First Crusade

The First Crusade (1096–1099) was a military expedition by Roman Catholic Europe to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquests of the Levant (632–661), ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem in 1099. It was launched on 27 November 1095 by Pope Urban II with the primary goal of responding to an appeal from Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, who requested that western volunteers come to his aid and help to repel the invading Seljuq Turks from Anatolia.An additional goal soon became the principal objective—the Christian reconquest of the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and the freeing of the Eastern Christians from Islamic rule. During the crusade, knights and peasants from many nations of Western Europe travelled over land and by sea, first to Constantinople and then on towards Jerusalem, as crusaders; the peasants greatly outnumbered the knights.Peasants and knights were split into separate armies; however, because the peasants w ere not as well-trained in combat as the knights, their army failed to reach Jerusalem. The knights arrived at Jerusalem, launched an assault on the city, and captured it in July 1099, massacring many of the city's Muslim and Jewish inhabitants. They also established the crusader states of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, and the County of Edessa.Because the First Crusade was largely concerned with Jerusalem, a city which had not been under Christian dominion for 461 years, and the crusader army refused to return the land to the control of the Byzantine Empire, the status of the First Crusade as defensive or as aggressive in nature remains controversial. The First Crusade was part of the Christian response to the Muslim conquests, and was followed by the Second Crusade to the Ninth Crusade, but the gains made lasted for less than 200 years. It was also the first major step towards reopening international trade in the West since the fall o f the Western Roman Empire.

Cyberspace and War Essay

Reading the highly interesting essay entitled â€Å"Navigating the Cyberspaces of Virtual War† presents to us the reasons why movies like The Terminator movie series are no longer works of fiction as written by an over active imagination. The reality is that science and computer technology have reached that point in the evolution of the systems that both the real and imagined reality of everyday lives, problems, and in this case, world wars, can now seamlessly interact and allow human beings to become active participants in the situations without really posing any physical dangers to the themselves. We have to admit that violence is an inborn characteristic of humans regardless of age, gender, and capability. But, man is afraid of the real repercussions stemming from any act of violence. Nobody in his right mind would put his own life on the line if he can find a way around it. This is the problem that presented itself to the public the day that man found a way to involve themselves in virtual war games. It is true that soldiers must be well trained and versed in handling their weapons and be so familiar with their combat zone that they can patrol the area blindfolded. For the military, the applications of virtual war is endless and a fantastic training tool that limit’s the number of casualties in the field. The problem is that the virtual war games were commercialized and sold to the public for home entertainment. The end result of the virtual gaming world was the desensitizing of mankind. Virtual Reality turned into an actual reality for some wherein nobody ever actually got hurt or died. It redefined violence for the participants and made it seem alright to blow each other up because â€Å"It’s just a game†. However, the developers of such games neglected to consider the psychological effect of the game on an ordinary person. A soldier would eventually have to deal with the reality of his virtual training and deal with actual loss of lives from both friendly and enemy fire. For the common man who merely plays the game and does not need to experience the actual loss, it instead gives him a thrill that sometimes pushes him to emulate the game in a real life setting. Early on, I mentioned that the Terminator movie series has now turned into a reality. This is a truth that can be seen because of the way cyberspace and war have turned battles into situations fought by remote control from the comfort of the soldier’s home base using highly intelligent computer systems that are capable of deciding upon what kind of weapons to use depending upon what their sensors data transmits to the onboard computer. But, what if the onboard computer develops a problem that causes the machine to turn upon its remote operators? What if Artificial Intelligence turns into Real Computer Intelligence? Are we prepared for such repercussions? Our computer developers and scientists have turned computers into almost fully independent machines that can function and decide its own actions in times of war. Good for the soldier because he won’t have to risk his life on the battlefront. Bad news for the rest of us because cyberspace is filled with computer hackers who would love to be able to gain the bragging rights to being that one person who took down a whole satellite system or took virtual / cyberspace enabled control of a real online defense system thereby gaining control of the military fighting machines for his own whims. Cyborgs are not that far off in development either. A perfect fighting machine, no feelings or logic, just a follower designed to eliminate the enemy as per preloaded mission objectives. The question is, how prepared are we to unleash such forces into reality? What safeguards are in place within cyberspace to protect us from the potential disasters cyber wars and technological advancements in cyberspace could bring upon mankind? The internet, online war gaming, television, and newspapers all present us with the realities of war while we are still far removed from the actual situation. I believe that if the world is to know any sort of peace, such virtual technologies should be limited to only military applications and not be allowed for commercial purposes. There is no need to feed the violent tendencies of man. Instead, a separate virtual reality should be developed for the common folk where we can practice solving political tensions through discussion and treaties instead. Leave the virtual fighting to those who are trained to really handle such situations. Cyberspace and war do not have to become any sort of reality for mankind simply because all it will bring about is our own self destruction in both virtual and actual reality.

Applications of the Human-AI Collaboration in Manufacturing

Applications of the Human-AI Collaboration in Manufacturing The world witnessed an unprecedented spectacle in the beginning of 2018. The Google Assistant had booked an appointment at a salon on the user’s behalf. This showcased the immense potential and scope of the technology we are looking at. Artificial Intelligence has always been portrayed as a technology which can be nurtured to make redundant human activities faster and more effective. However, the flip side of the coin suggests that there is a growing apprehension among the masses that it may eat up into their jobs and probably even be harmful in the long run. What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? As per the book, â€Å"Artificial Intelligence: A modern approach†, by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig, Artificial Intelligence(AI) refers to computer systems that think and act like humans, and think and act rationally. The concept was first introduced, in 1960, into the manufacturing industry by General Motors to ensure workplace safety through the development of Unimate Robot. Scope for collaboration of AI with Humans Manufacturing is a capital intensive business and this had led to companies searching for cheap labor. In the wake of increasing wages and high demand for products as a result of high disposable income, it is imperative that AI is introduced into the system to facilitate increased productivity and thereby address the present requirement. Artificial Intelligence works pretty well on its own and is known to increase productivity when applied in industries. But, research data proves that the use of AI as a replacement to redundant human activities can only help i n achieving a short-term productivity rise. Its ability to adapt continuously to varying tasks is something to be pondered upon. A collaborative environment where, both humans and AI combine, can prove to be more productive and lead to better results as opposed to individual involvement. Creativity is a domain where humans take lead and outperform machines, and machines have the ability to process large amount of data. Hence, it is essential that a combined effort be employed. In order to harness this potential, there must be a system where machines are taught adequately and the industrial process must be designed to integrate this partnership into it. Applications of the Human-AI Collaboration in Manufacturing General Electric has developed a new technology, called, Predix, which involves Human-AI collaboration. This technology can be employed in the predictive maintenance of equipment. Digital models of the equipment may be developed and continuous data is retrieved during its operation. This data is analyzed to predict mechanical issues that may arise out of continuous operation. Consequently, the downtime of the equipment, due to breakdown, may be reduced which translates to increased productivity. Mercedes had developed a robot to assist its employees in the production line. There was an increase in demand of customized S-Class sedans and Mercedes was not able to keep up with it, using normal robots. Hence, they developed a robot with a human touch, called Cobots so as to assist the human workforce in manual labor and simultaneously incorporate the customization required. The worker controls the operations but the task is performed by the robot. Role of Humans in the collaboration Humans play a pivotal role in training AI-enabled systems on how to go about its work. Machine-learning algorithms must be trained in a way to bring about the desired result in a desired manner. Moreover, machines must also be trained to interact with humans so as to maintain a sustainable balance while working to increasing the productivity. AI assistants are now being trained to incorporate human characteristics so that a better workplace is ensured. Another task that humans would perform is to explain the process by which the machine arrived at its action. The complex processing in the back-end needs to be explained in simple terms to people who work with the machines. Humans are also bound to explain the cause behind a fatality or accident caused by AI assisted machines. Humans must also ensure that the AI assisted machines are functioning normally and safely. Abnormal breakdowns can occur and this may lead to huge losses. Human intervention in such scenarios helps to take prompt decisions and ensures sustainable and smooth running of the process. Engineers also ensure that machines identify human presence and don’t cause harm to them. Road Map for India India is the sixth largest economy and is one of the fastest growing. Application of AI is essential for the future. The government has supported many new innovations in this field and new startups are coming up. In the latest Budget 2018, Niti Aayog has proposed a National Program on Artificial Intelligence for national development with a positive outlook on manufacturing sector. This would help in utilizing the emerging scientific talent in India and come up with new innovations. Productivity and downtime is the major issue in Indian manufacturing sector and AI collaboration is the right step forward. New startups and foreign investments have started coming up and the future is certainly looking bright. The stage is set for AI to take over manufacturing industry and transform the way it functions. It requires a subtle balance of both human and machine participation to effectively achieve the objective of streamlined and effective manufacturing. Humans should indeed be receptive of this technology rather than being apprehensive, because the advent of this technology will open the door for a large number of opportunities. It is upon us to grab this opportunity by acquiring the required skills and blending into the digital world. This was the same when smartphones and other devices were developed and this should be the way ahead. There might be an imminent danger to humans, in a scenario where machines turn out to be more intelligent than humans. But, this idea seems to be a little far-fetched considering the present situation.

Investment Apprisl Techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Investment Apprisl Techniques - Essay Example I will prticulrly provide literture review of few contemporry theoreticl pproches to the issue. Recent reserch (Steier & Greenwood, 2005) hs shown tht the due diligence process is n itertive one, where the first step is to ssess whether proposl meets the investment criteri of the venture fund (e.g., with respect to the investment stge, sector, or mgnitude of the investment proposl) nd whether the proposl is vible t first sight. forml vlution of compny will only be performed when the proposl psses this initil test. Other economic gents hve to vlue compnies in other settings; e.g., investment bnkers hve to determine the introduction price of new compny on stock mrket or they hve to pprise tke-over cndidte. Finncil nlysts hve to ssess whether the stock mrket vlue of compny is significntly higher or lower thn its 'true' economic vlue, in order to decide when to sell or buy stocks. The venture cpitlist's vlution process, however, is likely to differ from the ones used for these purposes, becuse of the very different nture of the compnies they hve to vlue. Investment proposls, recei ved by venture cpitl funds, re often very risky, due to the erly stge of development of the compny, the lck of trck record of the compny, or the degree of innovtion of products or mrkets. Moreover, the compnies re not quoted on stock mrket, so publicly vilble informtion is limited. The present study sheds light on this neglected re through n exmintion of how Europen venture cpitlists proceed in this difficult tsk. The vlution of investment proposls is importnt for venture cpitlists becuse the vlue of the compny determines the proportion of shres they receive in return for their investment nd thus their ultimte return. It is importnt for entrepreneurs, too, becuse vlution tht is too low will led to n excessive dilution of their shre in the compny. Moreover, when entrepreneurs know how venture cpitlists vlue investment proposls, they re better prepred to dpt their business pln to the needs of investors. They will be ble to produce the required informtion nd to understnd the wy venture cpitlists use the informtion. The vlution process consists of three sequentil steps. First, informtion is gthered on the venture, its mngement tem, nd its future prospects. Second, this informtion is used to pprise the risk of the venture nd hence the required return on the investment, nd to estimte the (future) csh flows nd profit potentil. Finlly, one or more vlution method is used, which combines the elements of risk, return, nd profits or csh flows in order to compute the vlue of the compny. Becuse non-public compnies hve few legl informtion requirements, the gthering of informtion is more difficult thn with public compnies. Due to dverse selection nd informtion symmetry problems, this is nonetheless one of the most crucil phses in coming to decision. One of the most importnt sources of informtion is the business pln, which projects the future of the compny, together with historic ccounting dt (especilly the blnce sheet nd profit nd loss sttement), nd future ccounting dt (especilly csh flow forecsts). mit et l. (2003) point to the fct tht the mngeril trck record of the entrepreneur nd his or her fmilirity with the product nd the sector my provide some hints s to the future success of the venture. However, venture cpitlists fce importnt informtion symmetries with respect to compny-specific dt, since the entrepreneurs my disclose only wht they deem necessry in

Baby Boomer Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Baby Boomer Generation - Essay Example Furthermore, this paper aims to elaborate on the impact of the generation on American culture and future prospects for baby boomers. The baby boomer generation is defined as a legion composed of those who were born between the years of 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boom" was coined as this period is characterized by the dramatic escalation of population in the United States (US) and in other countries as well (Gianoulis). To illustrate this, the chart below exhibits how the number of infants born skyrocketed within this era. The escalation in birth rate is attributed to economic prosperity experienced after World War II as the US became a major exporter of goods required for rebuilding war-torn countries. As such, the US posted robust economic growth within the period (Gillon). Aside from this, the rise in population is also ascribed to the uncertainties resulting from the war that impelled many young couples to take advantage of the opportunity to get married and build families (Gianoulis). The baby boomer stereotype is depicted as someone white belonging to the middle-class, who grew up in the suburbs (Gianoulis). Given the suburban life led by these white, middle-class baby boomers, which is labeled as dull, conventional and secure, many resorted to rebellion. This attitude that stems from the secure predictability of suburban life and hypocrisy of the perfect family myth painted by society became a trademark of the baby boomers. They have been taught to think critically by questioning. In line with this, they perceived themselves as the generation built not to obey the rules of society, instead they exist to justify and push for change on prevailing socio-political structures. ("Boomer Generation") This led to the flourishing of movements aiming for improvements. For instance, the civil rights movement of African Americans Headed by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. gained ground in the early 1960s as baby boomers regardless of race rallied for justice and equal rights for black minority. This resulted in the enactment of the Civil Rights Act, as proposed by President John F. Kennedy before his assassination, which prohibited segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in education and employment. ("Boomer Generation") To further prove their rebellious nature, the baby boomers also protested against the Vietnam War. Similarly, thousands of baby boomers passionately rallied against the war since it was them who were of draft age. Many of them refused to go to battle in an unknown land for an ambiguous cause. With this, students held demonstrations and took over buildings at school campuses to protest the unjustness of the war. Draft cards were also burned to express rage over forced conscription. (Gianoulis) Due to the prevailing gender discrimination in the society then, women's liberation movement was also launched. In the same way, gay liberation movements were organized to protest the social stigma homosexuals are subjected to. (Gianoulis) It should be highlighted that although there is a common characteristic binding the generation, there are also myriad differences among them that render making generalizations about this generation very difficult. To account for the difference, the baby boomer population is divided into two groups, namely the Boomers and Shadow Boomers. The former

Conflict, Decision Making, and Organizational Design Research Paper - 1

Conflict, Decision Making, and Organizational Design - Research Paper Example However, due to certain physiological issues, the communication gap between the employees may increase, thus leading to a more complex situation (Bruce, 2003). According to Harris (2001), â€Å"decision making is the study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and the preferences of the decision maker.† In other words, the decision maker has the privilege to choose from the numerous alternatives that he/she thinks is suitable according to the situation. As stated by Galbraith, Downey, & Kates (2002), organizational design is referred to as the continuous process of congregating people practices, reward systems, and structure of the organization for developing the capabilities of achieving the strategies required for the business. Thus, it can be recognized. The effective design of an organization is a significant part in ensuring that organizational goals and strategies are met. In this paper, the three key issues, i.e. conflict, decision making, and org anizational design will be discussed in context of the Field Support Directorate (FSD) of the United States Army Software Engineer Center. These issues will be identified and negotiation strategies will be applied to addressing the conflicts. Moreover, the process of applying of evidence-based management will be determined. Apart from these, the stages and the methods of decision making will be analyzed and recommended to the employer of FSD to follow. Last but not the least, the environmental and strategic factors that affect the organizational design will be discussed and analyzed. Process of Applying Negotiation Strategies to Address Potential Conflict in FSD As stated by Rahwan, McBurney & Sonenberg (2003), negotiation is the interaction between a group of people, with an aspiration to cooperate with the possible contradictory interests that tend to facilitate in reaching a mutually approved and acceptable division of limited resources. In other words, negotiation regarding solv ing a conflict often leads to sacrifices done by both parties involved in the conflict (Rahwan, McBurney, & Sonenberg, 2003). According to Cloke & Goldsmith (2005), conflict resolution’s definition is similar to the definition of success which is described by Winston Churchill as â€Å"the process from failure to failure with undiminished enthusiasm†. Similarly, conflict resolution always begins and remains at an endpoint until a distinguished reason or a solution and resolution become possible. Thus, the author further suggests that learning references should be followed to gain problem solving knowledge and to explore in-depth reasons for resistance, to understand the process of mediation and to redesign organizational cultures, systems, and structures. Thus, the processes will help to discourage suppression of the conflict and to encourage avoidance and resolution (Cloke & Goldsmith, 2005). The Field Support Directorate (FSD) provides a software support structure to the operations center that is one of the decisive links between the field support personnel, Warfighter, and software maintenance facility. The FSD’s role is to resolve any issue concerning the software labs by providing rapid solution to any unit concerns. The department is divided and mapped with various other departments to work closely with all the units and the CECOM Senior Command Representatives to provide resolutions to

Cat's Cradle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Cat's Cradle - Essay Example However, a successful military asset, the machine on the other side had destructive impact to the environment as it could destroy the whole nation’s water supply. This would then lead to the eventual demise of any water body. In the end, Hoinekker’s search for truth ended up with an invention presenting pending threat to the entire humanity (Vonnegut 22-25). After the invention, the scientist comes to terms with the reality that scientific quest for the truth does not in any way result to the solution of human problems. According to Vonnegut, science main aim is to discover new problems to humans rather than discovering solutions.However, scientists have never come to realize the injustice that they are doing to humanity because of their obsession with the pretext of discovering the truth. The writer through the referring to Jonah presents religion as more relevant and less dangerous when compared to science.However,religion does not lack its fare share shortcomings and paradoxes though they are mild when compared to those of science. Religion derives its usefulness not from its ability in telling or finding the truth but from its function in giving people elaborate lies to believe in. Similarities between Bokonon and Jonah come in the ability of both to offer lies that make human beings feel better. Religion is able to achieve this within the people’s destitute nature and lack of purpose. Jonah despite pending disaster gave people home and even went as far as declining to take God’s message of destruction to the people of Nineveh. The core theme derived from Bokononism is that it is the responsibility of man to give life meaning necessitated by the fact that it inherently has no meaning.Bokonon therefore exploits this avenue to provide people with one lie after the other so long as they continue making people feel better. It prevents people from identifying with the truth of Hobbes

Frankie and alice Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Frankie and alice - Movie Review Example Then, she is also a left-handed, white racist female named Alice of unknown age with an IQ of 102. Finally, she is a right-handed black female named Genius, aged between eight and 12 with an IQ of 156. Ideally, the movie is about Frankie struggling to overcome Alice with the help of Dr. Oz. This paper will write a personal plan to promote re-integration of egos in a case such as the one presented in the movie. Re-integration of egos is an approach to psychiatric therapy founded on the separation and re-integration influences in the mind of a patient (Salas & Turnbull, 2010). The suggested plan for this case would employ the ego state therapy, which is a psychodynamic approach suitable for treating cognitive and behavioral problems. The key problem to be addressed here is teaching the patient to overcome her past and learn to manage her present life. The patient in the movie is seen to have developed distinct ego states in a meticulous sense, which can best be identified and named through ego state therapy. The nursing process in such a case would entail customizing the treatment to the patient’s problem. Specifically, that will not only require establishing a friendly and personal relationship with the two of the patient’s dominant alters or personas, but also her third identity, which is Genius. This intelligent third identity will also serve as the arbitrator. Because the patient is known to be forgetful and loses the concept of time, the ego state therapy will include hypnosis, which is a consciousness state that involves reduced peripheral awareness and focuses attention by enhancing responsiveness capacity to suggestions. This will enable the patient to achieve sharp focus and attentiveness, thus blocking out distraction while intensely concentrating on a particular memory or thought (Salas & Turnbull, 2010). Since hypnotic induction techniques are generally

Profile in Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Profile in Leadership - Term Paper Example For me leadership is a way of living and it’s hidden in small acts with big results. In order to act like a leader, one does not need a designation or role assigned to him as someone may act as a leader in petite situations. Currently, he is working as a restaurant manager in one of Starbucks branches. I have seen him dealing with his staff and observing him makes me realize that he is a highly effective leader. I have also taken feedback about him from his staff and they all declare him as an effective leader and a great motivator using various means to satisfy and keep the team on track. In domestic life, he is always supportive and helping. One of his strengths is his negotiation and conflict management skills; he is well-respected in his friend’s circle, therefore he is often asked for help in managing difficult situations. The purpose of selecting him for this interview is to identify what kind of leader he is, how he perceives himself in a leading role, how others perceive him, what are his strengths and weaknesses in this role and what makes him an effective leader. Also, analyzing his leadership skills with the help of leadership theories was another main objective of this interview. Prior to this meeting, the objective of this interview was shared with him and his consent was taken. ... According to this theory, followers have four development styles according to which leadership styles are required to be amended. Competence and motivation of the follower act as the main criteria for selection of respective leadership styles. Hersey and Blanchard (1996) presented situational leadership theory that provided a correlation between respective leadership style and skill level of the follower. According to this theory, there are four leadership styles. First one is telling or directing. Such leadership style is used when the follower lacks competence and is not willing or motivated. In such case where relationship between leader and follower is quite weak, appropriate leadership would require the leader or manager to provide directions with strict task focus. This leadership style requires that the leader maintain necessary distance with the follower as effort to strengthen relationship would lead to further confusion. Another leadership style is selling or coaching, such leadership style is appropriate in a situation where follower has a reasonable degree of commitment and competence. In such situation, the leaders are expected to focus on relationship building as well as high task focus. Since the follower has a reasonable knowledge of the job required to be done, therefore strict directions would result in further demotivation. Therefore, leader needs to develop relationship through effective listening and providing appropriate guidance when required. These two leadership styles are mainly dependent on the leader, his competence and relationship building skills. Third leadership style is participating and supporting. In this case, follower is exceptionally competent and skilled but lacks motivation to perform tasks. In such cases, leader is

Philosophy of mind (Cognition) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy of mind (Cognition) - Essay Example oduction of the mind/body problem, philosophers have resorted to changing entire metaphysical schemes in order to fit the newest levels of discourse relating to mind and consciousness. What the discourse has left philosophers in the current times are a variety of possibilities—each inherently saddled with inadequacies and pitfalls, and supported by arguments and logic. Even though, as is often the case, philosophy has not provided a solution to the mind/body problem, looking outside the philosophy of mind to the realm of the neurosciences has not provided anyone with a sufficient answer either. Thus, the very thing which makes the philosophy of mind unattractive makes it irresistible: the very paradoxical nature of the mind/body problem, even while it repels people with irreducible and irresolvable intricacy, remains a completely necessary component of the entire philosophical enterprise. The solution to the problem will solidify any and all work in metaphysics and epistemolog y, and grant theorists of different fields an opportunity to proceed. But to find this solution, one first needs a survey of the field in order to grasp the context of its potential existence. To understand the philosophy of mind, one needs a firm grasp of the problem upon which the entire discipline was constructed. The mind/body problem is often presented actually as a series of problems—some of which are epistemological, some metaphysical, some linguistic, and some pragmatic in nature (Goody, 1962, p. 362). In certain respects, this characterization is favorable insofar as it recognizes the very complex nature of the problem; attempts to reduce the problem to matters of causes, or matters of ontologies, or matters of concepts, are fundamentally mistaken. What one can abstract from these various puzzles, however, is one recurring theme: how does a non-physical something relate to a material something? This question involves many separate sub-inquiries into the natures of mental states,

John Stuart Mill Essay Example for Free

John Stuart Mill Essay Moral theories try to explain what distinguishes right actions from wrong ones. The theory of utilitarianism tries to do the same by incorporating several aspects that set up a moral standard to help investigate the balance between right and wrong. John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher of the 1800’s defends the utilitarian school of thought by pointing out what it is that makes utilitarianism the standard theory for morality. According to Utilitarianism as explained by Mill in his essay â€Å"In Defense of Utilitarianism† the fundamental principle of morality is the promotion of happiness on a scale that benefits an individual and the ones around him; also to promote pleasure and to prevent pain. Several major objections are raised towards the moral theory of utilitarianism some examples can be the idea that the theory asserts too much emphasis on pursuing pleasure which makes it a doctrine worthy of swine (â€Å"Defense†). Another objection is that in everyday circumstances it is impossible for humans to make a morally just decision (â€Å"Defense†). An additional counter-argument that struck me the most was the statement that utilitarianism sets standards that are deemed too high for humanity (â€Å"Defense†). What this objection projects are the predisposed and unwarranted capabilities of the human race. According to this statement humanity is made comparable to other (lower ranking) species that lack the intrinsic values that make us humans human; like thinking faculties that are much superior to other animals or the ability to have languages or develop intricate cultural systems, just to name few. Therefore, making this objection a weak one and one that displays an inferior and subjacent view towards the principle of morality. Mill on the other hand deduces the true motives of these objections and labels these ideas as being of such nature that promote actions in accordance with one obliging to a certain duty. If that is the case then individuals can be comprised of nothing but a niche in society. He argues that ethics holds the responsibility of outlining our duties, fulfilling them is dependent only on factors that promote the larger well being of a society. Mill states such objections as misapprehensions and transcribes an important point which nonetheless reconstructs and fabricates the idea of utilitarianism; he states this affirms that the motive has nothing to do with the morality of the action, though much with the worth of the agent. † (â€Å"Defense†).

Economics Practice Problems Essay Example for Free

Economics Practice Problems Essay 1. Which of the following would most likely cause equilibrium quantity and price of x to rise? (a)a fall in income when the income elasticity of demand for x is positive Wrong. This will cause a drop in demand and thus a fall in quantity. (b)a fall in the price of complementary product y Correct. A fall in a complementary product will cause a rise in demand for that product â€Å"y† and thus a rise in demand of product â€Å"x† (see graph). (c)a fall in the price of substitute product Z Wrong. A fall in a substitute product will cause an increase in the demand for product Z and thus a fall in the demand for product x. (d)an increase in the cost of producing x Wrong. The increase in production cost will decrease supply (see graph). (e)a fall in the price of product A which is jointly produced with x Wrong. A fall in price of a jointly produced product will give the incentive to produce more A. If this incentivizes the producer to also increase the supply of x, the effect would be opposite as in (d): less price and more quantity. 2. Which of the following is not characteristic of a cartel situation? (a)While disagreement over production quotas may occur, once set, there is little incentive for cheating. Correct answer. In a cartel there are incentives to cheat (all other are characteristics of a cartel). (b)There is an incentive for some producers not to join. (c)Entry of new producers is a threat to the cartels viability. (d)Long-run demand elasticity can pose an obstacle to success. (e)Output must be less than the competitive case for the cartel to be effective.

Race. Ethnicity And Criminal Justice History

Race. Ethnicity And Criminal Justice History UK has been a multi-culture country historically whereby people from various origins, nations, races, religions, beliefs, etc. migrated to UK in the last two centuries. Largely, these migrants have been from Africa and Asia that form the ethnic minority communities within the UK. In the past 30 years, these ethnic minorities progressed very well in the UK and have been the victims of hate and racial crimes. Multiple research has been conducted pertaining to the causes of hate and racial crime in the UK (Gabbidon. 2009). This paper is a presentation of relevant literature review on the subject matter. 2.0 Migration, Racial Disadvantage and Ethnic Diversity Migration of people to UK has been in progress for at least two centuries but organised migration for living and employment has been occurring in past 30 years. The ethnic groups prevalent in UK are: Black Caribbean, Black African, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, and other Asians and Blacks. Many of these groups have migrated to UK for education and employment and hence their primary target has been to achieve high quality professional education, get employed within UK or to open a business. Some of the people have entered UK through human trafficking routes and hence the crimes against them are much wider than the ones against ethnic minorities. The groups of Black Caribbean, Indians and Pakistanis are reported to be well employed in the UK due to their professional skills and good written and spoken English language. Their employment rates have been better than other ethnic minorities and even better than the local whites. (Gabbidon. 2009) McDonald (2009) argued that the ethnic minorities always remain within their groups with tangibly distinct differences in lifestyles. They can be identified very easily due to skin colour and different pronunciation of English and hence are easily targeted by others that hate them. He argued that the racial and hate crimes are not always conducted by local whites but are also conducted by one group of ethnic minorities against others. In fact some of the ethnic minorities have brought with them different flavours of crime to UK that has added to the already existing crimes of the UK. Migrants from some countries (like Caribbean, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) have largely chosen to adopt the local way of thinking and living and hence do not cause nuisance against others (except for issues like domestic violence that is prevalent even in their native countries and has become one of the major issues in UK). But many other ethnic groups prefer to retain their original lifestyles and po ssess radical thoughts that make them deviant against the whites and other ethnic groups in the UK. As pointed out by Chakraborti and Garland (2009), a lot depends upon the circumstances under which the members of ethnic minorities migrated to the UK. While people from Asian countries migrated to the UK for higher pay packages (that is, to get richer as they were well off in their respective countries as well) others may have migrated to the UK amidst extreme poverty or impact of slavery and deprivation in their native countries. The history of events associated with the minority people matters a lot in the way they behave in the UK. The sense of being deprived or betrayed invokes negative emotions of hate, jealousy, prejudice and revenge that results in crime against other ethnic minorities in the UK and also the clashes between whites and blacks. This is one of the accepted causes of hate crime although the authors believe that this subject still needs enormous scholarly research to be established further. In fact racist crimes are classified as one of the categories of hate crimes given that racism can be one of the strong reasons leading to hatred but there are many other factors as well. The racist crimes are conducted by the people due to their hate against people of other races influenced by emotions like deprival, betrayal, difference of class, prejudice, etc. (Healy. 2006) The Home Office, UK has presented a wide definition of hate crime that includes criminal activities as a result of discrimination against disability, religion, belief, race, sexual orientation or transgender. The home office especially mentions that hate crimes are more important and different than other types of crimes because the people are targeted based on identity and the discrimination thus practiced is serious infringement of human rights and social equality. Moreover, they state that hate crimes result in serious psychological disorder and breakdown and can be disastrous for the British society because whole communities can become enemies just by criminal act against one individual. Serious social disasters (like riots) can be the extreme outcomes if the hate crimes are not handled adequately and indiscriminately. (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/hate-crime/) Gabbidon (2009) studied the pattern of punishments in the UK criminal justice system to discover that certain types of crimes are associated with the ethnic minorities such that the probability of getting sentenced for the members of the minority group increases. For example, Blacks are more probable to get custodial sentences for fraud, forgery and drug offenses and Asians are more probable to get custodial sentences for robbery. Similarly whites are more probable to get custodial sentences for community crimes and Muslims are more probable to be targeted for terror crimes. These patterns suggest some kind of mindset established in the judicial system itself that is inclined to believe that a particular ethnic minority group may be associated with a particular crime. These concerns have been raised by the 2006-2007 report by the House of Commons, Home Affairs Committee pertaining to overrepresentation of young blacks pertaining to crimes related to drugs, firearms and mugging. The r eport especially states that Young Black people are disproportionately subject to socio-economic disadvantage and social exclusion even by the judiciary and policing system. Quraishi (2005) pointed out that South Asian Muslims are perceived to be more involved in offensive crimes although the British criminology badly lacks researches on South Asians especially the Muslims. In fact the knowledge about the ethnic diversity in the UK is still very less and hence criminal justice system do take into account perceptions rather than facts. Muslims are more likely to be frisked for arms and explosives and blacks are more likely to be frisked for drugs. One can define this as racial disadvantage in the UK. 3.0 Reasons for crime against ethnic minorities Rutter and Tienda (2005) described social discrimination, deprival and poverty as two major reasons for crime against one group of ethnic minorities by another. It is not a fact that all members of an ethnic minority are poor or rich. The perceptions are driven by majority of the members of an ethnic minority group whether they are poor or deprived or not. For example, as described by these authors, Pakistani and Bangladeshis are also poverty stricken but they do not perceive this as a reason for deviance against the ethnic minorities that are richer. This again goes back to the theory of the circumstances under which they migrated to the UK and the objectives that had in mind to achieve from the migration. Asians come to UK to become rich and hence their entire focus is on earning more and more money. Caribbean blacks may have migrated to the UK through more congenial channels and hence are well placed and growing in the UK. They possess excellent spoken and written English skills a nd hence enjoy better placements in the British society. African blacks have migrated to UK under varying circumstances whereby significant number of migrations can be traced back to slavery and deprivation in their native countries by the whites. Hence, the reasons for crime against ethnic minorities need to be viewed from historical angle in the UK. They may be the traditional black-white clashes or else hatred and jealousy against Asians due to their comparatively better success. (Chakraborti and Garland. 2009) There may be other recent reasons like the significant outsourcing of UK jobs to India but they have not yet been proven academically at least from UK perspective (may be applicable in US however). The author has mentioned this point without an empirical support because this needs further investigation. 4.0 Policing against hate and race driven crimes Rice and White (2010) and the 2006-2007 report by the House of Commons, Home Affairs Committee pointed out that the policing system has been discriminate against the blacks in the UK. The black youths are doubted, arrested and imprisoned more often than Whites and Asians. The discrimination exists in the form of some kind of mindset against the blacks that may be the result of historical conflicts between whites and blacks in the African countries. Their reports suggested that blacks are often intercepted, ticketed and, in many cases, arrested just against doubts without substantial evidence. Further to this, Chakraborti and Garland (2009) stated that blacks do not get adequate police security and hence have been victims of violence amounting to serious injury or death in the UK. The case of Stephen Lawrence (in 1993) and the Macphersons report has been especially analysed by these authors to describe how institutional racism has resulted in increase of racism crime in the UK. Follow ing figure presents the statistics of race crime in the UK from 1999-2000 to 2006-2007: The statistics reveal a gradual increase in race crimes year after year. These figures are only the reported crimes because the British Crime Survey (BCS) reports reveal larger numbers (about 139000 in 2006) of racial crimes. The reports also reveal that ethnic minorities are at higher risk of racial crimes than the whites. The Macpherson report in 1999 opened a new dimension of institutional racism in the UK that confronted racial bias among the metropolitan police in London. The report recommended significant improvements in the policing and judicial system to ensure commitment towards a true and unbiased British society that needs to prove to the world that Britain is a true multi-racial democracy where everyone enjoys equal rights to live and survive. The report revealed that the police system itself is biased towards racism and the problem of racial hate in Britain today is much deep rooted in institutions, organisations and, most worryingly, in children and adolescents that are less than 16 years of age. The report justified the compliant by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence that the Metropolitan police was biased in the entire investigation process and all the suspects were acquitted. The fundamental change that the police system needs to undergo is to visualise racism as a threat to modern British society and treat the same as a social challenge that needs to be resolved as effectively as possible (OBrian. 2000). The 2009 report by House of Commons, Home Affairs Committee claims that significant improvement in policing against racist crimes is evident after the term institutional racism by Sir William Macpherson had shaken the police community out of their complacency. The report claims that cultural change is evident in the police departments in the way they interact with ethnic minorities. The concept of family liaison officers has also worked very well. In another report by Crown Prosecution Service (2006), they claimed to have handled the racist murder of Antho ny Walker very professionally and proactively that resulted in prosecution of both the criminals responsible for the racist murder. However, as reiterated by the 2009 report by House of Commons, Home Affairs Committee, the black youth is still over-represented by the police given that they are six times more likely to be interrupted and searched. The report also reiterated that the misbehaviour with ethnic minorities under custody need to be controlled. Moreover, the role of family liaison officers need to be improved given that their responsibility is to ensure that the ethnic minority family of the victim is treated well by investigators and the updates regarding the investigations are periodically provided to the family members. The police needs to take an accountability of race equality and percolate the message to the natives of their region by means of appropriate communications media. 5.0 Ethnicity and criminal justice system The modern criminal justice system makes every government official to be responsible towards ethnic minorities. As per the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, it is an unlawful offense for any government official to exhibit or practice racial discrimination while carrying out his/her duties. The act also requires that government departments need to publish their race equality schemes and justify how the schemes would be able to achieve promotion of race equality and good relationships with the various ethnic minority groups. In addition, the act also mandates close monitoring of the way the staff from ethnic minorities are treated in government organisations. The maximum impact on the public is carried out by the police and hence they are the ones that need to practice the mandates of the act most due diligently. The authorities in the police organisations have obviously not taken the Macpherson report positively and hence stop and search and custodial death cases have increased sin ce the report has been published as claimed by Abbas (2004). The Macpherson reports institutional racism targets Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) as well and hence the latter has been more proactive in the way they deal with racial violence against ethnic minorities. The Anthony Walker case is an ideal example in which the CPS directly approached police themselves and supported them to ensure faster investigations and faster prosecution of the accused. In fact the CPS assigned the senior prosecutor and involved the community leaders of the ethnic minority group much ahead of the police contacting them (CPS. 2006). However, the core problem remains that the probability of members of ethnic minorities getting prosecuted by CPS is higher and hence the perceptions need to be changed considerably by the institution in the coming years. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 implies fair trial of all accused by the CPS irrespective of whether they are members of ethnic minorities or are whites. The change is already visible but there is a long way to go. The other acts that enforce hatred and racial discrimination as unlawful are: Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 Disability Discrimination 1995 Criminal Justice Act 2003 S.145 Football offenses act 1991 (amended) Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/hatecrime/hatecrime004.htm) 6.0 Conclusion The UK is a multi-racial democratic country where the social system has been formed by the combination of local British population and a number of ethnic minorities that migrated to the country. Maintaining communal harmony in the UK has been a major challenge in the past given that there are numerous reasons for hatred and prejudice emotions prevailing in the nation that are linked with historical events and facts. The British society comprises of Africans, Caribbean, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Chinese and other ethnic minority groups that have migrated to the UK under different circumstances and with different objectives. Hence there are crimes conducted by one ethnic group against another and also crimes conducted due to the historical hate clashes between whites and blacks. All organizations (including the Police departments) are made of human beings and hence racial emotions have been existing even in the government officials, police and judicial system. The event of rac ial killing of Stephen Lawrence triggered multiple changes in the UK racial system especially after publishing of the report by Sir William Macpherson and the definition of so called institutional racism. Sir William pointed out that racial feelings prevail even in the people serving Metropolitan Police Organisations and the Crown Prosecution Services. He recommended major changes in the way government officials treat ethnic minorities in the interest of long term survival of the British society. The report as opposed very strongly but improvements over traditional complacent approach of police and CPS are evident as reported by House of Commons. Home Affairs Committee. The CPS also advocated their proactive approach in solving the racial crime against Anthony Walker who was murdered by two white youths in a park. CPS promptly engaged with the police teams and ensured that the accused get the desired punishment that they deserve. These events are definitely improving confidence amon g the ethnic minorities but there is still a long way to go in the future.

Of Mulattas and Mutts :: Personal Narrative Essays

Of Mulattas and Mutts Some poor white cracker made a little extra money by being a census man. His boss says, â€Å"What about them people down on Hog Key?† and the cracker says, â€Å"Them? Those people just a passel of niggers and injuns. What I have to go down there for?† His boss just gives him the evil eye. So he got out his skiff and poled on down to Hog Key. He was met by five shotguns. After begging for his life he finally got those people to understand what he was there for. And he went on home and marked that census up. He didn’t know what those people were so he just slashed great big M’s all over the page. Cause he heard that the old midwife Richard used to be a slave up Marion County way. And that his ma was a Choctaw Indian. And his son, Gene, King Gene they called him down there, the meanest man in four counties, had married up with a Seminole. Richard’s pappy was a dark as night negro man and was born and died a slave. That made every last one of them down on Hog Key great big M’s – mulatta’s down to the infant in his momma’s arms. We stayed M’s right up to the last census taken down in the swamps, right up to the time the US government took away what we had farmed and fished and hunted and built so they could make a park out of it. And all of a sudden we were W’s â €“ white, Caucasian. Cause we could always pass. Even way back at the beginning when Richard ran from that Plantation up Marion County way and joined up as a cook on a brig heading out of Key West. He could pass. But word gets round as it always does, flies across invisible lines and roosts in places it has no business. And a body has no choice but to accept the fact that being able to pass and actually passing is two different things entirely. So no one knew what he was, what his children were, what the rest of us to come would be and so they listed them all as M’s. And those folks down there in the Everglades just lived their lives as M’s, not really giving a damn anyhow cause they had each other and didn’t need the white man’s world for shit.

Television and Media Essay - TV Violence and Children :: Media Argumentative Persuasive Argument

TV Violence and Children      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Children from the ages 6-11 spend more time watching television than they do in the classroom.   The level of violence that they see on prime time television is about five violent acts per hour and the level of violence on Saturday that includes cartoons morning programming is about 20 to 25 violent acts per hour.   At this rate, the average American child will see 8,000 murders before they finish elementary school!      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a child sits in front of baby-sitting television, her eyes are glued to the viewing of shoot em' up rip em' up kind of entertainment.   We have to remember that the entertainment media plays an extremely powerful role in the formation of values and morals, to all youngsters' minds of all ages, all socioeconomic levels, and all levels of intelligence.   These programs "play" with kids' minds; these programs have a tremendous negative effect on our children.   We, as a society, must save our future and take an active role in protecting our children from the violence on our television.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Television cartoons often feature dehumanized characters, such as Transformers and the Ninja Turtles, who engage in the destructive acts of violence by fighting our real life social problems. With acts of violence, kids learn to think that's how they should solve their problems.   MTV's Beavis and Butt-head   encourages fire, smoking, foul language, drinking and stealing.   With these bad attitudes seen depicted as normal on TV   shows kids are lead to believe it is cool be have that type attitude   Is this what we really want our society, especially our younger generation, to believe?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If we truly thought that television had no impact on viewers, why would companies spend billion of dollars on television advertising?   If commercials have an effect, then so do the shows that the children watch.   For example, youngsters mimic many of the violent acts that they see such as Beasvis and But- head.   One day, a five year old boy watch his favorite cartoon, Beavis and Butt- head, and sees the characters pull one of their famous arson stunts.   And the result, he sets his own house ablaze and his younger sister is killed.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Children do learn from television especially when they lack direct exposure or first hand experience with violent grotesque acts. These do take a toll on children and the way they will view life as they grow up.   I know some who that are sweet, innocent, full of dreams, hopes, laughter, and life.   These kids have learned about there environment from their parents, not by watching television.

Career Education in Many Forms :: Emplyoment School Essays

Career Education in Many Forms Official federal support for career education began in 1974; although funding intensity has varied over the subsequent 20 plus years, career education continues to receive emphasis in the nation's schools. The most recent programs included under the umbrella of "career education" are titled "school-to-work" and "tech prep," programs that are receiving generous federal appropriations for 1996-97 (Hoyt 1996). School-to-work programs, which include tech prep programs, are characterized by their focus on bridging the gap between school and work. They draw upon education and business collaboration, and partnerships between education and other parts of society. They are designed to provide "school-based learning, work-based learning, and activities to connect the two" (Wickwire 1995, p. 7); in this way, they engage the community in the career education and development of youth. The coordinated support network promoted in school-to-work programs is "linked to school and relies on parents, mentors, employers, youth advocates, and social service agencies to assist youth" (Rochester City School District 1994, p. 1). Involvement of Community Businesses Whether through school-to-work or tech prep programs, businesses are increasingly approached for active involvement in the educational community. As they recognize the growing need for technically, academically, and socially prepared workers, businesses are becoming more and more enthusiastic in their desire to collaborate with schools to provide up-to-date education and training for the students who will be their future workers. Tech prep programs capitalize on the employers' need for qualified workers by drawing employers into the identification of skills necessary for employment in their industries--thus establishing benchmarks for education and skill achievement. Most partnerships between schools and businesses focus on the delivery and development of academic and vocational skills (which include skills for employability). Such collaborative efforts can help students develop relevant skills for the workplace through revised up-to-date curriculum, youth apprenticeships, and mentor ing experiences. Youth apprenticeships afford another avenue by which community businesses become involved in the career education and development of youth. Apprenticeships require a partnership between "educators--secondary and postsecondary--and business people who are willing to provide jobs and worksite learning experiences for young people" (Joyce and Byrne 1995, p. 44). They have the advantage of taking students out of the classroom and exposing them to the rapidly changing work environment, complete with new technologies and new management processes. Involvement of Community Agencies Community agencies, such as the Chamber of Commerce, are also valuable resources for student career development as they afford linkage to community leaders and community-based experiences.

Beowulf Questions Essay

1. Realize that this prologue introduces the Danes, not Beowulf or his people the Geats. What was unusual about the way Shield came to be ruler of the Danes? What was his funeral like? What relation is Hrothgar to Shield? Unlike Hrothgar, Shield became king because he had the ability to take down the enemies. Hrothgar became king through wealth. When Shield died the Danes buried him and his treasures in the sea. Hrothgar happens to be Shield’s grandson [Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36) 1. Grendel, the monster, attached thirty warriors while they were asleep and ran home with their bodies for a couple of nights. This devastated the Danes and the sorrow soon spread overseas. What magnificent work did Hrothgar undertake? Who attacked it, and with what result? How long did the attacks last? What was the response of the Danes? [The Hero Comes to Heorot] (Lines 189-490, pp. 36-42) 1. What does Beowulf do when he hears of Hrothgar’s problems with Grendel? When Beowulf hears of Hrothgar’s problems with Grendel, he immediately rounded up a boat and his bravest men to go were there help was needed. (Denmark) 2. Whom do the Geats first meet when they arrive in Denmark? What does he do, and what do they do? When the Geats first arrive in Denmark, the meet Hrothgar’s lieutenant who was patrolling along the cliffs. He questioned the Geats to figure out why they were there and warned them no one passes without permission or a password/sign. They then replied they were there to save the Danes from the monster. 3. They next meet Hrothgar’s herald. Who is he? What does he tell them? What does he tell Hrothgar? What does Hrothgar respond? Are you surprised that Hrothgar knows Beowulf so well? Hrothgar’s herald interrogates the Geats about where they’ve come from and what they’re doing. He’s impressed by their mighty appearance. Hrothgar is thrilled the men are there to help which is strange because he doesn’t know them to well yet is letting them on the land. 4. What does Beowulf tell Hrothgar when he enters? What did Hrothgar do for Beowulf’s father? Beowulf tells Hrothgar that his men follow Higlac. (King of Geats) Hrothgar knew Beowulf’s father because he was a famous soldier known as a leader of men. [Feast at Heorot] (Lines 491-661, pp. 42-46) 1. What does Unferth accuse Beowulf of? How does Beowulf answer him? How is this episode relevant to the poem as a whole? What does Beowulf accuse Unferth of? Unferth accuses Beowulf of losing a swimming match and will once again have to have defeat with Grendel. Beowulf retaliates by accusing Unferth of drunkenness and describes what happen in the swimming match. This is relevant because Unferth may indeed be correct; Beowulf would have met defeat again if it wasn’t for Wiglaf. 2. What is Queen Wealhtheow doing during the feasting? At the feast she offers drinks to all the men present. She distributes food and drink, and also strives for goodwill and peace. [The Fight with Grendel] (Lines 662-835, pp. 46-49) 1. Heroic poetry normally has a scene in which the hero arms for battle. What is different about Beowulf’s preparations for his fight with Grendel? Beowulf prepares for battle differently than any other heroic poetry scene. He doesn’t do much preparing. He is more anxious to get rid of the monster. He was prepared however to fight without a sword. 2. What happens when Grendel enters Heorot? How does Beowulf fight with him? What happens when Grendel tries to leave? Does Grendel escape? What does he leave behind? When Grendel enters Heorot, he became furious searching for the warriors until he found them and kills one Geat. While fighting the monster, Beowulf uses his bare hands. Grendel does escape, however; he somehow managed to leave behind his arm. [Celebration at Heorot] (Lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60) 1.When the Danes and Geats return from following Grendel’s tracks to the mere, someone sings in Beowulf’s presence, comparing him to Sigemund and saying that he was not like Heremod (lines 883-914). How is Beowulf like Sigemund? How is he not like Heremod? (Be alert for inserted stories such as this one. Beowulf contains many of them, most much more complex that this one.) 2. How does Hrothgar respond to Beowulf’s deed? What does he offer to do for him? What does Unferth have to say now? 3. The singer sings of Finn during the feasting (lines 1070-1158). The exact details of the Finn story are not clear, but in general, what happens? What does it suggest about the wisdom of using a woman as bride to heal enmity between tribes? 4. When the feasting resumes, what does Wealhtheow ask Hrothgar not to do? 5. Wealhtheow gives Beowulf a large, broad necklace. What later happens to it? What does Wealhtheow ask Beowulf to do? 6. Why do so many men remain in the beer hall to sleep? Why is it a mistake? BEOWULF AND GRENDEL’S MOTHER (lines 1251-2199, pp. 60-79) [Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62) 1.Why has Grendel’s mother come to Heorot? Is it the same reason Grendel had? Grendel’s mother comes to Heorot to seek revenge and take her sons claw back. 2. What is Hrothgar’s response? Whom has Grendel’s mother killed? Hrothgar was thankful that the Danes grief ended and the arm hanging was proof of victory. He hoped that Beowulf can stop Grendel’s mother from destructing his town again. Grendel’s mother killed Hrothgar’s closest friend 3.What sort of place is the mere? The mere is was under the water. It was full of mud, water, and dark. [Beowulf Fights Grendel’s Mother] (Lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68) 1. How does Beowulf tell Hrothgar to respond? Beowulf agrees to fight again for the Danes. He feels it is an honor and the last battle made him a bit more confident to do it. 2. What happens at the mere before Beowulf enters it? Before Beowulf enters the mere, he sinks for hours going down in the water. 3. How does Beowulf prepare for the battle? What sword does he take with him? Beowulf prepared for battle by telling Hrothgar what his wishes are if he may die. Beowulf took his ring-marked blade. 4. What happens when Beowulf enters the mere? What is surprising about where Grendel and his mother live in the mere? When he finally lands, Grendel’s mother grabs him, but his armor protects him. To me its not surprising that the monsters live in a dark place, however; it is surprising that it takes half a day to get down there. 5. What happens to the sword Beowulf borrowed from Unferth? Beowulf strikes at Grendel’s mother with the borrowed sword, Hrunting, but the blade has no effect and breaks 6. At one point Beowulf is on the floor, with Grendel’s mother sitting on him and drawing her knife. How does Beowulf escape? Beowulf escapes Grendel’s mother by having the strength and faith to defeat her and using his strength to get off the ground. 7. How does Beowulf kill Grendel’s mother? What weapon does he use? What happens when she dies? What does Beowulf take with him from her home? What happens to the sword he used to kill her? Beowulf drew a sword he seen hanging on her wall to cut right through her neck and break all her bones. After her death the light shone very bright. Beowulf beheaded Grendel and took it with him and half of what was left of the sword. (The other half was in Grendel’s mother) 8. What happens when Beowulf returns to the surface? Did his men expect him to return? When Beowulf returns from the surface nobody is there. They all had suspected that Grendel’s mother had killed him. [Further Celebration at Heorot] (Lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71) 1. What does Beowulf give to Hrothgar? 2. What message does Hrothgar have for Beowulf? What and why does he tell us about Heremod? Why and how did Heremod die? What lesson does Hrothgar teach with the Heremod example? 3. What does Beowulf give to Unferth as he leaves? [Beowulf Returns Home] (Lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79) 1. What future does Hrothgar predict for Beowulf? 2. Who is Hygd and why is she not like Modthryth? 3. Beowulf reports to Hygelac that Hrothgar may marry his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld. Why does he plan to do that? What does Beowulf expect the result will be? (Remember the Finn story, lines 1070-1158.) How does Beowulf think the peace will be broken? Is this the type of report we expected from the hero Beowulf, or are we seeing a new side of him? 4. How does Beowulf report about his own adventures? Does he report accurately? 5. What does Beowulf do with the treasure he was given? What does Hygelac give him? BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99) [The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86) 1.How much later does Part 2 take place? What kings have died in the meanwhile? What danger now exists? 2. Why is the dragon angry? Why did the man take a cup? How did the treasure come to be there in the first place? (The speech of the lone survivor, the one who put the gold in the barrow, is in a typically Old English elegiac tone. 3. What did the dragon destroy that evening? 4. Why does Beowulf think his home was burnt? Why does he order a new shield? How will he fight this battle? What will happen to him? 5. How did Hygelac die? (The description in lines 2354-2379 begins one of several versions of Geatish history and Hygelac’s death we will get.) What did Beowulf do after Hygelac’s death? What happened when he returned home? Did he accept Hygd’s offer to become king? 6. What happened to Hygelac’s son Heardred? (That’s the story in lines 2380-2390.) How did Beowulf plan to revenge Heardred’s death (lines 2391-2396)? 7. How many men accompany Beowulf as he goes to meet the dragon? Fourteen of Beowulf’s bravest men accompany him to fight the dragon. 8. What happened to Hygelac’s oldest brother Herebeald? Who killed him? What did this do to his father King Hrethel? (This passage, lines 2425-2509, is the second account of Geatish history and of the death of Hygelac.) What happened between the Swedes and Geats after Hrethel’s death? What happened to Haethcyn? How die Beowulf revenge Hygelac’s death? [Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (Lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92) 1. What does Beowulf tell his companions to do? Beowulf tells his companions to stay on top of the barrow in safety, observing the fight rather than participating in it. 2. What happens the first time Beowulf and the dragon fight? What do his companions do? How is Wiglaf different? What does he tell the others? What does he then do? The first time Beowulf fights the dragon his â€Å"brave† companions flee the scene. With the exception of Wiglaf. He reminded the men they should have all repaid Beowulf then ran off to go help kill the dragon 3. What happens the second time Beowulf meets the dragon? What happens to Beowulf? Who kills the dragon? Beowulf’s sword fails and makes him humiliated/ afraid for his life. The dragon hits Beowulf with another blast of fire. Beowulf took the final swing but both men, Beowulf and Wiglaf, killed the dragon. 4. What does the dying Beowulf ask Wiglaf to do? What happens when Beowulf sees the gold? How does Beowulf want to be buried? Beowulf asks Wiglaf to get him the treasure so he may see it. Then Beowulf thanks God for getting rid of the dragon. He asks to be burned at the coastal headland and it be known as Beowulf’s Barrow. [Beowulf’s Funeral] (Lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99) 1. What happens when the companions return? What does Wiglaf say to him? What does he expect will happen in the future? Wiglaf tells them that they will now lead a shameful life, t would be better if they had died. 2. What does the messenger tell the city? (This passage, lines 2900-3027, is the third account of the history of the Geats and the death of Hygelac. These are the enemies that will attack the Geats when they learn of Beowulf’s death.) What happened overnight in Ravenswood after Ongentheow killed Haethcyn? What happened the next morning? What happened to Ongentheow? What does the messenger say to do with the gold? What is the final image (animal) of the messenger’s speech? 3. What does Wiglaf tell the crowd that comes to see the dragon and Beowulf? 4. What happens to the dragon? 5. What happens during and after the funeral celebration? 6. What did the Geats say about Beowulf in the last three lines of the poem? Are these the terms one would expect to be used t o describe a military hero?

Capital Budget Essay

P wage c every(prenominal) your recomm restations, based on (a) (b) (c) (d) the payback period of time method the IRR method the pro? tability index number method and the NPV method. 3. Case Study Rand fortunate Resources plc Rand aureate resources plc is a London Stock Exchange gold mining and find ? rm with almost completely its activities pennyred in Africa. This case study concerns a hypothetical gold discovery of 300,000 ounces of gold in the Mwanza region at the labor union tip of Tanzania. Randgold can only ask out 50,000 ounces per year from the Mwanza mine and changeable declivity constitutes ar a consumption of the gold terms.The gold price is evaluate to evolve as follows 1 Cases and Exercises for lever and Capital Budgeting Year Gold price 1 $1,070 2 $1,120 3 $1,200 4 $1,100 5 $1,000 6 $950 The discovery comes on the heels of a massive ? ve-year geographic expedition and discovery programme that cost $20 gazillion. Although the exploration and discovery programme has now been completed, the ? rm lock need to pay $8 million this year and $5 million close year (year 1) as a delay payment to suppliers. Randgold will need to lease the land from the Tanzanian government for $10 million per annum.Mining equipment and mining billet (spanning ? ve miles) will need to be constructed at the cost of $70 million and this should be depreciated using 20 per cent step-down balances over the 6 year advise. relieve that the equipment and mining quarters can be sold for only 20 per cent of residual value at the end of the project. The workforce will cost $10 million per annum but 30 per cent of the workforce will come from be operations elsewhere in Africa. If the Mwanza mine is not put into operation, the workforce that comes from actual operations would lose their jobs.Working slap-up is expected to increase by $8 million at the head start of the project and this will fall to zero at the end of the project. The effective revenue enhanc ement gait of Randgold Resources is 28 per cent and the appropriate brush aside rate is 20 per cent. (a) Is it worthwhile for Randgold Resources to start production? Use three investiture appraisal methods to justify your upshot. (b) What are the chief(prenominal) risk factors facing Randgold Resources in the mining project? Discuss these in detail. 4. We are evaluating a project that costs ? 896,000, has an eight-year life, and has no salvage value.Assume that depreciation is 20% reducing-balance method. sales are projected at 100,000 units per year. Price per unit is ? 38, protean cost per unit is ? 25, and ? xed costs are ? 900,000 per year. The tax rate is 35%, and we require a 15% return on this project. (a) maneuver the accounting break-even point. (b) organise the base-case cash ? ow and NPV. What is the esthesia of NPV to changes in the sales ? gure? Explain what your answer tells you rough a 500-unit decrease in projected sales. (c) What is the sensitivity of OC F to changes in the variable cost ? gure?Explain what your answer tells you about a ? 1 decrease in estimated variable costs. (d) Suppose the projections given for price, quantity, variable costs and ? xed costs are all accurate to within 10%. Calculate the best-case and worst-case NPV ? gures. 5. The ? rm SENSITIVITY is studying the realisation of a project of launching a bracing toothpaste. The Marketing Department indicates the following estimations (in thousands of euros) argumentation Sales (quantity) Advertisement costs Sales price evaluate 1,450 tonnes 10% of sales 5/tonne 2 Cases and Exercises for Value and Capital Budgeting.