Business Plan For Sunshine Bakery Essay

Sunshine Bakery will be specializing in visually attractive cupcakes and cakes. There has been a significant increase in demand for whimsical, overindulgent and visually stimulating cakes, and Sunshine Bakery will target special events such as weddings, birthdays, christenings, bachelorette parties and stork teas. The Products Sunshine offers a wide range of speciality cakes. All the flavours will be available in both cupcakes or cakes. The different flavours on offer are: vanilla, lemon, strawberry, chocolate, cheesecake, cherry cream and blue berry. Customers Sunshine will focus on three distinct customer segments. The first group is the wedding group. This segment is growing at 15% a year with 32,000 potential customers. The second niche is the parties group. This segment is also growing at 15% with 14,200 potential people. The last group is the individual buyer (walk-in) group. This niche also is growing at 15% with 48,000 possible customers. Management Team Recognizing the importance of human capital, Sunshine has assembled a strong management team. The team is led by Merlin Hull. Merlin comes to Sunshine with 10 years of baking experience. In addition to her industry specific experience, Merlin has had 2 years of management experience. Robert Morgan brings financial skills to Sunshine after a 15 year CPA career. Marlene Hendricks will lead the marketing efforts having participated in her own PR firm. Lastly, Debbie Reitz will be on the team as an assistant baker with over five years of experience. Objectives To establish a working storefront for Sunshine Bakery. To develop the strong presence in the community needed to support sales goals. To develop a full menu by the end of the second quarter. Mission Sunshine Bakery aims to be a cornerstone in the community creating a  neighbourhood atmosphere where customers feel comfortable and become instant regulars.We seek fair and responsible profit, enough to keep the company financially healthy for the long term and to fairly compensate owners and investors for their money and risk. Company Summary Sunshine Bakery will be located in downtown Mellville in a historical building. This downtown district is a very popular destination because of the historical architecture for weekenders and tourists. Company Ownership Currently Sunshine Bakery is a sole proprietorship owned by Merlin Hull. Eventually, as the company becomes established, Sunshine Bakery will apply to be incorporated. Start-up Summary The primary expense to establish the Sunshine Bakery is the mortgage loan estimated at R1,750,000 to purchase the vacant space on 7th street. The building was previously used as a bakery and we plan to buy the used equipment along with the space. This cost is also calculated into the loan estimate. Merlin Hull intends to invest R70,500 of her savings to cover the other cost of start-up. These costs include: Advertising brochures. Bakery ingredients. Insurance. Bakery accessories, i.e. paper bags, cartons, etc. Products Sunshine Bakery provides specialized cakes and cupcakes at premium prices for special occasions. The following flavours will be available vanilla, lemon, strawberry, chocolate, cheesecake, cherry cream and blue berry. Market Analysis Summary Our focus will be to target weddings, birthday parties, Easter celebrations, bachelorette parties and stork teas. Market Segmentation Our target market consists of three groups: The Wedding Group The wedding industry is booming and Sunshine bakery will focus on this group for whom a premium price can be charged for specialized and custom made cakes or cupcakes. The Parties Group This group will probably pre-order a variety of flavours, and it is not such a labour intensive order, because they will probably go for the less expensive option of choosing our standard products. The Individual Buyer or â€Å"Walk-in† Group Sunshine’s premises in the Bellville area, is a very popular destination because of the historical architecture for weekenders and tourists, which makes this segment a lucrative option. We will focus on window display to attract passersby. Target Market Segment Strategy In our target market, we will mainly focus on the â€Å"wedding group† since they will spend the most per order. We expect that the â€Å"parties† and the ‘†individual buyer† group will make up a smaller portion of our customers. We are specifically filling the speciality cakes needs of the â€Å"wedding group†, so we expect the most business from this group. Industry Analysis Sunshine Bakery competes in the Food Services Industry. In addition to competing with other specialized cakes bakeries, it competes with all restaurants, delis, bakeries and supermarkets for a share of its customers’ food expense. Sunshine is most concerned with competitors who differentiate their products and services with a creative and arty focus. Because this group is so large, Sunshine has chosen to limit its analysis to other specialized cakes bakeries. Competition and Buying Patterns Currently there are two bakeries in town that provide specialized cakes: Cupcakes from Heaven Strengths: Stocks freshly baked cupcakes and cakes. Well-  established bakery in town. Sells cakes in local grocery stores. Weaknesses: Does not provide a wide selection of flavours. Furthermore the texture and flavor of their cakes is very dense and lacks zest. Life is Beautiful Patisserie Strengths: Makes cakes and brownies every day. Will make custom-ordered non- gluten cakes. Weaknesses: Does not produce a wide selection or large quantity of cupcakes. Their main focus is traditional flavour large cakes. Strategy and Implementation Summary Our strategy focuses on serving a niche market with quality goods. We are determined to become a part of the community—an establishment that becomes as much of the community as a church or local grocery store. To achieve these goals, we will provide the following: Friendly, neighbourhood-feel atmosphere Quality baked goods for everyone to enjoy at a fair price Visually attractive cakes and cupcakes Coffee sales will be higher in winter months, and for summer months sales of sodas Competitive Edge Our competitive edge is our quality of goods. We use only products of the highest quality that create incredible feathery cakes that can’t be matched. We also focus mainly on whimsical and modern flavours and designs. The other bakeries in town focus on traditional flavours. Sales Strategy Our strategy focuses on building a customer base by providing good customer experience. With the addition of the coffee bar and lunch menu in early spring, we hope to have customers make the bakery their one-stop destination for breakfast or lunch. In the summer, when we open the outdoor patio, more and more customers will make the bakery a destination for their lunches more often since the atmosphere will be so pleasing. Sales Forecast Our sales forecast assumes the following changes: Cake sales in the summer months will be slightly higher since the wedding season is at its peak during summer months. Coffee sales will increase  during winter months. Please insert a Sales forecast graph here, indicating the projected sales for 12 months. Management Summary Merlin Hull is the founder of Sunshine Bakery. She brings to the bakery her experience as a baker and as an entrepreneur. She has worked as a baker for over 10 years including two years as an apprentice in a well-known Paris patisserie. As a teenager she helped her parents at the family’s general store, both in sales and marketing. For her last two years at her family’s store, she was the general employee manager. Her duties at the bakery will include employee hiring and training, head baker and store management. Robert Morgan has run his own successful CPA consulting firm for 15 years. His duties will include the bookkeeping, inventory management and stock fulfilment. Marlene Hendricks runs her own PR company and will be assisting the Sunshine Bakery in its marketing campaigns on a part-time basis.

The Heliocentric Science

Samir Okasha showed in his book, â€Å"Philosophy of Science: A very short introduction†, what makes science a distinct body of knowledge which make use of â€Å"observations, experiments and theory-constructions† as can be reflected on the works of `De Revolutionibus` by Nicholaus Copernicus and `Letter to The Grand Duchess, Christina` by Gallileo. The works had been both controversial since they are against the normal view during their time. Okasha’s book is useful in understanding the concept of scientific revolutions, or the changes in scientific paradigm which can be reflected in the works of Galileo and Copernicus. This essay would like to show how Okasha’s work can help in understanding the works of great scientists, specifically Copernicus and Gallileo. The essay would focus on the theme of scientific revolution. The essay would start with an introduction of science prior to the time of Copernicus and Galileo. The prevailing science and the role of religion would be highlighted to emphasize the difference between the roles of these two. The highlights of Copernicus’ work would be discussed. It will be followed by the defense made by Galileo against his retractors. Finally, the concept of scientific revolution would be defined and the works of Copernicus and Galileo would be analyzed based on this context. Okasha explained that prior to the development of modern science that started during the 1500, science had largely been Aristotelian. This means that most of the things that are regarded as scientific are based upon the findings and writing of Aristotle. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who studied several areas of knowledge including astronomy, physics, chemistry and biology. Particularly, he put forward that the earth is spherical and finite. Aristotle believed that the movement of the planets is in circular motion. Aristotle also supports the notion that earthly bodies are composed of â€Å"four elements: earth, water, air and fire†. Another important figure in pre-Copernican science was Ptolemy. The well-known geocentric model was set upon by this man before 170 AD. According to his model, the Earth is the center of the Solar System. Everything revolves around Earth. He used the concept of epicycles and equant to describe the movement of the planets and other heavenly bodies. Both Aristotle and Ptolemy hold that the Earth is stationary or does not move. They believe that the heavens –the sun, the planets and the stars are the ones that move. Both also believe that the stars are fixed in the heavens. They imagined that there are shells that hold the heavenly bodies. Science, especially astronomy, had been based on these two thinkers for over 1000 years. Thus, knowledge had been highly dominated and is profoundly based on their ideas. Being able to survive from generations after generations and being unchallenged for more than 1000 years, it is only apparent that these sciences are considered as normal and at some point natural. More particularly, Christianity as a religion gained authority which controlled or dictate knowledge based on their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. Since the geocentric model is compatible with what is written in the Christian doctrines, it was considered as an absolute truth. During this period new discoveries would only be accepted if it does not contradict the Bible and if the evidences are too compelling that it cannot be disregarded by common sense. Nonetheless, no matter how perfect a normal science is -at first, anomalies would arise which produces doubt about normal science. There will be instances that run contrary to the accepted facts. At some point, these anomalies are treated as exceptions to the rule. However, as mentioned above, Okasha mentioned that one of the defining marks of science is the ability to construct theories which almost always generalizable. As anomalies builds up, the reliability of the theory weaken. New explanations are sought through experiments and observations. New theory is formulated which displace the previous theory. This process of change in accepted science is regarded as Scientific Revolution. One of the most prevalent examples of this shift in scientific belief is the Copernican Revolution. This revolution happened shortly after Nicholas Copernicus published his work â€Å"De Revolutionibus†. This work explicates the possibility that the sun is the center of the Solar System and not the earth. Copernicus tried to explain, at his best, the proof for this change in the model of the universe. Copernicus, himself, had been wary of publishing this discovery. It was not until he was sure about his explanation that he decided to publish his work. He received the first copy of his work before he died. Since Copernicus served as a canon in Frauenburg, Copernicus undertook extreme caution not to upset the church with his discover. Thus, although he had his discoveries in 1515, he decided not to announce his views publicly. Instead he tried to gather more evidence and revised his work. The book consists of six volumes. The first part explained the heliocentric model and the reason why this is so. According to Copernicus, he decided to try the sun-centered model due to the massive contradictions and inconsistencies that he found in the Ptolemaic model. The great number of anomalies involved calls for a new approach. Copernicus explained that the Earth is not fixed or is not stationary. He described the movement of the planets on their axis. This movement, now known as rotation, denotes the movement of the sun and the heavens from east to west. Copernicus also acknowledges that the planets revolve around the sun. He identified the number of days before the known planets can complete one revolution around the sun. Furthermore, the Copernican model also explained the changes in seasons and the advent of eclipses. In the later volumes, Copernicus tried to explain the movements of the other planets and he also explained the process on how he arrived to his conclusion. Since the book detailed explanation about the movement of the planets that are contrary to the literal meaning of the words in the Bible, it is expected that few people would consider and accept the idea. Removing Earth in the center of the universe seems to be a very strange idea that would overthrow the thought that God had made man as something special and that everything exists or was made for man. Okasha cited that the book was â€Å"banned in 1616 based on the assessment of the Catholic Church that the contents of the book contravene with those of the Holy Scriptures†. Copernicus had managed to gain popularity despite being criticized by the Catholic Church. Upon the invention of the telescope by Galileo Galilee, new evidences that support Copernicus findings arose. One of the critical observations made by Galileo was the presence and movement of sunspots. This discovery reiterated the fact that indeed heavenly bodies move in their axis or rotates. As Galileo published his discoveries, he gained negative response and was even accused of being a heretic. To this end, he wrote the `Letter to The Grand Duchess, Christina` with the purpose of clearing his name. In this letter he explained his current situation and his findings. Galileo identified his retractors to include those who judge his work without reading and understanding its contents. Galileo stated that those who are against him are the people â€Å"who has greater fondness to their opinions than truth†. As it appears, this seems to be the case since those that accused Galileo as a heretic did so despite overwhelming evidence from Copernicus and from the findings of Galileo himself that indeed hat is in the center of the Solar System. Galileo tried to clear his name by arguing that his retractors tried to show that his ideas are novel. It appears therefore that the action towards Galileo is a personal attack since previous authors or â€Å"confirmer† such as Copernicus was not mentioned during discussion of his work. He argued that Copernicus was not mentioned because his actions and findings were supported by the Catholic Church. To ensure that Copernicus book will be published, the preface was edited and it was explained that the book only reflects the hypothesis of a single man. Copernicus also addressed the pope in his book regarding the possibility that someone would â€Å"dare to condemn and censure this hypothesis †¦ upon the authority of some scriptural passage twisted to their purpose (Galilei and Finocchiaro, 1989)†. Being accused as a heretic, Galileo argued that his findings are not contradictory to the Bible. He explained that the words in the bible should not be taken literally. Galileo defended himself by making clear that the bible was made in a language and with the information that the masses or the common people can understand. For instance the higher mysteries such as the essence of God himself where described using human qualities and by referring to nature. Galileo elucidate the fact that the Bible did not necessarily discuss the heavens. The writers of the Bible only include those things that are necessary for people to live a â€Å"blessed life†. Galileo summed this argument by citing a statement he heard from an ecclesiastic â€Å"the intentions of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how the heaven goes†. In the end, the heliocentric model is now accepted as the legitimate model of the solar system. This fact had been confirmed by several sense-experience evidences. The process whereby science changes from normal to revolutionary and back to normal science again is known as the Scientific Revolution. The process is continuous since everything known as science is fallible. Although it is hard to think that there are other models of the solar system other than the heliocentric version, there had been several additions and further discoveries that might change the normal concept of the solar system. With respect to the idea of scientific revolutions, Okasha discussed the arguments put forward by Thomas Kuhn regarding the nature of scientific change. Kuhn coined the term paradigm to represent normal science. A paradigm is consists of â€Å"fundamental assumptions accepted by the scientific community and had solved theoretical problems with the aid of the fundamental assumptions (Okasha, 2002)†. The old paradigm are replaced ones anomalies, such as those mentioned above, exists continually. Scientist and thinkers would try to find a new way of explaining things by taking into account the corrections that must be made. The geocentric model had been accepted as true for more than 1000 years. Although there had been accounts and beliefs that the sun is at the center of the Solar System, they all remained as hypothetical assumptions. The work of Copernicus paved the way for an exposure of the anomalies while establishing a new paradigm. Galileo succeeded in convincing the scientific community, through the use of his invention, to accept the new paradigm. With the aid of Okasha’s book, one is able to get a better view of how the works of Copernicus and Galileo represent the concept of scientific revolutions. It also showed how resistance can affect the acceptance of new paradigm and how new sciences are produced. The process of revolution in the sciences does not take overnight but it takes decades or even centuries to develop.

Ethically acceptable research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethically acceptable research - Essay Example These rules were made regarding overflow of putting predication on nonscientific explanation and experiences rather than on proof. The primary practices at the origin of evidence-based practice can be categorized into three steps: Evidence based regulation specifies the way in which criminologists make decisions based on the identification of rating its reliability scientifically. Hence, it eliminates exceptionally dangerous practices in favor of those that have better results. One of the forms that the regulation may take is a form based on social control theory which is expressed through law as bills, rules, and policies against any nonstandard behaviors. It measures the amount of people connected to their society to the probability of them committing a crime. This can be situational and not as much reliable as evidence based regulation as instances have been seen where people commit crime as a habit or other strange examples. Moreover, as social control theory is based on hypothesis it can always be proved wrong. It is based on the explanatory and predictive form of research research. Probabilistic assumption is another form of the regulation in which professionals assume that an effect will likely occur if specific causes are present. It eliminates the need for any scientific research which is, again, much more accurate and reliable than probability. Criminology and criminal justice are social sciences meaning that these are highly influenced by any political or social incidents taking place in a particular society. Ethically, invasion of privacy, potential harm and deception are protected by law. In addition, researchers should be aware, at all times, of the influence of the research on the society. Hence, to me, evidence based regulation is the most reliable and effective use of proving the crime as it uses reasonable explanations of

The Great Khan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Great Khan - Research Paper Example Chinggis Khan considered an influential leader, because he arranged and ensured the Mongols were well equipped so that they could overpower resisting forces and empiresii. In addition, Khan also believed in the power of organized communication because through effective communications respect would be exercised within the army. He ensured the army knew the significance of communication and information flowed easily between the squad and himself. Preparation was another factor used by Khan, to organize his army. He ensured the Mongols were well prepared before any fight. This allowed them adequate time to be ready for enemies. He also advocated for a well-laid plan before the army was involved in any battle. Khan was also known to be merciless. This feature made his soldiers respect him as a leader and thus he stood unopposed all the time. Mongols success can be attributed to Khan’s leadership skillsiii. The style in which Khan organized and equipped his army provided the Mongol s the power to defeat resisting forces and empires. The decisions made by Khan made the Mongols the most powerful empire in history. In addition, the military power of Mongols was considered the most powerful until the 20th century. The armies under the control of Khan were trained in magnificent tactics. The soldiers were required to master the use of horses and bows so that they could not lose in battles. Khan’s objective was to unite the diverse tribes into one and rule Asia. Khan believed in two philosophies â€Å"divide and conquer† and â€Å"strength in numbers†. The main tactic used by his soldiers involved dividing them into large groups, and surrounding their target before ambushing and conquering. The strength in numbers philosophy applied by ensuring more tribes united to develop the Mongolsiv. Mongol empire spread rapidly out of Asia by 1260. The empire destroyed old and powerful kingdoms in the Middle East and spread as far west as Egypt and Poland. The empire was the most powerful because of its war tactics applied in battlesv. The empire stretched as far as Russia. Mongol leadership in these areas incorporated them to the rest of the world. In addition, trade between Europe and Asia was promoted. The impact of Mongol empire and its unification factor could be felt even after it collapsed. One of the most significant legacies of the Mongol age is the development of the modern nation state that developed out of the ruins of the past Khanates. For over 400 years, unified china was inexistencevi. However, the Mongol empire established one country from three states, since, then China known to be unified as one state to date. Russia was also a development of the Mongols. Russia applied the centralization rule from the Mongols who had destroyed the decentralized governance of kievian Russia. Iran is another state affected by the Mongol rule. Prior to invasion by the Mongols, Iran had adopted Arabic culture used by most of the Middl e East countries. Mongols features dominated the governance and economic system applied by the Iranian government. The Mongol assisted in reinstating â€Å"shahname† as the Iranian state epic and in the introduction of â€Å"shism† that became dominant in later yearsvii. Europeans embraced the changes brought by Mongols in the world. Internationalization of Europe was largely motivated by Mongols. European countries embraced the

For postmodernists, the debate on whether the mass media has created a Essay

For postmodernists, the debate on whether the mass media has created a mass culture is no longer tenable. Evaluate this claim - Essay Example However, in this globalised world, these geographical lines have blurred due to the far reaching media. That is, omnipresent media reaches various territories cutting across geographical lines and covers the activities of specific cultures and broadcasts or reports in a certain way, so that culture becomes a mass culture. In today’s age of technology and information, media influences every aspect of human life. The thinking and the attitude of the people towards a particular issue is shaped by the media or shaped by how the media shows or broadcasts or reports. The manner in which cultures are represented in media has a major impact on the way people look and imbue that culture. The mainstream mass media in the form of television, movies, newspapers, internet, etc has the ability to dominate the airwaves as well as the ‘mind waves’ of the spectators or audience, ‘injecting’ their view as our view. This form of injecting their view as our view mainly leads to the creation of mass culture. From earlier centuries, it is a common knowledge that for a nation to reach the top echelons, its armed forces has to be strong. But, now along with the armed power or â€Å"hard power†, the concept of â€Å"Soft Power† or mass media is turning out to be one of the vital factors for a nation’s development and importantly for the development of mass culture. With media entering majority of the homes and thereby minds of majority of the world population, it is used by nations, organizations and many other entities to optimally tune the people’s mind, making many of them exhibit specific behaviours, thereby leading to the formation of a mass culture. Thus, mass media is playing a major and influencing role in the creation of mass culture and this notion has found favour among majority of the Postmodernist thinkers. Jean Baudrillard, French sociologist and a

Anselm's Proslogion, Chapter II--The Ontological Proof of God Essay

Anselm's Proslogion, Chapter II--The Ontological Proof of God - Essay Example However, to maintain the position, the atheist would have to add another attribute, that of â€Å"existing in reality,† to supposedly make it the â€Å"greatest possible being†. It is just as if someone had claimed 7 to be the â€Å"largest possible number†; you could always add a number to make it greater. And when an atheist does add the attribute of existence, then he is no longer an atheist. This is a brief summary of the ontological argument. The immediate response this argument received was from Gaunilo of Marmoutiers, a Benedictine monk, who predictably flipped the tables and applied the same set of arguments to prove the existence of the Lost Island, in order to demonstrate how the argument is fundamentally flawed. However, the argument was critiqued on the grounds that the very concept of â€Å"the greatest conceivable being† does not apply to Islands, or any objects as such, and that it applies to God alone. One of the popular criticisms of St. Anselm’s argument is theological, proposed by St. Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologica, who questioned the soundness of the initial premise of Anselm’s argument, stating one cannot possibly know the essence of God; ergo it is beyond humanly possible to adequately consider that premise. He also strikes a major blow to the first premise, pointing out that not everyone necessarily conceives God to be the ‘greatest possible being’, seeing that some have believed God to be a body. The criticism leveled by St. Thomas Aquinas was so strong, that it was said to have laid the argument dormant for centuries. David Hume also leveled a criticism against cosmological argument in his work Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, which broadly applies to the Ontological Argument as well. Hume stated that existence of something cannott be established based on a priori reasoning. And whatever we

STRATEGIC REVIEW OF TESCO PLC UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

STRATEGIC REVIEW OF TESCO PLC UK - Essay Example By understanding the environment in which you operate (external to your company or department), you can take advantage of the opportunities and minimize the threats. (RAPIDBI) Specifically the PEST or PESTLE analysis is a useful tool for understanding risks associated with market growth or decline, and as such the position, potential and direction for a business or organization. Political Environment: Political forces influence the legislations and government rules and regulations under which the firm operates. Every company faces political constraints in the form of antitrust laws, fair trade decisions, and tax programs, minimum usage legislations, pollution and pricing policies, administrative activities and many other actions, aimed at protecting the consumers and the local environment. In 2001, The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) introduced a Supermarkets' Code of Practice to regulate trading relationships between the four largest UK supermarkets and their suppliers. Economic Environment: Economic factors clearly indicate the nature and direction of the economy in which a firm operates. Every market is unique and consumption patterns change along with the wealth of the consumers in various market segments. For strategic planning all the economic trends at national and international levels have to be considered. Tesco makes a significant contribution to economic activity in all the places in which it operates. Every week over 400,000 staff serves over 30 million customers in 13 countries. The company has to its credit a track record of providing value for customers, creating jobs and training, providing opportunities for suppliers and regenerating deprived areas. The business relationship of Tesco is with nearly 2,000 own-brand primary suppliers in 98 countries. Social Environment: The social environment is an important factor as changes in the values, beliefs, attitudes, opinions and lifestyles in society create potential opportunities for an organization. For a company to grow, it is necessary to take advantage of societal changes. The cultural, demographic, religious, educational and ethnic conditioning of individuals in society affects the social environment. One of the most important values in which Tesco believes is to treat people how it would like to be treated. The company strives hard to achieve this by being a good employer and by playing its part in local communities. People believe that they the company can use its size and success to be a force for good. This challenge is indeed accepted by Tesco with enthusiasm and commitment. Technological Environment: Technological environment means the trends and developments in the technological field that might: improve production, create new product opportunities, and render the existing ones.

PA Mod 5 disc Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

PA Mod 5 disc - Assignment Example y include improving its coordination with other emergency response agencies as well as its unity of command, modernizing its information systems to boost counterterrorism. Lastly, the reports recommendations also suggest that FBI should improve its strategic analysis of terrorist networks and groups as well as their communication methods. A number of the Commission’s recommendations have to some extent been implemented both by the subsequent laws and the executive order. For example, unity of command has significantly improved through the establishment of a joint action where information sharing (Decker, 188) On the other hand, the agency has learnt how to communicate and work in harmony with each other. The allocation of a portion of the radio spectrum called the â€Å"D-block† directly to public safety for a nationwide network, which would in-turn ensure a network of communication between the agencies has also been adopted. In conclusion, the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission’s report recommendations have largely been good for the agency because they have not only enhanced the power of the agency to collect data and intercept communication but also to collect information during the investigation of terrorism. Although it is hard to tell whether the proposed reforms will help in terrorism prevention, I believe these new provisions will work toward ensuring that FBI as an agency is able to fight terrorism

Scoore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Scoore - Essay Example Not only is soccer one of the world's most popular sports, but it is also one of the oldest, with a deep and rich history dating back thousands of years. It is not known where soccer originated from, but there is evidence that a version of the sport was played during the Roman and Greek eras and also during the Han dynasty in China. Despite being played in various forms around the globe, it is the English who are credited with forming the modern version of what we call soccer. In the early 1800s soccer was played at many English universities and schools under what were known as the Cambridge Rules. It was not until 1863 when the Football Association of England was formed and agreed on a set of rules by which to play the game. Through colonization, the British were able to spread the game of soccer to every corner of the earth. In 1904, FIFA was established to control the game on a worldwide level, as by that stage the sport was popular throughout much of Europe and South America. Twe nty-six years later the first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay. Since that time there has been a further 18 tournaments have been held, with the next one scheduled for 2014 in Brazil. In recent years the game of soccer has also caught onto a female audience. There are now many female soccer players who play professionally, particularly in the United States and England. Since 1991 there has been six FIFA Women's World Cups, with the next one to be held in Canada in 2015. Wayne Rooney is the soccer player that I most admire because of his skill on the pitch and style that he plays. He now plays for Manchester United in England, and he has played for more than 10 years with his national team. He is the most widely respected player on the England team, and all of his opponents recognize him as the danger man when they play against his team. Rooney first became famous back in 2002 when he was only 16 years old. In a match for his boyhood team Everton, he scored a late winner against a star studded Arsenal team. Since that time Rooney has been treated like a superstar by the media and fans. I must say that I am in awe of his ability to play soccer because he always plays with a determination on his face that I can only admire. However, Rooney is also a controversial player too because some people don't like his fierce personality. I must admit that there are times when he frustrates fans, such as when he tried to engineer a move away from Manchester United. What I do know is that he will very soon become the record goal scorer for both Manchester United and England, and if he achieves those feats then he will go down as one of the best British soccer players ever to have played the game. Although I do like Wayne Rooney as a soccer player, my favorite team would have to be Barcelona. The reason is that they play in a style that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and it almost seems effortless when they play. Over the past few years they have dominated European so ccer, winning many league titles in Spain and also the Champions League in Europe a couple of times. This is in large part thanks to the genius that is Lionel Messi. He is widely recognized as the best soccer player on the planet, and it is hard to argue against this because he has been the FIFA World Player of the Year four years running. Apart from Messi there are many other great players on the Barcelona team, such as Xavi, Iniesta, and Neymar. The thing that I

Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human resources - Essay Example The assessment procedures require standardisation in order to present a fair platform for all interested participants. As such, test design and validation is required when creating a standardised assessment process. Test design and validation are key principles in the assessment process during selection of personnel that ensure relevance of tests been administered. In essence, test validation highlights the process of establishing relations between the test administered and the job in question. The validity of a test is critical when selecting a test as it refers to the characteristic being measured and how well the test produces the best results. Validity indicates how reliable the results yielded are in line with the purpose of the test as well as ensuring relevance of the assessment process. What are the key performance dimensions of the instructor who is teaching this course? In your opinion, what should they be? There are three main methods of ensuring validation in assessments procedures and they include criterion-related validity, content-related validity, and construct-related validity. Criterion-related validity provides data indicating statistical relationship between test performance and key job factors, which provides predictive information on work behaviour. In this case, an individual who performs well in such tests is bound to perform better in the job than someone who yielded low scores. Content-related validity produces evidence that illustrates the composition of the test demonstrates crucial behaviour in relation to the job. The test dwells on requirements and qualifications of an individual for the desired position. For instance, fire fighters must demonstrate their physical ability in stressful situations and reflect minimum strength required to perform safety procedures associated with their line of work. Finally, construct-related validity refers to the assessment of individual traits such as personality and core values that are critical in delivery on the job. For instance, aspiring candidates for the position of customer care personnel should exercise tolerance by default in order to provide efficiently required information to irate customers. Why are clear job specifications important? What are the costs of imprecise specifications? Provide an example The importance of indicating clear job specification in any organisation cannot be overemphasised as it is of critical value to all. Compiling of job descriptions lies squarely within the human resource manager, who is charged with the role of hiring personnel based on tasks to be carried out in the organisation. A clear-cut description highlights what the organisation expects from each employee as it entails the details of personnel roles and duties. This saves time and resources that could have been otherwise lost in the confusion created by mixed roles and disorganisation within the company. As such, effective job descriptions provide efficient communication chan nels within an organisation since every employee is aware of their role. Similarly, the employees become aware of the company’s mission and vision, as well as explaining how each of them fits into the organisation’s future. Moreover, clear job specifications help in weeding out unqualified applicants while ensuring the recruitment of qualified personnel. This acts to save the organisation a significant amount of money and thus boosts productivity. From a legal point of

Is Morning Formaiton Neccessary Essay Example for Free

Is Morning Formaiton Neccessary Essay Accountability The U.S. army values soldiers that are accountable for their actions. Being accountable means being dependable-arriving to work and appointments on time, meeting deadlines, being in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing at the right time. Morning formation is the most important formation of the day. It is made to get accountability of everyone and put out any information that there needs to be dealt with. Without having accountability there is not knowing of where everybody is or whats going on. As a result of me showing up late and not calling in I am pending U.C.M.J. action under article 15. know knowing the severity of the I have realized that is an important asset always showing up on time at the right place of duty. Not only does accountability matter in formation it is also imperative to have accountability of all your weapons and sensitive items. Incase of something happening spontaneously and you dont have a clue where you weapon or sensitive items are, but then you really need them. formation My R.B.I This is my 1000 word r.bi. On why it is important to me at a military formation on time and in the right uniform. It is very important to be at a military formation because a formation is where the chain of command gets accountability and put out all the information needed for all the soldiers in the company. If I don’t show up for formation it causes everybody to have to come look for me and its not everyone else’s job to make sure that I’m at formation. It is my responsibility and mine alone. If one person misses formation it not only hurts you, it hurts your team, squad platoon and company cause everything is slowed down so they can find you where ever you might be. I will do everything in my power to ensure that I never miss another formation again. I will get another cell phone get an alarm clock just to make sure I don’t do something foolish like missing another formation. Especially since I have to get off the over weight program that I am currently on. I have no one else to blame for my situation than my self. It is really stupid for me to be so lazy as not to show up for pt formation when it only last 30-45 minutes, even if it is my day off. I was ordered to show up for pt formation everyday that there is a p.t. day. Pt formation begins at 0600 but to ensure everyone is there I must show up 15 minutes early which Is 0545. Even if I don’t get off work until 2300, I still must show up for pt formation the next day because I am overweight. The only way I will lose the weight is to show up and ride a bike for 30 minutes. Morning formation is the most important formation of the day. It is made to get accountability of everyone and put out any information that there needs to be dealt with. Without having accountability there is not knowing of where everybody is or whats going on. As a result of me not showing I can be subject to U.C.M.J. action under article 15. Now knowing the severity of the I have realized that is an important asset

Prefeasibility Study of Upper Khudi -A Hydropower Project

Prefeasibility Study of Upper Khudi -A Hydropower Project CE1.1.1 This project entitled Prefeasibility Study of Upper Khudi -A hydropower project is one prepared by group of five students in partial fulfilment of requirement for the bachelors degree in civil engineering. This project was carried out at Kantipur Engineering College, Dhapakhel, Lalitpur, affiliated to Tribhuwan University. Our team comprised of five members and the project itself was supervised by Er. Baburam Bharadwaj (Project Manager of Khudi hydropower limited) CE1.1.2 Being the final year project of our engineering program, the timespan for this project was 1 year. We worked on it from June 2010 to November 2010. During this period, we presented the proposal, conducted the feasibility analysis, project analysis, project design, project defence, final presentation and final report. I was the team lead for my project and was a dedicated member from start to finish CE.1.2 Background CE1.2.1 As the name suggests, Prefeasibility Study of Upper Khudi -A hydropower project, is prefeasibility study aimed to use the theoretical knowledge we had from out text books to better understand the feasibility and optimization of the design of small scale hydropower project centered on Upper Khudi River in Lamjung district of Western Nepal. Majority of Nepalese households rely upon hydropower for their energy needs. So, developing small scale hydropower energy plants can be very efficient energy solutions as the rivers in Nepal are mostly mountain rivers with enough water throughout the year. CE1.2.2 Khudi River has an average slope of 1 in 30 with gravels and boulders forming the river bed. It has a high sediment transport capacity. Upper Khudi Hydropower Project is a run of the river type hydropower scheme designed to produce power using the discharge of the Khudi River. It begins from the confluence of two Rivers, Sundar Khola and Khudi Khola. The catchments area of the River is 133 km2 at the Department of Hydrology Metrology (DHM) station located at Khudi Bazar, which when transformed to our catchments is 25 km2, running from north to south. CE1.2.3 The learning exercise included optimizing schemes per project capacity, sizes of hydraulic structures, penstock and electromechanical equipment and check the sensitivity analysis for the financial parameters which comprised of a significant result of in this feasibility analysis report. The study shows the feasibility of project with sufficient alternatives. We made sure we followed all the organizational rules and regulations of the University as well as the Hydropower Project. CE1.2.4 The project was divided into five parts namely Data collection, Design and modelling, Cost estimation, Project planning and scheduling, Economic and financial analysis. Each member of the team was given one sector each as a main area of study and was responsible for the literature review of that part. I was given the Project planning and scheduling and the Design and Modelling part. CE1.2.5 Organisational Chart CE1.2.6 Project Objective The objective of this study is to find the best project alternative and carry out the pre-feasibility study of the same. The main objectives are highlighted below: To be acquainted with the various aspects of hydropower planning and development. To find out the feasibility of project To know about the major components of the hydropower project. To select the best project alternative. To carry out the engineering design of hydropower components. To calculate the power and energy generated from the project. To carry out the quantity estimation and their cost. To prepare implementation schedule of the project. To carry out optimization of project capacity and components. To carry out financial analysis and sensitivity analysis of the project CE1.3 Personal Engineering Activities CE1.3.1 I have always been passionate about renewable energy and it is the main reason I took engineering as my career. In the context of Nepal, hydropower energy has a lot of scope. Most of the country in the upper hilly and mountainous parts are deprived of energy which is not a hard goal to achieve if small-scale hydropower projects implemented. I consulted my friends to form a group of five. We prepared the proposal to study for a hydropower project that could be used for a real project in the future. Then we prepared the proposal and submitted to the Dept. Of Civil Engineering with a detailed timeline graphed in a Gantt Chart. We consulted with the head engineer designated for this project and proposed that we would submit a study that could somehow facilitate the funded government project. He agreed to help us in every possible way and agreed to become our supervisor. CE1.3.2 Before we started, we decided that we visit a similar small scale hydropower project. We drove to a similar hydropower project that powered a small city called Banepa east of Kathmandu. We talked to the authorities and they allowed us to walk through the entire project and see the dam, the turbines control room, and allowed us to take the specifications of the turbine so that we could have a rough idea of what equipment we had to choose to prepare the analysis of the hydropower project we had to do the project for. I also conducted weekly progress meetings with the team and supervisor to tackle any hurdles that we faced. We consulted with senior professors about my problems and ideas. CE1.3.3 The entire work of this study is done by desk Study and field visit and survey by minor instrument such as Tape, and Abney level etc. All the data and information available from different sources were carefully analyzed to perform the preliminary study of all the necessary components. For the hydrological study of the project, mean monthly discharge of 13 years records of Khudi Khola at Khudi Bazar station (439.3) are obtained from DHM and analyzed using catchment area correlation method to find necessary hydrological parameters. Topographic maps (1:50000) of proposed site was studied for the allocation and design of civil as well as electro-mechanical components of the project. The methodology employed to undertake the study were desk study and map study, field survey and social interaction, literature review, hydrological analysis, screening and selection of the best alternative, hydraulic design of the components of the chosen alternative, cost analysis and preparation of bill of quantities and finally report preparation and presentation. CE1.3.4 The topography of the site is steep and rocky and thus we proceeded deciding that tunneling is the best possible alternative for waterway. As I was given the responsibility of design and modelling, I am explaining what the engineering design from the headwork to the penstock is comprised of in brief. CE1.3.5 The headwork was located at 1290 m elevation. The trench weir was provided for diversion of flow to the intake and passage of high flood water. For design of the weir with length 10m, the design flood is taken as 40.073 m3/s for hundred years-return periods. The trench size has been calculated considering 50% of the trash rack is clogged and the design discharge will be conveyed. The intake was designed to allow abstraction of water from the source with as little sediment as possible, thereby minimizing maintenance and operational costs and providing some measure of protection against damage too (e.g. blocking of the conduit by incoming sediment and debris). A.) Design Aspects of Gravel Trap and Settling Basin: The main design principle of the gravel rap was that the velocity through it should be less than that required to move the smallest size of gravel to be removed. Since the water abstracted from sediment loaded river not only reduces the capacity of the conveyancesystem but also damages the hydro turbines, thereby causing operation and maintenance problems. To cope with economy of energy generation from this, I wanted to design and construct a settling basin before water enters the plant, which helps to limit the entry of sediment into the plant by trapping the particle size greater than 0.2 mm. B.) Headrace Tunnel: The shape as well as the dimensions of the tunnel should be selected such that it should be readily accessible from every direction for control, maintenance and repair. In pressure tunnels operating under high heads, the provisions of lining of concrete (PCC or RCC) and even steel lining including steel pipes may be embedded. To reduce construction costs, relatively high flow velocities should be permitted in tunnels, higher ones than those of open canals. In addition to this I also calculated Friction losses Darcy Weisbach formula. The resulting dimension of the tunnel after all analysis was Inverted D shape 2m in diameter and 1500 m in length. C.) Surge tank: A surge tank is generally constructed immediately prior to penstock or pressure shaft so as to damp out the oscillation in water level as soon as possible and to store water during load rejection until the new velocity has been established. Final design composed of a circular surge with diameter 2 m and height of 13.5 having upsurge and down surge of 6.256m and 4.704 m respectively. D.) Penstock: Penstock is usually the pipeline in between surge tank and turbine inlet. Penstock may be low pressure or high-pressure penstock. Usually it is high pressure. The materials used are usually of steel, reinforced concrete. The pipe diameter and the thickness are such that the stress in steel computed from hoop stress criteria is well within the allowable limit. The hoop stress developed is given by the thin cylinder theory. I design we used inclined underground shaft made of mild steel. E.) Turbine: To maintain the supply even in peak load conditions, two units of Pelton turbines with horizontal Shaft are in housed in the Powerhouse. Two units of generator are used to generate electrical energy. Turbine was selected on the analysis based on available head and design discharge. Two units are provided for continuation of supply on maintenance of one unit also. Also, a tailrace was set to convey the water leaving the power plant back to the river. The tailrace should be designed to maintain the water surface at the elevation specified by the turbine manufacturer and to protect the power plant against flooding by the expected design flood level in the river. E.) Power generation: A 66 KV transmission line has been proposed for the safe and economic transmission of the generated power, along a length of 30 Km for the interconnection of the supply to the national grid at Udaypur. CE1.3.6 The subjects that I was enrolled in the undergraduate like fluid mechanics, hydraulics, water supply, engineering hydrology, survey, engineering drawing etc. helped me a lot to complete and prepare my project. I tried to utilise all my knowledge in utmost way to realise a hydropower project. While doing this project, I not only experienced the applied part of civil and hydropower engineering but also learned a lot of practical skills like communication skills, time management, project presentation and team work. During this project interval, being a group leader I had to solve not only my own but I have to help my group members in technical and other calculation part as well. CE1.3.7 Me along with my team members worked together very hard and could complete the project in the defined time. We could study the pre-feasibility of Upper Khudi and prepare the final report in the designated time. After the completion of this project, I felt a big rise in my confidence level as an engineer and I felt I could easily tackle the obstacles by studying about it, applying the solutions in real life problems. We used various software like MS-Word, MS-Excel, MS-PowerPoint to document the report, prepare presentations and analyze available data. I feel like my reporting skills, drafting skills and drawing skills also utilised professionally over the course of this project. CE1.4 Summary Undertaking this project helped me to use my theoretical knowledge on practical and real life work scenarios relating design and construction of a hydro power plant. We were very happy that the project met all the initial objectives. The project has a conventional B/C ratio of 2.1 and modified of 2.13 and IRR of 23.4%. The total cost of the project is NRs 605,089,628.69 and cost per kilowatt is within the range of prevailing Cost per KW for the projects recently built in Nepal. Hence, the project was financially, technically, socially and environmentally viable, and can be forwarded for further study. In a nutshell, I was efficiently and successfully able to undertake, manage and complete the project ensuring that it met all its objectives within a designated time frame.

Causes of the Fall of the Roman Republic

Causes of the Fall of the Roman Republic This paper discusses the statement, â€Å"The Roman Republic was brought down not by luxury or corruption but by fundamental flaws in the structure of its political system†. As will be argued, a statement such as this can only be discussed in relative, not absolute, terms, as no one cause for the demise of the Roman Republic can ever, realistically, be said to have been the factor that caused it’s fall. Under this framework, then, the first section of the paper discusses the various theories that have been posited to explain the fall of the Roman Republic, with the second section looking, in detail, at the political structure of the Roman Republic and how this could potentially have contributed to its ultimate demise. Gibbon’s great tome The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire essentially concludes that the Roman Empire was brought down through moral decadence. Other authors have argued for different reasons behind the fall of the Roman Republic, with recent scholars (for example Hunt et al., 2001) arguing that the Republic did not fall, rather that it was subject to a highly complex transformation, with additional confusion amongst scholars as to when the Republic actually fell: some argue that the Republic fell in 476 with the deposition of Romulus Augustus; others argue that the Republic continued until as late as 1453, and that it fell only when Constantinople was lost. This next section will present some of the most prevalent theories about the fall of the Roman Republic. Ferrill (1998) has argued that the Roman Republic fell due to it’s barbarization, that the influx of German mercenaries in to the Roman military led to lack of loyalty and complacency amongst the Roman ranks, leading to a surge in decadence amongst the Roman soldiers and citizenry. This somewhat supports Gibbon’s (1983) assertion that decadence was responsible for the fall of the Roman Republic. Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire essentially concludes that the Roman Empire was brought down through moral decadence, as he argues, through the loss of what he terms ‘the loss of civic virtue’. The influx of barbarian mercenaries, coupled with the rising popularity of Christianity, Gibbon argues, led the Roman populace to come to believe more in the afterlife, leading to the loss of social structures, and, ultimately, leading to the fall of the Roman Republic. Other historians contradict this theory of Gibbons (1983) and Ferrill (1998), arguing that the Roman Republic continued to be strong right up until the Muslim conquests in the seventh century, at which point these conquests, amongst other things, disrupted trade routes, leading to a general economic downturn in Western Europe. It is argued that this economic downturn led, ultimately, to the disbandment of the Roman way of life, leading to the ultimate fall of the Roman Republic. This theory has, however, been recently rebutted by a number of historians who have argued that trade routes would not have been so badly affected, that trade must have entered Western Europe by some other route as the discovery, and therefore existence, of Islamic currency in Roman areas is suggestive of a two-way trade. Economic explanation for the fall of the Roman Republic are popular, however, and will be looked at in further detail later in the paper. Bury’s 1923 History of the Later Roman Empire presents in-depth research in to the issue of the fall of the Roman Republic and concludes with a complex theory to explain it’s fall. Essentially, Bury (1923) argues that the Roman Republic fell due to many simultaneously occurring factors, such as a general economic decline in the region, the influence of German (Barbarian) troops on Roman soldiers, and the dependence of Roman military leaders on Barbarian manpower, the depopulation of Italy[1], various murders and treasons that occurred within the top ranks of Roman politics, and the absence of any convincing leader following the murder of Aetius. As Bury clearly states in his concluding sections, Roman power gradually collapsed, and â€Å"†¦.was the consequence of a series of contingent events.†. As he argues, no general causes can be assigned, and nothing suggested to him, through his research, that the fall of the Roman republic was by any means inevitable. Bark (1958) argues that it was the massive effort that was involved in keeping the Roman Republic together that, ultimately, led to its fall. Around this time, feudalism was developing, yet the Roman ruling classes were not well organized in terms of having a system in place to collect taxes from their people, such that it became the responsibility of the middle classes to undertake the massive task of collecting grain taxes. As such, only a small proportion of these taxes actually arrived back to the Imperial government, leading to massive losses in revenues for the Roman rulers, having massive side-effects, such as decreased investment in the Roman military, for example. In addition, currency inflation, through a reduced supply of gold in to the Republic (see Jones, 1974) led to the government leaking money, with their stock of cash being reduced, leading, ultimately, to massive cash flow problems for the Republic, with obvious implications, in terms of funding the military and fun ding public building projects, for example. These two factors, occurring in conjunction, argues Bark (1958) led to the ultimate demise of the Roman Republic. Toynbee (1939) preceded Bark’s (1958) logic that the Roman Republic was an economically poor force, with his detailed research showing that Roman leaders had no budgeting system in place, leading to obvious problems with controlling cash flow, leading, ultimately, to a dwindling of whatever cash resources were available and to a lack of cash availability for providing for military expenditure, or public works, for example. This method of budgeting had proved successful as long as the Romans continued to expand into other areas, from which they could loot existing resources, but as soon as the Roman Republic stopped expanding, this source of revenue also stopped. At this point, the Romans, without an adequate budgeting system, coupled with loss of tax money through an inadequate collection system, coupled with currency inflation (see, also, Jones, 1974), faced massive economic problems, causing, it is argued, the ultimate demise of the Roman Republic (Toynbee, 1939). Building on this theory, Tainter (1990) argues that the fall of the Republic was due to marginal returns on investments, again contributing to cash flow problems for the Republic as a whole, ultimately contributing to its decline; unlike many authors who study the collapse of the Roman Republic, Tainter (1990) argues strongly that the fall of the Roman Republic may have been a good thing for many Roman subjects, in terms of benefits arising from not having to invest in maintaining such a complex society (i.e., no taxes to pay etc.) and indeed, archeological evidence, through studies of human bones pre- and immediately post- the fall of the Roman Republic, post-fall, humans were better nourished. Rostovtzeff (1957) also subscribes to this economic theory of the fall of the Roman Republic, arguing that the free trade market economy developed by the Roman Republic worked up until the debasement of the currency in the third century, at which point inflation began to hurt citizens, who then began to move away from urban areas, to move to the country in order to undertake subsistence farming as a way of surviving i.e., they could grow their own crops for food, and in this way not have to rely on failing monetary sources to keep them alive. Bartlett (1994) continues the work of Toynbee (1939) arguing that by the third century monetary taxation had been replaced with direct requisitioning, where food and cattle, instead of money, were collected directly from farmers. This pathway, argues Bartlett (1994) led directly to the development of feudalism, with estates formed around the cultivation of crops and cattle, and not, as such, dependent on any form of trade whatsoever. This, on a grand scale, Republic-wide, is then argued to have led to a massive downturn in the economic fortune of the Republic, and to a decrease in its military capability, for example, with, again, obvious consequences for maintaining control over the entire Roman territory. The research of Heather (2005) leads to conclusions about the fall of the Roman Republic which differ from previous theories: he argues that the emergence of the Persian Empire led to the Roman Republic stripping tax collection from its Eastern edge, leading to a decline in economic revenues, a decline in governance in these areas, and a mass influx of peoples to the empire, for example, by the Barbarians, leading to massive levels of immigration to the Roman Republic, leading to obvious social problems. Through his exhaustive research, Heather explicitly rejects Gibbon’s ‘moral decadence’ theory for the decline of the Roman Republic. Neither does he see any validity in the arguments of those who support political infighting as the major reason for the fall of the Roman Republic. Heather supports the arguments of Bury (1923) who argues that the fall of the Roman Republic was not inevitable but that it occurred as a result of a series of events which, unfortunately , came together at the same time, and which, ultimately, led to the fall of the Republic. Heather’s viewpoint is argued against by Ward-Perkins in his 2005 book The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilisation which argues, in a similar manner to previous historians assessments of the situation, that the fall of the Republic occurred as a result of political instability, foreign invasions and economic instability due to reduced tax revenues. The massive, and sustained, immigrations of foreigners, such as the barbarians, Ward-Perkins (2005) argues, led to a weakening of the tax base, leading to an inability to equip the Roman army, with obvious deleterious consequences. Ward-Perkins, ultimately, however, argues, as do Bury (1923) and Heather (2005) that the fall of the Roman Republic was due to a complex mixture of processes and events which came together at the same time to lead to a definite fall in the Roman Republic. Levick (1982) looks at the morals and political system of the Roman Republic, and their relation to its fall. She argues that ‘ambitio’ – ambition – led to major political difficulties during the last century of the Roman Republic, with a thirst for ultimate power leading to in-fighting and political problems. As Levick (1982) argues, however, it is difficult to infer the Roman political structure from contemporary documentation, as much is contradictory, but it can be inferred that the Roman constitution and community was a self-regulating device, kept in perpetuity and in check by a series of checks and balances that prevented disintegration from within and also made the community better able to cope with threats from outside. To Romans, however, as Levick (1982) argues, this political system was seen explicitly as a moral obligation, with anything that upset the political balances being seen as something undesirable and immoral. Levick argues that, ultim ately, the political system had a built-in tension between the group and the individual, and that, ultimately it was this in-built tension that led to the death of the Roman Republic, through squabbles for individual power which led to the breakdown of Roman society. As we have seen in this paper, therefore, there are many different explanations for the fall of the Roman Republic, with the main theories being economic demise, immigration and overtaking by Barbarians and other groups, and political infighting which, it is argued, led to the ultimate demise of the Roman Republic through a disintergration of the moral fibre of Roman society. As to which theory of the fall of the Roman Republic one subscribes to, this depends on the literature that has been studied, and the quality of the sources used within that literature. Heather (2005) and Gibbons (1983), for example, both use quality primary sources, and yet arrive at different conclusions for the reasons behind the fall of the Roman Republic. It is perhaps most prudent, at this stage, therefore, to argue that a statement such as â€Å"The Roman Republic was brought down not by luxury or corruption but by fundamental flaws in the structure of its political system† can only be discussed in relative, not absolute, terms, as no one cause for the demise of the Roman Republic can ever, realistically, be said to have been the factor that caused it’s fall. The present paper has thus presented the various theories for the fall of the Roman Republic in this framework, in terms of offering a holistic view of the situation on the ground around the time of the fall; fundamental flaws in the Roman political system were, as we have seen, just one part of a complex situation which, together, led to the fall of the Roman Republic. References Bark, W.C., 1958. Origins of the Medieval World. Bartlett, B., 1994. How Excessive Government Killed Ancient Rome. The Cato Journal 14(2), pp. Available online from http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cjv14n2-7.html. Accessed on 23rd April 2007. Bury, J.B., 1923. History of the Later Roman Empire from the Death of Theodesius I to the Death of Justinian. Ferrill, A., 1998. The Fall of the Roman Empire: The Military Explanation. Gibbon, E., 1983 (Reprint edition). The decline and fall of the Roman Empire. London: Penguin Classics. Gunderson, G., 1976. Economic Change and the demise of the Roman Empire. Explorations in Economic History 13(1), pp.43-68. Heather, P.J., 2005. The Fall of the Roman Empire. Hunt, L. et al., 2001. The Making of the West, Peoples and Cultures, Volume A: To 1500. Bedford: St. Martins Press. Jones, A.H.M., 1974. Inflation under the Roman Empire. Economic History Review 5(3), pp.293-318. Kagan, D., 1992. The End of the Roman Empire: Decline or Transformation? (Problems in European Civilisation). Houghton Mifflin. Levick, B., 1982. Morals, politics and the fall of the Roman Republic. Greece Rome 29(1), pp.53-62. Rostovtzeff, M., 1957. The social and economic history of the Roman empire. London: Oxford University Press. McNeill, W.H., 1976. Plagues and Peoples. Millar, F., 1984. The political character of the Classical Roman Republic. The Journal of Roman Studies 74, pp.1-19. Tainter, J.A., 1990. The collapse of complex societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Toynbee, A.J., 1939. A study of history: Volume IV. The breakdown of civilisations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ward-Perkins, B., 2005. The Fall of Rome: and the End of Civilisation. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Footnotes [1] McNeill (1976) argued in his book Plagues and Peoples that a plague swept through the Roman Republic, leading to a massive population decline in Western Europe.

Hamlet †is there Spirituality? :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

  Ã‚   To what extent is spirituality woven into the fabric of Shakespeare’s tragic drama Hamlet? This essay proposes to answer that question. David Bevington, in the Introduction of Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet, finds a very obvious spiritual dimension to the drama: According to popular Elizabethan belief, both Catholic and Protestant, spirits from the dead could indeed â€Å"assume a pleasing shape,† in order to abuse a person in Hamlet’s vulnerable frame of mind and so lead him to damnation.[. . .] Hamlet must face the ghost once again to explain why he â€Å"lets go by Th’ important acting of your dread command†; yet his purpose in confronting Gertrude with her weakness is the laudable one of returning her to at least an outward custom of virtue.[. . .] Hamlet has always believed that heavenly justice will prevail among men: â€Å"Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes† (6).    The spiritual aspect of the play is made apparent in the second scene when Hamlet wears black to the courtly celebration in the room of state in the castle of Elsinore. His motves for this are spiritual in nature. The first soliloquy, or â€Å"act of talking to oneself, whether silently or aloud† (Abrams 289), occurs when the hero is left alone after the royal social gathering. He is dejected by the â€Å"o’erhasty marriage† of his mother to his uncle less than two months after the funeral of Hamlet’s father (Gordon 128). His first soliloquy emphasizes two religious/moral themes: the corruption of the world at large, and the frailty of women – an obvious reference to his mother’s hasty and incestuous marriage:    O, that this too too solid flesh would melt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seem to me all the uses of this world!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Possess it merely. That it should come to this!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So excellent a king; that was, to this,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That he might not beteem the winds of heaven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Visit her face too roughly. Hamlet – is there Spirituality? :: GCSE English Literature Coursework   Ã‚   To what extent is spirituality woven into the fabric of Shakespeare’s tragic drama Hamlet? This essay proposes to answer that question. David Bevington, in the Introduction of Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet, finds a very obvious spiritual dimension to the drama: According to popular Elizabethan belief, both Catholic and Protestant, spirits from the dead could indeed â€Å"assume a pleasing shape,† in order to abuse a person in Hamlet’s vulnerable frame of mind and so lead him to damnation.[. . .] Hamlet must face the ghost once again to explain why he â€Å"lets go by Th’ important acting of your dread command†; yet his purpose in confronting Gertrude with her weakness is the laudable one of returning her to at least an outward custom of virtue.[. . .] Hamlet has always believed that heavenly justice will prevail among men: â€Å"Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes† (6).    The spiritual aspect of the play is made apparent in the second scene when Hamlet wears black to the courtly celebration in the room of state in the castle of Elsinore. His motves for this are spiritual in nature. The first soliloquy, or â€Å"act of talking to oneself, whether silently or aloud† (Abrams 289), occurs when the hero is left alone after the royal social gathering. He is dejected by the â€Å"o’erhasty marriage† of his mother to his uncle less than two months after the funeral of Hamlet’s father (Gordon 128). His first soliloquy emphasizes two religious/moral themes: the corruption of the world at large, and the frailty of women – an obvious reference to his mother’s hasty and incestuous marriage:    O, that this too too solid flesh would melt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seem to me all the uses of this world!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Possess it merely. That it should come to this!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So excellent a king; that was, to this,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   That he might not beteem the winds of heaven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Visit her face too roughly.

Capital Punishment Is Wrong Essay -- Death Penalty Crime Essays

Capital Punishment Is Wrong To this date, Seven hundred and seventy two criminals in the U.S. alone have been subject to Capital Punishment. (Executions USA 2002). Using specific examples such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Timothy McVeigh execution, capital punishment is seen as inhumane, wrong and an unusual punishment. The death penalty is greatly rejected and discouraged by many countries and states. There are more than one hundred countries who have abolished the death penalty in law or practice, while the United States has increased the rate of executions and the number of crimes that are punishable by death (The Death Penalty†¦2000). Many politicians claim that they are tough on crimes, but they should spend ninety four percent of criminal justice money on preventing crimes instead of after the crime was committed (Get the Facts†¦2000). Protocol No.6 to the European Convention on Human Rights to Abolish is an agreement to abolish the death penalty in peacetime. The other two protocols, the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty, provide for the total abolition of the death penalty but allows states wishing to do so to retain the death penalty in wartime as an exception (Facts and Figures†¦2000). There are several different procedures that are used to execute such as hanging, the electric chair, gas chamber, lethal injection and the fire squad, which is still used in Idaho and Utah (The Death Penalty, 2000). The death penalty is abolished for all crimes under the Human Rights because it is believed to be inhumane, cruel and degrading, but it is still enforced today. The death penalty should also be abolished because the failure to prevent the execution of the innocent and the cost for executions are outrageous. In the eyes of those who are for the death penalty, they believe that the criminal should lose all rights once they commit a heinous crime and they also believe that the cost of imprisoning someone for life without parole is extremely higher than just putting them to death. They also take into consideration that the death penalty is okay by their religion. They believe that God was for the death penalty and they claim that He once killed men who crosse... ... http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/factsinnocence.html Amnesty International. (2000). Death Penalty Facts (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/cruelanddegrading.html Amnesty International. (2000). Death Penalty Facts (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/cost.html Amnesty International. (2000). Death Penalty Facts (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/violationofhrs.html Amnesty International. (2000). The Death Penalty in the U.S.A. (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/rightsforall/dp/index.html Amnesty International.(2000). Facts and Figures on the Death Penalty(Online). http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/imtcam/dp/dpfacts.htm Civil Liberty. (9 May 2001). Don't Kill McVeigh (Online). http://www.civilliberty.about.com/ CUADP. (2000). Get the Facts, Then Decide (Online). http://www.cuadp.org David McReynolds. (27 April 2001). The Case of Tim McVeigh & Capital Punishment (Online). http://www.zmag.org/mcveigh.htm ECADP. (30 April 2002). Executions USA 2002 (Online). http://www.ecadp.org/forall/cont_exec.html Human Rights Watch. (2000). The DEATH PENALTY(Online). http://www.hrw.org/about/initiatives/deathpen.htm Capital Punishment Is Wrong Essay -- Death Penalty Crime Essays Capital Punishment Is Wrong To this date, Seven hundred and seventy two criminals in the U.S. alone have been subject to Capital Punishment. (Executions USA 2002). Using specific examples such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Timothy McVeigh execution, capital punishment is seen as inhumane, wrong and an unusual punishment. The death penalty is greatly rejected and discouraged by many countries and states. There are more than one hundred countries who have abolished the death penalty in law or practice, while the United States has increased the rate of executions and the number of crimes that are punishable by death (The Death Penalty†¦2000). Many politicians claim that they are tough on crimes, but they should spend ninety four percent of criminal justice money on preventing crimes instead of after the crime was committed (Get the Facts†¦2000). Protocol No.6 to the European Convention on Human Rights to Abolish is an agreement to abolish the death penalty in peacetime. The other two protocols, the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty, provide for the total abolition of the death penalty but allows states wishing to do so to retain the death penalty in wartime as an exception (Facts and Figures†¦2000). There are several different procedures that are used to execute such as hanging, the electric chair, gas chamber, lethal injection and the fire squad, which is still used in Idaho and Utah (The Death Penalty, 2000). The death penalty is abolished for all crimes under the Human Rights because it is believed to be inhumane, cruel and degrading, but it is still enforced today. The death penalty should also be abolished because the failure to prevent the execution of the innocent and the cost for executions are outrageous. In the eyes of those who are for the death penalty, they believe that the criminal should lose all rights once they commit a heinous crime and they also believe that the cost of imprisoning someone for life without parole is extremely higher than just putting them to death. They also take into consideration that the death penalty is okay by their religion. They believe that God was for the death penalty and they claim that He once killed men who crosse... ... http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/factsinnocence.html Amnesty International. (2000). Death Penalty Facts (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/cruelanddegrading.html Amnesty International. (2000). Death Penalty Facts (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/cost.html Amnesty International. (2000). Death Penalty Facts (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/violationofhrs.html Amnesty International. (2000). The Death Penalty in the U.S.A. (Online). http://www.amnestyusa.org/rightsforall/dp/index.html Amnesty International.(2000). Facts and Figures on the Death Penalty(Online). http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/imtcam/dp/dpfacts.htm Civil Liberty. (9 May 2001). Don't Kill McVeigh (Online). http://www.civilliberty.about.com/ CUADP. (2000). Get the Facts, Then Decide (Online). http://www.cuadp.org David McReynolds. (27 April 2001). The Case of Tim McVeigh & Capital Punishment (Online). http://www.zmag.org/mcveigh.htm ECADP. (30 April 2002). Executions USA 2002 (Online). http://www.ecadp.org/forall/cont_exec.html Human Rights Watch. (2000). The DEATH PENALTY(Online). http://www.hrw.org/about/initiatives/deathpen.htm

Everyday Use Essay: Sisters with Nothing in Common :: Everyday Use essays

Sisters with Nothing in Common in Everyday Use      Ã‚   When two children are brought up by the same parent in the same environment, one might logically conclude that these children will be very similar, or at least have comparable qualities. In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," however, this is not the case. The only thing Maggie and Dee share in common is the fact that they were both raised by the same woman in the same home. They differ in appearance, personality, and ideas that concern the family artifacts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maggie is not as attractive as Dee. She is a thin and awkward girl. Her mother notes "good looks passed her by" (88). Furthermore, she carries herself like someone with low self-esteem, "chin on chest, eyes on ground" (87). On the other hand, Dee is an attractive woman. Her mother describes Dee as having, "nice hair and a full figure" (87). Dee takes pride in the her appearance. She dresses in fashionable clothes. When Dee arrives for her visit, her mother says, "Even her feet were always neat-looking" (88).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Besides their appearances, Maggie and Dee have unique personalities. When Maggie is first introduced in the story, she is nervous about her sister's visit. In fact, Dee's arrival makes Maggie so uncomfortable that she tries to flee to the safety of the house (88). Maggie is also intimidated by Dee, as shown when Maggie is unable to confront Dee about the quilts. Maggie gives in and says that Dee may have the quilts because she is not used to "winning" (91). Unlike Maggie, Dee is a bold young woman (88). As a young girl, Dee has never been afraid to express herself. Her mother remembers that "she would always look anyone in the eye. Hesitation was no part of her nature" (87). Dee also shows herself to be selfish when she sets her sights on the butter churn. Dee does not seem to care that her family is still using the churn. She states that she will "display part of it in her alcove, and do something artistic with the rest of it" (90).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The family artifacts are important to both Maggie and Dee, but for different reasons. Maggie values the family quilts for their sentiment and

Definition of Terms Essay

A pre-Socratic Greek materialist philosopher. Democritus was a student of Leucippus and co-originator of the belief that all matter is made up of various imperishable, indivisible elements which he called atoma or â€Å"indivisible units†, from which we get the English word atom. Mesopotamia A cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. Sumer in southern Mesopotamia is commonly regarded as the world’s earliest civilization. Cities in Mesopotamia later served as capitals of the Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Mitanni, Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, Parthian, Sassanid and Abbasid empires. Idea A concept or abstraction formed and existing in the mind. Human capability to contemplate ideas is associated with the ability of reasoning, self-reflection, and the ability to acquire and apply intellect. Further, ideas give rise to actual concepts, or mind generalizations, which are the basis for any kind of knowledge whether science or philosophy. Humbaba A monstrous giant of immemorial age raised by Utu, the Sun. Humbaba orHuwawa was also the guardian of the Cedar Forest where the gods lived. Anubis The Greek name for the ancient jackal-headed god of the dead in Egyptian mythology whose hieroglyphic version is more accurately spelled Anpu. He is also known as Sekhem Em Pet. Prayers to Anubis have been found carved on the most ancient tombs in Egypt; indeed, the Unas text (line 70) associates him with the Eye of Horus. He serves as both a guide of the recently departed and a guardian of the dead. Kumarbi Kumarbi bit off the genitals of Anu and spat out three new gods. This is related in the Hittite myth Kingship in Heaven: Alalu was overthrown by Anu who was in turn overthrown by Kumarbi. When Anu tried to escape Kumarbi bites off his genitals. Anu tells his son that he is now pregnant with the Teshub, Tigris and Tasmisu. Upon hearing this Kumarbi spit the semen upon the ground and it became impregnated with two children. Kumarbi becomes pregnant and is cut open to deliver Tesub. Together, Anu and Teshub depose Kumarbi Tammuz Tammuz was established in honor of the eponymous god Tammuz, who originated as a Sumerian shepherd-god, Dumuzid or Dumuzi, the consort of Inanna and, in his Akkadian form, the parallel consort of Ishtar. The Syrian Adonis (â€Å"lord†), who was drawn into the Greek pantheon, is another counterpart of Tammuz,son and consort. The Aramaic name â€Å"Tammuz† seems to have been derived from the Akkadian form Tammuzi, based on early Sumerian Damu-zid. Oligarchy A form of government where political power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society (whether distinguished by wealth, family or military powers). The word oligarchy is from the Greek words for â€Å"few†. Aton Aton was the focus of Akhenaten’s religion, but viewing Aton as Akhenaten’s god is a simplification. Aton is the name given to represent the solar disc. The term Aton was used to designate a disc, and since the sun was a disc, gradually became associated with solar deities. Aton expresses indirectly the life-giving force of light. Babylon A city of ancient Mesopotamia, the ruins of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers (55 mi) south of Baghdad. It was the â€Å"holy city† of Babylonia from around 2300 BC, and the seat of the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 612 BC. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Iliad The poem concerns events during the tenth and final year in the siege of the city of Ilion, or Troy, by the Greeks (See Trojan War). The word Iliad means â€Å"pertaining to Ilion† (in Latin, Ilium), the city proper, as opposed to Troy (in Greek, , Troia; in Latin, Troia), the state centered around Ilium, over which Priam reigned. The names Ilium and Troy are often used interchangeably. Hyksos An Asiatic people who invaded the eastern Nile Delta, initiating the Second Intermediate Period of Ancient Egypt. They rose to power in the 17th century BC, (according to the traditional chronology) and ruled Lower and Middle Egypt for 108 years, forming the Fifteenth and possibly the Sixteenth Dynasties of Egypt, (c. 1648–1540 BC). [1] This 108-year period follows the Turin Canon, which gives the six kings of the Hyksos 15th Dynasty a total reign length of 108 years. [2] Epimetheus Epimetheus (â€Å"hindsight†, literally â€Å"hind-thought†) was the brother of Prometheus (â€Å"foresight†, literally â€Å"fore-thought†), a pair of Titans who â€Å"acted as representatives of mankind† (Kerenyi 1951, p 207). They were the inseparable sons of Iapetus, who in other contexts was the father of Atlas. While Prometheus is characterized as ingenious and clever, Epimetheus is depicted as foolish. Attica A periphery (subdivision) in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece. Attica is subdivided into the prefectures of Athens, Piraeus, East Attica and West Attica. Enki A deity in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Babylonian mythology, originally chief god of the city of Eridu. He was the deity of crafts . The exact meaning of his name is uncertain: the common translation is â€Å"Lord of the Earth†: the Sumerian en is translated as a title equivalent to â€Å"lord† Nebuchadnezzar II A ruler of Babylon in the Chaldean Dynasty, who reigned c. 605 BC-562 BC. He is famous for his monumental building within his capital of Babylon, his role in the Book of Daniel, and his construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and known among Christians and Jews for his conquests of Judah and Jerusalem. Ionians One of the four main ancient Greek phyla or tribes, linked by their use of the Ionic dialect of the Greek language whose settlements were located principally on the Islands between Greece and Anatolia—but whose peoples settled on both coasts as well (giving rise to the eponymously named region of Ionia), which migrations includes only the southern areas of the Greek mainland including Athens. Akhenaten Meaning Effective spirit of Aten, first known as Amenhotep IV (sometimes read as Amenophis IV and meaning Amun is Satisfied) before his first year, was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt. He is especially noted for attempting to compel the Egyptian population in the monotheistic worship of Aten, although there are doubts as to how successful he was at this. Inanna The goddess of love and war, if Inanna wasn’t strapping on her battle sandals,she was seen swaggering around the streets of her home town, dragging young men out of the taverns to have sex with her. Despite her association with mating and fertility of humans and animals, Inanna was not a mother goddess, and is rarely associated with childbirth. Inanna was also associated with rain and storms and with the planet Venus.. Boundless It is symbolized by the infinity sign which is like an inverted number 8. Ii manifests the eternal powers of a god-king which is limitless. Annunaki A group of Sumerian and Akkadian deities related to, and in some cases overlapping with, the Annuna (the ‘Fifty Great Gods’) and the Igigi (minor gods). The name is variously written â€Å"da-nuna†, â€Å"da-nuna-ke4-ne†, or â€Å"da-nun-na†, meaning something to the effect of ‘those of royal blood’ or ‘princely offspring or â€Å"heaven and earth† (Anu-na-ki) The Annunaki appear in the Babylonian creation myth, Enuma Elish. Shamash Means â€Å"sun†. Both in early and in late inscriptions Sha-mash is designated as the â€Å"offspring of Nannar,† i. e. of the moon-god, and since, in an enumeration of the pantheon, Sin generally takes precedence of Shamash, it is in relationship, presumably, to the moon-god that the sun-god appears as the dependent power. Academy An institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership. The name traces back to Plato’s school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, north of Athens. Sparta A Dorian Greek military city-state, originally centered in Laconia. Sparta emphasized military training, and after achieving notable victories over the Athenian and Persian Empires, regarded itself as the natural protector of Greece. The Kings of Sparta were believed to be the direct descendants of Hercules. [ Hephaestus The Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan; he was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals and metallurgy, and fire. He was worshipped in all the manufacturing and industrial centers of Greece, especially Athens identified by Greek colonists in southern Italy with the volcano gods Adranus of Mount Etna and Vulcanus of the Lipara islands, and his forge moved here by the poets. Uruk An ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, some 30 km east of As-Samawah, Al-Muthanna, Iraq. Octavian The name Gaius Octavius. His father, of the same name, came from a respectable but undistinguished family of the equestrian order and had been governor of Macedonia. After Octavius’ birth, his father gave him the cognomen of Thurinus, possibly to commemorate his victory at Thurii over a rebellious band of slaves. [ Dialectics A controversy, that is, the exchange of arguments and counter-arguments respectively advocating propositions (theses) and counter-propositions (antitheses). The outcome of the exercise might not simply be the refutation of one of the relevant points of view, but a synthesis or combination of the opposing assertions. Gaea The Greek goddess personifying the Earth. Her Roman equivalent was Terra . derives from the Greek words Ge ( ) = Earth (Pelasgian), and *aia = grandmother (PIE The Republic A Socratic dialogue by Plato, written approximately 360 BC. It is an influential work of philosophy and political theory, and perhaps Plato’s best known work. Minotaur A creature that was part man and part bull. â€Å"Minotaur† is Greek for â€Å"Bull of Minos†. It dwelt at the center of the Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction built for King Minos of Crete and designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus who were ordered to build it to hold the Minotaur. The Minotaur was eventually killed by Theseus Utnapishtim In the eleventh tablet of the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim â€Å"the faraway† is the wise king of the Sumerian city state of Shuruppak who, along with his unnamed wife, survived a great flood sent by Enlil to drown every living thing on Earth. Kadesh An ancient city of the Levant, located on the Orontes River, probably identical to the remains at Tell Nebi Mend,about 24 km southwest of Hims ,in what is now western Syria . Kadesh is first noted as one of two Canaanite cities (the other being Megiddo) that led a coalition of city-states opposing the conquest of the Levant by Thutmose III Neanderthals A species of the Homo genus (Homo neanderthalensis or Homo sapiens neanderthalensis) that inhabited Europe and parts of western Asia. The first proto-Neanderthal traits appeared in Europe as early as 350,000 years ago. Stela A stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living—inscribed, carved in relief (bas-relief, sunken-relief, high-relief, etc), or painted onto the slab. Pandora The first woman, Each god helped create by giving her unique gifts. Zeus ordered her creation as a punishment for mankind, in retaliation for Prometheus’ having stolen fire and then giving it to humans for their use. She is most famous for carrying a jar (pithos) (or box) containing all the world’s evils. She releases these evils, but closes the lid before Hope can escape. Knossos The largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, probably the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization and culture. The city of Knossos remained important through the Classical and Roman periods Pax Romana The latin term for â€Å"the Roman peace† (sometimes Pax Augusta), was the long period of relative peace and minimal expansion by military force experienced by the Roman Empire between 27 BC and 180 AD. Augustus Caesar led Rome into the moderation of Pax Romana, and his successors for the most part imitated his policy. This period ended with the death of Marcus Aurelius, which is considered the start of the decline of the Roman Empire. Xerxes A king of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC) of the Achaemenid dynasty. Xerxes ( ) is the Greek form of the Old Persian throne name Xsayarsa, meaning â€Å"Ruler of heroes†. Xerxes was victorious during the initial battles. At the Battle of Thermopylae, a small force of warriors, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, resisted the much larger Persian forces, but were ultimately defeated, after a Greek man called Ephialtes betrayed his country by telling the Persians of another pass around the Hot Gates Mountains to corner them. Thebes A city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. Thebes played an important role in the fabric of Greek myth, being the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus.