasing, crime. The author talks about many views representing the history and the principles of facts on this issue. He represents the view that he believes is unknown to many and should be presented to everyone. As this is one of the major misperceptions according to him as mentioned in the article. It is also discussed in the article that suggestions and recommendations should be made to stop the use of drugs and the spread of drug offenders in a wise and logical way. This article is for those who believe that incarcerating the drug offenders will reduce the crime. Thus the evidence is also being shown through statistics. Critique: The authors have supported the government view in this article as they talk about the economics and politics of the drug offenders. The authors cover some major issues regarding the war on drugs and the crime rates which were profoundly unknown. They have provided an unbiased research in which they analyze all the aspects related to the topic. They cover the previous research done on the topic regarding the battle of US government with the drug offenders since years, and how they focused on the criminalization of drugs rather just proposing anti-drug policies. The authors clearly gave examples regarding the definitions of imprisonment and incarcerating with the help of many examples, and related it to the negativity caused by the act. The authors have used reliable sources to support their arguments with information from all the sides and then supporting their view. With the use of previous research on imprisonment, incarcerating and the drug offenders, to the presentation of the models and the variables, the authors had made it very clear for the reader to understand their view. They have also presented authentic calculations and contrasted them to make their view authentic, and prove how crime rate has increased due to the incarcerating of drug offenders. There is enough evidence shown by the authors to describe and prove their viewpoint. The evidence is taken from reliable sources as they have proper calculations taken from the statistics published by the government and law department. Although the article has provided economical and political views as per the nature of the journal, I think it has still provided enough information to understand the desired objects. 2. Unmapping the Golden Triangle or the World on Drugs ? Title Unmapping the Golden Triangle or the World on Drugs Author Neilson Brett Date 2000 Source Passages: Interdisciplinary Journal of Global Studies Stakeholder Business Summary: This article focuses on the operation of the global drug economy and how fast it has been increasing. It also shows the mode of production of drugs in the Golden Triangle, the Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the article talks about the contradictory relations between the capitalist globalization and the underground drug economy. Also talks about the inconsistency on the spatial relations constituting the Golden Triangle, and the severe impact of globalization on the business of heroine trafficking. These aspects are covered in the article in the literary point

Friday, November 1, 2019

Oral pathology related to thyroid disorder Research Paper

Oral pathology related to thyroid disorder - Research Paper Example In the event that a suspicion of thyroid malady emerges for an undiagnosed patient, all elective dental treatment ought to be put on hold until a complete restorative assessment is performed. Hypothyroidism is characterized by a reduction in thyroid hormone generation and thyroid gland capacity. Adolescence hypothyroidism known as cretinism is portrayed by thick lips, vast jutting tongue (macroglossia), malocclusion and deferred emission of teeth. Hyperthyroidism is a condition brought on by unregulated generation of thyroid hormones. The oral appearances of thyrotoxicosis, incorporates expanded helplessness to caries, periodontal malady, augmentation of extra glandular thyroid tissue (for the most part in the sidelong back tongue), maxillary or mandibular osteoporosis, quickened dental emission and blazing mouth disorder. Dental treatment adjustments may be fundamental for dental patients who are under restorative administration and catch up for a thyroid condition regardless of the fact that there are no co-horrible conditions. The thyroid gland is a bilobular structure that lies on other side of the trachea. Thyroid brokenness is the second most normal glandular disorder of the endocrine framework and is expanding, overwhelmingly among ladies. Up to 5% of the female populace has adjustments in thyroid capacity, and up to 6% may have clinically discernible thyroid knobs on palpation. An expected 15% of the all inclusive community has anomalies of thyroid anatomy on physical examination, and an obscure rate of these doesn’t finish a symptomatic assessment. It has been proposed that the quantity of individuals influenced may be twice the same number of as the undetected cases. This implies patients with undiagnosed hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism are seen in the dental seat, where routine treatment can possibly bring about unfavourable results (Malamed, 2006). The oral human services proficient ought to be acquainted with the oral and

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Some Like it Hot the movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Some Like it Hot the movie - Essay Example This is how the gangster figure maintains his mystique and aura of fear. When Spats Colombo does appear in front of the camera he is extremely well groomed, and has a cold, aloof expression. His name, and his evident desire to keep his white shoes clean, are ironic touches, because they show an obsession with external appearances, while the audience knows that underneath this suave and highly groomed exterior there is a much darker criminal personality. Sugar Kane likewise has a significant name, which in this case emphasizes her sweetness, but when Joe and Jerry meet her, she explains that her real name is Kowalczyk. This shows that she is not all that she appears to be. Her sweetness is real but she exudes a siren power. Even her weakness for alcohol is given a sexual connotation when she takes her flask from her garter, giving the boys, who are dressed as girls, full view of her legs. The film plays with the intimacy of girls sharing private space together, and there is humor in the way that scenes which would be innocent and pure between girls alone together, become piquant and tense when the boys are in drag. In their own specific ways, Spats Columbo and Sugar Kane represent extremes of masculinity and femininity in Prohibition America. The trick of drag acting calls these stereotypes into question and makes the radical point that men and women can find love in the ambiguous space between genders. The film shows that this is a better, and much funnier, way than the traditional confines of gender

Monday, October 28, 2019

Greek Art in Ancient Greece and Faraway Lands Essay Example for Free

Greek Art in Ancient Greece and Faraway Lands Essay The classical period of Greece (490 – 323 B. C. ) saw the artists perfecting their style. Following Alexander’s conquests, ancient Greece entered the Hellenistic period (323 – 31 B. C. ) (â€Å"Timeline of Ancient Greece†). Of course, Alexander the Great was not the only god of the ancient Greek civilization. Ancient Greeks worshipped plenty of gods that were believed to have appeared to them in human form with extraordinary strength and beauty (â€Å"Culture†). Professor Harris describes Euhemerus as the philosopher responsible for presenting Greek myths as simple stories to his readers. Euhemerus’ interpretation of Greek mythology was considered radical in his times. It was he who wrote that Greek gods and goddesses were human beings to begin with. Because of their extraordinary feats or the cultural and/or social value that they added to life in ancient Greece, their ordinary humanity was turned into godhood in the minds of ancient Greeks (Harris). Thus, ancient Greek gods and goddesses were portrayed in painted scenes on stone, vases, and also with bronze and terracotta sculptures for the sake of remembrance. Although many of the ancient Greek temples honored multiple gods and goddesses, certain places showed greater reverence to a sole deity or a pair of gods, e. g. Olympia’s Zeus, and Eleusis’ Demeter and Persephone (â€Å"Culture†). For reasons described above, the ancient Greeks downplayed the divine aspects of their gods by giving them a typically human form, as the example of the Torso of Apollo reveals (See Appendix I). Made in 2nd century AD, the Torso of Apollo of marble shows young Apollo, â€Å"the Greek god of light, music, archery, healing, atonement, prophecy, and flocks and herds† (â€Å"Torso of Apollo†). The figure was popular with both Greeks and ancient Romans. It is an unclothed manifestation of perfection, splendor and courage with Apollo wearing a belt over one of his shoulders to which a case for holding arrows was fastened at his back (â€Å"Torso of Apollo†). By showing the god as distinctly human, the artist inspires into viewers the spirit to take Apollo for a courageous model and turn into heroes themselves. After all, Apollo was not only a gentle lover of the arts but also domineering to the extent that he was cruel to those who challenged his supremacy among ordinary mortals (Ingfei, 2002, p. 9; â€Å"Apollo†). What is more, he was intelligent and handsome enough to be taken as a model by the ancient Greeks. With the sun as his special symbol, Apollo did not only show physical courage but was also a supporter of intellectual pursuits (Leadbetter, 2004; Regula, 2009). He was known as the god of poetry, medicine, and intellectually enquiry to boot (Leadbetter). In other words, he was next to perfect. Athena Parthenos, too, was considered immaculate in ancient Greece. The Parthenon is a classical temple dedicated to the woman, considered the goddess of wisdom (See Appendix II). The temple was built between 447 – 432 B. C. on the Acropolis, which is in the capital city of ancient Greece, Athens. It has survived despite severe damage over the centuries (â€Å"Art,† 2008). Perikles, the famous politician of Athens, had championed the construction of the Parthenon (â€Å"The Parthenon†). Some of the architectural features of the temple have been described thus: †¦[R]ectangular floor plan with a series of low steps on every side, and a colonnade (8 x 17) of Doric columns extending around the periphery of the entire structure. Each entrance has an additional six columns in front of it. The larger of the two interior rooms, the naos, housed the cult statue. The smaller room (the opisthodomos) was used as a treasury. (â€Å"The Parthenon†) The temple was constructed with marble, and mainly represented the Doric order with features of the Ionic order incorporated in its sculptural program (Kerr, 1995). The Doric order gave Parthenon its series of ninety two metopes (with panels of sculptured reliefs depicting law and order and struggle); and triglyphs on its entablature. Additionally, the Doric order made the temple a peripteral, simple-looking structure with short and thick columns (â€Å"The Parthenon†). The â€Å"continuous sculpted frieze† of the Parthenon represents the Ionic order, however (â€Å"The Parthenon†). There are four tall and slim columns of the temple, too, that represent this architectural order which happens to support the opisthodomos’ roof at the Parthenon. The capitals or the columns’ tops that are built using the Ionic order have volutes, which are the names of the curlicues special to this order (â€Å"The Parthenon†). Above the metopes and triglyphs of the temple lie the pedimental sculptures, one of which shows the birth of Zeus – yet another god for the ancient Greeks (â€Å"The Parthenon†). The frieze of the temple, running â€Å"around the upper edge of the temple wall† and inside from the metopes and the triglyphs shows day to day life in ancient Greece, the rituals of the Greeks, processions, musicians, gods and goddesses, and much more (â€Å"The Parthenon†). Indeed, the place of the frieze in the sculptural program of the temple is unique, seeing as it does not only portray real life and beliefs of the ancient Greeks, but also gives the Parthenon a central place in the life of Athens. The temple was, after all, a place where religious festivals as well as sacrifices were held. Moreover, this temple gave Athena Parthenos a special place to stay for the protection and welfare of the Athenians (â€Å"The Parthenon: Religion, Art, and Politics†). Whether or not the ancient Greeks would consider it Athena Parthenos’ blessing that took ancient Greek art styles to faraway lands, the fact is that even the ancient art of the Nabataeans and the Arabs experienced the influence of Greek artists. Vries Osinga (2005) state that â€Å"[t]he Nabataeans at their height spread as far north as Damascus, to the coast of the Mediterranean at Gaza in the east and to Madain Salih in the south. † But, the Nabataean kingdom came under Roman rule in the year 106 A. D. It became an Arabian province at the time (Vries Osinga). The Nabataeans were caravan drivers on a large scale. Roman traders visited Petra even before the Nabataean kingdom was taken over by the Romans. These traders came to conclude transportation agreements with the Nabataeans. The latter traveled around the world with merchandise – â€Å"between the Red Sea and the Nile, and sometimes as far away as the Delta† (Sartre, Porter, Rawlings, 2005, p. 268). Unsurprisingly, therefore, their temples expose a variety of influences on the hearts and minds of the Nabataeans (Vries Osinga). Vries Osinga write: The many structures are so diverse that it is difficult to categorize them, at least without oversimplifying or overlooking what may be important details. Philip Hammond, who excavated the Temple of the Winged Lions, concludes that it might be more faithful to the diversity of the temples to see them not as derivatives of Iranian temples, Roman temples or other, but to recognize the borrowing of constructional and decorative technique and to concentrate on why each was unique. (Vries Oringa) Sartre, Porter Rawlings write that Nabataeans were so influenced by Greek art – following the Roman invasion – that they spread that influence in many parts of Arabia. Nude heroes of the Greeks have been found in Arabia and believed to have been conveyed there by the Nabataeans (Sartre, Porter Rawlings, p. 269). However, Vries Oringa have uncovered Egyptian influence in the temples of Nabataeans to boot. Describing one of the most significant temples left by the Nabataeans, the authors state: [T]he Wadi Rum temple took its layout from Egyptian models, specifically the Egyptian Temple Dayr Chelouit. The only reference to the Roman world would be columns of the Wadi Rum Temple. Dharih might also be kin to the Egyptian Temple of Coptos, while the Qasr al-Bint and the Temple of the Winged Lions find construction parallels there also (Vries Oringa). Then again, Greek and/or Roman influence seems to be most profound. Although temple plans of the Nabataeans do not appear typically Roman, decoration outside of the temples may be recognized as distinctly Roman and/or Hellenistic. As an example, the external decoration of Khasneh makes it appear as though it was built in Alexandria (Vries Oringa). Even so, Vries Oringa believe that the Nabataeans did not simply copy the designs that were handed down to them by Romans. Instead, they took influence in their stride, sometimes appropriating â€Å"the general structure,† but modifying and adapting it as time went on (Vries Oringa). In other words, they were open to influence, but also believed in maintaining their local traditions. Taylor (2001) agrees with this view. In her book, Petra and the Lost Kingdom of the Nabataeans, she explains that the Nabataeans did not make copies as slaves would. Rather, Greek ideas were amazingly transformed by the Nabataeans into works of art keeping â€Å"a distinctively Nabataean flavor† (Taylor, p. 92). No wonder, Petra remains as an incomparable feast for the eyes for all lovers of art. Vries Oringa write that the art of Nabataeans, in particular the sculptures they made, also changed from era to era; that is, even before the Romans came to rule the Nabataean kingdom, the Nabataeans went on altering their artistic style (Vries Oringa). Perhaps their visits to foreign lands brought such changes to the art of the kingdom. But, once the Romans had arrived on the scene, the Nabataeans did not only borrow the artistic styles of the Greeks but also others’. The sculptures of deities in Tannur, for example, appear both Hellenistic and Oriental. The Nabataeans also seem to have been influenced by the Syrian artistic style, as revealed through sculptures at both Dharih and Tannur (Vries Oringa). Although Hellenistic artistic style â€Å"of classical proportions† is most often cited as an influence on Nabataean art, there were plenty of sculptures made by the Nabataeans that did not appear Greek at all even though they were made while the Nabataeans were living under Roman rule (Vries Oringa). Vries Oringa cite â€Å"the simple standing block† as an example of such artwork. The fact that the Nabataeans maintained their local flavor in their artistic style shows that these people did not wholly lose their cultural identity at the time. Even the Romans may have delighted in the diversity revealed through Nabataean art, simply because the Nabataeans mingled with many peoples at the time. What is more, the adaptation of Greek art to new cultures must have been viewed as a triumph of ancient Greek artistic styles. After all, ancient Greek art continues to be celebrated around the world to this day. References Apollo. 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