Crevecoeur in America Essay Example for Free

Crevecoeur in America Essay Hector St. John Crà ¨vecoeur is certainly not one of the greatest figures of American history, but he can at the very least be credited with having been witness to a great deal of some of the key events that lead to the inception of the United States of America in the 18th century.1 Crà ¨vecoeur saw the burgeoning nation under many different angles during different periods of American history2. This coupled with the fact that as a foreigner who lived in the colonies he was able to step back and appraise American life and culture and be also able to see it from the inside. This essay will focus on the American life of Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur and attempt a sketch of how his life took place and how the colonies and the new American nation affected him. Firstly we will examine Crà ¨vecoeur’s life in the colonies, including his living conditions, regions he inhabited and his overall situation during his time there. Secondly, we will review his experiences in the colonies and North America. Thirdly we will attempt to see how, when and by whom was Crà ¨vecoeur influenced during his time in America and what effects this had on both the United States of American and Crà ¨vecoeur himself. Michel-Guillaume Jean de Crà ¨vecoeur – or St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur as we would later know him – would first set foot in North America in Canada in 1754. Fighting under the Montcalm during the French-Indian War, Crà ¨vecoeur left Canada for the English colonies where he worked as an itinerant merchant allowed him to envision many aspects and parts of North America. In 1759 he eventually settled down in Orange County in New York and became a citizen of the colony, changing his name to John Hector St. John.. Crà ¨vecoeur took up a life of farming and raised a family, while still keeping in touch with the outside world albeit staying out of its affairs almost entirely. After the upheaval of the Revolutionary War and a five-year long return to France, Crà ¨vecoeur eventually returned to New York in 1783 in the capacity of First Consul of his Christian Majesty to the State of New York. In this lofty position Crà ¨vecoeur toiled to establish trading between the American  colonies and the French crown. In addition he also informed France and through France, Europe of what the lives, people and the continent of North America was truly like. Although Crà ¨vecoeur’s sojourns in the colonies were no doubt a source of great pride and accomplishment, they were also a time of hardship, suspicion and uncertainty. St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur’s experiences in North America and the colonies within were varied. In turn his life there was filled with successes. After being a competent soldier for France he became a farmer and raised a family that he loved and was proud of. He eventually reached a position of at least symbolic power where he found himself in a position to both help his motherland as well as foster greater understanding, appreciation and maybe even prosperity for a land and a nation that had been his home for most of his life. However, if one were to equate Crà ¨vecoeur’s experiences on the continent to be purely idyllic one would be sorely mistaken. In addition to the hardships of rural life he also had to experience suspicion and imprisonment during his time there. Crà ¨vecoeur, although naturalized as an American, was still very much a Frenchman. Although very much liberal for his times Crà ¨vecoeur still retained a healthy respect for religion and monarchy, twin pillars of the French elite. He was also enamored with English society and government, considered far more liberal and egalitarian by the French philosophers still under the reign of an absolute monarchy. His first book was in fact dedicated to Abbot Raynal whose work â€Å"Histoire philosophique et politique des à ©tablissements des Europà ©ens dans les deux Indes† (1770) inspired him to think about America and his situation. Furthermore, Crà ¨vecoeur’s own experiences and his reading of instilled him with the idea that the American colonies, with their religious tolerance. Although ultimately addressed to the higher strata of society, designed as a sort of quaint picture of pastoral utopia, his works are ultimately a celebration and an accolade to the workingman a nd the lower classes of the time. Crà ¨vecoeur is even sometimes credited with being the inventor of what would become the American Dream. Colonial American shaped Crà ¨vecoeur. The hardships of the rural life began to change his view of the rural idyll that we first see in his writings. The dangers of that life and the unrelenting and often unjust vagaries of the elements, neighbors and country life bore down on him. Although still somewhat in awe of some of the leaders that permitted the Revolution some of his writings tell a tale of disillusion with great leaders and the hero worship that resulted with some of the heroes of the American Revolution, namely Washington. The Revolution further marred Crà ¨vecoeur’s utopian take on the colonies and also the English themselves. To say that Crà ¨vecoeur is an interesting character of American history is an understatement. Having been witness to three distinct phases of colonial America. These are the pre-revolutionary period, the actual American Revolution itself and its aftermath. These various periods and stages in his life affect him deeply and modified his writings and his views. In conclusion, Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur embodies many things that characterized colonial America as both a land brimming with opportunity and a place and time steeped in brutality and harshness. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Patchell, Thomas â€Å"J. Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur† in Early American Nature Writers ed. by Daniel Patterson (London: Greenwood Press 2008), 103 Plotkin, A. Saint-John de Crevecoeur Rediscovered: Critic or Paneygyrist? French Historical Studies, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Spring, 1964) 403-404 Plumstead, A. W. â€Å"Crevecoeur: A â€Å"Man of Sorrows† and the American Revolution† The Massachusetts Review, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Summer, 1976) 287-288 St. John de Crevecoeur, John Letters from an American Farmer, 1783, ed. Albert Stone (New York, NY: Penguin American Library, 1981), 226-227 St. John de Crevecoeur, John Qu’est-ce qu’un Amà ©ricain? (ed. Howard Rice) (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1943

Vampires :: essays research papers

Vampires Vampires have been seen and documented throughout history. The history of vampires goes further back in time than most people realize. The chaldeans, who lived near the Euphrates river in the southwestern part of Asia more than five hundred years before the time of Christ , feared vampire or creatures similar to vampires enough so that they created charms to protect themselves from being attacked by such creatures. The Assyrians and the Babylonians feared a creature similar to a vampire known as an Ekimmu. These creatures known as Ekimmus were believed by the Assyrians to roam the planet searching for food although it was not always a persons blood but rather a persons' vitality or that persons' energy force. It was believed that if such a creature would enter someone's house that person along with his or her family would slowly weaken, get sick and probably die. In the countries of Syria and Palestine references were made to such blood sucking monsters on ancient carved tablets. In Ireland the people believed in these creatures, which they affectionately came to call "red blood suckers" . Due to their belief in these mythical creatures they began the practice of placing stones on these vampires graves to kep them from escaping.This then became standard practice and is still used to this day in the form of a tombstone. Tombstones were used to control ghosts and other spirits instead of their original use in controlling vampires. Due to the fact that vampires seemed to be so commonplace around the globe, there was a large variety of vampires that differed in shape, behavior and method of becoming a vampire. All of these factors varied from region to region. In the country of Bulgaria a vampire had only one nostril. This Bulgarian vampire would rise out of it's grave nine days after death in the form of a shower of sparks and remained in this shape for a period of forty days. After the completion of these forty days the shower of sparks would regain it's human form. Once human-like the vampire goes from playing childish tricks, which it did in it's "spark" form , to more serious matters , such as the attacking of humans and drinking of their blood. Vampires are well known for their craving for blood but in many countries vampires were not limited to just that substance as part of their diet, but would also consume foods that humans ate such as eggs and rice. That, however, does not mean that their yearn for blood was any weaker than before. Most vampires would attack their victims and suck

Conducting a Strategic Management Project Essay

Introduction Shell is one of the world’s leading energy group and petrochemicals companies. It has around102000 employees in more than 100 countries. The objectives of the Shell Group are to engage efficiently, responsibly and profitably in oil, oil products, gas, chemicals and other selected businesses and to participate in the search for and development of other sources of energy to meet evolving customer needs and the world’s growing demand for energy. Mission Statement Shell’s innovative approach ensures that they are ready to tackle the challenges of new energy futures. 1.1 Topic of investigation having a strategic implication. This report explains the team buildings and teams work in Shell and development of its research work progress within the organization. It also presents suitable analysis of the project management and planning, advisory and project implementation of work. In this report, positive results of theories and its test showed that effective teamwork can lead to a success and achieving critical goals of Shell. It may also be able to gain the sustainability of competitiveness. Moreover, study explains that how team performance can be improved through leadership with project planning to face the upcoming challenges in modern era of business environment Shell operates in. 1.2 The aim, scope and objectives of the project. †¢ How can we improve Shell’s research study about lubes oil? †¢ What strategy we should adapt for improving Shell’s research? †¢ How and effective team force can be made for this purpose? The aim of the project is to achieve such team management, technology and resources that meet the new emerging energy challenges. Shell need to adapt such management strategies which will make a strong workforce with experienced and skilful team members. Shell wants to be recognised as a great company-competitive successfully and a force for progress. Shell has a fundamental belief that they can make a difference in the world because of it’s worth in the global market. A strong consumer proposition has been developed for the brand and embodied in the line â€Å"World Quality† which communicates Shell value-based offering in a precise manner, to its core target audience. The purpose of the advertising in the first instance is to support this strong value pr oposition and secondly to tailor the media solution to the store. 1.3 Justifying the scope, aim and objective. In meeting the energy challenges, the world faces three hard truths. The first is that there has been a step-change in global energy demand, with rapidly developing countries like China and India entering the energy-intensive phase of growth. Even with huge improvements in energy efficiency and substantial growth in renewables, fossil fuels will still be the main element of the energy mix by mid-century. The second hard truth is that easy-to-access oil and gas is in decline. As a result, energy will come increasingly from unconventional sources, such as oil sands. The third hard truth is that the increased burning of fossil fuels especially coal for power generation could mean unacceptably high emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and climate change. Meeting the energy challenge Shell is helping to meet the energy challenge with a broad range of approaches. It uses advanced technologies that can unlock oil and gas in more remote or hostile environments, and new techniques to extend the lives of existing fields. We are increasing production from unconventional sources, including oil sands. Shell helps make the most of cleaner-burning natural gas through our output of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas to liquids (GTL) products. We are helping to develop second-generation bio fuels that do not compete with food crops; and we are developers of wind and solar power. 1.4 Evaluation of project research methodology. Methodolgy Research Study should be verified by seniors because all research is based on practical data and that data may vary by location of the research and by person. Need to Understand the Hypothesis before research and development. Which department are more feasible and which person is more interested and suitable for that research. Research should be complete on time. Research conduct at same time on different locations 2.1 Identify sources of data and information that will support the aim of the project. For a company like Shell having the right information about the environment, customs, laws and customer needs is of key importance. To gather this information the company will firstly see the law of the country in which it is going to start business, as we are talking about their business in UK the law allows this business. Here in UK there is a high demand it is a rich environment for the company to run their business. Data about this can be obtained by doing surveys and examining the current market i.e. by observing the similar businesses running in the country. Scanning the Environment In this research study, an appropriate approach of environmental scanning is considered in the industrial organisations that are operating in the chemical industry. Different types of information were used in this study. It included general information about the industry and specific about the participating companies. The type of data that was included was; †¢ Formal data that concerns the company’s character. †¢ Data that is publicly available, like in annual reports. †¢ Interviews of managers that provided the history and culture of the companies. This information was very important to analyse and research the topic and to see how other companies are operating in the industry. Strauss (1987) emphasizes the usefulness of the case study approach when used with grounded theory. Grounded theory seeks to generate theoretical statements and, ultimately, complex theories based on empirical evidence, although it can be used in different ways and reach various degrees of complexity. The research design framework adopted in this study can be described as a multiple case study, composed according to the theory building structure, as described by Yin (1989), i.e., where the sequence of chapters follow a theory-building logic, and using the grounded theory method of qualitative data analysis. 2.2 Synthesise the data and information for options or alternatives that support the project aims. An effective information infrastructure was implemented to assess the information required in this research, which included technological information, processes and information acquired by people. A rich collection of scientific and technical information was gathered, which was managed by professionals having different backgrounds. However, some companies just provided a consistent picture which was a small collection made up of journals, literature and reports mainly. The information being pervasive is one of the main reasons in having difficulty in accounting for the costs involved in the research as it depends on specific roles and their performance. The data that was collected showed that in medium or large chemical companies data and information was being handled by 50% staff while in smaller companies about 9% staff was involved. The scope of the companies was assessed by their li nks with Research and Development organisations and hoe they collaborate with the regulatory agencies. Strategic change Larger companies like Shell influence the planning adoption but some other factors also interfere with the tendency, for example in what form the organisation is and what is the management style of the organisation. No evidence was found that suggests that the subsector companies should adopt the planning technique as a planning tool. While, the planning offices are also rare and their main duty is to collect the difficult data which is needed by the top management for decision making. The strategic change analysed mainly talked about increasing the quality of the product, which includes mainly improving the conditions of production. Environmental protection was also an issue in some cases there were highly pollutant industries. Globalisation and diversification were also some important strategic changes. Companies that targeted globalization pursued growth in the industry but some companies just secured their positions in the internal market due to the threat of major competitors operating in the main market. Companies which had a little scope of growth adopted specialization. The main target was to improve the product quality. Some companies claimed that they always pursue improving the production quality while other companies admitted that they have to improve the quality of the product to satisfy the EC regulations. 2.3 Determine an option or alternative that supports the project aims. Other way of supporting the project aim is to use theoretical information and implement it directly on the company. Information is like team management theories. Inductive and deductive research can be used to gather information and to move towards the aim. Deductive research Deductive reasoning works from the more general to the more specific. Sometimes this is informally called a â€Å"top down† approach. Conclusion follows logically from premises Inductive research Inductive reasoning works the other way moving from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories. Informally, we sometimes call this a â€Å"bottom up† approach. Conclusion is likely based on premises..It involves a degree of uncertainty. Inductive type based on induction. Data is collected on a subject and researcher tries to develop theory from this data. 3.1 Evaluate the research analysis to enable conclusions to be made. Team Management It is difficult to build a team and maintain good working relationships. However, team members go through a number of development stages to work together effectively in team performance management. Individuals performing well are rewarded while those who are not performing good are motivated. The functions and roles of its members should be recognised by its team. The leader should establish continuous communication lines and set clear goals that are understood. A team that performs well accomplishes projects quickly and with less difficulty, misunderstanding, and divergence. Strategic Objectives Strategic goals or objectives are broad, high level aims, derived from organisation’s mission statement and purpose, affecting the whole organization (sometimes referred to as corporate aims). These will be: †¢ Long term (time horizon of several years), although they should be monitored regularly (typically annually) and may be revised periodically. †¢ Responsive to external factors such as new competition, changes in global economic conditions, or customer demands. The term ‘strategic’ denotes a particular focus of the managers’ planning and decision making responsibilities. Senior mangers focus mostly on ‘why’ questions, concentrating on the ‘big picture’ and providing vision and leadership for employees across the whole organisation. Alignment of team performance and corporate goals To achieve the corporate aims it is necessary that the direction of the teams is towards the long term strategic goal. Managers and team leaders have to keep in mind what they need to achieve overall. And hence, to control the teams in such a way that either they are working on long projects or short it’s all adding up to the final goal. In the case of Shell the main objective of the company is to provide good quality chemicals. To achieve this there has to be a proper direct and control system of the staff working at the stores from the top management to the staff working on the floor. A good communication and understanding will always lead to easy achievement of goals, satisfying the customer at the end. Mangers are supposed to take into account the demand and supply of the products to make sure every product is available on time and then work should be allocated to the subordinates in a proper system to get all the work done systematically and easily. Proper team management should be done by the supervisors and the team leaders. All the staff should be divided into small teams which have to work in different sections. Proper training should be given to all the team members and a standard way of achieving the goal. This performance target should be given to all the team members and should be monitored and reviewed constantly. This standard should be according to the company policy and should be according to health and safety and customer satisfaction oriented. Providing good work at the end of every shift, which is the availability of all the products on time with good customer service. 3.2 Recommend a course of action that achieves the project aim. Skills that need some development †¢ Communicating †¢ Decision-making †¢ Leadership †¢ Prioritizing †¢ Valuing and †¢ Skills need to be achieved. †¢ To respond problems, experiences and opportunities from which to learn. †¢ To generate ideas without constraints of policy or structure or feasibility. †¢ Involving with other people i.e ideas bouncing off them, solving problems as part of a team. †¢ Need to have a limelight/high visibility i.e can chair meetings, lead discussion, and give presentations. †¢ To be engaging myself in short, activities such as business games, competitive teamwork tasks, role playing exercises. Supporting Others †¢ Motivating †¢ Analysing †¢ Delegating †¢ Reporting 3.3 Analyse the impact of the recommendations. Training courses at Shell for career progression. Management Development Programme Includes: †¢ Consumer Legislation †¢ Customer Service †¢ Employment Law †¢ Health and Safety †¢ Human Resource Management †¢ Policies & Procedures Opportunity development builds competitive positions by identifying and utilizing opportunities in the environment. Opportunity development is necessary because your existing positions are constantly being degraded by change. Opportunities exist as â€Å"openings† in the environment that allow you to advance your position in the direction of your mission. These openings are usually small, but by taking advantage of the small openings, you eventually position yourself for the big advances you want. Training After the initial audit our ethical trade specialists work with the suppliers to support them through remediation of any issues that are found. Training is offered to suppliers on particular issues and best practice, at regular intervals. Shell is in the process of more than tripling the size of its own ethical trade team that focuses on training and intensive problem solving with its suppliers. These individuals are trained to the highest levels and are equipped to address endemic problems in the supply chain and come up with viable solutions for the suppliers. 4.1 Produce the results of the investigative project. The purpose of this study was to explain the team buildings and teams work in Shell and development of its research work progress within the organization. It also presents suitable analysis of the project management and planning, advisory and project implementation of work. In this report, positive results of theories and its test showed that effective teamwork can lead to a success and achieving critical goals of Shell. It may also be able to gain the sustainability of competitiveness. Moreover, study explains that how team performance can be improved through leadership with project planning to face the upcoming challenges in modern era of business environment Shell operates in. The main result was in the adoption of the learning and training courses within the company in order to prosper and enhance in the future. Shell is one of the leading companies in the world in the chemical an oil sector and it felt pride in taking these training and development steps in order to move forward and to achieve its project aim as a result of the research program. 4.2 Evaluate the impact of the investigative project The future sustainability of any organization heavily depends on the quality of project management to be able to cope with today’s dynamic business environment. There is direct co relation between stake holder business project and the people within the firm. Shell is one of the four largest companies in the UK and has been ranked number one of the top 100 graduate employers in the UK and all over the world. The sustainability of Shell competitive advantage of its brightest people is depending on the successful team work and leadership. The best leaders know how to get others to follow and the best team members know how to follow their leaders. REFRENCES BOOKS: Aguilar, F.J. (1967) Scanning the Business Environment. New York: McMillan. Robert , buttrick ,(2005).The project workout: pearso education limited Edinburgh gate Education 3rd (1) pp, 305-350 Strauss, A. & Corbin, J, (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. London: Sage. Strauss, A. (1987) Qualitative Analysis For Social Scientists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Total Quality Management: The route to improving performance by John S. Oakland (Hardcover – 15 Mar 1993) Shell employee control hand book 07/08 Personal development as a strategic manager unit 7001: level 7 strategic management and leadership CMI Checklist: †¢ Personal development planning †¢ Developing strategy for world class business E-learning †¢ Your role in improving personal effectiveness †¢ Development needs and planning development Web links: †¢ www.milum.net 13/12/2009 †¢ www.enotes.com 13/12/2009 †¢ www.quickmba.com 13/12/2009 †¢ www.managers.org.uk 10/12/2009 †¢ www.shell.co.uk 20/12/2009

Exploring the Myths of Minoan Bull Leaping

Fletcher, History 111B Minoan Bull Leaping Throughout Ancient History, many different animals are glorified and made â€Å"sacred† by cultures, often for religious reasons. We see everything from the ritual burials of cats in Ancient Egypt to the worship of Ganesha, the Elephant goddess of wisdom in Hindu traditions. The Bull is one of these historically revered animals, its use as a sacred symbol seen as far back as the Stone Age. Because it is such a common and useful animal, it was seen again and again in everything from astrology to folklore. Eventually, historical texts show reverence of the Bull reaching into Minoa.The Minoans were fascinated by the Bull, and created myths, symbols and religious ritual to give the Bull praise. One of the ways they did this was through â€Å"Bull Leaping†, a ritual in which an individual would stand head to head against a charging bull and proceed to vault over the animal using its own strength against it (Figure 1). Many researche rs have attempted to decipher what the ritual meant in context, but ultimately the rituals cultural significance has been lost to the ages. Assumptions have had to been made, and ultimately what is presented might be closer to hypothesized fantasies.To begin with, it is important to know why the Minoans became interested with the Bull in the first place. At the time, the Bull had been a sacred symbol for some 2300 years, and there are several possible explanations why the Bull continued to be so revered. One theory developed after examining the ancient mythologies and histories presented by Diodorus. Diodorus  hypothesized that some animal worship, including that of the Bull was a result of religious myth in which the gods, being threatened by giants, disguised themselves as animals.People then began to worship the animals that their god had transformed into, the Bull being one of these animals. Another theory deals with the religions of Minoa. The Minoans believed heavily in fema le goddesses, so much so as to referred to as a â€Å"matriarchal religion†. There was just one major male god represented in this society, known as the â€Å"earthshaker†. This god was astrological in nature, represented by a bull and the sun; He would die each autumn and reincarnate each spring. Through the astrological component of this theory, we can deduce that the Bull never stopped being revered since the finding of Taurus in the stars.Still, we cannot be sure why exactly the Bull was worshipped. There are dozens of theories, but many hinge on Greek mythology that might be embellished. German historian Walter Burket's constant warning is, â€Å"It is hazardous to project Greek tradition directly into the Bronze age. † With no absolutely definitive answer to explain the Minoan’s interest in the Bull, the next logical question to ask is what the jump signified, and why the Minoans did it. Some scholars seem to think that the jump was a religious rite , while others believed it to be a mode of entertainment and a show of superiority.The item in Figure 2 gives some context to both theories. Those supporting the religious motivation for Bull leaping cite the size of the bull, exaggeratedly large to show the Minoans’ respect for the power of the animals. Unfortunately, the same evidence works in arguments for the contrary. The exaggeration in size could be a display of how small the challenging human was compared to his counterpart, making the Bull leap an act of technical skill, displaying brains over mighty brawn. These two theories both fit, but ultimately the physical evidence discredits both of them. Both Figure 1 and Figure 2 display anatomically impossible vaults.In Figure 1, the Bull charging at full speed would never offer such a stable platform to vault from. When bulls charge they also lower one horn, aiming to impale. In Figure 2, the jump itself is impossible. The figure in the picture is perpendicular to the bul l, facing upwards, with arms stretched back. The physics of this vault are non-existent, and this clay piece was likely just an artist’s embellished portrayal. Bull Leaping, despite faulty evidences and no sure knowledge as to what it represented did occur in Minoan times. The actual event of bull leaping is still around today, in several European countries.From this, we know that at least the physical jump was possible. We must assume the idea to Bull leap came from somewhere, and Minoa presents the earliest depictions of the even. Frescos (paintings) can be found throughout Minoa, including the palace of Knossos, a well preserved port city in Minoa. One fresco (Figure 3) clearly shows a man leaping over a bull. The idea that it is a man doing the leaping is determined by skin color, as the Minoans, as did many ancient cultures of the time, color-coated males and females. That being said, there are two females in the picture.Scholars are perplexed as to what the women repres ent. They could indicate that women participated in the Bull leaping rite, or perhaps they symbolize some of the spectators. A personal suggestion is that the women are goddesses sent to protect the leaper. However, none of these hypotheses have any solid basis, and are all best-guess interpretations by scholars. In sum, there are many hypotheses to explain what Bull leaping was, what it meant in context and who participated in it. Many of these interpretations are loosely solidified in archeological evidence, but much of it is pure speculation.One thing we can know for sure is that because of the significance of the Bull in ancient culture, specifically to the Minoans, the Bull Leap was a true event to see. It would have been done with some skill, and perhaps with the grace of an athlete. It might have been a show of superiority over a wild animal, or perhaps a religious right to prove oneself to a god. Ultimately the true meaning of the event may be lost. Without more evidence, Mi noan Bull Leaping, a great spectacle once with a definitive reason behind it, may be reduced to just a few people jumping over bovines.Works Cited â€Å"A History of the World in 100 Objects. † BBC. 2010. http://www. bbc. co. uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/eU0DV7kOQ5inxmklD__YIw; (9/25/12) Brennan, Marie. â€Å"Bull-Leaping in Bronze Age Crete. † 2005. http://www. strangehorizons. com/2005/20050124/bull-leaping-a. shtml; (9/25/12). Bull-Leaping Diagram. â€Å"University of Kentucky Archives† , ND http://as-houston. ad. uky. edu/archive/Classics/aegean/fresco/fresco-Pages/Image31. html; (9/26/12) Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. English Edition. Basil Blackwater Publishers. 1985 Lubbock, John.The Origin of Civilization and the Primitive Condition of Man. Kessinger Publishing Company. Whitefish, Montana. 2005. Mlahanas. â€Å"Bull Mythology†. 2005. http://www. mlahanas. de/Greeks/Mythology/BullMythology. html; (9/26/12) Marinatos, Nanno. Minoan Kingship and the Solar Goddess: A Near Eastern Koine. NP. 1993. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Mlahanas 2005, par. 3 [ 2 ]. Lubbock 2005,  252 [ 3 ]. Marinatos 1993, 167 [ 4 ]. Burkert 1985, 24 [ 5 ]. â€Å"A History of the World in 100 Objects† 2010, par. 1 [ 6 ]. Brennan 2005, sec. 4 par. 1

The Life Processes essays

The Life Processes essays The best way to distinguish a living organism from a non-living organism is to determine whether it does or does not have a metabolism. A metabolism is the ongoing interrelated series of chemical interactions taking place in living organisms that provide the energy and nutrients needed to sustain life. Regulation, Growth, Nutrition, Excretion, Synthesis, Transport, Respiration, and Reproduction are the processes that make up the metabolism and are known as lifes processes. Regulation, also known as homeostasis, helps the body maintain a stable internal environment. If for some reason this stable environment is disconcerted, the organism will no longer be able to stay alive. Growth is the process that regulates the development and increase in size of an organism. Growth is extremely dependent on Nutrition. Nutrition is the process that utilizes food in order to grow. It is made up of three parts, Ingestion, Digestion, and Egestion. Ingestion is the taking in of the food, Digestion is the break down of the food from larger to smaller molecules, and Egestion is the undigested waste. Excretion is the life process that deals with wastes, after food is utilized for nutrition, the products no longer needed exit the body. Synthesis is the chemical process of smaller molecules evolving into larger molecules. Transport, the fifth life process, controls the movement of nutrients in and out of cells. The circulatory system is an organized transportation unit found in complex living organisms. Respiration is the process that releases energy from food with the help of ATP. The last life process is Reproduction. Reproduction allows for an organism to make its own kind to prevent extinction. There is asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction. In sexual reproduction, two cells from different organisms combine to produce a new being. In asexual reproduction, the newly born organism has only one parent. ...

Confidence Interval for a Population Proportion

Confidence Interval for a Population Proportion Confidence intervals can be used to estimate several population parameters. One type of parameter that can be estimated using inferential statistics is a population proportion. For example, we may want to know the percentage of the U.S. population who supports a particular piece of legislation. For this type of question, we need to find a confidence interval. In this article, we will see how to construct a confidence interval for a population proportion, and examine some of the theory behind this. Overall Framework We begin by looking at the big picture before we get into the specifics. The type of confidence interval that we will consider is of the following form: Estimate /- Margin of Error This means that there are two numbers that we will need to determine. These values are an estimate for the desired parameter, along with the margin of error. Conditions Before conducting any statistical test or procedure, it is important to make sure that all of the conditions are met. For a confidence interval for a population proportion, we need to make sure that the following hold: We have a simple random sample of size n from a large populationOur individuals have been chosen independently of one another.There are at least 15 successes and 15 failures in our sample. If the last item is not satisfied, then it may be possible to adjust our sample slightly and to use a plus-four confidence interval. In what follows, we will assume that all of the above conditions have been met. Sample and Population Proportions We start with the estimate for our population proportion. Just as we use a sample mean to estimate a population mean, we use a sample proportion to estimate a population proportion. The population proportion is an unknown parameter. The sample proportion is a statistic. This statistic is found by counting the number of successes in our sample and then dividing by the total number of individuals in the sample. The population proportion is denoted by p and is self-explanatory. The notation for the sample proportion is a little more involved. We denote a sample proportion as pÌ‚, and we read this symbol as p-hat because it looks like the letter p with a hat on top. This becomes the first part of our confidence interval. The estimate of p is pÌ‚. Sampling Distribution of Sample Proportion To determine the formula for the margin of error, we need to think about the sampling distribution of pÌ‚. We will need to know the mean, the standard deviation, and the particular distribution that we are working with. The sampling distribution of  pÌ‚ is a binomial distribution with probability of success p and n trials. This type of random variable has a mean of p and standard deviation of (p(1 - p)/n)0.5. There are two problems with this. The first problem is that a binomial distribution can be very tricky to work with. The presence of factorials can lead to some very large numbers. This is where the conditions help us. As long as our conditions are met, we can estimate the binomial distribution with the standard normal distribution. The second problem is that the standard deviation of  pÌ‚ uses p in its definition. The unknown population parameter is to be estimated by using that very same parameter as a margin of error. This circular reasoning is a problem that needs to be fixed. The way out of this conundrum is to replace the standard deviation with its standard error. Standard errors are based upon statistics, not parameters. A standard error is used to estimate a standard deviation.  What makes this strategy worthwhile is that we no longer need to know the value of the parameter p. Formula To use the standard error, we replace the unknown parameter p with the statistic pÌ‚. The result is the following formula for a confidence interval for a population proportion: pÌ‚ /- z* (pÌ‚(1 - pÌ‚)/n)0.5. Here the value of z* is determined by our level of confidence C.  For the standard normal distribution, exactly C percent of the standard normal distribution is between -z* and z*.  Common values for z* include 1.645 for 90% confidence and 1.96 for 95% confidence. Example Lets see how this method works with an example.  Suppose that we wish to know with 95% confidence the percent of the electorate in a county that identifies itself as Democratic.  We conduct a simple random sample of 100 people in this  county and find that 64 of them identify as a Democrat. We see that all of the conditions are met.  The estimate of our population proportion is 64/100 0.64.  This is the value of the sample proportion pÌ‚, and it is the center of our confidence interval. The margin of error is comprised of two pieces.  The first is z*.  As we said, for 95% confidence, the value of z* 1.96. The other part of the margin of error is given by the formula (pÌ‚(1 - pÌ‚)/n)0.5.  We set pÌ‚ 0.64 and calculate the standard error to be (0.64(0.36)/100)0.5 0.048. We multiply these two numbers together and obtain a margin of error of 0.09408.  The end result is: 0.64 /- 0.09408, or we can rewrite this as 54.592% to 73.408%.  Thus we are 95% confident that the true population proportion of Democrats is somewhere in the range of these percentages.  This means that in the long run, our technique and formula will capture the population proportion of 95% of the time. Related Ideas There are a number of ideas and topics that are connected to this type of confidence interval.  For instance, we could conduct a hypothesis test pertaining to the value of the population proportion.  We could also compare two proportions from two different populations.

Expression of power in art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Expression of power in art - Essay Example A great deal of information about the Egyptian culture and religion can be gained from the pyramids. The most obvious function of the pyramids was to serve as funerary complexes for the pharaohs whose bodies were preserved and kept here with the provisions needed for their afterlife. The pyramids served as the ceremonial cites and places of worship where the people worship the deceased king as God. In the Egyptian culture since the king was considered God, the line between politics and religion was very thin. Pharaohs used the beliefs of the people on their godhood to command unquestioned obedience and authority. The Stepped Pyramid and mortuary precinct of Djoser, Saqqara, Egypt, was built between 2630-2611 BCE. The shape of the pyramid with the slopes on the four sides protruding inward into structures that are raised toward the highest point representing the Pharaoh, also shows how pharaohs were deified. These pyramids give us an understanding of the political and cultural structu re of the kingdoms where the pharaoh was the single authority over the people and the affairs of the kingdom. The religion of the Egyptians centered on sun worship and their preoccupation with death and afterlife. Numerous symbolisms found in Egyptian art and hieroglyphics found on these pyramids points towards this idea. Egyptian art abounds with symbolism. The pharaoh's regalia symbolize power and his ability to control his environment. Colours also had special significance. While blue represented the river Nile, red represented power and authority and yellow represents the sun. These colors were used to show the pharaohs as all-powerful kings. Roman art and architecture has a lot of value while studying the expression of power and authority through the medium of art. The Romans ruled a vast and diverse group of people of different cultures, languages and dialects. The best means to demonstrate their power to the masses and the other rulers was the use of art. In specific we will discuss the Trajan's column erected between 106 and 113 AD by Roman emperor Trajan. This monument is an overt statement about his conquests and military power. The historical episodes are depicted in a sweeping narrative running around the huge column. Trajan is depicted many times in many different contexts, but his form is always majestic and larger than life. The narrative is the story of his courage, accomplishments and power. One can see very clearly that his images are carved with this purpose in mind. The details of the clothes, armor and shields of both armies are clearly distinguished and Trajan is depicted as the victor in no unclear term s. The fact that the enemies are not stripped of their dignity shows the way Trajan wanted to be portrayed as a good king throughout his empire. The expression of power is part and parcel of most Islamic monuments and forts. The gilt domes of the worship places are symbols of not only the holy place but also the rich kings and patrons who have been instrumental in building them. In a culture in which religion and state functioned together, complementing the growth of each other, it was only natural that their art had both religious and political connotations. The decorations on these buildings comprise a wide array of symbols depicting power. The high and mighty towers with huge gates and winding walls are also an expression of the military and defense might of the rulers. One of the best preserved sites